Meet a Reader | Beth from VA
Hello! Today we're meeting a reader who's been here since 2009 (!!) and she's had a bunch of interesting jobs, including being a private investigator on the side. So cool!
Here's Beth:
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I live just outside of Richmond, VA with my husband, 18-year-old twin daughters, and our two dogs. I'm 52. I currently work part-time from home, mostly behind a computer.
I never really figured out what I want to be when I grow up so I've done a lot of different things. Among those, I spent 14 years as a high school English teacher and the last 15 as a copy editor. I almost always have a side gig going.
During the pandemic, I earned extra money detailing cars.
I've always loved cars and I enjoy the satisfaction of the before and after.
Also, when I was 50, I got my private investigator's license. I joke that it was my mid-life crisis.
I'm a huge fan of mystery novels and wondered what was involved in becoming a licensed PI in my state (a 60-hour training course and a culminating 3-hour exam). It was a fascinating process. I don't use it much, but I have run background checks for divorced friends who are dating again through online apps. One friend stopped seeing two men based on what turned up.
I also had a blog several years ago (a little more on that below), but these days I write periodic essays at A Word on Substack as well as short, inspiring (I hope) messages most mornings at Good Notes.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
Years -- I can't remember how I found Kristen, but ages ago I spent a lot of time reading The Simple Dollar and Get Rich Slowly, which I loved back then before they were sold.
That's when I was blogging at Smart Green Tips (here's a link to a cached page with a post about my organic garden -- I sold the domain years ago).
The focus was on saving money and resources and living in an eco-conscious way.
Fun fact: J.D. let me guest post on Get Rich Slowly once. It was during that time that I came across Kristen's blog and I loved her voice and practical tips. I've been reading ever since.
Note from Kristen: I found the post, and it's from 2009!
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
Initially, by necessity, but I've never been as successful at day-to-day frugality as I would like.
I came into adulthood struggling to pay my way through college and then struggling to repay student loans on a small salary. I was always in debt, which has been a tremendous source of shame for me.
As I was paying my way through college. I learned how to repair my own car. I replaced the water pump and exhaust system on my little old Nissan in the parking lot of my college apartment complex. I've always wanted to be a good steward of my money and resources, but struggled with feeling like there was "never enough."
One of my daughters has significant health issues that are largely invisible (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and dysautonomia, including POTS). We've spent a lot of years and money attempting to diagnose and treat her illnesses.
I had to reduce, and for long stretches, stop work altogether so I could help her and be available to take her to appointments or pick her up from school when she was ill.
While my husband's income has increased over the years, we've ended up with a lot of (mostly) medical debt that would be easier to pay off if I were/had been able to work full-time.
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
I want my daughters to have more knowledge and opportunity than we did.
I've learned a lot and while some things are too late for us (taking advantage of years of compounding interest, for example), it's just the right time for them. We talk to them about money and saving and are honest about our missteps. We also encourage them to explore a lot of options.
One of my daughters is taking a somewhat atypical approach to post-high school life. We've found free or low-cost ways for her to try a career before investing a lot of money in education. She started working with our local volunteer rescue squad when she was 16, which she loves.
They provided a lot of training in-house and also reimbursed us for the $1700 cost of her EMT certification course. She's worked over 600 hours at the station and riding on calls in the year and a half she's been with them.
Now that she is 18, she's applied for our county Fire & EMS department. She's halfway through the lengthy and difficult application process but if she's hired, she'll begin a paid ($56k/yr, with full benefits) 26-week training program, at the end of which, she'll have a very good sense of the direction she'd like to go with her career.
If she chooses to stay, she will get an immediate salary bump and they will pay for her to become a paramedic if she wants. She would also have the opportunity to join any number of specialty teams they have.
If, after the training program, she decides that's not the career for her, absolutely none of the time she has invested will have been wasted. It's cost her nothing and she will have earned a lot of money while gaining skills that will be useful in any career she's leaning toward (nursing or law enforcement) and will have done all of this before she's 20.
She's welcome to live at home for the next few years if she'd like so she can save the bulk of her salary. This way she can take advantage of compound interest and build a solid reserve, which should give her a nice boost starting out.
Our other daughter has been limited in her ability to work because of her health issues but is interested in data analytics. As she's able, she's working through free online courses and code academies to determine whether or not this is something she'd like to pursue before she spends money to get a degree in this field.
5. What's one thing you splurge on?
Shoes. Not fancy shoes, but quality shoes that support my feet (like Kristen's Altra's). I've always bought good shoes for my kids, too.
6. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
Fancy jewelry, live concerts, sporting events.
7. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
Apply it toward debt.
8. What single action or decision has saved you the most money over your life?
Marrying my husband.
He's incredibly handy and does woodworking as a hobby.
He's saved us a lot of money by being able to repair so many things on his own, by building and repurposing furniture pieces, and by making gifts that we did not have to buy.
We teach our daughters how to repair things themselves, too, and how to upcycle whenever possible.
One of my daughters really enjoys projects and woodworking, too. She and my husband have replaced the roof on our shed, built our deck, and installed a fence around our yard using boards my husband milled from trees on our property.
They made gifts for teachers when the girls were in elementary school and more recently coasters and other things for Christmas gifts.
9. What is something you wish more people knew?
That there's always still time to become more frugal. I feel like I've made a bit of a mess of it over the course of my life, but there's always something to be gained by starting or continuing to work at it now.
10. Which is your favorite type of post at the Frugal Girl and why?
11. How has reading the Frugal Girl changed you? (These two questions go together for me)
I love the furniture rehabbing posts, Thankful Thursday, and WIS-WWA .
But mostly, I like Kristen's voice, honesty, and attitude in all of her posts. It's a bright spot on the internet and in my day.
In addition to helping me find ways to save money and waste less, Kristen's photos have inspired me to take photos of my own when I'm out and about, which helps me to stop and notice beautiful things around me.
12. Did you ever receive any financial education in school or from your parents?
I didn't get any financial education from my parents, just a vague but significant anxiety around money. Growing up my father constantly said, "We can't afford that," but my mother was suffering from untreated depression (which I know now, but didn't as a child) and found some relief through the dopamine rush of buying things.
She never bought big things, because we "couldn't afford it," but frittered away loads of money on small, mostly inconsequential things. I have to fight the inclination to repeat this pattern.
I was especially close to my maternal grandmother, though, and any financial education I got came from her.
She was what I think of as the "real" definition of frugal, which is to say, not cheap, but saving as much as possible on things that don't matter (whatever that means to you, individually) so that you can afford the things that do matter, while also saving for emergencies.
She'd grown up very poor and she could not stand waste of any kind, especially food. She watched me peeling potatoes once -- I was using a knife, not a peeler -- and said, "Here, let me, you're taking half the potato with the peel!" You'd never see a thinner potato peel than hers. 😉
She wasn't opposed to buying things new, but she kept everything until it wore out, cars, appliances, furniture, and she took great care of all of it.
__________
Beth, my paternal grandmother was also very waste-averse, but she swore she wasted less potato by peeling with a knife vs. a potato peeler. Me personally, I waste WAY less potato by using a peeler. But that is probably because my knife skills aren't quite up there with my grandmother's!
I think The Simple Dollar and Get Rich Slowly were some of the first blogs I ever read too, and were probably part of my inspiration for starting my own blog. 🙂
It makes me so, so happy to hear that my little scenes-from-my-walks photos have inspired you to notice the beauty around you too. Yay!!
A question from me: what do you recommend for car detailing? Any particular products that you've found to be the best? Your results are so impressive.
Hi Beth! Your nature photos are beautiful. The leaf on the cobblestone is my favorite.
I also married a man who is handy, and it's a blessing. He is the one who taught/inspires our children to try new things, like one daughter decided to build a table and another chose to refinish a hand me down table. Those are things i would never think to try.
PS- I wish I had the patience to detail a car so well! What a difference after you cleaned the door!
@mbmom11, Thank you! I love what your daughters did re: the tables. It makes me happy when women figure out how to do things for themselves. I find detailing kind of meditative if that makes sense. I zone out a bit while I'm doing it and enjoy figuring out what products/techniques will work.
@Beth, I love "It makes me happy when women figure out how to do things for themselves." My mother was one such--she couldn't find the table she envisioned so she built it herself. She couldn't find the spice rack ditto, so she built it. And so on. My parents even ripped apart and redid a bathroom on their own.
@Rose, This is excellent!!
This was a great read, Beth! Kudos to your daughter for approaching a potential career in such an intelligent way. It looks like you may live in a somewhat rural (and lovely) area, and I know how small town fire departments and rescue squads can struggle with staffing. If this career choice proves to be a good fit for your daughter, it will be a win-win situation for her and the community. I'm married to a guy like your husband. They're definitely keepers and worth their weight in gold. Your husband is quite a craftsman - he does beautiful work!
@Mary ~ Reflections Around the Campfire, Thank you for your kind comments, Mary. ❤️
Thank you, Kristen! I could write all day about car detailing products, but these are the basic things that would work well for most anyone:
*My first tip is to stay away from Armor All. The products really aren't great. For things you can find in most Walmarts or local auto stores, Turtle Wax, Meguiar's, and Griot's are all good.
*Car Wash Soap: Most any works (the big jugs you can get at Sam's & Costco are great), just please use actual car wash soap; dish soap will wreck your paint.
*Turtle Wax ICE Seal & Shine Spray Wax is a great extra step and very easy to apply. Just spray it on after washing and wipe it off, no buffing. It will cause water to bead up and dust and dirt to slide off. It will keep your car cleaner longer and protect your paint a bit.
*Invisible Glass or Sprayway are my favorite auto-glass cleaners.
*Lilly Brush is amazing for the interior if you have dog hair.
*Brushes: Toothbrush for the steering wheel and stains on cloth, cheap set of detailing brushes (around $6-$8) these are good for cleaning air vents, dash & console, stiff brush for carpets -- when small dirt particles and sand get embedded in the carpet, if you brush it while vacuuming, it comes up much easier.
*Carfidant Ultimate Leather Cleaner is amazing on steering wheels and shift knobs, which get disgusting quickly. I put I microfiber towel in my lap, spray this, and scrub with a toothbrush, wiping as I go until clean. It's also great on leather seats and console storage covers.
*For most interior surfaces, Chemical Guys Total Interior is very good, but it's not cheap. Turtle Wax and Meguiar's are also good. For me, it's worth spending a little extra money for something I know works and won't damage my interior. But, most any all-purpose cleaner should work.
Maybe I'll write up a newsletter post about this. There's so much to say. 🙂
@Beth, I'd love to read an entire post on this topic. Your results look fantastic!
@Bobi, Thank you!
@Beth, I also would love a post on this topic.
@Beth, Thanks for the tips!
@Beth, evokes memories of my Dad (who claims he wasn't good at cleaning the interior back window of our late 60s 2 door hard top but he was) telling me to "do the back window AGAIN". I am not quite as anal as he but my vehicle is pretty darn clean. We *never* ate in the car. Of course he still has that late 60s hard top. Hasn't driven it year round for a number of years (read: snow, salt area). Some day in the near future it will be mine.
@Beth, What impressed me was the grime you got off the door handle and console. I used to work at a newspaper and I made the mistake of buying a car with a white interior. The driver's side door handle soon got blackened with "rub off" -- newpaper ink that rubbed off. I'd try to clean it but it'd just go from dark charcoal to grime-y pencil lead gray. The next car I bought had a black interior so the rub off wouldn't show!
@Selena, I'm excited that you'll have the late 60s hard top someday! Very, very cool.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Black interior is SUCH a smart move! 🙂
@Beth, except in a hot climate.
Hi Beth! The things your husband makes look like the things my dad makes. It is very helpful to have someone who can make things out of wood to order. Also, your potato peeling story reminded me that once my MiL told me her grandmother would make them peel the peels if she thought they had cut too much potato off with the skin. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, Ha! I love "peel the peels"! I swear my grandmother was downright offended by what I was doing to those potatoes. 🙂
@kristen, I can't believe you found the guest post on Get Rich Slowly! 🙂 I had no idea it was still up. I should probably clarify that when I started my blog, it was called Smart Family Tips because my girls were very young and I was doing loads of research on kid stuff and wanted to share. Eventually, everything I wrote was so heavily focused on "green" topics that I changed the name to Smart Green Tips.
It’s nice to meet you! Your husband’s woodworking skills are amazing! The bowl is especially beautiful.
I think it is wonderful that you are helping your daughters “try on” careers. My middle son went to a prestigious art school, graduated with honors, worked for two years, and then decided that he hated being a professional artist. It took him quite a while for him to find his way, and it has been an expensive journey in many, many ways. You are very wise indeed!
@Bee, Thank you for the compliments. I'm glad your son found his way. It's hard to know what to do. My girls have seen two different family members go through years of schooling (one a pediatrician, the other an engineer) only to find they didn't like their jobs. It made an impact.
@Beth, don't pick a career solely based on income. If you hate your job, it doesn't matter how much you make.
Hi Beth! Do you rent out your husband at all? Would he like a trip to the Hamptons? heh.
So much of your story feels similar to my life: growing up with anxiety about money, struggling to pay my way through college, and most especially the misery of trying to figure out what's wrong medically. Oh, and being a copy editor, too. That was my side hustle for a long time, and as a bossy pedant, it's the perfect job for me. My ex used to call me Correction Girl.
@Rose,
Hi Rose! So fun to meet a fellow copy editor! I saw a post somewhere once where a woman said her daughter asked her what an em dash was and she said, "I've been waiting my whole life for this moment!" 🙂 I'm sorry you can relate to the medical stuff. I don't wish that on anyone.
And hmmm . . . I hear the Hamptons are nice. 🙂
@Beth, Come along! My car is always dirty! Ha!
@Rose and @Beth, my former coworkers occasionally referred to me as Conan the Grammarian.
@A. Marie, HA! Great one!
@Rose, I have only recently learned how to relax the rules a bit when in casual conversation or communications. A few years ago, my sister pulled out letters she had written to me when I was in boarding school, to prove to an unbelieving me that I indeed had sent back her originals with corrections made in red. How we are still close and best friends I will never know.
@Lindsey, Eh, sisters put up with a lot, right? Once I was out of pads and I stole a couple from my sister's drawers (we shared a room). She went, found them, took them out, and left a note saying THIEF! where they were.
And of course, I've always corrected my kids, though my daughter's never needed it. When she was 12, I saw an email she'd written to friends informing them of the differences between "palate," "palette," and "pallet."
@A. Marie, and @Rose,
Lol! I've never worked as a copy editor, but I do have impressive proofreading skills. I'm known as the Grammar Policewoman where I work. Not as clever as both of your nicknames, but I'll take it.
I, too, can relate to anxiety related to money/finances growing up. My mom is a spender (looking back, I suspect she, too, had undiagnosed depression), and my dad, while not an actual saver, was always giving her a hard time about overspending. I can recall too many times when "back to school" shopping, my mom trying various credit cards she had, only to find they were all maxed out to the limit. As an adult starting out, I think I was terrified of spending too much, and I know I missed out on many opportunities (to travel, for one).
@Liz B., thou shalt not dangle participles. I have a grammar geek daughter.
@Liz B., I can really relate to the part about missing out on things like travel. We never took vacations because we "couldn't afford it" and even as an adult, it's been hard not to view vacations as something that just isn't an option.
Hi, Beth! I love the picture of the trees and frost and morning sun.
I am not certain you should be too ashamed of debt incurred in taking care of your daughter's medical needs. I think most parents would do whatever they could possibly do to help their children. Some things are more important than frugality.
@Jody S., Thank you for that. ❤️
Hi, Beth. Along with everyone else, I'm amazed by the family woodworking projects (so beautiful!), and I applaud your family's approach to letting your daughters find their own career paths. And among the things you and I have in common are copyediting and deer in the street! (We had eight of the wretched creatures sitting in the Bestest Neighbors' front yard Saturday morning.) Does the fence your husband and daughter built work to keep out deer?
@A. Marie, I can tell you--NO. A deer fence either has to be eight feet tall or tall and opaque. Deer could jump over my 6' stockade fence, but they won't because they can't see the other side.
Deer are on my last nerve too. Yes they're attractive etc, but I have to work so hard to keep them from eating my feral cats' food, I get really resentful. My son recently got his NY hunting license and I said to him, "Can you shoot that?" re my most hated doe. No, because one, he doesn't own a gun, and two, not allowed to hunt does. "How about if you strangle it to death, then?"
@A. Marie, Hello, fellow copyeditor! Ah, the deer -- there are SO many here and they eat everything. The deer can easily jump the fence, but our dogs chase them out pretty quickly. After a few rounds of that, they don't come back in as much anymore. To be clear if anyone is concerned, the dogs can't catch the deer and have never hurt them, they just run them off.
@Beth, My fat beagle thinks he can catch a deer. Good luck with that one, dingus.
Beth, I loved hearing about your side hustled since I am in a similar circumstance. Dh had a stroke and while he is semi-independent, I can't leave him to work an 8 hour shift. His disability funds are good, but when rent takes half, it's hard and I've worked Instacart, DoorDash, Spark, Uber, etc... but it's so hit or miss. I know I can't be the only person who would benefit from a better side gig, or primary gig, like me. Kristen, have you thought about a post on different things we do or can do to make money? I never would have thought about detailing cars!
Also, my ds has a bachelor's from Chapel Hill, but not in a field of study that pays or is now in his interest. He is taking online certifications in Network+ right now and one other. This will open him up to jobs in IT, which has always been his passion.
@Jennifer, I will say, your comment a while back about how I shouldn't be so ashamed of using Instacart, UberEats, etc, because it helps people earn money (and I always tip generously) has made me feel less guilty about it. So thank you, sweetie.
@Jennifer, I'm sorry to hear about your DH. If you (or anyone reading) like/s cleaning things, detailing is a good way to make some money. People brought their cars to my house and left them for the day. I started with some friends' cars and word spread. I ended up with more business than I wanted (it's hard work) and ended up having to turn people away. A great place to start is with moms who have minivans. They rarely have time to clean them up properly. I had several husbands gift detailing to their wives for birthdays/Christmas/Mother's Day. My girls and I have also done very well with pet sitting & dog walking.
@Beth, I'm a mom of two little ones and I would _love_ to be gifted car detailing!! <3
@Jennifer, this list of 34 ways to make money was on Dave Ramsey's site yesterday. It is full of things I'd never heard of; maybe one or two will work for you.
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/how-to-make-extra-money?utm_medium=email&utm_source=cnl-newsletter&utm_term=rplus_bu&utm_campaign=DIGMKTG-29576_CNL-BS2-Control&utm_content=021824_cnl_blog_1_bs2_takeover_test_control&variation=A&_kx=_fpRiGQuO3XQmqU9rFxgaZdrn62G56WS7eAx0VLdISk.RzHn5B
@Carla G, It wasn't until a year or two ago that one of my mom friends got her minivan detailed as a Mother's Day gift that my friends and I went, "GASP! That is a THING?!? That's amazing!" We oohed and ahhed over her super clean van.
@Ruth T, I love this!
I too remember when Get Rich Slowly and The Simple Dollar sites were the go-to during the beginning of the Obama era. I can't really fault either of them for selling out because I can't say that I wouldn't take the money and run given their situations.
Any advice on detailing cars? Mine could sure use it in places but then my car was priced what it was because the woman who had it on lease had dogs who destroyed it. The dealership did clean it up as best they could but the stains are still in some places.
Oh and I want that chessboard cutting board. It's beautiful.
@Battra92, Thank you!
Somewhere here in the comments, I wrote some tips for car detailing. For stains, Folex can be good, especially if they are dirt-based. If bio-based, an enzyme cleaner can help a lot.
@Battra92,
I, too, remember reading the Simple Dollar and GRS daily. They were great blogs in their day, and helped me as a young parent rethink frugality. I don't fault them for selling their blogs, but I do miss the authentic voice that both guys brought to the table. I'm extra thankful for the FG!
You can count me as another member of the Simple Dollar and GRS squad! I've actually managed to keep following J.D. around the internet all these years and still enjoy his personal blog.
@Megan in CA, Same! I really like his writing.
So very nice to meet you! I too love a clean car…
Hi, Beth,
I love your photos (and your dogs).
I understand running into debt due to medical problems and work restrictions. My parents as well as my husband and I were/are all greatly impacted by medical problems and their expenses. It is what it is.
I like the idea of trying on careers, that's so smart and frugal. I know way too many people who don't use their degree in their career, but they sure had to pay for that degree.
I used to read the Simple Dollar and Get Rich Slowly, too. I don't know why I'm surprised that others here read them, or at how many of us read "The Tightwad Gazette."
I'm also team peeler over team knife.
Your car detailing is amazing. Thanks for listing some of the products you use in the comments! Your husband has some real skills, too! I'm glad your daughters are interested in learning some of that. It would be better for all of us if more of us learned some handy(man/woman) skills.
@JD, Thank you for your kind words. And yes, I LOVED The Tightwad Gazette. 🙂
Beth, I join everyone else in loving your photos and also all the beautiful woodworking projects! I love that table. You remind me that I've been thinking about dismantling an old cedar chest and wondering if we could use some of the wood to make a table. Do you have a finish you recommend for a heavy traffic wood item like a kitchen table?
And I love what both your daughters are doing to explore their career interests. It's always so great to hear about the variety of paths to fulfilling careers. My daughter is in college for an IT career, but I was struck by how much progress she made when she decided over Christmas break to take a (free) online review course for a certification. The exam was something like $300. Oh, how much easier that bill is to pay, versus tuition!
Oh PS - that washing machine door! So great!! I still remember the fort my dad built us, at the top of telephone poles he salvaged, with a giant long metal pipe to slide down to the ground. That door is the perfect observation post!
@Suz, Hi! Thank you. Speaking of that table -- my husband helped my brother tear down an old wooden gas station awning years ago (my brother had been hired to replace it). The wood from that old awning was used to make the table, our raised garden beds, and the back wall for my husband's wood shop. We are constantly re-using wood around here. Definitely give it a go.
As far as finishes for a heavy-use table, several coats of a good polyurethane or something like Arm-R-Seal should work.
@Beth, my husband saves wood when he demos anything or has leftovers. With the price of lumber increasing so much in recent years it has really been nice to have a stash.
We had to redo our kitchen cupboards because of hurricane damage. The granite countertops couldn’t be reused but he was able to repurpose a big chunk of it. We now have the fanciest schmanciest potting table in the neighborhood. I love it. He also repurposed 2 glass cabinet doors and leftover wood to make a gardening cabinet - our old one (made from particle board) was literally disintegrating.
@Jean C, These tales of reuse and repurposing make my heart swell. So cool! Good for you & your husband!
Thank you for sharing! Really enjoyed the details on how your daughters are looking at career fields, especially as I have grands who will be in that position in a few years. Such a smart way to explore different areas. My husband used to be handy & an expert at vehicle detailing, before his PD/dementia. One of my best tips would be to appreciate what you have while you have it as none of us are promised tomorrow.
@Jennifer G, I'm so sorry to read about your husband, but I appreciate the reminder. It's so easy to take our health for granted and to assume we'll always be able to do what we can do now. Best wishes to you and your family.
Beth, I really enjoyed your post. All of the wood-working pieces are beautiful and practical. And that upcycled washing machine door is so great! Your girls are taking a smart approach to their education. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your lovely life!
@MB in MN, Thank YOU for the kind words!
Hi Beth!
I'm joining everyone else in admiring your husband's upcycling and building skills, the little racks for cans in the pantry is such an ingenious solution.
And I hope you don't feel bad for "never having figured out what you want to be when you grow up", as I find that people who have tried many things are some of the most interesting people I have met, and I can also relate to this feeling. If you are open to trying new things and humble and patient enough to let yourself learn new things through life, it shows an openness of mind and perseverance I admire (like Kristen's in starting nursing school!).
I also think it's good that young adults are rethinking ways to get a profession and taking their time to explore different options, for the same reasons. My middle child took a gap year to live abroad after high school (he graduated during the pandemic and did not want to go to online college), and is now living at home, learning new skills at work and able to save a lot of money for his next chapter. Once he goes to school it might be a traditional program or a mix of things, but definitely he has matured and has a much greater sense of self and what he wants to do than when he graduated. When he was feeling doubtful, I told him that although in high school it looks like his peers know what they are doing and have a clear path ahead, many will change course, drop out of programs, change majors etc. This has been the case and many have accrued debt in the process.
And oh, regarding the potato peels, I have read that most vitamins and minerals of a potato are just under the peel, so most of this is lost in the peeling. Growing up, we boiled the potatoes with the peels after a scrub, and the peel would come off paper thin leaving most of the potato intact.
My grandmother gave potato peels and other slops to her pigs, and foot got "recycled" in this way.
@Kristina M., I told my daughter that I no longer peel carrots for the same reason, nutrition, and she was horrified. They're "dirty." Well, I do wash them! Anyway, she eats them and has been for a long time.
@Kristina M., Hi there! I'm seeing more and more young people taking the route your son has and I'm glad for them. I went to a state college for around $25k for all four years (I'm showing my age, I know), but college costs have increased far beyond income levels. At $25k+ for a single year, it feels like the stakes are much higher -- in that it costs so much more if you waffle around trying to figure out what to do after you get there.
I think I'll probably always be trying new things. I'm interested in so much and the older I get, the more I see that curiosity as a positive trait. 😉
Hi Beth,
You and your husband are both very ingenious. This was fun to read. I would love to own that bowl--it's gorgeous. 🙂
I rarely peel my potatoes these days--since I usually use them in soups/stews, I scrub them well, dice them up, and boom, I'm done. I do it party because of the added nutrition (including fiber) and partly because I'm lazy. I take a similar approach to using apples in cooking and baking.
I don't think you should feel shame over your early money management experiences. How are you supposed to know how to do something if you haven't been taught? You realized that what you were doing wasn't working well for you, developed new skills, and taught them to your daughters. That's amazing and if anything, you should feel proud of how far you have come.
Thanks for sharing!
@Kris, Hi! I really appreciate your kind words, particularly about shame and money. I put a lot of stock in the idea of doing better when we know better, but it's nice to hear a perspective like this from someone else. Thank you!
Beth, I have many thoughts (and questions) after reading about you (all good!)
1. "Where Green and Frugal Meet" is such plain common sense that is apparently uncommon. Keep republishing that!
2. Were you reading Sue Grafton's books when you decided to become a PI? (I wanted to be Kinsey!)
3. Did you ever have paying clients as a PI or was it all about helping your friends? (I have such a hard time charging friends for work.)
4. What training/qualifications/certifications did you get to become a copy editor?
5. Your approach to helping your daughters discover their careers is brilliant: resourceful and practical.
6. Do you know about Mike Rowe's Work Ethic Scholarships? He pays for trade schools for people who get through his application process.
7. Yesterday I read a post on Dave Ramsey's site called "34 Ways to Make Extra Money". (I put a link to it in a reply to @Jennifer but it looks weird there, although it does work.)
8. I always leave the peels on potatoes, even if mashing them, because rumor has it that the vitamins and fiber and even flavor are in the peel. Besides, I am lazy about cooking.
9. The washing machine door in the fort is brilliant, as is all the wood reusage.
10. I'm looking forward to reading your Word and Good Notes archives.
I could just keep going here, but enough already—it's a workday and I need to get to it! (or maybe I will go detail my car using your extensive and helpful tips. . .)
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, First, thank you!
To answer some of your questions:
I have read all the PI books, it seems, and yes, Kinsey plus others were definitely inspiration to get my license. I have had a couple of paying clients, but mostly I helped my friends for free -- I very much want them to be safe.
Re: copyediting. I have a B.A. and M.A. in English. I taught 11th and 12th grade literature and writing for 14 years and when I left teaching, a friend connected me with some people at Cambridge University Press where I edited academic journal articles (super tedious, highly researched) for a few years. I enjoyed it because I'm a huge nerd who loves research, but in the last several years, most journals have started copyediting in-house to save money. From there, I began copyediting curriculum for a couple of large publishers, mostly in English Language Arts, but sometimes in other subjects. With my background in teaching, it's been a good fit.
I did not know about Mike Rowe's Work Ethic Scholarship. It sounds great!
And I really appreciate the support re: my newsletters. I do hope you like what you find there.
@Beth, I subscribed to A Word From Beth. Loved reading the archives. I'm a 5 too! I wondered why your Meet-A-Reader resonated so much with me, and now I know. 😎
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Oh, yay! And thank you, again!
Beth, it looks lovely where you live! I'm so impressed by your husband's woodwork, and I just have to say that the two small rolling pins with holders in your pantry cupboard made me smile. How sweet is that? Thanks so much for sharing!
@MaryG, Thank you! When my girls were very young, my husband built them a stair-step stool that was very wide so they wouldn't teeter off, and they would climb up to the counter to roll out dough and help with all sorts of cooking tasks. Someone gifted them the small rolling pins and I came home one day surprised (and delighted) to see that he'd made a little holder for them in the pantry. I'm glad to know it gave you a smile today.
Nice to meet you, Beth. Car detailing is hard work, but satisfying for sure. Right out of college, I had a side hustle of detailing lease returns for a Mercedes dealership. It was great money. I still do it, but only for older family and friends.
I have been house sitting for decades and do "bonus" side hustles (deep cleaning, refreshing floor finishes, sealing stone work, painting ceilings, window coverings, etc.) It pays very well.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, Wow! I love reading about your side hustles. Which is your favorite one to do?
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, and would YOU like to visit the Hamptons too? Heh. I noticed the other day that my dining room ceiling is sooooo dirty. I assume past renters used a lot of candles.
Hi Beth!
Thank you so much for sharing! I love your organized pantry and your husband’s wood working is so beautiful and impressive!
Thank you for sharing about your daughter. I hope she is doing okay and is more stable health wise now and getting good care.
I was wondering if maybe you had any tips or advice about EDS and getting diagnosed or just general health things. I know everyone is different and there are lots of types and subtypes but I would be interested to know any general info you are willing to share. I’m currently trying to pursue a diagnosis after many different health issues and collecting specialists like trading cards (unfortunately), and realizing I’ve lived my entire life with hypermobility and never really realized it.
Thank you in advance,
Ali
Also if you’re more comfortable this is my personal email: girlscouts17@gmail.com
@Ali in the midwest, Hi there! It's such a tricky thing to diagnose & treat because not a lot of doctors are aware of it. One of the most helpful books I've read is one called Disjointed by Diana Jovin. And check out/follow Linda Bluestein at hypermobilitymd.com (she's also on Instagram) + The Ehlers-Danlos Society. All are great resources for navigating diagnosis and treatment. Also, Google "Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome" and your area to see if any doctors pop up.
I'll email you with additional info and resources. Wishing you all the best!
@Beth,
Thank you so much! I was wondering if that book was worth the money so that is good to hear it was useful. I may try purchasing a used copy or request through ILL at the library. I’ve not heard of Linda Bluestein so I’m definitely going to look at her site. The EDS society has been helpful so far. Unfortunately there are not a lot of providers in my state or surrounding states. I’m going to go through genetic testing but I may end up having to travel to Jacksonville, FL to Mayo’s EDS clinic as unfortunately Mayo in Minnesota does not seem to have the same resources. Thank you so much for this info and taking the time to message me and provide helpful information!
Beth, thank you so much for sharing. I love how much thought and energy you have put into launching your daughters into successful and debt-free adulthoods. It shows real wisdom to know them well-enough to guide them to appropriate careers (maybe the P.I. skills helped LOL). All the best to your sweet family.
@Amanda in VA, Thank you! And lol, I'm a researcher at heart. 🙂
So many interesting things in your post and I loved the pictures of the woodworking items. Thank you for taking the time and having the courage to share.
@Lindsey, Thank you. I'm not gonna lie -- I was nervous, but really shouldn't have been. Everyone here is so lovely. 🙂
Beth, it was so neat to read your interview! Wow! I loved reading about what you're doing with your daughters - that is amazing. Maybe a non-traditional path, but such a smart one!
The washing machine door on the playset is genius! Since my husband and his dad also do quite a bit of woodworking (I'm sitting at the dining room table my FIL made for us), I especially loved seeing all of the homemade things you have in your house.
Thanks for sharing with us all! It brightened my day. 🙂
@Ruth T, Thanks so much for your kind words, Ruth!
Nice to meet you in more details. I can't say "meet you" entirely since I've been seeing your comments for a long time now. Your husband makes beautiful things and best of luck with/to you and your kids.
Oh, wow. Your daughter is absolutely rocking her education, with the EMS training stuff! That is the most amazing "education" thing I've ever heard of! And I know of a lot of folks who stay at home and do remote computer work like her sister's data analysis goal; several of them make a good income this way. So both of your young ladies seem off to good starts!
Your private investigator skills checking out the would-be suitors probably saved your single friends a whole lot of grief. For those of us who do not have a PI BFF, there's a book called "When In Doubt, Check Him Out." It may not be in print any longer, but try to get a copy, single people; I first saw it on Oprah when her talk show was on regular TV stations. It's written by a cop and there is some really good info in there!
When you talk about your husband's handy skills and woodworking talent, I'm reminded about some advice my mom gave me: she said to try to find a man who works with his hands, you'll save a ton of money that way. My dad was talented like that; unfortunately, he was so old-fashioned that he did not think girls belonged in workshops -- so he did not teach me any skills. Kudos to your DH for showing your DDs how to fix and build things! I am impressed by the photos of your husband's finished projects. That upcycled washing machine door in the playset was pure genius!
I'm going to click on the links in your post and read all that stuff for myself. I want to start gardening but all I seem to do is kill plants.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Hi! Thank you for your nice comments. The book you suggested sounds great. With my friends, each time something questionable came up in the background checks, they had already seen red flags but thought they might be overreacting. I think women, in general, have a hard time trusting themselves. For these women, the background checks were simply confirmation that they needed to move on. I'd encourage all of us to trust our intuition.
Life happened and I've not had a large garden in a few years, but we had many great years with it.
Hi Beth! I have a friend whose daughter is struggling with POTS, among other health issues. Can you recommend some resources for me to share with her?
I feel seen. Thank you. I am 48, have a young child and I'm still trying to right the wrongs in my life around money. I received no education about money growing up and while I'm unsure if my mom has undiagnosed depression, I know she is the same way as your mom with buying little things. The woodworking stuff is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story.
wow you are very impressive. the way you launch your daughter on a possible career. your pets are just a wonderful dose of cuteness. thank you so much for sharing. it was a pleasure to learn about your life. all the best to you and your family. when i was young , most of my money went into medical debt. i feel for you. it is hard. but somehow i found great doctors. and with medical improvements, my hubby's excellent health benefits and the grace of g-d i don't have any debt now.
Your bowl is Beautiful!!!!!
the tale of peeling potatoes evokes memories of a friend's mother who dared anyone to peel potatoes faster or as fast as she. My grandmother told us to look at the size of the potato when the woman finished her rapid peel. She was so correct. They looked like walnuts in the shell when she finished. Without any unkind or ugly words we got the idea.
On another topic - I could not help but notice that your twin's health issues are so different. So, I am assuming they are not identical since one has genetic issues. I would think the extraordinary care you have expended could wipe out the debt a thousand times and more. You deserve great praise and absolutely no negativity for making yourself available for this. badge of LOVE......