Meet a Reader | MB in MN
Since I have been sharing my words and life on the internet for over 13 years now, I sometimes forget to appreciate that doing so can be a little scary for people. But doing this series and chatting with the people who are participating has reminded me that not everyone is accustomed to putting themselves out there in front of strangers.
MB used to feel kind of shy even about commenting here, but with enough time, she's come out of her shell enough to even volunteer to be featured. Yay!
Here's MB:
1. Tell us a little about yourself
I am a wife, dog mom, sister, aunt, friend, volunteer and all-around cheerleader. I'm an avid reader, word lover, a bit of a health nut, gardener, trash picker-upper and amateur designer.
Our garden is a jumble of annuals, perennials, vegetables, and weeds
I live in a small home in a semi-rural town outside of the Twin Cities with my older husband and younger dog. I was very fortunate to be able to retire early from a long, rewarding (mostly) career that came with a pension plan.
Apparently our dog is camera-shy, too; she pushed me away like I was the paparazzi!
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I think it's been about two years. And I think it took a while to feel comfortable posting a comment, so it's a testament to Kristen and this caring community that I volunteered to be a part of the meet a reader series. Anonymity helps, too!
I check the blog comments a few times a day to see what "my people" are saying and experiencing.
I enjoy learning from everyone and my heart swells when reading the supportive responses to someone's comment about something either sorrowful or joyful.
This is where I read The Frugal Girl after I finish my morning routine of word games. Our beautiful view is courtesy of our neighbor's land.
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
My mom was frugal and I was her accomplice from an early age. I also think I was just born this way since the things that I'm most interested in and that come easily have been there from the get-go in one form or another.
4. What’s the “why” behind your money-saving efforts?
Simplicity and being light on the planet are important to me and that naturally leads to saving money and other precious resources.
My current reading pile from the library and the local bookstore
5. What’s your best frugal win?
It's hard to pick just one! The biggies are:
1) keeping our vehicles running until they run out
2) being vegetarian which we believe allows us to save money on both groceries and health care
3) borrowing other people's children (nieces and nephews) instead of having our own!
On top of a thrifted tablecloth is the billionth bowl of tomatoes from a $3 plant
6. What’s a dumb money mistake you’ve made?
I wouldn't call it a mistake, since it's been intentional, but we've remodeled or moved several times - not to flip houses but to indulge our love of indoor and outdoor projects - and even downsizing to our current home ended up costing more than we would have liked.
7. What’s one thing you splurge on?
Good, real food - whether eaten at home or away.
For our zero-waste pantry, we fill the jars from the bulk section at the co-op
8. What’s one thing you aren’t remotely tempted to splurge on?
Anything electronic, motorized or fancy.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
Give it to someone else. And be immensely grateful that I do not need it at this point in my life.
This is my favorite thrift store find: a framed paint-by-number painting that reminds me of the kits I enjoyed as a child
10. Share a frugal tip with other Frugal Girl readers.
I feel like I'm preaching to the choir here, but I think an important overall tip is to be mindful about everything you are doing, buying, and putting in or on your body. Mindfulness helps us be good stewards of our money, time, health and planet.
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MB, I am so delighted that you felt comfortable enough to share your life with other readers. Yay! And thank you for all these fun photos; I love to get a visual peek into readers' lives.
A question from me, and then other readers can ask questions/leave comments: you said you like to play word games, so I'm wondering, do you ever play Words with Friends?
My mom and I have a several-years running streak of Words with Friends games, but she is the only one I play with.
Hi MB! I really, really love that photo of your garden. I feel like wandering around in there would be like a treasure hunt. Although for me, the treasures will always be the edible things. 🙂 Like that cabbage. So pretty.
@kristin @ going country, thank you. This is the first year I've done cabbage. Not only do the plants yield delicious heads, but the leaves provide beautiful contrast in our garden.
It is wonderful to meet you, MB. I always enjoy reading your comments. I was struck by the diversity of books in your library pile. Do you tend to read fiction, non- fiction, or everything? I hope the new pup is doing well.
@Bee, thank you. I feel the same way about your comments! I will read just about anything, but I prefer non-fiction and love memoirs. Although I am crazy about books - and love to see pictures of full bookshelves in people's homes - I own fewer than 10 and that's counting cookbooks!
@MB in MN, I also love MEMOIRS. I no longer own many physical books.
Thanks for a lovely peek into your life! I love your thrifted tablecloth. I have many glass jars in my pantry too, but I hadn’t thought to fill them straight from the bulk barn. Good idea!
@Jem, thank you. I'm pretty sure I got the idea for my rotating jar system from Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home. She's an inspiration!
Hi, MB! Your garden is just lovely. I too have 500 metric tons of tomatoes this summer. I canned 8 quarts of salsa yesterday and barely made a dent. Maybe I'll turn the rest into spaghetti sauce and can that, too.
Your pup looks mighty cute. I got my first dog of my own for my 20th birthday and have never been without at least two dogs since then.
@Rose, While you’re canning tomatoes give some tomato preserves a whirl. My favorite use is on vanilla ice cream. YUM!!
@Rose, thank you. It's hard to believe how much fruit can come from one tomato plant! I follow what I call the farm to freezer method: pick tomatoes, chop and scoop into canning jars, and send them straight into our standing freezer. And dogs! I can't imagine life without them.
Hi MB,
It was a pleasure to read your interview this morning. One of my sisters live south of the Twin Cities. I love visiting in the summer but don't feel hardy enough for the winters.
It sounds like a nice life you have built. I5glad you are a regular commenter and shared your life with us.
@K D, thank you. Love to hear about the Minnesota connection with your sister. One needs to be winter-hardy for sure!
Hi, MB! I love seeing your reading pile and getting ideas on what to read next. And I spy some henbit in your garden photo, which is one of my favorite "weeds" because it feeds the birds in winter and is such a lovely color.
Hi Ruby! If weeds are pretty enough, I often let them be. But if they're too invasive, I am known to take out all my frustrations on them!
Dear MB,
I really enjoyed seeing your garden (so colorful) and pantry (so full of mason jars)! I do this same thing, and love seeing others with this same practical idea! 🙂
It's encouraging to hear others with like ideas, whether it's gardening, reading, word-games, enjoying a restful view, which all can include saving money and enjoying life.
I enjoyed meeting you and hearing about your life! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
@Cheryl, thank you. It is a pleasure and a privilege to curate an intentional life.
Thanks for sharing. You are an inspiration to read about. Love the jars.
@Nora Muse, thank you. I enjoy being inspired by others, too. Those jars have allowed us to be plastic-free.
Love your pictures! I do at least one crossword every day. I'm 70 and I feel like it exercises my brain. Thanks for sharing.
@Kathy Wolfe, thank you. I agree! I finally had to stop buying crossword puzzle books because I couldn't stop at just one puzzle (or three, who am I kidding?) per day.
Nice to meet you MB. All the commenters are lovely but I really resonated with you. I thought if we lived close we could be friends. I loved simplicity and being light on the planet, such a great description of living.
Like you I think of the people here as "my people". When I am feeling out of touch with the world I think of the people here and know I am OK. And I have quoted so many people here so many times.
@karen, thank you. So glad we can be friends through this blog. It's funny how we can feel close here, but we wouldn't recognize each other in person!
Thank you for sharing. Having known that you lived in Minnesota, I often wondered in what area. Rural Twin Cities is obviously not a specific location, but I understand the concept, as we moved to my home town in 2016 and it is about 50+ miles north of the Twin Cities and under 5000 people and we are glad we did. I enjoyed your pictures and was very impressed with all of your coop jars of dried goods. I like your simple answer to being frugal and have enjoyed many of your comments here and I think on other bloggers that we have both been lurkers at. (although I hate the term) Loved your description of yourself also and I think we also have a similar diversity with what we like to read.
@Ranee, thank you. I didn't want to blow my cover with too many specifics in my description, but just between you and me (hehe) I am a similar distance and direction from the Twin Cities. Lurkers unite!
Being from mn i always struggle with produce in the winter months (seems never ending). Also, in Northern mn we struggle with natural groceries selection & cost any tips?
@Jessica, I hear you. I'm sure readers who live in remote locations have more tips than I do. Storing produce over the winter is easier if you have a freezer, root cellar (even a cooler basement), or space to put up what you've canned yourself. I think it's possible to eat well for less from a regular grocery store if you can minimize the processed foods and keep your menus simple. In the produce aisle, ask the produce manager for "seconds" like malformed fruit or a discount on produce that's close to its expiration date (then quickly eat it, cook it or freeze it when you get home). To save on canned goods, ask the store if you can purchase a large quantity at discount - and then possibly split it with a friend. Since selection of natural groceries is often better and less expensive in more populated areas, maybe you could stock up when in those areas. I've also heard of (but know nothing about) online buying clubs to keep costs down. Other readers: help!
Kristen, I have never played Words with Friends. Thank you for putting it on my radar!
MB, there is something beautiful about your glass jars all lined up so neatly. I'm not sure why it appeals to me so much--maybe because it combines form and function? Anyway, it's fun to hear about your life, and I enjoy your sense of humor. Thanks for coming out from hiding. 🙂
@Kris, thank you. Yes to form and function!
I have been playing words with friends. I live in Oregon and one of the people I play with lives in Atlanta. I also have a few other people I play with. I find it relaxing. I have been reading your blog since the kids were all toddlers. I have “watched” them grow up.
An extra warm hello to you, MB! I live close to you in St Paul. I also grew up in SE MN in a very small agricultural town close to Rochester. I've lived in other places domestically and internationally but my heart is here. I'm glad to meet you in this virtual space!
@Kim S., thank you. I love St. Paul (don't tell Minneapolis). Nice to meet you here!
I love the frugal tip about being mindful. So important! I've started pausing before I buy anything online...like, put it in the cart and walk away. If I still need that thing in a few days, or still want it, then I'll get it. Usually I forget and save money!
@Julie, thank you. I like your approach to buying something online!
Along with Bee and others, I always enjoy reading MB's comments, and admire the jar collection. I've got a similar but much smaller collection of storage jars.
@A. Marie, thank you. I love glass jars because they make it easy to see what's inside and how much is left, they're reusable and provide permanence in a world of disposables - I could go on and on. When I do buy something in a package or box, I almost always decant into a mason jar when I get home!
Thank you for sharing MB. I loved reading about your life and the reasoning behind some of your choices.
@Rebekah in SoCal, thank you. I have learned so much from other readers and look forward to learning more!
Hi MB, thanks so much for sharing! I really admire that you do crossword puzzles and word games every morning. On lists of "how to live a long and healthy life" I always see that - activities that exercise our brains. The fact that you do them every day is inspiring!
@BJS, thank you. It's both a relaxing and energizing way to start the day. I'm glad it inspires you!
Dear MB
I loved hearing about your life in MN. That state seems so “foreign “ to me. I see a lot of the people on this blog are from up that way. All ya’ll (which is the plural of ya’ll) seem very hearty, kind, and frugal. I like that you borrow other people’s children! I love what you would do with an extra large windfall of money. You have a heart for others. My only questions are how much snow do you get annually and do you have a fireplace for heating or ambience?
Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone, from a fellow introvert. Take care and stay well.
@Vicky M, thank you. "All ya'll" - I love that! We average around 50" of snow. We don't have a fireplace but we do have in-floor radiant heat.
Hi MB --I Love that painting! We have a thrift store oil painting of the ocean that I bought for $8.95 and it just makes me happy -- not leastways the price. Also really appreciate your kind and thoughtful attitudes about frugality and life. So nice to meet you 🙂
@priskill, thank you. Loved hearing about your own favorite thrifted painting! It sounds lovely.
Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. Wonderful post.
@Anita Isaac, thank you for your kind words!
Thanks for participating, MB! You're zero-waste pantry looks beautiful.
Do you have a favorite from that stack of books that you would recommend? I love to hear about what others enjoy reading.
@Ruth T, thank you. I haven't finished all the books yet, but I would highly recommend "The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan." I know many fellow readers are involved in Buy Nothing groups and I was eager to learn all about it.
MB - Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your life with us. I feel so peaceful looking at your beautifully organized pantry. I aspire to that!
@Julie, thank you. I love looking at my pantry almost as much as I enjoy eating what's in it!
I am German and I read this blog not only for frugal tips but because I like to learn about the daily life of "normal" people in the USA. In Europe, we tend to generalize about other countries and say things like "the Americans do so and so or the Americans have this and that". This is why I like the meet-a-reader series so much, it gives me an even broader picture.
Please excuse my clumsy English.
@Hilde, hello across the miles! Your English isn't clumsy at all. I like the meet-a-reader series for the same reason!
And we do the same in America, generalizing about people in other countries. So I love to learn what life is really like for everyday people in other countries too!
Hi MB, thank you for sharing ! I definitely feel you on being shy about putting yourself out there on the internet. I LOVE the view out of your window and the very organised pantry. I always plan to use glass jars for my non-perishables but never end up doing it...
@a curious reader, thank you. There's no time like the present to start making your plan a reality, whether it's baby steps or bold strides!
Thank you for sharing! I love your bookstack and have just placed an ILLO for the Buy Nothing book - I'm also excited to learn about Dear Highlights. Going to the doctor & dentist as a child was always less scary knowing that I'd get to read an issue of Highlights in the waiting room 🙂
@Shelagh, thank you. I had the same waiting room experience and especially loved the hidden objects feature. The subtitle of the Dear Highlights book is "What Adults Can Learn from 75 Years of Letters and Conversations with Kids." I can't wait to read it!
I loved learning about your life! So inspiring!! I love reading memoirs also! I was wondering if you might suggest a couple of your favorites! Thank you!
@Kathy, thank you. Here are some memoirs that I've enjoyed recently: Waiting for Birdy by Catherine Newman, The Yellow House by Sarah Broom, The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper, The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton,
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson, and Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap by Judy Goldman. Happy reading!
I recently read The Beauty in Breaking too! And I read the Sun Does Shine last year. I adore memoirs.
Your dog cracks me up, he could be saying -no public pictures as he is in the witness protection program...or you reached your allowable limit on the # of pics he will allow. 🙂
Hi MB! I’m a lurker and usually a day late to the party. I loved paint by number kits when I was a kid and your beautiful painting makes me want to paint one now. Thanks for the book recommendations—I’ll definitely check them out.
It's so nice to hear from another vegetarian! I've been one for more than 16 years and only wish I'd done it sooner. My son (20) eats mostly vegetarian for environmental and health reasons. My husband loves meat but happily eats whatever vegetarian meals I cook. I'll make him a brisket once a year on Passover and he's good. Anything else he wants, he can eat at a restaurant or cook himself. I just bought him some beef today so he can make stew in the Crockpot, and I can't believe how expensive meat is!