Regarding college…my oldest went to college. She’s a nurse and we’re still paying the debt off. My middle child didn’t want to go to college but he worked-a lot! He started at Five Guys flipping burgers and worked as much as he could. Then he worked at UPS loading trucks. He tried welding for a while but went back to UPS. Now he works as a conductor on the railroad and loves it. My youngest-she is learning special effects make-up, has a cosmetology degree and works in retail. She does door dash for extra $$. I’m so damn proud of all 3. They are nice and good people, kind, empathetic and hard workers. I don’t think a college degree is necessary to be a successful human. ❤
Don't go to bed angry is the BEST advice we ever got! 25 years! Of course you have to let each other cool off first. Also, don't bring up important topics late at night. No one thinks rationally when they're really tired!😂❤ Love your channel! You're so inspiring!
During hurricane Helene's after math in September, there were some gas station still selling fuel, but they were ONLY taking cash because so many things were down and affected. I live hundreds of miles away from the storm damage adn our local Ingle's grocery store was only taking cash for a couple of weeks because their corporate offices are in North Carolina and they had no access. we have several other grocery stores available here, but if you live in a rea affected by damage like that... you might want to keep a small amount of cash on hand because your bank may be shut down and you have no access to your own money. Many places were affected that way.
I agree. I think a lot of people correlate a shtf scenario as being the end of the world. No, it can be a natural disaster that only hits your area. A grid down situation for a small piece of the US. If someone uses avery smal local bank or credit union, they might want a couple months on hand. If its a larger bank with nationwide branches, maybe not as much. If it is a nationwide shft, then it doesn't matter how much cash, things will deteriorate quickly and we'll go barter real quick.
I live right outside of Asheville and am only 3 minutes away from catastrophic flooding and boat rescues. I never thought to have cash but we needed it for EVERYTHING for about 2 weeks. I will now always keep between $500 to 1k on hand for times like that.
My children left for college at 17 and never moved back home. At first we felt like they didn’t want to move back with us then they both told us we did our job right. We taught them the meaning of education, money and hard work. They are now both married with children and great careers. They have also done the most amazing thing and made us grandparents. 💙💙💖
1: Married couples each get their own blanket in bed. 2: New expectant fathers get a new battery powered drill for assembling EVERYTHING. 3: Going out to eat is the #1 budget killer. 4: Food waste at home is #2.. Organization will set you free.
For the person who asked about cash. Yeah, ask the people of western NC. They were able to use cash to buy some things at stores with no power. I say $500-1000 in small bills. (No 50s or 100s)
I 1000% agree with "don't go to bed angry" being a terrible piece of advice! Being willing to set aside a problem and sleep in the same bed is a huge show of trust and commitment to your life together. And, like you said, you just can't think rationally after you've been awake for so long and you're tired. I've known people who would stay up all night fighting and have to call out of work because they were just so exhausted, and that sounds so so miserable. Just go to bed angry and come back together in the morning, or after work the next day.
Also- anger isn't a switch you can just flip based on a deadline. Sometimes being angry for a while is not only appropriate but healthy (it's just how you behave while you're angry that super matters).
I've always wondered why anyone thinks its' a good idea for 2 exhausted and angry people to try to come to a resolution. It makes much more sense to me to sleep and come back together when both people are well rested and have had time to calm down.
My guy and I have been together for over 30 years, we have never had a fight. Oh we disagree and have misunderstandings, but we both handle things in the same way. We go to our respective corners and when we can talk reasonably and calmly and can hash things out then we talk. That lets us resolve issues, not over the same hurts and misunderstanding again and again.
Aww, I was wondering why you stopped cooking! I discovered your channel back in 2018 and sometimes I go back and watch your old videos :) Glad you are enjoying cooking again.
I picked the right guy to marry for the second time. He is 15 years younger than me and we have been married for 35 years. We get along great, have almost the same interests. I depend on him and he depends on me. I love him more and more everyday.
@@lulamamie8524, I’m not worried about my marriage to such a young man. He’s an old soul and I’m a young a soul. Besides, if he does do anything I’m strong enough to be on my own. I totally trust him. A lot more than my first marriage with a guy who was my age.
Happy birthday! Great video! A piece of good advice I received for my second marriage was that you each “need to be a little deaf and a little blind”. Not to the big things of course but to the little idiosyncrasies that we each have that can drive you crazy. So far it’s working ;)
FYI in Western North Carolina and when we had no power, no water, no phone service no communications with anyone. We had $140 worth of cash and that money literally saved us. Credit cards and debit cards everything electronic was not working but we were able to buy gas and by water. When everything hits the fan cash is king. But maybe not long-term
This was after hurricane Helen. And we were some of the lucky ones who didn’t lose everything. If there is ever another situation like this you will need to have cash. So many didn’t.
Sooooooo many people are being raised by parents who overindulge in going out, weird red examples are set. Then the kid has no savings and there you are. So important to give children skills of savings through sweat equity in kitchen and out, right??
Man, I wish I had that advice 5 years ago. I always feel guilty taking a nap, but you're probably right 😂 I also have 4 kids. I homeschool the 3 youngest. I definitely probably need more naps.
It's a biblical reference. I think people misunderstand what it truly means - don't go to sleep with unresolved emotions. There are definite health benefits not having unforgiveness, resentment or anger before going to sleep. That doesn't mean you have to resolve the issue with that person before sleeping, but in your heart forgive and give it to God, go to sleep in peace and in the new day work out the details of reconciliation or whatever issue caused you anger or angst.
@@beckygrimes7596we've been married 32 years and only went to bed angry a handful of times. And those were miserable nights. I don't think it's bad advice personally. Great comment, 💙
Love what you said about your marriage. All of what you said is so true. We just celebrated our 30th anniversary and I couldn’t imagine any other life with any other person. One thing when you answered about how much money for a shtf scenario. I can’t say how much to have but I can say keep cash at home , at least a few hundred for emergency situations. We were in a hard hit area with Helene (Augusta, GA). Power out everywhere and no ATMS at all. The couple of stores that were able to open a few days later some, half of them could only take cash. Everyone needed ice for coolers, gas for cars and generators and some people needed food but didn’t have cash. It isn’t exactly a SHFT but it seemed like it at the time.
"Dont go to bed angry" is less of a literal rule and more of a general rule of not letting issues go unresolved for long periods of time. The key to a healthy relationship is communication. Feeling like you are heard and important and make sure the other person knows that they are heard and important.
cash is always good to have. When hurricane Helene came through Western North Carolina, the internet was down, so grocery stores could only take cash because card payments couldn't be processed. maybe stash at least $1000, maybe a bit more to cover unexpected emergencies.
Agree. I was going to comment this same thing. I've watched people on YT discuss that very thing. If they didn't have cash they wouldn't have been able to buy anything.
Happy birthday fellow Scorpio! You're so spot on that babies don't need all the baby gear! And yes the person you pick matters! After two divorces I finally found the right person for me
Happy birthday!! Thank you for sharing parts of yourself on TH-cam, I've found your videos helpful and they have felt connecting in times where I've been depressed and alone. I hope your cake is delicious!
Women's abilities to adapt are awesome. Contorting yourself for the sake of children or school schedules or tight budgets is a skill we all need. Gotta adapt to survive 💪
Happy Birthday Christine, I turn 60 on Sunday just living my life 10 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and then MS, still pushing forward best I can. Will be married 40 years next May so at least I have someone to go through life with me.
I feel good about my achievements. Up until this year we lived on $400 dollars a month for groceries and now this year it jump to $700 for a family of 5. I was so stressed trying to stay under $400 that I snapped at the beginning of 2024. Our income has increased and I was like why am I stressing myself out trying to stick to such a tight budget when I actually have the money to spend a little extra on groceries. Guess the extreme frugality was muscle memory from all the years when money was tighter.
You reminded me of when I was first married in 1976. We set up a very tight budget as I was a student and he had a minimum wage job. We also budgeted for splurges: $1 each per week! And it worked to keep down resentment and stupid financial decisions.
At our tightest, I had to literally save my pennies in order to buy embroidery floss (25 cents a skein). But it was something I did for me without harming others. It was necessary for my mental health. A older friend tells the story when money was so tight for her family that she splurged by buying a 69 cent potato peeler (as opposed to having to use a paring knife). Yep, splurges are necessary.
I love, love, love my darn tough socks. They are made in the USA. Yes they are pricey up front but so worth it. I have had the same 6 pairs for 2-3 years.
So real, so honest, with your legendary sens of humour... I will be 60 by the end of this year, and you manage to teach me things... btw missing your wonderful daughter ... Can't not wait for the next one! Happy, happy birthday Christine!😘
Happy birthday! I just turned 42. It's so bizarre lol. Any who, I adore you and your videos ❤ My goal is to get my body moving to be in a fraction of the good shape as you next bday 🎂 💕💕
So happy to hear the podcast is coming back. Understand you needed that time, but missed it so much! Love that both you and Dave agreed on the balance question. Honestly I don’t know one single person that has it all out together. The scale changes on a daily basis but support from spouse or even the kids is what makes it work. Even a best friend sharing carpool duty, etc can be such a huge help.
Happy birthday Christine. 43 is still a beautiful age to be. We are lucky here in Canada, my kids can stay at home while in college. My last baby is in grade 12. Ouf!! Time flew so fast.
I believe it is good to have some cash on hand for emergencies. I’m not talking zombie apocalypse. I am talking the power is out in your area for a few days and you can’t get cash. What ever pain someone is trying to circumvent should establish how much they need. My personal opinion is what you spend in 1-2 weeks, including food, more if you are expecting zombies.
Oops...sorry...if the grid fails...and who knows...your cards will not work. Cash is important to keep on hand. Yes! Bartering is great! But...cash on hand is smart! Great video 💪🦋🇺🇸💗🙏
Happy Be-lated Birthday Christine! I've been watching your videos since 2020 and I didn't know we shared a birthday, that's awesome! Thank you for all that you do, I love your videos!
Pick the one you can be yourself with from the moment you meet them and they like you for it. As for advice, talk about everything. not just you and your relationship but about everything and anything. Books you read, what you saw on the bus home, the news, do you like cats better than dogs. what it comes down to is being honest. Be honest about who you are in every part. That doesn't mean you need to tell everything or should let your partner in on everything (your friends' secrets stay with you, not you and your partner) but be honest in what you think, feel, and do while wording it wisely. talk respectfully, don't fear to disagree or have different opinions, and most of all; don't say things are fine if they are not!
Happy birthday! I just celebrated #64 last week, so we share a birth month. Enjoy your forties while they last. Time goes faster as you get older! I also love Weird Al, and my favorite song he has done is “Eat It,” a spoof of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
I generally only catch the cooking and shopping videos, nothing to do with outdoors, sports or finances. I believe in setting arguments before bed, but if we can't, we "put a pin in it", and resume the next day. I lost the love of my life in 2009, and we had 20 years together. I am hoping the person I am with now will be TLOML for the 2nd half of my life. Time will tell. ❤
Happy 43rd! Just about to start year 44!!! I totally agree about the worst advice. I tell that to young couples all of the time, "Look, well intentioned people will tell you not to go to bed angry, but here's the deal...." 🎉
Mariana's Trench is SO great! We have been fans for the last 6 years or so and like you, so sad they rarely come to the US. We were going to go to Houston for this tour but they had to cancel that one. Sad!
That was well said, and I agree with your comments. We've been married for 54 years, and our two daughters are older than you. LOL, yep. I've stayed active and busy throughout my life. I have no regrets. Have a yummy day with German Chocolate cake!
We have been empty nesters and Mr Bill retired in June … I think we haven’t stopped .. we are blessed to be able to travel anywhere we want and it involves hiking /walking ! We are approaching being in better physical shape then when we were in high school ( yes we married as infants ) best friends forever and love to go out and do ! Christine you have been a great enthusiast for me ! I want to go on a walk now ! Bye ! Glenda in Mesa
Super appreciate the encouragement of SAHM tempo. It’s been a loooong time without adults, like over ten years. I know I’m incredibly blessed to be home with my kids, but boy, am I ready to go back to work!
Yummy German Chocolate Cake with extra icing is a must. Wishing you a very Happy Happy Birthday from Texas. Hope you had a wonderful day. Thanks Christine enjoyed the video. fyi If you ever have another HEB care package ask for the HEB Original Corn Chips $1.67 they are really Frito's!!! and they don't cost $4.95. lol
Can't pick just one Weird Al song. Hardware Store, Yoda, Amish Paradise (the part in the video when he had to walk backwards), and way too many more. His concerts are the BEST. Have fun!
i stopped playing chess, when I won a lot, and people started expecting me to win, and started finding opponents for me to play against. Took years for me to start playing again, but I had to go into it almost intending to lose. I wanted it to be fun, not stressful. I wanted to not have to care about losing. it really just takes a mindset shift, and stop doing it to satisfy others, and do it becasue I enjoyed it.
Yeeeessss!!!!! German chocolate cake is the best!! Today is my 66th birthday!! I’m so glad I found your channel! You have blessed my life tremendously!! Happy belated Birthday!
Another important point with High Schoolers is to encourage them to focus on schools that meet their needs rather than the school they think is the best bc there is SO much money out there for college students. We did not have the ability to set money aside into college plans as my husband is active duty and we moved every 2 years and for half of it lived overseas where I was not legally allowed to work. However, we were deeply committed to preparing and supporting our kids if they chose college. We helped them access free online community college in dual enrollment before that was a popular thing and our oldest 2 went into Freshman year of college with nearly all their undergrad work done. This allowed for them to not have to take out any student loans and graduate debt free- one from private school bc we encouraged her to hone in on the school that best served her in what she wanted to do and they gave her a huge amount of scholarships and our other one graduates next year debt free in 3 years with 2 degrees. My oldest is now an OR nurse making 70k as a 21-year-old with no debt. Even without paying for her college we were able to help her break the debt cycle my husband and I got sucked into as young adults. If you can't pay for it you don't go until you can but don't lament parents if you didn't save or it doesn't align with your beliefs as there are so many things that you can do to help support them that doesn't involve debt. Our youngest just went to college this fall and he had zero interest in doing dual enrollment(bc it's not for everyone) so he has all 4 years to pay for. However, we really helped him buckle down and choose a great school that offered a scholarship that he was uniquely qualified for based on his time living overseas. He went for it and got a full ride despite taking only 1 AP class in High School. He did have very good grades though and just slightly above average ACT/ SAT scores. Even if we did have the income to set aside for college I still wouldn't have. It's just a difference in philosophy and we believe that parents who pay for their kids' education too often feel entitled to make decisions for the adult children's lives and this can create power struggles and resentment in young adults and ultimately strain the adult/parent relationship. However, we strongly believed in supporting our adult children while in University and provide for all their basic needs outside of tuition. It can be done without breaking your own income if you educate yourself on how to support your students long before it becomes time. Trust me they will not want to do these things but they will thank you.
LOL! We got tickets for Weird Al in 2025 too! My husband and I saw him when we were dating. And now, some 20+ years later, we are going again but taking our 12yo with us. We are so excited too!
Those of us who lived through Helene disagree with the cash? Cash was the only way to buy gas so I sat at home when the gas line was 5 hours long. So if that is a type of disaster that may come one’s way, be very ready. We were not in south Ga. Canes always go around us. Well, almost always. I was buying eggs the night before the storm. Two days older me knew that I should have been buying shelf stable stuff. Live and learn. Next hurricane I will be planning to grill meat instead of throwing it away.
Another thing is if you have a generator you need extra filled gas cans on hand. Keep your cars filled up. (Hubby does not but I do) And keep extra propane if you have a gas grill.
Regarding college…my oldest went to college. She’s a nurse and we’re still paying the debt off. My middle child didn’t want to go to college but he worked-a lot! He started at Five Guys flipping burgers and worked as much as he could. Then he worked at UPS loading trucks. He tried welding for a while but went back to UPS. Now he works as a conductor on the railroad and loves it. My youngest-she is learning special effects make-up, has a cosmetology degree and works in retail. She does door dash for extra $$. I’m so damn proud of all 3. They are nice and good people, kind, empathetic and hard workers. I don’t think a college degree is necessary to be a successful human. ❤
It's nice to know I spend around 250 for 2 to 3 people. That's even with extras which i can afford because I PAID OFF MY MORTGAGE! last week
Congratulations 🎉🎉
Wooohooo! Congrats
🎉🎉🎉GOOD FOR YOU!!! That’s HUGE!!! Celebrate!!🎉🎉🎉
Yep that's freeing! 🎉🎉🎉
Congratulations
It's such a compliment to your parenting that your kids are secure enough in themselves to move out and be on their own.
Don't go to bed angry is the BEST advice we ever got! 25 years! Of course you have to let each other cool off first. Also, don't bring up important topics late at night. No one thinks rationally when they're really tired!😂❤ Love your channel! You're so inspiring!
During hurricane Helene's after math in September, there were some gas station still selling fuel, but they were ONLY taking cash because so many things were down and affected. I live hundreds of miles away from the storm damage adn our local Ingle's grocery store was only taking cash for a couple of weeks because their corporate offices are in North Carolina and they had no access. we have several other grocery stores available here, but if you live in a rea affected by damage like that... you might want to keep a small amount of cash on hand because your bank may be shut down and you have no access to your own money. Many places were affected that way.
I agree. I think a lot of people correlate a shtf scenario as being the end of the world. No, it can be a natural disaster that only hits your area. A grid down situation for a small piece of the US. If someone uses avery smal local bank or credit union, they might want a couple months on hand. If its a larger bank with nationwide branches, maybe not as much. If it is a nationwide shft, then it doesn't matter how much cash, things will deteriorate quickly and we'll go barter real quick.
I live right outside of Asheville and am only 3 minutes away from catastrophic flooding and boat rescues. I never thought to have cash but we needed it for EVERYTHING for about 2 weeks. I will now always keep between $500 to 1k on hand for times like that.
My children left for college at 17 and never moved back home. At first we felt like they didn’t want to move back with us then they both told us we did our job right. We taught them the meaning of education, money and hard work. They are now both married with children and great careers. They have also done the most amazing thing and made us grandparents. 💙💙💖
1: Married couples each get their own blanket in bed.
2: New expectant fathers get a new battery powered drill for assembling EVERYTHING.
3: Going out to eat is the #1 budget killer.
4: Food waste at home is #2..
Organization will set you free.
Separate sheets too.
Happy Birthday, Christine! When you cut the cake all the calories run out.
For the person who asked about cash. Yeah, ask the people of western NC. They were able to use cash to buy some things at stores with no power. I say $500-1000 in small bills. (No 50s or 100s)
We keep nothing larger than $20 bills on hand, and some smaller.
Same here, and we're in Asheville.... Cash really came in handy after the hurricane!
I 1000% agree with "don't go to bed angry" being a terrible piece of advice! Being willing to set aside a problem and sleep in the same bed is a huge show of trust and commitment to your life together. And, like you said, you just can't think rationally after you've been awake for so long and you're tired. I've known people who would stay up all night fighting and have to call out of work because they were just so exhausted, and that sounds so so miserable. Just go to bed angry and come back together in the morning, or after work the next day.
This was my Dad’s advice right before I got married! And he was so right!
Also- anger isn't a switch you can just flip based on a deadline. Sometimes being angry for a while is not only appropriate but healthy (it's just how you behave while you're angry that super matters).
I've always wondered why anyone thinks its' a good idea for 2 exhausted and angry people to try to come to a resolution. It makes much more sense to me to sleep and come back together when both people are well rested and have had time to calm down.
I always hated that advice. Things tend to not be that serious in the morning.
My guy and I have been together for over 30 years, we have never had a fight. Oh we disagree and have misunderstandings, but we both handle things in the same way. We go to our respective corners and when we can talk reasonably and calmly and can hash things out then we talk. That lets us resolve issues, not over the same hurts and misunderstanding again and again.
This is one of the best Q@As I've ever watched. Thank you for being real and grounded.
Thank you so much! ❤
Aww, I was wondering why you stopped cooking! I discovered your channel back in 2018 and sometimes I go back and watch your old videos :) Glad you are enjoying cooking again.
I picked the right guy to marry for the second time. He is 15 years younger than me and we have been married for 35 years. We get along great, have almost the same interests. I depend on him and he depends on me. I love him more and more everyday.
consider yourself VERY blessed, and you didn't pick him, you're lucky he picked YOU
@ , I do.
Love this. Same for me. So happy this time around
Be careful
@@lulamamie8524, I’m not worried about my marriage to such a young man. He’s an old soul and I’m a young a soul. Besides, if he does do anything I’m strong enough to be on my own. I totally trust him. A lot more than my first marriage with a guy who was my age.
Happy birthday! Great video! A piece of good advice I received for my second marriage was that you each “need to be a little deaf and a little blind”. Not to the big things of course but to the little idiosyncrasies that we each have that can drive you crazy. So far it’s working ;)
FYI in Western North Carolina and when we had no power, no water, no phone service no communications with anyone. We had $140 worth of cash and that money literally saved us. Credit cards and debit cards everything electronic was not working but we were able to buy gas and by water. When everything hits the fan cash is king. But maybe not long-term
This was after hurricane Helen. And we were some of the lucky ones who didn’t lose everything. If there is ever another situation like this you will need to have cash. So many didn’t.
I'd much rather watch a cooking video than a blog, so I'll take the cooking videos when you're up to doing them 😊
Same!
Take it from me...i just turned 50. You look awesome and your family budget advice is priceless 💕 you are doing a lot of things right 👍
Thank you so much!
Sooooooo many people are being raised by parents who overindulge in going out, weird red examples are set. Then the kid has no savings and there you are. So important to give children skills of savings through sweat equity in kitchen and out, right??
Man, I wish I had that advice 5 years ago. I always feel guilty taking a nap, but you're probably right 😂 I also have 4 kids. I homeschool the 3 youngest. I definitely probably need more naps.
Yes, go take a nap!! Right now! 😂
I absolutely agree about the “Don’t go to bed angry” nonsense
It's a biblical reference.
I think people misunderstand what it truly means - don't go to sleep with unresolved emotions. There are definite health benefits not having unforgiveness, resentment or anger before going to sleep.
That doesn't mean you have to resolve the issue with that person before sleeping, but in your heart forgive and give it to God, go to sleep in peace and in the new day work out the details of reconciliation or whatever issue caused you anger or angst.
@@beckygrimes7596we've been married 32 years and only went to bed angry a handful of times. And those were miserable nights. I don't think it's bad advice personally. Great comment, 💙
Love what you said about your marriage. All of what you said is so true. We just celebrated our 30th anniversary and I couldn’t imagine any other life with any other person.
One thing when you answered about how much money for a shtf scenario. I can’t say how much to have but I can say keep cash at home , at least a few hundred for emergency situations. We were in a hard hit area with Helene (Augusta, GA). Power out everywhere and no ATMS at all. The couple of stores that were able to open a few days later some, half of them could only take cash. Everyone needed ice for coolers, gas for cars and generators and some people needed food but didn’t have cash. It isn’t exactly a SHFT but it seemed like it at the time.
It was for all of you...been thru it, glad you are doing ok
"Dont go to bed angry" is less of a literal rule and more of a general rule of not letting issues go unresolved for long periods of time. The key to a healthy relationship is communication. Feeling like you are heard and important and make sure the other person knows that they are heard and important.
cash is always good to have. When hurricane Helene came through Western North Carolina, the internet was down, so grocery stores could only take cash because card payments couldn't be processed. maybe stash at least $1000, maybe a bit more to cover unexpected emergencies.
Agree. I was going to comment this same thing. I've watched people on YT discuss that very thing. If they didn't have cash they wouldn't have been able to buy anything.
Yay. I was just thinking how I missed your podcasts and glad they're coming back 😊
Happy birthday fellow Scorpio! You're so spot on that babies don't need all the baby gear! And yes the person you pick matters! After two divorces I finally found the right person for me
Wow you’re brave. Was married once and still haven’t remarried. So much harder to leave a bad relationship if you live together or get married.
Happy birthday! 43 looks great on you!
Thank you so much
Happy birthday!! Thank you for sharing parts of yourself on TH-cam, I've found your videos helpful and they have felt connecting in times where I've been depressed and alone. I hope your cake is delicious!
Women are so amazing. Happy Bornday Christina All of this journey is humbling. Thank you for sharing 🎉
Women's abilities to adapt are awesome. Contorting yourself for the sake of children or school schedules or tight budgets is a skill we all need. Gotta adapt to survive 💪
Happy born day? That's stupid
Happy Birthday Christine, I turn 60 on Sunday just living my life 10 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and then MS, still pushing forward best I can. Will be married 40 years next May so at least I have someone to go through life with me.
God bless you.
I turn 46 on Sunday. Happy birthday
@@margueritekinchen6558 Happy Birthday too you to
So glad to hear the podcast is coming back! I also loved watching your vlogs.
I feel good about my achievements. Up until this year we lived on $400 dollars a month for groceries and now this year it jump to $700 for a family of 5. I was so stressed trying to stay under $400 that I snapped at the beginning of 2024. Our income has increased and I was like why am I stressing myself out trying to stick to such a tight budget when I actually have the money to spend a little extra on groceries. Guess the extreme frugality was muscle memory from all the years when money was tighter.
Thank you for what you said about children growing up and leaving the nest. Too many parents strangle by holding too tight!
You reminded me of when I was first married in 1976. We set up a very tight budget as I was a student and he had a minimum wage job. We also budgeted for splurges: $1 each per week! And it worked to keep down resentment and stupid financial decisions.
People need more realistic expectations.
At our tightest, I had to literally save my pennies in order to buy embroidery floss (25 cents a skein). But it was something I did for me without harming others. It was necessary for my mental health. A older friend tells the story when money was so tight for her family that she splurged by buying a 69 cent potato peeler (as opposed to having to use a paring knife). Yep, splurges are necessary.
I love, love, love my darn tough socks. They are made in the USA. Yes they are pricey up front but so worth it. I have had the same 6 pairs for 2-3 years.
So real, so honest, with your legendary sens of humour... I will be 60 by the end of this year, and you manage to teach me things... btw missing your wonderful daughter ... Can't not wait for the next one! Happy, happy birthday Christine!😘
Happy Birthday to You !! You have such a fun personality and make your videos a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing !!
Omigosh yes!!! Sometimes u need to go to bed angry. Being tired alone can make any of us testy, that is not the time to solve the problem.
Yay I'm happy about the podcasts. I loved listening to them
You and your family look so full of energy. Wishing you and your family a good day😊
Happy birthday! I just turned 42. It's so bizarre lol. Any who, I adore you and your videos ❤ My goal is to get my body moving to be in a fraction of the good shape as you next bday 🎂 💕💕
So happy to hear the podcast is coming back. Understand you needed that time, but missed it so much! Love that both you and Dave agreed on the balance question. Honestly I don’t know one single person that has it all out together. The scale changes on a daily basis but support from spouse or even the kids is what makes it work. Even a best friend sharing carpool duty, etc can be such a huge help.
Congratulations Christine. I can’t even remember being in my 40’s. I really enjoyed your video. 🎂❣️
Happy birthday Christine. 43 is still a beautiful age to be.
We are lucky here in Canada, my kids can stay at home while in college.
My last baby is in grade 12. Ouf!! Time flew so fast.
I believe it is good to have some cash on hand for emergencies. I’m not talking zombie apocalypse. I am talking the power is out in your area for a few days and you can’t get cash. What ever pain someone is trying to circumvent should establish how much they need. My personal opinion is what you spend in 1-2 weeks, including food, more if you are expecting zombies.
Glad the podcast is coming back! It's one of my favs! ❤🎉
Oops...sorry...if the grid fails...and who knows...your cards will not work. Cash is important to keep on hand. Yes! Bartering is great! But...cash on hand is smart! Great video 💪🦋🇺🇸💗🙏
Thank you for the updates, Christine. I always benefit hearing from you. Wishing you and your family well! 💗
Happy Be-lated Birthday Christine! I've been watching your videos since 2020 and I didn't know we shared a birthday, that's awesome! Thank you for all that you do, I love your videos!
Happy Birthday Christine! It just keeps getting better❤
Oh my goodness, I a Christine too and I love the same cake in the same way! Yay! Happy birthday!!
I’ve been looking for a video to watch and haven’t been seeing any….what a fun surprise to see a new one tonight! Happy Birthday! Great video.
Yes!!!! I agree on your worst piece of advice. I can’t tell you how many times I’m totally irrational because I’m exhausted. 🤣
I never disagree with scripture. I can however always say I love you good night we will talk about this tomorrow.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And thank you for sharing all your good advice. I love your channel !!!
Happy birthday 🎂. Miss your cooking, but love hearing about the boys. Enjoy them while they're still living at home. My youngest turns 40 in January.
Pick the one you can be yourself with from the moment you meet them and they like you for it. As for advice, talk about everything. not just you and your relationship but about everything and anything. Books you read, what you saw on the bus home, the news, do you like cats better than dogs. what it comes down to is being honest. Be honest about who you are in every part. That doesn't mean you need to tell everything or should let your partner in on everything (your friends' secrets stay with you, not you and your partner) but be honest in what you think, feel, and do while wording it wisely. talk respectfully, don't fear to disagree or have different opinions, and most of all; don't say things are fine if they are not!
Love your fitness content and seeing fit mom lifestyle, it's very inspiring!!
Happy birthday christine. What a lovely family you're got going. Love from Indiana.
Happy birthday you are so great to watch! I hope that you and the family are all great! ❤🎉
Happy birthday! I just celebrated #64 last week, so we share a birth month. Enjoy your forties while they last. Time goes faster as you get older! I also love Weird Al, and my favorite song he has done is “Eat It,” a spoof of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
I generally only catch the cooking and shopping videos, nothing to do with outdoors, sports or finances. I believe in setting arguments before bed, but if we can't, we "put a pin in it", and resume the next day. I lost the love of my life in 2009, and we had 20 years together. I am hoping the person I am with now will be TLOML for the 2nd half of my life. Time will tell. ❤
Happy 43rd! Just about to start year 44!!! I totally agree about the worst advice. I tell that to young couples all of the time, "Look, well intentioned people will tell you not to go to bed angry, but here's the deal...." 🎉
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTINE!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂
Happy Birthday, Christine! 🎂🍧🎉💐💯‼️
Thank you! 🤗
Mariana's Trench is SO great! We have been fans for the last 6 years or so and like you, so sad they rarely come to the US. We were going to go to Houston for this tour but they had to cancel that one. Sad!
Happy Birthday, Christine!!! 🎉❤❤❤
Oh, hey... Happy birthday!
Thank you for all you do ❤️
Christine, you are truly such an inspiration ❤️!
Happy Birthday 🎂
I love German chocolate cake too
That was well said, and I agree with your comments. We've been married for 54 years, and our two daughters are older than you. LOL, yep. I've stayed active and busy throughout my life. I have no regrets. Have a yummy day with German Chocolate cake!
Hi Christine! Long time watcher here, Love this video!! Love your positive attitude!! you are very helpful!! Sher.
I love German Chocolate cake with extra icing too. Hope you had a wonderful birthday. Love your videos.
Happy Birthday, Christine!! 🎉🎉
We have been empty nesters and Mr Bill retired in June … I think we haven’t stopped .. we are blessed to be able to travel anywhere we want and it involves hiking /walking ! We are approaching being in better physical shape then when we were in high school ( yes we married as infants ) best friends forever and love to go out and do ! Christine you have been a great enthusiast for me ! I want to go on a walk now ! Bye ! Glenda in Mesa
Your hair looks so cute!😊 Thanks for all the good advice ❤
Happy Birthday Christine! 🥮
Loved your marital advice! Well done. Happy birthday!!
Mine, too! German Chocolate is the best!! Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Christine! Have a wonderful day!! 🎉🎉
I feel you on the home full of men..I don't have a daughter but now gained a dil which is nice but they hang out mostly with her family
Happy birthday! German chocolate is my favorite too. 😀🎉🌈
Super appreciate the encouragement of SAHM tempo. It’s been a loooong time without adults, like over ten years. I know I’m incredibly blessed to be home with my kids, but boy, am I ready to go back to work!
@krcl8812 Remember, the days are long but the years are short. 🥺
Happy birthday, Christine! 🎈🎂🥳
Happy Birthday Christine! 🎉🎂💐🍾🍺🍸🍹🍨🍧🎁
😊 Frugal Fit Mom, the Marble Slab Ice Cream shop where I live in N E Florida has German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream! 🍦😋
Yummy German Chocolate Cake with extra icing is a must. Wishing you a very Happy Happy Birthday from Texas. Hope you had a wonderful day. Thanks Christine enjoyed the video.
fyi If you ever have another HEB care package ask for the HEB Original Corn Chips $1.67 they are really Frito's!!! and they don't cost $4.95. lol
I agree about the worst advise! Sometimes you need rest and some time!
Happy Birthday!!!❤❤❤
Can't pick just one Weird Al song. Hardware Store, Yoda, Amish Paradise (the part in the video when he had to walk backwards), and way too many more. His concerts are the BEST. Have fun!
Loved as always ! TAKE CARE TO YOU & ALL
Omg I had an OG bike trainer. Wow...that sparked some memories. It was the cyclops fluid trainer....
Before spin bikes
I AM SO GLAD YOU TALKEF ABOUT THE GENUIS THAT IS MARIANAS TRENCH!! The most UNDERRATED band of all time!!!
i stopped playing chess, when I won a lot, and people started expecting me to win, and started finding opponents for me to play against. Took years for me to start playing again, but I had to go into it almost intending to lose. I wanted it to be fun, not stressful. I wanted to not have to care about losing. it really just takes a mindset shift, and stop doing it to satisfy others, and do it becasue I enjoyed it.
Happy Birthday 🎉❤😊 The German chocolate upside down cake is my only request on my birthday no gifts just the cake.
Yeeeessss!!!!! German chocolate cake is the best!! Today is my 66th birthday!! I’m so glad I found your channel! You have blessed my life tremendously!! Happy belated Birthday!
Happy Birthday 🎉 I enjoy your videos so much.
As a kid, I used to love mountain biking! Now I have vertigo and I miss it so bad
Another important point with High Schoolers is to encourage them to focus on schools that meet their needs rather than the school they think is the best bc there is SO much money out there for college students. We did not have the ability to set money aside into college plans as my husband is active duty and we moved every 2 years and for half of it lived overseas where I was not legally allowed to work.
However, we were deeply committed to preparing and supporting our kids if they chose college. We helped them access free online community college in dual enrollment before that was a popular thing and our oldest 2 went into Freshman year of college with nearly all their undergrad work done. This allowed for them to not have to take out any student loans and graduate debt free- one from private school bc we encouraged her to hone in on the school that best served her in what she wanted to do and they gave her a huge amount of scholarships and our other one graduates next year debt free in 3 years with 2 degrees. My oldest is now an OR nurse making 70k as a 21-year-old with no debt. Even without paying for her college we were able to help her break the debt cycle my husband and I got sucked into as young adults. If you can't pay for it you don't go until you can but don't lament parents if you didn't save or it doesn't align with your beliefs as there are so many things that you can do to help support them that doesn't involve debt.
Our youngest just went to college this fall and he had zero interest in doing dual enrollment(bc it's not for everyone) so he has all 4 years to pay for. However, we really helped him buckle down and choose a great school that offered a scholarship that he was uniquely qualified for based on his time living overseas. He went for it and got a full ride despite taking only 1 AP class in High School. He did have very good grades though and just slightly above average ACT/ SAT scores. Even if we did have the income to set aside for college I still wouldn't have. It's just a difference in philosophy and we believe that parents who pay for their kids' education too often feel entitled to make decisions for the adult children's lives and this can create power struggles and resentment in young adults and ultimately strain the adult/parent relationship. However, we strongly believed in supporting our adult children while in University and provide for all their basic needs outside of tuition. It can be done without breaking your own income if you educate yourself on how to support your students long before it becomes time. Trust me they will not want to do these things but they will thank you.
I've been trying to see Marianas Trench for years 😭 a literal dream, that's so awesome
Love that you loved them ✨️
Happy Birthday 🎁🎂🎈🎉🎊 Time definitely flies by, friend.
LOL! We got tickets for Weird Al in 2025 too!
My husband and I saw him when we were dating. And now, some 20+ years later, we are going again but taking our 12yo with us. We are so excited too!
Those of us who lived through Helene disagree with the cash? Cash was the only way to buy gas so I sat at home when the gas line was 5 hours long. So if that is a type of disaster that may come one’s way, be very ready. We were not in south Ga. Canes always go around us. Well, almost always. I was buying eggs the night before the storm. Two days older me knew that I should have been buying shelf stable stuff. Live and learn. Next hurricane I will be planning to grill meat instead of throwing it away.
Another thing is if you have a generator you need extra filled gas cans on hand. Keep your cars filled up. (Hubby does not but I do) And keep extra propane if you have a gas grill.
Happy Birthday Christine!! 🎉