New Month Resolutions

I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions. Which is kind of weird, because I don't like to start something new in the beginning of the month or week. For example, I've often said "diet starts Sunday!" or "I'll put money into savings on the first of next month." Who am I kidding...I've never put money into savings.

Anyway, you'd think with that attitude, I'd love New Year's Resolutions. January 1st is the ultimate Fresh Start. But they've always been the same thing for me: lose weight. Work out more. Boring. Boring. Boring.

So this year I am trying something new. To keep things interesting, I am coming up with a couple of challenges every month with the hopes of bettering myself and our household. Here are January's:

1. buy store-brand whenever possible. I've always avoided store brand items because I've been a snob.

2. keep the weekly grocery bill under $100. Bonus: Joel says that if I do this, I can keep the difference. Last week I spent $90. That's $10 in my pocket - yay! There are a couple of sub-challenges to this one:

• buy "whole" food. I admit to also being a processed-food snob in recent years. Processed food is bad for you, your body needs whole foods, blah blah blah. I don't really subscribe to that idea anymore, but here's why I personally will avoid processed food: take cereal for example. I can't stop at one bowl. And it's expensive. I can go through a $4 box of cereal in 2 days, or I could get a canister of oats for $3 and eat that for a month. A box of cereal is one flavor; with a canister of oats, I can make a bunch of different combinations and rarely get tired of it. And there is less waste.
• embrace leftovers. I hate leftovers. They bore me. This is purely mental - obviously if I liked it on Monday, I should like it on Wednesday, right? So next week's menu (already planned, thank you!) includes 3 meals and 3 nights of leftovers. Again, less waste and less money. You can't really argue with that.
• move away from organic food. Yet again, I've been a snob. And kind of a doofy one: I have fallen prey to the marketing geniuses who know that slapping an "organic" label on a box of crackers will get more people like me to buy it. And to pay more for it, even. Yes, there are times when organic is the way to go, but I admit that I am not an informed consumer in that regard. I've assumed that organic always means healthier, and that is not necessarily the case. I will not skimp on meats or dairy, though. Since I have a little one to feed, I think it's important that he gets antibiotic- and hormone-free milk, eggs, and meats.

3. Do pilates once a week. Nothing bad can come from a strong core, particularly when one is running a lot and hauling a 20-lb moppet around.

So there you have it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some non-organic oats to cook. Perhaps I'll mix them with last night's leftovers.