Zion might have overtaken the Grand Tetons for our favorite national park.  DH and I as most who read know 10 years ago to the day (fourth of july 2015) moved cross country on our wild adventure without jobs and no income.  Without a career and hope, dream, and a prayer that we would be successfully reinvent ourselves.  I'm happy to say we did with smashing success.  Anyway I'll repost the pictures because seriously they are incredible and part of what I call the trip of a lifetime for us.  To capture the nostalgia is impossible.  And now 10 years later...the little ladies are young women and we went back to nature.

This time I was like I want to hike the narrows.  And 25 years ago DH said we should go to Zion and Bryce when it's not summer and see the hype.  Well it was awe inspiring.  Not only that but I get why people on the East Coast don't get the west coast vibes.  The East Coast doesn't have the same national parks and the feeling of vastness.  The freedom and nature feel so much bigger and more.  I get why utah is the big 5 parks.  I am now dying to see moab, arches, and capitol reef.

Anyway https://imgur.com/a/uAXuE3Q

I always struggling formatting the photos and figure this is easier.  Thanks steve for using imgur and giving me the idea.

Reading that post about frugality being sexy made me laughed a lot.  DH constantly tells the kids and other people I won his heart on the first date when I pulled out the entertainment book, does anyone know this?  It was $20 for BOGO eating out coupons, coupons to events, activities, etc.  It was mostly sold as a fundraiser and this thick book.  It might even still be around.

And I said "can I used a coupon?"  Apparently I stole his heart with my frugality and practicality and that was it.  He laughed about it still and my ever lasting habit of using a coupon and getting a deal 25 years later is still there.  I can't help it.

I tell the kids all the time the same thing my mom told me "a dollar saved is a dollar earned."  "it's easier to save a buck then to earn it."  "It's not about taking from others it's about being smart with your money to get the most value."

Finally when I was young my great grandmother told my mom "LAL will be rich.  She was born under a lucky star (and yesterday was my birthday) and her hand is always open.  Money will always come to that open hand because it doesn't rule her.  She gives generously but with an open hand that will always receive money."  My mom laughed and said sure grandma.  

I gotta say I think I won in life and pretty much the lottery. I swear I'm not cheap and I like to spend money. But I always try to help others and give and be wise with my money and it's come back 10 fold.  Like I said I obviously liked going out and buying the $20 entertainment book I calculated how much I saved as well on each BOGO meal.  And it won me my DH's heart after all.

Best investment ever.

How do you know you've made it?  It's usually the big things like I contribute 10% to retirement.  10% to savings.  I pay cash for a car. I could cash flow college.  No more credit card interest.  I paid off the mortgage.  These are all easy big signs people often see quickly to realize they've made it. 

But I was cleaning my garage this weekend and I realized that are lots of little signs too.  First up was sorting stuff in the garage, and I needed ziploc bags. I realized wow i'm comfortable.  I no longer buy non-name brand ziploc bags. I also buy only bags with zippers.  I like how thick the ziploc brand bags are and I love zippers because I find it easier to use.  But 25 years ago no way was i buying ziplocs and using it for storage.  I washed them out and flipped them inside out to dry and reused it usually for something not edible.  Not anymore.  I have nice ziploc bags, the expensive ones.

Second, I realized I don't save takeout containers or containers from food.  If I want to jar something I have a nice set of matching jars.  My tupperware matches. I also don't buy the cheap, plastic crap. I use glass or more expensive sturdy stuff.  Yep when you are broke you don't ever buy food storage, the only food storage comes from what you eat.  I'm trying to get my mom to throw all of her crap containers away or my in-laws and it's not happening.  

Third, I have a pile of plastic forks, knives, spoons, etc from takeout and I'm donating it.  I am embarrassed to say i donated two gallon size bags to the middle school and I found another 2 bags of plasticware I want to donate to the school on Monday.  Why?  I don't need it. I like using real cutlery at home and while we get it I have one box I bought in case and that's enough. I don't need to storage it and use it like it's super precious.

I also got new towels.  We repurposed towels for the dog.  But again it's not the expensive $$, actually they are from costco. But it's the fact we even got new towels.  My mom makes us use towels that don't soak up water because they are 50+ years old if not 75, i kid you not.  They might be hand me downs.  And she won't replace them because why?  It works fine.  Seriously a $10 towel.  Yep that's why it's crazy to be breaking these rule.

It sounds crazy but I realized that we're okay.  We aren't rich but we are not struggling enough to reuse and keep everything. I don't mind recycling or repurposing or getting used stuff.  But we don't need to hoard.  And we also can have a nicer level of goods.

Finally I realized I buy small condiments instead of large. It stays fresher and is nice.  Again not something that I ever thought I'd do.  My uncle always laughed when he described one of my cousin's telling his teacher ketchup comes out of a metal tin (they bought it like coffee can size) for the size of their family.  

It's sort of like the recent travel discussion how nice a hotel do you stay at?  For us it's about location first. I want prime location where we might not need a car.  But at the same time we no longer risk our lives staying at a motel 6 or red roof inn unless absolutely necessary (it's happened a few times where we had the dog and no where else was available that took pets).  What's the purpose of money if you are killed trying to keep it?  I kid you not after DH thought he saw blood stains on the motel I booked him in Buffalo (no offense buffalo) in 2015 he has never let me forget booking something based on price.  Yeah we can afford to stay somewhere that if it burned down we would sleep in the car and not worry about being mugged or car jacked.  

So even the small things as you upgrade your life can show how far you've come.