Fourth of July Picnic: Chopped Mexican Quinoa Salad with Chili Lime Shrimp

Happy FIFTH of July!

Well friends, something really terrible happened to me this past Friday. My year-old Lenovo Yoga laptop hit the pavement with great force. Not only did my screen crack, but I seemed to have broken part of my hard drive. To my great fortune, I found out that a majority of my Facebook friends are IT people, or know a damn good one ~ THANK YOU FACEBOOK FRIENDS. Right now I am waiting for my new hard drive and screen to be delivered.

In the meantime, I'm going to have to work off of any random PC or phone to get my blog posts up.

I'd have to say, my three day fourth of July vacation started off on the wrong foot. Breaking my laptop at 8am on my day off was not ideal. I then went immediately to dog-sitting, to a doctor's appointment for my mother, back to the dogs, on to a meal with my mom, a haircut, getting my laptop checked out by a friend, the dogs, to a family friends house to look at my laptop, THE DOGS, then to the grocery store before 9pm. Needless to say, after putting the groceries away around 10:30pm, I was ready for bed.

I had to have slept roughly 12 hours straight-through, as I don't recall getting up until a knock on the door jolted me awake at quarter to 11am.

Now typically a good sleep-in session is the least of worries, but on the day of the fourth - the day I had already committed to soaking up the sun's rays in the pool by 1pm, I wasn't overly thrilled. I STILL HAD A VERY DETAILED RECIPE TO PREPARE.

So after glaring at my phone's clock, I threw on my slippers, put on some coffee and began to prepare my recipe for the day.

I have been practicing a strictly pescatarian diet as of late - although the 45345 pieces of salami I munched on yesterday can detest to this - so I wanted to make something I knew I would be okay eating. I have a dairy allergy and figured that everyone and their mother puts cheese on everything (I used to too, until I wound up needing to get steroids injected in my arm after eating cheesy vegetables one time), and I wanted to make this holiday as emergency room free as possible for me.

I found a recipe on Pinterest the night before (on my phone, no less) for a "Chopped Mexican Quinoa Salad with Chili Lime Shrimp" that looked to die for, and I thought to myself, "Why not give it a go?"

First,  I followed a recipe from the same blog (The Cafe Sucre Farine) to make the perfect quinoa. Have you ever had quinoa where maybe ONE tiny piece out of a million baby grains was not thoroughly cooked? When this happens, it feels like you're biting into a piece of sand - it's the worst feeling. This occurs more often than not for me, so I was a bit hesitant to try a new method of cooking it.

I used the Ancient Harvest brand quinoa and followed Chris and Scott's directions verbatim. Guys, I'm not sure if it was the placebo effect of trying something new, but this quinoa was to die for! It was cooked to perfection, with a hint of the vegetable broth I mixed in.

While my quinoa was setting, I thawed out my shrimp and got a chili honey lime marinade prepped for them.

I grabbed three unhusked ears of corn and used that viral "cooking and shucking" microwave method to get them ready. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, this video explains it best. It helps if the corn you buy is really sweet. There are a lot of flavors that go into this recipe, and sweet corn really just adds its own to the mix.

The only thing I didn't have for this recipe were scallions, but I did have both white and red onions. I ended up splitting half of each colored onion into the recipe - and I think I wouldn't have had it any other way. I LOVE red onion, probably more than any normal person should, so I think mixing it into the recipe was a very smart decision on my part.

This concoction was a hit to all who tried it (well, all those who love seafood) and I definitely think it's worth sharing. Take a look below to follow this recipe and create your own Chopped Mexican Quinoa Salad with Chili Lime Shrimp.

CHOPPED MEXICAN QUINOA SALAD WITH CHILI LIME SHRIMP

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Super delicious, super healthy and bursting with fresh, south of the border flavor, this entree salad is sure to please! Skip the shrimp and you have a perfect side for parties, picnics and potlucks!

Author: Chris Scheuer

Recipe type: Salad, Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cooked quinoa, I use this method for preparing perfect quinoa (3 cups is half of the recipe.)
• For the dressing:
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• For the corn:
• 3 medium ears fresh corn, unhusked
• For the shrimp:
• 2 tablespoons sunflower, canola or other mild-flavored oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 ½ pounds raw, peeled and deveined shimp
• For the salad:
• 2 medium zucchini, diced in ¼ inch pieces*
• 1 medium white onion, diced in ¼ inch pieces*
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced in ¼ inch pieces*
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh oregano
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a medium-size glass jar. Cover tightly and shake until well combined. (If dressing is made ahead and refrigerated, oil may solidify slightly. If this happens just let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and it will liquify. You can also warm it in the microwave for 15 seconds to liquify.)
2. Prepare corn by placing the three ears in the microwave, unhusked. Cook on high power for 12 minutes. Remove from microwave with a clean kitchen towel or oven mitt to a cutting board. Holding the corn with the towel or oven mitt, cut off 2 inches at the bottom of each ear. Hold corn at the silk end and push the corn out of the husk. The corn comes out perfectly cooked and free of silk! Here's a video demonstration of the technique.
3. Cut corn from ears. Set aside. (I like to leave some of the corn in bigger pieces.)
4. About 30 minutes before grilling, combine all marinade ingredients in a zippered bag. Gently squeeze bag and tilt back and forth to combine ingredients. Add shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and drain well, discarding marinade.
5. Prepare a medium-high (about 450˚F) gas or charcoal grill fire.
6. Clean and oil grill surfaces. Sprinkle shrimp lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp on the first side for about 3 minutes, or until they begin to curl up, turn pink and look charred here and there on the surface facing the grill. Flip shrimp to other side and grill for another 2-3 minutes or until done. Don't overcook or shrimp will be tough and dry.
7. For the salad, combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Drizzle lightly with dressing and stir again. Top with shrimp. Pass extra dressing at the table.

How a Kickstarter Campaign can save Humanity

I’m sure almost everyone is aware that bees are dying off. When I first heard this news, I remember thinking, “It’s about time, I hate bees.”

Bees have terrified me since I accidentally touched one sitting behind my ear when I was six years old. I thought it was a piece of hair that came loose from my pony tail. It stung me on the bony part behind my ear the second I placed my index finger on it, and I remember it brought on tears instantly. It was then that I decided I hated bees.

So yes, the news of vanishing bees made me happy at first hearing.

My happiness quickly faded after a recent encounter with an activist.

“You do know the bees are responsible for a little over one-third of what you eat, right?” He said.

I laughed it off.

“I mean I know that bees are responsible for honey and pollinating flowers,” I responded, clearly blinded by my ignorance. “Trust me - I can live without my plant allergies acting up every spring.”

He then explained the importance of bees to many OTHER plants.

When a bee lands on a flower, it’s very tiny, but hair body collects pollen off of the plant. When bees travel to various crops, it then transfers the pollen to new flowers, allowing the plants to pollinate (reproduce) with each other. I guess I never put two-and-two together.

 There are plants that MUST be pollinated by fruit and crops that’s quality improves by bees – like the important ones that make the maple almond butter I’m addicted to, the strawberries I look forward to eating every summer, the spinach I put in my salads (or on my hamburger – come on, let’s be real for a second here, I’m not always plant protein and nut butters) – yeah, bees pollinate all that.

Actually, bees pollinate one-third of the food we eat. Bees are responsible for pollination of more than 800,000 acres of California almonds. Imagine the inflation of prices for almonds if pollination declines. According to the Property and Environment Research Center, the retail price of a $7 one pound can of Blue Diamond almonds could increase by about three cents.

The monetary loss of bees is “staggering” according to an article on Mercola, but what’s even worse is the loss to the food supply. This is a LARGE and DANGEROUS threat to humanity.

So what is happening to the bees? Are they just leaving and not coming back? Where are they going? Are the bees dying? Who is killing them? WHY ARE YOU HURTING THE BEES, YOU MAD BEE KILLER!?

I decided to conduct some research to find out exactly what was happening to the bees.

This disappearance of bees is called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD is defined as the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. 

Why would bees just leave their nest and not return?

The first few answers were common:

-          Parasitic mites

-          Several viruses

-          Bacterial diseases

- you know, the unavoidable stuff that also kills many other living creatures, including humans.

Another great factor of CCD is the usage of systemic pesticides.

Apparently, genetically modified organisms – better known is GMOs – used in pesticides kill off our number one transport of pollen. Who would’ve thunk it?

World leader of GMOs, Monsanto has been under anti-GMOactivists’ watch for the last few years. Yes, they are the people activists like Erin Brokovitch and even Chipotle have been talking about.

If we, as humans, are worried about what GMOs are doing to some of our food, can you imagine what it’s doing to our pollinators?

If bees keep dying off and crops yield only small amounts, and grocers and restaurants sell us food covered in pesticides – how long will it take until we suffer from a human CCD?

That’s actually pretty scary.

No, I got chills thinking about that.

I wondered if there was any way to help protect the bees. Many people have come up with quick solutions, but nothing that has really stuck.

That’s when I got to talking with Erie-native Chester (Chet) Lee. Chet has a patent on his product the Bee Pole. I sort of shrugged his invention off when I first discussed it with him – it’s literally deadwood with holes in it. But it works.

Various species and sizes bees are attracted to different shapes and scents.

According to Chet’s patent, “Some native bees seek habitat in standing deadwood and are actually drawn to deadwood timber by the scent of the CO2 which its decomposing fibers exude. Some of the prior patents have attempted to formulate bee habitats from treated wood and/or paper or non-wood materials. Native bees will not, typically be attracted to such habitats and, hence, efforts to foster propagation of native bees using these manmade materials have proven to be largely ineffective. A queen bee will typically lay between 60 and 60,000 eggs during her three year life span. The queen will typically find a hole of suitable depth formed in a standing dead tree which has been pecked by woodpecker or other bird. She lays a single egg in the cavity and covers it over. The bee will hatch, typically in about 20 days.”

Like human beings, bees need three things to survive – food, shelter and water. If Chet’s Bee Pole is placed near plants and water, he is able to offer all three of those things to bees, allowing them to reproduce and continue to do their job.

With the help of Menajerie Studio in Erie PA, I worked alongside Chet to create a Kickstarter campaign for his project.

It is a really awesome project to be a part of and I hope to someday be able to say that I helped save humanity all by paying attention to the bees.

We can’t singlehandedly stop Monsanto and their use of GMOs, and we can’t exactly prevent disease, but we can help bees propagate and multiply. We can help the healthy ones stay healthy, and we can keep ourselves healthy by eating the crops they grow organically.

Please join me in supporting the Bee Pole Kickstarter. You never know what your dollar can do for humanity.

Let’s SAVE THE BEES!

21

Twenty one.

I met 21 when he was barely 18. He was a little heavier then, not overweight or anything, just baby-faced all around. It was cute. The kind of cute that makes you go, "aww" and pinch their cheeks every time they say "oh yeah, I've drank beer before." I really wouldn't have gone for it then if it weren't for his bad-ass exterior. The kid had a history that made him slightly sexy, like a jail thing or some stunt like that... which was awkward because at the time, he was a total fetus.

Flash forward to 2015, he finally turns 21 and I have this strange dream that he and I were rolling around in the coatroom, grazing in the grass, ripping our clothes off and doin' it on my living room floor. Except it wasn't my living room, it was on the floor of my California beach house on the bearskin rug right in front of a fire place. There was a lot of wine and also like six or seven dogs who unfortunately had to witness it.

Dreams, man. They're crazy.

Anyway, I wasn't going to tell 21 about the dream, because I wanted to keep all humiliation to myself. But I did tell a mutual friend who chuckled - okay, it was definitely more like a giggle - and took it upon himself to tell everyone within earshot. I was a little upset until I found out 21 was curious to know if I wanted to make it a reality.

I didn't.

And then I did.

It happened really quickly and it was kind of weird. One minute I was like, "lol 21 I've already experienced it in my dreams, I don't need it in real life," and then the next I was all, "21, come. over. now."

The first time we hung out alone, we just laid around watching Netflix and talking about our lives. I wanted to skip the self discovery and go straight to the you-discover-me, but I was a little.. nervous. More nervous than I usually am around people I already know. Primarily because he was four years younger than me, and because I didn't know what our friendship could expect from the aftermath.

From there I decided it wasn't going to happen. I didn't need it to happen, I had two other prospects at the time, so what did I need to be fooling around with my 21 year old friend for?

I was fine. I had convinced myself that 21 and I were not a thing and went back to my regularly scheduled life.

It wasn't until a week or two later that flirting and sexual tension rose to an all-time high.

We were at a party and of course, I parked myself next to him on the couch after drinking one too many glasses of wine and a cocktail. We started joking around with one another and soon every conversation became a private one. We left the party with a group of people to listen to a band at a live bar and that's when I'd say I got a little hands-on.

Okay, a lot of hands-on.

Like hands-on in the sense that I took him to a private area of the bar, grabbed onto his man parts and drunkenly tried to dirty talk to him ...which, knowing me, probably came out as a slurred combination of vowels and phrases. "sssseeuuuuvvvahhh doin' it... huzzzaeyuu floor sex haaaaaaahh."

Whatever. He was in.


We got back to my place and when I say "things became a little heated," I absolutely mean it. I'll spare you the details - if you really want an idea, I'm sure there are websites with videos you can watch - but what went down was a blur of insanity.

Now I don't remember about 85% of it, but I remember it feeling something like euphoria. Though 21 year old boys may not have much experience, they seem to understand what they're doing... well, at least this one did.

I wrote it off the next morning as "that thing I drunkenly tried & liked, but probably shouldn't do again because the kids my friend and also I'm 25 and need to be doing this with guys with a 401k and a pension," and went about my business.

I returned to life as I knew it, pretending that night didn't happen, but wanting so badly for it to happen again. And it did. A few times actually, with each time bringing something new and exciting to the table.

I became addicted.

I was addicted to sleeping with a 21 year old. It's super embarrassing for me to admit it now, but I have to tell you once again that it was really good. Like you know how sometimes you hook up with someone and afterward they're like, "wow that was amazing," and you're all, "yeah it wasn't anything to write home about..." - let's just say, after 21, I was pulling out my stationary.

But nothing good in life lasts forever, especially when you're doing the good thing with someone who is making their life plan up as they go.

One day I sent a text saying, "21, hang out later?"

To which I get the response, "We can't anymore."

"Why?"
"Cause I just like being friends. It's easier."

Ok.

I then ask him to hangout as friends later and he says, "he has plans."

This upset me, but why? Why did I have feelings for 21? I don't even have feelings for 25 or 28, even. Actually, I thought I was a sociopath for awhile because I felt nothing toward any of my gentleman callers. I literally would have them take me out for things I needed and then said, "okay well this is the last time I'm talking to you, bye."

21 got different treatment though, and I think that was the harshest realty of it all.

No wait, the harshest reality of it all was after he told me he had plans, he had the audacity to show up at our mutual friends house later that night - the same house I was hanging out at. Don't be a dick, 21. Don't be a dick.

21 and I currently aren't on speaking terms and I just had to suck it up and move on. I mean, I'm obviously still a little salty my "bye you're relevant - okay now you're kind of cute - oh... now you're just plain sexy" crush had to end with ME sending the 3am "SCREW YOU, YOU ARE A HORRIBLE PERSON" text messages and not the other way around, and it totally sucks I lost a friend - but hey, life is what happens when you're busy making plans. This was to be expected.

... And that's my story about 21. Sorry mom.

Life As I Know It (well as of January 2015)

I'm sorry I haven't been around much. Recovering from ankle surgery in January wasn't fun, but it also wasn't terrible. I got to experience a Cavalier's win by the king himself, and it was the first week my boys JR Smith and Iman Shumpert played for someone other than the Knicks in years. I took my first Greyhound bus by myself from Cleveland to Erie on crutches, and although it wasn't anything special, it was still my first step to being a free woman.

I started rehearsing for Les Miserables at a local theater that was doing a reboot show. I was cast in the ensemble, and I was a little worried that my ankle wouldn't be healed enough to get through. Nearly two weeks before the show opened, I got to travel to the city that never sleeps for a work trip. I had never been to NYC before and honestly had the time of my life. I didn't weep, but I did fall in love. It's hard not to. The way you feel when you're aimlessly speed walking in a boot around Grand Central Station, the way the eggplant Parmesan pizza feels in your mouth at 4am, the laugh the Uber driver makes when you drunkenly yell "TURN THIS UP THIS IS MY JAAMMMM" to every song that comes on on the radio, the way you never have enough time to see all the people you want to see, visit the sights you've always wanted to visit, and find the spots you never knew existed... it's all magic, and it's only in New York City.

I returned home and went straight into Les Miserables, a show filled with a cast who still remembered every word, every note, every move from the last time they did the show in 2012. It made me nervous every day that I wouldn't be able to get it right, but you know what? I worked hard, I tended to my foot, and I performed it. It was a memory for the books.

Sixteen moving and magical shows later, I found myself actually quite sad. I left the show with new friendships and stronger old ones. I found empathy from the story of Les Miserables. As we sang the final words of "Do You Hear the People Sing" on the final performance, I remember exchanging teary-eyed glances with my closest friends who were also sobbing, and feeling a little heartbroken that this would be the last time I would feel this way with these people.

When the show was over, I had difficulty transitioning back to who I was before the show, before the ankle, before the pile of shows I had done prior to January 2015. I started going out all the time - not just on weekends, but weeknights and I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning before going into my regular work day. I didn't mind though. I was discovering me.

I had a quick mishap in love or "really intense" like or something. Just a friend I started spending personal time with, whose presence I actually enjoyed very much. It was stupid. You're not supposed to fall for your friends, and fortunately he broke it off before I committed too much more time or energy into pursuing anything. It did feel like a blow to the head, though... a shot to the heart, if you will. I'm not used to people "dumping" me per se, especially someone I really wasn't dating. It made me feel... kind of low. I spent a week wallowing, and the next week feeling like a slight psychopath - I mean come on, if you don't love me, you're going to have to suffer through me randomly texting you "k" or "cool" when you don't respond to me right away. It's fine.

I finally picked myself up one Sunday and told myself this charade was over. It was time to go back to the gym, time to start eating clean again and time to commit my evenings to another show.

So that's where I'm at right now. Down 6 lbs since May, feeling slightly more active, and cast in two Shakespeare shows. I've put myself back on the market and I have found some great content in the dating scene that I can't wait to share.

Sorry for the long, out of character update, I just had to let you all know that I'm trying to come back guys! Blog should be up and running functionally once again very soon.

Thanks for hanging in there :)

Love,
A

Slow down

Have you ever been so busy that you just keeping adding stuff onto your plate anyway because why the hell not?

Same.

Interlude I (Ripe & Ruin) + alt-J

She only ever walks to count her steps
Eighteen strides and she stops to abide
By the law that she herself has set
That eighteen steps is one complete set

And before the next
Nine right and nine left
She looks up at the blue
And whispers to all of the above

Don't let me drown, don't breathe alone
No kicks no pangs no broken bones
Never let me sink, always feel at home
No sticks, no shanks and no stones

Never leave it too late, always enjoy the taste
Of the great gray world of hearts
As all dogs everywhere bark, it's worth knowing
Like all good fruit the balance of life is in the ripe and ruin

5 TIPS TO PAY OFF YOUR NOT-SO FREE CREDIT CARD DEBT

I am so happy! One of my articles got published on one of my all-time favorite websites!

I have struggled financially for years, and finally committed to getting out of my credit card debt so I can live my life. I thank Literally, Darling for allowing my first published article to be such a valuable one. Take a look!

5 Tips to Pay Off Your Not-So Free Credit Card Debt
by Adele Stewart 

I remember it like it was yesterday. The first time I touched it, I knew we would have a special bond. I recall running my fingers over its bumps and feeling its smooth front under my fingertips. It didn't really smell like anything, though—mostly like the envelope it came out of.

My first credit card beamed back at me, my name glimmering on the front underneath a trail of digits.

“We are going to have so much fun together,” I said to my card as I slid it into its designated home in my wallet.

I had been waiting for this card since I received a letter telling me I was pre-approved for some extra college cash.

I was a junior in college at the time. I had a hostess job at school that I absolutely hated going to. I found myself calling off on weekends so I could pregame before going out to the bar with my friends, instead of barreling through a quick six-hour shift. I had a terrible habit of not paying my bills on time because I never really saved any of my paychecks.

I was every credit bureau’s worst nightmare.

Upon receiving the letter that I somehow was qualified for a credit card with a $1,000 limit, I figured this was the answers to my prayers.

It wasn’t until about 45 days into some major spending that I realized a credit card was absolutely, 100 percent, not free money.

I was trying to purchase $50 worth of groceries at the local Walmart and my card got declined. I immediately called my mother, because what else are you supposed to do when you’re 21 and publicly humiliated at the cash register at the cheapest store in the United States? At first she was shocked that I even had a credit card. It seemed I had kept that information from her.

She said, “Well, have you been paying your minimum?”

“Um… my what?”

“You’re kidding me, right? Have you not been paying on your card?”

“See, here’s the thing… no?”

My mom then lost most of her shit. I had to smile weakly and gesture to the cashier who was still impatiently waiting for me to pay for my stuff, that I would be just another minute on the phone.

After my mother finished swearing at me about being irresponsible with my money, I hung up and smiled at the cashier.

“Can you swipe it again? I just paid on it.”

My life became a series of, “I just paid it off” and “Oh, my payment probably hasn’t gone through yet.”

It was exhausting.

I let the errors of my 21-year-old financially inept self follow me around for an unnecessary amount of time. I was still terrible at money. Every time I thought I was ahead, I found myself 10 steps behind only months later.

I was starting to fall into a deep and very dark financial hole—going out for lunch when I had already packed a perfectly filling meal, buying new clothes with every new paycheck, while also paying for my student and car loans, insurance, and (of course) my credit card payments.

It wasn’t until a recent injury left me incapable of leaving my couch, that I realized maybe it was time to stop spending and start saving.

I pulled out a piece of notebook paper, my checkbook, my Mint account and a pen to begin my planning process. It took me about two hours to figure out when everything was due and how long it would take me to pay off certain bills. Since it’s taken me such a long time to get my finances together, I figured I could relay how I did this in the form of five easy free tips for the financially impaired twenty-something:

1. Sign up for a Mint account (or any budgeting software)

On Mint you are able to get your free credit score and see a graded summary of your spending habits. You can add all of your cards and loans to be notified when a bill is due and to track your spending. Mint also lets you budget on how much you spend monthly on food, entertainment, and other expenses based off of your income.

2. Pay off your lowest balance first

If you have two credit cards and one has a balance of $125 and the other a balance of $300, put a little more towards paying off that $125 than the $300.

3. Try to pay more than your monthly minimum

Figure out how much you owe total and divide it by a reasonable time frame which you can pay it off. For example, if your balance is $300 and your minimum is $25/month, you’re going to be dishing out $25 for 12 months. Imagine paying that back in half the time. Pay $50 a month instead of $25. You’ll be done in six months, and your credit score will rock.

4. Stop with unnecessary monthly charges

I am so guilty of this—who isn’t? But when you’re not very good with money, you shouldn’t be dishing excessive amounts of money into other people’s pockets every month. I had two gym memberships. TWO—for two gyms I barely had time to attend. One cost me $89 for an unlimited amount of classes. Being a collector of Jillian Michaels DVDs and having some nice equipment at home, I realized this was totally crazy. If I absolutely need to head to the gym, I can pay $10 up front before the class. 

With gimmicks like Hulu and Netflix, why are you still paying for cable? Either-or, sister.

          5. Ditch the credit card 

Pay it off, freeze it, burn it, bury it—just stop using it. If you don’t have the money already at your disposal, for heaven’s sake, DON’T USE IT. Obviously emergencies happen where you simply don’t have the funds, but avoid using that plastic piece of poison the best that you can.

I will finally be “debt”-free by the end of March, assuming I don’t get wild in these next 10 weeks and buy a purebred puppy or something completely superfluous like a pair of Elsa Peretti Diamond earrings.

I’m not telling you to break your most valuable bones in order to budget your finances, but it won’t hurt you to take the night off and figure it out. You will never know true financial freedom until you do.