the green chest

Author: Shannon

  • oh mama.

    This challenge is getting a little dire, my friends. Here’s a screen grab from my Mint.com “Budgets” section for the month of July. Can you guess what red means? Not good. To be fair (to myself), the over budget on the Mobile Phone category included an advance payment to my mother for my portion of…

  • an ode to salads

    This post is more of a how-to than an ode, but if you listen to this while you read, we may be able to accomplish both!   As a take-my-own-lunch-to-work budgeter, I think often about delicious, portable foods. Salads are one of my go-tos: They are fresh, versatile, colorful, and an excellent way to pack…

  • fact friday rio: dreams of niterói

    I can’t reveal the fact until I tell you a story. Some of my fondest memories involve markets. A market in Cotonou, Benin with a hand-carved wooden giraffe that revolutionized my grandmother’s decorative rabbit collection. A few years later, a hand-painted wooden toucan from the market at Recoleta in Buenos Aires, perfect for a sunny…