Our urge to paint the exterior of our brick house white has been growing lately, though a few lingering concerns have kept us from committing. Today we’re laying out the pros and cons we’ve been debating for years, sharing new insights we’ve learned, and asking for your opinion—what would you do if this were your house? We’ll also explain why Sherry moved away from veganism, how our TV provider unexpectedly dropped us and forced a rethink of our cable-cutting setup, and how we ultimately managed to save more money in the process.
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, or Spotify—or play it directly on this page. Use the notes below to find links, images, and references mentioned in the episode. If you’re viewing this in a feed reader, you may need to click through to see the player.
What’s New
- If you missed Sherry’s original experiment with veganism, you can refer back to Episode #66 where we discussed meal delivery kits and how her diet experiment began.
- After moving away from veganism, Sherry has found a handful of simple, satisfying meals and snacks she keeps returning to:
- Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs
- Taco bowls without beans or rice—extra meat, avocado, cheese, salsa, and sometimes sour cream
- Almond butter single-serve packs (a convenient snack she enjoys each afternoon)
- Cobb salad or other salads topped with chicken, ham, bacon, and a bold dressing like bleu cheese or tzatziki
- Chicken salad eaten right from the bowl
- Turkey and cheese roll-ups
- Fresh broccoli with spinach-artichoke dip
- String cheese, kalamata olives, roasted almonds
- Turkey slices spread with a soft cheese and rolled up
- Mozzarella with basil and a drizzle of balsamic
- Bai flavored drinks remain a favorite low-carb breakfast beverage
- If you want more detail on how we cut the cable at home, check our episode and blog post on cutting cable to learn how we save nearly $1,000 a year.
- For a practical guide, we’ve also shared tips on how to hide TV wires and how to choose a streaming plan like Sling. We currently use the Sling Blue plan, but Sling Orange and various add-on packages are alternative options depending on the channels you want.
Painting Our House
- Below is a view of the back of our house, including a sneak peek of the cafe lights we installed. These images show our current brick appearance and the aesthetic we’re weighing against a painted-white exterior.
- We’ve been inspired by other bloggers and designers who maintain painted exterior brick and shared practical tips on upkeep, cleaning, and maintaining curb appeal. Those experiences helped shape our thinking about long-term maintenance and the trade-offs between raw brick and painted finishes.
We’re Digging
- We purchased outdoor string lights for the back patio that create a warm, inviting atmosphere for evenings outside. The set we selected is a 48-foot indoor/outdoor strand that worked well for our space.
- We actually ordered two sets thinking we might create layered lines of lights, but with only one anchor point on one side of the patio, the doubled strands looked cluttered. We returned the extra set to use at our beach house instead.
- For now, the lights run from a white outdoor extension cord plugged into a covered porch outlet and are hung with discreet white hooks to blend with the house.
- We previously tried a shorter 14-foot strand for a different spot and found it well-reviewed and useful for small areas.
- Sherry’s favorite midday snack has been almond butter single-serve packs—the convenience and portion control make them a daily go-to.
If you’re trying to remember which episode featured a product or idea you liked, we keep a master list of everything we’ve highlighted in past episodes so you can quickly find recommendations and sources.
Finally, a big thank-you to Annie Selke’s BED101 for sponsoring this episode. They’re running a giveaway for a complete luxury bedding set exclusive to our listeners—enter for a chance to win!
Thanks for listening and for following along as we weigh big updates like whether to paint the house, adjust our food habits, and refine how we handle entertainment and expenses. We always appreciate your thoughts and advice as we decide what’s best for our home and family.
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