1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to know your burn rate. People often 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: talk about a cash burn rate, how much money a 5 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: business needs to operate each month, but burn rates are 6 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: useful concepts for the stuff we need to run our 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: homes too. Paying attention to how quickly you use up 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: household supplies can save you from emergency grocery store runs 9 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: and needless frustration. If you're like a lot of people, 10 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: you may be trying to minimize your grocery store trips 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: right now to minimize COVID nineteen exposure. But even in 12 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: ordinary times, the frozen food aisle isn't exactly a party, 13 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: So the less frequently you have to go, the better. 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: To make sure you're well stocked between trips, pay attention 15 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: to how quickly you go through staples that you always 16 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: want to have on hand milk, olive, oil, cleaning spray, 17 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: pet food, diapers. If you know that your family goes 18 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,119 Speaker 1: through three half gallons of milk a week in your 19 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: grocery shopping once a week, well buy the three half 20 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: gallons on each trip. Of course, I'm guessing. A lot 21 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: of listeners already know their milk burn rate, and they 22 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: plan accordingly. It's everything else that's more complicated. Fortunately, there 23 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: are simple ways to figure out the burn rates for 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: all sorts of supplies. One way is to use a 25 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 1: sharpie to write the date you open the container on 26 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: the container. For example, if you opened a bottle of 27 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: laundry detergent today, write the date on the bottom. After 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: you use up the detergent, take a look at the 29 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: date you started it, and you'll get insight into your 30 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: burn rate. Next time you're buying laundry detergent, you know 31 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: how long that container will last. You Now, I am 32 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: not suggesting that you keep records of how long every 33 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: canister of oatmeal or bottle of soy sauce lasts, but 34 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: just noticing how long something lasts can illuminate your shopping 35 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: over time, as you start to figure out what you 36 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: always run out of and what seems to last forever. 37 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: In my house, for example, we invariably wind up with 38 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: too much cooking spray but not enough peanut butter. Good 39 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: to know when the peanut butter disappears in two weeks, 40 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: but the spray is still with us three months later, 41 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: we can add peanut butter to the regular shopping list, 42 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 1: but note that cooking spray is more occasional. This burn 43 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: rate concept works for things beyond shopping. For instance, maybe 44 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: your number of bowls is the limiting factor on when 45 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: you need to run the dishwasher. Buying two more means 46 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: you can make it through morning cereal and evening ice 47 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: cream before you need to run the dishwasher. Same with 48 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: socks in the laundrier these days masks. Basically, you want 49 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: to have enough food, socks, masks, whatever to make it 50 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: to your next grocery trip, laundry load, or dishwasher run. 51 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: You don't want to be too constrained on when you 52 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: have to do these things, but you don't want an 53 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: excessive amount either, because why spend the money, use the 54 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: storage space, and spend the time keeping more things tidy 55 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: than you actually need. Knowing your burn rate helps you 56 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: to know how much is enough, and that way your 57 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: time and your mind are free for more important things 58 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: in the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and 59 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 60 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 61 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: your tips your questions or anything else. Just connect with 62 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. 63 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: That's b E number four, then Breakfast p o D. 64 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 65 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled 66 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 67 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 68 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 69 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 70 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.