Living on Less Money

Grocery Budget and the high price of cleaners!

2012-02-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

My grocery budget is $200 a month which also includes what I spend on cleaners. Purchasing cleaners takes a big chunk out of the budget so I've been looking for cheap alternatives.

I decided to start with a toilet cleaner since I was running out. I did some research and learned that vinegar is an excellent cleaner because it has an anti-bacterial property. I found an old spray bottle and filled it with vinegar. I thought it worked great until my husband smelled it and began choking. Not such a great savings if no one can use the restroom for hours because of the smell.

So, I watered down the vinegar with half water. That worked perfectly. There still is a slight vinegar smell but it fades quickly. I've tried adding essential oils to cleaners in the past but the scent doesn't linger long so why waste it.

Since I rarely use paper towels I just grab some of the toilet paper and use that to wipe off the vinegar.
Next I hope to try it on my shower.

Do you use inexpensive cleaners?

Free Kindle Book by Jerry Bridges

2012-02-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how long this is available but it's FREE today! I don't own a Kindle but I downloaded
the free version for my PC. I love Jerry Bridges and I'm sure this book will not disappoint.

The Transforming Power of the Gospel

Perspective!

2012-02-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

Inexpensive moisturizer

2012-01-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for an inexpensive moisturizer to replace the skin program (cleanser and moisturizer) I used to purchase through Bath & Body Works which cost around $50. Now that we're officially living on a 1/3 less income I've needed to find a cheap alternative. Coming up with $50 is very difficult these days. :-)

This week I ran across an article about using vegetable shortening as a moisturizer. I remember an old friend using shortening to cleanse her face and she had beautiful skin. So, my interest was piqued. Some of the comments said that their dermatologist had recommended Crisco for those with skin allergies. The only caution was to not buy generic shortening because they may have added artificial ingredients.

So, this afternoon I thought I'd try it after I took off my makeup. While my face was still wet I lightly dabbed on some Crisco. Honestly, my face feels as soft as it did while using the expensive moisturizer. The only thing I'm not sure about is using it under makeup.

I save my Altoids containers (the ones that hold mints) which worked perfect to store the Crisco. I placed the container in my medicine cabinet. One thing I've learned is that if I don't make new changes convenient then I won't take advantage of them.

I'm very hopeful that this will be a natural and inexpensive alternative to an expensive product.

2011-12-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.

For all the nations of the world seek after these things,

and your Father knows that you need them.

Instead,

seek his kingdom,

and these things will be added to you.

Luke 12:29-31 ESV

What's in your fridge- Great website

2011-12-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

I just found this website and I wanted to share it with you. I think it's going to be very helpful for those of us on a limited budget.

This is how it works: Just click the boxes of items you have in your pantry and fridge.. click a button... and ... PRESTO....it gives you meal ideas.

Here you go. Let me know if you use it and how you like it!

My Fridge Food

2011-12-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Whoever loves money

never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth

is never satisfied with his income.

This too is meaningless.

Eccl 5:10 NIV

Budgeting: Living for Today

2011-12-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

The Lord continues to teach new lessons on living below poverty level. (So silly to even write that.. I don't feel poor!)

One lesson I am learning is that it's not always a bargain to stock up even if it's on sale. I used to stock up on sale items no matter what. I liked keeping a well-stocked pantry. But, I'm playing under different rules these days since we are living on at least a 1/3 of what we used to. (My husband says we're living on less than a 1/4).

I normally allow $5-10 a week for stocking up. But, it just depends on the month. For instance, this month I've had to use money from my grocery budget to help pay for Christmas. So, I'm not going to be able to stock up on any sale items. My goal is to spend as little on groceries as possible so I can use the rest for Christmas gifts.

I continue to pray and ask the Lord to show me what we can live without. I've simplified our menu and dropped a lot of recipes due to the cost. If a recipe has out of the ordinary items then I don't use it. When looking for new recipes I scan the list of ingredients to see if they're items I normally stock and if the cut of meat is cheap. We eat very simple these days.

I realized today that I could actually live without another expense. I have a Brita pitcher that I bought at a garage sale for $2. We use it continually throughout the day because the water is bad where we live. The filters are on sale this month but even so it will cost me $14 initially. Since this month is very tight I hesitate putting out that kind of money. I started asking the Lord what I should do. The lady I care for has told me more than once that I can use her water which is filtered. Ah ha! There's my answer. I can easily fill my pitcher each morning and save the expense of purchasing filters. Yay! Another expense bites the dust!

Thank you Lord!

Living Small

2011-12-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

I guess it's all in your perspective. Some people wonder how my husband and I can live in less than 300 sq. ft. Yet, this young man lives in 78 sq. ft. I've learned the past few years that we need a whole lot less than we ever imagined.

Our perspective of 'POOR' compared to the rest of the world!

2011-12-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

2011-12-01T11:39:00.001-08:00

And he said to them,

"Take care,

and be on your guard against all covetousness,

for one's LIFE

does not consist

in the ABUNDANCE of his possessions."

Luke 12:15 ESV

ING Bank: Make $107 in 50 days

2011-11-26T14:35:00.000-08:00

ING Banking has a special Black Friday deal for new customers. You can make $107 in 50 days with 5 deposits (made within 45 days of opening the account). No minimum balance and no monthly service fees. This would be a great way to help pay for Christmas. :-)

ING Bank Black Friday Deal

The deal ends today!

Free: Kindle Books

2011-11-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

Free Puritan Kindle books

A wonderful list of free Kindle books:

Martin Luther - Bondage of the Will

John Owen - On the Glory of Christ

Richard Sibbes - The Bruised Reed

Charles Spurgeon - Matthew Commentary

Jerome Zanchi - Confession of the Christian Religion

Thomas Manton - Sermons

Henry Law - The Gospel in the Pentateuch

Walter Marshall - The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification

Thomas Goodwin - Commentary on Ephesians

William Gurnall - The Christian's Complete Armor (3 Vols. Complete)

Samuel Rutherford - Lex Rex

Samuel Rutherford - The Letters of Samuel Rutherford

Grocery Budget:: Trial and Error

2011-11-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

I continue to think and pray about how to stretch my grocery budget of $200 a month. As food prices continue to climb I find myself searching for new ways to make our money go farther.

So, this month I had a brilliant idea (so I thought!!). I made out a menu for the entire month and then made a shopping list of the non-perishable food items and off I went! I hit several stores so I would get the best deal.

My plan failed. I ended up with only $50 by the second week of the month. The third week I purchased items for our Thanksgiving dinner which dropped my monthly total to less than $25. I panicked!

I didn't set out to worry and fret over this lack of funds but the Lord quickly showed me that I was not trusting Him. Forgive me Lord! So, I began reminding myself of all the years the Lord has taken such good care of us. I rehearsed the promises of God! I recalled to memory the Exodus and how God fed His people manna through the desert. My faith increased and I began to look to the Lord to multiply the money to reach until the end of the month.

The most awesome (I know.. poor grammar! *Smile*) thing happened a few days later. I found out our church was giving away free turkeys. I knew if I purchased my own turkey then I would run out of money by the end of the month. I emailed to see if I might have one. (It's hard to share this with you... I don't relish the idea of asking for help.. let alone sharing with others that I did). The pantry director set up a time to meet at the church. Before I left they had not only promised me a free turkey but given me many boxes of food. As I came home and unpacked the boxes I lifted my heart in praise to God for His goodness and His abundant provision! I now have more than enough food to last through the end of the month which means that the money I have left can be used for milk, fresh veggies and fruit. God is so amazingly good!

Lesson learned.... I'm going back to my weekly envelope method. I'll place my $50 in each week's envelope and shop for that week with the money in hand!

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Matthew 6:25-26 (ESV)

Calculating meat costs per serving

2011-11-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

As the price of food continues to rise (and my income is not) I am being forced to re-evaluate my weekly menu and shopping list.

We've cut way back on carbs which means that I'm not able to fall back on homemade breads, tortillas or pastas to stretch my meals. Our main meals consist of meat, vegetables and limited fruits. Thankfully I can make homemade soups during the winter to stretch my meat budget. I've been collecting vegetable soup recipes that work great for lunch. I am also focusing on recipes that use small amounts of meat and focus more on the veggies.

I found this 'cost per serving' meat calculator fascinating (I know, I know.. I live a boring life! *S*). When you put in the cut of meat and the price per pound it will tell you how many servings you'll get per pound. I just bought some skinless chicken breasts (all natural) for $2 a pound. The calculator told me I could get 4 servings per pound according to US governement standards. I want to take the information from this calculator and use it with my recipes to see if my portion sizes are correct to get the greatest servings per recipe.

Calculate Cost Per Serving

I hope this can help you, too!

Gym Workout:: FREE!

2011-10-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

God has given a gust of grace the past few months and as a result I've been able to stick to a walking regime. I've been averaging 8-9 blocks a day .. 4-5 days a week. I have more energy and I enjoy the walk. I take my dog and listen to sermons on my IPOD. It's an awesome time.

Unfortunately, I'm having some problems with one of my feet. I started thinking that it might help this old bod if I did something different a few days a week instead of walking.

I considered joining a gym but it's $20-$30 a month. The thing about adding something to the budget is that it's hard to cut it in the future. It's just better to do without it if possible.

I called the local Senior Citizen Center and sure enough they had a gym room. I didn't have high expectations but was more than pleasantly surprised. All the equipment was updated. They had 3 stationary bikes (digital with all kinds of programs and gadgets), a weight machine, and some kind of stepping machine. There are 3 flat screen TV's on the wall which you can listen to with earphones attached to your machine.

My husband and I paid $1 each to be trained on the equipment. The best part is that we will NEVER have to pay another penny to use the equipment. The 'gym' is open M-F from 8:30-4:15pm. The gym is less than 5 minutes from our home.

You only have to be 50 years old to use the facility. I guess there are a few perks to getting old!

Frugal Fridays: How to Give a Haircut

2011-10-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

I posted this "how-to" article on my other blog a few years ago. I was going through some old blog posts when I ran across this one. Since it received a lot of 'hits' I thought it might be a good resource for this blog.

I've been cutting my families hair for over 30 years. I first taught myself to cut hair with my youngest son when he was just a baby. I had a friend teach me a few more techniques when my children were older so I was then able to cut my husband's hair. I've saved us a ton of money. I will oftentimes trim my own hair inbetween hair appointments just to extend my haircut a couple of weeks.

Meet my handsome assistant.... Mr K.

Step One: I started at the back of the neck. I combed most of the hair up so that there was just a thin layer of hair at the base of the neck. I made a cut for my guideline and then used that guideline to cut the hair up to the crown.

Step Two: Pull the hair straight out and cut using the baseline cut on the back of the neck as your guide.

Step 3: Make your first cut at the front. Use this cut as your guideline. Pull up a thin layer of hair behind the guideline and cut to match the guideline cut. Continue this technique until you hit the crown.

Step 4: Decide where you want the hair over the ears and make your guideline cut. Use this as your guide and work up to the crown pulling the hair out to the side.

Step 5: Comb the hair over the ears towards the eyes and cut as shown.

Step 6: Shave the neck

Doesn't he look nice?

It helps if you can practice on a young child first. I also found instructional videos on U Tube which looked helpful.

I hope I explained this clearly.

Low Income Dentistry: My 2nd Appt.

2011-10-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

I went for my second appointment at the university that offers discounted dental care. I ended up paying $27.00 for my xrays from the last appointment. My cleaning (which will include some deep cleaning) for the entire mouth will cost $81.00.

My student dental hygenist gave me another exam for cancer of the mouth and updated my history. She evaluated my gums which would make the decision on what type of cleaning I would need. She was very gentle. Her professor came and rechecked the 'numbers' she had assigned each tooth. I had told her that I thought her numbers were too low on the back teeth so she passed the information onto her professor. She rechecked them and confirmed I was right.

She started cleaning one section of my teeth but was not able to finish. She said she should be able to finish cleaning the rest of my mouth at the next appointment.

Overall, it was a good appointment. I'm saving a lot of money. I was quoted $175 per quadrant compared to $81 for my entire mouth.

Free Stuff Friday

2011-10-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

Christian Audio has another free download. Click on this link:

THINK

THINK: The Life of Mind and the Love of God by John Piper

John Piper’s newest book will help Christians think about thinking. Focusing on the life of the mind helps us to know God better, love him more, and care for the world. Along with an emphasis on emotions and the experience of God, we also need to practice careful thinking about God. Piper contends that “thinking is indispensable on the path to passion for God.” So how are we to maintain a healthy balance of mind and heart, thinking and feeling?

Piper urges us to think for the glory of God. He demonstrates from Scripture that glorifying God with our minds and hearts is not either-or, but both-and. Thinking carefully about God fuels passion and affections for God. Likewise, Christ-exalting emotion leads to disciplined thinking.
Readers will be reminded that “the mind serves to know the truth that fuels the fires of the heart.”

2011-09-30T07:21:00.001-07:00

In Evil Long I Took Delight

By John Newton

In evil long I took delight,
Unawed by shame or fear,
Till a new object struck my sight,
And stopp'd my wild career:

I saw One hanging on a Tree
In agonies and blood,
Who fix'd His languid eyes on me.
As near His Cross I stood.

Sure never till my latest breath,
Can I forget that look:
It seem'd to charge me with His death,
Though not a word He spoke:

My conscience felt and own'd the guilt,
And plunged me in despair:
I saw my sins His Blood had spilt,
And help'd to nail Him there.

Alas! I knew not what I did!
But now my tears are vain:
Where shall my trembling soul be hid?
For I the Lord have slain!

--A second look He gave, which said,
"I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom paid;
I die that thou may'st live."

Thus, while His death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue,
Such is the mystery of grace,
It seals my pardon too.

With pleasing grief, and mournful joy,
My spirit now is fill'd,
That I should such a life destroy,
Yet live by Him I kill'd!

Free Stuff Friday

2011-09-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

A few freebies are being given away today. The first is a 'give away'. You never know if you just might win. The second one on prayer is free to everyone. It's an audio download of prayers from the Old and New Testament with other prayers not found in scripture such as The Serenity Prayer.

Enjoy!

The Baker's Illustrated Bible Handbook

Prayers: A Personal Selection

Waste Not Wednesday: Tomato Paste

2011-09-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

I rarely use an entire can of tomato paste in a recipe but hate to throw food away. So, I dallop a tablespoon at a time onto a piece of wax paper and then stick it in the freezer. Once it's frozen I place the tablespoons of paste into a plastic bag.

I like to keep the bag on the door of the freezer so I can easily find it. This morning I started a pot of beef stew and needed just a tablespoon of tomato paste. It peeled easily off the waxed paper and was so convenient.  Better yet, I didn't have to open up a new can. 

When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”John 6:12

Is dental care possible on a low income?

2011-09-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Dental insurance on a low income is not impossible... unless you want a 'good' policy. :-) Last year I paid for a dental plan that was less than $10 a month. It was a horrible plan which paid a very small amount of the bill. The dental office that took our policy had higher prices than the average office so I cancelled our policy.

I've been taking a small amount of money out of each check to save for dental work. I knew I could not save enough to pay for our yearly cleanings so I started looking for another option.

I discovered through my research that colleges with dental school programs sometimes offer discounted work. I checked out the closest university and discovered they had a dental program for dental hygienists and dentists. I called and sure enough they offered discounted prices for cleanings, fillings and just about any kind of dental work.

My first appointment lasted 3 hours which was longer than I had planned. I was assigned a young lady who took my health history and did an oral cancer screening. She then took xrays of my entire mouth. You could tell that she was not experienced but her professor was available to help her through the process. There was a problem with the xray machine so it's not totally her fault that it took so long.

The dental school program quoted $133 for the xrays and consultation. I knew that was high but figured I'd make up for it because the 'deep cleaning' would only cost $48 per quadrant compared to the $175 my dentist quoted. I have another appointment in October to start the deep cleaning. It sounds like they will do one quadrant per visit. A dentist will also look at my xrays and given an evaluation.

I had no idea what to expect but it actually wasn't a bad experience at all. There were quite a few people getting their teeth cleaned. The office was clean and bright and the instructors were very, very nice. The young lady was gentle. I'm a bit nervous about the deep cleaning being done by a non-professional but I'll continue to tell myself that I'll be getting better care than most people do in other countries. It's either this or no cleaning at all. I choose to be thankful.

I'll continue to do my part at home by daily flossing and 2 minute brushings. :-)

I'll keep you updated.

Gift Giving on Less Income

2011-09-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

Gift giving was always very important to my family when I was growing up. Mother taught my sister and I to crochet and knit simple projects while we were in elementary school. We used those skills to make gifts for Christmas. My sister and I learned to crochet borders around dishcloths and made them into lovely potholders and we knitted house slippers and a myriad of other craft projects. I couldn't wait until I turned 12 because Mother promised she would teach me to sew.

Those skills came in very handy the first 15 years of married life. I made the majority of gifts for family members and a lot of gifts for my children since we didn't have much money left after our bills were paid.

I stopped making gifts when I started my own home business. It was just too much stress. But, this year's circumstances find me in a place where I'm picking up those long ago learned skills to help stretch my gift budget again.

I've been crocheting dishcloths while I sit with Miss Alice in the evenings. I also keep a crochet project in my purse (and a book) to work on if I'm stuck in a long line. Last week I nearly finished a dishcloth while waiting in the doctor's office. I also crochet or knit in the evenings after my work is finished for the day.

I went through my material bins and found some unfinished projects to sew. I finished a retro apron yesterday. I have enough material to make one more.

Every time I can save money by doing the work myself then I consider it the same as if I earned money at a part time job. Except the wonderful thing is that I didn't have to leave my home to do it. :-) Stretching my gift budget by sewing or crocheting saves money which helps our income go just a little bit farther.

It feels good to have a head jump on Christmas. Do you have any Christmas projects started?

Seasonal Shopping

2011-08-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

I hope you've been taking advantage of the 'back to school' sales even if you don't have children at home. I wait until August to purchase my office supplies for the year when they are at their lowest. Did you know that there is a yearly list that shows what is on sale each month? If you know you'll be making certain purchases you'd be wise to wait until the month it goes on sale.

I normally wait and stock up on Christmas baking supplies in November right before Thanksgiving. I also like to purchase a few extra hams at that time. I've waited to purchase sheets in January and buy next years Christmas wrapping supplies the day after Christmas at the dollar stores when they go on sale for .50 cents.

Planning ahead can save you a lot of money. What months do you stock up?

JANUARY
• After Christmas Sales
• White Sales (sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and quilts)
• Sports and Weight Loss Equipment
• Computers
• Winter Apparel and Accessories
(In years past, when I had more money, I would watch for Prime Rib right before New Year's Eve)

FEBRUARY
• Electronics, radios, C.D. players
• Floor Coverings
• Housewares, china, glassware,
• Furniture, rugs, mattresses, curtains
• Candy and Chocolates

MARCH
• Spring Apparel and Accessories, shoes
• Winter Sports Equipment, skates, ski equipment
• Gardening Supplies
• Luggage
• Frozen Food

APRIL
• Spring Apparel and Accessories, men's and boys suits
• Women and children's coats and hats
• Paint
• Wallpaper
• Jewish Foods and Eggs,

MAY
• White Sale - Linens and Towels
• Spring Cleaning Supplies
• Auto Maintenance
• Home Maintenance
• Sodas, Hotdogs, Hamburger Meat, Condiments

JUNE
• Summer Apparel and Accessories
• Pianos
• Television Sets, refrigerators
• Building Materials. lumber and Hardware
• Dairy Products

JULY
• Air Conditioners, home appliances, radios and stereo equipment
• Summer Sports Equipment
• Sportswear, bathing suits, lingerie
• Craft Supplies
• Sodas, Hotdogs, Hamburger Meat, Condiments

AUGUST
• White Sale - Linen and Towels
• BBQ and Patio Equipment
• Back to School Supplies
• Bathing Suits
• Fresh Fish and Vegetables

SEPTEMBER
• Back to School Supplies and children's clothing
• Gardening Supplies
• Housewares, dishes, glassware, lamps, paints, rugs and carpet
• Bicycles
• Canned Goods

OCTOBER
• Cars
• Houses
• Fishing Equipment
• Crystal, Silver, and Glassware
• Candy

NOVEMBER
• Winter Apparel and Accessories, shoes
• Quilts and Blankets
• Heating Devices, water heaters
• Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Baking Goods

DECEMBER
• Toys
• Gift Items
• Partyware
• Post-Holiday Sales
• Party Foods, Baking Goods, and Various Meats

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it. Proverbs 21:20

Bugdet: Allowances (for adults)

2011-07-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

When my husband and I were running our businesses (before he became disabled) we found it difficult to set up a budget. I tried to keep most of our bills as low as I could but because we were self-employed our income varied from month to month making it difficult to budget. But, since he became disabled our income is pretty much fixed. One benefit is that I know how much is coming in each month and can budget accordingly.

The best advice I received concerning a budget is to assign an allowance for both husband and wife. We would have saved ourselves a lot of fussing in the early years of our marriage if we had followed this advice.

I've allowed $40 a month in the budget for each of us. We both love having an allowance because:

- An allowance allows us to buy something special.
- An allowance helps us not feel deprived from a restrictive budget. (we're spoiled Americans!)
- We can save our allowance for bigger purchases that could not otherwise be afforded.

This past week I spent my $20 allowance on a haircut. I've been cutting my own hair and imposing on friends and family to give it a whack for nearly 2 years. It was long overdue for an even trim. I've also used my allowance to spend extra on the grands birthday gifts, purchase new clothing and a 'girls day out'.

An allowance cuts down on the temptation to argue over money. When one spouse thinks a decision to spend money in a certain area cannot be afforded then an allowance could be used.

An allowance is not just for kids! :-)

I'm thankful for my allowance!

Use it up!

2011-07-10T21:15:00.000-07:00

Time to fess up! I went off my food budget this past month. After 1 1/2 years of counting every penny to stay within $200 a month I let loose after the news came that my husband had received permanent disability. So... now that I've had my fun it's back on budget again.

I considered raising our food budget to $300 a month to add more fruit and veggies to our diet (and I still may). But, for the time being I decided to continue trying to keep it under $200 as long as I can provide healthy meals. I figure if I shoot for $200 and go over just a bit I'll still be ahead of the game.

My goal this next week is to not buy any groceries. Instead I'm going to shop from my pantry, fridge and freezer. I have 2 fridges with freezers and both are very full which means that I have been over buying. Tomorrow I will go through my freezer meats to plan my weekly menu. Food has a feature where you can plug in the ingredients you have on hand and it will display recipes you could use. Look next to the search engine at the top of the page where it has a drop down menu and choose 'ingredients'. This tool helps when you are shopping from your pantry and fridge.

I'm also concentrating on leftovers because I have been wasting food which is the same as throwing money away. They seem to get pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten until the following week when I clean out the fridge. I had some canned chilies left over from a Chile Rellenos casserole I made earlier in the week. I decided to keep them in plain view so they wouldn't get lost in the fridge. I added some to the low carb chicken enchiladas I made today and then made another Chile Rellenos casserole for lunch or breakfast. Boy, did I stretch those babies. :-)

This week I tried a broccoli stuffed chicken recipe. The recipe sounded so good but flunked my husband's taste test. I didn't want to throw away the remaining chicken so I scraped off the stuffing and reused the chicken in the enchiladas. I was able to save the chicken and stretch it into another meal. Kewl! :-)

I know I can do better at stretching my food budget if I stay on top of the food I bring into my home by not allowing it to go to waste. That involves concentrated effort.

Hope when our problems seem too big ...

2011-07-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are situations in our lives that .. may... feel hopeless. It may be financial or a marriage that is unstable or perhaps a long established habit of sin. Our first inclination as sinners is that we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps to make things right and while we do have a responsibility to obey God's Word... we must learn that we have no resource.. no hope..no strength...outside of our great God! Pastor Smith is right.. it's not 'fun' to come to the end of ourselves but that is where we find help in the time of need. I hope this prayer blesses you as much as it blessed me!

Prayer for Hoping in God’s Steadfast Love
The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. Ps. 33:16–18

Dear heavenly Father, though it’s not fun, it’s a good thing to come to the end of ourselves—to be in situations where all of our resources, all of our “goodness” and all of our idols begin to fail us. Indeed, it’s a gospel thing to feel the pain of knowing whatever worked in the past is not working in the present; to feel the confusion of not knowing what to do next; to feel the helplessness of being out of control. It hurts, but it hurts real good and for our good.

For only in those moments do we abandon ourselves to the God who alone can part Red Seas when our enemies are pursuing us; serve fresh quail in the wilderness to his hungry thankless children (Exodus 16); overthrow whole Midianite armies with three hundred gun-less soldiers (Judges 7); take down Goliaths by young shepherds armed with pebbles (1 Samuel 17); deliver his people from the fire or through the fire (Daniel 3); feed multitudes with a few fish and pieces of bread (Matthew 14); raise a dead man for the salvation of his people and the transformation of the cosmos.
Lord Jesus, you are that dead man who now lives and we abandon ourselves to you today. You are the One who is redeeming his bride and making all things new. It is your steadfast love that we can and must hope in today. There is no other supply sufficient to the need. There is no other strength sufficient for the task. There is no other balm sufficient for the pain. There is no other rest sufficient for the exhaustion. There is no other hope sufficient for our cries and crises. Hoping in you alone holds the promise of the end of all disappointment and shame (Romans 5:1-5 ESV), for you were shamed for us on the cross, and raised for our salvation and deliverance (Hebrews 12:1-3).
So we bring our wounded and broken hearts to you. We bring our struggling marriages to you. We bring our jobless families to you. We bring our chronic pain to you. We bring our divided churches to you. We bring our ever besetting sins and addictions to you. We bring our conflicted relationships to you. We bring our wayward children to you. We bring our unbelieving friends to you. We bring the needs of our community to you. We bring it all to you, Jesus. We will trust in you and your steadfast love. Where else can we go? Astonish us by bringing much glory to yourself in the coming hours, days and months. So very Amen we pray, in your merciful and mighty name.

Scotty Smith

http://www.facebook.com/notes/scotty-smith/a-prayer-for-hoping-in-gods-steadfast-love/10150680916670212

The Gospel and our daddy's!

2011-06-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest joys of my life was being used by the Lord to share the Gospel with my father.
Many years ago I owned a homeschool bookstore that sold used curriculum. My daddy had been a postmaster at one time and was very good with numbers so he volunteered his services in the beginning years of the business to keep my books. Even though I have a lot of regrets about running that business while my children were still home I am forever grateful that it gave me the opportunity to be with my father on a regular basis because it enabled me to share the 'Good News' in a way that I can't imagine otherwise. God truly does work ALL things together for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28,29)

Daddy was a quiet man... a man of few words (unlike his daughter). He had the respect of many.. and was especially a good father. But, even though he had many 'good' qualities by the world's standards... he was a sinner in God's eyes (as we all are). His good reputation would not buy peace with God.
Since my daddy was a man of few words the opportunity to share the gospel didn't come easy. But, the Lord had laid a burden on my heart to pray for my daddy and pray I did. It seemed the shower was the place I often cried and poured out my heart to the Lord begging Him to save this precious man he had given to father me.
I was given 2 golden opportunities to share the gospel with my father in a matter of 10 years while he helped in my business. Both times my father said 'no'. I cried so hard I thought my heart would surely break. The burden increased.. I prayed more. Finally one day while I was cutting his hair the Holy Spirit opened up another divinely appointed door to share once more. This time the tears ran down daddy's face... he was ready to follow Christ and he never turned back until the day he died 8 years later.
I learned a huge lesson in all of this and it was to not give up on sharing God's Good News. To the human eye it looked as if nothing was happening in Daddy's heart. But, that day that I led him to the Lord I realized (by a few things he had said and his immediate humble response) that the Holy Spirit had been drawing him.
I have others now in my family that I pray for and my faith has increased because I have seen the power of God work in my daddy's heart. I just wanted to encourage you... not to give up on your loved ones but to be faithful.. in season and out... to know God's Word well enough to share the Gospel with your loved one and to pray for an opportunity to witness of the great love of God found only in His Son Jesus Christ.
May we live (coram Deo) before the face of God!
Georgene

(If you want to know more about the Good News please click this link below:)
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A335_Who-do-you-think-that-I-am?q=tract,+heaven/

The news we've been waiting for...

2011-06-07T22:30:00.001-07:00

After a year and a half of waiting we finally received a notice in the mail today that Kevin's claim for permanent disability has been granted! We are praising our God for His mercy! We also want to thank those of you who have said you were praying for us. It's hard to believe this test of faith is finally over. God's grace has been amazing! God's provision for us during this time has been equally as amazing. Kevin has not worked since October of 2009 yet the Lord has provided a roof over our head and more food than we need along with clothing and so much more. I'm in awe and I want to bless the glorious name of Jesus Christ who has made peace between God and me!

"Stand up and bless the Lord your God
Forever and ever!

Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

You alone are the Lord;

You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You." *

Nehemiah 9:5-6

... and so do I!

Envelope Method

2011-06-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

There was a time in my life when I didn't stick to a budget. Money came easy and I bought what I wanted when I went to the store. I had an 'estimate' of what I targeted for birthday money and I tried to find the best deal but I basically just bought what I thought we needed at the grocery store and left it at that.

Them days are gone! *SMILE*

Enter the "Envelope Method"! My ears had heard but my eyes had not seen this method in practice so I had a bit to learn but I'm here to say that it's keeping me on track with my narrow budget and I'd like to rave about it.

It became necessary to make out a strict budget when our income dropped nearly half. I used a pre-made budget template on my computer from the Microsoft Works Word Processor program. I love this program. You enter your income and all your bills and at the bottom of the page it shows what you have left.

When my paychecks come in I have the bank teller cash them in small amounts so I can divide them easily into the different envelopes according to my budget plan. I only use the envelopes for the following areas:

- Gifts
- Dentist
- Allowance
- Grocery
- Entertainment
- Savings
- Taxes

I leave the rest of the money in the bank to pay bills that need to be written with a check or paid online.

This is how it works. Say for instance I need to go grocery shopping. I've learned by trial and error to divide the money for groceries into the weeks of that month otherwise I overspend at the beginning of the month and have nothing left at the end. I only take out the amount of money I need for that week.. no more unless there is a terrific 'stock up' deal and then I only take $10 extra.

I also have a plastic 'wallet' I found at the Dollar Tree that has individual compartments with tabs. It reminds me of a coupon wallet. I've labeled each tab to match my envelopes. Once I take the money from the envelopes I place it in the marked compartment. This way I don't end up mixing the money from the different categories once they leave the envelopes.

It's really very simple and it has helped me stay within my $200 a month grocery budget.

I'd really like to hear what budget program you use on your computer or free online. I'm needing to download one to my laptop. How do you stay within your budget?

2011-06-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

"When you leave this world, will you be known as one who accumulated treasures on earth that you couldn't keep?

Or will you be recognized as one who invested treasure in heaven that you couldn't lose?"

The Treasure Principle by Jerry Bridges

Lowering Rent & Mortgage Payments

2011-05-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

We've been 'living small' in less than 300 square feet for over a year and half now.

I've lived on both ends of the housing market. I've paid high rent & mortgage payments in order to have a larger home and we've lived in older & smaller homes in order to save money. And of course we're living rent free right now.

Our 300 sq. ft. home (bedroom not shown).

Downsizing as radically as we have will not be something that appeals to everyone. Frankly, I can't imagine that we would be living this life if my husband had not become disabled. We did talk about it a lot because of the amount of hours it took to maintain our previous home and questioned if it was the best use of our time and money from an eternal perspective but we just couldn't quite let our hands relax from the grasp of what we owned. But, now that we're providentially here it seems so natural and so easy and I wonder why we didn't do it sooner. I guess we've adjusted just fine because my little home actually feels 'spacious'.

Let's face it. The economy has not snapped back as everyone had hoped. I have several personal friends who's husbands will be losing their jobs and the nightly news has shown thousands out of a home due to flooding back east. Thinking 'outside the American Dream house' could be your ace in the hole if a similar situation comes your way. Downsizing could be a viable option to an easier life financially or help you fulfill your dreams of being a stay at home mom or ministry.

"Tiny Homes", a new housing alternative!

If you stop to think about it.. the basic function of a home is to protect one from the elements. That goal can be reached in many different ways. Throughout history people have lived in huts, teepees, tents made from animal hides, homes of all sizes and made from all kinds of material to alternative housing such as boats and RV's. During the depression families even moved in together and that is happening again in our generation due to the burst of the housing bubble and loss of jobs. Also, housing can be obtained in exchange for employment which is what we are currently doing.

Sewer pipes remodeled into hotel rooms in the Dutch town of Vriescheloo.

Exposing my thinking to alternative ways of housing throughout the years has helped me with our transition into 'living small'. I read missionary stories first to my children when they were living at home and I continue that practice for myself to this day. It helps remind me that the majority of the world does not live in homes over 2,000 square feet or even 1,000 sq. ft. ( I've read that before 1970 the average size family home was 1,000 square feet or less. )

Currently I've been spending some time reading about families who live full-time in their RV's. I've been scanning over my belongings to see what I could live without if we chose that option in the future. I know we could do it and thrive (by God's grace!).

I'm sure of it! (Big Smile)

Does living with less appeal to you?

Extreme Couponing... NOT!

2011-05-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to watch an episode of Extreme Couponing a few weeks ago. Wow! All I could think about was how 'sharp' their minds must be to figure out such huge transactions. I almost blow a brain cell just doing a few transactions at a time.

I've been going with a friend a couple times a month to show her the 'ropes' in getting free items at the drugstores in our area. I'll be the first to admit that I just don't have what it takes at this age of life to go extreme in this couponing arena. But I'm very happy about what I have learned.

I'm able to get free or nearly free body soaps, bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, floss, hair scrunches, chap stick and aspirin to help stretch my $200/mo. grocery/household budget. I try to get 3 or 4 items ahead to last until the next free deal.

Normally I'll look through the Sunday ads for RiteAid, CVS and Walgreens flyers to see if they are offering any free items that give out Register Rewards. I'll circle those deals in my newspaper which I will end up taking to the store. I'll also go back through the same ads and circle any other items that are on sale. I will also circle 3 or 4 items that cost $1.00 or less (I'll tell you why later).

I then check out REFUND CENTS to see their write up on the drugstore deals. They list every deal that the drugstores offer. I used to have a list of websites that posted drugstore deals but it was a lot more work and not always reliable. I pay around $1.25 a month to use their service and it's definitely been worth it. Next time I plan on splitting the subscription with my friend. I will not order the magazine next time because it was full of rebate offers that I really wasn't interested in.

I also check out HOT COUPON WORLD and use their coupon database to see if there are any coupons that I have missed. You can 'stack' manufacture coupons with store coupons and Register Reward deals. Every coupon available is listed on this site and tells you where you can find it.

Next, I look for which free deal offers the highest Register Rewards. That will be my first deal at the cash register. If I can find a manufacturer coupon I will save even more money. I then take the Register Rewards and use them to purchase the next Register Reward deal and so on and so forth down the line.

I've learned to stack my grocery cart with low cost items I can use just in case I've miscalculated. Walgreen's cash registers have a bunch of rules I'm still trying to figure out like you have to use as many coupons as you have items. I think another rule is that they only count the bottom line cost AFTER Register Rewards so I keep these low cost items in the cart to grab in case I'm short on items to spend with my RR's.

Does this make any sense? Please feel free to ask questions.

Christ is Risen!!

2011-04-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

Our Marriage: A Testimony to God's Grace

2011-04-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today is our 27th wedding anniversary! If you had known us the first five years of our marriage you would doubt that we'd ever make it to 27 years. But, what did we expect? We were two sinners committing to a lifetime of love and serving one another. Did we think our flesh and the enemy of our souls would just lie down and cooperate? I think not!

I look back on these 27 years and marvel at the grace God has shown us. Kevin was not a Christian when we married and I was a young Christian. I remember the first time I actually turned to God's Word for help. I had left Kevin after a huge fight and was sitting in a park with my bible. I found a passage in James on strife and thought to myself, 'yep, that is his (Kevin's) problem Lord' when suddenly I was convicted that the Lord was talking to ME through those verses. Me? I had thought the entire problem with our marriage was HIM. That was the beginning of a long, long journey of imperfectly learning how to confront the BEAM in my own eye. (Matthew 7) A journey that never stopped and continues to this very day although there are still times that I deceive myself and put the blame on him.

I believe one of the biggest lessons I learned in the earlier days of our marriage concerning living in peace with my husband was not to stay offended at his words or actions. (1 Cor. 13:5) I had a habit of getting offended at something he would say or do and then would make him pay for his sins by either giving him a 'look' or the cold shoulder. I haven't obeyed that Scripture perfectly and at times I still struggle with it but I'm learning more and more how the glorious Gospel applies to my everyday living which is helping me in this area of my marriage.

A holy God who WAS offended by my sin and had reason to be ... yet loved ME (and you) so much that He sent His "ONLY" Son (think long and hard about that) to die in "MY" place so that there would be peace between us. Christ took the wrath "I DESERVED" instead of making me pay the price for it which is death! Now, in light of what Christ did...how can I turn to my husband (but.. oh my... I still do at times) and hold any of his sins or offenses against him when I have been forgiven of so very much!?!

I'm thankful as a Believer that I didn't enter into a binding marriage covenant with my husband alone. I'm so eternally grateful that my God entered that marriage covenant with us because if I know anything at all I know that this marriage would not have worked if God, through His Holy Spirit, had not been constantly working in us to conform us into the image of Christ through every single fight and every single offense. (Romans 8:28,29)

"I love you Kevin and I look in hope to our God to continue the work He began in both of us 27 years ago when this young, naive girl saw stars in her eyes when she looked into yours. I'm so grateful to have you as my husband. Thank you for loving me.. warts and all!"

CVS Free Deals

2011-04-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

A friend came by tonight to learn how to get free (or nearly free) items from the drugstores. I'm no expert.. I'm still very slow at the whole process but love sharing what I've learned.

So this is the only deal we worked on. CVS was out of 2 of the other items that we could have received for free. The best time to work the 'free' deals is at the beginning of the week. Oftentimes the stores won't restock the free items at the end of the week.

Oral B Manual Toothbrush $2.99
- .99 ECB, limit 2
- $2 (PG 4/3)
- B1G1F (RP 3/13)
Final Price = 2 free

We actually paid $1.54 for 2 toothbrushes and then received 2 ECB's back on the receipt making the toothbrushes free. I used the 2 ECB's to purchase 4 Reeses Easter eggs for the grandchildren.

I'm not smart enough to figure out how to get $1,000 of groceries for free but I'm thankful for the little I have learned. I'm able to keep a moderate stash of toiletries that I get for free or nearly free. It greatly helps stretch my $200 grocery budget.

It was fun! :=)

Hurry.. RefundCents is free today!

2011-04-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

I use Refund Cents to simplify my couponing. They do all the footwork for you by researching the best and lowest priced deals all over the internet and at the major drugstores. Be sure to check out the CVS, RiteAid and Walgreen's links on the right side bar.

Hurry... they are opening up their service for you to see FREE today!

REFUNDCENTS

If you have any questions then let me know.

Economically Challenged Book Lovers

2011-04-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

If you are a book lover then you already know that it's a bit of a challenge to keep your habit supplied. *Smile* I've read that the library is a good source for those who are economically challenged but I rarely find the books I'm looking for.

Enter PAPERBACKSWAP!

This is how it works. When you join you are given a few free credits to start. You can add to those credits by selling your own books. Their system to sell your books is very easy. You just enter the ISBN and it will bring up a picture of your book immediately. They will ask if the book is in good selling condition and that's it. Once someone requests your book you are given a certain amount of time to mail it. Once the book is received they will go to the website and mark that it's been received. That is when you receive your credit. Now you're ready to purchase a book with your credit. You receive 1 credit for each book or 2 credits for audio books.

It costs approximately $2.30 to mail a book using book rate so any book I choose through PS will end up only costing me that amount.

I have ordered a lot of books through PaperbackSwap over the past 5 years or so. I've never had a bad experience. In fact this past month I received The Five Silent Years (about Corrie Ten Boon's last 5 years), Chicken Soup for Caregivers and the audio tapes for Pilgrim's Progress. Of course they do not have the newest books available so I put those on my Wish List. If the book becomes available then I am immediately notified before it's listed to the public.

Do you have a favorite used book club? How do you support your book habit?

Waste Not Wednesday: Labeling Food in the Fridge

2011-03-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

Even with our limited food budget I still fight wasting food. I've tried a few methods I've read about. Some have worked .. for instance, wrapping celery in tinfoil so it will last longer. It really does.

But, I still end up throwing away food that gets lost in the fridge. Not too smart when you realize it's no different than taking my dollar bills and actually throwing them into the garbage.

I've looked over different suggestions to help in the fight against wasting food but haven't been able to find one that 'fits'. The more I thought about it I decided to try mother's method of labeling food to see how it would work.

I've started keeping a roll of masking tape and a permanent marker in my tinfoil drawer. Since I don't have many containers that are see-through I've found that marking a saucer on a bowl or a reused cottage cheese container with the food item name and the date helps give me a visual of what is in the bowl and how long it will be edible.How many times do you 'think' you know when you cooked an item but you're not really sure?

In the picture to the left I marked the jar with homemade mayonnaise. The date is important even if I THINK I'll remember.. because most the time I won't.

Labeling works great for the freezer, too. So many times in the past I've put an unmarked item into the freezer and by the time I've pulled it out I don't recognize what it is. A name and date on the frozen product has eliminated the question and loss of food.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. Psalm 145:15

Do you have a method that helps you not waste food?

Homemade Hot Dog Buns

2011-03-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not buying much bread these days. I've received a few loaves of sandwich bread from a local food pantry but other than those I've been making our bread. It saves me a lot of money since I found flour for $1.50 a bag. We were given some free hot dogs so I tried my hand at making some hot dog buns. This is my second attempt. The first ones looked like a hockey puck! :-) These looked a little closer to what we're used to. Next time I'll make them a bit larger but all in all they turned out fine. I individually wrapped them in Seran wrap and froze them. I just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they're ready to use.

Homemade Hot Dog Buns

1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour (recipe called for just white flour)
1 tbsp instant yeast
2 tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg

Note: I put all the ingredients in my breadmaker and used the 'dough cycle'. Afterwards I shaped them and let them rise again for nearly an hour. Then baked as usual. If you don't have a breadmaker then you can use the instructions below.

Heat milk, water and butter until very warm.

In a large bowl mix 1 3/4 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

Mix milk mixture into the flour mix and then mix in the egg.

Stir in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time beating well after each addition.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out into a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

With rolling pin roll and shape each piece into a 6x4" rectangle. Starting with the longer side roll up tightly and pinch edges and ends to seal.
Place on greased baking sheet and let rise 20 to 25 min.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 min until golden brown.

Do you make any kind of bread other than for sandwiches?

Frugal Friday: Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

2011-03-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

Is it my imagination or have grocery prices jumped BIG TIME? I went into a grocery store the other day to purchase a jar of mayonnaise and was shocked that the sticker price was over $5.00.

It has been a huge challenge to stay within my $200.00 a month budget for groceries/toiletries/household expenses so I'm trying to find ways to substitute items that are rising in cost for something less expensive. So when I saw the $5.00 sticker on mayo I decided to try my hand at homemade mayo. I tried it once before but the olive oil I used had a strong flavor that transferred over to the taste of the mayo. I threw the batch out.. it was that bad.

I used a recipe a friend suggested from Elton Brown. I read you could use a hand blender instead of a whisk so I started out placing the mixture into a cup and slowly began adding the oil. You're supposed to add the oil in a small steady stream. If you add the oil too fast then it will 'break' and separate. The mayo was coming together nicely but my hand blender started getting hot. I tried letting it cool down but then I got impatient and added the oil too fast. It ended up separating. I'll share below how I fixed it.

Mayonnaise

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown from Food Network

1 egg yolk*
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 pinches sugar
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup oil, safflower or corn (I used extra virgin olive oil from Costco)

Directions

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit, (which means you've got an emulsion on your hands). Once you reach that point you can relax your arm a little (but just a little) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.
Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Broken Mayonnaise and HOW TO FIX IT!

Fixing 'broken' mayo is very simple. Just take a single egg yolk and place it in a bowl. Briskly whisk the egg yolk while you add the 'broken' mayo slowly. Continue adding the entire batch of broken mayo into the egg yolk slowly. That's it. The mayo will turn out yellow but taste great. We normally only eat Best Food mayo and I've never liked 'off brands'. This mayo passed the test.

Depression Era Teachings: Laundry and rinse loads

2011-03-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

I continue to learn new lessons on frugality from my little 91 year old Alice.

Alice has taught me to use her 'rinse cycle' for clothes that are not dirty (per say). An example would be her nightgowns. Instead of running her nightgowns through an entire full wash cycle she'll have me run them through the rinse cycle. Her pants (just worn inside around the house) and sheets are another example.

I'm glad to learn about this frugal tip. I can see how it will help keep water and electricity costs down.

Do you have any frugal ideas that you've learned from an older woman?

The Joy found in Serving (in our new Home)!

2011-03-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

It's been over a month since my husband and I accepted a job as a caregiver to a 90 (just turned 91) year old woman named Alice. The opportunity came suddenly but as time has gone on I marvel at how perfectly suited this situation is for our current needs and smile knowing that God handpicked it for not only Alice but my husband and myself. To be honest with you I panicked the week before we were scheduled to move. I kept thinking.. what if I can't make Alice happy.. what if she doesn't like me...? My husband reminded me that the Scriptures never command us to make someone happy.. only to serve and love them. I married a smart man!

So, here we are a month later and I can honestly say that my fears were unfounded. God has exceeded my expectations in the gift He has given me in Alice. She has not only opened her home to us but her heart. She has made us feel welcome and like we're part of her family. She doesn't treat me like an employee but as her friend. I'm finding great joy in serving her and making her comfortable. Honestly, it's been easy to fall in love with her. It blesses me so much when I ask her if there is anything else I can do for her and she simply says, "Nope. I'm happy."

I'm a planner.. sometimes to my discredit. This past year I thought through a multitude of possibilities of where we might live next. I imagined us living in everything from a motorhome to my mother's house. Moving into Alice's home and caring for her was no where in the plans. I wasted a lot of time in 'over thinking mode' when I could have been using those moments worshiping God and serving others. It won't be time wasted though if I can learn from it. I find that recently when I begin trying to micro-manage my future I suddenly remember how amazingly God orchestrated this move and immediately I am reminded that God does a much better job of taking care of my future than I do. I am learning to 'rest' in His sovereign hands.

Alice and I are settling into a routine and our days are beginning to establish a hum.. a rhythm. I'm learning her needs and how to make her comfortable. Before I moved in I set up a housekeeping schedule for her home. The first Monday after we moved here I pulled out my schedule and began cleaning. Alice said, 'what are you doing? Why don't you sit down and relax? Nothing needs to be cleaned.' Alice has kept a very neat and clean home but she is teaching me (slow as it may be on my part) that a person doesn't always need to be busy. I could learn a lot from Alice... and I'm sure I have much more to learn.

I'm also learning some new lessons in frugality that Alice is teaching me. I'm learning how to clean less and thereby use less water, cleansers and electricity.. to wash less loads of laundry each week and to use less lights and water. These are great lessons that will help stretch our income if we're ever given the opportunity to live in our own home again.

I am continuing to learn deeper lessons in loving God and others. There is joy in serving.
Jesus came to serve... and not to be served. He gave His life as a ransom for many. I don't serve perfectly. I've had moments where I'm tempted to put my own needs first. I've struggled at times with the changes my life has taken over the past few years as my husband's disability has kept us closer to home and more isolated. But.. in spite of these lapses of giving into my selfish nature I am finding a renewed love for the One who was the ultimate servant as I learn to follow Him in serving others and putting their needs ahead of my own.

I have so much more to learn.

Are you learning the joy of serving others? Is there a widow in your family that needs your help? Or possibly an elderly neighbor?

My favorite recipe sites

2011-02-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

I used to collect cookbooks until we began downsizing. Once we started downsizing I realized they took up too much space. Plus, I realized that I was using my own personal cookbooks and online recipes more than the cookbooks.

I have 2 favorite recipe sites online that I probably use at least 4 times a week. These sites have replaced most of my cookbooks.

Food
All Recipes

I use their search engine to find a recipe. Once the the page comes up with the recipes, you'll see at the top a pull down link that says 'revelance'. Click on it and choose 'rating'. By doing so it will automatically arrange the recipes according to their rating. Below the top rated recipes you'll find helpful reviews. I always read these to get ideas on how to improve the recipe or to find out what ingredients can be replaced.

Be sure to sign up as a member so that you can make a cookbook. This feature allows you to save the recipes. I love this feature because it saves me money (no more cookbooks or cooking magazines) and storing space since I don't have to print out the recipes.

The Food site also has a feature where you can filter food items you have available. It will bring up available recipes for the items you have on hand.

Do you have any favorite recipe sites?

High electrical bills & Clotheslines

2011-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Day! The sun was shining.. no fog.. with a slight breeze and temps in the 60's. I know that may seem hard to believe considering the weather back east. I almost feel guilty telling you that I ran around most of the day with a short sleeved shirt. Glorious!

The clothesline was one of the features I scoped out immediately when we first interviewed for our job as caregivers. Hanging clothes has been a long time practice that has always helped to save money. Frankly, I find the practice quite therapeutic.

So with such a beautiful day upon us .. and laundry before me... I tried out Miss Alice's clothesline. I believe this is the first time I haven't strung my own clothesline. It's a nice one, too. Professional.

Living in someone's home we make every effort to conserve energy. I think it pleases Miss Alice that I am making an effort to stretch 'her' pennies and not just my own.

Hanging clothes is a simple task. There are few rules. I take a rag and clean the lines. You'll probably think my marbles are loose but I find a bit of satisfaction in organizing my laundry as I hang it. I like to hang 'like' items together. If I have 'unmentionables' in the load I will hang those on the back lines and place longer items on the rows in front to hide them. Never leave your clothes pins outside after dark or they won't last long and be sure to bring your clothes in before the night air falls or your clothes will be damp. If the clothing is wrinkled then I'll toss them in the dryer for 5 minutes. This practice will also take the stiffness out of the towels and underwear. Crunchy undies are not fun! :-)

No dryer sheet fragrance can compare to the fresh, crisp scent of air lined bed linens. It's one of God's free pleasures and man has yet to duplicate it.

Do you use a clothesline? Or do you prefer drying racks? Or just say 'forget the whole thing'! :-)

Simple Breadmaking

2011-02-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

As I look back over today I'm feeling good about what I was able to accomplish. Some days just flow.. very few interruptions and much accomplished. Today was one of those days. I was able to finish a variety of tasks which is always very fulfilling. Yet, I understand that it's necessary for my conformity (to be more like Jesus) that I not be allowed this luxury consistently. It's good to bow my will to the Father's and to learn to adapt to His schedule rather than mine.

I've been trying to find time to bake bread for quite a few days and finally today was the day. I find breadmaking much easier and less time consuming since I learned to use my bread machine's dough cycle to do the initial work of the kneeding and rising. Once the dough cycle is finished I drop the dough into a greased loaf pan and let it rise in a warm oven for nearly an hour and then bake it to a golden brown.
In my quest to stretch my pennies (until they scream for mercy) .... I've learned I have to bake and cook ahead of time. If I wait until I'm out of an item then oftentimes I'll give in to the temptation to purchase the item instead. I was blessed with some large hotdogs from a food pantry. My husband wanted a chili dog so I made whole wheat hot dog rolls today and froze them until the mood hits him. I also made a loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread and gave half to my mother since she loves it for toast in the mornings. We try not to eat a lot of bread but my husband still likes his occasional sandwich.

I've been blessed to find whole wheat flour and white flour for breadmaking at $1.50 (5#). I have not figured out how much each loaf costs but I would venture to say that it's much less than half as much as the store bought loaves since you rarely can find a healthy loaf of bread for less than $3.00. I found a bread slicer at a thrift store for less than $3.00 which slices a thin piece for sandwiches.

A few days ago I made whole wheat tortillas. I froze them for future meals. In the past I've always made white flour tortillas so this was the first time I tried my hand at a whole wheat recipe.

Here are a few of the bread type items I try to make at home instead of paying high prices at the grocery store:

- Tortillas

- Sandwich bread
- Hot dog buns
- Hamburger buns
- Pizza crust

Do you make your own bread items? Do you have a favorite recipe?

Things I DON'T throw away!

2011-02-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

This will be an ongoing list but I'll start with this for now. I'll update as I'm reminded of other things I don't throw away and as I develop new habits.

Some may wonder why a person would go to all the trouble of saving re-usable items. I see it as a way to make money at home. If I save an item that cost me nothing or re-use an item I have already paid for then it's as if I am putting money in our pockets. It will save me from having to purchase that item in the future. It's a small little paycheck.. so to speak. :-) Small amounts of this and that saved over a period of time will add up.

I'm currently reading, "We had everything but money". The book is full of real life stories of people who lived during the depression and how they survived. I hope to write a book review on it when I finish. I'm finding it very helpful in this area of using it up, doing without and making do.

- Used tinfoil. (I wash/dry it unless it had been used for meat.)
- Vegetable plastic bags from produce section. Also the plastic wrap for the newspaper.
- Buttons off of clothing that is too worn to pass on.
- Worn out towels get made into rags. I MAYBE buy one roll of paper towels a year but instead use rags. Also used for the batting in potholders.
- My grandmother saved old blankets to use as a lining in her quilts.
- Nylons that have a hole on only one leg. Cut off that leg below the dark panty line and do the same with another pair = 1 pair nylons.
- Glass jars. I use them to discard grease safely without clogging drains.
- Rubber bands brought home from produce (ex. broccoli).
- Bread wrappers (muffins, tortilla)
- Butter wrappers. (I put these in a 'used' plastic bag and keep them near the shortening to use instead of Pam).
- Small amounts of my leftover herb tea. I have a glass pitcher in the fridge that becomes the final destination for the last bits of lukewarm tea. Just add water and I have a lovely iced herb tea. Yum! My favorite.
- Worn out jeans are used for quilts.
- Bread heels go in the freezer to use for bread crumbs. I dry them out in the oven, then season with garlic powder and parsley and give them a whirl in the food processor.
- Cereal: I save the plastic bag to reuse. Most box mixes of any kind (cake, Rice-a-Roni, etc. can be re-used).
- Worn out T-shirts get cut down into small squares and used for 'cloth toilet paper'.
- The cardboard roll of a paper towel. I wrap my used plastic bags around the cardboard roll and then secure with a rubber band. They fit nicely in the drawer. I also use the cardboard roll to store extension cords.
- Leftover fruit. Just pop the entire banana.. peel included.. into a bag and freeze. When you get three bananas you can make banana bread or banana cake. Pieces of soft fruit such as peaches and apricots can be simmered until mushy with a little honey or sugar added and eaten as stewed fruit. Pieces of peaches, apricots and berries and bananas can be frozen for smoothies.
- The last bit of almond milk (it could be milk instead) in my cereal bowl. I put it in a marked container to use the next morning.
- Leftover meat bones get frozen for future broth.
- Leftover small bits of veggies (you could also save rice and noodles) get put in a container marked 'soup' in the freezer to use in batches of soup.
- Sunday comics are used for children's wrapping paper.
- Slivers of bar soap are put in a jar under the sink filled half way with water to use for hand soap later. Or can be saved to use in homemade laundry soap.
- I save the tissue paper, bows and wrapping paper my gifts come in.
- String from pet food, oatmeal bags, flour bags.
- The last bit of lipstick in a tube. I use a lipstick brush to use it up.
- Meat drippings leftover from hamburger or any other meat to be used in homemade broth. Just pop it in the freezer in a marked container for soup. I also use a small amount (1 tsp.) on my dogs dry food to help her coat look shiny.
- Plastic containers I purchase items in get re-used for leftovers. I mark them with masking tape each time I use them.

Do you ladies have anything you'd like to add to this list?

Tightwad Tuesday: Tracking Expenses Challenge

2011-01-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm posting Tightwad Tuesday a day late on Wednesday instead. *Smile* I got a bit side tracked with our move but I'm back in the saddle again.. at least for this week.. and hope to post TT a bit more regularly.

I've learned some of my most frugal practices from the TWG. I like to make it a yearly goal to browse through it's pages to spark new frugal motivation so this year I decided to share some of my favorite frugal practices from TGW with you and hopefully start a few new ones.

The frugal tip for this week is keeping a journal of your spending expenses. I did try to keep tracking of how much I spent on groceries once and I definitely felt it was helpful. But, I've never tracked everything we've spent for an entire month.

This is a different financial season for my husband and I .. every penny LITERALLY counts with no room for error. Starting in October my budget dropped another $1,000 and we are now officially living below poverty level. Funny though ... I don't feel poor. :-) I am very, very blessed and well-taken care of by my Heavenly Father. Every need my husband and I have is abundantly met and many 'wants', too.

So, I'm considering keeping a journal in February. The purpose will be to monitor all 'optional' spending. There are still dollars slipping through my fingers and I'm hoping if I make an effort to write down every penny it might deter some unnecessary spending.

Do you keep a financial journal?

List of MOVING TIPS

2011-01-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

I've moved enough in the last 5 years to feel as if I could qualify for the 'professional mover' title. I've learned a few tips a long the way that have been very helpful. Maybe these tips might help someone else.

Items needed:

Black Sharpie markers
Masking tape
Packaging tape
A ton of free boxes
Colored round (garage sale) stickers
Black garbage bags with tie strings
Newspaper

- Make a 'Moving Notebook' where you keep all your important paperwork and checklists for the move. Be sure to keep track of the places you call to change your address, a sheet where you keep reminders, etc.
- De-clutter as you pack. Have a box nearby for give away items. The more you get rid of the less you'll have to move.
- Pack in stages. If you have a move date that is a few weeks or more down the road use the weeks ahead to 'pre-pack'. This strategy helps take the pressure off those last few hectic days before the move. Go through each room of the house and pack things you can live without until the moving date. Do this each week because the closer you get to the move the less items you'll need. Leave the boxes in their original room (well marked with specific items listed on the outside of the box) so you can find an item quickly if need be.
- Color code the boxes and link to a map of the rooms in your new house. For instance, the kitchen could be a red round sticker (office supply stores sell garage sale stickers with multiple colors). Then make a map of the house and place a red sticker on the kitchen area and another red sticker on the box(es) of kitchen items. Make several maps and place them at the entrance of the house so that when your 'movers' bring in a box with a colored sticker they can look at the map and know which room to place the box. Be sure to also write the destination on the box in case the sticker falls off. :-)This will help take the pressure off of YOU as the 'go to gal'.
- Become friends with the produce manager at your local grocery store. I like the apple boxes best for packing because they are not too large and have a nice top. I also use banana boxes because they stack well and work great for larger items. Wine boxes work well for plates. Ask the produce manger what is the best time of day to pick up boxes and then call first thing the next morning. Let him know you'll be there immediately to pick them up. ALWAYS get a TON more boxes than you think you'll need. Guaranteed you'll need more than you can imagine.You can also check Freecycle to see if anyone is getting rid of their moving boxes.
- You can post on Freecycle that you have moving boxes for pickup once the move is over. They should go fast. Or better yet, check to see if your city has a cardboard recycler who will pay you for your cardboard.
- Purchase a box of heavy black garbage bags (I bought mine at Costco) that have colored tie strings. I use these for pillows, blankets, bedspreads, towels and odd shaped items that won't fit into a box. Label the bag with a piece of masking tape.
- I also use black garbage bags to cover my clothes which keeps them from getting dirty. I gather no more than 5 items on a hanger and use rubber bands to tie the tops of the hanger together. Make sure you use clothes pins to secure any clothes that look like they will slip off the hanger. Pierce a hole in the bottom of the garbage bag and place the group of hangers through the hole. I cover all the clothes we won't be wearing weeks ahead of the move and leave them hanging in the closet. Just leave the clothes unwrapped that you'll wear the final days. This practice makes it very easy to transport clothes without items falling off and getting dirty. If you're using a moving van you can hang the clothes on the side rails in the van.
- Cook food ahead of time and freeze so you don't have to cook the first week you're in your new home while you're unpacking and trying to get settled.
- If friends come to help they could put new shelf paper on the kitchen shelves while you're busy doing other things. I have 3 goals the first day we move in. 1). Beds 2). Eating and drinking utensils 3) Bathroom necessities such a T.P., towels and toothbrushes. If at all possible it's best to keep these boxes separated so you can find them easily. If you have important medications make sure you take them personally in your own vehicle.
-Our pastor taught me to make sure every single item is in a box before the move. Make sure there are no stragglers.
-Feed your movers. Ex: Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken are both quick and easy solutions. My mom and sister were not able to help with the actual move this time but offered to be our rest stop. They made a wonderful lunch for the movers and gave us a warm place to rest.
-Save your movers backs by not packing too many heavy items in one box.
- Use your towels and sheets to wrap around your breakable glasses and dinnerware. Wrapping dishes in newspaper can leave them dirty.

'Living small' and our new home!

2011-01-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

I'm entering my second year of LIVING SMALL and frankly I really like it. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would someday live in a home that was 10 times less in size.. I would have thought it unbearable. But, here I am and we're as content as can be! God has given abundant grace and we have found great peace in not only living with less but also with LIVING SMALL.

Here are a few things I like about LIVING SMALL:

LIVING SMALL demands less of my time to clean which allows more time to invest in eternal priorities.
LIVING SMALL forces me to make the most of the space that I do have. Our new little cottage has less storage than we previously had so it forced me to consider and evaluate each item I own (literally). That is a good thing because it helps me to narrow my priorities in what I own! Less stuff equals less to take care of.
LIVING SMALL helps to harness the shopping bug (a.k.a. GREED). I used to enjoy browsing the stores which generally ended up in another purchase. But no longer! I just don't have the room for anything else unless I get rid of something. I honestly have lost all desire to window shop which in the long run is saving me money and helping me to live more comfortably on a very limited budget.
LIVING SMALL has helped me to focus more on my important relationships than on STUFF>

It's possible that someday we may LIVE LARGE(r) than we are living now but I believe that our lives will be forever effected by the drastic challenge of LIVING SMALL. At least I hope so!

So here is a tour of our new little cottage.

This is our main living space. Our kitchen is on the left.
I've stored our canned food out in the garage in cabinets.
My 'office' is to the right of this picture in the lower left hand corner.

Same room just from a different view. The door straight back
is the laundry room which we share with our little lady plus
a bathroom. The hall leads to her home.

My 'office'. The closet holds half of our clothes. Our little lady
(Mrs. A.) has been gracious to allow us the use of an extra closet in
her home. I really think we could get by with this one closet if
we had to. Maybe I'll downsize our clothes this year.

Our bedroom. Our bed just barely fit. We had less than a foot
at the end but lots of space on the sides. Our BB (beloved pet)
sleeps on the pillow next to the bed.

We are also blessed with a 2 car garage which has helped tremendously. I've stored extra cleaning products along with canned foods, an extra fridge, large cooking pots and appliances and extra toiletries.

I'm determined that we COULD live in just the space given minus the garage and extra closet. We would just not be allowed the luxury of a stocked pantry.

We have everything necessary to maintain our household.. plus a little more. Isn't that amazing?

We're moving early... and I can't sleep!

2011-01-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

I woke up with a toothache so here I sit. I had a crown fitted last month and my tooth (and the surrounding ones) have given me trouble ever since. The dentist said that the cavity was very close to the nerve root so I'm hoping that is the problem and not that I need a root canal which I can't afford right now. Sensitive toothpaste normally helps but this time the pain is not going away so I took an Ibuprofen.. and here I sit.

We got news yesterday that we can move into our new place a week earlier. I had packed most of what I could earlier but I still have those last minute stragglers that need boxing. I worked until late last night trying to get a head start on today. I still have a lot to do. I also made a pie crust to stick in the freezer to get me started on a meal for the elderly woman we'll be caring for. My days are going to be very full for the next few weeks but I'll still need to prepare meals for her so this way I'll be ahead of the game. I'm defrosting a turkey and plan on cooking it the day before we move with all the fixings so we can eat on it for a couple of days. I'll use the leftover turkey to make her a potpie.

I've learned that one of the best ways to save money on my food budget is to cook something everyday and to cook ahead and stick things in the freezer. That way I'm not tempted to pick up fast food.

Okay.. I'm yawning now so I'm going to head back to bed. Hopefully my tooth will let me sleep.

Tightwad Tuesday: Buying your freedom through frugality

2010-12-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

I'm continuing to read through my old copy of The Tightwad Gazette to prep myself for 'The Most Frugal Year' of my marriage. There were some real nuggets of encouragement in the article called, "They call me "The Frugal Zealot". These were my favorites...

~ "Saving money, rather than earning money, became the means to my goal".
~ "Certainly the recycling of aluminum foil did not greatly contribute to our dream. Rather it was the attention to all the thousands of ways we spent our money that made a tremendous difference."
~ "Over the years our average income had been less than $30,000..In less than seven years we saved $49,000, made significant purchases(vehicles, appliances, furniture) of $38,000 and were completely debt free"!

Amy states that frugality is a means to her goal. That's a good question to ask.. why am I practicing frugality? What is MY goal for frugality? For me personally... it's the means I use to (hopefully) secure my position to remain a homemaker. I have a daily choice on how I spend the money that comes into our home. If I can save more money than I spend then my chances of not having to work full-time may be accomplished (Lord willing).

A family member once said it would drive her crazy to pinch every penny.I actually enjoy the challenge of cutting expenses and living below our means. I like finding new ways (and sometimes untraditional) to meet needs in my family on little to no money.

How about you? What is your goal? How does saving money or stretching your husband's income help meet that goal?

2010-12-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

I am discovering this Christmas is very different from past ones due to our financial downsizing. I can remember spending hours and weeks shopping for the family and then just as long wrapping. Then there were weeks of baking and delivering goodies to friends and loved ones. By the time Christmas came (and even up to the night before) I was still running back to the stores thinking I didn't have enough and looking for just 'one more gift'. I crawled out of bed on Christmas morning feeling beyond exhaustion. It was fun in a crazy, insane kind of way. But, living on less money has brought it's own kind of peace in the midst of the chaotic storm of December that I'm frankly enjoying.

I can remember reading excerpts from Laine's Letters on her gift giving budget of $3.00 per person and wondering how anyone could buy a decent gift for that amount. (She made a specific effort to point out that she prayed for the Lord to give her 'eyes to see' before she entered a store). The thought stuck with me and now, more than 8 plus years since I first read her letters, I am seeing that it's very possible to give less and still bless the person you are gifting. I love to look back over the years and see how the Lord has brought different people into my life that have radically impacted my way of thinking and prepared me for the life that He has given me the past few years.

This year I cut my gift giving budget down to a third of what we normally spend. Practically speaking that means I targeted to spend $20.00 on each grandchild. The adults have exchanged names this year with a $20.00 budget per gift. I have 7 grandchildren that I buy gifts for. I also have 3 birthdays in December. I asked their parents to give me suggestions which was very helpful and then I watched the sales. I was able to find a nice gift for each child... one that they had hoped for.

A few of the BEST gifts I received for Christmas last year...
performing for Grammy!

Staying out of the stores this time of year has been essential to sticking with my budget. I've had one point this month (thankfully it was while I was at home) that I panicked feeling that I had not given enough. If I had been in the stores regularly or reading the sale ads I'm sure I would have given into the pressure to buy more. When I really took time to look at the panic I realized it was a fear that my grandchildren would not love me as much because I was unable to buy them more. Once I evaluated the fear I could see it was ridiculous.. I am not loved because of what I can or cannot give at Christmas. If I am.. then we have a serious problem.

As much as I love to give gifts I can see the downsizing as a very good thing (if received in a godly manner) to not be bombarded with every material thing the heart desires. Do you remember that episode of Little House on the Prairie where the children were snowed in and it looked like they were not going to receive any gifts for Christmas? Remember Mr. Edwards? He came at the very last minute and brought oranges I believe and maybe a few small trinkets. The children (and Mrs. Ingall) were overwhelmed with gratefulness. Can you imagine the response from a child in this generation if they were given just an orange as a gift? Their expectations have been raised by the abundance of a prosperous time in the history of our nation. As our economy (and the nations) downsizes I'm hoping so will their expectations.

There will not be the crazy wild tearing of a gazillion packages with paper flying everywhere this year. I'll kind of miss that in one way. I do love to give and see the excitement on a child's face when they see a mountain of presents. But, my heart is content knowing that God has sovereignly assigned the amount of money He has given and it is all working into His plan for my good and therefore the good of my children and grandchildren and all involved. That contentment brings far greater pleasure than a mountain of gifts ever could.

I continue to learn in God's school that age old lesson that Paul spoke about several thousand years ago ...

But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 1 Tim 6:6-9 NASB

Has your family cut back on your budget for Christmas this year? How has it effected you personally? What did you do to cut back?

The cloud is moving... and so are we!

2010-12-11T22:26:00.000-08:00

I've become fond of the story of Moses the past few years ..especially the exodus from one place to the unknown. I was thinking about this story quite often the past few weeks. Maybe you'll understand when I tell you our new plans...
A few weeks ago my husband and I interviewed for a job as a caregiver in the town where 2 of my children and their families live. We've been praying to move back close to our family and my mother and now it seems that God has answered our prayers. We will be caring for a 90 year old woman who in exchange will provide a studio apartment and a small salary. I will cook two meals a day along with light housekeeping. We're free to come and go as we please since she is still self-sufficient and very independent. We've known her son and his family for years so it's not like we'll be taking care of a complete stranger.
My mother will be within walking distance. I haven't lived in the same town with her for over 18 years. She's needing a bit more help the older she gets so I'll be thankful to live so close. Five of my grandchildren will once again be close by. I've missed being a part of their lives on a regular basis. I'm already dreaming of how I can spend more time with them.

Celebrating Mama's birthday at my son's home this year

So.. the paring down continues. Our new home will be close to the same size as the one we're living in now. The only difference will be that we won't have the extra storage we have in the barn. I've spent the past few weeks going through paperwork, paring down cookbooks, setting aside clothes we don't wear, tossing out old business paperwork and going through my books to save only the best of the best. I won't start packing until after Christmas so I'm using this time to look over everything within our small little home to make sure it's absolutely essential to take along for our next move. Living in small quarters has really given me a sense of what is truly essential to our daily existence. It has really simplified my life.
I'm assuming I won't have a lot of time to keep up with blogging this next month so I wanted to wish all of you a blessed Christmas. I hold so many of you close to my heart. My prayer for you and me is that our hearts will lay hold of the beauty of our Savior this Christmas and that He will truly be the greatest gift.

Tightwad Tuesday: Storage Bags

2010-11-16T21:39:00.000-08:00

I've decided to try and apply one tip from The Tightwad Gazette each week for the next year. I've learned a lot from this author. This is one of my old standby book 'friends' that has tutored me in how to live frugally. Since we will be living off our savings and my small part time income this coming year, I thought it would be a good time to pull the book out again and see if I can learn some new skills in stretching our money.

I learned a great tip from Tightwad Gazette years ago which was to examine every plastic bag that comes into your home with an eye for reusing it. I used to spend a lot of money on store bought freezer and storage bags. Because I've incorporated this tip in my home I only occasionally purchase bags at the dollar store.

Here is a short list of bags that could be reused:

- bread wrappers
- vegetable bags (you normally find these on a roll in the produce department)
- apple bags (or any other bag that fruit comes in)
- powdered sugar bags
- brown sugar bags
- dried fruit bags
- nut bags
- corn or flour tortilla bags
- chips
- cookie bags
- any plastic bag that comes in a box. For instance, the plastic bag that holds instant mashed potatoes.

I don't mind washing the bags as much as drying them. I normally hang them up to dry but this doesn't always completely dry them inside. So oftentimes I'll place my hand in the corner of a dish towel and then in the bag while drying the outside with the other end of the towel. My husband has promised to make me a drying stand so I won't have to dry them by hand.

I found a new suggestion on washing plastic bags in the book that I haven't tried yet. It suggested throwing them in with a load of white clothes along with 1 tsp. of bleach and 1/2 cup laundry detergent and warm water. I'll be trying this soon.

Once the bags are dry I store them by rolling them around the cardboard tube that you find in the middle of a paper towel roll and then I place the roll (of bags) in my kitchen drawer where I store the tinfoil ,etc.

My goal this next year is to find more and more ways to use what I already have on hand. The less I throw away the less I'll have to buy.

What do you save and reuse?

A Free Pumpkin and a little work

2010-11-13T20:08:00.000-08:00

My sister blessed me with a HUGE beautiful pumpkin. It's been years since I cooked a pumpkin but I had hoped I would be able to find one this year since it would help stretch my grocery budget. Thank you, Lord!

I had read that you should not pressure can pumpkin that had been pureed so I decided to freeze most of the pumpkin in 2 cup servings. I have about 1/4 of the pumpkin left and I hope to pressure can it in chunks tomorrow. I'll use it in soups this winter.

I scraped out the seeds inside the pumpkin with a large spoon making sure it was nice and clean with no strings. I placed the seeds in a strainer to clean. I cut the pumpkin in large pieces and then placed them in my tallest pot. I filled the pot with water about 1/4 of the way full and steamed the pumpkin until I cook easily pierce it with a fork. It took at least 30 minutes of steaming with the lid on.

Once it cooled I used a cheese slicer to peel off the skin. I cut the pumpkin flesh into chunks and pureed them in my food processor. I had to add a little bit of water to get the pumpkin moving in the processor. Once it cooled I scooped out 2 cups and poured it into a small baggie. I ended up with 6 bags (one of which I gave to my aunt).

I followed Crystal's suggestions on processing the seeds and they turned out perfect. I cleaned the seeds well removing all the pulp and then placed them in a large pot. For every 1/2 cup of seeds Crystal said to add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 cups of water. I boiled the seeds in the salt water for about 10 minutes and then drained in a colander.

I poured olive oil in the corner of a cookie sheet and then placed the seeds onto the tray coating them with oil. I baked them at 400 degrees until they were brown. I stirred them a couple of times.

The picture above was taken before I baked them so they had not browned yet. They turned out great!!

A Productive Home

2010-10-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I were not feeling very well today so we decided to take it easy. There has been a steady rain in the valley so it was a perfect day to rest inside. I'm fighting off the urge to take a nap but I feel so lousy that I might just give in. I think it might help the pain in my husband's back if he'd rest, too. The rain seems to be effecting his arthritis and the pain is increasing.

A few projects were finished up this week.

This wooden version is much sturdier than the plastic ones sold in catalogs like Harriet Carter. I purchased my original one from the Amish many, many years ago and it has served me well. Mine hangs in my laundry area and use it to dry lingerie, socks, plastic bags, etc. Sometimes I'll hang it on my clothesline outside.

I made a bible cover and hope to make more to sell.

I wish the fabric would have shown up better. It has a pretty gold thread that runs through the pattern. I may use ribbon for the tie next time. I'll see how this one works. I love it!
I think I just may head for that nap now! My warm, comfy bed is calling me!

Waste Not Wednesday: Dog Food

2010-10-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Waste Not Wednesday: Dog Food
Feeding my dogs on an extremely tight budget has been an area I've been thinking about lately. So my interest was sparked when I began reading about making your own dog food. (I'm also looking for ways to fight fleas without spending so much on commercial flea products. Anyone have any ideas?)
This week I made a pot of chicken broth. I had been saving leftover carrot peels, onions and celery in the freezer for a few months. I also used a cooked chicken carcass plus a few pieces of raw chicken. When the broth had finished simmering for a few hours I started to throw out the veggies and meat pieces when I suddenly remember the article on making dog food. It dawned on me that I could reuse the carrots, celery and chicken pieces.
The recipe I had my eye on called for 2 cups of cooked pasta, 2 cups of cooked rice, vegetables and a tablespoon of peanut butter boiled in a large pot of water. I had some beef broth that I also stirred into the mixture.

I ended up with 5 meals for 2 dogs. It's not a huge amount but every little bit helps these days to stretch my budget. And the great thing is that most of the food was going to be thrown away. I'll still leave dry dog food out in a bowl in case they get hungry during the day.

I thought this would also be a great way to use leftovers that normally go to waste. I forgot to mention that I went through my fridge and found some leftover vegetables and a small amount of Chorizo that was outdated that I put in this batch of dog food. Unfortunately, I do have leftovers that go to waste if I don't get them frozen quick enough. No more. From now on I'll use them in future batches of dog food.
I know some dogs may have sensitive stomachs but we've been giving our dogs small amounts of scraps from the table since they were young. I just make sure I don't give them onions or Chinese food and I watch the portion size. I also try to be careful about the amount of fat I give them and I don't give them chicken or fish bones. We've never had any problems and I think we'll be fine as long as we keep the food simple.
I'm thankful to find another way to stretch our budget for this coming year.
My God IS Jehovah Jireh.. my Provider! He has proved Himself to be the best provider anyone could hope for over these past few years. I'm at rest knowing He will provide for all of our needs in the coming year while we wait for an answer from Social Security on my husband's disability. Teaching me how to stretch our food is only one of many ways He is doing so.

I'm learning to use a Pressure Canner

2010-09-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

I've learned to use a pressure canner this summer. We had a truckload of beautiful tomatoes that we couldn't let go to waste and I didn't have enough room in my freezer.

I've always been a bit leery of using a pressure canner. I can remember my mother telling stories of families they knew when she was a child who died from eating tomatoes and green beans that were not canned properly. So, I've only water bathed fruit over the years and made jelly. This is the first year I've canned tomatoes. I'm very happy with how they turned out. I use canned tomatoes and tomato sauce a lot during the winter in soups and stews.

The tomato sauce recipe I used is a new one I received from a friend. The flavor beats the canned sauce hands down. I'm learning to make more and more things from scratch which helps lower my food budget.I also pressure canned a batch of chicken broth last week. Since it's just my husband and I at home these days I often have to freeze leftover soup and stew but this winter I hope to pressure can the leftovers.

It's really not hard to use it at all. I make sure the product being canned is hot and I put it in hot jars and lids. Be sure to add lemon juice to canned tomato products. I place the jars in the canner and add 3 cups of water. I also add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar so that the jars don't end up with a white film from the water deposits. My husband puts the lid on the canner and makes sure it's lined up with the handles. We place the little weight on the top over one of the vents and set the burner on high. I watch the pressure gauge until it reaches the right pressure and then time it according to the directions in the book. The scary part is taking the weight off the lid because the steam comes out very fast. I always pray that my husband won't get burned as he lifts it off quickly. Once the pressure is down to zero then I take the lid off the pot and lift out the jars.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

2010-09-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

Spicy Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups finely chopped yellow onions

4 lbs. ripe Roma tomatoes, skinned and seeded (I didn't use Roma's but what I had on hand)

6 ounces tomato paste

2 tbsp. minced fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper (or use less and add red pepper flakes to your liking)

4 cups water

5 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf) (I used dried)

1. Heat olive oil in a deep pot. Add onions and cook, covered over low heat until tender and lightly

colored, about 25 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 mins. Stir occasionally.

3. Add water and cook very slowly, uncovered for 3 hours.

4. Stir in the garlic and parsley and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Taste and correct seasoning, if necessary.

Makes 3 quarts.

*From the Silver Palate Cookbook

Waste Not Wednesday

2010-09-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I'd do a post on how I took several food items that are normally thrown away and turned them into another useful product and thereby saving myself money in the future. Have you ever heard the saying, "Waste Not, Want Not"? I was sifting this saying through Scripture to see if it was a biblical thought and Proverbs 31:11....

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

One commentary I read on this verse said that her husband 'knows she will take care that a proper provision is made for his household, and will not waste anything'. 1

I've been making a determined effort to not waste food. I really can't afford to waste food but it's amazing how much food does go to waste each month. We've been blessed with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables this summer. Our vegetable garden is still producing and the trees on our property have been very generous. This week I picked 2 tall buckets of Granny Smith's and 1 bucket of Fuji's plus a previous bucket I made into 2 batches of applesauce and 8 jars of canned apples. I would feel guilty letting all of this produce go to waste...especially considering our financial situation.It feels as if the Lord is raining manna from heaven. :-) I've recently gleaned almonds and grapes and we're still cracking walnuts from previous months.

Here are just a few things I did within the past week to make sure food did not go to waste in our home.

1. Leftover bread turned into bread crumbs: We don't eat a lot of bread these days but my husband does like to keep a loaf of lower carb/high fiber bread on hand for an occasional sandwich. I had saved quite a few end pieces so I decided to make some bread crumbs. I recently bought a container of bread crumbs and was shocked at the price. Here is how I made them. I turned my oven on the lowest temperature and placed the bread on a cookie sheet. I set my timer for 30 minutes and then turned the bread over and set the timer for another 30 minutes. Be sure to check your oven after 15 minutes in case it runs hotter than mine. Make sure that the bread is completely dried out. You want it to feel hard and stale with no moisture left. Place the dried bread in a food processor. Use the blade and process until it's in fine crumbs. I also added Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes.

2. Free apples turned into Apple Butter for Christmas gifts. I decided to use some of the apples I picked to make Apple Butter for gifts. I purchased small jelly jars. I found a great recipe on Food (previously Recipezaar) which is one of my favorite places to find recipes. I'm hoping to can more jars of apples this coming week after I can some spicy tomato sauce.

Here is the recipe:

Apple Butter

Ingredients

apples ( enough to over fill slow cooker or 4 quart crock pot)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cups white sugar(I only added 1 cup of sugar)
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Peel, core and slice enough apples to fill a 4-quart slow cooker or crock pot so full that the lid will not go down over it.
Add vinegar; cook for 18 hours.
If crock pot is fast cooking, cook on high for 10 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Put into blender to blend it like apple butter. Mix all together and cook 4 more hours.
Seal in jars.

* The 'author' of this recipe is Brenda Hall from http://www.food.com (11492)

1 Clarke's Commentary

Preparing for Winter Comfort

2010-09-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Fall is right around the corner. I can feel and smell it in the early morning air. My thoughts are beginning to turn from the busyness of harvesting our small summer garden and fruit trees to preparing our home for the cold winter months ahead. I've learned over the past 30 plus years of 'keeping a home' that it's not wise to put off these preparations until the last minute otherwise my family suffers the consequences.

My husband and I were talking about just this very thing on the way to church. This coming winter will be a bit more challenging since all of my household items are not under one roof. Since we are temporarily living on my aunt's property in a small studio I have many of our household items stored in her sheds. It will mean much less work for me if I can prepare now while the weather is mild instead of waiting until a storm hits to start searching for extra blankets or running into town for medicine. I'll also save money if I can prepare ahead of time while watching for the sales on medicine.

Here is my winter checklist.

Oil lamps: I only have room for 1 oil lamp in our little place. It sits on my kitchen counter. It is full of oil and ready for use with a lighter sitting next to it.
Flashlights: I have a flashlight sitting on my end table next to my bed, next to my husband's chair in the 'living room' and one on the kitchen counter hidden behind the oil lamp. I've learned the hard way that when you live in the country it gets VERY dark (think 'no street lights') when the electricity goes out. That is NOT the time to try and find a flashlight. When we lived in a larger home I had a flashlight in every major room. I need to check the batteries and purchase more batteries for backup.
Extra blankets: I'll be pulling these out to see if they need to be washed.
Electric blankets: The electric blankets will need to be plugged in to make sure they are still working. My daughter found one on sale last year so I purchased it for a backup. They are horribly expensive if you buy them in the middle of winter so I try to purchase ahead of time at the lowest price. The heat helps lessen the pain in my husband's back so I always want to have an extra one on hand.
Heating pad
Small room heaters need to be located and cleaned. We do not have central heat and air.
Winter clothes need to be pulled out of storage and washed. I need to take inventory of what we have and what we may need to purchase. I think we probably have enough clothes and coats to get us through another winter without any purchases. I've been picking up a few winter tops at the thrift store through the summer when I see them on sale. I just purchased 2 long sleeve blouses for less than a $1.00 each.
Cold and flu medicine: I'll be taking inventory of what we have on hand, checking expiration dates and then watching the ads for 'free' products through the drug stores. We had our first round of flu and colds this past month. I was thankful to have cold medicine I had received free last year.
I'm researching a few herbal remedies I want to try this coming year. One is an herbal tea recipe for colds and I'm also hoping to make cough drops.
Soup: I made some wonderful, rich chicken broth that is waiting in the freezer to be made into chicken soup. I'll also be watching the sales for Campbell's Chicken Soup, just in case I'm the one who gets sick so my dear husband just has to open a can. I always try to keep a couple of extra meals in the freezer .. just in case.

I love being able to make our home warm and comfortable. I remember how much satisfaction I felt when I used to tuck my children into a warm, clean bed at night. I miss those days but I find that same since of satisfaction knowing my husband's needs are met and he is warm and comfortable.

She has no fear of winter for her household,

for everyone has warm clothes. (NLT)

That's my beginning list. I'd love to know what you do in your households to prepare for the winter.

A little this and that...

2010-08-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

My honey is on the mend from his cold (still coughing) and it looks like I won't be escaping the nasty little bug. So, I tried to take it easy the past few days. Our church is having our Sunday service at the river for baptisms. We'll have a pot blessing after service. I'm so hoping I will be well by then.

So.. let's see.. what did I do today? In between resting and coughing I roasted the Poblano peppers from our garden. I used some for Chile Rellenos. Since I wasn't feeling well I did the Rellenos in stages. I don't have a dishwasher so I roasted the chile's early and washed those dishes. Then a few hours later I peeled the skins off of them. Then later I made the sauce and washed those dishes. That left with me with just a few skillets and our plates and silverware after dinner. I wasn't up to washing a sink full of dishes. The older I get the easier it is to work in stages. I find it much easier to break big jobs down into smaller portions.

Our garden is in full production. Yesterday (in between coughing spells) I canned 8 quarts of apples. Last week (did I already tell you this?) I pressure canned a batch of homemade tomato sauce and another batch of whole tomatoes plus one pint of pickled beets and a batch of salsa. I'm growing the wrong kind of tomatoes for canning. I should be growing Roma's. If we are still living here next summer then I'll plant Roma's (Lord willing). I've made several huge batches of salsa and still have tomatoes coming out our ears. I think I'll make some spaghetti sauce next and use it with the zucchini.

I spent some time gathering scriptures on a biblical communication and a wife's tongue for a friend and then rested while listening to Hinds Feet on High Places.

All in all it was a very nice day!

Cheap deodorant this week at Walgreens

2010-08-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

Walgreens 8/15-8/21

The best deal I found this week were (supposed to be) free deodorants. I had 3 coupons (buy 1 get 1 free). Remember that when the stores offer a B1G1 free and you have a B1G1 free manufacturer coupon you end up with both items free. But, this B1G1 free coupon had a limit which was .50 cents less than the sale price. So, I basically ended up paying .50 plus tax for the Right Guard deodorant which is still a great price. I shouldn't have to buy deodorant for quite a few months.

The Command to be Hospitable (regardless of where you live)

2010-08-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

I thought when we downsized (to a home that was smaller than our last garage) my 'hospitality' days would be over. Our previous homes housed many family gatherings over the years and I loved it! I really did! I loved the preparations and I loved cooking and baking for my family and friends.

It's obvious due to the size of our new little bungalow that we won't be gathering 30 plus loved ones into our home for the holidays. But, we are still given the command to be hospitable in Romans 12:13 no matter what the condition or size of our dwelling. It's not a suggestion or an option.. it's a command for a follower of Jesus Christ. So with that command the Lord gives His grace and as always makes it very possible.

Trying to obey the command to be hospitable while living in a barn has revealed some interesting things about myself that I didn't know or didn't want to face. I never thought of myself as a materialistic person. I never thought material things were important to me or that I tied material things to my reputation. We lived most of our married life in older homes and from paycheck to paycheck. It's only been the last 15 years that things changed for us financially. We lived in several nice homes but I never imagined that pride had set in due to what we owned. It wasn't until we moved into a barn that I began to see my pride surface. Our situation has brought this sin to the surface and for that I am grateful because it clearly is opposite of everything Christ represented. (He was born in a barn! *Smile*)

Recently this sweet lady wanted to come by our home to take care of some business. I had been to her house and it was a big and beautiful. I found excuses to delay her stopping by for several times until I realized what I was doing. I finally just got it out in the open and said, "we live in a barn". Whew! I felt so much better not pretending we were something that we were not. Now that the pretense is gone I can just focus on making her feel comfortable when she visits.

I think learning to be content with your present situation involves embracing it as directly from God's hand. We are thankful for our little place. It's a great blessing to be rent free while we wait for a determination from Social Security. I want to thrive where God has placed us... not hide in embarrassment. God promises to withhold no good thing from those who are His and I believe He has fulfilled that promise in this provision. I've reminded myself often that 'this' and all it entails is a GOOD THING.. a precious gift given from the hand of God.

Lord willing, I will write soon about the practical things I'm learning concerning hospitality in a small place.

My friend Pam came for lunch.

(Kevin said something silly and made us laugh!)

I'm so content...

2010-08-09T21:00:00.001-07:00

Everything has changed ... yet nothing has changed!

That is what I was thinking this afternoon at the end of a full day of work in my little home. Yes, my surroundings have changed... my space is smaller.. much smaller! I am still doing many of the duties I did in a home ten times this size.. just on a smaller scale. There are still dishes to be done daily, furniture to be dusted, a bed to be made and a floor to be cleaned.

The 'fun' part is that I can finish my housework lickity split! I love that! Since we moved into our small space I'm able to spend more time studying God's Word, reading good books, ministering to His people and studying areas that interest me in God's Word. I hope I don't ever have to give that up for a big home again.

I'm content... happy as a bug in a rug... thank you Lord for this wonderful gift of time and freedom!

The end of saving is ...

2010-08-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

"But, in inculcating economy, we must be careful not to drive the mind into covetousness; hence it is of consequence, that with all our endeavours to cherish frugality, we should be no less assiduous to encourage generosity; and to impress them the idea, that the end of saving, is not to hoard, but to distribute to the wants of others."

A Help to Domestic Happiness by James

Summer Update: It was a long winter!

2010-07-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

Many of you read our testimony to God's faithfulness over the past 5 years through the loss of our business, homes and my husband's present physical disability. At the beginning of this year we settled into a little bungalow in my aunt's barn which is nestled amongst her 10 acres of almonds. The winter months were difficult for my husband physically while his body adjusted to many new medications. Several of the medications that were prescribed to relieve pain had horrible side effects which brought their own host of serious problems. The colder temperatures also brought more pain. We spent many of our days at doctor appointments and tests with a few trips to the E.R. I'll be honest and share my very heart with you ... some of those days felt very 'dark' and I struggled at times emotionally as I watched my husband suffer knowing I could do nothing to relieve his pain. Yet, through the myriad of trials we're experiencing a richer walk with the Lord as He teaches us more about Himself. Some of these lessons involve dying to dreams that have long been a part of us. These lessons, although painful, are proving in the long run to bring a deeper joy than we've ever known in our Christian walk.

I am finding a greater need to daily rest in the knowledge of God's sovereignty. I'm slowly learning the lessons of what Amy Carmichael once shared in her poem, "In Acceptance Lieth Peace". I am convinced that Scripture teaches a loving God has 'assigned my portion' for each day (Psalms 16:5). Some of that portion may involve suffering, some may involve sorrow. He is the 'blessed controller' of all things (1 Timothy 6:15). What that means to me personally is that even my husband's pain is not out of His control.

Elisabeth Elliot once wrote, "I know of no greater simplifier for all of life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us that do not belong to our lovingly assigned "portion." ("This belongs to it, that does not")? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are canceled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter. A quiet heart is content with what God gives."

I cannot live in the past of what my husband and I had hoped our future would look like. I cannot live in the fantasy of what we 'thought' our future should be. I especially will not mourn the loss of 'things' that with time would only rust and be left behind on this earth. I choose to rest in the security of knowing an all loving and all-powerful God has not left His throne but is masterfully in control of each intricate detail of our lives. We seeing His plan unfolding each day and are witnessing His skillful craftsmanship as He weaves all of our circumstances into a pattern for good.. even the painfully, hard ones! I pray His lessons will continue to change us and be used to conform us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:28,29)

You know.. the amusing thing is that the ideals we had for our future were no way as glorious as what we are experiencing today.... even in the midst of the painful times. Our 'imagined' goals focused on the temporary things of this world and how we would live financially in our old age. We labored to that end. A very small portion of our imaginations for the future had to do with God's kingdom. These days my husband and I talk much about the Lord's kingdom and how we hope to serve more. God is teaching us to 'seek first His kingdom' and we're finding a huge portion of joy as our focus becomes set more on the eternal things rather than the temporal.

(I have a small window (possibly) of opportunity to share lessons we are learning while my husband's physical state is temporarily stabilized and my help is less needed. I hope to share more in a later post... Lord willing.)

An Inexpensive Soda Replacement

2010-07-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

If your food budget is minimal like mine then you've probably discovered that items such as soda are a luxury. We've not given it up completely in our household but we're slowly replacing it with other less expensive and healthier drinks.

My husband has switched from sugar sodas to mostly a Stevie sweetened Kool-aid. I use a package of Kool-Aid with an 1/8 of a tsp.of pure stevia. Oftentimes he'll top his glass with a bit of diet soda, just for old times sake. I've gone quite a few weeks without a diet soda and I don't miss it at all. We're living 'minimally' these days and diet soda is something I can live without.

During the summer months I enjoy making pitchers of herb tea. My favorite is spearmint or peppermint although I've used many varieties in the past. This week I made a pitcher of orange spice tea.

I make the tea by heating 2 cups of water in the microwave and steep the tea bag in the hot water for about 20 minutes or until the water has turned a darker color. I pour it into the pitcher and fill the rest with water then refrigerate. Once the first pitcher is nearly empty I fill it up with water again leaving in the tea bag for flavor. This way I get twice the value from the tea bag and the water is still flavored.

Herb tea is totally satisfying and refreshing. Since I'm the only one in our household that drinks the herb tea I've been known to come in from the garden very parched and drink straight from the pitcher in the fridge. (**sssshhhhh, don't tell anyone!***)

Coupons

2010-07-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

I found two great coupons to print! Hurry while they last!

.75 off: Best Foods Mayonnaise Coupon

.$50 off 2: Campbell's Soup Coupon

$1 off any 4 Campbell’s Condensed Soups
$.50 off any two Campbell’s Spaghettio’s Pasta
$1 off two jars of Prego Italian Sauce
$1 off two cans of Swanson Premium Chuck Chicken Breast
$1 off two V8 100% Vegetable Juice (46oz or larger)
$1 off one Campbell’s V8 Soup
$.50 off any two Campbell’s Condensed “Great for Cooking Soups”
$1 off any two V8 V-Fusion juice 46oz Varieties

How does your garden grow?

2010-07-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

We are enjoying our little garden patch. The picture above was taken quite a few weeks ago. The veggies have really taken off in growth since then. The first fruits of our labor are finally ready for the pickin'. Hubby picked 2 zucchini the other night and I sauteed it with onion, tomato and small amount of corn. I seasoned it with garlic powder and a bit of seasoned salt and sprinkled Parmesan cheese on the top. Kevin really liked it.
We have a ton of peppers. I'm freezing them until the tomatoes have ripened.

I have more radishes than I know what to do with. I've tried roasting them but hubby didn't care for them. I'm going to look for a radish salad recipe. Is there such a thing?

I pickled a batch of beets. I used a combination of stevia and erythritol for the sweetener. I love pickled beets with my salads. They are stored in the fridge in a pint jar. When we finish the beets I'll put a boiled egg in the jar to soak in the juice. We can then use the egg on our salads. The beet juice gives them a great flavor.

The Lord taught many spiritual lessons related to gardening. Oftentimes when I'm pulling weeds or sowing seeds the Lord will bring those verses to mind. I enjoy my time with Him in the garden. I often enjoy singing the old hymn.."I come to the garden alone".

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

God used the simple duties of our lives to teach deep spiritual truths. This old mind is thankful for that! :-)

Work from Home: Pinecone Research (HURRY!)

2010-07-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to quickly post this before they close the registration for Pinecone Research. I've been doing survey's for this company for a while and highly recommend them. They pay on time and I never feel that I'm 'tricked' into giving a ton of information before they decide to disqualify me for the survey. They pay $3.00 a survey. My checks are mailed to my home. I get the check in the mail within a short period of time. It's not a lot of money but it adds up quickly. I consider it our 'fun' money to eat out or for entertainment. I'm going to start putting it in an envelope for that purpose.

Here is where you sign up. Hurry! They don't advertise for long.

http://www.savingwithamy.com/2010/07/09/hot-pinecone-research-is-open-for-participants/

Toilet Paper Principle

2010-07-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

I read this tip last week on Deal Seeking Mom's site! I thought it was an easy way to figure out what is the best price to stock up on toilet paper. This is simple enough for my old brain to retain!

"Look at the front bottom of the toilet paper package to determine the total square feet. Now insert a decimal point in this number two places to the left. If the cost of the package minus coupons is less than or equal to this figure, it's a decent deal -- basically $0.01 or less per square foot!

Example:
TP #1 = 400 sq. ft.; price = $6; stock-up price $4, so not a fabulous deal....
TP #2 = 650 sq. ft.; price = $5; stock-up price $6.50, so definitely a bargain!"

Easy, huh?!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Picture used with permission from All Posters

Coupon Data Search Engine

2010-07-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite couponing resources is a webpage called, Hot Coupon World. I use their Coupon Data Base every week. This is how I use it:

I first make up my weekly shopping list according to the sale items that week. I then go to Hot Coupon World and click on their Coupon Data link on the right side of the front page. I work my way through my shopping list to see if any of the items I'm purchasing may have a coupon. Just place the name of an item in the search box and it will tell you if there are any coupons available ANYWHERE on that item. Many times they will offer a link to a coupon that can be printed off of your computer.

Do you have any favorite couponing sites you visit regularly?

Hot Coupon World

2010-07-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

Friday nights hold a valuable resource for saving money over at Life as Mom.

It's called

Frugal Friday

There are many, many links to blogs who post on a topic having to do with frugality and saving money.

I always learn something new!!

Make Do Monday: Homemade rolls

2010-06-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

We were invited to my older son's home for a Father's Day dinner last Saturday. I was asked to bring a vegetable dish but then a few days before the party my daughter in love asked if I could bring rolls, too. I had already gone over my food budget for the week and I didn't want to dip into next weeks budgeted money so I decided to make-do with what I had on hand. I made 3 batches and all it cost me was my time.

One of my favorite bread recipes is from Laine's. I have 2 bread makers which helps the process go much faster. I used my bread makers a lot when the children lived at home but rarely do these days since we're eating a lower carb diet. I had considered getting rid of the bread makers for that reason but I'm glad I didn't since it saved me some money.

Uncle Raymond's Rolls by Laine

Put in the bread machine in order:

1 c. warm water

2 T. oil

3 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 c. bread flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

Hit dough cycle. Let rise in machine until doubled. Take dough out onto a floured counter, and using a pizza cutter, cut dough in half. Then cut each half into six pieces. Then cut each piece into three pieces. You will end up with 36 pieces. Grease a large muffin tin (12 muffins). Put three pieces in each section, then cover and let rise 'til doubled. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Rite Aid & Walgreen Deals 6/27-7/3

2010-06-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

One of the ways I'm keeping my food budget low is by taking advantage of the free deals at the drug stores. I stock up when items are free so that I rarely/never have to pay money for toothpaste, dental floss, toothbrushes, shampoo, hairspray, feminine products,body wash, aspirin or razors. I'm setting the free Lip Balm Smoothies aside for Christmas gift 'fill-ins'.

I don't have a good 'math brain' so I make sure I do the Register Reward deals separately. For instance, at Walgreen's I would purchase the highest paying item for Register Rewards first ( moisturizing socks) and then I would purchase the Lip Balm Smoothies. I'd take all of the RR's and purchase the other products on my list.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Rite Aid Deals

Stay Free Maxi B1G1 Free (16-24 ct)
Use Stayfree B1G1 Free coupon in Red Plum 6/27
Both FREE after coupons

Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield Toothpaste $2.99
Single Check Rebate $2.99
FREE after Single Check Rebate

Walgreens Deals

Blistex Fruit Smoothies Lip Care 3 pack $2.99
Register Rewards/ Good on next purchase $2.99
Like getting it for FREE

Airplus Ultra Moisturizing Socks for Her $3.00
Register Rewards/ Good on Next purchase $3.00
Like getting it for FREE

Reach Dental Care .99 (In store coupon)
Reach Dental Floss $1.00 (Red Plum 5/16/10)
Free after coupons (you'll need a 'filler' to make up for the .01 difference. Possibly the Dentyne Gum?)

Dawn Dish Liquid 10.3 oz. $.99
Dawn coupon .25 (P & G 6/6)

* B1G1 means (Buy One Get One Free)

Did you find any good deals?

Keep meat costs down

2010-06-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

So far I'm doing pretty well at keeping my food budget at $50.00 a week. Remember, though, that I get help from a food pantry so that helps keep the overall cost down. We rarely eat pasta or rice for health reasons so I'm unable to use many of the items the food pantry offers. But, we are blessed with the food we are given and it does help a lot.

I've been trying to find recipes that have a small amount of meat and lots of veggies to stretch my meat budget. (Does anyone have any good recipes?) My husband loves Chile Relleno's but I rarely make them because I've had such a difficult time peeling the skins. A few weeks ago at the 99 cents store they had the chile peppers in a bag. I already had pepper jack cheese at home so I knew it would cost me next to nothing for the meal. A Spanish woman walked up as I looked at the chilies. I asked her if she had an easy way to peel them. Boy, am I glad I asked because it made peeling a snap!

Here is what she suggested:

Wash and dry your peppers. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes on each side ( until blistered) and then turn, repeating until all sides are blistered. Wrap each chile in a dampened dish towel and place inside a plastic bag to 'sweat'. Peel and de-seed.

Here is the recipe for the Chile Rellenos:

Stuff chilies with monterey jack cheese (I used pepper jack because that is what I had on hand). Pour some white flour on a plate. Heat oil in a skillet. In a bowl beat 4 egg whites and fold in gently 1 egg yolk. Dip the chile in flour. Take a large tablespoon of egg mixture and place it the skillet. Smooth it out with the back of your spoon to the size of a chile. Place the chile on top of the egg mixture. Take another large spoonful of egg mixture and place on top of the chile. Smooth it out to cover the chile. Let the egg mixture brown on the bottom. Flip onto the other side and let brown.

Meanwhile, you can make a sauce if you like one on your chile. My husband does. I've made white or red sauces.

Cheese Sauce:

Heat until bubbly:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Add 1 c. milk slowly whisking it so that you don't get lumps. Add one cup of yellow cheese. Add 1/4 c. salsa.

You can also use a red sauce or a salsa verde.

Work at Home ideas

2010-06-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

If you're like me you're always looking for ways to make money from home. One day I realized that I 'was' making money at home. How you may ask? (you did ask, right? *S*) By doing the job that I would pay someone else to do.

Let me try to give an example. Our car needed a bath terribly. We live in the country in the middle of an orchard. The wind is either blowing or the tractors are spraying or harvesting. Our car sits outside under an overhang from the barn so it's always dusty.

My first choice used to be a run through the car wash. I did this for years. The fee is $6.00. We even paid a monthly fee ($30.00) at one time so I could run it through anytime I went to town. But, my budget doesn't allow for this luxury now. So, the way I figure it is if "I" wash my car then I save $6.00. It's as if I am paying myself to wash the car since this was a normal expense previously.

It took me less than 30 minutes which means I paid myself $6.00 for a half an hour worth of work.

How many jobs or duties do you pay someone else that you could do yourself? This could include food items in your budget, too. Do you pay someone to bake your bread (when you purchase it from the grocery store)? Do you pay someone to make your clothes? or sew your children's clothes? Do you pay someone to cut your children or husband's hair? or bake your children's birthday cakes?

If you are currently paying $3.00 or more for a loaf of bread and can make it for 1/3 the price then isn't that the same thing as earning $2.00 for baking your own bread?

I make as much as I can from scratch but I'm always watching for new things to try. I think my next project will be finding a good recipe to replace Cream of Mushroom & Cream of Chicken soup. I did try making Cream of Chicken soup years ago but haven't since. I wish there was a way to freeze it because I'd like to have it handy when I try a new recipe rather than make it on the spot.

Happy Homemaking!

Georgene

Homemade Laundry Detergent: Big Savings

2010-06-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

I accomplished a lot in my little bungalow and on the grounds today! It always amazes me that I am still putting in a full day's work and our home is so widdle! :-) We do have a large flower garden to keep weeded and a vegetable garden. I'm still working on organizing my aunt's barn, too. I never get bored.. that's for sure! My hands are always busy.

I even found time to prepare a batch of homemade laundry detergent. I've been making my own laundry detergent for approximately 3 years. I always put off making another batch until the very last minute. I'm not sure why because it takes less than 30 minutes to make. I think it's the grating of the soap. It's my least favorite part of the process. Once I start the grating I always chastise myself for putting it off because it's done in no time at all. Sometimes if I'm overly ambitious I will grate the entire bar so I have a head jump on the next batch.

There are quite a few recipes online for making your own detergent. The one I use was found on Crystal's Family Homestead Site. I double the recipe to fill up my bucket which is supposed to give me enough detergent for 160 loads. I purchased all three products at Winco. I put the entire cost of the product next to each item. Remember that you're only using a small amount for each load. You can see how inexpensive it is to make. I used to be able to find the Washing Soda at Walmart but they stopped carrying it. I believe they still carry the Borax. I've read that you can order all items online. I think Food Maxx used to carry some of the products also.

1/3 bar Fels Naptha (1 bar $1.09)
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing SODA (not baking soda) (1 box $2.77)
1/2 cup Borax ($3.86)

Here is how I make it:

1. Grate the soap (I also save slivers of bath soap to add).
2. Place the grated soap in a large, tall pot. Add 6 c. hot water. I don't put the temperature on high because it will boil over and make a mess. I turn it on low to medium and keep an eye on it.
3. Once the soap is melted in the pot I add the washing soda and Borax. I stir until it's dissolved.

4. Place in a large bucket.
5. Add 1 gallon of hot water plus 10 c. water and stir.
6. It will thicken into a kind of gel as it sets overnight. You can add essential oils if you want a scent. You can use 1/2 to 1 oz.
7. I use 1/2 cup of detergent per load of wash. It cost me $1.60 to fill this big bucket with homemade detergent!!! Pretty good, huh? A friend uses this detergent in her high efficiency washer with no problems since it does not have a high suds. She uses the same amount as she would any other detergent.

Crystal figured out the cost of the detergent and it came out to .01 a load. When you compare that to the detergents on the store shelf you'll see it's quite a savings. That was a huge enough saving to convince me to try it. Our clothes have never been dingy. Also, my husband is not able to use scented detergents but this detergent does not effect his skin. The only load I do use store bought detergent for are my towels. When we lived at a previous home the well water had a mineral that gave my towels a funny smell. They would probably be okay by now but I have always used the store detergent (currently using a brand from the dollar store). I also add White King water softener to my white load (washed in warm water) and let them soak for 30 minutes. Other than those few additions the detergent has always worked great for me.

Use it up: Food

2010-06-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

There is an old saying that goes....

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

Today is my 'use it up' day!

I sold and gave away a lot of things we owned when I knew we'd be selling our home and moving to a tiny place (less than 300 sq. ft). Most likely, we'll be here until next Spring if not longer so I'm still evaluating all that we moved in light of an upcoming move. One of the items I did drag along were 2 HUGE plastic tubs of material. I promised myself that if I didn't make use of the material while living here that I wouldn't move it to our next home.

Considering our current financial situation I'm looking for ways to use up what I have on hand.

So, today I dragged out one of the bins in hopes of starting a scrap quilt. I used to make expensive quilts in previous days that never cost less than a $100.00 a quilt. Making a pricey quilt is out of the question these days since we are living on a very limited budget. Since I have so much material already at my disposal I decided to see if I could find a cute FREE pattern online. I spent some time last night looking at scrappy quilt patterns and found one that I want to use. Here is a picture:

Obviously, my quilt will not look like this one. But, I do have quite a few darker colors so I'm hopeful that I can produce a quilt that may be similar. My plan is to make each of the grandchildren a quilt when they turn 13. We'll see how that goes!

The 'use it up' philosophy can be applied all throughout our home. I had a small baggie size of turkey meat in the freezer that needed to be 'used up' so I made a stir fry with green peppers, onions and carrots and added a small amount of oyster sauce and sesame oil. I'm determined to use up the meat in the freezer before I purchase anymore.

How many times do we purchase a 'new' product when we have several products at home that will do the same job? We just don't 'like' the product at home or we're bored with it and want to try something new. Sometimes I used to think I'd be more motivated if I had some new cleaning product to try. But, much to my shame, I had several products on my shelves that would do a similar job. I was so wasteful!

Do you have ways you 'use it up' before purchasing a new item?

Free Entertainment

2010-06-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

One of our granddaughters came for a 'slumber party' this past week. The older the grandchildren become the more of a challenge I have in finding things to entertain them. They are pretty good at keeping themselves busy but I always like to have some ideas up my sleeve just in case.

This visit was a bit more challenging because of our financial situation and small living quarters.

This was our itinerary. :-)

Played Bible Trivia.
Went to the library and checked out Pollyanna and Kit: The American Girl Series
Took a tour through McHenry Mansion. Very educational and FREE.
Picked peaches.
Soaked in my Aunt's hot tub.
Picked blackberries.
Picked cherries.
She drew pictures for her Bapa and I.
Read the Bible.
Made fruit smoothies.
Mimi (that's me!) French Braided her hair.

I often tell my husband when we go to the library on Saturday's that there is an 'underground world' that the rich (by the world's standards) know nothing about.

Miss A. had a wonderful time (her words not mine) and all was accomplished for very little money.

Savings Tip: Reducing the cost of baggies

2010-06-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Quick Tip: I read once in The Tightwad Gazette to change the way you think about every bag that comes through your door for the possibility of re-use. I keep a paper towel roll (the inside of the roll) in my baggie drawer to keep them wrapped around with a rubber band holding them in place. I re-use baggies/bags that I place my fruits and vegetables in, bread wrappers and I even consider bags that are not food related. I wash and dry them of course. But, I NEVER use bags that had meat,egg or cheese items.

I rarely buy plastic freezer bags or baggies any longer and if I do I pick them up at the dollar store.

Happy Homemaking,

Georgene

Stacking Coupons

2010-06-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest helps to stretching my food budget is 'stacking coupons'. Here is how it plays out..

The majority of stores will allow you to 'stack' a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon. This will give you the lowest price on an item. I watch for these kinds of deals (I'll share about BOGO free deals later). My weekly grocery list is mostly made up of items that I can find at their lowest price with the combination of coupons with sales. I'll buy multiple items to stock my pantry until the next sale.

Here is a scenario that may help explain it clearer.

This week CVS had a coupon in their flyer for Van Camp's Pork & Beans @ 2/ $1.00. I also saw that some counties offered a coupon in the Smart Source coupon booklet on 5/16 for this item (ours did not). So, you could use the CVS's coupon and also use the coupon from Smart Source for the same item. This way you get the product at the very lowest price so it's wise to stock up your pantry. Normally, I will try and set aside at least $10.00 for extra good deals.

Walgreen's has a monthly coupon book that they publish. It's at the front of the store with the weekly sale flyer. You can also stack these coupons with the flyer sale AND a manufacturer coupon to get a great deal.

This is one way I end up with free items or close to free items.

I subscribe to quite a few blogs that share weekly scenario deals from CVS, Walgreens, Target, Rite Aid and Walmart. I'll share those with you another day. I eventually want to have those links permanently placed on the sidebar.

I hope I explained this clearly. It's fun to come home with bags full of free or nearly free items.

Sweet dreams,

Georgene

Poster used with permission

June Goal: $200 Food Budget

2010-06-08T16:46:00.001-07:00

I cringe when I think back at how much I used to spend on food after our children were grown and gone. Of course, we generally had one of their families living on our property with grandchildren in and out so that accounted for a small portion of my food budget. Plus, we did a lot more entertaining because we were in a large home. Still... I know I wasted a lot of money! I made a shopping list and off I went with no budget in mind. I spent anywhere from $600 up a month.
This season of life is different and it's essential (if I want to not work outside my home more than 2 days a week) that I keep on a strict budget. My husband's state disability check will stop in October and we'll be living off our savings until he is approved for permanent disability. Every penny MUST BE STRETCHED & PINCHED!

Last month I dropped our food bill from $400 to $300. I clipped a small piece of paper to my checkbook register and every time I made a purchase I wrote it on the piece of paper and kept a running total. It was a great way to start keeping track of what I was spending but I ended up running out of money before the end of the month.

My goal for June is to drop our grocery budget to $200. I'm going to try the envelope method this month and see how that works. My goal is to take out $50 a week and put $40 in an envelope for shopping. The other $10 will be set aside in case I need an item towards the end of the week. I tried this method last week and it worked perfectly with $10.00 left over.

I'll write tomorrow what my approach to shopping has been this past year and how it's helping me save a ton of money. I believe it's well worth my time to learn how to stretch the income we already have rather than trying to find new ways to earn more money. I consider it a part-time job that I get to do from home.

Georgene

Our Story

2010-06-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this blog is to share an unusual journey...

Our lifestyle has changed pretty drastically the past several years. I'm sure we're not alone. The 'Great Recession' has impacted many households. Our household is one of them. Providentially we've been forced into a situation which is taking every skill we've ever learned in stretching our income. We're learning new lessons daily.

This is our story..

Approximately four years ago our trucking business was booming. We were like many people.. we had lots of work and made a lot of money.. and unfortunately we spent a lot of money, too! As our business grew we slowly began outgrowing the property we lived on so we made a decision to move to a larger piece of land.

A year after we moved the price of fuel went up along with insurance rates. A few of the larger companies we worked for began to pay later and later. Then, as the housing market began to fall, work became less and less. Each month we went farther and farther into the hole. We tried to keep the business afloat but after 1 year we finally had to make the decision to close our doors.

My husband went to work for another company pulling their trailer and we started to sell off our equipment. Our income dropped considerably and we were not sure we'd be able to keep our home so we put it up for sale. Kevin worked long, long hours and we kept our head above water. We had multiple offers on our property but they all fell through. We finally were able to sell a year and a half later but by that time we had lost 3/4 of the equity from our previous home. We moved into town and purchased a lovely home nearly half the size of the previous one. We thought things were settling down.

A few months after moving my husband's job came to an end. There was just no work. Within a few weeks my son offered him a job where he worked. It would be another cut in pay. We were sure there was no way we would be able to make it financially on the new salary but we took the job knowing we were blessed to have work. By then the housing market had dropped even more and the unemployment rate was high. We cut every expense we could and made it through another year.

We had no way of knowing that this job would be the end of my husband's career and put a heavy toll on his health. Over the coming months the physical nature of the job began playing havoc with the arthritis in his back. He was in excruciating pain which effected every area of his life. Nearly a year later my husband was laid off from this job due to limitations caused by his health and it was then he decided to file for disability.

We sold our home and ended up losing our rental home (which we had hoped to help fund us through our retirement years) and moved into a studio apartment in my aunt's barn that was smaller than our previous garage.

So.. that's our story... but it doesn't really end there. It's only the beginning. We're learning many new lessons. Some lessons are hard... but many of these lessons are bringing new joys as we discover that the simple things in life really bring the greatest joy.

This blog is dedicated to those who are facing hard financial challenges. It may be the working mother who wants to be home with her children but sees no way she can obtain that goal.. or the couple who desperately wants to retire but don't believe they can live on social security... or it may be the couple who need to dig their way out of debt by finding ways to cut back on their monthly expenses. I hope that this blog will give you the encouragement and necessary tools you need to thrive on LIVING WITH LESS MONEY.