Tips & Quips

I don't know about your refrigerator, but mine tends to hide things. I put leftovers in and they disappear! I wish I could tell you that some wonderful family member had eaten them, but no...our fridge is enjoying a wonderful game of hide-n-seek with them.

Now, it's really sweet that our fridge just wants to be included in our family fun times, but quite frankly, Fridge's little game is costing this family some precious dollars, not to mention the fact that we are wasting enough that could literally feed one or two adults.

This isn't being a good steward of our finances or the food that God has blessed us with. In our home, if a leftover hasn't been eaten within a day or two, chances are it's not going to be eaten.
Yesterday I decided to clean out the fridge and what I found made me totally ashamed. I threw out an ice cream bucket full of food.

God was dealing with me with each swipe of the spatula around yet another bowl of wastefulness when He finally got through this thick skull and said, "What is good, freeze." I said, "But it's just a bite here or a bite there." He reminded me, "It's enough for one."

Then ding!!! That little light bulb turned on and the result was this:



4 bags of leftovers. Some stroganoff, a pork chop, some bbq and some polish sausage/sauce mix (family favorite from my growing up days!).

Looking at this food separated into these bags made me realize that even more than I thought was being thrown out and I was very disappointed in myself.

So, my tip....if you haven't eaten those leftovers, freeze them. Do them in single serving sizes for those times when it's just one or two eating, or when you don't want to cook and take out would strain that budget.

We are BLESSED!!!!!!! It's time we began taking care of all of our blessings including leftovers..

Nine Mondays and Counting

As promised I'm going to share a couple of recipes for gifts in a jar that are economical and fun to give and receive.

How many times have we gotten gifts that we just can't use? All that's going to happen to them is they're going to get stuffed in the back of a closet, set on a shelf and collect dust, or re-gifted. (I'm not the only one that does that..am I???)

That is why I try oh-so hard to match gifts with personalities. I try to truly listen to friends and family during the year and find out what they really love.

I have one friend who LOVES candles. She loves different scents and she almost always has one burning. It just makes plain sense to spend some time looking for a candle that she will love. I begin early and search and search until that one just pops out at me!! Like me, she loves a bargain, so she's not going to be offended if I waited until Hobby Lobby had it half off or if I got it free with coupons!! Her family struggles with "always buying candles", but my thinking is that if that is what she truly loves, then wouldn't it make her truly happy????

What I'm trying to say is plan, plan, plan.

If you can't afford to buy individual gifts, then do family gifts. You can easily hand out warm fuzzies for $2-$10 a family!!!

Each time I'm in the thrift store, I go back to the glassware and look for mason jars. Most of the time I can find them for 25-35¢. That's a bargain in anyones wallet.

Below is two of my favorite recipes for gifts in a jar.

Hot Cocoa Mix

4 Cups instant non-fat dry milk powder
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup powdered non-dairy creamer
2/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa
Mix all the ingredients in a dry bowl. (Using a whisk makes this much easier!) Make sure you have no clumps in your mix. You can put this into your mason jars or if you have found some decorative canisters that seal well, you can use those.
Tie a pretty ribbon around the jar and attach a card to it with this on it:
Put 1/3 cup mix in a mug. Fill boiling water to the top. Mix well.

Sand Castle Brownies

1/3 cup chopped nuts
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1½ cups all-purpose flour

In your jar or canister, layer these 6 ingredients in the order listed, packing well.
Again, tie a pretty ribbon around the jar and attach a card with these instructions:

Sand Castle Brownies

1 jar brownie mix
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well in a bowl. Spread into a greased 8 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

A couple of other ideas that are cheap, yet will bring smiles to a family are:

~~Look at your thrift store for beautiful platters. These can often be found for 50¢-$3. Fill them with fresh cookies and banana bread from your kitchen.

~~Give a movie night. Purchase a large, festive, plastic bowl, some microwave popcorn and a $5 movie rental gift card. Put the popcorn, and gift card inside the bowl, wrap with ribbon!!

~~Go to the dollar store and purchase mugs for each member of the family. Make sure you match the mug with the different personalities. Pick up some plastic spoons and some chocolate almond bark. Melt the chocolate and dip the end of the spoon in the chocolate. Let harden. Wrap 2 or 3 of the spoons in plastic wrap, tie with a ribbon and put them inside the mug. Set the mugs in a basket, again tying a pretty ribbon to the handle of the basket.

~~Give a board game. In our electronic age, board games have fallen by the wayside along with family together time. A sharp eye can often catch board games on sale for under $10.

Hope this encourages you, inspires you and helps you to release the pressure that we often put on ourselves that if a gift isn't expensive, folks won't be happy.

Tips and Quips

With Christmas quickly approaching, most everyone I know tries to find ways to save a bit of money and make that budget stretch a bit farther. I'm no exception. I love to make my budget stretch period!!

Here are a few ideas to reuse some things that might otherwise be thrown away.

~~When you get a Christmas card....or any other type of card for that matter..instead of throwing it away after you've enjoyed it for a while, cut the front off and either reuse it as a post card or cut it down to make a name tag for your gifts!!

~~If you send gifts out of town, then you know the importance of careful packing, save those grocery fliers and old newspapers. They are wonderful to keep those special treasures safe as they travel. Even better if you can shred those papers up!!

~~ Speaking of shredded paper....we shred our newspapers and such and then use them in our garden and compost pile. They just rot away in the ground while helping to hold the moisture in...and in our (usually) dry area, that is priceless!!!

~~We love blueberries...even my picky son!! Want to know how to give those blueberry bushes a boost and make them smile?? Save those used coffee grounds and leftover coffee. Just sprinkle around the bushes and watch them liven up!!...My roses love coffee as well...think it runs in our family??

~~Got an old towel that has a few holes in it?? Don't throw it away!! Even the most illiterate seamstress (and that would be me) can sew a somewhat straight line. Cut that towel apart and make wash cloths from it!!

~~Don't throw those soap slivers away either. After you've saved up 3 or 4, shred them up in a sauce pan. Add about 2 cups of water and heat until melted. Cool and pour into a liquid soap dispenser--saved of course from your previous liquid soap purchase. Now you have liquid hand soap and it didn't cost you an extra cent!!

Tips and Quips

It is still raining at my house!!! It has been many, many years since I've seen this much rain during the fall of the year in our neck of the woods. It takes me back to when I was a little girl and fall and winter were always wet!!

With all of this rain, my sweet little umbrella is working overtime!! But what to do with that wet thing when I get in the car or go into a store, library or even church??

Easy.......

Do you have an overload of plastic bags that you get from almost every store you frequent? You get them at Wal Mart, K Mart, the dollar stores, grocery stores...bags everywhere!!!!!!! I have become a big fan of reusable canvas bags, but I still rely on those plastic bags for a few things, especially when they can save me money. I use my canvas bags a lot, but when I catch myself running low on the plastics, I say, "Plastic please." Why would I do that you might ask? Well.......

~~Use those plastic bags to stick that wet umbrella in. Keeps your car dry and it also keeps you from dripping water all over the place and maybe causing someone to fall when you go in the store. You can also use those plastic bags to line your small garbage cans in your bathrooms and office. We also use those bags for used kitty litter. Just put kitty's....business...in one, tie it up and throw it in the trash. No odor!! Fantastic!!

~~If your family is like mine, you find yourself with only a tablespoon or two of leftover veggies after a meal. Don't throw those leftovers out!! Put a plastic ice cream bucket or bowl (anything with a lid) in your freezer. Put those bites of veggies in that bowl and let them freeze. When the bowl gets full, you're ready to make some homemade veggie soup and it didn't cost you a thing!!

~~And along those lines, not many people are fond of the heels in the loaves of bread. Just put those in your food processor, give it a whirl, add some seasonings and you have bread crumbs. Don't need those bread crumbs tonight? Put them in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer. Ready when you are!!

~~Everyone loves a bargain and bell peppers are rarely cheap where we live. So, when they do go on sale I stock up. When I get home I wash them, seed them and chop them up. I then put them in individual portions and stick them in the freezer. Ready when I am and it also saves me time when I'm preparing a meal!!

~~I do the same things with onions as well. Don't let them go bad!! Chop them up, portion them out and stick them in the freezer as well!!!

Have I mentioned that a deep freezer, even a small one, is a great investment?? :o)

Eleven Mondays and Counting

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....eeevvvverywhere you go!..." Well, maybe not everywhere you go, but there is no denying that the stores have the decorations out and the enticing begins.

The commercials begin telling our children of all the things they just can't live without. The magazines tell us that this is the best way to decorate our homes so we and everyone who enters can be in the Christmas spirit. Everywhere you turn, you begin to feel more and more like you're not a good parent/spouse/neighbor/friend...if you don't buy this and do that.

Well, let me dispel that myth!!!

We all realize that, sadly, Christmas has become so commercialized you can hardly tell why we celebrate in the first place. Except for a manger scene here and there, Jesus is consistently left out of the picture.

No one loves the Christmas season more than I do. It is truly the one time a year, when the total child comes out in me and I walk around with huge eyes trying to drink everything in.

Ahh...but.....

I can also find myself falling into the commercial pit that has been dug for us.

So, for the next Mondays leading up to Christmas, 11 to be exact, I'll be sharing some things that I do to help kill the pressure and the busyness that seems to take over at this time of year.
I'll share ideas for gift giving that won't break your budget, how to decorate on the cheap, and steps to take to make sure that you're not running around on Christmas Eve all wild-eyed and foaming at the mouth trying to get every last minute thing done.

~~There are a couple of things I do throughout the year to help our Christmas budget. Now, if you haven't sat down with Jesus and your hubby and set a budget for Christmas yet, then that is the number one thing on your to-do list.

It is so easy to buy this and that for so and so and before you know it, you've spent hundreds if not thousands that you had no intention of spending.

Our bank offers a Christmas Club. This is just a savings account in which they transfer so much from our checking account each pay period into this account. You can put as little as $5 a week into this account or as much as you choose. The first week in November, the bank sends us a check for the amount and we can finish up our Christmas shopping. This really works for our family because we don't miss what we don't have and it truly is a great comfort to know that check is coming in November!!

~~I say we use this and finish our Christmas shopping because I also shop all year for those Christmas gifts.

We give gifts to each other of course...me, DH, DD and DS. We also give gifts to:
My Mom and Dad
DH's Mom and Stepdad
My Sister
DH's Sister
3 Married siblings
7 nieces and nephews
SS teachers, piano teacher...
and like everyone else, we have those last minute gifts that always seem to pop up.

Right after Christmas, I make a list, broke down into families, of who we buy for, then I begin the hunt. All year I'm looking at clearance racks and shelves, yard sales, thrift stores you name it. I try very hard to give gifts that match the personalities of the ones we are giving to.

For the 3 couples, we give couples gifts. I've thought about doing family gifts, but for now, all of my nieces and nephew are quite young and they still love the thrill of opening a gift of their very own...and honestly....who doesn't??!

I also look at thrift stores and yard sales for canning jars in good condition. These can often be found for 30¢ or less. I use these to do Gifts in a Jar. These are great couples, teacher, or last minute gifts. In the weeks to come, I'll be sharing some of our favorite ways to make this gift.

~~It's also time to begin Christmas cards. I still love to give and receive Christmas cards....the old fashioned way....through the postal service.

I love to open the mailbox and see the stacks of card in there from friends we've made over the years and family that lives too far away to spend Christmas with. It gives me a wonderful warm fuzzy to sit in front of the fire with my hot cocoa and open each card and read the verse inside and more importantly the personal note that was added.

You can usually buy Christmas cards for 50-75¢ a box after Christmas but even now, the Dollar Tree has a great selection.

Decide who you want to send cards to, buy your cards and stamps and start now addressing those cards. Just doing two or three a day will have you ready to mail those by the day after Thanksgiving!! The hardest part about this is deciding who not to send a card to. After all, you are trying to stay in budget so ask yourself if it's necessary to send a card to the nurse who was in the delivery room 23 years ago when you delivered your first baby. If you've stayed somewhat in touch over the years, maybe the answer is yes, but if you find yourself wondering if you even have the right address............

Hopefully this encourages you to get started on your way to having a calm, peaceful, true to the Reason, Christmas season!!

Tips and Quips

Yesterday morning was so awesome!!! It was overcast and there was a chill in my house. I know....you're pretty sure I'm off my nut, right??

Well, I'm not...completely...

It was the perfect day for homemade chili and it was so simple to throw together!!!

What made my prep time considerably easier??

Planning ahead. Just a little here and a little there can make a big difference.

~~Brown all of your ground beef at one time. When it cools, put it in bags or freezer containers in ½ or 1 pound amounts. Then the next time you're making chili or tacos, spaghetti or sloppy joes, it's as easy as grabbing out the amount you need and heating it up!! Makes it easier to feed those drop in guests as well!!!

~~Don't let that crock pot just set on the counter collecting dust!! Soak 2 pounds of pinto beans over night. The next morning, rinse the beans and put them in your crock pot. Add some water and seasoning, turn that pot on low and forget about it. I let my pintos cook around 24 hours. Let them cool and put them in quart bags. Lay them flat to make more room and stick them in the freezer. Handy deal next time you want to make chili or just want some pintos to go along with that cornbread!!

~~Hate ironing?? I do. But what I hate more is what to do with the cord when your storing it. I've got the same problem with my blow dryer, curling iron....Of course, I could buy those handy dandy ties and tie those cords up...but why spend the money?? Next time you empty a roll of toilet paper save that tube!! It's perfect for storing those cords in and allowing you to put up those appliances neatly!!

~~Need just a tablespoon of tomato sauce or pesto?? Get some ice cube trays, measure your sauce and put a tablespoon in each hole and freeze. When frozen, pop them out and put them in a bag. Ready in an instant when you need them!!

~~I love my floor swiffer. I have hardwood floors and it seems as if every time I look at them there is dust of crumbs or something staring back at me. That drives me nuts!! Swiffer pads can get very expensive but there are two things I do to save money. I use the microfiber rags or used dryer sheets. The microfiber pads can be bought at the dollar store for a buck and will last forever. Just use them and throw them in the washer--but make sure you don't use fabric softener on them!!

Hope these handy little ideas will make your day easier and your wallet happier!!!

Family Favorites

In light of wanting to share more frugal ideas, I decided to go along with my "homemade" theme for Family Favorites as well

For the price of a few ingredients, you can make up mixes and seasonings that will go much farther than if you bought them pre-made.

The Cream of Soup mix and the Taco Seasoning mix is ones I've used for quite some time, again not sure where I picked them up. The Onion Soup Mix I picked up from The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Hope you find these delicious and easy on your budget!

Onion Soup Mix

3/4 cup dried minced onions
1/3 cup powdered beef bouillon
4 teaspoons onion powder
¼ teaspoon crushed celery seed
¼ teaspoon sugar

Mix ingredients together then store in an airtight container.

Use 2 Tablespoons mix per 1 cup boiling water.

Recipe makes approximately 1 cup dried onion soup mix. 5 Tablespoons is equivalent to 1 package store bought mix.

Taco Seasoning Mix

¼ cup dried minced onion
¼ cup chili powder
3 Tablespoons salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon dried minced garlic
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year.

To prepare: For every pound of ground meat, add 2 Tablespoons of the mix and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Cream of Soup Mix


1 ½ cup cornstarch
2 cups powder milk
½ cup chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste

Combine ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

To make soup:
Use 1/3 cup mix and 1½ cup water. Mix well. Heat over medium heat until thick. Equals 1 can of soup.

Hope this helps!!!

As always, if you see a recipe unique to you, please let me know and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!

Warming Home on the Cheap

I try very hard to allow God to direct my steps....even when my flesh is screaming, "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT TO BE IN CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It's not even remotely easy for me...but I do try....which explains why it took me a week to get my fall decos put where I want them!!

"The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?"
Proverbs 20:24, NLT

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Psalms 37:23, NLT

I thought I would share a couple of my favorite displays with you. But first...let me set the atmosphere.......

When you walk in, the smell of apple cinnamon and vanilla greets you. There are pumpkins, crows and scarecrows about the different rooms. The windows are open because the wind is gently blowing and there is a crispness in the air.

I want my home to be a place where you feel welcomed and we can relax and chat while enjoying a steaming cup of hot apple cider.

Most everything I've bought to decorate with has been purchased at dollar stores and yard sales. It doesn't take much money to create a feeling of welcome and warmth.

Drape a blanket here and there over a couple of comfy chairs. Go outside and gather some leaves and and bare branches and put them about with a pumpkin or two.

Gather and bind some dried corn stalks, add a couple of bales of hay and a pumpkin and you have a wonderful decoration for your porch!!

Let me encourage you to take just a little time to create a warm sanctuary for you, your family and guests. You've worked hard and played hard all summer......time to sit back and close your eyes.............

"Homemade" Recipes

I have to admit that I am really thrilled at the interest shown in the homemade laundry soap, oxy clean and fabric softener. I got several comments, e-mails and even one phone call (hey Estelle!!) about the 'recipes' I'm using.

I decided to post the recipes that I am using right now for these three things. I again also want to link you to Tip Nut and The Grocery Cart Challenge which is where I am getting the majority of these recipes. Believe me, I could not come up with this on my own!!!!

Here is what I am using:

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Zote Soap*
1/2 cup Borax Powder*
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda*

Grate 1/3 bar of soap into a saucepan. Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts.
Pour 4 cups of hot water into a large bucket. ( I use a five gallon bucket because I also double this recipe when I make it). Add the Borax powder, the washing soda and the soap mixture. Stir well. Add another 22 cups of water, stir well to combine. Let the soap cool for 15-24 hours. Mine looks like watery jelly and while you don't have to stir it again, I stir it every time I use it. (Could be my OCD driving me nuts!!)
I use about a half to three quarters of a cup, depending on the level of dirty I've got. Remember that you're not going to be seeing any suds (another thing I had to get past!)

* Most recipes call for Fels Naptha soap. I can't find that in my area so I use Zote which I am able to buy at Sav A Lot
* I find Borax powder at Wal Mart and most local grocery stores.
* In my area, I cannot find Washing Soda. I was able to order this direct from the company, Church & Dwight--1-800-524-1328. Give them the bar code # 33200-03020

Homemade Oxy Clean

1 cup water
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda

Mix together and soak laundry in it for 20 minutes to overnight then wash as usual. You can also skip the water and pour the baking soda/peroxide mixture directly into the wash with your laundry soap and wash as usual.

Homemade Fabric Softener

2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
2/3 cup of any hair conditioner*

Mix in bottle (I use an old fabric softener bottle). Stir or gently swirl. DO NOT SHAKE or you are going to end up with foaming!!!
To use in the washer, I just pour in my Downy ball as usual. To use in the dryer, I keep a small bowl of softener and put a rag in it. Wring out the soaked rag and throw it in the dryer with your laundry.

* Look for hair conditioner that is on sale! It truly doesn't matter which kind you buy!!!

Hope this helps everyone and I'll be sharing more homemade recipes as I come across them!!!

Pleasantly Surprised and Saving Money to Boot!!

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned making my own laundry soap and hoping it would turn out okay. Well let me tell you that I am absolutely thrilled with the way this laundry soap has turned out!!!!! It is so quick and easy to make and one batch has lasted me about 3 weeks which is far longer than I've gotten out of a bottle of laundry soap!!

I went a step farther and made homemade fabric softner. I am very pleased with this as well.
Instead of bleach, I have begun making homemade Oxy clean and so far, I'm still thrilled with bright whites!

I've never been one to pay high prices for too much of anything, but even at the prices I pay, in 3 weeks I've estimated that I've only spent around $1.70 to clean my laundry!!! My normal spending for 3 weeks was usually in the neighborhood of $7.50--a savings estimated at $5.80!!!!

I was very pleasantly surprised that my laundry smelled....clean. No perfumy smell, only clean laundry. Any soils and stains came right out and my laundry was just as soft as it had ever been.

Note that a normal wash week for me is 15 loads a week, give or take a load here and there.

In an average year that has me spending around $28 to wash my laundry. With commercial detergents I spent on average $128 per year. So adding $100 a year to our budget sounds pretty good to me.

It really takes only about 15 minutes to whip up a batch of laundry soap and so in the grand scheme of things, not long at all.

There are two sites that I've found that I absolutely love that share economical ways to do things we do everyday.

One is Tip Nut and the other is Grocery Cart Challenge.

All of us are on board when it comes to saving money, and quite honestly I love the idea of taking better care of our planet as well. Think of all the packaging that isn't going into the landfills if we make more of what we use from scratch!

I really want to encourage you to check out the above sites and give a few of these things a try.
I'm sure, like me, you'll be glad you did!!

My Sweet Mother-in-Law

I have a wonderful mother-in-law!

This lady is one of the most selfless people I know.

In my house, our master bedroom is small. I mean, we don't spend that much time in there anyway, so who needs a lot of space? But, even then,it's a small room.

We have our bed, a couple of small bookshelves on either side of the bed that we also use as nightstands, a small entertainment center that holds some more books and a tv, a file cabinet and a way too large dresser.

The dresser was great at the beginning when we first got it. The old one we had was falling apart...literally. We'd had it much of our married life and it wasn't new when we got it.

So, I'd been in the market for a new-to-us dresser. (Don't pay full price folks....way too many people getting rid of perfectly good stuff at little or no cost!! Shop around!)

Actually, I was more in the market for an upright chest of drawers than a dresser. I could still have 5 drawers, but instead of taking up so much floor space, I'd be going up!

I've been looking for a couple of months now and what I found didn't fit what I needed (5 drawers), or the price was too high or it was in incredibly bad shape. So, I just didn't worry about it. I knew God would provide when the time was right.

Yesterday, I noticed that DH was a bit late getting home from work. He wasn't late enough for me to worry..just enough for me to start paying attention to the clock.
Soon, though, he pulled into the driveway and I noticed there was a really big something in the back of his Sidekick.

Upon closer observation out of my kitchen window, I realized what it was....a chest of drawers...and I knew where it had came from.

Ever since learning that I wanted a chest of drawers, my sweet mother-in-law has been on the hunt. She's found several, but not quite what I was wanting. Was I being picky??? A little maybe, but my reasoning was, why trade something I don't like for something I don't like??

She never gave up though and by reason of deduction, found what I was looking for at our local thrift store yesterday.

DH came in the house and said, "Someone loves you..."

I just smiled and said, "Your Mom found me a chest of drawers, didn't she?"

DH: "It's in really good shape. I think you'll be pleased."

One look in the back of his Sidekick and I knew she'd hit the jackpot! This thing was perfect. I may paint it in time, but for now it's great!! 5 big, deep drawers..just perfect.

We brought it in the house and I got on the phone to thank this sweet lady.

She just laughed and laughed and said, "I'm so glad you like it! Just let me know when you want something, I'll do my best to find it."

And she will. She's a very frugal lady....more so than I am even, and I've learned a lot from her in 25 plus years of being in her family.

So, I don't know if this precious lady will ever read this post. The internet gives her headaches...but I just want you all to know that I am totally blessed with a mother-in-law that loves me and treats me like I'm one of her own daughters!!

Love ya Mom!!!

Try It Tuesday!!

We're back for another Try It Tuesday!!

I hope this last week found you taking at least 15 minutes a day strictly for yourself and I pray that you can tell a very positive difference within yourself by doing that. Keep up the good work!!

This week's Try It, finds us looking for cheaper ways to clean our homes.
For about a year now, I've turned to plain, white vinegar for a good portion of my household cleaning.

I'd been hearing for years how well vinegar cleaned and already knowing how cheap vinegar was, made me very interested...but I was very concerned that by using vinegar, my entire house would begin to smell like a pickle factory--not very appealing to me, let me assure you.

One day though, I just took the plunge and thought if I can't take the smell, I'll open the windows and air out the place and start new.

To my amazement, my house didn't smell like an open bottle of vinegar!!! I was truly amazed by this!! I found that the vinegar was so diluted by the added water (usually a ½ cup vinegar to a gallon of water) that you could hardly smell it at all!!

So...our challenge this week is to strive to clean our house without using costly cleaners--an added bonus is vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice--they're not toxic!!

Below are some ways that I use vinegar in my cleaning. I'm sure you can come up with more ways to use it and other household things to clean your home.

* Add 1 cup vinegar to your rinse cycle in your washing machine. It's great for softening clothes. (I actually put the vinegar in my Downy ball. I just fill the ball almost to the top and drop it in!)

* Add ½ cup vinegar to a half-gallon warm water to mop your hardwood floors

* Mix equal parts vinegar and water to wash your windows. Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

* Loosen the food splatters in your microwave by heating a solution of ¼ cup vinegar and 1 cup water in the microwave until boiling (make sure to allow the water to sit a few minutes before removing the cup so you will not get burned!!)
The food particles will wipe right off!

* To clean the drains in my house, once a week I pour a ½ cup baking soda in the drains and pour a cup of vinegar on top. Yes, you do get that volcano erupting effect (and it's really cool to watch!!!---and if you homeschool, this just became a science lesson!!). I let that sit for about 10 minutes and follow with about 2 quarts of boiling water.

* To get rid of that ring around the bathtub, wipe the tub down with vinegar and then with baking soda. Rinse clean with water.

* Got weeds in your garden? Spraying vinegar full strength on the top of the weed will kill it. You may have to reapply a few times until the weed starves, but it will kill them. Be very careful to not let any vinegar spray on something you don't want killed--from my experience, this stuff kills fast and usually with only one application!!

There you go! Just a few things to get you started. Let me know about your cheap cleaning ideas and let's start working together to save money and clean wisely!!

Try It Tuesday!!

It's time for Try It Tuesday again!!

I hope that you participated in last Tuesday's challenge and I hope that it made a very positive difference in your marriage...enough so that it's now become a lifestyle change for you. I'd love to hear about it if you did!!

One thing I've found that greatly pleases DH, is when I'm a good steward of the finances that he brings into our home. My DH has a highly stressful job and even though it's not incredibly physical, many evenings he comes home drained because of the mental stress that's on him every day.

Because of what he does to support our family, I am blessed to be able to stay at home taking care of our children, our home and DH. He does this willingly and gladly. So I believe in my heart that the least we women can do is spend our family finances wisely.

If you're a single mom, this is just as important a challenge for you.

" 'Yes', the king replied, 'and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.' " Luke 19:26, NLT

This week's Try It challenge will find us in the kitchen.

Let's begin....

Go to your kitchen with a notebook and pen. Look in the cupboards, write down what you find. Look in the frig and in the freezer (deep freeze too if you have one), write down what you find. Have a pantry? Write down what you find. Anywhere in your house that you store food, write down what you find.

Now, sit down with your favorite drink, and plan out your menus for the next 7 days. Goal? Not buying anything this week from the grocery store, but actually using what you already have.

Most people, myself included, have enough food in our cupboards to eat for several days at least. Even though my family is very good to have a leftover night and eat what's sitting in the frig, sadly, we probably throw out enough leftovers in our family to at least eat another meal one other night during the week!!

The main reason for the waste? Whining. "I don't want that again..", "I want something different...", "I'll eat that tomorrow for lunch, can't we have something else tonight?..."

Even laziness. "I could make this and this but it would take so much time."

Poor planning. "I could make this and this, but I've let 4 o'clock creep up on me and now I'm out of time."

My main goal for this challenge is to help us realize that many times we already have what we need. Also learning how to improvise when we run out of...salt. How many other spices do we have on hand that will make our food taste wonderful?

Did we run out of milk? Do you have dry milk in the cupboard to use for your cooking purposes??

Did we run out of sugar? How about using that honey that's been shoved to the back of the cupboard?

I know in our house the cupboards are full, and many times I'm standing there wondering what in the world I'm going to cook!! Sitting here writing this, I realize how pitiful that really is. My family is so blessed and yet I'll pick up a quick something while I'm out or an ingredient to go with what I have at home so I can make spaghetti instead of a meatloaf. Hamburgers instead of dried beans, potatoes and corn bread.

This week's Try It Tuesday will be just as much a challenge for myself as it will be for you.

I hope you'll be on board with me as we venture out to stretch our minds, use what we have and become good stewards of what God has blessed us with.

Can't wait to follow up with you next Tuesday and see how thing went with your week.

Does "Convenient" Cost More?

I was reading an article today that I found quite interesting. It was one of those articles that reminded you of what you already knew, but didn't practice, but complained about because things are the way they are because you don't do what you already know you should do! Following me so far???

This article was talking about convenience foods and the fact that they are not frugal or thrifty at all. They gave the example of the fact that this family was coming up on a very busy two weeks and so they went to the store and bought bottled water and string cheese to be used only when they were in travel mode and had to have something in a hurry. Turned out that in that first week, everyone was in a hurry and so just grab a bottle of water and some cheese and head out the door. And guess what?? There wasn't anything left for the next week!!

I had to smile. I couldn't believe someone had taken the time and effort to follow my family around and then write an article on us!

No...really. This happens on a very regular basis in our house. I'll buy bottled water, or cans of pop. I'll buy snack cakes or some type of on the go bar and make the grand announcement, "These are for on the go only!! When you're here at home, eat or drink something else." Then at different times during the week, I'm quite certain I must be losing my mind because I see people eating and drinking the very things I'm pretty sure I told them not to. I'm sure I'm losing it because I will ask these people, "Don't you remember me telling you these were for on the go only?", and they'll look at me completely serious and say, "No. You didn't say that." (Pulling my hair here....)

We have 4,681,292 sports bottles in our house. Well...maybe not that many...it's more like 8 or 9 but when they are whacking me in the head as I open the cabinet door, it sure feels like more....

Why in the name of all that is cheap, can't we....can't I....grab that sports bottle, head over to the fridge fill it with ice and water, screw on the lid and head out the door? Does it really take that long to do that?? See, I'm as guilty of ignoring me as my family is.

How hard is it to get a plastic bowl with a lid and put some pretzels in it? Or even....some cookies!!! Got my water, got my cookies and I'm out the door. Didn't cost those jokingly "convenient" prices and if I get hungry or thirsty, I'm armed and dangerous for a fraction of the cost.

I don't know about you, but again, for me, it boils down to laziness. I mean after all, it takes about 2 minutes longer to fill up that sports bottle and bowl than it does to grab a "convenient" water bottle and on the go bar. Hey! If I'm that pressed for time, then there is a lot more action I need to take in different areas of my life before I ever get to the frugal part.

We'll take tomorrow for instance. DD has a doctor appointment at 1. I know this. I also know that in the neighborhood of 11:30 I'll be grading those last few papers and getting ready to go. I'll be too busy to worry about that sports bottle. So, why not, before things get crazy, get my bottle, fill it with ice and water and set it in the fridge?? That ice isn't going to melt quickly sitting in the fridge and even if it does...uhhh..it's water...

So now, when we're running out the door I can just open that fridge, grab my water and never miss a beat.

How our grandmothers and great grandmothers managed without all of this convenience is beyond me.

We've got to quit kidding ourself if we're going to get serious about living a more frugal life and getting rid of the debt that is keeping us in bondage.

So let's pass on the bottled water and pre-packaged snacks. Anyone need a sports bottle??

Blessings.......

Shopping Savings

A few weeks back, I wrote a post on saving by going to the Bent-n-Dent. (Look at post "here") Since I did my shopping trip yesterday, I decided to show how that works to make for great savings.

I'm going to list what I bought. These are items that had to be bought regardless. The first column will show what I would have had to pay at the cheapest price I could find, (Wal Mart, Sav A Lot, etc.). The second column will show what I paid at the Bent-n-Dent.

Milk (3 gallon--------------$3.19 x's 3-------$1.98 x's 3
Honey Nut O's (2 bags)--$2.78 x's 2-------$1.00 x's 2
1½ dz eggs----------------$2.28--------------$1.59
Tomatoes, 14.5 oz (8)------.59 x's 8-----------.39 x's 8
Green Beans, 14.5 oz (3)---.49 x's 3-----------.39 x's 3
*Ranch Dressing, 16 oz--$1.19------------------.99
Potatoes, 10 pounds-----$4.79----------------$1.99
_____________________________________________
-----------------------------$29.58---------------$16.80

* Normally I buy store brand dressing which is $1.19 for 16 oz. This was actually Kraft brand which would run $2.24 at Wal Mart.

The savings: $12.78!

I also saved $16.25 in coupons.

$17.11 at Walgreens and got a $5 coupon off my next purchase

$ 2.99 at CVS. I had $3 in ECB's that were about to expire so I bought a tube of toothpaste for $2.99 and a caramel candy (because CVS can't owe you money) and got $2 in ECB's back**

Total savings $49.13 with $5 in Walgreens RR and $2 in ECB's

DH and I sat down and found that we really needed to revamp our budget. I have to admit I wasn't entirely happy about that, but given the current situation with the economy, we want to be on the side of caution.

My entire spending for 2 weeks for basically 4 adults was $214.14. That included household items, dog food and meat (we had almost emptied the freezer!!) and those extras for Christmas dinner. It was a bit of a challenge for me, but I honestly prayed before we left and God opened doors of savings that I didn't even expect!!

Hope this helps you to understand why I value having a Bent-n-Dent so close.

Check out your area and see if you have access to one of these awesome places!!

** To learn how to make CVS work for you, check out Money Saving Mom. Look in the right column and click on the CVS 101 and Walgreens 101 labels.

Blessings.....

Christmas Lights

I hope each and every one of you enjoyed a very blessed Thanksgiving day. My family spent the day in our usual tradition: on the phone wishing those family members who live in other parts of our world a blessed day, in the kitchen baking and cooking with the stove (and Mom!) going into overtime, eating entirely too much, and taking long afternoon naps!

I had hoped to put my Christmas lights on our trees and bushes outside, but that was not to be...my tired body and full tummy had other plans.

I want to start focusing on getting ready for Christmas. As you follow along in the next few weeks, it won't take you long to figure out that this is, indeed, my most favorite time of the year. I turn into a major toddler!! Everything is beautiful and exciting!!..and my wonderful hubby has learned to just indulge my childish fun for a month!

Speaking about those outdoor lights though, let me share what we're doing differently this year.

I, like most of you, have used the same Christmas lights over and over for years and years. I love Christmas lights and while I don't have as many as I'd like, I do have a lot! However, I see myself adding to our light surplus over the next few years in a different way.

About a month ago, we got a flyer from Home Depot in our paper. I noticed an ad for LED Christmas lights. My husband is over maintenance at our local hospital and I'd heard him mention before about how much energy these little lights saved.

A string of 50 lights were $6.99. I thought this was kind of high but hubby explained that while the initial cost may be a little expensive, the lights would pay for themselves this Christmas alone! The box said that these lights could last up to 20 years..so I'm thinking that's 19 years of free electricity for Christmas lights!

Our December electric bill tends to be higher than most months, but like I said, hubby indulges me... However, it's my job as his wife to be saving and as frugal as I can be, so when I saw this ad I started doing the math.

Yes, it was $6.99 for only 50 lights, but I can run 8 sets of these lights for the same wattage that I can run 1 set of the traditional Christmas lights (100 count)!

We have a big evergreen in our front yard that is perfect Christmas tree shape and it takes at least 150 lights to go around this tree ( that amount lights it up, but not like I'd like it). 150 traditional=3 sets of LED

I have 2 bushes in front of my porch that I light up at 100 lights for each bush. 200 traditional=4 sets of LED.

Right now that's all I light up outside, simply because of the electric bill factor. So...lighting up only what I normally do outside, I can string lights on everything I normally do cheaper with the LED lights.

I feel like I'm chasing myself here so this is what I'm trying to say:

Normally I use 350 traditional lights to light outside. Have you ever watched that little dial on your electric box when you plug those lights up?? That thing looks like it's trying to spin out into orbit! However, with the LED lights I can use the same 350 lights and that little dial doesn't even seem to be moving! Saving electricity which means savings in your wallet and saving our environment. Win-win situation to me.

At the time Home Depot was running their ad, they offered $3 off a set of LED lights for every traditional strand you brought in to trade. The limit was 5 per customer, so I bought 5 sets and dear hubby did as well. We bought 10 sets of LED's for a little more than $40. I use 350 lights outside, 150 on our Christmas tree, and so I have another 100 lights to use somewhere else!!

I'm anxious to see what our electric bill for December will be and I'll pass that along when the time comes.

Maybe you can only buy a couple of sets of LED's this year, but I wanted to make you aware so you can take advantage of sales that might come along before Christmas and especially after.

Blessings......

I Haven't Forgotten....

Just a note to say that I haven't skipped out on our chat about shopping wisely. Our sales flyers will be in today's paper, so I should have a few, more detailed posts to share very soon!!

Blessings.....

Let's Talk Shopping

How do you shop?

Do you use a list? Do you use coupons? Do you price match?

How about a budget? Do you allot so much for groceries and household items and then that's it?

When I began blogging, I really had a lot of things I wanted to talk about and share...like being the Biblical wife and mother God has called me to be. I want to share recipes and ideas. I want to share about our homeschooling life. I want to share how to save money and live a simpler life....and to me, a simpler life doesn't mean living by lantern and washing clothes on a scrub board...although I do swear by using a clothesline!!

I don't have it all figured out..by no means...but I've been around a while and I have picked up a few things here and there. I've learned lessons the hard way simply because I'm an extremely stubborn, thick-headed woman, who God has to repeatedly discipline because I want to do things my way...(hey!! didn't Elvis sing about that??)

So....I'm asking. What do you want to talk about? What would you like to see on here?

For me, with the holidays coming up....I'd like to address the subject of saving money when you shop. I was singing and dancing all the way home Friday after buying groceries because in coupons alone, I saved $45.32!!! That amount didn't include the price matching I did at Wal Mart and the groceries I bought at our little trade market by the house. Overall, my savings for 2 weeks worth of groceries was over $65!! Now...I know that there are people saving way more than I did/am and believe me....they are my goal, but I've only been serious about this for a little over a year now and remember...I'm a slow learner (see above!)

In the next 75 days, our household will be celebrating: Thanksgiving (it can cost a lot to serve that meal), our 25th wedding anniversary, our son's 16th birthday, Christmas, my dad's birthday, our daughter's 18th birthday and a trip to a Scott Dawson conference at $100 each (x's 4)!! So you see, spending will be at the front of my mind for quite some time to come.

I'd love to share what I've learned with you and I'd love to hear what works for your family too!!

In the next day or two, I'd like to share how I saved the $65+ this week and where I know that I could have saved even more.

With you all holding me accountable, I think we can be successful together!!

Blessings....

Cold Weather, Crockpots and Chili!

I was listening to the weather this morning as my husband was getting ready for work and guess what?? It's going to get cold in the next few days!! I am so excited!!!

No, I'm not crazy...although I have been accused of that from time to time, but I find myself eager for the days of blankets, hot chocolate, a fire and chili in the crockpot.

I prefer winter as long as I don't have to go outside, but since that's not a reality, then fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves are changing color and falling to the ground, the wind is blowing and there is a crispness to the air. It gets dark much earlier in the evening and I love it because it forces me to come inside and slow down..be with my family. Yes..fall is the best time of the year to me.

I'd love to share my chili recipe with you. It is so easy and I love to use my crockpot so I can enjoy the smells all day long.

We'll label this....

Deb's Chili

1lb. ground turkey
5 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
4 cups pinto beans
1 small diced onion
1 diced jalapeno pepper
Chili powder to taste
Garlic powder
Seasoned salt
Mrs. Dash Southwester Blend to taste

I brown my ground turkey in a little canola oil and season with the garlic powder, seasoned salt and Mrs. Dash. While the turkey is browning I open my tomatoes and put them in the crockpot. (I have a 6 quart crock). Add the diced onion and jalapeno. Add the pinto beans. (I usually cook a big pot of beans and we have a meal then I freeze the rest in sandwich zip bags to use later for chili.) If you don't have any frozen, then use 2 cans of pinto beans. When the turkey is done add it. I then usually add a couple of cans of water to my chili. Add to your family's taste and liking. Set that crockpot on low and your done. I usually let mine crock for 6-7 hours.
When it's time to eat, we usually add cheese, sour cream and corn chips to our chili and enjoy!

This not only goes a long way, but it's extremely cheap to make.

Ground Turkey: $1.19 @ Sav A Lot
Beans: ¢99 @ Sav A Lot (remember I get a 1lb bag and cook them, so ¢99 is for many meals)
Tomatoes:¢49 @ Sav A Lot (I get mine for ¢39 at our Bent-N-Dent)
Onion, pepper and seasonings at a fraction

So for less than $5 you have enough chili for at least 2 meals, depending on the size of your family. Not bad in today's world!!

Let me hear from you. What's your favorite season and why? What's your favorite winter recipe?

Blessings....

Hot Dog Bun Rolls

We buy most of our hot dog or hamburger buns from the bread store in town. We lovingly refer to this place as the "Day Old Bakery". They sell bread, buns, snack cakes, donuts..just about anything you can imagine like that...for a reduced price.

While we do eat hot dogs, we don't eat a lot of them. We do enjoy rolls however, and I don't always have time to make them from scratch, so we use hot dog buns (and I'm sure you could use hamburger buns to make rolls....or maybe individual pizzas??? Hmmm......)

I tear the hot dog buns apart and put some butter on each side. We love garlic, so I put quite a bit of garlic powder on each bun. I top that with chives or cheese or just about anything we enjoy. Broil until the tops are lightly brown and enjoy!!!

By the way....if you see those buns are going to ruin before you can use them up, stick them in the freezer. Thaw them when you want to make the rolls. They haven't gone bad, you haven't wasted any money and it doesn't change the taste at all!!

Blessings....