Monday, April 1, 2013

How I saved money (last) week: March 31

I thought spring had finally arrived in our neck of the woods. The sun had been out in full force for several weeks. I even had an opportunity to open up the windows to allow a cool breeze to pass through. I dug out the summer fans and put them in place.  Wow!  Was I wrong! We had a storm pass through today that hit harder than any storm this year. The hail tore holes in the artichoke plants and beat the okra into submission. I hope they survive.

I've been seeking to simplify my life the past few weeks due to a small little physical problem. It has slowed me down just a bit so I've held to my basic money saving daily routines but haven't been able to add anything new that is physically taxing. God knows when we are weakened by circumstances. I remind myself that He is my source.. not my strength. Ultimately, God is the One who meets my needs! And He does it so powerfully well!

I pray, "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY bread".. as Jesus commanded. My eyes look to Him... my Provider!


Here are a few new things I did to save money this week (that were not physically taxing *smile*).

1. I wash my own car which saves 7-9 dollars.  This week I tried to use only 2 buckets full of water. Normally I will put a spray nozzle on the end of the hose to rinse and use one bucket of water with soap to wash. I wasn't sure that one bucket of rinse water would be enough but it was. I even had a little water left over.

2.   I was short one egg in a recipe so I added water to make up for the missing egg and the recipe turned out just fine.

3.  Our artichoke plants have small black flies on the leaves. My daughter in love read that you could make a fly trap by using a yellow plastic bag with Vaseline rubbed on it. I placed several on a stake made from a wire clothes hanger. They ain't pretty but have already attracted many flies. *smile*



4.  One morning we went out and discovered that snails had munched on quite a few of our vegetable plants. We were not happy campers! My daughter in love had also read (she is a wealth of information when it comes to gardening) that you can make up a concoction of yeast, sugar and water to attract the snail.  I dug a small hole and made the container level with the dirt so the snail would fall in and drown as he drinks. I haven't found any dead snails in the water yet. Maybe they are partaking in small sips and then crawling off feeling very satisfied and full. hehe!!

5.  I finished 2 crocheted potholders for Mother's Day gifts. I have 2 dishcloths that are finished and just need to be tied off.

6.  I've gone back to turning off the shower water while using the soap to save on water since the weather is getting warmer.

“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

How did you save money in your home this week? I sure appreciate learning new things from you!

9 comments:

  1. Slugs used to crawl up my Moms stairs to eat her flowers in pots - I sprinkled salt on the stairs and that ended the problem but this would only work if they hadn't already made it to the soil around the plants. I hope you are ok and your physical issue goes away - Happy Spring!

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    1. That is a good idea about the salt. I forgot that it dries them up. I'll have to try that on my patio.

      I'm doing just fine. Nothing horrific.. just getting old which has added some creeks in my git a long. Thanks for your concern. :-) Happy Spring to you, too!

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  2. Well done! :) This week i'm happy to just stay under budget! I meal planned and stuck to my grocery list!

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  3. Love that you make guifts. I am planning to do that also, in fact, am making a quilt now for a gift.

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  4. I have heard that if you put beer in a shallow saucer and put it by the plants they crawl in and die. I am not sure what happens to the neighborhood cat!

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  5. Ha ha to Grandma D's joke about the cat!

    We are coming off of 2 very spend heavy months and I have big hopes and plans for April to be a very light spending month.

    For a start, I mended a hand towel last night. We need new ones but the last several towels we have bought have not held up at all so I don't really see any point to buying new ones until we absolutely have to.

    I always like reading your posts Georgene.

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  6. I have substituted applesauce for an egg before but never water. Very clever!

    Beer will attract slugs and drown them but of course it's very expensive.

    I'm sorry you haven't been feeling well, hope you feel better soon.

    I re-injured my back and was on modified bed rest (meaning they want you up and moving around once an hour or so) which meant nearly 8 weeks of PT and lots of bills. Ugh!

    But I'm improving now! Hope you are too! I can tell I'm going to love your blog so I'm your newest follower. :)

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  7. I think one of the best gifts God has given us is the ability to be innovative. Using water instead of an egg (I'll have to remember that one!) is an example.
    I've never heard the term 'daughter in love' before. I have no d-i-loves in the works yet (despite having 3 sons) but there is hope for a son-in-love. I think I'll have to borrow that term from you.
    Hope you are feeling better soon!

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  8. I shopped around to find someone to fix my heater the first quote I recieved said it would cost me 2ooo australian dollars for just the parts the second said it would cost me about 1000, the third said labour and parts would be 814 dollars... guess which one I went with...?
    I hope you are feeling better soon. your bread looks delicious..

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