Saturday, September 28, 2013

Don't worry about tomorrow

I was encouraged this week to trust God for TODAY! And to not borrow trouble from tomorrow because today has enough trouble of it's own.  I don't know if He will lead me to work outside my home in the future (my heart longs to be home) but I believe His message has been clear this week. For now...
  • Pray for DAILY bread. (Matthew 6:11)
  • Seek FIRST His kingdom and He will take care of the food and clothing. (Matthew 6:33)
  • Don't worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34)
  • Be content with food and clothing. (1 Timothy 6:8)
This doesn't mean I get to sit home and eat Bon Bon's. (Does anyone really do that? *smile*).

You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV 


God has spoken loud and clear through His Word this week. Oh, how I love it when He does. Scripture after scripture has confirmed His direction for me. No more worries. No more doubts. Sweet peace! Nothing compares to the power of God's Word working in my soul!

~ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deut. 8:3 ESV

~~~

Here are a few things I did this week along with my typical frugal day routine:

1. I cut all of the curly parsley and plan on drying it. I also have 'hot and spicy oregano' and a flat leaf parsley that need to be harvested.   I'll hang them in the garage and allow them to dry and then grind them. I've really enjoyed using fresh herbs this summer!




2. It's important to take care of what I own for several reasons. First and foremost, because God has blessed me with these gifts and I want to be a good steward. And secondly, because it will help my budget to not replace these items.  So, this week I started preparing for winter. I pulled the patio table under the porch awning so it's out of the weather. I stored the table umbrella in the garage as soon as the winds came up so it wouldn't tip over my table and break it. I pulled in the patio chairs to the garage and covered the outdoor bench with plastic and took down the outdoor blinds. They are safely tucked away until next spring. I will get one more year's use out of all of them.

3.  I checked my soap and it's nice and firm. YAY!!! I took the soap out of the molds and put them in a cardboard box to continue drying. They will be ready for gifts before Christmas.  It's so fun to learn a new skill! Being a homemaker never gets boring!

4.   I made a Christmas list. I found myself getting anxious trying to juggle all the thoughts about what to make and buy.  It really helped to relieve some of the anxiety. I used 40% off coupons this week to purchase a few gifts and started sewing on another one. I'm also crocheting in the evenings.



5.  I still have 5 spaghetti squash left from my garden. My sister told me she found a recipe for spaghetti squash patties. I tried my own version and liked them. I just added an egg, garlic powder and salt and pepper. They would be really good with Parmesan cheese if you can eat dairy. Sauteed in a little butter until brown on both sides. 

6.  I'm out of homemade laundry soap so I made another batch. I've been making my own laundry detergent for around 8 years. I use the Dugger's recipe because it makes 10 gallons. I also tried a new recipe this month to use with my whites only since they need a pick me up. I can't remember where I found it.

3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap
Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Let liquid cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.

7. I also ran out of stain remover so I made a new batch.


 
8. Things I saved this week to reuse:
  • Envelopes that came with bills that I pay online (used to store vegetable seeds)
  • Heirloom seeds from  peppers, cantaloupe, okra, tomato, eggplant, honeydew
  • Strings from tea (tie up plants in garden)
  • Newspaper saved from a friend. (I lay it down in my veggie garden with straw on the top to discourage weeds).
  •  Toilet paper cardboard (compost)
  • Egg cartons, cardboard (compost) 
  • Washed Seran wrap and baggies to reuse (no meat or dairy)
  • Mayo jar to pour grease into instead of it going down my pipes. 
  • Grocery sacks. (garbage cans) 
  • Vegetable and fruit trimmings (compost)
  •  
     
 9. I buy Hood Countdown milk for my husband to drink. I am dairy free due to joint pain. The milk is horribly expensive. I found a recipe online to replace the milk but Husband is not interested in drinking it straight so I've made up several batches and use it in recipes. This has helped stretch the store bought milk. I remember doing something similar when the children lived at home. I would either water down the milk for a recipe or I would use instant milk in cake recipes. Sometimes I would use non-instant milk mixed with whole milk to stretch it.

10. I've been wanting to wash one of my blankets and throw rugs before winter but dreaded spending the quarters at the laundromat. I have a sink in my garage so I filled it with warm water and laundry soap and soaked my quilt. Swished. Rinsed. Swished. Rinsed and then hung it on the clothesline. It worked great. It reminded me of when we were first married nearly 30 years ago and I washed clothes in our bathtub. :-) I used my carpet cleaner on the throw rugs.

Thanks so much for all your great tips last week. I'm still researching a lot of your ideas.

What did YOU do to save money this week in your home? And my favorite question is this... do you have a  scripture that encourages you concerning your finances?

Blessings,

Georgene


18 comments:

  1. I loved the Bible verses you started with. They're familiar ones - but always good truths to keep "front and center"! I so agree about taking care of what we have....and that being a homemaker never gets boring!

    We enjoyed some free entertainment Saturday--and it was a beautiful day for it!

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    1. It was a beautiful day! I enjoyed the weather so much! I'm glad you had a lovely day!

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  2. I like and meditate on 2 Cor. 9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. Also, Ecc. 11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. And Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

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    1. Awesome verses! Giving is something I think a lot about lately since I 'feel' that I don't have as much to give. But, looking at scripture, I know that God supplies our needs so that we can give to others! Thank you for sharing!

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  3. Thank you for the saving junk mail for seeds idea! :) I have some I need to package. :)

    I am using laundry soap from the dollar store--its 1.00 for 32 loads, have you done the math on homemade? I'm wondering if it is less.

    Hubby does his own laundry when he is not here so he brought home a suitcase full of yellowed white shirts. I rubbed detergent on the collars and arm pit areas and then put them in the washer with a half cup of borax, stirred them up good and let them soak about an hour then washed. They all look much whiter--but he does need new shirts.

    I emailed the company I get his shirts from because I have had a very hard time finding his size--I shop at a big & tall store for him. I drive an hour to the store and find they don't have them, then I order online and find they don't have them--so I ended up with some 'close sizes' which I will have to ship back. Because I made the store aware of my frustration--they credited back my shipping fee of $17 and they sent me a $15 coupon--which is great as he needed a new belt.

    We are doing our own termite & ant treatment on our house. Hubby is treating a spot where we noticed some carpenter ants right now--so that is less $ by a long shot. I am also mixing some borax half and half with sugar to put out for any ants or 'palmetto bugs' that are in my house. (kitchen/bathroom) palmetto bugs are I think a type of roach. They are considered less 'disgusting' than roaches sort of-- as they are here in the south and not really a sign you are dirty, more a sign that you live in the south. Anyhow I saw on in my kitchen recently and 2 in the bathroom--so they need to go. They will eat the sugar/borax mix because it is sweet and the borax will hopefully kill them.

    I noted that 20 mule team borax has a website--so I plan to look at that for more ideas what to do with the box I bought recently.

    My grandma used to use it clean her bathroom & to soak her hair brushes. I remember that because I used to earn $5.00 by cleaning her already clean house on Saturdays when I was too young to get a work permit for a real job.

    God willing, someday I will be able to have some grandchildren come earn money too. :) We shall see..

    I have a lot of physical issues so I am easily discouraged on things I want to do. So... my scriptures for saving money and diy-ing things come from Proverbs 30 :25-28. Very encouraging as I well know how persistent small bugs/insects are about what they want to do--especially living in South Carolina I know if there is anything that is persistant it is ants and spiders. Anyhow my verses are:
    The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in summer. The conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make they their houses in the rocks; The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; The spider taketh hold with her hands and is in kings palaces.

    Anyhow I am going to need to make a piece of art work so I can post those verses on my walls, perhaps even sell it in my shop. (this is how I think--always what can I do with this idea?)

    I have a lot more ideas than I can use however, but I hope to at least use some of them.

    Enjoying a very nice cool weekend here, Hubby decided to come home afterall, and has been working on my hot tub and other things. I miss having him here more often and am praying he can come home to stay, so far he has had several job interviews and no new job. It would be great if they would let him work from home more--as he has a good job already, but so far that's not happening.

    I am making some sweet roll dough right now, in my 'new to me' $10 breadmaker. I bought it to replace one that disappeared in one of our many moves. I was able to get an electric knife, 2 cookbooks & a bread cutting guide with it at the habitat re-store near my daughter's. This will be quite a treat this morning.
    Enjoy your Sunday!

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    1. I've read many places that the homemade laundry detergent is just a few pennies a load.

      I'll have to try soaking my whites in Borax. There is Borax in the detergent but maybe they need more.

      I liked the scripture you shared. I can imagine that it's hard on you Mary with your physical limitations. A cyber friend and I were sharing yesterday how aging is a series of losses. We sure need God's grace more and more as we enter our 'golden' years. I think of you as a very diligent person and I know you make good use of the strength God has given you.

      I hope your husband can come home, too.

      I have 3 breadmakers. :-) I will start making husband's bread next week and I make bread for my mother. I try and stay away from wheat because it piles the weight on fast. I'm finally realizing this. Sure wish it didn't because I LOVE homemade bread and made it for years.

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    2. :) I love bread too--but don't keep it in the house most of the time when Hubby is gone. I don't seem to have a gluten problem but I could stand to lose quite a bit of weight. I've got an RX that made it worse, so that's too bad, still taking it for now.

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  4. Oh my goodness! I didn't know you have joint pain.

    I am making Bible verse cards to meditate on during the week. How am I saving? I am not buying notecards but making them with my 30 year old paper cutter.

    Hugs and prayers,
    Carol

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    1. I've had joint pain for over 10 years but thought I was getting arthritis. I didn't find out until this year that it was dairy and tree nuts causing the pain. I'm pain free as long as I stay away from those 2 food items. Good for you on making the note cards.

      AWESOME that you are meditating more on God's Word! It's our very life!

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  5. Yay on your soap! I'm so happy for you that it worked out successfully!

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    1. Thank you Stacie! I'm pretty jazzed about it! :-)

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    2. I would love to make some soap--but I think I will skip it. I have a bit of a problem staying focused and I know that is not a process you can 'wing'. :) Oh-- here's a neat idea- you can put a little water in a crock pot--and then put wax & wicks in little jars and turn on the crock pot and it will make candles without you having to watch it. I came up with this idea when I needed to make some wood polish with beeswax and jojoba & sweet orange oil--I use it on my wood items in my shop. I didn't want to make a lot--so I just tried this with a small jar--and it worked really well. So easy!

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    3. Cool idea Mary! Thanks for sharing! I love my crockpot! :-)

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  6. I came across the verse several years ago, and it really spoke to me about God's provision. Psalms 34:10 "The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who see the Lord lack no good thing." I just love that verse! God only wants good things for me!

    Everyone here has been sick. First it was my daughter and granddaughter, then me. I ended up at the walk in clinic because I just couldn't wait nearly a week to see my regular dr. I have a sinus infection. The walk in clinic charged $120.00, but I filed with my insurance company and should get all that back since I have met my deductible. My prescription was $10.00. When sick I always want ice cream and something salty. So I have had a couple of milk shakes and I bought two bags of Chex mix to munch on. I normally don't buy Chex mix. And we rarely go out for shakes. So I spent some extra there.

    I made a batch of the dry laundry soap. So far it has worked fine on our clothes. I'm curious too if it is really that much of a savings though. Of course I have recycled my aluminum foil and saran wrap and plastic bags. Getting as much as I can from one chicken I had bought for .99 a lb. First night it was roasted and served with sides. Tonight it was chicken enchiladas, and the carcass went into the freezer, and I will make chicken and rice with it later.

    I really wanted to put a mum at the front door. I went to Wal-Mart and bought one of the smaller ones for $3.68. It's in full bloom and looks very pretty. I may get a pumpkin as well. I just always feel that a pumpkin is a waste, since my family does not care for pumpkin pies and such, so I have nothing to do with the insides. I don't know anyone to use it either.

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    1. I can imagine how pretty the mum will be by your door. I love cut mums in a vase.

      My neighbor gave me her pumpkin last year. I was so happy she did. I pressure canned it and froze some, too. Have you ever tried it in soup? There are a lot of recipes where you make a stew and bake it inside the pumpkin. Pretty presentation at the table.

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    2. Oh and I LOVE that verse! I'm not sure I've ever read it. Thank you for sharing!

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  7. I continue to fight the cold and feel dragged out this week so I haven't done a whole lot to save money. Some things I do regularly, including this week:
    - borrowed several books from the library,
    - washed several loads of clothes on the shortest and coolest cycles possible.
    - washed dishes on shortest cycle and hand washed all the larger items for air drying.
    - modified two new men's t-shirts to make camis for my mom. She doesn't like spaghetti straps and adjusting the t-shirts was less expensive than buying material and making camis from scratch.
    - bought a roast on sale and cut it into portions for more meals,
    - pre-cooked several portions of oat, bran and flax seed and cinnamon mixture for breakfast.
    -bought my butter at the food store this week rather than the pharmacy where I usually buy it. It was 20 cents less per pound. I buy 2 or 3 pounds at a time so I don't have to run to the store every other week.
    -made stove top popcorn for a late night snack.
    - spent $20. to get $10 in points. I try to only spend on what is needed or sometimes a splurge on wants if it isn't too much. I will save the points for several dozen eggs and a large jug of milk. I can use these in baking as the weather has turned very cool.
    -bought a can of coffee for half price. I always buy them when they are on sale and make sure I have several on hand at all times.

    That's about all I could manage this week but over the year, doing these kinds of things saves a lot of money. I see you have started making your own detergent and bar soap. I love to make detergent too but haven't done so for a while since I seem to be getting excellent deals on laundry detergent at my local pharmacy. I have everything on hand for when I want to make my laundry detergent again. I haven't tried making bar soap yet due to all my other hobbies but some day I will try that too.

    Have a great week.

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    1. As for Bible verses, I like the one you blogged about in 1 Thess. and the one Rachel mentioned in Psalms 34:10 which is really uplifting. God bless. xx

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