Making Money at Home!

 I've been blessed with quite a few paid projects I can do in my own home. I am so thankful!  I finished 2 of the smaller projects this week.

It's hard to believe I don't have to work outside my home for the time being. I've been home most of our married life until the recession and then my husband's disability changed our financial situation. I only worked part time and was thankful for the jobs the Lord provided but my heart always longed to be home. It's hard on a woman to work outside the home but sometimes a necessity.  Things could change but it looks hopeful that I won't have to work outside my home in the near future. That is important to my husband and I. We both know from experience that our home is more peaceful when I'm not under the stress of outside work. So I continue to do my part by saving and stretching our income. Laine taught me years ago to consider it my part time job.

Our first and only cauliflower this year! It was huge!

Here are the paid jobs I'm working on now from my own home:

~ 2 microwave Neck Rolls (finished)
~ A bag for a wheelchair (finished)
~ Apron
~ Kitchen Aide Cover
~ Editing a dissertation
~ Organizing a ladies receipts for taxes
~ Took in the seams on a family member's pants (finished)

There are so many things a wife can do to make money from home if that is her desire. Some women enjoy working outside the home. Each family must make it's own decision.  But, if you truly want to be home you may be able to find ways to make money without leaving your house. Working from home may save you gas money, clothing expense, child care, lunch expenses and any fast food expenses from being too tired to cook.

Over my years as a homemaker I have done a long list of jobs such as:

• Sewed doll clothes and sold them at a beauty shop.
• Babysitting (Before and after childcare along with full and part time sitting)
• Foster care
• Typing
• Ironing
• I tested Crewel kits
• Sewing Projects
• Addressed envelopes
• I ran a used curriculum bookstore from our home for 10 years
• Managed a group of duplexes while receiving free rent in exchange. I also made money on the side by cleaning and painting them. 

I still strongly believe the best way to make money at home is to stretch the money that is already coming in. 

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Here are just a few things I did at home this week: 

1.  A penny saved is a penny earned and that is one way I look at mending. If I can make our clothes last longer then it saves money (or a penny) because I don't have to buy new ones. I mended a hole in my  husband's sock and also mended some sweat pants.

2.  I finished cracking the pecans that were given to me months ago. I'm so thankful for any kind of free nuts because they are so expensive in the stores. I'll use them in my daughter in love's cake this weekend along with the German chocolate I found at an outlet for a dollar. I stocked up on a few boxes and put them in the freezer.

Sweet peas and cabbage

3. I like to collect new recipes. I was given this recipe for Salsbury Steak from a helpful gal over at Low Carb Friends. We liked it.  I was short one patty for a second meal so next time I'll make thinner patties. It's fast and easy to make.

4. I was so busy during December that I didn't make a menu. My grocery budget suffered because of it. So, I spent a half an hour making a 2 week dinner menu tonight. I went through my freezer to see what meat I had on hand and checked my pantry and freezer for vegetables on hand.

5. I froze the gizzard and neck from the turkey I cooked in December. I boiled them this week and I'm chopping a little every day to put in my dog's food. She loves it!

6. I saw a recipe using a bag of broccoli slaw and it reminded me of coleslaw so I made my own version. It was yummy! I've tried all kinds of recipes for coleslaw dressing but these days I just use 1 cup of mayo, 1 tbsp. sweetener (I use Erythritol) and 1 tbsp. vinegar. I added a few cranberries and pecans to the slaw.

 Broccoli slaw 

1 bag of broccoli slaw
1 cup mayo
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp sugar of Erythritol (or sugar)
Handful of dried cranberries
Handful of salted sunflower seeds or pecans or pistachios

Mix the vinegar and sugar into the mayo and then mix in the slaw. Add cranberries and nuts.

Here is another recipe I made this week. It's a keeper! I think we'd really like it on the grill, too. 

Chipotle Chicken

This chicken was very good and very spicy! My husband really liked it!

1 medium can of Chipotle peppers in Adobe
1 can of water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt (Kosher salt if you have it)
5 pounds of drumsticks (I used chicken legs and thighs)

Blend peppers and water and seasonings. Use 1/2 of the mixture and freeze the rest for another time or use some in your mayo for sandwiches. Marinate an hour to overnight. (I marinated overnight). Grill or bake on a tin foiled rack in a pan at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Rotate half way through.

Lettuce is so easy to grow and so inexpensive if grown by seed!

7.  Savemart was giving away free flowers today. I was blessed with a dozen red roses! Each day is full of God's little gifts to us if we choose to see.

8. Washed my own car and paid myself $8 instead of the car wash. I really dread washing the car in the winter months but the weather has been pretty mild this week so it wasn't too bad. I've never timed it but I can't imagine it taking any longer than 15 minutes. Pretty good pay for the time invested.

9. I haven't been to the thrift store in a few months so I stopped in this week and found a winter and summer  blouse. I had a 25% off coupon. I paid $5.23 total for 2 blouses. I can't see the sense in buying new clothes to wear around the house for everyday when I can find them so inexpensively at the thrift store.

10. Things I didn't throw away:

• Saved rubber bands off of the free flowers
• Plastic salad bag (washed and reuse as a baggie)
• Plastic wrap over mushrooms (reused as seran on sauteed mushrooms)
• Mayonnaise jar (Use to drain grease from a roast in before throwing in the garbage)
• Plastic shopping bags (reused as a garbage can liner)

That's it for this week. My son and daughter in love will be here tomorrow to help us rebuild our fence that is falling apart in the backyard. YAY! 

So I have a question to ask you ladies. What do you use as an inexpensive (but effective) facial cleanser and moisturizer? I need some ideas. I used to pay $50 for the kit at Bath and Body Works but I don't want to spend that kind of money again. 

Blessed to be home,

Georgene