Temptations that Defeat Frugality

There are many reasons people practice frugality. Some reasons may include: saving for a new home or car, living on one income, retirement, giving to those in need, or Christian education.  And, there can be just as many temptations that sidetrack us from those goals. 

"Blue Dawn" morning glories!

I have several reasons I practice frugality. I find it helps me fight temptation if I remember what my goals are. Mainly, I want to be a good steward of the resources the Lord has entrusted to me. Secondly, it enables me to stay at home with my husband.  Thirdly, if I can save money by living below our means then I have money to give to others in need...which will lay up treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6)

It's important to keep those reasons at the front of my mind because it's so easy to be influenced by the temptations that bombard me daily through television, magazines and the stores advertising strategies. I pray regularly while shopping because I can feel the pull of all the enticing goodies as I walk up the store aisles.

One of the most dangerous threats to my goals for frugality is the 'pride of life'. I've been battling it this past week:

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 1 John 2:16  ESV

(The NET BIBLE translates pride of life as  'arrogance produced by material possessions').


The Wesley Commentary was very helpful in explaining what it means:


"The pride of life - All that pomp in clothes, houses, furniture, equipage, manner of living, which generally procure honour from the bulk of mankind, and so gratify pride and vanity. It therefore directly includes the desire of praise, and, remotely, covetousness. All these desires are not from God, but from the prince of this world."  

There is nothing wrong with making our homes comfortable or attractive. But, I get into trouble when I use the things of this world to promote myself or to be accepted by others. Then my focus is not on serving but on having others serve me by promoting my reputation.

Say for instance, I'd like to invite a new couple from church over for dinner. But, I find out they both work and make a good income and now I'm starting to hesitate inviting them because they live in a higher income neighborhood and drive newer cars. I start to compare what I own to what they own. I drive a 1998 Ford Ranger (that squeaks horribly) and live in a lower income neighborhood in a 745 sq. ft. home. This is where the downward sin cycle begins if I don't get control of my thoughts. 

"Comparison is a thief, stealing gratitude, joy, and generosity." Jeff Manion

 I begin to wonder if they will judge me by how I live (fear of man). If left unchecked this fear can lead to buying unnecessary items like a new bedspread or new dishes and if entertained for too long it could even lead to moving to a more expensive neighborhood in order to impress others or buying a new car. All of these choices will lead me farther away from my goals of frugality. These choices could also reveal a heart that is set on the things of this world and not on things above. 

Summer birthdays!

I need to remind myself that my worth does not come from what I own ... but by WHO owns me!
Then he said, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own."  Luke 12:15 NLT

You were bought with a price. 1 Corinthians 7:23  NIV


Instead, I should be rejoicing with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15) for the special gifts God has given them (just as He has blessed me!). My mind should be set on how I can best serve them and make them comfortable while visiting. How can I help them to feel loved and valued while in my home? What can I cook for them that they will enjoy? How can I focus on them while we are talking so I can find out more about their lives and know better how to pray for them?

Trying to impress others by what we own will never bear good fruit. It only serves as a means to enslave us to the fear of man and certainly will not help us reach the goals that we've set to live with less FOR A PURPOSE. 

Blessed to be home,
Georgene

Do you ever struggle with the desire to impress others by what you own? Or do you sometimes feel 'lesser than' because you don't own what others do? Do you find it's a trap for you to spend more money?

More summer gatherings

***

 A Typical Frugal Day

1. I get upset with myself when I waste food. I found some small containers at the dollar store that I'm using for leftovers. This past month I tried to freeze more and more of our leftovers so that I wouldn't take a chance of losing any of them to 'forgetfulness'. I am practicing putting leftovers IMMEDIATELY into the freezer instead of leaving them in the fridge.

2. Bacon was on sale this week so I bought a package for my husband. He loves bacon. I normally buy turkey bacon at the dollar store because I don't like spending $4 for one pound of 'breakfast' food but every once in a while I like to surprise my husband. I  save the grease and use it for sauteing vegetables. This time I poured some of it into my salad dressing for flavoring. 

Winter veggies

3. I love to cook and really love to bake and even though I enjoy
the rhythm of washing dishes I sometimes get tired of doing it 3 times a day. An elderly friend told me that she runs a pan of hot soapy water before she starts cooking and washes as she cooks. I'm sure many of you already practice this but it was news to me. What a difference it makes! I'm almost done with my dishes before I've finished the meal. I try to make it a game and set a goal for myself. I'm easily entertained! :-)

4.  God spoils me! He really does! I can't count how many times I have thought to myself that I need 'this or that' and God has answered that 'thought' in such an amazing way. I have a pair of garden clippers that are broken but still work so I haven't wanted to spend money on a new pair. Amazingly enough a GOOD pair of clippers were found in the middle of the road while driving the other day. 

5. I'm trying to use chicken more for my meals since it's so inexpensive. I've been searching the internet for new recipes. I've tried quite a few of Pioneer Woman's recipes and they've always turned out great. I tried a new recipe called Chicken and Beef Fajitas and we really liked them. They were extremely flavorful and spicy. I let them marinade overnight. Here is the link: 

Chicken and Beef Fajitas by Dee Rummond 

6.  I use hairspray and it caked on to my curling iron to where my hair was sticking when I tried to curl it. While my curling iron was still hot (and unplugged) I sprayed oven cleaner on the barrel and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I then took an SOS and scrubbed off the hairspray. Good as new!

Watermelon from our garden! It was wonderful!

7. The price of meat continues to rise. I spent a few extra minutes at the meat aisle the other day to see if I could find any cheaper cuts of meat. I try to keep it under $1.99 a pound but lately that is becoming impossible unless I buy chicken. I was thrilled to find a family pack of ribs for $1.99 a pound. The entire package was under $10. It will feed us for 3 days. Buying in bulk can save money. 

8. My shower tiles baffle me! They are old and I fight mold in the grout. I tried a new homemade shower cleaner that I liked. I warmed 1 cup of white vinegar and then put it in a spray bottle. I added 1 cup of Dawn (blue) detergent and then shook the bottle. I sprayed it evenly over the tiles and let it sit for 2 hours. Then I scrubbed the tiles. 

9. I have a "FLYLADY" notebook for my housekeeping schedule that I've used for years. I decided to add more dividers for: 
- Company (Favorite meals for visiting guests)
- Gardening (homemade bug repellants and fertilizers, etc.)
- Household Products (Product numbers for items such as refrigerator filters, spa chemicals,etc. and where to buy them and the price). 

I'm getting to 'that' age where I am more forgetful plus it helps to have a place to keep these details. 

10.  Things I saved this month:
     - Plastic packaging  for: brownies, brown sugar, pinto bean bag
       (washed and reused as storage bags)
     - Cotton inside my vitamin bottle. (I used it to take off my 
       old fingernail polish.) 
     - Vegetable trimmings and peelings (compost)
     - Tea bags (I use 3 used teabags to make 1 cup of tea)
     - A T-shirt that was worn out. (dust rag)
     - Past income tax paperwork (shredded and put in compost pile)
       - Tinfoil not used on dairy or meat. (washed and reused).
     - Low carb tortilla bag that had a nice little ziplock. (washed    
       and reuse as a storage bag).

Just one more!

I've had people ask how I can live in such a small (745 sq. ft.) home. I've replied that I'm just as content as can be since we previously lived in 300 sq. ft. for 2 1/2 years while waiting for my husband to get on disability. So 745 sq. ft. seems BIG in comparison. But, I always end that statement with...'I am so content on a daily basis EXCEPT for the fact that we don't have room for the entire family to come for the holidays.'

My hydrangeas are so big this year. I think planting tin cans around the roots helped. 

Recently, it dawned on me that if I were content then were would be no exceptions. Contentment means you have enough and need nothing else. You know that feeling after eating at a smorgasbord?  You've had enough and it's sufficient! You can't eat another bite, not even dessert. You are satisfied. That is the meaning of the word content in Scripture.

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 
1Ti 6:8  ESV

Content: (G714) ἀρκέω: be content, be enough, suffice, be sufficient.

I realized at that moment that I have not been practicing contentment. I was ashamed to think that after the Lord had blessed us with our own home that I still lacked a thankful heart. I wanted just ONE MORE THING!

Not much has changed since the Garden of Eden, has it? Eve wasn't content with what the Lord had provided and wanted something more and here I am years later doing the same thing. 

But by God's grace my eyes are open now and by His grace I purpose to be content with all the aspects of living in my little adobe!

The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men. Psalm 37:16    Net Bible

***

Here are a few things I've been doing lately: 

1. I've been making homemade laundry detergent for many, many years. It's one of my biggest money savers. I made a new batch which fills a 5 pound bucket. I use 1/2 to 1 cup of detergent for each laundry load. I use the Dugger's recipe.

Dugger's Laundry Soap

4 c. hot water

1 Fels Naptha bar

1 cup Washing Soda

1/2 cup Borax

1. Grate bar. Add to water.

2. Melt soap over low heat. 

3. Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water. 

4. Add above mixture. Stir till dissolved. 

5.  Fill bucket to top with hot water.

Our 'girl' checking out the tomato bed. 

2. I was also out of my homemade stain removal. This recipe has worked very well for me. 

2/3 cup Dawn (or other dishsoap, but I always use Dawn)

2/3 cup ammonia ( I used AWESOME cleaner from the Dollar Tree because I was out of ammonia)

6 TBSP. baking soda

2 c. warm water

Mix together. Shake before use. I keep this in a glass jar and use a toothbrush which I dip into the stain remover and rub on to the stain.

3. I bought a Comfrey plant off of Ebay last year. I read to let it grow the first year and to wait until the second year to harvest it. A few weeks ago I cut enough leaves to fill half of a 5 pound bucket. I used a brick to weigh the leaves down while I poured water over the top. I put a lid on top because I've read that the smell is pretty strong as it matures. It's 'fermenting' at the back of our yard for the next 6 weeks and then we'll use the 'tea' to fertilize the tomatoes and throw the leaves in the compost bin.

4. I figured out partly why I was having problems with my budget. I accidentally left out a $100 item. DUMB! I'm hoping next month's budget will be balanced now that I found the problem. I find it so important to keep a close eye on my budget. One mistake can send my finances into a tailspin.

This is Miss Alice's cactus which is now living with me. I pray for her when
I pass by her cactus. I love it's blooms.  

5. I prayed hard this past week before I went shopping and asked the Lord to help me stretch my grocery money for the week. This was a 5 week pay period and my new inflammation-free diet has put a strain on my budget along with rising prices. I saw a red sticker on a flat of eggs marked down 1/2 off. The next dollar store I went to had their eggs marked down to .25 cents for 6 eggs. I asked a clerk if they had any more at that price and they did. Laine taught me to pray as I enter a store... "Lord give me eyes to see"... and He does.

6. I've learned where the mark down items are in the grocery stores where I shop. I've asked clerks to point out mark downs, too. Last week I found a bag of artichokes marked down to .99. They were a bit brown but cooked up just fine. I also found a bag of over ripe bananas for .99. I only use about an inch in our smoothies so I froze them.

7. I'm making more of an effort to save my change and keep it out of my purse. Once I break a dollar I try to save the change. I'll find a specific use for it.

8. Did you know Costco accepts manufacture coupons on Nature Made vitamins? There is a reward code on their vitamins. If you sign up on their webpage and put the reward code in each time you buy a new bottle you can earn a $5 coupon. There given an option for a Costco coupon. I buy their Triple Flex when it's on sale for $6 off and try to time it to use the $5 coupon at the same time.

9. I made several batches of sugar free blackberry jam from our bushes. This is their second year and we're getting a good crop. The raspberries are doing well, too. I'm freezing the blackberries in 4 cup measurements to use for pies this summer when company visits. The raspberries and strawberries are being frozen for low carb protein shakes. I never would have imagine that our small city lot could produce such wonderful fruit and vegetables.

10. What I didn't throw away:
     ~ Egg shells (compost for tomatoes)
     ~ Low Carb tortilla bag (reused)
     ~ Back of paper for scrap paper
     ~ Dish rinse water (used it to soak next load of dishes)
     ~ Cardboard egg carton (store garlic bulbs from garden)
     ~ Tea bag strings (tied 3 together and use in the garden to tie up plants)
     ~ Tea bags (compost)

So that's just a few highlights of my week. What have you ladies been doing in your home lately? Are you learning to be content with what you've been given?

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

Know when to quit!

Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. 

Be wise enough to know when to quit. 

Proverbs 23:4 NLT

 I can remember a very specific time in our marriage when I was not content with my husband's income and ended up wearing myself out to make more money. I wanted just $50 more a month to spend on gifts for my relatives at Christmas and birthdays. So I racked my brain until I came up with the idea to start a used curriculum business for homeschoolers. The business grew and eventually brought in a decent second income but my family paid a high price for my lack of contentment. I wore myself out trying to make extra money and it put a strain on our home and our relationships. My best was given to the customers in the store and my family was given the leftovers of my energy.  All because I lacked faith that God would provide through my husband and a lack of contentment with his wages. If only I had been wise enough to know when to quit as the scripture says above.

Recently I am learning how this scripture speaks to my life today. I'm learning that frugality can wear a person out, too.  There have been times when I've crammed so many frugal duties into my day that my exhaustion tempted me to be less patient with my husband. I've had to ask myself lately if I'm elevating saving money over loving my husband well?

What is more important? Saving a few pennies or my relationship with my husband? The answer is obvious but how do I work this out daily? A few days ago I found myself feeling anxious as I rushed through three loads of laundry that needed to be hung and bread rising in the breadmakers and my Monday housecleaning that needed to be done. So I did the unthinkable and threw a load of towels in the dryer and you know what... the world did not come to an end! *wink* I also chose to not compost that day and made other small choices to make it easier to walk in the Spirit rather than put myself in a position to be tempted to sin by being impatient with my husband.

God's ways are so much higher than our ways. Our culture says we need more and better.  Our flesh always screams for just one more and something new. But contentment in every situation gives us rest from all that our flesh is screaming for. Why can we be content? Because HE will NEVER leave us! His ways are so wise! He only wants what is best for us and our families.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5 ESV

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 1Timothy 6:8  ESV

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 ESV


**~**~**~**

Here are a few things I did in my home this week:

1. I cut my husband's hair this past week as I've been doing for 30 years. Boy has it saved me a lot of money through the years.

2. Another garden plot was added for tomatoes. They are doing beautifully! There is a chance we'll end up with no lawn at all as our veggie garden slowly takes over!

New tomato bed. 

3. I'm still eating Paleo/Low carb. I've found a yummy (to me) ice cream recipe. I've taken it to family gatherings and it's helped me not to be tempted to indulge in high sugar goodies! I can't remember where I found this recipe so if you recognize it then please let me know so I can give you credit.

Chocolate Low Carb Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk 

(I used 1/2 can of coconut cream from Trader Joe

 and coconut milk to fill the rest of the can)

4 Tbsp. Hershey's cocoa

4 Tbsp. Truvia (I used 4 Tbsp. Erythritol and 1/8 tsp. Kal Stevia)

4 egg yolks (I used 4 egg whites)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 package Knox gelatin (I used 1 package)

The original recipe calls for heating the milk on low flame and then mixing in the rest of the ingredients until it reaches 175 degrees and then cool down. This is the recommended way to cook eggs for ice cream. I didn't do this though and just mixed up all the ingredients and poured it into my 

ice cream maker.  It's the kind of ice cream maker that you put the tub in the freezer and don't use ice or rock salt. I then scoop it into Popsicle holders. 

4.  I've heard that our city may be  in a drought so I'm trying to conserve water. I hate to see water running down the drain while waiting for it to heat up to wash my dishes. So, I'm running the cold water into an 8 cup plastic measuring cup. I tried doing this a few years ago but I was running the water into a bucket instead.  It was hurting my back and neck so I stopped the practice. The measuring cup is small enough that it's not putting a strain on my back. I have a small bucket on the back step that I throw it in and it's used to water the plants near the back step.

5.  I've added a 'vegetable garden envelope' to my budget. There's been a pattern of purchasing potting soil and seeds and fertilizer in the spring so I need to budget for this expense. This year I took it out of other 'envelopes' which is not a good practice. I'm setting aside $10 a month for now. That will give me $120 by next Spring... Lord willin' and if the creek don't rise ... or prices.! :-)

6.  I'm slowly checking off projects on my 'to do list'. I finished a lap quilt that needed a new binding. The next project to tackle is my unfinished quilt. I wasn't feeling perky this winter and never got around to finishing it.  I need to go through 2 large Rubbermaid tubs of photo pictures. I'm searching for the best solution for storage. Right now they are in my closet and no one is able to enjoy the pictures. I'm considering downsizing the pictures to a limited amount of albums I can place on my bookshelves.   (Update: I'm almost finished with this project).

7. I went over my grocery budget by $100 last month. I got some counsel from my friend Laine and she suggested I go back to shopping weekly. So, I've divided my budget by the number of weeks in the month. I will 'pay' myself the budgeted amount each week. This method of budgeting always works well for me. I got off track because I was stocking up at some discounts stores in the beginning of the pay period. I spent too much and then ran out of money before I was half way through the pay period. If this doesn't work then I'll have to come up with another plan. Food prices continue to rise.

8. Our summer garden is slowly growing. I'm picking strawberries right now and some Stockton Red onions. We have cantaloupe, squashes, spinach, Swiss chard, garlic, collard greens, celery, tomatoes, hot peppers, okra, artichokes and two kinds of green beans planted along with corn. Our 5 types of berries and grapes are showing fruit but not ripe yet. It amazes me how much we can fit into our small city lot.

9. I organized the garage and the side of the garage where we store pieces of lumber and pipe. It amazes me how quickly a room can get out of order. Then when you try to find something that's not in it's place you end up buying another one to replace it. An organized home is one way to save money.

10. I'm back in the routine of washing my car once a week since summer is here. I pretend I am paying myself $10 for washing it instead of paying someone else. I always dread it but once I start it takes me less than 10 minutes.

What I didn't throw away:

• Tea bags (3 'recycled' tea bags = 1 cup of tea)
• Egg shells (great for my tomato plants)
• I'm starting to compost again now that the weather is turning off warmer. 
• Lawn clippings go into compost pile
• Washed and dried used tinfoil. 
• Rubber bands from asparagus and broccoli. 
• Washed and dried plastic bags from lettuce and Erythritol. 
• Banana peels: Buried near root of rose bushes. 

How are you ladies doing? I know everyone is so busy but I do think of you and I'm always encouraged when I hear what you are doing in your homes.

Blessed to be a homemaker!

Georgene

Giving on a Tight Income!

For those of us living on less there is a temptation to hold onto our money and not give to those in need. We know the daily struggle to stay within a tight budget. We work hard to stretch our  income to meet all of the expenses. What if we won't have enough to meet our own needs?

I am confronted with this question when I see a homeless person sitting on the curb with a sign for help. Or when I hear of a need at church or in my neighborhood.

Missing my 2 grandbabies who moved many miles away. 

The scriptures have a lot to say about giving to those who are poor. You may be saying, 'But I AM POOR !' Yes, compared to some we may be. But, we are rich in comparison to the homeless or our Christian brothers and sisters living in other countries or maybe even the widow living on Social Security.  Sometimes we may not have any extra to give. God understands. But, how often do we have just a little more than we need and hoard it for ourselves out of fear?

I often think of this scripture and marvel at their faith:


We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 2 Cor. 8:1-5


They gave out of their EXTREME POVERTY! They gave BEYOND THEIR MEANS!  They BEGGED for the FAVOR to relieve the saints.  Maybe because they gave themselves FIRST TO THE LORD?!

I know things are tight for many of us.  But, it is possible to give even on a small budget. God knows what is best for us! He knows that we not only bless others when we give but we are blessed, too!

Here are a few  ideas:

• Pick up 1 snack item(peanuts, crackers) at the dollar store along with a 6 pack of water to carry in the car along. Include a gospel tract. That way you have something to hand to the poor as you drive by.
• Watch for needs in your neighborhood. Do you know an elderly person living on a tight budget? Maybe you could make an extra loaf of bread next time your're baking. Or take a plate of cookies? Or invite them to dinner?
• Do you know a young family that is struggling to make ends meet? Maybe you have extras in your food pantry that your family won't eat. Maybe you could make a pot of vegetable soup to share. 
• Do you have a garden? You could share your surplus. 
• Do you give yourself an allowance? Possibly set aside $5 to pick up sale items to share with someone whose husband is out of work. 
• Watch FREECYCLE giveaways for items to give to others in need. 

There are so many creative ways to give without putting a dangerous strain on your own family. Of course we must always take our husbands wishes into account.


What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 ESV


*~*~*~*

1. Payday has arrived! YAY! This last pay period was 5 weeks! Boy was it tight the last 2 weeks but we made it! I spent too much at the beginning which left me with $70 for 3 weeks. I divided it by 3 and only spent that amount each week buying just what was needed. I'm trying to slow down my spending this month. It's a challenge because I'm out of so much by the end of the pay period.

2. I keep the lights off during the day. At first it seemed so dark in the house but we've adjusted now. At night I keep nightlights on in the bedrooms and the bathroom so we don't have to turn on the lights except for the living room where we spend the evening.

3.  I'm ALWAYS thinking about how to lower my grocery bill. This month I'm focusing on snacks. I decided to buy more veggies for snacking instead of low carb muffins and sunflower seeds. The sunflower seed and coconut flour in the muffins are not cheap. I purchased a huge bag of organic celery at Costco for around $3, a bag of carrots and 2 bunches of radishes. They are cut and easily to find in my fridge. They are filling and less calories, too.

4.  I shopped 7 stores in one day to save money on my groceries. I made a full circle so that I didn't spend extra on gas. I hit the discount grocery stores first, the dollar store and then the main grocery store and finally Walmart. I made a list and prayed for help to stick with it.  Normally I look for deals as I'm shopping but this time I tried to stay focused on only buying what was on my list. I did find 2 great deals that just popped out at me.

5.  It rained for 3 days this week. YAY! Winter may finally be here! I did laundry while it was raining so I didn't run the rinse water from the washing machine to the flower beds. Instead, I turned off the faucet on the garbage can that holds the rinse water and let the rinse water fill up the garbage can. I now have a large garbage can full of water to use once it stops raining. I hope to buy another garbage can after Christmas to save more water.

6.  What I saved this week:

• rubber band that bound the radishes
• veggie peelings and egg shells for compost file
• TP end roll for compost. 
• Leaves for compost pile

7. I keep looking for new recipes to use the veggies in our garden. I'm focusing on the swiss chard right now. I plan on trying an Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing for a swiss chard salad.

8. My girls bought most of the food for Thanksgiving in exchange for me doing the cooking and baking. They are so busy! I don't mind! I love to cook and bake for my family! I start prepping for the meal a few days in advance. This makes it less stressful on the day of the dinner. I already cut my onions and celery for the stuffing and tore the bread in small pieces. I made the pie crusts a few weeks ago and hid them in the freezer. I also did the major cleaning on Monday. The more I can do ahead of time the more I enjoy our time together.

9. I was pricing sunflower seeds and comparing ounces to the price when I noticed that some of the bags had coupons. When I looked closer I realized the final price would be .18  for a 4.5 ounce bag. I bought 10 bags for $1.80. Husband was happy, happy, happy!

10.  I've wear a CPAP mask at night for sleep apnea. A friend gave me 2 new masks that are different than the kind I normally wear. I don't like the way they fit at all and they hurt my face but I'm 'practicing' each night. I'm hoping I can adjust to them. It would save me $25. My old one is wearing out. I've learned over the years that you can adjust to many things you thought you couldn't if you just practice patience! I need patience! 

I hope you all have a wonderful, and THANKS FILLED Thanksgiving! We are so abundantly blessed that Jesus Christ came to die the death we deserved for our sins and by faith in Him we can have peace with God!

...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:4


“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV

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

Cutting Costs in the Budget

I've spent the week working on our budget. Well, I've done other things, too! :-) I have one week left of work and then our income will drop by $400 a month.

We talked about dropping our internet but we use it for a land line with Magic Jack. Magic Jack has been great but it has some problems occasionally. The cell phone is our back up in case the Magic Jack is not working. I'm still hoping to find a way to drop that bill from $25 to $15 a month.  I'm  looking for a lower cell phone plan for $10 a month or less.  I'm considering 'pay as you go' phones but have heard some bad reviews.

The utility and grocery budget are flexible so they continue to be a focal point.

Strawberry patch

 Last winter I kept the heat off as much as possible. I closed off the rooms we were not using but ended up with mold because it got too cold. My husband and I slept with hats and gloves on at night and a ton of blankets.  We were a cute pair! Ha! I was cozy warm once I got under the covers. But,  it ended up being too hard on my husband physically.  He suffers with pain continually so I didn't want to add to his discomfort. I can usually keep my electric and gas bill below $100 a month. This month it's right at $70. My water bill fluctuates anywhere from $90-120 depending on how much we are watering in the garden. I've budgeted for $200 total for all utilities.

I still believe my grocery budget holds the greatest potential for saving money. I have been spending a minimum of $360 a month. I am budgeting for $60 less than I have been spending.  I was using $100 of my part time income to pay for the higher grocery bill. There is no buffer now.  Saving money in the grocery budget involves more cooking and choosing simple and inexpensive recipes and shopping 'loss leaders'.  I did a lot of cooking this week to stretch the food and we ate a lot of chicken.

Fall crop of broccoli

 
The bottom line of my new budget is $11 leftover at the end of the month. This is after putting $50 into savings. Any KNOWN future expenses (DMV fees, accounting, Christmas, birthdays,etc.)  are divided by the year and the monthly allotted amount is saved. I wondered how many of you live on a budget that tight? Is it unrealistic?

I found myself confronted with waves of anxiousness this week mingled with gusts of faith. The anxiousness came as a result of looking into the future and fearing what 'might' happen without my extra salary. The faith came when I renewed my mind in God's Word and trusted that He is my provider.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17 ESV

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Matthew 6:34 ESV


~~~~~~~~~~

Here are a few ways I saved money or stretched what we had this week:

1.  I've been freezing meat and vegetable scraps for over a month. I finally had enough to make dog food. We mix it in with the dried dog food to stretch it.

2.  I made soap all by myself! It 'traced' but when I checked on it the second day it seemed too soft. Each time I check it firms up a little more. I'm hoping it will turn out so I can use it for gifts.

3.  I was given a free Aloe plant. I haven't had one since we sold our last home. I like to use Aloe for burns so I was happy to receive two small plants. The same sweet lady gave me a food dehydrator. It was a desire of my heart that God met.

4. I harvested my Stevia leaves. I left about 5 inches on the plant. I was going to make a tincture using glycerin  until I discovered that it's full of sugar.  Instead, I  tied the branches in bunches and they're hanging in the garage. They should be thoroughly dried in 7-10 days. I'll put the leaves in a blender to make powder. I hope this works. Hopefully husband won't mind that the color will be green instead of the bleached white color. The Stevia I purchase from Amazon costs nearly $20 for a small bottle but it last a long, long time.

5. I harvested the eggplant. I blanched it for a few minutes and then froze it between wax paper and then put the layers in a freezer bag.

6.  I spent an afternoon taking in some pants and tops on my sewing machine so I don't have to buy new clothes.

Seedlings of onion, broccoli, swiss chard and cabbage

7.  A lot of research  went into finding an alternative to our current satellite and internet packages. Our contract for satellite will not be up until June. If we cancel early they will charge $275. (Note to self: No more contracts!)  I think we came to a conclusion to downgrade our satellite package until the contract is up in June. This will save us $30 a month. If I can find a good cell phone solution then we may end up cancelling the internet since there is not contract.

8. I needed cat litter this week. I decided to 'look around' on the shelves by the cat litter I normally buy instead of just purchasing the old standby.  I found a bag that was half as much. My plan is to mix it in with the expensive stuff and cut my costs. I hope it works.

9.  I made a homemade recipe for Shake and Bake. It tasted almost identical. I don't know if I can share the recipe here since it's copyrighted. Can I? Here is the link:

Over Fried Chicken 111

 "Snow on the Mountain"

10.  Things I didn't throw away this week:

• Old clothes (rug making)
• Toilet paper cardboard (compost)
• Tinfoil cardboard (compost)
• Tin cans (cut up and used to fertilize Azalea and Hydrangea)
• Plastic  and glass jar containers (recycle)
• Egg cartons (compost) 
• Reused washed Seran wrap that had been used on fruit.

I'm thinking a lot about Christmas lately. I'd love to find some new gift ideas to make at home. What are you making for Christmas?

Georgene

Making extra money

What happens when the paycheck doesn't seem to meet all of your needs and wants? Do you look for more work or do you tighten your expenses? This is a topic we've (myself and those who have responded)  been chatting about the past few weeks. I imagine there are many different answers depending on a person's situation.

My husband's paychecks have ALWAYS met our needs and many of our 'wants', too.  Even now that we are living on his disability income (and my VERY small part time paycheck) all of our 'needs' and quite a few of our 'wants' are being met.

Homemade Coconut Milk Berry Ice Cream

But, sometimes it 'feels' very tight and if I'm not careful with my thoughts I can sense resentment rearing it's ugly head. I think it's when my 'wants' get transferred to the 'needs' list. It doesn't take long before the Lord will bring others to my attention who are living with much less. This week the Syrians dreadful situation has sparked gratitude in my heart for all I do have. I read that 6,000 people are fleeing Syria daily. Imagine uprooting your family and fleeing to another country with no prospect for a job.. Perspective makes a huge difference in my thinking and it initiates appreciate for all I do have today.


A few of my blessings:

A few of the grandones spent the night last weekend! They are so much fun! We played Upwords, Headbands, made cookies, watched movies and played video games. Thankfully they seem to still enjoy visiting even with our outdated technology. This is only 2 of the 4 that visited.

~~~

 Here are a few things I did this week to save money:

1.  We were invited to a family birthday party and I was asked to bring a dish. Instead of trying to 'wow' them with a great recipe I decided to check what I had in my pantry. I had all the ingredients on hand to make a broccoli casserole (which is a great recipe, too!). YAY!!!

2.  I have quite a few eggplants in the garden. My neighbor told me to check ALLRECIPES for a recipe called Hot and Sour Chinese Eggplant. It was really good. I would peel the eggplant next time. I used stevia to replace the sugar. It's fun to try new recipes!

3. I made a batch of enchilada sauce for a recipe I plan to make soon. I had a bag of dried chilies on hand. Next time I'll make a larger batch and freeze the leftovers. Here is the recipe:

Enchilada Sauce

6 dried ancho chilies (I used New Mexico chilies)

2 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

3 cups beef or chicken broth

2 tbsp. flour to thicken

Bake chilies on a cookie sheet in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 2-4 minutes. Watch closely so they don't burn. You just want to warm them to help bring out the flavor. Remove the seeds. Put the chilies in a bowl and completely cover with hot water. Cover. Allow to soak for 1 hour. Combine all the other ingredients together and about 1 cup of broth over medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove and put in blender until it's smooth. Put in skillet on stove and add the rest of the broth. Put  2 tbsp. of flour  in jar with a little water and shake till smooth and then add to skillet. Simmer until it thickens. Add more broth if needed.

4.   I made some Roasted Tomato Basil Soup for lunch.  Here is a link to the recipe I used. I only had 2 cups of basil in the garden but it still tasted wonderful! I plan on making at least one batch of soup a week to help cut the cost of my lunches.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

My son saved us $150 by chopping down our tree.

5. I found  hamburger on sale for $1.99 a pound. It was the kind with a high fat content. I rinsed it with hot water once it was cooked and drained well.  The leaner hamburger has gone up to over $3.00 a pound which has put it out of my price range.

6. I started another potholder for Christmas. I also have a potholder started in the car bag. My car bag has little projects I do while I sit in the Drs. office or wait in a long line. I normally have a book in the bag, too.  I have finished a lot of gifts (and books) this way.

7. I pulled out a quilt top that I want to make for a second nephew for Christmas. I measured for the seam binding and put the measurements in my purse. I'll purchase contrast material for the binding next paycheck but definitely will check the local thrift stores first. 

8.  I saved, washed, dried and will reuse a bread wrapper, brown sugar wrapper and a frozen vegetable bag. My mother saves her comics for me which I use as wrapping paper for the grandchildren's gifts.  I also save my jars to pour fat and grease into so it doesn't go down my drain.  I saved more of the tea bag strings. I know some of you think I'm going too far by saving those strings but they are STRONG and I can use it to prop up my plants in the yard.

9.  I made Sugar Fee Snow Cone Syrup. It will be a LOT cheaper than buying the DaVinci SF syrup in the store. It's made with 2 packets of Koolaid, 1 1/2 cps. Splenda and 3 cups of water. Stir and refrigerate. Next time I'm going to try making it with Stevia since I really don't like using Splenda for health reasons.

10. I put my small sewing box in the living room next to my chair with some socks that need mending. I also have a few Christmas projects to work on . It's convenient and a good reminder when I sit down with husband in the evenings. "A stitch in time saves nine".  *smile*

11. We were told it would cost $150 to chop down a tree in the backyard that was shading 1/4 of our vegetable garden. We've had some dental bills which have taken most of our extra income so we haven't been able to save the $150. My son came over on Saturday and sawed down the tree and then hauled off the heavy pieces to the dump. So extremely thankful for his help!

What did you do this week?  Were you busy or busy as a 'backward bee'?  So what do you make for lunches that is inexpensive? And how do you entertain your older grandchildren?

May God's grace amaze you!

Georgene

The Weight of Debt!

The home we moved in to last year was built in 1917 and was in pretty bad shape. It needed a lot of initial work. There have been a lot of small projects since then, too.  I started a bad habit using my credit card to fund these small projects with the goal of paying off the balance once I got paid. Somehow it snowballed and I ended up with a $250 credit card bill. We have been debt free for nearly 5 years (except our mortgage) and even though the unpaid balance was small it still hung heavy over my head. I used every extra penny so I could pay it off. My commitment to staying debt free has been renewed... as long as it is within my power.

The lesson I learned again is that debt feels like a ball and chain hanging around my neck. Secondly, it steals money from future paychecks. Third, it would have been wise to save the money FIRST and then pay for the projects instead of stealing from future paychecks.
 
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.  Proverbs 22:7 NASB

***
Here is how I saved money in my home this week:

1. A friend called and offered free peaches from her tree. I dropped all my plans for the day and went to pick 2 small buckets. Free food rarely comes at a convenient moment. I'm learning to take advantage of it when the opportunity arises.  I've missed out on free food in the past because I didn't flex and give up my schedule.  I froze some of the peaches for smoothies and some will be used in low carb pies. What a huge blessing. I went back a few days later and picked a half a bucket of blackberries and another bag of peaches.

2.  I've been saving egg shells to make another batch of liquid fertilizer. I put them in a bucket with a lid in the backyard until I had enough. A few days ago I made 1 batch to pour on our tomatoes. I need to make another batch this weekend. I boiled a gallon of water and pour it over 20 egg shells and then steeped it for 8 hours. I removed the egg shells before I poured the water on the tomatoes.

3. I'm still trying to reduce my grocery budget. So, I decided to make up a new 2 week menu. I'm going to try something new. I'm going buy a 10 pound bag of chicken each week at .69-89 cents a pound. I'll barbecue it, fry it, shred it.. you get the idea.  I'll either use beef or fish 1-2 times a week and keep the price under $3 a pound.  I'm hoping hubby can tolerate that much chicken. :-)

4.  I have a lot of spaghetti squash in the garden and LOTS of tomatoes. I made 2 batches of spicy tomato sauce which is like a marinara sauce and froze it. I used the tomato sauce to make a spaghetti sauce and poured it over the spaghetti squash. My eggplants are ripe so I used a large one to make Eggplant Parmesan. I used the leftover spicy tomato sauce which is like a Marinara sauce. I picked fresh basil from my herb garden to layer in between.  I wasn't sure if my husband would like it but he loved it. I have enough for one more meal.

5. I ran out of homemade stain remover so I made a new batch. I've been using it for a year and a half and I've had no problems with it bleaching the clothes and it does a good job of getting out new stains. I previously put it in a spray bottle but the end of the sprayer became clogged. So, this time I put the mixture in a quart jar with a lid. I'll use a spoon to dip it out. Here is the recipe:

Homemade Stain Remover

2/3 cup Dawn dish soap 

2/3 cup ammonia

6 tbsp. baking soda

2 cups warm water

Mix together and put in spray bottle or bottle. 

6. I used the heels of the bread loaf to make bread crumbs. I toasted the bread and then put it in a blender until it was the same consistency as store bought bread crumbs.

7.  I used the leftover low carb pie crust to make a few sugar free tarts. I had some leftover coconut cream milk so I made low carb ice cream with peaches and blackberries a few days later. 

8. I pressure canned 5 pint jars of green beans from our garden.

9. Fridays are my 'outside day'. I wash the truck and mow the lawn and do some yard work. I have found that if I assign big tasks to certain days then there is less chance of avoiding the task. Because if I avoid the task then I am tempted to run the truck through the car wash.



10.  I bought my granddaughter her first sewing book and have wanted to teach her to sew. She spent the night last week so I thought it was the perfect opportunity. But, I had given away all my material because I just didn't have room for it. Well, the neatest thing happened. A family member had just given me 2 bags of material a few days ahead. I'm not sure why I kept the material.. especially since I had just gotten rid of a ton of material. But, I did. My granddaughter looked through the material and found a piece of material and some felt she liked.  God had provided every single item we needed for the project. The only thing I didn't have was the stuffing. I prayed and prayed for God to show me what I had in my hand that I could use. I ended up cutting the end of my down pillow and pulled the stuffing from it.   He proves Himself to be my provider .. time and time again. Jehovah Jireh.

The Lord Will Provide... Genesis 22:14

My granddaughter chose an owl for her first sewing project.

 So what have you girls been doing the past week in your home?