Then.. life happened... and I fell down my back stairs which slowed life down to a snails pace due to some swollen toes! Interesting how you can have a long 'to do list' and be cruisin' right along and all of a sudden.... the brakes hit! Even though I wasn't able to stand long on my feet I still was able to work on some research projects (sitting down) to save money.Today I hope to do some de-cluttering of paperwork.
1. I turned off my computer printer. I figured there is no use keeping it on when I'm not using it daily. I also started unplugging my laptop when not in use.
2. I used one of those 'chunks of time' to mend an old quilt that was falling apart. I hope to get a few more years out of it.
3. I stretched my scrambled eggs by adding water.
4. I'm on a mission to reduce my water bill. I had started saving the water that normally would run down the drain while waiting for hot water and put it on my flowers that are in pots outside. The plants are not needing as much water now that winter is here so I decided to try something new. I heated up a cup of water in the microwave and used that to wash my face. It's working great. So, this week I came up with another idea. I decided to run the water slowly while it's heating up to wash my dishes? I normally turn the faucet on full blast. It heats up just as fast when I ran it slow and I wasted less water. I'm still throwing the rinse water on plants outside.
5. I'm a member of a local Yahoo group called Freecyle. These groups are all over the world. It's a group where you can post items you want to give away and you can also post items you need. I've been blessed by many wonderful items off this list over the past few years. This week I picked up a nearly new plastic outdoor chair and 2 boxes of free food.
6. I started popping popcorn on the stove instead of buying microwave popcorn. I've been hearing horrible things about the oil in the microwave bags so this will be a cheaper alternative and also a healthier one.
7. I called my gas and electric company to find out how to use their website more efficiently. It's really a wonderful tool to track where my money is going. I also asked the lady if there were any programs that would help reduce my bill. I found out that I can get a reduction on my bill because I use a life saving device called a CPAP machine. Our electric company also offers a discount to low income people of about 20%.
8. I started a Price Book last week. This week, while I was recuperating, I went through this months grocery receipts and wrote down the date, item, price and store it was purchased in a small notebook with dividers. Prices continue to rise so quickly that I often have a difficult time remembering what I last paid for items I don't buy regularly.
9. You may scratch your head when I list the next thing I did this week to save money. I Iistened to a teaching CD. Not on just any topic but on contentment. One of the many points made was that if we don't learn to be content with what we have today or where we are today (or our life ) then we will never be happy or content when we finally get 'it' (fill in whatever you think you need to make you happy). The scripture text was Phil. 4:10-13. The apostle Paul LEARNED contentment ...whether in jail.. in shipwrecks...in affliction... he learned to be content whether he had much or little. Listening to this CD and reminding myself what God's Word says was one of the best things I did this week in regards to how I view money.
What did you do to save money this week? I love to learn from other women!
