The drought and saving money!

It's no secret that California is in a drought. Everyone and their neighbor seem to have an opinion on how to solve the crisis. Most are not happy about the solutions given by our city and governor. But, I believe God's Word has the final say and it's very clear that God controls the rain. So, prayer becomes a top priority for those who acknowledge His power over His creation. I love seeing signs in front yards that say, 'Pray for Rain'. 

I've been conserving water ever since we moved into our home over 3 years ago. The drought was not as serious as it is now.  Lately, I've started researching more ways to cut back since we may have to cut our usage by 25% in the coming years.

My Trumpet Vine taketh overeth! :-)

 Here are a few things I do in my home to save and reuse water:

~ I put a large, plastic measuring cup under the faucet while I'm waiting for hot water to reach the house.  I usually get 16 cups of cold water which I dump into a bucket outside my door. The water is used to water the herbs on the patio table or to replenish the animal watering dishes.
~ I save the day old water from the cat and dog water bowls to water the plants.
~ I use steamed vegetable water to throw on my plants. I just make sure to not throw it close to the back door in case it draws flies.
~ Short showers.
~ Hot tub instead of a shower if we just need a light bath. 
~ I use the water from my laundry loads to water my flowers.
~ Leaves are kept in my flower beds to hold moisture in the soil.
~ I don't have automatic sprinklers so I use a kitchen timer to lessen the chance of a sprinkler running too long.
~ I only use 2 buckets of water to wash our truck. One bucket is for the soapy water and the other bucket is clean water to wash off the soap. This morning I used the 'start up' water from the kitchen faucet to rinse my truck.
~ I used to save the shower water to flush the toilet but lifting the buckets started playing havoc with my neck. But, this is another idea for those with a strong back and neck.

Strawberries are doing great this year!

~*~*~*

Last week I brought home a chocolate mint herb to dry for tea.  I was in a hurry to put away my groceries so I didn't check the soil to see if it was damp.  The next morning it was completely wilted. I honestly thought it didn't have a chance of survival but I watered it and hoped for the best. The next morning I was amazed to see that the water had revived it back to life.

I looked at that revived herb and instantly thought to myself, "Lord, that little wilted plant is how I feel  without Your Word. I have no strength to withstand the daily pressures of this life without your living Word daily sustaining me."

My hydrangea by the front door is blooming!

 I recently was struggling with a sin issue in my heart. I kept praying and asking the Lord to guide me through His Word. This morning a Scripture came to mind as I was working in the kitchen and SUDDENLY I had the answer I had been praying for.  He had spoken to me directly through His Word and I instantly had peace... perfect peace! 


 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3 ESV

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1 ESV

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  Psalm 23:2  ESV

My daughter by love and my grandchildren are here for a visit

~~~

A Typical Frugal Day


Here are a few things I've been doing in my home this past month.

1.  I had a large pitcher of ice tea leftover from a family gathering so instead of throwing it out I used it for hubby's morning hot tea. I normally use Earl Grey tea, which is pricey, so this practice helped stretch those tea bags. I save the tea bags in a small container in the fridge and use 3 recently used tea bags for one more cup.Waste not, want not! *smile*

2.  The winter onions were harvested this month. I froze 3 large bags of chopped onions but then decided to dehydrate the rest to save freezer space. A dear friend let me borrow her dehydrator which did a great job. I stored the onions in canning jars. The zucchini is starting to produce and we're not eating it fast enough so I started drying it, too. Last winter I used the dried veggies in my soups. You could also use them in casseroles, meatloaf, smoothies,muffins or chili.  It makes me twitch (smile) to buy zucchini in the winter at nearly $2 a pound when it's coming out my ears in the summer. This way I can purchase very little zucchini during the winter. I'm also trying my hand at drying herbs. The cilantro always bolts too fast before the tomatoes are ready. I'm hoping that dried cilantro will taste fine in homemade salsa. I'm drying basil and plan on drying some oregano soon.

Onions on left and boysenberries on right!

3. I used the last bit of toilet paper on the roll to wipe down my bathroom sink/toilet instead of throwing it away. I use a vinegar and water mixture in a spray bottle to clean my sink and toilet and then wipe down with the extra toilet paper. I used to throw the last bit of toilet paper away. Not any more. :-)

4. My small little backyard garden has produced enough berries to fill 15 pies so far or jam. Don't ever underestimate the size of a small city lot to stretch your grocery budget. There is a wonderful feeling of independence and joy when I can walk out my back door and pick my own food.  I plan on tearing out a few more flowers and replacing them with vegetable plants next year.  I'll move the flowers to the other side of the house that I only water once a week. It's very shady on that side of the house. It's their last chance for survival depending on how hardy they are. I call it my 'Last Chance Garden'.

"Last Chance Flower Garden ' on the side of the house

5. This year I decided to pick up 1 or 2 veggie plants each time I went to Walmart. We normally grow our veggies by seeds but we've had a hard time keeping up this year. This really helped to fill in some extra places in my garden with butternut squash, eggplant and a few cooking herbs.

6. I painted my spare bedroom. I was tempted to buy a new curtain rod since the older one didn't match. Instead, I checked the garage to see if I had any cans of spray paint and chose a color that blended with the curtains. It turned out so nice and looks brand new.

7. I've been spending too much on snack foods... healthy snack foods.. but it still increases my budget. I decided to buy more veggies and have them ready for snacks. It's less expensive per pound and is healthier.

8. I bought a Comfrey plant off  Ebay a few years ago. It's really grown big. I cut enough leaves to fill a large bucket, weighted them down with a brick and filled it with water and covered. It takes 4- 6 weeks to make a 'Comfrey tea' which I'll use on my tomatoes. Comfrey is high in nitrogen and it's cheaper than buying store fertilizers.

One view of my backyard vegetable garden.

9. This month I harvested leeks, onions, garlic, Swiss chard, radishes, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage, peppers, artichokes, cilantro and basil from my little  backyard garden. Grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, okra, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and eggplant are in the ground and thriving. Asparagus is sprouting spears but it won't be big enough to eat until next year. I love my garden.

10. I'm always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen...especially during the summer months when I'm so busy in the yard. I like to make extra coffee, sunflower seed flour muffins, frittata, large amounts of hamburger cooked/frozen, and  meatloaf recipes. Doubling my recipes helps me always have a quick meal on hand.

My daughter and I and mama at a Soroptomist Tea.

11. I've been digging up small little pebbles in my garden. I throw them in a coffee can.  Why? I thought you'd want to know! :-) I'll use them to put in the bottom of my pots for good drainage. They are free for the taking as long as I put out the time to gather them.This will save money in the long run.

12. My sister shared a useful idea she read in a magazine. I purchased a plastic colander and hung it by the outdoor faucet to clean off the veggies before I bring them into the home. I sit on my gardener's bench (like the one below) while I'm washing and cleaning the veggies. I love this bench! It sure saves my back when I'm pulling weeds because I'm not bending at the waste.Great idea, Sis!




SAVED, STRETCHED and REPURPOSED
~ Radish, asparagus and broccoli rubber bands saved, washed and reused.
~ Egg shells crushed and thrown in compost along with veggie and fruit peels. 
~ Plastic mushroom container washed and re used for a drawer organizer. 
~ Bills I receive in the mail often have an extra envelope which I don't use since I pay my bills online. I use the envelope to store seeds from my flowers and vegetables. We buy Heirloom seeds for that purpose. 
~ Small paper bag from pharmacy ( I save paper bags to ripen fruit or to store seeds).
~ Paper egg cartons, shredded toilet paper rolls are put in compost pile. 
~ Coffee grinds: I buried them around the azaleas and hydrangea. 

How is everyone summer going? Are you gardening? Canning?  Do you have some projects you hope to finish this summer? I always love learning from you gals!

Blessed to be home,
Georgene

 

 

Our Tongue and the Family

I recently read a question that captured my attention.

Are you growing in how you love your spouse?

Right on the heels of that question I began reading a book called, The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life's Hard which shared how their marriage was blessed by   speaking the 'law of kindness' to one another. 

I thought of what the opposite of kindness might look like. A cold shoulder? Distancing ourselves? A sharp, biting reply? Sarcasm? Standing up for ourselves with a cascade of unedifying, prideful words? Oh my! How many of us have given in to these temptations? I surely have at one time or another.


She opens her mouth with wisdom; and on her tongue is the law of kindness. Proverbs 31:26 KJV

Playing a new 'thrift' store game.

I've noticed how different seasons of life can tempt us to respond unkindly. I remember when my children were young and following a sleepless night there was the temptation to snap out a command instead of asking kindly. Sickness, retirement and growing older (the last 2 are my current season) can prove a temptation, too. We surely need the power of the Holy Spirit to respond kindly when we are in a weakened state.  

Jesus is the best reason to entice my heart to return a kindness for an unkindness. He showed the ultimate kindness by dying on the cross to pay for my sins... a death I deserved! While I was STILL a sinner.. undeserving of His kindness...an enemy...He died for my sins. The ultimate act of kindness!

Returning good for evil...a  kind word in response to an unkindness... is a beautiful opportunity to daily live out the gospel message to my family and others.  

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

It also shows my Savior how much I love Him by obeying His command.  


 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

      The grands and I playing Apples to Apples. (Can you see my cat on the back of the couch watching the neighborhood?)

"God, please help me to live by the 'law of kindness' towards others. I have often returned an unkindness for an unkindness. Help me by the power of your Holy Spirit that lives in me to deny myself and follow you.  In Jesus Name, Amen."

 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love KINDNESS, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,KINDNESS, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22  Galatians 5:22  ESV

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, KINDNESS, humility, meekness, and patience.. Col. 3:12 ESV


***

A TYPICAL FRUGAL DAY


1. Our ladies group at church is starting a new bible study in January. I found a used workbook through Amazon for half the price. 

  2. I've been off of wheat (except for an occasional indulgence) for over 3 years now. I normally don't miss it but lately I've been having problems with insomnia and find myself dipping into my husband's crackers in the middle of the night. I'm not sure why carbs are appealing to me at 2am in the morning... but they are! :-) So, I decided to be proactive and make some low carb crackers. I put them in the freezer for those 'I can't sleep' nights.

                             

Sunflower Crackers

3/4-1 cup sunflower seed flour (or almond flour)

4 tsp. Erythritol

1 egg white

less than 1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. onion powder

Mix together and then divide into 20-24 small balls. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put a piece of Seran wrap over a small can to flatten the balls and then peel off the Seran wrap and place on the cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes. Watch closely the last 5 minutes. Edges should be brown, center will be light colored.

3. I had an old kitchen cabinet in bad shape that we hoped to use in our garage but we just didn't have room for it. I hated to have my son take it to the dump since he is so busy so I kept thinking how I could repurpose it. I finally came up with the idea to make it into a compost bin. The doors and the back were taken off leaving just the frame. It works PERFECT! 

4. I found a new game at the thrift store. The grands loved it! 

5. I was inspired by Crystal's post over at Homemaking on the Homestead on canning Chicken Noodle-less soup.  I didn't have 2 whole chickens but used a very large package of chicken thighs and breasts. I canned 5 quarts of soup. My husband said it was very good. I hope to can a lot of soup this winter. 

6.We had a big crop of hot peppers this year. I froze some but there was still a lot left. I decided to dry a batch. I'll use an old coffee grinder and pulse it into red pepper flakes. 

7. I made Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti Sauce. It's a keeper and I think the best recipe I've made so far. We put it over the spaghetti squash we grew in our garden. 

Pioneer Woman's Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Ground Beef (I used 3 pounds)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Large Yellow Onions, Diced (I used 1 onion)
• 2 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced (Omitted)
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine (or Low Sodium Beef Broth If You Prefer)
• 2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste
• 1 jar Good Storebought Marinara Sauce (can Use Another Jar If You Like The Sauce To Be More Saucy Than Meaty)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 4 whole Bay Leaves (omitted)
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar (I used Erythritol)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup Finely Minced Fresh Parsley (or 3 Tablespoons Parsley Flakes), More To Taste
• 1 whole Rind From One Wedge Parmesan (optional, I'm dairy free so I omitted)
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional, I omitted)
• 2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked Al Dente And Tossed With Olive Oil
• Extra Minced Parsley, For Serving
• Extra Parmesan Cheese, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

IMPORTANT: This recipe can easily be halved! I just like to make a ton so I can freeze it.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.
Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper (if using). Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or some low-sodium broth if it needs more liquid
After an hour, add the minced parsley and the rind from a wedge of Parmesan (or grated Parmesan if you prefer--or both!) Stir to combine, then put the lid back on and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Discard bay leaves before serving.
Serve a big bowl of oiled noodles and spaghetti sauce so guests can serve themselves. Top each serving with minced parsley and grated Parmesan (or Parmesan shavings) and serve with a big piece of garlic-cheese bread.

My grandson's are getting so big!

8. I don't like to run out of an item and I especially don't like to spend extra money on a trip to the store because I ran out of something. So I try to keep a backup of most essential items. For instance, I save about a 1/4 of my hairspray and put it in an older bottle. It doesn't take long before I have a full extra bottle which then will become the next bottle I use. I also take out a roll of TP from the package and store it away. I keep an extra tube of toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant on hand, too. This also helps to not pay the highest price for these items so I can wait until they go on sale. 

9. I'm picking broccoli and Swiss Chard from my winter city garden. The cabbage is almost ready along with the collards. Just planted a kale plant but it won't be ready to pick for quite a few months. We're still getting some raspberries and the oranges should be ready within the month. Now if I can just keep that rascal of a gopher out of my garden! Ugh!

10. It seems I'm always wanting a bag of cranberries to enjoy with that last turkey in the freezer but after the holidays they are hard to find. This year I've purchased 3 bags and hope to purchase a few more. I keep the bags in the freezer. I dried one bag in my dehydrator and used the other bag to make sugar free cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. I hope to make some low carb Orange Cranberry Muffins soon. 

Drying Cranberries

Praise Report:

~ A friend called and said she had some free turkeys and food to share.

Saved, Re-used and Make-Do

- I saved the cotton from my vitamin jar to take off fingernail polish.
- I'm raking and saving leaves to put in the compost pile.
- I saved tea bags (3 make one cup of tea)
- Repurposed a cabinet for a compost bin.
- I saved chicken bones and a ham bone to make broth.
- Broccoli stalk and grated it for a salad. 
- I saved/washed the rubber band from the veggies I bought at the   
  store to to reuse. 
- Newspapers to use under the cat box. 
- Grocery garbage bags to line my garbage cans. 

I hope you all have a wonderful, Christ-filled Christmas! 

Blessed to be home!

GEORGENE

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

BIG expenses on SMALL budgets

Good news! My final grocery total ended at $278.38 for last month. My goal was $300. I'm so thankful! Now I know it's possible to stay within budget  if I keep close track of what I am spending! This month I'm going to try and spend even less.

Living on a small budget reminds me of a juggling act.  If you let the ball drop on a large bill and don't prepare then it can have a toppling effect on the rest of your budget.

The 'envelope method' has worked especially well for our big expenses that come around yearly. I also have expenses that are due every 3 months like the car's oil change and my hair cut and color. After I figure out our monthly and yearly needs I divided it by the number of months.  I withdraw the amounts each month from the bank and divide the money into each 'envelope' compartment in a plastic file I found at the dollar store.  The biggest challenge is to not 'dip' into the categories.

Here is my personal list:

Long term:
- DMV yearly fees ($10 a month)
- Accounting fees (year end taxes)( $15 a month)
- Christmas gifts  ($25 automatically taken out each month and goes directly into a savings account)

Short term:
- Hair cut and color ($25 a mo./ use on 3rd month)
- Allowance ($25 each a month)
- Oil change ($15 a month/use on 3rd month)
- Savings ($50 a month)
- Birthday gifts ($25 a month)
- Pet savings (emergency fund/ goal $100)
- Dentist/Medical ($10.00 a month for co-pays)

I find it much easier to come up with $25 a month than $300 all at once. So, this is how I prepare for big expenses and it works very well for us!

*~*~*~*

Here are a few things I did to stretch our budget this week along with my typical frugal day:

1. Free pumpkins! A friend blessed me with 5 beautiful pumpkins! I plan on canning them to use for pies and holiday breads to give away. I may even try a Martha Stewart idea I saw where you drill holes throughout the entire pumpkin and then place white Christmas lights in each hole.  It was exquisite and I've wanted to make one for years!

2. The fall garden is still in progress. Nearly 100 Stockton Red and 70 Walla Walla onions have been planted. Also 75 sweet peas and 2 kinds of garlic are popping up from the ground. There is also 15 celery and 12 swiss chard plants, 27 broccoli, 9 cauliflower, 25 green cabbages, 6 red cabbage and 2 varieties of beets. A row of carrots have been planted, too.  Hopefully I'll be able to plant some collard seeds this next week. I hope the Lord blesses my cabbage crop so I can try my hand at making homemade sauerkraut.

3. I had 5 buckets of finished compost. It was used to mix in the ground before the vegetables were planted. Store bought bags of mulch or compost are so expensive. Making my own compost is free and minimal work.

4.  My son and his family were moving last weekend.  My daughter in love offered me some half used bottles of hand soap. I was happy to take them and add to my own bottles.

5.  The vegetable garden did so well this summer that I'm looking for places to add more beds. There
was a large piece of dirt between the square foot garden and the berries which is now serving as a bed for the celery and the swiss chard. I keep looking for more and more spots to use for vegetables instead of flowers. I want to learn more about 'vertical gardening', too. I really think that our little city lot could eventually keep us supplied in fresh veggies and berries year round!

6.  I'm still preparing the home for winter. I think I'm almost done. The window air conditioners were covered on the outside with heavy plastic and duct tape. Small rags or insulating foam have been pressed into the space between both windows to keep more air out. Last year I happened to be walking by one of the air conditioners and felt an obvious draft. I investigated and discovered air rushing in at the bottom of the unit. I might as well been piping the hot air from the furnace directly to the outside.

7.  I continue to look for low carb meals that are meat free to stretch our grocery budget. (Oh, and I posted a few more low carb recipes over at our Family Recipe website.) Meat has gotten so expensive.  I made a veggie burrito this week for lunch. It's a recipe I used to make years ago. You saute chopped red onions in a little barbecue sauce (or you can buy SF ketchup or make your own). Smear it on a warmed whole wheat LC tortilla along with mashed avocado, a slice of dill pickle, shredded red cabbage, mushrooms, shredded carrots and alfalfa sprouts. You can also add lightly steamed broccoli or any veggie you like. It was very good and husband said it's a 'keeper'.

Well, that's about it for this week. Most of my extra time was spent in the garden.  I wonder if you use a different approach for dealing with big expenses?


Blessed to be a homemaker,

Georgene

Dollar Stores: What I buy!

I love the dollar stores. I keep finding new items that save money. You have to know your prices though.  Some items are smaller packages and end up costing more per ounce.  I've found that on a small budget it helps provide variety. For instance, my local dollar store offers a long sausage for $1. It's not enough for a dinner meal but makes a nice addition to a pot of soup. It would cost me close to $4-5 dollars to buy a package.  I don't need that much sausage this month so a small amount will add some variety to our lunches without costing a lot.

My son-in-love put up a new antenna on our roof.

Here are a few things I buy at my local dollar store.

• Fabric Softener ( I only use it for my towels and use half the recommendation). 
• Flax seed (I grind them at home)
• Shampoo
• Sensitive toothpaste
• Mascara
• Eye liner
• Nail polish
• Nail polish remover
• Peanuts in indiv. serving packets
• Coconut milk
• Chorizo
• Fake cheese (I can't eat dairy)
• Bologna
• Candy (grandkiddos)
• Birthday cards (2/ $1)
• Computer paper
• Solar lights
• Feminine products
• Baby wipes
• Sunflower seeds
• Pens
• Index cards (recipes, scripture memorization cards)
• Orange and almond extract
• Hot sauce
• Eye glasses for reading
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dill relish
• Seran wrap, tinfoil
• Freezer and sandwich bags (I only buy these when I run out of bags I've reused)
• Paper towels (only used to clean pans with grease)
• Turkey bacon
• Fajita frozen veggies
• Parmesan cheese
• Pork rinds
• Pepperoni (LC pizza for lunch)
• Farmer John Maple Sausage
• Liquid hand soap
• Spices
• Minced or whole garlic in a jar
• Smoked sausage (for soups)
• Gum
• Gift wrap and bags
• Padded envelopes
• Packaging tape

~~~~~~~~~~
Here are a few things I did to stretch our budget this week:

1. Mended socks and a shirt. I put them in a mending basket by my chair.  I used to get on my laptop in the evenings but then I wasted so much time. Now, I set aside the first hour to crochet or mend. I'm really getting a lot done.

2. The stevia has been drying in my garage and it's nice and dry. I put newspapers down on my kitchen table and stripped the leaves from the stem. I probably have around 2 1/2 cups of leaves. I'm going to try grinding it first to see if I can  use the powder in recipes. If not then I'll  make a tincture. If we like it then I hope to buy some seeds to plant next spring.

3.  I tried a new recipe and we liked it.  It's an inexpensive meal, too.

Low Carb Buffalo Crack Slaw

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 tsp onion powder,  1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt,  1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 pound cabbage ( used a bag of Coleslaw)
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Frank's hot sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Splenda, liquid equivalent (I used Erythritol)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper, crushed (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large frying pan, brown ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Remove ground beef from pan, and set aside. Leave oil in the pan.
2. Add garlic, sesame oil, and cabbage to pan. Cook until cabbage begins to brown.

Add soy sauce, Frank’s, apple cider vinegar, sucralose, and red pepper to frying pan. Return ground beef to pan, and heat for two minutes.
 
4.   I saved my receipts and posted them in my Price Book.  Prices are changing so fast that I lose track of the price on items I don't buy often.

My grandkiddos love to climb our trees

5.  I pulled up the solar lights in the yard to store away for winter.

6. I made another batch of Spicy Tomato Sauce.  I love this marinara sauce. I can eat it straight from the pot. I throw it in soups and spaghetti sauce. I also like it on my eggs for breakfast. I think I made about 5 batches this summer with our fresh tomatoes.

7. I had enough green beans left in the garden to pressure can 4 jars. I also pressure canned the Spicy Tomato Sauce.

8.  The garlic chives were harvested.  The seeds were saved for next year's planting and I froze the garlic chives. I'll throw them in soups or put them in our eggs. I'll be cutting the last of the oregano this weekend to dry. I also picked some Poblano peppers and made Chile Rellenos. I found an easy way to get the skin off the peppers. I broil them and then wrap them in a wet towel and place in a plastic bag.  The peel comes off easy once the pepper is cool. I've also been throwing some of our hot peppers in my soups and chili.

9. Broccoli has been planted for a fall crop. Beet and sweet pea seeds went into the ground this week, too.

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

• Computer paper. One side was used. I flipped it over and put it back in the printer to use the other side. 
• Carrot peels: (froze it for a batch of homemade dog food)
• Left over cauliflower: Hubby was tired of it so I disguised it in scrambled eggs.
• Strings from tea bags  (tie up plants)
• Egg shells, vegetable peelings, tea bags (composting)
• Cardboard (T.P. rolls, paper towel rolls) (composting) 
• Margarine tubs (reused for leftovers) 
• Banana peels (Buried them next to the rose bushes for fertilizer)
• Coleslaw bag: washed and reused. 
• Empty toilet paper roll ( I had leftover binding from a quilt so I rolled it around the roll and used a rubber band to hold it in place)
• Rubber band from free newspaper thrown weekly in my yard. I haven't had to buy rubber bands for years because I save any that come through my door. 
• Old jeans (cut up to make a quilt)

I'm trying to get an hour of sewing in daily! I'm working on a Christmas gift and also taking in some clothes. 

So what did you do this week? Do you see anything I missed on my Dollar Store list that you purchase?

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

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

Fear of the future or THANKFUL for today?

I'm still struggling to stay within my $360 grocery budget for 2 adults. Yep, I raised it from $260 because I kept going over once we started eating lower carb. I can do $360 but it's still very challenging. I keep trying new things and praying for God to show me how to shop and cook.

Prices continue to rise but my husband disability check is staying the same. My imagination can live in the 'what ifs' of a fearful future if I dwell on the wrong things.

 I would much rather dwell on God's faithfulness. Those thoughts bring peace, thankfulness and joy. And oh my .... how faithful He HAS been for the 56 years he has given  life and breath.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,

 whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure

, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—

THINK about such things. Phil 4:8 NIV

When we first started having financial difficulties 5 years ago I often thought about  the children of Israel and their journey through the desert. I reminded myself how the Lord fed them manna DAILY (except on Sat when he gave them extra for the Sabbath). I would remind myself how their shoes did not wear out. "He" was their provider. He was my provider. It brought such peace and increased my faith!

Low carb pumpkin pie

And He has provided for my husband and I daily over these past years ... wonderfully.. unconventionally... and beautifully! It took over 5 years to come through those financial difficulties but God provided food, clothing and shelter in the midst of some very difficult times.

 I can choose to look for God's blessings each day (and boy are they everywhere) or I can choose to fear what 'might' happen in the future. My fear steals the joy I could be living in today as I count the multitude of God's blessings and provision. 

I will leave my tomorrows in His capable hands!

My daughter, daughter in love and granddaughter at a 'tea party'.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are?"  Matthew 6:25-33 (NET)

***
Here are a few ways I stretched our income this week along with my Typical Frugal Day Routine:

- I pressure canned 7 jars of Romano green beans and 7 jars of a variety of hot peppers from our garden. I continue to slice and freeze the okra until I have enough to fry. I'm also freezing the small amount of raspberries that are picked to use for smoothies. 

- I used another eggplant from our garden and made Eggplant Parmesan. It was a meatless dinner meal. 


- I washed a piece of seran wrap to reuse. I also saved a bread wrapper and a high protein cereal box wrapper to reuse. I'm using the cereal box (turned inside out) to mail some items.  Waste Not! Want Not! :-)

- I found an egg farm that sells imperfect eggs for $2 a flat or $10 for a box of 6 flats. I bought a box. Eggs have been so expensive in the stores lately so this should save me quite a bit and last for a month or longer. I plan on using more eggs for lunches. I boiled some today for egg salad and fried up eggs for husband's sandwich. 

- I'm saving the envelopes that come in our bills. I pay my bills through online banking so I don't need the envelopes. They will be used to store the seeds we're saving from this years vegetables.  Which reminds me.. we are saving our vegetable seeds, too! :-) ..

- I made tartar sauce for our fish this week. I used mayo, ketchup and a dill pickle. 

- I tried my hand at a new potholder pattern. It's called  a 'Crocheted Double Thick Diagonal Hotpad'. Here is the free pattern: 

Free Hot Pad Pattern

I'm using a multi-colored cotton thread. I am on Joann's mailing list and get 40% coupons regularly. I keep them in the car until I'm ready to use them. 

- I saved the cotton ball on the top of my new vitamin bottle to reuse for facial astringent or to take off nail poish. 

- I picked up 2 more tall (5 or 7 gallon) plastic food grade buckets at a store bakery to use for my compost scraps. That makes 3 total along with 3 small ones. I should have enough now and they were completely free. 

- I'm searching for low carb  recipes that use meat more as a garnish than the main focus.  I'm hoping this will help lower my food bill. 

- I'm starting to work on Christmas gifts. I know, I know! Summer is not even over yet. But, I don't like to be under pressure so I'll take my time and work on a few projects at a slow pace. Hopefully I can get a nice little stash of handmade gifts set aside before December. 

-  I found a pair of pants at the thrift store for $3. 



How is your grocery budget?  I would so appreciate hearing what you do to keep it low.



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