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

 

 

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

Frugal things I did this week!

I haven't had a lot of new things to post. It's not that my days lack frugal saving ways. I continue to practice, practice, practice all that I've learned. The new ways are becoming familiar and tend to flow easily in the schedule of my days. I remember how awkward it was when I first started saving the beginning cold water that runs before the hot water comes through the pipes. But, now it's so engrained in the way that I do my dishes that I don't even give it another thought. I collect the cold water in a small bucket and then set it outside my back door while the warm water is running into my dishpan. After I finish the dishes I take the rinse water (that would have been wasted down the drain) and throw it on some flowers. I get 3-4 buckets of water a day. It's amazing how many plants I can water. 

I made another batch of homemade dog food tonight. I didn't have enough table scraps of meat to make a batch last month and had to spend $10 on canned dog food.  This month I can use that $10 towards another necessity. I boiled the scraps of meat, leftover vegetables and rice in a big pot on my single burner in the garage. I put an old puzzle board across the sink to use as a work table. I liked having the mess out in the garage. It was easier to clean up and it kept my kitchen from getting hot.

The garden is doing great. I'm picking zucchini, white and green small squash, yellow squash, radishes, raspberries, some blackberries but not many, spinach and lettuce. The tomatoes are starting to turn red. I got my water bill for this past month and I stayed within budget. I was shocked. I thought for sure we would go over because of all the watering in the garden.

I think my comfrey plant is just about ready to be made into liquid fertilizer. Comfrey fertilizer is supposed to be high in nitrogen which is good for peppers or tomatoes. I'll pick the leaves and place them in a bucket covered with water. It will take about 20 days to decompose. The leaves will be thrown in my compost bins and the liquid fertilizer will be poured on my tomatoes and green peppers. This is a cheap alternative to the store bought fertilizer and organic to boot!

So what's new in your neck of the woods?  How did you save money this week?

Keeping cool without A/C

I should clarify that even though I don't have A/C I do have 2 window air conditioners and ceiling fans. It still gets very warm on days that are near or over the 90's. So, I'm looking for ways to keep the house cool which will also help with my electric bill.

Cooking in my kitchen heats up the entire house ...  even if I cook early in the morning. So,  I'm finding alternative ways to make my meals by developing a routine to cook outside. I have a propane camp stove (high powered that I purchased at Bass Pro), a very large toaster oven and a crock-pot. I use the propane stove on the patio and the toaster oven inside my garage along with the crock-pot.I also have one electrical burner that was given to me last week.

It's a little inconvenient to cook my meals outside. I think over time I'll come up with an easy routine. I use a large tray to carry my food items out to the stove. I set a TV tray next to the camp stove for my utensils and plates. I take notice what keeps me running back and forth to the house and look for ways to reduce my steps. As a result I decided to leave a couple of potholders in the garage along with a few cooking utensils.

Cooking outside makes a huge difference when it comes to keeping my house cool.

The second thing I do is to watch where the sun is hitting my windows and keep the curtains drawn. I realized the sun hit my kitchen windows  until around 10 o'clock. I had a burgundy sheet in good condition so I made half drapes and found 2 tension rods. I keep the bottom part of the curtain up until the sun stops shining on that side of the house and then I take them down.

Thirdly, I ,like to take advantage of the cool air outside so I open up the windows in the early morning hours and allow the air to flow inside. Once the air outside starts turning warm I close all my windows to trap the cool air.

Fourthly, I use small personal table fans in several of my rooms. I have a small table fan in my kitchen, office, bathroom and next to my bed. Oftentimes I can use the small fan in place of the ceiling fan which I believe costs less electricity.Last night I was warm but my husband was not so I was able to turn the small fan on next to my bed and save using the overhead fan.

Lastly, I wear lighter clothes on hot days. It's amazing the difference between wearing capri's and a  long pair of pants. I've collected a few light cotton tops for the summer which really help. Putting my hair up helps, too.

I read last week to run some water in your bathtub about ankle deep and to dip your feet when you get too warm. I haven't tried it yet but I think it would help.

How about you? Could you add anything to this list?

Using water TWICE!

Summer is right around the corner which means higher water bills. I've been setting aside the difference between my utilities and my assigned budget throughout the winter months while my bills are lower. I'll use the savings towards the higher bills this summer.

 I continue to catch the beginning water from the tap  while waiting for it to turn hot. I throw it on flower beds or use it to flush. I have a shallow container under the faucet in the bath and catch that water when we wash our hands. Any extra water is thrown into a nearby bucket.

I've carefully examined any chance of water waste.  One day I noticed how much water was flowing down the drain from the washing machine rinse water. I researched online to find out a way to capture the water and use it to water the flowers. I also emailed my city officials to make sure there was no ordinance against it in my city. Thankfully there wasn't.

A hole cutter was put on the end of the drill to make this hole in the wall.  (A jigsaw could also be used to cut a hole).   PVC  1 1/2 " pipe was used to drain the water from the washing machine hose to the water container outside.

You can see the drain coming out of the wall into the large garbage can below. A piece of rubber from a mud flap off an old truck was used to guide the water from the PVC pipe into the garbage can.

 It's not shown in this picture but a piece of stone was later put under the opposite side of the can so the rainwater will drain into the hole on top of the lid.

I picked up a free coffee table off of FREECYCLE a while back intending to use it for a stenciled sign (which never happened). The coffee table was cut down to make the smaller table fit for the garbage can.

A hose faucet with a 3/4 inch pipe-to-pipe fitting were used at the bottom of the can where a garden hose can be attached.  The hose can be moved to any area of the garden. I had to make sure that the hose was at a slant so it would drain easily.  The garbage can will not hold an entire washing cycle of water so be sure to have it ready to drain before you start your machine. 

 I did some research to make sure my homemade laundry detergent wouldn't kill plants. I read a good article on how homemade laundry detergent is  safe to use on plants. I'm choosing to not use it on my vegetable plants but only on my flowers. I've been using it for weeks and my flowers are doing just fine. Of course.. I'm not an expert so use your own judgment! I'm not sure if it would harm animals or no so be careful if your animals have access to the water. 

This water.. that would have gone down the drain... is now keeping the plants on the side of my house nice and wet and alive.

Frugal Friday: How I saved money this week (Nov. 1)

 Lots of saving going on in my home this week! I've been a busy girl!

1. I was given a couple sacks of green tomatoes so I made green tomato salsa and a Green Tomato Pie. I used Stevia in place of the sugar which turned out pretty good.

Green Tomato Salsa

2. I'm trying new ways  to get our water bill down. I came up with a couple more ideas. I purchased two small buckets from the dollar store and put one in the kitchen and one in the bathtub. I'm saving my kitchen rinse water into a dishpan and once I'm finished washing dishes I pour it into the bucket which then gets poured into the bucket in the shower which then can be used for 'flushing'.  I also put a small, shallow plastic container in the bathroom sink to catch the water when we wash our hands which then goes into the shower bucket. Lastly, we put a bucket under the tub faucet to catch water when we take a shower. I'm amazed at how much water has been just going down the drain.. along with my money. :-)

3. I love aprons and wear them all the time to protect my clothes when I'm working in the kitchen. I think this is a very frugal practice because it keeps my clothes free from stains (which saves stain remover) and also helps my clothes last longer.

4. I made egg drop soup this week which is super easy and super cheap.

5. The window air conditioners have now been covered with plastic on the outside to keep the cold air from coming into the house. This should help on our heating bill this winter. I'm imagining that since the house was built in 1917 it will be quite drafty. :-)

6. I put my shampoo into a pump style hand soap dispenser. I used a fraction of what I normally do and it did the job just fine.

7. I'm saving the remnants from our meat that we normally don't eat such as the skin, grissle and small leftover pieces. I placed these in a bag in the freezer for a recipe I found to make dog food which I will end up canning. I also saved some leftover rice which will also go in the recipe. This is food that I would normally have just thrown away.

8. A neighbor asked if I'd like her pumpkin. I plan to cook it for pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving and to eat like squash with our meals. I kept putting off buying a pumpkin until after Halloween hoping the prices would drop.

9. I order some foam inserts for the inside of our air conditioner to help with drafts. I did a search online using (SWAGBUCKS) (which helps me earn money)  to see if there were any discount codes for free shipping,etc. I did find one and didn't have to pay the shipping.

10. I'm still cleaning out old business files. I kept the paper that only had print on one side. I'll use it for my computer. Most of the things I print from my computer are for personal use so it doesn't matter if there is print on one side or not.

What did you do in your home this week to save money? I love to learn from other women. Oh, and hop over to Life as Mom for more Frugal Friday ideas.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.    Matthew 6:33 ESV

Frugal Friday: How I saved money this week! Oct.26

The first half of the week was very productful! I finished the sewing side job for a friend. We will trade my sewing in exchange for a hair cut and a hair weave.  I had some larger chunks of time during the beginning of the week which allowed me to finish a few projects I've listed below.

 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!

Frugal Friday: How I Saved Money this Week

It's been a full week of many extra duties that have squeezed out the attempt to try new frugal ideas. One of those extra duties is a sewing job. I'm hoping that some day I can work exclusively from home again like I have for most of my years as a homemaker.

So, my Frugal Friday list is less full this week. I'm still doing the 'main things' that help me save money:

• Hanging my clothes on the line to dry.
• Only washing clothes when I have a full load.
• Keeping the lights off as much as possible during the day.
• Washing and drying dishes by hand. 
• Using up left overs to stretch my food budget. 
• Saving as much water in the house as possible to throw on the plants in the yard.
• Composting any leftovers.  

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

1. I have a 'mending' drawer which was very full so I spent an afternoon mending pants and shirts that otherwise would have been given to Salvation Army. This will also save money in the future by extending my wardrobe. I also have some socks with holes that I plan on mending soon.
2.  I wrote in previous posts how I would save the water that runs from the faucet in the mornings while I'm waiting for the hot water. I would throw the cold water (that normally went down the drain) on plants outside. This week I heated a cup of water in the microwave and used the warm water to clean my face instead of letting the water run. I normally run a 1/2 bucket of cold water before the hot comes so I saved quite a bit of water doing this.  I'm still saving the 'extra' water in the kitchen though when waiting for hot water to wash my dishes. 
3. I kept my grocery receipts from this past month so that I could keep track of what I was/had spent. 
4. I started a Price Book. It's not finished but it's started. :-)
5. I made up a monthly menu and a grocery list from that menu. I was just making 2 week menus but seem to run short on vegetables by the end of the month. I'm hoping that better planning will eliminate that problem. 
6. I made a new stain remover which I will share on a later post if it works. The last two I made are working but I need something a little stronger for those determined stains. 

So.. that's it for this week. What did you do to save money this week? 

How I saved money this week

I've been wanting to keep track of how I've been saving money each week. I'm discovering that small little practices add up to big savings. So, here is how I saved money this week in my household:

1. I have an olive tree that is full of olives in my front yard. I've wanted to learn how to cure olives for years so I finally gathered the courage to tackle it with the help of a dear friend's advice. I spent 2 days picking olives. It's very time consuming because you have to pick one olive at a time (and they're small). I finally got the tree pruner and cut the top branches that were bursting with large olives. That way I could sit and just pick the olives off the branch instead of standing on a ladder while I pick. Once they were picked it was a long process of lye, soaking and a lot of rinsing. I now have 5 gallons of olives soaking in a salt brine. We hope to share with a few neighbors and some of our family.

2. I hung out my laundry on the line. Winter is just around the corner so I'll be hanging some lines in my garage... hopefully next week. I plan to hang my laundry as much as possible through the winter to keep my electric bill low.

 3. I cut back the watering time for the lawns. The grass was pretty much dead when we moved into our home. So, we focused on saturating it with water to bring it back to life. As a result my water bill went up to $127. Ouch! This month I'm setting my timer and only allowing the water to run 10-15 minutes in each spot. So far the lawn looks just fine.

4. I planted lettuce seeds and green onions in a container by the back door.

 5. I made 2 batches of laundry detergent. I've been making my own laundry detergent for years (off and on). It's one of my biggest money savers.

 6. I saved 2 celery stalk ends to regrow. I laced them in small little dish by my kitchen window in some water and they are already sprouting. I'm not sure how tall they will grow. I saw this idea on Pinterest.

7. I realized I was wasting a lot of water in the mornings when I first turned on the hot water faucet. The water would run and run until it finally turned hot. I now keep a bucket outside my back door and bring it in next to the sink. I let the water run into a container and then fill my bucket. I end up with a half a bucket of water from the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink which I then toss onto the new seeds I planted outside my backdoor.

8. I bought whole milk and added water to stretch it. :-)

9. I used cabbage leaves for my breakfast burritos instead of low carb tortillas (which are so expensive).

10. I used a Kohl's $10 coupon and purchased a gift for Christmas.

 I had several new money saving ideas I wanted to tackle this week but I ran out of time. The kids are coming for lunch on Sunday and so I've spent my extra time this week preparing.

Well, that's all I'll write about for now. I'd love to hear how you saved money in your home this week.

High electrical bills & Clotheslines

Happy Day! The sun was shining.. no fog.. with a slight breeze and temps in the 60's. I know that may seem hard to believe considering the weather back east.  I almost feel guilty telling you that I ran around most  of the day with a short sleeved shirt. Glorious!

The clothesline was one of the features I scoped out immediately when we first interviewed for our job as caregivers. Hanging clothes has been a long time practice that has always helped to save money.  Frankly, I find the practice quite therapeutic.

So with such a beautiful day upon us .. and laundry before me... I tried out Miss Alice's clothesline. I believe this is the first time I haven't strung my own clothesline. It's a nice one, too. Professional.

Living in someone's home we make every effort to conserve energy. I think it pleases Miss Alice that I am making an effort to stretch 'her' pennies and not just my own.

Hanging clothes is a simple task. There are few rules. I take a rag and clean the lines. You'll probably think my marbles are loose but I find a bit of satisfaction in organizing my laundry as I hang it. I like to hang 'like' items together. If I have 'unmentionables' in the load I will hang those on the back lines and place longer items on the rows in front to hide them. Never leave your clothes pins outside after dark or they won't last long and be sure to bring your clothes in before the night air falls or your clothes will be damp. If the clothing is wrinkled then I'll toss them in the dryer for 5 minutes. This practice will also take the stiffness out of the towels and underwear. Crunchy undies are not fun! :-)

No dryer sheet fragrance can compare to the fresh, crisp scent of air lined bed linens. It's one of God's free pleasures and man has yet to duplicate it.

Do you use a clothesline? Or do you prefer drying racks? Or just say 'forget the whole thing'! :-)