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

 

 

Learning to Enjoy Life at 57

There was a time, as a new bride, that 'enjoying life' was very high on my priority list. In fact, it was such a high priority that my dishes were often left undone, beds were not made and a lot of my homemaking necessities were set aside in pursuit of fun. My life was lived for what I thought would bring ME happiness.

Celebrating 31 years of marriage

The irony of my self-focus was that it did NOT bring happiness. It oftentimes caused conflict and strife in my marriage because my husband's needs were not met. Or I would be embarrassed if someone showed up unannounced and then fret and stew over what they may have thought of my unkept home. Living for my own pleasure was a sure fire plan for misery, no matter what the enemy tried to tell me.

My priorities changed over the years. The decision to homeschool and run a home-based business forced some major changes in my daily schedule.  Taking better care of my responsibilities became important because I learned that I could bring glory to God in my daily work.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV 

Easter egg hunt

This was a good thing... a work of God in my life... but somewhere along the way the pendulum swung the opposite direction and I lost finding joy in my days. I also found I resented my workload at times. I have sensed for a time that I needed to make some changes.

More Easter eggs

I decided to go on a treasure hunt each day to find God's gifts! A treasure hunt for joy but not at the neglect of my responsibilities. The first change I've made is taking a little break in the afternoons.  I close my bedroom drapes, snuggle deep under my bed covers, turn on my heating pad and grab my newest Christian novel. Yep, a novel! Not a book on counseling, or theology or anything instructional. An easy to read Christian novel about life in a small town with some quirky characters.  This special time gives me something to look forward to each day. I can't tell you what a great pocket of joy this has brought into my life. I am learning to enjoy life again at 57. Imagine that!

It's such a luxury and I thank God for every single minute of it.

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 ESV

Monthly Sewing Bee at my house

Do you have something you look forward to each day? Does it cause your heart to be lifted to God in thankfulness? I'd love to hear what it is! (Don't you think that even a busy mother with a houseful of children or a working mother can look for pockets of joy in her daily life? )

***

A Typical Frugal Day! 
(Click on this link for more frugal ideas)


Here are a few things I've been working on this month:

1.  The summer months are here which means I'm back to my schedule of washing our little truck once a week. California is in a drought so I try to conserve water by using 2 buckets... one to wash and one to rinse. We get fined if the water runs into the street for longer than 5 minutes so I must be careful. I bought a large bottle of car washing liquid at Walmart YEARS ago. I use one capful per bucket and it puts a nice shine on my truck. I have saved a fortune by washing my own vehicles over the years. I keep a little whisk broom in the back seat to brush out crumbs on the floor. I found 2 cloth pouches with flaps at the dollar store. I keep them in the side compartment of the door for trash. 

A fun day with the family at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor

2. I bought a new pair of shoes last month. I saved the sturdy box, cut off the top and used it as a drawer divider. I keep a larger box in the garage to store small boxes until I find a use for them.

3. I'm finding more ways to COOK ONCE, EAT TWICE or more. We eat tacos once a week at my husband's request. So, I've decided to fry up 4 pounds of hamburger all at once to freeze instead of doing it once a week. It saves time, water and dish soap (only washing one frying pan). I'm looking for more and more ways to make life a bit easier around here as we grow older.

4. I was given some body spray as a gift. I love the fragrance but I don't use body sprays so I'm using the spray as a room freshener in the bathroom. It seems there is always an alternative way to use an unused item. 

Silly grandson! He loves to make people laugh!

5. I continue to buy one package of white socks for my husband out of each paycheck so that someday I will have a full load of 'whites' which will save water and money in the long run.

6. I made one large batch of Atkins Meatloaf and divided it into 4 meals for the freezer. This is one of my 'fast food' meals when I'm too busy to cook.

7.  I own 2 independent cats and one needy dog. I TRY to brush them daily to keep the hair loss down. But, their hair still can be a nuisance.  I keep a box of old sheets, curtains and thin blankets in the garage. I use these to cover their pet beds and any place they sleep. I change the coverings once a week. I shake them out on the lawn before I wash them and then run an extra rinse cycle with vinegar to clean my washing machine. The smaller and thinner material is easier to wash than the entire bedspread or the fee to have my furniture cleaned. Plus, it helps keep fleas under control by regularly washing their bedding. 

My grandson reading Resurrection Egg scriptures

8.   I made this recipe a few weeks ago. My husband thought it was Fried Rice (and I didn't correct him) and loved it. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference, either. Much healthier than the original recipe with all the carbs.

Cauliflower Fried 'Rice'

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cauliflower-fried-rice/

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen peas 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sesame oil, divided 4 cups cubed pork loin 6 green onions, sliced

1 large carrot, cubed 2 cloves garlic, minced 20 ounces shredded cauliflower 6 tablespoons soy sauce 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1.	Stir peas and water together in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook and stir until peas are tender and heated through, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard water.
2.	Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pork in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate.
3.	Heat remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil the wok. Saute green onions, carrot, and garlic in hot oil until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower; cook and stir until cauliflower had a tender but firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes.
4.	Stir pork and soy sauce into cauliflower mixture and stir-fry until mixture is hot and slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
5.	Move pork-cauliflower mixture to one side of the wok; pour beaten eggs onto empty side. Scramble eggs until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes; stir cooked eggs into the pork-cauliflower mixture, breaking up any large chunks.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2015 Allrecipes.com

Swiss Chard survived the winter

9. I used 4 Altoid containers to prop up my computer to let the air flow underneath so it wouldn't overheat. 

10. I've made some large meat purchases because the price was rock bottom low.  Hams went on sale for .99 cents a pound during Easter so I bought 2 of them to freeze for company. Spareribs went on sale for $1.29 a pound so I purchased 2 large slabs and then cut them into smaller portions to freeze. I try to buy meat at it's lowest price and stock up. I also use the ham for lunch meat which is so much cheaper than packaged lunch meat. My freezer is full! Praise God!

Saved, Stretched and Repurposed

~ Bacon grease (I put it in a jar in the fridge and use for flavor when sauteeing vegetables)
~ Envelopes (store seeds)
~ Egg cartons,cardboard kind (compost)
~ Vegetable and fruit peels, egg shells (compost)
~  Rubber bands from radishes (washed and reused)
~ Vegetable bags from grocery store
~ Coffee grounds (fertilizer for roses)
~ Water added to last bit of shampoo
~ Leftover ice tea used for hot tea instead of Earl Grey in the mornings.
~ Cut a restaurant meal in half to take home and use for lunch the next day. 
~ My neighbor saves her newspapers for me. I use them to put under the cat box and line garbage cans. She also gives me her coupons.
~ I saved the first cold water from the faucet while waiting for the hot water. I poured it into a bucket on the porch to water the herbs. 
~ I used 1/4 amount of suggested amount of fabric softener. Just enough to help the towels smell good. 
~ Blank back of paper, cut in squares and used for scrap paper. I keep a stack in most rooms to write down notes before my old brain forgets. :)
~ Paper bags from grocery store used to ripen fruit. 

I look forward to hearing if you have captured pockets of joy in your day. I'm hoping we can learn from each other as we find more ways to find joy in this life that God has graciously given us. 

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

John Piper wrote: You are selling your soul for a bowl of oatmeal when you want God to just meet your earthly needs and call that love. That is not love. Love is when God frees you from your love affair with yourself and frees you to enjoy making much of him forever. You were made to know and love God. You know this is true. You stand by the seacoast. You stand by the edge of the Grand Canyon. You stand with your eye to a telescope, the Hubble telescope pictures or whatever. You stand there and you find your soul drawn out of yourself. And for a brief moment you are free from self-consciousness and self-absorption and it is the most full, satisfying, deep, wonderful moment and it will be forever if God is the universe and God is the Grand Canyon and God is the ocean. That is why you were made.

One Income Living in a Two Income World

Well, I have to say it! I'm dazzled and amazed  that we are living on so little money! I never would have imagined we could live such a full and contented life on so little--but we are! And we are doing just fine!

We are learning to live mainly within my husband's budget since I left my part time job. I have a few odd projects with family and friends that equal a little over $100 a month. The jobs are temporary so I don't include the amount in our monthly budget. I don't want to depend on this income but I am certainly thankful for it!

There are still places we could cutback if we had to. So far the Lord is getting us through one day at a time. I am so thankful to Him for each day that we keep our heads above water.

Some of the grands making gingerbread houses. 

Winter has finally hit our neck of the woods. The nightly temperature dropped to the 20's. Some of the vegetables were covered with sheets and freeze cloth but the swiss chard and broccoli leaves got hit pretty hard. The sweet peas, celery and onions are fine. We're thinking about how we can protect our small little backyard garden next winter. We really depend on our vegetables to stretch our grocery money. I haven't bought many vegetables in the past few weeks. We've been eating what we grow.

Christmas is just a few weeks away. I'm so thankful that I have a Christmas Savings Fund. The bank takes $25 out of our paycheck each month throughout the year.  It didn't cover all of my Christmas expense this year but the majority.  I can't give a lot to my children and all my grandies but I do love to give them a little something. There is such joy in giving.

Homemade snow globes in process!

I found a couple of cute ideas on Pinterest to make for gifts next year. I hope to work on one project a month so that I'll have gifts ready ahead of time. Pinterest is a wonderful resource! I'd be so happy if you share any nice gift ideas you're making.

But, over all it's God who provides for us day by day.  He meets all our true needs. He even meets some of our wants. He amazingly multiplies our small little fishies by giving above and beyond our wages in small unexpected ways. Friends will call with extra fruit and vegetables or clothes.  Sometimes I'll spot a terrific sale at the store. He is taking little and making it  much.  We are just as content as can be!

*~*~*

Here are a few things I've been doing in my home this week:

1.  I try to make it a rule to stay out of the stores. All of this went by the wayside with Christmas and BOY did I feel the tug of the 'wants' surface! I realized afresh the temptation to overspend when I spend too much time looking at store ads or meandering through a store. I did a LOT of praying with quick pleads of HELP!

2.  I'm trying to stretch my skin care moisturizers and cleanser . So far the cleanser has lasted 2 years because I use a very small dab and always apply it on a wet face. I do the same with my moisturizer.

Finished snow globe

3. I use a Sh-Mop! I love it! I have hardwood floors throughout my entire little house. A Sh-Mop has a larger than normal mop pad which helps the job go faster. I use both sides of the cloth cover to save on my laundry loads. When one side is dirty I flip it over to the other side. I do this with rugs,too. I use this same principal for the cat beds. I put a light blanket or sheet over their beds. When one side is dirty I will flip it over to the other side before I wash it. I can't do this in the summer time because of fleas but it works fine in the winter.

4. I had a small handful of hamburger leftover from low carb tacos. I used it to make soup the next day. We are eating homemade soup nearly every day. I love a hot bowl of soup on a cold day! It seems to heat ya to the bone!

5. I received a $10 free coupon from Kohl's in the mail. I also had a 15% off coupon. I bought a gift for a birthday in January and ended up spending just a few dollars.

6.  I kick myself when I let food get pushed to the back of the fridge and don't use it before it spoils. I threw out several bowls of food this week because I wasn't diligent. I might as well take money and just burn it. I used to write down the leftovers on a pad I kept on the outside door of the fridge. I need to go back to that practice.

7.  I'm trying hard to spend less on my groceries this month so that I can buy a large container of coconut oil from Costco. I keep reading of the benefits to help your brain.. but I can't remember what they are! *Wink*

A gingerbread house artist!

8. I was able to stretch my dishwashing detergent by filling the empty bottle with water. I got 3 more washes by doing so.  I did this with my empty toothpaste tube, also. I cut it open and then scraped out enough for roughly 5 more applications.

9.  What I didn't throw away this week:

• toilet paper tube (threw it in the compost pile)
• rubber bands from green onions
• comic papers (children's gift wrapping paper)
• grocery ads (composting, lines the garbage can)
• all my vegetable and fruit peelings (threw it in the compost pile)
• saved tea bags to reuse
• oil used for frying (one of these days I'm going to try making soap from used oil) 

10. I've been doing a lot of office work lately. We do not have Central Heat and Air. My office is FREEZING! I do believe my feet went numb at one point. :-) I have a small heater but I don't want to increase our electric bill. I thought and thought and finally came up with an idea. I took a neck warmer (the kind with rice in it) and heated it in the microwave and then laid it on my lap. It worked like a charm. My cat even took advantage of it and curled up on my lap while I was typing.  *Smile*

So how are you gals doing on your Christmas budget and the pull of all the ads to BUY, BUY, BUY? Are you staying on budget?

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

Heating an Old Home

We've lived in our little 745 sq. ft. cottage for over a year so I'm still learning the quirks of this house. It's heated by a small wall furnace in the living room. The heat does not keep the other rooms warm.  Last year I tried to keep the heat in the living room so I would shut all the doors and put up curtain partitions for the other rooms.  I did the same thing at night in the bedroom.  The temperature dropped so low that it caused condensation on the windows and we started to get mold. NOT a good thing!

So, this year I'm trying something new. I keep the gas wall furnace set at 60 degrees at night. I leave the office door cracked (so that the cats can't get out) just enough so that the heat can flow into that room. I leave the bathroom door cracked, too. I keep a small electrical heater with a thermostat set at 64 degrees in our bedroom. Sometimes I'll shut our bedroom door later at night if I hear the heater clicking on too many times. I no longer see the condensation on the windows.

I tried not using a small heater in our bedroom but it got too cold and was affecting my husband's health condition. His health and comfort are more important than a low utility bill. I'll find another place to cut back if I need to. We still sleep with gloves and multiple layers of clothes and I sleep with a stocking hat.  I remember the old movie pictures where people wore stocking caps to bed. Now I know why!  I think we'd scare off any burglars by the way we look! (*smile*)

We keep sweaters handy during the day. If we get cold we can just throw a sweater on instead of raising the heat. I crocheted a small throw blanket that I keep in the living room. If my husband gets chilled he can throw it over his legs while watching TV. I also crocheted a round throw rug to put next to my husband's bed so his feet will stay warm.

I LOVE to make soup in the winter time. It's economical, yummy and also heats up the house. I like making it after breakfast so the heat will warm up the kitchen.

I have written how I keep my curtains closed on the east side of the house in the summertime until it's close to noon. It helped to keep the house cooler. This time of year I open the curtains first thing in the morning so the heat will COME IN and warm the rooms. 

We signed up for HEAP (Home energy assistance program) quite a few months ago. We were approved which means that our utility bill will be granted $190.  What a huge blessing!

And of course, there are my little furry friends who are my babies. I can't stand to see anything cold and suffering so they have warm little beds to sleep in, too. I use flannel sheets and small blankets I've collected at thrift stores and garage sales. They sleep indoors at night. I always feel so bad for animals who sleep outside and have no covering or warm bed. Poor babies!

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
 Php. 4:19 ESV

*~*~*

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

1. I made another batch of dog food. I've been saving chicken bones,skin and gristle along with carrot peelings for a month or longer. I added noodles and chicken broth, too. I'm almost out of canned dog food so this will help to stretch it.

2. I cut my husband's hair this week. I learned how to cut hair years ago when my oldest son was a toddler. I found a book at the library that was very helpful. Now you can find tutorials on You Tube. Cutting my families hair has saved thousands of dollars over the years.

Cabbage and sweet peas

3. I found a nice pair of pants at the thrift store. They were having a 25% off sale. I ended up paying a little over $3 for the pants.

4. There is an air vent directly above my stove. I can feel the cold air rushing from the attic through the vent. I found an 8 x 11 magnetic sheet and a roll of magnetic tape which holds it to the vent. I keep a step stool between the oven and the fridge so I can easily place the magnetic sheet on the vent after I'm finished cooking.

5. I haven't had full loads of wash each week so I'm delaying my wash cycles until I can fill the tub. The only thing I run short on is my whites so I wash those more often. I hope to buy more socks and underwear to solve that problem. 

6. I've started soaking my clothes overnight if they are real dirty. I don't use the full wash cycle. I turn the knob to the rinse cycle, fill the tub with water and then turn off the machine.  I let the clothes soak in the water overnight. The soaking helps to loosen any of the dirt. The next morning I finish the short wash cycle and then start a new cycle using the shortest wash cycle. My whites look whiter.

Broccoli, swiss chard, garlic and celery

7. I wanted to make a birthday cake for a friend. I didn't have all the ingredients on hand so I found a similar recipe that had a few different ingredients which I did have on hand. I saved myself a trip to the store and the cake turned out very good
.
8. I had some old greeting cards that were not in good shape. I cut them in half and used the blank sides for scrap paper. I keep a small container of scrap paper next to the phone.

9.   What I saved this week:

• Dog food can (fertilizer)
• Green bean can (recycle for money)
• Chicken bones and skin (for dog food)
• Cake mix wrapper (washed and used as instead of a sandwich baggie).
• Erythritol bag 

10.  I read years ago that if you wet a dirty counter and let it soak for 5 minutes then it's easier to clean. I've tried this with many things like washing my hair. I suds my hair and let it sit while I'm showering and then wash it out at the end. I only have to wash my hair with shampoo once by doing this.

How are you and what did you do this week?

Blessed beyond measure!
Georgene

Don't worry about tomorrow

I was encouraged this week to trust God for TODAY! And to not borrow trouble from tomorrow because today has enough trouble of it's own.  I don't know if He will lead me to work outside my home in the future (my heart longs to be home) but I believe His message has been clear this week. For now...

• Pray for DAILY bread. (Matthew 6:11)
• Seek FIRST His kingdom and He will take care of the food and clothing. (Matthew 6:33)
• Don't worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34)
• Be content with food and clothing. (1 Timothy 6:8)

This doesn't mean I get to sit home and eat Bon Bon's. (Does anyone really do that? *smile*).

You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV 

God has spoken loud and clear through His Word this week. Oh, how I love it when He does. Scripture after scripture has confirmed His direction for me. No more worries. No more doubts. Sweet peace! Nothing compares to the power of God's Word working in my soul!

~ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deut. 8:3 ESV

~~~

Here are a few things I did this week along with my typical frugal day routine:

1. I cut all of the curly parsley and plan on drying it. I also have 'hot and spicy oregano' and a flat leaf parsley that need to be harvested.   I'll hang them in the garage and allow them to dry and then grind them. I've really enjoyed using fresh herbs this summer!

2. It's important to take care of what I own for several reasons. First and foremost, because God has blessed me with these gifts and I want to be a good steward. And secondly, because it will help my budget to not replace these items.  So, this week I started preparing for winter. I pulled the patio table under the porch awning so it's out of the weather. I stored the table umbrella in the garage as soon as the winds came up so it wouldn't tip over my table and break it. I pulled in the patio chairs to the garage and covered the outdoor bench with plastic and took down the outdoor blinds. They are safely tucked away until next spring. I will get one more year's use out of all of them.

3.  I checked my soap and it's nice and firm. YAY!!! I took the soap out of the molds and put them in a cardboard box to continue drying. They will be ready for gifts before Christmas.  It's so fun to learn a new skill! Being a homemaker never gets boring!

4.   I made a Christmas list. I found myself getting anxious trying to juggle all the thoughts about what to make and buy.  It really helped to relieve some of the anxiety. I used 40% off coupons this week to purchase a few gifts and started sewing on another one. I'm also crocheting in the evenings.

5.  I still have 5 spaghetti squash left from my garden. My sister told me she found a recipe for spaghetti squash patties. I tried my own version and liked them. I just added an egg, garlic powder and salt and pepper. They would be really good with Parmesan cheese if you can eat dairy. Sauteed in a little butter until brown on both sides. 

6.  I'm out of homemade laundry soap so I made another batch. I've been making my own laundry detergent for around 8 years. I use the Dugger's recipe because it makes 10 gallons. I also tried a new recipe this month to use with my whites only since they need a pick me up. I can't remember where I found it.

3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap

Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Let liquid cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.

7. I also ran out of stain remover so I made a new batch.

 

8. Things I saved this week to reuse:

• Envelopes that came with bills that I pay online (used to store vegetable seeds)
• Heirloom seeds from  peppers, cantaloupe, okra, tomato, eggplant, honeydew
• Strings from tea (tie up plants in garden)
• Newspaper saved from a friend. (I lay it down in my veggie garden with straw on the top to discourage weeds).
•  Toilet paper cardboard (compost)
• Egg cartons, cardboard (compost) 
• Washed Seran wrap and baggies to reuse (no meat or dairy)
• Mayo jar to pour grease into instead of it going down my pipes. 
• Grocery sacks. (garbage cans) 
• Vegetable and fruit trimmings (compost)
 

 

 9. I buy Hood Countdown milk for my husband to drink. I am dairy free due to joint pain. The milk is horribly expensive. I found a recipe online to replace the milk but Husband is not interested in drinking it straight so I've made up several batches and use it in recipes. This has helped stretch the store bought milk. I remember doing something similar when the children lived at home. I would either water down the milk for a recipe or I would use instant milk in cake recipes. Sometimes I would use non-instant milk mixed with whole milk to stretch it.

10. I've been wanting to wash one of my blankets and throw rugs before winter but dreaded spending the quarters at the laundromat. I have a sink in my garage so I filled it with warm water and laundry soap and soaked my quilt. Swished. Rinsed. Swished. Rinsed and then hung it on the clothesline. It worked great. It reminded me of when we were first married nearly 30 years ago and I washed clothes in our bathtub. :-) I used my carpet cleaner on the throw rugs.

Thanks so much for all your great tips last week. I'm still researching a lot of your ideas.

What did YOU do to save money this week in your home? And my favorite question is this... do you have a  scripture that encourages you concerning your finances?

Blessings,

Georgene

Cutting Costs in the Budget

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

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

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

Strawberry patch

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

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

Fall crop of broccoli

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seedlings of onion, broccoli, swiss chard and cabbage

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

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

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

Over Fried Chicken 111

 "Snow on the Mountain"

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

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

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

Georgene

Making extra money

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

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

Homemade Coconut Milk Berry Ice Cream

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


A few of my blessings:

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

~~~

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

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

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

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

Enchilada Sauce

6 dried ancho chilies (I used New Mexico chilies)

2 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

3 cups beef or chicken broth

2 tbsp. flour to thicken

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

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

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May God's grace amaze you!

Georgene