Frugal Friday: Guilt over not doing enough?

It's  tempting to compare our daily work to others and feel we don't measure up. We've all done it. I've done it.  The only remedy is to compare ourselves to God's Word. True guilt should be a result of not keeping God's commands... not just by comparing ourselves to others. Oh, it's so easy to say but such an easy trap to fall in to.  It's a miserable way to live.

For instance, I choose to keep a garden in order to save money (the jury is out on the final outcome as to whether I will save money *smile*). Is there a direct command for every woman to keep a garden? Not that I can find. So, I am free to have a garden... and another woman is free NOT to have a garden. It's a personal choice. We just need to be careful to not put our choices on another woman if we can't back it with scripture.

There are specific commands for women and men. But, regarding whether to spend your days sewing, or living a simple life, or canning, or writing a blog, etc.... I find no commands!

Now, there are commands concerning HOW I keep a garden and WHY I keep a garden.  Here are just a few:

~ work heartily as for the Lord and not men. Col. 3:23
~ work with your own hands. 1 Thess. 4:11
~ for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31

Our work becomes an act of worship when it's done for the glory of God.  So be free to worship God with your daily work with no condemnation if it doesn't look the same as your neighbors. And if your day happens to look different than mine or theirs... rejoice that God has given you that liberty.

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A few frugal things:

1.Our grape vines were just about dead when we bought our home last year. This summer they look beautiful and lush but we have very little fruit. My neighbor told me that she buried tin cans around the base of her grapes last year and this year she has a ton of fruit. So I buried some cans and hopefully we'll get more fruit next year. I also buried some old rusty nails around my Azalea.

2.  I made 4 batches of apricot jam. The apricots were off our tree. I also made SF Raspberry jam.

3.  I've been harvesting my onions and putting them in the freezer.

4. I filled 2 propane tanks for the price of one. Instead of trading our tanks at a Quik Stop store we took the cannisters to a propane company which charged half of what we normally pay when we exchange them.  I hope to buy an extra tank next month for a back up because I ran out of propane (thankfully) right after I  finished canning my apricot jam.  I don't want to do that again. I use the propane for a campstove when I'm canning. This helps keep my house cool in the summer months. Most of my cooking and baking are being done outside this summer.

5.  It rained this week so I placed large buckets around the yard to catch the rain water. It didn't rain enough to fill up the buckets. Oh well! At least I tried. :-)

6.  Believe it or not it was 'soup weather' this week. I decided to make a batch of 'refrigerator soup'. I found some leftover enchilada sauce, ham hock, zuchinni, onions, yam and a small bit of creamed corn. I added water and some chicken bouillon along with some seasoning. It sounds like a strange combination but it was good and didn't cost much at all.

7.  I have a tooth that was causing me a bit of discomfort. The dentist suggested a procedure that would cost $25. I asked if the procedure would benefit the tooth or was it for my comfort? He said it was for my comfort. I told him I would not feel comfortable paying $25. *smile* Thankfully the xray lady told me ahead of time  to take a bit of sensitive toothpaste and 'patch' the area. God's provision! I saved $25.

8.  My birthday was this week. I wanted to go out to dinner and maybe a movie but it was a tight paycheck.  Instead of being disappointed I decided to be thankful for whatever the Lord would choose for my day.  So, we had leftovers (I didn't have to cook) and chose a movie that had been pre-recorded on TV.  A dear friend stopped by and surprised me with a special outing. Then my children and their families came over with such nice gifts and homemade ice cream after dinner.  I thanked God over and over for giving me such a special birthday. His plans are much better than my own.

9.  I'm not buying hardly any vegetables since my garden is producing. There is not a big variety but I figure that's okay because we are eating what is growing right now. We have artichokes, tomatoes, zucchini, patty squash, onions, cucumbers, okra, lettuce and green beans. I'm probably spending less than $5 a week on veggies and fruit at this point.

10. I've been stocking my freezer because my in-laws will be here in a few weeks. I've been watching for meats that are on sale. My freezers are now full so I decided to shop my freezer until our next paycheck.  I can do this!

So the question of the week is: What did you do this week and how did you save money? I love reading your replies. I feel like I'm taking a peak into your home.

How I saved money this week (and the freedom of living with LESS)

If you have been following our story then you know that we have downsized from 2700 sq. ft. to 748 sq. ft. I've given away and sold enough items to fill another house.

The older I get the less I can tolerate clutter in my own home. Your clutter would not bother me. :-)  It feels good when each item has it's own assigned place. That is my goal but I'm not there yet.

I  have 2 small closets and one antique closet/dresser. All three closets are too full. My office closet has been bothering me the most because my clothes were squished from 1 large Tupperware tub filled with scraps of fabric along with 2 Avon boxes. I've wrestled with whether to keep the fabric for the past 5 moves. I kept talking myself out of getting rid of it because I kept hoping that someday I would make some quilts.

So last Saturday I set aside the afternoon to work on cutting out some quilt pieces.  I spent hours cutting fabric and ended up nearly finishing just one square. I thought I would be so happy to get started on the quilt but by the time I finished I was not a happy camper. One finished large Depression Block (plus a lot more cut squares) = 3-4 hours of time I'll never get back = one disappointed Mama.

Kale

I'm middle aged and the writing is on the wall.. I'm getting older. I must be wise how I spend my hours because they add up to days which quickly become years. I have less time left on this earth than I've already lived. How will I spend my last days so they will count for eternity? Sewing quilts are not a sin. I just don't want to spend that much time on a hobby these days.  As much as I've loved making quilts in previous years I'm not willing to invest that many hours again.

So after struggling back and forth for several days I made up my mind that the small scraps of fabric were going. I saved some larger pieces of fabric to make some aprons and curtains for the garage. those are quick projects. I ended up with one final tub of fabric which will be stored in the garage.

My clothes are no longer crowded in the closet. I can't tell you how good it feels to open my closet doors and not have everything crammed and squished together. It feels GOOD! Really GOOD!

I've learned a big lesson through these fabric tubs. I have wrestled with them for nearly 5 years. I have invested precious time into thinking about them and debating over them. I've invested time and energy into lifting them from one house to another house for 5 moves over the past 8 years. They have stolen precious time from my life. Now that I finally got rid of them I feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted! It feels GOOD! Really GOOD!

I'm so jazzed! This next week I hope to tackle the other 2 closets. If it doesn't fit easily in the space the Lord has given me then it's out of here!

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

1. I went on several morning and evening snail hunts. My veggies had the obvious sign that snails were enjoying them for lunch. I started going out in the early mornings and turning over leaves and boards and found a ton of snails. The more snails I kill the better my veggies are looking.

2.  A friend brought by 3 cartons of home grown eggs.

3. My mother had some extra 'dragon tale' flowers. I gladly took them along with some nasturtiums to keep bugs down in my vegetable garden. I've rarely bought flowers over the years. There is always someone willing to share slips of small starts of flowers. It turns your yard into a memory garden.

4. I made a fertilizer out of 20 egg shells that I boiled for 10 minutes. I then let it set for 8 hours. The fertilizer was poured on my tomatoes.

5. I purchased a comfrey root off of Ebay for $15. I read that the leaves make a wonderful fertilizer. My goal is to make my own fertilizer from products I have at home. I think it will pay for itself in no time. I'm also hoping that it will multiply so I can sell my own roots.

6. I have 2 cats and 1 dog. They started scratching so I figured they were getting fleas. I didn't want to pay $45 for flea medicine plus it's not healthy. I purchased a flea comb and immediately caught 5 fleas off of one cat and 1 flea off the other.  I kept a small bowl of water nearby while I was combing. Once I saw a flea I would dip the comb into the water.  They are no longer scratching. The comb is not working as well on my dogs long hair so I'm not sure what to do with her. I haven't found any fleas but she does scratch occasionally. Maybe I'll give her a bath. I wash their bedding once a week which also helps keep the flea problem under control.

7. I hemmed a pair of pants I bought for $1 from Goodwill.

8. I made kale and sausage soup. The kale was from my garden.

9. I sauteed sugar snap peas in butter and garlic until they were soft. The sugar snap peas are from my garden,too. The vines are full and I've already used them in 2 meals.

10. I signed up with a local CSA. I paid $25 for the first box of organic vegetables. I cancelled after the first box arrived because it was mostly items to make salads. I love salads but I'm the only one who eats them. It's probably a great deal for organic veggies but that is why I don't purchase organic unless it's the same price as the regular veggies. I just can't afford it.

It's a busy time of year with the watering and pulling weeds in our garden. I love working in my yard.

So what did you do this week to save money in your home?
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I love this life!

Yes, I love this life! This life that some would consider a life of deprivation because our income is less than a 1/4 of what it used to be.  But, you know what?  I wouldn't change the life I have today for those previous years and all the extra money and expensive homes.

Not everyone would choose to live this way. I was told by someone recently, "It would drive me nuts to have to watch every penny".  But, I love all the little things that I do to stretch our small income.  I love cooking from scratch and baking my own bread. I love making my own laundry soap and the crisp fresh smell of line dried sheets. No amount of purchased fabric softener will come close to that wonderful scent.  I don't see it as deprivation but as tasks that add a richness to my days.

I've heard women say that they felt like their brains were drying up when they were 'only' homemakers.  But, I am never bored. I'm always learning something new. This winter I've spent time learning how to grow vegetables from seeds.   My heart sings as I walk by those little baby seedlings thriving in my vegetable patch. My sweet peas are blooming and the strawberries have flowered along with a few actually berries. 

I enjoy my slow mornings and spending time in God's Word before my day starts. This is my favorite time of the day.

 I love the opportunities to spend more uninterrupted time with my husband. I find that I have more patience in my relationships when my life is less busy.

Our free raspberries are thriving.

I find a deep sense of satisfaction when relationships are put first. So much greater than anything the promise of extra money can offer. My home is not fancy or up to date with the newest styles. I live in a lower income neighborhood so there's no chance of impressing anyone when they visit my home. But, you know what? Those things are so temporal.

Money can buy many 'things' but  it can't buy what I have!

Tiny small homes

The homes we've been looking to buy (less than 1,000 sq. ft) are HUGE in comparison to the home featured in this video. In fact, our studio is large compared to their home. I found this very encouraging that a family of 4 could live in less than 200 sq. ft.

Tiny Home

Oh give me a home ... where the mortgage is low....

Quite a few years ago I owned a used homeschool curriculum bookstore which I ran for nearly 10 years. I often had mother's come for curriculum counseling because they were overwhelmed with all of the choices. Should they do unit studies or The Principle Approach or a more traditional textbook? It could drive a mother to distraction. I'd always bring them back to this question, "What has your husband allowed you to spend?" That was our starting point. It was a great 'narrower', as I used to call it, because it helped to narrow their choices.

Many of you know that we sold our home(s) 2 years ago when my husband became disabled. We lived in my aunt's barn studio the first year and then took a job as caregivers in the home of a 91 year old lady this past year so we could be closer to family.  My husband's Medicare will kick in April 1st and as a result we will be able to cut our $1,000 a month medical insurance payment to less than half. This will allow us to buy a small inexpensive home. There is no way we can afford rent  prices which are twice as much as a mortgage these days.

The types and areas of homes we can afford on a disability income are not familiar to us. To be honest, five years ago we would have avoided these areas like the plague. This has been the catalyst for a lot of soul searching and honestly I haven't been pleased with what I've seen. I believe I have taken on society's mindset when it comes to choosing a home more than God's. Sins like 'fear of man' and 'pride' are leading the pack.

Now, back to the point of my first paragraph. God has narrowed our income substantially over the past 5 years.  As a result it has limited us to certain areas where we can buy. They are not areas we would have pursued.. if given the choice... but God has narrowed our choices by our circumstances and funds. .. just as He did with my homeschool families..  He has spoken clearly through His provision.

There is a bigger part of me that gets excited thinking about where God might be moving us. Who will my neighbors be? Will there be some souls that I can point towards Christ? Will there be some that I can minister to or disciple? Will I have opportunities to serve?

 I am confident that He is working out His plan in our lives through the narrowing of our home choices. YAY!

 It will be small. It will be old. It will be perfect!
 

Living Small

I guess it's all in your perspective. Some people wonder how my husband and I can live in less than 300 sq. ft. Yet, this young man lives in 78 sq. ft. I've learned the past few years that we need a whole lot less than we ever imagined.

The Joy found in Serving (in our new Home)!

• 
  It's been over a month since my husband and I accepted a job as a caregiver to a 90 (just turned 91) year old woman named Alice. The opportunity came suddenly but as time has gone on I marvel at how perfectly suited this situation is for our current needs and smile knowing that God handpicked it for not only Alice but my husband and myself. To be honest with you I panicked the week before we were scheduled to move. I kept thinking.. what if I can't make Alice happy.. what if she doesn't like me...?   My husband reminded me that the Scriptures never command us to make someone happy.. only to serve and love them. I married a smart man!
  
  So, here we are a month later and I can honestly say that my fears were unfounded. God has exceeded my expectations in the gift He has given me in Alice.  She has not only opened her home to us but her heart. She has made us feel welcome and like we're part of her family.  She doesn't treat me like an employee but as her friend.  I'm finding great joy in serving her and making her comfortable. Honestly, it's been easy to fall in love with her. It blesses me so much when I ask her if there is anything else I can do for her and she simply says, "Nope. I'm happy."
  
  I'm a planner.. sometimes to my discredit. This past year I thought through a multitude of possibilities of where we might live next. I imagined us living in everything from a motorhome to my mother's house. Moving into Alice's home and caring for her was no where in the plans.  I wasted a lot of time in 'over thinking mode' when I could have been using those moments worshiping God and serving others. It won't be time wasted though if I can learn from it. I find that recently when I begin trying to micro-manage my future I suddenly remember how amazingly God orchestrated this move and immediately I am reminded that God does a much better job of  taking care of my future than I do. I am learning to 'rest' in His sovereign hands.
  
  

  

  Alice and I are settling into a routine and our days are beginning to establish a hum.. a rhythm. I'm learning her needs and how to make her comfortable. Before I moved in I set up a housekeeping schedule for her home. The first Monday after we moved here I pulled out my schedule and began cleaning. Alice said, 'what are you doing? Why don't you sit down and relax? Nothing needs to be cleaned.'  Alice has kept a very neat and clean home but she is teaching me (slow as it may be on my part) that a person doesn't always need to be busy. I could learn a lot from Alice... and I'm sure I have much more to learn.
  
  I'm also learning some new lessons in frugality that Alice is teaching me. I'm learning how to clean less and thereby use less water, cleansers and electricity.. to wash less loads of laundry each week and to use less lights and water. These are great lessons that will help stretch our income if we're ever given the opportunity to live in our own home again.
  
  I am continuing to learn deeper lessons in loving God and others. There is joy in serving.
  Jesus came to serve... and not to be served. He gave His life as a ransom for many. I don't serve perfectly. I've had moments where I'm tempted to put my own needs first. I've struggled at times with the changes my life has taken over the past few years as my husband's disability has kept us closer to home and more isolated.   But.. in spite of these  lapses of giving into my selfish nature I am finding a renewed love for the One who was the ultimate servant as I learn to follow Him in serving others and putting their needs ahead of my own.
  
  I have so much more to learn.
  
  Are you learning the joy of serving others?  Is there a widow in your family that needs your help? Or possibly an elderly neighbor?

'Living small' and our new home!

I'm entering my second year of LIVING SMALL and frankly I really like it. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would someday live in a home that was 10 times less in size.. I would have thought it unbearable. But, here I am and we're as content as can be! God has given abundant grace and we have found great peace in not only living with less but also with LIVING SMALL.

Here are a few things I like about LIVING SMALL:

•  LIVING SMALL demands less of my time to clean which allows more time to invest in eternal priorities.   
• LIVING SMALL forces me to make the most of the space that I do have. Our new little cottage has less storage than we previously had so it forced me to consider and evaluate each item I own (literally). That is a good thing because it helps me to narrow my priorities in what I own! Less stuff equals less to take care of.
• LIVING SMALL helps to harness the shopping bug (a.k.a. GREED). I used to enjoy browsing the stores which generally ended up in another purchase. But no longer! I just don't have the room for anything else unless I get rid of something.  I honestly have lost all desire to window shop which in the long run is saving me money and helping me to live more comfortably on a very limited budget.
• LIVING SMALL has helped me to focus more on my important relationships than on STUFF>

It's possible that someday we may LIVE LARGE(r) than we are living now but I believe that our lives will be forever effected by the drastic challenge of LIVING SMALL. At least I hope so!

So here is a tour of our new little cottage.

This is our main living space. Our kitchen is on the left.
 I've stored our canned food out in the garage in cabinets.
My 'office' is to the right of this picture in the lower left hand corner.



Same room just from a different view. The door straight back
is the laundry room which we share with our little lady plus
a bathroom. The hall leads to her home.

My 'office'. The closet holds half of our clothes. Our little lady
(Mrs. A.) has been gracious to allow us the use of an extra closet in
her home. I really think we could get by with this one closet if
we had to. Maybe I'll downsize our clothes this year.

Our bedroom. Our bed just barely fit. We had less than a foot
at the end but lots of space on the sides. Our BB (beloved pet)
sleeps on the pillow next to the bed.

We are also blessed with a 2 car garage which has helped tremendously. I've stored extra cleaning products along with canned foods, an extra fridge, large cooking pots and appliances and extra toiletries.

I'm determined that we COULD live in just the space given minus the garage and extra closet. We would just not be allowed the luxury of a stocked pantry.

We have everything necessary to maintain our household.. plus a little more. Isn't that amazing?