Maybe I'm Just Cheap

Tuesday was the last meeting of the year of an organization that Kellen (9) is involved in. The last meeting is a party of sorts. This year it was at a local recreation center that had swimming, a water slide, boats, and several other activities. The organization paid for our family and we brought along two cousins. We had a great day playing in the water!

The group also fed everyone pizza, chips, and pop. A perfect crowd pleasure when a bunch of kids are on hand, and there was plenty. In fact, there was too much. When feeding a group it is always better to have too much than to run out. I don't fault anyone for having extra after a party.

This is a good group of people and I hate to be critical, but I am shocked by how they waste food. We were one of the last to leave and we helped clean up. There were three whole pizzas left. The other ladies just wanted to throw them away. You know I couldn't stand by for that. The pizzas went in my vehicle. They also were going to throw away all the 2 liters of pop and chips that had been opened. We took those home too. That night we had an easy and free dinner.

This is not the first time that this type of thing has happened with this group. I'm always the one taking what is left. They always give me what Tim and I call the head tilt. You know they look at you funny like that don't quite understand you. Maybe I'm just cheap, but I can't stand to see perfectly good food thrown out. (Actually I'm so well trained to compost and feed the chickens the scraps that I even get a small twitch when scraps are thrown in the trash.)

Yes, I bargain shop. I hunt for the best buy. I gladly take hand me downs, and I can't stand to throw away food. Maybe that makes me different, or perhaps it does go over the line to cheap, but I'm alright with that.

Rest

It has been a particularly busy few weeks. The up coming weeks are no less hectic. I'm finding myself feeling drained and battling a cold. The following is a piece I wrote for another place some time back. I find that it is a needed reminder, to myself, right now.

Life is busy. There is always something demanding our time and our attention. It is easy to feel like you are spinning your wheels, while the to do list just keeps getting bigger and bigger. If you are trying to live a frugal lifestyle, you will find many frugal activities require your time in exchange for their money saving benefits. More things to do! Don't despair. Rest. It will save you money, really.

I'm not talking about a good night's sleep, though that is very beneficial. I am referring to a day devoted to doing nothing. No deadlines. No to do list. No pressure. A day just for relaxing, and as we call it, piddling. Relaxing doesn't mean sitting or sleeping all day, though that is fine, if it is what you need. Relax by reading a book, taking a walk through the woods, or planting flowers. Those are the things that I find relaxing, but perhaps you craft, drink coffee with friends, or piddle on other projects. The point is you engage in activities you enjoy, and feel no pressure to complete. We need these days to replenish ourselves, both physically and mentally.

How does this save you money? In so many ways. When you are rested the world just looks better. You can think better. You can look at options, come up with ideas and plans, and have the ambition to try new things to solve problems. All of which will save you time and money in the long run.

When you are rested you are less likely to reach for the convenience foods at the grocery store, to run through the drive through, or take the family out for dinner. You'll have the energy to pack your lunch and make your dinner from scratch. You won't be needing all those super charged caffeine drinks or the high carbohydrate snacks that go with them, to keep you going either. Skipping the overpriced coffee shop saves you money.

Taking time to rest will also benefit your health, making your body more able to fight off the virus' waiting for the chance to make you sick. Potential savings there in medicine, doctors visits and time off work. Not to mention the mental drain of trying to function while you are sick.

We need a day to relax. Ideally, it should happen once a week, though that is not always possible in reality. For my family, days devoted to rest probably happen once every other week on average, depending on the season. If you haven't had a day to rest in a long while, schedule yourself one now. Yes, put it on your calendar, in big bold letters RELAX! You'll find it beneficial, mentally, physically and financially.

Resting and relaxing are not things that come easily to me. I like to keep busy, but constant activity takes its toll, especially during stressful times. For this week my goal is to get all the cleaning and preparations for next week done today and tomorrow. Sunday I will rest. I need a day of rest to prepare mentally and recharge physically for the up coming week. It is a frugal thing to do.

Frugal Fridays

The Curse of Good Credit

Good credit is a good thing isn't it? I'm not so sure.

We've never made a lot of money, yet we have been offered a lot of credit. Foolishly we have taken advantage of many of those offers. Somehow we've managed to keep up with payments through the ups and downs of our income. Now here we are with a modest income, loads of debt, and somehow, an excellent credit rating.

We should be happy about that, shouldn't we?

Our good credit feels more like a curse.

What good has our good credit done us? It allowed us to buy a house which seemed like a good investment at the time, without a down payment. It did serve us well while we lived there, but our situation, not to mention the housing market, has changed. That good investment is a burden on our finances and time.

With our good credit we have purchased cars, fixed cars, taken vacations, purchased groceries in tight times, paid for unexpected expenses, gone out to eat way too often, and overall lived well beyond our means for the majority of the last thirteen years. Now we pay $100's of dollars in interest to our creditors every month. Money I'd much rather see go to our savings account Yeah, good credit is a wonderful thing.

Though we are neck high in debt, though our income qualifies us for some social services, though I have no desire to borrow any money, creditors are still trying to woo us. Credit offers come almost daily in the mail. Credit limit increases, initiated by the credit card company are a normal thing. The latest credit card limit increase put our credit limit at 70% of our annual income; on one credit card! I'm scared to add up all the available credit we have. It must be triple our annual income. Something isn't right here.

I have no intention of taking advantage of their temptations. Though at this point I really don't care much about my credit rating, I have no intention of losing that rating either. We will continue to pay our bills on time, and therefore continue to have a good credit rating.

In the past we have fallen to the lure of instant gratification. We are paying a pretty price for it now, and have learned our lesson. The curse of our good credit, the temptation to use that credit is no longer there. It is just ridiculous that a family in our situation can be offered such an excessive amount of credit. I thought the nation was in a credit crunch?

Feeding the Multitude (clothing them and entertaining them too)

I often get comments about that size of my family when we are out. Yes, my family is larger than average, but really small compared to some like Laura Williams'. In today's guest post Laura shares some ways she provides for her family without spending a fortune. Though certainly applied here to a large family, the principals behind her tips are applicable to us all, regardless of our family size. Thanks Laura!

Okay so I don't have a multitude to feed, but I do have seven children and a wonderful husband that I need to feed, provide with clean clothes, and entertainment.

Feeding The Multitude:

I do my main grocery shopping once a month and then just have hubby pick up odds and ends (fresh veggies, etc.) once a week on his way home from work. Doing monthly grocery shopping does take a little planning on my part. I keep a running "shopping" list that begins the day I bring the groceries home for that month until the day I go shopping again. This affords me the opportunity to post "out of" items as well as items I may need to pick up for my menu, which I plan out a month at a time. I get the stares in the stores when I am pushing a cart of groceries and sometimes pulling another one. When people find out that I am feeding a family of nine (7 children, hubby and I) and they see the carts, they ask if that is one week's groceries. They are stunned when I tell them it's for the month. It's beyond some people's concept to shop a month at a time and do so economically. I buy in bulk, cook from scratch, etc. I spend about $400 a month for groceries ... food and non-food total and don't use many coupons now as I once did simply because of the area we live in.

I shop at the lowest price stores and compare prices. I buy the best deal for the price and stock up when there are sales. I also buy fresh vegetables from local farmers as well as grow a garden. We are blessed to be given fresh vegetables in harvest time as well from a local farmer who grows pumpkins and tomatoes. He lets us gleam from the fields after his crew is through picking for the season. I home can and process the tomatoes into Spaghetti Sauce, stewed tomatoes, etc. and the pumpkins get made into Pumpkin Butter. which is delicious as is but can also be used to make Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pie with. I also buy seconds on Apples at a local orchard and either can the apples in slices, make apple pie filling and freeze it, make applesauce, or apple jelly, as well as making dried apple chips. Furthering our food budget to get the most from it means shopping wisely and learning how to stretch my budget with sales, gardening, or homecanning from area food sources. I don't turn down the unwanted zucchini as I can use it to make relish as well as shred it for bread, etc.

Clothing the Multitude:

With a large family, you get creative when it comes to clothing needs. We are a family in which the females only wear dresses or skirts that are modest. This means that oftentimes I can not find clothing in the stores that are long enough or are modest enough for our standards. I don't despair though. I go shopping for $1 fabric at Walmart (which unfortunately may be non-existent in our area soon) and I sew the dresses and jumpers for the two youngest girls. My oldest daughter and I can usually find skirts or dresses and blouses that are appropriate for us. The skirts are usually the hardest to find in a long length at the thrift stores. The majority of our clothing has been either bought at yard sales or thrift stores, given to us, or gotten from the freebie boxes at a local thrift store (with the exception being undergarments and socks which I prefer bought new.) We are very fortunate to live in an area that has a thrift store that offers "freebie" boxes in it's atrium. Anything in the designated area is free for the taking. This can include household furniture, kitchen wares, toys, books, and of course clothing and shoes. However, I'm not the slim person I once was an clothing to fit me are a little harder to find in thrift stores and yard sales. Once in a while, I will luck up and find a blouse or skirt to fit me. Last year though my sweet husband surprised me by taking me to a local store to shop for a couple of jean skirts and a few blouses as my meager wardrobe was wearing thin. Yes, we shopped the clearance racks on those and it pained me to pay even the clearance prices but it was better than going naked... believe me, lots better than doing that! I wouldn't want to scare the natives.

Entertaining the Multitude:

People seem to think that we don't ever get to go out and have fun because we are a large family and they think that we just "can't afford" a good time out. What one person's definition of a good time is not necessarily another person's definition.

There are TONS of things you can do that don't cost a lot of money. Granted we don't go to the movies but that's not because we can't, it's because we don't want too. We haven't been to the movies in about 5 years now I'm guessing. We don't own a television either... by choice.

Here are a few fun things we do:

* Head to the park for a picnic. There are local parks that have playgrounds as well as fishing facilities, streams to wade in, etc.

* Go on a nature walk around the area we live in. Especially fun for the children in summer months as they like to gather flowers or wild berries. The boys enjoy this as they gather flowers and leaves to bring home to look up in our nature guides. We enjoy seeing any wildlife that may show themselves..... the birds, squirrels, rabbits, etc. .... the snakes can stay were they are and it would be fine with me.

* There are area museums that offer free admission on certain days or free admission to homeschoolers. We enjoy this as field trips during the school year or as a fun weekend thing to do as a family.

* Gaze at the stars. My husband brought a telescope into the marriage and we will get that out from time to time and gaze up into the night sky. We viewed Mars a few years ago when it was close to Earth's orbit.

* Read. Individual fun that gives us each a little quiet time.... much needed at times.

* Visit the Library. My children love to load up on books to read or have read to them. They are looking forwarded to participating in the Summer Reading Program again this year. Last year my 9 year old took first place in the Reader's Division with his 7 year old brother taking second place.

* Visit friends and have a play day.

* Have a "Game Night" and enjoy playing games with each other or invite some friends over to have some fun. Pull out the monopoly game, scrabble game, etc. and have a ball. Hey use the ball outside and play volleyball, kick ball, or even play badminton. Gather up friends and head to a ball diamond and play softball, etc.

I will stop there with the list as there are others that could easily be added to the list. You could probably even add a few to the list yourself. Every area has something you can do for free. It just takes a little thought and maybe a couple of phone calls to see if any area museums, attractions, etc. offer free or discounted days.

Having a large family doesn't mean we do without. No it means we get more creative with what we have as well as the resources surrounding us and provided to us.

~~ by Laura Williams of Laura Williams' Musings

Vacation Plan B

In the matter of a week we've canceled both of our vacations. There are several factors involved, some of which we have no control over. Regardless of the reasons, we are left with needing a new plan. I'm taking my own advice, and planning low cost vacations.

Our first vacations was supposed to be spring break; next week. We aren't going to go out of town, but I do want to change up the pace for the week. It is so incredibly freeing to look at the calendar and see it entirely blank for a whole week. I also had guests posts lined up for here, so I am a free bird next week. What to do with all that freedom?

We are going to do a little vacationing from home, hanging out with friends, and catching up on projects. I love Sharon's idea: Spring Break the kids choice. It gives the children a chance to learn about money while they pick items of interest to them. So far my children have mentioned mostly free activities, but I still may give them budget to do a few things with that would be treats, like going to Chuck E Cheese. (Well, a treat for them anyway.) I've decided to have a game day if it rains. I'm determined to use those board games!

As for our June vacation, plan B is still up in the air. We are considering cruises and European vacations. Just kidding. I think we will go back to our original plan, before the Florida and Maine trips were options, and take the kids camping in the mountains. We've yet to determine a location, but want to be somewhere we can take a lot of day hikes. Tim and I at one time both enjoyed backpacking, and would like to expose the kids to it a little now. I have some time to put that vacation together yet.

Plans are good, but sometimes circumstances force us to change, even the best of plans. We're rolling with the punches. For next week I have several guest bloggers lined up, and I think you will really enjoy the posts they have chosen to share. I may pop in here and there, but for the most part I will be on vacation; from home.

Fixing a Braided Rug - advice please

Our side entrance is also our mudroom, our laundry room and our coat closet. Having all this together would be really convenient if the room weren't the width of a hallway, and the length of a small bathroom. The current set up might work if there weren't six of us, or if we didn't have outside animals that require us to tromp in mud to care for them. A much larger room for these purposes is at the top of my wish list for when we build.

After moving here, I quickly learned that rugs at the doors were an absolute necessity. Mud is a constant battle. I found some very cheap rugs at Big Lots, one for the laundry room and one for the front door. They are braided, and have lasted well considering the abuse they take at the boots of my family, and the total neglect that they suffer in my care. They are at the point though, that they do need some attention, and I need some advice.

Strips are loose on both of the rugs. They get caught in the doors, which is not only annoying, but makes the problem worse. I know that I could sew them back into the coil, but with what? Do they make special heavy duty needles and thread for this purpose, and if so would purchasing them be worth the investment to fix my Big Lots rugs?

If I do get them sewed up, how on earth do I clean them? The one at the front door cleans up fairly well just with the vacuum. The one at the back door is just full of dirt. The vacuum helps, but the rug is still dirty. They aren't huge rugs, but they are too big for my washer. Any suggestions?

I have often thought about making my own braided rugs from old jeans or other recycled material, but they appear to me very time intensive. For now I need to either make the ones I have work, or I will have to purchase different ones. I'd rather make do with what I have. Any ideas or suggestions?

A Two Bunk Bed Family

We live in a small house, partly out of necessity and partly because we believe that Smaller is Better. We have four children. One effect of having a smaller than average home, and a larger than average family is the children share rooms. Though it is not always exactly peaceful, I like them sharing rooms. They are learning to work out problems, get along, and lately I've started to see the older ones help the little ones with tasks like getting dressed.

We've had a set of bunk beds for several years. Since we've lived here, we've had the bunk beds split so each of the older children had a twin bed. The younger ones were in a toddler bed and a crib. It has worked well, but a few months ago we noticed that Nolan was outgrowing that toddler bed. Since neither of the rooms are big enough for two twin beds, we knew we would soon need to put together the bunks, and buy another set.

Anticipating the need, I started keeping an eye out for a good deal. I figured we would use part of our tax return for the beds. The tax return isn't here yet, and I hadn't found any "can't pass on" deals, so we were still waiting. Then a co-worker mentioned to Tim that his daughter had a set of bunk beds she wanted to get rid of; free! He didn't know that we needed them, but does know we have four kids. Would we be interested? Well, yes sir, we sure would!

She gave us a white metal set. Wouldn't you know all the other furniture in the girls' room is white? The set has a full bed on bottom and a twin on top. It was just the frame, so we do need to do some mattress shopping, but I am not sure I'd want used kids' mattresses anyway.

The set we had before is set up in the boys' room. Putting the bunk beds in the boys' room created so much space for them! They love the bunk beds, though we have had to createa schedule since both want to sleep on top. Nolan thinks they are a toy as much as a bed. They have become his pirate ship!

The white set in the girls' room. The girls' room is a bit crowded now, but once Vivian is out of the crib, they will also have a lot more space. We still need to get the mattress' for them, but I know they will be enjoyed as much as the boys' set. We will probably have a girls' pirate ship! We are now a two bunk bed family!

I am so glad that we didn't just run out and buy something as soon as we realized we were going to need another set of beds. I can't tell you how many times we have wanted or needed something, and by waiting have found the items free or at dirt cheap prices. Within a week or two I should have another example of patience yielding us a great deal. That story is about a much larger item; a vehicle. Stay tuned for more!

Branson - More than country music

When I think Branson, I think country music. I'm not much of fan, so Branson really was not on my radar of vacation spots. I was rather surprised the other day when browsing around Branson Getaways at the wide variety of entertainment options available there . Though there certainly are many options for country music fans, Branson has much more to offer.

In addition to country music shows, you can find magic, Broadway, and even opera selections on stage in Branson. There are theme parks, museums, the Titanic museum looks particularly interesting, and a host of outdoor activities. Of course, there also is shopping, and your standard entertainment such as mini golf, movies, and go kart racing. A wide variety of lodging options are also available.

I've never been to Branson, but it sounds like it has a lot to offer the whole family, even a family who aren't particularly fans of country music. Our vacations are pretty well set for this year, but it is nice to have some other options to consider for the future. Branson is within driving distance for us, and as you know I'm always looking for new, and affordable places to go.

Have any of you vacationed in Branson? What were your favorite places?

The Story of Two Kitchens

Our first home was a duplex. The two units had the exact same layout, but the feel of each was dramatically different; a testimony to how small differences in things like paint and flooring can make huge impacts. The kitchens of both units were very dated. One got a remodel, while the other only got a makeover. Both looked much better when completed, but for a very different price tag.

The upstairs was in need of a remodel. The linoleum was worn through, and the pet of a former resident had damaged the lower cupboards. This room was gutted, and redone with new counters, cupboards, and a tile floor. A dishwasher was installed, and the stove was replaced. The ceiling was stippled and fresh paint was applied to the walls and ceiling. It was a huge improvement, but it also came with a hefty price tag. Even with keeping to the low end for supplies and fixtures, and providing all the labor ourselves, that one room remodel ran about $5000. Yikes!

The lower kitchen really was sound. The counter and the cupboards were in good shape. The floor had a few nicks, but overall was fine. The kitchen though was just ugly. The back splash was pink ceramic tile. The counters were a white background with a pink and gray pattern that reminded me of a 50's diner. The floor was also a white background with a faint gray and pink pattern.

We knew that we would not be living in that house long term, and could not justify the cost of another kitchen remodel when everything really was in good shape. We decided to just give it a makeover. The cupboards got a light sanding and a fresh coat of polyurethane. They looked beautiful. I found a product called Gripper to use as a primer on the tile back splash. We picked the wall color, a deep blue/green color, and used the computer match at the store to choose several other complimentary colors. The tile squares were painted randomly with the variety of the colors chosen. Trim was painted white, and crown molding was added, as was a new light fixture. Not much I could do about the counters, but they were less noticeable with all the other color in the room. We had intended to replace the floor, but that project did not get completed before we moved. The kitchen looked so much better. (Wouldn't you know I can find before pictures of the kitchen, but no after pictures!) It was not quite the dramatic change that occurred in the upstairs kitchen, but it also did not have quite the price tag. All totaled it cost about $300.Two kitchens both with a new look, but also with very different price tags.

Sometimes we need a change in our homes; a little freshening. It can be tempting to toss it all and get new. Often we can just make a few small changes that completely change a room. If you are talking about a kitchen, fresh paint to the walls, ceiling, or the back splash brings a lot of bang for relatively few bucks. Personally I prefer wooden cupboards, but they can be painted too. To freshen their look without painting new hardware can make a big difference. Try adding a border or new curtains for a simple change. Other small changes that can be made include light fixtures, door hardware, such as Schlage, or the addition of decorative items like antique plates, pictures, or a collection of tea cups.

Sometimes a complete remodel is called for, but before investing your time and money into that project consider if a smaller makeover could do the job. If the components of the room are in good shape, but not to your taste, think of ways that you could freshen them up a bit. What are some other ideas you've used to bring new life to your outdated kitchen?

Not Exactly Frugal

There is a reason I don't buy packages of cookies or other junk food at the store. There is a reason that even though I like to bake, I don't do it very often. The reason being that this family has no self control!

In a moment of weakness I ordered four boxes of cookies from a Girl Scout we know. What was I thinking? I think the plan was to help a good cause, and to freeze some to ration them out. Yeah right.

Tuesday I exchanged $14 for my four boxes of cookies. Do you know how much I can buy at Aldi for $14?! Not a single cookie made it to the freezer. All that remains this morning is half a sleeve of thin mints. Yes, the six of us demolished those cookies.

Of course buying Girl Scout cookies is not exactly frugal, but it does help a good cause. So the only regret here is that we have no self control when it comes to those little and expensive cookies. I've done my part. I will buy no more. If I do I may have to look at investing in home gyms, and that I certainly can't not afford!

Photo credit: Kayak49

What do you do?

This just may be the post that leaves you saying, "She has gone too far with this frugality thing." Maybe, but I am hoping that some of you may have had the same thought, and maybe even found a solution.

What do you do with the juice left after you eat canned fruit?

My children are big fruit eaters, especially the three year old. In the winter, that makes for a lot of canned fruit in the house. Nolan will easily polish off an entire can of mandarin oranges for a snack, and ask for more. The juice left in the can has long bothered me. I hate to just put it down the drain! The kids sometimes will just drink it, but since there is added sugar I am hesitant to make that a normal practice. Can you use the juice to make anything?

You've all given me good tips before, and I'm hoping you have some for this too! Or maybe I'm the only one that is so cheap they are concerned about wasting the juice in a can of fruit.

Should Have Known

A few weeks ago I picked up a cookie mix in a bag. I normally don't buy mixes, but this one happened to be significantly marked down because it was a Christmas recipe. I thought for the price, it would be nice to have something quick and easy to make.

Yesterday we had a nice quiet day at home, and I was in the mood for something sweet. The perfect time to use that easy mix. I dumped the packet in a bowl, and as I was adding the egg, I noticed the packaging said it took seven minutes to prepare the dough. I've never timed my cookie making, but I had to wonder how long it really takes to measure out some flour, sugar, and a few other ingredients. Could it really be much longer than seven minutes?

As I was putting the cookies on the cookie sheet, I realized this mix really didn't make very many cookies, maybe a dozen and a half. That doesn't go very far in a family of six. If I am going to mess up a mixing bowl, and cookie sheets I want enough cookies to last awhile, or perhaps even have some to stick into the freezer.

Then the true test; the taste. They were okay. I mean we did eat them, but they weren't nearly as good as the ones I make from scratch. *Sigh* Add it to the list of things that that are Better Tasting and Almost as Easy to make from scratch. I should have known.

So my Frugal Friday tip this week: skip the mix. Even at a discounted price the taste sacrifice is not worth the small amount of time savings.

On another note:
A question for those of you who don't have a microwave. I am at a loss for making popcorn. We love popcorn. I'm not going to go out and buy any popcorn machines. I know you can make popcorn on the stove top, but I'm a little concerned about making it on my flat top stove. Will I scratch up the surface? Appreciate your input!

Smaller is Better - TT # 21

We live in a house that is about 1400 sq feet. We are a family of six. I'm not going to lie, and tell you we are perfectly happy in our little home. The fact is we are crowded, and there simply are not enough places to put our things. The biggest problem with this house is not the living space, but the storage space. There is no basement. There is no attic.

Our previous home was about the same size, but it had a large basement, and a large attic. We really had plenty of room in that house. (Granted there were only five of us then.)

We do plan to build someday. When we talk about house plans there are always things thrown out like wouldn't it be nice to have a separate room for school, for Tim's music stuff, for canning, and a list of other things. Then reality sets in, and I wonder how big of house do we really need? Is bigger always better? I think in the case of homes the answer is no. Here are thirteen reasons why a small house may be better.

1. The Price Tag
All other things equal, whether building or buying, a larger home will come with a larger price tag

2. Utilities
The more square footage the more it will take to heat and cool the place. And the more rooms the kids will leave the lights on in.

3. Furniture
You will need something to put in all those rooms.

4. Decorating
More curtains, pictures, and other items to buy.

5. Cleaning
All that floor space will need swept, the furniture dusted, and those curtains washed occasionally. I can't keep up with what I have now!

6. Clutter
I find having a smaller home forces me to de-clutter more often. When we moved from the home that had lots of storage I was shocked at home much we accumulated because there were places to put it.

7. A bit tight now, but perfect for the future.
There are six of now, but there won't always be. I know this probably doesn't hold true for a lot of people, but when we build we plan to stay. we aren't looking for any North Carolina land for sale, or any other land for that matter. Thinking about when there will be just two of us is a consideration.

8. Redecorating
At some point new paint and carpet will be needed. This could be a big difference in time and money for the future.

9. Upkeep
Whether you are talking about the roof or the siding a bigger house will take more of it.

10. Life lessons
Sharing space may not always be fun for the kids (or the parents who have to hear the arguments,) but I think there are lessons to be learned in those conflicts.

11. Forces us to get outside
Being on top of each other makes getting outside in the open spaces more appealing.

12. Use of resources
We don't want the focus of our time and money to be a house. A larger house is a larger draw on those resources. A smaller house lets us put those resources to uses that are more important to us.

13. Encourages me to stay on top of things.
With a lot of people in a small space getting behind on laundry, dishes or picking up toys soon makes it hard to function in the house. I'm not saying that it never happens, but it is hard to just close a door and ignore the mess in a little home.

So, how large of a home do we need? I'm not sure about that. I do know though for our lifestyle and situation, bigger is not better. There are some things we certainly need more room for, and other things that might be nice. It comes down to prioritizing those wants, and deciding where to draw the line. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Thursday Thirteen

Can I Live Without a Microwave?

Well of course the answer to that question is yes. My grandmother lived without one, my mother didn't have one until I was in high school, and there are millions of people around the world living today without a microwave. I could feed my family without a microwave. The real question is, do I want to?

About three years ago my oldest two children fried my microwave when they put crayons in the microwave to melt, in plastic cups, for ten minutes. I was doing laundry in the basement. They put the crayons in and came down to the basement too. We all quickly returned upstairs at the sound of the smoke alarm, and found the crayons melted and the plastic cups on fire. The end of one microwave.

For some reason we had an extra older microwave in the basement. That one came to West Virginia with us. A few short weeks later child #2 decided to make her own oatmeal. She forgot to take the spoon out of her bowl. The end of another microwave.

We got gift cards for Christmas so we could buy another microwave; one with a child lock. Today I was heating up leftovers in the microwave. Two dishes warmed up just fine. When I started the third I heard a strange zapping noise, and soon saw smoke coming out from under the microwave. No children or metallic objects involved this time. The end of our third microwave in as many years.

After going through three microwaves in three years, I have to wonder if buying another is really wise. We do have gift cards from Christmas we hadn't decided what to do with yet. Trust me a new microwave was nowhere on the list of uses for those Christmas presents! Do I really want to use gift cards or draw from other money in the budget for something that will probably be ruined again in two years?! Couldn't I live with out one?

I was convinced I could...

until I went to heat up my afternoon cup of coffee! Then I thought about making the kids' oatmeal in the morning, and heating up leftovers for lunch. And what do I do with the leftovers from dinner? Put them in a container? Leave them in the pan? Oh, the endless changes I'd have to make if I had no microwave.

I am forced to admit I'm addicted to the convenience of the microwave. Are there rehabs for that? A microwave is not a need. It is a high priority want in this house. One I apparently am not prepared to go without.

Photo courtesy of flickr

Thoughts about Mother's Day

Since moving to West Virginia I have learned a lot about the state's history. It has been the focus of some of our school lessons, and co-op meetings. The state has a very interesting history. One fact that keeps popping up when I'm looking for facts about West Virginia is that Mother's Day as we know it was first celebrated in 1908, and later promoted by a West Virginian, Anna M. Jarvis.

A little research on the history of mother's day shows that the idea was not a new one. Celebrations of the maternal date back to ancient times, though the celebration focused on human mothers is relatively recent. I like the idea of appreciating moms, but hate how commercial the holiday is. I found it interesting in reading about Anna M. Jarvis that she too was angry at the commercial slant the holiday had taken in her own lifetime.

I know Mother's Day is not for awhile, but maybe if we start now we can curb some of the commercialism. Speaking as a mom I'd much rather someone appreciate me by doing the dishes rather than buying me chocolate. As a mom express how you'd like to be appreciated. As a child think about what your mom would really appreciate. Give mom a treat without buying into the commercialism.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user peaceoflace.

When You're On the Same Page

We celebrated Christmas with my family over the weekend. It was a relaxing and fun time. The cousins could not have been more thrilled, as they rarely all get together. It was enjoyable to see them interacting and playing. Vivian was particularly thrilled to have a real baby around to play with. We were missing one family member, but that is another story I suppose.

This morning I was thinking about our weekend. It really was a simple family get together. Our meals were simple. Not all of them were exactly frugal, thanks mom for the seafood stew, but most meals included items that were prepared ahead or easily put together. Everything was delicious, and no one was stuck in the kitchen with lots of cooking or cleaning up.

We opened presents on Sunday. We all kept it simple and frugal this year. Less gifts were purchased. Many gifts were homemade, second hand, or purchased on clearance,but this did not dampen the joy of opening presents one bit. Everyone had a gift that they were extremely pleased with. Several of the kids even did the happy dance around the living room after discovering their gift. My sister-in-law and I compared our thrift store and clearance bargains afterward, "She loves that and you only paid a dollar," and "Can you believe I found that at the thrift store for only three dollars?"

Sometimes you feel like a fish swimming upstream when choosing a simpler and more frugal lifestyle. It is nice to see some reward from your choices. It certainly helps when your family is on the same page with you.

Ebooks

I really do enjoy reading, but I find about all I ever get read are blog posts. Sometimes I can't keep up with those either. Do any of you read ebooks? I've never tried reading them, and was wondering what others thought.

Books on Board has a wide variety of ebooks including your favorite Romance Authors at competitive prices. Books are available in adobe pdf, mobipocket, microsoft reader and Palm/ereader format.

Somehow I can see my husband using something like this more than I would. He could download to his phone, then read books when he has time to kill at work between stops. I think I like using the free paper editions available at my local library.

Seven Things

And baby makes 5 has tagged me for the Seven Things Meme. It is a fun and simple meme. Just tell your readers seven random things about you. In keeping with the theme here, I will list things money related. I was also tagged at my other blog, and made that list a bit more personal.

1. My first paid "job" was in grade school. A friend and I helped my dad with farm chores. I think he paid us about a dollar an hour to do chores like shoveling pig manure. Where were the child labor laws?!

2. I'd like to think that even if we had an income that didn't make frugality a necessity, we would still conitnue in our frugal ways, but there is one place I'd like to indulge. I would love to be able to travel. In the US or over the world, I want to see it. I'd do it frugally, I promise!

3. I did use my college education for a few years, but most of my working years (well paid working, since I certainly am still working) were spent as a waitress. I think I owe almost as much on my education as I ever earned using it. I have a deep dislike for Sallie Mae.

4. I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with family and friends. I never dreamed it would lead to so many new friends, let alone a source of income. Funny how you get into things.

5. Since we've been married, Tim and I have had two different jobs where our housing and utilities were free. We managed an apartment complex, and were house parents in a therapeutic foster home.

6. We have one TV in our house. It is a 19" TV we bought used ten years ago from a tenant in the apartments we managed.

7. Our kids share bedrooms. I like it that way. Of course, I never had to share a room. Though there certainly are conflicts, I think it is a wonderful life lesson for them. When we build I have no intention of building a five bedroom home. They will still share. By the time we will
build it may be a mute point.

According to the rules, I am supposed to tag seven of you, but I tag you all! If you play let me know, and I will put up your link!

Playing Along: The Frugal Momma

Convert Your Cutting Board

The function of a cutting board is to protect your other surfaces when you are cutting food. They don't need to be fancy, and you don't really even have to have something made to be a cutting board. Often if I am cutting something small like an onion, I will just grab a small plate to cut on.

When I have a bigger job, or am chopping a lot of different items, I pull out the bigger cutting board. Mine is a glass cutting board that we got for free about ten years ago. It serves its purpose.

Cutting boards leave something to be desired though when cutting something juicy, like tomatoes, meat or oranges. There is no place for the juice to go except off the board and onto your counter, creating a big mess.

They do sell cutting boards that are specifically designed to fit over your sink, so that all the mess drips into the sink, instead of on your counter. I'd rather try to make do with what I have then buy something new.

My cutting board does fit nicely over my sink, and the liquids easily drain at the long ends of the board. And it works pretty well, except when what I am cutting is heavy or requires a little muscle, like a watermelon. When I try to cut those items the board slips, and that just isn't good when you have a sharp knife halfway through a watermelon.

The solution really was very easy. I put a rag or towel along the edges where the cutting board rests on the sink. The liquids drain down the other edges, and any liquids that go to the sides are absorbed by the rags. The cutting board stays in place and I can slice and chop to my hearts delight with out getting a mess on my counter.

Making do with what I have, fixing a problem without buying a special gadget, now that works for me!


Works for Me Wednesday
Thanks to Mizuno golf.

Frugality Sometimes Requires Perseverance

Saving money, reducing debt and being frugal is all about finding little tricks and then turning them into habits. Sometimes the new habit is easy to pick up. For me, shopping at Aldi was an easy habit to pick up. I've never been particularly brand loyal so I was fine with trying the Aldi brands. We found we liked them as much or more as other brands, and the savings were substantial. Easy habit to establish.

Other things though require a bit more time and effort. They take perseverance. My Webster's New Complete Desk Reference defines persevere as "To persist in any purpose or idea; to strive in spite of difficulties or obstacles." Oh, have I had to persevere to establish some of my frugal habits.

Sometimes perseverance is needed because something is just not what you are used to. The first example that comes to my mind personally is water. We have had a water cooler for about five years. It was given to us as a gift when we lived in a city that had terrible tasting drinking water. I am sure it was safe, but when it reeks of chlorine before you get it to your nose it just isn't the most appealing drink.

The tap water here is not bad, but we were used to the bottled water and already had the cooler so we continued getting our 5 gallon jugs of purified water. Then the water cooler stopped working. My first thought was we had to go out and get a new one, but there simply was no money for it. We started drinking our tap water. *gasp* At first I could barely stand the water. Then I found it was ok with a lot of ice, and now I find it perfectly fine. My taste buds have gotten used to the tap water.

Sometimes perseverance is needed because the frugal option is hard work or takes more time. I used disposable diapers with my first child. With the second we needed to make some drastic budget cuts. We invested in cloth diapers, and I quickly found that they are more work. At the time I didn't really have a choice but to persevere. By the time the third child was born, washing diapers had become part of my normal routine. When the fourth was born I didn't even think about not using cloth. Cloth diapers were a well established habit.

Sometimes things just don't work right at first, and you need to give it some time before you decide whether to give up on the idea or not. When something is not going as planned the first time, I set myself a time frame. I will try such and such for one month, and then decide if I want to continue it. Breastfeeding was something like this for me. The first month was horrible. The second month was better, and by the third month it was perfectly natural. Currently, using the Keeper is in the perseverance stage. The first month trying it was a learning experience. Hopefully next month it will be easier.

Few things in life that come easily are worthwhile. Frugality is no different. If you try something and it is hard or doesn't exactly go as planned, set your self a time frame and keep trying. By the end of your time frame, you may find the activity wasn't as hard as you thought and decide to continue. Maybe you find you really hate it and don't want to do it anymore. You may find it has gotten better, but your still not sure. Give it a little more time to decide. If it still isn't working out chuck the idea and move on.

What frugal things have come easy to you? Which have required perseverance?

Frugal Fridays