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Try Try Again

Finally, at the urging of many friends I have entered the world of Twitter. If I say its overwhelming does that make me look like an idiot? Don’t even get me started on the whole Facebook thing. I’m all about keeping it simple and this looks like WORK. Friends say once I get the hang of it, it WILL get easier. Face it, I can’t even keep up with my own blog! Now I’m twittering (ok that just doesn’t even sound right)!

My family’s world has been a little wild and upside down lately. We’re (I’m) getting back on track now. Things I’m currently working on:
  • Learning the whole Social Networking thing
  • Better time management
  • Adding exercise into my daily routine
  • Potty training toddler boy
If you can relate to this or have suggestions, let me know!
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Realistic Expectations

You know that I am all about keeping things simple. Too much stuff (mental or material) complicates life and leads to stress overload. We get irritable, we procrastinate, the downward spiral seems unending. Rather than New Year resolutions I am trying to evaluate what has and has not worked for me this past year. Updating this blog on a monthly basis is more realistic than weekly right now. God first, family second…then everything else. Liberating indeed.

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Priorities

It seems like FOREVER since I have had the opportunity to sit at the computer. The feeling that there is never enough time prompts me to discuss it in this latest post. In the valiant effort to keep the house clean, get the laundry done, stock the groceries, pay the bills, etc., it is so easy to let the really important things slip. In our never ending to-do list, have we forgotten our Lord, our spouse, our children? Sure we spend time with them but are we really with them – engaged in them or just beside them? My two year old is growing at lightening speed. It hurts to know that his requests for “rock me, please” will be less and less as he matures. So I spend 30 extra minutes in the rocker with him, so the house is not perfect, so I get up a little earlier tomorrow to make up the slack…so what. These precious moments remind me to get my priorities straight. What is on the top of your to-do list? Bump it for extra prayer time with God, a picnic with your kids, a movie with your husband, coffee with your mum – the chores will wait.

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Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part Three

Part Three… Even More Ways To Save

  • MAKE YOUR OWN CLEANING SUPPLIES. This is cheap and so easy. There are several good recipes on the net but I will post my own soon. You probably already have these things in your pantry: vinegar, salt, baking soda, olive oil, and lemon to name a few! OK, so you are not into “home made,” go to the dollar store. Supplies are much less there than at the market.
  • CREATE A PATIO GARDEN. Even if you do not have a large yard you can still enjoy fresh vegetables from container planting. Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs do well in tight places. Healthy and thrifty – what could be better?
  • MINIMIZE DINNING OUT. Brown bagging lunch saves a TREMENDOUS amount of money over the course of a year. So does cooking and eating your evening meals at home. Enjoy your family time at the table. Face it, you can not get COMFORT food at a fast food joint. When you do go out, train the kids to pick from the dollar menu. You will be amazed at the amount of money that is suddenly available in your budget.
  • While you are cooking, MAKE ENOUGH TO FREEZE FOR LATER. I also buy the family packs of meat when they are on sale. It only takes a few minutes to break them down into smaller portions and it saves a bundle! My freezer and zip baggies keep my kitchen going!
  • CUT ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSE by going to the morning or mid-day show instead of the evening movie. Eat before you go to avoid killer prices on snacks at the concession stand. Rent a few a month instead and you will save even more. FAMILY GAME NIGHTS are more fun for us than movies and the games are things we have already purchased for the kids.
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Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part Two

    Part Two Contains Ways I Save Around The House
  • Use a DIGITAL THERMOSTAT that you can program. I cut my electric bill in half and my house is comfortable all year long. We spent $25 and approximately 30 minutes installing and programming the digital thermostat. It was so easy and the savings have been HUGE!
  • CAULK WINDOWS & DOORS. I don’t mean seal them shut – just around the facings where all the cracks are. If you see daylight – you are throwing money away. You may need a rubber or foam threshold at the bottom of your doors. Can you hear your father yelling “shut the door, we are not cooling the whole neighborhood!”? It is the same thing. Keep your warm/cool air inside and the bugs outside. It costs around ten bucks and could take a couple of hours depending on how many doors and windows you have.
  • AVOID IMPULSE BUYING. Do you absolutely have to get that blouse? Sleep on it a few days. Most of the time I decide I really don’t want or need whatever it was that SEEMED so important at the time.
  • Better yet – DO NOT GO shopping unless you have a list. Hitting the stores when you are bored is a bad, bad, bad idea. If you know you have a problem with sticking to a budget, do not invite unnecessary temptation.
  • UTILIZE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY for entertainment. It is not just for books – you can check out videos too. Many libraries have reading/craft programs for young children and “how-to” workshops for adults. Super cheap fun!
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Ways To Stretch That Dollar! Part One

Part One Contains Ways I Save On Groceries

  • CLIP COUPONS. I do not have time to search the endless internet for all coupons. I use only three online sources: P&G ESaver http://www.pgesaver.com/Sites/PG_eSAVER/Page/HomePage , Shortcuts http://shortcuts.com/ , and CellFire http://www.cellfire.com/ . These are great because I can download them directly to my Kroger card – SUPER EASY. I get the rest from the Sunday edition of my local paper. At first, clipping coupons was very time consuming. Once I got the hang of it, I streamlined the process. Now, I never spend more than 30 minutes a week on clipping and organizing my coupons. Considering what I save it is absolutely worth my time.
  • PLAN AHEAD. I make a list and I stick to it. I meal plan two weeks ahead of time so I can make a list according to my coupons and the weekly sale paper. My list helps me avoid impulse buying and the meal plan helps me avoid wasting food.
  • STORE REWARDS CARDS. Sign up for a saver or reward card at your market. Many items on sale give an extra discount only to card holders. My local Kroger has a gas station. I save on food and an average of ten cents per gallon on fuel.
  • SKIMP ON CONVENIENCE ITEMS & JUNK FOOD. It costs a fortune & is soooo unhealthy.
  • DOLLAR STORES are a great place to save on toiletries, food storage items, and cleaning supplies. I rarely purchase non-food items at the grocery store.

These five things alone save me $20-$75 each trip plus I get the bonus of saving at the gas pump too!

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Frugality Is Godly

Face it: most of us have limited resources. The paycheck goes only so far. When we spend money on frivolous items we may run the risk of shorting later on the necessities. Using a budget can allow you to prioritize both wants and needs. We want to make the most of our money for our families, right? Making the most of and doing the most good with what you have is called stewardship. God is very clear that He will supply our needs (Philp 4:19); however, He expects us to maximize what He gives us. We are to give back a portion to provide for the needs of others (1 Cor 16: 1&2 and Mal 3:8-12). We are to demonstrate responsibility with what He has given us (1 Cor 4:1-2 and Lk 16:10-13). Since our homemaking tasks are ultimately unto the Lord (Col 3:23-24), we should carefully consider using and sticking to a budget. Juggling the family budget can be quite a chore but worthy of our hard work. The natural payoff: more for our family. The supernatural payoff: God blesses our obedience. Even if our spouses or children do not appreciate or cooperate with bugeting, the Lord sees our effort (Heb 4:13) and rewards it (Prov 14:23).

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Five Reasons To Live With Less

Stewardship Lessons From a Reformed Pack Rat

  • More stuff equals more chaos. Clutter is visually distracting and physically stressful. It adds to sensory OVERLOAD. I don’t practice feng shui but common sense tells you one can’t relax in a crowded, unorganized mess.
  • The more we have, the more we have to maintain what we have. It is a vicious cycle of time, energy and resources. We have to clean it, store it, fix it… TOO CONSUMING.
  • Save money by not spending it on MORE STUFF. Start a Christmas Club account instead! Think of how much you’d have at the end of the year.
  • Living with less frees us: less baggage emotionally and physically. Less stuff=more time & money=less guilt.
  • If I save EVERYTHING, then NOTHING is special. Treasures are meant to be seen and enjoyed not packed away in the closet or attic. Trust me- your children will not want to be burdened with dealing with all your junk when you die.
  • Bless others from your overabundance. Who really needs 48 pairs of shoes anyway? So many people could really benefit from things that are accumulated and never used in other more fortunates closets.
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Oh Boy!

Oh Boy! Although I’ve used the internet quite a bit for research and shopping, up until a few months ago I had never even visited a blog site. Now, here I am writing my own! I’m not yet sure how this all works but I’ll learn. I’m not even sure anyone cares what I have to say, but…

I’d like to use this site to help other women with faith for everyday issues. I want to share what I’ve learned about applying biblical teachings to my daily life – especially being a wife and mother. Life’s not always easy and I appreciate those who’ve taken time to sow seeds in my life and I’d like to continue their good works. If you have kind comments, suggestions, or constructive criticism – please share it! If my site is not for you, move on – no hate mail, please!

Starting Monday, I’ll share more about myself and my goals for this site. See you soon and God bless you!