Frugal Right Here, Right Now

back??

2009-11-05T09:48:00.003-05:00

hum.. I have missed blogging and it IS that time of the year-- where money gets soooo tight and spending gets crazzy. I was thinking I had something to say....
1) 9 months is a long time to be away.
2) I am not truely sure I have time to re-start this.
3) Christmas is only 50 days away!!

I will try to write some articles up this weekend and we'll see it I can re-start my Frugalness on-line.
Thanks for reading!
Jen

Why I hate Winter....

2009-02-04T20:33:00.004-05:00

Well I don't HATE winter so much as I only need winter to last about 4-6 weeks and then I've had enough! When I was in 10th grade I diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but as I have dealt with it and researched it, I think I have S.A.D. (Seasonal Affect Disorder). Which is an illness that basically says we need sunlight to stay awake- some need more than others- and my body, when winter comes and we have only a few hours of sunlight- decides to hibernate. I can get 10 hours of sleep and still be tired. I have no interest in doing anything. I just feel very mopey. Once the days get longer and I can get out in the sun- I am fine. I can sleep 5 hours a night and not be tired. I have more energy, and I can always think of fun things I would like to do.

This winter seems to be worse than past winters. I think it has to do with alot of other factor, but the winter is not helping. This winter has been soooo cold- all I want to do is sleep. And for all the snow we have had, it means less sunlight, due to the clouds being overhead. I think my finances are not helping matters, as I have gotten 2 pieces of bad news lately that will make our financial situation worse (and it wasn't so good to start off with). And I am beinging to feel a sense of "deprivation" from my very frugal ways. Many frugal blogs say that there is a big, black line between frugal and miserly. Frugal people use their money and resources to get the most for each dollar. But a miserly (stingy) person does this to an extreme and do not allow for personal pleasures and a feeling of deprivation can take over. This is where I am at....

But with my finances in ruin.. the deprivation is setting in....
Simple things, like a school party, a friends b-day, or ANY 'extra' just has to be told NO at this point-- we just don't have the money. My daughter wants her ears pierced but I am afraid to even find out what it costs to have your ears pierced, buy 1-2 "good" pair of earrings (so her ears don't turn green) and whatever "supplies" you need to clean your ears and earrings... I just can't afford it! and it sucks! My vaccume died months ago and we have made due.. but really we desperately need a vaccume- but can't afford it! My daughter's dressers are falling apart- and i found one for $40 at Ikea to replace it- but I can't afford it!

So between the weather, my finances, and S.A.D.-- I love to just hide under the covers and wake up months from now... when the weather is sunnier and maybe, just maybe, golf balls will be selling again on ebay. Maybe by then my taxes will "just go away".. but probably not!

Ok- the rest of my posts won't be whiney... I may be a bit down but I also have to figure out some solutions.... so maybe others have ideas to help.

Been Gone too Long

2009-02-04T20:14:00.002-05:00

Sorry friends. It has been quite some time since I last posted. We had a battle with a stomach bug that took about 5 days out of my life. But everyonr is better now and all the laundry and cleaning that needed to be done has more then gotten caught up. SO, back to blogging. I hope to anyway... but life always has a way of sneaking up on me and I find I have no time to do anything.

I have a few posts I am hoping to type up today... one on how S.A.D. I am lately, one on how I think I have become my mother, one on how my 30 days of nothing challenge went, and lastly I hope to write up how my financial new year's resolutions are going. If I don't get it all typed up tonight- I hope to post throughout the weekend. Hope you stop back to see what I have been up to.

Oh no... closet cleaning at midnight..someone stop me!

2009-01-19T23:36:00.003-05:00

I just posted my notes on what I cleaned this weekend and figured that I would see what Zone the FlyLady was working on this week (to keep my motivation) and low and behold.... on Fly Lady this week is the GREAT CLOSET CLEANOUT! Oh my!

One of the things I was tempted to work on was my linen closet-- somehow we have a ton of towels and a ton of bed sheets (yet I can never find any twin sized ones for the kids beds when I need one- go figure!) If you go and check out www.flylady.com scroll about half way down on the home page to read this week's zone, if you look at the week's sneak peek- you can see the plan for the entire week. Which is what I did... and was thinking... I should really go clean out that linen closet- I know exactly what I want to clear out and what I want to organize in there. But I think I should wait- it is almost midnight and tomorrow is our first day back to school after the 3-day weekend. I should really get some sleep!!

So I will head to bed in a minute and leave the linen closet until next weekend. (I'll let you know how it goes when I get it all done!)

Good Night! ;-)

Mid-Winter Cleaning

2009-01-19T22:51:00.002-05:00

I was getting nervous that I wouldn't get my usual mid-winter cleaning started... but I have hit my stride.

I got alot accomplished this weekend. I cleaned out my dinning room from all of it's new piles that came back after Christmas. I also caugh up on all my dishes and laundry. I swept and mopped the dinning room, kitchen, hallway and front steps. Then I hit the kids rooms. In the girl's room I cleaned it up and vacuumed. Then I went through all their clothes to pull out any that are a bit small. They received alot of clothes for Christmas and now it doesn't all fit in their dressers! I am thinking of buying a dresser at Ikea ($39.99 for a 3 drawer dresser) to add to their room for more storage. But not until after my 30 Days of Nothing.

Then I cleaned the bathroom. About a week ago, when I was hoping to be inspired to clean, I checked out The FlyLady. Her plan is always to do just 15 minutes a day of cleaning. And she has a zone-by-zone approach. The day I checked it out the 'zone' they were working on was the bathroom, and although I was inspired... I find it hard to find 15 minutes a day and would rather do about an hour on Saturday. So I did her whole Zone: Bathroom plan over the weekend. I dusted the ceiling and corners for cobwebs, then got on a stepstool and dusted my light fixtures (boy-were they dusty)! Cleaned the counters and all the items on it, the sink, the toilet, swept and mopped the floors. Then I grouted the tiles I had been putting off doing for months. (They had been covered with plastic so the area wouldn't get wet). I put up a new shower curtian liner, and cut a "good section" out of the old one to cover the window in the shower. I gave the shower and tub a good scrubbing. Whew!

I then went to my son's room and started cleaning. Then we decided to put up his old bed in his room- so he would have two beds. One for a sleep-over or for dad to sleep on, or his sister to sleep in there from time to time. He is always so upset that the girls get to sleep in the same room and he has to sleep alone. So now if the timing is ok- someone can sleep in there with him. This meant moving around some other furniture.. but in the end his room looks all clean and put together.

I also sat down and straightened out some paperwork. I did the last of my 2008 FSA submissions and the first one for 2009, and faxed those in. Then I wrote 2 letters I needed to get out. I balanced the checkbook, paid some bills for the end of January, and got all of that stuff in the mail. Whew! Whew!

The only room I didn't touch this weekend was the living room- which now looks horrible- since everyone was in there while I was cleaning the rest of the house all weekend.

So, onto the school-week, and next weekend I am hoping to finish up a few more things. I am relieved that I got so much done this weekend, and made good use of my 3-day weekend!

30 Days of Nothing- Lessons Learned

2009-01-19T22:17:00.005-05:00

Well my 30 Days of Nothing is over. It was a very interesting "experiment". I learned alot.

I realised there aren't too many times I "want" to spend money. (I think this comes from my frugal side, and my we never have any money side).

I realisesd that the times I wanted to spend money (team photos, candy, soda, a few extra snacks) that in almost all cases- just waiting, and knowing I had to wait until Feb 1st- made me realise I didn't really want it, or at least I knew I could wait. With the one exception of team photos.

I realised that as frugal as I try to be- had I not been on this challenge I would have spent money. Especially since we had a little extra this month.

I had set aside $100 for gas- of which, I only spent $83 - mostly due to 2 snowdays and taking a sick day- which meant 3 days less commuting.

I had set aside $150 for groceries but spent $210.

It was a interesting month, an experiment I may try again some day. But for now I am hoping to loosen the wallet-strings a little- just to not feel so restrcited (not really to run out and spend any money).

It was intresting.. will have to try it again some time. It is a good exercise in will-power and self-control.

Flexible Spending Account - OOPS!

2009-01-19T21:51:00.003-05:00

Last year, was the first time I used a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to help cover expences. For anyone who is not familiar with this, you choose a set amount of money that goes Pre-Tax into an account for you to use to cover medical expences and daycare. Medical expences can be co-pays, balances due, Prescriptions, and other OTC medicines.

I set mine up to equal $500 for the year. Which was a good amount for us for the year. We used ours to cover the kids mostly. But this year we are hoping to get myself and my husband back on track with our own preventative medical examines. By this I mean it has been 4 years since I have been to the doctor for a check-up, it has also been 3.5 years since I have been to the OBGYN. I also know I have very high cholesterol and the doctors want to put me on meds for it- but you can only take it if you are not pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant. So until 3 years ago, I couldn't take it. Now that we are done having children I need to get on that medication. So this year I raised our contributions to total $600 for the year.

Now about my OOPS... last year as of Dec. 31st I had about $30 left in my FSA spending account. I have found a few reciepts (small ones) to put in for reimbursment, but still have about $25 in the account. My oops is that if you don't use it you lose it. So that $25 is like throwing money down the drain. My mistake. I thought I was closer to $0, or else right before 12/31 I would have run to CVS and brought a bunch of cold medicine, children's tylenol, advil etc.. so that I could have put that reciept in for reimbursement. But I didn't ... so my money is BYE-BYE!

Bad organization is not Frugal!
So is letting $25 get away from me.. if anyone has a reciept from December that has OTC medical stuff on it-- let me know, I could use it.

30 Days of Nothing Update

2009-01-18T11:12:00.002-05:00

Had to pay for an unexpected expense that was a "now or never" expense. At my son's basketball game yesterday they took team picutres and if you wanted to order a copy of the team photo you had to pay yesterday. Now I do realise most sports have team pictures and I could have seen this coming but honestly the leagues around here are very inconsistent about photos- some do phtotos some don't . So, since this league has been practicing since early December and I hadn't heard anything about team picutres I figured there weren't picutres.

So $20 later, I brought the team and individual picture. For once I acutally had the money to pay for it. But Aunt Laura was there and she helped and gave me $15 towards it. So I spent $5 that was not planned, and goes against my 30 days of nothing.

But I guess $5 is not too bad. But some would say that it is those small $5 exspenses that begin to add up when we don't plan for them.......

Debt Buster's Club

2009-01-16T23:07:00.002-05:00

I misquoted Angie's monthly meeting title in my past post, and wanted to correct it.
Angie over at www.thriftyfloridamama.net is holidng a monthly Debt Buster's Club.
It began on Jan.8th. Each month she is going to check in and let us know how much (if any) debt she has paid off and how she found the money to do it. To start off for January's post she has her debt totals and some ideas of how she is going to come up with the extra money to pay it off. Her goal is to pay off all of her debt by the end of 2009- What a GOAL!!

I wish I could be debt free by the end of 2009, but my goal is to be debt free by the end of 2010. I am planning to participate in Angie's Club and put up my numbers.. and what I hope to accomplish this year in terms of Debt Pay-Off.

Here are my numbers...

In 2008 we paid off 2 crdit cards with the help of a debt counseling service (DFF). We are continuing to work with them on most of our debts... but they would not take-on "small" credit cards (with balances under $700).. so we have 4 cards we are working on on our own.

As of January1, 2009
Our Total Debt we still have to work out with DFF is $26,000 (paid off $2400 in 2008-Yea!)
Current total with the 4 cards we are working with is $2400
A "family" loan of $1200 and a "friend" loan of $400.

total Debt: $30,000-- UGH!!

Our goals for 2009
*Work with DFF to pay down at least another $10,000 of that debt
*Work on our own to pay off 2 of the 4 cards we have, or pay off $1000 of the $2400
*Pay off completely the "family" and "friend" loan, so pay off $1600

So we hope to have paid off $12,600 in debts in 2009!!

That will leave us with $17,400 to pay off in 2010, in order to be debt free!

How will we do it?
* No "extras" for 2009- no vacation, no movies, no extras of any-kind
* One of us (not sure yet who) will be getting a part-time weekend job, in hopes of making an extra $300-$400/month.
* Limit the "splurges"- only ordering dinner once a month, keep tight watch on the grocery bill (try to keep it at about $85/week), and limit "impusle" buys (those little packs of gum, can of soda, dollar store trips can really add up)
* Keep B-days and Holidays to a more Moderate spending- no excess but also not to feel deprived.

Well there it is!
I am a DEBT BUSTER!!!
Join me in my journey. I'll participate each month with Angie over at www.thriftyfloridamama.net and keep you posted on my progress.

30 Days of Nothing Update

2009-01-16T20:30:00.003-05:00

Ok we are past the half way mark and here's what I've spent so far....

1st week in Jan -- Food $0, Gas $10
This week- Food $210, Gas $43.09

Summary: I figured on $100 for gas for the month-- and so far that's about right on target
As for food- I planned on $150 on the 15th- but in reality that would have been tight- since it was for 2 weeks worth of food. I usually spend about $90/week-- so $150 was a Shoestring budget.. and well Shop Rite is having their can-can sale and had some really good deals on certian items that I stocked up on and we needed cat food and cat liter (which I only buy once a month)... so I ended up spending $90 at Shop Rite and $120 at BJ's . Otherwise we have spent nothing but our monthly bills.

On a similiar note- I am planning to join Angie at Thrifty Florida Mama in her "monthly meetings". I will put that on a seperate post.

Winter Clean Out

2009-01-10T21:29:00.003-05:00

Well I haven't hit my stride yet on the Winter clean out, but I do feel it coming!

I put the tree and all the other Christmas Decorations away today. Now the living room looks very bare. I find this refreshing after all the Christmas Abundance and Over the top decorating.

My dining room did not stay clear of piles after Christmas as I had hoped! This is probabaly due to the fact that I did not get my school stuff organized in the laundry room-- so my piles have begun again in the dinning room. (OH my!)

I am planning on heading over to read some stuff at http://www.flylady.net/ after I post this in hope of some inspiration, on cleaning, scheduling and organizing.

I have a few projects I am thinking about, unfortunately at this point I an only "thinking". This also relates to my other post about garage sales. I am hoping as I begin my Winter clean out I will find some clutter that I do not need- but could sell in my garage sale.

If I don't hit my stride in January-- I have a week off for Winter Break- and my kids don't!! So I will have 4 days to really get some hard-core cleaning/decluttering done.

I am also looking forward to a series over at http://www.biblicalwomanhood.com/ where she is going to go through her house room-by-room and chronical her "overhauling" . That should get me moving.

Now on to see what the flylady is up to.....

Garage Sales- Do I or Don't I?

2009-01-10T21:13:00.003-05:00

This is a two-part question:
1) Should I really try Garage -saleing this spring/summer?
2) Should I have one of my own this summer?

As money has been tight for about 18 months and I money will continue to be tight for at least 2 more years. I have found myself reading frugal blogs about garage sales and the great finds they get there. I have been asking myself if I should really try to get out and "garage -sale" this year. I do foresee some needs coming up that I may be able to find a good deal on this items at a garage sale. Last year- by pure chance, we got a new-to-us dishwasher for $25 at a garage sale. it works great- actually better than our 2 year old dishwasher ever didand that one died after only 2 years of use. ($400 down the drain). But our garage sale find is running great!! I would love to find more great deals like that but I do realisee they are few and far between so I am caught with the notion- is it worth my Saturday mornings to go out and hope to find a treasure or do I just sleep in? My head says if I go I'll surely spend money on some piece of crap and if I just sleep I'll save myself lots of money and clutter.... Should I or Should I not???

The second part is about my own garage sale. Almost ever year I have one garge sale in July. Last year we had one during a heat-wave and the turnout was terrible. We had so much left over that instead of bringing the big stuff and the nicer stuff back into the garage for next year. We just left it all at the curb with signs saying "Take- Free!" Last year's sale soured us to having another one this year. What if it is another flop- no people. I was thinking of skipping one year. Since we gave everything away after last years sale- I don't have much that we could sell. But on the other hand with the economy the way it is- I have heard garge sales will draw huge crowds this year. (as in my first note- I may even venture out to some- which is not my norm). So maybe a sale would make a few bucks.. even if I dont' have a ton of stuff to sell.

On both of these things I am still thinking...
Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

30 Days of Nothing Challenge

2009-01-09T17:08:00.004-05:00

Oh my it has been awhile since I posted. Sorry.

Anyway, I never explained the 30 Days of Nothing Challenge.

The challenge is to spend Nothing ($0) for 30 days.
This challenge is meant to cover everything. Meaning NO spending of any kind other than your monthly bills being paid. NO groceries, no gas, no eating out, no candy from the vending machine, NOTHING!

I am taking on this challenge but I must modify it slightly. Due to my commute to work I need a tank of gas each week. Since it is impossible to put a month's worth of gas in my car at one time I will be spending money each week to put gas in my car. I have allotted $100 for this between Jan 1-Jan 31st. I also need to modify my challenge because I went food shopping when I got paid on Dec 30th- but only purchased enough food for 2 weeks. I did not have enough money to make a larger purchase than that at the time. So on the 15th I am alotting $150 to go food shopping for the last 2 weeks in Jan. Other than those 2 expenses, the only money I will spend is to pay my mothly bills. NO Eating out! NO little candy for the kids! NOthing!!

I began My Challange on Jan 1st and so so far have spend $10 (on gas).

I went food shopping when I got paid on Dec 30th and bought 2 weeks of food. I also put a full tank of gas in my car on Dec 31st. Which lasted that weekend and half of my work-week, then on Tuesday I spent $10 to put gas in my car.

Care to join me in my challenge??
I will try to update my progress weekly.

Marketing & Convience are the Enemy of Frugality

2009-01-03T01:40:00.004-05:00

I was reading a post somewhere recently but I can't remember where and it had so much that I loved in reading it that I wanted to share the "jist" of it here along with some of my thoughts.

It talked about how we, as Americans, are so materialistic, consumeristic and controlled by marketing. Marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry. Every company, indusrty or products needs marketing experts to convince us WE MUST HAVE THIS OR WE WON'T BE.. (Happy, Healthy, Safe) you pick the adjective.

What we fail to realise is you can not BUY a new you! Everyone takes the new year to start to re-build things about them that they don't like (I need a diet, I am too fat, I need a HDTV because TV signals are changing in Feb, I need this vitamin to have more energy) We are all looking for a magic pill. We have all been brainwashed into believing that there is a magic pill to fix us and make us perfect. But in reality, in order to become a better person, to improve our character or have a more spiritual life you have to live it, pray it, study it, and all that you need to do it you probably already have in your house.

There is so much marketing has done to break up the "american family" and many of the traditional values. We have been convinced we do not have any time! But I think we have always had 24 hours in a day- so the time is the same- we have just been convinced otherwise. Woman have been liberated from the kitchen- because food is now "convient"- pre-cooked, pre-made and over processed. But no one know WHAT the heck we are eating. Woman and girls do not know how to cook, even the basics anymore. And if you cook- it is considered "wasting time".

Marketing has convienced us that we do not have time to cook, to sit down as a family and eat dinner together. The marketing has told us convience is key! Here, just microwave this 'stuff', eat it without enjoying the taste, and throw all that packaging into the landfil. Yea America!

$32 billion per year is spent on marketing in the food industry- not on development, safety checks, or the food itself- but on marketing it.. they tell us WHAT to eat and HOW much to eat. Have you even looked at packaging? Many are now bigger but without telling you there are now 2 serving in there! Oh but they'll charge you more- but won't tell you save half for after lunch tomorrow-- no, no, eat it all you piggy and come back tomorrow and buy another bag.

I may seem harsh but as I read into all of this it just makes me angry that I feel like we just don't have a say anymore in what in "normal". I really want to instill in my kids that food is to be enjoyed-- my daughter loves to cook with me- and I am soo happy for that. I don't ever remember cooking with my mom. We sit down to a family dinner every night and for family lunches on the weekends too! We sit and enjoy each other's company and take time to enjoy the food. Kids today have way too many "empty calories"- my kids are no exception. I started in the last year or so to work to show them "real food" vs. "empty food". I would grow my own garden, but I really do have a black thumb- and every attempt I make to grow anything fails.

Our family goal this year is to eat healthier. And by that I do not mean Convience Food good- but really, good- natural, from scratch and if possible- go organic or at least partially organic. I am a product of this marketing- overweight, envious of what I see on TV, eating "supersized" foods, fast food and snack foods. I grew up in it and it did me no favors.

In the article I read it gave an example of how we are "robbed" by marketing. I may not have the prices exact but they are close. It said that a 1 pound bag of oats cost about $.69 for a framer to grow and harvest. This same bag of oats may sell in the store for about $.99/lb. BUT if you take these same oats and you shape them into circles and put them in a yellow box that says Cheerios- you can charge $4.00 for about 12ounces of oats (not even a full pound). Now, if the marketers can convince you that you have no time to sit down with a bowl and milk is so messy-- well , we'll put those oats with some white-stuff - we'll call "milk" and create a cereal bar you can eat in the car. Now,they can charge you $5 for 8 bars which all combined now only have about 6 ounces of actual oats in them and a bunch of over processed stuff they are calling "milk". The more they process the food the more they can charge and the more they can convince us we need this convience the more they will charge. At this point they have even convienced us that a bar takes too long to chew - but a cereal straw (which probably doesn't even have an oat in it and tastes like cardboard) is what your kid MUST HAVE.

Anyway- that post got me thinking and that thinking made me angry but also made me think I am doing the right things to make the most for my kids. We have also been convinced by marketing that we must have 2 incomes to raise a family, when really if you use your money right and you don't fall for the marketing that we must keep up with the Jones'- then you can live quite comfortably with Mom at home to raise the kids and make sure they are eating right, playing outside and not envying the neighbors for whatever they have.

Kids are our future- we have been brain-washed- break the cycle- teach our children to think for themselves and make the right choices for the earth and their own health.

Anaylsis of bulk-shopping

2009-01-03T00:15:00.005-05:00

I have been going to BJ for most of my grocery shopping since the end of the summer. My sister and I joined together (actually she "treated me" to membership). But it makes sense to join with a friend. The memebership costs $40 and you get 2 membership cards, which can have 2 different names on them and they don't even need to be related. So for my sister's $40 I got a card and she got a card.

My first trip to BJ's was in August and my sister paid- and since she paid- I am not counting it. I will begin my analysis from my first solo trip at the end of Sept. So my analysis will be over about 4 months from Sept. 22-Jan. 14 (I have already gone shopping and won'tbe going again until I get paid on the 15th, so my numbers include all I will by until then).

I have 2 side notes before I begin. One, at my first trip toBJ's my head was spinning with prices and units and unit prices- after 2 years of carefully tracking my groceries I know what is and what is not a good unit price for items I usually buy. I was skeptical- not thinking it could beat generic prices at Walmart. Before BJ's, I spent an avearge of about $105/week at Walmart buying food and a few "impulse" buys. A big drawback for me at walmart is I tend to buy other non-food items that then get factored into my food busget even thougth they are not food. Second, Some things are not cheaper at BJ's and since they buy only the Top Sellers- they do not carry alot of variety- so some things I need I can not get there. I do not buy bread, pretzels, 2 liter bottles of soda, Cat food, or ice cream at BJ's. Why? Bread, soda, pretzels & ice cream at cheaper at both Walmart and Shop Rite. And the cat food my cat needs- is not sold at BJ's - I usually buy it at Shop Rite.

Here are the crazy numbers. Do not think I am crazy for having this- I track EVERYTHING!! How else can I make an informed decision if I do not have the information.

I started on 9/22 & hoped to make it 3 weeks before returning to BJ's

9/22- $209.94 @ BJ
9/26- $22.07 @ Shop Rite
9/27- $27.88 @ Shop Rite (not all food- 2 b-day cards,a bat mitzvah card& chips to take to hang with friends)
9/30- $14.19 @ SR
10/3- $7.07 @ SR (ice cream splurge-better than spending $20 at Wally's for everyone)
10/5- $28.49 @SR

Total for 3 weeks: $309.64 == $103.21/week-

**If not for ice cream splurge and trip to get cards and chips.. total would have been $274.69 or $$91.56/week**Not bad for a first time- without the two "extra trips" to SR- I was under my average Walmart weekly spending by about $15/wk or $60/month.

Starting on 10/11 and hoping to make it 4 weeks this time!!

10/11- $196.00 @BJ
10/12- $37.19 @ SR
10/21- $27.53 @ SR
10/24- $40.54 @ SR
10/27- $30.81 @ SR (included our large pumpkin to carve for Halloween)
11/2- $59.14 @ BJ

Total: $391.21 for 4 weeks== $97.80/week

This is a savings of about $10/wk or $40/month.. NOT BAD considering it appears to not only save me money but also TIME!! Although it looks like there are alot of trips to SR they are quick- run in and out trips not hour-long grocery shopping. And the few times I have been to BJ's there are never any lines- so checkout is a breeze- compared to Walmart's standard checkout time of about 40 minutes. So saving money and A TON OF TIME! (my best guess is I saved about 5hours this month by bulk shopping)

But I do find it hard to have $200 once a month- our budget is truely paycheck to paycheck- so pulling that much out of one paycheck hurts that single week.. so at this point I changed to continuing to shop at BJ's but stagger our needs so I would go there every 2 weeks- or about $100 out of each paycheck, which is a smaller hit.

So here's how that went..

Started on 11/9.. planning to make it 2 weeks.

11/9- $146.92 @BJs
11/11- $18.14 @ SR
11/16- $23.89 @ SR

Total for 2 weeks : $188.95 == $94.47/week... about what we had been spending..good so far!

Again looking to buy food for 2 weeks.

11/22- $78.80 @ BJs
11/26- $63.79 @ SR (Thanksgiving stuff and Snacks/drinks for car ride to Hershey)
11/28- $25.36 @ SR (last minute Thanksgiving stuff)
12/1- $94.28 @ SR (UGH! Could have saved money I am sure by getting this stuff at BJs)
12/5- $54.72 @ SR

Total: $316.95 for 2 weeks=== $158.47 /week!! EEEKKK!!! What the f..?

Ok, some of that was for Thanksgiving and some "convience foods" for the car trip, but really I think most of it was "lack of time and planning" and I could have done better to get some of that stuff I bought at Shop Rite at BJs. This is why planning and staying organized saves money. UGH!!

Oh- but it only gets worst from here... the holidays, the lack of time, rushing not thinking.. deadly combination... oh my aching budget...

The next trip to BJ's should last us 3 weeks right up until shopping for Chirstmas dinner.

12/6 - $326.26 @BJs (BUT.. this included 3 Xmas gifts, sprinkles and cookie stuff for our Holiday baking with Laura and a gingerbread kit for another December Friday) The actual total for GROCERY stuff was $ 273.88.. so for 3 weeks that works out to $91.29/wk-- or right on budget!

I did go to BJ's for Christmas dinner stuff but that is not part of my fammily grocery budget so I am not including that receipt. My FIL also reimbursed us $60 towards Christmas dinner. We lived on the left overs from that dinner for a few days.

I finally went back to BJ's last week and I am hoping this will make it until January 15th.

12/30- $ 139.99 @ Bjs
12/30- $ 21.31 @ SR

Total: $ 161.30 for 2 weeks== $80.65/week -- WAY UNDER BUDGET!!

So my final analysis.. BJs saves me money but also does sooo much more! I save, on average $15/wk or $60/month. But I also spend about 5 less hours per month in the stores. I also spend almost no time watching sales flyers, clipping coupons and looking for great deals- which I did religiously in order to stay at my $105/wk budget at Walmart. I also get Name Brand items when at Walmart I was almost always buying generic. I do not have any problem with generic products, in fact I find them to be as good as the name brands- but name brands give extras like "box tops for education" which my kids' schools collect and run raffles for those who bring in box tops. For every 5 box tops you bring in you get a chance to win a $50 target gift card. They run this raffle every quarter of the school year. So hey, I could even win a gift card!

My Goals for this for 2009-- are to continue what I am doing! I like BJs! I do have a few small changes- I am going to aim for under $90/week, but still buying every 2 weeks, which works well for our budget. I am also going to try to do more cooking from scratch- and buying less "convience" foods which aren't that healthy or cost effective. I am hoping that our Healthy eating and cooking from scratch will help me keep to under $90/week. Buying staples such as flour, butter, eggs, milk, sugar etc.. instead of cookies, snackcakes, and other muchies. Better for our budget and better for our health!

Frugality is a Trendy Lifestyle Choice

2009-01-02T23:25:00.003-05:00

The process of becoming Frugal doesn't happen overnight. Just like a journey of 1000 miles starts with one step. So does any change you make to yourself and your lifestyle. No one changes overnight. So don't beat yourself up if you can't do it all, everytime.

The changing ecomony has caused troubling financial times for many. Lots of people are now looking to make every dollar count. Being Frugal has gone Mainstream. I have been doing the "in thing" even before it was "in". I feel so trendy.

As many look to change how they view money, it can be frustrating to try to change too many things at once. You are setting yourself up for failure. I once read somewhere that you shouldn't try to save money and lose weight at the same time. You won't be able to be successful at both simulateously because they are both require significant changes and long-term commitments. You need to choose one thing- focus on it until it becomes the "normal routine" and you can accomplish it with out thinking too much about it. Them move onto the next big change.

Over my 2 years of being frugal I have made minor changes, little-by-little. It has made the change easy. I always say it is easy to be frugal- I think because by making small changes one or two at a time, there was no BIG/Difficult undertaking to overcome. As I continue in my Frugal Journey I think of each change as just one more step in my journey of 1000 miles.

The best place to start in the frugal world is to track your money for at least one month. Write everything down that you spend money on- everything! That morning paper, the cup of coffee, the candy candy bar from the vending machine and your bigger expenses like rent and your electric bill . Once you have a full month of "money watching" written down. You need to analyse what you spent money on. Many people can tell you that last month their electric bill was $82 but if you asked what they spent eating out- they can't - or at best can give you a ballpark figure- but in reality have no idea. When you write it all down you can see where those "leaks" are -where the money keeps going that you don't realise. Once you have all the numbers - take some time and look at all those things you spent money on, make categories (eating out, entertaining, gas, clothing, medical prescriptions etc..) and then you can see where you might be able to make cuts. Or you may be surprised at how much you are spending in certian areas.

When I did this, I though I knew where my money was going and where it was "being wasted". After I added up all my numbers that first month. I realised I was spending a fortune on groceries. ($600 that month). The next month I took a better look at my grocery shopping. I realised that if I just bought what was on my list I really only needed to spend about $125/wk- not $150. That "extra $25" was on "inpulse" buys. You know when you get there and you see something marked down and think-"well... it's on sale and we all like this.. so I'll get 3!" I also picked up more non-grocery items, like maybe a DVD. I tried to change this by making a list and sticking to it. The next month I did better, but not perfect. I spent less but still had trouble staying to ONLY the list. When paying with a credit card or debit card- it is easy to go over the planned $ amount. The next month I did a "cash only" grocery shopping for one month. I only took $120 in cash each week with me for groceries. This worked well- but was inconvient. It also highlighted a HUGE hole in our budget. I did not always have enough CASH to pay for $120/wk in groceries. I realised that in reality I put about half of my groceries each month on credit cards!! One of my first true "A-HA!" moments in dealing with our budget. I realised that I would need to lower my grocery budget even further (which didn't seem possible at the time) so it showed me we really needed to cut something somewhere ELSE! and ASAP!

So try it for one month. Track EVERY PENNY! And don't lie- you're only really lying to yourself.
For some- this may seem tedious. But to make it easy stick up a sheet of looseleaf on the fridge and each night when you get home write down everything you bought. (how much you spent and what you spent it on). It doesn't need to be neat- legible- but not neat. Dates are not required. If you fill up that sheet of looseleaf- flip it over or start another one. Do it everynight- or you'll surely forget something. Remember- if you "cheat" you are only lying to yourself. And you deserve better than that!

After the holidays this year- my grocery budgets have been crazy!! I write down all my grocery reciepts because I am still trying to figure out if Bulk-buying at BJ's is saving me any money. It is definately saving me time- and is way more convient that my ususal shopping at Wal-mart. But I have yet to truely decide how much it is saving me. I do know it is not costing me MORE than I was spending at wal-mart. I will save all the numbers for another post- this one is getting long. But I do want to analyse how my BJ shopping is going.

2009- A Look Ahead

2009-01-02T21:28:00.008-05:00

Ah, a new year, means a Clean Slate.

I don't like to make New Years Resolutions- I never keep them anyway. And as list-maker by nature I prefer to make some New Year's Lists. Any Goals you set should be realistic and yet give you something to strive for.

Some short lists I am working on:

My Financial Goals for 2009

(already posted this one 12/19/08)

My Family Goals for 2009

One Goal this year: To eat better (healthier) and watch portion sizes.

Personal Goals for 2009
Exercise More- hoping to walk the lakes at least 3 nights a week.
Eat better (part of the entire family's goal)
Reconnect with my kids (even though we do alot together- we used to have family game night every friday- which I want to re-establish, and I am hoping that I can take one kid with me on my walks to "catch up" with them)
Organize Our Pictures- Digital and Prints
Set a Daily/ Weekly/ Monthly Routines. (daily is mostly set, but weekly and monthly will be more about keeping my house organized) I enjoy reading stuff over at www.flylady.com but she is TOO organized for me- I didn't think that was possible.

New Frugal Changes I hope to adapt in 2009 (more on this as the year goes on)

Be more meticulous in my record keeping about our finances.
(keeping track helps me be more frugal- make every dollar stretch as far as it can go)

Eat home more/order in less- and avoid convience foods.
(which cost more and don't work with my family goal of healthier eating)

Books I want to Read in 2009 (from simplemom.com)

Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominques & Vicki Robin

It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff by Peter Walsh

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

For Woman Only: What you need to know about the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen R. Covey

Just some things I have rolling around in my head....

Hope some get you thinking of your own lists.

2008- A Look Back

2009-01-01T21:58:00.003-05:00

A look back at 2008- a few key things I rememebr that stand out from last year:

1) money was tight

2)truely began living the Frugal lifestyle- partically out of need/partically because I liked it

3) Too many expensee- not enough income. To fill up the car cost $110 (every week) all of May and June!! UGH!!!

4) Cracked rear axil--too many car problems.. but then a new car (generously given!!)

5) Loving the new car- which in Sept cost $45 to fill up- -by Dec 31st cost $22. to fill up!

6) Loved a free-family trip to Hershey Park at Thanksgiving.

7) Enjoyed a great Christmas with everyone!!

One of my 2008 Favorite Frugal changes-

Stop using paper towels - switched to cloth napkins and dish towles instead (Love this!)In the last year this has saved us $175! And took nothing to make the change- really easy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-01-01T21:07:00.002-05:00

Hello All!
Happy New Year!!
Hope you have gotten off to a great start.

I will postt some of my Goals for myself in the next few days.

I have also decided to take the "30Days of Nothing" challenge. I explain soon.

Pictures!!!

2008-12-30T00:17:00.008-05:00

I got a new camera for Christmas and I have figured out how to download photos!!! So expect many more photos as part of this blog form now on!!! Tell relatives- they can see cute pictures of the kids here!

New Years!! A New Beginning!!

2008-12-29T23:15:00.002-05:00

I love New Years as it is a great chance to "start over".. a new canvas to draw up a New Plan.

I know most people "Spring Clean" but I personally always find January a "Big Clean" month. I don't even need to plan it- it just natually occurs-- must be somekind of internal clock for me. I think it has something to do with putting away the tree and Christmas decorations- it makes the houes feel "empty" but not a bad empty, more like a "clear" empty. With all the Christmas toys and new clothes that need to "find homes" it always starts my organizing instinct. Where to put it all???

Before Christmas I always clear out the clutter. I go into each child's dresser and pull out clothes that don't fit or they don't like. I go though all the toys to see what is broken, missing pieces, too young, or just not played with anymore and that all gets sold on ebay or put in the garbage. I went though all the "snow clothes" (snowpants, boots, snowgloves, hats etc..) and have all the kids try stuff on to see what might be needed for this year. Whatever no longer fits is passed onto relatives or sold on ebay.

Now, after Christmas, I feel like I need to do it all over again. There is never enough room- or so it seems. We need to carefully look at each thing in the house and decide "Do I really need this?". How do I decide if I should keep something? I ask myself, Do I use it everyday- or everyweek -or every month? Depending on what it is used for. I have "seasonal items"- if I didn't use it last year- and I didn't use it/put it out this year- then I probably won't- so OUT IT GOES!

I should note here: I tend to be a very "unattached" person-- I have very few items that I have any emotional attachments to--therefore I find it very easy to get rid of stuff. (The price of an item makes a larger impression on me than emotions.)

I love that my dinning room is completely cleared out (in order to seat 13 people for dinner on Xmas) and I would like it to stay that way! Saying something is one thing but in order for Ideas to be come reality you need a plan!! So my plan for this is to organize my "school stuff" in the laundry room. It was all moved to the laundry room this summer- but things tend to creap back upstairs. I think this is because it is such a mess in the laundry room. It was PUT there at the end of the school year- but literally just PUT - not in any particular order. So I am hoping before I head back to school Jan 5th to get it into seperate file boxes marked: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer. That should help. As I bring stuff home now- I can put it in the correct box for next year. (instead of making a pile in the dining room)

As this week goes by and I look forward to the clean slate of the New Year, I will be posting a week-by-week House Cleaning list, in case anyone else has the January Cleaning Bug. I will also be posting some New Year's Goals (personal, family, and financial).

I can't believe it's over!

2008-12-29T22:34:00.005-05:00

Well Christmas has now come and gone- Boo Hoo! I am fighting off the after-christmas-blues. I love the holidays- from about Halloween until New Years there is always lots going on- lots of fun, lots of family events and just great chances for memories. This has been the case again this year and as I only have New Years left I am feeling a bit glum.

But a quick look back,...

Christmas was wonderful! The kids were soo happy with all the gifts they received. Visiting with both sides of our families was fun. And, to keep you in the loop- we did NOT do the Christmas scavenger hunt for gifts (as mentioned in a previous post). I had quickly mentioned it to my son who thought it was not a good idea- he wanted all of his gifts right there under the tree for him to open on Christmas- not all over the house. SO we will save the scavenger hunt, as our regular Easter basket routine.

We have soo much food left here from hosting Christmas this year. Our Waistlines are not doing well. (More on this in a minute)

I have done my After Christmas Shopping- which turned out to be much smaller than I expected. Not because the deals weren't there- but I just didn't need as much stuff. I did run to Target (with my SIL) right before it closed- which kept us moving and not lolli-gagging and picking up to much stuff- as they kept announcing how many minutes until they closed. Here's what I bought:

4 rolls of wrap(50%off)- Total: $8
3 packages of white tisssue paper (50% off $.49/ea.) = $.99
1 pack of reen/red tissue paper (50% off $.99) =$.99
2 packs of sticker-style To/From Tags (50% off $.74/ea)= $1.49
1 box of 12 ball-ornaments (50% off)= $3.99
1 package of White garland (50% off)= $1.99
10 twin-packs of Xmas Playdough (so cute in tree and snowman containers)= $9.90
2 boxes of 50 mini-candycanes(50% off $.49/ea.)= $1.99
2 Coca-Cola Lip Gloss & Lip balm sets (50%off )= $4.99
(While I was there I also picked up 2 bottles of soda and bought a water bottle- which have nothing to do with the after Christmas sales- but in the notion of Full Disclosure)

My Total was :$40.23
I used a $25 gift card I received for Xmas and only paid $15.23 out of pocket!!

I am total stocked for next year!! And a few extras- Like the 2 lip gloss sets for the girls for Valentine gifts and the 20 play-dohs will go in the 20 celephane bags my sister picked up for me at her Target along with 2 mini candy canes feach from my 2 boxes I bought -- these will be my gift bags for my students next year!!

What I didn't buy: no cooking mixes or sprinkles or candy-- why? well I aksed for muffin tins for xmas and my sister brought them for me and packed it with 4 boxes of cake mix and 4 tubs of icing-- so I didn't really need any, and as for the candy- althougth we like it- it brings me back to our waistlines.... more on that tomorrow!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a Joyous New Year!!

A green and more adventureous Chirstmas

2008-12-21T21:23:00.003-05:00

I was reading old archived posts at www.beingfrugal.net and in one of the posts there was comment by a reader with an idea I JUST LOVED!! and felt I had to share it here.

The orignal purpose of this comment was on how to make your Christmas "greener" by not wrapping gifts (save paper= saved trees and less garbage to our landfills) but I just love it because I know my kids would love it and I think I may try it this year (like I really need to add to my Holiday To Do List) anyway.. here is the idea.

Instead of wrapping all the gifts for your children- hide them instead!! Like a scavenger hunt. They would wake up on Christmas morning to find one gift each wrapped under the tree and an envelope in the branches of the tree with a clue as to where to go to find another gift. If the clue leads them to the hall closet- there they each find one more gift (unwrapped) and another clue. Continue with the clues until all the gifts have been found.

At Easter we do a scavenger to find their Easter baskets. The Easter bunny leaves a clue on the coffee table and leads them all over the house. After about 10 clues- the last clue will lead them to their Easter baskets and some gifts. They love this and ask for Scavenger Hunts all the the time.

This summer I went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of stuff and put it all in a box, then wrote clues for all over the backyard, and other outside areas. At the end of the clues they found the "treasure" (the box of dollar store items). They thought it was awesome.

So a Christmas scavenger hunt might be great!! My only concern is that- at our house- Santa brings a few gifts and mom & dad also put gifts under the tree for xmas morning. And since my 8year old is already beginning to doubt santa exists- to have a savanger hunt that "Mom & Santa" did together would totally blow my cover.

I am thinking of putting the gifts from santa under the tree and a note from Mom & Dad in the tree branches that would be the first clue to find the "Mom & Dad" gifts. Although the original purpose of this was to make a greener Christmas, with no wrapping, I would wrap my gifts anyway. Not that I don't want to be green but I have already wrapped their gifts for this year- and unwrapping them now wouldn't save any trees or make any less garbage.

So here is what I am thinking. This would work well this year for several reasons. The first being this is a leaner than normal Christmas so it is not like there was going to be a giant piles of gifts under the tree anyway- this may make the few gifts seem more exciting. Second, it will make the Christmas morning activites take a bit longer. I am thinking of having them run around finding the gifts but having them bring each one back to the tree before we move onto the next clue and then once all the gifts are found- then we will sit down by the tree and open all the gifts. Third, this year, by chance, I have the same number of gifts for each child. This does not always happen. I have a budget I follow and a certian dollar amount I stick to for each child- therefore, ususally- I end up with a varying amount of gifts- but they all add up to the same amount of money. This year I just happen to have 7 gifts for each of them that are from Mom & Dad. Also, the gifts are smaller (not cheaper- just smaller in size). Think iShuffle not Rose Petal Cottage. This will make hiding them easy this year.

So this would be a great year to try this. I am not sure I would do it every year. I think the novelty of it would wear off. But if I can think of some good hiding places, some good clues, and get it all put together "cute" so it really makes an impression on them. I will do it this year.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

After Chirstmas Sales- Shopping List

2008-12-20T01:29:00.006-05:00

My favorite time to shop is the week AFTER Christmas. Everything is a bargin! 50%-75% signs will be all over. I was at Target last week and they already had alot of Christmas things 30%-50% off.

I sat down to wrap gifts this weekend and as I pulled out my Christmas box of wrapping stuff- I was so excited to find all the stuff I got last year after Christmas- right there waiting for me this year. It is so great to know you planned ahead. I found 4 new rolls of wrapping paper (along with several left over from last year)which i paid no more than $1/roll, 5 boxes of Christmas cards (yea-cards will go out this year- just without a picture of the kids in it)which I paid no more thatn $1 each for, a 3pack of scotch tape, 2 packages of to/from sticker-style tags (totaling 144 tags) each pack cost me only $.25, a 4-pack of cute shirt boxes with pictures on the lids normally $1.99- I paid $.49 for, a large pack of white tissue paper 50 sheets which was $1.99 and I paid $.49 for and a colored pack of red and green tissue also paid $.49 for and a dozen other things I was so excited I felt like I had just opened a gift to myself. And to know I paid almost nothing for theses items just makes it fun!

SO I have started to create a shopping list to hit Target and Walmart with the day after Christmas. It is not complete yet- but here is what I have so far:

4 rolls of gift wrap

4pack of shirt boxes with cute lids (but only if it $.49 again)

Cellephane gift bags (20 to a pack) for gifts for my class next year.

Funfetti cake mixes (last year I got 5 of them for just $.25 each! who cares if they have red and green speckles- still yummy)

Funfetti icing (last year I got 8 of these for $.50 each! I'd have gotten more but that was all they had left. The icing is really just white- the funfetti pieces are in the lid- so these could be used anytime of year- just don't put the sprinkes on)

Red/green star mini marshmallow bags- last year $.25 each- I got several- we use then in hot chocolate all winter and my class even used them for a project- you could seeperate them into red ones and green ones and make pink rice krispie treats at valentines day and green rice krispie treats for st. Patty's day

Russel Stover Boxed chocolates (these are still sealed under the gift wrap- so you can buy them take the wrapping paper off and still use them in the next several months as hostess gifts)

Red and Green sugar sprinkles or other sprinkles- these will keep until next year.

Boxed christmas cards- can never have too many- in case, like this year, you plans to make a photocard don's come together

Red paper bags (like a brown lunch bag- but red) I use these to make Valentine bags for my class to decorate to receive thier valentines in.

Christmas candles (Yankee candle- sales!!) I will always buy candles when on sale- But I like the "good ones" not the cheapy ones- the scents never last through the whole buring of the candle. Iwon't buy a ton- because they are just for me- but a few to last the winter is always nice.

a few holiday candies- red/green M&M packs, red/green/silver hershey kisses- cause we love these two candies.

White/Irredescent garland for the tree- I need some more of this.

I'll have my eye out for general boxes of ornaments (a few break every year- so a few new ones each year is nice to keep the tree full) Nothing specific- just the right look at the right price will do.

Some things to think about if you are going out the day after Christmas. Take a minute and think about the people in your life and what they, or you, have coming up in 2009.

Is anyone pregnant? Grab that cute baby outfit or bib that is red and green or says "Baby's 1st Christmas" now while it is 75% off and set it aside for next year.

Anyone moving? First home? Grab that great housewarming gift now or an ornament that says "Home Sweet Home" just watch- some ornaments have the year on them (and that's just tacky to give next year).

Anyone getting married? Look for items that may say "Our first christmas together", or any "love" or inspirational phrases that talk about love. If you are a close friend of the bride and maybe involved in the shower- look for things that can be used as favors- lots of silver & gold, hearts & stars type items can be found after Christmas. Also pick up that roll of gift wrap that is silver and gold foil- great for wrapping that wedding or shower gift in. Silver or gold ribbons too! and tulle- you can usually find Tulle on sale.

Just some ideas- Hope it gets you thinking of what you may be looking for at the wonderful After Christmas Sales!

I'll see you there!!

Cute Craft Ideas with What You Already Have

2008-12-20T01:06:00.005-05:00

I have seem some really cute crafts around the blogosphere. I wanted to share a these two because they are soo cute and soo simple and both can be done with things you may already have laying around your house...

Over at The Homespun Heart- there is a cute craft to create "In the name of Jesus Garland". This would be great if I still worked at the church, but is so simple and looks so nice that it would be great for just decorating your house. And if you are not the religious person- instead of names for Jesus- each tag on the garland could also says things like:

Memories of 2008 (write about a memory in each tag- or put a picture- but that's more work)

Goals / Hopes/ Dreams for 2009

Things I/We are Thankful For This Year

People I Love

The ideas could go on and on... check it out at

http://www.thehomespunheart.blogspot.com/2008/12/names-of-jesus-garland-tutorial.html

The second idea comes from Jenn over at Frugal Upstate, where she makes Paperclip Angels. I could totally see my sister doing this at work- using the paperclips on her desk. (she's very crafty).. but you do need a few other things- like ribbon and a silver bead.. but it is soo cute!

Check it out at
http://www.frugalupstate.blogspot.com/2008/11/easy-childrens-christmas-craft.html

Hope you enjoy some easy crafting!

Alternate Streams of Income

2008-12-20T00:17:00.008-05:00

One of the best ways to tackle debt or work to accomplish other financial goals is with alternate streams of income. This would include any income that is above your "regular" day-job income. Some alternate income sources might include:

Tutoring

Part-Time Job

Seasonal Work (cutting grass, snowplowing, raking leaves)

Home Parties (Home & Garden, PartyLite, Tupperware)

Selling on Ebay

Crafting/Selling on Etsy

Alternate incomes tend to be illregular, which is what makes them great for reaching any financial goals you may have whether it is paying off debt, saving for a "new to you" car, a vacation or a house. Because alternate incomes may not be consistent pay each month. You can't count on them to pay our bills or other regular monthly expenses. SO if you can find one or two great "part-time" incomes -then when you hit a payday with them- use that money to pay into whatever your financial goal is.

Over the years we have had tons of different alternate incomes. I have taught home instruction, done pritvate tutoring, sold avon, and sold items on ebay. Gary has done seasonal work, worked a night job, retrieved golf balls to sell on ebay, and most recently became an installer for Link-to-Life which has surpised us and is bringing in more money than we thought- which we are really hoping continues, as the golf balls on ebay have fallen off quite a bit in the off-season.

Right now our best "alternate incomes" come from selling used golf balls on ebay which "In Season" makes us up to $800/month and in the "Off Season" makes us about $300/month. This new Link-To-Life job made us $190 in December and so far for January has earned us $350. (they pay you on the 15th of the following month for all the jobs you complete in the month prior). So far in December Gary has earned $350- but he won't be paid until Jan 15th. If he gets more jobs in the last few weeks of December that January payday could be more.

As I said before, these irregular payments are just that- irregular. So our plans for the "extra income" is to meet our Christmas club goals for 2009, to set some money aside for our "emergency fund" above our normal $25 deposit each month, and to set some additional funds aside for the summer when I do not get paid (my teaching job only pays 10 months out of the year). If, and this is a BIG IF, If the money is there we are also hoping to take a vacation this summer. We did not take one last summer because we just didn't have the money- but we are hoping that does not become the "norm" and instead was just a one-time-thing. But as with all financial goals you need a plan. Since this "extra income" is unpredictable- we will have to see how much we can make and then what we are able to accomplish with it.

Pinyo at Moolanomy (a great personal finance blog) has a great list of 40+alternate income ideas, click on the link below to check it out.

http://www.moolanomy.com/462/30-alternative-income-ideas-and-resources/

Financial Goals for 2009

2008-12-19T23:34:00.004-05:00

This is going to be a work in progress. These are the financial goals I am setting for 2009, but about every 3-4 months I am going to revisit these to see how I am doing and if needed revise them.

Last year I set goals that were somewhat general, and did not have a plan in order to accomplish them. This year I am not just setting the goals but how I plan to make them a reality. We have a bit of "alternate income" coming in these next few months that I am hoping will help us to achieve our goals.

Financial Goals for 2009 & The Plan to Achieve Them

1) Set up a Christmas club, have $1000 in it by the end of Oct, so Christmas can be "cash only" again this year without cutting anything out.

Plan: Open account in January with $100. Set up automatic withdrawls into that account from my checking account for $100 each month February-Oct. This will be done through IngDirect. I love IngDirect!

2) Payback a debt to a family member by June.

Plan: This has already been arranged to be paid $200/month January to June. Along with the Christmas club withdrawls, this will be tight but we have some alternative incomes starting that should help make this possible without too much "belt tightening". But if belt tighting is what it takes we can do it.

3) When our Income Tax return comes- really, truely, without fail SET IT ASIDE to pay our Property and School Taxes for 2009.

Plan: This would include our Town Property Taxes in February, our Village Property taxes in July, and our School Taxes in Sept. I am planning to accomplish this by actually giving the money to my mom to hold so we are not tempted to "dip into it" before the July and Sept tax bills come. We do not have an escrow on our mortgage- so we paid these on our own when they are due.

4) Pay off 2 of our credit cards. We are working with a credit counseling service for the bulk of our credit card debt, but they would not take on any credit cards that had balances under $750. So we have 4 cards that we are working on on our own, with balances ranging from $250- $700. It may seen crazy to not just be able to pay off a card with $250 on it, but as I have mentioned before our budget is tight and at this point we have been lucky to pay the minimums on these cards.

Plan: After we pay off the family member, starting in July, I am planning to use $150/month to get at least 2 of these cards paid off before the end of the year.

5) Set up an "Emergency Fund". So that when "things" come up this year-they do not effect our monthly bills.

Plan: Set up an IngDirect account labeled Emergency Fund and have automatic withdrawls from my checking account put into it for just $25/month. I am hoping and praying nothing happens in the first few month of the year. This is what happened last year, everytime I got $100-$200 in my savings, something came up and away went my savings, which was frustrating and I stopped putting money into my savings. Not this year!

So there you have it. My Goals and Plans for 2009!!

I will post updates throughout the year to let you know how well I am sticking to my plans.

Feel free to share your Goals for 2009 in the comments! I'd love to see what others are trying to accomplish with their hard earned money.

5 Painless Ways to Save $1000 in 2009

2008-12-19T23:13:00.003-05:00

As I began to work at creating at my own Financial Goals for 2009 I began to think of ways I could cut more out of our budget. Some ideas I have are reasonable and others I know I won't be able to keep up with, therefore I have decided to post a few ways I think would be painless.

Five Painless Ways to Save $1000 in 2009

1) Brown bag lunch to work just one day more than normal. (One lunch ($5)/week) Savings: $240

2) Stop using Paper Towels & Paper Napkins -switch to cloth napkins & dishtowels. ( I did this last year and love it!!). Puchasing one 3-roll generic pack of paper towels ($2.70) per week= Savings: $140

3) Hang clothes to dry. Just 2 loads per week will save you about $100 a year!

4) Once a month, instead of "dinner out" go out for dessert. Eat dinner at home but go out for dessert. Average dinner for two= $45, just two desserts and drinks= $20-$25, Saving you $20 per month. Savings $240/yr.

5) Make one "Meat-Free" Meal each week. Saves you about $6/meal for not purchasing that steak or 1lb of meat or a package of chicken cutlets. $6/week equals Saving $312 a year. Some great meat-free meals that still fill you up are : Lasangna, spagetti with italian bread, mashed potato bowls (mashed potatoes covered with gravy then corn then shedded cheese melted on top- YUM!)

So if you total my 5 ideas you save $1032 in 2009!!!

Not too bad for some small changes in your routine.

I am planning some more money saving lists (some easy, some not so simple) for getting the New Year off to a Frugal Start!!

A Look Back at 2008's Financial Goals

2008-12-19T22:51:00.003-05:00

I can not believe that 2008 is almost over. Less than 2 weeks and it will be 2009.
Last year was the first year that I sat down and made a list of Financial Goals for the year. I started small with just a few goals this year and hopefully they were all things I felt I could truely accomplish.

Here's what they were and how we did on them....

1) Save up to pay our Village Property Taxes due in July. (about $1600)- Done!
Thanks to lots of overtime in June and July.

2) Be able to pay for Christmas completely in Cash. - Done!
But it was not easy and a few things had to be cut. Even as of today I have not sent
Christmas cards out.

3) Keep up with all the bills, do not pay any late fees. - Not done well.
Unfortunately lots of "things" came up this year. And having no savings, every time something came up we had to use money set up for monthly bills to pay for these "unexpected" expenses. None of which was large but add up four $75 items in one month and suddenly you have a $300 bill, which was not in the budget. With our monthly budget as tight as it, after all the regular monthly expenses, plus gas & groceries, we only have about $200 for discretionary spending. So you do the math- $300 of additional expenses with only $200 to pay it and well, something else didn't get paid or got paid late. Just the way it goes.

Not bad for a first try at financial goal setting, but I hope to do better next year.
Later this week I will be posting Five Painless Ways to Save $1000 Next Year, and My Financial Goals for 2009.

One Woman's Trash Is Another Woman's Treasure. Well maybe not treasure- but stuff I can use!

2008-12-18T22:57:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law gave me a bag of junk.

It was stuff she saved when cleaning out her kitchen, thinking of me, she put it all in a bag.

In what she may have otherwise throw away I have found some useful things. Here's what I found and what I will now use it for...

1) 1/2 a bag of clothespins (the clip kind). I will keep these for when I get my Clothesline. I have wanted to put up a clothesline for about a year and although I can find the "line" I can not find the "pulleys/anchors" that you attach to your tree or the side of your house that allow you to pull the line in and out. I would LOVE a clothesline! According to something I once read.. Your average dryer, based on your average electrical rates-- cost about $.40/load to dry! I generally wash and dry about 12 loads of laundry a week.. that's $4.80 each week, or $19.20/ month- on average. WOW - I'd love to lower my electric bill by almost $20 a month. In reality I probably wouldn't line-dry ALL the laundry- the line would only hold one load at a time and each would take seveal hours to dry- -but if I line-dryed 1/2 of it- that would still lower my bill about $10/month. And that seems very do-able!

2) 5 small whisks (I think left over from her bridal shower). These will be filled with a few red and green hershey kisses and cute gift tags will be attached that say: We Whisk You a Merry Kissmas. Makes a really cute gift for a teacher or bus driver or anyone. (Who wouldn't want hershey kisses?)

3) a small tupperware-type container with a lid. This will be great for lunchboxes. Kaitlyn does not like sandwiches- so she sometimes takes chicken nuggets , and this little tupperware will be perfect for putting ketchup in.

So in her bag of "junk" I found some great things that I will put to great use!

Save Money- Don't eat out, bulk cook instead!

2008-12-15T01:01:00.005-05:00

What? Bulk cook?

The main reason people eat out mid-week is they are tired when they get home from work or they don't have time to prepare a meal after work. BUT if you have a freezer full of ready-to-go meals, even when you are tired or don't have time, you'll have a meal ready-to-go, so you won't order out.

Well that sounds great but if i don't have time to cook how am I going to get a freezer full of Ready to go meals? Well, you bulk cook!

I have heard of doing this two ways.

One way is to cook twice as much food each time you cook a meal. So you set out to cook BBQ chicken and pasta. make twice as much as mornal and freeze half to eat another time. This sounds easy and takes no extra time, since you are cooking the meal anyway.

The second way is to set aside a few hours every few weeks to cook up several meals to freeze. I just did this on Sunday. This week I have 3 workshops I have to go to for work (Mon, Tue & Thurs from 7:30-9pm each night). So dinners will need to be easy and ready to go this week. So I planned an hour this Sunday to make a bunch of meals. I browned some meat and then seperated it into 2 containers, to one I added in taco seasoning, covered it and put it in the freezer for tacos later this week. The second one I added to a casserole dish to make a rice-bake. (rice, water,cream of mushroom soup, peas,shedded cheese and meat- bake for 30 mins at 350). Which I baked and is now in the freeezer for another night. I also baked up 5 chicken cutlets with mustard/marinate. And 5 more chicken cutlets marinated in BBQ sauce. I made a big pot of mac & cheese and froze half. The other half was part of dinner Sunday and then for lunches for the girls for Monday. I also baked corn bread, to go with the taco night. And a tray of brownines (for snacks this week). So all week I will only need to add a vegetable and a side dish, but the time comsuming parts are all made.

Eating out costs even more than buying lunch. And when I saying eating out I really mean ordering in, since that is what my family tends to do. In the past we used to get together with another family every Saturday and order in. One week it would be Chili's, the next Friday's, Outback, pizza, chinese, Uno's Grill, wherever. Once money got tight we did this less- by eating dinner at our homes before getting together or getting together to "potluck" and bring what we had at home and cook together, or we would feed all the children and then only order in food for the adults. Once we started to do this I realised how much money we were saving.

The scary facts:
If you eat out just once a week (for a family or 4-5, we typicaly spend about $40-$45/meal)
Once a week, 52 weeks a year = $2080 (assuming $40/wk)

But in reality when money wasn't a factor we usually ate out Saturday with friends and at least once during the school week. We's ordered pizza or chinese.... so if we figure $45 Saturday plus $25 on a weeknight.... 52 weeks out of the year.. that totals: $3640!

That's alot of money!! Just because I didn't feel like cooking.

I think the above senario is pretty typical for most families. Eating out 1-2 times a week cost alot. We still order in about once every other week. Actually last night we got chinese food. You can't deprive yourselves or your frugalilty becomes stingy. And we are not "cheap" or "stingy" we are frugal people. Using our money in the best ways possible to stretch every dollar as far as it will go, but not break.

SO go get cooking!

Use What You Have on Hand

2008-12-14T23:40:00.005-05:00

One of the biggest Frugal tips I have taken to heart is Use What in Your Hand.

America is the land of the consumer! When we need it we run out and buy it and if we don't have the money for it we finance it! Well even if you don't finance it, and can pay cash for it you probably don't really need it.

Next time you are thinking "Oh I need ...., and I better run to .... to get it." Take a minute and think about it, better yet take about a week and think about. We do this for larger purchases like TVs, Cars, Larger Furniture pieces. You may even "shop around" before buying a larger purchase. But we rarely do it for smaller purchases. We see, we want, we buy!

At the end of the summer, knowing school was right around the corner and all the papers that come with it. I was thinking I need something to organize all the papers the kids are going to be bringing home. My first thought was "lets go to Staples" and get some "paper-organizing-thing" or maybe I'll look next door at Michael's and they'll have some cute baskets that I can put each child's name on. Oh, the ideas were endless-- the shopping ideas were.. the money wasn't. So I took a few days looking for something that would hold papers (even over-sized project-type ones) and something I would have 3 (one for each child). I eventually noticed the Flat-Rate shipping boxes I have for our eBay business. I realised the flat ones, when folded, were about the right size. They just needed the one side cut off. I did this and wrote each child's name on the one end with different colored markers. They line up nicely on my hutch and hold all the papers. This is just one option I have found by waiting and looking at other items in different way.

Repurpose and reuse, it is not only Frugal but Green. I love ideas where the two come together.

Some ideas for where to find things:

1) Look differntly at furniture pieces.

Put an unused dresser in the dining room in place of a new hutch. It will hold folded linens, trays and stemware(laid flat). Put a table runner over it for a more formal look.

I wanted a dresser for my bedroom, even though my clothes all fit in my closet. I though awhile, and realised I just wanted "surface space" to put things down on. Instead of a dresser I moved an old "console/ sofa table" under the window. It works great, totally filled the need and didn't cost a cent!

2) A can of paint can do wonders.

Painting anything- furniture, walls, even floors. A coat of paint can really make something feel new again. Just painting one wall in a room can change the feel of the whole room and the furniture in front of it.

I have "good" tables in my living room. Real furniture- real wood not pressboard. But they are 10 years old and looked like they were 20 years old. They were so dinged and scratched. So I painted them an off-white (using leftover paint from painting our kitchen cabinets) and sandpapered the edges. I figured- it wouldn't cost me anything to try it. They now have that "shabby chic" look, and several people have asked me if I bought new tables! Cost: nothing!

I also painted my "rec room" walls with my sister's help. It had 1970's wooden paneling all over it. And it was dark and dreary. I wanted to pull the paneling off and re-sheetrock the entire room, but it is a big space and would have been big bucks. So I painted the paneling instead. A very light blue (very light- almost white). You can still tell it is paneling on the walls but it made the room so much brighter and alot less 70's. The room gets alot more use now that it feels more welcoming.

3) Don't just think big- look at small things too!

Need office supplies, desk items.-- look in your kitchen for old mugs or cups that can hold pencils, paperclips, scissors. Got a really nice tray you only use once a year- use it as your "in box". Need something near the washing machine to collect coins and other lost items- I rinsed out a detergent bottle cap and use that to hold those little things. An old cup holds toothbrushes in the bathroom. Reused baskets, received at "gift baskets", are reused in my bathroom and linen closet for holding toiletry items and medications.

4) One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Maybe you don't have something perfect to reuse but maybe a friend does. I love the phrase "New to me" not hand-me down, or used.. but New to Me. I have lots of New to Me things. Both my cars are New to Me cars, my living room couches are new to me, as are both of my downstairs couches. Just recently I mentioned that I wanted to turn my downstairs playroom from a babyish playroom to a more "older kid" play room- to make less floor space and more storage for entertainment things like game systems, radios and speakers, and a computer downstairs. In telling people what you are "up to" or "thinking about", you'll be surpised what they may be planning to get rid of. My SIL asked if I could use a piece of furniture from her dining room she was planning to get rid of and it is now my "New to me" entertainment center for my "older kid" redo downstairs. My mom mentioned she was getting rid of a coffee table and asked if I might want it- well, of course I do! Rather than running out to redo my downstairs, I have "found" several pieces and if they don't work best here I am sure I can find something else to use them for.

5) Remember not everything needs to match perfectly- we do not live in the pages of The Pottery Barn Catalog. But a great idea is to look at the catalogs you love, but create or repurpose what you have to create the same look. I once found a great project for a youth group craft from looking in a Pottery Barn catalog. A friend saw an table of "stacked old suitcases" in the catalog and was able to create the same thing using old suitcases she never used. She stained then using wood stain from another project(to make them look older) and stacked them in the corner of her living room. They looked great, and so stylish, and cost her nothing! (Pottery Barn price: $400) Think outside the box. And if you get a bunch of pieces from friends and you want a more unified look- paint them all the same color.

Keep your mind open and your wallet shut!

You'll be surprised at where your imagination can take you.

Lean Christmas and Planning Ahead Next Year

2008-12-14T22:50:00.004-05:00

This Christmas is going to be a lean one. Not that that's bad, it's just a reality of what we are going through. This year will be a bit better than last year and I am hoping the next one will be back to normal. Actually I am not hoping-- I am planning to make sure it becomes a reality.

Planning ahead helps save money and the more organized you are the better. This year, as organized as I tried to be, I have had several factors holding me back. The largest one being money. We are living paycheck to paycheck, therefore buying gifts has been in drips and drabs, since I can only really put about $100 per paycheck towards Xmas. And really that $100 is stretching it a bit. I get paid from my job on the 15th and 30th- so Monday will be the next chance for me to do any shopping and I still have to order xmas cards (photo cards) online and at this point I am not even sure they will get here in time for me to address them and get them out before Christmas. And I am never late with cards! Normally I have the kids photo taken when they are off from school on Veteran's day(yes, Veteran's Day!), then I have my photos in hand by Thanksgiving. I casually write them out and mail then around the 15th of December. Not this year!! Oh my!

In years past I have always set up a Chirstmas club. I open it with $100 and then religiously put $50/paycheck into it from January until September. Therefore I have $1000 by October and can do most of my shopping before Black Friday. This leaves me a nice, stress-free December to enjoy the holiday season and all it's festivities. Not this year!! Oh my!

I usually host Thanksgiving dinner and then the day after- spend cleaning up and putting up all my Christmas Decorations. This year we went away the day after Thanksgiving and my tree and decorations went up late. I feel like I have been playing catch up ever since. My casual December this year did not happen. Not this year!! Oh My!

So for next year I am back to my old ways! I am planning ahead for a stress free Holiday season next year.

Step 1: Right after Christmas, I plan to open a Christmas club with $100 no matter how hard it is to come up with the money. The first step is always the hardest.

Step 2: Set it up for automatic withdrawls on the 15th and 30th for $50 each. This will be my hardest step- money is tight and it has been hard to keep up with $100/check but knowing it was short term we have done without alot of extras. $50 is less but it will still mean constant sacrifice, not just short term doing without. But I am determined. Two Christmas in a row that were lean is enough for me!

Step 3: Starting the day after Christmas I will begin shopping for next year. I have already started a list of some items we were "short" this year. At after Christmas sales I should be able to get these items at up to 75% off. These might include: Gift wrap, cards, gift tags, ornaments (some of mine broke this year), Christmas outfits for the kids (buying one size up- for my older one this might just be a red turtleneck), and stocking stuffers (like holiday stickers, coloring books, lollipops, pez dispensers) also white tissue paper and other solid colored tissue paper that can be used year round for b-days. I will also keep my eye out for anything that is 75% off and can be used at other holidays- red things for Valentines, Green things for St. Patrick's Day, Red/gold/silver stars for 4th of July. I will also be looking for non-perishable like notecards, thanks you cards that don't look too-"holiday" . I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

I have found great stuff in the week after xmas- It is where I spend most of the money I might recieve at Christmas. But I don't care because I know I am buying stuff at 75% off, it is stuff I will use, and by thinking ahead I have saved tons over what I would have paid if I ran out in December and grabbed these items last minute.

Wow! That last one was a big one. It is one of the steps I did do last year even though money was tight. I just didn't get as much as I would have liked and I think this is why I am runnig short on things this year. But the frugal me says- do NOT run out and buy it- Use what you have on hand. Which leads me to my next post...you'll have to check in tomorrow to see.

Ways to Save Money- Lunches

2008-12-14T16:21:00.005-05:00

We are finally back to healthy here.

And now I hope to get back on track with my Ways to Save Money series I had planned to do last week.

This first post will focus on lunches.

Now common sense tells you brown bagging lunch saves money. It is usually more of a motivation issue to actually do it. Your head says save money and your body says oh- just grab a $20.

So for Lunches: Motivation and Ideas to make it easier:

First, Motivation:

Looking at lunch as $5/day doesn't seem like much, but if you add it up.. let's say you buy lunch only 4 days a week for $5/day- and you work 48 weeks (take out vacation and some sick days) , that works out to $960 A YEAR!!!! And I think $5/day is a very conservative amount. If you normally spend $10/day and eat lunch "out" all 5 days each week, in 48 weeks you will have spent $2400 in a Year!!!! That's a lot of money!!

Hopefully that number is a bit shocking. Is McDonald or cafeteria food really as good as $2400?? So now that we have some motivation there is still the battle with your body to actually pack and take your lunch.

To make it easier:

I have some tips but since you may be new to this I will start with the basic.

**Keep all supplies for making lunches together. Either clear a cabinet in the kitchen or put all the "lunch supplies" in a basket on top of the fridge. Lunch supplies might include: bread or rolls, snack packs of chips, zip-lock bags, snack cakes, drinks, and brown bags or an insulated lunch bag- buy snack that you like so you'll be more inclinded to pack a lunch- you can always convert to "healthy lunches" once you have the brown bag routine down.

**Ideally, pack your lunch the night before. This way if you are running late in the morning you do not revert back to the "I don't have time, I'll just buy lunch today". Also, don't forget your lunch. Put a post-it note on your keys, or the door you leave out of in the AM. My SIL says she puts a plastic bag on the door knob - so when she leaves she see it and remembers to grab the bag in the fridge.

** great quick lunch ideas: Left overs- especially in winter , when come lunchtime you want something hot (not a cold sandwich). Invest in a thermos, and bring in soup or chili. My daughter hates sandwiches, so for her I pack (in her thermos) chichken nuggets, pizza bites, mac & cheese, or spagetti. If you have access at work to keep your lunch in a fridge and have a microwave, stock up on "frozen dinner" style packaged food. Weight watchers, Lean Cusine- when they go on sale for $1.77- $2.00 each- grab a bunch of your favorites to take for lunch. Add a snack and a drink and you are ready to go. Or just keep them in the fridge for those days you are rushed and didn't have time to make lunch.

**Last note: Bring your drink and pack snacks for your work day. Vending machines are a financial nighmare. You can buy a 12 pack of Coke cans for under $4 in your local grocery store, that's about $0.33 each can. The vending machine would cost you $1.25 per can. If you grab a soda everyday for that 4pm sugar fix, by bringing your own you can save $20/month. And you aren't even giving anything up- you still get your soda- just bring your own. The same holds true for an afternoon snack-fix. If you hit up the vending machine for a snack each day- bringing your own also saves you another $20/month. Most snacks cost about $0.20/serving when brough at the grocery store.

All-in-all, you can save up to $3000 a year by bringing your own lunches and snacks to work- PER PERSON. By even changing a few of your habits- only bring snacks or buy lunch 2 days a week and buy lunch the other 3 days. You can save significant amounts of money. This is only the tip of the iceberg. We have lots more to save.

I am Jealous

2008-12-14T15:42:00.002-05:00

I had to write this post today as I sit here reading other blogs about how people complain about the housing market and how expensive their mortgages are, and yet many of these bloggers are complaining about mortgages of about $150,000. Around here that wouldn't even buy you a studio apartment. Many of these blogs also mention that their household incomes are between $40,000 and $55,000 (i read several blogs and all are posting things about end of year finances). Anyway, I began wondering what do people (average people. like me) do that allow us them live in the neighborhoods we grew up in. I have wondered this alot lately, as the price of houses where I grew up are ridiculous.

I have been talking to people lately about this at work and found out how some of them have done it - and I am jealous. A friend of mine from high school, after she married, moved in with her parents. They lived their for almost 7 years. While there, they had their first child, and since her mom was retired and right there to babysit. She continued to work afterthe baby was bron. They did not have to pay rent but helped with some of the utilities, and even after her son was born did not have to pay for daycare, since Grandma could watch the baby. Now I can relate to her the most because she and her husband are "average people" she worked as a secretary and he was a landscaper. It took them 7 years of living "home" in order to save enough money to buy a house where we grew up. And I am jealous to say that now that she has a house and a small mortgage (about $125,000) they are able to live on just his income and she is now a stay at home mom and thinking of having her second (her first is now 8). I would love to be a full time stay at home mom- but I don't' think we will get there before my kids are out of school.

The second person I was talking to at my daughter's pre-school said that she and her husband and 3 kids (with a 4th on the way) have been living with her parents for 2 years and plan to be there at least 1-2 more. They realised they would have to do this in order to buy a home in the area. She is a stay at home mom to her little bunch and although he works in the city-- it just isn't enough to buy a house around here.

The last person I saw recently does have a house in my hometown and when she dropped her daughter off for pre-school in her Lincoln Navigator with her knee high designer boots and large coach bag... I wonder HOW?? She is younger than me and is a stay at home mom- how then?? with a $500,000 mortgage, and most likely $700/month car payment, can she still afford to buy these luxury items- her outfit must have cost over $1000. and she has a different designer bag almost every day. I would drive a 10 year old Ugo and wear the same clothes everyday just to have been able to live in my home town and here is a person who not only gets to do this, but also be a stay at home mom, and has the extra money to blow on a gas-guzzling luxury SUV and designer clothes.. I can't help but be jealous.

I tried to do it right-We have always keep a mortgage we could afford on one income, so I could be at home. We have no luxuries, walmart clothes, ask for shoes and coats as gifts for birthdays or christmas and cut our hair at home. We have worked hard in hopes of being able to have at least one of us home with the kids. I had hoped to be able to be a full time stay at home mom-- but somehow that isn't where we are at and if it takes me 5-7 years to get back to that point where I can be at home full time, my oldest will be driving and almost out of high school. I need it to happen faster! I want it now! So I can have more time with my kids now, while they are young and while they want me around, and not to finally have the time later, when they will be beginning to have lives of their own.

Missing in Action

2008-12-13T00:08:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have gone AWOL for a bit. Katilyn as been sick since she came home from school on Tuesday. She said she was tired and didn't feel good, laid down and fell asleep. One hour later she woke up only long enough to say I feel yucky and for me to realize she was roasting with a fever. She went back to sleep and sleep for 24 hours with only minor breaks to drink some water, use the bathroom or take more tylenol. She spent Wed and Thursday the same way, then Thursday night she spent most of the night coughing and complaining her chest hurt. So Friday. off to the Doctor we went, and the verdict was she has croup. She is 6 1/2 - I thought croup was a baby/toddler illness, I did not realise older kids get it too. For those that do not know croup is a really awful cough that sounds really bad and makes it hard to breathe, it is a full-body cough that tires then out quickly. And croup is worst as night and better during the day. So I have not slept much in days.. which is why I have not posted.

And tonight Sophia has a fever and a mild cough. I hope this is NOT the start of the next set. Kaitlyn is not even better yet... oh my!

So if my posts are spratic the next several day, you'll know why.

My Frugal Christmas tip for today...Re-use Christmas cards!
Every one ends up with a few leftover cards after writting then out, hold onto them. Then after Xmas, take your left overs and the ones you have received. And carefully cut the covers off them to use as Thank You Postcards. If you carefully cut the front off of the cards and then on the blank side draw a line down the center. Jot a quick Thank You note on the left side and put the mailing address on the right side along with the stamp. Not only does this save you money on buying thank you cards- it saves postage too! (postcard stamps are cheaper than first class stamps). It also cuts your "greeting card garbage" in half!

I'll be back this weekend with more money saving tips!

A few quick tips for saving money on gifts

2008-12-07T12:06:00.004-05:00

My wonderful followers have lent me ideas to share.

I mentioned in a previous post when buying gifts on-line to first Google the item or store with the words "coupon codes" or "discount codes" after it. For example, if you wanted to buy a sweater from L.L. Bean, first google: L.L. Bean Coupon code or L.L. Bean discount code. Sometimes you can find great discounts, and then go buy it for less!

One follower mentioned the site, http://www.retailmenot.com/ . If you go to this site and type in the name of the store you were going to shop at, you can find discounts including free shipping, 10% Off and more. It only takes a minutes and is worth a look before shoppping. Thanks Laura!

My other follower mentioned that if you are planning to buy gift certificates to restaurant to first look at http://www.restaurants.com/ where you can buy $20 or $30 gift cards for restuarants for half the face value. Not all restaurants are available but it is worth a look before paying full price. And after my post on how Experience Gift are great Green Gifts- these save you money and the enviornment! Thanks Lisa!

More Decluttering- In time for the Holidays

2008-12-06T22:57:00.009-05:00

Now that you've rested. We have so much more to do to tget the whole house ready. Your house will be so streamlined by the time you have guest over for the holidays.

Yesterday our decluttering let us help others. Today's decluttering will hopefully make you a few bucks. Everyone can use some extra money this time of year. So let head to find CDs and DVDs. Go through them. In this day and age I can't imagine why anyone would need either one- but I realise some people have emotional attachments to these items. Grab all your CDs and download them to your iPod (or at least your favorite songs) and get ready to get rid of them. Now take a good hard look at your DVDs with DVR and TiVo and the internet you can pretty much watch any movie at any time without needing to clutter up your house with DVDs. Plan to get rid of them all- if you have one or two that you feel you must keep ask yourself: How often do I watch this? When was the last time I watched it? and If I lost it, and wanted to watch this movie- could I find it somewhere (ie: OnDemand, internet, Tivo )? Your answers to these questions should tell you whether you really need to keep it.

Now take all those CD and DVD and list them on www.half.com . It will only take a few minutes to set up an account and listing the CDs takes seconds. You enter the UPC code from the case and it will bring up the disc and the last "sold" prices, you then choose the "condition" of your CD and decide your own price, and boom- You're done! Sit back and wait for emails that say "You've made a sale on half.com" You ship out the CD (or DVD) and half.com reimburses the shipping cost. They pay you on the 1st and 15th for what you have sold in that period. I have used this site for over a year and I am very happy with their service.

Let's take a second look at the stuff you cleaned out yesterday. In your closet did you find anything that you won't wear but just couldn't donate because it was worth too much. Maybe a designer label, or something you only worn once, or you never wore it and the tags are still on. This could be clothing, purses or shoes. These would be great items to sell on ebay. All you need is a digital camera to take a few pictures and if you price it well- it will sell on ebay. I have used ebay for about a year and have had great success selling children's clothing, gently used shoes (kids and adults), toys, exercise equipment, safety gates, purses, anything and everything. It is all stuff that I would have otherwise thrown away or donated and instead I have been able to make a few bucks, and it goes to someone else you can use it instead of the landfill.

Now lets tackle the kitchen. I would love to say empty all your cabinets like we did in the bathroom yesterday, but really that is a huge task, so let's not. Instead, open each cabinet and give it a good scan. Is there anything in there (be sure to look deep in the back of the cabintets too) that you can get rid of? Chipped plates, tupperware with no tops, that fondue set you never even opened, that set of mugs that are not microwaveable so you never use them. I am sure as you look into each cabinet you can find several things you no longer use (or never did). Pile all this stuff on your table. You should know by now I am not going to say throw it away. First, see if there is anything you can repurose. Maybe those mugs are pretty and you could use one in the bathroom to hold toothbrushes or Q-tips. A basket or bowl could be used to hold mismatched socks- put it ontop of the dryer to put them in when folding laundry. All the stuff that is left, take to a thrift shop or Good Will. They will take casserole dishes, bowls, mugs, serving pieces, decorative trays. Thrift stores may pay you a little for certian items. Remember it isn't about making money as it is about getting rid of the cluttter.

The last way to pick up a few bucks - and clean out-before the holidays is for those who have a skill or craft or small business. This is the time of the year for all those "Holiday Boutiques" and "Craft Fairs". These usually cost about $20-$40 for a space and some provide you a table, for others you will need to bring your own table. Two standard card tables will work well. If you do not have tables, do not run out and buy them. Ask family, friends and neighbors if they have a card table you can barrow for the day. In most cases, you can easily barrow one rather then dishing out more money. As it is a bit late in the season, registrations for these fairs has probabaly happened already. But look in your local papers for ads for the sales and reach out to the contact person to see if space is still available. If they have space they are ususally willing to accomodate, since the more vendors they have the more money they make. Some fairs will allow you to sell household stuff (kind of like a yard sale)- but ask first, some will not be happy if you are selling junk. If you can sell household items-- clean up all the nicer stuff you have gathered from around your house, make sure to take a nice table cloth to make your table look nice and price low. $40 is alot to pay to try and make a few buck so ask a friend if they want to split a table with you. If you have some hand-made crafts to sell, this is a great place to sell them. As well as any home-party type business. If you have a home business, this is a great time to clean out old inventory (returns, exchanges that you still have)-- sell them here and get them out of your closet.

The last idea isn't for everyone but hopefully if you have gone through your CDs and DVDs, pulled out stuff to sell on ebay, and cleaned out the clutter in your kitchen cabinets- you have decluttered and maybe made some money in the process.

Tomorrow I have some ideas for decluttering Kid's stuff- this is where most of my home's clutter comes from!

Now- The Best Time to Declutter

2008-12-06T22:11:00.002-05:00

Why now? Well is is the holiday season, and everything else is in overdrive- why not the decluttering too? And lots of organizations are looking for your donations right now!

Now is a great time to clean out, while you are in the attic pulling out your decorations (or your garage) take a minute to look around and see if there is a box or an item that you didn't even realise was there- and get rid of it! Start with one things and move on from there.

You need to start somewhere, why not right now. Look around right where you are sitting and find something to get rid of. If you are not home- think- of one thing you can get rid of. Getting rid of something does not mean throwing it away. Remember, I love to be Green! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

So for inspiration here are some great things you can do with all your "stuff" .

Go through your closets and pull out 10% of your clothes and give them to charity. If you have 20 tops- find 2 you could donate to Good Will or Salvation Army. Same with you pants, sweaters, etc.. Sometimes it is easier to get rid of stuff when you know you are doing a "good deed".

Now find all your "winter wear" - Do you have old coats, gloves, hats... take all the ones you never wear- don't fit - are out of style and donate them. There are people out there who can really use them! If you have kids who have outgrown their coats from last year- donate them to Coats for Kids- you can ususally find collections for this at schools, churches, and town halls.

Now hit up your linen closet- do you have old, ripped, stained towels, sheets, even linen table clothes- donate them to an animal shelter. They use them for the animals to sleep on, wash the animals, and clean the cages.

Now head over to your dresser. Pull out the same 10% as above for t-shirts, even PJ's in good shape. Then sort out that mess of socks- any with holes add to a "rag box" for cleaning- a sock slipped over your hand makes a great "duster"-even with holes. Old T-shirts that are beyond donating cut into rags- for cleaning. **Side note: I am a huge convert from Paper towels, I use cloth for everything now. I will post about this later. But this is great for the enviorment and saves money!**

Ok- now lets get to the bathroom and grab a big box! Pull everything and I mean everything out of the bathroom cabinets and put it all in the big box. Now wipe down all the shelves while they are empty. Then carefully go through each item in the box before putting it back in the cabinet. Some things to think about: Check the expiration date, think about how much is left (if a bottle is nearly empty is it worth taking up space? -now the Frugal me says add it to a similiar product- don't just throw it away. IE: almost empty shampoo? open another one and add it to that one) Also consider if it is a product you use daily, or weekly. If it isn't even used weekly- then it can probabaly go. Medication should not be kept in the bathroom- the humidity is not good for it- move all medications to the kitchen cabinets. With little ones in the house we keep our meds in a basket on the top shelf of the linen closet.

Once you have put back only what you use- look through that box of garbage. Is there anything you can repurpose? **FRUGAL TIP: If there are small plastic bottles consider washing them out. Once clean and dry put then in your suitcase! Next time you travel you won't need to buy travel bottles. And the great thing about it is you can take your favorite shampoo (not all brand come in travel sizes), and you don't have to spend money to buy the generic empty bottles, and if you accidently leave it behind- heck it was garbage anyway! I keep a toiletry bag full of empty bottles and free samples in my empty suitcase, their all ready when I need them. **

Now that you have worked hard- take a break! I'll be back tomorrow with more decluttering and what to do with your "trash". Remember : One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure!

Two Notes

2008-12-06T22:03:00.004-05:00

I now have 2 followers!! Yea!!!

On my last post I talked about Experience gifts and I forgot one that I think is really cute for kids (or even adults).

Create a "Treat of the Month" Club! Create the "flyer" or card or booklet that will show them what they are getting each month. And on the first weekend of each month, mail or hand-deliver, a diferent treat to the child or children. How much of the treat you send each month might depend on how many kids or people are in the family you are it sending to. Treats might include: January- New Year's Brownies, February- Red Velvet cupcakes, March- Green Rice Krispie Treats. You get the idea.

I thought it was a really cute idea!

Simple, Green & a Little Frugal Christmas Ideas

2008-12-06T20:59:00.005-05:00

Holiday gifts don't need to be elaborate or expensive, the best gifts are the most thoughtful. Many gifts given today are "stuff", which takes up space, clutters our lives and in the end gets thrown away and fills our landfils. Here are some simple and green Holiday gift ideas (some are frugal, some not so much).

The two best types of Green Gifts usually take a bit of thought about who you are buying for and what they are interested in, but once you have an idea they are easy to put together and in most cases not to bad on the wallet either. I'll call them Experience Gifts and Comsumable Gifts.

Experience Gifts can be a bit costly, but are very easy on the enviorment. These gifts involve doing something, not purchasing a "thing" to clutter up your home. Experience gifts are things like theather tickets, tickets to a ball game, or certificate to a restuarant. Everyone has heard of these things, they are not new, but maybe you've nevered looked at it a being green, yet it is!

To move beyond the usual tickets as experiences, which can get very expensive, you can be a bit creative and make a very memorable experience of your own. How about a trip to the movies, taking a younger relative to mini-golf and ice cream, bowling and pizza, or an afternoon of baking cookies. How you package these gifts can be the key to the excitement. For an afternoon of baking cookies, create a "certifitcate" or "coupon" for Cookie Lessons with "Aunt Laura" (get it- like- cooking lessons, but with cookies) you can tie it to a package of sugar cookie mix, a few small cookie cutters and a child sized rolling pin, all wrapped in a bow. Children tend to need that instant gratification, so attaching a small item to the certificate is always good. For baseball tickets attach a pack of baseball cards. For movie passes attach a big box of snowcaps. I always encouarge "experience gifts" for my kids birthdays.Because the last thing they need it more "stuff". Their birthdays are just before school lets out for summer, so it gives them a bunch of fun afternoons to start off their summer vacations.

The second type of gift I'll call a comsumable gift. These are things that people would purchase and use anyway, you're just putting it together in a gift form. This gift has the quick chance of being corny, cheap or gimicey, if you are not careful to be very thoughtful in what you buy. These gifts are more like your traditional "gift baskets". But I warn not to buy the pre-made baskets at the drug store. These tend to be full of cheap items and knick-knacks or junk. If you know someone who likes candles , filling a basket with dollar-store candles probably won't meet their standards. And a true hobbiest, golfer, or gardener won't use the items in the pre-made set becasue they aren't the "brand" they prefer. But if you know someone's interests, really know what types, styles and brands they prefer. Putting together your own basket of a few smaller (less expensive) items, that you know they will like, into a gift set, really shows you care and that you put some thought into it. And remember it is better to get a few small items you know they will love then a ton of "junk" they won't use, because the ton of junk is just headed right to the back of the closet or even the dump.

Consumables are great because you are buying what this person would have otherwise bought for themselves. It adds less waste to the enviroment, and does not clutter up their house as it is something they will "use up". Here are some ideas for consumables:

For an animal lover:
their pet's favorite treat
a new leash or toy for their pet
pet brush or "messy bag" refils

For the Car lover:
Bucket filled with
car wash, car wax
new sponge
shamois

For the golfer:
set of 3 golf balls (make sure you know the brand they like)
sm. bag of tees, ball marker
or "key" for repairing ball marks
(Do Not buy the plastic drink dispenser that looks like a golf club and goes in their golf bag- this is where the "junk" or "kitch" would be bad)

For the candle lover:
be sure to know the brand and scents they like!
1-2 votives
snuffer
bic Candle lighter (one that pivots- is great)

Last year I asked for 2 "baskets" from my family- I was specific in what I would llike in them and I did receive the "cleaning" one. To share my idea I will tell you what I had asked for, with specific brands.

My "Cleaning " basket:
A new "caddy" to hold it all
scrubber sponges, regular sponges
Lysol all-purpose spray (I love this stuff & use it on everything- kitchen/bathrooms-everyroom)
Comet
Windex wipes
Pledge wipes
Magic Erasers

I had also asked for a "bathroom" basket, but did not get it, but I will share what might be in such an item:

For the bathroom (this basket you would really, really need to know the person or family)
5 new toothbrushes (one for each person in my house)
Kids Crest Toothpaste (the only kind my kids will use)
Adult toothpast - any kind will do
Q-Tips
Flossers
Kids Act Rinse- bubble gum flavor
Soap Soft pump dispenser- any scent
Two new hand towels and matching washcloths

I hope this helps you to think creatively about what you are buying people this year.Think Green! Think experience and consumable! Use a little imagination & take some time to think and then the actual buying should be easy. If you noticed most of these items can be purchased while you are doing your grocery shopping or a quick click on-line. Both save gas (go green) and do not cause you to waste time driving all over town.

Making Your Home a Haven- Day 5

2008-12-06T20:39:00.004-05:00

qaA bit late in posting what happened on Friday, since it is now Saturday evening, but... in the idea of completing what I started. Here is my Friday.

Friday was a very uneventful and yet still very productive.

The Morning Routine- Done!

MY To Do list: 1) Buy cat food (poor cat has no food!), and a few other items that are a "good Deal" this week at Shop Rite. Done! 2) Finally get to bank and deposit b-day check.-- done! 3) Clean off Hutch and put up nativity and make room for Xmas Cards. - Done!

My 15-20 minutes- was spent straightening up before heading to work.

The day went smoothly and all my To do items were done right after I got home from work.

After dinner we had our December Fridays family night- The kids opened the puzzle, and game and we worked on the puzzle (more like just Garrison and I, with a little help from Kailtyn) then the family played Scooby-Doo Trouble - Kailtyn won! The kids them watched the Drake and Josh Christmas Movie on Nickelodeon.

So that ends our week. Not too much excitement, yet I got stuff done- little by little. I still have a ton to do before Christmas and therefore have had a bit of Christmas on the brain. I'll be posting some ideas on Christmas this weekend.

Hope you enjoyed your week!!

Coming Up This Weekend

2008-12-05T00:36:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to give you some bites of what I am working on for this weeknd. I 've got Christmas on the Brain!

Planning Saves Money & Your Sanity

Now- The Best Time to Declutter

Simple, Frugal & Green Christmas Ideas (not crafts!)

Enjoy the end of our week for Making Your Home a Haven...
Stop by and read up some ideas for the Christmas Season..
And next week Pop In to find some easy way to save money!

See you There!!
(And I hope to figure out how to add pictures to this blog- so you have something nice to look at while you read.)

Why I Love To Read Blogs

2008-12-04T22:33:00.003-05:00

I have been reading blogs for about 2 years and love to check-in every night and see what people have been up to. I enjoy reading blogs for several reasons. The first is to get tips, ideas and inspiration for keeping up with everything. The second is to know other people are having the same ups and downs I am, and that I am not alone. I read several differnt types of blogs. I read blogs about Homemaking, Parenting, Frugality, and Personal Finance. From the main blogs I read I usually find myself wandering around the Blogosphere, reading comments, following links within posts, and clicking on items like "Blogs I Read" on a blog's sidebar. I have found a tremendous amount of encouragement and information.

I started this blog for several reasons. First, I hope to encourage any followers who can realate to what I write about on a day-to-day basis (parenting, homemaking, frugality). We can get through it together! Second, I have absorbed alot of what I have read on other blogs and applied it to my life- in some cases directly and in other cases I have adapted things to figure out what works best for me. I hope to share some of my "what works for me" in hopes that they may work for someone else. Lastly, I like the idea that this blog would hold me accountable. If I write it here- people read it- therefore I better be following through with it!

Through all of my blogging I hope to keep it all positive, encouraging and fun. I am hoping to have the opportunity to connect to people and make bloggy friends with whom I can swap ideas and along the way hopefully we may save some money too!

Making Your Home A Haven- Day 4

2008-12-04T22:01:00.004-05:00

Today's plan was to catch up on ONE CHORE. I had said yesterday I had to tackle the mountian of clean laundry slowly attacking my living room, BUT, I didn't. I did get one load folded and put away, but I hate folding laundry and chose to get all those dishes washed instead. All those dishes began piling up when I decided to put the Christmas tree up after dinner and not load the dishwasher yesterday.

So my day went as follows,

5 Mins of Quiet- Done! (always done, it's my favorite part of the day!)

Morning Rountine- all 5 steps done! (that was the first chunk out of the piles of dishes) **Just to refresh you- MY Morning Routine is coffee, wake Kaitlyn, pack lunches and make breakfast, put a load off laundry in, & load the dishwasher before leaving. **

Planning: 1) Get bags of gifts out of car (they have been "hiding " there, until I could move them with no kids around. - Done! 2) Take Chocolate to SIL, even if not walking the dog. - Done! 3) Bake Brownies tonight- Done! 4) Fold and put away ALL laundry- not done, decided to tackle dishes instead- dishes done!

15 mis of something- check baseball website to reigster for spring baseball but site wouldn't work- emailed sister to see if she could - and she could, and she did- what a lifefsaver!! Spring Baseball Registration- Done!

Positive Attitude- took a dive when the baseball website wouldn't work- but better now!

Great day here, and "realtively" peaceful evening, all kids in bed by 9pm and more quiet time for me. Looking forward to tomorrow- TGIF!!

For our Making Your Home a Haven Challenge- the final day- lets look forward to the weekend. Find something to put on your To Do list that will help get you ready for your weekend. For me this will mean Really, Truely getting the laundry folded! Somewhere in there is my son's freshly washed basketball uniform and his first game is Saturday. Better to get it all folded and put away so we can find it Sat. morning, than to be dumping the laundry baskets all over the living room floor in a mad rush to find all the pieces of the uniform right before game time.

I will check in tomorrow and we can all rejoice that the work-week is over!!

Happy Friday everyone!

Making Your Home a Haven- Day 3

2008-12-04T00:38:00.003-05:00

Today was much better than yesterday!

5 Mins of Quiet- Done!

Morning Routine- Done, except for loading dishwasher.

Planning/3 ToDos-
1) Find "cookie" sign up sheet for school, and copy ice skater sheet- done
2) Go to bank (deposit check)- not done- stopped at mom's after work to pick up a gift and didn't get to the bank.
3) Get Christmas Tree Up and Decorated. -Done

15 mintes to do something now- did #1 on list above, before leaving for work, glad to have that done and out of the way before the day really started.

Positive Attitude- it's back! Done.

For today I was extremely glad to get my tree up and decorated. I put it up, and the kids and I decorated it while watching the Rockerfeller tree lighting and all the singing that went with it. It was very festive here from 7pm-9pm. But getting the tree up means I have a counter full of the dinner dishes, which never made it to the dishwasher. Tomorrow I had better not skip that "load the dishwasher before leaving the house" on my morning routine. And although I do manage to wash and dry a load of laundry every day.. I now have 4 baskets of laundry waiting to be folded and put away... but, the Tree is UP!!

So for Thursday let's all focus on ONE CHORE that we have fallen behind on. Maybe it's the dishes, or the laundry, or the vacuuming.. whatever it is for you - choose just ONE CHORE and plow through it until it is all caught up. For me I already know tomorrow will be laundry day- folding and putting it all away.. ALL of it!

I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how I did. Please feel free to commnet and let me know how you did.

Happy Homemaking!!

Sneak peek for next week-- I am planning to post a 5-day series on easy ways you can save money.

December Fridays 2008

2008-12-03T23:55:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post my family has a tradition we call December Fridays. These are all the Fridays from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. On each Friday night we give the kids a gift. This gift is always something we can do together as a family that night. The original purpose of this tradition was a frugal one, we wanted our kids to receive "family" (as in family-time) not just material stuff at Christmas. Although these nights involve a "gift", these are small gifts and are meant to take alot of the emphasis off of needing to get alot of stuff on Christmas DAY. Instead we hope they look forwards to more of a "holiday season" not just one day.

These gifts are a secret , but since my kids son't read this blog I thought I would share our plans for this year's December Fridays.

Nov. 28 - See Xmas lights& listen to Xmas Music, & talk to each other. We did this in Hershey, since we were there- it just so happened to fall on Friday night (perfect) we went to see the Sweet Lights, where you drive though a 4 mile route that Hershey has set up with millions of lights and you have to count how many Rudolfs you can find. It was fun, but by mid-way they were a bit bored and more interested in "walkie-talking" my parents in the car ahead of us. But it was a very nice family time and the entire ride took about 40 minutes. In Hershey my parents treated us to the $20 Sweet Lights, but had we been at home- this would have been a very cheap, yet fun,night.

Dec. 5th- They will open 2 gifts (for all). One will be a Christmas puzzle- bought at a yard sale for $.50 over the summer, still new in sealed box.The second is Scooby-Doo Trouble, bought at the Christmas Tree Shop a few weeks ago for $6. So a fun night of games for the family and it only cost us $6.50.

Dec. 12th- They will open a gift of a pre-made gingerbread house Kit. Still have to pick this up, but at the local BJ's they were under 10 dollars. We will have fun making our house and people and trees (or whatever the kit comes with), and then take pictures of the kids with their creations. A fun night for about $10.

Dec. 19th- They will open a gift of Hot chocolate mix (with marshmallows of course!), and microwave popcorn with a note that says to go get the movie The Polar Express, which we have on DVD already. We will pop the popcorn, make hot chocolate (if you've seen the movie- you'll know why there has to be hot chcoclate) and snuggle under a blanket, turn off the lights and watch the movie. Another great family event for under $5.

My last frugal way to make sure my kids enjoy "the season" and not just one day, is to buy them the advent calendars that have a tiny chocolate behind each door. I got these for $1 each at The Christmas Tree Shop. They always recieve these on Thanksgiving day, from "The Great Turkey" who starts off the Christmas Season of giving, by giving each child a chocolate turkey, an advent calendar, and a small gift. All wrapped up- so they have the fun of opening "gifts" when they wake up on Thanksgiving morning. This year the Great Turkey got each child a 12 inch tree for their rooms that came with 20 plastic-ball ornamants ($5 ea. at Christmas Tree Shop)

So for our December Friday's we get a ton of family time and the kids get excited to open gifts all month long for less than $22.

For our Great Turkey visit on Thanksgiving, I spent about $30 and that included the items above and a few small gift for each child. 3 advent calendars= $3, 3 Chocolate Turkeys= $2.25, 3 Christmas trees w. ornaments= $15, Snap n' style Christmas outfit for Sophia= $8, snowflake bracket and red & green beaded necklace for Kailtyn=$2, and The White House's Wackiest Pets Book= Free w. scholasitc book points. Total: $30.25

If you are thinking $50, isn't very "frugal". Well it is. Realise I "bought" family time, not "stuff". And this is all leading up to a much smaller than your average Christmas DAY. But the children don't feel it as much because we always talk about all the gifts they get "all season long". So at the end of the month, this $50 created family memories and cost us less than it would have to buy each child one more gift for Christmas morning.

Yea-Frugal!

Oh and all the children I know will be getting lots of books from Scholastic, Free for me, good for Christmas budget! Pays to be a teacher, the job does have some perks. (hehe)

Making Your Home a Haven- Day 2

2008-12-02T21:33:00.003-05:00

Oh my was today bad- well at least the morning was.

As for my five steps for Making Your Home a Haven, I scored about 1 out of 5.

5 Minutes of Quiet- done! (and then that was it)

Morning Routine- coffee- check, wake kaitlyn- check, then it was down hill from there. Kaitlyn woke up in a bad mood and was difficult to move and keep moving all morning- so much so, that we missed the bus! Twice! (it goes up our street and about 10 minutes later it comes back down). Nothing else got done until about 10am. Between getting everyone else up and lunches made and everyone to school. Kaitlyn's school is about 15 minutes from our house so when she misses the bus- it eats up about 35 minutes of my morning to drive her into school.

I got home about 9:45am. Tuesday is the one morning I have off from work, and it ususally gives me an extra 2 hours to get stuff done. But with driving Kailtyn to school I was down to about 1.5 hours. Then I tried to print out a google calendar for my class, which I had worked on over the weekend but had trouble printing. (It said I needed the recent updates on Adobe Reader- but then the updates wouldn't load- so I wasn't able to print). I spent about 20 minutes trying to get the updates to download so I could print, but it wouldn't and after 20 minutes I gave up and hand-wrote a calendar for December. It looked awful! And after about 1.5 hours of time (the weekend plus that morning) I had crap to show for it. SO went most of my day... if it could go wrong or take longer than normal it did. So my positive attitude for today was missing along with most parts of my five steps.

Monday night I did take a few minutes and create a To Do list for Tuesday- so I did accomplish the "Planning" step- but only a few of those items were actually completed. I had done this because Tuesday was supposed to be the day to do all those "little things" , so I had pre-planned to make sure I had a solid list and included ALL the little things I needed to get done.

So here was my original Tuesday To Do List: (and what did or did not happen)

List two sets of golf balls on ebay - done!
Take photos of and list purple snowsuit set on ebay-- when looked at closer, it needed to be washed before photos- so it went in the wash, and still has not had photos taken or gotten listed on ebay.
Email family about 3rd grade concert- done, after work
Email basketball schedule to family- done, after work
Call and make payment by phone to my mortgage- not done- will hopefully do Wed
Fax reimbursement form and reciepts to FSA for reimbursement- not done
Go online and register for spring baseball- tried once in AM and twice in PM- but site does not seem to be working- there is In-Person registration this Thursday night if iI don't get it done online before that.
Match up and put away socks and other "whites" from laundry done on Monday- Done
Print out December's calendar for class- not really done- handwritten after 20 minutes of aggrevation
Create name cards for class to be laminated so kids can trace them with wipe-off markers- not done (had my assistant do it during class today)- so done, but late and not by me.
Call and schedule play dates for Friday- not done
Call Gale and see if she can watch Sophia a few Fridays in December- not done
Order some Christmas gifts online with free shipping codes I have-- done, after work
Go to bank and deposit Gary's b-day check- not done
Look over Joe & Lisa's Wedding photos- not done

Each of these thing should have taken 5-10 minutes each, some less. But with all the delays I only got 3 things done, and 3 more after work. Humph!

And as I sit here I am looing at 3 baskets of clean laundry waiting for me to fold and put away. I am also staring at 5 rubbermaid bins and 2 very large christmas tree boxes in the corner of my living room. I got all the christmas stuff down on Sunday, but none of it has been put up yet! Humph!

So I am looking forward to going to bed tonight and forgetting today and moving onto Wednesday. For Wednesday let's try for a Little Bit Of Christmas! Try to get one thing done that helps you prepare for Christmas. I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how my Wednesday goes.

Quick Post of Various Things

2008-12-01T21:18:00.004-05:00

If you like following this blog other you might want to check out

for organizing and time management
http://www.flylady.com/

for homemaking and simple living

http://www.likemerchantships.com/ ** Personal Fav. - I check it daily.

www.biblicalwomanhood.com/blog **Personal Fav.- I check it daily.

http://www.thriftyfloridamama.net/ **Personal Fav.- I check it daily.

For personal finance or payig down debt

www.paidtwice.com **Personal Fav.- I check it daily.

www.gatherlittlebylittle.com **Personal Fav.- I check it daily.

for finding great deals

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ (this blog is written by Crystal from biblical womanhood, above)

http://www.simplemom.com/

as for deals I have found:
I am planning to order photo christmas cards this year and they have some good coupons for http://www.kodakgallery.com/
the are advertising 20% off a $30 purchase right on their homepage of their website
I also have a code for 20% off $20 on photo cards- use coupon code: DESIGNS20
this expires 12/31/08, I plan to use this code when I order my cards.

If you order from Current Catalog I just got a coupon code for 25% off your entire purchase. Enter code : CC25 Expires 12/31/08, I don't think this has a minimum.

as always for you can check for coupon codes by typing into google the item you want to buy or the store you want to shop at, followed by the words coupon code, or discount codes. Or check out sites like

http://www.slickdeals.com/

http://www.retailmenot.com/

Happy Deal Hunting!!

Making Your Home A Haven - Day 1

2008-12-01T20:55:00.003-05:00

Ok, so how did my day go? Very well. I followed my Making Your Home a Haven Routine and the only thing I didn't get done was to load the dishwasher before leaving the house in the morning.
Here's how it all went today:

5 Mins of Quiet- Done

Morning Routine- Done, except dishwasher

Planning- 3 To Do's : 1) mail out 5 Ebay boxes 2) go food shopping 3) finish downloading Herhsey park pictures- All are Done!

15-20 mMinutes to Start Something- I did a "quick clean of house" before leaving- opened blinds, wiped up bathroom counters, picked up any laundry on floors, straightened beds, & straightened up the living room.--Done!

Positive Attitude- Done!

I even got a few extra To Dos done. This evening I did 3 loads of laundry and folded them, and listed 3 more items on Ebay for auctions ending Friday. Whoo Hoo!

It was a great day, and now to keep it up.. into Tuesday!

For Tuesday lets focus on "all the little things". My To Do list for Tuesday will probably have about 10 things on it, but they will all be LITTLE things, so I plan to "just do it!" and plow through all those little things. I will check-in tomorrow to let you know how it goes.

Happy Homemaking!

Creating my hectic home into a Haven

2008-11-30T23:39:00.006-05:00

I love to follow other bogger's Making Your Home A Haven series. So this week I am hoping to check in each day and let you know how my Haven-Making is going. This is a good week to do this for me since I was away this weekend this will be one of those weeks that could be crazy, stressful, OR I can try to create a sense of peace and order and still get it all done- little by little.

In case you forgot the 5 starter steps of Making Your Home A Haven are:
1) 5 minutes of quiet- first thing in the AM
2) Do your Daily Routine- choose a few things (no more than 5) that you will do every morning.
My Daily Routine: Coffee & quiet time, Wake Kailtyn, Put a load of laundry in, Make breakfast & pack lunches, Load the dishwasher before leaving for the day
3) Make a quick To Do List for that day (weekdays I limit myself to 3 things)
4)Start right away by spending 15-20 minutes on one of the items on your To Do list
5) Keep a positive attitude.

So each day I am hoping to jump in here and let you know how I did that morning. I plan to let you know:

if I got 5 minutes of quiet and completed my Daily Rountine
what my 3 things for that day's To Do list
what or even if I got 15 minutes of something done right away,
if I completed my to do list for that day.
And did I keep a positive attitude! :-)

Since I am still catching up from being away over the weekend many of my To Dos for the early part of the week would normally be done on the weekends. After that I have some holiday things to get done later in the week.

If it helps anyone who is following this blog (anyone, anyone.. Buler? Buler?) I will give each day a theme- so if you want to follow along with me to Making Your Home A Haven, Monday's theme will be "Catching Up" - pick something this weekend that didn't get completed and make sure that is one To Do on your list for tomorrow!

As I check in each night, feel free to comment on your progress each day also!

Feminism on Vacation

2008-11-30T23:11:00.002-05:00

I thought I would share a 10 minute view of my life in the hopes of inspiring a friend who a bit blue on marriage. I have been married almost 10 year and I have learned not to expect to much, in the way of daily help, from my husband. Don't get me wrong, he is great in times of stress. And because I don't ask much him when I do ask- he does help. Once in awhile I will leave him a Honey-Do List, and he does it. What he misses are the daily things (picking up arond the house, dishes, disciplining kids)- these things he always seems to miss.

So back to my 10 minute blip..

We get home from our Hershey Park trip late Saturday night. I (yes, I)have just driven for 3.5 hours home. And we get out of the car and all 3 kids are awake enough to walk themselves inside. So I head to the door to unlock it. I had the keys since I had driven. We all walk in to the house- the older two crash on the couch with coats and shoes still on, while the little one says she has to go pottty. So I take her into the bathroom and she says she needs privacy. So I left her there and told her to call me when she was done.

As I head back throught the living room I asked the older two to take thier shoes and coats off and put them in their cubbies and to go put PJ's on. I then head out to the car and preceed to take totebags, stuffed animals, the snack bag and my pocketbook from the car and into the house. I again ask the older two to move, get shoes off and PJs on. I then head back outside to the car for a second trip and bring in the suitcase, our coats, and two bags from the gift shop. Realising I have the last of the stuff from the car, I lock it up and head inside locking the front door behind me. As I move like a "pack-mule" up the stairs and into the kitchen I hear the little one crying. I drop all the bags in the kitchen and head to the bathroom. She was ok- but had been calling for me and I hadn't answered her back. So I got her all situated and as she and I left the bathroom just as my husband comes out of the bedroom in his PJs!!! (I still have my coat on!) OOHHHH! I could only give him an evil look and continue with all that needed to be done as he sat down and turned the TV on.

Moral to the story... Men need training and you need to pick your battles.
I have 3 kids to train- so the husband , generally, goes untrained.
And this was just easier, at that late hour , to do it myself. No point is arguing with him when I still had a dozen things to do before I could sit down.

So if you are soured to marriage- realise that all marriages have good days and bad days- good minutes and bad minutes. And you really do need to pick your battles or you could fight constantly if you nit-pick thier every action.

So my feminist feeling is I am SuperMom and I will try to do it all!! It may not all get done- but I will try.

Hershey Park is Going Green

2008-11-30T23:02:00.003-05:00

We were out of town for the holiday weekend, visiting Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Something I noticed while we were walking around the park was signs posted which talked about how they were "going green" . One sign said they changed all of thier lights to CLF bulbs. I wasn't really sure I believed them. Then while waiting in line for the Speedway, as the sun was setting, the lights came on all around. You could clearly see the curly-cue lights inside and I must say I was impressed. Another sign that said for all the lights they used for the candylane and sweet lights were LED lights and that they use 75% less electricity than your average Chrismas light.

I am not sure anyone else noticed these things, but I was impressed- Go Hershey!!

What I am Thankful For in 2008

2008-11-25T23:51:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is a few days away. I have so much to be thankful for this year, so here is a quick list of the thingsI am thankful for...

1) My Family (immediate and extended)
2) Our Health
3) Our Income (since in 2007 ,for a few month, we didn't have any)
4) That we both LOVE our jobs (not many people can say that!)
5) Our House - even if it is falling apart- we love this house!
6) Our Friends.

There are many more tiny things, but I'll keep it short and simple.
After the last 18 months we have had I am so Thankful for everything I have, and appreciate it all the more knowing how quickly it can all be gone.

God Bless!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Frugal Christmas: Staying under budget

2008-11-25T22:51:00.003-05:00

A frugal Christmas does not have to mean you become the Grinch, but it does mean not spending in excess. The TV reports have us all fearing this "bed economy" and for some that may mean not spending anything on Christmas. But other reports say to "Spend, Spend, Spend"-that this is the way to strenghten the economy- keep the money moving. I think everyone's situtation is different and you need to do what is right for your situation.

If, like me, money is tighter than normal this year you may have to take a long look at your Holiday budget and make some cuts. My usual budget would be $1200 and that is for everything.. gifts, parties, pictures, cards and stamps, gift wrap, everything. I am hoping to stick to a budget this year of $900. At this point I have already spent $510 and if I stick to my "left to buy" list I should only spend another $300. So all is looking good for staying under budget. (about $90 under budget to be exact!)

So how did I cut out over $300 from my previous year's budget? Maybe you can steal some of my ideas and apply them to your own holiday budget.

First, I cut out things that were "not necessary" for the true holiday spirit. Some of these things included- Holiday parites. My school has a holiday party and everyone brings a grab bag gift for about $20-$25,and also brings a "dish" to the party. Although this is a fun night, Ican also enjoy time at home and one more night free to work on other Holiday things. I have choosen not to attend this year and that saved me $25.

Second, my husband and I will not be exchanging gifts this year. In years past we have not exchanged large gifts, just a few small things, and possible an item for "the house". This year we will not even exchange small gifts. which is fine with both of us. (And this year the kids have a dog-walking job, so they will be asked to "go in" together on one gift for each of us with thier own money) Not exchanging gifts saved us about $125.

Third, we will not be having the kids pictures taken at Sears. Last year we took some at-home candid shots of the kids in front of our Christmas tree and then downloaded then to Kodakgallery.com and had cards printed. They looked great and with discount codes ordering the cards online wasn't expensive. At Sears we would order "by sheet" with a coupon and just buy an 8X 10 for our family frame and then 6-8 sheets of wallets to put into regular cards (cards are purchased the year before significantly reduced after Christmas). Doing our own pictures and photo cards saves us about $50.

Fourth, we looked closely at how much we were spending on those we had on our "Giving List"and to see if we could lower a few of those amounts. We also cut out some more distant relatives that we haven't seen in years and always keep that "just in case" gift in the closet. Everyone gets a card, a pic of the kids, and a heartfelt Holiday wish, and for most that is all they need. So from lowering our budget numbers and cutting out a few small gifts, we saved another $100.

These first four ideas got our budget from $1200 down to $900, but if my calculations are correct I will only end up spending a little over $800- so where does that difference come from?

This is the last but I really think the most important change, and the one that truely reflects my change in attitude towards money and spending. This year if my "virtual envelope" for grandpa has a $50 budget but I am able to use coupons, store discount or shop sales and purchase a $50 item but only pay $35- I AM DONE! I have purchased this person a $50 items- it's value has not changed and the person will appreciate it the same, and in most cases they will never know I didn't pay $50 for it. This is a big change from my outlook in the past. Normally I would have though I only spent $35 on that person and I still have $15 to go get them a little something else. I have decided this is CRAZY! If something is $50 and my budget is $50 and I can get it for $35- then I am done with that person and I cross them off my list. So my last savings tip is use coupons, discount codes, and sales and buy everything discounted! Then stick like glue to your budget for each person based on "regular price" not the "sale price". This should save me that additional $90 I am under my 2008 Christmas Budget.

Total saved: $390 -- Go Frugal Christmas!!

Making Your Home a Haven

2008-11-19T22:27:00.005-05:00

First, I have a follower! Yea- someone is out there! Hello Follower!

I was thinking back to last year at this time when Crystal over at Biblical Womanhood (www.biblicalwomanhood.com/blog) started her series on making Your Home A Haven, and how peaceful her posts were (and many of the comments people left were very motivating) as we head into what can be a crazy busy holiday season. I just went over there and reread some of them for inspiration.

She started the series with some simple reminders that our home should be a haven and that simple routines can help make it a haven. Our home should be a place that you enjoy, find comfort in, and look forward to returning to -to get away from the hectic world outside. As I thought about this last year, I really began to think "My house is not a haven". Coming home after work to a mess in the living room of coats, backpacks, shoes and reminants of "afterschool snacks", only to go into the kitchen and see the piles of dishes left from that morning's breakfast and packing of lunches. And to then feel overwhelmed with all that still has to be done in the next several hours (HW, making and cleaning up after dinner, kids baths, bedtimes.. oh and cleaning up that mess I came home to). I realised my home was not a haven- it was a place I wanted to run away from (the house and the mess, not the people who live there).

As I followed Crytal's series I was truely inspired to make changes. I started small, as she suggested. First YOU must feel calm and receptive if you what your home to feel calm and welcoming. I started each day with these 5 activies:

1)Five Minutes of Reflection (quiet time): With a cup of coffee, before any kids are up. Just sit and relax, find calm inside me that would help me through the day.

I am SOO NOT a morning person- so this is a great way for me to really wake up before the kids come at me fighting or whining. When my day starts with kids screaming, I tend to start screaming. When I start my day with quiet, I find it easier to keep quiet.

2) Create and Follow a Morning Routine. This should be no more than 5 things you will plan to do in the same order every morning.

My five things are:
Enjoy coffee and 5 minutes of quiet
Wake Kaitlyn for school
Throw a load of laundry in the washer
Pack lunches while making breakfast
Load dishwasher after breakfast

3) Take time to Plan. Take just a few quick minutes and make a To Do List for the day. The list should contain no more than 10 items, and should be things we really want to/need to accomplish that day.

On weekdays- I keep my To Do List to 3-5 things, there just isn't time to get 10 things done on a school day.

4) Do Something! Take 15 mintues, right away and get one thing done off your list. This shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, so if all your To Dos are time consuming, choose one that you could "start" and work on that for 15 minutes.

My Do Something is usually a quick-clean through the house before we leave for the day. I run around opening blinds, staightening comforters, picking up PJs off the floor, straighten the bathroom and living room after the morning rush.

5) Head into your day with a positive attitude!

Now, I realise none of this directly cleans up my messy living room or washes the dishes, but these 5 SIMPLE STEPS ease me into the day, and in fact they do clean up my messy living room and get the dishes done too! Step#2, for me, includes loading the dishwasher after breakfast. So those dishes shouldn't be waiting for me when I get home. And step #3, my 15 minute Do Something, sometimes is to do a quick- clean of the living room, so when I get home there is less mess. And step #5- the positive addittude can do wonders! As we leave for school each day, a positive reminder to the kids to put their stuff in their cubbies after school, can keep the living room clean.

Is your home a haven? What about it is preventing it from being a haven? Think about what simple changes you could make that would make (and keep) it more a more welcoming space.

Happy Homemaking!

The Evolution of My Grocey Budget

2008-11-19T00:36:00.003-05:00

Two years ago I went grocery shopping.

There wasn't much to it. I looked in the kitchen cabinets, saw what was missing, made a shopping list and went to the store. I bought the stuff on the list and then some other stuff and came home. Not alot of thought went into it. The list was a guide but not the "be-all, end-all". I generally spent about $150/week on groceries.

When I began reading about the frugal lifestyle I converted to "All Things Frugal" that went with Grocery shopping. I began watching the sale flyers, meal planning, keeping a price book, stocking up, using coupons, making a list and sticking to it, paying with cash only (so as to not overspend), and even did the CVS/Drugstore game. At first it was fun! It was like a game to see how much I could buy with how little an amount of money. But all of this takes time, and time is valuable, and when there isn't enough time, it causes stress.

When I first began "working" the frugal grocery games it was May or maybe June. And I was able to do all this very well for awhile. "Summertime and the living is easy...." especially for a teacher. I was spending an average of $100/week on groceries. But when the Fall came and school started (not just for the kids but for me too) there wasn't as much time to spend "working" the sales,coupons, meal planning etc... I began to take a good, hard look at what saved me the most money, on the things we need & use the most, and what took the least amount of time to get the best deal.

The first thing to go was the CVS/Drug store games... yes, they can save you tons of money and you can really get things for free. (I once got $156 of stuff at CVS for less than $3-- no kidding, ask my husband!) But since I had "stocked up" on all kinds of medications and toiletries over the summer, this part of the frugal grocery plan did NOT fall into the "things we MOST need" category. It also took ALOT of time. Many blogs say as you do it- it will take easier and take less time. It did get easier to put the deals together but it still took alot of time and usually several trips per week to get the best deals. So out went CVS/Drugstore games.

The next thing to go was reading all the sale flyers. I liked the idea of stocking up, better than planning my meals for the week, around what was on sale that week. I didn't completely give up sale flyers. But I only quickly scan the front page (where the store print their best deals, called loss leaders) and only if there is a "really great deal" on something we use alot of, then I put it on a "short list" and may run out to just get these few items on a really quick run to the store. And unlike my earlier days, I stick to my lists!

Just this past summer I discovered Bulk Buying. I joined BJ's, with my sister. I love this!! After over a year of watching prices , I have found that bulk buying gets me the best price, or close to it, for the items we use most often. And BJ's takes manufacuters coupons plus they have their own coupons. The biggest thing to me is the TIME I save. I can get really good prices, use coupons, and stock up on the things we use most often, but now instead of shopping for about 1 hour each week; I "bulk shop" about once every 3-4 weeks and it only takes 1 hour. I do run to my local grocery store once or twice inbetween these bulk trips, but just to buy some fresh fruit, bread (which is cheaper than BJ's), Soda (generic soda cheaper than BJs), and Cat food (Bjs does not sell the type my cat needs). All in all , one bulk trip per month with 2-3 small trip to the other grocery store, cost me an average of $85/week!! And saves me, literally, 3-4 hours each month.

Our Grocery Evolution:
Early 2007-- no plan-- spent about $600/month on groceries
Summer 2007-- frugal all the way!-- spent about $400/month on groceries
Current plan-- bulk buying w. coupons and occasional sale flyer deal-- $340/month on groceries.

Amazing! At each point I was thinking this is the least amount of money I need to feed my family. And yet, each time I have changed things up to make better use of my time and our money, we have been able to spend even less!

As the economy gets tighter and food prices rise, How has your grocery shopping evolved?

Christmas Traditions should reflect your values

2008-11-18T23:06:00.000-05:00

As it is now mid-November and the holidays are looming I have been thinking about what is, and what is not, important to make a holiday special. We have created several holiday traditions in the past few years that we think reflect our "frugal" lifestyle, and in some cases a bit of a "greener" lifestyle.

One of these comes from my mom. When I was younger I never noticed it, but once I had kids I realised how much money you spend to wrap ALL those presents from Santa. My mom always kept the shirt boxes and Disney store boxes and gift bags. She carefully folded them all up and put them in the attic until it was time to wrap gifts again next year. Any parent will tell you the wrapping is EXPENSIVE. And have you ever looked at the curb the morning after Christmas? Families that normally put out one garbage can, can have 2 and 3 cans full and crushed boxes on top of it all. All going to fill up the landfills. I have taken my mother's tradition and keep all gift bags, shirt boxes and odd shaped boxes. After we open gifts I fold them flat and put them in the attic for next year. I always buy gift wrap at the after Christmas sales, but I haven't bought a box or gift bag in years.

The other two come from a real change in outlook on life and on money. I grew up in a house where on Christmas morning there were so many gifts you couldn't even walk into the living room. And then we still had to go to both sets of grandparents, where we would fill up my dad's truck with more gifts. It was all exciting but also overwhelming. As we have had to make financial choices we have also had to decide what was worth spending money on and what was more of a "want" than a "need"., and what we wanted to teach our children about gifts/money and the holidays.

We have opted to create traditions in our house that don't put so much focus on Christmas morning, but on the holiday sesaon.

Our first tradition, is "December Fridays"- which really are all the Fridays between Thanksgiving and New Years. Each Friday evening, starting the day after Thanksgiving, the kids recieve a gift. This gift is one that the whole family can enjoy. They love opening the gift and then knowing we have something fun to do that night. Past "December Friday" gifts have included: the DVD of the Polar Express with hot chocolate mix (we made hot chocolate and watched the movie together), a Build a Gingerbread house kit (everyone helps to make the house, take pictures with it and then eat it), new PJ's for the kids (which they put on and took blankets to the car and we drove around listening to Christmas music and looking at Christmas lights), a board game that the whole family could play. I think you get the idea. This spreads the "gifting" out over the month and allows it all to sink in and be enjoyed by the kids and the family.

Our second tradition, is more about putting value on the "giving" not just the "getting". In our house Santa still brings the "big gift" and few small ones but the rest of the gifts under the tree are From our family members. Once I have most of the gifts bought for the family I lay them all out on my bed. I have each child come into my room with their money (money saved from b-days, other holidays, chores, ect.). And they "shop" for the other people in our family and extended family. If my son was to come in and shop first, his gifts would be hidden away. And he would choose one or two of the gifts out of the "daddy" pile and pay $1 for each gift he bought. Then he looks at the Gigi pile and chooses one or two things to give her and pays for them ($1ea). He has to buys a gift for everyone on his list(even his sisters, Aunts, Uncles) and then I put it all in a bag and he can take it to his room to "hide" it. On another night- each child comes into my room and wraps all of his gifts and signs his/her name to the tags for each gift they bought. It makes the "giving" alot of fun, and having to pay some of thier own money to "buy" gifts also teaches them that the things we get/give cost money. On Christmas moring they are also excited to see Daddy or Mommy open the gift they "bought" for them, as well as excited to watch each other open gifts they have choosen for them. On Christmas we don't hear "What's for me?", or "Look what i got." we hear things like " Mommy open this, it's from ME!" or " Daddy open this first, I picked it out special."

Well those are just a few of our Christmas traditions. Please feel free to leave any comments. What are your traditions that reflect your family's values?

My Frugal Story- The End of The Beginning

2008-11-16T23:57:00.000-05:00

Yes, we could have done for ourselves what the Debt Consolidation Co was going to do for us, but I was sure they would have more success negotiating with the credit card companies than I would and I knew I wouldn't have the will-power to set the money aside each month on my own.

So now we are on our current debt repayment schedule and should be making our last payment on Dec 19, 2010. And I can not wait until that date! We will be DEBT FREE!!

Until then, we watch every penny that comes in and know exactly where it is going. We are living paycheck to paycheck- it is tight but we have been able to make it, at times barely, but we are hanging in there.

We have made some frugal changes because we HAD TO instead of because we WANTED TO, but we have made them and we are happy with them. Next week I will be writting some posts related to these Other Frugal Changes we have made.

Grocery budget changes, Alternate streams of income, & Simple Frugal Habits that all help us to save money.

My Frugal Story- Part Four

2008-11-16T23:38:00.000-05:00

The new job was great. It was something he knew he'd enjoy doing, it was 5 minutes from our house, and the hours were early enough that he'd be home in time to get the kids off the bus. The one glaring negative was that the salary was HALF what he had been making. My "extra" income was now needed to make ends meet. I thank God that he hit me in the head with the frugal blogs when He did, otherwise, I may have passed on this job if i had not been in "debt payoff mode".

So now the challenges began. We had to rework our budget to accomodate our new income.This was not easy. And we had to get "caught up" on bills we had not paid when my Husband was out of work. No matter how much I cut out budget down to bare bones, there was no way to do this, the numbers just didn't add up. I wrote letters to all my creidt cards, the heating oil company, and others, explaining my situation and that I would pay my minimums and what little extra I maybe able to add, when possible, until I was caught up.

This is where my hatred of credit card companies really began to come to a head. Through all of this they were very unforgiving. They raised my interest rates to the hightest legally allowed, due to my missed payments. This made my minimums much higher than before, and on our new lower income, these higher minimums were impossible for me to pay. As I tried to "work with" the companies, they contimued to charge me "late charges" because I wasn't sending in the full minimum (even though I was sending them money every month) .

By the end of 2007, even though I hadn't charged ANYTHING to my credit cards in 8 months, my balances were now higher than they had ever been. By March of 2008- I could take it no longer! We now owed almost $20,000 ($5000 more than a year earlier) and we hadn't charged anything in a year. I had to do something. So when my tax refund came I used that pay down some of my cards and get back to being able to may the minimums so no more late charges would be added. But really, it was too little to late, and we needed to do something.

We contacted a Debt Consolidation Co. and have been working with them ever since.

My Frugal Story- Part Three

2008-11-16T23:16:00.000-05:00

The Tuesday after Labor Day weekend my Husband was laid-off! After 10 years with his company and a phenominal track record there (everyone always raved about his work), he was suddendly and unexpectedly laid-off. We had never anticipated this, and we were screwed!

Suddenly my "extra" income was our ONLY income. He was out of work for almost 6 weeks. In that time we lived on what little savings we had, my small income and unemployment. We were only making payment to the bills we deemed "Must Pay", things like our morgtage, home and car insurance, the electric bill and phone/cable bill, the rest of our money put gas in my car so I could get to work and food on the table. It was tight, and such a set-back. Most of what we had paid down on our credit cards was now piling back on in interest and fees. We weren't charging anything and yet our balances after only two months of no-payment were back where they were prior to our 4 months of hard savings. How depressing.

To add insult to injury, we needed a car. We had a company truck from his old job and just one car in our name. So when he was laid off, we needed a car for him to go on interviews and eventually use to drive to his new job. Our one car, a 6 year old minivan, was dying. And 4 weeks into "unemployment" the entire transmission went and had to be relaced at the cost of *gasp* $2800!

But when God closes a door (and boy, did I feel like the door SLAMMED shut on me and hit me in the a** as I went out!) he opens a window. We have been very blessed in the last year and half. A neighbor, who was about to donate an old car they had, offered to give us the car at NO charge! It was just the answer to our prayers. It wasn't pretty,but I worked. My grandmother generously gave us the money to fix the minivan. The next week my Husband found a new job.

And the adventure continues....

My Frugal Story- Part Two

2008-11-16T22:59:00.000-05:00

As I began to make these changes. I was also regularly reading several blogs that really lead me to change the way I looked at Debt and Money. It was at this time that my Husband and I sat down, and over a few weeks and many discussions, we decided we needed to change our financial ways, and set up some long-term goals. This was the spring of 2007.

The first thing we wanted to do was increase our income in order to be able to pay off our credit cards. I had just heard about a possible part-time teaching position that I might be able to start in the fall, which I jumped on. Even though it didn't pay alot,and I would lose nearly 1/2 my take home pay to daycare and gas. We figured whatever money it brought in was "extra" and would go right to paying down our credit cards.

The second thing we knew we had to do was STOP using the credit cards. We could never get them paid off if we continued to add to the balances. We are not extravagant people and the balances on our credit cards were from things like abit of over spending at holidays, or b-days. Some of it was from tution payments when I first started working on my master's degree. Over about 5 years we, as a family, had accumulated about $15,000 in credit cards debt. (My husband had another $10,000 in his name from other adventures)

We set up a "payment plan" and had a 2 year goal of having this all paid off !! By using the additional income I would be making, cutting out a few "unecessary extras" and sticking to a budget it could be done! We were making really good progress from May 2007-August 2007, and then the unthinkable happened....

My Frugal Story- Part One

2008-11-16T22:41:00.000-05:00

In the spring of 2007, when I began my frugal life, I decided it would be easier for my family to adjust if we made only a few changes at a time, and we should start with small changes. After reading the 25 Ways to Save Money post at Frugal for Life I decided we could do three of them, right away.
1) I replaced my old lightbulbs in our most used rooms with CFL Bulbs. We changed the living room, 2 kids rooms and the kitchen. Since they are expensive we figured we would replace the other rooms one at a time over the next year.
2) We bought and installed a programable thermostat. And we set it's schedule to very low temperatures. Since it was spring, this wouldn't save us any money for at least 6 months, but I felt is was another "painless" step we could take right away.
3) I diluted all liquid soaps by 1/3. I added water to bottles of shampoo, hand soap, laundry detergent, dish soap, anything liguid. Some may think this reduces their affectiveness, but no one in my house even noticed. And all our stuff (hands, clothes, dishes) were just a clean. We still do this today. I also cut dryer sheets in 1/2.

This is were our journey began.. three little changes that would be the begining of a new lifestyle.

What has inspired me to write this bolg

2008-11-12T00:21:00.000-05:00

I began my journey into the Frugal world about 2 years ago. I googled "How to save money?" and google gave me several links to "frugal" websites. The first one I clicked on was called Frugal For Life (which, sadly, is no longer written). It had a post titled 25 Ways I Save Money, and listed 25 ways Dawn saved money. She listed things like swtiching to CFL bulbs, and lowering the heat and wearing layers instead. At the end of her post she had a link so that others could list their 25 ways they save money. At the time I found it, there were about 20 links. It took me about a week to read though them all and every day a few more would be added. It gave me so many ideas about ways I could easily save money that I got a small spiral notebook and began to re-read the lists, this time writing the ideas I thought I could do right away. Over the next week I will share the early part of my frugal journey, and what I am up to now.

Oh My- I have a Blog!

2008-11-12T00:14:00.000-05:00

I have been reading blogs for about two years and always thought about writing one of my own. Tonight I just decided- Right Now- I should "Just do it".
And so is born, the blog, my blog... Frugal Right Here, Right Now.

Love IT!

Jen