Hi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Jane (PlainJane) and I am the blessed and happy wife to Jeff and doubly blessed mama of two perfectly wonderful daughters. Please join me as I share our Lifestyle of Learning through Christian homeschooling and homesteading on our little hobby farm with our prairie girls.
Amber (Bookworm) is our dd15/10th grader.
Our perfectionist and over-achiever. She loves reading, playing violin, all things vintage, riding her Paint horse, and being a farm girl.
Anna (Ladybug)
is our dd12/7th grader.
Our "girls just want to have fun" girl. She loves to play and has a great sense of humor, but also enjoys cooking, music, and riding her QH pony.
Well, as many of you know from past posts, I married a very frugal man, who's frugality has wore off on me little by little over the years (he is very good for me).
And if you have been following my posts, you also know we have been having several issues with our appliances. It was wonderful when we first built our home to move in with all new appliances, but that was 12 years ago (seems like yesterday); and with the life expectancy of today's appliances of only 9-11 years, most all our appliances are on their last leg. We are beyond repairs. We replaced our microwave earlier this year and now it's our fridge and range's turn and TODAY is delivery day. Woohoo!
Of course, my husband never just runs out and buys something, we have to do a lot of homework beforehand, trying to get the best deal for our money, so this is what we have been up too...
First I make my way to the library and make photocopies of the latest Consumer Report on fridges and ranges. These are very helpful in navigating through the sea of all those appliances out there and it gives me information on enegy efficiency, measurements, and tells me what appliance company has the best track record in repairs. Important stuff to know.
Knowing measurments of what's out there and taking the measurements of my current appliances and actual space has proved to be very important in narrowing down the field as I found out that the builders didn't allow me a lot of room for today's fridges. Probably 90% of what is out there is too tall with my over-fridge cabinets, and 99% of all side-by-side fridges are too wide.
We then went to 3 large stores (usually the smaller appliance stores are more expensive as they just can't buy in bulk and pass on the savings). We went to Home Depot, Lowes, and Best Buy. Now, I have to say price wise, all three are comparable as one might have a less expensive appliance, but may charge more for the cord (sold separately - now isn't that silly or what?) or delivery or something - it's pretty much a wash in the end. But make sure to speak up and ask for discounts - they usually won't volunteer to give them to you but often will match eachother's prices. I asked for a discount since we bought both appliances from the same maker and got an addiitional $200 off - the salesman didn't volunteer that discount of course, I had to request it.
For us, fridge size became very important. I needed something less then 69" tall, plus, we wanted a fridge that DIDN'T have an icemaker or water in the door. So that narrowed it down to about oh...2 options. lol Although I love all the bells and whistles like the next gal (probably more), all that gagetry just makes for something more to breakdown in the future and really, will my food keep any better then if I spent a couple hundred dollars more? So for fridges, I swallowed my vanity and we went with a very basic model. In fact, I think it's even less fancy then our current fridge (by the same company). Btw, many models advertise that it can hold the gallon (milk) jugs in the door - but I have to say that our model didn't advertise it, but it does hold them. Milk jugs need at least 6 1/2" in width and most doors shelves are at least 7" wide. Also an important factor was energy efficiency. We were surprised to discover that our new fridge will take HALF the energy of our old fridge (more so because our old fridge runs almost constantily now) plus our electric company is currently giving out $125 rebates if we buy an "Energy Star" fridge, which our new one is. woohoo.
For ranges, I looked for something fairly well-built. If you open many oven doors, you will quickly see what I mean -- you can just feel the difference. With some models, I was afraid the oven door was going to fall off in my hand. I wanted another smooth (glass)-top stove since we use electric and I liked my old one (easy to clean), and was plesantly surprised that the price of the convection ovens are coming down, so I went with that.
So I guess in summary, in saving money, we made sure we knew what we wanted before we went to face the salespeople that will try to talk us into perhaps something we don't want or need and stuck to our guns; we looked for qualtiy & energy efficiency; and we shopped around and asked for discounts.
I really had to swallow hard my pride and put on my blinders -- ignoring the stainless steel beauties and computerized whatnots that appeal so to my vanity. They are fun and we could have easily bought into that - a relative even tried very hard to talk me into buying the new Electrolux range ($2,200+), but really in the end, will my food taste any better with those extras? I doubt it. I'm not saying stainless steal is sin, I love it. But the question is do I want to spend an extra $100 or much more for the stainless steal or on something else? How important is it to me?
I believe that having money is not so much in how much income one has, but it's all about choices in what one does with what God has blessed us with. I have friends from all walks of life -- some have very little but live within their means and are quite content, some spend unwisely and are only a paycheck away from financial disaster, and some are millonaires who humbly run around in frayed suits and shop at Goodwill. Serious questions need to be answered -- how much is enough? Or as Dr. Francis Schaeffer said, "How Shall We Then Live?" What does God say?
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5
And in my recent Bible reading this really spoke to me...
"...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a freind of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:4b-6
These verses can be applied to many things in our lives, but for me, right now, that means ignoring the magazine ads and commercials, ignore all the flashy gagetry, ignore the desire to appear like some fancy-smancy chef and live humbly before God and man, doing without, not keeping up with the Jones. Not like a monk, but being real, living below my means so that I have to use or give as God so chooses.
May God find us faithful!
Oh, btw, here is a photo of my current old fridge & range...
Freezes food at different times of the year and is terribly energy inefficient - runs constantly.
Paint has blistered off back by knobs, oven bakes at whatever temp. it feels like - I have no control! lol
and here's my new appliances...
Isn't the difference astonishing? lol This fridge has more door space which I like.
So far I love my new range. Making lasagna tonight just so I can try out both the stovetop & the convection oven. All my appliances (except washer & dryer) are Frigidaire (a division of Electrolux). My old ones were Frigidaire too.
f you would like to join Tightwad Tuesday, please see our lovely hostess, Mary, for details.
Aug. 19, 2008~ Tightwad Tuesday - How Shall We Then Spend? ~
I don't know if I should classify this under "tightwad" as it seems unspiritual for this particular post, but my thoughts keep returning to something I have often thought about in the past and resonate yet within me from this past Sunday's sermon...
"Live each day as if we truly believe that Christ will return at any time" ~ perhaps even today.
If we/I truly believed that, how would that effect how we use our time; our relationships; and our spending? How much stuff do I really need? Could I get rid of some of this suff? How much of what I have is really essential? The answer to those questions are sobering indeed. It would change my spending greatly and of course I could get rid of a lot of things around here without missing them in the least.
Many of us can clearly see the birth pains (Matthew 24 & Mark 13) of the end times all around us. Christ IS returning just as He said, and sooner than we expect! So why are we spend like there's no tomorrow?
Isn't it strange that many work so hard to earn just one more dollar so they can accumulate the latest whatever or on entertainment, only to get rid of much of it again? After retirement they move into a much smaller home and perhaps later a senior care facility - dying with basically nothing since none of us can take anything with us. And honestly, in my own family, 99% of the things I might inherit will be sold or given away someday should the Lord tarry?
I remember once as a teen, my mother was having a garage sale and had a couple of table lamps on the sale. There was nothing special about them and we weren't asking much for them (probably under $25, most likely $10 for the two). A young woman arrived, probably in her 20's and fell in LOVE with the lamps, you could tell she needed them and really, really wanted them. HOWEVER, instead of purchasing them right there & then - she chose to take the chance of someone else buying them and went home to pray about it. You see, she was leaving for the mission field shortly and every dollar she spent she truly felt accountable to God. That was probably about 30 years ago or so, and I don't even recall if she came back for them - she might have, but it made a hugh impression upon me.
What if we/I prayed like that before we made even $10 purchases? How would that change our spending? How many science or school books do we need anyways? How many dishes? Hitting close to home, do I really need another bookcase or do I need to get rid of some books? As a true confession, I know my husband grones within when he sees me buying more and more books, only to turn around and sell them for pennies on the dollar in a few years - often unread & unused. I have really determined to cut back on my spending, to bless my husband and to be a good example to our children for the glory of God. May the Lord find us faithful!
Please join us for Tightwad Tuesday with your money-saving tips or visit our sweet hostess, Mary, for links to other money-saving ideas.
Saving money on food is a big deal for all of us now days.
At our home, we have been putting in a large garden and canning for several years now, but with the current food shortages and rising prices, we are determined more than ever to put in the extra effort to have a really bountiful crop and stock the shelves with as much as possible. Sooo, while I am having a bit of a break between planting and harvest, we decided to go to a U-Pick near our home this past Saturday for fresh strawberries. The four of us gathered 4 one-gallon buckets full of beautiful berries in less than an hour. Most of them I washed, took off the tops, placed them on cookie sheets & set them in the freezer to freeze individually, and then bagged for use later. But I also made 10 half-pint jars of strawberry preserves.
Our local grocery store is advertising a "sale" on their strawberries for $2.50/lb. The local Super Walmart is selling them at $2.20-something or .30-something (I forget). We paid $1.35/lb for fresh, perfectly ripe berries. (big smile).
In about two weeks we will go back and do the same with blueberries! Yum, Yum.
Please join us for Tightwad Tuesday with your money-saving tips or visit our sweet hostess, Mary, for links to other money-saving ideas.
The girls & I drink water all the time. I would buy the trendy water bottles and then refill the bottles several times before getting new ones.
But a couple things bothered me:
First, the cheaper brands aren't really natural spring water. More than likely just city water, purified with chemicals, and sold as pure (probably more poluted than our well water).
And second, after several refills, the plastic bottle takes on a smoky look - ya know that can't be good!
So recently we switched to this...
Each of us gals bought a Snapple tea and now use the empty glass bottle as our water bottle. We have good well water and for several years have used a Pur Water Filtration System (love my Pur) in our fridge for drinking water (we have a simple fridge -- it doesn't make ice or have water in the door, or even scrub my floor - it just keeps the food cold - less to break that way. Whenever the Pur runs low, I take it out and refill it at the sink & the water trickles down through a filter,),
so we just fill our bottles from it.
I think this should save us money on buying water bottles and the glass should last longer than those plastic bottles.
In addition, I was going to have us paint each of our bottles with acrylic paint so we could tell them apart, but it just so happens that each of our bottles has a different design etched in the top -- what a deal. lol
Thanks for stopping! If you would like to share ways you save money or would like to check out other ideas, please see our sweet hostess, Mary, for the simple details & links.
We're not really farmers; real farmers make money off their land or at least they try too. Real farmers glean most if not all of their sole income from their property. Not us, nope, we are true hobby farmers -- not that we wouldn't like for our property and animals to make an income for us; but so far, we are purely in it for the fun, adventure, learning, and love of country living and our animals. It is our dream someday to own much more property and live simply to the point where we could be pretty much self-sustainable and that come-what-may (increased terroristic threats, gov. tyranny, or a national health or weather emergency), we could at least survive without relying on others for water, heat, electricity, or most food. But I digress (pardon my daydreaming). For the hear & now...we live comfortably, but the economy is hitting us too. Although my sweet husband doesn't say anything, I can see it in his eyes that he is feeling the burden of the ever-increasing cost of living: food, petro (home heating & auto) have sky rocketed, now our electricity is going up, and the cost of keeping our animals is of some concern.
So I have decided to take the initiative to do my part and cut back where I can on our farm. Currently, the worst is feeding our 4-legged friends...
I recently bought a 50-lb. sack of goat & rabbit feed and I think the price has doubled. I can't do a lot about the rabbit as it is my daughter's pet, except that we are going to make a run for the bunny this summer so that during the day, she can happily hop in a long pen on the ground and eat yummy grass and yet be safe - she'd probably like that anyways from her boring existance in the bunny hutch. So I won't have to buy much rabbit pellets this summer.
I am hoping to sell our goats this Spring! We love them dearly, but you really can't make money off them unless you have a much bigger production and keep raising babies and either sell them or the fleece, or do lots & lots of fiber arts. I don't have time and since I have to pay to have them sheared twice a year, they are too much $ upkeep; plus the Angora's don't really eat much grass, they waste hay, and their grain is pricy, it's time to cut my losses on them.
And then there is the horses -- the gift that keeps on taking! Well, I am sooooo thankful that my husband, foreseeing the future with last summer's dought, stocked up on hay. It was a VERY hot & dry summer here last year and instead of the usual three cutting that hay farmers get, most only gleaned one or two not-so-hot hay cuttings, thus a major hay shortage. Some horse/livestock owners didn't plan ahead, plus we have had a VERY cold/hard winter with fields covered with snow and ice and our poor animals relying on hay & grain for months, so animal owners are now desperate for hay - paying $6 - $8 per small square bale (we paid $3/bale). With our 3 horses and 3 goats, we have been going through a half a bale a day plus grain. I think we will have enough until the horses can get out on the pastures again, but I have determined to end their grain feedings (horses really don't need grain) and get them on pasture as soon as we can (you do have to wean them back on grass slowly to avoid colic (major tummy troubles) or swollen ankles).
The chickens are about the only animal that we have that pays it's way - we get lots of fresh eggs, but even there, I do buy cracked corn so it's probably more of a break even deal. I do want to sell 1 rooster this Spring too as we have only 5 hens and don't need 2 roosters and I will start feeding them more garden & table scraps this Summer.
So that's my plans. I know this post doesn't apply for many of you, but I thought you might find it interesting anyways.
Thanks for visiting a spell.
PlainJane
Please join us in Tightwad Tueday with your money-saving ideas, or just visit other Tightwads :) by seeing our dear hostess, Mary.
If you would like to join us for Tightwad Tuesday, please see our lovely hostess, Mary, for details.
Like probably most of you, I save a little by using only half of the recommended amounts...with the same results.
When using dishwasher soap, I only fill the soap dispensers in the machine half full.
When using liquid fabric softener, I buy the refill cartons and only fill the plastic jug half full of softener, and fill it the rest of the way with water.
Use the same dryer sheet for 2,3, or sometimes 4 loads.
I cut those green scouring pads in thirds and the red ones for my stove top in half.
Haggle: To bargain, as over the price of something; dicker. To argue in an attempt to come to terms. Synonymous with: bargain, cavil, deal, dicker, patter, quibble, stickle, wrangle.
Okay, you know I LOVE to shop! And a great deal of my fun shopping derives from the rush of finding that ultimate deal - buying something at an unheard of low price -- knowing that others will probably pay full price. Not that I take pleasure in others not getting a good deal, but elated knowing that I'm being a wise steward of my husband's hard-earned wages.
They say, "NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHING FULL PRICE." Sometimes easier said than done, but I think it's possible if you have the time to shop around and/or can get up the courage to haggle. I love trying to follow this rule as much as possible. One thing my mom and dad taught & modelled for me well was NEVER pay full price for big ticket items like houses, land, or cars. It became second nature to me and although it's hard for me to come out of my introverted shell, I have learnt to force myself to haggle for what I want and it has paid off greatly. I have never paid full price for a car; or even for apartment rent in my single days for that matter; and I came to believe it was just a known fact to everyone that you just plain don't pay full price for major purchases. So you can imagine my shock when I found out my now husband had paid full price for his first house (just before we met). He didn't know you could/should do such a thing! I was floored! Listen, it's okay to haggle; prices are hiked up expecting people will haggle, and if you don't - you are paying way too much. My husband lets me do all the haggling as it's just way out of his comfort zone.
To give you an idea, here are some things I have haggled for in the past few years for a great deal:
Autos: We never buy new, but we do buy the newest we can afford (in cash) with the least amount of miles. I took my time looking, mostly on the internet, and found the better deals were on the outskirts of town - not in the big cities. I found what we wanted at about $3,000 less than the going rate - but that's just when the fun begins. We ended up getting our 2 yr. old van for $6,000 under the going rate. Anything with wheels, trailers, snowmobiles, campers, boats - they are all negoitable.
Kitchen Appliances: Here, I didn't haggle, but did a little savvy shopping. We needed a new microwave so first I checked out Consumer Reports at the library to see what was best, then with serial numbers in hand, went to 4 different stores. I noticed that Home Depot had a sale on all LG's, but didn't have any LG microwaves yet. Then we found my microwave at Best Buy. Not knowing Best Buy's policy, I took a chance and mentioned that Home Depot was having a sale on LG's and waala, they matched Home Depot's sale and I instantly got 10% or $30 off the price of our microwave. Oh happy day!
Additionally, it was fun buying my grain mill. My husband & I had already decided on which one, and my dh gave me the go ahead to buy it direct from the manufacturer -- but I thought I had seen it cheaper elsewhere. I ended up saving over $50 + shipping costs (on a very heavy item) by buying it elsewhere on the internet. My Sweetie is impressed!
Furniture: Yes, you can haggle the price of furniture - sometimes. Take for instance my beloved antique replica black cabinet. I just mentioned to the store owner that I was interested in the cabinet but was wondering if they would consider coming down in price. She said they would and asked me if 20% off would be okay, bringing the price down from $7?? to $5??. Woohoo! Also, I love to go antique shopping, and of course, that's a great place to haggle. My antique bed table/dresser I bought for about $100 less than they were asking.
Livestock, Pets, and Tack: Oh yes, never pay asking price unless it's fair. On our horses alone, I have saved $1,100 by haggling. On hay too, it's negotiable!
Really, anything that's not new - including garage sales, SCHOOL BOOKS, antiques, even services - can all be negotiable. And you can even save on new items by being a savvy shopping -- using coupons, waiting for sales, kindly asking for a discount, asking for $ off if you see a button missing or a dent, buying in bulk, shopping at thrift & consignment stores, and bartering.
Shopping Tips:
Dress nice. Don't dress too richly as no one will think you need a discount, but dress smartly, attractively. You will receive better, more respectful service.
Be nice. Think not more highly than you ought to think but treat everyone in respect and Christian love.
Keep your children under control. Teach them to be respectful as well.
Only haggle if you truly feel the price is unfair or if it's a big ticket item where haggling is expected. Don't become known as a Scrouge and pinch pennies in a negative way.
What was your biggest savings?
Best Regards, PlainJane
(ps - For those of you who know me, you may find this hard to belive, but YES, I do consider myself an introvert. I was woefully shy as a child and my inner self much prefers being a wall-flower). :)
If you have a great money saving idea, why not share it! Please see our sweet hostess, Mary, for details and the Mr. Linky.
Today is my first Tightwad Tuesday! If you knew me back in my single days, you would have never guess I would be capable of doing anything money-savingly. I was quite the opposite. I could shop with the best of them, and was quite the spendthrift. But, thankfully, I married a VERY frugal man whose frugalness has wore off on me over the years and, little by little, I try to do my part in blessing my husband, being a good example to our daughters, and especially being a good steward of what God has blessed us with.
Please excuse me if I give some tips that have already been shared. Since I'm the new kid on the block, I don't know what has been shared already and what hasn't; but here will be my feebIe attempts to save what I can so we have the $ on what is important to us.
I esp. like it when I can save money and do something that is good and healthy for the family as well. Here is something I love to do...
Saving Broth
This I have been doing in earnest for the last couple of years. Whenever I cook chicken, turkey, or beef and have a little broth left over, I make sure to bag it, label it, and freeze it. It is so much better tasting than the store bought thin stuff and if you use organic meats, healthy too. And it's so nice when you want to make gravy or one of our favorites, hamburger gravy over mashed potatoes, and you can use "real" broth rather than preservative-laden store bought, or a can of Cream of Mushroom soup. Currently I have 10 bags of chicken broth, 3 bags of turkey broth, and tonight we will have roast beef, so I will have 1 bag of beef broth ready for me at any time.
Hamburger Gravy over Mashed Potatoes
Brown 2 lbs. (or more) of hamburger in large skillet with 1 small to medium onion, chopped.
In a separte pan, make gravy: Melt 2 T. butter, add 2 T. flour, stir until blended. Then gradually add beef broth little by little, stirring like crazy until smooth. Season to taste.
Add gravy to hamburger skillet and simmer for a few minutes. Add a bit of water or milk if it gets too thick.
Serve family style with mashed potatoes.
Note: If you don't have any broth on hand, you can do the same with Cream of Mushroom soup, but the broth is oh so much better.
If you have a great money saving idea, why not share it! Please see our sweet hostess, Mary, for details and the Mr. Linky.
Freezes food at different times of the year and is terribly energy inefficient - runs constantly.
Isn't the difference astonishing? lol This fridge has more door space which I like.
So far I love my new range. Making lasagna tonight just so I can try out both the stovetop & the convection oven. All my appliances (except washer & dryer) are Frigidaire (a division of Electrolux). My old ones were Frigidaire too.
Our local grocery store is advertising a "sale" on their strawberries for $2.50/lb. The local Super Walmart is selling them at $2.20-something or .30-something (I forget). We paid $1.35/lb for fresh, perfectly ripe berries. (big smile).
so we just fill our bottles from it. 
