• Aug. 7, 2009
Frugal Friday Shopping

This was just a mini trip.  I was only out of a few things so I went to the small grocery a few miles away and the Dollar General, as we are running out of shampoo.

So I only have a few things to report.  The one deal was kind of an accident.  This store no longer mails out a weekly grocery flyer.  I guess the economy has hit them too.  Anyway, I was near the freezer case when I saw a sale on pizza rolls, 10 small boxes for $10, and you had to buy 10 to get the sale price.  I had 3 coupons for $.40 off two.  So I got 10 boxes for $8.80.  If I could've only bought the six boxes, I would've.  My deal would've been a lot better.

They also had two cantaloupes for $1.

That's all the noteworthy bargains this week.  I only spent $53 altogether.  Which is good because I have to buy DS's math curriculum this week off of CurrClick and I needed the money out of the grocery budget to make it work.

It was a rough week for bills.  We are paying the hospital for the baby's bill and my bill, as well as my husband's diabetes management classes.  I wasn't sure how I was going to buy the math this week, but the Lord worked it out. :)

I have a headache so I'm going to cut this short.  Stay frugal! 

 

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• Aug. 4, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday - Cloth Diapering

When I first told DH that I was going to use cloth diapers on baby Matthew, he thought I had lost my mind.  I laid out how much disposables cost.  The average cost I heard was $2,000 - $3,000.  I explained that you're paying so much for something that is only going to get pooped on, sorry for being so blunt, he quickly changed his mind. 

To buy a package of 40 disposables I pay about $7.  That's enough to get me through 4 days, if I use 10 a day.  My monthly cost would be about $52.  If we potty train at 3 years old, that is a grand total of $1,890.00, close to the bottom average.  (That's not including diaper wipes, which I will get to in a minute.)

My mom used cloth on all 3 of us kids.  I think they were even the same diapers.  My little sister is nine years my junior, so I was all too familiar with diaper pails full of nasty water and rubber pants and getting stabbed by giant pins.  Was this going to be my reality just to save a little cash?

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't have to be.  I did some searching on the net and found that things had changed.  A lot.  There were so many choices that it made my head spin.  All in ones, prefolds, diaper covers, pocket diapers, convertibles, and on and on. 

For me there were a few deciding factors.  They had to be easy to use, or DH wouldn't use them.  They had to be relatively cheap.  They also had to hold up to use by another child, just in case we have one more baby in the future.  And no rubber pants! 

I chose to use Chinese prefolds and Thirsties diaper covers.  The covers velcro shut.  I didn't even need pins!  And they also had leg gussets to prevent leaks.  They had a wide variety of colors.  And I could wipe them out between diaper changes if I needed to.  I also decided to do a dry diaper pail and use a trash can with a lid that I could operate with a foot pedal and shut tightly.

I went to greenmountaindiapers.com and found they had a wide selection to choose from, and a pretty good cloth diaper tutorial to get me up to speed.  I did some price checking.  I made a list of some selections from their website.  But did I order right away?  No, I did not.  My total from Green Mountain was about $450.  I thought I had to do better.  So I went to ebay.

I bought 3 different sizes of diapers, 2 dozen of each size.  Except for the smalls, I bought 2 1/2 dozen of those because I figured we'd be changing more often.  I bought 4 diaper covers in each size also.

My approximate price breakdown: 

12 diaper covers: $120

6 1/2 dozen Chinese prefold diapers: $180

Grand total: $300

I did buy a couple laundry bags and a trash can but I got some cash and gift cards at my baby shower and it covered that.

I realized I did not want to buy throwaway wipes either.  I was blessed with 2 dozen baby wash cloths at my shower.  Two dozen?  Did no one look at my gift registry?  Anyway, I decided they would be great to use as wipes.  I also made a few more out of a couple flannel receiving blankets.  I got a ton of those too.  Using the washcloths as a template I could get nine wipes out of one blanket.  You could get fancy and serge the edges but I don't do fancy sewing.  They don't seem to fray much during washing and it doesn't bother me any.  So I had 40 wipes for free.

I did buy a bottle of "Diaper Lotion Potion" which you add to water or witch hazel to make a diaper wipe solution.  I paid $18 dollars for an 8 ounce bottle but it will last me a very long time.  I've been using it for the last two months and have only used maybe half an ounce.  It contains tea tree oil and lavender and it smells really nice and helps keep your wipes from getting moldy.  I refill my container every few  days, so I don't think that would matter. 

In the hospital where Matthew was born, they didn't even use wipes.  We just used wash cloths and warm water.  It worked great.

I put my cloth wipes in an old plastic diaper wipe container.  40 fit in there nicely when they are wet.  They are a bit puffy before you add the water.  I put 2 to 3 cups of water in the container and add 1/4 teaspoon of the diaper potion, then slowly add the wipes.

DH thought I really went overboard with the wipes, but I'm like, why not?  I'm already washing the diapers and the wipes were free.  If I use a pack of 80 a week, at a dollar a pack, that is $150 just for the wipes.  My diaper potion cost is just a fraction of that.

I use disposables when we leave the house, but that is only maybe 4-8 diapers a week, versus 56 to 70 a week.  (Church twice a week and one day to run errands.)  I got a ton of diapers at my baby shower.  Most of them were newborn size so the first month I didn't even use my cloth diapers.  I just bought my first pack of disposables a couple weeks ago.  I haven't even gone through all the wipes I received.  I have one full box and one I'm still working on.

I know a lot of people who have babies around me and none are using cloth.  I am getting used to the strange looks I get.  I don't care, as long as it's saving me money. :) 

I also notice he does not get a diaper rash unless we are using disposables too.  So that's also saving my son's bottom also, I guess. :)

Stay frugal!

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• Aug. 2, 2009
God's Hand at Work

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Matthew 25:34-40

If you read the previous post, you know I've been sick today and I missed church.  I am our church's bus captain, which means I help with the teens and children who ride the church bus.  So I go every Sunday morning and evening and to our midweek service on Thursday night.  Which means I'm never here Sunday morning. 

But I was today.

Five minutes after the bus left (DS 10 rode) I got a phone call on my house phone.  It's from a lady from our church that I've been discipling for the past couple of years.  She asked me if I knew anyone who could take any garden produce.

Oh, yes! Me!

Then I remembered one of my sister-in-law's friends who is having a really hard time right now.  And she just got saved.  She is married and has two little kids.  She's been struggling financially.  So I told my friend I was going to give some of the veggies to her.  I had already been taking mental notes of what I could give her from my pantry stockpile. 

So she's going through her cupboards as well looking for stuff to donate too.  She said, "I knew there was a reason why I called you today!"  I felt the same way.  God allowed me to be home sick so I could help out this Christian sister.  Don't you just love it when He does stuff like that?   

When DH got home I had him run and get the box of fresh veggies and canned goods.  I picked out the veggies I wanted and repacked everything.  I am still not feeling well by this point but I leave anyway to deliver this stuff.  She's only a few minutes from our house.

We delivered our care package and she was excited.  It's times like these when I'm thankful to be frugal and have an abundance to give when others are in need. 

I remember those times when we were financially struggling because of a job loss and someone would bring by groceries.  It was very humbling.  I've never forgotten what that was like.  I also remember how thankful we were to be blessed like that.  The Lord has never let us go hungry.  Never.  :)

  Stay frugal!

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• Aug. 2, 2009
I'm Sick! And my Saturday Shopping Bargains

I went shopping yesterday with DH.  And he suggested Chinese for afterwards, and I must've had a bad egg roll, cause now I'm sick!  I even missed church, if that tells you how bad I'm feeling!

A friend of mine said she and one of her boys got sick eating at the same restaurant just a couple weeks ago.  Maybe we all ought to steer clear of that place for awhile! 

I have no energy to do anything, so I thought I would blog.  As long as my thoughts are coherent, that is.  One of the coming and going symptoms I've been having is a really bad head fog!  Having trouble putting thoughts together.  So this should make for some interesting reading! lol

On to my Saturday shopping recall!

Mackey's:

1 bottle French dressing: .50 cents

7 green bell peppers: 1.98

1 lb carton cherry tomatoes: 1.29

1 pkg chicken breasts 1.49/lb

Jay C Foods:

L'eggo Waffles: $1/box (I don't make waffles.  With all the hassle of making them, I might as well buy!)

4 boxes Always products @ 2.99 each.  With an instant rebate of $4, cost was 1.99 each

10 lb bag Idaho potatoes 2.50

4 packs of Eckrich Kielbasa, $6.00 sale price plus 2 coupons for $2.00 off.  Final cost $1 each

 1 gallon Kroger ice cream $2.99

1 dozen eggs .79 each

ground beef 1.49/lb

White Cheddar Cheez Its 1.49/box (DH got these.  Not the best deal, but much better than regular price)

I think there might've been more, but that's all I can remember.  I didn't do too badly.

When I got home, I had to work really hard to put everything in the freezers.  I've been stocking up on so much meat that I've run out of room!  So you won't see me posting too much on shopping sales in the near future unless it is for non freezer items. 

Thankful for the Lord's abundance. :)

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• Jul. 31, 2009
Woohoo! Free Stuff! (Or, My Shopping Trip at WalMart)

Tonight I took the baby grocery shopping with me.  DS 10 spent the night at Nana's and DH was at work.  He's on night shift.  I decided to return the Seal-A-Meal to Wal-Mart and do some shopping while I was there.

I used the refund money to purchase some stuff we were needing.  You know, stuff you eventually have to buy but sometimes forget that you need, like new socks.  And underwear.  (The ten year old would be mortified to know I was talking to you all about buying him underwear!  So I'll spare him.  You get the idea. :)  After shopping for "stuff" I decided to get some groceries and pick up some free items.

Using a $1 off coupon I picked up a free can of Chef Boyardee ravioli.  Using a $3 off coupon I picked up a free Colgate toothbrush and a free tube of Colgate toothpaste.  Free stuff!  Alright! 

I also hit the food clearance rack at the back of the store.  I found a box of Quaker granola bars marked down from $2.88 to $2.00.  I remembered I had a $1 off coupon, so I got the box for $1.00.  These were the fancy granola bars in the black box. :)  Finally, I picked up a 23 ounce box of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes for $2.00.  No coupon for that one.  So, those were not free but good enough not to pass up. 

On my way to Wal-mart, I went to Goodwill.  I had $40 of birthday money from my MIL.  I decided to take myself shopping.  I haven't bought myself any new clothes in awhile.  Thankfully my clothes fit after the baby was born, I only gained 20 pounds.  But that's all I was supposed to gain, since I'm a big girl to begin with.  But my wardrobe still needed spruced up a little. 

I had some really cute maternity outfits.  Most of it had been given to me, for which I was very thankful.  I also snagged a few items during clearance sales at JC Penney or at Goodwill.  I even bought some skirts at the Lane Bryant Woman website, which is no more.  Finding plus size maternity can be challenging, but not impossible.  You kind of have to think outside the box.  Most of my outfits were just a few sizes larger than my prepregnant size and were not really maternity at all.  It also helped that the empire waisted and baby doll tops were in style too.  You know, all those things that you avoid wearing when you are not pregnant, because they make you look like you are!!! :)

Oh, my, how did I get off on that tangent?!  I was talking about my happy birthday shopping spree!

At Goodwill I bought:

3 skirts

1 really nice charcoal gray blazer

5 blouses

1 pair brown suede pumps

2 pairs jeans for DS 10

and a blender because I'm going to make baby food for Dear Baby when he's ready for that in a few months.  

My grand total?  $41.00!  And everything fit me except for one skirt.  So I did really well.

And in case you are wondering, the extra dollar came out of my weekly food budget! :)

I'm going to JayC which is a Kroger chain store tomorrow.  They are having a Saturday only sale on some things.  If it's worth passing on, I'll let you know. :)

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• Jul. 28, 2009
Tightwad Tuesday - Don't Give Up On an Old Appliance

 

When DH and I got out of the Navy in 2000, we brought all of our belongings from Hawaii.  But we did not own a washer or a dryer, so we went to an auction and bought a matching Kenmore set for $125.  We paid $75 for the washer and $50 for the dryer.  They were probably close to 20 years old when we bought them, possibly from the late 70s or early 80s.  This is a good representation of my dryer.  It's as close as I can get anyway:

I think the washer lasted us two years.  It started leaking water out the bottom and my then spendthrift husband went out and got us a high end Kenmore Elite washer, brand new.  With so many buttons that I wasn't sure how to run the thing at first.  But it was a repossessed model so it was discounted.  (It finally gave out a few months ago.  I literally ran it to death and it could not be repaired!)

But the old dryer hung on.  It worked great.  Then last spring, the it quit drying.  DH is not really the mechanical sort but he knew enough about dryers to realize that the heating element went bad.  So we went to Kenmore's website and ordered a new element.  He installed it himself.  Cost, about $60, including shipping.

We were up and running again.  Then I got pregnant this year and carried the baby all out front.  I also carried him an extra nine days, so that accounted for some of my added girth!  Anyway, DS 10 usually helped me get clothes out of the dryer but this one night he did not.  I had a really hard time reaching into the back of the dryer.  I forgot to mention I am short, 5'3" and already have a hard time reaching into the back of the dryer without falling into it.  Well I decided to lean on the door for some added stability and bam! I broke the cable that holds the door up.

I settled with propping my now saggy dryer door with a chair.  DH says we need a new dryer.  I say it still works so we're keeping it.  A week after this incident the Kenmore Elite washer died, and we only had enough money at the moment to get a replacement, which we bought used, and at a discount.  This all happened literally days before the baby was born.  I was planning on cloth diapers so the prospect of no washer was more devastating to me than having to prop the dryer door.  (I'm sure the hormones and the anxiety of an upcoming birth did not help my devastation any!)

Then about a month ago I broke the catch on the dryer door that attaches it to the dryer.  Now propping the door with the chair doesn't even work.  We are doing two loads of laundry a day now with the baby due to either extra clothes or the every other day diaper washing duty.  I tried to Velcro the door shut.  That kept it from hanging open but the dryer wouldn't run.  DS 10 would have to sit in front of the dryer and prop the door shut with his leg while it was turned on.  Since he likes to read, he did not mind.  Well, not too much! 

i did some searching and lo and behold they sell replacements of these as well.  Another $12.  I just popped the catch into the hole, took me about 5 seconds to install it!  I still have to prop the door with a chair.  Oh, and place my large bucket of homemade laundry powder on top of it for added weight.  I think the door is not as tight as it used to be so it does not want to stay in place.  I'm sure if it had both cables on it again it would work.  Even one cable would work, which is all I think I've had on it for all these nine years.  If I knew how to fix it without breaking the dryer door, I would think about it.  I think, sigh, it's time to start saving up some money for a replacement. 

But I'm going to put it off for as long as possible!!!

My cost for this dryer for the past nine years is a whopping $122.  That's not including the electric, of course!    

I hope my next dryer will be just as thrifty. :)

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• Jul. 28, 2009
A Frugal Birthday

Sunday was my birthday.  This ^ is the present DH got me, a Rival Seal-A-Meal.  I must've mentioned awhile ago that I was looking for a food sealer at some point, and he remembered.  I get all kinds of interesting presents that way, because I mention an item in passing and he remembers.  I forget I tell him, of course, and voila! I have an unexpected gift!  That's how I got my bread machine and my Kitchenaid mixer, btw.

DH told me if I wanted a larger one I could return it to Wal-mart.  I looked at some reviews online and they were pretty mixed.  Half said it worked great.  The other half said it was a piece of junk and either didn't work at all or petered out after a short time of use.  I think I'm going to return it.

I informed him of my decision and he's okay with it.  He said he would like us to get a Food Saver in the fall around deer season.  We processed our own deer last  year.  I told him our church kitchen has one and we would probably have no problem with borrowing it.  I think if I like it well enough, we'll probably go ahead and buy our own.

The main reason why I'm so hesistant is those bags are so expensive.  Even the rolls of plastic to make your own bags are not cheap.  I'm not sure how frugal this would be in the long run.  I do not have a large deep freeze and I usually use up my meat in about 3 months or less, well within the good period.

Just in case you are wondering, practical gifts do not really bother me, unless it is something I definitely do not need.  I would rather have a vacuum cleaner than a dozen roses.  I actually asked for a vacuum at Christmas since my old one went kaput.  I'm weird, I know. :)

Today's Frugal Adventures:

A really slow day.  Earned $1 in an easy online survey.  No freebies in the mail and I think I got our cell phone bill today. :( 

I did spend the day getting organized for the upcoming school year.  DS was at my MIL's while I was working in the dining room, which is where we school.  I am far from finished, but whatever I've done has gotten him excited about starting school again!  I told him he's going to have to wait a bit.  I'm not near ready yet.  I still need to order a few more things and organize what I have, and print out some things online.  But it's nice to see him getting excited. 

I did get a bundle of educational bingo games recently from graveyardmall.com.  We played "pizza fraction bingo" tonight and it was a good review of his fractions.  He won all the games but two.  It was really fun. 

If you want the Big Book of Bingo Games, you can get it here.  It is marked down today from 19.99 to 4.99, a great deal!  It has six games and each game has six double sided bingo cards.  So if you plan on having more than six kids play at a time, you need more than one set.

Stay frugal!

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• Jul. 25, 2009
I'm back, I think!

If anyone remembers me, a lot has changed since my last post.  We're still homeschooling, but now there are more of us.  Yes, I had a baby!  On May 12th of this  year!  A little boy.  Big brother, who is 10, is way excited.

We were trying for about a year before I got pregnant.  I was having some health issues a last year and I also think I had an early miscarriage.  It made it really hard for me to write at that moment, as I'm sure some of you can understand.  And then I had really bad morning, er, all day sickness for the first trimester.  And then life just got so busy that I abandoned the blog altogether.

Well things sure have changed in the world as well as in my own, with the so-called recession and all.  Is it just me, or is everyone concerned about frugality now.  Well  you all know I was frugal when frugal wasn't cool, to paraphrase an old country song! :)

I hope to be back and share my frugal adventures again.  Even though I try to be a good steward of my family's finances, the rapid rise of grocery and gas prices left me reeling as well.  Not to mention a cutback of DH's hours at work last winter and part of the spring.  But he is still working, and full time again, thank the Lord!  God is so good to us!

Right now we are on a formal school break.  The timing of the baby's birth worked out perfectly, being born during a school break.  I was done with schooling about 3 weeks before he was born.  Of course, he was nine days overdue, but I was still ready for him!  Any thoughts of school have more or less gone out the window, what with the newborn and all.  Plus I went to church camp this summer for a few days.  I was representing my church as a conference delegate during the business meetings during camp. 

And then I felt led by the Lord to do our church's VBS a couple weeks ago.  What an adventure that was!  I had never done that before.  Definitely done on a frugal budget but a wonderful time was had by all, and the children received a lot of spiritual help as well.

The public school starts back up again in about 3 weeks.  I usually try to start up with them.  I might wait til September.  Actually I am not sure what I'll be doing.  I am contemplating a different schedule than the traditional one, one with more breaks spread throughout the year.  Last  year I started in July, hoping to have a longer Christmas break and tada!  I got pregnant, so no Christmas break for us!  But we did get finished before the baby was born.

I'll try to check back in again soon.  God bless and stay frugal! :)

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• Apr. 14, 2008
Frugal tip of the day -- Never refuse anything free

Since I started homeschooling almost two years ago, I had something very interesting happen to me.  I had friends and family on the lookout to give me items for our homeschool.  Whether this was my MIL finding us CD Roms of computer games or my neighbor who was cleaning out her spare bedroom, we have been the recipients of many free items.

Now granted, not everything has worked.  I have passed more than a few things onto Goodwill.  And sometimes, we would get half used workbooks with no teacher's key or accompanying texts and they just wind up in the trash...  But we take what we need, and leave the rest.  We got some really neat science readers for next year, a book of Aesop's Fables, and educational software, to name a few.

The neat thing is we get to pass things on to others who are in need.  I love being able to help homeschoolers out with my excess stuff.  Plus, it gives me room for more. :) 

Freely ye have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:8b

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• Apr. 4, 2008
Weekly Rewards and Freebie Samples

I was blessed this week with a few freebies in the mail.

The coolest was a Glade Candle Scent Oil  candle in Dewberry Dream scent!  I was so excited, I could hardly believe it! :)  I haven't tried it yet, but it smells wonderful.

Also received:

Glad Force Flex kitchen sized trash bag

Quaker Simple Harvest chocolate granola bar

Eye and face cream samples

and a nice birthday card

There may have been more, but that's all I can currently remember.  I received something almost every day this week, which was nice. :)

I also redeemed $5 in survey rewards and used that towards my Angel Food ministries box payment, since both were PayPal transactions.

Sometimes I get free stuff to use for school, like dvds, unit studies, posters, etc.  If you would like to get some free stuff too, these are some great daily freebie lists to sign up with:

http://www.momanddads.com/

http://www.justfreestuff.com/

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/anjie/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFreeShoppe/?yguid=251530906

Sometimes there are junk offers where you have to buy something or subscribe to something to get your "free item".  After awhile you get the hang of what is a legit free offer and what is not.  Wal-Mart gives out lots of free samples and they always arrive.  There is a possibility of more spam so it might be a good idea to get a new email address just for your freebies.

Some of these lists post the same offers.  I have found that some are more timely than others.  Also, you might find some that you like better than others, so I thought I would offer a variety; all of them are good.

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• Apr. 4, 2008
Prayers please and some frugal stuff

If you've noticed my sporadic posting lately, I haven't been feeling well.  Actually my health has been steadily declining for a few years.  My DH has finally insisted that I go see a doctor.  I won't go into all of the details, but I think it's my thyroid.  So I am going Tuesday to get some tests done.  So if you all would pray for me I would really appreciate it.

I have already received a promise from the Lord that he is going to restore my health, whatever the condition is.  I ask that you would agree with me in prayer on that. 

Onto frugal matters.

Last week I went to Goodwill.  I twisted hubby's arm, but didn't have to very hard; he loves Goodwill. :)  I picked up a nice hardbound copy of The Call of the Wild and a brand new reproducible 2nd and 3rd grade math worksheets book.  I spent a dollar on both altogether.  I know Call of the Wild is copyright free but I can't print it out for 50 cents! :)

Speaking of printer ink, I bought a refill at Wal Mart on Saturday.  I about passed out from the sticker shock.  A refilled black cartridge cost me just 3 dollars less than a new one from HP.  I remember when I used to save 13 dollars, now the margain is shrinking.  I have thought about buying online but one has to buy such a large quantity at one time to make it worth the while, and quite honestly, I can't afford to do that.

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We have about 30 school days left.  I am really looking forward to some time off.  We are experimenting with a flex schedule this year -- instead of 12 weeks of summer vacation I am going to do 6 weeks and then 6 weeks off in November/December.  I have never tried it before, but I think it would help me avoid the craziness of the holidays I had last year.  I helped direct a children's christmas program at church last year and about drove myself crazy trying to keep up with it all.  It was my first year schooling over the holidays, what can I say?! :)  I learned a lot!  I certainly won't do it again.

DS is a little upset with me about schooling during part of the summer but honestly some days in August it is too hot around here to go out and play anyway or even go swimming.  I gently reminded him that if we got our school done in the mornings that would still give him plenty of play time in the afternoons to visit nana's house.  (She's the one with the pool. :)

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I have been doing really well with groceries.  I picked up two turkeys around Easter time for .59 a lb.  That is the cheapest I have seen turkeys here.  I have also ordered a new Angel food box.  Been buying lots of reduced pork steaks, beef roasts, chicken breasts etc.  I wrote out my menu for the whole month and had enough meat that I would not have to buy any more for the month.  But of course there is still room in the freezer, smile, so I will be buying meat on sale.

Jay C is having a cash back sale this week.  Meaning if you buy 10 of certain items you will get 5 dollars back.  So I plan on buying 8 Tombstone pizzas, 2 jars of Peter Pan peanut butter, and 20 Lipton noodles and/or rice packets.  I will spend about 28 dollars on all total.  Not a great sale, but still a discount.  And I usually don't buy the Lipton sides, but it is a change.

I plan on doing a post sometime on tips on frugal grocery shopping, menu planning, etc.  Right now I am just too tired.  I either can't seem to find the time or the energy.  Which is part of the reason why I am seeing a doctor!!! :)  I will leave you with one link for the day.  This site really helped me a lot.  If I could only offer one place to start, it would be this website.  It has changed ownership, but it's still a great site.  It has a 70 dollar weekly menu for 4 and a perpetual list of items that are cheaper to buy.  These lists were compiled before all of the grocery hikes, but it's still a great place to start.  I was able to tighten up our belts, so to speak, when I used her advice.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com

Have a great weekend! 

    

 

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• Apr. 1, 2008
Some advice

You know, lately I have been doing some thinking.  Why don't we just live a little?  So I've decided to offer some suggestions to all of you, my blogger friends. :)

1. Next time one of the kids wants something from the candy rack at the store, ask them if they want a bottle of Bug Juice to go with it.  Really make their day!  This works even better if you have half a dozen or more kids.
2. Have you been experiencing a lot of rainy weather like we have here?  Turn all of the lights on.  Yep, even the porch lights.  It will lift your spirits.
3. Forget fixing supper tonight.  You've worked hard all day schooling the kids!  Order takeout from the pizza place.  Leave the  delivery guy a big tip.
4. Don't worry about doing the laundry this week.  Just drive by Wal-Mart and pick up some more socks and underwear for DH and the kids.
5. Paper plates. 
6. Go ahead and buy the Sonlight for next year.  Put it on the credit card.  Surprise DH at dinner while he's chowing down on the take out pizza.

 

Oh, and by the way. Did you check today's date.  It's April first.

April Fool! :)

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• Mar. 19, 2008
Mystery Cans

Have you ever checked out the reduced or scratch and dent bin at your local grocery store?  Have you ever seen those label-less food cans?  Have you ever been brave enough to try them? 

I must admit, I never was brave enough, until a few months ago when I was at Jay C and saw a large 32 oz can, sans label.  After shaking it and looking at the size, I guessed it was probably either tomato or fruit juice.  For fifty cents, it certainly didn't hurt to try. 

My gamble paid off.  One night, I bravely opened the can.  It was even better than I hoped.  It was chicken broth!  I usually pay 50 cents for a 14 ounce can of chicken broth, which is a splurge around here.  I usually make my own stock or cheat and use boullion if money is really tight.  I was ecstatic! :)

So that sold me to take a chance on these label-less cans.

Last Saturday I found two cans.  Silly me, I didn't bother to see what was in them, I just stuck them in the cart.  They were 15 ounce cans and for 20 cents each, why not?  I thought they might be veggies.  We eat lots of veggies.  I usually pay 40 cents full price for veggies at Save A Lot.

I get home that night and shake the cans.  They both feel like beans, like kidney beans or some other variety.  Upon further examining of the cans, I find bar codes imprinted on both.  They both start with a similar number and then go off on their own.  Okay, I thought, two varieties of beans, or whatever they are.

Today I was going to make something with hamburger meat.  I decided to be brave and open these cans, hoping my hunch was right. 

The first can was-- drumroll, please -- chili beans!

(I'm getting pretty good at this guessing thing! :)

The other can was -- baked beans!

Woo hoo!  I saved sixty cents and made chili out of a spontaneous purchase! :)

I know, the baked beans in chili was a bit of a gamble, but it worked.  DH said he like the sweet with the spicy.  I added a tbls. of chili powder and a heaping tsp of cumin just in case it was too sweet.  Browned the beef with a bell pepper and an onion, salt and pepper, and some garlic.  Opened two cans of tomatoes and put it all in the crock pot.  It was very good.   I will probably make this again. 

It was one of those happy accidents, or God's provision at work.  I love how we can see him in the little things in our lives, like cans of beans. :)

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• Mar. 19, 2008
My first experience with Angel Food Ministries

Last week I posted that I was going to pick up my first Angel Food box on Saturday.  For those of you not familiar with it, I will quickly explain. 

Angel Food MInistries http://www.angelfoodministries.com/default.asp is a program that allows anyone to purchase a box of food at a low price.  There are no qualifications for purchase.  Food stamps are also accepted.  Many sites also take online orders through PayPal, which was how I did it.

There are also "special boxes" which include more expensive or gourmet cuts of meat, chicken, etc. at a reduced price.  A regular box must be purchased first before a special box can be ordered.  You can order as many boxes as you want.

The price of a box is $30.  They said in their web site it was probably worth about $42 - 78 depending on where you live.  I estimated I could probably buy equivalent items for about $40-50 dollars, if I shopped carefully.  I could buy the meat alone for $30 in town, if I bought it on sale or comparison shopped.

This was the regular box menu we purchased:

March 2008
(1) 1.5 lb. Top Sirloin Roast	(1) 16 oz. Frozen Mixed Vegetables
(1) 2 lb. IQF Boneless Skinless   Chicken Breast	(1) 16 oz. Frozen Green Beans
(1) 1.5 lb. Boneless Pork Fillet	(1) 10 ct. Waffles
(1) 2 lb. Breaded Chicken Breast Strips	(1) 32 oz. Borden Shelf-Stable Milk
(1) 1.5 lb. Boxed Lean Beef Patties	(1) 16 oz. Blue Bonnet Margarine
(1) 4 lb. IQF Chicken Leg Quarters	(1) 15 oz. Pork and Beans
(1) 16 oz. All Meat Bologna	(1) 15 oz. Marie Callender’s Soup
(1) 16 oz. Ground Turkey	(1) 7.5 oz. Macaroni and Cheese
(1) 24 oz. Steak-Cut French Fries	(1) Dessert Item (coconut meringue pie)

• 2 lb. Fully Cooked Meatloaf
• 1 lb. Beef Fajita Strips
• 3 lb. Breaded Frying Chicken
• 2 lb. St. Louis Style Ribs
• 2 lb. Lasagna Dinner Entree
• 1 lb. Gourmet Sausage
• 1 lb. Fully Cooked Meatballs
• 16 oz. Broccoli
• 15 oz. Refried Beans
• 12 ct. Tortillas
• 26 oz. Pasta Sauce
• 16 oz. Pasta
• 6 oz. Pancake Mix
• 16 oz. Fresh Carrots
• 3 lb. Golden Yukon Potatoes
• 4 oz. Chicken Noodle Soup (Makes 64 oz.)
• 4 lb. California Oranges
• Dessert Item

Oh, one more thing.  If you happen to not pick your box, you forfeit it and do not get a refund.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200.  So make sure you show up! :)

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• Mar. 18, 2008
Update on Last Week's Coffee Emergency (!)

Those of you who are wondering, I did not get electrocuted by my morning preparation of coffee in my leaky Bunn coffee maker.  In fact, two days after I wrote that post, I got my replacement seals in the mail.  Talk about fast!  I guess they know I really need my coffee. :)

It was getting pretty bad.  In order to make one pot,  I would have to:

Step 1: Clear counter top

Step 2: Make sure I am wearing rubber soled shoes

Step 3.  Get two clean bath towels out of bathroom

Step 4.  Place said bath towels on two exposed sides of Bunn maker (it is in a corner of the counter)

Step 5.  Shoo DS out of the kitchen

Step 6.  Pour three pitchers of water through coffee maker

Step 7.  Mop up flooded counter with towels

Step 8.  Do not touch wet countertop, mild tingling shock could ensue (don't ask how I know this)

Step 9.  Place dripping towels in washer.  Wipe up remaining water.

Step 10.  Pour cup of cofee and sit down and thank the Lord I am alive (and properly caffeinated.)

The seals worked like a charm and were pretty easy to install.  Also I did not have to pay for a new maker, at the tune of 100 dollars.

I will never take my coffee for granted again! :)

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• Mar. 13, 2008
Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for a savings, because this week's pay check will be kind of light due to DH only putting in 3 1/2 days of work.

I am thankful that the Lord led my husband to a place of employment where he does not have to work Sundays.  There is a whole testimony I could get into over that, but let's just say, many people told DH that he couldn't find a factory job where he could have Sundays off.  But he was patient and trusted the Lord and he led him to where he is. 

I am thankful that we are all healthy again.

I am thankful for friends, both online and IRL that have the same like-mindedness when it comes to serving the Lord.

I am thankful that DS9 is enjoying co-op so far.

I am thankful that I had enough energy to clean my pantry today and that it only took me half an hour.

I am thankful that I have really felt the Lord closely this week so far.  I have been going through a period of testing and trial and the Lord is saying, 'Daughter, I still love you, and I will never leave you nor forsake you.'

I am thankful for the abundant blessings of the Lord, which are too many to count.

And on that note, I will share this verse:

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."—Psalm 68:19-20

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• Mar. 12, 2008
Coffee Talk

I am beta testing a new coffee.  It's called "Jamaican Me Crazy!"  If you have a blog, you can sign up too!

http://beta.joffreys.com/

This is some really good stuff.  It's bold and rich and I managed to squeeze two pots out of the little pouch they sent me a couple days ago.  It says on the sign up page that it is a blend of caramel, vanillla and coffee liquer.  I thought it tasted like mocha.  DH loved it too.  Whatever it is, we want more! :)

Have you tried to buy coffee lately?  Wow, Folgers is up to 6.50 a can where I live!  I cheat and get the generic stuff at Save A Lot, but I have found a way to even stretch it out.  I am paying 4.50 for the cheap stuff.

Your mileage may vary on this tip.  We make our coffee a moderate strength.  It is black enough that it doesn't look like tea, yet weak enough that your eyes are not permanently opened for three days.  

(That's how my MIL makes hers.  If I drink more than one cup of hers, I get wired.  If she drinks more than one cup of  mine, she's going through caffeine withdrawls.  Needless to say, she doesn't let me make coffee at her house unless I follow her precise measurements.) 

So anyway, onto my tip.  Years ago I bought a coffee measuring spoon.  It's about 1/8 of a cup.  I use 3 heaping scoops per pot.  That would be 3/8 of a cup.  That's my first tip.  Use as little as  you can get away with to get the desired brew strength. 

My second tip is something my DH and I have been experimenting with lately given the ever rising cost of coffee.  Plus it's just fun to see what you can do to stretch a dollar, because you can.  So one day DH was making a pot of coffee, and instead of dumping out the old grounds, he just throws a scoop on top, and fills the resevoir with water.  Let's just say this wife had to bite her tongue to stay submissive.   Yeah, my mouth can get me in trouble, unless the Lord helps me. 

Well the pot of coffee was pretty good.  So I've been trying to use that method every time I make coffee lately.  One pot, regular strength, the next pot, just an extra scoop.  So we are averaging 1/4 cup of grounds per pot of coffee vs. 3/8 of a cup per pot of coffee.   Or, 4 scoops vs 6.  I haven't figured out how much money that is actually saving us, but I know we are going through less coffee that we used to.

My third and final tip is, if you ever buy flavored coffee grounds, don't  make the whole pot from your flavored coffee.  Use just one scoop of the flavored on top of your regular brew.  You won't know the difference.

That's what I do when I get coffee samples in the mail or I find flavored coffee on clearance.  A small 11 ounce bag will last a long time if I do it that way.

Finally

Today we had the makings of a COFFEE EMERGENCY.  Our ten year old Bunn, which I got from my mom, started leaking water out the bottom like something out of a bad remake of Noah's flood.

If you have ever owned a Bunn you might know that inside they have little gaskets and washers that hold the whole thing together and keep the water going where it is supposed to.  Well in between 10 years of use and just the heat which keeps the water warm at all times, the parts wear out. 

I have had to do open heart surgery on my Bunn before, reposition the gaskets, etc.  Well this time my patient flatlined on the table.  I poured a pitcher of water through and AAAGGHHH it happened again!  Water all over the counter!  Pandemonium everywhere!  Or, just in the kitchen.

So anyway.  Maybe it is time to put this thing out of its misery.  So I go shopping for a new Bunn-o-Matic online.  I know they are expensive, but how bad can it be?  How about 250 dollars worth of bad, plus shipping.  OH wait, that's a commercial model.  Okay, the home models are not as bad. Around 100.   But that's still a lot.  I did say we had a COFFEE EMERGENCY but I still don't want to tap into my emergency fund to get a new pot.  Cause I'm cheap like that.

Well I do some googling and find that Bunn will send you a replacement kit for your coffee maker for free, because I guess that flooded countertops happen all the time when your machine gets so old.

So I called the toll free number and talked to a really nice lady.  She said they would send me a kit free of charge.  So I am waiting on my shipment to arrive.  Free is better than a hundred dollars any day.

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• Mar. 11, 2008
I need to post more often!

Wow, is it Tuesday already?  I don't know where the week is going! :) 

Last Saturday was DH's birthday.  I made his favorite dinner, chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, a green salad and stuffed mushrooms.  The table was really pretty.  I took some extra time and put out the white cloth tablecloth that I only use on special occasions and some ivory cloth napkins I bought at a yard sale last summer.  I think I got 8 for $2, in like new condition.  The tablecloth I got at the Dollar General for half off.  I have cream plates with gray flowers.  I also set out the water goblets instead of my mismatched everyday ones. :)   I had a large candle in the center in a hurricane glass with a cream flower wreath going around it at the bottom.  It looked really pretty.  It didn't cost me a thing, other than digging it all out of the closet :)  It took me 10 years of married life to realize I don't need a bunch of miscellaneous linens and things.  If I have classic neutral things I can use them year round, it doesn't matter what the occasion is.  I guess I'm a slow learner. :)

DS helped me get ready while DH was at his mom's picking up his birthday presents.  He helped vacuum, mop the kitchen and clean the bathrooom!  He actually enjoys to clean the bathroom! :) 

He also asked me how to fold the napkins.  I have a really fancy napkins fold I learned out of a magazine years ago, but it's pretty easy.  I will have to teach him someday.  I just didn't have time at the moment. 

I also realized that I haven't made the table look that pretty since Christmas. :(  I'm going to have to do it more often.  DH loved it.

In lieu of cake, since DH is diabetic, I bought a sugar free apple pie and some whipped cream.  I had bought these really cute candles at the Dollar Tree maybe a year ago.  They are tiny letter candles stuck on toothpicks.  They say "I love you"  I figured now was a good a time as any to get them out, because I keep forgetting that I have them! :)  We had a really nice dinner.  I was thankful.

I wish my digital camera was working.  I really need to get a new one.

Then Sunday we had church.  DS still had the flu so he stayed home with his dad while I went to church.  I had to teach Sunday school.  We didn't even have Sunday school after all.  We had a really good service.  The Lord met in a special way.  When the Lord shows up like that, we just do whatever we feel the Lords wants us to do.  The pastor opened up the altar and we just had a really good season of prayer.  Then we had a really good time of sharing testimonies of what the Lord is doing.  We didn't even have a sermon.  When the Lord shows up like that, you don't need one. :)

After returning home, my back decided to go out on me during the afternoon.  I managed to go to church, but I had to take some meds just to make the pain tolerable.  By the time service was over, my pain let up, praise the Lord. :)

Monday, my back was still being ornery so I didn't get everything done that I would like.  We did manage to get some school done.  I am thankful for Charlotte Mason's short lessons.  They are a life saver! :)  I also follow flylady and Monday is the day I do my basic weekly cleaning.  I got it all done but getting the floor mopped.  Since DS did such a good job of mopping on Saturday it didn't look too bad.  But now it really needs it again.

Then today we had co-op and I just felt like a chicken with my head cut off this morning getting ready.  I feel like I'm playing catch up, in between the flu last week and my misbehaving back.  But I know this too shall pass and I'll have it together soon, I hope :)

At least I had presence of mind to put a roast and some veggies in the crock pot for dinner.  I've always loved my crock pot.  I love it even more now that we do school.  I also love freezer cooking, but that is a post for another day.

Tomorrow is menu planning and grocery shopping list writing.  There is a new twist this week.  We are picking up our first Angel Food box on Saturday.  I finally got around to ordering one, just in the nick of time.  I will let you know how that all went.  I'm actually curious.  My one sister in law gets them.  She really likes them.  With the cost of groceries, anything we can do to help out is good.  I think this requires its own separate post.  I will work on that tomorrow.  Actually, I was going to do that tonight, but I thought you all might be interested in where I've been these last few days. ha ha ha

More to come! :)

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• Mar. 8, 2008
my weekly grocery store trip

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.  Proverbs 10:4

Shopping day this week came a day early.  DH had a doctor's appointment and had a half day at work.  So he returned hom early and we all went to town together.  DS9's tummy was still a bit on the queasy side but he managed the trip well.

After a visit to the Chinese buffet (still lunch hours, large discount) we decided to get groceries since we were nearby one store and it was turning nasty outside.

We did get that snow after all. :)

I only went to three stores.  I feel very blessed to report that I only spent 40 dollars on groceries this week.  The Lord is so good.

During my trip to Jay C I buy 3 12 packs of Diet Dr. Pepper, one bottle of Welch's grape juice, and DH's Diet Mountain Dew for work.  Then we pass by a Fuze display.  They actually have it cheaper than the other store I was going to visit.  DH gave me the go ahead to get 10 bottles, 5 of which were free.  These are low carb so they are great to help DH control his blood sugar.

I also visit the discount rack and found sugar free apple cider drink mix.  20 packets for 2 dollars, which were half off.  DH loves cider in the fall.  I'm going to save these for later.  They don't expire til next October.

Total balance: $19.15

Total savings with store card, coupons, and discounted merchandise: $25.00

DH teases me all the time because of my coupon use, but he sure looked impressed when we left the store. :)

 

Then I visit the IGA.  The Jeno's pizzas for .58 cents each are all sold out.  I ask DH if they do rain checks.  (He used to be a stock boy here, back in the day.)  His reply: 'What's a rain check?'  Never mind...  I pick up two packages of Totino's pizza rolls, both on sale, with a coupon for each.  Also pick up some snacks and some fruit.  This store can be kind of pricy, so I watch what I buy.

Total balance: $21.10

Total coupon savings: $1.10

I stop by Mackey's to check out their clearance but they don't have anything I needed.

Grand total: $40.25

Total savings: $26.10

Until next time. :)

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• Mar. 7, 2008
This week's frugal adventures

DS has the flu today, so I am making up for lost time, blog wise. :)  I realized last night after posting that I have not been giving updates on my freebies, rewards, and frugal finds.  So here they are, all in one, what I can remember anyway. :)

Survey Rewards

Received two $5 Amazon gc's for completing two surveys.

Redeemed points for a $5 Starbucks gc.  I will probably get this in a few weeks.

Qualified and completed various surveys and received points for these.

Freebie Sign-ups

Signed up for a free sports bra

Signed up for a free 3 year subscription to a health magazine.  They sent me a trial issue.  It is mostly pharma ads, literally every other page, but it is free and interesting to read.

Freebies Received

Sample of Dove Shampoo and Conditioner

Sample of Science Diet dog food

Samples of True Lemon, True Organge, and True Lime

Samples of Stevia sugar substitute

Sample of Tide detergent

And... the best freebie for last...

My SIL is redecorating her eldest daughter's room this week.  She asked me if I was willing to take a storage cabinet off her hands.  I said sure, because I am in dire need of extra storage.  The school books are taking over my house!  I am collecting as I go.  I even have books for high school and we are just entering 3rd grade! :)  I am a bibliophile anyway.  I just love books.  Homeschooling just gives me an excuse to buy them! lol  

My digital camera is down right now, so this will give you an idea of what it looks like.  She brought it over yesterday:

Ours is just a smidge different.  It has two drawer pulls on each drawer instead of one.  But now I can take the book case out of DS's room and use this instead.  It has 3 shelves in it.  His book shelf is for toys and books.  I will just move them into this and bring the book case into the dining room where we do school. 

Right now I have an awkward set-up where I have a microwave cart on casters slid behind a large bookcase.  The small cabinet is for my overflow, books I am collecting for future use.  I only get it out when I have more to put in it.  I set \the school books we use all the time on top of it.  It's, um, an interesting site to behold. lol  Thinking out loud here, am I the only one who has to come up with weird storage solutions like that?   

I am so excited! :)  I can't wait to get everything moved.

Thankful for God's provision,

Wendy

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