Joanne Heim

My secret cleaning weapon

Emma and I spent the morning cleaning house and doing laundry yesterday. Friday is our new cleaning day, which means coming into the weekend with everything fresh and clean. I like it so much better than doing it all on Mondays.

And as we cleaned I realized that we have a cleaning theme--baking soda.

It's an ingredient in the laundry detergent I make. Here's a list of a bunch of different recipes.

I sprinkle it in the sinks, tubs, and toilets before spraying with the cleaner I use.

I use it when washing dishes that are especially hard to clean.

I even wash my hair with it (I have a love affair with hairspray and baking soda plus shampoo removes all the buildup) and my face (added to the cleanser I use it exfoliates gently). And from time to time I brush my teeth with it.

What else can baking soda do? There are all kinds of websites like this one and this one that list ideas and uses.

And let's not forget to mention how inexpensive baking soda is--much cheaper than most cleaning products out there. 

***

Do you have a secret cleaning weapon? A cheap product you can't live without? Do share!

Thrifty treasures

So while I love to wander antique stores, I typically don't have much luck when it comes to finding bargains at thrift shops, used clothing stores, or places like Goodwill. But the tide may be turning...

Goodwill treasures! Look at these darling paintings I picked up for 99 cents each. I love them!

 

I used some of the 3M picture hanging velcro strip things (Have you seen these? They are amazing!) to hang them on the side of my kitchen hutch.

 

I also found a box of dominoes and a whole box of never-been-used vocabulary cards for 99 cents each.

 

AND...

I found a new rolling pin. It was a whopping $2.99. The red handles called my name!

 

It was a good Goodwill day!

Not to mention the new used clothing store near my neighborhood (Uptown Cheapskate on Quebec next to Hobby Lobby at County Line). Found Audrey a winter coat, a couple of dress shirts for Toben, and some camping pants for me. Not to mention...

 

 

Frye boots! My size, a little scuffed, but with like-new soles and polished by Toben and Emma to look like new. I LOVE THESE BOOTS! And I loved them even more when Toben saw them at Nordstrom--the same exact pair!--for $327.95. Especially since I only paid $32.99.

See? (I think it's blurry because he was so excited for me when he took the picture!)

 

So, you found any amazing and thrifty treasures lately? Do share...

(All my photos seem blurry. Think I need to stop relying on my phone so much and get out my camera!)

Making stock

I've been making stock like a madwoman the past few days. I had five rotisserie chicken from a dinner party last week--16 cups of stock each.

A rotisserie chicken is $5. A meal for four. And then I figured that a good price for a can of chicken stock (which is 2 cups) is 50 cents. So 16 cups of stock = 8 cans = $4. Practically free!

Not to mention the turkey carcass left from Thanksgiving that yielded 32 cups of stock. And my 15-pound turkey was FREE since I spent enough at the grocery.

Do you make your own stock? It's so much better than the stuff you can buy and easy as anything.

Here's how:

1. Pick all the meat off the chicken or turkey, put all the bones and skin and giblets and such in a freezer bag until you're ready to make stock.

2. When you have a couple of hours, put the frozen contents of the bag in a stock pot, add an onion (I don't even peel it, just cut it in half), a few carrots, some garlic, maybe some celery, a bay leaf or two, and any leftover vegetables you're not going to eat. Cover with water and boil.

3. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 3-4 hours. Your house will smell AMAZING!

4. Then let cool, strain, and freeze. I freeze my stock in freezer bags (just use the same one you used before). I lay the bags flat on a cookie sheet to freeze and then stack them in the freezer. They don't take up much room that way.

Your soups and pot pies and whatever else you use stock for will taste incredible and you'll save yourself some money to boot!

So $25 of chicken + a free turkey = 112 cups of stock, dinner party for 19 (I'll blog that recipe later!), Thanksgiving dinner for six, leftover turkey sandwiches, chicken and dumplings (because there was chicken meat leftover from the dinner party), and a huge turkey pot pie.

Hmmm...maybe I should be giving my friends chicken stock for Christmas!

Frugal Friday: Costume jewelry

Do you ever feel like you have NOTHING to wear and you're desperate for a whole new outfit, but a bit short on spending money? I totally feel that way--more than I'd like to admit.

I was so excited to visit Detour, a fun shop attached to a salon, in Encinitas last weekend. They have the best costume jewelry--for cheap. Necklace and earring sets on clearance for $5. Buy two and get the third free. Love those kinds of sales!

So often, all it takes is a little new bling to make those same old jeans and tee shirts look smashing and new.

(And have to say that Target is another great place to look. Last Christmas I sent my sis a whole goody bag filled with fun costume jewelry--all found at Target on clearance for $3.24.)

(Sorry for the yellow-y shot. It's the bathroom and the light's not great this time of day.)

Of course, not all costume jewelry is inexpensive. I'd love any of these from Antropologie right now, but they're a little beyond the play jewelry budget.

 

  

I suppose I love costume jewelry too because my Grandmother Friedenstein (yep, that's my maiden name, and yep, I got called Frankenstein--a lot) had a drawer in her dresser FULL of beads and baubles and let me play in them to my heart's content. I so wish I still had it all. 

In the meantime, I'm going to keep adding onto my collection so I can do the same for my granddaughters some day.

(Oh my goodness, I can't believe I just typed that. Me? A grandma? Someday, I suppose. But I think this is the first time I've ever really thought about it. Weird, for sure.)

So, how do you make an old outfit sparkle again without spending a lot of cash?

Frugal Friday: More paper wall decorations

I found this sign at Hobby Lobby a week or so ago on clearance and thought it was worth a $5 investment. But it looked a little plain, so I decided to embellish the wall around it some. And since I had some scrapbook paper, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick, I decided to add some bird silhouettes to the wall.

I'm tempted to go completely overboard with this and cover the walls with all kinds of things--butterflies, leaves, flowers--you name it. 

Got a bare wall? Now you know just what to do with it!

For some silhouette patterns, try Googling what you're looking for--there's tons out there for free.

Thanks for all the tote love!

Wow...lots of love for Emma's library tote yesterday. Thanks! I kept thinking I'd get around to responding to each comment individually last night, but I grabbed a book, ran a bath, and finished my book a couple of hours later. (That water was COLD by the time I finished!)

And while I'd love to whip up a bunch to sell, it's just not going to happen. I'm sure I could make it work for the next week, but then we'll be back in the school thing. And, as much as I hate to say it, it's often cheaper to buy a tote at Target.

By the time I get the fabric and spend several hours on it, I'd have to sell them for more than I'd want to pay for one.

All the same, I do miss my Simple Wife Handmade shop from days past. And I hope to open it again. But it's not for this season of life.

The bracelet book some of you mentioned in your comments? It doesn't ring any bells for me. But if you figure out what it is, let me know. I'd like to read it too!

I'd better hit the shower and get going. I didn't get up until after seven this morning (I know! I'm shocked too!) and I have a new friend coming for lunch at 11 o'clock. So I'd best get moving and make some chicken salad.

I tend to make chicken salad a lot when someone is coming for lunch. It's yummy and always makes me think of Anne and Diana wanting to stay at a hotel and eat chicken salad for lunch every day. Just seems like a girly kind of thing to make!

I'll get out some yummy crackers, slice up some fruit, grab some grapes, and whatever else I can find that sounds good. 

Toben just told me I'd better step on it, so I'm off.

Happy Friday, everyone!

P.S. I visited Fresh & Easy for the first time yesterday. They have a section of clearance produce and I got something like two pounds of peaches for 49 cents. Crazy! So that's my Frugal Friday tip for today--always check the sale section of wherever you're shopping. 

I'll definitely go back. Not for a full grocery trip since they didn't have some of the things I needed, but if I'm passing by and have the time, I'd definitely stop in for produce. I love having fruit around for snacks and their produce prices were great.

I do know people who shop sale ads for groceries and visit all kinds of stores in a week. I typically don't do that because I don't want to make the time. What about you? Do you shop at a bunch of different stores each week? How do you make it work? Is it worth the time of driving all over the place?

Frugal Friday: Make a grocery list

I was thinking about what to post for Frugal Friday since I skipped last week, thinking about my new app for grocery shopping on my iPhone, thinking about planning meals, thinking about how much grocery money is left in my wallet (which is not as much as I'd like).

And it all just sort of came together in this Frugal Friday tip: Make a grocery list and stick to it. Pretty simple, huh?

This is something my mom taught me when I first got married. Plan detailed menus, make a detailed grocery list (and go ahead and list it in the order of your grocery store--or at least grouped by item type), and stick to the list! (That's the really important part--did you catch that?)

It's the details that make it possible. If you need three kinds of jam, put it on the list. If you need a two-pound bag of M&Ms, put it on the list. Six bags of popsicles? On this list it goes.

That's the advice. That and don't grocery shop when you're hungry. I have and it always involves buying some junk food I don't need, wolfing it down as I shop, and then paying for an empty box at checkout while the checkout person looks at you funny.

I had a list last weekend, but didn't stick to it, and was astounded when the cashier told me my total. WHAT? My list wasn't all that long and I was expecting a total of half the amount she said. Whoops.

You can bet I'll be sticking to my list (once it's made) later today. Either that or I'll have to take stuff out of the cart when I run out of money. And I hate it when that happens!

Frugal Friday: Simple air conditioning

Have I mentioned that it gets hot here in Phoenix? 

I love having air conditioning at home--something we don't have in our Denver home. Every time I walk in our house from melting outside I think, I love, love, love air conditioning!

I once flew first class to Paris. (And promptly said I'd never fly anything else. Which, of course, means I've hardly flown first class since!) One of the things in the goodie bag they gave me (do they still do that?) was these little misters from Evian. 

Of course, they don't call them "misters"--they call them brumisateurs. You can buy them here or you can make one for next to nothing.

I got this little spray bottle from the dollar store in a pack with a lotion container. So it cost 50 cents. Fill it with water, put it in your purse. And, voila! Air conditioning that goes where you do.

Spritz it on your face or arms, or directly into the AC vent in the car when it's still cooling down and you need some cool mist.

That's my tip for today. Want to share one of yours?

Frugal Friday: Coffee bar

This is my coffee bar. It keeps everything I need together--all on a cute vintage tray. (And that's a HUGE basil plant I got the other day at Trader Joe's for $2.99!)

I am a coffee girl--can't start my day without it. And though I'd love to run through the drive-through at Starbucks every morning, it's just not possible.

I need my coffee as soon as I wake up. There's just no time to get dressed and head out to get some. And I just can't afford it.

So I'm an at-home coffee girl. (I've tried all different kinds and am hooked on the Folger's Gourmet coffee these days. Vanilla nut or hazelnut. It's cheaper than a lot of other flavored coffee and is so yummy. I mix it with regular coffee I find on sale--just about half and half. The flavor is still strong enough and it makes the yummy flavored stuff last longer.)

And these days with it being a million degrees outside, I've been making a full pot each morning and saving the left-over in the fridge for an iced coffee treat in the afternoon. I bought some flavored syrup to pour over ice with milk and coffee.

Yum.

(The shave ice maker makes super fine ice which makes an extra frosty coffee drink!)

Frugal Friday: Bath cleaner

I found a recipe before we left Denver for homemade bath cleaner that I scribbled down in the notebook I keep in my purse. So I grabbed the ingredients at WalMart (Dawn dish soap and white vinegar) and an empty spray bottle and mixed it up lickety-split.

And it works great.

Just a word of warning: The vinegar smell is VERY strong. It doesn't really bother me, but if you can't stand the smell of vinegar, don't even try it!

Frugal Friday: Thinking some more about laundry

So one of the first things I did when we arrived was to make up a new batch of laundry detergent. So easy! And cheap! And it works! (Even in a front-load washer--not that I have one, but I've heard it does.)

I can't believe how much money this saves. Not to mention waiting in line at Costco and lugging the huge thing of detergent home along with all the other heavy stuff from there.

I've been washing all of our clothes in cold water and they've been getting just as clean--more money saved!

Know what this is? 

Since we're out here in the desert now where it's super-duper hot, I spent $7.32 (or something like that!) at WalMart to buy a retractable laundry line. So now everything gets hung to dry outside. 

More money saved! 

Not to mention not heating up the house any more than necessary!

I've always kept a drying rack in the basement to dry delicates, so it's now set up outside on the patio too. With three sets of sheets and all those pillowcases, I filled both the line and rack full this morning. Everything dried in less than an hour, and the drying rack is now full again with beach towels and swimsuits.

I do wish the laundry line was just a bit longer, so I'm thinking I may need to go get a second one to run between the last two patio posts.

Got any Frugal Friday tips tucked away you wanna share? I'm all ears...

How to spend $32 a month

 I read this quote the other day and can't get it out of my head:

"Those of us who live in affluent circumstances accept our duty to develop a simple life-style in order to contribute more generously to both relief and evangelism." 

--Richard J. Foster, Freedom of Simplicity

I've been following the Compassion bloggers in India and am overwhelmed.

You can spend $32 each month on all kinds of things:

• Dinner out
• Going to the movies
• Cable television
• Drinking fancy coffee
• Getting a manicure or a pedicure
• A new shirt or skirt or pair of shorts
• Fabric
• Lunch with a friend 
• Magazines 
• A new pair of shoes (or at least one shoe!) 
• Books

Or you can change a child's life in a dramatic way.

I'm not saying these things are bad. And I know that times are tight. But we have been given the gift of living where we do. And with that comes responsibility. We've been given much in order to give much. Maybe the reason we need to be frugal and save is so that we can be generous and give.

What can you go without so that a child can have just a small fraction of what you do? Go visit Compassion and look at the faces of these children--God's children--and see how YOU CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR WORLD.

All too often, we feel overwhelmed by the world's huge problems. It's easy to think that one person can't change anything. But that's a lie. A lie that results in inaction. Take a stand, make a difference. One life is a lot to change.

Recycling is way cool

Yesterday was our last Brownie meeting of the year. (And I have to say, I'm a little happy about that. I love those girls, but after six years of leading Girl Scouts, I'm ready for a break.) We went on a field trip to the recycling center. (Thanks, Melissa, for setting it up--great idea and awesome job!)

This place is a sorting center where they separate everything into like categories and then ship it off to be recycled. Newsprint to make more newspapers. White paper to make more white paper or paper towels or tissue paper. Plastic bottles to be made into fleece or yarn or the filling in winter coats. Cardboard to make more cardboard.

Recycling is cool.

(I can't believe I left my camera in the glove box of my car and then promptly hopped in Melissa's car for the drive there. Not one picture. Huge square bales of colorful aluminum cans weighing 1000 pounds. Bales of laundry detergent bottles, or plastic bottles, or tin cans.)

I mentioned the other day that our trash cans are nearly empty now that we've started recycling more. (We've always recycled--well, since living in California where it's practically--maybe actually is?--the law. But we recently got more intentional about it.)

And I'm guessing that from all we learned that we'll recycle EVEN MORE after yesterday. 

Because all paper can be recycled. "If you can tear it, it can be recycled." The biggest rule we learned. "No plastic bags." They gunk up the machines. Take those to the grocery store.

Only 20 percent of households recycle in the Denver area, which is a horrendous statistic. This is Colorado! Look at the natural resources we've been given! Why doesn't everyone recycle?!

• Did you know that a plastic water bottle lives in a landfill for 400 years before turning into dirt (or whatever it turns into)?
• It takes 100 years for an aluminum can to break down?

Is that crazy or what?

Most of the trash we throw away these days is kitchen trash. And I'm thinking that if we were staying here, one of the projects this summer would be to come up with a compost thing-y. Definitely for summer 2010 when we move back.

Take your kids, your Girl Scout troop, your Boy Scout troop, your family to tour a recycling center. You'll be glad you did, I promise.

And we learned there's a fourth R in the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra now. REACT. You can know it and sing it along with Jack Johnson. But you have to actually DO IT.

You recycle, right?!

Frugal Friday: Laundry detergent

I finally ran out of laundry detergent so I could make some from the recipe Kimberly shared. She's right--it took hardly any time at all to make and the ingredients are cheap! 

I think I spent a total of $8 or $9--and it only took 1/2 cup each of Borax and washing soda, so those will last me a long, long time.

Here's the original link to her site with all the recipes she shared.

I was so excited to use this enamel pot to store it in. I love enamel ware and try to use it, but this is a container that's just been sitting out looking pretty so far. It looks much prettier to me now, knowing it's being used for a purpose.

See the little tag in the picture? I took Kimberly's recipe and made a little card so it'll always be handy. I laminated it too--so it won't get spilled on.

Want one?

You can download the PDF file here. Just put a 3 x 5 index card in your printer and you're good to go!

Download Homemade Laundry Detergent

Do you have any other easy housecleaning recipes? Leave a link and share with the rest of us!

Frugal Friday time again

Seems like it's been a while since I did one of these, what with my bloggy break and all.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I made those cleaning wipes--and WOW! Easy (though sawing through the paper towels is no fun without an electric knife), inexpensive, and they work great. Plus, I LOVE the smell of PineSol. Weird, but true. 

(I love bleach and Lemon Pledge too. It just smells CLEAN!)

I only had one container the right size around, so the ones I made are in the girls' bathroom--and they are using them. I'm headed to Wal-Mart on my way home from school later this morning to get two more--one for my bathroom, and one for the downstairs bathroom.

Oh, and I didn't drill a hole in the top of the lid. I figure that we can just take the lid off and on. That will keep them from getting dried out.

This is the post with all the recipe links.

Okay, so groceries.

I've continued to keep track of the money we spend on groceries so I can get an accurate idea of how to budget. A couple of you have asked for menu plans. Here's the thing, I cook something different every week and it's just what sounds good, what uses what I have on hand. If you want some great ideas, visit my friend Meredith here. 

Though I really want to be one of those coupon-y moms who saves more than she spends, it just doesn't work for me. I just don't buy lots of stuff that there are coupons for. 

I don't buy much prepared or packaged food, but I buy lots of produce and always the store or generic brand of whatever else I need. Mostly, I cook from scratch which seems to be the best way to save money on groceries. Too often it seems like the coupon brands are still more than the store brand--even with the coupon discount.

That said, I do pay attention to what's on sale and even try to look at the grocery fliers in the mailbox when I remember. I always price compare. But I guess it comes down to the fact that I don't want to spend the time going from store to store and finding coupons for stuff I actually need.

Are you a coupon mom? Does it work for you? Any hints for anyone wanting to be one? Leave a link or a tip in the comments.

Been thinking some about time too. My basement (unfinished) is a pit--I'd planned to clean and organize before I started seminary, but then I hurt my back and couldn't move, let alone move furniture and bend over to pick up stuff.

I don't seem to have a whole day I can devote to organizing and cleaning down there, and I'm thinking it might be time to do a "ten-second tidy" like Lunette the clown from that PBS show "The Big Comfy Couch."

Well, maybe not 10-seconds, but perhaps 30-minutes. Setting the timer for a short period of time is a good way to get stuff done. Maybe tackling it in 15- or 30-minute chunks of time is the way to go.

Okay, this is way too long. And I've been pushing it to the limit to get ready for school this week. I hate feeling rushed and being late, so I need to go ahead and get in the shower and get going. Plus, my girlies are up and they need some hugs!

Frugal Friday on Saturday morning

I took Audrey to get some skin care stuff at Ulta a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure I'm ready for her to be ready for that, but her skin was starting to get a few little blemishes and it seems like a good idea to get her in the habit of caring for her skin before it's really necessary.

Anyway.

The gal told me that one of the best things for exfoliation is a sugar scrub. And not a brand you buy, but just plain old sugar from the kitchen. Make a paste with some water and use it on those areas where you need a little extra help.

So I put some sugar in some pretty jars (I made one for me too) and have been using it on those areas where I tend to get blackheads or dry skin. And I have to tell you I could feel an IMMEDIATE difference. In just a week or so, my skin is much softer and smoother. I can see a difference too! (Just be sure to rinse really well!)

Next up on my list to figure out? Homemade Lysol wipes.

When I keep wipes in all the bathrooms, the bathrooms stay clean. The girls are great about wiping up the counters and sink when there are wipes quickly available. Otherwise? Not so much. But they're so expensive.

As I was waking up this morning, I was thinking how I used to make my own baby wipes and thought the same idea might work. So I'm off to see if I can't find a recipe. 

Happy Saturday!

I thought I'd Google it quick and found a great site. Click here for all kinds of recipes. I am SO making these!

Frugal Friday: The Richest Man in Babylon

The Richest Man in Babylon is a little book of parables on the topic of wealth, thrift, and financial planning. My dad gave this book to Toben for Christmas in 2004; I picked it up a month or two ago and read it since it's been in my "to read" pile for a while. 

I'm glad I did.

It's not so much information that I didn't know, but it's presented in an easy-to-read format in a such a way that it makes a lot of sense and is easy to remember. As I've started handling our finances in the past few months, I've already put some of the principles into action and am seeing a big difference.

The book presents seven principles that will give you an idea of the tone of the book:

1. Start thy purse to fattening.
2. Control thy expenditures.
3. Make thy gold multiply.
4. Guard thy treasures from loss.
5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment.
6. Insure a future income.
7. Increase thy ability to earn.

As you can tell, the language is a little flowery and a little bit hokey, but it's worth your time to read. Especially if you're concerned with saving, getting out of debt, or just being smarter with your money.

Wonder Woman

When I was a little girl I wanted to be Wonder Woman when I grew up. I practiced twirling, had the Wonder Woman set of wristbands, headband, belt, and golden lasso of truth. I even had my very own invisible jet, though you'd be hard pressed to see it yourself.

(I had Wonder Woman Underoos too. Wish they still made them so I could get some for Audrey and Emma. But look at these. I may have to put them on my Amazon wishlist!)

The girls and I spent a bunch of time watching old Wonder Woman episodes from Netflix. We cancelled our Netflix back in December to save some money every month, so we've been Wonder Woman-less for a while.

But my friend sent me a couple of websites the other day for free movie/tv downloads and I found Veoh, that has a bunch of Wonder Woman episodes you can watch for free!

Check out these websites too:

Joost

Hulu

Fancast

You may have known about these, but they were new to me. Especially in these days of cutting back financially, it's great to find something fun for free!

Frugal Friday: Saving time

I was thinking the other about my time, about getting to bed on time, about reading for fun, getting homework done, and so on. Saving time and the things that help me have time to do what needs to be done.

And I realized that my biggest time saver is not watching TV.

We have a television. Two, in fact. One in the family room, one in Toben's office. But they're not on much.

We don't watch television on school nights--unless Toben's out of town. Then we'll have a movie night treat or watch some "kid shows" for fun while we eat popcorn for dinner. 

Fully realizing that some of you may pass out, I'll go ahead and admit that I've never seen an episode of American Idol, The Bachelor, or Dancing with the Stars (is that even on still?). I don't watch The Office, ER, Lost, or any other show like that.

(I'm racking my brain. Are these the shows "everyone" watches? I don't even know what's on these days!)

If I do turn it on during the day, it's to watch part of an episode of What Not to Wear or Little House on the Prairie while I eat lunch.

What about you? How much time do you spend watching TV? Are you a TV girl? Why, or why not? Inquiring minds want to know!

Frugal Friday: Some link love

I've really been struck by how much we waste as a culture. Food, packaging, you name it. Maybe it's reading the Molly books in the American Girl series and seeing how the whole country worked together to conserve for the war effort, maybe it's because today is trash day.

Around here, I've been waiting until something is ALL gone before going out to replace it. That's new for me. I do use it eventually, but I tend to stockpile things. Instead I'm using all those travel-sized shampoos here and there that are half full, lotions, deoderant, saline solution.

And when the shampoo is gone, I'm going to use Kimberly's method of hair washing. She says it's been great for shine and reducing tangles. Something the girls would definitely appreciate.

Kimberly is an amazing woman, a kindred spirit--a woman I'm glad so blessed to call my friend. And even a face-to-face friend, at that! (Though we did meet through this blogging world.)

She did a post (just for me!) with some recipes and links I've been requesting. Go here and check it out--shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent.

Frugal Friday: My Best Money Saving Tip

My all-time, number one, best tip for saving money? 

STAY HOME.

If I don't see it...

I don't want it, 

I don't think I need it, 

I don't go around and around in my mind to justify it, 

I don't bring it home,

I don't work to find a place to put it,

I don't spend it.

Pretty simple, huh?

I can't even begin to imagine the money I've saved by only going to Target once in the past two months. (Can you believe it? Used to be that I'd go at least once a week. And while I kind of miss wandering up and down the aisles, all I've missed is spending money I don't need to spend.)

Because let's be honest, though I run in for one thing, I end up buying lots more--just because it's on sale, or it's cute and caught my attention, or because I'm bored and think that somehow whatever it is will make me happy. Why tempt myself?

What's your all-time, number one, best tip for saving money?

Frugal Friday on Saturday: Tissue paper flowers

So many of you love the tissue paper flowers we put up in Emma's room. I'm loving them! Every time I walk in there I love them even more.

As I mentioned, we used a Martha Stewart kit. You can see some like it here. (I don't see the exact kit we used, but there are some similar--and even some cute small flower kits.) 

Michael's accepted our 50 percent off coupon from Jo-Ann's, so we got them for $10. But I think you could make them yourself for even less.

Here's a link that shows you how.

And here's a video link too.

The key thing is using enough paper,  I think. The ones in that linked tutorial don't look as poufy as the ones we made. The kit had something like 14 layers of tissue. 

And making your accordian fold nice and even.

As for trimming the ends, some of our flowers had a rounded edge like the tutorial, others had more of a pointy end for more of a spiky looking flower. (You can see what I mean in the picture above.)

The kit came with wire to put around the middle--probably an 8-10 inch length. I used sewing thread to hang the flowers from hooks on the ceiling.

Wouldn't it be fun to make all different sizes? And to use different colored tissue papers in one flower. Perhaps some red and silver, or yellow and orange, or even patterned paper. There's so much fun tissue paper out there--the possibilities are almost endless!

(Do you save your tissue paper? I have a drawer full that I save--crumpled paper would work just as well, I think. And that means making this is practically FREE!)

Frugal Friday: Mocha, anyone?

I think it's always nice to get or give a Starbucks card for a coffee treat from time to time, but even $5 gift cards can add up for friends and neighbors and teachers. 

Giving homemade mocha mix is much cheaper and a jar of this mix is the equivalent of many, many mochas at Starbucks (which are sometimes too syrupy and sweet).

My mom has always had this mocha mix on hand and I've loved it since I was a kid. (She'd make it with decaf coffee so Kristen and I could have some too!) 

In fact, I have lots of memories of sitting around a table (in the camper, in a condo in Breckenridge, in the kitchen, at a campsite), drinking mocha, eating Mom's Cookies, and playing Rummy 500.

I keep my mix in a big pickle jar--so I always have lots on hand.

I made small jars (I was out of big canning jars) of this mix for all my Girl Scout leaders at school. I cut a circle of Girl Scout scrapbook paper to cover the top of the canning jar (then put the ring on top) and made a label with ingredients (so recipients know what's in it in case of allergies) and directions.

Quick, easy, economical, and much appreciated!

Mocha Mix

(I usually make HUGE batches of this in my stock pot, so I've put larger quantities in parentheses if you want to quadruple the recipe)

• 1 cup (4 cups) unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups (8 cups) sugar
• 2 cups (8 cups) nonfat dry milk powder (I've also used lactose free powder)
• 2 cups (8 cups) dry nondairy coffee creamer (you can also use a flavor like vanilla or hazelnut!)
• 1/2 cup (2 cups) instant coffee (regular or decaf--up to you!)
• 1 (4) vanilla bean, cut up (I sometimes leave this out--it's expensive!)

Stir together, mixing well. Store in jars and let sit one week before using. 

To make mocha, add boiling water to 2 or 3 tablespoons of mocha mix in your favorite mug. Enjoy!

P.S. Save those jars--jam, spaghetti sauce, salsa, and so on--and you'll have all the containers you need by Christmas if you want to make this for teachers, neighbors, and friends!

Frugal Friday: Back to the envelope system

I've recently taken over managing the money around here at Toben's request. I've created new budget spreadsheets (love that Excel and it's built in formula things!) and am paying close attention to where our money goes.

So we've gone back to the envelope system. This is how my parents budgeted when they first got married. An envelope for everything, filled with a finite amount of cash. When it's gone, it's gone.

I've really only created three main envelopes--an emergency cash stash (Christmas money, sales from things on Craig's list, random cash income), groceries, and gas/car washing. As we put money in or take money out, I'm recording it right on the envelope along with the date. All the change goes back in the envelope, along with any receipts. I keep a running total, so I always know how much is in there.

 

As we've set a new budget, it's easy to drastically cut what we say we'll spend on something like groceries, but it doesn't always reflect reality. In fact, Toben and I were just talking about how much we've actually spent on groceries this month so far--much higher than we anticipated.

We're really taking this first month to get an accurate record of what we spend. We're cutting back and trying to be frugal, but if we need something we're buying it. And some months are just more expensive than others. This month we ran out of laundry detergent, chicken breasts, cat food, toiletries, and some other expensive things that really raised the grocery bills. But because we bought those things this month, we won't have the same expense next month or the month after.

We've also cut way back on spending money, which has been fine for me since I'm in school all day and never near a store. But it's been much harder for Toben. He loves to spend money! As he's wondering where his money has gone (and the money he's had from my spending money too), we've talked about keeping his spending log. And it's something I'm going to do too.

I've mentioned this idea before--especially with keeping track of time--and it's nothing complicated. Just tucking an index card in your wallet and recording what you spend--every penny. That way you know how much you spent on eating out and all those little things that don't seem to be a big deal but add up quickly.

I've also recently read a great book on money--more in another post. 

And if you don't know my friend Meredith over at Life at 7000 Feet go meet her. She has great frugal tips, meal planning ideas, and is hosting a January No Spend challenge. I know the month is way more than half over, but it's worth checking out!

P.S. Feel free to grab the button. If you want the code, you can find it here.

Frugal Friday: Shopping at home

Having an overflowing fridge and pantry makes me happy. Not sure why. But having a full cupboard makes me feel secure. The truth is, it's not really necessary. 

Yes, it's a good idea to have some food on hand for last-minute meals (but really, we plan our menus, so that's not all that necessary) and for days when we're sick (a can or two of chicken noodle soup--or better yet, a batch in the freezer), but I don't need 20 packages of ramen noodles or 3 cans of coconut milk or 6 jars of spaghetti sauce. Things get lost in the back of the pantry shelves, food goes bad even in the fridge, and we end up with waste.

I end up spending more money on groceries than I need to--all because we "might" need something.

So I think it's time to start grocery shopping from the pantry as we plan menus and to use more of what we have and buy only what we need.

I'm still going to buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so, but I think this will help us be more aware of what we're buying and consuming.

So, what do you buy in bulk? What's in your pantry or fridge that you can use this week?

Here's what we buy in bulk:

• beef (once a year from South Dakota)
• chicken breasts from Costco
• toilet paper and tissues, also from Costco   

That's about it, I think. I will buy larger bags of things like rice and hashbrowns if it's cheaper to buy that way. Or grab an extra of whatever it is if it's buy one, get one free. But I'm going to be more careful of buying things only because they're on sale, or look good to me as I walk through the store with a growling stomach. (Being hungry is the worst when you're shopping for food--my mom taught me that when I first got married!)

Here's what we can use that's in the pantry and freezer:

• lentils
• cellophane noodles
• coconut milk
• pasta 
• tomato soup
• hamburger helper
• chili seasoning 
• ramen noodles
• a giant turkey in the freezer

This is a great recipe site--I love that you can select ingredients that you have on hand and find recipes that use those ingredients.

And I just saw this link on Facebook the other day. It lists the top ten most economical ingredients and then has links to recipes. Some new things to try as you're planning next week's menu! Thanks, Jen!

Rice pillows or socks--a great gift to make

Gift giving can add up fast. As Meredith said, it's easy to bleed money in December. It can be all too easy to spend huge amounts of money on something--anything--for the people on your Christmas list.  

While I don't make gifts for everyone (there are those who just don't appreciate handmade gifts), making gifts can be a thoughtful and economical way to go. (Some handmade items are not economical, which you know if you're a crafty girl. Those supplies can add up quick!)

But this gift is super quick, super easy, and super appreciated.

A few years ago, I made rice socks for my parents as a Christmas gift. Inspired by a Martha Stewart Good Thing, I filled an argyle sock with rice and tied a knot. Heated in the microwave for two minutes, it wraps your neck and shoulders in delicious warmth, soothing any aches and pains.

I couldn't find this on Martha's site, but here the original article in an old issue:

I've seen some great knee socks at Target this winter--two gifts for the price of one pair of socks!

For Christmas,  Janna made me a rice pillow--and I love it. It's a perfect lap size, fits behind the small of my back on the couch, great for snuggling with at bedtime.

So I made a couple of rice pillows as gifts. I made mine similar to Janna's, but I made an inner pillow filled with rice and then made a pillow cover for the outside. That way, the cover can be removed and washed.

Here's the one I made for my mom out of some fabric in my stash (or at least the embroidered cover part of it--monograms again!):

Sew a basic rectangular pillow out of muslin or plain fabric, leaving an opening. Fill with rice until it feels like the right amount (you can also add lavender or an essential oil if desired) and sew the opening shut. Then make a pillow cover slightly larger. That's it. Don't use anything metal--it's going to go in the microwave to get warm!

Here's another tutorial for a rice pillow, and an eye pillow too.

And one more tutorial here.

Did you make any great gifts for Christmas that didn't cost much but greatly appreciated? Leave a link in the comments and tell us all about it! Because it's never to early to start Christmas crafting!

P.S. I think it may become Frugal Friday around here.

An economy of words

I was thinking the other morning about words--the kinds of words I use, the ways in which I use them, what God has to say about my words, how I save or spend them.

Is there an economy of words? Just because there's no limit of the words we speak, does that mean we shouldn't spend them wisely?

Over the last year, I've prayed a lot about God setting a guard over my lips, about my mouth being filled with his Word, about knowing the right word to say and the right time to say it.

Because we do spend words. We can waste them or invest them, but once they're spent, there's no getting them back. As much as we wish we could take back our words, we cannot.

The book of Psalms has a lot to say about the ways we use our mouths and the words we say. In fact, the Bible as a whole has a lot to say about our words. But I've been reading Psalm 89 this past week and it begins this way:

I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; 
with my  mouth I will make you faithfulness known through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (v1-2)

How am I spending my words? What am I singing about, using my mouth to make known, declaring?

Is it...

• arguing
• complaining
• worrying
• nagging
• gossip
• silliness
• lies?

Or am I using my words for...

• confession
• praise
• prayer
• encouragement
• testimony
• teaching
• instruction
• song 
• truth? 

I want the second list to be the one that's true of me, but all too often I'm singing the same old songs from the first list, rather than singing a new song. One of praise and adoration.

The truth is that we are not saved to simply sing that same old sad and sorry song. No! We have been chosen by God to sing a new song.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

Are you singing the same old song? Isn't it time to "sing to the Lord a new song"?

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD all the earth.

Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations, 
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary. (Psalm 96:1-6)

P.S. That last line just stood out to me. If I'm needing strength (and I sure do, don't you?), the place I need to be is in his sanctuary. No where else.

Using the whole orange

I pulled this out of a magazine years ago, drawn by the combination of chocolate and orange--always a good one. And while I did dip them in chocolate for the Christmas tea in 2002 (as noted on the recipe), I keep them plain (well, dipped in sugar but not in chocolate) to put in cookies and scones.

Here's how to make them in case that type in the picture is too small.

First, cut the orange peel into strips and bring to a boil in a saucepan of water. Then set aside while you create a sugar syrup, by combining 1 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup of water and bringing to a boil.

Add the strips to the sugar syrup and simmer for 30 minutes. Then drain and set out on waxed paper to dry. While they are still tacky, sprinkle with sugar. I let them dry a bit longer, then put all the strips and sugar in a plastic bag and shake to coat completely.

Let dry and then store in a sealed container. Chop and add to scones and cookies as desired. (Here's my favorite scone recipe. Try the candied orange peel, chocolate chips, and pecans as your add ins. Mmm...)

There's a lot about not wasting things in The American Frugal Housewife. And while I'm not going to chop leftover meat and vegetables to make into mince meat or meat pie, I am going to be more aware of what I'm throwing away. Am I "using the whole orange" as it were? Does whatever it is have further use? Am I throwing it away out of laziness?

In the kitchen, that makes me think about using the whites or yolks of eggs if a recipe only calls for one. It means making stock from leftover chicken, turkey, or beef bones (something I've done for years and is really very easy). It means eating the leftovers from dinner for lunch instead of letting them hide in the back of the fridge and then throwing them away.

In the rest of the house, it makes me think about boxes and tissue paper, bubble wrap and paper. About rubber bands and paper clips and safety pins. 

I certainly don't want to hoard junk, but at the same time, how often do I go buy something because I threw away the one I had? And even if I don't have use for whatever it is, does someone else? (Think toilet paper rolls and egg cartons and kindergarten classes and preschools.)

So, how do you "use the whole orange"?

I'm an American Frugal Housewife, are you? (At least, I'm trying to be one!)

 

Wow, what a response already to desiring economy in 2009! I'm not exactly sure how this will work, but I think it would be great if we helped each other with accountability and inspiration. 

With that in mind, I'm going to create an "I'm a Frugal Housewife" category for any posts I do on this topic, or any links I find to share. There are so many ways to pursue this--and so little time to find them all. So let's commit to helping each other!

Here's a button if you want one...I'll be putting this image in any post I do so it's quickly identifiable. And I think I'll put it on my sidebar too. No pressure for you to do the same--just if you want to!

<a href="http://thesimplewife.typepad.com/the_simple_wife/2009/01/economy.html"><img border="0" src="https://thesimplewife.typepad.com/frugalhousewifebutton.jpg"></a>

To get just the image, you can click on it and save it to your desktop. Or if you want the button with the code, paste it into your sidebar.

Sorry if this appeared multiple times--took a few tries to get the code to go in correctly!

Economy

I think that 2009 is going to be a year of economy.

This idea keeps popping up--

• using what you have
• not wasting anything
• gathering bits and pieces of time and materials to make something new
• living within the means available
• spending wisely 
• knowing what's needed and what's wanted 
• choosing words carefully--not wasting them
• using resources wisely (to quote the Girl Scout Law)

So what is economy exactly?

Dictionary.com says this (emphasis mine):

e⋅con⋅o⋅my

 

noun, plural -mies, adjective, adverb

–noun

1.	thrifty management; frugality in the expenditure or consumption of money, materials, etc.

2.	an act or means of thrifty saving; a saving: He achieved a small economy by walking to work instead of taking a bus.

3.	the management of the resources of a community, country, etc., esp. with a view to its productivity.

4.	the prosperity or earnings of a place: Further inflation would endanger the national economy seriously.

5.	the disposition or regulation of the parts or functions of any organic whole; an organized system or method.

6.	the efficient, sparing, or concise use of something: an economy of effort; an economy of movement.

7.	economy class.

8.	Theology. a. the divine plan for humanity, from creation through redemption to final beatitude. b. the method of divine administration, as at a particular time or for a particular race.

9.	Obsolete. the management of household affairs.

–adjective

10.	intended to save money: to reduce the staff in an economy move.

11.	costing less to make, buy, or operate: an economy car.

Much of this has to do with financial economy, but I think it also applies to how we spend our time and energy and emotions and words. It applies to housekeeping and homework, purchasing and planning.

God doesn't waste anything. Someone said it to me a week or so ago. And just this morning, I read that nothing is wasted when it comes to time spent memorizing Scripture. I had an "a-ha" moment as the idea of God being a God of economy hit home.

There aren't really any leftovers when it comes to God. He uses everything for our benefit; everything--no matter how seemingly small and insignificant--has purpose and the potential when we give it to him to handle.

We live in a culture in which waste is rampant. We toss food and things and even people aside without a second thought. We create tons and tons of trash.

We are all too often ashamed of economy--worried about what others will think. We feel rich when we waste things, too proud to carry our leftovers home for lunch the next day. We assume that to have value something must be new.

I disagree with the dictionary. I don't think that the idea of economy as the management of household affairs is obsolete. I want to manage our household with economy in the coming year.

Want to join me?

The American Frugal Housewife

My mother gave me this book for Christmas and I loved it. So often, I think we tend to look back in time and think that life was simpler then, that if we only lived during the days of Little House on the Prairie or Little Women or Pride and Prejudice that our lives would be easier. We envy Ma and Jo and Meg, thinking that if we had their lives, we'd be happier and less stressed and busy.

 

First published in 1832, The American Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Economy is filled with wisdom and practicality that shows that our lives as women aren't all that different from then. That even in 1832 they dealt with some of the same things we find challenging today.

Take a look at how the book opens:

The true economy of housekeeping is simple the art of gathering up all the fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean fragments of time, as well as materials. 

We live in a world of left-overs--and so often they are wasted. I love this idea of gathering fragments of time and materials to create something useful. It's quilting--bits and pieces made into something with both function and beauty.

And this from the section entitled "Philosophy and Consistency":

True wisdom lies in finding out all the advantages of a situation in which we are placed, instead of imagining the enjoyments of one in which we are not placed.

Amen! How much time do we waste wishing ourselves in a different place?

And this thought about buying things we don't need:

Do not let the beauty of this thing, and the cheapness of that, tempt you to buy unnecessary articles.

Or this about how we teach our children about money:

In early childhood, you lay the foundation of poverty or riches, in the habits you give your children. Teach them to save everything,--not for their own use, for that would make them selfish--but for some use. Teach them to share everything with their playmates; but never allow them to destroy anything.

We live in a disposable world, but that doesn't mean we have to join in. My great aunt Sissie lived this truth--saving bits and pieces of string and lace and pads of paper. She never wasted anything. And while it became something we laughed at, we have treasures because of it. (Don't you wish you'd saved your Wonder Woman lunchbox? I sure do!)

Of course, there are some outdated things in the book like how to prepare calf's head and make cheese and other recipes I will never, ever try--not in a million years. (Did you know you can eat pig snout? Eww!)

But there's a lot of good stuff in this little book--and I'm going to go back through it again, paying special attention to all I underlined and want to put into practice. Especially the section on "Education of Daughters." Which has enough good stuff for another post on another day.

I've been thinking about 2009 and have been praying about what God wants this year to be for our family. I've not really sensed a clear answer yet, but the ideas of "economy" and "frugality" and "obedience" are intriguing. Living within our means. Financially. Physically. Emotionally.

I'll keep you posted...