Frugal Websites to Share

heart4home.net

frugal-families.com

frugal menu planning

Gifts from Friends Husband

My best friend is great, and her husband has a good heart. For Christmas, he decided to get me a gift. This is not common practice, but maybe he feels that I have been a good best friend to his wife. I had been supporting her through some tough times.

He gave me a gift card to the grocery store, which allowed me to purchase food and litter for my cats. I was very thankful.

A couple of days ago, he asked her to ask me if I wanted a $25.00 Visa card. He didn’t need it, and he knows that I am having a hard time financially.

With this card, I purchased 20 rolls of toilet paper and some cleaning supplies. I was, again, very thankful for his thoughtfulness.

Shannon

Medical Identity Theft

Pennie over at the Empty Nest blog had an post that is of interest to all of us on her blog on January 8th. It refers to medical identity theft, and tells us the basic events regarding her 6 year old granddaughter. You can read the blog here: http://empty-nest.contentquake.com/2009/01/08/medical-identity-theft/#comment-5544.

 

I thought that this was important enough to pass along to everyone. I couldn’t afford to pay off medical debts placed upon me in this way, and I don’t think that anyone else could either.

 

Shannon

Sometimes You Just Have to Turn the Heat Up

Two mornings in a row I woke up and it was freezing in here. I always turn the heat down t 55* before going to bed, but that was not working for me on these two mornings.

So, last night, the weather was calling for an even colder night. -12*. So, I decided to only turn the heat down to 60* last night.

At around 6:00 this morning Zowie came down into my room and said, “Mom, it’s like -30* this morning, I don’t want to go to my class. It’s too cold to walk to the bus stop.” So, I told her that she didn’t have to go. I was not really fully awake yet.

I stayed in bed until 7:30, not even wanting to peek my head out from beneath the blankets. When I finally did, I could tell that turning the heat down to only 60* last night did me no good at all. I should have just left it alone.

So, at 7:30 this morning the temperature was only -21*.  Now, at 8:00 Am, it is only -19*.

So, sometimes, you just have to turn the heat up. It is on 72* here right now, and that is a rarity. It usually is only turned up to 63-65* during the day.

Shannon

Why Pay $4.99 Per Pound of Honey

I was in the grocery store yesterday looking at the prices of honey. I found that I could buy 12 ounces of organic honey for $3.99 and 16 ounces of regular honey for $4.99. I almost walked away until I noticed the 5 pound bottle of honey on the next shelf down, next to the syrup.

It seems that I can get 5 pounds of honey for $12.99, so I am saving a lot of money. Honey does not go bad quickly at all, and we use it at the different holidays when baking for ourselves and others. The cost was getting pretty prohibitive, and I had pretty much decided not to make those recipes any more.

It would be a shame to give up on these recipes, so I am happy to find the cheaper source of honey.

Shannon

Poor Mans Insulation

Snow. Beautiful, white, cold snow.

During the winter months many of us must give our homes adequate insulation extenders. What does this mean?

For me, it means that I bank my home with plastic to help keep more cold air from entering beneath my trailer than would be possible otherwise.

Last winter, while shoveling one day, my stepfather came by to plow the driveway. We had already had too much snow, and there was not much space for him to plow the snow into – we live on a very small lot. I was shoveling as much snow out of the way as I could, right up against the trailer, so that he could do the plowing.

He told me that what I was doing was a good idea, and to shovel it up as high as I could, because snow is a poor mans insulator.

So, when you can, shovel the snow up against your home. Just remember not to cover the windows.

Shannon

Save Money Using Your Crock-Pot

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/save-money-by-using-your-crockpot-slow.html

I came across this article today and thought that it may interest some of you.

I love the crock-pot. I even use it to cook cheap cuts of meat, and they come out awesome.

Also, it is cheaper to use a slowcooker than the stove/oven.

Shannon

Goals for the New Year: 2009

By now, I’m sure that everyone has had the chance to reassess the previous year and decide, at least minimally, on what they want to accomplish in the new year. I am no exception. Here are my goals:

Mental and Emotional Health:

I am obviously not doing well with this one right now.

I will be sure to take the time to do for myself.

I will work through my depression issues, and continue to see Nicole at the doctors office to be sure that the medication is working properly.

I will be who I am; be true to myself. My beliefs matter, and I cannot be happy if my only goal is to make everyone else happy. I have to be true to my own beliefs.

Weightloss/Nutrition:

I did not do too bad over the last year losing weight. I get many good comments from people who can see the results, even people whom I do not know but whom see me walking all the time. Much good praise comes my way from these people. I could have done better, but I am satisfied.

I will continue to lose weight.

I will build some muscle tone.

I will eat better: Watch serving sizes, less carbs, more water.

I will create a fitness program for myself for this winter.

I will try to avoid artificial sweeteners. I have taken time to research these things more deeply, and I do not like what I am seeing. Natural is best.

Simplify and Declutter:

I am such a pack rat. I may need help with this one. I have to decide what is important and what is not. Only keep what I know is needed.

I will simplify my life, even if it means a dreaded schedule! Too much going on…

I will go through each room (except Zowie’s) and declutter.

Writing:

I love to write, but never have enough time to do so. While simplifying my life, it is my intention to make time every week to write. Not just blog, but write stories.

To continue with the Single Mother blog.

To finish my book of short stories.

Finish stories.

Edit and retype where necessary.

Final edit and retype.

To try to sell some of my other short stories.

To try to sell some articles.

Finish outlines for other books that I am planning.

Greening Goals:

Use less plastic and replace some of the plastic items that we have.

Create less waste.

Purchase fewer products with plastic packaging.

Gardening:

Grow more of our own food organically.

Do more composting.

Start seeds early (outside) and cover for an extended growing season.

Learn succession planting.

Heirloom and Open Pollinated seeds, organic. I am begiining the switch-over from genetically modified seeds/foods to real, nutritious foods.

Spiritual:

Choose and area of study for the year.

Meditation.

Others:

Rethink what the holidays mean to me. Certainly not commercialism, materialism. I want to get away from all of that stuff, without feeling guilty about making purchases. Making things for people and creating less waste will be my goals.

Continue to help homeschooling and low-income families.

 

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I will also continue to learn as much as I can about the homesteading way of life.

Shannon