Frugality - Is it hard work?

Being frugal does not always involve work.

• Going for a walk or a picnic in the park instead of going to the movies
• Checking out a book from the library instead of buying a book
• Eating a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup instead of getting fast food
• Making coffee at home instead of going out and buying a cup (even at the fast food place where they "only" charge $1.00.
• Turning the heat down just one degree and putting on one more layer of clothing.

You don't always have to work more, just use your head and you can save MONEY!

Pre-Frugal Days

I wasn't exactly a spendthrift before I became a frugal convert. I didn't buy stuff to make me feel good, in fact I didn't like to spend too much money, but didn't try to save money either. I thought debt was completely normal and wasn't a bad thing.

While looking through a pile of stuff today, I saw a recipe that I decided I wanted to make. Pre-Frugal days I would have done the following:

1. Go to one store and buy everything I needed to make the recipe. Including brand name everything. This store was usually high priced in everything, but it sure was PRETTY.
2. Make the recipe (clean up wasn't until the next morning but that's another post entirely)
3. Complain about life and how expensive it is to cook. Decide that going out to eat costs about the same as home cooking.

Post-Frugal here is what I do:

1. Find recipe.
2. Look in my pantry for items on hand that I need to make the recipe. I shop at warehouses, small local grocery stores, and large chain grocery stores to fill my pantry. Looks don't matter to me anymore, customer service, quality and cost do!
3. Wait for sales to get items needed on the list. This could take several weeks.
4. If the recipe calls for something too expensive, substitute for something I already have on hand (white wine, versus chicken broth).
5. Buy some (not all) store brands - some no name items taste exactly like brand name items.
6. Make the recipe.
7. Brag about how much the recipe cost to make and wonder why people don't cook at home more often.

I love being FRUGAL - it gives you so much more flexibility with your budget!!!

Recipe - My favorite "slaw"

I don't know if it would be called coleslaw or not!

1. Cut up some cabbage, apples and carrots into bite size pieces
2. Sprinkle some lime juice or lemon juice over the top
3. Mix 1/3 c mayo and 1/3 c brown sugar together
4. Pour over the cabbage mixture and let flavors meld

I like this salad best mixed up about an hour before dinner. I leave it out because of my sensitive teeth, but my husband likes it best cold!

This post is linked to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Soup!

I made soup when my sister and her family came to visit and they loved this as much as we do!

Here is kind of how I made it. Isn't that lovely?

• Bake 3 potatoes (do this ahead of time - make sure to wrap in tin foil first)
• Saute some vegies (onion, garlic, shredded carrots, mushroom, whatever you want) in a little oil (or bacon grease - so bad for you but so good!) until soft.
• Add some chicken broth (for our family of 4 I use about ten cups - some homemade and some chicken base or bullion - whatever I have on hand).
• Add broccoli or cauliflower if you want - bring to a boil until fork tender
• Turn the heat down.
• Add some milk (about 2 cups), salt, pepper, garlic powder, whatever else you want
• Throw in the diced potatoes set heat on low.
• Add some cheese (I use sharp cheddar probably 1 cup)

We love cheese so we added more to our own bowls as well. I served this with Challah Bread and baby carrots.

Tightwad Tuesday Tip - Tax Free Income

As I was looking through "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn I found this statement:

"By learning how to optimize my time and resources I can create a tax-free income".

This quote happens to be part of an article about recycling vacuum cleaner bags. I haven't actually done this, but I found the quote very thought provoking.

By "working" the home I have created a tax-free income for our family that adds very little stress for me. I've tried to work outside the home and it was too much for me and our family. I can however contribute to our family's income by saving money. This morning I have done the following:

1. Made pancakes and maple syrup. I make up my own pancake mix so in the morning I only have to add buttermilk, eggs and oil.
2. Made lunch for my kids and husband to take with them.
3. Worked on homemade Christmas gifts.
4. Made one loaf of bread, cinnamon rolls and pizza rolls. Did I want to? Not really. I would have rather done a lot of other things. I know that by making these items, I'm not tempted to buy school lunches for my kids and they have some food to snack on after school.
5. Hung up one load of laundry. I absolutely love to hang up our laundry. It's a bonus that it saves money on electricity and my dryer will last a lot longer since I don't use it as much.
6. Walked outside - didn't have to join a gym since I can walk during the day.
7. Put a frozen roast in the crock pot to cook.
8. Put a whole chicken in the oven so I'll have cooked chicken on hand and I'll be able to make soup for supper tomorrow. I spend a lot of time planning and prepping our meals beforehand because it seems to make our home run a lot better.

All of these items add up to significant Tax-Free savings!

By the way, if you want to read the entire article it's called The $64,000 Question and it's on page 174-175.

Frugal-Families

My home away from home. There is a wonderful group of ladies (and a few men) on that forum that will help ANYONE. You don't have to be frugal to join, they will help you get to where you want to be.

I know just a few people in real life who believe that being frugal is a worthwhile endeavor. These people might not be as dedicated than I am (some might say I'm extreme), but they don't ridicule the things I do. At Frugal-Families, you will find like minded people who truly care and encourage you in your efforts to save money.

At Frugal-Families, you have a huge support group! If you are consistent in reading and posting on the website, you will definitely save more than the $10/YEAR that it costs to join.

Dedicated to Frugality

Or am I just crazy? Who knows! I cut the lotion tube in half because I just knew that there was lotion in there I couldn't get out. Sure enough there is a weeks worth of lotion in there.

How much money did I save? Who knows, not my point here! I'm just showing you that after a while, it becomes natural to save as much as you can.

You can call me crazy, cheap, a tightwad or frugal, just don't call me greedy!

When is Enough, Enough?

You can read my Halloween candy saga here.

We decided to budget $20 to buy Halloween candy because we have a large neighborhood of children. However, when I was planning my trip to the store we only had $17 in cash at home, thus my new budget.

I had printed a couple of coupons off of the Internet so I was able to pick up 150 pieces of candy for $10. I had $7 left, so I thought about buying some tootsie rolls or suckers. After discussing it with my husband he decided that enough is enough! Our town has a Halloween party for all the kids at one of the local hotels and we probably won't be home the majority of the evening anyway.

I find it interesting that after you think about things for a bit, some things just don't seem as important as they once did.

Price Book

What is a Price Book? A tool used to record prices of items you buy frequently at the grocery store.

By recording the prices of items that you frequently buy, you can see how often items goes on sale. You can also see when a "sale" is really a good deal. Often times in the grocery ads you'll see items on sale for just a few pennies less than normal. However, when that item is a loss leader (items generally on the front page of an ad to try and lure you into their store) you'll see it at a very low price.

In the pictures below you can see my price book as well as the bag I use when I go to the grocery store.






In the purse I have my CASH!!! No credit or debit cards!!! I also have my price book in there, my grocery list, a calculator and a pen. Side note: If you don't use cash I strongly encourage you to do this. I've saved a ton of money by using cash (even though I pay off my credit cards every month and received 3% cash back - I STILL SPENT MORE MONEY!!!!). I keep a running total of the prices on my grocery list so I know I don't spend more than I have.

Today I realized just how valuable my price book is when I go to Sam's Club as well. One month ago a case of pears at Sam's was $7.50. Today when I checked and they were over $10.00! They quickly got crossed off of the list. Even though it's still a decent price, I can get apples for $.77/lb right now and we'd rather have those anyway.

When starting a Price Book record just a few items. It's easy to get carried away (ask me how I know!) and then get overwhelmed. When I started this price book I wrote down the prices of butter, eggs, flour, sugar and some different meat prices. Over time I would update my Price Book as I saw sales. You'll see a pattern of sale prices after a while, usually 6-8 weeks. When the item is at an all time low price buy enough to get you through to the next sale.

After a period of time, a Price Book will help you decrease the amount of money you spend at the grocery store.

More Works for me Wednesday posts can be found at We are THAT Family!

Money Question

Why is it that there are a thousand ways to save a dollar and a million ways to spend that dollar?

Chicken vs. Beef

1 Whole Chicken

• Cost per pound = $.79
• Total Cost = $4.48
• Amount of meat = 4 cups
• Amount of broth = 6 cups
• # of meals from 1 whole chicken for our family = 2 meals plus a few leftovers
• Cost per meal for the meat = $2.24

3 Pounds Hamburger

• Cost per pound = $1.49
• Total Cost = $4.47
• Amount of meat = 8 cups
• No broth today
• # of meals from 3 pounds burger for our family = 4 meals
• Cost per meal for the meat = $1.12

Though this took a bit of time to figure out, I now own this information for the rest of my life. I ASSUMED that it was cheaper for us to have chicken meals, but clearly that's not the case. Chicken might be a bit healthier for us, but the hamburger is boiled and then the grease is drained from it so I can't say I'm too worried about it.

If I Had a Real Job - I'd Need Good Shoes

WHAT?!?!?!

That was my thought earlier in the summer. My feet were KILLING me! I had purchased a pair of walking shoes at discount shoe store. Oh they were so cute and cheap. Asics - good brand right? Previously I had bought three other pairs of Asics and had no problems with them. This is amazing for me with my narrow feet and high arches.

Unfortunately, these cute and cheap shoes caused an enormous amount of pain...to the point that I couldn't even go for my daily walk or stand for more than 15 minutes. I was miserable!

Finally I listened to my wonderful husband. He had tried telling me over and over that I needed to go to a specialty shoe store and buy a GOOD pair of shoes that fit my feet. Oh, I tried everything to avoid that since I'm a cheapie girl at heart.

Finally I realized that the real problem was a heart issue...I don't have a real job so why spend $80 for a pair of shoes? Ummmm hellllooooo! It's 9:00AM as I write this and I have made breakfast and lunch for my kids and husband, hung up one load of laundry, made red beans, made hard boiled eggs, swept and mopped, cleaned a window and who knows what else!

In conclusion, I realized that I do have a "real job" and I deserve to have feet that aren't killing me. After I finally went to the specialty shoe store I found a pair of good Asics for $65, then I bought a pair of Dansko shoes (like the ones you see nurses wearing). Oh what a difference!

Today I'm grateful for my husband who sees the value in my job as a homemaker. I'm also grateful for good shoes that don't hurt my feet!

This post is linked to Heavenly Homemakers.

Grocery Spending - How can I save Money?

When I first started down the frugal road, I was working full time and had two young children. I tried to master everything right away. Looking back I'm surprised I didn't get burned out and quit everything.

I remember giving myself $100/week for groceries, walking up and down the isles trying to buy a bunch of convenience items and still stay under budget. Given the fact that I had been spending $600-$1,000 per month that was a bit ambitious and extremely frustrating.

You can get more information about my grocery shopping background here.

Today, my advice would be to pick one of the following ideas and make one small change.

1. If you go to the store every day, try every other day.
2. If you spend $200 per week, try to spend $20 less than that.
3. If you don't ever buy anything on sale, try to wait for a sale.
4. If you don't ever have a plan - make a plan.
5. If you don't have a pantry, buy a few extra items to build up a pantry.
6. If you spend $250 on groceries per month, please give me some advice!!!

There will always be another SALE!!!

One thing I have to remind myself over and over again is the fact that there will always be another sale. Especially at the grocery store or clothing store.

If you don't have the CASH to spend at the store, then it isn't a sale item you NEED!!!

Washing Soda for the Bathtub?

We have tremendously hard water here and I've had a terrible time trying to find something to clean the bottom of my shower. I tried baking soda, vinegar, bleach, soft scrub with bleach, but it was always dingy and dirty looking. I decided to try All Natural Super Washing Soda by Arm & Hammer (100% Fragrance & Phosphate Free). I sprinkled some on, scrubbed it a bit, let it dry for a few hours, rinsed my shower and OH MY GOODNESS!!! What a difference. You can see where I missed a few spots because there is such a huge difference!

As far as I know, Washing Soda is not sold at the big chain grocery stores, but I was able to find it at my small locally owned grocery store for $4.40 per box.

As for the cost - I think it cost me about $.25 to scrub my shower, but believe me, I would have paid a lot more so I wasn't embarrassed when people saw my shower floor! From now on I don't think it'll cost more than a few pennies to keep it maintained.

Go buy some Washing Soda today - it's worth it!

edited to add: You can buy Washing Soda in the laundry section of the grocery store and recently I found it on alice.com (haven't used this website before though). It was a lot cheaper at alice.com.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday!

Why Do You Turn the Lights On?

Is it because you truly need the light? Is it because it's a habit to flip the switch? Why do I even care when it only costs a few pennies?

Pennies turn into quarters and quarters turn into dollars when you are vigilant in your FRUGAL efforts!!!

When I think about how much it costs to leave the lights on, I naturally research it, only to find out it costs pennies. Leaving my computer on all the time, however costs a great deal more. I am reminded again to be more aware of the electricity hogs in our house. Yes, I will keep turning the lights off, better yet, I will stop turning them on when I really do not need them.

This post is linked to Life as a Mom - Frugal Fridays.

Honey Cinnamon Butter

I save a lot of money by making homemade bread. Unfortunately, we do not have a bread outlet store in our small town. The best price I can find for a loaf of wheat bread is about $2.00/loaf. The bread I REALLY like is about $4.00 per loaf. I can make our bread for about $.75.

Our dinner tonight will be filling, but not very fancy so I'll serve my homemade bread with honey cinnamon butter. We like ours sweet with a lot of cinnamon so change my recipe according to your tastes:

1 stick butter - softened
1-2 T honey
sprinkle a lot of cinnamon on top

Mix well and enjoy!

Go find other yummy recipes listed at Gayle's inspiring blog.

Financial Peace University

One more Financial Peace University class update. This week in class we had to write down all of our debts; the monthly amount we pay as well as the total of how much we owe.

I think I was in complete denial! At one point in our lives we had a mortgage of $64,000 and no other debt. We took a leap of faith, moved to another state and my husband went back to college to get a Physician Assistant degree (NOT CHEAP!).

I do not regret this one bit. I would do it over again in a heart beat and we would still have to get some student loans to do this (that's where I disagree with Dave Ramsey). However it was empowering to write down the totals of all the student loan debt that we have.

Knowledge = Empowerment

I'm so thankful Dave Ramsey created the Financial Peace University class.

Is Dave Ramsey Evil?

Why do people act like it? They get mad about his advice, decide to do their own plan, then blame Dave Ramsey when it doesn't work. Since we started taking the Financial Peace University class I've done a lot of research on the Internet. I have found so many success stories about people following his plan. I have also found people who are angry at him and his plan, then whine about it all over the Internet. If you don't like the plan, don't do it.

I don't agree with him on everything, but I can still learn from him. My husband and I are working our finances together for the first time and it's amazing how much more focused we are now because we have common goals. If my husband wants to buy something we haven't agreed upon in the budget, then he needs to adjust it so it is still a balanced budget. The same is true for me.

Unity in marriage is not something to be taken lightly. I would encourage each and every person to attend this class. It's the best marriage counseling $100 can buy. Reading the book is good, but watching Dave speak every week on the DVD is life changing.

So the answer to the original question is no, Dave Ramsey is NOT evil. He wants all of us to get out of debt and to be wealthy. That is not my definition of evil.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce & Variations

Note: I wrote this a while back, and my tastes have changed. I don't add beef base anymore due to the junk that is in it. I usually add a bit of honey instead of brown sugar. The concept is still the same though. 

See the big can of crushed tomatoes in the picture? I think I paid $2.35 it. The Italian sausage was about $3.00 and the rest of the ingredients I had on hand and don't amount to much. My sauce changes each time depending on what I have available. The trick is to put it in the crock pot and let it simmer for hours so the flavors meld together. This is an awesome dinner to start in the morning on those days when you are busy in the afternoon.

I added:

• beef base/bullion
• shredded carrots (from my freezer)
• little bit of red wine
• salt (about 1 t. per 14 oz of tomatoes)
• a LOT of Italian seasoning (1/4 c?)
• basil
• garlic
• garlic powder
• pepper
• brown sugar
• celery powder
• Italian sausage (I cooked this up earlier in the week)
• bay leaf
• onion

I am not fond spaghetti sauce and I really this.

To make enchilada sauce: 2 cups of spaghetti sauce, 1-15oz tomato sauce, 2 T chili powder, cumin and taco seasoning to taste.

To make pizza sauce: add extra virgin olive oil to the spaghetti sauce!

This post has been shared at Grocery Cart Challenge.

Teach a Man to Fish

You know the saying - Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life.

I was thinking about that today as I was making spaghetti sauce. I'm sure some people think it's easier to buy canned spaghetti sauce, but I disagree. It's not only healthier and more economical, it's easier on you because you have a food "starter".

I make a huge crock pot full of spaghetti sauce. We eat one meal and then freeze the rest of the sauce in 2 cup portions. When I need a "can" of enchilada sauce I thaw out some spaghetti sauce, add some seasonings and waalaaaa, I now have enchilada sauce. When I need pizza sauce, I thaw out some spaghetti sauce add some stuff to it and waalaaaaa, I now have pizza sauce.

It's so much easier to buy ten ingredients and make a million things (maybe an exaggeration!) rather than buy ten items, use those ten items and have to go to the store for more food. The same could be said for having baking items in your pantry (flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, etc.) rather than mixes for pancakes, pizza, brownies, etc.

Stay tuned for my spaghetti sauce recipe.

Throwing Away Money

I just literally threw money down the drain. I HATE it when I waste food.

My husband made some wonderful chili last week and I just found it buried in the fridge. The actual cost of the chili that was left was about $.50, but the true cost to me is much more than that! If we can't pull something together for my husband's lunch tomorrow he'll end up spending $5.00 or more going out for lunch due to my lack of planning. GRRRRRRRRR......spoiled food means I'm not paying attention to the details of my job - "working" my home to save money. You may be thinking " it's just a little thing, give yourself a break" however, being aware of all those little things is what saves me a great deal of money when it comes to managing my home.


So, my plan is to write the leftovers we have on the chalkboard that hangs on the front of my fridge so I won't forget what is in there. To keep me organized, my grocery list is clipped at the top and a pen and chalk hang from a string on the clipboard.

One other thing I did to help with the lunch issue (occasionally my husband needs lunch, but he doesn't usually know when he'll need it) was to buy some tuna fish w/ mayo and crackers as well as beef stew in a can he can heat up in the microwave. Though we wouldn't normally buy convenience food, it certainly will save him time and our family money when he needs a quick lunch.

Feed Your Fridge Friday

Scrambled eggs!

Our mornings are always so hectic that I've found if I scramble eggs the day or evening before I plan to make them it makes my life easier. In the morning I whisk them quick and pour them in the pan...saves a lot of time.

Baking bread

I love eating baking bread. Every Monday (well, this week it was Tuesday) I make 3 batches of dough in my Kitchen Aid mixer - best THING ever invented!

Start to finish it takes about 3 hours. Most of that time is spent waiting for dough to rise. The small investment of time provides food for our week.



Shown here is one loaf of bread, one batch of lazy girl cinnamon rolls, and pizza rolls (with spaghetti sauce, pepperoni and cheese). The pizza rolls are perfect for cold lunches. When the rolls are frozen you can put them in the lunch box in the morning and then by lunchtime they are the perfect temperature to eat.


This post is linked to Money Saving Mom's website.

What is Your New Year's Resolution?

Either last year's or the one you are going to make this year?

Why not work on them now? I always thought New Year's resolutions were kind of goofy. Of course I fell into the trap of making them, and quickly breaking them myself.

While reading this article I found it interesting that most of those resolutions listed are goals that I work on throughout the week. One resolution jumped out at me - spend more time with family and friends. I'm not worried about spending time with my friends - right now it's my family time that I need to focus on.

It's amazing to me that as a homemaker I find little time to stop and enjoy my kids and spouse. It's not natural for me to "waste time" or "play".

I have found however, that if I make an effort to spend time with my family they try harder as well. For example, on Sunday my daughter and I made cookies together then the whole family played a game. Later that evening we all worked out in our basement together. I need to remember that family time is one of my biggest priorities right now!

So stop making and breaking resolutions; make a list of goals and how you are going to accomplish these goals. Do it now. Do it TODAY!

Tightwad Tuesday Tip - the Second Income

On page 25 of "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy D. you can read her views on the value of a second income. I haven't read the article in a long time, but I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

My children are in 7th and 5th grade, yet I'm still a homemaker. That's my "only" job. Yet, it's so valuable to our family. When you are a homemaker you have a VERY IMPORTANT JOB. Don't let anyone make you feel any different.

Your job is to manage your home. If you do it correctly it will take up most of the day while your children are at school. Our home runs so smoothly when I have my priorities straight. My husband said I truly manage our home, our home doesn't manage me. We don't live in a crisis mode all the time because I can take care of all of the details. During the week I work very hard, but on the weekends I relax with my family. Occasionally during the week I'll have a cup of coffee with a friend, shop at the mall, take a nap or go to volunteer committee meetings, but for the most part I'm working the home.

I know that when I truly work hard at home (which more often times than not means I'm in the kitchen either cooking, baking or chopping) I save our family hundreds of dollars per month. When (not if) I get lazy/tired/burned out I see those dollars fly out the window!

PS. I just found this comment while I was flipping through the book and thought it fit with this post. On page 174-175 Amy D. says "By learning how to optimize my time and resources I can create a tax-free income." Oh how I wish she would come out of retirement and write more! Or better yet come to my home and guide me throughout my day.

Stop buying a $4.00 latte every day...

You'll be RICH!

I've heard that one too many times and it never fails to irritate me! How many people actually do this? Who can afford the time to stop to get the coffee, the calories of it, let alone the cost. Yes, I know some people do this, but nobody I know.

The last time I heard this advice, I stopped to think what the "experts" are actually saying. Habits hurt us. It doesn't matter if it's a $4.00 latte habit or using $.50 extra per day...everything adds up. It's your attitude that can make a difference.

What habits do I have that cost money to my family each day? Long showers, washing dishes using a lot more water than necessary, turning the heat up, leaving lights on - it all adds up.

What habits do I have that cost me time each day where I could be doing something more productive. Internet time, chatting a little too long when I have a lot to work on, running errands more than necessary, these are just a few.

If I can save $.50 extra per day that is $15.00 per month. I'll take it! 15 minutes per day adds up to 7 hours and 30 minutes...I'll take it!

Getting Paid Every Other Week

Since we've been working on Dave Ramsey's financial plan, we've been trying to balance our monthly expenses with our bi-weekly paychecks. I dislike getting paid every other week because those two "extra" paychecks get lost very easily. I searched high and low on the Internet to try and find a good plan for us, but couldn't find anything that made sense to me.

I finally had a light bulb moment! I emailed our credit union (they are SO accommodating!) to ask them if they had any ideas and they told me about the mortgage savings plan. With every paycheck my husband receives, we can put half of the mortgage in a separate savings account. On the 10th of each month the mortgage will automatically be paid from this separate account. Then when we do get the "extra" paycheck we'll easily see it in the savings account. Although you could do this yourself, I like the idea of the credit union taking care of the details.

Until we start getting paid once a month this works for me! Now, on to finish the rest of the cash flow plan.

Financial Peace University - Session 2

The number one cause of divorce in America is because of money. So why aren't we doing something about it? My hubs and I are not that much different when it comes to money. We are one of the few lucky couples. We've had very few arguments about money over the last 17 years of marriage.

Dave Ramsey in this session talked about the differences between men and women and how they handle money. I found it interesting that he said women have a gland that men do not have. He called it the "security gland". We need to have money put away so we feel secure. Men cannot understand it at all, but they can respect it. Women like to hunt (AKA shop) and hunt and hunt before they purchase anything. Men like to negotiate.

He also talked about different personalities when it comes to money: the nerd and the free spirit. The nerds love excel spread sheets, budgeting, and talking about money while free spirits don't like it at all.

Even though we don't have major conflicts about money, we learned a lot about ourselves and each other during this session. I'm a complete nerd and could look at this stuff for hours, while my husband has a few nerdly tendencies but is mostly a free spirit. One is NOT better than the other! You balance each other out if you appreciate the other person and what they contribute to your discussions!

This week we are going to have a budget committee meeting where both of us have get to have input into OUR family budget.