SEW-SEW

It has been a long time since I had my sewing machine in use. I have a clothes basket sitting here with several things that needed a seam sewn up, some altering or repair. Plus I have a few tops hanging on the hall tree that are too big and I want to take them in. They are so stretchy that I should have gotten a size smaller to begin with, but wasn't able to return them.

So far I have fixed a pair of slacks, tightened the elastic in another pair, and shortened a new pair of slacks that I have never worn. I got it maybe two or three years ago, ordering it online. It fit fine except it was way too long. I didn't have time to mess with it at the time so hung it in the closet and proceeded to forget about it, until I unearthed it recently. I had to shorten it 4 1/2 inches! Now I am not petite, but am 5'8". I know some pants are longer so one can wear high heels with them, but I would need high platform with 4" heels! I could never have worn those even when I was young and able, and now need shoes that are flat. These slacks are rather flowing and sort of look like a long skirt, so now I need a special occasion to wear them.

I will get to the rest of the pile eventually but with the chance of thunderstorms the next few days, I have unplugged the sewing machine. These new computerized machines take extra care. I just looked out my north window and the sky is looking like there could be rain. I will have to check the radar to see if it is heading in my direction.

With that, I will sign off and shut the computer off just in case.

NO SPEND MONTH

Some of my blogger friends will do a no-spend month, trying to save some money. And several do a pantry/freezer challenge to use up some food that has been 'hanging around' a little too long, and again trying to save money.

I have had some large bills to pay in December and January and am now trying to catch up. My no-spend month has turned into two months and might last even longer. I am by no means lacking anything so it hasn't been so hard to do, but when I see some good sales I am tempted to shop for bargains. And those 'bargains' are for things I really don't need so they really aren't bargains after all. When I get emails telling me of big sales I just delete without reading them. Yes, I would like some new bedding as my comforter is looking pretty sad, plus could use some new pillows. But right now neither one is necessary, and there will always be other sales in the future.

In December I had to pay my annual premium for Medicare supplement insurance, which is huge. Add to that my 6 month car insurance bill, and annual home renter's insurance, car license and I forget what else. The only way I know I will have enough money for these bills is to use the cash envelope system. I also keep track of my income and spending with a computer software program, but I need that visual of cash in an envelope, even if it is play money.



In my January Walmart bill I had charges from Nov 25 and Dec. 18 for store purchases and Dec. 11 for an online purchase. Most of that was for stocking up on groceries and paper products that were needed so that I had enough on hand that I would not have to make a trip to the store when weather and roads were bad. That bill was almost $600. I have never had charges that high for one month! Thank goodness there were no charges on any other accounts for the month.

Starting the new year I have an annual deductible of $405 for my med prescriptions, and not all of my meds qualify for the deductible! Unfortunately, I needed all my meds refilled right after January 1. So that bill that had to be paid in February, which was again, almost $600 and that was for only prescriptions, nothing else. So you can see why I am in a no-spending period. And my Walmart bill was $0 so that helped a lot.

I did really well with no spending, but then I had to order a new rolling stool because the one I had has a crack in the place where the caster goes and it isn't safe for me to sit on. So my first expense on the February bill was a new stool ordered online on Jan 24, for $113, free shipping and no tax! I ordered through Walmart so I got 3% reward dollars, and I went through Ebates so got another 1% back. And I had about $53 built up from Walmart Savings Catcher, making the charge only $60, so I think I did fairly well on that deal. I tried to do my work without a stool but it just was not working at all. So the stool is a necessity.

I finally had to give in and buy groceries Jan 31. I stocked up again plus bought some winter boots for $25 and some walking shoes for $5. I really need some boots and I liked these, but when I tried to get my foot in them, it would not go in, even with the zipper on the side, so I need to return them. I forgot to take them along on my most recent trip. :( I have a high instep so I guess I will not be able to have boots for now. The charge for that trip was $215. So I went from Dec. 18 until January 31 without buying any food. And I still had plenty to eat, just needed ordinary things like milk, bread, cheese, yogurt and fresh produce. I did get a few things I think I can't do without, like my flavored coffee mixes.

On Feb 5 I ordered necessary paper products and personal needs online and my total bill for the month is $360. I made another grocery trip Feb 27 and only bought the minimum things I really needed and was able to limit my amount to $85. Now it is March 5 and I don't need anything else so far.

March is a medical month. I go in for a protime test this week, but Medicare will take care of the whole bill. Next week I see my family doctor for a med check and I might have to pay a deductible for Medicare on that bill. The next day is my 6 month checkup at the dentist and I will have to pay all of that bill. I think I had x-rays taken last time so should not have to have them done this time. I just hope the dentist doesn't find anything that needs to be fixed.

My electric bill has to be paid yet and that is $142. I think it is quite reasonable since everything is electric here. I was talking about the bills with my niece and she said their bill was over $500 for the month! But they have a large 3-bedroom house with full basement and she has a small beauty shop in her house that takes a little more power.

I hope to get through March without unnecessary spending again and see if I can get the 'cash' built up in my Rx envelope to cover my next refills. Since I have already paid toward the deductible for the year, the bill should be much less. It is really hard to increase the amounts in my cash envelopes when I do not get a bigger Social Security check. We got a 3% increase but then Medicare took out more so I am still getting the same size check that I have had for several years, but I am hanging in there.

$$$$$

Not fun being a widow.
My dollars are flying out the window so much faster so far this year. So money seems to be on my mind all the time. Now would be a great time to have a husband who also gets a Social Security check every month.

So far I have spend a lot more on drugs (Rx, not street drugs!) than I did for all of last year, and basically have the same drugs. My medicare part D has a much higher deductible for the year, and not only that, but not all my meds count toward the deductible! The deductible is $400, up from $260. I have already paid close to $500 and still have about $260 left to pay on deductible. Several of my meds have been changed to a higher tier, which means my share is many times higher than what I paid before. And the list goes on and on.

I have the added expenses of moving, plus higher rent so I have watched the dollars disappear and my checking account reserves have all but been depleted so have no cushion to depend on. After paying some large bills in January, I went on a 'no buy' for 6 weeks, and did a pantry and freezer challenge. That all went well, and I had plenty of good food to eat. I used my bread machine at least twice a week for delicious bread. But then I ran out of essentials so that I couldn't even bake anything. Then it was time to restock. Well, that was expensive! I ended up spending over $300 just to get the essentials and a little restocking of canned foods, and yet there were still holes in things I needed.

Since I haven't lived here for a year, my electric bill is not on the budget plan yet. I have electric heat, with heat pump, at this house, and have nothing on gas, so had no idea what my heating would cost. It not is so high considering the bill includes water heater and all lights and everyday usage for appliances, etc. And I do have a dishwasher that I did not have before, and I use it at least twice a week. The highest bill in the coldest months ran around $115. But, the problem - I was used to paying $70 a month for gas/elec at the other house. So add the extra $ to the expensive med bills and higher rent, a small increase -twice- in my cable/internet/phone bill, I have nothing extra. There is one good thing and that is I do not have to pay for water, sewer and garbage here, and that had been $70 a month.

I don't mean to be a downer with this message, but it is a big concern for me at the moment. That is why it would be really nice to have a man to share the expenses. Is there anyone who has a  single
older gentleman relative out there who might be interested? I am serious - sort of. ;)

I must keep reminding myself that God has taken care of me for almost 75 years and I know He won't stop now. I need to keep the faith because God is faithful.

UPDATES

UPDATE: I wrote this almost a month ago and thought I had posted it. Shows how much I check my own blog. I talk about brain fog in this post, and evidently I still have it. :(


Goodness! Here we are more than half way through the first month of the new year and I haven't blogged since August. Really? I guess that is what moving, surgery ten days later, and a second surgery 2 months after the first one does to a person. At least it did me. I was also kept very busy with doctor and clinic appointments during this time.

First, brain fog. I think I heard one time that surgery or the anesthetic can do that to you. So barely recovering from the first knee replacement surgery the end of July, and having the other knee done the end of September completely deleted any creative thoughts. I did not blog because it seemed I could not put two sentences together, and did not feel like sitting at the computer. I did not crochet or any other hand stitching either.

Second, my three kids took turns being here during and after the surgery for the first 3 weeks, and did the same after the second surgery, which kept them busy trying to work around their schedules. It was truly a blessing that they could be here to take care of me and pamper me with their cooking, cleaning and talking. I was so spoiled after everyone was gone that it was (and still is) very hard to get back into a routine to get cleaning and cooking done again. So during that time there was no blogging or crafting done, though I did get a lot of reading done on my Kindle. The kids also did some more unpacking and trying to organize things for me after the move. I am still working on that, but very close to being done.

Both new knees turned out very well. Surgery went better than I expected, as did the quick recovery afterward. Physical therapy also went very well and was pretty easy. The therapists told me that I started out in better shape than most knee replacement patients, so that was good to hear. So I guess I did something right along the way. I have also lost over 40 pounds since the end of May so am feeling much better. I still have a long way to go but have a good start and hope to keep going downward and not gain it all back. Not easy!

I am finally starting to feel more 'normal' again and ready to blog again. I have also been crocheting an afghan for the church auction. I had a few other things planned for the auction but am fast running out of time! The auction is in two weeks. Help!

Many of my friends and fellow bloggers are doing pantry challenges this month. I have been sort of forced into doing that because of extra expenses last month and this month. I have already spent $430 for prescription meds this month. One good thing is that I have enough for 3 months, but it is a huge chunk of money going out at once for someone on limited income. I am hoping I can make my glaucoma eye drops last the rest of the month, but that is questionable. And that is very expensive too. I think I have met my deductible for the year already.

My fridge is suffering the most right now. I have about 3 apples, 4 Cuties oranges, almost a dozen eggs, 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar, 1/2 carton of vanilla yogurt, and less that one stick of margarine in the fridge along with many condiments and salad dressings. I do have dry milk on hand so have been making up 1/2 gallon of that at a time or making one cup at a time when needed. But the dry milk is getting pretty low and might get one more gallon out of what is left.

I have plenty of meat in the freezer but running a little low on frozen vegetables and I rarely buy or use canned veggies except green beans. I think I have two cans of green beans. I am down to one package of browned hamburger in freezer, plus about 6 hamburger patties. I have a whole chicken cooking in the crockpot right now so will have some cooked chicken to put in freezer soon.

Last week I cooked up a package of pinto beans and a package of great northern beans, both in the crockpot with chicken broth. I froze the beans in quart bags and use the liquid for soup base, which is also frozen.

As far as true pantry items, my pantry is small so I don't have a big stockpile to use up, but I still have plenty of pasta and jello. That doesn't make for a very good combination!

I ran out of bread some time ago and have made 3 loaves of bread in the machine in the last couple of weeks. It is too good! I eat too much of it, but often that is all I have for a meal, mostly because I am too lazy to cook, or just not that hungry. In the process I used up the last of my whole wheat flour and rye flour, and not sure I have enough white bread flour for another loaf, though I can use regular flour and add wheat gluten, too.

I am afraid my grocery cart will be piled high when I finally go to the store. I have not bought a single grocery item since December 12!

I am totally out of peanut butter, regular butter, sliced and block cheeses, jam, instant oatmeal and every other cereal, fresh veggies, and any other fruit that the few apples and oranges left. So I can't have a peanut butter sandwich or toast, nor a toasted cheese sandwich. I think I have one small can of tuna yet so can make tuna salad for a couple of sandwiches. So I am out of quick meal and snack items. I am also out of my favorite instant coffee mix and down to drinking only tea. Since I am out of the instant oatmeal packets I have been microwaving regular quick oatmeal with milk and adding my own things like brown sugar and walnuts. I usually add dried fruit but am out of that also. I find that using the regular oatmeal nukes as fast as the packets and much cheaper. I think it even tastes better.

So my favorite 'go-to' foods are gone and that means I actually have to cook!

Along with the pantry challenge this month, I am also going through old statements and other papers and shredding or filing, so am decluttering again. It has been a slow process since I have so many things I need to be working on at the same time. I have a long list of things I NEED to do and a long list of projects I WANT to do as well. I would like to get back to working on genalogy but that will have to wait awhile.

With that, this has gotten much too long and I really NEED to get back to work on other things for the day. I do hope to get back here more often. I don't think it will be daily yet, but am hoping that will come soon as well.

DOWN MEMORY LANE - PAL AND ME

My daughter recently posted this old picture of me on Facebook. One of my friends mentioned putting this on the blog, so here it is.

I have my new pet, Pal, in front of me, dressed in doll clothes. I did that a lot with both the dog and the kitties, poor things. They were my live 'babies'. I had a lot of dolls, too, and loved to play with them.

It looks like the doll dress might match the dress I am wearing. Mom made most of my clothes as well as doll clothes so it is very possible they match. The doll clothes would be made from the fabric that was left after making mine. The matching dresses could be the reason Mom took the picture, showing off my new dress and doll's dress.

MMM.. . . MMM. . . .GOOD!!

Do you need something quick, easy and delicious to serve with coffee to your friends or family? Have I got a treat for you! Only 6 ingredients and 5 minutes needed to make it, and 40-45 minutes to bake, for a piece of heaven. Quick, easy and delicious. . . . my kind of recipe.

I just tried this recipe today and it is a keeper for sure. For my Dutch friends who love almond patties, this tastes a lot like them, without the flaky pastry. You gotta give this a try.

5-MINUTE ALMOND CAKE

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract (I use Watkins)
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
Powdered sugar (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Melt butter in glass bowl in microwave. Using a fork, beat the eggs into butter. Add the flour, sugar and almond extract and mix well. Pour into a small (8-inch) pie plate or an 8-inch cake pan and sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using. Serves 8.

No mistake, there is no leavening in this recipe. And when it says 'pour' into pie plate, I think it should read 'spread' as the batter is thick. I did not add the powdered sugar on top as it is sweet enough and I think is only used for appearance, plus I didn't feel like going back out to the pantry to find the powdered sugar. I thought I had put plenty of sliced almonds on top but after baking I wish I had added more because I love nuts (all kinds, even human ones).

Naturally I had to have a piece right away to see if it was any good, so it was still warm, and I love it that way!

Come have a cup of coffee with me as I go have another slice. I will share.

SAVINGS CATCHER

As some of you know, I do almost all my shopping at the local Walmart store. I do that because they have the electric carts that I can ride around the store, since my bad knees will not stand all that walking. Because the store is 10+ miles away, I don't run there every time I need a few items, but try to stock up on everything I need for at least 2 weeks.

I know that some of you hate Walmart for various reasons, and some of you do not have a nice, clean store like I have, with great employees, so I don't blame you if you prefer to shop elsewhere. I would shop in a few other stores as well, if they had carts to ride on.

In my area, Walmart usually has lower prices on the things I buy than the other grocery stores here. We don't have an Aldi within 60 miles, and I don't feel I can save enough to pay for driving that far, plus the extra time it takes. Walmart will also match prices from other stores, but I don't always get all those ads so that I can check their sales. Since Walmart has started their Savings Catcher program, I signed up in early December and I have already saved almost $17.

The best way to save with this is to read all your local ads to check the things you need that might be on sale. Sometimes I find things at a really good price that I may not have on the list but use regularly, so add those to my list, including their sale prices, so that I can compare the prices in the store when I get there. (bad memory, you know) Then I go ahead and buy the rest on my list.

When I get home I enter the receipt number and date, and the program checks all the store ads to match prices, and usually they find some that I was not aware of. Sometimes I just don't take the time to check ads and still end up with some price matches, but later when I do look at the ads I find some that I wish had seen earlier as I would have stocked up. Oh well. Such is life, right?

Here are two examples of savings I was not aware of before shopping. I bought a gallon of Land O'Lakes milk. I paid $3.75 at WM, and they usually have the cheapest daily prices on milk here. But Fareway had it in their ad that week for $2.88, so I got a 'refund' of 87 cents.

Another time I bought 4 Banquet pot pies @ 80 cents each for a total of $3.20, but Savings Catcher found them priced @ 59 cents for a total of $2.36 in HyVee, for a savings of 84 cents. I had seen that Fareway had Yoplait yogurt on sale for 50 cents and usually WM's price is 60 cents, so I bought the required 10 cartons, but they didn't show up as a savings. Then I looked at my receipt again and found WM had reduced their price to 42 cents each! I didn't even notice that when I was shopping, or I might have bought more since I always try to keep that on hand. So for just a few minutes of your time to enter the receipt number, you can save quite a bit. And if you also have manufacturer's coupons for those items, you save even more.

I don't have a smart phone, but if you do, you can download their Savings Catcher app and then just scan your receipt. I have to go to the website and type in the receipt number, but when I do that I can also check which stores had the cheaper prices.

I am not as good as my friend Rhonda over at http://ifyoudostuff.blogspot.com where she has shared all her savings at CVS. But we do not have CVS stores here so I can't work on that like she does. Rhonda, you do amazing things with that store!

BRIGHTEN MY CORNERS - 2nd UFO

I had planned two curtain projects months ago. I showed the first one yesterday. Here is the second:

BEFORE

This is the small bookcase beside my chair. My phone is on top so all the regional phone books have to be there, plus a dictionary, Bible, photo albums and some books that are still unread. Again, this is eye sensory overload and cluttered to me, so another curtain is desired.

Much better. I still don't know how to clear the clutter from the top since those are things I use daily in that area, and I must have things convenient. So I guess I will have to live with it. I made this curtain the same as the other one, and used a tension curtain rod to hold it. When I first planned this I was going to use one of those curtain springs that are usually used to hold the bottom of a curtain at a door window, mainly because I have one on hand. But when I got ready to work on it, I realized it would be impossible to use a hammer to get the hooks attached to the inside wall, and I did not want them on the outside. I LOVE tension rods! And everything is temporary and easy to remove.

There are the two UFO's that are finished! Now, where is my project list??

BRIGHTEN MY CORNERS and UFO'S

Another "FINALLY!" happened around here during the holidays. The reason for UFO in the title is that this is an Un-Finished Object or project.I finally took the time to make the curtain for table in the kitchen. I never quite know what to call this table. It could be a sofa table - one that resides behind a sofa, as it is narrow and long. It could be a credenza, a hall table, and maybe there are other names and uses.

I like where I have it now, in front of the pony wall in the kitchen. But I don't like the clutter that is ever-present under it.

 BEFORE

Actually, this picture is a cleaned up version. Usually there are several Bible study books, large pencil bag full of colored pencils and highlighters, many more empty shopping bags (that is what is in the otherwise empty tissue box), another full tissue box, plus whatever I need to have handy and have nothing else close where I can stash it. The mesh container on the left is where the recycles go until I can take them outside. The wicker chest is there because I can't find another place to put it, and it holds the bedding for the hide-a-bed you see in the left background. Not only does this spot always look messy, but it is eye sensory overload for me. And it is the first thing people see when they walk in.

So one day I was thinking about what I could do to hide it all, and then remembered one of the HGTV shows, it might have been Designed to Sell, or something similar, where they showed hanging a straight curtain over a tall bookcase to hide the little kid's toys when the house was to be shown to a perspective buyer. AH-HA!!

Then I had to decide what fabric to use, and then remembered I had a lot of fabric left from the kitchen curtain valance I had made for the previous house. And since I am able to use that same valance in this house, it would all be coordinated. So that is frugal since I didn't have to go out and buy more fabric.

I am embarrassed to say that I came up with this months ago and just never got around to working on it, until now. My procrastination at work again.

AFTER

I didn't want it gathered like a window curtain, but just a flat panel. Then the question - how to hang it. I used a tension curtain rod. Works well, don't you think? It doesn't look so flat in this picture for some reason. It is easy to lift up or push aside when I want to access what is behind the curtain. And I can change it when I get tired of this. If I can find a dark brown to exactly match the paint, would it look more like a solid piece of furniture? Maybe. But for now, the clutter of essential things is hidden.

When making the curtain I doubled the hem and the side hems to give them a little added weight for stability.

GIFT BAGS

I have some couples that see to it my lawn gets mowed in the summer, and takes my garbage containers to the street and back each week. I appreciate that so very much, and wanted to show my appreciation in some way at Christmas time. I did not write about this earlier as I didn't want to reveal anything until after they had been given.

This is the bag and what was in it.

 Cracker toffee in the front.

The tall, thin object, back right, is Christmas scent reed diffuser.

 A spa cloth with body butter.

(thanks for this idea, Susan!)

 Gingerbread cake mix in a jar.

Label is a free printable found on Pinterest.

Homemade light whole wheat French bread. 

I apologize for the poor pictures.

Recipes will be shared in future posts.

Maybe this will give you an idea for future gifts, and they don't have to be for Christmas, but any time and any reason.

FRUGAL LIVING

I seem to be spending a lot of money lately, just on basic needs. But I needed to order yarn and pattern for my annual afghan that I donate to the church for fundraising. You can see those I made in other years elsewhere on this blog.

I need to get started on it soon so that I have plenty of time to get it finished by February when the auction will be held. I do have money set aside for this, but when I checked my Paypal account, I found I had more than enough there to pay for the things I ordered. The money in the Paypal account comes from survey rewards that I had cashed in and had sent to Paypal.

My order came to $84 (gasp!) but I had $95 in the account. So all the yarn I bought for the afghan, plus two other projects, is free to me. I call that very frugal living! I am sorry, but you won't get to see what I am working on until after the auction.

All the surveys I do are online and just takes a little time. If I did them  more regularly I would have even more money saved up, so I think I need to get busy again.

TIPS FROM 1920's

When I was recently scanning through hometown newspaper archives searching for things about ancestors, I ran across the following column with several helpful hints for wives.

These are quite frugal and simple, and worth a try today. I like the tip toward the bottom about the small fire shovel. Trying to find one of those may not be so frugal today, but is one to keep in mind. Evidently my mother had not read the tip on hanging clothes outside in cold weather!

I hope you can read these okay here. If not, leave a comment about it and I will type them out for you. I would also love to see some comments on what you think of these tips.

PROM AGAIN

I thought you might like to see a picture from my senior prom in 1961. Too bad it is not in color, and too bad that we posed in front of those very busy drapes!

I loved, and still love, that dress. I loved it so much when I put it on in the store, but Mom said it was too expensive. I think it was between $90-100 and that was a lot for a dress in those days. At least it was for us. But I begged, and I promised I would wear this dress to both proms so they would not have to buy me a second prom dress. Mom finally gave in. And I did wear the dress both years - - - - - plus my maid of honor wore it at my wedding! In those days I sewed most of my clothes so this dress was very special in every way.

This dress was my favorite color,  a very pretty lavender with white lace overlay. The ribbon above the waist and the bow with long streamers was the same satiny lavender. For my wedding we did a minor change. We brought those long streamers up behind the bow and tacked them at the shoulders and across the back neckline so that it resembled a collar in the back. You see, my favorite color was also my wedding color. The prom was in May and my wedding was September the same year. I still have that dress tucked away in a box in the closet as I can't bear to get rid of it. (I just wish it still fit!)

Notice the wrist corsage. That was a good choice since there wasn't much of a place to pin a corsage on the dress.

FRUGAL LIVING 101 - Part 2

I have already discussed =

1. USE LESS
2. USE IT ALL

Today let's deal with number 3

3. BE CREATIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

I did talk a little about this in the prior post as far as getting creative with what food is on hand so that it gets used up and not thrown out.

We can also get creative with clothing and household things. If you have some good clothes hanging in the closet but maybe they don't fit right, or you no longer like the style , then change it. Did you know that you can make a no-sew cardigan from a sweatshirt? Just cut down the middle front, fold over the edges and use strips of a fabric iron-on tape for no-sew hems. Or, if you do know how to use a sewing machine, you can sew the edges down. If your sewing machine has some fancy stitches, use one of those in a contrasting color down each front side. Shorten a dress that may be too short for comfort and make it a blouse. Or if the top of a dress is a bit shabby, cut the top off and make a skirt out of it. Be creative! I know you can come up with some ideas, or check out some of the blogs that show some unique ways to alter clothing. Here is one website to check out. http://www.newdressaday.com/. If you have no idea how to sew, I bet you have a friend who can, or some older lady who knows how to sew and make do. Just ask them to show you how to do it.

Need some new curtains? Maybe you have a pretty sheet that doesn't fit any bed you own anymore. Cut it up, hem it, and voila! Curtains. That can be done with the iron on tape as well, with no sewing. I bought some inexpensive sheets at Walmart in the color I wanted for my bedroom. Cut them in half from top to bottom, used some clip-on rings at the top to hang them on the rod, and I love them! I used twin sheets, but later wished I had used full size sheets to have them fuller, but then I would have also needed more rings. Those rings I bought on a trip to IKEA some time before that. I don't remember what they cost but it was very reasonable at that time. The closest IKEA store for me is Minneapolis, and that is a day destination and not close enough for a quick trip. I do love to browse in that store!

Anyway, you get the idea of being creative with what you have. You might have to buy some things to achieve the look you want, but that is still much cheaper than buying all new. You might even be able to find what you need at a thrift store or Goodwill if you take the time to look. But first, be creative with what you already have.

4. JUST SAY NO

I admit that can be a tough one, and certainly not fun. Being creative can be fun, saying no. . . not so easy. It is so easy today to see something we like, and it is even ON SALE!! So we buy it on impulse. And when we get it home we can't find a place to put it because we already have too much stuff. Or we don't like it as well as we thought we would, but it was on sale and non-returnable. Money wasted. If you can return it, do! But always save your receipts for everything. I have a small accordion file with 12 slots, one for each month. I put the paid bills in there each month as well as all receipts. Since I use a credit card for almost all purchases, I need to keep them at least until the bill comes in and they are paid for. But they stay in there until I clean the whole thing out at the beginning of the new year. By the way, I do pay my credit card bills in full each month so that I am not charged the high interest.

Another place to say 'No' is if you want some larger item but can't pay for it. Save up the money first! When you have saved enough to pay for it, then buy it. You can still use the credit card, especially if you have one that gives you cash rewards, but since you have the money saved, you can pay that total bill when it comes. The only time I would allow buying something on credit without having the cash, is when it is an emergency, an appliance breaks down and is not repairable, or costs more to repair than to buy new. It is a good idea to have some funds set aside for future emergencies, but how many of us actually do that?

Being frugal does not mean not spending any money at all. It just means being as careful as we can with our money so that we can afford to buy something we really want or need. We do need to enjoy life while we are here, but there are lots of fun things to do that don't cost anything, or at least are not expensive.

And last -
5. BE CONTENT

Yes, be content with what you have. That is Biblical. God has given you everything you have. Be thankful for what you have. And be content with it. Don't  keep wishing you had a house like your friend, or a new car like 'everybody else' has, or a bigger and better television, or the newest smart phone. If you already have one and it works, be content. I know that does not fit with today's consumerism lifestyle, but really, how much do we need before we have enough? Do you realize the more we have, the more we want? And the more we see others have, the more we want what they have? Learn to be content with what you have. It might take a little practice.

When I married my husband, he was a person who grew up using things until they no longer worked or were worn out. His bath towels were threadbare, but he had a trunk full of new towels! It didn't take long for me to make rags out of those old towels! Notice, I didn't throw them away. Cutting those towels up into rags is easy and they really make good rags for dirty jobs.

When my son was a baby he drooled a lot, and I mean a lot! He soaked through bibs almost immediately. So my mother cut up some old bath towels or wash cloths, sewed several layers together and a binding around the neck so that they could be tied, and they worked so much better. They still needed to be changed often but not like the other thin bibs. They weren't so pretty but usability was more important.

There are the basics of frugal living. I hope this gives you a few ideas as to what you can do. Just remember these 5 points and you will be surprised at what you can do. And remember to be happy!

FRUGAL LIVING 101

I was just reading a post on Purposely Frugal blog about the basics of frugal living, and how to save, and there are just a few points to remember. These are basic 101 points. If you learn these and live by them, you will be able to live within your income (providing you have some ). I know many readers already know this stuff, but I also know there are some younger people who have never had to do without. Parents had money (or acted like they did) and always had an abundance of everything needed AND wanted. If they didn't like the shampoo they just bought, they threw it away and went out and bought something else, until they found what they wanted. But now that they are on their own and don't have all that money, or maybe have to cut their spending because they are so far in debt, it is time to learn the ways of frugal living. It isn't always fun. I will be the first to admit that. But you can challenge yourself to see how much you can save, and to see what inventive ways you can save.

Here is the list of the basics.

1. USE LESS

2. USE IT ALL

3. BE CREATIVE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

4. JUST SAY NO

5. BE CONTENT


How easy is that?

USE LESS
How can I do that? Use less shampoo every time. Just a small amount works just as well as just pouring it on. Watering liquids down, like shampoo, creme rinse, liquid hand soap, body wash really makes a big difference.

Eat smaller portions, which also helps with weight loss if you need to. We all tend to eat too much ice cream at one time -- fill the bowl up and then pour half a bottle of chocolate syrup over it? Use a smaller dish and put half as much in, or even less. Did I say this was not fun? I didn't say you couldn't have any at all, just less. Eat one slice of toast instead of two for breakfast, smaller bowl of cereal, smaller pieces of meat, and the list goes on. Using smaller plates and bowls tricks the mind into thinking you are eating just as much, which is a recommended trick for dieting but it also saves money.

How many bottles of cleaners are under your sink? Use up what you have (and many of these can be watered down as well) and then just use one all purpose cleaner for everything. You can even make your own cleaner which is even cheaper. There are many recipes online for those. I am sure you can come up with many other ways to use less if you think about it.

USE IT ALL
As I said above, use up what you have first, even if it isn't your favorite brand. And there is always a little more in tubes than you think there is. Toothpaste, hand creams, ointments are a few. When I get to the point nothing comes out when I squeeze the tube, I can often tap it hard several times on the palm of my hand, and get more than enough, so I can do that several times. Then, cut off the top and there is probably enough for at least one more application.

Use all the fresh food in your fridge and counters. If it is getting to the point where it needs to be used immediately or get thrown out, make something with it, or if it can be frozen, freeze it. Some things might be better if it is cooked first and then frozen. Throw all the vegetables - whether fresh or leftovers - into the crockpot and make vegetable soup. Then freeze that for future meals if you don't eat it all right away. I also add any leftover cooked meat to the soup along with gravy if there is some. I have added chicken, beef, pork, hot dogs, sausages, all in the same soup. Delicious!! Just add water, any tomatoes or tomato juice that need to be used, and then I add some kind of bouillon cubes and seasonings for extra good flavor. Some people call that Refrigerator Soup. Some people make this on the day they clean out their fridge every week, which should be the day before you go grocery shopping. Some of the best meals I have eaten are the ones where I had to be creative to put all the odd things together that were left in the pantry, fridge and freezer. You know, all those little extra pieces of meat no one ate, or dabs of casseroles that you decided to freeze for another day and then forgot. Use them before they get freezer burn and end in the garbage.

I also save bread heels. I will toss those in the freezer each time. And then I make garlic toast with them, or croutons. I just love buttery garlic toast. One favorite steak house years ago had the best garlic toast, and they made it from the left over dinner rolls which they sliced up, and they would bring a basket of garlic toast to each table while you waited for your meal. I think I need to get in the kitchen now and make some instead of sitting here and writing!

I think this post is long enough anyway. So I will write more in the next edition. In the meantime you can start using less and using up what you have.

CRACK ROLLS

This is a new recipe that I recently made. I found it on Facebook and it has really been making the rounds there. I am sure it can also be found on Pinterest. I forgot to take pictures of the ones I made, but they looked very much like the picture below, even though  those are labeled as Crack Sticks.




I think everyone that has tried them understands why they are called CRACK rolls. They are ADDICTIVE!! Plus they are simple to make. I highly recommend them, unless you are trying to lose weight.  Here is the recipe.

CRACK ROLLS

1 loaf (16 ounces) thinly sliced white bread, crusts removed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup  white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, melted.

DIRECTIONS:

Flatten bread with a rolling pin. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and confectioner's sugar. In another bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Roll up, jelly roll style. Dip in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Yield: 16 roll-ups. Good warm or cold. ADDICTING! 


I suggest using the cheap sliced commercial bread. You know the kind - has no body to it, easy to flatten and have it stay that way. LOL I used Walmart label bread that sells for 88 cents a loaf.

Someone suggested serving them with a caramel dipping sauce. That sounds good! I only made half the recipe since I am the only one eating them, plus I only had 1/2 package of cream cheese on hand, left from a previous cooking session. Was wanting more once they were gone, but it was a good thing I didn't have more!

Another person said these are very much like something they were served at a bed and breakfast, and they do make a delicious pastry for something like that, and for a brunch, or when you have ladies over for coffee or tea. Oh, heck, they are good for any time! Did I mention they are addicting?

Reading Books

I enjoy reading books, but I don't make the time to read them like I used to because I have so many other projects I am working on right now. Genealogy, genealogy, Olympics, email, blogging, genealogy. And did I mention genealogy? Yes, I am preoccupied with that subject!

A quick paragraph here about that last subject before I move on to the book. I recently received a letter from someone in Switzerland! She is also researching the same ancestors in Pommern, Germany that I am! Somehow we must be distant relatives. I contacted her by email but she was within two hours of leaving on a two week vacation so I have to wait to find out more about her, as well as the ancestors. This all happened after I had put the genealogy to the side for awhile. Now I am back into it again.

As far as books, I usually try to do a little reading when I go to bed. Some nights it is only a page or two before my eyes close - with the book still resting on my stomach and the light on! Not long ago I ordered a 'free' Kindle with reward points from doing online surveys. It is not one of the fancy ones that can access the internet, but can only go to Amazon to download books with wi-fi.

So far I have only downloaded free books. I don't check the site very often so I am sure I have missed some good books that were free for one day, but that is okay. I have plenty on the Kindle to keep me reading for quite awhile. 

One of those free books was the one in the picture above, "Where is God When it Hurts?" by Phillip Yancey. I found it quite interesting. I have often said that we need rain in order to appreciate the rainbow, and that is essentially what Phillip is saying. He goes into some depth of explaining why pain is a good thing, especially physical pain. Pain is the signal our body sends to tell us something isn't right and we might have to pull back. Pain tells us the fire is hot and not to get any closer or get out immediately. Also, the reason people with leprosy are missing fingers, toes, or more is that they lose all feeling so are not aware that they might have cut their foot, or hand, and it becomes infected and eventually lost. So pain is important in our lives. All kinds of pain. I think most will agree that when we go through something painful in our lives, whether it be divorce, someone we love dies, problems at work, etc, it helps us to grow, to do better next time.

This book is worth reading if you haven't read it by now. It has been around for awhile, but it wasn't one that I had a chance to read before.

I have since started another e-book, which title escapes me at the moment. It is based on some of the reality tv shows. Survivor comes to mind because it involves two camps that meet once a week for a competition and the losers have to vote someone off. The story is an interesting concept, and maybe someone will create a reality show from it! It is a fairly quick read - providing I don't fall asleep before reading more than 2 pages. It has a 'show-mance,' too, and people get injured. And naturally, I have to finish the book to find out who wins the big prize in the end! And whether the guy gets the girl after the show ends.

Instant Chai Tea Mix

We have finally gotten out of the frigid freezer! At least it has stayed above zero yesterday and today, even though it is still cold at a high of 18 degrees, no sun, but also no wind. No wind is such a treat here in the Midwest, especially after a day of sustained winds of 25 mph. I did wake up to an inch of new snow however.

One inch of snow here is nothing! I know it stops everything in the South, but we are well prepared for much more than this. In fact, I heard several plows and/or sanding trucks from Iowa went to the southern states to help with the ice and snow from latest storm. We are always willing to help those in need.

Now to the Chai Tea mix. Even thought it has warmed up, it is still not WARM! So a hot drink is always welcome. I gave you the recipe for instant vanilla cafe coffee mix, but sometimes I want a change, and I love chai tea. I used to be able to buy a large canister of some really good chai tea mix in Sam's but they didn't have it the last couple times I was there, and my daughter can't find it in Sam's in Omaha either. This recipe is very good and much more economical than what you can buy.

INSTANT CHAI TEA MIX

1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup non-dairy creamer powder
1 cup vanilla flavored non-dairy creamer powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (use your favorite sugar-free substitute if watching                sugar intake)
2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

NOTE: You can adjust spices to taste; this is a ballpark amount. Can also add a shake of black pepper, since this is often an authentic ingredient.

In a large bowl, mix together all powders except spices. Blend spices in a small bowl, then sprinkle into large bowl and mix well. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. (NOTE: Be careful with this, because it won't pulverize if you try to do too much at once, and if you open at the wrong time, or spill it, the sticky powder goes everywhere.)

Store in airtight container. To serve, stir 2 heaping spoonfuls into a cup of hot water, or more to taste.

As I said with the instant coffee mix, I am lazy so usually don't pulverize, but be warned the the spices might not be as fine in your drink.

There is a huge spider in my tea!!

No, I think that is a star anise. I am not sure I would want to find this in my cup if someone were to hand it to me, but I found it in some other pictures too, so maybe it is a common garnish?

Instant Coffee Mix

As I was searching for a picture of coffee to add to this post, lo and behold, I found this! What could be more perfect that a red heart shaped cup for February? Notice the two handles on the cup. I am not quite sure how you would drink out of this cup. What do you think?

Since so much of the country is still having some extremely cold temperatures, I thought you might like to try this. I love the General Foods International Coffee mixes but they get expensive. Some time ago I found some mixes at hillbillyhousewife.com that are very good. Here is one of my favorites.

FRENCH VANILLA CAFE MIX

1/3 cup instant coffee

1 cup instant dry milk powder

1/2 cup powdered coffee creamer

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup store-bought instant vanilla pudding mix

Measure all of the ingredients into a clean, dry bowl. Use a fork to combine everything evenly. If you are ambitious, you can powder everything in a blender. I don'r always do this because I am lazy. You do get really impressive results from it though, and it is easier to do than one would expect. Transfer the mixture to a resealable container, or a pretty jar. This makes a good gift, especially in the winter time.

To Prepare: Place 1/4 cup of dry cafe mix into a coffee cup. Add hot water to fill up the cup (about 3/4 cut hot water). Stir and serve. You will have to adjust the amount if you use the large mugs like I do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The comment about being lazy is hers, not mine, but I am also lazy so have never put it in the blender, mainly because I don't like washing the blender afterward. If I had a dishwasher I might do it.

You can even make this almost sugar free by using the equivalent amount of a sugar substitute. I am not sure about using sugar free pudding mix since the measurement would not be the same. It could be worth experimenting with it. If anyone tries that, let us know in the comments how much sugar free pudding you used. This is even more frugal if you use store brand products.

Before and After - tables

This is the old, falling apart, piano bench that I am replacing. When my grandkids pretty much demolished the bench when goofing off around the piano, it became a place to display some plants under the window. Now, the bench was about on its last legs before the grandkids came so it wasn't totally their fault.

One day not long ago, I happened to be looking over the Target ad online and a small table caught my eye. When I checked the measurements I found that it was almost exactly the same size as the bench only taller. Price wasn't too bad, but I wasn't quite ready to spend the money. Later it was on sale, plus free shipping, plus an extra 15% off, and I ordered it via Ebates to get another 2.5% off! I thought that was probably the best I was going to do price wise, so it was ordered.

I had a little assembly to do but that was just screwing in some short bolts to attach the metal legs. Easy peasy.

Here is the result:

I am very happy with it. There are also 2 drawers to fill. They are still empty as I have not figured out what will go in them. I probably should get some nice coasters for the rare occasions I might have company that wants to set a drink there.

Now, if you come to my blog expecting some beautiful house and furniture, I am sure you are disappointed.  Things aren't the way I would like them to be, but it is the best I can do with what I have and what I can afford, plus my limited energy and ability to move around, not to mention that I am renting and am limited as to what I am allowed to do.

The walls look light blue in the picture, but they are white - every room has white walls. I hate white walls! I would love to paint the living room a light coffee latte, but I am not sure that color would work with the tan carpet which is more like a rose beige. Not my favorite.

I enjoy other blogs that show all the neat decorating they have done, but that isn't happening here except in my dreams. I barely have any surfaces to put even my old displays out that I loved. I would like to get some new accessories but am not sure what I can find that I like plus afford, will work in like I want it to. Some people have a real knack for that and I would love to have them come to my house and arrange things! But first, I think I need to keep working at decluttering and that has come to a standstill right now. One of these days. . . . . .