Showing posts with label frugal living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frugal living. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

My $300 a month food budget

We have about $300 a month for food. It is not much with two growing boys (especially with their food allergies and sensitivities.)

$300 a month is $10 a day or $2 for breakfast, $3 for lunch, $4 for dinner, and $1 a day for snacks.

An example of this:
Breakfast:
scrambled eggs (2 each, total 6) $1.00 (at $2 a dozen)
apple slices $.50 (1 large apple sliced, half for each boy, I go without) *
toast $.50 (homemade gluten free bread)
water

Lunch:
homemade rice and beans $1.00
raw broccoli $1.00
water

Dinner:
baked potatoes $1.50 (includes sour cream and cheddar)
grilled zucchini $ .50
spinach salad with croutons $2.50 (spinach, tomato, cucumber, croutons, and dressing ingredients)
water

Snack:
homemade gluten free peach muffins $2.00 (total cost of batch was about $8 with gluten free flour, eggs, butter, and peaches used, but that will last 4 days)
water

In this scenario, I spent less on lunch, but more on snacks. This also assumes I have staples like sugar, and spices already in house. Also these are non organic prices. I try to buy some items organic, but find it very difficult.

Thankfully I have family and friends who give us leftovers and produce and such to help supplement.

That way I can have a meal like tacos (Jason's favorite)
$3.00 1 pound ground beef
$1.00 tortillas
$1.00 sour cream
$ .50 salsa
$ .50 cheddar
$ .50 beans (to stretch the meat)
$ .50 lettuce / tomatoes



Strange how a $7.00 dinner is luxury.

How much is your food budget? What low cost, healthy meals do you serve?

~Becky

* apples are one of the things I still buy only organic as we can taste a difference in the non organic ones, so in reality 1 organic apple is about $1.00, but I used non organic prices for above scenario.



Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Cut $1,000 from your spending this year

Some of you may already be doing this sort of stuff, so the savings will not be as much, some of you may think I am too extreme. But by doing all of these things I saved over $1,000. I have been doing these things since 2008, so those savings are for each year.


1) Make your own laundry soap. Cost about $20 for 20 gallons. Get the recipe I use here.
Savings about $160 a year (if you spend $15 a month on laundry soap.)[Bonus the homemade stuff is free of added scents that irritate my son's skin.)

2) Use cloth paper towels. Chances are you have plenty of cloth towels in your home that will work just as well as paper towels, if not better. Savings about $240 (if you spend $20 a month on paper towels.)

3) Use cloth napkins. Again chances are you have some nice washcloths or a set of cloth napkins already. These work better than paper napkins. Savings about $60 a year.

4) Use cloth tissues. Use some of the washcloths, towels, etc., you already have around the home. One of my cloth tissues works way better than about 5 paper tissues. Savings about $60 a year.

5) Use cloth menstrual pads or a Diva cup. Switching to cloth menstrual pads has been amazing for me, read about it here. In 2008 I bought a set, so in 2009 & 2010 I have no costs. Savings over three years, about $500. Buy from a great work site here.

6) Use cloth toilet paper. I just cut up old clothes, see here. Savings about $120 a year.

7) Line dry your clothes. Did you know it cost .30-.60 cents per load to dry clothes in the dryer. If you wash 4 loads a week, that is about $2.00 to dry your clothes. $2 x 52 weeks is $104. I actually do about 6 loads a week, so for me that would cost $156 a year. So I line dry my clothes from March-Nov. Saving about another $100 a year. [Bonus it works out my arms to hang the clothes.]

8) Clean with only baking soda and vinegar. Savings about $100 a year (or more.)

9) Use white vinegar as fabric softener. Savings about $20 a year.

10) If you need something, look around and see if already have something similar that will do the job before you buy something new. Savings can really add up.

11) Join Freecycle.org. This site was created to keep good items out of landfills. Join online for free and post things you need (and want to give away as well) before you go out and buy something new. I have gotten rugs, toys, clothes, and so much more. Savings can be very high. [Bonus you can give away stuff and declutter while not feeling guilty that it will be in landfill.]

Leave a comment with a great money saving tip you have. Thanks!

-Becky

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Green Clean Gift Idea

Make a green clean kit for $10 or less.

-Gallon vinegar $2
-Print or write out list of cleaning uses for vinegar
-Baking Soda $2 (2-3 small boxes)
-Print or write out cleaning uses for baking soda
-Spray bottle $1 (or reuse an old spray bottle you have for free)
-Cleaning Cloths Free-$3 (make, sew out of old towels, or buy a package)
-Scrubbies Free (make out of mesh that comes on lemons and other fruit and veggies-fold up and rubber band or knot, these work great)
-Tote bag Free-$1 (recycle one you have at home, sew one with fabric you already have, or buy one, food store ones are about $1)
-Bottle Peroxide $1 (use as you would bleach on stains on counters, in shower, etc., and on clothes)
-If you got tote, cleaning cloths, and spray bottle for free you can also add a gallon of homemade laundry soap as well $2

Make up one for everyone on your list.

I would love this as a gift and it creates no clutter.

-Becky

Friday, June 3, 2011

Reading

I love reading. I have a goal to read fourteen books by Labor Day.

I just finished one.
It is called Sugar Changed the World.

It is a history of sugar, and those who made bringing sugar to us (commoners) possible. Mostly it was slave labor, and the life a slave led was terrible. This book, although written to young adults, was very educational and informative for me.

I also am reading with Joshua Spring with the Moody's, which is number 4 in a series for children.

This series is written by a homeschool graduate about a homeschooling family. You can check out all the books here. Joshua really enjoys these books and begs for me to keep reading after each chapter.

I love reading, and am so glad my boys enjoy it too. Jason is known to get lost in a book for a few hours. Joshua has just started reading a few chapter books on his own, but still really enjoys being read to. Joshua also has taken to reading to Kaiden every day. It is really sweet. Kaiden also enjoys being read to and looking at books independently.

I have this theory that if you read to children everyday or at least a few times a week from birth, they will enjoy reading. I actually read a study that just having books in the home will create lifelong readers. One of my homeschool goals is to instill a love for reading in my boys. I also want them to be able to comprehend what they read and be able to discuss it as well. A good thing about this goal is that books can be free (library or getting books from people giving them away) or very inexpensive (used book sales, yard sales, and thrift shops.)

Do you enjoy reading? Do your children? Do you use the library? If yes, how often?

-Becky

Friday, November 26, 2010

Natural living as an idol

I just read this great blog post here. It is about Natural Living becoming an idol. I have been grappling with this myself lately, so it was great to read this post.

My thoughts are that God wants us to be good stewards of our bodies, our finances, and the earth. He gave them all to us to care for.

-Eating healthier food helps us be good stewards of our bodies.
-Making many foods from scratch is better for our bodies, plus if making these foods is a family activity it blesses God that we are spending this time with our family.
-Spending money on fillers (things that many companies are disguising as food) is not blessing Him with our finances. A bag of chips is about $3. I can get a small bag of organic apples for that cost. Eating organic, local, and healthier doesn't have to blow the food budget.
-Growing our own food is a better use of our finances, and the earth (no gas to drive to store to buy, just walk to your yard. As an added bonus gardening is great exercise.)
-Making our own cleaners is better for our bodies, our finances, and the earth.
-Eating organic and locally grown food is better for the environment (I am certain when God said for us to rule over the animals, it wasn't to abuse them. Free range animals that eat what God intended are better for us to consume anyway.)

That all being said if I spend more time researching natural living than talking with God, praying, and reading the Bible than natural living is an idol (and I am guilty of this.)

If I yell at my kids while doing above mentioned research (again I have done this) than it is an idol.

If I have an argument at Thanksgiving table with cousin over white bread verses wheat, maybe it is an idol (yes, this happened yesterday.)

My natural living should not be a stumbling block to sharing Christ. Or send a bad testimony of me (I don't want people to think I am judging them, because then they certainly will not want to talk with me about Christ.)

On the flip side God has been revealing how He wants me to live, and since I am the mom to two boys this also includes how they should live until they are old enough to live on their own. And my ultimate goal is to do His will for my life and share His good news. I have to find a better balance to do so, but I believe that for my life more natural living is a part of that.

On a side note my definition of natural living includes family as #2 priority (under God.) This means lots of time spent with family, and teaching my children to value family as well. This goes against what many believe (many feel they should be with peers and kids own age all day, as in school; and that time with friends should come first, especially at Jason's age.) This may be right for some kids and families, but for ours I feel they are right where they should be at home. And I believe this is God's will for our lives right now. (Next year I may feel He calls me to put them back in school.) I want to be doing what He wants, even when it is not what I want or what the world says is right.

Any thoughts?

-Becky

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Orange Cleaner

So simple and easy. Save your orange and lemon peels (I use organic so I know my cleaner has no chemicals), soak in white vinegar for 1 week to 1 month. Remove orange peels (don't forget to compost or put down garbage disposal to freshen room.) Mix half vinegar mixture and half warm water in a spray bottle. I did this and soaked a little over a week. I recommend soaking a bit longer. This stuff smells yummy and works great on my stove top and counters (although I still have a stain it did not get out.)
As a test I bought a bottle of non toxic, biodegradable orange cleaner. This works just as good. Both smell similar as well.

It takes a while to peel all the oranges needed (I used about 15.) But you can add orange peels to a bowl, jar, etc. in fridge for a few days then make cleaner.

Jason and I just peeled more oranges, we made fresh orange juice for breakfast, and I am making another batch of cleaner as well.

I was thinking of sewing some old towels, sheets, etc. into cleaning rags and making this cleaner for friends as a Christmas gift. Is that weird?
I would love that as a gift, but not sure what others think.

Have you made orange cleaner this way? Have another recipe for orange cleaner?

-Becky

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Thrift Shopping

Today my kids went to Great Adventure with their grandparents. Since I had to work at 6:00, I stayed home. I actually worked last night as well so they slept over. I had last night (I got out of work at 10) and today all to myself. I went thrift shopping with my dear, longtime friend, Joanna.

We had a blast. We always seem to laugh and have fun. We think things are funny that others may not necessarily think funny, but that's ok to us.

I got tons of toys and stuff for Kaiden (toys, bibs, and a pair of jeans.) I got a cool guide to the stars I will save for Jason for Christmas. I got Joshua a pair of Timberland snow boots, that are in great condition. I got a brand new paraffin wax set with 4 lbs. wax. It can do hands or feet. Joanna and I did our hands today and mine are so soft. I also got a few books, including one on the life of Abigail Adams. I am so so excited to read it. I got a puzzle for my brother Matthew (it has a truck, car, etc., and when you pick up each piece they make the sound of that mode of transportation.) I also got a baby gift for my pregnant friend (it looks brand new.) I got some envelopes, thank you cards, and blank cards. I got a like new photo album.

I spent $38 on all above stuff. I am super excited!

For lunch my friend treated and we went to a diner. I had a turkey burger. It was good.

Now I am at work (the kids I watch are already in bed.)

I am so glad to have spent time with Joanna. We have been friend since I was in 7th grade (about 18 years ago.) We were best friend in high school. We spent so much time together I wonder now how we could have had so much to talk about, but we did. But we have not hung out without my kids there for years, so it was nice. I got to see her new apartment (I saw it once before, but that was before she actually had any stuff in it.)

I had a really blessed, relaxed day.

How was your day?

-Becky

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Homemade dishwasher soap


You will not yet be seeing my homemade dishwasher soap recipe. It was a flop. It actually left a film on my dishes. Eww soap flavored food. Anyone make there own dishwasher soap? Care to share the recipe?

-Becky

p.s. that is not my dishwasher, got the picture online

Monday, February 8, 2010

Homemade Board Game

The other day some friends came over and we played a fun Cranium game. My boys liked it so much I decided we could make something similar. So yesterday we took this:
blank cardboard













and turned it into this:
completed game













Here are some of the during photos:
Jason working on spinner





















Joshua working on spinner
















Me smiling even though boys said how dumb a homemade game was over store bought (even though they spent about 2 hours making game and thinking of ideas)


The result:




Aunt Joanna came over and we played new game and had fun. Yeah!!!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Homemade dish soap


So I just made 4 bottles of dish soap (to wash dishes by hand, not in dishwasher. I also made dishwasher soap, but am tweaking the recipe before I post it here.)








Here is how I made the dish soap:
supplies
-shredded soap scraps (I used organic soap scraps I bought online from someone who makes them and shredded them with my old cheese grater that I now only use for soap and wax)
-water
-vinegar or lemon juice
-essential oils (optional) for scent

1. Place 2 cups of soap shavings into a large pot.
2. Add 4 cups of hot water and cook until all soap is dissolved.
3. Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth. Add more water to reach the desired consistency (you will add about 5 more cups water.)
4. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to help fight grease. Optional add lemon juice or an oil for scent.(I added tea tree oil and some lemon juice.)
5. When it cools put in old dish soap bottle.
5. Shake well before using.

I bought a box of organic soap scraps from someone online for about $10 which included shipping. I only used a small bit for making this dish soap. So I estimate I used $4 worth of ingredients to make 4 bottles of dish soap that is all organic. I also added tea tree to kill germs. I usually pay $4 for 1 bottle of Seventh Generation dish soap, so by making my own I saved about $12. Not too bad. Plus I am reusing old bottles which makes me feel good as well. The true test will be how well it cleans dishes that I hand wash.

If you make homemade dish soap how do you do it?

-Becky

Friday, February 5, 2010

Cloth diapers and mama pads

If you are interested in cloth diapers and cloth menstrual pads, I buy from PNPBaby, a Christian homeschooling mom of four. Her products are great! My friend, Courtney with 3 in diapers uses them as well. Check out Courtney's review here.
Then go to Meghan's Etsy site here. She also makes wallets and notebooks covers and such. I have a wallet made by her as well.

-Becky

Thursday, October 29, 2009

If it works

If it works I will just have made 3 quarts of dish soap for about $1. I got the recipe online. I have tried a few of my own recipes, but they have been unsuccessful. Regular store bought dish soap smells too strong for me and I feel like it takes forever to wash off the dishes. I have been using Seventh Generation unscented free and clear brand, but it is about $4 a bottle and I was having it shipped. $4 is too much for dish soap in my opinion. So I searched online and found this recipe:

1 bar octagon soap
3 quarts water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/8 cup washing soda
1/8 cup lemon

I just grated the soap and heated it in water over stove top until soap was all dissolved. Then I added baking soda and washing soda. I stirred it a bit more. Next I turned off the stove top. Finally I added the lemon (I actually squeezed it from a lemon, not sure if you could use the real lemon they sell in bottle.) I stirred it all up again. The I poured it into a glass container. I can not wait to try it on my dishes.

If it works I just spent about $1 for 3 quarts. That even beats the smaller bottle at the dollar store. Plus what I made is free of smelly chemicals. I will let you know how it works.

Yes, I will do just about anything to save money, and also to stay up at night (it is almost 1am.)

-Becky

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

carpet results

Both my homemade laundry soap and the Seventh Generation carpet cleaner got the coffee stain out of my cream carpet. However I have a strange mystery stain that neither cleaner got out. At least Duane and Josh are off the hook.

-Becky

Monday, August 31, 2009

more financial praises!

All August bills are paid in full! Sept. rent is paid as well (it is due the first.) This month in addition to paying all regular bills I got an oil change and tune up on the car as the check engine light was on. I had the car over a year and had never tuned it up, so it was due. I got it with 60,000 miles on it, now it has about 85,000 (I had the car a year and three months.) Also we were able to sell a few things and get the homeschooling stuff we needed. We now have everything we need for school, and probably more than we need as well. We also were able to pay an unexpected gas bill, as well as buy a friend a baby shower gift.

God never ceases to amaze me!!! He has blessed us so!!!

I pray you have felt blessed this month as well. I pray that God will continue to bless you in Sept.

-Becky

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Many uses of vinegar

This is from another blog. Since I use vinegar for everything, I thought I would share.

"When it comes to green cleaning, most of us know that baking soda and vinegar are two of the mainstays. But vinegar on its own is incredibly versatile. It’s a healthy, cheap, non-toxic solution to everything from bathroom mold to cleaning the toilet bowl.

So, let’s look at all the frugal, eco-friendly ways we can use vinegar to clean our homes.

1. Use Vinegar To Get Rid of Mold and Mildew- Fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water, and spray on the mold or mildew. The acetic acid in the vinegar kills the mold and mildew, and will discourage future growth.

2. Use Vinegar To Clean Your Toilets- 2 cups of vinegar in the toilet is all you need. Pour it in at night, let it sit, and then next morning swish with the toilet brush. The vinegar kills bacteria, and will dissolve hard water stains.

3. Use Vinegar To Stop Itching- Have a bug bite or poison ivy? Soak a cotton ball with some vinegar and wipe the area.

4. Use Vinegar As An Air Freshener- You can put vinegar in a spray bottle to neutralize odors from garbage cans or smoke. Just spray it in the air! And o, this won’t make your home smell like vinegar. Vinegar absorbs odors, so as soon as it dries your house will just smell neutral. You can also use this in the refrigerator or your kids’ lunch boxes. Spritz, let it sit a few minutes, and then wipe down.

5. Use Vinegar To Get Rid of Hiccups- One tablespoon of vinegar down your throat and the hiccups will be gone. Good luck not gagging, though…

6. Use Vinegar To Clean Your Microwave- In a microwave safe bowl mix equal parts water and vinegar, then nuke it for two minutes. Next, dip your sponge in the solution and wipe down the sides. If you’ve got baked on food it will come right off. In addition to softening the food, the vinegar will disinfect and neutralize the odors.

7. Use Vinegar To Get Rid of Grease- All you have to do is soak your sponge or rag in some vinegar and then start wiping. The vinegar will cut right through the greasy gunk to give you a sparkling clean stove.

8. Use Vinegar To Clean Cloth Diapers- Use one cup of vinegar to two gallons of water. Soak diapers in this solutions to neutralize odors and prevent staining.

9. Use Vinegar To Clean Crayon Marks Off Walls- Don’t blow money on a MagicEraser. Simply dip and old toothbrush in vinegar and start scrubbing. The crayon marks should come right off.

10. Use Vinegar To Wash Fruits and Vegetables- If you have hard skinned fruits and vegetables, simply spray them with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. For soft skinned, fill a bowl with an equal balance of vinegar and water and then soak for up to two minutes, then rinse. The acetic in the vinegar helps dissolve waxes and pesticides.

11. Use Vinegar To Clean Windows- Forget Windex. Mix a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar, and clean windows with that instead.

12. Use Vinegar To Get Rid of Clothing Stains- Soak the garment in full strength vinegar. Stains should wash right out.

13. Get Rid of Bad Breath With Vinegar- Sound counterproductive? Well, it’s not. Brush your teeth once or twice a week with vinegar. It will also help whiten your teeth.

14. Kill Weeds With Vinegar- If you have weeds or plants where you don’t want them, simply pour full strength vinegar on them. This also works well in cracks between cobblestones or in your driveway.

15. Make Cut Flowers Live Longer With Vinegar- If you have cut flowers that are on their way out, or you want to make a fresh bouquet last a long time, simply add two tablespoons of vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar to the vase.

16. Kills Ants With Vinegar- If you have ant hills in your hard, pour full strength vinegar on them.

17. Clean Your Dog With Vinegar- If your dog has gotten sprayed by a skunk, or rolled in something nasty, wipe them down well with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Then, rinse with plain water.

18. Dissolve Chewing Gum With Vinegar- If you have chewing gum in your hair or on your shoe, dissolve it with full-strength vinegar. If the vinegar is hot, it will work even better.

19. Dissolve Frost On Car Windows With Vinegar- If you want to keep your car windows frost-free overnight, spray them down with a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar.

20. Clean Urine Stains From Carpet With Vinegar- Spray thoroughly with an equal part mixture of water and vinegar. Then wipe up with a rag.

21. Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal With Vinegar- Pour a half cup of vinegar and a half cup of baking soda down your drain. Let it sit for at least five minutes, and then run your garbage disposal.

22. Clean Stainless Steel With Vinegar- Simply spray down with full strength vinegar and wipe up. Your stainless steel will sparkle!

23. Disinfect Sponges With Vinegar- If your kitchen sponges are getting nasty, simply soak them in a bowl of vinegar overnight. By the next morning the bacteria will be dead and you’ll have a fresh, clean sponge."

Some of these are even new to me and I hope to try them. I have used vinegar to kill weeds and it works great! Also I use vinegar as fabric softener. It works great to keep clothes soft. As an added bonus it cleans gunk from inside your washer drum.

Do you do anything else with vinegar? -Becky

Friday, August 21, 2009

Praise

All Aug. bills are now paid. We have gas in the car. The car is running well and getting a maintenance tune up as I type (with the money to pay for it in the checking account.) We have food in our house to last until the end of the month. Sept. rent has been sent as well (it is due Sept. 1st.) Almost all homeschool supplies have been bought (we need about $200 more to get everything, but do not need it all right away.)

We were blessed with two financial donations this month (thanks Cindy & a blogger friend) as well as some gift cards to the food store (thanks Sue & Bill.) God is so amazing. I had only planned on not working until June, so all my bills were only paid through the end of June, yet here it is almost the end of August and we still are ok.

I did have to touch some of my savings, but that is not the worst thing in the world. I still have an emergency fund that will last about 6 months, plus my house buying fund.

I can not say it enough that God is so amazing!!!

-Becky

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Finances cont.

I was able to pay myself back the $75 I spent yesterday. Now I am figuring out how to come up with:

$43 gas bill due Aug. 11th
$116 electric bill due Aug. 12th
$200 owe contact money need asap to get contacts

$359 needed by Aug. 11th. Plus I need $260 more to cover Aug. bills, but I should make this at my Sat. job., so it is really the $359 I need to figure out.

I just posted on a few of my friend websites that I am available for childcare. Plus tomorrow I will go through the house and see what I can try to sell online. We have some dvds that I can try and get like $5 each for. I also have some new ladies clothes that are not my style (not the ones you bought mom.) They still have tags on them. I have 6 new shirts and 1 pair nice capri's all new with tags. Maybe I can get a few dollars each.

I also may not have to pay the gas bill as I am on the budget option and next month (Aug.) plan recalculates. It looks like I am over but will call Monday to see about that (meaning I paid more than I used, so in Aug. they credit the difference.)

It will all work out. It always does. I just am using this as a reminder to only spend cash, and once that cash is gone don't borrow from another budget category.

-Becky

Friday, July 31, 2009

Financial check up-opps!

Finances not looking so good. I should not have spent so much mad money over past two months. I had paid all my bills until Aug. 1st, but today I spent $75 that I didn't have to spend, and when I got home from water park I had a gas and electric bill that I was not expecting (they are due in Aug., but I thought I had prepaid enough to cover them as well.)

I have to figure out a way to come up with:
$75-pay back money I used today
$200-owe my contact fund (which I need new contacts asap)
$120-electric bill
$45-gas bill

$440 needed by Aug. 11th

Plus I will be short about $300 on Aug. bills as well.

So actually I need about $740 by the end of August. The main reason is I was scheduled to go back to work ( I had been off due to my ankle surgery) on Friday June 19th (I think that is the date.) But since my brother died on the 14th of June (the Sunday before) I was not able to go back. So my job had to hire someone else (since I had already been out 3 months.)

I also spent too much mad money on stupid stuff in the past few months (expecting to be back to work by now.)

I will work my Sat. job in Aug. and make about $240, so I will need to find another way to come up with about $500 by the end of Aug. I will start be seeing what I can sell in our house. Next, I will ask everyone I know if they need any childcare from now until summer's end. That I can do with my kids as to not incur any childcare costs.

Now, I do have money in an emergency fund and a house fund as well, but my goal is to not touch any of that at all.

I think it is good to evaluate where I am financially a lot, to avoid being in situations like this.

How often do you check your finances?

-Becky

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

What we spent on Ohio trip

Kevin and I took the boys to Ohio to visit my grandmother last week. We left Monday in am and returned home Friday night. It was so nice to spend time with Kevin and visit my grandmother. She really enjoyed having us there.

Here is what I spent:
$ 50 Food for drive up (very healthy stuff may I add)
$340 Hotel (with pool and free breakfast included)
$140 Entrance to Football Hall of Fame and souvenirs (I even got Kevin a Christmas
gift)
$ 75 Walmart (clothes for Josh & bathing suit for Josh)
$ 15 Out of state scratch offs (our road trip tradition)
$ 45 Gamestop (boys forget DS lite & DSI chargers-I got them each a car and house
charger)
$ 30 Shopping at local Goodwill (just for fun)
$ 36 Getting two copies of my birth certificate (I was born in Ohio, and my old
birth certificate ripped apart)
$ 100 Gas

$831 Total spent by me on trip

Kevin spent (that I know of):

$ 50 Gas
$ 50 Football Hall of Fame souvenirs
$ 50 Pizza Hut
$ 65 Friendly's (we took my granmother out to eat)
$ 20 Cold Stone

$235 Total Kevin spent

$1065 Approximate money spent on 5 day trip to Ohio. About $210 a day is not too bad. Of course we could have greatly reduced expenses for this trip by not staying in a hotel and staying at my grandmother's, packing proper clothes for Josh, packing all DSI & DS lite components, and not eating out. But although we went to Ohio to help my grandmother, I also wanted the boys to feel like they were on vacation and have some fun as well. They got to swim in hotel pool every night and now they can say they went to the Football Hall of fame (big whoop to me.)

Any vacation plans for you? How much have you budgeted for vacations this year?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

frugal / green living

This is a repost from Aug. 30, 2008, I updated it a bit:













Hello! My goal is to live very frugally/green. In the process it has made me aware how much we waste. So I am really trying to use everything up and not buy stuff if I have something similar. I have saved lots of money along the way.

This goes for:

-paper towels- dishcloths work great (but my mom does buy us paper towels, thanks mom, so hey I will use them if they are free to me)
-paper napkins- cloth ones I got used a long time ago also work great
-sanitary napkins- cloth ones are so much nicer on my skin (email Meaghan at primmnproperbaby@yahoo.com to buy some-she is a Christian work at home mom. Her cloth diapers and sanitary napkins are great.)
-cloth diapers, you can buy great all in one's, no messing with pins or plastic pants
-cloth baby wipes- any washcloth/fabric will do
-toilet paper-f leece fabric (recycled from an old shirt) works wonderfully (and so soft too, and no lint) (no I am not kidding, it works great!)
-store bought cleaning products
- vinegar &/or baking soda work great on most anything
-toothpaste- baking soda works great
-deodorant- again baking soda works great or corn starch
-laundry soap- I make my own, check out recipe here

The above are some of the things I do to live frugally/green.

I am trying to figure out frugal/green shaving, as shaving cream and razors can really add up (I have debated not shaving anymore, but I like smooth legs.) I tried an electric razor, ouch! Too harsh on my sensitive skin.
I need to find frugal, but good razors (I have very sensitive skin), any good tips?

I am trying to use up everything consumable we have before buying anything new.

I compost to keep some stuff out of the garbage. Great tip- add tea bags and coffee grinds to compost, it makes for great fertilizer.

Before I toss anything, I see if we can reuse or the kids can make something out of it. They especially love paper towel rolls (from the paper towels my mom buys.)

I also use junk mail and envelopes as scrap paper before they hit the garbage or compost. (My grandmother does this and I used to make fun of her. Sorry Grandma! You had the right idea.)

This may sound extreme to some, and not extreme enough to others (I still buy those little flossers cause they are so convenient, regular floss is too difficult for me and the kids, but I do get them at the dollar store.)

I feel God wants us to be good stewards of His money, His resources, and His Earth. This is how I am doing my part. What about you?

-Becky