Category Archives: Being Frugal

Saving Money Without The Crazy

Posted on March 18, 2013 | 3 Comments

If you follow me on Facebook, then you know about my recent introduction to the tv show Extreme Couponing.

I am intrigued and fascinated by the dedication these people have to amassing great quantities of grocery store items and imitating said grocery stores inside of their own homes.  Shelves and shelves, rows and rows, and looming towers of toiletries, drinks, and boxed goods take up whole rooms!

While I would never buy most of what they hoard, some of the items have my frugal side perking up and taking notice.  Getting toilet paper, paper towels, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, ponytail holders, cottonballs, cottonswabs, and floss for little money or free is definitely something I am interested in!

After gorging on 8 episodes (thank you, Netflix!) in a row, I have been inspired to try the whole couponing thing again.  Will you see me with binders and boxes of coupons?  No.  Will I be dedicating 20 to 30 hours a week to couponing?  No.  I have a goal of saving money without the crazy, obsessive, diving-into dumpsters, and stealing peoples’ papers side of couponing.  *grin*

I challenged myself to saving just $15.00 per week.  That would be a savings of $780.00 per year.  Any money saved about that $15.00 per week is all gravy, my friends.

How did my first week go?  I saved $26.00!  Booyah!

Coupons and I, we hit it off quite nicely.

So, how did this healthy-eating family save money?  Let me share my oh-so-short, yet fun, jaunt into coupons so far.

Costco is my weekly grocery store.  By simply planning this week’s meals and food stock-ups based on the coupons they are offering this month, I saved $7.00.  That was easy!

Next, I focused on another store we use frequently, Earth Fare.  They offer coupons, put out a weekly specials flyer, and have a point rewards card for shopping there.  Just for signing up, I received an organic whole fryer chicken for free.  I also was able to grab up an Irish cheese they were offering free this week.  Their coupon book had coupons for a couple of items we needed for this week’s menu, and a little perusing on the internet afforded me a couple of manufacturer’s coupons as well.  Total saved at Earth Fare, $18.00!

While $26.00 may not seem like a lot to some, it is a great step forward and an encouragement to me.  Just a little preplanning and checking the internet for sales and coupons to the stores I frequent, and I can save a little cash.  That little cash adds up to big cash!

My minimum per week is still $15.00, but I am a person who loves a good challenge, so you know full well that I will be looking to beat $26.00 next week.  *wink*

Do you coupon?  Are you a healthy-eating family who coupons?  How is it working out for you?  Any tips to help me reach my challenge goal this week?

God bless,

~Rhen

You can also find me on Pinterest- ContentedRhen   …   Twitter 

and on my soap page- Handmade Goat Milk Soap

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Posted in Being Frugal, Being Healthy, Challenges, Family Life, Happening Daily, in the kitchen, Rhen

Favorite Thrift Store Finds- January

Posted on February 5, 2013 | 6 Comments

Yes, shopping thrift stores is a great way to save money and keep your budget under control, but I enjoy the thrill of the hunt!  *wink*  Finding a treasure, a diamond in the rough, amongst a bunch of junk, is more than worth the time.

Here are my favorite finds for January.

I have been on the hunt for an adorable coat for my sweet Susannah.  She has a coat that is just fine for wearing outside to play in but not for going out in public.  I happened upon a gorgeous, chocolatey-brown Rothschild coat for less than $4.00!  Yes! Score for this thrifty momma!   I also found this adorable skirt.  It has a little gold thread running throughout, and it adds a touch of sparkle.

We had two great finds for Renee, both under $6.00 each.  The first is a black wool jacket that is gathered at the waist.  I love it when she wears it with a silky scarf tucked under the collar and flowing down the front.

The second is an absolutely gorgeous blue suede blazer with a lovely detail.  The kicker?  It is a brand new jacket with the original tag still on it.  That tag read $79.99.  Booyah!

Some women love shoes, while others have a thing for jewelry, and still others for purses and different bags, I have a little thing for jackets and blazers.  I am always on the lookout for something that is suede, loaded with personality, or just a little piece of eye candy.  *grin*

The warmth of this burnt orange suede blazer looks fantastic with my cream colored shirt, blue jeans, cowboy boots, and some simple drop earrings.

My “fun find” was this lap harp I discovered buried under a bunch of kitchen odds and ends.  It is missing one string (easily replaceable), and it was handmade in Romania (how cool is that!).  We are a music family who greatly enjoys finding and learning to play new instruments.  After our trip this fall to Fort Toulouse’s Pioneer Days introduced us to a fantastic character who beautifully played a large version of a lap harp, I had to snatch it up ($3.00)!

My January finds also include a few Van Heusen shirts in pristine condition for Noah, a couple of shirts for myself, several pairs of blue jeans for the kids, and a small tablecloth.

I don’t usually shop for myself, but I recently accomplished a pretty aggressive purge of my clothing, getting rid of items I never wear, I have lost too much weight to wear, aren’t my colors, or have become worn out.  I thoroughly enjoy putting together complete outfits that cost me very little.  Not to mention, the vintage items I find in the thrift stores totally fits my classic yet bohemian style.

How about you?  Do “hunt” through thrift stores?  Do you enjoy finding treasures for next to nothing?

God bless,

~Rhen

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Posted in Being Frugal, Family Life, Ms. Giggles, Ms. Serious, Rhen, The Youngin's, Young Man

Because that shade of purple just isn’t manly!

Posted on November 30, 2012 | 4 Comments

Our family’s recent move has greatly blessed us with more space, including much larger and better laid out bedrooms for the kids.  While there is decorating and arranging to do, one bedroom topped the list as imperative:  Noah’s (14) bedroom.

The boy’s room was PURPLE.  I am not talking about a light lavender or something easy to cover.  It was PURPLE, and, as Noah stated oh so insistently, purple just isn’t manly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/Renoem/Blog%20posts/8NR.jpg

I must admit, we did have a good time picking on him for a few weeks about his lovely purple walls.  *giggle, snort*

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/Renoem/Blog%20posts/7NR.jpg

Part of the floor that is not carpeted was painted an even darker purple.  Seriously.

He pestered and pestered me until I finally took him to select his new wall color.  Kids are good at that whole pestering thing, aren’t they?  I am sure he gets it from Dad.

We decided to go with a colonial color pattern that included most of the walls and the purple floor being painted a gray blue, while one wall was painted a cranberry red color as an accent.

The cranberry-red accent wall.

The cranberry red accent wall.  I am looking to cover the shelf with either a curtain or doors.  I would be able to paint the doors with chalkboard paint.  That would be a bonus.

Can you see Sherlock, the Chinese Water Dragon's, home on Noah's dresser? That lizard just adores him. I didn't know that was possible.

Can you see Sherlock, the Chinese Water Dragon’s, home on Noah’s dresser? That lizard just adores him. I didn’t know that was possible.  The mirror you see will be hung on the wall in that area next to Noah’s dresser.

We created a faux window with a sapling and a pair of cranberry red tab top curtains.  A saved-from-destruction chair, a stool, and a magazine rack create a great reading space, while the secretary and ladderback chair give Noah a writing desk for letters and his homesteading plans.

Reading, origami, pen pal letters, and homesteading plans!

Reading, origami, pen pal letters, and homesteading plans!

The area above the faux window is a perfect place to display his name sign.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/Renoem/Blog%20posts/4NR.jpgGranny helped to really set the tone for the room with the quilt she blessed Noah with for the 14th birthday he recently celebrated.  His bedroom makeover was a part of his birthday present from Dad and I.

The cranberry red and the gray blue are a perfect match. I will be using a few more accents in the room to bring out the green.

The cranberry red and the gray blue are a perfect match. I will be using a few more accents in the room to bring out the green.

We repurposed an old trunk and placed it at the end of his bed.  It holds his extra sheets and blankets.  I love this so much more than them taking up space in th closet.  I have cedar and lavender in the chest to give the sheets and blankets a great scent when he uses them.  On top of the chest is an old typewriter he is fascinated with.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/Renoem/Blog%20posts/2NR.jpg

He loves his room.  You can’t get a better thank you than the look on their face when it is all done.

Now that Noah has his own space, it is time to get to work on creating great spaces for the girls.  The only thing we purchased in Noah’s room makeover was the paint.  Everything else was found, given, and repurposed.  My goal for the girls’ rooms is to completely decorate their rooms without spending a dime.  I will be taking a lot of pictures and sharing just how we do it.

So, what do you think?  Is it manly enough for a 14 year old young man?  *grin*

God bless!

~Rhen

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Posted in Being Frugal, Family Life, Home, organizing, Projects, Young Man

Why We Don’t Do Allowances

Posted on September 14, 2012 | 3 Comments

Some of my favorite posts to write are in response to my dear readers’ questions.    For all you who have queried on the topic of allowance, this one’s for you!

Over the years, we have struggled with consistency and the very idea of an allowance for our children.  Proper stewardship of money is far too important of a life lesson to ignore or be wishy-washy about!

Our recent financial life changes through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University caused us to look at how and why we teach our children about money.  It also helped me realize a couple of things.

I have never liked the idea of an allowance.  Why?  Ask five different people what allowance is, and you will receive five different answers.  Answers like:

  • Allowance is money we give our kids just for being kids.  They have to have money to spend don’t they? (I have heard this more times than I care to count!)
  • Allowance is money we give our kids for helping by making their beds (sometimes) and clearing their plate from the table (after I remind them a few times).
  • Allowance is money we give our kids for doing chores (that may or may not be done).
  • Allowance is money we give our kids when they ask for it.  (Seriously, this is also a common answer).

In our family, we do not believe in getting paid for doing nothing.  You are not entitled to money, respect, position, or special privileges, just to name a few.  Those are to be EARNED.

We have chunked the word “allowance” in the garbage and replaced it with the word “commissions”.  Our kids now earn commissions by completing assigned tasks on a daily/weekly basis.

Let me give you an example using our Littles/ Middles (ages 5 and 7)

There are four categories they earn money for:

  • Bed made every morning (this is pretty much a gimme, but it is important in helping them set good habits)
  • Once a week assigned chore (sweeping the porches and cleaning them up).
  • Straightening up their assigned area in the living room each night before bed.
  • Room cleaned up (toys put away, trash thrown away, and dirty clothes in hamper) by bedtime each night.  (This is not our weekly deep clean, just a clearing of the floors *grin*)

The older kids have chores and assigned areas that are more fitting their ages and abilities, also their commissions are a different amount.

There is another side to commissions.  What if they just decide to not do their chores and take care of their stuff?  If there is a reward earned for doing what they are supposed to, then there must be a consequence for not doing them.

Our system is:

Each of the four chore categories is worth a monetary amount.  If each daily item and  the weekly item is completed, they receive payment for it.  The Littles earn $0.50 per category per week, which means that  they can earn $2.00 per week.

Consequences are:

  • Miss one day (willfully and intentionally refuse to take care of their responsibilities)- loss of money for that particular chore.
  • Miss two days- loss of money and loss of all electronics for two days.
  • Miss three days- loss of money, loss of electronics,  2 more days of electronics and have to do an extra chore.
  • Miss four or more- loss of money, loss of electronics for 4 days, extra chore, and you owe us money.

We have not had anyone miss more than 2 days in the past 3 months since we have instituted commissions.

The other issue that comes with this is consistency…by US…the parents!

  • We HAVE to check nightly for items to be done.
  • We HAVE to gently remind the kids to make sure their stuff is completed.
  • We HAVE to pay them what they have earned.
  • We HAVE to make sure consequences are met.

I have a notebook specifically for recording each week what was accomplished and was not (I am a list person, after all).  I make myself check at the same time each night.  I have made it a part of my routine.

We have committed to a weekly family meeting on Sunday evening to pay commissions, pray as a family, and set our goals for the new week.  This has greatly helped me to be consistent and step up in the area of commissions!

You have to find what is going to help you be committed and that will help your kids be more committed.  When they see that this is just how it is going to work, they know that they can count on being checked and paid!

I hope this post has helped you in some way, and I am glad to answer any questions you may have!

God bless,

~Rhen

What’s coming up next on the topic of money?  The answer to what happens after our kids are paid their commissions!

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Posted in Being Frugal, Family Life, Large Family Life, The Youngin's

A table fit for a large family!

Posted on September 12, 2012 | 13 Comments

For our family, a table is more than just a piece of furniture in the dining room.

~It is where we gather at meals to eat, laugh, and share the events of the day.

~It is where the kids express their creativity with projects and crafts.

~It is the hub of our homeschooling adventures.

~It is the place where many quiet conversations over coffee have taken place.

~It is where we play games and enjoy visiting with friends and family.

While surfing on Pinterest, I spotted the dining table I have always wanted.  I immediately pinned it to my Honey-Do List board and shared it with Hubs.

We sold our old table and chair set and have been making do with a table that only seats about two-thirds of our family while Mark and I have been working on our new table AND matching benches.

The man is AMAZING!  He takes whatever idea I have and makes it so much more than I could have imagined.  That, my friends, is a God-given gift.

Thanks to Pinterest (again) I created my own stain to give the table and benches an “old wood” look.    I soaked a piece of steel wool in a jar of vinegar for 24 hours.  Then, I added a scoop of coffee grounds and allowed the jars to set overnight.   I noticed that some pins used white vinegar, while others used apple cider vinegar.  I made a jar of both and tested them on a discarded piece of the wood Mark was using to see if there would be a difference.  There wasn’t.

First, Mark made the benches, and I stained them with 2 coats of stain each.  Each coat was allowed to dry thoroughly before the next was applied.

I used a small bristled brush to liberally apply the stain to the table and benches.

A little note about staining your wood furniture this way:  it takes a few minutes for the stain to start showing the staining process.  The wood continues to darken for a while after you have applied the stain.  Allow it to dry thoroughly before adding any more coats so you can see what color the wood develops.

Mark and I applied 4 coats of polyurethane to each bench and the table (with a very light sanding between each coat).

Here is our new farmhouse-inspired family table:

I love the warm old-wood look and feel we achieved.

One of my favorite features is that the benches slide underneath the table when not in use and give so much more space to walk around in the dining room.

In a pinch, I can fit all of the kids on ONE BENCH!  How is that for packing ‘em in?!

If you have any questions about the process of building and finishing this table, ask away!  I will try to be as helpful as I can.

God bless,

~Rhen

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Posted in As seen on Pinterest, Being Frugal, Handmade, Home, Large Family Life, Mr. Muscles, Projects, Rhen

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Thankful Thursday ~Real Food!

Posted on July 19, 2012 | 2 Comments

How in the world can a giant basket of fresh, homegrown tomatoes not make a person thankful? Seriously!  There is just no comparing the flavor of a tomato from a home garden to one bought at a grocery store.

Most of these beauties will be peeled, quartered, and canned.  I am looking forward to opening one of them during the cold winter months and making some lovely marinara!

It was these tomatoes and this zucchini…

and this basil…

along with some freshly sliced onion and whole grain pasta, that came together the other night in a very delicious dinner.  Olive oil, sea salt, and fresh basil make an awesome flavor combination.  *grin*

Our first bean tunnel of love is working beautifully!  The purple podded beans have completely covered the tunnel (6 foot tall and 10 foot long), are flowering, and producing beans.  Question!  Do you can or freeze your green beans?

I think that right after fresh tomatoes, the corn is Mark’s favorite thing to grow.  It is so… homestead-y.  Don’t you think?

I have some pretty yummy plans for this corn.  A little butter, a little sea salt, and a hot grill are waiting for it!

If we ever stop eating every single sweet pepper that is picked from the garden, I would love to dice some up and freeze it.  Fresh veggies lying on the counter seem to be irresistable to the people in this house!

Our second planting of tomatoes is doing very well.  Rather than have our tomato season completely end in August because the plants have all produced and died, we are hoping to have a second harvest this year.  This is one of the benefits of living in the deep south!

I want to leave you with a couple of shots of my zinnias.  Their colorful heads seem to shoot up overnight and explode like fireworks the next morning.  I took a vase full of these beauties to add a punch of color to my soap table at Market Days.

I am also very thankful for the help of this little guy and his thousands of friends who help to pollinate our gardens!  It couldn’t be done without them.  *grin*

Our family is truly blessed and extremely thankful for God’s bountiful harvest that He has provided in our garden this year.  The health, the flavor, and the foods that are put away for the winter months are just a handful of the benefits of growing and eating REAL FOOD!

Did you plant a garden this year?  What have you harvested?

All for God’s glory,

~Rhen

This post is linked up with:

The Marathon Mom’s Thankful Thursday!

The Purposeful Mom

Raising Homemakers

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Posted in Being Frugal, gardening, in the garden, in the kitchen, On the Homestead, Photographs, raising homemakers, Thankful, Thankful Thursday

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Creating My Own Canvas Photo Display

Posted on June 15, 2012 | 7 Comments

Not long a ago, while I was obsessing over glancing around Pinterest, I saw a couple of pins that caught my eye, and one of them was about creating my own canvas art.  I was completely inspired and knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Remember where I showed you how I was able to use the peel and stick wall writing but still be able to move it with me?  I had another saying that I wanted to find a way to use, and this is how I did it and made it match my canvas photos.

The wall lettering part of the project required:

  • The wall art (50% off at Hobby Lobby)
  • A large canvas (40% off at Hobby Lobby)
  • Black glossy spray paint (already had it in the garage)
  • Glossy spray sealer (already had it in the garage)

First, I arranged and applied the vinyl lettering to the canvas.  It was not easy, as the lettering didn’t want to stick very well, but I was persistent!  After finally getting it on the canvas, I flipped the canvas over and put canned goods on the back of it.  The pressure helped it to stick better.

Then, I spray painted over the whole thing.

After the paint had dried, I gently peeled off all of the letters.

At first I was disappointed that the lettering didn’t have the clean edge that you would get on a solid surface, but then I started liking how it had an I-just-wrote-this-in-chalk look.  After all of the lettering was peeled off, I gave it a nice coating of clear gloss sealer and allowed it to dry.

This is how it turned out.

The next step in my project was to create my canvas photos.

Supplies for this part of the project:

  • Black and White 8×10 photos of each child ($1.49 each at Costco)
  • An 8×10 canvas for each photo (30% 0ff at Hobby Lobby)
  • Clear glossy sealer (already had this in the garage)
  • A large bottle of Modge Podge ($7.99 at Hobby Lobby)

I used the cardboard backing of a large coloring book as a work surface.  It caught any Modge Podge I dripped.  :)

First, you cover a canvas with a generous coating of Modge Podge.

Next, align your picture on the canvas and gently work out any bubbles with your fingers.  Make sure the edges are firmly adhered to the Modge Podge.

Once the picture is secure, paint a generous layer of Modge Podge over the entire picture.  Make sure it is as even as possible and every inch is covered.

I wanted a textured look as if it had been painted on the canvas, so after the first coating of Modge Podge I applied from top to bottom dried, I painted a second layer going from left to right.

You can also use cheesecloth or a sponge to stipple an effect on the photo.  Get creative with your texture!

Here is how my texture turned out.  I over-exaggerated it in the picture so you could see it well.

Once the Modge Podge had firmly dried, I gave each canvas photo a generous coating of the clear glossy sealer and allowed it to harden.

When everything was dry, I created my very own canvas art display!

I am beyond thrilled with how well it turned out!

If I (my oh-so-not-crafty-self) can do this, so can you.

I looked to buy as much of the supplies as I could on sale or clearance, so it wasn’t expensive.  The whole thing took just an afternoon, and that is with doing 8 kids’ photos.  I let it all set overnight and hung it up the next day.

Inexpensive and not time-consuming, double bonus!!

With Father’s Day coming up, you can get creative with the pictures you take and have a great canvas photo display to showcase your beautiful family!

So, whadda think?  Be nice, please.  *grin*

All for God’s glory,

~Rhen

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Posted in arts and crafts, As seen on Pinterest, Being Frugal, Handmade, Hobbies, Home, Photographs, Projects, Rhen, The Youngin's

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Making a Name Sign Shelf

Posted on March 5, 2012 | 2 Comments

As many of you already know, I have been making name signs for each of our children.  (See Emily Grace’s here, Hannah’s here, and Olivia’s here)

My goal is to use different style letters and create completely different name signs for each one.  I want them all to be unique!

For Susannah’s 5th birthday I created a name sign that is also a shelf.

What you will need:

  • wooden or plastic letters that spell out the name
  • a shelf that is long enough to accommodate the name length
  • paint
  • elmer’s glue
  • a couple of paintbrushes
  • glitter
  • “L” brackets
  • clear coat (gives a clear, hard shell)

I used a wooden shelf, so I covered it with a couple of coats of polyeurathane to protect the wood.

Next, I painted the letters of her name.  The girl loves pink.  I chose a pink that would travel with her through age and not be too bright or to “baby pink”.

Then, I paint each letter with Elmer’s glue…

…and dust them thoroughly with the glitter.  Once the glue has dried and set, I gently shake off the excess glitter and spray a nice layer of clear coat to keep the glitter from being knocked off.   It forms a nice shell on the letters.

Mark was a huge help and used epoxy to glue the “L” brackets onto the back of each letter.  I couldn’t use the screws on the letters as they were too long.

Mark then screwed each letter into place onto the shelf.  I cleaned off the excess glitter and sprayed two more good layers of clear coat on the whole thing.  That glitter is not going anywhere!   :)

The finished product hung over her bed…

I spent approximately $20.00 to make this.  I bought the shelf, letters, paint, and glitter for 40-50% off at Hobby Lobby.  I bought the “L” brackets at Home Depot for $4.00 for 2 packages of 4.  I already had the glue, clear coat, and paint brushes.  :)   She now has some of her favorite “pretties” displayed on her shelf right behind her name.

Any questions?

Don’t you just love handmade gifts?!

All for God’s glory,

~Rhen

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Posted in arts and crafts, Being Frugal, Family Life, Handmade, Ms. Giggles, Projects, Rhen

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Finding Your Gardening Niche

Posted on February 24, 2012 | 5 Comments

Welcome to part 2 of my little gardening series!

We started out with an introduction into gardening basics including:  the fantastic benefits, location, and some information to help you choose your fruit and veggie varieties.

In this post we will be digging  a little deeper (haha!  I  can’t help myself) into soil and gardening methods.  I am not going into great detail, but rather, I am giving an overview and links so you can dig deeper into what will work for you.  If I gave all the info I could, this post would be 4000+ words.  Seriously.

Single row gardening.

This is the traditional style of gardening that most people are familiar with.  An area is chosen, the soil is prepared, and the seeds are planted in straight rows the length of the garden with walkways between each row.  This is not my favorite style of gardening.  I realize that there are plenty of people out there who still cling to it, but that is because they have not learned that there are much better ways.  *wink*  My biggest issue with single row gardening is that so much time, effort, soil amendments, and money goes into areas that used as walkways instead of being concentrated in the areas where the plants are.

Wide row gardening.

This is a better take on single row gardening.  This method involves rows that are as wide as a garden rake up to 3+ foot wide.  Wide row gardening has several good points including:  more space is used for actual gardening than walking, you do not pack down the soil next to the plants where the roots are trying to grow, there is less weeding, soil amendments can be concentrated in the soil that the plants use, you can water selected areas easier, companion planting is easier, and more plants create more shaded soil to help keep the soil moist and number of weeds down.

Raised beds.

Raised beds work very similarly to wide rows, but with defined edges.  These edges can be made of wood, stone, concrete block, etc.  They share some of the same benefits as wide rows:  ability to concentrate soil amendments and water to the soil the plants are in and not wasting it on the soil in the walkways.  Raised beds can be adjusted in height to meet your particular needs.  They are fantastic for people who cannot easily reach the ground for various reasons (elderly, disabled, etc.)

Growing plants in raised beds or wide rows brings us to a couple of gardening ideas that can be very helpful in either maximizing space or creating healthy soil without tilling.

Square foot gardening. SFG maximizes the amount of food that you grow in a limited amount of space.  Click the link to learn all of the ins and outs of SFG!

Lasagna gardening.  This allows you to create very healthy, nourishing, and almost weed-free soil using newspaper, peat moss, fruit and vegetable scraps, manure, and more.  This is wonderful for people who are not interested in tilling the soil!

One thing about gardening that I cannot stress enough is soil, soil, SOIL!  Please take the time to figure out what your soil is lacking.  You cannot have large, healthy, disease-resistant, heaving-producing plants if you do not provide the healthiest soil!

There are two books I would like to recommend.  You can borrow these from the library or purchase them.  Personally, I like to own my books as I refer to them often, make lots of notes, and like to highlight ideas I want to use.

The first book is:

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith.  As far as I am concerned, this book is indispensable!   It almost never has the opportunity to rest on my bookshelf.  His soil amendments chapter is wonderful.

The second book is:

Garden Way’s Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond

This was my first introduction to wide row gardening, and I have been hooked ever since.  Thanks Dad!  The difference in the amount we are able to harvest because of using wide rows in contrast to single rows is phenominal.   We went from producing enough to eat to producing enough to eat, can, freeze, dry, and share in much less space.

Take the time to read up on the gardening methods and choose what will work best for you, your space, your budget, and your food-growing goals.  Get a notebook to jot down and sketch the ideas that inspire you.

I am always glad to answer any questions, guide you to the best resources, or help in any way I can.  Email me if you need to!

Next up in the gardening series:  choosing the best seeds/ plants and starting seeds indoors!

All for God’s glory!!

~Rhen

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Posted in Being Frugal, Being Healthy, Family Life, gardening, homesteading, in the garden, On the Homestead, Projects, Rhen

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A penny here, and a penny there.

Posted on January 25, 2012 | 9 Comments

Many of the great blogs I visit regularly, and those I follow on Facebook, have had some great ideas for frugal living and have inspired me to share some of our family’s ways with you.

As both the mom of a large brood, and a person who sees much harder times on the horizon, I am always looking for ways to save money, cut monthly expenses, and discover what things I can do myself rather than pay for them to be done.

Some of the ways that we save money:

♥Momma’s barbershop!  I cut everyone’s hair in this house.  Over the years, I have learned how to cut the guys’ hair, as well as trim and even layer the girls’ hair.  It has taken time, but it has been well worth it.  At minimum it is a savings of over $400 per year.

♥I have made laundry detergent for over 4 years now.  I played with the recipe until I got something that cleans like I want, doesn’t leave behind soap residue, and is still super cheap to make it.  I can’t even begin to think how much money that saves us.

♥We grow a lot of our own fruits and vegetables in our garden.  Not only do we save money, but we also know that the food we are eating is not GMO, is not covered with pesticides and chemicals, and we know exactly what was used to fertilize them!

♥I use my dryer as little as possible.  I learned years ago that the dryer can account for 30-40% of our power bill.  Mr. Muscles built a clothes line for me that week, and we have been saving a lot of money ever since.  I was a little skeptical at first, but the proof was in the power bill!

♥I admit it.  I used to use disposable diapers.   That is what our first three children wore.  I was intimidated by the cloth diapers.  The only thing I could picture and understand was the giant square clothes and pins.  Wow, cloth diapers have come a long way!  I have used cloth diapers for the last 5 children, and I have noticed significant savings, earlier successful potty training, much fewer diaper rashes, and an easier time switching to big girl panties.

♥Thrift stores!  I know many of you already have discovered the savings that come with finding treasures in thrift stores.  I am surprised how often we find vintage items in fantastic condition or items with tags still on them.

♥While my choice to nurse our children has been purely for their health and giving them the best start possible, I cannot help but think of how much money we have saved over the years instead of buying formula!

♥Used book stores.  I enjoy going to the library, but sometimes it can be easier to own the book.  I have no interest is paying full price for a book unless I absolutely have to.  The great thing about a used book store is that you can take the books you no longer need there, get store credit, and use that credit to purchase the books you need.

♥Camping.  Yes, I really do mean camping.  Hey, vacations can far too easily cost a great deal of money.  Contrast the price of renting a house or getting a hotel room(s) to the average $20 per night for camping.  We cook our meals at the campsite rather than going out to eat.  We hike, ride bikes, explore, fish, and hang out.  It is a great and inexpensive way to get away and enjoy being with our family.

♥We buy a lot of items in bulk.  I first started shopping at Costco about 19 months ago.  I have not increased the dollar amount that I budget for groceries and household supplies, but I have noticed how much more I bring home for the money spent.  We don’t eat junk food, and Costco offers a lot of the healthier foods that we look for.  We went ahead and paid for the executive membership.  At the end of our first year, we earned enough money that it paid for the next year’s membership AND bought more groceries to put in the pantry!

Now that you have read just some of the ways our family saves money, what does your family do to save money?  What ideas do have to share with the readers here?  I am always on the lookout for new tips!  (If you have written a post about saving money, please put a link to it in your comment.  I would greatly appreciate it!)

Always in God’s mighty hands,

~Rhen

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Posted in Being Frugal, Large Family Life, raising homemakers, Rhen

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