Cutting down on waste

Inspired by Stephanie's post on cutting down on waste, I've been contemplating areas where we've cut down on waste in our home. As I thought about these things, I realized how often frugality can go hand-in-hand with being environmentally-friendly.

Here are a few of the ways we've cut down on waste in our home:

1) Utilizing PaperBackSwap and the library instead of buying books new. Also, unless I find a book to be exceptional book, I usually pass it on once I'm finished with it so that someone else might enjoy it and our home can stay pared down from unnecessary clutter.

2) Buying clothes at second-hand stores at least 50% of the time or more. We also readily accept offers of hand-me-downs from others.

3) Cooking and baking from scratch as much as possible. This is not only healthier for us, but it eliminates much of the extra packaging which comes along with eating a lot of boxed and processed foods.

4) Thinking before I throw something out, "Is there another way I can use this?"

5) Reusing foil and plastic bags until there is no life left in them. In addition, we use Tupperware or pans/containers with lids instead of disposable containers whenever we can and, by doing so, I've found that I can get by with only buying a small roll of aluminum foil and a box of plastic bags every six months or so.

6) Eliminating paper towels and using cloth rags/towels instead.

7) Keeping it simple: Staying home more, not having an excess of clothing or household items, drinking water most of the time, and trying to only buy what we need.

8) Only requesting free samples for items we'll use.

9) Using baking soda and Basic H for almost all of our household cleaning.

10) Using less--less shampoo, less laundry detergent, less electricity, and so on. You can cut back in many areas without even ever noticing it and conserving in simple ways throughout each day can add up to big savings in the long run.

How are you reducing waste and being frugal at the same time? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Originally published March 2008.

Having a Baby Without Breaking the Bank: Bringing Baby Home (Guest Post)

Guest Post by Amy from The Finer Things in Life

Certainly one of the Finer Things in Life is becoming a parent. While one of life's greatest blessings, the thought of all the stuff that's about to consume your home and your budget can be overwhelming. Don't let the cost of having a baby (or two, or five...) overshadow the joy. Bringing home a baby doesn't have to break the bank. 

Babies are born with a strong appreciation of the Finer Things. They are very basic creatures with very basic needs. Feed them, clothe them, keep them warm, safe, and clean; love them. And that's about it! In fact, anything you purchase beyond meeting baby's needs could add unneeded stress to an already intense time in your life.

 

Feed Them. I know it's a personal choice and I don't judge those who don't breastfeed for whatever reason, but the research is tremendously convincing: mama's milk is best for baby. No ifs, and, or buts about it. As a bonus, it's free! If you have a choice, why spend $1,000 (at least, and not including feeding supplies) on formula in the first year of baby's life when the good stuff is readily available, always the right temperature, easily portable, and free? 

 

Breastfeeding a baby deserves its own post, but may I quickly encourage those of you who are preparing for motherhood for the first time to please surround yourself with breastfeeding resources and information and friends? Having support for those first few (very tough for me!) days and weeks will increase the chances of your success and your enjoyment of the experience.
 

Clothe Them. Sweet little baby clothes are hard to resist, huh? I know the temptation. Fortunately, hand-me-down and garage sale clothes are just as cute as the over-priced garments luring you in the store. Baby needs clothing, yes.  Brand new clothing at a premium price? No.  

 

Keep them warm, safe, and clean. When registering for baby showers and browsing garage sales before our first was born, I tried to keep something in mind: If my mom didn't need it, neither do I.

When bringing home baby, your day will be full to the brim meeting baby's basic needs. Why clutter your home and your time and your mind managing all that unnecessary baby stuff?  

 

I know that many of you will scream that a baby monitor is an absolute necessity. I thought so, too, so we registered for one and received it at our baby shower. Four and a half years later we finally took it out of the box when our third baby was six months old. She is now 19 months old and I think we've used the monitor twice.

Convenient? Yes (if I could ever remember to use it). Necessary? Not really. I'm not trying to discourage you from purchasing a baby monitor; just giving one example of how the "necessary" isn't always so.

  

 

Love them. Hold them, read to them, sing to them. Word to the wise: you are not impressing your baby with the frou-frou. There are endless bright, loud, entertaining toys available for baby. A few of them (I like having a bouncy seat and gym mat) are very convenient and give mom a nice reprieve.

Don't overdo it, though, because what does baby really want? You. Keep it basic. If you must have the frou-frou, shop at garage sales or online at craigslist because parents of equally unimpressed babies are getting rid of barely used items for cheap!

 

The marketing of baby stuff continues to be lucrative as parents are convinced that having the newest, brightest items will make their baby happier and smarter and safer. Not so. Stick to the basics. Your baby will thrive, and so will you. Blessings to those of you preparing to bring new life into this world!

A stay-at-home mom, Amy gave up an eight year teaching career at one of the largest schools in her state to move with her husband of nearly 10 years and their three children, ages 5, 3, and 1 to Tiny Town two years ago. Amy takes joy in caring for her family, finding a good deal, volunteering at her local library, and blogging at The Finer Things in Life.

Note from Money Saving Mom: Photos are of my second daughter, Kaitlynn, when she was a wee little one. Isn't she precious?!

Guest Post: Simplify Christmas Without the Guilt

Note from Money Saving Mom: Rachel's post kicks off a short series we'll be doing here over the next few days on Celebrating a Simple Christmas. I'll be sharing some of the things our family is doing, baking, and making to enjoy this special time of year while keeping it very simple. I hope the ideas shared will be an inspiration and encouragement to all of you to slow down and focus on what really matters this season.

Guest Post by Rachel from Small Notebook

We are simplifying our Christmas this year, finding ways to celebrate that aren't costly or emotionally draining. It feels amazingly free to let go of obligations, not try to do it all, and focus on the traditions that our family enjoys most.

When I shared about this recently, my friend Megan responded:

So am I reading this right that you might possibly NOT be sending Christmas cards this year? Because I so want freedom from Christmas cards. Can I opt out? It would be the second year in a row. Am I a bad person/friend?

Okay let me be honest: I haven't sent Christmas cards since 1995. Do I feel guilty? Not really. It's so easy to wonder and worry:

• Will friends still like me?
• Will they think that I am unorganized?
• What if they send me a card, but I don't send one to them?

Sometimes Christmas seems like putting on a show. It's wearisome, and it leaves us wanting more.

I've been thinking about what a simple Christmas would be like for us, and together with my husband we have chosen some things to cut back on. This means I won't get to act like Martha and show off my amazing skills. (Which is a good thing, considering my past kitchen disasters.)

More and more, I have to remember that Christmas is not about me. It's not about what I can do, what I can make, or how organized I can be.

If our Christmas is to resemble the way that Christ came to this earth, then we need to take a step back. The way Jesus was born was humble. It wasn't a spectacular show. It wasn't a production. I want my Christmas to reflect that, so I can dwell on him this season.

If I don't send cards this year, or have a huge pile of gifts to pass out, or fill up my kitchen with cookies, it will be okay. It could be more than okay--joyful even.

I will assume my friends will be understanding and gracious, and they will still like me, even without cards. Benefit of the doubt is a gracious gift: it makes it so much easier to live with others. When you give benefit of the doubt to others, you are saying, "I am looking at the best in you."

When you receive it from others, it means, "I don't need to be perfect, or try to look like it." Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30 NIV), and I am convinced that goes for the holidays too.

May you have a blessed, peaceful, and guilt-free holiday season.

Rachel Meeks writes about making a simple and peaceful home. To read more about having a "Come As You Are" Christmas without the frenzy, visit Small Notebook.

Is your family proactively doing anything this year to keep Christmas simple? If so, please tell us about it in the comments section!

photo by Lili Vieira de Carvalho

Guest Post: The Freedom of Limitations

Nuns fret not at their convent’s narrow room
And hermits are contented with their cells;
And students with their pensive citadels;
Maids at the wheel, the weaver at his loom,
Sit blithe and happy; bees that soar for bloom,
High as the highest Peak of Furness-fells,
Will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells:
In truth the prison, into which we doom
Ourselves, no prison is: and hence for me,
In sundry moods, ’twas pastime to be bound
Within the Sonnet’s scanty plot of ground;
Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs must be)
Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,
Should find brief solace there, as I have found.

- from Nuns Fret Not at their Convent’s Narrow Room, Wordsworth

Guest Post by Jennifer from Life From The Roof

In our neck of the woods, there are lots of bars over the windows and doors. Despite how elaborate the design, the overall effect is still a bit disheartening, as it is aesthetically a distraction, and psychologically it’s a reminder that there are reasons roaming the streets at night that require those bars to be there in the first place.

We live on the third floor, however, and for awhile we were able to enjoy the prettier views and bar-free existence that this height enables. That is, until our little guy Eli became a bigger guy who was capable of climbing out of those windows. 

We racked our brains for solutions. Our windows are fairly large, and are only 18 inches off the ground (the building we live in is around 100 years old), and as I researched options, I was discouraged to find that if I wanted something really secure, it would cost upwards of $200 a window, and we had two windows to secure.

Safety of course, matters, and no matter how frugal you are, it’s not something you want to compromise when your child’s well-being is at stake. So I braced myself to somehow find a way to scrape the money together on our limited budget.

Then one day, as I was taking out the trash, I took another look at an old abandoned black metal headboard and footboard that had been sitting there for at least a couple of months. They were about 3 feet tall, and just wide enough that they looked like they might fit our windows. I went upstairs and after my husband measured them, lo and behold, they would fit! They even had holes drilled in them for the bed rails that would make securing them to our windows easy.

Only, they were still black and ugly. I thought about it for a minute, and then remembered an extra set of sheer white curtains I had purchased awhile back but had never got around to using. An hour or two later, I had come up with sheer white sleeves to ruffle over the bars, and voila, window gates that not only kept our little critter in, but also allowed light to pour in and shield our view of the next door building’s roof.

“They say that God is in the details, but maybe He’s in the dumpsters, too,” my husband commented wryly as we finished up our project.

It’s easy at times to feel like we’re limited or lacking in our ability to “live” because we have less money, but I’ve observed over time, in my own life as well as in the lives of others, that often we are at our most creative when we are provided with limitations and boundaries.  As T.S. Eliot once wrote:

“When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost – and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl.”

Sprawl...yes, that is what I feel like at times when I’m faced with too many choices. My mind becomes cluttered with options instead of solutions, because I have to waste so much time considering the many choices.

When I was working in Uzbekistan, an Uzbek friend of mine had the opportunity to visit the US for six months. When she returned, I asked her what she thought of America.

“America...they have too many cheeses,” she replied.

“Too many cheeses?” I asked, not quite clear on what she meant.

“Yes...so many choices, and why do you need so many cheeses in the first place?” she asked.

I understood later when I returned for the first time to the US after my initial 2 years in Uzbekistan. I went into Wal-Mart to buy shampoo, and ended up just standing there for a few minutes staring at an entire aisle of shampoo.

I was so overwhelmed, I ended up just turning around and walking out without buying anything. While it was hard at times to be deprived of access to certain products in Uzbekistan, I now understood what Wordsworth commented on in his poem Nuns Fret Not at their Convent’s Narrow Room. Instead of being limited by what we cannot buy, perhaps sometimes we should look at having too many liberties as a weight, and at our limitations as true freedom.

Jennifer Duenes is a homemaker, wife to Michael, and proud mother to one-year old Elijah. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and despite living on one income with the high costs of living associated with that area, she enjoys finding creative ways to save money and thrive. She attributes part of her ability to save and appreciate the important things in life to her experiences as a teacher in a poor region of Uzbekistan for five years before getting married. For more on her insights from life in Uzbekistan and tips on making the most of your resources in high-cost urban areas, check out her blog at www.lifefromtheroof.wordpress.com.

Guest Post: Frugal Living in a Tiny Town

photo by Savannah Grandfather

Guest Post by Amy from The Finer Things in Life

After living and working in a suburb for seven years, my husband and I felt led to move to a small town to raise our family (we've dubbed our new town, Tiny Town, since that's what it is). This decision was a leap of faith for us, as his salary would be cut drastically and we both knew that I needed to be home to raise our children.

Although far removed from bargain shopping and mainstream entertainment conveniences (we live 15 miles from the nearest grocery store and 55 miles from any real shopping), we have found that Tiny Town living lends itself nicely to our frugal lifestyle. In fact, even with the salary cut we were able to save and invest nearly 15% of his income last year!

I wanted to share a few of the ways this major move to a tiny town has been a big blessing in our lives:

Our Home

::We sold our 1,200 sq. ft. home with no basement and purchased for just over half of our selling price a 1,400 square home with a basement in Tiny Town. More space. Less money.

::We now have a big yard--three city lots big, to be exact. That makes for some nice garden space, which has given us lots of practically free food. My black thumb has turned a lovely shade of green!

Our Vehicles

::My husband's vehicle now sits in the garage much of the time, as he simply walks one block to work. The gas and maintenance savings have been incredible, and we are able to save that extra money for the rainy day when a new vehicle will be needed in order to avoid car loans.

My van sits a lot, too. All of the daily errand-type things that need done are within four blocks of my home. We walk to the post office, bank and library if we need something.

Shopping

::Living in Tiny Town has honed my organizational skills and my creativity. I refuse to drive to the nearest store every time I'm out of an ingredient for supper. I keep a detailed list of things we need, check the store ad before we go, and scour the aisles (coupons in hand) to stock up on special deals while we're there.

::I keep a bargain bin of small gifts in the basement for unexpected party invitations.

::We have wonderful family and neighbors who help each other out. They'll pick up something at the store for me if I'm not headed that way.

::It's harder to develop a case of the "wantsies" when you're far removed from all the latest and greatest things in the store windows.

::Oh, and sales tax here? 5.3% Not too shabby!

Entertainment

::Our awesome library carries a nice selection of dvds for checkout. Free.

::We have a lovely park and walking path and quiet streets for bike riding. Again, free.

::Eighty dollars buys us a full family summer pass at the city swimming pool.

::We stay very busy with church and school activities. Supporting the kids in our community is fun and free for us. It's also the best way to stay involved because in Tiny Town, pretty much everything revolves around school activities.

Tiny Town living has been great for our young family, in more than just frugal ways. If you've ever considered leaving the city behind, take that leap of faith. Your family is sure to benefit!

A stay-at-home mom, Amy gave up an eight year teaching career at one of the largest schools in her state to move with her husband of nearly 10 years and their three children, ages 5, 3, and 1 to Tiny Town two years ago. Amy takes joy in caring for her family, finding a good deal, volunteering at her local library, and blogging at The Finer Things in Life.

Guest Post: The Beauty Of Simplicity

photo by tourist on earth

Guest Post by Jennifer Duenes from Life From the Roof  

I distinctly remember a moment when I was working as a teacher in a poor region of Uzbekistan. I had received an email from a friend asking me if there was anything I needed.

I sat there for a minute, racking my brains. Surely I needed something.

My wardrobe consisted of a mere few skirts, tops, and dresses. I only had a shelf of books to my name. My living room was sparsely decorated in Central Asian style: a low-lying coffee table with floor cushions scattered around, a small television in the corner of the room, and a buffet-style cabinet that housed extra goods.I truly couldn't think of anything I needed.

Today, I constantly going around with a mental list in my mind that is ever-growing. Hmmm... I think to myself, with all of those great picture printing deals I am getting, it would sure be nice to get some quality frames to put them up in.

The duvet cover I have is extremely soft and in great condition, but I am bored with it, and feel like it's been "ages" since I had a new one. In my mind I think of how much more efficient I would be at life in general and especially blogging if I had a nice over-stuffed Manhattan leather chair to sit in.

And then there are the sales. "50% off!  No, 75% off!" they decree. "Hurry in, before this deal is gone forever and you are sitting in your pitifully undecorated, unorganized home one day wishing you had taken advantage of this deal!" 

A sense of anxiety begins to pervade my heart as I hear of the deals springing up right and left. A sense of impatience fills my spirit as my trusty little digital camera is gasping its last breaths after 6 years of usage, and I have to recharge it more often than normal.

A sense of embarrassment settles on me subtly as I have worked for wealthier families as a nanny, and drive my Honda 92 Accord with its bumper cracked and patched up with duct tape and park it behind their brand-new Sienna with rear-view camera and DVD player options.

Sometimes people ask me if life was harder in Uzbekistan. In some ways, it was. Having to heat a bucket of water on the meager gas flame on your stove to take a bucket bath in an ice-cold bathroom wasn't fun. Nor was it when you constantly felt that, as one of the few Americans living there, people were always asking you for favors, and you never knew who really just wanted to be your friend.

But in other ways, it was so much easier because of the simplicity of life there. There wasn't a Sunday paper that came laden with ads urging you to get to their stores as soon as possible. There were people with the "latest" fashions walking around, but because many of our friends were poor and had very little, it felt like a slap in their faces to always be buying something new. 

It was an inconvenience to not have things like Starbucks or fast-food places, but after a while, you settled into a slower pace of life where you drank your tea and Nescafe pseudo-coffee at home and in contentment with other friends bearing the same hardships you did.

The "rest of the world" that we often refer to who doesn't live in the excesses we do was a reality for me for five years. They were friends, second families, and I am forever grateful to an experience that simultaneously purged from me my need for the newest thing, and enriched me with what could truly nourish: camaraderie, mutual suffering, and sacrificial love.

Jennifer Duenes is a homemaker, wife to Michael, and proud mother to one-year old Elijah. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and despite living on one income with the high costs of living associated with that area, she enjoys finding creative ways to save money and thrive. She attributes part of her ability to save and appreciate the important things in life to her experiences as a teacher in a poor region of Uzbekistan for five years before getting married. For more on her insights from life in Uzbekistan and tips on making the most of your resources in high-cost urban areas, check out her blog at www.lifefromtheroof.wordpress.com.   

Guest Post: Living Frugally and Pleasantly in an Apartment

Guest Post by Katey from Having Fun at Home

Our family is living in an apartment right now, and we often find there can be a temptation to pine away for the home we hope to own someday instead of making the most of where we are right now. There are, however, a lot of benefits to living in an apartment, and I want to try to enjoy them to the hilt. With that in mind, here are 13 tips I've learned for living frugally and pleasantly in an apartment:

1. See if you can share a wireless internet plan with one of your neighbors. Half of an internet bill is a whole lot more better than paying the full thing, and apartment dwellers usually live close enough to one another to make it work! [Note from Money Saving Mom: I'd recommend you check with your internet service to make sure this is alright with them before going ahead with it. Thanks to those of you who wrote to mention that!]

2. If you have a porch or patio, hang bird feeders and grow vegetables like tomatoes and peppers in containers. Many birds, especially hummingbirds, will visit even an urban feeder. The garden will give you a little free produce and will help you feel closer to the outdoors.

3. Invest in wall shelves for extra storage. Stock up when there are good sales (or check your local Craiglist or Freecycle to snag some great deals). This investment has been very helpful and worth the money for our family.

4. Scatter bay leaves strategically around your apartment. That's right--bay leaves! Apartment complexes are much more likely to host an infestation of cockroaches. Keep them out of your apartment with bay leaves; roaches hate the smell! (I was very happy to discover this solution because, with a small child, I really didn't want to have to use chemicals.)

5. Talk with your neighbors about holding a community-wide garage sale. It's difficult to have a garage sale when living in an apartment complex, but because space is tight, apartment dwellers, more than most people, need a way to recycle their stuff and pare down to what is really needed. If you can't seem to organize a community wide garage sale, see if there's a friend nearby who is planning an upcoming sale with whom you might partner for a two-family garage sale.

6. Invest in a cordless vacuum cleaner. I received this Shark brand rechargeable battery sweeper as a wedding gift and use it all the time. It's pretty powerful, a lot less hassle than taking out a big vacuum, and takes up a lot less space in my closet.

7. If you have to use a coin operated laundry facility, consider getting a foldable indoor drying rack. Wash your underclothes in the sink and hang them to dry in the bathroom on your rack. It saves you money and you don't have to leave your apartment as often to go to the facility.

8. Take out the trash every day, and place a box of baking soda at the bottom of your trash can to absorb odors. In a small place, it is much more vital to keep the bad smells to a minimum.

9. Since there usually isn't the option of painting or wallpapering make your own decorations, use homemade photos and enlarge them. Get cheap frames at garage sales and hang them around the apartment. I used pretty satin ribbons to hang these in my baby's room.

10. Pare down your collection of pots and pans to the bare minimum. Not only will this give you more cupboard space in your kitchen, but it will make it less likely that you will end up with a mountain of dishes in the sink.

11. Take advantage of the time you save not taking care of a yard by taking your family on outings to local parks, zoos, nature centers, festivals, and fairs.

12. Save counter space by using a magnetic tool strip to hang your knives instead of using a knife holder. This saves space and allows you to be able to see the blades without picking up the knives to find the right one.

13. Make friends with the maintenance men and the apartment manager. Not only is it advantageous to you for getting repairs done more efficiently, but those are two jobs that are often unappreciated. Most of what they hear is complaining. Even if you don't develop a personal relationship, show appreciation by baking them Christmas cookies or other holiday treats.

Katey is a stay-at-home-mom in Austin, Texas. Her blog havingfunathomeblog.blogspot.com is dedicated to finding ideas for inexpensive, creative, and wholesome fun at home.

From Money Saving Mom: I know many of the rest of you have lived or are living in an apartment or a very small home. I'd love to hear your ideas for making the most of this situation. Please share your input in the comments section.

photos by Katey

Frugal Friday: It's been a quiet week and I've loved it!

(My mom just gave me this quilt. It was made by my great grandma using pieces from the dresses my grandma wore when she was a little girl!)

It's Frugal Friday on my other blog today. You won't want to miss all the great tips and hints shared there. And I'd love to have you weigh in on my question on getting rid of set-in stains.

It's been a really good week here, despite some bumps in the road. After weeks of going-going-going, I've stayed home every single day this week. And I've loved it.

I've been cooking and cleaning and just enjoying my family. It's been wonderful and I'm hoping the trend can continue now that our vacations and travels and other things are behind us.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy short seasons of excitement and adventure, but I always love coming back to our quiet, peaceful home and routine. I'm itching to take back up my handwork, do more experimenting in the kitchen, spend more time playing and reading with the girls, and keep the house more organized.

What about you? Do you like staying home, or going and doing, or a little of both?

Frugal and green: Cutting down on waste

Inspired by Stephanie's post on cutting down on waste, I begin contemplating areas where we've cut down on waste in our home. As I thought about these things, I realized just how much being frugal can go hand-in-hand with being environmentally-friendly.

Here are a few of the ways we've cut down on waste in our home:

1) Utilizing PaperBackSwap and the library instead of buying books new. Also, unless it was an exceptional book, I usually pass it on once I'm finished with it so that someone else might enjoy it and our home can stay pared down from unnecessary clutter.

2) Buying clothes at second-hand stores at least 50% of the time or more. We also readily accept offers of hand-me-downs from others. What we can't use, we pass on to someone else.

3) Cooking from scratch as much as possible and thus eliminating much of the packaging from processed and boxed foods.

4) Thinking before I throw something out, "Is there another way I can use this?" If not, then I try to always ask myself if it can be recycled.

5) Reusing foil and plastic bags for as long as possible. We also use Tupperware or pans/containers with lids instead of disposable containers whenever we can. (I've gone for long stretches without buying aluminum foil and have found I can almost live without it. Almost.)

6) Eliminating paper towels and using cloth rags/towels instead.

7) Keeping it simple: Staying home more, not having an excess of clothing or household items, drinking water most of the time, and trying to only buy what we need.

8) Reusing magazines to make greeting cards.

9) Only requesting free samples for items we'll use.

10) Using baking soda and Basic H for all household cleaning.

So those were a few I came up with--what about you? I'd love to hear your list and be inspired and challenged by how you are reducing waste and being frugal at the same time!

Originally published March 2008.

Simple Tips for Living on Little

I am often asked how we made it through my husband's three years of law school on a part-time income without accumulating any debt. Well, it wasn't the easiest thing ever, but with some creativity and the blessing of the Lord, we survived.

Here are a few ideas which allowed us to live on $800-$1000/month without going into debt:

Tithe. Recognize that all the money you have is given to you from God and you are to be a good steward of it.

Read the autobiography of George Mueller and get in a habit of asking God for your provisions. I can tell you story after story of amazing ways God has answered our prayers for specific needs--from providing a washer and dryer for free, to furnishing our home for $100, to anonymous gifts in the mail just when we needed it most, to a good sale at the grocery store on something. God has provided above and beyond many things we have asked Him for. It has been truly amazing to see His provision.

Pay cash for everything. Don't even think of buying something if you don't have the money for it. (For more encouragement in this regard, I highly recommend Dave Ramsey's books, radio show, and Financial Peace University.)

Pare down to the basic essentials. It is amazing what you can live without.

Make a budget and stick to it. Pay for the essentials first. If there is money left over, put the bulk of it in savings.

Regardless of how little you have, put a little money in savings every month. Even if you only have $5 to spare, put it in savings and little bit, by little bit, you'll start to see your savings grow.

Don't buy expensive gifts. Make something or write a letter, it's much more meaningful when you put time and effort into a gift anyway. (There are lots of great frugal gift ideas here.)

Have one vehicle. It wasn't my first choice, but we lived for quite some time with only one vehicle. Our situation was such that I couldn't walk anywhere (we were not in the best part of town and it would be a very long way to try and walk anywhere even if it were safe), but we managed just fine.

Stay home more. It's amazing how many things you don't know you are missing out on, if you're not out window shopping. Staying home and just spending time together as a family is much more fulfilling anyway!

Don't buy anything you don't need and only buy things if they are on sale.

Don't eat out. I repeat, don't eat out. You'll save yourself a bundle of money.

Find ways to have "free dates" with your husband. Pack a picnic and go to the park. Or, go to a bookstore and browse together. Make some homemade mocha and play a game. The possibilities are almost endless on this one. (More cheap date ideas here.)

Learn to utilize the library. I love our local library--I can go and check out as many books as I want and never pay them a cent (well, okay, so long as I return our books on time!).

Pack a lunch for your husband to take to work everyday. Add up how much you'll save in a year by doing this and you will be amazed!

Cut back on meat consumption. We only eat meat about 3-4 times per week and really have not missed it much. More ideas here.

Stick to simple meals. Cook and bake from scratch. 

Last but not least, make it fun! It's a game for me to see how well we can live on how little. Learn to enjoy saving money. And, like Get Rich Slowly admonishes, don't let a frugal lifestyle become dull and boring.

What are some of your best tips and ideas for living on little?

Originally published October 2005.  

Simple beauty, simply beautiful

Today I challenged myself to create and enjoy beauty in the simple things in my everyday life--things like fresh cut flowers from our garden in my grandmother's china (re-purposed as a vase).

See more pictures and simple beauty here and be inspired to "stop and smell the roses" in your own life!

Keeping it simple!

It's Frugal Friday over on my other blog today. If you've not had a chance to stop by there yet, you'll want to check out all the wonderful links and inspiration posted by fellow frugal zealots. I'm talking about taking a break from bargain shopping today. If you've ever felt burned out when it comes to coupon-clipping and deal-scoring, you'll want to read what I wrote.

By the way, have you picked up on the fact that I like to keep things simple? If you really want proof that I'm an all-out minimalist, check out my recently-reorganized closets. Sometimes I wish I weren't so ruthless when it comes to clutter, but most of the time I'm thankful for the time and energy it saves to keep it simple!

Graphic from AllPosters.com

In celebration of $4/gallon gas

I'm in no way thrilled about the recent rise of gas prices and have even found myself falling into a panic every now and then about it. However, complaining won't accomplish anything will it?

So, in an effort to keep a grateful spirit, I present to you four reasons I am celebrating $4/gallon gas:

1) High gas prices have encouraged our family to slow down and stay home more. A go-go-go lifestyle isn't healthy for anyone, so I'm thankful for the motivation to reconsider outside activities and commitments and pursue a simpler, more relaxed pace in our life.

2) High gas prices have helped us get in better shape. We have added a lot more exercise into our daily lives as a result of the higher gas prices as we try to walk instead of drive as often as we can.

3) High gas prices have caused us to be more efficient. While we used to think nothing of driving to a destination and driving back, we now try our best to plan ahead and combine trips. We rarely go anywhere without consciously making an effort to work some other errands into the trip. This not only saves on gas money, but it also saves us time and effort as it's much more effective to tackle four errands at once than to make four separate trips.

4) High gas prices have saved us money. I know it might seem like a misnomer that rising gas prices have saved us money, but when you factor in how many errands we've decided not to run, how many times we've opted to walk to the park instead of driving somewhere, or how many times we've just stayed home, in the long run I think it's saved us money.

What about you? I'd love to hear reasons you have found to be thankful for high gas prices.

"You'll be amazed at how little you have to complain about when you spend the majority of your time giving thanks."

-From Clutter to Clarity

Graphic from AllPosters.com

True contentment

"True contentment is not having everything you want
but learning to appreciate everything you have."

-From Clutter to Clarity

Graphic from Allposters.com
 

Less is More: Lessons from our little basement apartment

Earlier in this Less is More series, we talked about staying home more and learning to be content with what you have. Today I want to encourage you to not just be content with what you have and where you are, but to seek to make the most of your situation.

A lot of you know that my husband and I spent the first three and half years of our marriage with him in law school and us living on a part-time income. We never went hungry and we always had a roof over our head and clothes to wear, but it was a very lean time.

During those years, we lived in a little basement apartment that only had four windows on one side. I could plug the vacuum cleaner into one outlet and vacuum the entire apartment without ever switching outlets.

We only had one old vehicle almost the entire law school tenure and Jesse usually used it for transportation from work and school. We knew hardly anyone in town we lived in--in spite of many efforts to try and make friends--and there were really not any safe places I could walk to from our apartment.

It would have been easy to have been swallowed up in despair and I won't pretend there weren't moments when I felt sorry for myself or wished we could be living in a little better circumstances. However, I decided, with God's help, to try and make the most of what might seem like a less-than-ideal situation.

Maybe we didn't have money to go out, but I challenged myself to think up creative ways we could still have fun without spending money. We'd check out a movie from the library and have homemade pizza. In the Winter, we'd brew some coffee, pop some popcorn, and play a board game. Sometimes, we'd go to the park with a picnic or we'd browse the book selection at Barnes and Noble.

We didn't have money to spend on decorating our home, but I still found ways to make it homey and inviting. For starters, I tried to always keep it clean and clutter-free--even if it wasn't very pretty, at least it could smell nice and look clean! We tried to have music playing in the background and that always spruced up a rather bare home, too.

We couldn't afford fancy foods or restaurant meals, but that didn't mean we couldn't eat well. I had fun trying new recipes, searching out good deals, and stretching our grocery budget as far as possible. I discovered AllRecipes.com and enjoyed using their ingredient search feature to come up with new recipes to use what I already had on hand.

Instead of going out and buying things, I'd go to the library and check out a stack of books. Sometimes we'd check out CD's too, so we'd have new music to play in our home throughout the week.

It was also in this little basement apartment that I first began blogging and tinkering around with online entrepreneurial things. Had it not been for the free time and lack of friends, I would have never even considered pursuing blogging or had the time to learn about basic web design, online marketing, or producing an ebook or ecourse. Little did I dream that in a few years, those same skills would allow me to earn a very good part-time income doing something I very much enjoy while being able to do something I love even more--be a full-time wife, mom, and homemaker.

And guess what? It was holed up in this little basement apartment with sometimes only $20 to spare for groceries for the week that I was searching grocery deals online and came upon this store called CVS that everyone in a now-defunct savings forum was raving about. I could never have imagined what that simple search would uncover for me that day, nor how many thousands of other individuals I'd have the opportunity to introduce to CVS as well!

Yes, living in that little basement apartment in an unfamiliar town barely squeaking by financially would never have been something I would have chosen for myself, but I'll always be grateful God allowed me those three and half years of learning to be content, learning to love simplicity, and learning to make the most of what I had.  And I hope I never forget those lessons.

A cheerful attitude can go a long way in less-than-ideal situations; you can either complain about the thorns or you can savor the roses which bloom in the midst of those thorns. Choose to bloom where you're planted--even if it seems like it's among thorns!

Keeping it simple!

It's Frugal Friday over on my other blog and I'm talking about ways we save money by keeping it simple. Here's a snippet:

Here are just a few ways we keep things simple at our home and save time, energy, and money:

::We drink primarily water. Aside from my daily pot of tea and our occasional splurge on soda, coffee, or juice, we keep it simple by drinking water. Hey, it might be boring, but it's good for you!

::We stick to simple meals. Our meals are usually two to four simple items (and most recipes have six ingredients or less) and most of our dinners can be made in 30 minutes or  crockpot and bread machine, and am constantly on the lookout for new ways to streamline and be more efficient in the kitchen.

::We try to only have what we need and use.

A few examples:    

Clothes/Accessories - We each only have around 6-8 outfits and 2-3 pair of shoes per season. I only have two pair of earrings and wear pretty much the same make up and hair style for every occasion.

Go here to read the full post and tell us about some things you do to save money by keeping it simple. I'd love to have you leave a link to your frugal tip, too!

Less is More: Part 3

Last time in this series, we discussed staying home more as a means to save money, keep things simple, and find that less is more.

Today I want to share one of my second big tips for saving money and keeping things simple: wait to start shopping for something until you need it and can afford it. This point goes hand-in-hand with shopping less. If you don't have money to buy something or you don't need anything, don't go shopping. It's that simple and I promise that it can greatly reduce your outgo.

I've found that the less I shop and the less I look at catalogs and websites, the more content I am. Clothes, shoes, and jewelry never truly satisfy, so no matter how much of this stuff I buy, I'll not find contentment in having more stuff.

A less-cluttered home can free up more time and energy: fewer clothes mean less laundry to wash, dry, fold, and put away; fewer shoes and jewelry saves time because it means less decisions on which ones to wear with which; fewer knick-knacks and decorations mean less time to dust, pick up, re-arrange, and organize.

Growing up, if we said that we needed new shoes, my mom would always ask us, "How many can you wear at once?"

Her point was not that you should only have one pair of shoes, but she was trying to challenge us to ask ourselves, "Do I really need this?" We would do well to stop and ask this of ourselves before we make any purchase--especially if we are feeling strapped for cash already. How many of our purchases are truly needs and not just wants?

When I'm feeling like I "just don't have anything to wear", one thing I've found to be helpful is to wait a week or two before going out and buying something. Often, I'll find that I didn't really desperately need it, I was just being discontent. And those extra days of waiting will force me to come up with some new combinations for outfits or to pull out some article of clothing I had somewhat forgotten about.

In addition to waiting at least a few days before buying something I feel like I need, I try to take a few days to pray about things before just running out to go shopping. God has often provided exactly what I've needed through some unexpected circumstance!

Let me be quick to say that I'm not making a case that one should never buy anything unless they desperately need it or that you should only have two outfits, but I do want to challenge you to examine your current spending habits and lifestyle practices. If you are struggling financially, consider what areas you could possibly trim down by focusing on buying only what you need.

When my husband was in law school and we were barely squeaking by, I learned first-hand just how little it takes to live on. We went often went for months without buying anything but the bare necessities. This practice was so good for us and has benefited us tremendously even now that we do have much more wiggle room in our budget.

We occasionally make budgeted splurges and enjoy a few "luxuries" that are certainly not necessities, but we still are very careful about purchases made. Before buying something, we try to always: examine whether we can afford it; pray and ask God for Wisdom and provision; wait at least a few days before making the purchase; and make sure we are getting the best deal when and if we do buy it.

And these habits have certainly saved us hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars over the last five years of our marriage. Best of all, they have helped us to keep things simple and avoid lots of unnecessary clutter and stuff.

What about you? What things do you consider before making a purchase? How do you make sure you don't overspend or overbuy? How do you avoid the excessive consumerism mentality which is so rampant in our society?

Graphic from AllPosters.com

Less is More: Part 2

My number one tip for keeping things simple and saving money is to stay home more. Staying home is one of the simplest ways to have more time, spend less money, accumulate less clutter, and well, to plain just live a less frantic lifestyle.

A lot of times I'm asked how I get so much done. Let me tell you, I'm no wonder woman, but I do know that one of my "secrets" to efficiency is that I am home almost all day, every day.

I've purposely said "no" to a multitude of outside activities and opportunities because I know that running around with two little children for most of the day not only wears me out, it is a surefire way for me to spend more money (i.e. trips through the fast-food lane while we're out, swinging by to check out a sale I see signs for when I don't really need anything, or ordering carry out for dinner because I'm exhausted and didn't have time to make anything for dinner) and get less done. It's just not worth it, folks.

Now, am I saying you need to cut out every outside activity and commitment and never step foot outside your doorstep? No. What I am encouraging you to do is to carefully evaluate all outside commitments and see if there are some that are really necessities or if they are just cluttering up your life for no good reason.

My current redwork project. Embroidering while listening to some good messages or peaceful music is so relaxing and invigorating to me. And staying home more allows me to carve out time for this on a regular basis!

In the area of grocery shopping, one thing which has helped me tremendously is to limit myself to one grocery shopping trip a week. Outside of my once-a-week grocery shopping trip, unless there is some incredibly knock-down-drag-out good deal on something we need and use and we're going to be right in the vicinity of that store or it is right down the block from us, I just pass the deal over.

Knowing that I've only got one shot at grocery shopping each week motivates me to do the best I can do in that one shopping trip. It also forces me to make sure and write a thorough menu and grocery list and to have determined the sales and matched them with my coupons ahead of time. If I forget to write an ingredient down, I have to do without.

You want to know a secret? While post a lot of deals on this blog--often multiple deals everyday--I only actually go out and do small percentage of the deals I post here. Shocking, eh?

I've learned over time the freedom which comes from being able to say "no." And I've been bargain shopping long enough to know that most deals will come around again. If I miss a deal, I can always catch it next time.

Instead of feeling a sense of urgency to hit every deal possible, I pick and choose which deals are best suited for the time I have, the products we need, and which will work into my weekly shopping trip.

A peek into our kitchen, including my home management center
(And just for the record, while I try to have it look like this at least once a day, it also often looks like this!)

Besides grocery shopping, we do very little other shopping. I hit the second-hand stores, some clearance sales, and a few community-wide garage sales or consignment sales a few times per year to buy clothes for myself and the girls. And we make an occasional stop every few months into a hardware store, fabric store, or office supply store. However, other than that, shopping trips are a rarity at our home. I make it my goal to learn to make do with what we have or to learn to live without as much as possible.

One of the nice side effects of shopping so rarely is that we don't have a lot of clutter. In fact, some would probably think our home looks really bare, but I'd much rather have only things we need, use, and love taking up residence in our home, than to have our rooms bulging with stuff we don't need, haven't used in a long time, and don't like in the first place.

It's so simple but it really works: just stay home!

What about you? How have you simplified your life and eliminated unnecessary outside activities so that you could keep things simple? I'd love to hear!

Less is More: Part 1

As all of you know, I love getting good deals--especially when it comes to grocery shopping. However, while I do spend time and effort to keep our grocery bill low and enjoy the thrill of a great shopping score, I'm much more passionate about simple living than I am about bargain-shopping.

For me, bargain shopping is not about accumulating stuff, it's about being a wise steward with the resources God has given us and stretching our hard-earned money as far as possible.

It's easy to get sucked into the bargain-shopping game and lose sight of the purpose for which you started; getting good deals can quickly turn into more of the accumulating of stuff and less of wise stewardship.

Too much stuff--even if you got it free or only spent pennies on it--is still just that: too much stuff. It will clutter up your life, suck up your time, and result in a chaotic, unorganized home.

Being a wise steward means learning that often, less is more. Join me this week and next week as I share some things which have helped me save me time and money and keep bargain shopping in check.

How do you keep bargain-shopping in check? What have you reduced or eliminated from your life in order to save money and keep things simple? I'd love to hear!

(Note: This series is being re-written from a series I did on my other blog last September. Long-time readers may find some of it sounding familiar so I thought I'd mention that!)

Declaring war on clutter!

We're clearing out clutter in our home this week in preparation for a garage sale next week. Want to join me in my quest to simplify? Click here and here.