One Easily Met Goal

Most of my friends know I am quite an avid reader. I always thought of myself as an avid reader anyway until I started keeping track of what I read and realized I am not such an avid reader after all. If I read 20-24 books a year that is a lot for me. Reading this amount of books is not so challenging that all you are doing is reading. In fact you can take long breaks between books and still read that many in a year. I do like to do other things with my time besides reading so 20-24 books each year is enough.

This year I set a goal of 24 books and have already read 22 of them. I hadn't planned on it but the weather has been inclement and I haven't felt much like doing the things I normally spend my time on. So I've made more progress than usual. I will have to increase my reading goal but need to make sure I don't continue to neglect my Bible readings. I got out of the rhythm of the Bible readings when I had to deal with some family matters and then I didn't get back into my routine.  I like to read a little bit out loud while listening to someone (on a Bible app) read the same verses.  It makes the words come alive for me.

I know many of you are readers too.  But if you are not a regular reader, I encourage you to set a modest reading goal for yourself. It's not too late to set a goal for 2014!

I'm also pleased to share this mosaic of today's sky.

I wrote yesterday of the forecasted rain but was pleased to get some breaks in the clouds and rain for even a short while today.

I hope you are are all enjoying your day.  Please do check out my sidebar Go Fund Me appeal for Elvis in Kenya. God bless.

Frugal Notes:  For those that like to save money, this is one of the least expensive hobbies you can find.  Books these days can be purchased super cheaply at your local thrift or second hand store. You can find a lot of popular fiction in these places and you can also find lots of reference materials. Sometimes I even find full sets of Christian reading material that have earlier been purchased from television offers.  If you would rather not spend the funds no matter how little, you can also borrow books from friends or trade something they want of yours or you can borrow books for free from the local library.  Four (4) of the seven (7) books in the photo at the top of this post are from the library.

Have a wonder - ful week!

Frugal Shopping - What Would You Buy ?

What would you buy if you had a "free" money to spend at a pharmacy to the tune of $60 (Canadian, 582 SA Rand, $58 Australian, 32 pounds sterling, 38 euros, $53 American dollars, 124 Brazilian Reals)?

I shop at a pharmacy where you get points for buying certain items. The points accumulate each time you shop and sometimes the store promotes specific items giving you more points to get to certain spend levels more quickly. This money is like "free money" (of course the store is not losing money but they ensure some of their profits goes to these rewards programs to build customer loyalty).  As a consumer, this kind of thing only works like free money if you are careful not to purchase things you don't need just to get points. Sometimes you get lucky and are able to get 20x the points on something you really need. This is the only way to build up points quickly.  Otherwise it can take some time.

I don't like my point levels to get too high because then I have a hard time spending it all at once.  I also would have a hard time carrying my purchases home from the pharmacy which is about a 10 minutes walk away.  I've learned that it doesn't "pay" to spend only part of your points.  You lose out on the full value when you do that.

Since it is close to the end of the month and I intend to spend my all my points and stock up on things I don't usually buy unless I'm spending point dollars.

I looked at the sales flyer and made a list. I came up with the following items

• ketchup (used mainly in barbeque sauces for marinating meats).
• creamo (sometimes used in my coffee or cereal though I use it less and less due to fat content).
• bacon  (again, something I seldom buy but stock up on when the price is right. It's good for breakfast now and with eggs or waffles. It reminds me of holidays with the family or university days when I had an English breakfast once a week on weekends.
• eggs (I seldom eat eggs for breakfast but use them in baking).
• bags of frozen fruit (I use these in smoothies mixed with greens and in muffins).
• butter (I use butter in baking and on the rare occasions I eat toast).
• coffee (I stock up on cans of coffee when it is on sale. I always have enough. When the price gets too high and sales are no longer good I've decided I will stop drinking coffee).
• plastic cling wrap (It is used for so many things).
• dish soap (I have a dishwasher but also do a lot of dishes by hand).
• dry cereal (sometimes I like to have a few boxes of cereal on hand for when I don't want porridge).
• ice cream (An item I've thankfully cut down on. A treat now and then is okay).

It is clear that there is very little on this list that you would associate with a pharmacy. I don't actually need paper products, make up, over the counter medicines or much in the way of household cleaning products right now. In the end I eliminated the creamo and bought some toothpaste and household cleanser for my bathtub. I also spent a few extra dollars and purchased a very large bottle of shampoo. It was on sale and I had a dollar off coupon. This will last me about 2 years as I use so little at a time.

This is my receipt after the shop. I spent $5.27 of my own funds & saved an additional $45. and change off the original sticker price plus my $60. "free" money for a total of $145.27 savings.

In addition to all the things you might associate with a pharmacy in North America, the pharmacy also carries lots of snack foods, frozen fish and convenience foods, pops, breads, pastas, spices, specialty food items, sauces and paper products (toilet paper, tissue paper, paper towels).  I am allowed to spend my points dollars on any of these items but I cannot spend them on medications which I do not need at the moment in any case.

Saving funds this way really helps me stretch my dollars so I can send funds to my sponsored children through Compassion International and help people like medical student Elvis.  I also try to help Jonah in Kenya who still assists elders and others with medical costs, food, etc.

Kenyan women I was able to bless one Christmas.

 Elvis will be graduating in August and is getting close to the finish line. We have one more semester to go.

I would appreciate your prayers for both of these men.  

If you feel able to help financially I'd be happy to hear from you.

I hope to say a little more about Elvis next time since I really need to try and help him finish the year

What would you spend on if you had a free $60.00 (sixty dollars)?

I'm looking forward to reading your replies.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend. x

Not Quite Spring; Soups Make Me Sing!

It's trying hard to be Spring here but it isn't quite coming together yet. Every other day it is raining heavily, alternating with days that are very gray and then windy and sunny.  I see some of the trees are blossoming. That means the weather has warmed up quite a bit though at night it is still quite chilly.

The best thing for me when the weather is so unsettled is to have home baked bread and made from scratch soups.  This week I've had more home made soups than usual.

Sunday I made hamburger (minced meat) soup.  I usually make it like my mom used to make it but from time to time, I like to mix it up.  For the first time I made it with eggplant, butternut squash and chickpeas all added to the usual base of cooked hamburger pieces, celery, onion, carrots and seasonings. It was quite yummy.

Monday I skipped the soup making because I went to my cooking session where we made sushi with celery, avocado and mango. It was quite good but I confess I will need a lot more practise with the rolling aspect. We also had Teriyaki Drumsticks which were quite tasty.

Tuesday I made potato leek soup. I've made this before in case you'd like the recipe.  Yesterday I decided I wanted to eat it with all the vegetables intact, rather than all blended together. Perfect for an overcast day.

Today is Wednesday and we've had all kinds of interesting weather.  When I awoke there was blanket of cloud over the whole sky.  Then the wind came up and blew away the cloud cover. I was able to see that there is fresh snow (again) on the mountain tops.  Right now there is still some blue sky but it is quite windy.

Bubbling away on the stove top right now is some fresh tomato soup. It is my first time making it. It smells delicious and I plan to have it with some home made bread.

Here is a quick recipe for the soup.

Fresh out of the blender and piping hot!

Tomato Soup

Ingredients

- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, choppped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 or 3 cloves of garlic to taste
- 6-8 large tomatos
- 6 cups of chicken stock (or use buillion cubes with appropriate amount of water).
- a bit of oil

Method:

Saute the onions, celery, carrot and garlic together in a bit of oil in a large saucepan.
Once these are a bit softened (10 minutes or so) add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatos start to break down. Add the chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and then simmer together another 10-15 minutes.

If you want to eat the soup without blending it smooth, take care to chop your vegetables up nicely and uniformly. I'm blending my soup today.

As always, when you blend the soup in a blender be very careful to place a tea towel over the blender top and hold it down so it doesn't splash out and burn you once you turn the blender on.

Before serving garnish with some fresh cilantro. Makes 2 gigantic servings or 4 med-large servings.

Eat and enjoy.

Frugal Notes:  Some people make tomato soup with a combination of canned tomatos and fresh tomatoes.  I do use canned tomatos but given they are quite expensive now I save them for things like chili or soups I make with hamburger.  In order to save money on making vegetable soups, I purchase the vegetables at a store where they only sell produce. The prices are usually much cheaper than the supermarket.  I often buy bags of vegetables that are starting to go bad. I get them at a produce store down the street. The nice thing about it is even if there is one vegetable that has gone bad, the rest are usually good. Also the store peels them and cuts out the bad parts before they put them in a bag for $1.00.  These are great for making soups but you have to use them up right away,

For the Ladies - Frugal Hair Colour

Today's post is really for the ladies and particularly those of a certain age. Ahem, the age where you must decide to colour your hair or go au naturel (grey).

I never coloured my hair as a younger woman. Instead I would have it permed on a regular basis whenever I had a shorter "do".  Eventually I gave that up and grew my hair out.  That's when my hairdresser talked me into getting highlights. I really liked the highlights but after years of getting them done and starting to go gray, I needed touch ups more often than I wanted.  This was not only costly but not good for my hair which tends to need a permanent dye to address it's colour resistancy.

I searched in health stores for a more natural alternative.  However these proved unsatisfactory when I discovered that most of them also contained chemicals.  After looking on line for a solution, I reluctantly decided to experiment with henna. This wasn't an easy decision because henna tends to colour the hair red which is not my colour of choice.  Also henna does "take" on dark hair too well and my hair is naturally dark brown.  Nonetheless I decided to give it a try.  I debated about whether to order from an on line company but my then hairdresser told me that some of her clients bought their henna locally.  After hearing that I went to the local Punjabi market to look for henna.

I found a few different brands bags at a store which isn't terribly far from my neighbourhood. Both brands were similar in price and cost approximately $10.00 (Canadian dollars) for 1 kilogram of  henna powder.  I purchased 2 bags about one and a half years ago and am now half way through the second bag of powder.  For me a 1 kilogram bag lasts for at least a year doing root touch ups and one or two whole head applications. I have a lot of hair compared to most women so I also use more powder than many women would need.

Top of my head after henna and light blow dry.

Before I can colour my hair, I first have to mix the powder.  I do this by putting some henna powder in a plastic or glass container to which I add a liberal helping of cinnamon powder.  I then add some warm (not hot) coffee and stir well until all the lumps come out.  I tend to like my henna mix on the thicker side so it doesn't run down my face and neck after application and while waiting for the colour to take. Sometimes I add plain yogurt or olive oil to the mixture so condition the hair.  I am usually only colouring the roots so I do not add the yogurt or oil very often.

My hair is quite thick and long so requires a lot of henna or colour.

I do my own application and then wrap my head in plastic or with an old towel.  After that I go about doing my daily chores or will sit down and read a book.  I make sure not to get chilled and to keep my head warm.  Some people use a hair blower to heat up the hair after it is wrapped in the plastic.  I leave the henna on anywhere from 2 - 6 hours then hop in the shower and wash it all off.

Once the henna sets it gets quite hard and crusty.  You really need to scrub it and rinse it well. Once I towel dry my hair, I add some oil to the hair ends and blow dry my hair.  This is generally the only time I use the blow dryer.  To keep the henna colour fresh, do not wash your hair too often.  A few times a week is enough. Daily washing will deplete the colour more quickly. 

This pic is a little blurred but you can see the henna is reflected throughout the length of my hair though I only do the whole head of hair about twice a year.

On average, I colour my hair at the roots every 2-3.5 weeks. I don't have a lot of gray hair but those I do have are very strong and colour resistant.  To make matters worse they mainly come out around my hair line at the temples and crown so they show quite readily.

My former hairdresser charged me $60.00 (Canadian dollars) to apply henna that I pre-mixed and to give me a cut and/or blow dry. If I went to the hairdresser every 3 weeks at $60 a visit, this would cost $1020 plus tax (Canadian dollars) a year. When I was getting highlights it cost more like $80 a month ($1160 annually for highlights and hair condition every 3 months).  Even that was a good deal compared to most salons in town where women I know pay at least double ($160) and more.  The price is probably even higher now but I haven't checked since I never go to a high end salon.

It's been about 6 months since I've had a trim.

Now I go to a completely different hair dresser.  She gives me a super deal and only charges $40.00 (Canadian dollars) to apply the henna and cut and blow dry my hair.  Even at these wonderful prices, I only go about twice a year to get my entire head of hair coloured and to get a cut and blow dry.  Sometimes I splurge and get a hair conditioning.  I can condition my own hair too but I seldom do. Sometimes it is nice just to have someone else do it for you, isn't it?

Altogether I would tally my hair grooming costs (cost of henna, cost of hairdresser) at about $90.00 (Canadian dollars)  annually.  This is a huge savings from a few years ago when I was going to the salon every month and spending $1070 more annually ($1160 - $90 = $1070).  My pocket book is healthier and my hair is healthier too.

I'm not sure how long I will continue to apply henna to my hair. It is quite a lot of work to apply even though I only colour the top and sides of my head.  The job is quite messy and my gray hair grows out very quickly. For the time being I am enjoying the savings I get from doing my own hair. Surprisingly I also like the (copper) colour and shine I get.

The colour in natural light is not quite as bright as you see in the photos.  The hair has a different tone when the camera flash is on it.  Another bonus of doing my own hair is that I don't have to spend hours at a salon.  I can do other chores around the house while I wait for my colour to set or read a book or watch television.

What about you dear reader? 

Have any of you given up on fancy hair salons? 

Do you colour your own hair or perhaps barter with someone to do your hair for you?  

I'd love to know. 

Perhaps you've given up on hair colour altogether and gone natural. 

Frugal Notes

I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.
~ Lao Tzu

It has been a very long time since I made a post about what I've been doing to save money lately. The last post in August, was about curbing my impulse buying and doing without. If you'd like to read it, you can find it here. Curbing impulse spending is one of the best ways to save money and ensure you don't rack up more credit. I know this isn't always possible and some of us are more disciplined than others. I am an impulse buyer and if someone in my family needs something, it is always my first instinct to try and provide it. I still try to do that but now I carefully consider the purchases and timing of them.  I also have an instinct to purchase something when I know it is a really good deal.  These days I still do that but only after I've considered all the angles.

In my August post I had a list of "to dos" that could provide me with some cash. I've managed to follow up on all of them but one. I hope to do that soon. The last one is a receipt for health insurance which I forgot to submit over the summer months. I have to hunt around for my receipt as well as two items of paperwork that need to be submitted. I do have the paperwork but the receipt isn't in the obvious place. I have one more  place to look.

Other ways I've saved money this summer:

• Reduce:  Rather than purchase books I borrowed 7 from the library this past month.  I don't purchase books very often these days but  when I do I try to get them used on Amazon or for very cheap at the thrift store. I then give a lot of them away through Freecycle when I've finished reading them. I only keep the odd one that I might want to re-read because I already have so many books and don't need to add more to my shelves.  This summer I purchased one book off of Amazon for the cost of shipping. The price was for a used book and the cost for shipping was a dollar more than it would have cost me to take a return city bus trip to go and buy the book in person.  In fact, it would probably cost me more on a bus because first I'd have to try to find the  book somewhere.  Through Amazon, I didn't have to leave the house so I not only saved money but time.
• Reuse:  I made two bib type garments with pockets for my mother. The bibs are not for clothing protectors when eating but are made with pockets so she can carry her telephone and wallet as she travels around in her wheelchair. I used fabric I had inherited from her for one of the bibs. I had gotten rid of a lot of her fabric that I knew I wouldn't use and saved some I thought I could use within a reasonable period of time.  It has come in handy despite not really having a place to store it all. I also had a worn out sofa slip cover that I took apart about 2 years ago.  It still had a lot of reusable fabric and I used it for the 2nd bib.
• Recycle:  I put together some kitchen items and books for recycling.  There are always locals who are ready to pick up almost any kitchen, reading and bathroom item.
• Watch the flyers:  I purchased lots of toilet paper and paper towels for less than half the regular prices. When these items are very inexpensive I stock up on them and store them in my laundry closet. I know many people don't use much toilet paper at all and only allow themselves 1 or 3 squares maximum per use. I don't subscribe to this kind of savings. I would rather feel clean and comfortable. However, I would make reusable cloths to use in place of paper towels.  At this point I don't use enough paper toweling to warrant it but it is something on my 'to do' list of frugal practices that are also good for the environment.
• Browse discount fabrics:  From time to time I do browse the fabric at quilting shops and purchase fat quarters or smaller yardages that are put on clearance. I then try to purchase a few pieces of coordinating fabric along the way.  Getting enough fabric to use to make a quilt is something I'm learning to do by trial and error.  Crafting can be expensive so whatever I can do to save funds to help me continue crafting, is a good thing.  I've learned too that not all materials are created equal.  For example, at Wal-mart, one has to be careful about the cotton fabric you purchase.  A lot of the fabric is virtually see through because it is so thin and it isn't the best quality.  No doubt they purchase in bulk from the cheapest sources to give the best prices to the consumers.  But you get what you pay for and this kind of fabric won't stand up to a lot of washing.  Sometimes you can get some better quality cotton there. You just have to be careful.  The same is true of any discount fabric store. Unfortunately, where I live, we only have one fabric store handy and two quilt fabric stores. We don't even have a Wal-mart.  I have to go to the next suburb to shop there so I don't bother.  I only go to Wal-mart when I travel.  
• Grow the garden:  This year my floral garden didn't do well.  But the garden did grow hot peppers, large and miniature tomatoes and a small bit of kale.  Next year I will grow the same things.  Hopefully we won't have all the rain we had at the start of the growing season.
• Use points:  I collect all kinds of points.  It is a job you have to stay on top especially if you want to make sure you have your points cards with you when you are shopping at a particular place. You also don't want to buy things just for the sake of getting points. I always try to purchase on sale and very seldom ever pay full price for things. Sometimes I double up on things if there are bonus points but only on things I actually need. A few weeks ago I got $85 credit at my local drugstore.  This enabled me to stock up on laundry detergent, dish washing detergent (I make it when it isn't on sale), butter, bacon and various household needs. I also got a $60 credit on clothes shopping at a place where I often buy clothing items for my mom. The credits were mailed to me at the right time since it was during end of summer sales and many things were 50% off or less.  You can't make things with new fabric at those prices.  I was able to purchase a summer dress, a dressy sweater, 2 summer shirts and a jean capris for myself; all within the $60 credit.  I got brand new clothes for less than the price of many thrift store purchases in town.  I was very happy.
• Travel bargains:  This summer I took a trip to the Province of Quebec and to several eastern states in the USA. I was able to convert a lot of my air miles to get accommodations at one hotel for two nights in New York. This was a huge savings in terms of dollars out of pocket. It took me years and years to save those air points but when I needed them I was able to use them. Other travel bargains included taking chances on where to stay as we drove along the freeways.  The places that had comfortable beds and a huge, varied breakfast were the best bargain.  For the most part these tended to be Best Western Hotels. Not only was the price right (in the USA) but the breakfasts were very nice and for two people a fantastic savings on daily spending.  On top of that we got 10% off every time we spent a night through BCAA membership.  Since we were on the road non-stop, I also went to places like Wal-mart and purchased snacks like ready made sandwiches, salads and drinks for the road.  One thing I dislike about travelling is having to eat fast food all the time or dining in restaurants that are far too expensive to eat in three times a day, not to mention the health issues that come from dining out. Another big expense of travelling is gas. Gas in very expensive in Canada.  Much of our road trip was in the USA so we felt like we were saving money every time we fuelled up since gas across the border is much cheaper than where we live.

• Flowers:  For a long time I gave up having fresh cut flowers due to the expense. Lately at my grocers they have been discounting floral bouquets as new ones come in. I've been fortunate enough to find flowers I like and buy them from time to time. Fresh cut flowers are one of my favourite things and bright ones with a scent do lift my mood and give my days some beauty.  I just purchased 3 bouquets of snapdragons for $3. total. I think that is a great bargain. I don't buy flowers every week. I change their water often, use disinfectant, discard dead stems and try to make the bouquet last as long as possible.
• Food:  This summer I was fortunate to be able to buy 8 wild salmon (whole fish) at a huge discount (total cost $52. Canadian).  These were Pink salmon, not Coho which is very expensive. Nonetheless it was an excellent bargain especially since most of them were cleaned of their scales.  I didn't buy 8 whole fish at once because they wouldn't fit in my freezer at the same time.  But I was able to purchase the fish on 2 different occasions and cut most of the fish into portions.  I saved one big one for a dinner with friends. Another way I've been saving money is to purchase in bulk when an item is on sale. I drink coffee and I'm not a coffee snob. So when the big cans of coffee come on sale for half the regular price I buy 3-4 at a time. For some time now I've been adding more grains and pulses to my daily diet. I've also added a lot of greens and even more vegetables than usual. It has allowed me to cut down on the meat so that is also a big savings on the food budget and a benefit to my health. I do still use milk from time to time and I use butter instead of margarine. I get both of these on sale at my local pharmacy where I save about half the cost of a pound of butter and about $1. off a jug of milk over the regular price at the local grocery store.

Well there you have it my dear readers. I didn't actually tally my savings over the summer but it was easily within the hundreds of dollars.  Despite all the savings it has been a more expensive few months for me than usual and it will continue to be so for at least the rest of this year.  The challenge is always to find the best deals possible and to save wherever I can and s-t-r-e-c-h each and every dollar.  Whatever I can save in one area is applied to another high priority need.

If I can, I am going to do some no spend weeks between now and Christmas. That should help a lot.  For the year 2013, I have had several financial goals. I've done well on them for the most part and will give a report on the progress at the end of this year.

What about you dear reader? 

Have you been able to save money this summer?

Frugal Reflections

Hi friends,

Today I thought I'd write about the delayed gratification factor and it's relationship to frugal living and debt reduction. It might help someone else who is trying to change spending habits.  I've been working on this for quite some time now as my natural inclination is to spend, not save.  It takes lots of practise, reflection and correction for me to get back on track with a disciplined approach to finances but I'm determined to do it. Each year, I add new financial goals to help guide me in staying on track too. This year I've managed to pay off  3 smaller debts related to my home.  I've also managed to slightly increase my regular investment contribution.  There are two things that helped me with this.  The first is wanting to contribute more to Kenyan missions.  The second is the Biblical verse that says "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave."Proverbs 22:7  I no longer wish to be a slave to debt.


Earlier this week, I wrote here about several perceived needs I have that were going to cost me a fair bit of money.  The list included:

• duvet covers (2)
• bed skirts (2) to match the covers
• tower fan, and an
• office chair

Like many people these days, I try to think two or three times before spending money on these kinds of items (one of my financial goals).  Generally I do not have to think twice about buying food items or items to help me with my health but I do shop around for the best prices on absolutely everything.  A lot of my thinking about when to spend is connected to debt and the commitment I have to avoid unnecessary debt.  While I know I am not as frugal as some of you,  I am more frugal than many people in my circle and try to more mindful about my spending habits (a hard thing for a natural born spender).

Debt (mine or yours) is often connected to credit cards or lines of credit.  In my case, credit card debt is usually connected to travel and to helping my mom get whatever she might need to be comfortable or address her health issues.  Since I have no where to stay, when I travel to see her, much of the expense is related to hotel and food needs.  When I make the charges, I do try to think about the payments that will have to be made in future to pay them off and try to assess how long it will take. So every month, I examine the credit card charges and pay the maximum I can possibly afford each and every month. Some months I pay much more than other months. It really depends on the household and other expenses in a given month.  I also examine any other debts I have and pay as much as I can, as often as I can.  As for the line of credit, I got the balance fairly low and might move one credit card debt to it in order to pay it down faster and save on the interest rate.

Okay now back to what I've identified as my current needs.  The good news is that I won't be spending much on these after all.  After paying the bills this month and examining spending patterns over the last month or so, and the balance left over, I can better determine that some needs are not so urgent and in fact some are more "wants" than necessities.

My rationale for spending decision went something like this. If my fan gives out by the end of summer, I can wait until next summer to get one.  If my mother's fan gives out before next summer because she uses it virtually every day for hours a day, I can give her my bedroom fan which works perfectly fine.

I do have to get a birthday present for a loved one so I will order 1 (one) of the duvet covers but not the bed skirt. The duvet cover is already reduced and I have a 50% off coupon so the overall cost is minimal. Many truly frugal people do not buy gifts for others. Some frugal people only make gifts for others. I have gone through periods where I buy gifts, make gifts or don't give any gifts.  The duvet cover I wanted for myself is not absolutely necessary so I won't buy it.  This will save me money.  It will also save me the aggravation of not having adequate storage space.

The last thing on my list of needs was a new office chair.  The chair I currently use is perfectly sturdy but the "leather" on the seat is tattered and torn. I can make do with it.  If I get tired of looking at it I can make a seat cover.  I can also look at free items on Craigslist or Freecycle to see if a good office chair is up for grabs.

One thing I've learned in the last few years of working to get a better handle on my overall financial picture, is that it pays to sit down now and then and examine monthly bills and spending habits over a period of time.  In a recent round of self-examination I've noticed a number of things that are costing me money:

I keep current  bills in these plastic folders to help me keep them from spilling all over the place.

• I forgot to submit paperwork for 1 (one) medical item when I submitted paperwork last month. I need to follow up on that. It could mean $80. (Canadian) in my pocket.
• I am consistently late paying my all-in-one (tv/phone/internet bill). Besides shelter, food and charitable giving, this is currently my largest monthly bill and I get a discount for "bundling" the services through one provider.  Though I thought I was up to date with the bill, I got a shock in the mail this week.  To make sure this doesn't happen again, I've set up recurrent, automatic payments.  I've done this for other bills already. I think I'd left this bill out of the automatic payments because I wanted to see how this bundle package was turning out for me.  I'm still undecided but in the meantime, I've scheduled future payments so I'm not late again.  This will save on late charges and nasty surprises. I also need to look into whether to change my services to find a better deal. I examine this possibility every year and have opted to stay with my current service provider each year.  Some day that may change.
• I totally forgot about some charges (spending) incurred in late July. These charges impact my discretionary spending in August. This doesn't usually happen but when I get very busy like I was in June and July, some things get totally forgotten.  When I get too busy I also get anxious about the time I need to go over my accounts carefully to help correct any misspending and make sure all the bills are paid.
• I haven't yet followed up on two sources of money I think is due to me. I have to make time to write some letters and make phone calls. I had followed up on one some time ago but didn't take the next step.  Sometimes these matters really require effort from us and often people overlook these things because they are too busy.
• I need to cancel 2 automatic purchases I make from The Shopping Channel for vitamins and facial products. It is costing too much though it is much cheaper than the regular prices. My improved dietary changes should help balance the need for vitamins and minerals and I have more than enough facial products.  Besides, I've been unhappy with TSC lately. I've been having problems with TSC getting full refunds on items returned and credit for savings coupons. I've decided to block this channel so I no longer have to view what is on offer.  This will eliminate any more temptation to spend, the headache of paying and the hassle of getting properly refunded.

One of my former big spending vices was buying books and magazines.  I stopped buying magazines long ago (like 10 years ago).  I pretty much stopped buying new books a few years ago but once in a blue moon I will purchase one if I really want it.  I love reading and I don't like to wait long to read new books that I've been anticipating reading. Another way of saving money on my reading habit is to use the library.  I had gotten out of the habit of using the library when they built a new one farther away from me but recently reactivated my account.

I put some books on hold and it wasn't too long before the first one, Paris, was ready for pick up. I read the book in the first week of the loan period but delayed returning it.  Last night, I was notified that another book I put on hold, And the Mountains Echoed, is now ready for pick up. So now I can make a drop off and a pick up at the same time.

When I am very bogged down with the cares of day to day life such as I have been since April, it is good to have a break.  Reading and movies are some of the ways I like to take a break.  I also like getting together for fellowship with people, especially people who are from another culture.  Fortunately, I have a few social appointments this week, including one with a young friend who has just returned from Kenya.

I hope your week is going well.

Blue No More

I wrote the other day (here) about how yellow stains in clothing were making me blue. I described what I was doing to get the stains out and invited helpful tips from you my readers, in getting out the stains.

Since my post on this, I stumbled on an alternative to Oxy-Clean powder. I was browsing in a discount shop for a few small items when I came across a new to me product called, L.A.'s Totally Awesome Oxygen Base Cleaner. I purchased a small tub of it for $2.99 (Canadian).  I think this product is very much like the powdered Oxy-Clean.  When I used Oxy-Clean a few days ago I was using the liquid spray not the powdered form which probably works better.  If you can't find the Oxygen Base at the dollar store you can find it on line at Amazon.  One of the ingredients in the product is peroxide. Using peroxide on the stains is a tip that was left by Dimple on my previous post.

When I got home I mixed a bit of the new-to-me powder with water to make a paste.  Then I rubbed the paste into the sleeves of my blouses and left them to soak in hot water. After that I washed the clothing in a long cycle in hot water.  Voila, the look was much improved but still not good enough for me so I washed the blouses again with hot water only.  Again, the sleeves looked better but still not good enough.

I soaked and washed the stains in the solution again and this time I put them out in the sun to bleach. Presto, the stains are GONE or almost gone!  I've put these back out in the sun on the patio for another hour or two to "bleach" them even further. You can see in photos #2 and #3 that there is still a bit of discolouration but if the items are worn, the discolouration is not so noticeable. If you enlarge the photos you can get a better view of the sleeves.  I'm sure that with continued attention to the sleeves, the stains will be completely gone soon.

I would have put the blouses out in the sun earlier but I needed to have a long period of sunshine at the right time. As things happen, yesterday was not so sunny and warm until late in the day and I had no time then to leave the clothing outside.

I am pleased with the results and next time this happens I will be quick to sun bleach the stains.Thank you to every one of my readers who left helpful tips.  With a  lot of time and patience, I've now saved myself from having to buy new blouses for next summer. I think I could save time next time by placing the clothing in the sun much quicker and I hope I remember that should I need to in future.

Travels

I've seen these kind of maps on blogs of friends.

I thought it would be fun to make one for myself so here it is.

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

I've done an awful lot of travelling in my lifetime but the map says I've only covered 7% of the countries of the world. I've been back to many places 2 and 3 times, especially to Australia & Kenya. I hope to cover more countries before I'm done.  Clearly I have a lot more travelling to do.

Yesterday was a very very busy day for me, catching up on washing and folding laundry, vacuuming (hoovering), emptying the vacuum canister, changing bed linens, unloading and loading the dishwasher, making salad, emptying garbage cans and a whole lot of errands to get some things for mom and some things for me as well.

I also did a lot of research on line looking for deals on duvet covers. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities, both of which are on a very good sale. I've been looking for these for a very long time but hate to pay the prices that they usually are on offer for.  I want to buy one solid coloured duvet cover for myself and one for my brother's birthday which is coming up in the Fall. Yesterday's flyers also showed a sale on two other things I need (a new tower fan and an office chair.  I've needed the chair for some time but that might have to be put off again.  Maybe I can get one for free. I always keep my eyes open for free things if they fit my need and they aren't too shabby).  I need to carefully think about each expenditure and figure out what I really need and can buy this month. Thinking two and three times before buying anything, buying on sale, or getting things for free is all part of my frugal living approach to living and to managing my finances.

The fan could potentially wait but the problem is that in my country, the fans will not be in stock again until the summer of 2014.  I can't take that chance since the fan I use in the living room sounds like it ready to quit.  Though I try not to add credit card debt, at times like this I often justify the use of  a credit card if those charges will be paid in the near future.  This is always a gamble as you never know what other expenditures come up in the meantime that are equally important.

Sometimes I dip into savings for such needs.  But again you must be careful.  If you get into this habit you will find it hard to save.  I know this because I often dip into it for needs other than travel which is what my savings are supposed to be dedicated towards.  I'm hoping to get to the point where I don't have to do that.  It would help too if I could get some donors to help the Kenyan man named Elvis. You can read about him by clicking the badge to the right of my blog. He still needs a lot of help to finish the year.

Sunday I was played out so I just relaxed. I didn't do much other than reading a very few blogs, continuing to try and get yellow stains out of my summer tops, logging my daily blood glucose, making soup and salad, and watching movies. Tomorrow I have to try and get to several accumulated "to dos" including getting to the post office.

I wish you all a great week.

Yellowing Makes Me Blue

These are the yellow stains after about the 4th wash. I've just sprayed them with Ocy-Clean.

Some time ago I noticed I had a few white blouses that were yellowing in my closet but I never got around to trying to deal with them because these are items that I seldom wear.  I've read that if you don't wash white clothing (or linens) on a regular basis, they start to get yellowed from dust and other particles in the air. Often the sleeves of tops hanging in the closet are affected because these parts are usually exposed more to the air while hanging in the closet.

I wanted to wear some of these light, white tops due to the very high temperatures we've been experiencing this summer.  I did some research on line about how I could get rid of the stains. Oxy-Clean is a ready made stain remover that I read could be sprayed on clothing and left for 10-60 minutes before laundering.  I also read that if I scrub the stains with laundry bar soap and let them sit or soak the clothing over night in a solution of vinegar and water, that my stains would be removed.  I decided to try all three approaches.

Altogether, I treated the stains about 7-8 times.  The stains are far less noticeable but they are still there and the items of clothing are still not wearable. I think part of the problem is I may have washed these items before and inadvertently set the stains by washing them in warm or hot water. That apparently is a "no-no". I've used cold water in my recent attempts. I will give these items a rest for a few days and try to scrub them out again. I think another 3-4 times might accomplish the job.

Have any of you had to deal with stubborn stains like this? If so, were you able to get rid of them?  Would you like to share your approach.

Frugal Finds This Week

How many of you have ever shopped and been overcharged for items? I usually watch the scanner when I'm paying for items so I can "catch" the errors. Often there are errors in the posted sale prices and the price at the till when the item is scanned.  Have you found that too?

This month I decided to track my household spending for groceries and all kinds of household items. I had kept my receipts and hope to do this for the next few months to see where my household funds are going. This is not a task I really enjoy but this year I want to see what I can really save on needless expenditures.

This is a sample of cheese from the company that made my purchase.

In creating my list, I discovered something that made my jaw drop. I paid $11.00 for a very small amount of Brie cheese. Now some small wedges of Brie at my local grocery store can cost that much and more. However I would not knowingly pay that amount and was certain I had selected something less expensive. Fortunately I still had some of the cheese and the original bar code and price label.  In checking my receipt, I discovered I had overpaid by about $4.50 (Canadian).  On another trip to the same store, the clerk mentioned I should simply bring in the receipt and the wrapping and I will receive my refund. Normally I would catch this kind of mistake right away but in this case, I was distracted by the friendly cashier when she was scanning my items at check out ;-) (Savings 4.50)

I haven't calculated all the food purchases for the week. I haven't actually purchased much other than 20 pounds of brown rice which will last me for a long time. I should have bought a smaller bag as we head into the warmer months and brown rice can go rancid. I also purchased some milk, cereals and bananas. I will add these to my monthly expenditures. I already know that my food bill for the month is higher than usual because I purchased more for the pantry than I do most months due to sales. This month I've purchased a variety of canned beans, canned tomatoes & canned soup. These will last for many months. I also bought a few cans of ground coffee. I still need to buy a large jug of cooking oil.

How many of you collect points at your favourite stores so you can use the points for purchases on items you need later?

This week I purchased over $40. (Canadian) of items at my local pharmacy. The cashier asked me if I had received any offer of points. I said 'yes' but I didn't have the points coupon with me. He suggested I return the following day with the coupon and ask the owner for a credit. Since the story is close to my home, I did exactly that.  The owner kindly gave me 9000 points instead of the 8000 points I was looking for. Now I have enough points (22,000 +) to get $30 off of a future purchase at the pharmacy.  I will wait to use the points until I need bread, milk, butter, eggs, bacon and household items like glass cleaner, toilet paper, plastic wrap so I can spend all the points at once.  This is the best way to get the full value of the points (so I've been told and so I've learned). (Savings $10.)

I also need to follow up on the store's head office because I made a large purchase in March for which I was to get 20x the points.  I don't think I received the credit.  A simple phone call will determine whether the error is the store's or mine.  A store error means another $10.value in points toward a future purchase.

I think probably most of you shop around for clothing bargains and I'm no different. In preparation for a trip to see mom, she asked me to purchase some clothing for her and she gave me a modest budget.  She primarily wanted some colourful summer tops.

I managed to buy 4 tops, 3 summery sweaters (she gets a chill easily), 3 necklaces and a pair of earrings. The grand total was $111. (Canadian, including taxes).  Shipping was free (normal cost about $10.) and I didn't have to travel to the store and browse the aisles because I ordered on line. Total savings on this shop was $200.  That's astounding!  The very next day, most of these items were back to the full price. It pays to watch the sales. As an added bonus, I will get some points toward a monetary credit to buy things later in the year. I think I will use it for heavy sweaters or nightgowns for winter wear. (Savings $210.)

I never think of savings in a fabric store unless I specifically go as a result of sale. The only fabric store that remains in my big city doesn't have fabric sales as such, but they do have clearance and remnant items.

I am not a seamstress but I do mend clothing and I make simple skirts for my mother. This week I did some fabric shopping in the remnant section for fabric to make skirts and other items like simple vests (savings of approximately $12.00). I also purchased 6 meters of snakeskin printed fabric for $1.00 a meter (a savings of $10. a meter!). (Total savings on fabric $72.00)

Do any of you shop on line for books? You can often get free shipping if you purchase $25. on Amazon (or like companies).  I mostly purchase books at the thrift store where I can get books for $1 to $3.  On a rarer occasion, I can purchase a book for 25 or 50 cents.  If I want a particular book though, I will likely have to buy it in a bookstore or on line. Recently, I wanted a particular book on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I also wanted a memoir of Elspeth Huxley who grew up in Kenya in the early 1900s.

I ordered the books on line and they were delivered to my door within a week. I saved about $12. on the cost of the books and approximately $7. on the shipping. (Total savings $19.)

When you go on a flight do you search the internet for air travel deals or ask your travel agent to investigate a cheaper fare if the first fares he/she quotes you are too high? I know many people who cross the border from Canada into the USA to get a cheaper flight.  I don't go that far.  I like to get to my airport in half an hour; not spend hours getting to the departure airport.

This week I investigated air fares on line then called my travel agent to book. I managed to save about $300 on the air fare.  However I spent some of the savings ($93) by paying for pre-booked seat because I like to ensure I get aisle seats for long trips.  It makes it easier for me to do chair exercises and to get up and walk around the plane whenever I wish. Anyone who suffers from swelling of the lower extremities needs to be careful when travelling long distances. (Total savings $203.)

Total savings this week: $518.50* Not bad. 

I'm always looking to stretch a dollar and this week I feel like I hit the "jackpot".

 

Of course, most weeks I am not buying books, clothes, fabrics and air tickets. Most of the time my savings are far more modest.  But by paying attention and shopping around when one does need to spend we can make significant savings.

Not everything was a "win" this week.  Sadly I did had to throw out about $7.00 worth of vegetables (Total savings minus $7. = $511.50). 

Normally I do not waste vegetables but this week I could not seem to keep up to vegetables and some strawberries before they went soft and moldy.  Sometimes fresh produce doesn't last very long at all before they go bad. If I wasn't busy out of house this week, I likely would have made some soups with the veggies and snacked on the strawberries.

In these economic times, most of us rely on saving on daily needs to help us through the month.  I'm looking for savings everywhere I can to help fund my upcoming travels and also to help all my sponsored kids in Zambia, Ethiopia and Kenya. 

If you are thinking about sponsoring a child but haven't yet done so and have questions, please feel free to contact me. I love to encourage people to sponsor a child or a family if they can.

 

* I adjusted this amount upwards as I had forgotten to include the $10./meter savings on the snakeskin pattern fabric I bought.

Solutions

Hi dear friends,

I hope you are all doing great! It is still cloudy and raining where I live but in a few days we are expecting sunshine for a few days. Last weekend the weather report was also for sunshine for two days and though it did stop raining it didn't really shine all that much. I hope they are right this time!

I continue to nurse my leg. It is really up and down with the pain levels. On my good days I get outside for some errands. Those days aren't as often as I'd like but today the leg is feeling better and I can walk straighter than usual without a side to side gait. I am trying out this new-to-me infrared heating pad.These pads are very pricey but I got it on a significant discount.  I still had to think twice before buying it but the free shipping was the clincher. This one is on a trial basis for a few weeks.  It had many good testimonials from arthritic pain sufferers but for my knee it didn't seem to do much. Last night I also had an aching back and sciatic pain from sitting so much. I decided to use the heating pad on my back and neck before I went to sleep. Boy did it work like a charm. Today I have far less pain in my back and muscles than I did yesterday. I will try it again tonight.

It's a little hard to see the heating pad as it is black against my brown footstool.

While I've been doing all this sitting I have managed to get a lot of knitting done.  I take a break here and there for laundry, tidying, cooking, etc. I'm knitting the same pattern over and over and I'm not tired of it yet.  I expect that I will be ready to move on from this in a few days when I expect my cotton yarn will be used up as well.  Knitting for so many hours leads to some issues with the balls of yarn which can roll all over the place.  I made myself a yarn holder which saved me a good deal of money.  The cost of yarn holders varies as does what they are made of, but I saw one medium sized plastic model which cost approximately $15.00 Canadian.

I poked a hole in the top of this plastic container and it works great. I would recommend you place a piece of masking tape over the centre of the lid where you want to make the hold. Use a drill with a larger size bit if you want to make this otherwise you may crack the lid in places you don't want (like I did).  I used a sharp pointed object and it made several cracks in the lid. The yarn will get stuck in the cracks and fray if you are not careful.

My yarn holder cost me nothing and saved the container from the garbage pile. I saved about $15.00 and it holds several small, rolled cotton balls. I keep 2 or 3 in the plastic jar. Just the ones I'm using for the project I'm knitting.

I have a question for any of you avid crafters out there. I have a lot of negatives from the old days before digital cameras. I was going to throw them out but lately have been thinking it would be good to use them in a creative project if I can find the right project.  These are negatives of a lot of photos I no longer want to keep so I don't want to highlight them in something like a lamp, nor do I want to make a tote bag out of them. If any of you have some ideas as to what I can use them for please let me know.

A Brief Update

It's been pretty chilly in  my apartment this past week. I'm wearing socks every day now and sometimes two pair of ankle socks  (one thin and one thick). I'm also wearing a sweater or track jacket indoors each day.

I've been cocooned up indoors a lot this week as I continue to make slow progress on my major decluttering and reorganizing project. I feel good about what I've been able to accomplish so far and will continue with it over the next little while.

Due to my frugal nature and the season's chill I've been doing a number of things to try and keep overall heating costs down, I keep my heating pad on whenever I'm relaxing. I put on my portable heater if there is too much chill coming through the row of windows in the front room and I have my mattress heating pad on when I go to sleep at night. The past two nights I have been very cosy in my bed and slept with only half of the covers.  After being up far too late the last few nights I was asleep surprisingly early and had a good sleep last night.

I continue with my acupuncture therapy and herbal therapy. I only went to one appointment for each of two weeks and am now back on the regular schedule. I haven't been able to start physiotherapy or  massage therapy because for some reason I haven't received my referral papers yet.  I've also been busy this week with concerns over mom's health. She is losing a fair bit of blood and circulatory issues seem to be arising. I pray that everything settles soon. Other than that I'm swirling around some holiday plans in my head. Christmas is just around the corner and the chilly air has me thinking about where to put the tree. The antique blanket chest I told you about last week now occupies the area where my tree used to go.

Yesterday I went to a movie after talking with mom by phone. I wanted to get out and enjoy the sunshine as we are now in the season where we get a lot of rain.  The movie was a disappointment. To be honest I didn't know what kind of movie I was going to see. Only that it was about a journalist who gets a job in Puerto Rico. I just thought that it would be nice to see some scenery of a warm and sunny tropical place and to get a break from my tediousness of decluttering and going through seemingly endless paper.  The movie did have some tropical scene and I also enjoyed the faded beauty of the Spanish style buildings on the island.  I also enjoyed the excuse to get out while the sun was shining and a stop at the pharmacy and coffee shop on my return. A nice way to end a quiet Saturday.

Oh by the way, if you missed it, don't forget to enter the giveaway.  

Have a wonderful week!

Update: Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I wasn't able to reach mom for a few days but when I called her residence today I learned she was on an outing. That told me that she id doing better. I spoke to her later and it seems her circulation issue is holding steady and her bleeding has ceased for now. I am giving praise to God and thank my readers who prayed for us. God bless you all. xx

Leg Problems & Acupuncture

For a very long time now I've been having issues with my right leg. Problems started in my heel and later I noticed problems with my knee. I got physiotherapy for the knee and began using my stationary bike a lot more. The problem seemed to get better in the knee but returned with a vengeance.

After my recent trip to the north country (which I've posted about), I could barely walk. This wasn't the first time things had gotten that bad. I was told by my doctor that the heel problem is plantar fasciitis and by the physiotherapist that the knee problem was caused by tight muscles. Neither of these medical professionals associated the two problems as being related. My own assessment is that the heel problem which was long untreated and for which western medicine can't seem to do too much except surgery (yikes, I'm not having surgery on my feet), led to the other problem of tight muscles.

Many years ago I'd gone to a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (DTCM) for treatment of a heel spur on the opposite foot.  I resolved to go again because the problem is really limiting what I can do both inside and outside of the house. Some days I can't walk too far and the pain is excruciating.

I'm happy to report that after the 2nd acupuncture treatment I was feeling huge relief. Unfortunately, I had to walk very far on the day of my 3rd appointment and over did things. My pain is back in spades but the acupuncture once again is helping to alleviate it. I know the problem has flared back up but I also know the acupuncture is working so I will continue with it.  I am now getting treated twice a week and I take some herbal Chinese medicines to relax the muscles and improve the blood flow.

The Doctor of TCM that I see, normally charges $60.00 (Canadian dollars) for one acupuncture treatment.  Sadly it is not covered by my extended health care plan.  I was blessed to have my doctor charge me for the herbs at cost and give me 2 acupuncture treatments for $25.00 (Canadian) instead of $120.00. I think that is quite a bargain!  In return, I am helping her with some drafting work she is doing. I edit and advise her on preparing some important documents she is working on. I also give her some advice related to some committee work she is doing.  This is trade and barter and I love it! It is a good way of being frugal.

Here is my leg with all the needles in it.

The basic idea behind the acupuncture is that the needles and the heat lamp put over the area while the needles are in the skin, help to unblock the blood and fluid stagnation. In Chinese medicine they call the stagnation, "blocked chi" or "blocked energy". The purpose of acupuncture and chinese medicinal treatments is to unblock the chi or energy. In western terms, you can say to unblock the stagnation.

While the needles are in the skin I feel very sleepy and relaxed. Sometimes when the doctor puts the needles into the skin it might hurt but this is momentary.

I feel fortunate to have this treatment available to me. If I lived in a small town I would not have this service and I would not have a way to address my pain and mobility without drugs or waiting for surgery. I'm also going to order some heel pads for my shoes. My doctor has suggested orthotics but I know from my mother's experience that orthotics didn't help her. I'm going to order heel pads on line. These pads seem to be working for many people who said they got orthotics made and the orthotics didn't work.

Anyway, I hope my regular readers will understand now why I haven't been posting or commenting as much as usual. Things have been busy for me and my mobility is limited. I'm also feeling more tired than usual but hopefully that will pass in a few weeks.

On an unrelated note, I see that my blogging posts have hit the 500 mark. I am a little suspect about the count given.  By Blogger's count I was at 489 posts about 3 months ago and have been posting steadily since then so the number should be higher. At any rate, I'm sure I've now passed the 500 mark, possibly a bit more. I've thoroughly enjoyed the blogging experience and wouldn't trade it for FB.

An Old Fashioned Day

The weekend is over. I did a lot of sleeping and napping. For some reason I felt quite tired. It was probably a combination of things: raining weather again, a full few days of cleaning the previous week, chronic illnesses. Some old pains in my stomach resurfaced after a long period of dormancy and when that happens I can only sleep it off. Nonetheless I am so grateful that I made a good start at Spring cleaning and today I am more mobile again.

Today I made some hamburger soup with macaroni and vegetables in a tomato base.
 

This is my go to "comfort soup".

The soup tastes extra good in my blue bowl on Blue Monday ;-)

I also made some easy oatmeal bread to go with it and I thought I would share the recipe. I have shared a recipe for oatmeal bread before but that one was for making in a bread machine. If you like, you can read it here. Today the bread I made required me to knead and let it rise, in the old fashioned way.

I've finished kneading the dough. I'm now going to cover it and let it rise for about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

------------

2 cups water

1 cup quick cooking oats

3 tbsp. butter or oil

1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 tsp. bulk yeast)

1/3 cup warm water

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. white sugar

1tsp salt

5 1/4 cup flour (I used roughly half and half white flour and whole wheat flour)

Heat 2 cups of water to almost boiling. Add oats, butter, brown sugar and salt. Let cool.
Meanwhile, add 1/3 cup warm water to a small dish with yeast, along with 1 tbsp. of white sugar to proof. Once the yeast has proofed (foamed), add it to the oat mixture.

Next, combine the oat mixture with 4 cups flour and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Add more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled.  This takes about 30 minutes but will vary depending on your elevation and the warmth of your home.

Punch down. Let it rest about 10 minutes.  Shape into rolls or loaves and place on a greased pan. Let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

I think it turned out well. I cooked it a little bit longer than I planned.

After all this cooking and baking it was time to wash all the dishes I dirtied plus last night's dishes and the dishes from breakfast and lunch today.

I normally wash my dishes in a dishwasher but today I felt like doing them by hand.  They had a fair bit of crustiness on them from last night's dinner. Since I always run my dishwasher on a short wash cycle to save water, I just decided washing by hand would be a faster way to get everything clean today.

After all this talk of food and cleaning, I wanted to give you something pretty and natural to look at. Here is a photo of the evidence of Spring.

If you click on this photo to enlarge it you will see the pretty red coloured blooms coming out on the trees.

Please join Smiling Sally and all the gang for Blue Monday. Click on the badge to visit Sally and all her friends.

~ More Frugal Tips ~

I want to say a big "welcome" and thank you to my newest follower, Katie over at the blog, Gates Place.

This post is part of my short series on how I personally save money so that I can give to causes I support and also help myself get out of debt. If you are interested in other the other articles in the series you may read here and here.

1. I make my own laundry detergent and use vinegar and baking soda for household cleaning. Check out these uses for vinegar and baking soda here and a recipe for  making laundry detergent here.
2. A new tip I've learned from Ilona at Life After Money ~ use bubble bath to clean the toilet.  This is a great tip for using bubble bath someone gives you as a gift when you don't know what else to do with it.
3. I reuse plastic bags and various store containers where possible. The best repurposing I've seen for plastics came from a quilter who uses plastic take away food containers as storage for notions and fabric. Awesome!
4. I purchase inexpensive plastic bins from the dollar store to store my potatoes and onions as well as other dried goods. I prefer to use wood, glass or other natural materials where possible but the cost is quite prohibitive. I will use the plastic bins as long as possible instead of discarding them just because I get tired of them and want a change.
5. I also purchase inexpensive plastic bins to use in my bathroom and in storage areas like closets,
6. There are many containers that I need for storing other foods and making sure they don't go bad. I don't always use plastic especially if they are to be stored on my kitchen counter (noodles, rice, raisins, brown sugar etc.). I look for attractive containers from the variety store where the cost is 1/3 to 1/2 off of the regular prices.
   
   

   

   All these containers were purchased on discount. I don't need them to be "matchy matchy". In fact, I dislike things that are overly matched.

     
7. I purchase inexpensive white towels wherever I can find them. I like the thin, fluffy kind.  I bought my last ones at Field's and I think they cost me $2.00 each. Perfect for throwing in the wash with some disinfectant.
8. I do not buy furniture very often and I use most things until they are quite worn out. My home, though comfortable, does not look like a a feature in a decorating magazine. I sometimes wish it did but  having time to enjoy life, and giving to the Kenyan Missions of Hope  is more important to me.
9. To compensate for not buying furniture, I use slipcovers on my sofa and chairs.
10. I give “lost” furniture a home. For example, I have a dresser/desk and a chair in my bedroom that came from the garbage out back of my home. They are in fine condition.
11. I look for household items at the thrift store. I purchased a wing chair, lamp, and side table there in the past few years.
12. I try and buy direct from the manufacturer for items like mattresses.
13. I shop for appliances and large pieces of furniture when they are on sale. I also shop and wait around  if I am looking for something that costs more than I am willing to pay.  I ask stores to price match also if I find something close by for a higher price which is cheaper somewhere else. This saves on cost of delivery too.
14. I buy furniture that needs to be put together especially if it will save money (shelves,closets and a TV stand are recent examples).
15. I shop on Craigslist and am a member of my local Freecycle where I can list items I want to give away or look for items I want.  This doesn't always help me because I am limited in my ability to get around but it is an option, especially if you have wheels.
    
    

    I have plans for another two posts in this short series on saving pennies. Please check back again soon if you are reading/participating in this series. I'd also love to hear your ideas for saving money on household items.

    
    I want to add here that I have been challenged and inspired to make a change in terms of my habit of using plastics due to the efforts of one woman, Beth Terry, who has championed the cause of reducing plastic usage in her own life for the health of our bodies, our oceans and the planet.  Once you read this inspiring woman's blog you will see just how reliant on plastics we have become.  You can read more about the cause at Plastic Free Living. Before you go, please stop and leave a comment or your frugal tip for saving on household expenses.  Until next time, happy savings!