Saving Money

I want to say a big "welcome" to my newest follower Jan. I hope you find something here of value. Please feel free to join in the conversations.  I am honoured you chose to join my blogging family.

Lately, I've been spending time thinking very specifically about the ways I've been learning to save money and stretch my dollar's spending power. I've made a list of the things I've been doing for the last few years and I hope to share them with you soon.  I'm doing this because it helps me to see how far I've come and how many changes I've made along the way.  The changes haven't been difficult.  In fact, many of them have been quite pleasurable. Now that I'm not working, I see saving money and running my household more efficiently as my job. I do it because I no longer have salary increases and my expenses are more or less the same except in a few areas. I do it because I have debt to pay down. I also do it because I want to minimize waste and have money to give to charity, particularly Missions of Hope in Kenya.  As a believer and follower of Christ, I take it as one of my joyful duties to give to my neighbour. Even if I wasn't a believer and follower of Christ, I still would want to help my neighbour.

I'm going to share the things that I've done and maybe it will inspire some of you who don't have a big income or who have gone from a large income to a smaller income, like I have now that I am retired. My hope is that in encouraging you to save money you can help others by giving them a hand up.  So with that little introduction, I will share something simple today and in pictorial format. 

One of the big changes I've made in the last year or so is to buy bulk beans instead of canned beans.  I've always loved beans but been intimidated by making them from scratch even though I knew they were much cheaper.  When I worked I was always super busy and when I had time off it was only enough time to try to clean, shop for food and personal needs and catch my breath.  Nowadays I purchase beans regularly in bulk and use them in a variety of ways.  This small step is not only good for the pocket book but also great for your health since beans are a wonderful source of protein and a great alternative to meat.

Here is a bowl of garbanzo beans I soaked.  I bought these close to where I live.  The unit price was 55 cents.  For cost comparison, it would cost me 75 cents per unit for dried and packaged garbanzo beans in the local grocery store which is actually a few steps further from where I live than the place where I bought these beans.  I can actually probably find these beans for less than 55 cents per unit but that would defeat the purpose since it would take more of time, energy and transport costs.

I am also soaking some kidney beans.  I bought these at the same place where I bought the garbanzo beans and the cost was 35 cents unit.  I forgot to price the packaged kidney beans at the grocery store tonight but am pretty sure these bulk beans are cheaper.

Here I have the kidney beans boiling on the stove. I hope they don't take too long since I have to get to sleep soon. I bought the beans late in the day and so their soaking time has been cut short.

Here are the boiling garbanzo beans. I have them on a gentle roll so they don't break apart. In a taste test they seem almost ready. Looking in on the beans later, I realized oops, I overcooked them a bit, lol.  They'll have to be used for hummus. Yummo1

The kidney beans will be rinsed with cold water after they cool and  be packed in containers and stored in the fridge for use during the week. We use them as an accompaniment to meals, in soups, chilies and salads.

The other thing I like to do to save money and which is also a form of entertainment, is to browse the thrift stores. I donate a fair bit to the thrift stores because I am undergoing a major decluttering effort at my home.  Sometimes though I am the customer and last week I was looking for a doll (more about this in a later post.).  While I was searching for the doll, I came across some brand new clay pots with clay tray bottoms.  I picked them up for $2.00 each which included the trays for catching the water when you water your plants.

At the same time, I found this fabulous clay, glazed garlic storage pot.

I say fabulous because it is in black and matches some of my canisters in the kitchen. Perfect!

And the best part is, it only cost $2.00 and it has never been used.  My guess is that it would cost at least $10.00 in the store.  The clay pots were $2.00 a piece and  I bought two.  The price is the same in the store but I would have to pay another $3.00 plus, for the trays.

Well there you have it.  Some of my small efforts at savings and they were such little steps, enjoyable steps and yet easy to do. I hope you will come again for many other savings strategies I've been using.  In closing, let me say that for years now I've read other people's strategies for saving money.  But I always found the ideas hard to implement.  The ideas always seemed daunting because they related to goals for substantial savings that seemed unreachable, for example: saving $50,000 or more for a down payment on a house or saving some exorbitant sum of money each year that perhaps I didn't have as disposable income.  In the end, I just had to learn that I can only do what I can do at any given time. I can try my best and I can take baby steps. I also had to have goals that were more meaningful to me which included ways to live and have shelter while at the same time, keep giving to missions.  While I was working I also made sure I had insurance and saved money each and every month.   What I was not good at was keeping the credit card balances paid off each month and so that is a key reason I am on restricted spending now.  I hope whatever I've learned might be useful to someone.  Until next time.

Click for a Cause

I want to thank my newest followers:  Cindy Adkins, gmirage, Regina and Ai Kai Rui Liu.  I hope I write something worthy of your interest as you grace me by your comments and make this blogging adventure worthwhile.

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Thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people as the strongest-ever earthquake to hit Japan triggered a tsunami that moved across the Pacific Ocean. Early reports from the Associated Press indicate that at least 300 people have already died.  Here is an excellent overview of  early responses from large international-aid charities, grant makers, and other groups. Click here for a link to the overview and ways you can help.

Twitter is all abuzz with tweets about Japan and prayers and help for the country. I found a helpful tweet about how to follow the disaster on twitter in real time.  Click here.

Map credit: Zimbio

It's hard to believe but it has only been a few days since I first told you about little Kigen. See here. While early blog posts had good readership and some donations, interest has slowed a bit. We know that is normal and other things distract.  But we are still praying and seeking God to meet all the needs related to little Kigen's care. If you can help, we'd love to hear from you. Please continue to pray also as that is so very important. Thank you and be blessed!

Kigen receiving IV treatment.

Kigen's need isn't as astronomic as the needs in Japan but they are just as real and catastrophic to him and to his family.  Together, ordinary people can have huge impacts in the lives of people, one step at a time.

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You can donate to assist in little Kigen's medical mission.   

Donations can be made through Pay Pal here. 

Updates on his treatment will be posted when they come available.

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Frugal Friday

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; 

but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty. 

Proverbs 21:5

Peering through the rushes. A metaphor for having peered through "cobwebs" and now having clearer vision in these past few years as to excess financial and other waste I engaged in for so many years.

As tax times approaches and efforts abound in this household to pay down debt, I continue to look for ways to squeeze a dollar. The more I save, and the faster I pay down debt, the more I can give to the mission field. In some ways, it seems to me I really overspent the budget this week but in other ways I saved a lot of money and I need to remember that the things I bought this week are not things that I would buy every week or even every month. I don't do these kind of posts very often but now and then I like to take stock of my week's spending and see what I've managed to accomplish. It's a way of holding myself accountable by posting it here.

Thursday at the grocery store I saved:

• $1.10 on a spinach brioche (paid $1.10)
• $. 94 on 2 boxes of baking soda (paid $3.56)
• $3.50 on ready made meatloaf (paid $3.50.  I had a meatloaf sandwich for dinner, an orange and a glass of milk and cup of tea.  I wasn't up to cooking).
• $.51 on a can of cranberry jelly (paid $1.78. I will be making roasted turkey thigh, stuffing and cranberry sauce for dinner tonight).
• $5.42 on 2 boxes of beer battered fillets (paid $11.98 for 12 pieces. Much cheaper than fresh fish or canned).
• $.65 on dry yeast (paid $1.64 as I will make some home made bread soon).
• $2.00 on pane toscano (paid $1.99)

Savings:  Total savings $14.12 Total spending: $38.64.  (after tax)  I earned 3 stamps (and got one bonus stamp from the clerk for a total of 4 stamps). I'm saving toward a book of 25 stamps which will earn me a  $10. gift card toward future food purchases.  I'm actually 6 stamps short of 25 stamps for my second card.  I have just over a week to collect them. I might make it but I won't buy stuff at that store just to get a stamp. If I save 50 stamps, I get $25 gift card toward food purchases and that will be a big help.  I didn't buy any toilet paper today as it is still too expensive. Fortunately, I have enough for awhile. Hopefully it will be on sale this weekend somewhere.  I purchased 10 kg of flour earlier this week for just under $9.00 which is a savings of about $5.00 given the exorbitant increase in flour costs. I haven't purchased a big bag of flour like this since last Fall but this will enable me to make fresh bread now and then.

I also spent just over $30.00 the day before yesterday on fruits (bananas & lemons) and mostly veggies (snow peas, broccoli, purple yams, sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, kale, baby bok choy and a few odds and ends.  No real savings here as I simply look for the produce that is less expensive and try to limit the higher cost items if I need any.

Sunday I went to the drug store and spent $86.54 (tax was almost $7.00) on the purchase of 22 items all of which were on sale. This is a very steep bill I know.  But as I said, all of the items were on sale and the savings was anywhere from 60 cents to $9.00 on each item so it was a hefty savings overall. Unfortunately, the way the bill is written, it doesn't help me reconstruct for you and list, the original prices and the savings on each item.

I probably won't need to get anything at the pharmacy again for quite some time except for maybe toilet paper if it goes on sale and my medications.  I did get a $20.00 gift card back for gas at ESSO. I gave the card to my nephew who is saving for a return to university studies.  My purchases at this store give me points toward future discounts on purchases. It will take me several more months by the look of things before I earn a $10.00 discount. Again, it doesn't pay to buy things just to earn the points, unless the store is holding a promotion to multiply your points. Sometimes they double points and once in a long while they give you 10x the points. This is a really great time to buy if you need the items because you quickly earn some money back on those things you need to buy.

Other frugal acts this week:

• bought the smallest popcorn and drink at the movie theatre and took my own orange and water in my handbag).
• saved energy (turned off computer each night, turned off all the lights when not in use, cut down on loads of laundry)
• cut up a natural coloured twill sofa cover. I'm going to repurpose it as cushion covers for a number of European pillows I have and use as cushions for the sofa.

The cotton twill sofa slipcover after it was cut into pieces and washed. Buying this as fabric to cover cushions would cost me $22.00 per meter up the street.  I've saved myself from having to buy any fabric and I have meters and meters of it now.

• did laundry with my home made laundry detergent.
• read a book I bought at the thrift store.
• worked on impulse control. It seems this week I've really had a lot of temptations for sweets and drinks.  Every time I went out to buy food and necessities, I had an urge to stop at Starbucks and get a coffee and usually that means a treat also (approximate cost $5.50), stop at a local diner for dinner ($10.00 for a cheap dinner) or stop somewhere for  a coke ($2.00) or a tea (anywhere from $2.50 -$5.00 depending on whether it was a regular tea or a fancy specialty tea).  I resisted each and every time. This is great progress for me and I figure I saved myself from spending about $25.00

I'm not sure what my total savings are for the week. However, I can see that the new habits I started trying to form some time back, are now becoming second nature to me. I'm learning new habits and it feels good. I think these habits will stand me in good stead because food and other costs are only expected to go higher.

Wishful thinking about spring flowers.

I wanted to make a mention of the late night news Thursday about the devastation in Japan as a result of a powerful Sendai earthquake  (and now today there is breaking news that a quake 6.6 hit Nagano, Japan). Many other countries along the Pacific Rim were on high tsunami alert and even the coastal regions where I live were on tsunami advisory. I've heard from one blogger friend in Japan (see comment section) and thank God she is fine. I've also just read on the internet that the tsunami once it reached Hawaii was small.  Thank you God!! Prayers and thoughts continue to be with all those affected.  Love and hugs. xx

Foot Loose and Flying

Click on the badge for more wonderful Sky Watch photos.

Added: Though my post is meant in fun, I am struck by the sadness in other places. As I watch the late news I see the devastation in Japan as a result of a powerful Sendai earthquake. I also understand that others countries along the Pacific Rim are on high tsunami alert. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in all these countries and especially to my blogging pals in Japan and on the Hawaiian Islands. God be with you all. Love and hugs.

First Signs of Spring

While we await news of little Kigen and how he is doing at the hospital, I thought I would tell you about my little outing on Sunday.  I end this post with a short blurb on how to donate to Kigen's medical care.

I went out on the spur of the moment on Sunday past to enjoy a walk and take in a movie. The weather here has been alternately cold, windy or rainy and we've had very few sunny days. Sunday was an exception so I took advantage of the break in the weather.

As I went about I snapped a few photos of some of the early blossoms I passed.

I thought this wall of bamboo looked lovely.

Having experienced bamboo plants in my own garden I think it is better to plant bamboo in containers or they'll overtake the surroundings spaces.  I feel sorry for the neighbours.

This evergreen tree has obviously been here a long while too but I thought it looked so majestic.

I took several shots of this tree so you could see just how large it is...

... It positively dwarfs the vehicles.

This was the movie I went to see.  I know I left it a  little late to go and see it. It is probably out on DVD shortly!  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and it was very touching when the King made his speech.

This was the weather on the walk home. It had turned chilly. I had a brisk walk.

I thoroughly enjoyed my little outing.

If you are wondering whether you can still donate to assist in little Kigen's medical mission, the answer is "yes". We not know yet how long the hospital stay will be and the medications that will be needed.  All of which in turn affects the food and lodgings required for everyone on the mission.

Whatever donation you can make will surely help.

You can donate to assist in little Kigen's medical mission. 

Donations can be made via Pay Pal here. 
Just click the donate button.
Blessings.