Fitted Sheet Folding

I have to admit, I am one that is fitted sheet impaired. Dang it Martha....this makes it look so simple. Now to put it into practice!
 

Are You On "The Path To Freedom"

"Preserving the Harvest" photo by the Dervaes Family

I happened upon a wonderful site this afternoon that is chocked full of great information. This site is like a little piece of wonderful tucked inside the cyber-world. "The Path To Freedom: The Original Modern Urban Homestead" is pioneering a journey towards self sufficiency, one step at a time.

A journal of modern day pioneers forging a new frontier in the city through intensive agriculture and extreme sustainability in urban homesteading.

Reviving the old-fashioned "can-do" spirit of self-reliance and resourcefulness, they have faced many challenges. With faith and determination, these once-ordinary city dwellers are boldly reclaiming their lives and land...

In addition to the great things this site has to offer, they are hosting a give-a-way featuring the Homestead Blessings DVD series. There are a myriad of ways to enter. Thanks to Franklin Springs Media & Homestead Blessings, five lucky readers will receive a DVD of their choice! I have had my eyes and my desire on these videos for quite some time now as they are full of good information and learning skills that can benefit us all.

If you have never checked out their site, I strongly urge you to spend a few minutes with them. You will come away with more than you know. I sure did.

The Power Of Ten ... Part 2

1. Made from Scratch -- if you normally buy prepared foods or mixes, why not make it yourself instead. this way you control what goes into the dish, meal or snack and it can cost you less in the long run.

2. Reduce your Disposables -- instead of buying paper towels or napkins, pull out your old cloth napkins. in addition to dressing up your table, cloth napkins will keep you from throwing your hard earned cash in the trash bin.

3. Subscriptions and Printed Material -- today's day and age gives us the ability to search the internet for anything we might need, so is it really necessary to spend money on magazine subscriptions. if you don't have access to the internet at home, there are many places and cities that offer free wi-fi connections for public use. don't forget about that hidden treasure that most people never step foot in ~ your local library. instead of buying your next book, check one out fro free at the library. many items can also be reserved through inter-library loan, so just because it's not on the shelf doesn't mean you can't get something you might be looking for. your library will have magazines for you to browse through and best yet it's air conditioned and free! or surf the web while while your there and there is no extra bill for you to have to pay.

4. Holidays -- do you really need to spend that extra money on a birthday, anniversary, wedding or Christmas gift? if you're honest with yourself, you'll be able to say no. while there is nothing wrong with gift giving, it seems that many times the amount of the gift supersedes the event itself. don't go overboard when gift giving ~ make a budget and stick to it. remember, it's the thought that counts not the price.

5. Gardening -- for those of us who love to garden, why not think about a seed exchange? talk to your gardening friends & family to see what they plan to plant. if they have seeds that you might want and you have seeds they might want...why should each of you go out and spend the extra money when you can just as easily trade your seeds for free. best yet, save your seeds from your harvest for the next years planting and this makes your seed swap even cheaper.

6. Credit -- don't use credit cards. this is an easy on that I think could use repeating....if you don't have the cash on hand then you probably can do with out buying it. I understand there are emergency situations that may arise that would warrant the need to use your credit card if cash was not on hand (i.e. car repair, medical/dental emergency, etc.) but really think about what you are fixing to put on your credit card...will the cost of the interest each month be worth the purchase itself or would the gratification of saving to buy with cash make that purchase all the more special?

7. Stay-cations -- we all need time off from work and the daily grind, so vacations are definitely important, but unless the money has been set aside in advance to afford an out of town vacation, consider a stay-cation. people are so busy working and earning the money to pay things they want that most don't get to enjoy their own home. think about staying home for your vacation and enjoying the treasures in your own town or nearby towns that you wouldn't normally have the chance to enjoy. take a bike ride with your family and then have a picnic in the park. enjoy an outdoor concert your city might be hosting. there is a myriad of things you can do to relax but still save on the pocket book.

8. Beverages -- instead of buying sodas try drinking water or make a pitcher or iced tea instead. for the price you would have spent (and even cheaper most times) on a case of soda you could buy a box of tea bags and brew a gallon at a time. this could easily add up to big savings over the course of a month. it would be even cheaper and healthier if you drink more water.

9. Cable/Satellite -- instead of paying $60 or more a month on cable or satellite t.v. service, consider getting a converter box if needed and go bare basic. there was a time when t.v. didn't offer over 300+ channels and you know what...people managed to survive. if you get bored with t.v. then pull out a board game and have family fun night. saving money, binding with your family and creating memories is worth way more than what you pay each month for cable service.

10. Do it Yourself -- although its nice to have someone else wash and wax your car or mow your lawn, it's easier on the budget if you do it yourself. save your money and earn the satisfaction of a job well done by the work of your own two hands.

To read part 1 of "The Power of Ten"...go here

The Power Of Ten

How can "Ten" be powerful? When it's in your pocketbook instead of someone else!!! There are many ways to save a penny, a dollar and even more. All it takes is a little change in your normal routine to start adding cash back into your pocket. Here's ten things that you can do right off the bat...

1. Eat at home -- take your lunch to work instead of eating out. Meal plan ahead of time to have dinner plans made in advance (this helps to stop those last minute meal crunches that end up in ordering take out food).

2. Thrift Stores -- check these first when looking for a new outfit or what have you. You never know what treasure you can find and at a rock bottom price.

3. Washing your Laundry -- wash in cold water instead of hot. This helps reduce the gas or electric consumption to heat your water.

4. Drying -- most of us are facing those warmer temperatures outside, so why not make use of it and hang your clothes out to dry.

5. Washing Dishes -- do you really have to run your dishwasher or could you just as easily fill a plastic basin or tub with wash water and clean?

6. Watering the Plants -- you just finished washing the dishes for the night so use that dishwater to water the plants. It may not be enough to water everything you have, but it will certainly help out.

7. Gas -- combine your errands and shopping trips to the market to help reduce the amount of fuel your vehicle will use. Carpool if you can to help even further. If your close enough to where you are going, why not ride your bike to the library or to the market (this is if you know you aren't going to be buying more than you can safely handle on the bike ride back home).

8. Shop at Home First -- do you really have to go to the market or are there hidden gems in the pantry that you haven't used yet? Start moving things around on the shelf or in the freezer...you might just find that your cupboards aren't as bare as you thought they were.

9. A/C -- while I agree that there are some areas of the country that the temperatures are so unbearable in the summer that this may not be conducive, but if you can....turn the A/C off and open the windows. Not only will you save money on the electric bill, but it will give the house a chance to air out.

10. Coupons & Savings -- don't go shopping without them. For every penny or dollar saved on your total grocery order, transfer that amount to your savings account. You'll be surprised how much that will add up over time.

Now it's your turn...what are ten ways that you have to help save money?

Frugal Ways To Decorate Your Home

Have you ever been on the search for window curtains but just couldn't find anything you liked? Well, next time think outside the box and look in the bathroom decor section. Some of the prettiest prints I have found were on shower curtains. So think about re-purposing a shower curtain to decorate your windows.

Do you have any mismatched teacups hiding in your cupboard? Well, pull them off the shelf and enjoy them year round by turning them into votive candle holders. This is a beautiful way to show the teacups off as well as dress up your home for the low cost of the candle.

Why On Earth Am I Doing It While It Is 90+ Degrees Out?

I asked myself that while I dripped with perspiration at 10 o'clock in the morning. But it's something that I have put off and needs to be done...so heat or no heat, I'm going to tackle it. Yes, today I am going to start tearing apart each room (as energy levels permit) and deep clean the house. I normally try to do this in the Fall as it is much cooler than the Spring to do it, but I am either way behind on Spring or way early on Fall. I am leaning toward it being a mixture of both.

(Phase 1 -- The Living Room)

We recently had to let one of our Rat Terriers in the house as she was not faring well outside with the big dogs. They get along great but one is such a glutton that he eats everyone's food and the Rat Terrier was starving because of him. So now with 2 small-ish dogs in the house along with the 3 cats...you can safely bet that I am not enjoying this at all!!! love my animals but I will say, I enjoy clean more, so it has been an everyday battle with pet hair, cat litter and to my nose...pet odors. Hubby says he can't smell anything but to my nose....GROSS!!! So it's time to take the rugs out and give them a good wash as best I can, wipe down walls and baseboards and just make it as fresh as I can. I doubt I'll get the entire house done this week in between life and other things I need to take care of, but I am going to give it my best to get as much as possible accomplished. So if my postings are a bit scarce this week, you will know why.

**Note to self....hang the rug out on the line before you get it wet....it makes things lighter and much easier to maneuver.

Never Take Anything For Granted

Some days you can get so lost in the everyday things that you just don't appreciate them. Today though was not one of those days for me. As I hung the laundry out to dry, I thought about how blessed I am to have the opportunity to do it. Some do it because they have no other choice, but I do it because I want to enjoy the outdoors and save on our utilities. Although it is not a "pretty" home keeping task, I have come to value the fact that I am blessed to have clothes to get dirty and to have the means of multiple ways to take care of this task...all in the comfort of our home.

Of course I did have a little help...well, watchful help that is. Ginger was more than happy to rest upon the patio love seat and "supervise" my work.

Before bringing the laundry basket back in and tending to the vacuuming, I took a few moments to take in the beauty of our container garden. The tomatoes are beginning to ripen and the bell peppers are growing mightily. Our herbs are just crazy with fresh goodness. I can't wait to start using them in the kitchen.

There is so much we all have to be thankful for if we only take the time to appreciate it. Don't let the small stuff go by without it's proper appreciation. What you have today and don't appreciate just may not be there later. The LORD gives us plenty of opportunities to be grateful for what HE has blessed us with. Nothing in life is certain and what we have today can be gone in an instant, so be thankful and content with what you do have and appreciate all that you have been blessed with.

Frugal Household Cleaning

Do you find that your tub has mineral deposits from your water, soap scum or those nasty bath rings that you find after everyone has finished bathing? Instead of getting out the harsh chemicals to clean with, here is an easy way to tackle it. Start by filling the tub with hot water, then add in 4 cups of regular white vinegar. Allow mixture to sit for several hours or overnight. Drain water and rinse. Your tub should now be clean and dirt free. 

 

The town we used to live in would "treat" the water lines quite often. In turn, our water would be rusty colored or even brown at times for days after they treated it. Yes, it was nasty!! You learned real quick not to do your laundry until at least a week later once the water has had time to run clear again or else your whites would be brownish orange. Then of course there was the issue of the toilet. How embarrassing it would be to know that after being used, the commode had in fact been flushed but because of the water it looked as if it had remnants of the last use in it. If you didn't warn your company first, it would be an awkward situation until they themselves flushed and saw that it was in fact the water. This nasty water would discolor the porcelain in the toilet, so you had to get the Clorox out or other chemicals to try and bleach the basin back to it's original state. It was so frustrating!!!! So trying an old method that my Grandmother had told me about years and years ago, I poured a can of Coca-Cola in the toilet. After it sat for several hours and then flushed it to rinse, I was surprised at how clean the basin was. Of course I didn't try this until after the water was already running clear, otherwise I was defeating the purpose. For any stains that remained, I only had to take my toilet brush and brush over the area and flush once more. Voila! Clean and stain free until the next city water treatment occurred.

This is one that I have mentioned before, but for those burnt on casserole dishes or pans, instead of working your elbow grease on cleaning it, spray it with oven cleaner. Allow the cleaner to sit and within 30 minutes to an hour (depending on the burnt on food) simply take your dish sponge and wipe the mess away; then wash as usual. It's so easy and it really works. Another method you can try is using a fabric softener sheet. Fill your pot or casserole with hot water and lay your drier sheet in the water. Let it sit for several hours, then wash as normal. The burnt/stuck on food will wipe away with ease. 

We have a set of crystal drinking glasses that unfortunately made their way into the dishwasher. The result was an etched cloudy look on the glass. I saw a tip and wanted to see if it really worked , so I tried it. I filled my sink with warm water and placed my glassware in the water. Then I tossed in a copper penny and swished it around a bit. Within 5-10 minutes, I pulled the glasses out of the water and rinsed. After drying them, I could notice that they were much shinier than they had been. It did help with the cloudy film that the dishwasher detergent had marred them with, but some had been etched by the detergent so they still had somewhat of a mar but they were much shiner. So if you have crystal that just needs a touch up clean, try pulling out your pennies and giving it a try. 

Who needs Draino when you have a clogged drain? All you need is jello. Mix one packet of jello with 1 c. of boiling water. Allow it to cool and then stir in 2 oz. of regular white vinegar and 1 c. of room temperature water. Place mixture in the icebox to cool but not fully set up. You are only looking for a gel like consistency. Pour jello down the clogged drain and allow it to sit overnight. Come morning, run hot water down the drain while the disposal is running. The clog should be cleared. Depending upon the nature of the clog you may need to repeat the process once more to fully clear it, but one application is usually enough for those everyday clogs.  (Source: Joey Green, author of Fix-It Magic)

Spring Cleaning

(Click image for source)

Although some areas are still feeling the cold winter temps and others are over flowing from all the rain...one thing remains a constant....SPRING IS ON THE WAY! So with that in mind, it's time to start thinking about Spring Cleaning. Yes, it's not the most favorite task, but it is one that needs it's fair attention. I will admit though, that I don't always do a big spring clean...I do mine in the Fall when the temperatures are usually cooler. But this year I am gearing towards a spring fling of clean.

Here's a few things you can do to get yourself ready for cleaning time.

1. Make a list of things you want to accomplish in each room.

2. Decide how much time you want to devote to each room (i.e a few hours or a day or two)

3. Go through your cleaning supply inventory and write down what you have and what you need to get. It's never fun to start a project only to find out midstream that you don't have your supplies like you thought you did. (trust me...been there, done that!)

4. Make a plan for what you are going to do with the "extra" stuff you find around the house that you can live without. Will you donate them to charity, take them to a resell shop or have a yard sale. Don't forget...if you choose to donate your items, depending on what it is, see if you can get a tax deductible receipt for your donation. Any little bit helps when it comes to your taxes.

5. While you at it, why not spring clean your vehicle!?! When was the last time you gave your car/truck a good once over? Unless you absolutely want to and can afford it, don't take your vehicle to a detail shop, wash, wax and vacuum it yourself. The money you save by doing it yourself is just as rewarding as the sight of your clean vehicle each time you take it for a ride.

6. One place that we don't think about spring cleaning is our spiritual life. While we are focusing on getting rid of the dirt and dust that have laid claim in our home, we need to take a good look and clean out the dirt and dust in our spiritual walk. Have you been stumbling over that matted cobweb of a bad temper, or the dust bunnies of pride? Isn't it time to make a fresh start and clean off the cupboards of our heart, mind and soul?

Like I said, this is just a small snippet of the many things we can do to get ready ready for spring cleaning in our homes and in our lives. There are lots of other tips and tricks one can do, so if you have any spring cleaning hints you'd like to share, please feel free to do so.

Oh My, You're Such An Animal

After y-e-a-r-s of wanting a Dyson vacuum cleaner, I saw in the Target paper that they had them on sale for 20% off. I still didn't want to spend that much money on a vacuum but after buying lesser expensive ones over the years and having loss of suction and smashed down carpet fibers with bare minimum cleaning, I said to myself "enough is enough!" So after discussing it with Mr. M, I bought a new Dyson DC 25 Animal Roller Ball.

Unlike other vacuums, it was a cinch to put together. There were no special tools needed to screw it together. It was literally 3 clicks of sliding it together and presto! It was completely together.

So the real test was using it. I started by vacuuming an area rug first with my old vacuum. Then I went over it with the Dyson. I cleaned the old vacuum receptacle and there was debris in it, but the Dyson....well...look for yourself...

This was just from one rug!!! Can we say GROSS!!!! With 3 cats and 1 small dog in the house, not to mention we humans...our floors can get dirty...that's a given. But to see it trapped like this in the vacuum receptacle...that's just nasty! Mr. M came in and tried it out on the dining room rug and then on the living room ceiling fan blades.

First, let me tell you...our ceilings are really high. I couldn't reach anywhere close to the fan with our old vacuum, not unless I was standing on a ladder and holding the vacuum with one hand while the other hand tried to vacuum. Not the safest or easiest way to clean by far. Hubby stood flat on the ground and used the telescopic wand to easily clean the blades. No problem at all. So I tried it in the bedroom. The ceilings are just as tall in there as well. I didn't need a chair or ladder to climb nor did I have to hold the vacuum up with one hand and awkwardly try to clean with the other hand. Nope! Not at all. I simply used the wand to reach up and suck off the dust. Voila! Clean air again. It also has a button right on top, next to the power button, that allows you to instantly turn the brush on or off. This was great when switching from carpet to tile. How did it do on the tile? Fantastically!

With results like this...I am definitely a Dyson fan. I can safely say..."this vacuum really sucks!" So for the price, yes, it is was still higher than I cared to pay, but it was $110 off the regular amount. So all in all...I think we're going to get our money's worth out of it.

Steam -vs- Wring

I was asked the other day about floor care. More specific, about steaming the floors & what my thoughts were on this versus the old standard mop and bucket route. So here is my personal review...

We bought the Shark steam mop from Lowe's last year and just love it. It's not the stick model that is pictured above but instead is a canister style model. It has several attachments that really help in cleaning and make it very versatile. We have used it to not only steam our tile floors, but also using one of the attachment pieces steam the inside of our toilets, steam and squeegeed our mirrors, steam the patio furniture, steam our grout, sanitize our mattresses & rugs and more.

I love the fact that it does not use chemicals but simply water. We do add in vinegar to the canister at least once a month to help reduce mineral buildup from the water, but other than that...it's a great machine that cleans, sterilizes and dries better than the old mop and bucket routine we grew up on. in comparison to the Swiffer gadget...well, there is no comparison at all.

In my opinion, the steamer really gets your floors clean; much cleaner than mopping. Instead of waiting lengthy periods the floors to dry after swishing that mop over the floor, our floor is dry within just a minute or two. My hands always stay dry and clean as I don't have to wring anything out or put my hands in dirty mop water. That in itself is worth it to me. I could go on and on but to sum it up....I love this machine and highly recommend it to anyone.

Is The Reflection That Of A House Or A Home?

Titus 2:3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

Scripture tells us that we are to be "keepers at home." I'm sure this means different things to each person, but I wondered something. Just by doing laundry, cleaning house, cooking meals, tending to chores, etc. Does this define a Keeper of the Home? I don't really think so. I think it is a heart issue first over an outward expression.

The definition of a "house" is a structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons.

A "home" is defined as an environment offering security and happiness, a valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin. The place where something is discovered, founded, developed, or promoted.

So when we look at Scripture "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home..." it clearly tells us to be keepers at home (not house.) My interpretation of home from the above definitions, means not a building or structure...but instead an environment of discovery, origin. What environment are we to keep & discover? Our family! Who's family? Someone else's? NO! Our own family/home. But how can one do this when one is first of all...not at home themselves. The Bible tells us we need to be discreet (marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint.) We can't do this when we are trying to get into other people's business -- thus we are not at home. We are also told to be chaste ((of conduct, speech, etc.) pure; decent; modest; free from embellishment; simple; restrained.) There again, it seems a hard task to be chaste if we are not home.

Every choice we make, makes it either easier or harder for us to keep our homes. We need to evaluate our hearts and find out where our home and hearts are. Luke 12:24 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Whether we are sweeping the living room floor, folding laundry, watching your child's football game or having a picnic lunch with our spouse...we are ultimately keeping our home. It's not bricks and mortar that make a home, it's family. When another person looks at our "home" what do they see? Is it merely an architect and construction company's finished product or is something much deeper within? Something that is of far more value than building supplies that can be replaced? Does our family reflect a home of safe refuge, a place or origin and discovery? Or it something that needs a good cleaning? Do the cobwebs of discord and dust of neglect reveal to others that you have not been keeping your home, let alone keeping it in a manner that glorifies GOD? The little things we do in and of our home/family are oft times the unspoken yet visual testimony of JESUS in our lives. This visual testimony may very well be a seed or harvest to a lost soul that needs the LORD.

The same can be related to the Church itself. When visitors come in the doors ~ are they too finding only a 'house,' or it is a true Christian home?

Burnt On Food Is No Problem

Have you ever accidentally burnt something in the bottom of your pan? I have and tonight was one of those nights that this very thing occurred. Well, have no fear when you encounter this. I have a super easy solution that is almost effortless.

Spray your burnt on pan or pot with oven cleaner. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so then wipe burnt on food debris away and wash as usual. Viola! Your pan is spic and span and there's no elbow grease needed.

Market Shopping Round Up

So today was my day to go to the market. I hadn't been since last month, so we were definitely in need of a few things...namely cat litter! *ick!* And of course the dogs were needing a refill, so a stop at the feed store on the way home was in order as well. I had gone with the intent of spending no more than $100.00 total between both places. So how did I do? Not too shabby I will admit. I had a ton of coupons that I was able to use on things we needed, and I admit on a few things we just wanted. So that made the "extra" goodies not so bad.

My total bill at the market came to $124.41
Less my coupons (at face value) $30.37
Next the addition of the double and triple coupon values $4.55
My Kroger plus savings $9.71
Total out of pocket.....$79.78
Just in coupons alone I saved $34.92. I was thrilled at that. Of course the person behind me in line was not happy to have to wait for all my coupons to be scanned but hey, it's my money not theirs so deal with it buddy! *grin*

Then I stopped at the feed store and bought my dog food. With tax I paid $18.39 for a H-U-G-E bag that the dogs just love. It's actually a better food too so they don't eat as much of it nor do they have that much waste from it. So this is a great deal.

My total out of pocket cost for the day.....$98.17 What do you know, I still have $1.83 left over to put towards next months grocery budget or a route 44 Vanilla Dr. Pepper during Sonic's happy hour. Hmmm....that sounds mighty tasty.

Piggy Banking

(Click image for source)

It doesn't matter where you turn or look, everyone to some degree has been affected by the economy. Many have lost their jobs, some have been forced to go back into the workplace to help make ends meet, budget belts have been cinched up tighter than before. Thankfully we have been blessed in our finances, however there is always room for improvement when it comes to being better stewards of what the LORD has blessed us with. So I thought it would be a good idea to gather each others money management strategies in order to help us all with the task of money saving.

Here's just a few of the things that we have done, which I'm sure some of you have done as well are...

Using coupons at the grocery store ~ I always try to get the best deal on things we need and use most often and look for coupons to match it. Shopping where coupons are doubled and tripled help out tremendously.

Line drying our wash ~ instead of using the drier I hang our clothes to dry outside. This cuts down on the electric bill.

Making my own laundry & cleaning products ~ the cost is so much cheaper. Since most of my homemade cleaners use some of the same ingredients, it's more cost effective to make them because I usually have the items on hand.

Cooking from scratch ~ I did this all along but it really does cut the grocery expense when you are not buying so many prepackaged food items.

Eat at home ~ While making our meals from scratch, we have healthier meals that cost less and reduces the expense of going out to eat.

Combine driving trips ~ if I know I have to go to the market a particular day, I try to combine that trip with running any other errands that may need to be taken care of. This saves not only gas, but wear and tear on your vehicle.

Drink water ~ ok I am not a fan of water but instead of buying sodas at the market, we have been drinking more water & tea. Ok, I can give up sodas with no problem but I still like my tea. Water is healthier for you and cost less. We have a filter on our water pitcher so we drink tap water. This reduces the expense of buying bottled water.

Entertaining ~ When guests come over, let them know in advance if you are not planning to serve a meal, that way they would know to eat before they came. Or if you do cook, ask that each guest bring something with them to help contribute. Try to let them know what to bring so you don't end up with them bringing napkins or drinks and then the meal or snack lands back in your pocketbook. This can really help cut down your entertaining budget.

If you aren't using it, turn it off ~ One of my pet peeves is someone turning on the lights in a room only to be in there for a moment and then walk out...leaving the light on. They don't return to the room until way later if at all. Instead of flipping the switch, during the daytime hours open the shades. Natural light cost much less than that light bulb.

Air Conditioning ~ our temperatures have been so nice the past few days, so instead of having the a/c running, we turned it off completely and opened the windows. The breeze blowing through the house not only saves money on cooling, it helps to air the house out as well.

Buying clothes ~ there are times that we all need to buy new clothing items, but instead of running to the mall or even Target for that matter, look at your local thrift shops. Many times you can find something there that won't cost you an arm and a leg, but is still in great condition and will serve it's purpose. In fact, my Mother & I went thrift store shopping yesterday and I picked up two more skirts. Both were name brand without the name brand price. One such was a linen skirt from Talbots. Now looking it up online the price for this particular skirt would have been anywhere from $129 to $159...but I only paid $3.00! It looks brand new too. So at $6.48 for these two skirts, I saved big time!!

Reduce your meats ~ instead of having meat at every meal, which can be costly...add more veggies instead. This past summer we were able to do this easily with the fresh produce from our garden.

Internet ~ have you been with your provider for so long now that you can't remember the last time you looked at other companies to see what they have to offer and the fees? Now might be a good time to check things out. You never know how much you might be able to save. We we're able to go from almost $768 a year to around $300 just by taking time to search for a better deal.

Newspaper/Magazine Subscriptions ~ do you really read all those periodicals that you subscribe to? Did you know that not all, but most of the artcles in the magazine can found online on their website? Take for instance the Taste of Home magazine, I can go online and find most of the current issue right there on the website. What about the newspaper that you have delivered...do you really read through it page by page or do you scan and toss it? Do you only need it for the Sunday coupon section? Again, go online to the website of the paper and read the news there. If all you need are the coupons then consider canceling your subscription and buying the Sunday edition only at the store. Ok, yes you will have to go out and get one instead of having it delivered but that's an easy and quick stop on the way to Church in the morning.

I'm sure many of you have more ideas to help reduce your expenses while increasing your piggy bank. If you have any tips that you would like to share, please feel free to do so.