Need vs. Want: A Lesson in Frugality

I'm struggling with a want lately. A want for something that's really not necessary. It's not really critical to my physical or mental well-being. I suppose that I could rationalize that it is, but it's not. Truthfully. Really. Elizabeth. It's. Not. Necessary.

But, I want it. I want it so bad, I can reach out and almost touch it. I can taste it, visualize it, almost feel it in my hands.

It's a hard lesson learned, but sometimes the needs have to win out over the wants. I strive to teach this to my son on almost a daily basis. And he reacts to it as I'd like to. Sometimes with stony silence. Sometimes with tears. Eventually, though, there is acquiescence.

I'm waiting for that big word to dawn upon me. I want acceptance to draw over me like a warm blanket. You don't need it. You want it. You have other needs that must go before it. There are others without anything that you should help first. You. Have. So. Much.

When I get this way, wanting, wanting, wanting, something, anything that I just don't require, I try to remind myself of how much I really have. Of how lucky I truly am. I try to throw myself into volunteer work, charity. I read about injustices and the lack of very basic things in other countries or right in my own backyard.

I remind myself and try to quiet my desperation with reflection on what is really important.

It's not easy. We're blasted with consumerism everywhere we turn. I think that's why I've unplugged so much. I don't watch much TV anymore. I'm not really interested. And if I do, I TiVo it so I can zoom through the commercials. Recently, I was instructed on the presence of the Snuggie in our world by my son. Who knew one needed a blanket with sleeves and yet there it is. A completely unnecessary item that will soon clutter the shelves of thrift stores every where. Look for them near the S'more Makers and the Billy Bass Singing Fish.

The Internet is a great thing, but shopping on it is like having a Mall in your home 24/7. I've watched people I know consumed by this Mall's proximity. The cardboard boxes piled up like dirty little secrets are a sure giveaway.

I have taken a thankful approach to our struggling economy. I'm seeing more families make wiser decisions with their money and how much they consume. I've watched our neighborhood library and park usage soar. I've taken great pleasure in listening to others talking about breaking out the board games instead of heading to the movies. Connecting instead of passively consuming.

In these "struggling economic times" I still have so much. I still want, but the reminders that need vs want are very different things are all around me. I just have to look for them and keep looking. And when the feeling still doesn't go away, I look again, closer, until it all becomes crystal clear.

Ministering via Garage Sale

I spent the last couple of weeks getting ready for a garage sale, setting up for a garage sale, and selling the stuff.

I did it for a number of reasons.

• We hadn't had one in ten years and we had a lot of stuff.



• I didn't want to have to haul said stuff to a charity drop off.



• I had too much stuff for charity pick up service.



• I wanted to teach Young One about marketing, the reward for hard work, and the value of a clean closet.

You can positively affect people's lives at a garage sale. And the one most affected? Me.

What?

My philosophy is that you're not going to make a ton of money at a garage sale and if you ever figured out just how much you made per hour you would never ever do it in the first place. Money can't be the motivator.

The motivator has to be that you're willing to put your stuff out for all your neighbors to gawk at and judge (and the brave ones will sort through it and purchase). The motivator has to be that you're willing to put out your collection of 1970s Tupperware and hold your head high knowing that someone just might need it, crave it, want it.

The motivator has to be that you're willing to part with your stuff, for very very little cash, so that people who really need it can benefit.

Many people stock their homes, clothe their families, find their tools, gadgets, and entertainment through garage sales. They have to.

I'm lucky in that I don't have to be a thrift store or garage sale shopper (even though I love to be). I could pay, gasp, full retail, if I wanted to.

But, I'm wandering.

What I'm getting at is that there is a certain amount of pride in purchasing something for your family, however little you pay for it. I've always felt the welfare system doesn't work because there is no requirement of expenditure on your part. Oh yes, you pay with your pride, but after a few generations, that goes out the window.

A hand up instead of a hand out has always been my motto.

Anyway, I could go on and on about my thoughts on welfare, but this isn't the time and the place.

I always price things extremely low at garage sales. Everything was priced a quarter at my sale, unless it was marked otherwise. And people went nuts. I even had a couple of people buy my garbage. Well, they bought what I thought was garbage.

I'm a pretty good reader of people. I had many people attend the sale, the first morning, they were lined up and down both sides of my street. I had the obligatory antique dealer, looking for a steal. I had Lookie Loos and hoarder wannabes. I had a few weirdos, including a dude with his wig sewn to his baseball cap (he liked to "doff" his hat at the ladies, revealing his shiny bald head). And then I had those that really needed and appreciated my cast offs.

When someone who seemed to really need what I had to sell, I always threw in a few freebies. I'm particularly partial to little kids. I watched several eyeing toys they seemed to know better than to ask for. I watched parents scrounging together for the few quarters from their pockets to pay for their treasures. And then I'd throw in a free toy, a snowsuit, a warm blanket for the one month old.

The smiles, the joy, and the appreciation. Well, that's what it's all about, isn't it?

I made quite a bit of money off the sale, but I made much more than that. I got a chance to minister to a lot of strangers. As D said, I made a lot of people happy. The junk hoarders, the antique dealers, and the needy. They all left with smiles. And I'm still here, holding them close to my heart.

I'm Leaving You for Another Man, Sorta

Just drop me off at the door. I'll be just fine. Go do your man stuff. I'm happy to wander his aisles in your absence.

I'm having an affair with Williams Sonoma.

My Dear Williams Sonoma,

My Darling. My Pet. I would be with you always, if only I weren't married.

Your kitchen gadgets, they tempt me. Your linens, they call to me. Your sauces, seasonings, and recipe collections make my mouth water. Would I like a sample? Of course. Would I like to watch a demonstration? Get to it. Would I like a cup of Fair Trade French Roast Espresso. Um, yes, please.

Copper pots and espresso machines that resemble little modern sculptures. I want them all. I wander your aisles and I'm instantly a capable chef.

I'm the Barefoot Contessa. I'm Bobby Flay. I'm not quite as annoying as Rachel Ray, but make food really simple and delicious just like her. I use a mandolin. I slice and dice with perfectly balanced chef knives. I can flip crepes in the air and flame my sautes.

You make me want a tureen. Your Italian tomato press tempts me. Yes, please I will take a Molcajete, cause I need to molca my jete.

Damn you for being so out of my reach. So distant. Your prices, they mock me. The cheapskate in me just can't do it.

And yet, I return, again, and again.

With much love,

Bet

The table runner pictured above is one of my love's linens. Of course I didn't pay full price. In fact I didn't pay 90% off. I got it for $1.40 at a thrift store. Score! They don't make it anymore, so I guess I can claim it's vintage.

My entire house has a little red in every room. It's my favorite color. This fits right in.

If you love thrifting or if you're very new to this full contact sport of shopping, then you must skitter on over to the Thrifty Chicks. They're trying to rouse the crowds and get a National Thrifting Month started. I think they're right, if we can have a National Noodle Month then we can certainly get this going. Be thrifty and nifty and wise, sign the petition. They explain it much better than I do and they're giving away some great stuff. What are you waiting for? Skeedaddle!

Green Dreams

The seed catalogs are arriving in stacks. I've got the planning bug that comes every year at this time. I know that God intended this season of planning as a last ditch effort to get cabin fevered gardeners like me through the last weeks of winter.

Planning a garden is like planning a trip; it's half the fun. Every year, I pour over seed catalogs, draw my garden plan. Re-draw and re-plan and re-read and re-justabouteverything. At this time of year, one doesn't think of weeds or that aching back that comes only from the destruction of said weeds. One thinks of the abundant harvest that the pictures in the catalog promises. (And we all know that those pictures are a lie, especially the world's biggest pumpkin seeds that I ordered with my meager allowance when I was nine and which resulted in one tiny green pumpkin that never grew past the softball size stage.)

I dream of heirloom tomatoes, fresh from the vine, this time of year. Their ridged, imperfect, ugliness is a thing of beauty to me. Marbled tones of green and red promise a unique flavor that only a rescued seed can fruit. It tastes of sunshine and bears the history of all the gardeners who worked so hard to save these precious plants.

In the last couple of years, I've tried a few things with my garden. Last year, I tried to plant the cheapest garden possible. I bought seeds at ten for a buck. I got seedlings at garage sales and at the close out sales at the garden centers. I wasn't fussy and I had great yields. Several years back, I started ordering from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I heard about them from Farmgirl (a fantastic blog about life on the farm in Missouri written by a foodie and photographic genius). My garden two years ago was entirely from Baker Creek. Sadly, I was in a kind of dark place in my life then. Having just sold my business, I was exhausted and a bit heartbroken, so I didn't put my all into the garden. My zucchini wouldn't even produce, which is a sure sign of sadness, cause who the heck can't grow zucchini? Warning, the following statement is rated R: My zucchini weren't getting pollinated, so I determinedly "molested" them with a Q-tip and even THAT didn't produce little zucchini babies. My garden guru up the street informed me that I probably had plants of the same sex. Um, great. My poor gay plants, like their human counterparts, couldn't reproduce. Fortunately, like their human counterparts, my gay zucchini plants were able to foster and eventually adopt offspring, so I still enjoyed an abundant harvest. (Moral of this story, never tell anyone you want zucchini. They will show up by the bushel on your front porch, dropped off in the cover of night by masked gardeners.)

Anyway, long story short, in the nine years that I've planted my little 10x20 foot urban vegetable garden, I've always experimented a little. This year, I'm planning to join a CSA (community supported agriculture) again. I was introduced to CSAs by a friend and I enjoyed a summer of beautiful produce of which I had no part of except to write the check that helped purchase the seeds. If you're not familiar with CSAs, this is the time of year to hurry and get your name on a list!

Let me tell you a little bit about them. Community Supported Agriculture is a relationship between grower and consumer. You, as the consumer, provide, pun intended, seed money. You gamble, with the grower, that you're investment is going to turn into a bountiful harvest. Each week, you'll receive a goodie box of fresh produce that's in season. Most CSAs are organic. Many offer organic meats, flowers, eggs, and bakery items. Now, remember, you're gambling against Mother Nature, and more times than not, you will have made a great investment. We all know, though, that Mother can be unpredictable, so if she sends hail, late frosts, tornadoes, drought or flood, you may not get as much for your money.

I had a wonderful experience with Community Homestead, which was the first CSA that I had experience with, so I'm signing up with them again. Please take a moment to read about their work. Community Homestead provides a wonderful life and rewarding vocation for adults with mental disabilities, so I feel like this is a good place for my money to go. I researched several other CSAs and this one was also the cheapest, which, for this cheapskate, is a good fit. They also deliver directly to my neighborhood, which is another great fit for me. As well, they offer meats, eggs, bakery items, flowers, and crafts that can be added to my delivery box, if I wish.

One CSA that I wanted to plug is owned by one of my dad's former clients. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm. Not only do I think their farm name is absolutely brilliant, but they offer lamb for sale and I know I've just got to get me some of that! Robin and her partner (whom I don't know, but hope to) do not deliver to my neighborhood yet and are a little more expensive. Someday I may join up with them. If you live in my area and they still have room, I know you'll get garden goodness from Robin (her time with Melon Vine Farm provided our family with tons of delicious produce growing up).

Why am I joining a CSA again? Mostly because my 10x20 plot is more than enough for me to take care of and I've decided that I'd like to put things in my garden this year that take up more space. I'm thinking pumpkins, potatoes and maybe filling half of it with raspberries, which is a permanent leap that I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for. Also, I looked back over my spending last summer and I spent at least $40 a week at our neighborhood farmers' market. The CSA will cost me approximately $20 a week and I'll get a wider variety of produce. I will still hit the farmers' market occasionally and I know that I will still want large quantities of veggies for freezing and canning. The one thing that I'm completely sold on is the delivery to my neighborhood. It just doesn't get any easier than this!

When I participated last time, each week was like getting a box of surprises. The veggies were gorgeous and I tried a few things that I never would have before. I tried fresh fennel for the first time and grilled it on our outdoor grill. I roasted beets and gobbled them up with fresh bleu cheese from Southern Minnesota. (I come from a long line of Scandinavians. We didn't roast beets, but pickled them in sugary syrup spiked with cloves.) I'm thinking that this summer, I will take a picture of my box and then detail what I did with all the goodies contained within. (Now, don't hold me to this, I'm sure this summer will be just as busy as all the others, but again, this is the time of year for planning, so I can dream big!)

Before my dad died, we took a trip to visit Community Homestead to see where our food was coming from. It was a very hot day, but we wandered the fields with glee. Which row of corn would be ours? We took a wagon ride and enjoyed a pig roast. We visited with the residents, some disabled, some just filled with the love and peace that comes from living in a place filled with happiness. They all worked very hard and their dedication and love were the secret ingredients of such deliciousness.

They had a small pond filled with tadpoles that Young One was absolutely fascinated with. We wondered why they would have them. Were the frogs a natural pest eaters? Did they also eat frog legs? (I know, that one is pretty funny.) We asked someone on the farm why and they answered simply that it was for the fun of it. They were there for the people that lived there to watch that magical metamorphosis from swimming little black squiggle to bright green frog and wonder at the miracle of creation. Now, that's cool.

Stay tuned. I'm sending in my registration and payment now. I'm still happily planning.

Now, it's your turn. What are your garden plans? Have you checked out CSAs in your area? Don't miss out on this fantastic way to get inexpensive organic produce!

The Housewife--Stretch a Buck Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

I started making my own laundry detergents last October. My powdered recipe is here. I'm loving the money savings and it works great. I made a 2 1/2 gallon bucket of liquid laundry detergent November 12. I'm just now making another bucket because I only have a few more loads left. It's lasted a long time and costs only three cents a load!

I'm amazed at how well this recipe works. It takes about five minutes to mix up and needs to stand for 24 hours to gel, but that's more than worth it when it comes to savings. A big plus, as well, is that it's a very environmentally friendly detergent, made from simple ingredients and pure soap. And, because I've been reusing the same bucket repeatedly, I'm using less plastic for packaging.

Lovely Liquid Laundry Detergent

You aren't out much, except a few minutes and a very small amount of cash, by just giving it a try! The ingredients are extremely inexpensive. You can find washing soda, borax, and Fels Naptha soap in your grocery store laundry aisle.

3 Pints Water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated
1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda!!)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
2 Gallon bucket to mix it in
1 Quart hot water Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket completely with additional hot water, and mix well-- do not skip this step or it will become a solid! You must add a lot more water--just fill the bucket. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. You may add additional HOT water if the mixture becomes too thick. Mix well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Makes 64 loads.

There's Nothing Better than a Homemade Gift--Pistachio & Tart Cherry Chocolate Bark

My brothers always used to make almond bark at Christmas time. Melted white chocolate and almonds, melted together and spread thin until cool. Nothing fancy, but a delicious treat, nonetheless. I like to take this theme and expand on it. Simply delicious, there are many combinations that you can make. This one is my favorite.

Pistachio & Tart Cherry Chocolate Bark

Store in the refrigerator. Best when used within one month.

1 lb. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped--I use chocolate chips

8 oz. real white chocolate

12 oz. pistachio nuts (1 1/2 cups), toasted

8 oz. dried cherries (1 1/2 cups)

Place semisweet chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Place white chocolate in another bowl. Heat semisweet chocolate in microwave, covered with wax paper on high 2 to 3 minutes or until almost melted, stirring once. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Heat white chocolate, covered with wax paper, 1 to 2 minutes or until almost melted, stirring once. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.

Stir 1 cup pistachios and 1 cup cherries into semisweet chocoalte. On a large cookie sheet, spread chocolate mixture to about 1/4 inch thickness. Spoon dollops of white chocolate onto semisweet chocoalte mixture. Swirl chocolates together with a knife. Sprinkle with remaining cherries and pistachios.

Refrigerate one hour or until firm. Break bark into pieces. Store in tightly sealed container in refrigerator. Pack in decorative boxes, lined with waxed tissue paper or colored cellophane for gift giving.

There's Nothing Better than a Homemade Gift--Sugared Cranberries

Sweet and tangy sugared cranberries make a surprising addition to candy bowls, your favorite apple pie recipe, cheesecake or baked brie. What a nice way to treat your neighbors, your mail carrier, or the paper delivery person.

Sugared Cranberries

3 cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 cups water
3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup superfine sugar

Mix sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, cool for 15 minutes or so, and pour into a bowl. Stir in cranberries. Cover and refrigerate for about 8 hours. Drain cranberries. Reserve liquid, strain out cinnamon sticks and cloves and use as a simple syrup to add a holiday touch to cocktails.

Place superfine sugar in a bowl and gently toss in cranberries, coating evenly. Place cranberries on a baking sheet to dry, about 1 to 2 hours. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days or package for gift giving.

There's Nothing Better than a Homemade Gift--Tangerine Sugar

This one is so easy and it impresses everyone. It's delicious too.

Tangerine Sugar

The bright citrus flavor of this sugar is ideal for sprinkling over grapefruit or stirring into iced tea. You could even dip the rim of a martini or margarita glass in it. I think it would be great sprinkled on buttered toast, but I haven't tried that yet.

3 tablespoons tangerine zest--If you don't have a Microplane Zester, you must purchase one! I use this gadget at least a couple of times a month.

3 cups sugar

Place sugar and zest in food processor. Pulse until you see flecks of zest evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Divide evenly and package in decorative containers for gift giving.

There's Nothing Better than a Homemade Gift--Pumpkin Butter

Got a few minutes and need a few last minute gifts? I'm going to post a few quick recipes and ideas over the next few days. Time is short here, as I'm sure it is where you are!

I whipped this Pumpkin Butter together in about 5 minutes last night, and let it simmer for a half an hour. Cool, place in cute jars, label and it's done. Delicious on toast, muffins, waffles, cornbread. YUM.

Pumpkin Butter

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree--I used the pumpkin puree I made from this year's jack-o-lanterns
3/4 cup apple juice--I think apple cider would be much better, but I didn't have any!
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves--I didn't have any and the store I went to was out, so I substituted apple pie spice from Penzeys (which if you haven't checked them out, please do! Great spices!)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently.
Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Pecan Pumpkin Butter Appetizer Dip

So delicious, your guests will wonder what the secret ingredient is!

8 oz cream cheese

6 TB pumpkin butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans

2 TB crumbled, cooked bacon pieces

2 green onions, finely chopped

Beat cream cheese with pumpkin butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Serve with crackers or pretzels.

Our Fiscal Fast-- a Quick Evaluation

"Are you kidding me? You didn't spend money for a whole week?" This is a comment from a friend of mine when I told her about our Fiscal Fast.

It felt bizarre to be spending money again on Friday. Almost like when you travel to a foreign country and you come home and OUR money looks funny. It looked funny to me. Swiping my check card was weird, in fact, I had trouble finding it in my wallet.

So, what did we learn?

• First and foremost, we realized that we've been overbuying groceries. Not we, it's me. I take full credit for that. I'm a produce-a-holic. I go overboard in the produce department. And we had stuff in the back of our pantry that I had forgotten I purchased. I think we're going to have to get pull out shelves installed. It's too hard to see everything that we have and I have been purchasing things that I already had on hand. So, know what you have, buy what you need, and know how much you need. Lesson learned.
• We learned that we can entertain ourselves very well without spending money. Our library is a great resource. We found ourselves reading more. Young One pulled out toys and games that he hasn't used in forever.
• We learned that we impulse buy more than we thought we did.
• We learned that we eat out too much on the weekends.
• We learned to look closer at every purchase that we make. I honestly thought we were doing that, but I think we could look even closer.
• I had my first Starbucks coffee in probably a year or so. It's pretty overrated at best and so expensive. I felt guilty knowing that I just paid $5 for a cup of coffee and, meanwhile, there are hungry people not to far from the coffee shop. I tried to think of it as a treat. It was good, but I think I make a mean cup of Joe myself and for a fraction of the cost.

I hit Aldi, Cub Foods, and Target on Friday and saved a ton of money with coupons. Did the same at Walgreens. BUT, I did something different this week. Unless it was something we really needed, I didn't buy it. A coupon is only good if it's cheaper than another brand and if you need it. If I can get free items or items that we use frequently like shampoo, toothpaste, soap, etc for super bargain prices, then I'll purchase them. Just to purchase because it's a deal, isn't really a good use of our money right now.

We were able to purchase several gifts for charity this year because of our Fiscal Fast. A young man from Young One's school is going to have a great Christmas because we sacrificed a little for a week. That feels great!

I'm sure we learned a lot more, but for now, this is what I can think of.

Our Fiscal Fast, Day Six

What a bizarre day. I spent most of it shuttling my mom around to physical therapy. She needed a prescription refilled at Target, so I made her get out and go in with me. She's been housebound, hospitalized, or a nursing home inmate for so long, I thought that maybe a little tough love to get her out of the car and back into life would be helpful. Turned out, it wasn't that hard to get her out of the car. She almost bounded out at the entrance to Target. Well, bounded as well as one can bound, cavort, gallop, friskily skip, dance, etc on a wounded knee only three weeks after surgery and only a few days into feeling a might better after an terrible infection.

I'm rambling. I'm also stuck on the word bound. Is that really a word? It's kind of like that time I walked around a Bible book store with some college friends repeating the word Bible until it didn't sound like a word anymore. Bible Bible Bible Bible. Bound Bound Bound Bound.

What does all this have to do with our Fiscal Fast? A great deal. Bear with me here for a moment.

You see. We were shopping. Scratch that. She was shopping. I was helping. It was bizarre. I mean, there I was exclaiming over things that Young One would just adore and that I would have to return to pick up for him once the spending freeze was over. And then, She, my darling mother, decided that she would just buy that stuff and give it to him herself. I couldn't argue with her she is a poor old lady with a walker and a cane (ha, if you knew my mom, you would laugh too!). I did protest that I had that particular DVD in mind the minute he came home from the theater exclaiming that it was the all time best movie in the entire history of movies and that he couldn't wait until it came out on DVD because he was going to use his allowance money and that he would memorize every special feature and possibly the entire script so that he could speak along with the movie and that Heath Ledger (God rest his soul) is and always will be the most superior Joker of all time and he was sure that he would want to be Joker for Halloween, not Joker with the painted face, but the ultimate Joker with the mask and the real necktie and the real vest, not just the printed one and that he knew that forever and ever this would be his all time favorite movie.

Deep Breath.

In other words, today, I probably would have dropped quite a bit of money at Target. It just seemed that everywhere I turned there were things that Young One would just love for Christmas and that, being Target, everything was relatively inexpensive. He's not asking for much, if anything this year. And, being eleven, was a bit perplexed by the fact that this was so. He just found out the magical secret of Santa Clause last year, so perhaps this is part of it. So, I told him that it was part of growing older and that soon you realize that it's not about the receiving, but the giving and that he was getting to that age. Christmas should be about the giving, and I'm excited to surprise him. Not spend a lot of money on surprises--what kid wouldn't just love a pony?-- but opening each gift as they were intended, gifts, not fulfillment of a list of requests. THAT to me, is so much more fun. At a certain age, if you make a list, you can pretty much tell what's in each and every box by the specific shape or jingle when you shake it or whatever, anyway. So, this year, for me, the giving to him will be so much fun, since he's not dropping ANY hints this year (that HE'S aware of anyway!)

(I'm not sure I'm being clear here. I had my first caffeinated coffee today in ages and I feel like I could type enough words to cover the world!)

I think what I'm trying to say is that I've never gone out shopping with the intention and the dedication and sheer will to not spend any money. This was really eye opening. I don't shop for recreation. I will shop AND buy for fun, but not just go out looking. It was bizarre. And I survived and mom survived and, although she got really tired walking around and looked about ready to fall over by the time she got back in the car, I think she's getting to know the world again. Hopefully, in a few more weeks, I will no longer have to chauffeur her around town.

I'm starting to think that this fast just might do what I hoped it would. I think I am going to be much more mindful of my spending. Even more so than a cheapskate like me thought. I think I'm going to focus more on what we actually need and I've found out this week, it's a heck of a lot less than I thought it was.

I also learned that I really don't like tagging along on a shopping trip. In fact, it remind me of the eternities that I spent as a child having to run errands with my mom. Perhaps she's just paying me back for the time I took all the price tags off of the canned goods in her cart while she wasn't looking. (Remember price tags?)

Peace.

Our Fiscal Fast Day Five

I can't get past the thought that at the end of this Fiscal Fast we may just go nuts with spending. I keep thinking to myself that, "On Friday, I've really got to_____" Fill in the blank with order Christmas cards, order gifts online, go grocery shopping, stop in at Walgreens, maybe we'll go out to eat, I need to get some new pants, Young One needs another pair of gloves, come to mention it, so do I, I need to go to Target...

Will this spending freeze actually result in our spending more money at the end of it, kind of like celebrating your weight loss with a blow out at a buffet? (And no, I've never done this.)

I guess time will tell.

Our Fiscal Fast Day Four

Here we are on day four of our Fiscal Fast, seven days, without spending any money.

This has been such an interesting experiment for our family. I have a feeling we're going to do this again and again. Maybe not for a whole week, maybe the next time we'll shorten it up. So far the benefits have been:

• Cleaning out the cupboards, the refrigerator, and the freezer.
• Using our brains and not our money for entertainment
• Being more resourceful
• Young One has learned tremendous things so far. I'll detail more at the end of the week, but I think he's looking at money and how he entertains himself in a very different way.
• And the bank account is looking good!

The biggest thing I've noticed so far, is that we spend a little here and a little there and it all adds up. I was in a huge rush to get out of the house this morning. If we weren't on a spending freeze, I would have grabbed an Egg McMuffin and coffee at McDonalds. That's something I rarely do, but I just didn't have the time to eat this morning. I didn't though. I grabbed some cinnamon raisin bread and after dropping Young One off at school, toasted it at my mom's house. I had to take her to two doctor's offices and to a medical supply store this morning. When I dropped her off at the first doctor's office, she suggested I go shopping for a bit. I probably would have if I wasn't on this fiscal fast. The other day when we were out at the library, we headed home to have lunch. Quite often when we're out as a family on the weekend, we'll eat at a restaurant and/or buy snacks. Trips to stores for quick errands can result in impulse buys. It just all adds up.

I think I will be much more conscious of that kind of spending now.

This has been a good thing for our family.

Our Fiscal Fast Day Two

I wouldn't consider us materialistic people at all. We shop at thrift stores, we don't have a lot of unnecessary stuff. We don't have to have the newest or the latest thing. We have a house full of antiques, but mostly because they were hand me downs or inexpensive purchases. We rarely hit the malls and aren't big on shopping.

This Fiscal Fast we're on caused some troubles today on the home front. Young One was out of sorts all day. I had planned a day of fun freebies. A trip to the library, to hang out and look at some of the ginormous books that we'd never carry home (or be allowed to check out). I thought we'd pick a few movies, maybe check out a museum pass (basically free entrance to many of the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area museums), and take out a few movies. Young One wanted none of this. He pouted, chose one Simpsons DVD, and then glowered from an armchair behind a giant Spiderman book. I nixed the idea of heading to a free museum. I didn't want to deal with the PoutMaster all day long.

We had planned to make our gingerbread house, an annual tradition, this weekend. But, it was a hard sell. I mixed the dough myself and put it in the refrigerator to chill. Time for a mother son talk.

Basically, he told me that he was sick of this no spending money thing. That he wanted to go out and do something fun and that most definitely involved spending money. That Christmas couldn't come fast enough and he just wanted to buy a video game or go to the movies, or go to an arcade, or go out for lunch at some kid paradise. And he knew he couldn't. And it sucked.

This opened the door to a very interesting conversation. We talked about how fun can be had without money. That we have a house full of things to do and that if we get bored enough, we'll get resourceful and start finding things to do. We talked about how much money we have spent in the past without even thinking about it and that we have to be more mindful of our spending. We talked about how we're very fortunate to have all that we do and to have the income that Dad brings home. We talked about what it would be like to have nothing.

We talked about how we'd like to share our abundance.

We talked about how long it is until Christmas. And how, even as an adult, it's difficult to wait for things. We also talked about how time seems a lot longer when you're a kid and how I could remember what an eternity it could be until your birthday or Christmas.

We talked about the superiority of Rock Band over Guitar Hero.

We talked about Homer Simpson's obsession with donuts.

And then, we talked about how keeping busy will help the time pass. And we talked about the importance of discussing our feelings and how pouting and grumping around doesn't work very well. We talked about the importance of communication.

Then he and his dad went out and had some man time, drooling at ginormous TVs, and playing demos of video games. I baked the gingerbread house pieces while they were out and thought long and hard about whether we really are materialistic. Maybe we've been in denial all along?

Our 7 Day Fiscal Fast In Progress

It's only day one and I'm already surprised at how many times in the day I've thought about spending money. I haven't acted on it, of course, but it has been really surprising to me how many times I've thought about ordering something online, running an errand that involves spending money, or just trying to get a jump on some Christmas shopping for Young One.



Probably not the best idea to start this spending freeze during the holidays. Or maybe it is. Maybe this is the BEST time to try this experiment.



While making some Christmas presents today, I realized that I didn't have enough of one crucial ingredient for the end product. Ugh. I thought I was going to have to wait. But, no!!! What Cheapskate Guru Jeff Yeager said in his book would happen. You just might finally use something that you haven't had the need to or didn't even know you had. I searched my cupboards, and sure enough, I did have a second box of the missing ingredient.



Looking into my pantry, I am amazed at how much food is really in there. Much of it has been there for a very long time. Bought for a recipe and not used, purchased on sale at a can't be missed price, or just impulse buys. My pantry is full. And I'm very excited about it getting some clearing out this week.



Young One is fully on board. We talked to him about this experiment last night and at first he seemed a bit worried. We assured him that we have plenty of money, that this is just something we're trying to clear out our cupboards a bit and to focus more on experiences and not stuff. Once that was talked about, he was just fine. I watched him start to ask for something or to go somewhere a couple of times, but then the gears shifted in his brain and he remembered our fiscal fast, and we ended up talking about something else.



I got to thinking this afternoon that I have the luxury of making this fiscal fast a choice and that so many people in our country, in our world, do not have the choice or the ability to live this way on a whim. It's day to day life for them. This week has already been very enlightening.



D came home tonight letting me know that he needs to get a haircut in preparation for a very important sales pitch next week. We did agree that work related expenses would have to continue (client lunches, gas for the commute, etc), I think he should let me cut his hair. I'm pretty good at it. I've been cutting Young One's hair for years. This would be the one time, though, that the clipper guard popped off and he ended up with a runway down the middle of his head. I guess I'll allow it. Client pitches mean you've got to look good. I'll let this one slide.



Something to think about: only 1/3 of the world's population is well fed. The rest are nutritionally deficient or starving.

The First of the Christmas Crafting

We're only giving homemade gifts this year. It really has nothing to do with the "economic downturn", "recession", or the bleak state of our nation's economy. It's more about our own personal scaling back, a hearkening (don't you love that word?) to a simpler time, or a goal in our family to focus less on material goods and more on personal experiences and the time we share with those we love.

I've been collecting craft ideas, with a special focus on using things that we already have or that use recycled products, in my Christmas folder. My Christmas folder is an organizational secret I've been using for years. In it are craft ideas, to do lists, secret present lists and pictures/sources of the gifts for Young One, and the return envelopes from all of the Christmas cards we receive (makes it easy if we can't find someones address or if we have a new addition to our list.) I rip up magazines all year, pulling out intriguing recipes, crafts, and gift ideas. Or I print ideas and recipes from the internet. There are many wonderful bloggers out there that are filled with great, simple ideas.

On a side note, I use and reuse Young One's old school folders for years, basically until they fall apart. This is another cheapskate tendency. I just can't bear to throw them away, so I have spaceship folders, Garfield (from a shortlived stage), and sports themed folders everywhere! I keep one in my car filled with restaurant coupons for those times when we're out and about and just can't decide on where to go to grab a bite to eat. I also keep my gas coupons, car wash coupons, and any freebie or discount offers that I might want to pick up while errand running.

Each Christmas gift that we're making this year has been carefully and thoughtfully chosen for it's recipient. Today, I made these Bath Bombs for some very special women in my life (who happen to know NOTHING about this blog, tee hee). Bath bombs, bath fizzies, if you don't know what they are, are these fun, scented fizzy thingies (technical term) that you place in your bath to fizz and scent the water deliciously. They also soften your skin beautifully. I had most of the ingredients in the house already, so this one went together very quickly!

Bath Bombs

You can find citric acid at your local health food store, at a wine making supply store, or online at Bulk Foods. Organic cane sugar (turbinado sugar) is found at your local grocery store. Read the entire recipe before starting! You must be very careful how much water you add. Trust me, I learned this the hard way and gave Young One the ones that bubbled over and out of the molds because they were too damp. He loved playing with them and smelled like a lime for a day. Very little water is the key. Use just enough to make it clump together.

1/2 cup citric acid

1 cup baking soda

3/4 cornstarch

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

About 6 drops of food coloring

10 to 15 drops of essential oil

equipment: a small spray bottle, ice cube trays, storage jars for gift giving

Stir together citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch. Sift through a fine sieve or a flour sifter. Stir in sugar. Place a very small amount of water in the spray bottle. Add food coloring--try to match the color to the essential oil that you're using. I used a very small amount of green to match the lime essential oil that I used. Spritz the dry mixture lightly, it should be damp, but not fizzing. Mix with a metal spoon and spritz and mix until mixture clumps together. Add essential oil until strength of scent is to your liking. Continue mixing until scent is well dispersed. If mixture no longer clumps, spritz with more water and mix well. Pack firmly into ice cube tray, pressing firmly. Let dry at room temperature overnight. Pop out of trays gently and pack in jars. Label with instructions to add 2 to each bath to enjoy effervescent relaxation.

You could use candy molds or when I was making the last batch, I decided that packing them into a cookie scoop would be the easiest way to do it. Just pack firmly, pressing down on the mixture if you can, then pop out. I'll try this next time.

I'll share more of my Christmas gift making as time goes on. Print them and file away in your new Christmas folder. Did I inspired you to start one? I truly hope that you are simplifying your gift giving this year too. I figure, if we cut back, we can help others more this season. No, I'm not talking about making sure that other people can buy presents or get presents, like with Toys for Tots (although this organization does do wonderful things). I'd rather be able to give to the very poor. Those that are hungry or homeless. I feel their need is greater this year and because of our country's financial situation, there are probably greater numbers in need.

Peace to you!

You Make Your Own WHAT?

"You. Make. Your. Own. Laundry. Detergent?" And then, I got a blank, but wide-eyed stare.

Yes I do. I just started about two weeks ago and so far, so good.

It's so simple and it works like a charm. It smells really nice, gets our clothes clean, and, best of all, it's fantastically cheap.

This is the powdered version. I think it works best in warm water. I have a high efficiency, front-load washer, and I've found that it doesn't completely dissolve out of the dispenser in cold loads. So, I'm going to make the liquid version as soon as my bottle of liquid runs out. I'll let you know how it works. My prediction? I'm sure it will be just fine.

I think we have become a society of people who have become used to having things made for us. Things that our Grandmothers would never have dreamed of purchasing, we do, without a second thought. As well, our purchased laundry detergents are filled with unpronounceable chemicals. Do we really need to add more to our environment?

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Laundry Bar Soap, Zote also works well (grate in your food processor-- don't worry, it will wash completely clean, it's soap after all!)

½ cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
½ cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

Note: To make a large batch, grate six bars of Fels Naptha Soap, and then add 3 cups of Super Washing Soda and 3 cups 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in a covered container.

Tip: These recipes will not make suds in your washer, so don't be alarmed. Fels Naptha is a pure soap, which makes it perfect for use in the new high-efficiency washers as well as traditional washers. The only proof you'll need of how well this laundry product works is to take a look at the dirty wash water. You may also notice the need to either reduce the amount of laundry softener you use or even eliminate the use of softener completely.

This great recipe and many wonderful soaps are from http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/

Fels Naptha is a fantastic stain remover. I always keep a bar handy in the laundry room.

The Housewife--Stretch a Buck Cleaning out the Cupboards

A while back I decided to use up all the sample size shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, soaps, and lotions that we've collected on assorted hotel stays. I'm still using them up. Still. I can't believe how long I've made this last.

My next quest? The kitchen cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer. I want to defrost my extra freezer and the only way that's going to happen is if I start using up what's currently in it. That means some creative menu planning. Same goes for my kitchen pantry. I have so many things in there that I bought and then didn't use for whatever reason (mostly because after doing the shopping and actually living with the menu I planned, some of those recipes didn't sound as appealing as when I was making my lists!).

I am so fortunate to have abundance. I found myself complaining that I was eating, once again, a leftover meal that was really quite delicious. After three days of it at various meals, I was pretty tired of it, but then I remembered that I was fortunate to have it and should quit my whining.

We're living in a country where people who have never been poor before will be. We're living in a country that is tottering on the edge of bankruptcy. I am so lucky that my husband has a wonderful job, we have a beautiful home, and we have enough. I have abundance.

At first, when I started my inventory of what I needed to use up, I was pretty discouraged. What the heck am I going to do with this list? Here's what I came up with. I think it sounds pretty great now! Once again, it's a case of how you look at things. My glass is definitely more than half full.

Menu

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus
Organic Baby Carrots
Baked Potato Wedges

Braised Pork Chops with Sage
Cornbread Stuffing
Zucchini and Corn Saute

Grilled Chicken Tenders
Brown Sugar Roasted Squash
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Red Beans and Rice (thanks Heidi!)
Tossed Salad

Chili (thanks Darcie!)
Cornbread

Pierogies with Caramelized Onions
Steamed Green Beans
Tossed Salad

Blueberry Pancakes
Turkey Bacon
Fresh Fruit

Slow Cooked Pulled Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Feta
Rice
Steamed Mixed Vegetables

Clean out the Cupboards Pasta Toss
(penne, crab, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and any veggies I can find)

Pan Fried Polenta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Tossed Salad
California Blend Veggies with Cheese

Potato Leek Soup

Biscuits

Fruit Salad


Snacks and Treats:

Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Homemade Granola
Banana Pudding
Banana Muffins
Pull Apart Cinnamon Rolls

The Housewife--Stretch a Buck

I love a house that smells nice, but the chemical air fresheners just don't cut it for me. Yes, I do have them occasionally, but they smell manufactured and fake. I also think that they contribute to indoor air "pollution" thus causing environmental illnesses and allergies. About 5 years ago, I discovered the world of essential oils while taking a soap making class. For a fraction of the cost of an air freshener, you can fill your rooms with natural scents with the use of these oils. And because they're all natural, you don't have to worry about polluting your indoor environment.

I also don't use a lot of highly scented cleaning products. I make almost all of my cleaning products and sometimes, I just want a little good scent to them. Clean doesn't have a smell. That's one of the hardest things to get used to when you start to make your own cleaners. Essential oils can be used in them as well. Just a drop or two and you have a sweet smelling clean!

I get my essential oils at my local health food store, which is about a minute from my house. You can also find them online just by searching. I like to sample the scents, so I haven't purchased any new scents online. Today, I picked up lime and clove. These two oils are very inexpensive. Others can be quite pricey, but because you only use them in very small amounts, they last a very long time.

How to use them? Here are some of the ways I do:

• Sprinkle a little on a bowl of potpourri. Your room will fill with the scent.



• I have used them to refill liquid, electric air fresheners, but I will say, do so at your own risk. Wear gloves and be sure to dilute the scent as directed by the manufacturer.



• If you need a quick pick me up or need to relax, give the appropriate oil a quick sniff! I was such a nonbeliever of aromatherapy until I really tried it.



• Make your own mist style air freshener. In a clean, small spray bottle, mix water and your favorite essential oil(s). Shake before using. I like to use these in the bathrooms and I keep one with my cleaning supplies. Occasionally spraying the dog beds is a great use!



• Simmer water on the stove and add a little essential oil. This is especially great in the winter when the air needs to be humidified.



• Place a drop on a light bulb. Yes, the lamp has to be on! Your whole room will smell delightful..

Be cautioned: some essential oils are toxic and those toxins can enter through your skin. Know the oil that you are using and never apply directly to your skin unless you are fully educated on that individual oil.

Daily Shower Spray

If you're like me, you hate to clean your shower. I used to buy those expensive daily shower cleaner sprays. I even invested in the Scrubbing Bubbles one that automatically dispenses the shower cleaner and then my thrifty self stepped in. I began to refill the Scrubbing Bubbles bottles with cheaper spray concentrate. Then, I decided to make my own. The automatic dispenser bit the dust, so now I just use a spray bottle. The rubbing alcohol scent takes some getting used to at first. Essential oils do help, but be cautioned: if you use too much of an oil, you can make your shower slippery!

8 ounces of rubbing alcohol

distilled water, enough to fill the spray bottle

your favorite essential oil

Place all in a clean, preferably recycled spray bottle. Shake before using. Use daily and your shower will stay clean. You must start with a clean shower and periodically, you will still need to deep clean your shower, but this cuts down on cleaning time, tremendously. I've found it keeps my shower doors crystal clear!

Rainy Day

I love the change of seasons. I even love an occasional rainy day. If I have nothing to do, but putter around the house anyway, a good, cool rainy day is a nice change of pace. It calls to me, to settle in, hunker down, bake bread or make soup. I like to light a crackling fire in the fireplace or burn some candles. I like to put on my wool clogs and a cozy sweater.

One of my favorite soups to make is this rustic chicken soup. It always starts with a leftover roast chicken, bones and all. The rest is pretty much up to what I have on hand. It's thrifty and can make a ginormous batch, so be prepared to freeze the leftovers or eat it until it comes out of your ears.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

I have no idea how many WW Points each servings is. I should really figure that out, shouldn't I? I apologize, but every time I make this it involves different ingredients. Soups are traditionally very low in Points if you skim the fat and keep the meat portion down. Sometimes I leave the dumplings out and just make a fabulous chicken vegetable or add rice or pasta in place of the dumplings.

These are not light, fluffy dumplings, but more dense, extremely filling. Everyone we've served this soup to love them, even though they weigh a ton!

1 leftover whole roasted chicken, remove the skin if you have time

Several stalks of celery, chopped

Several carrots, chopped

a heaping TB of minced garlic

1 large onion chopped

2-3 bay leaves

Place all of the above in a large pot, cover with water, and let simmer for several hours. Strain out chicken and remove and discard bones. If you have time, you may want to strain out all the vegetables, cool the broth, and skim off any fat. Chop any meat and return to pot, along with any escaping vegetables that have come out with the chicken.

Now, for the use up any vegetables that may be lurking in your fridge or freezer part.

Add as many vegetables as you wish. I love adding turnips, more carrots, rutabagas, cabbage, peas, corn, green beans, fresh tomatoes, you name it! I usually clear out the vegetable bin in my fridge and sometimes I keep a bag in the freezer that I dump in small leftover amounts of veggies into just for this purpose. Yes, the bag looks a little gross, but mark it as Soup Veggies, and put in those couple of tablespoons that are leftover after dinner and before you know it, you'll have lots to put in your delicious soup!

If the veggies are fresh, simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. If you're adding rice or pasta, add it now. Don't add rice or pasta if you're making the dumplings.

Dumplings:

6 eggs

a big splash of milk (1/2 to 3/4 cup)

a dash of salt

enough flour to make a stiff dough

Sorry, this is my mom's "recipe". It's the best I can give you and it really works. Just mix it all together until it's like very soft biscuit dough. Drop by spoonfuls into simmering broth. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!