bless-my-budget.com » frugal

priorities

Penny — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:50:47 +0000

I wrote an article recently for a publication about frugal living and thought I would share a paragraph with you ….

I have taught my children that time is more important than money. More money can always be made but lost time can never be replaced. Jesus has given us choices. How much money we have to spend is a choice. How we spend it is a choice. It really isn’t about how much we have but rather it is about spending it how we want to. I would rather make things from scratch which I enjoy anyway and teach my daughters spending time with them in the kitchen than to eat in the fanciest restaurant. Living frugally is not something I have to do it is something I choose to do. It is something I get to do. I consider where and how we live paradise.

Why do you strive to live frugal?

Snow And No Sled? No Problem!

Penny — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:58:27 +0000

Snow And No Sled? No Problem!

By Tawra Kellam http://www.LivingOnaDime.com/

We went sledding this weekend and dad and the kids really had a great time! We used some sleds that we bought last year, but there was a time in the past when the snow caught us off guard and we didn’t have anything to use as a sled.

Here are some ideas for alternatives to sleds that we have used or have seen used in case you find yourself caught without one. Some of them work better when the slopes have a smoother, slightly icy surface.

* Baby pool – We actually saw a family using an old baby pool. The one they were using would not slide well since the snow was soft, but they turned it inside out (turning the smooth side out) and it worked great. Their entire family went down together in it and they had great fun. (Of course, if you have to turn it inside out, it probably won’t hold water anymore so make sure it’s a worn out baby pool!

* Lids to large plastic storage containers

* Laundry basket (BJ’s favorite for a couple of years!)

* Vinyl outdoor cushions – We saw some people using them. They worked well and the foam inside made the bumps a little less severe for the kids.

* Cardboard – larger pieces work best. If the snow is soft, bend the front up a little so it doesn’t get stuck.

* An old tarp – These work best with smooth, almost icy surfaces. They will get bogged down in soft snow and will shred quickly if the ice has become sharp edged.

* An old winter coat with plastic coating (I wouldn’t do this with your best coat!) – My husband said that he and his friends (when they were kids occasionally slid down on old coats with the shiny, water resistant coating.

* Smooth hubcaps – (Don’t try it with wire wheels!

* Innertubes – Inflated innertubes work great for sledding! If you have an old innertube that has been punctured, you can cut it open and let the kids sit inside it. Even without air, the rubber still slides well.

* Office chair mat (without the pokey things) – Some mats for office chairs are smooth on one side and don’t have the gripping spikes on the back. If you have one laying around, they make great sleds in a pinch.

Tawra Kellam is the editor of www.LivingOnADime.com. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income.

movies on DVD

Penny — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:09:07 +0000

My daughter called me from Sam’s club yesterday. She asked how much we paid for a season of the Waltons on DVD. I told her most of the seasons were between $30 and $40 a season, she said they had them for $11.99. They also had the entire Christy series and the packaged sets of the Love Comes Softly series. All for better prices than I had seen anywhere. So sometimes the membership warehouses are a good deal, but you have to know your prices. Unless you really want to add movies to your library, it is better to get a membership, that you can even try free at Netflix.