Frugal Living

Over the past few months I have been trying to cut our budget every which way I can. I have started making our own household cleaners, and not only has it cut costs, but my youngest is have fewer asthma attacks.

Hubby and I have set up a budget, and we have been pretty good at sticking to it, the only exception is that I am in the process of trying a new curriculum for math and language for my oldest, however I did get those at less than new cost buy searching and purchasing used.

We have, for the first time ever allotted money for clothes. In the past if we wanted something we just went and got it. With that I hit a huge sale at our local bx and got hubby 4 new shirts at less than $2 each...I also got 5 for myself at less than $2 each...that's cheaper than the thrift shops! Awesome!

I now bake our own bread, make our own yogurt as well as our snack foods and have been looking for other things to implement to save a buck so to speak. I remember my grandad telling me watch for the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. What a concept.

The reasoning for this...in August of this year, DH may loose his job. He has been told that the "temporary" orders we have been living on for the past 10 years cannot be renewed. Some of our goals is to have the kids' school stuff in place for a couple of years, savings built up in case he does not get another job soon, Cars in good shape (checked and rechecked) so that we dont have to worry about that and to do all we can to the house in preparation for this.

On top of this. I need to get our tiller running and set up garden(s). I have access to plenty of canning jars and I hope to grow enough that we don't have to purchase any canned good. We have the space, (on 5 acres) it is just dedicating the time and work to get it done. In my dream of dreams, I will have a greenhouse so that I can start the veggies early, as well as a root cellar to store all our goods.

We have talked of getting goats or a cow for milk, and chickens as well as other poultry for eggs and meat, but this seems a little overwhelming for someone who has never killed anything. (altho' I can process our own venison).

It seems to be a very busy year ahead since I also want to have the remodeling of our house done. A 10 year project now. Time to get it finished.

Whew...think I'll go take a nap!