FRUGAL FRIDAY: Gift Giving

Frugality is something that has occupied my mind for many years. When the Hubs was in the Navy and I stayed at home with the kiddos, things were tight. We knew it would be if I stayed home, but it was a sacrifice we took seriously. So in an effort to live off his salary, we had to be FRUGAL. Let's just say, I learned as I went. I got a copy of the book The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn and still use it as reference today. Growing up on a farm helps too. We didn't have much money then, but we always had plenty to eat, clothes and shoes, good friends, and of course one thing was abundant: LOVE. So here's a series of posts about living with less, FRUGAL FRIDAY. Feel free to leave comments and share your ideas for living abundantly with less.

Today's edition will focus on gift giving. During this season of celebrations, abundance is prevalent. We have so much that we don't NEED anything, but every year we want more, more, more. In an effort to help you keep within your budget during the holidays, here are just a few tips that work for us. As always, feel free to add your ideas in the comments section.

1. Cut back on gift giving. It's as simple as that. When our children were very young, we decided that each would only get three gifts for Christmas. Jesus only got three, so why did they need more? Typically, one was clothes, one was a book, movie, or game, and the last was a toy they wanted. This has worked well and now Daughter S employs the same rule for Little D. Of course, other family members give them all gifts too. But only three from The Hubs and me.
2. Draw names. My large extended family began doing this in 1987 and it works beautifully. Everyone over the age of 13 goes into the draw. Younger kids typically get a small gift from each family. We set a price range, everyone brings food, and we have a wonderful time of fellowship at someone's home. We all take turns hosting it. I've done this with co-workers too. It's always fun and saves so much.
3. Give homemade gifts. We do this about every year. Some of the items The Hubs and I have made to give: scarves, placemats, baby quilts, other quilted items, jellies, baked goods, wreaths, picture frames, wooden toys, homemade vanilla extract, and so much more. I love to receive homemade items too. It's so special to have something homemade.
4. Put together hobby packs. I've given a book on knitting with needles and yarn, looms with cotton loops, model kits, jewelry making kits and lots more. I even put an Italian dinner together in a basket for my sisters once. The recipient usually appreciates that you've collected all the items needed for something specific.
5. Give experiences. A hiking trip, a visit to a local museum or park, a canoe tour of a nearby lake, the possibilities are endless. Get out and do something together, now that's truly a gift.
6. Get real. Consider how much you're spending and why. A friend who has two children once told me that they usually spend over $2,000 on Christmas gifts for the kids, each other and extended family and friends. This amount really put a strain on their budget.

Consider what you are celebrating. If you are celebrating Christmas, you're marking the birth of Christ. Does spending money help or hinder your marking it? Seriously consider this for a while.

Hope you enjoy this series. I'll cover other topics here and here and here as we go along and hopefully offer something useful to you! Again, feel free to leave comments and share your Frugal Friday tips!

FRUGAL FRIDAY: Black Friday Edition

Today's post is going to be slightly different. Here are just a few tips for smart Black Friday shopping along with some links to what I think is helpful information. Feel free to add your own comments and links too. I have shopped on Black Friday and I have stayed home on Black Friday. It depends on several factors.

1. First of all, I check the ads for various stores in my area. Since we have only a few stores in our local town, we often travel 1 to 2 hours from home to shop (not just on Black Friday). You might think that's too far, but for us it's the price we pay for living out here on Lanky Ridge. Let's just say, there's no Wal-Mart up here. There isn't even a gas station or 7-11 for about 10 miles. Anyway, I find out what good deals are out there first.
2. I make a Christmas list. This includes everyone I buy for and all those little "extras" too. For example, I usually purchase a few generic gifts for no one in particular. If I need a gift at the last minute, no one needs to run out to the store. Since my family does a big "name draw" gift every year and we set price limits; I usually know exactly who I need to buy for and how much it should cost. As of right now, I already have that list made.
3. Then I compare my list with the ads and decide if the items I plan to buy are on sale and where. This allows me to decide if the hassel of going out on Black Friday is worth it. Sometimes it is totally worth it and others not so much.
4. Take a buddy. Tag-team shopping is always helpful and fun. If there is a really long line, one person can wait in line while the other shops and then switch places. This is a common practice and I don't think it's cutting in line or anything. For me, this also helps to ground me. If I see an unexpected item, I can ask the other person if it's a good deal or not. Impulse buying is a huge problem on Black Friday.

I have gone out really early in the morning (embarrassed to say I've left home before 4:00 am a couple times). And I've gone later in the day. Around 10:00 am is a great time to go. Most of the really crazy folks are gone, the store has adjusted it's "crowd control plan" with opening more registers so lines are shorter. And in most cases, there are still good deals to be had.

So I have to keep it real and tell you, I haven't decided if I am going shopping on Black Friday this year. I'm looking at online deals as well as in store deals to determine if I can get the items on my list online. If I go, The Hubs is going with me. He's the love of my life, but not my favorite shopping partner. But with a good plan in place, and excellent communication, I think we'll be fine. And of course, it counts as a date if we have lunch out, if we go.

Here's a great article from Consumer Reports about shopping on Black Friday.

This Black Friday Ad site has links to all the chain stores and their ads. Go here to compare and make a plan.

Here's an extreme couponing blog that has lots of good shopping tips and links to coupons too.

So, if you plan well, make a list and do your homework, shopping the day after Thanksgiving can be worth it. It can also be fun. If you go, please be careful and remember, you just spent a whole day being thankful for what you have, don't act like a fool just because you can.

FRUGAL FRIDAY: General Tips

Frugality is something that has occupied my mind for many years. When the Hubs was in the Navy and I stayed at home with the kiddos, things were tight. We knew it would be if I stayed home, but it was a sacrifice we took seriously. So in an effort to live off his salary, we had to be FRUGAL. Let's just say, I learned as I went. I got a copy of the book The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn and still use it as reference today. Growing up on a farm helps too. We didn't have much money then, but we always had plenty to eat, clothes and shoes, good friends, and of course one thing was abundant: LOVE. So here's a series of posts about living with less, FRUGAL FRIDAY. Feel free to leave comments and share your ideas for living abundantly with less.

Todays tips are general in nature and cover a wide range of topics.

1. Get real about your expenses. Have a family meeting and look at all the places your money goes. This may involve tracking where every dollar goes for a period of time (a week or a month should do). Do you need the long distance service on your house phone? Do you even need a house phone? The most expensive dental insurance plan (which includes orthodontics) is fine if you have children in need of braces, but for empty nesters? How about unlimited internet? High-end cable or cable at all? If you're not sure you can do without something, try a short period of time of not using it. If you decide you can live without it, you don't need it.
2. Live close to where you work. Or work close to home. I'm lucky: my commute is about ten minutes. My son moved from a low-rent home 1.5 hours from his job to a higher rent apartment 15 minutes from his job and he's saving some serious money. You could also consider the time used on other things besides sitting in a car as a bonus.
3. Garden. I've talked about this before and I truly believe that you can save so much money by doing this. Consider how much you would save if you grew 4-5 tomato plants and 1-2 zucchini plants. These could easily be in pots on a patio. Those few plants alone would provide so much fresh produce, I'm sure you would lower your grocery bill for the summer months. Throw a couple herb pots next to a sunny window and you'd be good to go.
4. Go Camping. You could go on a weekend trip, stay in a state or national park and enjoy nature and park activities for a fraction of the cost of a hotel stay. It's a cheap way to see the world. I know it's not for everyone, but we truly enjoy it. And it's not always in the middle of nowhere, either. We took our children to Washington D.C. for a week and enjoyed the sights, museums, the White House and monuments. We took the metro to within 2 blocks of our campsite at a national park. You can often find camping equipment at yard sales for big savings. These items are usually brand new or only gently used.
5. Use a mail-order pharmacy. The Hubs and I both have some medications that we take on a daily basis. Planning ahead so we don't run out saves us hundreds each year. Seriously.
6. Use your cellphone. Set reminders so you don't forget important things (like appointments where you can be charged if forgotten). Download coupons and deals on the spot. The caluculator function can help you figure unit prices in the grocery store. Write yourself a note to compare prices in different stores. These gadgets have so many neat bells & whistles!
7. Accept freebies. When someone says, "I have some clothes that I think will fit your child. Would you like them?" You should always say YES! If there are items you don't want, pass them on to someone else or donate. If you say no, that person will find another mom to give her hand-me-downs to.
8. What did Grandma do? Most people my age (40s) grew up hearing stories about the Great Depression from their parents or grandparents. There are really good lessons to be learned from the older generation. I found when my children were babies that cloth diapers weren't so bad. After all, Grandma used them on nine babies (one at a time, of course). If we just incorporated a few of those tips, we would realize at least a bit of savings. There was a lot of common sense of those stories!

Hope you enjoy this series. I'll cover other topics here and here and here as we go along and hopefully offer something useful to you! Again, feel free to leave comments and share your Frugal Friday tips!

Next week I'll change things up a bit. Frugal Friday will come a day early and I'll post some Black Friday deals for you crazy shoppers. Be sure to stop by!

FRUGAL FRIDAY: Around the House

Today's tips focus on the home and house. The Hubs and I have been very blessed and in June of 2000 we moved into our dream house. We designed it, planned it, built it, and live in it. It will probably be the last home we ever live in and that's just the way we want it. It's a modest home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, situated right on Lanky Ridge (of course!). Nothing fancy, just right for us. Here are some of our tips on how we keep things within budget.

1. Do it yourself. We had a contractor who let us do whatever we were able to ourselves. The Hubs is an all-around handyman and plumber anyway. Me? Not so much. But I learned. I learned how to hang insulation, tack up baseboard molding and paint ceilings.We did all the painting in the house. The Hubs did all the plumbing. Any labor that you do yourself, you're not paying someone else to do it.
2. Do your own repairs. The Hubs does most of the routine maintenance on our home and cars. I said he's handy, right? His theory is, if I do right, it'll last longer. And he also notices things that need to be fixed because we're living here all the time. (or driving it)
3. Heat with wood. I know it's not practical or economical for everyone. But if possible, this will save so much money. The Hubs buys a permit each year to cut dead/fallen trees in a nearby state forest. It allows for a practially unlimited supply. Plus we have a few acres ourselves and we will cut up trees that have been downed by storms. It's weird, but he enjoys cutting, hauling, and splitting the wood. He says it helps him de-stress.
4. Watch that thermostat. Ours rarely goes below 75 in the summer or above 68 in the winter. You'll often here me say "put on a sweater if you're cold." It's reasonable to dress according to the weather. Even inside.
5. Give your house a check up. Ask your electric company about energy check ups. Some companies will come out and walk through your house to check for energy 'wasters." They will give you ideas to cut down or stop the waste. Always check your bill (phone bill, etc.) for errors and ways to save money.
6. Use a clothesline. I have one outside for sunny days and one in the basement for not-so-sunny days. In the winter with the wood stove going in the basement, the drying clothes help to moisten the dry indoor air. And I actually like the feel and smell of clothes dried naturally.
7. Forget cable tv. We have whatever channels we can pick up with that converter box thing and an antenna that's like ten years old. If you're buying something that comes over the airwaves for free, you aren't interested in saving money.
8. Use rechargeable batteries. I know they're more expensive but trust me, they will pay off in the long run.
9. Flourescent light bulbs. Again, expensive, but well worth it.

Hope you enjoy this series. I'll cover other topics here and here as we go along and hopefully offer something useful to you! Again, feel free to leave comments and share your Frugal Friday tips!

FRUGAL FRIDAYS: Food

Frugality is something that has occupied my mind for many years. When the Hubs was in the Navy and I stayed at home with the kiddos, things were tight. We knew it would be if I stayed home, but it was a sacrifice we took seriously. So in an effort to live off his salary, we had to be FRUGAL. Let's just say, I learned as I went. I got a copy of the book The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn and still use it as reference today. Growing up on a farm helps too. We didn't have much money then, but we always had plenty to eat, clothes and shoes, good friends, and of course one thing was abundant: LOVE. So here's a series of posts about living with less, FRUGAL FRIDAY. Feel free to leave comments and share your ideas for living abundantly with less.

1. Cook from scratch. When you buy food arleady prepared, you're paying for someone else to fix your food. And they get to put whatever they want in it. We all know this right? I've known how to cook since I was really young, but not everyone grew up cooking with the family. If you're interested, take a cooking class, go online, and TRY new recipes. This is a good skill to teach your children too. All my kids know how to cook and they aren't afraid to try out a new recipe or cooking method. Pizza is just one of the things we cook at home. Getting help from little ones is fun too!
2. Eat healthy, whole foods. The basics are typically cheaper and they are better for you anyway. When your budget is bare-bones (like ours sometime is) you should seriously consider what you're buying and what it can do for you. For example, sodas are all fine and good, but they have NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. Read: you don't need them. Foods that have no nutritional value are a splurge and if you can't afford it you don't need it.
3. Drink water. And I don't mean bottled. Get a re-usable water bottle or two and keep them full in the fridge. When you go somewhere, grab one and you're good-to-go. Essentially a free, renewable beverage right there in your own kitchen. Not many people use them anymore, but there are water fountains all over the place. When you're water is gone, simply refill your bottle. I often carry a small water cooler when we go on trips to refill with good-tasting "home" water.
4. Pack lunch and make coffee at home. If you also use re-useable containers and coffee mugs, that's even better. With leftovers and simple foods, you can have a great lunch, at a fraction of the cost of food purchased out. I'm fortunate there are no "coffee houses" between my home and work. But others I know are tempted.  It's really simple to make your own and take it with you. You can plan ahead and partially pack your lunch the night before. You can get your coffee mug and the coffee pot ready too.
5. Buy inexpensive meats and cook them in the slow cooker. You can take a "cheap" cut of beef or pork, cook it all day, and you'll have the best, most tender meat ever. Also check the discount meat section in your favorite store. Trust me, it's perfectly good to eat. If not, my entire family would have died of some food disease many years ago. The key is to take it home and prepare or store it right away. I often repackage meats (in useable portions) as soon as I get home from the store. I buy large packages of ground meat and repackage in 1/4 pound to 1/2 pound amounts, put it in freezer bags and freeze. We also do this with chicken breasts and pork chops.
6. Don't eat out. This goes along with # 4 above. Food prepared in the home is less expensive than food purchased already prepared. We do occasionally splurge on a restaraunt meal, but it's a special treat, not an everyday thing. We plan ahead when we travel and take food with us.
7. Garden. This is something that we have done with various success on small city "side yards" and large country back yards. We found in the city, our side yard was just perfect for growing a few tomato plants and some peppers, but not so great for carrots or potatoes. One year, the deer ate most of our veggies in our big country back yard. Don't get me started on the issues with our soil. But we have been fairly successful in growing strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, squash/zucchini/pumpkins, watermelons, a variety of beans, and herbs. Because of time constraints of The Hubs and me, and the lack of help (kids grow up and have busy schedules), we didn't plant a garden for the last two years. We plan to again next year. Even though WE didn't grow anything, good-hearted gardener friends/family members shared these with us (all free to us): strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches, apples, cilantro, basil, mint, squash, zucchini, green bell pepper, jalepeno peppers, and sweet potatoes.
8. Go vegetarian. Meat is generally the most expensive part of any meal. So if you skip the meat once in a while, you will save some serious money. Years ago, I suggested my family have one "no-meat" or "less-meat" dinner each week. I'll tell you, The Hubs was not totally in favor of that at first. But since then we have enjoyed some yummy beans and rice dishes, hearty soups and salads. I can happily say he's now on board with it. And the kids learned that a good meal doesn't always HAVE to include meat.

Hope you enjoy this series. I'll cover other topics here as we go along and hopefully offer something useful to you! Again, feel free to leave comments and share your Frugal Friday tips!