Vehicles Can Be Such Needy Creatures!

Oh, the van. It's a love-hate relationship we have. I love the fact that it's completely paid for and that monthly payment is gone. I love that we can take friends along with us and that there is plenty of room for groceries and bags of mulch, etc. I hate the fact that it is 9 years old and needing a lot of maintenance right now!

I had the front brakes replaced last fall, paying well over $300. I was concerned at the time because when I asked about a AAA discount, the fellow said he had already given me over $400 in discounts! That just struck me funny, and I haven't been back to that repair shop. I did know, however, that it wouldn't be long before the rear brakes would need repaired. Thankfully, a fellow at our church is a mechanic, starting his own business, and this morning, he replaced the back brakes, the air filter and did an oil change, all for $300 and change. The oil change is with a new product that comes highly recommended from another mechanic at church and should last me for an entire year, which will be great!

Unfortunately.....(and you knew this was coming!) he looked at the front brakes while he was here and told me that they have maybe 10,000 miles left on them, that they are getting pretty thin. *sigh* After the bad feeling I had last fall, I'm not surprised. I also knew that I would be needing new tires before winter, but he said the rear ones are now down to the indicator strips, meaning they should be replaced sooner rather than later. He is going to be on the look-out for good used tires, and I'm okay with that.

Now, I know all this is just routine maintenance, part of the cost of owning a vehicle, but frankly, my emergency fund is running low. With my driving habits, I should be able to go at least 6 months before the front brakes need done, and hopefully I will be able to save up for that well before then. The tires? Well, I just hope he can find an inexpensive set; otherwise, we'll be heading to Sears and using the not-so-good ol' credit card.....again.

I keep telling myself if we can just make it until next February when I get my tax refund, we'll be back on solid ground. Unfortunately, on days like today, that seems like it will never happen. I know God will provide; this is just one area in my life that I have trouble fully releasing to and trusting in Him about. Sad, isn't it? At least there is overtime available this weekend, and I intend to take advantage of it! Part of His provision? I think so!

Grillin' Out

It's time for the Ultimate Recipe Swap over at http://www.lifeasmom.com/, and today we're talking about grilling out. We have a small charcoal grill, and it's becoming DS's job to get things going while I get the food ready. After all, isn't it the man's job to do the grilling? :-) So in honor of DS entering the Brotherhood of the Barbecue, here is his favorite on-the-grill meal:

Teriyaki Finger Steaks
(originally from Taste of Home magazine)

2 pounds boneless sirloin steak
1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2T minced onion
1T oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t ground ginger
1/8 t pepper

Trim fat from steak and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips; place in a large glass bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over meat and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Drain, discarding marinade. Loosely thread meat strips onto skewers. Grill over medium-hot coals, turning often, for 7-10 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness.

I like to cut shorter pieces of meat and make them into kebobs, alternating with chunks of onion, green pepper and pineapple. Yummy! It's just as delicious using chicken breast as it is beef. I also tend to cut the recipe in half, partly because DS will eat every last piece of meat, and he certainly doesn't need 2 pounds of sirloin in one sitting! and partly due to cost issues. When I do buy the larger piece of meat, I will marinate all of it, but freeze half to use at a later date. This is also a good dish to make in cooler weather, either cooking on the stove top like a stir-fry or under the broiler. No matter how you cook it, it's sure to become a favorite!

And Exactly Who Would Wear This?

That's the thought DD and I had, oh, about 50 times the other day as we were trying to find a modest swimsuit for her, and if you have a daughter over the age of 2, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about!

DD dresses extremely modestly by her own choosing: no shorts, no V-necks, no sleeveless tops, and if she absolutely must wear a swimsuit, a 1-piece with a relatively high neck and high back and something to cover her thighs. She dislikes most "bling" on her clothes and is quite happy in a simple T-shirt and jeans or capris. No floral designs or crazy patterns. She likes her Wesleyan colleges, Ohio State and Christian shirts but otherwise no advertising or anything like that. Just plain and simple.

So you can imagine all the *fun* we had while shopping for a swimsuit. Adding to the difficulty with her preferences, she is a very petite 14-year-old who still shops in the girls' department. So that automatically eliminated the Hannah Montana and Disney character suits, all the 2-piece suits, and since it's the end of May, of course the selection is down to bare bones because really, who has waited until May to buy their suit??? Shesh! After looking here in town over the past couple weeks, we headed off to a neighboring town with different stores. First stop: Old Navy. Actually found a pair of swim shorts that fit her quite nicely, but no swimsuit. They were kind enough to hold the shorts for us, so off we went to Target. Nothing there she even cared to take to the dressing room. Over to the mall. JC Penney had 2 suits she tried on, but waaaayyy too low cut in the back. Macy's had nothing but 2-piece, and then we went to Sears. What do you know, they actually had several in her size that she liked! Relatively undecorated, nicely modest and thankfully she liked the one that fit best! Wooo Hoooo! One advantage to waiting until this "late" in the season is that the suit was on sale for under $20, instead of the original price of $42. Sorry, not paying THAT much for a suit for me, much less a child who will outgrow it in one season! So, after 4 hours of shopping, we bought the suit, went back to Old Navy and got the shorts, and unbelievably, together they look like they were meant to a pair! The colors match, even the designs match. Definitely Divine Intervention!

While we had a happy, tired ending, it was a bit discouraging, as shopping for her can be. The styles of clothes for young girls sometimes just makes you sick. Cut down to here, slit up to there.....A 14-year-old certainly doesn't need to be showing a whole lot of skin, much less a 4-year-old! And yet, swimsuits with an open back below the small of the back, Daisy Duke shorts, the sweats and t-shirts with suggestive sayings, all in girls' sizes from 6-18. I find it hard to believe that parents actually let their daughters wear these things, but obviously someone does, because it's selling. Thankfully DD won't consider clothes like that because I wouldn't let her even in the dressing room with them, much less wear them at school.

I'm glad we belong to a church where the youth pastor stresses modesty in dress and the reasons for it. I'm glad my children go to a youth camp that requires modest clothing. I'm glad my children have chosen for themselves to be modest and not provocative. I can't start a revolt all by myself, but I can choose where I spend my money for clothing and on what items. And if that means we shop for for hours out of town, then that's okay. I just wish whoever is designing for teens and preteens and young girls would let them dress like girls and not like adult wannabes. They will grow up soon enough all on their own.

Tuesday's Blessings

1. Finding DD's MP3 player on the couch instead of lost at the ballfield as I feared.
2. DS enjoying his time with the men's softball team.
3. Protection from what I thought would be a certain accident with another driver crossing the center line.
4. Smooth process to the annual Local Church Convention and election of officers.
5. DS's most expensive migraine preventative medication is now generic - a savings of $25/month!
6. Spending time with church friends and getting to know them better.
7. Kroger's new rewards program that means more earnings for the kids' youth camp fund.
8. A fun time at the youth spaghetti dinner and the kids earning a good amount towards youth camp.
9. Receiving the Earth Day Giveaway that I won from Keeping the Kingdom First! It included cleaner, toilet paper, Tide detergent, a Brita water filter pitcher and a Green Machine cleaner! Plus it came in a huge box, perfect for 2 cats to snooze in!

Memorial Day Thoughts

We have a long history of military veterans in our family. On my father's side, we can trace ancestors back to the Civil War. My children have their paternal great-grandfather's World War I uniform in the family, complete with sewing kit and gas mask. The twins have gone with me every year since they were five months old to plant flowers and pay our respects to our relatives at three different cemetaries. I take this time to tell stories about grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles who have passed on before us, and it helps the kids to get to know their ancestors, most of whom they never met. This year we also took the remains of our beloved Fred, our cat who recent passed, and buried the urn at the cemetary where my parents lay. We will always be able to visit her there, no matter where we are living, and she won't be left behind.

So while we honor all those who have passed from this life, I want to especially honor family members who fought so that our country mght be free:

Great-Grandpa Oscar, World War I in Europe
Grandpa Kenneth, World War II in Europe
Aunt Mabel, World War II nurse in North Africa
Uncle Roland, World War II and Korea
Unable Alvin, World War II in Europe
And many other cousins and distant relatives who have served from the Civil War through Vietnam

Our flag flies today for you.

JVS Programs - Not Just for Students

JVS, or joint vocational schools, are a great resource for frugal families. These are high schools that target students who want to learn a trade and, in many cases, are not planning to go to a traditional 4-year college after high school graduation. Our local JVS has programs in landscaping, culinary studies, automotive technology, diesel and gas engine repair, cosmetology, engineering, welding, public safety, just to name a few. Students get their regular high school core courses but also spend part of the day training in these programs and, as seniors, have some opportunity to work in the community in their chosen fields. But while they are training, eventually they get to the point where they need opportunities outside of models and what is available in the school labs. This is where we get to the frugal part!

Our JVS offers landscaping design and installation at your home. You supply the materials; they supply the labor for free. It may not be done quickly as the students have to work within their school time, but it's a terrific opportunity for them to work in different conditions, different sizes of yards and soil conditions and with customers in addition to their instructors. The child development program operates a state-certified preschool. This carries a fee, but it is less expensive than many other preschools in our area. The automotive technology program is ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified and repairs vehicles for the cost of parts, again supplying labor for free. All work is done under the close supervision of instructors, so you don't have to worry about the quality of the work.

If you have a JVS in your community, and you most likely do, give them a call to see what services they offer. You'll be giving a student a chance to learn and gain real-world experience at price that is pleasing to your budget.

Recycling

Nowadays it's easier than ever to recycle things you don't use. Freecycle, curbside recycling, chairty programs.....there is no excuse not to recycle. Lately I've made it a mission to try to keep our trash as minimal as possible. I look at the houses nearby, and see 7 or 8 trashbags at different houses each week, and it just boggles my mind. Only once or twice a year do we ever have more than 2 bags a week (family of 3), and many times it's only 1 bag. Part of that is because we don't buy much and part is that I make sure we use what we have "to the last drop," so to speak.

To recycle more, I've done a couple things. First, I went to my city's website and looked up what can and cannot be recycled. I didn't remember that I could recycle magazines, so whenever I have a magazine that can't be passed on (usually because I've ripped out recipes or articles), it's now being recycled along with the newspaper. Second, I pay more attention to the little codes on the bottom of plastics. There are things that I presumed could not be recycled that actually can. If there is a 1 or a 2 in the triangle, you're always good, but still, check with whoever takes your recycling. Some places take 3, 4 and 5 plastics too. Third, I've recycled electronics through our local schools. In the middle school, the applied science classes spend time taking apart things to see how they work. This is great especially for things that don't work any more, like TVs, DVD players, even computer components. Vocational classes at high schools or vocational schools are thrilled to get lawn mowers and other small engine machines to take apart and work on. Your local Red Cross, women's shelter and/or homeless shelter may have a need for furniture and household goods you no longer need. And this time of year, many nonprofit organizations are thrilled to get unused items to sell at a fundraising yard sale.

There are many ways to keep things out of the landfill. Hopefully I will continue to be able to decrease our trash and even benefit others in the process.

It's Okay

It has been a rough 3 weeks. First we lost our beloved family pet, then 2 days later a car accident that was totally my fault. Then I had to deal with some issues at school with my daughter, my son is being picked on in his classes and doesn't want to finish out the school year, and then yesterday DD had a blow-up with her best friend that just crushed her. Finances are tight, the house needs some repairs, and no one's job is safe any more. The kids face bullies and drug users in the school and a drug dealer next door. And oh, did I ever mention I'm a single mom raising twin teens??? Some days I can hardly deal with my own problems, let alone the things my kids are facing. As a Christian, I know that God will work all these things for good and that He will give me strength. Intellectually I know that, and I trust in that, but some days it's very hard to live that out.

In our Sunday School class at church, we just spent several weeks discussing emotional healing and how to deal with hurts. Our teacher strongly emphasized the need to hand our issues over to God as soon as possible, and I agree with that. But sometimes I think we also need to allow ourselves the freedom to feel bad. To cry, to be upset, and yes, to feel down in the dumps. Personally I have recently come to believe that if you hold emotions in and don't deal with them when they happen, then it becomes all the more difficult to give them completely and finally to God and you can end up still dealing with them years down the road. I also believe you have to examine situations for what role you might have played in the situation and own up to anything you may or may not have done, and that's hard too. The key is to know when your grieving - and you do grieve hurts; after all, you have probably lost relationships and/or trust, which can be a tremendous loss - turns into picking. Picking at that hurt, that loss and dredging up the hurts and resentment and harsh feelings instead of forgiveness and release. It's a fine line, and it's different for every person in every situation.

All I know for sure is, if you don't deal with it and give yourself permission to feel how you do, you'll never completely hand things over to God. He understands why you feel the way you do. He will be there with you through all of it, and He will willingly take on your burdens when you hand them over to him. It's okay to feel bad today, to cry, to be angry or upset, but don't hang onto it too long. God is just waiting to lift your burdens, and you will be amazed at how good that can feel.

Tackle a Pile Tuesday

I haven't done a Tackle-A-Pile Tuesday in a while. The purpose is to self-stated: look for a pile of something in your home and take care of it. Laundry, paperwork to be filed, coupons to sort, mending, any pile that has been taken up residence and needs to disappear!

I'm actually working on 2 piles today: One pile of things that needs to go to church for the youth group yard sale and my pile of lists. The first pile is relatively small but will make a big difference visually when it's in the van and out of the dining room. The second pile, while smaller visually, will make a big difference in my organization. You see, I love lists, just love 'em! I generally have multiple grocery lists (my day planner, on the refrigerator, several of them categorized by store sales), multiple to-do lists (today, this week, this month), my lists of goals (monthly and yearly), lists of books I want from the library, Christmas lists of things my kids want and of things I want to get other people, lists pertaining to the house (what will need to be replaced in the relatively near future, unfinished projects, things I need a handyman for), lists pertaining to work, etc., etc. I almost need a list to keep track of all my lists! lol

Today my plan is to consolidate these lists. I have a purse-sized notebook I will keep at my desk (bought from the Dollar Store many years ago when I was doing Children's Talks at our former church), and I plan to transfer many of my long-term lists into the notebook. My grocery lists need to be consolidated (and matched to coupons), and I need to transfer my short-term lists to my dayplanner. Some of this I can do while waiting for DS at the orthodontist's office this afternoon; the rest I can do later in the evening. It won't take long to do either pile, but it will make a world of difference. What pile are you going to tackle?

Kroger's Community Rewards

For quite a while, Kroger's has had a community rewards program, where they would rebate back to your nonprofit organization 5% of your spending. I believe this started out with buying gift certifcates, then they switched it to using their reloadable gift cards. Jus this month, they have modified it again, and it is so much better! It is now FINALLY attached to your Kroger Plus card. I used to load my gift card every pay day, but it never failed that a couple days before the next paycheck, I would need $10-15 of stuff and was in too big a hurry to reload the card, or I would forget how much was on the card and was afraid of using it all up and invalidating the card. Grandpa also had a gift card that assigned to the kids, but he would forget to use it. Now that doesn't matter. All we had to do was go online and sign up for or update our Kroger accounts and specify our church youth organization in the Community Rewards area. My brother in Cincinnati has even signed up for us!

This is such a great deal. It doesn't cost anything extra outside of what you already spend at Krogers, and last year, even just with myself and Grandpa, the kids received enough from the rewards program to pay for half their camp fees. I'm so excited to see what will happen next year! (It's too late to make much difference for camp next month.) We have 5 families (including us) who are participating, so I am hopeful that, between the Kroger rewards and other fundraisers, we won't have much out-of-pocket camp cost. What a blessing!

Reviewing Memberships

When my kids were young, we had several different activity memberships, mainly the Columbus Zoo and COSI (Center of Science and Industry). These memberships saved us quite a bit of money because we visited these places so often, and free admission, free parking and food discounts made it very worthwhile. Even when we traveled, reciprocal agreements with other zoos and science centers allowed us to see different attractions for free. Now that my kids are teens, we haven't actually been to a zoo in several years, and we maybe get to COSI once a year for a special exhibit. That makes those memberships not such a good deal for us any more.

The only membership I continue to pay for is with AAA. We travel quite a bit, and I appreciate the security that comes with knowing they are just a phone call away, no matter where we are. One of the benefits of AAA is getting their travel magazine. Besides giving us information on not only local day trips but longer vacation ideas, they always have an abbreviated list of some of the places where your AAA membership will score you discounts. I have always been aware of discounts on amusement park and sporting tickets, but I tend to completely forget about discounts at stores! With AAA's Show Your Card and Save program, I could be saving 10% at my local florist or at my daughter's favorite shoe store, Payless. I could be saving $1 per ticket on the occasions that we do go back to COSI. And I could save up to 30% on eyeglasses at Sears, just by remembering to show that card.

It only takes a few minutes to pull out your membership cards and refresh your memory on what additional benefits and reciprocal agreements you have available. It's all about getting the most for your money and taking advantage of opportunities you have already paid for!

Head on over to http://www.lifeasmom.com/ for more Frugal Friday ideas! And happy anniversary, Life As Mom!

Filling a Shoebox in May

Summer is just around the corner, and it's time for planning vacations, trips to the lake and fun days in the sun. So it's only logical that we think about Christmas, too, right? :-) Of course, that's right. Being the frugal people that we are, we're always on the lookout for Christmas deals year 'round. If I see something that is an incredible bargain and I think someone on my list would love it, I grab it, whether it's May or December. So it hit me just a few minutes ago, why not start shopping for our shoeboxes that we fill for Operation Christmas Child? (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/) This is a ministry run by evangelist Billy Graham's son Franklin, and it's mission is to send shoeboxes filled with goodies to underdeveloped areas of the world and distribute those boxes to children with the intention that these children and their families see God's love in action.

In the past, we've gone to the Dollar Store in late November and picked up many items for these boxes. My daughter likes to choose the teen girl category and so picks out things she would like, hair accessories, lotion, self-contained craft kids, jewelry, hard candy, etc. We also add personal hygiene items, and we try to find something religious, like a cross necklace or nonbreakable figurine, too. Sometimes the pickings are slim, so why not start now? If we spend just $5 at the Dollar Store between now and the collection date at our church in November, we could probably fill several boxes and as a bonus, alleviate some of the usual stress from the Christmas budget. In addition, we will also get a variety of items to choose from, including summer toys and things children can use outside.

I think we'll be adding one more store to our rounds this weekend, and I'll bet we have a lot of fun!

Landscaping on a Budget

A wise friend of the family once told us that when it comes to developing your yard, to have a 5-year plan and not to do everything at once. That's very true, but it has turned out my 5-year plan has turned to 10 years! I have high hopes for landscaping my yard but very little ability or, frankly, desire to do a lot of high maintenance work.

If you were to peek into my backyard right now, you would think I was only a few months into my plans instead of 7 years! There is no patio or brick walkway, little in the way of plants, and it really just looks a little blah. My backyard is basically all shade or partly shady. There is no one area that would get more than 4 hours of sun in the summer, so that limits a bit what I can do. The plants that are growing will be divided over the coming years and planted in different areas of the yard. I've started with a corner here, along the house there, but I think in another year or two, it will come together. In the meantime, there are a few things I can do inexpensively to keep my yard looking nice.

First, mow! It takes me 35 minutes to mow the entire front, back and side yards. It's good exercise, although I plan on getting DS involved this season. It's the easiest way to keep the yard looking nice and neat. Second, keep the weeds under control. Whether by using the weedwhacker or weed killer or plan hand-pulling, this again is a simple and inexpensive way to keep the yard looking nice. Third, take care of the plants that I do have, especially those I want to divide and transplant in the future. A little rainwater from my jug collection and a little fertilizer twice a month, and things will look full and healthy.I didn't plant flowers last year; I just didn't have the money for it, but if I do this year, it is much more inexpensive to buy a flat and plant them in my own baskets rather than pay for a pre-planted basket. I have plenty of hanging baskets at home, and on my last brief basement cleanup, I noticed several bags of potting soil I had forgotten about. Maybe I'll give myself a $5 challenge and see what I can do with that for flowers this year.

My biggest expense will be mulch. I think a conservative estimate will be 10 bags needed for the front and back. This I will probaby get over several weeks. If I put down a layer of newspaper under the mulch, that will help increase water retention and cut down on weeds, again making for a nicer looking plant bed. I'll do the front yard first, since that is what most people see. Then, once all the mulch is bought, I'll take about $4 in quarters and go over to the do-it-yourself car wash and use their power vacuums. Even though I will lay down a drop cloth before putting the mulch in the van, there will still be a bit that sneaks out, I'm sure, and after a long winter, it's nice to have the van vacuumed and ready for summer.

Now, if I can just convince myself that I can dig and lay a patio.....maybe it will be a good family project???? ;-)

Tuesday's Blessings

Usually I just make a list of blessings for this semi-regular series, but these past few days, there have been a few blessings I would like to write a bit more on.

1. DS and DD. I have 2 awesome kids. Yes, they are teenagers, and there are *some days*..... ;-) but I love them to pieces. We had a fire here in town a few days back that very sadly took the lives of 2 young children. It gave this particular Mother's Day a whole new meaning.

2. My church family. We have been attending this church for a bit over 3 years now, and I am still amazed at how much at home I feel here. We came from the church I had been born into, and I never felt this accepted and loved there. I am reminded of this again not only with the great time we had at the Mother's Day banquet, but also by my Sunday School teacher (also an assistant part-time pastor) who asked if he could pick up my mower and have it serviced for me by a student at the high school where he teaches. It is just overwhelming sometimes to be a part of a fellowship of true believers who actually live their lives for Christ not just on Sundays but very day.

3. A Target gift card. This was such a surprise. I have worked for my current employer for almost 7 years, and they have never done anything to recognize us for Medical Transcriptionists Week or even Christmas aside from a "thanks, you're great" email. In yesterday's postal mail, there was an envelope from them, and inside was a note saying they wanted to acknowledge the staff's hard work with a token of appreciation, enclosing a $15 Target card. I'm still a little flabbergasted! We don't have a Target in town, but I'm sure I can force myself down to Columbus to go shopping sometime! lol

Saving More on Groceries

I have lived frugally all of my adult life, some 20+ years. I've always used coupons, bought generic when generic wasn't as good a quality as it is today, and shopped the clearance racks. With today's grocery prices rising and income either keeping steady or decreasing, it's getting harder and harder to keep my grocery budget in line. In fact, that part of my budget is usually where I fail the most, but I am slowly finding ways to help keep food costs at least a little more manageable.

1. Saying *No.* DD likes to go to the grocery store with me. Frankly, I can save easily a minimum of $20 when going by myself versus taking one or both kids with me, but I like to have her come for a couple reasons. First, it's good training for her, and second, we have some awesome conversations while out and about! However....she is very good at seeing snack foods that she wants me to buy. We haven't started the teen grocery budget yet, but I've started to enforce a rule that I have had since the twins were very young. They are each allowed one request or treat, something that is not on my list but that they really want, and only one. For a while, I was slacking off on this and letting them have 3 or 4 different treats. Now, if DD picks something, I warn her that this is her treat and that she can't get something else later at a different store. Even going through one store, she will ask if she can get additional items, and I will just ask, "Do you want X or do you want to go put Y back?" She is always free to purchase items with her own allowance, but more often than not, she just sticks to the one treat. I have control back of my budget, and both kids feel like they are getting something I wouldn't otherwise buy if I went alone.

2. It is so frustrating to buy things at the store that in my mind are for solely for school lunches, only to turn around 1 or 2 days later, and that food item be gone. Not that DS is a growing boy or anything! ;-) It finally dawned on me to start setting aside snacks and lunch items in a separate place not easily accessible to the kids to see if that made a difference, and by golly, it does! I now now keep these items in my room in a bag in my room, where I can grab them in the mornings on my way to the kitchen. They are handy for me but a little more out of the way for the kids. Lunch items are now lasting longer, and snacks can be moved to the pantry as needed. The kids have more variety in their lunches, and I'm no longer racking my brain the last 2-3 days before a paycheck arrives, wondering what I'm going to put in their lunches.

3. Take advantage of the database at http://www.hotcouponworld.com/. I follow several blogs that do a wonderful job of matching up weekly sales with coupons, and that alone has saved me a lot of money. But occasionally we all have things that we need to get that aren't on sale. So after checking out the blogs, I head over to the coupon database at Hot Coupon World. It's very easy to search for a specific item, and many times, I'll find what I'm looking for. I'm putting in maybe 5 minutes extra in my grocery shopping preparation time, but it is well worth the savings.

No Rain Barrel? No Problem!

It's Frugal Friday again over at www.lifeasmom.com. Now that it's spring, I'm seeing more articles on making your own rain barrel to save water for outdoor use. I would love to have a rain barrel, but right now my budget is so tight, that's not an option. That doesn't mean, however, that I can't use the same principle - it's just going to take a little extra work. Emphasis on *little*!

So I don't have a barrel. That's okay. I DO have several buckets, and I DO have plenty of milk jugs. We had plenty of rain at the end of last week, and my buckets were out in the yard, collecting rain water. After the clouds passed, I poured that water into empty, clean milk jugs, capped them and put them in the basement. So far I have 3 full jugs. It's not much, but every bit helps, and my collection will continue to be replenished throughout the season.

It's a simple way to use things I already have, and I think the rain water makes my plants grow better than city water. Some day I might have that rain barrel (or two!), but for now, this works quite well. I'm going to head on over to www.lifeasmom.com and see what other frugal ideas are posted. Why don't you join me?

Mother-Daughter Banquet

Tonight we are setting up for the Mother-Daughter banquet at church, which is set for Saturday night. The men cook and serve, and there is always good entertainment, music, a puppet performance (our puppet team is well known in our denomination), a hilarious skit and a speaker. It's a very nice evening out. This year, the theme is something along the lines of "Mother's Best Bargains," and I was asked to help with one of the tables. Each lady in charge of a table is to bring in something in their home that they no longer use or would be selling in a yard sale for the centerpiece. This will then become a door prize for someone sitting at that table. We are also responsible for a little favor for each place setting and napkin rings.

I decided to bring in a picnic basket that I have not used in probably 6 years. For being in our damp basement, it is in remarkably good shape. It is the size of a small overnight suitcase and contains plates, cups and silverware along with a blanket. A quick wash of everything, and it is good to go. For my favors, I decided on a votive with candle. I had hoped to find citronella candles but couldn't find anything in my price range. We hot-glued blue and red ribbons on the candle holder to coordinate with the blue and red blanket. I also got a bag of Hershey minis and a bag of glow-in-the-dark bugs for any young girls that might be at the table. After all, you can't have a picnic without chocolate and bugs! haha For the napkin ring, I had hoped to bend spoons into a circle, but that was harder than I thought it would be. The stem of the spoon (where you hold it) must have an extra piece of metal in it to make it strong. The part where the spoon meets the stem bent easily, but even after heating the metal (by boiling), the stem didn't bend. So my daughter and I went and got 2 sheets of plaid scrapbooking paper, again to coordinate with the blanket in the basket, and we'll just wrap that around the napkin.

If you don't count the spoons (DD took off all the tags and such before I could stop her, so I can't return them), I spent about $10 for my table, which I think is pretty good. I am anxious to see what the other ladies have come up with. Now, I need to find a craft to use 10 tablespoons in!

It's a Mental Block

I have an emergency fund. It's not fully loaded, but it's there. So why can't I bring myself to use it? Last week was not a good one, emotionally or financially. At best, the financial cost will be at least $350; at worst, $700. I put the vet costs on the Visa, in part because I was so upset I couldn't have written a legible check, but it would have been just as easy to use the debit card and transfer money from the emergency fund. I still have 2 weeks before the fine from my car accident is due, and I'm hoping to be able to send a check in for that and not pull from the EF. Both these expenses, in my opinion, would qualify for using the EF. They were unforeseen (well, the fine at least) and have to be taken care of. In fact, I would advise someone else in the same situation to use the EF; that's what it is there for.

So what am I afraid of? Why can't I bring myself to use it? Part of it is security; I like the fact that it is there, and I'm afraid that as soon as I use it, something more important will come up and I will need more than what is there. Part of it is habit to use the Visa as an emergency fund. (I definitely need to get that card out of my wallet again.) But there is something else I just can't put my finger on. Is it lack of faith that God will take care of my needs? Is it lack of faith in my ability to provide for my family? Or something completely different? I don't know, but I wish I could figure it out. I do know if I have to pull $100 from it to pay this fine, I will feel horrible, and I don't want to feel that way. I want to feel relief that it is there when I need it, not guilty that I have to use it. How can I change my feelings about this?

Tuesday's Blessings

1. Blue Jays in the back yard almost daily.
2. No injuries in our accident.
3. Information from the police officer who responded to the accident.
4. DS had a good time at the jr. high retreat.
5. DS enjoying being with the guys at the softball game.
6. Specific prayer being answered for DS on Friday.

May Goals

1. Make extra payment to Mastercard.
2. Deposit to savings.
3. Extra $20 to Christmas fund.
4. Complete 2 chapers of Revelation Bible study.
5. Complete 1 unfinished project.
6. Complete a cross-stitch project.
7. Inexpensive fun day with the kids.
8. Look into selling inherited jewelry.

April Goals Update

So how did April go? Let's see....

1. Extra payment to Mastercard. done!
2. $100 to savings. $50 done.
3. Two chapers of my Revelations Bible study. *sigh* no
4. Complete one unfinished craft/home improvement project. done!
5. Sell game table. not yet
6. Finalize date for vacation and reserve accommodations. Have the date, trying to get rooms
7. Bake cookies using the cookie book DS gave me for Christmas. no
8. Set aside $20 for extra Christmas fund. done!

Well, kinda got half of them done. I would have put more in savings, but with the fine for the accident, there was no use to put it in and then take it right back out. I'm also still trying to get more than an answering machine to make reservations. Makes me wonder when you can't get them to return a phone call!

We'll keep plugging along in May. I feel like it is 1 step forward and 3 steps back right now, though. I am trying to trust God and know He is taking care of us, but it's very hard to let go of wanting to be in control.