Energy Savers: Install a Timer and Use Off-Peak Power for Electric Water Heaters

Energy Savers: Install a Timer and Use Off-Peak Power for Electric Water Heaters

The Frugal Fashionista- 20 Ways to Save Money on Fashion and Clothing

This is a thorough post with great ideas! Click here.

In addition to the ideas shared at the above link, you can shop online via places like the bing.com(cash back) search engine, then pull together an outfit by using Polyvore's clipper from your toolbar. This clipper plucks items (price and location included) and saves it to your Polyvore site. You can then drag them into the style box to mix and match your own style. It's so much easier to window shop this way; you can see everything together, ponder, and reduce your chances of mistake buys. Some shopping sites provide helpful customer reviews for clothing items. I like to see everything I find online in one spot. It's also a good way to comparison shop.

Even if you shop thrift stores, Polyvore is a good tool for researching current fashion or style. I've gotten a few modest fashion ideas from style combinations that others have put together and shared at Polyvore. Veteran thrift store shoppers know that you have to work with what you find, so it helps to have some creative ideas filed away in memory.

Government Benefits Questionaire and Resources

I took this 92 question quiz and was surprised to find some eligible benefits, and it wasn't just benefits, some results where informational resources. This is a great resource for students needing scholarship information, resources for special home loans(some I never knew existed!), emergency grants, student internships, Parent Information and Resource Centers, job training, assistance for children with developmental delays, government breaks for persons working in high poverty areas(serving the poor), etc. The results are based on your answers.


Take questionnaire here.

Easy Ways to Save Money for Beginners

30 Easy Ways to Save Money.

Also see: Little Steps: 100 Great Tips For Saving Money For Those Just Getting Started

Clark Howard Work at Home Help

"Clark gets tons of calls from people who would like to do database or customer service work out of their homes. The problem is that there are many ripoff work-from-home outfits that claim they will find you work for an upfront fee. They are just trying to make a quick buck off you. Below are some sites Clark has checked out and determined to be legitimate. Of course, you should check them out thoroughly yourself before getting involved." Read the rest here.

Personal Finance Calculators

How far will my salary go in another city?

When will you be a millionaire?

Check your financial health

Bartering On The Rise

10 tricks for swapping your way to free stuff:  "Whatever it is you’re interested in bartering — from clothes to books to DVDs to home repairs — it’s relatively easy to find people who live near you and who share similar interests. Try these sites: Meetup.com; U-Exchange.com; the barter section of Craigslist for your area; BabysitterExchange.com, which can help you swap baby-sitting services with people in your area; and The Freecycle Network, which advocates gifting to help the environment and may be able to direct you to local trading or bartering organizations."

I wouldn't feel comfortable with the babysitting services, but the other exchanges look interesting. We've done a bit of bartering recently; my husband worked for some minor home repairs. We also know someone  who owns a small  farm. We'll be bartering our used children's clothing and homeschool materials for fresh eggs and other farm goodies.

Freecycle.com  is not a bartering site, but if your Freecycle is anything like ours, you are expected to give as well as receive. So it becomes sort of a collective bartering experience. People get to know you there, and it's very easy to know who is reliable, and who is not. The ones who develop reputations for not picking up items tend to get glossed over. The same is true of the ones who constantly ask for items, but never offer them. Trading happens among the reliable givers and receivers.

Making no-cash deals with neighbors

When in doubt, barter(budget travel)

Short list of bartering sites and here.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I had my yearly mammogram this week. Take care to get one every year if recommended by your doctor.

Women age 40 and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years.
 
Women who are at higher than average risk of breast cancer should talk with their health care providers about whether to have mammograms before age 40 and how often to have them.

Learn more here.

HT to Elizabeth

Seven Reasons for Skipping Secular Halloween

Click here.




All Saints Day Ideas(November 1)

Solemnity of All Saints
Also called All Hallows
Observed by Catholic Church,
Eastern Orthodox churches( Mark All Saints Day on the Sunday after Pentecost),
Anglican Communion,
Lutheranism,
Methodism,
among other Protestant denominations

Origin of the name:

The term Halloween, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows' Even – e'en is a shortening of even, which is a shortening of evening. This is ultimately derived from the Old English Eallra Hālgena ǣfen. It is now known as "Eve of" All Saints' Day, which is November 1st.

A time of pagan festivities, Popes Gregory III (731–741) and Gregory IV (827–844) tried to supplant it with the Christian holiday (All Saints' Day) by moving it from May 13 to November 1. 

Others believe that the date of All Souls Day(All Hallows' Eve) and pagan festivals coinciding was merely coincidental(no ulterior motive behind it), or that it was moved to better feed the pilgrims(harvest time) coming to Rome. Whatever the motivations, the move from May 13th to November first was a deliberate one, and the effect was the Christianization of the pagan festivals. With the waning of Christian faith in secular society, Halloween has lost its meaning. Very few people understand or celebrate Halloween as a religious celebration, making the movement away from its current form completely understandable among the faithful.

In the 800s, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were once(not now) celebrated on the same day.

How Halloween can be Redeemed.

Quick and Easy Dinner: Chili Turkey Over Rice

It's been a long week, and I'm looking for an easy dinner. Tonight I made a Chili Turkey meal over rice with a jar Hormel's Chili Master Chipotle Chicken with Beans sauce. Simply fry up a pound of ground turkey, add the jar with a can of diced tomatoes, and serve over rice. Easy, good, and fairly healthy.

Chili Master Chipotle Chicken with Beans

* Serving Size: 247g
* Servings Per Containers: Varied
* Per Serving:
* Calories: 240
* Calories from Fat: 60
* Total Fat: 7g
* Saturated Fat: 2g
* Cholesterol: 50mg
* Sodium: 970mg
* Total Carbohydrate: 28g
* Dietary Fiber: 7g
* Sugars: 7g
* Protien: 17g
* Vitamin A: 10%
* Vitamin C: 6%
* Calcium: 8%
* Iron: 8%

* Made with Dark Chicken - Smoke Flavoring Added Ingredients: Dark Chicken Meat, Water, Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Water, Tomato Paste), Black Beans, Corn, Chili Seasoning (Spices, Paprika, Sugar, Salt, Flavoring), Dehydrated Onions, Modified Cornstarch, Salt, Flavoring, Jalapeno Peppers (Contains Salt, Acetic Acid), Dehydrated Bell Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers (Contains Vinegar), Sugar, Spices, Chipotle Peppers, Smoke Flavoring.

With the exception of the flavoring(artificial?), not bad for prepared food.

Southern Foods: Easy Hoppin John's Casserole Recipe

I was feeling uninspired about dinner today until I came upon a can of healthy Margaret Holmes  Hoppin' John at the grocery store. Even better, the can had a recipe on the side. So I picked up some sausage, and made a very easy, but tasty recipe tonight.

Hoppin' John Casserole:

2 cans of Hoppin' John
One TB vegetable shortening
Hot sauce
Ground sausage(less preservatives and junk) or thick bacon
Brown Sugar
Seasoned salt(Adobo)

Melt vegetable shortening on the bottom of casserole dish, add two cans of Hoppin' John's, spread sausage on top, lightly salt with Adobo, sprinkle with brown sugar and hot sauce, bake at 400 for about 30 minutes.

Typically this is served over rice, but I served mine over sour cream muffin tin biscuits, Paula Dean style(substituted with vegetable shortening, rather than butter). It is a very filling meal. I had mine with only half a small biscuit.. This was plenty!

The only thing I might change next time is to add a can of succotash.

I use vegetable shortening very rarely. Some dishes or baked goods just aren't the same without it though, biscuits and pie crust especially.

Homeschool Freebie: Fanciful Tales by Frank Richard Stockton

Fanciful Tales
Authors Frank Richard Stockton, Julia Elizabeth Langworthy
Editor Julia Elizabeth Langworthy
Publisher C. Scribner's Sons, 1904
Length 135 pages

As recommended by Special Method in the Reading of Complete English Classics, 1904. Recommended for fourth grade, but great for read aloud for younger and older elementary aged children.

William's Wife by Jean Plaidy

William's Wife (The Queens of England Series , Vol 9)

I'm continuing to read through Jean Plaidy's historical fictions. I've been reading Plaidy's books written about the women of the families of  Charles I and Charles II. This particular book is about King James II's(brother to Charles II) Mary who was married to William of Orange(Netherlands). She later went on to rule England as  Mary II and as co-regent with her husband William. The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia was charted in 1693, endowed and named in their honor.

I feel like I know these families so well now. Plaidy has a very sympathetic balanced way of portraying her characters, and many of her books are written in first person.

This book has been recently republished under a new title,  The Queen's Devotion: The Story of Queen Mary II (A Queens of England Novel).

I hope to finish this soon so that I can go on to read about Mary's sister, Queen Anne: The Queen's Favourites (The Stuart Saga #7), the last regent of the House of Stuart. Neither Mary or Anne had any surviving children.

From Wikipedia: "Mary's life from her childhood to her death forms part of the BBC drama series The First Churchills (1969) " I've got this on queue at Netflix.

Holiday Gift Giving: Heifer International

HT to Lola for making me aware of this organization. Much like Samaritan's Purse, Heifer International mails out a gift catalog for needy people in developing countries. Heifer International was founded by The Brethen Churh, German Baptists, much like Mennonites, and part of the "peace churches." Heifer International does not evangelize, but rather does Christ's work, providing simple Christian witness through their works.

Grade "A" from Ministry Watch.

Anti-wrinkle Cream and Human Fetal Material

Gross! Aborted Fetal Material Used in NEOCUTIS Anti-Wrinkle Creams. No thanks!

Holiday Giving: Catholic Relief Services

"We ask that you bless...
the families who must struggle each day beneath an unbearable yoke of poverty,
the farmers who toil in the fields to ease the intense hunger of their children,
those affected by disease or sickness,
the people rendered homeless by the ravages of storms and the brunt of war.
Amen. "

Per Ministry Watch: Five out of five stars for efficiency rating and a grade A for transparency.

Mission Statement:

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as we act to:

• Promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and,
• Serve Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, we work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality.

Browse Catholic Relief Services Gift Catalog(online only).

Samaritan's Purse Christmas Shopping

We received the Samaritan's Purse Christmas shopping catalog today. It is filled with wish lists for people in developing countries. Some of them are very affordable such as $4.00 for milk, $7.00 for a hot meal, $6.00 for blankets, or $14.00 for baby chickens. There are gifts which help people earn a living, gifts for medical needs, gifts for compassion, and gifts of faith. My oldest was able to read through the catalog and select his own gift for a child; in the process, he began to understand the nature of life in developing countries, and the impact of his help. A very small amount can mean a huge blessing to a family.

Ratings for Samaritan's Purse at Ministry Watch

Loneliness of Soul

There are three schools of suffering, each with its own special blessing to bestow: physical, mental, and the inner school which lies behind them both: loneliness of soul. Physical suffering makes for tenderness of heart and a patient judgment. Mental suffering gives a deepened sympathy, an active influence that, when "lifted up, draws all things to itself."

But loneliness of soul does more than this; it gives independence and strength. Even in the natural plane, it secures liberty of spirit, it develops clearness of judgment, and it enforces power of will. But this is by no means all....Loneliness of soul gives wisdom– that breadth of vision that belongs to him who sees the entire valley from the hilltop. Loneliness of soul gives understanding– that further power of seeing beneath the surfaces of life. Loneliness of soul gives counsel to sustain another, and fortitude to endure its own burden. All the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit come through and are fostered by loneliness of soul.

~ from Spiritual Excellence by Alban Goodier

Shared from Elena's blog, Fountain of Elias.

Polyvore Fashion Helper

Search, select, and drag clothing from across the web with Polyvore to create an outfit or collection. This was my first attempt, and it was fun. You can adjust the pricing, the backgrounds can be customized, and you can browse other people's creations. I enjoyed searching sets by clothing piece and color.

Boho Chic by Alexandraboho featuring Old Navy

and another:

Frugal Bohemian by Alexandraboho featuring Old Navy

Keep Your Car Smelling Fresh!

I discovered a rather obvious way to keep the car smelling fresh after I left some handmade Mexican soap in the front seat! I got a few bars of this freshly scented soap from Pier One, on sale for only .75 cents. I must go back for more because the bars are staying in the car. It has been so nice to step into a car which smells like a cross between the ocean and fresh limes!

Stinky car? Leave a few bars of strongly scented soap under the seat.

Friday Night Movie: Ostrov (The Island )

I finally saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and then Friday I received another unusual movie from Netflix, Ostrov (The Island), NTSC version with English subtitles (2006). It is a Russian "Art House" movie with subtitles, and I thought it would be too heavy(dark and cerebral) for a relaxed Friday evening. It was actually a very good movie which kept my interest throughout. If you are Catholic or Orthodox you'll identify with the monastic themes of purgation through suffering, the dark night of the soul, redemption, and freeing oneself of all earthly desires in order to become one in the spirit. You'll get all the heavy deep stuff on a deeply personal level. This would be a nice movie to view during Lent.

Overview from Netflix:
"Father Anatoli (portrayed by former Russian rock star Pyotr Mamonov) lives a hermit like existence in a remote Russian Orthodox monastery, where he's visited by people who believe he has the power to heal, see the future and exorcise demons. But Anatoli's odd behavior confuses his fellow monks, who are unaware that he's tortured by a past sin and considers himself an unworthy fraud. Pavel Lungin directed this poignant parable." The filming location was the city of Kem, Karelia on the shores of the White Sea.

The next movie in my queue, Slum Dog Millionare.

All Natural Soap and Razor Dish

Beach shells collected on a walk make nice soap and razor dishes:

Peanut Butter Bread Recipe

I saw this recipe in an Amish cookbook and thought I'd give it a try. I changed the recipe by adding some extra ingredients -  leftover applesauce(about a cup), and a little extra milk and flour. It came out very good! The kiddos loved it, and next time I may add some chocolate powder to make it like Nutella bread.

Peanut Butter Bread

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2/3 cup all natural peanut butter

Mix dry, then add wet ingredients, mix thoroughly, bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Weight Loss Progess

We've been fighting off colds lately, so I've not been working out as much. I don't want to run myself down for fear of getting Swine Flu. This inactivity means that I've gained weight It's just not fair. I eat like a normal person, actually better than average, and I still gain weight. These past two weeks week I indulged in ice cream once, Chinese food once, and a few pieces of pizza, and I gained four pounds!

This week I'm back to working out on the treadmill and eating salads. Apparently, my over-forty body will not allow me to enjoy regular food. I must never eat desserts, never have pizza, never enjoy a little Chinese fried rice. I can only eat a very small breakfast, salad for lunch, and a tiny portion for dinner with little or no starchy carbs such as rice or mashed potatoes. Oh, and certain fruits make me gain. I can't eat bananas anymore, just an apple, or a tiny fruit salad consisting of a melon mix.



Okay, I am done whining.  

Homeschool Freebie: Children's Vintage Illustrated Autumn Reader

There is no mention of grade, but I think it may be advanced second grade, early third. These books are free to read online, download, or print(right click on image of page). Pages are printable as long as you have them set on HTML(bottom of Google Book pages). I've linked the pages defaulted to HTML. The standard mode allows scrolling through the pages, but excludes printable pages.

Peter and Polly in Autumn by Rose Lucia
American Book Co., 1918
Length 176 pages


Also see:

Peter and Polly in Winter

Peter and Polly in Spring

Peter and Polly in Summer

Peter and Polly Dolls, not related, but cute vintage craft activity for the lower grades.

Kindness Gathers Love

"A tree is known by its fruit;

a man by his deeds.

A good deed is never lost;

he who sows courtesy reaps friendship,

and he who plants kindness gathers love."

St. Basil

Sharing from Micki's blog.

Bathroom Remodel Progress

It's slow going, but the wallpaper is down, walls have been prepped, seams caulked, and today we got some paint.

Sears has some quality paint, so we went with their Easy Living brand. I found some paint chips that I liked at Walmart, and Sears was able to match the color with the paint chips. We are going with some contemporary  neutrals. The walls and the dark stained wood cabinet are going to be painted. I thought about keeping the dark cabinet color(Pottery Barn comes to mind), but they are pretty old and grubby looking. The wood is solid, and they have some nice drawers which you don't find in modern cabinets. A fresh paint job should make them look new again.


The next big step is to replace the floor with some simple white or off-white tiles, which should be fairly easy with only about 20 square feet around the cabinet and in front of the tub, and replace the toilet. I know this is chuckled at by some, but I've always wanted one of those Lucite toilet seats with stuff embedded in them. When I was a child I remember some lady friends of my grandmother had them in their 'Boca Florida homes, so there is a nostalgia factor there.

They also had pink homes, wore boutique pant suits and rhinestones in their glasses, but I draw the line there(giggle).

Then early next year, we'll fix the fiberglass tub which will cost over $300.00 to get it done properly, or risk paint peel.

Sears on Easy Living paint: "Mildew and stain resistant low odor formula with low spatter. Washable finish. Limited lifetime warranty with one coat coverage guaranteed." It has good reviews online as well.

Some Sears paint deals:

If you are purchasing plain white paint from Sears, it's less expensive to order online via Ebates.com(2% rebate). It's also $4.00 off when purchased online at Sear.com.

Discover Card rewards has a $5.00 bonus when you redeem points for a $45.00 Sears gift card, and 5% Sears cashback online at the Discover shopping portal. Mypoints.com also offers Sears gift cards for redeemed points(low point threshold). If you sign up for Sears emails, you'll get coupons and discount notifications.

Family Rules

The 21 Rules Of This House
by Gregg Harris

1. We obey God.
2. We love, honor and pray for one another.
3. We tell the truth.
4. We consider one another's interests ahead of our own.
5. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.
6. We do not hurt one another with unkind words or deeds.
7. When someone needs correction, we correct him in love.
8. When someone is sorry, we forgive him.
9. When someone is sad, we comfort him.
10. When someone is happy, we rejoice with him.
11. When we have something nice to share, we share it.
12. When we have work to do, we do it without complaining.
13. We take good care of everything that God has given us.
14. We do not create unnecessary work for others.
15. When we open something, we close it.
16. When we take something out, we put it away.
17. When we turn something on, we turn it off.
18. When we make a mess, we clean it up.
19. When we do not know what to do, we ask.
20. When we go out, we act just as if we were in this house.
21. When we disobey or forget any of the 21 Rules of This House, we accept
the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Shared from Anne's blog.

Decorating with Drop Cloths

 See frugal and creative decorating ideas using painter's drop cloth here. Read the comments at the link for more ideas.

We recovered a sofa and used drop cloths for drapes; however, I really like the way they pinch pleated these drop cloth drapes. I draped mine over the rod and created over hanging billows with pins, but I've been thinking about using the ring clips for a contemporary and updated look.

Homeschool Writing Skills e-Curricula and Freebies

Free e-curriculum offered at CurrClick, "Your one-stop shop for electronic lapbooks, affordable curriculum, and homeschooling resources. Unit study, novel study, bargin home study online downloads for home education!"

Also at CurrClick, although not free, it looked interesting. We might try this: Ignite Your Writing: "Multi-level writing curriculum offers 24 lessons covering 6 areas of writing skills needed for any kind of writing. Each lesson has 3 levels: Startup, Intermediate, and Advanced. Choose the level based on the student’s writing ability rather than age or grade." On sale for $10.00. See the preview at the link. I liked what I saw, and it seems to complement what we are covering in Rod & Staff's English(sixth grade).


Free ebook over at Google books for developing writing skills: Lessons in English 1 and    Lessons in English 2 by Fred Newton Scott and Gordon Augustus Southworth.

Homeschool Freebie: Fish Migration

My son was required to write a short essay about fish migration for his Rod & Staff reading lesson today. Here are a few resources that I found for his assignment today. All are free to print, read online, and download.

The Natural History of Animals: Of Migration of Fishes Pages 124-125

The Origin of the Seasons Considered from a Geological Point of View: Migration of Fish in European Waters. pages 274-275.

St. Nicholas Magazine, Nature and Science for Young Folks, The Winner.pages 650-651.

The World Book: Salmon pages 5173-5174

How Salmon Live and Die, short paragraph.

Classics Old and New: Salmon by Rudyard Kipling
pages 53-56.

The New Century Third Reader (easy and quick summary): SalmonPages 47-50.

Story Hour Readings, Book 8 (advanced reading): The Story of Salmon by David Starr Jordon pages 13-21. Fifth grade version, fourth grade version.

Photo and blurb about a flying salmon.

Photo of flying salmon.

Free Coffee at 7-11

Click here for coupon good through 10/31/09. This also includes tea and hot chocolate.

Update: This coupon posted at the above linked blog may not be accepted by 7-11. I just noticed that the coupon says no reproductions.

Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle: 5 X 7 and A2 Envelope Templates

Make your own 5 x 7 envelope with this template. 

Basic A2 size envelope template here. An A2 envelope is 5.75 x 4.375 inches.

HT to About.com: Blank Standard Card and Business Envelope Templates.

Make Your Own Greeting Cards with Recycled Materials

How to Make Greeting Cards with Recycled Materials:

  Read here.

Student Career Exploration

Jimmie has a helpful post for student career exploration. See her helpful guide to the Occuptational Outlook Handbook.

Homeschool Ebook Freebie: All the Year Round: A Nature Reader : Part I : Autumn

All the Year Round: a Nature Reader : Part I : Autumn
Author Frances Lucia Strong
Publisher Ginn & Co., 1896
Length 102 pages

Overview

Free and in public domain, downloadable and readable online. Individual pages can be saved(right click, save).

Etsy Shop Give Away

Debbie of  Homemaking Dreams started a heart warming blog about her quilting with personal memories sprinkled throughout. She is having a give away from her Etsy shop through Monday Morning, October 19th for "a ruffled half apron made from chocolate covered strawberries fabric" and "a pink and white calico reusable fabric grocery/storage bag.". See Angel Scraps Quilting for details. She does beautiful work; I got a wonderful computer cover and bag from her last year which I treasure.

DIY Modern Sofa Couch

Made from hardwood, MDF, foam, and Knoll fabric. Click here

Remodeling Our 1970's Bathroom

We are tackling this project a little at a time. On my husband's day off this week, he took out the rusty medicine cabinet and sealed up the wall. I took down the wall paper last week, and I plan to paint the walls soon. I have a gift certificate coming for Lowe's which I earned with purchase points, so the paint will be free. We'll replace the light fixture and paint the sink cabinet. Last year we replaced the counter and sink with an all-in-one unit, so that much has already been done. Come January we'll tackle a new tile floor, and a new water saver toilet with more earned gift cards.

The only part which will not be free is some plumbing and a fix to the fiberglass tub. We decided against replacing the tub insert, opting for some minor - moderate repairs by a local refinisher. After this, we have a powder room to update/repair. The original 1972 counter in that powder room is way past its expiration with a sagging area behind the sink(rot).

Older homes are a lot of work. We also need to replace carpets and windows. Energy Saver windows will at least reduce our energy costs. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. This should be the last(almost) of any updates or repairs for a long time. We've got a water heater that is past its prime, but it's still functioning well. When it goes, we'll probably replace it with an Energy Star tankless water heater.

If we didn't have some plumbing and fiberglass repairs, this remodel would be completely free using our earned credit card points. We use our credit card like a debit card, never keeping a balance, always paying it off in full. It takes discipline to charge only that which you need(regular daily living expenses), but after many years, keeping to a budget has become old hat.

Inexpensive New Lamps

I have a nice collection of vintage lamps that I've picked up at thrifts and flea markets for a few dollars a piece, nice shabby iron pieces. Unfortunately, my daughter has a fascination with lamps. As soon as she became mobile, she began turning them on and off, knocking them over, and then later would dismantle them with the greatest of curiosity. So, we had to put away the table lamps, and function with overhead lights.

Our formal living room does not have an overhead light, and it's been rather dark in there with only the chandelier in the adjoining dining room as a source of light. I decided we needed a small lamp for the top of the entertainment center, far away from little fingers. Try as I might, I could not find what I needed at the secondhand stores, and the prices for new lamps were higher than I was accustomed to paying. I hadn't realized that a small new lamp with a shade sold for $40.00 and up, but Dollar General had just what I needed for only $12.00. It took a short energy saver bulb as well. They had taller lamps for $15.00, so if you need an inexpensive brand new lamp with a shade, it may be worth your while, depending on your taste, to bypass other discount retailers in favor of Dollar General.

Children's Clothing Stash and Thrift Store Find

I finally found a Christmas dress for my daughter at our local Goodwill, a like new burgundy velour at only $2.00. I had found an Easter dress earlier this year, but was hoping to find a nice Christmas dress as well. I can cross this off my list now.

I've got a stock pile of dresses and coats in her closet organized by size. It's easier for me to hang them and periodically take a visual inventory rather than storing them away in containers. This way I don't purchase too many clothes in any one particular size. Many of them are thrifted, but I also take advantage of off-season sales. Today I got a children's bathing suit for the year after next at Dollar General for only $3.00. A few weeks ago, I purchased some casual summer Garanimal skirts and tops on clearance for $1.00 at Walmart.

I do have some plastic containers for storing shoes, socks, night clothes, and casual clothing. These I have sorted by season. There are all different sizes in these bins, but it's not too difficult to sort.  I try to keep her clothing to a minimum, just enough to get through a week.

For casual clothing, I tend toward mix and match Garanimals(Walmart) and Fisher Price(Dollar General) outfits. It makes life much easier, and these outfits can be extended through to cooler seasons with Fisher Price leggings under the summer Garanimal skirts. Sometimes the Dollar Store has some decent clothing as well. I got T-shirts and shorts there this year, and when my daughter was a baby, leggings. I do try to find thrifted casual clothing, but in our area, the pool of second hand casual preschool clothing tends be very worn and faded.

I haven't had too much trouble with these less expensive brands of children's clothing wearing out before their time. It may be because I wash in cold water, and line dry my clothing. This extends the color and fabric quite a bit. 

My son is getting easier to dress. He is a tween, so he can get away with jeans and T-shirts. I just taught him how to pair his summer T's under thrifted long sleeved plaid button down shirts, an easy way to extend summer clothing into cooler months. He has one pair of tan pants for church, one light weight jacket, and one heavy coat. Wardrobes are so much easier for boys.

Handy Free and Cheap List

From savings guru, Clark Howard from The Clark Howard Show: The Free and Cheap List 

A sampling:

Autodriveaway.com - Transport someone else's car and pay no rental fees

FON.com - Free private worldwide Wi-Fi network

Ecofont.com - Free download that uses up to 20% less ink when printing ( I use this)


OpenOffice.org - Free alternative to Microsoft Office(I use this, very handy)


Zoho.com - Free alternative to Microsoft Office

Free Education - Search the web for courses

TaxACT.com - Prepare and file your federal tax return for free -- regardless of high income

See his show notes here. 

Clark Howard's Greatest Hits

Swagbucks: Search and Earn

I joined Swagbucks about a month ago after I saw it mentioned on a blog. It's a Google powered search engine which credits you points for searches. These points(Swagbucks) can be turned in for merchandise or gift certificates. I use a search engine almost every day, so this was perfect for me.

I really thought it would be a lot more difficult to earn enough points for a gift certificate, but so far it has been very easy. I keep Swagbucks bookmarked to my toolbar, and use the search engine every time I need to search for something, which is almost every day. So far I've earned 28 Swagbucks. I'm shooting for a $5.00 Amazon gift certificate(45 Swagbucks).

Hint: Swagbucks seems to kick in when you do multiple searches. I've noticed that one search has not earned me anything. It may be the quality of my searches, but if you are not earning, try at least two searches. I have been getting credited with one or two Swagbucks with at least  two searches.

They have a search toolbar you can download, but I haven't tried this. I think it would slow down my computer.

If you refer people, you get matching bucks, although I have figured this out yet.

Between this and Mypoints.com, I've managed to earn a little extra for the family simply by searching and reading emails(Mypoints.com).

Respect

From Sister Wendy Beckett's, A Child's Book of Prayer in Art
:

"Sometimes we hear people talking about sin. To sin really means to put what we want before the rights of others. Doing this is wrong because it means that we stay small and mean and concerned with ourselves, and never grow large of heart. "

"Teach me to respect other people and the way they live and the things they believe. Help me never to be cruel. Help me to trust other people and leave them their freedom to be different."