Back to school, or back to the poor house?

Back to school, or back to the poor house?
By Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/


Back to school is a time when many moms witness their money sprout wings and take flight, finding their homes at retail stores across America. I know that consumer spending is good for the economy, but I don’t take it upon myself to keep the entire US economy propped up, so when my first-grade son announced that he wanted a backpack with rollers, I saw this as a wonderful financial teaching moment. His school is small, and he doesn't walk to or from school. He didn't need rollers.

I told my son that I would give him $8 toward a backpack. I told him that if he wanted a fancier one, he could put up some of his allowance money for the difference. That's the rule at our house. Mom and Dad buy the basics the kids buy the extras. It was amazing how my son’s perception of the need for rollers changed when his allowance was on the line. Yes, he has concluded, a regular backpack will do the trick this year.

Thousands of parents are buying back-to-school supplies. From crayons and notebooks to calculators and lunch boxes, the list of what to buy can be as long as the list of your kids’ excuses.

I know that you are anxious to get your kids back into school, but there is no need to take out a second mortgage just to get rid of them. Instead, use some of these money-saving tips from www.LivingOnADime.com and you can happily send your kids to school and keep some of the cash for mom’s back-to school celebration!

*Wait for the list to come out and stick to it, otherwise you might buy things you don't need. Remember, the Bank of Mom doesn’t pay for frills. Any extras the kids want will have to be funded from their own cash reserves. I do understand that it is nice for kids to have “hip” back-to-school supplies. I look at yard sales and thrift stores for brand-name finds. For instance, I recently found a gently used Barbie backpack and a Barbie lunch box and no one would know that I paid $1.00 each instead of the $32 that Becky Johnson’s mom paid. Who says stay at home mom’s don’t make any money?

*Don’t buy back to school clothes. Children don't need an entirely new wardrobe every fall. Some mom’s act as if aliens clothes-napped their kids’ clothes the night before school and the fashion police will come arrest them if they don’t buy the latest designer clothes right away. The kids wore clothes all year long, didn't they? If they need something like a new pair of shoes or new jeans then buy what they need, but don’t just buy a new wardrobe because it’s the thing to do.

*Use back to school sales to your advantage.
If you know your kids go through a package of socks, underwear or jeans every six months then stock up while they are on sale. The same is true of crayons, paper, notebooks, backpacks and lunch boxes. My son went through two backpacks and two lunch boxes last year, so this year we will buy two while they are on sale instead of waiting until the middle of the year when they are full price. We will also be checking garage sales between now and then to find any good deals on those items. Don’t be tempted to buy things that you wouldn’t normally use, though, just because they’re on sale.

*Go through last year's school supplies to see which things are still usable. If my student has a working calculator, the Bank of Mom will not extend credit for a new one.

*Limit activities to one at a time. Activity fees can add up fast. One at a time is the rule at our house. If you can’t afford the activity, it doesn’t hurt for the kids to use their own money to pay for it. The best way to teach them money management is to let them manage their own money when they have nothing to lose, instead of after they have maxed out the credit cards someone persuaded then to sign up for in college.

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are the authors of Dining On A Dime:1,000 Money Saving Recipes and Tips. (formerly Not Just Beans) Dining On A Dime will help you shop smarter, by cooking simpler meals and by making your own basic cleaning products and beauty aids.

For free tips & recipes visit http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

Dirty Dishes Cause Debt!

Dirty Dishes Cause Debt!
By Jill Cooper
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

The other day I was asked one of the most common questions that people ask me. “Where do I start to get out of debt?” After telling me of her huge credit card debt and how they eat out almost every night, the lady took a deep breath and said, “How do I save on laundry detergent and cleaning supplies?” Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. Even though saving money on cleaning supplies does help and should be done, that usually isn’t where the biggest problem with the debt lies. This woman never once thought to ask me how to stop eating out so much. Most people don’t want to face the real causes of their debt. Their biggest problems are the things they like the most. Going out to eat is one of the top five causes of debt.

Get those dirty dishes out of the sink!!
We go out to eat because we can’t face a dirty kitchen. Keeping your kitchen empty of dirty dishes is the key to saving money. This is probably the #1 way to start getting out of debt. Most people are so overwhelmed with piled counter tops and dirty dishes that they would rather go out to eat than face a dirty kitchen. Do the dishes after every meal and keep hot soapy water in the sink while you are baking or cooking. Clean up as you go. If your sink is empty and the dishes are washed, your kitchen always looks good. This helps you save money because you have the time and space to cook.


To get in and out of the kitchen quickly, try these easy steps.
1. Put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Fill the sink with hot soapy water and put the hand washables in it to soak.
2. Wipe off counter tops and tables with hot soapy water. (This way, if you have unexpected company, at least your table and counters will be clean.)
3. Sweep the floor and shake throw rugs if needed.
4. Wash the dishes that have been soaking.
5. Wipe down the faucets and dry with a towel. (Be sure to wipe any sticky appliances, too.)
6. Put out a clean dish rag and towel.
7. Take out the trash.

These simple steps can help you start climbing your way out of debt. You will be amazed how much better you will feel just having the kitchen clean.

Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook.

To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit http://www.LivingOnADime.com/ .

We are pretty sure Elly has Fibromyalgia too.

http://www.livingonadime.com/
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My 6 year old daughter has been showing signs of FM for about 9 months now.

I have both CFS and FM and I do believe that at least CFS is genetic. My mom, brother and I came down with CFS but the exchange students who were living with us didn't. Mom and my brother don't have FM.

Anyway, she has been very tired, falling asleep just after taking an hour nap.

Always "taking a little rest" as she calls it and just comes in after playing just for a few minutes.

Very sensitive to heat. It's been cool the last couple of days after horrid heat and she is doing so much better!

Today I was giving her a love pat on the buns and accidentally missed and got her lower back. She about went through the roof with pain and I barely tapped her.
Every time I would help her up to help me bake she would would yell, "mom your hurting me!" when I would pick her up under the arms.

That got me to thinking because the very same places almost puts me in tears when it gets bumped or hit.

I then tested all the trigger points and some that weren't. (I didn't tell her that was what I was doing.)Every trigger point she said hurt and the others didn't.


When she first started getting really tired about 9 months ago I took her to the doc and they did a bunch of blood work. They tested for anemia and diabetes and a couple of other things.

He just said "it's a growing spurt" I said I've never heard of kids having a 9 month growing spurt he said "yeah it happens all the time". (I'm really starting to dislike doctors)

She loves to be active but when we go on family bike rides she has to "rest" every couple of blocks.

She has also had these horrible dark circles under her eyes since she was 1 1/2. I have taken her to many doctors countless times trying to get it figured out. They kept telling me was just allergies. The problem was she was doing this in the winter when there weren't any allergies and when she is on allergy meds. According to her tests she is just allergic to grass and maple trees, all summer things. I think they are from not sleeping well.

They took out her tonsils and adenoids and it did help some but not much.

It does make me sad. I know it's not life or death but I know how hard it is to be worn out all the time and want to do things but you just can't get your body to do it. I hate to have to see her go through that.

On the up side, I have it too so I will be able to fight for her with the docs and the school etc. since I totally understand and know not to give up until I find some cooperative people to help.

Tawra

http://www.livingonadime.com/

I cleaned the thermostat

Our thermostat is in the hallway and you see it right at eye level every time you walk by which is about 150 times a day.

The other day I had a rag in my hand cleaning something and I decided to wipe it off. Good grief! I didn't realize how dirty that thing was. It is so nice to see it shining now when I walk by. If you see something like that, clean it, it really does make a difference! On second thought just go clean yours now!

I'm off to do the glass on my front door now!

Tawra

Frozen Cantaloupe

http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

We still have some $4 Not Just Beans left. Makes great gifts order them today!
http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm#discount
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At Walmart they had huge cantaloupes for $1.47 each and they were actually ripe!
They tasted so good. I remembered that in one of the frozen fruit mixes I had purchased that they had cantaloupe in it. I decided to try it myself.

I cut it into pieces and froze it on a silpat on a cookie sheet in the freezer. It worked great! I had Mike go get me 5 more and I may have him get me at least 5 more tomorrow. I love cantaloupe but it's so expensive and it usually is so hard that it tastes like rocks here!

I will be able to maintain my diet better if I have some decent fruit to eat! Tawra

http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

I have figured out how to lower the crime rate.

Just put the people in a cell with a two year old. (They could put in a divider so they wouldn't hurt them. :-)

Stealing - 3 hours

Rape and Murder - a month

That would take care of all crimes and save us mother's some of our sanity! :-)

Tawra

www.LivingOnADime.com

The key to saving money.

www.LivingOnADime.com

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I knew this to some extent before but as we are working on this organizing book I realize that you aren't going to be able to save any significant amount of money until you get yourself organized. How can you save money if you can't ever find anything, are always buying doubles and have a general sense of depression from the state of your house. It's hard to feel motivated to save when you come home to a mess.

Trust me know! I'm was not born organized. My dad's side of the family are horrible hoarders. I am not exaggerating when I say they are just like those people you see on TV with these unbelievable houses. My aunt had a refrigerator box in her bedroom for 3 YEARS with poopy diapers, papers for who knows how long and it was full! That was in the middle of the floor with boxes surrounding their bed to the ceiling. (They fell down once on top of my other aunt and uncle when they were visiting while they were sleeping.)There was barely a path to walk through. She has 12 kids now and lives in a 1500 sq. ft. house.

The rest of my dad's siblings are just as bad and my dad is worse.

I do not come by being organized naturally!

I didn't realize how much this really mattered. Once you can find things easily then you can know what you have and what you need. You can also wait to find things at yard sales and thrift stores because you know exactly what you are looking for.

If your house is a mess then start by putting up 10 things before lunch and 10 things before dinner.

You could put up 20 by lunch but either way this will help get you started on your way.

I would start in an area that is driving you nuts like a countertop and work on it until it's done. It really won't take as long as you think! (About 3 minutes, I've timed it! :-)

Tawra

www.LivingOnADime.com

Black and Blue shoes.

www.LivingOnADime.com

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A tip about shoes.

I have about 6 pairs of shoes so mine are just on a shelf but they do fall down now and then and get mixed up.

I had two colors of the same type of dress shoe. I was forever trying to figure out each Sunday which was which. It took me almost more time to figure out the shoes and make sure I had two the same color then it did to figure out what to wear!

This was a "duh" moment but I got a permanent marker and on the inside sole of each set wrote "Black" or "Blue". Now all I have to do is glance down and I see right away which two go together.

Tawra

New curtains.

We still have some $4 Not Just Beans left!! Order yours before they're gone!

http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm
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I have been wanting some new curtains in my dining room/living room. The ones I have are ok but they are a floral print that matches but is different from the floral wallpaper. (did that make sense? :-)

I am trying to streamline everything so it has a cleaner look. It doesn't look bad but just a little sprucing up would be nice.

I found some drapes at the DAV for $4.98. They are a beige tab top drape. The color looks nice but it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb next to the dark green floral wallpaper.

I am going to try and tea dye them and see if a darker shade will blend in better.

If you haven't ever tea dyed it is very easy. Just get a bunch of tea bags. I used about 30 or 40 for the 2 drapes. Steep them in some water until you have a VERY strong tea mixture. Then just soak your material in it until you get the desired shade. I like the darker look so I usually leave it overnight.

Crafters also do this on materials to give it an antique or shabby chic look.

This is a very inexpensive way for me to get some new drapes. I saved myself around $30.



Tawra

http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

My husband is so wonderful!

David has been potty training the last 3 weeks. He's got the potty part down but not the poop part yet. Well, he doesn't want to go and so he has been holding it in but screaming the entire time because he doesn't want to poop on the floor or in his underwear.

He has also been super fussy and whining. He is screaming about everything and literally every minute he is screaming about something else. The sound is like listening to someone scrapping their fingernails on a chalk board all day long.

Now he has decided to hate bugs. Yesterday a moth was in the car and he went nuts! I mean he was just hysterical. I pulled over on the highway and didn't realize we were on a bridge. I had 6 inches from the edge to try and get him out and then I had to fight to get him out! I got him out and praying that he wouldn't jerk and hurl himself over the edge of the bridge or that a semi would run into us!

After I realized that he didn't have a bee stinging him or something I tried putting him in the car and he was literally kicking and screaming so hard that I had to hold him down (in a 6 inch gap in the door)to get him in the car seat. Then he was fighting so hard he got a "rug burn" from the seatbelt. He hasn’t thrown tantrums (yet :-) so this was not normal for him!

I finally got to mom's house and it took him 15 minutes before he would calm down.

I was just shaking. After we got home he started again thinking there was a moth in the house.

Today he had to go poop again so was screaming about that and then he saw two bugs on the wall and was screaming again. He is just screaming and screaming. I got the bugs killed and then a fly came and started buzzing him and he started again. He kept doing this every 5 minutes. He would not stop screaming.

It has been something like this everyday for the last 4 weeks. I feel like I am on the verge of just collapsing. (I wonder why I can't get the next book done? :-) The noise is just about to drive me insane. I can't do anything. I can't work on the computer, I can't read, I can't get any housework done, I can't sit outside cause it's over 100, I can't do anything so I am going crazy just sitting with this 2 year old hanging on me on all day and the other two kids saying "mom" every minute. (That's not an exaggeration, I timed it one day!) I do get a about 1 hour when he is taking a nap but I have to do orders then and honestly it's not enough time to calm my nerves.

I am literally shaking by the time Mike gets home from work everyday. Most mornings I am shaking by 8:30 or 9:00 A.M.!! It's no wonder I'm not feeling well.

Anyway, I say all that to say my hubby is great.
Every night he has helped me pick up so the house is in good order (It's only the 400sq. ft. of kitchen and living room but still it helps to have it orderly) Well today I was at the end of my rope. Even though I felt like I was going to collapse, I took the older two to Karate because I just couldn't stay home one minute longer. When I got back he had vacuumed the entire house and picked everything up and the kitchen was spotless! He has also been so good about helping me but I just had to brag!

If you want your husband to help out, ask- don’t nag. Be specific and ask nice (can you vacuum please?) Then when they do help out don’t correct the way they do it. Just let them do it their way. It really doesn’t matter how it’s done, just that it’s done!


Tawra

Toddler bed for $2.50.

We are getting low on stock but we still have some $4 Not Just Beans left!!! This would a very inexpensive Christmas present!!

Order today!
http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm#discount
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Toddler bed for $2.50


I found a toddler bed at a yard sale for $5. The mattress had a sheet on it. I took it to my friends house down the street until I could clear out the car from my other finds and get it home. She called me later and said "did you look at that mattress?" I knew better but of course I didn't.

It was horrible!! It was just shredded. I could have wrapped it in plastic if I needed to but I was going to look for another one until I needed to use it.

I went to another garage sale and found another bed with a nice mattress 3 weeks later and the bed was sturdier. They took $7.50 for it. I figured $12.50 wasn't too bad for a toddler bed with mattress and 2 sheets. (one from the first bed and this one had a sheet too)

I decided to put the 1st bed in the penny saver paper for $10. The ads are free for stuff under $100.

I sold it for $10 so I ended up just paying $2.50 for a toddler bed. I will probably be able to sell it after I'm done for $10 or $15 too!

I think I am going to go into the toddler bed business. I have probably had 10 calls on that thing in 2 days. I see them all the time at garage sales. Maybe I should stock up and sell them! LOL

Tawra

www.LivingOnADime.com

The rest of the story. Our finances since 2000.

Most people know our story about paying off 20K in 5 years on 22K annual income. Since then we have had more debt and paid it off/are still paying it off. Here is the rest of the story.

We had our house on the market for 3 years while living in Idaho (from Sept. 1996-Jan. 2001). Mike was working 100 miles from home. He got laid off in Oct. 1999. In Dec. 1999 despite being laid off we paid off the last of the original $20,000 debt we owed.

He looked for a job until April 2000. He couldn't find one and we couldn't sell our house. We finally decided to leave and move to Manhattan, Kansas to be closer to my brother 2 ½ hours away in Wichita. We had to just abandon our house and hope that it would sell eventually. (Mom was still living in Idaho and she was trying to sell her house also) Until it sold we had to pay $400 a month for it when we didn’t even live in it. We had to pay for our moving expenses from Idaho which was $2,500 and included deposits for our rental and misc. expenses like that.

We had 2 kids, 1 year old and 2 year old at that point.

We had two house payments then: $400 for our house in Idaho and $500 rent in Kansas. Mike made $9.00 an hour. So, of the $1500 we got a month almost 3/4 was for house payments. We had $600 left for everything else. We did get some WIC for 9 months and put the kids on state medical for a few months but didn't get any other assistance.

Our house finally sold in 2000 for $12,000 less than we paid for it. We had to write a check to the people who bought it for $8,000. To say it made us sick to our stomachs is an understatement! When mom sold hers she lost $25,000, so it could have been worse.

We survived for a year on $1500 a month and then $1700 a month until Mike got a better paying job in April 2001 at a TV station in Wichita, KS. He was getting $28,000 year then. We were praying very hard that we would be able to find a house to buy so we wouldn’t have to rent again. The 2 rentals that we had from April 2000-April 2001 were horrid! It was so incredibly stressful living in houses that the landlords didn’t take care of that it wasn’t even close to being funny. Our family was also very sick from the mold growing under the crawl spaces in these houses too. In one house, a six inch baseboard fell off the living room wall and the back side was covered edge to edge with black mold.

God was so good. We found a 2 bedroom house in Wichita that was recently remodeled. It was even the exact colors that I wanted on the outside!! It’s funny because God really does give us the desires of our hearts! We didn’t have a down payment and we had $10,500 in debt so we had no clue how we were going to buy it. We soon found out that they had just come out with a new program that helped people get a home for 0% down and roll closing costs into the loan. We were so excited to have our own place again! Moving expenses from Manhattan to Wichita $1,000.

Over the next 2 years, several other large expenses occurred that we didn’t have cash for.



Mike wasn’t sure he wanted to stay in the video business any more so he went through career counseling. $1,200
Our washer and fridge both died in that house. $1,000
Both of the cars needed major repair work in one year. $2,500
When baby #3 was coming along we bought another house and the fridge died in it. $900.00


We got all that paid off ($17,000) in August of 2003 then in Dec. 2003 one of our cars bit the dust!
We were right back in debt again. We bought a used Taurus station wagon on Ebay for $6,000. We had major medical bills after our 3rd child was born in 2003 for $3,000, because he had food allergies that went undiagnosed for a year. We were paying about $300 a month on prescriptions. If it wasn't for Canada we would have had to pay over $800 here!


We also had to pay cash for all our prescriptions (Thank the Good Lord for Canadian drugs ;-) because our insurance doesn’t have prescription coverage.

Recently, Mike tripped and fell and broke a camera borrowed from his work (in July 2005) and has to pay for a new one. $5,200. We are going to see if this could be a business expenses for his video business since he was using it to try to make a demo for the business. We were frustrated because in trying to increase our income, we ended up in greater debt. Still, we forge on! ;-)

We remembered that some lady started a web site about how she was a shopping addict and asked for help paying it off by soliciting donations from site visitors. We thought we should try that by creating a web site called www.SaveUsFromGoingCrazyTryingToPayOffMoreDebt.com. Hey, if that lady can get donations for her $50,000 shopping frenzy, surely people would feel our pain for tripping and falling with a $5000 camera while trying to keep from getting stepped on by a horse. ;-) But I digress…
We are currently working on getting those things paid off now.

Our problem hasn’t been overspending; it has been lack of income. There gets to be a point where you can’t save any more and you just have to make more money. Our family has been "under – resourced” as one of our readers put it. We are working on that part!
Anyway, that is the rest of the story.



$17,000 paid off between 2000-2003

$8,000-Loss on house sold in Idaho
$1,200- Mike counseling
$2,500- Moving Expenses to Manhattan, KS
$1,000- More moving expenses to Wichita, KS
$1,900- Washer and 2 Fridges
$2,500- Car Repairs


We paid off 17K on 28K averaged income from 00-03
2000-$16,000
2001-$26,000
2002-$38,000
2003-$34,000
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Averaged $28,500

We didn’t pay off the debt as fast the second time for several reasons.
Our medical expenses did go up around $500-$1500 depending on the year. We also had the baby on special formula that cost over $200 a month for 1 year.

When we moved from Idaho to Kansas our:
Utilities went from $75 to $200 – up $1500 a year
House payment went from $625 to $800-$900 – up $2100-$3300 a year
Food went from $125 to $250 – up $1500 a year

We also have purchased more convenience items because I have been sicker than usual for the last several years. We didn’t buy a lot of convenience stuff, but we did buy more $5 dinner take out from the grocery store and a few things for the house to “make life easier”.



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Our current debt.
This is what we have to pay off now. We are hope that we can pay it off by this time next year. The book should be making a profit by then so it seems reasonable.
$6,000- Most recent car replacement
$3,000-Extra medical bills (June 03-Jan. 05)
$5,000- Mike broke a camera that he was using from work for a personal project.



By the way, in case you're wondering we haven't received any income from the book business. I am only able to work a few hours a week on it and books just don't sell themselves, unfortunately. Since our publisher made a big sale this year we hope by the end of the year to start seeing an income from it.

Anyway, that is the rest of the story.
Tawra


http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

Clothes

I have been needing some new clothes. I went down one size and so nothing really fit that well. I have one pair of shorts and there's only about 8 weeks left of summer so I hated to buy new ones.

I also needed some new shirts. All my t-shirts were stained and looking gungy and I only have a couple of "nice" shirts to go to Bible study, baby showers etc.

The same day that I got the valances and pillows for my bedroom I also found me a pair of jean shorts for .99, 3 nice t-shirts for .99 each, 2 dress shirts for $1.98, BJ a church shirt, $1.98 and Mike some pants for $1.98, Dockers even!

I was so happy to finally get some nice shirts for going out and new shirts for home. Even though I wear mostly t-shirts around the house it is still nice to have ones that aren't stained and all messed up!

That's one of the ways we save is to try not to buy anything brand new.

Tawra

Misc. Tips

http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

Get Not Just Beans for $4!!!! Go to http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm
and check out our discount bin!!
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Here's a few misc. tips.
Tawra


Keep a spray bottle of ammonia near the outside trash can. Spray the trash can after each rain and
it keeps the animals away.


Run your hands under cold water before pressing crispy treats in the pan. The marshmallow
won't stick to your hands.

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, add a drop or two of dish soap and enough
water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on the stovetop. The skillet is much easier to
clean when cleaned immediately.

Spray plastic containers with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces.
This prevents stains.

If you have problems opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non slip grip
that makes opening jars easy.

Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and
rinse with water.

To get rid of the itch from a mosquito bite, try applying soap on the area. Instant relief.

Our "bedroom"

I described earlier how we moved our master bedroom into the family room so that we could have an office. It was in the family room but it was so hard to talk "business" on the phone while hiding in the bathroom so I could have some quiet! (It's kind of hard to do an interview with 3 kids!) LOL

Anyway, I haven't been able to decorate it because I couldn't think of what to do. My brother was getting rid of his old oak doors from his house he's remodeling. I got 3 of them and then I used one for a headboard for the bed! I then draped a long mantle doily over the top.

I was really wanting some curtains and throw pillows. The window is right above the bed and so I wanted to decorate it. I went to the DAV last week and found the most gorgeous valances. They are from Dillards and around $40-$50 new! They were $4.98 for two of them! Then they had the matching throw pillows for $5 for both! I was so excited!

I put it all up that night. Mike got home from work and he loved it. It's funny because he " wow, it feels so much more peaceful down here. You just want to sigh because it's so relaxing." It's that funny how putting up a valance above the window and 3 throw pillows with change the feeling of a room!

You don't have to spend a lot to decorate or organize but it creates such a feeling of well being for you and your family. If you are wanting to get rid of chaos then try getting one section of the room decluttered and decorated and see how it makes you feel. (The bed or the place where you sit the most is where I would start)

It will certainly inspire you to continue with the rest of the house!

Tawra

I love Freecycle.

I have been racking my brain trying to figure out a new microwave table and pantry system. Right now we have an old drop leaf table that we are using for the microwave. It's ok but I really need more storage and don't want to look at clutter under the table. The kids also use it and keep leaning on the leaf and it's collapsing due to the pressure.

Every system I have tried to find was over $150 and wasn't really perfect anyway.

We tried moving around 3 very heavy chests and entertainment center. After we got everything in the kitchen it just didn't work. It was a huge mess and so discouraging. I finally just gave up. I moved it all back again (thank goodness I was feeling good and I have a piano dolly!) and I just put the table back up.

Well, I finally decided that I couldn't fight figuring this out any more. I knew that God knew what I needed so I just told myself "he will send me something when he wants too and I will wait until then." I finally realized that with everything God can do, it isn't a problem for him to send me a microwave cabinet! :-)

Well, I was putting some stuff on Freecycle 2 days later and I was going to get off the list that night. It produces a lot of email!

I was browsing through the last few posts and found an ad for a hutch! It was just like one that I used to have and would be perfect for what I needed.
Well, she choose us to get it! Mike went and got it. It needs some boards nailed back on and a coat of paint but other than that it's just fine. Yeah! I am so excited! Saved myself $150!

I can have some more storage and place for the microwave.

Tawra

Get Not Just Beans for $4!!!!

We have Not Just Beans 1st edition for $4!! for About 60 left!! Go to

http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm .

Shipping is only $1.50
on each book too, order yours today!

This is below cost and the shipping is less than what it costs us to ship it! We want to sell these last few 1st editon books ASAP!!!


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Tablecloth dilemma solved.

Well I got my tablecloth problem solved. I saw on a decorating show where the punched holes in the plastic and tied the plastic to the legs with decorative ribbon.

I thought that was a great idea but they used a square table and I thought it might bulge on a round table. I was going to do it anyway and then I saw in our pennysaver newspaper that someone had advertised a round glass top the exact size I needed for $50. Even though they were between $70-$150 for a new I still thought that was higher than I wanted to pay.

I called the guy before I went to look at it and asked if he would take $30 for it. He said "sure"!

I had mom go look at it because it was in her part of town. She decided it would work great so she was going to take it. She decided to ask him if would take $25 for it and he said "sure"! :-) Always ask!! I never hurts. He even delivered it for her because it wouldn't fit in her car!

She got it for me and she is giving it to me for my birthday present. My birthday is in 12 days so it will be a great gift!

Now the only problem we have it is to get it here since it won't fit in anyone's car. We will probably borrow my brothers truck if it's working.

God really does give us the desires of our hearts!

Tawra


www.LivingOnADime.com

Up and Down!

Here's my posts to the newsletter this week.

If you want to sign up for the newsletter send a blank email to:
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7-11-05
My hubby was out on a shot for a documentary he is doing on his own
without pay. He needs it for a demo to get other jobs. He is trying to start his own business.

He is using a borrowed camera from work and he tripped and dropped the camera
and now the camera isn't working.

Please pray that he can fix it. I will post the details later on the
blog but we have $9,000 in cc debt right now (6K for a car and 3K for
medical bills) and we really can not afford to buy a $5,000 camera.
Especially one that he can't even use.


07-12-07
First, Thank you for all your prayers. His boss (he borrowed it from
work) didn't get upset over it and thinks the insurance will cover
it. We may only have to pay the deductible.




07-13-05
We found out that neither Mike's work or our homeowner's insurance
will cover the camera he dropped on Monday. It's going to be $5100.
Our debt went from 9K-14K in 1.5 seconds. :-)

I am just sharing this so that others will know that even when you're
frugal, things still happen that you can't pay for. We are VERY thankful that
the Lord has given us 0% interest on a credit card to put it on and that he
still has a job since it was a camera from his work. They gave him permission to
use it but you never know! :-)

Tawra

P.S.
God is so funny! As I was sending this out I got an order from a lady with this
verse on her check.
Exodus 15:2. "The Lord is my strength and my song."

Ha! I guess God knows when we need those reminders! LOL


Questions from readers of the newsletter.


Just wondering if this camera could be fixed? Would it not be
cheaper to fix it then to buy a broken camera? I know I am
definitely naive about electronics and such -- but thought I would
post the question anyway. I'm sure you have already looking into
how much or if the camera can be fixed.


Tawra: Nope, it can't. They said it's pretty much a boat anchor. Dh
is going to try and salvage it for parts and might get $500 or so,
so that will help. We can't get one on e-bay because his employer
wants a new one with a warranty.



Anyway, we are very discouraged but are trying to remember that it could be worse and that "all things work for the Glory of God".

Tawra
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

More on plasticware storage.

I got this tip and just had to share it. I love using old things to decorate and it's much better if I can use them to make life easier rather than just something else to dust.
Thanks for sharing the tips!! Tawra

For many years I have kept my lids in an old (really old antique) bread box. This is a metal box that I got from my grandmother's kitchen when she passed away. It actually says bread on it. It is not good for holding bread, as it is not air tight, but it is beautiful to me. I can keep the lids to many containers in this box and it is perfect. I have the box on the counter under the cupboard that holds the Tupperware containers.
My kitchen is as much like my grandma's as I can make it. I love reusing something from her kitchen for a different purpose.
Roxie

Idea for plasticware storage.

A reader sent in an idea for plasticware I thought I would share.

A note about my ideas for storing.
I don't have a problem if you use more than what I suggested. I realize families have different needs. My suggestion was just that if you don't need 75 pieces then keep what you use and get rid of the rest. By the way you can use the extras in the garage for a dispoable paint container for small projects and storing things like nails etc.
Tawra


On to her tip!

I used an old dish pan to contain all the lids for my plastic containers. My husband uses a lot of them for work so we have more than the 20 you suggest. I got tired of always trying to find the lids and having them fall all over the place! They arranged nicely from smallest to largest in the pan just like a file box. Now it doesn't take forever to find the matches!

Whenever we travel we usually pick up a few of those complimentary shower caps. I thought in a pinch, they might make a good cover for some of those containers missing lids.


Theresia S.

Thank you! Theresia

I arrage mine from smallest to largest too and it makes life so much easier! TJ

I cleaned out my plasticware.

Today I went through my plasticware and matched lids with containers. (it took me 5 mintues) I purchased all Gladware or Ziploc plastic containers. This is one area I am so glad I did! It's the best $8 I've ever spent! This is one area that it's worth it for me to spend money on.

I went through and matched evreything up again and made sure that all the lids matched the containers. The ones that didn't have mates I put them in a cabinet in case I run across the mate. In a few weeks I will get rid of them if I don't find the mate.

I did finally realize that I should have gotten all square containers. They fit much easier in the fridge. If I ever have to buy more then I will get only the square.

I have mine on one shelf, it's a pull out shelf. Those things are heavenly!! I put all the lids in a retangular shoe box container and then stack the containers in front. That's all I have. I don't have containers everywhere. Most people keep 75 containers around. Why? You don't use that many so why waste space that could be used for something else?

I had thought about getting one of those new container sets that are all together on a spin turn table and the lids all go with each size container so you aren't looking for lids. I found out I didn't have space for it but I think that's a wonderful idea.


If you didn't want to spend money on the containers then you could do the same thing with yogurt, sour cream, butter, or any other tpye of container. Just use between 3-4 sizes and keep just 5 or 6 of each size. Unless you do a lot of freezer cooking you would need only that many. Just use a shoe box to store the lids. I make sure the lids are contained otherwise they just fall all over.

Tawra

Cleaned the carpets.

Our carpet and rugs weren't looking very good! I haven't cleaned them since last fall so we decided to do it yesterday.

We took the rugs outside and I had the kids scrub them down with me supervising. We were trying to let them dry on the driveway in the sun but it wasn't going fast enough. Here in humid Kansas if it doesn't get dry pretty quickly then it will mold and get musty.

We moved them on to the deck and hung them over the rail. A tiny corner wasn't dry by dinner so we left them out and by noon today they were all dry.

Mom took the kids last night at 5:00 (Praise the Lord! :-)so I cleaned the carpet on the stairs. They could dry all night and this morning without them on it.

Our carpet cleaner broke so I just scrubbed them with some water and carpet cleaner we got at the Hazardous Waste Facility for free. I took the shop vac and sucked all the water I could out of it. We put fans on the stairs and they were dry by morning.

The carpet is a dark sage green so you couldn't see the dirt that well but they sure look much better! That was driving me nuts so I am so glad I was able to get it done.

If you don't have a carpet cleaner the shop vac works great!

Tawra

Need help with a tablecloth problem.

My grandmother crocheted this beautiful tablecloth for my round table. We got some plastic to put over the top so it would be easy to clean and keep it from staining.

The problem is that it slides all over the place, both the tablecloth and the plastic. I tried putting some of that no-slip shelf liner stuff. I tried spraying it with quilters fabric glue that is removable and washable. I tried getting some of those picnic tablecloth clips but they are too big. The lip on my table is only about 1- 1 1/2 inches and the clips are about 3 inches so they stick out.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I would really like to use this thing. It's so pretty and she worked over a year working on it for me.

Email or just post a comment here if you can help.

Thanks!! Tawra

editor@LivingOnADime.com

Good old stand by desserts for summer.

These are both from Not Just Beans and Dining On A Dime.
http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm


Fried Apples

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine 1/3 cup brown sugar
4 large apples, cored and sliced 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
(tart works best but I use red delilous all the time)

Cut apples into 1/4inch slices. Heat butter in a large skillet. Put the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet and cover. Over medium-low heat, cook apple slices 7-10 minutes or until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens. Serve coated with excess syrup on top. Serves 4.



No-Bake Fudge Cookies

1/2 cup milk 1/2cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar (smooth or chunky)
1/2 cup cocoa 1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick margarine 3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Mix milk, sugar, cocoa and margarine in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; add peanut butter and vanilla and stir well. Add oatmeal and mix until well coated. Drop by teaspoonsful on waxed paper and let cool until hardened. If the humidity is very high or you didn't let them boil long enough they won't set. If this happens, scoop the cookies off the wax paper and use as an ice cream topping. Makes 2 dozen.

Floursack dishtowels.

My new towels are working great. They soak up so much more water. If you are needing some then check out the auto dept. they are certainly worth it!
I got a tip from a reader that I thought I would pass about floursack towels.


Hi Tawra,

I don't use flour sack towels much (maybe I should) Another source, admittedly not AS cheap as you got them, is the restaurant/warehouse stores.
I realize you're not a big fan of Costco but in this part of the country, they can play a good role in money saving as long as we keep track of prices. The Costco Business Center will be having an "expo" soon, which involves cutting prices on items to get people into the warehouse. They will be offering a bundle of flour sack towels at a doz. for 8.49 - works out to 70 cents each. I have not priced them at the local restaurant supply.


Christy M.