Living On A Dime Blog Archive

Paint in your hair

30 Sep, 2008 6 Comments

I am once again painting yet another house! Since I left home after high school 18 years ago this will be the 6th house I have painted then entire house, 5 on the outside and 1 inside. 3 of those places I painted in exchange for rent (that doesn’t even count all the hours and hours I’ve spent painting inside all these places, just because I wanted to change the color!)

Well, this week is the first time I’ve discovered that when you get primer in your hair it doesn’t come out. I started priming some of the bad sections on the trim outside and got some in my hair. After washing it about 5 times it’s still in there good.

I think I am just going to have to cut it out. So my tip for the day is be careful and don’t get primer in your hair when painting!! I’m sure glad my hair is short right now!!
Tawra

Tooo Busy

30 Sep, 2008 2 Comments

One excuse we use for not cleaning is we are too busy. Too busy doing what? Craft projects, home improvement projects, sewing projects? What about yakking on the phone, hitting chat rooms and blogs? Do you make sure you are too busy by scheduling hours of school activities for your kids, volunteer work for you, church activities or work? Even running errands everyday and shopping all the time.

Any of these things done in excess are things that most people use as an excuse to get out of doing the things they are responsible for, to procrastinate. Notice I said in excess. Doing any of these things isn’t wrong it’s just when they are done in excess and done with the wrong heart motive or reason.

It isn’t wrong to eat but the Bible tells us that we shouldn’t be gluttons either. Why, because excessive eating is harmful to us in the same way that too much of most anything (except love) is bad for us.

Children use this too busy ploy all the time (they’re no dummies) when you tell them it’s time to unload the dishwasher they will say “But I’m helping little Billy in his room” What a sweet and noble child. What do you say to that when he is helping his little brother? The reality is that he is just dinking around and playing with little Billy’s toys and he timed it just right so he wouldn’t have to unload the dishwasher.

We are no different. We ease our conscience about cleaning our home, fixing meals, laundry etc. by telling ourselves that we are so busy doing other things for our families (going here there and yon) that it isn’t our fault that we can’t keep things clean and our home in smooth working order.

We need to be responsible. If we had a job and our employer came to us and handed us a list and said I have to have this done by the end of the day or we will lose our important clients.

What would happen at the end of the day when he comes and says “Did you get it all done?” and you answered by saying “Well no I was too busy to get it done. I needed to call some people and Sally’s computer wasn’t working so I volunteered to help her out, and then the other department was having a committee meeting and needed someone to take notes…..” How long do you think we would last at that job doing this day after day?

We have no one to hold us accountable. Society still acts like and says that homemaking shouldn’t hold top priority in our lives. They make things easy for us by telling us we need “me” time and need to take time to fulfill our dreams.Our families won’t hold us accountable because they love us or they act the same way so they can’t say anything.

Those words “hold accountable” are some new buzz words we now love to throw around but the truth is you shouldn’t need anyone to hold you accountable.

As mature, responsible, unselfish and loving persons we should always do the right thing and take care of our responsibilities even when no one is around and no one sees. We should always do what is right even when it hurts. I could site you tons of Bible characters that did that very same thing.

The same way we expect our children not to steal when no one is there to hold them accountable, or our husbands to be faithful we shouldn’t have to be told all the time what the responsible thing to do for our homes and families.

Now even though I say all that that doesn’t mean that I don’t think moms should have some “me” time and should always have their nose to the grind, of course not. At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or is it CDs now a days?) you have to have a happy medium. I just see so many more moms using their “volunteer” work or theirs and their children’s schedule as an excuse not to get their home in order.

We carry wear our busyness like some sort of martyrs badge and sign of greatness. The more we do and our kids do the greater we are but in our hearts we are angry and resentful of all these things that are wearing us out (there’s the wrong heart motive).

I say this just so you can look at things in your life; the reasons you are doing them, how important are they to you and your family in the whole scheme of things. Ask your family what things are most to them, having a clean house, meals on time and a less frazzled mom and wife or all the 101 activities in their lives.

If you catch yourself always saying the word “I’m too busy” then you need to change something. You and only you are really in charge of your schedule so take control of it and stop letting it control you. The choice is yours.

Jill

Crock pot potato dish

30 Sep, 2008 No Comments

Crock pots are a life saver. Here is a recipe you might enjoy.

Take any meat you had left from the night before add a salad and this great potato side dish and you have a quick and easy meal.

Melt in you mouth Potatoes

7 medium potatoes, peeled, thin sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 (8oz) can mushroom pieces, drained
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter or marg. cubed
1 (10- 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, grated

In a crock pot layer 1/2 of potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, flour, salt, pepper and margarine.
Layer with other half and top with soup. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Joke of the day

30 Sep, 2008 3 Comments

Those Born 1920-1979

READ TO THE BOTTOM FOR QUOTE OF THE MONTH BY JAY LENO. IF YOU DON’T READ ANYTHING ELSE—VERY WELL STATED

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn’t get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren’t overweight because,

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem..

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo’s, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD’s, no surround-sound or CD’s, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms…….

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of
them CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn’t it?

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

“With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?”

Too Funny!

30 Sep, 2008 No Comments

A couple of weeks ago after hanging up the phone with Tawra I was going to post on the blog about her back ground noise. I always get such a kick out of it. I’m afraid though I was way laid and didn’t get it posted but today after a media person asked Tawra if she thought her children were really happy living the frugal life I decided to post what I meant to write before. Or I will as soon as I get my laughter under control.

If that poor person only knew how funny her question was. Why do I say that? Because I love calling my daughter just so I can listen her background noise. Usually one child is singing at the top of their lungs with all the gusto and joy of an opera singer, then child number two is whistling away with another happy song and the last one is always laughing hysterically at something.

There is absolutely nothing that a grandmother loves to hear more then the singing, whistling and laughing of her grandchildren. It does my heart good to know that after many years of hard work and at times of uncertainty that I have raised two well adjusted, happy responsible kids and the fruits of my labor is seeing them doing such a great job of raising and giving my grandkids a happy home.

What that poor media person didn’t understand was that living debt free and frugally is the happiest place for a family to be in. The stress is removed because mom and dad aren’t always fighting over money or having to worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

They are happy because they are able to spent more time together as a family and not away from each other trying to make more money so they will have more money to spend which in turn leads to each person to going their own way and spending that money for more activities or on shopping sprees.

The kids don’t feel the tension in the air that they might lose their house because mom and dad didn’t buy a house with a mortgage that was to much for them. They don’t even notice gas prices going up because mom and dad have enough cushion and wiggle room in their budget to allow for these types of things.

They don’t have to depend on someone or something to give them happiest or to help them find joy. They get just as much pleasure and happiness out of digging a mud hole in the backyard or watching the humming birds as they do playing the latest computer game.

They have learned at an early age what it takes some adults a life time to learn and many die never knowing and that is happiness is not related to how much money and things you have. If you are not happy without money you won’t be happy with money either.

Happiness is love and freedom and when you have debt free parents that love you you have everything.

Jill

PS They also have a “Nana” that loves them very much too. :)

Frugal Weight Loss

29 Sep, 2008 No Comments

From: Janet H.
I am very challenged with losing weight on cheap
eats or “living on a dime” can you help me?

Here is my story about how I lost weight in 2005. I did really well and then Mike quit his job in Jan. 2006 to work at home. Even though it was a very stressful job it was just as stressful having him work at home, just a different kind of stress. After that I feel off the wagon and gained it back again. I eat when I’m stressed.

I have always fought my weigh and honestly if I just stick with cutting out the sweets then I do fine. That of course if easier said than done.

It really just boils down to cut out the sweets and eat less. There is no magic way to do it. It’s also NOT expensive at all. Yes, you eat more fruits and veggies but if you are eating right then you shouldn’t be eating that much. A healthy diet isn’t expensive at all.

Here is an excerpt from our upcoming Grocery Savings E-course. This will help a lot in realizing that eating healthy isn’t expensive. Tawra

Nutrients and Portions

Just recently we have started hearing about portion control. I think it is getting to be more and more popular and will be the next new way to “diet”. To me logically portion control should be a main factor in trying to lose weight or eat healthy but even though it has been talked about before it has never been pushed and usually is not a poplar way to go.

If you don’t think this to be true how often do you hear “on our diet you can eat all you want and what you want and still lose weight”. Let’s face it we hate the idea of not eating all we want and when we want.

People want to eat all they can and still have a healthy skinny body. In the same way they want to spend like crazy and never pay their bills. We are at some point going to have to face the fact that it just doesn’t work that way.

What does any of this have to do with saving money? Well to follow things through logically if you are eating 50% more than you need and you stop doing that you will buy 50% less food and that will cut your grocery bill in half instantly. It really is very simple.

Your first reaction may be that “my family really doesn’t eat that much extra so I don’t think I can cut back any”. I think you will be surprised because I thought the same thing until I put into practice these next few things that we will be talking about.

Another reaction may be that “my family won’t put up with not eating everything they want”. Try them and see. Talk to them. Explain that you need to save and explain your plan. Ask for their opinions and suggestions and/or how they can help. People work harder at making something work if they are part of the plan and you are using their ideas to make it happen then if it is just some new rules and regulations you have just laid down. Kids and husbands alike.

It’s more than you think.

Yesterday I was watching a show on TV that shocked me like crazy. They took a family’s food for the week and laid everything out on the table. There were mounds of food and even more drinks. For two people they couldn’t fit all of the food on one large dining room table. The people were shocked too. They had no idea that was how much they were eating. I think all of us would be equally shocked at the amount of food we were eating and even worse the amount of food we ate that we don’t need.

First you need to learn how many servings you need from each food group. There are many different food pyramids you can find on the internet or at the library. http://www.mypyramid.gov/ is the one the government puts out.

They have charts for diabetics, vegetarians, children etc. Ours is the good old basic one and the one that I find works best for me. It doesn’t matter what one you use just pick one. Keep in mind also that the servings (2-3, 4-5) are adjustable to the size and activity of the person. That means that if 6-11 servings of bread are recommended and you are inactive you should stick with 6 servings of bread suggested and not the 11 servings.

Do you realize that a 4- to 8-year-olds needs 3–4 ounce equivalents of meat each day? That means if they have an egg for breakfast and a peanut butter sandwich with 1 Tbsp. peanut butter for lunch and chicken for dinner they have all of their meat requirements for the day. If you give them some nuts for a snack and more peanut butter with their apple they have now had double the servings of meat for the day. Can you imagine how much you could save on meat if you cut back to the amount your family should be eating?

4 to 8-year-olds need 1–11⁄2 cups of fruit each day. If they have a sippy cup of juice for breakfast and an apple for a snack they are set for the day. Often though we fill a 12-16 oz. cup with juice several times a day and make sure they have a piece of fruit for every snack and meal. We often wonder why our kids refuse to eat or don’t want more fruit. Maybe it’s because their bodies are telling them they have had enough. Is it surprising at all that child obesity is on the rise?

4 to 8-year-olds need 11⁄2 cups of veggies each day. Once again they are probably getting more than they need. We hear every where you need 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day so we sometimes translate that into thinking we need 5 fruits and 5 vegetables a day instead of 5 totaled together of fruits and veggies. I just want you to be more aware of what you are eating.

Be aware also of “hidden” areas where you will be getting servings of food that you may need. For example we forget that 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce and a slice of pumpkin pie is equal to a serving of vegetables. Because a bowl of ice cream or a milk shake are high in calories and sugar we tend to forget that they can still be a serving of our dairy for the day.

I’m not recommending getting your daily nutrients from those sources but I’m just trying to get you to really watch what you are eating. If you do have ice cream for dessert one night, don’t serve milk for dinner thinking your family will be missing their dairy serving.

To make things easier get out your ice cream scoop and use it to measure the servings. Your scoop is equal to 1/4 cup and most servings of things are 1/4 –1/2 cup so it is perfect. Now once again watch what you are doing and don’t make the scoops heaping full but level with the top.

Don’t get overwhelmed. You only have to measure things for a week or a couple of days in order to get the general idea. After that you should be able to eyeball it. If you really don’t even want to mess with measuring just lay the ice cream scoop on the counter or table where you are dishing up the food, to look at while you are serving things to give you a general guideline.

By now you are thinking, “But my family will be hungry!”. I have found that if my family got the exact servings they were suppose to have they seemed to be more satisfied than when I wasn’t watching their servings. We didn’t have as many cravings and those 6-11 servings of the bread group really filled us up. We were a perfect weight and very healthy at a time when we had least money.

One other thing about serving sizes is be careful of the serving sizes on the food packages. Those are what the manufacturer thinks a serving size should be and not always the same as what a healthy serving size is. For example I love blueberry cream cheese and bagels so for Mother’s Day instead of candy I asked for those.

The serving size on the cream cheese was 2 tablespoons and there were 7 servings in the container. I would spread my usual thin layer on my 1/2 a bagel and before I knew it I had gotten 14 servings from that 1 container instead of 7. Just because the manufacturer said I should put 2 tablespoons on my bagel didn’t mean I needed that much for taste and my health. If you
think about it I saved 50% on my cream cheese because if I had used the serving size listed I would have had to buy 2 containers but I made do with one. Plus I didn’t need that much cream cheese on my thighs.

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