One Christian Mom: A Quick Note

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Quick Note

Sorry, guys! I haven't even turned on the computer this week, let alone writing or reading blogs. I am so far behind in the computer stuff I think I will never "catch up". The important thing is that I am spending quality time with my kiddos, and getting my daughters health back up to where it should be. Lots of Dr appointments lately, but she is doing well.

Also, my pastor did a sermon on Sunday that really spoke to my heart. He was talking about speaking idly. Any conversation that does not have a purpose, and a divine one at that, is not advisable. Of course, he put it much more eloquently, but this is a "quick note" :-) So I am trying not to "talk Idly" which includes telling others about my problems for no other reason than to put them out there!

I will still update you on my daughter, tell you about the cute things that happen in our day, ask for prayer and pray for you! But no more complaining, venting and other "idle" things if I can help it. :-)

Thank you all for joining me on my journey!
One Christian Mom

3 comments:

irishmum said...: Hi,
I think it,s great that the Lord has spoke to you through your pastor and your wise and humble enough to do the right thing, i,m sure the Lord will bless you for it. blessings!; February 12, 2009 4:35 AM
Melzie said...: Just don't forget that we are to 'bear ye one another's burden's' and we can't do that if we don't share ;) You might deprive me of a blessing that I'd have gotten from praying for you. Its all a balance. I struggle with that too, I use to be one of those people that when people said "how are you" I'd tell them at length LOL. xoxo melzie; February 12, 2009 10:07 AM
Martha said...: Have fun with your kids and I am glad you are spending your time wisely :) I agree, revealing too much can be harmful. Which is why I try to make my blog a little more meaningful and less random (a hard task in itself!). Keep in mind we're all here for you and rooting for you :); February 12, 2009 3:53 PM

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Frugal Tips

**Still under construction - please check back for more!**

Recently, a lot of people in real life have been asking me about my tips for frugal living. I have gained quite a few of them through the years as our family grows and the cost of living is skyrocketing. This list is ever growing, so check back for updates! If you have a frugal tip, let me know, and I will add it to the list, with credit to you!

TIP #1
The first thing I did was join The Grocery Game at http://www.thegrocerygame.com/. I think it's $10 for three months, but you can save way more than that. You do need to either live in a metropolitian area, or have access to the city's newspaper in order for it to work well. I have saved between 25% to 100% off of grocery items. This works best if you have no brand preference for most items. I only subscribed for the first three months. After that, you pretty much get the gist of the savings plan, and can do it on your own. It basically follows the sales at the stores, and the coupons in the paper. When the store has rock-bottom prices on the item in the coupon, it will tell you to use it. Sometimes the item is free!

TIP #2
Another GREAT tip that most people don't do is cut back on your disposable items in your household. I wrote a post on this sometime last week, I think! :-) I am not just talking about cups and plates, but also paper towels, napkins, even things like yogurt. For the paper products, just replace them with cloth. We bought dishtowels at WalMart for $5 for a package of 6, the initial cost is higher, but you will make that back in a month or two (depending on your family). We use those instead of paper towels. For napkins, we use dishrags, pretty ones! They were also inexpensive, and they wash well. When we have company we break out the "real" cloth napkins, it just looks nicer.

For things like yogurt, milk, etc - buy the larger items, then package it yourself in smaller containers. If you like to take yogurt to work, put some in the small tupperware containers from the large container. That way, you are saving money, and helping keep the earth cleaner by not throwing plastic away every day.

TIP #3
For those of you who have babies, CLOTH DIAPERS! Here is a great site for you to learn about them: http://www.diaperpin.com. There are forums there where you can ask questions, read about others who use them, etc. They also have a rating scale on how well the diapers work for others. I, personally, went with the cheapest option, which was prefolds with covers. You can get quality prefolds for $2 per diaper (if purchased in a dozen) and covers for around $9-$11 each. So for the cost of one month's diapers, you have enough to fit your baby for at least a year. Most people will have to buy two sizes over the baby's diaper-wearing lifetime, but it's still way cheaper than buying diapers to throw in the trash! Also, washing them is easier than you might think. Dump all solids into the toilet. Store wet diapers in a wet-bag or dry diaper pail or trash can. When you wash them, put them on a cold rinse cycle. Then add detergent (home-made, preferably, which I will talk about later) or about 1/4 the amount for commerical detergents and put on a warm wash, cold rinse cycle. Dry on medium in the dryer, or hang to dry! Which leads me to:

Tip #4
Hang-dry your clothes. I can hear it already. "But my complex won't let me have a clothesline!" OK, here are some remedies for that. The first solution is to have a folding rack that you can put outside when you dry your clothes, then take it in when they are dry. Since it's not a permanent fixture, most complexes will allow this. Another solution, which may take longer, is to put your clothes rack up inside near a heater (in the winter) or a fan (in the summer). It may take longer for them do dry, but it has never taken mine longer than a day to dry, and I do about a load a day.

Problem with stiff clothes when you hang? Here are two solutions. The first is to add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the rinse cycle in the washing machine. They won't be as soft as in the dryer, but they will be softer than if you didn't. The second solution is to hang them until almost dry. Then put them in the dryer for 10 minutes. You will never know they were hung to dry, and you will save 80 minutes of drying time in the dryer!

More Tips to Come!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

A Quick Note

3 comments:

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