I Need Another Blog Like I Need a Dog

O.k. I really don't have time to do another blog. If you've been to http://www.welovepreschoolathome.blogspot/ you can see I haven't really kept up with it as much as I would have liked to. That is in part b/c my computer wasn't always quite so user-friendly (or maybe the friendly--me--isn't so user when it comes to techno stuff). Regardless, it got frustrating. The other biggie is we were doing more of a curriculum for preschool this past year so it wasn't so much of the creative stuff I was doing in the past. (I needed more structure w/a new baby).
Anyways, I'm finally at least starting this blog for a couple of reasons. It has been floating around in my head for awhile to do something like this. Then, recently my friend/chiropractor (http://www.drmomonline.com/) encouraged me to start a blog to help others in similar situations to mine and to see if anyone else out there had good ideas to help feed your family healthy food on a tight budget. So, my hope is that this blog would help other families who are striving to live on a budget and be debt free find creative ways to save money. So, we'll give it a try now that I have a better working computer. I still don't have a lot of "free" time, but at least this blog my husband can add his 2 cents to. (Which btw, I entitled this blog as such b/c I have learned that the motto I grew up knowing, "A penny saved is a penny earned" is really not complete as is. I don't have to pay tax on the penny that I save verses the penny that I earn! Wahoo! That is good news for this SAHM who is trying her best to creatively help make ends more than meet. What a relief and exciting thing it was for me to discover that I could help my family financially by saving money rather than earning money (which allows me to stay home with my three great kids).


I'm also starting this blog because I don't have all the answers and ideas that are out there (although I've read quite a bit on saving money so that has been helpful.) If you want to read some excellent resources check out books by Ellie Kay from your local library--yet another way to save $$ =)
But, I'm hoping that per chance, someone may actually read this blog and they will also share creative ideas on how to stretch a dollar. (and I'm not talking about tearing your napkins in half at the dinner table or limiting yourself to 2 squares of toilet paper!)


I also hope to share with you what I am currently putting into practice. It's not always easy BUT God always provides and His ways are pretty creative and fun. I will say too that as I have learned to share and not hoard God blesses even more abundantly.


So, I guess I may just periodically post ideas of what we do around our house and maybe that will strike a chord with someone out there in the blogosphere...And, like I said, feel free to post how you make it work for your family. =)


For starters...
1. Make a budget (if you want more info on why in the world you would need to do this, ask me)
2. Read any book you can by Ellie Kay. Love her! Even though I haven't met her, I would love to. She's amazing!
3. Start a garden
4. Make your own baby wipes (2 c. hot water 2 T baby soap 2 T baby lotion. Whisk together. Remove center tube from paper towel. Cut tube in half. Put one half of roll in the hot water mix. Soak up water. Put in plastic container with lid.). I know it sounds slightly involved, but honestly, it takes me 2 minutes to make these (not including cutting the roll--make your hubby do that. :) Making wipes saves a lot of money and is not as harsh on your sweet baby's bum! And, they don't tear when you're wiping b/c I would probably pay for regular wipes if that were the case!
5. Use Coupons--even to get organic items. I am especially interested in finding out how you buy fresh produce organically w/o spending every last cent so please share. (i have a lot more info on couponing and Ellie Kay has even more, BUT this has helped us TREMENDOUSLY!). If you combine a coupon with a sale you will generally get it for cheap or free which, HELLO, is cheaper than the store brand (a common argument why people don't use coupons).
6. Hang your clothes out to dry on a clothesline. Love that smell, plus it gets the kids and me outside. I can supervise them outside but be getting work done at the same time. Not sure how much you save per load on a gas dryer, but I figure I'm saving a decent amount considering I average 15 loads per week. (I don't hang them all every week, but hang as many as possible.)


Well, I guess that's all for now.  I've got work to do!