Deal With It, Simply!

We are very blessed because our school offers choir, band and orchestra Instrument lesson. I know it isn’t always possible to give your child Private lessons. When things were tight we did discuss not following through with the Private lessons. I don’t know how we did, but it all worked out.

Our children have private lessons and the Toledo symphony offers a youth orchestra. All we ask of our children is to practice. One of our boys wasn’t practicing. Randy and I decided if he didn’t practice he would pay his lesson fee.

Week one: We told him and still he didn’t practice. So I took the money out of his account.

Week two: no practicing and I used his money. He was ticked and wanted to know why I was doing this….I told him why use my money each week if he wouldn’t practice. he thought is was dumb and all he had to do is practice.

Week three: No practice…….His money

Week four: His money and then he said “I don’t think it is fair you used my money I am saving it” I said all you have to do is practice and dad and I will pay.

Week five: I am hearing music each day. I think he got the message!

Another valuable lesson! Candy

A church sign read and thought it was fitting for all who are struggling.

Trying times are not the time to stop trying.

Don’t give up and as my grandma Young would  say “better days are coming!” I feel like they are just around the corner.

There are so many people struggling. I have seen more people standing on the corner with a sign that reads “Will work for food”  I am a little leery because last year a lady came to our church asking for food. I gave her a bag of food and she said “What do you expect me to do with this?” I said it is a bag of food she said”I take the bus I can’t carry this I want money or a Kroger gift card”  When I told her I didn’t have any money to give her she left the bag of food. That changed me…….

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Chinese Proverb

How can we learn to fish and care for ourselves and family? I don’t know about you, but when we are the most broke we actually eat better. Why? Because I plan I look at what we have and take the time to prepare.

1. Shop in you own cupboards….Look at what you have you may be surprised.
2. Smaller potions~ Why do we feel like we have to fill up our whole plate? Half the time I think why did I eat so much. Try using smaller plates and see if we are satisfied.
3. Don’t eat after 7pm this will help save food and you will be healthier.
4. Drink water
5. Church suppers are usually a free will offering. You will get a great meal and great fellowship.
6. Add things to your meal that will fill you up and/or spread your meal Like rice, noodles or a piece of bread.
7. Plan for leftovers you can make 1 meal into two. recreate your leftovers or have 1 night a week leftover night were your family eats up all those leftovers. Even the Lord talked about saving Leftovers. “When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” John 6:12
8. Using coupons is really work for food. It takes work, but you can really get a nice stockpile going. I have heard some say “I hate coupons because I buy things I don’t need just so I can use the coupon” This may be true, but I have found many things I would have not bought if I didn’t have a coupon that has made our life easier. Like Pillsbury pizza crust.

I would love to hear how you really work to save money. Have a blessed day, Candy

I have been thinking a lot about one income families. With the state of our economy many families are forced into this thinking.

If you know there is a pending unemployed time. What should you do?

• Add to your stockpile. I am surprised by buying a few extra things each shopping trip I have a nice little stockpile.
• Look at your bills… Is there is anything you can eliminate. newspaper, cable or maybe home phone.
• Check with your child’s school about free or reduced lunches.
• Angel food or Great food for all both offer a box of groceries for a reasonable amount. Go to their sites to find a location and box types.
• I love the Library….a frugal girls dream! You can rent movies, magazines and books. They offer all kinds of classes and have computer help. If you get rid of you internet this is somewhere you can go and use their computers. They even have the newspaper to look for job listings.

How to save everyday at home

• Shut those lights off?
• Only wash full loads in the dishwasher. In the rinse aid container I use vinegar.
• Potlucks- church potlucks are a free will offering or want to have a family get together….make it a potluck!
• Laundry- wash in cold water, use less laundry soap and hang dry what you can.
• Plan and prepare I don’t know about you but when we are the most broke I seem to prepare/plan more. Knowing I don’t have the money to go out and buy I use what I have in my cupboards…my stockpile.
• Be creative with Leftovers-  A great example was this weekend we were at a party and My friend gave me a giant bag of chunk cheese. I cooked it down in a big pot with some milk and added it to cooked macaroni noodles. I baked it and added bread crumbs as a topper. The whole meal was less than $2.00.
• Grow a garden- What a great feeling when you have your own produce.

For our family leaning to say No has helped. I have a friend that told me “No is a complete sentence. you may feel uncomfortable at that moment but you will be glad you did.” I have also learned I can’t keep up with the Jones…..

Have a great night and I’ll talk more on this tomorrow. Candy

Families coping even Queen Elizabeth II is frugal!

Here are a few of her tips:

-Keep Buckingham Palace open to visitors for longer periods to generate more income for the upkeep of royal palaces.

-Recycle all bars of soap from all royal homes and turn them into liquid foam bath oil. (I wonder who uses the bars I may need think about this one)

if you would like to read the story CBS Money- Saving tips from the Queen

Thank you to Paula at Monroe on a Budget for sharing.

Have a blessed day,

For those who didn’t get to see our Families Coping last night.

Have a great day, Candy

Money is a big stress for marriages and the #1 reason for divorce. You and your partner need to be a team. Ive heard more than once there is not an “I” in team. If you can’t find unity in your budget there will be many hard lessons learned. Randy and I are still learning and here are a few tips:

• Be a team player- No more I and a lot more we.
• We have a little saying with the kids and I actually made some copies and hung them all over the house. Just do it! pick up the towel even if you didn’t use it, Just do it! if the dog needs feed and it isn’t your job. You get the picture. Starting a budget may seem hard and maybe you really don’t want to know where the family money is going. Randy and I sat down and wrote everything out together and we are on the same page “team Huner” We have a goal in sight. Make the family budget…..Just do it!  **
  
• Schedule a meeting with your spouse- We are finally sitting together and talking about our money. If there is more money in a category and we need more in another we tweak it a little.
• We had a State of the Huner budget address with our kids- Ok I know you are thinking we are weird, but we sat down with all 4 and had our family meeting and told them our goal to become debt free and how we are putting things in place for them and their future.

We have also realized we aren’t teaching our children as we should. They all earn their own money and  like their parents they aren’t saving. Tonight, I said to Jacob (our 3rd child) your father and I would like you to start saving some of your grass cutting money. Jacob said “I will later” Like Jacob Randy and I also thought we will save later and the time as really got away from us.

• Live within your means- I have said it before but we used to think We deserve it and that attitude helps keep you in debt. The same page , but the wrong page the we deserve it page, now we have changed our thinking to the right page … we deserve to be debt free!

If you have tips that you and your spouse have learned please do share. God’s blessings on you day, Candy