An Extravagant Life
December 16, 2009 by Misty
Last week I was online, chatting with my sister-in-law about menus and grocery shopping. At some point during our conversation she said, “We know how to be frugal around here.”
“Right! That’s great!” I said at the time.
But later, thinking back on our conversation, it left a sour taste in my mouth.
Why, you ask? Why was it that while I was willing to high-five her “frugality,” I found myself balking, thinking I wouldn’t want the same term applied to me?
I’ve referred to myself as frugal in the past. Being frugal is supposed to be good. Especially in times like these, when so many are really struggling, and *all* of us find ourselves in need of being more careful with our finances. There are plenty of great women out there helping others save money, encouraging people to be careful with the way they spend it. I belong to a grocery savings information service myself.
I thought about it a lot over the next few days.
Am I “frugal?” Do I want to be? The word “frugal” has a lot of connotations, and I’m sure we might define it differently. But most of us would probably agree that it implies a holding back . . . measuring carefully . . . not quite taking our resources to the limit.
Something about that just rubs me the wrong way.
Here’s the thing . . . I don’t want to be that. I don’t want to measure everything– not my money, not my time, not my efforts or emotions. I don’t want to give grudgingly. I don’t want to slap the kids’ hands when they reach for one more cookie, or cross people off my Christmas list because I’m trying to keep the gift budget low. I don’t want to buy the perfume I don’t like as well because it’s ten bucks cheaper.
I want to live extravagantly. I want to splurge and enjoy and give more than I think I can.
I think God’s like that. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He did pretty well with a few loaves and fish, and He didn’t leave anyone out. When there was a cost to be paid– a debt He didn’t owe– He paid it with His own life.
And anyway, He seems to appreciate extravagance . . .
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”
~Matthew 26:6-13
I’m not saying we should be stupid and spend money we don’t have, nor that we should just throw what we do have out into the street. Our money is God’s, and we’re His stewards. We need to walk in wisdom, and we need to please God in the way we use what He gives us. But I think there’s so much fear right now in the world, especially in regards to money, that we’re in danger of courting a different sort of problem– that of becoming miserly in our spirits. Penny-pinching in our budgets starts to spill over into every other area of our lives. The way we deal with money might become the way we do everything. And that might not be good.
I want to live an extravagant life. It’s going to take a while to flesh out exactly what that means. How about you? As you consider the extravagant gift God sent us in His Son, Jesus, what does extravagance look like in your own life?
Misty Krasawski is the overly-blessed mom of eight children whom she homeschools in sunshine-y Florida. She has been clinging ferociously to the hand of her Lord since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, homeschooling for the past thirteen years, and has eighteen more years ahead of her with the children who are glad she will have done most of her experimenting on those who went before. Her wonderful husband Rob has much treasure laid up for him in heaven for having been called to such a daunting task. After the house goes to sleep she can sometimes be found gathering her thoughts at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MistyKrasawski.
Feeding My Pride
November 11, 2009 by Renae
Because the lyrics of my life include Rich Mullins’ songs, someone gave me a twenty-six page magazine about the self-proclaimed ragamuffin. There are many pithy quotes in the Release Extra, but this one echoes.
I don’t feed my ego by wearing pretentious clothes or by cutting my hair in pretentious ways or by snubbing people in hotel lobbies. That’s not the way I feed my ego. The way I feed my ego is much more insidious and sneaky, but just as real…
I relate. Otherwise, these words would loosen their grip of my heart.
My family tries to lives simply. We bought an ugly house and make lists of what we’ll fix someday. Dreaming about converting the garage and remodeling the bathroom is easier than actually doing it. It’s cheaper, too.
One of our cars is an old station wagon. It isn’t held together with duct tape (yet), but most of the paint is gone.
My wardrobe consists of t-shirts, jeans, and a few skirts. I do not like putting on make-up. My hair is short, because I don’t want to mess with it every morning. Those external things don’t make me humble. I inflate opinions of myself in other ways.
My pride gorges itself with thoughts of invincibility. I am strong. I like to think I can keep the house clean and children laughing, while speaking gentle words of wisdom. Then the sun rises, and I pull the quilt over my head.
I want to be regarded as thoughtful, smart, and capable. But just when I’ve got things under control and figured out, children grow, seasons change, finances squeeze, or the dryer breaks. The laundry stacks up and the floor collects dirt.
It is easy for me to see when others put extra pressure on themselves, but if the load is on my back I often miss it. Glancing over my shoulder, I am astonished by the tangled weight of expectations. The extra fat I carry is from feeding my ego. God intends for me to run with the foot soldiers, but I lag behind wriggling the pack on my back. Instead of carrying the messy mass, I need to let it go.
There is a weight to carry. It is the weight of God’s glory, not mine.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Renae teaches her eleven-year-old son and two little girls at home. She has prepared lesson plans, enjoyed children’s literature, and delighted in discovery with her children for five years. By studying Principle Approach philosophy, she realized what she always suspected: the Bible lies at the heart of all subjects. Find her reflections at Life Nurturing Education.
Eight Frugal Family Gifts
November 6, 2009 by Guest
One of my favorite gift-giving strategies is to focus on family gifts rather than individual gifts. This approach is an effective means of saving both time and money, two very important resources, especially this time of year! Deciding on one large present is much quicker than choosing several individual gifts. In fact, I can often find an appropriate family gift to fit several families on my gift list. One large gift is often less expensive and of better quality than several smaller, individual gifts. The fact that a family-oriented gift encourages families to take time to have some fun together and enjoy one another is a wonderful added bonus!
A little creativity in presentation can make all the difference between an average gift and one that feels special, so make the effort to be creative. For example, rather than just hand my college-student nephew a fast food gift card for his birthday, I asked for an empty fry container from the restaurant when I bought the card. Then I made sugar cookies, cut them to look like french fries, and put them in the fry box along with the gift card. A little extra effort gave a rather plain gift some pizzazz! Since my family ate (and enjoyed) most of the batch of cookies, the cost of the few “fries” in the gift presentation was very minimal.
Over the years, I’ve built up a repertoire of gifts that families love to receive. Take a look at some of the following ideas and see if one isn’t just what you’re looking for. Present it with some creative packaging and I’ll almost guarantee you some happy gift recipients!
Super Sundaes
Who doesn’t love ice cream—especially when you get to make it just the way you like it? This gift looks extra special when presented in a big basket (from the thrift or dollar store, of course). Include a bunch of bananas, various toppings, sauces, nuts, and a $10 grocery store certificate for the purchase of ice cream and whipped topping. Search your dollar or thrift store for inexpensive sundae glasses or banana split dishes to give the gift some extra punch. You could also include long dessert spoons and/or napkins. Don’t forget a jar of Maraschino cherries! Create a gift card that looks like a banana or tub of ice cream.
Fun and Games
A family game night package is sure to be enjoyed. Depending on your budget, you can include inexpensive card games or a more expensive board game. Visit a game store and you’ll find a surprisingly large selection of both types. Snacks could range from popcorn and candy to cheese, sausage, and crackers, to a batch of your favorite brownies or cookies.
Movie Night
One of my favorite, not to mention easiest and least expensive family gifts is the Family Movie Night package. I take a white cardboard paint tub from the hardware store and fill it with a 2-liter pop, several bags of microwave popcorn, some large boxes of candy from the dollar store and a movie rental coupon. I create a gift card to look like a filmstrip or ticket stub. A tub like this can be made for well under $10 and is easy to mass produce if you have several families you’d like to remember. You can also bump it up a notch by using a large glass, plastic, or metal bowl and including DVD(s) rather than a rental certificate.
Get Corny
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love popcorn. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to put together a gourmet popcorn gift basket. Make up some caramel corn or popcorn balls, but don’t stop there. Search the Internet for “flavored popcorn recipes” and find everything from Jello® flavored, to pizza, to ranch, to cinnamon popcorn. I even found a recipe for cranberry popcorn balls! Package each flavor in its own tin, box or basket and label appropriately. You can even go the extra mile and include recipes so the family can recreate their favorites.
Winter Warm-Up
Buy a great puzzle that the family can work together, include a cute or comfy pair of socks for everyone and some fancy hot chocolate, and you’ve got the makings for a cozy winter evening. Include a wonderful apple pie or vanilla scented candle to help set the mood. You could even bake them a real apple pie, for that matter!
Sports Fan Fun
Sports fans will appreciate a gift based around their favorite team or sport. Set the tone with a homemade Sports Fan Hand and, just for fun, include a mini football, basketball, or homemade pom poms. Depending on the sport being highlighted, you might include seat cushions, hand warmers, sun visors or knit caps, all in appropriate colors, of course. Be sure to include water bottles, trail mix, and peanuts.
Christmas Morning
We had a friend who gave us the same gift every year and I always looked forward to it with eager anticipation. On Christmas Eve day, she would deliver her homemade version of Cinnabons® along with a Mason jar of homemade hot chocolate mix. These yummy treats were intended for us to enjoy on Christmas morning. This gift was inexpensive and simple, but was always a favorite to receive.
Book Lover Basket
Are you giving to homeschoolers or a family of book lovers? What about putting together a package with personalized bookmarks and book plates? These elastic bookmarks are unique and easy to make. An Internet search for “printable book plates” will provide you with lots of options. You could even make your own from scrapbooking papers or buy some at your local bookstore. Include a great family read-aloud or even a favorite book on CD.
So, can you save time and money this year by gifting families instead of individuals? I hope these few suggestions have given you some inspiration. Bless a family with a gift they can enjoy together, and boost your budget at the same time!
Molly Green is passionate about cheerful, creative homemaking on a down-to-earth budget. Visit her online home, www.Econobusters.com for tips on frugal and tasty cooking, fresh decorating ideas, affordable family fun, simple but effective organizing, and much more! Sign up for her free weekly E-Newsletter, and get a bonus menu-planning E-Book too!
Molly’s favorite project is her monthly Money-Saving Digest. In each issue she features columns on decorating, hospitality, parenting, and more, as well as one featured topic, like working from home, education, frugal vacations, family organization, or gardening.
Molly is learning that frugality means freedom, not drudgery, and it can be fun, too!
Netflix, Frugality and Charlotte Mason: At the Forum – Nov 6
November 6, 2009 by AmyF
Thank Goodness it is Friday. It has been a busy week in my household and the busyness has stretched its way to the Forum. I am sure I am not the only one who has benefited from the questions and advice that has been posted. We would like to extend an invitation to you if you have not been to the forum yet. Come on by and register. And check these discussions out while you are there:
- Do you use Netflix? Have you viewed these great videos for schooling? Do you have your own list you would like to add too?
- Do you have some fun ways to keep school going when the focus is not there? We can’t always take a break when things aren’t going well, but at those times, it seems like we need fun to keep going on. Here is what we do. How about you?
- With so many subjects and studies to do in November, share with us your notebooking and lapbooking activities you are doing this month.
- Is your teaching style Charlotte Mason? What areas do you strive to be more CM?
- Are you a frugal guru? Do you have a unique way of saving and would love to share your brilliant ways with us? Come post your ideas at Fabulously Frugal.
- Speaking of Frugal ways, I must repeat this thread this week. Have you seen or heard of any great holiday deals?
- And last, but not least I would like to focus on one of my favorite sections and invite you to post some questions, advice or your experience in this area. If Adoption has been a part of your life or is in your future, stop by here and share your stories or post a question too. It is a great place to give support to each other as you go this journey.
As I think of the past weeks and all that has happened on the forum, I can’t help but mention that we are only eight away from 200 members! What a great support group for all of us. Come join us and maybe your question will be highlighted in next week’s At the Forum. Until next week, you can catch me posting there!
Amy Fleeker is a part of a great family that includes a husband of 12 years, 3 children, a dog and a cat. Her homeschooling style is eclectic with a emphasis on classical teaching. When with her family, you can find her watching movies, playing board games, and living life with a great sense of humor and knowing that God is all around. In her spare time she enjoys scrapbooking, tatting, crocheting and doing a little family history. You can visit Amy at her blog, Counting Change Again, or at the HOTM forum, where she is the Lead Moderator.
Beauty Bargains
Let’s face it. Skin care, anti-aging creams, and hair products are not cheap. Nearly everyone wants to look attractive and youthful, but not everyone has a limitless budget for beauty. Through the years I’ve hit on some inexpensive alternatives to high-priced beauty items that have not only saved me a bundle, but are just as effective as their expensive counterparts.
1. Johnson’s Baby Wash to remove all make-up, including mascara. ($3)
2. Witch Hazel as an astringent and toner to clean pores and tighten skin ($1)
3. Dawn Anti-bacterial dish soap as a dandruff shampoo. It really gets rid of dry, itchy scalp. ($1.50)
4. Sunscreen on your face under make-up to ward off the aging effects of the sun. Also keep a tube in your car to rub on your hands while you drive. Nothing gives away your age like brown-spotted hands. ($3)
5. Apple Cider Vinegar to remove moles. It’s true! Soak a cotton ball in ACV (not dripping), place it on your mole, cover with a band-aid, and leave overnight. After several nights, the mole will eventually fall off ($3.25 for the potent, organic kind from the health food store works best).
Since I’m mother to three fashion-conscious, budding divas in the home, I look for unorthodox ways to reduce the beauty budget. These simple money-savers are tried, true, and now, passed on to my frugal teens.
By Guest Writer Christine Thomas
Keeping Our Home Warm
‘Housekeeping requires knowledge and intelligence…, the kind that is complex, not simple, and combines intellect, intuition and feelings. You need a memory good enough to remember how things are done, where things are, what the daily routine requires, what everyone in the home is up to as it affects housekeeping, the state of supplies, budgets, and bills… Above all, housekeeping must be intelligent so that it can be empathetic, for empathy is the form of intelligence that creates the feeling of home…’
~From Cheryl Mendelsohn’s Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House, pg. 10-11
In a rare moment when I am not on the computer for work or business purposes, I enjoy short, cute quizzes that tell you—with tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, I am sure—what type of cook or gardener or housekeeper you are. There are times when I attempt to view my home from the perspective of an outsider. I look at furniture choices (although most of the furniture is hand-me-downs as opposed to the result of deliberate store picks), plant selections, and paint colors. As I look, I have my own short synopsis of who I am, equally tongue-in-cheek. I conclude that I am low-maintenance, arguably cheap, and my choice of colors says that I must be a closet naturalist. In summary, I am led repeatedly back to the one word people often use to describe me: “warm.”
For several years, probably due to readjusting our finances after I came home and/or settling into a house that was not so new anymore, I did very little to improve the house. We moved furniture around and replaced items as needed, but I stopped buying, stopped painting, and for the most part, I stopped decorating. Then my husband began to have his men’s group meetings here, and I began to see the house through other’s eyes and started buying again. After the first of my new purchases I was a bit ashamed of myself: was I worried about what others thought (something I pride myself on not doing)? Was I trying to impress someone? If I wanted to spruce up the house, why did it take having people over to make me spend money– providing comfort and luxury for the five folks that live here motivation was not enough?
I had more time to visit my own thought processes while listening to my husband’s comments as the men’s meetings rotated from house to house. I could not help but notice everyone’s attraction to the newer, bigger homes and the assessments that followed. Then I really got mad. In my rekindled passion for upgrades, was I subscribing (or I should say renewing my subscription) to a materialistic view that “things” in my home dictated how blessed we are as a family?
As all of this was churning through my head, I had a chance to think more about that word warm. In part, being warm means:
1) showing or feeling kindness and friendliness
2) showing passion or liveliness
3) showing or feeling great enthusiasm
When I think about it, I realize that this is what I wanted for our home—to be warm, not just for visitors, but even for the people that live here each day. I want people to walk in and feel at home, to be relaxed. I want the atmosphere to spark conversation, to give people the freedom to laugh, to cry, to just be. What a change that type of thinking made in how I spent my time and resources. Even the mundane clean-up tasks I have taken up with a new energy. I will admit I still do not dance around with the broom. What I have done is to take a look at the home, not as a list of tasks or a depressing view of all the home improvement projects I would love to complete with unlimited time and money. As a wife and mother, I have a God-given unique ability to do something that no one else in my home can do: I can turn this house into a home. This ability transcends the way I place pillows on a sofa, to the smells I choose for cleansing and deodorizing, to the foods I select at the grocery store. It is a heavenly covering over all who abide here. How I manage the home is about safety, health and wealth; my care and concern nourishes the mind, body and soul.
As one small example, so many do not enjoy grocery shopping, and there is nothing wrong with that, but I get a kick out of meal planning. It is one of my favorite household activities. Past the joy of eating (smile), I like managing the budget, and consequently setting the course for what we will eat. I love making the list, experimenting with new ingredients, and observing how the whole process determines where we will shop—a regular grocery store, a whole foods store, a fish market or a produce market, or maybe all of those listed and more. So, guess what? As I am shopping and the Muzak pumps out 80’s pop music, I reminisce of my college days, relish where I am now and the opportunity to bring pleasure to my family in this way, and I sing along.
Though our home is far from immaculate, and more often than I like, I must admit that it is not even company-ready, I have learned to embrace managing the household as more ministry than misery. I realize more and more each day that all of the tasks that we manage, and the associated value that we place on them, are a function of what we want people to feel while in our homes. “People,” by the way, can be those that live in the home every day, and not necessarily company. With each flower blossoming, with paper-free counters, clean clothes and floors, and even with photo albums that depict our times together, I am slowly, but surely, day by day, creating an environment that is warmer and warmer.
Belinda Bullard is a wife and homeschooling mother of three, Belinda is an author and the owner of A Blessed Heritage Educational Resources, a literature-based history curriculum featuring African-American presence in history, as well as the contributions of other races to American history. A chemical engineer by formal education, she also serves as adjunct faculty for college distance learning programs.
15 Homemade Math Manipulatives
September 5, 2009 by Amy Bayliss
Math manipulatives are beneficial in so many ways. Your child will be able to “touch” and “see” the math concepts come to life. “1 + 1″ will not only be something recalled from rote memorization but it will be understood. My kids have learned so much with the incorporation of these manipulatives into our daily math work and they actually think it’s fun. That is the best part!
In my search for said items, I went for a stroll through our local teacher supply store and was just completely awed by all the cool gadgets, toys, and gizmos that we refer to as “manipulatives”. As I mentioned before I have a couple of kids who require the use of manipulatives to “get” the concept prior to committing the process to memory so I know how expensive it can be to purchase these items. So, I have compiled a list of alternatives to the pricey manipulatives.
Counters
There is no need to buy counting bears or cookies. Why not use hot wheels, or cheerios, erasers, or even pennies? Use something the child likes and they will be more interested in counting them.
Lacing Cards
I used the cardboard that came in my scrapbook kits from Dollar Tree to make lacing cards. You could also use the backs of tablets or cereal boxes. Simply punch holes all around the edge and use a shoestring to let the child lace it up. Simple!
Pattern Stringing Beads
I found a pack of Foam Beads with Craft Lace at Dollar Tree (one of my favorite places for supplies) and it was perfect for use in place of the pattern stringing beads.
Sorting
You can use a mini-muffin tin and buttons, or muli-colored pasta for sorting.
Shapes
You can use marshmallows and toothpicks to form shapes as shown in the photo. You can also cut shapes out of cardstock and laminate them.
Hundreds Chart
These are available for free online. Here is one from About.com.
Fractions
You can cut a paper plate into however many portions you will need: 2 for halfs, 3 for thirds, etc. Or you can use pizza!
Linking Cubes
Use legos for linking cubes! They actually work better and can be found in bulk in most any goodwill store.
Money
I prefer to use real coins and copied bills for counting money. I simply copy the cash front and back (shrinking it and putting “for teaching purposes” on the front) and then laminate them. You could also use the money that comes with some board games.
Geoboard
You can make a geoboard by using a square piece of wood and 25 finishing nails. Just print a grid off of the computer and place on top and start nailing them in. Once the nails are all in the paper will just tear off.
Clocks
We use an old wall clock that I got from a yard sale. I simply pulled the face off and let them move the hands to show the time. It works great and it cost me $0.25!
Flash Cards
You can print your own flash cards online using a site like APlus Math or you can make your own on index cards.
Measurements
Use your own kitchen items. Measuring cups and spoons are perfect for children to learn with. Water too messy? Let them use beans or rice!
Place Value
Use bundled toothpicks or straws to show place value. Simply bundle in groups of 10s, 100s, etc and place on top of a piece of paper to show the proper order.
MISC.
Graphs, Charts, Math Fact Cards, Play Money, Math Drill Sheets and more can be found at DonnaYoung.org.
Married to her best friend and “main squeeze”, Amy Bayliss is a 4th year homeschooling mom to three boys. She enjoys writing about the eclectic teachings that bring a glimmer of curiosity to the eyes of her sons. In addition to being the co-owner of Heart of the Matter, she writes for Internet Cafe Devotions. Be sure to visit her blog, In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 and her family’s homeschool blog: Integrity Academy.
Making Laundry Detergent – Homesteading With Suzanne
August 3, 2009 by Suzanne
The last time we talked I told you how I had temporarily dropped all of my newly frugal ways due to the surprising sickness that came with this pregnancy. Except one. Laundry detergent. I started making my own detergent last November after watching an episode of 18 Kids and Counting and I haven’t looked back. The money saving value is so exceptional it will, at the very least, make you look twice and, at most, cause your jaw to drop and become it’s number one promoter.
For most recipes I found online there were 3 basic ingredients needed. Borax, washing soda, and laundry soap. I find these three items in my grocery store for under $10 (you can call their hotline numbers to find a store near you) or order them online.
Here are the two recipes I have tried.
Liquid: I used the Duggars recipe found here.
Powder: 1 cup Borax, 1 cup Washing Soda, and enough grated Fels-Naptha to make 2 cups (usually 1-2 bars)
Here is the full list of what I gather each time I make a large batch of detergent.
I have a large coffee can cleaned out to hold the detergent, an old cheese grater I keep just for the soap,
a plate to grate the soap onto, a little food chopper to finely chop the soap, and here’s where I appear to really go off the deep end – I keep our extra remnants of bath soap (you know the little pieces that usually fall apart and get thrown away?) and then use them as extra filler soap with the Fels-Naptha.
My large almost 3 pound coffee can will hold a triple batch and this lasts us months.
I grate the Fels-Naptha and remnant soap, then put it in the chopper to make it super fine. I dump the soap into the coffee can at this point, add the 3 cups Borax and 3 cups Washing Soda (remember – my big batch is tripled) secure the lid and shake thoroughly. And I’m through. I use less than 1/8 cup powder per large load.
I have consistently used 20 Mule Team Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, but I have tried several different types of soaps – Pink Zote Soap and regular Zote Soap. They all worked great I just happened to like the Fels-Naptha the best. It’s a harder soap – I like the way it grates and I like the smell of it a little better. And speaking of the smell, the fragrance is very light before washing. After washing, the clothes have no noticeable odor. At all. Even in that first trimester. I, personally, like a stronger smell to my clothes, so with all the money saved on detergent I began buying the off-brand fabric softeners just to make my clothes smell like what I’m used to.
In my brief time making detergent I’ve learned a few things. There are lots of recipes out there. I began with the recipe they gave on television – it was a liquid version. It worked fine for us and I have at least two friends who still opt for the liquid recipe – it does seem to go a little further. I switched to powder when I got pregnant and loved the ease of it so much that I haven’t gone back. I had to tweak ours a bit, which I read later may have been due to the hardness of our water. Maybe. Though I’m fairly certain mine was due to my general goofiness.
For instance, my local Wal-Mart did not carry the Washing Soda and I figured since it and Baking Soda were both made by Arm & Hammer and they both had Soda in the name that they couldn’t be that different, right? Not so. At least, not in the same ratios. After one batch made with the Baking Soda our clothes were looking very dingy. I became disheartened and almost gave up. But after reviewing my recipe, decided to do a search of the bigger city for the real stuff and actually give the real recipe a try. (Novel concept, right?) It worked like a charm. Our clothes came out beautifully clean.
Here is another site with lots of versions of the recipe.
So, tell me, do you use homemade laundry detergent? If so, how long have you been doing it and what’s your recipe? If not, but think you want to try this, be sure to come back and tell us how it works out and if you’ll continue.
Happy soap making!!
Suzanne is wife to one and mama to four and a half. The little ones are 2 boys ages 7 and 6, a girl who’s 4, a wild toddler boy who’s 2 and a new baby boy expected this October. She eclecticly unschools with lapbooks the Charlotte Mason way. In other words, she doesn’t have the slightest clue what she’s doing, but does it anyway. Be sure to stop by her personal blog at TheJoyfulChaos.
Garage Sale Tips and Tricks
Every year we take a break from our regular homeschool studies to participate in the citywide garage sale. The boys learn lessons in pricing, marketing and work, while spending a few days outdoors. This is our sixth garage sale year, as we attempt to purge our house of old toys and clothes and other miscellaneous items. We often coordinate our sale with the neighbor’s sale so that we benefit from the increased traffic on our otherwise quiet street.
We’ve learned a few garage sale tips and tricks over the years, including:
- The early bird gets the worm. The citywide sale is advertised on Saturday, but the early shoppers come out on Thursday and Friday. We run our sale from Thursday to Saturday. The earlier we start in the morning, the better. We’ve had people parked outside our home at 8 a.m.
- Coordinate with your neighbors and friends. The more sales on one street, the more likely shoppers are to stop and check them all out. This year we had two other families bring stuff to sell at our garage sale and a total of six garage sales on our street.
- Use garage sale signs to direct shoppers to your sale. We put signs on both ends of our street and a sign in our yard.
- Pull the big stuff out on your driveway so people will stop and shop. Things that have worked well in the past include a couch, a dining room set, a Little Tikes playhouse, and bicycles.
- Clean and repair items before you sell them. They are more likely to sell that way.
- Find free ways to advertise. I put an ad in the citywide sale one year, but in other years I simply posted an ad in our homeschool group’s Classifieds and emailed all my local friends. This year I noted our garage sale on Facebook while a friend posted it on Craigslist. It’s nice to see familiar faces amidst a sea of strangers.
- Greet and make small talk with the shoppers. Everyone likes to connect and feel like someone cares about them. It helps to increase sales too!
- Post a “Cash only, please” sign at your cashier’s table. A friend related that a sweet elderly lady came to her garage sale and then bounced her check!
- Price a little higher the first day and then drop your prices by the last day of your sale. Know how much you are willing to negotiate on price. There should be a little room to bargain, but you don’t have to give your things away.
- When your sale is over for the day, keep your garage door closed or people will walk in!
- Know what people want. If they start asking for jewelry, get your old jewelry out and price it. I’m glad I did!
- Play beautiful music in the background. We’ve used Pachelbel in the past and this year we played Beethoven.
- Include your children in your garage sale by having them find items to sell, price the items, set up tables, work as cashier or security, and market the garage sale. This year our 8-year-old helped type our ad for our homeschool group and our 11-year-old hauled the TV from the basement to the garage.
Are you doing a garage sale this year? Do you have a garage sale tip to share? Do you enjoy shopping at garage sales?
Lisa (aka Morning Rose) has been teaching her two elementary-aged sons for four years and incorporating study, work, service, and play into their homeschooling days. She enjoys reading, writing, and photography and blogs publicly at Pockets of Time and privately at Scooter and B.
Let God Get You Organized!
May 19, 2009 by Leslie
Many of you are aware that I have been working on getting my home overhauled over the last few months. This process has taken a bit longer than I originally had planned for a variety of reasons; work schedule, lack of “homes” for stuff, loss of motivation, illness, and my attitude. Last week I posted on the Total Home Overhaul group about how God has been working on my attitude. This was a turning point for me. Prior to this change, my mind was consumed with the organizational changes I needed to do before anything else. Budget and down trodden thinking put a damper on this. I kept justifying why I couldn’t move forward because I didn’t have this or I didn’t have time to complete the other. As God worked me through my attitude issues, my eyes were opened to what I CAN do right now to get it together. When God answers, He answers BIG!
One of my biggest obstacles to overcome was lack of shelf space. Like many homemakers, homesteaders, and homeschoolers, books take up a LOT of space in our home. I had an entire hallway that was just piled with books; piled HIGH! When I couldn’t pile the books any higher, I started piling them in my office. After that they got piled in boxes and such in my office closet. I didn’t stop there because every flat surface was a potential space for piling books and notebooks. The hubby and I had been pricing different bookshelves, both pre-made and supplies for building them into the wall. To be honest, as much as I needed those shelves, I couldn’t bring myself to take money from our savings to complete the project. But each week brought more grumbles from me about how I could barely breathe in our home. It never occurred to me to stop buying books or look for other resources for shelves. I had been looking at yard sales, but I kept coming across those 2 level particle board shelves that bow when any weight is put on them. I wanted what I wanted and anything less just wouldn’t do. No surprise that God wasn’t answering me with that attitude! Once I allowed God to come in and transform my attitude, a solution was found.
The hubby asked me to come to our local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store to search for a small TV stand. Long story short, we had a big screen TV that had been sitting broken in our living room for almost 3 years. It took up a lot of space and since it didn’t work our bedroom became the living room; which drove me absolutely nutty. How many of you know how short a drive that is? But, I digress. The hubby had found a smaller flat screen for an absolute steal, but we had no place to put it; thus his idea to visit the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.
These stores sell used furniture, appliances, linens, housing supplies, remodeling supplies etc. They sell pretty much anything but clothing. At any rate, we get there and the sparkle shown in my eyes immediately. The hubby said, “You are like a kid in a candy store!” That was true. Here’s how God answered my prayers for an inexpensive TV stand. Quickly my hubby located a piece that fit the bill and I said yes right away. It was perfect! However, I also found a treasure trove of other pieces, including two large shelving units that would fit our hallway and solve my book problem. Here is the final list of what I wanted: 2 large shelving units of solid wood, one round pillar table for a game table, a stand for our TV, a prayer chair, and an upholstered chair. The total for the furniture was tallied @ $320; which was a good deal as purchasing shelves for the hallway cost more than that, but of course I wasn’t satisfied with the price. I talked them down to $120. Yep, you read correctly; they came down $200. We came home with our pieces and I quickly set to work. But that is NOT all!
Our book pile issue is solved. Our game area is now solved with the use of the pillar table and 2 dining chairs that I had sitting in the garage that I had picked up for free on the road side during one of my evening walks. Our TV has a home and we now use our living room for living and my bedroom for uh…sleeping. I was able to place this darling and most comfy chair in my bedroom for a prayer chair (Prayer space for me complete!). Then I turned around and sold the broken TV for $50. Total cost of the overhaul of 5 rooms: $80!
The point in telling you my story is to inspire you to give your home issues to God. He is there for everything in your life. We often overlook these issues in our times of prayer and fellowship because they seem so mundane. But the reality is that the state of our home affects our lives. In the last week I have done so much overhauling with the help of my daughter, son, and his friends, that I can’t believe we are in the same house. There are still projects on my To Do List, but it is not overwhelming and I don’t feel as if I am drowning. My mind is in a better place. Just in time as one of my daughters was in need of undistracted Mom time this weekend. I was able to give that to her, because my mind wasn’t spinning in different directions due to clutter all about. I was able to concentrate on praying with and for her.
Let God work through you as you tackle organizational issues in your home. As you open yourself up and broaden your relationship with God by including those mundane issues you will find Him transforming you in fantastic ways. God will lasso much of the chaos allowing for the much needed simplicity to flow through your life and afford you the opportunity to truly walk with Him. When our homes are less cluttered, our lives are less chaotic. The result is that we are more able to focus on devoting time to Him and His purpose for our lives; and we are better be able to listen.
Leslie Valeska is the wife of Thomas and homeschooling mother of four children who reside in SW Florida. Her family operates Fresh Gear Solutions, LLC and enjoys RVing. She is the founder and director of Simple Journey Ministries which was established to encourage, inspire, and support women on their journey to Godly womanhood. Leslie is also employed as a vintage seamstress by Vintage Vixen.
