Adventures of a Thrifty Mama on a City 'Stead

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Wednesday 12/4/13 edition

2013-12-04T15:56:00.001-05:00

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I search Amazon to bring you the highest quality FREE ebooks to help you live a thriftier, more self-reliant life. These are the results of today's search. There are no magic lists or feeds to tell me where to find these books--this is the product of hours of work. Even though these books are free, I do make a small commission if you buy anything on the same trip to Amazon as when you go to download these books and that is what pays me for the hours of time I spend doing this for you. If you enjoy these lists, please keep that in mind the next time you go to make a purchase online and start from on of my links on this blog or my Facebook page. I hope you enjoy today's selections!

If you don't have a Kindle device, you can still access these books by downloading an app for your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by using the Kindle Cloud Reader to read them online (or you could buy one, since the sheer number of these free ebooks makes it worth while! They start at only $69!).

This post is time sensitive. If you are finding it after the post date, most of these are probably no longer free. Always check the price before clicking "buy."

Homesteading

Food Canning: How To Safely Preserve Foods

Food Drying vol. 2: How to Dry Vegetables

Food Drying vol. 1: How to Dry Fruit

Food Drying: Food Dehydration and Safe Storage

Backyard Chickens Book Package: The Backyard Chickens Handbook and The Backyard Chickens Breed Guide (Modern Homesteading)

Gardening

Month by Month Gardening Guide / Free Resource Guide Included

Organic Gardening Book Package: Organic Gardening: Your Guide to Growing Healthy Organic Produce & Seed Saving for the Organic Gardener

Preparedness

The Poor Man's Prepping Guide: How to Prepare for Disaster on a Shoestring Budget (Stay Alive)

The Survival Tin: The Survival Kit You Can Carry in Your Pocket

Doomsday Prepping Crash Course: The Ultimate Preppers Guide to Getting Prepared When You're on a Tight Budget

Crafts

Crochet Dynamite: Gifts For Your Besties

Crochet Dynamite: Fun and Games

Basic Quilting: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started (How To Basics Series)

Thrifty Living

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for the Thrifty Shopper

Health

Natural Skin Care Recipes Handbook: 30 Simple Homemade Face Mask Recipes for Beautiful, Healthy & Younger Looking Skin Using Only Natural Ingredients.

NOW THAT I QUIT SMOKING: the 5 things You Need To know About Quitting Cigarettes And 5 Tips To help you Become An Ex-Smoker (The Quitting Smoking Series)

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, M.E. and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Making sense of Adrenal Fatigue, IBS, Depression, Stress, Anxiety and the way forward to recovery.

Cooking/Cookbooks

Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook: Gluten Free Diet Made Easy

200 Chocolate Recipes - Cookies, Cakes, Desserts, Etc..

CRANBERRY-LY DELICIOUS DESSERTS!: How To Bake 10 Fabulously Delicious Desserts With Cranberries, Easy Recipes That Make Your Taste Buds Scream For More! (Lucious Linda's Recipes Series)

33 Ingredient Substitutions To Help You Cook Amazing Foods Even When Your Cupboards Are Bare

Chicken Recipes: Easy and Delicious Chicken Recipes To Prepare During The Week!

Quick and Easy Grilling Recipes

Home-based Business

MAKE MONEY BLOGGING: Follow These 7 Simple Steps To Start Making Money Blogging (The Easy Blogging Series)

60 Ways To Make Money Fast

How I Made Over $100,000 Online Doing What I Love

Homeschooling

Simplify Your Homeschool Day: Shorten Your Day, Sweeten Your Time

25 Winter Craft Ideas: Easy Indoor Crafts for Kids (Seasonal Craft Ideas)

Free Ebooks for a More Self-Sufficient Life--Monday 12/2/13 edition

2013-12-02T12:38:00.000-05:00

Tabletop Aquaponics -- for Homes, Schools, Churches, Clubs, and Science Fairs

How To Brew Your Own Beer - The Step-By-Step Guide To Brewing A Perfect Pint Every Time

Trailersteading: Voluntary Simplicity In A Mobile Home (Modern Simplicity)

Household DIY: Save Time and Money with Do It Yourself Hints & Tips on Furniture, Clothes, Pests, Stains, Residues, Odors and More!

Gardening

How To Plant A Raised Bed Garden: The Complete Guide to raised bed gardening

Preparedness

Don't Survive, Thrive! How To Flourish When Disaster or Crisis Strikes.

Crafts

Wood Puzzles

Knitting for Knitwits: The Quick and Easy Learn to Knit Guide (with six easy patterns) (Craft Instructables)

Thrifty Living

How To Save Money On Groceries (Back To Basics: Recipes For the Savvy Shopper)

How to Save Energy at Home - 101 Great Home Energy Saving Tips

Health

How To Heal From Acne Naturally: For Adult Women

Sleep Hacking: How to Conquer Insomnia - The Most Effective Method to Gain Relief from your Insomnia (Natural Insomnia Relief, Holistic Insomnia Cures for Basic Sleep Disorders)

Reverse Heart Disease - How To Prevent, Cure And Reverse Heart Disease Now The Natural Way (Reverse Heart Disease, Heart Disease, Heart Diet, Heart Disease Diet, Healthy Eating, Diabetes, Lose Weight)

101 Tips for Post-Natal Fitness

Healthy Eating Bible - How to Eat Healthy and Establish Healthy Eating Habits Easily to Live a Longer, Happier and Healthier Life (Healthy Living, Health, Fitness & Dieting, Weight Loss, Nutrition)

Beating Phobia's: 50 Techniques to help you Beat Your Phobia's for Life! (stress and anxiety, phobia's)

Cooking/Cookbooks

Simply Scrumptious Recipes, Quiches and Salads

Kain Po! A Collection of Simple Filipino Recipes

Vegan Bread Cookbook

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Friday 11/29/13 edition

2013-11-29T04:14:00.002-05:00

Fermented Foods: Fermenting to Good Health

Citrus: How to Grow and Use Citrus Fruits, Flowers, and Foliage

Jerky :The Ultimate Recipe Guide - Beef, Turkey, Vinison, Alligator,

How to Raise Chickens

Natural Cleaning Recipes: Handbook Of Homemade Products, Non-Toxic Cleaners and Healthy Solutions For a Chemical Free Home.

Preparedness

Be Prepared! An Effective Disaster Management Plan: Ways to Prepare for Every Kind of Disaster

Prepping 101: A Beginner's Survival Guide

Crafts

Hand Made Kids Art: 12 days of Holiday Crafting for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Health

Blood Pressure (High Blood Pressure: Don't Let it Kill You)

Back Pain Cure: Get Rid of Back Pain in Few Steps without Drugs or Surgery

The Complete Book of Yoga for Beginners

Renew Your Heart: Rekindling The Fire: Steps You Must take To Rebuild Your Heart Stronger Than Before Your Attack

How To Strengthen Hair - The 7 Best Ways to Strengthen Your Hair Naturally!

Cooking/Cookbooks

The Farmers Market Guide - Over 30 Healthy & Fresh Recipes

The enormous power of the small grain. Grain sprouting and cooking - delicious ways. (Healthy Raw Food)

Wood for Sheep: The Unauthorized Settlers Cookbook

Steak Sauce :The Ultimate Guide - Over 30 Delicious & Best Selling Recipes

Home-based Business

Flip A House

Google+ Local SEO: Improve Your Business Website Rankings

49 Quick Ways to Market Your Business for Free: An Instant Guide to Marketing Success

Homeschooling

Getting the BIG Scholarships: Learn Expert Secrets for Winning College Cash! (Coffee Break Books)

How-To Homeschool Your Learning Abled Kid: 75 Questions Answered For Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities or Twice Exceptional Abilities (Learning Abled Kids' Guidebooks)

Free Ebooks for a More Self-Sufficient Life--Wednesday 11/27/13 edition

2013-11-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

Candy In a Jar

How To Care For Your Newborn Goat Kids A Simple Guide (Goat Knowledge)

Homemade Liqueur Recipes: The Top Easy and Delicious Homemade Liqueur Recipes!

Gardening

Essential Herb Gardening and Cooking

Sustainable Food for the Globe, One Square Foot at a Time. (Sustainability for the Globe)

Preparedness

Prepping 101: A Beginner's Survival Guide

A Kid's Book On Survival: Prepare For Emergencies

Thrifty Living

Superior Saving Strategies: Your Complete guide to saving for a better life

Health

Everything You Need To Know About Colloidal Silver

The Worst Carb That Makes You Fat and Keeps You Fat

Your Health After Your Baby's Birth: Caring for Yourself as a New Mom (Newborn, Infant, Baby, & Toddler Help Books)

Grandma's Herbal remedies 2 - The secret recipes (Grandma's Series)

Apple Cider Vinegar Handbook: How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar to Lose Weight, Prevent Allergies, and Boost Your Immune System!

Cooking/Cookbooks

Vegetarian Recipes for Meat Eaters: Flexitarian Diet Recipes for People Who Can't Give Up Meat, Volume One

Pressure Cooker Recipe Book: Fast Cooking Under Extreme Pressure

Homemade Bread Recipes: The Top Easy and Delicious Homemade Bread Recipes!

Cooking Ahead - The Less Stress Way To Cook For 2 To 200

Sourdough Bread: Discover the Secret to Making Sourdough Bread from Scratch

Healthy Whole Grains Dessert Recipes, Easy and Delicious Whole Grain Desserts

Home-based Business

Make Money Online: Killer Tips & Tricks To Make Money Online With Fiverr.Com (Make $1200+ Per Month on Fiverr)

21 Websites That Pay You to Write (and secrets for making the big bucks!)

MAKE MONEY ONLINE: How to Create $1000 Passive Income Per Month Recording 5 Minute Videos (Passive Income Series)

Easy Wordpress Tutorial For Beginners: Easy Wordpress Handbook With Screen Shots (Wordpress Made Easy) (Skills for the Internet)

Homeschooling

Reading Child - How to Get your Child to Love Reading (The "Love your Child" series)

Mind Maps: Quicker Notes, Better Memory, and Improved Learning 2.0

You're Not Poor If You Can Buy a Beer

2013-11-26T10:37:00.002-05:00

Every now and then, someone posts a comment on my blog or its Facebook page that really gets my goat. Today, I woke up to such a comment. Even though I have places to be and things to do, I decided to write out what I was thinking in response to it and then decided I wanted to share it here as well. The comment was in response to a blog post by Poor As Folk, entitled The Privilege of Real Food. Here is the comment (reposted anonymously):

When I see folks with EBT cards (food stamps), buying beer,Not with EBT, chips, candy, soda and all the crap food it burns me up. Don't tell me they are poor. They eat better than I do without that help. It's sometimes a matter of laziness also. Know some who sit on their butt and do nothing and eat crap food and get obese. Sorry, but I work very hard for what I ahve and I don't get help to do it. I make toime to cook healthy. if the limit is $2.22 or such for each person per day, tell me how a $5.00 fast food meal is cheaper? Math wasn't my best subject but only an idiot thinks that's correct. Eat food for that $5 if you ahve it to waste.

This irritated me for a number of reasons, many of which I took personally. So here is my reply to the comment (which I realized halfway through typing that it was, in fact, long enough to be a blog post on its own):

It can be a matter of time too. I know that for me right now, running two businesses and homeschooling four kids as a single mom, I sometimes HAVE to go with the more expensive option because if I don't grab something quick, I don't eat, period. And it certainly isn't a matter of laziness, since any ONE of those things I just listed I do is enough to fill someone's day! A LOT of other poor people are in the same boat, having to choose between time and money when people are working two to three jobs each and still don't make enough money to support their families because the minimum wage is so out of step with inflation since it was implemented.

I don't know how you know people that do nothing but sit on their butts and eat crap that get SNAP, because that isn't allowed under the program. You have to document working a minimum of 20 hours a week OR be engaged in work search activities a minimum of 20 hours a week. That's why my food stamps got cut off last month ago--they lost the documenting that I work enough, so despite typically working 50ish hours a week (the homeschooling doesn't count as work, even though I save the gov't a ton of money by doing it, or that number would be much higher), I got a notice saying I don't work enough and my family would no longer be receiving food benefits. And I don't have the time or energy to fight it.

And just because you see someone buying crap ONE time doesn't mean that's their regular diet or that they "aren't poor" just because they buy beer once in a great while. Even bringing in approximately $1200 a month (including child support) to support myself and my four kids, so in "extreme poverty" by US government standards, I will on occasion treat myself or my kids with something. You have to for your mental health in that situation or you'll give up all hope and end up being in poverty forever as a result, since hope is a critical ingredient in trying to claw your way out of poverty. If I drank beer, maybe that treat would be a beer, but I don't--this past week I bought nail polish for myself (not on food stamps) and some candy for the kids, because it is hard for them to always be told no, they can't have anything. Heck, I'm not going be buying them any Christmas present this year because I can't afford them, but you want to judge and say someone in the same isn't poor because they chose to treat themselves with what little resources they have? That's just plain cold.

Moral of the story: You don't know everything that is going on in someone's life just because you have a two-second snapshot of what they decide to buy ONE time. Don't judge others when you don't know what they're dealing with. Like EVERY major religion ever pretty much says: Play nice.

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Monday 11/25/13 edition

2013-11-25T15:32:00.001-05:00

Permaculture Chicken: Pasture Basics

How to Become a Do-It-Yourself Mom: A Guide for Simple Home Decorating Ideas for Smart Women (More for Less Guides)

Gardening

How to Build a Greenhouse on a Shoestring Budget

The Way To Healthy Garden Soil

Pest Control for Organic Gardening: Natural Methods for Pest and Disease Control for a Healthy Garden

Starting a New Garden (VOL. 1): How to Transform Your Yard and Patio Into Beds and Container Gardens (Growing Organic Vegetables at Home)

Preparedness

Everyday Carry Gear: Never Leave Home Without It

Crafts

Natural Soap Making

Thrifty Living

Save Your Energy: How To Knock £300 Off A Home Fuel Bill

Budgeting Like A Business: How To Manage Your Life Like A Fortune 500 Company

Superior Saving Strategies: Your Complete guide to saving for a better life

Health

The Cellulite Cure: Eliminate Cellulite Fast and Forever. Natural Therapies for Effective Cellulite Treatments. Get a Healthy, Sexy Body and Say ''No'' ... Wellness, Healthy Cure for Cellulite,)

Headache Remedies: Proven Remedies To Relieve Pain, Stress, And Headaches Naturally (Headache Migraine, Headache Relief)

Attention Deficit Disorder - The Ultimate ADD / ADHD Help Book (Detect, Diagnose, Cope, Treat, and Reclaim Focus) (ADD Books, ADHD Books, Parenting Help, ... Health, Behavioural Disorders, Illnesses)

Binge Eating: Simple And Effective Solutions To Take Control Of Your Binge Eating And Overcome Your Eating Disorder

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet: 2 Day Diet for Fast Weight Loss, Glowing Skin, Healthy Hair! Better Health, Allergies, Detox with Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits, Uses, and Cures : Paleo Diet Approved

Sex, Drugs, and Other Elephants: How To Deal With Teenage Issues

Fibromyalgia Cure or Permanent Remission?

Beating Allergies: 50 Natural Ways to Reduce or Eliminate Your Allergies for Life!< (Allergies, Physical diseases and disorders)< (Allergies, Physical diseases and disorders)

Cooking/Cookbooks

The Paleo Kid's Christmas: 16 Holiday Classics So They Don't Miss A Thing (Primal Gluten Free Kids Cookbook)

Thanksgiving Made Simple: A Common Sense Approach to Creating a Meal to Remember

Paleo Crockpot Cookbook: Illustrated Paleo Crock Pot Recipes with Delicious Slow Cooker Soups, Stews, Dinners, Sides and Desserts (Paleo Recipes: Paleo ... Lunch, Dinner & Desserts Recipe Book)

It's all about Crepes - Easy to cook Vegeterian ,Fish or Meat , Sweet or Savoury . (Cook it now, it's easy and fun)

Home-based Business

Make Money Online - 7 Days to Build a Profitable Online Business and Start to Make Money Online (Make Money from Home) (How to Make Money Online)

Homeschooling

Every Kid's Guide to Thinking and Learning (Living Skills)

Free Ebooks for a More Self-Sufficient Lifestyle--November 22, 2013 edition

2013-11-22T15:35:00.001-05:00

Low-Cost Sunroom: Heating Your Home With Free Solar Energy (Modern Simplicity)

Natural Yogurt: How to Make Homemade Yogurt

Canning Collection, 5 Books In 1, Canning Meat, Fish, Poultry, Wild Game, Vegetables, Fruits, Pickles, Salsa (Canning and Preserving Guides)

Naturally Homemade

Pickle It!

Dehydration: A Basic Guide to Food Drying

Healthy Pet Food :The Ultimate Recipe Guide

Chicken Diseases Help - A Quick Guidebook on Chicken in Sickness and Health

Gardening

The Way To Healthy Garden Soil

How To Grow More Vegetables

Fall and Winter Gardening: 25 Organic Vegetables to Plant and Grow for Late Season Food

Hydroponics: Hydroponic Gardening Basics

Preparedness

Confessions of A Prepper- Prepper Mom: How To Plan And Protect Your Family And Friends During Any Disaster

Bug Out Bag Book: A Quick BOB Guide on How to Make the Ultimate Bug out Bag

Being Prepared Without Being A Kook

Crafts

The Smart Beginners Guide To Vegan Soapmaking: The Simple Guide to Making Vegan Handmade Soap

Thrifty Living

Couponing Simple Book: Big Savings in Cash and Time

How to Save Energy at Home - 101 Great Home Energy Saving Tips

Health

Walking to Lose Weight [A 12 Week Walking Workout Plan] - The Exact Plan for Losing Weight One Step at a Time

The Dangers of Artificial Coloring in Food (Health Matters)

Sugar Detox: How to Overcome Sugar Addiction NOW and for the Rest of Your Life

Cooking/Cookbooks

How To Cook Healthy in a Hurry: Volume 2, 35 New, Quick And Easy Low Fat Recipes You Can Prepare In 30 Minutes

Taste of Happiness - Homemade Ice Cream

Pizza Recipes 101: Modern Pizza Recipes

Sweet Potato Recipes :The Ultimate Guide - Over 30 Delicious & Best Selling Recipes

Brilliant Brownies and Bars - 25 Favorite Brownie and Bar Recipes

Paleo Thanksgiving Cookbook - Everything you need for Thanksgiving Day

50 Christmas Dinner Recipes - Great Recipes For Your Christmas Dinner From Start To Finish (The Ultimate Christmas Recipes and Recipes For Christmas Collection)

Roast Turkey "Step by Step" (Recipes from Puerto Rico # 3)

Bare Root Sweets: 30 Paleo Dessert Recipes for the Modern Food Lover

Soups, Sandwiches & Wraps

Cook Live Learn

Super Delicious Mediterranean Lunches And Dinners: Latest Collection Top 30 Selected, Recommended And Super Tasty Mediterranean Lunch And Dinner Recipes

Mrs. Batterfingers Old Fashioned Cookie Recipes: A Simple Old Fashioned Cookie Cookbook

35 Slow Cooker Christmas Recipes - Happy Holiday Meals for Your Slow Cooker

Home-based Business

Big Profit with Small Appliances: Cooking up cash at home or in a small business

Amazon Affiliate -The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on Amazon (Amazon in Gift Cards, Amazon in Apps for Android, Amazon Prime, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Prime Lending Library, Amazon Coins)

No Money, No Problem: limited funds, unlimited options

Food Bloggers Tax Guide

Homeschooling

16 Fun Animals Origami Projects for Young Children

The Secrets of Sea Glass

Scheduling - The Secret to Homeschool Sanity: Plan Your Way Back to Mental Health (Coffee Break Books)

Yoga - For Me and You and the Children Too (Children's Books for the Whole Family)

Homeschooling For Those Who Think They Can't: A Guide to Exploring the Possibility

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Wednesday 11/20/13 edition

2013-11-20T13:18:00.001-05:00

Organic Composting: Reduce Waste, Save Money, and Improve Your Garden

Food Canning: How To Safely Preserve Foods

Fermented Foods: How to Ferment Vegetables

Preparedness

Bug Out Bag: (What are the Essentials?) - A Licensed EMT's Perspective

Crafts

Beginner Soap Making: Simple Homemade Recipes

Thrifty Living

Extreme Couponing for Beginners

Saving Money on Utilities (Money Saving Madness)

Health

Coconut Oil Recipes: Homemade Remedies for Health & Beauty plus Recipes for Paleo, Celiac and Gluten-Free Diets (Quick and Easy Series)

Herbs from Native American Medicine (Herbal Medicine from Your Garden or Windowsill)

Chronic Pain and Prolotherapy - Why you have chronic pain and what you can do about it

"Stop Smoking... For Life!"

The 20 Minute Lifting For Women: Look Like A Goddess Lift Like A Boss (The 20 Minute Fitness Series)

LOVE YOUR LIVER:How to keep your liver healthy (HEALTHY LIVING)

Superfoods-Natural Medicine-Lose Weight-Boost your Immune System- Live a Longer and Healthier Life (Healthy Living)

Cooking/Cookbooks

Cookie Swap Recipes

How to Roast a Turkey in 10 Easy Steps

Cranberries: Delicious, Mouth-Watering Recipes for Every Day

Homeschooling

The Absorbent Mind

Free Ebooks for a More Natural Life--Monday 11/18/13 edition

2013-11-18T16:23:00.001-05:00

I CAN CAN CHICKEN!! How to home can chicken to save money and time with quick, easy, tasty family recipes (I Can Can!! Frugal Living Series)

Basic Freshwater Fishing: Step-By-Step Guide to Tackle and Know-How That Catch the Favorite Fish in Your Area

Gardening

Growing and Cooking Herbs - A guide for taking herbs from garden to plate

Crafts

Mother Nature Inspired Christmas Ornaments

Thrifty Living

101 Ways to Save on Pet Care

The Art Of The Minimalist Budget: How To Cut Your Spending In Half, Save More, And Get More Enjoyment Out Of Life

Health

70 Healthy Habits - How to Eat Better, Feel Great, Get More Energy and Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Natural Home Remedies For Your Child and You: Natural Remedies for Common Health Conditions (Green Matters)

Fast Rosacea Cure - How To Cure Rosacea Fast (Rosacea Treatments, Rosacea Diet & Rosacea Remedies)

How to Benefit from Everyday Herbs - A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Natural Herbal Remedies for Common Ailments & Good Health

Cooking/Cookbooks

Paleo Holiday Recipes: Delicious, Easy & Paleo-Friendly Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipes

Slow Cooker 101: Master the Slow Cooker with 101 Great Recipes

Good, Cheap and Healthy: 130 Family Meals We All Love and are Easy on the Budget (Healthy Cookbook Series)

Easy and Delicious Fudge: Traditional and Specialty Fudge Recipes

Fish & Game Cookbook

Appetizers & Beverages - Dips, Shakes, Spreads & More! (Foodie Fanatics Anonymous)

Homemade Shawarma Recipes: 32 Delicious Shawarma Recipes

Heavenly Cheesecakes (Homemade Happiness)

Home-based Business

HOW TO START A BLOG THAT PEOPLE WILL READ: How to create a website, write about a topic you love, develop a loyal readership, and make six figures doing it. (THE MAKE MONEY FROM HOME LIONS CLUB)

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Friday 11/15/13 edition

2013-11-15T18:07:00.001-05:00

Safe and Easy Food Preservation

Canning And Preserving: How To Can, Preserve, And Store Your Food In Jars

Gardening

Grow Your Own Groceries: Vegetables

So Easy Herbal: Ten Herbs How To Grow Them Use Them And Save Money

Clever Gardening Tricks

A Beginners Guide to Companion Planting: Companion Gardening with Flowers, Herbs & Vegetables (Simple Living)

Preparedness

The Healthy Prepper - A Resource Guide For Healthy Preparedness For You AND Your Pets!

Hiking Survival Guide: Basic Survival Kit and Necessary Survival Skills to Stay Alive in the Wilderness (Survival Guide Books for Hiking and Backpacking)

Thrifty Living

The Top 20 Toxic Credit Mistakes - The Most Valuable Book You Can Have That Will Save You From Destroying Your Credit.

How I Paid $8 for $170 Worth of Groceries (Confessions of a Coupon Fashionista)

Health

Home-based Business

Running A Web Design Business From Home: How To Get Clients, Keep Good Clients and Make Money with Your Home Business

Homeschooling

High School Testing: Knowledge That Saves Money (Coffee Break Books)

Free Ebooks for a More Self-Sufficient Life--Wednesday 11/13/13 edition

2013-11-13T14:32:00.000-05:00

The Backyard Chickens Handbook: What You Need to Know to Raise Backyard Chickens (Modern Homesteading)

Canning Salsa, How To Can Salsa, Step By Step Guide (Canning and Preserving Guides)

Food Preservation Book Package: Food Drying and Food Canning (2 Books)

Recipes in a Jar vol. 2: How to Can Vegetables

Food in Jars: From Jellies to Jams and Lunches to Desserts

Fermenting vol. 2: Fermented Beverages

Gardening

Companion Planting: The Vegetable Gardeners Guide. The Role of Flowers, Herbs & Organic Thinking

COMPLETE HYDROPONIC GARDENING BOOK: 6 DIY garden set ups for growing vegetables, strawberries, lettuce, herbs and more. (Lifestyle)

The Container Gardening Book - How to grow easy flowers, herbs and vegetables in containers

Preparedness

The Bug Out Bag: What You Need to Stay Alive

Thrifty Living

Homemade Christmas

How to Budget for the Holidays

How to Make a Budget: Get Out of Debt and Start Saving More Money

Health

The Aromatherapy Handbook: Essential Oils Uses and Applications (Essentially Yours)

How to make tinctures and heal your body naturally - herbal remedies from medicinal herbs and tinctures

Unravelling Paleo: ALL You Need to know about Paleo & Interviews with Robb Wolf, Dr. Loren Cordain & Nell Stephenson & Where to find Hundreds of Paleo Recipes for Free! (A Complete Beginner's Guide)

Beating Muscle Pain: 30 Easy Techniques that can be implemented to ease muscle pain Immediatly (muscle pain, diseases and physical aliments,)

Overcoming Depression:The Ultimate Guide Living A Depression Free Life

Herbs & Spices: The Amazing Health Benefits Of Herbs & Spices And How To Implement Them In Your Diet

Cooking/Cookbooks

The BBQ & Outdoor Grilling Cookbook: 110 Recipes for Everything from Appetizers to Desserts

Swine & Dine: Recipes for Bringing Pork to Any Occasion

An Easy Guide to Sourdough : Delicious Recipes, Starters and More!

The Best Diabetic Holiday Cookbook

Home-based Business

ETSY SUCCESS: Selling Your Crafts for Fun & Profit

Homeschooling

Amazing Facts about Health for Kids - Illustrated Book with The Most Interesting Facts About Health

The Homeschooler's Guide to Science Fairs

Discover Reptiles - Fun Facts For Kids

Feeding 5 on $50: Second list

2013-11-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

This week, I didn't do as well. I actually violated my rule about not changing anything on the list when I remembered in the store that we were almost out of milk, so I picked up a gallon. Hence, I ended up going over budget just a tad. This week, my grocery total was $53.49 (the milk was $2.69), so I went a little over, a mistake that I'll have to compensate for at a later date. Looking at my receipt now, I see why: If you bought 5 Nabisco products, you were supposed to get $5 off instantly. Apparently, the cashier didn't ring up one of the boxes of Teddy Grahams, so by not paying for that item at $2.49 and then getting $5 taken off, I ended up paying more! I wonder if that is something I can take the receipt into the store and get corrected!

Anyway, here is my shopping experience from 11/1/13.

3 boxes Teddy Grahams $7.47 (was supposed to be $4.47; regular price $8.97)
1 storebrand milk $2.69 (regular price $2.89)
2 boxes Ritz crackers $5.54 (was supposed to be $3.54; regular price $5.54)
3 pkg OreIda frozen potatoes $4.50 (regular price $8.97)
2 pkg storebrand frozen vegetables $2 (regular price $2.50)
3 cans SpaghettiOs $2.60 (regular price $3.21)
16 Yoplait yogurt $8 (regular price $9.60)
6 Bolthouse Farms juices $10 (regular price $17.94)
1 box turkey corn dogs $5.49 (regular price $6.09)
40oz frozen chicken boneless skinless breasts $5.69 (regular price $7.99)
1 8oz chunk Kraft cheese $2 (regular price $3.09)

We ate some of that chicken with some baked butternut squash and the kids had the corn dogs and some fries on a night I wasn't home (along with some raw veggies we already had on hand), but the other stuff either hasn't been consumed yet or is for snacks, lunches, etc. I like those Bolthouse farms juices for times I need to eat something but don't actually have time to do so, which happens far too often, so I was really excited about that sale. I'm pretty upset about the mess-up with the Nabisco products though and will definitely be paying more attention to my receipts in the future, which means no more taking the kids to the store!

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Monday 11/11/13 edition

2013-11-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

Worm Farm Secrets getting the basics right for success

Backyard Bird Guide: Attracting Wild Birds to Your Yard

How to Compost Quickly, in as little as 7 to 10 days, without a Bin, Pile or Tumbler

$10 Root Cellar: And Other Low-Cost Methods of Growing, Storing, and Using Root Vegetables (Modern Simplicity)

Gardening

7 Secrets Grow Delicious Herbs Indoors (Your Herb Garden)

How to Grow Beans and Peas: Planting and Growing Organic Green Beans, Sugar Snap Peas, and Heirloom Dry Beans and Peas

Preparedness

Survival Guide For The Modern World: How to Stay Alive, Survive and Thrive in Uncertain Times

Bug Out Bag Essentials: What Does a Prepper Take When Disaster Hits?

Survive A Catastrophe In Suburbia Without Firearms

Crafts

How to Create Great Holiday Decorations for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and More (Holiday Entertaining)

Homemade Body Lotions: Recipes for natural, healthy, additive free and simple to make body lotions (Quick and Easy Series)

Thrifty Living

Every Item on Sale: How to Slash Your Grocery Bill By Over 50%

With or Without Coupons: How to Save 50% or More at the Grocery Store

Health

How To Improve Your Vision Naturally: Strategies and Exercises to Restore Your Eyesight

Managing Asthma Now: The most effective Natural Treatments to help you Eliminate Asthma and get your life Back! (allergies, disorders and diseases)

Nail Biting No More: The Most Effective ways to break the habit of Nail Biting for Life! (addictions, diseases and physical ailments)

The Alzheimer's Diet: The Most Effective Diet Plan for Dealing with the Devastating Impact of Alzheimer's Disease (Alzheimer's Diet 101)

Cooking/Cookbooks

Paleo On the Go - Easy & Delicious Freezer Safe Recipes - Delectable Chicken, Mouth Watering Meat, Luscious Dessert & Snacks and Refreshing Beverages

Sweet Potato Recipes: Delicious Sweet Potato Recipes To Keep You Fit And Healthy (The Simple Recipe Series)

Healthy Recipes: Spice Blends - A New Way of Cooking (Eating Healthy)

Party Hardy

Cookie Indulgence: 150 Easy Cookie Recipes

6months+ Baby Puree - Nutritious and Delicious Baby Puree Recipes

Home-based Business

Ebay and Dropshipping for Newbies (Pathways Step by Step Guides to a Successful Online Business)

The Ultimate Freelance Success Guide - How To Start An Online Business Freelancing And Go From $0 To $4200 Per Month (Odesk, Elance, Freelance Jobs, Work From Home) (freelancer)

Homeschooling

College Scholarships for High School Credit: Learn and Earn With This Two-for-One Strategy! (Coffee Break Books)

Free Ebooks for a More Self-Sufficient Life--Friday 11/8/13 edition

2013-11-08T15:30:00.000-05:00

Never Buy Laundry Detergent Again! Refreshingly Cheap Recipes and Tips for Homemade Detergents, Fabric Softeners, and Other Laundry Products (Save at Home Guide)

Life Without Refrigeration

Backyard Chickens for Beginners: Getting the Best Chickens, Choosing Coops, Feeding and Care, and Beating City Chicken Laws (Booklet)

Fermenting: How to Ferment Vegetables

Food Drying: How to Safely Dry and Store Food (Food Preservation)

The Natural Beekeeper: Learning Organic Beekeeping Successfully (Smart Beekeeping Series)

The Backyard Chickens Breed Guide: The Best (and Worst) Backyard Chicken Breeds (Modern Homesteading)

Gardening

The Beginner's Ultimate Guide To Low Cost Gardening. Everything You Need To Know to Kick off NOW!

Preparedness

Bug Out Vehicle: Time To Get Your Vehicle Ready (Surviving The Sheep)

Crafts

Natural Homemade Perfume :The Ultimate Guide - Over 30 Fragrance Recipes

Thrifty Living

How to Host a Frugal and Fabulous Christmas

60 More Money-Saving Websites: Cash In From the Comforts of Home - Volume 2

How To Save Money By Reducing Your Utility Bills (Reduce Bills and Save Money, No More High Bills!)

Cooking/Cookbooks

Everything Zucchini Recipes Cookbook: Zucchini Breads, Muffins, Main Dishes, Desserts, Jams & Marmalade

Paleo Pleasures: Satisfying Desserts, Breads & Breakfast Recipes

Pies: Quick & Easy Pie Recipes For Every Season

Perfect Pie and Pastry Recipes: Homemade Dessert Pies Made Easy Cookbook

Waffle Recipes: Wonderful Waffles and Syrups Cookbook

Bacon Wrapped: The Ultimate Recipe Guide - Over 30 Delicious & Best Selling Recipes

Hummus :The Ultimate Recipe Guide - Over 30 Delicious & Best Selling Recipes

Mashitta! A Collection of Simple South Korean Recipes

Chocolate Recipes: Top 37 Quick and Easy Chocolate Recipes (Quick & Easy Baking Recipes Collection)

Crock Pot Crazy Recipes : The 50 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

Home-based Business

Never Work Again: Work Less, Earn More and Live Your Freedom

Wealth Through Workshops

Homeschooling

How To Win The College Game

Feeding 5 on $50: First list

2013-11-07T11:00:00.000-05:00

This list is from 10/24/13 (I'll have current ones as soon as I get caught up on old ones, so you can take advantage of the same deals if you live somewhere that the stores I shop at are). There were several value added deals that week (buy 4 Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough, get a gallon of milk free; buy 5 of select products, get $5 off instantly; buy 5 Dannon Greek yogurt, get one free; buy 4 Pizza Rolls, get one free), which heavily influenced what I bought that week. All in all, I spent $48.94 on food and saved $35.94, so my total savings by using my sales shopping method was 42%! If the numbers don't add up quite right, it is because I don't remember what coupons went with what. I will try to keep better track of that in the future, now that I'm sharing that info.

Here is what I bought with prices:

5 storebrand soup $2.95 (regular price $3.25)
8 Armour Lunchmakers $6.32 (regular price $16.72)
2 bacon $3.98 (regular price $7.38)
6 Dannon Oikos yogurt $5 (regular price $6.54)
40oz frozen raw chicken $5.69 (regular price $7.99)
2 8oz Kraft shredded cheese $4 (regular price $6.18)
4 Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough $5 (regular price $10.76)
1 storebrand milk FREE with purchase of cookie dough (regular price $2.89)
2 frozen french fries $4 (regular price $5.38)
2 big bags of frozen peas $4 (regular price $4.58)
5 40ct Pizza Rolls $10 (regular price $15.45)

So there is some actual food in there, which I served as one meal of chicken in (gluten-free) gravy with rice and peas using ingredients I already had, plus we had steaks and french fries another night with tomatoes from my garden, and I don't remember what other meals we had, but what I do remember helps illustrate that the list of what I buy each week doesn't always match what is eaten for dinner that week.

I invite you to share your grocery shopping lists and how much it cost in the comments section so we can compare other people's experiences and techniques.

Free Ebooks for a Thriftier Life--Wednesday 11/6/13 edition

2013-11-06T12:41:00.001-05:00

Every day Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I search Amazon to bring you the highest quality FREE ebooks to help you live a thriftier, more self-reliant life. These are the results of today's search. There are no magic lists or feeds to tell me where to find these books--this is the product of hours of work. Even though these books are free, I do make a small commission if you buy anything on the same trip to Amazon as when you go to download these books and that is what pays me for the hours of time I spend doing this for you. If you enjoy these lists, please keep that in mind the next time you go to make a purchase online and start from on of my links on this blog or my Facebook page. I hope you enjoy today's selections!

If you don't have a Kindle device, you can still access these books by downloading an app for your computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by using the Kindle Cloud Reader to read them online (or you could buy one, since the sheer number of these free ebooks makes it worth while! They start at only $69!).

This post is time sensitive. If you are finding it after the post date, most of these are probably no longer free. Always check the price before clicking "buy."

Homesteading

Everyday Natural Cleaning Solutions: Innovative Green Cleaning Recipes And Tips For Your Home

Gary's DIY Solar Panels

Recipes in a Jar: How to Can Fruit

Backyard Chickens Book Package: Beginner's Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens & The Backyard Chickens Breed Guide (Modern Homesteading)

Backyard Chickens Book Package: The Backyard Chickens Handbook and The Backyard Chickens Breed Guide (Modern Homesteading)

Fermenting vol. 3: Milk Kefir

More Food From The Forest : Book #2

Gardening

Seed Saving for the Organic Gardener (Organic Gardening Guides)

Preparedness

The Poor Man's Prepping Guide: How to Prepare for Disaster on a Shoestring Budget (Stay Alive)

The Bug Out Book Package: Bug Out: What to Do When It's Time to Get Out of Dodge and The Bug Out Bag: What You Need to Stay Alive

The Survival Tin: The Survival Kit You Can Carry in Your Pocket

Survival Bags - Bug out & Otherwise

Crafts

DIY Crochet Tools (DIY Yarn Tools)

Thrifty Living

Big Bucks in Bad Times - 314 Ways to Make and Save Money When Times are Tough

Health

Over Tired & Under Wired - Stop Being Tired and Regain Energy in 7 Days! (Overtired, Over Tired, Cranky, tired all the time, tired of being tired, energy, sleepy, motivation)

Eyesight And Vision Cure - How To Prevent Eyesight Problems, How To Improve Your Eyesight, All Natural Foods For Better Vision, And How To Treat Bad Eyesight ... Best Diet and foods to improve Bad Eyesight)

Hate Dentists? Learn The Secrets To Natural Tooth Care

Gluten Free Diet for Kids: 20 Easy Gluten-Free Recipes for a Healthy Child's Lifestyle

E.A.T. An Italian Mother's Guide to Going Casein-free in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Back Pain Cure - How To Treat Back Pain, How To Prevent Back Pain, All Natural Remedies For Back Pain, Medical Cures For Back Pain, And Back Exercises ... relief, back pain exercises, back pain free)

Cooking/Cookbooks

The Camping Cookbook: Delicious and Mostly Easy Recipes the Family Will Love (Camping Guides)

Camping Recipes: Foil Packet Cooking

Homemade Ice Cream Recipes - 35 Easy Recipe for Ice Cream

Bacon: A Cookbook

47 Gluten-Free Baking Classics: Cakes, Cookies, Breads, Pizza and More

Gluten Free Cooking Made Quick & Easy (Natural & Healthy Cooking Made Quick & Easy)

Home-based Business

Craigslist Money Mastery How to Make Money on Craigslist

Be Inspired: Simplify Your Money Making Tactics

Homeschooling

ilustritas - How children can draw with computers

An Amazing Journey Inside My Mouth. Just Me And My Dentist. A Kids Book About Their First Trip To The Dentist

How to Teach Your Child: Simple Tools for Homeschool Moms

Feeding 5 on $50

2013-11-05T08:38:00.000-05:00

Over the past year or so, as I've been working more and more outside the home with my Zumba career, I've been posting less and less on here about the food we eat. Part of that is because when my camera broke and I've been unable to afford to replace it (today's my birthday if anyone wants to get me one as a present), my posts would have lost a lot of visual appeal since I can't use pictures. But a bigger part of that is embarrassment. I've been moving more to convenience food since teaching up to three Zumba classes a day creates a physical toll and leaves me exhausted (if you're not familiar, a Zumba instructor typically burns between 800 and 1200 calories per class, so we're talking serious physical exertion) and this is on top of homeschooling four kids and being a single mom to those four kids, with all the time and effort that entails. I don't always have time to make happy homecooked meals (I've been trying to make friends with my slow cooker, but it is taking some getting used to) and the kids frequently have to fend for themselves at mealtime, since that's often when I'm working, and that is reflected in the groceries I buy now.

But the time for shame is done. Judge me if you want, but I know my struggles and I know I'm doing the best I can with what I have. I'm going to start sharing what I buy in the form of actual grocery lists and/or receipts (probably lists, since that's easier to read) and recipes as applicable (see above about kids fending for themselves, which frequently involves horrible things like Pizza Rolls or SpaghettiOs). A lot of people are going through similar struggles and if I can help even one family stretch their food dollar so their tummies are actually full, that makes any personal humiliation totally worthwhile.

For a long time, I didn't even have to worry about how much we were spending on food. Coming from a history of having $20-30 a week to feed the family, when we started getting $600+ a month in food stamps, I could buy pretty much anything I wanted. Since I'm allergic to gluten (thank goodness it isn't the kids that are!), that frequently manifested in getting a lot of fancypants gluten free products, so I could still have things like bread or crackers. Those days of luxury came to an end though when I got a notification from the state that our SNAP benefits were getting shut off because I "didn't work enough" (in other words, they lost the ginormous stack of papers I had compiled and submitted to them documenting how much I work and what I make doing it). Rather than trying to fight a bureaucracy so famous for screwing things up anyway, I decided to make do with what I had. (The whole story of that decision can be found here) If you don't use the balance on a SNAP card, at least in Michigan, the money is there until you spend it. Once the last month was deposited on my card, I had about $700 to last our family indefinitely.

I budgeted that $700 out to be about $50 a week, so it will last several months, into the time of year when my Zumba classes are most likely to build (Yay, for New Years Resolutions!) and hopefully I'll be able to pay cash for my family's food. This series is the story of where that money is going, to stretch it that far. Unlike artificial "food stamp challenges", I'm not starting with an empty pantry and fridge though. I still have a full-ish fridge, very full freezer due to garden harvests as much as shopping trips, and stuff in the pantry. I get to use that to prepare my family's food, since, again, this isn't an artificial "food stamp challenge", but rather the real life of my family.

Before I start posting my actual groceries, I want to share how I'm making my lists these days. I'm trying to keep a supply of food in the house, as I mentioned, that the kids can get on their own. They range in age from four to 14, but between them, they can "make" pretty much anything from a mix or that they just have to heat, but are unwilling to try to actually cook, so real food is pretty much out on the nights I'm not home. (In case you're wondering, I'm usually too exhausted to eat after my classes or I just heat up some leftovers.) So with this in mind, as well as watching out for ingredients I'll use to make stuff when I am home, I start my shopping with the weekly ad. I am mostly looking for really good sales with this, particularly value added things, where if you by X, you get Y for free, whether Y be more of X or a completely different items. I start off by writing down anything I'd like to buy, marking the sale prices in the margin of the paper, but am still flexible on quantities or whether I'll actually get it at that point. Then, I check out the coupons. Since the store I shop at doesn't double coupons anymore, I don't bother doing full on clipping anymore, but I'll look for items that are on my list to see if I can save any extra. Then I figure out how much of each thing to get. If there are any of those value added deals, I'll make sure to include the appropriate quantities to get the best deal. From there, I consider how many I would like to get and how many will fit in my budget and still let me get the other things I want. All through this, I'm tallying up my totals to make sure I don't go over. Once I get to the store, I stick to the list. Period. There is no last minute changes. Period. It is what it is.

Thursday, I'll share my first shopping trip Feeding 5 for $50, which actually took place on 10/24/13.