Frugal Steward 101

Growing Up My Day...

2011-09-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

We're entering a new dimension around here... my preschoolers have grown. Their needs for more structure, guidance and consistency means I've got to bring more of myself to each day. Initially I was completely overwhelmed (you know, 'cuz there IS no 'more' to bring...), but confidence is rising again as I remember that I don't have to expect them to be model citizens, bright scholars and heroes by next Thursday. We're ALL learning, and that's okay.

So. I'll tackle ONE area in which I need to 'bring more', and that is scheduling. I despise and fear schedules - partly because I have perceived them as merciless taskmasters, ceaselessly making demands on my life. Time to grow that up too. The truth is, a schedule sets me free. When I have and use a schedule, all my tasks get done every day, and there is somehow extra time too. ... floating around without the 'time dictator' though, leaves me flitting from one half-finished task to the next, accomplishing little.

It's okay, no guilt trips allowed... It's a new day. Let's grow this thing up.

So, here's my new schedule!! "I pledge allegience..." oh wait. Pardon me, I just need to put down my concrete tablet and chisel. Ah, that's better.

Anyway, here's the work-in-progress schedule I'll use for now:

Time Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

8:00-930 ---------------- Coffee, Bible read, plan day, kids' breakfast -------

9:30-10:30 -------------- Dishes, Garbage, Tidy All, Kids' 5 things ------------ CFC

10:30-11:00 -------------- Clean Zone (Kids: help, free play) --------------------

11:00-11:30 -------------- Piano Practice, Kids free play ----------------

11:30-12:30 -------------------- Lunch, Dishes, Phonecalls -----------------------

12:30-1:30 ------------------------------- Workout -----------------------------------

1:30-3:00 ------------------------------- School ---------------------------------

3:00-5:00 ---------------------- Kids' chores, Me = writing ------------------

5:00-7:00 ------------------ Make and serve supper, clean up ----------------

7:00-8:00 ------------------ Kids: tidy rooms, clean up all toys --------------

------------------ baths ---------------------------

------------------- free play -------------

------------------ Me: evening tidy, down time --------------

There. Let's try that :)

Getting Used To the Bump On My Head....

2011-06-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

Hills, a yo-yo and me; what do we have in common? (yes, I'm fully aware of how lame and cheesy this riddle is....) Give up? -Each endures endless up and down, continued back and forth ...

but

I'm okay with it. I get it. It's just how I work. It's how new behaviors become habit or lifestyle.

In learning to buy less, becoming an organized housekeeper, eating healthy and developing a lifestyle of exercise, you've seen me fall off each of these wagons ...

At last I see that, over time, the many times I start and stop, try, fail and try again ... are slowly yielding change. Over time, I'm buying less, eating better and making wiser financial choices. Not perfect, but better.

So, this time the decision to develop a lifestyle of exercise (which is totally and completely foreign to me by the way...) is followed by an unsurprising parade of starts and stops. Rather than worry, I accept this as simply my way of working - my methodical madness that eventually achieves results. ... unless, of course, I get wrapped up in the guilt of these hiccups....

So, here's to self-acceptance,

to progress, however stuttery,

and to a lifestyle of exercise, healthy eating and all those other things

which are more of a journey

than a destination.

*cheers*

Going Into Debt To Get Out of Debt?

2011-05-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Apparently 'the rich' get rich by using debt as an investment tool (according to our 'Rich Dad' education). It's called leveraging other people's money; a concept that's hard to line up with our goals of being debt free...

We've leveraged borrowed money to purchase assets, and are further ahead than if we had saved. If we continue to reinvest cash (even instead of paying off debt), we may be further ahead in the long run assuming 'all goes well'.

Funny - using debt to acquire more income-producing assets is a great plan, unless something goes wrong. Maybe a poor decision, market conditions, ... maybe the asset implodes and loses all value. If it works out though, cashflow happens.

I can see how those billionaires may have to go through bankruptcy a few times to get over the hump.

I think either way - debt or no - has its benefits and risks.

The safe plan of using cash only and focusing on paying down debt is just that - safe. It's the tortoise in this race, steadily making its way to financial yields in the long term.

The debt-to-build-assets plan is higher risk, but may produce higher financial yields.

Guess which one I'm in favor of :)

.

Our Willows... My Exercise Program

2011-04-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Each spring, I delve into a sporadic work-out I like to think of as ... well, I don't have a name for it.

But it's basically me pushing, pulling and shoving many many many Willow sticks across an acre of yard to a central pile.

The exercise program may or may not impact my long term cardiac health or overall endurance, but does yield short term yard improvement. ... the brevity of such cleanliness literally fluctuates as the wind blows.

The impact of this workout also fluctuates according to how much of the yard I get to...

this photo represents about a third of the yard...

... here's another small bit ...

This is the first time though, I smiled and thanked God for the yard work around here. It's partly the novelty of spring, yes ... but also gratitude for God having brought us back here. We moved back after a year away and love it. It's smaller, further from town, older and all that, but it's exactly where we belong. It's amazing that God knew all along that this is home for us, and that He'd lead us back here.

He's so right. This is home!

How to Make ... Uh ... a Basket? ... Or Not.

2011-04-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Romanced by the idea of creating something from the natural resources of my own country yard, I set out to discover how to make a willow basket. While the project looks much like the YouTube instructor says it should, I became concerned...

After cutting shoots and peeling bark (sounds easy), my fingers ached. I wondered if my hands would function enough to play piano or prepare supper later. And I just couldn't ignore the fact that a professionally woven basket is 50 cents at the local thrift store.

Barely a quarter done, I had an epiphany: I can't do everything. My son wandered up and giggled at my creation, awing at the monkey cage I'd made.

You bet it is. Here you go son, here's your monkey cage. (or skunk cage...) Enjoy.

Moral of this story: I can't do everything, and that's okay.

Kids To Do List

2011-04-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

"I'm booored" my 4 year old whines.

Bored? How is a kid with a sibling and a house full of toys and books bored? I don't know.

A friend suggested he needs a sense of control or purpose, so I made this list. (much like hers) These 5 things should (in theory) be done before anything else in the day. They get to know what to expect and work towards a goal; something I want for myself each day too.

1. use washroom

2. dress

3. breakfast

4. brush teeth

5. tidy toys

Once the 5 things are done, they can each choose a 'Fun Card' - something that we can do together. (there are more cards than pictured below)

As with many systems and tools, it worked fantastically for two or three days. Today my son is working on his 5 things again (because I need undistracted time to tell you about this). ... and it's working!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

2011-03-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Oh yes. I'm going totally overboard. But I love knowing I'm not feeding my family as many chemicals, 'modified' food ingredients and other engineered oddities. There's just something so peaceful about that...

That reminds me. Weeks back, I'd gone into a natural store. I was looking for natural snacks ... in a box. A friend reminded me that a natural snack might be, say... a carrot? Yeah. Still thinking inside the box, but I'm working on it.

Back to homemade dressing. If you're not on board with the whole 'natural' thing, this is still a great recipe for any ranch dressing emergency, or if you just want to try something different.

Enjoy!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 tbsp parsley
1 cup mayonaise (homemade if you prefer)
to taste vinegar (I use 1/2-1 tsp)
to taste worcestershire sauce
to taste dill (lemon dilly dip mix from Epicure works)
to taste sugar

1/2 cup sour cream (shoot! I just realized sour cream has 'modified

milk ingredients' and 'modified cornstarch'

and other 'engineered oddities'. Oh well...)

Mix and enjoy!

.

Homemade Mayonaise Recipe

2011-03-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

In the quest for food with ingredients I recognize, can pronounce and that exist in nature, I've started making mayonaise. This recipe is an adaptation from one at www.foodwishes.com

2 egg yolks

1 cup oil

1 tsp mustard

1/8 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Put all ingredients in, let settle. Hold stick blender against bottom. Give a few short pulses until it starts to thicken at bottom, then slowly move blender to to incorporate all oil. Voila. Mayonaise.

Someone Bring Me Some Bell-Bottoms!

2011-02-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

Oh dear ... I may be morphing into some kind of hippie. Miss green-jeans.

Bring on the multi-grain, flax encrusted, organic ingredients, all natural groceries.

I don't buy into the whole 'save the earth 'cuz there's just not enough for everyone' thing. I'm not about 'save the earth', but I am about being real. So, not wanting to ingest (or feed my family) chemicals and fabricated engineered things that salespeople tell me is 'food', eating and shopping habits are changing around here.

I guess it's been building.

My dairy farming friend told me that cheese isn't even made from milk, but 'modified milk products'. What? She's right.

Then there's the whole 'margarine is made from plastic' thing. I don't entirely buy that, but we're on butter anyway. Cream, salt. That's the ingredient list. Okay. I know what those are.

Then my nieces and nephew came over. Those healthy-eating young'ens inspired me to make a bunch of changes:

We're off white bread. - Just Whole Wheat and Light Rye now.
We have veggies at most meals. (I routinely forget vegetables are a food group, so that's a biggie)
I offer healthier snack options - sometimes no snack. We've been a dough eating family. Cinnamon buns, cookies, cakes ... mmm! Snacks these days are more fruits, veggies, crackers and cheese, or yogurt. ... or granola bars, but I'm the only one who eats those.

And while shopping tonight, I was reading labels, trying to avoid glucose-fructose, mechanically separated meats or ingredients I don't recognize. I must have looked like a first-time shopper. ... I guess I kind of was!

I came home with a few new items - Organic salsa, Stoned Wheat Thins, whole grain Tortilla chips, tangerines and other fruits, veggies, Organic 'shreddies', frozen blueberries and brown bread. (... should I be barefoot, prancing in a field of flowers?)

These healthy items are more expensive than their processed NoName counterparts, but I was pleasantly surprised that my grocery bill was lower than I expected.

My favorite part is that my family is eating it! This may actually work!

Now all I need is to paint some groovy flowers on my car - and someone bring me some bell-bottoms!

A Check Up...

2010-11-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

My decades of bad habits may have caught up with me ... tossing bowls of food from the fridge to make room for new leftovers ... throwing out items that could be reused, ... dumping (gulp, dare I say it?) ... uh ... coffee. Yeah. Half pots, even a full pot one time... I know. Terrible. Or my habit of buying impulse items just because - or things on sale because .. THEY'RE ON SALE!! ... lots of bad habits.

BUT -

I figure I'm still ahead. Yes I do. I mean, a year ago when I started the 'Eat From The Pantry Challenge', and cut my grocery budget in half, I didn't know anything. At all. Really.

I've picked up some good habits in the last year though. They need alot of tweaking (ahem... self discipline..), but I'm learning.

This last year I've learned a bit about....

Avoiding emotional shopping (I buy movies and chocolate when I'm sad. ... I've purchased fewer movies.) ... leave my chocolate alone! I'm only human you know!
Using what I have on hand - you know ... before it goes bad and gets freezer burn and then has to be thrown out because I can no longer identify what that nasty thing once was? Yeah.
Meal planning - YAY! That's one I've continued to do! It saves money (if I stick to it), time and stress. Hooray!! Big check mark for me. Hmm. I think that deserves a chocolate.
Buying on Sale - Yay for a good habit! I regularly check prices on stuff I'd always have on hand - shaving gel, deodorant, shampoo, ketchup, ... whatever. As much as I can, I wait until they're on sale, then buy as many as I can. I've noticed a few things that are one sale seasonally - Jam in fall, Feminine hygiene in January, I think flour was on sale this spring and summer too. I missed that one... doh! Also, 50% off stuff can sometimes be scheduled...
Cash Envelopes - The whole reason I do envelopes is to attempt some form of spending discipline. But wouldn't you know it, it takes a degree of discipline to even put the money IN the envelopes, and then take them with me when I go out? Yeah ... still need to work with that. But when I use it, it works well.

There. I feel so much better about myself. I'm doing some stuff right. Oh good. Now I can move forward into a new year of starting over. (Yes, I just said 'New Year') I can already see the new beginnings of January will look much like they did last time around. BUT - I'm really ahead of the game.

Play ball.

Saturday Night Baked Goods

2010-10-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

Baking is a great thing, but sometimes I don't make the time and end up in the grocery aisles over-paying for pre-fab muffins.

BUT

If I'm going to buy muffins, cupcakes and pies, the time to do it is Saturday night. (in my town anyway..) Here, the stores close on Sunday, so they offload their baked goods on Saturday night.

Behold! The beautiful pink 50% off stickers I treasure so!

Ain't that pretty?

I love discount. Yes I do.

Real.

2010-10-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted much lately. At all. For a few reasons. For one thing, I've been pretty focused on getting my book published and marketed. ... of course, stewardship happens while that's going on, so I think that's just an excuse. I think the real reason is that I expected that, in this blog, I'd be perfect at all this and get to tell you how to be perfect too.

o pathetic.

So, back to being real. Real expectations. Real everyday effort that includes real victories and real failures.

I'll try to keep you posted.

The Money Problem

2010-10-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hi. How are you? ... been a while :)

Ever have the problem of too much money? ... yeah, me either. But I have had the 'problem' of enough money. In recent years we've reached a financially comfortable place - not debt free or anything, and not without issues (you've read my blog before, right?) ... but comfortable. We've enjoyed luxuries like name brand cereal - multiple boxes of cereal in the cupboards, insurance, dental work, camping, a good credit rating... I mean, it's been GREAT!

The 'problem' with having enough and being comfortable, is that it breeds pride and chokes out compassion.

A recent financial speed bump has served to remind me of the tension that is associated with lack of money. I forgot how often I used to check the gas gauge, how frequent my headaches were ... Wow. Hadn't felt that in a while...

It's good I get to feel it again, however uncomfortable. When I'm under pressure, the real 'me' surfaces.

In this temporary financial squeeze, I can see my pride. I think, in forgetting what it was like to be broke, I have judged those who are. I'm sorry. I hate admitting that. I WAS broke. What makes me so much better than anyone else?! Nothing. Nothing at all.

There's alot of scripture this reminds me of..

“But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty

you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands,

regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.

Deuteronomy 8:11

“After the Lord your God has done this for you, don’t say in your hearts, ‘The Lord has given us this land because we are such good people!’ No, it is because of the wickedness of the other nations that he is pushing them out of your way. It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The Lord your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You must recognize that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land because you are good, for you are not—you are a stubborn people

Deuteronomy 9:4-6

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously,

and he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:31-33

While I read these passages I came across Moses' reminder to the Isrealites that, if they ignore God, become proud, and worship idols, God will cut off the rain and they will die in that plentiful land He gave them.

Whoa.

What a powerful reminder of who's in charge! I can't control anything, despite what my culture tells me. I am not master of my own destiny - I can't even survive without God's permission! HE'S the one in charge of rain and sun...

That brings me some discomfort. Am I doing what He asks? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God above all else? Living righteously? I pray that I am, though it's hard to understand living righteously when I sin everyday..

Knowing God is in control of my very existence is also comforting. He loves me more than I'll ever know. He's kind and good and takes care of me. Even in times of financial pressure, He's here teaching me, guiding me, and working all things together for the good of those who love him. Aaaah.

Glory to God, whatever happens.

.

Am I There Yet??

2010-08-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Meal plans, cleaning schedules and budgets are great tools ... when I remember that they're tools. Sometimes I forget that and they become my master who, if I forget a task, will plague my thoughts with lists and sear my emotions with guilt.

I'm learning ... however slowly ... that to 'arrive' really doesn't happen in this life. We strive for it, and our culture even tells us that we CAN 'arrive' - a certain career, a certain income level, a certain amount of money in savings, and you're 'there'. You've done it - now kick back and relax.

Reminds me of Luke 12: 19,20:

"And I’ll sit back and say to myself,

“My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’"

I make plans, but am starting to view them more as guidelines - rough outlines. I go after them seriously, but with an ear toward heaven - just in case God's plans are different. (which they often are...)

I may not get to all these cleaning zones, and I'll fall of the cash envelope wagon ... I'll even miss posting on this blog from time to time ... but these times don't define me. I'm learning to be a steward - learning self discipline - learning.

I remember Dr. Phil saying years ago that, when a baby is learning to walk and falls, the parents don't say 'get up, you stupid baby!" and kick it ... they accept that he is learning. This will mean making mistakes and not getting it. I'm learning not to kick myself but instead to just accept it and try again.

... Okay, Kim. It's okay. Try again.

Cleaning Zone - Thursday

2010-08-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

Thursday = Kitchen

Today I feel truly ridiculous even posting about a cleaning zone, because I have not been 'in the zone' for weeks. (Plus it's not even Thursday!) However. I do intend to get back into this groove - which worked excellently, by the way. ... why do we have such a hard time starting good habits anyway? Eat well, exercise, use moderation. Self discipline - is it so hard? Apparently so.

Oh well. I will eventually get back into the habit. When I do, this is what Thursday will look like:

clean fridge (might mean empty and wipe all shelves ... might just mean get rid of old food ... depends on the day)
clean oven (that happened one time...)
organize freezer (that felt gooooood. ...Of course I need to do it again soon...)
wash cupboard doors
light fixtures
wash counters corner to corner
clean microwave
tidy / organize cupboards
sweep & mop
garbages
wipe under-sink cupboard
wipe front of all appliances
replace dishcloths and towels if needed.

There it is.

Cleaning Zone - Wednesday

2010-08-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Wednesday in this magical sometimes-I-get-to-it cleaning zone schedule.

So, in this ideal world, on Wednesdays this is what it would look like:

Wednesday = Bedrooms

You may ask, "What?? You clean the children's bedrooms?? How will they ever learn discipline, dedication and responsibility?" The short answer is I don't know. I help them with their rooms (which means I do most of it), and one day perhaps by pure osmosis, they will absorb good habits and behavior.

So. Here's the list :)

bedding
vaccuum
sort / organize / exchange toys as needed
sort / organize / exchange clothes as needed
clean windows
spot-wipe walls, doors, knobs
dust
put away folded laundry

As I mentioned on the Monday post, I get to whatever I can in about 2 interrupted hours, (or less depending on motivation) and leave the rest. That's it for house cleaning on Wednesdays. The normal list (below) doesn't include cleaning - just daily operations stuff:

make lunch & supper
dishes
laundry
bathe children
tidy all rooms
return phone calls
emtpy garbages as needed

How do you systemize your house maintenance? Do you find (like me) that a system is necessary, but finding the right one for you can mean trying about a hundred different times or systems?

Cleaning Zone - Tuesdays

2010-07-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

Okay .. I know it's Wednesday, but I really wanted to tell you about the buns I baked on Tuesday, so that won :)

As I clean my house zone by zone each day (in theory), it becomes more organized and clean (in theory). Isn't it great? (in theory)

Tuesday = Pantry and Entrance

Pantry:

sweep
take stock out for kitchen
organize shelves

Entrance & Breezeway

sweep & vacuum
sort shoes & jackets
clean shoe shelf
dust walls
wipe doors & door knobs
wash windows in & out

Keep in mind .. this is my 'dream list' of what I'd like to get done in each room if time and motivation were not a factor. But, since they are, I have yet to dust walls, wipe doors and knobs, or wash the windows. But hey - at least it's swept and the shoes are in neat rows. Way better than it was! ... and you remember my pantry, right?

As I mentioned on the Monday post, I get to whatever I can in about 2 interrupted hours, (or less depending on motivation) and leave the rest. That's it for house cleaning on Tuesdays. The normal list (below) doesn't include cleaning - just daily operations stuff:

make lunch & supper
dishes
laundry
bathe children
tidy all rooms
return phone calls
emtpy garbages as needed

How do you systemize your house maintenance? Do you find (like me) that a system is necessary, but finding the right one for you can mean trying about a hundred (and then several times each), to find something that works for you?

I Made Buns!!!!

2010-07-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

No more canon ball buns for me - these are the real deal! Thanks to my thoughtful mother-in-law who taught me this evening how to make buns, I now have some idea of how to do this. See?

They're smooth, uniform in size, sooo soft - like they're a bun or something!

Look! I can even SQUISH it ...

...and it's so airy and soft it actually puffs right back to its original shape! Whoa.

Here they are -aren't they beautiful? Uh-hem. ...Notice half the pan is empty? Yeah ... we ate them. Mmmmm.Hot. Buttery. Goodness.....

Turns out what I had been doing wrong was ... everything.

Yes, you can put all ingredients in the bowl together, except the flour ( I did one at a time, mixing after each one)
No, you don't need to 'dissolve yeast in water with sugar'. (I was following directions. Silly me)
Yes, you add all flour at once. (I would add 2 cups, mix. add 2 cups mix. Apparently not necessary)
... then she showed me what kneading is. "Oooooh! THAT'S what it is! I never did that! No wonder my buns never turned out!" I pretty much always skipped that part, because it was all I could do to get it to rise once - I sure didn't want to risk punching it down just to have it stay there!
No, you don't need to try to speed up the rising process by putting them in a 150 degree oven. That ruins it. Just in a bowl, in a sink with an inch of barely warm water, covered with a towel, and you're good. (or, if your house is warm, forget the water. I just happen to live in a fridge. ... I mean air conditioned home)

I'm SO excited that my M.I.L was kind enough to share her knowlege with me - and offer it, in fact! She knows I want to make buns, but have had no success to date. She's brought us dozens and dozens of her fantastic buns, and I've looked forward to every one. (and eat them immediately!) Now, ... I hope ... I'll be able to bake buns for my family and others too. ... Of course, she's welcome to bring hers by anytime!

Can I bake buns? YES I CAN!! Thanks, mom-in-law!

In the Zone - Cleaning Zone, That Is...

2010-07-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I confess, I was too embarrassed to take before pictures. I'm sorry. I'll take before pics next time. No really! What's that? you'll believe it when you see it? *sigh* Okay, fair enough...

So, my house was taking over my life - it had become this looming mess monster that I couldn't capture. Turns out expectations were my downfall. But I finally won the day! ... well, okay, I'm only on day 5, but still! It's success, right?

I'm telling you -every piece of laundry, every cup and pot, every counter stacked with papers, dishes and crumbs ... garbages overflowing, and I don't know how we don't stick to the floor around here.

Anyway, my brilliant, organizing sister (who's reading this right now and rolling her eyes), came up with 'zones'. ... although I hear FlyLady does this too.)

Basically I divided the house (on paper only), into zones.

Monday = Office
Tuesday = Pantry, Entrance and Breezeway
Wednesday = Bedrooms
Thursday = Kitchen
Friday = Washrooms
Saturday = Living room and Dining room
Sunday = put up feet, have coffee, read other people's blogs :)

Then I wrote down what I wanted done in each room, and that's it.

It was great! I cleaned my office and ignored the messy bedrooms and sticky floors. It didn't overwhelm me to know I wouldn't get to it because their turn was coming. Ahh. Peace of mind.

Now my house has gone through nearly one full week cycle, and it looking great. It's also easy to keep up!

Now I'm FREE! FREE I tell you! Yesterday I picked up and left for the day, spur of the moment, and it didn't matter! My house was clean when I left. I didn't have to worry about all the things I wasn't getting to. It was done.

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh,

Thanks, Char! :D

Cleaning Zone - Mondays

2010-07-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

To climb out of the disheveled heap that had become my house, I determined cleaning zones. This way, I clean only one small area each day - not the whole house, and not with the expectation of perfection. One small piece every day, and the habit should (in theory) keep the house decent.

Disclaimer - I've been told numerous times that I'm seen as organized - that my home is always clean and presentable. To all of those who think that ... you are deceived. Bwa-aa-aaaaaah! Somehow, I must have tricked you with all my hiding-piles-of-papers-in-drawers-when-company-comes-over tricks, and stuffing-toys-into-closets-so-you-don't-see-it manouvers.

Now that you are pleasantly disillusioned, I'd like to show you my newest plan of attack to maintain this house. Who knows? It might even work! Well, it's actually been working fairly well for about 2-3 weeks.

Anyway .. enough introduction. Here's what the basic Monday plan is:

Monday = Office Day

file papers
sort and file mail
pay bills
organize drawers
empty garbage
vaccuum
dust / wipe desk and electronics
spot wipe or dust walls and doors

I get to whatever I can in about 2 interrupted hours, (or less depending on motivation) and leave the rest. That's it for house cleaning on Mondays. The normal list (below) doesn't include cleaning - just daily operations stuff:

make lunch & supper
dishes
laundry
bathe children
tidy all rooms
return phone calls
emtpy garbages as needed

With this kind of task list, I'm able to maintain a clean and organized house (in theory), while not dedicating the whole of my life to it. Ahhh. It's so nice. There was one day I even picked up and left for the day - spur of the moment - and I was free to do it because my meal was in the slow cooker, house was clean and caught up. Aaahhh. Freedom!

50% Off Deals!

2010-07-05T17:27:00.001-07:00

Today, July 5th 2010, Extra Foods (Steinbach, Manitoba) has a whole lot of 50% off stuff I thought you should know about! They've got shelves and shopping carts brimming with great deals!

What I took:

Soft Soap Refill $ 1.60 (reg 3.19)

Exact Shave Gel $1.44 ea. (reg 2.13-2.99)

Benylin $4.00 (reg 7.99)

Dimetapp (kids) $3.20 (reg 6.39)

Colgate Whitening Gel $0.85 ea. (reg 1.79)

I'm reminded of something I heard once - basically, that a person can go broke shopping for deals. Just because it's on sale doesn't mean I'm saving money. Actually, if the item I buy is only $10 (reg $20), but I wouldn't have bought it otherwise, I didn't 'save' $10 - I overspent $10.

With that in mind, I stock up on things I know we'll use within the year. I figure a year because in that time I should be able to find similar sale prices and stock up again at those prices. Hopefully in the long run I won't be paying retail for most of our groceries. Wow. I can hardly imagine!

But so far, I'm building up a 'stock-up price list' that helps me remember the lowest price I've paid for items we commonly use. Then I wait for those prices and stock up when it comes.

I'm also building up a stockpile (I hate that word - sounds like hoarding) of groceries and toiletries that we'll use over the next year.

My stock pile so far includes

Oil (3-6 month supply?)

Toothpaste (year supply)

Bar Soap (year supply)

Shaving Gel (6 month supply)

Body Wash (6 month supply)

Liquid Soap refill (4-6 month supply)

Deodorant for me (year supply)

Cheerios (demand varies around here ... at least 1 month supply, as much as 3 month supply)

Huh. It's kind of weird to list what I have and how long I expect it to last - looks like I'm ready to head to the bomb shelter or something... Oh well. You know me better than that, right? I'm just trying to stretch my dollars as faaaaar as they'll go. Buying what I'll need ahead of time at a deep discount is good - even if I store it for awhile.

Anyway - if you're around Steinbach tonight or tomorrow, check out their bins and shelves. They also had 50% off ...

Pampers baby wipes

Baby Mum-Mums

Toddler star cereal

Allergy blocker

Exact Allergy syrup

Fructus Garnier Shampoos

Colgate - various kinds

... I think I even saw meal replacement beverages.

Enjoy!

A Tale Of Two Freezers

2010-07-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

Well, some might argue that it's only one freezer, but I'm not so sure...

This is the evil twin freezer. Hideous, isn't he?

I couldn't stand looking at that ugly mug anymore, so I kicked him out.

Eeeeeew.

But, then I invited his more tidy brother to live with us. We like him.

Aaaaaahhhhh. That's what I'm talking about! Now I don't have to be afraid to open my freezer when we have company. Yay!

Cleaning Zone - Before and After

2010-07-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this time I'm including before pics :)

I told you how I divided the house into zones, and here's the bathroom zone ... before.

These vanity drawers sit in continuous disarray. Sometimes I wonder how I even find my make up in the morning. ... of course, sometimes I can't, but anyway ...

So this is the before...

And this is the after. Huh. You know, some things just don't translate well through photos. It's really alot better than it was, and it's even better than this picture illustrates. Oh well. It's organized, I'm happy :)

This whole cleaning zone thing is pretty great so far.

Week 1 - I focused on basic cleaning in each assigned room, and didn't think about the sticky floors and dirty messes in the other rooms. I was free to do the task for each day and no more.

Week 2 - my house was clean! Wow. That was cool. I was all caught up, so I organized instead of cleaning. ... hence, the organizational befores and afters you're seeing.

Week 3 - oops. I guess house cleaning gets a turn again...

Next, check out my freezer. It was pretty scary ...

Out of Debt and Into Cash

2010-07-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Like most of you, we're in debt. Personal debt, credit cards, mortgages, loan, etc etc. Our plan is to get out of debt - ALL debt, and then have a brand new way of existing - on CASH. ... did I just hear you shudder?

The borrower really IS slave to the lender. Our finances and thoughts can, at times, be tied up in what we owe and what we don't have. I'm sure not up for a lifetime of that!

I'm excited to be on our way out of debt. One of the 'extreme' ways this is likely to happen will be to ... *gulp* ... get rid of credit cards. Not just stop using them, but get RID of them. Wait! Don't roll your eyes and run away! Check out this post from Life as Mom called "How to Live Without Credit Cards". She takes a brave stand in a 'now' culture. You go girl! ... and I will too :)

Sunday Strolls

2010-06-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite blog posts from this week. I hope you enjoy them too :)

How to freeze Broccoli by Blessings Overflowing. Yes, I really did need to read about how to do this. Veggies I freeze often turn limp or rubbery upon cooking. Eeeew. Then I end up throwing out a whole lot of frozen veggies. Not frugal at all. So, there you go.

How To Decorate Votive Candles by With A Flourish. I love this - especially the string or cinnamon one :) Great way to dress up the simple things with the simple things.

This one made me LAUGH and LAUGH. I needed that! Thanks, Homesteading Wife! You's a funny lady!

And check out these 35 ways to re-use tin cans. Yes - 35!! I couldn't believe it. That's one creative woman! I'll look at tin cans a whole lot differently now! Thanks, Proverbs 31 Living!

Have a great weekend!