Paying down/off debt. Getting our house fixed up a bit (finishing all those nagging projects like staining the exterior, redoing the bathroom surround, trimming out the rest of the bathroom, redoing grout on the floor, sanding/refinishing the floors, and repairing our deck railing) in preparation for an appraisal to see if the bank will loan us money for an addition.
Learning to truly live within our means...the bigger our means get the more money we spend. Why is that? Working on trimming down grocery expenses (trying the idea of buying from Costco, which IMO is working out well so far for some basics like laundry and dishwasher detergent, pet food, garbage bags etc).
Homesteading/raising our own food has been scaled back a bit this year as I have a lot going on workwise and the garden was almost literally a wash (I need to put in better drainage before next season or do raised beds). But I am putting up stock from the layers we killed a month or two ago, pressure canning it, making last year's elderberries into tincture/elixir/syrup, and we are saving up for 1/4 beef. Oh yeah I'm also training our new puppy to be a service dog for Jake - not exactly thrifty but it has been taking up quite a bit of time and part of why the homesteading bit has been scaled-down this season.
Big push this fall to finish decluttering our garage - we got a lot of the way there, and built workbenches into the wall on one side - and heating it for this winter. And we hope to finish decluttering the basement so it can be a space to be in this winter. Purge, purge, purge!
I think that's about it over at our house. We are plenty busy! Fall always gets me decluttering and nesting for the upcoming long, cold winter.
We're in the midst of a straight refi (no cash out) to a 15 year loan at 4.25%, with plans to pay it off within 10 years. The appraiser comes today, hopefully before the vet arrives.
I'm back to strict budgeting and it is going fantastically well. It's zero-based (always works best for me) and I am using envelopes for some categories. Food expenses have been cut by nearly half. We've suspended satellite TV and got rid of our land line, and have been working together to find other places to cut.
I'm moderating over at the Down-to-Earth Community Forum, in the Food - Simple and Homemade and the Cutting Back and Making Do sections. It's a nice community with a focus on homemaking and homesteading.
I'm trying to declutter but things have been rather hectic. I'm going to assign myself one closet or area a week and do it slowly. I did get the boys' clothing deluttered and organized and redid their closet and clothing storage.
I've stepped up my freelance writing, and plan to step it up even more. By this time next year, I want to have our van paid off AND have a nice chunk of money saved for when the time comes to get a new (well, used!) vehicle. I never want to deal with a car payment again! We have 26 months left to pay and I am determined to get it paid off in about six to eight months. So that's my project that I've been working on!
__________________
~Michelle
Christian homeschooling mama
to a Jumpin Bean (1/01)
and a Pumpkin Head (4/03)
I'm back to strict budgeting and it is going fantastically well. It's zero-based (always works best for me) and I am using envelopes for some categories.
I just started this again and finally did a really good budget like DR suggests. It is working great for us too. I am so happy to see some progress and really excited at what we can accomplish if we can just stick to it. I know things will come up and I will have to adjust, but I'm determined to make this work. LOL
We refinanced our house to a 15 year loan at a super low interest rate about 2 years ago. If things go as planned, we will have it paid off waaay before then though. It was a decision that we have not regretted.
I've been selling some things to make some extra $ for our upcoming hospital/surgery trip- trying to stay within budget in spite of this. That has gone pretty well, thank goodness.
We took our cow to the Butchers and we will be putting all of our youngest roosters in the freezer this week hopefully, so our feed bill (and grocery bill) will be going down. Yea!!
I've located a super discount store here that stocks all organic/HFS foods etc... The prices are amazing!!! I am well stocked on alternative meds/supplements, natural cleaners and lots of yummy foods. That place is a treasure trove and a serious blessing!!
I've also been canning up taco meat, beef broth, chilli and other meals in a jar to help on the days I need something fast. We have almost eliminated eating out- going only for the occasional date or treat.
I also gathered all of my herbs etc... and made up some herbal meds and toiletries. I'm planning to dip candles this week and making soap is next. I'm trying to declutter as well as make things we can use from these supplies. Plus I enjoy doing it and it's a great sense of accomplishment.
I am really enjoying the cooler weather. Everything just feels cozy and peaceful. We had our first fire and I've cooked on the wood cookstove. Wow, I love that thing.
I need to do a decluttering again and take it one notch lower. I also want to do better about packing my dh's lunch and hanging our laundry to dry. Those are the last frontier for me in being thrifty. LOL But I struggle with getting them done so much, especially the laundry.
We are out of debt again (except out mortgage) and all medical bills are caught up. I'm feeling more positive about our budget and the direction we are headed than I have in a long time. I finally feel like we are in control again. It's a good feeling.
Aileen
Last edited by naturalmama : 10-08-2009 at 09:51 AM.
We are on a very strict budget. We are praying that DH's salary will at least stay stable at its new low. We have a set amount to spend on Christmas, and we have to stick to that. That shouldn't be difficult, but in past years, we never quite do it. This year, we don't have a choice.
I just (today!) planted 3 blueberry bushes and 3 lingonberry bushes, and 6 lipstick strawberry plants (these grow in shady areas and have bright pink flowers) which I bought back in July. I also got some lily of the valley from my neighbor's yard (with permission) and put it in a shady corner of one of our flower beds.
We still have some things growing in our beds--lettuce, onions, carrots, radishes, turnips, peas that don't look like they're going to do anything... We may have to cover them soon, but I'm hoping we get at least something out of them!
I need to think about doing some canning of soup, chili, and taco meat. We have a pressure canner, and that might be a good idea for us. What other "one-jar meals" are you canning?
I am doing a major declutter and cleaning of our house. I have done the kids rooms (though they need more work), my room, spare bedroom(craft and game closets!). I had hoped to get the laundry room done this week, but it seems I have done nothing but run around this week.
Once that is done, I need to start sewing. I am making a number of gifts for the little cousins in our families this year.
Then, I hope to start painting my house. Aside from the downstairs bathroom, which has been primed for over a year now and is ready for paint, LOL, I will not begin this until after the holidays, but our house interior is in desperate need of a coat of paint, and it would do much to update it a bit.
__________________ Jody
Mama to two boys (5-10-98 and 6-01-01), and two girls (11-18-03 and 1-11-07)
I'm in declutter mode too again and it always feels good. I sold a ton on craigslist before our last move and have been trying to sell on craigs again...not very successful. I'm going to try again and dedicate a few hours soon to just putting stuff on craigs.
I need to think about doing some canning of soup, chili, and taco meat. We have a pressure canner, and that might be a good idea for us. What other "one-jar meals" are you canning?
Let's see... I am canning dried beans for when I forget to cook them ahead of time. Also:
Well, we are unexpectedly unemployed at the moment. Until mid-February to be precise. The worst part is that it's over a paperwork mistake someone else made and now we're scrambling to come up with the money for bills (we had two months unemployment already and it's sucked us dry). Could it have happened at a worse time of the year? lol DS's birthday is coming up along with the holidays.
Much of our time has been spent applying for fairly non-existent jobs in the hopes we can find something better before February or something temporary. Nobody wants to hire temporarily though and there are no careers where we live unless you are highly specialized (professors, police, nursing). I did find a sometimes two-days-a-week job that will make it so the rent and one other bill is paid. DH has promising starts on jobs, but since he's gov't it takes forever to go through the hiring process.
We've been winterizing the house. Put extra panes of glass in the windows. Put sheets up over some of the windows (the living room has floor-to-ceiling windows). Today we put a blanket over the front door. There are four entrances to the house and the front door is never used.
We've been trying to find lots of entirely free things to do. Bonfires at night, local programs that are on days we travel to town, science museum, parks, visiting with neighbors.
Figuring out what to make for the holidays. DH is getting a quilt I started forever ago, dd a funky wool scarf and I'm completely clueless about ds. I have no boys fabric so I'll have to be creative. Luckily my creative side is shining through lately.
__________________
They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Andy Warhol
The biggest heart isn't always found in the biggest body, just as the most beautiful soul isn't always found behind the most beautiful face.
Well, we are unexpectedly unemployed at the moment. Until mid-February to be precise. The worst part is that it's over a paperwork mistake someone else made and now we're scrambling to come up with the money for bills (we had two months unemployment already and it's sucked us dry). Could it have happened at a worse time of the year? lol DS's birthday is coming up along with the holidays.
Much of our time has been spent applying for fairly non-existent jobs in the hopes we can find something better before February or something temporary. Nobody wants to hire temporarily though and there are no careers where we live unless you are highly specialized (professors, police, nursing). I did find a sometimes two-days-a-week job that will make it so the rent and one other bill is paid. DH has promising starts on jobs, but since he's gov't it takes forever to go through the hiring process.
We've been winterizing the house. Put extra panes of glass in the windows. Put sheets up over some of the windows (the living room has floor-to-ceiling windows). Today we put a blanket over the front door. There are four entrances to the house and the front door is never used.
We've been trying to find lots of entirely free things to do. Bonfires at night, local programs that are on days we travel to town, science museum, parks, visiting with neighbors.
Figuring out what to make for the holidays. DH is getting a quilt I started forever ago, dd a funky wool scarf and I'm completely clueless about ds. I have no boys fabric so I'll have to be creative. Luckily my creative side is shining through lately.
What kind of boy fabric? I might have some I can send you.
__________________
I’m just a human being
I will take the blame
But just the same
This is not me
You see
Believe
I’m better than this
Location: Wrapped in the Loving Embrace of My Family
Posts: 6,850
So much has and will be changing for us in the next few months that my head is swimming and I am feeling very unorganized. I just took on the responsibility of running a food cooperative and we have decided to start homeschooling (possibly as soon as Dec.)
The things we are working on right now are:
Canning 1 bushels worth of pear sauce
Canning 7 bushels worth of apple sauce
Working on finding and trying new dehydrator recipes
Working on an organizational system for co-op paperwork
Walking through DR Financial Peace University
Decluttering
Organizing and eating down our very overstocked pantry
Brainstorming on low or no cost Christmas gifts
Researching homeschool curriculum possibilities
What kind of boy fabric? I might have some I can send you.
A knit of some kind. I want to make him a pair of his favorite pants. I'm going to go through what I have tonight (hopefully) to see if I have enough yardage of any fabric. Thank you for the offer!
We are still working on sticking to a budget. It has been tough lately with birthdays, and a LOT of extra work travel for dh. We do SO much better on a cash only system, and I just need to make sure we stick to that.
We're also doing a debt snowball. We should have it all paid off in less than 3 years, but if we really buckle down it could be sooner. # years is a looong time, but it is far shorter than I had imagined, so that is encouraging.
We have nothing in the garden right now except the remains of our summer garden. Very soon we'll pull it all up and put the beds to sleep for the winter. Maybe start a spring/summer garden plan.
I am about 98% sure that we are going to start homeschooling again, and we will probably start at the beginning of November. I pretty much have a plan in place for that. I am *really* looking forward to the more relaxed pace of life that will come with not being in the car all darn day long.
I have tons of kids clothes that I need to go through and switch out for fall/winter. It is always difficult for me to decide what to keep for the next kid to grow into and what to sell/give away. I think I am going to sell or give away a good bit of it though b/c there are 5.5 years between my boys and 4.5 years between my girls so whatever I put away would be put away for a long time (and hopefully a move).
I also need to do a big toy purge before Christmas. That is always hard b/c my oldest wants to keep every single thing he has ever owned, which is way too much.
As for Christmas gifts, I need to start planning specifics, but I think we are in a pretty good place. Rowan is going to mostly get things from the attic (toys that were Noah's at his age and have been put away). Lilah and Noah will each get just a few new things. They always get tons from extended family anyway. I really need to sew everybody some pajama pants. I bought the fabric for last winter, but then was too sick (m/s) to sew anything. I want to do some knitting for everybody too.
That's about all I can think of right now.
__________________ Chrissy, lucky mama to my sweet 4:
Noah(8), Lilah(5), Rowan(2.5), and baby Laney!
It was a decision that we have not regretted.
Jody
Thank you for the offer!
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