I Can't Cook...

It amazes me how often I hear an adult woman tell me that. With all the public school funding it seems that Home Eco. is the first to go, many women (and men) today can play a sport well but have no idea how to sew on a button or make a meal from scratch. The ability to cook translates into savings on geroceries and overall health, you will have to eat something 3 times a day for the rest of your life, in fact you will probably be responsible to feed others 3 times a day also, if you can't cook it's time to learn.

1. Buy some decent kitchen equipment, have you ever tried to make pancakes and they turned into a burned, doughy mess? You probably weren't using the right pan. Some of my favorite everyday cookware is Revere-wear. I have found some at yard sales, it's got a heavy copper bottom so things don't burn easily. I also love my cast iron skillet and my enamel over cast iron Le Cuisinart. It's expensive new...however most of my pieces I inherited form my Mother in Law, she purchased them in the 1960's that tells you how well they hold up. I have one cast iron skillet from the 1940's that I use everyday. I personally believe that Teflon coated pans are toxic and got rid of mine a long time ago, I urge you to research Teflon for yourself.

2. Start by using a lot of frozen and packaged sauces and work your way up. Frozen and packages is still better then drive thru. Some of my favorite things are rotisserie chicken, frozen biscuits, frozen raw fruit and meatballs.

3. Learn techniques, once you know how to make a pan sauce or a reduction it opens up the possibilities of what can be done with a pork or chicken cutlet. If you don't have anyone to teach you I would look into a adult edu. class, a lot of those skills must be taught in person you can only learn so much from a TV show or book.

The Natural and Cheap Baby

I had been neglectful of this blog, so much has been going on. DH got a job at a church 18 hours from where we live now, both exciting and stressful as we are cleaning out our home and getting it ready to sell as well as taking care of 3 kids under 5.
I have been giving away a lot of my stockpile of items, I don't want to move them and I'm not sure where I will put a new stock pile as our new home is much smaller, there is also a limited selection of stores to shope at a Wal Mart Superstore a Walgreens both of which I'm familiar with and a Winn Dixie which I've never shopped in before,that will be an adventure. I will miss CVS, Rite Aid and ALDI! As well as the salvage stores.

Anyway, my post about cheap, natural babies. With all three babies I have had a natural birth, with the last two a homebirth. After insurance baby #1 (hospital, midwife) cost us about 2k, #2 &#3 were both $300. I realize not everyone can medically qualify for a homebirth but I enjoyed them more and they were a lot cheaper, plus the midwife came to my home for the prenatal visits and there was no office co-pay (everything was covered under one price) so an even better savings.
With all 3 I tried to breastfeed and cloth diaper. This is however the first baby I've had who's never had formula. I've not had to supplement at all like I did for the other two, I think I finally know what I'm doing : ) drinking 3 quarts a day of liquid has really made the difference in my opinion, and nursing on demand the first 2 weeks....which is pretty much constantly, despite cracked nipples. I have also tried to cloth diaper each child with varying success, I have come to realize that cloth diapering an exclusively breastfed baby is very easy, formula or supplemental baby, not nearly so much. I've not had to dunk diapers since the baby receives no formula or solids the stool is easily washed out in the washing machine. I've tried many different diapers, prefolds with covers, prefolds with plastic pants etc. what has finally worked (meaning I can do it and do it easily) is using BumGeniun 3.0 and a disposable during the night. The 3.0 is an all in one diaper and is as easy to put on as a disposable. I also use cloth wipes which are just baby wash cloths that I bought 4/.98 from Wal Mart, I have a solution with 1 cup water to 1/2 teaspoon baby shampoo, a little squirt is all I need, most homemade wipe recipes use some form of oil, either baby, tea tree or olive, which as you all know is death to cloth diapers, cloth diapers exposed to diaper creams, Vaseline or oil will then repeal liquids and take on a nasty smell.

I do all my diapers- wipes together right before bed and hang to dry. This has cost me $60 for the diapers and $3 for the wipes. I use the SUN detergent that is free of dyes it's $3 for 84 loads. Cost is only one factor, I am not a tree hugger by any means, but every disposable diaper ever made is still sitting in a landfill....meaning they take 100+ years to breakdown.

Stockpile

I really need to take a photo of my stockpile, I love seeing photos of other super couponers stock, so that is definitely on my "to do list", right now I am mostly living off of it since we are in the balance of moving I can't justify taking 30 boxes of maxi pads or 20 bottles of shampoo across the country with me. So for now I am only buying things like shampoo,razors, deodorant, pads etc. if they are free or under .25 and toothpaste I am only buying if free,I figure for that price I can donate them if we go end up moving.
I have baby #3 (expected in a few weeks) diapers stocked through size 2 assuming she is about the size of baby #2 and grows at the same rate. Meanwhile baby #2 seems to not be getting any bigger then a size 4-5 in diapers I suspect she will be potty trained and never go into a 6 like baby #1 did so I plan to "Craig's List" the size 6 diapers. I am also trying to use up the strange things in my stockpile. I am taking a "couponing break" till after baby is born with everything except restaurant coupons which we will be using more of in the next few weeks, I made a lot of freezer meals but we have eaten them. So this is my meal plan for the next week.

Monday: Hungry Howie Pizza (free with birthday coupon, I had Arby's w/coupon)
Tuesday: Meatloaf, Mashed potato, green beans
Wednesday: Stuffed Chicken, stuffing, gravy and B. potato, peas
Thursday: Pork Chops, pickled beets, German potato salad and sauerkraut
Friday: Salmon, rice pilaf, salad
Saturday: preschool party, chili dogs and kid food
Sunday: Having B- Day Party for Hubby, Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and ice cream cake.

It's Raining At My House

As most of you know we are living on a severance package from our old church that will run out right around Christmas, ministers are considered "self employed" and therefore don't qualify for unemployment. In our denomination right now there are 4 qualified ministers for every 1 open church, those aren't very good odds, some churches we have interviewed at have got several hundred applicants and one got over a thousand so I guess it's a compliment to even be considered.
My husband has 2 Ivy League degrees and graduated from a Top 5 Law School, and speaks a foreign language fluently. He however doesn't have a current bar license in our state and minister's who speak German aren't in high demand it seems lawyers don't even want a paralegal who was a lawyer, one said it would be like hiring a surgeon to be his clinic nurse in a family practice.
We really want another church, we don't care if it's small or large, all elderly or all young as long as it's full of God's people. We are hoping that somewhere there is a church that will want us too. In the meantime I like to buy groceries and paying the mortgage is nice too, especially since I have a newborn , 2 1/2 year old and almost 5 year old. As I look around our home we have been blessed, we are not in want I'm also thankful that We no longer live paycheck to paycheck like we once did that thanks to the advice of people like Dave Ramsey, Larry Burkett and good books on saving we are a little wiser now. I know that another church will come however it might not come as quickly as I'd like and while I try not to put my trust in money over God I don't think you should live as if it's never going to "rain" but it is nice to have an Ark to run to.

The Bible Says That?... Proverbs 22

One of the chapters I have been meditating on recently is Proverbs 22, the older i get the more I realize that the Bible says a great many thing I don't like and disagree with however just because it says that doesn't mean I don't have to follow it. I don't particularly like paying taxes or obeying traffic laws, but I do it. You don't have to love everything in the Bible to love God, but you really should try to follow it. OUCH!

Verse 6- Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.(notice it doesn't say when he is YOUNG he won't depart form it, but it says OLD how many people do you know who were raised in Christian homes but care nothing for God until they are old?)

Verse7 - The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Have you ever been a slave to an object or purchase? I have, I once had a car that I hated, I was a slave to it. When we were young and stupid (or maybe just stupid) we bought a beautiful car as soon as the warranty was over the transmission died, a 4k transmission...it sat in our driveway for months and we were still paying the payment and insurance on it, I hated that car because I had becomes it's slave.

Verse 16- He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Is this talking about slum lords? maybe, but think of all the "services" that target the poor, the lottery , cash advances, title loans at 25% interest those "pay by the week" furniture and electronics stores?

Splash Lagoon Savings

Splash Lagoon has again released some good coupons, I personally think their regular prices are outrageous! However, it is local and fun and all indoors, if you are treating this like a "staycation: it's a good deal. One coupon that has been in the Sunday paper is for $14.95 per person (up to 6 people) but it's only valid on Thursdays their site has a good "Mommy and Me" coupon for Mondays.http://www.splashlagoon.com/coupons.html

If you don't get a paper Applebee's and other Scott Enterprise restaurants had ones available (that's where I got a lot of mine). of the $14.95 ones that are good for any age. One thing I will caution is that if you have never been there the food prices are VERY high don't go on am empty stomach and bring some bottled water or Capri Sun with you.

What Do I Spend Money On?

I realize most of my posts are about what NOT to spend money on so you may be curious as what I DO believe in spending money on.

#1. A good mattress, if you can't sleep at night because you have springs poking you or you can't get comfortable, your whole life quality will be effected including how you preform at work and how well you feel, buy a decent mattress and springs.

#2. Fresh foods, I am a big believer in raw foods, not that I don't love junk food items but I really try to eat 4 raw foods a day, usually 3 fruit and 1 vegetable. I also believe in raw milk, however the closest place to me proves to be a little far in the summer to make it a convenient choice even with the use of a cooler. I also believe in eating a lot of fiber, death begins in the colon.

#3. A good haircut, you wear your hair every day, I have very long hair and I pay $23 plus a tip for a haircut, I have tried walk in places and they just don't cut it, trying to save a few bucks can result with months of growing out a bad look, it's just not worth it.

#4. I am hesitant to mention this but someone needs to tell ladies, you need a decent bra. If you can only afford to buy thrift store clothing that is fine but you MUST wear a decent bra and replace it often, spandex doesn't have a long life. If you are a "C" or above you need an underwire and probably a "molded cup", I pay "big money" $35-$40 for one, I treat it like a little baby hand washing it and hanging it to dry. It will make all your clothing look better. Think you are flat chested and don't need a bra, you are mistaken and trust me everyone but you knows it. It is better to have one good one the ten cheap ones.

#5. Tips, if you can't afford to tip decently then you can't afford to go out to eat. 15%-20% is what you should tip at a sit down restaurant. If you are using a coupon as I often do for a B1GI meal tip on what the bill would be without the coupon. I tip Pizza Delivery men extra, I also tip my hair stylist. If I am at a restaurant where it's buffet and someone just brings your drinks and clears the table I tip $1 per person.

#6. God's work, the more money you give to something the more you find yourself caring about it.