Tuesday, December 28, 2010

I'll Just DIE If I Don't Have. . . .

I hear this all the time from my teenagers, "Oh, Mom, I'll just DIE if I don't have (insert whatever here)." But how often have I heard this same thing from adults? Maybe they are too "mature" to say "DIE," but how about saying "NEED?" You stop at the gas station and buy a overpriced soda-pop because you NEED something to drink. You buy a box of baby wipes so you can wipe off high chairs, car seats, sticky fingers, tabletops, grocery cart handles, etc, because you NEED the convenience of throwing the wipe away after using it?


Every family is different, but we all breathe the same air so to speak, so will I really keel over and die if I don't drink a soda? Will I be buried tomorrow because I had to wash an extra washcloth instead of throwing away a baby wipe?


What item can I do away with this week? Or if I can't totally do away with it, can I use less of it?


to be continued. . . .

Monday, December 27, 2010

Electricity Usage

Well, I guess it's official. Our only choice in power companies will be raising the rates 16% on January 1. We can't afford the bill now, so I don't know what we will do. We already use the energy saving light bulbs, so the fixtures that have 2 or 3 bulbs in them will be reduced to a single bulb. I put 2 LED night lights in the bathroom, they only use .3 watts of electricity each, so I am trying to talk everyone into not turning on the light in the bathroom so much. I also bought everyone an LED flashlight for $1 each and put them in their Christmas stockings. I am really surprised at how bright those things are. I am working very hard at line drying as many clothes as possible. This is a major feat, not only because there are 6 of us, but because it is winter and EXTREMELY bitter cold outside, leaving me to hang the laundry all over the house. My next step is to unplug anything we aren't using right NOW. No VCR or DVD player, outdoor lights, no cell phone chargers left plugged in. I don't think these things will greatly reduce our bill because I already go around unplugging and turning off things constantly. So what else can we do?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

10 Day Countdown

10 whole days until I start my total transformation. Wow, that's dramatic. Not sure what I'll attempt first, but I do have 10 days to decide. Never mind work, Christmas, kids on school vacation. . .

Vocabulary Definitions

Calm down, this is not a homework assignment! Just a light-hearted list of words I will use frequently here.

  • frugally: a nice way of saying cheapskate

  • cheapskate: a poor way of saying, well, poor

  • poor: no money, but not broke

  • broke: something not fixable by momma

  • momma: me

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

What?!! Another Blog?

Yes, here you are, at another Change-Your-Life, Money-Saving-Ideas, How-You-Can-Live-On-Less Blog. What makes this blog different from others? This will be an accumulation of 20 years of learning how to save money, time, and sanity, in an attempt to stop a mid-life's crisis from actually being a crisis. Maybe I am crazy, but I really DON'T want to work outside my little house on it's 50x150 lot. I am perfectly content to stay home in my bluejeans and not wear someone else's uniform and make money for them. I have decided to go public with my life, hoping that my friends and family will keep me honest and hardworking. My goals are not fully defined yet, but I will post them as they become clearer. Welcome!