Extreme cheapskates...maybe too extreme

So I get wind of a new show from TLC called Extreme Cheapskates that airs next weekend. It features cheapskates and the stuff they do to save money. Some are smart tips like cutting the bottom off the toothpaste tube when it's "out". You just KNOW there's still paste in there! But somethings are just silly like re-using paper towels and rinsing out disposable cups. Why would you spend money on buying paper towels, and use them over and over and not just use kitchen towels / dish rags that are already re-usable, washable, eco-friendly? Nope. Disposable cups and plates too; you have re-usable dishes, they're called plates and glasses. You can wash and re-use them THOUSANDS of times!

It brings me to my favorite re-usable/repurposed items at home that save me money on the little things.

1) Lonely socks. You know them, they've lost their partner somewhere in the dryer and are doomed to a life of watching other socks snuggle in the drawer or go out to a movie. Well no more; they're perfect for the Household Soil Managemnt Division. That is: dusting. Your lonely socks can join other lonely socks and old t-shirts that now have a real purpose in life than just hanging around you all day.


2) As mentioned above, T-shirts. C'mon, there's so much they can do! Dust, wipe, wash; they're handy! Van Halen and Journey can make your house look goooood.

Items three and four are Swiffer products. At the risk of sounding like a corporate schill or a paid advertiser (which I am not, since Swiffer has no idea I'm even posting this), I like passing on good tips to moms like me, SO:

3) Swiffer Sweeper sheets. These things take a beating when used instead of a paper towel , sponge or cleaning rag. I found this out while helping Sister Christian clean out her old apartment. She'd run out of paper towels and handed me a Swiffer sheet. I used it over and over and over again! I cleaned the whole bathroom with ONE sheet. and it was still in great condition when I was done with it. You can dry it out and use again...and again...and again. That's one pennywise product.

4) Another is the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. It doesn't come with re-useable sheets, but you can purchase good, fluffy cleaning rags that you can wash and use over and over. And it doesn't just save me money, it saves me TIME which is my most precious commodity. A big thanks to my dear S-I-L who turned me on to it!
 
5) Last is the Libman Freedom Mop. The pad is washable and re-usable so I don't have to spend money buying more and more pads. The bottle can be filled with any cleaner...that includes vinegar which you can get a GALLON of for about 2 bucks at the grocery store!

Being cheap isn't always being smart....be smart.

Power up!

Are you familiar with Kiva? Well you're gonna be. Kiva is a non-profit organization that helps folks like you do something awesome! It links lenders to small business owners or budding entrepreneurs (many of them in impoverished countries). It helps you give a hand-up to someone with a plan, a dream or a hope...or all three. "Micro-loans" as small as $25 can be made at Kiva to finance folks with their small business. Businesses run the gamut from farming to retail to food services to cattle to...well, you get the picture
It's not some random loan either! You can choose who you loan money to. A face and a story accompanies each loan request. It's not just money, it's an ooportunity and empowerment that you're lending. Once your loan is paid, you can get your money back OR you can turn it around and loan it again!

Lastly, you can join a team that loans together. Oh the teams; they're formed or they loan based on interests or values or region or favorite sports teams....for real! I'll introduce to a team every week in hopes that you'll get inspired to invest in someone's dream of a better life. You'll see that there are so many reasons to give.

This week it's Team Texas. They loan because: "Texas does it bigger!". The team has 741 members (including yours truly). It appears, from team stats, that Team Texas members are big on making farming or agricultural loans...go figure.

Check out Kiva's website. Once you lend, you're gonna want to do it again!

New Year and more

A New Year on your doorstep is like a blank canvas. It's full of promise, it's got lots of potential. You can fill it up with anything! It's a fresh start for fresh ideas and fresh perspective.

I can't wait to bring some new stuff to the blog. There's stuff on my mind that I want to share with folks out there. There will be some craft challenges for projects that I'll be doing with my circle here. Hope you join in on a project or two. I'll be trying to find ideas and helpful tips and timesavers that really work for gals like me; working moms of the Bombeck variation. Diet-y goodness will be added to the menu as well as awesome items I score on my budget via sales, roadside or even free. I'll also introduce you to Kiva, a website and community that empowers people to empower themselves.

Stick around!!

And a Happy New Year

A Happy and Blessed new year to every one! My prayer is that our family will grow in unity, love and service to Jesus. And for you, my dear reader, that love and mercy will be yours all year long! That you prosper even as your soul prospers and that 2012 brings you new adventures, wisdom and peace! That goes for Chief, Pickles and Elvis too!

And last but not least...

...the beloved teacher. This being the last day before the Christmas vacation, Pickles didn't want to show up empty handed. She still didn't have a gift for Ms. S,  her wonderful teacher this morning! Being the only non-teacher in a family full of teachers, I once got solid advice from my sister with regards to gifts. "please, don't give me a teacher-themed gift!!"  Duly noted. So now we try to make personalized gifts that do not have to do with teaching...

Well, a quick rummage through the craft supply boxes rendered the ingredients for a sweet, quickie ornament.

Materials:
- decorative craft paper (This teacher gives a lot of story writing assignments and Pickles LOVES writing. Her choice was a print that looks like a hand written letter)
- small embroidery hoop
- a letter sticker
- ribbon

Using pinking shears, she cut a circle just a bit bigger than the embroidery hoop. Then she wrote a personal message on the back of the paper.

She placed the sticker on the paper, put the paper in the hoop and added the ribbon.

Ta-Da! Here's Pickles modeling her handmade ornament.

And here's Chief McD photo-bombing her with his best Jimmy Durante impersonation.

Merry Christmas Ms. S!!

Color me Christmas

One of the best things about Christmas is doing fun projects with my kids. We usually wind up making something for a class party and that's alright by me. This year, Pickles McD decided on a fun and super easy party favor/gift for her classmates; a swirly, multi-color, Christmas shaped crayon is what each boy and girl will get!

The project is so simple, when you see it, you WILL want to try it out! You'll need:
-a BUNCH of crayons (We broke out our HUGE coffee tub full of leftovers from boxes and boxes of crayons, from school year after school year, OY!)
-a silicone muffin/cookie molder
-knife (for grown-ups to use)
That's it. Let's get started.

Peel and chop up your crayons. Pickles McD did the peeling while Chief McD and I did the chopping.

When all the crayons are chopped up, fill up the silicone muffin molder with crayon bits. Bake for 15 minutes at 230 dgrees. When they are done, let them cool all the way before popping them out of the mold.

 What you get is a fun swirly crayon with all the colors you threw into the mold.

Wrap them in tissue, stick them on a present or give 'em as party favors! Pickles put each crayon in a cellophane treat bag.

She decorated some cards with  her 'handmade by' stamp on one side and Christmas stamp on the other.

She was super happy with her project and went to school excited to give them out today at the party.

What does 'joy' mean to you? At Christmas time you see that word eveywhere; cards, banners, sweaters, etc. Different things bring joy to different people. In our house, 'joy' is a simple rule for the best way to live life. It's a way to put things in perspective. It is:
Jesus first
Others second
Yourself last
These letters hang on the wall in our living room to remind us of this philosophy. They're not Christmas-y because they're in our regular living room colors. So, I wanted to dress 'em up a little for a sparkly piece over the mantel. I used our letters (JOY), a corkboard, gold wrapping paper, tinsel and bows.

I cut a piece of paper bigger than the board and for some reason I really wanted the edges to be crinkly so I crinkled 'em.

I stapled tinsle all around the edge.

To attach my letters, I used tacky-tack. Y'know, the yellow stretchy stuff that feels like old gum. It's supposed to be the subject of the pic below on the left but the ding-dang camera kept focusing on the background!!  I also used straight pins for a little more support. No matter that the pins stuck out a bit as they won't be seen from a distance.

Then I embellished with bows I bought at the dollar store.

I hung it over the mantel and it looks great!

JOY; if you practice it, you'll have it!