thebusyfrugalmom.com

The Bible never says wealthy people are to be hated or are bad. In fact is says just the opposite. Here are 2 verses to ponder and put together show a completely different picture of wealth and pursuit of wealth.

Proverbs 13:11 (NIV) Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Deuteronomy 8:18 Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

God has the ability to produce wealth into our lives but He doesn’t want us to use dishonest methods. Slow and steady is more inline with His will. In other words, it should not be our driving force or focus yet a steady plan that evolves as we live our lives for Him.

I use a lot of vanilla in my baking. The last time I ran out of vanilla, I picked up a replacement bottle at my local grocery store. Of course I was happy with the store brand and began comparing prices. At $11.99 for the 4 ounce bottle verses $3.49 for the 1 ounce bottle, the bigger bottle was the better deal. I thought great I got more for my money! Then last week I was at my local discount club and found a 16 ounce bottle for get this… $6.88! I was in shock at the difference. I mean 4 times the amount for a little more than 1/2 the cost???!!!! What a great find. Check your local discount club the next time you need spices or seasonings or vanilla. It’s a great savings if you use that item a lot.

One thing I’ve intentionally left off my blog is that we actually care for 5 children not 3. We do, in fact, have 3 but we have been fostering 2 additional children for about 2 months now. We are caring for these children with no subsidy from the state so that means we foot the bill. Now don’t get me wrong, there is not one complaint in that statement. We know full-well God has called us to this duty and are truly blessed everyday by having them in our lives. The point of that statement is that frugalness is even more important in our lives.

Defining Busy

In addition, I run a photography business, albeit very part time at the moment. I also homeschool my 8 year old. Busy doesn’t even begin to fully describe our lifestyle. While we always have clean clothing to wear, laundry is never caught up. I feed my kids home-cooked meals 6 out of the 7 days. The other day is usually a cheat day where I serve a quick breakfast meal for dinner (sometimes just cold cereal).

A Bit About Me

I’m an ADHD gal. I can be chaotic most days. I can over look things that should be done and forget to do other things. I can’t live without my calendar. But overall I LOVE all the blessings that comes with and ADHD brain. I work best in a chaotic environment. I can easily think outside the box and don’t feel the need to walk a straight line with my routine. But since I’ve taken on 2 additional children (giving me 4 that are 4 years and younger), I’ve learned to accept and create routines. I’ve become quite obsessed actually.

Routines

Having five kids has taught me a little bit about routine and how good it is for my kids. Without a routine, I’ll order lunch or dinner out. Or even breakfast. I love take out and dinning out. It’s my personal hole in my money bag. Routine helps me keep this hole mended. It also helps kids that have had no routine in their lives have a predictable day. Our day looks something like this:

• 5-6am I’m up and if I’m lucky I’m the only one up until about 7am. Usually my 4 year old is up by 6 or 6:30. In the morning I usually work on my blog and/or read my Bible.
• 8am - Eat breakfast (if you sleep in you miss it)
• 10am snack which is almost always fruit and some kind of dairy
• 11:30/noon Lunch
• Right After lunch is naps for the younger 3 and tv or reading for the older 2. (Ahhhh a bit of rest for me. I try not to do too much during this time)
• After naps we have a snack. I let them have a fun snack usually. Maybe sweets or chips/cheetos or something.
• 5pm - Dinner
• 6pm - baths
• 7pm - bed for the 3 little ones

In the beginning, I’d beat myself up if everything wasn’t done just right. But over the few months, I’ve learned to except imperfection. Right now I’m looking at a pile of clean clothes on my couch thinking well at least there is another couch. lol It is rest time after-all.

Many days 5 small children and homeschooling can seem like too much.

So What’s the Point?

The point is that most everything you’ll find on this blog is things that even busy people can carve out time to do. A few minutes here and there add up to some really great and money savings things for your family. Enjoy and let me know if there is anything you’d like to see!

Are you a muggle? No, not as in Harry Potter’s non-magical people. I’m referring to geocaching. If you’ve never heard of it then you’re what us Geocachers call a muggle. We are instructed to watch out for muggles because, since they unaware of the game, they could potentially take our treasures and dispose of them. So do you want to become a geocacher? Read on to find out more

Geocaching

About a year or so ago a friend told about Geocaching and we just tried it for the first time this week! What amazing fun. Our 3, 4, and 8 year old loved it! They thought it was so cool to find treasures that other people hid. It’s like knowing other people’s secrets. Here are the basic steps of Geocaching.

• Have or borrow a handheld GPS unit
• Find coordinates of a hidden treasure
• Enter them into your unit (you can batch download them if you hook your unit up to your computer)
• Begin searching (by car or foot or a little of both depending on their location)
• Find the treasure (it’s kind of like an easter egg hunt at the end)
• Either log your visit, swap a mini treasure, or, in some cases, just enjoy the view.
• Move to the next treasure

Our First Geocaching Experience

We were heading out to check out a local CSA in a neighboring town. I decided to finally print a few Geocache treasures off the Internet. I found about 5 of them based on the zip code of the CSA. There were lots more than 5, I just picked the first 5 that sounded interesting enough for the kids. Now that we had our coordinates we were ready to set sail - let the game begin.

The photo of this post is an actual gem of a find that one of our treasures led us to. It was this huge replica old town of the small town we visited. They had old replica building genuine inside and out of the original city. There was a garage (with an antique car), a drug store, a cafe, a trading post (pictured), and lots more too. There were even covered picnic areas. The kids had so much fun that day!

A few Interesting Facts

Our neighborhood has 11 treasures hidden (almost no gas bill for these). A local and very rural state park of ours has about 37 hidden treasures - still pretty frugal! Of course you could go crazy since there are more than 700,000 treasures hidden worldwide so it should keep you busy for awhile. 

In the game of geocaching you search for treasures listed in the database that meet your factors of interest. Then enter the coordinates and begin your treasure hunt. Am I making any sense at all?

Cost

If done right, Geocaching as an extremely frugal entertainment.

• The main Geocaching website is free for a basic membership. ($0.00)
• Bring along a picnic lunch and plenty of water to ensure no unnecessary pit stops. 
• Gas is the biggest cost involved. Depending on how far you travel it may be cheap or expensive. We’ll try to tag our hunts around an already planned errand so the gas will be next to nil. Also there are over 300 within a 5 mile radius of our home.

Being a mom I make a lot of PB&J’s. They’re cheap enough but I had to know could I get even more frugal? After making my strawberry preserves, I wondered if I make grape jelly too. How hard can it be? I looked that up too and was shocked at how frugal and easy grape jelly is to make.

Ingredients

• 5 Cups grape juice
• 1 (1.75 ounce) box of Sure-Jell pectin
• 7 cups sugar

Directions

1. Place 5 cups of juice in a large pot
2. Add fruit pectin to the juice
3. Mix well
4. Using high heat & stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil, and boil vigorously for 1 minute
5. Add and stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil, again boil vigorously for 1 minute stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat, skim off foam and pour into hot jars.

Storage

I knew I could freeze strawberry preserves pretty easily but I found out grape jelly does not freeze so well. This means I have to find some canning jars. If it’s not canning season, these little jars are hard to come by locally. I finally found them (after a tip from my aunt) at Ace Hardware.

At this point you have 3 choices. Store in some containers you have around your home, use jars and paraffin wax (also found at Ace Hardware but not the best method), or use old fashioned canning jars. If you store in regular containers be prepared to use it fast or give it away. Canning jars will make it shelf stable for about 1 year.

Cost

My cost break down:

• Juice -  Bought on BOGO sale at Publix ($3.59 for 2 64 ounces bottles)
• Sugar - ($1.32 for 7 Cups - bought 25lbs at Sam’s)
• Pectin - ($3.25)

Recipe makes about 6 pints or 12 - 8 ounce jars. At less than $.48 per jar it’s much cheaper to make it yourself.

I often prefer the lighter word of God. The loving side. But then I remember that when we correct, warn, or discipline our children that is also out of love. I came across a verse that is a very stern warning. It hurt/scared me to read it and I wondering if it was to strong to even share it. But after contemplating for several weeks, I felt it was my responsibility to share it.

Proverbs 22:26-27
Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Many of us (including me) have gotten ourselves into debt and we’re learning to practice frugality in order to reverse our current standing. Based on today’s scripture, this is a very wise decision. Of course we know this truth but to see it written in God’s word adds a stark realism to it.

Here is Florida we’re beginning to see the inexpensive of strawberries. At our local farmer’s market I can get a flat (about 12 pounds) for about $8 in the best weeks. At Sam’s you can only get 4 pounds for $8. Big difference. It sure makes me want to buy all the strawberries insight! Whoa Nelly. That’s a bit much for anyone to handle. But is reasonable quantities there are ways to reap the benefits of this extremely frugal price for months to come.

Ways to Harvest on the Frugal Days of Strawberries

• Prepare and freeze bags of strawberries for later in the year (I need to get a deep freezer)
• Make some strawberry bread and freeze it
• Make strawberry preserves, jam, or jelly and freeze or can extras
• Make and freeze strawberry pie
• Make and freeze strawberry muffins

Now that my mouth is watering, I’m off to the market to get some more strawberries.

I just love RecipeZaar. It is a member-contributed website. They have over 345,000 recipes. Many, of which, are rated and commented on. It’s like having your grandma’s cookbook with all her notes in it. I love the sort feature because I can type in “breadmaker” and then sort. Once sorted I can review the top recipes according to other cooks and find some real gems.

Once a Month Cooking

Once a month cooking (OAMC) can be quite frugal and definitely a time saver. Although I don’t do true OAMC, I do cook larger quantities of a given recipe to save for a later date. RecipeZaar has lots of OAMC recipes and even cookbooks that people have created from their favorite RecipeZaar recipes.

Check it out!

Last week I made my first batch of strawberry preserves. It was super easy and frugal too. I had some extra strawberries - more than we could eat. So I looked up a recipe (see below). Plus you’re doing the landfills a favor but reusing your own canning jars.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of crushed berries (about 2 pints)
• 4 Cups sugar
• 1/3 Cup of lemon juice

Directions

1. Mash/Crush Strawberries but hand or I roughly pulsed them in my food proecessor.
2. Pour Strawberries and lemon juice into a large pan.
3. Bring to a boil for 1 minute (stir frequently).
4. Add in sugar all at once.
5. Bring to a vigorous boil and keep at a vigorous boil for 10 to 20 minutes (stirring frequently).
6. After about 10 minutes begin testing the viscosity by putting a small amount on a plate and tilting the plate. Once the drips slows it should be done.
7. Let sit for 24 hours.

Storage

1. Sterilize 8 1/2-pint jars and keep hot. (I haven’t actually canned this so it may not fill all 8 jars)
2. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil over high heat and ladle into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace (or whatever your jar instructions state).
3. Securely cap each jar and process using the boiling-water canning method for 10 minutes.
4. Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year.

Cost

My cost analysis:

• Strawberries: I bought by the flat which is about 12 pints. ($2 for 2 pints)
• Sugar - ($.38 for 4 cups)
• Lemon Juice ($.50)

Makes about eight 8 ounce jars. Cost per jar is about $.36 to $.48 per jar depending on whether you get 6 or 8 jars. This recipe is a bit cheaper than other jellys because there is no pectin.

Every Tuesday is Finance Day at The Busy Frugal Mom.

Do your finances feel a bit like wading into the deep water and you’re unsure of what rocky terrain lies beneath? Wish you could Get Out of Debt but need some ideas? Here are 50 concrete ways to put your desires into action. Use the links within the list to find more information.

Getting a Plan

1. Tithe. If you’re part of a local church you should be tithing. It will make you more responsible with what’s left. If you’re not a member of a church find a good charity or put aside a saving account for the money until you find a church.
2. Take stock of all your liabilities. Now is the time to scrutinize every penny that you spend. Do you really need all those minutes on your cellphone? Can you drop your cable service level or even your cable service all together? We did this to every single bill we pay. After all was said and done we saved over $200 per month. Some bills we only saved $5 on but it added up very quickly.
3. Track your expenses for 30 days. Keep all of your receipts and log every penny you spend for 30 days. Then analyze where your money is truly going. This will allow you to see why you’re struggling and where you can save extra money.
4. Set a budget. Now that you are well aware of every dollar that leaves your home, set a plan for your money. Failing to plan equals planning to fail.
5. Create a baby emergency fund of $1000 and then cut up remaining credit card. Do this step as fast as possible. Sell some stuff to make it happen now. I put this in the getting a plan section because having an emergency fund is part of planning. Planning now for an emergency can prevent further debt.
6. Christmas is in December. Did you know it’s every December? Figure out what you spent this past Christmas. Was it realistic? If not figure out what is realistic. Decide your budget for next Christmas now and divide it by 12. Start saving now and it won’t surprise you next year. Plan other periodic expenses too.
7. Save for bigger purchases. After saving all of your hard-earned money do you still even need it? Probably not. But if you do then won’t it feel great knowing that you saved for it?
8. Focus, Focus, Focus. You have to focus constantly on your goal. Make notes, remind yourself. Put a sticky on your debit card that says “Is this purchase worth delaying becoming debt free?”
9. Extra cash. Follow your debt reduction plan. Don’t consider it a spendable bonus. If you’re working on a particular debt put the bonus straight towards that debt. It’ll feel great seeing a big drop in your balance and put you that much closer toward your goal.
10. Ignore that raise! Well sort of. Don’t put it into your regular budget. Instead have it directly pay down your extra debt. If you don’t think about it, then you won’t miss it.

Must Know Tidbits

1. Don’t go further into debt. Immediately go to a cash only system. Cut up all but one credit card.
2. Spend less than you earn. I know this should go without saying but if that were true we would not have debt in the first place (me included).
3. How many hours did you have to work to pay for that new toy? If it costs $500 and you only make $10 per hour then you’ll need to work 50 hours to make that purchase. Worse yet if you use a credit card and make minimum payments, you’ll need to work 86 hours to pay for it (based on 18% interest with a minimum payment of 2.5% of the balance).
4. Don’t consolidate your debt. I know it sounds easier to have one smaller payment for all of your debts but it’s not. It’s much easier to snowball your debts when they in smaller portions. Also many of the consolidation companies can hurt your credit.
5. Borrower is servant to the lender. According to Proverbs 22:7, if you borrow money then you become a servant to that lender. Realizing this really made me angry enough to do something about my debt situation. I’m working hard so my lender can earn more interest on my money than I could even think about earning right now!

Quick Start Tips

1. Sell your car! Do you realize how much that is really costing you? I didn’t until I read Dave Ramsey’s “My Total Money Makeover”.
2. Have a yard sale. Seriously, do you need all of that stuff around your house? I know I don’t. Sell it and fast.
3. Sell items on Craigslist or eBay. Pull out some of the more valuable items prior to your yard sale and list them on Craigslist or on eBay. But with the commitment you’ll include it in the yard sale if it doesn’t sell.
4. Move into a smaller space. You’ll need to cost analyze this one. How much will it cost you to move, how much will you save, and how long will to stay? If you come out ahead then this is a great option for you. And you’ll find more stuff to sell since you can’t fit it into your smaller space!
5. Be willing to make sacrifices. Remember, you own things. They do not own you. We had to sell one of our cars and get a “beater” but this was the best move we could have made. It was so empowering not to have a car note hanging over our heads.
6. Increase your income. If your current income just won’t go far enough or pay down your debt fast enough consider a second job. A pizza man, here in my town, says he makes about $100 on a good night. A few nights of this could equal $1000 extra each month. How could that speed up your debt elimination?

Partner Rules 

1. Get on the same page as your partner. If you have a spending partner then you have to be together or it won’t work. They will unintentionally sabotage your efforts. If they are having a hard time seeing the vision, start dream building with them. Ask simple but non-confrontational questions like “What would you do if we had no payments except utilities?” Questions like this helped my husband grasp the vision and now we’re on the same page.
2. Recognize spending tendencies in you and your partner. Do you overspend when you go to a specific store? If so ask your spouse to help you be accountable and only go with a list. Better yet bring along a friend that will challenge you. (This can only be done if you’re working the plan together!!!)
3. Be an example. You can’t change your spouse, only they can do that. You can, however, be an example. Work on your own attitudes and behaviors and let your new self be a shining example. Recognize that your spouse may not grab onto the idea as fast as you.

Working the Plan

1. Pay down your existing debt. Now that you’ve found a few extra dollars. Use it to pay down your debt. Start with the smallest balance first. It will motivate you tremendously to see one of your debts gone!
2. Put any new purchase through the goal test. Does it align? If you spend money on things you don’t care about that means the things that are most important to you get the short end of the stick.
3. Buy an older car. One that you can pay cash for or even barter something from around your house for. We’re going to barter a flat screen TV that we found in the trash for an older van. 
4. Avoid eating out: One person can barely eat at McDonald’s for $4, but you can feed a family of 6 at home for $4. Save dining out for very special occasions. Then it will feel special instead of ordinary.
5. Buy groceries on sale and with coupons. Plan your menus around the sales and coupons. You can save 50% or more on your grocery bill. Check out Coupon Mom & The Grocery Game
6. Practice Creative Entertainment: Want to get together with your friends? Instead of going out and spending a ton of money try staying in for a change. Potlucks or progressive dinners can be a lot of fun. Or eat at home then get together for games and snacks afterwards. We have the most fun getting together and playing games.
7. Free Family Entertainment: Find free things to do in your area. Small children will pick a playground over most anything else when given the choice. Find new playground (as in new to them) for a change of scenary. My boys think it is totally awesome when I surprise them by stopping by a playground in another neighborhood. I’ll devote a post soon to more free family entertainment.
8. Don’t quit when you make a mistake. We all fall off the bandwagon. What determines whether or not you’ll become debt-free is if you get back on or no.
9. Just say NO!!! Quit rationalizing every little purchase. It’s okay to tell yourself, your spouse, and your kids no. Really. It won’t hurt anyone. I remind myself this everytime.
10. Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans. In addition to eating at home, be more frugal with your grocery purchases.
11. CASH IS KING. If you don’t have cash to pay for the item, then you can’t afford to buy it. That means no more payments.
12. Refurbished instead of replace. Learn how to refinish your furniture instead of replacing it. It’s much cheaper and you’ll love the result.
13. Think used. Do you really need that item new? Can you find it used somewhere for less? Try an older vehicle, the second hand store, libraries, thrift stores, and garage sales. You’d be surprised at what you’ll find.
14. Plant a garden. Grow your own tomatoes, beans, carrots, and herbs. Use pots if you don’t have a yard.
15. Exercise. I know, you’re thinking what does excersice have to do with it? Well the more you exercise the less you eat and the less time you have to spend money. Exercise is free – if you pick the right kinds. Take a walk, ride your bike, play ball with your kid. Just get out and have fun.
16. Turn down the heat and turn up the air. During the winter, wear a sweater inside during the day. During the summer wear shorts. It will also make you more tolerant of the outdoor elements. Since marrying my husband I’ve become very intolerant of the heat because he keeps the air on frigid. I’m working on him and he’s doing better.

Long-Term Vision

1. Consult with a financial planner. Find a financial planner that follows or is trained in the system your using. For example, Dave Ramsey lists financial planners on his website. They can be a great resource if you’re unsure how to proceed.
2. Teach your children. Go through this process with them. Teach them what it means to owe others and how it traps you. When my 8 year old wants something I ask I explain to him we’re not buying that because mommy and daddy are trying to save money to pay for his college. He gets that and says okay (for the most part). This is true because if I don’t pay off my debts I can not save for his college. In addition we’re teaching him to manage his own money.

Books, Blogs, Movies, and Other Resources

1. The more you read about finances the more focused you will remain. Find blogs, books, articles, etc. on your subject of interest. Hate to read? Then borrow books on CD for the car or your MP3 player.
2. Read Dave Ramsey. Any of his books are awesome. He’s an in your face, but graceful and compassionate too, kind of guy. He’ll tell you what you need to know and fill you with motivation while he’s at it.
3. Learn the advertisement game. The advertisement agencies know you better than you do. They spend a lot of money to figure out how to get you to part with your money. Learn their game and it will help you to say no easier.
4. Secret History of the Credit Card. Did you know there was one? Watch this PBS documentary. It will help you get mad enough to do something.
5. MaxedOut. I haven’t seen this movie but I understand it exposes the unethical & profit-driven side of the credit card companies. Are you mad enough yet?
6. How to Get Out of Debt, Stay out of Debt and Live Prosperously by Jerroid Mundis. This book will help those with spending issues. It will help you set up a spending system that works with your goals.
7. The Millionaire Next Door by by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko. So you think the guy next door has no money? He drives a beat up car so he must be barely squeaking by. Right? You may be in for a surprise.
8. Your Money Counts by Howard L. Dayton Jr. This book is an excellent overview of the Crown Financial Ministries study. The purpose of this study is to implement biblical principles on money in churches and families.
9. Budgeting 101 Website:  Thousands of Make your own Mix Recipes, Jar & Kitchen Gifts, credit repair, Coupons, Budgeting Articles, Inexpensive Gift Ideas, Gag Gifts, Money Saving Recipes, & Free Debt Reduction Resource!