Hidden costs of living...frugality

It is often in the things we take for granted that we find the greatest waste.
The cost of Electric, water and phone/internet is added to find your expense in these areas
One way to get a good idea is to find if your utility offers a "balanced payment plan" our electric does so We pay the average of what our costs are in a calendar year. Of course your place of residency must be established for a year to do so.
This is the billing for each month
No look at your water costs
and so forth...Add these together and see what your daily cost is by dividing it by 30 days.

Study these things and target a goal.
Be creative at ways to bring each utility under your authority (so to speak)

Electric: call your electric company for a check on the average homeowner like you and see if you fall in line. Now insulate, use a time of use plan and so forth. Plant shade trees or cover glass with sun shades. Learn! Investigate what you can do to keep some of your hard earned money.

Water Treatment Plant
We use Reverse Osmosis under the kitchen sink for ingested water
Primary investment!
Wisdom gained after two trips to Russia

Water : this is my biggy, I want a water tank to harvest rain water so bad! Even here in the desert this could really make a difference. Not only in the volume consumed on the grid, but the quality of the chlorine free water for my garden. I am still in a bit of a battle with my husband on this on. Use care and use it wisely. I am not able to use my gray water in my set up. If you do use it take care that all cleaners are bio degradable. Fill your sink half way and the fill it up with the rinse water as your first load is rinced off. Think reuse and conserve. Not just for the dollar but for the respect of it.

check your phone bill

Phone and internet service. This is in a very primary way for us. I do not own a cell phone (however a friend confiscated a teenage daughters phone and lent it to me for emergency use) . We use a phone card not the long distance of the phone company. We therefore know the cost each month and have no surprises.
We have no bells or whistles, just basic service. Bare bone, no caller id, why? I can ask who it is if I do not know. If I am concerned I can just let the answering machine get it. I have done nothing wrong so nothing to hide and no one to be afraid of. If it is a telemarketer I kindly bid them no, and hang up. They are surprised when your kind to them. I was one for a month or two many years ago. It is a horrible job full of rejection. Accept them reject the marketing.
Regarding directory assistance the internet is faster and that is just what they do for you for $1.

No cable TV, try (HULU this is a hot link) on line for movies. They are free (except of course the internet charge) . This is included on our phone bill.

We have no car payment and have never done so. We drive high quality (by consumer reports standards) cars. do research on anything you purchase! Buy the very best you can afford. Buy for the long term of the item. Not just the bells and whistles of show off to your cronies. :) This reduces the tax and registration and Insurance fees. By having your home and auto insurance at one company. Caution (as a former licensed insurance agent) I will tell you... avoid anything other than a "standard" insurer. Auto Indemnity such as geico may be cheep but when you have one incident your rates will sky rocket and it will take 5 years to be able to switch back to a standard policy with a standard insurer. You will be grouped with "high risk" clientele for years.

We do not use a credit card and have become debt free! (except for the mortgage).
We use a zero balance budget sheet every month and account for each dollar of income before we ever see it. One -two months in advance. If we get hit we just transfer the category on the sheet and know right where we stand.

We have no flat screen. I was married 16 years before I had a micro. I did not suffer. I just kept a tea kettle on the stove for hot water.
study these things learn about what power you have to reduce your dependency.

I love my homemade laundry soap. Invest in the tools of the trade. A food mill and so forth.
Look at what you use... think before you toss it out. Can you use it for something you normally purchase new?

Compost. When you mow save the trimmings, the kitchen scrap research it.
Boil your bones and root scrap (then strain it) for soup stock. Soup stock is a basic ingredient of the very best kitchens.
Garden. Even if only in a pot. Study heirloom seeds (save your seeds) for the others are mules and can not be planted. This a ploy to stop us from the freedoms, so that we find dependency on the seed manufacturers.

Oh yes the work is hard , but that is the joy of life to find pleasure in the labor of our hands.
Consider it a free gym membership :)

I would rather do it for myself than to have to go out to earn the money and pay someone else to do it for me (at their standard). Now with so much unemployment these skills are essential.

Clothing...co-op with other families or thrift. Learn to sew! Mend rips and sew on a button when it falls off! Don't toss the garment (unless you want someone like me to find it for next to nothing) :) I do not mind sewing on a button...nice price

Make your own cosmetics TRY Blogs like this one for information.

Walk softly yet leave an impression that flatters the ground you walk on.

Morning Menu Daily Expense

Steve's lunch = $.81 cents
Bread (home ground home made is .34 cents a loaf) .03 cents
lunch meat .50 cents
Mao .02 cents
Organic corn chips .25 cents
Lemon Aid .o1 cent of sugar
lemons for free (glean the neighborhood) ask if they need a home rather than to see the food go to spoil. Many folks will be delighted to see it being used.

Steve's breakfast
In refer is kept plastic lidded cups, the kind saved from the restaurants over the years.
Orange juice .25 cents for 6 oz.
Lead in add I got it for 2.59 for 64 oz.

in a baggie .01 cent
Home made Breakfast cookies (I'll try to link to the post with the recipe) .16 cents for two plus the baggie
.17 cents a day
66 cookies =$5.45*66= apx .08 cents each
one pound butter $2.
oats .75 cents
flax .10 cents
eggs x4 $1.20
staple (soda,powder,cinnamon,clove, almond extract) .10 cents
(sugar, brn sugar, flours home ground) $1.10

Healthy Breakfast on the road .42 cents

Morning dog food is apx $40. bag for 40 pounds (often I can get it for $35.)
They eat about 2 pounds a day
$2. a day feeds the dogs a very healthy blend.
This can be home made , but after I investigated it my time costs more than it would be worth.

Coffee 2 cup .36 cents a day
.26 cents a pot of 2 cups
soy milk .10 cents
In bulk is $12. for 3 pounds Home Ground

Dove .45 cents
.15 cents
soy milk .30 cents
$1.50 a large box lead in add bought in bulk, watch dates.
Dove has this or bread
Dash .46 cents
3 eggs .45 cents
olive oil .01
Me a bowl of cereal and soy milk
Me .45
Chickens eat $1.25 a day in feed
cost of eggs calculated with it in mind.
Wild bird seed is .45 cents a day for 5 feeders (when I fill them) they are good pollinators for the garden and also for my soul.

Four people, two dogs and 6 chickens feed breakfast
Wild bird every other day or so.
and Steve off with lunch for
$6.65 a day
add to that lunch for the kids and I
Snacks for the kids and I through out the day
Dinner meal around $5. or under
Around $12. a day
for the feeding of everyone on the estate.

Once the garden gets along the evening meal and lunches will get real cheep.
We have melons and beans and all sorts of good foods out there.

The produce guy gives us the scrap that they put down the disposal normally
Glean your community.

Now add to that homemade Laundry soap and cleaners.

This is a great exercise in reality.
Check out a $5. Dinners
She is on the right track and leading others well on to it.

What Matters most...spring break

Creation
A book of life.
Today The kids and I took a trip to Gods Library.

In the spur of the moment I saw us at the park, the children given as long as they desired to visit the tree, "their tree".
A short 4 mile drive took us to a wonderful Public park.
I sat in the shade and stilled my sweet soul while they found it a time of ease and leisure to relax into creative play.
"can we stay a little while longer mom?"..." we will stay as long as you desire"...I told them
"REALLY!" exclaimed my two amazed little darlings.
"yes really" said I softly...
declaration! "SWEET!"
GLEE!
pure glee!
I sat there on a massive boulder and watched the life exude from them.
We pause to feed the duck some home made rolls.
Then they were back off to play while this fellow was close at peace with me.
I love the ripples in the water.

During this time here there was a group of 20 kids or so maybe 4-9 years of age from a nearby party. The children came over ripping off flowers and tossing it into the water with other things. My kids were up in the tree and the other children did not know they were there. They were stealth as they observed. I have taught them to observe and see what there is to learn. I observed them as they were becoming more and more appalled at the behaviors of the kids and the general disrespect they were showing nature. Dash comes over to me and tells me
"mom they don't even care about nature or the living things around them...they only care about them selves."
I asked him "how do you feel about that?"
"It is stupid Mom! They should respect the world around them mom."
"yes"... I agreed
It was going to be a teachable day...

When we had been there at least 30 minutes or an hour it was time for adventure.

I love seeing the world through a lens as well as my lens...
The kids were after the goal of mid air shot.

Yes!

Success!

"I want to do it "!

"alright!"
"cool mom"

This was a teachable day.
Yes, I know Steve will be stunned!
I told him that it was just right. I taught the children of the diameter of the tree limbs to the weight of their body to consider these things.
They climbed this tree almost 3/4 way up,
Dove expressed fear to do it, I told her of how fear is either a gift of wisdom or it is a tormentor only she can chose. Dash replied wisdom and halted his ascent. Too cool!
The repeated the climb three times then on the third I set boundary.
Telling them of the shaky fatigue in their arms how it is a sign to pay attention too.
To try to trust a fatigued arm is not wise.
It is a set up to a fall.
We spoke of these things that are signs to attend too.

This is one perfect Book of life!
I showed the children the white water and told them to hold hand in the current and then to pull against it.
Then taught them how it is like this to choose to do right...You will be pulling against the current. Do not let that current take you away form what is right.

They were told of the power of the white water and that it is a great force that can sweep them off their feet not to ever walk through it. This important knowledge for the monsoons will come again in a very few months.

Dash then found a Quarter on a large stone.
He told me of how he regretted the choice he made to spend his golden dollar on a toy...How he had wished for another coin..."and mom look ...now God made a way and I got another coin Mom, that he gave to me."

On our walk around the park there was a tall hill that they ran down and then walked...inched back up.
We then continued on to see children attended by parents who were sliding down a hill on large blocks of ice with a towel on them. The kind father gave my children turns on it. It looked so fun! He said $2. at the fast food store and there you have a hot day play time trick.

I took the children to the concession stand and there Dash spent his quarter and I had $4 to spent on pop cycles each, a matching treat for Dove. Also a ring pop for each. A candy sucker on a ring base. Dove tossed hers up into the air and missed it and shattered on the ground. There was enough left to replace it.
A woman was without .25 cent she needed and there was that left in change so I extended it to her. A simple act of kindness and she and her children were astonished. We speak often to our kids about how just doing the right thing has become so rare that it surprises people. I just told her to pass it on, to pay it forward. It really touched her. Folks kindness is so seldom offered that a simple .25 was a huge thing to her and her children. Perfect for mine too.

We returned to the original tree.

Here is another book of life.
(I did not say THEE book of life)
She sat near me in perfect peace as I taught Dash a wisdom.
Exampled to him peace and the flow of it to her.
Thoughts mattered for she would sense them.

Her beauty is the dappled sun light was astonishing!

A mallard mix I believe.
Teaching the children of fertility via a mating pair of duck...
I save our home a stench, for the kids had hidden eggs to try to hatch.
I did not let on that I knew , but ceased the moment.

Dash had found a gentle wisdom so few children are taught.
He even guarded her from other children.
At one point a (stupid) adult (term used loosely) said "GRAB HER!"
Dash said "No thanks, I am just enjoying her beauty"...
I was so proud of him.

He sat a long while. Then two little boys came to within sitting on my legs and began to feed her. I began to teach them as well of distance and respect. They were good boys. I was a bit startled at how at ease the boys were to even lean on me.

Now Dove wanted her playmate to return to the land of fiction.

When they were almost done I caught a spider web in the afternoon sun.

Returning to the truck Dove had stopped to set out her hand in peace to see if the duck would feel safe to approach.
The Mallards came near, yet as I told her the harlequins and the woo duck were wild on migration. The mallard did come close but she ran out of bread and then stood in exasperation...."they were so close!"

"Yes, I told her but standing frightened them. When you lost your peace it taught them fear"


One last view of the train.
Fiction...stealth so that the train riders do not see him:)One last photo as the sun melted their eyes!
Off we went.

We saw a horse that was starving to death. The children asked "what can we do Mom?"
so I turned around to take address and later called the police to take a visit and perhaps find a way to help the people if they can't afford hay.

We stopped to get the orange Juice on a lead in ad at half price. We entered and Dash said "Oh too bad Mom we could of called Victor and got the chickens scrap" I looked up as I was saying "I don't see him honny I have to call first"
Then right there in front of walks Victor!
We spoke of Jason for I have not been keeping up on my acquisition of scrap for a week or two now.
He said "I should of called you!", This the man who is doing me the favor of saving us scrap...
Then he got bright eyed "Oh wait!" he said! follow me...
He said that he has a new guy that asked him if he should save anything,
There in the produce refrigerator two bags of lettuce scrap for the birds!

The garden watered in the afternoon yielded radish, egg from the hens...oops dropped one.

We all went for a walk after Daddy Man got home.

There is an injustice that is hurting moral at his work.
It is a devisive thing. Indiscriminate and radom.
Please if you think of this Man of mine do pray for him.
Injustice is such an affront to him.

Well day is done and I have to do the linins on the big bed!
Good night.

by the way both kids silently without being asked came to me with their eggs an told of the experiment.

Establishing a point of view...

In Memory of a Man with a Strong Point of View
St Patrick

He's a real nowhere man sitting in his nowhere land.

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view.
Knows not where hes going too.

Isn't he a bit like you and me.

Nowhere man please listen.
You don't know what your missing.
Nowhere man the world is at your command.

He's as blind as he can be.
Just sees what he wants to see.
Nowhere man can you see me at all?

Nowhere man don't worry.
Take your time don't hurry.
Leave it all for someone else lends you a hand.

Nowhere man please listen.
You don't know what your missing.
Nowhere man the world is at your command.

Hes a real nowhere man sitting in his nowhere land.
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
The Beatles

Establishing a point of view...

It is easy in blog land and also in the world we live in; to keep our point view silent in order not to offend. It is also a innate desire to be accepted by others.

This morning this song rang over my head as my Loving Creator Poppa God seamed to be asking me to establish my point of view. I see how often I veil my point of view. I see it as a process incomplete. Yet here I am nearing 50 years of age, and yet I still see myself as a child in so many ways. That is changing though moment by moment. I do have a point of view and it is time I own it with the power of who He is within me.

I do have a point of view. Often it is veiled yes...Humbly I effort to remain teachable.

Nowhere man please listen.
You don't know what your missing.
Nowhere man the world is at your command.

This is the message over me today. I am to listen to my own point of view, examine it and establish it.

He's as blind as he can be.
Just sees what he wants to see.
Nowhere man can you see me at all?

How many lives are at a loss of my effect. I see the hurting and dieing all around me and often keep my view silent. I do not want to offend or face the loss of acceptance, or cause an offence.
I just see what I want to see...but do not speak to it or about it.I watch people perish for a lack of knowledge. Error in choice for a lack of understanding. Yet I remain silent

Nowhere man don't worry.
Take your time don't hurry.
Leave it all for someone else lends you a hand.

This to me is both truth and sarcasm. I worry about those times when I have kept my point of view guarded or silent. Wondering if it could of made a difference in lives around me.Taking my time waiting for that right moment. Waiting for someone else more confident to share it, but then it would be their point of view not mine.

He's a real nowhere man sitting in his nowhere land.

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

This is somewhat convictions and somewhat condemnation depending on the "Point of View".
What is it I want to have as a legacy, what do I want to have achieved in my life. In my youth is was to "give myself a life someday, and to make everyone I ran in contact to, smile at least once in their lifetime.
In my youth I have accomplished these things and still do to this day. I have life and a home and a family. My Marriage will be cerebrating it's 27 Th year. It is beyond established it is thriving.
Now in this chapter, this coming passage it is time to establish my "point of view". Stand in it and be willing to declare it and stand up for it. I have walked softly on this earth and will continue to do so, but to walk on this earth without a trace of a foot fall is wrong. Yes He carries me and has done so all of my days. I am now to stand and walk tall. To establish my "point of view". and leave my mark in the sands of time.

Can you see your footfalls?
One day we will we miss you yet we may touch you through the mark you have left in the sand.

Yes I will walk softly but I will not be invisible.

Today is St Patrick's Day

see Annette's full post here

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. March 17 is celebrated in his honor every year, and by the Irish community worldwide.

St. Patrick was born in Britain around 385 A.D. At the age of 16 he was sold into slavery by Irish raiders and spent six years in captivity. It is during this time that he found religion and upon escaping went to Gaul monastery to study. He became convinced that his purpose was to convert people to Christianity and once a priest he spent 30 years traveling around Ireland establishing monasteries, schools and European culture after the fall of The Roman Empire. He died on March 17, 460 A.D.- a date which has been celebrated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.


According to one legend, St.Patrick used three leafed shamrock to explain the concept of Trinity, (What a very interesting way to explain the Trinity uh?) True or not, shamrock remains one of the most significant symbols visible on St. Patrick's Day.

He had a point of view established when he was in the worlds eyes a
"nowhere man",
a slave.


Taxes to do...
As far as the house work
The Laundry
The chores at hand
Cleaning up the sewing room
Finishing the projects in process

The Simple Womans Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window...It is night, dark and quiet. I hear a cricket cherp

I am thinking... I must finish taxes and rest and shop and water the warden...I think I will stop thinking! :)

From the learning rooms... The childrens books are back on the shelves and I could not be more happy about that! They were still in boxes in the garage from when we tried to sell the house last year. They are having so much fun with the math machines too. I love it! The multiplication charts are on the hall wall.

I am thankful for... everything

From the kitchen... lights out

I am wearing... tank top and stretch slacks so cumfy

I am reading... through old papers to sort and make into binders

I am hoping... a budget met with flying colors!

I am creating... a quilting binder

I am hearing... the click and clack of the dogs walking accross the hard floor.

Around the house... laundry........

One of my favorite things...eating my first strawberry today with the children and having them pick peas and eat them right off the plant.

A few plans for the rest of the week... enjoy spring break and the children home.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

My quilt one day.
Designs are yet to be researched.

Free to be Me Bloggers retreat

To the very first Northwest Florida Bloggers Retreat!The Sisters of Faith is thrilled to offer an opportunity to hear an awesome speaker, Mary Snyder~as well as some eLboW ruBbiNg with our dear sisters of Blogville, USA --- We have got goosebumps we are so excited!We have hardly been able to keep quiet about this! Denise of Shortybears Place has been kind enough to tease you all a bit with some "questions" for about 2 weeks now!Looky-looky! A button crafted by my very own sweet friend, "Maddie" of "Sweet Designs by Me!" (be sure and visit these sweet friends with a big hug and thank you for helping!)

FREE TO BE ME! 2009 BLOGGERS RETREAT!
The conference is set for October 23-24, 2009 in Sneads Florida near beautiful Lake Seminole! We are currently working on prices of hotel accommodations for you! To further tempt you with this retreat...here's a bite of what you will find on the menu! (chomp-chomp!)
Mary Snyder! Friday night
Worship Services lead by Becky Knight
Saturday morning classes by
Lynn Donovan of Spiritually Unequal Marriage
Marsha Harwood of Marsha's Musings
and two surprise guest speakers! (Waiting on confirmation :) )Some of the topics will include:
~ How to lead an online Bible Study - meeting their needs, touching their hearts, growing up in Grace.
~ Being a Follower of Jesus and not falling into the Follower Button trap
~ Developing your blog into a women's ministry
~ Using personal video chats to reach out and minister in new ways.
~ How to write a compelling story, meaningful devotional.... hooking/captivating your audience.
~ How to market your blog/should you 'market' your blog?
~ Finding your niche - your special corner of blogworld - blogging your passion.
~ How to handle blog addiction - finding the balance between your personal relationships and your blogging relationships.
~ Copyrighting information.
GRAB the BUTTON and help us spread the word! We will be having a giveaway of one free registration! (details on that coming UP!)More class details forthcoming! So---save the date! Get the babysitter! Make plans now---most importantly---pray--pray--pray!

Retreat Investigation

It looks like for me air fair would be $350.
Well October is 7 months away???????
Beloved Hubby wants to see if we could make a way.
But then there is lodging???
Transport?
Foods and such???

Meal plan Monday

Chicken in Basmati rice
home grown peas and sugar snap peas stir fried in olive oil

Basmati rice must be rinsed in a calendar .30 cents I buy a 15 pound sack
This is boiled in organic chicken broth 2.50 can be homemade cheaper
The chicken breasts are boned and slivered into tenders $4.50 for 2 pounds
this was a lead in add a few weeks back purchased several and froze them
slice along the length of the breast
Boil and just before it is absorbed turn off keep lid on.
dehigerated diced onion and herb's De France .02 cent and .01 cent if so
pantry staples

heat pan = hot pan old oil
add olive oil just a little .05cent
The garden fresh peas added (free)
sprinkled with a bit of paprika .01 cent
then added a little Dijon honey mustard. .02 cents
flash fry very little on very high heat they are served crisp

$7.41 for 2 meals plus a lunch for two
$3.00 for a dinner for 4
$1.41 cents for a lunch for two
utilities used once
one pan for the chicken and rice and another for the snap peas
Left overs ...priceless:)

Full day so far

Willy was a silly boy at 6:30 a.m.
too sweet. He is just trying to enamor me after the tomato caper.

The bread this weekend was a real success, a nice tender moist loaf with a good hold to it.
Once My sweetie had his lunch he was off...
The child to attend today was not to arrive after all at 7a.m., no it was 8:15 the Mom dropped her off. So I go an extra hour or so work accomplished on the flowers. Sleep might have been sweet too. She misspoke.

Once the kids did get together it has been a non stop affair of fun and innocence.
I am so glad to be able to offer them and even myself a nice place to grow and enjoy the day.
I took the kids into the garden and gave them each a chance to pick a snap pea and a pea pod. The little guest said she does not like peas...then begged for more:)
There was one strawberry ripe on the plant, we quartered it and all just were thrilled...
As a child said "this tastes nothing like strawberries from the store". The flavor was so strong and amazing!
They enjoyed the last of the loaf and the chili left overs.
While I cut coupons.

Then with the yard all tidied by the hopeful children.
I did not disappoint them...The got to run in the sprinklers.

It is a warm spring day here.

Taxes await me...
There was a time that they were done every year before the end of January.
Oh life.

I am drawn to the fabrics and desire a sewing fix soon.

Spring is so vivid and beautiful.

I will be popping corn before long for little tummies.