10/25/2007
Preparing for Winter
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck - Copyright September 2006
Winter is not far off, and we are beginning to prepare for this now at our home. These are the steps that we are taking this year. Hopefully some of the steps will help to save us a little money.
* My old porch was rotting away. Two of the steps had already broken, and a couple more would have before winter was over. The people who built the porch hadn't done a good job. The porch was also not very big. I recently purchased the materials to build a new one. To save on costs, my stepfather built the new porch himself. He is quite the carpenter, and I just love my new porch. He used good materials, and put it together properly. All I have to do is put the WaterSeal on to waterproof it. I will be doing this next week. The total cost was under $400.00. The porch is safe, and will hold a couple of chairs and a small table next year, as well as a small decorative plant stand and a clothes rack.
My stepfather kept a couple of the better pieces of wood from the old porch. He will be using them to make the back steps sturdier. I will not have to pay anything for that project.
* I purchased plastic for the windows and for banking the trailer at the Family Dollar today. The plastic for the banking was only $3.00 per package, and it was less per package for the window plastic. I also purchased a bundle of wood slats and some nails at the hardware store. We already have some nails and wood slats, and some of the plastic from previous years is still useable. I reuse these types of things as many times as I can to cut costs.
I will have a small section of plastic between the porch and the trailer that I will leave in place permanently. This way I will not have to climb under the porch year after year. I do not like spiders. Before putting the plastic over the rest of the skirting, I will plug in the heating tape under the trailer. This will prevent the water from freezing this winter, which will prevent my pipes from bursting.
When I clean the windows for the last time before winter, I will replace the screening and add a layer of plastic between the inner and outer windows. I will also cover the small bathroom windows with plastic.
All of these things will help to cut our heating costs this year.
* We replaced our old stove this past spring. The other one was old and barely worked. The new one is more energy efficient. We replaced the refrigerator a couple of years ago, and the water heater last spring. However, we purchased a dryer and a dishwasher. I'm not sure how all of these factors will affect the electric bill this winter. I think that I will save money in the long run.
The dishes air dry in the dishwasher. We just open the door when the dishes are done washing. This saves on the electric bill.
The lighter laundry will still be air dried, and the dryer will be used for heavier items. We will still hang laundry during the good weather months.
I am on a payment plan with the electric company. This means that I pay the same amount every month of the year. I am paying $79.00 every month.
* I had to replace the oil tank this year as well. I had a "dog house" built around it so I can still use the #2 oil. Kerosene would be too expensive. I am also on a payment plan for oil.
* I will discuss with my daughters (again) the importance of wearing warm clothing and covering up while watching TV. The heat will not go above 68* during the winter months, unless the temperature outside goes below 10* or 15*. I turn the heat down to 63*-65* before going to bed each night, 68* if it is below 10* to 15*.
This is tricky. We all have warm jammies and slippers, as well as robes. We keep fleece blankets or quilts on the couch and chair for when we are watching TV. We also have warm fleece blankets, quilts and big comfy comforters on our beds. You can get all of these at yardsales and discount stores if you look often enough. Rite Aid has sales on fleece throw blankets sometimes, 3 for $10.00.
* Before winter hits, we will make sure that our shovels are in good working condition, and we will get ice melter for the porch and driveway.
* We are deep cleaning the trailer as well. This includes rinsing the furnace door filter and vacuuming the vents. We will also soak the vent covers in warm soapy water and vacuum the furnace area to ensure that everything can run properly. We do have to replace one of the vent covers. This will not cost more than $10.00.
* Skye and Zowie will cover the picnic table with plastic as well. We have no place to put this during the winter months. They will stack the plastic chairs and cover them with a large trash bag. The will put the wheel barrow and the bikes into our shed.
* I picked up a rug to put in the front entry. This will keep the living room rug from getting wet. I also hope to pick up a runner for my room and Skye's room. We do not have carpeting. I will pick the runners up at the Family Dollar if they have them, which will save a few dollars.
* I am stocking up on food, household items, and personal hygiene items as they are on sale. Sometimes I can even find a good coupon for the items we need. Coupling the sales with coupons is a great way to save money.
* If I think of it, I will purchase some of those outlet plugs that you get when you are child-proofing your home. This is supposed to stop some of those drafts from coming in, therefore reducing the need to turn up the thermostat. I may, someday, add one of those programmable thermostats.
* I use the slow cooker a lot during this time of the year. This uses less electricity, and I can buy cheaper cuts of meat without jeopardizing taste. I start with a potato for each of us, chopped, then add the meat and cover it all with water. When I am about a half-an-hour from serving dinner, I add frozen or canned vegetables. We add our own seasonings when we fill our plates. If I use pasta instead of potatoes, I put the noodles in 5-15 minutes before serving the meal. You can make chowders and lasagna in the slow cooker as well.
Make a list of all of the things that you have to do to prepare for winter, and another of the purchases that you need to make. Starting these and beginning the work now will ensure that you do not have too much to do all at once.
10/25/2007
No Money for Gas (Oh my!)
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck - Copyright July 2007
Well, they say that America is overweight, so this will certainly help some of us with that problem, including me. On average, each adult should be getting about 10,000 steps each and every day. How many of us actually do that? I rarely ever do. Children are supposed to be getting at least and hour of activity in every day. If you are not used to getting in this much activity every day, walking should help you lose some weight right off. Keep it up, and you will lose even more over time.
Start by walking to places that are a mile away, then two...three...up to five miles a day seems like a good goal. How long will this take? It depends on how fast you walk. I can walk almost four miles one to two hours, depending on how fast I decide to walk that day. I plan to be walking five miles, five days a week, by the end of autumn.
So, where can we walk and save gas money at the same time? Everywhere! Bring along your entire family. You can walk to work, to school, to the post office, to the bank, to the playground...Anywhere!
You could even walk to do your grocery shopping. You can purchase enough food so that each family member can carry one or two bags home.
10/25/2007
When you cannot Afford to Purchase a lot of Cleaning Supplies
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck - Copyright July 2007
Believe me, this happens in our household as well. I try to always have a few things on hand:
a large bottle of vinegar (The vinegar smell does not stay in the home that long. Only use a small amount with water.)
a few large boxes of baking soda
salt
dish detergent, purchased at the dollar store with coupons.
What I can clean with these:
dishes
floors - vinegar and water
walls - vinegar and water
tub - baking soda and water/salt if tough grime
toilet - (same as above)
sinks - (same as above)
laundry
drains
As for laundry, just add a squirt of dish detergent to running water in washer. If there are bubbles, add your laundry. If not, add another squirt. You will learn quickly how much to use. It will depend on whether you have hard or soft water.
As a preventive measure you should clean drains once a month. I do the kitchen and bathroom sinks, as well as the tub drain. Put baking soda in the drain, add vinegar, then a pot of boiling water.
If you own a washing machine, be sure to run an empty load once a month with a cup of vinegar.
You can clean your home quite nicely with just these products. You do not have to use a lot of any of the products at one time. And you will save money by doing this.
10/25/2007
Prices are Still on the Rise!
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck - Copyright July 2007
Wow! Prices (on everything) are so high these days! It is hard to plan and budget for things when you cannot afford them.
I was trying to create a workshop for purchasing food on little money, but I had to stop. I am going to have to start over due to the rising prices. For now, I am going to make some suggestions for a pantry list.
These are all of the items that I always try to have on hand so that I do not have to spend a lot on food during a lean week.
flour (All purpose & whole wheat - I mix these 1/2 & 1/2, but I do not fret when I cannot afford whole wheat.)
salt
baking soda
baking powder
baker's cocoa
canola oil (Vegetable oil *only* when I cannot afford canola)
olive oil (I am trying desperately to lose weight. I do not expect you to get this!)
white sugar
brown sugar
confectioner's sugar
cinnamon ($1 or less, as are other herbs and spices. try a 4 store if you have to.)
nutmeg
ginger
pepper
onion salt/powder
garlic salt/powder
paprika
oregano
Italian seasoning
vanilla
food coloring
wheat germ
honey
molasses
yeast
parmesan cheese
assorted pastas
evaporated milk
sweetened condensed milk
powdered milk
vinegar
oats
assorted crackers/pretzels
pasta/pizza sauce
barbeque sauce
teriyaki sauce
soy sauce
sweet and sour sauce
ketchup
syrup
mustard
miracle whip/mayonnaise
raisins
assorted canned vegetables
assorted canned fruits
I try to keep a few dozen eggs in the refrigerator, and cheeses, butter, chicken and ground beef in the freezer.
You can make a lot of foods just by keeping these on hand. I try to buy store brands whenever possible, but watch out! I have noticed that some store brand items are priced the same as name brand items.
Try to shop sales and only use coupons when it will really save you money. For instance, another bread may still be cheaper than the brand you want to use the coupon with, even after the coupon has been applied.
I went to Sam's Club recently and made some purchases. I paid less on these items than I would have at the grocery store: Flour, sugar and pasta in bulk sizes.
Flour should be in the freezer for twenty-four hours, then stored in some sort of container(s). You can freeze after transferring if the containers are freezable. I used to use the plastic ice cream buckets. I only have one of these left. I now use canning jars to store bulk food purchases. Why? Because I received dozens for free. Every so often I have to buy tops. Be aware that it takes a lot of these jars to store 25 pounds of flour. It can take about a dozen jars just to store a bulk package of egg noodles. Where do I keep all of these? Above the bar and the cupboards in my kitchen, as well as above my food pantry. (By the way, my food pantry is just a cheap cabinet with four shelves that sits in my livingroom.)
I buy in bulk when I get the chance, but only if it will truly save me money. And only if I know that we will use everything that I purchase. I will not have to purchase pasta, flour and sugar again for quite some time. The flour will last months. I have whole wheat flour on hand, so I will mix it 1/2 and 1/2 when I am baking.
Get a few recipes for foods that you can make from scratch. Here are some excellent foods that can be made fairly cheaply this way:
breakfast and snack bars
biscuits and rolls
pancakes and waffles
fruit crisps and cobblers
breads and muffins
cookies and cakes
pizza and pastry dough
apple or banana pancakes
omelets
casseroles
soups and stews
I have yet to find a from scratch frosting recipe that I like, and I am seeking custard/pudding recipes as well. I will continue to search out recipes as I have a chance.
10/25/2007
The Welfare Myth Part 1: TANF/AFDC
Posted in Budgeting
by Shannon L. Buck - © July 2007
It seems that there are still many people who believe that people on welfare are living it up, getting everything that they could ever want, without having to work. While on occasion, people have been known to do this, not everyone does. Everyone is not out to cheat the system. Most people are just trying to get by.
I have not received anything other than food stamps and MaineCare since my children were young. Back then, the actual money was called AFDC, not TANF. That was a long time ago. I believe the going rate was $485.00 for a family of three. Big money there. Yeah right! After paying rent, electricity, and phone, there wasn’t much left. During the winter months, there may not have been any money left.
Rent was about 30% of your income. Of course, to get your low-income apartment, you had to pay a deposit. Then, electricity would be anywhere from $25.00 to $400.00 depending on different factors: what time of the year it was, whether you lived upstairs, downstairs, in the middle or on an end, and how many rooms you were trying to heat. The phone was about $20.00 a month, if you didn’t have to call long distance often.
After the bills were (hopefully) paid off each month, you still had other expenses. For instance, you had to keep your home clean. You also had to keep your family clean, and your clothing. We had to use the provided washers and dryers in the laundry room, which each cost money. You had to purchase diapers and baby wipes. Even if you used cloth diapers and wipes, you had to wash these which could get expensive. You also had to clothe everyone in your household. You had to have dinner, silver and cookware. You had to provide bedding and towels, and educational games, toys and books for your children. You needed a crib, a stroller, a high chair. Wow! There was so much more that was needed. The question is, how did anyone get by?
Who knows? We simply lived. We tried not to let things get us down. I did not have a car, so I didn’t have to worry about those types of expenses. I am relieved to say, due to the current condition of our economy, I still do not have to worry about this. I do not drive.
Another myth is that “All women get on welfare so they don’t have to work.” I beg your pardon. What? I was a mom at 18. The father wanted nothing to do with his daughter. I would not have been able to afford to pay for childcare while working. I wouldn’t have made enough money! I raised my daughters and when my second was two I started working part-time. I also went back to school, once for my GED, and once for my diploma. I worked hard for both of those! I was not even getting child support. When my older daughter was five, we finally started getting child support payments. Guess how much they were. $9.00 per week.
In part two of The Welfare Myth, I will discuss ways to stretch your TANF/AFDC. Then, in parts three and four, I will be discussing food stamps.
10/25/2007
The Welfare Myth Part 2: Stretching the TANF Dollars
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck ~ © September 2007
As I mentioned in The Welfare Myth Part 1, it is a myth that welfare recipients have a lot of money to live off. Most welfare recipients really have little money for day to day expenses, once they have paid the bills. That is, if they can pay all of their bills at all.
Part 2 of this 4 part series is going to deal with ways in which low-income families can get the most for their TANF buck. This intent is two-fold:
1. To allow non-welfare recipients a view into the life of a low-income family.
2. To, hopefully, help low-income families.
***
First, let me say that I know this life. I have been there completely, and I am still working to get off the foodstamps and MaineCare even though I know longer receive TANF. I am getting there. I have had many experiences, and even now have little money for bills and such. So, here is my best effort to help people understand our lives, and to help low-income families to live.
I also want to say that I am not encouraging women to get pregnant and live off the state. That is not my goal. My goal is to help people get off the state, even though this is a difficult task for anyone. School and work are important. However, sometimes we need a little help along the way. That is perfectly understandable. Especially for those who do not get child support. Get what you need, and leave the rest for someone who needs it more.
***
1.
The rent. Rent can be very expensive. If you do not have section 8, it may benefit you to look into it.
I lived in low-income housing for may years. I can tell you that it is not necessarily the cheapest way to live. So, I encourage you to look at all of the options.
I also want to mention that low-income apartment complexes are not what they used to be here in my area of Maine. When I first moved into one of the places, it was a nice, quiet place to raise children. Over the years, things go messed up.
Check out a place well before moving in. You may find that you would not like to raise your child there.
2.
The utilities can also be expensive. The only things that are necessary are heat, electricity, possibly gas, water, sewer and a phone. Here in Maine, we can sign up for HEAP (heating assistance). This does not pay for heat for the entire season. It may pay for as little as a month or less. When we sign up for this, we also get a small discount for the phone - not long distance charges.
I recommend that everyone gets on a payment plan for everything that they can: Electricity, oil, gas, etc. This does not give you a discount. It allows you to pay the same amount each month per bill. So, instead of those crazy $200.00+ bills during the winter months, you may pay $80.00 every month of the year. You will likely have to be with a company for a year in order to do this.
If you homeschool your children as I do, you may also consider cable/satellite or something like that a necessity as well. It does come in handy. If you cannot swing this, maybe a family member will allow the use of their television. You may also consider online access a necessity, as I do. We use it for school, plus I use it for work and helping others.
Now, about the phone bill. I have taken everything accept the diagnostic plan off my phone. I have also gotten rid of my long distance provider. I pay 10 cents a minute in state with my phone company, and I do not call long distance often. I also purchase phone cards when they are on sale if I no that I will have to be making numerous phone calls. I do have call forwarding because I work online. My phone bill is only about $8.00 a month.
It is necessary to find ways to save on utilities. For instance, think about ways that you can save money on electricity, water and heat. Here are some steps that my family and I will be taking this winter:
* Keep the thermostat at 68* during the day, 64* or below at night.
* Keep blankets in the livingroom for when we are chilly. Also keep a throw blanket on each bed.
* Wear sweaters or hoodies when inside. Keep them where we can access them easily.
* Wear two pairs of socks or warm slippers.
* I am learning to work on my writing with no background noise from the television. This will save quite a bit.
* Use the laptop more often than the desktop for work and volunteer projects. The desktop will be reserved for homeschooling.
* Limit the amount of time each person can spend in the shower.
* We already replaced necessary lights with the longer lasting florescent lights.
* Plug the heat tape in under the trailer, then bank the trailer.
* Put plastic in windows.
3.
Your town/city hall may be of some help in emergencies. I have used mine once for rent, and twice for food. You will have to keep all of your receipts for this to work in your favor. I am not sure what else they help with, but it may be worth checking out when you have a true need.
4.
The Department of Human Services is a possibility as well. It will likely be called something else in your area. Contrary to popular belief, if a person can physically work, she/he will get sanctioned if you do not have a job or go to school in a reasonable amount of time. I only suggest there services if it is absolutely necessary, because it is not a fair or easy system to work with. There may be better choices. Please check out all of your options before doing this.
Medical insurance is the one thing that I do suggest that you get for your state welfare department. It is too expensive not to do this. Even if you do not qualify, your children will. This is the best thing that you can do for them until you can get other insurance. If your ex has insurance, make sure the children are on it.
If you know in advance that you will be losing insurance, get all of your medical, eye and dental appointments in before they will expire. I would also like to note here that, if you do not have insurance for prescriptions, you may be able to get free or reduced cost prescriptions from the companies that make the medications. Check with your doctor and pharmacist.
Here are some of the services the Department of human services offers in this area:
TANF
Foodstamps
MaineCare
ASPIRE
ASPIRE is a service through the Department of Human Services that encompasses a lot of areas. These are for people who are looking for work, working or going to school, from what I understand. Here are the programs that I am aware of:
A one time payment per year for car repairs.
Help getting a vehicle - you pay for it, but there may be cheaper interest or something.
Your children can get free lunch/milk at school.
Help with childcare for work and school.
Help with textbooks for college.
I am sure that there are more.
5.
The churches in your area may also be able to help you. You do not have to be a member of the church, at least not here. Two of the programs that one of the churches in our area offers are:
food
thrift shop
I have only gotten the food once. A friend new that I had no food in the house at one point when Skye was a baby, so he called his mother, who called the church. He brought me over there and helped me bring the food home. I was so grateful to him, his mother, and the church. I was also a little surprised, because I was not a member of the church.
I am still not a member of the church, but I do go to their thriftshop at least 4 times a year with my children. I have purchased clothes in all baby and children’s sizes, as well as for myself. They also have books, toys, puzzles and household items. I am fond of going there and spending $2.00 a bag on clothing.
5.
At one point, someone signed my daughters up to receive free winter boots through the town. We did not take them, due to the fact that they already had ones that fit them. I decided that those boots should go to someone else.
We bring our old winter coats to Hannaford. They are collected there for people in need. This means that there is a place nearby that gives them to the needy. I think that this is a wonderful program. I believe that the program is called Coats for Kids.
6.
The Salvation Army and the Angle tree programs help to bring happiness to children on Christmas morning. If you are having a particularly lean year, you could contact these or other programs in your area for help. Some of the bigger stores in Bangor do these, as well as churches.
7.
Online, Freecycle is an excellent place to acquire things like clothing and household needs. You will also have to have things to give. For instance, if your baby just grew out of her clothes, you can offer these up to give away. Do this with only the best clothes, not ones with stains and holes. After posting that, you can immediately make a wanted post. Something like: Wanted: Baby Girls Clothes Size 24 months in (your town).
This is a wonderful give and take system.
8.
Ebay.com is also a place where you can sometimes find exceptional buys. A year ago I bid on numerous boxes of teenage girls clothing. We ended up with a couple of dozen each of socks, pants, tops, and brand new underclothes, as well as a couple of jackets. This was an entire new wardrobe for each of my two daughters, and what we could not use went to a friend of theirs, and from her to a neighbor who was sharing clothes with her mother.
When I did the math, I found that I had only paid about $1.00 per article of clothing.
9.
Freebies. My best advice is to take everything that is offered to you. If you cannot use them, someone can. You could give them to the church thriftshop, put them in a yardsale, sell them on ebay, or even offer them as the give away items on Freecycle.
10.
Yardsales, thrift shops and consignment shops are wonderful places to shop, as are flea markets, clearance aisles, and dollar stores. Just make sure that what you pick up is of good quality. A pan I purchased at a dollar store lasted only three washings. One spatula kept melting, but two more are the best ones I have ever had. Just pay attention, and know the prices in other stores.
***
Armed with the above information, you should be able to find even more programs in your own areas. Please look for these. Talk to everyone you know who may have helpful information. I know that it is hard to stretch your money, but there is some relief sometimes. Take what you can get, but help others as well. I sometimes put things out on my front lawn with a big free sign. I have had a lot of help in my life, so I want to give back by helping others. I encourage this.
*****
Shannon Buck is a single mom living in a small town in Maine. Check out her other free resources for low-income families at http://www.thelowincomewayoflife.com
10/25/2007
Prices Are Still On The Rise: Dairy Products
Posted in Budgeting
By Shannon Buck ~ Copyright September 2007
I don't know about all of you, but I am having difficulties keeping up with the rising prices. The prices continue to rise, but my income does not. What is a family to do? We are having to cut back more and more all of the time. Winter is when I make the least amount of money, but it is when I need the money the most.
Here are some helpful hints for purchasing dairy products:
* Milk
My nutritionist tells me that 1 cup of milk 2 or 3 times a day is plenty for any adult. I am not sure what amount a child should have, but it is less than for an adult. Teenagers, especially girls, will likely need the same amount as an adult.
Now, when I say a cup, I do not mean a glass. Literally measure out a cup and see how much that is. It is not near as much as we think it is.
If powdered milk is cheap enough, use it for cooking and baking. This will likely save you quite a bit. Here in Maine, a gallon of milk will soon be $5.00 a gallon. Powdered milk will come in handy for us.
Some recipes that call for milk will likely turn out fine if you have to use water. When in a bind, we have done this with french toast and pancakes.
You could also use half of the milk called for in a recipes, and add the rest as water. This rarely changes the taste of a recipe.
* Eggs
One egg is the limit per person at breakfast. That is all one needs. Have something else with it, such as a biscuit with peanut butter, or a piece of fruit. Too many eggs are not good for a person.
When baking in bulk, you can use less eggs. Say you make a triple batch of a recipe. The recipe will turn out fine if you delete 1 egg. You will also use less electricity when baking multiple batches at once, so you save twice.
Try using medium eggs whenever large eggs are not necessary. They are great for scrambled, boiled and fried eggs. Put one on an English muffin or a large biscuit with a slice of sandwich meat and/cheese for a yummy breakfast.
* Butter/Margarine
I purchase Country Crock with added calcium for butter on pastas and breads/toasts. I am also beginning to purchase the cheapest stick form in a box that I can find. I can throw these in the freezer and take one out the night before it is needed. These will be used in baking. I do not purchase shortening because of the fat. I use butter instead, so I will need to have plenty on hand.
We do not put butter on things like waffles, french toast and pancakes, as we already cook these items in it. This saves a little, as we have these items often.
* Cheese
All I can say here is to cut back the amount of shredded cheese that you use in each recipe. Start by cutting back 1/8 of a cup for large amounts, a tablespoon for smaller amounts.
Even though we prefer sliced cheese singles without the plastic wrapped around each individual slice, we do use them when we have to. One day, I purchased 8 of these for 25 cents each. I put them in the freezer. and they lasted months.
***
Just remember, choose the cheapest brands that you can find that you like. Store brands are generally name brands without the fancy labeling. And it is not always cheaper to use a coupon. Sometimes another brand will be cheaper.
10/25/2007
What a Single Homeschool Mom does to Save Money ~ by Shannon Buck ~ Copyright June 2007
Posted in Budgeting
It seems like prices are going up on everything again. Just when I thought that we would be fine financially, everything has gone up. And prices will be rising again. I work hard for the little bit of money that I make, and it would be nice to be able to keep some of it. I find that, yet again, I will have to try to cut corners to make ends meet. How do rising prices determine what this single homeschool mom will do to cut costs and be able to afford an entire homeschool year? Well, I will have to sit back and determine my priorities and how I can cut costs. I will have to think about every aspect of our lives. What can we cut back on? What can we eliminate, if anything? What are we not willing to give up?
* Gas
Sometimes we pitch in for gas when we are with others, but we do not have to worry about this on a daily basis right now. None of us drive, until Skye gets her license. We walk most places, most days. This is good because 1) we do not have to pay for gas and repairs, 2) we are not harming our environment, 3) I am losing weight, and 4) my children are not overweight. If we lived closer to a grocery store, we could even do our shopping without transportation. We would just be shopping a little more often.
* Food
We are learning new from scratch recipes. We used to cook from scratch a lot more than we do now. Due to the fact that some of it can be a little time consuming, we have cut back. We will just have to start doing this more. What can we make cheaper from scratch than by purchasing pre-made? Bread, English muffins, pizza crust, soups/stews, pastry crust, muffins, lasagna, breakfast and snack bars, desserts...
I planted quite a few tomato, zucchini and cucumber plants this year, and I am hoping they will do well. Half of them are in good soil, and the rest are planted in the not-so-good dirt around my tiny little lot. I always have chives growing as well. I am planting where ever I can fit things in. I am hoping that I will not have to by so much when these can be harvested.
* Cleaning Supplies
I resolve to always have on hand: Vinegar, baking soda, salt, dish/dishwasher/laundry detergent. Nothing else is necessary. But, when affordably found, some other things would be welcomed.
* Personal Hygiene
I will purchase only what is necessary: Soap, shampoo, toothpaste/brushes, floss, mouthwash, q-tips, razors, deodorant and womanly needs.
I have not had a haircut in more than year! I will find someone to do this for free/barter.
* Utilities/Other Bills
Over the last two years, each of these have went up once or twice: Lot rent, water/sewer, electric and oil.
1) I took everything off my phone bill except the maintenance service and the call forwarding. The maintenance plan can (and has) saved me a lot in repair bills. I feel that call waiting is necessary so that my teenage daughters can let me know where they are when they are out and about. My phone bill is $8 per month.
2) I have done quite a few things to reduce these bills already. I replaced all of the major appliances over the last few years so that I could have more energy efficient ones. I also switched to compact flourescent lightbulbs where appropriate. We use natural light as long as we can each day. We use the laptop more often than we use the desktop because the laptop uses less electricity. The desktop was a gift to us, and I purchased the laptop refurbished from Dell rather than purchasing a brand new one. This saved quite a bit of money. We are using the television less. I like the background noise when I am working, but am trying to do without it. This is my second biggest (new) change for saving money. During good weather, we hang the laundry outside to dry. I try to hang as much as we can inside during bad weather.
3) We take significantly shorter showers now, and I cannot really cut us back any more here. I purchased a dishwasher, which is supposed to use less water than doing dishes by hand. However, I used the dishwater to water the gardens, so I will have to figure a way to do this still. I have a portable dishwasher, so I can put the dish pan under the faucet and let the water drain into that. I can watch it to make sure that it does not overflow, and replace it with the big bowl when needed. After the water in these cool , I can use them in the garden. This will be a big money saver this summer. Also, I use the water from cooking vegetables and pasta in my gardens. The plants love the nutrients. I just make sure the water is cooled all the way before using it.
4) There is not much I can do about the sewer bill unless I can lower the water bill. The sewer bill is always twice as much as the water bill.
5) I will be keeping my AOL. I pay a monthly fee, am happy with my service, and my name is linked to it. It stays.
6) The oil is expensive, and prices have gone up here as well. During the winter months, we wear extra clothing and keep plenty of blankets around for covering up while watching television. I turn the heat down to 60* - 65* when I go to bed. We have covered some major heat loss areas, and I will have the curtains made by winter so that we are not losing so much heat that way. I am also going to try to make the things that you lay across the bottom of the doors.
7) DirecTV is a necessity to us. It has quite a few educational channels that we use regularly. It is also our main form of entertainment. I also use it in my childcare business due to the educational value. It is an expense, but it is something that I am not willing to let go of unless it is necessary. We are all hoping that we can cut back far enough on other things to keep the DirecTV, as well as cover other necessary living costs. If not, we will have to let it go.
8) We cut back on our Blockbuster membership, but did not eliminate it completely. We switched from being able to have 3 movies mailed to us at any one time, to being able to have 2. This provides us with educational movies, as well as regular movies. I do not generally buy new movies, as I wait for individuals to sell them at very low prices online, and I will not buy something that I do not know for sure that we will like. This way, I can test drive the movies. We have a rather large collection of DVD's that we own, and keep acquiring them as we can find them cheaply enough. We also have three family members who buy the new DVD's, so if we absolutely have to get rid of this, we will still have plenty to watch. For now, cutting back seems to be enough.
9) We do not require a lot of entertainment (other than movies!), but there are a few things that we like to do. Unfortunately, these things usually cost money. So far, this is what we have done. Our vacation this year is a concert and a trip to a friends camp. Skye and Zowie purchased their own tickets from money they earned, and my ticket is a freebie. So I paid nothing for this concert. The camping trip only requires me to buy our food, and I will try to force gas money on our friend.
Bowling happens only a few times a year, on discount days, and I do not play. I keep score and watch the girls. It is a lot of fun.
We go to the movies only for the big ones: Pirates, Harry and another choice or two throughout the year. We go to a discount theater. We eat first and/try to get the food deal as well.
We go to free events whenever possible. We will sometimes even bring our own picnic lunches.
We play board and card games.
* Other Items
I only pay full price for things when it is necessary, and we try to keep most purchases to the bare necessities. We wear clothing until it is no longer useable or until we grow out of them. We do not have any actual game systems, though we do have some educational computer games and a couple of Scene Its. Skye won a lot of her CD's.
I love thrift and consignment shops, clearance aisles, yard sales, used book stores, flea markets, department stores, dollar stores and the Good Will.
***
Shannon Buck is a single homeschool mom who lives in a small town in Maine. You can contact her at thehsmomof2@aol.com. For some tips on acquiring homeschool supplies cheaply, see her article Preparing for the 2007 Home Education Year at http://www.thehomeschoolmomof2.com, and for more money saving tips, see her site The Low-Income Way of Life.
10/25/2007
Decorating for Autumn, on a Budget by Shannon Buck ~ Copyright September 2007
Posted in Budgeting
We do not have much money for our autumn decorating, so we improvise when we can. When you are looking to decorate, check yard sales and clearance sales. You may also have things handed down to you. Feel free to visit resale shops as well. They may have some items that you can use.
Here are some ideas for frugal autumn decorations:
* Grapevine wreaths of all sizes can be found pretty cheaply. You may have some autumnal ribbon and flowers laying around your craft area, and you can find some items for your wreaths out in nature. Put these on your wreath with a glue gun. Hang a big one on each door. Then smaller ones from curtain rods.
* If you grew your own pumpkins and other things that you can use for decorations, you will have some nice things to use. If you don’t, see what you may be able to come up with at good prices. I like the small pumpkins, just big enough for a tea light candle. I clean them out and line them along my porch railing. I can put tea lights in them and light them at night.
* I reuse baskets at this time of the year. I fill them with gourds and such, and leave one on either side of the bottom step of my porch.
* This year, my mother grew pumpkins to give to all of the grandchildren. Each of them got one, and she gave one to me as well. We have put them on the steps to the porch as well.
* The dollar tree has scarecrows and other items that we can use for porch and garden decorations as well.
* If you have a bench, you can put a scarecrow and pumpkins on it.
* You can also find table decorations at the dollar tree. You can make up a pretty fancy looking dinner table this way.
* Small pumpkins, cleaned out, can be used as bowls for your Thanksgiving meal. You can also toast the seeds for a snack.
Use whatever resources you have available, and do something nice for your home.
***
Shannon Buck is a single, WAH, homeschooling mom of two teenagers. You can contact her at thehsmomof2@aol.com.
10/21/2007
Visit Frugal Recipes Today - Great Recipes for Teaching Life Skills
10/21/2007
Visit Living The Low-Income Life for Homeschool Projects for Autumn and More
9/23/2007
Update: The Low-Income Way of Life
Posted in Budgeting
The Low-Income Way of Life
Updates:
Prices Are Still On The Rise: Dairy Products
The Welfare Myth Part 1: TANF/AFDC
The Welfare Myth Part 2: Stretching the TANF Dollars
Prices are Still on the Rise!
Helpful Maine Programs
Helpful National Programs
Frugal Recipes
Living the Low-Income Life
Home Fixin’ on a Budget
7/28/2007
Update to Website: The Low-Income Way of Life
Posted in Budgeting
http://www.thelowincomewayoflife.com
New Article: The Welfare Myth, Part 1
Shannon
7/1/2007
Update: More Ways to Save Money
Posted in Budgeting
The Low-Income Way of Life
Updates available:
* Helpful National Programs
* Helpful maine Programs
* Household Expenses
Prices are Still on the Rise!
When you cannot Afford to Purchase a lot of Cleaning Supplies
No Money for Gas (Oh my!)
6/11/2007
Science Teachers’ Grab Bag
3/15/2007
Is it worth it for both parents to work outside the home?
Posted in Budgeting
How can we decorate our yards with little money this spring?
Find out the answers to both of these questions and more at The Low-Income Way of Life.
1/20/2007
What to Buy When You Have Only $10.00 to $40.00 for Food.
Posted in Budgeting
I admit to having these types of weeks more often than I like. It is tough, to say the least. While I am working on a much more detailed workshop on this subject, I would like to overview what you can purchase in $5.00 intervals for anywhere from $10.00 to $50.00.
Keep in mind that I serve anywhere from 3 to 5 people in my home, and that I am the only adult.
This is just an example.
Asuume, if you will, that you have the following in your pantry:
1 dozen eggs, and 1 dozen reserved for baking.
2 muffin mixes
flours, sugars and all other baking basics (I always have these on had.)
pasta
powdered milk (1 box of 10 envelopes)
2 bananas
3 apples
1 can corn
1 can peas
1 can carrots
butter (I always have extra.)
all condiments (I keep us stocked up here, as well.)
leftover turkey sandwich meat and sandwich cheese
With these items, you can make a few dishes for your family.
muffins for snacks, with fresh fruit mixed in
1 breakfast of scrambled eggs with sandwich meat and cheese, with fresh fruit on the side
3 breakfasts of french toast.
3 breakfasts of pancakes with syrup. Have fresh fruit if there is any left after splitting it between the other meals.
meal of pasta with parmesan cheese and a little butter, with corn on the side (and another meal with green beans, and another with carrots.
This all gives you:
1-3 snacks, depending on how may people are in your family.
7 breakfasts
3 lunches
On top of this, there will be many items that can be made from scratch because of the stockpiled condiments, butter and baking products.
This means that I can always bake bread and muffins and make snacks and other items from scratch if I absolutely have to. We wouldn't starve, even if we had no extra money. However, we want to eat more fruits and vegetables, and have other items to choose from as well.
With $10.00, I would purchase:
bananas ($1)
2 or 3 cucumber ($1)
salad mix ($2)
meat ($6)
...and go through my chang for tax money.
With $15.00, I would purchase as above, plus $5.00 more meat.
With $20.00, I would purchase as above, plus $5.00 more fruit.
With $25.00, I would purchase as above, plus $3.00 worth of potatoes and $2.00 more of vegetables.
With $30.00, I would purchase as above, plus I would purchase Ramen Noodles for $1.00, and cans of soup.
With $35.00, I would purchase as above, plus spend $1.00 on crackers, $2.00 on popcorn kernals, $1.00 on juice, and $1.00 on english muffins.
With $40.00, I would purchase as above, plus spend another $1.00 on eggs, and $4.00 on cheese.
I actually have many options because I keep us stocked up on so may items. I am also planning a workshop on pantry stocking, and I will let you all know when the workshops are available.
Shannon
http://www.thelowincomewayoflife.com
1/20/2007
Budgeting for Food
Posted in Budgeting
It is only the 19th, and my food budget for the month has already been spent. Keep in mind that each monthly budget in our home begins and ends on the 14th, so I am only 5 days into my month.
While I was shopping the other day, I came across some good sales on items that I decided to stock up up. These items included soups, oats, oatmeal, evaporated milk, and frozen pizzas (that I paid under a dollar each for). For example:
* I paid 89 cents per frozen pizza (I purchased 5). These are small personal pizzas. I will feed my two teenage daughters, as well as my two nephews, 1 pizza for lunch. It will be split evenly between the three, and serve them milk, carrot sticks, and celery sticks with peanut butter. That will be 5 lunches this month.
* I purchased 3 boxes of mac & cheese for $1.00. I usually stock up on this when they are are on sale at 4 for $1.00. After cooked and mixed, we add a vegetable or two and some meat to the mix. I serve this with milk. There are usually enough leftovers for someone to have a second lunch. The leftovers will be frozen until needed. That is lunch for 4, with three leftover servings in the freezer. Ordinarily, when I buy the 4 boxes, there are four lunches for 4 wih enough leftovers for another lunch for all 4 children.
Here are 3 add-in options:
hamburg, peas and corn
chicken and green beans
hot dogs and carrots
* Soup was on sale, and I had coupons. Skye and Zowie ended up with two large cans of chunky chicken noodle. They each get 1/2 a can, so these will be used for two meals on days when my nephews are not here. The soup will be served with bread or crackers. There is already veetable in the soup. I will probably serve homemade zucchini bread that we stocked part of the freezer with last fall. I spent $1.25 per can of soup. I decided to do something nice for the girls. I purchased Skye a can of cheap chicken and stars soup, and Zowie a can of vegetarian vegetable. They will have these soups with homemade bread as well.
I purchased 5 cans each of Campbell's Chicken Noodle and Tomato soups as well. Each can will be 1 meal for the Skye and Zowie, as well as my two nephews. This will be 10 lunches. The options are limitless. I purchased a good size bag of oyster crackers for 89 cents. We could make grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit or vegetables with either kind of soup. Here are 10 examples:
Chicken Noodle
homemade pumpkin struessel muffins
oyster crackers
celery with peanut butter
apple slices
pear slices
Tomato
grilled cheese
homemade zucchini bread
oyster crackers
carrot sticks
add corn to the soup and top with a spoon af salsa
You can see that a meal can be made very cheaply, and can be eaten by more than one person.
Now, how will I purchase food for the rest of the month? Well, as cheaply as possible. I will cash in any change we have lying around. We will use money from returnables. My $9.00 child support check each week will be used, and any extra money we may have after bills are paid. This will not be much.
Stay tuned for posts on what to purchase when you have little money available, and how to make the meals as nutritious as possible.
Shannon
11/29/2006
FREE Workshop: How to Fund Chistmas
Posted in Budgeting
Follow the link for more details about my FREE workshop.
http://www.thelowincomewayoflife.com/HowtoFundChristmas.html
Shannon
The Homeschool Mom of 2
