Thrifty Living

For our little family of four, we personally strive to live simply. Since I have chosen to homeschool my children, I do not work full-time. So this means I have to put forth extra effort to make the most of my husbands paycheck and whatever extra money I bring in go a long way. Over the years I have learned various ways to do this. Trust me, this has taken me almost 13 years to master, but after having two children and maintaining a house and vehicles I realize the importance of cutting corners where we can. Here are some of the ways our family has done this:


1. My husband performs regular maintenance on both of our vehicles. This will involve him doing our brakes, rotors and even our regular oil changes. We usually buy all the supplies & parts online. At times when we have to go to a mechanic for bigger issues that he cannot handle I will purchase the parts online, as we have noticed we get a better deal and they let you pick the parts up at the store locally.  The majority of the time we use www.shop.advanceautoparts.com/home . We will then bring the parts along with our vehicle to the mechanic, so all we are paying for is labor. So definitely cost effective.

2. I buy and sell on ebay, craigslist, seasonal consignment sales and thrift stores. For our family we have found that buying second hand for certain items cuts the cost. Many times I will put things aside a year in advance to sell, that way I have the funds to purchase what is needed for the family. In addition to that, I have also found that buying other items and re-selling them for a higher value with these second hand options is super helpful. People will get rid of something at a garage sale or thrift store and not realize that it has value elsewhere.  Though this requires some time such as taking pictures, tagging, shipping or even delivering items, but once again, it's just another thrifty way to live.

(Here's a sample breakdown of protocol to follow when selling clothes, just one field to selling)

3. Another cost effective and simple way our family lives is by planning in advance our meals. Research has found that if you go grocery shopping without a meal plan you tend to spend more money. We have been implementing this for over two years now and it has definitely helped. I tend to lean to shopping at a store called Aldi as they usually seem to have what I need for clean eating recipes and they are also affordable.

Check out this great link for ideas on what you can buy from Aldi  to support healthy eating without spending a lot. In addition, below that is a helpful link to a variety of meal planning pintables.

http://www.feathersinournest.com/2013/11/what-i-buy-at-aldi-real-food.html

http://www.thetaylor-house.com/five-fabulous-free-meal-plan-printables/#_a5y_p=2064176

4. Another way I do my best to be thrifty is I utilize every, and any coupon, or coupon code I can get my hands on. My kids know that I will not by anything without a coupon. One site I tend to use is called Retailmenot.com . You just type the merchant you want to use in and they will give you a coupon code to use for online shopping. In addition to that I also have an Entertainment book. The wonderful thing about that is if you have the book, which contains paper coupons, you can download the app for your phone which gives you quick access when your on the go.

5. Something I have been implementing over the months is making things homemade. Many already know our family is very much into essential oils, so we will use these oils to make things from deodorant, to toothpaste, to various household soaps, along with all natural cleaners, all the way to non-toxic bug spray. Not only has it been cost effective but it also has supported our families overall health. We've been able to cut the cost on over the counter medications by using essential oils to soothe  symptoms.  

6. Another avenue has been touched on a few times in this post is "on-line" shopping. Through personal experience I have seen that the prices in the stores tend to be higher then on-line. So to cut corners what we have done with many of our local stores that give the site to store option is I will order a product, or item online and then pick it up locally at the store. From speaking with one local retailer they stated that the stores compete with their online merchants even though they are the same company.

Another great benefit from shopping on-line is clearance items. Many times I will buy things for our family a year in advance on clearance, online, with a coupon, with free shipping and put it away until that time comes. These will be brand new items for super cheap prices and not the usual in store cost, and the greatest part, I never have to leave the house.

7. So, it may seem like a little thing but we pack snacks & drinks for when we are out and about. In addition to that I make sure to prepare a lunch for my husband to take to work every day. It is amazing how grabbing a snack here and there, or buying lunches or even grabbing a coffee can take a chunk out of ones wallet. To be productive in this regard we have found preparing the night before works best. The coffee maker is set, lunches and snacks are in the fridge and lunch bags are lined up on the counter, ready to go.  

Honestly, I could continue to go on with more but these are just a few ways that our family strives to be thrifty so we can live a simpler life.

A window into our Homeschool Room

 So I've been homeschooling my kids for about three years now and I have to say I learn new things every year.  One of the biggest things I've learned is how important it is to have a space. When we first began, it was just a trial period so we did projects and school work at the kitchen table. Well, then we decided to give the next year a go and realized that the kitchen table wasn't cutting it anymore.

 

 

           (Notice the table is painted in the second picture. All those projects took a toll on my table)

So I decided to convert a little corner in my house that was connected to my living room as our homeschool area. Being that I was going to homeschool two children at this point I had to some how create two work spaces and still some storage. Well, this is what I came up with at that time.

I'd sit at this desk with my daughter but my back was always turned to my son whose work station was behind us as you can see below.

 

This worked for yet another year but by the end of the year we outgrew it, especially me, with all my workbooks, and supplies. So my husband and I decided to take our third floor office and designate it as a homeschool room. We had not used this room before because I have awful knees and it's on the third floor, but since improving my health I could handle going up and down all those stairs.

 
 I was so excited ordering all my supplies, furniture, even setting a theme for the room. In an effort to personalize the space I allowed the kids to choose a desk, a monogram color to put over their area and other goodies.

I was really getting excited to do school work in this space. We went school shopping and stocked up on pencils, markers, crayons, glue sticks, dry erase markers and my favorite purchase for the room was an electric pencil sharpener. To this day, I don't know how we did without that the years before.

So as the new school year began, this is our current room set up: We have a reading nook, where the kids can do their reading lessons. We also have a tree to put leaves on of all the different books they have read.

In addition to that our room has a Masterpieces wall for the children to hang their creations and keep them displayed.

 Then each child's desk is equipped with an AMAZING craft caddy and personalized file holder attached to their chairs for storing school papers. Mind you the craft caddy was another thing we went through over the years and we have now found one that is just right!

We just got these from thirty-one, in addition to the file holder, which I adore for holding their papers. It really leaves my main desk area clear of clutter which is great.

If you have never heard of thirty-one gifts, check out the link here. www.thatbaglady.net My sister and I are hosting a party this Friday so feel free to use that link under "Cat & Heidi's Party" to look around and shop. Now my main desk sits between the kids that way I can multi task.

 

The desk I got for myself is from Ikea, and it's so spacious, you can find it here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49932651/

We then have an entire book shelf stocked with not just books but hands on tools, puzzles and some toys. In another corner we have a computer station and supplies center. Every morning we update our calendar, along with a dry erase poster board on "What Does The Fox Say" for a daily positive quote. Check out my Pinterest board for ideas https://www.pinterest.com/galigirl80/what-does-the-fox-say-kids-morning-school-board/

This book shelf wonderful because you can turn it on either side and it holds so much from books to bins and is super solid.

Check it out here http://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-and-Gardens-8-Cube-Organizer-Multiple-Finishes/29741111

                                

                                   

 

I mentioned earlier that our school room is theme based. We chose to do a Forest Theme. You can find the complete room package at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Woodland-Forest-Animal-Theme-Classroom-Decor-Bundle-1172599

 

We are just about finishing our school year and I have to say having this new space has been the best yet. I know it's not possible for every family to have an entire room designated for schooling. However, to be successful and structured in your homeschool routine it's important to find a specific space that works and can function for you and your little's.

Before and After

So some of you may not know this, but it's been 15 months since my husband and I made one of the best decisions of our life. That is the decision to living a more healthier and active lifestyle. People always wonder what was the motivational factor behind our decision, so here is a little background.  Let's first start off by getting a visual of where we were.

Now mind you, I feel that part of the reason we neglected making ourselves a priority is because life was and is full of distractions. During that time we had endured many trials, such as having two preemies, we had flooding from Storm Lee and Katrina, in addition to a tornado all in the same week. On top of that I had various surgeries and my husband was also battling with his health as were our children and sadly it was related to the flooding in our house.  It just kept feeling like the rain cloud was following us around.  

A little time went by, our kids were growing and on the mend, we were recovering from the storms and trying to move forward with our own health.  But such is life, things happen and so yet another obstacle was in our way of making ourselves a priority. We went away on vacation, and I fell through a man hole, broke my toe and needed another knee surgery. So here we still were:

 

There wasn't a whole lot I could do with just having major knee surgery so I felt pretty limited. While I was experiencing my own challenges my husband was having his own as well. He still was not feeling100% and was still struggling with some issues. He saw  various doctors, had several tests and they found that he had osteoporosis at 34. He realized that for the sake of his health he had to do something.  

 

 

We discussed the importance of getting on track not just for our own benefit but we had children we needed to keep up with and were responsible for. We new that there would always be distractions, but we couldn't postpone this anymore because it was truly effecting our family and everyday life. Thankfully, in our little town a gym was opening and it was just the perfect time.

 

It was at that time, 15 months ago, that we chose to change our lifestyle for the better. My husband and I worked out a gym schedule since we both couldn't go to the gym together because of the kids. I would go early in the morning and he would go at night.  In addition to that, I also found meal preparation was super helpful. I planned our dinners for two weeks ahead of time.

 

(Eggplant Parmesan pizza's w/spinach)

 

It was actually saving me money to plan my meals in advance. I found Pinterest to be a great source in finding healthy, clean eating recipes. Check out my Pinterest board for ideas www.pinterest.com/galigirl80/time-to-eat/

 (Sweet Potato Burgers w/Avocado)

 

My husband and I also found another tool helpful in the beginning when it came to counting calories and recording our workouts. We used www.myfitnesspal.com. The great thing about this app is you can download it on your phone and scan things that you are eating which makes for easy recording.

 

Finally, after over a year, we find that eating healthier, exercising, and implementing alternative forms of treating our health issues,  come natural to our daily routine. My husband and I are happy to have been able to lose combined over 110 pounds.

 

 

Anytime I start to feel a little sluggish I remind myself of what motivated me from the beginning. Being able to have the energy and physical capability now to run and jump with my kids is something I don't ever want to lose. 

 

 My son one night put his hand on my cheek and said, "Mommy, when I get old I hope I look like you". So I asked him why and he went on to say "because you don't look old". 

Simple Reminders

So I sat with my son on the floor of our homeschool room today doing a math project on skip counting. I had actually saved this project from two years ago when I did it with my eldest child, knowing that eventually I would have to do it with Chase. I'm still in awe that the time has come.

Here I was thinking that I would be able to go at it the same way I taught my daughter, but it amazes me that they both took to this concept differently.  My daughter went off of basic memorization, where as my son, as you can see below, we had to take out some blocks to breakdown the concept of counting by two's. 

Here's the thing though, when I had this flashback moment, I was thinking of something else. Sitting on the floor with my little one was a great reminder of WHY we chose to homeschool. I realized that not only did my son process this new idea of skip counting differently then my daughter, but I also had to teach it differently for him to grasp it. My son in that moment needed me to be adaptable to his learning style as his teacher.

 

 

It was a good reminder that he wasn't the same as his sister, and so I shouldn't treat, teach, or expect the same. That is why we chose to homeschool over public. For moments like this, where we could address our child's individual learning & help him flourish to be the best that he can be.

 

It was a great feeling as a mom but also as his teacher to watch him comprehend this new skill and then to see how proud he was of himself.

  

It was in that "simple" moment that I was reminded that my husband and I made the best choice for "our family"

Hotcakes & Digging for Dinosaurs

Well, first off I want to thank all my friends and family for your support with regards to this blog. It has been a long time coming. It almost seems surreal to actually be doing this. Anyways, let's get to it! The norm of our life would never consist of starting our morning breakfast off like this:

But I woke up craving McDonald's hotcakes, so this particular morning, it did. Now know this, I have not eaten this type of breakfast food since I was pregnant with my daughter, who is now seven years old. But I woke up this particular Friday morning saying to my husband, "I wish there was such a thing as a coffee delivery company", and then bam, hotcakes popped into my head. My husband ended up staying home from work that morning and I felt the need to celebrate the choosing of a blog name, so this called for, yes,you got it, Hotcakes! Mind you, we won't be eating this for another seven years, but it was so worth it and my kids thought it was the best breakfast mommy has ever made.  Oh yeah, I made it all right. I drove right up to the McDonald's drive through window with my coupons in hand and ordered my kids a big ole order of hotcakes.

 

Well this out of the ordinary breakfast definitely set the stage for their homeschool day. My son, 5, has been determined to be a good reader like his sister so we had fun making silly sentences using his visual puzzle pieces. He really wanted to make something funny using a piece about a baby, so this is what he came up with,

"A baby jumped on the frog."  The box is called Silly Sentences from www.dk.com.  They have other great items using puzzles for math and rhymes. Chase has a love for math, something that I struggle with as his teacher so on this same day he was learning how to use an online calculator but I wanted him to see how to use visuals to really help him.  So we broke out some building blocks to do addition.

 

Ok so now here is where the digging for dinosaurs comes in to play. My kids have been obsessed with the thought of finding fossils, and asked if they can go digging in the woods behind our home. Because of ticks, of course I was reluctant so I decided to just let me dig in the dirt behind our garage since no one will see these giant size holes.  I was still reluctant because it had just rained and I new they would be covered in mud from head to toe, but as they said, "it's perfect digging conditions".  So, after their school day, they got all geared up, shovels in hand and were determined to go out there and find dinosaur bones. As much as I was dreading all the mud they were going to bring in the house, I still couldn't help but worry they would be disappointed on not finding anything. Well, the kids were right! It was perfect digging conditions, and though they didn't find dinosaur bones they did find something. Check it out:

This beautiful glass bottle. It was covered in mud when they trampled through the house, (just as I new would happen) handed it to me and asked me what it was. I encouraged them to go back to work digging and I would clean it up a bit to see what it was. I hosed this baby down, and after I cleaned it all off it appeared to be a beautiful glass bottle. I called the kids to the door to show them and they couldn't believe how nice it had looked. Of course, my daughter, the first thing she says, which melted my heart was, "mom, this glass bottle would be great for you to use for your oils, or even as a vase for flowers". Just when I thought they would have been disappointed on not finding dinosaur bones, they were more excited on finding something to give to me.-