Blogs with Money Saving Tips

If you have a little money and are wanting to make it last longer, here are some sites that I've found that indicate good savings ... but remember, saving on items you don't need isn't really saving....  Its what I keep telling my kids about going out to eat with a coupon ... Yes, we can go to a restaurant and save $5 but still spend $20, OR we can eat food at home that cost us no more than $3-6.  When you are trying to save, don't spend money on things you don't need ... whether or not they are on sale. 

Money Saving Mom

A Thrifty Mom

Freebies 2 Deals

Deal Finding Momma


And of course, the blog I posted about not too long ago ... The Prudent Homemaker  ... this site has some great tips for eating for less in general.  One that I hadn't thought of before is stocking up on meat like turkey and ham in November and December when they are on sale.  She feeds her family for less than $1 a day ... she does have some funds to shop with from time to time and when she does, she is very smart about how she spends them.  For more information and tips go to this post here: http://theprudenthomemaker.com/EatforLessandBuildYourPantry.aspx
If you have sites you love, feel free to share them.

I Hate this!

Just wanted to share how I feel somedays.  Do you ever feel this way?  I think its normal, but I still love knowing I'm not alone.

I hate this and I know my husband really hates it. I hate the not knowing, the "maybe"s, the empty promises, the hopes that don't seem to come true, the wondering when it will all end.  I told my friend, that I am emotionally spent and that means I cry at the drop of a hat or scream at the turn of a corner. I have no patience and I feel like I could bawl at any minute. I hate feeling so out of control, so I work on it, and just when I think I've got it figured out, a headache kicks in, we get another rejection and the kids make a big mess ... and well ... I don't have it under control anymore. I really appreciate all the prayers, because I could only imagine how I'd feel without them.

On the upside, I have amazing friends that I am SO grateful for and I'm thankful to know that others out there understand!  I truly love my friends and family for their prayers, support and the fun things we do that help distract me a bit. I know I need to handle things a little better - compartmentalize a bit so that I can still enjoy the little moments. I'm working on it!

Prayers go out for all of you who are feeling the same way!

What's for dinner? Meatloaf

Meatloaf: 

Everything from the storehouse except the seasonings.  I still have many of my seasonings and some I leave out. 

4 pieces of bread
1/2 c milk
2 eggs
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped celery
2 lbs hamburger
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp sage or poultry seasoning

Topping:
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c kethcup
2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg


Beat eggs and milk.  Soak bread then beat.  Mix in other ingredients. Place in 9x13 greased pan.  Add topping and bake for 1 hour 15 min at 350 degrees. 

Enjoy with some canned peaches, cooked vegetables or fresh fruit for dinner.  Some people like it sliced thin and on bread for sandwiches the next day for lunch.  Me, I'd rather warm it up again.  :)

Lifting Yoursef Up on the Difficult Days

This post is from http://www.theprudenthomemaker.com/   This site has GREAT resources and ideas for inexpensive meals and meals from your garden, food storage or pantry. Hope you can benefit from her suggesions.

I am often asked by people how I manage to remain postive in the midst of our difficulties. I have a little secret for you (well, not so secret now!): I used to be a pessimist. I always saw the bad in the situation. It has been this time of trial that has helped me to change, to see all of the many small blessing and miracles each day.

I still have my difficult days; the days where I feel sad and troubled, and I cry. And then, I get up and get moving. Here is what I have learned to do when life seems unbearable: 

Serve

"Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees"

Doctrine and Coveneants 81:5-6

Instead of spending your time being sad for what you don't have, spend your time helping someone in need. There's always someone who has a more difficult situation than you do. We all have different struggles, and even during your times of difficulty, you can bless another. "You are not yet as Job," having lost all of your family, your heatlh, your welfare and your home. You don't have to have money to help others. Find a way to serve someone today, be it a phone call, and email, a hug, or a prayer. Take the time to listen to your children. Hold them close.

  

Create

There's nothing like creating something new to take your mind off of what you don't have. Perhaps you feel that you cannot make anything, because you don't have the money to get the supplies. Think about what you can create, using what you already have. Perhaps it means making a loaf of French bread, using only water, flour, yeast and salt. Perhaps it is sewing something new from something you already have, using old clothing, sheets, or fabric that you have on hand. Perhaps it is making a new recipe using beans or rice that you already have in your pantry. Perhaps it's simply a new way to style your hair.

Think you can't create? Watch this short video about creating.

Go Outside

There is something very important about getting some fresh air and sunshine each day. Perhaps it is overcast, or snowing, on the day when you read this, and you think that you have to stay inside. Go on out for a minute. Breathe in the cold air and rejoice in how alive it makes you feel.

If you have a garden, rejoice in the things that are growing, be it a tiny seedling, a rose, or a green leafy tree.

Take the time to get up early and watch the sun rise, or stop in the evening to watch the sun set. Take a moment in the middle of the day to watch the clouds go by. No matter how sad I might feel, getting outside and looking at the sky is always helpful in lifting my spirits.

Clean

You may not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control the environment around you. Clearing clutter, making things shine, and setting a beautiful table are all things that you can do to uplift yourself and others around you. Even if you don't have the money to buy cleaners, you can still scrub the toliet bowl with the brush, and wipe the outside with a wet rag. Water and rags can clean most of the dust and dirt around your home.

Count Your Blessings 

"When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings; every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Count your many blessings; money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged; God is over all.

Count your many blessings; angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end."

                                                        Count Your Blessings, Hymn 241

During some of our lowest times, it was my 3-year-old son who taught me how to count my blessings better than I had before. When called on to pray at family prayer, for about a month he showed us all that we truly had. He prayed prayers of thanksgiving only, asking nothing of God,  listing in his prayers the many things that we have. He was grateful that we had "couches to sit on, a counter to make food on, plates to eat off of, cups to drink out of, a rug on our floor, beds to sleep on," etc. Every time he prayed he thought of different things. Each time I heard him I thought of all those who do not have those things, and I realized how truly blessed we are.

  

After we'd been living from our food storage for two years, I had a chance to go to the store. Here's what I wrote about it the day after I went:

February 07, 2009

I emptied my husband's change jar and went to the store. I took $20--almost all of what was there. At the store, I tried adding in my head as I went, but I estimated wrong, and when the checker told me my total it was over $24. I was shocked--and embarrased. I had to tell her to take four things off. I had to tell the bagger (who was not paying attention) to stop bagging my things three times. And then I had to pay with change, while an ever-growing line was behind me.
I went out to the car and sat there and cried. It was hard, even going to the store, and then trying to carefully count as I went along and only getting a few things (mostly I just got potatoes). It was hard to walk through the store and not cry because I couldn't get things like eggs, or apples.

I drove home and told my husband what had happened, and then I cried again.

Then, I went out to our garden to get some lettuce so that we could eat it for lunch. I felt so grateful that we had lettuce growing.

And as my husband said the blessing at lunch, I felt truly grateful for the food that we have been given by the Lord. I felt content.

 "In the midst of affliction my table is spread.

Spend Time in Prayer and God's word

The more time you spend growing closer to God, the more peace that will come to you. You will come to understand His will for your life. You will start to see how He is refining you in the fire of affliction. Times of trials are God's way of helping us grow to become more like Him.

"If you as one individual will accomplish God's will for you, your life will carry much more thrill and excitement than if you choose the path of least resistance when all the cards are stacked against you." Arnold Pent III

"There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."

                                                                            Washington Irving, The Sketch Book

 Be Content

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" 

Phillipians 4:11

It's easy to want more than what we have. We can all find things that we desire. Being content with what we have can be difficult. However, being content with what we have brings great peace to our souls. 

When we have just enough, it is a great blessing. When we have just enough to pay our bills, but not more for food, and yet we have food in our pantry, we have enough. This month we managed to just pay our bills, counting the pennies from my husband's change jar, and taking it all to the bank--just enough to pay our mortgage and bills, but not enough to buy food or anything else. And yet, it is enough. Truly, we have so much.

  

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

1 Timothy 6: 7-8

  

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." 

Hebrews 13:5

  

With blessings unmeasured, my cup runneth o'er.

With perfume and oil thou annointest my head.

Oh, what shall I ask of thy providence more?"

                                                                          The Lord is My Shepherd, Hymn 108

Journal it!!

For me, creating this blog (and blogging on my own personal blog) has been almost therapeutic.  I have found that when I write my feelings down (whether in a journal, a blog or an email), I understand myself better and I think more clearly.  I handle my emotions better.  As I look back over the past two years and the struggle we endured, I didn't write all the time and I wish I had written more.  But as I've put together this blog the last month or two, I've thought back over my experiences, my memories and its been good for me to see what I learned, where I grew, where I went wrong and what I did write.  I've cried and laughed and smiled about the experiences and emotions.  I challenge you, to write down your thoughts and experiences during this struggle.  You will be stronger when it is over and you will look back and see that growth and have a greater understanding of things.  Often, I didn't want to post everything on my blog for everyone to read, so I wrote it and left it unpublished for days, weeks or even permanently.

I hope that someday, I can share all my thoughts and experiences with my kids and they will understand me more and learn from my view.  I challenge you to write it out.  I really think you will be more positive, find the good and blessings in your life, and feel stronger too. 

And maybe you'll write something that you'll want to share with us too!  Maybe it will help someone else who is walking in shoes that seem a lot like yours. 

9-11

As I reminisced about 9-11 and I watched the terror that unfolded on that day, I thought of the intensity of hardship and sadness that was inflicted on individuals, families, communities, our country, on the human race.  I was filled with a sense of gratitude, gratitude that the challenges I face today are my challenges, gratitude for the strength I have because of the trials I have been through.  We are strong, we are survivors.  We have faith and strength in the face of challenges, sickness, disaster, and terror. 

Cheap or Free!

Post your ideas of things to do that are cheap/free entertainment for a date night or family activity.  That time together is so important!

Here are some ideas-

1. Go to the park and swing on the swings or play frisbee
2. Game night with friends
3. A stay home date after the kids are in bed - movie and popcorn (we do this A LOT)
4. Go for a walk or bike ride (although the COLD today eliminates this)
5. Sledding (I can say that today because it is snowing in the mountains!!!!)
6. Play catch/soccer in the backyard
7. Go to museums
8.  Take a board game to a coffee shop or book store & play games and drink hot chocolate or have dessert (some places have live bands playing too)
9.  If you have a GPS, go geocaching (http://www.geocaching.com/), many phones have apps for this!


Got any to add? I'd love any/all ideas.

Please contribute

I hope this blog is helping some of you readers ... but we also hope you will help us help others.  Spread the word about this blog and please, feel free to leave a comment or send us an email at enduringfinancialstruggles.blogspot.com   I've shared my personal story and that of several others.  But the blog can't continue without additional info, so please contribute - whether it is to say "thanks for this post, ... it helped ... " or if you want to write longer comments, stories, suggestions, thoughts that we can post as other entries that would be GREAT!

Our goal is to make this a community where we can gain srength, feel love and share with others during tough times.  Thanks to those of you who have already shared things ... keep it coming!

Cutting Costs - Insurance Options

My husband has been in and out of many sales jobs with the cycling of the economy.  We were able to get into a nice home while he was making good money. Then when the economy was challenged we were barely able to make our mortgage payment from my income and with help from our family, and our kids qualified for free school lunch. 

One of the best money management tips I have used is really looking at expenses and cutting or reducing those that give you little return. I consider insurance one of those thing we need but hope we never use.
My family is fairly healthy with only having a few colds throughout the year. While we were unemployed/under employed with no health benefits, I became aware of accident insurance available through our school district. For a one-time payment of less than $100 per student, we were able to get full time basic coverage for accidents and dental injuries 24 hours per day until school started again. This policy was available from the day the check was written to the first day of the next school year. This policy covers kids at camp, at home, at school, and weekend sports. If they get hurt and needed an xray, stitches, or cast, this policy would help with the costs.  This is also an option when your insurance has a very high deductible.  There may also be some tax advantages from paying your own premium. Our local Utah schools have information, and claim forms if you stop by and ask for the Student Assurance information.  We have done this for a couple years and have only used it once for a sprained thumb. The bill at the urgent care was about $300, I paid nothing out of pocket. This helped me have some peace of mind when sending my child out to play.

Secondly, we had talked about looking at our car insurance rates as our teenagers started driving. We wanted to be let them have freedom to drive and yet the insurance costs were causing our budget to bleed red. I got a recommendation from a friend and decided to check out an independent insurance agent and see what they could do for us. I was very pleased when they helped me save $150 a year on my house insurance. I was ecstatic when the agent came back with a 40% savings on our cars, with double the coverage and adding another vehicle. Instead of paying almost $400 per month for car insurance, we now pay only $220.

These suggestions help me feel like I have some choices and am wisely using the resources God has granted me in the best way to protect my family from a financial catastrophe. These options should be widely available and the motivation to be frugal is helping me be a good steward of the income we have currently.

Its about the Climb

When my husband found out that he had lost his job, a friend sent me this. It was a good reminder!  The roller coaster of emotions you experience when you are financially struggling and trying to find a new job ... you just have to remember Its about the climb! A month or so after my husband lost his job, I really loved this line: "The struggles I'm facing The chances I'm taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I'm not breaking." There have been days when I felt BROKEN, but today, I'm not breaking and neither is my husband! We're standing strong and making the climb.  Its about the climb ... its made us stronger, its taught us so much and its made us who we are!

Here is the video if you'd like to see the video/hear the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2zyeVRcbs

The Climb
I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!
...
Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa