Giving "paperless" a whole new meaning

I was talking with some friends the other day about cutting our grocery and household products budgets.  It's not easy to cut back on an already slim budget!  But I was reminded of ways that we have cut back over the past year.  We decided to go paperless as much as possible. It's not just for offices and bills anymore.

Napkins - If you set a pile of napkins out in your kitchen or dining room, they will disappear.  I was astonished at how many napkins my kids would use in a day.  So, I bought cloth napkins at Goodwill.  They were cheap and they didn't all match.  That's actually a good thing; so that everyone knows which napkin is theirs.  We use the napkins for more than one meal before tossing in the laundry (some kids need a new one sooner than others).  It was a cheap, one-time investment.  I still keep paper napkins on hand for guests or parties, but they are hidden.

Towels - Also hidden are the paper towels.  You know, before the invention of paper towels people actually used cloth.  Cloths to wipe up spills and towels to dry things.  So I hide the paper towels for when they are absolutely needed.  It made me realize how often I used to use paper towels - way too often.

One of the things we used paper napkins and paper towels for were snacks.  It was easy to grab a paper product for snack time, but we obviously aren't putting snacks on cloth napkins.  IKEA has the perfect solution (as always).  They have these small plastic bowls and plates that, though meant for small children, are perfect for snacks at any age.  They come in packs of 6 for $1.99, are dishwasher safe, and last forever.  Again, it was a cheap, one-time investment.


Doesn't it cost money to wash all of that cloth??  Well, yes and no.  I find that the small size of napkins, cloths, and towels don't make much difference in our laundry.  We just toss them in with the next load being run, rather than washing them separately.  We do wash more dishes, instead of tossing napkins after snacks.

In the end, going paperless has not only helped our family to go green by reducing the paper products we buy and reusing cloth and dishes, it has also saved us a lot of green.

Minor Investment Cooking

When stretching a food budget, buying meat on sale or clear-out is essential.  But sometimes that means having to cook a lot of meat right away.  I have mentioned investment cooking to friends before and they often roll their eyes.  "Who has time to spend all day in the kitchen?"  "That's so much work!"  I guess there is a style of investment cooking that would make me say those same things, but that is totally not my style.

So, I'd like to call my style "Minor Investment" cooking.  Yes, it takes a little more time than cooking one meal, but truly just a little bit.  The reward is a jump start on three or more other meals because the meat is already cooked.  It's really like planning for leftovers.  I have several plans that I use, but never all at once.  I don't like eating similar things back to back, so I usually freeze the other three meals and use them later.  Theoretically, you could have a month's worth of dinners if you did them all.  Most of these ideas I got from Women's Day magazine back when I first got married.  We actually eat a lot of Asian food now, so I use these less often.  However, they have survived the test of time. 

I am not really a follow-a-recipe type of person.  I usually wing it.  These are not really recipes listed below; simply the plan with ingredients.  If you want recipes, let me know.  Also, if you see mushrooms listed and you know me, you know I don't actually put those in my food - but to each his own.

Here are my Minor Investment meal plans:

Stew
Make a basic beef stew recipe (only meat, broth, onions, and garlic).  Divide into 5 batches - use one and freeze four.
Meal 1 - Traditional Stew: add sliced carrots, sliced celery, cubed potatoes, beef broth, tomato sauce, oregano, basil
Meal 2 - Tex-Mex Stew: add frozen corn, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salsa (serve with corn bread)
Meal 3 - Asian Stew: add frozen broccoli, red bell pepper strips, ginger, soy sauce (serve with rice)
Meal 4 - Moroccan Stew: add cubed butternut squash, chopped spinach, tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon, ground red pepper (serve with couscous)
Meal 5 - French Stew: add baby carrots, mushrooms, beef broth, red wine, thyme (serve with French bread)

Chicken
Make a basic creamed chicken recipe (chicken, onions, celery, carrots, milk/cream).  Divide into 4 batches - use one and freeze three.
Meal 1 - Creamed chicken over noodles: egg noodles
Meal 2 - Chicken chowder: add rice, sweet potato, sausage, corn, and creamed chicken (can be made at the same time as creamed chicken and frozen as a complete meal)
Meal 3 - Chicken pot pie: add peas and mushrooms, top with canned biscuits and bake
Meal 4 - Chicken lasagna: with spinach layer, cheese layer, and chicken layer

Chili
Make your favorite basic chili recipe (I use ground turkey and black beans).  Divide into 4 batches - use one and freeze three.
Meal 1 - Chili (serve with cornbread or tortilla chips)
Meal 2 - Mexican Rice: chili, rice, corn, shredded cheese
Meal 3 - Tortilla pie: similar to lasagna - layers of tortillas(corn or flour), chili, and cheese in a pie plate
Meal 4 - Burritos: chili, tortillas, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

Meat Loaf
Use your favorite recipe and make enough for 4 meals for your family.  Divide into 4 batches - use one and freeze three (before freezing - thinly slice, crumble, or cube based on which meals you choose).
Meal 1 - Traditional meatloaf: serve with vegetables and mashed potatoes
Meal 2 - Meatloaf sandwiches: thinly sliced meatloaf with rye bread, tomato, lettuce, onion, and mustard; serve with salads
Meal 3 - Stuffed peppers: crumbled meatloaf with rice, tomato sauce, and spices, cooked in a bell pepper; serve with a green salad
Meal 4 - Spaghetti and meatballs: cubed meatloaf with marinara sauce and spaghetti; serve with a green vegetable or green salad (You could also do meatball subs.)
Meal 5 - Swedish meatballs: cubed meatloaf with mushroom gravy and egg noodles; serve with a green vegetable or green salad

Turkey
Roast a turkey!  (not just for Thanksgiving - anytime turkey is cheap)  Freeze leftovers in bags.
Meal 1 - Turkey pot pie: add leftover veggies, gravy (or cream sauce) and top with stuffing or biscuits
Meal 2 - Turkey tetrazzini: add noodles, cream sauce, peas, and mushrooms
Meal 3 - Turkey soup: add vegetables and broth (make broth from the bones), could also add rice or noodles
Meal 4 - Turkey chili: add crushed tomatoes, corn, onions, peppers, spices
Meal 5 - Turkey & rice casserole: add wild rice, leftover veggies, cream sauce and thyme

Adoption is affordable - Part 3

So you've decided that you want to adopt, and maybe foster care is not what you are thinking.  That's ok - adoption can still be affordable.  You just have to get creative!

Individual families raise funds in a variety of ways - from bake sales to sporting events and everything in between.  This list of ideas can help you get started.

There are ways to fund raise online, such as gofundme which allows you to set a goal, tell your story, and collect funds.  It is also possible to raise funds on your own blog using pay pal.

Then there is Give 1 Save 1 which is a blog that challenges its followers to give $1 each week to their chosen family of the week in order to help bring another orphan home.  Recently, someone I know was the family of the week on Give 1 Save 1 where their story was shared and people were linked to their adoption blog to donate.

Many organizations help fund adoptions through grants and fundraising - some organizations raise money for families and some raise money for specific orphans.  Here are just a few.
Show Hope gives grants to families for adoption.
Lifesong for Orphans provides matching grants and no-interest loans to families for adoption. 
Reece's Rainbow raises funds for the adoption of specific children with Down Syndrome.
Love Without Boundaries raises funds for the adoption of specific children from China.
And there are so many more!  This list can help you find the right organization for your adoption journey.

There is also an adoption tax credit: a specific amount that can be deducted from your tax liability.  The amount changes every year and cannot exceed your actual expenses.  Also, it is not a refund; it is a deduction.

Be encouraged.  If you desire to adopt, it can be a reality!

If adoption is not something you are called to, maybe you can help donate to someone who is called.  Together we can care for the orphans.

Family fun

I learned about sensory bins here and decided to try them out.  I made very simplified versions of the Doc McStuffins one and the dinosaur one.  I made them for my 7 year old, but my husband and 10 year old had tons of fun playing with the dinosaurs.  I used an old plastic container, a bag of split peas I had on hand, and a bag of dinosaurs I bought for $1.  Totally worth it!  I will be trying out more of these in the future.


  

Coloring night at our house was also a success.  We were all bored.  There was nothing to do.  Well nothing that we could think of that was free and not outside in the heat.  So we broke out the coloring books, crayons, markers, and colored pencils.  We spent hours coloring together and listening to music.  It was an amazing night of free family fun.

The blessing of free

I just have to share another story of blessing and provision.
We have been wanting to get another bed, something larger for my teenage son that could double as a guest bed.  Mattresses are so expensive - ouch!  We had company coming for the weekend and thought maybe we should just give in and make the purchase... when out of the blue we received an email about a free bed.  Coincidence?  I think not.
That same week, as we were looking over the budget that was stretched too thin, a dear friend showed up with several boxes of food.  It was a blessing that was neither expected nor asked for but that's what made it so special.

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Matt 6:8

Adoption is affordable - Part 2

(Adoption is such a complex issue.  This installment will focus on the adoption of older children.  My words are meant to inspire and encourage, never to guilt.)

I have had several conversations lately with people who are older (meaning they are beyond child-bearing age and/or are empty-nesters) who have expressed a desire to adopt but feel like it is too late for them.  On the contrary, it may be the perfect time to adopt.  Sure, you don't want to have a baby when you turn 50, but how about a teenager?  Older children are less likely to be adopted.  In fact, one of the "special needs" children have is being a teenager.  Yep, you read that right.  Just being an older child causes the likelihood of adoption to drop and therefore earn the label "special needs".

They still deserve a forever family.  Can you imagine your life from age 18 on with no one to call family?  No where to go for holidays; no father to walk you down the aisle; no grandparents for your children?  Yet that is precisely what happens when children age-out of the foster care system.  They turn 18 (age varies by state) and find that they have no family and often no where to go.  In 2011, approximately 40,000 children were emancipated.  Emancipation - an ironic term that sounds like freedom but freedom from what?  Freedom from love and security?

What does this have to do with adoption being affordable?  I think many people may hesitate to adopt an older child at least partly due to financial concerns.  Not only the anticipated cost of an adoption, but also the costs associated with caring for a child.  A child that will soon drive, and go to college, and get married, and ... we may start to see $$$.

Here are some little known facts about how the foster care system wants to HELP you adopt.
1.  Adoption Assistance - Some children qualify for adoption assistance, which is a set amount of money that you receive each month to help cover the costs of caring for the child.  The amount varies greatly based on factors such as age, medical needs and other special needs.
2.  Health Insurance - Most children will qualify for Medicaid until they turn 18 even after they are adopted.  This means free health care, such as doctor visits and prescriptions.
3.  College Tuition - Some states (including mine) have amazing college tuition funding for older children that are adopted from foster care (typically those over 12).

With 104,000 children in the U.S. foster care system currently waiting to be adopted, it's time we dispel the common myths about adoption from foster care.  If you have ever thought about adoption but have questions or hesitations, feel free to comment or contact me directly - I'd love to hear from you.

Summer boredom busters

There are two words that I cannot stand to hear; "I'm bored."

For some reason summer seems to bring boredom.  Who knew that my kids really loved school?  Right?  We are so blessed with so many things that honestly I get upset when kids say they are bored.  You have a room full of toys?  Sports equipment in the garage?  Shelves full of books?  You have more than most kids in the world could ever dream of.  Yet, I think my kids really just lack some imagination or direction in what to do with their time. 

So, last summer I came up with an idea.  What if I made a list of all the possible things they could do that don't cost money?  Then they could look at it and make a choice for themselves rather than expecting me to be the cruise ship director of their summer fun.  I made a list on our chalkboard and added to it throughout the summer.  In fact, I told them that if they uttered those dreadful two words I would have only one conclusion to draw - they must have done everything on the board and obviously need more chores.

I have to say it worked fairly well.  The kids caught on quickly and I think in the end they had more fun than even I anticipated.  With our family moving this summer, I almost forgot about the boredom board.  I think it's about time to get started again.

Curtain Rehab

Moving into a new house has its challenges.  Who knew that one of them would be curtains?

I really hate buying new stuff.  Really.  So, I tried to make as many of the curtains from our last house "work" in the new one.  Other than the fact that the new house has many more windows (which means buying more curtains) the biggest problem was was in fact a "big" problem.  As in, all the windows here are big, much bigger than the old house's windows.  And the ceilings are higher.  Even though I hung the curtains as low as possible, which goes against all decorating sense, they still came up short.  This made for some awkward looking curtains.

Large window - Short curtains

A close-up of the "problem"

Fortunately, most curtains have a fairly large hem.  I decided to let out the hem.  With a little ironing and stitching across the bottom, they look great!  I didn't even take them down to do this.  I will definitely be repeating this process all over my house.  It was a quick and free fix.

Adoption is affordable - Part 1

(This post has been weeks, maybe even months, in the making.  I have so much to say on this topic that it will be posted in installments.)

When we first adopted our youngest son, I was amazed at how many people mentioned their own desire to adopt.  Yet, without fail almost every person voiced the same concern.  "We really want to adopt, but it's just too expensive."  I want to dispel the myth that adoption has to be expensive.  Obviously, if we can do it - so can you!

Private infant adoption and international adoption can be costly.  We chose to adopt through the foster care system.  Staying local cuts obvious costs like flights and hotels, as well as other costs involved such as international fees and visas.  The main cost difference between private and foster care adoption is that the government pays most of the fees associated with adoption through foster care.

That doesn't mean it is free, but it is significantly less expensive.  All adoptions start with the same costs - a home study.  The home study will involve background checks, finger printing, home fire safety inspection, CPR/First Aid training, and possible other small costs.  There are many factors but you should estimate about $1,000 to cover all of the costs.  Once your home study is finished there are few if any costs involved in an adoption through foster care.

However, cost is only one of many considerations when adopting.  I think there is a stigma in adopting from foster care.  I have heard things such as: "Aren't they all special needs?"  "Don't they all have problems?"  "I heard you can only adopt teenagers."  I'm sure most people are well-meaning, but honestly my biological children have problems and one has a learning disability.  That doesn't mean anything to me.  A child in foster care has obviously had a disadvantage in life - they have experienced great loss at an early age.  This is true in every adoption story.

The subject of age is another matter.  It is true that adopting an infant from foster care is unlikely.  That is because the system of foster care is always hoping for reunification.  By the time it is obvious that reunification is impossible, most children are older.  There are times when parents willingly relinquish an infant, but more often than not legally free (adoptable) children are already over the age of 4.

My husband was so over diapers and potty training and  sleepless nights that a 4-year-old sounded just about right.  Our youngest was 8 at the time, so we wanted a child under 8.  No problem, within six weeks of finishing all of the paperwork we were told that a special little 5-year-old would be our son.  Every story and situation is different, but if you are not pursuing adoption because of the cost, be encouraged.  Adoption is affordable!!

Up-cycled table

I've been looking for a small table to put on our back porch.  I tried yard sales and Craigslist but nothing seemed right.  Finally, my husband went to the Restore and found something acceptable.  I say acceptable because it was plain and ordinary - nothing much to look at.  But it only cost $15, so we went with it.

Something had to be done to liven up the table.  Our kids like to play games on the porch, so why not a game table?  I measured out a checkerboard on the top and taped it off.  I considered a traditional red/black color scheme but we don't have any red paint.  I considered going with black and the natural table, but that seemed boring.  I had some blue paint (I have no idea where it came from!) so I decided on blue and the natural table.  After painting and removing the tape, I applied three coats of polyurethane.  Now the kids can play checkers, chess, or even just a game of cards.

Free stuff for the summer

I have four kids, so doing fun things can get really expensive.  Here are some of our favorite free (or super cheap) things to do in the summer.

$1 movies - Regal or Cinemark (or Carmike but this costs $4 and includes popcorn and a drink)
G and PG rated movies that are not new releases are shown on weekday mornings.
We have found that sometimes restaurants next to the theater will offer lunch specials on those days.

Free bowling - AMF or various others
Kids can bowl two free games every day.  The cost of shoe rental is not included and can vary from place to place, so call ahead to find the cheapest one near you.

Free skating - various
Unfortunately there is not one near me - but maybe you will be lucky!

Free museums
There are a lot of these near me and we frequent them year round.
Also, if you are a customer of Bank of America or Merrill Lynch you can participate in Museums on Us.

Of course don't forget parks - local, state, and national.  These can provide everything from swimming, hiking, and camping to educational and historical field trips for little to no cash.

Enjoy your summer!

"Renting" furniture?

I move - a lot.  This will be my ninth move in the past 17 years of being married.  One thing I've learned is not to get too attached to things.  The comfy sectional sofa that is perfect in one home, just doesn't fit in the next.  So out it goes.  This is one reason why I love Craigslist.  I can buy and sell until everything fits.

It occurred to me this week that in a sense we rent our furniture.  Well, we sometimes borrow furniture for free!  Here are two recent examples.  When we moved into our current home, I wanted a shelving system that would look built-in.  I found the perfect thing on Craigslist and paid $250 for it.  Three years later, I want to keep part of it but not the whole thing.  So, I sold part of it for $50.  I probably could have sold the whole thing for the same $250 I paid for it.  Around the same time, I bought a wardrobe for our bonus room that we use as a bedroom.  Our new home has tons of closets, so out it goes.  We paid $95 for it three years ago and this week we sold it for $115.  So, we made $20 for "renting" our wardrobe the past few years.

The wardrobe that made me money.

A few tips for shopping on Craigslist:

Do your homework and know what it would cost new.

Always offer less than the listed price.

Consider the resale value.  Think - "Can I sell it for the same amount later?"

Remember that classic pieces and colors sell faster.

Habitat for Humanity's ReStore

We recently sold our house and are fixing a few things for the buyer.  We had a few broken pieces of vinyl siding thanks to having kids (kids that like to practice baseball in the backyard).  Who knew it would be impossible to find matching siding for the repair!  My husband spoke to manufacturers, installers, warehouse stores, and more, only to find that it was not to be.  So, on a whim he went to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore.  There he found a similar enough piece for only $1.  He was able to take a piece off of an inconspicuous place to repair the bad spots.  Then he painted the ReStore piece to match the house and placed it on the now-empty inconspicuous place.  Viola!  The siding repair man said he would charge $100 just to come look at it; my husband repaired it for a total of $30 including the siding, paint, and tool.

Can you even tell this is not a exact match?

Well after that amazing find, I decided to go look around the ReStore for ideas for the new house.  What I found was a box of glass mosaic tiles to put a backsplash in my kitchen.  I had priced these before and knew that the mosaic tiles cost $9 for a 12x12 sheet.  The ReStore had a box of 20 sheets for $25.  That is a savings of $155.  It should be just enough for my new kitchen.


Habitat's ReStore is great place to find new and used items for your home.  From furniture and rugs to cabinets and flooring, it is full of great deals.

It pays to be patient

We are buying a new house.  House shopping can be fun.  It can also be frustrating.  This is supposed to be a buyer's market, so I anticipated getting a good deal.  However, a lot of people paid too much for their home and now they just won't be reasonable about the current value of their home. 

My plan was to look at a few homes and then buy one.  That was not how it worked out.  We saw so many homes that had major problems but were priced as if they were move-in ready.  We put in offers on several homes.  One was a foreclosure and, even though we put in the highest offer, we were beat out by a cash offer.  It just didn't seem to be coming together.

The last offer we put in on a house was also rejected and I was beginning to think I would have to pay more than I was willing to pay.  Our realtor told us to stick to our plan and I'm glad we did.  The owners called back a few days later and accepted our offer.  It really does pay to be patient.

It never hurts to ask

I got an amazing deal today.  All I had to do was ask.  Well, and be a little persistent.

I saw a chair (in a box, not assembled) that would go perfectly in my living room.  It had been ordered online and returned to the store.  Originally it was $140, but was marked down to $100 because they don't carry them in the store.  I was excited already.

I took it out of the box and noticed some damage.  It was on the back and I thought I could live with it - for the right price. 

I took it to the front and asked to speak to a manager.  I showed her the damage and asked if they could give an extra discount.  She said she couldn't.  Not that it couldn't be done, but that she couldn't.  So I asked to speak to a higher manager.  Another woman came out and quickly agreed to discount it further.  I was hoping for another $20 or $25 off.  Surprisingly, she marked it down to $50!!  What an awesome deal!  Plus, I got another 5% off with my Target card.  That's a total of $47.50 plus tax for my new chair.

 

 

Free is the best price of all...

I have been wanting to buy a dresser for my daughter, but like always, I didn't want to spend much.  I searched my usual places: Craigslist, thrift stores, etc.  Everything seemed over priced.  $50 for a used dresser?  I just couldn't do it.

Then, as I was driving out of my neighborhood one day, I saw it.  A free dresser sitting on the curb.  Not only that, it had a matching night stand.  Did I say it was free??  I was so excited.  It needed a little paint and we splurged on some new hardware.  In the end, I spent less than $25 in supplies.

This is what I got...