How did your Christmas add up?

Christmas is past. Now it's time to get on to regular life again. However, I'm wondering what kinds of gifts were given this year?

What I gave is all very low-tech. No gadgets at all. I made breads, muffins, and lovely hot beverage mixes to give out. I got the two youngest grandkids a princess outfit and a Sesame Street indoor tent. They played with these two imagination feeding toys for all the hours I was at my older son's house.

Some folks gave the men on their list garage door openers and computer gadgets. Computer games and iPod "bucks" were also a big hit with the teens. My son-in-law actually got a new Foreman grill and a Veg-O-Matic, which was a throwback to the days when his mother had one.

People were using their imaginations more this year, I think, in selecting gifts. None of the usual socks and ties for dad and home appliances for mom.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,gift

Alternative energy lighting

As you all know by now, I'm working and planning for the day when I can go off-grid or at least mostly off-grid. This means I've been researching various methods of alternative energy, collecting materials I can use for energy projects, and reducing my current pull on the grid in a number of ways.

Because I live in the country, I want to have something outside to light my way as I go to my car or when I come home from work, to get up my porch steps. So, I've looked at Kichler outdoor lighting and other sources to see about solar outdoor lighting. I have a few solar lights outside already, but they don't produce enough to depend on them for footing safety.

Until I find the lights I really want, I'll continue to work on the energy sources.

Technorati Tags: solar,lights

Collected information

On my desktop I have a folder entitled "Homesteading". This includes a lot of stuff. Part of it is plans for solar and other alternative energy sources. Part of it is recipes that are pretty easy to make -- things like the master mixes are included. Part of it is actually homeschooling, which we did until the kids graduated.

I've got Lamar's e-books in there, gardening documents, etc.

You get the idea.

I'm kind of a pack rat when it comes to downloads and documents concerning homesteading and off-grid living. I've actually been collecting this stuff for several years, dreaming of the day when I could become more self-sufficient. We were nearly there when my husband passed away. We had milk goats, chickens, rabbits, and a very nice though small garden. We used propane for heat and for cooking.

Everything changed when I had to get a job to support myself and too older teen children. They were working, too, but only made enough to pay for their car, insurance, etc. with little left over for household expenses. Now, though, I'm finally in a position to be able to pull back some from my full time job and focus more on changing my lifestyle to the one I've dreamed of for years.

I'd love to hear from my readers about their adventures into this simpler lifestyle, if you're going that direction.

Technorati Tags: solar,homesteading

Christmas parties

I am not attending parties this year. There really aren't that many going on and I usually have to work anyway. I even have to work on the night our store is having our party, which means I won't be attending. However, since they are catering catfish dinners to that party, I'm going to ask someone to at least bring me a plate of it!

If something came up, I'd probably have to go shopping for women's dresses. I have a "little black dress" but I've lost a lot of weight and it hangs off me terribly. I do have a few dressy tops and skirts, though, and those would probably do for the kinds of events we'd have around here.

Technorati Tags: Christmas

Finalizing Christmas

How is your Christmas coming together? Mine is coming along, but I feel like I'm still pretty far behind in getting everything done that I'd planned.

I will be giving gift baskets I've put together this year. I am only planning to give to family members. There are a lot of folks I'd love to give things to, but I just can't do it financially. I certainly hope they aren't offended, and if they are then they are really missing the true meaning of Christmas.

Some of what I'll have in the gift baskets includes date nut bread, granola bread, artisan yeast bread, chai tea mix, and hot chocolate mix. I also have some yarn projects to finish up which include crocheted or knitted cotton dish cloths and winter scarves made from homespun. These projects take the longest and I do hope I can get them done!

I will probably put hand made skin cream in the baskets, too. It all depends on finances and time.

I feel like Alice's white rabbit right now.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,shopping

Spending much or spending wisely?

It occurs to me that a lot of people really do spend more than they need to. I don't know if it's because spending more makes them feel special, or they just want some kind of bragging rights to purchasing a more expensive item. This happens in tangible goods and in intangible goods, such as insurance.

I am here to say there is nothing wrong with cheap auto insurance. Compare prices and coverage when shopping for insurance of any kind. If you're like me, and your vehicle is over 10 years old, you probably don't even need collision insurance. After all, a damaged fender might cause it to be totaled by the insurance company because the cost of a new fender is equal or greater than the total value of the vehicle.

The same philosophy applies to all areas of shopping. Buying the most expensive isn't the same as buying the best of anything. It only means that you've spent more money, and who really wants to do that in today's economy?

Technorati Tags: shopping

Hand made gifts

I am going to have to do some shopping soon after payday. I want to get the ingredients for Chai Tea, home made lotions, home made salt scrubs, and home made bath salts.

I also will get some fiber projects on the needles and on the knitting boards for gift giving. I might even bake some artisan breads to give for gifts.

This is going to be the kind of giving I'll do this year. None of it is expensive. But I will need to dedicate some time to get it all done. The gifts are made with the love I have for the receivers, which will make them be light work.

Technorati Tags: gift,shopping

Gift baskets

I have a few things planned to give as Christmas gifts. All of them involve me making things -- knitted items, crocheted items, baked goods, home made wrinkle cream, and jewelry. I just hope I can get everything completed on time!

I have a few things finished already. I still need to shop for inexpensive baskets, decorative tins or buckets, or something else cute and clever to put the gifts in. I will most likely make family baskets that include a variety of items.

Technorati Tags: gift

Feeling better

Brrr...the cold air is in our state and the chilly winds make for some raging headaches sometimes. Add to that the dry winter air being even drier inside the house due to heat, and you have a formula for not only headaches but bouts of bronchitis.

Last week I was experiencing both. I had a dry, hacking cough that wasn't caused by a cold or flu. I just couldn't stop coughing. To aide in relief, Son put a small pan of water on the stove and set it to simmer. In minutes, my cough abated and I could breathe more easily.

I normally keep a pan or can of water on the top of one of the heaters to add moisture back into the air at home. But for some reason, I just hadn't done it this year. Doing that one small thing can really help prevent the terrible cough due to chronic bronchitis. Now I need to find a natural migraine headache relief so I can stop suffering so much after an outing in the chilly wind of winter. Those headaches are so painful that all I want to do is sleep them off.

Sleeping so much really isn't an option.

Technorati Tags: health,headache,bronchitis

On the rise again

Gas is going up again. This doesn't just affect you and your car, it affects just about every aspect of your life. When gasoline goes up, so does diesel fuel. When diesel fuel goes up, so does everything else.

That's because at some point in time, everything you see around you --in your home, in grocery stores, in the department stores, in the furniture stores, in the restaurants. What happens when diesel goes up in price? Shipping costs go up overall.  Consumer prices go up. You will see the result of higher gas prices on the grocery store shelves and everywhere else that you shop.

Generally, those prices don't go back down when gas prices go down, either. Merchants tend to keep the prices, and sometimes even raise them more, even when their costs for goods are reduced. We do live in a capitalistic free enterprise system, so there's really nothing to stop them.

However, we must be even wiser with our dollars. More and more, people are turning to gardening, DIY projects, and other ways to cut spending. Are you doing this as well?

I'd love to know in comments what you are doing to reduce your spending.

Technorati Tags: shopping,Tough times

Wasting time

Sometimes I realize that I am not taking good enough care of myself. It shows in my skin, in dark circles under my eyes, and in the way I get tired easily.

I know that if I don't take care of myself, no one else will. Still, sometimes I think that I just don't have time to treat myself well. That I don't have 5 minutes a day to take vitamins or use blackhead remover or rest the proper amount of time. I know I'm just lying to myself.

I have exactly the same amount of time as anyone else, I just don't use my time wisely. In fact, I'm often very guilty of wasting my time.

Before you gasp, admit it -- you are probably just as guilty as I am. What is a person to do? The next few posts will be dedicated to establishing a schedule that really works without expecting every moment to be filled with productivity.

Technorati Tags: time

Power outage

I've been gone since Thanksgiving Day to visit my Mom in a town about 100 miles from where I live. Son stayed home.

Friday night he called to say the power went out. He had just finished preparing himself some food, it was about 8:30 PM, when the power went off. He's pretty resourceful, so he got the kerosene lamps filled up and used them for light. Since we have a well, no water is available when the power goes off, but I told him I had emergency water stored under my bed. We also have a couple of small propane emergency stoves, so he could use those if he got too cold.

He has an inverter in his truck if he needed to use it to charge his phone or laptop, but there would be no internet connection without taking the wireless modem and phone line out to the truck and somehow hooking it up out there. Still he did have his cell phone so he could at least communicate with others if he had to.

He told me Saturday night that the power came back on around 1 AM. I felt sorry for any of our neighbors who don't have emergency supplies on hand for food, water, and heat!

Technorati Tags: emergencies,electicity

Shopping the big sales

The biggest shopping season of the year begins Friday, also known as Black Friday. It's called that because this is the day when merchants are hoping that there will be enough transactions to put them in the black financially. And, the sales are abundant.

There are Doorbuster Sales everywhere, special in-store-only deals, sales that only are available during certain hours of the day, and items marked down to almost ridiculous low prices. This is also a day when many will avail themselves of the lower prices to help round out their Christmas shopping.

For some of us, though, it's been a week or more since our paychecks have been handed to us. The everyday needs have taken up a lot of our finances and we may feel the need to acquire payday advance loans in order to take advantage of the sales. Just be careful.

Using this as a tool and making sure you are going to pay back what you should, on the date promised, is very important. You are borrowing against your next paycheck, so crunch some numbers, do the math, work your budget and only borrow what you absolutely need to and what you are very confident you can repay in a timely manner.

Technorati Tags: shopping,holidays

Holiday kickoff

Are you ready for the Holiday Season Kickoff? No, I don't mean football, either. I'm talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can throw New Year's Eve into the mix, too, if you want.

This is typically the season when we encounter a lot of rich, fattening foods, endless shopping, and last minute dashes for a gift for someone we forgot to add to the list. It's also a season full of stress and sometimes depression.

I find the darker days bring me down a bit. It's reported that adding indoor light will help with that, but I'm such a skinflint I don't want to use the extra electricity! However, if I dedicate some time to creativity I can bring myself out of the doldrums without adding expense to my lifestyle.

I accomplish this through knitting, weaving, crocheting, painting, and jewelry making. These things bring joy to my ordinary life and I can use what I produce as gifts, reducing the amount I need to purchase. I can do some shopping online and get good deals without having to be pushed and shoved in the stores. (That really gets to me -- I hate being jostled about.)

Technorati Tags: shopping,holidays

On the go

Son has a pretty good communications system setup. He's got game machines that will go online, using our internet access. He has a phone that can go online. And he has an ipod, though I don't think it's an ipod nano. He can go online with the ipod he has, store tunes, and use applications.

I'm a bit techno-challenged when it comes to this kind of thing. He has suggested to me that I need to get an ipod so I can use the internet without lugging along my laptop. However, since I have old eyes, I find the small screens a bit difficult to read and I think I'll just stick with my laptop when I go places.

I see a lot of folks with the smaller devices, though, and they seem pretty content with them.

So, tell me what you have and what you think about these newer, smaller tools?

Technorati Tags: ipod nano

Clean, or clean and sanitized?

There is a difference. An item for the kitchen or a bathroom fixture might be clean, but it still might not be sanitized as well as clean.

Cleaning simply means the dirt has been removed. However, bacteria may still remain. I don't want bacteria lurking about on my cutting board, kitchen counter, or bathroom fixtures, ready to grow and possibly make someone sick. So, after cleaning it's a good idea to also sanitize the surfaces.

I have read many sites that recommend vinegar as a good all-purpose cleaner -- and it is. However, it does not disinfect. The food preservation qualities of vinegar (keeping food bacteria from growing in pickles and other canned foods) is not the same as killing germs and bacteria.

To kill the "bad guys" you also need bleach or some other kind of real disinfectant. Diluting 3/4 cup of bleach into a gallon of water is sufficient to kill germs on surfaces. (Be sure to spot test the surface in an inconspicuous location before using this full on.) Put some of this solution in a spray bottle to make the application of it easier. Use it on doorknobs, faucet handles, toilets, cutting boards, and other surfaces that may harbor bacteria.

Do save money by creating your own cleaning products. This is a good idea. But don't put your or your family's health at risk by not killing germs in your home.

Technorati Tags: vinegar,bleach,cleaning

Reduced electric bill

Things are working out well as far as reducing my expenses. For one thing, my electric bill has now dropped by $30, which is pretty amazing.

Basically, to get it to drop, I've been very mindful of things being turned off...even the CFL bulbs. As low-cost as they are to operate, they aren't free to operate.

I have everything plugged into power strips so that when I leave, I can just switch off the strip and turn every item off. This includes my coffee maker, microwave oven, TV, DVD player, and surround sound system. I also make sure all chargers are unplugged. These so-called "wall warts" pull electricity even when you aren't using them if they're left plugged in.

My AC is turned off completely so that the timer and other digital functions don't pull power while it's not in use. I only use the hot water for bathing and for washing dishes. I use cold water only for rinsing dishes and for all laundry. I make sure to turn the water off when I'm brushing my teeth and between sinkfuls of dishes to be rinsed. (I am on a well so I'm trying to use less water which equals less time the pump has to run.)

We've had some really chilly days and nights lately, but I only run a space heater in the room where I am, and even then, it's turned down enough just to knock the chill out of the air. I dress in warm clothes in the house to help reduce the need for more heat, wearing socks and house shoes instead of going barefoot.

Technorati Tags: electric bill,cfl bulbs,compact fluorescent bulbs

The fun just never stops

And I really mean that! Today, Son and I sorted through a lot of stuff again, getting it out of the house if it wasn't absolutely necessary. We also worked on tearing apart an old electric space heater that looks like a wood stove. I salvaged the front glass, the smoked glass behind the fake logs, the heater unit and blower, the part the turns to make the fake fire appearance, and the light bulb that reflects against the fake fire attachment.

We also salvaged the cord and switches, one of which is actually a dimmer switch. What plans do i have for this stuff? None, as yet, but I'm thinking some of these parts might prove very useful as I reduce my needs for grid-tied power and move toward wind and solar.

Recently, I got some conduit and bicycle parts from FreeCycle to add to my "junk pile" of things that may be useful during the transition. Son's old truck (motor is bad in it) has a large alternator that I can also use for my soon-to-be-built wind turbine.

Gathering these materials really is fun to do and puts feet to my dreams of going off-grid and living a simpler, more frugal lifestyle.

Technorati Tags: off grid

Weaning off the power company

As I continue my off grid plans, I find I need to add up the watts I'll need to produce. This means looking at every single thing I plan to keep and seeing how many watts it consumes when operating. Only then will I know how many I'll need to generate through the batteries and inverter.

I figure heating will be the biggest watt hog unless I find a small propane heater. Space heaters and other heaters consume a great deal of electricity when operating. So, what I'm planning is tantamount to electricity diet pills -- I'm reducing the amount of power I pull so that I not only reduce my electric bill while I'm still on the grid, but I make it easier to transition to off grid power sources.

I'm probably going to have to remain tied to the grid for awhile until I've got all this worked out, but at least I'll be weaning myself off of power company dependency!

Technorati Tags: electricity,off grid

Steps toward off grid

I am gathering supplies and materials to begin some off-grid projects. One of the things I'll be attempting to build is a small wind turbine for generating electricity. I'm picking up bicycle parts from a local FreeCycle member today, and some of those should prove useful in the project.

Soon, I'll purchase a generator, 3 deep cycle batteries, and an inverter to power at least part of my home. The wind turbine can be used to charge the batteries, but when there's no wind and the batteries run low, the generator can be used as a backup system.

The biggest obstacles to overcome are:

• the well pump, which is a deep well pump and therefore operates on 240 volts
• tying the alternative power into my home without tying into the grid

I'm just taking baby steps in this right now, but hopefully will have it all set up over the next few months.

Technorati Tags: electricity,off grid

The road to self sufficiency

I actually have some very definite goals for how to spend my time if I can reduce the number of hours I work.

• Making jewelry to sell at craft shows and eBay.
• Blog reviews about various topics including the side effects of diet pills, eateries, movies, and products.
• Gardening for sustainable living.
• Producing knitted items to sell at craft shows.
• Making unique, original painted glass projects to sell at craft shows.

Actually, I could do some selling at a local flea market or perhaps at a farmers market that allows hand crafted materials. Maybe by next summer, I will have enough herbs to sell at a farmers market, too.

I need to develop more raised beds (ground here is pretty rocky just a couple of inches beneath the soil) for growing herbs and some basic vegetables. I want to also plant fruit trees and grape vines. Maybe even eventually get 4 or 5 chickens and a milk goat, like I used to have.

Technorati Tags: self-sufficiency,gardening

Moving toward off grid

I've been doing my homework, so to speak, on going at least partially off-grid. I'd very much like to be out from under the electric bill, but it means cutting back on some conveniences. However, since I live alone, I'm not overly concerned about them.

I already use CFL bulbs throughout my house. I don't use the electric stove that's in the kitchen but have opted for low-wattage countertop alternatives and a couple of single burner propane stoves for all my cooking needs. In fact, the single burner propane stoves actually do most of my cooking.

There are two major items that are 220v, though -- the water heater and the well pump. I can probably do a lot toward using a different water heating source, such as solar water heating for baths or just using the propane stoves for heating water for other needs. But, since I have a deep well pump, it's going to be hard to get around that obstacle. Still, if I can eliminate the need for much of the power consumption here, maybe that will be the only thing still on the grid and it shouldn't cost too much to operate.

I'm going to be installing some gutters and rain barrels so I can have water for cleaning, laundry, and bathing. Drinking water can be transported home, thus eliminating the pull on the well pump even further.

There are a lot of thoughts in my head, whirling around, as to ways I can reduce expenditures. These reductions will allow me to reduce the amount of hours I have to work at my job, giving me more time at home.

Technorati Tags: off grid,electicity,power

Getting ready for an uncertain economy

Sometime in the very near future, I'm going to have to set up my own domain again. I had 4+ domains a couple of years ago, but times got hard and I had to let them go. I was working way too many hours at my job and not making nearly enough money.

I might think about managed hosting next time around, depending on my needs.

Right now, though, I'm saving up for off-grid equipment. I am looking at a 2000 watt generator that isn't terribly high priced. I've also been studying plans for a wind power turbine I should be able to set up in my yard to help with some power. Of course, I'll also need several deep cycle batteries to store the power, once it's generated. And a place to keep all this stuff out of the weather.

Can't keep the batteries inside, of course, which means a small lean-to type of shed, probably at the back of the house, out of sight. I don't want people seeing this stuff and stealing it!

Once I get these things in place, I can get an inverter or two for running small wattage items. I'm already using CFL bulbs, so the total drain isn't high even if they are all on, which, of course, they never are. My small chest freezer doesn't use much wattage and I'm still seriously considering using a second one in place of a traditional refrigerator. (The theory is that because the cold air doesn't "fall out" when the door is opened, it runs more efficiently and for fewer hours a day.)

Technorati Tags: economy,off-grid,electricity,compact fluorescent bulbs

Tough Times - making the most of what you have

Long title, no doubt.

Anyway, as I alluded to in the previous post, it's the small stuff that really gets you, even when times aren't so tough. Developing good habits about what you have on hand helps you later, if the times get even tougher.

• Invest in a rubber spatula that will fit down into jars. Use it to scoop out every last bit of mayo, peanut butter, jelly or any other food that's stored in a jar. I have found that I can usually get two more sandwiches out of a seemingly empty jar this way.
• Add a little water to the last bit of shampoo, conditioner, liquid laundry detergent, or dish detergent to get every last drop out. Why throw it away just because it won't easily dispense?
• Add a little water to the last bit of ketchup to get it all out of the bottle. Use it in a recipe when you need a tomato product.
• Buying the most expensive toilet paper may make you feel special, but it all goes into the sewer anyway. Use a less expensive, thinner brand. I'm not talking the put-your-fingers-through-it thin. Generally, the thinner brands are friendlier to your sewer system since they break down much faster than the thick, heavy ones. That could save you a plumber bill later!
• Use mid-priced paper towels, and even then use them sparingly. Invest in a few more kitchen or hand towels for most purposes. Save paper towels for cleaning up things where you want to avoid cross-contamination, such as raw meat residue on the counter or cutting board, or cleaning your hands after handling raw meat.  Avoid cheap paper towels because they just aren't absorbent enough.
• Keep your household cleaners limited to a few old-fashioned standards - bleach mixed with water, baking soda, vinegar. You can find ways to make your own cleaners from a few ingredients online at places like YouTube or Green sites. They are cost-effective and work just as well as name brands, but without the perfumes and dyes.
• Air fresheners are a waste unless you've just cooked fish for dinner. Even then, burning an incense stick is less expensive and works wonderfully to eliminate indoor odors. Your house doesn't have to smell like a breeze off the ocean or the great piney woods as long as it smells clean.
• Invest in inexpensive plastic containers in a variety of sizes to store leftovers. Even if you don't plan to use them right away, you can freeze them for later. Reusable containers are better than zip bags because you can wash them and get them clean. Also, they will stack and store better in your fridge or freezer. Hint: Make sure they are square and not round. Round wastes space.
• I never buy small trash bags. Discount and grocery stores give them to you for free every time you shop!

I'm certain I'll think of more ways to make the most of what you have on hand in later posts. But for now, consider these tips and see if you can incorporate them into your own life and lifestyle. The rich didn't get rich by wasteful spending!

Technorati Tags: tough times

Do sweat the small stuff

Where I work, we go through a lot of pickles. A particular number of them are designated for certain sandwiches. To the people who work there, it's just pickles. So what if they put on more? So what if they throw away 5 or 6 of them left in the bottom of a container? So what?

Well, here's what...

Say the pickles only cost us .005 each. That's half a cent. Piddly amount, it seems. But over the course of a day, if we make 500 sandwiches and each sandwich just has one pickle too many, that calculates out to about $912 a year. (And that's just pickles. Imagine all the other stuff that goes into making a sandwich incorrectly, that's money thrown down the drain!)

It's entirely in the realm of possibility to make that many, or more, sandwiches each day having pickles.

That monetary amount doesn't even include the number that may be thrown away in the bottom of a container, the number that may be dropped on the floor, or the number that sneaky crew people may eat while on their shift. It's only the number if there is one too many pickles on the sandwiches.

Now, look at your own life. Are you wasting money on the piddly stuff? Are you saying that it's only $5 for a latte a couple times a week, or it's only another $3 in gas to go there twice a week, or how much electricity can one little incandescent bulb burn anyway, if it's left on 24/7? Are you throwing money away by throwing away leftovers, not using every bit of the peanut butter or mayo left in the jar, or tossing out an almost depleted roll of toilet paper or paper towels?

The next few posts will again address the Tough Times issues, covering wastefulness and spending.

Technorati Tags: tough times,waste,spending,finances

Wholesale suppliers

Sometimes I search the Web for places where I can buy wholesale products to resell. I have actually found quite a few, with some having better wholesale prices than others. Some even offer drop-shipping for a reasonable price. I can pass that cost along to the buyer, of course.

What kinds of things have I found? I've found kitchen gadgets, movies, video games, vitamins, best calcium supplements, OTC medicines, craft supplies, scrapbooking supplies, electronics, home decor...well, the list just goes on and on.

So, I'm going to see which ones I think would really sell the best, at the best prices, and start my eBay store again. Maybe I can earn a little off of it. The eBay store is very inexpensive to set up and run month to month. If it doesn't work out, I can always take it down again.

Technorati Tags: ebay,wholesale,selling

Tough times - products

There comes a time when we have to assess the products we buy. We should ask ourselves questions about them.

• Are they living up to the advertising?
• Are we buying them because Sally Jones down the street buys them?
• Is the shampoo for thinning hair for women working? (If it is, then continue to use it, by all means!)
• Is the expensive laundry soap really cleaning better, or does it just have more perfume residue when the laundry is done?
• Are the $1 dryer sheets just as effective as the $3 ones?
• Are we using 15 different products for cleaning, or will just one or two actually do the job?
• Can we save by making our own cleaning products and are they effective?
• While generics are generally less expensive than name brands, make sure they have similar quality. They usually do, so feel free to purchase them.
Technorati Tags: shopping

Tough times - watch your spending

As I promised, here is another installment of the Tough Times series. I know the subtitle of this one is pretty obvious, but I wanted to encourage you to do just that - watch your spending.

• Keep track of every penny. From a 15 cent pack of gum to the largest purchases. Do this for at least a month so you'll know where your money is going.
• Use online banking and download to your computer daily. That way you don't miss any checks written or debit card purchases. Overdraft fees are just wasteful spending.
• Pay your bills on time. Late fees add up over a year's time and it's money you can use other places.
• Shop sales and clearances instead of full price. Don't stock up on things like toilet paper. Instead, use that money to stock up on things like canned goods that are on sale. Toilet paper is always there, and it's cheap already.
• Use coupons whenever it's an item you already use. If you don't use canned mushrooms, all the savings in the world won't make them a bargain.
• Use less gasoline by making fewer trips. Choose a day and time when traffic is light, run all your errands at once, then go home.
• Pay bills online. This saves mileage on your vehicle, late fees, and gasoline.
• Shop online. If you can get free shipping, then why should you use your time and gas to go pick things up? This is especially true now that it's the shopping season for Christmas. Many online places offer incentives for using their e-stores.
• Cook at home. I don't mean prepackaged or convenience foods. I mean real foods. It actually is cheaper to cook from scratch than to purchase ready-to-eat meals. If time is an issue, then double batch so you'll have another meal you can put in the freezer for another day.
• Keep a casual inventory of what's on hand. This reduces your feeling that you have to pick up 10 cans of vegetables if you know that you already have 10 cans in the pantry. This doesn't have to be a highly detailed inventory -- just something that lets you know if you're running low on a staple item.
• Keep a basic shopping list. You don't have to use much imagination to do this. Keep it in your purse or wallet and include things like coffee, tea, flour, sugar, milk, bread, etc. The things you get on just about every grocery shopping trip. Look at the supermarket ads to see if you need to restock something that's on sale. (You'll know because of your inventory.)

Technorati Tags: shopping,groceries,money

Tough times - be a sampler

If you need to earn a few extra dollars while you are waiting for a regular, full-time job, you might want to see about working part time in a grocery or department store as a sampler. I don't mean taking samples, I mean giving sample products to folks.

I'm sure you've seen these people, asking if you want to try out the newest perfume or take a sample package of some acne products, or even a taste test of a new cookie or sandwich meat. Those folks get paid and they aren't part of the regular crew at the establishment. That's the reason why you'll often see retirees doing these jobs. They are just a few hours a week, they don't take a terrible toll on the body, and they give the person a chance to get out and earn a little supplemental income.

Along those same lines are door greeters. The biggest discount store in the world uses door greeters. They say hello and they say goodbye, if they are doing their jobs right. If they've been there long enough, regular customers know them by name and they recognize regular customers in return, which makes folks feel good about shopping there. Door greeter can be a full time job, but it's usually not. This job is shared by a number of people who are only working part time.

Technorati Tags: job,work

Getting through tough times

There's no doubt we are in the midst of a recession. Prices keep going up, especially at the gas pumps, and more people seem to be looking for work. The people looking for jobs are generally looking for a second job, at least in our area, although there are those who are unemployed and putting in applications.

So, what is a person to do? You need money to live. You have to have it to pay bills, buy the necessities. We live in a society where we can't just go live in the woods anymore, especially if we have children at home, or we are likely to have the authorities after us. (Although there have been times I've seriously thought of that as an option!)

If you have a few dollars, don't squander them on non-essentials. Make sure you have a few groceries to get by on. You don't have to prepare 5 course meals -- just keep it simple and basic for now. You'd be amazed what 5 pounds of flour, 3 pounds of shortening, and a small box of powdered milk can produce! I can remember a time when all we had was either biscuits and gravy or dumplings made with a tiny bit of canned chicken. We also got by, in the winter, on loads of chowder made with canned corn and other cheap canned vegetables.

The next few posts will have tips for making it through tough times and retaining your dignity in the process.

Technorati Tags: shopping,economy

Gift giving ideas for 2010

Again, I'd like to share some gift giving ideas with you.

• DVDs, microwave popcorn, and 2 liter soda for movie lovers, packed in a crate that can double as DVD storage
• Eat. Sleep. Golf. T-shirts, package of golf balls, and a hand towel for golf lovers, packed in a soft insulated cooler
• Assorted artificial baits, hand cleaning towelettes, and a multipurpose tool packed in a minnow bucket for fishermen
• Emergency road kit, flashlight, hand cleaner, and Fix-a-flat packed in a small tub for travelers
• Dry erase board, calendar with large blocks, pocket calculator, and magnetic note pad packed in a cleaning tote for someone in a new household
• Colored pencils, pretty acid free papers, and fancy cut scissors packed in a pretty tote bag for someone beginning scrapbooking
• Watercolor paints, a couple of good brushes, and watercolor paper packed in a messenger bag for the budding artist

I'm sure you can think of other things that can be put in gift packs for someone special.

Technorati Tags: gift

List of my to-dos

Here's a list of what I want to get done in my house tonight and tomorrow. I'll put strike-throughs on them when I'm finished.

• Clear kitchen table
• Clear coffee table
• Get all clothes put away
• Take trash out
• Deal with dishes
• Clean fridge
• Sweep and mop
• Clean bathroom
• Get rid of more "stuff"
• Take "stuff" away or FreeCycle it
• Gather coats for donations

Ok...time to get busy!

Technorati Tags: work

Gift season

I know, I know...It's only just now Halloween and we haven't even thought much about Thanksgiving yet. Still, I imagine many of you are already thinking about Christmas stocking stuffers for kids, aren't you?

Well, this is surely the time to be shopping for that and for other gifts. Purchasing things on sale now and stowing them away for later makes good money sense. In a few short weeks, if not already, you'll be seeing the shelves of stores lined with gift packs, games, toys, and other things vying for your purchasing dollars. If you buy things at full price, you are doing yourself a disservice, budget-wise, and not really getting anything more valuable for the recipients.

Take some time to think and plan your Christmas purchases. Look for things that fit the person -- jewelry findings for the jewelry crafter in your life, art supplies for the artist, sports paraphernalia for the athlete. You get the picture. These things don't have to be festively packaged. You can do that yourself, with a little thought ahead of time.

Technorati Tags: gift,shopping,Christmas

Back at work

It's the end of October and Christmas just isn't that far away, is it? I can't believe this month has gone by so quickly! And a lot has happened.

For one thing, my Supervisor talked me into not quitting my job. She said they need me there (how about a raise?) and my GM told her I was the best manager there (how about a raise?). She promised things would get better, so we'll see. I'll try it again for awhile and if there aren't improvements in the work environment, then I'm gone for sure. In the meantime, I'll continue to do the best job I know how, as I always do.

I never did hate my job...I just hated some of the things that were happening there. Things that needed to change. I'll still continue to seek other revenue so I'm not so dependent on that job, of course, because if I do wind up quitting for sure, I want to be able to pay my bills.

Technorati Tags: job,work

School football

Football season is certainly here, as we who work in the fast food industry can tell you. School football games always end with a winner, of course, and that means celebrating with a burger and fries. At least, that's how it is in our town.

We get all sizes of athletes, from peewee to the big high school guys that tower over me. Their school is right behind our restaurant so quite often I see them out on the field, running laps, doing pushups, dancing through old tires, and scrimmaging. With all that activity, they probably don't even think about fat burners for men. They are working hard on their game and on their physical fitness.

I just wish...

• they'd knock the mud off the cleats before they come in
• they'd be more patient when 25 of them are ordering food and regular customers would like to eat, too
• they'd learn where the trash bins are
• they'd watch their language (the high schoolers, I mean)
• they'd not have food fights

Ok, I'm over it.

Technorati Tags: football,sports

Social networking tip

I am part of a popular social networking site where I "meet up" with friends and family just about every day. It's a good way to keep up with what's going on in people's lives. It's also a good way to find old friends and classmates you haven't seen in a very long time. In fact, most of my high school reunion details were given out on the site and through email.

But, this very beneficial site can also lead to problems. For instance, if you don't set your account settings yourself, they will default to some things that you might not find desirable. If you say you are home, your address becomes a link to a map where bad guys might find you. If you say you aren't home, the same thing appears and someone could invade your home and rob you.

This is pretty unnerving, but you can adjust your account so that nothing like that shows up. As long as you don't blatantly tell people online just where you live, this is one step in staying secure.

Have fun with social networking sites, but be sure to add some security!

Technorati Tags: social networking

Unemployed?

Is there ever a good time to be unemployed? I don't think so. And I don't plan to be in that condition for long. I'm still at my job till my 2 week notice runs out, which is just a few more days. That means getting on the ball to find a part time job to replace it.

If I only work 20 hours a week at minimum wage, I earn enough to pay my rent only. That means scrambling to earn enough in some way to pay my utilities, buy groceries, buy gas for my truck, insurance, and sundry other little things that are needful.

So, whether I engage in  acne treatment reviews, online auctions, or other methods of generating income, I'll have to plan those activities carefully so that I can make the most of my time.

Technorati Tags: job,employment

Home business options

I'm getting my thoughts together about generating income from home that will build into a more steady flow, thereby eliminating the need for any outside job.

My thought is that I'll need to pursue several areas of home enterprise to really make this work.

• Raising worms - I'm actually in a perfect location to set up bins and beds for raising worms. These are the kind of worms used for fishing and for composting. It's not expensive to start up and requires little space at the beginning. More beds can be added as you go along.
• Selling photographs - I'm still researching this, but I do have some fairly nice photographs I've taken while on vacation and also right around my own house. I keep my digital camera with me at all times, just in case there's something interesting I want to take a picture of. It's not the most expensive camera in the world, but it's also not a cheap one by any means and takes good pictures.
• Jewelry supplies - While I love making jewelry, I also love scouting out interesting beads and supplies that are more organic in nature. Sometimes, I'd rather just sell these finds than make more jewelry out of them.

These are just three of the options I'm considering. The first one could actually be done all year long and while I'm doing other things. It's not like a worm herd needs a lot of tending! Just feeding every couple of days, making sure the bed is moist but not too wet, and occasionally harvesting them out to sell.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

Getting geared up

When my late husband first got sick and had to stop working, I used to sell a lot of books on eBay. I averaged $300 to $400 a month just on homeschool, children's and Amazon books. That's not enough to pay all the bills, but at that time it really helped us out a lot.

It kept us afloat financially. Even though he immediately qualified for Social Security (terminal cancer), the amount they sent for the interim, until full SS kicked in, was so small we couldn't have made it without some other income.

I'm hoping to be able to get back into book selling, but this time I won't be keeping so many on hand. When I moved into this house, I had enough books in storage to half fill a pretty large unit. They weren't easily accessible to me in that unit and there were way too many of them. So, my plan is to select only the best volumes and list them right away, not getting any other books until those are sold.

In the meantime, I need boxes!!!

Technorati Tags: ebay,books

Part time job hunting

I think I'll take my camera along while I'm job hunting. As long as I'll be out and about, I might as well take pictures of the fall foliage! I've got several things to do in town, and several places to go so I'm going to also make a little side trip or two. Maybe out to the river and also maybe north of town for some good photo ops.

In order to fill out applications more expediently, I'll have notes about work history, phone numbers, references names, etc. with me. I don't want to waste time by trying to drag that stuff out of my memory banks each and every time.

A part time job will help me fill in financially until I get more home business money coming in. I think it's a step in the right direction.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism,job

Home job progress

I've been putting in applications online for part time work. Tomorrow, I'll be heading into town to spend the day applying at local retail stores, hoping for a part time job. In the meantime, I'm writing more and I'm trying to get more organized at home for selling things on eBay or CraigsList.

I won't be passing out cigars in honor of my new unemployed status anytime soon. I still have regular bills to pay which means at least some regular income. However, there was a time when I earned enough online to pretty well support myself. Add that to a part time job that doesn't sap so much energy from me, and I think I'll be doing ok.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

New technology

Well, maybe it's really not that new, but it's new to me anyway. Son bought an ipod nano a short time back and is really liking it a lot. With it, he can listen to his favorite radio station using the ipod FM radio selection. While he's doing that, he can pause it, the start it again.

He can also download music via iTunes and create a playlist that's uniquely his own.

I even thought about getting one for myself since there are ipod apps for the Nano that include healthy ways to take it with you. It doubles as a pedometer, which would be nice since I do a lot of walking on my job. (I'd love to know how many steps I really take in a day!)

I might drop some hints to the kids to go together and get me one of these for Christmas or my birthday. What do you think? Do you have one? How do you like it?

Technorati Tags: ipod nano

The big step of faith

Well, I've taken a big step of faith. I put in my two weeks' notice at work. This means I'll really have to get busy doing other things to make money enough to keep the bills paid.

There was getting to be so much stress, drama, and politics at work that I just couldn't stay there anymore. Besides, I started thinking that unless and until I took this step, I'd never really work in earnest on my own and would never take my own dreams seriously.

I may apply for part-time work somewhere to tide me over for a bit. The holiday season is closing in and places generally hire temporary and part-timers to work until after Christmas. In the meantime, I'll keep writing as I've done for the past few years, along with digging into eBay more and doing some more surveys.

All this should be a lot easier to fulfill since I won't be working the wacky hours I usually have to work. But, it also means setting myself up with a schedule to operate at home just as though I were clocking in somewhere. I'm pretty industrious usually, so I think I can do this.

It may be tight, financially speaking, for awhile. I'll be watching every penny even closer than before. And, I'll keep you posted on my progress as I go along -- the ups and the downs of not depending on an employer for a paycheck may act on me like certain detox centers do to addicts. I'm addicted to a regular paycheck and may have withdrawals!

Come along for the ride, though it may be a rocky one from time to time!

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

Vitamin choices

I remember when I was pregnant that the vitamins I took helped not only my energy level but improved my hair and nails as well. The days of taking prenexa are over for me, at my age, but sometimes I think maybe even I should still be taking these vitamins.

I find myself having a lower energy level now than I have in years. Perhaps it's just age. Perhaps it's something else. I really don't know. I just know that I always felt pretty good when I was pregnant. No problems really until the last couple of weeks or so, and I think then it's normal to be more weary and achy. After all, you're nearing the end of 9 months of building a human being and it can take a toll on you!

Technorati Tags: health,vitamins

Tax tips

It's only September, but already I'm thinking about the upcoming tax season and ways I can save a few bucks for myself where paying taxes is concerned. I'm not currently looking for another job, so I have to collect and log my other expenses that have to do with any side jobs (especially online ones) that I do during the year.

However, if you are currently looking for employment, you may want to peruse an article about tax tips for job seekers that's over on the AARP site. Just know that AARP publishes some pretty valuable information, and it's not all just for senior citizens.

An important thing to note is that if you are looking for a new job, you can only take advantage of tax breaks if you are looking in a place that is like your current employment. If you are a waitress, you will be looking for waitress work, for example. Also, if you've been unemployed for an extended amount of time, you can't take advantage of the tax incentives.

But there are tax breaks that apply to you if you fall into the right categories, so why not reap the benefits!

Technorati Tags: taxes

Gift shopping

Autumn is just about upon us in the south. The sun is setting in a different part of the sky and the days are noticeably shorter. Before you know it, Christmas season will be here. It already is in some stores around here!

The early arrival of Christmas decorations is a reminder that we'll be shopping for gifts soon. Maybe you already are, or perhaps you've been accumulating gifts during the year to hand out at Christmas. That's probably the best way to shop.

Still, there will be a few people on your list you haven't gotten a gift for, even if you started last Christmas. Folks who are hard to buy for. Maybe they already have everything, or it seems that way anyway. Now, you have to use some ingenuity to find that gift that suits them. Maybe you are looking at personalized basketballs, unique gadgets for the car or kitchen, or one-of-a-kind antiques. Regardless, just be sure the gift fits the person and their activities so that it's not another dust collector.

Technorati Tags: shopping,gift

Healthful cooking

I want to tell you about the delicious yet healthful supper I prepared tonight. See, I do have high blood pressure. My Sis has heart diseas (which she is managing very well with lifestyle changes). So, we are on a mission to eat and live in a more healthful way without feeling deprived. Maybe then, our life insurance quotes won't be so high!

I used ground pork to create a mix to stuff bell peppers with. I added a bit of shredded cheese, one egg to the whole batch, some chopped bell pepper and onion, and some sage, oregano, and basil. NO SALT! I browned the pork and drained it. (It really didn't have much fat in it at all to begin with.) I steamed the peppers a bit, then loaded the mix into the peppers, topped with a tablespoon of cheese on each, and baked them until the cheese melted and the peppers were tender. Because so much of it was precooked by me, it only took about 20 minutes to finish it off in the countertop oven.

Nobody else is going to look out for our health, so it's up to us to make sure we stay healthy. One big way is in altering how we cook. The stuffed peppers were far from bland -- all those herbs and stuff made for a delicious, hearty main dish that even my 24 year old son thought was awesome.

Technorati Tags: cooking,health

Late season gardening

Since my last post I've planted some fall veggies. I planted turnips mixed with mustard greens in one bed. In another bed I planted that same mix about 3/4 way across and put leaf lettuce for the remaining part of the bed.

I did that a few days ago and checked the beds today. Hooray! I have some stuff sprouting!

I tend to be a worry wort over my gardens, always expecting the worst, I guess. So I really rejoice when things grow. I am hoping there is enough good soil in those beds to support what I've planted. There really should be.

Before I planted, I pulled out all the old, dead summer stuff that was spent. I also removed the black cloth weed barrier. It had served its purpose very well over the summer. I pulled all the grass clippings mulch off the top of the beds and scattered the seeds in. I watered it all very well, then added a thin layer of the grass mulch over the top. Not too much, since I didn't want to smother out the seeds.

It looks like it's all going to be a good fall/winter garden. Since I live in the south, these things will actually grow just about all winter. If there is an ice storm or a hard freeze, I can put sheets of the weed barrier over the top of the plants to protect them. However, these are plants that actually thrive in the cooler weather so they should do very well.

It will be so nice to go out in the cold of December and January and pick fresh greens and salads!

Technorati Tags: gardening

Long term dream

Between my regular job, some online earnings, and whatever I' allowed to have from previous jobs, I'm still not so sure I can make it if I retire or become disabled. I'll probably need more help later on, especially along the lines of disability insurance.

Still, I continue to tighten my budget as much as possible so that I can live off of the least amount of income. When everything on my truck is in top running order, I can rest easy that, with no further payments, I have a vehicle that should do me for several years to come.

I am continually adding to my garden spaces so I can become more self-sufficient. I really think that's the key in the long run, at least for me. Maybe at some point, I can add a chicken house to the mix for organic eggs and meat, and the free fertilizer.

My long-term dream is to live independently and in the most sustainable way, freeing myself from the burdens of too many possessions and too many bills.

Technorati Tags: sustainable living

Panda Research

A few weeks ago, I told you I was taking part in a couple of other ways to generate income, including paid emails and surveys. Of those I tested, only two seemed to be right for me.

• They don't take a lot of my time
• They don't require me to buy anything
• They do credit my account in a very timely manner

While both have minimum amounts before they pay out, I am quickly reaching those minimums in just a few minutes a day. I already shared one with you -- InboxDollars

The other is Panda Research. The surveys are easy to complete. Occasionally, one will ask that you opt-in to a product or company and pay money. However, you actually don't have to pay anything unless you really want to use that company or product. In other words, just skip it and you'll still get paid for at least reading the email about it. Probably 90%, though, don't ask for anything other than your opinion. You do the product advertising evaluation, then complete the marketing survey.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

Helping the earth

I've been mulling over my impact on this earth -- my footprint, if you will. I do compost, which helps deal with paper and food scraps. I use CFL bulbs and that reduces carbon emissions in my small home. I garden organically only, so I don't contribute to the pesticide and other chemical residues that can show up in soil and water, and even the air.

Still, there's more I could be doing.

• I could make sure my aluminum is separated and taken to a recycling center
• I could take reusable tote bags with me shopping so I'm not using plastic bags to carry home my purchases
• I could garden more fervently so that I'm not supporting corporate farms
• I could buy more produce, eggs, and milk from local growers, again to not support corporate farms

What about you? What are you doing to help this earth remain clean and productive?

Technorati Tags: organic gardening,conservation

Landscaping the hillside

I have great plans for my yard and the small patch of land that lies around the back and sides of my home. It will all come to pass in time, of course, but one of the first things I need is solar landscape lighting for the areas where the big security light doesn't shine.

I've found myself wanting to head outside at night, but without proper lighting it can be a little dicey out there. See, I live next to a steep slope and the ground is pretty rocky in places. I really don't want to go out there and wind up falling in the dark amidst the brambles. So, I stay inside when I'd rather be doing something outside.

Eventually I'd love to have the whole little parcel covered with planting areas, grape vines, and fruit trees. My son-in-law even suggested putting retaining walls in the back and building that up in a sort of steps configuration, to hold the soil and make planting beds. That would take a great deal of work, but I think it could be done, given a little time and materials. Railroad ties would probably be the very thing to make the retaining walls from. The biggest obstacle to clear would be getting good soil to put behind them

Ah..so much for dreams. it's time to make a real plan, write it down on paper, and start one small step at a time.

Technorati Tags: gardening

Lifting the burden of possessions

I've backed off posting things on eBay for awhile. I'm mulling over what would really sell well. I have some fairly nice clothes that I can list, so I'll see how that goes.

Lately, though, I've been more interested in just ridding myself of extraneous items and not taking the time to list them in auctions. Probably foolish money-wise, but at some point you have to ask yourself if hanging onto things just in case you can sell them is really worth it. I mean, is it worth the space these things consume? Right now, to me, it's not.

Having already cleared out a lot of "why on earth did I keep THAT" items, I'm finding myself more at peace. My tiny house is looking more like home and less like a storage shed. I even feel renewed energy to clean and DUST! What's up with that?!

I'll tell you what's up - it's cleansing to be rid of things you no longer want, need, or use. It's satisfying to hand them over to someone else who can be blessed by them. Apparently, I was no longer being blessed by these possessions -- I was burdened. I feel like a great weight has been lifted off me. Now, I can see more clearly what other things need to go and which ones are really necessary for me to keep and use.

Technorati Tags: possessions,cleaning

Surgical nursing school

It's important to do work that you love or have a passion for. What my younger daughter does fits the bill for her perfectly. She works for an eye doctor who also has a surgical wing in his office suite.

My daughter has been working a lot lately in the surgical rooms and says she is loving it. Now, she's planning to continue her education and go into the medical field herself to become a surgical nurse. I say, Good for her!

Having worked for eye doctors the past few years, plus becoming educated in the surgical field will certainly help on her medical resume should she decide to move on to another field in the medical arena. This could really open doors for her.

She told me she didn't know why it took so long for her to decide what she really wanted to do with her life. She's just turned 23 -- I don't think she waited too long at all. I think everyone needs to take time to decide such a large issue.

Technorati Tags: school,medicine

FreeCycle

I've had a few days off and have tried to be productive. I've gotten a lot of junk out of my small house. Some of it has gone to FreeCycle  members. Other stuff will go to friends and family members who have spoken for it.

I highly recommend that you look into your local FreeCycle group. Not only can you eliminate some of the stuff in your house while not adding to the landfills, you might even find some good things others have to offer. This is not a barter group or a yard sale. it's folks giving away what they no longer need or use. I once got a dishwasher from a FreeCycle group member that needed the pump cleaned out and it worked like brand new!

I've gotten several household items that I was in need of through the years and been able to get rid of things in my house that were taking up space and gathering dust...or just plain in the way.

Follow the link up there and you can find a group in your area. If there isn't one, you could start one. This is a Yahoo group and you can adjust your settings to receive individual emails or digest emails (up to 25 posts in one). Honestly, I'd suggest individual because by the time the digest arrives, a lot of things are already spoken for.

Technorati Tags: FreeCycle

Side income

I have delved into the world of completing online surveys and reading paid emails. So far, only two companies I've tried have really been up front with the offers. They don't promise untold wealth, and their surveys do not require you to buy something.

As I go along, I'll let you know more about them. One of them is listed in the right sidebar. I'll list the other one at a later time, depending on how it actually works out. The rest are just no good at all, as far as I can tell.

No, I won't be able to retire rich doing this, but it is a little each month so that's ok, too. I can work these while I'm watching TV or in between doing household chores. They take just a few minutes to do, so it's not a lot of time out of my day sitting in front of the computer.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

The early years

Have you ever sat and reminisced about your childhood? I have. I was thinking the other day how safe we were in our neighborhood. It was mostly made up of families we attended church with and went to school with. Everyone watched out for everyone else's kids while we were out playing.

I can remember riding my bike all across town, because the town was so small in those days. I remember going to the swimming pool and the skating rink with my friends, or sitting in on the free movies on Wednesday afternoons in the summer. It was a cool break from the summer heat, even though I don't think the old theater was air conditioned. Just fans blowing in the dark.

I remember that some kids had pedal cars when I was very young. I had one for awhile myself. I'm not sure what ever happened to that little car, but I'm sure it would be worth the price of a new Peg perego now! I remember having a tricycle, and my friend's tricycle being much bigger. A larger front wheel and a place for a rider to stand on the back made all the difference in our child-world status.

The beginnings of consumerism were already seeded into our little hearts back then, I think. Hopefully, I've outgrown that childish desire to have the biggest tricycle in the neighborhood.

Technorati Tags: consumerism

Home made crackers

I'm kind of a do-it-yourself person. I make my own bread and rolls. I make my own mild white cheese. And today, I made my own crackers. I'd been fooling with cracker recipes for awhile, so what I wound up with, after several failed attempts, was a recipe that sort of combines some of the other ones.

Here's the recipe, if you'd like to try it for yourself:

Home made crackers

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup neutral flavored oil (I used canola)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• enough cold milk to make very stiff dough

I mixed it well, then patted it out very thin on a cookie sheet I'd sprayed with cooking spray. Used a pizza wheel to cut it into approximately 2 inch squares. Pierced each square three times with a fork. Lightly salted it and put it into the oven. I didn't preheat the oven. I just turned it on 350 when I put the pan in. Let it bake about 15 minutes or till it was golden brown.

When these cooled, they were light and crisp and flavorful!

Technorati Tags: crackers,cooking

Bringing in some extra money

I was reading a finance blog the other day that was offering suggestions about how to earn extra income during these tough economic times. The suggestions were all very good ones, and I'll be looking into some of them myself.

See, I'd like to free myself from my very stressful regular job, but I still need some income to pay the bills with. So, here are a few tips you might like to try:

• House sitting for folks on vacation
• Pet sitting
• Babysitting
• Lawn mowing
• Shopping service
• Housecleaning
• Secret shopper
• Affiliate links on your blog
• Selling on Ebay or Craigslist

Of course, you might even want to change careers completely and try medical assistant school, trade school for secretarial or bookkeeping, or other formalized training to help you find the job you really want.

Technorati Tags: school,training,job

Lost my phone sd card

I've gone and done it.  Lost the micro sd card I used in my cell phone. I still have the adapter in a little case, but the card is gone.

I am a bit put out about this because it had some pictures on it I wanted to download to my laptop. And, with the card, I can actually capture video on my phone that lasts longer than just a few seconds. The phone memory is much more limited now, as is it's versatility. I mean, all things considered, the phone does a pretty good job of taking pictures and even video with sound, which I like a lot!

They aren't all that expensive, I know, but it's just the idea that it's gone that bugs me, I guess, and that I will have to buy another one. It's not a purchase I'd planned to make anytime soon, but it looks like I'll be doing that anyway, won't I?

Technorati Tags: cell phones,sd card

Another income source

I am really thinking about finding more sources of ongoing income. I am wanting very much to reduce my regular work hours while I maintain enough income to accommodate my budget. So now, I'm looking into this:

I'm going to be signing up for this to see if it really works or not. I hope it does! I'd like to have more time at home to pursue income generating opportunities. I'm not a lazy person but I am getting to an age where I am reducing my expenses and finding out how to live more frugally than ever before. I'm simplifying a lot of things in my life.

Of course, I'll be posting my successes and my failures so you can have a chance to judge for yourself.

Culling possessions

I am sitting here contemplating my current financial situation. I don't owe a lot of money to anyone. In fact, my debt is really low. I primarily only have rent and utilities to pay, which puts me in a lot better situation than a lot of folks I know. Still, this is one of those weeks where I'm nearly broke due to rent and a few other things that come out of the first paycheck in the month.

I need to really get going and digging things out that I can list on eBay. You don't live this long without collecting up a lot of stuff that really isn't necessary for living. I've had some stuff so long that I'd be surprised if I didn't find a bottle of prenatal vitamins somewhere in a box...and my youngest is 22 years old now! Yeah, I really have got to get rid of things and simplify my life.

Technorati Tags: ebay,cleaning

Shipping some more

I've got a few more things to ship off from my Ebay auctions this afternoon. My main problem is finding boxes the right size for the items, and I'm currently coming up short by one box. I'll keep digging around until I find something to fit the object, though.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get my house better organized. I admit I spend too much time on a certain social networking site when I really should be working and burning belly fat off in the house or out in the gardens! Shame on me.

I sometimes think that if I had unlimited time off, with pay, I could probably get a lot more done. I don't, however, which means working like a Trojan in the little bit of time I do have off.

Technorati Tags: ebay

Contact allergies?

Every so often I have some skin problems. Not big problems, and not always on my face. But the other day, one of the young women at work was having a terrible outbreak on her chin and around her mouth. She told me it was painful...so much so that when she even smiled a little, the places hurt.

I don't know if she needed adult acne treatment or maybe just some antibiotic ointment, since I'm not sure exactly what caused the problem in the first place. Honestly, it almost looked like she had a food allergy breakout on her face, given the location of the eruptions. She said she wasn't aware of any allergies.

Allergies can sometimes take you by surprise, though. Things that you've eaten or come in contact with for years may suddenly cause a reaction.

Technorati Tags: allergies,health

Affordable fashions

From time to time, I run across a website that offers some really good deals. This time, the site offers the dereon clothing line, founded by Beyonce and her mother, inspired by her grandmother's unique style. It includes gorgeous jeans and other clothing items that are the height of fashion.

So, what would you expect to pay for such great style? Guess again. I found almost everything to be absolutely affordable without sacrificing style at all. I was pretty amazed by the prices!

Technorati Tags: fashion

Declare your personal independence

It's Independence Day! How are you celebrating? I celebrated by working at my regular job and wishing for the FREEDOM to just walk away from it.

That's what this blog is really all about, isn't it? So, I'm exploring my options and my budget. I'm figuring out how little I can live on without being totally miserable and feeling totally deprived. I think I can accomplish everything I want to - improve my health, drop some weight through the help of a place like www.loseweightfast.net, learn some new skills...I can do this and so can you!

I don't mind sacrificing and penny-pinching for a worthy goal. That much I can do. But I've really gotten to the point where I yearn for my freedom more than I yearn for possessions or status (which never did really interest me all that much anyway.)

If you've watched my auctions at all, you've seen that I'm paring down my possessions. I heard the other day that "we don't own things -- they own us." Oh how true! Well, I'm tired of being owned by things. Things have to be cleaned and maintained, so I want to cut back on the burden of ownership of just things and live a simpler, more frugal lifestyle.

How about you? Have you declared your personal independence yet?

Technorati Tags: holidays,work,entrepreneurism

Possible new source of income

I've stumbled across another internet money making opportunity. A friend of mine is already participating in this. I've also looked it up online to make sure it's legit. Everything I've read so far (reviews) are positive. People really are getting paid.

The company proffers a disclaimer saying you can't expect to make this your total source of income. But it can be a way to bring in some part time income which will supplement what I'm already doing.

I think I'm going to try to learn more and will probably sign up for this new-to-me way of earning income. I really think it's best to have various streams of income instead of relying on just one. If this works out well for me, I'll share it with you here.

Technorati Tags: entrepreneurism

Developing my Ebay business

I've been listing some items on Ebay again. I try to do that every few days so that there are auctions occurring on a steady basis. I'm beginning to see some sales, too, which is always encouraging.

Right now, I'm mainly listing glassware, but I'm planning to expand into a few clothes (nice ones, gently worn, from my own closet), books, sunglasses and other interesting items.

I'm going to be looking around at the possibility of connecting with a wholesaler, too. I'm thinking I might want to offer organic herbs, vitamins, and colon cleansers. Of course, I'm taking baby steps in that direction. I don't want to become overwhelmed.

However, the beauty of Ebay is that I can actually create listings from home or anywhere else, as long as I have my information and pictures in my laptop. I'm not chained to a desk at home. If I want to go visiting, say, at my Mom's, I can do that and still work effectively and efficiently.

Technorati Tags: business