JEAN'S FRUGAL WAYS

Martha had a post on savings so I thought I would put some on this week that we have at our home.

One of the ways we save is I cut Michael, Edward, David Sr. and David Jr.'s hair myself.  Michael and Edward are still English cuts as they go to the public school and we don't want them to feel out of place.  David Sr. and Jr. get the Old Order Mennonite cuts.  My Mother taught me how to do this when I was growing up and did my brother's.  Since Michael and Edward have been members of our family, they have never been in a barber shop.  As for Susan and myself, we do not cut our hair.  It is our church beliefs.  Katie is short now, but we will let it grow and not cut it.

Now that it is fishing season, we do not buy worms.  In fact we sell them.  Edward, Michael, David Jr. and sometimes Susan go pick up the worms on the road side.  They are doing it in the rain right now.  We have a soil place inside one of the barns that they keep them in.  When they go fishing they just dig some of the worms out of the soil.  Sometimes friends and neighbors would like some, sometimes they give them away if someone can't afford them.  Sometimes they sell them to make some extra money.

If we need appliances, canning jars, children's clothes, adult clothes, we got to rummage sales, garage sales, thrift or second hand stores.  We go over everything very carefully and make sure it works.  With canning jars, make sure there are no scratches or chips out of them.  I must admit our major appliances like stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer and freezer we did buy new.  But we have purchased mixers, irons, men's slacks, lamps, men's tools and more at these stores.

It is better to replace your old major appliances with new ones.  When we replaced our stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer, and freezer at  our old house, after the fire,  with new ones - our electric bill dropped.  New appliances are made to use less electric than the old ones.

Also when I am cooking or baking, I make extras especially this time of year and put the extras in the freezer.  Times come on the farm, especially planting season when I just don't have time to cook or bake like usual - so I can go get something out of the freezer for dinner.

When it comes to birthday, wedding, Christmas or whenever we need a gift - we try to give a gift we can make ourselves.  It might be making a special cake, pie, cookies or candy that the person likes.  Sometimes David, Edward and Michael make wooden items that the people would appreciate.  We try to make something that the person could use.  Unless they desire a certain decoration, we don't make them as we don't want something collecting dust in their house or stuffed away in a box.  Also have made quilts, handkerchief, towels and more.  If you can make a gift it means more than store bought, at least that's what I think.

Also if we have clothes, towels, sheets, etc. that are worn out or have holes in them that are beyond repair-I rip them up and use them as cleaning or dusting rags in my home.

We don't allow anyone standing with the refrigerator door open.  We have the get in, get what you want and get out of the refrigerator.  Leaving the door open makes the refrigerator go warmer and it runs more.  Same rule goes for the freezers we have.

We hang our clothes outside to dry and don't use the electric dryer unless necessary.  I caught Edward and Michael running the dryer with only two pairs of pants in there that they wanted to wear that day.  They both wore something else that day and I hung the pants outside to dry.  Running the dryer can increase the electric bill.  We hang our clothes outside especially in the spring, summer and fall.  Even in the winter, if the temperature is so they won't freeze.

Before Grandfather and Grandmother moved in dawdy we use to get the newspaper during the week in the fall and winter.  Just on Sunday during planting season and harvesting season.  Now that my Grandparents are here, they get it every day.  We discontinued ours all together.  They read it first and we get it when they get done.  On Sunday, my Grandmother and I go through and cut out the coupons that we need.  If there are some we don't need, we pass them on to someone else.  We wanted to split the cost of the newspaper with my Grandparents, but they insisted on paying for it as they have done it for years plus they get a seniors discount.  It is a savings of over $100.00 a year for David and I.

These are just some of the ways we have to save money.  I could write a lot more.  I know the children think we are over conservative sometimes.  We try to explain that what we save one place allows us to do other things.

If you enjoy this, I could put some more on, later.

Be With God,
Jean


TOMORROW IS THE FIRST POST OF THE HAITI BENEFIT AUCTION.

NEXT MONDAY, KEVIN HAS A POST ON HIS AND BRIDGET IN OKLAHOMA.