Frugal Homemaking

Just some things in the frugal homemaking department...

 

I've been busy throughout the months of January and February.

 

Another batch of taco seasoning.

I'm still trying to perfect this recipe. It's still very spicy. I have to admit, I've been tempted to give in and go back to purchasing the little packets. But then I remind myself of why I'm doing this.

 

How We Afford Our Vacations

Recently, after seeing on my facebook page all my pictures of our summer travels, I had a friend ask me how we were able to afford all our traveling, that we must be rich.

I know the comment was made in jest, but I have to admit, it stung a little.

We are not rich. ~ Well, I suppose that depends on how you define rich. If you mean rich in God's abundant love, mercy and grace; rich in family and friends; rich in love for each other, then YES we are overwhelmingly rich! If you mean rich with much money at our disposal, then no, sadly we are not rich.

I was slightly taken aback by that comment, but it did get me thinking. How do we afford our vacations and travels? I thought about that and I came to some conclusions, so I made a list. And it got me thinking, these are simple things that anybody can do, so why not share them with others?

Off to a Good Start in 2013

Well, January has come and gone. Thankfully, I didn't make many New Year's resolutions, therefore, I haven't broken any. *wink*

Pretty much the only resolutions I made this year were to continue doing what I can to live healthier, to be more frugal and resourceful with what I have, and to live a more simple life.

The Path Toward Healthy

I've been on a quest recently. A quest to live healthier. To live more frugally. To live more simply.

I've been reading several different blogs and websites, and have gleaned numerous ideas about how to achieve these goals. You might want to check these out: Holy-Spirit Led Homeschooling, Hidden Treasures, diy Natural.

I've been making my own laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, fabric softener, all purpose cleaners/disinfectants and window cleaner for many months now, and I have to say I've been quite pleased with the results.

Not only have I seen significant savings in our grocery budget,

Cars and Hearts, Who Knew?

We finally found a car for Kate. Because we never buy new cars, we shopped around for quite a while, trying to find something that would meet all our requirements and still fit in our budget.

It had to have a high safety rating, have (fairly) low mileage, have a good mpg rating ('cause she has to drive it 40 miles round trip per day to school), and, of course, it had to fit within the budgeted amount we had to spend.

We found a 2006 KIA Optima.

Homemade Laundry Detergent = Domestic Diva?

Yes, you read the title correctly. I have been reading alot about homesteading, living simply, being frugal, thriving on one income (you get the picture) for quite some time now. I've been slowly making changes around here. You know... using coupons, only buying if it's on sale, shopping thrift stores, making do, using it up, finding new uses for old items... those sorts of changes.