Frugal or not, I’m a fan of home remedies. I’d much rather run to my pantry than wait in a doctor’s office when one of us is sick. I’m not foolish – we make the trip to see the doctor when necessary and I don’t experiment with anything that could possibly be risky. That said. There’s not much that beats snuggling on the couch with a cup of hot tea when you don’t feel well – in my opinion.

The cold and flu season is approaching. My husband was actually sick with a virus of some sort just this week. So I thought we could talk about some home remedies that you recommend or resources where to find them. What do you do when your family gets sick?

I’ve been really fortunate that Chloe doesn’t get sick much. She’s actually never been on an antibiotic before. It’s not because I’m dead set against them, I just don’t run to the doctor every time she gets a fever or cough. I tend to believe that our bodies are resilient and most sicknesses can run their course and heal on their own.

I don’t believe in “grin and bear it” though. There’s no reason to force yourself to feel miserable when there are ways to help ease the discomfort of being sick. Here are some of my favorites for cold and flu:

Hot Tea with Honey

There is absolutely nothing like hot tea on a sore throat. It feels sooooooo good.

A Spoonful Of Honey

For kiddos, like mine, who won’t drink the tea a spoonful of honey is soothing too!

Cool Mist Humidifier

This helps you breathe a little better and sleep a little better.

Vicks® Baby Rub

Maybe this counts as medicine, but I think it works wonders. I like the Baby Rub for adults too because it’s a little more mild.

Ginger/Ginger Ale

For upset bellies. Try adding some ginger to your tea.

I found a cool website recently with home remedies, People’s Pharmacy. I found some cool ideas I’m interested in trying. I’d love to hear yours too. What do you do for home remedies? It doesn’t have to just be for cold and flu. Anything for headache? Dizzyness?

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe asked me a question recently that I didn’t know the answer to so I said, “I’m not sure.” She frowned and said, “I thought you knew a lot.” Not long after, I heard her tell one of her friends that her Daddy is smarter than her Mommy. Man, that was a quick decision. I’ll have to prompt her to ask Daddy a question about health and beauty …

photo credit: ShardsOfBlue

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

I’m entering a new era of parenting in September. Chloe is going to kindergarten. Right before my eyes my bright-eyed baby grew up and became a school-aged girl *sniff, sniff*.

So, school shopping. It isn’t as bad for the younger ones – no graphing calculators or 5 subject notebooks – but she still needs school supplies and should probably have some nicer outfits to wear to school (as opposed to the mish-mash of fancy dresses she currently has).

Getting deals on most classroom supplies is not that difficult. I don’t really think you need to read a whole post about shopping for the deals. They are everywhere. Glue, pens, and pencils in huge bins marked for 50¢ aren’t mysteriously hidden in a single store. Common sense reigns here – go and buy enough dirt cheap school supplies for the whole school year in the next month.

I think the more difficult thing is the felt need for a brand new wardrobe when school starts. Every kid wants to wear a new outfit to the first day of school. There’s nothing like the confidence that comes with all new clothes and a sparkling pair of sneakers. But all you’ll find on sale right now are summer clothes – and that’s not what you need, is it?

It’s tough though. You want to send your kids off to school feeling good and fitting in, not wearing last year’s beat up tennis shoes. As with anything else, I think it’s all about balance. I’m not a pro at this, just a beginner, so I’m hoping we can have some conversation about tips and ideas in the comments. I’ll just get the ball rolling. Here’s what I’m doing with Chloe this year.

Checking the Inventory

Chloe was really, really picky about clothes last year and refused to wear jeans almost the entire winter. So she has a whole bunch of nearly brand new jeans – I’m hoping at least a couple pairs still fit her. She may have quite a few long sleeve shirts too. I’ll have her do a fashion show and try on all her fall/winter things and go from there to determine what she needs.

Generate Some Extra Money

Like I said before, Chloe was super picky last winter. The good side of that is that I can sell the clothes she’s grown out of. We have a couple great stores where I live; Once Upon A Child and Plato’s Closet. You can walk in with your used clothes and walk out with cash. They pay you on the spot – no annoying consignment. The catch is that they are a little picky with what they accept. That’s a good thing though – because it’s great to shop there. You may not have these stores near you but there may be something similar. Take advantage of it! Don’t let the clothes that are too small go to waste – get some money for them!

Buy Some Now, Buy Some Later

There are some things that Chloe will need right away. One immediate need is for new sneakers. That isn’t something I’ll be able to buy used. Kids generally wear right through their sneakers. I’m keeping my eyes open for the next month or so and when I run into a deal that I’m happy with I’ll buy them.

For the clothes she needs I’ll probably check out the store I mentioned above to see what I can find. They have good prices for nice, brand-name clothes. That way she’ll still have some nice, new things to start the year. Whatever I don’t find there I will probably wait to buy. There will be much better sales later in the Fall, when everyone’s finished school shopping but Christmas shopping hasn’t kicked in yet. She’ll probably be thrilled to get new clothes again after she’s already been in school for a little while.

That’s it – my grand school shopping plan. OK veteran parents, chime in! How do you get through school shopping on a tight budget and still help your kids feel ready for school?

p.s. Chloe wants to ride the school bus and I’m trying so hard not to freak out about it!

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe: “Do all old people have gray hair?” Me: “Pretty much.” Chloe: “Do they get bumpy skin too?”

photo credit: John Picken

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

I can think of so many things I’d rather be doing than cleaning my house in the summertime. Oh the menu planning and cooking? I really just can’t be bothered. I’d so much rather toss something on the grill every night and call it a meal.

Don’t worry, I’m not having a crisis over here – this isn’t my usual state of mind but when it’s beautiful outside I just want to go places and do things and be out in my garden. I don’t think that’s a terrible thing. I’m indoors PLENTY all winter long.

Having said all of that, it can be tough to be frugal in the summer when you’re feeling so carefree. Not planning meals and grocery trips can be a big mistake for me. Is it like that for you too?

To keep costs down during the busy summer I …

Have very simple meals

Nothing fancy is going on around here. Grilled chicken with a veggie and some noodles is gourmet summer at our house.

Keep quick things in the house

I had some frozen ravioli that I pulled out a couple nights ago. Throw on some sauce and I’m a happy girl.

Avoid being out and about during meal times

And if I know I’m going to be, then I try to pack a lunch. Eating out can consume so much of my food budget if I’m not careful. I’d rather eat out on purpose for a date night or something.

I’m enjoying my summer and my gardening and just being out in general. We’ve had a nearly perfect summer weather-wise in the Northeast (with the exception of this crazy heat wave!). I’ve been in and out of town a lot for camp and a wedding. I update Facebook with what I’m doing pretty frequently – especially now that I figured out how to upload photos from my phone If you’re not into Facebook, that’s cool, but if you are then come check out the d¢ Facebook page! I love to chat on there!

Why I do what I do ~ I could post very frequently about Chloe’s hilarious bedtime prayers. Tonight it went like this: “Dear Lord, please help us have a great day tomorrow and keep all the foxes away and just keep them in the forest forever. Amen.” We haven’t had a single conversation about foxes in recent memory … where does she get this stuff?

photo credit: GIANTsqurl

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

Today’s post is from Kyle at Rather Be Shopping. Enjoy!

As my wife and I plan out a couple summer family trips, they cost of gas really has become a deciding factor in how far we travel. Especially if we take my truck which is a total gas hog. With this in mind, I wanted to pass along some frugal and easy ways you can get the most bang for your buck in terms of better gas mileage this summer.

Properly Inflate Your Tires

Under or over inflated tires will lower your gas mileage by an average of 4% according to Fuel Economy.gov.

Don’t Be Stingy on Car Maintenance

Use quality motor oil, change oil filter regularly, keep air filters clean. Follow your car’s recommended maintenance schedule. Not only will these tips keep your car fuel efficient, but it will add to your engine’s life.

Drive More Efficiently

Avoid fast accelerations and drive the speed limit. Both of which will help significantly in terms of getting the most miles per gallon.

Sell The Gas Hog

Seems obvious, but I know plenty of people who just keep driving their big SUV and keep complaining about the high price of gas. A minivan will get on average 10 miles per gallon better than a large SUV. Do the math and figure out how long it will take you to get your money back in gas savings. If it is less than 2 years, I think it is worth getting rid of the gas guzzler.

Got Shoes?

Start walking more, start riding your bike to work or the grocery store, start using public transportation to get to work or school. The bus is not an option for everybody, but if you have local bus service available, use it.
 
Do you have any tips to add to my list? Please comment if you do. Thanks again to Nicki for letting me contribute. In keeping with tradition, here are some of the better coupons on my site right now.
 
Athleta.com
Free Shipping on your entire purchase thru this link
Coupon Code: None Needed
Expiration: 5/31/11
See All: Athleta Coupons
 
Ann Taylor.com
Save 25% Off your entire online order
Coupon Code: MAYAFF25
Expiration: 6/06/11
See All: Ann Taylor Codes
 
Birthday Express.com
Save 10% off your $65+ online purchase
Coupon Code: birthday11
Expiration: 6/30/11
See All: Birthday Express Codes
 
Kohls.com
Free Shipping on your entire online purchase
Coupon Code: FUN2BMVC
Expiration: 5/20/11
See All: Kohl’s Codes
 
Lands End.com
Free Shipping on your entire online purchase thru this link
Coupon Code: None Needed
Expiration: 5/21/11
See All: Lands’ End Codes
 
Lucy.com
Get 25% Off all Sale Items in your online purchase
Coupon Code: MAYEXTRA11
Expiration: 5/24/11
See All: Lucy Coupons
 
Nike Store.com
Save 25% Off all Clearance Items thru this link
Coupon Code: None Needed
Expiration: 5/24/11
See All: Nike Codes
 
Snapfish.com
Save 20% Off all Graduation Gifts thru this link
Coupon Code: 20GRADSTORE
Expiration: 5/31/11
See All: Snapfish Codes
 
About The Author: Kyle James owns and operate a website called Rather-Be-Shopping.com which specializes in online coupons for over 700 stores, organized in 25 shopping categories. He also has a blog, where he writes about frugal living tips, creative ways to save money, and other musings about the adventures and mis-adventures of raising 3 active kids.

photo credit: pat00139

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

Itty Bitty Baby Dress and Baby Shoes

I have some friends that are pregnant right now. It always seems to come in waves doesn’t it? Like most women, I love all things baby and I don’t pass up a valid excuse to buy or sew something tiny and adorable. So I’ve spent a decent amount of time scouring the web for ideas and patterns and I have found so many wonderful, FREE patterns and ideas for baby gifts. So here it is, my round-up of …

Fantastic, Homemade Baby Shower Gifts

Fold-Up-and-Snap Bib from Sew Mama Sew

Cloth Baby Shoes from Stardust Shoes. I’ve made these several times and I just can’t get enough of them.

Nursing Cover from TaDa! Creations. These are amazing. I so wish I knew about them when I had a nursing newborn.

Cashmere Bunny from Betz White. ‘Cuz everyone needs something adorable and cuddly.

Itty Bitty Baby Dress from Made By Rae. I made this one recently and it comes together very quickly and turns out beautiful!

Newborn Baby Pants from Made By Rae. Seriously, she’s a fountain of fantastic ideas.

Crib Sheet from MakeBabyStuff.com.

Fleece Baby Blankets - both no-sew and blanket stitch from MakeBabyStuff.com.

Diaper Bag from MakeBabyStuff.com.

Fabric Diaper Case from Jan Andrea.

Pack ‘n’ Play Fitted Sheet from Craftster.org

Shopping Cart Cover from Mrs. Moneysaver

Do you know of any more good patterns?

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe is still at the age where she’s just a sponge for information. Lately she’s been eager to learn words that she thinks are difficult or tricky. She recently learned the meaning for “identical” and uses it constantly – being sure to properly enunciate every syllable. It’s so adorable to hear her saying, “Hey Mom! Those two trees are I-Den-Ti-Cal.” It’s not uncommon for Chloe to interrupt Dave and I in conversation and interject, “I don’t know what ________ means.” Most recently we had to explain what it means to “brace yourself.” You can see the wheels in her head turning as she thinks hard for a way to use her new words. It’s not always the proper use but it’s always cute – “I like red and cardinals are red. That’s identical.”

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

I wear blue jeans almost every day. I love them. I also tend to wear them out. The knees tear, they fade and I still wear them. The definite dealbreaker, the very worst – is the tear in the back pocket or crotch. Once that happens I can’t wear them anymore and it’s time to say goodbye.

I got fed up with wearing out my jeans when, just a few weeks ago, a pair of jeans ripped that were only 3 months old!! I was so upset and determined I was going to find a way to fix them. Well, I did it and IT WORKED! I’m ecstatic.

Here’s what the hole looked like. It isn’t a bad hole and it’s right along the edge of the back pocket. I’m sticking my finger through the hole so you can see it, rather than taking a picture with me wearing them. You’re welcome.

The key for being able to fix a hole like this is that you stop wearing the jeans AS SOON AS YOU NOTICE THE HOLE. Don’t continue wearing them around the house until the hole becomes ridiculous. Then it will be a lot more difficult to fix.

So I gathered my supplies. I bought a 2-pack of iron-on denim patches for under $2 in a shade that was close to these jeans. I opted for gray thread, rather than dark blue. I thought the gray might blend in better than blue.

I cut a square from the patch that was larger than the rip but still small enough to manage and then I ironed it on the inside of the jeans – like this. Be sure to iron it very well and form it around the bumps of the pocket. (Once I looked at these pictures, I noticed the bottom edge of the patch wasn’t laying flat and went back to iron it again.)

After I ironed it, I turned it over to look at the hole and it had completely sealed it. I nearly squealed with glee.

I didn’t get carried away though. These patches have a reputation for coming “un-stuck” after a while. Keeping that in mind, I took the extra measure of sewing the hole. If these jeans didn’t have a flap on the pocket I would have used my sewing machine with a heavy-duty needle and a zig-zag stitch. Because of the flap, I decided to hand-sew it closed. I didn’t do very many stitches because it just didn’t feel necessary. Here’s what it looks like from the inside …

And the finished product from the outside … This is obviously a very close up. It is amazing. They look like they never even had a hole to begin with. I assure you – no one but maybe my husband will be able to see those stitches …

I am very happy with the outcome of these jeans. I’m so happy I have a fall-back option for jeans that tear out on me.

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe is in a super-observant stage. She notices everything about my appearance lately and says things like: “What’s that weird thing on your face? (referring to a pimple)” Right after I finish doing my hair she says, “Mom, your hair looks fuzzy.” Just the confidence boost I need …

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

It’s not really spring yet where I live, but I know it is for a lot of you. I’ve got spring fever like crazy – so I’ll live vicariously through all of you for a month or so

Oh man, when the spring comes I am SO READY to air out my house and clean everything. After a winter of sickness and having my house closed up for literally 6 months I am craving fresh air and a clean house. My instinct is to dive in and not come up for air until it’s done. Before I go too crazy, I reign myself in because spring cleaning can be expensive and time consuming if I’m not careful – causing me to drown in my little metaphor. Here are a few things I do to freshen up my home as simply and frugally as possible.

One thing at a time …

When I get “in the mode” I tend to use tons of spray cleaner and destroy every room, every closet, every surface – the whole house is in upheaval. And then somewhere in the middle of sorting and cleaning – I get tired. It’s usually around 11:00 p.m. I collapse and my whole body screams “Why do you do this to me???!” I go to bed, aching all over because I worked myself too hard and when I wake in the morning – I have a house that’s still a wreck.

Really, I have no idea why I used to do that to myself. I’m a little better at pacing myself now, a little better. I’ve learned how rewarding it is to begin and complete ONE task in a single day – one closet, one room, one terribly messy junk drawer. For me, the completion of the task is all the motivation I need to move on to the next. The bonus? When I wake up the next day, I have a completed task, a sort-of clean house and I’m not exhausted.

Use the spring air …

As long as I’ve taken my allergy pills, I can’t get enough of breathing in fresh, spring air. It is not uncommon for me to begin using my clothesline while there’s still a little snow on the ground. It takes a while to melt here and I’m taking advantage of every 50+degree day I get!

Spring time is when I wash a lot of extra things like curtains, bedspreads and rugs. The bedspreads I have are too big for our dryer at home, so when I have to wash them in the winter (which I avoid) I have to dry them over the shower rod and it takes days. I choose the first sunny, windy day of Spring and wash one in the morning and let it dry outside all day – it’s completely dry by evening and it smells divine. As soon as spring rolls around I try to use my dryer as little as possible – you all know I love line-dried clothes.

Use homemade cleaners …

You must have known I’d say this one. I love to wipe things down with a spray cleaner. I go through quite a bit of it and in the spring I use even more. Lately I’ve been able to get spray cleaners really cheap ($.50-$1) at the store by combining sales and coupons, but if I can’t find the deal then I’m definitely making my cleaners. Washing windows? Use a mixture of vinegar and water – I usually do equal parts of each. I love how it makes everything shiny and streak-free. I’ve never tried it but a lot of people recommend using newspaper to wipe your windows instead of paper towels. Need an all purpose cleaner? I’ve got that one too – here.

There are a few instances that, for me, paper towels are non-negotiable. I always use paper towels when wiping down the toilet or anything else icky (you all know what I mean). Apart from those things, it’s a great idea to keep rags around the house for clean-ups. I like to have rags for wiping the floors (sometimes a mop doesn’t cut it) or the crud out of windowsills. I usually get my rags from old towels. When a towel gets too ragged to use as a bath towel or hand towel I cut it up for rags – perfect.

Consider resale shops …

I don’t have another child to keep things for that Chloe outgrows. We do give hand-me-downs to some friends, but I don’t want to dump everything on them. While sorting through spring and summer clothes, to see what we have and what we need, I make a pile of clothes to bring to the resale/consignment shop. It’s great to get a few dollars for things I don’t need anymore and I can use it to get some things I do need. It’s like getting paid to declutter – win/win.

Feeling a little sluggish about spring cleaning? Here are my top 5 reasons to spring clean. Have some frugal or time-saving tips for spring cleaning? We’d love to hear them!

Why I do what I do ~ Yesterday, a friend watched Chloe for us for a few hours. When we got there to pick her up, my friend told me that she had given Chloe some carrot sticks – to which Chloe replied, “Sometimes my mom makes carrots and they’re yucky.” Lovely.

photo credit: Theresa Thompson

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

As my daughter has been getting older and our needs have changed in the grocery area, I’ve felt the need to increase our grocery budget. Our grocery budget has been the same for 3 years now, which is great considering the rising cost in some food prices. However, things are still pretty tight budget-wise around here so I don’t really have a lot of extra money to push that way. That doesn’t mean I can’t increase what I buy though.

If I don’t have extra money to spend, then I need to find a way to get more for the money I currently spend.

Seems pretty crazy – but I’ve done it!! For a couple months now I’ve gotten into couponing. I haven’t had the savings that some people have – but for about 2 hours work making my list and finding sales and coupons, I’ve been able to get another $25-35 in food at the store, on top of my original budget! It’s been wonderful! I’ve been able to stock up on some non-perishables and health/beauty supplies.

I think part of the reason I haven’t saved more than that is because I don’t buy things for the sake of buying them. I still steer clear of super-processed foods/meals and do my best only to take advantage of sales on items that I want to have in my home. Still, I can’t tell you how wonderful I feel after walking out of the grocery store having saved all that money.

I do most of my shopping at Price Chopper because they double $1 coupons. I use the site We Use Coupons to find my match-ups. It’s the closest I’ve been able to find for northern VT.

So what about you? I know I have a lot of readers that are better at this than I am and I would love your advice. Where do you get your coupon match-ups? How much do you save each week? Impart some wisdom! I’m getting pretty excited about this stuff …

For more on menu planning, check out my Printable Menu Plan, Grocery List & Calculator (I still use it every week) or these posts: How To Plan Meals, Meal Cards,  Welcome Home, Dinner’s In The Oven, Why I Stock The Pantry, Menu Planning & Grocery Shopping.

Why I do what I do ~ Lately, when I’m grocery shopping I have Chloe with me. She likes to ride in the back of the cart (not the front where ‘babies’ sit). I stack my groceries around her and she plays with her little princess dolls in the castles of canned goods, absorbed in her own little world. People pass by, smiling, and I smile back – knowing how blessed I am.

Photo credit: krystian_o

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

I wrote a post titled Save Money On Personal Care a while ago. It’s all about ways to cut corners and spend a little less on, well, personal care. One of the tips I gave was to cut your children’s hair yourself. Boys are easier than girls because if you need to you can just give them a buzz cut. Girls aren’t as easy but it can still be done. My daughter is almost 5 and was born with a good amount of hair that grew quickly, so she’s needed regular haircuts from an early age. I’ve done many of them myself and as far as I know, no one has been able to tell.

Let me begin by giving you a disclaimer. I am NOT a professional hairdresser and the tips I’m about to give you are from my personal experience and NO training WHATSOEVER, got it? Good. I wouldn’t want to mislead anyone.

Ok, first, let me try to convince those of you feeling a little nervous.

3 reasons to cut your children’s hair

1. Because you can. That’s right. Don’t doubt yourself.
2. You don’t have anything to lose. If you somehow screw it up royally then just take them to the salon and get it fixed. You won’t be paying any more than you would have in the first place.
3. Saves money and hassle. Plop your kiddo down on a chair and cut their hair at your convenience. Also, no public temper tantrums, only at-home private ones. And, ummm, Free.

What you’ll need:

• A kid that needs a haircut, like this one:

• A sharp pair of hair-cutting scissors (that you only use for cutting hair). No desk scissors please. I bought a pair at the drug store for around $7.
• Water. Spray bottle or dunk their head in the sink, whichever you prefer.
• A fine-tooth comb, not a brush.

• A cape of some kind. A pillowcase secured with a clothespin works around here.

• A place for them to sit. Think about it beforehand. Go with a spot you can sweep, it’s tough to get out of carpet. Also pick a spot they won’t get annoyed with too quickly. When my daughter was very young I used to cut her hair while she was in the bathtub playing.

What to do:

1. Wet their head and wring out the excess water. It should be completely wet but not dripping at all.
2. Comb through it. If your daughter has thick hair this may take a couple minutes. It needs to be completely free of tangles before you begin. Part her hair. I prefer to part it in the middle for a haircut. That way if I part it to either side later it won’t look strange. If you part it on the side for the haircut then you’ll have to part it that way all the time. Here’s the “before” shot. Looks at those uneven ends:

   

3. Section hair. Use the comb to separate hair into three sections: back, left and right. If your child has bangs you’ll want to section that off as well. Use a clip to hold up each section.
4. Use the comb to let down a one-inch deep row (or so) of hair in the back section. Clip the rest of it back up.
5. Comb it completely flat then slide two fingers down a strip of hair, almost to the end and cut straight across. Continue in the same manner, finishing the row.

   

6. Once you’re finished with that first row then move to a side section and do the same exact thing, matching it up to the length of the back section as you go.
7. Move to the opposite side and do the same. Now you’ve cut a row from each section. From the front, pull some hair from each side down straight to be sure each side is the same length.
8. Let down another row of hair in the back and repeat with all three sections.
9. Continue in the same manner, being sure to check the front for evenness as you go.
10. Basically, match each side to the back center section, then match each side to the other.

Thinking I should have taken more pictures, but cutting the hair of a little girl who continually tilts her head is challenging enough! Here’s the result:

These are instructions for cutting girls hair. If you have boys, I can’t help you … but other people can. Here are a couple sites that show you how to cut boys hair:

• Heavenly Homemakers
• Almost Frugal

Why I do what I do ~ The other night I said something funny to Chloe and she said, “Mom, have you lost a marble?” She must have heard someone say the phrase, “Have you lost your marbles?” and she was trying it out. I’m glad she tried it out on me because she made my night … I’m still giggling as I type it.

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.

As a family, we’re already a little strange – we live off one income by choice but not because we have more than enough money. We do it because it’s what we want and we’re committed to making it work. We are not even close to wealthy. If you’re a long-time reader then you’ve probably already read my financial story. If you haven’t and you have an extra minute or two, hop on over for a second and read it for a little background. This post is sort of a 2-year update to that one – and how we’ve chosen to become even more weird …

Ok, have you read it? I wrote that post 2 years ago and a lot has happened with us since then. We have incurred no new debt and have stayed focused on paying things off. It has come very slowly though. There have been plenty of times when we didn’t have a surplus in our income to pay things down at all – it’s tough to make progress when you’re in a spot like that. We had so inflated our lifestyle that even maintaining has been a struggle at times.

When you can’t create a surplus with your income, then it has to come from somewhere else. So, we made the decision to make a drastic effort to get rid of as much as possible and get down to living within our means. It began as a scary road. No one wants to get rid of their stuff. Everyone likes stuff. Nice cell phones with pricey plans, newer cars (with high payments), top-tier cable, entertainment, shopping and eating out at whim – all nice but we had already learned our lesson. Instant gratification gets you nowhere. We took a deep breath and jumped in.

We owned 2 cars with 2 average-size car payments. We also owned a camper with a payment. We started with my Jeep – we sold it and replaced it with an old, low-mileage minivan for $5000. Next we sold the camper. So far, one car payment cut in half and camper payment gone. We had yard sales and got rid of all kinds of stuff. So far so good.

We moved in November to a place where the cost of living is higher. We knew we needed to amp things up. We completely disconnected the cable and I began to learn the art of serious couponing (still getting going on that one). We began watching our spending even more than before and we started to feel a sort of urge to keep going. As I type this, we still have not sold our home in NH. We’ve felt the burden of the extra expenses and knew we needed one more big thing, which we did have – my husband’s Honda. He loved his car. He listed it for sale and we sold it last week. It was an enormous step for us. It felt monumental.

I thought for sure that when it sold, I’d go in the corner and cry – thinking we’ve hit the bottom. At the very least, I thought Dave would go in the corner and cry – he loved that car. Something strange and wonderful happened though, something I never would have expected – we both felt a sense of relief and freedom wash over us. Not only have we freed ourselves of an enormous amount of debt between all of these sales, but we’ve freed ourselves of stuff. I don’t feel like we’ve hit bottom at all. I feel wonderful and content. All this time we’ve been working for financial freedom, I never even realized there would be other benefits.

I feel like we’ve finally turned a corner. All this time it felt like things needed to continue to get worse in order to get better. I had no idea that right around the corner from things getting worse, was things feeling wonderful.

I am learning how beautiful a simple life can be and feeling grateful that I have less. I’m excited to see where we’ll be in another 2 years. In our case – slow and steady tends to be our pace. We aren’t debt-free yet but we’re getting there …

Why I do what I do ~ The minivan we have has been in the shop for a few months now as a result of a recall. Until they have the part and are able to fix it, the dealership has put us in a brand new car as a rental. It’s been a nice treat to drive around a brand new car for my husband and I. Not for Chloe though. She keeps asking when we’ll get the old minivan back because she misses it. I’m cherishing these years that my daughter has been unaffected by consumerism. She has no idea that the cost of things determines a person’s status in our society. It is a beautiful thing to see true preference, completely uninfluenced.

Photo credit: Horia Varlan

YNAB-You need a budget. Yeah you do.

Rent movies from Netflix. Try for free!

Your ad can be here. Find out how.