A Confession: I'm a Cheapskate

Welcome to the February 2013 Simplicity Parenting Carnival: Finances
This post was written as part of the monthly Simplicity Parenting Carnival hosted by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM. This month we are discussing how we balance finances, family, and simplicity. Be sure to read to the end to see a list of the rest of the excellent carnival contributors.
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Ok. I'm not always a cheapskate, but I do always try to go the cheaper route. Mostly, out of necessity, but also out of the Biblical conviction that our treasures are not to be stored here but in Heaven. Why waste money/time/resources on something frivolous when you could use it to bless someone else? Don't get me wrong. My husband and I budget and spend the money we have when and where  it NEEDS to be spent. But, if I can make do, barter, make it, or find it cheaper somewhere else- I'm going that route for sure!!!! There are very few areas that we splurge.

 I actually hate finances. I hate having to think about budgeting. It is for sure the worst part about being a grown up. But, this is where I am at the moment and I DO have to think about it and make wise choices. I try to keep it simple by not dragging out the budgeting process and by making lists. I love lists! I have a list of what I want, what we will need in the near future (think shoes for growing girls, bigger car seats, etc) and then what I will need to get the next time I go grocery shopping (groceries and small 'somethings' that fit within my household/grocery budget). So far it is working for me.

We have also found that since we have ditched the cable TV our 'Want list' has shrunk. We really don't desire many things. We think more in terms of places we want to take the girls and practical items that would make our home run smoother or stop future spending in a certain area (new vacuum, canning items, etc). The list is always changing and evolving, but it is just a list that we can scratch out something that we realize later isn't a true need.

Then, there are groceries...... *shaking head* our grocery budget is anything but simple. Every. Single. Month. We discuss how much we are spending and how we can lower it. I pour over recipes and ingredient lists to find new, better dishes that we can all eat and enjoy and not just choke down. I loathe meal planning and grocery shopping. If I could farm out one job within my home it would absolutely be meals/cooking/grocery shopping. Our restrictions are killing me getting easier for me to navigate, but my girls are eating me out of house and home! So while recipe options are slightly improving, quantity is shooting through the roof! *sigh* I do plan our meals on a monthly basis now (it seems to be working) with grocery shop every two weeks. So far this ensures we stay on course with the meal plan and keeps fresh veggies and fruits in the house at all times (which constitutes most of our snacks and side dishes). It seems to be the simplest way for us.

Of course, we dream of the day that our finances will be even simpler because we will be living off of our own land. *dreaming* Land, animals, a large garden providing ALL of our food, a cellar filled with home canned goods that last us all year...... Then I wake up and realize I need to pay the electricity bill and run to pick up some bananas. *sigh* We do pray that at least part of that dream will be a reality one day. But, we do so knowing that not everything will come from our land and bills will still need to be paid. So, our budgeting meeting happens again and we discuss places to cut down spending in our current home and budget..........

How do you keep your finances simple? Do you barter/make do/make your own to shave your budget down? If you have any ideas or meal plans you want to share that my family could eat (No gluten, dairy, corn, additives, colors, preservatives), PLEASE send them to me! *smile* I'm always open to suggestions!


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Thanks for reading the Simplicity Parenting Blog Carnival! We hope you’ll take time to read these other great contributors’ posts (Note: Links will all be live by 3pm ET on February 26th):

• Keeping Finances Simple - Becky at Crafty Garden Mama shares how using the Neat scanner, price books and setting a budget helps her family keep their finances simple.
• Living Within Our Means - Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM discusses how her family attempts to simplify their financial life by not spending money they don't have.
• A Confession: I'm a Cheapskate - Jade at Faith in the Shade confesses her frugal nature and shares the stresses of simplifying her budget in all areas of the home.. even the most hated- groceries.
• frugal living - Justine at The Lone Home Ranger recaps how participating in a frugal living challenge last year changed the way she approached family spending.

Thanks to all the fabulous writers and readers for being a part of our simplicity parenting community! Stop by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM to see how to join us for a future carnival.

Productivity: Making the Correlation

Welcome to the August 2012 Simplicity Parenting Carnival: Productivity
This post was written as part of the monthly Simplicity Parenting Carnival hosted by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM. This month we are discussing how we balance simplicity and productivity, i.e. remain productive while also maintaining a slower pace of life. Be sure to read to the end to see a list of the rest of the excellent carnival contributors.
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     I've had an epiphany lately that has radically changed the way I view life and do most things. Maybe I'm behind on the eight-ball, if you will. But, either way it has warranted major some changes around here.

All the stuff that everyone else tells you you need (think: 'more is better' mentality) and we have been working so hard to accumulate, is in my way.

    All of it is getting in the way of me being productive; both in life in general (think laundry, dishes, homeschooling), and literally (think toys, clothes, books). So, while I've been purging my whole life house (which I know in and of itself sounds productive) I've been fighting the urge to give up.  Mostly because, at the end of the day I don't have a clean house, fabulous schedule, or even a minimalistic home. *frown* I'm still overwhelmed with all the stuff! I've taken more loads of stuff to Goodwill than I care to admit, and sadly my house doesn't reflect it. Of course, I know (well, and my family) how much better it feels in our home after getting rid of so much, but I also know we have a long way to go. I'm trying to remember that making a home with a foundation in faith and family- not stuff.

   The more stuff I have, the less productive I am in the areas that matter- faith, family, and fellowship. 

    I get tied down to the monotony of maintenance of the stuff that I can't maintain the necessary, or enjoy the moment. Now, don't get me wrong. I know that productivity is not always (rarely in my life, actually) about big changes or drastic epiphanies. It's about the little changes that point to a bigger picture. But, nonetheless the little changes and small victories still seem tedious instead of joyous around here.

    I am in the middle of this now. My closet is a nightmare. I have purged it once and it still laughs at me. *smirk* I have clothes that I love but don't wear. Now, to my credit let me let you in on a little secret. I have gone from a size XS to a size large and back again in the last year due to pregnancy (not to mention the maternity clothes that made an appearance on my hangers for 7 months!). So, it's not like I'm just hoarding clothes. I just have my favorites for each size and then a few more to add variety. But, I digress. *wink* The point is not the ridiculousness situation with my closet. It is the fact that I'm working on it. Five trash bags *gasp!* have left my closet to never return again and I am scheduling a date with Goodwill for a second drop off for round two. It is what it is. I am making progress and getting to a point where the clothes aren't in the way. Then getting dressed, doing laundry and maintaining it all won't take away from other areas that I could be doing something more productive or more importantly doing something that really matters (eternally speaking).  My productivity is sure to increase when I'm not tied down to the maintenance of so many clothes. And, I'm sure it will be the same way in other areas in my life.

   It is about productivity, but it's also about perspective. The stuff is leaving and it feels good, but I'm sure it will feel even better when I think I'm done. But, then again, maybe it'll never seem simple enough (or organized enough); sort of like cleaning. Does it ever feel too clean? If it does, I've never experienced it! *laugh* I am making progress, slowly but surely. I'm moving towards minimalism less stuff. But, I'm also moving with the reminder that the stuff isn't the point (whether I have it or not), it's about my perspective and my understanding that all that stuff I wanted gone was just a hindrance and half the battle is recognizing it. 

How do you balance productivity and perspective when it comes to your stuff?

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Thanks for reading the Simplicity Parenting Blog Carnival! We hope you’ll take time to read these other great contributors’ posts:

• Encouraging Productivity - Melinda at Wholesome Womanhood discusses ways to embrace computer time as a time to learn via podcasts, online sermons, etc.
• Mise en Place - Justine at The Lone Home Ranger discovers preparing for projects ahead of time can be a big time-saver that helps her increase productivity.
• Productivity? Depends on your definition! - Jamie at I Love Junkmail describes her typical productive day.
• Productivity: Making the correlation - Jade at Faith in the Shade talks about how she is revamping every aspect of her life (including measuring productivity) to live simpler.
• Simplicity and Productivity: The Art of Compromise - Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM finds that compromise is sometimes the best way to balance productivity and simple living.

Thanks to all the fabulous writers and readers for being a part of our simplicity parenting community! Stop by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM to see how to join us for a future carnival.