How's your piggy bank looking?

Everyone is feeling the crunch these days. It's hard to save when it takes every dime you make just to keep a roof over your head and food on your table, not to mention gas in your car.

Growing up in a family with four kids, you learn to stretch every penny. Over the years, I have found ways to make my dollars go farther. I thought I would share some of those tips today.

Many of you know I love to read. I can read one, sometimes 2 books a week. With a paperback book now costing $7.99 and up, it is too expensive to buy new books. I keep a running list of new releases so I don't forget what I want to read. Every few months, I take a trip to a local used book store, McKay's. I'll take all my old books & trade them in for McKay Money. I normally earn anywhere from $20 - $40 dollars that I can spend on more books. The key is to look closely at the used books for sale. If one is in mint condition, you could pay $3.95 for it. However, if you look at all the copies, there may be one that has a bent corner or a slight mar on the cover and they have those marked anywhere from .75 - $1.25.  Once you read them, you can take them back and get more money to get more books. Don't have a lot of used books setting around? Go to yard sales and buy some off the 10 books for $1.00 shelf to get yourself started. They don't even have to be books you'll read, they just give you a chance to have something to swap.

Does your local grocery store have a value card? I love my Food City card. I don't even purchase a newspaper without scanning my card. Many items are heavily discounted if you have a store card. Just about every time I shop at Food City, I have at least $2-$3 savings at the bottom of my receipt. When we get "weekly" groceries, I have saved in excess of $20 - $30 in some cases....without counting any coupons I used.

Visit Shortcuts.com
This is a neat site. It has electronic coupons that you can add right to your stores card (such as Kroger). That way you have no need to carry a ton of coupons. Just click an item and add it to your store card. When you purchase the item and use your card, the savings will automatically be deducted. The site also has printable and electronic coupons. Be sure and watch for double coupon stores.

I hate utility bills. We decided to see what we could do to save on our water and electric. These are things we used to do back in our younger days, but over the years have gotten a little relaxed about it. We have cut the amount of time we spend in the shower by about 5 minutes. When I take my bubble bath, I run about 1/2" less water for my soak. We don't use our dishwasher. With just the two of us, we can hand wash faster and use less water. We now do laundry one day a week (I have a zillion towels and wash cloths, so this is very doable). We place the maximum amount of clothes in each load. Since cutting out those little 1/2 loads mid week, we have been saving as well on the electricity for the dryer. Bottom line? Our water bill averages $55 - $59 per month. Since we have made those changes these past three months, our bill is running between $34 - $37.

Same thing with the electric. We make sure we do not leave the lights on when we are done in a room (a bad habit of mine). As I stated before, the laundry being done once a week has kept the electric dryer down. I have a fax machine for my work. I used to leave it on 24/7, but realized that most of my faxes were outgoing and I always know beforehand if someone is going to be faxing me anything. So now I turn it on at 8 and off at 5. I replaced two electric clocks with two battery powered clocks in the bedroom. We each have our own alarm clock. But you are only in your bedroom at night, so why should a clock be using electric all day. We have been using our toaster oven for small things like biscuits, pizza's, fish sticks...little things that take just about 10 minutes in the toaster oven. It heats up faster than a conventional oven, saving time and electricity. We also keep my little coffee pot unplugged (again, clock is being powered) unless I'm going to use it. It is only used for hot water for my hot chocolate, which I don't drink daily. I don't leave my printer on. I turn it on if I'm going to be doing any work that will require me to print anything. Bottom line? In the past few years, our electric bill for Feb - Mar averages around $156. Since making these changes, Feb was $115 and Mar was $110.

Check back tomorrow for more savings tips......

 



Little Quack

I remember one spring, Daddy got us a little baby duck. Mom doesn't remember why or how we got her. She was so cute and yellow and fuzzy. We named her Little Quack. I don't remember a whole lot about her and she grew up fast and we had to get rid of her. But none of that seems to matter. It just mattered that we got a duck.

Sometimes there are small moments in our life that make for lasting memories. I remember with fondness the sound she would make. After she was gone, I can remember Jack walking through the kitchen in tennis shoes and it made a squeaky sound on the linoleum and I remember us saying he sounded like Little Quack.

Isn't it strange the things we remember that don't have any particular meaning other than they were of a happy time in our lives. We should always cherish our memories. Our moments are numbered and we need to make each one count.

I will forever be grateful for having loving parents who devoted their whole lives to making us happy.

I was visiting Faith at Simplicity. Her blog on Monday was What are you cooking for Easter?

I really enjoyed it so I thought I would answer her question and post what we are having. The photos were found on various websites.

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 Virginia tavern ham with orange marmalade glaze

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Baked beans

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 Mashed potatoes with brown gravy

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Mustard style potatoe salad

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Macaroni Salad

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Deviled Eggs (Maybe I should call them Angel Eggs)

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Candied Sweet Potatoes (Yes, I know, that is 3 potato dishes, but we love our taters)

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Sweet yellow corn in lots of butter

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Graham Cracker Pie

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Texas Sheet Cake

I will make the chocolate Texas sheet cake, but my hubby loves to cook. He has finally gotten his appetite back after a bad 3 weeks of flu. He is looking forward to a wonderful meal on Easter Sunday. He made out the menu and the grocery list. He's raring and ready to go.

We cook a small amount of everything, but it's enough for leftovers for a few days. The kids don't come over on Easter Sunday. My son-in-laws Grandmother is 80 and has been having the family over every year. I couldn't take that away from her so my daughter and her family go there with my blessing. My daughter-in-laws family always goes out to the lake house for the weekend and the entire family goes. They go fishing out on the lake and have a great time, so my son and his family go there with my blessing. We try to get together the weekend before or the weekend after for a casual Easter gathering.

So what do I do while he is making all this delicious food? He always sends me outside to relax in the sun (if it's warm enough). So I pile up either outside on the swing or in the house on the couch with a good book. He doesn't like extra hands in the kitchen when he's cooking. I got a gem when I married him. Not only does he love to cook and is SOOO good at it, he is one of those "clean as you go" cooks so there is not a mess when it's time to eat. Then after we eat, we both pitch in to store the left overs and he does the dishes. (He says he can wash them faster than it takes to load them in the dishwasher.)

What will your Easter bring? I'd love to hear what your plans are and what your menu will be.

Monday Meanderings.....

.....Poor Garfield. That's how I feel this morning. I had a great weekend, but Monday has returned. I normally get up at 5:00 or 5:30. Today, I actually slept until 5:50. I got up, stumbled into the living room, turned the light on, grabbed my favorite fleece throw, turned the light OFF and laid back down on the couch. I slept until 7:00. It feels like I really slept late. Felt pretty good to do that for once.

.....I love Kohls. I'm very excited because I have finally found my Easter Outfit. I'm breaking my tradition this year and not getting a dress or skirt & top. I found a pretty top and white pants that I fell in love with. They were on sale at Kohl's and I just knew "This was it!" I tried them on and they actually both fit (which almost never happens with me.) I was ecstatic.

I thought I would take a gander at the jewelry just to see what they had. Do you ever have one of those moments when you see something and you just KNOW it was made to go with a particular outfit? Well, that happened with this necklace and earrings I found. The pattern is exactly like the pattern in the top. (Because of the lights in the room, I couldn't get a good picture, but it is green with the black pattern like the top. )

Now the really great part is that the total of all three items was $91.00. After all sales discounts and coupons, my cost for everything....$39.00. Did I mention I love Kohls?

.....I didn't have to buy new shoes. I had these adorable sandals I bought last year that I think will look really cute with the outfit. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these people who worries about how I look or what others think about how I look. But I do want to at least attempt to "clean up well." :) I'm just one of those "if I look better, I feel better" type people.

..... Our Easter Cantata went very well last night (at least I thought it did.) I plied myself with cold medicine and cough syrup before I left and took me a bottle of water and some cough drops with me. I was able to hit my high notes and kept right on going until the next to the last song. Then it hit. The lights started getting hotter. The choir robe started feeling heavier. The hot flash came on strong. I felt that little tickle in the back of my throat. And I had to stop to cough and set down to get a quick drink of water. But I made it through and was able to finish out the last song with no more problems. So I was happy.

..... Now it's back to Monday and reality. I'm going to be chained to my desk today. I own my own business, but I do tax work for another company as well. Plus I'm involved in a project at church that I'm going to finalize today. So I guess it's time to get to work and see what challenges the day will bring.

Have a happy Monday!

Palm Sunday

Tonight is our Easter Cantata at church. If you live in the Kodak/Sevierville area, please visit our service tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Beech Springs Baptist Church in Kodak. 

It's still up in the air whether or not I'm going to get to sing. I've practiced some old home remedies, taken couch syrup and cough/cold medicine. I still have that little tickle and still have the occasional coughing "fit". I've been afraid to try to sing, because I've been resting my voice.

I'm having mixed feeling about singing in the choir this morning. On the one hand, if I try this morning and then get hoarse or can't hit it, I'll know not to sing tonight. But on the other hand, if I only have enough voice strength for one performance, should I save it until tonight. Decisions, decisions.

Some of you may think this is no big deal, but to me this is a huge torment. Of all the works I try to do for God, my singing His word is the absolute biggest blessing I ever receive. I don't claim to have any great voice and you probably can't even tell if I'm singing or not, but I can tell. And I can feel it. I don't do it for any personal glory. It is my testimony to Him. I'll just have to keep praying that all goes well today.

Preparing for Easter

It's that time of year when we start preparing for Easter. With just a week to go, menus are being planned, Easter dresses and new shoes are being purchased. Baskets are being purchased, eggs are being colored and plans for the day are being made. All in celebration for that one special day.

As we approach Palm Sunday and the jubilation that the people felt when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, my mind begins to wonder. What was He feeling? He knew what lay ahead at the end of the week. He knew how much suffering there was in store for him. Yet, He gladly carried on with the task the Father had set before him. You have to wonder what was going on in His mind. Not once did He drag His feet and say "I'm not going to do it. I don't want to go." It would have been easy to stay where He was. To continue to live a life where people adored Him, where they brought their troubles to Him. Yet, He humbly carried out the orders of His Father.

Yes, Easter is a time to celebrate. He is Risen. He is Lord. He is the King of Kings. But on that one day, riding on a donkey, being treated with love and respect, you have to wonder what He was thinking. Did He want to scream out in angst and agony and warn them. Did He want to say "This is not going to turn out the way you think." Did He want to warn them how much suffering He was getting ready to endure before He arose in sweet victory?

No, He rejoiced. He knew what was getting ready to happen and He was ready. The big moment was just days away. He had been preparing His whole life for the one moment He hung on that cross on that hill. The one single moment when time stood still and He took OUR place.

Today I'm linking to Jeremiah 29:11. Be sure and pay a visit and join the fun.

It's been an eventful week. The weather has had it's ups and downs. And so have I. I woke up Monday with an awful cold. I coughed all day, but was able to have my final meeting to get the church directory all pulled together. Tuesday I felt better but the cold and cough were hanging on. I'm sure I only slept about 2 hours Monday night with all the coughing I've been doing. Hubby has had the flu for two weeks (we are praying that is all it is). So it's been germ city at our house earlier in the week. By Wednesday I was feeling much better. Now I just have that dry rough cough that makes you feel like you are going to hack up a lung. I got some good old-fashioned Creomulsion cough syrup and it has helped, but not a lot.

I had to get up and leave the church business meeting twice Wednesday night because I couldn't quit coughing.

Add to that the fact that my job consists of me being on the phone the majority of my day, talking. And the more I talk; the more I cough. It has not been an enjoyable time.

But it all started to freak me out today. Our Easter Cantata at church is Sunday night and I sing soprano and love hitting those high notes. The higher the note, the better I like to sing it. I was heading out to get my hair cut today because it was getting rather long and scraggly. I popped in our Easter CD to get some practice time in. It started right in to The King is Coming and by the time the high notes arrived, I sounded like squeaky air. Oh no! My favorite time to sing...Easter Program... just 3 days away and I have no voice if I start to sing. I am not sure what to do. I'm taking the day off tomorrow so I don't have to talk as much (which probably won't work, because I'm going to a huge consignment sale with a friend). I'll probably still talk all day.

I'm getting all the advice of tea and honey (which I can't stomach the thought of) or hot tea (which isn't any better than tea and honey). It was also recommended tea and lemon (again, tea...gag...I'd rather just suck on a lemon.)

So I'm open to any great words of wisdom. I can't miss this. I love my music and it makes me ill to think I might not get to participate. So please pray, pray, pray that this goes away by Sunday. I'm going to do a lot of whispering between now and then.

For those of you who know me well (yes, Rachel, Amy, Debbie and Missy) this is going to be very hard on me. I think I was born talking about 90 miles a minute so having to cut back on it for a few days is going to be SOOOO hard.