Super Saving Saturday 7-19-08

Today has been the BEST savings day!!!! I just can't wait to share about it!

My husband last night scoped out some ads for garage and estate sales. It was so sweet. He had it all planned out. One place in particular was a antique dealer moving to Dallas from Edmond and she was selling things from her darling store in OKC. I found some French Country items that I adore. I found a beautiful red and white chenille bedspread that is gorgeous. I am going to use the fabric to cover an ottoman that I have. An old watering can with the spout...you know the awesome, big aluminum ones. I am going to put sunflowers inside it. I found a very old blue willow plate, an awesome long wire basket that I can put my old mason jars inside and then use it as a vase for fresh flowers. Waverly toile fabric was in the bottom of this big box and I grabbed it too. There was also some chicken wire that was brand new plus two cans of Rustoleum paint in a flat black plus an apple red paint. The total for everything was 23.00! SCORE! The most expensive item was the bedspread at 10.00!

We stopped at an estate sale in our neighborhood and I found a Peterboro large Picnic basket from the 50s for 2.00!!!!!! Everything was still inside the basket. It is AWESOME! I also found a milk glass hobnail dish..that is very small with a lid. I think it was for jam. Very cute!

But the biggest find of the day....was at Goodwill. A brand new in the box, still taped down with instructions and warranty....a 2008 Cuisinart 12 Cup Coffee Maker.




Okay my fine frugal friends....I paid 5.00!!!! FIVE DOLLARS! The girl asked me if I had a discount card....I have never heard of Goodwill having one but I was about to jump out of my skin paying only 5.00 for this 100.00 coffee maker that was BRAND NEW!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!

The Lord is so good. I had a wonderful day and we did not spend over 40.00! WONDERFUL!

I hope ya'll had a great productive day too!

For more Super Saving Saturdays check out Money Saving Mom.

WFMW 7-16-08

Back to School Madness

It is that time of year when families begin thinking about back to school. It is my favorite time of the year. I remember the long, hot days of summer when my Mom would bring me the back to school issues of Teen and Seventeen magazine so I could pour over the pages of fashion and get my ideas and plans together. I loved school supply shopping and look forward to it each year.

This is the TIME to buy your school supplies. Also if you have grown children now is the time to purchase those supplies for your own office or better yet buy a bunch and donate to your church or charitable organization. Donate to a single parent that you know to help ease their struggle. How about your neighbor that has been laid off from work? There are so many wonderful things you can do with these very inexpensive supplies!

For several years my church has had a back to school drive to help those single parents and others that were struggling. This year one of our pastors has felt the call to extend it to our community. We are hoping to reach 1000 families. Check out WeNeedSchoolSupplies.com. What a fantabulous idea to help those that are in a crisis right now.

Now is the time for me to stock up my supply closet and replenish those items that we have used in the past year. This is also the year that we buy a new backpack for our daughter entering high school. We buy Janzsport backpacks and they have a lifetime warranty. Our sons are still carrying the ones from middle school. You can usually find them on sale at Kohls and other stores for under 20.00. Many times we have found them on sale for under 10.00 at TJMaxx.

These ideas all work for our family. For more ideas check out Rocks in My Dryer. Thanks for stopping by!

WFMW 7-9-08

We have four children. The oldest is in college with the three younger being 16, 15, and 14 years of age. Our sixteen year old has now become the driver of choice with his younger siblings while we are both at work. We began to notice that Seth was driving his siblings wherever and whenever they wanted without any complaint. He is that kind of kid…..thoughtful, compassionate, caring, quiet, obedient….great young man. He drives a big, old 1992 Dodge truck his grandpa gave him when he got his driver’s license. The gas tank is HUGE and well, you know how expensive gas is right now. Too expensive for all these aimless trips to 7-11 for Icees or Sonic for Route 44s!

My husband instituted a plan that has worked wonders. He has told the two non-driving teenagers if they want to continue to ask their brother to drive them to friends houses, the pool, Starbucks, etc., then they need to give their brother so much per week to help pay for gas.

This has done two things….cut down on all the silly trips across town when they could either wait for us to get off of work or wait until the weekend on errand day. Two it has taught them that while it is AWESOME their big brother can now drive there is an expense to it. Seth pays for all his gas except 40.00 per month. We provide the 40.00. He pays his own insurance and has paid six months in advance and already has the next six months saved up.

It is common for teenagers to not understand the immense outflow of cash that takes place. It seems minimal to them all the running around that goes on but when gas is nearly 4.00 a gallon lifestyles need to change.

This has worked wonders so far. For more ideas head over to Shannon’s at Rocks in My Dryer.

Happy 4th!

Time has been flying by this summer. I have not found much time to be on the computer in the evenings to post. In a house full of teenagers the computer gets a work out. The only person that used to be on the computer was our daughter and our college age son. Now our middle son has discovered Facebook and he is on the computer when our daughter is not! It has been awesome to see his friendships blossom with those in the youth group. He has always stated that he would never use a computer. He hated them. I guess you should never say never!

My posting may be a little sparse but lots have gone on in the last two or three weeks. I turned 48! Yikes! I can't believe that I am 48 and have been out of high school 30 years! I was also interviewed for an article about gray hair in our newspaper. I grayed early and it is more white than gray. I have been driving my non-drivers around the entire county for parties with church friends, movies, driver's ed, and shopping. I have also been going to bed early so I can arise and workout!

Today we are going down the street to our dear friends home for a cookout and swimming. Our middle son practically lives there because it is the home of his best friend Jacob.

The real exciting thing that has happened this summer is my husband had a change in jobs and is no longer working for a police department but for a corporation....a great corporation in their security department. So today is the FIRST 4th of July in FIVE years that we have had him with us! We are so thrilled!!!!!!!

So I promise to get back on the bandwagon iwth my writing. I have so many things to share.

I pray you each have a blessed and safe 4th! Happy Independence Day!