Frugal Friday

Many of you think the sky is falling. I want to clonk you on the head like the V-8 commercials. *Clonk* Please don’t be Chicken Little and convert your paper losses to real ones. If you need the money and need it now by all means pull it out. But if you’re a long-term investor like me then ride this out. I’ll be with you sitting on the surfboard careening towards the rocks. I’ll hold your hand. Our stomachs may lurch and leap into our throats but that’s the thrill of the ride. The tide will turn before we collide. Have you ever ridden a roller coaster? Did you crash? No? See - people pay good money for this type of excitement. Today it’s yours for the taking.

And remember the adage buy low and sell high? Yesterday after market close I bought more stock for my retirement portfolio. I’m dollar-cost averaging my way through this mess and hope to make some money in the future. My husband rolled his quarterly bonus into his 401K. Have these stocks and funds declined? Probably. I haven’t looked. The market is falling again today. It will continue to fall for some time. But it will come back. And, honestly, if it doesn’t then we’ll all be together on this sinking ship and I’ll stop thinking about the market and figure out how to swim.

Investing is an activity for a person with a strong constitution and time to wait. Turn off the television. Put down the paper. Yesterday I bought stock then baked a batch of cookies while catching up on This American Life. We will all be fine - eventually.

This is not to say that you should not save and conserve money. As such here are my frugal tips for the week.

1) Make your own holiday decor. Typically I buy one or two decorative items a year. I buy these things on deep discount after the holidays and save them for the following year. But this year I’m not even going to do that. Instead I’m tapping the creative bones of the internet and will be making holiday decor.

Check out this tutorial for a fall bunting from recycled newspaper. We’ll be making this over the weekend.

2) Force your own bulbs. The days have been cold and grey over here. We are in for a long season of political and economic turmoil coupled with crummy weather. What better way to lift your spirits than with flowers.

I’m currently re-blooming an amaryllis bulb saved from last year. Hopefully it will bloom around Thanksgiving. And I ordered Paperwhites from BloomingBulb.com. I got 25 bulbs for $18.20 including shipping. Hint: sign up for their newsletter for a 10% discount.

Plant in simple thrift store containers or containers from around the house and you’ll have a fantastic inexpensive holiday gift. Containers not so pretty? Wrap in gift wrap. Small paint cans work great. Check out these tin can herb pots. They could easily be used for forced bulbs.

Worried about forcing your own bulbs? It's easy! Here's a great set of growing instructions. Five containers of bulbs for less than $20.00; I know what my kids’ teachers are getting for the holidays.

+++++++++

Not only did I bake cookies. I also made another bag. This one, sewn from thrift store fabric, is for my knitting projects. These bags are supposed to be re-usable grocery bags. Perhaps I’ll get around to make some for actual shopping one of these days ...


+++++++++

Have a great weekend everyone!

Love Thursday

When I brought this kitten home it was temporary. For that matter when I brought this dog home it was temporary too. The kitten was tiny and therefore kept sequestered from the dogs. I wasn't sure what the dogs would do. They live with cats and have a healthy respect for cats. But the kitten was teeny. Then one day I fell asleep on the couch and Little Sis let the dog in. I woke up to a wrestling love fest.

My dogs are in heaven. This cat actually likes them. He pays attention to them. He plays with them. And the dogs help to calm the perpetual kitten hyperactivity. It's a match made in heaven.

The moral of the story? Don't discount those who look or act different than you - you may be missing out on the biggest love fest of your life.

++++++++++

Check out other stories of friendship at Shutter Sisters. Happy Love Thursday!

Wackadoo Wednesday

One would think knitting, unless in the framework of a knitter’s circle, would be a solitary endeavor. Not so. I’ve come to realize that anytime I choose to knit in public I am on display; a live museum exhibit. I should carry an easel with an illustration of the final product and adequate copy such that the basic knitting process is explained. This is a knit stitch. This is a purl stitch. Felting is the process of knitting a very large object and shrinking it - think Shrinky Dinks. Perhaps I should also don a bonnet, long dress and apron to complete the effect.

I also need to catalogue a set of witty knit related anecdotes to share with my adoring public. As it stands my conversations are incredibly dull and go something like this:

Yes, I’m knitting.

What?

No, I’m not knitting booties.

Oh it’s a felted bag. You knit it large and then shrink it.

Yes, ha ha, knit purl, knit purl.

I don’t think my grandmother knew how to knit.

Yes, knitting is a good occupation for mothers.

And on and on . . .

And a gentleman did say that to me today ...”knitting is a good occupation for mothers.” After he left I pondered his comment. What is a mother? In the rawest sense a mother is a woman who has had sex. At least that’s how most of us ended up in this predicament. (For those of you who still believe in the stork I’m sorry for the spoiler. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are all real. Trust me.)

So a mother is a sexual woman. We all know there are other factors such as conception, pregnancy, etcetera that are necessary to complete the picture. But I began to wonder - is knitting a good activity for only mothers or for all sexual women? And if so what is the sex to knit ratio? Do sexual activity and knitting increase in tandem?

If these occupations have a direct linear relationship then one would expect “working girls” to have a thriving side business in knitwear. However I’m having trouble proving this theorem. For the life of me I can not find Mabel’s Knitting and Whorehouse on Etsy.

Therefore I must assume an inverse ratio exists between knitting and sex, which, truth-be-told, makes more sense. I mean, really, who has time for both? And if knitting and sexual activity hold an inverse ratio we can also extrapolate that knitting is a good activity for mothers because mothers should not be having sex. This too makes sense because knitting mothers ought to be wearing aprons and bonnets. And really who wants to have sex with someone in an apron and bonnet?

++++++++++
Happy Wednesday everyone! Anyone else feeling wackadoo?

Hope, Faith and Charity

The stock market is plummeting. Business has slowed. The world is in turmoil. I am nervous. Very, very nervous.

I'm leaving the house at 66 degrees. I'm turning off all the lights. We're visiting the library. I'm stocking up on ramen. And I'm making a donation to my local public radio station.

+++++++

If you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

+++++++

Here's one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs. May we all find shelter from the storm.

Frugal Friday

Warning: Especially if you are a man this post could qualify as too much information.

I'm a Diva!

Last month I bought a Diva Cup. I hesitated before I bought the cup. I'd seen these cups at the health food store. I discounted them as hippie contraptions that wouldn't work and waste my money.

Then I read many many glowing internet reviews. I liked the idea of it; the idea of an environmentally-friendly replacement for maxipads and tampons. And I found a great deal at South Coast Shopping. I decided to give it a go.

My hair didn't instantly dread. My armpits didn't sprout mini-bushes. I didn't start seeking patchouli like a vampire seeks blood. No. Instead I am that woman in a flowing dress running, skipping and jumping through a field of flowers. A light scarf flutters in the breeze behind me. Okay since it's autumn I donned a pair of tights, clogs and a handknit sweater. But you get my point. I feel FRESH! And CLEAN! I love it!

The insertion was a bit awkward. You fold it into a U-shape, insert then twist so it will pop open. I wasn't sure it was placed right. I wasn't sure it popped. I wasn't sure it was going to work. But it did. No leaks. And it's comfortable - I nearly forgot it was there. You can sleep with it in. And you can run and jump through a field of flowers.

I strongly recommend you give it a try. The best price I found was at South Coast Shopping. Google South Coast Shopping plus coupon for even deeper discounts. (And no I'm not getting paid in any way for this promotion).

Keep in mind there are two different sizes of cups - buy the one that is right for you. It's a frugal, environmental and clean choice!

++++++++

Back to the razors (for the last time). My razor lasted three weeks. I think it would've lasted longer had I not accidentally left it in the shower. I will continue to religiously dry it after each use.

I also found a great deal on razors this week. My local grocery store had a handle and set of three razors on sale for $5.69. Then they had a manufacturer rebate for $5.00. Razors for twenty-five cents a-piece; heck yeah! I immediately filled out the rebate form when I got home and stuck it in the post box.

Was it worth it? I figure it took about ten minutes to fill out the form, cut out the upc symbol and mail it. Ten minutes = $5.00 or $30.00 per hour. It's worth it to me. And with my razors lasting three to four weeks - even better.

++++++++

Now here's the part of my day that bordered on cheap vs frugal. The envelope I used to mail the rebate was sent to me as a self-addressed stamped envelope for a promotion. I wasn't interested in the promotion but saved the envelope because it was a perfectly good stamp. I simply taped a new address over the old. Voila! Forty-cents saved. A penny saved ...

+++++++

And a realization. You've probably read that dryer sheets can be used for dusting and cleaning. It occurred to me these don't have to be unused sheets. I pop them in the dryer and they do their job. Then as I'm folding laundry I pull out the dryer sheet and dust something. Anything. Double-duty for the dryer sheet and my house is slightly cleaner to boot.

+++++++

And finally - a healthy frugal recipe. This is the meal we pull out when we don't know what's for dinner. It's quick, easy, healthy and inexpensive. The ingredients can be kept on hand in the pantry and freezer. And it's tasty too.

Ingredients:
Brown rice
Frozen stir-fry veggies (I like the kind with asparagus)
Cashews
Soy Sauce
Olive Oil (optional)

Make rice according to package directions (a rice cooker is great here). Place veggies in a large saute pan with small amount of olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook until heated through. Add a splash of soy sauce - cook until reduced slightly.

Plate rice and veggies. Top with cashews. Serve.

+++++++++
Thank you everyone for all your well-wishes about my dog. She's still missing. We're headed back to the Humane Society today.

It's raining here. We're all cozy inside with apple cider, soft blankets and knitting. I only hope 'Tosh is somewhere cozy too.

Happy Friday!

Love Thursday

"Old dogs, like old shoes, are comfortable. They might be a bit out of shape
and a little worn around the edges, but they fit well."

-- Bonnie Wilcox 'Old Dogs, Old Friends'

We have three dogs. Two younger mutts and a geriatric border collie - Natasha. ‘Tosh is skinny and feeble. She eats and sleeps, eats and sleeps and has accidents in our laundry room. Monday night I was cleaning yet another mess and thought to myself I’d be nice to have my laundry room back. You see, Natasha is not long for this world. She’s old and deaf and does not respond if in a deep sleep. We lean in close and stare at her chest waiting for the rise and fall. We’ve wondered how she will fare through the winter.

And then Tuesday night she disappeared. This a dog who never leaves the back patio let alone the yard. She’s arthritic and weak. I can’t imagine she’d go far. We searched the yard. Of course it was dark and none of our flashlights worked. So I marched around the yard with my laptop as a light source. Fortunately a kind neighbor loaned me a flashlight but the search was fruitless.

Our house is flanked by an empty lot. Yesterday I searched the lot looking for her body. No luck. We went to the humane society - no ‘Tosh. I called work (The Animal Emergency Center) - not there. I put an add on Craigslist and filed a missing dog report. Today we put up flyers.

I am concerned. But my concern is different than if I were looking for a younger dog. I’m more worried about her being alive than dead. I don’t want her cold, hungry and wet. I don’t want her scared. I want her to be safe whether that is in life or death.

Today I have my laundry room back. But the house is lonely. So we will continue to search for our sweet old dog whom we’ve known and loved since she was a puppy. And we will continue to hope she is safe, one way or the other.

+++++++

Happy Love Thursday!

I hope each and every one of you knows the love of a good dog.

On Risk Taking . . .

"And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." --Anais Nin

"Do what you love and the money will follow." --Marsha Sinetar

"A little bit added to what you've already got gives you a little bit more." --P.G. Wodehouse

+++++++

I've decided to open an Etsy shop for a few of my handmade items.

The very first item to be listed is this Earflap Baby Hat for little ones 3 mo to 18 mo. It's knit with superwash wool (i.e. warm, soft and washable) and it's lined with softer than soft fleece. As baby grows the fleece lining can be removed allowing the hat to expand and fit a larger head.


Go check it out if you are so inclined. :o)
+++++++++

Do you believe in fate? My left brain does not. And yet, when I'm thrifting, my right brain takes over. I expect things to jump out at me; to say "Here I am! You came for me today." I ask the universe to show me the way.

And so here are some items from my latest thrifting binge:




A book on writing, a book on simple abundance and joy and a pile of new fabric. I wonder where they will lead ...