Can You Make It Instead of Buy It?


Surprisingly, YES

Once or twice a week, after my dogs are done, I break out the old cookbook I got from my mom and bake our bread.



Big deal, right? Well, when you are talking 8 to 10 loaves a week, at a savings of about a dollar a loaf, it can add up over time. I like to bake 4 loaves at a time, both to save on energy and my back! I found an old recipe for mayonnaise. Our family goes through mayonnaise fairly quickly, so it is cost effective to make my own. I had never thought of doing it before, but it is much cheaper. Easier on the environment, too.



We get our eggs from a local farmer at a substantial savings, and you don't have to use the most expensive oil, so it is quite cost effective. To buy in the store, costs probably 3.50 a jar. The same amount home made is about 1.00 a jar. Again, if its something you use a lot of, why not try making it yourself? It doesn't take long.
 
Hmmmm, To Bulk or Not To Bulk?


What an ODD Question

A word about bulk purchases. I find that this can be good, but also bad. Some things, like toilet paper, can be purchased in bulk at a substantial savings. Non-perishable, always needed. Good idea. If you are like us, though, purchasing food in bulk is NOT always a good idea. Canned goods are not only expensive for what you get, they are often not as nutritious. Frozen food can get forgotten in the bottom of the deep freeze, and then it is no saving at all. That's one thing we found was happening. We also realized that we were paying for electricity that was not being used effectively. When we turned off the freezer, our KWH (kilowatt hours) went down by 3 per day
 
My Cooking Confession


No Gourmet Zone

If you like frozen fish, like fish sticks (my kids loved them and it was about the only kind of fish they'd eat) a package that will last 2 or three suppers will keep in the small freezer section of the fridge until they are all gone. I find we don't need 4 or 5 different meats. We have one or two, and mix them around. We alternate cooked veggies with salads and potatoes with rice. I find that waste is substantially reduced this way



Again, a big savings can be had when you make your own, homemade salad dressing. Those store bought ones are outrageously expensive. You don't have to be restricted to oil and vinegar, either. Remember, you're making mayonnaise now and you can make stuff like "Thousand Island" (which is sort of a kid dressing). (I'm sure there is a gourmet out there who may one day read this and and roll their eyes), but I find many folks just don't know how to do much basic cooking anymore. Or it just never occurred to them that they could make it themselves.



Hey, lets face it. I have to face it. Ok, here's my confession. Wait for it: Cooking was just never my thing. I can do it, but it is pretty much a necessity. I like things that are easy, and I know I'm not the only one. Trick is to find things that are:



1.easy

2.inexpensive

3.nutritious (not necessarily in that order).



My dad makes some wonderful homemade soups. I have asked him to post his own lens with some of his best recipes. Now he is the king of living on a shoestring.His soups are very nutritious, not expensive to make, but best of all DEEELICIOUS! When he gets his lens done, IF HE DOES, I'll post a link!
 
Wonder of Modern Technology


And How to Use it To Your Advantage

This brings me to another item that can be a financial drain, but used well can save you money. The cell phone.



Ah, the cell phone, not just a luxury item any more. Do I really need all the bells and whistles? No. Do I need to chat for hours a day on one? No.



Now that we have those two things established, what is needed? We live in a rural area. We try not to make unnecessary trips. We feel its wise to have a way of contacting each other in case of emergency, considering the large distances. Besides this, my husband needs to be available for his clients at a moments notice.



Enter the cell phone. Pay as you go. No contracts. A low cost phone and 15 bucks every two months. Fortunately, we can also claim a portion as a business expense! Bonus!



Now, how can having a cell phone have to do with not having a freezer and not buying in bulk? I call hubby on his way home if I discover I'm running out of milk or we need a fresh lettuce for supper.
 
The Small Blanket Principle


Or, How To Juggle

Small purchases of everyday needs, such as the milk or lettuce brings me to another vital way of "making" money.



We all know, well at least anyone who has gotten this far in my lens will know, that dealing with money is often a case of managing what we have at this minute and juggling things around to make ends meet.



Sort of like sharing a small blanket with two people. There will likely NEVER be enough to cover everything. Sometimes, your toes will be cold, sometimes his elbow. By moving that blanket skillfully, you can ensure that nobody's butt is exposed!
 
 
 
Balance is hard to maintain, even IF you attain it!


The Piggy Bank Principle

Little Things Mean A Lot

Some people hold onto their bills, thinking, "I don't have enough to pay that this week." So they wait. They try to pay off large amounts.



This rarely works. Usually, if there is money in your pocket, it will be spent on whatever is needed and the bills get bigger and bigger.



Here's where the blanket analogy comes in. Instead of buying in bulk, or getting a large grocery order once a week, much of which may well be wasted, buy just what you need for a day or two, and spend the difference keeping all your bills at a manageable size. Its an awful lot easier to part with 50 dollars on your electricity bill than 200. Keep moving the "blanket" around so that most "parts" are kept warm, and you never expose yourself to a really bad or unmanageable situation.



This is, simply put, the principle applied in a credit counselling service.Its all about management. Hey, bet you'd never thought you'd be in management?!
 
Ever Find Money In The Wash?


Did You Know Your Dryer Wasn't Eating Just Your Socks?

Back to money "making" suggestions.



When our dryer died, we decided not to replace it. (We haven't actually given it a decent burial yet) Let me tell you, it didn't owe us a penny. We bought it nearly 6 years earlier for 50 bucks!



Anyway, we dry stuff on the line outside and in the winter, in the house near the woodstove. My husband rigged up a special line.



Yes, it is a bit of a nuisance when you are used to a dryer, but it doesn't take long to get used to the savings.



Just a word. I draw the line at washing machines. I INSIST on having one. My husband goes through a lot of work clothes, so hand washing is just not cost effective or efficient. So there!



We got a high efficiency unit, and it ain't going anywhere! We noticed a drop in electricity consumption at this point too. Yeah for the environment, as well.
 
A Little "Sock" Joke (Pun Definitely Intended)


Question: Ever wonder what happens to socks when they disappear in the laundry?



Answer: I don't know about in your house, but in mine, they are re-incarnated as

plastic grocery bags!!!

Pay To Click?


How About - Get Paid to Pick (up)?

One final idea that I want to share comes from these pay to click sites.



Yeah okay, go ahead and click and make a few pennies when you are online. Better than sitting in front of a TV set and making nothing.



I have a better idea though.



For 5 or 10 cents each, you can pick up refundable bottles and cans you find. It is also great for the environment, and good for your health when you are out in the fresh air getting your exercise!
 
 
My daily routine


Actually, "pseudo-routine" would be more accurate.

The marvellous thing about working at home, whether at a business, or making it your business to "make" money by making it go further, is the FLEXIBILITY. You have complete control over your schedule. (well, maybe mommies not so much when kids are little or in school). I don't go by someone else's clock or schedule. (Come to think of it, I don't go by a clock or schedule of my own. That's why I like having appointments, so I have a client to answer to!)



What energy I do have, I tend to have early in the day and like to make my client bookings in the morning. Of course, at some times of the year, I don't have much choice, but when business is a little slower, I like take advantage of my natural energy cycle,or rather, my naturally low energy reserves. Sorry, no supermom here.



I can set my own hours, and a lot of my money MAKING work can be done AROUND my money SAVING work. I am at home.That means a savings of time. Wheels within wheels!



It means that I besides making it my business to save money, I can spend a little time in volunteering work. This gets you out of the house, if you are getting a little stir crazy and you can take your little ones, (if you still have them) to play groups.
 
 
My tips for keeping a good work-life balance from home


Work life balance, for me, is a moot point. It sort of works itself out, simply because of the control I have over my work and my hours of business.



This year, I was thrilled to be able to volunteer to help my daughter's cosmetology class raise funds for their annual field trip. It felt so good to be a part of her life like that. There was no way I ever had the time or flexibililty to do that when I worked for companies. Yes, I made good money, but the balance was NOT there. My kids were growing up without me.



Combining a work at home opportunity with a more "traditional" lifestyle, has been working for me now for 3 years. Its great, and I hope many others, especially moms find just the right situation so they can be there for their children.