Just a teensy-weensy, itty bitty, little frugal living discovery

So this has been an extremely rough week.  After several unexpected expenses (part of life, duh, i know), the final one tipped us over the edge.  Our a/c stopped working & it's August in Kansas City.  That means we had to fix it.  Thankfully, it wasn't a huge expense this time.  ((although we have been warned that our 30-40 year old furnace, ahem, needs replaced.))  However, the one thing plus the one thing plus the one thing plus the one thing... well, they added up.  And that equals us being more broke than usual.  I seriously had $20 to get us through more than a week for groceries and we are a family of 7.  ((yesterday I found a $10 buried in my purse!  yay!  but that's just a side note)) 

So this week was ALL about stretching the last of what's in my freezer and cabinets.  Lots of lessons learned here.  Number 1 is that I will not let my staples run this low again.  I was already short on some things that I normally have around.  So not good timing.  (is it ever good timing to be broke?)  It's a very scary feeling when you are a mommy to wonder how to stretch that last bit of milk, fruit, veggies.    Yesterday, my daughter cheerfully said "hey, we are like the family in Mr. Popper's Penguins!" (the book, not the movie) when I said we were having beans and rice.  Mr. Popper had a seasonal job.  Therefore, in the off- months, they had to eat a LOT of rice and beans.  It made me happy to hear her perspective on it.  And the thing is, at least we KNOW we have a paycheck coming.  I figure there are plenty of families in the world who do not know where their next meal is coming from.  So our minimal suffering was just that:  minimal.   (try telling that to a 6 year old who wants more milk though!)

Here's the teensy-weensy, itty bitty, little frugal living discovery that I made this week though.  Miniature chocolate chips.  Ok, does that sound like a necessity when you are broke?  Not really.  However, one thing I have found is that when I am trying to stretch that last bit of grocery money, I tend to bake more often for the kids.  (ok, for me too).  The good news is that I had these wonderful little gems in my cabinet already.  Here's what I found.  These little things go SOOOOO much further than normal chocolate chips!  I have now baked 4 things with a normal sized bag and there are STILL some left.  I don't think I will buy regular sized chocolate chips ever again. 

This may not seem like the most important frugal living tip in the world.  It's not.  I admit that.  I have posted about some of my other frugal tips in the past.  Maybe more important ones like crockpot chickens, dried beans, rice.    However, when you are raising a family on one modest income, you try to get creative.  You try to cut corners where you can.  Yet you still need treats!  Don't you?  Well, I do.  And my kids do.    And I have been thrilled that I could bake for them & give them some goodies this week.  Payday is in 2 short days & then we will get to live it up with lots of fruit & veggies again! In the meanwhile, we'll eat some jello with grapes & marshmallows.  And quite possibly a smore with graham crackers, marshmallows, and mini-chocolate chips.  Yum. 

My kids like ramen noodles... GASP!

Ok all you health nuts out there, go ahead and smack me.... (verbally, since we are just here online). My kids like, no actually, they LOVE ramen noodles. They request them (and receive them) about once per week. I know that there are a LOT more healthy options out there. However, my kids eat healthy most of the time. And truth be told, I like the effect that ramen noodles have on my wallet.

Anyway, sometimes I eat them with them. Occasionally, they sound kind of tasty to me as well. Not that often though. I had plenty of ramen during college. Sometimes I try to doctor them up though in order to make them more tasty.

  Here's what I did today & I must say that it was a hit. And even I LOVED them.... 1 package shredded carrots 1 small onion Coconut oil Approx. 1 T of peanut butter Lime Juice Fresh Cilantro 6 packages of Beef Ramen Saute the carrots & onion in the coconut oil. Add the cooked noodles, lime juice, seasoning packets, fresh cilantro. Voila! This seriously tasted like something from Noodles & Co (our family favorite!)

Oh How I Love the Pitter Patter of Little Feet

It happens without realization. The sound of pitter patter becomes the sound of kids growing up. My 5, almost 6 year old, no longer pitter patters down the hallway when he gets up in the morning. I don't even remember when it stopped. It just suddenly hits you that it no longer has that baby/toddler/little one sound to it anymore. Thankfully, sixteen months ago, I had a wonderful oopsie-baby & get to hear that pitter patter every morning when Ella wakes up. It's a beautiful sound.

Stepping Stones Post

IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE MY DOOR: It's a perfect 72 degree-makes-you-have-spring-fever-and-crave-an-adult-beverage kind of day.

IN AM LISTENING: to my boys in their bedroom playing with their friend Jake. I just missed part of what Jake was saying, but it was something about his mom pouring cereal into water, then into milk & I think he said put it in the freezer???? yuck.

I AM WEARING: capri pants even though my legs haven't been shaven in TOO long... spring is here, time to shave daily again! :-)

I AM PONDERING: an email that was sent to me today regarding one of my kids & something that her 1st grade daughter claimed happened & didn't. It's a little upsetting. I don't like my kids having other kids lie about them. I trust my kids. I know they are kids. They make mistakes. They try to get out of trouble, but this is different. I don't like it.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR: my dad & mom. they always put us kids first. today my dad came up, all the way from smallville to put a belt in my dryer. what a great dad! i'm so blessed.

I AM READING: Bleak House by Charles Dickens. It's good, thought I don't love it as much as David Copperfield, but I think I like it more than Great Expectations.

I AM THINKING; that it is 4:51 pm and i have no ideal what I am making for dinner!!!!!

I AM CREATING: well, i started knitting a headband about 2 months ago.... someday I would like to finish it.

I AM LEARNING; that life isn't always fair, but we still have to make the best of it.

I AM PRAYING: for my neice chelsa who has to have a mammogram this week.

AROUND THE HOUSE: as usual, chaos. someday the kids will be grown & gone & it will be clean & lonely.

FROM THE KITCHEN: it's a rough week or two on the budget for food... no idea what to make tonight. perhaps pasta with chicken.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: the Brookside st. Patrick's day warm-up parade just happened last weekend. it was tough this year though because Patrick had to work so I was on my own with 5 kids.

THIS WEEK: co-op, parks, library, doctor, school, hmmmm am i forgetting anything?

More of Frugal Living

I realized after my rambling post yesterday that tips on living more frugally may be better in small bites. So I am going to try to post more frequently (no REALLY) with a few tips at a time.
SALTINES!!!!! What a wonderful inexpensive snack!!! Ok, I will be honest, I love the GOOD, pricey, fancy crackers... There are so many that I love, my favorites being those rice crackers. Yum. (which you CAN buy a little more cheaply at Trader Joe's). However, when feeding a family of 7, those do not stretch very far. If I buy the generic brand or aldi brand of saltines, I am looking at approximately $1. My kids often will have peanut butter on them (another staple) or I will have Nutella on them (not exactly on my budget-friendly budget items... but I am weak, what can I say). My 1 year old will eat them plain. I even used them in soup last week! Ok, that may not sound like a big deal, however, my family is spoiled. I often make homemade bread with soup. Or if it is a southwestern or Mexican type soup, we will have tortilla chips with it. Growing up, soup meant SALTINES! So I made my kiddos crush some up & put them in their soup. It was a broccoli cheese soup & it was quite tasty. And the saltines S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D the soup a little further. Who knew? (my mother knew, that's who!).
It's funny, when I am doing these frugal things, I see so much of what my mom did when I was growing up. I had no idea she was so good at stretching that grocery budget. Now she is my hero!