My new way of thinking...................

How many times have we gone shopping only to get to the check out and be shocked by the total cost?
I say something is only $30.00 and buy it. (Doesn't sound like much does it?) Do that a few times and you spent so much more then you intended.  How about if we say this is 2 hours of work? To me, paying 2 hours of work for something I don't need makes me think twice about buying it.

Old scenario;
I would love so much to have that new bedding set for $60.00. I know I have lots of good blankets at home but, this one is so pretty. I buy it !!!!!!!!!
($60.00 wasted)

New scenario; 
I would love to have that new bedding set for 4 hours of work.  Hmmm, I don't like it that much to work 4 full hours for it and I have plenty of perfectly good blankets at home. The bedding set stays in the store for the next person.
($60.00 saved)

If I look around my home and think of things as "hours worked" rather then the price I paid, I can find a lot of things that would not be here.

I feel so good when I make something I need rather then buying it already made. Such as; Laundry gel and softener. I bought a years worth of supplies to make my own for $20.00 including the softener.

I wonder how many things you would buy if you thought about it as "hours worked"?  The next time you go shopping, challenge yourself to see if you still buy things for "hours worked" rather then a price tag.
Let us know how many things you did not buy.

Reusing old sheets and other used material

I love to reuse what I can. When our sheets are no longer used for our beds or if they go on clearance, This is what becomes of them.

Child's flannel nightgown;
I found flannel sheet sets on clearance at my local walmart. I bought twin, full and king sizes (the queen I kept for my bed) for $7.00 each.
I made my granddaughter this nighty with the twin set and she just loves it. I have tons of fabric left over so I paid about $3.00 for her nighty. I can not find these in the stores, online they are about $40.00 to $50.00 each. What a bargain !!!

Rag rugs;

Made out of old sheets that are no longer used on our beds. They may not be good for the bed but are wonderful for the floors and those dirty little feet prints.

Simply cut your cloth in 1/4 or 1/2 inch strips, cut a small slit in each end and slip knot them together (you can also sew the ends together). You can braid them or crochet them. Either way they look nice.

They are machine washable and have lasted me about 3 years so far.

Happy recycling !!!!!!!!!

A little more about me

We were living in a lovely, good size 8 room single family home. My husband and I moved to a small unappealing 4 room apartment for a couple reasons. First reason, we manage 2 building for the owner and therefore get a huge discount on the rent and second, We want to change our lifestyle to be more frugal and self reliant. We would like to learn to live in small spaces, Purchase less electrical gadgets and learn to make do with what we have. We are using our time and savings to purchase items that could be used "off grid". Learning to make our necessities rather then run to the store for every (what we think) is a needed item.
I have learned that I can clean my home with very few cleaning items. I now know what food supplies are best to stock up on. Gas prices are rising more and more every day. I love that we no longer have to run to the store for a loaf of bread. I can make my own and know what's in it. 
    I will be blogging about my new challenges, both successes and failures. Along with the challenges that I have overcome along the way. I look forward to any and all ideas any of you may have. Your input is very important to me so please comment!!!!!!!

This is my first day of blogging....

I have had many request to blog, So here I am. I am a mother of 4, grandmother to 8 wonderful children. I have been married for 24 years and would not want it any other way.
       My dream is to one day live a self sufficient life style in every way possible. I love to make do with what we have and I spend my days looking for ways to save a buck in our everyday living.
I love taking other folk's trash, fixing it up and finding a use for it. I am not interested in shiny new things, I like everything in my home to be of some use in one way or another. If someone comes into my home and is afraid to touch something or does not feel comfortable then, I am doing something wrong.
So, come in and put your feet up and together we can learn ways to make life a bit more simple and pleasant....My carbon foot prints will be few and my joys in life will be many.