A Frugal Christmas

    Well, here it is...December 27, 2011. Christmas is now a memory, but this is about the time many people start dreading those credit card bills that will soon be flooding mailboxes all over the world. I am proud to say that my mailman will not be delivering any to me! I do not, and never did, have any credit card debt. Is it possible to live in a world where credit is such a norm that it is almost expected in every household?
   Believe it or not, there are others like me out there, though as few and far between as they may be. I made the decision along time ago that if I can not pay for it right then in cash then it will have to wait until I can. But usually, I will have thought it through later, and realized I didn't really need the item/service anyway. It's amazing how much money you can save by taking the time to think these things over before forking out the cash/credit for them.
   I prefer to search out better bargains, and there usually is a better deal somewhere. I love utilizing our local Freecycle groups ( these are on Yahoo! Groups, where you can post your needs or wants for totally FREE items. No shipping involved, as recipient will pick it up at giver's home.) I have found many things to set up a home and most of my findings were in impeccable condition. My home looked really nice and you would never know that I paid almost next to nothing for the furnishings. What I could not find free, I was able to obtain through thrift shops and yard sales. So, you know, if getting these things are so easy, you can't beat it come Christmas time.
  My son and I have no problem with second-hand items. So, to stretch my Christmas budget, I also utilized Listia.com. This is an auction site, pretty much like eBay, yet no cash is exchanged (unless they charge a shipping fee). To win the auctions, you instead bid with credits you earn on the site by posting things you would like to get rid of and others bid on it with their credits. You would be amazed at some of the things you can find on the site... designer colognes/perfumes, name brand clothing with the tags still on them, collector items, the list goes on and on.
  So with my credits saved up, I bid on many items. And, of course, as with any auction, you win some, you lose some...but in the end, my son had many gifts under the tree for little to no cash. I did indulge him some with a brand new skateboard, several books he had been wanting, and he is a big fan of Axe products, so with the help of some amazing coupons, he is stocked up on those for a while.
  I was badly in need of a new printer, and was looking to get a webcam to make videos, so since I had finished my Christmas shopping way under budget, I searched out some great deals and got both, with still a little to spare. So that money was given to my son to add to his Christmas funds. I was pleasantly surprised with a new Hamilton Beach slow cooker and the new movie, The Help. I had been searching online for the best deals on it, but knew if I was going to buy it, I would be doing so when it finally hits the $5 rack at Wal-Mart. So, my son was excited that he was able to get it for me. Bless his heart.
  All in all, we kept within a frugal budget and still had a wonderful Christmas. He was very excited with everything Santa had left him under the tree. It was a wonderful Christmas, indeed.

It"s A Start

Well, here it is, 3:20 a.m., and all I can do is think of ways to save money. Not that we are struggling at the moment, but I know that in a few months it may be that way...again.
My son and I just moved back to Idaho earlier this month from Indiana, and I will admit that it was hard making ends meet there. I am a disabled, very seperated, single mother and for the past few years, we basically lived on the border of being dirt poor. Child support....what's that? Good luck with getting my soon-to-be ex to step up and take care of that. So, I have done without many things...clothes, necessities, excitement...to make sure that my son had what he needs and to provide a few of his wants. I am so blessed to have a child that accepts that sometimes we have to make do with what we have. I'm sure he doesn't like hearing that as much as I hate having to say it...but it is what it is.
I have utilized resources, such as Freecycle and the internet (I just love Amazon.com!), as well as our local library, to learn as much as I could on becoming more frugal. During my studying, I have discovered that I truly love to save money. I have never been a "Hey, let's go to the mall!" kind of gal anyway, so saving money is a little easier for me.
Now, since we have returned to the state we both love, and the friends that we consider our true family, we are happier than we have been in so long. And that, to me, means more than you can imagine.
We had to sacrifice nearly all of our belongings to move here, but it has been worth it. It is all just material belongings, replacable. But our happiness and well-being rates much higher than any of that other stuff possibly can.
My goal for us is going to be challenging, at the least. We are currently roomies with dear friends, but I hope for us to have enough money saved up by Spring to start actively searching for a home of our own. I would love to find a small fixer-upper to rent, possibly do a contract for deed, and have a yard just big enough for my son to play without trampling my dream garden.
So, that is where this blog will begin...at the first steps to starting over here in Idaho and working toward our own self-sufficiency. It will be wonderful to take you along on our journey!