Living Life in Rural Iowa

Would you like to hear what is wrong with our country right now? Most people expect to have their lives handed to them. They expect to have to work as little as possible and get the most money they can. They expect to have grand benefits without having to pay for them. They expect to graduate high school/college and automatically have a better standard of living than their parents. They want really nice things without having to save up for them or work up to them. Trust me, I know. I once had that mindset. Not to the degree that I see now from young people, but it was there. I thought I could do a little work and get by with it. That all changed when I found myself married with little ones, going to college, and working three part-time jobs just to get by with what my then husband was doing: working a full-time job, going to school, and coaching. We found ourselves knee-deep in debt and struggling to pay even minimum payments. The good life is what you make of it, but teaching

I love getting up early on Saturday mornings. I love the quiet and the fact I do not have to go to work! I usually take some time to do a little reading, relaxing, starting any baking/cooking for the day and the next week. This weekend I am away from home, but I still have my early morning quiet to read and have a cup of tea. Here are some of the links to things I have been reading that you may enjoy also! 25 DIY Weekend Preparedness Projects by Food Storage and Survival   - Sometimes some of the projects we would like to do for bring prepared seem huge, but these projects are very manageable! 99 Capacities Series - Capacity #54: Hide Critical Supplies From Looters by reThinkSurvival.com   - Before some of you think I am getting extreme, read the article. I think it is just good advice for hiding valuables in any place. Easy Chicken and Vegetables in Foil by Organic Gardening   - I love grilling so I can not wait to try these out! They also look great for camping too! N

I know I have written before on saving money on groceries. As my life has revolved and my beliefs changed a bit, a few things have become clearer. I spend about $250-$300 a month on groceries. I am actually trying to drop that amount to $200 a month because I believe I can. I have a few ways that I have dropped my grocery bill to what it is now and I would love to share those with you. 1. Stop buying the crap. Yes, I said it. Stop buying the processed, pre-made, unhealthy crap for yourself and your family. Stop buying the soda, candy, fruit snacks, potato chips, cookies, crackers, juice, and whatnot. If it is packaged to appeal to kids, don't buy it. If it claims to be low-fat, low-sugar, and healthy for you, don't buy it. I can usually find ways to counter those claims for so-called "healthy" foods and you pay a lot for very little. 2. Eat foods that are created by nature. Most of the time they are cheaper. If they are not cheaper, they are healthier for you a

So I have been a little lax on keeping everyone updated about our little slice of heaven. I have been getting some things done and refiguring how I am doing other things. In a nutshell, here is what has been happening: 1. I made more laundry detergent because I let both buckets run out. I hinted some time ago I was changing up the recipe for the laundry detergent and I will let you all in on the new recipe possibly this week. 2. I made my own eye cream! This is so amazing to me, I can't even begin to describe it. I am super psyched about it though. I love it already and it was super simple. Again, I will let you in on that recipe soon! 3. I am getting one thing crossed off the bucket list : the front and back hallways are getting remodeled. Sheet rock has been torn off, some new insulation put up, new sheet rock put up, mudding and taping has been done, and some problems have been identified and dealt with. We did hire someone to do this and I am glad because this might have

Today's frugal tip is not so much frugal as it is just plain needed. Spend time with your minions, ummm...children! I call my kids minions from time to time because we love that movie, Despicable Me. And, sometimes, it fits. As they are growing up more and more, I have learned something. Spend time with them and let them know you care. Love on them. Listen to them. This is the most frugal thing you could do as a parent as it costs nothing but your time and your heart. They will be more secure with themselves and the world because they know you love them. Sometimes, they will remember that love and caring when they get into tough situations and it will help get them through. It also might stop you from completely melting when you think about having one graduate from high school, two with drivers' licenses, three who can look you in the eye, and four who might be too smart for their own good. Just saying. Thanks for reading! Have a great day! Erica