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Sunday, January 1, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR! NOW IT'S TIME TO GET TO WORK

Happy New Year, dear friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. 
The Dawn of a New Year
I love starting the new year with a clean slate, don't you? Just let go of all the mistakes of the past year and move forward.  After all, when you come to think of it, that is all we can do.  No good comes from obsessing over the should-ofs-could-ofs.  Some people say they don't make resolutions because they are just going to break them anyway.  What a defeatist attitude!  Everyone should have goals, otherwise you're going about life aimlessly.  One of the things people often ask me is  when did we start planning for Ran's retirement.  The answer often surprises them;  we started planning on the day we were married at age nineteen and twenty-one.  We had three goals for our marriage; to have lots of children, to put them through college without them incurring a lot of student loan debt, and for Ran to retire at age fifty-five.  Every decision we made in life, whether it was the homes or cars we bought or if we took a vacation, was based upon those goals.  So yes. having a plan is important in life.  As the saying goes, those that fail to plan, plan to fail.

GOALS

My goals are just the usual to save money, lose weight, exercise more. I also have some for spiritual growth and some silly personal ones, such as, learn to do something with my hair.  How I approach my goals is to start a notebook or journal for each of them.  I keep a very precise notebook for expenditures that lists where every dollar goes.  I can already see that our pets are costing us a lot more money than expected.  We will have to find cheaper alternatives for their  food.  One year I discovered that we spent around $30 a month on postage, what with children and grandchildren living in other states, and mailing of Christmas packages.  That was an expense, that we hadn't even budgeted for, but there it was, equivalent to our heating bill!  We now cut down on sending little packages throughout the year, and we send a card with money in it in lieu of a present, which I suspect thrills them more anyhow.

To keep me on track for dieting I write out a week's menu with all the calorie counts for everything.  These days with the internet, it's easy enough to figure out the calories in food. Sometimes the menu needs to be juggled, as it did this week because we needed to use the mushrooms before they went bad, but overall having a plan helps to keep me on track. I also write down a daily checklist of exercise and my health regime.  Just having to write it down, keeps me more mindful of it.  I also make a chart for weight loss.  Seeing the graph slope down is all the incentive I need.  I'll do anything to keep it from going up! Although there  are some long flat lines on that chart! Ha!

GROCERY SHOPPING

Another goal for the year is to be more mindful of our grocery  expenditures.  I set a budget of $150 a month for us three adults.  Right of the bat, I'm going to say, that please do not compare your budget to my budget.  Everyone is different.  I happen to have a large garden and can all  year round, you may not.  On the other hand, you might live in an area where you can garden for a longer growing season, than I, so you have access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the Winter.  I am not opposed to using canned, dried, frozen and root cellared vegetables when the fresh ones run out at the end of the month, you might think a daily serving of nine fresh vegetables is a must.  You might have a special dietary needs or a husband that demands meat at every meal. :)  Or will morally only eat free-range meat and eggs. Just to say, comparing yourselves to others, when it comes to budgeting just results in feeling discouraged. The goal is to set a realistic budget and stick to it.  Here's my big haul for the month:
For a grand total of $103.34.
Which leaves me with approximately $15 a week for  final three weeks for green leafies.  BTW, during the winter, I stretch my green leafies by adding my own sprouts to the greens.  We have a lot of citrus  left over from Christmas and our own apples for fruit plus plenty of our own berries and peaches canned and frozen. 

Wise grocery shopping takes time and I allow myself a day for it. It is worthwhile for us to drive the forty-five miles to a bulk food store and the Amish discount.

BTW, a note on discount stores: not all the food is out of date, sometimes it's just unusual things that don't sell (like the tuna packed in it's own oil that had a 2019 expiration date) and sometimes it's because the package gets crushed, (I  do not buy any dented cans), and other times the expiration date makes little difference to us (I defy anyone to tell that the K-cups were one month past their freshness date).

 After I get back home, I prep the foods to make it convenient to use throughout the month, by browning the sausage and hamburg, separating larger quantities into smaller freezer bags, washing the fruits, etc. Obviously, if you look at the picture, you will see things that are unnecessary, after all, we really don't need those K-cups ($2.50/ dozen),  and the cookies were in lieu of a birthday cake. I always buy Jamie a small coconut cream pie for a special treat.  All in all, I'd say there were about $30 in purchases that weren't  really a necessity, but are bought just to make life nicer.  On the other hand, some of the meat purchases will be not only for this month but for the next one also.  The had a great sale on Hillshire smoked sausages at $2.99 for three one-pound rings.   We are not going to eat that much sausage in one month, but they will be used to make soup and baked beans for both January and February.  The bulk food store was having a sale on their deli meats, which meant  they had a good selection of deli ends and pieces , which they sell for $1.49/ lb.  I searched through the bags and found one with a good chunk of corned beef and other salami-type meats.  It ended up being over a pound of corned beef, which I cubed up and froze for hash or cream of Rueben soup. The salami was cut into cracker sized pieces for our Friday night card parties.  We make up a relish tray with sausages, cheese, dips and crudites on Friday and play card and board games.  It makes it more special, and it's a lot cheaper than going out.  All in all, I bought over twenty pounds of meat this month.  We have one of those vacuum sealers that we use for freezing  and storing.  An investment that I found to be worth the money if you shop the sales like I do. So there's some food for thought on grocery shopping!

 AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES

 I love the after-Christmas sales and budget for them.  I didn't need or want any wrapping paper, but usually I buy one roll that doesn't look too Christmasy  for wrapping birthday and other gifts.  The plain  metallic ones are good for that. I bought some Christmas candy at half-price.  They had cherry cordial Hershey's Kisses in pink wrappers that will be perfect for Valentines Day. We love to fill our candy dishes throughout the year (it's a grammy thing).  Did you know that hard candies can be put into vacuum sealed bags and they last indefinitely?  That's what we do.  I also buy beauty products that had been packaged in Christmas containers.  What do I care if my emery boards have snowflakes on them?  We buy nuts too.  The packaged tins of nuts are taken out of their packages, vacuumed sealed, and taken out as needed. Stored in a cool dry place they last quite a while this way.  And those special gourmet foods can be a deal at the half-off sales.  We bought a boxed set of four specialty  mustards for $3 and some fancy olives for a couple of dollars.  After we eat them, we put cheap canned  olives in the brine  and get another few month of  good olives from it. So be sure to check out the grocery stores too.  We also buy candles and books to be stored for gifts for next year.  I even buy myself a holidayesque t-shirt and a pair of Christmas socks at 75% off and pack them away for the following year's festivities.  It's always fun to rediscover the goodies come December.

RE-PURPOSING

Ran had a sweater that was looking kind of scruffy, but I loved the Fair Isle pattern, so I cut out the good pieces and made this wide headband.
It's really more like a headcovering.  Associating with so many Mennonites and Amish I am always sensitive to dress in a manner that isn't offensive to them, thus I wear skirts and headcoverings whenever I shop at their stores.  I'm becoming more and more convicted to dress even more modestly each passing wear.  Not that at my age, I'm worried about any fallen angel being attracted to my hair. HA! (How's that for a conspiracy theory, Sherri?)  But just part of my spiritual growth and understanding.  It's just one more piece in the puzzle for me.  Anyhoo, there was enough of the sweater  left over that Ran suggested that I make a dickie, which would work better than a scarf when out walking.  Very clever idea!  And here's a very good tutorial on how to make mittens from the sleeves, which is a popular re-purposing project.  You can get a lot of mileage from an old sweater.

RECIPE FROM THE PANTRY

I hadn't made tuna casserole in years, and I won't make it very often because I'm concerned about the radiation in the Pacific from Fukushima, but  every once in a great while I like to gamble with my health. Ha!  Tuna casserole used to be a menu staple when the boys were growing up, because most of the ingredients can be found right on the pantry shelf or fridge.  You can even substitute cans of evaporated milk and mushrooms if you don't normally have those things  fresh on hand.  Also, you can substitute cans of chicken for the tuna and use whatever crackers you have on hand for the topping.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

8 oz. noodles of your choice (I use seashells because they're cute)
3 tbsp. butter
1 C. chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp. chopped celery
2 tbsp. chopped onions
3 tbsp. flour
2 C. chicken broth
1 1/4 C. milk
2 6oz. cans tuna, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C crushed potato chips
1/2 C. grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 C. fine bread crumbs

Prepare noodle. Drain. Keep warm.
Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 2 qt. casserole dish.
Melt butter; add mushrooms, celery and onions and cook until tender.
Stir in flour. Gradually add broth and milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until thickened.
Pour into saucepan with noodle.  Add tuna,salt and pepper.  Spoon mixture into casserole.
Combine, chips, cheese and bread crumbs.  Sprinkle over casserole.
Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
THRIFTY THINGS WE HAVE DONE RECENTLY

After trying on every pair of frames at the eye doctors and not finding a single pair flattering, I tried on a pair at the thrift store and Ran said I looked cute in them (Jamie said I looked nice), so I had the eye doctor put my prescription in them.  It cost $90 for a new pair of lenses (I bought a special non-glare type that is supposedly good for astigmatisms) and they charge $10 for putting them into my frames.  The frames cost $1, so for $101, I got new glasses.

We used a gift certificate  combined with a rebate to purchase some luxuries for ourselves; gourmet olives, the chocolate chips that we love,  some fancy mustard (an after Christmas special) and some of Jamie's Maple Sleigh coffee. The store also had a 11% rebate on all purchases and a $3 rebate on the coffee.

Another thing we budget for, is the annual sales at the thrift stores.  The Salvation Army had all their clothes for 99 cents.  What I like about their sale is that you don't get the left overs.  They continuously bring out racks of new items throughout the sale. (more next week on how I manage and organize my wardrobe)

We gathered wood from the neighborhood to use in our wood stove.

We heated our home mainly with wood. Our heating bill  (which includes the gas for hot water) for December was $24.

Instead of going out to celebrate the New Year, we stayed home and played some board games.

Well, I'm sure there was plenty more thrifty things, but I have a bad memory!  My goal for this blog is always the same.  Just to be in some small way helpful and encouraging  in saving you  money.  If I've helped anyone save one dime this year, then I'm a success. Also, to encourage others to see that money doesn't buy happiness, the world is too wonderful  a place to let something like money keep you from enjoying it.  Happy New Year from the old Zempel boarding house, may it be the best one ever!

Hugs
Jane 
























52 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Jane! What a great way to start the year with all these terrific ideas! We are as you and Ran; we can and freeze a lot! One of the best things I've done I learned from you: can hamburgers! They are marvelous and I love having them so easily ready in a few minutes!

    Your grocery haul looks wonderful... I shop at Aldi's once a month and do very well! It makes it worth the drive (50 miles) to save several hundred dollars; we combine it with other trips and it doesn't seem like much of a hassle at all! I roasted a turkey that I got on sale (39-cents a pound!) yesterday. We will have many meals from it and the broth I made with the bones and leavings in my freezer. I keep a bag or jar in my freezer where I dump all my leavings worth keeping -- peels from carrots, onions, potatoes and so forth. Then, when I am ready to make broth, I just dump it in! Since I strain it, the broth is wonderful. wholesome, and cost me essentially nothing...

    Have a wonderful first week of a whole new year!

    as ever.. m

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    1. I do that too, Matty. Some of the best broths ever.
      Aren't canned hamburgers wonderful? Canning seems to bring out the beef flavor doesn't it?
      Are you keeping warm? It's supposedly in the 30s today, but gee whiz! the wind is wicked!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  2. What a treat to find a newsy post from you so early this Sunday 😄
    You are right that comparing grocery budgets is not a good thing. Groceries cost different in different places, some of us have many shopping options and others don't. My husband thinks our grocery budget is a lot for 2 people and it is, but days when just the 2 of us are the only eaters at our table are rare. Still, one of my 2017 goals is to lower our food spending.
    Other goals are to walk everyday, stitch everyday read my Bible everyday and to Internet surf a lot less 😱
    Have a good first week of 2017, friend.

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    1. It;s good to be back to regular posting, Rhonda! It seems that you rarely have just the two of you at your house and sometimes it looks like it's quite a crew! Your grandchildren are going to remember you as the fun grandma. How wonderful!

      Daily Bible reading is one of my goals too. This time I think I'll start in the New Testament and not get so bogged down in all the begets. Hoping you will have a joyful first week of 2017!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  3. Hi Jane! Your grocery "haul" looks so healthy! And the headband....they definitely are in style and that was a great idea. My eyes now look at food as calories. So I try to be careful by adding up as I go. If I decide to eat unhealthy, I still have to stop at those calories and just chalk up a piece of pie as my whole meal that meal! I always crave healthy meals after something like that. Your budget is amazing, but I can also see your hard work behind it. Your gardening, canning, re-purposing....you really should write a book. Smart idea to give cash instead of sending gifts. A good old-fashioned idea! (I do that too.) Well, enjoy your pretty winter skies! Hugs, Andrea

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    1. Ha! I understand completely about the pie, Andrea. Ran brought home some donuts the other day and that was it for me for the entire day. Just not worth it for the headache I got! I can't keep up with my grandkids likes, so money makes sense to me. By the time I buy the gift and send it out, their tastes change! SO this is going to be an exciting month for you! Hope you are having fun!
      Hugs
      Jane

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  4. Great post Jane! Once again, you've inspired me.

    Have a wonderful 2017 ~ FlowerLady

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  5. I agree about discount groceries. Lots of it is perfectly fine, though at ours, things like cereal and crackers are pretty much always out of date and stale. Canned & bottled goods are almost always good. Seeing your egg roll wrappers reminded me I had thought within the last few weeks to make & freeze egg rolls. I used to do this, but hadn't lately. I can through the winter too. We still have a bowl of our hot peppers & are thinking we'll make hot pepper jelly tomorrow. It is a lovely thing to have a bright, shiny new year ahead! Happy New Year!

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    1. Hi Laurie! People have to learn that the "use by" date doesn't necessarily mean the food is bad. So much food goes to waste in this country, it's a shame.

      I fill my egg rolls with a lot of sprouts. Which reminds me I need to make up a batch. It's always something!

      I need to can my pumpkins pretty soon before they start to rot. I like the convenience of having them canned, anyhow. Canning in the winter is a lot more pleasant than the summer! Hope your new year is off to a great start!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  6. What a great idea to use the sweater for your headband. I'm going to try and remember that. It feels good to start all over doesn't it? I think I can do better this year on my goals! P.s. I seen the Vernors in your shopping -We have some hid under the bed for when we need (or want) it. Have a great day!

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    1. They look pretty spiffy, Vickie. Vernors was on sale for 88 cents. It's the only pop Ran and Jamie drink. Got to have our little luxuries, don't we? Here's hoping we both do better on our goals!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  7. Here is the thriftiest way to have emery boards... Hugh makes mine, he has fine grit, really fine on one side, and slightly coarser on the other, glues the sanding paper to a thin slat, curves the ends, and VOILA..., they are all done.almost 6 inches long, and about 3/4 inch wide. Happy New Year to all at your home, and many good wishes for healthy, happy, loving 2017.

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    1. Pretty neat, Jean! Thanks for the frugal tip! Hope you are feeling better these days!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  8. I enjoyed your newsy account of your holidays, shopping, and cooking. 2017 began a little harder for me. Last week, I kicked off 5 months of pretty hard chemotherapy, after which I will have a double mastectomy. One day at a time is my goal this year. And I do appreciate all and any prayer! Best wishes to all in 2017!

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    1. Oh dear, Isabella! I'm sorry you have cancer. Of course you will be in my prayers. Hoping that you will fly through chemo and recover quickly. Wishing you courage!

      Prayer and HUgs
      Jane

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  9. Happy New Year! As always, an encouraging post and lots of food for thought (pun intended, lol!). Food is getting more and more expensive and I really need to get our groceries bill under control more.

    I always enjoy your posts so keep them coming!

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    1. Thanks Sandra! Hoping this week is going better for you.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  10. an inspiring post
    i don't do the 'new years resolutions' either, stopped those years ago when i wasn't getting anywhere with them, now i just try to get my goals done that i for what i need done, which out here is proving to be harder than expected, perhaps 2017 will be the year things get done
    you are right when you say everyone's budget is different but we can still get ideas from one another & inspiration
    have a great start to the new year
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Hi Selina! I guess rather than saying resolutions, we should say hopes and aspirations and what are our plans to reach them. Sometimes we fall short, but there's always a lesson in trying.Hope this will be the year for you!

      HUgs
      Jane

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  11. Happy New Year Jane! YOur post sure covered a lot of great information and ideas. I am really taken by that headband you made. Did you line the inside part that goes on your head with a saft flannel or fleece material? I'm just wondering because some kinds of wool really make me itch! I stocked up on some things that we use year round at the after Christmas sales. I tried to find the aloe infused socks at the after Christmas sales like I did last year, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Oh well, such is life. :) Be blessed!

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    1. Hi Debbie! The sweater wasn't wool, so I just folded it in half and sewed it into a tube, but fleece would be great for woolen ones. The after Christmas sales weren't as great as they were in other years, but who can resist getting the things they want and need for 1/2 price? I found Christmas socks with Corgis on them! Now that is a need! Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  12. Thanks for sharing your savings and the yummy recipe! Nice to be reminded of the old pantry classic...tuna casserole. Glad you had a nice first and found some good bargains. We too, stayed home playing board games for New Year's.
    Thanks for posting daily in December. I commented only few times because I was working on all my Christmas gifts! Small budget means homemade items and home-baked goodies...all well received, thankfully. My children have come to regard me as their personal tailor, which is affordable but time-consuming. :)
    Blessings on a new year, Leslie

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    1. Hi Leslie! It's good to be needed, even if it does involve tailoring! Ran has ordered some new mittens, so I'll be back to knitting again.

      I think homemade gifts are better anyhow. Nothing in the store compares, does it?

      Tuna noodle casserole is nice every once in a great while. Too bad it gets such a bad reputation. Hope the new year will be a pleasant one for you!

      HUgs
      Jane

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  13. Hi Jane! The sweater headband is a great idea. I always wear skirts, but I don't usually think about any head covering when I'm around the Amish folks. However, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Food for thought.

    Buying your frames at the dollar store was pretty brilliant. My last pair of glasses cost $500, but nine tenths of that was for the lenses. They're too expensive so I've worn them for 6 years. Now, a nose piece is missing so I'm back to wearing my last glasses before those. I'm supposed to have eye surgery this month, but I may decide not to do it. Decisions, decisions.

    Hope this is a great year for you and yours!
    Toni

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    1. Hi Toni! I'm pretty fortunate that I don't need any bifocals so my lenses are still affordable. Glasses are getting to be outrageous. I don't understand why they need to be that expensive. Hope your eye problem is nothing too serious.

      Did you have a nice Christmas?
      Hugs
      Jane

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  14. I am so delighted to find that your blog is up and running right now! For some reason, I thought you stopped writing a while back. This makes this a happy new year indeed!

    Looks like you made a great start with savings already after only one day of 2017!

    Becky

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    1. Hi Becky! Hope you are having fun in your new home. May this year be a great one!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  15. Happy New Year, Jane! All the best to you and yours. Enjoyed this post. You are very organized - we could all take a lesson on that subject, that's for sure.
    Sheila

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    1. Organization and thrift go hand in hand, Sheila, at least that is what I've discovered. I'm anticipating seeing some wonderful quilts from you this year!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  16. Great post, Jane! I loved your angels "dig" to me in your post. I actually got it. Ha Ha. I am from Southern Illinois and we have a huge Amish Community here--some literally in our own backyard! We have a salvage store that is run by an Amish family that has great deals. It's a real blessing. Your motivational post was just what I needed today. I look forward to more posts. Have a wonderful New Year! Sherri

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    1. I hope that you know that the "dig" was all in good fun, Sherri! Obviously you know a thing or two about conspiracy theories, to have gotten it. Not that I believe it's a conspiracy. I believe that Genesis 6 is true. Maybe that's where my reddish hair comes from. Maybe one of my ancient ancestors got too close to a fallen angel? Ha! Hope the first week of the new year is filled with blessings for you!
      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. I like your sense of humor and, yes, I knew it was all in good fun. I am a Bible lover! I learn something new every time I read through it. Sherri

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    3. Every time you read the Bible a new jewel is revealed. I'm reading the commentaries for each chapter and verse along with the New Testament. Seeing how everything links back to earlier prophecies I wonder how could the Sanhedrins miss the Messiah? Are you interested in eschatology?

      Hugs
      Jane

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  17. dear jane,
    what a great post!!! love the sweat headband. really a great idea!!!
    many thanks for all your inspirationen.
    Happy New Year to you and your family,
    hugs regina

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    1. Thanks Regina! I hope this new year will find you in better health and maybe you'll get your house sold!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  18. Happy New Year!
    Love your post...I so wish that I had found you years ago. I hadn't thought about making early retirement a goal, so we will try to play catchup now. If it wasn't for health insurance; it wouldn't be so bad since we are debtfree, mortgage paid off etc...
    Great tips on shopping, and great deals. I'll have to see if there is an amish store within a reasonable distance. Our nearest aldi is about an hour away, and I have only been there once.
    What a great idea for re-purposing the sweater into a beautiful headband and dickie, and how kind of you to be sensitive to the Amish and Mennonites.
    Now you have me craving a tuna casserole; it looks delicious.
    Great deal on the glasses! Those frames in dr offices are so expensive.
    Thank you for your blog! I do love visiting here; it is sort of like chatting with a good friend. Thank you for sharing your life and savings with us.

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    1. Thank you Kathy! Chatting with a friend is exactly how I want my blog to feel.

      Our Aldis is 70 miles away but we make a day of our monthly grocery shopping. I guess it isn't practical when you are working to spend an entire day grocery shopping, it's our "date" day also, as we go out to eat on that day also. We're real party animals! Ha!

      Health insurance is the stickler. We pay $900 a month for it and get nothing in return. The deductible is $17,000 and after that they only pay 60% up to $100,000. In other words, useless. We don't even bother presenting out insurance card because we discovered the hospital charges more if you are insured. But on the other hand, the stress Ran was under at work was cutting his life short, so although it's a risk to not have good health care, it was a risk we were happy to make. We just live on faith that God will see us through to old age. Looks like it's working :) As I can no longer say I am young! Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  19. Happy New Year! Another great post. I wish we had a $25 heating bill. In fact, I would take any of our monthly bills being $25. We are all electric and our first year in the house, when I opened Januarys bill I about fainted. Thankfully, the past Januarys don't cause me to get the vapors, and I have a small collection of house hats to coordinate with outfits.
    I just tossed a felted sweater that I bought (thrifted) and then in haste of tiding - tossed it. I just dug out of the trash. I thought about it last night, and then your post - well it was a sure sign that it really should be turned into a hat and mittens for my sister in law. Proof you helped me save a few dimes today :).
    I made your over baked "fried" chicken last night to curb a wing craving I might have been having. Just brushed it with hot sauce when it was done. Considering wings run about a dollar a piece here, you saved me roughly $18. (You go girl!)
    Have a wonderful week!
    Hugs, Jen

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    1. Yay! Happy to be of assistance. Electric heat is expensive, that's for sure. Guess you have to console yourself with the fact that it's a nice clean heat. And you get to wear hats n the house! That's fun! Have you ever thought of getting one of those little electric heaters' fireplace thingys and just heating the room that you spend the most time in and turning down the thermostat for the rest of the house? Our first home was cold, cold, cold and that's what we did. We even moved all the boys beds down into the one room in the winter just to get us through that first winter until we could afford more insulation and a better furnace. It never really did get warm in that house, but at least we didn't have a stroke every time we opened the heating bill! Hope you have the loveliest first week of 2017!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  20. Happy New Year Jane! Your goals of help and encouragement in your blog are definitely achieved. And your creativity never fails to inspire. Repurposing an old sweater was only this week's idea, not just something dreamed up once in awhile. I really liked that in this post you wrote about the "little luxuries" like marked down nuts, fancy olives, K-cups and Christmas socks. I can't tell you how many times I have read the mantra of frugal people who basically ban anything not completely necessary from their budgets. Either it's not sustainable (like an overly restrictive diet plan)or it just doesn't provide for anything but monotony. I understand the need for that for someone in a grave financial situation but it isn't good advice otherwise. (Ok. Now my rant is over.)For my own favorite after Christmas find I found in an unseen corner of a retail store almost a week after the holiday Christmas lights for 80% off that I will happily use to replace old strings next year.

    As I was standing in the cold waiting for midnight on New Years Eve for the fireworks to start on the Space Needle I thought of my own goals for the year. I need to try to be a better planner since my own frugality usually derails when there is no plan, I need to be more creative myself instead of heading to the store for a solution plus I hope to focus more on health. With the fast rising costs of prescriptions and care the future of healthcare is beginning to look a little scary to me.

    I hope you have a great week and your new year starts off the way you want it to. You're right. We can only move forward. -Sharon

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    1. Feel free to "rant" like that anytime you wish, Sharon. I like to think as the comments as a sort of forum and many people say they read my blog for the comments. Plus I totally agree with you. Too much austerity just makes people feel defeated or angry. Or they get fed up with it and go crazy spending.

      Sounds like good goals for the new year. The best healthcare is preventative. While not every illness can be avoided, it's amazing how exercise and wise food choices can affect one's health. Not to mention a better quality of life! Hope your resolutions are easy to stick with!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  21. Dear Shari,
    Happy New Year! I hope 2017 is full of blessings for you and your family. Thank you for this excellent long post, chock full of inspiration! I like what you say about comparing food budgets. People have to do what works for them. I for one, eat few grains or flour, so my diet is heavy on vegetables, fruits and meat/fish/eggs. Because of my own beliefs/preferences I am committed to buying organic for all animal products. Fortunately, I am able to do this. I find other areas to save on that are less important to me.
    I began this year by increasing my retirement savings from 8% of my pre-tax income to 10% and I am now taking the income of my second and third jobs and using that for savings toward a new car and car repairs for my 9 year old/200k mile junker (which I will drive until it dies.) It feels good to have a plan and God has blessed me with the chance to manage this way.
    For the next few weeks I'll be eating out of the freezer and cupboards as we were blessed with so much food coming in that I didn't use what I'd bought for groceries. I get a real kick out of "eating what I have" instead of picking up lunch or breakfast. That's another New Year's goal for 2017: ease up on the breakfast sandwiches! That mitten tutorial is timely as I have two cashmere sweaters that that I am thinking of felting in order to make a hat and/or mittens out of them. One is too worn/shrunk to wear respectably anymore and the other is pale gray which, with my gray hair just makes me look gray all over. I feel bad at the thought of not using them anymore as they were very expensive but I'm allergic to wool so my options for warmth are limited.
    Sorry to go on! I hope you have a lovely week.
    Dana

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    1. No problem, Dana! I like to hear other's views. Organic is the way to go, if you can afford it, I agree.

      We always noticed that our 401K contributions made little effect on our take home pay, because the tax burden was lessened. If you have a company that matches contributions, you should at least take that amount, that's what we advise our children.

      Cashmere will make some pretty fancy-schmancy mittens! Hope they turn out to your liking!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. I just realized I wrote Dear Shari instead of Jane. Your blog has the same background as another blog I read written by a lady named Shari. Sorry about that! I am not quite with it this morning!
      D

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    3. That's OK, Dana! As the old skit goes: "You can call me Shari, or you can call me Mary, just don't call me late for supper."

      J

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  22. Hi Jane,

    Thanks so much for ALL the goodies packed into your first post of the New Year! We all appreciate all the time you commit to us, your readers, and we are eager for all we will learn and share this year...

    Tuna Casserole! I loved it as a kid (mom saved money feeding 5 kids) and I still use her handwritten recipe card, lo, these many years later! ha. Love the potato chip topping -- will have to add your cheese and breadcrumbs and try it that way. Why not throw a handful of frozen green peas into yours and see if you like that? That's what we do...

    I wonder what games you and Ran like to play on game night? Hubbins and I are pretty much Rummikub fanatics. We just love it.

    Let us know what your handwork is and what good books you are reading this winter! I am reading Tamar Adler's An Everlasting Meal that I got through inter-library loan -- saw it recommended on a couple other ladies' blogs and it really is an interesting book! Sounds like how you like to cook also so check it out-- I think you will really like it.

    Blessings to you and your family as God leads us gently onward & upward,
    Lori

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    1. Hi Lori! Neither Jamie or I like peas so I make them separately for Ran and he can stir them into his casserole. Although it's a great idea for those that like them! Thanks for the suggestion!

      The games we are playing lately are Golden Gate a card game and YamSlam which is sort of like Yahtzee. Our favorite game is Rook, which we play when we can get a fourth player. When it was just Ran and I, we played a lot of gin rummy. And Candyland with Felix!

      I'm not a big reader. Used to be, but now, I don't know, I'm just not interested in reading about other people's lifestyles (strange since I write a lifestyle blog)or novels. I don't know how to politely say this, but I find that a lot of people that write such books come across as phony to me. Sorry, but I'm being truthful here. Ha! I'm talking myself into quitting blogging as I write this. Maybe others think this of me? When I do read, it is for information and I can assure you, the books are not anything very many people would be interested in, unless you are into theories on economics or history and occasionally a book on eschatology.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  23. Hi Jane, yes, the weather has been real nice and i dont think those children even had on jackets that day...however!-- we are in for a cold snap here and it's arriving today--have my winter coat ready and found scarves and even GLOVES! I am ready! LOL What y'all planning this winter weekend?

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    1. Ha! I imagine cold weather is a good excuse for you to make a fashion statement, Debbi! It's cold, cold, cold here; about 7 degrees. No fashion statement in my winter apparel, got to wear the big puffy down coat.

      Planning on knitting, making egg rolls, playing cards and sitting by the fire! If I get up the gumption I might paint the living room mantel. Hope you are having more exciting times!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  24. I read this post last Monday and kept the page open nearly all day thinking to add a comment. I enjoy reading your frugal tips--we do many similar things. I wanted to mention that our nearby Beachy Amish surplus store has the whole shrink-wrapped turkey breasts such as in delies for sliced meat. I repackage in smaller amounts for the freezer. I've used it cubed in white gravy, in noodle or potato casseroles and last week I ground some with onion and celery for a 'chicken' salad sandwich filling.
    We've had to learn that not all the surplus items are a good fit for our way of eating--snacks, however attractively packaged and priced, don't appeal.
    The Beachy's are now breaking down some of the cartons so that one can buy x number of yogurts or butter or whatever without taking on a large wholesale or food service type package.
    I'm looking forward to your wardrobe post.

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  25. You're so lucky, Sharon, that your discount store offers meat. I've read and seen on YouTube that some of the better ones do. Ours doesn't, and I wouldn't dare to eat any that came from there anyhow, being it isn't the neatest of stores. I dare say the health department wouldn't give them a passing grade. Ha! But it's always an adventure shopping there, and you never know what little luxury you'll find!

    Hugs
    Jane

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