Lean times are the best times!

Being on a budget, tight or loose is the lot of many and brings tears and frustration as well as enterprise and adventure. I am afraid I have succumbed to the former way too often, missing out on the adventures. Working full or part time and being a mom adds a lot of stress as well.

Humbly I suggest a fun exercise that has helped pull me out of a few slumps in my attitude:

Take a piece of regular paper and fold it in half to make two columns. Write on the top of one column "lower cost" and the other "expensive". Now I know that there are times in our lives when EVERYTHING is expensive, but just work with me here and even pray about it if you need to.

Now for a week or two, carefully fill out the paper during trips to the store, or looking at newspaper ads. Write only healthy items, placing them in the appropriate column. Write it in pencil so you can change things around if you need to. Write approximate prices as this will help as the list gets longer. You will face a long list of expensive things, believe me, but make finding less expensive things a mission of yours. Be sure to avoid the one trip/complete the list technique. This can lead to losses of findings that take several forays.

When the list begins to speak to you, start making notes on the meals, recipes and menus that can be created for your family. Letting go of the treats that cost a lot is the biggest challenge, but with herbs, spices and determination, it can be done. Remember that someday it won't be so hard (I am still awaiting that day!). When family helps financially sometimes, be sure to write thank you notes and then resist the urge to satisfy the spurge urge. Wise use of these generous offerings brings strength and trust.

Hope this helps. I think it is time for me to do it again. My paper is sitting right here folded and ready to go. Let's share our insights as we go. Being rich is never this much fun! Of course, how would I know?

By the Way, do any of you remember the month that I served the exact same dinner every night? Turkey, steamed rice, vegetable medley, and salad. It was so inexpensive, nutritous, simple and I appreciated what much of the struggling world doesn't have (and what we do have). I bought one turkey which lasted the whole week, a bag of rice lasted the whole month, vegis I bought every few days. It took you all about a week and a half to notice we were eating the same thing every night!

Good luck, girls.
Love you all so much. Mom