Frugal Friday- it's getting hot in here?

After a sky rocketing electric bill, we decided to cut our energy costs by purchasing a programmable thermostat. After a quick trip to Lowe's, $30 and a wonderful, handy husband, we were in business. We set it for 73 at night (we like it cool), and 78 during the day. At 5pm it gradually starts to get cooler until 9pm, when it hits 73. I think this gradual decline in temperature helps, so I would recommend one that can be set for more than one option during the day. The one we got can be set for each day as well, although we keep it the same for all 7 days of the week.

Our next electric bill went down by $50!! We didn't do anything different and the temperature outside was still blistering hot! I was so excited!! It paid for it's self in one month.

A frugal way to keep your bills down without a lot of sacrifice!

See more frugal finds here.

Back to the basics

I have recently been researching homemaking. I actually stumbled upon it, but it was so intrigued that I am now hooked! These woman, most of them SAHM, are on a road to being completely self-sustaining.
One reason they are doing this is because of the current recession we are in. Some have compared it to the Great Depression, I think we have a ways to go before we get to that point. But it should make us stop and evaluate our lives. What would our world look like without Walmart? Since starting my marriage, I have grown increasing aware of my lack of knowledge about this topic. I'm sure my mom tried to instill in my some helpful homemaking advice, but I never took interest in it. When I first got married I had never grocery shopped, barely cooked, never gardened, couldn't sew a button.....and the list goes on and on. I slowly became aware that I needed some help.
Reading these blogs has given me so much inspiration. Another reason woman are being so frugal is because they operate as a one income household, something Mike and I are striving for when we have kids. I want to learn these methods to teach my family how to live without relying on Super K. So far here is what we have done.....

• Created a budget with the goal to live on one income. (We should be there by May)
  
• Elimiate using credit cards
• Make my own bread, granola (instead of cereal), peanut butter
• Pack lunch every day
  
• Spend $50 or less on groceries every week and eat healthy meals at home most nights
• Experiment with new frugal things. (Example- homemade gifts, free family outings)

So here's my question?

1. Are you being a good stewart of the things God has blessed you with? Do you really need the next best thing? Maybe instead of getting a new summer wardrobe, you could give that money to a woman's shelter? Could you be a better giver if you lived this way?
   
2. If there was no Walmart, could your family make it? Do you have the skills you need to be more self-sufficent? (BTW, I still have no idea how to sew but would love to learn if you know anyone) Or do you think it doesn't matter?
   
3. How could we as a community work towards these ideas? What skills could you bring to the table?
   

Brain Thoughts

I just need to unload my brain. I feel like I have a lot of thoughts but no answers or directions.

So here is a glimpse into my thoughts...
~I feel I have no direction in my job. And I wonder if it is time to move on, but then that leads me to wonder what's next?
~I really enjoy being a wife and all that comes with that. I am obsessed (strong word) with homemaker blogs. I get frugal ideas and recipes that I love. They inspire me to be creative with my thoughts and time. I've learned how to make bread, granola, peanut butter, noodles and tons of baked goods. All of these things require lots of effort and time.
~Which brings me to my next thought of working full time. Am I being a good wife if I come home exhausted from a day at work and can barely muster a conversation with my husband? I know that I am not serving him as a godly woman, so should I cut down on my "career" to focus on a bigger priority, my husband and home?
~I love gardening and planting things because you can't mess up. Well, technically everything could die, but if you plant something and it doesn't look right, you can just move it somewhere else. It's very relaxing and I find myself wanting to do that more and more too!
~I want to visit Ohio before June. We are going home for over a week in June but I feel like so much is going on with my family that I need to go before that. Should I spend $500 to fly Mike and I home? My family is one thing that I don't want to put a price tag on and maybe I need to see them more than twice a year.
~I am becoming very frugal and I like it! I feel like the more extra money we have, the more we can give. This is really exciting to me! Oprah's adviser said to try to live on one person's salary and if your single, live on half your salary. Can you do it? I like the challenge!

So that's it. Thanks for reading my thoughts and sharing life with me! Love Yah!