Monday Message

Save money this year and make homemade gifts! Frugal and more a gift from the heart.

(W. Don Ladd, October 1994 General Conference)
“We all need to build a personal ark . . . And we shouldn’t wait until it starts raining, but prepare in advance. This has been the message of all the prophets in this dispensation . . . as well as the prophets of old.
“Unfortunately we don’t always heed the clear warnings of our prophets. We coast complacently along until calamity strikes, and then we panic.
“When it starts raining, it is too late to begin building the ark. However, we do need to listen to the Lord’s spokesmen. We need to calmly continue to move ahead and prepare for what will surely come. We need not panic or fear, for if we are prepared, spiritually and temporally, we and our families will survive any flood. Our arks will float on a sea of faith if our works have been steadily and surely preparing for the future.”

It is just prudent to have some supplies on hand. There are many pictures of our grandmothers and their shelves filled with canning jars full of food they canned.

I read a book a few years ago where the family said because they lived on a farm and put up their food the depression did not effect them as bad as others.

We may never go through what they did but we can learn from them. We can build our storage and supplies in time of plenty for times of scarcity. How is this a bad thing? It is kind of like my husband telling someone who played the lottery, you give me the money and I will give you half back, those are better odds…it just makes sense.

I have said it is better to learn your skills when you are not in the crisis. It is too hard to learn and deal with the crisis at the same time.

I have had to learn skills all my life and now it has helped so much to stretch our budget. Have I stopped learning? No, I continue to learn and always will.

I have been busy with making Christmas gifts. Have you been busy with that as well? The holidays are coming up fast. I like to get things tended and mailed before Thanksgiving so that I can just enjoy the season.

https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g21095894/tailgate-games/?slide=5 - this says tailgating but I loved the idea, would be fun family gifts, I think pie tins painted would bring down price.

https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g21095894/tailgate-games/?slide=9 - this said tailgating too but again I thought a great family gift.

I used to get a puzzle for our family gift and we would put it together as a family. So I thought these inexpensive ideas would be fun to do together, things are always fun done together.

More on how to make these angry birds HERE.

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1059/homemade-food-gifts/ - now I am not a coffee drinker nor alcohol either, just skip those if you are not as well but the other food gift ideas are great, they will inspire you.

https://laurascheaptricks.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/merry-making-50-things-to-do-with-kids-in-december/ - have fun with your family.

https://www.iheartnaptime.net/handmade-christmas-gifts/ - great ideas here, I liked the pan with cookie dough balls ready for someone to bake.

https://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/homemade-christmas-gifts/ great ideas here.

I think we need to plan to watch our spending for the holiday. Look for ways to save. Give food storage or things like food sealers, canner pressure, canner, dehydrator, wheat grinder… things that will be helpful rather than glitzy, a gift to keep giving or will help the ones who receive.

Do not go into debt, no matter what!!

Look for ways to help those who are in need.

Keep working on your storage. Look for great deals for your storage in your store flyers. There should be great sales this time of year.

Keep cooking from scratch and saving money from this skill.

Do the best you can.