Monday Message

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward." (President Spencer W. Kimball)

I find that over the years of stocking up that it is easier to keep up than to catch up.

I stored more when our finances were better, things that were more long term like powdered milk and wheat and such. And when our finances were not so good, I would do my rule of every time I go into a store, I get one item to stock - like a jar of peanut butter or package of Jello. It doesn't need to break the bank. But doing this has been a blessing.

Think up a list of things you could get doing this...

A package of pasta

A box of canning lids

A can of green beans

A bag of beans

A container of oats

Think what your family uses and when you are in the store, pull out this list and get one item. If you are doing well financially get more but if not just get one.

I don't go to the store often and I get groceries once a month and it is just a pick up order. But when I am putting in my order, I still pick up an item to use down the road. This has been a huge blessing.

I make granola so that extra may be oatmeal, pecans, maple syrup and frozen apple juice - that is four items, one for each week, and of course the maple syrup lasts longer as I only use a quarter of a cup. So I might get two oatmeal, two apple juice, and a bag of pecans - this will mean I can make it twice.  Sometimes I might get yogurt culture for the freezer and then when I use some, I make the cubes of yogurt for the freezer (like one of you suggested), this is stretching things out and maybe the extra would be a pound of cinnamon. I just stay on top of what is needed.  But getting one thing extra is a very doable thing.

This week I have been busy...I made two dresses.

For this dress the fabric was free as I got it from Freecycle quite a few years ago and I have used the pattern many times as it is my favorite.

For this dress I got the fabric from Salvation Army for $3.99 for all of it.

So keeping your eye out at thrift shops and yard sales is a very frugal thing to do.

Of course, while sewing there were still rough patches to my flow in sewing room, so I worked to try and shift things a bit to address those.

I have another bit of fabric I got but this one they cut down the fold, so I will have to be more creative but this is the next dress.

I might get out another fabric to do one so I can do two at a time again, just not in one day, but spread it out more.

How are you coming with your skills? Share in comments below what are you working on.

https://www.seamwork.com/articles/the-8-most-important-sewing-skills-to-learn - here are some helpful sewing tutorials and information.

https://za.pinterest.com/dejager0930/free-sewing-patterns/ - I included this here because patterns are so high in price, even watching for half-price still can be pricey.

https://www.theyummylife.com/canning_tips - some canning helps.

https://simplebites.net/canning-101-the-basics/ - more canning. 

I included these because if you do not can and want to work on this skill, now is the time to learn it. It's a hugely helpful skill.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2018/11/monday-message.html - Cooking from scratch is another very huge help to our budgets.

Missy says whatever you work on for skill building, you can't go wrong.

Tippy Longstockings says keep stocking up, a little at a time adds up.