Monday Message

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

Keep working on your storage as you can. I find that the basics are cheaper to put in then their counterparts like dry beans are cheaper than canned beans, that sort of thing.

I encourage you to get the ingredients to make bread and remember to put your yeast in the freezer. I keep a jar of it in the refrigerator as it is my using jar. 

I have noticed some brands and items going away.

I remember standing in line at the grocery store when we lived in New Hampshire and a lady was in line behind me. She said don't you love all the choices, she was from more north and just loved the variety in choices. In my mind I thought are you kidding me? I was able to get more items and choices in Iowa so I was grumpy with much fewer and she was so very happy with those.

So nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse.

I feel like if we keep finding and trying basic recipes and build a binder and store the ingredients to make them, we will be able to fix good things no matter what goes away in variety.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/153-grocery-staples-that-you-can-make-at-home.html - I love her site but yes, the more we can make for ourselves, the more we have in our budgets to pay bills.

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/ - Search around all her stuff, she has great info as well. She was off for two years but back on and you can look through the blog post she had, very helpful.

I found this cart for five dollars at the thrift store. It is giving me a bit of space, so keep haunting those thrift stores and think outside the box.

For example, I found this jewelry hanging case and knew just what I wanted it for - my sewing machine feet! I had tried several ways but this is the best way yet.

So think what item could be useful to you as you look. I know shiny things want to grab the attention but first look for helpful items then look for what you are interested in. I have seen many items to help in the kitchen such as instapots and mixers, hand held mixers, and even toasters, waffle irons, air fryers, bread machines. I have also seen fabric and yarn and knitting needles. So if your mixer died and cannot be repaired that might be something you check for. Make that list. Also, keep your eye out for dehydrators, canning supplies, etc.

Remember to plant what you can even if you can only do pots.

We enjoyed a visit with our daughter this last week and whenever our kids come home thrifting is on the schedule. On our thrift outing I found this waffle iron that is now added to my waffle iron collection. I set the apple near it to show you they are small. This collection started way before the pandemic with one little pink waffle iron that was ten dollars but had an instant five dollars off so for five dollars it started it all....

I was telling my daughter that I had only seen them at the one store and so weird I didn't see them elsewhere. Well it ended up they were at each thrift store we stopped at so we had fun finding them like an eye spy game, even my daughter found two and in the prettiest colors.

There is always new and better products and the prior versions are thrifted out so for me the prior version is just fine with me. Thrifting works for my budget.

I am always interested in looking at what things these places have as I see so many things I never knew existed.

I am a big fan of buying used, it stretches our funds. I would never be able to get these things new for sure. Used works just as well.

Missy says stay on your toes by looking for more frugal ways to stretch your dollars.

Tippy says if you go to the grocery store to buy a can of food - buy two, one for now one for later.