Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Many things have happened since this was said to us. Some of us have lost our jobs, we had a pandemic and the list goes on...we need to keep after this.

We got notified our utility bill is going up. We had been notified our health insurance is doubling and for July they are doubling the doubling for that month. So things keep going up have no idea at what point none of this will be sustainable. I saw on TV that house insurance was going up across the board  everyone will pay more. With no end in sight, we have to learn more frugal ways of doing things. This is a skill we all need to be working on. I think too we need to think about preserving food we are growing or can pick up from truck, farms, etc.

Sometimes you hate certain things but still you need to push through. One of those things for me is picking raspberries. It is a real pain, literally.

I get two bags for the freezer a day right now. I look forward to the end of the season very much. It usually ends by the fourth of July. I make jam from these when the weather cools.

Then I like them but at this end, I hate doing the picking part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyhPKBCvnCc - I thought this was a great idea so I am drying some strawberry skins even now.

Remember going to thrift stores is frugal. This week I got two books...

I found this bread book from Taste of Home. It has favorite recipes that were submitted. So I deemed this would be a helpful book to get.

This for me is cheaper than taking classes. So this too saves money and I can learn.

Years ago at a library book sale I bought these packets, each one a tutorial, but the problem was the pages are loose, so I punched holes and put them in a binder. This makes it easier to use as I learn lessons on colored pencils.

I feel I gain much more learning from books and tutorials.

I am making a test dress to see how it will work out then I have others I want to make building sewing skills

I needed to send a thank you card, so I made one. This is frugal. I am trying to further my skill as card maker.

I am learning more tatting skills by making these bookmarks and starting to get gifts ahead at the same time for any of those last minute gifts. Being frugal and developing skills help to give nice and meaningful gifts.

I am still working on advent gifts for my husband and I. They are inexpensive gifts, one for each of us to open before breakfast leading up to and including Christmas day. It is a more frugal way for us to celebrate.

This will be our second year.

I also found this thrifting as well. Beautifying our homes is good too.

This book shelf was built by my husband. It houses books I like to read which are called Cozy Who-Done-Its. Most of these were given to me free as libraries have swap books section, so free frugal entertainment.

Just a few frugal things I have done this week. What frugal things have you done? We would love to learn new ideas!

Missy says now is not the time to be complacent about building skills and putting in storage.

Tippy Longstockings says use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without and to take good care of what you have.