Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

In the last post I said how I liked the third option of the binders - it was my favorite, only for inspiration. Which you can see that I did not copy hers but added my own ideas because of the inspiration I got from hers. I wanted a working binder and here is the version I came up with...

I know mine isn't as fancy but it will work for me. Call it the poor person's version or the more frugal option.

If you decide to do this project, you may find recipes you had forgotten and get inspired to use this all-in -one binder. I wanted to have a way to do my menu and wipe off if I changed my mind and to put together a grocery list all in one place. I picked our favorites to have in the binder. I look forward to using this!

Someone gave me these socks last year sometime but I hated how tight they were on my ankles. So here is what I did...

They folded the top over and sewed with elastic. In the picture you can see I took my scissors and cut that sewing and there is still a finish at the now new top. This made these socks now wearable.

They are now supervisor approved.

I cut out a dress this week. I went to a funeral and a lady was wearing a dress - it was black with white daisies on it. I have a fabric I was given that was kind of close so this is that fabric.

I also picked the last of the garden getting ready for the freeze they are predicting.

This week, we had two errands but had to wait in between so thought we would stop at Salvation Army as we were in that parking lot. I can tell you, I notice no sewing patterns, not even a place where they used to be - not one! And I know Goodwill has no sewing patterns either.

I know it is getting hard with patterns being high-priced and fabric high in price. Remember, there are work arounds! I have given you some sites with free patterns awhile back but you can do tracings off your clothes - the ones you like and that fit well.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2022/03/monday-message_14.html - scroll down. you will see I used a t-shirt I liked and traced off a pattern.

https://www.tiktok.com/@lingsworldchina/video/7541969271048506655 - making under pants from an old t-shirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkvOS7A5vxE - she shows how to use your underwear for a pattern.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWvGOjHyukQ - she shows how to do this from an old t-shirt.

Where there is a will, there is a way! You will be amazed at what you can do!

Missy says find frugal ways to do things. Look at what you purchase... how can you make do or make similar things?

Tippy Longstockings says to keep working on your storage - prices continue to rise. You can do it!

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)

Still the government is shut down at the time of this writing.

They are talking hard times ahead and higher prices still.

https://www.livewell.optum.com/sec_BeWell/sub_bw_CopingResiliency_CopingPeaceofMind/cnt_art_H0005_BuildingHabitsToHelpPrepareforToughTimes?accesstoken=80B38A21-9BE8-11EB-AC53-CBBFBA87E4EC - there are a few ideas here.

https://thehomesteadinghippy.com/ways-to-prepare-for-hard-times/ - ideas.

https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/how-to-prepare-for-hard-times/ - more ideas here.

https://www.equifax.com/personal/education/personal-finance/articles/-/learn/five-ways-to-prepare-for-a-recession/

I have put a few things up there to read for ideas.

Tippy Longstockings wanted to pop in here and give you a TIP! This week, we had two birds hit the window. We researched what we could do to prevent it and this is the tip we found: If you take a bar of soap and draw on the outside of the window, it breaks that reflection. I think you can have the kids do it for a fun project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4UsgU4q4q4 - I thought this would be helpful or give you inspiration to make your own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4UsgU4q4q4 - this is a second version.

https://getorganizedhq.com/meal-planning-with-an-all-in-one-kitchen-binder/ - this is a bit different, it is my favorite of the three but I wanted you to have a choice. Pick and choose, but I like that the third has an area to write your menu.

I think making your own menu saves so much time and money and that this would be a frugal thing to do. It would be a great gift idea too for your kids who will be leaving home and ones that have left home.

A reminder - cooking from scratch is a skill we all need, especially with food costs rising.

https://dayswellspent.com/cooking-from-scratch-to-save-money/ - ideas.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/a32416409/how-to-make-a-sourdough-starter/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_ghk_md_dsa_prog_mix_us_19954466556&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19954466556&gbraid=0AAAAADA2MEpDp5_o0_P9n-QDaxh3yrgr8&gclid=CjwKCAjwu9fHBhAWEiwAzGRC__D4qQB6x2BPtPtVGUQCmbLLgTBr5MvukTNaTqlLBt1VCYJhLiR-EhoC8JIQAvD_BwE - how to make sourdough.

I cannot stress it enough - learn to make bread and store stuff to make bread!

I store white flour in five gallon food grade buckets. I put two bay leafs on top of the flour before I put on the lid, then I put the date and label and make sure to rotate the flour in my storage.

I store white wheat berries the same way.

I have big packages of yeast from Sam's Club or bulk places - I keep them in the freezer, except for one quart jar that I keep in the refrigerator. That is the jar I use from and refill it from ones in the freezer.

I store salt.

I store sugar and honey.

I store shortening.

I store vital wheat gluten. I have this in jars I have vacuum sealed, except one in the refrigerator as a using jar.

I store oats and other grains as add-ins.

Learning how to make bread is very very important and to learn takes practice. If you have trouble ,find someone to show you. From that point, the things you can make are unlimited. You can bake cinnamon rolls, danish, donuts, english muffins, english muffin bread, etc.

Just be sure to store the items needed to make them.

It is good to learn by hand, but equally important to use a bread machine. I can do by hand and do if I need to make a lot at once. But my plug is to get a used bread machine. The reason I plug this is we all are busy. I make up my bread mixes. I put the water in and dump my jar with my pre-measured ingredients (yes, yeast is in it). I dump in the jar ingredients and set it to the dough setting and go do other things. That is the beauty in having a bread machine. All of mine are used and I see them all the time.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-message_16.html

Get the recipes in this booklet HERE.

Things are hard now and may yet get harder. Take time now to learn this and you will be in good shape!

Missy says keep working on what you can. If you do nothing, you will wish you had done something.

Tippy Longstockings says to build those skills. Sometimes we feel exhausted but keep working on preparing for harder times.

Monday Message

"Our bishops storehouses are not intended to stock enough commodities to care for all the members of the Church. Storehouses are only established to care for the poor and the needy. For this reason, members of the Church have been instructed to personally store a year’s supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. By following this counsel, most members will be prepared and able to care for themselves and their family members, and be able to share with others as may be needed." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I feel certain things are not about to improve any time soon, so I want to urge you to step it up on getting your storage in.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/practical-food-storage-and-preparing-for-price-increases.html?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Sequence+-+707324 - I keep saying this, but I love this gal. She will tell you how to prepare for price increases.

I can tell you that we live on a fixed income. I have a set amount for groceries unless unexpected bills come in, then it can go all the way to zero. But with a set amount, I have to be very creative. And yes, every month I get less and less where others may have to spend more and more. This is unsustainable in either case. But things are not getting better so it is best to think ahead. What big bills do you have coming at you? For example, car tags. Stick a little back each month for this then it won't be a no-grocery month when it is time to get the tags.

Plan. Be as frugal as you can. It will be scary for a while, but we will make it through. Will you be able to shop like before? Nope and if you do, you will have a harder time.

Christmas is coming. Be HONEST with your kids. We have to cut back right now so let's find things that don't cost that we like to do. Write it on strips of paper and when it is time, draw out something everyone can do. Parents - read the Candle in the Forest. The little girl's parents were too poor to get the little girl what she wanted so they came up with free fun things and made them special. We can do that. If we are excited about this, they will be too. If you are all "poor me" they will be too. We can do this! Everyone share a free Christmas idea for a family in the comments below. We will all get ideas from each other!

They are saying health insurance is going to get a lot more expensive while also covering less. This will be very hard. The insurance we have now have already started covering less and have told us we are getting no benefits. So plan for that as you can.

The gal in the link at the beginning of this post mentioned gardening. Now you know why I do it even though I hate it so. It is like asking someone if you hate cleaning toilets so much, why do you do it??Because I have to, is the answer.

We are almost to the end of the garden for this year but it still is giving us produce. I am still putting it up.

So be thinking about how to grow food either in a garden or in containers.

When you go through the aisles in the grocery store and you see a nice side dish instead ask yourself - can I make this? Try doing that with many convenience foods, think - can I do this myself?

This is why I encourage making mixes plus I step up my mix making at this time of year as well. 

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/10/monday-message_12.html - there are mix ideas in this post.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/10/monday-message.html - frugal Christmas gift ideas.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2025/03/monday-message.html - mix ideas here.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2025/02/monday-message_17.html - remember to give acts of kindness. They're so very needed. Have you noticed there's so many more unhappy people? Even a smile can warm a soul and it costs us nothing.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/08/monday-message_31.html - more mixes.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/scone-mix-recipe.html - I like her mix here. If you cannot eat eggs, this is a fantastic recipe I keep on hand always. Look around her site, she has more mixes as well.

Do you ever feel like you don't have time for making muffins? You want muffins for breakfast but it is hard to get them done in time. Here is what I do... I mix all the dry ingredients and in the morning add the wet ingredients and go from there. You can do this with lots of things.

There are many things on my blog posts, ramble around or type in the search what you are looking for.

Times are hard but they are going to get worse before they get better. We can do this. We are all in it together so let's share frugal ideas on getting groceries, on recipes, on Christmas gifts. Let's all share with each other!

Missy says work harder to get that storage in and build your skills...but also find joy!

Tippy Longstockings says keep pushing on, you are not alone!