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)

At the time of this writing we are in the middle of a horrid storm. I am sure some of you are in it as well.

It is the worst I have been in for a long while.

We had a long notice it was coming. I had intended to make a fresh fruit run towards the end of the week but when I heard the storm was coming I rearranged my schedule. I went and did the errands right away so we would not be out in the storm to do the errands.

I made sure to be ahead on laundry and dishwasher in case the pipes would freeze.

Having storage and being prepared helped things to go well.

I fixed a big pot of chili and pecan sticky rolls in case power would go out.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-snacks-julekaga-jerky.html - I made julekaga.

Tell us what you did to prepare for this storm or any storm down in the comments below.

I still have been working on the kits I made up in the advent bags.

Missy says have a happy and frugal new year and we say it with her as well.

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)

Prices continue to go up, we need to learn all we can on how to be frugal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJNTWaKQI8Y - I wanted you to see what they are dealing with in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e1o8xxlRec - she is a wonderful gal, you can learn a lot from her.

We need to do the same. We are trying to keep the heat turned down and cold weather isn't even here yet. It will be way worse still to come. I will soon have to get out the long johns, that is one way that helps.

I watch a lot of podcasts from the UK and they have hot water bottles in their shirts to try to keep warm. How are you set?? Do you have hot water bottles? If not, you might try and get one for each in your family. They also wear lots of sweaters at once. I don't like to be cold, it makes me hurt a lot.

They also make lots of soups to warm up inside. Get in blankets, candles where safe, shut off some rooms if you can to save from having to heat them. I put a pillow in front of a drafty window.

All our bills will go up. We need to look for ways to reduce the bills, like turn the light off when you leave the room. TV's suck power, turn it off, better yet unplug when not in use.

Every bit will help.

Tell us your ideas down below as we are all in this together. I saw a neat thing a friend does - she has blue insulation foam she puts it between the inner door and the screen door, very good idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBuinD0HGq8 - this shows what she got from two shops that are marked down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uBCP3lIG8M - she shows how she saves marked down things. I think we can learn from her. We don't quite have it this bad but we could.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3YxaaXD0s - this gal is from Ireland, she has a helpful budget talk here.

Here are the things I made from my advent bags...

Missy wanted to say we need to be more frugal now more than ever.

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)

By now you have hopefully got all the rushing around done so put your feet up, have a hot cocoa, and rest...

The longest part of winter is yet to be had in our neck of the woods.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/classic-homemade-soup-recipes/ - some great tasting soups, you know these people have the best recipes.

What goes well with soup? Bread!

So if you don't know how to make it, now is the time to learn...if you already know, perfect it like crazy - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-message_16.html - try that platz - yum and more yum! You can even make it with jam. 

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2014/10/monday-message_13.html - this post has great sites.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2022/06/monday-message_20.html - this has all the recipes using that one bread recipe we make into a bread mix. It is made for using your bread machine but you can do it by hand as well.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/01/monday-message.html - the orange rolls in this post are so so yummy!

Now you are all drooling to put butter on warm bread, I know you are... :p

So here are the pictures from the things I made from the advent bags that I made up...

We have been enjoying the bags that we are opening each day. This was a fun activity for this year. I am glad we did it. It has me thinking what similar thing to do next year.

Missy is watching for Santa but she says...Merry Christmas to you all!!!!

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)

It is eleven degrees here this morning, way colder than I like to be. I hope you all are warm and cozy where you are.

Well, as Christmas is so very close, most people are scurrying around and stressing. Please try to find time to destress. I know this year is stressing enough without the holiday. So more cozy time for you to put your feet up.

Now that I have gifted these I can show you a gift I made.

This is a thing I came up with - I took a plastic ornament, took the top off of it, I turned it upside down on a wooden skewer that I stuck into Styrofoam, then I sprayed it with blackboard spray paint. I let it dry for a few days then put the top back on and attached the hook and tied chalk on with a piece of jute along with a note for the receiver of it to design their own ornament. This would be a great teacher gift as well.

https://zenhabits.net/30-frugal-gift-ideas-to-show-you-appreciate-someone/ - inexpensive gift ideas.

https://www.the36thavenue.com/25-handmade-gifts-under-5/ - okay, I love that mix with the Santa hats in it, that would be fun to get.

https://www.pinterest.com/pktchanggourmet/gifts-from-the-kitchen/ - cute ideas here.

https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/40-random-acts-christmas-kindness/ - can't go wrong with kindness.

As you know, just for a fun thing, I made up twenty-five bags of things to open - one for each day up till Christmas. Mine are kits made up with stuff I had on hand.

This was day one...

This was day two...

As I'm writing this, today is December 3rd and day three...

I will be stitching this up today as my day three. It was something I picked up at a yard sale years ago. I don't like the birds and heart on top so I will just be doing the rest though today.

So this is how it goes. I have long forgotten what I put in my bags to open so it's a surprise each day  and keeps our spirits high.

Missy really was interested in that birdie so I will make her a mouse soon.

We try to have a puzzle set up and going from now through the winter, just a fun thing for us to do.

https://wholefully.com/hygge-home/ - we need to destress this time of year.

https://town-n-country-living.com/hygge-activities-to-enjoy-now-cozy-living.html - I like the apples for candle holders.

https://www.yesandyes.org/2015/11/how-to-hygge.html - a must as this winter looks to be long.

https://howtohyggethebritishway.com/2022/04/27/frugge-frygge-frugal-hygge-for-the-summer/ - to be sure some of you are in summer and this is so you don't feel left out.

Missy says keep working on your storage. She says she was shocked at three dollars for a dozen eggs.  Even if things were terrific, it is just the frugal thing to do. She says excuse her now she is going to hygge up her bag.

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

You know I said we got better in the last post...well we went to church on Sunday wearing our N95 masks, so many were coughing and...yep, I am now sick again. I guess I will have to attend virtually till flu season is over, grrrr :( So since it has been almost a week, if it is like last time it means a little more than two to go. We will see though as I feel like I have less stuff in me to fight it. So lying low here.

Trying rest with my bag o' cat.

I hope all of you are well and enjoying the holidays.

Just a reminder to build your sick plan.

https://www.hillcitybride.com/2020/12/gift-ideas-when-you-have-no-money/ - here are some low cost ideas.

I think so many will have a hard holiday.

It is okay to cut back. There's no shame in it at all. This is the year we should all cut back. Think how those before us did Christmas. They had way less and worked way harder. In things I have read from back then, it was a family time, they didn't have much but they had each other.

I remember my grandma talking about Christmas one year during the depression. They had nothing to give the little ones. She gathered them together in the kitchen and they looked at the coals in the cook stove and played what they could see in the coals like you do when you look at the clouds. I am sure they all had fun with their mom finding pictures of fish or flowers or bunnies. That is a hard Christmas.

Now is a good time to start a new "less cluttered with things" Christmas.

Who could argue about watching movies and having caramel corn?

One family is doing no gifts but they have plans to fix favorite meals and snacks instead and the kids are so excited they are looking through recipes and if they can be excited over that we can do things too.

What do you plan to do to cut back? Write and share with us below.

https://www.frugalandthriving.com.au/free-gift-ideas/ good ideas here too.

https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/gifts-that-dont-cost-a-dime/ - she has great ideas as well.

https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/save-money/100-free-gift-ideas-people-actually-want/ - some ideas here as well.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/20-gifts-that-cost-nothing-to-make-but-just-might-be-priceless_b_6282918

I think you get the idea that shopping till you drop or spending more than you have is probably something worth foregoing this year for sure.

I will tell you that this also is the time to de-stress and find time to rest.

https://www.scandinaviastandard.com/what-is-hygge/ - with winter coming full force, this is a great thing to slow down, put soup to cook, light some candles, everyone pick a book they want to read and hot cocoa for all.

This week, besides being sick, I finished the cowl I was working on, it was fun to knit

It is being blocked in this picture.

https://www.pinterest.com/hackettjm/free-cowl-knitting-patterns/ - these cowl patterns are all free.

I hope you all are well and having fun in all you do.

Missy says stay safe and well, be working on skills and storage as you can and make sure you have catnip on hand or under your tree this year.