Saving money part 2 -How you save money as a farm girl!

After last posting I was thinking of funny ways I'm learning to cut costs on the ranch and I thought that you might find them amusing...

1. Give all table scraps to the chickens and pig to cut costs on animal food.

2. get a rooster to enhance egg production.

3. Trade eggs at the farmer's market for fresh veggies and fruits

4. Plant a vegetable garden to cut down on fresh food costs.

5. Use goats to eat weeds and fertilize garden

6. Use old fish your dh caught to help your garden grow.

7. keep up a yearly mulch pile to use on your garden, so you don't have to buy it.

8. Homeschooling is cheaper than most other schools, even public schools

9. Instead of buying expensive chemicals to clean your house use what your grandma did - vinegar, dish soap and baking soda.

10. Make your own fabric softener - If you want the recipe I'll send it to you.

11. Use cloth diapers as much as possible

12. Make your own decorative pillows, curtains, and maybe kids clothing??? I'm working on it:) LOL!

OK, so this is fun to me! (even my duck pond, Doni)

Want to save some money??

I thought I'd add a few things we are trying to do to save money and some things that some of you have told me about. I know its hard right now and we are all in a pinch, so here are a few things that are helping out our budget and others that I know of!

1. I re-joined with coupon sense and I am saving about %50 on my grocery bills. (ie: Fry's last week, spent $160, saved $158.00) On average I am saving about $200 per month. I am spending $22 per month for the Sunday paper coupons and Coupon sense website membership.

2. Cut off my Direct TV programming extras. Only a few cartoons and networks- saved about $25-30 per month.

3. Planning all meals and eating out only once or twice per week - when eating out, finding the "kids eat free" places. Not ordering kid's meals when eating fast food and packing the kid's drinks from home.

4. Packing at least half of DH's lunches

5. Buying mainly second hand clothing and shoes for the kids and ourselves ( I draw the line at some items):)

6. Recycling cans, aluminum went up in value

7. Discussing all "extra" purchases with your spouse on a weekly basis. It stops the emotional and impulse spending and makes you realize what is actually important to buy. (ie: buying that extra movie at the store, if you wait a few days and bring it up at your meeting, you may not find it so important)

8. If there is anything left over that month after bills, put it in a savings account, don't look at it as extra money.

9. Unplug appliances and lamps you don't use regularly, they drain electricity even when they are not on. Use a hanging line for drying clothing, we definitely have the dry weather for it!

10. Buy used, save the difference (Dugger family motto)

For more tips on dealing with the stress of the times, read John chapter 10 and just look at the precious way our saviour cares for our every need and what He did to be sure we would be cared for for eternity.