Buy whole coffee beans. You get more for your money and the taste is a world of difference, compared to already ground coffee. Buy a cheap grinder, if you do not own one. It will pay for itself after a few pots. Grind your beans. Buy the espresso beans. They cost the same and provide a richer flavor. For espresso based drinks, use less water than you would for a regular cup of coffee. Invest in some flavored syrup, found in the coffee aisle of the grocery store. It will last for a month or longer and costs pennies per pump. Buy whipping cream by the quart and use it for espresso drinks.

Brew up the espresso beans. Add a few shots to a mixture of half cream and half milk. Stir in the flavored syrup or make simple syrup (a combination of 2 parts sugar, 1 part water,) to your liking. You can also whip the cream yourself and add some sugar to make whipped cream. It can be kept in a Ziploc baggies for later use and tastes heavenly,

Making your own cup of gourmet coffee is a lot easier than you may think and saves a few “bucks” every day! Share your favorite coffee recipes in the comment section.

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I’ve learned to use connections to get things done at more reasonable rates. There is no shame in asking friends and family members to lend their talents to your cause. As long as you make them feel appreciated, they are usually glad to help. My bother in law, who is a gifted musician, is going to lend his talents at my charity. The usual base fee for a band is 100-200 dollars per hour. I will be able to get away with a small gift card, as payment.

Make a list of priorities. Decide what the most important elements of the event are. Then it will be easier to allocate funds. The least important items on the list can discarded if money runs out. The venue and food are always most important. Decorations are always easy to pare down or omit. Extravagant party favors are not a necessity either. A warm word of thanks to your guests will usually suffice in satisfying their need for a token of your gratitude.

Whatever you can do yourself, do it. Enlist friends to make favors, decorations or appetizers. Host a potluck party if you are having a crowd that is easy going. Make it a “Death by chocolate” theme or a “B.Y.Favorite” night. People love to share their specialty dishes. Make your invitations, when feasible. Use your talents to cut down on costs.

When choosing a venue, entertainer or other service, interview several people and get quotes. A lot of businesses are willing to meet or beat a quote. Talking with business owners and being honest about your budget, can be of great benefit to you. People are usually willing to work with you if there is a personal connection involved. Phone calls are too impersonal.

Make one big trip for several purposes. It saves on travel time and gas. Plan out your day to accommodate several meetings and interviews.  I try to accomplish several tasks while my husband is home to watch the kids. It saves on babysitting and I can relax, knowing that they are in good hands.

Seek out donations. I know that some people have a problem in asking for freebies, but the worst you can get is a “no.” Some wine suppliers will come and do a pouring for free and give a discounted price on the wine. New catering businesses will usually provide the food at a discount, just to get their name out there. Offering to pass out their business cards to your guests may prompt the caterer to give a discount. Small businesses are hurting right now. Many owners will gladly donate to your event in exchange for advertising. I know this does not work for every event, but it works wonders for fundraisers and company events.

Keep in mind that guests will not remember every detail about the event. The thing that they will remember most is the fun. If you keep the mood festive and encourage socialization by playing party games or sparking conversations, people will always have a good time. Always be gracious, outgoing and thank your guests for coming as they leave. Your party is sure to be a frugal hit if you plan carefully and keep the focus where it needs to be, on the fun!

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We have received two couches, two coffee tables, a bed, three cribs, two toddler beds, a microwave, a fridge, two dining tables, numerous sets of bedding, lamps, an entertainment center, a desk and numerous toys. We have saved thousands of dollars, just by humbling ourselves enough to accept furniture that somebody else previously owned. This is what my husband calls “Come up.” This week, my mom offered me a really nice computer desk, that her friend didn’t have room for. It is in perfect shape and is a blessing, as I took our small desk and put it in my room. Now I have a mini office to work form!

Today, as we left to take our dog to the groomers, I spotted an exercise bike in my neighbor’s driveway. These neighbors are an older couple, who take very good care of their belongings. The bike had a free sign and looked barely used. I pulled up and asked the husband if he would mind giving the bike to me. He was overjoyed to give me the bike. They had nine kids to raise, so he knows that we are not wealthy. He and his wife are always so kind to us and bring over goodies. God certainly gave us good neighbors on one side! He carried the bike over and brought it in the house for me. He even had the instructions attached to the bike. I am so excited to use my new bike. It is the perfect way to stay fit for free!

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I look back on all of the money that we have spent in only ten years and it makes me ill to think of the next forty or more. Our kids are still young. We have not even begun to know what it is to struggle to afford raising our kids. There will be cars, proms, college funds and weddings. Thank God I only have two daughters! We may very well go bankrupt trying to keep up. Thank goodness my husband is a saver and a planner. If it were solely up to me, the one with umpteen pairs of shoes, all of our money would have been squandered away on Manolo Blahniks, long ago. We’d be broke as a joke, but my feet would be the talk of the town!

You see, after ten years of being married to my opposite, I am finally learning to see money in a whole new light. I am acquiring a taste for the thrifty lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, I my stomach still jumps when I get a Nordstrom catalogue in the mail. However, I have learned to resist the urge to shop and replace it with another thing I take joy in…blogging! Now, instead of spending money on the things I enjoy, I make money. My husband has taught me to fill the void of spending with more constructive things. He has taught me to budget, even though I’m not perfect at it yet. He has taught me to clip coupons and find the best shopping deals. I have learned a great deal about being thrifty, from him. It is one of the many things that I love about him!

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1. Roast beef hoagies: Saute red bell pepper, onion and then mix in with the beef. Line hoagie rolls with provolone cheese and top with the beef mixture.
2. Good ol’ fashioned dinner: Use beef drippings to whip up some gravy. Add some steamed veggies and mashed potatoes. Viola! Sunday dinner at its finest.
3. Chile con carne: Mix beef with a can of green enchilada sauce. Serve with tortillas and Spanish rice and a salad.
4. Hearty pot pie: Use drippings to make gravy. Fill a premade pie crust with the beef, fresh veggies and top with the gravy. cover with the top crust. Bake and enjoy!
5. Broccoli beef: Heat oil in a wok or large pan. Add broccoli, onion and a bit of soy sauce. When broccoli is tender crisp, add beef and stir for an extra minute to blend. Put this over brown rice.
6. Beef stroganoff: Cook egg noddles. In a pan, combine mushrooms, white wine, heavy, cream, salt and garlic. Add cornstarch/water when almost done. Stir noodles, beef and sauce together.
7. Burritos supreme: Heat refried or black beans in a pan. Mix together beef, beans and a tablespoon of taco seasoning. Fill tortillas with mixture, add garnishes like salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese and avocados.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Have you ever realized that it was somebody’s birthday, but did not have a card on hand? I am always running into that problem. So, I decided to make it easy on myself and keep a card making basket handy in my art closet. Whenever I see some card stock on sale, I pick up a package. If I find a great sale at the local craft store, I grab a stamp or two, some ink or some paints to add to my card basket. Then, when an occasion pops up that I am without a card for, I just take out the card basket and whip up a beautiful little card. People love things that are homemade, because they have more thought put into them.

My kids have learned this little card trick and created their own card baskets. Whenever a friend or family member has a birthday, it is a joy to make a custom designed card for the occasion. We scour the web for pictures of the birthday person’s favorite things, print the pictures out and add them to a construction paper card. My daughter, who loves to paint, adds creative artwork to her cards. The babies, who are too young to lend a helping hand, lend their literal hands to make cute prints for baby shower cards.

We have saved a whole lot of money and made for some great art projects, just by eliminating Hallmark purchases. I keep every card that my kids make and put them into their memory boxes, for safe keeping. They love to go through their boxes and look back on what they have created. Our family and friends adore their cards, as well, even more than the gift that accompanies it!

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Marcie at A Child Chosen, shares her reason for loving the 4th of July, with a sweet and reminiscent post about her anniversary.

Heather at A Creative Journal, writes about using holiday memories as a writing prompt.

Chloe of Tangled Thread shares a few festive fireworks and needlework patterns.

Kerri and Cory at Marriage Actually talk about why having a shared past is one of the best parts about being married.

Christine at Mad Cropper remembers Guy Fawkes Day, a day celebrated in New Zealand with lots of fireworks. Find out why Guy Fawkes is celebrated by the English and most commonwealth countries. It is indeed a blast from the past!

Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork, provides a quiz for her readers. See how many of the quilt designs you can connect with historical Americana – events, objects or people.

Marye at Baking Delights reflects on just how much menu’s have changed over the years while at Kettle and Cup she shares a modern twist that many are sure to love with her Non-Alcoholic Long Island Iced Tea.

Kelly Saunders at Thrifty Mommy shares her favorite 4th of July memory – I just can’t spoil the surprise – check it out.

Char and Christine continue Camp Weary Parent with this weeks Patriotic activities: Star Spangled Rocket and a week full of other fun projects.

Marcie and Mary Emma are blasting through books with Fourth of July and summer recommendations at One Book Two Book. Make sure to check out Fourth of July Books for Teens and The 10 Best Fourth of July Picture Books.

Linette at Robust Cooking shares 10 Healthy 4th of July Dessert Ideas. At Mother Earth’s Garden she calls out the old saying about corn – “Knee high by the fourth of July.”

At She Knows Parties, she shares fond memories of her summers and holidays as a child.

Karen at Thrifty Mommy probably has the most reason to celebrate the fourth as anyone I’ve heard – join Karen as she shares family photos of one of the most memorable nights in her families lives.

Sandy at All Holiday Cafe provides us with a list of when Independence Day is celebrated in various countries around the world.

Christina at SoloMother shares her own experiences of celebrating the 4th of July in the nations capital.

Susan at PlayLibrary shares her memories of playing the classic game of Zimm Zamm during her family’s annual July 4th barbecue celebration.

Eliza at Babylune reflects back on early holiday celebrations with baby on board and looks to this years celebration – their first out of the military.

Gayla at MomGadget – Without fail, each year my memories race back to an earlier time when life was much simpler and we’d celebrate our summer holiday with relatives down in the holler in the hills of Kentucky – this year – I share a Bluegrass Kinda Fourth of July.

 Here’s to a safe and patriotic holiday weekend…CHEERS!!

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She never used recipes. Progress was marked by the look, the feel or the flavor of the dish. Getting her to write down her recipes was no easy task. How does “knead the dough until it feels right,” translate into an amount of time? Well, if you had the pleasure of being in the kitchen when she cooked, you would know exactly how it should feel. She always called us over to learn how to make the perfect pie crust, or mouth watering rolls. There was never a store bought package of dough in her fridge…ever. Breakfast always consisted of homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, homemade jam, farm fresh eggs and squeezed orange juice. Cooking was not just her job, it was her passion. It was her gift from God and she joyfully shared it with others.

She cooked for all of the families in her church. She brought rolls to the ill or handicapped, every Sunday. She always fed the hometown vagrants a good hearty breakfast. Granted, they were only allowed in to the house if they were sober and they had to bow their heads in prayer, but all were welcomed at her table. Her meals delivered so much more than nutrition. They fed people love. Everything she made, was made with love. She cooked for other people, right up until her last year of life. I’m sure that she is in Heaven, making biscuits and gravy for the angels and teaching them how to knead the dough until it feels right. I feel so blessed to be her descendant and honored that she chose to bestow upon me, her love and knowledge of cooking.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I was miserable from the very first day at our new residence. We knew nobody. The neighbors who did move in, were not people who we shared the same values as us. I had problems with the schools and the staff did not seem to care. I missed my family, terribly. I would cry myself to sleep every night, because I was so homesick. One day, my sister in law sent me a Biblical devotion page in the mail. The story talked about contentment. I called to thank her, still unsure why she had sent it to me. She told me that in life, there will be times that our situations are not idealistic, but we have no power to immediately change things outside of our own perspective. She lovingly told me to suck it up and make the best of my situation, for the good of my family. I took her advice and tried to focus on the positive aspects of our new life. It is a good thing that I took her advice, because the housing market crashed and we would have never had the chance to move back anyway.

I see so many people who practice the “Bigger, Better, More” theory and cheat themselves out of contentment. Like me, they are so busy looking at what they are missing out on, that they fail to see what they already have and how wonderful it is. If only they would focus on their blessings instead of  the lack of having all that their hearts desire, life might be a little more rose colored. As the great musician, Sheryl Crow, says, “It’s not having what you want. It’s wanting what you’ve got.” I’m not implying that I never have to struggle with wanting more or better. I certainly do, at times. It is human nature. However, I do not let the lack of such, make my life miserable. Life is too short to spend it looking around for the pot of gold, when your own pot is overflowing with blessings of many different colors!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy