Frugal

As a family we have, for many years, lived frugally.  Some call it cheap, I call it WISE. We are not at all concerned about what other people have, It is a pet peeve of mine. We try to buy most of our clothes at church sales and thrift shops.  I personally find that Goodwill and Salvation Army are high priced for me. I like to pay $1 or less for a piece of clothing.  We don't pay for haircuts because I just do it myself. I don't need my nails and hair done to feel good, they will just break when I garden anyway.
We accomplished a big goal a few years ago by paying off our credit cards. We do not have cell phones or cable.  This is a mojor expense that most of my life I have not paid for, to me it is a waste. WHAT! 

The past few years we have been doing much better with things like couponing. I have saved a third on our grocery bill. We also bought a new car that gets better gas mileage. The insurance went down and the interest rates are lower than they were when we bought our older car. Believe it or not but it was less money each month for the new one.

We are also gardening more. We had to pay the upfront cost of building five raised beds, well worth it though. Last summer we grew peas, beans, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, radishes, zucchini cucumbers, and herbs. I have saved by freezing and canning the results. We have learned so much from blogs and have made most gifts given this past year. Thanks to those blogs I have also found felting!!!!   OH I love felting.

We have our family financial goals for the year. We bought an olive barrel last fall so that we could make a rain barrel this year. We may also make a solar panel, homeschool science project. Garden planning has already begun. Who knows what the year will bring, so exciting!

We will of course continue with our wise and frugal ways.