..IF YOU ARE MARRIED OR HAVE A SWEETHEART YOU WILL RE-FIND THE ONES YOU USED TO BE BEFORE WHEN YOU FIRST MET..REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST MET OR WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT IN YOUR JOURNEY OF ADULTHOOD. I HAVE LEARNED SOME FROM RELIVING THROUGH THESE FOSTER KIDS WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU...
1.instead of big meals or fancy things...try small sandwhichs or picnic style meals...spread a blanket outside or if its cold on the living room floor....MAKE IT SIMPLE AND FUN...if you are single...who cares..you did something lke this in your past...invite a friend over and have it with them.....nothing like bringing out the young at heart...
2. instead of cable tv with all the fixins cut it down to basic or get rid of it completely...you can always get movies from the local libraries free or borrow from friends....tv has nothing but mostly violence, trash and filthy language within...rarely do you get good clean movies like you did when you were children....
3. instead of a big full size dinner..try getting a movie (free preferably) open up some cans of tuna and mayo, put a plate of crackers (ritz are great for this) and cheese out and and kick back....your full, its a change and is rather inexpensive...most kids would rather have fun than full meals and as an adult there is less clean up is to do
4.How about a picnic....weather- warm or cold tempatures- a blanket on the grass or living room floor is a great way to spend time together...different...light meal...fun...and an inexpensive meal also....a good way to reconnect with your spouse or if your single, invite a friend over just to share fun times together again....if you have kids, giving them a chance to fix the meal for the picnic with what you have..it is very interesting and you definitely have laughter flowing here..
(we had peanut butter sandwhiches, cut up fruit, hot chocolate, and left over shortcakes with jelly and whipped cream...yeah kindof icky combo-but-joy on a childs face making it was worth it..a dandelion in a cup and a cut out bird hanging in the living room--it was raining outside so inside nature came).
4. send a letter or email if you have to cut phone time down or get rid of it completely....stamps are a little bit of a price, but a postcard is cheaper and EVERYONE LOVES to get things in the mail from someone they have in their circle....children love to do this and receive something also.....ADULTS get a letter with the knowledge someone actually took the time to think of them...everyone likes to open the mail box with something for them in it thats not a bill....
5.spending things for kids is almost a waste anymore....make things together...we all sew or do crafts...make your gifts for each other with one on one time....its a time to have a special time together...if you are single, what a better way to have a friend over and getting creative with what you already have in your home..gifts were almost always made in the earlier settlers time...it was rare you got store boughten items then, we should give a gift of love and not money...
OK...NOT A GOOD THING MAYBE, BUT IF YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING ELSE THEN...
How many of you have been giving something you have put away and never used because it just wasn't your style.....or...
how many of you have something that someone else has made a comment on and really meant it saying they like or love it....if you really do not care for it, clean it up and give it as a gift....a surprise to them that you would give up something they had admired and just tell them you wanted them to have it because you knew they really liked it....If it makes them happy and you don't really care one way or another, then there you go....you have de-cluttered some and made someone happy, you have given a gift without spending one cent...
as far as regifting....we all know what makes one person happy does not always make another happy...if you have packed it away
and it just sits there, what good is it if it takes space....perhaps it some different-perhaps not your style container...make some
cookies and wrap it up and give to someone else...oh yeah just not the person that gave it to you....
WE ALL HAVE WAY MORE THAN WHAT WE STARTED OUT WITH IN OUR BEGINNING OF ADULTHOOD....THE DIFFERENCES IS WE HAVE BEEN SPOILED WITH WHAT WE HAVE NOW AND HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT WAS LIKE WITH NOTHING,,,,
I remember my husband and i first getting married and in our first place..it was 7 miles to town..we had an old elcamino that sucked gas and oil....I was 17 with no job and he was 25 just got laid off and on a small unemployment check....we would go pick strawberries in town make 30.00 dollars between us...that was enough for gas a quart of oil, and food for the day. We WORKED TOGETHER..28 1/2 years later...this is what I remember...we laughed and enjoyed each other being dirty and sore from bending over picking those berries....we washed clothes in the bathtub and hung them up to dry...a 50 lb bag of potatoes was pretty cheap and we got pretty good at making different dishes out of them...there were times when bottles we picked up and turned in payed for bread or milk for the babies...cooking with powdered milk instead of regular....yeah actually they were the good days when we had less
I know alot of people are hurting and I know that we get scared because of the fact...I do daily...BUT I do not ever remember the LORD letting me go without food and clothes and I do not remember every not having a place to lay my head...
I do remember being behind on bills and not being able to buy all of what I needed...but we did get by and we still to this day do even without a 2 income family....
GET CREATIVE AND AS THE BIBLE SAYS DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW ONLY TODAY....
YESTERDAY IS GONE AND YOU MAY NOT BE AROUND FOR TOMORROW....
i have been so much advice hope and encouragement on this site that I believe the hope and love will get everyone through life...
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Thanks for this. I was 17 and my hubby 19 when we married after going through all of our schooling together. We have our 44th wedding anniversary next year and often talk about the early years. You are right - much more relaxed and happy. There was no TV at that time in Africa. We lay on a blanket many nights, on the front lawn and looked for "sputniks" (remember the word ?) We also paid a deposit on our milk bottles and coke bottles, so, saved them all for the end of the month to cash in and buy baby formula and some food..... Would not really wish those days back but it is so good to know that we had them. Thanks for bringing back the memories !!
27028Deanna, If I didn't know better I'd think you were one of mine. I learned thrift at a very young age, my grandmother saved every button,(there was no such thing as a zipper then) every thing was recycled, her worn out coats she managed to find enough good fabric in them to make my coats. Decorations & gifts were always home made. Picnics were freq.(cooler outside under a tree)no such thing as air conditioning back then. "Twas a farm with chicks, pigs, cows so there was always plenty to eat but just plain food grown or harvested. I have always taught my children that money does not grow on trees, the Bible teaches man shall make his living by the sweat of his brow & that's as it should be. Loveing ea. other doesn't cost a thing & that's the most important of all as long as families have & love one another & share their bounty with those less fortunate their lives will be full.
145791Good to know someone else uses some of the same methods I have had to use many times over the years.
Another thing is when my kids were small they always had "new" clothes - that's because some people knew I sewed and when cleaning out their closet, they'd give me the clothes as they figured I'd find a use for them. Which I did of course. I'd cut out the seams, cut off the buttons, and take out the zippers. Wa la! Material - all I needed was thread (which I'd get on the biggest spool I could - on sale preferrably).
I never used to dare tell anyone that if I had a gift given to me or us and we didn't want it as we already had one or whatever - I'd regift it. No one has ever found out I used to do that (and still do) unless I tell them.
Many gifts I've given over the years are things that I have made and I don't remember one that wasn't appreciated as they liked the fact that I had taken the time to make something for them.
It's amazing what we can do if we have to - so anyone who needs to cut down - your words of encouragement & suggestions will go a long way.
38558Dear Deanna,
What wonderful ideas; I'll proudly pass them along to my grown children, and hope that they can assimilate the ideas into their lives.
May God bless you abundantly.
70914Deanna, Thanks for bringing back such fond memories of yesterday! Any how we now live in such throw away times. <br />Hugs Sally
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24342Good suggestions. Thanks. I have lived in this house for 18 years and have never had cable TV. Believe me, it is not necessary. Also, recently trimmed two other bills, by stopping the trash pick up and the newspaper delivery. A luxury I refuse to give up is 2 ply toilet paper. Ha! Ha!
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
you are definitely right on th tp....my hubby refuses to let go of that also.
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200127My dear- you are soooo right on the mark with these ideas. I'm amazed because we already do quite a few of them. Homemade soup, usually chicken is a once a week thing here. If we get tired of it before it's gone it goes in the freezer for another time. Sometimes I cook, sometimes Maurice cooks. I've gotten to enjoy fish the way he makes it. I never cared for fish before. In my soup I use different kinds of pastas for flavor and just so it isn't the same all the time. I love it with frozen raviolis which I get when the stores here offer b1g1Free on their store brands. Always keep onions in the house because they flavor so many things. We've been without cable for months and don't really miss it. We have a lot of movies we watch and borrow from my son sometimes and vice versa. I had a yard sale this summer too. I give away books at my physical therapists or to my dil's friend after I've read them. Gifts are homemade or non- existant and so far noone complains when they get something I've made. We're laughing all the time though, well a LOT of the time. We talk a lot to each other. We never go out and that's ok. I don't remember the last time I got new clothes and had to get Maurice socks recently as his were pretty holey and he said not to throw them out as it was all he had. We do our laundry in the bathtub because we can't afford to go to the laundry mat. It's ok though, as I get a kick out of the dog every time I turn the water on in the tub. He thinks he's getting a bath and comes running. I know one day it will be better. Some days it's hard to keep moving but we do. I sold some of the binky bibs I made this summer and pick up every penney I find--it all adds up. Thank you for your help and upbeat attitude. It goes a long way and made me feel better about life itself!
Meri
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
i figure life is too short and we never ever know about tomorrow or even the next hour....enjoy it..making a game of bad circumstances is good for the soul...
15572Great Ideas Deanna. Thanks for sharing these.
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
youre welcom Terre....Its funny how childhood memories sudden;y appear once again in tough times....
36693What great suggestions. I remember when my husband and I were in this situation. we used coupons from the grocery store, or manufacturer. Turned off the lights and tv. Played cards and other board games by candle light. Put extra covers on the bed to stay warm when we turned the neat to 65 in the winter. Cooked all meals from scratch rather than purchasing processed foods or going out to eat. Went for walks in the park for entertainment, and we still do that to this day.
Cindy
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
I am happy you have good memories and hope that you take those memories and maybe re-live
them once again often...
11473I am going to make more soup for meals and ask to eat out less. And I am sure there are plenty of other things I can do.
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169064Denna thanks for sharing so many creative ideas we can use......It makes me remember years ago when my hubby and me got together and that brings a warm smile.....thanks so much......blessings Janet
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8647Deanna, thank you for all your creative and useful idea's and thoughts - we will all use something from this and be a better person for having done so - thanks my dear.
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
You are very welcome....I am sure Rick will get a kick out a indoor picnic....
211079Beautifully written and well thought out. I'm going to implement some of it.
loves ya!
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158718Thanks for this, I am sure that many will find useful ideas from you
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by camylow
04 Oct 2010
you are welcome....A simple item can be so much more....we all remember good times and trying to recreate them is sometimes a challenge but well worth the reward...
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