if i knew then what i know now...

as a sufferer of hypothyroidism, ive been able to control most of the negative side effects that i have, but there's one that really bugs me, and for years i have not been able to control it...dry skin. my skin has been terribly dry for as long as i could remember, and sometimes it gets so bad that the skin on my face begins to get leathery, cracked and tender, and actually flakes away. it has been the worst, and i've tried over twenty products over the years to try and improve my skins condition. the issue with doing this however, has always been that you just in general have to be careful about what products you use--some of them can cause severe reactions, and worsen the condition. for about a year and a half (since ecobaby was born actually), ive been using lanolin for my terrible skin, figuring that if it could help cracked nipples from breastfeeding, it could help cracked skin from the dry winter weather and hypothyroidism. well i was right, to a point. the problem with the lanolin was that i had to apply it three times per day to have continuously soft and supple skin, it was thick and sticky to apply, and often left my face glossy looking for up to two hours, sometimes longer. but since it was the best option that i had, it was what i used. at least it somewhat controlled the flaking, and took away the itch. well! one day, while surfing the web, i just happened to come across an article explaining the way commercial lotions work. the article was so well written, and made quality lotions out to be heroes for people with extremely dry skin. it was a great article, but i was afraid to try out anything else other than my lanolin. fast forward two weeks later. i received in the mail a freebie packet that i had signed up for the month earlier. i had basically forgotten about the packet, and since it was a surprise packet, i wasnt sure what i was going to get (but me being the "if its free its for me" type, didnt mind the surprise). well lo and behold, the packet was full of facial care items, toiletries and lotions. so i took my chance and tried one by nivea.

it didnt melt my face off.

but...it also wasnt the absolute best. a few hours later, my face was dry and itchy. so i thought to myself, well nivea is top of the line and its not working for me, then there must be little hope for my face...little affordable hope anyway.

my face eventually got so tight, itchy and dry that i went to wash it and apply my lanolin...but i couldnt find it. ecobaby had gotten to it clearly, and thrown it somewhere. with a dry, tight, itching face i had no choice...

i ran into the bathroom, and slathered on my face the closest thing i could...my husbands dial nutri skin lotion.

i brought these huge bottles of dial nutri skin lotion for .99 each at a super sale shop rite was having, and i had 2.00 off coupons...so i racked up. and in over a year, had never used the stuff.

what in the world was wrong with me?!

this stuff IMMEDIATELY calmed my face down, IMMEDIATELY moisturized it, and IMMEDIATELY softened my skin. the next morning, my skin was STILL moisturized! it lasted through my sleep! i felt so good i didnt wash my face (dont judge me) until that night...and it wasnt until i washed my face that i needed a new application. so i generously applied it.

the next day, my flaky skin was gone. after about a week, i noticed that not only was my skin OBVIOUSLY improving in health and feel, but there were no adverse reactions. it has a light fresh scent, is non greasy/oily and is a pretty great deal at about 7.00 for a huge bottle (maybe 32 ounces?).

i officially fell in love.

now i use the stuff every day, all over my body, and cannot believe how clear my skin is getting, how much better it's feeling and how much better it looks. all the time the solution was right under my nose.

why didnt someone tell me about dial nutri skin lotion a year ago?! i could've saved myself some pretty painful days, but better late than never...this stuff is my new best friend!

the carbohydrate addicts diet.

so, i picked up from my freecycle list, the book "the carbohydrate addicts diet", upon the recommendation of the freecycler that it may help me in my weight loss journey, as her husband has been able to keep 50 pounds off his frame for well over two years with it. so i thought i'd read it, and if it sounded feasible for me, give it a shot. why not?

the basis of the diet is changing around your eating habits so that you consume all carbs at night, therefore curbing hunger, overeating and fat storage by preventing carbohydrates from triggering the release of the hunger signaling chemical insulin. eventually the benefits of the diet lead to insulin being properly produced and used, less sugars in the blood, and weight loss and better health. i've read over 100 reviews about the diet and it seems possible and sound for many people, especially those who like me, have a dependency on carbs. it makes sense to me.

today was my second complete day of following the diet. i will admit, already the idea of no carbs for breakfast and lunch was a huge turnoff...which is probably just a testament to how utterly addicted to carbs i truly am. both days i had a bacon and egg breakfast with a cup of coffee (ok i cheated and added 1 tsp of sugar to my coffee) and a bottle of water to wash everything down with. the meal filled me for about two hours, and then i was getting really hungry again. but since i eat breakfast around 10am...i only had an extra hour to go until lunch, and it passed quickly.

at lunch today, i had a HUGE salad of lettuce, olives, red beets and 1/2 a tomato sliced. i added my usual amount of dressing (which was the standard serving size). i know cottage cheese has carbs, and the book says that as long as the carb amount is below 4g per meal, we can wing it. so wing it i did. i had about 1/3 a cup of cottage cheese with my salad, which was about 3g of carbs. and i topped it off with deli ham. it was delicious and actually filled me up. or maybe i was just that hungry (when im hungry liver tastes delicious). i drunk 2 more cups of water and felt pretty good. i was thinking of adding tuna to the mix, but since i had tuna and asparagus YESTERDAY, i didnt want to eat it again. too much tuna is really no good for anyone, with all the chemicals in the waters these days.

so anyway...i made it for another 2 hours or so, and then i was really getting hungry again. it's interesting how i can be really full, and then the food just seems to burn off instantaneously, leaving me feeling REALLY hungry. anyway...after another hour, i felt as if i hadn't eaten all day, so i made another salad...same exact way. so yeah, that gave me 6g of carbs for lunch. not too bad, it still only amounts to about 2% of the daily recommended intake. another 2 glasses of water...and i was held over just fine until dinner.

i have to interject here. technically, by eating the second salad, i broke the rule of strictly 3 meals a day. but reading the thyroid diet (you can purchase it here), i learned that (and tried and find that it works for me) people with hypothyroidism (me), should always eat at least 5, preferably 6, small meals per day. so i did not feel bad for tweaking that part of the book and eating the second salad.

so dinner came, and because my husband was late coming home today, dinner was not made. it was supposed to be fried fish, green salad and spanish rice, a dish that we absolutely love. since i cannot fry fish, it was up to him to do it...he came in too late so dinner plans crashed. tomorrow ill just bake the fish. anyway, that left me getting really hungry. so i decided to just make my favorite immediate fix--a good ole bowl of frosted flakes. i had the normal amount i eat, one full bowl. i topped it off with 2 cookies and a half glass of milk. because i didn't eat any fruit, i also chomped into a big ole wedge of delicious pineapple.

now, for those who dont know, i have a steel plated stomach. i can eat a myriad of foods in one sitting and not get sick. so pineapple, cereal, cookies, milk, seltzer water and olives all on the same plate is right up my alley.

i felt stuffed afterwards. this was at about 8pm. since the diet said to make sure to finish everything from the last meal within the hour, i did that, and felt pretty ok.

now, i'm slowly starting to feel myself get hungry again. eek! i know im going to break the one hour rule, just because i can't go to bed hungry.

as i see, im the person that cuts corners. due to my thyroid illness, i have to be careful with the way i eat. so i figured maybe (as many of the reviews i read suggest), that i could tweak the diet to fit my individual needs. instead of eating meat and fat all day, the idea is to eat my meat and eggs for breakfast, and once every few days, have a slice of low carb bread with it, and some butter, and maybe a touch of low sugar jelly. then to eat a huge thing of veggies for lunch, with lean meat, or seafood. this way, i am not depriving myself of my veggies for the day. then, when the evening comes, have my dinner early (this is easy because its summer), flesh it out really well, add at least 4 servings of fruit to it, have my regular meal and whatever goodies i want without the guilt. despite switching the meals so that carbs are always saved for the end of the day, i have to make sure i eat veggies and fruits too.

someone in one of the reviews said that she could not go absolutely with no carbs all day long, so she tweaked it to have a small serving of carbs for breakfast some days, and then none for lunch, and only a small serving for dinner on the days she had them for breakfast. on the days she has no carbs for breakfast, she treats herself liberally for dinner. she said this satisfies her way more and she's still maintaining her weight loss. so it can be an idea that if this works for me, i can have some tweaking too, with strict moderation, just to keep my thyroid at a healthy place. since there are some limitations to what i can eat anyway with thyroid issues, a menu is paramount daily.

also, the book has recipes for low carb breads, which are just fine to eat during the day. i find that in general, it's a great idea to REALLY start experimenting with recipes on this sort of lifestyle change. there are TONS of recipes that are low carb that people can eat for breakfast and lunch. and considering that most americans eat no fruits and veggies daily, it wont exactly kill them to hold off with eating certain veggies and some fruits until dinner.

i know two people personally (not including the freecycler who gave me the book) who have been on similar menu plans and it has worked for them. one person is an old college teacher, who lost 190 pounds on this exact diet, and has kept it off going on maybe 15 years now. the second person is my neighbor, who says she follows the diet and she feels alot better, at the recommendation of her doctor (who did not recommend the book, but recommended a similar style of eating--limiting carbs to 1 meal per day). she admitted to falling off the 1 carbie meal per day bandwagon, but is now considering trying it again).

this may not be such a bad idea for me.

my results are especially promising. between yesterday and today...ive lost 1.4 pounds. today was the lowest weight reading ive had in WEEKS. and i had to lose the weight because i weigh myself wearing the same thing daily, and the scale has never been so low. also, i immediately noticed that i have more energy. im not sluggish and i dont need naps during the day anymore. also, i know this is tmi...but im going to say it anyway. today my bowels moved the best they have in months. this is an immediate change.

the only downside is that i have to break up the strict 3 meals per day rule. i simply have been advised NOT to go that long between meals, it can wreak havoc on my metabolism. so i will not. still losing 1.5 pounds and cutting all of the corners i did yesterday sounds as if i can definitely tweak this diet.

i'm going to shop later this week for the ingredients to make the low carb bread, and im definitely going to search around for low carb recipes. i have to flesh out my breakfast and lunch more if this is something that may help me out. funny, but ive been praying for God to help me find the encouragement to cook and dibble dabble with recipes more. welp, here it is--the perfect reason to do just that.

i would have NEVER thought my carb intake could've been the cause of alot of my ill. here i am blaming my thyroid for the difficulties losing weight. but the more i think about it, the more i AM recognizing a correlation between my carb intake and weight gain, exhaustion after eating and yes, being hungry relatively quickly after eating.

i will definitely be reporting my progress with this dietary change regularly. with the way i'm going, i may even add a new label LOL. "dieting101" or something LOL. anyway, i'm just thankful to God for allowing freecycle to once again be the way to a blessing. even if this isnt exactly for me (and ill know within a few weeks if it is or not), ill never look at carbs the same, simply because of how good i feel.

any feedback about this diet, or others like that is appreciated....i'm definitely going to see where this road takes me!

what does a baby need?

when i found out i was expecting my fourth daughter, i was excited and humbled, thankful and hopeful, but i also was a tad bit anxious. the economy is rough and my husband lost his steady work for unsteady work as he was laid off. being frugal, it was a no brainer that i would take that route with the baby...i mean we have a small home anyway so going overboard would only add to the stress of our situation, not make me feel like i've amassed a bunch of great baby items.

so frugal i decided that i would be, and frugal i was.

into about my 3rd week of making up my mind how i would supply the baby with what she needs, i came across a woman in my freecycle group who shared with me the story of how her daughter was going to give her own baby up for adoption because "she didnt have what a baby needs". now it was no coincidence that i ran into this woman on my list, who's daughter i also knew. the year before the daughter had given me 2 huge trashbags full of baby boy clothes that she had collected from her local church for my nephews pending birth...and also shared with me that she was pregnant but had decided to adopt her baby out to a family (sans any explination and i didn't ask). now the story was complete, and as i went back into my home, happy that the mom convinced her daughter to keep her baby and that God would supply the baby's needs (and that He did), i was also distraught that a mother would give her baby up for adoption SIMPLY because she didn't have "what a baby needs", whatever that is. it prompted me to ask myself...what does a baby need anyway?

i even googled the question. and the most basic answer i got went something like, "most infants need a safe place to sleep, adequate clothing, diapers, and food upon coming home from the hospital as well as a carseat for the ride home in a car." it didn't mention anything about swings, diaper genies, baby walkers, high chairs...those glossy extras that most of us seem to equate with being effective, "good" parents deserving of keeping our own blessings from God. after thinking about it some more, i decided to be the first parent i know of to get everything my baby needs (or as much as possible) without purchasing a single item. i mean, not even purchasing through a consignment shop, thrift store, or my all favorite place to purchase items, ebay. i said to myself, "i am going to see just how hard it is to get what a baby needs on a tiny, basically non-existent income, which means spending as little as possible, and nothing if possible at all."

so started my 5 month long project. using freecycle, craigslist, word of mouth, the people i knew and facebook, i went on my quest to find everything my baby needs without spending money.

i'll admit, sometimes i was tempted to go out and purchase items because i felt that i wouldn't get them before the baby was born, but each time, right before i could actually gather up my pennies to purchase the item, someone was put in my path who gave me the item for free. i wound up with ALOT of free baby items, each one in EXCELLENT/GENTLY USED or NEW condition. not a single thing was given to me looking like it had been regularly used or even used at all:

this bassinet is #1 of 1 and was a piece that i absolutely abhorred, but it was listed on craigslist, and i figured i'd need SOMETHING safe and clean for baby to sleep in, so i took it. it's made of real cherry wood and the mattress is a great quality. it came with rockers (pictured), but one broke and i decided to junk them both because they weren't sturdy or safe, thus effectively turning this into a very large, very roomy moses basket of sorts, without all the wicker lol. it's propped up on a large, sturdy coffee table that we don't use, and our bed is right next to it so i can reach over and pick her up easily. i must admit, it has since grown on me. i don't have a retail value, but i am sure it was over 150.00, as the wood is real cherry and i was told it's a designer piece (something was imprinted on the rockers but they're gone--i didn't pay much attention).

this is a gap pocketbook, which i have turned into a gap baby bag. it's perfect for putting baby things in, is stylish and sturdy, and has pockets that will fit bottles perfectly! it was given to me brand new and unused by a freecycler, the price tag said 40.00.

this is the exact same safety 1st tub i wanted to get for the baby, given to me by a great freecycler (the one who gave me bassinet #2 of 2). i had one long ago with my oldest daughter and it really is a neat, comfortable and safe baby tub. i recommend it. retail value is 20.00 new.

this mobile was given to me from a freecyler (the pillow too)...it hangs from the ceiling! how adorable. i believe the retail value was 30.00, there was a pricetag on the box that was hard to read...and it's an item that was sold in a different country, everything on the box was written in what looked to be chinese.

these bottles were purchased with a free gift card from target for creating a baby registry with them. retail value is 20.00 for everything you see here. i am breastfeeding and these bottles are great transitions from breast to bottle and back again. and since breastmilk is free, that's one less thing i'll have to purchase for baby (formula). all i do not have to date is a breastpump, but i bet i come across one...right now a pump is not mandatory, as it's not advised to use one until 4-6 weeks after milk has regulated and baby has latched on and is feeding well.

this stroller actually came to me in two parts that "just happened" to match perfectly! a freecycler gave me the frame part, retail 69.00 new. the carseat itself was being washed so that's why the whole thing isn't assembled. it's a safe seat too, retail value between 84.00 and 130.00 new, given to me by my sister-in law.

this carseat was a gift to me, brand new. i only included it because it also fits the stroller frame pictured above! so i got 2 carseats...this seat's purchase price was 83.00, brand new.

this is a baby bjorn city baby carrier, original in black. it was given to me by a freecycler, retail value 80.00 new.

this boppy pillow was given to me by the same freecyler, who really was happy that i am breastfeeding lol. the slipcovers can be replaced for 13.00 each. this item retails new for 35.00.

this bassinet was #2 of 2 that i received from a freecycler. she also gave me a bag of little girl items, brand new. this bassinet retails for 129.00 new. the only thing that's missing is the mobile piece, which doesn't matter. what newborn looks at mobiles? plus, i got the mobile above anyway from great freecycler (who also gave me baby's bunting and about 7 sleepers for free):

these items weren't all that i received. i had a small get together in which people brought items for the baby. i don't label it a baby shower because it was just supposed to be a party where the hubby and i met with some friends and enjoyed dinner before the baby came, but after much prompting that we just "turn it into" a baby shower, we told people they could bring a gift IF THEY'D LIKE. from that party, we got diapers, baby wipes, more clothing, and socks, hats and booties. most of the clothing booty i received is pictured in my first picture, but that isn't all that i received. and everything you see in any picture i have on this post was given to me for free...no goods or money was exchanged for me to get the items. not shown that i received for free also are:

a graco baby swing, excellent condition

a seashell pregnancy body pillow (has saved me many a night)

baskets for storing baby items/essentials

more diapers

buntings

breastmilk storage totes

binky holders

toys

so with all of the efforts combined from myself and generous people around me, i was blessed abundantly with everything a baby needs (God is AWESOME)...and my total cost out of pocket was 15.00. and the only reason i even spent 15.00 was because i came across a cute little set that i "had to have", but i didn't NEED it. i had everything she needed way before i purchased the items i purchased.

so my conclusion: it is indeed possible to get everything a baby needs to come home and have a very comfortable, healthy and safe first year of life, even if finances and this economy seem to dictate otherwise.

in a *tide-al* wave of dilemma!

ok, so i've come across a stump in my usually flawless frugal abilities!

my cousin brought me a huuuggeee container of tide detergent last month that was given to him that he didn't need. so me, being the frugal genius i am, took it gratefully and used it immediately.

well, i loved the way tide detergent cleans our clothes, and i love the fact that you truly only need one capful. now this is especially great news because we wash clothing on average 4x a week in my household. and this is especially great news because i've been washing off of this same container of tide for the past 2 weeks at 2 loads per day 4x per week and i still have about 1/3 of the container left.

the horrid news about this situation is that the particular bottle of tide that i was using costs 20.00 AND i have to set our machine on the longest setting *which uses more electricity* than i normally do to get those clothes good and clean. eek. now usually i spend about 10.00 per month on detergent and it gets our clothes nice and clean on the shortest setting possible, which cuts down on energy costs for my household and laundry time in general.

however, the tide gets out tough stains and it also gets out grease stains better than my current detergent *which DOES get out the stains but i have to use shout on them beforehand*.

so that is my dilemma. do i start using the tide at 20.00-24.00 a bottle *depending on where i shop* and using the longest laundry setting *which is double the time of the shortest* to clean our clothes, or do i revert back to the 10.00 worth of detergent i buy *which is a blend of detergents* and shout gel along with the shortest laundry cycle to get our laundry done? we save about 15.00 per month on our energy bill using shorter laundry cycles. unfortunately, our appliances aren't the most energy efficient available, and we aren't allowed to just change them because i don't own my home.

so hmm...what SHOULD i do? i was thinking about keeping a small bottle of the tide on hand to use, but that may be more trouble than it's worth. so i do need suggestions!

my fishtank.

i got my latest and probably most beautiful treasure on freecycle about a month ago, and let me say. it was well worth every single ounce of strain i put in to move it. my fishtank holds only 40 gallons, but let me say, the picture which i'm going to add does it no justice. i got it from a sweet family who's son i went to high school with *of course i didn't know this until i actually got to the house and noticed their son in a picture*, and nearly couldn't believe they were giving it away!

God has a way of answering our prayers in the funniest of ways. i saw the offer on freecyle maybe about 3-4 minutes after it was posted, and immediately responded that i'd love the tank. unfortunately by the time i responded, he emailed me to let me know there were at least 10 people in front of me who responded first to his email! but instead of fretting i said, "well if God wills me to have this tank, which i REALLY WANT, it'll happen, even if there were 100 people in front of me!"

well about two weeks later, he emailed me saying, "hey the tank is available if you'd like it still. no one showed up to pick it up!" and of course i said YES YES YES i wanted it! but i had no ride to pick it up and he assured me it wouldn't fit in the back of a car.

fine. he was very patient with me and gave me two weeks to pick up the tank! now usually on freecycle people want to get rid of their unwanted items asap and they just move down the list and make it basically a first come first serve deal.

well...he told me he'd wait for me to find a ride. and he kept his promise. two weeks passed though and i still had *no* ride to pick up the tank. so i sucked it up, said a prayer and headed out to his house with my sister's car.

lo and behold, after a bit of maneuvering, the tank and all the accessories fit perfectly in the car without an ounce of space left! and i mean i was SO happy...I GOT MY FISHTANK! one that i have been wanting basically for about FIVE YEARS! it came so unexpectedly and was totally free, God is good!

the tank has basically no scratches and came already set up and ready to go, he even threw in two fish to get me started *both of which fell down a flight of steps and were picked up off the concrete but made it*. in the picture i'll add you can't see the fish, but they're in there. there are also a colony of small snails living in the tank, and since i'm an avid snail lover they can stay.

i am just so happy i got my tank--it fits my television stand perfectly too because the wood and cut is the same! almost looks like a set.

yes i am sooo siked up. i love my freecycle to pieces...whooowee! God has blessed me abundantly through freecycle. and He assures me that if i take care of what i get, He'll entrust me to even more. so of course i am taking care of this sucker.

the sweetest thing was, the man who gave it to me sent me a small email saying that he prayed i'd get much enjoyment and use out of it. he doesn't know just how appreciative i am of that tank. it relaxes me, i can watch my two little fish for hours without tiring of them. the lighting is beautiful and it's just so serene inside of the tank. *sigh*

thank God for small blessings.

clothes, clothes, clothes.

as winter is rolling in, i've decided to stock up as much as possible on good clothing for my family. now usually, because i live in the middle of the New York metropolis area, this is extremely easy. but because of lack of funds and the fact that i do not like TOO much of anything in my house *including clothing*, this is proving to be a bit of a challenge this year.

so far i've racked up on 20.00 worth of nice jeans and pants for the oldest daughter, who out of everyone, needed clothing the most. i don't have any shirts for her as of yet because it's hard to find clothes for a 10 year old who is taller than i am without them being too *grown*. i am still working on her items, but i'm pretty sure she's going to have a ton of long sleeved simple shirts from old navy and plenty of sweaters.

i also was able to get off freecycle a bag of miscellaneous clothes for myself, which came in handy because i needed a pick me up and a splash of something new in my life. it's mainly shirts and some good sweats for this winter. i am sure i'll use them all because i can tell already that it is going to be COLD this winter. my kittens and cats are growing fur around them like a lion's mane, and my mom's dogs have BUSHELS of fur this year it seems. the weather is very funky already and some nights i've woken up to turn up the heat because i was shivering. so best to prepare now.

i was concerned about the baby's clothing because while she has lots of it, i'm always worried about how much clothing she has. lol. i guess it's a mama syndrome...i'm always worried about the smallest being warmest. so i am on the lookout for some good winter clothing for her...freecycle is always a blessing in regards to baby clothing as it seems bags are given away every week these days.

the middle baby is probably the best prepared clothing wise. today i was able to pick her up a cute little knitted sweater for 3.00--a gift from my mom. i also picked up a cutsie little blue cable knit old navy sweater for the smallest baby from the thrift store today for 3.00, so those will get them through the coldest of days.

for some odd reason i am just determined to get plenty of warm clothing this year. i have to snuff out gloves and scarves and hats--you can NEVER have enough of those with a household full of growing and rowdy children. they always seem to lose one of these or one of those going to and from school. last year i had over 8 sets of gloves and hats and scarves, this year i scraped together some mismatched pieces for the coldest of weather thus far because there were 10o excuses per minute why no on one had matching sets... *sigh*

ah well, kids! whachagonnado?

for myself this winter i am a scarf hoarder the way some women are shoe hoarders--so imagine my arsenal of scarves! i LOVE it because scarves are easy and cheap to come across--i usually pay 99 cents each for them from the thrift stores i frequent, and people are always dropping scarves in the streets or giving them to me out of the desire not to be bothered with them anymore *insert devilish laugh here* so i always wind up with at least 5 new scarves every winter, usually more. :P i've always been of the belief that a pretty scarf is almost as nice and effective as nice shoes. this is why in the summer i keep my locs wrapped in scarves and in the winter i keep them around my neck! you can never have too many scarves.

well, i have to go home and sort through this bag of clothing i just got today, and hopefully everything will fit the oldest girl properly. pray for her *and me* that they do!

my humble abode thus far.

so here are some pictures of my bedroom, kitchen and living room.

the reason i'm posting them up is to show my personal frugality at work. with a little hard work, patience and determination a person can have a pretty comfortable place to live in on a very tight (or even nearly non existent) budget. contrary to popular belief, being frugal has many more pros than cons, and honestly it's really fun once you get into it.

everything on the bed was free, even the kitten LOL. the only thing i purchased was the frame itself for 150.00 at ikea about 6 years ago. there are at least 350.00 worth of blankets and pillows on my bed *very good quality items, including a down pillow bed and comforter woohoo*. in my living room the only thing i brought was the tv 8 years ago at 300.00 and the tv center for 50.00 from the thrift store about 2 years ago. everything else was free. in my kitchen the only thing i purchased were the 4 clear canisters with the blue tops from the dollar store at 1.00 each and the two apples from the same store at 1.00 each. there was a bunch of chaos going on because it was dinner time. but theres a plant, tea kettle, bread canister, sugar bowl, spice rack and a container with spoons in it *ok i brought the spoons, 15.00 from bed bath and beyond*.

it's really coming along and the best thing i've accomplished thus far in it is making it feel like home. yessiree, when you walk into my house, it has a nice, ahhhhh feeling to it. i've decorated my home over the years all for less than 5,000.00 altogether from the time i've moved in, i'm positive. and that includes 1,500.00 for my new carpets *which are brown but look much better in person than in the pictures*.

all things considering, i must say that the pictures really don't do my little townhouse justice.

ok, so when i first moved into my little townhouse 7 years ago i had 2 blankets, a pillow, a radio and 3 boxes of books, clothes and diapers for my girls.

now it's been a while and alot of struggle. i've written about my sick dog and the havoc she wreaked on my little spot, and how i had to move her to my moms because of the difficulties i had keeping her. i've also had to deal with a building that's not the most structurally sound in the world haha, when trucks come past everything rumbles. as the house settles, things are more than a bit lopsided and the ceilings and walls are shifting and seperating slightly. some of the materials used to make my home were discontinued and actually the cheapest money could buy. when the snow comes it has a tendency to melt into my home. when the rain comes if don't lock my windows it will splatter through the cracks and wet up the floors. i have to continuously wipe down my kitchen cabinets because the food oils stain them horribly if i don't.

despite all of these problems, my little townhouse is my home and i'm grateful for it. when i moved into it, it was just another little mechanically created house on a long block of little mechanically created houses which all looked, smelled and seemed the same. after putting a few memories and some very special things into it, my humble abode now has personality and spunk!

i am almost proud (we shouldn't be prideful) to say that most of what's in my home is preowned or brought new for under 20.00 lol. the things that cost more than 20.00 new are far and few between, and the word "new" is relative. when i got those "new" things, sure they were "new" but this was also 6-7 years ago lol.

in other words, i no longer buy anything new for more than 20.00 to go into my home except for clothing for the girls and myself. lol.

it may not be much, but it's not bad to have basically been free, eh?

wow! the hillbilly housewife isn't all that bad...

...and actually it's great! i just found this link and i'm so excited i had to share! with my health being what it is, and my weight being what it is, i've decided to-day that i have to do SOMETHING to lower both my weight and the amount of money i spend on unhealthy foods. the hillbilly housewife is a really great site for helping with food prep and meals on a budget. lots of already written lists for you to use so you just print and go too! i love it!

www.hillbillyhousewife.com

oh...by the way...you're confused about freecyle?!

i'm really surprised and how so few people actually understand or even know about the freecycle community. i've had the link on my blog since i've had this blog...so click it!

i love freecycle...it's an amazing way to meet new people and get many items for yourself and others for free. i participate because i feel like i'm not only getting what i need for myself and those around me for free--but because it's such a good feeling to give, recieve and make the world a better place (i know it sounds cliche but it really works that way!)

the way it works is simple. you find a freecycle list in your community and join (just type in your county or city on freecycle.org). then you have four commands for your emails to direct them properly to the group: wanted, offer, taken and recieved. when you are looking for an item, you head your email with wanted, and a small description of what you want, and your location (such as zip, city, or county). then you describe what it is you need and how far you're willing to travel to pickit up. if you have something you no longer need or want to give away, you title the email with offer and the same details...what it is and when someone can get it...and where they can get it from. if someone takes an item you were offering, you post an email saying it was taken, heading the email with taken. if you recieve something from someone, do your freecycle list a favor and let others know you recieved it so they won't scramble trying to get the item for you.

freecycle is an email group...we connect via email. so always have your email checking ready because you can get anywhere from 5 to 50 emails in one day...it's alot. i have an email specifically for my frugal living...and my freecycle. it's connected to my cell phone so everytime i get an email my phone buzzes. my sister connected it for me and i am in freecyle heaven!

of course you have to be careful when dealing with strangers, but i've never had a problem. some of the great 100% free items i've gotten are:

a microwave oven (less than 2 years old)

a brand new (clearly expensive might i add) mattress and boxspring set

ikea mattresses for the kids

an ikea bed for the oldest

a coat for myself

a crib

a bouncer

a bassinet

4 boxes of baby clothes

storage bins with lids

a filing cabinet

200 pullups (those things are so expensive omg she gave me like 4 boxes of them)

the list goes on!

i also give away things...curtains, coats, clothes...anything i no longer need that someone else may be able to use.

so try your freecycle list! you know queen frugal and mrs. free would never steer you wrong! it's a great way to connect, share, clean up the earth and put old stuff to new use...all for free!

the broke folk stock up list.

in these trying financial times, i've decided to try my hand more thoroughly at cooking to save money. i've devised a cute little list of items that i think are pretty affordable and make some GOOD meals if you take the time to prepare them correctly. i've also included some basics that no house should be without...yanno, just in case all of the supermarkets crash and we're forced to eat from what we have in the house for the next month. enjoy!

potatoes

yellow onions

gallons of water

canned goods

bagged beans

chicken legs (or quarters if you don't mind cleaning and cutting them)

pasta

rice (lots and lots of rice--this stuff is invaluable)


i know this list sounds like a WWII rations list, but trust me, stock your house up with these things because a severe economic crunch may be ahead. it's always good to save money. i know i have about 4 20lb bags of rice and about 50 cans of veggies. i have about 10 gallons of water and about 8 bags of beans. i'm running out of pasta, with about 9 boxes left, and i don't have any chicken legs or potatoes. tomorrow i'm going to purchase 2 large bags of each lol.

i'm crazy anyway though so don't take my word for it. when SARS broke out i had about 100 rolls of duct tape. ever since 911 i've had this whole "issue" going on where i have to stock my shelves for some major catastrophe. i'm not sure if i should seek counseling for this problem--but it sure does make me feel better when i'm loaded down with supplies.

now all i have to do is purchase wings for the house and i'm set.

a few other saves!

i just found the 2x concentrate trend detergent, and let me tell you--that stuff is working wonders on my clothes. i thought it would suck because it's trend, but it is good stuff. at 1.99 on sale, it's even better.
but remember to buy the 2x concentrate--the regular one doesn't seem to be AS good as this one.

i find that krasdale and red and white brands are excellent substitutes for their more expensive counterparts. some things i love to purchase by these brands--aluminum foil, sugar, trash bags, apple juice and salt.

t-mobile has this new flex pay plan...which seems to be wonderful for those who aren't able to get a cellular phone plan that's monthly. heck, it seems so good and their phones are so cool that even I want to get rid of my monthly plan! but it's in the hubby's name so i'll keep it :D

the dollar stores up here are lifesavers. from them i purchase toilet tissue, baking pans, detergents, socks, glass cleaner, brillo pads, bleach, toilet bowl cleaners, carpet fresheners, air fresheners, candles, x-mas lights and decorations, gift wrap, cellophane wrap, sippy cups for the baby, cups and bowls, utensils, batteries, napkins, plastic utensils and cups, paper plates...the list goes on. and yes, in the NE, the dollar store really has items that cost 1.00 each.

but for those of us willing to go a little more expensive, family dollar sells the best towels and washclothes for the price i've seen anywhere. they are extremely soft and durable. and it's a 12 pack for 5.00 last i checked--well worth it.

as i come across more saves in my daily running around, i will be sure to post them!

a list of comparisons.

well, since i have about 20 minutes until i get the girls from school and prepare them for girl scouts, i just thought that i'd make a list for my readers who are interested in saving some money.

because i have already tried these items (and my taste buds are on POINT, meaning that if something is nasty i'll be honest about it and if i say it's good you can trust me on it), you'll be taking much less of a risk when you shop.

in my part of the country, these are the stores that i shop at regularly: shoprite, pathmark, extra supermarkets and rite aid. so if you don't shop at any of these stores, then this little blog won't aid you at all, unfortunately.

but if you do shop at any of these stores, you're in for a treat.

ok. first, i have noticed that as far as brand names go, pathmark has by far surpassed the competition concerning taste, quality, and packaging of their products. so about 50% of the items i buy are pathmarks namebrand, which USED to be pathmark until about 2 months ago. A&P food chains have brought out pathmark, so although pathmark will retain it's name, it's brand is now America's Choice. which is still the same item, simply packaged under a new name.

some pathmark brand items i do NOT leave the store without because their quality and/or taste is just as good, if not better than, and save big bucks over versus the big name brands:

light bulbs (1.00 for a 4 pack versus GE @ 3.00 for a 4 pack)

syrup (2.50 for 36 ounces versus aunt jemima @ 4.49 for 36 ounces)

pancake mix (1.69 for 1 box versus aunt jemima @ 3.79 for 1 box)

spring water (2.79 for 3 gallons versus poland spring @ 5.00 for 3 gallons)

now. shoprite has a disgusting tasting storebrand, so i refuse to purchase ANYTHING by shoprites brand unless it is their canned goods. their Can-Can sale is unbeatable. i usually pay on average 1.00 for 3 cans of vegetables...the cheapest in the city. HOWEVER, shoprites prices on NAMEBRAND items cannot be beat. on average, without a sale, their items are priced anywhere from 5-10% cheaper than pathmark or any other grocery chain. that adds up to big bucks when you don't have coupons or sales going on.

now extra is a store only found in the northeastern part of the country, namely nj and ny. i go there and get all of my meats because they are good cuts and fresh. and most of all, they are affordable. now extra's store brand is Parade. i have nothing but good things to say about Parade products--they are of a great quality. some parade brand items that i buy regularly are (and yes--they save me tons of money and are just as good, if not better than, their namebrand competitors):

waffles (1.00 a box compared to eggo @ 3.50 a box)

peanut butter (2.29 a jar compared to JIF @ 3.79 a jar)

frozen vegetables (1.39 a bag compared to Birdseye @ 3.99 a bag)

now i have to add as also, that extra here in my city sells alot of ethnic foods, especially for hispanic and carribean cuisine. so they also carry alot of ethnic names such as goya, iberia and vitaroz. i LOVE iberia's snack crackers...they are better than ritz (1.09 per box of 4 packs compared to ritz 4.19 per box of 4 pack), and i only buy vanilla wafers from vitaroz because they taste great(.99 per box compared to nabisco @ 3.99 per box). now goya i'm not too thrilled about because goya has decided that they were going to up their prices since they are so popular. but when i do purchase from goya, i love their spices...which you can grab on a good sale for about 60% off the regular price. not only that, but extra sells Malt-O-Meal cereals, which my kids LIVE by. they are about 65% cheaper than any name brand cereal and they are JUST AS GREAT TASTING--i PROMISE. my kids wouldn't eat them if they weren't. i buy by the bag their cinnamon toast crunch (2.99 for 24 ounces compared to General Mills @ 6.49 for 24 ounces), their fruit loops (2.99 for 24 ounces compared to Kelloggs @ 4.79 for 24 ounces), their honey nut cheerios (2.99 for 24 ounces versus General Mills @ 4.79 for 24 ounces) and their apple jacks (2.99 for 24 ounces versus Kelloggs @ 4.79 for 24 ounces).

on to rite-aid. alot of people do not believe that rite-aid offers anything of value, but for the coupon savvy person, rite-aid offers many things for free. the only irritating thing about rite-aid is that because they are in the speciality of drugs and not groceries, you have to catch their sale on the day the sale starts if you don't want to be waiting for 4 months for another shipment of that item to come in. rite-aid has EXCELLENT sales weekly, but they are only truly excellent if you have accompanying coupons. if you have a coupon (or a ton of them like i do), rite-aid will happily give you for free the following items (these are things i never pay for--well except tax and that's 0.03):

colgate toothpaste (3.49 reg.)

lady speed stick 24/7 (3.49 reg.)

irish spring 3 pack (3.49 reg.)

bic ink pens 10 pack (3.00 reg.)

these are items i get a real steal on with coupons:

softsoap handsoap: .75

iams dog food (8 lb. bag): 3.00

G.U.M. toothbrush: .50

always pads: 1.00

tampax tampons: 1.75

friskies cat food: .15 per can

so the tips i can offer today for those living in the NE part of the country, namely NY, NJ, CT and the surrounding states are:

1. pathmark for their store brand items--excellent quality and excellent pricing compared to name brand items.

2. shop rite for their name brand items and their storebrand vegetables. do not purchase shoprites storebrand for anything else unless you like a chemical or greasy aftertaste in everything you eat.

3. extra for their meats and their ethnic items and their bagged cereals...especially the Malt-O-Meal brand.

4. rite-aid for their super sale items (which are usually priced at 1.00 for alot of great things) with coupons. although the coupons don't usually double, if the item is very cheap and the coupon is a good one...you're getting it free (colgate palmolive ALWAYS have coupons for 1.00 off an item and rite-aid sells those items for 1.00).

i will post more later but the girls are home now and it's time for Mommy Duty. LOL.

enjoy!

penny pinching even more.

man oh man. i haven't done my coupons in WEEKS! i need to really get on the ball with that--money around here is getting SO super tight that i need to be able to save somehow...so it's back to couponing for me.

the only thing is--the coupons are often for namebrand only items and i buy alot of storebrand items because they are just as good--if not better--than the same items with the namebrand.

so now i'll be spending even more time in the store trying to see if the namebrand with the coupon is cheaper than the storebrand without the coupon.

as if i'm not already busy enough! geesh! eek. but time is money and i need all the money i can get...so i have to do what i have to do for us to be ok until hubby comes home. then it will be alot easier on me (once he gets into the swing of things). until then, it's God and me holding everyone together lol (but the girls and hubby are doing their share too--i gotta give them their credit! they are keeping me going with their love and kisses hehe).

i...am...addicted!

i am so addicted to the website www.justfreestuff.com. i LOVE it. i can never get enough of it.

my mailbox is always overrunning with freebies, 75% of which come in GOOD use. one time, i was super bloated and got free gas x strips...they helped. then the free snacks go on trips with the kids and i. i love the free pads, because i can stash them in my purse on the go. not to mention free bookbags, shirts, sunvisors, magnets (which hold up visit pictures from the prison beautifully on our fridge), diapers...i love it!

i suggest always using a great virus program whenever you click on the links, some sites have adware and spyware that follow you to collect information on how you like to shop online. i have never had much of a problem, but in the past had to clear one or two off my system.

also, to do this you need patience. i just spent the last 2 hours ordering about 20 new items! some sites are so cool, you wind up reviewing the entire site and you get sidetracked!

i signed up for their free email, which i love, because the guy james is so supercool, and the email has lots of useful info in it.

enjoy!

mission: complete.

well, today the kids wound up waking up before 11:30, so we went on to the science center. it was super nice and we spent 4.5 hours there, taking it all in. since our passes are free for the entire summer, we'll be going back there again next week, probably tuesdayish or so. they really enjoyed themselves, and imagine the baby's surprise when she saw a fish bigger than her staring her straight in the face! she jumped up and ran to his tank and slapped on it, so excited she could hardly contain herself! the fish, on the other hand, seemed only mildly interested in her, and lazily scooted to the other side of his tank.

off to bed now, tomorrow is the 4th and we have a pool party/crab fest to attend! yay! i'm gonna get good sleep now hehe :)

what you miss out on when you don't get good sleep.

well, the kids and i were supposed to head on out to the science center today, but uh...well...they're still sleeping! and because i wanted to catch up on my home-based business idea...i am sort of wanting them to stay sleeping. i told them that if they weren't in the bed by a certain time last night, and didn't wake up early, that i was NOT waking them up. well instead of going to bed, they wanted to play alllllllll night long until i had to MAKE them go to bed...hence it being a quarter to eleven and they are still KNOCKED out!

well i am going to dry some laundry, and if they wake up before twelve thirty, we'll slide in 4 hours of science center experience. if not...we can always go on monday, because tomorrow is one of my very favorite holidays--the fourth of july! yay!

the best thing about this trip is that it's free! we get free passes for the entire summer from the science center, so admission for up to twelve of us is free everyday except for special events. we WILL be making good use of these passes--frugal momming at her best!

of things related and unrelated - 7/1/08

i have a really bad cold, and now i'm getting an earache. i am going to force myself to go to the doctor...it's been literally years since i've had an ear infection.

in an effort to expand my horizons/borders/mindset more, i've decided to add a google newsreel to my blog. that way, when i view it, i can also view current stories. i am doing this because i don't watch tv nor do i ever read the news. one time there was a main water break in the city and i didn't find out until a week after it happened. people went without water for five days--i had NO clue. not good.

advil pm really, REALLY works. i use my coupons of course and get a bottle worth 5.00 for about 0.80, so of COURSE it's worth it to me! but it really works...and if i say that, it's good! because i have an extremely high pain tolerance, so most regular medicines and doses don't work well for me.

adopt a soldier! i adopted one, and he hasn't written me back. it's a little wierd writing and mailing off letters when you aren't sure that they reach their destination. in my mind, i imagine them going on a journey and winding up in some far off land that i'll never get to see. a little bit wierd, but hey. the instructions say to keep writing, even if you don't recieve a respons. and they aren't coming back to me...so they are going somewhere.

blogs on racial justice and racism and american politics really have me questioning some of my prior beliefs. i guess you can say that i grew up pretty sheltered or something because i have yet to experience racism on some of the both subtle and grand scales that i am reading about, despite being a black woman. my mom says that i probably had no clue when it was staring me in the face. at this time, i am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

i've decided to get a dyson, and not a kirby. i've also decided to hold off on replacing the carpet in the living room until i see how well (or not well) the dyson works for us. whatever i can do to save money, i'm all for.

lately we've been cooking, and cooking good meals at home. i might be the next emeril.

i am still feeling lil' wayne. i heard his entire CD, and i love it. of course i have no real clue about "hip hop" and what not, i am really commercial in a sense...but i still am snapping my fingers and clicking my heels to the beat (he is my guilty pleasure).

for some odd reason, our pit-bull isn't reacting as well to the ivermectin drops this time around as she usually does. i'm not sure if it's the humidity, or the being in the house so much, or what. but i expected a way better improvement than i've been getting from the medicine.

a few small comparisons.

i've decided to keep a list of some purchases that i've made over the last year, and the cost of the item brand new when it first came out, or currently. this will hopefully encourage others to bargain shop and i know it will encourage me to continue. the new price is what i have googled and it's current cost. the price in parenthesis is the retail value of the product when it first hit the market. my price is the actual amount i paid for it (including any shipping and handling):

kodak easyshare c340 5.0 megapixel digital camera - new: 85.00 (250.00). my price: 37.00.

bissel proheat carpet cleaner - new: 199.00 (199.00). my price: 110.00.

brother mfc210 4 in 1 printer - new: 122.00 (250.00). my price: 50.00.

skin of color: a comprehensive guide to african american...(book) - new: 24.00 (24.00). my price: 1.00

huggies baby wipes - 80 ct. 2.99 (2.99). my price: 0.75

lady speed stick 24/7 deodorant - 3.49 (3.49). my price: 0.03

colgate toothpaste - 3.49 (3.49). my price: 0.03

colgate manual toothbrush - 1.25 (3.00). my price: 0.03

dell inspiron e1505 - 600.00 (1,700.00). my price: 500.00 (this was when it was valued at 1,700.00--i got it at 2 months old).

my entertainment center - 275.00 (450.00). my price: 150.00

my recliner - ?? (875.00 new) my price: 200.00 (it was brand new when i got it)

my loveseat - ?? (900.00 new) my price: 100.00 (it was nearly brand new when i got it).

these are just some of the things i got or get on a daily basis...i know there's a ton of other things. i am currently eyeing the brand new 1,900.00 kirby on ebay for 399.00...i may go on and splurge. that thing is truly worth it!

of things related and unrelated - 6/12/08

today was a much better day overall than yesterday. it was cooler, my attitude was better, and i was calmer. i thank God for answering my prayer for more patience. today i seemed to be full of it.

what goes around comes around. my sister took me to fredericks of hollywood and brought me 2 bras for 30.00 (they are having a huge sale). i have been eyeing these bras for about three days now but didn't have the money. God is good for small blessings, one of the reasons i love Him so much.

i feel that i need to be sterner on my children. they get away with things they shouldn't. when i questioned my parenting skills however, my hubby was sure to let me know in no uncertain terms that i am not a bad mother.

i am REALLY feeling lil wayne's songs lately. i am not into the whole "hard rap" thing, but he really has my head bopping and my fingers snapping. he's also making me laugh. i am really considering buying his cd. i love everything he's coming out with thus far.

my friend had an accident and crashed her van, which gets us 80 miles round trip to and from visitation using less than 1/4 of a tank of gas (a miracle). just when i think that we have a "set routine" for this prison lifestyle, it changes.

i really cannot afford 20.00 for this chinese food that we ordered. but what the hey. my kids and i deserve a treat every now and then. i hope it is as good as it sounds.

i have to buy diapers, overnight underwear, and carpet cleaner tomorrow. that should run me about 35.00. i also have to buy the dog her medication, which also will run me 35.00. that is 70.00 right there. money goes so quickly, it makes no sense.

i really love donnie mcclurkin. his songs speak right to my heart. i so love him. i thank God for him. he has gotten me through some days where i honestly thought i couldn't go any further.

i am feeling sprint. i got four free ringtones today, just for browsing the site. how cool is that? i downloaded mary j. blige, lil wayne, plies, and rick ross. yay.

i am considering investing 70.00 that i do not have for an entire body girdle that is supposed to help you lose 2 full dress sizes as soon as you put it on. i met a woman today who says they actually work. i wonder if anyone else has had experience with this.

i really do love my life. despite all it's bumps and ups and downs, God is so good to me. thank You Jesus.