2006 was a year of learning for me. Learning how to parent a toddler for one thing was HUGE. Learning how my attitude indeed affects everyone inside my house (outside too) and if I can grasp my moods the days go SO much better! I learned a ton - mostly from fellow bloggers, THANKS -about how to be more frugal. One commitment I'm making for 2007 is to become even more frugal.
Did you see Stephanie's post on Saturday? It had some really great links and info. I especially loved this article about The Compact. They promised not to purchase anything NEW for the year - exceptions are food, toiletries, undies etc. Thanks Steph!
I am considering doing this with a few exceptions. My hubby absolutely needs some new pants and shirts (I'm sick of him wearing the same one to church every week!) so those are one my list for this year. We don't go extravagant or anything but he doesn't like to buy used clothes so probably LL Bean - hopefully their wrinkle free ones! When I explained The Compact to Adam he said "Don't we kind of do that already?" - excepting a few new things for our son for birthday and Christmas yes, we kind of did this for the last 6 months or so but not to this extent.
I was so amazed two months ago when I bought really cute 2T overalls at a thrift store got them home to find that they were Baby Gap - and along with another pair of pants, snow boots and a book all for $8. That was my first visit there but I will be back this year. I am also looking at it as a way to make life a bit simpler. Can I have as simple an 8 months as possible so that it will still be doable with a toddler and infant for the rest of the year? We'll see and I'll keep you posted.
On a similar subject I recently read about these in a magazine recently and I think the idea is super amazing. I don't know why they call them earthships exactly but it uses recycled and natural materials to build the house. Then by using solar powered electricity, collected rain water and very insulated materials it is virtually utility free. Comments I've read say that it will mostly remain in the high 60's to low 70's no matter the outside temp without heating or a/c. If we ever get our dream to build I would LOVE to use many of these ideas for our house.
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BTW, the only reason I got the laundry all caught up last week while feeling so ill was because the week before my hubby called a young woman from our church who baby-sits our son and asked her to come help me clean for the afternoon. Can I just say that I love my husband for thinking of me, he knows that I would never ask for the help myself and she cleaned and played with my 2 year old for hours - terrific! That is the only reason why last week the only thing I had left to do was the laundry (since hubby also cleaned our master bathroom)! Thanks Sarah!!! Thanks honey!!!
12 comments:
I recently started the long process of downsizing and simplifying as well. My van is full of stuff for Goodwill and the consignment shop. There is so much I have that I think I will use someday, but never have so I am getting rid of it so someone else can hopefully enjoy it.
Blogland is so wonderful because it really gets word around. I have been telling people in real life also about the compact pledge. We need to get the word out. It's sickening how much we as american's have that we don't appreciate, even us poor folk.
It's wonderful we all have each other as support with this, too, and we don't criticize for who does what- I am happy if people just THINK about it! Thanks for posting about it, too!
I loved Steph's post too, and it really got me thinking. When we sold our house 6 months ago we found SOOO many things we forgot about and gave a lot of things away. But after having 6 months of half our things in storage it has really shown me how much I have that I don't need!!
Your husband is awesome! What a caring guy!
I started Goodwill corner in my room. When I come across something we haven't used it goes in the corner. When the corner is full it goes to Goodwill.
I agree -- your hubby is a keeper.
And Steph really got me thinking too. We do some things -- recycle cans, bottles, paper etc.; donate to Amvets and Purple Heart; keep a fairly tight budget -- but the more I started thinking about it, the more I realized how wasteful we really are. Stupid thinks like storing items in plastic storage bags and then tossing them out when I could probably reuse them...
If we all do even a little bit, I think it can make a big difference!
I'm very frugal now because I have no choice but I should have started years ago. We have a baby things consignment store here and it's amazing the things I've gotten there at a fraction of what they'd cost new. I even bought a high chair there. Babies outgrow their clothes and equipment so fast, a lot of the things in these stores are practically new.
Yes, I'd say your husband is fantastic. What a treat to have someone come help you around the house when you're not feeling well.
Frugal is good. I need to be even more so this year. It can be done. And I just love seeing you up and posting! By the way, your son is the spitting image of you. He is beautiful.
I am SOOOOO learning about this!!!
How cool (re: earthships) we just bought a new house, but our dream house is a modern, eco-friendly prefab... someday! We're compiling ideas- I'll have to forward this to my hubby!
It's easy to shop thrift or consignment store when your kids are small--it gets harder when they are older, as they grow more slowly and wear things out. So now is the time to do that! Other tips for cheap kids clothes are: garage sales in nice areas of town, and the sales racks in Old Navy--last summer, I got the kids t-shirts there for $1.99 each.
Thanks for your comment on my blog last week--sorry it took me so long to get over to visit you :)
Sorry that said anonymous--I thought I'd signed in. Sometimes (ok most of the time) my connection is horrible. That last comment, and this one, is from Planet Nomad.
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