Recently, my husband and I were having a date at a large bookstore, reading and drinking coffee together, and I came across this book. I have not read the whole book, but skimmed through it and liked what I saw. In it, author Michelle Singletary talks of taking a 21-day fast from spending any money unnecessarily. I shared the idea with my husband, and we decided
The Habit of Waiting for His Time
Meandering down a country road in my minivan, I saw it. Out of the corner of my eye, surrounded by miscellaneous, unwanted household items. I held my breath as I pulled the van over and approached the woman in charge. “How much?” I asked cautiously. “Twenty,” she replied. My budget is currently tight. Very tight. “Will you take ten? That’s all the cash I have.”
Simple, Frugal Ways to Celebrate an Anniversary
This past weekend Hodgepodgedad and I celebrated 17 years of marriage! It was a simple celebration spanning a few days. Because celebrating need not be elaborate and doesn’t have to break the bank. Picnic at the Park. Friday night we went through the Chick-fil-a and the Starbucks drive-thrus. We took our picnic of chicken cool wraps and iced coffees to a local park. The park
Slow Cooker Batch Cooking Navy Beans at $5 Dinners
I really love it when my slow cooker can do the work for me. January usually means a freezer and pantry challenge, including rice and beans. So, about once a month I batch cook some beans to tuck away in the freezer. Especially in the winter months, that means navy beans. Join me at $5 Dinners. I’m putting the slow cooker to work!
Top Ten Frugal Living Posts Plus Frugal Friends
Aren’t we all looking to save some money this time of year? I thought so. With that in mind, I’m sharing the top ten Hodgepodge posts of 2011 in celebration of frugal living… Back to Basics Series Meal Plan: Cheap Eats for Two Weeks Frugal Living: Homemade Wheat Thins Frugal Living: Homemade Laundry Detergent (or how I got a $132 a year pay raise) Frugal
Christmas Favorites
I found myself looking through my archives for some Christmas favorites. So, I thought it would be good to place them all in a nice little spot. Favorites like recipes we use often in December, advent resources and holiday and winter art. He appeared and the soul felt its worth… From all three Hodgepodge categories – homemaking, homecooking and homeschooling: Christmas Ponderings: Three Gifts for
Kids in the Kitchen: Hot Chocolate Mix Gifts
Frugal fun in the kitchen. Just four ingredients. Plus one or more children equal a fun time making hot chocolate mix for gifts. Mixing up lots of fun at $5 Dinners today!
Fast Food for Slow Sundays: Nana’s Chicken and Dumplings
: Nana’s Chicken and Dumplings 1 hen (3-5 lbs) boiling, salted water 2 cups self-rising flour 1/4 cup shortening 3/4 cup boiling water salt and pepper to taste Cook hen in boiling water until tender. Remove from broth. Cool chicken. Cut from bone, set aside. Measure 1 quart of broth into large saucepan. Bring to boil. Add chicken. Put flour in bowl. Cut in shortening