Cutting your expenses while shaving your legs!

     My husband has been asking for an old style razor set for years! I finally gave in for our anniversary and bought him the oils, lathering brush and soap. It was expensive! Then for Christmas I bought him the safety razor handle and razors, which was cheap!

      I decided to try it out on my legs! I was using the Gillette Mach 3, which worked great with my super sensitive skin. However, it is very expensive, not a budget friendly item. The cheaper razors are horrible on my legs and often produced rashes.

      The first time I tried was an experience. You have to hold the razor at an angle and be much more attentive. You can cut yourself with this razor! I took a bath to let the hair get soft; I did not use shaving gel (because I am allergic). I also did one leg with the safety razor and one with the Mach 3. It took longer to shave with the safety razor, but it was much closer and smoother. I did have a couple of nicks as well. I did notice throughout the week my leg shaved with the safety razor was much smoother and the shave seemed to last longer.

       The next time I shaved with the safety razor I decided to add about a tablespoon of coconut oil to the water as I soaked. I also added a little to my legs before I shaved. I felt as that shaving went by faster and much smoother, even in the bikini area. The best part about using coconut oil as a shaving cream is that it does not come off when you get your legs wet, so no reapplying. In addition, it is a great barrier, lotion and if you nick your leg, it will help the healing process!

      Afterwards my legs were extremely soft and smooth without nicks or rashes. I have also noticed I need to shave a lot less. With the Mach, I needed to shave every 4-5 days or so with the safety it is over a week! I would recommend using a safety razor to everyone! My husband loves it; he also saves his head with it. It is a win-win in my book and we are going to keep it! Do not feel like you have to buy the expensive oils and lotions.

Here is the breakdown of cost:

       I choose the Merker because of the high reviews on several sites. Merker Double Edge Razor from Amazon is about $32.50 (free shipping with Prime), this is the handle and you will keep it, it is not disposable.

I decided to try a variety of the razor blades, since we were so new to it all. I bought a 100 pack of variety of double edge razors for $24.99.

       That translates into about 0.25 cents per shave if you want to add the handle into it and give it a lifespan of 100 uses, your still looking about $0.58 cents per use. I use to pay around $3.00 per razor from Sam’s, which was the cheapest I could find! Talk about saving! Moreover, we are doing less damage to the environment! They can be recycled.

      I found this great idea! You get a can of broth to make a blade bank! This way when it goes into recycling you do not have to fear about anyone getting hurt!

I hope this helps you cut some of your wasteful cost with razors! I absolute love this!

Zoë's steps to success!

           I think many homeschool parents fearfully ponder if they are capable of teaching their child. This was a deep fear of my husband and mine (especially). With this being our first year to homeschool and our eldest in the school system prior, this was even more accurate in our case. My other biggest fear was that I was going to fail my children. My youngest started Kindergarten this year. This year seemed to be important, this year she was going to learn to read and I had the responsibility of doing it. 

      Throughout this year, I have questioned my abilities, my patience, and my motives. There have been many tears in my eyes. I often hear negative feedback of what we are doing and my kids are often quizzed by a variety of people. My kids are always being measured to the public school curriculum. 

      I have often asked everyone if public school should be considered again, even though I am against some of the ways teaching is done. (I am not against teachers; they do wonderful and amazing things. More against the forced hand, that reins them). Everyone in the house eagerly disagrees to the mention of it (expect my husband, but that is only for selfish reasons). 

      This week has been a relief, a revelation and deserves celebration. Zoë has begun to read! I now know without a doubt that I was able to help guide her into this success. She worked so hard and accomplished it. 

      I have taught her to read using the sounding verse sighting. This I think takes a bit longer to learn, but it is a much better system that last a lifetime. I see the difference in my son who was taught the sight way vs. the sounding. He has trouble sounding out the words, he goes off what he has memorized. We do use the Abeka curriculum as well. This is one of the expensive curriculums but if you order it used you can save money. 

      So for all of the parents out there, pondering the decision you have made. From a homeschooled lovely lady and a homeschooling parent my dear friend said to me, “I have never heard of a homeschooler that failed if they were legitimately trying, seriously." (Julie).

     It is OK and completely normal to feel ignorant in what you are doing, especially if you are new at this. Nevertheless, try to have fun, embrace it and know you are doing great!

Easy Delish Beans

I love beans!! They are very cheap, versatile a great source of protein, full of vitamins, helps control your weight, boost enzymes, helps control blood pressure and has been reported that helps reduce cancer (Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition). 

I have a super easy and cheap recipe for you all!
I do not recommend getting the beans in aluminum cans! Sorry its a bad idea, I know its easy, but not so great for you! Why? Simple, the glue in the canned beans contain BPA and it leaks into the food. By the way, BPA is bad. You probably have heard the term in reference to plastic. Eden Foods has an article pertaining to this issue (click here).

But do not fear, there are beans in glass containers and BPA-Free aluminum cans :) Be sure the cans read BPA-FREE! Also, please read the ingredients, just because it states black beans does not mean the company has not added things to it!! Also, I would get organic beans!!!

I prefer to buy them in the bag/bulk because it's cheaper and I am able to add flavor!
1-pound bag of dry beans equals about 4 cans of beans!
I usually order online at Vitacost, I find its usually cheaper.
I found 15-ounce Eden Foods Organic Black Beans can for $2.09, it does state that it's BPA-FREE, however it also has kombu seaweed in it.
I also found 1 pound of Eden Organic Dry Beans for $3.89. Which makes it only $0.97 cents per can! Much cheaper!!

Here is how I cook my beans! Yes, it does take time, but patience is a virtue!
I also cook this particular dish is bulk, great for so many recipes and freezes!

I soak one bag of beans in a large pot filled with water overnight. The next day I drain the beans and put the water in my plants!
Then I put fresh water in with the beans. Most directions in cooking beans state to use 3 cups of water to 1 cup of beans. I just fill it back up! I add 6 bay leaves and 10 garlic cloves in with a pinch of sea salt. I bring the water to a hard boil for about 10-15 minutes. Once you see the foam come up, scoop it out.
Then turn it down to a simmer and cover it. This will take between 1-2 hours. I check on it at 1 hour then every 15 minutes afterward. Cook until it is done!
It's not a hard process!
Next drain the beans and take out the garlic and bay leaves.

Here is where the magic happens! Place the beans back into the pot!
I add 1/2-1tsp of Southwestern Seasoning Mix, Tex-Mex Rub and Chipotle Rub.
Add 1-16 oz jars of an Organic Salsa or homemade salsa.
Please feel free to add and take away, try it out, make it taste good to you!
Then heat it up and serve!

So how can you use your new creation?
Too many ways to count but here are a few,
 Make tacos, Nachos, Chip-less Nachos (just remove the chips and add everything else), eat it in a bowl with cheese and sour creams, quesadillas, omelet, enchiladas, as a side, with crackers, on toast, and I am sure there are more ways!

How much for my Bean Taco dinner?
Here is the break down
1 bag of beans-$2.50 (I got mine on sale)
1 jar of salsa- $2.00
Seasoning I use in my kitchen but equal to about $0.75 cents
Garlic was probably pennies for the cloves; we will say $0.15 cents
I added cilantro and onions. Cilantro was $.079 cents onions $.50 cents
Tortillas were $2.00 for the bag of 50.

Therefore, the total for the meal was $8.79! This meal feeds us twice so really its $4.40 for each meal! Now divide that into four people, that's only $1.10 for each person!

Is Bountiful Baskets worth the money?

                  I have admit I was quite nervous on starting Bountiful Baskets. I was not sure what I was going to get! The conventional basket is $15. Would I get $15 worth, would it be good, would it be fresh? So many questions! So I tried it out! I couldn't believe how much I actually got for my money!!
                   Here is how it works. The first thing I would do is to see if they delivering to your area. Go to Bountiful Baskets, you will see LOCATION, scroll on that, it gives you two options, choose CURRENT LOCATIONS.

Once that page comes up, choose your state.

Once it filters your state, you can see the list of cities. Choose the one nearest to you (you can filter the cities as well).  If you don't see a location nearest you, you can request it (under locations).
Once you find your city, click on details.

The next page gives you all the details to pick up your order.

Once you have decided that YES indeed you can pickup at that location day and time, you are ready to order!

 First read the New Participant Instructions!!

Then set up an account! Go to to MY ACCOUNT and scroll down to CREATE NEW A ACCOUNT.

Register your information then submit!

Then you will be able to Login.

Once you are logged in you can look at your history, account information and the current offers.
You can ONLY PUT IN AN ORDER ON MONDAYS NOON UNTIL TUE AT 10PM OF YOUR WEEK!!

Keep an eye out and I will  show you how to place an order and how to check out!

My first basket consisted of 1 Conventional Basket $15, Juice Package add on $8.50, 38 lbs Minneola Tangelo $22.50 and 5 loaves of Organic Multigrain Bread $12. The bread is fabulous!!
These baskets contained bananas, apples, mango, red bell pepper, celery, broccoli, onions, potatoes, squash, pears, beet, pineapple, kale, grapes, ginger, lemon, sweet potato, Italian parsley, romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes (there may be some things missing). Take a look at how beautiful it is!

 This last weeks basket was just as lovely as the last. Sorry my photos are not very good, I used my smart phone instead of my camera. Then the kids got into the goodies! Yesterday we picked up our conventional basket, tropical basket and bread! It came with several artichokes, pears, potatoes, brussel sprouts, oranges, pineapple, lime, coconut, mint, vanilla beans, bananas, plantain, ginger, strawberries, avocado, green cauliflower and poblano peppers (I think)!

So is Bountiful Basket worth the money!! I would say YES!!!
Here are some words to the wise, if you want to order all organic, order early!! I have found that if I wait later on Monday, its usually gone! Also, they only take credit/debit cards! One thing I absolutely love about Bountiful Baskets is that you don't have to commit to months or years at a time, its just one week at a time :D
Hope this helps you all :D

Feeling financially inadequate while homeschooling

       One of the hardest and emotional issues with homeschooling is feeling financial insecure. This is especially true if you worked full time and brought in a good pay prior to deciding to homeschool.

     This is particularity true with me. I am not going to sugar coat it with an extra coat of frosting and some sprinkles, it’s hard! I am often torn between homeschooling and working. We did not decide to homeschool until the week before my children were entering into 3rd grade and Kindergarten. I felt a calling, so to speak. After moving from Indiana, I could not find a job and my heart kept telling me it was time to stay home.

 

      The income that I did receive was not glamorous, by any means, but it was a good wage. We could easily pay debt off, buy that extra special toy, go the movies and have a special dinner. Without my pay, we have to scale back! Again, I feel that at times I should be at a job making money. I feel that is the only way to contribute to my family’s securities, the only way I can be important to my family.

       However, if you have had the opportunity to homeschool, then you know that is not true. The truth is that I actually contribute so much more than financial gains. I get to spend time with my kids that I would not have; I get to help them learn and watch them grow; I get to make sure they get the foundations of any particular subject; I get to teach them so much about life and we have grown so close. I love it and they love it.

       I speak to many parents with adult children and I have heard on several occasions, "You can always make money, but you can never buy back time.” I will not ever get back the time I have with my children, no money in the world can do it. No money in the world could even replace my time with them. I teach them more than any money could ever buy. So why do I feel bad?

 

          Our society yells at us, "If you want to be successful you must have a job to buy all this stuff". If you do not have this type of car, this type of house or your kids do not have this type of clothing and the electronic of the day, then you are a failure! If this is success then I do not want it.

         My success looks a little more like, extra snuggles, learning chemistry with cooking, teaching my children the value of love, respect and hard work. I love homeschooling, my kids love it and I am blessed by doing it.

        So if you are a homeschooling parent that does not work or maybe works part-time, please do not feel like you are alone. If the bills are piling in and money is tight, keep in mind that these moments with your children should be cherished, they should not be stressful. Do not feel like you have to keep up with society's standards and do not feel defeated. I know how it feels, it hurts and frankly, it sucks! Take a financial class, such as Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. 

  

         I would love to hear your stories about how your family deals with financial insecurities and even some suggestions on how to survive financially while homeschooling! 

     

         Here are a few to think about and help get your gears going...find a part time job, look for a weekend job, and  re-think an expensive curriculum.

A few great jobs that are great for homeschool families:
Have your own business (any business but here are few suggestions)
Photographer
Online professor
Professor
Music teacher
Art teacher 
Fitness instructor (AFAA)
Virtual administrative jobs (Odesk, Elance, Sykes, Alpine Access, Convergys, Zirtual and West Corporation, Maybrooks)
Clean houses (Care and Sittercity)
Open a daycare
Babysit (Care and Sittercity)
After school program (Care and Sittercity)
Sell your baked goods
Become a vendor, either online or at a local store
Direct sales (Pampered Chef, Mia Bella, ect.)
Party planner
Ghost writing
Tutoring (GetEducated and Tutor.com)
Prepare taxes
Speech therapist
Foreign language teacher 
Create and sell a product
Freelance editor (First Editing and Cactus)
Massage therapy
Holistic healer
Midwife
Part time nurse
Web design (Odesk)
Write a book
Web search evaluator (Appen, Leapforce, Lionbridge,
Tech support agent (Plum Choice, Apple)
Medical Transcriptionist (Precyse and Amphion Medical)
Concierges (VIPdesk)
Translator (Cactus and SDL)
Pet watching (Rover, DogVacay, Care and Sittercity)
Run errands for people (check out TaskRabbit)

TaskRabbit.com

Stylist (SwitchFix)
Hair dresser
Secret shopper (Gigwalk and Rewardable)

Gigwalk

Mechanic
Painter
Gardener (teach people and sell your stuff)
Youtube Star
Travel Advisor
Franchise owner
Chef (cook for people then deliver)
Global Advertising
Teacher (K-12 hires virtual teachers)
Project Manager
Nurse Coach

Attorney (virtual)
Website tester
Survey taker
Corporate English trainer
Telephone Nurse
Many public service jobs are going remote (look at your local, state and national governments)
Don't forget to check out your local classified ads, Indeed.com, Craigslist and other employment posting sites. 









 

       

         

Save while becoming healthy with these tips on buying organic

            Every person regardless of religion or culture should be concern with what they consume and how its consumed. It affects our body as well as our world. As a Christian I look at it in a Christian prospective. Let’s look at the Old Testament Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth". With that being said, God made everything that we need. 

He did not make cows that were injected with hormones, steroids and antibiotics, nor did He give us corn that was modified with pesticides and chemicals. 

            Buying Organic can be a little more expensive on the front end when you compare at the grocery store but there are many ways it can be cheaper and it has a lifetime of health benefits. 

I have a few tips to live on a budget and choose healthy and real food...

1. Do most of your shopping at your local farmers market, this helps support local farmers and gives back to the community. In addition, you are able to meet the people who grow your food, you can ask questions and they are the best people to be asking! However, please beware just because they are local farmers does not mean they grow without pesticides, chemical or GMO seeds. 

2. Eat what is in season! Find out more at Eat Well Guide

3. The best way to cut your grocery bill down is grow your own garden! We recently just bought a house and we will have our first real garden this coming spring. I have grown many herbs and other vegetable in containers. Do not think you need a full sized garden or greenhouse to provide for your family! Go to your local library to find book in your area and contact your local extension office. In addition buy GMO-free seeds, try Sow True Seed. 

4. Regrow your organic scrapes. Find out more Alternative Gardening.

5. Store foods properly, know how and where to store your organic foods. 

6. Buy your meat from farmers markets and local farmers that feed their animals what God created them to eat. We recently bought a whole cow and pig, had it cut to our specifications. We spoke to many farmers to be sure they did not consume any GMO products, any steroids, antibiotics, hormones, etc. We were able to look at the animal to verify the health as well. 

7. Don’t forget about hunting and fishing. Hunting wild animals is a great way to balance the world out, if you have too many deer in an area they will become deformed and they will not be healthy. God made us hunters to help balance out the earth. Remember humans were made to eat meat and produce. Just look at our teeth.

8. Buy things in season is going to save you money big time. Buy in bulk then freeze or can what you are able. This is a great way to save money all year round. 

9. Buy clearance items when available. Its good (that I can find cheap organic food) and bad that in the area I am in, people do not think about organic food as much as some other places. I know when I go to the local grocery store there will be organic fresh produce clearance off. I take advantage of this opportunity and stock up. 

10. Buy online! I have addressed this previously with coupon codes. Read more here.  

11. Use coupons! Unbelievably many stores such as Earthfare, Whole Foods, Sprouts and other stores will have coupons. Even Kroger has organic coupons on their website. 

12. Check out organic off brands. Simply Organic can be bought at Kroger stores. 

13. Know your clean and dirty foods as well as which foods are more likely to be a GMO. An example would be that papayas are in the clean 15, but all the ones from Hawaii are most likely to be a GMO. Therefore, I only buy organic papayas. EPA

14. Going back to meat: buy organic chicken as a whole chicken. I boil the whole chicken with a variety of herbs and veggies. I can the broth and I usually can get three meals out of one chicken. In addition, I do not have to buy organic broth, which is a good saving! 

15. Buy beans, rice, grains, dried fruit, nuts, etc. in the bulk section. You can usually get it cheaper per ounce and you can get what you need. 

16. Buy organic coffees and teas in bulk online. Then use the grounds for a variety of things, I will soon be touching on what to do with the remains in an upcoming blog. 

17. Buy organic eggs from local people or better yet, adopt a couple of your own chickens! We are hoping to add them to our yard this year as well. They do not get a whole lot of room. Check out City Girl Farming and Mother Earth News. Also, check out your local library for books. 

18. Honey, find a honey man/woman. You want to get raw honey. Most places cannot place an organic label on it because bees travel so far to get pollen. 

19.  Find a local dairy to get fresh perfectly raw milk. Raw Milk Benefits.

20. Make your own yogurt, cheese, kefir, ice cream, butter and much more. Cultures for Health.

21. Make your own almond butter and almond milk. I will touch on this soon as well.

22. Make everything you can such as dried fruit, fruit leather, granola bars, etc. instead of buying organic packaged. 

23. Don't buy what you do not need; you do not need a bunch of junk food, no chips, no soda drinks, etc. 

24. Freeze foods before spoiling. If I notice that I have bananas that are about to be too bad before eating I freeze them. I use them for smoothies and making banana swirl. 

24. Use the lovely world of technology! Sign up for coupons at Mambo Sprouts, Saving Naturally, Organic Deals, Organic Food Coupons, Organic Deals and Steals, Simply Organic, Bargains to Bounty, Amys, Brown Cow Farm, Barbara's, Coleman Natural, Cascadian Farm, Horizon Dairy. Stonyfield. Muir Glen, Eden, Earths Best, and any brand! Just go to their FB page or website to see if they offer coupons. 

25.  Buy from Amazon! Many items are available for auto shipment with a discount. 

26. Don't buy bottled water; instead buy stainless steel water bottles and water filters. This will save a lot of money and is better for you and the planet! 

27. Make plans to serve several vegetarian meals a month. Beans are cheaper than meat!

28. Don't bother on flavored waters with chemicals; instead make your own flavored water with fruit and herbs. A few of my favorite add-ins are lemon, rosemary, mint, berries, cucumber, limes, lemongrass and ginger. All are fresh and organic. The herbs come from my garden! I make a gallon at a time and use this wonderful Quick Stir Pitcher. 

29. If you are looking to add some electrolytes to your drink, add ½ tsp. baking soda

2 Tbsp. agave nectar and ½ Tbsp. of sea salt per each liter. You can even mix it in your flavored water! Yum. 

30. Avoid chemicals and cancerous additives in your food! This includes food coloring, sodium nitrite/nitrate in processed foods, artificial sweeteners in everything, monosodium glutamate (msg), butylated hydroxyanisole (bha) & butylated hydroxytoluene (bht), hydrogenated fats/trans fats, hydrogenated oils, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in popcorn,  4-methylimidazole (4-MI) in sodas, refined white foods such as flour and sugar, acrylamides, carrageenan this can be found in organic foods and well anything you don’t know you should research. 

31. Educate yourself on what you are putting in your body. God gave us our body as our temple, try to remember that when you are about to put a gallon of cheap ice cream in it.

Here is a site that offers some more info, 

www.eatlocalchallenge.com

http://eatwild.com/

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.foodroutes.org/

http://www.greenoptions.com/wiki/seasonal-produce

It is important that you start making a change in your diet and educate yourself on what is in your food. You have the right to know what poisons you are consuming and how they are going to react in the body. 

You can save money and live very well! 

I hope this helps you all and let me know if you have other ways of saving!

Remembering 2013 and enter into 2014!

                   Welcoming 2014 with open arms and preparing for a better year. Isn't that what we all say, or we prepare a list of New Years Resolutions, that may be kept. Most of our resolutions are out the door before the end of the month and some of us, cant even remember them. Sure we jot them down.... somewhere. Reality is that we all want the new coming year to be better than the prior ones.

                  

                  We want to remember the lessons learned from the past years, we want to save money, get healthier, become a better parent, a better person, we want to do so much but most of us fail. The reason?! We are humans, creatures of habit and without work we wont change. This year I want to remember the things from 2013 and be thankful for them and to also learn from them, which is the most important part. Here are a few that I hope to remember.

1. Last year my husband got a firefighting job in Tennessee with the State. Instead of complaining about where we live, how I stick out in a small cliquey town and his paycheck is much small than before, I am going to embrace and be thankful for his job. I am also going to be thankful for the couple of friends I have found. 

2. After a very small our house fire last February, I realized the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. We were all safe and a company was going to clean most of our items. Then, after they took our belongings they blew up. Yes that's my kind of luck...instead of being upset about  having lost all my grandmothers items or his grandfathers, or even the pictures that are not replaceable. Instead I am going to not collect as much stuff and really think about the most important things in life, like memories! 

3. This one I should have learned a long time from now, but sometimes I need it to really sink in before I see it. This one hurts to say, but we will no longer let anyone borrow money from us. This one hurts because people somehow have this idea that we are independently wealthy, this is very far from true (were closer to the poverty line than an ATM). When money isn't returned then it causes problems in relationships and that's not what I want either! Instead if we have extra money and someone needs it for a very good reason, I am not going to expect it back. I will give it to them with no strings attached, this way I am able to help people and the relationship isn't going to end up in an awkward way. 

 

                 These are the three lessons I have learned, but mostly I just want us to be thankful in every situation, either good or bad. I tell my kids everyday, every action has a consequence. Therefore all of our actions need to be good actions so we can have a good consequences. However, all of our bad actions help us learn how to correct them to become good consequences! Everything is a learning opportunity. 

                   Before you go get a list and try to keep a resolutions of the year, try to remember the lessons you learned from the prior. Try to change your attitude to a positive perspective. Here are some of my favorite quotes to help get you on your way....

"Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.”

- Norman Vincent Peale

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

- Confucious

"Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create that fact."

- William James

"You have to believe in happiness, or happiness never comes."

- Douglas Malloch

"Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits."

- Fulton J. Sheen

"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."

- Lucille Ball

"Exude happiness and you will feel it back a thousand times."

- Joan Lunden

"Man's rise or fall, success or failure, happiness or unhappiness depends on his attitude ... a man's attitude will create the situation he imagines."

 -James Lane Allen

"There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from."

 -Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

"A winner is one who accepts his failures and mistakes, picks up the pieces, and continues striving to reach his goals. "

-Dexter Yager

"Flops are part of life’s menu. Everyone makes mistakes. High achievers learn by their mistakes. By doing that, an error becomes the raw material out of which future successes are forged. Failure is not a crime. Failure to learn from failure is."

-Unknown

I would love to hear your lessons learned from prior years as well as some of your favorite positive and learning quotes!