When I was out yesterday, I could see the buds on the trees were very large and on the verge of bursting. And green grass is beginning to take over the brown. Tomorrow is the first day of spring...looks like nature is cooperating!
The rivers and creeks that I went over were very high and moving fast. The ice on the Hudson River disappeared a week ago but the local lakes are still are covered with ice, but I think it will only be a few days before the ice is gone.
With diesel priced as high as it is AND since most of our products are moved throughout our nation by trucks, you can anticipate higher costs for almost everything! Many folks are able to handle the increase by adopting frugal ideas. Many more folks are unable to handle the increase and they are adopting by choosing between, for instance, healthcare and groceries.
Using frugal ideas does not mean you are a cheapskate...it means that you are being responsible. Taking measures you feel necessary to survive this economy is important. Let's consider meals.
1. Cooking from scratch is generally cheaper. You may think there are exceptions. For instance, purchasing a box of 'complete pancake mix' may seem cheaper than making from scratch. Actually, making pancakes from scratch is cheaper by almost 50%.
On the other hand, store bought Ramen Noodles are generally cheaper than making from scratch although store bought may contain things that you may not want. Still, they can be a part of frugal eating.
One item to have on hand is bouillon cubes. They are cheap, their shelf life is long and they add a lot of flavor to your meals. Yes they are high in sodium although you can find low sodium bouillon. But adding the savory taste to bland products like potatoes and rice will make meals more enjoyable.
Lastly, soups and stews should be a part of frugal eating. They are filling, easy to make and you can use whatever is on hand or purchased cheaply. Many folks keep a soup or stew pot going, adding left-overs or small quantity of items, some on the stove or in a crockpot but this way needs close monitoring to keep it safe. Other folks keep them in the refrigerator cooking when needed.
If you like junk journaling as much as I do, you may enjoy new ideas from some of the video blogs I follow. I began watching 'Scrapbooking With Me' when I first starting journal making and I still enjoy watching although the host has had some health problems and doesn't post as often. There are weekly freebees!
Another site that I follow is 'Treasure Books'. The host is lively and shares a lot of unique ideas for journaling.
A site I just discovered (and until the end of the month has a free kit to download) is 'Hither and Yon Studio'. The host has an eight part series based on the free kit you can download. The host offers lots of free items to download as well as short free classes.
One of the frugal aspects of junk journaling is it's use of everyday items, many of which wind up in the round basket (Make that the wastebasket!). You do need a way to keep all the items you collect like buttons, pieces of lace or ribbon, wrapping paper. But that's where small boxes come in handy. I have tons of them usually covered with scrap fabric.
Well, that's all for today...I need to run the errands I didn't get to yesterday and I have a book discussion meeting later this afternoon. Check out the junk journaling sites and try making one yourself...who knows, you may love it as much as I do. (What's not to love about cut and paste projects!!!!)
Talk with you tomorrow...