Host An Ice Cream Party!

 

Not all parties need to be on a grand scale.  In fact, some of the best parties can be very simple and affordable.  Hosting an ice cream party is just one good sale at the supermarket away!

 

Just one good sale away from a party! 🥳🥳

Last week I was able to pick up five containers of ice cream for ($1.99 each) and a box of twenty four cones (2.69).  For less than $15 I was able to pick that up and get a fun little get-together scheduled with friends.  Ice cream cones are great, all you need are some napkins.  For those that prefer a dish I can add my vintage custard cups and some spoons.  Easy Peasy!

 

If you have sprinkles on hand, get those out! 😋

Homemade chocolate syrup is an easy item to make for mere pennies and is perfect for those little dishes of ice cream.

 

Chocolate Ice Cream Syrup

 

½ cup baking cocoa                          1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup sugar                                          Dash of salt

1 cup water

 

Combine in a small saucepan.  Stir with a whisk over medium heat until syrup comes to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Transfer to a pint canning jar.  Allow to cool.  Keep in tightly covered in the refrigerator.  Stir syrup before each use.  Makes 1 pint.

 

I can set out all five cartons of ice cream on a sheet pan with ice and allow people to scoop and make their own cones or cups and then go back for seconds if they wish.  Fun, fun, fun!  And super affordable too!

 

 

I Defied The Odds!

 

Single parents tend to get a bad rap and to be honest, a lot of single parents do use their “single status” as an excuse as to why they go into debt, can’t make ends meet, have no savings or fail at whatever “married couples” succeed at so that isn’t helpful.  Dual income families are deemed to be more successful than single income families.  In fact, it is often thought that it is impossible to succeed without two incomes.  Fortunately for me, that hasn’t been true at all.

 

I became a single mom, a very determined single mom, in 1987.  I wanted the best possible life for both of us so when my son was six months old I put him in daycare, enrolled at a technical college and went back to school while working a part time job as a CNA at a nursing home to make rent and pay the bills.  I took out the minimal amounts in student loans I could and practiced super frugality.

 

Once I was out of school and had a job in my chosen field my focus was to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible while continuing to live frugally.  I also participated in my employer’s 401(k) plan as soon as I was eligible.  They matched 3% so I made sure to contribute what I needed to in order to get those matching dollars so I didn’t leave anything on the table.  I didn’t make a whole lot, but I made that and company health insurance benefits a priority.

 

The first thing I did after I got that job and filed my income taxes was to use that money to fund a $200 emergency fund and stock my pantry.  The next year I added to my savings and restocked my pantry and again the following year.  Consistently doing this fueled me to keep going.  After eight years of scrimping and saving I had saved enough for a down payment and I bought my first home.  I continued to save money, upgrade and improve my home and raise my son.

 

In 2000 I submitted my application to adopt my older daughter and three years later I did it again to adopt my youngest child.  I raised three wonderful children, kept them healthy, well fed, provided them with opportunities and extracurricular activities, like tee ball, taekwondo and karate, band, orchestra, dance, etc. and never made excuses.  We had pets, family vacations, camp trips and fun.  All of my children have been to Disneyland.  We didn’t just survive, we thrived.  Bonus points – all of my kiddos have gone to college and have degrees.

 

My parents did not pay for their children to attend college and neither did I, but we all went.  We figured it out on our own.  My parents instilled in all of us kids a strong work ethic and taught us how to be capable, resourceful and responsible adults and I carried that forward when I raised my own kids.  I also taught my children about money and how to save and responsibly spend it.  The biggest thing I did was to set a good example for them follow.

 

In the process I was able to live a thrifty, debt free lifestyle, launch my kids out of the nest with the tools they needed to live out in the world on their own and save for my retirement.  Then I retired early at age 57 after forty eight years in the workforce.  Yes, I had my first job at age 9 and my first savings account at that age too.  Prior to that age I had a piggy bank where I saved my change and squirreled away whatever I could “for a rainy day”.

 

I did a lot of side hustles along the way - babysitting, bookkeeping and tax preparation, graphic design, sewing and alterations, you name it, I did it.  Likewise, from an early age my children did too – babysitting, house and pet sitting, working fast food and at the neighborhood grocery store.  Like me, they all spent a little and saved most of their earnings so by the time they graduated high school they had quite a nest egg to start off with.  They also had a car, bought and paid for along with the basic knowledge to take care of that vehicle.

 

I made no excuses, tried hard, worked harder and always lived well below my means while I saved and invested money for my future.  Now that I am retired I do have a part time job which covers my groceries, gas and monthly expenses so I can continue to grow my wealth and be better prepared for my future when working is no longer an option for me.  As I sit now, if I were unable to work due to a change in my health or a job loss I’d be okay.  Knowing that I am financially set for the remainder of my life because of all the hard work I’ve put in so far is an amazing place to be.  If a single woman can accomplish this on her own while raising a family, then anyone can.  No excuses.

 

You Have TOO MUCH Stuff!

 

Do you park in the garage or in the driveway?  Do you have stuff sitting on the floor in any room of your home?  Do you have things stored in other people’s homes (Mom & Dad’s house)?  Do you have a storage shed in your yard?  Do you rent an offsite storage unit?  Are you out of space to put things away into drawers, cabinets and closets?  Do you store things in your vehicles or have things sitting outside?  Under a tarp or an awning?  If you answered yes to any of these questions YOU HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF!

 

The thing about having too much stuff is that you are sitting on a pile of cash that can be reallocated toward debt repayment and building your savings account.  For starters look at anything that happens to have an engine and start there.  Vehicles, ATVS, jet skis, motorhomes, travel trailers (okay, no engine, but still), motorcycles and dirt bikes, etc.  Give them a bath, take a picture and list them for sale.  AS-IS!  Don’t waste your time or your money that you don’t have “fixing them up”.  Just get them sold.  Use every dime to pay off your debt.

 

Go to your storage unit and empty it out making three piles – SELL, DONATE & TRASH.  I am always amazed at how much money is spent to store trash and you will be too.  Empty that unit and get rid of that stuff.  Cancel your unit rental and vow never to do that again.  Go out to that storage shed in your yard and do the same thing, then do it in the garage.

 

Do it in every drawer, cupboard, cabinet and closet.  Sell shoes, bags, purses and clothing on eBay, Facebook and to consignment shops.  Get rid of extra camping equipment, workout equipment, toys your kids don’t play with, toys you don’t play with.  List as much as you can, but also be reasonable with your pricing and your expectations.  Have lots of yard sales.  Do this until you are only left with the things you actually LIKE, USE and truly WANT.  Use every dime from eBay, Facebook Marketplace and yard sales to pay off your debt!

 

At the end of the day you will not only have a lot less stuff to manage, but you will feel a lot lighter too, especially emotionally.  Our stuff has a tendency to weigh us down.  The bonus is that you won’t need to move and manage so much crap and you will save yourself a ton of money because you are able to get rid of that storage unit and pay off some of your debt.

 

Is It Time To Review Your Spending Habits? Yes!

 

With the current state of our economy prices continue to rise and it isn’t likely to change anytime soon.  We feel it most at the gas pump and the grocery store and it seems like far more is going out than coming in.  Now is the best time to take a good hard look at where your money is going and I encourage you to do so.  Last week I talked about eliminating all fee based subscriptions services and apps.  Next it is important to sit down with pen and paper and write out every expense you have and evaluate it to determine if that is really where your money should be going.

 

Transportation - How much are you spending on fuel for your vehicles, car payments, maintenance, insurance, parking fees, even car washes.  Do you pay for music and navigation?  Look at these expenses and determine how you can lower or eliminate these costs altogether.  Are you able to do your own vehicle maintenance?  Do you need to pay for parking or are there other options?  Where are you buying your fuel and how often?  Could you drive less, take public transportation, walk or ride a bike?  Is your vehicle payment truly affordable?  Do you have too many vehicles?

 

Utilities – How much are your monthly utilities really costing you?  Look it up and write it down.  Are you running the heat or A/C when no one is home?  Could you adjust the temperature and still be comfortable simply by wearing a sweater?  Do you heat or cool rooms you aren’t using?  Are you efficient with your water consumption?  Could you shorten your showers and only run the dishwasher or washing machine when full as opposed to smaller loads?

 

Storage – Do you pay for a storage unit?  If so, you simply have too much stuff.  Most people who store stuff off site fill up a storage unit and rarely go back to get any of that stuff.  If that is the case you obviously don’t need it so now is the time to either sell it, donate it or throw it away.  Storage units are a complete waste of money.

 

Dining Out – If you are struggling to make ends meet stop eating out immediately.  Cancel all meal subscription services, delete your Door Dash and Uber Eats apps, stop ordering pizza delivery or take out.  Make your own lunch to take to work or school.  Not only will all of this save you a ton of money, but your health will also improve substantially.

 

Shopping – Do you shop out of need or for entertainment?  Stop scrolling and shopping online, or if you do, leave items in your cart for at least 24 hours before you check out.  Chances are pretty good you’ll change your mind and decide not to make that purchase after all.  For many, shopping and buying is an impulse.  Avoid buyer’s remorse and overspending simply by giving up the habit of impulse shopping and being real with yourself.  Ask, do I truly need this item?

 

Vacations – If you are in debt put all vacation plans on hold.  Instead create a vacation savings fund and don’t go until one, you have paid off a big chunk of your debt, and two, you already have the money you need saved up to take that vacation.  In the meantime entertain yourself and your family with FREE options.  You will enjoy that vacation a lot more when you know you won’t be facing a big credit card bill once you get home.

 

The only way to live successfully in the midst of rising inflation and secure our future is to rein in our spending, eliminate debt and begin to save.  Living paycheck to paycheck and not being able to pay our bills is exceedingly frustrating and stressful.  It wears on our emotions and makes us miserable.  By reviewing our spending habits and getting a handle on where and how our money is spent we can take the first step in securing our financial future and our happiness.

 

 

The Struggle Is Real And I Am Here To Help!

 

Since I last posted on this blog a lot has changed, not just for me, but for the world in general.  In reviewing my stats I see so many people still come to this blog every day and look at my old posts.  I can see that a lot of the posts you are looking at have to do with ways to curb costs, feed our families and stock the cupboards.  Although I am retired and an empty nester it appears that this blog is very much still relevant.  So how can I help you?

 

There are many topics I can talk about as far as finances, budgeting, thrift and frugality, making ends meet, etc., etc., etc.  What are you struggling with right now?  What are your greatest concerns?  What subjects interest you the most?  Is a weekly post something you would like to see on this blog?  Or more?  Less?  None at all?

 

I may not be in your shoes at this time raising a family and working a full time job, but I still may be relevant.  After all, you can learn a lot from your elders.  They have decades of experiences and wisdom from making mistakes and learning from them.  Let me know in the comments what you would like to see here and I will be happy to address as much as I can.  I look forward to hearing from you.

A Super Exciting Announcement!

 

Hello!  I have some great news!  Many, many, many of my long time readers from this old blog have been asking me to do a recipe book or a book on tips and tricks of thrifty living and that is what I’ve been working on, but with a twist.  I went through eleven years of recipes and articles compiling the best of the best into this project.  I even added some recipes that were not on the blog.  Not only is it a recipe book (with wipe off pages!), but it is also has a section called “Pearls Of Wisdom” with tips and tricks to save money at the grocery store, meal planning, school lunches, stockpiling, pretty much all things food related.

 

Additionally, it is a journal with areas to expand and add your own recipes, food related memories, meal ideas, whatever you want.  Places to tuck things like coupons and gift cards, recipes you might clip from a newspaper or magazine.  Plus!  A surprise ephemera pack is enclosed with each one to get you started so you can make this journal your very own.

 

I put my heart and soul into this journal along with a lot of thought.  Each journal is unique, no two are identical as far as the styling, but the information contained inside is consistent with each one.  Journals need to be tailored to the owner so that is what you will have, the opportunity to tailor this journal to meet your specific needs and requirements.

 

We have a three volume set of journals in mind, based on how well the first one does.  Volume one is based on all things food management related.  Volume two will be based on home management and volume three will be all things Christmas and other celebrations!

 

Right now we are doing a “soft launch”.  I am listing Thrifty Mom In Boise A Journal For Everyday Living Volume 1 available for sale on eBay with a lower introductory rate of $49.95 throughout the month of September for those of you interested in purchasing a copy.  The reason I chose eBay is so I can ship them internationally as I have a lot of readers outside the U.S. and I wanted them to have an opportunity as well.

 

I am ever so grateful for the chance to do this and it wouldn’t have been possible without the great readers I have.  Thank you for following along with me all these years and for the massive amounts of encouragement to do this.  I’m praying this goes well so I can offer the additional two volumes in the near future.  I hope you like it.  Happy Cooking!  Happy Eating!  Happy Journaling!!

 

Our Quality Of Life Is What We Make Of It

 

Regardless of what is going on in the world around us our quality of life should always be a priority.  For me that is a daily endeavor.  I am always thinking of and planning ways to improve myself, my home and my life.  To be steadily working on making things better is in a way its own reward.  I am blessed with the desire and ability to make a good life for myself.  I think we all are.

 

Embracing simplicity, practicing gratitude on a daily basis, counting my blessings and thanking God every day has been life changing.  It is very difficult to be sad or angry when you are grateful.  It is hard to feel deprived when you are looking around at all that you have with a full heart and know contentment.  There is no resentment to be felt when you are actively working on a task that will improve your current situation.

 

I find a lot of joy in lesser things.  A blue sky, the sound of running water, the smell of freshly cut grass, the beauty of a full moon on a dark night.  I listen to music, take walks, water the flowers, write in my journal, cuddle with a kitty and visit with my chickens.  I am alone, but not lonely.

 

It is important to really care for myself, protect my health, nourish my body and my soul, rest when I'm tired and work when I'm not.  I find a lot of joy in preparing a simple, healthy meal that I eat slowly, tasting each bite.

 

Over the years I've consistently removed items from my home that I no longer need, want or use.  Having less stuff has made room for more time to spend on projects I enjoy.  Less physical clutter has made room in my head for more peaceful thoughts.  Clearing my calendar and limiting commitments has had a dramatic effect on my stress level.  Slowing down allows me to breathe.

 

Defining what is important to us and then working to make that happen.  Taking things one step at a time and doing our best each day.  Our quality of life is what we make of it.

 

 

 

Small Home Improvement Project - Grass!

 

Finally!  We have a lawn again.  I was super excited once I got done installing the faux grass I had ordered from Home Depot back in May.  It arrived just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, however so did the rain.  Prior to its arrival however I had to prep the ground which included grading the area to make it flat, smooth and slope in the right direction for water runoff.  I did it all by hand with a hoe and a garden rake over a period of several days while I waited for the grass to arrive.

 

I graded the lawn and got it prepped

And we moved a fence adding a new flowerbed

This past Saturday I got outside and rolled it out on the ground and got it installed.  I used plastic lawn spikes to secure it into place along the edges and down the center.  Then I trimmed it with a utility knife.  I took my time and it was really surprisingly easy.

 

I also finished the new flowerbed

As I've mentioned before we have a lot of shade in our yard which has been problematic with growing grass.  Poor soil has been the other issue as well as our hot dry summers which always burn it up in July and August.  I admit, I'm no landscaper, not at all, but when it comes to lawns I fail heartily.

 

I transplanted some vincas to the back along the fence
I added two new perennials too and a couple bags of bark mulch

It even feels nice to lay on

Faux grass made a lot of sense to me and is something I've wanted to do for a very long time.  Now that I have it I am absolutely thrilled.  I no longer have to fertilize, patch bald spots, mow or water.  Saving time, money and water is the bonus to having this grass which is very popular in Nevada and Arizona.  Plus, it look really nice.  I love it!  Yay!

 

Small Home Improvement Project - Landscape Changes

 

Our weather has been crazy this year.  Mother Nature has thrown a little bit of everything at us this month, including snow!  This week I was super happy to get outside and do some serious yard work which included the start of my big xeriscape project.  I'm going for low water/maintenance, not no water/maintenance.  This has been a project I've wanted to do for years and after a lot of research, thinking over a ton of different ideas and some planning I was all set to do it, last year.  Demolition started and then came to an abrupt halt leaving my yard a Class A disaster.  It looked HORRIBLE!  Embarrassingly , horrible.

 

Grass removed and wintered over
Looks unsightly, but it will be nice once I'm done

Prior we had grass, but due to the large shade trees it never did grow very well.  Lots of balds spots requiring reseeding, plus the fertilizers and weed control chemicals.  I didn't like wasting the amount of money, water and effort to try to maintain a mediocre lawn, it felt really wasteful of both time and resources.  I needed to make a drastic change.  So I started tearing out the lawn and getting it ready for a big redo, but I only got halfway.  Fortunately, my chickens helped me out and they finished what I could not.  Thank you ladies!

 

I removed the plastic lawn edging, expanded the garden bed
and edged it with rocks from other areas of our yard

Initial plans had to change because I'm retired so there is not much of a budget to complete this project.  I'm not worried though because I'm using what I already have on hand as well as a miniscule budget and some gift cards to get a lot of this kicked off.  And hopefully some FREE or low cost stuff from Facebook will help out too.  My youngest daughter bought me a Korean lilac bush for the yard and my oldest gave me a Home Depot gift card to buy more stuff, both were for Mother's Day.

 

I am planting perennials and some smaller varieties of shrubs (gifts & gift cards)
The rhubarb plant has been there for years and I've had the bird bath for ages

I am so happy with the progress so far

The entire landscape plan runs from the curb at the end of our driveway to the backyard fenceline so it is a pretty huge project overall, but I'm eating this elephant one bit at a time, working in sections and once it is to my liking I am moving on to the next one.  For the first time since purchasing my home I am finally going to have the yard I've always dreamed about and imagined in my mind.  So far it is turning out as I had hoped and I couldn't be happier.  I'll keep you updated on my progress as I work on it.