Works for Me Wednesday- Losing the Landline

Have you ever had one of those days? Mine started off like that today. I was writing this post when down goes the computer and I lost everything. It was a frustrating moment.But I took a deep breath and thought maybe I need a computer break so since it is a beautiful day here in Toronto I decided to take a short walk.

Now that I am home I can write about what is working for our family at this point in time-that is losing or better put getting rid of the landline. For our tiny family that is on the go it makes more sense to have a cell phone. So while I was at Lifefest we visited the Rogers booth we got great deals on phones ( they were FREE) and a good family plan. Roo has her own phone. This is used for her walking back and forth to school and for when I am out of the house (I really like her having her own phone with her for safety reasons here in Toronto). I have my phone-went with the Blackberry Pearl and it is a great deal and phone for me since it too was FREE. We went with a family plan so we share minutes and have FREE local calling after 6pm. We (meaning ME) have 1000 Canadian long distance minutes a month as well. With my mom in hospital and me job hunting it simply made more sense go goodbye landline and hello Family Plan.

Well I off to go and read over at what is working for everyone else over at Rocks in My Dryer. If you want read what is working for a hundred or more bloggers go here.

Menu Monday and Cheap Cooking

I am really trying to tighten my budget when it comes to grocery shoping. So going to try and cook on the cheap, the real cheap. Why? I want to save money for our first family vacation in 10 years.

So here is the menu for this week….

Monday-Kraft dinner and hotdogs, broccoli ($2)

Tuesday-Sweet and Sour Tofu, rice,red peppers($3)

Wednesday-Meatloaf, mashed potatoes,corn($5)

Thursday-Leftovers($0)

Friday-Cheese Pizza, and salad($5)

Saturday-Kid Pleasing Spaghetti, and Salad($4)

Sunday-BBQ Chicken Pieces, rice, carrots($3)

Now I am off to Laura’s to see what is cooking for everyone else.

A Frugal Gathering

Last night this solo parent got a treat! A night out! Where did I go? Well some of the gang from Frugal Shopper decided to meet. Now some of the women and men had met before. Some were newbies like me. We met at Yorkdale Mall at Casey’s. There we laughed, chatted and shared coupons. There were even freebies such as Pinesol, a knit washcloth, mug, note book, bag and pen. We even had giveaways thanks to the generosity of the gang. I brought home a wonderful makeup case full of Biotherm goodies. It was wonderful to meet so many that I had shared the forums with this last year. I came home feeling full and grateful for all who help me be cheap, well I mean smart.

Works for Me Wednesday: Tithing

Along time ago I learned a lesson about life. When we give God back what is his he returns and really does bless us. How do I know this? He has always met my needs. Even on the darkest days my basic needs have been met. I say tithingis better then fire insurance.  If you want to put God to the test I know this is one law of his that does not fail. I can tell you story after story in my life how he has provided. From finding sales just when I need something to how have I have learned to do things on the cheap. For me being cheap does not mean robbing God! Why would I when I have seen the benefits of the tithe. May I recommend putting Him to the test. For me this works!

Now lets go see what is working for everyone else today over at Rocks in My Dryer  .

Gardening on the Cheap

 With the weather finally getting warmer here in Toronto it is time to think of gardening. On the weekend my favorite daughter Roo decided she was going to do yard work. I am really impressed how clean our garden is. It looks good for mid April.

As we look at gardening this year we will be doing mostly vegetables and fruit. We will have a few flowers though, and will be doing some herbs as well.

What is planned to go into ours: Tomatoes(both full size and cherry), strawberries, lettuce, red peppers, pumpkin, green onions, and for herbs we will do cilantro, basil, and parsley. Really a very basic garden for Toronto. How do I do it and do it on the cheap?

1. First I start everything almost from seeds, that is of what I buy. The only exception is what I get from friends  and that will be started strawberries and tomatoes. Seeds are a cheap way to go and your children get to watch the whole growth cycle.

2. Water in the eveing or morning only, and water roots not leaves. First it is the roots that need the water, not the leaves, as well by watering in the early morning or on in the eveing it takes longer to absorb and is better for the soil and plant and you dont end up wasting water. It is also good to do it at this time to save on the pocket book.

3. I also keep my tools on the minimum and to be honest I got them all for free or from the Dollar store. There is no need for expensive tools.

4. NO chemicals…most of the things you need to fight pests,etc can either be done organically or by using your compostable stuff. For weed killer try PULLING them. Just think of it as a workout.

Well it is evening here and with the weather being so nice a perfect eveing for a walk. So here is hoping that some of you are getting your gardens ready just like me.