Air Freshner on the Cheap!

If you've spent any time on Pinterest you've come across pictures of oranges, cloves, cinnamon sticks and other such goodness being used as a room air freshener.

I pinned such a link and immediately knew that I would try it out for myself sometime soon.

The problem though is that the budget doesn't really allow for "wasting" oranges and boiling them for no other reason than to make the house smell less like little boys and more like someone has been slaving over a stove.

One way to do this is to teach your sons how to aim better.  But, there are just no guarantees here.  Another way would be to slave over the stove all day.  But, there's not a whole lot of room in the budget... oh, who am I kidding... I'm not going to slave over anything all day long.  Here's a little secret, I'm kinda lazy.

So, I broke down and bought some oranges.  I found cinnamon sticks at the Amish Bent and Dent (aka Carter's Discount Groceries) for fifty cents and for some reason I had some whole cloves from Plainview Country Store.  I think they were a few years old, leftover from a hot apple cider experiment.

I filled a small pot with a couple of oranges that I quartered, the cinnamon sticks, cloves, a little vanilla and covered it with water.  Put that on high until it starts to boil and then lower the temp to 2-3.  When the water evaporates, add more.  Pretty simple.  Plus this concoction will last a few days. 

Even Hotsauce loves the scent.  I try not to burn candles as much as I like to, because they give S.O.S. headaches and I sometimes try to be a considerate housemate.  :)  This doesn't seem to bother her head much!

After doing this a few times I really started feeling like it wasn't the best use of the oranges... thereby not the best use of our money.  So I stopped.  It was sad.

But, whenever I get sad, I stop being sad and start being AWESOME!

That's when this brilliant idea hit me.  The Turkey's love fruit.  They especially love oranges and apples.  So why not keep the orange peels and use them instead of the whole orange?  I can still use the cloves and cinnamon sticks that I have, because I really have no other use for them.  And whenever someone starts an orange and can't finish it I could use those pieces too. 

And why not throw the apple cores in too?  It would be worth a shot.

So, no where near as fancy looking as the ones on Pinterest.  But, it still smells fabulous and for a lot less money!

Here's another tip if you decide to do this on the cheap!  Once the cinnamon sticks boil in the water a few times they will start to unroll.  Once you're ready to throw out the peels and cores or whatever else you come up with ... pull out the cinnamon sticks.  Let them dry overnight on a paper towel or dish.  When you wake up in the morning they will roll back up into their original state and be ready to use in your next batch!  It's a frugal alternative to throwing them out every few days.  And to be real honest I've used the same peels for up to a week.  They start to look pretty gross when they cool off, but they still do the job!

I also just started using apple cores today and haven't noticed them giving off a lot of scent.  But, I'm wondering if they're just being overpowered by the orange scent.  I am going to keep a few cores in the fridge for a few days until this round of peels have gone "bad" and then try an apple cinnamon mixture. 

I have also stopped using vanilla as I don't really pick up on that scent either, so why waste good vanilla??

I have also seen mixtures of lemon and rosemary as well as cranberry and pine.  I'm sure the different mixtures are only limited by our imaginations... and budgets of course!

Have you tried any of these air fresheners?  Do you have any combinations that you like best? 

Thank God Friday - Busy and Blessed!

I still have 1 hour and 23 minutes to get this out while it's still Friday.  No judging me.

So, I guess today I am most thankful for the things that keep me busy.  Things that keep from blogging, even though there are few things that I like more than writing.

In the last few hours besides our normal family evening activities we have been whirling with creative activity.  Hotsauce is working on making some amazing shelves for Turkey Bottom Haven.  We've been working on a custom sign order that has to be finished by Christmas.  When we finish that sign I'm hoping to get to work on another sign for a Christmas gift.  It has the potential to be my favorite sign ever.  But, you've heard me say that before right??

The new cabinet.

This morning we also picked up a cabinet to bring home and take pictures of it to list it on Turkey Bottom Haven.  We're hoping to have a reasonably quick turn around because our Christmas money (Hotsauce and mine, not the Turkeys) is wrapped up in that cabinet.  Also the longer it stays here, the more I grow attached to her.  I'm even thinking about naming her.  I wish I was joking when I typed that.

Adelle? Perhaps Josephine?  Maybe Mary Kathleen after my late grandmother?  No, then I could never sell her... I have issues.

I also pulled out a beautiful table that I've been meaning to post pictures of and never get around to it.  I think she'll go fast.  She's a little flawed, but it certainly adds to her beauty.  I find that true about people too. Perhaps I'm just weird like that?

Look at those legs!!

I believe that this busyness is an indication of God's blessing.  I pray (almost) daily that God will bless Turkey Bottom Haven.  And not just my portion of the business, but the other vendors also.  I believe that God wants us to be diligent in working.  He wants us to lead productive lives so that we won't be a burden to others.

But, I know that we can labor night and day and without God's blessing on our work it will be in vain:

Psalm 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchmen stand guard in vain.

We are thankful to be serving a God who blesses even though he doesn't have to.  He truly is good to us!

Are you finding your work to be a blessing?   

Last night of FPU

Tonight is our last night of Financial Peace University.

I feel like it has been a complete success!  God has done some amazing things in our behaviors.  He's changed the way we think about money.  I believe that He has given us a gazelle type intensity and has started us on the path to financial freedom.

I hesitate to post this next picture, but I do not do it to boast in anything that Hotsauce and I do, but instead to boast in what God has done in our lives.

It truly is a snapshot of what the last nine weeks have meant to us:

It is my hope that it will encourage you on your journey.  It hasn't been easy.  We haven't always done it right.  But, we have learned and we have grown.

If you haven't started your journey for whatever reason.  I would say that I have no idea if our results are typically, if they're more or less than the average FPUer... but it brings great joy to our hearts.  We have one regular income that is slightly higher than the national average.  We have 5 children.  They don't have jobs... yet.  I do sell a few things online, but things have slowed down this month (even more than I expected).  Though Hotsauce has made up for my slacking by getting 3 odd jobs this month.

What I'm saying is that there's nothing exceptional about our income.  We have a lot of dependents children.  But, God is blessing.  He will bless you too!

No excuses.  I don't care that it's December... start today!

Thank God Friday!!! You.Will.Die!!

I thought about holding off until after my big Christmas outfit reveal this Sunday at our church's annual Christmas Program... but I promised to let you all see the best.white.elephant.gift.EVER!!!

You are going to die when you see how amazing it is!  I'm giddy.  I'm horrified. I'm overwhelmed with emotion. I have so many intense emotions all at the same time that I cannot adequately explain what's going on inside of me!!!

It is my hope that all of you LOVE ugly Christmas sweaters as much as I do.  I'm not sure that you could possibly love them as much as I do, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.  This gift is the PERFECT compliment to anyone who loves a good old fashion ugly Christmas sweater.

Are you ready? You.will.die.

What did I tell you???  So much emotion.  So much love and disgust all wrapped up in one huge package of joy!  Now, these are Christmas shoes!!

Now, fans of PETA, please do not get upset.  But, one of the fantastic features of these terribly wonderful Christmas shoes is that they are made out of REINDEER fur! I am not even joking.  Reindeer fur Christmas shoes from Scandinavia!!

Look how they curl up at the toes!  I am just sure that the Elves are coveting these babies.  Well, except for the fact that they're made out of Rudolph's mom... just kidding kids!  No fictional reindeer moms were hurt in the glorious making of my new Christmas shoes.

Well, "new" is a bit of an exaggeration.  It's my understanding that the previous owners kept these hidden in the back of a closet for at least a decade.  Why?  I don't know.  But, they did mention that they're starting to smell a bit.  And they are.

Anyone have any ideas on how to remove the stench from Reindeer pelt?  If so please let me know.  Because stink or no stink, I'm wearing them!

They also have a tendency to shed.  Since we don't have any pets my shedding Christmas shoes are a bit gross... it's one of the reasons that we had to get rid of our last dog... because we were afraid that Mo-Mo might be allergic to him.  I hope he's not allergic to my Christmas shoes!! Wouldn't that just beat all?

Oh, did I mention the pom poms on the ends of the laces?  It just adds to the tacky, yet, blissfully Christmasy love that I have for them!  Ahh, I cannot get enough!  Is anyone still reading, or have you all died?? I know Hotsauce has died a thousand deaths since I first put these on... He just loves the idea of me wearing them out in public too!  So.much.joy.

One last picture for you to ogle and then I'll call it a day!!

So today, I am thankful for the small things in life that bring me joy.  The way that God knows that I'm an odd duck and yet, still gives me the desires of my heart.  Even the desires I don't know that I have.  Because, trust me, I never knew how much I wanted these until I opened them up last Sunday at our white elephant gift exchange!
I'm thankful that some of the best gifts cost nothing and for the reminder as we continue on our debt free journey to look past the material things this world has to offer!  Jesus is enough.

What ways has God filled the desires of your hearts this Christmas season?  What's the best gift you've ever gotten from a white elephant gift exchange?  How much do you love and hate my Christmas shoes?

Christmas Decorating Dave Ramsey Style ... Take Two

I just got home from a fabulous White Elephant Gift Exchange... you will seriously die when you find out what I came home with.  You.will.die.

But for now you will have to wonder and wait until Thank God Friday when I show off the most amazing White Elephant gift this world has ever seen.
You.will.die.

We are back to decorating for Christmas on a budget.  This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions that anyone can do no matter what their budget looks like.

My third tip that Christmas decorating shouldn't be left solely to merchandisers.

For the last 3 Christmases I've had our Turkey Bottoms draw a Christmas tree.  They have varying artistic skills and abilities and with age comes added skills ... at least I hope so, or we will forever mock Lumpy and Mo-Mo for their trees! ;)

After they draw their tree I frame them in similar wood frames, but not matchy matchy ones.  I take the one from the new year and place it on top of those from previous years. Mainly because I cannot be trusted with putting them some place where I will remember.  By the time they graduate from high school the frames will be bursting.

Some day down the road I will make professional quality copies of them and give them to each child to do as they wish.  But, I imagine going through them when they're adults and laughing together at how far they have (or haven't) come in their Christmas tree skillz.  These decorations are truly more valuable than any of the ornaments I've ever bought.  I just hope that when they're going through their rebellious years that God will place it on their hearts to still do this for their Mama.

 Our Turkey Bottoms have a new found love of making snowflakes, in all colors, shapes and sizes.  I have to admit that I get a little twitching with these also.

I try to get them to cut their paper into a square so as to eliminate all of the rectangular snowflakes, but sometimes they "forget"... and I take a deep breath and let them tape it to the window anyway.

I have even let Chubba have black snowflakes this year.  Which lead other children astray and now we have orange, yellow, and green as well.

I know, I know.  I am the greatest mother in the entire universe for allowing these below par decorations to make it into my windows, where everyone driving by will judge me on my "unnatural" snowflake designs.  Don't think I haven't considered the ramifications of having odd shaped and colored snowflakes in my windows and how it will certainly ruin any chance I have of one day realizing my dream of being a decorator on HGTV.

I tell ya, the things I do for my Turkey Bottoms.

On a serious note, some day they won't make snowflakes with me.  They might make me feel silly for asking them.  Just thinking about it makes me tear up a little bit.  So, I say bring on the weirdo snowflakes because someday comes too soon.

My next tip is one that you're all probably doing anyway...

Use ideas from blogs and Pinterest!

After all isn't that what Pinterest if for?  Ideas that inspire?  Most bloggers find that your version of their great idea is flattering and the reason they put it out there for the world to see. 

I'm going to mention a few blogs that I've been reading lately that I would highly recommend that you visit for some great ideas.

My friend, Amy, from Create-Play-Homeschool has a great series going right now on the 12 days of homemade holidays.  My favorite is an easy decoration made with Mason Jars and other items you probably have laying around your home ... check it out here.  Make sure you let her know that Mama D from the Fiscal Misfits sent you! :)

Another great site is SaltTree where Amber will teach you how to make "Yarnaments", Felt gingerbread house ornaments and miniature light up snow globes.  I lurve them! You can find her cute stuff here.
More recommendations to come!

For now remember that the Internet is your friend, but the real magic happens when you get the involvement of the people that you love around you.  You may not have a Martha Stewart Christmas, but even black rectangle snowflakes have their place in making a wonderful Christmas wonderland!
 

Christmas Decorating Dave Ramsey Style ... Day 1.

I lurve decorating for Christmas.
I like to say that I love decorating for Christmas because I want the kids to think that they're living in a Winter Wonderland... but honestly - I want to think that I live in a Winter Wonderland!

I am a collector of all things Merry and Bright and hope to fill every room of our house with Christmas Trees one day.  But, this is not that year.

This is our Christmas Decorating Dave Ramsey Style (aka on a budget).  And yet, even on a budget I think that there are loads of ways that you can bring a fun festive atmosphere into your home.

My very first rule is always, always, always shop at home.  

What types of things do you have on hand that are already available to you?  Some simple transformation can almost always be turned into something Christmasy!

 Here's an example.  I have a few pewter and silver items around the house.  I think the gray silver tones  bring in a classic and elegant element to Christmas decor.

I added a few sprigs off of a pine wreath to the cup after they fell off.  I hadn't intended on keeping them in the cup, just needed a place to put them until I had a chance to throw them away.  I ended up taking a second look at them, next to the pewter bowl of ornaments and thought it looked pretty good!

The ornaments in the pewter bowl cost me $.50 at a garage sale this fall.  I ALWAYS pick up ornaments at garage sales. 

There is always something that I can add Christmas ornaments to that make an easy, cheap Christmas arrangement!  Here again I have my silver platters stacked on top of one another with a vase filled with red and silver ornaments.  Simple to put together and the look is really great.

The cloth that it's sitting on is really a basket liner, but helps add to the Christmas rustic charm that is carried throughout the house.

I added the star on top of the other ornaments to add to a little extra interest.  All round balls get a little uninteresting to me after awhile.

This pitcher with pussy willow lights is a staple in our TV room.  It's always here with twigs and I love the way it looks year around.

At Christmas time I add the red ribbon (which I bought a whole roll of for only $.90) and then if you look carefully you can see some greenery and pine cones.

I bought the greenery and pine cones for less than a dollar at a garage sale a few years ago.  I believe they were pieces of an old artificial Christmas tree that had lost several parts.

As a side note I used this same pitcher with lights and twigs at Halloween/Thanksgiving time and by adding a few artificial fall leaves it made a great fall decoration as well.

Here's another way to add simple Christmas/Winter touches.  This tray is another item that I use year around, but at Christmas time I fill it up with pine cones that the Turkeys and I have collected.  The pine filler is more the Christmas Tree Chop Shop leftovers!  I love this decoration because it's not overtly "Christmas" so it can hang around throughout the winter months!

This is more of my $.90 ribbon put to use!

 I love these candle chandeliers that we have in our dining room.  They already have a Christmasy feel to them.  All I did to create this look was to wrap the base in a garland by weaving it between the candles.  In years past I've hung snowflake ornaments (that we made for our winter wedding) but since they hang down over the table I found myself banging into them all the time and having to rip sections of my hair out.

The ribbon makes a beautiful, simple statement without causing balding. ;)

My next tip is to make your own if at all possible!

Every year I buy the kids a new Christmas decoration.  My hope is that when they leave our house that they will have a box of decorations over the years and will have fond memories of each one.

Since we have five Turkey's to buy decorations for each year this starts to add up.  Even if you find a great decoration at $5, once you've bought 5 and paid for tax you're looking at around $27 big ones!

This year I started a new tradition... called make our own!

I used a salt dough recipe to make these "letter" ornaments.  After mixing up the dough I rolled out "snakes" to make the letters.  Each Turkey received the letter of their first name as their ornament.  I know real original, huh?

After making the letters and baking them... and then remaking another one for Bean... after Lumpy had repeatedly been told not to touch them ... I decided to do something that is unheard of with me.

I let the Turkey's paint their own.

Let the twitching begin.

Then I decided NOT to retouch them no matter what!  I started to when our youngest was working on his "J".  But, then with all the will power that I had I stopped.  You can see the places that he "missed" and I hope that will add to the childlike charm that Christmas brings.  ;)

I have a few more tips, but so as to not overwhelm you (and because my pinched nerve in my back is telling me it's time to quit typing).  Check back tomorrow for some more tips!

And while you're waiting why don't you share any ideas that you have to decorate on a Dave Ramsey approved budget??

Thank God Friday - Extra, Extra, Read all about it!!

In my last post I mentioned that Hotsauce was really kicking it into gear and picking up some side handy jobs.  Well, that perhaps opened the flood gates.  He's taken on another side job and will be doing some framing work this weekend for some friends.  They just found out that his dad will be moving in with them and they're needing a temporary room on their first floor to accommodate his needs.  He's finishing up the tiling job today ... hopefully.

I was supposed to be helping him with both of these jobs, but I got a doctors excuse to get out of work this weekend after I ruptured a disc in my neck.  It's pinching a nerve and I'm in a wee bit o' pain.  I had to laugh when my chiropractor literally offered to write a doctors excuse to give to Hotsauce so that I wouldn't be overworked this weekend.  :) 

That still leaves the vanity job for Hotsauce which will probably start around Wednesday of next week.  Did I mention that Hotsauce also manages a few rental properties? He had a phone call last night about someone who still hasn't paid December's rent (ugh) and another property is having some plumbing issues.

His estimated extra income will be around $700. :)

Can you say answer to prayer?

Also after some new sales techniques it looks like Turkey Bottom Haven could have a great month!  I've been contacting some antique and junque (classy junk) dealers and have one coming to pick up the lockers tomorrow.  Another dealer may be coming to pick up some antique porch posts.  On top of that I have an order for some custom signs and a few other items that people are showing interest in!  Oh, and I believe that I sold a dresser before I even posted it in my Turkey Bottom Haven store.  I will find out for sure on Sunday when my friend stops by to look at it.

If everything works out, it looks like Turkey Bottom Haven may bring in around $450-$500.

Can I get a witness up in here?

Now remember that we also have S.O.S. living with us which brings in extra income.  So above and beyond our regular income we have the potential to earn an extra $1,425 this month. 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!  Praise Him, all creatures here below! Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts! Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!  (Did you sing it?)
  
And there's still room for Turkey Bottom Haven to come through and earn us even more.  I have to say that I'm a little teeny tiny bit  er... totally and completely competitive and I was hoping that I could make more extra income than Hotsauce.  It only seems right doesn't it?  Since he's the main bring-home-the-baconer, I should at least earn more extra income right? I'm sure that Hotsauce would not complain! ;)

Isn't God completely praiseworthy?  So bring on your praises...

Dave Ramsey says ... sell it all!

As I said in my last post "To Emergency Fund or Not..." we have a Suburban that is out of commission for the time being.  We've had our $1,000 emergency fund since October and haven't had to use it yet.  That's a good feeling.  We are praying about whether or not to use the emergency fund to fix the Suburban.  We have also been praying that God would increase Turkey Bottom Haven sales to allow us extra income.

Hotsauce has two side jobs this month because he's super handy (and good lookin').  The job that he's been working on recently has him putting up a back splash at a friend's house.  I only saw a few tiles that were up and it looks great!  I was a little envious, but reminded myself, "If you live like no one else, then you can live like no one else."

When he's done with that job he'll be putting in a vanity into a bathroom.  It should be a much quicker job ... at least I hope so.  I kinda totally miss his face when he's gone.  But, I also realize that every minute he's gone he's working towards paying for the Suburban to be fixed and/or towards our snowball being paid off.

Some encouraging news in regards to Turkey Bottom Haven is that we've added 3 vendors this month.  At this point I don't make anything off their sales... but added vendors means added traffic.  Added traffic means that we all have a higher potential of selling our items.  Which reminds me ... you're on Facebook right?  So why haven't you "liked" Turkey Bottom Haven yet?  You can do it by clicking here.  That wasn't so hard was it?

I've also added a few items that are exclusive to Turkey Bottom Haven... would you like a sneak peak?  If you answered no, well, too bad so sad!  ;)

 This rustic tree stands about 2 feet tall and looks even better in real life!  I have ideas of putting a Christmas quote or verse in the lower right hand corner.  If I was going to keep it I would paint, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" on it.

Actually I have big plans of making another one that I can keep! By that I mean, "I have big plans of Hotsauce making another one."

 This sign ("Be still and know that I am God) was a gift that I made for my Gram.  It was for her 90th birthday present.

 I have ONE board left just like it and could make another one.  The top picture is really dark, but the original sign was white with blue writing.

The verse is a favorite of hers and I've been told that she says it to herself when she's having a hard day.  Of all the signs that I have made this is a personal favorite!

Let's pretend that you wanted to buy a sign like this you could have any quote you wanted and you could choose the colors! :)

 This rustic Merry Christmas sign started off as a huge frustration!  The thin font was especially difficult for me.  I'm not much of a "painter" and was going to scrap the whole thing after applying the cream colored paint.  In a moment of inspiration I decided to try adding black paint over the top.  It turned out a.maz.ing and the end result is something that I'm actually really proud of.

This chair was literally headed to the dump when Hotsauce rescued it!  It survived a house fire and the seat has added character because of it!  If you look under the "Olde Crow" pillow you can see where the fire "hollowed" it out a bit.

I added some paint and distressed it.  As a finishing touch I added a glaze and it became a shelf.

It's pictured holding some pillows, but would also be great holding dolls or bears in a little girls room! Actually the possibilities are endless... it is a shelf after all and anything that could go on a shelf would work on it! ;)

 It is well with my soul is a favorite hymn of mine.  Especially once you know the history of the song!

Perhaps I'm a little prideful, but after looking at the Merry Christmas sign and thinking that it was my favorite ... now I'm looking at this one and thinking that actually this one is my favorite!

I do that with my Turkey Bottoms too.  I'll look at one and think, man that kid is my favorite.  Until the next one walks in and I think, "No, wait that one's my favorite."  Turns out I'm capable of having lots of favorites! I know, good moms don't have favorites!

This sign also started out as a frustration. I did a horrible job of measuring the board and it ended up all crooked and wonky.  So I repainted the board and gave it another shot ... this time having Hotsauce doing the measuring and turns out he got himself a full-time measuring job!

So there you go!  Some items from Turkey Bottom Haven, what did you think?  Any chance that I can sell a few of them and help tuck some money away towards the repairs on the Suburban?  Dave Ramsey says to sell it all ... he actually says to sell so much stuff that the kids wonder if they're next!  I'd consider selling a few of them, but they're all my favorites so I wouldn't know who to get rid of! ;)

Would you also consider praying that we would earn the money that we need to pay for the Suburban repairs without having to dip into the emergency fund?  Thanks friends!

To Emergency Fund or Not? That is the question!

We are working on our snowball.  It's a slower process than I would like it to be.  Every month we get closer to our goal of paying off our debt (with the exception of the house, we will really get moving on that later down the road)... and we celebrate that.  It's just that I am so.very.impatient!


We just finished our December budget and there's not a lot going towards debt... at least not as much as we would like. 

Hotsauce noticed that when we drive our Suburban around a corner that something funny happens with the tires.  Yesterday after church he took it over to a friend's house to have him check it out.  It wasn't good news.  I can't explain what's wrong, other than the part is $70 and the labor is $50 an hour.  Ugh.  I'm guessing that it's going to take longer than an hour to fix it!

It seems like a no brainer.  We get it fixed and use the Emergency Fund to pay for it.

But, if we use the E.F. then we stop paying on our debt snowball (we still make the minimum payments, but don't pay any extra) until we get back to $1,000 in the Emergency Fund.  I don't like the idea of going backwards.

One thing we knew for sure is that we wouldn't make a decision to scramble until we've prayed over it and feel like we know what God is telling us to do.  I am also praying that Turkey Bottom Haven will blow up with custom sign orders or that items would just start flying out the door!  With God all things are possible.

And if we do use the Emergency Fund we will rejoice, because we have the money to do it!  Months ago we wouldn't have anything to fall back on and we would be in crisis mode!  Sometimes I just have to remind myself to be grateful in all things.

So what would you do?  Use the Emergency Fund?  Sell a bunch of stuff?  Walk everywhere?  Finance a new vehicle?  Put it on the credit card?  You said, "Heck-to-the-NO!" to the last two right???

Thank God Friday - $1,300 Scramble

Admit it. You've missed me.
Missed me! Missed me! Now you have to kiss me!
(Don't tell Hotsauce.  It will be far more dramatic if you just come up and plant one on me right in front of him.)

Wait, disregard everything you've read to this point.  Seriously, don't kiss me.  It will just make things awkward between us and Hotsauce will try to punch your lights out and things will just get ugly.

So... how do you get back on track from that opening?

Oh, right. It's Thank God Friday. Which you probably guessed from that intro.  Or maybe not.

This week I'm really thankful for lessons learned!  As we continue on our Total Money Makeover journey I realize that some times a gazelle type intensity can lead us to make decisions that aren't as wise as we would hope they would be.

There's a reason that I've entitled this blog The Chronicles of the Fiscal Misfits and that's because we've made more poor decisions dealing  with our money than we'd ever like to admit.  And this lesson learned comes out of a long line of horrible decisions.

Here are the highlights:
1. Hotsauce and friend bought a house together to flip.
2. That was 12 years ago... they still own it, so the flip is now a flop.
3. They got a joint credit card together for purchases towards remodeling said house.
4. Friend was the primary card holder.
5. Hotsauce and his wife used said card for other purchases towards remodeling their own home. Friend knew about it.
6. Soon the outstanding balance belonged to us. Ugh.
7. Insert long, long story here.  Which includes minimum payments and missed payments.
8. Friend is irritated. Rightfully so.
9. Ugh.

Fast forward to three weeks ago.  Hotsauce is on phone with said company trying to work out a payment plan.  He offers to pay them $100 a month.  They're demanding more than 3 times that.  We can't swing it.  They tell Hotsauce that they are going to mark him down with a refusal to pay.

Whicka whicka what?? How is offering $100 a month a refusal?  That's how these sharks play this game.  They want their money and they want it now.

So Hotsauce offers a pay off of 60%.  They decline.  Saying that they will take no less than 75% of what is owed.  Hotsauce (in a completely unnatural state) says no.  He will just continue to pay $100 a month.  They again threaten to mark him down with a refusal to pay.  At which point we envision the teacher walking to the chalkboard and putting a check next to his name.  The conversation ends.

Before long the company calls back and magically they have decided to take the offer of the 60% payoff.  It's a savings of almost $900 for us.  We rejoiced!

Then the terms come in.  They will take the deal if we pay it off by the end of November.  Um, um, um... We essentially had 2 weeks to come up with $1,360 that we hadn't planned on spending.

We called this the $1,300 scramble.  And scrambled we did.  I prayed and hoped and bargained with God that I would have record Turkey Bottom Haven sales.  I did not.  In fact, sales have been way, way, way down.

I tried selling a bunch of things on "garage sale" type Facebook page.  I sold exactly nothing.

So we had an emergency budget meeting.  We looked at every category that we had and decided where we could "short change" ourselves.  We emptied our property taxes envelope and promised that after the first of the year we would make that up.  We emptied this envelope and that envelope and redid the December budget so that what we "stole" from November could be repaid in December.  And within 2 weeks we had the $1,360 to pay off the debt.

Hotsauce got a cashier's check from the bank (because that's what Dave says to do) and we paid the debt off.  But, unlike the time we paid the property taxes there wasn't any high fiving or happy dancing.  We were glad that our friend wouldn't have to deal with our irresponsibility and it was nice that we "saved" $900 and it was nice that we won't ever have to worry about that debt again.

There was still something in the pit of stomachs that just didn't feel right.

I think we were in such a rush to take care of this ourselves that we left God in the dust.  We didn't pray about this decision.  We never took it to the King of Kings to see how He would have us respond.  And in doing so we lost sight of our plan ... a plan that we agreed made sense... a plan that we agreed honored God.

So this isn't your typical Thank God Friday, but I am very thankful that when we get off track and we blaze before God that He is still faithful.  We may always be misfits, but His grace will always cover our misfitness.  Yes, that's a word.

How about some good news?  Anyone have a success story they'd like to share with us?  Who's paying off debt?

Booing in church is bad form...

Have you ever sat in a packed Sunday School room and shared your opinions and ideas and have some obnoxious person sitting in the back of  the room constantly "booing" you?

I mean what kind of person boos someone else at church?

Seriously.Who.Does.That?

Oh. Right.  That was me.

Now I'm not going to give you a whole run down of what the conversation was about, but what I will say is that the words "good" and "debt" were used in the same sentence.  When the idea of good debt versus bad debt came up I swear it was like I was involuntarily "booing"... I had no control over it and therefore cannot be held responsible for my actions. 

It still makes me twitchy just thinking about it.  I keep checking my body for a rash, because at any moment I could break out!!

As Hotsauce so calmly stated, when asked why we were shaking our heads every time this concept came up, "The borrower is slave to the lender."

It does not say, "The borrower is only slave to the lender when the debt is a bad idea."

You see there's this myth that, for instance, student loans, are good debts to have.  Whicka, whicka, whhhhhatttttt???"  I've had a student loan for well over ten years now and I've never thought, "Wow. I sure love paying this.  What a good debt this is!!!"

Romans 13:8 says, "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law."

You can't owe nothing if you owe something!

I cannot find a place in Scripture where is says that debt is good.  Can you?

  

Hotsauce paid his own way through college.  His parents helped out as much as they could, but for the most part he cleaned hundreds of pots and pans to avoid taking out a loan.  I, on the other hand, got every loan available and borrowed as much as I could from every loan.  We're still paying on my loans.  

Anyone want to take a guess at which one of us has regrets?  Now, imagine I would have paid my own way through college and we weren't paying interest on ten year old loans.  Ugh. I don't even want to think about it!  

So, perhaps, you believe that there is good debt ...but I just don't buy it anymore!  

In fact, I boo in the face of debt! 

 

Thank God Friday - Christmas is coming...

Here it is Friday again and I'd like to Thank God that it is FRIDAY!!!  Hotsauce has to work this weekend, but then he has Monday and Tuesday off (since he's working the weekend) and then Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving ... which means he only has to work Wednesday and that would be silly so he's taking a day of vacation which means we have Daddy for a whole 7 days!!! We love that!

I realize I just did a post about Christmas (my perfect tree and how my focus has been made new).  But, this time of year the money is running out the door just as fast as it's coming in.  There is of course Christmas presents, but there's also Christmas baking, and more Christmas baking for Christmas programs, Christmas baking for the neighbors, (I do a lot of Christmas baking...)  Christmas dresses and ugly Christmas sweaters.

Then there's wrapping paper and bows and things that glitter and glow.  There's extra gas money to get to Grandma's and to go shopping here and far.  There's extra money for eating out, you know while you're shopping for everyone else.  There's popcorn to string and candles to light, not to mention the extra electricity for all of the sparkly Christmas lights... The list is endless (if you let it be!)

We also have the unique gift of celebrating not one, but two Turkey Birthdays.  Which means birthday cakes, and birthday wrapping paper and birthday presents...

It's enough to make my head spin and spin and spin and spin!!

Until I woke up and found this laying on my "workshop" table:

It's actually two different signs that I'm working on ... the second one isn't done yet ... but this was exactly what I needed to remember:

Merry Christmas. Jesus is: enough.

So thank you God that as we go into the Christmas season that we would remember that the baking, the gifts, the gas, the lights, the glitter is all of this world.  Jesus is enough.  He's more than enough!  May our hearts be pointed not only toward the manger, but also the cross and the empty tomb!  May our minds be that of the coming of the King and not be hijacked by all the things that take our focus off the real meaning of the celebration!

What are you thankful this Friday??

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!

Last year I had a dream come true.

But, before I get to that I have to tell you a little story about 2 years ago when my dream DID NOT come true.  We were planning a trip to Idaho to visit Hotsauce's brother and sisters and their families.  Like always, we had not planned for the vacation and had nothing saved up.  So we had a two week long garage sale... well over the course of two weeks we had a garage sale from Thursday to Saturday.

I had posted on Facebook that we were having a sale and a friend of ours said that she had a bunch of stuff that she wanted to get rid of ... if we would pick it up we could have it for the sale.  I was giddy.  She was right, she had a ton of stuff on her porch. 

One item was a 6 foot pre-lit Christmas tree.  The only problem with it was that half the lights no longer worked.  As you can imagine it didn't sell.  When Christmas rolled around we didn't have a tree of our own and didn't have the money to buy a new one.  Oh, how I looked on Craigslist and everywhere I could think of for a 9 foot tree.  There were none in my price range for free.

So S.O.S., Hotsauce and I got out the 6 foot tree and sat on the floor and cut the broken lights off the old tree.  And my holiday cheer was more like a pre-holiday melt down.  Imagine, if you will, a grown woman crying as she violently rips lights off of a tree.  I'm pretty sure that I snapped once or twice at my beloved.

After we put the tree up it looked incredibly silly with four feet of space between the top of the tree and the ceiling.  It was not my idea of the perfect Christmas tree.  In fact, I imagined it more like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.  Hotsauce ended up building me a 2 foot stand to place the tree on and I covered it with old lace curtains.  By the time I wrapped a few presents the stand was covered and I was thankful that wobbly little Mo-Mo couldn't reach the ornaments on the bottom branches.

You may see in this picture "of the tree" that the top of Chubba's head is where the bottom of the tree meets the stand.  You may also see in this picture that Lumpy's past head injuries cause him to growl inexplicably.

Silently I was disappointed in the tree.

Last year though we went to a Christmas tree farm.  And for the first time since I was a young girl I got a real live pine smelling tree.  It was 9 feet tall and fit perfectly in our bay window.  I was thrilled. No, I was thrilledsauce.

But, apparently not thrilled enough to take a picture of the entire tree and just a few snapshots of the kids decorating it.  Actually, Nana S. took a few pictures of us decorating it.

Anyway it was my perfect Christmas tree.  I do believe that I may have silently cried one night after everyone was in bed.  I was in lurvesauce.

Now as we prepare for Christmas this year there has been much discussion about the Christmas tree.  In the beginning of the budget discussions this was an item that Hotsauce promised that we would save for.  I would have my perfect tree and we would still pay the bills.

Last night at FPU we watched the video about paying off debt with gazelle type intensity.  I watched as the CHEEETAH raced after the gazelle and came up empty handed mouthed.  I learned that the cheetah only catches the gazelle 1 out of 19 times... and thought to myself I am not going to be that one!

Can you imagine a gazelle running with a 9 foot Christmas tree dragging behind it?  Wonder which gazelle the cheetah would pick as its next victim?

So the obvious choice is to skip the wonderful nice smelling tree and haul the 6 foot tree out of the storage closet and take another look at the picture above.  I don't have pictures of Christmas trees because that's not what's really important to me.  Those five silly faces are what I took a picture of ... because that's where my heart really is.

I will sing "O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree..

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.

And it will be true.  Because O Christmas tree tis free and my focus is renewed!  I am excited to put that money towards a snowball and skip the tree chopping!

How's your Christmas shaping up?  What will you be skipping on and what (if anything) is non-negotiable?

Not this time Qubo, not this time!!

We don't have cable.  It's a little hard for us to justify the cost of cable when we are trying to pay off our snowball!  Since we don't have the Cartoon Network or Nick Jr. or any other of the channels marketed towards children we are left with Qubo.

Collect Them All!!! You need these! Or maybe not.

As far as I can tell Qubo is a Canadian network that is filling American children with ideas of what to ask for on their Christmas lists.  They have slippers with ears that cover their eyes.  They have Pillow Pets, Pillow Pet Babies, Pillow Pets that light up and of course, Jumbo Pillow Pets.  They have Bend-a-roos and Floam.  I believe they even have something called Snuggle Up Its or Cuddle Puppets maybe CuddleUppets???... er something like that.


My Turkeys have asked for every.single.one.  There is nothing on this channel that they haven't begged for or sang its jingle non-stop.

Until today.  Today they found the one and only commercial on Qubo that they have entirely rejected.

It was a credit card commercial and I really wish I could remember which brand it was because I would have no problem calling them out.  I think it's disgusting for their to be credit card commercials on this channel at all.  Why do 5 year olds need a credit card?  Probably because while they're dying to have an Obese Pillow Pet and slippers with firecrackers shooting out their backside,  their parents are fed up and keep telling them they can't afford these things.  So the perfect solution is throwing a credit card in the mix!

But, not my Turkey Bottoms... four of the five started a discussion about if this commercial was for a credit card.  They even asked me if that's what it was.  When I confirmed that it was they started booing at the TV!  Mo-Mo of course started booing when the others did, but he had no idea why he was booing!  The Turkey Bottoms also yelled at the TV that credit cards are bad and they will never get one!

Oh, how I love of raising Budgeteers!  :)

But, Dave Ramsey says...

You know when someone shares something really exciting with you... like they bought a new car, or they got a great deal on a washing machine that they got interest free for a year, or they turned in their credit card miles for a new sweater... and as a good friend you're expected to celebrate with them...

Well, I just want to say something like, "Well, Dave Ramsey says, 'You just made a horrible financial decision and here are thirty-three reasons why...'"

I guess you're not really supposed to respond like that.  Apparently people don't want to hear the 33 reasons why they just made a horrible decision about anything.  Who knew?

But, I don't want to glue on a plastic smile and pretend that I'm excited for them.  Because these kinds of things scare the daylights out of me!  It's not that I don't think a new-to-you car isn't exciting, nor do I think that washing machines and sweaters are from the pit of hell ... because I LOVE my washing machine and sweaters are nice too.  I must admit that I have financed a car, bought a washing machine on a credit card and never got the miles to buy a sweater.  And while the car is paid for (and no longer here) and the washing machine is paid for now... it wasn't a good deal.  It hurt us.  Our decisions hurt us. 

Our financial practices were straight from the pit of hell, because they neither glorified God or helped our testimony.  The message of the cross is freedom from sin and a new life in Christ.  The message of a debt-ridden Christian is intentionally yoking yourself to a master of this world. 

So, I need to pray about how to respond lovingly to my friends who are celebrating their new cars, new thises and thats ... instead of silently judging them (or not so silently judging them) and focus on how to be a great friend.  I need to pray that God will give me the opportunity to share how our budget and new money management practices are leading us out of the pit of hell and into a new life and then invite them to join us on this journey.

How many of you struggle with watching your friends make poor financial decisions?  Do you speak up or do you let them make their own mistakes?  Since we've made sooooo many mistakes in the past I also struggle with saying, "Don't do that!!!" when we've been there and done that!!  Do you feel this way?

Thank God Friday - The Little Things

I must admit that I've struggled a little bit with what to write about this TGF.  It's not that I don't have things to be thankful for... heaven knows that couldn't be further from the truth!  It's just that if I write one more blog about how thankful I am for Hotsauce I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have to find an app that gives my readers a barf bag at the beginning of each blog!

There are plenty of other things that I'm thankful for... but I'm trying to get focused on the financial aspect of my life since this is a blog aimed at our Total Money Makeover!

Before sitting down to blog I got our mail.  In it was a "Welcome" card from State Farm.  There was a brief note from our insurance guy, two business cards and also two gift certificates for a free 6 inch sub to Subway!  Can you say awesome?  That's a potential date night!  Or lunch for Hotsauce when he's on the road and a couple of hours of peace and quiet for me!  I'm surprised at how the little things make me so thankful.

We've also been laughing and celebrating our never-ending 5 gallon bucket of potatoes!  At the end of summer a friend of mine gave us some potatoes, green peppers and tomatoes in exchange for some curriculum we had. (I love making trades like this, both of us got what we needed and it was a blessing to both of us!).  A few weeks later another friend had a bounty of potatoes and graciously gave them to us.  They went into the bucket and filled it back up again!  This Monday after FPU S.O.S.'s mama gave us more potatoes and a big bag of onions too.  We've had that 5 gallon bucket of potatoes for a couple of months now and it never seems to go empty!  And it's not that we haven't been eating them, because we have!!

I know that none of these things are huge events.  I sometimes think that a more exciting blog would be one that says, "We knocked out $3,000 in debt this week!"  But, I also remember that we have to be faithful in the little things, acknowledging what God has done for us before we can be entrusted with the bigger things. Much like the Parable of the Talents where two of the servants doubled what their master had given them and the other servant hide his away out of fear.  This is what was said to the faithful servants:

 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ -Matthew 25:21 & 23

Dear friends as you go about your journey do not overlook the small things.  Give praise were praise is due and work diligently with that which God has put you in charge of!  Be sure to do a happy dance (real or imaginary) to celebrate the goodness of God!

Noodle soup!

Hotsauce loves Ramen Noodles.  Maybe he just never grew out of it from college?  But, then again he also loves macaroni and cheese with hot dogs mixed in it and tuna fish sandwiches.  I know some of you are trying not to gag right now, but seriously how lucky am I?  I cannot think of three easier things to make and have the end result being a husband who's all googley-eyed and grateful beyond words.  I.am.lucky!

So, for the first time since college we decided to make some Ramen Noodles.  Hotsauce was all giddy with excitement and since I don't remember hating them, I was excited to introduce this uber budget friendly meal to our Turkey Bottoms.

Well, there wasn't exactly cheering.  And no one asked for seconds.  As a matter-of-fact four of our kids shared theirs so we only had to use two packages for four children.  Cha-ching!  But, poor ol' Saucy Pants HATED hers.  There are a few things that she hates... fruit flavored candy (think Mike and Ikes or licorice) and Macaroni Shells and Cheese (as opposed to regular mac and cheese) and now you could add Ramen Noodles to that list.  

She has this thing that she does when she is forced to eat things she doesn't like.  First she whines. Then she starts to turn red and tear up.  Finally she starts to gag.  And on a few occassions she makes herself vomit.  I won't even get into the joy of those nights.

Picture Source

We even tried to "trick" her by telling her that it was Noodle Soup from Kung Fu Panda.  We told her that Daddy had the "noodle dream"  We knew she wouldn't buy it, but the other Turkeys thought that it was completely fun.  Saucy was having nothing to do with it!


I have to admit that I don't love Ramen Noodles.  But, I have learned that if you cut the amount of chicken flavoring down that your mouth won't feel like it's coated in salt.  Plus you'll feel like maybe it's a little more healthy!  Tonight we're going to give it another shot.  I'm going to add some frozen stir fry veggies and see how that works out.

Even though I'm completely opposed to making a separate meal for picky children.  I have some left-overs that the kiddos have been reluctant to eat, so I'm willing to offer those as an option for Saucy... so long as she warms them up herself it won't be any skin off my back and I think it will save us all from a lot of drama.

I.hate.drama.

And having leftovers that don't go to waste makes my budget smile!!

So what are you having for dinner?  How's your grocery budget going... are you stretching it out and making the most of it??

Updates!

 Update #1: The Unauthorized Charge to our Debit Card
Remember when I told you that I had asked a company to take me off of their autoship and they ignored my request and sent me their product anyway?  I was having a lot of trouble and felt like I was getting the run around?

Well, I never did receive that email that I was waiting for from Mike.  And I was never able to send my fax requesting that said company refund the overdraft fee because I had the wrong fax number.

While I was able to refuse delivery when the UPS man came with my package I still hadn't heard anything from the company and as far as we could tell our account had not been refunded the money.  Seriously, so irritating!

I called again today and this time I talked to DeShon.  My end of the conversation started something like this:

"Hello, my name is..... and my customer ID number is ... and a few weeks ago I received an overdraft notice from my bank because your company did an unauthorized charge on my debit card.  I had already asked to be taken off of autoship prior to this happening and for whatever reason that request was ignored.  When I called last time I spoke to Mike who told me that he would send me a confirmation email stating that I have been taken off of autoship and would not occur further charges.  He never did.  He also gave me a fax number where I could send a notice from our bank disputing the overdraft charge.  It was the wrong number.  Now I want to know what you're going to do to make this right."

Pause.

Pause.

More silence.

"Well, um I could send that email to you today..."

I remain silent.

"And I could get you the right fax number..."

Silent still.

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"Can you guarantee that you will never do this again?  Can you promise that I won't have to go through this headache with your company again?"

Let's just say that he gave me a weak assurance that it wouldn't.  I'm not sure that I believe him.  Let's just say I have very little faith in this company. 

Though I will say that I did receive the email from him and the fax number that he gave me went through.  So he's already 2 up on Mike.

Update #2 - Swag Bucks Worth It?

Is it worth it?  I would say with absolute assurance... that it might be worth it! ;)

I spend a good amount of time blogging, reading finance blogs, and researching ideas for Turkey Bottom Haven.  And then there's the time that I spend updating my Facebook status and playing Words With Friends.  So, I'm online a good amount.  And since I'm online it makes sense for me to do Swag Bucks.  I use search engines a lot, so using the Swag Bucks search engine makes sense.  If I get paid to use it, why not? 

I still almost always have at least one tab open with Swag Bucks TV on.  It's not a quick way to earn Swag Bucks, but really, I might as well have it going while I'm doing other things.

I have also had more luck with the Trusted Surveys and surveys from Peanut Labs under the special offers tab.  Also just for reaching their daily goal of earned Swag Bucks you can earn extra bucks.





If I was to cash in all of my Swag Bucks today I would receive $30 from Amazon.  That's a Christmas present.

So all in all, I think that if you're already online it makes sense to use Swag Bucks.  It won't make you rich, but every little bit helps!

Update #3 Fa-Poo!

This was week 2 of FPU at our church.  We were joined by 3 neighbors ... which means that within a 5 house radius there are 5 households in our neighborhood represented in our class.  Imagine how the rest of our neighborhood could be transformed if each of us not only started using our finances God's way, but also reached out to our other neighbors in the name of Christ?

Makes me giddy thinking about it.

 Also this month Hotsauce will receive 3 paychecks instead of 2.  He was also paid for some work that he's done on some of our rental properties and we hope to have an outstanding month with Turkey Bottom Haven.  We are truly seeing God's hand in our finances as he continues to bless us. 

So I believe that's most of the updates that I have today.  So what about all of you?  Update us on your struggles and successes and let us know how we can pray for you!