I watched Oprah's saving money show yesterday and enjoyed it. 

Again, I'm loving how these money saving tips have become such a hot topic in these hard economic times. They're everywhere! And they've always been a hot topic with me, personally, since Day One of my marriage 30 years ago. Mrs. Penny Pincher, that's me.

So I thought that today I'd zip over to Oprah's message boards to read what people are writing about yesterday's show.

Oh. My. Goodness. 

Half of the folks sound so bitter, pessimistic about the hints which were shared. "Grumble, murmur, whine, grumble, murmur, whine" it seemed to go for pages, with only an interspersing of kudos and gratitude.

I continued reading down the list and became more than perturbed at comments rather like these:

"Coupons?! I can't find any. I looked online and there are none. My Sunday paper has none. They are only for junk food. No one in my area accepts Internet coupons. I tried. I give up."

"Saving money?! I'm already doing that and nothing helps. My family is doomed."

"Yeah, it's easy for those people on the show to talk. I make less money than they do. It's impossible for me to spend less money than I already do."


Huge sighhhhhhh.

And then I came upon the following note and I smiled. Ah, here was a kindred spirit! Here was someone who viewed saving money as a great adventure, a challenge to be overcome. 

I would like this woman, I know. She's a real trooper, a light in dark times. I wish she was my neighbor!  --

48. My top 10 money saving tips Oct 8, 2008 8:31 PM In response to: harpobear
I am a public school KG teacher and by no means wealthy. However, here is how I save and support my three kids.

1. ALWAYS use coupons. I do follow the sales in the store by buying what is on sale. And I let my KG kids practice their cutting skills by clipping all of the coupons. (I sort them later).

2. I go to clearance sections in every single store. For example, CVS has a clearance section. In July, I walked by it and saw Avent Isis breast pumps 90% off. So, instead of $40, I bought them for $4 each. Then, I took them home and put them on Ebay and sold them for $30 each. I also bought some sanitary products at 90% off and baby formula for 90% off. They were 90% off because the manufacturer was changing the label....not the product.....just the label.

3. I never buy clothes brand new. My clothes come from the Goodwill. (Think about it, the clothes you donate to the Goodwill may be clothes in great condition, just outgrown by your kids or yourself). In my area, kids tops are $1 and bottoms are $2. ( can even get name brands!!!)

4. I use these websites for buying things that I need craigslist, ebay and amazon. I also sell on these sites. My kids have plenty of DVD's, books, toys, etc. they no longer use or want. So, I sell them. I am not taking a loss because I more than likely bought these items at a yard sale. I also take some of my kids clothes that no one in my family can use to a resale shop and get money.

5. I buy off season. If I am in the mall and go to the department store as i did last week, JCPenney had a huge clearance. So, I was able to get my kids summer clothes for next year very cheap.

6. My family and I pass around our baby items. If one has a baby this year, someone will have one next year and we just keep passing the things around (swings, playpens, cribs).

7. I so use the library ALL OF THE TIME! My kids probably don't even know the store sells DVD's. They think DVD's come fromthe library. We go every weekend to check out DVD's. The best thing is they never get tired of the DVD's because we are constantly refreshing them to play on the DVD player I got at the yard sale. I also get books for me.....audiobooks. I don't have time to read, and since I drive a good distance to work, I listen to the audiobooks in my car. It makes for interesting rides. I also get my teacher books and CD's from the library. I was so tired of buying CD's and only one or two good songs. So, I rent them and download the ones I love to my mp3 player. Now, I have great music and I am not paying for it. I also have no qualms anymore when I buy a book and didn't like it at all. I just return it to the library.

8. I attend almost every free activity in the area. I look in the newspaper or internet to find free things going on like food festivals, fall festivals, etc. that my kids will enjoy. I guarantee if you live w/in a 30 mile radius of a big city, someone is offering something free. I just googled my city and free things and signed up for a newsletter that will email me free things going on in the area and I take my kids. Also, just going to the park is great for kids. I take some PBJ sandwiches, fruit and chips and let them have a ball.

9. Make my own cleaners. Sounds crazy, but I realized as a child, my great great grandmother had us cleaning her house with homemade cleaners. So, my glass cleaner is vinegar and water. I make generic bathroom cleaner. I just went online and searched "homemade house cleaning products".

10. MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!!! Yard sales. Every Christmas gift, birthday gift for my children and their cousins have probably come from a yard sale. I buy toys, books, and clothes from yard sales. Two weeks ago I went to a yard sale in a very affluent neighborhood. I got a DKNY sweatsuit for my niece for $2. Doc Martens, new condition, for $1. Snowsuit for my baby and coats for my older 2 for $2 each.

I started doing these things out of necessity because my husband had lost his job. We are still climbing our way out of debt, but I guarantee you when we get out of debt, you will still find me at yard sales getting my kids clothes!

--Danielle



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Of Patience, Love and Looking Deeper

So last week Tom and I Netflixed the movie, Henry Poole Is Here. We liked it. A lot. You can read about it from a favorite reviewer of mine here.

It's about a depressed 30-something guy, Henry, who buys a house and just wants to be left alone (for reasons we soon discover). Except that his neighbors won't leave him alone, especially after a water stain in the form of the face of Christ appears on the outside of his stuccoed house. To his great annoyance, Henry's neighbors turn the wall into a shrine, especially Esperanza, even inviting her friends and her church to view and pray before the stained blue wall.

It's a quirky, different sort of a movie and Tom and I love those. We enjoy films where we can't tell where they will go. There was no sex or violence, but there are bits of naughty language here and there-- if you can handle that, you might enjoy this movie, as we did.

But back to Henry's middle-aged neighbor, Esperanza. She was one incredible, amazing little Catholic woman! What made her so terrific? No matter what terrible things Henry said to Esperanza to get her out of his yard and away from his wall, Esperanza never yelled back. She never became angry with Henry when he shooed away her and her friends. She didn't let his depression-linked actions drive her into a sulky grudge. No, instead, she kept a visible godly compassion for Henry, brought him meals and expressed concern for his sadness-- even after her feelings were hurt, taking her to tears.

Oh to be like Esperanza! To not get offended, but to more clearly see the needs within a person's heart rather than his reactive, verging-on-cruel actions.

We sometimes get so hung up (and afraid) about "witnessing to our neighbors,' but if only we could just love them unconditionally. Maybe that kind of love would win souls and heal broken hearts. Maybe that kind of love, alone, would draw people to the God of All Unconditional Love.

I'm thinking that kind of love would be a great place to start, anyway.

Yesterday, as you know, was Monday. Some people hate Mondays, but I'm not one of them. I do the major portion of cleaning my house on Mondays and I know some people hate cleaning house.

I'm not one of them, either.

My secret? Well, I have a few. Like, play Beat The Clock. Set a timer for twenty minutes (or s0) and see how much you can accomplish before the bell rings. I love this game and have been playing since I was a teenager, in fact, at 14 I used to babysit and the kids actually loved putting their toys away before bedtime if I told them we were playing Beat The Clock.

Another idea? Buy (or keep) only those dishes or glasses or pieces of furniture (etc.) which you enjoy caring for. Get rid of what you consider ugly, useless and that which has the appearance of clutter. I have some jade-ite dishes and even my mom said she enjoyed washing those. It really is true that it's a delight to care for the things you love.

Flip on some music which gives your cleaning time the perfect ambiance.

Don't allow yourself to get far behind in your cleaning. If you keep up with it then it will never become a huge, overwhelming, dreaded project. And delegate! One person should not be in charge of cleaning and keeping a house organized. Everyone should have a part. (Here's a hint: different people usually prefer--and are good at--different tasks. Try to match up the people in your home with the tasks they mind the least.)

Reward yourself. Do some housework then give yourself some computer time. You've earned it. Or watch a tv show or eat a snack or take a walk or read a chapter from the current book you're reading.

Keep yourself inspired to have a nice house. Visit blogs which show rooms you love or look through decorating magazines or watch HGTV, etc.

Be creative in your home. Decorate with imagination. It will be more fun cleaning rooms you enjoy spending time in.


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Want to be inspired to save money at your house? Brenda is currently writing a series outlining her favorite money-saving hints. Check out her posts here.