Frugal Friday #2: An exercise in patience

I confess, my Frugal Friday post is a bit late, but not without reason. We've been dealing with illness the last two weeks in our home, and sometimes blogging just falls lower on the priority list.

This week's frugal accomplishments:

1. Sold an extra pair of snowpants to a grandmother on the employee classifieds. Found out that her family's home had burned, and we're able to bless her granddaughter with some additional clothes from my daughter's closet.
2. Carpooled to son's friends' birthday parties. (Sadly, yes, plural. We actually turned a third friend down for today. Too much!)
3. Ate leftovers. (Sorry, it is an accomplishment, it's a tough habit to embrace.)
4. Put my faith in God by putting in a contribution at church. It was a little one, but the habit of sharing, even when it is tough, is one I need to re-instate. I will try to build up to tithing eventually but am embracing consistency over quantity first.
5. Documented all mileage for donations and volunteer hours for taxes.
6. Had a "playdate" with my daughter and her friend that actually was a community service project vs. a go out and spend money activity. They loved making a difference in our community!
7. Reached out to my fellow Girl Scout leaders to see what supplies they could collect in advance of an upcycled ornament event we are doing in December. (Being frugal, though it's not my money!)

What accomplishments did you have this week?

Frugal Friday: My little moments

I've decided to start journaling our family's frugal moments on a weekly basis. As we are now beginning our third month of unemployment, and were denied unemployment assistance by the state, we are having to buckle down even more. By journaling my moments, I feel like I can take more ownership of our family's situation.

Frugal accomplishments this week:

1. I took my son shopping. More specifically, Christmas shopping. Each of my children had received a Toys R Us gift card as a thank you for their participation in a project. My son's first reaction was "I wish it was more" - a typical 7 year old reaction, but one that made me cringe. After some thought and prayer, we approached each kid with the idea they could use the gift card - to buy a Christmas gift for their sibling. He was not allowed to spend over (other than tax, which I would cover), and it was a great way for him to learn about budgeting and decision-making. It was a treat to take my son shopping (before the mad holiday rush) to let him casually, determinedly discover his best gift idea for his sister.
   
2. I sent my brother to space. Yep, the little boy who went to space camp and dreamed of being an astronaut has now grown up to be a computer geek...who visits NASA for fun on summer vacation. So what do I get the brother who has everything? His name on a mission to Mars. (And you can too, but NASA's cutoff is Sept. 8!) So for Christmas, he's getting a framed boarding pass, hopefully with a space camp photo from his childhood.
   
3. I came clean. Birthday parties seem like they are every week in September, and they can quickly become budget-busters. I sent a message to each of the moms, explaining our situation and asking what ideas they have for smaller things we could get. All have been gracious.
   
4. I asked for prayer. We cannot live in this world on our own, and I'll admit this week has been difficult on a number of levels. When I hit my lowest, I reached out on social media, asking for prayers and support. Reaching out does your heart and soul good.
   

What frugal accomplishments did you have this week?

Prayers for a trial

This is the part where things get real.

So often I tend to stick to the "happily ever after" posts, sugar coating what is happening in my life. It's easier to write simple stories on faith or my children's adventures in scouting.

But life is not always easy.

For several years, our family has battled with the effects of the Recession:

• years of unemployment
• long-term underemployment
• growing debt as we tried to stay afloat
• uncertainty
• worry, and the worst:
• Depression

We've battled from the brink of all of these. I am proud to say that my small strands of faith helped with this. But it's a battle far from over.

My husband still battles with Depression, and it's far from over. He suffers from what we call "Bad days." It's when he hides in his hole, barely able to come out.

He lost his job two months ago, unrelated to his battle with Depression. And he's had two interviews but no successes. Two months later, we are still waiting to see if the state will even give us unemployment.

It's a tough battle. It's an uphill road of faith.

And this is where I ask you for help.

I need prayers.

Prayers for my husband to find faith, faith in himself, faith in God, through this trial.

Prayers for my young children, who are again having to grow up too fast. 

Prayers for me, while I try to balance work and the challenges at home with the extra cross.

Thank you. And if you list your requests below, I'll be sure to pray for you as well.

Keep the Happy in Your Holidays: It Starts Now

As Christmas approaches, I admit I've worried about the holiday season more than I have had in years.

In fact, I'm almost as anxious about it as in the years my husband was unemployed. Rising expenses, my husband's student loan coming due without an increase in income, and thousands in medical bills from this summer have left me uncertain.

Sure, I did some planning ahead. For years, I've slowly bought gifts for my children, taking advantage of seasonal sales and gift certificates from Amazon. Yet as the days tick by, I become more anxious. What can I affordably buy for my family that's meaningful and they'd enjoy? How can we celebrate the season without going overboard on time or costs?

I had a great reminder by reading Cherie Lowe's e-book Keep the Happy in Your Holidays: 21 Ways to Save Time, Money, and Your Sanity This Christmas Season. This easy-to-read e-book walks you through the holiday season - from Jan. 1 (planning for next year!) through Black Friday through the post-holiday sales.

But, more importantly, it speaks to those days between the Christmas shopping events.

Keep the Happy in Your Holidays reminds us of the accumulating costs of the little things: wrapping paper, hostess gifts, side dishes for a potluck, family pictures, traveling to friends' and families' homes. It offers alternative solutions to help you reduce those costs if you hadn't planned ahead financially for this holiday season.

I love also that your "Happy" is also a focus: your emotional happiness, your spiritual happiness. Reducing stress and refocusing on the real meaning of the Christmas season and traditions that truly are meaningful for your family.

Cultivating contentment at Christmastime isn’t for cowardly lions. It involves intentional and sometimes difficult discussions throughout the year, not just on December 24.

You can pick up Cherie Lowe's e-book Keep the Happy in Your Holidays: 21 Ways to Save Time, Money, and Your Sanity This Christmas Season on Amazon for $1.99. There are also extra freebies at http://www.slayingthedebtdragon.com/happyholidays.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I did receive a review copy.

What tips do you have for reducing stress - financial, emotional and scheduling - during the Christmas season?