Not Really Missing It...

Our family, like many, has felt the recession. We're relying on one income and have cut spending in many areas. The hardest for me is not being able to save like we were. We are savers and not big spenders. So, it just feels wrong in a way to not be saving as much as before.

The strange reality is that I really don't miss the spending. It is hard, don't get me wrong. We've cut back on eating out. We never splurged, but we didn't really think twice when we were too tired to cook or wanted to be lazy on a Sunday evening. But it saves a lot to scale that back. Now, shopping...Sure, I like to go shopping, but it's now sort of a game. How can I get the most for my money without overspending? How many coupons can I find online or in the paper. One of my favorite sites is http://www.couponmom.com/. This allows me to view weekly sales for Target, Wal-Mart, and Jewel (and a few others). It also matches up any recent coupons issued and shows you the percent of savings. It's interesting and gives us max. savings when we find really good deals.

It's also funny how we find ourselves not as busy as before. This is mainly due to the fact that one of us can be home to take care of many household chores during the day (laundry, dishes, cleaning, yard work, etc.) But it's also partly because we're not running errands all the time. We don't really go to the store "for fun" and go only when it's really necessary. This has freed up our time to tend to household projects that have long been put off.

The most amazing thing is, as scary as it all looks on paper, God provides. We have committed ourselves to still give 10% of our current income and have continued to support our World Vision child. Would I love the extra $30 a month to do something fun instead of sponsoring our child? At times...but it keeps me humble. It helps me remember that God will provide and it will be okay. There are families who are stretched much farther than we are, and we are still very blessed. I'm also amazed at the weird refunds we seem to get lately in the mail (God takes care of us!). Examples: Several checks back from our refi in January, a refund from an overpayment to the doctor (what?), a refund on car insurance (really?); Every little bit helps and I'll take it.

It makes me wonder how our country got to this place. I don't just mean the overspending and living beyond our means. I was reading a book recently that talked about how a generation ago families lived on one income. We've become a society that needs more than one income to just get by. I thinks it's unfortunate and puts moms in a hard place. I enjoy working, but would like the option to only work part time. Many moms would rather stay home full time. But that's another story for another day.

If you find yourself with one less income, a pay cut, or just being a cautious consumer, you're not alone. We're all feeling the pinch in some way. God will see you through. Just have faith.

Easter Candy

So, now that Easter is here (and the day is nearly through), I'd like to know what your favorite (and least favorite) Easter candy happens to be. Here's mine:
1. Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (not the large ones, but small & the size of a Hershey egg); I didn't know about these until this year. They are simply little bits of deliciousness!
2. Speckled Egg Peanut Butter M & Ms (I think the speckles are what really attracted me, but the taste is quite nice as well.)
3. Peanut butter/chocolate disks (usually individually wrapped & a bit larger than a chocolate coin size) - Note my theme of chocolate & peanut butter...
4. Robin Eggs (malted eggs)
5. Brach's jelly bean eggs (generic jelly beans are a big risk)
6. Reese's Pieces in the carrot shaped bag (Okay, I know they are no different than regular Reese's Pieces, but I'm a sucker for the way these are packaged.)

Dislikes
1. Giant, chocolate bunnies (especially generic versions); Hershey's are okay. I feel like I will never finish this monstrosity (and usually don't). Plus, it just doesn't taste great.
2. Peeps (These aren't great no matter how you do it; Even the stale ones aren't especially tasty.)

Superheroes Shouldn't Wear Capes

Do you know why superheroes should not wear capes? Because they might get sucked into an airplane engine. - Second grader

How about a Change?

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut. So, I decided to make some changes. I've now made my blog public. No more pictures (for now), and I'll have to see how personal I make the posts. I thought it would be fun to mix it up. Spring is here (well, it's supposed to be even though snow is in the forecast), and I also need a new start.

So, after getting a little flack from a good friend and my husband about NOT posting anything for a few months, I thought I just needed a change. Stay tuned...as I revive my blog.

Finally...a New Post

To any of my loyal friends/readers: I have been really bad about reading blogs, let alone posting. So, I think I'm going try something new with my blog. Stay tuned; more to come in the future.