5 Things I Did That Were Frugal This Week

1. We had leftovers we brought home from Sunday dinner with friends.

2. Washed and dried Kid # 5 bedding used laundry soap I bought on sale with a coupon for less the $2 a bottle and used my homemade wool drier balls also :) 

3. I stopped in Goodwill. I picked up 4 shirts/sweaters and a pair of boots but ended up leaving without purchasing anything. I didn't really love the items and none were a need either. 

4. Haven't spent any unnecessary or unplanned money all week. 

5. I ate breakfast and lunch at work 3 days this week which saved on my own grocery budget :) 

Few Christmas Presents I Made....

I started my new job at the beginning of November. I had the week between Christmas and New Years off. I wanted to give my kids I am in charge of gifts on my last day of work before my vacation but had not really budgeted for it. Here is what I came up with using materials I already had. So other then my time the gifts where free :) 

For the boys who are 5 and 3, I made them each a red super hero cape out of a thrifted red sheet I already had. 

For the baby who was 10 months. I made this tag toy, using a sheet and bed spread I had thrifted, plus ribbon I already had also. 

Next I made my grandson who is 6 this rag quilt. This was not a free gift but I did use up a lot of fabric I already owned and it was well recieved by him. Kid # 3 tells me he uses this quilt all the time :) 

5 Things I Did That Were Frugal This Week

1. I started a letter of the week program with my 3 yr old at work.  I utilized the library to get free books to read based on our letter of the week.

2. I really wanted a new planner to use this year but could not find one that fit my needs. I am using a composition notebook I already had and designing my own planner based on the things I feel I will use each month.  

3. I eat lunch 3 days a week at work for free. Helping save on our grocery budget.

4. I hung 3 loads of laundry this week through out the house to dry. 

5. We ate our leftovers and my husband took leftovers for his lunch all week :) 

Few New Things Going On Here...

It's been a while since I have posted a blog post! Hard to believe that it is 2017 already! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. We did! It was busy and hectic though and one of my goals this year is to try and simplify that for this year.

Here are a few happenings at our house: 

In November I took a part time job, working 20 hours a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as a Nanny. I watch primarily a 3 year old boy and a 11 month old girl. I make $15 an hour to go to their house and care for them. Occasionally and in the summer months I will also be watching their 6 year old brother who attends kindergarten. I love my job! I love the family I work for. They are all very nice and very good to me. It truly is the perfect job for me. I can also bring Kid # 5 with me to work when I need too. Which is just another added bonus! 

This job will help tremendously with some new financial goals we have for this year. We have completed our Babystep 3 and even ended up adding more to it when we had a job loss scare and then potential move in early 2016. Now we would like to move on to Babysteps 4-6. Our primary goals this year will be to up our retirement savings,  save a small amount towards Kid # 5's college ( more on that later), start to save to purchase a new to us car with cash and pay extra towards our house. Big goals and even bigger dreams for someday :) 

Our other really big news is that we will be having a new Grandchild in August. Kid #3 announced to everyone in Decemeber that she is expecting.  We all are hugely excited!  

Looks like 2017 is going to be an awesome year for our family!