Pullin out my frugal blackbelt

Ya, I tell ya in this day and age I really need to keep my frugal black belt out on the counter.  Money has gotten tighter in our neck of the woods.  At mine and Dhs employment, we probably won't be getting a merit raise this year, and they are hoping not to lay anyone off.  To get that info from a hospital is a little unnerving.  That puts us no where near someone without a job, but it does mean we will have to tighten the belt to offset rising prices in all areas.  Add to that medical bills, needed home repairs, Christmas, helping family, and a needed trip to see family at the end of the year, and we are in a tight little area.  We have suspended our YMCA membership for now and maybe permanently, as well as selling some things.  I have this funny tendency to work on the home when I can't do anything else to raise money.  The other day I repaired a sofa cushion one of our dogs ate.  Amazing what duct tape can do.(smile).  I also repaired a sugar coffee creamer set that was broken.  Add to that general cleaning for the house,laundry, and ironing.  It also changes your focus when it comes to cooking.  I am looking in the fridge and saying what can I do with this more often than not.  Really these are all things I should do on a regular basis.  I should repair items in a timely manner, I should make good use of leftovers, use less meat, less sugar, etc.  I have always tried to be frugal as a general rule.  I keep a garden, grow fruit trees and berry bushes, make a lot from scratch, keep the power use down etc, but when the belt needs a little tightening, you always find other things you could be doing.   Yesterday while working in the garden I picked my first zucchini of the season, Sounds funny to be saying that in the fall, but these are late planted squash.  Makes for a pretty zucchini I guess cause it is cooler.  Anyway, I have this zucchini so this morning I took my zucchini and made a crust-less quiche for breakfast.  Yay, way to get a veggie for breakfast!

Christmas is coming and this year is going to have lots and lots of homemade gifts. A Christmas tradition I started with my kids is PJs for a Christmas eve gift.  When the kids were young their PJs were made by me.  Mainly cause we had no money to buy Pjs.  Each child had a custom designed set of pjs.  They get their jammie on Christmas eve and we would watch "a Christmas story" before going to bed.  That tradition holds today.  Even my dd who is grown still believes she gets Pjs on Christmas eve.  They know it is Pjs, but they always look forward to what kind of PJs each year.  Over the last few years I have opted to buy said PJs, but this year I believe I am going back to the old way of making said jammies.  I am also going to make goodie bags for coworkers, both mine and Dhs.  Extended family will be getting ornaments for trees.  So I am in the process of starting my Christmas list.  There are many other things you can do to let someone know you care during the holidays.  This site has some great ideas for Christmas on a zero budget.  She is the Prudent homemaker.  Her story is awesome as well.  Take some time and look around her site.  Anyway, I am real big into Christmas.  I love that time of year.  It is the celebration of the birth of My Lord and Savior.  I hope I can always do it up big, but that doesn't mean I have to go into debt or stress myself out over it.  It shouldn't be a burden that you look forward to being over.  Make this Christmas an blessing to observe, and serve  the one who deserves all Glory and Honor.