A change in direction! I saw something more interesting on the map.

I have often wanted to blog. To have a bit of a diary (not putting personal details) somewhere in this big world for people to see and to be encouraged. I had often felt that perhaps I would talk about frugality but everyone seems to be doing that. I am not much for the typical "organization" blog. There are plenty of those out there and they are ALL doing a fine job! They are tidying up across the world. More power to them. :-)

It is hard to be yourself sometimes. In a great big ocean of everything.....being yourself is exactly what you need.  There is something about the day to day life that is missing. A need to be encouraged. To remind people that there is something so precious about today. Let's be out there looking for it!

So my blog will change with these thoughts in mind......a Susan Branch/Gladys Taber way of thinking... Keep Calm and Carry On and be Creative and Precious while you do just that!

Making meals.

How to Use Elements of Leftovers.

Last night for our dinner we had red beans and rice with buttermilk cornbread and broccoli.

From that, I fed six of us with an extra serving for my husband to take for lunch the next day.

The items left were 2 cups of red beans that I will use to make chili for tonight's dinner.

Also remaining were about 2 cups of cornbread (that I crumbled to fit in a Ziploc bag) I will make Cornbread Salad for lunch. By adding chopped bell pepper and diced tomato and mayonnaise to mix.

There was also a 2 cup portion of cooked rice that I used for todays lunch by making a "stir fry" and adding sautéed green peppers and 3-4 scrambled eggs and soy sauce. It made large portions that was filling, had a starch and protein along with the peppers for a veggie.

All of that from the first meal. I call it a creative use of leftovers. I love trying to exercise my skills in
leftover creativity.  Happy Efficient Living!!!!!

Why I started this blog and why I am back to posting.

I started this blog with the clever idea of putting my ideas somewhere to help others who
may see exactly what I think I am seeing and that would be troubled times ahead.

My family and I , due the work Mr Efficient is in (which is the energy sector) have had some difficult times. Looming layoffs and cut hours. The BIGGEST thing in my budget I can change is our food budget.

First of all, I am stepping out here to admit this but we really don't have a budget. Not one of those cute printable binders with divider pages and printed pages....at least not anymore. ;-)

I need things simple. Pay the bills. In all honesty whenever I tried to get "control" of our finances years ago....anything I put on "paper" really just showed me that we couldn't make it!  We literally live by faith. Then and now. Our budget can't be put to paper.

It is just that simple. The Tightwad Gazette referred to budgets as well. The author didn't think it needed to be made difficult. Tedious things like filling jars or envelopes may work for some or even most but not everyone! That is okay. Don't feel bad....just keep it simple. Know what needs to be paid and when. Now that is easy.

Stores and their many images.

Today, I had the chance to go and look at Whole Foods. We had a purpose in going there to get Organic Raw Bragg's Apple Cider. We picked up two bottles and they just happened to be on sale and then I went to check out the prices and the gluten free section of the store as well. Living in the South, you run into a little detail that we have a better and continuing to get better selection of grocery stores. The usual fair is Winn Dixie, Aldi's, the gimmicky Cost+10's style stores and Publix and Whole Foods, Walmarts, Targets and Fresh Markets.  Also, making an appearance are the Dollar Generals, Dollar Trees, and new Dollar General markets and Fred's with gas stations. Likewise there are the usual flavor of Warehouse shopping places.

Each store focuses on a different gimmick to get you in their store and begin their fight for your food dollars. I am going to list the different versions- first think of these two words that grocery stores are trying to convince you of when you shop there. QUALITY and BARGAIN.

A store that is trying to convince  you of QUALITY doesn't worry about saying they have "competitive" prices or "bargains"-  They instead imply to the shopper that their "services"  are superior and that their products are as well. This type of store gimmick tells the shopper that they are better educated, and are willing to pay a little more for the better things. They also have tons of ready made deli dinners, lunches and huge bakery areas.  After all, they know that people like you just don't have time to do the "little" things in life but are busy and they are here to help. They carry every type of vinegar and cheese and while it may be true that they try to sell luxury and pamper the customer, remember it is all an IMAGE that they are in fact selling. Image isn't cheap so they charge more because after all.....they have convinced you of what you think you want to be.

I will tackle the image of Bargain in another post.

The books I am currently reading to help me along to my frugal path to Efficient Living.

In 1996, I had first read the second book by Amy Dacyczyn. She had started a newsletter called the Tightwad Gazette. Later they were published into a set of three books. A few years later they were compiled into one large book and those books have always, I repeat always been the books I have referred to again and again throughout the last 18 years. They are out of print but you can find them used and also borrow them from the library. The upper two books are written by Barbara Salsbury and the book titled Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half was published in 1983 and then she updated her book in Beating the High Cost of Eating in 2005. These books are very valuable in information as well.

Why I am going to blog.

I have started to blog before this. I would quickly lose interest and life would get busy. I intend to keep up the momentum this time. :)
I am NOT blogging with the intent to "make money". Not that there is anything wrong with blogging for an income but I want my life to be and stay simple. Stress is not a good friend to anyone and that especially includes me.

My intent with this blog is to have a way to record my frugal journey. To share what it is that I learn about stretching our budget and our income.  I hope something that I learn can be of help to anyone who may be on the very same adventure.
 *****Update****** Things did indeed get busy again. But now I have a focus. :-)