Car Shopping

We're in the market for a different van. It's sad. There's nothing wrong with our van. I love our van. We have a 2002 Mazda MPV with 100,000 miles. We've never had a problem with this van, but we don't really fit in it, anymore. We have five kids. While this is a seven person van, it's a little narrow and three kids shoved on a bench seat together is just asking for problems! We're looking for something a little wider that will give them a bit more space. Plus, when we're travelling, our oldest will need to be back in a booster to accommodate the laws of other states. We've had pretty good luck in the past getting great deals. It's not just luck- I have every reason to expect another great deal. Here's what we've done in the past to get the most van for our buck.

1. BUDGET- Since we've been married we have purchased three vehicles. We've managed to pay cash (or cash plus trade-in) for all of them. Don't look at vehicles you know you can't afford. If they're not willing to show you ones in that range, or reduce the price, just walk away. Talk them down to a low price, then ask how much they'll take off if you write out a check right now. (It's also funny to watch their jaw drop!) Continue saving money throughout the process and don't forget to factor in sales tax and licensing!

2. RESEARCH- It's important to know what you're looking at. Every model has different trim levels, and it's important for price comparison that you're looking at the same vehicle from lot to lot. Or at least know why one is priced so much differently than another. You can do most of your research online, but then you want to get out there and test drive your top picks. We'll be taking our car seats and sticking them in the vans to see how much space there is, too!

3. SHOP AROUND- Most people check out several dealers before making a purchase. But don't just visit the large chains. Check out the small ones hidden in the crevices of your town. Check out e-bay and craigslist. It's amazing what you can find. You can even mention the prices you've found at other places when you're talking with a salesperson. If they know you have a viable option for getting the same vehicle for less, they will be more likely to reduce the price so you'll make your purchase from them.

4. WALK AWAY- Walking away is a powerful bargaining tool. If you know your budget and are willing to wait, it's a lot easier to walk away. When we bought our current van they said there was no way they could take what we had budgeted. But we weren't in a hurry and we walked out. Two days later they called and accepted our offer. We got a great deal on a van simply because we knew how much we had and were willing to wait for something that we could afford.

In thinking back on our purchases, these are the things that have stood out to me that have helped us get some great deals. Do you have any other tips for getting a great price on a vehicle? We're in the market!

Wait for the Lord

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
~Psalm 27:14

With every lesson I learned through financial difficulties, I was ecstatic that this might be "the one." I was sure that these circumstances were upon us for a reason. If I could just figure out what I was supposed to learn, then we could be done with this lesson. That's pretty much the way that I've approached any struggle in my life- figure out what I'm supposed to learn and get out of the hardship. I was crushed if a similar circumstance ever came upon my life again.

I'm sure the Lord tried to teach me this lesson in a number of other ways. It took years of financial hardship before I could finally sit back and wait on the Lord. He answers in His own way and in His own timing. I could look back and see how He was there with money, friends, and great deals. He was working in my life- I just needed to open my eyes and see it.

My prayers slowly began to change. Instead of a new job with more money, I prayed that my husband would get a job that he could enjoy and utilize his education. Five years (to the month) after Greg was laid off, he was offered an engineering job at the company he had been working for. I prayed that I would draw closer to the Lord and learn to be content in my circumstances. I prayed that I would be able to provide the best life possible for my family within the means that He gave me. Gradually, my heart changed and I did become content. Of course, the Lord had a little chuckle, because Greg's new job did not come with the big pay raise that I had initially been hoping for. But I had found that place of contentment, and I was grateful for where the Lord had brought us.

The current economy had put a number of families into a tight financial crunch. But I'm not worried. I know He who clothes the flowers of the field, and He will make sure my family is cared for. We have learned a number of financial lessons over these years of difficulty, but this lesson has been by far the most important.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink' or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more imporatant than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" 
~Matthew 6:25-26

Respect

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. ~Ephesians 5:33

Financial hardship is one of the biggest contributers to divorce in our country. It's essential that the lines of communication stay open during financial difficulties and that both spouses are on the same page. The family budget and financial goals need to be clearly started and adhered to by both husband and wife. In many homes, the husband makes the money while the wife is in charge of spending it. It seems a little lopsided :) It is important that a couple work together so that they can meet not only their immediate needs, but their long term financial goals. We women need to be on the same page as our husbands and make sure that we're spending the money wisely. There are many tips and tricks out there for doing this. More important than just sticking to the budget is having an attitude of love and respect for your husband, in all areas of life.

Men are funny creatures. I highly recommend the book For Women Only by Shaunti Feldham. These are interviews and polls that share what men really think and feel about a variety of issues. Men were designed to be leaders and providers. When they are not bringing in an amount of money to feel like they are adequately providing for their families, they can get down on themselves and even feel shame. It is extremely important for the wife to show love and respect during this time to build her man up, rather than help the process that is tearing him down.


You may think that holding you've been holding your tongue and that's all that can be expected of you. But it's not just about the words we say. It's about the tone we use, and the looks we have, and the attitude we walk through our day with. It took a number of years for me to realize that my internal attitude towards my husbands work situation was coming across to him. I needed to trust that he would take care of our family. I needed to trust that God would lead him. God put us together and I needed to trust that God was still at work in our lives. It certainly wasn't an easy lesson to learn, and I'm sure it will take a lifetime to "master." 

The Lord calls women to grant their husbands respect in all areas, whether or not we think he deserves it. We certainly don't want him saying we haven't earned his love! We must take steps to show him (and ourselves) that we respect him. We must learn about our husbands and determine which things we say and do will convey the most amount of respect to him. If we first put into action what our heads knows is right, then our hearts will follow. 

Here are a few ideas that we like to get you started in acting on your love and respect for your husband. The Love Dare is a popular book from the Fireproof movie that offers one action each day that you can do to show love to your spouse. 

Run to greet him when he comes home from work. 

Race the kids to see who can hug him first.

Thank him for all the energy he puts into providing for the family- both at work and the things he does around the house.

Compliment him in front of others.

Don't argue with him in front of others.

Hold his hand- at dinner, in the car

Ask for his advice and listen to it!

Cook his favorite dinner or dessert

Tuck a note in his lunch bag or coat pocket

Pick up his favorite candy and leave pieces of it where he'll find it

When we love and respect our husbands, the ramifications will truly change our lives. 

In the words of a candy wrapper:

"Think lovingly

Speak lovingly

Act lovingly"

This is just one of the things I have learned through financial circumstances. To read about some of the other things, visit this page. 

Gratituesday- God's Provision

Every December my husband goes out into the woods and comes home with a deer. He skins it, butchers, and I cook it. One deer provides somewhere around a meal a week for our family. The cost of the hunting license is more than worth it for the amount of meat we get. The loss of my husband most nights for a month is still debateable :)

This year, was a crazy year. We had two major snowstorms (dare I say blizzards) in December. Plus, we had a baby. He was out a lot less often, the deer were hiding more, and he didn't get one this year. I was a little bummed, but knew that with my improved deal hunting skills from this past year the added cost of buying beef (gasp!) could be handled in our current budget. I had been looking forward to a little flexibility, but thought that maybe god had led me to these couponing sites for such a time as this.

What the Lord did next to provide for us has truly blown me away. Nebraska has a program for hunters to find people and give their meat to them. We did not sign up for it, but a guy Greg works with did. Apparently he had lots of calls and the last one (for a whole deer) was more than he needed. He wants people to call him next year, so he said he would take it. And then he gave it to us.

I was super excited that my husband was able to get us meat for a year even without shooting it himself. I was excited that God blessed our budget, figuring it was because I didn't freak about it. And I also found out that Greg thought it was great because he could improve his relationship with this co-worker through conversations and the taking of this deer. God has used this one situation to in both of our lives to teach us the things He's working on in our lives.

As I think about that, I'm more than amazed by how the Lord does that each and every second the whole world over. In Romans, it says that God works all things out for good for those who love Him. I got a small picture this week of how amazing that is.

And oh yeah- the Nebraska Deer Exchange Program is a great tool for families looking to stretch their food budgeting dollars. Is there anything you're thankful for today? Visit Heavenly Homemakers and see what others are sharing about.

Planning My Life

I love organizing and planning- a fresh new calendar, a color-coded schedule, a well organized to-do list. I'm a little strange, I know. It's easy for me to sit down and plan. The tricky part is implementing that plan into real life! I'll share a little about my planning methods. Most of it has come from some great books I've read- maybe you'll add them to your 2010 must read list!

Priorities

What's really important to you? What do you want your time and money to say about you? I've learned that each of us has a most productive time of day. Into that time slot is where we should put the activities that fall high on our list of priorities. For me, my high production is in the morning. If it's after lunch, the day's over! So, it's into the morning that I put spending time with God, school work with the kids, and one chore that HAS to get done. A great book that helped me sort through my priorities is A Woman After God's Own Heart®by Elizabeth George. I read through this every couple of years to keep myself on track.


Daily Schedule

There are some things that you know will happen at about the same time each day- meals, car pools, work, etc. These fall into a schedule with very little thought. But now it's time to add the other activities based on your priorities. Think about your most productive time of day and start from there. Don't fill it all up with things to do. Remember to add "transition time" (putting coats on the little ones), and down time- when you can just play with your kids or get out a book you've been meaning to read. the day should have it's own ebb and flow and the more days of your week you can get to look like each other the easier it will be to follow. I loved Managers of their Homes by Teri Maxwell for helping me figure out a schedule that works for me. I've also enjoyed the FlyLady website for cleaning help.

Calendars/Planners
There are so many out there to choose from! I love a calendar that gives you lots of space to write things. This year I'm going to try the Mom's Plan-It Calendar It divides the grid into space for each family member and retains the calendar look.


A planner is important for the times you're standing at the clinic trying to schedule the next appointment. Essential for me in a planner is a week at a glance, space for a to-do list, and a monthly view. I'm really enjoying Amy Knapp's Christian Family Organizer which even has space for a menu plan and a "tearable" grocery list. The Christian version also has a space to record prayer requests.


Budgets
Our monthly budget is put together in a similar way as my schedule. What are our standard expenses?- house, utilities, insurance, etc. The rest of the money is then alloted according to our priorities- food, gas, clothing, savings, giving, date night, babysitter, fun money, etc. There are times in life when there's no room for fun money, and that's a season that must be gone through. There are a number of computer programs out there that can help you track your spending. If you've never done a budget before, I recommend keeping track of all your expenses for two months. You'll see how things fall into a pattern. Once you can see where your money has been going, it should be easier to figure out how to allot it intentionally. Maybe you don't really need to eat take-out twice a week and you can put more money towards something else. Or you can turn that second take-out meal into the date night you didn't think you could afford and let the kids eat mac and cheese! We went through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and loved it! Envelopes are a great method of controlling your spending.

Every time something "new" starts up I re-evaluate all of these things. The start of a new calendar year has many people looking around themselves desiring to make changes. Being intentional about how I spend my time and money means that I'm more likely to make it happen in real life. These are the tools and resources I've found particularly helpful in the past few years. What are your favorite tools? Do you have a favorite resource? How do you make it all work?

Tis the Season

Tis the season to over eat candies and cookies. Tis the season to buy lots of toys that our kids will break or never play with. Tis the season to buy ugly sweaters and useless gadgets for friends and family. Tis the season to return the gifts you didn't want and try to find something useful. Ever feel like that? It's so easy to get sucked into all the deals and hype of Christmas and forget what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.

Our first year as parents was the year that my husband had been laid off. He had yet to find another engineering job, and was working through a temp agency to make ends meet. (Well, get closer to meeting!) We had cut EVERYTHING out of our budget, except house payment, car insurance, and utilities. We cut our food budget to under $100/month. And those were our expenses. There was absolutely nothing left over for anything else. In fact, we had to utilize some of our savings during that time to cover even those monthly expenses. So, what did we do for Christmas?

Nothing. No one got any presents. We told family that we usually bought for not to expect anything. Our son was a mere nine months old, so he wasn't expecting anything, either. We did purchase a small tree and had a hand full of ornaments that we had stored from the previous year. That year, Christmas was all about being together, without the expectation of buying gifts for anyone, without the greed that comes from a pile of presents with your name on it.

The following year, we had two young sons (ages 20 mos and 3 mos). We knew it was time to start developing our own family traditions, and we wanted to include gifts in that, but money was still tight. We decided to only do stockings as a family. Mostly filled with items from the dollar store. For our relatives, we had a minimal budget, and told them not to expect much. Again, Christmas was about being together as a family, reading about the birth of Christ, and the joy of having a couple of small items to pull out of a stocking.

Fast forward a few years to the present Christmas. Now, we aren't wealthy by any means, but we have the money to do as much or as little as we choose. And we choose to continue in our tradition of minimal gifts at Christmas. We still primarily focus on the stockings. It's fun to take the kids to the dollar store to pick out items for each other. Play dough, small plastic toys, hair accessories, water colors, activity books...so many things to choose from! We have also added one present under the tree for each child. We have a budget for these items, and the gifts we buy for friends and family, and we stick to it. (We use an envelope method for our Christmas purchases, that I talked about in a previous post.)

On Christmas Eve, we gather near the tree and read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke 2. We have something hands-on to help the kids visualize the story- small items representing different aspects of the story or a nativity set that they can manipulate. We thank God for the birth of his Son, and what He did for us on the cross when He grew up. We do gifts then, but because there's only one present, it's not consuming our evening. The time is centered around the Lord and being together as a family.

Last year we started a tradition of having a family Advent wreath. Each Sunday we light one new candle and talk about what that candle represents. On Christmas Eve, all five candles are lit and we celebrate the birth of our Savior. At times, we have also had a birthday cake for Jesus with the decorations representing different aspects of the Gospel.

I highly recommend "the ADVENTure of Christmas" by Lisa Whelchel as a way of bringing Christ into the things that you do this holiday season. Everything from the Christmas tree, to writing cards, to wrapping the presents is given a significance and can strengthen our faith in the Lord.

What do you do during Advent or Christmas to center the time around Christ's birth? How do you handle all the hype around presents? For other ideas on a budget, check out Frugal Fridays.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ~1 Samuel 16:7

There are many things that I have learned from having a limited budget: the importance of prayer, humbly accepting help, how to get a great deal. But most of the things I have learned have been heart-related issues. Understanding that God owns everything and is in complete control of all the things that we receive, learning how to be content with what we currently have and to stay content no matter what the future may hold, and realizing that my value to the Lord is not wrapped up in my husband's occupation.

God loves me just as I am. He loves me with an infinite amount of unconditional love. There’s nothing I can do to make Him love me more than He already does. And there’s certainly nothing I can do to make Him love me any less. It became a status issue for me. Where my husband works, what position he holds, or how much he makes is not what should be defining my life. My life needs to built upon the Truth of God's love and mercy and my desire to follow and obey Him. I need to value my husband for his character, not his position or salary. I am married to a wonderfully faithful man who works hard and puts forth his best effort into everything he does. He provides financially for our family and takes good care of us. Those are the things that are important.

Realizing that I was thinking wrongly about this was a huge step for me. God was able to change my view of our situation and begin to value the things that are of eternal importance. Character, heart, and obedience. Your financial life should be a reflection of the things that truly matter to God. He does not look at the curb appeal of your home or the size of your paycheck. He's looking at your heart.

Get Paid to Eat Out

Date night is an important part of a marriage. Time out of the house, away from the kids and other distractions. Whether it's a time to go out and just have fun, or a time to revamp the family budget, time alone with my husband helps bond us together and unites us as one.

For the most part, we eat dinner out where we usually talk about something half-way serious. That can certainly be a budget killer! We have found a way to eat at nicer restaurants without spending $40 a meal. Usually, it's about $10 (with tip) and I have leftovers for lunch. You're wondering how, aren't you?

It's called mystery shopping. There are a number of reputable companies that enlist the services of private contractors (that's me) to evaluate their clients for quality service. We got into this a couple of years ago, and have never looked back! Here's a list of the companies I do most of my shopping for. These companies have lots of restaurants in our area, which is what we like, and some also do other things- retail, grocery, theater, phone calls, etc. There are a number of other companies that focus specifically on those types, as well.

Bestmark

Service Research Corporation

Game Film Consultants

I-Spy Mystery Shoppers

A Closer Look

Market Force
National Shopping Service

None of these companies asked me to pay a sign-up fee or promised great wealth. They are reputable companies that will help you get started in your own mystery shopping experience. Some of these companies pay a flat fee while others will reimburse to a certain amount. Either way, it generally works out the same for us- two dinners, drinks, and an appetizer/dessert and we pay around $10 out of pocket for a casual dining experience. I try to get two per month on our scheduled date night. Sometimes we'll do a different night of the week and take the kids with us. One time we had three in one week- yes it is possible to eat out too much!

I've done a few phone call evaluations. That ends up being about $8 for twenty minutes of my time. I've done one retail- that was a lot of work for the $10 they paid me. It was also my first shop, so maybe it would be a little easier now. I'm also working on a special project right now where I'll be interviewing for three jobs and will get paid a nice sum. Just in time for Christmas!

Do you have any experience with mystery shopping? I love to hear about other companies and see what they have in my area. If you decide to check out mystery shopping, let me know how it goes! For other great tips across a variety of topics, check out Works for Me Wednesday! This week is even themed, and many posters have some great tips for preparing for the holidays.

Appliances pt 2

I'm learning more and more about saving money on all sorts of things. Here are some tips we've picked up over the last few years about getting good deals on larger purchases. For part one of getting great deals on major purchases, click here.

First of all, do your research. Know what you want and why you want it. Pick out your model and get familiar with the costs associated with each of the features. Know about the models above and below that one, and which features you're willing to let go of to get a different model at a bargain price.

I think everyone knows about price comparing. Visit different retailers- in person and online. Check out the major stores, as well as the discount stores. Sometimes there will be a special in store that they're not running online, or vice versa. Get an idea of how much your item is selling for and which places have the best prices. What kinds of sales do they have? Are there any other promotions you can take advantage of?

Consider purchasing second hand. Sites like e-bay and craigslist are the favorites in our home. Make sure you really know what you're getting before you make any bids or phone calls. This is where knowing how much it costs new can really help you out. Generally, you should be able to find something used for at 10% off, but could get it for as low as 50% off depending on the product and the demand for that item.

Most of my second-hand purchases are for kids' items. Garage sales, consignment sales, and thrift stores are great places to find baragains. Sales like Neat Repeatz and Take 2 here in Lincoln are where I get most of my shopping done for the year. I haven't been brave enough to take all my kids to a garage sale in quite a while, but I believe that's where some of the best deals can be found, and you can have fun bargaining, as well!

Recently, I was looking for an infant swing. New, they're anywhere in the $60-$200 price range. I figured out which brands should get me a $20 swing and kept my eye on craigslist for several weeks. Nothing was coming to my price point, and I began considering the need to spend more than that. But wait! Here comes Take 2, and not only did they have a swing for $20, but there were two to choose from!

Look for the clearance, returns, scratches, and overstocks. These are usually found in a back corner somewhere. If the store is big enough, there will be an outlet store or something like it "nearby." Last summer, we needed a new dishwasher. We just happened to get a $75 rebate off our particular brand because of some problem with a feature we didn't even use. Within the time frame of using that coupon, ours actually broke- it's a lot nicer to run a dishwasher if the dishes get cleaned and the water stays inside! So, we went to a store that was doing some appliance promotional, as well. We found our dishwasher on clearance because the new year's model came out the week before! I can't remember what we spent, but after clearance price, sale, and rebate, we paid less than half the original cost of the dishwasher. At that point, even the most basic model they had would have cost us more money!

Have a budget and stick to it. This is a lot easier if you're planning to pay with cash. It's amazing what will happen when you say something like, "we'll just write a check" when they go into their store credit card speech. It makes me wonder how much time they spend on those that just get turned down. We were at a furniture overstock-like store to purchase some couches. They were a "special buy" and with the 10% off weekend, we thought we were getting a great deal. I was wandering around again while Greg waited for a salesman. I found a beautiful dining room table. Originally priced around $1800, it was marked under $300! The salesman even went to see if it would qualify for the 10% off! Anyways, he was moving kind of slowly with our purchases until we said we'd write a check. Boy, did he move fast then! The same thing happens on the car lot. They don't seem to know what to do with you if you pull out a checkbook! Dave Ramsey says to bring cash in, but we haven't tried that, yet.

Buying in multiples. This is the way stores like Sam's Club operate, but it can work on other things, as well. We love the Slumberland clearance section and often use part of a date night to wander around in there. One time we found three of the chairs for our dining room in the return section. Of course, we asked for a deal if we bought all three. Of course, we got it!

Be willing to walk away. This is especially important when shopping for something that you will actually bargain for- cars, furniture, etc. We were looking trade our car in for a van and had a certain amount of money to spend above that- and it wasn't very much. We didn't need the van, yet, so were able to walk away when the dealership wasn't willing to come down on the model we were looking at or show us anything in our price range. Just two days later, the dealership called and offered us the van for what we had! We got an exceptional deal because we knew our budget before going in and were willing to walk away. This is a lot easier to do this if you're paying in cash and the item isn't an urgent need.

Have we missed out on other deal opportunities? How do you get the best bang for you buck when you make a larger purchase? I'd love to hear some of your ideas for getting a great deal. We'll try them out when we make our next large purchase!

If you're looking for other ways to save some money, check out some other links at Frugal Fridays.

How Cheap Can You Be?

I've recently entered the world of couponing. A few weeks ago I posted about my first "deal trip" and I thought it was amazing. Last week I had another trip, that I thought was pretty great, too. But this is absolutely amazing! She feeds a family of six for $4 a week! The principles that she uses are the same ones that I've started applying. Maybe I'll get there, too! If only we had the room to store all of our deals...

I love the chicksdigdeals website. Here in Nebraska, they compile a list of all the coupons in the Sunday paper and match them each week with store sales. I started visiting their site last spring, just for the convenience of checking all the store ads in one location. Now I'm hooked on couponing!

You may notice that there's a link on their site to get the Lincoln paper- Sun and Wed for $1/week. That's a great way to get coupons and the store flyers, especially if you decide to do some price matching. Here are some other website for coupon printing that I've found. So far, I've been able to get all of my deals solely from online and in-store coupons.

coupons.com

coupons.smartsource.com

redplum.com

coolsavings.com

afullcup.com

valpak.com

couponcabin.com

pgeverydaysolutions.com

Most grocery stores have a few coupons on their websites. And of course, check out the manufacturer websites for coupons, as well. Some people find it helpful to set up another e-mail account just for all their coupons and newsletters.

What's the best way to get a great deal? Match a coupon with a store sale. Even better is to put a store coupon on top of that! And if another store has that prouduct on sale, price match! For example, last week the Keebler cookies were on sale 2/$4 at one store. But I had a $1 off 2 store coupon at another store. Plus a manufacturer's coupon for $1.50 off 2. So, if I took my ad to that second store and used both my coupons I could get two packages of Keebler cookies for $1.50. It turns out that the second store had dropped their in-store price to match the competitor, so I didn't need to price match, but I was going to!

And because I can't contain myself any longer, here's the picture from my trip last week. I spent $6.80 on all the food you see in the photo! 2 boxes Kashi cereal, 2 boxes of whole wheat pasta, 2 packages Keebler cookies, 6 jars of Ragu sauce, 1 box Fiber one pastries, and 2 pounds of bananas. I used somewhere around $13 in coupons. I think I need to start framing my receipts!

My goal for the month of November is to buy only deals. That may not work perfectly- I'm out of potatoes, but I'm going to try!

What kinds of deals can you find? How cheap can you be?

Appliances pt 1

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 50:3

Much of my time and energy is spent in getting great deals on the things that we need for daily life- food, diapers, toilet paper... But everyone needs to make a larger purchase at some time or another. Whether it's a necessity or something more fun, there are lots of ways to get great deals on those larger purchases. Not the least of which, is asking the Lord for a great deal- pray for those appliances

.

I'm not kidding. God has given you a responsibility over the money you have. Of course, He wants you to get a good deal. Every major item in our home was purchased at an incredible deal (and most minor things, too). We have a budget in mind when we walk into the store and ask God to give us something great. This is the same God who fed 5000 people from what basically amounted to one boy's lunch box.

The first time I experienced was when we purchased our home. We were now in need of some appliances. We thought we could hold off on the washer and dryer, but a refrigerator was necessary. In order to save money, we first looked at second hand appliance stores. Any of you who have done this may know that they are not the best options. We decided that this was a purchase that would be worth the cost of buying new. So, we headed off to do some comparison shopping.

When we got to one particular store, I was tired and slightly frustrated. Even the most basic models were out of the price range we had thought to spend. So, as we walk across the parking lot, I say, "Dear God, please give us a good refrigerator for under $500. In Jesus' name, Amen." It was a simple prayer, and not said very reverently, but it was one that the Lord decided to answer! We found one we like that was $550. We were pretty excited! It wasn't quite as low as we had hoped, but better than anything else we had seen. As Greg waited for a salesman, I was wandering around. Back in the corner, I found what looked like the same one, for over $100 less. It was marked as a return and it turned out that the only thing wrong was a scuff mark on the side- that would be covered by the counters in our new house! With taxes and all, our total was $505. Go God!

I have story after story of other large purchases that we have made- cars, dishwashers, cameras, and more. Do you have any tips that have helped you walk away with great deals?

Will You Be Satisfied?

"I am not saying this because I have need for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." ~Phil. 4:11

It was a couple of years after Greg had been laid off. He had a job, just not in his field, not making as much. I was done. Ready to be over this trial. Ready for the Lord to say we had learned what we needed to and we could now move on. So, of course, I was crying. Sobbing, more like it. I was tired of skimping and saving. I was tired of waiting. I had a picture in my head of what our life should look like, and this was not it!

My wise husband challenged me with these words, "What if this is it? Will you be satisfied if this is all that God ever gives us?" Initially, that just made me cry harder! But, of course, he was asking me the right questions. Would I be content with what the Lord gave to me, or would I sit around and be miserable waiting for something that I perceived as "better?"

I was able to look at our life and see that God was providing for us. All of our needs were being met. We were even paying down debt and had a little "fun" money, too. I could learn, like Paul, to be content in my circumstances. I realized that if I couldn't be content with what I have now, I would never be content with what I was given more in the future. I could choose to be satisfied with the life the Lord had given and to be thankful and full of praise.

After all, Paul was in chains and imprisoned and shipwrecked and lots of other bad stuff. He had found a way to put his hope in the Lord no matter his circumstances. I had a warm house, plenty to eat, a loving family- I could find a way, too. I would choose to be satisfied and content.

God Owns Everything

"For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills." ~Psalm 50:10

There are Powerball billboards all over Lincoln. Whenever I see one I think, "Man, what I could do with $50 million. Surely God would bless the lottery ticket if I purchase one." Then one day it hit me- God owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. I tried to picture the immensity of that amount of land and investment. If God owns all of that, and I have a need, I think that He has the resources to provide for me!

I have several stories that illustrate God's provision in my own life. People showing up with hand me down clothes for my children, or extra produce from their garden. There was one time when I had a desire to go to a conference. My husband had been laid off for over a year, was working a temp job, and had no paid vacation time. There was no way we could afford to go to the conference, especially given that he wouldn't be paid for the time. I said, "If God gives us the money for the conference can we go?" And my husband agreed that he wouldn't argue with God!

Just a few days later he came home from helping a friend work on his car. This family had offered to pay for our registration costs so we could go to the conference! I could hardly believe it! Now, we just had to work things out so we wouldn't be hit so hard with a week of no pay. But who was I kidding- God is in control and He owns everything. Also during that week, two other friends approached my husband with odd jobs that they needed someone to take care of. The combined about for their jobs covered the week's worth of pay he would miss by going to the conference! God is incredible and truly has the resources to provide for everything we need, and even some things that are just nice to have.

But what about the boxes of kids' clothes in the closet? And the piles of unused craft supplies in boxes? And the closet full of stuff we can't even remember what we put in there? Getting rid of things that you're holding on to for "someday" is another way of showing trust in the Lord for His provision. By getting rid of the things that you're not using, you're telling God that you trust Him to provide for your needs when they occur. There's no need to horde things you may never use "just in case."

Don't get me wrong- my boys are eighteen months apart and my girls are 24 months apart. I hold on to clothes for future use. My rule is if I know I'll use it in the next year, or even two, to go ahead and keep it, otherwise we pass it on to someone who can actually use it. We'll trust that the Lord will provide for our needs as they come along. And we'll give Him the opportunity to show His power and might by putting ourselves in a position to need Him.

Lifestyle Logic

I'm so excited to be making this foray into the blogging world. I have so many great ideas to share about how to save money, make money, or to make the most of what you have on hand. I am a wife and mother of four. We are expecting another baby this December. I homeschool a first grader, a kindergartener, and a preschooler. We are actively involved with a church family, and make time for other friends and organizations, too. We are pulled in many directions, but a common theme to our lifestyle is the logic we use when approaching our finances.

It all started when my husband got laid off the week before our first child was born. We had no desire to move, but his field had really slowed down and there wasn't anything available. It was five years of the frugal lifestyle before he got another engineering job, and that one didn't come with the pay raise I had been looking forward to. I have learned a lot of great tips and tricks and look forward to sharing them with whoever will listen! Here's a list of my best tips (in no particular order), and I look forward to expanding upon each of them in the coming weeks.

1. When you give it comes back to you.

2. Live within your means.

3. God owns everything.

4. If you're not content with what you have now, you won't be content if you get more.

5. Pray for your appliances. (and part 2)

6. Appearances don't matter.
7. Respect your husband.

8. Wait patiently for the Lord.

I had several years of learning these lessons before the recent economy started putting pressure on people. Now, I'm not concerned about our financial future because I have learned that my husband is faithful, and my God will provide for all of our needs.