Free Download - Fun Frugalness

Click here for Free Download of Simple Stewardship

Before I move on to 4th of July Fun, I forgot to finish up with this month's free download of fun and simple ideas for teaching our focus character quality - STEWARDSHIP.

Click here or go to the Free Downloads tab at TheCharacterMom.com for three whole pages of fun frugalness and more.

Friday we will continue on our 4th of July Theme. In the meantime, feel free to tell us about any of ideas you have found that are great for either 4th of July or for teaching stewardship.

If it's free, then it's for me! - Money Fights #1

Find this ebook and more free at
MoneySavingMom.com
https://moneysavingmom.com/2012/06/free-childrens-bible-story-ebooks.html

Today, I wanted to begin this short series about some of my personal pitfalls and the issues that my wonderfully wise husband and I go round and round about. I am hoping that you can learn from my mistakes.

I say, "If it's free (or on sale) then it's for me!"
He says, "If you were not planning on buying it already this month, then you should wait. You probably don't need it."

I love bargains, but I am tempted to buy things I don't need just because they are on sale. I am even worse at resisting a freebie - which by the way is not really free if you are required to use your time, effort, or gas money to go to an extra store, fill out a form on the internet, bend over backwords, etc. for it!  I should have seen a red flag when me getting my tubes tied seemed more appealing to me just because it was going to cost less than birth control:). I think my Groupon intervention is scheduled for next week. Maybe if I hide under all the junkie free stuff that is piled in my closet taking up my space and energy to organize, they won't find me.

P.S. By the way if you love free stuff too, you just haaaaaaave to go to MoneySavingMom.com - my new favorite blog about being a better economist. I just got four free Christian ebooks there yesterday!

This week and part of next we are focusing on money management, so I would looooooooooove for you to post any of your insight or ideas in the comment area about stewardship anytime the rest of this month.

Deals on Dinner for Dad - Dad's Day #6

This was a birthday dinner the girls and I made for my hubby.

Teach your kids about stewardship and make the Dad in your life feel special at the same time.
You don't have to spend money at a fancy restaurant to make Dad feel special. My husband would actually prefer to stay home and have a special homecooked (or at least home heated in my case) meal made for him.

Get your child involved as you plan, shop, and prepare dinner for dad. One of the best places to learn about stewardship is the grocery store. Use store brands, compare prices, stick to your list and your budget, etc.

I love coupons, but don't have time for them at this stage in my life.  You might try putting your child in charge of finding coupons for the things you already use.  Let them keep part of whatever money they save as an incentive and a lesson in frugalness.
What other ways can you teach your kids about stewardship or anything else at the grocery store?

Frugal Summer Fun from A to Z - Free Download

Happy June and Happy Summer!

To kick of this month's focus on STEWARDSHIP and FATHER'S DAY, you can go to my new site that is still under construction to get this two page Free Download -  Frugal Summer Fun from A to Z  - ideas for lots of summer fun that don't cost lots of money. (Just click on "Free Download" above to go to the test site.)

This download will soon be featured on one of my new favorite blogs - MoneySavingMom.com!  If you love bargain shopping and organizing, you have to check her site out!

I would love to hear about any purposeful summer fun activities you and your family like  You can easily post these WITH A PHOTO EXAMPLE right on my homepage on the new site. Just pretend you are adding a comment to the blog there. I will soon repost these photo ideas (giving you credit) to the "Pintentional Parenting" gallery when it is up and running!

My Closet is Not Feeling Well

BEFORE

No this photo is not morphed. My closet really is that skinny and it is not feeling well. It looks like it has thrown up!

I know some of you are disgusted not only by the mess, but by the abundance of clothes that I have. Let me defend myself somewhat by saying that in my teens and twenties one of my hobbies was shopping resale, so only about twenty items have been bought since I have had children and almost all of it was less than $10.

However, now it is time to reduce, recycle, and change out winter clothes for spring. Join with me as I purge (get it) my closet of unneeded items, and tackle my sin of hoarding.  My sick closet is really a sign of a sick heart. When you don't have much money or you are a cheapskate like me, it is easy to get in a bad habit of hoarding. This way you have a better chance of having what you need when you need it.  Instead of hoarding, I need to trust God more to provide for my needs.  He has always provided for me and my family in the past through generous friends and family. Hopefully my new generosity will bless others in true need the way I have been blessed.

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works,  to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasures for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
                                                                                                                           -I Timothy 6