Eight Ways to Combat the "No $pending Blues"

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her;

So he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life…"

~ Proverbs 31:11-12 (NKJV)

"The wise woman builds her house,

But the foolish pulls it down with her hands."

~ Proverbs 14:1

Many of us were (or are) accustomed to heading out to the malls for a few hours of leisure. Once a necessity, shopping has turned into quite the hobby for the American public! But when cash is tight, it is more than recreation, it is an addiction that must be stopped before you run your household desolate. The next time you have that urge to spend, consider these happy options:

• Organize What You Have

Organize all your belongings and streamline your home. This will give you a great sense of accomplishment and the realization that you probably already have everything you need. It will also aid you in running your home more efficiently and give you purpose to maintain what you have instead of bringing in more items to upkeep.

• Rearrange

When you rearrange your furniture, it gives you that "new" feeling without spending a dime. Focus on one room a month. In our home, we have an autumn/winter arrangement of furniture which keeps the fireplace as the center of attention. In the spring/summer, I move everything around the coffee table where we gather with our iced-tea glasses and games.

• Remember, Repaint, Recycle, Refurbish

Dig through your attic or basement and repurpose your old cast off's. When you sift through your surplus of goods, you will probably find something that you forgot about that will be "new" to you. A coat of paint does wonders and gives items a fresh identity. We usually have old cans lying in the garage and I make do with the colors we already have (mix the hues to create more volume or a new color).

• $ell Your Excess

If you really need to purchase something out of necessity, sell off your excess first and recycle your money back into your wallet. Garage sales, eBay and Craig's List are all easy ways that you can market your goods from home. Just use caution and make sure your husband is home prior to accepting a stranger inside or you can always meet in a public parking lot for safety.

• Alter What You Own

Altering your clothing is another way to bring the "new" back into your wardrobe. Go through your closet and fix the waistband of that once-favorite skirt, add a new panel of fabric to the bottom of your old skirt and replace boring buttons with pretty ones to give an updated look to an old blouse, etc.

• Learn New Skills

Lean times can be the "glean" times. Your local community (library, craft stores, etc.) and many websites offer free classes in which you can learn new skills. These skills will enhance your life, teach you to enjoy hobbies at home and thus remove the need to shop all of the time. These are tools that can be passed down to your children and grandchildren like a perpetual gift that keeps on giving.

• Love Your Library

Ah, the library is the heavenly headquarters for the thrifty minded woman! So many books to inspire you in all areas of life and they are free for the taking! Learn how to ferment, embroider, clean your house, knit, crochet, sew, can, craft, woodwork, etc. Read inspirational biographies that will teach you to count your blessings instead of spending more money. Knowledge is priceless and yet, it is absolutely free when you spend the time to acquire it!

• Get Creative

I have noticed that the times the money is the tightest are the times that I become more creative and resourceful. That is always a challenge and it can be fun to do productive projects on a budget. Here are some  practical and inspirational posts to get you started:

• Does $afely Trust in Her? ~ A True Story of Thriftiness
• Flowers for Free and Garden Landscape from Cuttings
• "He Praiseth Her" ~ The Contented Homemaker
• Household Projects and DIY's Using Citrus Fruits
• Make Your Own Apothecary Jars (from Recycled Condiment Jars)
• Make Your Own Cleaning Products
• Organize Your Pantry Frugally
• Save Your Scraps! ~ Make Apple Cider Scrap Vinegar
• Thrifty Decorating for Autumn
• Thrifty Decorating for Spring
• Thrifty Decorating for Summer
• Thrifty Decorating for Winter
• Uses For and Household DIY's Featuring the Lemon Peel
• Uses For and Household DIY's Featuring the Orange Peel
• Utilizing What You Have on Your Land ~ Being Creative
• What To Do With Your Excess of …?

May you be a blessing to your household and start curbing that spending habit.  May you be amongst the contented women that realize the best things in life aren't "things". Most importantly, may you be that heaven-sent angel in your earthly home since...

"a prudent wife is from the Lord" (Proverbs 19:14b).

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