Money Saving Time!!

Unemployment comes with a few perks. (At least for me it does.) My stress levels are WAY down. This is a direct result of coming closer to God. Keeping God's word in my heart helps me to remember that He will provide for my "needs". It is necessary to keep in mind that I wrote needs not wants. Now, I have actually gone to Webster's for a definition of both words and have made an interesting discovery. They both mean practically the same thing. Yes folks...need and want have very similar meanings. It is only the practical life application of each word that give them separate meanings. Need being things necessary for basic survival and want being things that aren't necessary but desired. So maybe we should be using the words needs and desires? Don't you just love semantics?.

Anyway. Now is the time for me to keep needs separate from desires and focus my money on the needs only. In that process I have learned to find alot of ways to save that money. Such as turning off my air conditioner and using cross ventilation to cool my house. It hasn't been pleasant for sure. My house has been pretty hot for about a month now. Luckily the temperature has dropped significantly and it has gotten much easier to do. Last month's electric bill with air conditioning was $284.22. This month's bill without was $132 and change. Not too bad for suffering 90+ degree temps inside the house for one month. Heating will also be used less this year. I have already purchased some extra blankets at the local Goodwill to keep the bedrooms warm while we sleep. The other living areas will have very low heat and we will all have to wear extra clothing during the day. It will be rough but at least I won't have to deal with ridiculous electric bills. The dryer will be handled by stringing up clothes line either outside or in the house. I'm not quite sure how that will work yet, but I am researching options.

Speaking of researching options, I have a garden planned for this spring. I planted one this year, but it wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I planted it pretty much as a learning experience so that when we plant one this spring we will already have made the worst mistakes. With those out of our systems, this next garden will be a better success and we can put up some of the veggies for winter consumption. That reminds me...I need to stock up on canning equipment as soon as possible. Now the only thing left is to speak to my landlord about keeping hens (no rooster) in my yard. That way I can keep as much of my money in the bank as possible. Let's see...veggies - covered, eggs - covered. That only leaves milk/dairy products and meat. Not too bad if I have to go to the store for those only. Wish me luck.