I recently shared a very popular $250 sample grocery budget, and mentioned that one of the ways that I would stretch things out was with the use of vegetarian meals, most of which feature beans and legumes. Katie has written an incredible recipe ebook called The Everything Beans Book (keep reading for a coupon code!), which is chock full of recipes to help even bean-loathing families learn to happily eat more beans, up their nutrition, and keep costs down. And now, I'll pass it over to Katie to share some of her tips with you...

Guest Post by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship

Can you live a life with beans on more than just rice and beans?

I believe you can, and although I have beans and rice recipes to share for Mexican and Cuban style, plus a homemade twist on rice-a-roni, imagine 27 more ways to cook with beans. Definitely one way to cut your budget while using whole foods!

Keeping the Food Budget in Check

I dearly miss my coupons now that I make almost everything from scratch. Avoiding processed foods sometimes means forfeiting couponing, which takes away that receipt-loving triumph of, “I saved more than I spent at the grocery store!!!”

I've had to find other ways to trim the food budget, and cooking with beans is surely one of them, even though canned beans have doubled in price in a decade – doesn't that make you want to cry?

Certainly a can of beans is still more frugal than a pound of meat, and you can cut the cost even more by using dry beans.

If you don't know how to cook with dry beans, my frugal friends, now is the time more than ever as grocery prices continue to rise.

Why Beans?

I choose beans for equal parts nutrition and frugality, which isn't something you can say often.

My frugal eBook, The Everything Beans Book, not only has 30 beans and legumes recipes but also 20 pages of information.

I'll teach you:

• How to cook with dry beans to maximize BOTH cost savings and your family's health
• Tips for bulk cooking beans to cut your time in the kitchen
• How to pair beans with other simple foods to best utilize the protein (including some you may never have heard of even if you're well-versed in complementary proteins)
• Why you want to embrace beans in your meal plan
• Ideas for picky eaters who hate beans (I was one of them not long ago!)
• Frugal tips with every recipe to cut costs on all the other ingredients
• And even a few tips on the whole flatulence issue

Lesson One: Three Ways to Sneak in the Beans

1. Use Lentils to Stretch the Meat

My husband hates when I reduce the meat or add fillers, especially in his favorite meals. He has stamped the seal of approval on tacos with lentils, however, so you can believe that they're top notch. It's simple: cook up some lentils (I do a huge batch and freeze them) and add them in a 1:1 ratio with a pound of ground beef for tacos. Use seasoning equivalent to two pounds, and I promise, no one will be any the wiser.

You've slashed your cost for a rather meat-based meal without compromising nutrition, and you might even have leftovers (which makes my husband very happy). This trick works just as well with really, really well-cooked white beans. They turn into mush and your taco meat looks surprisingly like a certain Mexican fast food chain that my husband may just be in love with.

2. Puree Beans in Spaghetti Sauce

Start with about a half can or one cup kidney or pinto beans and puree before adding to any spaghetti sauce. Protein boost!

3. Make a Sauce Out of Beans

This recipe is the free download from The Everything Beans Book, and it's perfect for the bean haters:

Recipe: Pasta with White (Bean) Sauce

If you don't tell your dinner guests you're serving beans, they'll be hard-pressed to figure out the difference between this protein-packed white sauce and a standard Alfredo. You can choose to leave the beans whole for a lovely texture, too.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ c. chopped onion
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chili peppers, drained, or 1 chopped jalapeno or
• Anaheim pepper
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs whole wheat flour or arrowroot starch
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 ½ c. whole milk
• 1 ½ c. shredded cheese (any kind works, but Swiss or Monterey Jack is great)
• 1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked dry beans*
• salt to taste, likely about a ½ tsp.
• ½ lb. Linguine or favorite pasta, cooked according to package directions
• *If soaking dry beans, start with 1 cup before soaking.

Method:

In a medium-sized, heavy bottomed pot, cook onion and peppers (if using fresh) in melted butter until tender, adding garlic at the last minute. Stir in flour and pepper and cook two minutes. Add the milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, taking care not to scorch the bottom.

Cook one more minute, then add cheese and stir to melt. Add the beans and canned chiles (if using canned) and stir to heat through. Feel free to add extra milk at any point if the sauce is too thick for your tastes. Serve over linguine or your favorite pasta. You might include steamed veggies right in the sauce for an all-in-one meal.

For the bean haters of the world: If you use an immersion blender and whiz the sauce, the beans (and their taste) disappear. You might want to add a bit of extra milk to thin it out, up to 1/4-1/2 cup.

For a printable version with all the frugal tips and ingredient variations, check out the free download of the beans recipe.

If I had time for a fourth, I'd share the amazing Black Bean Fudgy Brownies with you – guaranteed that no one without prior knowledge would guess that the main ingredient is beans, and there is zero flour involved! (Stephanie's note: These brownies are SO good!)

Get a taste of what's in the eBook with these other frugal bean recipes:

Meatless Chickpea Wraps

Veggie Bean Burritos

Tuscan Bean Soup

Katie's Simple Cabbage Soup with Secret Super Food 

Take $4 off The Everything Beans Book!

Katie has generously offered a coupon code for Keeper of the Home readers to save on The Everything Beans Book. Regular price is $9.95, but you'll get 40% off with code FRUGALBEANS, making it just $5.95!

How do you use beans in your meals to save money?

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This post includes affiliate links.

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Here's the scenario: Your young son or daughter has been invited to a friend's birthday party. You know this family to some degree and are aware that their eating standards aren't the same as your family's.

The party will likely include white-sugar and food-dye cake, chips, pop and candy in the goodie bag, all foods which are standard no-no's in your own home.

What do you do in this situation?

1. Remember that birthday parties like this happen only occasionally, you eat well at home 90% of the time, and allow your child to eat freely at the party.
2. Try to fill your child up on good, whole foods at home, prior to taking them. Remind them on the drive that the foods that will be served aren't ones that will keep their body healthy, and that while it is ok to accept a piece of cake when offered, they should try to avoid other junk foods if possible, and look for better options (fruit or veggies, crackers and cheese, etc.). (And if you're with them at the party, this becomes easier to enforce).
3. Stay at the party with your child and bring along your own snacks. Inform the hosts prior to your coming that your child won't be partaking of the food offerings, and that you will be bringing them food from home instead. Tell your child that the foods at the party are yucky, and feel free to get into a discussion with the other parents at the party about why your child won't be eating along with everyone else.

Last week I was reading a book I picked up on sale while on summer vacation, but haven't gotten around to reading yet. It's called The Great Physician's Rx for Children's Health by Jordan Rubin. I have previously read and enjoyed The Maker's Diet (it was quite influential for me in my real food journey, actually). I knew that he would have solid information and suggestions, geared towards children's health in particular.

I was surprised to be so immediately turned off within the first chapters of the book, however, by the "holier than thou" attitude that I perceived in Dr. Rubin's and his wife's approach to shielding their young son from the dangers of processed foods. When their 3 year old son was invited to a birthday party, they came prepared with all of their own snacks from home.

He even proudly states at one point that their son has never eaten anything in his entire life that they do not consider to be "real food" (nothing processed or refined, no pasteurized or homogenized dairy products, no commercially raised grain-fed meat, no white sugar or table salt).

I'm not quite sure what world they live in, where they are able to have such complete and utter control over every single thing that ever enters his mouth- has he never been to a relative's home with different eating habits or to another family's home for dinner? Have they never been on the road or on vacation and needed to simply eat the best they could with the restaurants and choices that were available?

But I digress... back to the birthday party.

I know this is a hard area to deal with. I don't like allowing my children to eat processed, refined, toxic foods in the slightest. It makes me cringe, and as their mom, it's my job and responsibility to steward their health and train them in their eating habits.

Yet, as I've said many times before, people matter more than food.

Personally, I would opt for something along the lines of option #2 in the birthday party scenario, sending them with a full tummy and some words of wisdom, yet allowing them to graciously accept something celebratory like a piece of cake to enjoy with their friends. When I accompany them to parties, I encourage them towards the better options that are available, and allow them very limited amounts of the not-so-great options. But that's just me.

(And I'll even confess that although I'm usually the mom that makes the "weird" homemade spelt carrot cake with cream cheese icing colored pink with raspberry juice, this year I came down with an awful flu and was completely debilitated the day before my daughter's 7th birthday. We bought a store cake, for the first time ever. Sometimes, life happens, and my husband and I both felt that it was a priority for our daughter's party to continue as planned, whether mama was up for baking healthy cakes or not.)

I'm curious (and yes, I know this might spark a heated debate, so let's just use our big-girl words and keep it polite)...

What would you (or do you) do in this kind of scenario? How do you balance celebrations with others, while still guarding your child's health and nutrition?

Image by andy_carter

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Written by Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer

Essential oils make home remedies quick and easy to prepare. With a select few on hand you will be able to create all manner of healing products and all-natural cleaning supplies.

When it comes to using essential oils with infants and babies, it can be daunting (and should be approached with caution). I have often wondered how much to use, or if certain oils were safe for young ones. After all, essential oils are extremely concentrated and powerful substances.

The following are some simple guidelines and recipes that I hope will be helpful to you.

Which Essential Oils are Safe for Babies?

In The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Valerie Ann Worwood recommends the following essential oils:

For infants, zero to two months of age:

Chamomile, Roman and German
Lavender
Yarrow
Dill

For babies, two to six months of age:

The above, plus Mandarin and Neroli.

For babies, six to twelve months of age:

The above plus Calendula, Grapefruit, and Tea Tree.

(A few others are also recommended for these ages, but none that I have used myself.)

What to look for in an Essential Oil

It is important to get the best quality oil possible. Make sure it is 100% pure essential oil and not a massage or perfume oil.

Many bottles of essential oil display the words: therapeutic grade. However, since there are no official standards for essential oils, buying one that states it is therapeutic grade does not a guarantee that the oil is actually good quality.

Knowing the source is the best way to ensure that the oil you buy is high quality.

Do a little research whenever possible.  It is usually safer to buy organic essential oils since there are some official standards for using that term (although it's still not a guarantee).

One company I have been very impressed with is Young Living. They readily share information about their sources and methods.

Cautions

It is very important to use caution when beginning to use essential oils with a baby. Essential oils are very strong, so be sure to use a light hand; only one or two drops need to be mixed with water for diffusing or oil for massage.

A few points to remember:

• Do not place undiluted essential oil close to baby's face.
• Never used undiluted essential oil directly on baby’s skin (it can burn and cause irritation).
• Never use undiluted essential oil in a diffuser (the scent will be too strong).
• Never ingest an essential oil.

When in doubt, don't. It's better to be safe than sorry. Test remedies containing essential oils on a small area of skin to see if any reaction may occur.

{Image credit}

How to Use Essential Oils with Babies

Two of the easiest and most effective ways to use essential oils with babies are:

1. Diffuse essential oil in a diffuser or oil burner so it disperses through the air and is inhaled.
2. Mix essential oil with a carrier oil to create a massage/body oil for baby which will penetrate the skin.

The general guidelines are as follows:

To Diffuse Essential Oils for Baby

Add one drop of essential oil to two teaspoons of water and add to diffuser.

To Make a Massage Oil for Baby

Add one or two drops of essential oil to two tablespoons of sweet almond oil and blend. Use this mixture to give baby a relaxing massage.

Once baby is over two months old, essential oils may be increased to three to five drops per two tablespoons of oil.

A few other helpful remedies:

Bedtime Massage Oil - Using the method above, blend one drop of lavender or chamomile essential oil with two tablespoons of carrier oil.

Diaper Rash - Add one drop German Chamomile essential oil and one drop Lavender essential oil to a pint of warm water. Store in a clean jar. Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and use to wipe baby's bottom.

Homemade Calendula Salve with lavender oil is also excellent for treating diaper rash.

Herbal Baby Powder is also useful in keeping babies bottom dry while bringing the healing power of herbs to the affected area.

Colic - Diffuse one drop lavender and two drops peppermint in an oil burner filled with water.

Severe Colic - Add one drop of dill essential oil to one tablespoon of sweet almond oil. Stir to blend. Use this massage oil to rub baby's tummy gently. Also rub oil on baby's back with circular motions. (This recipe was found in The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy).

To Soothe and Calm - Add a drop of lavender or chamomile essential oil to a cotton ball and place inside your shirt. Hold baby and rock next to you. They will smell the scent as they are comforted by your warm body.

Safe Surface Cleaner - Add eight drops of mandarin essential oil and one cup of water to a spray bottle. Use this mixture to wipe down surfaces in baby's room.

Further reading:

Using Essential Oils with Babies and Children

Essential Oil Care for Babies and Children

Natural, Homemade Baby Care

Have you used essential oils with any of your babies? If so, what are your favorite remedies?

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From my 4th month of pregnancy onwards, most early mornings would find me sneaking downstairs in the dark, donning sweatpants, a t-shirt and hoodie. After drinking half a glass of water, then filling my large glass back up to the top, I entered my private exercise studio, otherwise known as my husband's freezing cold, converted-garage music school studio.

Pointing the space heater directly at me (until I warmed up enough each morning to push it away), I would stick a pregnancy exercise video in to the computer and spend 20-40 minutes pumping iron. working up a huge sweat. doing mild cardio and toning.

My Personal Experience with Exercise in Pregnancy

It works. It really does.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I was very good about spending 30-60 minutes almost every single morning doing pregnancy yoga, or else going for a long walk in the park or along the river. I had nothing to compare that pregnancy with, but I diligently kept up with my workouts because that's what the books told me to do and the yoga made my aching muscles more bearable.

With my second and third pregnancies, I wasn't very disciplined. I tried to stay active by taking my kids on walks to the park, gardening and other physical activities, but nothing consistent. I struggled with a great deal of sciatica and some minor blood sugar issues (with my second only), even though my pregnancies were still wonderfully healthy overall.

I'm not always good about including regular exercise in my life, but during the month before I found out I was pregnant with baby #4, I had set some exercise goals and was pushing myself to truly get in shape. I bought Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred. I didn't do it every single day, but at least 4 days a week. It was brutal, but I felt that my endurance and strength were increasing and I began to love doing it.

Once the first trimester morning sickness and fatigue hit this time around, I realized that although I had little energy to exercise, I really missed it and how good it had made me feel.

I found that I lacked the energy to do much those first couple of months, but once the nausea began to decrease and I wasn't dragging myself through each day, I knew that it was time to return to my morning exercise ritual.

Image by sean dreilinger

How I Worked Out This Pregnancy

I had already ruled out going to a gym, because I find it too impractical trying to get out of the house as a mom of littles, and after doing a trial week at the gym my husband attends, realized that I didn't like feeling self-conscious with others looking at me. The privacy of my own home felt best.

I compared a lot of pregnancy videos, looking at video length, type of exercise, intensity, and video reviews. After coming off of the 30-Day Shred (which is very intense and pushes you hard), I knew that I didn't want something too slow or gentle. I wanted to find an exercise video that still challenged me, pregnant or not.

After much searching, I settled on Lindsay Brin's Complete Pregnancy Fitness 4-DVD Workout Set. It includes cardio and toning routines for first, second and third trimester, as well as a post-natal bootcamp DVD to help you get back to your pre-baby body. Each video is about 40 minutes long, give or take. Some days I did a whole video, other days only half (due to lack of time, not because it was too strenuous).

Overall, I'd give these videos a 7.5 or 8 out of 10. I still felt that I could have worked out at a higher intensity, and would have liked more intense cardio portions. Most days, I would follow whichever version of an exercise was the most intense or difficult, rather than doing any of the modifications, and sometimes I threw in a few extra reps of something if the transition between exercises felt too slow to me. By doing this, I was able to mostly achieve the intensity that I wanted, and still had the flexibility to choose something more moderate on days when I was really tired or feeling sore.

I definitely appreciated that the videos went along with each trimester. This made it easy to figure out how hard to push myself at each stage of my pregnancy, plus the variety was nice.

There are plenty of other videos out there, and next time around (God willing), I'll probably add another video or two to my repertoire just for variety. I still have my original Gaiam Pregnancy Yoga DVD, although I have to confess that I have only touched it twice this entire time. I prefer the cardio and toning much better. I liked that all I really needed was the video and a set of weights (or you can also use two sets- heavy and light).

Image by chobecajero

What Are the Benefits of Exercise in Pregnancy?

• Improved circulation
• Healthier placenta
• Helps to moderate weight gain
• Easier recovery post-partum
• Increased energy
• Less back pain

For me, the most noticeable benefits were having more energy, and definitely decreased back pain and post-poned sciatica (it didn't come until around 35 weeks this time, compared to 24-30 weeks in previous pregnancies).

I also found that I was able to sleep more soundly than I have previously, and didn't even start sleeping with an extra pillow (for leg/back support) until this past week, at 37 weeks. I've been completely comfortable with no extra support at all!

Exercising Safely

I'll be the first to admit that this is not an area of knowledge or expertise for me. These are just a few things that I've learned by reading some books on pregnancy exercise and through the DVD set I've been using.

• Drink extra water before, during and after your workout
• Particularly if you plan to do a long workout, eat something with both carbohydrates and protein before beginning. If I was only doing a shorter workout, I found that I could go without eating first, but would definitely need a hearty snack immediately after.
• Listen to your body. If you just don't feel well that day (even if it's something that you can usually handle without a problem), just take it easy.
• If something hurts, stop. I can usually tailor sit during pregnancy quite comfortably, but last week the baby dropped very low and it began to hurt, so I've taken it out of my routine.
• Always warm up, and finish with plenty of stretching. I began to find the stretching so beneficial that on days when I simply don't have time for a proper workout, I still ensure that I fit in 5-10 minutes of stretching.
• Use videos/exercises intended for pregnancy. There are a lot of things to take into consideration with a body that is changing due to pregnancy. It's best to follow the instruction of someone who is more knowledgable than you are about how to adapt exercises to make them safe.
• Expect that you will workout at a level slightly below what you are usually capable of. I was frustrated at not always breaking a sweat each time I worked out with my new videos, but the one time I did push myself to workout like I had before pregnancy (I definitely pushed myself too hard), I felt it and realized that I had to take it down a notch.

Here are some more tips for exercising during pregnancy, and how to do it safely.

Image by fitnesmanru

Now That I'm at the End

Exercising throughout this pregnancy was one of the best decisions that I made. I've been a bit busier since December and struggling to get in as many workouts as I did during the fall, and the difference is noticeable to me. I actually begin to crave it when I miss more than a day or two.

I'm 38 weeks pregnant now and plan to continue right up until the day I deliver. As soon as I get the go-ahead from my midwife, I will be back to moderate exercising for a faster recovery and to help prevent post-partum depression.

For me, exercise has made such a difference. It isn't miraculous and doesn't solve every pregnancy struggle. Have I finally hit a wall of exhaustion? Yes. Did I ask my husband the other morning whether I was this miserably uncomfortable and emotional at the end of my other pregnancies? You bet I did. (And his answer? "Yes, sweetheart, every time." It's good to be reassured that this is par for the course!).

Still, I'm a pregnancy exercise convert. You can bet you'll find me back in the garage with my videos next time around.

How about you? Have you exercised during your pregnancies and what results or benefits did you notice?

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Written by Mindy, Contributing Writer

This ooey, gooey cake is a chocolate lover's dream - specifically a dark chocolate lover's dream!  It's light and airy, but oh-so rich all at the same time.  A perfect ending to a lovely Valentine's dinner at home.

The key to this cake is using a very good quality chocolate.  If it's fair-trade and organic that's even better!  With so few ingredients, choosing the very best quality you can find will guarantee that this cake will taste amazing.

I included orange zest as an optional ingredient in this recipe, because I LOVE chocolate and orange together.  If you do too, then I highly recommend that you try it with the zest.  It's very yummy and the flavor is terrific!

Dark Chocolate Flourless Pudding Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart

Cooking this cake in a water bath keeps it moist and helps it to cook very gently.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup powdered sucanat + 1 TBSP for baking dish
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 6 oz. very good quality dark chocolate, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 TBSP orange zest, optional
• Freshly whipped cream for topping

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a shallow 2 qt. baking dish and coat with the 1 TBSP powdered sucanat.  Set aside.
2. Get out a roasting pan that is big enough to hold your 2 qt. baking dish.  Fill a tea kettle of saucepan with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil.
3. Combine egg yolks and 1/3 cup powdered sucanat in a mixing bowl.  Beat vigorously with a wire whisk for one minute.  Mixture should thicken and get lighter in color.
4. Whisk melted (not hot) chocolate into the egg mixture and set aside.
5. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.
6. Whisk 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture.  (If using the orange zest, add at this time.)  Fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture just until combined.
7. Transfer the batter to the 2 qt. baking dish.  Place the baking dish in the roaster and then fill the roaster with the boiling water so that the water comes 1 inch up the side of the baking dish.  Be careful not to pour any water into the cake pan itself.
8. Bake 25-30 minutes or until just set.  The middle should still be slightly jiggly.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
9. Remove the baking dish from it's water bath in the roaster and serve immediately while warm or allow to completely cool and then serve chilled from the refrigerator.   Serve with freshly whipped cream.

What are some of your favorite desserts for Valentine's Day?

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Today I'm over at Simple Organic, sharing my two-week oil pulling journal, and more thoughts on the why's and how's and "does it work" of this truly unique (and only slightly crazy and gross) health practice.

A friend of mine is doing a lot of research on how to strengthen teeth, and both reverse and prevent cavities, naturally. Since I’m so busy these days, I’m happy to let her do the research and then I can follow her lead.

One of the things that she is trying is oil pulling, and when she mentioned it I was reminded that I had read good things about this bizarre health therapy before. It prompted me to start reading about it again, and to even give it a try for a couple of weeks to see what the hype is all about.

What is oil pulling?

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice, dating back thousands of year. It consists of using some form of a vegetable oil (coconut, olive, sunflower, sesame, etc.) and swishing it around in your mouth for a period of 15-20 minutes.

Read the entire post here.

Have you tried oil pulling? Your thoughts and results? Have you even heard of oil pulling or is this a totally foreign concept to you?

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The winners of The Money Saving Mom's Budget are:

1) Hannah (hsode)

2) Monique (maidenofhisgrace)

3) Rebecca (rite_as_rain)

4) Christa (Czgroups)

5) Clare (rdifonzo)

Congratulations ladies!

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Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer

My family operates on a tight budget. And since having children, there hasn't been much--if any--room in that budget for adding to mine or my husband's wardrobe.

But just over a year ago I discovered a way to increase my wardrobe--without spending any money: a women's clothing exchange. 

Image by agador

My Sister's Closet

A local church where I attend a weekly Bible study has hosted a women's clothing exchange called My Sister's Closet for several years. Although I never would have voiced that I didn't have the extra money for new clothes, the idea of the exchange excited me. It wasn't a program for a certain income level. My Sister's Closet is open to all women involved in the church's women's ministry--whether they be church members or Bible study attendees. 

And the atmosphere for the yearly event is like that of a girl's night out with friends. Women bring clothing a few days before and volunteers sort and hang the clothing. There are three rooms of clothing (sizes small, medium and large) and one room full of accessories and shoes.

Each woman is allowed to choose a certain number of items--depending on the amount of donations. There are even dressing rooms, so the ladies can make sure the clothing fits before they take them home.

I was so humbled and grateful after the first time I participated in My Sister's Closet. I was 9 months pregnant and felt very sure I wouldn't be fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothing any time soon. Yet, I knew I would need some clothes for the in-between stage. I walked away from the night with designer jeans, sweaters, blouses, a dress, and even some maternity clothes for my newly-pregnant sister-in-law. 

Image by shellgrand

Starting Your Own Women's Clothing Exchange

Are you intrigued by the idea of a women's clothing exchange? Why not start your own?! You can form one with:

• a group of friends
• the women's ministry at your church (or combine several local churches)
• a mom's group, or
• even your co-workers!

While developing a program that will truly help you increase your wardrobe--without spending any money, keep these tips in mind:

1. Decide on participation requirements (if any).

Must participants donate clothes in order to receive them? If so, will you require a certain number of donations? Must participants be church/group members, or will you open the exchange to the public? Must participants serve volunteer hours in order to benefit from the event?

Image by theswedish

2. Secure a location.

If your church women's ministry is hosting the event, then the logical location will be your church building. Other possible venues could be your workplace, a school gym, a community center or even at a participant's home.

3. Organize the clothing and accessories.

Part of what made me feel so special was that My Sister's Closet was very attractively organized. Donations weren't just thrown together or scattered all over the floor like in a garage sale. Think about consignment shops or consignment sales.

Make each women feel as if she really is spending a day with friends shopping. My Sister's Closet organizes the clothes according to size and season. Designate racks for dresses, skirts, blouses, pants, coats, maternity, pajamas, workout clothing, jeans, etc.

4. Provide a dressing room.

Since the clothing is free, there are no returns. There will only be so many clothes to go around, so ensure that each woman leaves with items that she can feel confident will compliment her body.

5. Determine what to do with leftovers.

Will donors be allowed to reclaim their items, or will you pick a local charity to receive the excess?

What are some ways you have increased your wardrobe without spending any money? Have you ever participated in a women's clothing exchange?

 Top image by jnnfrmarie

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

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• Living Simply Saturday: “A Mother’s Work is Never Done”
• Clothing Kids Without Breaking the Bank: Part 2
• Clothing Kids Without Breaking the Bank: Part 3

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If you haven't yet read my initial post, What I Would Feed my Family on a Monthly Budget of $250, I would suggest going there first, and then coming back to this post.

First, Some Answers to Your Questions

1. No, this isn't how we regularly eat. I did mention that in the other post, but I want to say it again for clarity. This is make-believe. Our usual grocery budget (which includes about $30-40 of household and toiletries) is $450, NOT $250. The point of doing this was to see IF I could do it and to figure out HOW I would do it, to challenge myself and to encourage and help those who are at a point where they don't have the luxury of upping their budget. In the past, we did eat very similarly to this, but our budget has since been raised now that we are not as strapped as we were.

2. Does our family actually consume this little dairy? No. We would and could (and used to), but we don't anymore. We drink or eat more like the equivalent of 1 gallon of dairy per week (in the form of raw milk, yogurt or kefir), not 1/2 a gallon as outlined in my budget. This is an option that we now have due to a higher budget, and we thoroughly enjoy it, plus I think it's good for us. We also eat more cheese than the other budget contained (we eat 5-6 lbs per month, not 4), probably about the same amount of butter (4 lbs), and then also some extras like sour cream and cream.

3. What is flaxseed egg replacer and how do you use it? See this post for more details.

4. How would you do this when you have food allergies (like wheat or gluten), or when you're on a special diet, like GAPS?

Here are a few helpful posts for those trying to cut costs when eating grain-free:

• Frugal Living with Food Sensitivities
• Building a Grain Free Pantry
• Using Four Frugal Foods from the Produce Section Creatively 

Our family has eaten wheat free for many, many years and this is how I made it work on a tight budget-- we would still eat the other grains I mentioned (oats, brown rice, rice pasta, etc.) plus starches like potatoes and sweet potatoes and squash. For bread, I made mostly sourdough with a combination of rye and kamut, and then also some yeasted breads using only kamut or sometimes adding other inexpensive flours like barley. I bought all of my grains in bulk from the food co-op that we order from to keep it cost effective. Of course, this would cost a bit more than the wheat flour I used as an example in my last post (25 lbs kamut for me, for example, is $19.55 and 25 lbs of rye is $11.65), but I saved money in other areas of the budget to help make it work.

For those who are gluten free, I would give you the same advice. Use different flours (brown rice, sorghum, millet, tapioca starch, etc.) and buy them in bulk, as well as the necessary extras like xanthan gum for binding. Make your own GF mixes to store in your pantry(never buy them- that makes it so much more expensive). You will probably spend even a bit more than I spent doing wheat-free, but it's still do-able. I wish I had more and better suggestions for you, but we have rarely eaten gluten free, so I'm not particularly experienced in this issue. Perhaps you can help each other out in the comments?

Snacks

Several people asked me what we would eat for snacks on this budget. I'll be honest in saying that it would be a struggle to eat decent snacks. Here are a few things that I would make:

• Granola bars
• Extra muffins
• Bread/toast or tortillas with butter or peanut butter
• Possibly cheese slices, if there was enough
• Any extra raw veggies or fruit that weren't used in other meals (but I know there wouldn't be a lot of leftovers)

All the Other Things I Would Do to Save More Money

My initial budget was based primarily on frugal eating and careful planning, which anyone can do. Now I'm going to share with you some of the many other techniques that you can use to find more room in that lean budget, buy better quality foods, and more of them.

Shop my local produce market

I love my produce market. For those local to me, I shop at 2 EE's. They carry a mix of their own, locally-grown and either unsprayed or organic produce in season, and then they supplement this with other local produce, as well as plenty of imports for those who want them. My market in particular has great prices on most of their local and seasonal items, but I find that produce markets in general are MUCH cheaper than any conventional grocery store, and truthfully, I buy hardly any produce from regular stores.

Aside from their better prices on these local and seasonal items, I also purchase bulk cases at a discount. In my $250 scenario, I spent $4.98 on 5 lbs of apples. At my market, I could buy a 20 lb case for between $9-15 (between late summer and early spring, anyways), depending on the variety I chose. That's a huge difference. I can also buy things like potatoes, carrots, onions, as well as seasonal fruit (apples and pears in fall and winter, tree fruits like peaches and plums in summer, plus tomatoes and cucumbers and peppers and all sorts of foods for preserving in summer as well), all in cases of at least 10 lbs and up to 50 lbs.

On a regular basis, I spend about $35-40 every two weeks at this market, shopping mostly seasonal foods or sales, a few discount items, and then a few things we just enjoy, and I walk away with 3-4 shopping bags stuffed with produce. The produce in my initial post cost $36.60. I could have spent the same or slightly more at the produce store and walked away with more and a better selection, especially if I...

Image from raw+peace+love

Buy From the Discount Shelf

I can't tell you what a difference this makes. Did you know that most stores or markets have a cart or a section where they put fruits and vegetables that are very ripe or just starting to go bad, but still have plenty of life left?

We North Americans tend to have a fairly spoiled view of what "good" produce looks like. If a pepper starts to get a soft spot, we're more likely to throw the whole thing out than to cut around the bad spot. If the lettuce has some bad looking pieces on the outside, we might be tempted to compost the whole head, instead of peeling off the bad parts until we get further in. Honestly, I think we're way too picky and that's why we waste so much food.

When I buy bags off of the discount shelf, I expect that I will cut away and throw out some part of the bag, but it's usually minimal. I always look the bags over carefully before choosing which ones I want. There are a few things that I won't buy discounted, because I know they are routinely not worth it (like already soft avocados- in my experience, more bad than good).

Overall, though, I pay at least 50% less (and often much cheaper) for produce that will still go a long ways. I have a friend who consistently buys the bulk of her produce from the discount shelves at various stores, and I know that she spends much less on produce than even I do (since I only buy some of mine this way, not all). I think that our family still eats a little more fresh produce overall and we enjoy more variety and choice, but their family certainly isn't suffering in any way and they still eat an excellent, whole foods diet with fresh fruits and vegetables.

I know that discounted foods aren't available absolutely everywhere- just yesterday someone was telling me that where they're from in Illinois, they just don't see these discounted items. But, they are available far more than you think. Ask the managers at the stores where you shop where they put discounted items or what days they mark them down. If you never see items already discounted, you can also just ask. Just because it isn't marked down doesn't mean it can't be. Trust me on this.

Buy Other Discounted Items

Produce isn't the only place to save in this regard. Many stores will also discount their dairy (yes, including organic or even raw), breads, meats, fish, eggs, and sometimes dry goods and regular grocery. Learn which stores do, learn how and when they mark them down, and then try to shop according to those patterns.

Don't be afraid to buy near-expiry items. Unless they really don't look good, they almost always are. Meat or fish can be used within a day or two, or frozen immediately. Same with milk, pasteurized or raw (and after being frozen, it's still great for making yogurt or kefir, for baking, for pouring over cereal or oatmeal, etc.). Yogurt or other cultured dairy usually lasts far beyond the expiry date, as do eggs. Breads can also be frozen and taste just fine once thawed.

Image by bcmom

Use a Natural Foods Co-op or Bulk Store

Although there are sadly few of these in Canada (at least, not in the West where I live), I have found an excellent one that I can buy from and pick up just across the US border. I buy from a co-op called Azure Standard. This is, hands down, my most cost effective option for purchasing any sort of grains (whole or already ground into flour), dry beans and legumes, other baking staples, dried fruits, raw honey, among other things.

The beauty of food co-ops (or natural bulk-foods stores) is that they regularly offer foods in much larger quantities. I buy my dry beans in 5 lb bags, for example, instead of the piddly little 450g bags I used in the $250 scenario. Here's the price difference:

Pinto Beans

• 5 lbs $6.25 (organic are just over $7)
• 450 g (just under 1 lb) $1.88
• 5 bags of 450g each (to equal 5 lbs) = $9.40

By buying in bulk, I am saving over $3. If I only want to save a little over $2, I can get organic instead. This makes a huge difference in your overall budget!

Take Advantage of Special Store Deals

The particular store that I used as the basis of my $250 budget actually runs a fantastic promotion each month. The first Monday and Tuesday of every month are Family Days. Depending on how much you spend ($25, $50, or $100) your discount goes up. When I spend $100, I save 15%.

In other words, I could have taken that $250 budget, and by buying at least $100 worth of it at the beginning of the month in one shopping trip, taken an immediate $15 off my total. That alone would give me the extra I needed to be able to buy more snack foods, or to help with extras like spices, yeast, baking soda, etc.

This is just one example of a store promotion. Every store is totally different. Maybe your store offers really excellent in-store coupons that you can use. Maybe you get a gift card back when you spend a certain dollar amount on particular days. If the store that you regularly shop at doesn't offer promotions like this, see if you can find one that does and make the switch.

Image by jshontz

Include Home-Grown and Preserved Food

When I made that $250 budget, I did it from scratch, not including anything I already had in my house.

The truth of the matter is, I have jars and jars and jars of preserved foods up above my cupboards. Among them are:

• Apple sauce made with gleaned (free) apples
• Apple jelly (made with the same apples)
• Strawberry jam (made with cheap $1 jam berries bought in season)
• Peaches (I bought cases at the end of the peach season, for $0.60 per lb)
• Dried beans, zucchini and tomatoes (all free from the excess of my garden)
• Salsa (with my excess garden tomatoes, and discounted peppers and onions, made last summer)

I know, you're not going to be growing or preserving much at this very moment (and neither am I). But winter is a great time to start thinking about what you might want to grow or preserve during this upcoming spring and summer season.

If these posts were written in summer, I could also include plenty of fresh produce from my garden that we would eat with meals and snacks, instead of needing to buy as much produce. Though I certainly don't grow everything our family eats, even with a handful of garden boxes, a few containers and a very small in-ground plot, I grow enough that we only buy produce minimally during the growing season. I can't think of a better way to include more fresh, nutrient-dense, organically-grown produce in a tight budget!

There's So Much More to Say

Truly. I could ramble on about this subject all day (and I will just a little bit more, on Monday). Writing posts like these are so hard for me, because a post just feels so short and there's so much more I want to say.

In fact, I did say it. I wrote an entire book on this topic in detail. It's called Real Food on a Real Budget: How to Eat Healthy for Less.

If you want to really delve deeper into the details and techniques of cutting down your budget without compromising the quality of food that you eat, I think you'll find it immensely helpful. If you want to focus first on learning to carefully think through and plan out your meals like I did in my initial $250 budget post, then you might want to start with my book Plan It, Don't Panic: Everything You Need to Successfully Create and Use a Meal Plan. 

What about you? What other types of techniques do you use to take a tight budget and stretch it even farther?

Top image by USDAGOV

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• Q&A- My Grocery Budget
• How My Grocery Budget Works
• Q & A: The necessity of a low grocery budget
• Q&A- My Grocery Budget, Part 2

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By Contributing Writer, Brandy Ferguson

As a homeschooling mom of seven, and now getting ready to meet our eighth son in a matter of days, I've never been busier in my life!

With so much on my to-do list added to my already full schedule, I admit to having moments of brief panic in which I think to myself, "what if I don't get it all done before I go into labor?" or..."what if the boys' rooms look like THAT when the baby arrives!?!"  or..."what if I don't get the freezer filled with homemade food in time?"

I have to stop myself, almost on a daily basis and just...

breathe.

Because while I do have a lot that I would like to have accomplished, things that would definitely be a blessing to me and my family, the reality is that it is going to be okay.  Most likely, I'll carry this baby all the way to 40 weeks PLUS like I usually do, which means I still have three more weeks to achieve my goals, but if the baby comes earlier and I don't get to all these tasks, then it's alright.

I don't know about you, but the nesting thing is a very, very real and intense thing that I experience toward the end of pregnancy.  Mother Bird knows her Baby is about to hatch and that nest must be pristine and perfect.  It must, at all costs, be in order.  No clutter, nothing in disarray, all rooms organized and ready.

image credit

Sometimes it becomes an internal battle of sorts, as a mom of a large family.  Because the order in my head doesn't always match what I see around me.  Sometimes I forget that not everyone in our family, especially my brood of all boys, is in super-nesting-mode like me.  Sometimes I see the mess around me or the list that still has things to do on it and I start to lose perspective.  And I have to remind myself again....It's going to be okay.  Breathe.

Because, first of all, it's not like the baby's going to care. (Of course, I still will.)  And second, it's not fair to my family for me to be stressed out about something that's pretty silly in the grand scheme of things.  And most importantly, if there's ever a time to make sure my children feel loved and special, it's right before they're about to meet another new sibling.

Now having said all that, I will still try to prioritize and enlist help from my family to accomplish a few very key things like:

• sorting and washing newborn clothes, socks, baby blankets
• taking apart the infant carseat, washing, and reassembling
• making sure extra sheets and towels are clean and ready for our homebirth
• cooking and freezing as many meals ahead of time as possible

And after those things are done, if we are still waiting for our sweet bundle to arrive, I'll tackle more of those organization projects that seem so important to me right now. Those projects include purging the boys' rooms and closets, reorganizing the schoolroom, and cleaning out the toy boxes.  It would be nice to get to the coat closet and master closet, too, but I'm trying to be realistic here.

In the meantime, staying focused on getting rest and good nutrition as I try and prepare my  mind and body for birth is still a top priority.  I started taking my Alfalfa, Red Raspberry Leaf, and Evening Primrose capsules today in preparation for labor and delivery.

This is such a sweet, special season, these final weeks of carrying my baby, a time for really slowing down, looking around me at what I've already been blessed with, and savor it all the more.  There really is no need to stress about "the list" or "the mess" or anything else.

Because all that will matter in just a few short days or weeks is going to be that we're all here.  All ten of us.  Together.

Who cares about the list?

What about you?  Do you experience nesting at the end of pregnancy?

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