by Texas Homesteader ~
RancherMan & I are able to live & work right here in a place we love. We hated city life, long commutes, office politics and the daily grind. But now living this life in the country means we need to be extra mindful of our financial resources.
The good news? It’s super easy and isn’t a sacrifice at all. It’s just a different way of looking at various circumstances.
Take this week for instance. Here are 5 frugal things we did to effortlessly save money.
by Texas Homesteader ~
Several years ago our children requested no new toys for our grandbabies. They already had way too many toys! So RancherMan & I opted to gift them Experience Gifts instead. The experience gift option has been an absolutely wonderful solution for several years now. And what a win/win too. We get to spend precious time with our grandkids and create MEMORIES with them instead of giving them just another toy.
In past years we’ve taken them Rock Climbing and to a Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course. We’ve taken them to the Ft Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and to Museums. A couple of times we’ve taken them to Live Production Plays – Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life. Each one was so much fun for all of us.
But this year we decided to take them to an escape room. An escape room experience is where you’re placed in a room and you’re challenged to solve the clues one by one to find the key to escape. Come see the fun we had!
by Texas Homesteader ~
So you say you’ve had lots of company over the past few weeks? Like most of us I’m guessing between Christmas, New Year’s and other gatherings you’ve really had some foot traffic on your carpets, huh? I hear ya. So what now, do you need to call a carpet cleaning company?
Well, maybe. But RancherMan & I have a small carpet machine that we use to spot clean our carpets. In our case it’s typically cleaning pet stains but I hated to buy an expensive and chemical-laden commercial cleaning solution. I wanted something less toxic. So I researched & found an easy yet effective homemade version.
To celebrate Throwback Thursday (and to help you along your ‘saving money‘ New Year’s resolution), today I’m sharing the oh-so-simple homemade carpet cleaning solution we use here on the Homestead.
by Texas Homesteader ~
It took me a long time to jump into the Instant Pot scene. I mean, I already had slow cookers, and I had a high-end stainless steel stove-top pressure cooker too. Why would I spend more money to buy something else I had to store? Wanna know what the breaking point was for me to decide to jump in?
Well I’d borrowed my sisters IP to see if I’d *really* use it enough to justify the cost. One of the first things I tried was bone broth. I was hooked!
Y’all, making your own healthy broth has really never been this easy!
by Texas Homesteader ~
I’ve always tried to make sure my family ate a well-balanced diet. Of course I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with eating some less-healthy foods… as long as it’s in moderation.
Fried foods, sweets, salty snacks – all were ok as long as they were enjoyed in proper moderation.
My goal was to get them to eat more of the healthy stuff, go lighter on the less healthy stuff and just enjoy actual junk foods on rare occasions. Luckily I found a sneaky way to tip the balance toward the healthy food. Here’s how I got my family to willingly eat more healthy veggies.
by Texas Homesteader ~
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Many of you know we lost a family member quite unexpectedly recently. He was only in his 50’s, he certainly wasn’t expecting death to come so soon. During the grieving his children were left to pick up the pieces to get his estate & final affairs in order.
They struggled mightily to find the most basic information to even begin this estate process. Watching them struggle, RancherMan & I knew we needed to make sure our children were never left dealing with such uncertainties. So we took steps to document things we’d never really thought of before.
by Texas Homesteader ~
The new year stands ready now, filled with promise. Filled with opportunities. The only limit is your imagination.
Make it all it can be. Do something GREAT!
~TxH~
by Texas Homesteader ~
Well, this year is about to be over and a brand new bright shining year is awaiting. With such promise, celebration is in order!
But please – if you drink, do so responsibly and have a designated driver.
~TxH~
by Texas Homesteader ~
Whelp, here we are at the end of 2019. This year has been filled with firsts for me. I finally got an Instant Pot and learned to make IP Cheesecake (YUM!) and even easier IP Yogurt. I also got a bread machine & learned to make a 2-Lb Honey/Oatmeal Loaf. RancherMan’s favorite!
At the end of each year I like to share with you, my beloved readers, a list of the top 10 homesteading posts of the year found right here on this little ole blog of mine. This year y’all enjoyed some fun recipes, homemade cleaning supplies, tips, money-saving ideas and much more. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy these top 10 Homesteading Posts of 2019!
by Texas Homesteader ~
RancherMan & I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas filled with all the warmth & joy of the season. Merry Christmas!
~TxH~
