Tip of the Day 7/31/12

99 Days of Summer: Several of you have commented or sent me messages regarding my six month shopping plan. I hope that by walking you through the steps this week you will see it really is not difficult and can actually be a fun adventure. It is also a very realistic undertaking. I am not super woman, I have just developed a system that works really well and has literally saved us thousands of dollars over the past six years. Just like the woman that developed the 30 days of frozen meal plans which works for many people, I believe the system I have developed can work for many of you. Yes, it takes discipline, but it also takes desire. It is something I find very fun and rewarding. I know I am being a good steward of our finances and providing healthy and exciting meals for us. If you have looked at the pictures, or read the descriptions, of the meals I prepare, you know we eat very well. That is my purpose in those posts. I want you to be excited about preparing wonderful meals for your family. So, today is day two of my pre-shopping inventory. I will inventory all of my paper goods and cleaning supplies, as well as my freezer. As I inventory I am only counting unopened/unused items. I do not count the current tube of toothpaste or the open jar of Mayo in the fridge. The time I spend each day as I inventory is about 1 hour. I break it into several days because I have other things to do and don't want to spend all day on just the inventory. It is always fun discovering what I still have on hand and using up the last of items before I shop. This is also the way I clean up the shelves to prepare to add the new supply. I "rotate stock" so that the older items are used first. In case you are wondering, I do not live in a big house, I do not have a basement, and I do not have walk in closets or pantry. We live in a modest 3 bedroom ranch. I use the double sided closet in the family room for a pantry. Floor to ceiling shelves with can rotators store all of the canned and dry goods. I have a small pantry with 3 pull out shelves in the kitchen where I store baking goods. One upper cabinet holds spices and teas. We have a five foot tall upright freezer for meat and veges, the fridge freezer is used for frequently used items like ice cream, left overs, etc. We have 2 hanging cabinets and a set of shelves in the garage for paper goods and cleaning supplies. Toiletries are stored on two shelves in the linen closet. Hopefully, that picture will help you envision where you would be able to store items in your home. Remember, 6 month shopping is not for everyone, but I do believe everyone can benefit from a 1 or 3 month plan. Seriously consider the possibilities. Now I have some inventory to do.

Word for Today, More: As we closed out the day yesterday I was reading the latest updates on my Facebook from friends and saw where a young man, Nick, who we have known for many years, and his wife, Jessie, had their second child yesterday. They named him Joel. I also saw a posting of very close friends, Jodie, Perry, and Madison, who were in a bad car accident yesterday and narrowly escaped serious injury. My friend Erin posted a picture of herself out for an evening run, by doctors orders, with a heart monitor on, as they continue to determine the best course of action for her heart problem. My friend Linda will be having surgery tomorrow for an injury from the serious accident her family was in a few weeks ago. We were awakened early this morning to the sound of a huge storm rolling in off the Lake and were pummeled with hail and high winds for about 20 minutes. The grass is green again, but the plants are flattened. Richard is on his way, as I type this, to the bedside of a dying man, who he has been ministering to for a few weeks. Another friend, Jody, shared the sadness her family is going through as they watch their loved one, Norma, slip away into the shadow of Alzheimers. Because we have they ability to be connected with more people on a seconds notice, it seems there is always something MORE. It can be good, Joel's birth, frightening, the accidents, sad, the disease and death. So where do we turn in the midst of it all. This morning a portion of my Bible reading was the Book of Joel. If you have never read this wonderful little book in the Old Testament, take a few minutes to do so. It is only 3 chapters, but is filled with the hope and promise that God is aware of the MORE and He has a plan. He promises, "His grace is sufficient." He will "restore what the locusts have eaten." These are not just words on a page, they are the enduring promises of the Living God and there is so much MORE if you seek Him. "May the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory, by Jesus Christ, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."