I saw on one of the sister thrifty websites that keeping a clean Kitchen was one way to save money.  The lady was Tawra Kellam of the Saving on a Dime.  I hope I spelled her name right.

What she said made sense.  She said that the reason so much time was spent eating out was becuase the kitchen was dirty.  It was not an inviting place to cook or entertain.

It made so much sense to me I started cleaning the kitchen.  I live with my parents; so my mother was a little concerned with me fooling around in her kitchen.   But I told her what was happening and she decided to watch.  I even cleaned out the freezer and repackaged everything in the innumerable Tupperware and Ziplock containers we had in our drawers,  closets, shelves, and you get the idea.  On this,  my mother balked a little bit.  She likes seeing her stuff where she stored it. But then I notice just yesterday that the cereal was being put in see-through containers.  Maybe suggestion is better for my Mother than out right telling her.

Anyway, we have saved even on the regular groceries.  We saved $20 dollars the first week, becuase we knew exactly where and how much of everything we had in the food storage.

  Then Dad is on the kick of eating at home since almost having a heart attack of the the cost of two KFC dinners costing about $16.  He said that he would rather eat at Golden Corral for about the same price where you can eat as much as you want.  But then he would rather eat at home anyway.  He finds he doesn't have to take any water pills for his feet. He has had hip repleacement and knee surgery and the water pills keep down the swelling in his legs. They swell miserably whenever he has to travel and eat out.

Well, today, Mother wanted fried chicken. We had bought chicken at Kroger's for 99cents a pound.  And we had all dark meat ---which happens to be this family's favorite, because it doesn't dry out.  I went to the website that gives out free restaurant recipes and made cheddar biscuits and fried the chicken thighs that I had boned. You know, I saved those bones with the leftover meat for our pug's dogfood. (I would have made the original recipe, but I did not want to go and buy the ingredients.)  

Needless to say, we were all satsified; but we actually ate less than when we eat out.  We each had about a thigh and a half to eat with cheddar biscuits, potato salad and gravy.  I stored the rest in the fridge to be eaten for another meal.  The grand total for all three chicken meals was about $4 if not less, but I don't know how much the potato salad cost.  It was one of those convenient items in a moment of weariness from travel.

But cleaning the kitchen is just the beginning,  The cleaning has spilled over into the rest of the house. Mother trusts me to tell what she needs and she herself is able to tell when I don't need something becuase she finds cleaning supplies now that the house is claener than before.  She won't commit to home made wipes and laundry soap, but baby steps.  Baby steps. Now to just get Dad to throw away his little pieces of trash.

I have a friend called Eric who is a neat person.  Vinnie, his co-worker says you can't visit without Eric cleaning the house.  He isn't picky with the guests,  he just constantly chases dirt.  But then he has a  very nice house that was easily refinanced recently.  His wife said that the loan officer couldn't believe the credit score that they had.  It is a joke that Eric could have taken Bob Saget's role on Full House, but a high credit score and refinancing is no joke whatsoever.

Keep up the good work you neat people and keep on saving!

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I seriously think that people today are overspending because they are overcompensating to off set bad feelings. 

I know this is the case of one single parent I used to know. Being away from two children at night  was a drag.  But the amount and variety the things that the two kids had were unbelieveable. This person was trying to keep expenses down because of the divorce proceedings, but  videos lined the hallways; dolls, cars, and clothes spilled out of the closets.  The bathroom was filled with toys that they had during bath time.  This parent wasn't a slob, but the house was looked like someone with disposophobia.

Some of the toys were still in the boxes.  By the time they all returned home, the two kids  were too tired to enjoy the toys.

The kids did not  understand why the one parent did not want to be with them anymore.  They were told that they were the best kids in the world to be left on the back burner.  They were hurting and their everyday routine was in upheaval.  They were no longer returning to a home where at least one parent was always waiting for them;  they were having to go to a baby sitter's or family relatives.  They did not complain but this one parent felt guilty because of the unfair situation.

So this parent was buying them a toy or DVD when they worked nights, which was quite frequently.  He or she felt they kids needed to be rewarded.  The kids  were not asking for the rewards, but to offset the bad feeling for the kids this parent would buy the extras.  In truth, there could have been less financial stress if the parent could get over his or her own negative feelings.

I can't help but think that this is the case with many people.  They really don't see the reality anymore; it has turned into a  nightmare.  Some people may seem happy or successful, but becuase of their child hood, they have learned to fill the empty spot with things.  Things cost money. Things cost stress.   But things are added because that is all they have learned.

What I am trying to say is that all overspending is not trying to keep up with the Jones.

I really don't think many people see how profitable it is to have a good family structure for everyone involved.  It is a part of society that is a society of its own that needs to be protected.  It is where family values that help actual monetary values are taught.

GO HAPPY FAMILIES!!! FIGHT!!!

I seriously don't think the Duggers are strange.  They are respectable people.  I am not saying that everyone should have a dozen plus children.  But that family is happy and they are not in financial trouble.  I think happy families are naturally thrifty families. 

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