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| Walkway by the lake, near our home in Vermont. |
I have, in my mind, a list of many things that need to be repaired in our old house. These are not renovations, but simple maintenance. From putting in a new doorknob or painting rooms, to fixing windows and making the porch safe by replacing deteriorated wood. We can only do little things over a period of years. At unexpected times and seasons, major necessities come up that will not wait and must be managed at once. But the smaller jobs are left undone as we make do as long as possible. This is how money is saved for the bigger things in life. There will always be places for our money to go, to be spent, to be used, but when we do our best to avoid shopping and buying the little things, there is the opportunity for emergency money to be available.
In keeping track of the household budget, there are ways to be cheap without feeling desolate and deprived. For instance, when I make a cake, I do not always use frosting. To me, that is a luxury reserved for birthdays and special occasions. It makes the cake more expensive. To make it pleasant, I use a bundt cake pan which offers a simple design. It is easy to cut nice pieces and place them on pretty dessert plates. The presentation is part of the joy of enjoying a treat. Another example is ginger ale (Canada Dry, of course). I have about a quarter-cup of this as a serving size. I want the 2-liter bottle to last as long as possible. I am grateful for this beverage, but cannot afford to pay for as much of it as I would like. There are many food items that I simply cannot afford so I have to choose the less expensive options.
I keep a meticulous budget. After paying all household bills, there is a cash amount used for common spending such as for groceries. This amount is written down on a piece of paper, using a pencil so I can erase and change the numbers as I go along. I will often subtract what has been spent so I can see, at a glance, what is left for the remainder of the month. There is a reason I do not just put money in an envelope and, when it is empty (as the experts suggest), stop spending in that category, because this would cause shock. It is a lack of planning, which must be an ongoing process. Instead, when the new balance is figured (after each shopping excursion) I divide that number by the amount of weeks left in the month and cut back, or cut down, on spending to make it last to the end. Sometimes I only have a couple of dollars left that I hold on to so there is something available, even if I end up going without. It is not easy, but these little expenses will completely wipe out all the money if one is not careful.
Being careful is being prudent. This type of diligence (or being cheap, as some would call it) should not bring discouragement. There is beauty in living, in keeping a clean and neat home, and in spreading a positive attitude of cheerfulness. There is no need to live a life of discontentment when there is a lack of money. It costs very little to clean and organize and present pleasant surroundings for oneself and one's family. It takes time and effort and a willingness to be a blessing to those around us.
If we can be very cautious, as good stewards, with our provisions, we are doing our part. This is one's duty when it comes to managing the household funds. Yet, despite all of this we must remember that is the Lord who gives and can take away. It is the Lord who blesses and who provides. There must be daily prayers for direction, thankfulness, and the seeking of help. It is impossible to manage money or do anything without the Lord's hand of blessing on our lives. We do His will, not our own. May we always be found faithful, especially in the little things.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
A Tireless Worker - The Benevolent Housekeeper.
Inspired by D.L. Moody's Mother - Poverty in the 1800's.
Beautiful Living - Feminine Grace.
- To find out more about this blog, or Mrs. White, please visit our About page. -
Learn How To Manage Money on a Small Income, with this helpful book:
- It is an honor to be the bookkeeper for the house! -
Find detailed instruction and inspiration in budgeting on a small income, along with a method for keeping a handwritten ledger, with lots of thrifty ideas, in Mrs. White's book:
-An Old Fashioned Budget: Humble Financial Management for the Christian Housewife.
Paperback, 77 pages.
10 comments:
What types of food do you buy? Our only income is social security and I feel like I’m poisoning our family if I don’t buy organic but it’s so very expensive
This article couldn't come at a better time! I was just praying this morning that I would be a better steward of the resources God gives us. I too keep strict accounts but get discouraged. So, thank you!
It is crucial to be good stewards of the good things God has given us and to use resources wisely. We keep a budget, too, and I don't know how we'd do without it. Blessings, Mrs. White!
Mrs. White, this was such a meaningful post. I currently have a burner and light bulb out on my stove, among bunches of other little things that need repairing. But, by keeping things neat and tidy, producing good meals on our budget, adding in some baked goods and bits of chocolate, we are fine. I’m able to acknowledge the blessings the Lord has provided that many are doing without in the world. Thanks be to God, who meets all my needs.
I was given some cake forks and using one, rather than eating cake with just my fingers, always makes it feel like a special occasion. I also have some old fruit spoons that belonged to my later mother in law. They are smaller than a regular dessert spoon and eating a small portion of dessert out of a small bowl with one of these dainty spoons feels special too.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Mrs. White. I appreciate the encouragement to steward well and it's always helpful to hear details of your methods. I have adopted such things as keeping a ledger, saving for a rainy day, and not having too many categories from your book. I am very grateful for your example of diligence and cheerfulness.
I would love to see how you handle your budget. Like the record keeping side of things. I am looking to possibly simplify ours and maybe go back to old school. Right banks I pay for an online program that does help a ton but sometimes it all feels so segregated that I think we lose focus and track of where the money goes.
Mrs. White, I would encourage you to check FB to see if there is a "Buy Nothing" Group near you. People offer up goods for free that they cannot use themselves. One's person's trash is always someone else's treasure!
I'm sure you could score some boards of decent lumber for your porch, full or partial cans of paint that are the "wrong" color--any number of things that would be free and very useful for your home repairs. You can also put in requests for something like a doorknob set; many people replace theirs without having any idea of what to do with the perfectly good old ones. Buy Nothing helps neighbors help each other, and helps keep good, useful items from going to the landfill.
I encourage you to look into any and all resources around you. There is no need to do without something as simple as paint to brighten a room.
I rarely ever use cake frosting. I don't understand how other people feel there's something missing without the frosting, since the cake in and of itself should be flavourful enough. Maybe it's just an American thing? I rarely see people using frosting, where we live most people just have cake as is.
I do, however, try to save on more expensive ingredients. By making a depression cake for example (a chocolate cake without eggs, butter or milk), it happens to be my husband's favourite. Or a French yogurt cake, which needs less fat. I use lemon zest from our garden's lemons and it tastes amazing.
Mrs. White, I love your book on budgeting. I refer back to it quite often, as I love the simplicity of your system. There is so much wisdom in what you've said here, about not spending on little things, so there will be enough for the necessities. This is definitely a discipline that I need to work on. Thanks for the encouragement.
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