“…Cal and I generally preferred garage sales to estate sales.  Estate sales are often conducted by a third party who will be paid a percentage of the sale.  Prices tend to be higher and may not be as negotiable, since you are not dealing with the owner and the selling agency takes a percentage of what is sold.  On the other hand, estate sales can produce some beautiful furnishings and antiques.  A lot depends upon what you are looking for.”*

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) #savemoney #garagesales

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Cal always used this at garage sales.  In negotiating price he started with an offer 50% less than the marked or asked for price.  Many times sellers just want to get rid of the thing so much that they agree right on the spot.  Other times, they continue the negotiation and the price comes up from there.  Sometimes they refuse to budge.  At that point you must decide how much you really want the item.  Cal's 50% Rule saved him an incredible amount of money.  He loved applying it.  Bargaining is so much fun.  This kind of negotiation and bargaining is commonplace in other countries.  Now you, too, can enjoy the sport of it without even leaving this great country of ours.”*

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) #savemoney #negotiate

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Thrift, resale and consignment…Visit on a regular basis to check out new merchandise as it comes in.  Get onto email lists, so you'll know when a sale is coming up.  Watch for broken buttons or zippers and decide if they can easily be repaired.  Pass it up, if it looks too difficult to fix.  Don't forget that items such as strollers, playpens, with car seats, toys, etc., need to be checked to be sure all the moving parts work correctly and that they meet current government safety standards.  For safety reasons purchasing new simply makes more sense, especially in car seats.  Some automotive stores and hospitals have great prices on them and don't forget to check your wholesale outlets and the Internet… 

(Cautions) If you are buying anything from a second-hand store, take the same precautions you would at a garage sale.  Unlike garage sales, consignment stores sometimes offer lay away plans.  Be sure to check it out.  Consignment shops offer an opportunity not only to purchase, but also to sell or do a little of both!...  There are tremendous bargains to be had around every corner.  You just need to know where to look. ”*  

#savemoney #thriftshop

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Look into outlet stores...do your market research shopping before venturing out.  Get an idea of the prices on similar brand name items in department stores or check prices on your phone.  Be an informed shopper at all times!  Some of the merchandise may not be first quality and your purchases might not be returnable.  Ask lots of questions, until you are satisfied that you know what you are buying.  Try everything on.  Be sure gifts won't pose a problem for the recipient, because they can't be returned or exchanged.”* 

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) #outletsavings #savemoney

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Wholesale stores like Costco or Sam's Club in our area, offer things at substantially less cost, but there is also a science to shopping wholesale stores.  Never buy more than you can use, especially in perishable goods…“Check prices, even at wholesale outlets.  Check unit pricing to be sure buying in bulk makes sense…

 …Storage of bulk purchases of even nonperishable foods may appear to be a problem at first glance, until you consider every unused space in your home.  I still use the top shelf of my linen closet for canned goods, cereals, packaged items, shampoos, etc.  Don't forget shelves in kids' closets and the space under everyone's bed.  It might even make cleaning your kids' rooms easier.  That sounds like a plan to me!  Clutter need not be a problem in your quest to save every last penny!  Pasta, rice and flour can be stored in your freezer, which also helps prevent those pesky little black bugs.  I guess they don't like the cold.”*  #savemoney #warehousesales

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) 

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Nursing your baby is much less expensive in addition to being healthier for the baby… Dr. Hugh Stallworth's ‘To Your Health’ column in the Orange County Register indicates that, ‘many women find breast feeding actually takes less time and allows them to rest more.’  He continues, ‘Breast milk requires no preparation; it is always at the right temperature and pure.  A mother gets to sit and rest when she nurses.  Parents who use artificial baby milk must shop for supplies, prepare formulas in bottles, store everything correctly and clean up.  Human milk is easily digested, contains antibodies that help fight infection, and has all the nutrients required for growth and development’…your milk is God's perfect food for your little baby.  He created it just for your baby.  Working moms can express their own milk for the baby, but it can become a very tiresome activity unless you can afford a breast pump.”*   

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) 

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Many young families are now involved with food co-ops… An interesting twist on food co-ops is a cooking co-op.  An article I found, "How to Start a Cooking Co-op" described neighbors who got together to create a cooking co-op in their neighborhood.  This saved money for each household, because they cooked in quantity.  The result was a money saver, a time saver and each family was treated to a wide variety of great home cooked food.  This could easily be duplicated within a church.”* 

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) 

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“I used to stock up on cosmetics, shampoos, and over the counter medicines when they were on sale.  It is wise to try to set some extra money aside, so you can take advantage of bargain prices or great coupons to stock up for the future.  Be careful, however, not to purchase more medications than you can use before their expiration dates.”*  

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) 

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

 “Plan ahead. Organize your menus to make your shopping list.  Stick to the list and keep a running total as you shop. Never shop when you are hungry. Leave impulse buyers at home (sometimes this is Dad!)  It’s great to pay with cash. Avoid junk food. Go to the back of products on grocery shelves to get the farthest out dates for the freshest items… 

Order groceries online to avoid impulse buying...shop the perimeter of the store to avoid costly processed foods…  

Today, try Googling Krazy Coupon Lady and other rebate apps.”* 

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks) 

Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“I planned my food menu around what was on sale and items for which I had coupons or other discounts.  Today coupons and other money saving tricks are also available on the Internet…

 “If you don't have the black thumb I was born with, a recent article suggests another idea...’While many gardeners today cite great taste and avoiding chemicals as reasons to grow their own food, there is another important reason:  It's cheaper.  Even with the toil and time spent, typically five or six hours a week after the garden is planted--gardeners say they are genuinely saving money when they grow it themselves.  Keeping costs down in the garden, resulting in cheaper food than can be bought at the grocery store, is not difficult, they say.’ In the long run, your family will be healthier and you'll all spend less time in the doctor's office.  Besides, a garden can be used as an opportunity to teach science lessons.”*

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

”Saving money on groceries, buying second hand furniture, recycling children's clothing and purchasing other things at garage sales can help you reduce expenses…”*

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“…Find ways to save money... Start by living within your means, working with the money you do have. When you make your money go farther, you need less of it…Researcher, Bill Danko, doing a study on millionaires comes up with this advice:  ‘Live below your means.'  By setting aside 15% of after-tax income for savings, forgoing some luxuries and investing wisely, almost anyone can become a millionaire over the course of a working life…Learn to buy only what you absolutely need and wait for prices to come down on the other stuff!”* 

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Pride comes in many shapes and forms.  Have you ever thought about how much we sometimes pay for the privilege of pride?  Are you one of those people who would never, ever consider buying, or worse, wearing used clothing?...I don't expect you to dress in rags, but try this formula..."used" = "true value".  There are ways to get fantastic things at extremely reduced prices -- things you could never afford otherwise. 

Personally, I take pride in my ability to save money.  I don't think that's bad, especially if we give God the credit for finding the bargain for us.  I have a friend who prays every time she goes out to shop.  She prays that she'll find the right outfit at the right price.  Do you know?  She usually does!”*

*From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

“Always work off of a budget.  Budgets serve as good guides to saving.  Research budget calculators online. They can be most helpful. Knowing where your dollar goes will make you a spending winner…”*

 *From Quit Your Job! You Really Can Afford Stay at Home Parenthood  (full of unique money saving hacks)

 Books Available at: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannegormick.com

After I lost Cal (and later Kirk) I missed the hugs they both provided.

“…I miss having you to bounce stuff off of, helping me make decisions and giving me a big hug when I need it…”*

*From Your Treasured Marriage: A God-Centered Guidebook to Create Long-Lasting Love

“As the wife of an unbeliever, I always surrounded myself with Godly men: pastors, friends and a son to whom I could go with questions of submission.  If your husband doesn’t know the Lord, I recommend you find Godly men and women to provide the guidance and support you will need.”*

*From Your Treasured Marriage: A God-Centered Guidebook to Create Long-Lasting Love

Acknowledge the freedom you have to be yourself because he gets you and appreciates you. Then you can be “genuine” and “transparent” together.

“I gave him freedom to go out and do Karaoke by himself.”*

I was not a singer or even a music appreciator, so this made complete sense for us.

*From Your Treasured Marriage: A God-Centered Guidebook to Create Long-Lasting Love

“Looking back, I never would have dreamed that there could be fulfillment in a trip to the zoo, doing 10 loads of laundry, cooking, baking, cleaning, ironing, or chauffeuring children to their various activities.  I actually found joy in these activities and in trying to see how much money I could save by using coupons.  My flexible hours and homebased business location permitted me the time I needed to shop for sales.  I couldn't do that, while working on someone else's timetable.”*

 *From Your Treasured Marriage: A God-Centered Guidebook to Create Long-Lasting Love

“Finally, she recommended praying for ‘God to fill (me) with love for (him) so that (I) could genuinely love him regardless of (our) differences or his weaknesses.’ Praise God, these prayers were being answered, even as we entered the difficult years of growing old together with the changes that brought!”*

 *From Your Treasured Marriage: A God-Centered Guidebook to Create Long-Lasting Love

My advice is to be grateful everyday - not just on Thanksgiving. Be grateful for just being alive when things are tough and share positivity on other days. My prayers go out to you all.