The Frugal Catholic

Throw a Thanksgiving Auction by Martha Wild King, M.Ed.–October 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date October 29, 2019
No Comments on Throw a Thanksgiving Auction by Martha Wild King, M.Ed.–October 2019

Thanksgiving is a wonderful North American celebration. Our Canadian friends celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October, while the US celebrates it on the fourth Thursday of November. In both countries, however, it is a time to give thanks for all God has done, and a great time to celebrate with family and friends. And a fun addition to this holiday is to host A WILD THANKSGIVING AUCTION.

A Flash Back in Time

Now, when my husband, Michael, and I lived in Belgium in the 1990’s, we hosted an American Thanksgiving for folks from Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, and the US. It was an eyeopening event for both of us about not only how much food we Americans would pile on our plates, but also about watching those new global friends enjoy our sixty-year-old family tradition of A WILD THANKSGIVING AUCTION. Here is how.

An Auction History

As with most things dear to us, ‘the auction’ was begun by my ancestors–my maternal grandmother Mabel. Mabel and her husband Henry lost everything in The Great Depression, including their son. Yet Mabel’s constant saying was, “It could be worse.” She lived to be 101. Thus, with that upbeat attitude, every holiday was a celebration, and Thanksgiving was no different. But at the end of the meal, she would uncover the coffee table upon which would be many treasures: A clear plastic box with a silver dollar in it; some small toiletries which she picked up from her stay at a hotel; or some other purchased treasure from the Five and Dime Store that she knew one of us four WILD children would want.

How to Do an Auction

Thus when my offspring began to grow, after the Thanksgiving meal, we’d gather in the living room, and I’d unveil the treasures I’d found from The Dollar Store or Good Will. Everyone would be given 30 pennies in a paper cup and I’d start the bidding. The only rules for A Wild Thanksgiving Auction were and still are:

#1. Everyone except the auctioneer should bid–adults and children–because you can’t keep the pennies.

#2. No sharing of pennies (Adults cannot hand children monies).

#3. After one wins the item, then the correct amount of pennies must be put into the basket passed to you. (That basket pass accomplishes two things: The children learn to count out their pennies, and it employs the ‘honor system.’ )

Why Is It Fun?

So if you’d like to do something NON-ELECTRICALLY different this year after that Thanksgiving feast or for any celebration (this activity was great for kids birthdays), try throwing A WILD THANKSGIVING AUCTION. Watching those Europeans bid for the first time was so delightful because the adults got into it as much as the children did. Your family will thank you for this old, new, enjoyable tradition which doesn’t cost hardly anything to pull it off. Just a little Thanksgiving forethought.

2 Maccabees 10:38 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) ³⁸When they had accomplished these things, with hymns and thanksgivings they blessed the Lord who shows great kindness to Israel and gives them the victory.

Tags an auction, family events, thankfulness, Thanksgiving fun

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“Why Tithe 10%?” by guest author, Ivan Muzychenko — September 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date September 23, 2019
No Comments on “Why Tithe 10%?” by guest author, Ivan Muzychenko — September 2019

I had the pleasure of meeting Ivan Muzychenko, a Russian emigrant, when he did tile work for us in our home. And since “frugality” is the second name in “The Frugal Catholic,” I kept asking him questions. He shared how learning to budget and tithe saved his family’s finances. You will likewise benefit both spiritually and financially from tithing, just as Ivan has. Why not? You truly have nothing to lose.

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Ivan, where did you immigrate from; and when and why? Also , how long have you been an American?

My family immigrated from Russia in June of 1991 where we were persecuted for our faith. My parents sold everything and gave proceeds away to the church knowing that
God would provide. God did provide in many miraculous ways. We got our citizenship in 1999.

2. What was your first impression of America? Has that impression changed over the years?

In Russia we lived a basic life. Coming to America we noticed how goods were readily available. If you wanted something you just go to the store and get it. People were very friendly and polite looking out for one another. I can’t say that impression has changed.

3. Do you have a family? If so what are the ages of each member?

I grew up in a large family of 13 children. Now my wife of 13 years have 2 children, Jacob 12 and Hannah 9.

4. What do you do for work Ivan, and what church denomination do you attend?

I am a tile contractor. We go to a Baptist Church.

5. How did you discover the importance of tithing 10%?

Growing up in a Christian home I knew about giving to God. It wasn’t till about 3 years ago that we started to get serious about tithing. We took a financial class at church to get educated on what God says about money. Through that we were convicted to trust God more than ever. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” My wife and I decided to put that to the test.

6. Do you tithe 10%? Why or why not?

We tithe 10% to our church and have been increasing the dollar amount of our tithe each year due to the blessings God has given us. Understanding that the money we receive is a gift from God, we trust that He provides and has our lives planned out. James 1:17 says, “Every good good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” We also give beyond that 10% to other ministries and missions. We believe that giving of time and gifts of service is also important. God provides us with opportunities to serve at our local church and take mission trips regularly.

7. Does your wife work outside of the home, or are you living on one salary? Yours?

My wife is a home maker. God blesses us with enough through one salary that she doesn’t need to work.

8. What have you seen tithing do for your finances and your family?

Tithing developed a trust between my Heavenly Father and me. Knowing without doubting that He is in control. That He is using my gifts and talents to provide for my family. So I do my part and He does His.

9. Do you have any further thoughts to share about living frugally or tithing?

Being frugal for us is a process; it’s difficult to change a lifestyle over a short period of time. We don’t save or put away for retirement as much as we would like. Our budget is all over the place because being a contractor, monthly income varies. Tithing has released me from being responsible to provide for my family financially; it’s in God’s hands. As long as I am being obedient to Him, He does the rest. One less thing to worry about and that’s huge for us. Ultimately knowing that our goal is to store up treasure in heaven where we will spend eternity with King Jesus.

Thank you Martha for giving me this opportunity to share with you my experience and the testimony of God’s faithfulness.

In Christ-

Ivan Muzychenko

(from TFC–also check out the excellent article listed below)

https://www.moneyunder30.com/can-tithing-make-you-rich

Tags tithing, trust in God, wealth from tithing

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The Three Wise Things I’ve Learned in Ten Years by M.W.King M.Ed.–August 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date August 23, 2019
6 Comments on The Three Wise Things I’ve Learned in Ten Years by M.W.King M.Ed.–August 2019

Dear Frugal Catholic Readers,

I thought I’d written this blog for ten years because I have ten years worth of articles in here. But upon looking more closely, I only became a blogger in 2012. However, since I am 70 (and we all know how older folk forget), I am going to say this is my anniversary issue because The Frugal Catholic published her first article in the Saint Cecilia Catholic Church bulletin on August 2009. So Happy Tenth Anniversary to The Frugal Catholic blog!!!!

Now what are those three wise things?

SILENCE ROCKS

The first piece of wisdom is “silence is golden.” It really is. During these 10 years, I’ve watched family problems with all five kids, neighbor issues, two sad divorces, dog biting incidents, financial challenges, and health complications. I wanted to say some very, very ugly things to some really nasty people (especially to the neighbor whose dog bit ours three times). But I didn’t. And now that all of the above situations are better, I don’t have to take back anything I said BECAUSE I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING. Amazing!!!

But how did I keep my fat mouth shut? Oh, this is the really good part. Well, I kept constantly silently saying the “Hail Mary Prayer.” “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen” Must have silently said that prayer a billion times during these 10 years when my lips were sealed. Thus, a good self-control formula is: SHUT MOUTH+ HAIL MARY PRAYER = SELF CONTROL

Ecclesiastes 3:7

a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Exodus 14:14 NASB

“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

LOVE WORKS

The second wise truth I learned is “When you want to hurt someone, love on them instead.” One of my children really gave my husband and me a huge zinger in her behavior. I wanted to tell her how ashamed I was of her and how she had disgraced the family, but silence prevailed. And a wise friend, Lyssa Froud, who had gone through something similar with her daughter said, “Just love on that child, Martha, all you can.” So I did.

And you know what? By me being silent and loving on that child, God changed her. I couldn’t have changed a thing, but my silence and love gave our heavenly Father the chance to do His work.

CHANGE ALWAYS HAPPENS

And the third piece of wisdom is “Nothing will be the same in a year from now.” My husband’s cousin, Janice Encalada, thoughtfully shared this piece of information when we were thrown into that ‘zinger period.’ She said, “Martha, I don’t know what is going to happen, but one thing I do know: Nothing will be the same in a year from now.”

And you know what? She was right: Everything was changed for the better. Thank you Jesus!!!

So thank you faithful The Frugal Catholic readers for reading ten years worth of thoughts. And remember that the very best Frugal Catholic of all is YOU!!!

Tags 10th anniversary, love, silence, truths, wisdom

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“Off Grid Laundry Saves Big” by Martha Wild King M.Ed.–July 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date July 30, 2019
4 Comments on “Off Grid Laundry Saves Big” by Martha Wild King M.Ed.–July 2019

“Projects” are my husband’s middle name. Since retirement, he has never stopped. He goes from renovations to lawn to garden to daily walking four miles with my service dog, Bandit (whom clearly doesn’t want to walk that mileage every morning). But little was I prepared for his newest restoration–redoing the laundry room–and how that redo would affect me. For from this laundry room revival, I have learned how to do off grid washing without machines–and it’s fun and saves big!!!

Why Would Anyone in Their Right Mind Want To Do This?

Well, truthfully, no one in their correct mind would want to do their own laundry in their bathtub or shower, BUT if it meant that such behavior would help that person get their end result, then they’d relish the idea of having their own personal, in-house, laundry-mat. And since neither Michael nor I volunteered to take the family’s weekly dirty clothes to our home-town laundry, I decided to seek a blast from the past. You see, I’ve always been intrigued by the story of how my mother-in-law, Helen King, RIP, did the laundry for all four of her little boys in her bathtub. And I remember, too, my grandmother, Mabel, and the old wooden ringer tool attached to her electric-plug-in-washing-machine found in her basement. Drying in the fall and winter was in that dark basement, but in the spring and summer, clothes were hung outside in the fresh air nearby the grape arbor. Ah such lovely visions brought me to reality, for anyone who has spent any time in any style–plain, fancy, or plain ugly–laundry mat, knows such places eat up your hours and your money. So from that quest came The Frugal Catholic’s Five Simple Steps for Clean Clothes which anyone of any age can do.

What and Why Do You Mean by ‘OFF GRID’?

Now just to clarify, I do have electricity and hot water in my home, but since the washing machine and the dryer are now unplugged and sitting in our living room, they are useless. Thus ‘off grid’ means UP TO ME, my manpower or woman-power. And the whys of it were because I was too lazy to go outside of my home and get my laundry done. Your why might be because you are living in a dorm room or on a boat or a trailer and would like to take control of this basic step in our existence. Also, I wanted to experience what my mother-in-law had done so I turned on U Tube “How We Do Off Grid Laundry in the Winter” by Simply Starry Sustainable Living with God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSm7KMNQxLI Simply Starry got me off to a good start.

What About Space, Equipment, and Costs?

My Space:

my bathroom tub

My Equipment:

two old green kitchen trash cans each 13 gallons in capacity (we already had them in the house) but you can buy two to three 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot or just get two 13 gallon kitchen trash cans—$15
Easy Go Products Hand powered Clothes Washing Wand from Amazon—$23.88
My Easy Go Washing Wand which I can use standing up.
detergent–I like TIDE (he), but if you want to go more cheaply, you can make your own as instructed from the internet; however, creating your own makes a lot and I LOVE the smell of TIDE.—$12
hand held sprayer (the one I have dates about 22 years ago because we have used it to wash kids and dogs, hopefully in that order)–$5
fold-able clothes drying laundry rack (chrome because wood doesn’t hold up as well) from Amazon Basics—$25.98

My Method:

Twice to thrice a week I take our dirty clothes, put them in the green plastic trash cans, fill the cans with hot water from the hand-held sprayer, and a tiny bit of Tide detergent.
I use the AMAZING Easy Go Washing Wand (see above) and plunge it about 100 times.
Then I dump out the very dirty water (I truly am questioning how clean a washing machine gets our clothes), then using the hand-held sprayer, I fill the bucket again, and plunge it about 40 times more to rinse the soap out.
Next I wring out the clothes by hand using the old ‘fold and twist method’, and….
I hang them up on the drying rack which I have put in the tub. That simple.

Any Other Helpful Information??

Yes, I did buy a washboard like the one shown at the top. They do the same thing that my Easy Go Washing Wand does EXCEPT you would have to bend over the tub to use it. All old pictures which I have studied of ladies using a washboard have had this tool at waist level. So save your money and your back and don’t buy a washboard unless you can do your laundry at waist level.

My husband and I have also starting wearing our clothes for more than just one day–basically two or three days for an outfit. This action alone cuts down on the total amount of laundry I have to do, And if you are concerned that people will notice you are sporting the same garb for three days in a row, I guarantee you that they won’t. Do you remember what your significant other wore yesterday? Case in point. Also to use less towels, hang them up daily to dry. Works wonders.

And my final thought is that through a little self-sacrifice called “extra work on my part,” I’ve taken the pressure off of my husband to finish the laundry room “ON MY TIME.” Now he can finish the renovation on his time, and do it as he wants. Remember as it says in Luke 6:38 “give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Kinda sounds like somebody is doing their own laundry!!!

Tags frugality, helping your spouse, off grid laundry, savings

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“How to Feel Instantly Richer” by Martha Wild King M.Ed.–June 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date June 30, 2019
No Comments on “How to Feel Instantly Richer” by Martha Wild King M.Ed.–June 2019

We all get the buy-ite-us bug: Everyone does. https://thefrugalcatholic.com/the-frugal-catholic-rid-yourself-of-buy-ite-us-by-martha-wild-king-m-ed-november-2018/ What we do with this malady, however, either shapes or breaks us. For many, the bug causes great internal and financial distress; but for those who have conquered this disease, feeling rich instantly is EASY to do!!!

What does it mean, however, to feel rich instantly? Does it imply funds falling from the ceiling? Forgotten funds. Alas, if it did, I could locate the $1800 in cash hidden so well in this house that no one could ever find it– myself, now included. That’s not feeling rich instantly. That’s feeling, “Goodness, Lord, what are you up to now?”

Or does it mean that my escaped hamster who absconded my gold necklace and vanished with it into my apartment walls suddenly returns?

Well, maybe.

But more than that, likely feeling rich instantly is what confidence is all about, and that’s the purpose of this article.

Rearrange and Re-Imagine Your Stuff

As a creature of habit, you could probably tell me right now exactly where your couch is. If you can’t, you’ll end up sitting on your floor. The challenge comes when you walk into a department store or look on-line and see new, beautiful furniture, clothes or habits, and want them. Not good. A better habit, however, is to rearrange and re-imagine differently the possessions you currently possess.

I’m really serious on this! Move that chair, and remove that big bowl. Shift that wooden duck to another shelf. Rearrange your picture collection. Transfer those pillows from couch to chair. Use that scarf or tie with a different shirt or jacket. No need to purchase when relocation and re-imagining will give you a whole new feel.

Rearranging I figure you can figure out, but here is an example of re-imagining, just in case you need one. Grandmother Martha is sitting at the fancy dinner table with Son #2 and his two-darling-daughters (her granddaughters) ages 5 and 2. The 2-year-old bumps into Grandma’s 40-year-old plate collection hanging on the wall. They simultaneously crash on the floor. Grandmother takes another sip of wine and ignores the whole event lest she traumatize the tiny child over the broken dishes. And now, that all have left, the dishes have been removed and given to Good Will and the plate stand presently is a monthly changing spot for various collections contained throughout the home like: cows, rabbits, turtles, birds, rocks, and Big Foot replicas–SLOCK as my husband and #2 son call them. “Magic,” as I commonly refer to them. https://thefrugalcatholic.com/the-frugal-catholic-the-hidden-value-of-making-magic-in-your-home-by-martha-wild-king-m-ed-june-2017/ Anyway, plate stand now turned into museum display case= re-imagining.

Practice Thankfulness

As frugal Catholics, thankfulness is a bomb in our spiritual arsenal. In the Catholic EUCHARISTIC PRAYER II used in Mass, the Priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” And we respond, “It is right and just.” Then the Priest adds, “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things, whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin. ” Just as the above thirty-five italicized words are like a three-braided cord forming God’s plan of salvation, for which it is our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, giving thanks is just plain FUN!!!

Thankfulness draws me away from my cares and propels me into mentally praying a prayer of care for others. Here is an example: My son recently went through a divorce. It was a year long process. Well, when the enemy was pelting his weapons towards me during those months, THANKFULNESS was a Godsend. When I’d get assailed by fear, regret, defeat, depression, doubt, lies and lack of faith, I’d just start being thankful for everything from my legs that work, my lack of back pain, my wonderful service dog Bandit, my arms that can still hold my grandchildren. Gracious, the list goes on.

Well, thankfully thankfulness won.

Practicing thankfulness also gives you a sense of power. I can eat my two slices of bread sandwiched around some good meat and a lovely piece of cheese; and before I take my first bite, I can ask God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth and all the Universe, and my Heavenly Father–I can ask HIM to Bless, Guide, Prosper and Protect each person and their family who gave me my gluten-free sandwich, and I know HE is going to do it because HE told me so!!! Praying your own thankful prayer will leave you feeling powerfully rich. https://thefrugalcatholic.com/the-frugal-catholic-blessed-to-be-a-blessing-by-martha-wild-king-m-ed-december-2016/

Or another way to restate thankfulness is a saying my mother, a child of The Great Depression, used to repeat. “I wept because I had no shoes until I met the man who had no feet.”

Take a Deep Breath

When I was raising five children and homeschooling them too for 22 years, by the end of the day, all I could do was stare at the wall and breathe. My husband’s military service required many days absence from home so I forged ahead as a single parent. It was because of that stress that I learned several deep breaths were the best medicine.

Years later I began to see how when I needed a change of head-set (such as feeling instantly richer), just taking several very deep breaths allowed me to taste the air. So no matter where I am, on the back porch, the top of a mountain, or even breathing the taste of fresh grass or sea air, taking a deep breath is one of life’s best free“feel rich instantly” medicines.

So to feel rich instantly. in this moment:

step outside,
take a VERY deep breath,
then walk back in on legs that hopefully work,
and sit in your favorite re-arranged and re-imagined chair.
BLESSINGS, Martha

Tags feel rich, get rich quickly, thankfulness

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“DIY Wedding” by Whitley Osterhout–guest writer–April 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date April 15, 2019
No Comments on “DIY Wedding” by Whitley Osterhout–guest writer–April 2019

The Frugal Catholic had the privilege of meeting Whitley Osterhout, a professional wedding planner in Washington state, in 2018, and I was impressed with the love and sincerity with which she executed her profession. Whitley is sharing with my Frugal Catholic readers her insights into how to have a “frugal” DIY Wedding!!! Enjoy. Whitley’s email is whitleyosterhout@gmail.com

1. TFC— How long have you been a wedding planner in Washington state?

WO—In total I’ve been in the wedding industry for 4 years specializing in Wedding Planning and 2 years on my own in my business.

2. TFC—What made you go into this field, and how did you train for this profession?

WO—It just kind of happened! I always knew I wanted to own my own business and had a constant pulling in two directions of logistics and creativity, but couldn’t seem to find the right vocational field. I went to college and received my Associates in Business and planned to go into the bookkeeping field. Months after graduating, I got thrown into the role of coordinator the morning of my cousin’s wedding, and instantly knew it was something I needed to pursue. After my Associates in Business, I got accepted into a year long Wedding Planner Internship. After completing 125 weddings there, I took a three month online course to receive my Wedding Planner Certification.

3. TFC—What is the highest priced wedding you have planned so far and what was it like? And what was the lowest priced wedding plan you’ve done, and how did it rate?

WO—That’s a tough question. I would guess between $40,000-$50,000. I had a bride from Texas get married up here and they rented out a house on top of the cost of $5,500 venue, and since she isn’t local, she ended up having to hire everything out. It was absolutely stunning and very well done. My sister’s wedding at $8,000 is the cheapest I’ve ever done. Typically if it’s a really budget conscious bride, they don’t find the value in a Wedding Coordinator.

4. TFC—Let’s say I want to have a frugal wedding; about what would it cost, and where would I start for my DIY wedding?WO—There are a couple variants that will guide you to come up with a practical budget for your wedding. The first is your venue. Is it a typical venue where prices start at $3,500 and go up from there? Or are you using a community type building which is more of a labor of love but has great potential? The second variant is guest count. Not only is it a lot of people, but the more guests you have the more tables you’ll have, food, centerpieces, dessert, etc. The third thing that dramatically affects the cost is do you have family and friends that are willing to fill in the gaps for Professional Wedding Vendors? (DIY floral, Catering it yourself, Playing a Spotify playlist, etc.) Personally, I did my sister’s 150 person wedding for $8,000 two years ago. Including wedding dress, bridal party gifts, and all those other little things people don’t think to account for in the overall budget. AnnaMae (my sister) got married at the beautiful Greenfield Farm and Gardens which two years ago went for the rate of $4,000. Half of her total budget! Being in the wedding industry I had the resources to cut costs that all brides may not have (to keep in mind). Once you have an estimated wedding budget overall and have picked a venue, your next two vendors to find are the photographer and the caterer. Luckily the photographer my sister used was a family friend and no longer had it as a full fledged business so we got an amazing deal. (If there’s one thing I wouldn’t budget on, it’s a wonderful photographer, since the photos are all you have left of this special day, and you want to be happy with them.) For the food, we had another family friend who had a food truck they took to fairs for years so they knew where to cut costs.

I ended up being the one woman show the day of my sister’s wedding. Bridesmaid, Sister, Wedding Planner (though I did hire out a Wedding Coordinator to take over for me the day of.) And I also had to act as the DJ and make announcements since the venue came with the speaker. Was the wedding beautiful? Yes! Were my sister and brother-in-law happy, absolutely. But to me the whole day was a blur. I think to have a DIY wedding, you have to be diligent. Do you want your family members and friends enjoying the big day or working it? If you decide not to go full DIY wedding, I highly recommend hiring out a wedding pro that will be there the day of to make it seamless. Prior to the wedding there are other things you can do to cut costs such as buying your own linens and ironing them, coming up with your own pre-made centerpieces, or even having that one aunt, who always wants to help, make all the cupcakes for the day of. You have to decide what’s best and realistic for your big

5. TFC—Do you have a time-table-countdown-schedule you could share?

WO— Every timeline varies but here’s a basic timeline to work off of.

10:00 AM—Eastwood Events Arrives and setup begins
10:15 AM—Rental items arrive
11:00 AM—Floral arrives
1:00 PM—Photographer and videographer arrives
1:15 PM—Photographer detailed shots
1:30 PM—First look
2:00 PM–Caterer arrives
2:30 PM—Dessert arrives
3:00 PM—DJ arrives
Ceremony
4:00 PM–Guests begin to arrive
4:15 PM—Guests to be seated
4:25 PM—Line up for processional
4:30 PM—Ceremony begins
5:00 PM—Recessional
Cocktail Hour
5:05 PM—Cocktail hour begins
5:15 PM—Finish family photos, sign marriage license
5:45 PM—Guests to be seated for dinner
Reception
5:50 PM—Grand entrance
6:00 PM—Dinner begins
6:20 PM—Guests grab a drink for toasts
6:40 PM—Toasts begin
7:00 PM—Cutting of the dessert
7:15 PM—First dance
7:20 PM—Father/daughter dance
7:25 PM—Mother/son dance
7:30 PM—Open dancing
9:30 PM—Last call for alcohol
9:45 PM—Grand exit
10:00 PM—Eastwood Events leaves

6. TFC–What are 8 ways you might have for paring down wedding costs?

WO–Try these eight.

Buy your own wedding linens, iron them, and then you can resell them in a FB wedding group after the event.
Join as many local wedding buy/sell groups as you can. This group is made up of local brides selling anything and everything from their wedding that they used once, and you get the discount price.
Make your own desserts, and buy your personal one tier cake to cut. Or buy sheet cakes for your guests. You’d be amazed how much money you can save by buying sheet cakes vs. a three tiered cake, and it’s more practical for cutting.
The big trend I see right now is that brides are using a greenery garland as a centerpiece for all of the tables. This is a very easy DIY especially for us living in the Pacific Northwest.
Let’s talk attire. There are so many alternative ways to buy wedding gowns now. A personal favorite of mine right now is Brides For a Cause http://bridesforacause.com Wedding gowns can be purchased here for less than half the price. Some gowns are previously worn and others are donated by boutiques. I especially like the meaning behind this company, for a portion of your proceeds goes to an ill bride’s wedding.
Spotify your music playlist. Ive heard of this happening many times. I would say, however, if you want to save on your DJ, then hire a Wedding Coordinator, and visa versa. But you need either a DJ or a Wedding Coordinator, if not both. Both of them are keeping an eye on the timeline and flow of the day, otherwise things will get off track.
For your DIY wedding floral, go to your local Farmer’s Market and use what they currently have in bloom. It will help cut some cost!
Go thorough a rental company for signage or any other little items you need. These items will cost less to rent than to buy, and it’s one less thing you have to worry about storing after the wedding.

7. What is your best wedding advice, or what is the best way to STAY married?

WO—My top piece of advice is that love and marriage is a choice, and my second piece of advice is that both love and marriage should be a giving contest. I believe there are days in a marriage where you may not like the other spouse, but it’s important to still choose to love him or her. I also think the number one cause of disagreements is derived from selfishness and thinking of ourselves first, and if we are to focus on the giving and not the taking then it’s more likely to be a happy, healthy relationship and marriage.

Tags DIY Wedding, frugal wedding, money-saving weding

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“The Art of Letting Go” by M.W.King–March 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date March 18, 2019
No Comments on “The Art of Letting Go” by M.W.King–March 2019

Of how much of you own can you let go? That has been a constant thought I’ve had in recent years since we lived for many months in a “tiny home”–a 19 foot travel trailer. Then the question arose again when my husband and I refurbished, over a year’s time, a small efficiency apartment in Washington DC, having only kitchen goods, a table, two chairs and a blow up mattress. Now the question arises again each time I come into my “regular home.” We have so much “stuff” we don’t really use or need. Seems a shame not to release it to someone else.

The real truth in life is that LESS IS MORE. Honestly, the less stuff you own, the more space you possess. The fewer clothes in your closet, the more combining choices you have. The less jewelry, scarves, or watches that own you, the more you’ll enjoy what matters.

In times past, people possessed so little, and their lives were simpler for it. With my own generation of The Baby Boomers, we have amassed huge piles of stuff; and now we have to get rid of these possessions, for our children don’t want most of it. And they certainly don’t want to sort through it after we head off to heaven. For example, a nice gentleman on the plane the other day stated that his Baby Boomer mom has a house full of “chotzskies” or hundreds of little metal boxes which she loves. He or his wife don’t want a single one. What to do???

So the question remains, what to keep and how to release?

Well to make this a simple blog post, shoot for these five steps.

Take a look at what you have.

Pull aside what you might release. If that “item” doesn’t speak to you like it did when you purchased it, consider letting it go.

Make everything readable if you are talking labels such as pantry goods; then decide what you haven’t used in a year to six months. Also check expiration dates.

Put what can be given away in a bag, basket, or box.

But don’t release anything. SIT ON IT! By not releasing the items immediately, I’ve often retrieved one or two pieces of clothing or possessions as I was itemizing them for taxes because I realized that the items could be used or worn another way.

You won’t believe how much cleaner your home will feel. Jesus knew this plain fact too, for when He sent out His disciples in pairs of two, He told them to take nothing but what they had on their backs. Simple living? You bet.

Tags baby boomers, less is more, Releasing stuff

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“What IS Frugality Anyway?” by M.W.King M.Ed.–Jan 2019

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date January 28, 2019
2 Comments on “What IS Frugality Anyway?” by M.W.King M.Ed.–Jan 2019

Last year, I turned 70, had my spine fused, and moved into a new multi-generational home. But the year’s biggest jolt was learning that some folks have never heard of the word “FRUGAL.” Yes, as I was walking the Platt River Trail in CO, I ran into two such adults. One lady in her sixties said, “Can you explain that term? I’ve never heard of it.” Another younger woman said, “Frugality? Is that some kind of disease?” So for my many readers in 2019, it is time to go back to the basics with some help from my frugal friends.

FRUGALITY DEFINED

As a writer, I LOVE words. So I looked up the term. The dictionary defines frugality as: The quality of being frugal, or prudent in living; the lack of wastefulness; careful with money, penny wise, or thrifty.

Georgia P., my neighbor in Washington, who is wonderfully frugal, described it thus: “To me frugality means living within your current means, not your imagined future means or what you believe you deserve. Borrow very carefully! Delay luxuries in order to save. Choose high quality in small amounts over large amounts of cheap, poor quality. Control the ‘latte factor’ [Dave Ramsey]. Buy bulk–don’t pay retail. Do it yourself if you have the skills and are able. Ignore what the media says we should look like, how we should dress, especially what’s in fashion today. Stick with classic, not trendy. In the kitchen, stick with ingredients, not prepared food. Again, higher quality at lower cost.”

Margaret R., a friend of fifty-eight years from West Virginia, stated: “For me, frugality means spending our money and resources wisely with careful consideration of the needs of the past, present, and future. Even though I am financially sound, I have kept the habits of bargain hunting, cutting out unnecessary items, always paying credit card expenses in full each month, avoiding always needing to get the latest style, using the library, and fixing things myself rather than buying new.” Margaret added, “I have observed frugality in my parents, neighbors, and friends, and its appearance can be found in a wide range of age groups. Sometimes frugality appears to be stingy and other times generous. I learned most of what I know from my own experience on a limited budget as a single parent raising two daughters and working full time. Frugality allowed me to send them to college.”

And The Frugal Catholic’s best definition of FRUGALITY is: “SAVE IT HERE: STASH IT THERE; AND TITHE IT TEN PERCENT.”

WHAT IS NOT FRUGAL?

Well, of course, this “save it here: stash it there…” mentality could be profitable for those who like to hoard ketchup packages that come with fast food meals, but what about taking the whole ketchup bottle off the restaurant table or grabbing fist fulls of raw sugar packs at Starbucks? Doesn’t that translate into “frugality”? No actually that is termed “stealing.” That is not “frugality,” for as Leslie states, “Frugality should never be confused with stinginess or lack of generosity.” Leslie reminded me of a neighbor who experienced NON-Frugal. Stan and Susan (name changed) refinanced their house to a fixed rate mortgage–smart move– but also increased the mortgage to have cash for the kitchen extension–bad move. They over paid for the remodel because Stan, who worked with contracts all the time, had a “GOOD FEELING” about a contractor and failed to do any price comparisons. So Stan and Susan overpaid for the remodel by about $100,000 because the “good feeling contractor” Stan chose was wasn’t reputable. In addition, Stan revealed to another neighbor that he (unknown to Susan) had enough money in stock options to pay cash for the overpriced remodel but chose not only to NOT pay in cash but hid this fact from Susan. Susan stated, “Had I been informed, I would have pushed very hard to use available funds rather than borrow. We could have had the house paid off more than once by now, and we would be looking at at least double the cash out.” Non-frugal was in failing to give complete information and decision making to his partner Susan and keeping that information to himself.

WHAT ABOUT GIVING?

So often when one thinks about penny pinching to grow rich, the last thought is about giving one’s money away. Yet the two of them flow together. Margaret states: “I believe tithing helps set the state for frugality. Giving the tithe first, set me free to be frugal. Being frugal and tithing both involve setting priorities and require self discipline. Being able to set spending limits required with frugality, allows tithing to be a doable option. Yes, they (frugality and tithing) are related but not intertwined. Tithing is centered on giving where frugality is focused inward toward self.” Leslie also added: “I don’t tithe per se; but in my paid working life I gave a great deal of professional time without pay, and have spent a huge part of my adult life caring for my parents, sometimes at high personal cost in money and time. I have opened my home to numerous friends and family members in need, and have rescued many animals in need. Being frugal in some areas allows for the generosity in others.”

FINAL FRUGAL THOUGHTS

One of the more interesting articles I studied was about rich frugal billionaires. https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-richest-and-most-frugal-billionaires-2016-1#warren-buffett-chairman-and-ceo-of-berkshire- Warren Buffet ($60.7 billion) stated, “My life couldn’t be happier. In fact, it’d be worse if I had six or eight houses. So I have everything I need to have, and I don’t need any more because it doesn’t make a difference after a point.” Charlie Ergen ($14.5 billion and Dish Network Chairman) packs his lunch of a sandwich and Gatorade before work every day and used to share hotel rooms with colleagues, until recently. He attributes his frugal habits to his mother who grew up during the depression. And Carlos Slim Helu’ (the richest man in Mexico) stated “What you have to do is make it [money] grow, reinvest to make it bigger, or diversify into other areas. Maintain austerity in prosperous times (in times when the cow is fat with milk).”

Finally the Bible doesn’t address frugality, but it certainly addresses “the love of money.” It says in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” Yes frugality is an internal decision to stretch what you have; whereas, loving money is like making an idol to worship. And as Margaret wisely noted, frugality must come from within and from within is it achieved. Whether you think you can be frugal or you know you can’t–both are right. The decision is up to you, but frugality will change your life forever. It is a wonderfully radical decision.

Frugality can radically change your finances and life.

Tags frugal defined, frugality, non-frugal, spending wisely

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“Rid Yourself of Buy-Ite-Us” by Martha Wild King, M.Ed.–November 2018

Post author By Martha Wild King
Post date November 26, 2018
No Comments on “Rid Yourself of Buy-Ite-Us” by Martha Wild King, M.Ed.–November 2018

How Do You Know if You Have BUY-ITE-US?

In 2017, the flu got a lot of people, myself and my husband included. It hit hard with little warning. And we weren’t alone: a lot of friends got it, and some ended up in the hospital. The problem with the flu is that the vaccine doesn’t always cover what is actually out there. BUY-ITE-US (the strong desire to purchase) is likewise indiscriminate on whom it strikes, for it can hit all ages. Fortunately, unlike the flu however, a cure exists from this malady, and YOU are the only one who can completely remedy it with three simple cures.

What Exactly is BUY-ITE-US?

BUY-ITE-US could best be defined as “a strong desire to buy—“anything.” This malady usually hits when you don’t have any money at the end of the month or even when you do at the beginning; and if you use Amazon Prime, it can strike late in the evening when you’ve had too much wine to drink. It is a dangerous disorder that can wreck your credit ratings, divide a happy marriage, and generally leave you wondering what hit.

BUY-ITE-US can wreak havoc if one can’t control it, and it is particularly challenging around Christmas time.

What Can BUY-ITE-US Do to You?

As stated this malady inflicts destruction on your life. We want happiness, and somehow we think that shopping therapy will help. But it doesn’t because our desire to feel better doesn’t get better. We just end up with more stuff and no place to put it. Only God can give us that feeling of peace and contentment if we but let Him. The other main problem with this impulse buying is that everything should have a place in our homes, and if there is no space or place then you don’t need everything. So what is the best way to deal with our wants versus our needs?

How Can I Cure BUY-ITE-US?

Three cures exist for this condition.

The first major cure is TITHING. Now if you haven’t tithed before, here is what it looks like. You take 10% of your incoming funds and give that percent to your church or a mission which you feel important. That is God’s leading. As The Frugal Catholic said last month, “Give to God His 10% due and 90% blessed will He return to you.” Truthfully, by giving away that first 10%, something happens in your brain. You become more content with what you have and the desire to acquire is diminished. Also by tithing, everything seems to last longer. It is the same concept as when Elijah asked the widow for food in 1 Kings 17:7. What she had, although very little, lasted well over many days. Tithing is supernatural, but if you feel leery about tithing 10%, then begin with 5%, or wherever you can. You will watch the Lord provide in amazing ways.

The Widow of Zarephath

⁸Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹“Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” ¹⁰So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” ¹¹As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” ¹³Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” ¹⁵She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

* * *

The second major cure is to take stock of what you have when BUY-ITE-US hits. For example, although I was really into used clothing, my closet now holds about one-fourth of what it did. Everything that didn’t feel just right was let go and slowly the preferred brand names were purchased. In taking stock too, look at your food and arrange cans or products so you can read them. Often we purchase more of something because we aren’t taking stock of what we have.

The third major cure sounds easy but it’s not. Number three is to stay out of stores. Yes, that includes ALL stores, on line and the kind you walk into. Just remember “SOS” or “Stay Out of Stores.” Now if staying out of stores is too hard, you can always go to your Amazon wish list and go shopping that way. 99% of the time that “Wish List” shopping helps remove the ITCH of Buy-ite-us. Just don’t push the “buy now” button. Not wise when no monies.

What Will My Life Look Like Without BUY-ITE-US?

When you mentally get control of your spending by tithing, taking stock of what you have, and staying out of stores (SOS), you will most likely get better at living within your means through budgeting. In the 38 years of marriage, the more closely we have tithed, the easier and more satisfying budgeting became. A budget is just like a train track; it is a path to run on. I also find that creating that Amazon wish list and NOT buying is very satisfying. So give these tricks a try–tithing, budgeting, and staying out of stores. The beauty of living this life as a Catholic Christian is that we are not in charge; God is. The closer we come to living His will, the happier our lives become.