Using a calling card for long distance calling is the best way to go. I don't use a cell phone, as there is no privacy with the channels. Anyone can hear sometimes. What I do is go to Sam's Club and buy there 800 minute calling cards for $50.00/a card. It is the best way to call. I don't use it all the time. I limit my long distance this way as I don't have it on my land phone, and chose to go local only. I do miss shopping at Sam's Club now. I still have my calling card from there with a whole lot of minutes left on it from April 25-31 week when I bought it, and I know a lot of people that are friends and family from when I lived in Georgia, and Arizona. My extended family lives in Arizona, and I call them every couple weeks. My friends get the same call from me too. My calling card is a lifesaver when it comes to conversing with Canadian Pharmacies too for refills on medication. The calling cards at WalMart are just as expensive now that they charge a connection fee on their calling cards. I have a friend who said she would pick me up one when going to Sam's Club for me. I will give her the money and this next calling card should last me another two months. You can't get this good of calling plan with a regular land line long distance deal. I am happy to report my man is going back to work next month on a parttime basis. Just to get his feet and back off the couch, as he needs exercise, and he is getting none now, but at work. This should help get him back in to the swing of things. I, however, wont be going back to work, as I have decided to take it easy on my mind/brain with the MS. This is not going to effect us getting calling cards from WalMart or Sam's Club. Lastly I always check to make sure the calling card has little connection cost upon activation. I would say this is even my being frugal, but I always say if the benefit outways the cost it is worth the money to spend. I see these calling cards as a benefit. If, I lost our land line due to non payment. We would still be able to use the calling card anywhere we want too, even the management company office of our apartment complex. I sometimes use the grocery store phones saying I don't have money for the pay phone, so I use the calling card to call home and tell my helpers to get down to the store and help me carry our groceries home in the next town. My car is too small for all that I buy at WalMart, so I usually need the other car. I tell them on the phone the time I will be done and to be here by that time to help by taking some of the staples in to the other vehicles, so you see the calling card from Sam's Club really does work out for the price of it. Well bye for now. Chat later.

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This Memorial Day 2008. My man, and I with all the kids in tow went down to the park and camped two blocks away from our home. I didn't have to cook. My adult daughters did the cooking. I am happy to report I am not, as barren as I thought. I thought I had the flu this past week, and it turns out I am pregnant. We are all happy with the news. My family is proud and non-conventional sort of people. I now think our family is complete. ten children is enough for anyone I think. Although, there is a report of a family called the Duggars in Arkansas with their 18th child to be delivered in about 9 months. That is pretty amazing. Well anyhow we got our pop up camper going and towed it to the park camping area. The place is free to camp at in our town to large families. There is a public shower, so we don't have to walk two blocks to get a shower. I never liked vacationing at home, but two blocks away and free. It was too much a temptation to pass up. There is a hospital right up the hill too incase of an injury while hiking on the trail behind the park and along the river. Right next to the park a public pool, since swimming in the river is forbidden in town. I intend to collect flowers and dry them and make a collage of them when we get back home. The kids are all out of school. My young 5 year old is still on the chain link run away proof she has ADHD and is terribly high flight endangering her health risk when we go out to a store. What do my neighbors think of our vacation. Well they laughed at first, but then when they saw how happy we were to be away for a weekend. They stopped laughing and got serious. They told my man that it was an ingenious vacation and the way he could keep an eye on our house while on vacation was inspiring. Vacations don't have to be expensive headaches with Mother Nature spoiling everything. If the weather gets bad we can pack up and head two blocks home without wasting gas, then when it clears up we just get back to camping, and all it cost is our manual labor of moving about in town. We don't get tired during a long drive. We can use a library without having to go 15 miles to town. We can use the parks swing sets and have fun right at our finger tips so to speak.

Vacations in town mean being close to a dollar store when we run out of things and we know they aren't at home. Some people live on a lake and call that an all-year round vacation not us. We call that too much work, when all we do is the camping once a year thing. This year our town, and next year we may even head to another town nearby with a free campground, and a WalMart near there too. Our WalMart is 30 miles down the road from us. I like to go once a month and stock up. Meats go in a cooler with dry ice (milk too), and regular items that we don't get at the convenient store is good at car temperature until we get home. I do miss having a WalMart right down the street from us, but on the positive side I am not always running to WalMart now that it is 30 miles away. Gas prices this summer has made us very mother of invention and father inventive too. We may go camping too near our home, but it is still away from our home and hurried lifestyle. Well enough said at a library now, and am out of time because in 15 minutes it will close for today. Happy Memorial Day and Weekend all.

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Well with the gas prices the way they are of late, and what they will be this summer. Our family is suffering. I no longer can work. The man of the house is on disability now too,  because of a knee replacement surgery that he had to have this winter. The nieces and nephews all are expecting big gifts this spring and summer for birthday gifts, and I am not giving in to them. I have resigned my issue about not really dollar stores if they aint a dollar store wide, as I have now been shopping in one and found it quite delightful. I got Barbie house for 10 dollars what would have cost me 34 dollars at Toys 'R US store. I like this store a lot. It is still named a dollar store in its name. It just isn't a dollar store wide. Amending that issue was easy, and now to amend the WalMart issue. I shop there for almost everthing now. Just none name brand and sale items only. The children don't mind. I am even charging rent to our oldest children still wanting to live at home, yes I am still sick with MS. Not having an easy time of it. We had to give up our cable TV. Our Sam's Club went very bye bye as well. We can't afford to shop there anymore anytime of month. I can't wait til my man goes back to work full time. Well I have been taking meds that are good and inexpensive since we make a monthly trip to Canada to get them cheaply now. I thank god we moved back to Minnesota closer to cheap meds in Canada. Well I got to go exercise. We use the library for the Internet and all the entertainment free. I love the library for that. It is too bad that we are only allowed an hour on the net here though. So next place is mall walking another free thing. Well glad to see Spring. Lets hope for an Indian Summer. Bye for now. Be back soon.

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I am so sick and tired of rich people using my dollar store in town as a way to get out of paying for craft supplies. For instance I was in the store the other day behind a lady at the check out. She was dolled up to the max with pearls on and everything. I started a conversation saying "you look nice" and she went on to say "thank you I just love dollar stores for the shower curtain material and shelf paper material so I can get my craft area looking spiffy for a $1 or $2 instead of costing me a lot of money. I can afford it I just don't want to spend it. It is too bad only poor people use dollar stores." then she went on to say she thought that we poor people should get our money woes taken care of that way we would not have to use dollar stores as they degrade KMart and WalMart. I was aghast at what she thought poor people should shop and do. I thank the owner of the dollar store in town every night in my prayers, and I thought maybe if she didn't like shopping with poor people she should have stayed home and let her husband or maid do the shopping for her.

These people should not be using dollar stores. Dollar stores are for the struggling, not the well to do cheapskate that happen to take up all the inventory from the store for the wrong reason instead of living on what we purchase at the dollar store, for example, actually using a shower curtain for the shower instead of in the craft room. I say go get a table cloth if you need one that badly and leave the shower curtains for the intended purpose that they were made for in the first place. I told the cashier what she said and the cashier agreed with me. Cheapskate which is not saying all dollar store shoppers should be poor, but just under $70,000 dollars even $25,000 dollars a year. The owner of the store still gets their money, and we can feel comfortable shopping there without feeling like we are being judged for being poor. I only wish she could walk a mile in my shoes then maybe she would keep her mouth shut. I get very angry when I hear rich people say if poor people could only do....Well maybe the rich in my area should "pay it forward" instead of being selfish and spoiled. The other day one lady did just that for me. I couldn't get to Canada this week, so I had to use the pharmacy down the road from our home in the next town. A well to do woman saw I had no money for co-pay and paid my co-pay for me. I said thank you and wished I could "pay it forward" someday as well to someone else. I have shopped at dollar stores and never experienced this kindness from well to do snobs aka cheapskate who frequent my stores. Well anyhow sorry if I offended anyone I just get real angry and have to vent at least I do not swear outright on here be thankful for that mercy. I still use the library which is another mercy for my poorness. Angel Food Ministries is helping out next month, as it was too late for this month. We had to use the Food Pantry in town, and that is free. I am at the library now so got to go. Hope the best for all of you poor folks like me and my family. G-bless.

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My Big Family Dollar Store on Highway 10 is closing this month due to sales being not so good, and the fact that Dilworth, MN now has a Super Center WalMart. It is the only grocery and clothing store and plant store and liquor store in one store the town of 3002 has to claim. I know that the dollar store chain that that one is one has closed, or is closing soon. It was a dollar store wide and it had many good things for gifts and food. Cleaning and more was there too. Include baby items that are going to be missed there for me with gifting at showers that noone nows I got them there. I am sad to see them go. I am glad to see the Dollar Tree in Fargo, ND stay though. It is worth the trip into Fargo for that an hour that is for me. Well we will all miss you at The Big Family Dollar Store if you are or can read this post. Sorry to see you go from a loyal shopper to your store. Bye. Good Luck in your future store.

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I have made a lot of improvements in my family life. I now make all my things I need to live by from scratch so to speak. I made a purse out of recycled items that is working out good. I made curtains out of unfinished quilt tops for my room when the curtain rod broke. I just nailed up the quilt top. It was made out of thick stuff, so it will do. I sew my own bras too. I make my clothes as I look on the internet for pictures of tops and jeans I like then print the picture. I enlarge it with my Image enhancer and print it up at the library i.e. copier in color for 15 cents. Then I take it home. Sew away my blues. I already have my measurements.  We use the library internet for what we need to look up. My home computer is acting up, so we are improvising, and we may give it up all together. It has been fun, but isolating.

Firing up a winter fire is easy if you get the newspaper. I recently added a corner fireplace. It's not a full wall fireplace, but it burns paper well and we haven't had to pay for wood, or newspaper. I asked our neighbor for her paper that she isn't using, and she gladly gave me it to make logs for the fire place. Sunday paper is the best it burns a longer time. This winter we were nice and toasty. It is better on the environment too.

You can do this simple living too all you need is a will to do it. The schools have sewing centers in my area that they let the public use during class time in exchange for helping out. Maybe it is like that in your area of the USA, or Canada? Well lets say envirosafe and be well. Hurrah!

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I was looking in the mirror this morning. I found a lot of little grey hairs spouting every where near my hair line. I have long hair. I want to cut it myself, which I think of me as the family barber, but I don't know how to dye it myself. Can anyone respond with brown hair dye with red tints in it dye job how to in this blog site? How does anyone afford the cost of a mall hair dye beauty salon shop expense of 59 dollars plus tax when you are frugal and poor? Well I hope you can be helpful.

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My father and I have called it quits on our life time feud. He is being civil and I am being civil. Lets see who holds out the longest heh? I bet it is me. But, I wouldn't real money down on it. I might lose the bet. Well this will be the first Christmas ever that we are getting along beautifully. I hope he isn't thinking I am dying. I only have MS and that isn't life threatening as long as I am on my meds. I make each memory with a picture of us smiling sitting by each other lately. I can't remember who took them tho. Think it was mum. Well here is to a merry Christmas.

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Christmas is fun in the MidWest. We get snow. This year it looks new, as we are visiting relations in Minnesota, and trying to get a home to stay in for a while. I went shopping at Target in Moorhead, and I saw they had a dollar only section. They had Christmas gifts there for all the family members. The total I spend each year on Family is $40 dollars. My children got notebooks at a dollar each. That is 10 notebooks/journals with pens. Next My hubby got his favorite Christmas Candy. My mom got a calendar for this next year of the Greek Isles. My sisters each got a baking apron. One doesn't bake her husband does, so it was sort of a joke gift in one. My brother got a hair comb and brush. His is so old that it is cracked and split. It is made of wood. I got him plastic which last forever, so everybody says. My sister-in-law got yellow colored make up bag, as she is high maintenance. The children my nephews and nieces got princess toys and the toy cars. You guess which went to which. All for a dollar plus tax. I also got coffee for the adults that was gourmet for christmas one cup each bags. I guess I will be the one that starts the Christmas fight this year. LOL Only one coffee maker at my relations. My total bill was easier than shopping at Wal-Mart. I always thought Wal-Mart was the cheapest store in the city. I guess I was wrong. Well hot cocoa calls my name and I got to get to wrapping my nieces birthday present for this Saturday. Isn't it cute having a one year old and Christmas all in one month. I don't think so. It is the worst month to have a baby. Worse on the pocketbook that is for us poor. Well have a good day.

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Hi I know you all know me as the dollar store shopping freak, but did you know you can shop for all your Christmas needs at a dollar store as well.

Here is what you can get at a dollar store, and prices may very in different dollar stores.

1. wrapping paper

2. ribbons

3. toys for children

4. gift baskets

5. calenders

6. Perfumes by Mary Kate and Ashley Olson.

7. candles

8. socks

9. Candy

10. various bubble bath and scrubs.

11. gift bags

12. makeup

13. tools

14. car assessories

15. coloring books and activity books

16. pet Christmas stockings and presents

17. cooking supplies like soup ladle, sushi utinsels, and others

18. Spices

19. Jams and Bread and Butter Pickles

20. knicknacks, picture frames, photo albums for all, and dishware/glass ware.

All of these at my dollar stores cost a dollar only plus tax. They are brand new and nice. The Dollar Tree and The Big Family Dollar Stores are great places to go shopping. If a dollar only store isn't your appeal for your wallet or taste there are places like Loopy's where it is any item $1, 2, or 5, and every item price in between. I have a nice place setting I bought at my dollar store. You can do more. Just be creative amd frugal in spending. Keep to that spending plan or budget as some would like to say. Well I hope you all read my entry as the Saving Freak has abused blog entries for the past few days, as we are only allowed 5 max and this person seems to have up to ten. Unfair I know, but maybe this person will learn not to tick us bloggers off like me. Well Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

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I finally can say the Salvation Army is the store for me. I got a purse there for 50 cents on a half off and red tag day. It was an Liz Claireborn purse that was brand spanking new with plastic and paper inside it to boot. It is brown leather with multi compartments full size. This is no makeup purse. My daughter is constantly bugging me to borrow it. In the store it would have cost me $35.00 plus tax. It only cost 50 cents plus tax a total of 58 cents more so. I always have a frugal mind set. Now that we live in Georgia it is expensive. I can say the weather has to do with the prices that is for sure. We used coupons for everything before now we use coupons and sales together just to survive here in Georgia. My main man and I plan on moving back to MN so I can be near my family, and the children too. It is cheaper living there by far. It may kill me with my arthritis, but it is better for my mental state right now with the MS. We will go to Arizona at the end of next year if MN doesn't work out, so he can be near his family too. Life is hard enough living frugally without the help of family. Why make it harder yet is what I always say. Well got to go. Holiday business is got me going here too.

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I started my therapy off right with a new cookbook that has cancer food recipes so that the I don't eat the wrong food while recovering, It has a lot of gluten free recipes, but also fatty acid recipes. Is there any other library cookbooks out there that could help. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thank you and God bless.

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Well, we are in Georgia now. I am going to Cancer Treatment Center of America here to shrink my new development cancer on my brain stem. We are all hopeful as it has only been a few weeks since they found the spot that has grown. It is beautiful here. I saw Kim Basinger in person at the airport I think, but I am not sure. She does own a town in Georgia, but then again I have been having vision problems due to the spot on my brain stem, so it may not be. My daughter just got a job at a grocery store. I am using my voucher to get us housing reduced. We have a nice two bedroom a block away from the treatment center. It is convenient and nice. It has no ammenities like pool, but it does have a dishwasher. It also has assisted living on the top floor of my building. My daughter has a room, and I have a bedroom. I have decided we are staying here past next year when the voucher runs time for renewal. I like the weather, and I may even be cured by then. The groceries are expensive, but I go to cheap sources for them, and I have switch us to powdered milk. We don't notice the difference. I use the Dollar General and Dollar Tree stores in Savannah. I buy powder milk at the grocery store that isn't dollar stores. I go to the one on near the center. We live on a nice quiet street. I also visit the thrift stores here. They have really nice sales and nice clothes. I look like a last years debutant in the clothes I get there. My daughter does too. I got a couple of nice breezy outfits for wearing around here. We are having poor weather of late. I pray for good weather soon. God always answers my prayers. I hope that all goes well here for us. Well God Bless.

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The heat wave struck us and we about died. Thank goodness for our several fans and A/C plus all the water we bought at the local warehouse on sale last week. It was 2 for $5 per pack, so we bought several packs plus several more jugs. This week we filled the bathtub with water from the jugs, and then made ice cubes in the freezer. I put three trays in the bathtub with ice in them. Good thing we did the next day the heat wave struck and three of my children had to spend the day in the cool bathtub. They looked like cucumbers, and my pets had to be wetted down several times during the day with cold packed cloths. I closed all the window shades. Turned on the bathroom and living room light til we had a blackout then candles were lit, and I opened the door. We drank water like crazy. We basically had to get down to our undies in order to not die of heat stroke. We then all got into our swimsuits after a while and put the pets in the kiddie pool we set up in our living room, then left for the pool in the next building rushing between buildings. We got there and spent the afternoon in the water ourselves. When night came and it was cooler. We went home to find the waterlovers of pets never left their pools lapping as they sat in their respective water areas. They were grinning at us as we walked in the door. I opened all the windows to air the place out, and also get some cool air too. It wasn't much, but it was enough. I changed the water which was back on in time to dump what was left of the kiddie pool down the tub too. I then ran more water enough to soak out feet in and not much more. I even got the garbage can out to the trash with the milk that spoiled in the heat. We pretty much lost the contents of our fridge. Tomorrow we have to go to the store again meaning the food pantry. Well we lived thru it without losing anyone. Here is to hoping we live thru the next. Arizona may be hot, but holy molley I never knew it could get that hot like the other day. Several thoughts are going thru my head this week. Should we move to a cooler yet warmer state, or should we stay put? Should I send my dogs back to Minnesota, or should I keep them here? Well here is to surviving another summer.

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Today I am having a project day. I have brought my sewing machine out and I am mending away in my air conditioned apartment. My daughter is at the community room in our building to see if she can find a book to read there. She said if she gets too hot she will come back. I am sewing better now. I have a friend too. She measured me last night and I wrote down the sizes, so I can now sew a summer and winter top. The kind that will hold up you know with out a bra. I have longed to wear one of them, ever since my ex-husband said I was too fat and had no plans of losing weight. Well I am proving him wrong today. My new hubby is reading the newspaper with all my dogs lounging around him. The curtains are closed, and it is pretty cool in here. It is almost a Minnesota Fall kind of cold in our apt. I still can't believe it hasn't been a year since I moved here to Arizona. I may still be on Minnesota time. Thank goodness we haven't caught valley fever and we plan not to ever either by staying healthy lifestyle. Tonights supper will be something from the fridge/freezer in the form of sandwiches thawed well and cold water. My family is all for remaining cool. Today we may even go to the indoor pool in an hour to swim. Well got to get back to sewing. I will tell you all how it panned out.

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Today I went on a days vacation to be alone with just me. I went down towards Tucson to the south of my town. I went shopping at tiny boutiques for interesting ideas on how to decorate on our income. Well that went well. I called my mom who was also shopping garage and rummage sales in MN today. The meanness of her unnerves me. I told her what I did today and she said that was good and that she got me a 2X size nice Sunday dress at a garage sale. I am at best a 4X a most a 3X bottom wise. top wise I am a 2X. She said when I told her that it wont fit me, so dont send it to me. She said oh you can diet and lose weight your too fat anyhow. Never mind I just miscarried. I have no intention of dieting at this time. I am too depressed over that fact right now. I just needed time alone, hence the day to myself. My mom has always meant well, but to me she has always been mean about my weight even needling me on a daily basis when I lived up north. I am happy to be down here, but now I tend to wonder whether or not I am co-dependent on her abuse and what she thinks of my weight. Well I am at a restaurant typing, so I have to go. I got a rental laptop for 3 weeks at a Rent All sort of store. I get it for three weeks and if in good condition when I return it. I get my deposit back. Cool huh?!

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What I got at the dollar store for around $20 dollars for my family. A lot can be gotten at a dollar only store. It's not above a dollar either. Tax only. Here it is:.......

1. Betty Crocker Hamburger helper Cheeseburger Macaroni $1.

2. Kitchen towel set of two $1.

3. Pepsi 2 liter $1.

4. Ketchup from Doyle $1.

5. Table scarf $1 and it was cloth with ornate designs.

6. Fourth of July tablecloths $1.

7. Napkins $1.

8. Popsicles in a box $1.

9. Picture frames of stone $1.

10. Road map book $1.

11. Class schedule book for students $1.

12. Grey Poupon from Doyle $1.

13. Tea set for child $1.

14. Scrapbook material pages and stickers 2/$1.

15. Bottled water by Dannon 2/$1.

16. Tablet paper for students 2/$1.

17. Garbage bags 30 gallons $1.

18. Cleaning supplies $1. each but I only got one.

19. Toys all for a $1 and some are even copies of Hannah Montana, and Bratz Dolls.

20. Plastic cutlery and real cutlery and eating Utinsils 4 for a $1. with tax it all came to $20.76.

That is not bad for a hall around 20 dollars and not over $21. There are plates at the dollar store made of stoneware for a dollar each at my dollar store. Crystal drinking glasses for a dollar too. Pet food to boot. It's like I said who needs WalMart when you a have a true dollar store not the any price up to $100. dollars that isn't the idea of a dollar store to begin with when they opened them. People who open expensive dollar stores just want to be a WalMart who can't afford the franchise, so they ruin it for the poor by opening them up right down the street from a dollar store dollar only. Well I intend to beat them at their own jealous and envious game. I shop at only dollar stores that are a dollar storewide. Thank you and have a good summer, because you know when school starts in August and in some parts of the country a couple weeks in July this month.

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We are now thinking of moving next year to Los Angeles, San Diego, or San Francisco, CA. My daughter wants to become a singer, and we are too far away from New York to make that move, so now we must think on it for a month and make a final decision on which city to move too.

I have loved it here, but it is time she and I and my dh to make up our minds, since I moved here for three reasons. One for my health; two to get away from the cold; three to be near my aunt in the winter. Well she passed away this week, so what is left for me here with no family, but my own, so the question becomes why not? It is still warm in CA, and my health can be better there too. Well I am on a library computer, so I have to go talk soon.

Tanya

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Happy Father's Day to all dads out there new or otherwise.  I sent my dad an electronic Father's Day card from daysprings.com. It was a nice card. I sent him the present in the mail. He should have gotten it yesterday. He went golfing today for sure as he loves to golf. My brother is sick this weekend, so he has to stay away from his new daughter who is six months old this week. I hope all went well today for them. My family spent it at the church with activities in the afternoon for families and father's. We will be going home for a visit in two weeks so it all works out. Well got to go make supper for my family. Happy Father's Day again.

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I have a niece who is turning five in three weeks. My daughter and I went to the dollar general store and the big dollar store for her birthday. I got her food and dishes on a cardboard toy thing for her toy kitchen at home. She turns five this year, so my daughter made her a card with stock from the dollar store. She decorated it with five of everything including candles, 5's in sparkle with glue and sparkles, cloud shapes, hearts, and a special greeting from a new cousin just so the big card could be personalized. We are flying home on PriceLine.com discount of $450 for two round trip tickets. My aunt is picking us up from the airport, so she will meet her great niece my daughter is sort of nervous. My live in boyfriend is staying home as he has to work. All in all her birthday gifts cost a total of $5 dollars from the dollar store.

This week at the dollar store I also bought our groceries. Pasta for a dollar, chips for a dollar, dip for a dollar, mac for a dollar, beans for a dollar, ketchup for a dollar, fruit in a can for a dollar, soups for a dollar, potatoes for a dollar, pop for a dollar, breakfast a dollar again, spices for a dollar, and powder milk for a dollar. I am always thankful for our dollar stores. As you know I am the dollar store Queen I could live there if they would let me. i also found my brand of makeup there for a dollar, since it is non-allergenic. I also got her my niece hair accessories for a dollar for 35 pieces in one and a dollar for 25 pieces too.

My week has turned out ok, but it has been darn cold here. I heard Mn had 90 some degree weather. I feel betrayal on some sort of level from God with the weather. I came down to Arizona, because I thought me not letting go of the thoughts year after year after year of a warmer climate and dryer would be better for me was God's way of saying do it. Move to Arizona like a sign of sorts. You know it could have just been a fluke and none intended for me to move here. I do love it here. It is where my daughter and I have started our life as a family together, and where I met my gorgeous boyfriend who likes me for me, and isn't concerned with looks even though he is dang good looking. He is a Christian. I know all is well in the world now. I plan on adopting again as soon as we get married. He wants to too. My daughter and him get along too. He is a great father figure to her. It took a couple days to get her to trust him, but it finally happened and now they are card playing buddies. Well hope the trip goes well for me and her. I have to take the laundry out of the machine, so it time to let my daughter on the computer.

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There is a store called the 99 Dollar Furniture Store in Mesa where I live with my family. We got new furniture there at cost; it isn't dollar, but my daughters bed frame and desk chair was reasonable. I am amazed at what people will call a dollar store these days. I am used to max of 20 dollars dollar stores and dollar stores, but up until now I never thought I would see the day that furniture stores would not be called bargain furniture outlets of some sort and called dollar stores instead for a name. I think if my dear longtime boyfriend wasn't with me I would have fainted in the store from price shock. I am a tightwad. I also live frugally my whole life. It is getting difficult to continue living this way, but we are managing as a family. My daughter just got a job, so she can put gas in the car when she uses it to get to school. I love walking, but in the morning only. I never thought it would be this much getting used too in a warmer climate. I have had to go to the free clinic in Phoenix twice for medical problems. Well it is free with my Arizona medical assistance now so to speak. I have a job too. I report my income to social services and Social Security. We are enjoying the look of the new furniture in my daughters area to sleep. My live in boyfriend plans on getting screens for her area to give her more privacy. They are removeable just like the platform bedroom so to speak. We made a lot of space for her. It takes up most of the living room, so we use lamps, as she has the ceiling light. We made sure that it didn't block any of the windows though. We do get natural lighting from them. The ladder to her room is like an old bunk bed ladder not sticking out strait up climb. She like it too, and she likes the furniture. We will go back for other things next time when and if we need them. Well its lunch time around 1pm, so I will make us something to eat, since its hot. I was thinking sandwiches from the freezer. I premake all the sandwiches in the morning then freeze them. This way the bread stays good and we have an already made lunch. col huh.

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I am wishing for Minnesota right now. It is hotter than I am used too. My air conditioner is a necessity, but it seems to be whining. I hope it holds out. My daughter is playing guitar and writing songs. I got her the Guitar at Wal-Mart. It is a starter guitar for ages 7 and up. No age limit, so I assume adults can buy it to use to learn too. The music store in my town is owned by a person who is mean and nasty to me. I think its because I am half German and it is obvious to people with my facial features. Maybe the person is just nasty too who knows.

Tomorrow I am going into Phoenix to shop at a couple malls for birthday presents this year. My daughter wants to drive, but I  told her not til she is used to driving in Phoenix. It can be hazardous driving and I myself am barely used to it with our newer car that I just bought because I realized I needed one here. The gas prices are killing me, so I am going to do all my shopping in the same place no matter what the cost. Oh I will try to look for sales dont worry about that part of my shopping, but I will hate it. I am used to going to the bread store, grocery store, thrift stores, dollar store, Dollar General store, and Family Dollar store. I hope the gas crisis disapates soon. Real soon. Well got to go. Have fun this Memorial Day weekend all.

Tanya

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I am proud to say this 38 year old woman is the proud new mom of an 18 year old girl from Texas. I went online looking for a baby to adopt and saw "Sam" and read about her. Next thing I know I called an agency in the town of Phoenix. They referred me to a state agency. I gave them what I copied from the computer. I went to Texas that week to meet with her and her social worker. My family is happy to have her in our lives. She lives with me. She is a senior in our high school here at our church. She wants to continue living with us after graduating. I said yes she could. We are getting to know each other quite well. She said she hopes to adopt when she is old enough. I told her to wait til marriage to adopt, as she is easy for me to take care of since I have had foster children to raise giving me experience in child rearing. She has no experience. I know she loves the idea of me and she being mom and daughter. I just think she is putting the cart ahead of the horse so to speak. I love all children dearly. She knows I have maternal love for her too. We live in Mesa now. She cant wait til next year when we move back to home state of TX. I told the section 8 people about her living with me and being in school. They say it is fine. NO rent increase which is good.

You want to know how it is that I reside in a one bedroom apt. raising so to speak an adult teen. We made a platform bedroom for her. I followed instructions from an article in Tightwad.com's Dollar Stretcher with small space article. We don't live in a studio, but I still used the idea. The apt. has a high ceiling as we live on the top floor. She has a ceiling light, lamp, mattress, and dresser all up there with her desk being the family desk I got from MN. I use it too, but I use it in the middle of the night while I sit in the dark typing my book of poems and novels. It is when my inspiration comes the easiest to me. Well it is Saturday and she wants to go out to shop, so I must go as I have the car. Bye for now. Mother Tanya

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Today I finally found homes for the extra pets I have had to take in to my apartment home. The dogs went to a farm family in the desert country. The cats went to families in the neighborhood. Now I am back to just my pets. The fighting has stopped with the animals in my home. I am happy. My neighbor has been arrested for animal cruelty, and I am told evicted too. My landlord and I worked together on the extra pet issue in my home. She found the homes for the extra ones and I gave them to the good homes. I promised to keep my pet number down to five. I love animals and she knows it. I am an activist of sorts. I am finally getting a clean bill of health from my doctor after years of allergies and other problems too. I guess my family and lifestyle in Minnesota really was the cause, and now that I don't have Minnesota residency, or family that I don't get along with anymore near me. I am well go figure huh! Well got to go to the dollar store. I will be here next month same time and same station. Me and tightwad lifestyle along with thrifty and frugality.

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I am a full time housekeeper. I have had it up to the top of my head with the guests that frequent the hotel I work for in Arizona. They are messy pigs and extremely rude. One room full of hotel guests asked me, after I was done for the day, and they had taken their don't disturb sign down for service on everything, as if they had the nerve when they could see I was done.

My neighbor who frequently releases her pets into the wild, so to speak, when she can no longer afford them have wound up at my apartment home. I now have four more cats, and two more dogs, but plenty of food for them. Thank goodness for an absentee landlord. Total number of pets now 11 that I now have in my apartment with me.

Well today has just got done for me. My internet is down, so I use the library computer. I got to go. Bye

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I have it on good authority from my sister that they finally got a lot of snow and cold weather in Minnesota. I can honestly say I am happy that my nieces got to play with snow this year. I however am happy to be in a warm place. It was hot for me today. I stayed in and read a good book from the library on the legalities of living together unmarried. I also went to the dollar store and got some supplies. I only bought things I needed that were a dollar. I really miss that dollar item in the dollar stores. Now everything is like $5 or $6 for items in dollar stores or more. If you live in the area for years can anyone tell me what nearby town has just everything for a dollar in the store. I live in Mesa now. It is expensive enough here. I am hoping to become a frugal queen here. Well have a good day to you is what I will say. Good day.

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But a Saturday the day we celebrated so many things. My nieces 2nd birthday for one. She was adorable after the party I went back to my hotel room in Fargo, ND to pack to go home on Greyhound of course as I wont make the mistake again of using my frequent flier miles to come back to MN. Eh when I got there I had two surprises for me. My books from Ebay were on my front hotel door and no one stole them. My mom got them for me from my old address in Minnesota at the post office and left them for me to take home with me along with a letter from a publishing company. I opened the letter. I won 1st prize that is my poem did win. I got a chance to publish all my other poems in a book too. My Chapter book of poetry. I got a thousand dollar check in the letter too. The prize includes a trip to NYC to meet with the publishing company and meet with an agent too. I get to speak if I want to at a conference award ceremony for other writers while they give me a plack with my name on it. I will be there for three days to three weeks depending on what the agent and publishing company wants of me and the 9 other winners. I was number one winner though. I was estatic and called my aunt and cousin in Texas right away using a prepaid calling card of course telling them of my feat. My cousin is a writer too. He is really excited for me. I have to get several dress outfits and comfortable clothes for 1st week of May when the award and contest winners must meet in NYC. I also get royalties off my poems too, since I published other poems that won merit only, but it shows I am established poet deserving the royalty from the sales ahead of the sale. I get my airfare and hotel and transportation paid for when I get to NYC. I am so excited the next couple of uncomfortable days on the bus will fly bye and I wont notice, because I am on cloud nine.  Yes I am still taking the bus. I am saving the thousand dollars for my trip to NYC for tourist sight seeing. I will be taking my cousin and my mom with me. I will be joining them in Texas since my mom will be down there as my cousin lives there. This makes more sense. My whole day and stay has been totally overwhelming for me. I don't know what to say. Alright not even my sister's in-laws cutting remarks to me, because I am poor and my lifestyle how I live fazes me now. What a stay. I hope it gets better everyday. Well its freezing here so I am going to the heated pool to warm my aching bones. It's nice to know the Universe loves me, if not anyone else, but strangers and my niece. Well bye for now.

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Today is starting out slow and it is cold outside this morning, but warming up here in Arizona. I went to a local store and just got back home and had to tell you my friends at thrifty fun what my five minute run to a clothing outlet down the road from me got for the money. They were open at 8 am. I went strait to the dollar discount rack. I saw pants there some were for $5. others were for $9. I searched thru to find my size 24w when I saw a tag that said 24w. I looked and couldn't believe the price. I only had $5 and change to my name which is what some of them cost, so I was hoping to snag a the five dollar ones. They were dirty from being on the floor and run over by carts I would guess. I took them anyway as they were the only ones with my size and I was freezing as it is with the weather and my arthritis. Who knew it could be cold here in Arizona near Mesa not me. Anyhow they looked like they would last a year at least. I went to the register and dug in my purse for the right amount of tax for clothes. My luck the manager was at the till working, She saw what I was wearing and guessed why I was buying the clothes. She asked if I was new to the area. I said yes. Then asked why. She said and I quote. "because if you weren't new you would know our store doesn't sell damaged goods. We throw them away, and I must have beaten the stocker to the clothes rack. She told me I could have them for free. She also told me that it gets cold in the morning so wear warmer clothes when going outside." I told her thank you and I took the clothe item out of the store after she removed the tag. I put them on and they fit perfectly. I put them on over my clothes I was wearing. I went down to the next door Wal-Mart a mile away. I got groceries with the money I never spent at her store. Milk, bread, Sam's soda 2 liter bottle of Dr. Thunder my favorite, and a can of food for todays meals. I also got tuna for my cats at 50 cents with the change after I paid for the other items. I am not good at totaling things in my head, so I wasn't sure I could afford the tuna and waited till after so to speak. I have 6 cats now and four dogs. I cook for all of them. I got my dogs down here from Minnesota this month. Oh boy we were all happy to see each other. I will never let them out of my sight again. My babes all get along too now. They are all sitting around my computer waiting for me, so I must go. I will blog the picture of my niece today in my Photo album online here.

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Well I got my Section 8 housing voucher on the county and not in the city section 8 program. This means in a year I can move to Texas from where I am in Arizona. I am not liking the weather here as I thought I would like it. San Antonio will be better I think. Now to just stay alive until then is the trick. The traffic in Phoenix is real bad. I almost got hit walking on a sidewalk by a car. My apartment is the only place I feel safe. It has air conditioning thank goodness for the extreme hot days. I am thankful I only go shopping in Phoenix a couple days a month. Mesa is a good town. I like it. It is quite different from MN. I saw my first rattlesnake from a distance on the apartment buiding grounds. It was sunning itself. I freaked out and called the landlord. The police came and took care of it. My apartment furniture was bought at the Salvation Army. It was bought with a furniture voucher from them too. I can be very simplistic when I want to be. I bought a loveseat. It was pretty and very used. I was already provided a bed and dresser and kitchen table by the landlord. I just needed a couch and chair solved that problem though with one phone call to Salvation Army. I got the combo of the two thins I needed for my place. It really is true home is where the heart is meaning anyplace you make home where you love is home. This can be any place in the USA for me. I met a trucker who is a Christian. He loves the road. We are neighbors. I hope to make a lot of new friends here, so I can write them from San Antonio next year. i just emailed my grandma and parents back in MN. They are fine and having fun that makes me miss them all the more. Well it is hot for me, so I am going to take a cool bath. Hope to go shopping tomorrow. at the Big shopping center and Fry's a warehouse grocery store that does coupons in Phoenix. Yea it's that time of the month again. I am dieting still and exercising. I lost 16 pounds so far just walking and watching what I eat while eating healthy. Fry's has a natural food section. Although, not big it has at least what I need to eat healthy. I drink a lot of water here. It is like soda to me now. Just living in Arizona has helped me diet. I am somewhat happy now. This is good. I hope to get my yogurt on sale this week. Well thats all for this month. I still have to post pictures of my niece in my photo alblum. I will do this next month.

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I did gain weight, but not too much. I am still losing. My moving helped me exercise a lot. I am in Mesa now. I just got here. I drove thru the night to get here in two and 1/2 days. I sold all I wasn't taking with me. I also loaded it for the buyers as well as sold it to them. I have a lot of weight to go yet. It is a nice day out tomorrow, so I may go to the pool in the next hotel over area. I just got my stuff dropped off at my relatives. It is covered in their huge shed. What I didn't take with me to the motel. I have a microwave and small ref. It is a double occupancy room, and they charge me for a single, as long as I only use one of the beds. I do. Believe me I don't have the money for two bed occupied pay. I have a wonderful view of the mountains in the distance. The housekeeper bought my car, so I will bus it from now on. I did need the extra money, and she needed the car.

I intend to get a job as a housekeeper too. Just at hotel and not at a motel. They pay more per room. I intend to only work parttime. This will help me keep more of my SSI. I am not like the some who don't report their income. I intend to keep my SSI, so I report any and all income I get on the side. Housekeeping is a good way to lose weight to I have discovered that the past couple months. Well here is to staying fit in 2007. Happy New Years all!

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TODAY I JUST GOT A NEW BABY NIECE VIA MY BROTHER'S LIVE-IN GIRLFRIEND. PICTUES TO COME NEXT MONTH.

Tanya

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Merry Christmastime is playing a game with me. It pokes at my depression bit by bit. I am cheerful when I am shopping, but when I get home watch out here comes depressive time for me. I guess church will have to cheer me up too. I will need it this year. I am in high anxiety too. I am moving the first of the month. I just fixed my place up for Christmastime with a lighted angel, lights of all colors, and decorating the tree with homemade popcorn balls & gingerbread men & strings of cranberries, a lighted garland around my door, and window snow spray since there is no snow outside yet. Hard to believe since this is Northern Minnesota and winter started several weeks ago. This has me depressed since I have to pack and take down plus clean by the 1st of January. That will be all packed away and shipped to Arizona in Mesa where I have family, since I will be on my own and not with them. I am staying in a shelter there til I get an apartment of my own. This is the only way I can do it. Otherwise I'm here in depressive misery with RH arthritis. I will be very happy when I am in warm Arizona. I will be careful when selecting an apartment as my SSI budget is small. This is how I intend to cheer myself up this year.

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Well this weekend is a busy one. I am no longer getting married as the plans just didn't work out. We split. He went south. I stayed here. I will go south to Arizona in three weeks for New Years week and three months. He is going to Alabama this month.

What I am doing to distract myself this weekend is that I joined my church choir for a Christmas Music fest. I will be singing and practicing. This ought to do it. My broken heart will mend. I know this is true. My brothers girlfriend will be giving birth this week. I will also distract myself with the baby and fussing over them all. I love to fuss over my family, especially my nieces and nephews. Christmas really is for children and the young at heart.

I am also making my own cards with a computer program. My own decorations for Christmas too. Popcorn balls decor for the tree. Candy canes made from cherry syrup and sugar. Dried cranberries to string like garland. Gingerbread men that have dollar store bought gum drops for decorations on the men and then placed on a string for the tree to eat later at Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I have a couple of ribbons that I am making little bows to tie at certain places on the tree. I have tested all the lights and they work, so I will string them this weekend too. It really is last minute to days before Christmas.

Well have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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The word budget has no meaning to me as I have replaced it with a new concept called my spending plan! I always felt deprived with my my shopping daily budget. I would say to myself it's not in the budget this month. I would also say this to the teller at times and feel ashamed to be poor. No more. The words are now spending plan which I have made up, so I don't feel deprived. I know where every cheap source is in town, and I stick to shopping there. My spending plan has it all written down. What I can afford. What is a need and a want that can wait til later. It all has a category.

I keep a spending journal too, so I can see where my money went to that day. This way of thinking came from Creative Living on tightwad.com. I keep a way of making my spending work for me in my favor and not the other way. Budgets are great for people who aren't poor like me, but rich like the Mayor of a town. Spending plans are for the poor and common people of our country. When I used to feel down because my budget wouldn't let me spend money on something I wanted. I just say oh well and sulk. Now I don't sulk. I am happier too when shopping as I now know I can be happy anytime I need something or want something. I can have both plus not feel guilty or deprived. Well let's do away with the word budget everyday and replace it with spending plan today and from now on. OK.

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I made a new winter scarf and mittens. I sewed the inlining and knitted the outlining and scarf. I knitted the lining and outer material to gether using a needle and yarn. I am a good seamstress and kniter, but when it comes to  making a dress or top. I suck at it. I have made potholders and pillows. I can't follow a dress pattern, and my bust size makes it even more difficult. I can learn I guess cause I learned to knit and make pillows. I am just lazy when it comes to measuring my own bode. Oh I can I just don't want to at times. My sewing machine and I have an agreement. I don't do long sewing projects and it doesn't maim me. LOL I know sewing machines can't talk. Haha. It seems that way though. Everytime I attempt a long project my sewing I end up sewing more than the fabric this includes my sleeves, finger tips and clothes.

The mittens and scarf I made will get me thru to the time I have to leave for the south. I hope to be in Arizona at the end of the year. I will use my sewing skills to make summer bandanas. I have plenty of jeans, sweaters, and shorts with tanks. I will love it in Mesa, AZ.

I also make decorations for my home now. cross stitching pictures is some of my skills, cozies for toilet paper rolls, afghans, wool stockings for Christmas with a Santa on them, and other needs for my home like rugs. Braiding rugs is like crocheting. It's easy and fun. If someone could tell me how to get a real simple pattern and material? I would like to try my hand at sewing out fits again. I will need it there since I don't shop at Wal-Mart for clothes from the factory. I would very much like to become an expert at clothes sewing for the men in my life too. I will need to make things to Survive down there as well as here, since my income is still low at $603 a month. This has to support me includes rent and utilities. I have released the noose around my neck by selling my trailer/mobile home. I have only what I get from Social Security and my wits to make things to survive on my own. The making your own lifestyle has real appeal to me. It is one I intend to live while living frugally and tightwad life. Well any ideas is always good I say. Even the far out ones. Welcome to my frugal life and tightwad life too.

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Well here are some ideas for cheap meals from the dollar store:

Dollar store pasta in a bowl or bag with dollar store pasta sauce.

Mac-n-Cheese in a box

Salad in a box

Chow Mein

Eggs

Bread for 99 cents

Pasta meals in a box

Pasta in a can

Veggies in a can from dollar store

Box of mashed potatoes cheap brand

Gravy in a box from dollar store

Milk

Water

Juice boxes

There are Jellies and Peanut Butter of all brands

These are some ideas there are others from Jiffy too in  the grocery stores that aren't dollar stores. Like I said I am a dollar store junkie. I need food to stay alive. They all keep me alive both the grocery store down the street. The food pantries and dollar stores. Now in my economic financial crisis. I hope some of this helps people out.

Tanya 

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www.myfrugalife.com/blog_Tanya39.

Since, some people on this site abused the posting priviledges by posting six to seven posts when we are only supposed to post 5 total max on this site a day. I am giving you all my link to this site. If any want to comment on my posts that you see. I am allowing them now. I was unsure how to do it before now. You can see my other new posts at my link, as they were knocked off by her posts this month.

Well living just keeps getting harder and harder these days. I have quite my job, so I get my full SSI income back now to $603. a month. I was going to get $453.77 next month, but I called them to complain and the Social Security Administration said to quit my job, because I am not suppose to be working. Well I told them off. I said what little I got from my parttime job was to cover just a tiny bit of luxury like scented soap from Bed, Bath & beyond for a Christmas present for my brother's new live-in girlfriend who just happens to be having his baby as well I got the baby a gift too.

I wasn't told about the pregnancy til last month and she is due next month. It was short notice I know my brother and his girlfriend are busy, but geez could they have told me this summer when we were together in July. She got pregnant in April or late March, so they knew and told no one. Even when I asked for everyone's Christmas list of last minute things to buy as I was getting a job to cover bills until the noose of a trailer around my neck sold.

Well anyhow back to what they said about what I told them. They said too bad.

Well I was going to quit anyway, because I go South every winter to Texas or Arizona, USA, but this year was my last year here in my beloved home state and birthplace Minnesota. My arthritis has gotten to the point where I can no longer stay here period. I just have to quit earlier than expected. I sold my car, and I have enough money for set up on an apartment down there including the dang pet deposit. Can you believe mobile home parks charge pet deposit for homes you are owning on COD (even inside pets like cats)? I am not someone who's going to leave in the middle of the night. I intend to stay, and live frugally in either state. I am seriously leaning towards Arizona as I have cousins there. 

I think one can live tightwad and frugally anywhere in the USA. I just have to become a ninja sensa on my finances right now I am a black belt not a master of ninja saving on life's tightwad and frugal living. I think a bus driver in New Jersey by the first name of Kenneth has the mastery down. I read a clip on him in a book called The Super Coupon Shopping System, by Susan Samtur. It is an old book from the 80's but still around on ebay and half.com. I never used to think of myself as a nonmaster of frugal and tightwad Tanya living, but I guess I still have a lot to learn. One thing I always say learning is the best part of each day. Well this blog was mainly a gripe and link notice to all who read this blog sorry about griping. I have had a bad month or two. I wish you all happy holidays.

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Well to be truthful. I can't say that my income is better than any other even with a job that is parttime. SSI is cutting my check even more due to some Secretary at my work messing up my income report to them. It will be $453.77 next month enough to pay my rent and a few bills that's it. I have to cut out cable TV and car insurance which means no car.

This is what I am doing. I am going on extreme tightening of belts. I am making my food from scratch, eating at free soup kitchens, eating at relatives, making my food benefit card from the state stretch, and shopping at dollar stores and thrift stores for everything I need in life. I go to a social club for food, conversation, free entertainment, and education on Nutrition. I do my laundry there for free too. I do have to sign up to do it while waiting I visit with friends.

I will be frequenting the food pantry too. I shop for Christmas all year long and I have a gift box where all my gifts go into for family. I am staying home to watch DVD's and videos. I make my money stretch to the max and Tighten my belt. It is still going to be below poverty level, but I am going to make it thru this tough time. Even if I have to give up my apartment and move in with family who want me. My lease expires next month so I have to then to decide. I am not worried one bit. Some would be in my situation, but not me. Well this is how I am living on my Income this month. I will be getting the Thanksgiving food basket this year after all. I will need it.

Tanya

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This year I can get a Thanksgiving basket. I am going to pass it up. My family has decided to be decent to me. We are going to a buffet restaurant in town a couple days before Thanksgiving. I am not cooking nor is my mom. This year I have something to be grateful for in the respect of getting rid of a noose around my neck in the form of my trailer. I sold it to a nice family. They are fixing a remodeling it, so I am happy. I also get to see a Thanksgiving play at my sisters house in the form of my nephews and nieces are putting it on for the family. It is going to be a cute costume one. I can hardly wait. My diet may be out the window, but on the bright side my dad can't make a scene in public on a holiday gathering with my grandma, sisters and their families, brother and girlfriend, and my parents and me, or can he? Let's hope not. I hope for a great holiday with no depression episodes from me. I don't want to spend Christmas in the hospital again. I did that one year, and it was sad too, but it was happy because I wasn't around my father for the holiday. I am very easily upset. Too sensitive you could say. This comes from years of emotional abuse by my father. I wish for a happy holiday that holds wonder and surprise and love. I know I deserve it this holiday season. Well anyhow Happy Thanksgiving from me to all who read this blog.

Tanya

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I love reading. I am a book junkie as well, it's my fix as well as thrift stores and dollar stores. I read any book I can get my hands on I go to Barnes and Noble book store and read too. I buy from the discount shelves 90% of the time unless I have a gift certificate.

Thrift stores are another good source. Second hand book stores are a good trading place for sorting thru a lot of books that you no longer read. You can get new books that are used this way. Cheap books are found at library sales of books and stuff as well.

I, also use books as research into what readers want to read from the new shelf at the library, so I can write what readers want to read and make money from books as well. Right now I am reading research on fertility what women can do sort of thing. I write on the simple stuff as I am not an expert in the medical field. I do read social books and write on them, as well I have a Social Science Degree. I love to read text books as well. Used text books can be found on college bulletin boards at the library there.

I may even discover the joy of books on tape, so I can read and drive/ride at the same time. Books are in my life to stay I guess you would say. Let's make it a reading day everyday.

Tanya

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Well I was with my mom the other day. We were shopping our regular thrift stores route when my mom told me about an antique and thrift store all in one. This store has sleds from the old days like the ones you would see on old labels. It has wood burning old stoves for the kitchen and living area. It has tons of knick knacks that are antiques. Stuff that's collectible, regular dishes, Army clothes, Marine clothes, and other Armed forces gear. Old doll houses still in pristine condition. rocking horses, bouncy horses, and tons of books. It is a lot crowded I would say overcrowded. The prices there are cheap compared to what you would pay off ebay way cheaper. I would say 90% cheaper. They even have farming antiques in real good working condition cheaper than what you'd buy on ebay too.

Other finds I got that day was a $2 bag purse that was made to look old out of denim, but it was brand new paper still in it with what I found in the paper an original price tag they overlooked for $34.99. The price was in side the paper whomever priced it didn't take the paper out, so they wouldn't have seen it fall out. It didn't stink or anything moldy like. It smelled brand new. Some person didn't like it because it didn't have a coin area inside the purse. Hey have they ever heard of a wallet for ladies? That is what these purses use. Now I can take pop, candy, and popcorn in a bag from home to the movies, as my theatre doesn't check purses just coat pockets. I won't have to pay for pop, candy. or popcorn at the theatre for two to three to five years if I keep my purse in good shape. Thank goodness I know how to sew, and it is washable.

I also found an expensive picture frame from a department store. The package was torn, and it was never used. Nothing was broke off on it, It had little garden and kitchen things glued to it.to make it look pretty for $2 total. In the store I would have had to pay $15 and up. Perfectly new except for the torn package. Even the box it came in at the store was new looking. No dents or tears/creases. I plan on giving it as a gift this christmas. The best find of all spending time doing what I love with my mom that was free.

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Every so often I diet hoping to lose pounds and be miracle thin again. Well it always ends up the same. 10 pounds lost that I can't keep off. What do I do now? I eat sensibly, and exercise by walking indoors at highschool gym. I don't go back for seconds, and I use my left overs for the next meal when cooking. I eat before I go to a grocery store, so I am not hungry and buy all junk food. I cut back on junk food to healthy junk food. Low fat chips, dip, and salsa. I eat more salads when out at restaurants. I chose the salad bar as my meal instead of main menu combo. McDonald's now has salads that are healthy. They added chicken to their salad menu. It may not be on the dollar menu there, but it's good for those not on a budget like me. I  plan to be on this diet for a year. I weighed in this month. and I will weigh in again in two months down the road. Already lost seven pounds this month with exercise and diet. I am now aiming for 10 pounds by he end of the year. I am being realistic in not expecting more weight lose as it is the holidays and I do love chocolate. Then again show me a woman who doesn't love chocolate and I will show you a duck who doesn't like bread crumbs. LOL!  Anyway my goal is to get down to a healthy 125 pounds for me. I also go to a farm and walk with my dogs for exercise. My point is doing it is better than saying it. I already feel healthier in my body. My back aches a tiny bit less. My psychy is a little happier too. Make it a contest that way you will have fun is what I always say.

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Joke-------How many skeletons does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Answer---------None. They are skeletons, not people and not alive anymore so can't screw in a lightbulb.

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Well this year my birthday was on Saturday, October 28th the same day it's been every year since my birth year. Some people in my community would say I am not a human being with feelings. Well I say they are the ones with the jealousy problem. For instance you all know what happened last year on my birthday. A refresher the group therapy I was in decided to celebrate someone elses birthday on my actual birthday day. It was a big emotional mess because they weren't even going to let me celebrate mine at all. Just the other person who's birthday was on a non group day. That person could have chosen any other day, but no she was jealous so she chose my day knowing that they only celebrate one at a time. Ousting me claiming they have planned it for months. New news to me, since I told them my order for a cake. Two weeks ahead of time. They just didn't want to acknowledge me as an individual with feelings and needs. My brother even got to celebrate his birthday on mine again ousting my celebration of life. I just got little say in any of it. This year I purposely spent it alone so I wouldn't have to deal with a family who doesn't ever acknowledge my existance. It's like I don't count in my family for real. I feel like the bastard of the family since I was old enough to remember. I also did it so I wouldn't have to share my day with anyone but me. I baked a cake for myself with candles and all. I went to a favorite actor movie and fantasized while watching it. Real Fun! A lot of fun!

I went to my favorite Mexican restaurant for a free meal on my birthday alone. It was extremely crowded. They squeezed me in to the bar with a table and chair. I was glad it was only one and so were they. They weren't going to take any further reservations until they found out it was just me. They were packed. 30 to 45 min. waiting for tables for families. I got in immediately. The food was great. The music too. They even shut off the game on TV for me and played the really fun Mexican music on the intercom. I didn't drink as I was on medication for depression, but I had fun without alcohol. My best present was finding parking right up by the front door as some got disgusted and left. Guess they were tired of waiting. Hehe. Hurray for me though.

I can honestly say turning 38 is going to be great and not depressing like it has been in the past years. Well happy birthday to me. :o)

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Hi I'm a dollar store junkie. I love my dollar store right down the road from me. I buy birthday gifts & supplies, christmas gifts & supplies, school supplies for kids,coloring books, calendars, groceries, and cat food too for special occasians when I dont cook. I also used the store for wedding supplies, and home decoration, kitchen stuff, and baby stuff is also there.

My point is dollar stores are a good place to buy gifts too this season. Some people truly turn up their noses a this idea of dollar store gifts, but I say why not, unless we are millionaires or really wealthy. How can we possibly afford presents for large famillies. A large family is any family with a total of over three people in the family. This can be four, five six and up, so why forgo paying bills to get each an expensive present when you have dollar stores around that have just as good presents.  Well happy holidays.

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Living with depression is hard. A couple years ago I started the pills, because i couldn't get feeling better on my own. Many doctors and psychiatrists later I still am having problems with my depression. This winter is going to be bad on my depression. I can already feel my depression meds not working a miracle and making me somewhat unhappy. I got depressed when my mom had to go to work full-time while my dad sits on his butt due to a bum knee or so he says. He could get a job at Wal-Mart after being fired for not enoough sales and his age at the car lot he worked at for three years. I sympathize with him though as I have arthritic pain too, but I have an excuse too. I have a full disability that is permanent lifelong disability. He doesn't have one. He just has a temporary one. I am depressed because I can't stop thinking with my mom's health failing like it has been this past couple years. I feel she shouldn't bear the brunt of the bills. My dad is now collecting social security sitting on his butt so to speak. He has earned his social security, but i am depressed about it. can't get past it. As you can tell.

It is a quirk of mine to speak my mind as being Norwergian and German is bad enough. I have to have a speak my mind fetish. Weirdness runs amuk in me as my depression hits zinith. Hoping this winter I will be out of the hospital with no pain in my body is depressing me too as I need help on so many levels. Depression being number one and pain number two. I will probably help my depression and move south for good this winter. Hoping and praying can only go so far with my depression. Me being a Christian one has to think of others before my own needs such as my staff who help me on a daily basis, My mom who needs my emotional support such as it is, and my other family who loves me here and needs me too.

Well onto suppressing another cry fest in the making, Silly distractions is what I need to make my day today. Well wish me good luck with that I will need it.

Tanya

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My family harvests food from our garden to make our own food. We make it by canning, and freezing it too. We grow ruttabaggies, wax beans, green beans, peas, potatoes, corn, carrots, pumpkin, watermellon, lettice, spinach, squash, cabbage, beets, turnips, strawberries, rasberries, sunflowers for their seeds, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, and lima beans in the family garden. We have a couple apple trees as well on our property. I get to pick any I want to eat. I bring it home and make things and can them and freeze pumpkin pie rasberry pie and others. I also make fudge from scratch. Chocolate, sugar and nuts with evaporated milk.

I make my own pickles to sell to neighbors from the cucumbers at my family garden. Bread and Butter Pickles are my family favorite to make to eat. We also make Christmas sugar cookies.

Presents are made by me too. Cards too. I use a library computer and a disc for card making and print them out for 10 cents a copy. That's $2.50 for 25 cards made by a computer written by me. This cost is for one store boughten card at Wal-Mart or whereever. I save $62.50 by doing this on a computer. I don't spend a dime on my own paper at the store. For presents I make them. Doilies, Dolls, candles, candies, cookies, special fruit cakes, Norwegian food like Lefse, Krumkaka, Russian food too, potholders, pillows for bed decoration yes even for men and boys, scarfs and mittens knitted and chrocheted, toys for children that are sewn too. I get my sewing supplies from thrift stores and the dollar stores in town. I live frugally and tightwad every month of the year. Well this is how I make my own. Find your own creativity and make your own. Seriously do make your own because everyone differs on what they have at hand without spending too much money or none at all. I don't want you to copy what I do in this blog as it might differ in your country or part of the country.

Here in Minnesota dollar stores really are a dollar elsewhere they are any amount under $20.00 including North Dakota, so find your own on making your own.

Tanya

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