Suzy Homemaker or...

... why so many women think all homemakers do is clean, cook and primp in front of the mirror.

Pancakes will wait a while

On Frugal Hacks there's a poll: Do you CVS?

For those who don't know, it's possible, because of the way CVS has structured a particular incentive program, to use coupons, rebates, sales, and the incentive program to walk into a CVS and come out with a huge amount of stuff for next to or absolutely nothing. Money Saving Mom talks about this on her blog, so if you're interested I recommend reading her description.

I don't CVS. For many reasons.*

First, at the risk of sounding self-righteous, I have to say that I don't feel comfortable with the ethics of it. Maybe I'm just bad at the math of it but the concept of walking out of a store with something for free just because the store didn't think through the consequences of a particular program sounds like cheating, at best. Store owners have families to feed as well... or maybe it's just that I hate getting something for absolutely nothing. I hesitate saying this because there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to frugality. The CVS thing just doesn't feel right to me.

Second, I don't use most of the stuff CVS sells. And I don't want to pass on much of that stuff to my friends. My health has improved so dramatically since I cut out most of those chemicals that the idea of passing along tons of stuff to my friends that might make them sick... we'll I'd rather just make bath salts or other beauty aids here at home and put them in pretty containers.

Asking in advance about allergies, of course. ;)

Finally -- and again, I hesitate saying this, but I feel it needs to be said -- I worry that the CVS thing fosters a bad attitude about savings.

In Bleak House by Charles Dickens there's a character called Richard Carstone, one of those in the novel waiting for a lawsuit to finally divvy up an inheritance. He's a likeable guy, very sympathetic character, with a fatal flaw... he doesn't understand money. More than once in the novel Dickens points out (through the main character) how Carstone's misunderstanding of the word "savings" actually puts him in deeper debt. Just because I happen to love Dickens, I'll quote what I feel sums up Carstone's attitude:

"My prudent Mother Hubbard, why not?" he said to me when he wanted, without the least consideration, to bestow five pounds on the brickmaker. "I made ten pounds clear out of Coavinses' business."
"How was that?" said I.
"Why, I got rid of ten pounds I was quite content to get rid of, and never expected to see anymore. You don't deny that?"
"No," said I.
"Very well! Then I came into possession of ten pounds--"
"The same ten pounds," I hinted.
"That has nothing to do with it!" returned Richard. "I have got ten pounds more than I expected to have, and consequently I can afford to spend it without being particular." (pages 86-87 Riverside edition)

Carstone acts as if money he's saved is extra money... when in fact, it's money he originally had that needed, and still needs to be, put towards necessities or invested so that he can make more money later.

Now, I'm not saying that people who shop at CVS use the same logic. But I am worried at the change in attitude from frugality=using less to frugality=buying more stuff you don't need to save more, even if you really can somehow manage to spend less. IMO, it's too easy to slip into unhealthy "frugal" habits if you're used to thinking of the money you spend to save money as "money you wouldn't have otherwise". I know because I used to do this a lot early in my marriage. Before long, instead of having extra, you end up wondering where it all went.

Maybe it's with the post about pancakes I have yet to do. :P

So, I applaud those who CVS simply from an organizational standpoint, but I think I'll just stick with learning to live without. It seems to work better for me and my family.

*Just to be clear, I don't think any less of people who CVS. I've gotten a lot of good tips and advice from Money Saving Mom and other blogs by those who CVS. Not only that, they seem like good people. They simply draw their frugal boundaries in a different place than I do.

Christmas Eve

I've almost finished the doll dresses I decided to make for my girls. Just a little hand sewing and they're done. I haven't gotten Mr. Vinca's present yet. Nothing has been wrapped yet. I have stocking stuffers and plan on making wassail tonight for our reading of the Christmas Story. I hope to make some dairy-free fudge as well (another recipe contained in Traci's Transformational Recipe Collection... review coming soon) and some cashew butter cookies. We'll see how this afternoon goes.

However, no matter how little decorations we have up this year, I'm having fun this Christmas. I managed to stay on top of the Advent calendar... which helped tremendously with the "When is Christmas?" demands. Our family has another little member and he's fitting in very well. We've learned a lot about health and priorities this past year and it's showing in everyone's health and good spirits this Christmas. This will probably also be the last Christmas where we focus so much on being home together. Next year is probably going to be full of community events and getting the kids out and around more... especially our little Social Butterflies. So, this is the last year I'll have for a while where things will be relatively quiet.

I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Training kids to do chores

I really like Kimberly Eddy's e-books, especially Thriving On One Income. One of these days I'm going to review it just so I can allow myself to gush about it in public. When I found out she had a blog, I bookmarked it (I'm old-fashioned) and visit it from time to time. This post really hit home with me, especially now that I've got seven little ones to look after. I didn't do very well with training the older kids to do chores around the house, but at least they can take care of themselves: get dressed, clean their room, make their bed, etc. This post inspired me to expand outward so that they won't be lost when it comes to taking care of a house once they've moved out and so that I won't become exhausted cleaning up after seven people.

At least, I hope the future economy lets them move out. I'd hate for them to feel stuck here.

Anyway... the post: Training Little Helpers Into Big Ones

Christmas is coming

And I'm not even close to ready. At least I've got the toys for the kids and I have a few decorations up. No tree this year since I have nightmarish visions of my toddler yanking out all the branches. Instead, we have a mini-tree on the fireplace mantle. We've kind of managed to keep up with our advent calender, mostly because one of my kids has been obsessing about keeping up with it. :)

Today, we finish buying what we need for Christmas dinner and I get to work on the last bit of stuff for the presents. Hopefully, we'll be able to go see Christmas lights for our family activity this week. It's been a tradition every year but this one has turned out unseasonably cold and miserable. I'm not sure I want to go driving around with a little newborn in this kind of weather. We may just stay home, read a book, and drink some dairy-free, sugar-free hot cocoa... or better yet, some wassail.

My goal? To have Christmas Eve completely free of any activity beyond relaxing on the couch with my husband.

Tips on Haggling

Since Christmas is almost here and the last weekend for Christmas shopping is almost upon us, I thought I might post this video from The Street.com about haggling. The savings may not be big, but maybe someone will find it useful, especially if they can manage to get 20% more off an already deeply discounted item they need but may not be able to afford.



And this is my first embedded video post! Go me!

Okay, I'll calm down now. :)

A New Addition to Our Family

That's right, we have a new baby in our family. Unlike all my other children, this one came almost exactly on his due date (give or take a couple of days ;).

My posting is going to be spotty for the next month and will consist more of links I found interesting than interesting posts. But I am back.

One last thought before I end this post. I don't think my priority list has ever been more handy than now. I really wish I'd had that back when I was first starting as a homemaker: I don't think I would have floundered nearly as much or given my husband nearly as much grief. If you haven't already written one, I highly recommend it.