Surviving and Thriving on a Limited Income

I am a single mother of seven children, though six of them are fully grown, and are living adult lives. My youngest is 7 years old and I am in the midst of a divorce and other various life changes. As a result, we live on a very tight budget of less than $20,000 a year, and yet somehow, we manage not only to survive, but to thrive!

To begin, in keeping with the current tiny or small house trend, we live in a small cottage that is roughly 600 square feet. I heat it almost exclusively with wood, and so far, I haven't had to pay for a single log! There is free firewood to be had if you know where to look and are willing to do a little work. Almost anything that we need can be found in excellent used condition. As a result, our cottage is comfortable and gorgeously decorated--the envy of all of my friends. I'd love to give you a tour!

I cook all of our food from scratch, including our bread, and we almost always eat fresh vegetables, not frozen, or canned. I cook in large batches, so both money and time are saved. We also dine in style, using china and cloth napkins, never paper. I do not buy paper napkins, paper plates, sponges, or paper towels. I crochet my own dish clothes and dish towels, as well as our pot holders. It is a hobby that keeps us lean and green, economically speaking. I do allow us the luxury of toilet paper…

Toilet paper is not our only luxury. I like nice clothes and handbags. My favorite Ralph Lauren jeans cost me $10 brand new, and my new-to-me winter coat is an American Eagle peacoat that cost me five dollars. I love Coach handbags and my favorite red leather one cost me $9. I pay retail for almost nothing and we still look and feel stylish.

For holidays, I keep to a $15 gift limit per kid, save for the little guy. Yet, within that limit, I buy gifts that thrill my children. How do I do it? Don't you wish that you could know some of my fun and frugal secrets? Come on over to my house for a cup of coffee and let's talk!