Frugal Friday: Take the Plunge

Being frugal means you do have to be willing to be adventurous and try new things from time to time.  If you don't try, how do you know you can't do something for yourself?  Sometimes it may result in a flop, but more often than not you will find that you've learned a new skill and another way to work on cutting costs.

 

Because my husband is a pastor and I very much work alongside him in ministry, I've tried as much as possible to find ways to make some money from home so I'm still available to minister with him, along with being available for my family.  Trying new things has actually been the very thing that has also led me into my own business. 

 

And it's just plain fun! :-)

 

Being adventurous has led me to trying my hand at soap making, which will be available at the two local farmer's markets, a local store that's carrying my things and my Etsy shop.

 

Lemon Verbena on the top and Chai Tea on the bottom. 

 

See those extra ugly looking bits?  Not wasted.  We will be using those.  After 4 batches of soap I did decide to invest in a mold since so much is getting shaved off in trying to make a nice looking bar.  But in the meantime, we have soap to last us a while!

 



 

Someone stopped by last weekend with a 2 foot long lake trout that they had just caught.  They weren't sure if I would be interested because it involved gutting the fish, which I've never done.  But my first thought was, "Why not?" 

 

So I looked it up on You-Tube and found a video on how to gut a trout.  Easy-peasy.  Well, not so much.  Watching someone gut a 7" trout outdoors is a lot different than trying to gut a 2 foot trout indoors.  The thing was sliding everywhere.  I cut too deep and blood was everywhere.  But in the end I prevailed! lol

 

I ended up with enough fish for 3 meals.  We had some that night and the rest went into the freezer.

 

Trying my hand at new things is how I started making all my own bread - loaves, pita, tortilla, bagels, etc.

 

Trying my hand at new things is how I learned how to make almost any order I receive for my sewing and craft business.

 

Trying my hand at new things is how I learned how to can my own food.

 

So don't be intimidated.  Research it and plunge in!  What's the worst that can happen?  You'll either learn to do something new or you'll learn not to do that particular thing again.

 

Take the plunge!

 

Check out Rebecca's blog for more ways to save money.