Thursday, January 19, 2012

I’m joining in on a new series Thrifty living 2012

 

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I’m looking forward to taking part in Brenda from A Cosy Little House’s new series on Thrifty Living 2012. In this series, there will be five women sharing the individual struggles they face economically with their families in a particular region.

Each week [Thursday] one of us, Brenda, Claudia, Elaine, Diane, and myself will feature a topic on how we are living more thriftily in the year 2012. Then the rest of us will add our own paragraph or so on how we apply that to our own lives.

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We run the gamut. Brenda is a single family household. Claudia and Don live with their two dogs in New York. Elaine has a small daughter, and grown children in Southern California.  Diane and Ron live in Florida and are retired. Gar and I have just relocated to another part of BC, Canada and have just bought our first house.

So here’s my introduction:

My name is Jen. My husband, along with Bootsie our cat, and I have just moved up to the North Okanagan, in BC, Canada.  We moved from a small condo in White Rock, near the beach to the gorgeous mountains, cold winters, and hot summers of the Okanagan to be near my family.  It's a huge change for us, going from 850 sq. ft. condo, to 1st time homeowners of a real house!  The first thing I would have to say, is it's expensive to do this, from the move, to the house purchase it's been a big drain on our finances.  Like everyone else we have a budget that we have to live within. 

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So while I might dream of tearing out the kitchen right away, and replacing all the brass colored door handles, along with the interesting light fixtures, reality will take over as soon as we move into our new home.  And that's where Thrifty Living 2012 comes in.  I am going to have to dig deep, and be creative in order to make this house our home without breaking the bank.

We will be living in a rural area, it's a long drive to the grocery store, or to a job, there is no Friday night take out around here.  We plan on recycling as much of our waste as possible, because there isn't any garbage pick up, no mail at the door, and I am not sure if there is even any cable. 

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As soon as summer comes along I am going to learn to can, and freeze summer fruits, and veggies for the winter months. I have big plans for a garden, and I love to cook, usually making most of our meals from scratch because of my severe allergies to so many foods, and additives.  I also make my own cleaning solutions because I am allergic to the commercial ones that you would buy in the store.

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It's going to be fun, and interesting, and I am sure that you will pick up some great tips from our series on Thrifty living 2012.

To read the introductions from the rest of this team, go over to:

Brenda of Cozy Little House

Claudia of Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Elaine of Sunny Simple Life

Diane of Lavender Dreams

 

I am heading off to read the other introductions, and get to know the other bloggers in this series, talk to you later.

 

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

26 comments:

  1. Just saw this come up in my email...looks interesting and can't wait to see more

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  2. Sounds like a great series. Looking forward to it! When you plant your garden will you have an herb garden too?

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  3. Well, the Thrifty Living 2012 post is FINALLY up, of all the times for something not to post on schedule.....I woke up and it wasn't there, and with the time change that makes me a long way behind everyone. Sorry about that.

    Life's like that isn't it.

    Hope that everyone enjoys the series.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  4. I'm so happy and excited to be a part of this series, too! And I already know you, Jen! After all....I helped you find your house! heehee! Just kidding...but I did enjoy your house hunting adventure right along with you! Enjoy your day, girlfriend...it's going to be an exciting year for us both! ♥

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  5. Congrats on the new home. I am a thrifty living blogger, and have been for years! I look forward to hearing how you make your house into a home on a budget! It will be fun!!

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  6. I am so looking forward to this series, Jen! I am sure that all of us can learn something from these posts during these difficult times. I wish you all the best with your new house!

    XO,
    Jane

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  7. I can't ever get my posts to publish on schedule. It just so happened that the dogs woke up up around 5 am to go out. So I got up and published mine. Lucky break, because then I finally fell asleep and overslept! This is really going to be interesting watching you move and seeing your house. Thanks for participating!
    Brenda

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  8. And I forgot to help you with the linking. But I see you did great!
    Brenda

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  9. I read about this on Lavender Dreamers blog, I am going to be following you along. This is my first visit to any of your blogs but I am excited to be making new friends! Have a beautiful day!

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  10. Jen so great to meet you. This series is going to be so amazing and help so many of us! Congrats on the new house and the adventure of making it a new home.

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  11. I'm looking forward to hearing the challenges and tips from you and the others. Yours has been a very similar experience to ours, so far.

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  12. This will definitely be an informative series...I'm hoping to put in a vegetable garden this year and look forward to your tips.

    xo
    Claudia

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  13. Hi - visiting you for the first time via Cozy Little House for the thrifty series and am looking forward to your posts. I see you have quite an extensive list of blogs that you read, but since you are mentioning that you want to do your own canning and freezing, you may like to go visit the blog "Down To Earth". She is in Australia, but thrifty is thrifty anywhere. Nice to meet you.

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  14. Jen, what a wonderful adventure you have embarked upon. I will be following you and the other women through what is sure to be a very interesting series. Thank you for bringing this to us! Ann

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  15. I have been a follower of your blog for sometime now, and this will be so interesting reading about your journey to a quieter life style. It's going to be a great series!

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  16. just found you through Brenda's blog and I am now a new follower. Can't wait to read the series.
    Laura

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  17. Very interesting! I'm going to be anxious to keep up with everyone's progress thru 2012! BTW, Jen, I love the Okanagan area! Used to visit many times when we lived south...in OkanOgan County WA!

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  18. I just found your blog through Brenda's which I have read for quite some time. Wow, I am also from White Rock and now live in the Kootenays, a few minutes from Rossland. Congrats on your new home! I am also living on a budget and working on my home. I can't wait to read more.

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  19. Sounds like a great series, I will be following. Your pictures are beautiful.

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  20. Hi! Bouncing over to read your blog about thrifty living 2012. I look forward to seeing how you "nest" in your new home. There are great bloggers around here that really know their stuff about canning and preserving and I know you will do great! I am your newest follower!

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  21. wonderful series this ..(sadly I cant comment on Brendas blog again!)
    I am very excited to follow your journey in your new home! I love CAPE CODS!
    My advice to you is if it gets too hot to can on any given summer day (funny how our bounty needs putting up when it is so hot out) you can freeze..! or turn on your airconditioner!
    So excited for you the, OK is beautiful!

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  22. This will be quite an adventure. What a great idea for support group of a kind. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone, but I am considering retirement at the end of this semester, so I will have to learn a more frugal life style. good luck. I'll enjoy following.

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  23. Congratulations on finding your dream home and good luck in the Thrifty living Challenge. It will be interesting to follow this challenge through the year.

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  24. I'm looking forward to this series! With multiple job losses in the last few years thrifty living has become a necessary way of life for us.

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  25. Jen,

    I'm so glad to find your blog! I am very interested in the Frugal Living series you are going to take part in. As a mom of 6 children who runs a licensed daycare out of our home, I am always looking for new ways to be frugal. Thank you for sharing!

    RaShell

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  26. This sounds like an interesting and informative series. Looking forward to reading it and learning from it.

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Every comment is important, you have taken the time to let me know how you feel about what I have written, and I do appreciate it. Sometimes I will respond on the blog, and sometimes I will take a more private approach and email you back.

Our blogs are like gardens, and your comments are the flowers that bloom most beautifully in them.....

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams