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Are you trying to figure out how to save money in your home? I’m here to share five things EVERY homemaker can learn in just seven days that will significantly save your family money.
Contributing as a Homemaker
Okay ladies, pull up a chair. Let’s chat!
We have all heard it. Whether out loud or silently from the culture we live in. Something to the effect of, “Stay at home wives/moms should feel guilty for not contributing to society/the home.”
I’ll be honest, as a young homemaker I did not just hear this, I felt it! My husband and I both agreed for Biblical reasons that it was best for me to be the keeper of the home, even before children. (If this is not your conviction I am not here to cast any shade, this is just what we believe and know to be right for our home.) I believed this, but I still would find myself feeling like I was not a contributor. Like I was just some free-loader who gets to stay home while my husband works tirelessly to provide. I truly felt like I just did not bring anything to the table….
Until I realized I was bringing everything to the table! Literally! From the trip to the grocery store to the eating of the meal I was contributor of all that was brought to our little table.
As homemakers we contribute most by what we save, not by what we earn! Our husbands are the bread-winners but we are the bread-makers! This led me to the question, what can I contribute with my skills and resources?
That is when I began to incorporate these five skills into my life and I promise that every homemaker can too. Better yet, you can learn all of them this week!
How to Save Money in One Week
1. Learn basic sewing skills.
This may seem daunting to some but I promise it is not as challenging as you might think. To begin, purchase a basic sewing kit. Then learn how to do the three simple tasks…
- how to thread a needle
- sewing on a button
- how to mend a minor rip or tear
These are all very basic skills that are super easy to learn but will save your family lots of money! Instead of taking a shirt to the seamstress or throwing away things that are fixable you will be able to contribute by saving your family clothing.
2. Learn how to make bread.
Learning how to make bread has saved my family so much money! The average cost of a loaf of bread in the United States is almost $3.00. It costs around $1.00 to make your own at home! That means if your family eats one loaf of bread per week you will have saved your family around $104 each year. That does not include being able to make your own pizza dough, dinner rolls, pie crusts, etc.
You can easily master yeast bread in a week- or better yet, did you know it only takes seven days to make a fully functional sourdough starter? You could be making delicious loaves of bread for your family by the end of next week!
3. Learn how to cook from scratch.
This follows along with the tip above but learning how to make meals from scratch is an invaluable tool as a homemaker. If you are not already trying your best to make the majority of your family’s food from scratch can I challenge you to start? It does not have to be complicated or even perfect. Knowing how to feed your family well is so rewarding!
Try starting with some of these simple meals…
- Chicken flatbread
- Potato soup
- Homemade pizza crust
- Tacos with from-scratch tortillas and taco seasoning
Make a list of simple, easy recipes and try to make a from-scratch meal each night next week!
4. Make your own laundry detergent
This is not only budget friendly but also way healthier for you! Even “clean” laundry detergent brands have nasty things in them, not to mention it costs a crazy ton of money. You can learn all about how to make your own laundry detergent in this blog post. This recipe lasts my family of three around 5-6 months and only costs about $5 to make.
5. Make your own all-purpose cleaner.
This is another simple task you can learn that will save your family so much money. Again, it is also much healthier for you. A “clean” brand of all-purpose cleaner averages about $4/ twenty-eight ounce bottle. You can make your own for less than $.50.
All you need is a glass spray bottle, white vinegar, water, and lemon essential oil (or simply allow your lemon peels to sit in white vinegar for about two-four weeks). Shake it up and you have a 100% clean, germ killing, all-purpose cleaner!
Try it out!
These tips are super simple and any homemaker can easily begin today! You do not have to have a twenty acre homestead or a dairy cow to start these tasks. All you need is hands that are willing to work and a mind ready to learn.
Homemaker, you are so valuable. You might not contribute a dollar, but you contribute your heart daily, with each “menial” task. Each time you feel like you are not bringing anything to the table, get up- bring what you bring best- a fresh meal made with hands that are not afraid of work and the heart of a happy homemaker.
