New Job

Since moving to Texas I have done odd babysitting jobs, but had yet to find a full time job.  Last week I was offered a full time job right down the road from where we are renting.  It had been my hope to find a job in town without a long commute.  I will be working at a local car dealership and am very thankful for the opportunity.  Hubby is interviewing as well.  As of Feb 28, he will be completely done with the military. 
  Thank you so much for everyone who has been praying for us and our job situation.  We sure appreciate it!

Thrifty Tuesday- Decorating a New House

I love decorating!  If I had unlimited funds, I would constantly be changing up my decor.  As you well know, my funds are quite limited.  And, considering how we are just renting this house, I can't do anything too permanent.  Nor do I want to spend money on a house that isn't mine.  That said, I am trying to find ways to decorate on the cheap without hanging sheets as curtains.  I am a huge goodwill fan, and the other day I scored some wicker plates.  You know the kind you have camping to hold up your paper plates?  I think they were $.40 each so I bought the whole pile.  I then spray painted them white, pale yellow and bright yellow.  Once dry, I nailed them onto the wall in a cascading pattern.  Now we have a feature work of art, completely one of a kind and keeping in our budget.  What do you think?  Like it or not?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thrifty Tuesday- Date Nights at Home

Date nights can get expensive real quick.  Even something as simple as dinner and a movie can cost around $100.  Hubby and I are always trying to find fun, frugal things to do for a date night.  When we moved into this house we discovered an antique pin ball machine up in the loft.  It was too large to fit down the stairs (the owners originally got it up in the loft by renting scaffolding!) so they just left it for us.  At first we thought it didnt work.  We were bummed.  We tried plugging it into a second outlet.  No joy.  Just when we were about to declare it another decoration, Hubby found a switch underneath.  Hallelujah!  Let there be light, and noise, and pin balls!  Hubby and I immediately had a pin ball tournament (I won all rounds... by a lot!).  I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have someone leave them a super cool pin ball machine, but I am betting you can find something in your house to do on a date night.  We can buy a bottle of wine, make a pizza and play pin ball for next to nothing.  Or we can go to a pizza parlor and pay out the nose for pizza, beer and not nearly as cool arcade games.  To us the choice is obvious... we will stay home.

  If you have date nights, do you choose to go out or stay in?  What do you do to keep costs down?  We are always looking for more frugal ideas.  Until then, I will be trying to maintain my pinball champion title!