On Saturday i went on a trio with some people who are in my village. They told me the price was 20€ all included expect food. The bus the ferry and the sight seeing. Had an amazing time. We went to 2 monasteries. Very old but it was amazing. Here are some pictures.
Well if you want to see all pictures come over to Facebook. My name there is frugal mamma blog. And there’s a video on YouTube. Under the name frugal mamma blog . wish you all are having an amazing weekend.
I am an adoptee and this is how searching killed me economic and socially. In 2012 I found out I was adopted. It was a February. I had the earth taken from under my feet. I always knew that something was wrong about me, never fitted in. I started asking if I was at four years old but got the same answer every time. No you are our child. Years past, but I was an adult and a mom. Had to keep my feelings to myself. Didn’t want people thinking I was a basket case. In that February, I was relieved that the truth was out but I also felt lost. Went through many weird extreme bad feelings did a lot of stupid things. Got drunk like hell and even drove sometimes. Went through I don’t even know how to explain it. Greece was already sinking but I think I killed my store. By 2013 batshaw had given me my non id info. I was so happy that nobody could keep me in Greece. The active search was starting for my birth mother. Had to be close for the yes. So when she said ok , I would be there to meet her the next day. But things didn’t go as planned. I got , it is not the right time now. And that was the end. I was alone with my daughter away from my sons and husband. Stayed almost a year. Nothing changed. Packed up and came back to Greece with a broken heart. Looked at my store it needed fixing. Didn’t have the money. Looked for work but nothing. Things were hard in Greece. Got an other phone call from batshaw. They had found my birth father. He was negative , he said he’s not my b father. Went through lots of stages after that. Mostly bad ones. And here I am now trying to get my life back. But how do I do that. Banks won’t loan me. I’m lucky that they are not going after me for not paying my morgage payments in full every month. If only I could find some money to reopen my store. I would be able to get back on my two feet and feed and take care of my children. Why is life so hard on me. I am only human.
It is true. I am starting life again. How do I start over on dreams stuck in Greece. That is easy. Always wanted to start vlogging, yes vlogging. To most people here in Greece it sounds right down stupid. Starting slowly, why rush. In the past I’ve made a few videos but never had the guts to upload. This time around it is different. I have more than 10 posts here ( yay last WordPress had 2). I’ve opened a frugal mamma Facebook account and a frugal mamma YouTube channel. Haven’t posted yet, but why be in a hurry. Taking things slowly and making right choices. In about 10-15 days planning my first vlog. Topics, all about me, from cooking to garden to my product reviews from Greece and Canada. And a lot more coming to Facebook and YouTube near you. I was always an very open person when a child. I always had it in me , time to get it out there. Why not, so many people are doing it, right? What are your dreams, are you going after them or are you letting time pass on. It is never the right time or place for anything. You only have one life and never know how much time is left. Would love to hear from you about your dreams, even silly ones! Never give up. I won’t again.
It’s been a couple of years ago I learned that I was adopted. Yes I had feelings of not belonging, but every time I asked if I was adopted they would say, you are our child you are not adopted. Grow up and still had feelings of something weird. After years I decided I was nuts and forgot about everything. I wasn’t thinking about me anymore. And one morning at 40 years old the news came. You are adopted. It was a relief. The truth was out. I wasn’t crazy all these years. But what came after was not what I was expecting. I searched online but couldn’t find anything. Went through the process of batshaw. I’m an Québec adoptee. But when they found them the answer was a NO. Not the right time. I had just moved to Montreal from Greece with my then 6 year old daughter. My heart was so broken that at some point I moved back to Greece. How can you not be ready after 41 years. I didn’t ask to meet or speak to family, just you my mother. That is all I wanted. Just to see you again. Maybe we could talk in secret on Facebook or on Skype. Nobody had to know about me. I would have been ok with that. But no , you had to say no. You weren’t ready for me. Was I too late. Wasn’t my fault. I asked at batshaw when they talked to you again for something of yours. Anything you wanted a picture a scarf or anything else you wanted to give me. I’m still waiting for it after 4 years. Did I ever mean anything to you. Because I’m still waiting for you.
I’ve been reading about it for the past few days. My opinion , do you really want it. I think they have no idea what they are talking about. When your income is above the line you feel secure. When it’s bellow you think differently you stress out and are very insecure. You can’t buy your staples in bulk. You can’t even afford to pay your morgage. You fight your way to find money for the bills. No it’s not a project, it’s a way of life for many people. Sometimes you can’t even afford to go looking for work. Coming home to find almost nothing for dinner and an empty kitchen. No staples and almost no ingredients to make a simple thing to eat. Most people were and are still living bellow there means but can’t afford things we take for granted. You can try to live like them but you can’t. Some had their spirits ripped off so they can’t dream anymore. Try waking up like that. Some don’t even get government help in some countries. And the average living is the same as in the USA. But they try their best with what they have. Never complaining or showing off what they are going through. You may walk past them and never in a million years know that they are living in poverty.
Frugal this frugal that, I want my body back.
I used to be fit. Long time ago. I really hate my body. I really want it to be fit again but I can’t comit to doing exercise. Gym is far away and at 50 € a month kinda expensive. But sometimes you have to pay for things you really want. I quit drinking so I can go to the gym. I am so deprived I am going nuts. I was always a frugal person, except for smoking and Saturday drinks. When I opened my second store I worked 18-20 hours a day 7 days a week. When I worked 16-17 hours I would go out for drinks or else I would drink in the store. Now I drink 1-2 drinks a week maximum. But I feel that If I don’t go to the gym this winter I might start my old habits. It may be far away, but it is close to my daughter’s English class. I will be attending only when she is in class rather than sitting in the car burning in the sun or freezing in the winter. And it will be good for me. Like for most things you need to think about the time and money. Can’t sit in car waiting for 9 months, did it and it was not good. I would end up crying when she had 1 1/2 hour classes. Can’t comit to exercising if no is pushing me.
What do you think I should do?
The Greek crisis is running as if on a marathon. When will it ever end. The people of Greece have stopped paying there taxes or electrical bills and lots more, not because they don’t want to but because they can’t afford to. Yes you read right some families can’t even afford food but are trying to survive with almost nothing. And here you go thinking that if they were frugal they wouldn’t be in this situation. The truth is they were frugal well most. But with the latest economic downturn we are going through it is very hard for most, people are working for a basic wage of 450€ a month. Every thing is very expensive here. Still I see no return to our past ways. Of living a life without worries of the future. Things seem so bad.
Some of us are lucky if one person is working in the household. Can’t imagine how long this will last. But if it lasts much longer a lot of people will be under the poverty line with no return. They aren’t hiring 43 year olds because we are old. Wishing all Greeks good luck with our future.
I love clothes.
But do I buy that’s an easy one, only when needed. By need it’s not a wedding or a special occasion coming up. It is when you only have 2 undies because the rest from wear have too many holes. When you have no foot wear. I don’t know how it started but it’s been going on for at least 5 years, I think. Gifts well they are welcomed. When I do go shopping I go to flee markets or cheap Chinese shops. Were we are there is no second hand stores. I have around 5-7 boxes that have been given to me, they are second hand. So if I keep up like this my budget for clothes and shoes are about 100€ a year at most for me. Some clothes I have are from when I was a teenager. Now they are 1 size too small. But I save them. It’s the first time I’m a size 8 USA. Might even be a 9. But I think I can loose it in winter. Summer is not a good time to do exercises. Too hot for me. My sons and daughter wear almost new clothes. They are still growing and they are small in age to be so deprived. I know I’m deprived but there is no other way to make ends meet these days. Long time ago about 10 years ago I would shop for some not expensive clothing. But the past few years had to tighten the belt more, as they say in Greece. I’m spending as if in poverty for clothing. I bet if I won the lottery tomorrow and became a billionaire my frugal habits have sunk so deep I wouldn’t be able to spend on clothes too much money. Maybe some.
There are many different ways to save money but my favourite is on fuel. Lets be honest you can’t walk everywhere, you need a car. For us 2 cars are a must. Everything is so far away. The heat in Greece is too much. When I use the car it’s a must because walking a big distance with a nine year old is impossible. But we do allot of walking too. I could buy a bike but nine year old doesn’t know how to ride one yet. She doesn’t want to learn. And it would be worthless trying to get up the steep hills we have here. Sometimes you have to make decisions what will work with you.
We don’t have public transportation. That is life in very small islands in Greece. Was thinking of buying an electric bike but the prices are way out of my reach. Around 1300€. Way out of my reach. So to school and shopping or to mother in law we go by car , and to my mom or to the beach we go by foot. Sometimes you have to figure what works for you, not what you read on blogs how some people saved. We all have different needs. We are different in so many ways that is why we are great. You may save tons of cash on fuel and on not having a car, but I might be saving some where else.
l’m thinking positive again. Maybe I’ll apply for work again in Club Med. Now you ask what do freebies and a job at club med have in common. When my son two years ago worked at club med for 1 month he brought us some freebies home. The samples you see in the picture ( I at last found out how to get an image in! Yeah! ) it got me thinking about work again. I always find something frugal thing to help home when I work. Long long time ago when I was working at club med as a waitress I would bring home food scraps for our dogs. They were my dad’s dogs. Then when I opened my first store I saved table scraps for my mother in law’s animals. Then I left to go live on my own for a year in Canada with my daughter. My first two months before my daughter came to live with me I had 2 jobs, a morning job working at mourelatos and a night job at a&w. Because I was working in the kitchen I would eat almost for pennies. I would even bring some home for the days I had off. When my little one came down I had to switch jobs. The hours weren’t working for me. I started working at fabricville. There I bought yarns at a supper cheap price. You just had to wait for anything you wanted to go on a 60-70% sale and as an employee you had 50%off. Made lots of scarves for Christmas presents. I also bought some thick fabric and made two blankets for 2.50$ . Yup 2. After coming back to Greece I opened my second store. There I was supper frugal. No windex for me . Only products I bought was dish washing soap at the beginning. After that I would save all my burnt oil and give it for recycling and in exchange they gave me toilet paper, napkins and cleaning supplies. I would eat clean leftover food left on tables. I guess I find weird ways to save. The samples weren’t stolen. They were half used. Or a little used . They would have ended in the trash anyways. I miss working. Hope I find a job soon maybe next year. Maybe a new position to see what else I can save. There is always some way to be frugal if you put your mind to it.
Have you ever done anything, would love to hear about it in the comments below.
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