Help a Mom Shop

This entry was posted by Wendy, who's filling in while Jen's on the road. You can read more about my project at Spread Change.
The project:
Help a mom get her weekly shopping done by watching her kids.

Time:
Two to three hours.

Why bother?
Moms lead a busy life. And frugal moms spend a huge amount of time clipping coupons and planning for an entire week (or more) so they can maximize the amount of money they save for the family. When you're trying to get the best bargains it's sometimes hard to concentrate when the little ones keep saying, "Is it time to go? Are we done yet?"

Every now and again, the boys grandma will offer to sit for me while I'm shopping. This helps my husband and I both because I get to do my shopping unfettered and it also leaves my husband free to do a few things he needs to do like work in the yard or just get some well-needed alone time.

Worth it?
Absolutely! The look on the mom's face when she comes beaming in to tell you how great she did on her shopping is well worth the time spent. You've renewed a spirit. And... maybe you'll get something cool and unexpected out of the deal. The last time I went shopping and the kids grandmother watched them and I found a great small roast that was on sale and brought it back for her. Yum!

Help Can Peaches

Opportunities to lend a hand don't end just because we're on vacation. :) Jen
The project:
Peel, pit, measure, stir, and otherwise can 20 pounds of peaches.

Time:
Couple of hours - lost track of time.

Why bother?
My aunt had two paper sacks full of ripe peaches that needed to be preserved in some manner. She opted for making jam, so this morning we blanched the peaches, sat out on the back deck to skin and pit them, then moved inside to wrap up the job. My 9-year-old daughter, E, got in on the job from peeling and pitting to measuring and stirring.

Canning can be a lot of work. It always goes by more quickly with company.

Worth it?
MMMmmmmmm! (OOOps...I mean YES!)

Here's the recipe:
5 pounds peaches
5 cups sugar
3 tsp. lemon juice

Peel and pit peaches. Smash into pieces with the sugar. Bring to boil. Continue at boil for 20 minutes. Pour or ladle into prepared (sterilized) jars. Place lids and rings, process under 1" water 15 minutes for pint jars, 30 minutes for quart jars.

(Be sure to save some out for immediate gastronomical reward!) :)

Trim Trees & Rearrange Pantry

By Jen on the road. This week: Brigham City, Utah
The project:
Do a little tree trimming, then rearrange the pantry for aunt and uncle.

Time:
Tree trimming - 15 minutes.
Pantry - couple hours.

Why bother?
There's something about doing chores at someone else's house, particularly at the home of someone you love. It's rewarding to do a chore that makes a visual difference, and saves work for someone else. Plus, everyone has chores they don't want to do. What a treat, then, to have someone volunteer to do it.

Today I found tree trimming equipment hanging in a tree, where my uncle had tuckered out on the overhead trimming job. I worked on it until my shoulders gave out, then moved inside to the pantry job.

Worth it?
Absolutely, though I must confess the pantry job was almost overwhelming. There's any number of ways to organize a pantry. With my aunt on hand to help direct me, we cleaned it out, reorganized it and made it more user friendly for her household.