I divided a houseplant that I bought earlier this year into three, using empty pots I already had on hand.
I put a plant a friend gave me last week into a pot my mom found for me at a garage sale for $2. The same friend has a few trays in her house with plants and other items. This inspired me to use some of the silverplate trays I have around the house in this way. I used a large silverplate lazy Susan that my mom found for me earlier this year on my kitchen table and put the potted plant on top.
I attended the Henderson Symphony performance, which was free.
I mended a hole in a pair of pants for my son.
I saw a recipe on Instagram that looked really good, but I didn’t have all the ingredients to make it and I knew they would be expensive. I thought about what I could make that would have some similarities using what I did have on hand to come up with a new recipe that would be different than what I usually make. I enjoyed the variety.
I harvested green onions, basil, lettuce, and parsley from my garden.
What did you do to save money last week?
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I love the red dress! How nice that you got to attend the symphony.
I cooked and canned four pints of chickpeas.* I made two loaves of sandwich bread and a batch of homemade yogurt.* Our local produce stand closes October 31, so we made a last visit there and purchased squash, apples and potatoes – all foods that will store well that we will enjoy for weeks to come – and because they are locally grown and fresh, they taste better and last longer than anything I can get in the local grocery stores.* We picked up our ¼ cow from the meat processor and now our freezer is full.*Our neighbor gifted us with two pounds of elk meat.
How exciting to go out all dressed up. I don’t get to dress up very much so it’s exciting. I hope you had a good time. Your garden is beautiful as always. My rose bushes are just loaded with blooms. My husband is keeping my ferns and mums watered, they have doubled in size since he has been watering them. He harvested the last field over the weekend, so we are so happy.
Got a phone call that I had won a prize in Dr Pepper/Jack’s contest. I have no memory of entering. Must have entered via app while eating in Jack’s one day. I won a tshirt, Stanley’ish Dr Pepper mug and $25 gift card to Jack’s. Only took package a couple of days to get from Rhode Island to Mississippi. October is my birthday month so I’ve been taking advantage of all the birthday freebies and discounts. So far: Sonic, Bundt Cakes, PFChangs, Amerigo, Chicken Salad Chick, Jason’s Deli, Hallmark Store, Target, and Honey Baked Ham. Using birthday discount and rewards I got $17 pair of earrings for only $3 at Hallmark Store.
We recently upgraded our satellite package to include DVR. Even though bill went up I’m not sure how I lived without it before. It’s fabulous.
Brandy those shoes are just adorable. Hmm lets see? I have been Canning a lot lately. Last week I canned 7 pints of hamburger for the first time turned out great though I have not tasted them yet but they look good, I got the recipe from a vlogger named Suttons Daze she said to fry the hamburger a little before serving to get the texture of the hamburger back I have had a lot of people say they didn’t like the texture when canning, my thoughts are when you are hungry you’ll get past that, it’s cheaper than buying Pre Canned. I also canned tomatoes from my garden and the ones my neighbor blessed me with, they had a over abundance of green tomatoes and didn’t want to deal with them anymore so I waited till they turned red and added them to my batch. I canned 10 pints again today. I recently had new windows installed and new wooden sills as they had to build them up my windows were 1949. So anyways they do not paint them so I painted them myself. They did paint the outside ones. They allowed me to purchase my own windows from Menards so I got the $150 rebates back from that ( or will when they come in). I also had Drywall done and will paint the bedrooms myself using those rebate points for the paint. Kroger’s has a deal every Friday if you buy gift cards on Friday you get 4 X the fuel points so I have been slowly buying gift cards for Christmas gifts each week. I have several friends/neighbors who have been helping me out with things around my house that I want to give a special gift card to for their favorite restaurants ( Santa is listening lol). I am getting ready to put 20 pounds of chicken on the stove to cook and debone to Can up tomorrow. I am working hard on getting my pantry built up for the long cold winter here in Ohio. As always I utilize our library so thankful for it.
They are SO comfortable! I have them in brown and in white as well. I have worn them all day long while walking through gardens. They are truly the most comfortable shoes I own. I am on my feet most of the day every day, and I am really liking these for support.
Anna
I’ve canned ground beef for years- so easy for quick dinners! I do mine in pints which is roughly a pound. I add mushrooms and onion to some, taco seasonings to some, green peppers and onions also. When using in things like tacos or burritoes, I fry just a bit again to get that “fresh cooked” taste, in soups and casseroles I’ve found straight out the jar works fine. An old favorite I’ve made for years- boil a pound of macaroni, drain, mix with a pint each of ground beef and stewed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Basically “ghoulash” but using stewed tomatoes instead of crushed or sauce. I’ve also canned meatloaf in wide mouth jars, using cracker or bread crumbs for the binder, you can slice and reheat with a bit of tomato sauce for an entree, or slice and use for meatloaf sandwiches.
Anna,
I canned ground beef this summer to have on hand rather than freezing it. I just opened a can this week as I was trying to figure out what to have for dinner after making treats to put in the mail to the grand kids. After sauteeing the onions and garlic, I drained the can and added the meat to the skillet and then added tomatoes etc for spaghetti sauce. I loved it! It probably too, 45 minutes total to cook the sauce (because I used home canned tomatoes which had to cook down) I hope our experience is the same. a friend of mine who is a rancher who raises grass fed beef said she prefers the taste of the canned to frozen. At this point, I would agree.
Cindy
I cleaned up my garden beds for the year, harvesting tomatoes, a few peppers, and carrots. I also cuts rosemary, thyme, and sage to dry.
My friend gave me her symphony tickets, which she couldn’t use. My husband and I really enjoyed the evening.
I also walked to a free concert in my area that included gospel music.
My husband and I attended another potluck dinner.
I continue to enjoy walking in the autumn weather, tidying my home, cooking with what I have on hand, and reading positive books.
You look so lovely in your cheerful, red outfit. I like the idea of using silverplate trays as plant trays, and will see if I can find some that are packed away. Last week, I harvested eggplant, yellow squash, cucumber, tomato, basil, oregano, and rosemary from the garden, & gathered eggs. Extra oregano was dried. Several trays of celery were dehydrated. Laundry was dried on the line. I redeemed Swagbucks points for a $25 GC. This card was on sale for $22 and I had a $3 credit, so only $19 worth of points were used. I mended the corner elastic on our mattress pad. One of the unripe melons was cut up for the chickens. At the grocery store, I was able to get two brussels sprouts for $2.29/#, and one dogfood on sale for $6 off. Books were picked up at the library, while in town. Shredded leaves were placed in the pond garden months ago. My husband mowed and tilled them in, before planting the garlic.
Just make sure your pots don’t have holes in the bottom and watch for any discoloration; I have a tray in my bathroom and just the humidity in there has affected the tray under the jar of cotton swabs that sits on the tray. But I paid $1 for the tray and would rather use it than not.
OK, that’s helpful to know. Thank you.
“The lady in red!” Red is my favorite color!
I was sick several days last week with vertigo–the first time I have had it, and I hope the last, although some of the milder symptoms seem to be hanging on. My husband has vertigo quite often so I know how much fun IT IS NOT. I hope this is a one-off but I’m not taking bets on it.
I only spent $48.25 on groceries last week–the big baking sale I’ve been waiting for hasn’t happened yet. I stocked up with an 18-roll pack of TP since I had the $$$. So far I have spent $227.85 on groceries month to date. My budget is $300, so if the big sale ends up being this week (ha!), I can afford to stock up a little bit. In September, I stocked up on meats and this month it has been canned goods.
We had a handyman in to do some work, which was NOT frugal…but gettin’ old and being unable to climb ladders isn’t frugal. He built handrails for the opposite side of our staircase to make it safer and easier for us to climb stairs. Then he took them down and I’m spending the week staining and Varathaning them myself.
We are having beautiful fall weather, although I don’t expect it to last. I’m still baking and freezing butternut squash from my garden. I baked two more this afternoon. I still have a few tomatoes to pick and ripen in the garage.
Hoping everyone here is having a wonderful week!
If your vertigo is from inner ear crystals…well the following really works. I suffered for a long time with awful vertigo which got worse and worse. This method linked worked for me two different times. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/home-epley-maneuver
That red dress is stunning, Brandy!!
Another client quilt is loaded on my long-arm to quilt with 2 others in queue right behind it for clients. Am still startled that with inflation and economic worries we are still have a steady stream of business which is helping our budget as well as my daughter/business partner! She has been able to generate some new business for her quilting close to her home which is about an hour from me! And it’s all been word of mouth! What a blessing!
Planted our garlic- over 110 cloves. After watching a YouTube tutorial on garlic planting, I took his advice and looked for and found about 20 volunteer cloves already in my garden that I separated and planted. Still had extra bulbs so I shared them with my son-in-law for their garden. Picked more tomatoes and have gave some to friends with big family.
My DIL asked if I would watch for sale/clearance on ground beef, sausage and tuna because they are running low (6 kids) and so I started watching Flashfood and picked up 20 pounds of ground beef- some was $1.99/pound and some was $1.43/pound! I also found 5 pouches of tuna on our shelf that Hubs had wanted and then decided he was not a big tuna fan!😖 So I gave those to her. I was able the next day to find ground sausage for $1.99/pound on Flashfood and bought 8 pounds for her so her freezer is restocked!
I found coconut flakes on clearance at Flashfood while I was looking for ground beef and restocked it in my pantry because I was getting low.
We are helping a Haitian refugee from our congregation move into an unfurnished apartment this morning and in looking around our house found: a bookcase, 2 floor lamps, a queen size bed complete with mattress and box spring, a small recliner and three plastic 3-drawer storage containers to help get her started. These came from extra things we had at our house, including some that our daughter passed on to us this summer when she moved to Houston. We’re taking over tp, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, sheets, pillowcases and some kitchen utensils. We have been blessed with an abundance and we feel like it may be for occasions like this!
So, it’s been a good week of stocking and sharing! It doesn’t cost anything to be kind!
We mucked out our chicken coop and the old bedding has been composted down completely so we have used it to top dress our garden beds and trees before mulching them tomorrow. They are giving us 6-7 eggs each day so we are happy to do what we can to keep them healthy and happy! I’ve heard some say that it’s not always cheaper to get eggs from backyard chickens but for us, it seems to be plus we are so grateful to know that we have fresh eggs without running to the store! Just one more bit of our food security.
Hope everyone is having a feeling of calm within themselves in the midst of all the storms outside in the world!
Gardenpat in Ohio
Thank you Pat! I have had it for at least 5 years now.
What a deal on the ground beef! I consider that price to be an amazing deal on chicken here! Beef has not been that low in years here.
I took some things to refugee families before and I know that all of those things will be much appreciated. The plastic drawers will be SO helpful; I know families who lacked dressers and that was difficult.
You are right about being kind. Glad the quilting business continues to grow especially in this economy. I bought soft neck garlic this year still trying to figure out where to put them. I want to try hard neck so I can use the “scapes” need to get moving on ordering that very soon. Have a great day and week.
Anna in Ohio- I actually planted some of the garlic in my 5 gallon buckets. I read that they can do well in containers and don’t need a really deep bed! I was able to plant 5-6 cloves in each bucket going around perimeter with 1 clove in center. I had some hard neck garlic I planted as well as soft necks. This Spring when they have scapes, I’ll bring some over to you!
Gardenpat in Ohio
What an Angel you are to provide all that for someone just starting out – starting over.
TCR- Don’t know about being an Angel, but in our church we sing a hymn that includes the words- “Because I have been given much, I too must give”. It has a reminder in the lyrics that we received our abundance from our Heavenly Father (God) and to share with others is a way to show our gratitude.
Our sweet friend was SO excited as we set up the bed and put fresh flannel sheets (They were not new, but ones that we had for that bed in our guest room, so we laundered them and they were fresh and clean) on it. She took photos with her phone to send to her husband who has his documentation and is traveling to get here! She gets so happy about little things that we do. I have almost mastered Google Translate and Hubs has been learning Haitian Creole on Duolingo for about 2 months now. Our friend is enrolled in English classes nearby. It keeps our brain busy which is good for us as we age and it fills our hearts so we are receiving as much as she is!
Gardenpat in Ohio
My week has been learning patience and how to sit still. I slipped on an acorn, fell and broke my shoulder at the top of the joint. So far no surgery, just a sling to hold it still. Doing the with my non dominant hand is a challenge; brushing hair or teeth, eating meals , putting on clothing is. Learning experience. I feel like a toddler asking for help to get dry after a shower or putto. Socks and shoes.
Next X-ray is on Halloween and if mended enough I can start working the joint again.
dH is a trooper making meals, grocery shopping and insisting I not do anything but it’s really hard for me to accept limitations.
On the plus side it has prevented me from shopping. And it shows life can change in an instant.
I’m so sorry, Patsy.
Perhaps there are some books you’ve been meaning to read or a language you’ve been meaning to study that you can work on during this time.
I visited older members in my family this weekend. It is so important to keep in touch. I think they may get lost and confused more than we know it. My aunt is 88. She was talking about a “nice man” who wanted her car. Hubby and I asked if she was done driving and she was. So we helped organize her bills, found the pink slip, fixed the dead battery and said we would sell it for a good price. She was thrilled. She lives in a fancier senior living place in SF but she is still vulnerable. Hubby has helped her get with a more ethical financial planner and now her future is much more secure. My mom is 88 and we help her with her books. She is much more independent but still needs reassurance. Helping both these ladies is an honor. It teaches the younger generation the importance of the past generation.
I didn’t have the money to refill the student store in my classroom. Students “buy” snacks with points on Friday. I asked a teacher who bought way too much apple cider if I could use it. I made combo meals of chips and cider. All were happy and I avoided going to the store while I tried to live off the pantry till end of the month. I reduced the leftover two cups of cider and used it in an “apple doughnut cake” cooked in an instapot. It was awesome.
One of my working luxuries is my twice a month housecleaner. Since I am short this month, I cancelled her for tomorrow. I pay her extremely well so she is fine when I am more flexible in my schedule. I will give this up when I retire in June.
I found a new to me garden art place on my way to my aunt. I LOVED the stuff. Since I don’t do well growing things, I need color!!!! I got some good ideas. I will keep a look out for some of the creative ideas and i will google how to make some of them myself. I can’t grow things but I am extremely crafty.
That is good you are helping your seniors it gets harder and harder as we get older to keep up with technology and all that it involves and hard to know who to trust anymore there are so many scammers out there. I just mailed out to my husbands cousin a box of antique photos from 1906 my husband passed away recently we did not have children and I wanted his Mom’s family history passed down to the next generation his cousin has grandchildren so it’s wonderful that she can share the family story with them as they grow. I have another box started with my husbands grandfathers shaving mug, brushes straight razor and strap his cousin said she could remember when she was little watching her grampa shave with that kit so again a nice thing to share with her grandkids hardly anyone even knows what those are in todays world.
You’re so very thoughtful!
It was a busy week! Got invited to listen to the salt river brass brastastic with our neighbors they paid we drove! Great performance! Planted my garden here in az and received seeds from my daughter in Oregon. Such a blessing. Seeds are so expensive! I’ve been keeping my grocery budget at around $300 a month for the 2 of us and it’s sure been challenging! Gilato place here in town I had 2 free coupons to use up so we did. Yum! Planted wildflower seeds in the front yard a gift from my daughter.
You look beautiful! Love the red on you! I took a mini daycation on Saturday and drove to Laurel, Mississippi, which is where HGTV’S HOMETOWN series is filmed. It is only two hours away from where I live. I ate breakfast before I left, spent an hour walking around downtown window shopping, and admiring the old homes with magnificent oaks, near the Lauren Rogers Art Museum. The museum had a Van Gogh exhibit, as well as other artists, artifacts from the Choctaw nations etc. and was free but you were welcome to leave a donation. So other than gas and a small donation, the trip was free. There were, of course, several homes/businesses that have been restored by Ben and Erin of HOMETOWN fame, but I did not take any of the paid tours and instead admired the houses/businesses from the outside. I stopped at the state rest areas also to stretch my legs.
Thank you! I have owned this dress for many many years.
Cindy, there is a produce place outside Laurel called Mayders and Tayders. They shell peas and beans and flash freeze a bushel shelled in tubes. They run about $25 each, which is a phenomenal price. I also got fresh sweet potatoes and it was the best sweet potato I’ve ever eaten in my life. I go every year from north Alabama with a friend to get a huge cooler of the vegetables. We also get green peanuts- I think it is 30 lb bags??? We boil them in a big pot and I freeze in gallon bags or can them. They are just like fresh boiled when you take out and put them in a pot and heat up.
* We did the HomeTown bus tour this summer. And ate at Pearl’s Diner on the square. We also went to Hattiesburg to the antique mall that Erin always goes to. It is 2 story and two buildings, so worth the drive.
I ran into our local grocery store that has Milk Mondays ($1.99/gallon) and saw they had 2lb blocks of cheddar cheese for $1.99! The Best Buy date was today so I bought some to put in the freezer. I now have plenty of cheese to last us several months.
I used leftover cooked pinto beans and frozen black beans to make Brandy’s taco soup. I threw in some cooked ground beef I had in the freezer (about 1/2 C), some frozen rice, homemade chicken broth, a can of corn and a can of diced tomatoes. We had some almost stale tortilla chips that we crumbled up for a topping. I love meals that use up leftovers!
I combined shopping trips so save time and gas.
I balanced our budget and we can put some more towards student loans.
My kids’ school is going to do a 25-day No Screen challenge in November, so I’m preparing by gathering games, books, and activities to do as a family. We made a list together of free things in the community to do (bike tracks, parks, museums, library craft time, etc.) I realized our town really had a lot of things to do! It’ll be a fun time I think!
I ordered something online and realized it was from a local seller, so emailed and asked if I can pick it up in person and be refunded the shipping. She said that would work and refunded me that same day! It never hurts to ask!
My husband picked up a few shifts at the ER and those paychecks will go towards student loans. We’ll be able to pay off the reminder of his med school loans by the end of the year or beginning of next year!!
I have discovered my closest gas station is now the cheapest at $2.89. That saved me $6.00 . I had a neighbor request coffee from me if I found any. I promptly found six tubs of Maxwell House and 2 boxes of K cups. She was so happy. The enormous food prices have made it so hard on them. There is no money for any such luxury items like coffee. I physically climbed in a dumpster that had 3 large bags of kitty litter. There are some things I just cant pass up. I finally subscribed to the cheapest Netflix plan so I could watch a couple seasons of favorite shows. I recently had order catfood for my daughter at a huge savings. I then had an add pop up on my Facebook for 50 % off the same brand buying it from the petfood company. We were able to place 3 seperate orders . I think we saved about 66% and she is set for quite awhile. I found a case of pouch wet dogfood and will take to my dad. My mom left behind a very small poorly dog. With moms passing , their SS has been cut in half. I will help with whatever he needs. Seems dad has the flu. I will skip my visit this week. We definitely do not need that in my house. I have a great deal of antibacterial hand soap. We’ve been using them to clean the toilets. I collected several coupon inserts from the past Sunday paper. Im hoping to use them along with my CVS carepass to get some very cheap neutrogena bar soap this week. My life is so simple that we dont spend much money. I was very concerned about not having any cold medicine for this winter. I’m unable to tolerate Sudafed. I was able to pick up 10 boxes of cold medicine at the salvage store. Its the kind that is being removed from the stores. Im not sure what a long-term solution is since I also cant tolerate allergy meds. It works fine for me so I really dont understand the claim it doesnt work. I’m enjoying the cooler weather so much. It’s my favorite time of the year. I hope everyone is doing well. A favorite blogger of mine has stopped posting. Its been two weeks after years of daily posts. Its funny how you feel connected tonperfect strangers. Be blessed friends. You encourage me weekly.
Lillianna,
I am so thankful the rescue gods provided your neighbor with coffee. You do such an amazing service for people. You inspire me. Thank you.
B
Found hubby a thermal underwear set for $9. Sadly, there was only one set in his size.
Hubby felt bad one evening, so I went to Walgreens for some stuff. The lady in front of me didn’t want her $5 off $15 purchase coupon, so she gave it to me. I then earned a $5 RR.
I took my mom a cupcake for her birthday, then she sent over a bunch of stuff…a small box of kitchen gadgets(kept a few, got rid of rest), case of water(kept), Bible and case, cookbook( passed on both)
My boss is big into decorating and decided to downsize her collection.
I spent $25 on some new Christmas decor, plus she gave me free tree I’m going to turn into a Halloween tree. She told me today she made over $1,100😱
The teen made empanadas at school and brought some home. They were delicious.
I was off on Friday(and school out) so no driving, but I had a lot of school work to do, including a proctored test. I got everything caught up and washed the bedding and cleaned up bedroom. The teen cleaned the living and bathrooms, then we were free to relax.
Got rid of the items my mom sent over, plus a couple things that got buried in my room.
Ate breakfast and lunches at work Monday through Thursday.
Our book club book was available through Prime Reading, so no extra expenses.
Had a pretty good week, last week.
Cooking – Made chicken noodle soup, with broth made last week from a Costco chicken, and then leftover bits and pieces of chicken. Used half a package of fettucine noodles, broken into smaller pieces for the noodles. Made a ham and some herb and cheese muffins, from a homemade muffin mix. Made a batch of cauliflower with cheese sauce, using cauliflower previously frozen from the garden. Made 2 loaves of herb bread. Made spaghetti sauce for dinner, when my son, his wife and daughter came to spend the night. Made BLT pasta, using chard grape tomatoes, snow peas and garlic from the garden, and bacon from the freezer.
Preparing ahead – Made 6 pints of pickled beets, using the last of the beets we picked previously. Made up 4 batches of savory herb muffins to make it easy to make them next time. Roasted red peppers, and put 2 pints in the freezer and left one out, as I knew we were having spaghetti later in the week. Cooked 1 1/2 pounds of black beans in the Instant pot. Made a batch of pizza sauce. Put 5 pints in the freezer and one pint in the refrigerator.
Winter preps – Drained all the hoses and put away for the winter. Turned the outside water off. Picked the butternut squash, prior to the freeze – got 20. Picked 2 buckets of tomatoes, two of bell peppers, 1 gallon of banan peppers. Clipped the hot peppers to dry. Chopped poblano peppers for the freezer to use in chili in the winter.
Gave DH a haircut. Washed a quilt and then drove on the line.
That sounds like quite enough for me for the week. Hope everyone has a good week ahead.
Nancy, when did you have your first frost? I noticed that you wrote this on the 23rd–was it before that? We had our first freeze last night, along with the predicted snow. Although the temperature was about 30F, the snow didn’t stick because of the warmth of the soil. I got 15 butternuts from 3 plants. Two aren’t quite ripe, but I understand they will continue to ripen off the vine. Do you know anything about this? I live in a new house and keeping conditions aren’t optimal, so I’ve been roasting squash whenever I think of it, mashing and freezing. I have 4 squash left to bake, plus the two that aren’t quite ripe, and so far I have frozen 9 two-cup bags. Plus we eat squash every night that I bake it. Thanks in advance.
Last year everyone told me that my pumpkins would ripen off the vine. They did! So I think your squash will ripen too.
Did you do anything special to store them until they ripened? Butternuts are normally a light tan. These are full size, a light greenish-yellow turning to tan.
Just kept them cool
Our first frost was the same as yours. We were just preparing in advance. There’s so much to do that we wanted to get a head start. We also finally have in and turned the heat on. It was 62 in the house
Wow! What a beautiful red dress! You look great in it! I recently went thrifting with my husband and probably bought more than I needed. But I had so much fun! I now have some nice sweaters that are new to me. I will wash them and let them air dry. In the last 2 and half months I have lost 18 lb. I’m losing 2 or so lb. a week and I am very happy! There were a couple weeks where I didn’t lose anything. But I have started losing again. We are buying very little processed food. So our food bill is lower. Our trash output is less. Our electric bill was 25 dollars less this month than last. My husband put a new light in his truck. We think a bearing went out of my car. We had to have it towed to the shop. Hopefully, tomorrow we will find out what is wrong and how much it is going to cost. Last time we had it in the shop it was expensive. But I’m glad we didn’t have to pay for two bearings at the same time. I will save money on gas by not driving this week. I will also be cooking at home. We enjoyed time with family this weekend. We went to the park with our grandchildren and went to a couple birthday parties for two great nephews. I continue to use cloth napkins and handkerchiefs. I found some salmon for half off at Aldi. It was wonderfully cedar smoked! I loved it! We bought chicken leg quarters for 68 cents a lb. We made some Italian sausage with homemade spaghetti sauce over some spaghetti squash that we bought for 68 cents a lb. I forgot how much the sausage was. Not as cheap, I know. I bought some tomatillos for 48 cents a lb and Serrano peppers for 68 cents a lb. I got Spring mix and spinach for $1.50 a pack. Small peppers for 68 cents a pack. We were pleased with our grocery shopping this week!
Congratulation on your weight loss, Tammy! I’m so happy for you!
Thank-you Brandy! I’m happy too! I try not to get frustrated on the days that it looks like I’m not losing, knowing that a few days later I do lose some weight. We took our car in thinking it was a bearing that needed fixed. Then the mechanic said it was a bearing and transmission. We decided to get a second opinion. The next shop said it wasn’t a bearing or transmission. It was simply that a tire needed tightened. So, they tightened the tire and didn’t charge us a thing! What a blessing! We will be gong back to the second shop again when we need to. The car is working great!
I noticed that you called your slim cut dress, a “pencil dress”. I have seen that styles often come back but with a different name. In the ’50s and early ’60s they were called a “sheath” dress.
Just thought you might find that interesting.
It’s listed on Amazon as a pencil dress, like a pencil skirt. I have heard the term sheath dress, but I thought that one was not quite as fitted around the waist? That was my understanding but it could definitely be both!
It seems like all the usual here-I sold an item on eBay, caught rainwater from the lovely storm we had (rain is infrequent here), drove the fuel efficient car, exercised outside, packed lunches for work, eating produce from my garden or given to us from friend’s gardens. I submitted the receipts for rebate for the extra rain barrels we bought, and we received a small check from a class action settlement. I know consistency is the key, but sometimes I’d like a couple big wins!
You look lovely in red, Brandy! * I stayed home all week except one trip to the grocery store, which saved money. *We hosted four of our grand children, ages six, five, four and three, for a Grannypapa Cousin sleepover. It was fun. We just stayed home and played, ate fun kid-friendly food, and watched a movie. They were so good and it was very fun. * listened to an audiobook on the Libby app. * finished a hat for Christmas for one of the grandchildren with yarn I already had. * Followed the pre-planned menu and made tacos, lasagna soup, chili leftovers, gnocchi and alfredo, frozen pizza and nuggets/mini corn dogs. Froze leftover lasagna soup. Eating at home saves us a lot of money, especially since even fast food is so expensive. * Attended my nephews wedding. Ended up wearing something I already owned that I felt comfortable in. I had purchased a new dress on sale, but never really felt comfy in it. I gave it to a friend whose frame is better suited to it. She doesn’t get many new things and was so happy. As was I. I should have returned it, but didn’t because I kept hoping I’d like it better. sigh . Now I feel better about it since she can use it. Anyway, the wedding was lovely and a very fancy date night for us. * Hope everyone has a peace-filled week.
*A neighbor that is moving gave me a Creeping Charlie plant. I took two cuttings to root for plants for my daughter and daughter in law.
* I sold 2 tops for $10 each. 2 lamps for $20, and a set of copper salt and pepper shakers for $25. I have listed something every day as I clean out closets.
* I canned 8 quarts and 20 pints butterbeans, and 13 quarts purple hull peas. I dehydrated 3 bags of mixed vegetables. We had a mouse in the garage chew the refrigerator cord and I caught it before the freezer contents were spoiled. My husband fixed the cord. Since things were thawed I canned or dehydrated the freezer items. Deer season is about to begin so I now have room for venison. I lost a bag of fresh caught fish that we were given, purple onions I had cut and frozen, four beer that was in the refrigerator, and 5 lbs kielbasa I had in the refrigerator to use in canning a soup, so it wasnt too bad.
* I went apple picking and picked a peck, then my friend gave me half her peck because they couldn’t eat that many. I plan to can some pie filling.
*I have watered container plants with potato water, pasta water, and canner water. I composted all scraps and egg shells.
* I have harvested collard and turnip leaves and dehydrated and crumbled them filling 3 qt jars.
*I harvested tomatoes, roasted them with onion and froze that to add to sauce or soup. I used one bag of roasted tomatoes tonight and made a soup with leftover roast, carrots, bits of vegetables I’ve frozen, and a bag of spaghetti noodles and sauce I froze when it wasn’t enough for a serving.
* I am painting two different side tables, and a wicker planter blue to use on the back porch. It unifies them to have them the same color. One table was $5 from a garage sale, one is a night stand my daughter didn’t want, and I got the planter at auction for $10.
* I bought an AeroGarden on Prime Day for $49. I hope to have herbs all winter. I bought 3 more to give my 2 daughters and Daughter in law for Christmas.
Hi Brandy and everyone
You look knockout in your outfit, thanks for showing us the photo. Live music and events are uplifting aren’t they. Free is even better!
I made apple and mint jelly this week, I was disappointed the quantity of apples in the recipe didn’t yield more juice so I will make some more, I have the apples and sugar on hand.
We picked rainbow chard, parsnips, lettuce, tomatoes, kale and flowers and gratefully received from friends a melon and butternut squash. The amount of slugs and snails in our vegetables is huge, I have to soak everything in salted water and then pick over everything carefully. There are so many it turns my stomach. We have frogs in the garden so I’m going to give them a lecture about upping their game.
I froze apple and pear puree, tomatoes and made stock from a chicken carcass.
I reviewed my gift box, presents already purchased and budget for presents still to buy for Christmas. I have brought costs down a bit by searching for less expensive options, cheaper postage and using more from the gift box.
We club together with several garden clients and order bulk quantities of bulbs at wholesale prices. We split the costs of delivery between us. We deliberately bought a few extra bulbs this year which I will pot up for Christmas presents. We have plenty of pots on hand. This is much cheaper than buying ready made bulb kits or bulbs in flower and we are able to buy interesting varieties which aren’t for sale normally.
Stay safe everyone.
Brandy,
What a lovely red dress/ensemble!
It is snowing heavily here – we are hoping that it will melt this coming weekend.
I put out the bird seed a couple of days ago when it was not yet snowing. Within about 60 seconds, the chickadees were racing
to the feeder. Although I bought the sunflower seeds, I’m hoping that my neighbour down the street will give me some of the seed heads from her giant sunflowers.
I had been racing around to get certain things done – I had my window washer/eavestrough cleaner clean out the eavestroughs, put the inner pane of my window and the screen back up (safely — Yay!), and turn off the water for the outside front tap. Some years ago we had a plumber put a lever at eye level to turn off the back tap but that could not be done for the front tap.
I had hoped to hire my friend’s brother who is out of work to rake leaves, and to carry heavy boxes for me. That didn’t happen so the leaves did not get raked. I have a “flying saucer” round sled so I loaded the sled up and made six trips pulling it with the boxes. I covered one with a tarp. After I carted the boxes I was very tired and sat down and rested. As I did so, a bird landed on a branch 5 feet from me. A month earlier a bird of that same species landed on the same branch but at the very moment I tried to take a photo my camera battery died.
It was a male Evening Grosbeak, a species that is threatened with extinction. I could not believe my luck seeing a second one — I got beautiful photos and I hope it is someplace much warmer now. Tomorrow I will have to shovel snow.
I spent several hours on the telephone today. I had a chat with my health insurer — previously they told me I would be reimbursed $500 for my new orthotics. But then last week when they were showing me how to claim electronically they said only $200. I went back online and found where online it said my coverage was $500. I got a supervisor, told him I could prove I’d been told $500. So he has instructed them to correct it to $500. He is straightening out my account.
Also my orthotics maker came on Friday afternoon and took a scan of my feet and did other measurements. I explained to him about the coverage problem. He said I should be able to claim not only for the orthotics but also for the shoes I recently bought as they are orthopedic shoes. So I submitted a claim for them, too. I also talked with my internet server and then my computer company. After several hours I finally learned the reason for an email problem I was having and the no-cost solution to it. A lot of time on the phone but it saved me a lot of money.
I will not be spending much if any money on groceries this month. I still have several repairs to get done. I have been watching free programs on CBC gem. I have a book to read, entitled Cherokee Rose. I finished reading Killers of the Flower Moon. Very well-researched and well-written but gruesome and as it is a true crime story, really eye-opening.
We’ve had a busy few weeks. We took a last minute trip, renting an Airbnb with a kitchen. We took food and hit up the grocery store when we got there, although we did eat out at our favorite restaurants. We went to the farmers market and hiking and got to visit with an old friend. No souvenirs and lots of memories.
I went to a hardware salvage store and bought trim for a rental house at a very steep discount. I’ve been selling items on eBay and marketplace, which encourages me to list more stuff. I was given more kids clothing and passed along more stuff they’ve outgrown. I got some free skorts, a Tupperware bowl and stools for my office along with a new swimsuit for my mom and dress shirt for my husband. My son needed bigger socks and I found some I purchased for pennies last year.
Enjoying the last bit of produce from the garden. We’ve had a few beans, kale, peppers and the last tomatoes. I still need to do some major garden cleanup. I made some clean out the fridge soup with cabbage, some wilted carrots, green beans, a bit of ham from the freezer, leftover mashed potatoes, some homemade dumplings and frozen bone broth. We had tons of free apples and pears so made fruit oat bars, fruit crisp, sourdough, and banana muffins. I froze extra grapes from our garden to make wine at a later date. Our homeschool coop is peanut free and I keep forgetting to get almond butter so I tend to be scrambling to get a lunch together. I found some homemade frozen waffles and they loved breakfast for lunch. I found some clearance organic ham lunch meat, mixed nuts for $1, and clearance veggie tray for an event. I did buy some pumpkin spice creamer, which has kept me away from Starbucks this pumpkin season lol.
My husband cut his hair and our sons hair. I have been trimming mine for over a year and finally went back and got a proper haircut, hopefully it’ll last me another year.
I haven’t had time to decorate but kids will use stuff from the dress up pile for Halloween. They’re happy with that. We don’t get any trick or treaters although we may participate in a work trunk or treat. We haven’t gone to any Halloween events because we’ve been busy and thus have managed to avoid the sugar overload so far.
Although the weather is changing, I’ve still been working out at home instead of rejoining a gym for the winter. We can get some more home gym equipment for free and may invest in a better setup at home. I run outside all winter with friends but want more weights.
You look wonderful, so beautifully coordinated. I’ve recently decided to try and make an effort with what I wear, it does improve your mood and other people seem to appreciate it.
Not done much in the garden as I came down with Bells Palsy, so struggling to see but I did harvest leeks and lots of tasty apples. Zero food waste this week. Lots of meals made with leftover chicken and ham. Friend made us some pea and ham soup and bread. Much appreciated as it gave us a couple of easy lunches.
Managed to repair a scarf and alter some trousers, hope they are not too wonky!
Still looking for an affordable mother of the bride outfit, for next June, I’m sure something will turn up.
Almost finished Christmas shopping, have taken advantage of 50% off sales which seem to be popping up.
I took my daughter to TJ Maxx the other day and they had several formal dresses. I hope you find something!
Thank you I am so grateful for any advice.
Diane,
I suggest checking out David’s Bridal. Sign up for their newsletter to be alerted when they have their clearance sale. I believe it happens twice a year. Typically, they have $20 and $30 clearance bridesmaids dresses (that could be used for mother of the bride). Keep in mind shipping can be pricey.
Lulus has a great selection of wedding and wedding guest dresses. Their clearance section usually has nice formal dresses in the $20 to $40 range. Download their app for free shipping.
Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement! Hope you can find an affordable dress!
David’s Bridal also does a great black Friday event. We were able to get all of my daughter’s brides maid dresses for $99 each instead of the $280 they originally were.
My daughters friend currently flies a lot between the USA and UK so I will check the site out. Thank you for the information.
I hope you enjoyed the symphony!
On the frugal front:
I served breakfast for dinner to avoid take out.
I made Halloween snacks and treats for our young nieces and nephews using pantry items and packaged them using Halloween bags purchased last year at 90% off. I also mailed DD2 and her roommates $1 Halloween coupon booklets from Wendy’s for free mini Frosty’s.
I redeemed Chipotle rewards for a free entree. I selected the more expensive beef option-very tasty!
We had my MIL over for dinner. I planned a fruit and veggie-heavy menu which helped me avoid food waste. I served broccoli cauliflower cheddar soup, strawberry poppyseed salad, garlic bread and apple crisp. Everyone seemed to enjoy the simple dinner, and my MIL enjoyed the company and change of scenery.
HH planted garlic to be harvested next year.
I went to the craft store to purchase yarn to crochet hair scrunchies for the college girls’ Advent calendars. They did not have exactly what I wanted. Rather than purchasing a less than ideal substitute, I used a less than ideal substitute from my stash at home.
I found three gas station gift cards while digging for yarn (why?!) I checked the balance on all three. Two had a zero balance. The third had a $16 balance which was zeroed out due to non-use service fees. Fortunately, MN state law prohibits this. I called the number on the back of the card and requested a reversal of the fees. The helpful customer service representative was able to restore the $16 balance very quickly.
HH went on a four-day pheasant hunting trip to SD with his friends. He did need to purchase groceries, gas, and a license. He kept other costs low by using equipment and supplies on hand, carpooling, camping on private land and assigning one group meal per person. HH works hard for our family. I was thankful he was able to recharge in nature with friends.
I look forward to reading about everyone’s frugal feats!
We rarely travel. I am glad for everything I have learned here. My huaband had a 1 day business trip to Pensacola, FL. We decided the four kids and myself would join him since he did not need the 2 seater work truck and we could take our family vehicle and stay a few extra days. It is our first time to the Gulf. We rented a house instead of 2 hotel rooms which also allowed us to cook our own food. We packed snack bags for the 11 hour car ride. While there we went to a free beach a lot. We did opt to spend $2.50 a person so we could go on a 1400 foot pier. It was a day pass so we went on it 2 times. We got to see a huge turtle, jelly fish, schools of fish, and baby shark. We attended the free practice of the Naval air show.
I am excited for you!
You look so elegant in your red dress! Glad you had an occasion to wear it but imagine you just strolling through your garden in it, as well. 🙂
*October is always a busy month for us (so many Winter prep things to do and fun activities in the community) and last week was no different. Our church had our annual country fair – an event that has been ongoing for over 40 years and brings in thousands of people from all over. It is a huge undertaking with many hands needed to pull it off but it makes about $60-70,000 in one day, all of which is used throughout the year to assist people in the community as well as to honor specific grants to area charitable organizations. The weather was picture-perfect mountain Fall and people came out in droves. We always volunteer in one of the food tents (this year it was the jams, jellies and preserves and baked goods tent) and sold out of everything 2 hours before the fair was over. We enjoyed all the wonderful musicians, the freshly pressed apple cider, watching the apple butter being made in huge cauldrons, and walking about the artisan stalls. I rarely (pretty much never) buy anything but get inspired to make similar things on my own and enjoy talking with the makers. So, for us, the fair is a big (free, since we volunteer) celebration of our community and it feels good to help in a small way. The day after the fair, we have our Fellowship time in the fields cleaning up and enjoying some of the leftover food from the day before. The woman in charge of decorating the music stage gave me a beautiful Jarrahdale pumpkin (the most beautiful shade of sage green) and I will save the seeds to grow more next year. I bought one of the enormous mums as a birthday present for my dear neighbor who is so good to us. They were sold for $5 which is a bargain as I have seen mums of similar sizes going for $25-30. She was pleased.
*Had the tires on my Highlander rotated for free at the shop where they were purchased. My sons are always willing to go on that trip as this shop graciously puts out wonderful baked goods, coffee, tea and hot chocolate from a local bakery for free. 🙂
*Thank you to all who so kindly commented on my post last week, particularly in praise of our homeschool co-op. We are so grateful to be a part of this community of creative and caring folks. The book we read for the finance class was called “I Can Make a Difference” by Miriam Laundry. I was shocked to see that it is listed on amazon for $80! I’m sorry, I cannot recall who asked specifically about the book but comment again and I will try to see if I can get one to you. This past week’s classes were all about chickens (most of the children in our co-op own chickens but it was a good overview of their life cycle, different breeds, proper methods of candling eggs, etc.) and basics of sketching (value, perspective, shading, etc.) And dodgeball, which everyone loves.
*We had a field trip (planned by me) to a local 18th century living history museum. They used to do homeschool days before COVID but have not resumed that so we worked out a program and very reasonable price. We toured the cabins, saw demonstrations of traditional skills like blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, log cabin construction and got to participate in candle-making and, a perennial favorite, tomahawk throwing. 🙂 It was a great afternoon and very inexpensive.
*We are working on completing our ground level mudroom and workshop. My husband used more of his gift card to Lowe’s (earned from a rewards program through his employer) to purchase primer and needed lumber. It is looking better and better by the day and getting this job done will make all our other ongoing projects easier to complete. Baby steps but it is progress!
*Had my parents over for breakfast one morning and served eggs from our chickens and muffins made from oatmeal (free to us from a neighbor), applesauce canned by a neighbor and apples my oldest son picked from trees in the woods. My mom brought a fruit salad and we had a great time.
*Have a lovely day, all!
Good afternoon Mountain Mama Dawn and thank you for providing the title if the finance book. Our church has several home schooling families and I’m sure they would all use the book. If there is a way you can help me get ine, I would greatly appreciate it.
I love the picture of the olive branches against the sky! And of course the one of you all dressed up for the symphony!
My frugal week:
– I made some chickpea salad and served it on homemade tortillas (https://approachingfood.com/californian-chickpea-salad-wraps/)
– I made up some chocolate chocolate chip cookie dough and froze it in servings ready to pop into the oven, as prep for my daughter’s upcoming birthday party
– I stacked price matching, coupons, and rebates/cash back when doing my weekly grocery shop
– I went to a church bazaar and bought a roll of pretty fabric ribbon for 25 cents, but there was nothing else I needed (even if pretty), so I walked away.
– sold an item on fb marketplace
– made chocolate caramel apples as teacher and bus driver gifts
– combined a sale and a coupon to get a box of chocolate for 50 cents
– enjoyed Starbucks food and drink samples when I stopped by with my kids while waiting for a doctor appointment.
– did some transcription work for rev.com, and then used that pay to take my kids out for a sushi dinner for my daughter’s birthday. Prices have definitely risen since I was last out for sushi (admittedly quite a while ago), but I was so pleased that I found a way to treat my kids without impacting my budget. My leftovers made another meal for me.
– made a body scrub with coffee grounds (free from a hotel stay years ago. It doesn’t matter how fresh they are, since I’m not drinking it) and coconut oil. So effective!
– bought cabbage on sale and made a batch of sauerkraut
– packed lunch for my daughter and I whenever we were out of the house.
Looking forward to learning from everyone else, as always!
My first thought of you in the dress is The Lady in Red song.
Hubby just celebrated 15 years with his company and they gave him a plaque and a dinner certificate. Hubby and I went to our favorite place and had a great evening. We brought home leftovers. We skipped dessert since I made an apple pie earlier in the day. We only had to pay the tip. Hubby made our youngest a apple crumb since she is GF
I pulled 32 aloe babies from my 4 large aloe plants. I used pots that I garbage picked and free compost from the town. I let all friends and family know. People have been stopping over to get them. Hubby took a dozen to work and left them on the free shelf. I still have a few left so I will probably send them with hubby to work.
My sneakers on the outside look great but the inside was a mess, so I got insoles. They are like new sneakers for much less money.
Work offered a free CPR/First aid course for free. It was a long night but I did it. They also served pizza.
My sister came to get her dog. She had offered to take me out to eat but I had a lot to do. She said she would bring stuff for sandwiches. She brought 6 pounds of cold cuts, a dozen rolls and 2 pounds of coleslaw. Hubby and I ate it for many lunches and dinners. It made my week easier. I haven’t had a hot open turkey sandwich in forever. It was delicious.
The daylight is getting shorter so I pulled out my light box. 20-30 minutes in the morning makes a big difference on my mental health.
Switched the sheets to flannel and put the heavy comforter on. Still keeping the heat off.
When I was cooking the apple pie and apple crumb, I threw in 8 baked potatoes and 4 sweet potatoes. If I’m turning the oven on I might as well fill it up.
This may be the last week for my garden. We are supposed to get a frost next week so I will be in the garden a bunch this week.
Marybeth, my son is a certified pedorthist, which means that he’s like an orthotist but only works on feet. He told me that shoes wear out more on the inside than the outside. If you think about it, it makes sense. I have lately been wearing a pair of Skechers with inserts he made for me and it makes a huge difference with my energy level when I am standing up. I knew this…he’s been in the field for nearly 15 years–but I kind of forgot after spending the summer in sandals. Even good, supportive sandals!
Happy frugal week! Beautiful photos, Brandy! The red dress looks so pretty on you! Somehow, I missed last week completely!
*I posed this question the week before last but my comment was really late in the week, so wanted to ask again in the event anyone can share experiences: I have a question for those who water outdoor plans with water that was used to boil pasta, etc. Do you have any problems with ants being attracted to the soil or plants when you do this? Here in Texas, outdoor ants are prolific and attracted to food items. For this reason, I’ve not yet tried this. Would love to hear your experiences. Thanks!
*Gas in our area was $2.88 for regular and we filled up our vehicle.
*Saved candle wax from various candles (wax left at bottom of candle jar when wicks would no longer light), melted it and poured in one repurposed empty large candle jar and added new wicks from my stash. It was a fun project and resulted in a surprisingly pleasant scent – Pumpkin Spice Chai Firewood Tobacco.
https://pin.it/5RVWg2r
*Free Covid tests arrived – ordered through the postal service.
https://www.covid.gov/tests
*Oldest dear son was home for the weekend and entertainment was free – we walked for exercise and discovered two new-to-us area parks and enjoyed hours of walking trails at both.
*Additional free entertainment: Attended local Music & Arts Festival and County Fair Parade.
*Accepted wonderful Vietnamese food dinner from dear son. He combined discounts and received 4 big Vietnamese sandwiches for $3 each (regularly $12 each).
*Pleasant outdoor temps have resulted in less energy use for indoor cooling, and less outdoor watering of lawn.
*Placed curbside order for groceries, ensuring no impulse buys. No additional fees for curbside but we do tip.
*Accepted gift of Caesar salad.
*Gifted our elderly neighbor couple a meal and loaf of homemade bread made from items we had on hand in our freezer and pantry. They were very grateful – she has Alzheimer’s and he prepares all their meals. He appreciated a break from cooking.
*Continuing to walk one hour daily and use hand weights as exercise – no gym membership fees. In the process, have discovered many lovely walking trails.
*Continuing to do all our typical frugal daily routine items … larger loads of laundry and line dried only; all leftovers refreshed for additional meals; lights/ceiling fans turned off in rooms we weren’t spending time in; unplugging chargers and small appliances when not in use; central AC thermostats set at 80F degrees downstairs and 84/85F degrees upstairs during the day; kitchen sink warm up water used to water outdoor plants; dehumidifier water used to water outdoor nonfood producing plants; bath water used to water areas of lawn; only turned indoor lights on during the day when absolutely necessary – we have lots of natural light; continuing to use small batch DIY laundry liquid.
Wishing everyone a frugal and blessed week!
I echo everyone’s compliments about the outfit in red – I love it – red always makes me feel so much better about everything when I wear it!
I did manage to add to the pantry a bit this last week – cans of tuna, cauliflower and packs of “Goldfish” snacks were all on sale. I also did well in the non-food area as the drugstore I go to close to my office has had a lot of items at $3.49 lately (sometimes this is 50 cents off but other times it is quite a few dollars). I bought 1 of each, hair mousse, hair spray, deodorant, Nivea cream and dental floss – the total was $20 but I used $10 in Loyalty points to reduce it to $10. It was only one of each but each item will last me at least two months and it will just go into the stockpile for now – both the mousse and the hairspray had been marked at $8.99 each the week before! The Loyalty Points were the ones that they had mistakenly used the week before so I was glad to get that sorted. $10 is $10!
I also bought another box of my favourite brand of tea – and it is up again in price – up a total of $2 in less than 2 years – a 40% increase! Again – it’s for the stockpile but tea is one thing that I don’t ever want to run out of. I did tap into some of my reserved funds for all of the above but the prices were just too good to pass up.
I made a pot of cauliflower/leek soup this past weekend and grated in the last bit of a strong cheddar and a bit of blue cheese that I had in the fridge and I have to say – it is delicious. This is a busy week so a few nights of soup and sandwiches will make life a bit easier. I also made a curry with veg and chickpeas from my freezer. I packaged up two servings – along with rice and put them into the freezer for later and then ate it on Saturday and Sunday with some frozen shrimp that needed to be used up – very tasty. I also made up some dried milk and mixed it half and half with the bit of milk I had left in the fridge and this will do me for the next couple of days so that I don’t have to go to the shops.
I got my second wind about 9pm on Friday night and ended up giving my fridge a good clear out of old condiments – wiped all the shelves and then reorganized a few items. I like to keep a lot of small items in plastic bins so that they don’t get lost in the back of the fridge and I just find it easier to lift out one bin rather than 4 or 5 bottles or containers as I try to reach the one item that I want.
I got my tetanus booster last week and am booked for my flu shot this Friday so that is two more medical things off the list! Both are free so no excuse not to get them done.
Have a great week everyone – oh T thank you for recommending “Scarborough” the British TV show – it comes on my BritBox stream so I can take my time and enjoy it. I am from Scotland originally but my mom’s cousin lived in Scarborough, England and I have photos of us on the beach there when I was a child.
Thanks for thanking me Margie and looking for the Catherine Hernandez movie. I guess Crave does not have the Scarborough movie based in Canada on its streaming service anymore.
The Scarborough ( from Brit Box )you mention is on Kanopy ( app through the library).
The book by Catherine Hernandez ( Scarborough, Canada) is available as a hard copy from the library and available to read on the Libby app.
What luck to find something you enjoy on Brit Box.
Have you tried CBC GEM. When I was sick in September I streamed the first season of Maternal from the BBC and Sissi which is loosely based on Empress Elizabeth( Sissi) and her husband Emperor Frank Joseph . It’s in German with English subtitles and easy to follow.
Which brings me to PBS Passport. I know in the U.S. people can stream it for free. In Canada you can stream PBS Passport with a minimum donation( you get a tax receipt) of $60.00 CDN.
There is so much content it’s a frugal streaming service at $5.00/ month, plus charitable donation:)
Actually you have to pay for PBS passport in the U.S. The amount was roughly the same the last time I checked.
We can get shows online for free for 3 weeks after they air (per episode).
Is this within the app or online available to anyone Brandy?
Some of the shows like Doc Martin showing now and season 5 of Unforgotten would show on T.V. But not in the app here in Canada.
I think because some of the shows may be purchased by other broadcasters in Canada.
I watched on their website on my computer before. I also went directly to their site and watched on my phone, but I don’t know if I used the app. I want to say I tried it but I don’t remember for certain. I haven’t watched almost anything all year.
@T Franz Joseph 1, darn that auto correct:)
I actually have PBS through Prime at a very reasonable price. I do get a PBS channel on my tv pkg. but there is much more available through streaming so I don’t mind the small additional cost. I get regular CBC and yes, I have watched GEM online a few times for free but have to admit that the commercials annoy me! There are so many options out there that I just can’t keep up!
PBS with Prime! I haven’t heard about this! That’s interesting!
You can get CBC Gem ad-free for $5 a month. It is sometimes worth it to me for a month if there is a series I want to binge-watch. When I cancel, they often offer a 99 cents a month for three month to get me to start again.
Margie from Toronto
Margie,
Recently, all users of CBC Gem have to sign in, not just CBC Gem Premium users.
I’m finding that there are fewer ads on at least some of the shows (such as Heartland).
In general, I really like Gem although in the past there seemed to be some problems with their loading of the ads on the day when new episodes were loaded but they seem to have overcome that problem.
I’ve enjoyed Murdock Mysteries, Heartland, the series Sissi, the series Victoria, the Great British Baking Show, and a film entitled Tulipani. I would subscribe to PBS Passport but there is an overlap between what is available there and on Gem.
T
Do Canadians get a tax receipt? Has PBS managed to get CRA standing as a charitable organization? If so that’s good news but I hadn’t heard it before.
Ann
Hello Ellie’s friend. I hope you receive this message. Yes, I made it as a donation not tied to any phone marathon where there is product sent.
As far as I remember it was all recorded as a charitable donation on the receipt. Even more a reason I was happy to have it.
I has been tooooo long since popping over here and for that I am sorry! I need a little inspiration myself! I have been overbudgt many months in a row along with a bunch of food waste too. .. I did however this week: *redo my Nove meal plan to focus on items I have with the least amount of items needed to purchase. *Focused on repurposing leftovers– reheated grits (normally will have tossed), turned sloppy joes into spaghetti for a lunch, starting to skip showers 1 day of week on a day we just around the home, we carpooled with friends to a BIG fieldtrip over and hour away in our 15 passenger van – made the trip way more fun and our friend paid our entry fee, to stretch our gas we only went out one other day that week *we planted mums along our the fence we build this summer versus temporary decor at the front door *I asked hubby to cut my hair and I would layer it, but he surprised me with a salon appt (our anniversary is this month and we don’t have big plans) – very thoughtful of him and I ended up cutting over 6 inches off!*
Looking forward on spending time reading the last few weeks of frugal accomplishment for inspiration!
One of the best things I ever did as a younger homemaker was that I set myself a challenge I called “100 Hours in the Kitchen,” where during the course of the year, I made myself consciously put in time in the kitchen to figure out how to make substitutions, tweak recipes, make up new recipes, and so forth. (I actually did a blog series about it, which I’ll include below in case anyone is interested).
Anyway, I’m still reaping the dividends from this experiment all these years later — I now regularly make substitutions in my cooking and make up recipes all the time, and it saved me SO much money over the years since I’m not constantly running to the store multiple times a week for just one or two things (and then usually buying even more). Here’s the link to that series if anyone is interested: https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2016/01/24/100-hours-in-the-kitchen-project/
And of course, I have to include my own weekly list of frugal accomplishments! Here’s that (and we had quite the list this week, too!):
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2023/10/24/weekly-frugal-wins-preserving-applesauce-going-all-in/
Congratulations on your full time flower farm. I enjoyed your updates.
Thanks, Susan! It might be a bit touch and go at the beginning here as we attempt to scale up so quickly, but it should be a good learning experience at any rate, lol 🙂
I so enjoy your updates, Torrie, and am impressed by your brave steps forward with your flower business. Am sure only success will follow you. Peace and Blessings!
Definitely impressed, CONGRATULATIONS
I love seeing new business begin
Torrie,
I agree. Learning in the kitchen is a great way to save. This past week, I had a leftovers turned into a casserole. The casserole called for a cup of dried stuffing mix. I diced some homemade French bread, tossed with spices and olive oil and toasted. Casserole was amazing especially with the subbed “stuffing mix”.
It is incredible to see your garden looking so full and luxurious ….it seems such a short time ago I was reading about the dirt removal, making plans!
So worth all the work! Ann lee s. Bc canada
That’s an olive tree, right?
I am trimming some plants back some, now that the weather is a little cooler. I usually do most of the pruning in December and January, but I like to clear some of the dead branches and tangles now, to keep the job from being so large in the winter.
I have the A/C off, but we are expecting near record highs for late October, later this week. I plan to run the ceiling fans and tough it out. What will probably save me from turning on the A/C is that the nights will continue to cool off to the low 60’s or high 50’s and our humidity is lower than in the summer. It’s only 59% humidity right now.
I sewed a gift for a grandchild this weekend, one that was requested by the child.
I have some old split rail fencing that my husband rescued from a late-friend’s property after the new owner decided to toss it. I’ve had an offer from someone who wants to buy it, so hopefully, that will go through.
My pineapple sage is enjoying the cooler weather and has put on blooms and a lot of new leaves. I’ll dry some of the leaves for seasoning. The hummingbirds appreciate the blooms.
I picked up “Eric Sloane’s America” from the library. It wouldn’t suit everyone, perhaps, but I’m a history nerd and love to read about life in early America. I also watched some free movies via Roku.
I’m watching for good prices on turkeys and hams. So far, I’ve not been impressed, but I hope we’ll start seeing them soon.
Yes. It’s next door to my house.
I have many of Eric Sloane’s books and love them all. If that’s nerdy, I’m ok with it! 🙂
I love the dress. I used to have one almost like it until I wore it out. I used what wasn’t thin to make doll clothes for granddaughter.
I made 5 gallons of laundry soap. Used clothesline and drying rack for laundry.
We started the wood stove last week when it’ wasn’t above 60,and let it go out last night so I can clean it tomorrow, as this week is in the 70s. We had a freeze yesterday morning. Glad I have harvested everything and covered the onions that are still growing.
Been canning tomatoes, applesauce, beef with broth, chicken with broth, chicken broth using Monster (19 QRT) canner, made taco meat and ground beef crumbles for freezer. Bagged leftover roasted chicken for 5 different meals and put in freezer. I still have MORE tomatoes and MORE apples to can.
I checked Hubby’s part D (he is 65)for next year. It’s still the best for him.
I applied for my part D, (65 in Jan) zero premium, zero cost for drugs (gap cost is $1.20 a month for the 4 of them) and $545 deductible I won’t meet. Sounds too good to be true but was in top 5 of several reliable sites.
At 2 daughters request we checked out Good RX also for things not covered well with our Part D… like Hubby’s nitro and nasal spray ($150 a month for them together. My inhaler ($45 a month). After checking the price and calling our pharmacy we BOUGHT Gold Good RX. We will save in 2 months what it costs for the entire year. Doc just told us to have those scripts written separately and make sure the pharmacy knows to run it as CASH. Pharmacy said the same thing. I ordered aspirin 81mg. Hubby has to take it with his one heart meds. It was over $2 for 30. I got 500 at Amazon and used my points to pay for it. He sees his cardiologist on Friday and is telling them also.
Blessed Be
Prayers for peace
https://chefowings.blogspot.com/2023/10/life-and-saving.html
I bought mine about 6 years ago on Amazon.
A nicely dressed woman in her lovely garden. So much nicer than slovenly dressed people drinking beer in their backyard & sitting in ratty lawn chairs. You look like someone in the Junior League!
My frugal doings in Florida:
1. Ate a free toasted breakfast taco at Taco Bell. If you use their app there is another free breakfast taco on Oct. 31, 20023. I topped mine with fresh spinach at home & added some salsa. Yum Yum!
2. My friends from Texas arrived last week. My neighbor here in FL was flying out of the same airport they arrived in. She drove to airport after work to their gate. She hopped out to go to her gate & they got in to drive car back to condo. Neighbor saved airport parking fee for 5 days & I saved gas due to not having to drive 25 miles there & back. Travelers got their ride free. A win for all!
3. My FL neighbor lives near the airport. She agreed to take the travelers back to the airport this week on her way to work. She also agreed to take me to the airport on Dec. 5 on her way to work. I vacuumed & cleaned out neighbor’s car while she was gone. We do for each other like that. Bartering I guess you would call it.
4. My Texas friends helped me clean out a junky closet. Furniture is going to Habitat for Humanity resale shop. I did have to buy a sturdy set of shelves to organize the closet. The shelves were 20$ cheaper at Ace hardware than at big box store. I used 33$ of GC money which brought done the price by 1/2. The shelving unit was also easy to put together. Closet looks very neat now!
5. Texas friends invited me to eat out I wanted to go but had to pick up neighbor from (you guessed it) the airport. I ate bowl of homemade soup w/ crackers. A cheap meal instead.
6. A FL friend has been giving me avocados from his tree. I have avocado toast w/ salad for dinner or eggs at breakfast.
7. Got some free bread at the senior center.
8. I got 2 large bags of clothes from friends. I kept a few things. Rest will go to resale store.
9. I shared my Netflix password with my sister. Not sure if you are allowed to do this but so far so good.
10. Texas friend took small TV from my cleanout. She said it will go in her RV.
Have a nice & productive week fellow frugalistas.
Thank you!
What an arrangement with the car!
Texasilver, I love that you have that special relationships with neighbors and friends to do the car ride swapping and all! Those kind of relationships really bless each other and help save us time and money. I had a neighbor drop off 5 pumpkins from her church’s patch and I give her veggies all summer. Another neighbor dropped off persimmons and I returned the container with apple leather I had just made. Another friend dropped off shredded chicken she didn’t want to save and I sent her home with garden veggies. These kinds of gifting just make me so happy and I want to look for ways to bless others!
I dropped off apples from an apple house an hour away at a struggling friends and bought boxes for my daughter and her fellow homeschool co-op moms, saving them two hours when they are busy enough!
Brandy, you seem to be making the best of a tough situation with your husband working away, and still dress so smartly!
I saw something recently about the importance of living the life we have now instead of waiting.
This is my life now. I need to enjoy it.
And I have always dressed for myself. My husband is a more casual person. I am a more dressy person.
Wow, I really like the idea of living the life we have now.
Me too, I have not heard this before but LOVE the idea and way of thinking
I am guilty of thinking I have to wait or strive for everything to be perfect
This is liberating, thank you for sharing
Last week I went to “town” and took advantage of some deals at stores I don’t frequently shop. Did my grocery shopping at Aldi which of course has prices way lower than my local store. I also took advantage of the General Mills rebate offer one of the readers posted about last week; I picked up 10 items at Target and after the rebate I’m only spending $4 OOP. I also stopped by Wal-greens and was able to combine manufacturer and store coupons to get a 12 pack of TP, Tide, disposable razors, toothpaste and a small bag of Halloween candy for only $11 OOP.
I stayed at home all weekend and read on my Kindle, did some pre-holiday deep cleaning and we enjoyed watching a movie and cooking at home instead of going out for dinner and a movie. Lately, with food prices and the lack of staff at restaurants we are more satisfied dining at home even with having to do the dishes on “date night.”
Hello Frugal Friends,
Brandy, you look lovely. That red is “your” color.
Savings this past week included the following: A visit out of state,with hubby’s grandparents who are 94 and 95 and still in their own home. 🙂 Time together with them is so precious. We packed drinks and lunch so the only out of pocket was gasoline. I consider the trip almost free since I was able to deliver gifts to family that lives close by, thus saving on postage. The postal costs would be about equal to what we spent on gas.***
When we returned home, it was time for an oil change. I had a $15 off any service counter coupon at the car dealership. They also washed the car. $63 out of pocket for a full synthetic oil change. I was doing it 5,000 miles early. They reminded me that I purchased tires elsewhere. I remembered that I had lifetime tire rotation, so I had that done where we bought the tires. A little extra time, but money saved.***
I don’t “do” Halloween, so I made Fall cupcakes for the close neighbors that have children. I let them know that my house would be dark on Halloween, and wished them Happy Fall. I used 2 boxes of 99 cent cake mix, a 50 cent and 40 frosting, and 50 cent decorative cupcake liners to make the treats. I also subbed 1/4 cup Greek yogurt for two of the eggs in the cakes. There was no difference in how the cupcakes turned out.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
What a great dress (and accessories) you remind me of beautiful vintage Hollywood glamour. And the roses are beautiful. My mom went out in her garden and clipped a similar rose to bring in and enjoy – the last of the season she said. It smelled delightful.
Accepted cone flowers from someone’s thinned garden.
I packed snacks, drinks, and a book for an appointment where I was the driver and would wait. Also scouted places to walk for the next time (this is an ongoing visit for life)
Walked the neighborhood in the evening for free exercise with a friend.
I wrote yard work to do’s for the spring in a notebook, so I don’t forget over winter.
Hope everyone has a calm and productive week!
It’s been awhile since I commented, and I’m not sure I even have anything interesting to share (not that that has stopped me from sharing before…)
I did find BLSL chicken breasts marked down to just a little more than 99 cents a pound. I bought the two large packages they had then froze in serving sizes for my husband and I. He was gone this weekend to a Boy Scout event where he was the cook for the entire weekend. There were leftovers, and he shared with anyone who wanted some, but still came home with a bag and a half of chips, a large box of single serve chips, and a large box of Ritz crackers – it probably had 8 sleeves of crackers in it! My Christmas Club money hit my checking account. We were very thoughtful with purchasing presents – actually thinking about what they need instead of just buying presents to have under the tree (I’ll admit – I like to have lots of presents for my children to open, even if they are grown.) I’ve been trying to watch what I eat/drink, so I have picked up fruit and veggies that were marked down and have been making a real effort to get them eaten quickly. I’m drinking lots more water, just tap water with ice in it, so that saves us money from the 5-6 Pepsis I was drinking in a day.
It is cold and snowy outside today. What a pleasure then to receive the free beautiful David Austen roses catalogue in the mail.
It is interesting to read that the company is “decommissioning” some of its roses. Meanwhile they are breeding roses with climate change in mind. I heartily recommend this — especially heartwarming on a bitter day!
Canned up 4 quarts of black eyed peas (from 2#) that I found on clearance for .38 cents each. Cooked at home. Attended our town’s free Halloween festival and did purchase a snack from the food vendor but the children loved the free candy and the free caricature.
Not so frugal but needed: We took a family day trip into Amish country. Enjoyed a nice lunch and did some shopping. My daughter and I got the regular plates instead of half so ended up getting 4 extra pieces of fried chicken for $2 difference. We took a doggie bag to enjoy them later.
Husband and I split a double scoop since we wanted the same ice cream for a snack before we went home. Skipped dinner.
Found toddler stretch gloves for 33c at the Amish bulk store so picked some up for the glove and scarf tree at work. They are the cheap stretchy kind but better than nothing.
Picked up a lot of bulk goods and I should be good for baking for the holidays. Got coffee mix for the cost of a Starbucks. I tried last time I was there and liked it.
Refilled gas at a store that was 30c a gallon cheaper on the way home.
Dad gifted us his vehicle as he bought a new one. It’s about 10 years old but has only 78,000 miles. Both of our vehicles have more than 208,000 miles on them and are showing the age. The one that has damage from a hit and run will be given to my oldest for commuting to school as she’s still a new driver.
Speaking of school, she finally got her last classes through the Indiana College Core transferred in. So she started her freshman year with 43 hours… saving about $49k in tuition!!! (Cash price, not the discount price after her grants.)
I’ve decided to make soaps and bath products to use up my supplies and will share them with family at Christmas. We are visiting my husband’s parents at Christmas and it looks like we will have to add a hotel stay with it, as my niece has moved home and that used up what would have been the guest room. So we will pinch more to make up for that. At least my kids are old enough to appreciate seeing their grandparents and not worry about as much for gifts.
Ordered a soccer jersey on etsy 30% off for my son’s birthday, which keeps us in our budget.
We are hosting Thanksgiving at our house. My daughter works in a restaurant and we want her to have time to see family, and taking 2 vehicles for 6 hours of driving and possibly renting hotel doesn’t make sense for our family. Plus cooking at my dad’s is stressful. Saving the cost of driving and avoiding the stress of my dad questioning down to what to do if he has an extra can of green beans is well worth the fuss of hosting!! I will use a previous menu so planning effort will be minimal.
We will entertain with board games, cookie baking, putting up the tree, and if the kids are up for it, hiking or ice skating at the new rink at the park.
Temperature hit 39 this morning so harvested the last of my herbs to dry (except chives, which are hardy and I’ll make garlic herb butter with after my dad leaves). Roasted some more tomatoes that had finally reddened in the oven.
Made chicken noodle soup. Extra carrots and celery are cut and frozen for the next soup day. My husband bought stock instead of defrosting ours for some reason but it turned out good.
Oh, and I sold a copy of my book! 😃
Have a blessed week.
Robbie
Kroger has butter on sale this week for $2.49. That’s the best price I’ve seen in a while.
Nancy,
Thank-you for letting us know about the butter on sale!