In the last couple of weeks, I’ve had a lot on my plate, including births, a wedding, and a stroke, which became a death a few days later.
And then my bank account was hacked and practically emptied.
So I have been busy.
I also helped friends move, and I am helping to sort the affairs for the friend who died.
The family friend was an immigrant from Germany many years ago. My parents and I are giving most of the items to new immigrant families via the woman with whom I serve.
A few items came to my house, including some dish soap, kitchen towels, and toilet bowl cleaner.
My friend insisted on filling my tank full of gas (2/3 of a tank!) after I helped them move into their new apartment. That was unexpected, and an extra blessing after my bank account was hacked and I found out that I will have to wait 10 days for the bank to put the money that was stolen back into my account.
For my niece’s wedding (her flowers above–and no, they are not from my garden–they are just too pretty not to share!) I took in a dress for one daughter, and replaced the zipper in a dress for another daughter with one that I had on hand in a contrasting color (from my grandmother’s stash that I inherited).
One daughter borrowed a dress from a friend. The dress had come unstitched in several places, and her friend was just wearing a jacket to hide all the seams that were coming apart. I mended the borrowed dress.
I wore a dress I already owned to the wedding.
Her shower was the week before. I didn’t think I would be able to attend, but my plans changed at the very last minute and I could. I had not bought a gift yet, so I chose the Venmo option on her shower and just gave them money, which saved me time (which I absolutely did not have to spare), gas, and wrapping paper.
I also gave my sister-in-law the flowers above (plus another bunch, so twice as many) for her to have to decorate her house for all her house guests.
I needed to refill a prescription. I asked and it saved me $20 by choosing to fulfill 2 months at a time instead of just one.
I lost a rose tree in the wind. Rose trees have gone up astronomically (triple what I paid last year). A friend told me she had found some white Iceberg rose trees on sale at the local nursery for the same price as the ones I bought last year (I checked and I cannot get a replacement anywhere for the same kind as the one that broke). I went immediately and bought 4 Iceberg rose trees (and I was lucky to get 4 matching ones). I chose a place to plant 2 of the 3 remaining ones. They weren’t flowering at all where they were, so I think the variety that I planted previously (Honor) needs more sun anyway. I will move them to places where they should get more sunshine.
We had a very simple birthday party for two of my children at home. I made cupcakes for one and brownies for the other. One wanted a Bluey themed birthday party. As all the children attending were very young, we printed a coloring page of Bluey for each child to color during the party. We played pass the parcel using some monster-themed erasers that my mother had given me for Christmas as the gifts in the parcel. Mostly, everyone played outside on the merry-go-round, swings, and trampoline.
I used a giant basket that I bought a few weeks ago at a garage sale as a prop to photograph my friend’s newborns.
What did you do to save money the last two weeks?
Oh my Brandy you have been so very busy! Sorry to hear about your bank account getting hacked. I was wondering if you had noticed any savings on food or utilities when your household gradually went down to 8 at home-or were they wiped out by increased prices and increased appetites as your children got older. We did notice a decrease in food prices when our daughter moved away.
My best deal this week was a bag of organic limes on Flash Food for $1.00. Anytime I can get food for a dollar I am pretty happy.
On the not so frugal front I needed a root canal yesterday-even once dental insurance paid the max the bill was still over $1,000-argh.
My utilities have definitey gone down! We are down to 6 at home now and the difference is huge.
We need less food at home, but prices are higher than ever, and my husband still has his living expenses, so it is essentially 2 households. I am grateful to save where I can here.
Goodness, Brandy, what a tumultuous, week full of sorrow and joy!! Condolences on the loss of your friend! I am sorry that your bank account was hacked in the midst of so much going on, that and the wind storm! It sounds like you were able to pull together clothing for the wedding, your resourcefulness paid off for sure!
* We had a 100 year old oak come down unexpectedly last Monday night and it came down on the power line and transformer. My husband was out of town but came back from a staff trip as he knew there was a huge mess to deal with. It took down my peach that was loaded for the first time and a pear, and the beet looking blackberry patch I have ever had. I was so sad as I was looking forward to lots of jam and fresh peaches. It fell on parts of two of my gardens . A huge part of our 60 year old magnolia was sheared off by the power company as the line fell in the middle of the tree. I had just about gotten everything planted. I having been working to clear it off, put up new cattle panels for trellis as the others got bent and strung the netting back up. It cost several thousand and required special equipment to haul off the 6 foot diameter pieces. I asked them to leave the mulch and this afternoon I rebuilt a new bed in front of the mulch. The mulch was the a blessing but the tree provided shade in the afternoon and all my plants required partial shade so we have fashioned some shade covers for the time being.
* I did have a great produce haul last week and got another 25 # apples ,and some bananas and oranges for $5. The produce man was very helpful and I told him I was blessed by his willingness to just do a lump sum!
* I pray you get your banking sorted out and have a calmer week, your calm attitude spoke to me!
Woah, Jean, that’s a lot of trees to lose! Sorry to hear that.
You have had a challenging couple weeks! We have had two unexpected among friends and extended family as well as car accident! “May you live in interesting times”, I’ve heard is an ancient Chinese curse and I’m ready for some dull days now!
We grilled up a package of the petite boneless sirloin steaks I got on Flashfood for $3. There were 4 small steaks in the pack. Hubs took one and cut half into small pieces and added it to some Campbell’s Chunky vegetable beef soup and was over the moon with the flavor and heartiness! Another night, we each had one of the little (about 5 Oz) steaks along with potatoes and veg for dinner and figured our cost for dinner was about $1 each! Hard to find a steak dinner anywhere for $1/person! And we had leftovers from our dinner that we ate for lunch the next day! Other meals this week have been quite simple. With just the 2 of us, a sandwich or something else will suffice and keep us well within our budget. We go to the store less and less frequently and almost never to buy something that is not on a great sale or clearance price.
One of our daughters saw an upright freezer being given away in her neighborhood because a family was moving and didn’t want to take it with them . They were just 2 blocks from her house so she and her husband got it. It is like new! Free!! But she had 2 chest freezers in her garage that she had been using- one that they bought for their apartment and then a larger one they bought about a year ago. So she decided she would sell the smaller one which works great. She was asking $50 for it and we asked the new family in our congregation who are on a tight budget since they just bought a house if it was something they might like (for free) . We have shared Flashfood and our eggs with them previously and they have been appreciative. They were overjoyed so we paid our daughter beforehand and they met us there to load it into our trailer and we delivered it to their house where we know it will be well used! Both of those families have been feeling inflation’s pinch and we were happy to have been in a position to help both of them in this transaction.
My latest Use-it-Up scrappy quilt only using what I have hitch will include pieced scraps of batting- https://pin.it/71csfWc9m. It is a nice twin size quilt. Business has been busy (which still surprises me with inflation!) Here are the ones I have quilted over the past 2 weeks: https://pin.it/2RqgJwT55, https://pin.it/5CLabreJO, https://pin.it/2gVUWFmzu, https://pin.it/1hKROMZFJ, https://pin.it/6KAXSjGJB, https://pin.it/5IykbAIk4, https://pin.it/6lnG7zVxM, https://pin.it/2oJHTpF9J , https://pin.it/7q8Rsj21K and https://pin.it/JqRVhPQDM.
If you’re keeping count, that’s 8 and there are 3 more to go that have been dropped off already! So that’s been a great addition to our budget and savings!
We were able to rebuild the chickens exercise yard with some used chain link dog kennels we found on FB marketplace. They are replacing the green plastic fencing that is sagging badly (after only 4 years and many children leaning over it! 🥴) Hubs is good at “reconfiguring” things so we took a couple days to disassemble and alter sizes, strengthen the materials and fasten it into place but it is wonderful (imo) and sturdy enough to last a long time. As we’ve been aging, we are focusing on projects (mostly DIY) that will be one-offs that will be easy to maintain without the expense of replacing in the near future.
I bought 3 twelve packs of chicken drumsticks for $2 each on Flashfood, gave 2 packs to my friend with big family and we tried a new crockpot recipe with our twelve pack. Oh my goodness! It was wonderful and we figured that our dinner for the 2 of us- chicken drumsticks (we had 2 each and went back for a 3rd one because they were so good! 😉), brown and wild rice pilaf (60 cents from salvage store) and green beans (free from a friend) cost us a total of $1.60 (80 cents per person) and it filled us up! When we see the crazy prices of groceries these days, we worry about how people are getting by. The impact on us personally has been minimal because we have built up good reserves of food- canned, dehydrated, frozen and fresh from the garden.
Hubs and I are in charge every year of buying the hot dogs and hamburgers for our congregation’s Memorial Day picnic. We are then reimbursed by our church budget. Even so, I try to be frugal. Yesterday, on Flashfood, I bought 3 packages (3 pounds each) of 80/20 ground beef for $1.50/pound (the regular marked price was between $5.49 and $6.99 a pound! 😱 I spent $13.50 and with my hamburger Patty maker (on clearance at Kroger 8 years ago for $3!), I can make 6 patties at a time. I will get 36 burgers and will flash freeze them until our picnic! Since we need over 100 burgers, I will repeat this as often as I see reduced ground beef. For 27 pounds at regular price, it would be $161.73 but at my Flashfood price, I hopefully will only spend $40.50! That will be a huge budget savings!
Just picked up 5 more Meijers boneless half hams (about 5 pounds each) on Flashfood for just under $3 each. I offered my two friends their choice if they wanted with my slicing it as well if they wanted. 60 cents a pound for sandwich meat or cubed ham or ham slices or steaks for dinners is a price I can’t resist and am happy to share with friends/family and also keep in my freezer for family and church events.
One last Flashfood splurge- they had 11 Oz packs of yellow or pink melting chocolate wafers marked down to 25 cents each! I bought all 19 of the yellow and 16 of the pink, paid $8.75 and saved $204.36!! They will be vacuum sealed in my half gallon mason jars.
Our 22 year old minivan was rear-ended in rush hour on the freeway by what we now know was an uninsured driver. Fortunately, we carry uninsured motorist coverage because our van was totaled. After 13 days, it is official and we will turn over our title to the insurance and they will hand us a check. The check is almost double what KBB listed if we sold it as a private seller, but we are not sure how long and how much more we will have to take from savings to replace it. 😢 The good news is that we had that insurance coverage and that we have money in savings that we can use towards a replacement. So now, the hunt begins! We always buy from a private owner, never a dealer and we have a list of questions and criteria to find the most value at the best price. Fingers crossed!
Our fruit trees bloomed incredibly and now I see that our apricot tree is covered with ball bearing size fruit forming! Our potatoes are coming up through the ground. Our strawberries are blooming and we are determined to make use of every bit that comes our way and also share what we can with those that don’t have the time/resources to build up their pantries or even just have enough for good hearty meals! Gardenpat in Ohio
Hi Gradenpat
Sorry to hear about your van. Glad you were not injured.
Would you mind sharing the list of questions that you ask when purchasing a used vehicle?
Thanks so much!
J- Sure will! Our strategy is NOT to buy from a dealer so we can avoid “middleman” costs, but rather from a car that has been owned and maintained over the years by fewer people (1- 3 owners over it’s lifetime). We are NOT looking for flashy new or just a couple year old cars. Still too pricey for us. The most we have ever paid for a car or van is $4500. But most have been in the $2000- $3000 range and have served us well.
So, we look on Craigslist or FB Marketplace. First thing we check for is owner/ not dealer sale. We also check Kelley Blue book for typical price. We keep a list of vehicles we are looking into with notes. We check repair records for that make/model year, so we know some things to ask about or listen for.
We voice call. The conversation:
1. Hi. We are calling about the vehicle you have for sale. If they ask which one, we walk away because it’s a dealer.
2. We ask how long they’ve had vehicle. If over 160K , we typically walk away.
3. Smoker? We walk away
4. Repairs done in the past year, things that may need addressing, quirks?
5. Clear title? No liens, the seller’s name on title? Not selling it for sister, friend, etc?
6. Then we get conversational to have them tell us about vehicule. You can get a sense about the vehicule’s maintenance this way. Why are they selling it? Because it is usually 10 years old or more, it’s because they wanted a newer one.
7. When we look at a vehicule , we give a general inspection. If there are mummified French fries or trash lying around inside, we walk away. That gives us insight into how they might maintain the vehicule itself.
8. Where are they located so we can see vehicule? This is a BIG factor to getting a better deal!! We live in Columbus, Ohio. Big capital city! When people advertise on Craigslist for Columbus or FB Marketplace but are located in small community that is an hour away from the city, most buyers don’t want to travel that far to look. But our experience has been that we find better maintained vehicules with prices that reflect the lack of buyers willing to check them out.
We just bought our replacement van- a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country with Stow and Go seats. It was from the 2nd owner and we traveled 130 miles to a town of 713 people. The last 2 miles were dirt roads to get to her farm. Older lady ( and typically we buy from people who are 60+ years old because there usually isn’t the wear and tear from kids). She immediately pointed out a side window that will go down with the control, but usually takes a second person to help manually get it back on track to close. Dave will probably disconnect the window control on that one so it doesn’t accidentally get pushed. Brand new tires. 143K miles on it. She is 2nd owner. We checked it out on Carfax (we subscribe long enough to check out 4 vehicules to get more info- accidents, sales,etc) and saw her oil and filter changes done routinely.
We bought it. Paid $7400 for it (in 2014, it sold by dealer to first owner for $31,824! 😳) Our insurance check for our totaled 2002 minivan was $4100. So our OOP net cost was $3300! It is wonderful!!
Hope this helps a bit.
Gardenpat in Ohio
Thank you so much!
Great tips!
Your generosity is inspiring!
Mable- Thank you. Over the years, raising 11 kids on 1 income, we have known challenging times. Because we delayed Dave’s retirement and no longer have debt and our wants are simple, we find ourselves better off than we imagined. Over the years, many people have been generous with us – some with opportunities to earn extra money, some with outright gifts of things (food to use or preserve, fabric, furniture, etc). The opportunity to “pay it forward” in even such small ways, gives us joy! The world is tough enough these days that if we can do something to help someone along, it’s so worth it to us! We can’t do “Oprah” like gifting, but we can do something.
Gardenpat in Ohio
Hi gardenpat,
A while ago you posted a chili recipe for canning. I’ve lost my copy. Can you post it again? Thanks so much!
Lynn- Here is the recipe for pressure canned chili that we use and love: https://yellowrockcountrygirl.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/easy-layered-chili-recipe-for-canning/
The only thing I do differently is typically I will combine the chopped tomato amount (1/4 cup) with the 2 tablespoon amount of diced green chilis and instead add 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of home canned (or store bought) Rotel because I always have it in stock and it’s combining a step!
Enjoy!
Gardenpat in Ohio
Thank you so much gardenpat! I’m excited to try it again!
Hi gardenpat you once posted a canned chili recipe. I’ve lost it. Can you please post it again? Thanks!
Can you share your drumstick crackpot recipe? I love your recipes.
Diane- we just got another $2 family pack of drumsticks and made it up again! I think these have become a new family favorite! That may be why I moved it to our “repeaters” board on our Pinterest!
Here’s link to recipe:
https://pin.it/1h1jP8P7m
Hope you love it, too!
Gardenpat in Ohio
Hi Brandy and everyone
You have had a busy time, I’m sorry to hear of your friends death. The flowers for the wedding were beautiful and it’s nice you and the girls were able to wear mostly dresses you already owned.
My husband’s car had a fault so he bought the needed part online and fitted it himself saving a lot on labour cost.
I cancelled a subscription to a magazine I’m just not getting time to read.
We picked purple sprouting broccoli and Swiss chard from the garden and wallflowers and tulips for the house. We potted on snapdragon seedlings and planted out spinach, celery and more sweetpeas. We gave cardoon and celery plants to a friend.
I bought sausages and chorizo for the freezer on a deal and stocked up on toothbrushes. Refill pouches of coffee were still cheaper than glass jars so I bought more and used a coupon for 15 per cent off sunscreen. Olive oil has become so expensive I’ve decided not to replace my current bottle when it runs out. Rapeseed oil will have to do for most things.
I baked cherry and vanilla fairy cakes for the freezer. I made pastry for a quiche and also a berry and almond frangipane tart using homegrown strawberries and raspberries from the freezer supplemented by some fresh blueberries that needed using up.
I needed to bind our revised wills so I sewed the pages together by hand with strong red thread.
I used soda crystals and kettles of hot water to keep the drains running clear.
Our electricity use for April was the same as last year but less than 2022. I’m determined to bring it down further.
I worked at the polling station for local elections and the money will be very welcome. We were not able to bring any stationery home this time but I was given some large elastic bands which I had been thinking of buying.
I decluttered more cupboards and found a roller towel and some small storage boxes for craft supplies. I think I must have brought them home when I cleared my late mothers house and forgot about them.
I applied for a seniors discount on our National Trust membership because we are over 60 and have been members for three consecutive years. This saved us £37.80 a year.
For a friend’s birthday I gave her homemade gifts – a bottle of my vanilla essence, lavender sachets and a jar filled with mini chocolate eggs bought at Easter. I stuck a circle of striker paper on the base of the jar and when the chocolate is gone she can put matches in it. I reused a gift bag.
Stay safe everyone.
Penny P,
Thanks for mentioning fairy cakes. I just looked up a four ingredient recipe. I love the idea of being able to whip up a few at any time.
You’re welcome Mary Ann. They’re just enough for a sweet treat without too many calories.
I was going to ask you to post more often… but forget that! You’ve had more than enough on your plate. (Poor girl…)
What happened with the hacked account? Do you have a way we readers can help out a little, while you get back on your feet? I have learned and been entertained so much by your account that it would be an honor to help.
I just have to wait 10 days for provosional credit to be issued while the whole things is reviewed.
I’m so sorry about the friend and about your bank account! Hacking makes me furious.
I planted some of my raised beds this past weekend. Some of the seeds are from the previous year or the year before. I kept them all in the refrigerator, so I’ll see if they germinate. If not, I’ll buy new.
I have berries on the point of getting ripe, so I am at the ready to pick them before anything else does. I have netting over most of them, but squirrels can still manage.
The feedback on my adapted jam recipe – I subbed loquats from our tree for the peaches it called for – has been good. I’ll note that in my canning recipes.
My internet company is going to charge for paper bills now. I had been meaning to make the call to go to e-bills, as that change can’t be done online, but this made me do it. I’ll avoid paying an additional $2.25 a month.
I sliced and dehydrated cheap pork liver from a local farmer. My dogs love it as a healthy treat put in their Kong toys for when I leave for the day. I set my dehydrator on the screened porch to keep from heating up the house.
I saved some seeds from a spinach-type green. I’m not sure if they’ll germinate next fall, but I can experiment with it. I’m letting the lettuce bolt now so I can gather those seeds. I know they will germinate and grow well, as this is the fourth year to collect seeds from the lettuce.
I wanted to add a family photo to my desk at work. I downloaded a good one from my phone at Walmart and used a frame I already had, so my total was 26 cents for the whole thing.
I read “Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness” by Eric Metaxas, which I borrowed from the library. I enjoyed it.
I continue to dry laundry without using the dryer and wash laundry almost entirely in cool or cold water.
I got notice that a medical bill that was denied payment by my insurance will not be billed to me – or so they say – because the provider didn’t respond to insurance’s questions when I appealed the decision. The provider will have to eat that $37 instead. I hope this is the last I hear of it.
The flowers were beautiful, Brandy.
I’m so very sorry that you have had such a difficult/frantic two weeks! If you have any tips for how NOT to get your bank account hacked, I would love to hear them. I am not asking for details as much as general advice your bank might have given or how you went about getting reimbursed, as I thought banks did not do that for hacking. What a mess!
My husband has been gone for a few weeks for ailing family so I have been running things solo. I know you are used to this with your husband working out of town, but I am not and I don’t like it! We are such a partnership that I feel like a limb is missing and I find myself complaining too much. I can do it all myself, I just don’t want to! But I have saved money with him being gone: eating totally from the pantry and freezer (he likes meals more organized than popcorn and a glass of milk!); using less water because less cooking means fewer dishes and fewer clothes to wash since he is not here to add to the hamper every day; he likes to run errands while I wait for a week and do them all in one day which saves gas and time…In fact, this week I have spent no money on anything! That is pretty frugal. I also brought in a bit of money with a few eBay sales of books and musk ox yarn. So, now that I look at it, this has been a pretty frugal week!
My sister-in-law worked for a bank for years, and she told me to set up 2-step authorization for every time I log in to my account online, so that I have to be texted a code to get in.
Hugs with your husband being gone. I feel the same way when I have to fly solo, half my arm is cut off. We can do it but it is so different and something is missing. May God fill you with peace and helpful friends until your husband can return.
I’m sorry about your bank account! I hope they get that sorted quickly.
I took my glass recycling to Target (California) when I went to pick up an order, and got $2.50. I also took 10 ink cartridges to Staples for rewards points. 10 cartridges earns $5 and that can be done every month. The points don’t expire as quickly with their new system, so I can save up points and make bigger purchases.
I scanned receipts on Fetch, every receipt counts! https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralsocial?code=GY8RYK
I washed my living room curtains, one panel at a time, and also one duvet, and dried them on the line outside. That makes the house feel fresher.
I drove 4 hours south to visit kids and grandson, I purchased gas while I was there, almost $1 less per gallon than where we live. I drove our economical car even though it’s a lot less comfortable and much more effort to drive (manual). The visit was worth it though! I hemmed a LOT of curtains for my daughter, she had just moved into her first owned home.
I know I won’t be alone in saying how sorry I am this lousy, wretched thing happened. Thank goodness for your bank working with you on this.
With all the rain we’ve had, my sprinklers have been off for several months, and my wallet has appreciated the break. I continue to save shower warm-up water, water from unfinished glasses, and water from rinsing produce, etc., for reuse in various ways. I always figure any bit of water I can use twice, is a snap in the direction of the local water district. Our rates are exorbitant. We recently had elections that resulted in major changes for the utilities district, and we are all hoping to see some rate reductions reflected in our monthly bills.
I also continue to be mindful of gas/electric usage, and plan my appliance use around the lowest rate times possible. I also use the “quick” cycles for laundry and dishwashing, and feel that my clothing and dishes get completely clean.
My sister-in-law and I took a quick overnight getaway together, to honor her brother’s (my late husband’s) birthday. I had lots of hotel points from when my husband and I took trips together, and our hotel rooms were completely free. We shared other expenses (food, gas) and had a great visit. When I dropped her off at home, she gifted me with a grocery bag full of lemons from her tree. I was thrilled to get them – I have a lemon tree but it’s nothing like as prolific as hers. I shared some with my mother, and juiced a number of them (I froze the juice in ice cube trays).
I also visited my daughter and her family, out of state. I was able to pay for both airfare and hotel using points, and they lent me the use of one of their vehicles, so I didn’t have to rent a car. It was a lovely and surprisingly frugal trip, and I used the freebies to justify splurging a little on my family.
On the home front, I picked roses, lavender, honeysuckle, and different types of mint for bouquets indoors. I picked the last of the oranges and juiced them. What I didn’t drink, I froze (again in ice cube trays). I enjoyed taking photographs in my garden, and used a “postcard app” to send personalized postcards using my own photos to friends and family. I had pre-paid, which gave me several free cards.
My Realtor friend paid me to write MLS copy, as well proofing and editing their monthly newsletter and the promotional copy for an educational seminar series. My mother and I attended several of the seminars together – they were free, and extremely timely and informative. I chauffeured for my mum, and she bought my lunch and topped off the gas tank. She’s the best!
I look forward to hearing everyone’s tips and accomplishments – I’m always inspired and blessed by this community. Brandy, peace be with you as you navigate some exceptionally busy, and in some cases emotionally very trying, times.
In your niece’s flowers, are those white flowers with the blue stamens (right term?) poppies?
Thank you.
They are anemones.
Hi Brandy,
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend passing.
And that’s awful about your bank account being hacked.
Your roses are beautiful. I went to a plant nursery that specialises in woodland and alpine plants and is going out of business. I bought several
perennials for the very hot and sunny boulevard. I’m sure the prices were a real deal. I just need to recover enough to be able to plant them.
This will save on buying plants in the future.
I returned several items of clothing I ordered online. They were labelled “extra large” but they were not.
At least I got my money back. It annoys me that clothes that are really size 14 are considered extra large.
This just encourages women to become anorexic. Just because women have hips and an hour-glass figure does
not make them extra large. I mailed one pair of pants to a friend and she was delighted to get them. I gave them to her
(I paid $20 Cdn reduced from $69).
I have some fabric so I may try to sew something.
I finally got three parcels mailed. A friend took them to the post office. The postage was exorbitant but I had been saving up.
Two of the parcels were the long-awaited photo albums…at long last. I also bought several books of Cdn stamps as each stamp within the country is going up this week by 7 cents. I should be good for stamps for at least 2 years.
There is a male pheasant in the yard. I outsmarted him on the second day he was here and I took lovely photos. It won’t happen again.
I also enjoyed watching a pair of chickadees excavate out a nest hole. In about 3 weeks their eggs should hatch. Free entertainment.
A snowshoe hare came racing around the corner followed closely by a bobcat. It all happened so fast that
I couldn’t lift my camera to my eye. The hare got away. I was shocked as I would have been going around that corner in another minute and
would have collided with both.
Our article is on hold until our proofreader has recovered from the flu.
I wrecked my bad knee so I am keeping it warm and staying in bed for a few days. A friend did my grocery shopping. I requested several cans of soup at greatly reduced prices.
I forgot to mention I was at the store the other day and quite horrified to see the price for a 170 ml jar of mint sauce-$7.29. Good grief!!
Sorry to hear about your difficult weeks. I know that your friends and family appreciate your help in all these things. Thank goodness you will be reimbursed for the bank fraud. How upsetting it must have been.
Your garden provides a place for retreat from the turmoil; how beautiful it is.
This sounds like a good week to look back at and be glad you got everything done!
What is the white flower with the blue middle in the wedding flowers? Fascinating touches of navy there.
Anemone
I hope you were able to enjoy the wedding and birth between the heartache and hassel. That is A LOT of life in two weeks!
On the frugal front:
While HH was in CA on business, he applied for a nonresident Los Angeles library card with access to Kanopy and Hoopla which our library system does not offer. The librarian waived the $50 nonresident fee eventhough HH said he was happy to support the library. It was simple to set up the apps on our mobile devices and Roku. I then learned DD2 has a Kanopy account through her university and a Hoopla account through the college town’s public library. We could have saved all the “hoopla” and just used her accounts! I watched The Whale on Hoopla, excellent acting, extremely depressing.
I went to another “Friends of the Library” sale. I bought eight books for $6. My gifted Everand subscription expires at the end of May, and I have decided not to renew (even though it is my favorite reading app.) With my library apps, recent used book purchases, and remaining credits on my paused Audible account, I have plenty of reading options. Most recently, I listened to the audiobook Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson.
Our community now offers a food waste collection site. The site requires BPI certified compostable bags. The city is providing two bags at registration and one bag at the time of each drop off. This was made possible through a grant. The local Native American community processes the organic waste into compost in an effort to reflect their values as good stewards of the earth. I appreciate the work of both the city and Native American community on this project.
We bought a small truckload of bulk compost for $20 vs. $6/bag. We loaded and spread it ourselves – free exercise. (I am not 30 years old anymore – Uff da!)
We had a few plants that did not survive our snowless winter. I filled in the gaps by dividing several plants that did survive. I also planted Zinnia and Painted Daisy seeds purchased a couple years ago – fingers crossed.
We ordered a 5 cubic yard
delivery of mulch which is more than a pick up truck load. In 2021, we ordered cypress mulch, but the price is significantly higher now. The sales rep suggested cedar mulch which also lasts three years, is only slightly darker than cypress, and was $37/cubic yard less expensive. HH started spreading it around the yard using tools he had on hand. A neighbor noticed him working and kindly brought over a wide pitch fork and wheel barrow to speed up the process. I made our neighbor chocolate chip cookies as a thank you.
HH requested meatloaf for dinner. I did not have any breadcrumbs so I substituted the dregs of a couple bags of chips and croutons. I also used low-cost, store-brand ketchup, saving the preferred-brand ketchup for use as a condiment. I baked it in an 8 cup mini Ioaf pan and froze the extra loaves for a quick future meal. Flexible recipes help me avoid food waste and decrease grocery costs.
I used the Free Fry Friday deal in the McDonalds app to place an order. If ordering fast food, the deals through the app are always cheaper than in person.
I mended two pairs of pants and a shirt for HH. The repairs were acceptable but not perfect. No one will notice, and HH does not care.
I look forward to reading everyone’s frugal feats.
Hello, frugal friends! Life here in the mountains has been pleasant and beautiful. Flowers are blooming. Trees are greening up and the grass looks like velvet. Brandy, you had quite the two weeks. I am so sorry for all the trouble you have had to deal with and am so impressed you were able to manage all those celebrations without losing your mind. I pray this will be an easier week for you and yours.
On the frugal front I did not do a whole lot but that is ok. I stayed home mostly which saves money and did things around the house. I needed a dress that met specific criteria for our mission trip to Africa. I found one at Aldis for $4! I also found a new nightgown there for $6. We have the windows open to enjoy the fresh air with our nice temperatures. It has rained off and on the past two weeks so I did not have to water anything. I always put the flower pots out when I know it is going to rain. My garden continues to supply the neighborhood with lettuce, lettuce, lettuce. We joined a CSA this season and tomorrow is our first pick up. And guess what we will be getting??? Lots of lettuce, spinach and other greens. I will gladly share with my neighbors. I picked 7 gallons of lettuce to share the other day and it did not even make a dent in the lettuce patch. Oh, well, that ‘s the way it goes in the garden sometimes. I was able to use $2 rewards at the grocery store. I did not buy much, just milk and produce. There have been no good markdowns except for BLSL chicken breasts. The flyer advertised the sale price as $2.39/# but when I got to the store they were priced at $1.99/#! I bought 3 big packages. We have been eating out of the pantry and freezers so the shelves are starting to look a little bare. This is ok as I am thinking through what we really eat and what I need to can this year. We used .15/gallon TMobile discount to fill the vehicles. I went to purchase geraniums for the front hanging baskets and petunias for the flower boxes at the local nursery. I left with nothing as the prices had doubled from last year. I checked and it just so happened that the high school FFA was starting their annual plant sale. I was able to get the geraniums I wanted at reasonable prices and the money goes straight to the FFA to grow future farmers. We used our military discount to purchase the petunias at Home Depot. They were on sale 7.50 for a 6 pack down from $12.95! I can’t believe they were originally priced 12.95 for a 6 pack of annuals???? So glad they were on sale. plus 10% off. I wish all my frugal friends a safe and pleasant week!
Lovely of you to return your daughter’s friend’s dress with all the repairs done!
I went for groceries about 10 days ago. I called the taxi driver, who was going to pick me up after she had a doctor’s appointment, but he sent her to the hospital instead! Her adult son came to pick me up in his 1 ton pick-up, complete with a trailer towing behind. It is a very big pick-up, but I managed to climb in and out without too much trouble to do several errands. I was able to get one liter of olive oil for $10.99, compared to the $12.99 they were asking for 1/2 a liter two weeks before. Asparagus was $1.99 a lb, so my plans to buy frozen vegetables on sale went out the window, because the asparagus was less expensive.
I have been making arrangements to buy food directly. Someone is bringing me two dozen farm fresh eggs, at $4.50 a dozen. They are $5.69 or more at the grocery store. I can even use them for egg white omelettes for the same price as buying cartons of egg whites.
A fishing coop from the west coast of Canada is delivering to a coop restaurant about 60 km from here. I had asked some time ago if they would be able to deliver to me since I don’t have a car. The coop manager for the restaurant has a farm which delivers marker garden produce, pork, and chicken to various cities, with stop-offs in locations on the way, so she has now said that I will be able to get the fish delivered on those runs. That includes salmon and scallops and halibut, I think. The prices are good, so I am optimistic about the taste.
I have been to the perogy palace across the laneway from my house. They have started to expand their menu to include sweet and sour cabbage rolls, and blueberry perogies, which are easier to fit into my current eating plan, as long as I watch serving size and what accompaniments I have with them. I realized their store is right at the back door of the building, so need to slip by the doctor’s office!
My last doctor has been back to serve patients, and my new doctor has been shuffled over to serve the patients of the other relatively new doctor. They all work part of the year, so that they can spend extensive time at home in South Africa. I got a prescription change to a long-action formula, because I sometimes forget to take the second dose. More expensive, since it isn’t covered by my government insurance for seniors, but one less thing to remember to do each day and more reliable treatment.
I gave myself a haircut, still keeping the new hairstyle I gave myself last time I cut it. I still like this new look.
I’ve done a little reorganizing in the kitchen as I go along. I’ve taken out things I’m not using as I clean a couple of open shelves on a small kitchen island that has been against the wall. I’ve moved the toaster off the kitchen counter to one of those shelves. Since I am no longer using butter, I am no longer interested in any of the things I used to toast. This is a wait and see approach in case there is anything I do want to toast. The kitchen counter is small, so I enjoy having a little more work space. It is also easier to clean that counter.
I’ve started to put beans or chickpeas as the protein on salads. That, plus radish slices, are a tasty, very inexpensive, and fast addition to lunch-time salads. I wish I’d done this a long time ago.
After reading your post I gave in and bought some perogies this afternoon! My excuse is that it will be a great way to use up some of the sour cream in my fridge! 🙂
Yes, that’s it, we must avoid food waste!
Brandy, I love the poppies! I am so sorry about the financial challenges. That’s the bad thing with electronic transactions, the good thing is the convenience. Sigh! I hope it is sorted out quickly.
Week of April 22:
-Cleaned the old fern debris from the asparagus bed. Added composite to top dress. Should start seeing the asparagus tips popping up. Can’t wait!
-Ordered the black dirt needed to fill the three raised beds. They are 32 inches high, so higher than most raised beds. Hubby is putting wood on the bottom, then branches, and then we will add black dirt mixed with vermiculite and organic fertilizer and top off with about 3 inches of compost we make ourselves.
-Started to clean out flower beds with help of hubby. I work a little each day a couple plants at a time, raking off old debris. My beds are heavily chipped so very little weeds, just need to have old vegetation removed. All my perennials are peeking up. Daffodils are starting to bloom. And lilacs are putting out leaves.
-All meals made from scratch and eaten at home. Meals this week: cheeseburger macaroni skillet dish with home canned green beans; bacon and hash browns; broccoli cheese soup; chicken burritos; and several nights of leftovers.
-Spent $30 on groceries this week-milk, fresh produce, cheese, half and half, and a bag of tortilla chips. The store was giving out a free frozen pizza dough ball for members with their cards. We got that and into the freezer it went for another meal. We continue to empty jars of home canned food.
-I made chocolate syrup (like Hershey’s) from scratch and filled a couple of old Hershey bottles that I saved and use for this purpose. Tastes just like Hersheys and made for pennies.
-Kombucha, sweet tea, and cherry lemonade (from home canned concentrate) for drinks this week along with water.
-I made a creamy Mexican rice salad for a potluck at church. I had about 3 cups left. I turned this into baked chicken burritos, I put the rice salad on a flour tortilla, added some home canned chicken and shredded cheese. Rolled them up and sprayed them with oil and baked them in the oven. They taste so much Chipotle burritos. Yum!
-Sewed a replacement cover from some existing vinyl I had from a different project to make a cover for my daughter for something in her RV.
-It has been rainy and cool (highs in the 40’s)here. Waiting on the sun to dry things out.
Week of April 29:
-Meals for the week: sloppy joes and hash browns; rotisserie chicken and salad twice;
-I got my flower beds with the help of hubby cleaned out this week between the rain. We have had 2 inches of rain in the last 2 weeks. If this keeps up the mosquitos will be ferocious this year.
-I did go to Costco this week for a big bulk stock up. Since I had the big shop at Costco, no other groceries were bought.
-I bought the rotisserie chicken for $4.99 at Costco. We had 2 meals. The rest of the chicken breast was chopped and frozen in 2 packages for meals. And the chicken carcass was frozen to make broth later on.
-I helped set up the rummage sale at church. I spent $7 on a small My Pillow lumbar pillow, a soup bowl coozy, a milk glass small pedestal bowl, a small Santa picture (2×3), 2 small hand carved Santa figurines, a large hard plastic platter with a fruit motif for my daughter, some PartyLite votive candles, and an old fabric covered light green Hans Christian Anderson book.
-Flowers were bought for my pots at the Amish greenhouse for 1/2 the price of other greenhouses and stores.
Have a great week
Julie, could you share the chocolate syrup recipe, please?
And Brandy, you must be tired of mentioning the a— word for flowers?
I want to make sure everyone gets a response. It’s okay.
Hershey Syrup
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1 T vanilla
Blend cocoa and sugar until lumps are gone. Add salt and water. Cook over medium heat bringing the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat. When cool stir in vanilla. Store in the refrigerator.
OOOooo thank you for this, Julie! I had a recipe similar to this and loved it and lost it, and haven’t been able to come up with something myself that was as good as I remembered. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Would you mind sharing the creamy Mexican salad recipe?
Creamy Rice Salad
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups cooked and cooled long grain rice
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
2 tomatoes chopped (you can use 2 cans drained diced tomatoes)
4 green onions chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Combine first 5 ingredients for the dressing. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Top with dressing and combine. Refrigerate several hours to let flavors to combine.
This works great as a filling in tortillas to make burritos as well.
OOOOOh I’ve got all these ingredients and I’m going to make it this weekend!
Thanks to Julie for sharing recipes!
Nell
Thank you for sharing your rice salad recipe! Going to try this for burritos this week.
Can I please get your Hershey syrup recipe?
Hi Julie! May I ask if you can share your recipes for Hershey’s syrup and the Creamy Mexican Rice salad, please? Thank you very much! Nell
I’m so sorry your bank account was hacked, that sounds like an absolute nightmare.
I hosted my college age nephew for a week-and-a-half, which meant hosting multiple extended family meals and lots of going out and about. I preplanned meals, even freezing a few and managed to spoil him without spending too much money. My adult son spent the whole time at the house, which was a treat. These cousins are best friends even though they’ve always lived in Oregon and NYC. It would have been so easy to blow hundreds of dollars on pizza nights, etc., but I’m a good cook and everyone loves my cooking.
It helped that I refurnished the kids’ rooms after they (and their furniture) moved out, as all the spare bedrooms were already ready to go. I did this through my Buy Nothing group, curbside finds and things we already owned. Not using house guests as an excuse to buy new stuff is a win in my book!
Wow, Brandy, you have been busy!
I’m sorry for the death of your friend and am grateful that you can help during this time – it’s such a difficult time in a family’s life and I’m sure they are grateful for your help.
I have been ill the last two weeks with what I found is influenza B. It’s really knocked me back and put me very behind in sewing a birthday gift for each of my children (their birthday is today – twins! – and they are now 19 years old). We were able to spend Sunday with them at their University, enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been having, and attending their spring all-school concert, in which they were both preforming. It was lovely and I’m so glad we went! I wasn’t running a fever or coughing or anything, just felt run down at the time, so I wore a mask indoors and we didn’t do anything really strenuous. I did find out that I wouldn’t have been contagious and I should be over this soon. I hope so! I’m ready to be well again.
Our flowers are starting to bloom – early spring flowers here of lilacs, tulips, daffodils, the early spring iris, bleeding heart and paperwhites. We had crocus and hyacinth earlier as well. I’ve picked two bouquets so far to decorate our home. I try to have flowers continuously from the first spring blooms to fall frost for bouquets and I’ve mostly succeeded the last two years, which makes me very happy.
We’ve been cooking mostly out of the freezers and pantry, with a couple small trips to the store for dairy, some produce, and toiletries. It’s been a good money saver and gets our freezers ready for summer garden produce.
My husband started a three month sabbatical (he’s a pastor and this is mandatory every so many years in our church denomination). Unlike academic sabbaticals, the goal is rest and rejuvenation, so he has no big project planned, other than our usual spring/summer plans. Several people from the congregation gave us treats on his last day in the office: two restaurant gift cards, a case of Coke Zero (Coke-a-Cola – his one food/drink vice!), 12 delicious homemade cupcakes, a giant cookie (I think some call it a “cookie cake”), a dozen eggs from someone who raises chickens, and a grocery bag full of beef – two roasts, four beautiful steaks, two sausages, and two pounds of ground beef – from a beef cattle farmer. He also received several notes wishing him a lovely time and several insisting that he make sure he comes back after! That was really sweet! Our congregation is well taken care of while he is on break, so he is able to relax and rest and hopefully go back after rejuvenated.
Not so frugal: Our daughter’s bank account was hacked (I feel so bad for you Brandy – this has been such a pain for her too!), and her new bank card won’t arrive until after she returns home at the end of the semester next week. My husband drove to her school and dropped off some cash for her to use – she had an order in for 3 months of her prescriptions since she can get them half price through the campus health system and needed to pay for those and she had been hoping to take her bother and both their roommates to the local pizza restaurant for their birthday. Her brother surprised her by ordering pizza from that restaurant in to his dorm and they all are playing video games and eating pizza at his dorm for what is hopefully a good end to their birthday.
I always love your flower photos, Brandy! They just make me smile every time.
I hope everyone has a lovely week,
Lea
What are those white flowers with the blue center? They are gorgeous 😍
The teen went to prom. Her friend helped with hair and makeup, they skipped a pricey dinner and I just got them Chikfila while they were getting ready. My daughter wore her dress again to her school theatre department banquet.
Since had to go back to Verizon in order to find out why my phone wasn’t texting(fixed now), I remembered to take my work ID to get 15% off of our bill.
Redeemed more birthday freebies..1/2 dozen donuts and a cookie
I read somewhere to reuse the large bags that come around bulk tp and paper towels as trash bags. Just cut them open on the end. I have several put away to use as needed.
Earned a $7 Amazon shopper panel reward.
Got 2 free prints at Walgreens
Used bogo coupon at Starbucks
My teen got a Senior gift bag. It had candy, paper, pens, portable charger, sunglasses, stress ball, gift card to Chik Fila, and more.
I used points for a pizza.
The teen and I went to a local Arts festival. We didn’t buy anything aside from food. It was just a nice day to walk around. We took the new pup to get her in a bit of socialization, and she was exhausted when we got home.
They are anemones.
What a time you’ve had these past few weeks, Brandy. I’m sure it must feel like a roller coaster of emotions. I’m especially sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Life and death exist side by side, but it doesn’t make it easier especially when so much is hitting at one time. I was so touched by your daughter borrowing her friend’s dress and you fixing it so it was returned in better condition than loaned. What a sweet gesture!
I’ve been working through a family member’s things and trying to donate where I can, toss what’s no longer needed, and honor her memory. Eventually, I’ll get the space in the garage and mark that task off my to-do list where it’s resided for far too many years.
Hi Brandy, I am a long term reader but only posted a couple of times. I want to thank you for your lovely blog. The pictures are always so uplifting and I learn so much from you and the community! Thankyou so much!
I was so sorry to hear about the bank issue and glad that you will be refunded. There are so many scammers around recently. My elderly father nearly got caught by a text scammer recently pretending to be me and stating he needed cash but happily my dad checked in with my partner just before money was transferred.
My frugal May is as follows:
-we are being extra careful as my job is disappearing in the next few months. So we have gone through our expenses and cut back what we can. I am in the UK and gas/electricity prices are very high so we are being diligent with trying to reduce our outgoings here.
-we ate out of the freezer which led to some odd combos for dinner but is very fun! Have not shopped for groceries in a store this month yet. Trying to use what we have.
-used gifts from my gift cupboard for presents for friends newborns, birthdays and a 70th birthday.
-cross stitched cards for my friends 40th and a wedding
-exercised by doing gardening and walking. We live in a hilly area so lots of calories burned doing a walk!
-made cakes using ingredients I had in for a birthday and family event. My mum loved her cheesecake!
-reused wrapping paper and made gift tags from old cards
-read books from the library and the wonderful magazines you can get on Libby
-went to a brilliant food waste programme where you could fill
a large container as you wished for £10 from the donated items. We filled ours with celery, apples, carrots, mushrooms, beans, oat milk, juice, pasta, tins of chickpeas, baby food marshmallows, cakes, ice cream wafers and cones, bread, hand gel, bottles of water, scones, and six lasagnes. We will donate the baby food to the baby bank. I have made celery and potato soup so far. There is also a large community pantry section there where you can pick up anything you want for free. We were grateful to take some bread and veg.
I wish everyone a peaceful week!
I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles, Brandy, especially the loss of your friend. You are so kind to help the family. That is such a big job. My heart is with you. * I haven’t spent anything this week because my purse and wallet were stolen. sigh. I have a bad habit of leaving my purse in my van when it is in the garage. My husband’s truck was in the shop so he took the van somewhere and I forgot to bring the purse in the house. He thought he locked the van, but didn’t. He noticed right away (after two hours where he was) and called the police. We were able to cancel my debit/credit card right away, but approximately $250 had been spent at a few different stores. We called and reported the fraud and the credit union will back that out. Thankfully we weren’t cleaned out. I’m so sorry you were, Brandy. That is a nightmare for sure! I went right away to order my driver’s license to be reprinted ($41) and I’ll get a new card in the mail. I ordered a new purse and wallet from Amazon and chose ones on sale. Now, I’m committed to bringing my purse in consistently so I can develop that habit. * We had extended family over Saturday and I provided pulled pork sandwiches. The rest was potluck. That’s my favorite way to entertain. We all had a nice visit. The little cousins all played outside and the grown-ups all visited. Not much money spent by anyone. * It’s a little thing but I noticed we weren’t getting through a gallon of milk anymore before it started to sour so I have started getting a half gallon a week instead. This makes me laugh because when our five kids were home and my dad and brother also lived with us, we went through more than a gallon A DAY! In fact, I started writing the day of the week on each gallon to prevent over-milk consumption. I had a couple kids who were recreational milk drinkers. Boy, life changes. *Speaking of life changing our son (22) who has been living with us as he learns to deal with his mental health, etc., is sub-letting a room in a house with friends for the summer! I expect after the summer he will find someplace else to live (and not come back here). I’m so glad for him, but my mama heart is clenching with worry. I’m trying my best to keep quiet and just be supportive. But it’s hard. I’ve been a mama with a kid at home for the last 33 years. Him not living here should be a HUGE money saver for us (and hopefully worry saver ultimately). His dog will live here for the summer (which I’m happy about. I love that beast). Anyway…I hope things look up for you Brandy. You deserve a break! And to all my other frugal friends, I hope everyone has a safe and thrifty week!
So sorry to hear what a tough time you have had over the past couple of weeks – I hope the next one will be a lot more peaceful! All the flowers are so beautiful – your garden is amazing.
I paid all the monthly bills online, dropped off the rent cheque, topped up my transit pass and put about 1/3 of my normal grocery money into the envelope I keep for this money. I had bought quite a few extras mid April so I’m hoping to get through May with just the basics. So far I’ve only bought some salad fixings, milk, eggs and rolls.
I’ve used up a lot of cans from the pantry and fish & chicken from the freezer, along with eggs for most of my meals’ proteins.
I had brunch out twice, once with my theatre group and once with my best friend – first time in about six weeks. I also entertained a friend by making lunch for us both on Saturday. It was nice to have a few hours just to relax and catch up.
My major expense was paying my taxes at the end of April – it hurt but it wasn’t as bad as last year. I have also bought tickets to an upcoming Bach recital and a friend is coming in from out of town to join me for the day. She will reimburse me for her ticket. I spent $10 for a music recital at my church – it was the community choir’s Spring concert and it is a fundraiser so happy to help – and it was a wonderful concert.
Enjoyed watching baseball on tv and reading some new library books – I’m now reading the 4th book in the Thursday Murder club series and have “Lessons in Chemistry” to look forward to. Have a wonderful week everyone.
Hi Margie,
I sympathize with the tax bill. I was thrown into a taxable situation due to an imputed benefit from employment, (although I have long since been retired) and
even though I never received nor will receive any of the imputed money. Oh well!
Last week, I harvested lettuce, chard, peas, rosemary, thyme and parsley. I repotted all the seedlings into larger pots, and fed them with banana peel water, which is a good source of phosphorus. I’ve been working on cleaning up the garden fence, which has lots of Virginia creeper and cleavers along it, as well as other weeds. I brought a wheelbarrow full of weeds to the chickens. Joseph placed our first order with Azure Standard. Once he got it home, we transferred it all into jars. I vacuum sealed some, and he dry canned some (oats). I recently borrowed The Martian from the library, and enjoyed it. The movie was available on Prime, and due to my credits, I was able to watch it free. My husband planted our largest tomato seedlings into the garden, as well as sweet potato slips, eggplant, basil, and a large patch of marigold seeds, which we hope will deter the voles from our potatoes and sweet potatoes. We’re always trying something new! I’ve done some seasonal chores, including changing out the winter sheets and bedspread to the summer ones. All the house plants were moved out onto the porch over the weekend, while it was rainy and cloudy. I went through Swagbucks for a business purchase, for 2% back. Sunday was cooler and rainy, so I ironed the few things that needed it, and mended a homestead shirt and shorts, both with L-shaped tears, with iron-on patches. I also mended a sweater. Yarrow was gathered for salve, and steeped in olive oil.
Goodness, you’ve been having quite a time of it! I’m glad your bank will give you your money back, although it’s a shame you have to wait.
We ordered 18 asparagus crowns and 60 strawberry plants and I am simultaneously desperate for them to arrive and wondering how I will get them all planted swiftly when they do. I am in my second trimester now and much less tired so was able to finish preparing the space for them last week. I used some weedkiller on the persistent nettles in the end. But I am so glad we are going to get them this year – I thought we might have to wait until next year before we would manage it, and that’s one less year of harvest! I went for early, mid and late season varieties of both so we can have a harvest for longer – something I have learned to think about from you, Brandy.
We would be ordering fruit trees in November but that’s when the baby is due, so who knows what will happen with that this year!
A small piece of my back tooth fell off. In the UK, pregnant women get free NHS dental care. I was offered a private appointment that day but opted to wait a week to get it done for free (and save £250-£2000 depending on what needs doing!) as I haven’t been in any pain. My appointment is on Friday. My friend will look after my children while I go.
My friend with two children under 3 is having a hard time. She is coming round for dinner once a week while her husband is away for several months for work. We were talking about things she wished she could do, and she said she wishes she could sew her own clothes. I have a postgraduate degree in textiles so I said let me teach you when you come for dinner every week! She is going to buy a pattern and some fabric and we will work on it together. I am excited to share my skills and help her out.
That is very kind of you to share your sewing knowledge with your friend. It is a gift that she’ll have for the rest of her life. And how much money it will save her! So gracious. Good luck with your tooth!
You certainly have had a lot to deal with! I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s death and your bank account being hacked.
Some small ways I saved money recently:
I used gift cards to buy a few things for my cats and some bird seed for the outdoor feeder, for “free.”
Made enchilada casserole for Cinco de Mayo and made my own enchilada sauce, even though the canned sauce was on sale. I already had the ingredients to make it from scratch.
Ate leftovers for several meals.
Tried a new-to-me thing for lunch yesterday – lentils and rice. I wasn’t at all sure I would like it, but I did. This adds to my inexpensive meal options.
Read books from the library and from my own shelves, watched Youtube videos, went for walks, and watched the birds in my back yard for frugal entertainment.
Oh Brandy, I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. Scammers are awful, but at least you will get your money back. You have been busier than usual for the last little while. I am glad some of your new friends are getting things they need. Your flowers are beautiful and those wedding flowers are out of this world. My roses are blooming and the smell is so peaceful. Our vegetable garden is full of blooms and we even have a baby tomato. We have had so much rain and are expecting storms and a possible tornado threat tonight. My husband and I continue to walk each day and make meals at home. We celebrated my great nephew’s second birthday this past Saturday with cake and snacks. My aunt and I went to several yard sales and the farmers market. My husband found us a kitchen table and chairs on Facebook Marketplace and it fits our kitchen perfect. Our old chairs were falling apart. We helped delivery meals from the community dinner and went to our grandson’s t-ball game. My husband built his daughter a bookcase and delivered it. It was just the size she needed. Thank you for this blog and all the effort that goes into it.
That’s quite an update. My condolences on the death of your friend. What a pain about the bank account. Beautiful photos, as always. I am really enjoying seeing all your poppies.
It is finally warming up here in the Seattle area. The forecast is for sun and 80 degrees by the end of the week. I am ready! It has been gray and not very warm.
I was sick for a few days so I stayed home. Once I felt better, I went grocery shopping but my appetite had not yet returned (and nothing sounded good), so I only bought a few things. That was unintentionally frugal.
My brother in law received a fermenting crock as a gift, so I spent an afternoon showing him how to make sauerkraut. It was a lot of fun and the batch turned out great! I did the math for buying refrigerated sauerkraut at Costco vs. making your own (using the price he paid for the cabbage), and the savings for making your own was negligible. Of course, if you grow cabbage or are able to obtain a lot of cabbage cheaply, there is a bigger difference. In any case, it is very satisfying to make your own fermented foods, and you can make them exactly to your taste.
Otherwise, I enjoyed some wildflowers that I picked from the side of the road (twice). Made broth, which was handy when I was sick. Made a big batch of rhubarb blueberry sauce and froze some. Bought mangoes on sale and made mango strawberry jam (for the first time). Bought cards at the dollar store. Cleaned and organized my apartment using items I had on hand. Listened to podcasts and watched YouTube. Bought some undergarments at Kohl’s on a buy 1, get one 50% off, and the kind woman at the checkout applied a 20% coupon on top of this = big savings. Went to Grocery Outlet to get some ground beef, and it turned out they had actually reduced the price so I bought several packages. That was unexpected.
Have a great week, everyone!
Oh no Brandy. I am so sorry for all you are dealing with.
We have several large bills/repairs coming up for the rest of the year. Hubby and I had a nice conversation and cut our budget as much as possible to save what we can instead of using our Emergency fund. There will be no extras for a while except for the trip that is in 2 weeks. It is a joint 30th anniversary and 50 birthday. It is mostly paid for already. We are having a French drain and sump pump put in the basement in June. We have that all saved up already. We then need an electrician to come hook it up. We have a few other electrical things that we need done so that will hopefully be done by the end of June. We have the money for that saved. Hubby needs new brakes, pads etc., on his truck. Our home owners insurance went up and 1/2 is due in July. We have that already saved. We have some medical bills because I hurt my knee(we will see what that costs). And we just found out that I need to get a new transmission soon or a new to us car. Plus we have several weddings, showers, and babies coming. So take out/eating out is gone unless it is free. The grocery budget is bare bones which is fine because I need to use items up in the pantry/freezers anyway and the garden will be providing soon. We are just doing our everyday things to keep saving. If we can get everything done without taking anything from the emergency fund we will be very happy.
Hi Julie! May I ask if you can share your recipes for Hershey’s syrup and the Creamy Mexican Rice salad, please? Thank you very much! Nell
Hi Brandy and everyone.
What a couple of weeks you’ve had! I’m so sorry to hear about your friends death and the hacking of your account. Such a contrast between the events you’ve experienced and then the small everyday doings of frugal living – I guess that’s how life is – a mixture of these contrasts.
This week I was at the dentist. I was worried as I’d been scheduled for an extra check for some problem areas between my teath. They are spaced very closely, and therefore hard to keep clean. But everything was fine, and I got praise for good hygiene, which has kept the problems from evolving so far, thankfully. I was very thankfull for the good treatment and kind dentist. I spend extra money on a special dental floss and a special (solo) toothbrush that allows me to clean between the teeth and at the back of the mouth – money well spent! The toothbrushes are much cheaper online than in the stores.
My son had a gift note for a new bike from me, my husband and my in-laws for his birthday in October – an important thing, as we have no car and he has almost outgrown his old bike. My husband has kept an eye out for a second-hand bike since then, but has not been able to find any good ones. We ended up buying a new bike, but by waiting so long, we could buy one he can probably use when he is fully grown, depending on how tall he gets 🙂
We bought it online at a very good price. My husband had checked that the parts on the bike were good quality, as we live in moist climate and bad quality parts may be cheap but rust in no time. He also put on different parts that came seperate with the bike – lock, bell and screens and we reuse the luggage carrier from the old bike. It saves us lots of money that he can do this himself.
The potato plants are getting big – we can harvest the first potatoes in about a month. I have planted a lot in the garden, and we harvested the first things like lovage, arugula, asparagus and perennial vegetables. I made lovage pesto and different salads with the harvest. I started all plants myself, either on the windowsill or outside, a lot of them from seeds I collected last year. I also used seeds from previous years and only had to buy 4 seed bags and seed potatoes before the season started. I especially value taking seeds from chili and snack peppers, as they need to be sown in late winter and the delivery from the online seed company is often delayed.
I gave some surplus tomato plants to two friends, and one of them came by with some eggs from his chickens and the other one has promised me some compost. Nice with these little exchanges of gifts!
I dug down some cut-offs from outdoor tiles between the garden beds and the lawn to prevent the grass from growing into the beds. The cut-offs were free ones my husband picked up nearby some years ago.
I mended a woolen blanket I inherited from my grandparents. The fabric is becoming brittle as it is so old, and I had made a tear in it by accident. I used visible mending and listened to a nice free podcast in the meantime.
I brought flowers from the garden to a friend who had a exhibition (paintings) and also brought flowers from the garden inside to enjoy.
I’ve made a small patch of wild flowers in the garden from seeds I’ve collected for free nearby. The seeds were put in the ground last summer, and now the first flowers have emerged. It looks so pretty, I’m so happy and hope to see some bees visiting the flowers soon.
My son went fishing with my FIL and caught 8 garfish, that will make for 8 dinners for the three of us. We ate one and put the rest in the freezer.
We have turned off the heat early this year – it is more important that we get sun, than exactly how warm it is outside. Normally it is cloudy quite often, but we have had a lot of sun the last few weeks, which heats up the house.
Cam, my teeth are also crowded and I have a small mouth, so I understand what you’re dealing with. A lifesaver for me has been a Waterpik. It really gets into every crevice and around the gumline so much better and easier. I bought an off-brand one from Amazon for around $25 and it has lasted me several years. I only use traditional floss at work or on trips when I don’t have the waterpik with me. (I also have an ultrasonic toothbrush from Aldi, and use flouride rinse nightly.) I have not had a cavity in several years and my dentist gives me high marks on my oral hygiene. Just some things to consider! I have never used a solo toothbrush so I may look into that for myself.
Brandy, like other commenters, I am sorry for the loss of a rose tree, a good friend, and the hacking and ensuing hassle of having your money returned. May your next few weeks be full of easier things to manage.
We flew to California for a quick trip to see two family members perform. We used credit card rewards points to pay for the costs.
I saved money by not going to the grocery store for a week, using more of what we have on hand or what’s already in the refrigerator and needs using.
I helped my in-laws load items into a storage pod. They are moving next week and will be much closer to us. We look forward to seeing them more often and giving them more assistance.
My husband and I volunteered at the community center that hands out food. We were able to bring home a head of lettuce, a clamshell of strawberries, three red bell peppers, some shitake mushrooms, and several face cream samples. They gave us t-shirts for being consistent volunteers and we will wear them when we help out again.
I’m still knitting, working on art projects, and working from home on a research project. I am grateful for my health and good friendships that bouy my spirits.
Hugs to you, Brandy.
I’ve been on my few days off and been getting a bit done in the garden. I have transplanted nasturtium and a couple of cantaloupe seedlings, uncovered garlic, put in sunflower seeds and started more basil, nasturtiums and cantaloupe in my aerogarden. I would like to get some zinnia seeds and potato starts and get them in this weekend, fingers crossed. I also potted some basil seedlings to hopefully gift to a few friends at our next girl-get-together, hopefully in June. A dear friend will be returning from vacation soon, so I found an unused pot in her yard and brought it home to fill with potting soil and a couple nasturtium seedlings. Hopefully they will grow and look more impressive so when they return they will have that as a welcoming surprise.
A friend had been craving peach ice cream. So I made her some. Not frugal, really. But appreciated and that made my heart happy. Of course, then I wanted ice cream… so I made some low-carb strawberry with dark chocolate chunk for myself the next day. That made my belly happy.
I’ve been pretty consistent again with doing indoor walking workout videos. Don’t know that any pounds or inches have been lost, though I do feel better. Free workouts using Youtube videos.
Used a coupon at Ace for $20 off $100 or more towards a rechargeable pole chainsaw that dh has been wanting. Also used a gift card to buy more potting soil and a bag of coffee from our local greenhouse. I’ve been hoping to use it towards a yellow peony. But I’ll likely have it spent before they get them in, ha ha. Which reminds me of another frugal thing for another friend. I dug up one of our giant peony plants and a friend came out to pick it up a couple nights ago.
I love seeing that you have a handful of other Minnesotans following you!
Brandy,
Thanks for telling everyone about the white anemones with blue stamens. I myself was going to ask and I appreciate knowing.
When I look at my calendar, it is not very full. I guess I need to get better at writing things down.
During the last two weeks, I made bread two times, made pizza, hamburger stroganoff, baked potatoes, spaghetti sauce, and chicken tortilla soup.
I took care of my granddaughter once, while my son and DIL went to a show and then for 2 days while my DIL was at a retreat with their church.
I worked 7 days the last two weeks and brought breakfast and lunch all 7 days.
I now understand why you have children when you are young. They are exhausting. 🙂
The lettuce is starting to come up in the garden. I planted snow peas last weekend, between raindrops.
My last days of work are coming up. I have worked since I was 16, so it is a little scary. I am looking forward to it, though.
Hope everyone has a great week.
Nancy, I also found it scary when I was approaching the end of my working outside the home and it took me a little while to adjust. Now I am living the life I have always wanted to live and I’m sure you will find a new rhythm and purpose. Good luck.
Brandy, what a mixed lot your week was. I am so glad your bank will help restore the account.
I have been busy planting gifted vinca, tomato, and zucchini and purchased a cherry tomato, basil, mint, coleus, petunias, celosia, and begonia. I splurged a few weeks ago and bought all these plants plus a fig tree, a lovely pink geranium, and a moss rose (portulaca). The plants were more than in years past but I tried to get varieties that I’ve had good luck reseeding or rooting. I don’t expect to buy any more this year.
I am painting porch furniture a little at a time. I have to share this. One chair painted last year seemed to have worn off paint pretty badly and I couldn’t figure out why. My granddaughter had colored it with chalk the same color as the chair before I’d painted it, lol. I was happy to wash the chair and find I didn’t need to redo that work!
I’ve been out of the grocery store for ten days. I had set myself a weekly budget but the sales ads have been lacking and I didn’t need the things on sale that I might have bought at other times. I appreciate those of you who remind us that eating from a pantry and freezer is a HUGE saving. I buy in bulk on sale or clearance and carried us through many a hard place.
I have made bread, cake, bagels, all meals from scratch, yogurt, and even ricotta/cottage cheese (sometimes by accident). All of it gets eaten.
Oh my, you’ve had a lot going on. My condolences on your friend passing and so sorry about the bank card! I’ve had that happen twice now and though difficult to wait always have been reimbursed by the bank. Unfortunately, my snap card was also hacked recently and I’d saved some each month for years so had a considerable amount I’d planned to create my vegetable garden this year, but they don’t fully reimburse. So I lost $1500. Extra disappointed given it was hacked by someone who works there, so there was nothing I could’ve done to be safer.
I’ve had an ear infection the past two weeks that’s given me vertigo, so kept me from doing much, but on my birthday last week I treated myself to a trip to goodwill where I found two all clad pans I got for $15. New they are $400, so that was a fantastic birthday gift to myself. Once polished they looked new. I also found a vintage 50s pink relish tray and matching small tray (turned out to be butter dish w no lid). $7 for both. Looks so good w my vintage pink appliances I’m going to be on the lookout for more.
Neighbor boy borrowed my metal detector I got free at a yard sale and never tested. Turns out it works and he returned it with batteries. I’m hoping to find the metal stand in ground for my umbrella clothes line. A gardener who didn’t know what the hole was for buried it and it’s been lost for years.
Almost cleared the entire overgrown backyard of weeds. Tonight I saw my Ollie berry vine had creeped, but found another trellis and is blooming. Slow, but sure I’m getting the neglected yard back under control. I’m invited to a dahlia sale Saturday. I’ve never planted dahlias, but it’s for a good cause and I’m hoping to get the popular café au lait dahlia to try if it’s not too expensive. Got a free extra large garden pot from a neighbor who moved. Trying to decide between an orange or pomegranate tree to plant in it.
As always, cooking from scratch, hanging laundry on hangers to dry, reclaimed a kitchen drawer for bread, use paper grocery bags for kitchen trash (reuse if not ruined), cloth napkins and kitchen towels. Roasted a chicken I got on sale and made a rich stock from the bones. I’ve had a countertop oven I bought years ago and put in garage, but never used. Now since it’s smaller, heats faster, doesn’t require preheating, doesn’t heat the house, and saves on electricity I use it almost full time.
I’m itching to spring clean, but must rid of the ear vertigo first. It was 80F at 5pm today. Hope everyone has a great week!
I am so sorry you lost all that money! That would have made for a significant number of garden purchases.
I hope you feel better soon. I have found this garlic ear oil to get rid of ear infections almost immediately. Rarely have I needed to use it a second time.
Brandy, I am going to order some of that oil! I use a homeopathic one I get at the store, and it works mostly, but this looks much better. Thanks!
Maria , I would contact whatever higher governmental agency oversees SNAP and tell them about their employee stealing from you. I would probably also contact my governor and senator and ask for help. My mom always says the squeaky wheel gets the grease and for $1500 I would keep on squeaking.
Maria, I would file a claim with the store whose employee hacked your card. That is theft and they should have to reimburse you for the employee’s actions. As long as you can prove what was on your card and that the employee hacked it, they should reimburse you. Just a thought!
Prayers for comfort from loss of friend and horror of having your bank acct hacked.
Our asparagus had started ferning out so that is done for the year. I froze over 600 spears vacuum sealing them in meal portions. Amish family of 13 had 2 wks solid of eating it daily also.
Blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are blooming. I have small amounts of leafy greens I can add to the head of iceberg lettuce I broke down and bought at Save A Lot when I got a gallon of milk.We had our first few radishes also. Hoping snow peas and peas come in with it the next couple weeks.
I ordered 20 lbs of ground beef from the butcher shop, he took a dollar a pound off the price. I am making meatloaf, forming square patties using cookie sheet to freeze it then vacuum bag it. I make it usually twice a year. We decided to stop buying meat at the grocery stores due to constant recalls. The butcher shop we go to buys local animals only. It also helps our local farmers.
I started inventoring the chest deep freezers to make sure I have enough for the year And not have too much of somethings like CORN. Heavens we could eat it twice a week and still have some.
I finally went to the store and bought groceries beyond milk and loaf of bread. I saved $51. 38. Really I save ocer $800 by NOT going for 8 wks.
I have most of the veggie plants now in gardens, still have seeds to plant and flowers to replace pollinator flowers that died completely.
We paid off the back state taxes (bankruptcy court in 2012 didn’t file a paper with state and didn’t give us the money to pay the bill (slow pay bankruptcy due to 2 of our kids stealing thousands out of our checking acct. Yes I file charges. Lesson learned before they were adults, they got probation and we grounded their butts.) We are paying an installment loan that we got to pay off IRS from taxes Hubby owed from closing his business. I made the first payment 3 wks early. I could pay it off if I pulled all the savings etc but decided to let it go a few months… side benefit… our credit score went up.
Stay safe, blessed be every one.
I often wonder why life seems so much more complicated the older I get. Sugar cookie had her identity stolen at a very young age. Once again , someone has filed taxes in her name. The IRS has notified us , but it is absolutely impossible to get through to the IRS. Today is a horrible weather day. The storms are hitting hard. Hail and tornados are rolling through. I’m happy to have a deductible I can afford if we have issues. I seem to get a little more afraid at this age. My gifted lavender starts are looking beautiful, I hope to get them planted as soon as this rain calms. It’s been a lovely week. A local store manager let me know her store coolers had gone out. I worked very hard filling my car full. I chose butter and cream cheese. I pulled coffee creamers ,milk, cheese, margarine, gogurts, danimals, eggs, cream, canned biscuits and cookie dough for a neighbor. The coffee creamers are a much desired item and was delivered to 4 other neighbors. I was so tired I didn’t have the energy to make a second trip back for any other items added. I used my health benefits insurance card towards my light bill. I owed $12.00 . My bill is actually down by about $50.00 for this time of year. We have gotten better at not using the AC. I found a couple of free Audible books I added to my library. I ordered 3 magazines for a total of 10 cents. I marked my calendar so they don’t auto renew in a year. I downloaded an offer for a free dozen Krispie Kreme doughnuts. I picked up 2 new w tags swimsuits at Goodwill. Now that my local thrift store left town , this is our only option. I’m not a fan of Goodwill but they seem to have improved. I found a crossbody bag with a fancy medallion on it. I googled it and it’s an anti theft bag and sell for $100.00 . Goodwill keeps a list of name brand items that are immediately sent to the online store. It’s rare to get an expensive item. I paid $3.99. I received my $30.00 Amazon credit for buying my dogs food. I bought 2 new cat litter boxes. I’m going to start buying the horse pine pellets recommended and see how that works. 40 lbs is $6.00 so it may be a money saver. I detest pet odor , so we will see how that works. Brandy , I’m sorry for the hardships you’ve had but hope the birth was a special moment. I hope everyone is having a beautiful week. I’m very tired today. I am going to snuggle up and listen to my Trim Healthy Mama book. I’m starting my journey to lower sugar and maybe weight loss.
Lilliana, you may not see this reply (since it is already Sunday) but I wanted to let you know that your congressional representative and your US Senator’s offices have employees who do nothing but help with IRS problems. They were great when we had problems with the IRS during Covid.
Jennifer, your reply to Lilliana was seen by me on Monday morning and it was of benefit to me! I need to contact “someone” who can locate my 2023 tax that I filed in February. Your information about contacting my congressional representative and US Senator’s office may help me too. Thank you.
Wow. I thought this last month of teaching high school was busy. It is nothing like your week.
I have a couple of questions for the readers since one of my goals after I retire June 7, is to make greater use of the all the incredible trees an plants that come with farming 2,000 acres. I blush at how much I have left to fodder or feed for the wildlife.I read about all your readers planting trees to try and produce more of your own food and I wonder how much more I could be doing now that time will not be so precious.
I will start shooting out questions a few at time.
I have bushes of mint which smell heavenly. Ideas?
Second question: In renovating the river house, I have tons of greens inherited in an ancient garden. The greens could have been planted to eat. They could have been seeds from a previous crop in the 287 acres around them ( for instance I did find carrots in the cactus 🙂 They could be weeds that are edible. They could just be weeds. What is the best app, book, etc. . .to identify edible plants. Remember I know almost nothing about gardening.
Mint is great to dry for mint tea.
I like it in tabouli, ice cream, raita, and mint chutney.
Mint sauce is very expensive and homemade could be used with lamb and perhaps other dishes. Perhaps you could even sell some if you have lots.
For the mint, look online for recipes to infuse it in vinegar for a cleaning spray.
For plant identification, a county extension office might have some information? (Hire a scout or 4-H member for identification– is that possible?).
You might ask for help from your county extension/agricultural agent. Each county in MS has or shares one and they are a great free resource.
Julie T from Minnesota—
Thanks for sharing the Hershey syrup recipe. How long will it last in the refrigerator?
Leslie, it should last a good long time. All items are shelf stable for a long time. I make it every 2-3 months.
Julie T, good to know. Thank you
!
Brandy I hope you are having an easier week.
I was excited to find a farmer who sold vegetable plants and flowers for $17.50 a flat which was mix and match! I got 6 tomato plants (3 cherry tomatoes and 3 early girl), 3 jalapeno plants, 3 serrano plants, 12 marigolds, 3 snap dragons, 6 impatiens, and 3 of some flower I can’t remember the name but they said it can self seed. The whole family worked together and got them all in the ground before our trip earlier this week. I also direct sowed zinnias, sunflowers, wild flowers, bush beans, and cucumbers. I also purchased 8 bags of compost manure in hopes things produce better. We have gotten a lot of rain and so far everything is growing in nicely.
Our family vehicle (Suburban) has needed some hefty repairs. We looked at the market for a new-to-us Suburban (something 15 years old instead of 23 years old) and the vehicles were being sold as is with the problems we have already fixed on our vehicle! So we decided to fix our vehicle since it is running great before the oil leak and keep driving the vehicle we know what has been replaced.
The grandparents (they just retired) kept the kids while my husband and I went to do an out-of-town job. The hotel had a nice heated indoor pool. We packed salad, already cooked chicken breast, granola bars, and beef jerky to eat as lunches and snacks on the job site. Since we changed time zones I needed snacks to keep my blood sugar level with having to eat lunch and dinner later then I am used to. The city the job was located— their Sam’s Club and Bargain Hunt had items I cannot find in my city anymore so I happily stocked up there. The job was near the university I went to so on the way home we stopped there. I had not been back in 20 years so it was nice to see the old buildings and all the changes. I am happy to be home in my own bed.
The last two weeks have been expensive. We bought a wheelchair for me because I fractured my ankle, chipped some bone, and tore some ligaments. We also bought an orthopedic boot. I was happy that I did not need surgery. We should be able to get some money back on the wheel chair from insurance. Although medical stuff has been expensive, I haven’t driven anywhere and won’t for many weeks while I heal. That saves a ton in gas, we have already noticed. We are also eating at home and have for weeks. Saving a lot of money. I was able to borrow crutches. I won’t have a spring garden, but maybe in the Fall I will. We spent a bit extra to buy some simple foods that require little prep and cooking. To save money and pain in the future I will look down when walking, so as not to step in a hole. On a positive note, I do feel better than I did when it first happened. So, I am healing, Thank God.
Other frugal things include: Husband is taking tea or coffee to work and packs his lunch. We use cloth napkins and handkerchiefs. I have been listening to music and watching frugal videos on YouTube. I have enjoyed Mexican Cooking on a Budget on YouTube.
Tammy, oh no, I am so sorry to hear you broke your leg! Not what you wanted this summer! I will pray for healing and pain relief. Hang in there. I know it is difficult at times, my mantra since my neck fusion is a day at a time. And when I look back a few weeks I see slow progress. Take time for yourself. Now is the time for a sitting project or hobby-reading, needlework, or a craft. It will keep your mind occupied and you feel productive. ((( Hugs )))
Julie T from MN,
Thank-you. I hope you are doing well. Those are good ideas. I definitely need to do sitting projects. Feeling productive is nice and I noticed that when my mind is occupied I don’t notice pain so much. I do appreciate prayers. I will pray for you as well.
Tammy
For teacher appreciation week, I volunteered to bring in breakfast one day for the 75 staff at my sons school. I hunted for the cheapest yogurts I could find (Sam’s Club), bough 30# of whole fruits and baked 8 dozen muffins. My husband busted out his college barista skills and made 5 gallons of iced coffee for about $15 in coffee grounds. I had considered buying hot coffee but for $30 for 8 servings, that would have busted my $150 budget. Even with disposable servingware and utensils, I came in right at $145! It was a hit and it felt good to support our community in this way.