We picked mandarins, lemons, and tomatoes from the garden.
I cut Swiss chard and lettuce from the garden.
I cut roses from the garden.
I sowed seeds in the garden for lettuce, spinach, mâche, and poppies.
I helped my daughter sew a new pencil bag using some fabric she bought at Hobby Lobby on sale for the outside ($0.75), fabric I had on hand for the lining, and a zipper that my grandmother bought almost 40 years ago on clearance from a fabric store that was going out of business (I have both zippers and thread that she purchased when Sew and Sew and other fabric stores went out of business many years back).
What did you do to save money this past week?
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Your garden continues to delight. The roses are spectacular. I suppose I have saved money by staying home. I’ve not shopped since mid December. I’ll shop at the end of the month; basically for dairy and vegetables. I have sewed some pants with pockets and will make pajamas and undies. I have a huge stash of fabric, thread and sundries. I have always saved zippers and buttons when finished with clothing. I don’t use zippers though. I prefer elastic waists at my age and size. Nice that your daughter sews. I think that is a wonderful skill to have and it will serve her all her life.
This was this daughter’s first sewing project! And the first part of the pattern is to sew in the zipper 😬
She did really well. It came out nice and fits all her markers and pencils.
Your flowers and fruits and veg from your garden look so bright and sunny while we have overcast skies and windy, cold days right now!
This week, we still have been eating from our pantry/freezer/fridge. Hubs bought a gallon of milk, but that’s all in the past 12 days! We ate leftovers from the 1 day cook I had at the end of the previous week. It’s been like going to a buffet each night to decide what we each want for dinner! And, I know, this is much easier because there are only 2 of us! But it’s been a good feeling seeing leftovers getting used up before they would go off! We’ve used our air fryer a bit more these days and I’m surprised at how quickly it preheats. Someone asked last week for my canning recipe for salsa so here it is again: https://pin.it/4rn5rkoUN.
On the quilting front, I had time to make/quilt 3 more quilts from my stash of scraps and cobbled batting and used fabric from my stash for backing on two of them already so they just need binding: https://pin.it/2T1Dg27Gp and https://pin.it/1rimVDNIt . And this is the 3rd quilt top ready to be sandwiched and quilted: https://pin.it/MwZv9W32t. But now, I need to shift gears because the first of 8 client quilts has come in, with 2 more being dropped off by Wednesday from 2 different clients and 5 more coming from my client on an air base in Japan. So my days of leisure are over for now and it’s to get back to work. Looking over 2025, our business income for my daughter and I quadrupled over the past 2 years! In 2025, we quilted over 200 quilts between the 2 of us! This has been such a blessing to both our families as we’ve had unexpected expenses that have come up because we’ve been able to pay for with this side income rather than moving money out of our savings! Currently, my dishwasher is in the middle of my kitchen floor while Hubs repairs it (thanks to YouTube tutorials and overnight parts from Amazon Prime!)! It is also saving us from buying a new dishwasher! I can only cringe when I think about how much new ones probably cost now! 😱
We took down Christmas tree/decorations and sorted through them, realizing that many were “past their prime” and were just taking up room in our storage totes so we decluttered and tossed away about 70% of what we had. This will take up way less storage space and let us use just the ones that we still love!
In our decluttering efforts around the house, we found a small microwave in its original that we bought years ago. Tested it and it still works fine so we listed it for free online and within 2 minutes of it being posted 5 people responded and the first one picked it up within 30 minutes of it being listed! We also gave our large wet and dry shop vac to a young family we know because it is getting too big and we are getting too old to be carrying it up and down stairs any more.
We also let friends/family know that we have a second Excalibur dehydrator that we bought at Ollie’s about 5 years ago for $70 (5 tray with timer) that we are willing to loan out if anyone wants to dehydrate foods . It is strictly a short term loan but the friends that we gave shop vac to got some FF apples and were excited to borrow it again (they used it for strawberries last year)! We also loaned them our second Apple peeler/slicer/corer that we bought, on Flashfood, of all places, for $5. We like having a second one as a spare. In my enthusiasm to declutter and organize, I found a storage container I had recently emptied and used it to store both peelers and my cherry pitter neatly. https://pin.it/5oW9vrUEe. I love this “Using What We Already Have” goal that we decided on for 2026!
It is so nice to see these posts again, Brandy. Thank you for returning to the “blogosphere “. You were missed.
All of that citrus looks luscious! I’m going to include frugal accomplishments over time as I don’t think I have posted previously about them.
Your garden-both flowers and food-is so impressive. Our garden was a bit of a flop this summer. We got a nice haul of tomatoes mid summer, and then that was it. Not sure of the cause, but other friends agreed their tomatoes didn’t do well this year either. Usually, we are picking them green before frost and letting them slowly ripen, but not this year. And our peppers barely produced either. But those plants looked healthy, so we left them in the ground. Lo and behold, come fall, they began to produce-like a fall crop. We didn’t have our first frost til Dec 14. That night, I picked a dozen bell peppers and 2 dozen mini peppers. So my harvest in no way rivaled yours, but I was shocked at picking peppers in December!
My husband, on his daily walks in the fall, foraged enough pecans that had fallen in the road for me to make 2 chocolate pecan pies that I froze for family gatherings. I’ve foraged fresh rosemary from our public walkways as I can’t seem to grow that in my yard.
We usually make 2 trips out of town per month to see our granddaughter and then to see my mother. We are strategic about earning and using fuel points to make these trips as economical as possible. One time we had .60 off per gallon. And like Garden Pat, we use the Gas Buddy app to find the cheapest gas in the area. We use my car typically as it gets better gas mileage than DH’s car.
We take lunch, beverages and snacks to eat along the way most times to avoid fast food. I usually bring meals that I’ve frozen or are simple to prepare so we won’t have to go out to eat. I don’t mind doing that occasionally but not most nights! Plus, I often like what I fix better and eating out has become so expensive. I also find we can visit with family more easily at home instead of in a noisy restaurant.
I’m participating in a pantry challenge this month and hoping to minimize grocery expenses. We have some upcoming expenses with our house, so any money I can free up will be helpful. I’ve cooked beans from dry, made scratch desserts and snacks, all meals at home, hm pimento cheese from hm canned pimento, eating from the freezer and lots of soups. I’ve made substitutions to avoid making purchases. And I continue to do the frugal things that many people do here-eat leftovers, use cloth napkins and cloth towels, look for food sales, drive gas sipping cars, group errands, compost and recycle, turn off lights and any other ideas that I learn about! So good to read everyone’s comments. I always learn so much! Thanks to all who post.
This is my big non-consumer year so my savings are mostly things we have not done.
We have cooked at home, eating kale and collard leaves from the garden. We received free lemons from several people.
I gave a talk about seed saving, and facilitated a seed swap. I gave many free resources local to us. This was to a group of master gardeners who are all out there supporting the community. I know they will pass the information on.
I finished alterations on two free-to-me blouses.
I have been steadily selling on fb marketplace. It is so important to keep good items in circulation and to avoid supporting large corporations that do not support us or our communities. I have several friends who drop their unwanted things on my driveway and I’m free to donate or sell as I wish. They know that this is the way I earn pocket money.
We have a pending sale on our 2nd car, and then we will be down to a single vehicle household, saving gas, oil, the air, the soil, etc. We rely heavily on our bikes and are fortunate to live in a climate in which we can be outdoors almost year round. We don’t take that for granted.
Picked up the freebie at Safeway, which was a donut, which my husband will greatly enjoy.
This might end up being a mostly non-consumer year for me, too.
Kara, if you don’t mind answering – the seed saving/swap? Did you organize yourself or through an organization/church? I am interested in doing one, but not sure if I want to do a little free library or invite friends to get this started.
I’m also with you on non-consumer spending. We did this last year, and it wasn’t that uncomfortable.
We did the seed swap with a group of master gardeners. Emails were sent out one week before the day, reminding everyone to check if they had extra seeds they could share, and another reminder one day before the event. I knew one woman had a lot of extra seeds, I had some, and most people brought at least some. I organized the seeds by type on 2 large tables. We bought small coin envelopes for people to put their seeds in.
We also talked about free resources for seeds: our local seed bank, seeds in libraries, friends and neighbors. We also collaborated to order seeds in groups so that we could qualify for free shipping. Baker Creek offers free shipping on any order, no minimum required.
We also talked about the strengths and skills of each person so that we knew who to turn to when we had different needs. It was a really lovely time.
Your produce always looks so beautiful!
Just a few savings in my house last week.
A representative from a local hospital brought in stuff for a soda bar for staff. I had a strawberry sprite and got a cup and straw.
I needed new shoes for work. Sketchers gave me 25% off plus I submitted for $60 back on our shoe allowance. I will be out less than $25 after the discount and rebate.
Received a check for $30 from Nielson Ratings from a radio diary.
Received a free Starbucks drink. I stopped by one day and their register went down just as I went to pay, and they said it was on them.
Cancelled Apple TV after our free trial.
The teen got her wisdom teeth and her top two canines removed while she still has state insurance. Poor kid felt rough for a few days.
Tutoring started back up this week, so I’ll be putting away that money for when I’m not working in the summer.
Had a free fountain drink from a gas station I redeemed.
Returned library books as soon as I was finished.
I rescued a lot of food and shared some. Staying home and reading library books.
Ah, your roses are so lovely! I love that when I open this on my desktop the flowers are huge! I’ll have to wait another 5+ months to enjoy mine.
We have been watching expenses for the most part, though I did spoil ourselves by getting treats from the French bakery from Too Good To Go. I got three pastries for the price of one, and we made tasting plates to enjoy.
We are keeping the heat down to 66 degrees to hold our electric costs down. I feel very fortunate because we did not have the electrical cost spikes others in the metro area have experienced.
Our van is finally repaired so that is a relief after 3 months.
I used a gift card I got from the employee recognition program to get salt for the water softener and potting soil from Lowes. Since it was my first time with online ordering I got a $5 discount. Out of pocket was $2.
Doing seed swaps online to try new seeds. I don’t need 200 seeds of any variety in my small gardening space! I also won a gift card to one seed company, so I picked up some unusual varieties to try in my veggie garden.
I got some snacks for my road trip to my conference in the holiday clearance. I need to plan ahead on my meals and get some grab and go breakfasts as well.
Wishing you all a good week.
Robbie
I am so envious of your mandarin and lemon trees. A friend gave me a small (4″) lemon tree which he claims in 3 years will grow and produce 1 or 2 lemons, then more as the years go on. In our area, I will have to bring it inside every winter. He has several on his deck that produce each fall. Hoping I can keep it alive and be able to produce lemons.
My garden has been put to bed until spring time. I am enjoying the seed catalogs for now. But I am like you Brandy, in that I plant heirloom seeds so I can save seeds year to year. Seems each year I try something new and I sure do enjoy looking at the seed catalogs in the cold winter.
I have accepted the challenge (from a friend) to have a no spend January. So far, I have been eating out of our freezer and pantry. This has really had me thinking outside of the box for meals and having a friend to hold you accountable (and me her) has helped us both.
I dont comment much but I sure do enjoy everyone’s comments and have gleaned so many ideas from everyone. We have a very cold week coming and Im ready for some homemade soup from my freezer ingredients. This makes the best soup to me. Stay safe everyone.
Oh wow, I am in Alabama also! The weather was very warm for two weeks but is now cold again for us…sigh.
I got a tickle over reading 1st sewing project and it has a zipper. When I tried to sew in home economics class it was an apron and my mother had to rescue me, sadly no sewing talent at all except reattaching buttons. It was fun to read the project was frugal and successful.
I need some advice/input. If you had been a lover of dogs and dirt your entire life. If you had a garden of some description since you were 8. If the opportunity presented itself for you to acquire 26 acres of land, a well, huge stand of old trees which surrounded a house that was half the size of the one you’re in(and you had been thinking of downsizing). If you could do this by selling your current home and would have a goodly sum to pocket afterwards, would you do it? I feel somewhat silly asking, but I feel like you guys are a sensible and trustworthy group and I need some objective opinions. My husband is on board for whatever I choose to do. 🧐
I should add that I ask this because of all that is going on in the world and the uncertainty of things. We have always saved, been very frugal, paid our bills and done without to be debt free while raising 6 children who are now grown.
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Having space has advantages if things hit the fan more room to stock food etc.. Where in Tennessee are you where would the move be to that would have a lot to do with what my final answer would be.
What an opportunity!
I think one big factor, because it is a big change, might be things related to distance. Would you have or miss neighbors? Would you have to drive more? You didn’t say if you are in a rural area now.
Have you dealt with a well, and other systems, like septic? Is the house in good shape?
And if it didn’t work after a couple years, how hard would it be to sell the new place and move again?
We see it as something to leave the children. It may prove valuable for them in the future–more so than money!
I am acquainted with rural living and driving distances for services. It is a small rural community where everyone knows each other which can be a blessing or a curse! 🙂
The lumber alone on the property would recoup most of what we would put into it if we should need to harvest it–which would be a last resort!
Thanks for all your comments!
It would depend, for me, on the surrounding neighbors, the access to shops, medical care, and the like, and the safety of the area. Also, the condition of the house and the work needed to maintain the acreage would need to be explored. I think because you were already thinking of moving into a smaller house, this seems that it’s an opportunity, as long as you feel you can deal with the differences and everything isn’t too much to handle.
Best of luck making an important decision!
It does feel overwhelming! The only negatives I can see concerning the house so far are cosmetic in nature! Friends and Medical care are the most prominent concerns.
Your discussion provided me with a check list. Thanks!
Medical care is a definite concern! Even if you’re healthy now. So many of my in laws have had major health issues (strokes, cancers) without any care within 2 hours of them.
I am of the mind that life is an adventure. I say, pack your bags and hit the road! If you decide you don’t like it after some time, you can always sell again. I don’t see a downside.
Ah, to have that sense of adventure! I was that person once. I joke with my children that they eliminated that from my profile! They became my adventure!
Thanks for the encouragement!
It cost money to move and sometimes a lot of it .
The medical care was number one on our list and I live about ten minutes from the hospital at the very most door to door.
Cheryl – I say do it! It sounds like the right fit on the surface. Just try to learn as much as you can about the area and your potential neighbors. You probably realize how important neighbors are when you live in a rural area. I would say they are always important regardless of where you live but the more remote you are, the more you potentially need to rely on each other which is wonderful when it is the right fit. Sounds exciting! Let us know what happens. 😁
Thanks for responding. I love your posts, by the way!
Our youngest son lives ten minutes away from the house. He has lived in the area for several years. It is a small farming community. Actually, I think it is not that far from you! We are going to look at it this week, if the weather allows.
Yay! Let us know how it goes!
Be aware before you say so long to your support group of friends. This too can end up costing more money . The land sounds like a lot you have to keep an eye on it all these days, you never know what is going on where you don’t see.
I would – if the downsized house would not need updating due to personal aging/health (ie, walk in shower already or one floor)AND it was not a fixer upper. If you do, I hope you roam around everyday.
Life is short. Live your dream. Sounds like this might be it! Go for it and report back to us all!!!
CherylB, I would do it. Especially if you’re not going to be moving that far from friends or family you hold dear. That’s the hardest part — we did something similar, moving 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours away from two sets of kids, plus friends we’d had for years. The outcome has been interesting. We love this place up in the mountains, and we see our kids about the same as we did when we lived 45 min. away from them. But friends we’ve known for decades? Two sets have stayed in touch. A few more contact us occasionally. The rest? We could be on the moon.
We’ve made new friends, and love the church we’re attending. But I was surprised at who stuck with us — and who didn’t.
I would still do it.
Personally, I would do it in a flash. When I read your description, my first thought was that if you got in dire straits you could harvest only one or two of the huge old trees. Then you mentioned the same thing. If it were me I would only harvest in an emergency. One huge old hardwood tree is worth thousands of dollars. A friend of mine had a hardwood tree stolen from his farm years ago — it was worth about $35,0oo then…
It would be a good investment maybe to have a certified home inspection to see if there are any deficiencies other than cosmetic. How much are taxes? how much is heating fuel (if you need to heat it — I’m not sure about the winter in Tennessee). If it were me, I’d make it as self sufficient as possible – perhaps a generator or solar for backup and of course a great vegetable garden. Are any of the trees fruit trees? Are there wild grape vines on the property? That would be so nice. I would not buy it if either you or your husband have chronic medical conditions — especially if you have asthma and need to be close to a hospital. I’d also want to look into how good the paramedic services are in the rural area? The pendulum really swung in its favour since you have a son who lives nearby, a son who could pick up some groceries or medicines for you or help you in other ways.
I would be more interested in it if it were a bungalow or at least has a bedroom and bathroom on the main floor so you could age in place for as long as possible. I think it would be a great opportunity. good luck and let us know what happens!
I had a rough start to my cruise losing my fanny pack with all my cash credit cards and British passport enroute! Luckily I had my Canadian in my backpack. So I managed to make it to the ship. My husband called Cunard and added onboard credit to cover my expenses onboard. He is also wiring money to our first stop. Anyway all has worked out and now enjoying the trip.
What a rough start for your cruise. I’m glad you, with your husband’s help, could work out a contingency plan. Enjoy the rest of your journey!
It is good to know you were able to get on board. hope you have smoother sailing now.
Brandy, you colorful photos are life giving during our long MN winters!
On the frugal front:
We enjoyed watching the US National Figure Skating competition using DD2’s student Peacock subscription. We are very excited for the Olympics.
We batched errands last weekend. We planned to go out for lunch but enjoyed a $1.50 hot dog and pop at the Costco food court instead.
We attended a DI college hockey game with my sister and BIL at the university our nephew attends. It was a great game and much more affordable than the flagship university or professional games.
We are continuing our pantry challenge. Our remodel begins this year. We need to get serious about using what we have before clearing the cabinets, refrigerators, and freezers.
I look forward to reading everyone’s frugal feats!
What beautiful roses. My rose bush in the front yard has turned green. I hope the freeze we are expecting this weekend does not kill it. Fresh citrus would be lovely. I wish I could sew, my sisters and niece can but I do not have the patience for it. My niece knits as well and has made some beautiful items. We had a fish fry at church this past Saturday. My husband helped cook and I worked in the kitchen helping getting the fish ready and the rest of the meal. I have been making bread and using freezer and jarred food for our meals. I have been going to the library for books and have been utilizing You Tube for new meal ideas and gardening ideas. I have lots of ideas that hopefully will be able to complete. My friend and I have signed up to attend a microgreens class and will come home with supplies to start. I have tried to do this in the past so hopefully I can master this and have fresh greens for sandwiches. The class cost $5 but I get to spend time with a friend and learn something too. My husband has been cleaning the sheds out and getting ready for Spring. We had a deer processed into breakfast sausage.
Cindy in the South- I loved your story a couple of weeks ago about your mother and continuing to purchase flowers from Dollar General. Thank you for sharing! It made me smile because I do the same. Last year our eldest child (a teenager) passed away and he loved the (not) Dollar Tree so I purchase his flowers there.
Gardenpat- for business we were in your city. (I ordered something from you a while back.) All I have to say is wow! Your Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Aldi’s are much bigger than anything we have in KY. I now understand how you are blessed with all the deals you find at stores.
How we saved money. For the out-of-town business trip we picked a hotel that was $60 cheaper a night. It was very clean, comfy bed, and nice shower. However the lighting was less than desirable and free breakfast was yuck. We always travel with our own light bulbs and some extra lighting to solve the lighting issue. The room has a microwave so we go to Aldi’s to get breakfast sandwiches for breakfast.
During Christmas break I went to Hobby Lobby and purchase a strand of white lights four outdoor use to brighten up our living room for 40% off. Diamond painting was also 40% off so I grabbed two projects for $15 to work on during our holiday break.
My SIL had the great idea to have a make your won pizza party. So we hosted. She provided homemade crust and pizza sauce. We provided the cheese and some meats. Everyone else brought toppings they wanted to share. It worked out great! A yummy dinner and afterwards we played a card game called Monopoly Bid. It was a fun night.
We had an unexpectedly large tax bill, due to the way the financial year and my husband’s new job interacted We shouldn’tget one this big again, but it was a nasty surprise! On the one hand, we can afford to pay it from our savings. On the other hand… it’s disappointing to see our savings go up in smoke. I am thankful, though, that “past us” was so diligent in living frugally and putting money aside.
We will not go on holiday this year. We had been considering that anyway to (ironically) supercharge our savings for a year.
I will also be more diligent about planning meals from what we have already and not letting things go bad. I started a new freezer inventory system and was surprised by what we had in there! I am thinking of reorganising the vegetables in the fridge by “urgency of using up” rather than by category (e.g. roots, salads, etc) to stop things disappearing.
I started a Christmas present ideas list for 2026! My challenge is to see what I can make or get for free throughout the year and tuck away for Christmas. I have been looking through your past “Gift a Day” posts, Brandy, and have lots of ideas.
I am also looking through my fabric stash to see if I could make anything to bring to some birthday parties we have been invited to next month.
I plan to try to list some things on eBay soon, including one really big thing that I honestly have no idea how much someone would pay for it. I imagine I will only recoup a fraction of its original cost, but maybe I will get lucky and be surprised.
We decided not to go back to a paid-for homeschool group. We will keep up with Scouts, though.
Our coffee machine broke. I emailed the maker to ask for a repair within warranty and they sent a brand new one for free! At last! Coffee again!
We cut our Christmas tree up to burn in our woodstove. The trunk isn’t much to write home about, but the branches make for excellent kindling.
Seven gooseberry bushes arrived and we planted them out. Hurrah!
I have started planning my garden for this year. I am considering paying a bit more for open pollinated seeds and savings seeds to use in future years, but I’m worried I won’t be organised enough to do it properly and will waste the money. I plan to read up a bit more on how different seeds are saved, and maybe I will try it for a few easy ones this year.
For people who save seeds from vegetables in their garden, how do you decide which ones to save and how do you organise marking them out in the garden?
This book from the library will give you more information than you ever wanted on saving seeds. Extremely comprehensive and written for a lay audience, not experts or academics: Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, 2nd Edition By Suzanne Ashworth. You can also get used copies for about $5 last time I checked on lone bookstores.
Suzie,
If you can figure out a common description for what you’re selling, you can search the sold/completed items on ebay to get an idea of price. I don’t sell on ebay, but I often use this feature to know what’s a good price for something I’m considering buying. You may already know this…
Yes. This ^. I occasionally sell on eBay, do a search on the name of your item on eBay (if you don’t know the name, take a picture and do an image search on Google to find it) and then filter the results by completed/sold listings. This is how you can find out how to price your item.
Like many others in January, I am doing a systematic going-over in my house – in part just to clean out things we aren’t using (which I try to do seasonally) and also to find items to sell in my antique booths or on-line. It’s getting more challenging to find antiques to sell and estate sales (my usual sure thing) are fewer and farther away so shopping at home is key! I am fortunate my parents and in-laws pass on things to me they are no longer using for me to sell. In fact, all I have sold this month thus far in both booths have been things they gave me so 100% profit (minus the booth fee.) I have also been repairing things in what I call my “doom pile” – things that just need a little fix before selling but, somehow, it seems to keep getting put off. Also on the mending front, I’ve repaired my boys clothes (a constant!) and sewed new buttons on two of my coats that somehow got damaged. I’d be interested in other frugal folks opinion on this clearing-out philosophy – many people ask themselves if they can use something or if they need it which is tricky as I think you can always convince yourself you “might” need it or that someone you know “might” someday which justifies keeping said item. I find that asking myself “can I live without X?” helps much more or “would I buy this today if I saw it?” It’s a fine line to walk when you are frugal as just because something is a good deal doesn’t mean I need to have it. More to the point for me, as an antique lover, I find things I think need a home, meaning, I am nostalgic and think I appreciate said item more than anyone else and (if it’s inexpensive) it may come home with me. Fortunately, I don’t do it that often and have very particular categories of things that create that response in me so I am not a hoarder or in debt. 😁 But, it is an interesting thing to think about as even those of us who are pretty advanced in frugal economics may benefit from reframing how we think about our purchases and our belongings from time to time. I can say that working or volunteering at a thrift shop (as I have in the past) can definitely create a feeling of sadness and heaviness and a desire to get rid of a lot of your own things. There is just so much STUFF in this world, it can be overwhelming at times.
So, doing a deep clean of my house and moving things along (for profit or donation) are making me feel reset for this new year. Other than that, we’re eating from our pantry as much as possible (another method of cleaning out), hiking in the sometimes snowy woods (free), sitting by the fire (best therapy ever!) and looking forward to the day my snowdrops (purchased from Van Engelen on a bulk order – thank you once again, Brandy, for introducing me to this company years ago) peak their heads out of the ground. It’ll be a while yet!
Stay warm and cozy, all!
MMD, I find that if I know an item will bring in a good price at a charity thrift store, it’s easier for me to give it away. What bothers me is when I have something fairly costly I don’t need/care to hold on to any longer & I know it will be sold for far less than its value. Certain thrift shops in my area do know when something’s worth some money, so I give to them. I am terribly sentimental about certain belongings and it’s difficult to part with them unless someone else I know would obviously appreciate them.
No offense to your business, but also, I’d prefer someone who’d really appreciate my things get them than someone who’s simply going to sell them on. To that end, I first try to find someone who would like to be given items.
Cara C – Oh, I agree, and try to pass things on to people I know who can use them first – absolutely! I have found I have to give myself a time-line with that, however, because if said person does not spring to mind soon, it can cause congestion in my house and that’s not good, either. Thanks for your thoughts!
I do the can I live without it too. So much so, because I know myself, I’ve set a reminder once a month on my phone that says “can I live without it?” to remind myself to keep it in mind.
Good use of technology, I would say! Thanks for the idea.
Beautiful roses and tomato dish. I am not quite sure what it is, but I would love to have a bite or 2!
I made myself get over my self doubt and really own self confidence to not spend extra just to keep up.
Downloaded a free app to track calorie intake (the notebook and pen were no longer working). Pinterest also gave me some new exercises to do with no extra equipment needed.
Our library is having a baby houseplant swap in February, so I started a few cuttings to root in time. I’ve never been, so I am not sure what to expect. Either way, I will have few more plants (mine or new to me) to put around.
Wishing everyone a calm and productive week!
A houseplant swap sounds awesome! I would love that.
The dish is a salad of two kinds of tomatoes, feta cheese, salt, and balsamic vinegar.
Hello, frugal friends from the cold and windy Appalachian Mountains of Virginia! Our weather this past week has been up and down; anywhere from 27F to 57! On the frugal front: I do a weekly spending review on Fridays. This past Friday I realized the only money we spent were 3 donation checks. I bought no groceries, used what I had to make chocolate zucchini bread, sourdough bread and all meals. This week has started off quite frugal. Our grandson needed a desk. Mr. FixIt and I went to the thrift store and found on marked $30. They were having a 30% off sale so we got it for $20, the exact amount of cash in my purse. Mr. FixIt will repair one of the drawers and we will deliver it this weekend. God is good and provides every time. Today I went to the grocery store for this upcoming week. I also picked up our farm share. No real deals. I still have $14 cash for the rest of the month. That will be enough to pick up any fruit at the end of the month. I think I will increase our monthly food budget by $50 to cover pantry stock ups should I come across a really good deal. It is supposed to be really cold the rest of this week so I think soup will be on the menu. I wish my frugal friends a week full of blessings.
Brandy, I was curious as to how many of your children are in college now. And are they all at BYU?
Our grandson has the sweetest girlfriend that we are getting to know. She goes to a special college in Arizona and is studying forensics. She had some fascinating stories and hopes to become a crime scene investigator eventually. We hope she becomes a permanent member of the family eventually.
Four are moved out. Two have graduated and are working. Two are not currently at university but that could change in the future; they are working.
Things continue to break in my home. I did a carton character fall in my hallway. Slid into the bathroom. Along the way I broke my glass bathroom scale in half , busted the kitty’s eating dish and slammed my foot into the bathtub. As I lay there in pain evaluating my pain , I decided I was grateful my hip had no complaints. One broken and very purple foot I am so happy nothing else was broke. Last year I broke the same toe two different times. Im so careful and yet I still fall. The washer and dryer are sitting in my kitchen floor too. Google directed me to $60.00 worth of parts and here I go again. It’s a good thing my daddy taught me to be independent. The sad fact is these units are only 5 years old. This is easily the 4th time for the dryer and 3rd on the washer. I bought name brands. Not the fanciest models and I expected better. We have a week of cold weather. The really cold kind that is unusual for us. 20 degrees and my heat is out. Im currently at laundry mat washing my clothes. Im definitely going to need to layer up this week. My neighbors are reporting 350 to 500 bills. Mine is running $100.00 and I’m happy to bundle up a couple days. I will have mine repaired later. But I’m unlikely to use it much. When it went out last fall , I realized my house was much cheaper to cool w two window units than running the central AC. I was dumbfounded by that. I spent 15 minutes online today researching every prescription coupon available. The prices can vary wildly from one company to the other. The drugstore quoted me $27.00 for 17 pills. I had my doctor call me in 90 pills and AARP coupon is for $45.00 and there’s no membership required. My nights and days are upside down. Im going to try to be productive and take a new inventory of our food. Here’s hoping everyone is having happy days.
Lilliana, I’m glad your injury wasn’t worse than it was! Whew.
I know what you mean about washers and dryers. I’ve had to replace mine both multiple times as well. They were also name brands-maddening! Take care of yourself.
Ouch! My one broken ankle and the other one sprained commiserates with you. Hope you heal quickly!
Lilliana, I know what you mean about appliances. We did buy a front loader Speed Queen. Many people have the top loader, but we happened to live where water was very expensive, so I didn’t want to go that route. The Speed Queen front loader uses more water than most front load models so I opted for that, and I have been happy with it. Speed Queen has a really good reputation. Our local appliance store told us that the average lifespan for an appliance is five years now; that’s just criminal! When we moved, I left my old LG dryer behind (brought the washer I mentioned), and I am wishing I still had it. Bought a new LG dryer and it doesn’t dry on normal or sensor. Can run for hours. I am pursuing this with the company. Imagine all the appliances (energy efficient) that go into landfills! Give me the old, less energy efficient models that actually work and last!
We had a dryer not heating to dry, it was just blowing air. My husband took it apart found lint stuck on the sensor. It worked fine after that.
I made dried beans, Baba Ghanoush, Coleslaw, potato salad, tuna fish sandwich, etc. It was very warm in south Alabama for two weeks, 70’s to almost 80 degrees at times, but now is cold again. I am trying to have a nonconsumer year also.
Loving the citrus pictures. We have a small lemon tree which comes into the enclosed porch in winter. We get about two lemons a year, so your bumper crop looks amazing. A week of illness, but at least not straying far from the bed is frugal! We were blessed that there was plenty in the freezer to feed the family. A good opportunity to finish up those things we had forgotten about! We have now made a proper list of what is in the freezer to avoid waste or duplication. The snowy weather meant everyone was happy to just enjoy books, crafts and tv at home. I have been looking for a new pair of winter boots for over a year, not finding the style, size or price I was happy with. Found some last week of a brand I like that has an ebay store, at one third of the regular price and free delivery. They fit beautifully. It was worth waiting.
Even in the middle of January your photos make you garden gorgeous!
Didn’t spend anything this week as I was home willing my ankles to mend. I’m rewatching Downton Abby to stay relaxed and keeping my feet up to heal.
I did splurge back on Black Friday and got a vacuum mop as my age was making using a mop and bucket difficult. This came in so handy as even with my bad ankles I managed to mop the kitchen as it’s so easy now. Easily cleaned up a spill I currently couldn’t bend down to reach. Until I saw one on a blog, I didn’t even know these existed. So feel it’s really going to be worth the cost to me.
The lime tree I container planted a couple of years ago has 7 ripe limes! I feel I should celebrate by making something special, and can’t think of what. I’m open to any ideas!
My late to ripen meyer lemon tree is finally full of ripe fruit. Lemon curd won’t be far behind. Also, I like to juice for ice cubes, which makes for quick glasses of lemonade in the summer. I use lemons in so many things, plus share w neighbors, I never worry what to do with them.
Fyi, to above…when i needed to get a dishwasher I kept my eyes on Craigslist till I found the exact model I wanted used. It sold for $1800 (!) new and I got it for $200 because I didn’t care if it was stainless steel. It was barely used and they were selling because they were remodeling and wanted stainless. I love it. Installed it myself.
I’ve seen a lot of good deals on used dishwashers simply because people were remodeling. This allowed me to wait to get the exact brand and model I wanted. Spending $200 was actually one of the most expensive used dishwashers I’d seen, but was worth it to me to get exactly what I wanted. I traded several jars of homemade jam, free fruit from other neighbors tree, to my neighbor to use his truck to get it.
Oh I love this for you! Congratulations on your new dishwasher!
Making a purchase is not exactly frugal, but I tried to go about it in a frugal way! I have been eyeing a set of blank Bible journals—they are blank books, but are organized with chapter headings and space for each verse going down the page—designed for you to copy an entire book of the Bible into each journal. The journals are sold individually, but the price per journal is cheaper if you purchase the set—and I knew I wanted the set anyway. The school where my husband and I both work gifted us each a $50 gift card to Amazon. Knowing I really wanted these journals, my husband sweetly gave me his gift card. Then my specific department gifted me an additional $25 Amazon gift card, and a niece who knew I wanted to get these did the same. I had an additional $35 Amazon gift card from another source, and putting these all together I was finally able to purchase the set! I am so excited, as they just arrived yesterday! I am glad I used restraint and waited, until all these gift cards came my way instead of just up and buying them and then having to figure out how to pay for them! I have a picture of the journals on my blog here: https://jesuscallsmefriend.blogspot.com/2026/01/new-yearnew-blessings.html. The set is the New Testament, plus Psalms and Proverbs. Now I am trying to decide which Bible book I want to start with! And that is a GREAT problem to have! 🙂
Good news-my fanny pack turned up intact at the airport so my husband picked it up. What a relief! Yesterday I went whale watching and we saw pilot whales and dolphins. We declined snorkeling in the chilly Atlantic in Jan and also the nude beach!!
Oh I, what great news! So happy you got the fanny pack and its contents back.