I hosted a baby shower at my house making dishes and desserts using ingredients mostly from my pantry.
I borrowed some warming dishes from my mom to keep the food warm. They plug in, so I didn’t need to buy anything to burn under them.
I used platters purchased mainly from garage sales.
Someone offered me leftover plastic party cups in December. I said yes, and I used them for the party. I used regular dishes, silverware, and cloth napkins for everything else.
I used items I already had to decorate for the party: small airplanes (I borrowed a couple from my dad plus one of mine), globes, and vintage suitcases.
I had an airplane cookie cutter, so I used that to make cookies.
I sewed a baby blanket as a gift using muslin I had previously bought (so no out of pocket right now) and embroidered an airplane I drew on it using embroidery thread I had on hand.
My son outgrew his clothes and needed new ones in a larger size. I had two large tote of clothes I had saved from his older brothers (and hand-me-downs from others) that we opened for him, and he had plenty to wear.
I mended a couple of holes in a pair of sweater tights. All of my pairs of sweater tights are wearing out, but I can at least get them through this winter, if not one more, by mending them.
I planted some cuttings of a hoya plant that I had rooted into a pot I already had. I started them a few months ago. I plan to gift the potted plant to a friend later this spring.
I harvested lots of cherry tomatoes from the garden. A frost was predicted, so we cut the largest plant down, but it still didn’t freeze.
What did you do to save money last week?
When my tights wear out, I keep wearing them for a while with socks on top. They don’t look smart, but it works for everyday wear. I find that once they start to go, they just get a hole again the very next wear if I mend them.
We needed a new kitchen compost caddy and I was able to use something we already had.
We continue to eat down our freezer.
I have been making a seed sowing chart for myself for the new (and old!) vegetables I am growing this year. It seems like we will be able to have *something* from our garden for many more months of the year than I had thought… if it all works out, that is!
I looked up how to make small pots from newspaper mpulded around a jam jar, to start things indoors. My parents still get a printed newspaper every day, so they have plenty to give me!
Dear Brandy, I have been missing your blog so much! Recently I have been trying to be prudent again and I was just thinking about your blog and missing it and some or the regular posters… Then I figured out I may come here and just read the old posts. I came here and discovered new posts! I am so excited!!!
What a beautiful and generous spread you made – it must have been a lovely party.
We got a lot of snow with the storm. I packed a weekend bag and headed to my childhood home 60 miles away to have a “slumber party” with my widowed mom and take care of her snow removal. Prior quotes for hiring for snow removal were way out of her budget. We made soup together, worked on a few gifts around the dining room table and watched a movie with air popped popcorn. I can finally say I understand how to use the snow blower – which would have made my dad laugh and be proud. My husband stayed home and took care of our house which made coming back stress-free. All in all it was a great weekend and not a dime spent.
I hope everyone has a calm and productive week!
The recipient of the baby shower is a very lucky friend. Your efforts show real caring. Organization is key in frugal living and the tote of clothes for your son is evidence of that. I have spent nothing since mid December but have added underwear, woolen socks and pants to my wardrobe, all made by me. My next shopping trip is planned by comparing prices from my favourite store websites. I still manage to keep my food costs under $250. per month.
Wool socks are wonderful! What glorious things you sewed and knitted for yourself!
You always have such an elegant touch when entertaining, Brandy! And it’s a reminder that being careful with spending doesn’t need to scream “deprived” when an occasion comes up!
This past weekend, we had the major snowstorm that had been predicted. A week ago, they predicted 1 to 3” of snow, but by the time it came, we have about 16 – 18”! https://pin.it/5g6awabCD
We are grateful that our power has stayed on and have checked with our 3 children in Texas to make sure they are safe and warm and still have power.
On Tuesday, Grocery Outlet had large eggs for 99 cents/dozen so Hubs and I each bought the 6 dozen limit and shared some with one of our friends! We also bought 3 heads of lettuce for 50 cents each (FF) to make some fresh salads.
Before our major snowstorm came in during the early morning hours on Sunday, my youngest son came over and we made 2 chicken tetrazzinis, 1 tamale bake and 20 beef and bean burritos . He took half of them home to his apartment and we kept half. We found a YouTube channel: Stacey’s Simple Meals , that has a whole series of meals to make for 1- 2 people that have tasty and simple meals that we have been trying!
On Sunday, I put a beautiful French onion marinated Chuck roast (FF- $3.99 for 2-1/2 pounds) in the crockpot and made several different flavored “Helper” mixes in jars for simple meal prep in a hurry! I made Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mix in a pint jar to put on shelf but also made a second batch and we ate it for lunch! Definitely is a repeater!! Found these on the YouTube channel: Tales from an Empty Nest. She has lots of mixes to keep on your pantry shelf for easy grab and go meals!
So this week, to save money, I have used some of my “stay at home” time to check out sources, particularly YouTube, for recipes and ideas! What an amazing FREE resource to have right at our fingertips!
2 more client quilts quilted up- 4 more in queue. https://pin.it/2c29xGBus , https://pin.it/11I1DnZoN and https://pin.it/5ieYc3RYB
Seeing our local weather report for the upcoming week, our frigid temps will keep us home. We are grateful that we have things we can do and sufficient food so that we can stay at home without much disruption of our normal routines.
Looking forward to hearing how everyone else has been finding ways to be good stewards and save money. I always learn so much from this group! Thank you, Brandy, for making this possible!
Gardenpat in Ohio
Gardenpat, I have checked out the youtube channel you recommended and it looks perfect for us. I even have a tiny crockpot like hers! It has been used to make a pot of soup when we were going to be gone so we could walk in and eat. I need more ideas for new meals. Thanks
Jeannie
As others have said, it’s so nice to see you back here! What a beautiful spread for the baby shower. I’m sure it was well received.
I’ve started declutterring my craft supplies. I have too many interests and never enough time. Most will go to a woman i volunteer with and/or her daughter. The rest will be donated. Too much stuff weighs me down. One son always, always, always gives us gift cards for Christmas, birthdays and Mothers/Fathers Day. I usually keep a list of books i’d like to read so i ordered several. A bag of chocolate covered almonds may have fallen into my cart, as well. I haven’t been to a grocery store in about two weeks. My husband did buy his favorite juice. He paid a high price because we only have one grocery store and the closest big name is an hour away. When we next make that trip we’ll stock up. I used the front of a card to make a thank you note. We have a programmable thermostat so it cycles from 63*-67* during the day and night. Our last bill was under 150.00. (Our home is 600 sq.ft.) The water bill continues to climb little by little no matter what i do. All clothes washed with cold. YT for entertainment. If it’s not canceled, (Weather advisory/snow/minus temps.) a friend and I will be going to a free two hour painting class for seniors. I look forward to it. Have an enjoyable week out there.
Wow your food looks amazing! Could you please post what all it is and a general idea of your recipes? I absolutely LOVE your decorations, and the baby blanket is a treasure the child can keep for a lifetime!!!!
I bought 1.5 lbs. of ground beef, which I haven’t bought in over a year, it was $3.97 lb. on sale….yikes….. and used it to make a regular “chili” (it actually ended up being more like a chili bean soup, with dried pinto beans I cooked from scratch, about a lb. of the ground beef, carrots, Rotel like tomatoes, tomato sauce, cut up hot dogs and spices), etc. After I ate and then froze the leftovers, I made pumpkin chili with a can of pumpkin I had bought a while back at Dollar Tree, the rest of the ground beef, cooked dried pinto beans, Rotel tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, and spices. I also made creamed spinach.
I walked either in the neighborhood, or in place, at home, when the temps dropped significantly. We went from a couple of weeks of 60’s and 70’s to in the teens at night!!!! Otherwise, I just worked and went home.
I made basmati rice, brown lentil curry (check dal recipes from Tea for Tumeric), saag using Swiss chard from my garden from the cookbook Pakistan, Green Cilantro (Coriander) and mint chutney from the same cookbook (using mint and Thai peppers from my garden; I forgot to take a photo of this), bangain borani from the same cookbook (it is technically an Afghan dish) using eggplant, tomatoes, and mint from my garden, roti with wheat I ground (see my chapati recipe here), carrot halwa with a recipe from Tea for Tumeric’s blog, mini chocolate cupcakes (see my recipe here plus the cream cheese frosting recipe from my carrot cake recipe; I subbed shortening for the butter), cookies were my heart cookies recipe, and Russian teacake cookies.
Thank you!! It all is so amazing!!!
OMGosh! You really had an international menu to go with your travel theme! I loved the airplanes; my late father was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and over the years, he built two airplanes. (Yes, airplanes you can fly — not model aircraft, but the real thing! Not an airliner, mind you, but about the size of a two-place Cessna.) Made me wonder: were the honoree or her family members pilots? World travelers? Travel agents? Geography teachers? Whatever it was (or wasn’t), your party theme was adorable! Martha Stewart has nothing on you!
Meanwhile, your flowers and roses are spectacularly gorgeous!
The food was mostly Pakistani dishes as the guest of honor and all the other guests were Pakistani as well.
We both enjoy watching planes fly overhead.
What a charming baby shower theme! Welcoming the child as a citizen of the world! (I personally prefer this to blue-pink-pastel baby stuff). The globes would be good conversation starters.
We don’t seem to have a lot of major variety in our days. Library books. Trying to drink more water. Wearing clothes I have had for a long time. though that doesn’t really show.
Husband and I each got new glasses, saving considerably with AARP discounts. My thick prescription isn’t quite right, (“progressive” lenses, which used to be called “tri-focals”), and I will need to go back, out into the cold, to try to get that adjusted. We save our energy by shoveling just precisely the areas we need to get out of the house and get the cars out, then let the sun do the rest, though melting is going to take a few weeks more than usual right now.
Chanced into a clearance sale on vitamins at Walgreens and saved 96%! They aren’t even close to expiration dates, not that I think that a few months matters on vitamins.
I need more iron, latest blood tests indicate, and need to read up on what to eat for that to support the prescription I was given. Not a big liver or meat fan.
Grocery store had clearance holiday kits to make a “Charcuterie Chalet”. Sort of like a tiny gingerbread house, made with pre-shaped crackers, sausage, brie spread for mortar, and nuts for trimming. I bought one for $3, (regular must have been over $20), and really liked the cheese. They dropped the price another dollar, so I got two more, to put the parts away to enjoy for the next few months.
Husband is making bread dough in my Dad’s bread machine. I saw the receipt for the original purchase was taped inside the recipe book, (very typical for Dad). He bought it at Pamida, if anyone recalls that discount chain, for $59.99 in 2000. Has quite paid for itself even though we don’t use it often.
Heidi Louise, I had to increase my hemoglobin numbers at the end of my pregnancy a few times. Everything I read online said it was super hard and would take 6 months.
I did it three times in 6 weeks each time, taking my number from 11 to 13.
I took the supplements my midwife recommended as well as focused on iron-rich foods.
While I’m obviously not a doctor, I can share what I did.
Mutli-vitamin with iron and b-12
Additional iron pill, vitamin C (for iron absorption) and b-12 later in the day.
Floridex Liquid Iron Plus Herbs twice a day, morning and evening
Liquid Chlorophyll twice a day. I will warn you that it tastes like dirt. You add it to water.
Foods I ate daily:
Eggs, Swiss chard, spinach, black beans, pinto beans, broccoli, almonds, lentils, apricots, figs
You can also eat chicken, chickpeas, peanut butter, fish (sardines, salmon, tuna), raisins, grapes, pumpkin seeds, dates, prunes, peas, mushrooms, and more. Moringa powder is another good source (and you can grow moringa from seed if you’re in a hot climate).
Thank you so much for writing that all out!
I was hoping for a few comments; that is a lot for me to research further.
I also don’t like liver. 😁
There are other options. Go with thr ones you like.
I also just remembered:
I drank red raspberry tea and nettle tea. Nettles are high in iron but rather bitter (and I don’t usually add sugar to my herbal teas). I made a teaball with half nettles and half red raspberry as recommended by my midwife.
Heidi Louise,
I know you said you don’t like liver but when I was in university I used to make a great chicken liver dish. Chicken livers are higher in iron than beef. I can remember most of the recipe – I believe it came from an old Junior League of Chicago book. here is what I remember. Fry (brown) an onion in a frying pan. Saute some mushrooms in the pan. You can also add strips of green peppers. Dredge the chicken livers in flour. Remove the veggies from the pan for a little while. Then add a little more oil or butter to the frying pan and brown chicken livers on both sides. Deglaze the drippings by adding chicken broth (or you could use vegetable broth). Then add veggies back in. Add a bit more chicken broth. Then add sour cream (Greek yogourt would work, too). Cook everything until it’s warm. Check to make sure the liver is not pink inside but a light brown. You will hardly know you are eating chicken livers as it’s so good. Serve over noodles or rice. Chicken livers are high in folate which is great for your hair…i suggest you also google for foods that inhibit iron absorption — like tea, coffee, chocolate, etc. And a tablespoon of black strap molasses is an excellent source of iron. Eating foods that are high in Vitamin C (like an orange) at the same time as eating foods high in iron increase the body’s absorption of iron. Good luck!
if you are eating a spinach salad, add an orange to it. Combine vitamin C with vegan sources of iron.
Re: chicken livers being high in folate,
if you are pregnant, you absolutely must, must, must make sure you’re getting enough folate! A deficiency of same can cause a really serious birth defect. So if you like chicken livers, please put that on your eating plan. Of course, as with everything you do, please check with your ob-gyn, midwife or health care provider to make sure it’s OK.
Instead of sour cream, (since dairy products can interfere with iron absorption) you can take a drained can of white cannelloni beans, puree them and add them to the livers.
I have had to up my iron a few times.
I…
1. Took iron pills with a glass of orange juice (vitamin C aids absorption)
2. Ate beef and spinach noodles in miso broth for one meal every day. I was not keen on beef at the time but it was cut small and was soft so it was OK. This was the highest iron content meal I could figure out and I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel every day.
3. Ate dried apricots for pudding every day.
4. Ate a dark leafy green (e.g. kale) and/or a high-iron bean at the other meal, for some variety!
5. Avoided dairy as it interferes with absorption.
The midwife was amazed at my improvement!
Thank you also, Ellie’s Friend and Suzie! I have various things to look for now. I love miso soup and will look in to how to make that in my town with limited international groceries.
I also remembered that molasses is high in iron, so I dug out my Mom’s gingersnap cookie recipe. My husband helped by opening the stuck molasses jar lid.
It was a great week in Houston!
The frozen precipitation forecasted didn’t materialize, so we were able to drive where we needed to go and never lost power. School was canceled Monday, so I was glad we made an extra library stock-up trip before the cold front to keep my voracious readers happy.
A friend gave me an extra size 3 diaper she found in an old diaper bag: I’ll take it!
I used ChatGPT to write a letter responding to my condemnation hearing coming up (city is taking part of a property due to eminent domain, road expansion). This isn’t worth a lawyer as it’s small potatoes for them.
I passed down some hand me downs from one older boy to another.
We’ve kept the crockpot going and the kids have done lots of baking. We have been eating well through the cold weather.
My IG: Frewgalfamily.HTX
Hi Brandy and everyone
What an effort you put into making the baby shower so lovely, I’m sure the mother was very appreciative. You always carry through a theme so nicely.
I like to hear of your mending, I mend a lot ( not always very skilfully!), I think it is only fairly recently that everything became so disposable.
I only visit a hairdresser a few times a year and when my salon closed permanently I researched others nearby. I was very pleased to find one which is slightly cheaper than the old one, they run a loyalty scheme and I was pleased with my cut.
We have eaten up the last of our homegrown butternut squash and are still eating stored shallots, garlic and onion and this week ate plums from the freezer.
I received a free bag of sweets for my birthday through a supermarket app. I don’t really eat sweets but I’m sure someone will have them.
The cost of eating out has escalated so much we decided to stay at home for my birthday. Our daughters cooked a lovely meal and even with a nice joint of meat it was much much cheaper than going out to eat, there were leftovers for next day too. It is a treat for me to have others cook for me.
We have crazy amounts of rain in the UK this week, hope everyone around the world stays safe.
You know I have to ask. Is the new baby planning on becoming a pilot?
No idea as he isn’t born yet! 🤣
But the mother and I both immensely enjoy watching planes, so I went with it.
Awww, my friend and I were just this weekend talking about how when we were little kids our dads would drive us down to the airport and we’d watch the planes come and go. Just a dad daughter outing. 🤣✈️
At the North Las Vegas airport, which is for small planes, there’s a restaurant with a viewing balcony for watching the planes. My parents have taken my children there.
My father built planes and always took us to airshows and identified planes flying over.
We’re in the flight path of both this airport and the Air Force base. My dad lives next door and he still identifies planes to me when we both happen to be outside when they fly overhead.
My mom worked in an aircraft plant during WWII. We used to lay in the backyard grass and she’d identify all the planes flying into the nearby base. Such memories!
Maria,
That’s so cool! Your mom was a real-life Rosie the Riveter!!!!!
If she’s still around, please thank her for her service. She was brave enough to take on a non-traditional job for a woman back then, and in doing so, she helped win World War II.
Meanwhile, my dad also took me to the airport to watch the planes. Once we went to Love Field in Dallas. Back then, it was the main airport for taking airline flights. They had a “theater” — theater seats facing a plate glass window where you could see all the planes take off and land. I remember it was the first time I saw someone from India. How did we know? The lady had a jewel implanted in her forehead, right above her nose; she also wore a sari. She looked amazing!
What a beautiful decorations and food for the baby shower! Is the orange colored dessert with chopped nuts on top carrot halwa? It looks delicious.
I haven’t posted in a while, so this covers several weeks of frugal accomplishments.
*My landlady came by to fix something in my apartment, and then cleaned up the area afterwards using a magic eraser type sponge. She offered me the rest of the sponge so it wouldn’t go to waste. I decided to try using it to clean my shower. I was surprised what a great job it did, with no soap or shower cleaner needed. I am planning to pick up a couple of these sponges next time I go to the dollar store.
*The inside of the trunk in my 20+ year old car was wet due to an issue with the weatherstripping seal. I stopped by to see my longtime mechanic, who gives advice for free. He gave me some ideas on how to troubleshoot the weatherstripping issue and dry out my trunk. Running a heater or fan in the trunk would be my best bet. My (outdoor, uncovered) parking spot is in right in front of our communal laundry room, and my landlady generously lent me an outdoor extension cord and allowed me to use the outlet in that room to power a fan I already had. Luckily we had a few days without any rain so everything got dried out. The rain is due to return tomorrow, so I will see how my car does after that.
*I washed my fabric shower curtain liner and one of the metal grommets fell off. I reinforced the hole by hand by sewing a buttonhole stitch around it, then covering the area with Fray Check. Hopefully this will work.
*I lost a lot of weight last year due to an unexpected health issue. As a result, most everything in my wardrobe was way too big, especially pants and jeans. At the time, I bought a couple pairs of inexpensive knit pants that I lived in for months. Once the weather turned colder, I found a good sale on jeans, and have been able to rebuild my wardrobe further by shopping after holiday sales and clearance. I actually prefer to shop at thrift stores, but most of them around here got rid of their dressing rooms during Covid, and the one I frequent the most has a very restrictive return policy. Sadly it’s not worth it to me to buy clothing there. Anyway, I was able to pass on a few clothing items that no longer fit to someone on Nextdoor, and then donated the rest. Right now I am thankful for warm clothes that fit!
*I bought a couple beef roasts last week on sale at Safeway for $6.99 a pound, which is the lowest I have seen it for in a long time. I stocked up. Due to the abovementioned health issue, my doctor has recommended that I eat beef regularly. Usually I only buy it on clearance, but this was a good price. I cooked one package and put the rest in the freezer. This should last me a while.
*A couple months ago I found in my pantry an unopened package of powdered sourdough starter, with an expiration date of Jan 2021. I decided to see if it was still viable. It was! Over the holidays, our upscale Kroger (QFC) had five pound bags Bob’s Red Mill flour on sale for $2.49, both white and whole wheat. The regular price on the whole wheat is $6.49, so this was a great deal. I bought several bags, and I have been making sourdough discard waffles (using the recipe on the King Arthur website). It works fine with the whole wheat flour, you just have to add a bit more liquid. I make a big batch of waffles about every other week, and then put the extras in the freezer. So good!
Have a great week, everyone.
Yes, it is carrot halwa!
Tina S.
My favorite thrift shop has never had dressing rooms, so I wear a tight top or sports bra, and bicycle shorts under a full skirt. I’m able to try most things on adequately without exposing myself. It’s worth the trouble to me because that store gets excellent clothing and has great sales None of the thrift sores I know of take returns.
Brandy, that carrot halwa looks yummy.
My teen was home so she made a big batch of rolls, along with butter chicken.
I had leftover supplies from Christmas so I made some Rice Krispy treats
Was given about 15 burritos. I froze them in batches of four, and left out 3 for us to eat on now.
The little dog has a bad tooth. The surgery is expensive and I was trying to get past winter for the extraction. The vet let me come pick up another dose of antibiotics without any sort of exam.
We had snow come through on Saturday. It’s Tuesday now and school/work is canceled at least through tomorrow. Not so nice on the paycheck, but not minding the excuse to stay in.
Eating from the freezer, especially since I don’t want to go to the store.
Using the extra time to read, catch up on movies, and do homework.
Hi everyone,
Braving the cold. Our heat went out for a bit. Thankfully a repair man was able to come in a few hours. For your reference, be aware with heavy snow that the heat of a dryer vent can cause ice near your hvac!
Went to a conference last week. Only ate out one meal. It was a local take out, much cheaper and likely as good as the hotel restaurants downtown. I also packed snacks for breakfast and walked to the conference from the hotel to save costs.
Stopped at an international grocery on the way home and got some good deals on things we could use.
Oven part broke before I could make my bread. Shopped around and ordered it for half the price and only one day later.
By the way, you can make sourdough bread in a crock pot and then finish the crust in an air fryer.
Wishing you the best this week!
Robbie
Brandy
The food and decorations for the baby shower look great! So beautiful and mouth-watering!
Although it has been very cold here and we had some snow, we missed having a really big storm.
My snow shoveller has had mercy on me – he charged me once but not for the next day when it again started to snow.
Between mid Nov and mid Dec, we had so many snowstorms that I was going broke. So I’m glad he renegotiated his fee.
I am busy eating down the frozen fruit in my little freezer. I had frozen quite a few prune plums and on a bitterly cold day I love them stewed. I also several meal sized packages of meat that I will use. I’m trying to cut back on my grocery bill but I’m finding it very hard. i usually just have 2 or 3 slices of sprouted whole grain bread (high in protein), cottage cheese at lunch, 5-7 fresh or frozen vegetables and some protein usually chicken or lentils. For a snack I’ll have low fat plain yogourt. I worried about all the dairy increasing my cholesterol — in fact, my cholesterol went down so now it is ideal. I don’t eat processed foods. Yesterday, as usual, I added something to my grocery order for our 24/7 little community food cupboard. Safeway had 454 grams (a pound) of fresh strawberries on for $2.99 (normally 5.99 or even more). I donated two of the clamshells. I heard that just as the strawberries were being put out, two young mothers arrived. They each took one and were thrilled! Such a small thing but it made their days!
I have now finished shopping for clothes on sale at Black Friday and Boxing Day sales. The last item came today.
I am glad delivery was free. The last item was a bra — I somewhat measured myself and then guessed but I guessed right. I haven’t worn one since I broke my arm, so it will be a big adjustment. I had previously won a burgundy wool. baseball cap. It matches my new burgundy corduroy pants that I picked up as a real bargain and the burgundy jacket that i bought for $12 on sale last year. About sweater socks that wear out — if you live in a really cold climate, you could cut the bottoms off, stitch the top and bottoms and use them as leg warmers… Or you could unravel the wool and reuse the yarn to knit something new….
Coming as I do from a family of pilots, and having grown up privileged to fly all over the country with my parents, I love the airplane theme. Whether the baby will be a pilot or not I don’t know, but I have a hunch they will be Going Places! I especially love the hand-stitched blanket – hand made gifts were so often the ones I treasured most over the years.
My local market had chicken drumsticks on sale for $.67/lb and boneless/skinless chicken breasts for $1.67. I bought 10 lbs of each and cooked it all in the InstaPot. I deboned the drumsticks and set aside the “icky bits” – gristle, skin, veins – for the dog, to supplement her “crunchies”. Most of the meat went in the freezer, what didn’t we used in various dishes for meals for a week. I used some of the broth, mixed with dog-friendly ingredients I had on hand that needed using up, to make homemade dog treats. (They were a hit.)
My youngest brought a dozen fresh-that-morning eggs from his friends’ house (the friends keep chickens).
My mother and I ran a number of errands together. She bought me a tank of gas in appreciation. She didn’t have to – I love running errands w/ her, she’s great company and we always have a good time while getting lots done.
Winter storm Fern arrived with a vengeance. I’m in Southern Middle Tennessee close to the Alabama border. We were right on the storms dividing line. Family 60 miles south of us had warm weather and tornadoes while Nashville to the north was covered in a thick layer of ice and snow which caused 92% of the people to lose power. My son in Indiana received 12 inches of snow and slept two nights at work before he could get home. I didn’t lose power so became the “hostess with the mostess”, a port in the storm. I’m very glad I was prepared. Money saving did not stop.
When my two sons in the Nashville area lost power and realized staying behind was becoming dangerous, both headed home. Their trips were long, slow, and treacherous. Both had to dodge trees and saw firsthand the massive devastation. They have never experienced such an immense storm and realized why “ole” Mom and Dad had done so much preparation before hand.
When I knew they were on the road, I flew into action. My grandmother’s quilts were pulled out for “such a time as this.” Candles that were purchased at estate sales were placed all around so if power was lost. My pantry was a lifesaver. I grabbed canned turkey with broth and added rice to make a big pot of soup. Canned fruit and frozen fruit made a fast salad. The bread machine was filled with whatever ground grains I was rotating out. A small amount of pie crust dough was hastily rolled out and a can of blueberry pie filling was added. (It was a very ugly but tasty.) Both guys arrived cold, stressed, exhausted, hungry and wanted hot showers. Extra towels were pulled from the estate sale stash. One son brought wet laundry and used my dryer to keep his clothes from mildewing. He also brought his hot crock pot with half cooked beef bones. Both brought the food from their refrigerators and freezers to avoid spoiling. The next day, I took their leftovers, added it to the beef broth and made another pot of soup. Snow would have been so much better because the heavy ice that is covered in freezing rain makes driving impossible plus knocks down the trees and powerlines. As of this morning, “only” 106,000 homes are without power so we are digging out.
Brandy, it is refreshing to see how normal your life is at this moment. Your baby shower was magnificent. You went to extra effort to make your guests feel welcomed. It doesn’t take lots of money, just a creative and caring heart.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
https://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/
Kudos to you, Jeannie! Preparedness is a must in the world we live in now. Hope everything is back to normal soon. Take care.
Thank you, CherylB also in Tennessee. I’m afraid life isn’t normal yet. Both sons left and returned to work only to have the power go out again. One just called a second ago and his is back on. It is still bad in many places.
They both began discussing how to be better prepared next time. I was pleased. One son started a list of what to buy and I recommended watching Facebook Market Place. Survival gear will be sold cheap when the time comes to pack up and move.
Jeannie
You must be very close to me. I’m in Alabama, an hour and a half south of Nashville, 20 minutes to the state line. I am glad you didnt get the ice of Nashville, that was a mess for them.
We had a travel ban from the sheriff’s office due to the snowstorm. We got more than initially predicted – about 16″ in Ohio. I haven’t left my house since Saturday. The heating bill (all electric) is going to be astronomical – record-setting snowfall and record-setting overnight low temperatures. Schools have been cancelled all week due to the snow and extreme cold. College campuses resumed operations today for in-person instruction. We’re having problems with mail delivery, and I’m waiting on a reimbursement check, among other important pieces of mail. I can’t seem to get any answers, but other neighbors are experiencing the same issue with no mail being delivered even though informed delivery showed it should have been for the past 3 days. I’ve been working, reading library books, and using what little food I was able to get on Saturday with depleted store shelves caused by panic buyers. I had some food left from last week, so we’ve had enough to eat this week.
My sister and I text each other our frugal accomplishments for the day, every day. It makes me mindful and I feel accountable. I too keep an organized system of clothes and shoes in the next few sizes. These come from hand me downs, Buy Nothing, thrift store purchases, or clearance finds. Then at the beginning of each season we do a massive try on. I sell anything that doesn’t fit through FB Marketplace or Once Upon a Child and buy what is needed. I also try and keep a list on my phone so I can be on the lookout while thrifting. This has saved me so much. We had a ‘big’ snowstorm in North Texas. I pulled out all the snow gear and had the girls try everything on. Every piece was a hand me down or Buy Nothing find including the boots. I sold two snow suits that did not fit anymore at a reasonable price and I lent one to a neighbor. In preparation for the storm I made a meal plan and went to the store but didn’t over do it. I did not estimate how long we would be stuck and out of school (We are on day 6) so yesterday I ran out of milk, creamer and fruit. It truly makes one resourceful with their freezer, fridge and pantry. We drip our faucets during times like these because Texas pipes aren’t built for this type of weather. I collected the water for water bottles, the keurig and dumped the rest in a bathtub. I then added warm water to the tub for my youngest to bathe in. We watched alot of movies with popcorn and hot cocoa, went across the street to the park with friends and sled, baked and cooked every meal, rewore clothes, bundled up and kept the heat as low as possible. I did my taxes and listen to a few financial podcasts. My oldest birthday is Sunday and we decorated with things on hand. She is receiving a few small items that were free from BN or purchased with a merchandise credit at Target. I split her and her sister up and she now has her own room and we furnished and decorated it for her 11th birthday. I baked an easy four ingredient bread for the first time and it was delicious. I cleaned out the medicine box – I like to be well stocked at all times so I am not having to pay a premium when something is needed. Sold an item online. I am receiving two sets of bonuses – one in February and one in March. I sat down and wrote out how I would allocate those funds. It was a productive time ‘off’ from the regular schedule with some good down time as well.
Brandy,
I’m so glad you’re back! Between you and your followers I learn so much about prudent and creative living, adding thoughtfulness and beauty to life. Thank you.
MZ
What a beautiful baby shower. I know the mom to be was so thankful for such a nice party. We have been without electricity for 6 days from the the snow/ice storm. Our electricity and internet came back on this evening. We were prepared to a point. We had natural gas heat, a propane fish fryer that we could use to cook and heat water for baths. We did venture to town to the laundry mat to wash clothes and get more groceries and ice for the cooler. We had linemen from Georgia and Kentucky working to help get our county back in electricity and the national guard cutting trees and helping people out. I don’t think you are ever prepared enough after a few days. I have thankful that we stayed safe and warm.
I know I’m late to this “party,” but I have had a very enjoyable evening reading everyone’s comments. I hope you all are back to normal from Winter Storm Fern.
I prepared for Fern by backing up a lot of the emergency things I already have. I’m reluctantly having to admit to myself that at age 70, I’m not as fit as I was at 55 or 60. I can’t climb ladders (get dizzy), or grip things very well (due to arthritis). And I’m having to compensate for that.
I started out by making sure all the battery-operated lights were OK, and also putting quilted covers over the old drafty windows. The battery-operated faux candles I bought for Xmas decorations also do quite well for backup lighting.
I also updated the emergency backup heat. Two days before Fern hit, I was having some other (unrelated) work done at my house and I asked the handyman if he could see what was wrong with my natural gas fireplace, which I bought after 2021’s Winter Storm Uri. (I have gas central heat but I found out during Uri that it doesn’t work without electricity. The fireplace will still work during a blackout.)
The fireplace has buttons on the floor, and it is difficult for me to get on the floor to operate them. Another problem is that with my arthritic hands, I am unable to punch the pilot-light button hard enough to make it work. Ditto, the button that turns on the gas.
For some unexplained reason, the fireplace flame kept going out.
I had already called one plumber to try to fix it, but it didn’t stay fixed. So I asked the handyman to try. He could not get it to stay lit, and after it went out 3x, recommended I go with a wall heater. (I’ve had a bunch of problems with that fireplace, which was ordered from WayFair — and live and learn: I do not recommend ordering these things online!)
Anyway, I got another plumber (the first one didn’t show up) to install a (very ugly-looking) natural gas space heater, which he bought locally. With it, I don’t have to get down on my hands and knees to punch the pilot light button. It heats very well and, most importantly, does not require electricity. Should the power have gone out, I would’ve been very comfortable camping out in the den and sleeping on the sofa.
I also bought a set of NEBO (brand) Blackout Backup Emergency LED Bulbs. They have a little (high tech) built-in battery which is rechargeable. The bulbs can be put in a regular lamp or wall light; and used like normal light bulbs. But when the power goes out, you unscrew them and they have special sockets you attach, so they will burn without being hooked up to electricity. This makes them work like flashlights, although the sockets have little hooks so you can hang them up on something. They put out enough light to equal 60 watts and they’ll give you up to 12 hours of emergency light.
Although I have plenty of battery lanterns and flashlights (and have also used solar-powered garden lights as night lights), I thought this would make it lots safer since they are so bright. If I trip and fall at my age, I could break a bone; that’s another thing I hate to admit, even to myself.
I also brought out several comforters for the bed to add atop the blankets we already use. The one thing I forgot was a battery for the radio, but as things turned out, it wasn’t needed. I bought one Saturday. I kept the faucets dripping and did not have any frozen pipes.
Someone mentioned dryer vents causing ice to melt and back up. My neighbor across the street had ice stop up the vents on her roof, and even though she dripped her faucets, this somehow caused a problem and their water pipes burst. She is going to have to replace all the floors in her home, and they’ve had to remove all the sheetrock walls up to four feet high because they got wet, too… very expensive repairs!
I am happy to report that my house and household got through the ice storm ok, and also did well when another cold front hit. The second one did not have any precipitation with it, so the roads were safe. It is supposed to warm up this week, and I am certainly glad about that!