I gave my sons haircuts and my husband cut his own hair.
I harvested lemons, parsley, and Swiss chard from the garden.
I read an e-book from the library that someone I know suggested on her Instagram stories (Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez).
I made a pair of earrings for myself using some supplies I had bought last year and some years ago.
I started two sewing projects that I have been wanting to make for years, using fabric I had on hand. One is a tiny project and I only needed some scraps to make it. I hope to finish both this week.
What did you do to save money last week?
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Beautiful photos! My nasturtiums have reseeded and are flowering as well. Plus, the calla lilies mom planted when I was a toddler have started blooming.
Drove to dental school in neighboring large city today to see an endodontist covered by my insurance. Though gas has gone up, seeing a specialist imho was worth it.
Got chicken wings on sale and made bone broth for neighbor mom unexpectedly diagnosed w cancer. (Any extra nutritious low acid meal ideas that would also be kid friendly welcome. Bolstering nutrition is extra important with this particular type of rare cancer) and will be making meals to take to them regularly.)
This was a splurge, but got pink radicchio salad plates on sale at target for $5
Used the double your money tokens at the farmers mkt to buy local wild honey and organic pink lady apples I gifted to neighbor, so 50% savings.
Made banana bread w bananas getting too ripe.
Gave myself a manicure.
Went to Costco on Friday to get peanuts for squirrels and crows. It’s the only item that consistently beats store sale prices. I have one momma squirrel I’ve been feeding for 3 yrs now. She’s the least shy and will run over to me, once letting her eat out of my hand (I don’t want to teach her all pp are safe). She brings her babies to show off to me each year. Picked up neighbors Costco items as well to save them a trip. Topped off gas while there, it was only up 30 cent then.
Love the time change! I know others don’t, but I get so much more done when it’s lighter outside I look forward to it every year.
Happy almost spring everyone!
I love that you feed the squirrels!!!!
Maria, not sure if this will be of any help to your neighbor but you can check out Dr. Berg on YouTube for different diets that help fight various forms of cancer.
Last week our frugal endeavors were.
-I finally did my Mammogram that had no O.O.P. expense, although my Husband’s premiums are just that … PREMIUM! Results were given the same day, all clear.
– While making the trip for my appointment, I combined several errands. Used Sam’s club cash to restock dairy needs. I also picked up a coffee sample at the sample kiosk to use later.
– I used a Stoneyfield’s Coupon for a free 32 Oz yogurt that I received in the mail as a promotion. I used a store coupon on organic Arugula that was reduced, making my purchase only 47 cents.
– I used regrown green onions in several meals.
– Started onions and sweet potato slips (saved from last year’s harvest) inside, went through my saved seeds and found I only need yellow squash and Cucumber seeds for my garden needs.
– I purchased organic & local Non-GMO feed for our hens while on sale for $2 off a bag. I also shredded a pile of safe materials I had collected to freshen up their laying boxes. If you can believe it a set of 6 nesting mats in store is on NotASale for $16.95. I reused old feed bags to lay under roosting bars in the winter coop, to make the cleanup easier for me. We still have snow on the ground but thanks to more sunlight are now getting an abundance of eggs to use and share.
– Picked up free seed potatoes.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
Thanks, Dr. Berg has a lot of good information!
Most cancer centers and hospital systems provide nutritional counseling with an RDN as part of treatment. Your friend/neighbor should utilize that resource, not random YouTube/blog links that purport to treat cancer with wacky supplements or bizarre diets.
Most RDs /RDNs are not up on cutting-edge research and just offer the same information they learned long ago, unfortunately. If you ever go to a hospital and see the really unhealthful meals offered, that would disabuse you of any reverence for RDs.
I agree, Cara. I am almost 5 years out, cancer free, after having a type of cancer with some weird genetic mutations. I followed my oncologist’s advice and proceeded with chemo and immunotherapy. As an additional boost I read Dr. William Li’s book, “Eat to Beat Disease.” He has been interviewed on numerous podcasts. His book is very scientific and a slight challenge to read but very worthwhile. Dr. Li is a Harvard Medical School researcher, if I remember correctly. His book contains 5 different food lists and the goal is to include one food at least from each list to add to your daily diet. Nothing wacko – just regular things like
yams, walnuts, blueberries, dark chocolate… Stuff we should all be eating anyhow. I will probably always eat this way now.
Yes, I have seen some rather dismal hospital food. I know there are some supplements and drugs which can interfere with how well cancer drugs work. For myself, I am really glad I explored options.
Gas prices literally jumped 2o to 29 cents in a few hours on Friday. Long story short, because I was certain this will make food prices go up, I decided to make sure I have 365 servings of various types of dried beans. I had started buying dried beans last week and bought then, and over the weekend, and today (Monday) to reach the 365 one serving a day goal. I already had a four month supply prior to my beginning to buy dried beans last week. I also bought enough peanut butter to make sure I have on hand 200 servings. I eat a pbj sandwich generally four days a week, so that is 208 servings for 52 weeks. I bought enough jelly for 150 servings. Next week I hope to stock up on garbage bags, salt, grits, oatmeal, and perhaps rice and pasta. I do have about a months worth already. I did get two large bags of $1.00 vegetables which contained two large dole salads, turnips, jalapeño, an odd light green squash I have never eaten before, three large red and orange peppers, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and spaghetti squash. I have processed most of it into casseroles or soups and froze a lot of it. I ate the salads. I walked an hour a day most days in my neighborhood after work. It was concerning and sobering to actually see the gas prices jump from 6 am to 11 am that much in one day. I know we talked about it in this blog last week but to actually see the price change that quickly reminded me how life can change on a dime.
I winter sowed more flowers and cold hardy plants in milk jugs and placed outside.
I started my begonia inside.
We are having a “fool’s spring” and my tulips were popping up. I needed to dig and separate them, instead of them dying off this week I dug them, cleaned the. I have them in a clear vase with rocks and a bit of water at the bottom.
Hoping they will grow and have indoor tulips.
Currently listening to “The Women” through the library app. The children and I also just chose a new audiobook to listen during lunchtime.
Cooked all meals at home this week.
Instead of buying cracker or chips I made “crackers” using cut up bread into croutons and used everything bagel seasoning.
Granola has been a requested snack– I dont mix while I bakes and I let it cool before I break it into chunks.
I made a Mexican stew using beef stew meat, potatoes, onion, garlic, some tomatoes from the freezer, one frozen jalapeño, and some spices like cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper along with broth. It was a welcome change of flavor, but still using pantry staples. It cooks down into a thick stew, we ate it with focaccia I had made that morning.
We had scones and greek yogurt with honey for a quick breakfast one morning. I like to prep and keep scones ans biscuits in my freezer.
All errands were done I one day.
Hospital bills are coming in, and so thankful for insurance! We owe less than I feared as of right now.
I have been setting money aside for a bulk Meat purchase, but I may take some of that and buy rice and sugar and such that I normally stock up in the fall.
I’m trying to garden more serious this year to be able to preserve more than just est fresh. I struggle with our trees and location. We are hoping to buy a home with land this year but I am still preparing as if we will be here.
I took inventory of paint that we have to start touching up the walls and trim so we aren’t rushed when it come time to sell.
I made iced tea with honey and tossed in some lemons that I had squeezed from another recipe (fermented lemons- first time doing so)
I had cut the ends of the lemons off and tested them into a lemon chicken orzo soup.
Minced a lot of garlic into a mason jar and topped with white vinegar. I keep this is my fridge and use as a homemade version of the grocery store minced garlic. This saves me time as I cook too!
I happily opened doors and windows and mopped the house. The air felt like spring, but alas its suppose to freeze again this week.
Hi Faith! That. Excising stew sounds delicious!😋 I’m going to try making it. We are having beautiful weather (81 tomorrow), but the next day it will freeze, then nice until one day with snow next week. It’s spring!
Mexican stew,🤦🏼♀️
That’s a great idea about the minced garlic! How long does it usually last in the jar? Thanks!
Sarah, as long as garlicbstays below the vinegar level – it has lasted months .
Sarah, I mince a quart of my garden garlic and cover it in olive oil every year after they are harvested. It is stored on the door of the refrigerator and usually lasts at least nine months. A clean spoon is always used to dip it out. I use it up before it goes bad so I don’t know how long it will really last. The flavor is much stronger than anything store purchased.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
Your daffodils are beautiful! As I write this comment, I am looking at a bunch of mine in a green glass jar from my grandfather’s house. Little things that bring much joy are much appreciated.
We helped ourselves to the free mulch pile at the church down the road from us to replenish our garden paths and to put at the base of our blueberry bushes. Our neighbor stops any state tree trimmers whenever they are in our area and asks them to leave the chipped up mulch in the field behind their church which is then offered to anyone who wants some. I cannot even begin to think how much money this has saved everyone over the years. My sons did some landscaping work for another neighbor and were asked by another neighbor to take care of their mowing and weed-eating this summer. They were looking for more jobs to add to their schedule so they are very happy. I made a point to do an errand in TN so I could fill up my truck with gas while there. There is now a $.40 per gallon price difference between the areas of NC where we live and just over the border in TN. It is usually less expensive in TN but I don’t know if I have ever seen this much of a difference. I had a good start to the month in my antique booth making up the month’s rent in just 5 days. Hoping with the warmer weather that sales continue to do well. The heavy snow in January and February certainly put a damper on sales but that is not unusual. Summer always makes up for it and then some. I reorganized my seed storage so I could avoid buying seeds I already have. Our feed store had some seeds marked for last year for 50% off so I bought a couple of packets to add variety. I sold eggs and gratefully accepted empty egg cartons. I have never bought any and often get more than I can use which I share with others. Hate to think of them going in the trash. Soiled or torn paper ones we also use as fire starters in the wood stove. The styrofoam ones can be washed gently and reused. That got me thinking of other things I have never bought because I find it from some other means or get those things given to me. Wrapping paper and gift bags are two of those things – never bought them in my entire life as I just reuse those we are given or give gifts in other ways (such as in baskets, handmade boxes or wrapped in fabric, scarves, whatever I have around.) A fun thing to think about. I am sure I could come up with other things, too. Making do, avoiding waste, learning interesting things, practicing contentment and enjoying the changing season continues to be the focus around here. Wishing everyone a lovely week!
I love seeing your pictures of your flowers! Someday, I hope you take us on a virtual garden tour so we can see the whole thing. You truly have a green thumb!
This past week I decluttered some more and donated unneeded kitchen items to charity thrift stores.
Friday, a large moving van caught in my massive oak tree limbs that were overhanging the street and pulled a huge part of the entire tree down. The city had recently trimmed all our trees up and down our street so my trees WERE in compliance with local ordinances; it was the van driver’s not paying attention and careless driving that caused the mishap. But this still resulted in an ugly confrontation with a fly-by-night moving company boss who yelled at me that I somehow caused the accident and should pay him thousands for his vehicle damage — I had to summon police to my house due to the man’s menacing behavior. The police set him straight. Although he promised the cops to clean up my yard first thing today, this did not happen.(No surprise there.) So I reached out to some friends and one is contacting the owner of a BBQ restaurant that uses wood smokers. He thinks his friend will haul off the gigantic pieces of wood for free, since he’s always needing wood. If he can’t, I will call the city once more. (I wrote a longer account over on Katy’s Nonconsumer Advocate blog–it has been quite an ordeal.) Anyway, I’m asking around for names of lawyers. Just in case.
I also cooked leftovers for lunch, line dried my clothes, put away my winter coats, and got out my warm weather clothes from the attic.
If you’re on Instagram, I share a lot more pictures of my garden there!
If you have a local tv reporter advocate, try there. It’s free and I’ve used them several times successfully (most stories don’t make it to tv, but they still help you). That’s terrible about your tree, I’ve always wanted an oak tree. I’d be completely heartbroken.
Maria,
Great idea! Thank you.
Brandy,
I will certainly look you up on Instagram!
This weekend we went grocery shopping and boy was it hard to stay on budget. We are trying to go back to clean eating (no processed things) and organic and it’s so hard. Taxes are gonna hurt really bad this year so we are saving all we can which means the grocery budget is small. I was really wanting a pot roast for supper one night and we went to our cheap grocery store and still payed 6.89 a pound for a roast. It will give us 2 meals but I dont think it was worth the price. We usually buy a 1/4 cow and I guess I didn’t realize how expensive beef is in the stores. It seems really hard to save money. We just dont seem to be able to get ahead. We just need to buckle down better. We just keep pushing forward.
Have you considered vegetarian meals? We eat a lot more vegetarian proteins now. I haven’t bought beef in over a decade; it’s just too expensive.
I had sloppy joes last week and it was the first time I splurged on beef in many years. I try to do more soups now and sit down to decide if it’s worth me planting a garden given the cost including water. The last few year since it’s only me, the farmers market was less expensive. That might change this year, but I also have some citrus trees planted I don’t have to water unless in extreme drought. I plan to put in more fruit trees as neighbors I use to trade with moved.
One thing I should do, is start some seeds and sell transplants. Since those have increased so much in price might be able to make some side money to put towards the budget. An online friend has made several hundred dollars doing this each year and I already do organic, so would add to the sale. If you have the space, you could put that towards a meat budget.
I know some people here who have added a significant amount of mulch under their fruit trees (leaving space around the immediate base to not choke the trees) and have been able to drastically reduce the amount of water they are using. Everything has to be watered here–even cactus–as we only recieve three to four inches of rain a year, and it’s quite hot. We are going to see 97°F on the 18th, which is 25° warmer than normal for this time of year. This also means I can plant some warmer season vegetables sooner (but may have lost out on a last cool-seaon planting).
I had planned to do some seedlings to sell this year. Thanks for the reminder! My plan is to put those towards the garden budget this year.
I really need to add more mulch as well. I have a feeling this is going to a hot water restriction summer. Free chip drops are great, but they bring too much for my small yard, so need to come up with more options. My current trees are decades old so have deep roots, but we don’t get your level of heat. I’m 9b, but with an ocean breeze. I do have some 48” round grow bags on the side of my driveway without water spigot access. I use ollas in them, which have worked quite well.
Is there anyone who would like to share a chip drop with you? We had a neighbor who got one and offered it to all the neighbors.
I’ve been busy planting out seedlings and starting seeds. We’re enjoying a lot of lemonade, our neighbor gave us 5 gallons of lemons. Swiss chard and kale are plentiful in the garden right now, as are perennial onions. We put the lemon tree that I rescued (and raised in a pot to start) into the ground. Pluot trees have finished flowering and have leaves, the grapevines and fig are just starting to leaf. It’s the good promise of food to come.
I attended a mending class at the local Reuse Hub. I know how to mend but I wanted to see what the instructor covered and how it was presented. It was well done. I wonder about offering my own mending classes.
I attended a concert at the local university, costing me only $8 since I’m a student at the community college. It is one of my intentions this year, to hear more live music.
I’m keeping driving to an absolute minimum to save money on gas. My husband said today he may ride the electric bike to school instead of his motorcycle, if gas gets too expensive.
Enjoy working on the long awaited sewing projects, Brandy.
On the frugal front:
I asked for a date extension in order to return countertop samples when I was already out of town for other errands. I avoided a late fee and saved a special trip.
I made cauliflower broccoli cheddar soup using vegetables that had seen better days.
I purchased towel hooks at 75% off at Lowe’s for our remodel.
I made applesauce pancakes using applesauce prepared and frozen from free apples harvested from our neghbors tree.
When we were out all day running errands and stopped at Costco for a $1.50 hot dog and drink for lunch.
We are working on a plan to reuse our old kitchen cabinets and counter top to create a mail station and additional storage in our laundry/mud room as well as storage above our garage work bench.
I selected a lower cost bathroom tile when choosing between two that were very similar.
Looking forward to reading everyone’s frugal feats.
Julianne, would you please share the name and location of the liquidation grocery store you mentioned last week? Thank you.
As was mentioned last week, I too think that higher gas prices are going to mean higher prices overall. So I decided to do a big grocery stock up with the money from my Costco rebate and my tax refund. Very thankful to be able to do this. Did a big Costco haul and have a list of things I would still like to get.
*Purchased something at Value Village (Savers thrift store), and was able to use the 55+ discount. I did not even know it was senior discount day, but I overheard someone in the store mention it, so I asked at the register. Apparently it’s every Tuesday – good to know.
*Went to Kohl’s to look at something, and another customer handed me a 15% off coupon as they walked out the door. I did not end up using it, so I passed the coupon on to another customer.
*Found a cute bookmark and an unused notebook at the Free Little Library around the corner.
*Used a coupon for $5 off $10 worth of produce from the local natural foods co-op. I used to shop there often, but now I only go there when they have high value coupons. It’s a great store, but no longer in my budget.
*Cut up a bath towel I rarely used into three hand towels, and finished the edges on the sewing machine. Now it will be put to good use.
*My dad is coming to visit this week, and we were able to rent the Airbnb apartment two doors down from me at a considerable discount because I live in the apartment complex. It’s cheaper than a hotel, and very convenient. I love my father but we would drive each other crazy if he stayed in my tiny apartment with me (he feels the same way). My non-local sister will also be visiting next week with her son and his girlfriend, so my dad will get to see them, me and my local sister. Should be fun.
Have a great week, everyone.
-Well, I went ahead and ordered the roselle hibiscus seeds off ebay. They came in the mail and I planted some today!
-My daughter asked her grandma to cut her hair. It looks great and she’s really happy with it!
– we accepted leftovers from a catered event and ate on that a while
We are eating at home. One day we thought we would save money by going to Sam’s and buying Sushi instead of eating out. That was cheaper. But then we went shopping. I did not buy a lot of processed foods and nothing in the frozen section. I was happy to get Pinto Beans for 75 cents a lb in bulk. But I do remember when it was 55 cents a lb. We bought a lot of things we will use , but I know I overspent. I usually don’t spend so much. I consoled myself with the fact that if we ate out it would cost a lot more. I’ve just been so careful about our spending. I have not gained weight, but we bought some junk food tonight. I will have to be diligent for the rest of the week so that I will continue to lose weight. I know I don’t need to shop for some time now. Meals at home have been tuna salad, spaghetti, Salad, 16 bean soup. We shared a steak that I cooked. Shrimp stir fry with lots of vegetables, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and a bit of honey. We ate sweet potato. My husband cooked a pumpkin that we have had for a long while and made soup from it. We froze what we did not eat for later. We roasted the seeds. We meant to save some seed but forgot. But they were yummy. We had liver and onions with green beans and mashed potatoes. One day we ate fish and salad. My husband made a green curry with shrimp.. I made salsa Verde with my son and we had chorizo and cheese quesadillas with the Salsa verde. Tomorrow, I will make Salsa Verde again and we will have Fajitas for dinner with lots a veggies and some meat. I will probably pull out some cooked beans from the freezer. I will make a stroganoff and salad the next day. I have a meal plan, but sometimes I change it a bit, depending on our schedules. I am incorporating as much fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. We are all feeling better.
I will incorporate more beans and lentils this week. I might make a split pea soup. It just sounds good! I have the beans, split peas , and lentils. Pinto beans are cooking right now for dinner tonight to go with our fajitas. Sometimes, we just eat beans with cornbread and we might do that tomorrow. I am going to make Salsa Verde today as well. Beans will spread our budget as well. They are so healthy, lots of fiber.
Beans and cornbread are one of my favorite meals! So comforting. And I will eat it year-round as some people only want it during the cold weather months.
We love beans and cornbread too! Any time of the year.
Hi Tammy, Don’t know if you read my comment last time. I think it’s wonderful you lost weight and your meals sound wonderful. I bought some pre-cooked yellow cornmeal — I can make arepas which sound easy enough. Ann
Hi Ann!
Thank-you! I’ve never made arepas. I need to try some time. I think that is a great idea!
Tammy
I know trash processing is different in every area, but we have a trash can pick up and if we have extra then you buy a tag for each trash bag.
Frugal tip: I don’t buy trash bags. I bought them once for extra trash probably 20 years ago and still haven’t used half. We have a paper grocery bag under the sink in the kitchen. That’s the trash bag. Now that the paper bags are no longer free, I dump the contents in the can and reuse the paper bag if it’s not icky and it’s often not. I grew up w mom doing this and never switched. We use a wicker basket in the bathroom that also just gets dumped and reused. Plastic trash bags are expensive.
I’m also probably still using the same roll of foil from 20 yrs ago, bc I was always taught to wash, fold and reuse.
Last pack of paper towels (admittedly a large pk) took me seven yrs to go through, bc only super icky things get paper towels. That and strips of bacon to be drained.
Cloth napkins and tablecloths were normal bc they were less expensive than buying something to be tossed later. Paper plates were a luxury and never plastic cutlery. Mom’s old chipped dishes and mismatched silverware were our camping dishes.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned these as frugal bc I’ve done them my whole life. Also, I have very little trash as I try to be as zero waste as possible, which turns out to be extremely frugal and mostly how mom taught me to begin with. Mom (and dad) grew up on farms in the depression.
I was quite pleased to step on the scale in the ship and find I have lots 2.5 lbs in 2 months. Don’t know how that happened in 2 months aboard but I will take it. I am a little achy and not too hungry these days-might be fighting a mild virus. Don’t feel bad enough to go see the doc for $300 though. Nothing some rest and Ibuprofen won’t help.
We sailed through the lovely Torres Strait today with lots of beautiful islands. Usually we go days and see nothing but water.
The day after tomorrow will be a glass bottom boat tour thought the Whitsunday islands-then 2 more stops in Brisbane and Sydney and then home.
Hard to imagine our cabins get cleaned twice a day here-hardly seems necessary to me!
I rescued food twice over the weekend. There wasn’t as much to rescue this time. I filled several little free pantries and a community fridge with citrus and other produce and was able to keep some bags of kale, organic zucchini, pears, onions, iceberg lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, bananas, apples, cookies, and berries. I also rescued 3 bouquets of daisies, which are on my dining room table. I curb shopped a nutcracker decoration and stashed it away for a gift. I also curb shopped a university sweatshirt, some jogging pants, a Patagonia jacket, a neck pillow, some nice thick oversized bath towels and a hand towel, and a few tee shirts. I purchased a pair of pretty beaded earrings at a thrift store for $4.86 including tax. I found large containers of organic lightly salted almonds marked down to $1.05 from $11.99. There were 3 and I got all 3. I’m vegetarian. I visited a thrift store and purchased a heavy duty rock tumbler for $2.99 and a field guide to birds for $.99 for my youngest kid for their birthday gift. From a local buy nothing group, I received a used crock pot to replace mine that had its cord short circuit and smoke/spark.
Hello, frugal friends from the beautiful mountains of southwest Virginia! We are having a false spring here as well, but after next week’s cold snap spring should stick around. We are all enjoying the beautiful weather. Mr. Fix It and I have done some yard and garden work to get things ready for future planting. While cleaning out the garden beds I discovered enough spinach for a salad plus a bonus carrot!
I had several digital coupons for free items: a box of Wheat Thin crackers, a can of fruit, and a jar of peanuts. I only bought loss leaders of things we needed or to stock the pantry. I was gifted a dozen fresh eggs. I little bit here and there added to the pantry helps. We have been eating mostly from the pantry/freezers. We continue to do the usual frugal things to help keep our utilities low such as u sing our solar generators to recharge devices, use small appliances to cook instead of the stove and using extra water from cooking to water houseplants. I am now doing my every other week sub job every week. This will add to our saving. I watch youtube channels in the evening for about 30 minutes. Someone last week commented on the channel Under the Median. That is one of my favorites. Another is Frugal Creative Living. This young lady has a wonderful way of looking at the mindset of frugality. Since Brandy has provided this place of encouragement I would like to encourage my frugal friends to look for the blessings in our day. In these troubled times it is easy to get sucked into the vortex of doom and gloom. That is not to say we should not be prepared, but I try to thrive not just survive in troubled times. Many times just looking out my window and seeing a daffodil blooming in the yard or hearing the birds singing outside is enough to turn my thoughts in the direction of seeing what is good. This mindset change is usually enough to remove the “overwhelm” I can feel in difficult times. Blessings to you all.
Marley,
I like your idea about having a positive mindset. It is great to look at the good in things! Thank-you for the reminder.
Tammy
I have had a hard time remembering to count my blessings. I need to get my gratitude journal out more – what you look for is generally what you see, so the more I look for good things, the more I will see them, even in tough times. Thank you for the reminder.
Exactly Marley
We are blessed to have this wonderful Blog ❤️ thank you Brandy.
There is so much in the world to be happy about.
2 swans flew over my garden yesterday heading to their nest in the lough. They looked so carefree and it made me feel very happy and content. Lets treasure these little moments in our lives and always remember God is good.
Your pictures are always so pretty. We have been working on our garden and have broccoli and candy onions set out. We have a bunch of seeds started in the house and so far so good. I won a three and half pound package of ground beef from a local grocery store’s Facebook post. All I had to do was share the post and I was chosen. I brought it home and divided into thirds and froze it for future meals. My husband has been working on maintenance projects on all of our equipment. He is getting ready for spring and summer. My sister in law gave me canning jars as she is not canning anymore. There were all sizes in the 6 boxes she gave me. I have washed them and ready to fill them. We have big dreams of canning and freezing most of our produce this year. I have been reading library books and have plans in place for the garden. Today is my husband’s and I anniversary. We have had a lot happen in three years but I feel like we are stronger for trusting in the Lord for guidance.
Happy anniversary Donna! I remember when you got married as my daughter was married the same week! I can’t believe it’s been three years!
Donna, receiving free canning jars as a gift is fantastic! Classico tomato sauce comes in a jar that has a lid that is the same as canning jars. My friends have saved them for me over the years.
Jeannie
I mentioned last week about the challenges to family farms. In light of the economic climate, I have designated March as a BIG reset for my budget. Up until a year and a half ago, I was working full time and gave myself lots of permissions to save TIME over MONEY. This month, I am studying all my budget through the lens of an abundance of TIME and much LESS MONEY.
1. A woman cleaned our house for 25 years; twice a month. I went down to once a month partly because I didn’t want her to suffer too much economically immediately. I let her go last week. So if anyone has any tips on how to break up whole house cleaning into 30 mins increments over the month, I would love to hear it. There are just two of us now, so the house doesn’t get that dirty.
2. I returned something at a store which resulted in a positive credit balance. I asked for the extra to be mailed back to me rather than spend it at that store.
3. I have a $192 balance of REI dividends. They no longer allow you to cash out. ChatGPT suggested buying a Yeti cooler and reselling at a discount on Facebook. since they move so quickly. Then I remembered I had a Yeti cooler bag rarely used. It has not moved that quickly. I will keep thinking about the dividend. It might be worth using it for future gifts.
4. I have tried to use the cash reward program offered by my health insurance It was too complicated for me. I am going to put it on my list to call and get some help. I think I can earn around $100.
5. Hubby and I went searching for places I can cross country for free. I found a great co-op that has a program for volunteers. If I teach littles to ski 8 afternoons, I get a season pass. I love littles so this would be great.
Frugal fail: At the ski coop, I found the matching top to the bottoms of a base layer I have had for years. I couldn’t ever find the top in my size. It was discounted and discontinued as a model ($100 wool/sport blend.). I bought it thinking I would sell the Yeti for $115 and come out ahead. The Yeti hasn’t sold yet. So here is lesson learned. It is always faster to SPEND money rather than to EARN money.
Some people register for REI for their wedding; you may be able to use it towards wedding gifts.
Great Idea. I have actully been to one like that already.
I think we could go down a rabbit hole giving you cleaning schedule advice 😁. A couple of tips:
Do the hardest things earlier in the day when you have more energy.
Keep a microfiber cloth in the bathroom and do a quick wipe down every am.
Get a daily routine going to keep up w kitchen (not let dishes pile up, etc)
Clean from the top down. Move around a room in one direction. Pros do this as more steps take time and time is money. Stand in one places clean everything top down, and don’t mind if it drops to the floor. Floors get done last.
I do a deep spring clean and a fall/prep for holidays deep clean each yr following Katie Leckey’s grand plan (I was a mod on an old home org site and we did these as weekly challenges). During these heavier cleanings it focuses on one room(s) per week. Bathrooms week, etc. using a whole week per space you purge, organize, and deep clean. This keeps the rest of the year lighter duty tasks.
Hi MaryAnn
Flylady for tips on manageable house cleaning.
Thank you. I will look her up.
Mary Ann and Penny- I completely agree with the FlyLady suggestion. I don’t use every thing on her website but the weekly cleaning zones are life changing! Now I deep clean or declutter one zone (area in my home) a week. You would be amazed how over time things are maintained using this method. We were in the same spot as you when we decreased our cleaning services. Hope that helps!
Your daffodils are beautiful! I cut my daughter’s hair last week after she attempted a bit of her own haircut herself ;).
This week I was able to get a new batch of a little over 100 packets of seeds from a local group – they have tons more than that and collect donations of the previous year’s seeds from businesses.
I also stocked up on butter at Sams Club when I saw that it was down to $2.14 a pound.
I have been reading different cookbooks each day that I already own. I love reading ethnic recipes in particular because they often don’t use super expensive ingredients. One great quote I read from “Extending the Table” was on festive dishes: “When affluence allows people to feast too frequently and independently of others, feasting loses much of its joy and integrity.” I have thought often about how scarcity creates value, and agree with the book that we should learn how to be content with ordinary food on ordinary days, so that we can fully appreciate the special foods as well.
We have had a little extra wiggle room in our budget, and I am trying to use it wisely to prepare for when times might be leaner. In addition to getting a lot of butter when it was on sale, I invested in a 6-tier chrome shelf and some led shop lights to have a more cohesive seed starting setup. I hope to be able to use these for many years to come.
I was wondering, when you built up your pantry, Brandy, did you try to build it up for a 6 month food supply? I am just not sure what to buy outside of the basics, like flour, sugar, beans, rice, etc. I will try to go through some of your old posts as well.
6 months is a good start. How much you store depends on your means. We went without shopping for anything for 14 months, and very limited purchases for the year after that, so I had more once upon a time.
We’re now living on it again, and I don’t have enough this time, so if you can get more, I would, because we never know how long unemployment can last.
Hi Brandy and everyone
I like your earrings, very pretty. It’s good you are still able to harvest something from the garden, every little helps at the moment!
This is for two weeks of savings-
I sowed two seed trays of plants for our cutting garden
I weeded and prepped the herb beds and emptied big pots of herbs which had become too woody.
I cut daffodils for the house, made a posy of sweet violets from the garden as a hostess present and gave a jar of homemade medlar jelly as a gift
We pulled parsnips and I made soup and used frozen tomatoes for soup too
I made cheesy biscuits to share at a gathering of friends
I bought beef mince with a third off the usual price and used vouchers for a free bottle of raspberry lemonade and a free muffin
I repurposed a large soft mattress topper from my late mother and made a dog bed
Our electric kettle died and we found one on a half price deal
I found a scarf hanger in a charity shop for 75 pence and will use it to keep my husband’s neck ties tidy.
I have lost weight and am slowly replacing clothing in a smaller size. I found a new cotton tunic in a charity shop and two brand new blouses . These were from a national brand which has a shop two doors up from the charity shop, I’m going to keep an eye on this! I spent £18.75 on three pieces, all new, which would have cost £155 at full price.
Looking forward to reading everyone’s money saving comments.
Brandy, I love those earrings! I have always wanted to learn how to make earrings, but haven’t done so yet. How wonderful to finally tackle those sewing projects! I have so many waiting….
This has been a week of being outdoors. We have been enjoying beautiful weather, though Thursday we will have a freeze and one day next week as well. Definitely spring. The yard/garden beds on our property had been neglected for probably ten years (the prior owners were not in good health per our neighbor). Every bed in the yard (at least ten massive ones that were put in around the granite outcroppings) is a massive tangle of grass (the easiest to pull out), irises (a nightmare and they have to be removed because the grass and other things are tangled in between the roots), and several beds with ivy that has just taken over and is a pistol to remove. My poor hands! My DIL and I are making our way through the beds (I’m still on the first one I started because of the overgrowth of ivy). The daffodils are thrilled to be free, and there are many other plants that were being choked off. We have planted some sturdy herbs so far. My husband planted the fruit trees and maples, is raking out some of the woodier overgrown beds, and is doing many other heavier jobs. My son is chainsawing trees down and chopping firewood. There are so many split trunk trees, and trees stunted because they are under huge trees. We did purchase a really good chainsaw from a local place. They gave me a discount without me asking and it more than covered the tax amount. It has already paid for itself because hiring this out would be thousands of dollars! A lot of the trees are ash, a few oak and a few maple. We won’t have to purchase firewood for the coming year, or go out to my DIL’s sister’s farm for it. The flower beds will have to be mulched after they are cleared and that same sister has lots of wood chips we can have. There is a tree service that uses their property to dump what they clear, so this is a win for us! I bought two Navajo blackberry bushes. The same sister did a bulk purchase (125) of a variety of blueberry bushes. She has offered some to us and others for $7 a bush. This is a great price (where she bought them from has a great reputation and they are organic). We are buying at least 20! My granddaughter can eat a pint of blueberries a day! We have been doing really well cooking at home and not having food waste. Continuing to buckle down and do better! Have a great week everyone!😊
In the last few weeks I had frozen pipes and a part break on my ancient wall heater and my freebie laptop died in the middle of a Windows 11
update leaving it in a state where it was impossible to access the options or control menu. The two service calls were $312 and I was only without a working furnace for 2 hours after I noticed the problem. My tub drain remained frozen for almost 2 days after tue plumber had tried to unblock it because I had 5 bags of dirt frozen to my crawlspace lid like a giant boulder where the Instacart shopper had dropped them and I had foolishly left them in the late fall. The plumbers solution to my frozen drain issue in a 105 year old house is to insulate the crawlspace. During the next cold snap, I ran water in the tub for a few minutes 4 times a day and it did not freeze. Soon I will add a closeable vent to the tub’s plumbing access panel innmy closet and trade a slightly higher gas bill at times for happier plumbing. If and when I get tue funds for insulating and encapsulating the crawlspace, I will use those funds to buy an above ground reinforced concrete tornado shelter instead. I had two men inspect the foundation before I bought the house and it has stood for 105 years without insulation applied to the crawlspace. A throw rug takes care of cold toes on my bare floors. When I saw a name brand laptop for less than $140 at Walmart with a year of Office 365 included, I decided to de-dinosaur me and buy it because I need a working laptop and my next older one was 15 years old and no longer able to get security patches.
I had planned on taking a 3-week trip to coastal California last year to visit friends I have not seen in over 2 decades but cancer got in the way. I had $460 or so in flight credits that were expiring at the end of this month. I waited too long to book what now was going to be a one week vacation in San Diego after seeing the horrible times my flights would be for the fares to be paid for by the flight credits. So I procrastinated and the war started and I procrastinated some more. I went to buy tickets and learned I’d have to fly this week and only be in San Diego 5 nights, arriving at my friend’s after midnight on the first night and needing to leave for the airport by 3:30 am the fifth night
Either a rent a car would have cost $700 at the airport or to save $200 I would have had to learn to drive an electric car at 3 a.m. my time after getting up before dawn 22 hours earlier. I thought of my lack of an emergency fund and how the $900 would end up on a credit card and cried. I canceled the fresh reservations. Then I asked my nephew in Nashville if his schedule would permit me to stay at his house for all or part of the last week this month. He sent me his schedule. He’d be in town and have time to pick me up and drop me off at the airport and give me some rides on his pontoon boat, weather permitting. I booked flights at wonderful times, paying $200 more than my flight credits for a long layover in Detroit because I hobble and for travel insurance. The Plan B vacation should cost me groceries and a nice early dinner for 3 at an inexpensive restaurant and maybe some gas for the pontoon boat. It is about time I see where he and his wife live and meet their cat and play with their doggie. My trip to San Diego needs to wait until this October and maybe even next October, depending upon other expenses that come up, and will probably use flights on a different airline with more convenient times from where I live to SAN for old ladies. Daytime arrivals and departures mean I will be able to rent a car in PB, not at the airport, and save about 50% on that and not need to rent a car for my entire stay.
I failed at saving money by buying seeds for shrubs late in the winter that really need to be planted in late fall outside. But the Saginaw County Conservation District for the USDA has a dormant plant/rooted sticks sale with pickup at their county fairgrounds a pleasant drive from my house. I ordered 2 trees and 5 bushes, 6 of them that will produce edible nuts and fruit for $25 plus tax that I will pick up in 5 weeks. I have kept 4 baby Chicago Hardy fig trees I bought for $20 total alive over the winter. I had planned on planting them adjacent to my patio paver patio until late last night when I learned while midnight doom scrolling that they have roots that like to heave patio pavers and should be planted in pots or 20 to 25 ft away from patios. So my garden design in my head needs to be changed before early May. I also learned yesterday Dollar Tree stacking pots do not like being outside through Michigan winters at all. Six out of six were cracked up when I went to use them to try starting rhubarb by seed. Sigh.
Amazing news, but news that means I need to have money to pay for documebts and to submit paperwork. I am descended on both sides at the greatgreatgreatgrandparent level from Canadians. But until mid December 2025 that did not count for much at all nor did having been born as close to Canada as is possible without mom having delivered me on a boat. Canada changed their constitution and their law late.last year. Now, if I can prove I am a descendant of any one of them to the satisfaction of the Canadian government, I will be recognized as a citizen of Canada. This is true as well for all my cousins and their descendants and even my great nieces and nephews, all that were born by mid December 2025 (so far, all) provided each person interested in being recognized as a Canadian citizen files the paperwork properly and it is adequate. My dad’s side of the family would be harder to prove descent from although I found the greatgreatgrandpa and his parents on an old census with his parents both listed as having been born on the other side of the Detroit River which convinced me he had not been hatched like a dinosaur after years of occasionally looking for a connection between him and a family with a street named after it in downtown Windsor. One nephew, who is finishing up a program remotely through the Royal Conservatory of Music this spring now was especially excited at the idea of maybe being able to live in Canada. I doubt my limited retirement income would stretch as far in Canada because I already have a pretty sweet deal on Medicare on this side of the border which I fully appreciated last year as a breast cancer patient. But my favorite place on earth is a nearby national park in Canada, so there is that. But I love the options having two passports would give me. I like winter. And I like the north woods. I need a second official ID. While I intend to get a new US passport since I have not traveled in decades anywhere I needed one, that takes time. But my county offers an official photo id to seniors for free. I will be getting that when the person does the ids returns from vacation. It will never expire which is great if my driver’s license were to expire in the future while I am in the middle of a health crisis. And AAA offers both passport and visa photos. I will need both so I will be out of pocket for $8. One or the other is free because of the level of AAA membership I have. I hate, really hate, doing paperwork nowadays, but sometimes, you just have to focus and get it done.
I am eating my way through my pantry, partially to free up space in my kitchen for my cookbook collection, and partially to make sure I have no more “best by 2022” cans on the shelves.
I am among the world’s worst thumb typists and proofreaders on phone screens. Sorry.
Cute earrings!
Went to the farmers market with the teen. Ended up with a few things that included radishes and a jar of local honey.
I used various bags for trash
Returned a library book on time
We had some guests in our school and one local soap business brought stuff for the staff. I got a bar of soap and a small container of laundry detergent.
We ate leftovers alot.
Was given some tangelos
I used points for a free pizza one night(when I was tired of leftovers, lol)
I had a big paper for school I had to work on all weekend, so I went no where. (Which is a good thing since gas is rapidly rising)
It has been quite a successful frugal week! Some weeks nothing happens, other weeks everything happens.
Last week’s goal was to seal my big wicker baskets which will hold the summer produce in the kitchen. Old polyurethane cans in the garage were used. It was quite a bit of work but now dirt can easily be brushed away.
The next big goal will be to refinish the wooden swing on the porch. One side is in the sun and has begun to deteriorate. Carpenter bees discovered the damage under the seat cushion and drilled holes across the underside. It was an unpleasant shock when the swing began vibrating and bees buzzed out from under me! Hubby and I stopped by a hardware store to purchase more supplies. We were thunderstruck when we saw the inflation prices! The spray can of clear polyurethane that has set in the garage for years and was used on the wicker baskets probably cost about $5. This week the exact same can is $20! The can of stain needed to cover the damaged area on the swing is now $10 (two cans are needed). It should be about $4. We just stood and stared. My mathematician husband said “Repairing the swing will cost more than what we originally paid.” Supplies to be used are: sand paper, brushes, stain, wood filler, sealant, disposable gloves, painters tape, and paint thinner to clean the brushes. Some of the supplies we already have but they will eventually be used. We walked away.
We had a long talk and have decided to change our strategy. No longer will visits to estate/garage sales/ charity shops be treated as a hobby. We will be more deliberate in our shopping, expand the range of items we need, and dig deeper into the piles of stuff. Treasure hunting is fun but prices are out of control. This is what we will do:
1. Expand the distance we are willing to drive but make it an all day affair hitting as many places as possible with a packed lunch, of course.
2. Look closer at items and test their usefulness. This past weekend at an estate sale we opened paint cans instead of just passing by. In doing so we found enough stain and sealant to easily repair the swing for about $3.
3. Lower my standards. By paying attention to items for sale in the laundry room a half-full refill container of Spray and Wash was found for $.50. Three opened and partly used Epsom salt bags were $1.00. I won’t use these for medical reasons since I’m not sure of the purity but it won’t matter when sprinkling it in the garden on tomato plants.
The swing doesn’t have to be restored perfectly. Saving it from rotting is the priority. I will get creative and blend the different shades of stain as best as possible. The underside and back is never seen so it will only be sealed.
4. Clean, organize, and inventory everything I have. Supplies are spread between the garage, basement, and laundry room. It all needs to be moved together into once place.
5. Make a better list of what is needed and start a price list as Brandy suggested.
6. New items will be bought only when unused is necessary, or the only option, or the safest. Wood filler was purchased new because it dries out quickly in the container. (Hubby threatened to buy a used flyswatter at one of the sales. I refused and made him go to Dollartree!)
Maintenance is the best investment you can make in your house and it must be done.
Other savings. My Kroger had chicken breasts on sale for $1.99 but there were only two packages, of course. I got them. Son #2 in upscale Franklin, TN had so many at his store that he sent a picture. His store is never out of anything. He cooked them in a crock pot (because it was easiest) then froze them for later meals. I asked him to figure the cost so we could compare it to a Chic fil a sandwich. He saved hundreds of dollars and was quite encouraged by what he learned. Son #3’s Kroger in Indianapolis did not even have the sale; however his Meijers did have a similar sale with chicken breasts for $2.19. It was the sale we have been watching for now for months. His long term supply was depleted so he bought 26 family packs! He has been canning it after work every evening. Some was frozen to be made into big pots of soup and then canned. He figures he has two years worth of chicken.
My Priceless had beginning and ending cut pork chops on sale for $.98 a pound! It is the odd pieces that won’t fit nicely in a package. I call them wonky chops but they are still delicious. This sale rolls around about once a year and I load up. The fat pieces are added when grinding sausage, the small bits are baked immediately for supper, and then the normal chops are frozen for grilling. (The regular price for pork chops right now is $3.68) The sale came out on Wednesday, I went on Thursday and there were none. They said another truck would arrive Saturday. I went but none had arrived. They said another truck would deliver on Monday but call first to make sure. On Monday I called but the phone was out so I drove there anyway. No chops. I asked for a rain check but was told they don’t issue them. I politely asked for the manager. At this point, the employees are tired and frazzled, because they have no control over what corporate does. It has been a week of unhappy customers for them while the company reaped benefits from the extra foot traffic purchasing additional products. I treat them kindly. The manager offered me a whole pork loin (better quality piece of meat) for the same price! I accepted and thanked him. Then I told the butcher to put the meat in one box and not waste his time wrapping them in individual styrofoam containers. He then offered to slice the meat any thickness I wanted. Win win! It ended up being 26 pounds for $26!
To those that are just now learning how to be frugal, realize there are fantastic deals out there everywhere. Don’t get discouraged. Keep your eyes open, be willing to work hard, and realize the employees at the stores are struggling in the same boat with us. Look at them as comrades in arms against a failing system and if you are kind to them, they will help you back. Things will eventually get better.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
https://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/
My parents are doing the same with estate and garage sales. They have bought items like that that they didn’t buy before. They go every week now.
Hello,
Our local college has many free performances, including, sometimes by visiting professionals. We’ve seen the community orchestra and band performances lately and they were excellent. We plan to see the production of The Importance of Being Earnest, a favorite of mine, next week. Our local, county -supported venues have gone to using TicketMaster and we boycott that bad company, so haven’t been seeing any concerts or plays for a while now. Finding the college’s Visual and Performing Arts calendar has been a great gift.
We use tree-mulch on our plants but there’s an open space under the clothesline where mulch would be uncomfortable to walk on (I always go barefoot) and grass too much work, so we keep it covered in shavings from local wood-turners or places that mill lumber. We just scored two large containers and spread one (it was full of walnut shavings and those are allelopathic so keep weeds away, which is a help).
It’s been a great week in Houston, TX!
This is my kids’ spring break: we’ve had a lot of frugal fun. Monday I took them to the children’s museum with free passes from our library. We parked for free a few blocks away, enjoyed the museum, then met some cousins at a park for a lunch picnic.
Tuesday we used our state parks pass to get into Galveston Island State Park, only paying for the gas to get there. They have restrooms near the beach, and it’s not a “party” beach, We try to go early before it gets hot, and packed our own food.
Today we went to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, just not the rodeo portion. Entry to the livestock show and grounds is free on value Wednesdays. We did have to pay to park, but we got to enjoy all the ag exhibits, watch one of the heifer shows, and see all kinds of different things by getting there at 8 when they opened. We left at 11, right as the carnival rides were opening, as I wasn’t going to pay for those. Our picnic lunch turned into more of a second breakfast, but that’s ok.
My boys raked leaves to earn extra money. One wants to go to scout camp this summer ($800 for an in-state camp), which seems like a lot (to me). I guess everything keeps going up!
A cashier from Randall’s texted me that the dairy manager would sell me the cases of short dated butter for $1/#: I really didn’t need it, as my freezers are full, but I bought it all anyway. I gave some to a friend and rearranged enough to make space for the remainder. I want to take advantage of their kindness, otherwise they might not offer it to me again. I had left my name and number at the store with them several weeks ago. We now use melted butter in place of oil in most baking, since we get it so cheap.
Hope everyone has a great, frugal week!
IG: Frewgalfamily_HTX
Such a great deal on the butter!
I have been thinking of more preparedness. As I have two indoor fireplaces and lots of firewood, I would be ok if I had to use that for heating. I could use it for cooking but I’ve been thinking of getting some sort of solar – electricity on a small scale so I could cook on the small induction element I have. It could also be used for charging cellphones, computers etc. And is very portable too. This is not an immediate purchase.
I am very glad I spent money over the past two years to revamp my wardrobe – I only bought clothes that were greatly reduced on sale. I bought some from Marks & Spencers when they had a sale plus no minimum free shipping.
I continue to compare sales flyers from the grocery stores. I will use points I’ve earned to get 15 cans of already-reduced in price soup at no additional cost.
I am looking forward to spring. I hope to buy starting butternut squash. last year one plant I had did really well but I needed two plants to get cross pollination. This year I’ll buy a plant for each of my bog flower pots and see if i can get squash this year. I will be building chicken wire protectors for my tomato plants as squirrels developed a taste for the cherry tomatoes. I plan on growing scarlet runner beans for the hummingbirds and for me — I’ll put up the deer fence netting so squirrels cannot get into that area. I’m thinking of moving a raised planter box into an area with more sun — I have the wood and metal corners to build a new box so I may do that instead. If I can afford it I’d like to get a couple of columnar apple trees that would be prolific producers but not take up much room. I don’t plan to do a lot of gardening as the yard is too shady in most places for it. The upside is that the yard is up to 5˚ cooler in summer and 5˚warmer in the winter.
Dear Brandy, I was so sorry to read you don’t feel you have enough food storage this time. Things are so difficult with employment right now, both in the UK and the US. I wondered if I could let you know my thoughts.
The first is a website called http://www.buymeacoffee.com. That would allow your many readers to donate a small sum to you (of course you don’t have to spend it on coffee! ). Patreon is another such site. I would love to donate, you have helped me through difficult times and I read your baby related posts avidly during my pregnancy! Many bloggers do this to support their site. Please do consider it.
My second thought is what I am doing-selling remotely on Vinted/ebay. I am doing this working round the baby which is great-often at 10pm at night! It’s so flexible and no initial cost outlay. I’m selling items we already have as my partner is not a minimalist (!) and we are trying to downsize our stuff but you can also resell items you buy for this purpose. Please see many reseller videos on YouTube for how to start. Can be very lucrative if you source items very cheaply at yard sales etc. it is good to find a niche you enjoy eg selling clothes, bric a brac etc and you need to take good photos for the websites (no difficulty for you!). Other than that, you just need good packing and boxes and most stores provide these for free if you ask. Postage generally paid by buyer.
In the UK, we expect big hikes in prices here. We are so lucky to have an electric car as petrol prices will go up. Other than that, I am buying tins of food for extra storage. We were just given 12-18m baby clothes from my cousin, a huge blessing and saving. I have not grown produce yet, but will do so this year. I send best wishes to you and all.
Thank you; I have listed and sold some things on Facebook Marketplace, and am planning a garage sale next weekend with my parents.
I’ve also been doing some other things to earn money.
Hopefully, my husband will have work again soon; it’s a seasonal job and we were prepared, but my car repairs were extremely expensive last fall and used what we had saved for this time.
I hope to build my pantry back up this summer as well as put aside money for the winter when there isn’t work.
I’m also working hard to grow lots in my garden this year.
And she does it all in heels and pearls! Just and amazing woman! My hero!
Does that mean your husband is back home with you? I recall he was travelling for his new job.
Yes. He has been home since the beginning of October.
We have been on a LOT of almost-free field trips with Heritage Lottery Week. Me plus four children to five different places, all for a single £2 ticket! I like that we have the flexibility with homeschooling to take advantage of these opportunities.
We took a packed lunch and drinks and snacks every time and paid nothing for food.
I also picked up some books in the second hand book nooks that the National Trust tends to have at its properties. Mainly from children’s series we have some of and I am always on the lookout for more of. I paid around £1/book.
I have been reading books we already have, rather than buying new ones.
I tried to cook what we have, especially vegetables, and freeze anything we can’t get round to quickly enough. Now we have tumbling compost bins, I am happy that even the peels are useful somehow!
I read up a lot on chickens online. My husband is, for the record, not convinced… yet! 🙂
My son tore his waterproof trousers on a bramble. I patched them with a scrap of waterproof fabric (the kind you use for cloth nappies) and some Evostik. I don’t wash them often so I hope it will hold up OK!
I sowed lots of seeds, and exclaimed in delight as my garlic poked its head up above the soil.
I finished making a low dead hedge in the garden to keep the toddler out of the children’s growing patch. It was 100% free, looks cute and rustic, and provides habitat for insects. Not to mention its toddler-beating properties!
Brandy thanks for bringing a bit of spring with the flower photo’s you posted. We are in a blizzard here in the midwest and the hope of spring around the corner is wonderful.
Frugal moments here were:
*Sewed/repaired for my granddaughter a sweater, gloves and shorts for my daughter, and repaired a backpack. for my son. All of these things took 20 minutes on my sewing machine.
*Updated our budget spreadsheet and reviewed.
*With a group of friends has been daily posting things that bring us joy. It’s a simple photo we text each other. With 5 other people it is very special.
*When with family have a running note list on my phone to add a simple reminder about things they like or would appreciate. My daughter wanted small ramekin bowls-when at an estate clean out sale I got 8 of them full of dust. I washed and cleaned and they look like new.
*Got the nicest birthday wish on a hand painted scene of the front-I will frame and it’s a nice small picture.
*Purchased tax program but will save the fee to efile our state and mail it in.
Such great ideas from all on the blog-I am always learning new things. Have a good week.