I cut roses from my garden to enjoy inside.
We had a simple birthday celebration at home with family for my youngest. I made brownies with icing (per his request) and bought a large tub of ice cream.
I fixed a clogged bathroom sink.
I picked blackberries from my garden.
I had a garage sale Friday and Saturday with my parents and sold several items. I’ll donate most of the items we didn’t sell to the thrift store and get a donation ticket for taxes, and will list several other items for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
I picked two free books from the Little Free Library nearby and read one of them on Wednesday: Forever, Interrupted. The weather this past month has been oddly cooler than usual (especially off after March had record highs and now it’s significantly cooler). I read the book outside during breakfast and lunch in my garden.
I opened the windows to cool the house each morning and enjoy the fresh air inside. Normally, this is the time when we start having to run the air conditioners, so that was a welcome change.
What did you do to save money last week?
I am an Amazon affiliate. Purchases made through my link give me a small percentage back. Thank you for the support of my site!
I needed parts for my computer and bought a new monitor at Goodwill. Using my 20% off coupon, it was $9. I found a free TV on the curb and a note on it says it works so I took it home. My coworker was given a can of diet soda and could not drink it because she’s allergic to aspartame, so she gave it to me and I had a free soda on break. We also got free pizza that day.
I needed a part for my refurbished computer so I went thrifting. Got a nice new-to-me monitor for $9 at Goodwill, using my 20% off coupon. Also got a new TV; it was on the curb with a sign saying “free–it works.” My coworker gave me a free diet coke and 1 slice of pizza during break time.
That’s a pretty fun week!
Your photos are so uplifting to look at. The flowers are all so beautiful.
Becoming my husband’s caregiver has brought with it many new ways of being frugal.
Because I am almost always home, I look for projects to shift my focus from the sadness to accomplishing small things that instantly make me feel better. Last week my sister-in-law came over to help me totally empty and reorganize the garage. Two heads were better than one to make decisions on what was really necessary to keep. It is now arranged so that I can easily access my Christmas decorations and also my gardening supplies. Gardening is my therapy for the hard times in life. My sister-in-law works at the Habitat ReStore and took all of the unwanted items there for donation.
I have been listening to audio books from the library and listen to sleep stories on YouTube to help me fall asleep at night. If anybody has trouble with turning off their thoughts when trying to go to sleep, I would recommend listening to Stephen Dalton (an Irish storyteller) on YouTube. His soothing voice and relaxing stories never fail to help me drift off to sleep.
In addition to gardening, cooking and baking are very therapeutic to me. I have been going through the pantry, freezer and all of my cookbooks to try coming up with new menus to keep our somewhat mundane days a little more exciting. My husband’s swallowing issues have made this a new challenge for me. I discovered an ALS website that talks about how to handle this and also provides several recipes. The goal is to keep him from losing weight with foods that can be swallowed comfortably.
I am making it a point to always have a garden bouquet on the table. Currently it is drift roses which also smell lovely. When the petals fall off, I am saving them in a bowl on the counter. They air dry beautifully and continue to smell nice. They can be used in making teas, some desserts and herbal beauty products. I am also tending to my blueberry bushes as the berries are beginning to form. I am hoping for a good crop and plan to freeze any that can’t be used fresh.
Since we rarely leave the house, we are saving on gas. I do most of our grocery shopping at Aldi which is very close by. I like that I can get in and out quickly. For a small store, I am always amazed at the variety of things I can find there. Personally I prefer not having a multitude of choices for every item I buy. Our Aldi is right next to Lowe’s. Yesterday I popped in there to stroll through the garden center. It lifts my spirits. I am keeping my garden manageable this season as so much more of my time is being occupied in caring for my husband. I purchased a few annuals, a basil plant and Italian parsley. I debated on the parsley as I thought that the $13 price seemed a bit steep. But, in the end I bought it and will make good use of it.
Sounds like you have a great start on caregiver self care. Gardening is amazing therapy. 💜
Kim, I continue to pray for you and your husband. I am in awe of how you are caring for him, and caring for yourself. You are a true example of love. $13.00 for parsley! That is insane, but, like you, I would have bought it because I use a lot of it and it continues to grow. It’s even more expensive in the store, and often sprayed with chemicals.
Thank you so much, Laura. We truly appreciate your kind words and prayers!!
Kim, just wanted to send you a virtual hug for all you are going through being carer to your husband! My best friend’s father had ALS, it was so hard to go through. I’m so glad you are consciously finding things to lift your spirits and including them in your routine. Thanks for the tip about Stephen Dalton; my son is studying for professional exams and might need something to help him switch off his busy thoughts and get some rest.
I live near Paris, France and we have Aldi too; I agree it’s so much easier to get around the store quickly, without choosing which brand, and get home so much more easily than if I go to a superstore.
Sending prayers and very best wishes to you both.
Merci beaucoup, Linny. I so appreciate your kind words all the way from France. You would know the sad reality of ALS after watching your best friend go through it with her father. Until it entered our lives, I had no idea how truly awful it is. I wish your son the best of luck with his exams. Again, thank you for your kind words and prayers. It means more than you may ever know.
That last photo took my breath away! Such a vibrant, beautiful color!
I agree 100%! Just gorgeous! Brandy, what is the orange flower, if you please? they look somewhat like a snapdragon but I can’t tell if it is one blossom or multiple.
They are snapdragons. They self-seeded. I didn’t grow this color before, so the color was a surprise.
They are absolutely gorgeous!
Your flowers are so beautiful! I love poppies and snapdragons. Such vibrant colors.
I haven’t posted in a while, so here are some frugal things from the last few weeks.
*My elderly mom died after a brief illness. She planned ahead (thanks, Mom!) and had funeral insurance that covered most but not all of the costs. My sisters and I wanted to have a reception with food after the service, but the quote I received from a reasonably priced caterer (in my HCOL area) was not in our budget (base price was $27 per person, but would come to $35 a head with tax and tip). So we ended up ordering plates of sandwiches from Costco, along with a couple large fruit and vegetable plates from Safeway (and I found a $30 off coupon from Safeway to use on the purchase). I also picked up some crackers and cookies for the buffet. The total cost for the food came to less than $5 a person, and thankfully there was more than enough to feed everyone.
*I wore clothes I already owned to the funeral, so I did not have to buy anything new.
*I wanted a lightweight spring scarf in a different color than I had, so I used an old cotton nightshirt with a pretty print to make one. It turned out great and it makes me smile every time I wear it.
*My mom always wore striped t-shirts, and had quite a collection. I watched YouTube videos to learn how make a t-shirt quilt, and I am going to make small lap quilt for me and my two sisters from her shirts. I think that sounds like a fun activity for the summer.
*I repurposed some plastic bins to make a small makeshift shelving unit for my closet. Works pretty well for no out of pocket cost.
*I have been checking out my local QFC (upscale Kroger) store for deals every Sunday. I have consistently found marked down produce (like lettuce and mushrooms) and half price rotisserie chicken from the previous day. These grocery savings have been helpful.
*For my birthday last month, I received a gift card to my local co-op. I bought two jars of my favorite face cream that will last me for a very long time.
*My brother in law fixed up my bicycle for me, and I plan on using it to run some local errands due to the price of gas being so high.
Wishing everyone a great week.
Tina, I’m sorry about your mother. May you find comfort in the making of the quilts and the quilts themselves. What a kind thing to do for your sisters.
Thanks, Brandy.
The quilts will be a wonderful tribute to your mother and, I imagine, a healing activity for you, as well. Sending thoughts of peace and comfort to you!
Tina, I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. My friend made similar quilts for her siblings and they were very touched; I am sure yours will be as well. What a great idea to make the scarf out of an old nightshirt!
Tina,
I am so very sorry for your loss!
I am getting ready to make a t-shirt quilt for my youngest. If there are fun patterns on them, remember you can create a border for them with the scraps!
Also, one tip from the hard way, make sure you get backing to iron on and reduce stretching.
Robbie
Thanks everyone for your kind words.
Robbie, thanks for the tip, that is my plan.
Brandy, way to go unclogging the drain. That is a superpower and one I need to learn.
There are no great money saving accomplishments to announce this week. The earlier two weeks were focused on painting and installing the estate sale dishwasher. It was two weeks of slow steps which meant the house was in complete disarray and daily chores were neglected. This week I have focused on putting away tools and cleaning the mess. It has been unrewarding and mundane. Searching youtube diy videos has made me aware of many things I can now repair myself. I’m looking at my house with new eyes and seeing flaws previously overlooked. As an example, plumbers left pencil marks around the shower head faucet as they measured for a new one. I said they could mark on the wall because it was time for me to repaint the room anyway. It can only be seen by someone while taking a shower. That was over TEN years ago! Everywhere I look I see a chore. Does anyone else ever feel this way?
Anyway, at least I have accomplished one thing. Before putting the paint and tools away in the kitchen, I took advantage of the fact my husband had completely unloaded all the stuff from under the kitchen sink cabinet while installing the new water line and I painted the inside walls. I used the cleaners, paint, and scrub brushes that were sitting in the middle of the floor. Pulling the stuff out the cabinet was half the work! Putting the cleaning supplies back under the cabinet made me realize how many much has been purchased for procrastinated projects.
So, to my accountability partners on this site, this week I am going to focus on repairing and maintaining things that require purchasing no supplies whatsoever. I will go through the supplies and do some of the ignored projects. I will! I am going to do it! Every time I sit down to rest I will record my progress. Next week’s list of accomplishments will be much more inspiring.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
April’s Garden Tour. https://getmetothecountry.blogspot.com/2026/04/aprils-garden-2026.html
Looking forward to reading your finished projects next week, Jeannie!
(And my sink was clogged for 6 months! I really let it sit for a LONG time! But it was a quick fix!)
Brandy, I had to laugh at the six months😂😂😂 I always picture you as a very efficient homemaker and tackling everything right away. I guess more people than I let clogged drains go for a while. Sometimes it’s just the idea of what it might entail (or the grossness) that keeps me from it, and then it turns out to be much easier (though often times grosser) than I thought.
Should I mention the bedrooom curtains I have been trying to make for my bedroom for 20 years now?!?
There’s always another thing more pressing to be done.
Oh, I have several (an understatement) projects like that as well! No grossness factor involved, but definitely other tasks that need to get done first. I have seven, yes seven!, bins of fabric with projects I, at one time, wanted to make. Even now that all the children are grown and flown, there is still much to do with the new house, and travel to see the grown and flown and their littles, as well as the little and parents who live with us while he finishes residency. Someday I might have time, but, truthfully, those bins remind me I live a very fully life every day and that is truly something to celebrate.🥰 I also don’t want to get rid of the fabric because it is quality fabric and much better than you can buy today.😊
I have made things from my grandmother’s fabric. I suppose she never got to those projects. Some of that fabric I passed down to my daughter and she used it to make things for HER daughters.
So while grandma’s projects might not have been made, the fabric was still greatly appreciated and used several generations later . . .
I love the idea that your grandmother’s fabrics may have been her projects unfinished, yet now that legacy continues as you and your daughter use that fabric! It shows a continuing thread of projects not done because of more important tasks that take up the lives of many of us women in raising families. What a lovely thought!❤️ It makes me think of a line from a song about the tapestries of our lives…and what we are actually weaving.
Ooooh, I like that!
I have read, but not tried, that sinks and toilets can be unclogged by adding a big shot of Dawn (or other) dish detergent, hot water, and leaving it to sit.
That probably wouldn’t work on hair, could on grease.
Mine turned out to be hair at the very top! I took apart several spots under the sink I probably didn’t have to, only to learn where the clog actually was. It was my bathroom sink, and of course, I brush my hair there.
Oh no Brandy! I just sat down to rest, goof off, drink a cup of coffee, and stare out the window. You are REALLY holding my feet to the fire! Can I change my mind and decide not to actually be held accountable? Nevermind. I feel guilty. Sigh. I’m getting up and getting back to work.
Jeannie
😂 Not sure how I did that but okay! 😂😂😂
Brandy, you did nothing wrong – I have a guilty conscience. My scripture for the week is the Proverb “she doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.”
Jeannie
A prompt I read from some frugal person some time ago was “Ten steps or 25 seconds.” If that is all it takes to do something, like pick up or put something away, do it right away.
A colleague laughingly but accurately pointed out that anything that sits out for two weeks becomes invisible. I think of that when I look around my rooms and force myself to look for things that do not belong. It’s how some people have ancient stuff on their refrigerators with magnets; that stays forever.
Heidi, I looked at my refrigerator door and threw away a Christmas card! Of course, it had pictures of my friend’s children but, good grief, it had become invisible to me.
Jeannie
Jeannie – I can SO relate to your list of unfinished projects. And we go through phases when we knock a bunch of them out as you are doing and it feels great. I definitely believe that what really gets things done is momentum more than motivation. We can convince ourselves that a task is going to task SO LONG that we put it off for when we have time. Chipping away at it bit by bit and keeping it going works. We’re cheering you on! And, I bet you will inspire others here to do the same. I’m doing it with my pantry – why is it so easy for stuff to just hide in there? 😆
Mountain Mama Dawn, thank you for your encouragement. It is working. I am keeping a list of my accomplishments. Most are so tiny they seem unimportant like pushing the button to run the robot vacuum or picking up my OWN shoes from the middle of the living room floor; but, I am making progress.
Jeannie
Hi Jeannie! You are playing catch up; we are playing the reclaim game. The property we bought a year ago has had a lot of issues that need attending to. Things we weren’t prepared for. My husband and son have watched a LOT of YouTube videos to teach themselves how to do many of these tasks. I am a reader more than a watcher, but I actually used YouTube for a fix myself😳 I was more intimidated by YouTube than the actual task😂 We ordered a dump truck full of really good composted soil (organic per your advice…thank you) and have been working on all the garden beds that have been neglected for over ten years. That soil is going only into the food gardens and food raised beds. Just had a dump truck full of wood chips from a local tree service delivered for $25! Soooo much cheaper than buying them. My husband sent me a photo and said it is a LOT of wood chips (more than we need for the flower gardens, but I know they actually break down into wonderful black dirt). That’s when I said, “well, we will be able to use them for the chicken coop”, very casually I might add. Silence. Then, “what chicken coop? Is this ANOTHER job for me, taking care of chickens!” In all fairness, we had discussed this and it had been put on the back burner, but my DIL’s sister is giving us eight laying hens (already laying) as they are downsizing and when my son told me, I had the same reaction as my hubby. He said that it was going to be my DIL’s and granddaughter’s chores. I told my husband this and he was very relieved. Which brings me to the question from last week…what chicken feed did you find that was so much cheaper please?
😂😂😂😂
Mountain Mama Dawn, thank you for your encouragement. It is working. I am keeping a list of my accomplishments. Most are so tiny they seem unimportant like pushing the button to run the robot vacuum or picking up my OWN shoes from the middle of the living room floor; but, I am making progress.
Jeannie
Laura S, it has been years since we kept chickens. My husband keeps saying he wants to get more; however, since the boys are gone their upkeep will all fall on him. I am allergic to their feathers so can’t lift a finger. He keeps procrastinating . If I pushed, he would do it but we already have so much on us right now (like being behind in so much maintenance!) We found letting them free range was the cheapest way to feed them. We gave them all the leftover food scraps and garden waste. Growing food for them to help them through the winter was a big money saver. We saved big squash and tried growing the massive beets. I had a neighbor who would get the very old bread from a store for her chickens and goats.
It all boils down to you keeping your eyes open and looking for deals. It is called the “red car” principle. If I asked you how many red cars you passed on your way to the grocery store, you would not know. If I offered to give you $50 for every red car you saw on the next trip, you would see many! The difference is that you are looking. Search for good deals and they will appear.
Jeannie
Thanks, Jeannie! I have never heard of the red car theory, but, boy, it is so true!
Hi Brandy and everyone
Your photos are lovely, I especially like the bouquet with snapdragons. Good work at the garage sale, making a bit of money and getting things out of the house is a win.
This week we used leeks, parsley and spring onions from the garden. I picked tulips and wallflowers for the house and made a bouquet of snapdragons, iris and sweet rocket to take to a friend.
I planted out seedlings of cornflower, nicotiana and snapdragons. I direct sowed dill. I wanted a Veronica plant for cutting and found one at the garden centre costing £12.99. On an adjacent bench exactly the same plant, same size etc was £8.99. Happy to find it.
My husband broke the handle on a garden fork and mended it himself. A neighbour kindly gave us two compost bins he didn’t want.
I stocked up on tinned tuna which was on a deal, used a voucher for £1.50 off my shop in one supermarket and used a voucher for ten % off my big shop in a different supermarket. I bought a big bag of potatoes which was half price.
I used up a little left over pastry and the end of a jar of mincemeat and made two small pies for dessert one evening.
A friend gave me a carton of fresh soup which she wouldn’t use before going on holiday.
I bought a ‘like new’ book in a charity shop for my granddaughter for 50 pence.
We continue to eat from the freezer, I need to clear space because it looks like we are going to have bumper soft fruit crops again this year. So lucky.
This last week had been an epic financial loss for me. Sugar cookie and I attempted to fly to Orlando to sail on our cruise the next day. We always leave a day early to negate any flight cancellations. First flight was on Spirits out of business airline. Second and third flights were on Frontier airlines. We were told they couldn’t land in Orlando due to hurricanes. Any other flights were jacked up to a thousand dollars and obviously, not in our . I looked at every alternative, but there were none. We missed our cruise. Hopefully, we will be reimbursed for the flights. I’m out $900.00 easily. Travel insurance doesn’t cover it they tell me. We literally walked 10 miles back and forth trying to catch a flight. My medical problems are all flared and I’m in miserable pain. My spirits are down. I’m going to try and recover in bed for a few days.
hurricanes? There are no hurricanes right now.
That was my thought! I live near the gulf in Mississippi and we haven’t had anyting about hurricanes. Made me run to my weather app to see if I had missed something I needed to prepare for!
Lillianna, So sorry to hear you missed your cruise!
Oh, Lillianna, that’s disappointing, I’m sure. Hope you can rest up and feel better soon.
I am so sorry. I hope you feel better after rest.
Oh Lillianna! How horrible! To lose the money and also miss the well earned vacation. You deserve to just rest.
Jeannie
I bought 5 lbs of potatoes, 3 lbs of carrots and 1 lb of brussel sprouts on clearance at my local store for 5.97. A lady texted me today needing childcare for her toddler in June-this would be $4320 straight into my travel fund. I have been looking at a Baltic cruise next summer that costs less than that. I prefer these short gigs that still allow me to travel.
I have started doing what I call the takeaway. Amy, in The Tightwad Gazette, talked about taking away expensive ingredients/things and seeing if you missed them and add back into your life if they are needed. I applied that this week to copycat Olive Garden gnocchi soup. I used chicken broth instead of chicken, gnocchi, mushrooms substituted for carrots bc I had some mushrooms that needed using, and a handful of spinach. I used plain yogurt instead of half and half. I harvested my green onions and used them in place of the regular onion the recipe called for and it was all fine. Soup is forgiving anyways. I also repaired my kitchen chair with duct tape. Not pretty but it is doing the job where the seat split. I walked an hour a day in my neighborhood and the local cemetery in the evening. I took a pbj sandwich and an apple to work for lunch today. I ate oatmeal with apple for breakfast over the weekend. I bought a bag of dried split green beans peas for $1.25. I have never actually used them before but the directions say they cook up rather quickly and I am not a picky eater so I plan to cook some this week. If I like them, I will go buy several more bags since they cook up within thirty minutes or less. My goal is cheap and healthy protein. I made chili with dried pinto beans this weekend. I also added a couple more gallons of water to my stock.
If you add a peeled potato or two in with the split green peas you will have split pea soup (of course you can add ham too). You can add other things such as onion, etc. but even just the split peas and a potato, mashed together once cooked, are good. It freezes well.
Also orange lentils cook really fast.
Thank you!
Ellie’s friend, a peeled potato in with the split green pea soup! That is an idea I can use!
Jeannie
Cindy in the South, Amy who wrote the “Tightwad Gazette” was a lifesaver for me. I first heard about her (a million years ago) when a friend saw her on TV, called me and said watch now! I signed up for her newsletter ($12 a year which was astronomical back then) and it changed my life. I had no one in my life who was frugal.
I learned from her to apply the takeaway principle to laundry detergent. Start the first load with the recommended amount of detergent, cut back until your clothes are no longer cleaned, and then add a bit more. Just that trick alone has saved me a fortune. Whenever we change brands, the takeaway principle is done again.
Jeannie
At last we have had rain, and lots of it! April has been so hot and dry here. Coming after a long hosepipe ban last year, my husband thinks we ought to install more water butts. The way our house is constructed we have lots of sections of roof, so lots of downpipes! We are trying to balance the cost of buying the water butts vs the money saved on water (plus the convenience and environmental benefits if hosepipe bans are the be an annual event). Sadly our water company doesn’t offer free ones.
My mother brought us a dozen ornamental plants from her garden. We have very similar colour schemes, so they will look nice! We don’t grow any ornamental annuals from scratch, only perennials, bulbs and a few that self-seed readily and grow themselves. We would like that aspect of the garden to be low-maintenance, so my attitude is that if it dies under the care we are willing to give it, it wasn’t the right plant for us anyway!
We went to a museum that I bought an annual membership for this year. This museum has a lot of special events that members get into for free, so we are forgoing trips elsewhere in order to use this membership as much as possible this year.
I think if you can install gutters and collect any rainwater you get to water your garden, it would pay for itself within a few years–plus ensure your plants don’t die.
Here, it only rains 4 inches a year (10 centimeters) so no one has gutters, but even some people in my local garden groups are considering them to collect just a bit more to help, given our extreme drought.
And I am reconsidering wood chip mulch to help prevent evaporation and reduce my water needs.
A month ago, Terri C wrote that her husband had passed unexpectedly. Terri, if you read this: first and most important, I am so deeply sorry for your loss. I lost my husband suddenly in 2021. I am thinking of you very strongly. Second, I can’t say enough how much I respect your strength, bravery, and wisdom in immediately taking care of financial things. I managed to take care of some stuff, but there were things I didn’t (for various reasons) that I regret. Stay strong. This page was a wonderful refuge of beauty, kindness, thoughtful ideas, and peace for me during that very hard time, and remains so now.
I picked strawberries from the container garden and apples from the tree. I used the apples for a patriotic photo shoot and may make some fun cards with the photos, ahead of the Independence Day holiday. The strawberries I ate as a snack (there are more ripening, to my delight). I’ll use the apples for snacking or lunches.
I picked several varieties of mint and used them in salads, tea, and ice water, as well as for fresh-smelling bouquets around the house. I picked roses for bouquets as well.
I collected water from shower warm-ups and from rinsing produce to water plants.
I enjoyed watching the live cam footage of the Big Bear Bald Eagles (free on YouTube). I discovered this last year, and it was fascinating and educational watching this eagle couple raise two eaglets from egg to fledging. This year they are raising two more, both of which hatched over Easter weekend. https://www.youtube.com/live/B4-L2nfGcuE / https://friendsofbigbearvalley.org/eagles/
I used my Instapot during non-peak hours to make meals ahead of time. I confined my laundry to non-peak hours as well. I combined many errands to save gas, and when possible my mother and I combined our errands, which helped us both. I’m currently making a photo book for my mother, using Shutterfly. I’ll wait until they have a significant sale or even a freebie offer to order it.
I consolidated as many errands as possible and skipped a few places that weren’t urgent.
I rescued bacon and grapefruit to put in the community fridge. I took some bok choy that needed to be used ASAP. I rescued a huge bag of tomatoes, two huge bags of zucchini, plus a bunch of mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, 3 bags of snacks, a candy bar, almond milk, deli meat, eggs, white and brown sugar, lemons and mandarins. I still had some cabbage and celery left from last week, along with onions, russet potatoes and sweet potatoes. At Kroger, I found bags of starbucks ground coffee in white chocolate macadamia flavor for 75% off, $3.25/bag. That’s a deal these days, so I bought all I could find, 7 bags at one store and 1 bag at another store I was passing. There are 3 of us coffee drinkers here and we use 1-2 bags per week. After a doctor’s appointment, I stopped at a thrift store on my way home. I found a large bag of new hair ties, 27 packs of 20 hair ties. My teens and I will use these and share some packs. I also got a NWT blouse for $3 and $120 of craft supplies for $18. My youngest and I will share these. I read library books and took a couple of walks outside.
1. I have been helping my friend clean out her in laws house. She is a widow and doing it mostly by herself. Her BIL lives in Florida. I have been given a crazy amount of alcohol already and will probably be taking more. I have already passed some on to my adult children. Hubby says it is probably worth over $300. I got some new white boards, 3 baby blankets that her MIL crocheted, an Islanders puck and hat(gave to son), and 2 elephant statues. I passed a book onto my friend that I got from a Free little library.
2. I garbage picked after a yard sale. I got 3 rolls of Christmas wrapping paper, new Halloween and fall decorations, a basket, and a lazy Susan.
3. I had leftovers for BL&D. Hubby had a free banana, bagel, and coffee at work for breakfast. He had leftovers for lunch and dinner.
4. I got lots of mark downs at the store this week: pork chops, Hawaiian rolls, cold cuts, eggs. They were all at least 50% off.
5. I’m reading a book from the library. I got magazines for me and my friend’s mom to read too. She loves to look at them. I got a puzzle that my daughter will love from the free shelf. It will be a birthday present.
The weather has been beautiful. Going for lots of walks. The heat is off. Laundry has been getting hung outside. It has rained several nights so I haven’t needed to water my gardens.
The blackberries you picked look amazing.
This week we saved…..
*Had free movie passes and gift card to local restaurant. Enjoyed a “free” Saturday evening with my husband.
*DH and our friends fixed our large shed door. I made everyone a “thank you” lunch for helping us.
*I returned and got a refund of $20 worth of supplies to the hardware store from our shed door project.
*Had an Ebay Sale.
*I fixed a vintage woolrich wool shirt and patched a pair of jeans.
*Renewed a CD at a fixed rate for 7 month.
*I got 2 more weeks of toothpaste and face wash by cutting off the end of tubes.
* I am sewing my Daugher/SIL new table napkins using a table cloth that I cut up and hemmed.
*Washed and detailed our car and truck.
* I used cardboard and painted a for sale sign rather then buying one.
Hope everyone has a great week.
Your flowers are always so gorgeous! The weather here is still very up and down – Saturday was freezing, some even had snow flurries in their part of the city! Sunday wasn’t too bad and today was lovely – but there is no way that it hit the 22C predicted – the wind was just too cool. The rest of the week is looking fairly miserable – highs of about 12C if we are lucky and rain most days. Still – some flowers have finally begun to bloom – the magnolia tree across the road is beautiful and the cherry blossoms have bloomed at High Park and thousands of people will visit them – always a very popular event in this city.
I continued to do some hand laundry as the elevator has still been hit or miss although the super did tell me today that they are going to replace part of the computer system as soon as the part arrives so hopefully that will sort things once and for all! Living in a rental apt. sometimes has it’s benefits – I noticed a leak from my toilet – wasn’t sure if something had cracked or if a seal had broken but puddles were appearing – never a good thing. Super called the plumber and everything was sorted while I was out this morning – no cost to me.
I didn’t spend a lot on groceries this week – spent mostly on dairy, fruit & veg. I did however, pick up a few pantry items, dried beans, soup mix, cans of crushed tomatoes, boullion cubes and cans of sardines. I also picked up a few items at the drugstore that were 40% off so these are also tucked away for future use. I won’t go back to the shops until the weekend for more fresh items but I’ll check the flyers and pick up sale items if it’s something that I’ll really use – trying to avoid as much processed food as possible these days and luckily I’m not a pop or energy drink fan so I avoid those costs – can’t believe how much a six pack of mini cans are these days!
I did have to buy new shoes – dressy ones – and I have a difficult fit so like Ecco for these types of shoes – $260 later! But, I needed them and these are imported so didn’t want to risk not finding my size if I waited until the Fall. I will need a new Winter coat this year so must start saving for that. I bought new Winter boots this year so at least I won’t need those!
Have a good week everyone.
Each photo you share of your garden and flowers is prettier than the last. I especially love the photo with your blackberry-stained hands. 😁 A nature preserve near us offers a locals discount every April with tickets costing $5/each versus $25-30. We go at least once every April. This year, our schedule was so busy but we made it on the very last day and enjoyed gorgeous weather and a wonderful hike. It is always a highlight of early Spring for me. I did no grocery shopping as I have recommitted myself to cleaning out the pantry and freezer and really using up things that need to go, saving money in the process. This means a lot of bean-focused meals which is just fine with me. I turned in the paperwork to the NC Forest Service for the Timber Loss Relief Program recently rolled out for landowners affected by Hurricane Helene. Fingers crossed that it might prove fruitful. I did some research and found a new-to-us septic company with very high ratings and arranged for them to come and pump our tank out. Their fee is very reasonable – less than we have paid in the past which is much appreciated. While in town for a doctor’s appointment, I did as many errands as I could think could possibly be needed while I was there. I went 7 different places and now I need not go back for a while. Gas has remained at $3.99/gallon here in NC but, surprisingly, is higher just across the border in TN – as much as $4.09 – which I don’t remember ever being the case. We have always combined trips and limited unnecessary driving as we live in a rural area but are trying even harder now. My sons and I mowed the yards for 2 neighbors which helps them and gives us some extra income. Even though I was born and raised in a very frugal family, there is always something to learn. I have been watching a bit of YT here and there and looking for new-to-me ideas. A lot of advice can start to sound the same but I gleaned little tidbits like not paying for water – for example, it is much more cost effective to purchase tomato paste and add water to make tomato sauce than to purchase the tomato sauce. I don’t use a lot of tomato sauce in cooking, usually just using the liquid in canned tomatoes and considering that sufficient, but the concept is a good one and might help someone. That kind of creative thinking is what the commenters here are so good at sharing! Another bit of interesting reading was a Yale study on thrift shopping. It’s findings revealed a side effect of this more affordable method of shopping – people were found to buy more which was labeled as wasteful. Overconsumption of any kind can be problematic to our financial bottom line as well as the world. I am sure there is an element of increased buying and subsequent donating, almost like people are using the thrift shops to “rent” items returning them when they change their mind (if the shops don’t offer returns) or using them for a short time and then re-donating. Some might find the idea of an item being owned many times and repeatedly generating funds for charity (if the shop is a charitable one) a good thing. At any rate, it got me thinking. The garden is growing, the sun is shining (though we could use rain) and all is well in my corner of the world. Hope the same is true for all of you. 😁
$4.99/gallon regular unleaded in Ohio 🙁
Yikes! We had doctor’s appointments in town yesterday and by the time we headed home the price had gone up to $4.19/gallon everywhere. Amazing to see it change 20 cents/gallon in just one day.
The cheapest gas I have seen here recently (Seattle area) is $5.39 a gallon at Costco. It’s even higher in California from what I understand.
MountainMama,
I never thought to use tomato paste that way – thank you. Glad you got to go on that wonderful hike!
At a charity thrift shop I go to in a more upscale area, one of the worker volunteers told me they often have pp buy whole sets of china, use them for a holiday, then donate them back. This allows them to have a new to them set every holiday and all the money goes to charity. (I love this shop as it’s run and the building even owned by all volunteers, with all proceeds going to the children’s hospital.) So it is like renting and recycling at the same time.
Oh, how nice that would be for a wedding! Buy a few used sets; they can be different for each table if need be! Certainly cheaper than renting.
Maria – yes, I understand that is very common especially with holiday decorations. Makes loads of sense to me. Just found it interesting that the article framed it almost as a negative as in the low prices encouraging more consumerism. But, clearly, not all consumerism is of the same type and if it doubles as charitable donation, I am all for it.
Hi MMDawn! Oops, I asked Jeannie about the chicken feed, but just now realized it was you that mentioned finding a cheaper chicken feed. Would you be willing to share what feed that is, as we are embarking on the chicken adventure and it’s all new to me! Thanks so much!
Laura S – I was feeding Kalmbach – it’s a whole grain and small pellet mix – but found what looks to me as an identical feed made by Nature Wise. Admittedly, I do not buy the absolute cheapest chicken feed out there as I have concerns about quality and what is actually in the cheap pelleted feed. Eggs are our primary protein source so I want them to be as healthy as possible. This article I read recently may be of interest to you as you begin your chicken raising journey. I do many of these things, too. https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2020/05/12-ways-to-save-money-on-chicken-feed.html Have fun!
Laura S, I couldn’t figure out why you were asking me but just figured I had forgotten the conversation. I do that quite often and stay confused. I tried faking it. (Ha Ha)!
Jeannie
MM Dawn, what you are describing is what I do for pizza sauce on homemade pizzas. I thin tomato paste with water to my desired consistency and add spices. This way I avoid needing to purchase jarred pizza sauce. I freeze any leftover tomato paste in 1 tablespoon quantities to be sure it doesn’t go bad in case I don’t use it all.
Those orange flowers are beautiful!!
1. Helped my daughter meal prep
2. Snagged some hand-me-downs
3. Went to Goodwill and bought a few items for us, and 3 to resell.
4. Didn’t water the garden as the rain did that for me!
5. Husband came home with a bunch of sale plants.
Longer version and pictures here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/05/05/frugal-five-meal-prep-goodwill-garden/
I didn’t even plant them! My snapdragons self-seeded in different shades in several places in the garden!
I bought two blocks of “No Name” made in Canada cheese at No Frills for $8 each (for 700 grams each which was a good price) and earned 5,000 points (for spending $15 on certain “no name” brand products) plus 2,000 points for each bar of cheese so total of 9,000 points. I added two packages of “no name” pasta for $4.00 for another 2,000 points. That translates into $11.00. So for $20, I received $11.00 worth of points, making it effectively the cheapest cheese going. I will put one block in my freezer – if used on pasta or in casseroles, any change in texture from freezing is unnoticeable. I may shred it first.
Tomorrow (the first Tuesday of the month) is 15% off day at Canada Safeway. It applies to everything in the store– even items already on sale. We have a rain cheque for bread (an expensive peanut-free bread) when it was previously on sale. We will buy it and receive a further 15% off. I hope it is in stock. Two slices are 200 calories but 12 grams of protein. I do not eat a lot of processed food but concentrate on having 5 to 7 servings of fruits or veggies per day, plus a high protein yogourt, cottage cheese, the high protein bread, and some sort of low-cholesterol lean meat. I love lentils. Also at Safeway’s sale, I will buy some dried split peas and black beans. They last indefinitely so are good pantry items and are a great source of protein. Eventually, I will once again make my own soup.
I enjoyed sitting out yesterday on a beautiful day. I was going to finish pruning the dead stems off my itoh peonies (that I bought for $2 each when they were originally $80 each). They have already set their buds. Just like ordinary garden variety of peonies they too need a cool period. Anyway I could not do the pruning because two species of butterfly were perching in the area so instead of working I took butterfly photos. And a Bald Eagle flew over. As I’ve mentioned before, after the initial investment in a camera, etc, it becomes a low-cost hobby. It was so nice just to sit outside after what has seemed a long winter.
I bought three ollas on sale so I will use them in my big pots to reduce the need to carry water so frequently.
If it works well, I will buy 3 more next year. also, I had hoped to buy a rain barrel – one part of my yard could not collect water from downspouts so I am thinking of harvesting snow at the end of winter to have the water. Other areas I can use a down spout and a rain barrel. I am thinking this over…
Brandy, in your last post you said 25 pounds of tomatoes were $128 — are they really or was that a typo? Again I enjoyed reading your blog with your wonderful photos.i am happy because the two new roses I bought last year made it through the winter.
Not a typo. It was a post I saw on Threads by a chef and she showed a photo of the tomatoes with the price at Costco.
I don’t see tomatoes that high nor in a box, so I think this is the restaurant supply Costco.
It was a sobering thought for certain about where we might be headed with the lack of fertilizer worldwide by fall.
I had extra tomato starts that I raised from free seed. I have gifted all of them to various family members. Even one plant in a pot on the porch can produce a good amount. I planted 3 at each of my kids houses.
I think growing food is one of the most important things I do, and I’m passionate about teaching others as well.
Every little bit helps! Plus, homegrown tomatoes are SO much tastier!
I read an article today which mentioned that tomato prices were going to skyrocket this fall, but maybe they are already. I’m going to pick up extra cans now. It also said that cattle numbers were at the lowest in decades. Due to drought and how long it takes for cattle to mature, it would be at least late 2027 before prices come down. I’m stocking up on coffee too.
The fires in Nebraska also affected cattle in a major way, and now there’s a tick disease that sounds extremely serious.
I have seen the news about that screwworm that is closing in on the southern border and how worried they are about the decimation of our cattle. Where do these things even come from? Seriously! The poor ranchers in Nebraska! We bought half a cow in December and the price was high, I can’t imagine what it will go to.
Our local farmers market put a post for Amish tomatoes $6.99 a pound. Someone commenteded that was high and they replied that they agreed and hoped the price came down, that they are normally $3.99. I think we are in for a rough summer of prices on produce and meat.
I order ground beef from a local farm and just got 25 lbs. Monday. It went up 20 cents 2 months ago. I knew prices would probably go up so I ordered more. It went up another $1.10 a pound to $7.50.
Brandy, I keep watching the farm reports and economical news channels. They are all saying the same thing which is bothersome. Starting in June, the price increases due to gas prices will begin to be passed along on newly arriving food. Prices are going to start rising. The estimates are any where from 30 percent increases to doubling. It all depends on where you live and what food you are buying. In war affected areas, they aren’t even trying to make a guess but are using the word “famine.” It is a big unknown, however, I lived through the gas shortages in the 70s (I am that old) and have seen this before. Prices will shoot up and then begin to drop as gas prices fall. It’s like you are riding a surfboard over a wave in the ocean. Some things that are transported a long distance will skyrocket while local products or things that have been in storage will not increase much. Stored items will increase later. The solution is to be aware, watch what is happening, be ready to change your shopping habits immediately, walk away when you are hit with sticker shock, learn to cook different foods, and have plenty of supplies put back. It will be challenging but it is a time to learn so much.
Jeannie
When I see your harvests right now, it motivates me to get our gardens ready! Your climate is so different than ours here in the Midwest. We had one overnight this past week that actually was below freezing so there was frost in the morning. So planting our veg garden has been delayed until now. Hubs found a small battery-powered tiller that only tills a width of 7” to 10” so it is perfect to use in our raised beds. We first weeded them, then shoveled our homemade compost on top of raised beds and then used the tiller to work compost into the soil. Worked a treat! We then planted, lettuces, cabbages and zucchini. Still have chard, tomatoes, peppers, cukes, parsley and beans to get planted, but it’s a rainy day tomorrow so it may have to be between the rain!
Wish we could send some of our rain your way, although here we get just the right amount. No flooding, no drought where we live which we realize is extremely rare these days. Often our rain comes in the evening and goes through the night, ending in early morning hours.
We continue to regularly eat from our pantry. Sunday night I was tired and uninspired to cook dinner and our son was over, so I opened some Chipotle beef I canned that was in the basement, added Flashfood fresh vegetables, home canned salsa and some cheese. Filled some tortillas that we bought in bulk n clearance and made burritos that were tasty and satisfying!
I got some more 80/20 ground beef I got from FF into oven baked meatballs and we made meatball subs with some and froze the rest. We get FF fresh fruit and veg pretty regularly and so we are having salads as a side dish as well as our main entrees these days! A friend that I share FF meats with gave me a bag of zucchini, squash and onions, so I made 2 loaves of zucchini bread- one with mini chocolate chips and the other with chopped pecans.
I realized how nice it is to have the ingredients to make things here at home and so I started noticing what things we need to think about replenishing. I made brown sugar, because my canister was getting low and afterwards noticed that after my gallon of molasses is getting really low after about 15 years, so I looked around online at various local and online stores (saving me time and gas) and ordered a new gallon which may be the last one I ever need to get! I also got granulated beef and chicken bouillon online in 2 pound jars so I bought a 6-pack of beef bouillon and a 3-pack of the chicken. These are staples I use in mix-making as well as cooking so I felt like this would be a good time to have some extra. Did the same thing with corn starch so I won’t be caught short.
Trying to plan purchases more strategically right now. Besides food purchases, we are watching online for a blower attachment that uses the same Ryobi battery as the tiller that we will be able to use to blow snow off our sidewalks this winter. It’s not strong enough to blow 8” or more, but we are able to use it for a couple inches of snow before it accumulates higher. Watching for sales before Fall for new or used. Replaced some of my summer clothes (8 or more years old) with some new ones (on sale) that will be worn another 8 years 🤞🤞!
Still quilting away with our little longarming business and, as usual, have 7 more client quilts here in my queue to work on this week. That extra income has been such a blessing!
Well, it’s time to start making the garden magic happen, so I better get outside and work. 57 degrees out and rain coming in within an hour!
Keep positive and working to make positive things happen. You motivate and inspire me to try harder and learn more!
Gardenpat in Ohio
What a beautiful message on a mug. That has to do your heart wonders. The berry stains on your fingers against the bowl of berries is a great composition of beauty and work.
My little floral arrangement this week is variegated hosta leaves with a few springs of a lemony green shrub. I received a tip for some contract work and bought myself a dinner plate dahlia in a blush pink. I’ve wanted one for years and since I finally have the knack down of overwintering the bulbs -it’s now an investment for more than just a season (and a b-day gift to myself).
The food pantry is no longer allowed to offer slightly bruised fruit or veggies. I asked and brought home 2 bell peppers, 4 pears and 3 apples destined for the dumpster. The pears were delicious.
For a date night my husband and I got a deal off of Clipp.com for $30 of bowling for $15. We bowled a few games which I let him win 😆
Hope everyone has a calm and productive week!
My friend gifted me that mug for my birthday last year.
Brandy, your flower pictures are outstanding!
Last week Bestie had radiation treatments and appointments every day at the Cancer clinic again. We packed snacks, her favorite egg salad sandwiches and tea from home, food is so expensive there. Gas is $7.20 a gallon in my part of Canada but no way of getting around that. We stopped for a few errands on the way home to save an gas. As mentioned by Ellie’s Friend, I got in on the cheese and pasta deal as well. Shopped the reduced produce cart at the same store, lots of great buys at 50$% off.
Otherwise, cooking from the pantry, a big pot of chili, chicken noodle soup, banana bread and a big pot of my favorite sauerkraut stew.
Snow has just melted here but we are still getting frost overnight. A little too early to plant yet!
Love the blackberries photo. Your flowers are beautiful as always. I harvested my broccoli I had 9 heads. I made broccoli salad, ate some fresh and froze some. Hopefully I will get more. I have baby squash, zucchini and a cucumber bloom. Gardening is always exciting. We had to cover all of our plants Saturday night temperatures got down to 28. We planted 6 more baby tomato plants. We received some rain. I car pooled with my niece to my great nephew’s 4th birthday party 2 hours away. We had lunch and stopped at a thrift store and two garage sales on the way. My step daughters in laws chickens are laying like crazy so we received some free eggs. I had to go and do some bloodwork this morning prior to my doctor’s appointment next week. My husband helped a man with his lawn mowing business two days and got paid in cash. He told him he could help him anytime. I am saving so much money by working at home. I am saving gas, eating out, professional clothing, wear and tear of my car and time. I have been watching Youtube videos on gardening and I am feeling more confident. Gardening helps me with my mental health. It lets me breathe.
We have been cooking at home. I got a raincheck for a sale on hamburger. The store ran out of hamburger on the second day of the sale. I was happy they gave me a raincheck. I got a raincheck for my mom as well. I hope they get some in soon. I have been astonished at the price of things. I am more determined to make sure that we do not have food waste. I am going through the refrigerator to see what needs used. I made banana bread last night with bananas that needed used. I was tired but made it anyway because I did not want to waste the bananas. I’m glad I did both my husband and son were happy about having banana bread. My son said it was the best he ever had! I try to incorporate beans into our diet at least 2 to 3 meals a week. It is healthy and helps the budget. I make a meal plan every week keeping in mind the things that need used. I can always change it if need be. But having a meal plan helps a lot.
Hi Tammy! Meal plans help me a lot too! On the bananas, you can throw them in the freezer and make banana bread later.😊
Laura,
Thank-you. I thought about freezing them. But my son and husband really enjoyed the banana bread so I am glad I made it after all. I need to make broccoli salad. I have some slices of bacon and broccoli waiting. It probably won’t happen tonight. I need to sleep more. Tomorrow is a new day!
Hi Laura! Thank-you for the idea. I love reading other peoples meal plans too. Sometimes it inspires me!
I needed to make a dessert, so made banana cake. Low sugar and delicious!!! Plus, it used the overripe bananas.
I’m traveling but continue to try to be frugal.
Filled up my gas tank for 50¢ a gallon less than at home.
Bought a few things at Winco (employee owned supermarket that is the cheapest around).
Saved breakfast items from Airbnb and hotel that I didn’t eat. I’ll take them home. I bring all my food on my trips.
Dh picked raspberries at home. He’s eating from the freezer and garden so no money spent on food.
I worked hard to get tomatoes and butternut squash planted before I left home. The one cucumber I didn’t get to planting I up potted into a 1 gallon pot. That will tide it over until I get home and get it in the ground.
We were given free wood chip mulch. All our landscaping is heavily mulched with wood chips and the areas in my landscape that have food plants (among the flowers and perennials) are mulched with rice straw. Rice straw has no seed so is the best food crop mulch. We only have a $20 increase in our monthly water bill during the summer despite the fact that we are on a water meter, we receive no summer rain and we grow 100% of our fruit and vegetables (in summer). This is down to 1. heavy mulch and 2. rain barrels.
Does your rice straw blow away in wind?
I haven’t seen that option here. Wood chips are what I am looking into now. The free sources are out so I am going to have to look at the bulk price.
Hi Tammy! Meal plans help me a lot too! On the bananas, you can throw them in the freezer and make banana bread later.😊
Oops, that was for Tammy. Brandy, I contacted a local tree service and got that huge load for $25. They have to pay to dump it somewhere, so it saves them a good amount of money and saved me a load of money. Maybe you can find someone there as well?
No. I never have had my rice straw blow around. Feed stores usually sell it. Oat and wheat straw have weed seeds that are very undesirable for a garden, which is why rice straw is best. I tuck mine snugly around plants so it isn’t so loose.
I’m sure you know the benefits of mulch, Brandy, but for anyone interested in the topic this is a good short article. I love the double benefit of decreased water evaporation and increased soil health! https://ucanr.edu/program/uc-master-gardener-program/mulch
I doubt Canada is affected by a shortage of fertilizer as it uses potash for its fertilizer and Canada supplies 80 +/- of the potash into the U.S. It also has ample ammonia sources. There would be no shortage but the tariffs applied by the US government to Canadian potash (originally 25 but reduced to 10% after an uproar by farmers) seriously still affects the economics of US farms. For example, potash accounts for 45% of the cost of corn farmers. Potash costs about $450 per ton so an increase of $45 per ton is significant for cost. Please be aware that it is not Canada’s choice to charge more for its potash. How much a fertilizer shortage would affect North America remains to be seen.
This was really informative. I had read about this situation but didn’t have numbers, so thank you for sharing. I also hadn’t thought about how that will play out in Canada as well; your produce prices won’t be affected like ours.
This might help some. I’ve gardened since I was little, but hadn’t known this…you can make your own fertilizer from your weeds. The gist is, weeds grow where Mother Nature needs them to grow. They are a sign of what your soil needs in that spot. The type of weed growing is the type your particular soil needs. To make your own fertilizer, pick/pull your weeds, put them in a bucket of water and let them steep. Put a lid over the bucket bc it will get smelly. Once well steeped, use the water as fertilizer on your plants in the former weed location.
I saw this on two different gardener yt channels I’ve followed for years and trust.
So lovely to see the outdoor photos!
This week is our city’s clean-up week, preceded by yard sales. I am being very careful not to bring “stuff” into my house unless I want it and kept to that rule Among other things, I got two smallish decorative plant pots, an herbal book, and a 25 cent checkbook cover. Mine had just cracked from many years of use, and this is fancy, with Marjolein Baker wildlife and flowers printed on it.
People collected from my free pile some battered cookie sheets, slightly worn sheets and pillowcases, empty soap bottles with pump tops, jars, spice jars, plastic take-out containers, some pillows, wine corks, and other things that if you need them, you need them. My under-the-sink cupboard and linen closet are looking much better now. I also had nicer free things, like some silk flowers, a kitchen trash can, picture frame, and so forth.
Thank you to the people who commented a few weeks ago about things to eat to increase iron content. I started buying hummus (not necessarily for iron, just to try) and chose the kind with pine nuts, figuring that is the most expensive additive for the same price as the spiced ones.
A stalk of my tall yellow irises blew over, (or was bumped by some animal, but I am pretending wind or rain did it), and I am enjoying having it cut inside.
Our produce prices have really gone up – in part because of the cost of gasoline and other fuel going up. Unfortunately, although we have lots of petroleum, the price of oil even for Canadian oil is not set in Canada but is the international price. (except for oil exported to the States which for about the past 5 decades have bought our oil at greatly discounted prices). So our produce, much of which is grown elsewhere, has really gone up in price because of transportation costs and also how goods that we import into Canada are affected if components are made elsewhere. For example, if our aluminum is shipped to the States either as aluminum or if it’s been made into cans, automatically the US tariff kicks in. That increase of 25% (threatened 50%) is paid for by Americans but if the cans are then made in the States or the cans are filled with pop there and then return to Canada we are stuck with the increased price too just like Americans are. It’s all quite complicated but our prices have definitely gone up. Some months my grocery bill has exceeded my winter natural gas bill for heating and that’s a measure of the great increase in prices. There are a number of other factors – beef has gone up drastically because of drought ranchers here cut the size of their herds and now we pay a lot more for beef. We are importing it from Australia and New Zealand so the prices are reflecting the increase in transportation. One thing I notice is how so many products are “out of stock”. Supply chain problems!
Thank you for sharing that!
nevertheless, I think if you can find fertilizer at a good price it would be wise to stock up and, for that matter for us all to stock up our pantries and emergency food now.
I agree 100%!
I noticed the stores around me have less product as well. And although I got a raincheck for a ground beef sale. I was told they might not be able to get it in!
Like Tammy I made banana bread in my effort to avoid any food waste. I added half a packet of chocolate chips that were open. I gave it to my Father and he enjoyed it for desserts. My Mother died suddenly earlier in the year. My Father still wants to live independently but is finding it difficult cooking for one and not having company at mealtimes. When I cook something suitable I try to freeze a portion for him to make things easier. Any tips contributors have about cooking for one would be appreciated. My brother gave him an air fryer – my Father is fascinated by new ideas and technology so is enjoying experimenting!
I visited a friend who was widowed last year and she also misses company at mealtimes. We enjoyed lunch in her garden. I used to go and help her pick damsons from her trees, so she had saved me some in the freezer. A real treat as it is something you never see in the shops.
I have been trying to finish abandoned craft projects and use up supplies before buying/starting anything new. I found a beach wrap my daughter had about 20 years ago. Pretty fabric, so I sewed it into a simple skirt for the summer.
Chocolate chips sound good in banana bread! This time I added cinnamon and a few crushed walnuts. Basically what was left at the end of a bag of walnuts.
Brandy, your beautiful photos are like a breath of fresh air every week. I look forward to them.
I struggle with cooking for one as well, but souper cubes have helped me freeze items in small individual portions.
If chipdrop doesn’t have anything, you might want to check with your local master Gardener program. Mine shared with me a contact where I was able to rent a dump truck from the company for an hour, saving me on delivery fees for compost.
I got a few Star Wars items for 30% off because it was Star Wars day. I gifted to my neighbor twins that lost their mom as I know they are SW fans. I was also able to get a lot of groceries on sale because I brought them all dinner for Cinco de Mayo and the stores had sales on items in that that theme. I got avocados for a dollar each, And strawberries also on sale that I made into strawberry lemonade with Meyer lemons from my tree. I used a clear glass pitcher I thrifted for $5.
I completed my desert rose dishes w what i thought were matching butter pat shaped ceramic flowers. I got them at a museum thrift shop. Later i noticed they weren’t butter pats at all, they are individual ash trays! Can you imagine having an ashtray at each place setting now?! I got a set of 8 for the price of one on ebay. So I’ve now thrifted a set of 8, four piece place settings w 2 extra dinner plates. Plus, the 8 ashtray/butter pat/tea bag holder flowers.
Next week I go back for the second half of my root canal, it’s covered by insurance, but it’s a a two hour round-trip and I’m not looking forward to what it’s going cost me in gas. Couple of days ago I saw on the local news that the gas spiked to $8.26 a gallon, so I’m going to have to do some online research to see where the best price is before filling up. Meanwhile, I’m trying to stay home.
The best cost savings though isn’t my own, I talked to my neighbor about the celebration of life plan for his wife, and she liked to hike at this beautiful nearby 175 acre 1912 estate that’s an art center. Turns out somebody who works with him knows the person that runs the place and they’ve worked out a deal. That’s absolutely unheard of price wise and another friend of a friend is a caterer that’s only going to charge them the price of the actual groceries to cater the event. The kindness of these people absolutely brought me to tears. They’re giving them full run of the estate and the gigantic mansion for the whole day/evening, think Great Gatsby type mansion, including chairs and tables, golf carts for guest parking, etc. Everything set up. I am so happy this is coming together for him and their family because it was really a spot that she loved so much. This place normally rents for minimum five-six figures a section and they are getting the whole estate for less than the price of a private room at a mid level restaurant. My heart runneth over.
The master gardener program ran out of wood chips in 2 days due to 23 people showing up. I will be watching their emails to see when they gave more again.
This week has not been the most frugal as I am traveling. I have been using Upside and Shell rewards to save on gas. My sons feed me when I am at their homes, but I am staying with my daughter and she eats like a bird. I have been going to the grocery store so I don’t have to eat out as much. Mostly, I buy fresh fruits and salad items. I also had some gift cards to use, but, invariably, there are a few meals out. I try to treat each of the kids and their families once as they give me free room and board for a long trip. Buying gift cards around Christmas and getting the bonus ones helps significantly. I will also do a big Costco shop while I am here since we now live almost two hours from a Costco. I went the day after I got here to catch last month’s sales on items we needed, and will catch this month’s sales before I leave if there are items needed on sale.
We are embarking on the chicken raising adventure. I am truly not sure if this will save us money or not. The idea of fresh eggs is one I very much like, but I am not sure what the cost will end up being. We have a lot of kitchen scraps to feed them, as well as plenty of bugs they can eat on the property. We use about three dozen eggs a week. Currently, I pay $4.00/dozen for them. The hens we are getting from my DIL’s sister are free and already producing. If we break even, that’s not a bad thing either. We shall see….
Starting up on a new property incurs some costly purchases which will pay for themselves in money, time and pleasure in the years to come. We recently purchased a Gorilla playset installed for the grandkids to use. I purchased one on sale through Costco (will earn cash points on my card and my membership); it was about $130.00 more than the one on the manufacturer’s site that was close, but we got an extra slide and it was installed…that alone was worth far more than $130.00! This is a huge set and took the installer over six hours to build. People who had no experience said it took them days! I am certain it is installed correctly and it is also anchored. I got a baby swing for 50% off because I purchased it in March when there was that special if you bought a playset. I called the company to see if they would honor it even though I bought it through Costco and didn’t see the special until the beginning of April. They did! We also purchased two 8’ x 4’ x 2’ galvanized steel raised beds for the garden. I plan to purchase two more. My husband put them together (the second one went a lot faster as he ignored the directions that came with it and just used his common sense). We do have ground beds, but we have critters and so are trying to plant accordingly. We put the wire mesh landscape material under the beds to keep out voles and other diggers, then cardboard (we have plenty of this from moving) to kill the grass, added branches from the trees we have taken down, then the organic composted soil we ordered (an initial expense but well worth the return for years to come). Now comes the fun part! Gardening this year has required a lot of muscle and I feel much better getting all this exercise in. Another health benefit! I have a lot of seeds from a couple of years ago and we are using those (I don’t pay attention to dates and have found I still get a lot of germination). We will buy starters for tomatoes and peppers for sure. Next season I will be starting my own. My DIL’s sister knows all the best priced places to go for organic starters. Much cheaper than non-organic at Lowe’s! I am very excited to get a garden going again and my DIL is thrilled to have her first garden!
We purchased a half a cow in December and the meat is fabulous! However, in doing the math, going forward we will be purchasing bulk from a butcher shop that came recently recommended by two of my DIL’s friends. I did the research and they sell only clean meat, pastured and grass fed and clean grain finished, no hormones, antibiotics or vaccines. Local raised, local processed. Much cheaper than the cow we bought and we can buy multiple cuts of what we use the most, along with paying per pound for actual meat and not hanging weight. Same with pork! We have a good source for air chilled chicken through our Mennonite store. This will save us quite a bit of money going forward. They also ship for a nominal fee, so our oldest son here in Florida is getting his first shipment today. I buy the chicken at home and bring it in coolers to him when I visit, along with bacon and sausages I buy when I go north and bring back with me. He pays for it. Compare $11/lb for air chilled healthy chicken to $3.75/lb where I buy it. He is thrilled! Same with the beef and pork. I know it is a lot compared to some sales, but the difference in the quality of meat and the health benefits is very important to us.
Learning every week from everyone here and so thankful for this community you have created, Brandy!
Well – your comments inspired me to join the “let’s fix that clogged sink group”! Bathroom sink has been very slow draining for a couple of weeks but kept ignoring it until I couldn’t.
. blocked the overflow hole and used a plunger to get up as much gunk as possible.
.a cup of Blue Dawn
.followed by 3 kettles of boiling water’
and voila – fixed!
Thanks for the inspiration ladies.
Oh good!