I sewed a button back on those cute pajamas that I made for my daughter for her birthday.
I resewed the hem of a dress for another daughter.
I accepted free mirabelles.
I harvested Green Gage plums, tomatoes, apples, basil, peaches, and chamomile from my garden.
I polished everyone’s shoes.
I collected water in a bucket in the shower while waiting for the water to warm up (several days this week). I used the water to water my potted plants.
I turned off ceiling fans in rooms where someone left them on.
I signed up for a coupon for a free Herbal Essences product.
I reevaluated our water usage in the garden and programmed the drip system to go on for a little less time.
What did you do this week to save money?
I’ve done a few frugal things this week.I remade a pair of my old pajamas into winter pajamas for my daughter.I attempted to make body wash from soap we were given. (turned out to be a failure as body wash but made a decent liquid hand soap)I sold a few things we no longer needed on craigslist.I asked a friend to consider selling us her childrens outgrown clothes – she just Gave! me a whole bag, said it saved her from the trip to Goodwill!Used baking soda and vinegar to clean.Did not make a single trip to the grocery store for needed/wanted items – we just “made do”.Sat on the porch with cold iced tea and watched the neighbors fireworks for our “date night” after we put the kids to bed. (this was my favorite frugal thing ♥)
I harvested tomatoes , basil , pac choy , onion and zucchini from my garden . We cleaned the freezer and fridge out and ate several meals made from forgotten food . My lunch at work was leftovers from a program held the day before and I made tea for myself at work ( rather than purchase a drink) Exchanged tomatoes for fresh eggs with a friend . I signed up for a free sample of Finish Dish detergent on their FB page . Thawed frozen bananas for one egg banana bread and put a lb. of frozen chili meat in the crock pot to thaw and cook over night for chili and spaghetti.
I made biscuits (the recipe from your site actually!) for breakfast so we could eat on the way to church. Also packed a lunch to eat on the way home. I breastfed my daughter, which saves so much over formula and is better for her. Yesterday I harvested 5 tomatoes, 1 giant zucchini and 12 pea pods from my vegetable garden. I also caged/staked the tomatoes more. Right now I also have a load of cloth diapers in the wash.
I gleaned and froze sweet cherries that a friend was just going to let fall. I didn’t go to the grocery store. We made due with what we had. I inventoried my food storage so that I would know exactly what I had to work with. I made popsicles instead of buying them. My husband and I had a “stay at home” date night.
This week I went on a trip with three other girlfriends to another state to visit a friend who had moved there last year. We were able to use a donated timeshare for a very nice resort. We all cleaned out our refrigerators to bring food so that we only purchased two meals in the whole seven days! One meal was eaten in a colonial tavern so we went to lunch to make it more reasonable. It was so filling we didn’t eat that night! The other meal was an Italian meal and we all brought half of it home for another night. I was amazed at how fun it was to make a smorgasbord of different items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (such as cheese, fruit, homemade bread, salads using garden veggies, etc.) I had made a casserole to take and put it in the freezer. When I opened it to cook, I had brought the wrong one!!! We are still laughing about that but everyone wanted the recipe! This trip turned out to be the cheapest vacation ever, yet we were all happy as larks. We took hikes, swam in a quarry, read books all afternoon, talked like crazy, and visited lots of historical sights and artisan shops without spending a dime. Our husbands and children missed us so much that we felt very appreciated when we got home. And although we missed them, too, we are already planning our next “frugal” adventure.
I harvested zucchini, red currants, rhubarb, gooseberries & strawberries. I used the red currants & rhubarb to make rhubarb sorbet, which everyone liked.I made gluten free banana muffins instead of buying GF bread.I made gluten-free soy free banana cake from the muffin recipe baked in a cake pan. These two used up some black bananas.I made a red triangle pennant banner like the pink one on your site, from red scraps I already had left over plus a small piece that a lady gave me for free at a yard sale. I used leftover seam binding for the top. I made a blue pennant banner from a shirt I bought for 50 cents at a yard sale, plus a damaged shirts of my husbands, plus a leftover remnant. I bought seam binding for the top for 50% off with a coupon at JoAnn’s. Both the red & blue banner will be decorations for two July grandchildren birthdays.I bought white Sunday shirts for 50 cents each at a yard sale. One will be a birthday present & the other will be a Christmas gift. I also bought a measuring tape for $1, which will be a gift.I picked up 2 brass clam shell towel hooks for our oldest daughter from freecycle.I salvaged 3 cedar boards from a neighbor, which I will use to make another garden seat with 4 cinder blocks from freecycle. I picked up free used coffee grounds at Starbucks to use on the lawn & trees as fertilizer, through their “grounds for gardeners” program.I printed off a quote to frame for a gift.Marivene
I love that you listed breastfeeding as a frugal activity. My first son had mostly formula and some breast milk. I breastfed my second son and it really saves a LOT of money and is wonderful bonding time. If I have another baby, I will definitely breastfeed again.
I made 2 batches of laundry soap. I did not use the dryer at all this week, instead I hung the clothes out to dry on my new clothesline. I picked up some free vintage linens from freecycle-not sure what I’m going to do with them yet though. I also made bagels from scratch (your recipe), banana crumb muffins, and I have a cherry clafoutis in the oven that’s going to be breakfast for tomorrow. My husband also made iced coffee which he’ll take for work all week. 🙂
I avoided a visit to the ER yesterday after I was bitten by a brown recluse spider. We talked to a natural health practitioner friend who gave us good advice and I am on the mend. So glad to have avoided the expensive hospital bill and the long wait not to mention all the germs in the waiting room.
-Repaired dh’s pj pants.-All veggies came from the garden.-Killed a snake…rather than paying an exterminator. -Participated in the summer reading program which is providing my kids with free books as prizes!-Joined with your watering ideas, collecting wash water from the sinks etc, to dump on the trees, veggies, and bushes in the yard/garden.-Used all homemade cleaners.-Cleaned up a ‘flood’ in the basement with a small wet/dry vac and cleaned the a/c unit…that’s the cause of it. Grr.-Made homemade jelly.-and prayed MUCH for rain! :)Love those jammies Brandy! They’re beautiful!
We live in the country so it is ok to let the gray water from the washer and sink water the yard we bought a very inexspensive pvc adapterand now all water from the washer and sinks are used for outside watering we also applied for a program called cares for our electric bill and because we are low income right now our power rate will be lower. I also wrote down the contents of the freezer and posted it on the outside with a little key like meat in door fruit on left side ect that way I can open freezer and grab item without all cold air getting out. This has also helped plan meals .
Nice web page and site.