Monday, January 7, 2013

Last Week's Frugal Accomplishments



I made some gifts for my nephew and his bride-to-be for their wedding shower this week. She is doing a red kitchen. I made them two hot pads, using fabric I had been given and cotton batting that I had also been given. (I will be making more for me, too. I was planning on making some for me this week, but I decided I had best get the ones done for the shower first!) I also embroidered two kitchen towels with their initial. I have these same towels in my kitchen. The ones from Sam's Club are very large; I cut these in half and hemmed them to make two towels, and then I embroidered each one by hand. (Uncut they are great for covering rising dough). I have some just like these in my own kitchen already, and I already had towels on hand, too, as I have been planning on making some more for myself just like them. His bride seem to really like the towels, too! I gave them some kitchen utensils from their wish list as well.

I planted seeds that I had purchased last year and previous years.

I moved some stock that had reseeded itself at the very edge of my front walkway into the pots by the front door.

I had an at-home date with my husband on New Year's Eve. I had another at-home date with him another night after the children were in bed. It's fun to play a simple game together, just the two of us, and talk. On New Year's Eve we celebrated with some food that usually doesn't make it into our house. It was a wonderful change and much less than going out would have been.

I harvested parsley and Swiss chard from the garden. Both of these plants are very cold tolerant (Swiss chard can go to 15ºF, and even colder if under a blanket of snow).

I used the water from steaming vegetables to water the pots by the front door.

I watched a couple of shows for free on Hulu.

My husband cut his hair and I finished it up for him.

I downloaded a free book on Famous Women of Rome, which went perfectly with our study of the Famous Men of Rome. My oldest began reading it for fun.

I used a $10 off coupon while ordering my garden seeds for this year. I chose mostly open-pollinated varieties; I hope to collect enough seeds this year so that I can plant ones from my own garden next year.

I wasn't planning to buy food this week, but my mom called me from Winco to tell me that they had grapefruit for .28 each. I had her pick me up an entire box, which is 40 grapefruit. I will be making citrus fruit salad this next week, as well as enjoying grapefruit for breakfast with toast.

I made a triple batch of laundry soap.

I began my list of birthday gifts for this year. I always start the first week in January, writing down ideas for upcoming birthdays and Christmas. I will be making several things, including lots of pretty spring dresses for my girls, for which I already have the fabric.

What did you do to save money last week?
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164 comments:

  1. I rolled some towels and used them to cover drafts from a couple windows/doors in our house. It has been really cold this week, but will be warming up in about 2 days. So hopefully we will not need to run the heat as much the rest of the week.
    - Making homemade butter spread from the butter I found around christmas on sale. Also making homemade cooking spray using my misto can.
    - My mom cut our boys hair while she was here visiting
    -we ate at home all week
    -My mom also brought us a box of steaks for Christmas, which is something we have not bought since going to one income 5 years ago. They were delicious!!
    - Continuing to eat out of the freezer/pantry, and also cutting down on recipes that use cheese. I have noticed that lately cheese is costing me more per pound than meat, so I am working on cutting down our use of it, which is hard since my husband LOVES cheese!
    - Used a gift card to purchase most of our groceries this past week. I was able to buy a good amount of week, all under $2 pound. This included a family pack of chicken wings(husband request), family pack of ground beef, family pack chicken breasts. I also used a coupon from the paper to purchase 2 lbs of ground turkey for $2/pound. I also purchased a couple pounds of hotdogs and bologna for $1.10 pound. I was lucky and found 1 can of baby formula marked down less than 1/2 price, and also used the gift card to buy a 2nd can, so we will be stocked up for a little while. My husband was unable to kill deer this hunting season, so I was grateful to be able to purchase some extra meat for the freezer.
    - downloaded free book on kindle for pc
    That is all I can think of at the moment, hope everyone has a great week!!
    Brandy I have a question for you- did your family always like beans/meatless meals, or did it take them time to get used to it? I am asking because my husband complains about any meal that does not have alot of meat, but it is getting harder to fit it in to the budget. Do you have any suggestions? I really appreciate your blog and all of your wonderful recipes/tips!

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    1. My husband and I had a frank discussion about what we can and cannot afford. He understands that meat and cheese are expensive (and yes, cheese IS more per pound than meat!) While he would prefer to have meat, I have had to make changes because we cannot afford it. The children have done fine with the change, but it has taken more time for my husband, and he would gladly switch back to meat should we be able to do so. He understands that we don't have the money, so he eats what we have.

      Meatless chili and bean burritos are easier ones for him. Those might be a good place to start at your house.

      I also have found that if I make spaghetti with just a TINY amount of meat, it still adds to the flavor, and he and I have talked about that one as well. Nevertheless, we have also had to have completely meatless spaghetti for quite some time.

      I do try to stretch the meat as much as possible. Having some turkey or ham in a meal helps a lot. It's not a lot of meat, but it is some meat, and that is nice. We also serve smaller portions of meat when it is a stand-alone part of the meal, and larger portions of side dishes.

      You have to talk about how much meals cost and what you can afford. He has to understand that prices are rising, and if your income is declining, you have to cut things in order to be able to afford to eat.

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    2. For some reason the men have a harder time going meatless. It must be something about the way they are wired. My husband doesn't like it, either. We can usually afford meat, but I like to have beans at least once per week because they are so darn good for you as well as economical (and tasty to me). I have found that if I serve beans and rice as the main dish, and cook up just a little bit of sausage or ham on the side, he receives it better. Two of my three kids love beans, and don't even care about having the meat (one of whom is a teen boy even!) My youngest daughter is still in the picky stage and doesn't eat beans very well.

      What works best in our house is
      *black beans and rice with a little shredded cheese
      *lentils and brown rice (w/a little cheese on top, too)
      *Chili w/2 kids of beans, 1 or 2 kids of peppers, tomatoes, onions, and chopped mushrooms
      *Veggie lasagna (no beans, just tofu - which I guess is really soybeans)
      *"Tangy bean soup" which is like a cross between chili and vegetable soup, very hearty

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    3. Thank you both for the advice. Part of it is the way he was raised- meat and potatoes every night for dinner. His mom made the comment one time that beans were just a "filler" food and had no taste to her. Where in my family growing up we could not afford a lot of meats, we ate alot of beans and cornbread, soups, casseroles, etc.. So to me beans are not a problem, but I have had a hard time finding recipes that my husband enjoys that are centered around beans. I am going to try talking to him about the cost of food again, I try to stretch out the meats in our chest freezer so that we have plenty for several months, where he will cook up a large pack of meat(such as the chicken wings), and there is none leftover. I try to cook things that he really likes, but it is getting harder to do that.

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    4. You have to go over your entire budget together. Ask him where he would like to cut so that you can add to the grocery budget. Cable? Coffee? Beer? Cell Phones?

      My husband invited someone over for pizza once, and I about had a cow. Because of the cost of cheese, pizza is expensive. I had to make twice as much for guests. He was completely unaware that pizza is one of our most expensive meals, and once I explained it, he knew why it was a problem, but he really didn't know.

      Show him what you have to work with, and help him see that if he eats the meat that's planned for several meals, it will be just potatoes or meatless soups to make up the difference.

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    5. Money is very tight here and we have a small grocery budget, my husband expected the grocery money to go a little further than it was. When my husband had some complaints about the "simplicity" of our meals I decided that our next date night would be at the grocery store. He helped make the list, clip the coupons, and was VERY suprised when he saw the prices ( the last time he had purchased sugar it was .89 for a 5 pound bag). He also saw 1st hand the amount of work that goes into menu planning and shopping for the lowest possible price. He hasn't complained once since then, I think after he got over the sticker shock he was just grateful to have food to eat!!

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    7. I think most husbands would love to have a steak dinner every night, as would I, but the reality can sometimes be much different. If you are the one who plans the menu, makes the list, clips the coupons, buys the groceries, and prepares the meals then you need to "enlighten" your husband about the "real" world. If your budget doesn't allow for meat at every meal and that's what your husband would like, then he needs to find a way to figure it in to the budget. Perhaps getting rid of cable? Some men feel that because they work, they are somehow entitled to have certain things.

      My husband understands that there will not be meat on the table every night. In fact, when I'm making our weekly menu I always ask him what he'd like to eat. He then looks through the sales flyer and decides based on the meat that is on sale for that week or what we have stocked in the freezer. Allow your husband to be a part of the process and they are apt to be more forgiving!

      I love the idea of the date night at the grocery store! :)

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    8. I have had good success for burritos and enchiladas using beans, a little grated cheese and some rice. I think the additional texture helps make up for the lack of meat :)

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    9. When I do buy cheese, I try to stick with the stronger flavors like parmesan or sharp cheddar, so that they 'pop' more. Also, I often read recipes for things like burritos or tacos where the meat is stretched with lentils or some other bean. Another tip that helps me is to check the markdown section of the store. Sometimes I find something marked down that can feed us several times...but mostly, we stock up on turkey at Thanksgiving, tuna at Lent and ham at Christmas and Easter. We also have a deal in the sale cycle here where I can get petite sirloin steaks for $3 a pound, so I save up for that. We will occasionally have them as steak, but more often it's stir fry, beef broccoli or beef stew. Best to you!

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    10. I am blessed with a husband who likes meat, but his digestion does not, and an eldest son who doesn't like meat. Sadly most of the family are not keen on beans, but I persist. Economics means it is beans or no protein whatsoever
      Jenny in Wales

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    11. I think the date night idea is perfect, I think I will plan on trying that out soon. My husband has started to get a little better, I mean he will wait for things like chicken wings to finally go on sale before he asks me to buy any. I have tried several recipes with beans, and he doesn't complain nearly as much as he used to. I do try to include a small amount of meat in the recipes to keep him happy. I told him that if there is something he HATES or doesn't feel like he could ever eat again, to let me know and I would not cook that again, but that we were going to have to include beans in many of our meals to stretch the grocery budget. So far the only thing he really didn't like at all was split pea soup, so I have not fixed that anymore. I have tried to serve extra sides when we make meat the main thing, and it doesn't work with him, he will skip the sides and eat extra meat:) So we rarely have meals like that anymore! I will also try to look over our budget to see if there are any other things we can cut to add more to the grocery budget. We don't drink or smoke, so that is not an issue. I would love to cut the satellite package, but that is not going to happen until after the superbowl, lol. I will still look into it though.

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    12. Jenny--papaya would be a big help for your husband's digestion issues. I don't know if you can get it there but it comes in a chewable tablet here in the USA and they taste like candy. The enzymes in papaya help to break down protein.

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    13. Part of why men are always wanting meat is because of their anatomy/physiology. Males genetically have more muscle than women and muscle repair requires protein. The easiest way to obtain that protein is meat. Red meat is high in iron, which is necessary for red blood cells to carry oxygen. So it is hard wired into them. But there are other ways and means to get complete proteins and the iron necessary. I won't go into an entire physiology lesson (I'm not that strong in this subject anyway).

      My husband also had trouble with going to meatless meals and wanted us to eat meat at most every meal. That had to stop if we wanted to continue to eat. I try to have meat 3 days a week now, in our dinners, and add broth to others. It actually helped his digestive issues to improve, and he is noticing, now that we were a little more extravagant over the Christmas, that he is not doing as well. We will eat a little more meat in winter though, than we have been before.

      Penelope

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    14. I mix TVP with ground meat. When mixed it all tastes like meat, but is much cheaper and much healthier.

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    15. Texturized Vegetable Protein generally is made with the gluten from wheat, & often contains soy protein as well, so if either of those cause a problem for your family, then TVP will not work for you. Since we have both celiac & a severe soy allergy in the family, TVP would make us very ill. - Marivene

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    16. I'm loving this discussion, especially the idea of having your husband go shopping with you. My hubby is typically very supportive in this whole area but every once in a while he'll make a comment about it. I do think he'd be even more appreciative if he took a trip to the grocery store with me. :)

      For what it's worth, I did a post on 6 ways to save on meat. Some of you might find it helpful. And as Laura said, you can get by with less cheese if you use sharp cheddar since the flavor is "bigger".

      http://www.parents.com/blogs/thrifty-frugal-mom/2012/04/13/must-read/6-ways-to-save-on-meat/

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    17. thank you momm-lana, we can get papaya fruit here I will try it on him when it becomes available
      Jenny in Wales

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  2. I wanted to say, again, how grateful I am that you do this post each week! It helps keep me motivated through out the week and you and your fellow readers give me new ideas to use in my own home.
    I wish I could plant now, but we are in Northern Illinois and it is to cold. I have a couple of things started inside but I don't know if they will last 4 more months until I can plant them outside :)
    -I received a free coffee mug from work. It's big and a light blue. Very pretty
    - My husband found organic 2% milk for $1.99, organic vanilla soymilk (our favorite) for 75 cents on clearance at the grocery store this week. He bought all of the soymilk, 16 cartons.
    -We have been eating out of the freezer/pantry all week, only one trip to the store because we ran out of several staples.
    -I found a few more pairs of socks for my daughter that somehow ended up in a storage container when we moved. I was resisting buying more, I am glad I found them.
    - I have been keeping the heat down to 66 - 67 degrees. That seems to be the lowest we can go without the house feeling like a freezer!
    -Only left the house one time, besides work, saving gas in our car. I filled up last week and am still at a half a tank :) I drive 20 minutes to and from work 5 to 6 days a week.
    -I still have not had any soda :) I quit drinking christmas day (posted this in last post I think). HUGE accomplishment for me and big savings. My husband also has greatly cut down his soda consumption as well.
    -My mom gave me some very pretty pony tail holders, black, gold, silver colors. That is how I usually wear my hair.
    That is all for now. Can't wait to read everyone else's posts!

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    1. I'm so proud of you for giving up soda! It isn't easy, I know. Not only does it save so much money when you eat out, it's also a big drain on the grocery budget. It also makes it easier to drink more water which is what our bodies want anyway haha! Every once in awhile I reward myself with some homemade lemonade (it's just sugar, water, and lemons) so the cost is nothing compared to soda.

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    2. Thank you Joquena! I have some of those "powdered flavor sticks" that you mix with "bottled" water I am using up. But I will be making sun tea and homemade lemonade when those are gone. I see a big savings already :) and i feel better too!

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    3. OH and I followed the links in your Gardening for less article and ordered two seed catelogs! I am itching for spring!! Now that we own our home/property we are planning on growing all our fruits/vegetables/herbs! We are so excited!!

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  3. I have never done any gardening (unless you count the tomato plants that we plant in buckets every year) and really enjoy reading all your gardening tips. I'm hopeful that we will be able to start a small raised bed this summer and expand from there.

    --This week I started buying groceries with cash instead of using the debit card. I think this will help me keep better track of our spending and I have already noticed that handing over cash instead of using a debit card has helped me give a second look at what I am buying.

    --I made ham and bean soup with the ham bone from the $.99/lb. ham that I bought Christmas week. I used chicken stock from the freezer and made a few other changes in the recipe in order to use things I already had on hand. It was delicious!

    --We decided to use a gift card that we got for Christmas to stock up on meat when it goes on sale. This week we bought 2 whole chickens for $.99/lb. I'm hoping to find a good sale on ground beef since I very rarely buy it.

    --Went to the bread store and discovered that they have changed their pricing. On Fridays and Saturdays, everything in the store is 5 for $5. I was able to get 100% whole wheat, no high fructose corn syrup bread for $1 each! We will be eating chicken this week since I had to take a chicken out of the freezer in order to make room for all the bread. :)

    --I made whole wheat tortillas for the very first time! And discovered that I need more practice making tortillas.

    --Made homemade instant oatmeal packets for breakfasts.

    --Received four airborne samples in the mail this week.

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    1. Gardening can be a real money saver. Last year, after expenses, my garden yielded just under $2000 of food; I weighed the produce whenever I harvested and at the end of the season my husband went to the store and priced each item so I know we saved that much. SOme we ate then and other stuff I canned. This is in Alaska, where the season is short, and on a regular suburban backyard. We agreed that our backyard would become our grocery store, even though I think my husband would prefer a lawn---but after one season of seeing the savings, he agreed it is the best use of the property. He even built us a greenhouse out of scavenged wood and glass---not lovely, but very effective. I encourage you to spread your wings and try other vegetables.

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    2. Wow! Thanks for sharing your information. I am in Maine and our growing season isn't real long either, but this is a real motivator for me to start gardening...and learning how to can! :)

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  4. I had a baby Christmas Eve, and we had a lot of family in town visiting. We enjoyed homemade food for everyone- did not go out even once.

    I was able to get out with the baby and visit the 90% off Christmas clearance sales. I purchased several gifts for my children and nieces. I also got baking supplies such as cupcake holders for use next Christmas, for the baby's birthday party.

    I'm breastfeeding my baby, so saving a lot of money over the cost of formula.

    At the baby's checkup, I picked up several samples of products from their "take me home" basket. I got lotion, baby wash and laundry detergent.

    I crochet or work on freelance writing assignments while nursing, and I earned $167 in writing in the past week and I have a great start on the 5 pillowghans I'm making for my nieces for Christmas this year!

    I visited a couponing website that posts matchups for my grocery store and made my grocery list for the week.

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    1. Congratulations on your new baby! I bet your family was excited to be there for the event! I recently saw online the formula averages $200 a month! Savings there are huge. Our 'baby' is 21 but our pediatrician way back then said that nursing Mommas deserve a big steak every week because of the money they save.

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    2. Congratulations on the new baby. Oh I miss those days :)If you do not mind sharing how do you find free lance jobs. I have been
      trying to find things to make money at home because I seem to have allergies to chemicals now . I have to stay away from perfume,tide,fabric softner etc. or it gives me a migrain.
      God bless you and that sweet baby.
      Thank you,
      Patti

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    3. My little guy's a Christmas Eve baby too! I love it! Christmas Eve is all about his birthday (we don't do anything Christmasy at all until bedtime, when we read the Nativity story and put out birthday cake and milk for Santa) which means everything *has* to be done by 23 December or it just doesn't get done - While everyone else is running around like a maniac the day before Christmas, we have a nice quiet time as a family, which really helps recharge things before the madness of Christmas!

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    4. To Patti...I am also Patti. I have all of the allergies you mentioned plus more and the migraine issue. However, since I was diagnosed with Celiac and went gluten free, I rarely have migraines anymore and my health is improving. You might look into that as a possibility. Good Luck!

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    5. Hi Patti,
      Thanks for the suggestion about going gluten free. I am going
      to stop eating gluten. I am so excited I make everything from
      scratch so it should be way easier to avoid gluten. Have you
      found any resources for gluten free cooking? I know avoid wheat.
      Have you found any receipes for bread and bake goods.
      Thanks again,
      Patti
      My email is just_forkids@yahoo.com

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    6. from Athanasia...

      Oh, congratulations on the Christmas baby! My oldest was born on Christmas Day. After he was all cleaned up they brought him back to me covered up with a big red stocking. It was big enough for him to fit in, which we did when we got home. We took pictures of him under the Christmas tree to send out.

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    7. Congratulations!

      I had no idea that formula could cost so much. I nurse my babies for reasons other than money, but I do like knowing how much I'm saving!

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    8. One of my favorite gluten free websites is http://www.manifestvegan.com/ just be careful to count your costs. Gluten free is always more expensive so you have to keep your eye out. I recommend writing down the prices for all the gluten free items at all the different stores in your area. That way you'll know when you see a good deal so you can wipe them out! A good deal is different in the g.f. world, so don't expect to find a bag of g.f. oats for $1. Be excited to find them for $1 off.

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    9. Another great site for gluten free is Mennonite Girls Can Cook. They have a gluten-free tab in their recipes on the side of the site, & I have NEVER had one of their gluten free recipes not work. Thinking more in terms of what our grandparents ate for dinner helped us: meat, starch (potatoes or rice), and vegetables. It was hard to go from using bread as a filler to bread as a once in a while item, but fruit & veggies make great "fillers", too, especially as salads.

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  5. I bought 9 new clothing items online for $36 with shipping. I don't buy second hand clothing for me because the detergents and softeners used on them make me itchy and I have never been able to sufficiently remove them.

    I received a $20 off $40 coupon for Burke's Outlet for taking a survey. I used the coupon on my 15% discount day and I was able to get some items clearance to put away for Christmas gifts for next year.

    I found Christmas gift wrap marked down to 31 cents a roll and put some away for next year.

    We ate most meals at home even though I have a terrible cold and sure would have appreciated not cooking some nights.

    I have been treating my cold with essential oils and other natural items we have on hand instead of going out and buying cold medicine.

    Took advantage of a rebate available in my area for $5 on any beef purchase. I bought a little over 3 pounds of ground chuck for $2.81 after the rebate. I still have a rebate for $5 off oranges but will purchase those after we eat the oranges that we have on hand right now.

    Signed up for a free cup of coffee at Starbucks coupon this AM and gifted one to my husband. Free coffee date!

    Other than the above mentioned shopping I have avoided the after Christmas clearance shopping because I find that I will buy all kinds of things that I do not really need given the opportunity. It is best to just stay out of the stores!

    Bought many produce items for great prices at Aldi this week. Grapefruit was 1.49 for 5 pounds and cantaloupes were .99. I bought 3 cantaloupes and all three were rotten inside. I will take my receipt back and they will refund my money and give me three more cantaloupes as per their store policy.

    I froze the rest of the baked goods from Christmas early last week. We were sick of those cookies, etc. They will be there for us to eat later when we will appreciate them more.

    My husband is changing jobs and the new location wears jeans everyday. My husband prudently decided to go on wearing his Dockers until they wear out since he has those already and does not have enough good jeans to wear them daily.

    That is all my stuffed up head can remember right now :)

    Have a good week everyone!

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    1. Three more things---

      We turned our water heater down 15 degrees this week. Since it is under the house we rarely think about it but hubby had to go down there over the weekend so I asked him to check the setting and we were quite surprised at how high it was set. This should really save some money.

      I cut my husband's hair.

      Made menus for all of January to use food items on hand except for fresh produce.

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  6. Cleaned out the fridge. Used up leftovers. Made a new recipe. (Husband doesn't like any changes.) It was sweet and sour chicken with fried rice. Had to substitute regular vegetable oil for sesame oil. Everything else out of the pantry. My 13 year old son thought I ordered out Chinese. The very picky 16 year old even ate the chicken. Husband and sons say make it again - only more.
    Used 20% off bag from Menards to pick up Command replacement strips for hanging next Christmas decorations and paint for bathroom.
    Had 13 year old walk to his friends so I didn't have to take the car out. He seriously needs the exercise and was dressed appropriately for 25F. About a 20 minute walk one way.
    Diapered grand kids with free sample diapers while they were here for a visit.
    Used up shampoo/conditioner samples I had been saving. (More left for this week too.)
    Removing 20+ year old wall paper from my bathroom a bit at a time as PT for an elbow I messed up falling on the ice since. It was unintentional until I realized that most of the motions were equivalent to what the therapist was having me do. ;)
    New Years Eve at home with manager marked down steaks picked up day after Christmas for cheap.
    Sheila - Escanaba
    Keep up the good work. Your posts are my inspiration.

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    1. Congratulations on your recipe success! I am so happy when I make something new and everyone likes it!

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  7. You all inspire me so much! I'm planning my garden and will make little milk jug greenhouses this week to start my seeds. Lettuce, Brussels sprouts, etc. made Brandi's gingerbread pancake batter but made waffles instead. Family says I can make them again any time. Washed and laid out dress fabric for a long dress for my younget. Will cut it out tonight after work.

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  8. I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because I've been out of town, so this covers the last two weeks:

    I got a bag of clothes from a friend. They were items she was planning to give to Goodwill, but since we're about the same size she gave them to me first to see if I wanted anything. Most of it fit me; I'm keeping three skirts, three shirts, a necklace and a pair of pajama pants. I'm excited about getting all of those clothes for free :)

    I got some new socks using a gift certificate from winning my age group in a Thanksgiving day 5k.

    My father-in-law gave us a bigger pot for our basil plant because it had outgrown the one we had. He had one in the garage that wasn't being used.

    We checked out a book on tape from the library to listen to during our trip.

    We drove to visit family in the next state over, and then flew to see family several states away. Our dog traveled with us for the driving portion and then stayed with family during the rest of our trip, so we didn't have to pay to board her. We were also able to get a ride to the airport and leave our car at a family member's house to avoid paying for airport parking.

    We flew standby, so our plane tickets were fairly inexpensive.

    We brought gifts with us so we didn't have to pay for shipping. We also brought my mom's gifts with us on the plane trip so she wouldn't have to pay shipping either.

    I got a pair of shoes at goodwill for about $3, they're a nice replacement for a pair that's falling apart.

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  9. Yay! One of my favorite things each week! Thanks Brandy.

    Here's what we did this week:

    * Started our Pantry Challenge Month - $50 for the month of January for food/toiletries/paper products. Had one shopping trip and did fairly well (I posted on my blog, if you'd like to see it).
    * Made my husband's birthday gift - two journals and a box of questions to go with them. Total cost $0.20 + using stuff that I usually have on hand.
    * Used Christmas money for some new underclothes and workout pants (no $ taken from our budget). My husband used his Christmas money for a new pair of shoes. All purchased on sale for far less than we would spend regular price.
    * Cleaned out a bunch of stuff we no longer used and donated it. Took store credit to be used at a later date rather than a tax statement.
    * Ate at home every day and all meals except for a pre-planned date out.
    * Made and froze pancakes for quick breakfasts later during the school year.
    * Wrote up a list of Birthday presents to make for our immediate and extended family this year. Came up with a plan to actually make those gifts rather than having it be a nice thought. :)
    * Downloaded 12 free books for my Kindle for PC
    * Watched 2 shows on Hulu

    I think that's it for now. Thanks again for hosting this Brandy - I love it!
    Lea

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  10. I loved the rolled towel idea for blocking drafts, we actually HAVE draft blockers but my son insists they are snakes and I frequently find them off having adventures in the house instead of at my windowsills.

    I figured out how to make my sons favorite baby food, he is a great eater unlike my first son. I was behind on my home made baby food with Christmas and all so I had bought some. Anyway he loved an oatmeal raisin custard but it was 2 dollars a serving. Ok for an emergency( assuming you have custard emergencies) but no way for every day. I poached raisins, steel cut oatmeal, three kinds of apples, cinnamon and some grape juice. Then I pureed it. It is delicious. I never put raisins or real oatmeal in baby food before. my husband found a deal on craig's list for a huge lot of legos for 250 dollars. He could tell from the pictures there were at least 1,000 dollars in sets in there, even out of the box. So he bought them and we are spending two hours a night sorting them for ebay. We are trying to eat all the stuff from the fridge and freezer so we will have less to juggle when our new unit comes.

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    1. This made me laugh! I shared your comment with my husband this morning.

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    2. from Athanasia...

      You are selling the Legos? They are the greatest children's toy ever invented...you should keep for your children. My 28 y/o son spends time sorting and building every time he visits still. The children still discuss this set or that and what sets they longed for over the years and never had. We never bought a lot of toys...pretty much limited it to puzzles and Legos because everyone can play and no limit to the imagination.

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    3. We are keeping some and selling some. My husband has a hundred thousand legos. We get huge lots and sort through for the ones he is missing or think our kids will enjoy and then sell the rest. You can pick up really good deals for legos on craigslist( less so on ebay) if you know what you are doing, because some people just want them out of the house and don't want to put the time in or are overwhelmed at the project of sorting them all. We used to buy retail and still do sometimes as a treat or if there is a good deal but generally speaking he hunts for them. He is familiar enough that he can identify the sets from the pictures that are posted to know if it is worth our time. He likes Star Wars and our son likes the little trucks so any doubles we get he sells, or any Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, etc. We can generally make 5x our money back.

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    4. from Athanasia...

      Celia, my son says he has been looking on line for some pirate ship set. I am not sure which one it is as we had several. Do you have any pirate sets in there?

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    5. We have not found any pieces to indicate that, it's a huge lot-15,000 pieces. We are about 65% through so it's unlikely that there is one or we would have found a part. It's Indiana Jones, Star Wars, some Harry Potter and a handful of odds and ends. My son is super excited because we found a cement mixer. It's so nice when he wants to do a lego set and all we have to do is go to the basement. HAHHAA,.... WHEN GEEKS STOCKPILE.

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  11. We live in a former foreclosure -- a semi-fixer upper, with drafty windows. Stopped drafts from coming into some of them by using painter's tape and using a rolled up towel to keep drafts from coming in through the bottom of our very cold laundry room door. Heated up the house as much as possible by opening up south and west facing curtains when it is sunny during the day.

    Had several meatless meals -- burritos, Brandy's chicken fried steak, potato tacos.

    We made hamburgers one night but I really, really botched up the meat by totally over seasoning them. I don't know what the heck I did but not even my husband would eat them, and he eats nearly anything. I put them to use by chopping them up really, really finely and using them in spaggetti sauce, which we have now had for two meals.

    I don't make yeast bread because it doesn't rise for me. Not kidding! Before we moved into this house I decided that our (old) house had some sort of bad bread-making ghost in it, I couldn't figure out what else to blame because I tried making bread so many different ways, all of which failed. Turned up the heat in the house, that didn't work. Put the bread in the stove in case the house was drafty, that didn't work. Different types of yeast, that didn't work. Well, the bad bread making spirit must have moved with us because I still can't make yeast bread. SO, I made Brandy's Chapatis -- just whole wheat and water. No yeast needed. They were great! Thanks again Brandy!

    Continuing regards and thanks to all of you really smart women, especially Brandy. E.

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    1. Have you tried proofing the yeast first? Use a candy thermometer and make sure your water is between 105-110º. Make sure the yeast bubbles up (in about 5 minutes). Too cold and the yeast won't grow; too hot and it will kill it.

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    2. Another possibility: yeast will not rise is if it is coated. Many recipes tell you to melt the butter/shortening in the warmed milk. Do NOT do that - it can coat the yeast, then the yeast will not rise. I always added the melted butter or shortening after part of the flour was mixed into the dough. Still another possibility: try making a recipe that uses a dough sponge that sits overnight, then you add the rest of the flour to finish it, like a sourdough recipe. In those recipes, the fat is added after the overnight rise, which would avoid coating the yeast. - Marivene

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    3. I always proof my yeast in water. Marivene makes an interesting point.

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    4. I also warm my bowl because it always seems cold and that will cool down my water before adding the yeast.

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    5. Salt can kill yeast. Some recipes say to add it last so there is enough "buffer" between the yeast and the salt. I don't know if that helps but thought I'd say something just in case.

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    6. Also, if your water is too hot or too cold the yeast will not rise. Too cold means it doesn't activate and too hot, it actually kills the yeast. I had real problems until I realized that hotter wasn't better!
      :)

      Hope that's helpful!
      Lea

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    7. I've proofed my yeast in water but haven't checked the thermometer, so that might be the problem variable. But I don't really have an idea of how much the yeast should bubble. I assume it's somewhere between the suds on a glass of soda and the I Love Lucy suds episode. I am also going to use glass or ceramic bowls given Brandy's comment that stainless is too cold. That also might be the -- or a -- problem variable. I've added a bit of sugar on occasion to feed the yeast and always omit salt.

      I'll try again and will let you know the status of the bad-bread making spirit.

      Again, so many regards and thanks for the comments. E.

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    8. from Athanasia...

      I pour warm milk into my stainless steel mixer bowl, add honey and oil, stir then add yeast. I never add salt. Let sit about 1-2 min, while I start getting flour out etc. I only let sit till I see a few beginning bubbles, not a whole heap of foam. I do have a problem with slow rising if the flour is cold right out of the refrigerator (when I use WW). In the winter I set the bowl to rise (I just keep it in the ss mixer bowl), covered in the microwave. The MW is over the stove so I leave the door open a couple inches and put the tea kettle on to simmer. I aim the steam in at the dough.

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    9. In the winter I place my bowl on a heating pad set on low.

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    10. Smart! I will take good notes this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks again so much to everyone, especially Brandy. E.

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  12. Are you going to share the gift list you are making for your children? I would love to see it!

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    1. I've only barely started it, so there are only a handful of ideas on there. I'm planning some dresses this year for my girls.

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  13. I've been reading everyone's great ideas for a few weeks now and finally decided to post some of my own. I'm so inspired by all of you!

    We didn't eat out at all this past week - that is a big change that we've been working towards for some time now. We used to eat out once per week, usually on the weekend.

    We made homemade pizza on Friday night - so yummy! We have a recipe for the crust from the Moosewood cookbook and it turns out so good every time.

    I downloaded several free books for my Kindle.

    We ate up some leftovers I had frozen after our Christmas meal.

    We played bowling on the Wii for some free family entertainment.

    Combined coupons with clearance sales at the grocery and scored some good deals.

    Called to change our satellite TV to the lowest possible package. I would get rid of it completely if it were up to me, but I really like being married LOL!

    Redeemed some Swag Bucks for an Amazon gift card.

    Made bread twice and granola once.

    Currently working on remaking a long shirt into a skirt for my youngest daughter.

    That's about all I can think of for now.

    Thanks for the inspiration!
    ~Robyn

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  14. My entire list is too long to publish on here it appears...You can find the whole list with pictures on my blog: http://lisajoseph.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-frugal-accomplishments.html

    Made Brandy's rosemary olive-oil bread and french bread. I cut the rosemary bread into thick slices and made grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner one night.

    Ate may meatless meals: grilled cheese and homemade french fries, garlic pasta, and mini pizzas.

    Made chocolate chip muffins. I was out of butter so I substituted equal amounts of oil.

    Made double chocolate muffins.

    Made refried beans using canned pinto beans that were on sale for 49¢. Refried beans normally run 99¢/can so I saved half by making my own.

    Ate lots of leftovers instead of throwing them away.

    My husband took lunch to work all week. He also takes a large thermos of coffee each day.

    My husband worked 5 hours of overtime.

    Stocked up on pasta for 59¢/box. I bought 4 months worth. I also bought canned corn and canned green beans for 33¢/can and canned tomatoes for 57¢/can. My local grocery store runs this type of stock up sale twice per year.

    Bought pork loin for $1.69lb and boneless chicken breast for $1.68/lb. While at the store I picked up some ice cream as well that was supposed to be on sale. I didn't check my receipt until I got home and noticed that they charged me full price. I went back the next day and per the store policy, they refunded my money and I ended up getting it for free.

    Using coupons, I was also able to get 4 free boxes of cereal bars and 4 boxes of cereal for 17¢/box. My children rarely eat cereal, so I'm going to repurpose the cereal into cereal bars that they will take to school for snacks.

    My husband made a picture frame out of material we had on hand. He nailed together a frame of wood molding and stapled chicken wire to the back. I painted it with leftover trim paint and attached a picture hanger to the back. The only cost was for the picture hanger: 20¢.

    Received a free 2013 calendar.

    Fed dogs cantaloupe and apples that were turning. I add it to their dog food to stretch it further. The vet recommended replacing half a cup of dog food per meal with fruits and/or veggies for weight control.

    Made dog treats instead of buying them.

    Cleaned out my kitchen junk drawers. I have three of them! I was able to throw out a whole bag of garbage and saved a few items for the tag sale I'm planning in the spring.

    Cleaned out the closet in the girls' room. One bag of garbage and one for tag sale.

    My husband cut my youngest son's hair and I cut my oldest son's hair.

    Made laundry detergent.

    Washed all sheets, blankets, quilts, and pillows on our beds. Everyone has been sick here for the last few weeks!

    Made some new couch pillows with leftover fabric. I did buy new pillow inserts but was able to get them on sale for 20% off.

    Borrowed a few books from the library. I'm planning for our 2013 garden and want to maximize the square footage I have and maybe find some room on our heavily wooded lot to grow some apples or peaches!

    Bought two shelves for my office nook and one arrived damaged. I called the company and they happily sent a replacement and told me just to keep the damaged shelf. My husband was able to hang the shelf so that the damaged part is underneath and you can't see it. So now I have an extra shelf that I need to find a spot for!

    Earned a $5 Amazon.com gift card from Swagbucks.

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  15. I had a great week of sewing since we didn't start homeschooling last week. A professional seamstress friend gave me a bag of gorgeous home dec remnants (including silk and expensive trims.) I made 10 fabric gift bags to add to my stash. You use them just like the paper ones that are so popular, pillowcase style or with box corners on the bottom. Tie the top with a ribbon, and you don't need tape or throw-away ribbon & bows.

    I also made two piano music book bags for my children who take piano lessons. They are very elegant with fancy fabric and trims. We made doll pillows, too, and I mended five garments. I let out the hem on my eldest daughter's homemade pj pants from last year.

    It was so fun to do all that sewing. Now I have to pack it all up.

    We ate some parsley, lettuce, carrots, and parsley from the garden.

    I received a $20 gift card for filling out three Angieslist.com reviews. Whoo Hoo.

    Since participating in making homemade gifts for Christmas, I now see how gift making should be a year-round activity so that you have enough time for it. My children each received three handmade gifts, and my extended family each received one. My kids said this year's Christmas was really special and that they want to do it again in 2013! Thanks for all the blessings.

    I love it when you post your ideas, Brandy!

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  16. Frugal things since Christmas

    -bought wrapping paper for half price.

    -bought a 9kg turkey for £20.

    -have been given crockery, cutlery, towels, bedding, a bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table and a chest of drawers for free from a house clearance.

    -had to buy a double buggy, because the youngest will only be 22 months when the next one is born, it was originally £260 but was reduced to £100. I hadn’t expected to have anymore children after my fifth, so I gave everything away. I will soon be having my seventh child.

    -sorted through the baby clothes in storage, had a spare snowsuit so I gave this to someone else in the Ward who is also having a baby.

    -began working on a puff quilt (with material I had acquired for free before Christmas) which will be a Christmas present for next year.

    -prepped and froze the leftover veg from Christmas before it spoilt.

    -I am trying to grocery shop only for essentials for a while, unfortunately that include soya milk, veg / fruit cheese, margarine, bread and new-born nappies. So still a fair amount of money.
    There is an awful lot of frugal things I need to improve on, this is partly due to the limitations of being pregnant and in my forties, but mainly I think I have just got lazy over time. So once baby is born it will be time to get on and get really frugal again

    Jenny in Wales

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    1. Jenny,

      I love your list! What a blessing to receive so much furniture and more for free!

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  17. -Began a list of birthday & Christmas presents for 2013.
    -Froze leftover ham from our holiday dinner & froze concentrated ham broth from baking the ham in small containers, then popped the frozen discs out & put them in a freezer zip bag to use later. Simmered the ham bone for soup & to cook off the last bits of ham. Used the ham bits with 2 cups of the broth form the bone, baked with rice to make a casserole that turned out quite yummy.
    -Bought a pkg of large lamb steaks from the meat mark down bin for $1.61. Baked them with mixed summer squash in tomato sauce & onion, bottled from our garden. Sprinkled the top with Parmesan cheese. Also froze 2 one-pound packages of Jennie-O ground turkey from the bargain basket, for $1/pkg.
    -Cut gift tags from a box of Crunch & Munch that was a gift. The popcorn on the yellow made 3 tags that will be cute on birthday gifts. Cut some tags from a MiDel (gluten free) cookie box that had held gingerbread men cookies, purchased on clearance.
    -Used the paper from a red envelope as backing for some gift tags I cut from the cardinal Kleenex box. I also placed some stickers meant to seal envelopes on the red envelope paper, & turned them into gift tags. Isn’t practical creativity fun?
    -Wrapped birthday presents for my granddaughter with white paper that had silver snowflakes on it, & used small remnants of “birthday” paper saved from previous use for several small packages. Used recycled bows & repurposed gift tags, & the packages all look nice!
    -One of the presents for my granddaughter contains 2 sets of knitting needles, size 11 & size 9. She just learned to knit, & made a scarf for herself using size 10.5 needles. I also gave her 3 skeins of wool yarn from my stash, bought at deep discount on clearance several years ago, in a color she loves.
    -Bought a few snowflake decorations on clearance, & a set of books that will be a birthday gift in the summer for our granddaughter.
    -Had a bank errand Wed am, & asked the teller if I could have the “old” (2012) calendar that was hanging up, since I liked the pictures on it. She handed it over with a smile. Wells Fargo calendars have 11 x 14" pics of the stagecoach & horses, & our youngest daughter is trying to decorate her room in the apartment. She can drive a team of horses, & now she has 24 pictures, from which to choose a few to pop into frames she already has, for free.
    -Had to go in to Provo on Wednesday, so I stopped at a few thrift stores on my way back. I found a hard cover book I wanted at DI, which my husband will give me for my birthday later this month. Retail is $22 on the book, & I got it for $3 – it is in perfect condition & doesn’t look as if the book has even been opened! At Pak Rat, I bought a small ceramic schoolhouse for our “village”, even tho we already have one, because this one came with a 4 watt light cord, which can replace the broken one on our angel #5 in the yard display, for $1, at 50% off.
    -Shoveled a path over to the 2 closest rain barrels & filled them with snow. They are half full of ice, as it is, but they are black Rubbermaid trash cans, so on warmer days, the snow melts.
    -Responded to a freecycle ad for a twin size comforter. When I picked it up, the box also contained a handful of mismatched sheets! The box in which I brought them home is tall enough to store the 2nd shepherd I received for Christmas, since he was 2nd hand & came without a box. The trip was definitely worth the gas, especially since pickup was only about 5 minutes away.
    -Rescued 2 curbside Christmas trees (with permission) to add pine needles to the blueberry bed. I dragged them home over the snow & ice, so no gas used, either.
    -Dehydrated clementines before they got over ripe, & made gluten-free orange raisin muffins with an orange that needed used.-Marivene

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  18. I have been reading your blog for a couple of month now and it has really helped/inspired me with some new frugal ideas. My goal this week is to not buy anything, except for milk (which we drink a lot of and some fish food for my daughter's fish). The idea of not spending anymore than that is a bit liberating. I usually stress about getting to the store with my coupons on Monday and today I don't have to. We will eat out of our pantry and food storage. I am very blessed to live in Idaho. I have access to free potatoes in the fall and I grow a large garden. I can get as much wheat as I want because my dad grows it and usually saves several hundred pounds for food storage. He also raises some cattle so we can usually buy/raise a grass fed cow for beef. After reading some of the other posts, I realize what a great blessing that is to not have to buy it at the store. THanks for all your words of inspiration.

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  19. We've all been sick with a nasty cold so we haven't been very active.

    I love that you are making your birthday gift list already. I've got 2 birthdays coming up really soon, so I think I will follow this idea.

    My frugal list (what I can remember anyway. lol):

    Stopped at the thrift store and found a gift for a birthday this month.

    Made bread for our family as well as a couple extra loaves for the oldest to take back to school.

    It has been around 8 degrees at night. Our TV is in the basement and we have family movie parties. We figured it costs around 10 cents/hour to run our space heater, so we run that for about an hour and use blankets as well to keep warm rather than turning up the furnace. We keep a blanket in front of the door to the furnace room that vents to the outside to help the basement stay a little warmer as well. Our 2nd fridge and our freezer are in that room. They aren't working very hard lately (ha ha) but the fridge has been freezing too much.

    My mom gave me my grandma's old half gallon canning jars. I plan on purchasing more beans and grains to restock this year and will store them in these jars.

    Accepted bags of used clothing. Found a dress and a skirt and a pair of jeans for my picky teen. Also found other items that some younger kids could use. Set aside quite a few items to turn into leggings or skirts for the youngest ones. I'm keeping about half of what was given.

    Made a menu for the month of January. I am excited that about 90% of it comes from what I already have on hand. I will need to purchase a few perishables and other staples that I need to restock.

    We have some store credit because of gift returns. I used this coupled with current deals and a coupon code to pay for new shoes and some socks for my oldest. I used ebates (I hope you get credit Brandy..I'm not sure I did it right, we had lots of confusion in the house and there was a time limit at the time). So I have $10 added to the remainder of my store credit, got free shipping and the shoes were on sale.

    My oldest called while I was typing this. She got a campus job! It goes with her major and it turns out the man in charge is one of our neighbors! He is considered the leading expert in his field in the country. This will help us a lot because we are helping where we can to keep her from having any student loans. It also means she can do more of what she wants. She comes home once a week and stocks up on basics like flour and sugar and such.

    I'm so excited for her that I can't even remember anything else. LOL

    Penelope

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    1. Congrats on the campus job for your daughter - what a blessing! Marivene

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  20. Love the dish towels! How thin are they? They don't look like your standard thick, textured towels.

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    1. These are flour-sack towels, so they are thin towels. I have these hanging in my kitchen. You can see them when you come to vist again :)

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    2. from Athanasia....

      Funny story. That whisk looks just like the one I gave my mother for Christmas BECAUSE she moved into a retirement apartment awhile ago and she gave us lots of her kitchen and household items, furniture etc. Then on her Christmas list she asks for a whisk and dish towels. I said well you gave those away saying you wouldn't need them. I changed my mind she said. I said do you want them back? Oh no ,you can keep those and you can get me the new ones for Christmas presents! Aren't parents funny?

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    3. Athanasia--That is hilarious! Sounds like something my 75 year old Mother would do too!!

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  21. I kept a running list this week and posted it on my blog. I hope it's OK to post a link. If not, I apologize and will copy/paste it here, if it will format. :) I did some baking, got some cash for opening a bank account, used items we had on hand - all sorts of stuff!
    http://tenthingsfarm.blogspot.com/2013/01/this-weeks-frugal-accomplishments.html

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  22. found all my ornaments for next year and a few for 2014 Christmas (I gift everyone in my family with an ornament I pick out specifically for them connected to their interest, age, personality etc) and I brought them home and bagged them up and labeled them so I don't forget who gets what. All at discounts between 66% to 80% off.
    Also found Holiday Christmas fleece blankets on 80% off making them 1.24, I cannot buy fabric that cheap, I bought 7 of them, my neices and nephews will be receiving them for gifts next year. I am stocked up now on gift bags and tissue paper.
    I also made a list of what I bought and who for, this will help me remember so much easier. Storing my blankets is an issue, so I will put them in a rubbermaid tote, and put in a sachet packet that I have, to help them stay smelling nice and not take on the smells of my home.
    Not necessarily frugal, but a good hint, since it is time to take down the christmas cards, and decorations, I have decided to take all the "photo" cards I received this year and place them in my devotional/journal to pray for these friends daily as I journal after my devotions.

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  23. My mother-in-law cut my 3 sons and husbands hair for free. This saves us so much over the year. I have not had my hair cut in 18 months and that also saves a lot!

    We needed to have our drain snaked out 100 feet on New Years Day, but they did not charge us extra :) (they said because they had so many jobs they were calling it a regular work day).

    I was returning a few pop cans from the holidays and someone left $3.40 worth in a cart that I was able to return and use the money towards my grocery bill!

    I was able to get apples at a good price and used the dehydrator to make apple chips for my children as a snack. I plan to try pear slices tonight. (I did cranberries that was able to purchase for .39 with a little brown sugar last week, to use in my granola bars.

    I plan to make granola and then bars tonight.

    I was able to give a baby shower gift with items from my gift bin (sale and clearance items).

    My husband and I went to the movies using 2 free tickets.

    My sister-in-law took our children for the night and thus fed them dinner and breakfast. She had a gift certificate and so they went to a restaurant for dinner. She had been given, bread, eggs and bacon as a gift which she used for breakfast!

    I have been taking left overs for my lunch each day in reusable containers in a reusable lunch bag. My husband and I also ate them for dinner last night.

    I made another batch of laundry detergent.

    I prepared a bunch of meals for this week so we are not tempted to eat out (one of my goals for the new year is to eat out as a treat not just because we are used to it.)

    Was excited to see that we did not go over out holiday budget. I am so glad we sat down a year and a half a go and wrote out a monthly budget with categories for extra groceries and gift giving. It certainly takes away a lot of the stress of holidays.

    I borrowed tax software and re-did my 2011 taxes to see if I can do my own this year...I plan to. I will also be splitting the cost of the program with my sister so we both save!

    I made a project with my Sunday school class using a roll of free wrapping paper I had.

    My sister made a small purchase for me at our local co-op: a sweet potato, some quinoa and spinach.

    I borrowed 2 books through my kindle from the local library.

    I downloaded numerous kindle books for free.

    I took advantage of free shipping from a month of Amazon prime that I received free.

    I tried to reduce our cable/phone/internet bill...I was unsuccessful but it didn't hurt to try.

    My sister and I had a Tupperware party. We both served left over snack food from other get-togethers and were able to EACH earn over $330 worth of free Tupperware. I selected a few gifts with mine as well as some storage for my pantry to organize my stockpile. One of the things I got was a small rice cooker. They only had the large on when my sister-in-law ordered and so she is trading me for the little one as she is single. Great deal for me!

    I used (as I do weekly but never thought about it) my bagless vacuum cleaner (I hated remembering to buy bags).

    I used a gift certificate I had gotten for Christmas to go though the car wash and wash a layer or two of road salt and sand off. My boys love going through the "rainbow colored noodles" so it was fun and helped keep the body of my van in better shape.

    Thank you for these posts. I never thought about the price of cheese being more than meat. I have been complaining that ground beef has not been on sale for a long time...but I am paying the price I complain about for cheese. Gives me something to think about...maybe we could have more meat in our meals and less cheese. It would be a change (I am sick the of the same meals over and over)in taste but not in cost anymore.

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    1. Sometimes the way they price the cheese makes it seem like a really good deal, like this week the 8 oz bags were 4 for $5, but in reality you are paying $2.50 a pound, which was more than the ground beef that was on sale for $1.99 lb. I have started using 1/2 cup cheese instead of the full cup called for in recipes, as well as trying out making things like sheperds pie without the extra cheese on top at all. It does take some getting used to! I rarely make lasagne or pizza anymore, as the cheese is getting to be so much.

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    2. If you are using a recipe that calls for cheddar...make sure to get the sharpest one you can get! This way you can use less cheese, but still have the cheddar flavor. That's what I do in my kitchen!

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    3. I used paprika or chili powder on top of my sheppard pie it still looked wonderful and my family did not miss it. I have been adding chicken stock in place of water in the mac and cheese again was able to use less cheese.
      Blessings,
      Patti

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  24. Happy New Year, Everyone! DH and I also had a date night at home on NYE and ate steaks. Haven't posted in awhile so here is about two weeks worth of frugality:
    -gifted from co-workers:coffee, dry soup mix, 2 pkg of deer sausage.
    -I gifted them homemade pork BBQand sauce. Now they are expecting it every year. DH got a BIG GRREN EGG for Christmas and he was gifted from owner of BBQ place he works PT for, 2-81/2 pork butts for 30 cents a lb.
    -For Christmas I used a 12 lb turkey that my DB sent me last year. Made whole meal from stock in freezer and pantry. Have enough turkey to make at least 6 or more meals.
    -Worked 10 days straight to cover for co-workers to spendtime w/families. Got a bigger paycheck to help restock pantry.
    -Recieved bacon and ham gift boxes from siblings. They know me too well!
    -Recieved money from my Dad-got much needed underwear and bras.
    -Brought home leftovers from DMIL on NYD- lots of mashed potatoes, corn, almost a WHOLE ham, mac and cheese, chicken and dumplings, and blackeyed peas.
    -Made 3/big pot meals using the leftovers; chili, corn&ham chowder, and brunswick stew using all leftovers and stock of pantry. Also made a large pan of stirfry.
    -Saved alot at the store due to double coupons up to $2.
    -I too decided to go back to be crafty for this year and use what nature has to offer. Plus went to Christmas clearence of 90% off to help me get started.
    -Had fires in the wood stove every night to help out w/heating bill. Used wood we have had for 2 yrs. Since the new tax is coming out of both paychecks this month(probably equals to $100 each month). I too, had to have the "talk" with hubby about cutting expences. He likes beans so no problem there!
    -Continuing to use my "a year of meal plans" notebook I started back in Sept. I has really made me think about what to cook accordingly to the staples of what is in my pantry and freezer. Plus it has limited the time of running to the store all the time, which saves on gas.
    Have a blessed week!

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  25. Spent no money on food this week and used milk that was about to expire to make yogurt---which will give it a little more shelf life.

    Made seed tapes for my tiny seeds. That saves money because fewer to thin when they start coming up and it saves time because they are faster to plant and I have less to thin when they start coming up.

    Arranged with a friend to trade some seeds. I plant a lot of different winter squash varieties but never use the entire package of seeds (even over two summers). She gave me half packets of beets, cauliflower and bak choi, and I gave her squash seeds. Saves us both money.

    My husband is recuperating from cancer and I am not strong enough physically to shovel the porch and sidewalks, so traded some trees we cut down for shoveling for the rest of the winter. This neighbor has a wood stove and this will give him about 2 cords of free (except for sweat) wood.

    I did order some seeds and someone was not paying attention because I received four extra packs of sugar snap peas. I called the company to say I would send them back but would like them to pay for the postage. They told me to keep them and this week I received a letter with a coupon for $20 worth of free seeds as a thank you for being an honest customer. I almost fell over. Apparently the owner was impressed that someone would point out an error in their favor and wanted to reward me. I will use it to order some raspberry bushes.

    My husband's mother was determined that her three sons would be able to take care of themselves, so she taught them how to use a sewing machine. this week I was lamenting the amount of mending I had. SO, on football Sunday, he pulled out the sewing machine and mended everything in the basket (2 games worth of mending!) He then said that he would take on the mending chore, so I am doubly blessed! (But he is not perfect. He, too, wants meat with every meal!!)

    Received a huge bag of almonds from my sister, as a belated Christmas gift.

    Received samples of dog food, Tide and tea in the mail. The tea bags I save and include in cards to friends, inviting them to sit down with a cup of tea to read my letter.

    Ate out of the pantry and freezer.

    Thanks for everyone for the tips. I get some great reminders on how to save money.

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    1. Okay, I laughed out loud after reading about being doubly blessed by your husband, but he still wants meat:)

      I loved reading about your unique ways of saving this week. The tea idea for friends, giving children life skills (your MIL).

      Being honest always is the best.

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    2. How do you make seed tape? That sounds very interesting. I just hate having to thin my carrots and throw away those perfectly good plants.

      Delete

    3. I would like to know how to make seed tape, too. I have sprouted tiny seeds like carrots before on a thin strip of moist paper towels, & planted that, but I can't do that until the weather is ready for planting. Right now we have 15" of snow on the ground.- Marivene

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    4. You can use toilet paper but I use newspaper because that way I am recycling and not wasting toilet paper.

      Mix together equal amounts of flour and water---it should be glue like paste, not at all watery. If you have a tiny paint brush you can use that, but I have a plastic bear that used to use honey. It has a lid with a small opening that squirts out just bout the right amount, assuming I am paying attention!

      Cut a long strip of newspaper, about two inches wide. I use a sheet of newspaper lengthwise, but if you are planting in, for example, small pots, you might want to use it width wise for shorter lengths.

      Fold the two inches in half, so now you have a long strip that is one inch wide. Make sure the crease is a good one so it does not flop around while you are working. Open it up and on the bottom one inch side, daub bits of flour paste, putting the dots as far apart as you want the seedlings to be when they sprout. So, let's say you want your carrots 3 inches apart. Well, then you would put the daubs 3 inches apart. Using tweezers, put one seed in each flour dot (again, these should be almost flat in terms of how much flour paste you use---you don't want globs. SOmetimes I use my finger to spread out the flour paste a bit before I start setting in the seeds. If you use too much paste the seed will get too wet and you can accidentally start the germination process)

      After you have quickly put a seed in each dot, fold the top side (the remaining one inch) down and press gently. there will be enough glue to hold the top down on the bottom. So, you should end up with a long one inch strip, double, with seeds inside the strip. (Hope I am making this clear).

      Put in a dry place for a day and then gather them up and put them in plastic bags until you need them. If you are making a lot of different tapes, then remember to label them---either on the strip or put each variety in a different baggie.

      If you are using seeds from previous years, you may want to plant them closer so that you compensate for a lower germination rate. Even if you do end up having to thin a little, it is far, far less then when you scatter things in a row.

      I hope I have made this clear enough. I don't watch a lot of tv, but when I do I like to knit or do something useful. This is a perfect activity for those nights.

      In interior Alaska, when you can finally put stuff in the ground, you really need to get moving and I find that this saves me time.

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    5. from Athanasia...

      I keep seeing that people are getting free samples in the mail of this and that. How do you manage that??

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    6. Athanasia--check out this post on Money Saving Mom. She does this every week on Thursday or Friday.
      http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/01/weekly-freebie-round-up.html

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    7. Thanks for the seed tape explanation!

      Delete

    8. Those seed tape instructions are fabulous - thank you! And I bet it saves a LOT of time in the spring - ours is late here, too, usually, and the season is so short that if I don't plant everything as soon as possible we miss out. Maybe I'd get it done without wearing out quite so badly this way! Plus it gives me something concrete to do in the winter time, when I miss my garden but really shouldn't be ordering more seeds online.

      Delete

  26. Brandy, those red potholders are beautiful & with the embroidered towels, they make a lovely gift! You are one talented seamstress!
    -Marivene

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  27. We have been eating from our panty all week. My boss was cleaning out her pantry and found 8 boxes of tea, and i gladly took them! Love gormet teas but not the price tag. And you cant beat free!
    Ill be in richmond for two weeks getting specialized training for my job, so this month we will save on gas (i wont be driving for two weeks!)and food (the food is free at the training-breakfast, lunch and dinner) so i plan on making my husband a big pot of chili and a pan of brownies and leaving him on his own! :P
    planning my 2013 garden....just got my seeds in the mail. Ive got garden fever already!

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  28. Always these posts encourage me!

    Googled kitchen dishcloths to knit. Found many patterns.Starting to prepare for when my older children move out. When I knit them I think and pray for the recipient. ( Kind of like prayer shawl ministry in our church).

    Wrapped a gift with a lovely green scarf I had. I had given it as a gift to one of my daughters this year. Not hertaste and nver been worn. ( I already had one for myself). So wrapped a good friends family present in it.

    I recieve gas points when I fill up. They expire in 3 months. I put them on a gift card( no expiry and no fees) and can save thenm indefinitely. I am hoping to do this all year and then decide at Christmas 2013 if I want to use them for groceries, gifts, shower gifts etc.

    Most of my gifts were purchased when I went on vacation this fall. My husband and children loved that about them.Really took the pressure off in Nov. and Dec. and I had gone on vacation knowing I would do this and so looked not for touristy souvenirs but functional , applicable gifts unique to the area I was visiting.

    I receive an email daily informing me of which free apps are available for children. I use it frequently to download learning apps and books.

    Figured out how to make my iPad a kindle (used the kindle app) and downloaded a free book.

    I really need some new slippers. Rememberd I keep knit ones in the front closet for guests. (Head plant to forehead, when I realized I should just wear one of these if my feet are cold:))

    Since I would like to sew some of my Christmas material into gift bags for next year began looking for cloth ribbon kicking around the house. Was surprised how much I found. (1) cut off a top at Christmas,(2) a lovely wired one on a Christmas basket(3)two handles from a destroyed Anthropologie bag,(4) 3 additional ribbons on shelves and in drawers.
    Pressed them when I was ironing and they are ready to be attached to a bag.
    Beautiful photos Brandy and I know this is your interest and talent. Not to make more work but if you ever gave short tutorials on how you do it I sure would be interested:)

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    1. I love that you keep knit slippers in the front closet for guests. I'm totally stealing that idea!

      Delete

  29. Hi Brandy.
    I have been following you for quite a time, but was a bit reluctant so far to post anything, mostly because my situation seems so different from the most of you that I could have hardly imagined that my post will be of use to anyone. I live in Europe, in a rather big city, have no opportunities of gardening whatsoever (I haven’t even sufficient space to have some herbs in pots or the like) and very limited space in my freezer or to build a food storage (if I’m doing well, I could go for a couple of weeks with the food I can actually store).

    However, my new year's resolution was to start posting. Maybe there are still some ideas you can use.

    -I’ve been cooking from scratch ever since I can think. Last time we had takeaway food it was my birthday in November.

    -I mended a few clothing items (by flicking and sewing on buttons and the like).

    - I used the leftover meat from Christmas to cook two suppers and had some other leftovers for lunch today.

    - I’ve been using rests of the gift paper one of my presents was wrapped in to make flower decorations for presents this spring (for birthdays and/or Eastern)

    -Organised most of my food storage and cleaned the wardrobes

    - Tried to work a bit ahead on my courses I am teaching at university this term. Not much success with that, though, since both me and my son got sick over the school break, so I had to rest a bit.

    - Bought an external hard drive to store our digital literature. I am planning to scan some of the material I need instead of photocopying it, so I have less to carry and won’t overcrowd our apartment. I like “real” books a lot more, but we are short of space.

    - Bought ribbons for wrapping gifts on sale. They are not even in christmasy colours, so I can use them all year round.

    - Saved most of the wrapping paper. With the more damaged or smaller parts I plan to do some crafting next year, the rest will be ironed and probably re-used at some point.

    - I found some nice saving patterns for children at our nearby used book shop. They were in pattern magazines from the 60ies and 70ies, I paid about $0,75 for each magazine (each contains about 20 patterns at least, so I think spending like $5,00 in total was well worth it).

    So, that’s it for this week. Thanks for all the ideas I get here all the time.

    Re’ka

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    1. I have several Euorpean readers. I have lived in France and Switzerland, so I understand the space issue.

      Thank you for commenting!

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    2. you can only work with the resources you are given, which is something I need to learn.
      Jenny in Wales

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    3. I'm trying to make the most of it ^^. We are 3 people for 55 square metres, which is quite good, but the apartment has a sloping roof in each room, which again makes it harder to use the space on the walls efficiently.
      I tried to put some magnetic bars on the slopes and I'm storing office and sewing supplies in small boxes attached to them. This way my toddler doesn't have a chance to reach the things he shouldn't put into his mouth.
      Stay blessed,
      Re´ka

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  30. I made 4 birthday presents and 4 Christmas presents for my kids for 2013, using materials I already had on-hand. For my daughter I cut the cheetah-print trim off a dress she's outgrown (it's a very ugly dress, so I felt justified in cutting it up instead of passing it on). I made bows out of the cheetah-print dress, slipped one on an old headband (the original ribbon that was on the headband fell to pieces ages ago) and sewed one on to an old necklace chain, then cut off a cheetah-print-covered button and glued it onto an old ring. A three-piece accessory set, for free. For my son, I cut up an old 2x4 and sanded the edges, then drew on pictures of cars and trucks and painted them in with some paint markers I got for my birthday. I also made both kids a set of Disney notecards using printables from "A Girl and a Glue Gun" and a shadow frame money box, also using a couple of her Disney printables. I used a tutorial on "A Beautiful Mess" to make a horse-head pillow for my daughter (it's very cute, it's got a yarn mane, so although my husband and I have taken to calling it the Godfather pillow, it's totally appropriate for a little girl); and I used a tutorial from "I can teach my children" to make a bean bag launcher for my son. Tons of fun to make, and lots of free presents for later!

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  31. On New Year's Eve my husband and I celebrated our 20th wedding Anniversary. We spent the evening with family eating homemade soups and snacks out of our pantry/freezer. We watched old home movies including our wedding reception that we have never seen before. It was a nice surprise to watch!

    On Saturday night we used our Chili's $25.00 gift card. I signed my husband up for their email club and he received a free dessert. We split it after our dinner. The gift card was earned with points from using our Speedway card. We paid $1.75 tax out of pocket and left the very nice waitress a $5.00 tip.

    I had $12.00 in staples ink rewards to use by 12/31. I used a 20% break room item coupon and purchased Charmin basic & Bounty Basic. I did not pay tax and was given back a .42 cent coupon to use next time.

    I froze the leftover chili I made on New Year's Eve for later

    I bought split chicken breast for .88¢ lb. I deboned them and cut them into chunks. I was able to get 4 quart size freezer bags from the 6 chicken breasts.

    My husband and I went to E&S in Shipshewana on Saturday morning. They were having a 15% off everything sale. I stocked up on a bunch of baking supplies. I also bought a 50 lb. bag of Yukon potatoes for $3.38 after discount.

    I was able to buy 2 lb. bag of organic carrots for .25¢ each after coupon and sale. I bought 4 bags. I also used my MPerks account and got a free gallon of milk. I will use my husband & daughters accounts to get another 2 gallons of milk free on Friday.

    My husband went to get his haircut (he won't let me near his head with clippers lol) and after we stopped across the street at Target. They marked down Christmas 90%. We bought tissue paper (.20¢), gift tags (.14¢ for 5 pk.) & gift bags (.20¢ & .50¢)

    I downloaded a free 2013 savings tracker program on my computer. I think I found it on moneysavingmom. Now I can track all of my savings for the year.

    I downloaded free books from Amazon for my kindle

    I made out our weekly meal plan. I am trying new recipes from Pinterest. We had the apples & oatmeal in the crockpot this morning for breakfast. Next time I make it I will make some changes to it

    I received samples in the mail for facial moisturizer and I have been using those instead in the morning.

    I cleaned with homemade cleaners

    My dad set up our Roku and we have been enjoying watching Netflix on it instead of our Wii (much easier to operate!). We have also been watching movies and TV shows off of there too.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. from Athanasia...

      We lived in Michigan for 2 years and used to drive down to Shipshewana to buy fabric.

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  32. Thank you Brandy for doing this each week! I learn so much from you and all of your readers. You are all such a blessing for sure!
    This Christmas my husband and I got Dave Ramsey’s starter bundle. We are still on baby step #1, so we skipped the after-Christmas sales and unnecessary shopping.
    In the past couple weeks - Ordered two more $5 Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks. Received a coupon for a free 12-pack of Coke and a $25 Home Depot gift card from mycokerewards. Signed up for a free one-year subscription to All You magazine as coupons are not very abundant where I live. Used the two free dishwasher tab samples I received in the mail, otherwise hand-washed dishes. Used homemade shower cleaner as a multi-purpose cleaner with microfiber cloths.
    Fat on meat grosses me out, so I trim everything before I cook. I save the trimmings along with bones leftover from BBQ, etc in the freezer until I have enough worth cooking. I put the scraps in the crockpot with some water and cooked overnight, removing bone, then added to leftover rice we had in the fridge. Our dogs think they are getting a real treat when we add this mixture to their dry food. They get a little each day so it helps stretch the dog food budget.
    I had surgery last week and can’t drive for a while so saving on gas. Meals at home are mostly from the pantry and freezers and we’ll pick up our Bountiful Baskets order this weekend.
    I used an apple that was going soft in a batch of crockpot steel cut oatmeal. I froze the extra servings for future breakfasts. I didn’t have almonds so used sunflower seeds from my pantry in Brandy’s Cranberry granola recipe. It is delicious as is, but can’t wait to try it with almonds! Tried a new recipe I found for crock-pot Mongolian beef using ingredients already on hand.
    We bought 20 lbs of potatoes on sale and pressure canned 12 lbs of it.
    I grew up eating a lot of rice and beans, some of the time out of necessity, but mostly because that’s what we enjoyed eating. For Heather, I agree with Brandy about bean burritos being a place to start. Don’t be discouraged. My husband was a meat and potatoes type of guy when we met. He was so picky. For burritos I initially started off with cooking a pound of ground beef, then adding around a pound of potatoes to the pan and cook. I also have beans, either whole or refried along with a little cheddar. Over time, I gradually cooked less ground beef and more potatoes so now our ratio is about ½ pound ground beef to 1 ½ pounds potatoes. He is now perfectly ok when sometimes we have just bean and potato burritos, occasionally he even forgets to add the cheese. ….now if I can only get him to eat green veggies….
    Miki

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    1. I love the idea of adding potatoes to the burritos, I am going to try that, it may go over better than adding beans!

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    2. My mom used to add shredded potatoes to our meat for tacos when I was little. I don't know why I have never done it. I always feel like a flavor is missing in tacos, and it is probably the potatoes. If we ever do ground beef again I need to remember to add potatoes!

      Penelope

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    3. My husband taught me about stretching ground beef with diced potatoes because that's how his mother cooked tacos. Honestly, it's great. And try old fashioned parmesan cheese with them rather than cheddar or anything else. You use less parmesan and the taste is amazing. I wouldn't have tacos any other way anymore. E.

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  33. Love this thread, lots of great ideas and inspiration :)

    * recovered a chair for my daughter's room (had gotten a vanity with chair at a garage sale and this made it new and fun!)
    * did some cooking ahead for the freezer
    * made out our budget for January
    * used up leftovers

    I love those potholders... so pretty!

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    1. Hello, I am a European reader - I live in England. I have been reading your blog for a few weeks now. I found it by chance

      I saw a photo of your family and thought how wholesome you looked.

      Whenever I see the prices for food that you mention, I cannot get over how cheap food is in the USA. Even if you don't buy in bulk, food does seem much more expensive here. Unfortunately, Britain is dominated by a handful of supermarkets and prices just keep on rising.

      Best wishes Brandy. Kind regards Natalie.

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    2. Haha, a couple of years ago we traveled to England from Australia and couldn't get over how cheap your food is over there! But I think our toys, clothes, and electronics are cheaper here. (Either that, or we couldn't find the good shops.) Your accommodation, too - Granted, we stayed off-peak in holiday villages, but 80 pound for a week?!?! You're lucky if you can find a place for $100 a night in Australia. It's actually cheaper, on a per night basis, to pay for a resort in Asia than to go camping in Australia. But we still have better weather and a better cricket team! :)

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    3. Welcome Natalie!

      I think the fact that gas (petrol) here is about 1/4 of what it is there is a big factor in our food costs, as delivering food is certainly part of the expense.

      We have such a great ability to garden year-round in California and Florida here, and so much of our food comes from there.

      Do you live in a place with a little room to garden, or are you in the city?

      Delete

    4. In Australia prices are so high because there's not a lot of competition; a lot of products aren't allowed to be imported (bananas, for instance - so a couple of times there's been a cyclone that has wiped out most of the banana harvest, pushing the price up to $14/kilo); petrol is more; and wages are more. Minimum wage in Australia is about $17/hour. That pushes up everyone else's wage too; but it also pushes up prices. We also don't have as much migrant labor as in the US, which keeps US food prices low. Australia's food prices are now dropping faster than anywhere else in the OECD but it comes after 9 years of price rises. A 'rule of thumb' when it comes to food prices is that they normally double, then fall by half - so if an item starts out at $1, it'll become $2 and then drop to $1.50 and settle at that as the new price.

      Delete

  34. Thanks for the whole wheat bread recipes. I didn't have gluten enhancer, but tried the recipe without it. It did rise, tasted great, and (most importantly) did not raise my husband's blood sugar. Yay! I will look for the gluten enhancer to try.

    I repurposed a shelf I wasn't using for my granddaughter. She wanted it painted pink- no surprise there!

    I have been using my knit dishcloths instead of paper towels this week. I had gotten out of the habit of this. I have plenty from when I learned to knit.

    I was motivated to use some yarn that was given to me to make a dishcloth. After seeing your beautiful potholders, Brandi, I have decided to make one to match my dishcloth (crocheted not sewn).

    My mom gave me some extra beans that she had cooked. I made chili and we ate two meals from this.

    I printed the paper dolls that Brandi linked onto muslin. After considering your comments, Brandi, I printed these in black and white then my granddaughter colored them. Her mother collects Sleeping Beauty things and she was thrilled to give that one to her mom as a birthday present. She is still working on the others.

    We ate soup several times this week.

    I planted tomato and cabbage seeds indoors. I only planted half the pack as insurance since I don't have a green thumb and even remembered to write the date they were planted.

    I gave a new neighbor an African Violet I had rooted as a housewarming gift.

    I cleaned and organized my pantry. I only had two "surprises", but I did resolve to be better about labeling things. Brandi, I am looking forward to hearing more about your pantry organization ideas.

    I enjoy reading everyone's comments.

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    1. from Athanasia...

      "Gluten enhancer"...are you talking about the vital wheat gluten? Our store has discontinued carrying it in bulk and in packages as they say no one wants gluten any more! Well I certainly do. I need it for baking bread and making seitan. I am trying to get the manager to just order me the case of it if he can sell to me for a cheaper price, since I can't get the cheaper bulk price.

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    2. I'm not sure about the gluten enhancer as I've never used it or bought it. It was listed in the recipe and I think it helps the whole wheat flour to rise. I don't even know where to start looking for this. Any ideas?

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    3. Christine, it is called Vital Wheat Gluten. You can find it at a number of bulk suppliers; I have several listed on my bulk foods page on my website: http://theprudenthomemaker.com/index.php/pantry/bulk-foods-and-grains

      Delete

    4. Thanks Brandi.

      Delete

  35. *Used a $5 off $5 Q to purchase 2 5 lb bags of flour
    *Accepted gift of ham leftovers and ham bone. Ate the leftovers and
    made ham broth with the bone. Usually, I just throw the bone in a pot of soup or beans but thought I'd try the broth after reading about it on this blog. I liked it better for beans---not as fatty that way....and ham for sandwiches to boot off that bone!
    *Made batch of mole sauce for my DH birthday. I must love the man because it is a several hour cooking experience--LOL. He adores this meal and with ingredients on hand, it cost just a few dollars to make. Froze half of it for a future meal---because he only gets this once a year! I love him but a gal has to draw the line somewhere!
    *Used turkey given to us earlier last year for a nice dinner and invited my parents over. Shared some leftovers with them and then gathered enough meat for 2 additional meals for our freezer and made turkey soup from the bones---plus leftovers for us for several days.
    *Made chicken stock after cutting meat for other uses
    *My hubby took down an old sand box and put remaining sand around some trees
    *Purchase a turkey (18 lb!) at 1/2 price and two greatly reduced whole chickens. Wish I could have purchased more but out of freezer space now.
    *I usually plan meals each week using what I have in my freezer/pantry. Tried something different this month though---planned entire menu for month. This is so helpful thus far---much easier planning weekly meals and it is nice to have a list of easy and more time-consuming meals---I can choose one easily based on my day. Trying to use budget money to purchase only sale items or fresh things we want/need.
    *Pureed 3 packs pumpkin puree from leftover Fall pumpkin. So easy!
    *Received family Christmas gift of membership for a museum. One benefit of this membership package is that it provides reciprocal membership in many other museums across US. This means we will either get in free at museums or at reduced rate. We are excited and plan to travel to a handful of museums this summer that are within couple hours of us. We visited the museum to which membership purchased---that was part of my girls' birthdays and also invited a nephew along to celebrate his birthday as well. Very fun day!
    *Made "busy bag" gifts for a niece's birthday (she just turned 4). My 8 year old girls are now requesting same--LOL--"It looks like so much fun Mama". Bags were make your own snowman, make cupcakes, clothesline, and a number wheel. All made with things I had on hand, with exception of a bit of felt that I purchased for .23 a sheet. My girls helped me cut out items and they will use the scraps for their own little art projects---or maybe to make their own "busy bag". I feel like I'm teaching my children to give with thought---they elected to gift this same cousin with one of their gently used princess dresses (that were hand-me-downs to us). Their little cousin was simply thrilled and put it on as soon as she opened it!
    *Used a Sharpie to fill in several scuffed spots on my boots. They look tons better!

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    1. How did you make the ham bone broth?

      Thanks!
      Carol

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  36. Purchased two large Christmas gift wrap sets with 4 rolls in each set with 8 shiny metallic bows in each set... on sale for $4.00 -- total of $8.00. I will use these for teacher gifts for next year...

    Hubby and I took our daughter to Monkey Joe's (bounce houses and inflatable slides) and received $2.00 off her admission because the manager knows me from several Mom's group playdates I have scheduled there in the past. Nice surprise!

    I made a beef roast and had leftovers. I chopped it up and froze it to be used in a future soup meal.

    My daughter and I checked books and DVDs from our public library for hours of free entertainment.

    Downloaded 5 e-books on Kindle for Mac via Amazon

    Replaced a zipper on a winter coat that was given to my daughter -- great coat (Land's End) -- just a broken zipper.

    Daughter and I were sick for 4 days so meal plans were hit and miss -- bad news on being sick, but nice that we were able to save on making meals until we feel better. Hubby fended for himself and we ate soup and the like as we could handle. We also stayed in and stayed home for 4 days so that saved gas and spending.

    Found my large collection of buttons -- my 5 year old daughter and I played several fun games with them.... Predicting how many buttons we grab in a handful, counting the buttons, sorting the buttons by size, color, shape, number of holes, etc.

    Save the bottles from 6 Tropicana Cutie juices that I got on sale at Jewel/Osco and I am going to make "Seek & Find" bottles for my daughter's kindergarten with little leftover trinkets, odds & ends and broken jewelry. I have 3 bags of rice that I purchased at Aldi's for crafts a long time ago, so I will just use up that.

    Took my daughter on a treasure hunt adventure to GoodWill... I wanted to started looking for an ugly Christmas sweater for Christmas 2013.... my friends host a fun Bunco night and the ugliest Christmas Sweater wins a prize and $20.00 -- gotta try this year!

    Starting planning my 2013 garden (my first ever!!) very excited!

    Fix three outfits for my daughter's Barbies. I also repaired 3 clothing items for her and sewed on two buttons.

    A friend of mine who homeschools her two children is moving their classroom from one room to another and purging lots of stuff they don't use. I picked (for free) a huge box of all kinds of crafting supplies (including Perler Beads, which my girlie loves) and two big bags of books. There were two packages of wildflower seeds too! She just emailed me yesterday and she has a weaving loom kits for kids (all new, still in the box), more books and "Grow Your Own Snow" kit for us (for FREE).

    Ate some potato soup from a dry mix that one of my friend's gifted me for Christmas -- It was delicious!

    Another friend brought over a Hello Kitty crocheted stuffed animal that she made -- totally brightened my sick girl's day!

    I found 12 veggie and flower seed packets that I got last year and never used... going to try them this year.

    Had a dryer repairman come out on 12/28 to fix a loud squeak in my dryer -- cost over 200.00.... Yesterday, the dryer stopped heating up..... repairman came back today -- heating element died.... I asked if we could forgo a service call charge and they just charge for the part --- he couldn't do that -- but he gave me just a $30.00 service call charge. That was nice!!

    I love the hot pads and towels... The red color really pops!

    ReplyDelete

  37. Reading these posts today made me turn off the computer and actually do some freezer cooking tonight, including 21 lasagna cups (similar to this http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/lasagna-cupcakes-recipe/1/ but using the combination of cheese and sauce that I would normally use in a pan of lasagna. I had these at a work potluck before Christmas and like the idea that they can be frozen and only the number needed for dinner need to be removed rather than baking a full pan of lasagna and reheating it multiple times for my daughter and I. I also cooked about 4 pounds of ground beef, using some for the lasagna cups, some for a beef, tomato, and cheese casserole for dinner tomorrow night, and freezing the rest in ½ pound portions. I also made meatballs and froze them. Some will be used for pasta meals and some for meatball subs.

    I continued making applesauce from the apples I bought over Christmas break, made an apple crisp, and froze sliced apples for another dessert of some kind later this month. I still have a LOT of apples to go, though.

    I bought 2 bags of dry cat food at Target and received a $5 gift card.

    We had a small, free cheese pizza from my favorite pizza place (Ledo's a mid-Atlantic area chain) after receiving a coupon in the mail.

    I transferred to a different work location for my same employer. Unfortunately, it's about 40 minutes more of a round trip commute, but I love my new boss (in a purely platonic way, of course) and my new work team and I'll be able to work from 7:30 to 4 to avoid some of the traffic. My gas cost will go up, though, and with the additional 2% FICA withholding resuming this year, budget adjustments are being made.

    One such adjustment was deciding to NOT spend $300 for a pair of NFL playoff tickets that my co-worker was selling. Yes, it was Ray Lewis' last game at home in Baltimore and it would have been great to attend, but it just didn't fit in the budget. What annoys me is that a co-worker did buy them, the same co-worker who had tickets for Cirque de Soleil on Saturday night, has been to Vegas and on two cruises this year (all with friends, leaving her children at home), complains about anyone getting any government benefits, no matter what their circumstances or length of time on the benefits, and – wait for it – did all of this after filing for bankruptcy early in 2012 because she ran up too much credit card and auto loan debt even though she has been steadily employed for at least the last 6 years. You do NOT want to get me started on this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. If you still have a LOT of apples, remember that apple crisp, made with an oat mixture on top, makes a great breakfast. When I serve it for breakfast, I cut the sugar in the topping by 1/3. We used to do this when we had bumper crops of apples when the trees were little. It was one thing our children loved about having an apple tree. - Marivene

      Delete

    2. Those lasagna cups look good. I'm vegetarian so I'm going to try making them with mushrooms. I love that you can freeze individual ones.

      Delete

    3. from Athanasia....

      Hi Marija from another vegetarian.

      Delete

  38. Last week I

    - made vanilla cranberry granola
    - cooked and pureed the rest of the carrots (about 5 kg) Most of them were frozen (because of lack of proper storage) but I called them good and kept on peeling and chopping. I made my husbands favorite meal of the puree (don't ask, it's a Finnish traditional dish, lol), we had 3 meals and 2 more meals are in freezer. Now there are no more home grown carrots - and we ate the last home grown potatoes last week as well.
    - I've been wanting cafe curtains for kitchen window, but I don't have the fabric I was dreaming about...white and lacy... Then I thought 'does it have to be fabric?' (I have alot of rectangular doilies) Here's the result: http://miriaminmaailma.blogspot.fi/2013/01/uudet-pitsiverhot.html

    Wishing you A Happy, Successful And Prosperous New Year!

    ReplyDelete

  39. Wow, you are awesome! What a list! My only money-saving thing was that I took my lunch to work last week. But hey, that made my husband happy. :) And thanks for the tip about Swiss Chard. I'm going to try to start growing veggies and that's one of my favorite greens. That might be a good way to save on produce next winter!

    ReplyDelete

  40. I haven't posted in a while, so I am sure these cover more than a week...

    I had a dermatology appointment on 12/31. I scheduled for this day as my husband was off work and could be with the children. Also, by going before the New Year, I only had to pay my co-pay rather than the full amount for deductable.
    My birthday is 12/26, My grandma always takes me to lunch to celebrate. This year we agreed to meet after my appointment, saving gas for an extra trip (40 minutes one way). While I was in town, I went to Target to exchange a Christmas gift for my son. I picked up 2 pouches of cookie dough mix, paying 2 cents each after coupon. I also found a pair of shoes on clearance for my daughter for under $9. They are pink with Velcro. She loves them so much she even wore them to church with her dress. (she is 3 years old :) Another big savings is that I didn't buy anything else.
    My mom watched our kids the day after my birthday so my husband and I could go out. We went to a restaurant I really enjoy. We did spend a bit, but we hadn't been out in 7 months (this was the first time without the baby), and the food was excellent. Too often I pick a restaurant because it is a good deal v.and don't enjoy the food, preferring my own cooking. This time even though we spent more, I felt like it was worth it because I was not disappointed.
    After the dinner, we went to Kohl's. I had $10 Kohl's cash to spend from some Christmas shopping. I found a new sweater for me, 2 Christmas dish towels, and 2 red cloth napkins. After the $10 discount, I paid $1.87. I used the towels to wrap and enhance homemade gifts for a family Christmas party and saved the napkins to put with gifts next year.
    For the family Christmas party, we each bring a gift (homemade, inexpensive, or re-homed) and do a white elephant gift exchange. The first gift we brought was a dozen eggs from our chickens and a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls. They fit inside a red metal Christmas basket that I have had for years and never used. I covered it with one of the dish towels for wrapping. For the second gift, I made a cookie mix in a jar with ingredients from our pantry. I added a bottle of my homemade vanilla extract and wrapped it in a gift bag covered with a towel. We came home with a pound of very nice salted pecan halves and a Nerf gun. I actually picked the Nerf gun so I could play with my son :)
    I shop at Meijer and use the mPerks digital coupons. Before Christmas, if I spent so much in groceries, I earned $20 off general merchandise purchase. I spent the amount buying turkeys and other staples. The next time I shopped I only bout $12 in general merchandise. I figured the remaining $8 would come off my next order. It didn't. I tried again the next week. nope. I asked at customer service, and the employee told me the full amount had to be used in one transaction. This was not mentioned on-line, so I emailed the company. They said they added the $8 for me to use back to my account. I shopped again. Nope, still wasn't there. I emailed them again. This time they added $10 for my trouble, and it worked! My persistance paid off.
    I know a lot of us do this, but this week I cooked a frozen turkey carcass with vegetable scraps for broth. I ended up with 7 quarts. I froze 3 1/2 qts for later and made a pot of turkey and rice soup with the rest. My husband said it was the best soup I had ever made :) There was enough to feed out family 3 times.
    I continue to do the usual things- cook from scratch, heat with wood, hang laundry to dry by the woodstove at night, cloth diaper, and breast feed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. from Athanasia...

      Teresa, I like the word picture of the wood stove, and the laundry and you in a rocker with a baby...very homey.

      Delete

  41. Cut another $40 from the budget by changing tv providers. (The plan is to eventually cancel but I'm easing the house into it) The cost savings will add up with the idea of installing an antenna.

    Called to cancel paper and we would only pick up the Sunday edition while going to church. The operator offered me a 50 cent per Sunday savings if I continued to have the Sunday paper delivered. Only for six months, but hey. . .

    Remembered to price match a few grocery items at Walmart.

    Not sure exactly how frugal this is. I was able to harvest a deer on New Years Eve. About 40 pounds of meat at $2 a pound. I chickened out on processing the deer myself, but the processing cost did go up so next year there will be no cost except for the $15 license. I'm going to girl-up to the challenge.

    I also managed a rabbit for the freezer which I was able to clean up myself.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. mdoe, processing a deer by yourself is difficult to do. You need 2 people. My oldest daughter has, on occasion used an older child as the "helper", but you really need 4 hands. - Marivene

      Delete

    2. from Athanasia....

      I think home processing of deer is illegal here in Wisconsin. You take it into meat/butcher shops and they charge so much per pound and give it back to you however you want it.

      Delete

    3. Its not illegal here and they charge depending on what you have done -- or how far they have to go. Mine is boned with some burger groun. I did one the year before last with help skinning and quartering--just simply because I had never seen it done. That person routinely does his alone. Cutting up the quarters wasn't too hard -- once I saw it. It was going to be quite cold the next day and I was concerned about getting the hide off. The husband, although raised farm, doesn't do butchering anymore!

      I looked up Wisconsin and it doesn't appear to be illegal. I think lots of folks just do it that way, especially if you want sausage or burger as most folks don't have grinders. Or jerky.. . but we're not jerky eaters here. I will be in the market for a grinder as sometimes its also cheaper to grind your own beef.

      The folks that do my processing having a set-up behind their house -- they did 715 deer for the season. Its not a regular butcher shop.

      Delete

    4. Athanasia, are you sure it is illegal to home process, or is it illegal to sell home processed meat? Any meat for sale in the US has to be processed by a licensed butcher. I can't imagine it is against the law to home process for your own family use, unless Wisconsin has had a severe problem with poaching of big game. Deer are heavy, & raising the carcass to hang the meat & remove the hide usually takes 2 people - one to keep the carcass raised while the other one ties it off, & 4 hands work better while removing the hide - a set of each side. After those are done, one person can manage. Marivene

      Delete

    5. from Athanasia...

      Yes, maybe it is just preference and easier. I have seen the full page ads in the paper pre hunting season and it does not really seem that pricey.

      Delete

    6. from Athanasia...

      Marivene...that is what I always thought, but I could be wrong, not being hunters. I know lots of people, including relatives, that hunt but they all take to be processed. Maybe, as I responded to someone else it is just easier that way.

      Delete

  42. I am another new poster. I've been reading for a while, but this is the first time I've participated. Here's my frugal activities from the past week.

    - Received a free 13.75 lb. turkey from work (they handed out them out prior to the holidays, but on a day I was out of the office; a coworker kept it for me while I was on vacation to visit family)

    - received a free shampoo sample; used an earlier free sample to wash my hair

    - read a library book (that will be discussed at a church book group -- free entertainment and socializing), and 2 (and a half) free Kindle books

    - New Year's Day free entertainment of sledding down the hill in a nearby park

    - used a gift card received from credit card points to put gas in my car

    - used the last of the fall apples in the fridge to make apple crisp

    - cooked fall squash that had been sitting on my countertop in the crockpot; used one batch for a meal last week and put the rest in the freezer

    - packed my lunch for work almost every day; drank tea I brought from home and brewed with water heated in an electric teakettle at work (some of the tea was a pass-along from my sister, who received a tin of tea bags from a coworker; teakettle was a wedding gift several years ago)

    - used CVS Extra Bucks credits to buy 2 gallons of milk, a loaf of bread, a package of spaghetti and a package of onion soup mix for 12 cents

    - cashed in Walgreen's Balance Rewards points for juice, toilet paper, and cottage cheese for $3.60

    - ate mostly from the pantry/freezer except for our planned weekend meal out: blueberry pancakes and apple crisp for New Year's Day; a roast in the crockpot, with carrots cleaned out of the fridge, mashed potatoes and gravy, apple crisp; squash-stuffed shells pasta with peas; leftovers; creamy cauliflower soup with blueberry muffins

    ReplyDelete

  43. Is there any way that you could share your potholder pattern. I am totally loving the color scheme. Thanks for teaching me that my stay at home life can also be very pretty!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I am planning on making two more for myself this week. I will work on a tutorial!

      Delete

    2. Woohoo!! Thanks! Funny how potholders are making me soo giddy. Ahhh, simple pleasures.

      Delete

    3. I'm glad you are doing the tutorial, Brandy, because I like those too! - Marivene

      Delete

  44. I also embroidered dish towels for my sister for next Christmas except I did a vintage Mickey Mouse on one and a vintage Minnie Mouse on another one. I finished the embroidery this week but still plan to add ruffles to the bottom of the towels later.

    I taught myself how to crochet this week......only a few different stitches but I was able to make a couple of dishcloths (one will be part of a gift).

    I made a berry crisp with berries I froze this summer and I also made a loaf of French bread. Most meals were cooked at home. :)

    My husband and I sat down and wrote out our financial goals for the coming year. I printed of some forms to keep track of our progress (including a thermometer to fill in as we work on our goal so that we can physically see our progress).

    My husband and I also cashed in some of our points from our Checkpoints app to get two $10 Amazon gift cards. We are going to use these to purchase some special drawing markers that my son wants for his birthday.

    We also took advantage of the free coffee offer from Starbucks yesterday (which added $2.60 to our gift cards)......my husband and I have a standing Sunday afternoon date there so I am always looking for ways to make it more affordable. I read the paper there for free so it saves me from having to buy a Sunday paper (unless I want more for coupons).

    I took advantage of a 13 hour sale on produce at a local grocery store and scored a ton of good deals (including $0.33 green peppers which I am going to chop up and freeze)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Congratulations! I have crocheted since I was a little girl (my mom taught me), but taught myself to knit. It is so relaxing to me. I love having something to fill the minutes spent waiting at dr. offices, car rider lines, tv watching, etc. It is so nice to be able to personalize items. If others find out you can crochet, there will be no end of requests for dishcloths, potholders, blankets, etc. lol You will have lots to add to your gifts list!

      Delete

  45. 1. Went to the indoor amusement park once. My girls each got a 5 months pass from my sister inlaw. Brought snacks from home.
    2. Paid gaz and grocery with GC we had received.
    3. Had homemade meal all week.
    4. Bought myself 2 pairs of jeans and 6 shirts, 28 Rubbermade plastic containers and some underwear with a giftcard I had received for Christmas.
    5.We stayed home all week. Let just say that the -30C didn't encourage us to go outside lol
    6. Cut my DH hair.

    ReplyDelete

  46. I did make 14 freezer meals this week. I used things I had on hand. I did a huge batch of spaghetti sauce and froze 2 meals as sauce, and did 2 lasagna meals. I made chicken chili, using chicken my husband raised last fall, as well as a pork/beef combo of chili, using pork he also raised. I also made some other stuff.

    I got a free jar of yeast from a coupon that came in the mail. I have no idea why they sent me one, but I'm grateful.





    Becky

    ReplyDelete

  47. from Athanasia...

    I enjoy reading everyone's comments and see what a wide spectrum of ideas there are.

    Did the Starbucks deal on FB and got a coupon for a free drink and one for my daughter.

    Have not been to the grocery store yet this year. Husband stopped and got a gallon of milk. Also a container of ice cream for serving at a small birthday party we had for my mother on Sunday. We will be having her larger real party for the rest of the extended family for her this coming Sunday. I am making a cheesecake and I actually have enough cream cheese left from a big sale before the holidays.

    Still have lots of potatoes and apples in our "root cellar"'. Made apple crisp for my mother's "1st" birthday party. She is 84.

    Found a bag in the Sunday paper for 20% off at the Office Max store. Was able to pick up a toner cartridge for the copy machine, tape, sharpies, and miscellaneous other office needs. And I had a $5 coupon of a $25 purchase that I could use at the same time.

    My husband and I had to drive to the nearer large town for errands last week. We stopped at Atlanta Bread Company for a late lunch and each had a bowl of soup. I know I can make better soup, that is for sure. I know that is not a frugal tip, but I reminds me over and over how little I enjoy eating food out.

    Continue to cook from scratch, use double batched food from freezer. Have kept us in homemade bread and sweet rolls and desserts, soups and casseroles. Made granola from all ingredients bought in bulk food section. Husband wanted icebox cookies...I said what in the world is that? He said I don't know but I remember having them one time and liking them. Well looked in a couple cookbooks and found that he meant those cookies you form into a roll, chill and then slice. So I made of batch of those and rolled the dough in leftover Christmas cookie sprinkles for a festive edge.

    Will go to grocery store tomorrow night after AWANA (church youth group) as Wednesday is double coupons. It makes a long day as I work all day too, but if I need things like kleenex and butter and cheese and can double the coupons I will do it.
    Been working on the list in the evening while I watch DVDs on my laptop at kitchen table. Right now am watching FOYLE'S WAR that takes place in England early in WWII. It is very historical and is unbelievable what little the people had in the way of food and supplies and how they managed.

    Picked up a new batch of library books.

    Will be making my orange marmalade soon when get the good deals on the oranges , hopefully tomorrow. Will make grape jelly then also, I make the juice in fall and wait to make jelly later when all the canning rush is over. Saw a recipe for Apple Pie Jam on a blog and will use some of my storage apples for that.

    Co-workers birthday was Thursday. I gave her a large 2x batch of homemade Chex mix...made from some of the many boxes of Chex buy when they go on sale before the holidays/double couponed. She had her whole family home, 3 adult children from school too, so they were going to use it for movie night. I also gave her a cute set of gloves bought at the after Black Friday sale...my daughter and I ventured out about 3p...we wanted to avoid the crowds. Also gave her a silky, floral, gold threaded scarf that was given to me but was definitely more her style. The thing she likes best every year though is a $10 discount card that is good at 30 or so restaurants and shops in town here. She loves it...they eat out a lot and it gives a 10% to 20% discount depending where you go.

    We (my coworker and I ) have a tradition when exchanging presents. We always return the wrapping paper, boxes, tissue paper, ribbons to each other. As we open our gifts, we just fold up the paper and roll up the ribbons and they are ready for next usage.

    That is all I can think of, though I get so wordy here, sorry, everyone else seems to be able to make their lists so much more succinct.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I agree with Mari. Don't worry about the length, you never know what gems you are giving someone to think about.

      I make refrigerator cookies. They are so easy and I use up ingredients, some nuts if I have them, some raisins etc. Right now I have some left over candied marachino cherries that I am going to mix in a bunch. Maybe for Valentine's Day?


      If I have time I make the rolls and leave in my fridge or freezer. They are the easiest cookies to quickly whip up.

      I love reading your posts Athanasia.

      Delete

    2. from Athanasia...

      Thank you , Northern Mom...I was wondering about freezing the roll. I made 2 rolls, and each roll made 24 cookies. If you say they freeze well I think I will just automatically freeze the 2nd roll for later. Ooh candied cherries, I like that idea.

      Delete

    3. If you have never tried it, wrapping box tops is very attractive, uses less paper, and since you lift off the top you are all set for the next gift which you just have to tie a ribbon around. It pays to use good quality paper for this. My aunts even would make a nice bow with ribbon that was also taped down to the lid. That makes for some bulky storage. But it is SUCH a time and money saver. Sadly, most boxes are really cheap now but nice ones are still out there. As a bonus, wrapped boxes continue to look lovely under the tree til you put gifts away instead of having that straggly look that opened boxes have.

      Delete

    4. from Athanasia...

      My youngest does all the wrapping. I will mention it to her, but she is very into saving paper, reusing, already. But yes, there just are not that many nice boxes out there, they are all those collapsible ones...if the store even gives one. She likes everything in a box. Irregular packages bother her....she has OCD, a quite severe case. But the packages looked lovely, and she borrowed boxes from the cupboard to put items in so that everything would be regular.

      Delete

  48. Athanasia,

    Two comments:

    You are correct about the lack of food and supplies during the world wars. I shudder to think what would happen now, especially in the cities, if that were to occur again.

    I could write short books here - and some people would probably say that I have - but until there is a limit to the number of characters allowed, I am not going to worry about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. One of my hobbies is collecting WWII British cookbooks. Once a year a group of women friends dress in WWII type clothing and I make a meal using ingredients from a ration cookbook. AMazing what they substituted for meat. My parents, who arrived in the U.S. after being in displaced person camps for 2 years, were beyond thrifty. If they bought hamburger, we ate the meat one night and the grease with bread the next night. (I am horrified to say I still have a hard time not dipping bread into the grease when I make meatloaf and there is some grease at the bottom of the pan!)

      I was the first one to learn English and so the first one to realize that my mother was buying canned dogfood. She thought it was nifty canned stewmeat, from the picture, so from the time I was born until I was about 5 she would serve dog food about once a week. (I don't have the urge to eat my dog's food, however. Some habits are easy to drop.)

      Delete

    2. from Athanasia...

      Mari and Anonymous...Did you see WWII house on Public TV? "Took place" in London during that time period. I read a book a couple years ago by MFK Fisher called (?) COOKING THE WOLF or something similar. Very interesting ideas on extreme frugality in cooking and meal planning, I think the ideas came out of WWII maybe.

      Delete

    3. Athanasia, no, I didn't see that show, but before her dementia set in, my Mom told me about her life as a newlywed during WWII and making do as Dad was in Philadelphia with the merchant marine and she was in Pittsburgh. They were married in August, 1941, and had my oldest sisters in August, 1942, February, 1944, and December, 1945. I've seen one of their unused ration books and her wedding book, which listed her shower and wedding gifts (much more simple than what we give/receive now). Very simple and very interesting.

      By the way, if you want to add your name to your comments as the author instead of using "anonymous" and then putting your name in the body of the message, you can click on the down arrow by "select profile", click on Name/URL, and then just enter your name; you don't need to add a URL. I like your comments and just wanted to help you out by mentioning this. It will come up as "Athanasia ()". Just hit publish and you're set.

      Delete

    4. Mari, I did not know that - Thank you!

      Delete

    5. No problem, Marivene. You have such interesting posts, too, and now I will know right away which ones are yours!

      Delete



    6. Just testing to see if I got this right. Oh, but I won't be able to see it right away. Oh well.

      Delete

  49. The bride is lucky that she is getting such beautiful gifts from you!

    Went to Target and Walmart. I bought wrapping paper, tissue paper, gift bags, candy and two boxes of cookie mix. The cookie mix was $0.59 a box. The wrapping paper is pretty plain so I can use it for birthdays, Valentine's Day and next Christmas.

    On New Year's Day I made bran muffins from a box of bran cereal that I paid $0.50 for. I also made granola using your recipe Brandy. It was so delicious! I bought the box of oats for $0.50. I spent quite a bit of time going through the kitchen and bathroom putting various half empty bottles together and taking stock of what health and beauty supplies I will need to stock up on in January. My recycling bin was pretty full by the end of the day! We stayed home all day so no gas was used. For dinner, we ate lots of leftovers and I don't think that anyone realized that they were helping to clean out the refrigerator!

    I started to use the slivers of soap that I have been collecting over the past few weeks.

    I ate leftovers everyday for lunch.

    I am still using gas that I put in my car before Christmas.

    I found an old Target gift card with $0.37 on it and three pennies. Not much but every penny counts.

    I planned out our month financially taking into account the smaller paychecks due to the increase in the payroll tax.

    I went into a store across the street from where I work, intending to buy something that they had on sale. When I looked at it, I realized that it was something that would not work for me so I walked out of the store without buying anything.

    Jill

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  50. Not feeling very frugal:( Just got back from Christmas visit with family, went to Disneyland, and ended up paying for my In-Laws room and an extra ticket. I don't begrudge it, we had a blast, but I did not budget for it:(
    I am counting my blessings, my dh's company was bought out and he got a job offer before going on the trip (we would have canceled it if the job offer had not come in).
    Blessed also that we are homeschooling this year, and even with a few bumps even my doubting husband has been pleased.

    I did accept some free groceries this week, and got some good sample size shampoo's and conditioners at the hotel's we had to stay at.
    One hotel stay the cost of the room was only a little more than breakfast would have been, and it included a hot breakfast! That was nice and to me a frugal choice for hotel. Last of all we drove thru the last night and saved one night at a hotel all together.

    ReplyDelete

  51. Please post tutorial or directions for cute pot holders! Want to make some.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. dwoltwes, the tutorial was already requested above & commented on.

      Delete

  52. I am thankful for a great first week of the year! I listed my accomplishments this week here: http://emersonfamily.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/frugal-things-i-did-last-week-15/.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. You can add 1/2 cup of grated zucchini to chili, & it will thicken the chili as it cooks down.

      Delete

  53. This is my first time posting, but I have been reading your blog for awhile now and it has become one of my favorites. I have really been getting into homemaking and frugal living since getting married 2 years ago.
    This week we went to a big 2 day sale at a local grocery store and stocked up on meat when it was mostly under $2 a pound (minus the ground beef it was $2.47, but with overages from coupons on other items, I got one pound free!)I came home and used up mostly every container I had and spilt all the meat into meal servings and froze what we wouldn't use this week. Which is new for me usually I just put it in the fridge and cook up the entire package. Trying to be more aware of what we are using and how much.
    Used a Christmas gift card to to a home store to get pieces to help organize the kitchen, used coupons and was able to make the gift card go further and the kitchen looks better too!
    Also returned a pair of slippers that were not my style and ordered a 40 piece food storages set, went thru ebates.com and will end up being less then my gift card that I got back.
    Stayed home most of the week, so we didn't waste gas or eat out. Made all our meals, ate all the left overs, and made all my husbands lunches for work.
    We are renovating our dining room, just finished installing new windows, putting insulation and new drywall. Almost done, so I have been cleaning the entire house and trying to organize everything better. It's been a big project but so worth it, we already feel a difference we have been able to keep our furnace at 62 degrees. Bonus we can't the neighbors dog barking all day and night anymore.
    I love to read, your posts and everyone's comments I am learning so much from everyone!

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  54. Hi Brandy,
    I would like to say I really enjoy your blog and enjoyed your website before you had a blog. The post about your price list was great and I need to reread it. I do once a month shopping and have much more to spend than you but I know one day coming soon we will not have that much and I have tried to lower my grocery bill and have but haven't to the point where I would like it. I am learning so much and continue to learn new things that I may have missed the first time I read one of the post.
    Onto why I am commenting on this post. I would love to learn how to monogram by hand and wanted to know if you know of a tutorial on youtube that is like what you do. And it's not just the monogramming I love the way you stitch the children on different things you have given as gifts, such precious gifts. Thank you Jessica

    ReplyDelete

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