Sunday, November 1, 2015

Frugal Happenings 11/1

HAPPY NOVEMBER!!!!

Well, here we are with just two short months left in this year.  That sure seems crazy.
Daylight savings time has started again - YAY said no one ever!  I absolutely hate that it will be getting dark early again.  I think this is really one of the worst parts of winter.  I can handle the cold, SOME snow and ice, but the darkness is what really gets to me.

Halloween is over and we are onward to Thanksgiving.  Last night was really disappointing in our neighborhood.  We had 64 kids, but that is nothing!  That is the lowest number in 30 years.  My problem is the neighbors.  Poor kids really had to work at it, to get candy.  Hardly no one had their lights on.  It seems as the older neighbors have left - so has the neighborhood friendliness.  The younger folks just don't care.
Needless to say, I have 'bunches' of goodies left!  Many will get put back for treats this winter, and others will be added to goody baskets this Christmas.  It won't go to waste for sure.

It has been a chilly and damp week here in our area.  Today the sun is shining, which is lovely, and the temps are getting back into the 70's this coming week.  Sure can't complain about that.

The Sunday paper looked like a holiday weekend today!  It was sure fat and full of ads.  Both Meijer and Target had special holiday toy ads (books!) in the paper.  Lot's of coupons too this week - I haven't gone through them yet.  I guess we should get ready for the holiday commercial onslaught now!
Yesterday there were Christmas shows on TV, I have seen holiday commercials on TV already, the stores have had Christmas stuff out for ages, and now the paper ads begin.

This has been a pretty quiet week for me.  I have done all my usual frugal things, but not a lot out of the ordinary.
  • I did fill up the Blazer with gas at 1.89/gal.!!!
  • While out, I ran into Kroger to check clearance ONLY!  I got 2 bottles of Rit denim colored dye for .75 each.  The jeans are sure to need it before winter ends!
  • I also got a 4 lb. box of non-fat dry milk for $7 (regular 17.99) for my stockpile.
  • I also stopped at the orchard.  Not so frugal, but yummy.  I got cider and apples.  Lots of good healthy eating

Other than buying the couple of clearance items at Kroger, again I did not buy any weekly groceries.

Oh, I thought I would mention, I think today is like Post 60 since I started the blog, and I noticed the other day that I have had over 8,500 views!  I was totally amazed.  I didn't figure too many people saw the blog, but I guess a few have!!!!  Thank you too all who are following and reading.  YOU are the reason I am doing this.
Have a wonderful and blessed week.  God bless you all.

7 comments:

  1. Bless you Cheryl for starting your blog and sharing all your wonderful recipes, tips and thoughts.
    I do miss parts of your newsletter that I used to get from you!

    My frugal this week was to take back more bottles to bottle return, I now have a handle on them. I reached my return limit for the day yesterday. But made about $31. Used it when I went to the store for spices as they are spendy.
    I cleaned up some in the back yard and I'm hoping we get a dry day soon so I can mow the grass. It looks so unkept out there. Also fed the birds and squirrels.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ahhhh, thank you Laurie for the kind words.

    We can recycle glass, but we can't get any money for it. That's neat. We just get paid for aluminum, copper, etc.

    You are so right on spices. Glad you got some FREE money to buy them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations, Cheryl! Yes I noticed on other blogs that people only post the shortest comments. I hope it is all right that I post long ones with you. I think sharing is good and I always get such great ideas from your wealth of knowledge on being frugal. I am glad when others chime in and share more also! Of course, I have found that I have to be logged into any of my Google accounts first in order for a post to ‘post’.

    We don't get money either, we pay to have our recycling taken away as part of our weekly refuse collection.

    Finally settled on a computer aggregate program, a free one called Microsoft Money Sunset Plus, no longer supported by Microsoft but with a hefty user group, and it runs on our computer’s operating systems, began entering our financial data last night, it will take me two months I am sure, but when 2016 comes I will be ready to roll!

    New medicine and it helps me not eat so much so we will be saving on food costs! It does cost more in the co-pay however. Will see how it balances out.

    I had a free MRI on my brain for a research study. A doctor does look at all of them and they notify the study participant within 48 hours if they see an anomaly. Actually I got paid $40 for 2 hours of laying in the MRI machine looking at pictures of various people’s faces. This was a study on memory and similarities in looks and how it can affect court cases, especially when DNA is not considered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You reply as long as you wish. We find it very interesting and the more people say - the more we learn.

      I wish I could take credit for the 'wealth of info'. Many ideas are mine, but I learned so much from my parents as well.
      I read a lot, and pick up ideas constantly.
      Thank you.

      Delete
  4. The sauerkraut needs another week or so. We harvested a big whopping two potatoes and two little ones from that volunteer plant. The Good Man and I will do four towers next year and seriously use straw and leaf gatherings to feed it over the summer. Those two potatoes were delicious last night, and there won’t be any more like it this year!

    I have never dyed my jeans before. How do I make sure they don’t leak out their dye in subsequent washings? What kind of tub do you put them in to soak in the dye? I have two pairs that could use a rejuvenation for sure.

    We will be filling our Suburban using gas points, I think we have $1.70 per gallon off. And so good now that gas prices have fallen!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Getting up in the daylight is so nice! I wake at 5:40 to shower and get ready for the bus at 7:00 pm. I usually can fit a load of laundry in, get dinner started, and maybe even let the dog out before leaving the house. Of course, coming home in the dark is no fun, but it was dark for me anyways at 6 pm, so no difference here. Like you, though, Cheryl, when I was SAHM, I detested the time change, it is so unnatural!

    My daughter was able to use the time change to her advantage this weekend. She came home for a quick overnight (doctor appointment, cell phone upgrade, math consult for a work problem with The Good Man as tutor). She had to go into work both days on the weekend. So she got back to her new town at 9 pm and then was able to actually use that extra hour on Sunday to get the housework and shopping done.

    For me, I learned how to use the baby rototiller. It was given to us earlier in the summer by a friend, yes, generosity and free is always great! The Good Man used it in our raised beds, so easy and light to lift over the garden fences. I tilled in the kitchen compost and yard waste in our mulch pile, so we got a head start on good soil for next spring. And I got my exercise in!

    I hadn’t purchased soap and barely shampoo for months. When my daughter was putting an order in with her company, I purchased $200 of items for $100 HBA. Yes, I could coupon and piggyback with store sales, but for the little time it took to get that much at half off, I figured it was a bargain for us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do like the time change for daylight earlier. I seem to get more done in the mornings now. I just hate getting dark so early.

      I love my little tiller. It is really fun and easy to use.

      On the jeans - I do a couple pair at a time in the washer. I add a cup of salt to cold water and dye, let it agitate a minute, then put jeans in.
      I have never had them bleed that I know of, as I always wash dark colors together - so it wouldn't hurt.
      I also do dark clothes as the next load in washer and that really rinses it clean.
      Makes the jeans look pretty new.

      I like to save with coupons, but don't use like I used to. Aldi doesn't take coupons and that is where I shop most. You did great with half price!!!

      Delete