Sunday, October 1, 2017

Frugal Happenings 10/1

HAPPY OCTOBER everyone!
The year is officially all down hill from here!  LOL  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, the time will fly by for sure!
Craft shows will be starting up this month, with lots of fun gift ideas and homemade treasures to buy and see.

The weather has drastically cooled the last half of the week.  Nights are in the 40's and 50's - such good sleeping weather.  AC off and windows open, allowing fresh a plenty in the house.
My allergies are finally starting to get a little better.  It has been a bad allergy season.

We are still enjoying some garden produce.  The volunteer cherry tomatoes plants are giving up tons of little tomatoes (about the size of a quarter).  They sure are good and nice addition to the meals.  They are full of blooms and green tomatoes, so depending on the weather we should have little tomatoes for a while.


Sunflowers - critter planted and Cheryl approved.  We have had lovely sunflowers all summer from the birds and squirrels.
The New England Asters are absolutely covered with blooms.  They are gorgeous.  The butterflies seem to love them.
 
My frugal week:
  • Sunday we got Long John Silver's for G's birthday dinner.  The gal at the restaurant gave me a FREE drink since I had to wait for fish to cook.  She also gave us extra fish and hushpuppies for FREE.  I got a boat load of  tartar sauce and catsup packages as well.  She was more than generous!
  • Picked a lovely bouquet of N.E. asters
  • Picked tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and peppers this week
  • Took BIL to the hospital this week for an out patient procedure.  He was to be slightly sedated, so couldn't drive. (he is fine)
  • Worked on cleaning up the garage some.  Put many items back into the shed for the winter.
  • Placed 5 doz. quart jars in the shed (that we received free last year).  I brought in a couple dozen as well.
  • We have FREE HBO and Cinemax over the weekend, so I have been DVRing several movies to watch at some later date
  • Have watched a few You Tube videos
  • AC has now been off for 5 days - it will be getting warmer again this week - but here's hoping it gets to stay off. 
  • Had a friend come over and help G and I both with several projects we needed to get done, and just couldn't accomplish by ourselves.
  • Got the whole house generator all checked out for fall and winter - did it ourselves, so no expense
  • Ran to Fresh Thyme for some herbal capsules and came across powdered peanut butter!!!!  I got a jar of it and a jar of chocolate flavored powdered peanut butter!  Oh the possibilities!  I can see using it in baking and in smoothies.  Shelf life is very long - great for prepping.
  • I stopped by WM to check out different flavors of canned cat food.  I dislike WM - but they carry cat food others don't and have good price on it.  I walked by the clearance rack - and I found 4 jars of sweet and sour purple cabbage and 2 jars of pickled baby onions (G loves) all for a $1 a jar.  Great for the pantry
  • Working very hard on organization - especially in the basement.  It is amazing how messy it can get.
  • I stopped at the thrift store (across from WM).  I got 2 loaves of wheat bread for FREE (gave to our friend).
 
Meals this week:
Long John's (2X)
Chicken strips, steamed broccoli, slaw & tomatoes
Sausage, eggs, and toast
Pizza casserole
Leftover pizza casserole, bread sticks, and salad
Amish casserole and bread sticks
 
 
There are several things I would like accomplish in the coming week - here's hoping I have the get up and go to do them!
WHAT DID YOU DO TO SAVE MONEY THIS WEEK?  Did you ADD to your PREP or PANTRY?
 
I pray you all have a wonderful month of October, and that it brings you health and happiness.  May you al be able to add to your stockpiles and ready yourself for winter and Christmas.
God bless you all from our home to yours.
 

18 comments:

  1. That was nice of the lady at Long John Silver's to give you the free drink and condiments. I love their chicken and fish but the one closest to us closed down a few years ago. The only one here now is in Chattanooga, which is about 45 miles from here, but I do love to splurge on it every now and then.

    Your New England Asters and sunflowers are beautiful!

    I have a jar of the powdered peanut butter too. It's great to add to smoothies.

    Your Aunt Nellies finds were a great price! I love their pickled baby beats even though they run abut $1.63 a jar, we love them.

    I hope you have another blessed week, Cheryl. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you on the flowers. I just love them.
      I am anxious to find lots of uses for the peanut butter powder.
      Aunt Nellies is pretty expensive here as well. I snatch and grab when I can!

      Have a lovely week.

      Delete
  2. Such pretty flowers. Happy Birthday to G= sounds like he had a great meal!
    I just can't believe this weather. I love the windows open so I hope to that the ac can stay off. Have a great Sunday Cheryl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vickie thank you.
      This weather sure is something! We broke 120 year old records last week!
      have a great one.

      Delete
  3. Those asters are breathtaking! Happy belated birthday to your hubby and I am glad that your BIL is fine. :) That was nice of your friend to come over and help you with some projects. We did that last week with my parents at their place also.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Debbie.
      Good friends are a Godsend! He would do anything he could for us. And vice versa.
      Blessings

      Delete
  4. Pretty photos !
    I am working on doing some stocking up this month. Yesterday we found green beans for 33 cents a can and cream gravy packets we like also for .33.

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    Replies
    1. Rhonda what great prices. I would stock up too.
      Thank you on the photos.
      Have a good one

      Delete
  5. Cheryl I love those flowers, such a beautiful colour and mass display. We were lucky to pick up two loaves of free bread this week. I have been unwell so getting bread meant not having to make any. When unwell I like a glass of lemonade. Bluey picked up a carton of 1L bottles for 50c each and the same for soda water. I love your 'critter planted, Cheryl approved sunflowers. I have some critter planted Roma tomatoes growing at my front gate. I have never planted Roma tomatoes on our block so this was definitely a lovely present from one of the local birds. I'm hoping for a better week and a bit more energy to get a few things done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so sorry you have been feeling unwell. I hope this is a better week for you.
      How nice on the free bread and the good deals.

      I just how nature gives back to us in so many ways.
      Take care sweet lady.

      Delete
  6. Lovely flowers and great bargains. Happy Birthday to G Glad you had a nice meal. Sunflowers are so Cheerful🌻
    Blessings,
    Patti

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Patti.
      Sunflowers just make me smile.
      God bless

      Delete
  7. Good bargains, I love a good bargain. I also dislike wal-mart but we get our animal feed there. I like to save money more than I dislike Wal-mart.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly. They have a good supply and good prices on cat food.
      Have a good one.

      Delete
  8. Replies
    1. Hello Laura!!!!! Glad you came by.
      Have a great week.

      Delete
  9. Happy Birthday to G!

    Our asters are in bloom too and I am still getting strawberries, about a dozen a day from the front barrel planters.

    We have had two light frosts so blankets at night to keep things going.

    Savings were big this week! Cut the cable ($95) and watching 12 channels on an antenna, hd quality as most broadcast are now hd and we have an hd tv.

    Tip: If you freeze your chicken with the skin on, even after two years, it might not have freezer burn on the flesh. Take the skin off, then use a sauce to cook like cacciatore (right time of year for tomatoes and peppers for the sauce).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ellen it is amazing that so many things are still producing. No frost here yet - it won't be long, I'm sure.

      YAY on cutting cable. That is a lot of money a year!
      What a great tip on the chicken. That makes since, but something I had not thought about. Thank you!!!
      Blessings.

      Delete