Happy first Sunday to all. Hope this finds you all safe and healthy in this new year.
Beautiful sunrise this morning, and a full moon at night - spectacular. It is right about 32*F this morning and NO wind!! We will be warming some this week. I'll be more than happy to take it. Each milder day feels wonderful.
I was so mixed up on days again this week. I tell you; holidays mess me up. I used to think it was because I worked - but it still happens. I guess because many neighbors are home - It takes me a few days to get back to normal!
My frugal week:
- I wanted cornbread one day and didn't want to turn on the oven - so I made cornbread 'waffles'. Still tasted wonderful and easy to make and clean-up
- I did manage to walk some this week
- All bills paid that were in the house
- NO shopping or groceries at all
- Made mini - ice cream sandwiches with some ginger snaps (from holiday basket) and ice cream - very tasty!
- Got the Christmas decor down, but do have some 'winter' lights out still
- I put away all my Christmas clothes until next year
- I had onions that were sprouting - so I chopped and froze those
- Making a conscious effort to use up older items and use things that I have a bunch of (will do a post about this)
- Been binge watching Struggle Meals -you should check it out if you haven't. It can be found on cable (Taste channel) or on You Tube. It can be funny and entertaining (and goofy) but tons of great ideas for eating good on very little money
- Combined 2 Chap Stix into one
- Made a dump cake (will freeze a good part of it)
- General cleaning and straightening
Meals this past week:
Rice/beans and waffle cornbread
Grilled burritos (used up leftover rice/beans)
Breaded/fried ground pork burger and fries (air fryer)
Soup beans (freezer) and waffle cornbread
Corned beef, cabbage, black eye peas
Rueban and chips (from gift basket)
Pizza pasta
I have had a quiet start to the year, doing a lot of resting, reading, TV watching and napping! It has been a week of just resetting. As I said above, I plan on using LOTS of things that really need to be used and do little or no shopping for a while. I am blessed with a wonderful pantry and freezer - and I plan to use it. I can't stand waste - so this gal is getting serious about using things.
How was your week? Any big celebrations? Any after holiday shopping? None here - I have been home since Christmas day.
Give us a shout out and let us know how your new week, month and year will start!!!
I wish you all a wonderful week ahead, and that you all stay healthy and safe.
Blessings to you and yours from me (and Bitsy) at my humble little home.
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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13
Lord, we say thank You for getting us through this past year and helping each one cope and mange courage through every situation. Prayers that all have a great year ahead and find their way through any darkness that may present itself. Prayers of health, energy and recovery with all situations that may be faced. Thank You for our many, many blessings. Amen
Too funny. I always dig out the dregs of a lip balm and put it on top of another. I always have 3 "going": coffee table dish, purse and bathroom drawer so there's always room. I paid for it, I'ma use it!
ReplyDeleteWe are eating the dregs of so many things in the fridge. It's good to be too stubborn to throw it out! A softening banana got cut up into 4 ramikens, banana pudding was mixed and topped off those. Yummy! Today: dice and cook a small pile of apples that are aging on the fruit tray. Then a rotisserie chicken carcass (had to have one from Costco on Thursday-OMG the smell back there got me), is going to be simmered for a few hours followed by making a pot of chicken noodle soup. I have carrots and celery in the fridge, some chicken meat and a bag of 50% discounted fine egg noodles I knabbed from Fred Meyer (Kroger). Hubster requested waffles for today so the apples will top those.
Happy 4th day of 2026 everyone.
Elle, that is kind of how I feel. I have them everywhere and use it a lot - so not wanting to waste a drop.
DeleteGood for you - why waste anything? I love getting creative with odds and ends and creating new things. I have been thinking about fried apples on pancakes for a while now!
I love seeing how others 'use it up'.
Have a fantastic week.
Happy New Year, Cheryl. Got all the snow shovelled in time for rain (!!) on Tues. A good day to hunker down & make pyrogies to take to my son's. And the next day the floors got vacuumed & washed. I'm still enjoying the tree lights & holiday decor. The 4 hr trip to my son's was uneventful in spite of the ice fog & icy roads close to his home. His kids have had influenza & are on the mend. Wash your hands; wash your hands. More good meals, visiting & games. They will all return to work/school this week. They tease me that I'm on perpetual holiday b/c I'm retired. The ability to manage my time is a never-ending treat for me. My work mission in retirement is to look after myself & my home; it takes more time & effort as I enter the 8th decade. I'm ready to settle into a normal routine in the new year.
ReplyDeleteSnow and rain does rear its ugly head a lot in winter. Glad you made the trip safely and enjoyed everything in spite of the kiddos being sick.
DeleteYes, the world goes back to normal tomorrow - lucky us retirees just go on! I kind of like perpetual holidays or weekends. Do what you want, when you want. Not a thing wrong with that.
Hope this year brings you a lot of peace.
Have a great week.
Excellent devotional! I copied down the Scripture from Romans, so I can use it on a prayer card or greeting card. These days I have to write things down! Grateful that I can still write. One of the signs of dementia in my beloved sister-in-law was that she forgot how to write, and she had always had such a pretty script.
ReplyDeleteGloomy day but there is nothing falling from the sky and it will warm up. Take the bad with the good! If we allow ourselves to complain, whinge and whine, we just make ourselves physically sick. Besides, remember that Yehovah did to the Israelites when they complained in the desert. Yeah, that!
Have to check out that YouTube channel. One cannot be bored with so much to offer.
Bought a spaghetti squash at Meijer and I know we have some meatballs in sauce in the freezer. Need to find it and it will make a nice meal. It is admirable that you cook actual meals for yourself. It would be too easy to rely on frozen (unhealthy) dishes, which would be expensive.
Ah, the sun just made an appearance. Enjoy your day!
Dementia is such a horrible disease - robs so many of so much.
DeleteThe sun just came out here - oh happy day. No complaints here, it is winter after all.
The guy (Frankie) is kind of funny and a bit goofy - but he sure has some good ideas. Fast and inexpensive.
I like to cook and experiment - a plus and just can't justify all the frozen things. Besides I really don't like how they taste.
Have a lovely week.
I made my version of swamp soup for Nee Years (black eyed peas, turnip greens, carrots, ham, rotel tomatoes) and froze half of it for later.. I made cornbread. On Saturday morning I made a pot of dried beans with a can of carrots and rotel tomatoes. I made rice. I am determined to put a dent in my “collection “ of dried beans and canned vegetables this year. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteThat sounds yummy. Both things. I am with you - I have so many canned goods, and dry goods - not sure what I have been waiting on. This is the year to get busy with it!
DeleteGood for you - look forward to hearing your ideas.
Have a beautiful week!
I went shopping once. Walmart has their Christmas clearance 75% off and a few of the small tool sets they put out are ringing up that way too. We got adjustable wrenches, hex key sets, brushes that attach to a drill for cleaning, and utility knives for cheap. Some for us and some for Father's Day or birthdays. I also bought some half price bandaids online.
ReplyDeleteI hate food waste. In general I don't have much of it and try to use everything up. I had two old tortillas that needed used so I wrapped them around cheese sticks, buttered them up, and air fried them. I've got some bananas a bit past their prime so I'll make muffins with them later.
I keep track of all the money I make or get back from rebate apps (games on some is where I get a lot of it) or surveys and in 2025 it was $525.84. $43.82 a month on average. Every little bit helps out. I'm aiming for $50 a month this year.
The little one spiked a fever last night so I'm trying to keep him away from his brother and Dad so they hopefully don't get sick. He's very attached to me anyhow so if it's something contagious I'll most likely get it. He's had spells where he runs a fever for one day and then he's over it, so hopefully that's all it is, I've heard the flu strain going around is super bad.
I've watched Struggle Meals before, I may go do a rewatch.
Great job on the rebate apps! I sure miss the days of free or nearly free items from ECBs and other rebates. I do Ibotta but I buy very little brand name food so it’s slow. Winn-Dixie has a cash back system and I do OK with the Marathon gas program. Good luck in 2026. You can do it!
DeleteGreat deal on the tool sets! Those will make nice gifts. Smart on the tortillas. I love finding ways to use things up.
DeleteThat is fantastic on the rebate apps. I have never played games or done apps - of course my phone is an old model. That is a huge savings.
He has done well over a 100 shows - I watched the 100th episode this weekend. He really has good ideas.
Have a super week and hopefully the rest of you stay healthy!!!
Cheryl, you must dislike grocery shopping. I know many people feel the same way. (I can understand in winter.) I like grocery shopping and go twice a week on average picking sale items/loss leaders from Publix, Aldi and Winn-Dixie. I don’t like Wal-Mart because it’s too big. I get my love of grocery shopping from my mom. My grandfather ran a grocery store in Massachusetts for 50 years. I grew up in the store until I was 10. (I treasure a painting done by mom of the inside of the store.) During the pandemic I relied on Wal-Mart pickup which I appreciated. But the first time I felt comfortable going into Publix, I cried when I got back to my car because I was so happy to feel normal again. (Weird, I know!)
ReplyDeleteThis week I bought undies on sale having waited for the traditional January underwear sale period. At the animal shelter, I dropped a stack of freshly laundered towels I’d been putting aside for several months and I gave a bar stool to Salvation Army. So a few items out of the house. Have a good day!
Nooooo - I LOVE grocery shopping - but I know I really need nothing. I do need to go get canned cat food soon, so will look around. Grocery shopping is the one type of shopping I love. I am really working on restraint!!!!!
DeleteFunny, my mom and my eldest sis's dad had a grocery store. She taught me a lot of neat things. I bet that painting is neat - what a treasure to have.
I still have not done a delivery on groceries - I like to pick out my own stuff.
It is that time of the year. Good reminder to get some new undies on sale. Nice to get things out of the house.
Have a great week.
I took the Christmas decorations down and updated my address book, since a few people had given new addresses in their cards. I also helped my son to write this thank you cards. I then did my annual list of 'Things I Did This Year', which is interesting to look back on in future years.
ReplyDeleteWe have had snow and, although it melted quite quickly, we are due some more this coming week, so shopping has been done and we will be staying home until it has gone again.
Sounds like you are ready to start the new year. I never thought about doing 'I did this' list. That is pretty interesting.
DeleteHope you don't get a lot of snow. I think a lot of us are just cozying in for the winter months.
Have a great week.
I will check out that youtube channel. Now that I live alone I find it more challenging not to waste anything. So always looking for new ideas.
ReplyDeleteHe is kind of funny - but has some really good ideas. Using what you have, using leftovers in new ways, watching pennies, etc. Each segment is about 20-30 minutes - covers all kinds of things. I have really enjoyed watching it and have learned tips too!
DeleteHave a great week.
I’ve made cornbread waffles too. They are quick and easy to make. I’ve watched and enjoyed Struggle Meals too. It’s a keeper. We got all of our Christmas decorations down today, but still need to pack it up in the closet. I hope you have a great week, Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteBelinda
Thanks - validation on two points! The cornbread was so easy that way and still tasted like cornbread with a little crunchy edges! I really enjoy the show. Much to learn.
DeleteGlad you are getting things back to normal!
Have a super week.