Frugal happenings 11/29

Happy last Sunday in November.  This year will be over before you know it.  It seems like the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are gone in a flash.

I keep hearing about all these people who went shopping and how much money they saved.  50%, 60%, and more.   Guess what?  I saved 100% because I stayed home and bought nothing!!!
I am sure there were a great many deals to be had, but most people buy to be buying.  People need to remember the HUGE difference between WANTS and NEEDS!

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving with your family and friends.  We have been partaking in leftovers for a couple days, but the nice part has been no cooking.
Tonight I making cube steaks and we will finish the last little bits of mashed potatoes and dressing along with a green salad.  We so need a salad after all that heavy food!!!

How has your week been?  Mine was very frugal and pretty non-eventful!

• I went to the feed store on Monday and got a 60 ear bag of squirrel corn and a 50 lb. bag of black oil sunflower seeds with my punch cards for FREE!!!!!  I bought a couple other items but those freebies had a value of $40!  WOOHOO
• I had a half tank of gas, but took advantage of the lower gas prices.  With my small discount I paid 1.49/gal.!!  I guess I did right - as prices have started rising again.
• We still have 5 garden tomatoes left and will be using a couple tonight in salad
• Eating and re-inventing leftovers.  We made turkey Manhattans one night, had sandwiches, put some dressing in the waffle maker to crisp the outside up (YUM),  had regular turkey and ham dinner twice, and most of the rest of the meat is in the freezer in bags for soup, beans, etc.
• Did a bit of decorating with things we have here at home.

Like I said - not very eventful, but frugal.

Notice my "leg lamp" behind the couch.  The Christmas Story is probably one of my favorite Christmas shows.

My large Christmas bowl (I bought for 50 cents last year) filled with wrapped candies for the season, along with my candy salt & pepper shakers on the dining room table.


That's about it for me.  I hope you have had a frugal week.  I hope you all have a great upcoming week, and for those who have to tromp out to a job - STAY SAFE.

Let us know how you are doing, and hopefully we will all get a new idea or two from one another.
God bless each of you.

The Countdown Begins

Hi there.  Happy Black Friday!! 
Exactly 4 weeks from today is Christmas!  Oh my!  It will go quickly for sure.  Are you ready?
I am getting there.  Not much more to purchase - although the baking frenzy will start in a couple weeks.

Most years in the past I have gone to a couple certain stores every black Friday.  Today - NOPE!  It is warm today but raining.  I decided there was absolutely nothing that I needed bad enough to fight the crowds, the traffic, or the rain.

So today, I am doing all the laundry, put up the Christmas door decorations, and doing just a tad bit of decorating.  I definitely think I will keep decorating simple this year.  I have a wonderfully good smelling candle burning, and meals will all be leftovers!  Life is good!!!!!!

What's going on in your neck of the woods?  Are you ready for all the joys of Christmas?  I hope you have a good start, so that you and yours can truly enjoy the holiday without the rush and craziness.
Have a great day!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Good morning all.  I have a turkey bird in the oven, celery and onions chopped for dressing, cheese cake is ready, and getting ready to vacuum a little.
I do my turkey the day before, so I have room for the ham and dressing in the oven on Thanksgiving.
I am sure you are all busy getting ready for tomorrow's festivities.  Don't overdo it - remember to just enjoy and be thankful as well.
If you go out on Black Friday - don't over spend.  Look for the deals and stay frugal my friends.

THANKSGIVING DAY

The year is drawing to a close,
Thanksgiving Day is here......
The day the Pilgrims set aside
For gratitude and cheer.

God-fearing men, they gave to us
A heritage so vast;
Hearts full of love, we point with pride
To all Thanksgivings past.

With tables loaded as of yore
With turkey and other food galore,
Loved ones and friends stand
And give thanks to God through the land.

Succeeding years have seen us grow
To a nation big and strong,
With the help of God, of valiant men
Have kept their vigil long.

Continually striving we must be
For freedom from aggression,
The dignity of man we must protect,
Our homes, our cherished possession.

Thanksgiving Day.....a fitting day
For each one to express
Our love for God and gratitude
For all that we possess.
Ina Englert


I wish each and everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends.  May your travels be safe.  I am so thankful to have each of you in my life.  G and I are truly blessed.
May God bless you and this country.

Leftovers

After Thanksgiving dinner, odds are that we will all have lots of leftovers.  My favorite thing to look forward to is a cold turkey sandwich with mustard and salt on the day after!!!!  YUM

There are so many creative ways to use up those leftovers, so that you and your family don't get bored.

TURKEY

• turkey noodle, turkey rice, or turkey and veggie soup
• turkey salad or turkey Waldorf salad
• turkey Manhatten's - hot turkey sandwiches cut in half - split apart on dish with mashed potatoes in between halves and all smothered in gravy!  Love this!!!!  It's good with beef too.
• turkey chili
• turkey stir fry served over rice
• turkey primavera - turkey, broccoli, onion, pasta, chopped tomato, Parmesan cheese
• turkey tacos

OK, you get the idea - the list can go on and on

HAM

• soup beans and ham
• split pea and ham soup
• ham and potato cheesy casserole
• served for breakfast
• cheesy potato soup with ham
• use ham on pizza
• grilled ham and cheese sandwiches

Same here - the list goes on and on.

One of my favorite make overs is using an 8 x 8 lightly greased pan - layer dressing on bottom, turkey slices, then top with mashed potatoes.  Cover with shredded cheese and bake long enough for it to heat through and the cheese to melt.  Kind of a Thanksgiving version of shepherd's pie.
I also like to make potato cakes if there is enough potatoes left. 

Make sure you come up with some original ways to use the leftovers - don't let them waste.  You can also freeze meat in serving size packages for eating later in the winter.
Leftovers are one of my favorite things!!!!

Too many desserts leftover?  Those can be frozen as well for later consumption.
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"Let us be thankful that there still is sunshine, that we can still glimpse the blue of the sky and in our onward way, continue to look up.  Let us be thankful for friends with kindly smiles and cheerful words.  This is time for a grateful Thanksgiving."      Author Unknown

Today I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to have places like this where we can find company in our thinking and ideas, and that we are able to share with each other and thrive.
Thank you all!!

Frugal Happenings 11/22

Hello everyone. Happy, happy Sunday to you all.
I bet many of you are getting busy with activities relating to Thanksgiving.  I just keep thinking about all the yummy food!  This is probably by favorite foodie time of the year.   So many goodies to be had between now and the New Year, and we all KNOW, holiday foods contain NO calories!!!!!!

It was 18* this morning, and supposed to get to 32* today.  The sun is shining and I think it will get warmer.  The snow from yesterday is pretty well gone.  The temps on Thanksgiving are supposed to close to 60*!
I am still working on washing walls - I'm getting there slowly.  At least I know the house will be fresh and clean for the holidays and I can just rest some after the holidays.  I see me, a book, and the couch, on some cold winter days!

My frugal week:

• I got 10 packs of bread, buns, rolls, muffins, etc. all for $3.50 on clearance at Kroger this week.  None was out of date.   One Kroger I go to closed on Wed. and opened up a new super store across the street on Thurs.  Instead of taking most stock across, a lot was clearance!!!
• I got 2 big veggie platters, 2 lbs. of cut broccoli, and 8 bags of various salad greens for $10!  Same store.
• Bed, Bath & Beyond - coupon for $13 item with any purchase.  I spent $6 and got a lotion for FREE.  Gift!
• Office Depot - got ink and saved $15 with coupon
• Ran to Dollar Tree for some little gifts and found cherry pie filling for $1 a can.  That stuff is expensive every where, so I got several cans for the winter.  That was the first time I had ever seen cherry filling there.
• Cut G's and my hair this week
• Dried enough bread for homemade dressing for just about the entire winter!  It's safe and sealed in gallon jars till I need.
• Have been doing lots of little projects around the house that I didn't have time to do all summer.
• Meals from scratch

I went through my Christmas list and checked for what I need yet.  I am getting close to being done.  There are many containers that I have here at home that I will be using for treat containers.  Some I will be re-gifting and others came from yard sales for pennies in summers past.  I have everything on hand I need for holiday baking.

I know you will all be busy this week with work and prepping.  Just don't over do it.  Remember to take time to enjoy life and rest a little.
"If we can't be thankful for what we receive, we should be thankful for what we escape".  Arnold Glascow
I love this saying!

Pooty is cuddled with her favorite toys and blissfully happy!  May you get to cuddle with your favorite things and people this week and just enjoy life. 
God bless you all.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...........

..................but the snow is so delightful!
It has been snowing here for a couple hours.  I don't know that I have ever seen such huge flakes!  It is snowing hard too.
It will be very cold tonight, but then it warms again to 50's this coming week, so it won't stick around long.
First snow of the season November 21 - for posterity sake!

I have been washing down walls and cleaning everything on them this morning.  Can't do much outside, so I am finishing my fall cleaning. Fun, fun - not!  It does look better to me, although no one else will be able to tell.  I am thrilled just knowing it's getting done.

Bird is out of the freezer and in the fridge thawing.  Just a busy, snowy day in these parts!
Hope you are having a joyous day!
Stay safe my friends.

Get ready .......get set..............

It is less than a week till Thanksgiving.  Are you READY?

I have bought both a ham and turkey this year.  Most everything else I either had, or have acquired over time.  Potatoes - check,  dressing stuff - check,  noodles - check,  rolls - check,  ingredients for pecan pie - check, green beans (from garden) - check,  whipped cream - check, and what ever else I want to fix.
Sounds kind of carb laden doesn't it?  Oh well, it's the holiday.

Last week we were watching Diners, Drive-ins, Dives, and they had visited a place here in town.  The restaurant always served noodles and mashed potatoes on the same meal.  Guy thought that was crazy!!!  He had never heard of having both at the meal - double carbs in his words.  The owner said it must be a mid-west thing then!      That is how we grew up - both were always served together.  Is it an Indiana thing?????  Do any of you from other parts of the country do this as well?
Just curious!

I have worked at trying to get a lot of the Christmas done as well.  Shouldn't have a lot to do after turkey day this year.
I truly think I could have bought the entire dinner for less than $25 if I had left out one meat.

Hope you are getting to that ready point, so that all systems will be a go for Thursday.  Enjoy your weekend and stay frugal friends.