- Been craving oranges and orange juice - it always happens this time of the year. I made OJ from concentrate I had in freezer
- Still using the ice melt that I purchased last winter - hopefully it will get me through the balance of this year
- A friend sent me $10 worth of coupons for cat food! YAY
- I have been watching a young couple who lives in Russia on You Tube. They talk about their life there. It has been really interesting
- Making my meals from scratch and from what I have on hand
- Just doing all the regular cleaning & stuff around here
- Finally got out one day and went to the store. Purchased more pet food for stock. I also got milk, bread and 8 lb. oranges and lots more OJ concentrate for freezer. Got salad stuff as well. Should be good for a few weeks
- Made a batch of pancakes and froze extra in individual meal packets
- I did find boxed mac and white cheddar cheese on clearance for .39 each. I bought all they had and on Tuesday I will run them to the food pantry (only open on Tues. and Thurs.)
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Weekly Wrap-Up 1/31
Thursday, January 28, 2021
EASY YUM from the pantry!
**I have also mixed cream cheese with a package of instant pudding. I will make the pudding as directed (maybe a little less milk) and then whip in the softened cream cheese. This makes for a fluffy and flavored cheesecake 'tasting' pudding! Super tasty. I often serve this with a side of vanilla cookies or graham crackers. Dip and eat!! No need for a crust.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Being Frugal isn't always about NOT spending
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Home Blended Spice Mixes
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Weekly Wrap Up 1/24
- Got to have my sibling Christmas last Sunday! It was so nice having a relaxing afternoon together - good food and good fellowship. I got so many wonderful things. I received 10 jars of home canned goods, homemade fudge (oh my it is good), kitchen towels, a GC for Kroger, soup mixes and even cash! The best part was just being together!
- Ran out of bread - so made a loaf of beer bread. I had an old clearance mix and some old beer in frig. I have really been enjoying it toasted. (NO beer taste at all)
- Patched the knees of a pair of jeans to use for putzing around the house and yard
- Aired the house on Thursday when the temps got to around 50*
- Sorted my kitchen towels and put all my new ones in the drawer. Older ones will be used for cleaning - now in a basket out of sight
- Fixed a couple slats on my bedroom mini blinds. Coogy constantly pushes them aside to look out (I keep that one closed) and a couple slats bent/broke. Used clear packing tape and it is good as new - can't even tell.
- Did a walk about the area on the nicest day and picked up trash that had blown around the neighborhood. Good exercise and fresh air
- Started cleaning out some other drawers - UGH so much stuff!!!!!!
- Laundry, cleaning, cooking from scratch - just all the normal stuff
- NO groceries bought this week. I stayed home all week.
- Made a gallon of Kool-Aid for something flavorful to drink
- Saving citrus peels to make a batch of citrus cleaner
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Thinking About Spring Planting - Ways to SAVE
We are all looking at magazines for ideas on gardens - reading the seed catalogs - and thinking about growing! It is still pretty early here to plant anything (starting seeds). But the time will be here before we know it.
I just love the idea of using what you have and not spending money. Recycling at it's best.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Ideas to Bust the Gloom of Winter Days
- Open your blinds and curtains - even if the sun is not shining bright, natural daylight is a mood enhancer. It is so much better than artificial light!
- Re-arrange furniture or pretties if at all possible. Give yourself a different perspective and view of your home
- Turn on FUN music and DANCE! Super good exercise and such a mood enhancer.
- Start that spring cleaning - yes de-clutter and super clean your home. A clean and decluttered home is just more enjoyable and less stressful.
- Add some color - put out some bright pillows, change out a bedspread or linens, add a colorful afghan or quilt. Move pictures around - add some nature pictures (use something you have photographed).
- Paint - paint isn't totally cheap, but it isn't crazy expensive either. Changing the color of a wall or walls can change the mood totally
- Use boxes, baskets, frames, pots, etc. for storage for pretty, for accents. Not only are there many pretty and interesting options out there - but the can be ever so useful.
- Use things in new ways - get creative
- If you have ANY opportunity to let in some fresh air to the house - take it!!!!!! Air out the musty old winter! Germs thrive in closed up warm houses.
- Go outside as often as you can. No matter how cold - get outside. I am outside at least 7-8 times EVERY day - 365 days a year. Fresh air is healing and refreshing. Feeling tired and sluggish? Go out and walk around the yard or the block - it will wake you up!
- Given the opportunity - grill something outside. Nothing says you can only grill in the summer.
- Get exotic!!!!! Buy a fruit or veggie that you normally wouldn't buy and fix it. A little splurge now and then can sure lift spirits.
- Start planning your garden and your flowers NOW - read the seed catalogs and look at magazines for ideas
- TURN OFF the news and social media!!!!!!!!!! Surround yourself with happy and positive vibes
- Read fun books and watch fun and informative (learning) videos
- Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers from the grocery every now and then! They don't cost much and they will sure brighten a day/home
- Get off you butt and DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING! We all tend to sit and veg out during the winter. Make a plan and get busy and creative - do something different.
- Nature watch - that can be so entertaining - it sure beats TV
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Making Comfort Meals - A Few Cheap & Easy Ideas
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Weekly Wrap Up 1/17
- Caught up laundry for first time this year - LOL! Hung most of it in the basement for extra humidity. Did dry heavier items. Have it vented (covered to catch lint/dust) into the basement for extra heat. There are no heat vents down there
- I did feel the call to stock a bit. I stocked up on pet products and OTC drugs/vitamins. I got myself milk and a huge bag of oranges. Oh, I got myself a new hand mixer!!!! Mine finally gave it up over the holidays after 33 years of use!
- Went outside on one of the nice days a picked up a gazillion sticks that had fallen, as well as odd pieces of blowing debris
- Cleaned out the watering holes and bird bath while it was nice
- Made a pot of potato soup and froze 2 containers for future meals
- Made a batch of 'special' cookies for my brother and sister - we finally get to have our "Christmas" today!!!!!
- Paid all bills for the rest of the month and ran up to PO to drop off, since mail delivery will be short a day this week
- Started a 'tax folder' as info is starting to come in
- Did a root touch-up on my hair
- I actually ordered myself a magazine subscription! Haven't ordered magazines in ages. Ordered Country Woman for 2 years for a grand total of $15!!!!
- Using what I have, meals at home, just doing all the normal everyday stuff
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Thinking About Less
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
You Have a Choice
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Easy and Frugal Snacks
We all like a good snack once in a while. Snack food can be down right bad for you and it can be so stinking costly. Today I am going to list a lot of things we can all munch on that we may have in our pantries or that can be made into new things.
POPCORN - most definitely the cheapest snack. Make it from REAL popcorn - not the microwave bags. You can use about anything to flavor or season - ranch dressing mix, Italian, powdered chees, nutritional yeast, BBQ seasoning, etc.
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Weekly Wrap-Up 1/10
- Started a new daily/weekly journal (small notebook) for the year. Last one lasted exactly 2 years with just a couple pages left!!!
- Met with my finance guy and made a few changes to protect myself better and also to hopefully protect my heirs (if I don't spend it first!!!)
- Put away my little tree finally. I have a couple 'winter' decorations out - but Christmas is down and put away.
- Made a new bottle of FeBreeze - 1/3 liquid fabric softener and 2/3 water. Haven't made in ages - and don't use often. It is for when Coogy makes "stinky"!
- Put together another bottle of shampoo (watered down)
- Used the soda stream for carbonated water to which I added fruit juice
- Used all leftovers in some new way
- Stayed home all week and ZERO spending
- Going over the craft area again and re-straightening since holidays are over. It became the dumping ground - I need to get back into sewing.
- Just doing all the usual everyday stuff - nothing exciting
- Chopped and froze a bunch of celery that needed to be used
- Cleaned the bottom end on celery bunch (any ick and scraped natural seal off the bottom and have it in water to grow my own!
Thursday, January 7, 2021
PIZZA - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Dessert
Pizza it is what to eat for any meal. Many people get tired of pizza or think it is just always the same old thing. NOOOOO - there are so many options that I bet many would never even think of. It can be made for any meal and then there is dessert!
Maybe today you will see an idea to use that will change your ideas about pizza.
Zucchini as a crust!! I have done this several times - very healthy and extremely tasty. Potato slices could be used as well. There are NO limitations.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
An Idea or Two - From Me to You
I love anything that makes life easier. I know I am not alone in this boat! I also like things that save me money. No sense in just throwing good money away. If you have more dollars than you need - then donate! Don't just waste it.
This is the bottom - that is where it was cut and the roots are wrapped around the base.
This is also easy to re-grow in your home. Place the base (after using all leaves) in a shallow container of water - keep base wet - and you will start to re-grow your own leaves.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Let's Get Started Anew 2021 - Groceries
Here we go. We all need refreshers from time to time. Recharge - reboot - re-start - refresh - get off to a running start - new eyes - new ways - new challenges..........................
- FIRST and SUPER IMPORTANT - inventory what you have. Know what basic and oddball ingredients you have on hand - and use them. #1 Shop YOUR SHELVES first!!!!!!!!!
- Eat LESS - not a bad thing at all. We all know we can each lose a pound or two! People eat due to boredom so often. One nice helping and be done. Maybe use smaller plates (makes you feel like you are eating more if the smaller plate is full).
- Have MEATLESS day or days. Use eggs or beans or lentils for protein. Not having meat isn't going to kill you!!!!! There are lots of filling meatless dinners!
- Cook from scratch - so much healthier and you can really extend a meal better. **Use the crockpot if working or make up casseroles or soups for the freezer - then heat up and eat.
- Use potatoes, pasta, beans or rice as extenders
- Use ALL leftovers!!!!!! HUGE! If you don't like leftovers as is - remake them into something new
- Make your own baked goods and sweets. Hot cereals, granola, hot chocolate mix - all super easy to make up. BREW your own coffee - no stopping at the coffee shop!
- Make simple snacks - popcorn is easy and can be jazzed up. Chips aren't hard to make. Sweets - homemade best. Dip and crackers or veggies/fruit.
- Have leftover veggies no one wants - puree them up and use as a base or adder in soup!!! Pieces of fruit - same - puree into smoothies. NO WASTE
- Get creative - search blogs, Pinterest, You Tube, etc. on how to use the ingredients you have on hand or how to remake into new recipes. There are MILLIONS of recipes out there. Remember a recipe is just something that someone made up the first time - you can do that too!!!!!
- Check out MyFridgeFood.com - You check off what ingredients you have on hand and the site gives you ideas and recipes of what you can make
- EXTEND ground meat with oats, crushed crackers, dry bread, crumbs from fancy crackers or chips, lentils...................great ways to get more servings from your meat
- Soups and casseroles really extend ingredients - add broth, cream of soups, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, pasta, rice ---- so many ways to stretch a few basic ingredients into many meals
- REMEMBER - you don't have to have a 5 course meal!!!!! One pot meals suffice just fine! They are easier and cheaper (and a great way to use leftovers new).
- Shop SALES - know your stores sale schedule. Most stores repeat sales every 6 - 9 weeks. Get enough at sale price to cover AT LEAST that period of time!!! That is money saved and in your pocket.
- Check out discount/clearance area!!!!! My first stop ALWAYS. Most every department has a clearance are. Produce (Kroger has .99 bin & markdowns), bakery usually has a special shelf, meat often has a markdown section, center aisles - there is usually a section just for clearance items, and even dairy usually has things marked down dispersed among the regular stuff. BUY CLEARANCE to help save money and to ADD to you DEEP PANTRY for the future. (remember you can can or freeze many things)
- WEIGH all prepackaged produce!!!!!! Seriously, a 5 lb. bad is not always a 5 lb. bag. Weigh to get the most. I have purchased 5 pound bags of fruit - that weigh 7 pounds. (Many stores put a certain number pieces of fruit in a bag figuring that it averages out).
- Shop ONCE a week or less. No "Oh I ran out of this" trips. If you run out before a scheduled trip - figure out an alternative
- Shop ALONE - kids tend to want special items and yes husbands do too!!!!
- Shop on a full stomach. Going to the store hungry is such a HUGE mistake!!!!!
- Look for cheaper cuts of meat - and then use the crockpot to make them.
- Use coupons if you can find good ones. Not a huge savings in todays market (no doubling in most places any more) - but saving is saving!
- Don't have just ONE store to shop. Think about alternatives - such as dollar stores, ethnic stores, discount stores. Look around for the best deals. Many dollar stores sell brand name items for less, ethnic stores are great for spices and pastas, and beans and rice and oddball ingredients. Scratch and dent stores are fun if you can find one. Live close to Amish or Mennonite stores? Give them a try.