August goals

Sit out on the front porch with my morning coffee (and according to Rascal, play ball).Miss Kira is still staying in the house, needs to cool off about 10° for her to want to be out much. She's over 11 yrs old so we don't fuss at her much about coming out with us.She does go out around the perimeter about 5:30 in the morning. I'm not ready to sit on the porch at that time.

I am still struggling adjusting my routine around my health. I am thinking of physical work one morning and then not doing any more physical work until the next day afternoon to give my body time to recover and hopefully get more done than what I am without causing a total break down where I am down for the count for weeks.

Keep up with the gardens coming in, tidy the gardens and plant some fall crops, not a lot just some.Clear the flower garden. Maybe get some fall pansys  for the front porch for this fall.

Reset the budget. We are coming out of a chapter 13 (Hubby went to 3 days a week for 2 yrs and we pretty much sold everything we could to survive until my medical bills with my heart failure hit and buried us).We know what we have to do to rebuild our credit BUT we also realize that by paying cash for most things we don't build credit that way.Our bank suggested a secure credit card through them that would be half of what we have/will have in savings then if we got hit with another 3 day a week work we would have the money to pay it off and not be in debt (we would pay it off before due EACH month anyways, Hubby learned that lesson) and it would help build the credit. They also suggested since we both have accounts (My son is connected to mine) that we split the savings between us instead of just in Hubby's and that way neither of us pays a fee(my son pays my fee but still).Other than that they felt we were doing really good compared to others customers that went through what we did as almost everyone in this area was affected by that 3 day work week.

Hubby is riding the motorcycle back and forth to work, truck takes 1 gal of gas to go to and from work,bike uses 1 gal to go 10 days to and from work. We do have to watch the weather, if storms are forecasted he doesn't ride, we had a friend get hit by lightening while riding to work and died.

We caught ourselves running to town 3-4 times a week and stopped that. I figured it was over changing when we went to the store to get double fuel pts and not changing when we ran errands plus we take the dogs to the vets for nail clipping (takes 2 people to hold them down to get them clipped and someone to clip them). So I am working on scheduling things when we will already BE in town.

Our youngest is helping me figure out where to cut the budget for the Tday dinner we have. We serve close to 40 people and we provide the most of the meal. I make most of it from scratch. Still through the years we have noticed the old favorites aren't getting ate and even though I don't mind the family taking home leftovers, I don't want to supply all the kids with a week's worth of groceries.Our one daughter has taken on some of the meat so that helps.

Continue to save one dollar bills for Christmas gag gifts (almost have enough). THEN it will be save for the gag gift , then the wrapping paper, then the scotch tape.

Also instead of both of us getting our eyeglasses the same year, we will rotate which one of us gets them.That dropped the budget $600 a year, I have big issues with my eyes . We already reuse frames unless the ins is paying for the frame. We go where our ins pays for the glasses but we both NEED the extras and the ins only pays for basic. My reading glasses (I wear 3 pairs, down from 4 prs) is my cheapest at $25. Our eye doctor runs my most expensive pair through ins first.

Our mechanic (He is a BLESSING) suggested we split getting tires as get 2 tires every 6 months and put the spares in that rotation. He does this for a lot of his senior customers and himself.He is good about checking things out and maintenance. Like telling our son that his tie rod will need replaced so the next oil change that will be done also as you have to remove the oil filter to remove the tie rod.

I talked to my 3 doctors, they have changed my medication so I am still being taken care of but keeping the costs down. My left thumb has a scar that peels regularly. They have prescribed different things that help some for awhile. My primary's daughter that is a doctor also that does missionary work told me to use petroleum jelly. They use it for open wounds etc in the missionary work. It has helped the most and for the longest.SO I need to focus on updating my knowledge of natural meds. Both my great grandmothers are probably rolling in their graves with lack of use I do. One was a "wise" woman (old Celtic) and the other a medicine woman (Cherokee/Black Foot).

I  am focus on keeping the electric bill down to $100 (that's the lowest it goes here and it was running $450 when we moved in, electric heat upstairs and no insulation) and I have already dropped the propane budget down another third from last year. Which is over half from what it was (heats 1st floor only).Landlord replaced the back door( it almost fell off) so that will help. I want to do some caulking on some windows, add batting or old blankets to old curtains to help and plastic the one bedroom window upstairs that is really bad but landlord isn't going to replace it yet.Farm isn't making enough to pay for the repairs.

Stock the non-food. For the first time I have a non-food list and I've been stocking it up with sales and coupons.I printed it off, highlighted with orange what was a NEED NOW, highlighted with yellow is going to need soon and highlighted with green with if on sale and have coupon. What isn't highlighted isn't needed. I do need some shelving to organize this. I have some barn doors that are coming apart, I am going to see if I can use them to make shelves.

Stock the pantry. SIGH..okay deep breath , first, stock the pantry so I can make cookies and candy for Christmas....When I got eggs for 49¢ a dozen I dehydrated 12 dozen for cookies. That's the amt I need to make them. Now eggs are 79¢ a dozen, I am going to get some to dehydrate to make noodles for Tday. They usually run over $1.29 a dozen. I have been matching coupons and sales for baking items.I know I use over 50 lbs of flour so that's on the list.

I updated my pantry list after the last buying session, I printed off only what is needed, if it's not on this list , I don't need to buy it even if it's on sale. My money needs to be stocking what is not already in the pantry at what I consider a "full" amt.I highlighted in orange what was needed now, yellow soon, green is coupons and sales BUT blue is buy in season...example is winter squash, potatoes,sweet potatoes and storage onions.Maple syrup and pie fillings at Tday. Pumpkin in Oct and Nov.Honey is starting to go up in price so I need to get it now.

I'll be moving some of what I store to other places so they store better. My Dad gave me some milk crates for my potatoes with the advice to hang them from the beams or put up on wood and not on concrete.

I plan to finish painting the craft room and set it up so I can do the sewing I want to get down and make the crafts for Christmas without having to keep clearing the dining table.

Frugal stocking of the pantry and my frugal week.

The first thing I have ever told my kids when they went out of their own was have a pantry, even if it's just one week more than you shop.Have an emergency stash of food and water for hard times whether due to weather or no job.It's frugal and it can be a life saver.

I have a pantry, my kids and grandkids will tell you it's a grocery store. One that on several occasions they have had to ask for help feeding their families and were grateful I had a "grocery store" pantry.Yes I stock it like you would see in the store,veggies are together, fruit is together, tomato products together, sweets (pie filling, jams, fruit butters, evaporated and condensed milks etc) are together, in fact the choc chips, caramels, marshmallows are in containers in that area.I need a taller or wider area for tomato products as it takes up more than that one unit.

Variety is the key to what makes us happy.

IF Hubby walked in and said "I'm down to 3 days a week" (paycheck would equal unemployment but his company keeps the people working so they have health ins, WE ARE BLESSED)and he has in the past. I would scrap up the money and buy potatoes, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes and sugar. and that would cover us for several months. We have dog food that would need replaced but I would feed the dogs people food of corn bread mixed with veggies, especially carrots. I would even be able to do the Christmas cookies and candy for the family but not as much of it this year.

I have 1400 sq ft in gardens,including veggies, herbs and strawberries. Hubby kept mowing down the other berries.We don't have fruit trees here, something we have already decided on having when we build our own home.I miss my grape harbor I grew up with.

I was raised with a pantry, both of my parents had pantries (they divorced over 40 yrs ago) when I was an adult. Dad whom is still living has a small pantry still that he could eat for a month is something happened. Growing up we ate the pantry until it was gone, didn't think about how long it had been in the pantry, both parents are/were as Mother has passed several years ago for eating food that was over 5 yrs old. You live through the Great Depression, you don't throw food out EVER. I focus on eating it within 3 yrs. In their lives if things didn't grow in the gardens, or if not enough grew, you went without until growing season the following year. I, on the hand try to fill in from Amish sellers or local farmers or really cheap prices.

Since we are talking of Hubby retiring, us moving and building in 3 years. I want to stock now, and the focus on eating everything so what goes in to the new home in that year while saving all that money to build a pantry in the new home.

This past weekend I've been focused on restocking the pantry. Something I realized I had been neglecting and the price is going to be hard. You would think I had learned that lesson already.

The white object is the top of a 5 gal food grade bucket of long grain white rice.There is 10 servings of rice (1/2 cup cooked) in a lb. I have over around 10 lbs. We use 4 servings a meal, so I have about 25 meals in that bucket. I have other buckets of rice also. I have over 100 lbs of different dried beans (15 varieties  and yes, we eat them and yes we eat meat).

The top shelf is an assortment of  condiments like Asian sauces, syrups etc.I make some of the syrups.I would love to learn to make the teriyaki sauce I like. Still surfing recipes for that.

The very bottom shelf is hot salsa that Hubby eats or I put in the chili he eats. My medium and mild salsa is on the shelving unit with the pasta sauce, pizza sauce and tomatoes.Even though that shelving unit is full, I'm short 26 quarts of pasta sauce and 26 half pints of pizza sauce which goes on another shelf.

The middle two shelves are green beans...that Hubby doesn't like to eat but it's what is left from what he brought home for me to can.There is enough for 100 meals so we will be having green beans twice a week with one of those times being 3 bean salad which he does like.

I have 5 of these shelves plus 2 that are only have as high but twice as long so they are equal to what is pictured here. I just spent the weekend filling in some of the empty spaces, even with coupons and sales combined it was a pretty penny,(savings was around 50%) luckily I had been saving grocery money from the months under budget and a few other spots to cover it.I have a 27 cubic ft, 21 cubic ft and a 7 cubic ft deep freezers along with my French door frig freezer.The freezers are full, in fact I need to focus eating out of it to have room for meat this fall) I used to have a second frig that I used for condiments, beverages and bfast foods but we lent it to our son when he bought his house over a year ago and I don't think it's coming back as he just had a roof leaking along with a drive shaft broken in his car. (But he does have a small pantry like my Dad).

BUT still I have 108 items missing...not like 6 cans of hominy, like 6 different things that is 6,12, 24 of each thing. I have over 300 empty spots to fill before November 1st which is when I set my pantry to be stocked except for turkey, ham and prime rib for the freezers and potatoes,sweet potatoes and onions for the root cellar.

Out of the 108, 18 things is coming from my gardens for me to make.... the rest is if we have the money, can I get it cheap and of good quality.

That's a focus of 9 items to be filled each week.

What I did this week?????

I rolled coins to help pay for the kids and grandkids Christmas. I keep my change for this reason. Dad told me to do this.

I dehydrated herbs and mints again this week and I'm dehydrating eggs that was on sale for 49¢ a dozen right now.

I harvested cherry tomatoes, the last zucchini (bugs killed the plants) and another eggplant.

I dug up the onions for curing for storage....no where near what I need to get through to next season.Hopefully I will score 100 lbs at the Amish auction this fall.

I took my extra grocery money and with sales and coupons stocked up in over 35 areas.

I also combined coupons and sales (that wasn't advertised) for paper products that I hadn't planned on buying ( looking for food on the pantry list) but couldn't justify not getting it. I won't need any for several months now.

In sharing some info at the stores, I now have 2 other places that are not my normal places to check into for items that is cheaper that I buy (like freezer bags).

I shop Family Dollar, Dollar General, Save A  Lot ( ours lets me order 50 lb bag of potatoes in the fall) Aldi, Walmart, Kroger, Wagner's IGA, Anna Market IGA, Winner's Meats (also does frozen case sales of fruit and veggies in July), KAH meats, Walter's Meats and the Scioto Valley (Amish) Produce Auction. Winners,KAH,Walters, and Anna Market do a meat bundle sale in Oct. I used to shop Odd Lots, that became Big Lots but they closed in our area.. I was told to check out Ollies (I get Christmas decorations there but hadn't looked at other stuff) and Foodtown. My son has an Asian market near his work that he is willing to stop and check for stuff for me as he has been buying some of his food there. Teriyaki sauce might be cheaper there along with some other Asian foods I use.

I reread some of my old cook books (1937-1943), Tightwad gazette,a couple of them Appalachian and Cherokee along with a couple books with  recipes from the Great Depression, several Amish cookbooks and a couple Italian cookbooks that reflect the cooking that my own Italian grandma (Nonna) cooked....really she was my great uncles wife mother...but she adopted me as her own for better or worse. Gets me back to "down home cooking" instead of going out and buying a ton of things we don't really eat much of.

My spices are bought at an Amish country store or Anna market. I grow most of my herbs.I have been known to go without when my harvest is low. Basil was one a couple years ago.

What can you do to save or stretch what you have?

Dog Days of Summer

Heat Index here has hit over 105° on several days, not the norm for where I live. Hot yes, 90's yes but not the index of that. My tiger lilies usually bloom during the Dog Days of Summer ,called such because the dog star Sirius raises with the sun from July 3- Aug 11 ...or something close to that, not because the dogs lay in front of the AC vents and block the cold air from you.

I've been out of town off and on the last couple weeks while Hubby kept the home fires ...out , I started to say burning but he was definitely making sure the house,dogs and himself stayed cool even when the Central air broke down and the landlord couldn't get anyone in for a couple days to fix it. Over 20 yrs old but as long as it is maintained it works good, landlord's thoughts are if it's not broke , ignore it ...SIGH.

I want to plant some lettuce for fall but as hot as it is right now, it would be wasting seed.

Still I was able to harvest some zucchini that the bugs hadn't ate alone with an eggplant, tomatoes, onions ,and a lonely cucumber for fresh eating. IF the bugs isn't killing my plants(probably the only moisture they can find) the heat is even with watering.

I dehydrated basil, choc mint, peppermint, apple mint and spearmint. I'm not going to be lacking in mint teas.

I updated the pantry list, what is needed not what I have (I keep more than a year's worth of food) and printed off that list. Goal is to have it completely stocked back up by Nov 1.

I appealed my denial for my back injections, and got approval.... YEAH. Now the doctor is checking to make sure WHAT exactly was approved so I don't end up with any bill afterwards.SO, it's approved but not scheduled yet.

I  mended a full laundry basket of hand mending that was scattered through the house.

I shared a carry out Chinese dinner with my son when he got back in town, and I bought extra  to feed Hubby and me for a couple days, I think with the stuff I am adding to it we will get a 2rd day out of it.That's probably good since we are getting a bit tired of it but with what is left we can freeze if needed so it doesn't go to waste.

What did you do this week?

Frugal week

I have dehydrated apple mint,spearmint, choc mint, peppermint, lemon balm,strawberries,peaches and basil.

I have made over 30 jars of peach jelly/jam/butter.

 I lost count of the strawberry jam. But probably not enough to go a year if I don't make sure Hubby doesn't just eat it.

I canned peaches.

I canned different syrups, mind just went blank ...I might have canned my mind LOL

I made strawberry popsicles .

The garden is doing fair considering I am battling tomato horn worms, potato worms and squash bugs (yes I got some zucchini, but the bugs are doing a better job of eating them then we are). Using homemade sprays to deal with it but with the way we are seeing moths (groups) I swear they think my gardens are the maternity ward.

Garden pickings: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes. zucchini. cucumber,green onions,lettuce(now going to seed to replant next yr) and a couple strawberries (starting to rebloom but this heat wave coming in will stop that).

I fixed 3 afghans with yarn I already have.

I sat down and made a list of that "get this done and off this list" stuff and then did a time mgt list of it... I doubled the time I thought it would take and a couple things I tripled the time. Reflection of my age and health.

I used the grill and microwave on the hot days. Used the all in one pressure cooker for potatoes to make home fries and mashed potatoes.

I keep the curtains pulled across the top of the windows (use binder clip that was given to me) to keep the sun out and only have the part where the window is open without curtain. Our curtains are too heavy for a breeze to move much. We run the AC during the hottest part of the day and the fans in the rooms we are in (or the older dog is in) the rest of the time with windows open.

I transplanted some popcorn (Hubby said it couldn't be done) that was pulled. Most of it actually is growing. We'll see how that goes.

Made pepper spray and some other homemade sprays to fight the infestation of bugs in my garden and regretfully they aren't the good bugs.

Used my swagbucks to pay for household item needed from Amazon

Had to use the laundromat (had things that wouldn't go through the wringer washer) and hung everything up on the line instead of using the dryers.

I wrote a letter to my ins requesting still another appeal, hoping I don't have to do more to get them to approve the shots they have been paying for during the last 2 yrs. I dislike policy changes that don't acknowledge BIRTH DEFECTS.

I inventoried my pantry (not freezers) and made a list of what needed to be brought up in supplies .BIG thank you to Brandi (www,theprudenthomemaker.com) for her pantry list, makes it easy for me to double check with.

Our landlord had the AC unit fixed, since I warned him before the season it would be time for maintenance this summer, he scheduled it

Because I caulked more windows, used plastic and heavier curtains our heat(propane) bill has come down. We actually didn't use the last tank , warm winter helped there. SO I had a credit, enough to pay for the summer fill and still some. Landlord thinks I might owe him around $50 and that makes the heat bill for this coming winter paid in full unless it's a bad winter and we go over the amt we ordered.

Saved 80¢ a gal on fuel with our points card.

We did a major shopping once and have been just picking up as we need at the local small grocery store. I think we might end up under budget because of it.

Blessed Be...

Putting on the frugal thinking hat

I had to really put on the frugal thinking cap this past week.

First I really really screwed up and left two of my computers and rolling brief case in my son's dining room. He lives an hour away....the good part of that is it was left in his dining room and not out on the front curb that I have feared I had done. More frugal to drive to pick them up than to replace them???? Still we had to go get them so I decided we would go ahead and run some other errands that wasn't suppose to be done until next month. SAVE GAS at least.

This is the garlic I harvest a week or so ago.It's cured so I can cut the stalks and trim the roots for storage . Then I will pull the next batch that is ready. Nice this year that it's ready a couple weeks apart instead of last year when I have over 100 heads come in at one time.I wasn't set up to cure that many at once and had to scramble to get it done.

I harvested and processed lemon balm, spearmint , peppermint, apple mint, choc.mint, basil, thyme, oregano,garlic chives, chives, cilantro, dill, rosemary, green onions, cucumbers, lettuce and the last of the rhubarb and strawberries(unless they bloom again, last year they did).

NOTE !!!!! I might have zucchini this year!!!! YES REALLY, it's okay you can laugh because I must be the only person that can't grow zucchini. I might get one or two off the plant and then it dies....BUT this year I planted it in the north garden in the straw bales(experiment garden) and it's got blooms and little, little zucchinis LOL!!!!

We have ate out a couple times, but did think about the price and getting the best deal when we did. About 4 times we were gone all day, we do take water with us and usually drink only water at meals eating out.Some places will let us share a meal without charging extra, the ones that don't we automatically ask for a box and immediately put half of the meal in the box to go home.We had one meal I made in to 3 more with the leftovers.

Our health ins has decided to no longer pay for the injections I get in my back (birth deformity and I don't take pain meds for several reasons). Our first thought was pay cash (not frugal at all but this was already the last resort for pain relief so I could walk, lay and sit without pain,doctor is willing to accept the same cash payment as our ins was paying.). Then we decided to run with the appeal system. My doctor is already appealing from his side. They say it's not medical problem and then would accept a new MRI but won't approve a new MRI.Seems like every 5 yrs I have this battle. BUT my Dad has told me to adjust that when you get 65 it's a common battle. This will be one that if denied I will have to pay cash for. It's the only thing that keeps me pain free enough to walk,sit and lay.SO we figured it in our "future budget" along with increases because we know it will only go up.


So the thoughts circled around...how can we afford to build our dream home on our dream land and pay this much out in health issues? What can we do NOW to provide for later? We had already planned $2000 (yes that high) for health based on what we were hearing from others that are retired and have some of the same issues, actually I doubled the amt, figuring on it going up.Which is the main reason Hubby hasn't retired out, No sense retiring out and then coming right back in part time as a temp to the same job to pay for ins.

So I started a list of things we can cut now and save more. Nonfood and Food was #1, using car,truck etc #2.Changing from what we use to what we can make do with #3. I would rather make do NOW then when we are in our 70s and 80s like my Mom and Pop was and having to go without.I am my Dad's child instead of Mom's. Dad is frugal, Mom and Pop were spendthrifts.

ANOTHER thought was transfer the money we save immediately to the savings and not letting it sit in the checking where it might get piddled away. We are very good at piddling away.

Dad gave me a new recipe that he has been cooking once a week for soup (cabbage,beans,corn, tomatoes and some times onion) that I haven't tried yet...I think it's because Nonna used to make bean soup, then add veggies the second day,pasta or rice the third and then serve what ever was left over stale bread the fourth. I ate that a lot during the summers since I pretty much stayed with her if I wasn't working.

We have a baby shower for that is for our upcoming great grandbaby  that is due in Aug. We decided to wait until William is born. Our grandkids are okay with that as this will be the first of  5th the generation and they figure they will get over loaded at the shower and at birth. Grandson mentioned diapers and wipes from Sam's club in a couple months, but the Mommy asked for a membership instead along with a breast pump.

I was having problems with my nose, still have sutures from surgery that was in March that was supposed to dissolved, could have told the doctor they wouldn't. He did tell me after checking the issue that if I used a saline spray or did a saline rinse at least at night and fluffing my bedding and pillows weekly I would be able cut back on the allergy meds. By doing that I haven't had to take an meds all week, that saved $10.I was already fluffing, sometimes in the dryer with no heat and sometimes just hang it on the clothes line. I like the clothes line better because of the fresh smell.I tr

I been more diligent in turning off lights and power cords. Second month in a row that our electric bill has been at $100 instead of the usually $150,(landlords was over $200 and has the same size house and everything) EVEN with running the Central Air.I try to run the dehydrator at night as much as possible but sometimes I'm pushing load after load and end up running it through the day.

Hubby is riding the motorcycle instead of driving the truck to work. That has saved almost $100 this month.He doesn't ride the bike when there is thunderstorms in the forecast.

We went to Sam's club. I wanted to do some pricing while picking up diapers for a friend that is having a baby. Made several notes of what I stock up for holidays and winter and bought POM toilet paper....45 big rolls for $19.98.that's around 0.444¢ per roll when Cottonelle (our favorite) and Charmin (second favorite) is around $1.00 a roll. Hubby said it was like work TP....which means very thin...not sure it will save us any money if we use more but with the thought we can use twice as much and still be saving.We got dog food cheaper at Sam's. Bigger bag and for the same price we pay for a lot smaller bag.

We also went to Jungle Jim's International market and I priced condiments and rice there. CHEAPER there even with the price of gas to driving there especially if we go after making a round to the kids. Everyone is an hour away and Jungle Jim's is only 30 min past the kids.I also got some peaches for 79¢ a pound there and now have them dehydrated.Found my favorite tea and got a couple boxes for my girlfriend and myself. It was about half the price I used to pay for it when I could get it locally. I usually buy it as a "gift" for myself at Christmas and birthday and haven't been able to find it in over  a year.

Hubby did ask, said he was afraid to but thought of it, how long can I go on this pantry (speaking of food and not the non-food)with buying only necessities/perishables...Last time he asked that I stretched a 6 month pantry for a year. I just told him we would find out.

We have case sales (frozen food not cans) next month. I need to figure out if I have the room and what I want to fill that up with to place the order in the next couple weeks.

Any Frugal thoughts?

Reading Brandi The Prudent Homemaker Saving Money

Once a month if not more often I reread through Brandi's site of The Prudent Homemaker.

Today I reread Saving Money. Brandi gives 41 suggestions of saving money. We do all but 7.

This afternoon I decide to really look at why we don't do that 7 and what do we do instead.

We have cell phones, we don't share a plan. Both plans are below $50 each. Hubby is a weather spotter and connected with Homeland security(unpaid both jobs), he needed a better phone than what he had for apps he needed and found a really good phone(made the grandkids green with envy because they paid 3 times as much for the same phone) at a provider and still was below $50 plan unlimited. I stayed with what I had and where I was...I keep a cell phone on me since I had a heart attack driving home to the boonies from the city....AND there was no houses around. I dry swallowed 3 aspirin that I do carry to get myself home to the phone.

We have a home phone because we can't have internet without it here AND the local fire dept/squad does home phones with their 911. Cell phones go through another trace. Already takes over 10 mins to get to us , don't need to add more.

1 car...we have a SUV, a truck and a motorcycle all paid off and over 10 yrs old(truck will be 20 yrs old next yr) We both can drive the bike. Hubby uses it for work weather permitting, the truck gets driven the most , good old work truck. we limit trips to town to no more than twice a week if that. The SUV is for when I can't walk right and can't climb in the truck or when we go to my Dad's because he no longer has a car and he can't get in the truck any more. We do acknowledge with age we will be giving up all 3 and getting a car that I can drop into.

We no longer resole shoes...ONLY because the nearest repair is 1 hr away from us 1 way. Cost is gas is more than the cost of replacing our shoes. When we move at retirement this will go back to being done as there is one within  10 miles of our son.

I don't go to the library. It's out of the way and an extra trip. I do borrow books from my one daughter as she is a reader like I am and enjoys the same type of books as me and I don't have to worry about an over due fine. That still saves money.

I stopped baking my own bread when it became the two of us...bread will mold faster when it's home made. I am looking at starting this back up since I have found a couple recipes that makes smaller loaves. We just aren't big bread eaters.

We don't unplug most appliances. I do unplug my laptop and the tv in the bedroom after Hubby gets out of bed (he goes to sleep watching the weather) ....but Hubby just refuses to work with me on this. I will have to say that our landlord's wife requires he unplug his alarm clock daily but she refuses to open the windows and turn off the AC...I really think this choice is weird LOL

We don't collect water from the shower....one is we turn it on and get in, our hot water tank is right below the shower., wait time is not there, two we don't live in town or I would probably insist on this even without a wait time since we are on a well here and would be paying for water in town. We do turn off the water while brushing teeth and have used rain barrels over the years for the gardens.I have a watering can that sits out also for rain.

Soup once a day, I'm lucky if I can get Hubby to eat soup once a month at this point. He does hard manual labor around furnaces that  have him in heat over 100° daily.We have talked about him eating soup instead of cold cereal before he lays down but he isn't willing at this point.I will say he used to farm, pigs and cattle and was raised with meat and potatoes 3 meals a day....he has adjusted a lot since we married to not having that. His favorite meal is what we call 123 pasta with very little meat at all in it.

What are your thoughts on saving?

The good, the bad and it always pours while staying frugal

When Hubby came home from work the other day and said "production is running every weekend until Jan."

We both knew GOD was letting us know we were going to need the extra income.

First, we got the refrigerator fixed, it is running fine and the rental one is going back tomorrow. We don't have a FB garage sale in this area nor is most of Craig's list for this area. We are the boonies LOL. I spent $33 including eggs for 69¢ a doz to replace the necessities that we lost in the frig and replaced nothing in the freezer.

THEN my back injections have been denied because the problems in a birth defect. Doctor's office is doing the appeals and told me it could take up to 4 months...mean time they advised me to get yoga (already do that at home for free), massage therapy and chiropractic care , neither that ins will pay for any more for me due to birth defect. Made a couple phone calls and found a Chiro that will accept cash payment equal to what he would get from our ins.Hubby's employer has a wellness (gym) center and they have massage therapy there that is about half the price of else where. I was trying to figure out where to rob Peter to pay this Paul when I went to refill my meds and found they are now generic and my doctor always marks that generic can be used so the price was 1/10th of the normal out go and actually the difference will pretty much pay for the chiro and massage.

Still appealing to get the other 2 bills paid, was told it might take 3-4 appeals including an outside appeal which is available through Hubby's employer for free.

I harvested thyme, oregano,basil, cilantro, garlic chives, chives, rosemary, lemon balm, choc. mint, spearmint, peppermint, apple mint,lavender, rose petals,flat parsley, curly parsley, strawberries, rhubarb, cucumbers, garlic scapes,lettuce and green onions.

We are eating from the pantry. Taking stuff we don't want (yard sales were we are at in the country doesn't do well enough to do anything) to our youngest.

AND why did I post the two pictures? We know we plan to move closer to the kids, grandkids, greatgrandson when Hubby retires. We plan to retire in 3-5 yrs...we decided after listening to other to start checking out house plans and houses because everyone said they looked of a couple of years.  We feel this is the model we want built. We will do some changes due to me being in a wheelchair before I die (wasn't suppose to ever walk to begin with). This really seemed to fit. We have talked to this builder about 20 yrs ago when we thought about building and they talked us into waiting, 5 kids in their teens, they didn't think we needed the size of house we were planning.

SO to stay frugal and stay on track, I took several pictures and a video of the model to look at and remember why we are going the extra mile to be frugal and save save save.

June 9th, frugal week with a refrigerator broke down

Our first "meal" mostly from the garden. A nice salad of home grown lettuce,cucumber, garlic scapes,green onions,and strawberries topped with diced grilled chicken breast. YUM

Strawberries are coming in about every 3 days, about 2 cups at a time. Nice amount for the two of us to eat up but not to put any in the freezer.

I had a shoe insole come loose, since I wear a size 3 it's hard to find replacement insoles, so I put the insole back in as best as I could and used a hair dryer to heat the insole up , hoping there is enough adhesive to warm up and attached the insole back in.

I sewed a button on Hubby's pants.

I've dried rose petals for rose petal tea.

I've dried lavender for lavender tea.

I've dried cilantro,dill,basil,thyme,oregano,flat parsley,curly parsley,garlic chives,and rosemary.

I run the dehydrator in the late evening so I don't heat up the house.

Our refrigerator went out and we lost over 2/3rd of the perishables (shredded cheese with poof up the bag when it's had too much heat) and  half of what was in the freezer by time we figured out it wasn't going to be fixed right away as the parts were hard to find and we got another (Thank you Rent a Center that allowed us to rent for 2 wks) frig to transfer to which was smaller, a lot smaller than we had.

Hard hit as I had to use June's grocery money to fix the frig (repair man warned us to save up because it's going to die probably within a year)and rent the other frig. I plan to limp us until July without robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Taking some advice from Brandi over at The Prudent Homemaker, I scrubbed out the frig while it was down while waiting for parts to come in . For what ever reason a nice clean frig even broke down made me feel better than one that was sitting there needing a wipe out and broke down.

I called a doctor's billing to find out what was going on, we haven't gotten the bill in 3 months and the office said it was still pending ins and ins said it's paid. Ins didn't pay all of it and the billing office was appealing the lack of payment instead of just charging us and then having us appeal it...NICE .

I also had to call another doctor to find out if my procedure was preapproved and the answer was NOT yet....sigh, the ins did say it's in the final round and the hold up is because the procedure is changed from what I've had done the last 4 yrs...last year I didn't have to have preapproval...change in all ins (not just mine) in this procedure.

Hope you all have a frugal week.

Frugal time

Rambling Rose is what my Dad calls this, I just wished whom ever planted it had not put it right against the corner of the house where the rain down spout is and no way to put a trellis or anything behind it. Still both dogs will walk between it and the bush and past it to walk through my just started perennial flower garden.Miss Kira will lay it the garden.I think she decided that instead of stopping to smell the roses she was stopping to lay in the flower garden on top of my irises. 

I picked Sweet Williams, irises (that someone smashed with her body) and lavender for flowers for my table. I dried some lavender to tea and sachets.

I harvested and dried basil,chives,garlic chives, rosemary, dill,flat parsley, curly parsley and spearmint.

I harvested 2 different lettuces,cucumbers,rhubarb and a few strawberries.

We have saved enough to no longer pay bank fee so that money goes to the savings now also.We paid off one bill in full so we are down to 6 (not counting possible medical bill if the ins doesn't pay any for my procedure for my back).IF we don't have replace a truck or car we are on task to be debt free before Hubby retires in 3 yrs

I have repaired and washed soaker hoses so they are working another year with Rascal's "help" which was "Mom bend over and throw this ball,okay, Mom wash the ball instead of the hoses" . SMILING

I transferred my earnings from surveys to gift to my grandson and his lady that are graduating.

We are running a room AC that my son gave us (newer and bigger than what we had) for the bedroom when Hubby sleeps days (get turned on when he goes to bed and off when he gets out of bed). I leave the windows open, close curtains against the sun and run one fan that is mainly for our 2 black dogs , they hog it even if I had it on for myself. We turned the central air on over the weekend as the landlord wanted to make sure it was running correctly. Dogs loved it. We hated the thought of what it was doing to the electric bill though when the humidity is up I know I will have to use it some.

We are using the grill most nights. Yesterday I used the charcoal side as a smoker, have been given lots of wood chips for smoking. Bought a pork butt . Took less time than I thought, glad a friend told me to check temp of meat at 3 hr mark no matter how long it said it would take.  We had it last night and will again for another meal and then the rest will be packaged and froze for those night neither of us wants to fix anything.

I have used the clothes line for the last 2 weeks solid.

My Dad is slowly clearing out his house so when he dies my brother and I won't have to deal with so much. He gave me a car load of canning jars, a water bath canner that can double as a stock pot, canning rings and lids he bought last year (he didn't even plant his 9 tomato plants this year),a corn jabber (how they planted corn in the old days) and an antique hand cultivator. We go back up this week to get a gas grill he no longer uses for our youngest daughter.

We went to Kroger's on the weekend ( I usually shop Thurs.) so we can get double fuel points for what little we do get now days as warm weather is eat from the pantry and garden time.

I put the button back on Hubby's pants.

We bought a beverage igloo (clearance) and now fill it with ice (we have to buy ice, no room for it in freezer since I "lent" the extra frig to son) and the filter pitcher water. Found we are drinking far less of anything else and just drinking the water. It's sitting on the corner of the kitchen table so we pass it when heading to the frig or coffee pot.

Have was your week?

Frugal week....some LOL

I planted the last of the sweet potato slips I had raised....only to have them hit by frost the last 2 days. I am hoping that dead leaves is the only thing that died on them. I think the eggplant got nailed also, but if that's all I lost, that's not bad.

I picked some rhubarb and added it a casserole we were having as there wasn't enough to really do anything else with.

I picked cucumbers and we had them for supper.

I repaired our trellises to the gardens with what I already had.I used red yarn I had from my yarn stash to tie the tomato plants to the bamboo poles and trellises.

Planted peppers,strawberries, onions, broccoli, cauliflower,basil,cilantro,rosemary, chocolate mint, peppermint, spearmint and more tomatoes in the gardens and pots..

We gave 4 flats of different plants to a friend who just had her 7th daughter.

We gave 5 flats of different plants to 3 of our kids that are trying  to garden and put fresh food on the table.

I went through my seeds and gathered what I want to plant this coming week/weekend.

I went through the produce that was in storage in the upstairs and brought it down to the kitchen to focus on using it up and looked up some new recipes for using it. One that will be tried is spaghetti squash as hash browns.

I set the big dehydrator up so I can deal with the last 4 pumpkins this week. I'll cut them into pieces , bake and then peel and then puree in the food processor and then dehydrate...THEN grind to powder in the blender and store in mason jars. I use it in powdered form a lot fast that way since it's just us and I don't want to open a pint of pumpkin. Easy to toss powdered into sauces and stews also for a bit more nutrition.

We ate from home, though I did buy some things from the deli at the local IGA  for over the weekend as we going to be gone 2 days most the day and I knew our habit to whine "we'll have to cook" would cause us to buy out.I chose things that were on sale and then got 5 cents off for bringing my own bags and fuel pts.  Good thing I did as Hubby got sick and I was asleep on my feet when we got back in both nights.Would have costs us 3 times as much to order out or get fast food than what I spent Helped us limp through the weekend into this afternoon (both of us still battling feeling ill) when we finished it for lunch instead of the order of pizza and chef salad we would have went with or fried chicken from the local restaurant.

I went to Aldi's for my fruits and vegetables. They have good food a lot cheaper than other stores.I got $3 off 2 different packages of refrigerated ravioli that they will no longer carry. They don't sale well here.

 I shopped Krogers for the sales and moved our grocery day from Thursday to Friday so we could get double fuel points. I had over $25 in coupons and clearance there.

Still about 1/4 under budget, we run mid-month to mid-month. WHICH was good as the printer DIED and that's not something we can go long without and we went to physically see the one I picked out to order on line at a store we were going by anyways between deliveries to the kids and found one like we used to have that was over $200 for $110(about $50 cheaper than the one I had planned to buy). So I paid for it out of the grocery money and STILL am under budget. That money now goes back for meat in the fall.

My older daughter gave me some skorts that a co-worker was getting rid of, they were big on my daughter so she knew they would fit me. Means the fabric I just bought can be saved for later or used for something else. A couple of the skorts still had tags on them.

I did/do have 2 stress fractures in my feet...I have tape and knew how to deal with that. Will have to get new shoes as these are definitely worn out and no longer supporting my feet. I try not to wait too long because I do get stress fractures easy (bones in ball of feet too close together) and KNOW better.SO buying a new set of every day shoes is on the to do list this week.

I'm still dealing with issues of my nose....see the ENT doctor on Friday and hopefully (probably wishful thinking) he can do something about the constant blockage on the left side and the bruising that turns even my right eye lids black and blue. I thought the first round of surgery had dealt with the issues, seems like it just transferred the problem to the other side of my nose even though BOTH sides were fixed. LOL  The BLESSING is I do NOT have nose bleeds any more...probably just jinxed myself.So the expense of tissues is WAY down.

I have cut the electric bill down again. Even the landlord was shocked as it's NEVER been this low in over 10 yrs. I think I just walk behind my Hubby and unplug and turn off things.

I continue to use the water filter pitcher for our drinking water and coffee makers instead of buying water.

I used the empty water jugs to fill for emergency water. Figured I wouldn't be making coffee in the coffee maker if there was no electric to run the pump.

I started putting back distilled water for the humidifier for this fall and winter. Figured I could pick up a case (3-1 gal jugs) a couple times a week I should have enough to get a good start this fall. It takes 21 galls a week during Dec - Feb. BUT by keeping the humidity up, we can keep the heat down and we don't have the sinus problems either.

Hope everyone is having a great week.

Blessed be

2016 International Year of the Pulses

Which is dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Check this out for more information of eating Mediterranean.

http://oldwayspt.org/community/blog/8-ways-eat-mediterranean

A cook book my son suggested and I love is Italian Country Cooking  The Secrets of Cucina Povera by Loukie Werle. My favorite being Pancetta,red wine and radicchio risotto.

My Nonna (actually my great uncle's mother in law, my adopted by heart grandma) was from the old country...Italy...Northern Italy. They raised cattle so beef there and here. Meals are more "earthy" in the north than the south that has access to the sea and it's food. More cream and butter in the north with more tomatoes and salads in the south.

I loved and felt more at home at Nonna's than any where else. Looking back I know it was the lifestyle and the food that I was comfortable with.

My parents grew up eating beans, fried potatoes if they had it, bread....and if they had it,milk gravy and bread or oatmeal for breakfast. My Dad never saw a day that there wasn't something on the table to eat.My Mom wasn't so lucky. There was time neither of them got anything for Christmas or their birthdays but felt lucky because the family was together and could sing together. Other families during the Great Depression didn't have their families together.

In that, Mom wasn't much of a cook, Dad actually was better, being the only boy and the middle child he was taught by his sisters(his mom was disabled completely), Mom taught me to read a recipe, Dad taught me to cook without one.

Nonna....raised poor, married poor,  and lived a different way.I learned about frugal meals that were flavorful and healthy. How to grow vegetables that my parents had never heard of and how to preserve them.

Now that I'm older I understand that the convenience of our food has caused our health more harm than it has ever given with easy it was suppose to be.

Check out oldways

May 7th , my frugal week

Rascal My Garden buddy. He will stay with me even during the hottest part of the day so I set my timer to make sure he (and myself) get a break from the sun and get a good drink of water. I can toss his ball that he usually goes no where without into the shade and sometimes he will just lay there with it as long as he can see me

Volunteer garlic, ended up being 30 plants I transferred to another garden as we were digging that old one up completely and had moved what herbs were in it to another garden.Makes up for the garlic that didn't grow over the winter. I do better with fall planted garlic so we will see how this goes.

Kira, or Miss Kira as our daughter that talked me into going to the no kill shelter that thought it was closing its door to get her due to her being a black lab retriever like our daughter's late dog and being named Kira like her....She is her daddy's girl. IF he is sleeping she is either in the room beside the bed with him or at the bedroom door. She check on me but she prefers to be protecting her daddy.





 We went to auction and got most of the plants I wanted/needed. What we didn't get we got at an Amish green house (low priced), our local hardware store (had a sale) and Walmart (on Sale). We had to buy potting soil for straw bales and garden dirt for the sq ft gardens that needed redone . Kind of kicked our rears for not buying the garden dirt last fall when it goes on clearance but since we were buying so much the manager discounted it for us.STILL we came in under budget for the gardens compared to the last 3 yrs of about 1/3 rd.

 I stopped looking at the sales ads from the local grocery stores when they come in. If I don't NEED anything, I'm not going and seeing something on sale triggers the "might not find it cheaper and have to go without" even though there is no place for it...Hoarding is NOT good . Pantry and freezers are full.Frig isn't crowded.I am trying to use up some condiments that we don't use often to get them out of the frig and NOT restock them.

I did some ordering using coupons, sales, swagbucks... I got some patterns of clothes of the style I prefer to wear that was on clearance, saving 80%. I saved 50% off my order for nonfood pantry items and we saved 50% of getting our lawn mowers fixed and regular maintenance by having one of Hubby's coworkers do it instead of the local shop. Hubby doesn't do that type of thing.

We have to buy drinking water here as the well water even ran through a whole house filter system isn't fit to drink or even using in the coffee maker. I found my old water filter pitcher, got new filters for it and ran water through it. After figuring out the price of filters etc we will save about 50% using the filter. Since we don't drink cold water I don't have to deal with it taking up space in the frig.

We ate out twice, once with friends and the other while going to auction, both times using coupons and then got ice cream...not with coupon.

We didn't throw out any food...nothing. Usually something slips by but not this week.

What have you done frugal?

Blessed Be

May Goals

Strawberries 

Rhubarb

Vegetables

I plan to be harvesting strawberries and rhubarb. I plant to plant these vegetables and more (this is only about 1/3 of what I plant). Friday we will be going back to the Amish produce auction to hopefully be able to get the last of the vegetables we plant as it is a lot cheaper to buy it there than even the green house.

I plan to eat more from the pantry, eat 5 veggies and 3 fruit a day along drinking more water and walking the perimeter more often with the dogs. I plan to start back up on my yoga that I had to quit doing while dealing with the nose issues.I plan to be better organized about our meals. I don't think I can do the cook today, left over tomorrow as our one son does because Hubby takes leftovers for his lunch. I will have to make sure I prep as with the gardens going in and everything else, I won't want to walk in the house at 4 pm and wonder how to get dinner on the table by 5 pm when everything is frozen. I do have an Instantpot that two of my kids rave about their own. They forget to thaw and it seems to save them from eating out. One is single and the other is a family of 7 (or more depending on how many friends are at the table).

I plan to continue "decluttering/down sizing" what we have and deep cleaning and winterizing as I go.

I plan to finish getting stuff to start using the smoker that is attached to our grill and to use BOTH regularly.

I plan to create a picnic area close to the grill, an area for the portable fire pit and deal with a couple areas that we step off the front porch that is starting to be a mud spot instead of a grass area.

I plan to do my sewing on a regular bases. No sense having the fabric if I'm not going to use it.

I plan to start working on some afghans that the family needed mended and crafts for the Christmas gifts and new great grandson that is due in Aug.

I plan to paint the room I want to turn into my craft room.

I plan to get out of bed earlier as I think I am starting to over sleep...after of years of not sleeping well, the nose surgery side benefit was I can stay asleep. I didn't have sleep apena, was tested for that more than once.

I have a some classes I want to do that are available when I can work them in.

Have a Great May.

Blessed Be

Friday thoughts

I keep a copy of this picture (from somewhere on the internet) on my frig. WHY? because the kitchen looks close to the one I grew up in and loved (20 x 24) with a 40 inch range,(Mom's uncle built the house originally for the preacher). The woman looks like my Nonna and the apron in my favorite design of aprons.Mom had the dish drainer on the left  and Dad built a cabinet under the sink.

Mom passed about in Nov 2012 but I still have Dad, he has dementia but is doing well enough to still be living on his own.

I don't miss being a kid, life was very rough while I grew up. But I miss the routine of the home.Something I have struggled with since running a home when I turned 13 is getting my own routine of home care that I refer to as Home Blessing.

When the kids were little, no problem, when the kids were teens, no problem. When I worked out of state 2 wks out of every month for 8 yrs, no problem. When our grandson lived with us for a year, no problem.

Pushing 60, just the two of us and two dogs (four legged kids) BIG PROBLEM .

SO if you have the same problem, no matter what your age...you are not alone. NO PROBLEM

Frugal week and Amish produce auction

I got these on clearance for $4. The two red ones are my son's

I picked tulips for my kitchen window (in picture) and bathroom counter.

Dad let me dig these up in his yard last fall so I planted them.They didn't bloom well due to the weather. If I can get them growing better next year I will share them with my kids so they can have a part of their late grandmother and Dad.

My son gave us a pork loin since I had helped him do yard work at his home. He paid for my gas to come down (cheaper than hiring help) and bought me lunch which provided lunch for Hubby to take to work also. I made pork chops twice, a roast and cubed some for casserole. We have had 6 meals from it. Well worth the $8 he paid for the loin. He thought I would get 2 meals from it.

We cut the electric by 1/3 compared to the same time as last year.

We cut the heat by almost 1/2 of when we first moved in 5 yrs ago. I have 2 more rooms to deal with and it should come down farther.

I canned 4 pints of beef broth left over from a roast we had (bought on sale and put in freezer last fall).

I cut rhubarb from the garden and used it for a sauce for the pork roast and for dessert. This is the first from the gardens.

We went to the Amish produce auction for plants for the garden. Heavy turn out of people, not so much for the plants. The cold snap did a lot of harm in this area. We did get some lettuce, cabbage, bell and hot peppers, tomato plants and candy onion sets. The big tomato plants (3.5-4 inch pot that stood 2- 2.5 ft tall and had blooms cost us $3.50 average but we didn't pay over 25¢ per plant for the rest of them and most of them them was closer to 5¢ a plant, except the onions, that came out to being 1¢ a plant.  Candy onions are a sweet onion that store decent. I usually buy 100 lbs or more in the fall and put them in storage. They usually cost about $50 for 100 lbs. I got enough to grow that plus have green onions for the season and supply my kids (and probably their friends) for less than the cost of the 100 lbs...about half the price if not less than that as I estimated how many sets are in a flat.

I transplanted 4 sweet potato slips from the potato slip mother (as I call it) and  I have about 6 more to find places for.

I transplanted 2 "twigs" off the rose bush that Hubby dug out last fall and tossed in a pot of dirt. One looks good , the other not so much but it might be okay.

I transplanted a maple tree twig that I had started last year by seed in my one sq ft garden. It's about 5 -6 inch tall. I really hope it takes off well as it's from the tree the landlord's grandfather started and planted . That tree isn't going to last much longer and I've be trying to get a tree started from it the last 5 yrs.

I am to the point I can plant my straw bales, when this next weather system gets by. Tstorms and wind for the next few days.

I cleared a couple other sq ft gardens and will finish making the list of what still needs bought. I know I am going to need to get some garden dirt as I had a couple beds needed to be completely cleared due to an ant hill in them. I did that battle last year also.

I went to the store and got a few odds and ends, mostly fresh produce that won't be bought this summer. I spent less than $60 which keeps up in the budget of $300 every two weeks. Nonfood is coming down, since I started stocking up when I have coupons and sales instead of waiting until we need it.

Blessed be

Frugal week big time last week

I turned off the furnace during the day and a couple nights.

We went to a near by community that was having their yard sales. We were able to get a couple tools we needed to replace, some odds and ends for the kitchen that needed to be down sized since it's just the two of us and I found 3 skirts, 1 skort and 1 pr of cropped jeans for a total of $9. The one skirt is a favorite style so I will make a pattern from it also.

We had 2 coffee makers die but with luck we found another on clearance and was within the budget I had set for replacement, actually it was $25 less.

I used my coupons and got a shirt from Kohl's so I only had to pay taxes on it.

I used my coupon at Jo Ann fabric and got 50% off some sewing items I was out of.

There is a small grocery store that we shop at once a month for the sales...last week was a HUGE score. They had buy 2 get 3 free.... I got...

2-3 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken breast and got 3 free.. came to be 1.20/lb

2- 1 lb bacon and got 3 free ...came to be  $1.96/lb

2-1 lb kielbasa and got 3 free  came to be $ 2.11

2-14 oz smokey links and got 3 free ...came to be $1.60 ( I use this for entertaining in BBQ sauce or pigs in a blanket wrapped in homemade bread dough)

2- 12 oz smoke sausage links (like hotdogs) and got 3 free  ...came to $1.60( we take some to a friend's home when we do cook outs together, I cut 1 up for baked beans or 123 pasta I make)

2-8 oz shredded cheese and got 3 free ...came to $1.26

2- 12 oz light and fluffy noodles and got 3 free...came to 94¢ each

We also got...

5 lbs of russet potatoes, 5 lbs of red potatoes, 3 lbs of yellow onions, 2 lbs of baby carrots, and 1 lb of celery hearts in the buy 2 get 3 free so each was bought for $1.20

2 lbs of deli ham (chipped chopped) and got 3 sides free...$2.85 . We ate this for our lunch while checking yard sales since we had the coolers with us. Lot cheaper and healthier than the local fast food

I got 10 lbs of chicken leg quarts for 59¢ a lb I made 7 qrts of broth off this also

I got a turkey for 69¢ a lb (Half the price it was at Thanksgiving) I made 7 qrts of broth off this also

I got portibella mushrooms 2 for $4

I got pasta 10 for $10

and milk for $2.50 a gal

I got points for my fuel card ( 36¢ , kind of like Kroger's)

I got 30¢ off my total bill for having my own bags.

By time it was all done and over with I had saved 50% on what I bought, I had a few items that wasn't on sale.

Freezers are full, pantry is in good shape, staples are in good shape...


Blessed be

Nasty weather, my garden and it's affects on my budget

There is snow drifting (not a lot, just enough to see it) down from the sky and it's below freezing outside. Great during the winter, but it's April 9th 2016 and I have plants that were growing and started to bloom before this hit.

A couple weeks ago we had 5 tornadoes in 1 day. Last year we had 7 during the season. Makes the local weather people worried about what is coming...me to as Hubby is a weather spotter.

Our local weather station has forecasted that we will have a warmer than normal late spring and a strong thought of warmer summer with temps reaching 90-100s and possible drought.

 I have to change what I plant and where to deal with that possibility. That means it will be doubtful if I can get any fall crops either as they require the cool temps like spring crops to grow.

Hubby and I looked at each other and he asked what the battle plan is ....he used to farm and he knows what this type of weather can do to the budget. Due to my health issues I have to EAT my nutrition NOT swallow a pill or drink something that has been processed.The old fear of running out of food before the next season curdled in my stomach.Been here and done that. I know I can carry us at least one full year from today. Yes we would go without some veggies and fruit so I need to focus on those, but over all we would be okay. Can I take us into 2 years.... MAYBE...That is what I have to look at.

I'm not thrilled that the 200 plus spring bulb garden even though covered won't be blooming this year even though we covered them (wind blew cover off  repeatedly)...but that's part of spring flowers. Plus I didn't spend much money on them as most was what was some where else and I dug up and moved.My summer wild flowers a 35 ¢ package took the hit hard as they weren't covered. I doubt if the rose bush or the lilac tree blooms much if at all. I don't want to think of the apple trees that have budded at my favorite orchard.

My fall planted garlic, my rhubarb and my strawberries are still covered. I won't uncover until the temps stay above freezing. Still I know they won't produce as much or as well.IF I can get the covers off this week.

Horseradish was left uncovered. We had planned for this to be the final year of growing it. With Mom gone , there isn't enough of us to eat it to make it worth the garden space it takes.

With "winter" hitting again, by time it warms up it will be closer to our summer planting in May ...no spring crops means that won't be on the table or in the pantry. I can plant some green onions and lettuce and maybe some radishes in pots and put on the front porch where they will get the morning and early afternoon sun and I can move to the north side of the porch into the shade during the heat of the day.

Knowing the forecast for a drought possible...I know meat prices will rise...they need rain to grow the feed for the life stock and for the life stock. Some will sell now to try to get what they can and not take any losses.I have that part of my budget stretched.

I don't just grow what we eat fresh, I grow what we eat during the year until the next growing season and sometimes in to the following year. Example 2013 was a bumper year of everything , 2014 was good with beans but not at the norm for root veggies or tomatoes. Last year was even worse and it was everything. I also grow for my own seeds and last year I didn't get a lot of seeds.

The Amish produce auction I go to will be limited, I don't know how well they were able to protect the plants they grow and  they only sell their surplus produce AFTER they have canned or dried what they are going to eat as they live from year to year like we do.

Farmers that sell their produce or life stock for meat and orchards that I pick my apples from will be limited.

That's just the food.

That drought means we have to be more careful with how we water the gardens even though we are on a well. We are careful pretty much on how we use our water from years of being in the city ( we lived where it was expensive and I really wished I had been reading The Prudent Homemaker blog at that time). The last thing we need is to run the well dry.

With temps 90-100 °  I will have to refocus to make sure the house stays cool (electric is very expensive in this house) to limit the use of the central air which I will need if the house temp goes over 85 °. Hubby will use the window AC during the day while he sleeps (3rd shift worker) along with the ceiling fan, he only sleeps about 5 hrs a day. I don't use the central air often even though it's only for the first floor. I need to get the landlord to have it checked out before the heat hits.I will have to recheck my fans and make sure they are in good shape also.

Both of our dogs are pretty much all black fur, I'll put a baby pool (which means I have to replace the one we have had for the last 5 yrs) of water in the garage for them to lay in as that's Rascal's favorite way to cool off and when it's really hot Miss Kira will stand in it. Miss Kira takes to either laying with her face into the fan ( I keep on in the front room) or laying on the vent( when its blowing cool air, Rascal does it when it blows hot) in the front room (until we see her and then she moves like she wasn't doing anything she's been told not to do. He doesn't move until you nudge him).

Usually in the warmer months I have sheers and light weight curtains up because we usually have a nice breeze...10-15 mph. with 20 mph gusts. I use window fans in the east windows to blow in and window fans in the west winds to "blow(suck)" out to create a wind flow in the rooms we are in and that helps cool the house. I binder clip (friend gave me over 1000, when they shut down a plant and was going to throw everything in the dumpster at $500 a load. By time he was through they didn't even have a full load...negative side of that, he is now in charge of most of the closings they do) the top part of the curtains together so only the bottom half (if that much ) is open to let the air move through the house. Afternoons the south and west side curtains are closed completely until the sun isn't on that side. A couple years ago I put foil up on two of the south windows to keep the heat out.

I'll be using the grill more...to keep the heat out of the house including my canning (water bath canner works well on a gas grill).

I usually am in the gardens in late morning through the afternoons...with that kind of heat I will have to do the garden in the early mornings...big change to my summer routine.

This week I will spend looking at what to plant and what I need to prepare for the worst...and pray for the best.

Blessings be

What did I do this week?

Really I look around and wondered.Nose surgery recovery is going very slow but each day is better except when the low pressure triggers me...which is about every 3rd day right now.

I got the laundry done here at home in my wringer washer. SO we saved $80 from the laundromat.We went every 2 wks and had 14 loads. Regretfully our weather here in northwestern Ohio isn't being nice and I still can't use the clothes lines. I did dry some on the drying rack to help with running the dryer.

I ordered some fabric that was on sale at Joann's fabric. Most the time I prefer to not order online because I prefer be able to touch and see the fabric. BUT my recovery isn't up to driving 30 miles , shopping a couple hours and then driving back. SO I ordered online and found that I saved more than the shipping (or gas) would have cost me.I will be sewing skorts at least from this fabric. I still have aprons to make. I still have to primer and paint my sewing room. Everything is scattered in the other 2 rooms upstairs until I do.

I used baking soda to do some cleaning. Not sure if vinegar would trigger any issues yet and not willing to go backwards in recovery.

I pulled some of my sweet potato slips off the "mother" potato and put them in water to let the roots get bigger before planting them. The "mother" potato started growing more slips....GOOD because I had 3 "mother" sweet potatoes that didn't do anything but rot. The "mother" is from the sweet potatoes I grew last year.Type is unknown, the Amish gentleman that sold them to me didn't know, was what his grandpa (3-4 generations back) had raised.

I traded my son my small vacuum(comes apart to make a hand vacuum) that I was getting rid of for his dust mop that wasn't doing will with his grout in his kitchen. The dust mop has a washable head. He's happy also because he can use the hand held to defur his furniture from his cats.

We went out to eat with a couple that are close friends that are retired, they are frugal like us. We went to Hong Kong buffet (splurge). I had coupons for us and them to use. Even after tip it was less than a pizza from our local pizza shop. We go every 2-3 months during the cold seasons. During the summer when we are gardening it's more of eating at each other's house instead.

I reread Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette...I have all 3 books, well really I have 3 copies of all 3 books. Thought my 3 kids could inherit them when I die and doubted if they would be in print when I did die.

We have a friend that burns old oil of any type in his shop heater. We gave him what we were holding for hazard disposal (we have to pay for it) from when we deep fried turkeys at Thanksgiving.

I have some volunteer flowers that have sprung up that I will dig and move later for either my own gardens or one of my kids. Might just put them in a pot to sit at the door on the front porch for next year.

Between sales and coupons I saved 30% at the grocery store, didn't get everything on my list even though I was under budget because of the store changing things around. Still we aren't going without anything. The money I saved is now in a savings account.

I wrapped my coins while down and took them to the bank. That money is for Christmas.

I started my Christmas shopping.... I started with the dogs since I had coupons and there was a sale on some things they love. Was lower than what I spent last year by half.

A friend that is living in Ireland right now , got me a discount on a nutrition class. It was $630 and she got it for me for $35. It's online and not as easy as I thought with the tests. Did you know that craving chocolate could be a sign of low iron? ME either.

We did realize that with me down,we don't nickle and dime the budget. AND we checked to see why that was...if I get hungry I have to eat immediately or I go down, if we are out and I say something about getting hungry Hubby immediately thinks buy food...I can't just eat anything with my Crohn's so it makes it harder. We have found since I've been pretty much in the house that I get hungry around 10 and again at 2 (tea time) and still eat dinner at 5. So for now on we know we need me to take something that I can eat (not protein bars)  if we are going to be gone during those hours. PLUS we have found that he will buy things for projects, not use all of it and forget to return it within the time of returns. He is going to bag it now and put it in his truck so he sees it and remembers to return it.

Blessed Be

Frugal April LOL

April 1st I went in for my debridgement (nice word for cleaning out my nose HA HA). WELL, that was an experience I wished I didn't have to do again but most likely when I GO BACK in 6 weeks , it will happen again, it's what the doctor warned me of. Just not as bad. I still have 2 stents (thanks for that freaking news) that I didn't know about that wasn't ready to be removed.

ON the frugal side. Between our ins and our flex spending acct, the costs are covered. Our ins will go back to paying 100% after about $500 more co pays( we already have this amt saved ) and we will only have to cover prescriptions, eye and dental but nothing MEDICAL.So we'll be checking with the doctor over any Big ticket tests etc that we can get down this year to save us money next yr.That is being frugal.

Yesterday we talked about me going back to work outside the home (Hubby's running joke is I do work outside the home because we can't fit 1400 sq ft of gardens IN the home). Bottom line with his income we would lose more than we gain especially if I work some where there is health ins because his company won't pay for me if I have the option for ins some where else.

We also figured out that I save us $200/ month on veggies and fruit with my gardening (after expenses) and I was able to cut the budget by $300 a month since I am home and can do somethings instead of paying for it to be done.   That is more than I would bring home part time. I do some surveys that I can increase some of my time for to see it that will do better.

We canceled the Directv awhile back and now are going to put that money directly into savings.

We are going to take rebates and coupon savings and put that in the savings instead of leaving it in the checking to spend on something else.

We will be eating from the pantry to clear out the freezers and clear some shelves in the pantry BEFORE the harvest starts coming in. I need to inventory everything to see what to plant and what needs built up in storage.

I will be taking the grocery money for the gardens and processing needs .I already have paid for all my seeds that I didn't save from my own plants last year. April 15th we go to Scioto Valley Amish produce auction to get spring plants for the gardens.

Our non-food budget is twice of our food budget. We are still working on cutting that down. I've cut down on printing, can scan and send some things or take picture of and send through my phone or email. That has cut that area almost down to 1/4 of what it was. But still there are areas that could do better.

One expense is going to be bug spray. Ortho Home defense is what we use here. It's the only thing that works to battle the spiders and ants we get so bad.I will use what ever is left from last yr on the outside and new on the inside.

I noticed inventory on paper goods is running low so I'll watch for coupons and sales for it.

I just got some fabric on sale online to make some skorts and shorts for myself. So sewing ...when I can wear my glasses for more than 10 min ( face still swells from surgery) I'll start my sewing and mending.

Blessed be

April Goals

I hope to be fully recovered from surgery before mid-April but did list things that I can do if I am not up and around much.

Daily: Flylady  habits: shine my sink, 15 mins decluttering, Get dressed with jewelry,and make the bed.All of these I do most days anyways.

Food:  Each of us eat 2 1/2 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruit,eat from the pantry. I need to
inventory all 3 deep freezers, refrigerator freezer and pantries.I'll know if I need to get any staples in but at this point I don't think so.This will also let me know what we need to grow this year.

Gardens: condition straw bales(doing straw bale gardening as an experiment especially for growing potatoes)  refresh square foot gardens and till the in ground garden section. Prepare and plant pots.  Plan gardens based on what we need (which is why I need an updated inventory) for storage and what we are going to eat as fresh only. Armenian cucumbers for sure. Weed flower gardens and check on herb gardens Amish auction where we get most of our plants from is April 15th.

I will start picking up canning jar lids and supplies, for my vacuum bag sealer a little bit each time I go to the store.

Education: I have a nutrition class twice a week the month of April, taking a class of norm for me but this one has extra homework that I'm not used to so I will have to allow Homework Time also.I have down loaded a couple books on finances I want to read and a couple other "classes" that concern gardening and such.

I found a pattern for a skort which is what I prefer to wear in warm weather. I will have to get material for it this coming week. I need to catch up the mending I had planned to do while down now that I can wear my glasses so I can see what I am doing.I have an apron I prefer (based on 1940's canning apron) and will be making a pattern of it to sew more.I have worn out the aprons I have even though they aren't what I prefer.

My flowers are not coming in much yet, so I might if I find a good sale buy a couple more bouquets before May. We have a local florist that has sales pretty regular and has shown me how to make them last a couple weeks.Last batch I got from her lasted 3 wks. Not something frugal (she charges $15 and uses my vase) unless you count it's cheaper for me to be happy there is flowers on the table than depressed and back in for meds. I have S.A.D. so I save up through the "sunny" months to pay for "sunshine" items through the dreary ones.I was hoping my daffodils would be blooming before this bouquet died off.

I am still working on getting a good routine for the home blessing and garden work and food processing. I think the change is going to be me getting up earlier.

We have increased our savings and plan to pay off another bill with in the next 2 wks. Our goals of the last 5 yrs when we lost over 70% of our income for over 2 yrs(and our home) was to rebuild in 5 yrs. We had 28 debts and are down to 5. We decide to not buy a home in this area because when Hubby retires we won't need to live here and can move closer to the kids, grandkids and great grandson (due Aug). We are paying less here on the farm than if we were renting an apt.plus our landlord is okay with my gardening. He usually ends up with some of it anyways.

We have maintained the retirement even when we lost everything else. We could have borrowed against is but we wasn't willing. We can work and go without now instead of having to work in our 70s. We increase that amt every Jan.Better off than others our age but not where we want to be.

We have decided when we retire to living in about 1400 sq ft.with a 2  1/2 car garage or a 2 car garage with an 8 x 10 shed. SO we have chosen to start clearing this home(we rent 2200 sq ft, 2 1.2 car garage and about 20 x 30 storage) so a yr before we buy we are already living in that amt. We measured here and I know what rooms  have to be cleared.If I stacked what is in the storage up like I would a storage unit I could get by with a 10 x 10. This downsizing part will start be actively worked on  weekly starting the first week of April.

Have a blessed week.

Surgery update Celebrating

Why? First the surgery went very well and I didn't end up with the black eyes like I was warned I would have. Second after 2 wks I can wear my glasses. Even though my Doctor made a plastic bridge so I could, my face was too swollen for me to wear it.I can't read, drive or go outside in sunlight without glasses,I wear 4 pairs. I wasn't smiling in this picture because when I smile, my glasses slide down my nose, need to get those adjusted LOL. Recovery has been harder than I was prepared for and I still have the debridgement (final cleaning) for my nose on Friday. I was warned I would probably go backwards in recovery for 7-14 days.

On the frugal side, we didn't go anywhere except appts and one trip to the store to get more "quick" foods for Hubby to fix while I was down and to get more tissues as I had went through the first 10 boxes. For the month we remained on budget including the extra supplies needed due to the surgery and recovery.

We bought take out twice, both times fed us 4 meals for less than $5 a meal and I had actually figured on twice that amt in the food budget while I was down.

The car maintenance budget has taken a big hit, my son's car's front bearing is going out, he brought it to us for our mechanic to fix (his mechanic is having surgery) and I gave him my car and took his to our mechanic. The next day we had to call our mechanic and ask if we could drive it because our truck's fuel pump went out. So the mechanic brought us our son's car (can get back and forth to work last night but that's about it) and the fuel pump was ordered and should be in the truck today so we can once again get my son's car the to mechanic. MEANTIME my son calls and starts telling me things he found wasn't working right on MY car.Most of it Hubby can deal with if son doesn't go ahead and do on his own. I haven't been driving much since last fall and the car kind of sits. If Hubby didn't have to have a way to work I'd sell it but since his truck is a 1998 I'm not comfortable with it being the only thing here. Work is a bit too far away for him to be walking, let alone down a highway to get to work and he's the only one working 3rd in this area.

Blessed be