End of March frugal

Sunshine peeking through is pretty much how it's been this week.
A lot of money was spent this week, still I would say it's a frugal week.

We ordered 2 beds from Amazon for our daughter who was going to go to a rental place. NO, pay us the payments and we will order them. She saved over $1000....which means we saved also as I know "dead season" at her work place is coming and she wouldn't be able to make the payment and still make the bills and we would have stepped in and helped. This way they will be paid OFF before dead season hits as she is paying us the payments instead. For those wondering...dead season is when a restaurant etc type place goes from good flow of customers to almost nothing or none at all due to seasons, right now we are getting warmer so people will be cooking out or might order pizza.Upscale restaurant  usually loses business. Kind of like construction in Ohio comes to a trickle during winter months.

I got new shorts...usually that means I bought shorts at yard sale, thrift shop or got hand me downs from one of the grandsons. I actually bought NEW shorts. Found them at Sam's club a style I like and I know I will wear these for years. I am still wearing the shorts I bought in 2005...fabric is starting to give.SO I figure if I wear these 12 yrs (that puts me at 70 and yes at 70 I would still be okay wearing these) I figure that's $1 a year.

While at Sam's club I also got sugar, flour, vinegar, honey mustard, coffee for me ( I drink med, Hubby drinks tar LOL) dogs dental treats which our vet thought was doing good for our dogs. Also got It. dressing, toilet paper, freezer bags(stocking for when the garden starts coming) diapers and wipes for the great grandson, carrots, baby carrots, apples and baking potatoes as I will be eating them for my lunches.Hershey candy bars as Hubby eats them with peanut butter before he goes to work...my dinner at 5 is his bfast... he doesn't get another meal until 4 am so he eats a candybar with peanut butter before work and an apple with peanut butter at first break at 2. Cookie butter...had no clue to what this was but had 1/2 dozen kids ask me for something that had it in it. Since I didn't want to special order the cookies that it's made with I bought this. Hope they like what they asked for when I get make it.

We got binoculars at Gander Mt. The old set is over 2 decades old and no longer has clear vision and it helps to see if the coyotes are running the woods that are about 1/2 mile from us before I let my dogs out.Hubby can use them when weather spotting also.

I got yarn on sale at Hobby Lobby. Hopefully this is all I need to finish my great grandson's  afghan. I thought I would need 5 but they only had 4 left.

We ate out, hit lunch time at one place and early dinner for the other. Ate cheap for eating out.

I mended a couple shirts.

We ate the majority from the pantry and stayed out of the grocery stores. I still need anchovies and sesame oil but won't go for just that.I did grab milk today at the local small store.

We got gas using points from a local grocery.

We combine errands with doc appts or when Hubby has meetings for HAM radio

I got the electric down by $25.

I got my car in the shop due to a problem with moving my seat and asked for the car to be checked out since I was going to lend it to my daughter. Good thing because it had a bad wire that could have caught fire. Now that is fixed and it runs better so better gas mileage...but he is still working on the seat LOL.

I have started buying the Christmas gifts when I see them on sale.

I have found if I add a 2nd spin on the new washer I  can cut dryer time down by 30 min on heavy loads. I use the sensor in the dryer.

My ins requested a A1C as part of my "points" to lower the cost of next year's ins for us...not something my doctor usually runs when fasting sugar is below 100... good thing the ins did because my A1C says I am borderline diabetic. I am now testing at home and monitoring it along with lifestyle changes as diabetes runs strong in the family. It's a bit weary to have to test one and two hours after I eat and not be able to drink anything except water ( I drink 72 oz of water a day now) I am a coffee drinker with real milk and real sugar but I can go black and I drink tea unsweetened.

Hope you had a frugal week and feel good about your choices you made.

Frugal week with back procedure

My grandson's mother in law to be suggested my snowman after I sent everyone a picture of my pots garden.

On Friday I had my back procedure, drove 2 hrs in snow, snow pellets, sleet, freezing rain and then rain...I don't think OHIO knows what season it is....my doctor had already given me my restrictions for the next 2 weeks before the procedure that I am to OBEY until the follow up appt. So we prepared for me to be down...It's not bad procedure, injections etc... I just am more limited than most because the injections flare up my cerebral palsy.We planned to eat at Golden Corral afterwards and was able to eat at lunch time so it was less than we had planned for. I put corned beef (bought on sale and froze), potatoes, carrots and cabbage in the crock pot for dinner that night which we were both thankful because Hubby wasn't really up to cooking since he hadn't slept that day and I was having problems walking.

I fixed the rest of the meals from the pantry.

I am hoping the weather forecast tonight is good so I can uncover my perennials this week and not continue to have a garden of pots.

We got haircuts while on sale and I noted on the calendar the next time they have their sale scheduled.

My son went to a coffee house and the one worker told him to rinse his paper coffee filter before putting the grounds in and he would be able to use less grounds. I tried it and have been able to cut about 1/4th to 1/3 rd of grounds in ours.

I combined sales and coupons to order the seeds I need to fall planting in late July/Aug.

I juiced some limes that were starting to get old and froze the juice. I zested them first.

Hubby moved our new washer in, I moved my wringer over to the side for now. I timed the first load that was for the longest wash cycle there is. About the same as what I do in the wringer washer but it took 1/2 the time in the dryer so the electric bill will be coming down. Plus I can toss a load in more often and use the drying rack for smaller loads which wasn't convenient to do with the wringer washer.

Did the usual of curtains open and closed, lights and power strips off,washing foil and plastic bags.

Hubby darned a couple of his socks. One of the things his grandmother insisted he learn from her.

My daughter's  been waiting to get moved into her new place. Her and the kids have stayed with friend as the landlord found busted water pipes and an issue with the furnace that stopped her from moving in. Her stuff is there though. He gutted the pipes and replaced them, fixed the toilet that he found wasn't working right after he fixed the pipes and is now replacing a couple parts on the furnace and making sure there is no carbon issues with it before letting her actually live there.Gave her money off next month rent. So we went to the store and got 2 lbs of spag, 2 jars of sauce, 2 loaves of garlic bread, and 3 lbs of hamburger saving over $16 on the total for the family that is keeping them until she can live in the new place. I also got 2 dozen of eggs at 69¢ a dozen, 3lbs of hamburger for $1.29/lb, tuna for 50¢ a can and bread for 59¢ a loaf along with rolls and some cin. bread and muffins that was marked down 50%. We had the muffins and cin. bread for snacks over the weekend and the rolls stuffed with meatballs pizza style (FB recipe) for dinner last night.

We paid on our loans that are against our life ins policies (taken out when Hubby went to 3 days a week working for 2 yrs , thankful his company kept him working those 3 days so we had health ins. and I was out of work). I have been paying more on his as his interest rate is higher than mine.It's the last 2 bills we had from those 2 yrs.

I finished inputting my coke caps and donated that money to USO. I am waiting to see what Coke does next for rewards.

We are planning to plant more in the gardens but not overwhelm me, which triggers back issues, with the upkeep. I would like an asparagus bed that is raised so that's in the plans also.

I have enjoyed the weather we had yesterday, since I was able to walk decent I took the dogs around the perimeter(carried cell phone in case I needed help since Hubby was in house studying for his EMT renewal test). Wasn't sunny but was high 40s so wasn't bad when there wasn't much wind.

What did you do?

Blessed Be

3.12.2017 Frugal and gardens

I really wished I was in the gardens because I was planting. Instead I have spent the time covering up plants that had come up due to another winter storm coming this week after our spring like weather.

I am actually going to use the aerator spike instead of buying a broadfork for the little space I want to use it in.I might use it to plant to popcorn...we will have to see if that will work.

I used straw from the north garden to cover the garlic, fall onions, strawberries and herbs in the south gardens.

I used old flower pots to cover the perennial flowers that are up by turning them upside down and making sure no holes in the bottoms would allow snow through.

I flipped my son's car back to him when we were already in the area( an hr away) helping move our daughter. Did his taxes and got lunch at his home that we split the price of a pizza and he used his discount.Saved gas and food money.

I didn't go to store, Hubby did get milk this morning at the gas station because I forgot to stop yesterday on the way home. Got it for $1.99... decent price for a gas station.

I turned the humidifier off even during the week and opened up the house.

Did the usual of washing plastic bags, foil etc and reusing. Went through the plastic containers for storage.

Open curtains for daylight and close them when getting dark except the day the wind was blowing with gusts up to 60 mph , then I left them shut to help keep the house warm.

Shared what I have in the pantry storage with daughter that moved to help her get her pantry back up. She just found a new job and a bigger place. She was proud of me that I didn't go BUY her groceries.

We did go out to dinner with friends at the local spot that had fish special so it was a little cheaper than normally it would have been.

We combined errands and appts to keep the trips to town down.

I turned off the power strip to my coffee maker and the one to my computer.

I used the leftovers to make different meals.

I saved all the five dollar bills and ones that made $5 from Feb to now  to put in my savings acct. Side benefit of paying cash for the groceries and eating out.

I mended a pair of pants and a shirt.

It doesn't seem like much LOL

Frugal note

Eat the food not pitch it in the trash after it's buried in the back of the frig behind the butter and other stuff...SIGH.

I cleaned out the frigs...we have decided to focus on eating REAL food and not preservatives as much.  We are already close to 80 % REAL and thought to try to go to 90 %.So I made a menu of 30 fresh salads with REAL food and dressings and then the grocery list... and then decided to check to see what else I needed.... mudroom frig is usually my stable stock up like butters and lard and such ... yogurt and sour cream got shoved behind it and then covered with the butter... WASTE of yogurt and sour cream and now realize I don't have as much butter as I thought.

That isn't FRUGAL.

I did some mending.

I put my coffee maker on a power strip ( garage power strip). I remember to shut it off but not unplug the coffee maker.

My son uses our mechanic and needed maintenance and tires so while I was done in his area(an hr away) at a doctor appt I flipped cars with him. I'm hoping it works out to flip again when I am down closer to him at our youngest's house. Saves both of us gas money.

Got groceries,between sales and coupons saved 37%.

We are combining errands to keep fuel costs down along with wear and tear costs.

I used the drying rack for 4 loads of laundry 

I bought a pizza and tossed salad the other night while coming home from doctor office that is 2 hrs away. Got home at 7 and Hubby had to leave for work at 8:30... the pizza made 3 meals with the salad making 2 .Not the best choice but Hubby didn't wake up until I called him I was on my way home so the roast didn't get started.

March Shopping

I would say goals but I have already done the shopping for March.

I will have to pick up milk, and a stick of pepperoni. It comes from Italy and our local IGA sells it.I slice it on my meat slicer and bag it in sandwich bags in the amts I use on our pizza. Then I put in it freezer bag and toss in freezer. The end pieces I dice for other meals, freeze it on a cookie sheet then bag and put back in freezer.

I spent $337. and saved 37%. The budget is set at $180/month I had about $75 left for Jan and Feb each.The produce should last 4-6 wks. The meat will stretch out what we have in the freezers. I'm $7 over budget. I wouldn't have spent it if I didn't have money set back to cover the rest of this month with the acknowledgement that I have to cut back the next 2 months to make up for it. That should be easy come May with the spring garden coming in.

Both of us are wanting spring to come in so I can plant salad stuff and sugar peas. Right now it's mid 50s until Sat then its back down to freezing until the middle of the following week. If I can between the rain storms I'll cover a few spots to try to have it warm enough after this next cold spell.

Aldis

corned beef tip (not flat brisket which is bigger) on sale for $1.99. They are small but for the two of us we don't need big. I have one out for tonight to make rubens with.

fresh whole chicken for 89¢lb, can't remember when we had a whole roasting chicken (weighs over 8lbs) instead of turkey.

potatoes, small potatoes,cabbage(several heads that are now in root cellar) apples, pears, lemons,limes,Romaine lettuce, flat leaf spinach,celery,bell peppers,grape tomatoes,bananas, mangos,cucumbers,kiwi, mushrooms,brussels sprouts,stuffed olives, jar of artichokes,dried figs and dried apricots,

IGA

Fresh chicken breast $1.49lb
cube steak that was marked down a 1/3rd of price
tomato soup for 75¢/can (my comfort food when I am sick)
sugar snap peas
baby mix spring lettuce
dark rye bread
Razzleberry pie (Hubby's favorite)
water chestnuts that was half price so the pantry is now restocked on that.

Krogers

toothpaste, on sale and had $1 coupon
strawberries 4 lb for $5. AND they actually had flavor.on sale
Red cabbage
navel oranges on sale and coupon
egg beaters (Kroger brand)
yogurt (coupons and sale)
cottage cheese (sale)
sour cream (sale)
sliced cheese (sale, coupons and one free)
asst pasta for daughter who just got the lease signed on her new place (was on clearance rack)
asst nuts...ouch price, wasn't as bad as I've seen else where but still..... but doc wants me to start eating small nuts in salads or jello salads.
asparagus. This just will not grow for us...sigh.
avocado.
bibb lettuce
scallions
red onions
vine ripe tomatoes (tomato salad, cucumber tom and onion salad BLT)
cilantro, parsley, and mint (won't grow in this house)
broccoli
cauliflower
radishes
bacon (sale, coupons and one free)
smoked sausage (sale, coupons and one free)
frozen chicken breasts (thin slice) (sale and coupon)
chuck roast ( been seeing it for $7.88/lb...got it for $2.88/lb)
ground beef (marked down 1/3rd)
cube steak (marked down 1/3rd)
London Broil (marked down 1/3rd...haven't had it in 7 yrs finally got back in my price range with it marked down for quick sale)

I don't plan meals out much as too much happens. We usually talk about what is going on the next day and what we need to eat etc over bfast since Hubby works 3rd. My bfast is actually his supper.

Blessed Be