Planning to save more

Sitting at the table with the oil lamp lit between us as we drank our morning coffee.  I said to Hubby.

"I want to save more. I think this coming  year (especially if Daughter 4 has to have hip surgery along with the cancer surgery) will put us off a year on getting the mortgage and rest paid. I don't want to piddle it away what isn't spent." 

Hubby looked at me like I had lost my mind... then he asked ...

"What can you do that you don't do now?"

I can use the airfryer for small "bakes" instead of the small oven as our electric is cheaper than our propane. I can use the regular oven for big bakes or multi bake dishes. It will take planning for those last minute biscuits, cakes etc .

I can use the canning stove this year after we get the garden boxes done as they are blocking the path to it. Grill "summer" propane is cheaper than our "winter" propane in the  big tank. (PLEASE MOTHER NATURE I need at least 70 degree temps to paint boxes for 3 days... okay 2 days if that's all I can get.)

 I can use the grill more than once or twice a week since it is on the front porch and once again the grill propane is cheaper. We debated about moving it to the deck but then it has to be good weather as there is no covering and the deck is vinyl and Hubby already melted one house siding on the old house . SO since it's mostly me now days grilling I will get a small table and chair for the front porch so I am not running back and forth from the kitchen. I should have something in the barn to fill that want.

I can put up the canopy to block the sun from  coming in the French doors and heating up the house this summer. I can use the umbrella for the table Hubby built and then realized he didn't put the umbrella hole in the middle. I am okay with it not being there as it's a freaking pain to pull out when the storms are coming.

I have stopped making menus because I buy what is needed for a dish that Hubby wants and then don't make it because hubby works late and doesn't want that type of meal that late. and then I forget it was to be made and it gets tossed like the $8 of veggies tossed to the compost yesterday as I was focused on getting asparagus dealt with. SO the answer I said for that is , We eat what needs ate first and no extra veggies in the basement frigs. Fruit I will go check as we store apples there in the fall until coming summer.

I switched what goes on the cash back credit card That has already saved us $15 in one week.

Instead of waiting 3 days before buying anything we are waiting 5 days unless it's a NEED (like Hubby's part for his trailer that is leaking fluid that runs his dove tail.. dove tail is the end of the trailer that drops to form a ramp to the trailer).

I checked the list of needs for the pantry to decide where I could save there.

Instead of buying canned pork and beans I will make them from scratch and then can them myself. I found a couple recipes I will try before canning them so I make sure we actually like the flavor. I have plenty of Great Northern dried beans and tomatoes from last year. 

I am turning last year's tomato juice into this year's pasta sauce. 

I will grow green beans to can (low on that)both regular green beans and Italian wide green beans. I have the seeds.

I will grow beets to can plain beets (or barter with A as she grows beets to sell but will barter with us). I have seeds.

I need hot salsa and mild salsa. If I don't get enough tomatoes to do that we will go without. N isn't sure how well the tomato plants he got are going to do as he waited too long to order and they were out of his go to plants. J is suppose to have roma tomatoes but he is worried about how this weather is going to affect them.

I need grape jelly. I have grape juice from last year that should cover that. IF the grapes after being hit with the snow and frost, make enough to replace the juice. If not, I won't get grape jelly.

Horseradish mustard, I will watch for sales on this.

Sweet and Spicy mustard, I will watch for sales for this

A1 sauce, another one to be on sale as I can't make anything close to it that Hubby likes.

Linguine... I have no clue to how this got down to 1 package when I am stocked well with everything else UNLESS I had kids that took it and didn't mark it down on the "we took" list. Wouldn't be the first time. The pasta sale the other week didn't include linguine. I  will check Dollar General/Save A Lot/ Aldi's . Price is  set is less than $1 for a pound or we will go with out it.

Spicy Hot cauliflower... it's more pickled and yellow due to turmeric, a small hot pepper is usually in it with the cauliflower and it's usually a good size jar. We eat one or two a month. I've not been able to make it that we liked so I could can it.

Campbells chicken noodle (or stars) soup. I keep 6 cans for when I am sick. YES I am picky when I am sick.

Luzianna family size tea bags. It's the only tea both of us drink. We drink it hot, room temp or cold. I stock up on it in the fall to get us through winter. I am down to 3 boxes of 24 . That is 2 months. I have found it I refill with water and simmer longer we can get a second pot (10 cup pot) out of it. That would make what I have last 4 months. I try to get it on sale with a coupon. 

 Daughter 4 and I will holding each other accountable. She has been saving her money (after expenses and grandbaby stuff) in a real savings acct (as she used to do change in jars) because she has decided to buy a home in the next two years. She talked to Son 2 about what she needed to do and figured if she could save some now with her door dash that she would be in savings mode when she went back to work. In May or June they are going to work on her resume.  We will share what we are buying and costs and what meals are being made. This is the child that nailed me for putting the 3rd can of green beans in the cart (aka buggy in the south)because there was only 2 on the list and being on sale did not mean anything to her. 

Hubby was going to use the rebates from Menards to buy filters ( I need 4 for kitchen cold air vent) I told him to hold off as I have some to get through the summer and I wanted the rebates in case we need something for the basement project or find we can put a ramp off the kitchen porch next to the basement ramp. If we can't do a ramp we are going to do a very wide set of steps there as I can't step up on the railroad ties that are there as steps. 

I did check Amazon to see what I was waiting for to come in... 2 planters that should be here in the next couple days  and two books. 

Back to finish weeding the gardens.

Blessed Be