Planning frugal

We turn the furnace down. I started using an electric water kettle to make tea (pour the hot water into another kettle) and when making rice, pasta or boiled eggs. I have found I save 2 hrs. of propane a week. by using the kettle. Electric is cheaper here. Not reliable enough as losing electric happens  with storms and accidents.

I used kitchen twine to tie up the grape vines and berry vines.

Hubby got more slab wood from E for free to make more potato crates.

I moved the utility bills to a cash back credit card that paid more than the other card.

Hubby wanted a different table for his HAM radio instead of the tv tray . Which I hate to move to dust mop the floor.

Sunday I took him out to the barn and we went "shopping" through all the furniture (Daddy's Mother's Pop's, late husband's, 6 kids LOL) and found a table he is trying before we refinish it and buy some wheels (to make it easier for me to dust mop the floor).

While shopping the barn:

I found a tub of place mats and cloth napkins that had been Mother's. They are now washed and hanging on the yard clothes line.

Hubby found a metal stand he used to use by the swing...which made him put out the swing also. Then he decided to bring out the outdoor furniture so he cleaned that. The stands needs refinished but he can do that later this summer. It's still damp and cool here.

We found a dresser buried under boxes that can be refinished for an upstairs bedroom. H, Amish neighbor on the other side can do that later this summer as he's already behind doing Son 2 cabinet LOL.

I found small pots that I can use to transplant seedlings into from the grow cart that can go under the bigger grow light  upstairs. 

He found a wicker hamper and decided he wanted me to repaint it so he could have it in the front room for throw blankets storage plus be able to use the top for a stand next to the love seat as the top is flat. 

We found 2 birdhouses, one was for a wren and that was hung up. The other needs a repair and then it will be put up.

I mentioned there was several cabinets I could use in the basement for dishes and appliances or even storage for boxed goods and the metal shelfing units it would replace could be used in the barn when we set up the summer kitchen (that I was calling canning area). AND there was also cabinets that we could set up a work shop for him and he wouldn't be constantly looking for stuff. OR having to buy it because he needs it NOW and can't find it. 

After walking through it he admitted that he defeats my decluttering when he takes what is supposed to go to the trash or to the thrift shop and it just gets shoved here and there in the barn since I always look to the left of the door in the first stall instead of INSIDE the barn, for what is supposed to go. Which means I as it's very seldom we, have to re-sort things .Since I am not willing to pay $100 a month for a dumpster. We will be working it through the normal trash that has a bag limit on it per week, recycling and thrift shops on the Tuesday we have errands and appts. I down loaded the Goodwill list so we don't take anything there they will just dump. I also brought up we could start donating some things to Habitat ReStore that we are not going to be using... like the kitchen sink that  a friend gave us and two bathroom sinks along with cabinets the kids passed to us.  I keep checking to see if there is a township clean up or a hazard waste clean day in our area. Last year both was cancelled.