Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #2 July 2025

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My Frugal Week

Bailey had a porch pickup scheduled for Saturday night.  The pesky raccoon came and tried to get into the bag. I chased him off at least twice and I know he came back again. So, Bailey set the trap to catch him Sunday, and we caught him. So, now he will be rehomed. 

On Sunday I had to pick up one prescription for antibiotics, so I stopped at the peach orchard and bought more peaches as they’ve been delicious this year. 

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ BBQ Chicken, Field Peas and Snaps, and Corn. 

Tuesday ~ Homemade Pizza and Salad

Wednesday ~ Chicken Fajitas with Onions & Peppers, Flour or Corn Tortillas, Tomatoes, Black Olives, Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Queso, Chipotle Sauce, Taco Sauce, Corn. 

Thursday ~ Bailey had the Chicken Fajitas again and I had roast turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans and a roll in the hospital. The turkey was so good. 

Friday ~ Bailey finished the Chicken Fajitas and I had chicken tenders, vegetable broth (so delicious) French fries, and strawberry gelatin in the hospital. 

Saturday ~ Breakfast in the hospital was so good. They gave me an omelet with cheese and tomatoes, bacon, an English muffin with cream cheese, a fresh fruit cup and grape juice. 

Dinner at home (yay!) was Chicken Tenders that we picked up on the way home along with French fries, and peach cobbler. I went to bed right afterwards and slept like a log. LOL

Sunday ~ Dinner at home was Salads as we still had Chicken Tenders left, so I cut those up and we topped our salads with them. I also cut up the red and orange bell peppers I bought this week. 

I’m hoping things settle down here this week. What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Image Credit

Second Frugal Friday of July 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday on Saturday night. 

Sorry this is later than usual, but I had a high fever on Thursday that warranted another trip to the emergency room. 
Turns out I had another infection from the kidney stone, so they gave me more IV fluids, antibiotics and cancelled my stent removal surgery scheduled for Friday. 
They also wouldn’t let me leave the hospital until I was fever free for twenty four hours. That turned out to be on Saturday around four p.m. and let me tell you I was ready and had one foot out the door. 
Anyway, the rest of this blog post is what I had ready to post up to the point I went to the hospital. 
I hope you enjoy it. 
My Frugal Week
Last week at the church yard sale, Bailey and I both had our Hulken bags with us shopping the sale. We received multiple comments on how nice the bags were. Bailey told one lady that I got mine at a yard sale the week before and she was so surprised. 
We would not dream of spending over our means. This only brings debt, trouble, and unhappiness.  There are so many choices we can make in our lives, in the homes we choose to buy, the food we choose to buy, and the presents we give, that we can choose a simple standard of living that brings us contentment. 
On Wednesday I had to go to the post office to mail some packages. I was right by the middle school where I used to sub, so I checked in their little free pantry and found it empty. So, since I hadn’t brought all my groceries up from the car yet, I went through them and placed a few items in there. 
Students are out of school for the summer and sometimes school is one of the few places they get to eat, and they miss out during the summer. So, hopefully this will bless someone. Afterwards I filled up my car with gas ($2.64/gallon) as it needed filling. 
I did not buying anything from Amazon Prime this week. 

On Wednesday I cut up a cantaloupe and a golden honeydew melon to have fresh fruit on hand. We also have peaches from the local peach orchard. 

I have a raccoon getting into the garbage this week, so I went ahead and drove the garbage and peelings to the garbage dumpster, so he wouldn’t get into it again. He even knocked down both of my hummingbird feeders and destroyed them getting the nectar out. 😢 

Freebies
A free cookbook from the Food bank of Iowa 
Free PDF of the Make Do and Mend booklet put out by the British government during World War II. 

We cannot believe the freebie we got this week! I just happened to check Facebook for some reason and came across a post from a lady who said the Walmart truck wasn’t coming and she had to get rid of some cottage cheese. 
It was the full fat version that Bailey uses, so I texted her and she messaged the lady and was out the door in about five minutes. 

She came home with 24 containers of cottage cheese! The lady even had more, but Bailey was thrilled with what she got and other people were coming for some too. How cool was that? She figured it was over $70 worth of cottage cheese, all for free. I’m so glad that I just happened to check Facebook. 
Health News
On Tuesday I went to my rheumatologist and got a good report from her. The nurse was so excited about my weight loss and walking that she hugged me!
I also went to the retina specialist for injections in both eyes. My eyesight is much better today as a result. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos

How to Live on $3 per Day One Dollar Meals ~ A Video Series by Life by Mike including six videos for 21 meals for seven days. 
Here is what he has to say about the first video:

In this episode we are exploring how to really survive, in a big way, on $1 a meal, that's $3 a day, and $21 for an entire week. I set out to figure out how it would be possible for someone to really eat, not only cheap, but still make amazing food and feel satisfied. 

Saving Money on Entertainment

There is an app I just started using called Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab, which I love! 
If you hear a bird song that you want to identify, this is the app. Just press the record button and it will tell you. 
The other morning I could hear this bird singing away, so I recorded the bird and this is what the app stated:
Carolina Wren
Medium-sized wren, familiar and fairly common in eastern North America. Fairly bright rufous above and unmarked buffy below with a bold white eyebrow. Tail is often cocked up. Disjunct population on the Yucatán peninsula is duller brown. Superficially similar to Bewick’s Wren but much brighter and slightly shorter-tailed. Usually hides in dense thickets and hedgerows, often close to human habitation. Occasionally visits feeders, especially for suet or mealworms. Listen for loud, ringing song and variety of harsh scolding calls.
It is just the neatest app. If you try it let me know what you think.

Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. 
We would love to hear all about your week in the comment section.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

To Earn and Not to Spend

To Earn and Not to Spend

The phrase “To knit, to spin, to sew, or mend. To scrub, to rub, to earn, and not to spend” comes from a poem published in The Evening Post during the eighteenth century. 

It reflects the deeply ingrained gender roles of colonial America, where women’s responsibilities were primarily domestic and their labor was considered essential to the family’s survival and economic stability

Women’s Work as Economic Contribution

Though women were not usually wage earners like in today’s world, their domestic work such as spinning, sewing, cooking, preserving food, and managing the household were their contributions to the household earning money. 

These types of tasks saved the family from having to purchase goods or services, which in turn made women’s work crucial to the household economy. 

Thrift, Resourcefulness, and Self-Sufficiency

The phrase “to earn and not to spend” encompasses the colonial values of thrift, frugality, and self-sufficiency. With limited access to goods and services, families had to rely on their own labor and ingenuity. Women played a vital role in this system by minimizing waste and maximizing available resources.

Adages like “waste not, want not” reflected a widespread cultural expectation that all family members, especially women, would contribute to either earning or saving. This spirit of “making do” led many households to produce homespun cloth or homemade goods, out of necessity.

Shifting Values

In colonial society women’s roles were central to the family’s survival. Their work was not only physically demanding but also held moral and economic value. Over time, as the colonies developed and consumer goods became more accessible, the strict ideals of frugality and self-reliance began to give way to a more complex economy shaped by what we call consumerism today. 

Still, the ethos captured in “to earn and not to spend” persisted as a foundational American value, which was rooted in the belief that hard work, resourcefulness, and disciplined household management were the keys to prosperity.

Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. 
We would love to hear all about your week in the comment section.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #1 July 2025

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 My Frugal Week

On Thursday I cut up a golden honeydew melon and watermelon for the Fourth of July. I also made more gelatin/fruit cups to have on hand as needed. 

Bailey was invited to a friend’s home for the Fourth of July and wanted to bring a dish to share. I thought about it and what ingredients I had in my kitchen and decided on an apple cobbler with candied pineapple and walnuts. I also made deviled eggs, but she decided to keep those for here. 😂 

On Sunday I removed the produce drawers from the refrigerator and gave them and the inside on the fridge a good scrub down with hot soapy water. 

Recipe of the Week

This is a recipe I created for my daughter to take to her Fourth of July event. I had some candied pineapple from Paradise that I wanted to add to the cobbler and it really made it taste so good.

Pineapple Apple Cobbler

Ingredients:

4 ounces Paradise Candied Pineapple

3 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ cup water

1/2 up walnuts

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Layer apples in an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan, sprinkling each layer with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Layer on the candied pineapple. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, egg, and baking powder with a fork. 

Sprinkle over apples in the baking pan. 

Lightly sprinkle water over top.

Sprinkle walnuts over the top. Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ BBQ Chicken, Hot Potato Salad, and Carrot Raisin Salad. 

Tuesday ~ Homemade Pizza, Garden Salad.  

Wednesday & Thursday ~ Chicken Parmesan, Corn on the Cob, Steamed Carrots & Cabbage, and Green Grapes. 

4th of July ~ Friday ~  Grilled Chicken Salad, Baked Potato, Golden Honeydew Melon, and Watermelon. 

Saturday & Sunday~ Chicken Tacos using marked down ground Chicken, choice of Corn or Flour Tortillas, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Jalapeños, Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Chipotle Sauce, Black Olives, and Taco Sauce. Served with Corn and Watermelon as the side dishes.

What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Image Credit

First Frugal Friday of July 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Today is Independence Day for the United States of America, which is the birthday of this nation. I hope and pray that all of you who celebrate a safe, happy, and healthy holiday. 
Each section of my blog posts are sorted by bold headings, so feel free to skip any topics you’re not interested in reading about this week. 
Quote of the Week

Make a better world through learning and doing good things rather than being angry at bad guys. ~ Paul Wheaton @ Permies.com

My Frugal Week
Monday and Thursday were laundry days, so I washed all my laundry including the new to me yard sale items, the kitchen laundry, the towels and wash clothes and folded and put it all away. As I was doing that, I measured and processed clothes for Bailey on both days. 
I went through my clothes this week to remove those items that don’t work for me. Rather than donating them to a place that will sell them, I’ll donate them to the Chattanooga Free Store, which is a mutual aid organization. 
At the Free Store, anyone can access things like clothing, food, and personal hygiene products, etc. all for free, no questions asked. The Free Store is funded by donations and was opened to create a space where anyone can get the things they need without feeling shamed. 
Yesterday was one of my childhood friend’s birthday, so we spoke on the phone and caught up with each other. It was so great to catch up on each other’s lives and see what she’s been up to lately. 
Bailey picked up a free bag of clothes the other day and one of the t shirt was stained, so I washed it, but the stain was permanent, so I cut it up for rags. 
Healthcare
On Tuesday I had a follow up visit regarding the kidney stone and stent with my primary care doctor. She ran some more tests and wrote me out two more prescriptions. 
I also spoke with the nurse at the Urologist office to schedule my stent removal surgery on July 11th. 
On Wednesday I had my routine yearly mammogram, which I’m glad to have done for another year. 
Helping Bailey
I helped Bailey in her office on Saturday & Sunday folding clothes and sorting them into bins. She found and bought a really nice desktop computer at the church yard sale for $10. She has only ever had a laptop in there, so she was excited to get the area all straightened. 
I also processed for her on Monday, so she had plenty of items to list during this week in her newly cleaned up office. 
Interesting Info from Jaspreet Singh Update 
It was pointed out to me last week that it is inaccurate to compare the median cost of goods to median income regarding the figures I posted last week from Jaspreet Singh. 

After some reading on the subject this week, it can be inaccurate to compare the median cost of goods to median income directly, as it can be 

overly simplistic and misleading, which I don’t want. 
Reasons for these include differences in spending for different income groups, such as lower income people spending more of their income on necessities, regional variations in prices (remember Amy D’s blueberries in Maine?), and higher quality of goods like older homes verses modern energy efficient homes. 
Yard Sales
I did not go to any yard sales last Friday as I still was not feeling well enough. 
On Saturday I decided to test my strength and went to an indoor church sale. I brought my rollator, so I could sit down if I got weak. It came in handy as I sat to go through multiple tables of clothes. 

Mostly I found clothes for myself, but I did find this Dining on a Dime cookbook in the hard back edition for $1.00. It's large print, which is great for me since I have low vision issues. 
The Budget & Money Spent 
Payday fell this week, so all the regular bills were paid like cell phones and electric. My budget was gone over carefully with a fine tooth comb, which I do every month. I am shoring up anything that could be considered wasteful. There is a sense of peace and contentment when I know all the bills are paid for the month. 
One thing I do, which I learned from Ramit Sethi, is to automate as many of my payments as I can. That way they are paid automatically from my bank account and I don’t have to worry about any late fees. 
I’ve changed the temperature in my room to be warmer because that is how I prefer it these days, which just happens to save money. I’m wearing clothing longer to avoid extra washing, mending clothing, redesigning some pieces, and buying second hand. 
In addition to regular bills, the following are areas we also spent money. 
Gasoline Fill Up $32.50Yard Sales $34Food Lion $15.99 for groceries Gilliland $6 for peaches
I don’t know why, but I actually had trouble buying gas on Saturday. I stopped at two stations, but both were out of gas. So, I went to the Gas & Go at Food City and was able to fill up there and paid $2.64 a gallon. 
Speaking of gas, getting older is not for the faint of heart. I’ve noticed lately that the gas pump handles are so heavy to me and it must have to do with getting older as I never noticed it before. I definitely noticed after making three attempts before I was successfully able to get gas in my car. 
Freebies
My niece has asked me to tutor her fourth grader this summer in math and reading, so I was able to pick up some books for her to read from the Little Free Library in town. 
Joy of the Week
Here is a picture of a cart my Dad had in his pole barn.

Bailey sold the cart in our efforts to clean up Dad’s areas and to make some yard sale money.
The lady who bought it sent her a picture of the makeover she did on it along with this note.

Here is a picture of the refinished cart.

I think it’s beautiful and my Dad would have loved it. 🥰 
Photo of the Week

I don’t know if you can see this accurately or not. This person took two wire coat hangers and made wings out of them and attached them to an umbrella, so he could be hands free while in the rain. 
You know how I'm always wanting to be hands free, so this would be perfect for me. I’ve went out in the rain before with no umbrella just so I can keep my hands free to carry groceries into the house, so this is a neat idea to me. 
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up Photo of the Week

Pictured above is a quart size mason jar full of pennies from Goodwill priced at $29.99. I did the math and 1,200 pennies will fit in a quart size mason jar, which equals $12.00. That means they are charging $17.99 for this mason jar. Sheesh! 
Saving Money YouTube Videos

Erin and her husband from My Frugal Home, who used to live in Tennessee, recently made a trip to the United States from their home in France. 
In this video she discusses items they bought while here in the US including several grocery items like powdered buttermilk. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
I did watch the first two seasons of Sneaky Pete on Amazon Prime. I enjoyed the first two seasons, but the third and final season was mostly monotonous, so I did not enjoy it like I did the first two seasons. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Permaculture and Homesteading Forums

Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. 
We would love to hear all about your week in the comment section.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27