Fourth Frugal Friday of August 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Quote of the Week

The beauty of a menu plan is that it gives you ideas when you just cannot think straight at the end of a long and perhaps busy day.  It doesn't have to be written in stone and rigidly adhered to, and sometimes it can simply be beans on toast again. ~  Sue, from Eating Well on a Small Budget

My Frugal Week
As other bloggers have written about, our garden did not produce this year. I'm not sure if it was due to the lack of bees that experts have been writing about or the cool then hot, dry weather.  My pepper plant has buds on, but hasn't produced anything beyond that and my tomato plants never even had flowers. Maybe next year we will try again. 
I hung laundry up to dry this week to save money on electricity. 
I combined all my errands into the two days I had to go out this week to save money on gas. I filled up my car with gas on Saturday paying $2.50 per gallon at Circle K. 
I've been working extra hard this month to keep expenses under control, using what we have here rather than buying more. 
Health News
On Monday I had an appointment with my diabetes doctor. She didn’t like the low blood sugars she saw and had a Dexcom G7 installed in my arm, which is a continuous glucose monitor. It alerted me twice on Monday evening that my blood sugar was too low. 
She had me see the dietician on Wednesday who went over ways to combat the low blood sugars. The monitor went off multiple times during the night on Tuesday. 
This will be a learning curve as I can see how certain foods change my blood sugar. 
Even after just one day I could tell a huge difference. I cut out any snacks after dinner including my favorite jello with fruit. The dietitian thinks that may have been the issue, so I cut it out and my monitor didn’t go off once that night. She wants me to have jello with no fruit and combined with a protein like a scoop of cottage cheese if I feel like I need a snack. 
 I go back to the diabetes doctor in two weeks to discuss all of this. 
Yard Sales & Savings of the Week
We skipped yard sales last week, but didn’t want to miss out on a church yard sale this past Saturday. Turns out it was mostly a crafts sale, but we did make it to several other sales before it got too hot. 

My best deal was a box  of four bottles (16 ounce) of Hibicleans Antiseptic Skin Cleanser for $1.00 (25 cents each).  These came with two foaming pumps and sell for $19.95 on Amazon. I use this regularly, and was definitely tickled to get such a great deal on it. This was an estate sale and the sellers had so much medical equipment and supplies, they were practically giving it away. 
I also picked up two LulaRoe shirts and one pair of pants for myself as well as a double insulated reusable McAlister's cup and famous red straw. I still had yard sale cash from two weeks ago, only spent $6.00 today and still have a few dollars left for next week. 
Yard Sales can also be inexpensive entertainment. I saw a beautiful gray cat who allowed me to pet her at one of the estate sales. She was lounging on their couch when I spotted her. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
I played Wordle every day this week. Colorado Girl mentioned in a blog post recently that Connections and the Mini are also part of The NY Times you can play for free once a day also. Both are fun to play also and also quick. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Definitely reading your blogs listed in the sidebar here. 
From The English Kitchen, Excellent Ways to Save Money on your Grocery Bill. 
How was your week?

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

Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #3 August 2025

 My Frugal Week

As usual, I made more sugar free orange jello cups with mandarin oranges as I ran out of them yesterday. 

I made baked apples one day this week as some of them were getting long in the tooth and needed to be used soon. 

I stopped in at the local peach orchard to get one last batch of peaches, which I didn't think I was going to get as they stated the season would be over by now just a couple of weeks ago. I was tickled to be able to still get some. 

Beverages of the Week

Vanilla Salted Caramel Protein Drink

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob, Steamed Broccoli. 

Tuesday ~ Movie Night Pizza. 

Wednesday ~ Bailey went to a book signing, so I was on my own for dinner. I made a Chicken Corn Casserole, Vegetable Stir Fry, and Butter Beans. 

Thursday ~ Chicken Strips, Ginger Stir Fried Vegetables, and Cantaloupe. 

Friday ~ Chicken Breast Filets, Air Fried Carrots, Stir Fry, and Cantaloupe. 

Saturday ~ Chicken Breast Filets, Baked Potatoes, Pickled Beets, Air Fried Peaches, and Butter Beans. 

Sunday ~ Turkey Polish Sausage Links on Buns, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage and Onions. 

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

Third Frugal Friday of August 2025

 

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Flash Flooding in Chattanooga

In the news here this week was the flash flooding. which occurred in Chattanooga,  on Tuesday following a period of heavy rainfall. The flooding led to road closures, including this portion of Interstate 24, pictured above. We were spared from any flooding here, but did have significant amounts of rain from the storm. 
My Frugal Week
I've spent this week at home mostly, processing & measuring clothes for Bailey, and pulling out items for the Sweet WeePeets consignment sale starting on September 6th. I have been storing items in my bedroom closet until now, so I've been pulling those items out this week.  
On Thursday I did make a trip to Chattanooga and stopped at the community garden and picked some delicious grape tomatoes. The flooding was gone from the areas I needed to run errands, but I could tell where some of those areas had flooded.
Savings of the Week

Bailey stopped at CVS on Monday to use our CVS Rewards. We had over $18 worth thanks to my $10 reward, pharmacy rewards, and and extra $5 free item. She picked up an 84 ounce bottle of Tide and a box of baby wipes and only paid 29 cents for the entire transaction. Of course, I do pay $5 each month for the ExtraCare Plus membership to get the $10 reward, which is a good deal. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos
Sara from frozen Pennies has been busy making more YouTube videos this week: 
10 Things EVERYONE Loves About Frugal Living - But I Don't (DON'T HATE ME!)

10 Minimum Wage Frugal Habits That Actually Work on $2,200 a Month
What I've been Reading This Week
Liquids till Lunch: 12 Small Habits That Will Change Your Life for Good,  written by Mary Ruth Ghiyam. She writes about her mission to help others feel their best, which is a roadmap anyone can follow to substantially improve their health, happiness, and psychological well being. 

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

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Second Week of August 2025

My Frugal Week

We found a cheaper source for Bailey’s Keto buns at the Flowers Bakery Outlet in Chattanooga. They used to not carry the Keto buns, but I stopped in last week to check and they had some. She stopped in again on Monday to pick up some more. They sell them for $1.74, which is a screaming good deal compared to the $6.18 Walmart price. 

We are still in use it up mode here as we are still working through all the cottage cheese we have and the numerous eggs on hand.  I made deviled eggs on Tuesday, and have been making more cottage cheese dishes such as the cottage cheese quiche and pineapple fluff using the crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges we bought recently. 

Tuesday is my usual night to not have to cook as it’s Baileys movie night. I love having the day unencumbered. 

We've been enjoying the last of the peaches from our local peach orchard this week. The orchard will be done for the season in two weeks. 

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~  Sun-dried Tomato Chicken, Stir Fried Vegetables, Cucumber Salad. 

Tuesday ~ $2.00 Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut. 

Wednesday ~ Salmon Patties, Green Beans with Potatoes & Onions, Chow Chow. 

Thursday ~ Turkey Polish Sausage Dogs, Coleslaw.

Friday ~ Homemade Chicken Nuggets, which I made bigger than usual, which made it easier on me, so I'll be doing this again. I served them with Field Peas & Snaps, and Turnip Greens. 

Saturday ~ Smoked Sausage, Fried Apples, and Green Beans. 

Sunday ~ Easy Sausage Quiche using Turkey Sausage, Steamed Broccoli, and Corn on the Cob. 

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 August 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
My Frugal Week
On Monday I took a bag of garbage off to the sanitation center, so the raccoon wouldn’t get into it before Friday when our regular garbage men come. I also stopped in at Food City and filled up my car at their gas station. 
My sister called me on Monday afternoon and we had a nice long chat catching up on each other’s lives. 

On Tuesday I needed to make a return at Target ($23) and decided to go by Pizza Hut to get Bailey their $2.00 personal pan pizza special for her movie night. The manager told me they had sold over 500 of them that day! 
Home Maintenance 
On Wednesday I poured some Liquid Plumber down our bathtub drain as it has been slow draining lately. I had cleaned the drain out and followed that with boiling water, which helped immensely. 
Yard Sale Saturday 
Saturday was a good weather day for yard sales as it had rain during the night, which lowered the humidity and temperature, which didn’t get above 80 degrees due to being cloudy all day. I walked over 6,000 steps during the sales and even more once I got home and made several trips up the stairs to bring it all inside. 
One item I bought was a rolling table for $10 that you see in hospitals that slide under a bed. I’ve been wanting a small table near me when I ride my bike pedals every day and this will work well. I also picked up a beautiful quilt with pillow shams for $10. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
I’ve been enjoying playing Wordle on the New York Times website again. Some days it’s easy for me to solve the puzzle, but other days it can be a challenge. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Cottage by the Sea

That's all I have to report for this week. I can't believe how fast this week went by and that it is already Friday again. I hope you've had a very good week. :)

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

August 2025 Goals

Image Credit

Borrowing a page from The Hawaii Planner, here are my very simple goals for August.

Financial & Household

Plan several no spend days this month.
Declutter for Consignment at end of the month

Frugal Kitchen

Use one turkey from downstairs freezer.

Fitness, Wellness & Exercise

Return to my regular exercise routine   

Drink at least 6o ounces of water daily 
Schedule daily medicines 

Personal Growth

Read at least one physical book
Make and follow a daily to do list

How about you? Any goals you would like to accomplish in August? We will revisit these at the beginning of September. 

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

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ First Week of August 2025

 

My Frugal Week

On Friday we went to an estate sale and one of the items they had for sale was canned foods for 50 cents each. We checked the sell by date and they were very good, so I bought five cans of crushed pineapple, five cans of mandarin oranges, and two jars of pickled beets. I had just paid $1.88 for a can of pineapple the day before, so this was a very good deal. 

Breakfast this past week has consisted of plain Greek yogurt, blueberries, and some protein powder to boost the protein. I used a blueberry protein powder, which made it very tasty. 

There are some things we do not buy here on a regular basis due to the cost such as beef, for example. However, if I were able to find a good deal on the item I would purchase and most likely stock up on the item. This is just one way we reduce our grocery budget by delaying the purchase of such items until I find them on markdown or sale.   

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Broccoli, Corn on the Cob. 

Tuesday ~ Spicy Chicken Sandwiches, Brussel Sprouts, Pineapple Fluff. 

Wednesday ~ Chicken Burgers, Sliced Tomatoes & Onions, and Cucumber Tomato Salad. 

Thursday ~ Bourbon Street Chicken, Salad. 

Friday & Saturday ~ Chicken Tacos, Corn or Flour Tortillas, Onions, Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Black Olives, Corn. On Saturday evening I pulled out all the leftovers from the week and had a smorgasbord of sorts using up little bits of this and that. I didn’t think I had enough chicken from Friday for Saturday dinner, but it worked out and was more than enough. 

Sunday ~ Cottage Cheese Crustless Quiche, Corn on the Cob, Cucumber Tomato Salad.

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 August 2025

 Welcome to Frugal Friday! 

Quote of the Week

Do not let anyone diminish your worth by making you feel too small, too quiet, too big, or too loud. Have faith in your dreams and pursue them with a bold, powerful passion! With hard work, commitment, and resilience, anything can happen, so embrace the idea of starting over and become someone new at any stage of your life. ~ Kathryn B. 

My Frugal Week
Last Friday, I managed to sell two things on Facebook Marketplace, a book and a set of hubcaps I came across in Dad’s pole barn. The extra cash was a nice bonus. It was super hot out, so instead of splurging, I treated myself to an unsweetened blackberry tea from Sonic with no calories and easy on the wallet. A small, satisfying reward without breaking the budget.

Another raccoon has been showing up on our porch at night, scavenging for food. He even dug up the potted herbs I keep out back. Looks like I’ll have to put those away for now, just like I did with the hummingbird feeders.

One way I've started to save more money here is by taking shorter showers. This has been made much easier with my new knees, but I have it down to under five minutes now. We also have a low flow shower head in our bathroom, which helps save money too. 

It’s been a while since I visited Target, but I stopped in the last week just to look around, and I was genuinely surprised by how much more they’re carrying now. The shelves were packed with products that didn’t exist just a few years ago, especially in categories like supplements.

There were so many options, it was almost overwhelming. But instead of feeling impressed, I found myself skeptical. It’s clear that many of these products aren’t really about improving our health, they’re about turning a profit. Much like fast food chains, these companies often prioritize marketing, peer pressure and addiction over actual well-being.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying things we don’t truly need, thinking they’ll be the next big solution. But this kind of spending can quickly spiral into consumerism and even debt. A wise person takes the time to research, weigh the real benefits, and separate what’s genuinely helpful from what’s just clever packaging.

Deal of the Week

Ingle’s had these fancy eggs marked down from $6.18 to 99 cents! We bought six of them and will be eating many eggs in the next week. 
Saving Money on Entertainment

Any time we’ve eaten at a place like Waffle House, where the cook prepares food right in front of everyone, I always find myself watching them. I really enjoy seeing the process, the rhythm, the skill, the little details.

I’ve noticed I enjoy watching other everyday tasks too, like someone getting a haircut or the garbage truck making its rounds. There’s something oddly satisfying about it. And apparently, I’m not the only one, as there are entire YouTube and TikTok channels dedicated to this kind of thing. If that sounds interesting to you, you might enjoy checking them out.

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