Second Frugal Friday of January 2023

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Quote of the Week

The only time you look in your neighbors basket is to make sure they have enough. 

Price of Gas 
$2.89 ~ Creeping back up. 😢 
My Frugal Week
Tired of paying such high prices for groceries, I decided to do some research online to look for cheaper prices. Through an Internet search I located Gordon Food Service Store, which is a wholesale food service center and is open to the public. 
On Sunday we drove to their store located at 1817 Broad Street in downtown Chattanooga. They also have other locations in some states. 
Some of the prices were terrific, some of them were no better than the regular grocery stores right now, but it was definitely worth the trip. 

Here are some of the best deals we picked up:
5 pound bags of cheddar cheese for $8.00Ground Beef for $1.99 a poundGround. Chuck $2.49 a poundChicken Breasts for $1.49 a pound ($1.09 a pound in the 40 pound box)3 pound bags of onions 99 cents#10 can (105 ounces) Black Olives $12.99
We were thrilled to find such a great resource and will definitely go back again with those good prices. 
Speaking of saving money on food, Donna Freeman, who blogs over at Surviving and Thriving, recently wrote an article about How to Beat High Food Costs at ‘Salvage’ Grocery Stores for Money Talks News. She interviewed several experts on the subject of saving money on groceries, including myself, and wrote an excellent article on the subject. I hope you get a chance to read it. 
Freebies
This was the week for freebies. On Sunday Bailey went to the monthly community trading post where donations are brought and traded for free. She brought several things to donate and received several items in return. She picked up a five pound bag of potatoes, a bottle of Dawn, a bag of onions, grape tomatoes, aluminum foil, three cookbooks, Italian seasoning, dental floss, cupcake liners, and a new Dash mini waffle maker. 
Photo of the Week
This week we had Mom’s wheelchair on the back porch to be picked up by the local People Helping People store. Polka Dot and Simba were sure to make good use of it during nap time while waiting for it to be picked up. 

Avoiding Spending
There was NO avoiding spending here this week as I had some work done on my car. New tires, a front end alignment, one new headlight, and an oil change. Having a safe, dependable car is worth every penny for the peace of mind it brings. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
There was no eating out this week, which has become the norm around here since the pandemic started. 
Meals This Week
All meals are served with either salad or vegetables and may not always be listed here. 
* If you see a dinner in bold print that means we had it more than once this week.
Marinated & Grilled Chicken Tenders, Soup Beans, Broccoli. Baked Chicken, Potato Salad, Green Beans with Onions. Hamburgers with Cheese, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob.Homemade Pizza for Movie Night.Dirty Rice with Polish Sausage, Corn on the Cob, Garlic Bread. Egg Roll in a Bowl, Rice, Mixed Vegetables. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos
https://youtu.be/wAPH8D2AL8c

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.

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

First Frugal Friday of January 2023

Welcome to Friday! 
My Frugal Week
At the end of last week it had warmed up enough that we were able to turn the heat off for the time being, which made me happy as the electric bill will go down with the heat off. 
On Saturday we went to town to eat out at the Mexican restaurant and to shop the after Christmas clearance sales. I also wanted to check and see if they had any of their hams marked down. We didn’t find any hams, but did find a few Christmas items (gift bags, bows) to put into storage for next year. 
I received two gift cards in the mail this week from my health insurance for keeping up with my health in 2022. Both were for Walmart and totaled $35.
I paid all the bills this week including my auto insurance, which is due every six months. I use a slush fund to save up the money each month (divided by 6) to have the money to pay when the bill arrives.
I refilled my spray cleaner bottles with concentrated Lysol and added enough water to fill them. This saves a lot of money over the non-concentrated ones sold in the stores. 
Freebies

We received four free Covid19 test kits this week. I like having these on hand just in case we’ve been exposed and want peace of mind. 
I also received a free notebook from our Insurance company.
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
Using up all of our Christmas leftovers and using up what’s here made for some interesting meals. Even though we didn’t go overboard on Christmas food, it’s nice to get back to healthier eating. 
When the price of groceries becomes too high we need to be flexible with our menus and change things up to save the most money. For example,  eggs are more expensive now compared to what they used to cost. So, we might not have as many egg dishes until the price comes back down. Unless you have your own egg laying chickens, of course. 
This week I did an inventory of food we have on hand. One of the items we have in abundance right now is carrots. Of course, they will keep a long time in the refrigerator. 
One night I used the chips and salsa left from the Mexican restaurant and included them in my meal plan, so as to not waste that extra food. 
Someone gave us a box of the 25 cent Macaroni and Cheese boxes and rather than waste it, I decided to doctor it up. I prepared the dish as it called for on the box, but added two slices of real cheese, onion powder, and pepper. It definitely brought it to the next level as it was bland before I added the additional ingredients. 
Meals This Week
All meals are served with either salad or vegetables and may not always be listed here. 
* If you see a dinner in bold print that means we had it more than once this week.
Taco Style Lentils and Rice, Tortillas, Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions. Dinner at the Mexican restaurant. The portions stretched for another meal. Oven Baked Rice & Beans, CornChicken in White Sauce with Dressing, Onions, and Corn. Beef in Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables. Successful Mexican Leftover Wizardry, Steamed Broccoli. Grilled Chicken Tenders, Air Fried Potatoes, Cabbage. 
Beverages included Iced tea, sweet or unsweet, herbal tea, and lemonade.
Recipe of the Week
This recipe reminds me of the one I have on here for Mexican Rice except this one doesn’t have to be stirred constantly on the stovetop. 
Instead of using store bought salsa, I used the salsa from the Mexican restaurant and included enough Taco Bell sauce packets with that to make up the 16 ounces. 
We used this as leftovers in Egg Burritos for breakfast & tacos for lunches this week. 
Oven Baked Rice & Beans
Ingredients:
3 cups of rice2 teaspoons salt1 teaspoon pepper2 teaspoons cumin1 tablespoon chili powder1/4 teaspoon oregano1/4 cup olive oil or butter1 - 16 ounce jar or salsa2 cups chicken or vegetable broth2 (15 ounce) cans of beans (kidney, pinto, etc)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Pour rice, seasonings, and oil into 13 x 9 casserole dish. Stir until rice is coated with oil and spices are dispersed evenly. Add salsa, broth, and beans and mix well. Cover tightly with foil.Bake in oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.Remove from oven and check rice for doneness.Fluff with a fork. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos
Feed Your Family ALL WEEK for $55! I’ll Show You How! Including Recipes! 
How to Get Free Meals Every Week and Keep The Grocery Bill Down, Down, Down!
Saving on Entertainment
We watched Matilda this week, but it was the new film, which is actually a musical. They are not my cup of tea, but Bailey really enjoys them. 
What I've been Reading This Week
A Gift to You by The Bluebirds are Nesting ~ a long read/e-book about crafts and making Christmas presents all year long. 

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.

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

Fifth & Final Frugal Friday of December 2022

Welcome to Friday! 
My Frugal Week
Last Friday we headed over to Bailey’s great aunt and uncle’s home to celebrate the holiday. We enjoyed finger foods, played games, and had the best time! 
On Christmas Eve we were supposed to go to Bailey’s uncle’s home, but her cousin came down with a stomach virus, so they had to cancel. Bailey and I stayed home and cooked our Christmas Eve dinner, baked cookies, and listened to Christmas  music. 
Even though we would have enjoyed being with family, It was so nice not to have to get out of the house in that bitter cold we had. Some days the temperature got down to six degrees. And our electric company was having rolling blackouts for 15 minutes at a time to reduce the electric load on the power grid.
We did several things to keep warm such as rolling up a towel to act like a draft dodger for the back door. We also hung a coat on the doorknob to help keep any drafts from coming in, which helped keep the house warmer. 
By the end of the week warmer temperatures came back again and we were able to turn the heat off. It felt so much better once the temperatures warmed up again. 
Bailey takes this last week of the year off as a break from her usual work week. So, we’ve been speaking our time watching movies, playing games, and her work starts back up again next week. 
Joy of the Week
Without a doubt it was seeing family again, some of whom we hadn’t seen since before the pandemic began. 
Savings of the Week
We went to town the other day to shop the after Christmas clearance sale at Walmart. W needed more bows for next year, so we picked up some of those. We also picked up some wrapping paper to have a different variety next year. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
It was so nice to have leftovers so I didn’t have to cook much this week. By the end of the week I will have to start cooking again though. 
Meals This Week
All meals are served with either salad or vegetables and may not always be listed here. 
* If you see a dinner in bold print that means we had it more than once this week.
Finger FoodsHash Brown Casserole, Green Beans with Onions, Corn. Chicken & Dressing, HB Casserole, Green Beans. 
Saving on Entertainment
Since we took this week off we’ve enjoyed a variety of movies this week. 
The Santa Clause ElfShawshank Redemption 

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

Fourth Frugal Friday of December 2022

Welcome to Friday! 
Quote of the Week

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  ~ Matthew 2:10-11

Price of Gas this Week
Gas was $2.45 per gallon here this week. 
My Frugal Week
We have that arctic air coming through here tonight and have already lost power, so I’m going to post this, but may not be able to post comments or reply until our power is restored. 
Last Friday I wanted to make a couple of casserole hot pads to include with the ladies gifts we were bringing with us to the family Christmas get together. It only took me a couple of hours to make them. 
I think it took longer to gather all my sewing items together since I haven’t sewn in a while. My sewing machine needle broke while I was making these,  so I put my last one in the machine, and added more to my shopping list. 
One of the wheels on our desk chair wasn’t rolling correctly, so I tried fix it, but it still wouldn’t roll correctly. So, I bought a new set of wheels from Amazon, but only replaced the one wheel that didn’t work. No need to replace all of them as they are still good. Now I have four extra wheels in case anything happens to another wheel or chair. 
I’m very happy that our electric bill is only $147.15 this month, the lowest it has been all year. My half of it will only be $73.57, which is about half of the $150 I budget for the electric. I’ll put the other half in my electric slush fund for when the bills are higher in the summertime. 
We went to town on Tuesday to pick up a few groceries for Christmas celebrations. We also had an appointment and received the most recent Covid booster shot. And we’ve both had our flu shots this year too. 
Our car tires always lose pressure when the drop in temperature and cold weather strikes. I was so tired of this and having to pay $1.50 or more to put air in my tires. So, I bought a Carsun tire inflator from Amazon for this purpose. They are very affordable and easy to use and I would highly recommend everyone keep one in his or her car. 
My brother bought a 2012 Chevy Cruze back a year or so ago for our Mother. Mom never did drive it, but she would faithfully go outside once a week to start it. It’s been sitting here ever since and it sold this week. 
It’s an unusual feeling for me having Mom’s things here without her being here, and this will be my first Christmas without her, so this marks another chapter in our lives that has closed. 
We will be spending time with my exdh’s family, who are Bailey’s family too. Since Mom and Dad are not here this year, I’m very grateful to still have some family to celebrate with. 
New: Subscribe by Email
I’ve had several people ask me over the last year what happened to the email subscription to my blog. Blogger did away with that feature, but I recently found something else that I hope will work in its place called Follow It. There is a link in the top of the right sidebar if you’re interested in signing up. 
Freebies
I have a friend who had too much produce, so she shared some of it with us. She gave us about twenty pounds of carrots, potatoes, onions, and cabbage. We will definitely be putting all of that to good use. 
Joy of the Week
I received a Christmas card this week from a very dear blog reader, Bobi. It was such a sweet gesture and really made my day. 💕 
Avoiding Spending
I did the majority of my Christmas shopping in November and when I was done I was really done. So, no spending for me this week except for a few groceries and some gas. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
I used up the last of some crab Rangoon we had in the freezer while gaining that space back. I used up a can of vegetable soup and Veg All from the pantry for lunch one day. Someone gave us four cans of vegetable soup, so I am working to use them up. 
We made five dozen cookies on Thursday to bring to family on Friday and Saturday. One of the recipes was our old favorite one and the other cookies were made using a cake mix. It’s one cake mix, two eggs, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 9 minutes, depending on your oven. 
Meals This Week
All meals are served with either salad or vegetables and may not always be listed here. 
Chicken & Olive Spread, Fried Rice, Corn on the Cob, Carrots.Open Face Roast Beef Sandwiches, Roasted Potatoes, Carrots and Cabbage. Baked Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, Corn. Beef with gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables.Macaroni and Cheese, Mixed Vegetables. Homemade Pizza for Movie NightBetter Cheddars, Rice & Cheese, Mixed Vegetables. 
* If you see a dinner in bold print that means we had it more than once this week.
Recipe of the Week
Bailey requested Hash Brown Casserole for Christmas dinner this year, so I went looking for my recipe on my blog here and realized it’s not on here. So, I’m including it here for future reference. This is the Cracker Barrel copycat recipe, but I use cream of potato soup in my recipe along with extra sharp cheddar cheese. 

Hashbrown Casserole

Ingredients

1 (32-ounce) package frozen diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of potato soup

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1 cup shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup melted butter

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups corn flakes cereal

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Stir together the first 6 ingredients.

Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Crush the cereal, and stir in the melted 1/4 cup butter. 

Sprinkle over the potato mixture.

Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes.

Saving on Entertainment
One of the films we watched this week was Knives Out, which is a murder mystery about crime novelist Harlan Thrombey who was found deceased at his mansion and an investigator is secretly hired to investigate his death. It was a good film, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s free to watch if you have Amazon Prime. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Simplest Ever Sewing Projects
Dr. McDougll is offering all of his books for free right now on his website. All you have to do is click over to his website, click on shop, and go to ebooks. From there you can download seven of his books. drmcdougall.com

Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. I hope and pray that each one of you have a wonderful holiday weekend however you plan on spending the days. And above all I hope you all stay safe and warm. 
BelindaMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Third Frugal Friday of December 2022

Welcome to Friday! 
My Frugal Week
Bailey and I went to town last Friday to run errands. One of the stops was to Home Depot to make a return and to pick up some deck cleaner. It has finally stopped raining after raining every day for two weeks, so I will tackle this task soon. 
I finished steaming the clothes Bailey has in her inventory and processed them. Now it’s time to relax a little and enjoy the holidays. 
Question of the Week
What is a perfectly frugal day to you?
Mine would definitely involve staying home these days, not spending any money, having the house and windows opened up enjoying a cool breeze while having a good book to read or something to do that I enjoy such as a sewing project. 
How about you?
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
A few weeks ago we found one package of four chicken thighs on markdown at Ingles. I thawed them this week and made Sticky Pineapple Chicken out of them and that lasted us for two meals, and we still had some left for lunch the next day. 
Meals This Week
All meals are served with either salad or vegetables and may not always be listed here. 
Crashed Potatoes, Rice and Cheese, Steamed Kale, Vegetable Stir FryEgg Roll in a Bowl, Spinach, Corn on the CobVegetable Plates (Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Corn on the Cob, Tomatoes)Breakfast for DinnerSticky Pineapple Chicken, Carrots & Potatoes 
* If you see a dinner in bold print that means we had it more than once this week
Saving on Entertainment
This week we watched two films that are true stories, which is one of my favorite types of films to watch. The first film we watched was Spotlight, which is the true story of how The Boston Globe discovered the scandal and coverup by the Catholic Church. 
The second film we watched was She Said, which is based on the true story of two reporters’ investigations of the scandal surrounding Harvey Weinstein, which helped spread the #MeToo movement. 
Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. I hope you enjoy this last week leading up to Christmas. We will be enjoying ours at home after some time spent with family. 
BelindaMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27