Third Frugal Friday of December 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday
Each Friday here at Frugal Workshop, I love sharing the frugal wins, quiet savings, and simple strategies that helped us stretch our budget over the past seven days. It’s a gentle look back at the small things that make a big difference.  
This Week's Thought...

When finances are tough, focus on what you need rather than what you want. 

My Frugal Week
I want to send a shout out to Bobi E, who sweetly sent me a Christmas card this week with a gift tucked inside. Thank you so much, Bobi. You made my day and I'm so glad you are part of my blog. 😘🥰
We had rain with high winds last night and lost power for about three hours, but it was in the middle of the night. If we’re going to lose power it’s better when we’re sleeping or trying to sleep. 😂
This week I received a $25 gift card to Walmart from my insurance company for filling out a survey. I went and bought the last few items I needed for our Christmas get togethers. I'm done Christmas shopping, and all the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. 
I also earned a $15 gift card to Food City, which I’ve not spent yet. I was thinking I could use it to buy the meat for Christmas dinner, but realized I have a huge ham bone in the freezer from the Honey Baked Ham company. There is so much ham left on one of their bones, so that is what I’ll make for our Christmas dinner. 
I deep cleaned in my bedroom on Wednesday. We pulled furniture out, took the curtains down, washed them, and vacuumed really well and dusted everything. 
I put the quilt on my headboard (since it’s on an outside wall) a few weeks ago and added the plastic to the windows last week, which all works together to keep my room warm and toasty. I have lamps I can turn on, which is cozier to me than the overhead light, which makes the room all the more inviting to me. I’ve created a clean, organized place where I enjoy spending time. 
Reward Programs
This week I started back using the Microsoft Rewards program. I'm working on a Kroger gift certificate. If you're interested in joining, please use my link here and we will both get additional points for the referral. 
Car Tire Pressure ~ Found Money
When the weather turns cooler, my car’s tire pressure warning light sometimes comes on, which happened to me this past Saturday. I stopped at a local gas station and paid to fill my tires. The air machine is timed and only runs for four minutes, so every second counts. 
When I arrived, the vacuum hose and air compressor hose were tangled around each other. After I finished filling my tires, I neatly wrapped the air hose back onto its hook and took a moment to straighten the vacuum hose for the next person. 
My reward for doing that? As I went to hang up the vacuum hose, coins fell out, four nickels. Then, while searching the ground for one of my tire valve caps, I found a quarter too.
Processing
On Sunday I measured and packaged forty-one items for Bailey’s online shops. This will be the last load for this year as she is out of inventory at this point and takes two weeks off at Christmas time each year. Afterwards I washed dishes including our Zero water filter and pitcher, which I do every Sunday and then rode my bicycle pedals for one hour. 
Swing Away at Estate Sale
At the estate sale we went to last weekend we picked up a Swing-away can opener. The original vintage ones were real workhorses and would open cans for years and years with no issues. After seeing all the vintage items in their home, I was hopeful. I had to soak it in Goo gone as there was sticky residue on the gears, but I’m tickled to say it’s definitely a vintage one and works like a charm. It was a great find. 
Christmas
We decided that this would be a debt-free, low-spend Christmas.  I’ve made my decision, decided that I’m done, and I’m going to stay done. In years past I’ve always continued to buy even when I thought I was done, but not this year. My priorities have changed these days. 
We’ve heard from family and we will have two get togethers next week, one on Tuesday and one on Sunday after Christmas. Which means Bailey and I will be spending Christmas Eve & Christmas Day here by ourselves. I already have our menu planned out too. 
Freebies
M&M Mars has a large manufacturing plant in Cleveland, TN. As a result of that, the community often benefits from free candy M & M donates to the community at certain times of the year. This month they donated both M&Ms and Twix candy bars, and we received a gallon bag full of them at no cost to us. 
Saving on Electric
We've been using our door draft dodger at the back door to prevent cold air from entering the house. It was fourteen degrees outside here on Monday, so I had three sweaters and mittens on along with socks and shoes to stay warm. We applied for and were approved for LIHEAP, and although they have no funds right now, they did put us on the waiting list for when and if they do get funding.
Photo of the Week

Pictured above is my homemade simmering potpourri jars I made for Christmas gifts this year. I worked on getting supplies all year long in order to save money. I wrote the directions on the back of the tags. 
I used oranges I dried that were too tart to eat, apples I dried, whole allspice and cloves from my kitchen, rosemary I dried from the summer community garden, pine cones gathered this fall from my yard, cinnamon sticks bought for 99 cents at UGO, and Aldi cranberries for 99 cents. The smell is incredible!
The jars were bought at various yard sales for 25 cents this summer and often found free at various places throughout the year. The labels were some we already had from a past Christmas. They are an affordable gift to give to others at this time of year and I hope the recipients enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
I used my Walmart plus membership to download Paramount on my tablet. It’s a free perk for having a Walmart plus membership. I’ve been watching full episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond this week. It’s great to watch full episodes verses the partial ones on Facebook reels. 
What I've been Reading This Week
 Instacart is using an AI experiment to quietly add about 25% to some customers grocery items. 
The article states, “Instacart shoppers are unknowingly enrolled in AI-enabled experiments that can charge up to 23 percent more for the same item ordered from the same store at the same time” and “this investigation shows how it’s becoming more common for companies to use hidden algorithmic pricing techniques without telling the customer”. 
How frustrating! But, we can solve this issue by knowing our prices on items we use regularly, and not buying groceries online when in a hurry or pressed for time. 
Planning your grocery shopping order ahead of time by perusing the ads and knowing your prices will help avoid this scheme. I haven’t used Instacart since the pandemic due to the additional cost associated with their service. This is another reason for me not to use their service. 
How was your week? If you celebrate the holiday season, are you ready for the big day? Either way I hope you’re staying safe and warm or staying cool if you’re down under. I’m a little envious of those of you in the warm summer months right now. I hope, above all else, that you’re doing well. 

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

Let’s Slow Down and Enjoy What We’ve Built This Year

This year I find myself slowing down, wanting to enjoy the days leading up to Christmas rather than trying to fulfill the Christmas in my mind. The sales, the cooking, the lists, the mental noise of “just one more thing” from someone’s list. Somewhere between all of that it’s good for me to pause and realize that we have enough. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of what’s next whether it be the next goal, the next deal, the next round of whatever. I think it’s important, especially during this time of year, to slow down, pause, and simply enjoy the season and spending time with those we love. To look within our homes, our shelves, our lives, and realize we have enough. 

It’s a quiet, powerful shift in perspective. Because once we slow down, we can make the time to enjoy what we already have. So, let’s slow down and enjoy these days leading up to Christmas. Let’s enjoy our homes we’ve worked hard in all year to provide a warm, safe haven for ourselves and our family. Our safe place secure from the outside world. 

When I open my pantry at this time of year, I realize the food there comes from the well planned choices we’ve made all year long. Canning jars filled with nourishing food,  bulk buys from sales throughout the year, soups made with hearty ingredients, filling meals preserved for other days. All of which represents time, effort, and careful planning. 

Our shelves might not look magazine worthy to others, but to me they represent the work we put forth all year and that to me represents security in these uncertain times.

So as we get closer to the big day, let’s be grateful for what we have, what we’ve learned, and how far we’ve come. For the skills we’ve gained this year, the peace we’ve built, and the community we’ve grown. 

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 December 2025

Welcome to Frugal Workshop where every Monday I share the simple strategies used to save money over the past week, along with the meals that made it to our dinner table. You'll find practical tips on how we saved money on food hopefully to inspire your own meal planning using the foods you have in your own pantry.

My Frugal Week

Last Monday I went to Ollie’s to restock on spices. I bought several Lawry’s seasonings for $1.29, which is a real bargain compared to the $4.12 Walmart price. 

All meals were eaten at home this week with no eating out, so we have more money to spend somewhere else. 

Use It Up Item Of The Week

My plan of using the "lurkers" in my pantry continued this week. My goal is to use up those items that we have on hand and incorporate them into our meals. 

On Saturday I went to Walmart to get the last few things I needed for our Christmas get togethers. I bought two large bags of broccoli and had to do some rearranging in my freezer to make them fit. 

No worries, I took the strawberries out from summer, and I recall they were not very sweet, so I added a can of crushed pineapple and a small package of frozen melon and used my stick blender to make a fruit sauce. The sauce will work for multiple uses this week, tastes delicious and no food was wasted.

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ Egg Roll in a Bowl with Turkey Sausage and Rotisserie Chicken. 

This was an experiment as I’d bought two rotisserie chickens on markdown at Kroger. I pulled the meat off the bones and used some in the soup on Saturday and some in the salad for anyone who wanted that. 

Then on Sunday I decided to use up the last of it for egg roll in a bowl. I included toasted sesame oil, marked down bag of coleslaw, onions, peppers, soy sauce, and fresh grated ginger and garlic. It was delicious

Tuesday ~ Ham & Cheese Sandwiches 

I put deli sliced home, bought on markdown at UGO, on croissants with cheddar cheese and baked the, in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes. 

Wednesday ~ Hebrew Beef Hot Dogs & Pizza Beans

Using up two frozen assets to free up freezer space, I pulled out a container of pizza beans and a package of marked down Hebrew National hot dogs, which I served on keto buns. I served this with the last of some roasted potatoes and the last an individual serving of dressing. It’s good to use those items up rather than let them go to waste. 

Thursday & Friday ~ Cheesy Potatoes & Corn

I took a three pound chub of ground beef from the freezer, bought at UGO for $7.99. I browned all of it with onions and garlic, and saved two pounds for another day. Using one pound for dinner, I made a family  favorite, which was cheesy potatoes and I served corn on the side. 

Saturday ~ Turkey Sausage, Green Beans with Onions, and Baked Apples.

Bailey had the last of the cheesy potatoes with her dinner while I had turkey sausage. I served this with green beans with onions and baked apples, which were two items in my freezer I used up to free up more space. 

Sunday & Monday ~ Chicken Tacos, Chili Beans and Corn

I thawed some already cooked chicken breast meat from the freezer for this meal. I chopped up the meat, added onions and the last of the red and yellow peppers, along with some taco seasoning and salsa. 

I served this with choice of hard or soft flour or corn tortillas, extra sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeños, taco sauce, black olives, and my homemade chipotle ranch sauce. Sides were chili beans and corn. 

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

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

 

Many musicians have sung this song over the years, but my favorite artist who sings it is Patty Loveless. I hope you enjoy her version. 

Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem

Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem
Shining afar through shadows dim
Giving the light for those who long have gone
Guiding the wise men on their way
Unto the place where Jesus lay
Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem shine on. 

Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem      (Star of Bethlehem)
Shine upon us until the glory dawns.
Give us a light to guide the way
Unto the land of perfect day
Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, shine on (shine on) 

Oh Beautiful Star the hope of light
Guiding the pilgrims through the night
Over the mountains till the break of dawn
Into the light of perfect day
It will give out a lovely ray
Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem shine on (shine on) 

Oh Beautiful Star the hope of rest
For the redeemed the good and blessed
Yonder in glory when the crown is won
Jesus is now the star divine
Brighter and brighter he will shine
Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem shine on (shine on)

    Belinda 🫶

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

Second Frugal Friday of December 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday!
Each Friday here at Frugal Workshop, I love sharing the frugal wins, quiet savings, and simple strategies that helped us stretch our budget over the past seven days. It’s a gentle look back at the small things that make a big difference. 
My Frugal Week
Last Friday we went to People Helping People's bag sale where you fill a large gallon kitchen trash bag for $15.00. I found several useful items such as homemade flannel burp cloths, but I’ll be using them as flannel hankies instead. I made myself some years ago using an old flannel sheet, but many of them have disappeared over the years and these burp clothes are a good size. 
On Saturday we went to an estate sale where I found a new to me crockpot for $8.00. The one I have has handles that clamp down the lid, but they seriously get in my way, so I replaced it and set my old one aside in our consignment sale pile. I also found a very useful glass storage jar for $2.00. 
One of the students I tutor wants to read the Harry Potter series of books. We were able to find two of them at the estate sale for $1.00 each. Now she will be able to annotate in the book with no worries about “wrecking” a good book. 
On Sunday we went to a clothing exchange where you bring a Walmart bag full of clean clothes and exchange them for ones that fit. I had no problem filling a Walmart bag with clothes as I buy them second hand, bring them home to try on, and what I don’t like donate to People Helping People. It’s an inexpensive way to fill my wardrobe with clothes I love wearing and I get some really unique pieces this way. 
I went to McKay Used Books this week and traded. I was looking for The Magic Treehouse books for another student I tutor. I was able to find several copies as the shelf was full with this series. I ended up with four books at $2.50 each, earned over $8 in trade credit and only had to pay $1.26 in cash. 
I went to the Samaritan Center on Monday and found myself a pair of Dr. Martens boots! I have always wanted a pair and the best part is I only paid $20 for these even though they retail for $180.
The FedEx delivery driver wasn’t paying attention and ran over a stump at the edge of the driveway on Wednesday, so I spent about an hour with him looking for tools to McGyver his way out of here. He finally made it out with his exhaust pipe tied to the frame of his truck and still had deliveries to make. 
Freebies
Our library has a free exchange section where you can drop off items you no longer need and pick up anything you can use, all for free. I took the students I tutor to the library this week and saw three mason jars in the exchange, so I picked those up after dropping off my egg cartons there. 
Upstairs at the library they also have a little free pantry, which includes food, clothing,  household items like dishwashing and laundry detergent, and feminine products, all free for anyone in need. 
One of the students I tutor wants to read The Magic Treehouse series of books. We stopped at a Little Free Library when I was taking them home and there was one of them in there! I think that was meant to be. 
Saving on Electric
This week I put plastic over my bedroom windows. And on Thursday I turned the heat on in my bedroom after it was 55 degrees in there. Brrrr
Saving Money on Entertainment
On Tuesday we went to Bargain Day at UEC Theater to see the second version of Wicked. In anticipation of this, we watched the first Wicked movie on Sunday and finished on Monday evening. Tickets on bargain Tuesday have risen to $6 each, but that is still a bargain, plus you get a free small popcorn. 
How was your week? Are those of you who celebrate Christmas busy getting ready for the big day? I’m getting there myself and enjoying the process at my own pace. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 

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