Second Frugal Friday of November 2026

 

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
I racked leaves on multiple days this week just to keep them out of our walking paths. They can get slippery when wet and I don’t want to risk anyone falling on wet, slick leaves, so I keep them racked. And I brush them off the steps every time I go up or down the steps. 
We had a lightbulb break inside our dining room light fixture. So, I turned the power off to the house and using my stepladder and needle nose pliers got the old lightbulb out. I put in a new bulb, vacuumed up all the shards of glass and turned the power back on. Nice to get that crossed off my list.
I pulled the China cabinet away from the wall and found dozens of missing cat toys. Then I vacuumed the area and mopped very well before sliding it back into place. 
We had a consignment sale over the weekend so we gathered up a few things for that and loaded them into Bailey’s car for her to unload once she got there. 
Christmas
This week I started to organize the Christmas presents I’ve bought so far into one bin. It’s never too soon to get started on this task
Also, I went to the thrift store for a little bit of Christmas shopping to see what I could find. I did find a couple of gift that were brand new still in the original packaging, although I can't tell you what they are right now because someone I love might be  reading this. 
But be sure to check the second hand market to save money on any Christmas gifts you may be buying this year. 
My Health Journey
This week I had two days of physical therapy this week for the arthritis in my back. And I’ve walked every day over 10,000 steps. 
I have a question. Are there any songs you listen to that motivate you when working out? I’ve made a playlist on my Spotify account that I listen to when I’m walking or working out and they are very motivating to me. 
These are the ones I have so far. Do you have any songs that motivate you when you’re working out? If so, please share them with me in the comment section. 
Overcomer by MandisaStronger by Kelly ClarksonI Won’t Back Down by Tom PettyRise Up by Andra DayBeauty in the Struggle by Bryan Martin Born to Fly by Sarah Evan’sFlight Song by Rachel Platten
Freebies

These lamps were part of the items we picked up from the free yard sale last week. I put them downstairs in the shop as I needed light in that area. 

This desk was a yard sale buy too as I picked it up a few weeks ago for $3.00. 
Saving on Things We Buy
Have you priced batteries lately? They have gotten very expensive. 
An eight pack of double AA Energizer batteries is $7.94 while the eight pack of Rayovac is $6.97 at Walmart right now. 
I normally buy name brand batteries due to their long life, and I've been needing some for the clocks I have downstairs, so I broke down and brought the Great Value brand because I didn't want to pay the high price of the name brand. 
The Great Value double AA batteries in the eight pack sell for $3.77. 
I'll let you know how long they last. 
Photo of the Week

Pictured above is the new to me clock I picked up at Goodwill for $4 this week. Several of the clocks downstairs had quit working over the years, so I've been slowly replacing them when I find affordable ones that work.
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

First Frugal Friday of November 2026 on Sunday

 

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 our friend's Halloween Party. They had a bonfire, which was so nice as it was chilly. They served hotdogs, chili, chips, and some sweets. They used to run a haunted house, so after we ate, they took us on a tour. It was so professionally done that I would have paid to go through it. It was a really fun evening. 
On Tuesday we had book club where we discussed Sand County Almanac for two hours. Afterwards Bailey and I went to vote and then we went to Dalton, Georgia to UGO and Kroger for our monthly grocery stock up. 

Prepper Princess has a video posted about how pricing at Farmer's Markets. You may or may not agree with her, but she thinks the prices people are charging are greedy and price gouging. Your mileage may vary, but as for me and my house, I agree that some of the prices these days are out of control. 
Yard sale prices are typically 25% of what you paid for the item, but some people are pricing items for retail price. That's when I leave the items behind as I refuse to pay retail for something on the second hand market unless it is new in the package. 
My Health Journey

I ran out of soup in my freezer, so I made another batch, which is pictured above before I put it into my Souper Cubes.
Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen
Some of the meals we had this past week include Tamales, Lentil Loaf, Chicken, Steak Tacos, Salmon Patties, and Chicken Fajitas.
Yard Sale Saturday & Freebies
Bailey had book club early last Saturday, and she went to several yard sales afterwards while I stayed home. Since it was Halloween there were not many people going to the yard sales, so she was able to get in on some goodies. 
When she pulled up to one house the lady told her no one had been coming and everything was free. She came home with folding chairs, blankets, camping chair, glasses, and multiple Pyrex glass dishes. Some of the dishes were so cute I washed them and used them to serve dinner.
How was your week? It went by so quickly, it's hard to believe it is already Sunday. 

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

Fifth & Final Frugal Friday of October 2026

 

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
It’s been another busy week here for us, which I’m sure is the case for many people.  
On Tuesday I went to the retina specialist for eye injections and had physical therapy two different days. And I’ve been walking outside enjoying this weather. I walked on the Greenway in Cleveland on Wednesday and took a video of the ducks in the water. 

My Health Journey
One of the successful parts of my weight loss journey involves these Souper Cubes that I found on the second hand market for $2.00 each. 
Using the Blue Zones Sardinia Minestrone Soup recipe, I make the soup in my eight quart Instant Pot and then divide the soup into these cubes. Mine measure exactly one cup of soup. I then freeze these and each day get out one portion to have for my lunch along with whatever else I'm having that day.
I finished the ones I had in the freezer this week, so I'm soaking beans right now in order to make another batch. This recipe is plant based, which has also helped me on my weight loss journey, reverse my diabetes, along with following a low carb diet.
So much of what I've read and listened to speaks about the benefits of a plant based diet only. I was there at one point in my journey, however these days I do eat dairy for the calcium and my osteoporosis. I eat non-fat Greek yogurt most days for breakfast. I've tried the plant based ones and they are not my cup of tea.

So far this week my biggest step day was on Wednesday with 20,755 steps. 2,000 steps equals one mile, so roughly ten miles that day. I went to the walking track after my physical therapy session and walked for about two hours. It's just such a beautiful time of year to walk outside.
That is my week in a nutshell. We are heading out to a friends Halloween Party tonight and are looking forward to that. How was your week? Any special plans for the 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

Fourth Frugal Friday of October 2026

 

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
This update was supposed to be part of my blog post last Friday, but I never got around to posting it…
Last Friday I had a physical therapy session to help relieve the arthritis in my back, which gave us a good opportunity to return the rental car to Enterprise. 
On Saturday we went to the Grown Zone dollar dash day, where the leftovers From their consignment sale are up for grabs for $1.00 each. 
The weather has been beautiful here, other than rain from the hurricane on Saturday morning. I’ve been enjoying walks outside and we even walked down the driveway trimming bushes and weeds along the way. 
As for this week, we spent last weekend celebrating Bailey’s birthday. We had two board game days and went out to eat on Saturday and walked through Rock City. It was so windy and a bit chilly, but we’ve been enjoying the fall weather so much. 
That is why I’ve not been online much at all the last week or so. Thank you to those of you who’ve wondered where I’ve been. We’ve just been outside, enjoying life, and walking a lot. I’ve been walking anywhere from ten to twenty miles each day and one day even walked twenty-two miles. I want to enjoy this weather while I can, but I’ll be back soon. I just wanted to update everyone. I hope you all are doing very well!
Saving Money on Christmas Email Series
The Perdue Extension office of north central Indiana is offering a five week free series on how to save money at Christmas.
Make the most of your holiday budget! 🛍
Join Purdue Extension’s free, five-week email series, Curb Your Urge to Splurge: Holiday Edition, for practical tips and creative ideas to help you save money, reduce stress, and enjoy the season.
- Create a holiday spending plan - Discover budget-friendly gift ideas - Find simple meal ideas - Learn about holiday scams - Enjoy the season without overspending
Emails begin October 26, 2026, and the series is available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
Registration is free! Sign up by October 25. 
To Learn more and register:
https://extension.purdue.edu/hhs/money/programs/curb-your-urge-to-splurge-holiday-edition.html
Saving Money in the Kitchen
There was no grocery shopping this week, other than getting free vegetables from PHP & the Mennonites. We received an abundance of red peppers and have been enjoying them with all our dinner meals. 
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

Second Frugal Friday of October 2026

 

Welcome to Frugal Friday

My Frugal Week

After many miles and multiple issues coming up, Bailey bought a pre-owned car on Wednesday. We arrived home around 11 p.m. that evening. We had driven over 1500 miles looking at cars over the last week and getting pre-purchase inspections and were worn out. 
She ended up with a 2019 Ford Eco-Sport with 65K miles on it, which has brand new tires on it. We drove one as a loaner car when we were having work done on both of our cars this summer and she fell in love with it. Ford has stopped making them, so we had to search to find one was worthy. We are both so happy to have that done with.
I've not been able to comment on any blogs this week and this is the reason why as we were not home. But hopefully things will settle down now and I can get back to posting on all of your blogs. 
Freebies

This is just a small collection of the water bottles we were offered on our car search this week. Seems like everyone hands these out these days, which was really nice. 
My Reading Nook ~ What I've been Reading This Week
 This week our book club met to discuss Tunnel 29, which turned out to be a lovely discussion. We actually met outside at the local park since the weather was so nice that day. 
Now I am reading A Sand County Almanac, written by by Aldo Leopold for our November book club meeting.  
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