Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! Today has been a beautiful day. There are sweet daisies  in bloom all over the place here. 

Quote of the Week

Give everyday the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life. Mark Twain

My Frugal Week
When we went out last week to yard sale, we were gone for almost eight hours. I brought sandwiches with us just in case we got hungry, but we ended up not eating them. We came home and made dinner here instead. I put them in refrigerator once we got back home and we ate them the next day.  #nofoodwaste
I looked at the canning supplies while I grocery shopped last week, but they did not have any canning lids. 
Bailey was able to get in on an Alaway allergy eye drop deal from Walgreens. We both use these and it was a good deal paying less than $1.00 for both bottles. 
My Dad and M came in for a visit from Illinois. All four of us have been vaccinated, We were able to gather together and hug and visit for a couple of hours with no masks. It was great. 
Bailey spent the weekend in Chattanooga with a friend since they are both vaccinated now. One of the things they did was to go thrifting. 

She brought home these ice cube trays made by Joie. She paid $1.99 each for them which is  savings of $1.21 each over the Amazon price. She is going to use them to make tea ice cubes out of them for use in iced tea, an idea she learned on TikTok.

She also stopped at the bakery thrift store and brought some inexpensive Dave's Killer bread and flour tortillas. We have been paying way to much money for flour tortillas since the pandemic, so we were both happy to find some at the bread outlet for a great price. 

The Dave's Killer bread sells for $5.00 per loaf at Walmart and I have not bought any since we self quarantined over one year ago. I checked my archives and I bought this in 2018/19 for $2.00 per loaf, and today it sells for $2.49, which is still half the price of Walmart. I'm happy to finally have it again. 
It is the little things like this that I have missed and it brings me joy to be able to do them again. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
A couple of days this week I took a small bit of leftover taco meat, eggs, and cheese and made breakfast burritos using the flour tortillas we bought. 
One morning I took a leftover potato and warmed one quarter of it in a skillet and scrambled an egg with it and turned it into a breakfast burrito. 
#nofoodwaste

Meals This Week
Saturday: BBQ Stuffed Potatoes
Sunday: Grilled Chicken Tenders, Cole Slaw

Monday: Shrimp Rice Pilaf  ~ Bailey's friend is allergic to shrimp now, so she gifted us with a bag from her freezer. I sautéed basmati rice with onions,, butter, and garlic. I added paprika, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper, and Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. Added chicken broth and mixed vegetables and simmered for 20 minutes, added the shrimp and simmered another five minute before serving. 
I bought this Authentic Royal Royal Basmati Rice from Amazon last year for $13.89. It has the best flavor and smells so good. I just checked and they have raised it to $28.16. I know food prices are going up, but when it comes to Amazon, I never know if it's due to a higher food cost or Amazon just being Amazon.
Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Salad, Cole Slaw 
Wednesday ~ Shrimp Pilaf & Vegetable Egg Rolls
Thursday: Chicken Fajitas, Red Peppers & Onions, Pico de Gallio
Saving on Entertainment
I used to enjoy the TV show Restaurant Impossible with Chef Robert Irvine . I knew that Chef Gordon Ramsey also had a TV show, but I wasn't a fan because whenever I saw him he was usually yelling. 
Recently Chef Ramsey started showing up in my Facebook feed, so I watched one or two episodes and decided I liked his show Kitchen Nightmares, which reminds me of Restaurant Impossible. If you'd like to check it out it's available to watch free on YouTube and Facebook. 
How was your week?
Belinda~ Living within our Means ~
If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site. 

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Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! 

Quote of the Week

Too many people are living ABOVE their means. Stop funding today's lifestyle with tomorrow's paycheck ~ Minority Mindset

My Frugal Week

Good morning. I'm not going to do my traditional frugal Friday post today.  

Thursday marked two weeks since our second Covid vaccine, so we ventured out of the house to go to the Highway 411 yard sales

There were not very many people set up and that may have been because it was Thursday and it could be due to Covid as well. However, Bailey did find several pieces of clothing/inventory for her online shops. 

We also ventured into a grocery store. We both wore our masks and social distanced as well as we could.

I've been having trouble with my eyesight, so it was hard for me to see, much harder than it was for me the last time I was in a grocery store over one year ago. 

To help myself, I use the camera on my cellphone to take pictures of items and then zoom in on the photos to figure it out. 

I had an appointment in April of 2020 that was cancelled due to Covid. Now I have one scheduled in May. I have been unable to drive during this time and am looking forward to figuring out what is wrong. 

The world has changed since we've been in quarantine during the last year. 

Seems to me that people don't communicate as much with masks on their face, me included. 

 

I did not enjoy grocery shopping because I couldn't see yesterday. That makes me sad, but I am hopeful that my vision can be corrected next month. 

Grocery shopping has always been very enjoyable to me, but it wasn't yesterday. As a result, I did not buy very much.

I've decided that having groceries delivered to our home is much more convenient and I am willing to pay for that convenience, at least for now. 

How are you doing? Have you had a good week? I certainly hope you have.                                                                       

Belinda

~ Living within our Means ~

Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! 
I've not said it before, but I hate Covid. One of the boys in our community, who is Bailey's age, has been fighting cancer. This is the third time in his young life. He has been in the ICU for two weeks with Covid pneumonia. He has been wanting to go home, and so his doctors agreed to let him go home, but with Hospice care. My heart breaks for them. 
Quote of the Week

 "Saving money is not fun, but having money saved is a lot of fun."   

Jean Chatzky

My Frugal Week

We bought this bottle of OdoBan disinfectant right after the pandemic started in March of 2020. This is a concentrate, so we only used an ounce or two in a spray bottle and then filled the rest with water. We just now used up this bottle, so I figure each spray bottle of cleaner cost us around 30 cents to make, which is much cheaper than buying it in the single use individua bottles.  
Paid Off Medical Debt
I'm so happy this week. After paying on a medical debt I've had for a few years now, I am happy to say it is finally paid in full. I love being debt free again. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
On Tuesday I boiled one dozen eggs and made egg salad out of them. 
Buying Food In Bulk

I ordered three cans of fruit this week. These are the big cans, which are 106 ounces and cost $8.48 from Walmart. I opened one can already and put it in one of my see through canisters in the refrigerator. That way it's easy to get a fruit cup to go with breakfast or lunch if we want one.  

I also bought oatmeal in bulk. The reason  I bought it was because we have been out of oatmeal for a long time. I've tried to buy it from Walmart, Target, and Amazon, but it would get destroyed in the box every time. So, I bought a case of six number ten cans from the online store of the Latter Day Saints.   l don't know about you, but I have always shied away from buying food in bulk online because of the high cost of shipping.  The reason I bought this was because they only charged me $3 for shipping which is a fantastic price to me.
This week I will make Peanut Butter Granola Bars to take with us when we yard sale next weekend. 
Some Meals This Week
Friday and Saturday: Pizza and Salad
Sunday: Baked Potatoes, Broccoli
Monday: Baked Chicken, Rice, Mixed Vegetables
Tuesday: We ate the last of the rive and vegetables for breakfast. Dinner was Hamburgers with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions along with the last of the potato salad. 
Saving on Entertainment
Minari  a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. 
What I've been Reading This Week
22 Smart Money Tips Everyone Can Learn

Show me somebody who plans their dinner menus in advance, and I’ll show you a household CEO who understands how to effectively reduce her monthly food expenses.

That's all the news to report from here this week. How was your week?
Belinda~ Living within our Means ~

Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! 
Quote of the Week

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, to all bravely await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.”

― William Henry Channing

My Frugal Week

On Saturday we went and picked up my sewing machine in Chattanooga. It was a beautiful day for a drive. 
Since we were in Chattanooga, I was able to use the Checkpoints app and had enough to submit for a $1.00 gift card from Amazon once we got home. We've barely used this app since we have stayed home for the most part for the last year. 
We picked up a small grocery order from Aldi that cost $33.49. 

We decided to treat ourselves to dinner from a local Italian restaurant, which has a special:
2 Large Pizzas with 2 Toppings1 small Greek Salad 1 order Bread Sticks with marinara$16.45
They were good enough to let us pay over the phone and place it in our trunk for us.
We received our second Covid Vaccine on Wednesday. I did fine with mine, but Bailey was feeling under the weather with hers. Now we need to wait at least two weeks before venturing out. The first thing I want to do is go to a yard sale as it's been over one year since we've been. Of course I will still wear my mask and social distance, but I am ready to yard sale again.  
After receiving our vaccine, we went to town to pick up two grocery orders. One from Publix and one from Walmart.  Bailey also picked up a curbside coupon deal from Walgreens. 

Bailey had a scrub shirt she wanted me to make a cloth pad out of, so I cut it up and made a neat little stack of fabric out of it. 

Vitacost sent me a card in the mail for 15% off my purchase and free shipping. I needed to order allergy medicine and bought that saving $2.10 and $4.99 for shipping. Of course I went through Rakuten to earn cash back also. 
My allergies have been so bad this year. I don't know if it's because we've been staying at home or what (we live in the middle of the woods), but I've needed to seek relief more than ever this year. I ordered the Kroger generic version of Zyrtec, which cost $13.99 for 365 pills, which is pretty good for a one year supply. 
We had to buy cat food this week, so there was no avoiding spending this week. These days we buy the 30 pound bag of Kit and Kaboodle from Walmart for $17.98, which lasts all eight cats for about one month. If you sign up for autoship you can receive 30% off your first order. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
We had so much food from our takeout order this weekend that  we ended up having it for several days afterwards. The salad was more than enough for two people for two days. I took the breadsticks from the takeout and transformed them into cheesy breadsticks for lunch one day this week. 
Dinners This Week
Saturday: Pizza and SaladSunday: Chicken and Dressing, Corn ~ I had a bag of Pepperidge Farm dressing that we received in the cube form over the holidays. I don't normally use that kind, but wanted to use it up since we had it on hand. Monday: We had enough left from Sunday to repeat that menu. I also made a side dish of greens using kale, cabbage, and broccoli. Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas with Onions, Red, Yellow, and Orange Bell PeppersWednesday: Oven Baked Chicken, Broccoli, ColeslawThursday: Grilled Chicken Salads
Saving on Entertainment

For movie night this week we watched the 2018 version of A Star is Born. The film depicts a musician who helps a young singer find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral. We both enjoyed the film and I really enjoyed the songs done by Bradley Cooper.  Maybe it's Time to let the old ways die is very thought provoking 
What I've been Reading This Week
The Motely Fool has a website called All Star Money, which is a list of articles by financial bloggers.  They state they are curating the best voices in finance. Here is a link if you would like to read there. All Star Money
Mother Earth News: How to Frugally Build Up Your Pantry Like a Pro
Freebies
Houseplants will help you rid your home of toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide and trichloroethylene, all chemicals created from materials used to build homes. Houseplants help clean the air in your home for free. 
One potted plant will clean roughly a 100 square foot space in your home. Different plants help clean different chemicals out of the air, so it's beneficial to have a variety of plants. 
Here are a couple of articles to read on the subject, if you're interested:
The Old Farmer's Almanac Clean House with Tropical Plants
Air Purifying Plant Numbers - How Many Plants For Clean Air Indoors

How was your week?
Belinda~ Living within our Means ~
If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting this site. 
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~ My Frugal Workshop PayPal Tip Jar

Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! 
My Frugal Week
We have an appointment this week to get our second Covid vaccination. Bailey even has the days to freedom marked down on her calendar. LOL

My Dad has been building a new shed on his property in the last few weeks. He didn't buy any new  lumber for his project due to the rising cost of lumber these days. Instead, he took some wood off of another shed he built a few years ago and used that instead. This ended up saving him a lot of money. 

Earning Money
This week I earned a $10 gift card to Amazon from Microsoft Rewards. 
I also earned another $10 Amazon gift card from Mobile Xpressions. 
Avoiding Spending
We stayed home all week and did not spend any money. I don't know what the future holds as far as going back to work, but I have been very careful not to spend money on things I do not need even if I may want them. This is a good time to find alternatives to avoid spending. 
The price of toilet paper,  paper products, lumber, and fabrics are all going up this year.  Wazoodle, the maker of Zorb, announced price increases on April first and said they will rise again on June first 2021. Zorb is what I use to make cloth pads.  It would be very wise for people to plan accordingly. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen

Normally I buy the smaller bags of frozen broccoli to serve with our meals. Last week I decided to purchase the larger bag of Pictsweet broccoli florets. Bailey and I both noticed how much better this broccoli is verses the Walmart or the Birdseye brand. 
There were several lemons in my refrigerator that needed to be used up, so I squeezed them for lemon juice and made lemonade out of them. Made from real lemons, it was the best lemonade I've ever had, and good enough for company.  The recipe is simple: the juice of six lemons, one cup of sugar and six cups of water. 
Meals This Week
Friday: HamburgersSaturday: Vegetable SoupSunday: Chicken Sliders on Brioche Buns, Rice, BroccoliMonday: Salmon, Rice and AsparagusTuesday: Grilled Chicken, Brown Rice, BroccoliWednesday: TacosThursday: Tamala Pie, SaladFriday: Chicken and Dressing, Green Beans, Potatoes
Saving on Entertainment
This week we watched The Ride, which is the inspiring story of a BMX champion who overcame an abusive childhood through the love and life lessons of his interracial foster family who eventually adopt him. This was such a good movie and Bailey and I both enjoyed it.  It's free to watch on Amazon Prime.  
What I've been Reading This Week
9 Essential Weapons to Reach Financial Independence
Freebies
Lowes will be giving away free Garden-to-Go kits every Thursday in April starting on the 8th. You can go here to read the details. 
Free 75 page PDF: 50 Money Moves to Make in a Recession by Hanna Horvath
Free 12 page PDF: Budgeting for Families from Hillbilly Housewife
That is all the news I have to report from here this week. I wanted to say thank you to those who let me know abut their experience with Rolling Acres. It's been fun to read your stories. 
How was your week?
Belinda~ Living within our Means ~