Friday, August 6, 2021

Frugal Friday



Welcome to Friday! 

Quote of the Week

$3.81 for lunch may sound like a great deal, but the truth is, despite those ever-rising grocery bills, people who choose to brown-bag a sandwich, piece of fruit, and carrot sticks or a serving of chips, are always going to spend less than the folks who buy their lunch at a restaurant, school cafeteria or fast-food joint. ~ Len Penzo

My Frugal Week

The secretary of the high school texted me this week to ask if I was subbing this year as she was creating the sub list for this school year. Unfortunately, I had to tell her I would not start out this year subbing as I cannot drive with my eyesight. I told her I was having surgery soon and would let her know when that changed.


How long does it take a honeydew melon to ripen? I finally wrote the date on this one to see how long it would take to ripen. When I bought this one I bought two of them and I finally cut the other one open to see how it tasted. It had no flavor, so I am placing this other one in a paper bag to see if it will ripen anymore. I am thinking it was picked too soon and won't ripen anymore like strawberries do when picked too soon. 

I love that Aldi is giving us paper bags now when we get a grocery pickup. There are so many uses for them. 

Speaking of grocery pick ups, Ramit Sethi had a poll last week on Twitter. He wanted to know what is one thing you used to resist spending money on, but now you love spending on it. He said one of the most common answers was grocery delivery. I won’t say that I love paying for it, but I do love the convenience  of it. 

I went through my reading list here on Blogger and using the manage button, caught up on reading some blogs, kept some old blogs that are no longer posting, but are still a great resource. 

On Saturday afternoon we picked up a grocery order at Walmart. It wasn’t a full grocery order, but will help get us through until we do have one sometime in August. 

On Tuesday I listed a couple of things on eBay to sell. 


Earning Money


This week I received a survey from Consumer Opinion Institute and earned $5.00 for filling out and returning their survey. 

Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen


On Friday morning I made myself a green smoothie. I keep some smoothie ingredients on my freezer door, such as Amla, flax and chia seeds, and black sesame seeds, so as I was adding them to my smoothie I found a package of cheese hot dogs I had forgotten about. Score! I used them for dinner on Friday night. 


My butter wrappers, saved from a stick of butter, stored in a baggie in my fridge for when I need to grease a pan. 

Meals This Week

Friday: Nathan’s Cheese Dogs, Rice Pilaf, Sunflower Salad

Saturday: Tuna Salad Sandwiches because I was exhausted from Yard Sale Saturday. 

Sunday: Hawaiian Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Vegetable. 

Monday: Sliced Pork, Scalloped Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables. The scalloped potatoes were a big hit probably because it's been so long since I made them. I was only using 1.5 pounds of potatoes, so I used my small Pioneer Woman casserole dish and they fit perfectly. The recipe is listed below if you're interested. 

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Baked Potato

Wednesday: Nathan's Hotdogs, Carrots, Mashed Potatoes 

Thursday: Tuna Salad, Pasta Salad, Asian Salad, Orange Iced Tea


Recipe of The Week:

Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
 
Ingredients:
 
1.5 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter 
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cheese, shredded
 
Directions:

Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray. 
Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
Spread sliced potatoes evenly in the pan. 
Melt the butter over medium heat. 
Add garlic and cook for one minute. 
Whisk in flour until a paste forms. 
Add milk, salt and pepper and cook until thickened. 
Remove from heat and stir in cheese. 
Pour sauce over sliced potatoes.
Sprinkle with extra cheese if desired. 
Bake at 350 °F for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.




Saving on Entertainment

Every now and then I go onto TikTok and entertain myself for free. There are some great cooking videos on there and I usually find a song or two to add to my song list on YouTube. 

Here is an oldie, but a goodie, Manic Monday by the Bangles. 


What I've been Reading This Week


Len Penzo has posted his 
13th Annual Cost Survey of 10 Popular Brown Bag Sandwiches. It's an annual post that many of his readers look forward to each year including me. I hope you enjoy it. 

That is all the frugal news from here this week, How was your week?

Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
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21 comments:

  1. I didn't think melons continue to ripen after picked. Please keep us informed.
    I have never been on Twitter or TikToc. FB, blogs and You Tube are more than I can handle!! LOL
    Always nice to find groceries you forgot you had!
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Cheryl. I was thinking that too, that it wouldn’t ripen anymore. I checked it this morning and it is a little bit softer.

      The students at school are on Snapchat these days. That is where some of the bullying goes on, but I don’t care for it and do not use it and have no desire.

      I hope you have a great weekend too.

      Delete
  2. Looks like you had a great week. I love your blog!
    Grocery delivery has been a Godsend to me. I have issues with my balance and have a hard time getting up my front steps with groceries. Bending over to pick up bags from the floor can sometimes trigger a dizzy spell, so I ask the delivery person to put the bags in a large plastic tote that I leave on the front porch, then I can just drag the tote into the house and only have to bend over a little and just once. It's more than worth the monthly fee for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, BaggysMama, I’m so glad you enjoy my blog. Thank you for letting me know. That means a lot to me.

      Oh, I can see how grocery delivery would be so helpful to you with the balance issues. A tote is a terrific way to bring them into the house. I’m so glad that is available for you. It’s the little things like that which make our lives easier. It’s definitely worth the price!

      I hope you have a great weekend.

      Delete
  3. I hope you get that surgery soon, are you scheduled?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, September 28 is my first surgery date unless they call because someone had to cancel.

      Delete
  4. Love it when I find things I'd forgotten about in the freezer! Here's hoping you're able to get your eye surgery & get back to subbing soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I plan to use up the last four hotdogs I have on hand with assorted leftovers tonight. I'd rather spend money next week when we have time off work enjoying a cafe or happy hour than eatingout this weekend since we had two eat outs last week. I don't know about melon-I think you might be right and the melon won't ripen any more. I love a good sweet honeydew too, so your loss would be a disapointment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’m with you, Sam. I would rather wait to eat out when you have time off. That way you can enjoy your time even more.

      Yea, the honeydew was probably picked by someone who doesn’t purchase them enough or at all to now what to look for in a good ripe one. It is what it is though.

      I hope you have a great weekend!

      Delete
  6. Love that quote Belinda. Not only does it save money, but homemade food is much healthier and often tastes far better too. I'm so glad you mentioned flax, because I keep forgetting to buy some. I just added it to my shopping list :)

    Hoping that your surgery is a success! Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Ms. Goose. I’m with you on the homemade food being healthier as we know what we put in it. Sometimes when we eat out, the food is disappointing. But when I cook at home I can tweak my recipes to make it how we like to eat it. It may take more effort, but it is worth it to me.

      Thank you again and I hope you have a great weekend too.

      Delete
  7. I used a little red wagon, Radio Flyer, to get my groceries from the car to the porch. Of course, then I had to get them into my house. I would stand on the ground and use a canvas bag to put them onto the porch. THEN, I could pick up the bags and carry them into the house.

    I like homemade sandwiches! I want a BLT right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, a BLT sounds good! I like homemade sandwiches too.

      I’ve told my Mom she needs a wagon for her groceries. I think one would be very handy.

      Delete
  8. Hope that you will soon be able to see better! Sorry that you have to wait so long though, but it will be worth it.
    Hope your melon ripens. That paper bag trick works to ripen peaches so maybe it will work on melons. I've been doing grocery pickups, and they usually do a good job, but I haven't had a good watermelon this year.
    Interesting about the cost for sandwich fixins. I took pb&j for lunch for years. I still love peanut butter, but now I try to eat more fruits and veggies instead.
    How is your niece doing? Do hope that she is doing better.
    Hope you have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for thinking of my niece, Kathy. She is home now and doing better, so we are grateful.

      We’ve had several good watermelons this year and even a really good honeydew melon earlier in the summer. I hope you can get a good watermelon before the summer is over.

      I do enjoy a good PB&J, when I was growing up our elementary school served peanut butter and butter sandwiches. My daughter thinks it is no good, but to this day my sister and I will still eat one every now and then.

      I hope you have a great weekend too.

      Delete
  9. Cantaloupes are such a mystery. Let me say that I love love love them. I can buy one and it’s SO delicious. Then the next one has no flavor. Lately, I buy them and let them sit on the counter for a day or two before I cut them. They’ve been better since trying that, but it may have nothing to do with that. Lol let me know if you discover the secret!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't think the melon will ripen much more if at all. I have never had luck when I purchase one that isn't ripe or almost ripe.

    Never made a smoothie, but since I see more and more posts about them I really am tempted.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Smoothies are a good way to get more vegetables into my diet, which is why I do them. Of course, fruit is good in them too.

      I think you are right about the melon, Jackie. I will keep you all updated.

      Blessings to you my friend.

      Delete
  11. Here you go Belinda here's how to ripen a HoneyDew- https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-ripen-a-honeydew-melon/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How neat, Safyne. I have some tomatoes ripening on the counter, so I will slip one in the bag with the honeydew melon. Thank you for the tip.

      Delete

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