Welcome to Friday and to April 2022!
My Frugal Week
Mom came home last Friday and it has been a whirlwind of activity here since then. It’s been hard on all of us, but we are doing our best to hang in there.
I’ve been interviewing caregivers and trying to get some help for Mom. Seems like the going rate is $15 per hour, although I did find one asking for $12 an hour. We are still trying to figure it all out.
I’ve stayed home all week and haven’t spent any money, even online, and saved on using up expensive gas right now. It cost me $60 to fill it up last Thursday and I’ve never had to spend so much to fill it up.
We called a plumber out this week to fix a broken gasket under the kitchen sink and to cap off a leaking outdoor hose. He was such a blessing to use and only charged us $60 for parts and labor.
Bailey returned some of Moms clothes that did not fit her to Walmart for a refund of $57.99.
She also went to McKay Used Books and traded multiple books and DVDs for trade credit and earned $55.00 in credit.
Earning Money
I had enough points from MobileXpression (50 points) to cash in for $10 in PayPal money.
Last week I received the usual amount of money from Adsense for my blog.
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
We used up our dinner leftovers for lunch or another meal this week, which kept food waste to zero.
Meals This Week
Friday: Chicken Tenders, Green Salads
Saturday: Vegetable Loaded Baked Potatoes
Sunday: Beefy Baked Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Monday: Vegetable Soup & Cornbread
Tuesday: Movie Night Pizza
Wednesday: Hamburger Steaks, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans with Onions
Thursday: Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Beets
What I've been Reading This Week
I’ve been reading multiple cookbooks we bought on our trip last week. I love reading cookbooks and getting new ideas from them.
How was your week? We would love to hear about it in the comment section.
Belinda
I wish you all the best with the search for caregivers. It is a difficult job and requires a special temperament.
ReplyDeleteYour menu looks very good. Though I planned our meals for the week, I am not sure we are going to stick with the plan.
Thank you, Anne. It has been an education to say the least.
DeleteI would not go cheap on caregivers, that could be a slippery slope. But I hope you find someone who is good and honest.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Kim.
DeleteI love to read cookbooks too! Sometimes I read them cover to cover, just like a novel, and can learn so much that way. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I love to read cookbooks from cover to cover.
DeleteGood luck with someone to be there for your mom. Bailey did really well getting the credit. The only place I know that takes old books and DVD's etc. is Half Priced Books and it literally is pennies.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sam. We had a smaller used book store closer that paid very little for books. It’s worth the drive to Chattanooga to go to McKays.
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ReplyDeleteHope you mom continues to improve and needs minimal help.
ReplyDeleteI love reading cookbooks - it is a favorite of mine.
Have a great weekend.
Thank you, Cheryl. I hope you do too!
DeleteI'm sure that your Mom is glad to be home, but it is hard making sure they have everything they need at home. Would your area agency on aging offer any assistance?
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get the refund for the clothes and credit for the books too. Glad the plumber was able to help too.
Hope you have a good weekend.
Thank you so much, Kathy. I asked our agency on aging about the Tennessee Choices program, but she didn’t think Mom would qualify as they only accept the worst patients like people who cannot even feed themselves.
DeleteWishing you the best of luck in finding the right caregiver for your Mom.
ReplyDeleteYou have had a wonderfully frugal week, good job.
God bless.
Thank you so much, Jackie.
DeleteI love beets, and am glad someone else enjoys them. No one else in my family eats beets, so I never make them. But, it's a treat when I'm out somewhere & they are on the menu. Yum!
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to find a good caregiver for your mom.
Thank you so much, and yes we all love beets here. :)
DeleteGlad your mother is at home. Couple of thoughts about caregivers: I know Medicare will pay for some kinds of in-home care. Also, if she qualifies to your state's Medicaid program, they pay for some kinds of care as well. I don't know details for either one, but it may be worth checking into. Anther thing, are you trying to find caregivers on your own or going through an agency? It might be better to go through a home care agency. Their workers would be "vetted" and you would have recourse if a worker did not meet your satisfaction or quit suddenly. While I have not had to do this myself, I know several friends who had been in your situation. Each one used an agency and found it to be helpful to do so.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this great information, Frances. The social worker also told us that if we go thru an agency they will have insurance in case someone gets hurt. I hadn’t thought of that, so the information you gave me is so very helpful. Thank you.
DeleteYou are welcome, Belinda. Glad I could help. I wish you well and pray that God will send you just the right people for your mom.
DeleteThank you, Frances. I hope so too.
DeleteSo happy to hear your mom is home Belinda, but I also know how hard it is on you to take care of her. I've been in that position with DMIL. I wish you all the best in your search for a caregiver and pray that your mom will heal fast.
ReplyDeleteWow, very nice credit on the books & DVDs.
Thank you so much, Ms. Goose.
DeleteBelinda, I am glad your Mom is at home. I haven't been able to check in. I lost my dog suddenly to a heart attack & I haven't been coping very well. Your Mom has been on my mind.
ReplyDeleteI read the comments. I am echoing some of the other ladies thoughts please, please, please don't go low on her caregiver. I work with a lot of elderly. I have a lot of resources. If you need anything please don't be afraid to ask.
My Mom has two caregivers. She is in a similar financial situation as your Mother. Her caregivers are paid for. For the most part caregivers are usually paid for through Medicaid, Insurance, Medicare. Most of the elderly I help are low income, if that helps any. I am just worried if you low ball you will get substandard, not vaccinated, and poorly trained.
Contact your local Department of Aging. They are a tremendous help. I use them often. A lot of times your Mother's counselor will only have her resources for the agencies she works with. DOA has all the resources. It is a really big help.
Anyone reading this is going to hate this. My DH paid $18 for gas this week. It was our two week fill up. We have been filling up every two weeks. Yes, he paid exactly $18. We have a 2002 Ford F-150 so it's all gas and not a hybrid. Our area is the lowest gas in the country right now. Work is only two blocks away. So, he could walk. He works heavy construction so the last thing he wants to do is walk to and from work, lol. We are keeping our errands only to three stores near by.
The rest of the week was normal frugal things, so nothing exciting to report. I hope your Mother improves quickly, Try to get lots of rest too. I know how hard this is. The stress is some of the worst anybody can go through. I don't know how many times I just set down on the floor and sobbed with the things about my Mom. My Mom didn't prepare financially either. One of the ladies told me at the Department of Aging it sucks to be the Sandwich generation. That this generation has some of the most challenging and most stressful moments of any past generation.
Safyne, reading your post was so cathartic to me. Yes, I have cried more in the past week than I have in a long time. We let one caregiver go because she put so much mental strain on all of us including Bailey that we just couldn’t take it anymore. She would talk constantly even over the home health workers, so I couldn’t hear what they were saying. It has been so much better since she is no longer here.
DeleteI’ve been doing the caregiving myself and finding solutions that work for us. It’s amazing how much you can actually do even when you think you can’t. Somehow it all works out. So I will continue looking for caregivers because I know I will need a break from time to time plus I also have dr appointments to go to and need someone here with her.
I am so sorry you have lost your dog. That is one of the worst things ever as they are such a big part of the family. My Dad and I sobbed in each other’s arms when our dog died back in 1989. We were just heartbroken. My heart goes out to you.
I’ve been trying to get as much sleep as I can. It’s hard to even stop to drink water and or go to the restroom. I ended up with a UTI because of that, so I had an appointment with MD Live over the phone and they gave me an antibiotic. it’s part of my insurance, so I didn’t have to pay anything. Thank goodness for such programs. I will keep working on those you mentioned for Mom. Thank you so much for all the good information.