Third Frugal Friday of May 2022

Welcome to Friday! 
Quote of the Week

Life is full of unexpected endings that make way for new beginnings. That which is meant for us will not pass us by. We must build and grow daily, accept the choices others make, and be ready when new opportunities come our way. 

My Frugal Week
Last weekend on Friday and Saturday we went to multiple yard sales. 

We found an Omega 8006 juicer that sells for $284.59 on Amazon at a church yard sale for $5.00! I’ve always wanted an Omega juicer since it is the one Dr. Fuhrman recommends. We both love church yard sales for this very reason. 
I am in love with this juicer. I think I juiced every vegetable I had in the refrigerator. 

This is a cold press juicer so it’s not as destructive to the vegetables as a juicer than runs hot. I saved my pulp too to either use in salads or I’m looking into making some breakfast “cookies” for our yard sale mornings. 

We also found this set of six new old stock Pier One Asian style dipping/sauce bowls for $3.00. They are black on the outside and blue, green, red, and tan on the inside. These will be perfect for when we serve soy sauce with egg rolls. 

Pyrex Portables 4.5 quart casserole dish with lid and insulated bag for $2.00. I already have two of these in a smaller casserole dish and I like them because they have lids with them, which makes them easy to store food in and reheat leftovers.
Saving Money on Sewing
Bailey had a pair of sleep shorts from Torrid that needed mending. The material isn’t very high quality considering the price we paid. She has some other sleep shorts from Target that were cheaper and higher quality material. I did the best mending job I could in several places hoping they will last a while longer as this is a favorite pair. 
We were speaking about the cost of thread on the Living Simply Facebook group recently. I bought this Gutermann thread (100% polyester- 547 yards) from Amazon along with a spool of black thread in a pair for $10.93. I used the white thread for mending her shorts along with a dress for her business that had a split in the seam. 

I also used some HeatnBond UltraHold on a pair of shorts she tie-dyed for her business. The hem had come out all the way around the leg, so the HeatnBond worked well for this type of repair. I also used the new to me iron we picked up at a yard sale recently.
Decluttering
In cleaning up my parents old bedroom I found several coins. I found twenty dollar coins, $4.65 in change, and a two ounce silver coin that my Dad told me to keep. That was $46.42 worth of money. We also found some unused stamps that no longer stick. 
I found some VHS tapes in there too and offered those up for free on our local Facebook group. Surprisingly they were gone the first day. 
Saving Money on Shipping
Mom needed me to mail a couple of packages to her in Michigan. For cheaper shipping rates I use Pirateship.com to mail packages. I print the labels here and schedule a pick up as well. 
For these packages I used UPS to ship and scheduling a pick up on their website cost $6 verses the $21 UPS wanted on their website to pick up here. 
Of course, if I know I have a package coming from UPS or FedEx and put it outside with a sticky note on it, our drivers are always great to pick them up too at no extra charge.
Joy of the Week
I did some weeding over the weekend near the bottom of our steps leading out to where we park our cars. Our yard is filled with wild daisies right now. They bring me so much joy every year.
Update on Mom
I’m not sure if you read this in the comment section last week or not, but my sister and her husband came down to pick my Mom up and take her to Michigan to live with them for the time being.

Mom with her new neck brace

My sister is a trained CNA and will be able to help Mom so much more than I can,  and we didn’t like the care she was getting in the rehab center, so we are looking at this as a win-win situation. Her plans are to come back home once she is better. 
Of course, my heart is broken, but I’ve done my best not to let her know that as I want her to get well. I know what it is like being separated from family by miles like this and I’m trying not to think about that. My sister is trained for this, so I know it’s what is best for Mom right now. 
Meals This Week
Friday: Chicken Tenders, Egg Rolls, Corn on the Cob.
Saturday: Submarine Sandwiches after a long day of yard sales. 
Sunday: Egg Roll in a Bowl, Egg Rolls, Steamed Broccoli. 
Monday: Chicken Fajitas, Roasted & Smashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli. 
Tuesday: Movie Night, which means homemade Pizza!
Wednesday: Better Cheddars, Roasted & Smashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli.
Thursday: Hamburgers, Pasta Salad, Onion Rings

Recipe of the Week
One of the ingredients I use in my kitchen is Lawry’s seasoning salt. My grandmother always added it to her lasagne and I do too. It’s a delicious alternative spice and satisfies the “something different” element.
Back in the early 1980s my Dad took several of us to Lawry’s The Prime Rib restaurant located at 100 Ontario Street in downtown Chicago. 
I can still remember the carts of Prime Rib they rolled out on a silver trolly cart and allowed us to choose the cut we wanted. Also, their famous original spinning bowl salad was really something to watch as the waiter had it spinning about two feet up in the air.
Eventually the restaurant closed its doors in Chicago, and although they have three other locations in the US, I will always remember the Chicago restaurant fondly. 
Roasted & Smashed Potatoes 
Ingredients:
Yukon Gold Potatoes (as many as you need)Vegetable OilButterLawry’s Seasoned SaltGarlic PowderOnion PowderSalt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes well and cut into desired size. Spray baking dish and potatoes with vegetable spray.Sprinkle with seasonings, stir well and cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven and bake for one hour.Take dish out of the oven, remove foil, and slightly smash potatoes with a potato masher or meat chopper. Place a pat of butter over each potato and place back into the oven without the foil. Check after 10 minutes or so to check for desired crispiness.Enjoy!
These were a big hit with Bailey and me and we will definitely add them to our regular menu. 
Freebies
This week I picked up a free chocolate chip cookie from Chic-Fil-A, and a free small sub from Firehouse Subs as birthday freebies. 

How was your week? Any frugal wins or fails to share with us? Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. We would love to hear about your week in the comment section.

Belinda~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree