Frugal Friday ~ Third Frugal Friday of November 2024

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
My Frugal Week
Bailey and I went to a yard sale in East Ridge last Saturday. It is a monthly event held for the animal clinic there. I picked up three shirts for myself with long sleeves. I also picked up an elevated food bowl for the cats as I’m tired of cleaning up after they’ve tipped their food bowl over. 
Our washer stopped working on Sunday evening, so I had a repairman come out on Monday afternoon. Turns out the lid release switch went bad, so he replaced it for $175, which included the $69 service fee. He said we had a good machine and not to get rid of it as the ones made today aren’t made to last. 
I received $106 from Blogger this week for my blog for the past few months. I’m going to use part of it to get an oil change for my car. I will use a coupon from the oil change place website to save 50% off an oil change as their Black Friday special. I’ll wait until I have other errands to run and not make a special trip. 
It’s turned into chilly weather here, so I’m enjoying a cup of hot peppermint tea here this morning to take the edge off the chill. I’m also wearing socks, shoes, long pants, and a long sleeve shirt and do not have any heat on yet. I’m measuring clothes for Bailey today, so a sit down job means I’ll be colder than usual. 
I had four pocketknives that were given to my Dad years ago and I finally listed them as a lot on eBay for $19.95 this week. Imagine my surprise when the bidding reached $94.00. My Buy It Now price was only set at $60.00, so this was a pleasant surprise. 
Freebies
On Wednesday I had an appointment and ended up getting some free samples, which included travel size shampoo, soap, razor, toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving cream, and body wash. 
Savings of the Week

Bailey found this stick vacuum at the thrift store the other day. It didn’t work, but she figured it just needed a good cleaning and she was right. She brought it home and took the filter apart, gave it a good scrubbing and it works wonderfully. 
We have done more vacuuming this week than ever because it’s so lightweight and easy to use. The best part? This particular vacuum sells for $160 on Amazon, but she only paid $20 for it. 
Deal of the Week
Since I was running errands on Wednesday I stopped in at Walmart and snagged two more of their cold rotisserie chickens for $3.97 each. I’m loving the price on these and how much chicken I can get from them and for a good price. Bailey found two last week marked down to $2.00, which was also an even better deal, but I’m finding them more in the meat department cold for less than a hot chicken more so than cold on mark down. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos
Prepper Princess discusses when items get too high, you’ll refuse to pay the price. For example, when chicken is priced at $5 per pound, she refuses to buy it, which is how I feel about beef prices. I simply will not buy beef when it is so expensive right now. Even if other people are willing to pay those prices we need to decide if we are willing. 
Frugal Queen shares her views on Frugal Money saving advice that you probably won’t like. Such as buying Christmas gifts for people you hardly know. 
Kate Kaden gives tips on living below your means. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
I’ve been watching Nurse Jackie this week through our free streaming service this week. I saw it being played on TikTok and decided to try it out. I’ve been enjoying Jackie and how she relates to her family, friends, coworkers and patients. She is very forgiving and accepts them where they are in life.
That’s all the news I have to report from here this week. How has your week been?

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.

BelindaHomemaker at HeartMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in My Frugal Kitchen

My Frugal Week

On Sunday we did some cleaning out and rearranging of stuff in several areas in our home. I moved some canned goods to make room for other things and Bailey was getting rid of a shopping cart we bought years ago at a yard sale. 

I decided to snag the shopping cart and use it to store my tomato products. Now I can drive this cart into my pantry and pull it out as needed. 

My inventory includes:

- 14 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

- 6 (28 ounce) cans of tomatoes

- 4 cans tomato paste

- 10 (14.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce

- 14 (14.5 ounce) cans spaghetti/pasta sauce

Hopefully this will be enough to last through the winter months. 

Photo of the Week

Kraft designs their tarter sauce bottles so that it's hard to get all the contents out of the bottle. I simply cut them in half and use a spatula to get all the sauce out of each bottle. There is at least half of a cup inside each one when I do this, which is enough for two or three more meals.

What’s for Dinner

Meatless Monday ~ Chicken Tacos, Corn. 

Taco Tuesday ~ Homemade Pizza. 

Wednesday ~ Grilled Chicken Salads

Thursday ~ Teriyaki Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Brussel Sprouts. 

Friday ~ Salmon Patties, Boiled Potatoes, Peas & Carrots. 

Saturday ~ Turkey Polish Sausage, Macaroni & Cheese, Roasted Beets. 

Sunday ~ Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad, and Garlic Bread.

What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

Mortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Third Frugal Friday of November 2024

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Quote of the Week

Some people think the way to beat the system is to make more moneyWhile some people think the way to beat the system is to need less money.

My Frugal Week
This week I pulled out all of the Christmas items for packages and gifts I had bought all year long. Buying all year long saves me money as I find useful items on sale, mark down or clearance. Now I've sorted presents that go together and made a list and know where I need to fill in with other items. 
I dried my laundry on a drying rack in my bedroom. 
I processed and measured seventy items of clothing for Bailey on Sunday. 
Someone offered me $1,000 this week to buy my blog, but I turned them down. The information here is more valuable than that to me. 
On Monday I started working on the large hot casserole pads for Christmas gifts. 
On The Health Front
Tuesday was a visit to the Retina Specialist for injections in both eyes. And Wednesday was a CT of my right knee. My first knee surgery is scheduled for December 27th. 
A few years ago I started out on a journey to take control of my health. My orthopedic doctor wanted me to lose weight before he would do knee surgery on me. 
I had blood work done last week and these are the results of eating a healthier diet: 
My total cholesterol is 107, down from 205 in 2021. A number under 200 is optimal. 
My Triglycerides are 74, down from 383 in 2021. A number under 150 is optimal. 
My HDL cholesterol is 59, up from 43, in 2021.A number greater than 50 is good. 
My  LDL Cholesterol is 33, down from 98, in 2021. A number less than 100 is optimal. 
Freebies
A friend gave me two turkey breasts and a turkey this week, so I stuck them in the freezer and will have one of them for Thanksgiving. 
Saving Money YouTube Videos
Frugal Queen ~ Helping a Viewer Stretch Their Food Budget to Last a Month
Stitcharama Embroidery Patterns YouTube Channel ~ Short tutorials on how to do certain stitches for your embroidery projects. Making your own gifts will save money on Christmas presents. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Seven More Places to Find Free Food
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.

BelindaHomemaker at HeartMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen

 My Frugal Week

On Thursday I woke up early and started working in the kitchen. I made twelve gelatin fruit cups, six with orange and mandarins, and six with lime and pears. Then I boiled eggs to make both deviled eggs and to have boiled eggs on hand. 

On Saturday I went to Walmart to grocery shop to fill in some items we needed. They have cold rotisserie chickens in the meat department now, not on markdown, but priced at $3.97, so I bought two of those. 

They had their spice containers of chili powder marked down to $1.00 each, so I picked up four of those. We use a lot of that in our cooking. I also picked up a bottle of Great Value light mayonnaise and Great Value sweet pickle relish as I had emptied both containers of ours making deviled eggs this week. 

Recipe of the Week

Bailey got an impromptu invite for Sunday on Saturday evening. She wanted to bring something to snack on as several of her friends were invited. I thought about several items she could bring and and remembered I had added evaporated milk to our pantry this week and there was a recipe for fudge on there. 

I had everything in my pantry, so that is what we decided to make. It would only take a few minutes to make, so I whipped up a quick batch and refrigerated it overnight. We cut it into slices the next day and added it to a thrifted Christmas tin for her friends to enjoy.

Here is the recipe from the back of the can:

Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 & 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: 

Line an 8 x 8 pan with aluminum foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Continue to boil, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, and vanilla.

Stir for one minute or until marshmallows are melted.

Pour into prepared pan and refrigerator for 2 hours.

Lift fudge from pan and remove foil.

Cut into pieces to serve.

Photo of the Week

 

What’s for Dinner

Meatless Monday ~ Broccoli Cheese Soup

Taco Tuesday ~ I spent the day out of the house and didn’t get home until late. Soup to the rescue! Bailey finished off the Broccoli Cheese Soup while I pulled a container of Chicken Enchilada Soup out of the freezer for my dinner. Perfect!

Wednesday ~ Grilled Bratwurst, Pinto Beans, Carrots & Peas. 

Thursday ~ Mexican Chicken Skillet, Deviled Eggs. This was a fly by the seat of my pants meal using up food items on hand. I used one package of chicken, tofu, cottage cheese, peppers, corn, beans and onions. I added lots of Mexican spices such as chili powder and cumin. 

The tofu I crumbled, added taco seasonings and baked in the oven for 30 minutes before I added it to the skillet. It really helped to stretch the meal into another day on Friday. 

Until I made it to the grocery store, I was using up what we had here until I went grocery shopping. 

Friday ~ I used the rest of the Mexican Chicken Skillet from Thursday. I wrapped the filling in four tortillas, and topped with a small amount of chili and cheese. A different meal while not really different. I also made more deviled eggs from my boiled eggs as we ate all of yesterdays. 

Saturday ~ Rotisserie Chicken turned into Mexican Chicken, Deviled Eggs, and Yellow Squash Casserole. 

Sunday ~ Chicken Drumsticks from the Rotisserie Chicken, Green Peas, and the last of this batch of Deviled Eggs. 

What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

Mortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Dollar Tree Dinners ~ Turkey Dinner In A Bag

Tik Tok Link  

Facebook Link

This is an idea created by Dollar Tree Dinners. 

Thanksgiving Dinner In a Bag: Cost $7.25

This lady made Thanksgiving Dinner for under $10.00, and bought all the ingredients at the Dollar Tree.

This is what the meal includes:

Two cans of canned turkey

One can of green beans

1 package of Turkey Gravy

1 package of Stuffing Mix

1 package of Instant Potatoes

Total cost $7.25 plus tax, if that is applicable in your state.

Some people are putting all the items in a gallon size Ziplock bag and donating them to their local food banks or Little Free Pantries.

Now, I realize this is not a perfect meal and is high in sodium. But, this is one small way we can help our fellow neighbors when many of them are struggling. 

Belinda

Second Frugal Friday of November 2024

 Welcome to Frugal Friday! 

Quote of the Week

The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes a home happy and life lovely. ~ Louisa May Alcott

My Frugal Week

I used a package from toilet paper to line a garbage can saving me the cost of one garbage bag. 
Last Friday I went to the Dollar Tree and Bealls Outlet. At Dollar Tree I found purple shampoo, which I have been wanting to try, along with body wash, and some Christmas bags I will be needing. I found Jordan’s Skinny Syrups at Bealls and bought some toasted marshmallow, which we enjoy, and was only $4.99, which is cheaper than buying it online. 
On Monday I had a follow up doctors appointment and was told I had lost forty pounds since my last visit, which was six months ago. Afterwards, I stopped in at the Samaritan Thrift Center and found several items. One of them was a heavyweight blanket for $1.00, which I'm going to use to cover & insulate my bedroom windows for winter. 
Other items I picked up were several items to decorate packages for Christmas and a couple of baskets to put gifts into along with some fabric to line them.
On Tuesday we went out to vote and both got Covid boosters and Bailey got her flu shot. 
Photo of the Week
A beautiful photo of the sun setting on the Ocoee River where we live.

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.

BelindaHomemaker at HeartMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ First Monday November 2024

My Frugal Week

We had multiple four ounce peach cups in our freezer that we were not eating, so I decided to put them in my ice water to flavor it and keep it cold. 

What we did not eat of the Chicken Enchilada Soup was put into individual bowls and put in the freezer for future meals. 

I emptied two jars of bought on markdown bread and butter pickles into my Tupperware Pick-a-Deli container and washed the jars to save for later. 

I straightened up my freezer one day this week putting all the frozen fruit together. I have so many strawberries on hand that I might make some strawberry jelly for Christmas. 

We washed & folded our kitchen laundry over the weekend. This saves us a great deal of money each month.

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ Chicken Enchilada Soup & Cornbread. 

Tuesday ~ Homemade Pepperoni & Black Olive Pizza.

Wednesday ~ I had no meat thawed for today, so decided on Salmon Patties with roasted potatoes and green beans and onions. 

Thursday ~ BBQ Pork Chops, Hot Potato Salad, and Green Beans with Onions. I used up the last of a bottle of BBQ sauce and then rinsed the bottle out and put the dregs of it in the crockpot with the porkchops. 

Friday ~ Sausage & Vegetable Stir Fry, Hot Potato Salad, and Corn. 

Saturday ~ Homemade Chicken Nuggets, Butter Beans, Peas & Carrots.

Souper Sunday ~ Broccoli & Cheese Soup, Cornbread.

What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

Mortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27