Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #3 September 2025

 

My Frugal Week

Last Monday I decided to take the leftover turkey carcass to the county dumpster. I've been battling a raccoon getting into the garbage here, which I didn’t want, so I fixed that issue. 

Since I didn't have much garbage, I decided to take advantage of that and went downstairs to clear out the few things left in my Dad’s refrigerator and freezer. Some yogurt, a frozen pizza, a couple of water jugs, and a chocolate cake I made him for his last birthday, which was a 9 x 13 size. He had frozen it so he could have a piece every now and then. 

All that remains in that refrigerator/freezer is the one turkey we have left. On a good note, we can use that fridge as a back up to ours upstairs in case we need any extra cold storage, which does happen from time to time.  

On Monday afternoon I sorted and rinsed some pinto beans and put them into a bowl of water to soak overnight and cooked them in the Instant Pot the next day. This made additions to various meals all week long. 

Photo of the Week

These are the acorn squash we received for free last week, nine in all. We enjoyed them two times last week. 

Recipe of the Week

This is a recipe for healthy brownies that I tried recently. I’ve tweaked the recipe a little and added my own touches to make them taste better. This is really good with just a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt on top, sort of like a sweet and savory combination. 

Brownies

Ingredients:

3 bananas, ripened

1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla (my addition)

1/2 teaspoon salt (my addition)

Directions: 

Mash bananas and add to a bowl.

Add peanut butter and cocoa and mix well.

Stir in vanilla and salt and stir together.

Place in an 8x8 pan and spread out.

I used parchment paper to keep them from sticking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

What Was for Dinner

Monday ~ Turkey Salad on Pita Bread, Bean Salad and Corn 

Using the Jennieo Roasted Turkey I made over the weekend, I borrowed a tip from Carol on the Living Simply Facebook group and made Turkey salad for dinner. 

I cut up the turkey, added Greek yogurt, chopped onions, apples, pecans, celery, and raisins along with some salt, pepper, and light mayonnaise. I served these on whole wheat pita bread along with bean salad and corn as the side dishes. 

Bailey liked the turkey salad so much she asked me to repeat the process with the other turkey, so we may not be saving that one for Thanksgiving after all. 

Tuesday ~ General Tso's Chicken & Grilled Chicken Salad 

I had a General Tso Chicken from Whole Foods in the freezer, so I thawed that for Bailey to have for her dinner. I had a grilled chicken salad for my dinner. 

Wednesday ~ Turkey Polish Sausage, Pinto Beans, Cooked Carrots 

I had planned on making Lentil Loaf today, and even had the lentils cooked, only to walk into the kitchen at dinner making time to find Bailey working with tie dye in the kitchen sink, and then a mishap as a leak was discovered in her bin, which leaked onto the kitchen floor. 

After the cleanup I needed a new plan as there wasn’t enough time left to make the lentil loaf. So, I took a package of Turkey Polish Sausage out of the freezer and put them on the grill. I already had pinto beans cooked in the instant pot and would use those and put a bag of baby carrots in my other instant pot and those were done in ten minutes. Whew, crisis diverted. 😂 

Thursday ~ Lentil Loaf, Baked Acorn Squash, and Carrots. 

The lentils were already cooked for dinner, so this was an easy meal prep. This was an inexpensive meal as the lentils, oats and acorn squash were given to me, all I had to pay for was the onion, cheese, egg, and tomato sauce. 

Remember when I bought those eight can of tomato sauce this summer at a church yard sale for 25 cents? I used half of one of those in this dish, so this was definitely an inexpensive main dish. 

We just love this recipe so much! It’s delicious and I’m grateful to Jennifer who posted it on the Living Simply Facebook group. Bailey had two helpings as she really enjoys it too. The acorn squash was also delicious. 

Friday ~ Hamburgers with Cheese, and Corn on the Cob. 

I went to Food City to get some cheese for dinner. I spotted this 1.64 pound package of ground round on markdown for $5.90, so I bought it and when I got home Bailey wanted me to make hamburgers with for dinner, so that is what we had. I served them with onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and pickles. 

Saturday ~ Bean & Cheese Enchiladas, Mexican Corn, and Salad. 

Pinto Beans were soaked overnight and cooked earlier in the week. All I had to do today was mash them up to make refried beans and then make the enchiladas. Rather than use sour cream in the recipe I used blended cottage cheese. I added some cumin and mild green chilies to the beans. I made eight of them and ended up with three leftover. 

Sunday ~ Leftovers, Acorn Squash, and Mixed Vegetables

We had enough bean and cheese enchiladas and lentil loaf to have for dinner tonight. Even after dinner I still have one slice of lentil loaf, which I’ll eat for lunch tomorrow. Sides were baked acorn squash along with a bag of frozen mix vegetables, which is a such a great convenience food to keep on hand. 

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

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

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

Image Credit

Second Frugal Friday of September 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
My Frugal Week
This week I was able to tun off the air conditioning in the main part of the house at night, which will save on our electric bill. I also turned off any lights, and unplugged appliances not in use. 
As I mentioned last week, this is a month where I will be scrimping and saving more than usual due to an expensive car repair at the first of September, and not wanting to dip into my savings. 
Other than one doctor visit, I stayed home this week, which saves the gas in my car for necessary trips. When I'm home, I'm not spending money on anything. I also had my prescription mailed to me this week rather than drive to town and pick it up. I did not buy anything or spend any money this week. We simply made do with what is here.
I found out recently that my health insurance will reimburse me 70 cents per mile when I drive myself to the doctor. I wish I had known about this sooner as I could have saved a lot in gas expenses.  My Health News ~ (Feel free to skip)
Last Friday I went to the orthopedic surgeon who did my second knee replacement in March. He was happy with my progress and I told him he had changed my life and how grateful I was to him. He gave me a hug and said there was no need to come back for two years! Woo Hoo! I love that. A three year plus goal met and crossed off my list. 💕 Afterwards I went by CVS and got three vaccines. My flu shot for the year, a Covid booster shot, and a shot for RSV. I’m happy to have all of that done now as I’m a firm believer in vaccines. They also gave me a coupon for $10 off a $20 purchase, which is  good until the end of the year. 
On Wednesday I had my three month checkup with my primary care physician and received a good report. She does want me to see a vascular surgeon, however. 
Freebies
We were given multiple free acorn squash this week. We had our first one with dinner on Thursday and they are delicious. 
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.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Saving Money in My Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #2 September 2025

My Frugal Week

On Monday evening I made more gelatin cups sans fruit. We used up or froze all leftovers, so no food waste this week.

I made a small grocery order for pickup on Tuesday and restocked plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, chicken, salad stuff, and frozen fruit. 

On Thursday I went inside Walmart to pick up a few things such as garbage bags. I buy contractor bags as they are heavy duty, so when the young boys who pick up our garbage throw them down the stairs, they won’t break open. 

I brought the turkey from the downstairs refrigerator, where it had been thawing, upstairs and placed in the refrigerator up here to cook on Saturday for dinners over the weekend. We still have one turkey in the downstairs freezer, which I may save for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Recipe of the Week

A few years ago I used to have a green smoothie for breakfast and recently I watched a YouTube video from a doctor who still has a green smoothie for breakfast. Since I am out of cottage cheese and yogurt as my usual proteins, I decided on a green smoothie today. 

I've used different recipes and combinations for Green Smoothies, but this is the one I used on Monday. 

Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk (I used the Aldi brand)

1 cup spinach

1 cup frozen blackberries

1 scoop blueberry protein powder

1.5 tablespoons acai powder

1 tablespoon gooseberry powder

1 cup water

Directions: 

Add all ingredients to a blender.

Blend well. Enjoy.

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ We had several days worth of leftovers, so that was what we had for dinner on Monday. Choices were Chicken Stir Fry, Salmon Patties, Ham, Soup or Green Beans, and fruit choices of Baked Apples, Grilled Peaches, or Watermelon. 

I had the last of the ham, soup beans, and half a grilled peach. I put the salmon patties into the freezer after dinner for another day. 

Tuesday ~ Bailey had her favorite BBQ Chicken and Pineapple pizza for her movie night. I had a Grilled Chicken Salad. 

Wednesday ~ Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Soup Beans, Sliced Tomatoes, and Air Fried Peaches. It was all I could do after a long day of running errands. I really wanted to get something to bring home for dinner, but my desire to not spend money when I have food at home won out. Yay! 

Thursday ~ We finished the last of the soup beans for dinner along with…more air fried peaches, and I made some grilled chicken along side a salad. 

Friday ~ Turkey Meatballs in Brown Gravy, Mixed Vegetables, and Field Peas with Snaps. 😋 

Saturday & Sunday ~ Roasted Turkey, Green Beans with Onions, and Bean Salad. This was a Jennieo Whole Turkey weighing 13.45 pounds. I also made some homemade turkey gravy with the pan juices. 

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

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

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

Image Credit

First Frugal Friday of September 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
My Frugal Week

Last Friday the weather was so nice that I went outside before the garbage men arrived to clean out more of Dad’s pole barn. I managed to pick up and toss out six bags of items, which were mostly trash. Some of the bottles that had fallen off the shelves into the pile of leaves had the labels fall off and I had no idea what they were, so into the trash they went.  

This is what the pole barn looks like right now and it's had quite a bit of work done in there. My Dad was a hoarder and this is part of that aftermath. This is a work in progress. 

This is just one side of a shed he has next to the pole barn. This was the first time I even ventured to open the door and look inside. It is a huge mess of stuff and will also be a work in progress now that the weather has turned cooler and it's easier to be outside. 
The weather was so nice in fact that I was able to turn the air conditioner off for a while and air out the house. 
On Saturday I processed and measured clothes for Bailey's resale shops. On Sunday I did the laundry and got ready for the busy week ahead.
This week I had three doctor appointments and one dentist appointment. 
On Tuesday I dropped my car off at the mechanic shop to have the brake system checked. Turns out I needed both front and rear brakes, so there will definitely be some belt tightening here this month to pay for that without dipping into the savings funds. 
After dropping off my car at the mechanic, Bailey drove me to the retina specialist for eye injections. He had me wait for eight weeks between injections this last time and my eyes were worse, so I’m going back in six weeks next time. 
My doctor’s goal for me is to need less injections and more time between visits. This is why it is so important to keep our blood sugars in check! Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to serious health complications. That is my public service announcement for today. 
Wednesday started out with my six month cleaning at the dentist office. Afterwards I picked up my car, and ran a few errands. Lastly, I dropped off some things at the community garden and picked a few tomatoes to go with dinner. 
Freebies
From the dentist office, a free toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. 
Saving on Electric
Electricity Rates are Soaring ~ Here's How to Save Money ~ From Consumer Affairs, Kristen Dalli shares how consumers might be able to save money. 
What I've been Reading This Week
This week I pulled out my copy of Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s, The End of Diabetes, to read certain portions about carbohydrates and the glycemic index of certain foods. 
I first read this book in April 2013 and I successfully reversed my diabetes by eating the whole food plant based diet (WFPB) outlined in this book. Unfortunately, I did not stick with the plan over the years, but hindsight is 20/20, as my Dad always said, and I now wish I had continued to eat that way. 
On page 97 Dr Fuhrman states, “the major source of carbohydrates in the diabetic diet should be beans.” Imagine that as beans are also a great frugal food source. So, I’ve been incorporating them into our menus even more than usual this past week. 
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.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Goals September 2025

 July was a month where we spent more than usual, so I made a conscious effort to scale back in August, which we did accomplish. Many people are struggling with rising costs, including us, and so we have to try and do what we can to keep our expenses under control. 

This month as we've been running out of things we’re simply doing without the item or coming up with a substitution. For example, I ran out of large garbage bags, but had tall kitchen garbage bags, so I made do with those for the time being. By managing without these items I can put off additional expenditures until next month. So, I've been keeping a running list of items we need and making do for the time being.  

We will continue to monitor our spending and grocery store prices and make substitutions as we can in order to save where possible. This doesn't have to mean going without, but rather getting creative as I mentioned last week.

These were my simple goals for August:

Financial & Household

Plan several no spend days this month. ~ This was a success as I had multiple no spend days in August. 

Declutter for Consignment at end of the month. ~ This was a success, and we cleared out many items we no longer use. We’ve also opened up valuable real estate in several areas of the house such as my bedroom closet. 

Frugal Kitchen

Use one turkey from downstairs freezer ~ I have placed one turkey in the refrigerator downstairs, so it can be thawing, so I’m calling this a win. 

Fitness, Wellness & Exercise

Return to my regular exercise routine. ~ This was mostly successful as I did ride my bicycle pedals everyday and added more walking and exercises into each day. This goal could still use some tweaking though as I also want to get back to the physical therapy exercises I was doing before. 

Drink at least 6o ounces of water daily. Some days I fail on this goal, so this one needs to be worked on as well in September. 

Schedule daily medicines ~ I did much better on this goal in August and want to continue this in September. 

Personal Growth

Read at least one physical book ~ Done

Make and follow a daily to do list ~ Always a work in progress. 

Christmas Goals

Work on making some large casserole potholders as Christmas presents. 

How about you? Any goals you would like to accomplish in September? We will revisit these at the beginning of October. 

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27

Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #1 September 2025

Labor Day

On June 28, 1894, Democratic President Grover Cleveland signed into law Congress’s bill making Labor Day a federal holiday. Celebrated on the first Monday in September, it  honors the many contributions workers have made to America's economic strength and marks the unofficial end of summer. 

My Frugal Week

This week I worked on making meals for myself that were no more than 20 grams in carbohydrates to regulate my blood sugar, which the dietician at my endocrinologist suggested. This isn’t always easy to do, so I’m making a list of them so I can refer back to them later. 

On Tuesday I made some chicken breast filets from the freezer, but they turned out to be spicy, which I don’t eat. So instead I heated up the frozen lasagna I had thawing in the refrigerator. It sort of thwarted my plans for the week, but I managed to come up with other meals for the week. 

On Friday I made Bailey some black cherry gelatin cups with mandarin oranges and some with pineapple that needed to be used up from the refrigerator.  I had used the first of it it in my Sticky Pineapple Chicken and this little bit needed using.

I made myself several strawberry banana ones with no fruit as the canned fruit, even though it was  in its own juice, was messing with my blood sugar. I'll still add a scoop of cottage cheese to mine occasionally when I do eat them. 

On Thursday I made some egg salad for Bailey to carry as sandwiches for after she dropped off items at the consignment sale. That egg salad was gone by Saturday m0rning, so I made more that afternoon as she still has two or three more trips to make.

I also cut up a watermelon she picked up from Aldi, which will be good to have on Monday on the Labor Day holiday. 

I also made an inventory of what foods we have in our pantry. This is very helpful in knowing what I have on hand and what meals I can make with the inventory. 

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ Chicken Chili, Baked Apples, and Steamed Broccoli. 

Tuesday ~ Lasagna, Cheesy Corn, and Salad. 

Wednesday ~ Turkey Polish Sausage, Roasted Potatoes, and Broccoli. 

Thursday ~ Ham, Green Beans & Onions, Baked Apples & Peaches. 

Fish on Friday ~ Salmon Patties, Tartar Sauce, Green Beans & Onions, Baked Apples. 

Saturday ~ Chicken Nuggets with BBQ or Honey Mustard for dipping, Green Beans with Onions, and Watermelon. I also put on soup beans to soak for Sunday nights dinner. 

Sunday ~ Ham, Soup Beans, Beets, Carrots, and Watermelon. 

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

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

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

Image Credit