Third Frugal Friday September 2026
My Frugal Week
On Tuesday I went to the retina specialist for eye injections and will return again in six weeks. Other than that, I’ve spent this week at home. Gas prices are over $4.00 a gallon here, which definitely curtails any unnecessary trips anywhere.
I’ve gotten up everyday this week by 7 a.m. and walked on my walking pad upstairs with Proffee Queen KT who goes live on TikTok around that time. Afterwards I go downstairs and walk for another thirty minutes on the hard concrete floor, which is good for my osteoporosis. After that I ride my NordicTrack and my other exercise equipment downstairs.
I’ve been getting over 10,000 steps in everyday, which makes me feel so good. Archie, my cat who lives downstairs, loves when I walk down there. He hides behind something until he sees me coming and then runs after me. He’s so cute and funny.
Earning Money
On Wednesday I had a gentleman come and buy a piece of equipment from downstairs. Him and his neighbor came and were so nice. He was driving his wife’s SUV, which didn’t have his tools. We ended up pulling a MacGyver with what tools we had here, and they were good sports about it.
I’m also trying to sell the washer/dryer combo we have down there since we have a newer set now. I’ve had numerous requests asking about it, but so far no one has followed through on actually purchasing it.
In My Frugal Kitchen
Yesterday we tried bitter melon, which was free from the Mennonites. It’s one of those vegetables with dense nutrients and good benefits. I prepared it the way I read online, but it wasn’t to our liking. We tried it raw and sautéed, but it was really hot and spicy to me and as the name suggests, bitter.
But now we can say we tried it if anyone asks when we’re getting free vegetables together. Sometimes people don’t know what a vegetable is and will ask about them.
I didn’t do any grocery shopping this week as there was no need for that as my pantry and freezer hold plenty of food. I really ramped up the vegetables I made for dinner on Wednesday. I made a stir fry with onions, peppers, green and purple cabbage, and had baked purple sweet potatoes and steamed kale also.
For the protein portion of the meal I air fried one pound of tofu that I marinated beforehand. Tofu costs $2.47 for one pound verses $6.93 for one pound of ground beef, and the tofu has many health benefits, protein, and helps to strengthen our bones. So, I’ll be experimenting with it to come up with recipes we enjoy as it makes good financial sense and has good health benefits to boot. That’s my week in a nutshell. How was your week? I hope you’re doing well and thriving. We’re still having very hot and humid days here, but are looking forward to cooler weather soon. I hope you have a lovely weekend!
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
Dear Belinda, I am so glad to hear that you are taking good care of yourself, dear friend. 😊 The eyes are so important and exercise and good nutrition as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing, dear friend.
Thank you, Linda. I hope you're doing well.
DeleteGlad you got to stay home this week, and you still made some money! I still cringe every time you mention getting the shot in your eye. I just shutter! You are brave.
ReplyDeleteHave a super weekend.
Thank you, Cheryl. The shots help me keep my eyesight, so it's a necessary evil. LOL
DeleteI've tried tofu a few times but just cannot like it! I'll eat it if it's in a dish at a restaurant, but really don't care for it. I'm sure it's the texture. Nita in Charleston
ReplyDeleteThat is what Bailey says about tofu, she doesn't care for the texture. But she did try what I made the other day, so that is a win win to me.
DeleteMy kids eat a lit of tofu plus my daughter uses as a puree for sauces. Gas was $4.48 yesterday. Everything is so expensive. I refuse to withdraw more to keep up with inflation so really trying to spend on value for dollar to keep overall spending in check.
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me, Sam.
DeleteI don't love tofu unless it's fried, which sort of defeats the nutritional benefits. ;-) I've never tried bitter melon before - that's interesting. I wonder if there are recipes that reduce the flavor a bit more. Anyway, now you've tried it! We will be eating what's in the fridge today (I have a garden squash from a neighbor to use up), before we head out of town. - Hawaii Planner
ReplyDeleteI read that if you soak the bitter melon it's less bitter and so I did that and can't imagine what it was like before that. LOL
DeleteSounds like a good week!
ReplyDeleteHope your eyes are doing ok. You are so inspiring! I feel like a sloth since I haven't been walking much lately. You have a good setup with the exercises, and yay you for getting so many steps in each day. Glad you were able to sell some equipment, and I had to laugh about MacGyver, where there's a will, there's a way. :D
Thanks for the review on bitter melon, I think I will give it a pass too. I do like tofu and mushrooms in hot and sour soup, but I don't use it much otherwise.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Thank you, Kathy. I feel so much better when I am eating right and exercising. I wish we could bottle up that feeling and let it out when we need encouragement.
DeleteYes on the MacGyver! LOL
Yes, hot and sour soup is the best. I will eat the mushrooms in it too and that is so unlike me. LOL
I have never tried bitter melon before, and might not ever try it.
ReplyDeleteI can take or leave tofu and it is not something I regularly buy.
I have found one store close to me marks meats down for quick sale Monday morning. I try and grab some things there at least once a month. I have to process them immediately but it is worth the effort for the cost savings.
I wouldn't try the bitter melon if I were you, Anne. LOL
DeleteThat's great to have a store that does meat markdowns on Mondays. I would go then too and stock up.
I would be interested in knowing how you like tofu and the many ways you plan on cooking it.
ReplyDeleteGround beef on sale here is $7 a pound and I am sure that will go up even more.
God bless.
Prices may go up even more with the escalating fuel prices, unfortunately. I'll let you all know when I find some good tofu recipes to share. Right now I've been eating it air fried with a little bit of soy sauce.
DeleteI love tofu. My favorite thing to make with it is Tofu Scramble, which tastes like scrambled eggs. I also use it to make a faux egg salad. My Aldi sells it for $1.39 for 12 oz so cheap protein, for sure. I'm super impressed by your exercise routine, I seriously need to do the same.
ReplyDeleteOh yum, that sounds delicious, Bobi. I made a tofu scramble years ago when I first learned about plant based eating. I put turmeric to mimic the color of real eggs. I need to check the price of it at Aldi, thank you for that tip.
DeleteMy recipe has turmeric, a bunch of other spices, but also nutritional yeast, soy sauce and a squirt of lemon juice to finish it off. Yum!
DeleteThat sounds delicious! I tried nutritional yeast years ago but need to retry it now and see what I think.
DeleteBelinda
I need to get walking again...the summer chores were my excercise but the harvest is just about in. You are very inspiring!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vickie. I get encouragement from other people too, which really helps me get motivated.
DeleteGirl, you are an exercising machine!! You go!! I’ve never heard of the bitter melon, but I’m going to take your recommendation and stay away. Haha!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha Penny! Yes, stay far, far away!
DeleteI've never taken to tofu. Maybe I should try again. I *have* substituted lentils for ground beef with much sucess. Glad to hear you're taking care of yourself!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Arlene. I like lentils for ground beef too. The lentil loaf from Carol's Living Simply Facebook group is a really good recipe.
DeleteHi Belinda, petrol here now costs 2.49 euros per liter. That works out to 10.83 dollars per gallon. I’ve only driven my car once this month; instead, I’ve done a lot of walking and taken the bus.
ReplyDeletePrices are set to rise further, but there is talk that our government will step in. I’m curious to see if that will make a difference.
Best regards from Germany!
Sibylle
Ouch on the price of gasoline there, Sibylle. I love that your country has it set up for walking and riding the bus. Some cities here have that, but where we live in the rural countryside it is unheard of, unfortunately.
DeleteThank you, and I hope you're doing well!
I really wanted to like tofu. Years ago I had a co worker bring some iin for us to try. It was flavored with teriyaki and at first I thought it was great... after I got past the teriyaki flavor it wasn't for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the exercise. I am so busy that I haven't been able to find the time on the treadmill. I am hopeful that things will slow down in the next 30 days.
Thank you, Wendi. I really want to like it too. It’s like mushrooms, I want to like them, but find the taste just awful. I do like the ones in the hot and sour soup though, so it’s odd.
DeleteI hope things get less busy for you, so you can find some time to walk if you want to walk. Some days are easier than other days. I hope you had a great weekend!
Belinda