Third Frugal Friday of June 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 
Music  

Good Riddance is a beautiful song written by Billie Joe Armstrong of the band Green Day and was released in 1997. The song captures the complex emotions that come with ending a chapter in life, acknowledging both the good and the bad, and wishing the other person well. 💕 
My Frugal Week
We sold a box fan on Facebook Marketplace for $8.00 that I dug out of the space in the kitchen that I cleaned out last week. We also sold a keyboard for $20, a guitar for $50 and my Ninja Food Grill for $50, all on Facebook Marketplace. 
I love not having to pay any fees to sell items. And now we have more than enough yard sale cash for this week without having to dip into any of our financial accounts. 
This week I was able to add two items to my Christmas bin for presents. I found both items at yard sales over the weekend. I also went to two different estate sales, which I find sad as I walk through someone’s once proud home (as my grandma would say), and see their stuff for sale. 

I did some weeding in the yard and repotted my two free tomato plants and red pepper plant. I also put a tomato cage around the tomatoes as they were leaning. And I repotted my dill and catnip plants. I like to break off a leaf from the cat nip and let the cats roll around in it. 
Even though it is summer time, I’ve not been sleeping with the window air conditioner on in my bedroom. I rarely even use a fan, which saves on our electric bill. 
Freebies

Last weekend when we were out and about I noticed some items on a curb that looked free, so I turned down that road to check it out. Sure enough, there was a free sign attached and Bailey wanted this mirror, so we loaded it into the car and off we went. 
Joy of the Week

My friend's husband passed away this week. 
He loved to make a garden every year and this year was no exception. 

After his funeral her friends and family went to her home and helped her pick, break and can the green beans he had planted this year. The people were in her living room, front porch, and yard breaking all those green beans.

She ended up with 45 pints and 28 quarts of green beans. She said would have never gotten them done by herself and that her husband would have been proud. Wasn't that just the sweetest? There is just nothing like friends and family to step up to the plate like this when needed.
Savings of the Week

Food City had these Bertolli Sustainably extra virgin olive oil (16 ounces) on closeout for $6.50, which is a savings of about $2 over the Walmart price, so I picked up two for our pantry. 
Question of the Week
Do you have an Ollie's where you live or have you every shopped in one?
I've not been to one before, but did stop in on Wednesday, as I had an appointment right next door and needed to pass some time. 
Now, I did buy some everything bagel seasoning and a hummingbird feeder, but other than that, I was unimpressed by their prices. The items I normally purchase can all be had somewhere else for less, so I probably won't be making this a regular shop. But, I'm curious as to what you think about it if you've shopped there. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
This week I watched The Dollmaker for free on Tubi. This film, created in 1984, features Jane Fonda as the character of Gerti. Her and husband Clovis along with their children move from their rural Appalachian home to Detroit for Clovis to find work. Jane Fonda won an Emmy for her portrayal of Gerti and I can see why. Her steadfast determination to save and be a wise steward shines through. 
What I've been Reading This Week
- Honoring Heritage: 20 Old-Fashioned Skills from My Great-Grandmother

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

First Frugal Friday of February 2024

 

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 

My Frugal Week
I perused the grocery store sale ads on Wednesday. There wasn't anything noteworthy that I could not buy for that price at Walmart.
I hung my laundry on the drying rack rather than use the dryer for certain items. 
I received a payout from Amazon this month for $12.96 thanks to those of you who use my link when ordering off Amazon.
Bailey and I decided that Friday would be the day we work downstairs in Dad's office since our garbage man comes on Saturday. That way he can get all the bags we are throwing out and they won't have to be outside for very long. 
On Friday evening I was worn out from cleaning down there. I think I threw away at least one dozen bags of garbage. I threw away the area rugs as well and used the shop vac to vacuum the floors. I barely made a dent in the mess. 
There were around 200 VHS tapes down there in five boxes and I put a free sign on them on our local Facebook group and someone came to get them Saturday afternoon. His son had wanted some for Christmas and he was thrilled to get so many and said he was going to build a shelf for them. I'm glad to have them out of the way, so we can continue cleaning. 
I brought several kitchen items from Dad’s kitchen to use in my own kitchen. One item was an Anchor Hocking glass loaf pan, which I've always wanted, but rarely see them second hand. Also, several Corelle plates. It was funny because we would give each other meals we had cooked, so he had several of our plates down there and we had several of his plates up here. 
Someone also asked for free firewood on the Facebook group and I know Dad has two or more loads of firewood across the road. So, I offered them up on the group and already have someone coming to get them on Saturday too. Another task out of the way. 

Before we started cleaning, we went on a trip in Dad's four wheeler to Fletcher Spout, which is located in the Cherokee National Forest, next to the Conasauga River and is only a few miles from our home. In 1890, William D. Fletcher created this on his property and intended for people to always be able to get fresh, free spring water. His family maintains Fletcher Spout to this day. 

Dad alway saved his Ocean Spray juice bottles with the handle and took about thirty of them every few weeks and filled them up here. Bailey always went with him and helped him fill them up. He told me how much help she was to him. I'd been saving these jugs for him and we took the one we had empty with us and filled it up in memory of Dad. 

It was wonderful to be outside in nature just riding around and enjoying the area where we live. The ride made me think of my Dad so much and how much he loved it here. We even took a ride to the local church cemetery where he wanted to be buried because it overlooks the mountains. Spending the last five months with him at the end of his life made me look at our home in a whole new light. 

On Monday I had a doctors appointment with the orthopedic doctor and received cortisone shots in both knees. I also combined errands to save on gas and filled up my gas tank ($2.69 gallon), picked up some groceries, and went by the Little Free Pantries and dropped off a few things. 
On Tuesday we attended the first class in a six week series on ways to save money when cooking on a budget. It's held at the Samaritan Center and each time we attend we get a $10 voucher to spend in the thrift store, so Bailey and I earned $20 to spend in the thrift store. We also received a free book, "Eat Well on $4/Day Good and Cheap". 

They showed us how to cook a three can vegan chili and there was even leftovers to take home. 
Afterwards we went sh0pping in the thrift store. They sell children's books for 20 cents each and I'm going to collect children's books all year and add them to a Lego bin that belonged to my Dad to give to our friends for Christmas who have four daughters.

I picked up some bigger kitchen spoons as all of mine seem to disappear. (?) I also picked up some fabric things that I'm going to use as cloth napkins and a couple of shirts for me for 75 cents each. 

Speaking of Christmas, another book I picked up was a Victorian Christmas book, which I'm going to cut up and use in various crafts for Christmas this year.
Freebies
Thanks to Bobi, who figured out for me last week that Lord Chesterfield was acquired by McCall Foods (https://www.mccallfarms.com/our-brands/) and are now packaged under the Glory Foods brand (https://gloryfoods.com/).
Here are a few free cookbooks from their website:
Holiday Traditions Book 
Holiday Cookbook
Another Holiday Cookbook

We also picked up a free weatherization kit at Sethra. I wanted one for a window in my bedroom and low and behold there was a kitchen faucet adaptor included in there. We actually needed one as I took off the water filter this weekend and didn't have an adaptor. So neat that one was included, and it's a swiveling one at that.  
With this fix, I'm reassessing my needs. We filter water through our kitchen faucet water filter (since we are on a well) and then use a Zero Water filter. I like to do that as it saves on the Zero Water filters, but I've decided to stop filtering our water twice and won't buy a new kitchen faucet water filter. 
Savings of the Week

Upon checking my account at CVS.com, I realized I had over $20 in cash back rewards to use on there. So, I checked my list of items we need for February and saw toilet paper, so we were able to get two twelve packs of the Scott 1000 toilet paper for free. 
Saving Money on Entertainment
We watched a 1987 Jessica Tandy & Hume Cronyn film, entitled Foxfire, for free on YouTube this week. In the film, Annie Nations and her husband Hector loved their life together in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but when Hector dies, Annie has to decide if she can handle the wilderness on her own.

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

Second Frugal Friday of July 2022

Welcome to Friday! 
Quote of the Week

We should always be honest because honesty is the best policy. If we’re honest we will have a clear conscience in all matters, and we will truly be free. ~ Titus Yoder

My Frugal Week
Since we didn’t yard sale last Friday, I decided to rearrange the furniture in my bedroom. I now have two tables set up in there to form an L shape in the corner to use as a desk. Someday I want to replace them with a real desk, but until I find a great deal, the tables will do just fine. 
We’ve continued to declutter this week, organize things we’re keeping,  sell some things, and price some things for an upcoming Sweet WeePeets consignment sale in September. We also sold a set of shelves for $20 on Facebook Marketplace.
I filed all of the paperwork from the last month into the appropriate files. I also tossed a lot of paperwork that I no longer needed. After cleaning up my Mom’s paperwork, some from the early 1960s, I want to make sure I’m not leaving stuff for someone else to have to go through and toss someday. 
The top of my cedar chest, which is upholstered, my footstool and armchair were all shampooed by me this week using our Little Green Clean machine by Bissell. They look and smell so good and make the whole room cleaner. 
Bills were paid this past week including my auto insurance. I keep a sinking fund for that expense and put the appropriate amount of money in there each month even though it’s not due every month. That way when the bill does come due, I already have the money to pay for it. 
It’s a good way to stay ahead of the game and ensure the money is there when I need it. Keeping or getting your finances straight will go a long way in giving you peace of mind. 
Bailey went to Kroger on Thursday to look for markdowns. She found 4 packages of lemon pepper chicken on markdown. They are now stored in the freezer for future meals. 
Joy of the Week

Mr. Bo Gatsby

My joy this week has been in having a new kitten. The cats we already have are older and not nearly as playful as having a kitten around. We named our newest addition Bo Gatsby, but now I’m wishing we would have named him Mr. Bojangles or Bocephus. I’ve been calling him Mr. Bo Man, so that name might stick. He provides a lot of free entertainment. 
Question of the Week
Do you know how much money you need in order to live each month?
The book I’m currently reading by author Annie Jean Brewer states she knew she needed at least $500 every month in order to make it. She wanted to be able to stay at home with her daughter at the time and looked for ways to keep their expenses under that amount. 
I’ve crunched my own numbers and know what it takes for me to make it each month. If you’re interested in knowing yours, crunch your numbers and find out for yourself. 
Avoiding Spending
I couldn’t avoid spending money this week as I had an RX to pick up for Vitamin D. 
Saving Money In My Frugal Kitchen
We ran out of yellow onions this week, so I went to add a three pound bag to my grocery order this week. Walmart was out of stock, so I kept looking, comparing prices online and ended up going with a locally owned grocery store for the best price. 
Walmart $3.48 and out of stockAldi $2.65Fresh and Low $1.79
Comparison shopping will save you money. I’m going to the doctors office on Wednesday and I’ll drive right by Fresh and Low, so it will be no problem to get a curbside pickup. I’ll also be picking up an rx, going to the post office, dr’s office, and the grocery store. Combining errands when I’m going out will also help us save money by using less gas.
The egg rolls we normally buy have increased in price to almost $1.00 per egg roll, so that prices that brand out of my budget. What to do? Get out my tried and true recipe for homemade egg rolls. I can get 20 egg roll wrappers for $2.48, so making our own makes sense. 
We’ve done the usual things we do in the kitchen this week to save money including eating all leftovers and using up items we bought. One day I was rummaging through some cookbooks I bought when I came across a recipe card for sweet potatoes. 
The recipe called for pumpkin pie spice, so I decided to make it for dinner. I used some sweet potatoes that needed using and thought Bailey would like it and she did, so I’m counting that as a win since she isn’t a fan of sweet potatoes. The recipe will be In next weeks recipe of the week.
I’ve been making ice tea every day since it has been so hot this week. Several days this week I made two gallons just to keep up with thirsty people. 
Meals This Week
Friday:  Swiss Steak, Buttered Rice with Peas, Salad.
Saturday: Tostadas, Salad, Corn.
Sunday: Beefy Baked Beans, Fried Rice, and Salad. I took the leftover rice and mixed vegetables from Saturday night’s dinner and added toasted sesame oil, butter and seasonings to make a new side dish for tonight. It used up some leftovers, which was the goal in order to save money.
Monday: Fluffy Baked Omelet, Sweet Potato Casserole, Mixed Vegetables with Rice. 
Tuesday: Movie Night ~ Pizza.
Wednesday: Out all day running errands, but made it to the grocery store and bought stuff for sandwiches as it was too hot for anything else. Sandwiches, macaroni salad, watermelon. 
Thursday: Meatloaf, macaroni salad, watermelon. 
Recipe of the Week
One of the packages of meat I bought at the Food City priced at the 5 for $14.99 sale a few weeks ago was round steak, which I bought to make Swiss Steak.  I found this recipe in the instruction booklet for the crockpot received as a wedding present in 1989. It’s been a tried and true recipe all these years and doesn’t disappoint. 
Swiss Steak
Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 to 2 pounds round steak2 teaspoons flour1 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce1 large onion, sliced1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
Directions:
Cut steak into serving size pieces.Coat with flour, salt, and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in skillet and brown the meat. In your slow cooker add the meat, tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, and celery. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. 
There was enough left over for both of us to have for lunch the next day.
Saving on Entertainment
Bailey and I are continuing to watch North & South this week and have started season two. Bailey went to McKay Used Books in Chattanooga on Thursday. She found North and South season two for 95 cents and season three for $2.95, so we will continue the mini series rather inexpensively. 
What I've been Reading This Week
The Shoestring Girl: How I Live on Practically Nothing & You Can Too, written by Annie Jean Brewer. She has a blog called Annienygma, if you’re interested in reading more of her writings. 
This book reminds me of both Dolly Freed in her book titled Possum Living and Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette fame. The lengths these three writers go to save money is very similar.
The Feel Good Contacts website demonstrates how to tighten glasses that are fitting loosely. Warming the arms up with a hairdryer and bending them back into place is one of the suggestions. 
Freebies

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.

BelindaDebt Free &~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree

Music Monday

The House That Built Me" Lyrics
I know they say you can't go home again.I just had to come back one last time.Ma'am, I know you don't know me from Adam.But these handprints on the front steps are mine.Up those stairs, in that little back bedroomIs where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.And I bet you didn't know under that live oakMy favorite dog is buried in the yard.
I thought if I could touch this place or feel itThis brokenness inside me might start healing.Out here it's like I'm someone else,I thought that maybe I could find myselfIf I could just come in I swear I'll leave.Won't take nothing but a memoryFrom the house that built me.
Mama cut out pictures of houses for years.From 'Better Homes and Garden' magazine.Plans were drawn, concrete poured,And nail by nail and board by boardDaddy gave life to mama's dream.
I thought if I could touch this place or feel itThis brokenness inside me might start healing.Out here it's like I'm someone else,I thought that maybe I could find myself.If I could just come in I swear I'll leave.Won't take nothing but a memoryFrom the house that built me.
You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can.I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am.
I thought if I could touch this place or feel itThis brokenness inside me might start healing.Out here it's like I'm someone else,I thought that maybe I could find myself.If I could walk around I swear I'll leave.Won't take nothing but a memoryFrom the house that built me.
Belinda ~ Living within our Means ~ My Linktree

Frugal Friday

Welcome to Friday! It's been a rainy week here with rain from Hurricane Zeta. 
Here is a free calendar for November 2020 if you need one. 

Graphic Garden

In My Frugal Kitchen
Did you know that Aldi is now doing curb side pickup for groceries? We were thrilled when we heard the news as their canned goods, produce, dairy, etc., are a good price here. This week we picked up apples, oranges, milk, fresh vegetables for salads, and one case of pears. 
This will definitely save us money over shopping online at Amazon and Walmart pickup due to Aldi's lower prices. We've been spending more in the grocery category since the pandemic began because we've stayed out of the stores. So now we will be able to save money by doing this curb side pickup at Aldi. 
We also did curbside pickups at Walmart, Ace Hardware, Lowes, Publix, and Panera Bread. 
Bailey has a Panera Bread card that she received for her birthday last year, so we did a mobile order and had it put in our trunk with our other items. We ordered a six pack of bagels  and still have money left on the gift card. 

I've always wanted one of these dish drying mats, but wouldn't spend the money for one. We found one in the yard sale stuff Bailey was able to pick up for free. I washed it and now have one in my kitchen for when my dish drainer is full and I need one. I usually use a dish towel for this, but the dish mat works better. 
I made a refreshing dish this week with 1 can of applesauce, an eight ounce can of crushed pineapple, and a sprinkling of dry pineapple Jell-O powder. It was good and refreshing and I'll be making it again. 
Camllia Beans has a really good article about beans here.  This article mentions soup beans, which my family calls them,  and their Appalachian history. 

Its deep simplicity and accessibility means you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone from the foothills of Eastern Kentucky to the hamlets of West Virginia who doesn’t have a spin on the dish passed down through their family, and after your first bite, you’ll be more than happy to snack on a big pot of leftover soup beans for days.

We will be starting the month of November stocked up on groceries for the month. Bailey is planning on having a no spend November.  I will be planning on paying the bills only and buying one Christmas present. 
Blog News
I wanted to send a Thank you to Deborah G. Thank you very much. I tried to email you, but it wouldn't go through for me. 
Saving on Entertainment
If you're a fan of the tv show M*A*S*H, you can find the entire series for free right here. 
The new season of This Is Us started this week with a two hour show, which is what we watched for movie night this week. 
In Other News
The Minority Mindset reports that 28% of Americans say they will be spending less on holiday gifts this year. 

BaileyAlexInc

We’ve been slowly cleaning out spaces and reorganizing during quarantine. While cleaning out the China cabinet recently Bailey pulled out a Pottery Barn pasta set we found at a yard sale a few years ago. 
She asked me if I wanted to sell it since it’s been in the cabinet all this time. She explained that it was Pottery Barn and might go for around $100. I told her if she could get that much for it to go ahead and sell it. It only took a couple weeks and sold for full price on Mercari this week.

Two free deodorant samples came in the mail this week. 
Tomorrow is Halloween and since we live so far off the beaten path, we have never had any trick or treaters here, so there is no need for us to buy candy for that reason. There are multiple Trunk or Treats going on here tomorrow if parents and children want to participate in those. 
If I had a child who was of the trick or treating age I would just plan on getting some candy myself and having a super fun day of things they wanted to do at home rather than risk being exposed to Coronavirus. 
Bailey read a tip on TikTok where a lady made ghosts out of tissue paper, wrapped a few candies for the head and tied them at the neck, drew on a face and hid them around her yard, hanging some from trees, and had her children hunt them like they would do Easter eggs. 
In my experience, I've found that weighing the odds when it comes to risking exposure to Covid  is a personal matter. I am willing to take the risk and mask up to go to the doctor if I need to, but I wouldn't be willing to do that for candy on Halloween if that makes sense. Your mileage may vary and that is perfectly OK. :)
How was your week?
Belinda ~ Living within our Means ~ My Linktree

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