My Thrifty Week - Post #11

It's been a very long time since I've posted a 'My Thrifty Week' post but, in future, I really need to get on the ball and get back to basics. I hope to make 'thrifty week' posts a regular feature.

Here are a few of my latest 'thrifty' finds...

- Kerrygold Unsalted Butter was on markdown at Walmart. I bought 4 packages for $2.50 each. Normally, they're $3.98.

Photo Credit

- A friend gave me three bunches of fresh green onions. I sliced each bunch up and froze in batches. I will use them in upcoming recipes.

- Speaking of onions...I found onion sets (package of 100 bulbs) at Walmart marked down to $1.00 on clearance. That's a penny a piece for fresh green onions right out of my own garden! 

- The hot water tank went out (again!). Parts are ordered and should be here by early next week. Bright side? Until it's fixed I'm saving $$$ on liquid propane. 😉

Update - They sent the wrong part and, as of now, the part needed is NOT on order. Hopefully, they will get things straightened out and the right parts will be on their way soon.

- Sheet sets were on markdown at Walmart yesterday for 50% off. I found a lovely Better Homes & Garden twin sheet set for the roll-away marked down from $21.98 to $11.00. Very pretty!

That's some of my recent 'thrifty' finds. Feel free to share some of yours in the comment section below. 

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Second-Quarter Thrift Plan

Somehow this post (that was originally planned to be published towards the end of April) ended up buried in the list and was never published at all. Being as I discovered it today, I am going to go ahead and publish it as originally written. Forgive the delay. The dates are off, but the information is the same.

As we move in to the second-quarter of 2023 (April-June), I want to fine-tune in the area of finances. I got a nice raise, effective the end of March, for which I am very thankful and I want to be a good steward of all that the Lord blesses me with. Here are some of the thoughts I have about second-quarter finances...

- I plan to be working extra hours during the months of April, May, and June. My plan is to deposit as much of the extra money into my savings account as possible. That will be after using some of it to complete, at least, one of the bigger projects on my Spring Bucket List.

- We became debt-free back in April of 2020 and, since then, even though I still use a credit card for some things (especially online purchases), I am careful to pay it off each month, in full, so as to avoid interest on even the smallest of purchases. I plan to continue paying off, in full, each month.

- There is plenty of food in the house, so, other than fresh items along here and there, I don't have to worry about that. I will continue to focus on using up the oldest stuff first and not replacing until absolutely necessary.

- The propane tank is full. I had it filled mid-March and, unless next winter is a bad one, I probably won't have to have it filled again until late-winter or early-spring of 2024. 280 gallons usually lasts me a year.

- I will continue to roll every cent of change received and put back for trips, Christmas, or whatever. We've done this for decades. When the children were young, our rolled change went towards Christmas every year; after the children were grown, our rolled change provided money for annual trips and get-aways for the two of us. Now, even though John is gone, I just keep putting it back. Someday I'll do something really special with it. 

- The main thing that I want to focus on during this second-quarter is using up odds and ends on-hand...almost empty bottles of cleaning supplies, almost empty bottles of health and beauty aids, etc....combining like-products into one bottle when possible, cutting down on shelf and storage space. I will replenish these items in late-summer or early-fall.

What about you? Do you have any financial plans or goals to share as we go into this second-quarter of 2023?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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I planned on posting earlier today, but didn't make it. Better late than never, I guess! 😊

Yesterday morning I picked the last of the lilac blooms. Most of them got nipped with the previous night's freeze.

Later in the morning, Amber and Mercy and I took a short drive in the country in search of two of our favorite wildflowers. 

We stopped, first, at a friend's prairie where we picked a few sprigs of Indian paintbrush. 

Afterwards, we went around the corner, past where we lived when we first moved to the area, and on down to the low-water bridge where the sweet williams bloom. I so miss living out here sometimes!

After adding a few sweet williams to the sprigs of Indian paintbrush, we circled on around, crossed the main highway, held our breath as we hurridly crossed the old, rickety, wooden bridge, and made our way back through the country and home. We weren't gone long, but it was certainly enjoyable!

Later in the day, I discovered that the first of the irises had bloomed! My favorites...the ones that smell like grape Kool-Aid...the 'Keith Millers' (named after the father of the friend that first gave me the starts).

Star of Bethlehem is blooming, too. It's not a native plant, but it sure is pretty! The delicate, white flowers can be found blooming in little clumps all over the north lawn.

I thought about going to Nevada (the town of, not the state of) today, but, with so much to do here, I decided that I really wasn't up to it. I decided, instead, to get what I could at Dollar General and save my trip to one of the bigger towns for another day.

While at Dollar General, I hit the jackpot on early preparation for Easter 2024. All the Easter stuff was 70% off!

I got 15 baskets (not enough for all of the grands, but enough for the youngest ones), 10 bags of grass, and 2 packages of egg-dye for 30 cents a package. I also got a stuffed bunny for the baby (due in August) for $1.05 and a pretty pot of spring flowers (fake, of course) for $1.80. 

Well, that's all for now. I need to be moving towards getting ready for work tomorrow. I hope your week is going well and that your Tuesday has been a great one!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Thrift and Savings - Post #8 - Good Deals, Cash Back, and Recycling

Other than the winter food challenge updates, it's been a long time since I've done a post on thrift and savings. I wish I could remember all those thrifty little happenings and do regular thrifty posts, but I usually don't. I think it's important to encourage others in the area of finances, and will try to do better in the days ahead. 

Now, my friend, Laura Lane, over at Harvest Lane Cottage? She's amazing! She thinks of things to remember and record that I'd never even think of in the first place! If you get a chance, go over and check out her 'thrifty and frugal' posts on her blog. There is, indeed, a great wealth of good stuff in them!

Anyway...back to my own post... 

- Glade candles were on markdown at Dollar General last week for $2.70 each.

I got one single candle (Pumpkin Spice Things Up...I would have had two of them...two was all they had of that scent...but I dropped one and shattered it all over the store floor...I offered to pay for it, but the manager wouldn't let me) and I got four double packs of 2-in-1 Jubilant Rose + Lavender & Peach Blossom. They all smell soooo good! The rose/lavender/peach blossom ones smell super springy! The pumpkin one I will save for fall. 

That was a total of 9 Glade brand candles for $13.50.

- I had enough Amazon points to get 3 packages of 2 gel pen refills for free over the weekend.

I ordered ink for the blue pens this time. Usually, I order refills for the black and have even ordered refills for the red. This is my first time of refilling the blue. I love my G2 Gel Pens no matter what color they are!

- I started using Upside at the gas station in May of 2022. In less than a year (and I don't do that much driving) I have earned a total of $31.72 cash back (deposited directly into my bank account). To check out Upside for yourself (and to start saving money at the gas station) click HERE.

- A friend at work is always bringing me something to reuse or recycle...empty feed bags (made into totes), Christmas tins (to be refilled with cookies), etc. Last week he brought me an old sheet with bison on it. It had a tear in it, but he wondered if there was anything I could do with it...thought I might be able to figure out a way to recycle it. I did, but I'll share more about that project when I'm finished with it! 😉

Well, that's all for now. I hope your week is off to a great start and that all is well with you and yours. Have a great day!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Tuesday Tidbits

Good morning! It's the last day of February and, even though spring doesn't officially arrive for another three weeks, it is putting on quite a show here in southwest Missouri! It's sunny and 65 degrees at the moment, but the high today is supposed to reach 72.

The daffodils are in full bloom and the robins are back! 

Amber met me at the vo-tech school in Lamar yesterday where I dropped my car off to be worked on. It needs an oil change and it's annual 'spring check-up' just to be sure that everything is ship-shape and ready for summer travel. They have always done a good job and the labor charges are mininimal.

While we were out and about we met Patrick for lunch at Subway. Afterwards, we went to Walmart where we ran into some fantastic deals! The biggest one was 2 1/2 pound bags of chicken tenders (regularly $13.96) marked down to $2.00 per bag. When questioned as to why so cheap they said they had way too many of them and just needed to get them cleared out. I bought four bags, so ten pounds of chicken tenders for $8.00, with a savings of $47.84. Not bad! 

I also got a package of pork thick chops on markdown and the winter house slippers that I prefer were on markdown for $1.00 a pair. I bought two pair. 

While I'm thinking about it, today is the last day to enter the book giveaway. To get your entry in click HERE. A winner will be selected tomorrow. 

Well, I suppose I should get on with my day. I want to spend as much time outside today as possible while it's nice. I think I need fresh air and sunshine more than anything else right now. You have a nice day and I'll see you again soon!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Midnight Musings

 

After spending a day of fun with our youngest son and his family today (yesterday now), and shopping the Amish and Mennonite stores to the north of us, I was in bed early tonight (last night)...like...by 8:15! Now...here it is after midnight and I'm wide awake. 😳 

We had a great day! We met early and headed north, doing a little geocaching along the way. We visited the herb shop, the bulk food store, the bakery, and museum before lunch; after lunch we visited the Amish store out in the country.

John and I picked up bulk food items that we were low on or out of (whole wheat flour, rolled oats, popcorn, tapioca, and real salt), as well as a few basic spices and flavorings (black pepper, cinnamon, and vanilla); at the herb shop I got Ginger Chews and selected a few flavors of Zevia to try. I don't know if I'm going to like them or not, but will find out soon enough.

While visiting the museum we found a few little trinkets of interest in their gift shop. I was delighted to find this life-sized pumpkin for only $3.00 and just in time for fall!

We had lunch at a friend's restaurant and it was good to just sit and visit with them a bit and catch up.

Afterwards, we headed for the Amish store and rounded out our day by purchasing a brand new teakettle.

Actually, John had bought me a Pioneer Woman teakettle for my birthday, but, upon receiving it, and taking the lid off, we discovered that the enamel inside the pot was chipped, so we returned it. It's a shame, too! Pioneer Woman's stuff is so pretty, but the quality of it is really low...especially when considering what you pay for it.

We found this stainless steel teakettle at the Amish store for several dollars less than what he had paid for the Pioneer Woman one and it has twice the holding capacity.

After the Amish store we hit the freeway and headed our separate ways. John and I stopped by Dollar Tree and the grocery store on our way home and dropped a few things off to our daughter on the way through.

After that, it was get home, get stuff put away, and relax. We had brought leftovers home from lunch, so we had that for supper, watched an episode or two of Bringing Up Bates, and, then, it was off to bed. I was beat!

Now, it's nearly 1:00 in the morning and I'm starting to get sleepy again. I think it's time to head back to bed, but it was great getting to spend a few minutes with you...even if it is the middle of the night! 😆

Have a blessed Thursday and I'll talk to you again soon!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Low-Spend September - End Of Month Update

September has been a super busy month with a lot going on on all fronts and, as you can see, I've not been real good about keeping up with updates concerning this endeavor...but...I have to say, that, for the most part, it's gone well.

I have had to replenish fresh items (fruits, vegetables, and dairy) a couple of times this month, but have bought very little in the way of meats and grains. I think I bought one small roast that was on markdown (it's in the freezer and hasn't been cooked yet) and a package of fat-free turkey slices, cheese slices, and two loaves of bread for toast and sandwiches. 

A few things have come in from other sources, as well...tomatoes from the garden and fresh eggs from a friend, so that, of course, has added to the abundance and I have purchased a few seasonal items to be put back for use at autumn family get-togethers and such while I could find them (Louisburg Apple Cider, for example, and Bigalow's Pumpkin Spice Tea). 

Other than that we continue to eat what's in the house (dried beans, whole grains, canned and frozen vegetables, ham, spoonbill, and other meats from the freezer, canned fish, and miscellaneous items found in the cabinet). 

I do plan on doing another food inventory next week to see where we're at at this point, but I imagine that this low-spend September will carry on well into October. 

I am extremely thankful for the abundant blessings, but feel somewhat guilty that we have so much food in the house for just the two of us. We do share our food with others every chance we get (expected and unexpected company, meals shared with family, friends, and neighbors, etc.) and I love having plenty on hand to share with others when they run into a pinch and find that they are out of something, but, still, sometimes the abundance is overwhelming. 

I guess that's really all I've got to share at this point, so I will move on and give another update if warranted after we move into October. 

Blessings for a great weekend and until next time...

~Rebecca

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Low-Spend September Update - Week #2

Low-Spend September Update - Week #2

Well...we're officially into Week #2 (technically Week #3) of our 'Low-Spend September' and, thus far, it's going great!

I'm managing to keep up with menu plans and am still finding that most of the meals that I prepare are making enough for more than one meal...generally it's enough for two...sometimes more...BUT...most of the meals can be frozen and worked in later, so I guess that's okay. In the long run it saves time and energy (not only utility-wise, but my own, as well)! 😆  

The biggest problem I'm having is...as I use small amounts of grain and turn them into breads, I'm refreezing major portions of the finished product to be used as accompaniments to meals further down the road and, as a result, on one hand my freezer space is going down a little at a time (a cup of cracked wheat here or a half cup of rolled oats there); then, suddenly, it is filled to overflowing with cut and portioned loaves of rustic oat and wheat bread, rolls, and muffins. 🍞

To make matters worse (if you can call it that), the tomatoes in our garden are coming on like gangbusters! Every few days I'm adding a few more bags of frozen tomato puree to the freezer. At present our freezer is level full of bread and tomatoes! LOL! Perhaps I should make a lot of breaded tomatoes! 😃

(I soooo hope my cousin is reading this! His mom used to make breaded tomatoes a lot when we were kids and he absolutely detests the thought of them! LOL!) 😆

And don't get me wrong...I am NOT complaining! We are blessed to overflowing and we know it. Sometimes I'm just not sure how to handle the overflow and I don't like to waste ANY-thing!

For example, I'm going to be working a special event out of town on Saturday, so I cooked Saturday night's ham and beans and cornbread today so that, all we have to do when I get home Saturday night, is reheat. 

I divided the 9- x 9-inch pan of cornbread into 8 pieces and separated them into four freezer bags (that's four meals worth for me and my husband) and I cooked a pound of pinto beans. 

I seasoned the beans with salt, pepper, and a small amount of ham. When the beans were tender I divided them into three containers (one to be used Saturday night; the other two later on). When I got done dividing the ham and beans, I had a full quart of delicious, savory bean broth left over. It would have been so easy to just dump it down the sink, but I couldn't. Instead, I saved it. What flavor it will add as a base to a soup on a chilly autumn day or to any recipe calling for vegetable broth! 🍁 

We live in such a wasteful society today and, sometimes, it's hard to remember and implement the old way of doing things.

"Waste not, want not!" 

That's what the old-timers used to say...and they were right. Everything that we use up and don't waste is one more thing that we don't have to want for or spend money on.

Goodness! I kind of got off track there, but...since I'm on a soapbox...I may as well end this post with this...

Does anyone out there have any tips or stories to share on how your family "wastes not, wants not"?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Low-Spend September Update - Week #1

I'm happy to report that our low-spend September is off to a great start! 😄

Other than eating out on our way home from the family reunion Sunday evening, we've managed to stay on track with menu plans and our food is stretching further than originally planned. In fact, we might be able to turn our one-month plan into a two-month plan...which would be totally AWESOME!!!

I think one of the biggest problems that I have with food is, even after all our children are grown and married with families of their own (and have been for years) I still cannot adjust to cooking for two. 😞

With six children in the home (four of which were boys) I was used to making large amounts of food and, try as I might, not to, I still tend to make full and, sometimes, double batches of favorite recipes. I'm trying to remember that just John and I don't need that much prepared food on hand and am experimenting with halving recipes.

And, don't get me wrong, sometimes I don't mind having leftovers. Depending on what it is, we can use them for lunch the next day, have them again later in the week, or I can save them for work lunches, but, some stuff, is just too much...especially if its something that can't be frozen or doesn't last long enough to be used later. These are the types of recipes that I'm trying to remember to cut in half so we don't have to keep eating on them until we're sick of them. 🤮

We're only five days into September, but, technically, our plan has been in place since the last week in August, so we've been at this for almost two full weeks now. We've not noticed a huge difference in food depletion yet, but we have used up several things already that have been on hand for quite some time. We are well pleased with our progress thus far.

Does anyone out there have any tips to share on cooking for two...especially after raising a large family? If so, I'd love to hear them!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Reducing The Summer Utility Bills

At the time of this writing, here in southwest Missouri, it is 92 degrees with a heat index of 105. We are under an excessive heat warning through Saturday evening. 😰

In many areas of the country keeping cool in summer can cost as much, or more, than keeping warm in the winter. Here are a few things that you can do to keep cool while holding down the cost of summer utility bills...

#1. Watch your degree of comfort. Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or above. A setting of 78 instead of 73 saves 20 to 25% of your AC operating costs.

#2. Keep the cool air inside. Close doors and windows. Check the weather-stripping. Seal up cracks. Insulate. These measures will help cut heating costs in the winter as well.

#3. Don't block vents. Move furniture away from vents and window units. Trim shrubbery outside, too.

#4. Close drapes or blinds. This helps keep the sun's heat out. Solar screens and shades can also effectively block a large amount of the sun's heat before it enters your home. 

(NOTE - We go so far as to cover our windows with foil in the summer...at least the top half...with the shiny side against the glass. It completely blocks the sun and deflects heat away from the house.)

#5. Check your filters. Do this once a month during cooling season. Vacuum or replace them as necessary.

#6. Grow native deciduous trees. Plant them where they will shade your house from the sun's hottest rays in the summer and let warming sun through in the winter.

#7. Check the EER before you buy. Some systems use less energy than others...sometimes only half as much. Find the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) on the yellow energy-guide label. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit. An EER of 10 will consume half the energy of a similar unit rated at 5.
What are some of the ways that you and your family keep utility bills to a minimum and beat the heat of summer?

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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