Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal

This is not the most thrifty or frugal week. In fact the next few weeks and into August will probably be pretty darn unfrugal with just a touch of thrifty thrown in.

I was asked to explain what Glace is. It is kind of like a very heavy noodle as it is just tablespoons of the flour/egg mixture put into boiling water with some cubed potatoes. The "glace" will float to the top when done. I usually fry some eggs to dip the glace in after putting melted butter with sautéed diced onion. Not the most healthy for the heart meal, but one my German grandmother made when money was tight. Flour was relatively inexpensive, onions and potatoes grew in her garden, the cow gave milk which could be separated into milk and cream, the cream made into butter, and the hens of course laid lots of eggs. While this meal is a bit more expensive now, it is still something I make as it brings back many memories of visiting with Grandma and Grandpa.

So what have I done that is thrifty or frugal this week?

1.  Errands were combined to save on fuel.

2.  I only purchased a few items of grocery as we have lots to use up (even with Kurt visiting). 

3.  It has rained here so I only needed to water my pots and baskets once. We got 2 1/2 inches just a couple of nights ago.

4.  Harvesting some cucumbers (salad will be made once Kurt leaves as he does not like them other than in pickles or relish). 

5.  Picked the last head of lettuce that was ready from the garden.

6.  Hung all the laundry on the lines outside.

7.  Using up as much as I can when making our meals.

8.  Made lemon balm and mint salves from last years harvest so nothing would go to waste.

9.  Made bread crumbs from leftover buns from the reunion.

10. Used fabric scraps to make reusable facial cleansing pads.

So there you have it. Looks pretty good however in the 16 days we have had this month there has been spending 8 of those days. After our trip, I will need to buckle down and tighten the frugal belt a little bit. Got to save some cash for Kurt and Kris's birthdays, and then there is Christmas.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

A Simple, Frugal Life

 

I was watching one of my vlogs awhile ago and was slightly shocked when the woman who does it, said they were living an antiquated lifestyle by being frugal, living simply and mindful.... What!!

I have never thought that way as doing those things, while second nature now, I still am considering myself a beginner on the journey. It really seemed to me like she was not aware that being frugal, living a simple lifestyle and being mindful of what one spends is making a very dramatic comeback. 

There are lots of news agencies now posting ways to save your hard earned cash, ways to cut expenses and not feel deprived, and ways to make sure we are looking after mother earth. 

I am really not too sure of what she was getting at. She kept on and on about living in the same house since 1987, planting a garden since 1990, wearing secondhand clothes and decorating their home with mostly secondhand good. At one point she mentioned that their table was 40 years old... The one I am using now was Harvey's Mom and Dads and bought in 1979, I love the table and since Harvey refinished it, wow. 

There is often a thought in my mind that many people think that living simply and frugally is doing without, or trying to one up another person. I feel that we can all learn from each other and believe me there is always something we can learn. 

I had never realized that living simply actually took a great deal of organization and planning. I don't mean planning when and how to go down to beat our clothing on rocks to wash them, but planning how to downsize, what is a need and what is a want, and planning maintenance on our homes and yards. I have learned to organize my pantry (need to do so once again), small maintenance tasks that I can do on my own, and even how to store dried goods and frozen. 

Learning how to use things up, mend, and substitute in recipes when necessary. These are not easy things to do each and every day, but all of us do them mostly without thinking about it. 

Take today for instance. You all know my back often gives me grief when I work and today Harvey wet down the perennial bed to make it easier for me to pull quack/crab grass and other weeds. Let me tell you the whole bed is over run with weeds and grasses of all types. While I relished getting my hands into the soil and actually getting them dirty, I found I could only manage about 30 minutes of work with rests in between bouts of pulling weeds. This means I only got about 1/3 of the bed completed, but I so enjoyed that time out doing something. Simple and fulfilling. 

I came in, had some leftovers for my lunch and after resting a bit, decided to finish sewing the skirt. Got that done and started on a dress. I did have to get up and walk around, but the pleasure I found in the hum of my sewing machine was wonderful and eased the fact that I am slowing down task wise. Guess I need to learn to be frugal with what I expect to accomplish.

I, made my way around the garden and one of the pear trees (the oldest) is blossoming, the cherries are budding out and the haskap bushes are putting out flowers. Our garden is awakening and that brings me a great deal of happiness. The kiwi isn't putting out feelers yet, but will be soon. 

Noticed lots of dandelions starting so I may go out and forage this upcoming week to make some dandelion salve. I learned recently one should add some Vitamin E oil as a preservative to those homemade salves and lotions.  

As usual I have had a frugal week doing all the regular frugal things. Tomorrow I will wash off my umbrella clothesline and perhaps on Monday I will be able to hang clothing outside thus saving more on electrical costs. 

Using up leftovers and cooking from scratch (well except for the day I was so sore and tired that Harvey said order in but we got a free add on of dry ribs that would usually cost us $16.00).

Sewing to use up bits of fabric leftover from other projects made previously.

Working on the embroidered quilt blocks from Mom to make a second quilt.

Cut up some old socks to use in the garden to tie up plants. These socks are so darned I would be darning over darning.

Baked bread, made desserts, walked to pick up a prescription. 

I will be walking to the bank later next week (we live in a very small city of 10K and during daylight hours there really isn't much to fear) and picking up my script. 

I am pushing off shopping a few days once again as we are going to go and visit Kris next weekend. Probably won't go shopping until perhaps Tuesday which is about 3 days instead of 2 later. 

So that's how my week has been, and my thoughts on living an antiquated life style. How do all of you feel about that designation.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

  

Thrifty and Frugal Thursdays

Thrifty and Frugal

It has been very hot here, which means watering a bit more often if we want flowers or herbs or veggies and the water barrel is down to the dregs. So no more free watering for awhile. Hopefully we get some rain very soon.

What with two trips to the city fuel expenditure is going to be high this month, so I will be looking at ways to make that extra spending up.

When home I have been using every last little bit up and stretching things as far as I possibly can. The one item in the budget I can really control is grocery spending and that is what I plan on doing for the rest of the month and into August. 

Mending clothing, and I have a few items I want to re-fashion over the next couple of months.

Dehydrating as many herbs as is possible and collecting herbs and flowers to use as the base of various salves and lotions.

Making another Christmas gift, and planning some other gifts that I can make quickly for gifts.

Spending time at home making lists of what needs to be done before winter falls and what I need to stockpile in case of a bad winter, or prices going even higher. 

Picking fruit in the yard, made cherry pie filling and in a couple of days I will be making cherry jam. I hope there is enough cherries left to make another batch of pie filling.

Buying on sale, and if I don't have an ingredient substituting where and what I can.

Decluttered cookbooks, some Kurt took and some I need to copy some recipes out, and some to donate. Still more to go through, but it is a start. 

Looking online at properties in Regina for sale, also looking at apartments. It will eventually be time for us to move though I wonder if we will get a doctor there any easier than here.

Combined errands to save on gas usage and time.

Paid bills online, thus saving fuel and time.

Harvey saved most of the chicken wire we put around the bottom of the cherry trees to keep the birds from flying under the netting and made a sort of fence for the cucumbers to cling and grow up.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursdays

  Thrifty and Frugal  

My goodness the weeks keep right on rolling. It always surprises me just how quickly the days pass by. 

We have had some lovely weather lately, along with a bit of rain, the sun has shone most days (not the day of the eclipse though), which has kept the house from needing the furnace most days. 

I have been using up the bits of leftovers well that are in the fridge or freezer and I am loving how that saves us some cash. 

Harvey figures he has fixed the snowblower. The rod that moved the chute broke during it's last use and he had to use his hands to change the direction. Hopefully this works, as one can't get that part any longer and to get a welder to make one would be slightly costly.

I have been decluttering, and finding lots of unfinished projects as well. Should have enough of those to keep me busy for a very long time. 

I was going to purchase some white quilting thread today, but when I went through my box, I found some dark green. Since every embroidered block has some green in it this works perfectly and saved me a little bit.

Groceries were expensive, but I did save almost $60.00 according to my receipt. I didn't get much in the way of meat, just bacon and stuffed chicken. Hoping for better sales in two weeks. 

I decided to wait to do my ironing this week as it didn't make sense to pull out the necessary tools just to iron one shirt. I did sew a couple of missing buttons on a few items though. 

Still saving the water as it comes out of the tap until it heats up. I now not only use it to water plants, but fill the Brita and fill my kettle as well. Sometimes a mug of tea in the late afternoon really hits the spot. Some days it is a cup of instant coffee or iced tea (just need to put some ice cubes in for the tea).

I have been going for my walk every day and really enjoying being out in the fresh air. 

Entertainment has been reading free books on my Kobo, and watching free movies on Pluto TV, or CBC Gem. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.