Midweek

 

I am really needing to stay calm since this is the last full week of the month, and of course as is usual I gave myself way too many projects to try and finish. Most of the projects this month have been fairly large and there is hope that I will get a few more of the smaller ones completed yet.

It has been awhile since I shared any thrifty and frugal tips with all of you so I decided to share a few that I don't think (though one never knows as my mind seems to forget things) I have shared before. 

Here goes.

1. Never buy anything at full price if at all possible. When it comes to big ticket items, we never pay full price. Always wait for a sale if possible. Now, saying that, I always end up paying full price for my milk and a few other basics. This is because in Canada milk prices (at least where I live) never go on sale, and bread flour rarely. 

2.  Invest your money into quality items that you use all the time. While I did get many of my appliances on sale, I bought the best that I possibly could. My bread maker was fairly expensive when I purchased it 10 years ago to replace a less costly one (that one broke down in 4 years) and use it at least 3 days a week. Same can be said for the toaster oven and other such items. My hand mixer is probably 30 years old, and I am thinking finally might need to be replaced so I am looking at sales to get the best quality possible for the lowest cost.

3. Avoid purchasing convenience food. By batch cooking one can have homemade convenience food.

4. Use any credit cards for the points and pay the card off every month.

5. I also use old technology as long as I possibly can. This is especially true with our phones. Heck as long as they work who cares if they don't have all the bells and whistles of the new ones.

6. It isn't that I love working on my budget, but I have found that paying attention to it and tweaking it where I can makes a difference.

7. Save your change, and any change you find on your walks. I do this and what we have saved does pay for our family reunion every two years.

Hope those help and there are a few new ideas.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Mid week Ramblings

 It was and still is another cloudy day. We did have some rain overnight and a bit of a drizzle around noon. I haven't looked at the forecast for the rest of the week, but I sure hope there is some sun in there.

I am definitely trying to keep calm. Canada and Mexico did not get hit with "reciprocal tariffs" this time around as far as I can gather. However those tariffs that had been postponed are now in effect. So glad we got the range before the steel and aluminum tariffs were started up once again. I do know that this is going to cause hardship for many companies in Canada. Hopefully not too much and we find other places to trade with. The hardest hit will be the automotive plants. 

If you all remember when we went to visit Kris we ordered some new chairs for the dining room as the old ones were just too dilapidated to repair, or if we could get them repaired the cost would have been more than new chairs. 

Well, they arrived today, a full two weeks before expected. Harvey says he hopes we are done spending for a length of time. I then reminded him of the partial plate payment coming up.

The big containers seen in the picture are Harvey's wine making. Yep my dining room sometimes becomes a distillery. This will continue for probably another 5 or 6 weeks. 

I baked bread today, and I think the oven bakes a bit cooler than the shown temperature so I may have to recalibrate it. I will try to bake a few other items to get a good reading and then decide what to do. 

Finished one project I carried over from last month. I got the recipes copied that I wanted and the two cookbooks are now residing in the box for this month's donations. Hope to add a great many more items to the box before the end of the month. I seem to be falling behind in the decluttering department. 

Off to visit with you all and then get the leftover casserole into the oven to warm up.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Mid Week and June Almost Finished

 

Oh my another week half gone, and June almost finished. We are getting closer and closer to the day we leave on a holiday. Every day I pack a bit more, just so it won't be overwhelming. Soon it will be time to pack up the perishables and then we head out. 

Tomorrow will be herb harvesting and the harvesting of some more lavender. The herbs will be dehydrated and the lavender will be air dried and ready to prep when we get back from our break. 

Harvey got his pole saw yesterday, but didn't notice it until this morning. Of course he had to try it out. He cut down some of the dead branches on the tree in front, and when we get back I am pretty sure Kurt will be helping him cut down some dead branches on the tree in back. He figures on cutting some of the other branches to open the trees up in the fall. More lovely firewood to be used in the firepit.  Another year or two of not having to purchase wood, got to love free.

The garden is beginning to produce more than just rhubarb and I know when we return I will have to start processing the harvest. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.