Midweek Arrives/Question/Getting My Frugal On

 

Once again it is the middle of the week and actually getting very close to the middle of the month. That is only 8 days away!!!! Must work a bit harder on my projects. Some are at least started, and should not take long to complete. 

Got notification today about our electric and gas bills. Both rose one by just a few dollars the other by quite a bit more. I will be working on trying to lower both of those. Probably in a few ways that Harvey just may not like. I have a feeling the water bill will be higher as well since Kurt and Kris were home washing their clothes and having showers. 

I was asked if I will eat my entire freezer down and then begin to rebuild my stock. Right now with meat being so expensive I will probably not clear everything out. Instead I will use what I have a great deal of, or what is dated from months ago and look for bargains to refill those areas as they go down. 

We have lots of chicken breasts, pork chops and surprisingly pork roasts. Low on whole chickens for roasting, ground meat, beef roasts and no hams at all. I will be watching for sales on those as well as chicken wings, chicken thighs and hot dogs. All the while trying to lower the number of what we have a great deal of. 

Part of my frugal plans for this year is making more from scratch and not purchasing already prepared items like frozen fries, hash browns, hot dog buns, hamburger buns, pie crust, crackers and other such items. My yogurt maker can be used to make a soft cheese so I hope to be able to try that out as well. 

Costs keep rising and with the way things are in the world this just makes sense to me.

Today I made two bags of hash browns for our freezer. I only used 5 potatoes of the ones we have stored downstairs, but if it turns out we like them I will make more.

They are kind of in chunks but I was told in the directions I found they will come apart once you start cooking them. Thank heavens for food processors, as I don't think I would try this manually. 

This summer my ice cream maker will come out and I will be making my own ice cream once again, something I have been lax about doing. 

What ways are you going to get your frugal on this year?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 

We had snow for most of the morning and into the afternoon. It was wonderful not to need to be anywhere out and about. My back still twinges once in awhile so I have been doing the work 15 minutes and then rest. If it was work sitting, I stand, if it was work standing I take a bit of a walk and then sit for awhile. I still got everything done that needed to be done and even enjoyed some craft time. 

I decluttered some more old towels and washcloths. So now we are up to 22 items hopefully leaving the house very soon. Bit by bit downsizing is happening. Well other than the towels and washcloths of course as those have been replaced. 

Harvey took down his Christmas decor today and did a bit of a clean up of his wine making tools. He is working on one of the jigsaw puzzles he got for Christmas. This is a panorama of Maple Leaf Gardens. 

Keeping away from the news as much as possible and trying to ignore some people on Social Media. I just can't take their posting of things before doing some research on the subject. When called on it, they get all huffy and at times quite nasty. Staying off unless it is to wish someone a happy birthday, or happy anniversary. 

The menu for the month has been pretty much redone in order to use up some of the meat from the freezer. Mixing that with leftovers from the fridge upstairs (and its accompanying freezer) can almost be considered a math puzzle as I really am trying for another no waste year as well as using up all that I possibly can. One item from one area and another from yet a second, then add in the leftovers from the leftovers. It really is enough to make your head spin. Add in the fact that things are getting really expensive in the protein department and I struggle with using up that meat. 

A simpler life may just involve decluttering, making more from scratch, and getting the most out of what we already have.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

I am still having slight twinges in my back, but I am so much better. I need to work in small increments but I am still continuing to get those tasks done that are necessary for the smooth running of the Phillips Homestead.

I will be able to visit all of you tonight as I seem to be able to sit for a period of time now.

Monday

Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini, and salad.

Tuesday

Leftover roast beef made into hot beef sandwiches. I will use up the mini hash brown patties with this and any salad that is left over.

Wednesday

Soup and sandwiches. Soup will be homemade Chicken Veg and the sandwiches probably egg salad or turkey salad if there is any turkey drumstick left.

Thursday

Spaghetti and meat sauce. Sliced veggies and dip. The remainder will be frozen for a meal later on.

Friday

Pancakes, breakfast for supper.

Saturday

Hotdogs, and baked beans.

Sunday

Steak in mushroom sauce done in the slow cooker. Served with mashed potatoes and frozen carrots. 

So there are the meals for this week. I will be trying to clear some items out of the upright freezer over the next month. I did find a few areas where I will need to hope for a meat sale very soon.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 

I woke up this morning after a miserable nights sleep and went downstairs to the upright meat freezer. Seems a cord located on the top stopped it from closing completely. You can all imagine what greeted my eyes.

One good thing was that only one item thawed out and will need to be tossed. I really don't want to but considering it is to be cooked from frozen...... All meat was moved into the chest freezer, and the defrosting began.

While that was happening I went shopping. I managed to get most on my list, but a few sale items were missing so I will do without. 

Home put all away, and started on the deicing of the freezer. That is done, it is plugged in and I was waiting for everything to cool down.

Okay, now it's mid afternoon my back was crying. I can not sit or stand for very long. Even walking causes me some pain. This made working on projects kind of piecemeal again. I did get one piece of fabric cut into strips and made a start on the second piece. Sat for a few minutes and did some embroidery.....

I will not be putting the meat back into the upright until tomorrow, and then it will be done a bit at a time. 

After I finish this post I am going for a soak, and then hopefully to bed with a heating pad. 

First I want to show you what $10.00 purchases here in Canada for my store cupboard.

Two packages of on sale spaghetti noodles, two cans of flakes of ham (also on sale) and two packages of ramen soup that Harvey loves. 

Not a great deal, but a beginning on replacing those used up items. Wonder what I can manage to get the next time I go shopping in two weeks.

Off to jump in the tub. I will visit you all tomorrow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

Nothing really finished in the project department, however a few non-project items were checked off the list.

The tree and all decor is down and I pulled out my cutting/sewing table and put it up in the living room. I did get the two patterns I want to make cut out. Next will be doing the markings and then I get to sew. 

I made frozen fries yesterday for the freezer, and have found a recipe to make some hash browns that I will try out. I want to get those done this week.

Made my grocery list for this biweekly shopping trip and figured out what I was going to spend my $10.00 pantry stock up on. I plan on getting a canned ham and some packages of spaghetti. I should be also able to pick up an extra bottle of salad dressing. Hopefully I will be able to start making my own dressings very soon. I just need to wash out the bottles once they are empty.

We managed to clear most leftovers out of the fridge, and I am working on clearing out the fridge freezer. Then I need to work on using those items up in the chest and upright freezer that need using. I am also thinking it is time to defrost those same freezers while I can still put food out on the deck in the cold. That is if the dog from 2 doors down can be blocked from entering our yard. 

So while no projects have really been completed I have completed some items on my goals list. 

Oh and my Baby Lock sewing machine has been repaired and Kris picked it up and has it in his house. We will need to go up for a visit very soon.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Simple Living

 

This year, I am hoping that life will get even more easily lived, simple meals, simple gardening, simple living.

As I declutter and work on doing those things I actually enjoy doing, I have noticed a larger mantle of peace settling over my being. Not that I do not still have periods of anxiety, but more that those are fewer and further between. 

I am finding it so much easier to make plans and carry through on those plans. Projects and goals are so much easier to reach, when one does not overload their days with things to do. 

Of course I still have the same amount of household tasks, but by working in 15 minute intervals things are actually getting done much quicker. 

I have always cooked from scratch most of our meals, but am adding more things like making fries for the freezer. Which will save on waste and spending. Really they don't take that long to do. Today I managed to get 4 bags ready for the freezer between working on other tasks. 

Over the next few months I will be trying to declutter more of my wardrobe. The less I need to choose from in the area of clothing the more I will like it. I really do have too much in the way of clothing. 

I will also be getting rid of more of the plastic containers I have for freezing. I am so looking forward to having things pop out of silicone and be just in a freezer bag (which can be reused). I have way too many of the plastic containers and they actually take up way too much room in one of my storage cupboards. Having just a few of those, plus the molds will make life simpler or at least more uncluttered. Decluttering is a wonderful way of simplifying a life.

I am very happy that my Baby Lock sewing machine is now in working order. Now that I have found a reliable place to get machines serviced I will be more inclined to get my expensive machines fixed and ready to last many more years. 

These are my gifts from Kurt for Christmas and my birthday. Wonderful additions to my herbal growing, salve recipes, tea, tincture, and other herbal recipes. I am so looking forward to a simpler way of staying healthy by using these to work on keeping us healthy and well. Simpler times, simple recipes for those simpler times. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thrifty And Frugal Thursday

 Thrifty and Frugal

Mostly just the usual frugal practices this past week, it was difficult to add any when our sons were home and washing their clothes or snacking. 

I will say however that nothing more was purchased to see us through the festivities. We had and still have more than enough. Mind you I have run out of fresh fruit, and as far as fresh veggies are concerned there is only a small amount of cabbage and a few carrots in the crisper. Using up all that I can before I head out the door to pick up some groceries. 

Perhaps the thing I am most proud of is the 23 no spend days for the month of December. Combining errands, making sure I did not decide to leave the house and spend money foolishly helped extend the days. I don't know if I will be able to continue that for the month of January, but I am sure going to try my best. 

Did a bit of decluttering, mostly some cords that Kris said to get rid of. 

I pulled out our old portable DVD player and will hook it up to the TV once I find the cords I need, or if Kris finds some in one of his boxes. I really want to be able to watch the collection of DVD's I have. Some haven't even been watched. That is a waste and I need to rectify that. 

Hopefully next week I will have some new frugal and thrifty things to share with you all.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.