Monday, April 14, 2014

Last Week's Frugality


  I only packed my lunch 3 days last week.  I have been having trouble getting up early enough to pack my lunch lately.  I have to pack everyday and stop buying my lunch in the cafeteria—it is just so expensive!  Is there such a thing as frugality bun out?  I have been feeling very deprived lately! Gotta get back to the frugal enthusiastic person I want to be! Positive thinking, right?
  I signed up for 2 free samples last week and received one shampoo sample and a package of Breathright strips. 
  We had only 1 meatless meal—I still am trying to get my DH used to it. He is very much a meat and potatoes kind of guy!
  The bucket is still in the shower catching waste water and being used for flushing.
   I found two Mccoy flower pots at the Goodwill for only $2.50 each!  I checked E-bay and they are worth 3 times what I paid for them. Score!
   I found a pair of leather Dr. Scholl’s shoes for $6.00 at the Goodwill.  I, then, got my Senior discount making them $5.40 for like new leather shoes!  One of the good things about being over 50!  Score again!
  I added 10 jars of salsa to my pantry stash for $10,  added 2 bags of noodles for $.88 each. Coffee was on sale for $1.99 along with Crystal Light for $.99 so I added four of each to my stash.  I have to say, my stash is looking pretty good about right now! I think I am feeling a pantry challenge for the month of May. Stay tuned!
  DH and I bought 3 peach trees-they were my late birthday presents! They were on sale for $9.99 each!  I told him back in March what I wanted and I have been watching for sales since then.  Hopefully this will be a gift that keeps on giving year after year!
  I made a cake this weekend for my son’s friend.  It was just adorable! The donations for the cakes are helping me meet my extra income goal for the month!  Let me tell you it helps out so much!
Lisa Northcutt's photo.


  I picked up several packets of pectin that I found on clearance.  It is for small batches but that is fine!  I’ll make it work!  Small batches are quick and easy anyway!
 Michael’s had the Sugar and Cream cotton yarn reduced to $1.17.  That is more than a 50% reduction, so I bought 2 to make a couple of dish cloths for gifts.
  I began infusing waters last week.  I wasn't really sure about using cucumbers with lemon slices, but it is amazing--just so thirst quenching.  I have been experimenting with different fruits but I think the cucumber lemon is my favorite so far!  My DH really liked the infused waters as well.  He is the cola king if you remember so maybe I can cut his cola and Crystal Light/sugar substitute use this summer.
  I was able to borrow some luau decorations for my Granddaughters birthday party. Thanks Sandie!BFFs are great frugal resources!
  As I said, I think I am going through frugal burnout.  I get so tired of not being able to take the easy(cheap) way out!  Am I the only one who feels deprived sometimes?   How do you get yourself back on the frugal track?
Frugal Blessings,
Lisa
 
                                                                                                                               

    

   

7 comments:

  1. Hey Lisa! Good to see you in my email first thing this morning! I also have experienced frugality burnout. I haven't been doing my part in the laundry department for the past 2 weeks. My daughter and her husband (newlyweds) just bought their first house and I've been helping her get settled in so I have been drying my clothes in the dryer which I hate. But I will get back on hanging duty as soon as possible. I also haven't been cooking every day. I was just so tired from painting her cabinets, putting up shelf liner, and making pillows and curtains. we've gotten takeout too many times the past 2 weeks. What gets me going again is how bad I feel when I'm not frugal. I can't stop thinking about how much money was wasted. I know I've been busy but that shouldn't stop me from putting something in the crock pot! Oh well.....the past is gone....can't do anything about it. Here's to frugal days ahead.....for both of us! Have a great week!

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    1. I am sure you are worn out after helping your DD! I have got to get my second wind back in frugality! I have just been so tired-both mentally and physically. Just need to pull myself up by my boot straps and get back in the groove! Thanks for your encouragement! I am relieved to know I am not the only one who goes through this burnout! You have a great week yourself and thanks for posting!
      Lisa

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  2. Hi Lisa.. I know how you feel sometimes...two steps forward and one step back... or sometimes it even worse 2 steps back and only one step forward. I think we all have those moments. I enjoy reading how every one saves and I have been trying to document what I am doing daily so I don't forget. My memory ain't what it used to be. Sometimes it seems like "bragging" but I don't really look at it like that. I look at what I do and what others do as just documenting, a way to keep track. Sometimes othesr seem like they are doing so much more than I am, but all we can do is our best. My biggest weakness is eating out, sometimes I am just too tired to cook, trying to use my crockpot at least 3 days a week. My other is my husband, I swear his hobby is SHOPPING since he has retired... which the last thing we need to be doing is spending more. As far as your lunches, can you prepare things the night before, vegs and dip, fruits, yogurts, leftovers in individual serving size containers, etc that would be quick and easy to grab and go? I know making sandwiches would have to be done in the morning (no one likes a soggy sandwich). For me a traditional lunch with sandwiches has always been hard, I have absolutely no imagination when it comes to that.

    I also wanted to say that your cake is so cute. That is a real talent to be able to decorate cakes and also something that can bring in some extra money too. It never hurts to have a hobby that pays.

    I also love to shop at thrift stores, flea markets, yards sales and my old standby the Goodwill. It's the only place where I am proud to tell people I'm over 50 too!

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    1. I hope my last weeks frugality posts are not coming across as bragging! The posts keep my thinking about frugality and keep me accountable. I love reading about others saving money! Sometimes it inspires me!
      Thank you for the cake compliment! Cakes are not my passion but I keep getting orders and since the money is pretty good, I keep doing them. Needs must! Shopping at the Goodwill relieves me of shopping guilt! I can buy lots for next to nothing! Be still my frugal heart! Thank you so much for your comment! Love hearing from my readers!
      Have a great week!
      Lisa

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    2. Hi Lisa.. I was not meaning you sounded like you were bragging, I was meaning that sometimes I sound like I'm bragging when I try to list my frugal accomplishments, sometimes my list seems long but then again a lot of things I list are just small things that have become a daily habit... but every little bit helps. I too enjoy reading what others are doing because it really does motivate me and gives me some great ideas too. Hope you have a great week too.

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  3. Thanks for sharing at Tuesdays with a Twist. We hope to see you again this week!

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  4. I love these type of posts! Sometimes the little things that others do are things that I have never thought about doing. We all need a little inspiration to get back with the program, right?

    My husband and have been eat out like crazy these days, which causes me huge guilt. I'm not a fan of eating out because the meals leave me feeling too stuffed and sluggish but sometimes I am just too pooped to cook, since we get home at around 6PM every night.

    I also like to use my crockpot a couple of days a week, but I find that I have to do that before my husband gets out of the shower in the mornings or he will suggest "playing it by ear" (which I know means we will eat out-he's not as "in" to this saving money thing as I am LOL).

    One of the things I find that helps me get back on the frugal band wagon is making a batch of 5-Minute a Day dough first thing in the morning (which is no knead, refrigerator yeast dough). It takes all of about 30 seconds to mix up and with that big batch of dough I usually make homemade pizza, rounds of crusty bread to go with soup or beans, delicious toast, and also homemade English muffins. That cheap dough uses only water, yeast, salt & flour is so cheap to make and I find that I can make lots of meals, lunches, breakfasts with it. I even make homemade pizza hot pockets for our lunches with it, which I freeze after baking and we both take them for lunches to be rewarmed in the microwave and also fill them with fruit for breakfasts since I tend to gravitate to sweets for breakfast ideas.

    Love the idea of the bucket in the tub for catching water. Please share with me when you add it for flushing to subsidize the water usage? I've heard of adding it to the washing machine for washing clothes, but I only do laundry usually on Saturdays and don't want to save water that long.

    Keep the frugal ideas coming! Sometimes just a new idea sparks me to get back with it.

    Thanks again!

    Gina

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