Last Week's Frugality

 

    Hello to all of my blogging friends!  Last week has been very busy!  We had a family reunion Saturday, and my niece had her First Holy Communion yesterday!  I had to cook for the reunion Friday night and bake the cake for my niece for Sunday.  She wanted a pink cross cake so that is what I made her!

  Well, this week I packed my lunch 4 days!  I was running late one morning and wasn’t able to make anything. Boo!  I must try harder!

  My SIL bought an herb kit for me for Christmas and I finally got around to planting the herb seeds.  I am hoping for dill, sage, basil, and marjoram.  Oh yes, and chives! I almost forgot them.  I really want to grow enough herbs to use for the next year without buying them.  I bought some nifty herb shakers from Ball and plan on using them! 

  I was able to add 4 bottles of shampoo to my stash.  DH and I are trying to use minute amounts of shampoo each time in order to make it go further.  We are still using the bottle we opened in January and have about 1/3 of the bottle left.  I figure if we can make it stretch to 2 bottles per year, I have enough shampoo to last us for many, many years! I had 4 bottles and added 4 more!  If you are wondering, my children would rather buy their own shampoo.  My cheap stuff isn’t good enough for them.  Lol!  They are young and will learn soon enough!

  A local grocery store had Idaho potatoes 20 lbs for 3.99 so I stocked up on those—60 lbs worth.  At $.20 per lb. I cannot afford not to.  I batch cooked mashed potatoes for our reunion and mashed potatoes for the freezer.   I am planning on drying some and canning the rest.  This is my goal this week!

   The bucket is still catching waste water in the shower!  Speaking of bathrooms, I have read about bloggers saying that they are not buying as much TP and switching to family cloths.  I know my children would not go for this, but I am thinking about sewing some up to try out for my own personal use.  Soft flannel would be so much more comfortable.  Really, it isn’t that much different than using cloth diapers, is it?  I would appreciate input from anyone who is currently using the family cloths!  Just pondering!

  I used my Kroger points (from med purchases) to get gas last week.  Saved $.20 per gallon!

  A tide sample came in the mail and I signed up for 4 more freebies. 

  I hung 3 loads of towels and clothes out to dry this week.  My kids won’t hang dry anything but I saved about 2.5 hours of drying time. 

  I planted many flower seeds.  I know it is a bit late but they will bloom eventually!  Marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums, and more!  Flowers make me smile!

    Only bought needed items at the grocery.  I am trying to eat from the pantry as much as possible this month because I am still trying to pay off my ginormous electric bill from February and March.  The extra from the food budget will come in handy.  Almost have it paid off! Yippee!

  I received an order for a cake this week.  Not a decorated cake as usual, but a bundt cake.  A cherry bundt cake to be specific!  I’ll share the recipe next week.  This will help with extra income this month.

   I mended a hole in my trouser sock.  I have the worst time keeping socks!  My washer has to be eating  them!  I probably have half a septic tank full of socks that have magically disappeared!  So I am mending to try and make the few I have left, last!  Last year for Christmas, the kids kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas and my answer was “Trouser Socks”.   Seriously, but they didn’t believe me!  I did end up getting one pkg. from my oldest!  Thank goodness!  Guess they will be on my list again this Christmas!

  My BFF dropped off some seedlings she had started that were left over from her garden.  There was a pepper plant, several sage plants, and several cantaloupe plants!  Thanks Sandie!

  Well, that about sums up my week of frugality.  How did you save last week?

Frugal Blessings,                                   

Lisa