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Nifty Thrifty:  How did you save money this week?  |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 14 2015 : 4:16:41 PM
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Good gravy Nini! You are the queen of ingenuity! Thanks for those recipes.
For my part, a while back I decided that I needed a chest freezer and I have been thrilled with it ever since. You can save buckets of money when you have a big freezer and can buy or harvest in bulk. I'm about to cook down chicken for stock and will be freezer bagging it this week. I've just ordered a huge bag of lentils and I've got rice and beans already in many large jars lined up along the wall of my small kitchen, since I'm out of room in the pantry already :P.
Also, every year that I possibly can, I find people that have downed or unwanted fruit from garden trees or wild trees on their land and preserve/freeze as much as possible. There is nothing quite so wonderfully welcome as the smell of applebutter cooking in the kitchen to me. On bitter cold winter mornings, oatmeal and warm applebutter is delightful! I encourage all of you to find autumn fruit to harvest. It's worth the time spent and a good way to save. |
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Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2015 : 5:10:31 PM
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Spoken like a true farmgirl Annika. We use our freezer a lot.
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
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Song Sparrow
True Blue Farmgirl
1010 Posts
Amy
Talleyville
Delaware
USA
1010 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2015 : 08:00:14 AM
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I decided to finally give up my Keurig coffee maker. I loved it, but between the high price of k-cups and, probably more importantly, the waste going to landfill, I knew it was not a great idea. Since my mom lives with me and gets up later, I purchased a single cup coffee maker for $20 that uses regular, ground coffee. It makes great coffee, and I'm saving money and producing less plastic waste. The Keurig will go to charity. It's a little thing, but I feel really good about it! :)
Happy Day!
Peace in our hearts, peace in the world
Amy (Sister#6098) www.danaherandcloud.com
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2015 : 09:00:25 AM
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Oh, AMY!!! You know, I have a Keurig, too, but we use that little reusable coffee filter with ours - it's the size of a K-Cup, but looks like a filter you would use in your regular coffee maker. Here's one on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-Reusable-Coffee-Filter-Single/dp/B000DLB2FI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442764700&sr=8-1&keywords=keurig+reusable . You can find generic ones online as well! By using the reusable filter, we use our own coffee bought at a good price, we only make what we need as we go so there is no waste, and then we compost the grinds. If you still have the Keurig, please don't get rid of it - try to hang on to it. If you can get hold of one of the reusable filters, I think you'll still love your Keurig!!! Having said all of that, though, I'm really happy you've found a solution that works for you!!! :) Have a great Sunday! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2015 : 09:13:33 AM
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Actually, buying a Keurig is not economical. I have been told that when they stop working, they cannot be fixed.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 1:58:55 PM
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I don't know, Marie. We've had ours for over seven years and never had a problem with it... Then again, we've had it for seven years and since we've never had a problem with it, it's almost a guarantee it will stop working! LOL! I really love ours. It just works for us. But I agree - it's kind of stinky when things can't be repaired. I will definitely look into this more when this one - gulp - goes! ;) I hope it lasts!!! They sure are expensive!!! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Song Sparrow
True Blue Farmgirl
1010 Posts
Amy
Talleyville
Delaware
USA
1010 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 2:55:02 PM
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Thanks, Nini, I actually have one of those little cups, but I started having trouble with it. All of a sudden it wouldn't work, the machine would make those noises (you know those crazy brewing noises!) but then only a few drips would come out. I think it was the beginning of the end:( So, I bit the bullet and bought a different (and much cheaper) kind. My mom said we should get an old fashioned stove-top percolator - if this $20 job I bought doesn't work out, I think I will! Wish we still had mom's old one! Ah, adventures in caffeine!
Happy Day!
Peace in our hearts, peace in the world
Amy (Sister#6098) www.danaherandcloud.com
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Denise Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
831 Posts
Denise
Shoreview
MN
USA
831 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2015 : 9:00:59 PM
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Amy,
I'm sorry to hear about your Keurig, I'm going to be really disappointed when mine dies... Since its just me its convenient. I do have the reusable cup, but I'm never sure how much coffee to put in it.
Denise |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2015 : 1:43:35 PM
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Hey girls!
You know, Amy, it's so funny you say that! Whenever we had percolated coffee at our former church, it tastes SOOOOO good! And it seemed to stay hot longer, too! Please do let us know how you make out if you get one!
Denise - we just fill our filter cup to the top, leaving just enough room for the lid to go on. Very rarely do we end up with grinds in our cup! :)
Has anyone ever used a French press? I thought that also might be a nice option to the Keurig.
Busy, busy day today! We bought over a bushel of "seconds" apples at a local farm yesterday for a very good price. I'll be making applesauce and dehydrated apples with them on Friday. I also plan to make apple "cider" vinegar with the cores, and I'm going to give making pectin another whirl using the peels and a few cores. If all goes well, I'll be using the pectin next year to make our jams! Wish me luck! :)
Also, I'm very grateful to still be picking veggies from the garden. The goodies coming in are getting smaller and smaller, but they're still yummy! I spent the rest of the morning processing peppers for the freezer and washing tomatoes to be dehydrated and turned into powder. I have plenty in the freezer for sauce, I've made enough tomato and tomato-peach salsa to get us through to next summer (God willing!), but I'm really hooked on tomato powder and don't think there will be nearly enough to carry us through the winter. The powder is just so fresh tasting in all of my recipes - and I love using it in place of tomato paste to thicken my sauces. SO surprisingly good - and versatile! I have used it as a flavor booster in different dishes, and plan to use more of it to make into instant pizza sauce as well as to make instant tomato soup! YUM! So, I think I'd better get crackin!
Tell me: What should I do with the remaining green tomatoes? There are quite a few still on the vine out there, but it's almost time to tuck in the garden for the winter. I've never really done much with green tomatoes, so any recommendations and/or recipes would be greatly appreciated! :)
I made homemade onion soup mix with the ingredients I have on hand to use in dips, on roasted veggies and to make a quick cuppa hot goodness this winter. It's much tastier and much less expensive than the store bought stuff! I've also been making my own taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix for months now, and am eager to try more homemade recipes like this. I'll tell you, once you try them, and work them to suit your own tastes, you will never go back! :) If you need any recipes please let me know, or if you would like to share any please do!
I think I shared this with you before, but we had a cash back credit available, so we applied it and wound up buying 50 lbs. of rolled oats and 50 lbs. of corn (for meal, flour, etc.) on sale at a fraction of the regular price! This afternoon, I got all of these grains out of bags and into plastic food grade buckets for storage. The buckets were a purchase, too, but a friend recently told me to check out local bakeries because they usually give them away. Lesson learned! I'm going to call next week and see what I can line up so I have more ready for the next grain purchase - I still need more wheat for the winter. ANYHOW, since we're planning on using all of our grains within the next few months to a year, I'm not going crazy with oxygen absorbers or sealing them in mylar bags or anything like that; however, if you think that's a mistake, please do let me know!
I'm so excited, too - tomorrow our sauerkraut will be ready!!! We visited a friend's farm yesterday, and they have LOVELY cabbages for sale, so I think we're going to go buy a few more to make more sauerkraut and stuffed cabbages for the freezer. Homemade is just so easy, so much less expensive, and SO much better than store bought!
My vanilla should also be ready in a couple of weeks - just in time for fall baking! I am anxious to see how it turned out. I have read that some people add a little simple syrup to the jar to lightly sweeten it like store bought, but I'm not planning to do that. When I bake, there's usually plenty of sweetener in the recipe! ;) What I am really excited about is that I've learned is that when I've used about half the vanilla in the jar, I can add more vodka to make more! I also tried making vanilla sugar, and boy does it smell goo-ood. It's just such a bonus knowing I've saved quite a bit of money making my own.
ALSO - I saved some money making my own pumpkin spice coffee this year. I am ADDICTED to Dunkin Donuts' pumpkin coffee, so I wondered how hard it might be to make it myself. After all, I make my own mocha candy cane coffee at the holidays - how hard could it be? I was going to add my dehydrated "pumpkin dust," as our friend, who loves to tease me, calls it, but instead I just added a little homemade pumpkin pie spice to some freshly ground coffee. Oh my WORD! So good! It tasted just like the stuff at the donut shop - and I made it for a FRACTION of what theirs cost! If you're going to give this a try, I just suggest you add less spice than you think you'll need at first, because it really doesn't take much to flavor your coffee. You can always adjust the amount of spice you use once you try a cup or two! SO good!
Finally - we recycled some partially used paint by sharing several cans with a friend who is renovating his older home. They're in various shades of white, ivory and tan, so he's going to combine them to make one light beige color for his walls. My hubby was so happy I talked him out of pitching them - and so was his buddy!
You know, sometimes it just drives me crazy when people ask what I'm going to do now that my son has graduated from homeschool. Like I do NOTHING with my life! LOL!
Have a great day!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Sep 23 2015 9:34:03 PM |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
7114 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
7114 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 06:27:15 AM
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Nini, when it comes to saving money & DIY you rock!
Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015
Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.
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Marilyn Hartman Sullivan
True Blue Farmgirl
1138 Posts
Marilyn
Oxford
PA
USA
1138 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 07:10:24 AM
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Nini -- You may have covered this earlier, but I just read about your tomato powder. I have been dehydrating some tomatoes -- when the garden gets to producing fast than we can gobble! -- but hadn't thought of making them into powder. How do you use the powder later?
Farmgirl #6318
"Where there's a will -- there's probably a family fight." |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 1:35:30 PM
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Hi girls!
Sara - I just emailed that recipe to you! :)
Marilyn - I LOVE tomato powder. I add it to homemade spaghetti sauce, one tablespoon at a time, as a thickener in place of tomato paste. I add it ground beef with my taco seasoning for a little flavor burst. You can mix it with water, adding less to turn it into paste, adding more to turn it into a sauce. You can use it to make an instant pizza sauce or a quick serving of ketchup, and it can be added to soups and stews... I even used it to thicken up the salsa I made for canning. And I've seen people use it in ready made jar pasta meals where you only have to add hot water. The possiblities are endless, and a little bit of powder can go a loooong way. I've only made it with dehdyrated tomato peels leftover from canning sauce, but I know it can be made with dehydrated tomato slices, too. Just make sure your tomatoes are super dry and crispy, otherwise the powder will be a bit sticky. If that happens, turn the powder out onto a sheet of parchment or a fruit roll-up tray made for your dehydrator and dehydrate until completely dry. It's amazing stuff. We absolutely love how fresh-tomato-tasty it is! :) I did try some canned dried tomato powder, and it was ok, but they added a small amount of silicon dioxide to prevent caking, and to me, it affects the flavor. Homemade is always best! :)
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Denise Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
831 Posts
Denise
Shoreview
MN
USA
831 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2015 : 5:49:50 PM
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Nini
Thanks for the suggestion for filling the reusable Keurig k-cup. I will give it a try!
Denise Ann |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2015 : 3:50:51 PM
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Hey Annika!!!! Good to see you!
Nini, you ARE the Canning and Saving Queen!!!! I found a recipe for dehydrating potatoes, I will look for it and post it for you!
Everyone has been so busy. I appreciate learning what everyone is doing to save so thanks for sharing!
Nini, I had tons of green tomatoes last year and made Green Tomato Salsa and Green Tomato Mincemeat. I have also made Green Tomato Chutney and Piccalilli too! Let me know if you would like some recipes:)
So lately I have saved money by:
~Canning! Like most of you ladies. I have been canning away for gifts and the pantry:)
~A local orchard had a u-pick day 50 cents a pound for apples, pears and Prune Plums. I can get apples for free so I picked plums and some pears. The trees were hit hard this year but I had just enoughh plums to make my honey some plum butter:)
~One of the Beekeepers in the area had their annual honey-pour. They sell it $3.50 per pound which ends up being a little bit cheaper than the stores but it is raw and it is good! You bring your own container and they fill, so we should be set for the year:)
~I ordered Maple Syrup $56.00 a gallon including shipping. This too should last us a year. I would rather splurge on real maple syrup and only have it a couple of times a year than have fake stuff frequently:)
~I roasted pears to make pear sauce and added vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks and some other whole spices. Once the sauce cooled, I removed the spices, rinsed them and let them dry so I could re-use them for a potpourri on top of the woodstove this winter:0
~I was able to get some free address labels and a personalized memo pad through shutterfly only paying shipping. So we have our labels fro our Christmas Cards now and a stocking stuffer:)
~Saved and re-used ziplock bags:)
~Found a source for non-gmo organic corn. We purchased some for a starter for fermenting feed for our hogs, it is to supplement the pasture and was very inexpensive.
~Kombucha! Michael has been experimenting again! He has taken to making Kombucha. The original scoby (or starter) was about 12 dollars but he has grown more and is keeping this going:)
~Inventory! Both our freezer and pantry! This helps me to know what is needed and what is not as well as how to plan meals:)
~I have been harvesting alot of Basil to dry for the pantry and made some pesto to freeze.
~Since our garden didn't fare to well this year I have let some things go to seed so I should have quite a bit of seed for next year:)
~While driving down a back road, I saw a couple of boxes that said 'free'. I stopped because I was curious and was able to get some Iris Rhizomes. The owner showed me pictures of them in bloom and they are so pretty. Can't wait to plant them and let them be fruitful and multiply:)
~I love fresh flowers. I splurged and bought a bouquet from our farmer's market one Saturday. Late one night my honey and I hear this strange noise. When I looked around I found that some of the fillers in the bouquet had gone to seed and were shooting seeds out! So I have been collecting seeds from said bouquet to plant next year:)
~I have been creating my own floral arrangements for our home using apple branches, rose hips, Black-eyed Susans and whatever else I fancy at the moment. I love having a fresh arrangements in the home and it helps my creative urges:)
How have you girls been saving?
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
http://amerryheartjournal.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Calicogirl on Sep 26 2015 4:11:03 PM |
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CindyG
True Blue Farmgirl
293 Posts
Cindy
Fairfax
VA
USA
293 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2015 : 03:34:06 AM
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Hi Nini-
Two quick comments on your fabulous post - I am inspired by all the detail you share.
First: I use a French Press a great deal, and almost exclusively when I camp. It can be surprisingly strong and may have a touch more of an acidic note than coffee brewed through a filter, but I kind of like tastes more on the bold side. It can get a little bitter if you let it sit too long, and it cools off quickly unless the body of the press is insulated. The one I take camping is thermos-style made by Nissan.
Second: be prepared for the intoxicating aroma of bakery icing from those buckets from the bakery. The quality/sturdiness of the bucket is usually really, really good but we had one heck of a time getting rid of that deeeeelicious aroma. I was like one of Pavlov's dogs - salivating every time one of the buckets was opened rather than hearing a ringing bell :)
Cindy
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CindyG
True Blue Farmgirl
293 Posts
Cindy
Fairfax
VA
USA
293 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2015 : 03:37:20 AM
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Ladies,
I continue to save money by meal planning. Not only has it helped me cruise the grocery store sales flyers knowing in advance what I'll need to stock up on, but having a yummy dinner right there ready to go has cut way back on all the dinners out hubby and I had when we were both working and tired at the end of the day.
I have a friend who plans a whole month in advance for her family of eight - that is too much work for me, plus I fear what might have sounded good for Wednesday the 27th back when I planned it on Monday the 1st will not be at all appealing....and then I'll ditch the plan and go out to eat. So I stick to a week at a time for now and that works well in our house.
Cindy
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2015 : 10:50:20 PM
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Cindy, I wish that I could learn how to meal plan. For some reason it just never works out for me, good for you!!!!
And yes Nini, on the French Press, SO GOOD!
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
http://amerryheartjournal.blogspot.com/
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knittingmom
True Blue Farmgirl
665 Posts
AnneMarie
Edmonton
Alberta
Canada
665 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2015 : 11:54:17 AM
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Ditched the paper towel, using cloth. This also ties into my daughter's gr. 4 science unit (we're homeschooling) about the world and waste. We're looking for new ways to reuse and recycle further.
"There is no foot so small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world"
"The things that matter most are not really things after all" |
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Needle
True Blue Farmgirl
287 Posts
Judy
Kissimmee
Florida
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2015 : 06:20:29 AM
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I started this last month. I make my own vanilla extract. All you need is a bottle of "cheep vodka and some vanilla beans. Split the beans and put them in the bottle. Shake it up every so often and in 3 months it's ready. I've done this for several now and it's great! Makes a great gift too!
Farm Girl Sister #6566
The road of life is made smoother when traveled with someone you love. |
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YellowRose
True Blue Farmgirl
7114 Posts
Sara
Paris
TX
USA
7114 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2015 : 06:47:25 AM
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Judy, I made vanilla flavoring with Jim Beam bourbon ~ it's good in baking, egg custards, and to sip over ice or in hot tea/coffee. Vanilla bourbon may be an acquired taste.
Sara~~~ FarmGirl Sister #6034 8/25/14
FarmGirl of the Month Sept 2015
Lord put your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2015 : 08:46:24 AM
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I made two cheap vodka extracts: orange and lemon. Almost ready to decant. I also made apple cider vinegar. I had an apple with brown spots inside. I chopped it up added enough clean water to cover the apples, covered it with a cloth and set it in the window for a few days. When it was done I put it in the almost empty bottle. It saved me from buying a new bottle.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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morganewilson
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Morgan
Knoxville
TN
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2015 : 04:53:11 AM
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I haven't gone out to eat (well, for dinner) in almost 2 weeks. We try really hard to sit down on Saturday or Sunday and plan our meals out for the week. I know it is saving us a lot...though man do we have a lot of dirty dishes.
I've been making my own granola once a week or so. The effort it would take to figure out the cost of each batch is more math than I want to deal with so I'm going to hope it is cheaper than the fancy stuff we often buy in the bulk bins at our food co-op.
I let my Sam's Club membership expire because now that my son has moved out, there isn't quite as much need to buy things in bulk. It was mostly processed stuff anyways.
I have started couponing again and my next door neighbor leaves his Sunday paper inserts on my porch for me.
Noticed my son had a hole in the crotch of his Levi's earlier in the week (poor college student) so I started looking at sales and found a half off orders of $250+ on Levi dot com. So I got four pairs (one for me) for a total of close to 150$. That was about $34 a pair before taxes. :D However, him telling me how helpful it was to him right now was priceless. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2015 : 4:08:30 PM
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Hi girls!
Sorry it has taken so long to get back!
Sharon - I would love those recipes! I just brought in the rest of our tomatoes on Saturday. We've only got a small gallon bag full, so I may just try to get them to ripen. Having said that, though, I sure would love to try your recipes next year! And you know - I've been making kombucha for a few months now! We are addicted! It's sooo good, and so good for you! My scoby is getting HUGE, though... I've got to figure out what I'm going to do with it. Most people around here turn their noses up at the kombucha, and I do not think it would fare very well if I were to offer it and mail it to our farmgirl sisters... I suppose I could compost it? What will Michael do when yours gets too big?
Cindy - Thank you for the "heads up" on the buckets! I've been really thinking about it - I think I have plenty right here at home for what we will be using until next year's stock-up, and by then, I'll be able to reuse the ones I have on hand! My husband said, though, that maybe I should still pick up a bakery bucket or two... He suggests I open one in the corner of the kitchen and the living room and let them scent those rooms instead of spending money on pretty scented candles! LOL! Talk about saving money - he is a MISER! LOL!
Girls - Thanks for your input about the French Press. I'm convinced, and will pick one up next time I come across a great deal! YAY!
My husband did the smartest thing... Our sofas were only purchased about a year ago (maybe two?), but my son and his friends tend to use them for sleepovers, and I noticed a while back that now we're sinking down into them. Then I started noticing how badly they were affecting my back, and getting up from the couch was becoming a real, literal pain. Absolutely not willing to spend money on new sofas, he had my son flip them over so they were bottoms-up. He clipped away the fabric layer that protects the bottom, then found that not only had the springs come loose, but the wood has already started splintering and cracking! (I told those boys to be less rough on the furniture!) He showed my son what had happened, then recruited him to repair them. He had him replace the wooden pieces that were coming apart, had him shore up the wood that was loose and then had him re-staple the springs to the wood. Next, my husband had our son run sturdy plastic sheeting underneath the springs and staple them to the surrounding wood in order to reinforce them. He then had him staple the protective fabric to the bottoms again, flip them back over and put them into place. When all was said and done, he had my son vaccuum the sofas, the floors and put away all the tools he had used. Not only were the sofas as good as new, now my son had learned hands-on how to fix a sofa... AND he now understood the importance of him and his friends taking it easy on the furniture! LOL! His buddy was over the other day and plopped himself on the couch.. I heard my son say, in his father's voice, "HEY! Take it EASY on the sofa! I just had to fix those once already!" This saved us a great deal of money not having to buy new sofas... But the satisfaction of hearing that our son learned his lesson? PRICELESS! LOL!
I've been busy in the kitchen, too... Canned the rest of our tomatoes, made tomato powder, canned more potatoes and carrots, made homemade jellied cranberry sauce, applesauce, etc. I've also cleaned out the freezer and canned a whole lot of chicken, bacon and stew beef that had been in there a while. I've dehydrated apples, kale, celery, Italian parsley... froze all my peppers and onions... We bought our pig and a hind quarter of beef, so our freezer is full. I plan to can more ground beef, stew beef, homemade sausage patties, chicken and soups in the upcoming week, too - SO good to have ready-to-go! :)
Morgan, we've been avoiding restaurants, too. It's hard sometimes, and I really applaud you for choosing to dirty dishes! ;) We usually go out for specialty foods, but I'm learning to make more of our favorite dine-out treats. I found a recipe for gyro burgers last summer, for example, that I've been dying to try! So much tastier and SO much better for you! I think I'm going to make a bunch of them up ahead of time and freeze them. Making yummy "fast freezer food" really helps me opt out of restaurants when I'm tired and hankering for something good! :)
Marie - I just made apple cider vinegar, too! And, girls, my first batch of homemade vanilla is just days away from being ready! I am SO excited to start using it for holiday baking! I had given my Mom a couple of months ago when I saw her. She has been shaking it faithfully daily, but couldn't wait any longer - she called today after opening her jar! LOL! She said it's WONDERFUL! I'm so excited! Marie - are the orange and lemon extracts made the same way? I would LOVE to try making those!!!
I also want to share a homemade recipe for toothpaste with you:
Simply blend together equal parts of baking soda and coconut oil. Then add peppermint extract to your liking. Hands down, this toothpaste works SO much better than store bought! It keeps your teeth white, makes your breath super fresh... And you know how sometimes you brush really well at night, but in the morning, you've got that nasty feeling in your mouth? Well, my dentist told me a long time ago that that's from bacteria that hides under your gums when you're brushing. He said you have to floss it all out, or you wind up with that cruddy feeling and taste in your mouth. WELL, since using the homemade stuff, I haven't had that happen at all - and I don't floss everyday like I should! My teeth look and feel amazing! I highly, HIGHLY recommend trying this! There are two things I will share with you, though: (1) in warmer weather, the homemade paste turns into liquid, so it's a bit weird, but still works. (2) It's not as smooth and tasty as store bought - it actually tastes a bit salty from the baking soda... but trust me, it's wonderful. Once you get used to it, you'll never go back! And your dentist, like mine, will be amazed at your next visit! :)
There's more to tell, but I just realized it's after 7:00 our time, and I haven't even thought about dinner (son's at school, hubby's sleeping)! I'd better get crack-a-lackin'! My tummy is growling mad!
Have a good night girls! Thanks for all of your money saving inspiration!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
www.papercraftingwithnini.ctmh.com
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Needle
True Blue Farmgirl
287 Posts
Judy
Kissimmee
Florida
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2015 : 5:50:10 PM
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Mini, I've been wanting to make my own toothpaste and your recipe sounds great! I've been making my own vanilla for several years now and I love it. It makes great gifts too!
Have a great night everyone!
Farm Girl Sister #6566
The road of life is made smoother when traveled with someone you love. |
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2015 : 8:22:20 PM
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To make the orange and lemon extracts, I saved the peels from each when ever I have them. I have even gathered them from restaurants when they use them for garnish. That is why I get a diet Coke with lemon. I put them out to completed air dry. I wait until I have enough to stuff firmly into a dark glass vitamin bottle and fill it with cheap vodka. This stuff was cheap because I took it from a friend of mine who left it here when we called to have her taken to detox. Then it is the same: put in a cool dark place and gently shake everyday.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Nifty Thrifty: How did you save money this week? |
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How did you save money this week?
