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Nifty Thrifty:  How did you save money this week?  |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 02 2013 : 09:33:04 AM
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Took my egg cartons to a neighbor who gives me free eggs. So far today that would be it.
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2013 : 07:33:46 AM
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Dorinda,
What a nice trade for the both of you.
Today, I am making homemade taco mix, which will be used to make a homemade salsa/black bean dip, dehydrating tarragon (which I bought for $.79/each at the store on clearance and organic), and making homemade honey pumpkin cookies for the kids (using homemade vanilla, my own eggs, but sadly no pumpkins from the garden). I also bought a dozen organic eggs which will be boiled for after school snacks (my own eggs are just to frustrating to peel, and these were on clearance too).
Farmgirl Sister #800
My Family and My Crazy Life: http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
Recycle Art Ideas: http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
Our Family Store: http://roosterscrowfarm.blogspot.com/
2011 Farmgirl of the Year
July 2012 Farmgirl of the Month
Farmgirl #800
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2013 : 09:30:34 AM
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You girls are busy!
Kristina, I hope your pups like the dog food :) Your ornaments are too cute! We got a lot of pumpkins but unfortunately not all have ripened.
Dorinda, great deal :)
Well yesterday I process about a third of our pumpkins and saved the insides for our pigs. I froze alot (after we gave some to the piggies) so we can give them to them throughout the winter. The seeds act as a natural de-wormer so that will be good for them, plus they love it!
I need to dry some mint and freeze some too before it's gone.
Today I am actually goofing off because I'm tired :)
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 06:00:15 AM
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Sharon, I am jealous of all your pumpkins. I will have to buy mine this year.
I did find 2 (extra long) beach towels on clearance for $5.00 each. These will go in my camper. They not only come in use for swimming and showering, but can be used to wipe down wet dogs too.
I posted my homemade taco mix recipe on my blog, and another dip recipe I used it with too. Yum!
Farmgirl Sister #800
My Family and My Crazy Life: http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
Recycle Art Ideas: http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
Our Family Store: http://roosterscrowfarm.blogspot.com/
2011 Farmgirl of the Year
July 2012 Farmgirl of the Month
Farmgirl #800
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yarndoll
Farmgirl at Heart
2 Posts
Marianne
Waukee
Iowa
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 07:56:33 AM
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Hello Farmgirls!
Today I saved money by canceling my Weight Watchers membership. This will save me about $43.00/month! Also, indirectly it will save me on wasted fresh produce that doesn't get eaten before it goes bad. :)
Farmgirl Sister #5487
Yarndoll |
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lovecatsandsunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
310 Posts
Tara
Sands of Time
SC
USA
310 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 1:48:37 PM
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Used water from rain bucket to water flowers and fill bird bath. No need to use water from faucet.
STYX the Band rocks!
Support your local organic farmer.www.localharvest.org
Monsanto you Stink!! |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Oct 05 2013 : 5:52:35 PM
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Kristina I wish that all of them were ripe but they weren't. We picked most of them too early because of a frost.
Marianne, WW is so expensive and hard. Please don't be discouraged, just hop back on when you can (which is exactly what I need to do!). I did it on my own a couple of years ago and did well, I just needed to keep up with it.
Tara, that rain water sure comes in handy!
~I have been shopping from my freezer and pantry so I have saved money that way.
~We got free pallets and are using those for building projects.
~I made a Chai Tea concentrate instead of spending $4-5 per box
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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AFinkberry
True Blue Farmgirl
310 Posts
Ally
Kalama
Washington
310 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2013 : 6:20:35 PM
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Today I went to the thrift store and bought much needed bowls, and I picked up a shirt because all of mine are turning into rags! so I spent less than $5. I feel thrifty, anyway!
Ally
"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama |
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 07 2013 : 9:04:12 PM
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I made eight journals for the crochet class I will be teaching. The first class is tomorrow and I will be teaching first through fifth graders. The school has a huge emphasis on literacy so I made the journals and I will give some kind of written homework every week. I also want to encourage the students to draw pictures of designs they might want to try, paste in samples of favorite colors and fibers and write about and illustrate any design ideas they have.
The only item I purchased for this project were the letters. Everything else I already had at home.
Marie, Sister #5142
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2013 : 03:48:00 AM
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Very thrifty, Ally! Great job!
What a great idea, Marie! I love that you're teaching the kids how to crochet - what a blessing to learn such a wonderful craft! :)
Saturday was delivery day for our Zaycon chicken. I canned 16 pint-and-one-half jars and froze 9 bags of breast pieces (I cut two breast halves into half again, giving me four pieces per whole breast.). It was so worth the money and processing it was a breeze! I think next time I may just use pint-sized jars, though. My guys are big eaters, so I wanted to be sure there was enough in each jar for a meal and leftovers for my hubby's lunch the next day. I was really surprised how much meat I was able to pack in the larger jars! Pint sized jars should be more than sufficient next time - and I should be able to stretch my storage by 8 more meals. As far as the chicken itself, the breasts are HUGE. They're supposed to be all-natural, so I'm not exactly sure why they would be so big. But there was very little trimming involved (cooked that up for the dog's dinner!), no bones, and the meat cooks up very tender. I made chicken parmesan last night and it melted in the mouth. I was concerned it'd be tough considering how big the breasts were, but pleasantly surprised instead. Next time I'm going to buy two boxes and make some meals ahead before canning. I just really wasn't up to it Saturday. I'm hoping to go to the butcher soon for a big order of ground beef and stew meat for canning. I'm going to preseason most of the ground beef (taco meat, spaghetti sauce, and some plain for quick meals), and make stew and my Grandma's pot roast for canning. I really like the idea of having the meat prepared, cooked and ready to go. We get so busy during the school year that making a big dinner is just too much work at the end of the day. Having premade meals in a jar will be such a nice thing - just open, reheat and serve! Easy peasy! Yay for Mom! :)
Here's a quick, easy peach cobbler recipe for you to try, courtesy of Kendra from newlifeonahomestead.com ... When I saw how similar it is to dump cake, I had to try! Pour a quart jar of home-canned peaches (or use a large can of store bought peaches) into a cast iron skillet (or similar sized baking dish), cut them up in smaller pieces with a spoon, pour and spread a box of dry spice cake mix on top (you can easily make your own, but I picked up a few boxes for $1 each on sale at the grocery to stock up), covered with slices butter (whole stick), sprinkled with cinnamon all over, and baked at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until bubbly and the top is brown. Voila - instant peach cobbler! Very good served warm with a little cream on top or on top of vanilla ice cream. My guys and our neighbor enjoyed it during Sunday's Pirates game - they LOVED it!!!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 08 2013 04:03:58 AM |
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Simply Satisfied
True Blue Farmgirl
427 Posts
Emily
Montana
USA
427 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2013 : 05:54:38 AM
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Today I already started by turning the thermostat down a little more. My husband and I have such a great comforter that we don't need the heat so high. I turned it down last week and now will turn it down some more! I love saving a little more.
Emily
Farmgirl # 3591 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2013 : 06:38:31 AM
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Good for you, Emily!!! We have been fluctuating between hot (80's) and cooler (60's) weather. The cold nights (40's) are tough, but with our down blankets and an extra quilt or two, we're still keeping warm enough to keep the heat turned off. I wait until I absolutely can't take the cold anymore before our heat is turned on. I hate paying a huge gas bill!
I forgot to mention earlier that I cut my own hair yesterday. Sometimes I do layers, but yesterday was a quick and easy blunt cut at the shoulders to get rid of dead ends and give my hair a healthy start for fall. By Christmas, it should be my favorite length again and super healthy. It took a couple of tries to get it fairly straight in the back, but it looks pretty good, so I'm grateful. I learned how to do this years ago when I was in high school after reading an article in Seventeen magazine as to how to do it. Later as an adult, I was given a copy of a good book on how to cut one's own hair. It's scary at first, but not impossible, trust me. It just takes practice. My Grandpa was a barber in his retirement, so he was thrilled when I started cutting my hair, and gifted me one of his favorite pair of professional sheers. I still have them today and try not to tear up when I take them out, believe me. I usually cut (and color) my own hair, but very once in a while - for an upcoming special occasion - I'll break down, take a chance, splurge and see a pro. Thing is, whenever I go to a pro, I'm disappointed and usually feel I could've done what they did for myself - or better - for free. I hate paying for a sub-par cut. I've only had two really great hairdressers in my life, and both are no longer accessible, so I deal. I also cut my son's hair (super easy), and my hubby shaves his head smooth and soft as a baby's bottom. We are definitely saving quite a bit by doing this. Over the years I have cut hair for friends and family who struggle with this expense, literally having to budget a chunk of their monthly income for their families' haircuts. I always encourage them to try to do it themselves, but most are too afraid. I say, go simple and go for it - it will always grow back! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! :)
- Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 08 2013 06:40:29 AM |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2013 : 12:36:12 PM
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Nini, my son bought himself a tool to cut his own hair. He's saving a ton of money. I haven't had a professional haircut in a while.
I spray painted the lids to the baby food jars I am using for gifting. I used paint I already had. It saved me the cost of paint and the gas to get to the store. I'm not adding anything else but a label to the jars, so the recipient can reuse the jar for something else.
I am putting my laundry out, and have washed everyone's winter coats. It took two days for the coats to dry outside.
The dogs love their food, and I think their fur is already softer. It's too soon to tell if it will help the skin on our lab.
Alias, is getting some weight on him. He still has bones sticking out his backside, but looking better every day.
We are not burning wood yet, so I can't say I'm saving money with our wood stove (yet). In fact, if anything, we'll be spending cash to fix it. The chimney guys came today. They said our pipe was rotting and quoted $650.00. Hubby said he'd check other sources, so I am praying for a lower quote. I am not sure that we can do it ourselves, per insurance reasons. I'm thinking they need proof of a professional. I'll have to call them to find out for sure.
Farmgirl Sister #800
My Family and My Crazy Life: http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
Recycle Art Ideas: http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
Our Family Store: http://roosterscrowfarm.blogspot.com/
2011 Farmgirl of the Year
July 2012 Farmgirl of the Month
Farmgirl #800
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AFinkberry
True Blue Farmgirl
310 Posts
Ally
Kalama
Washington
310 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2013 : 9:56:04 PM
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Nini, I have tried cutting my son's hair before and it was awful. He cried when he had to go to school the next morning. I told him I wouldn't put him through it again. But I usually have better luck trimming my own hair and bangs!
Emily! Good job turning down the thermostats! Time for us to start that as well!
Kristina, I hope that you will be able to find a good solution for your fireplace problem!
Today, I made my own hot cocoa mix! I added cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a spicy drink that will warm up my family! I made about half a gallon, so hopefully it should last us until just before Christmas! Although, if the temp keeps dropping....I may need to make some more in a few weeks! I think next week I'll try making marshmallows. I know there was a recipe using MJ's Chill Over powder, so maybe I'll try it out!
Ally
"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama |
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2013 : 11:55:15 AM
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We have a dog and she poops at least twice a day. Before we got her, I had saved our household plastic bags and recycled them at the coop. My husband is a fussy, cleanliness freak so he bought some poop bags. These cost $6.89 for the 60 bags. They come in a package of 60 so one package would only last 1 month unless our dog poops more than twice a day.
At this time I have collected enough bags from our household use and rolling around on the street to fill my plastic bag keeper which is 12" long and 13.5" in circumstance. I do not know how many bags I have in it. I just bring them home and stuff them in.
Marie, Sister #5142
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13664 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13664 Posts |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2013 : 1:00:07 PM
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Marie - We use our old grocery bags for that purpose, too, as well as for garbage bags. We turn their edges out and around an old laundry detergent bucket. Works like a charm! :)
Good for you, CJ! Somehow, to me, it's always more fun and cozy when the girls and I get together at our homes! The cappuccino sounds divine! :)
Kristina! How exciting to have found a store that would do that! I am so happy for you! Milk is SO expensive - especially organic! I hope it all works out! YAY!
I've been saving scraps of meat trimmings in the freezer for a couple of weeks now, so the other day, I slow cooked them overnight in the crock pot to make our doggie's wet food. The trimmings filled about half the crockpot, I added a small piece of onion, a handful of chopped celery and a clove of garlic, then I covered the rest with water, adding it all the way to the top of the pot. In the morning, I took out all the meat trimmings and put it in the fridge to cool. Then I took MaryJane's recent tip about cooking rice for six hours in the crock pot on low (which she does for her beloved doggie), but instead of adding water, I used the juices from the trimmings the night before. 'Took all that out when it was done and mixed with the chicken. Separated it into baggies, freezing all but three, which I kept on hand for the next few nights. I ended up with quite a lot of the mixture - enough for her to have at least a couple weeks of wet food. I'm telling you - she's hysterical. I had run out of homemade wet food a couple of weeks ago, so she had been eating canned. As soon as she smelled what was in the crock pot, she knew what it was, and she went bonkers. When I go to the fridge at her meal time, she runs right up to the fridge, poking her nose in, then while I'm fixing her bowl, she is right by my side, nose up to the counter, panting in anticipation. She never does that with canned stuff. She is so much happier and seems even healthier since we switched to the homemade stuff! I can't blame her - it's all good stuff, and it smells really good. AND it saves me a lot of money using trimming scraps, and nothing is wasted. I like it! Win-Win-Win!
Yesterday afternoon I took a small amount of cash with me to go grocery shopping - and I stuck to it. It was hard passing up a couple of good unadvertised sales on stuff I'd like to have on hand this winter, but I hanged tough. I could've spent more - I had money in the checkbook to cover the additional purchases, and money at home in my grocery budget envelope to replace it - but I am committed to keeping it a "cash only"/"original intent only" purchase. I had to keep reminding myself that that the point was to stick within the budget rather than to fill our pantry right now. The cash in the envelope is reserved for the big trip to Costco at the end of the month to stock up on dwindling necessities. I know what I need from Costco is more important than the stuff at the grocery store right now. Making good choices and exercising discipline is not only important for maintaining our budget, but sends a clear message of responsibility to our son, who will be on his own in a couple of years, facing these same types of decisions. I'm pretty happy I stuck to it. It was a toughie this time, for sure, though! In the long run, telling myself "no" gives me greater peace of mind than saying yes to an impromptu sales purchase. :)
I came across a blog the other day where the woman challenged her readers to live on just $250 for an entire month. That meant that they could spend nothing out of pocket but the $250 cash, which included rent/mortgage, utilities, auto expenses, groceries, etc. They were allowed to earn or to barter for anything else she needed, but that was it. If they couldn't barter for it, sell it or pay for it with the $250, they were out of luck. I thought, my goodness, how could anyone do that? But then I thought about our pantry and other necessities that I have been stocking up over the past few months as sales came around, and was very grateful. I thought about all of the things we could do to "earn" the payments on our utilities and mortgage (in other words, we'd work or provide a service, and the recipient would pay the bill for us in exchange), not to mention the different things we have on hand that we could barter. And my hubby’s employer – God bless him – provides a vehicle and fuel for work (the guys travel to various jobs throughout the week as needed) in which the guys who work together carpool, which is a huge budget salvation for all of the families. In light of that fact, I actually think we could meet the challenge, as long as we were allowed to take payments on our mortgage and utilities in trade for labor and items we sell. I'm not sure, though, that it would be "legal" in the challenge to do that. It really has me thinking, though, about what more I can do to cut expenses. Despite our frugal efforts to economize and plan ahead, if we suddenly found ourselves with no income and just $250 on hand with which to pay expenses, it'd sure be tough. We have almost been there a few times before in the past, but back then living expenses weren’t nearly as high. I don’t think this is a challenge we’d be willing to accept right now, but it sure is an eye-opening conversation starter in our home.
So, what do you think, girls – do you think YOU are ready for such a challenge?
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 11 2013 1:02:28 PM |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2013 : 1:35:01 PM
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Kristina,
I hope that you can get some pipe at a good price or free. Try looking for some on Craigslist or Freecycle. Last year I posted on Freecycle looking for an a/c unit. I know it was a long shot but we got one and it works great! You will save money on heating with a woodstove. We LOVE ours! Good score on the milk. I hope that you chickens will keep you in milk :)
CJ,
Your day sounds perfect. I love cozying up inside when it is rainy.
Ditto on the shopping bags :)
Nini,
I make dog food for Cookie too. I've been making my own moist food for several years now. Cookie gets dry but on the weekends she gets moist too! I add excess veggies from the garden, sweet potato and peelings and cranberries :)I wanted to let you know that some foods like onions and garlic can be toxic to pets.
I found this link:
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/foods_poisonous_to_pets.html
Good for you with being so disciplined shopping :) That is awesome! I'm not sure if I could do the $250.00 a month challenge. We do have plenty of beef in the freezer as well as veggies and I did some canning too. I also try to stock up in the summer for things we will need in winter so we have a pretty decent surplus. BUT things may change with the shutdown. Our income is VA disability so things may get even tighter if things don't get resolved soon.
Today was the third time this week we had to travel to Durango (about an hour away). We filled our tank before we left Monday and found out that diesel was .20 less in Durango. So yesterday and today (more appts.) we topped off. It was nice paying $3.70 per gallon for diesel instead of close to $4.00.
I am experimenting with a recipe using pumpkin for tonight's dinner. I really want to try and have a meatless meal once a week in addition to a soup night. I posted the link in the Farm Kitchen. So far it smells and looks good. Still cooking :)
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2013 : 3:17:56 PM
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Oh! Thank you, Sharon! I didn't know.. But thankfully, she hasn't had any problem with them. I don't add a lot - just a little for taste. I will be more careful now that I know, though. Thanks so much for letting me know! I really appreciate it!
Ooooo... I pray the shutdown won't last too long. Every day we're learning more and more how deeply this affects people - much more than I think most ever realized. I will keep you both in my prayers!
I'll definitely be checking out the pumpkin recipe, too! You rock, farmgirl - you always have the best recipes!
Kristina - I checked with my hubby on the piping for you, just in case he might know a good solution. He said that he was quoted $500 per floor for the pipe you'd need to re-line the chimney. He felt bad, he was hoping to have a better option for you. I feel really bad, too. He did say - please, please, please do not even attempt to use that pipe as it is. I'm sure you already know that, and would never even take such a risk, but he wanted me to drive it home as to just how seriously in danger you would be of fire. If there's a hole in the pipe, the embers could go through the hole in the pipe and the mortar joints in the chimney and catch the interior walls on fire - or even the exterior walls, depending upon where the hole is. He said any wood-burning appliance requires special piping, and, in all honesty, that's a very fair price you've received, when you consider it would probably take two guys to come out, remove the old material and re-line the chimney. I will pray that some other less expensive option will turn up for you. I'm so sorry we couldn't help!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 11 2013 3:21:18 PM |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2013 : 5:45:48 PM
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Thanks for your prayers Nini :)
Oh and if your dog just happens to need to lose weight, feed her pumpkin puree (not with spices added). Our vet suggested that to us with our last dog and it worked well filling her up without her gaining weight.
Oh and my honey deemed the recipe a Keeper :) That says alot from a meat eater who does not like squash :)
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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Edited by - Calicogirl on Oct 11 2013 5:46:34 PM |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2013 : 12:23:25 PM
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Girls! It WORKED! It WORKED!!! My sauerkraut making trial - it WORKED!!! We finally tried it today, and oh my GOODNESS! This is the BEST sauerkraut we've ever had!!! No scum ever formed on top - when I removed the baggie, the kraut was still tightly packed and submerged in it's own beautifully clear fermented fluid. I stirred it around a little, and we each took a taste! WOWZA - tangy, salty, crisp... SO much better than store bought! And rich with good things for the body, too! How thrilling to be able to make something so good for you and so delicious with such little effort! I piled a whole bunch of it on top of a garlic studded pork roast (now in the oven), and the rest I was able to pack down tightly into a half gallon canning jar to be stored in the fridge for later! I am hoping it will last until New Year's, but I'm not so sure... my guys are LOVIN' it! I want to make more... I have a few small cabbages still growing out in the garden, but I am wondering if it would be okay to use cabbage straight from the farm or the grocery store? I don't know of any organic farms locally, so either way, these would not be organic cabbages I would have to use. What do you think? Should I try or just wait til spring when I have more organic home grown in the garden? Next year, I'm definitely going to make a MUCH bigger crock full of it! Yum! Yum! Yum!
Oh my... I can't thank MaryJane and you farmgirls enough. I would never have attempted this if it weren't for the article I had read in MaryJane's Farm a couple (?) of years ago, and for all of your wisdom and encouragement! And Lisa - don't worry, I promise I will not can it! Thank you so much for explaining that to me!
Judy - how is yours coming along? Have you tried it yet? I'm sure you will be just as thrilled and amazed as I am! :)
Hmmmm.... What should I try next... What should I try next? Have any of you made pickles in a crock? I would LOVE to make mustard pickles or garlic dills!!!
Thanks again - you all are the best! I could never have done this without you! My guys thank you, too!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 13 2013 12:38:24 PM |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2013 : 1:27:43 PM
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I'm glad to hear that you Sauerkraut turned out so well Nini :) That is on my 'to do' list for next year :) Pickles would be wonderful!
Farmgirl Sister #5392
By His Grace, For His Glory
~Sharon
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Simply Satisfied
True Blue Farmgirl
427 Posts
Emily
Montana
USA
427 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2013 : 2:12:40 PM
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$250 a month would be very hard for us. If I don't consider mortgage or the car payment I could but of course on a normal month those are well within our budget. We have definitely been pulled tight this month with the furlough. My husband, although he is going to work, will not be paid for it until it is all over. It started out as a joke that I finally made more money than him. Now it isn't quite so funny. We are not necessarily paycheck to paycheck people but it is definitely making me think a little this month. I have really cut out any unnecessary expenses. My husband thought I was silly the first week to even worry about it. He isn't the one who pays the bills though and as I pay one bill after the other I am glad I can cut us back as much as I can. When the furlough started I thought about the Organic on a Budget badge and how I really could put my efforts to getting that badge and making the month less stressful.
Today I made more bread. So far no store bought bread this month. Also really using those nice carrots and my summer canning that is sitting around. Tonight I am trying a bakeover for dinner to see what my family thinks. I made a new batch of laundry soap on Wednesday so I have nice clean, fresh clothes that I didn't spend much on. My husband is a good cook but not thrifty so I am really trying to beat him too the kitchen this week. With my job that doesn't always work out but I will keep trying. Oh! I almost forgot I harvested more seeds from the garden today. Ground cherries, dill, and Pearly Pink tomatoes. Can't wait to watch my babies grow this spring.
Emily
Farmgirl # 3591 |
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coccocolorado
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
C.
Poway
CA
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Oct 13 2013 : 7:44:10 PM
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Emily!
It sounds like it's time to do a "kitchen cleanout"! Times like that, I would literally not go shopping, save for the perishables like milk & eggs and make meals with all the misc. canned food I had accumulated, everything in the freezer was used up, etc. I would tell my girls we were going to "rough it" for dinner; my youngest took to calling it "rummage". Now that they are both on their own, I will often get the txt "I have this, this and this, what can I make out of it". I've made the best drop biscuits out of a little self-rising flour, milk and mayonnaise ;)
Farmgirl Sister #5348
City Girl
Country Heart |
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Nifty Thrifty: How did you save money this week? |
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How did you save money this week?
