Are you staying frugal?

Eats lately: Cheddar and onion topped burger with slaw and an orange segment. Chopped salad and brat with leftover onions/mustard/relish topping. Chocolate dipped strawberries. Peanut butter protein bars. Fajita chicken salad.






Frugal doings:
>Found Charlie perfume on sale for under $7 at Walmart's site, whereas in store they wanted $25.
>Bought 4 for $1 flower seeds from Dollar Tree that I'll toss into the straw-bales from last summer's garden project. Hopefully it'll create a new flower bed for me!
>Found myself going out for overpriced coffees on average of once per week and have now scaled it back to only a special occasion such as out with a friend that I don't get to see too often anymore or when J and I are out on a "date". May even cut that out as I am switching to coffee with cream instead of espresso drinks with half and half. If I grind my beans just right it tastes better than the coffeeshops anyway.
>Have been clearing out frozen leftovers for meals. For instance, tonight, we are having taco seasoned rice (frozen leftover) that I will combine with hamburger I was able to purchase with an employee discount at work ($1.47 for 1.25lbs) and top it with shredded cheese (frozen leftover).
>Borrowed The Accountant and Deepwater Horizon from the library to enjoy during the next few days.
>Discovered that A, our adult daughter, has Netflix for herself on her laptop and suggested that her sharing it would be a nice way to "pay rent". So we've watched Bates Motel and a couple of other things that we'd been wanting to see.
>Went to the waste recovery center (place for stuff that people throw out that could be used still) and found a small roll of wire fencing, a roll of black gardening cloth/material still in its wrapper, a paperback book and a "waiting room" chair that looks to need only some wood glue and c-clamp to make it useful again. Most of the stuff there is pretty well used and I consider a lot of it garbage so this was a nice surprise.
> J and I stopped out to eat for a lunch date. We used a certificate that I'd purchased for 1/2 price.
>Went Goodwill-hopping in the nearby city. Found a couple of tops for myself and a couple lightweight jackets for A.
>With a Target cartwheel coupon and an in-store sale, as well as a coupon on each box, I was able to get two 19lbs boxes of cat litter for under $10. I then also used a $5gc from a previous purchase and the total was under $5! (Regular price would have been nearly $25 for the two.)
>Asked a friend to find out further info from her son's girlfriend about teeth whitening at the college where she's doing her dental training. My friend is getting a cleaning done for $20 there next week.
>Spent an evening at a friend's house, along with her husband and mine, for dinner (we brought salad) and a lesson in cribbage. Very fun!

Straw Bale Gardening

I read about straw bale gardening some time ago... somewhere. I'm sure I first saw it online. Last summer our library hosted author Joel Karsten where he taught us about this great garden idea of his. Of course, while it was not required, we were encouraged to purchase a copy of his signed book. Which I unfrugal-ly did. It's been a great reference for me, far more clear than the one page of notes that I'd taken while he was speaking - ha ha. For your reference, the book is titled Straw Bale Gardens Complete.

While I didn't keep note of the date that I started my seeds, I believe it was in the first week or two of April. I planted some cabbage and lavender seeds. Sadly, the lavender appears to be duds. However, nearly all the cabbage seeds came up! (You're also seeing oat seeds = cat grass that I more recently sprouted for my furry boys.) It's not much, I know. I'll give the lavender a few more days then I will reuse that soil to start something else.

This is a pic of my small straw bale garden project. Depending on whether or not I experience much success with it, I may enlarge it next spring. Of course, if we can't find a reasonable price on the straw, I won't be doing it in that case. Prices in our area for the small square bales run anywhere from $6-$12 each. We ended up paying about $2 or $3 per bale after finding a farmer nearly two hours away. While we spent money on gas, we felt better putting some cash in that gentleman's pocket than we would have at our local greenhouse or feed store. Principles, people, principles!

There are 5 bales in the garden photo above. I have another 6 off to the right in this pic that you can't see, as well as several that are in use in the traditional dirt garden that my dad keeps in another part of the yard. I took this photo on day 4 of the 14 day cycle where you prep the bales. My intention is to get those cabbage seedlings transplanted after the bales have been completely prepped. I also have plenty of space for other veggies, which I have seeds for spinach, lettuce, carrots, beets... I'll post again as we further complete this project.

Frugal Doings & Eats

What I've Been Eating Lately:
Full fat Greek style yogurt w/stevia sweetened cherries and homemade granola, Caprese plate, chicken thighs w/roasted cabbage, roast beef w/carrots/potato and salad, birthday cake (didn't eat the WHOLE thing).

Frugal Doings Lately:
**Brought home a bunch of emptied dinner roll bags from work. They're a thicker plastic than the storage bags that I use for my freezer, so I've been double-bagging some items into them.
**Made a batch of (not low-carb) Cranberry & Orange Scones that I had all the ingredients already for. It was my contribution towards a coffee gathering on a Sunday afternoon. Did a second coffee gathering where I'd made brownies, offered crackers/cheese/salami/nuts using all items we already had.
**Downloaded a couple of free apps from the apps store pre-loaded on my tablet. One for tv programs and one for movies. They've allowed me to see several things that I'd have to wait quite some time to see either in Redbox or on the waiting list at the library. Sadly it is a bit buggy and doesn't always work.
**Ordered  from Amazon 3lbs of golden flax meal for roughly the same price as one pound at our local grocer. (Later found it not to be frugal as it is at Sam's Club for under half of the Amazon price!)
**Made lower carb peanut butter bars a couple of times now. These have taken care of my candy bar and sweets cravings and I've typically got all the ingredients in my pantry as I use them in other ways.
**"A" didn't want some coffee grounds that she'd bought over a month ago as they were already opened and she didn't feel it was fresh anymore. It makes a perfectly acceptable cup of joe for myself and "J".
**Spent a couple hours with friends making a Chocolate Ganache Tart. Teaching them this recipe helped build support as they are beginning a reduced sugar way of eating. Hanging out with friends = Free entertainment.
**Started adding in exercise time riding my stationary bike now and then and Leslie Sansone walking dvd's more often.
**While not really frugal, I signed up for a bellydancing class with a friend. For $46 we meet an hour each week for the next two and a half months for class. Affordable workout and socializing, though.
**Saved enough Jumbo egg cartons to start some seeds indoors. Also purchased a bag of potting soil.
**Bought some seeds from an Etsy seller that cost far less than ordering from any of the seed catalogs, especially the shipping. Additionally, they are organic seeds and a couple are for heirlooms.
**Used one packet of the seeds as a gift enclosed with a birthday card for my father.
**Used past Valentine and Anniversary cards from "J" to compile a birthday card for him. It was funny to see his face as he recognized the cards.
**I started using the library again and checked out a new book by a favorite author and am making a list of a few other new books coming out by favorites to request, too.
**Printed a day pass for Sam's Club and bought a few items that I use regularly from there. While I paid an extra 10% for not being a member, I still saved over our local grocer. I go there with a friend who has a membership, too, but she was unable to go at the time.
**Printed a coupon for a free sundae for "J" at Culver's for his birthday treat.
**Bought a new battery for our Escape in hopes that it would get it up and running (it died overnight during a cold snap). It didn't. Bought a fuel pump for our Escape. "J" and son, "D", will attempt to do this replacement under the supervision of a mechanic friend. We will likely still give some $$ to this friend, but it'll be less than at the garage. Vehicle maintenance has been killing our paychecks... grr. We will recoup some of the cost when "D" starts working again and sell him the Escape for dirt cheap.
**Made "A" and my dad's birthday cakes from scratch. "A" had a purple cake and Dad's was a pineapple cake with brown butter frosting. Neither of these were low-carb. But both were good.
**Accepted a pair of jeans that got too big for a friend who has cut way back on sugar and recently lost 16 pounds! Yay, for her... and me! She is now a size smaller than me so that will motivate me to try harder, too. Must. Not. Eat. Fries.

Frugal Doings & Eats

What I've eaten lately:
Leek & Cabbage Stir-Fry, garlic scapes used for pesto, smashed avocado on Ezekiel w/egg & frozen garden raspberries, spaghetti squash w/meat sauce. Sadly, I have ruined much of my efforts with sweet treats, too. But I keep trying.

Frugal doings lately:
> Used a coupon and clearance pricing at Kohl's to buy a lightweight top for myself and a 4pk of boxers for D for $2.40 total.
>Finally convinced to switch out my brown leather looking wallet that has a broken zipper with a glitzy alligator print one that my sister gave me a few Christmases ago. (old wallet shoved into the closet... just in case) Thank you to Katy from The Non-Consumer Advocate for the final shove to transition!
>Bought two dozen eggs from a friend/coworker. She sells them for $2.50/dozen. They are free-range and HUGE. This price is a little more than the grocery store's but the eggs at the store are far smaller. I rounded up and gave her $3/dozen as I think she's shortchanging herself. However, normally I try to get into Kwik Trip and buy them at about $1.29/doz. I just hadn't made it to the nearby city to get them yet.
>Did surveys at Driscoll's berries site and have received $1 off coupons for future berry purchases. I've been able to get 6oz pkgs of raspberries for $1 each while they've been on sale for $2 at our local store. I'm going to try to get in there again and buy a few more and may make a little sugar-free or low-sugar jam for this winter. If only I could resist eating them fresh...
>I've done a second laundry detergent rebate recently. I've received a check from a previous one and expect the other soon. So I'll have got a bottle of Purex Powershot and a bottle of OxiClean for free.
>Still bringing home used coffee/espresso grounds from one of my employers. I don't work too often, so it's not a whole lot. But I also picked up a bag of grounds at Starbucks the other day, too. We don't have a huge need for the grounds, so I think it's just the right amount.
>I've been walking pretty regularly, either in town on the paved trail or in my living room with my Leslie Sansone dvd. While it's hard to get started each time, it always feels great.
>With both kids gone for most of the time I have had to scale down meals. I'm not great at it yet. But the leftovers that do happen have been put in the freezer and I've managed to include them here and there. I've got frozen chicken soup thawing for tonight and frozen shredded Cuban spiced pork thawing for carnitas in the next few days.
>Was able to include $$ easily in my niece's and nephew's birthday cards by using tip money from my stash. I also saved on their cards by using a "thank you" and a "get well" card, I just crossed out parts of the messages and rewrote them. They expect things like this from me. I can't stand the thought of buying a $5 card that will only be tossed in the trash within a couple days of being received. The cards I already have were free to me from my grandmother's stash of cards that I'd inherited.
>Chopped and froze several bags of rhubarb. Frugal for others, as I'd shared several times, too.
>We saved a bit by buying brake shoes for our Escape and J looked up how to replace them on youtube. The Escape needs a lot more work, stuff we can't do. But each bit helps.
>J received two Jeep tires from another contract carrier who drives the same vehicle. They're not the size we have now. But they are the correct size for our Jeep and we will only have to buy two when they need replacing.
>Have not bought more dirt or seeds for my raised garden boxes. I've just made do with what I have. I've got lettuce, sweet pea flowers and a couple squash planted. My garlic is doing well. I'd started it from seed and this year I should get to harvest it.
> Bought more strawberries ($1/lb) and raspberries ($1/6oz) with coupons from Driscoll's and made four half-pints of no added sugar jam.
> Got in for a physical exam right before re-enrolling in an insurance plan just in case we no longer can receive the current low-cost one we've got.
>Submitted a rebate form for a 4pk of yogurt.
>Picked raspberries from Dad's plants behind the garage - enough to cover two cookie sheets about two berries deep each. These will be so wonderful in the winter.
>Rather than letting the garlic scapes bloom and go to waste, I snipped them and made a garlic/walnut/parm/olive oil pesto. Used it with pasta once. But I only had a bite as I don't eat pasta much, though J ate most of it so there wasn't much waste.
>Brought home three Egyptian Walking Onions (I think that's what they're called) from one of my bosses. One has a seed head on it that we may plant.
>Worked a few hours at the school for an event that paid what the head of the kitchen is paid. Should give me an unplanned/extra $70 that I can add to the "Cash Stash", aka, rainy day fund.
>Got more canning jars cleaned and ready to use to can beets. Normally I pickle them. But last year I found that canned plain beets turn out perfectly fine.
>Our mechanic showed us a way to bypass some sensor in our Jeep that was making it not start. That saved us a couple hundred. He also patched a tire for $25. But it was well worth that to pay for the time he'd taken on the sensor issue.
> Ordered a winter coat for D, as well as a fall jacket for A for under $2 shipped using a code from a used clothing website. I've received them and they are in great shape.

What I've Seen Lately:
We have a pair of mourning doves that have been around since summer began, as well as this cedar waxwing fledgling. This sunset was from a few weeks ago. It hardly captures the unreal, blazing pink, eerie glow that it was. My camera wasn't able to pick up the sun, it just "washed" it out, so I aimed for the glow.

Square Foot Gardening Experiment

Above is my first effort at the square foot gardening trend that I've been seeing all over the internet. My box is 4'x6'. The boards I used are untreated wood (balsam, I think) and are 8"wide and 1"thick. I stapled on some landscaping material onto the back to retain the topsoil/compost/peat mixture that I filled it with and to keep weeds at bay. The four plants in front are cabbages. The row behind it contains three boxes of golden beets and one box of marigolds to hopefully discourage little rodents. The next row was left empty so that I have room to thin out the other boxes later if needed. The fourth row contains two types of lettuces. You can't tell in the photo but they are just starting to grow - there was no sign of them just two days ago. The fifth row contains two boxes of radishes and two boxes of mini gladiola bulbs, along with some peas that run just along the boarder. The back row consists of two boxes of garlic plants that I transplanted from a pot that they overwintered in. They were pretty much the reason that I finally decided to do the garden box this year as I didn't want to forget where in the garden that I planted them. (They won't be harvested until next year.) The final two boxes in that same row contain more mini gladiolas and peas. I used three branches and some sisal twine that I already had to form a trellis of sorts. Hopefully I'll be able to train the pea vines to climb it. Anyone else do this type of gardening and have tips or ideas?

While I was out taking a photo in the garden this morning I also cut asparagus. It's been four days since we last harvested and we had rain yesterday. Obviously that bit of rain gave it a giant push to grow, since I harvested twice as much as last time. I blanched it and froze it in four quart bags. We now have 9 meals of asparagus put away for winter. Yay! My parents have enjoyed it a couple of times already and I included some (raw) in a giant chunky veggie-filled salad a few days ago. It tastes nearly the same as fresh peas do in a salad.

Also, this morning, I made another batch of low-carb ice cream. This time I used canned coconut milk in place of heavy whipping cream. I also added cocoa. Otherwise it was made the same as the scoopable vanilla recipe that I have posted on this blog. I would like to note that I have noticed something that may or may not be coincidence or a fluke as far as the scoop-ability of homemade ice creams. Of the several times I have made it, the one time that it ended up being harder and more "crystal-like" in texture, was the time that I stored the finished ice cream in a glass Pyrex bowl with a plastic lid. All other times I have stored it in a plastic Tupperware container, which happens to fit it all clear up to the top. While other factors may be contributing to an unwanted consistency, if you have trouble with the texture of your ice creams, try storing it in a different container. Now, if only I'd had some roasted almonds on hand when I made it this morning.... Aside from the almonds missing, it ended up tasting like an Almond Joy. Yummy.

Roasted Pork & Cabbage

I am  really loving my Dutch oven lately.  It just makes such succulent meals every single time.  Yes, this takes a bit of time since you are seasoning your meat and letting it tenderize for a short bit, browning it, then cooking for about two hours more.  But it turns out so tender... so good... it's worth the effort.  Will make again, though likely will use a little larger cabbage as we were all looking for more.

 
Roasted Pork & Cabbage
(by Becky @ Becky's Place) 
(served 5 w/few leftover slices of meat)
1tsp pink salt
1/4-1/2tsp black pepper
1Tbsp smoked paprika
1Tbsp herbs de provence
about 3.5lb pork shoulder roast
2-4Tbsp olive/coconut oil
8 or more garlic cloves, left whole but slightly crushed with side of knife
1/2 of a large onion, just cut into a couple of chunks
small head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with core removed

Mix salt, pepper, paprika and herbs de provence in small bowl.  Rub all over meat and cover with plastic wrap.  Set in fridge for about a half hour.   When ready to cook, melt oils in Dutch oven.  Brown the pork well.  Once browned, remove most of the oil, turn off heat and add garlic cloves and onion.  Cover with lid and place in oven heated to 325 for about an hour.  (At this time, check your meat temp - mine was well above required temp.)  Reduce heat to 300.  Remove lid and add cabbage wedges.  Replace lid and return to oven for an additional half hour, then remove lid for twenty minutes or until cabbage has some browned edges.

I had a few small red potatoes that needed to be used up which I boiled and served alongside for the rest of the family.  I also thawed a container of homemade applesauce, which goes fantastically with pork, which I enjoyed a few tablespoons of.

Non-related to food... I have been using my Leslie Sansone walking dvd's the past two weeks.  While it hasn't affected my weight, I have noticed a definite decrease in the pain I've been having for months now in my left hip.  I started with the 1mile dvd and have now been doing the 2mile one, and planning on starting the 3mile this week.  I'm excited.  Yes.  Excited.  No, I'm not being a smarta$$.

Not sure what my blood pressure's been lately.  Suppose I should check it again soon.  Doctor put me back on whatever one I had been on last time-that was about 3 or 4 weeks ago.  Think it's called Atenolol.  He thought it was an appropriate choice, too, since it slows the heart rate, which he thinks would be good if my chest pain is due to anxiety.  (I had had an EKG done and blood test at that same appointment - he was not worried about my heart.) 

Day 84

Breakfast> fried eggs, Spam, coffee (0/0)
Lunch> slice wheat bread w/tuna salad, cheese, few bits of lettuce, cottage cheese, 4 fries (3/2)
Snack> peanut butter, chocolate peanut butter shake (6/2)
Supper> baked pork chop, 1/4c grated apple w/cinnamon, fried cabbage, SoBe (5/2)
Total s/c = 14/6

Simple Fried Cabbage
(served 5 of us as a side/main dish)
8 oz bacon
1/2 head cabbage 
s&p

Slice bacon into bite size pieces.  Fry, drain on paper towels, reserve the grease.  Slice cabbage into bite size pieces. (I had about a quarter head of both green and purple cabbage leftover from a previous meal to use up.)  Dump bacon pieces back into fry pan, add cabbage and cook on medium heat until desired tenderness.  (I stir-fried for about 10mns so it was still crisp-tender.)  Add a drizzle of bacon grease as needed/desired and salt and pepper to taste.   (I don't know how much equals a serving.  I just know that there were 5 of us and it's all gone.  I had a loose 1/2c - yes, I measured - and everyone had varying amounts, J had seconds and would've liked more.)

Mon., Nov. 28
Breakfast> eggs w/ham, cheese, dash hot sauce, coffee (0/0)
Lunch> chicken fillet, few bites salad, cottage cheese, 1 bite pear (2/1)
Snacks> cheese, meats, crackers (2/1)
Supper> hamburger hotdish, few dice tomato, <1/8c peas, lemonade (3/2)
Total s/c = 7/4

I feel sort of naughty.  I had crackers with my snack.  The awesome thing was that 5 crackers has 10g carbs.  So... I ate 10!  (These were little round crackers from one of those little Hormel party trays.)  Which was a great thing when you consider how little I had to eat at supper.  Mom made the hamburger hotdish with a mushroom soup and egg noodles.  I had maybe 10 noodles.  Maybe.  I tried to get mostly hamburger.  It needed salt or something, so I put 1-2Tbsp peas mixed in and a few bits of tomato.