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.
