My Frugal List: Week of April 15, 2015

The sun is finally out and the weather feels like spring. I spent a lot of time outside this week so I used my crock pot several times this week so that cooking was easy. I did a huge batch of black beans. We ate them twice for dinner this week and I froze enough for 3 more dinners.  We ate lots of homemade goodness. We had fried chicken with Brussel sprouts and saffron rice, tacos with beans and rice, pancakes with cinnamon apples,  pork carnitas with beans and rice, chicken on the bone with corn and mashed potatoes and I roasted a turkey with string beans, cranberry and potatoes.  We did get Chinese takeout one night. We ordered 3 items for the four of us and there was leftovers for Hubby's lunch the next day.

Breakfasts were French toast, free soufflés , bagels, leftover waffles and steal cut oats.

  Lunches were quesadillas, green salads, pasta salad, roast beef sandwiches, and lots of leftovers.

 Youngest Daughter had a very busy week. Sunday she went to a robotics competition with school. It was paid for through the school so it didn't cost us anything. She brought her refillable water bottle and snacks. Lunch was provided for the students.

Monday night YD and I went to a college fair. It was 20 minutes away and gas was our only cost. YD got several pens and a reusable bag for free. We narrowed her college list down. This summer we will be road tripping to the 8 that are left to narrow it down some more.

Wednesday she went with school to a science competition and the school paid for this one also. She brought her faithful water bottle, lunch and snacks. The bus broke down so they were stranded for an hour so she was happy that she had stuff to eat. Some of the kids planned on buying lunch when they got back to school.

Friday morning Hubby, YD and I had a meeting with her guidance councilor. The school wants to make sure that she is on track to graduate next year and to discuss options for after graduation. Her GC is confident that she will get scholarship money. YD did wonderful on her SATs (1510 out of 1600) and her grades are amazing. She also volunteers and is in several clubs.

Friday after school YD and I went shoe shopping for 21/2 hours. It was exhausting. She had a certain shoe in mind and could not find what she wanted for a decent price. After she came home she went through OD closest and found what she was looking for. I have been meaning to get rid of OD stuff that she left behind but I'm really glad that I didn't. Last weekend we bought the dress (I think I forgot to post it) and used a coupon for it. It just needs to be shortened.

I made Italian dressing mix. It is easy to make and makes it quicker to have it premade for when I need to make the dressing. It makes about 8 carafes.

Hubby has been working on his new to us truck this week. He bartered with his brother. Hubby fixed his computer with parts he had and my BIL gave us his old truck bed cover. Hubby installed it. He also installed the radio that he took out of the old truck. He did order some other truck parts and did them too but since I'm not into trucks I'm not really sure what.

My son has been busy with college and work. He has brought home so much food from work. I have been giving a bunch away.

He brought home bagels, bread, pastries, cookies, souffles, fruit ring, soups, salads, and more. The amount that would end up in the garbage amazes me. He is not the only one that brings food home. People also pay for their orders and then don't pick them up. Amazing to me.

I added food to my pantry with great sales, rainchecks, and coupons. . I then used Ibotta to get money back.

I returned more cans and bottles.

Got 150 free donuts and shared them with friends and coworkers.

Sold an item on eBay. Shipped it out in a box I already had.

Donated books and household items to our Church's outreach.

Gave household items to Hubby's coworker that is getting her first home.

Went to a work meeting. They provided breakfast. Brought home extra bagels and cream cheese because no one else wanted it.

                                                               

Planted peas in my garden. Planted 3 kinds of tomatoes, 3 kinds of peppers and lettuce in my greenhouse.

Harvest kale that I planted last year. It is growing like crazy. YD has been making lots of smoothies from it.

We did yard work all week. Cleaning out the garden. Putting up fencing for the garden. Cleaning out leaves around fig and blueberry bushes. Pruned peach tree and fertilized everything. Hubby used the $50 gift card that we won to pay for fertilizer and manure for the yard.

 I was going through the pile of junk mail. I keep the envelopes for shopping lists and notes to people. I opened one and there was $1 bill inside. They asked me to fill out the survey and send it back and I will get a $5 bill. I took the 3 minutes to fill it out.

YD made a face mask from a piece of aloe plant and a frozen piece of cucumber. I will freeze cucumbers because they can go into smoothies that way. She has made face masks before. She always uses items I keep on hand.

We hung laundry, only ran dishwasher with full loads, washed Ziplocs, turned heat off, used cloth rags, and made do with what we had.

What did you do this week? How did you save money? Find any good specials?