My Frugal List: Week of December 17, 2018
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. I have been busy with making sure everything is done and ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. All of the gifts are wrapped, labeled and sorted. Homemade cards are done for immediate family members. Baking is going well. I am working Christmas Eve morning. Both of my kids that live at home are also working. We will all be bringing homemade treats to work. We will then be going to mass. My SIL is hosting Christmas Eve dinner. We are bringing bread pudding with a brandy caramel sauce and wine. I am bringing GF cupcakes for YD too. We are going to my parents for Christmas day. We are bringing rice pudding, red jello and GF cupcakes. Lots of baking is going on here. YD made cupcakes with supplies I had to take to work.
We did get lots of things done this week. We cooked most meals at home. I used the crock pot since I knew I would be busy. We did get Chinese one night. We only bought 2 entrees and a soup for the 4 of us. There was enough leftovers for Hubby and me for lunch the next day.
I hit the marked down rack at Meat Farms again. All three were $1.59 each. I made apple juice with some of the apples. I threw in some carrots that were past their prime. I used the cores to make apple cinnamon syrup for pancakes and ice cream. It came out great.
I went to Aldi to get some things. They had bags of cranberries marked down to 27¢ each. I got 3 bags and they went right into the freezer. They also had $1 off stickers on some of the GF bread that I was buying for YD. So I got 4 loaves and put them in the freezer too. She takes out what she wants when she wants it.
I got lots of freebies this week. My favorite was a gift from my friend. She made me the softest pillows and blanket in my favorite color.
My son finished his finals for this semester. We returned all of the books he rented.
I did all of the laundry on the short cold cycle. We aren't doing work outside so the clothes aren't filthy. I used 1/2 the recommenced soap. Most of the laundry was hung inside on my 2 clothes racks.
I have been watching our electricity and heat usage. I make sure to lower the heat if no one is going to be home. I have been trying to keep everything that is not being used unplugged.
Oreo got a bath so she is also ready for Christmas. Both of her beds and blankets got washed too.
What have you done this week to stay frugal?
That apple syrup looks yummy. 27 cent cranberries - what a steal!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a lovely time with your family.
Merry Christmas to all.
Thank you. Have a wonderful Christmas.
DeleteHave a very Happy Christmas! The cupcakes look beautiful. Also the cranberries! We do not see fresh cranberries here but I love cranberry jelly with turkey. Even though it is hot here we will have roast turkey tomorrow! Well done on your frugal efforts. I hope to implement lots of new things in 2019.xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
DeleteFirstly DH and I would like to wish you and your family a very happy Christmas along with fellow bloggers. You did really well with the special on those beautiful cranberries and the gluten free bread too. Sounds like you are well prepared for Christmas :) .
ReplyDeleteOur savings last week added up to $2157.51.
Home organisation -
- Finished unpacking all the boxes and the kitchen is now fully set up and operational.
- 1/2 of the lounge room is all set up.
- Our bedroom and clothing is mostly set up apart from more clothing in bags.
- Bathrooms are fully set up and laundry is almost totally set up with the addition of a gorilla 4 shelf storage unit in there to store washing detergents, vinegar and the like.
Groceries -
- Used 1 of our e-vouchers and with $40 off and specials saved a total of $43.87.
- Purchased 2 x 2 lt bottles of BBQ sauce on half price special saving $6.
Earnings -
- DH made $185 from 2 mowing jobs which we used to buy needed garden tools for around the home.
- We also heard that in a small country town near us in a supermarket near us that they sell all their meat and dairy at ridiculously low prices on Christmas Eve so we plan to go and try and pick up what we can to stock our freezer with for far lower prices.
Purchases -
- Purchased 3 Racq gift cards giving us $15 off what we purchase. We plan to use these for needed household items and the groceries on Christmas Eve.
- Purchased 4 stainless steel garage shelves on special for $9.95 per set saving $20 on usual prices.
- Bought a 2 drawer 122pc auto car maintenance kit with metal tool box included for $34.99 saving $330.10 on usual tool prices.
- Purchased a large house extension ladder on special saving $160 on usual prices.
- Purchased a stanley 28 pce screwdriver set on special saving $35.04 on usual prices.
Repairs/Renvations/house maintenance.
- Taking around 4 hours in total DH fixed our sliding door track straightening it with pliers, oiled kitchen door handles so now they work, oiled the really huge old Hills hoist so now the handle turns and it goes up and down, installed cup hooks for our kitchen dishwashing brushes and L hooks to hold our bread and cutting boards saving around $400 over hiring someone to do it for us. We purchased the hooks in bulk discount packages from the hardware store.
Gardening -
- DH and I spent 20 hours removing a Bogainvillea huge bush impeding on our side driveway, I trimmed all the hedges and trees impeding on the paths and touching the house taking 4 hours and DH did around 3/4's of the 1.21 acres of mowing between heavy rain taking around 1.5 hours. By doing this ourselves we saved $1147.50 over hiring a gardener to do it for us.
We still have boxes and bags around the home unopened but we are getting there and had to buy more shelving and other items to suit what we wanted to do.
Have a great week :). We had our first black out last night with the storms and pleasurably sat outside on the back covered patio and had a BBQ and listened and watched the birds, of which there are many, lit with our solar powered lanterns. Ah the bliss of the simple country life off grid for a while. We survived very well I might add :).
Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).
I hope you and your husband have a wonderful first Christmas in your new home. It sounds like you are settling in nicely. Good luck on getting lots sales on Christmas Eve. I hope you are able to stock your freezers.
DeleteYou got so much done this week. It must feel wonderful. I'm glad you got a break and were able to enjoy nature for a little while.