* Made a big batch of pita chips for snacks.
* Baked six loaves of bread. Four were wholemeal bread with extra goodness and two were white with chia seeds ( for the girls ).
* Picked some silverbeet to eat ( hide ) in a meal
* Bought lots of beef mince and a large tray of sausages from Tasman Meats. I portioned the sausages into meal sizes of six. The mince was divided into 300g lots of 400g lots.
* Made chicken stock using the skin from the fillets and all the bits and pieces trimmed off. I used my slow cooker to make the stock. Megan made chunky chicken noodle soup the next night with the stock and one chicken fillet. I lived on this soup for two days after more dental work. I froze two serves of the soup.
* Kept the curtains open on the windows where the sun was shining through.
* Stayed away from the shops for most of the week. I sent Darren out to get milk..
* Bought a bag of cut out card sentiments from Savers for $1.90. It looks like someone had been cutting up old cards. From now on I'll be doing the same with discarded greeting cards.
* Made a batch of blueberry and white choc muffins for Darren. I used blueberries bought last Summer for $1 a punnet and frozen. I also made a double batch of raspberry and white choc muffins.
* Juiced some lemons and froze the juice. I also picked another bowlful to juice later.
* Sold two dozen eggs.
* Gratefully received two metal planter boxes from my Dad. He didn't need them any more and knew we could use them. Darren has replanted our strawberries in them.
* Refilled the foaming hand wash pump in the girl's bathroom with diluted shower gel.
* Refilled the dish washing liquid bottle and diluted it.
* Redeemed an almost 12 month old rain check for Dove soap. It was for packs of 4 bars for $3.60. I got 10 boxes. I think we'll be right for soap for the next few years.
* Froze two single serves of left over main meals.
* Made a mince pasta bake with 300g of mince. There was so much left over it fed us for two meals.
* Saved the washing machine water and dried most of the clothes on clothes horses.
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| Chicken stock in the slow cooker. |
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| Homemade bread. |
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| Sliced and in the freezer |
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| Card making sentiments |
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| Our " new " planter boxes |
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| The strawberries have been replanted |
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| Darren's tulips are flowering. |
What frugal tasks did you complete this week ?
Wendy that's an excellent week. It's good to get to the end of the week and feel you've accomplished a few things. I love that you were able to resurrect blueberries from Summer for baking and took advantage of that old rain check. It just goes to show that all of these little things really add up both short term and long term. My week was hampered by a flu virus, but it's a lesson in having a well stocked pantry and freezer. We wanted for nothing, and we had home made chicken soup galore, so that lowered the stress levels considerably. By the end of the week I was making potpourri and putting it away as Christmas gifts so all is well now. Your chicken stock looks amazing by the way. Love, Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better Mimi. Yes it really is worth having a stockpile for unexpected events. We always have soup in the freezer all year round. Homemade chicken soup is just divine.
DeleteAgain more wonderful tips and ideas. We too are really needing to tighten the purse strings as we need to move house in the next couple of weeks (rental) all of which costs a fortune. :)
ReplyDeletePlease feel free to post your frugal list.
DeleteGratefully received some veges from relatives that were going away and clearing the fridge.
ReplyDeleteBought marked down eggs.
Used a petrol docket, saving $2.
Made soup(from homemade stock with chicken bones), a few veges and added a pack of dried noodles and made a yummy frugal dinner.
Made an old fashioned rice custard/pudding in the slow cooker with success.
Cooked double quantities of all meals this week and had a few easy nights due to busy evenings.
I don't have a freezer, apart from the one attached to my fridge, but will keep an eye out as I could use one.
Picked up 2 new clothes horses on a side of road collection. Dried the washing on them!
Finding my new method of separate funds for grocery shopping far easier to keep track of.
Cutting daphne from my bush to fragrance the house. Gave some to a friend.
Had a friend over for dinner and she brought me a top she no longer wears, and I gave her a new top that didn't suit me.
Using the library, today returning books so that I avoid overdue fees and picking up a book that we ordered - a free service.
Sold some outgrown kids clothing and some old books - always trying to declutter.
Taking a thermos today to kid's sports and sandwiches. I'll be the only parent doing that, but the canteen sells junk and no thanks.
Sue
Sue, take your thermos and sandwiches with pride. I wouldn't buy the junk either.
DeleteThe daphne would smell lovely through your house. I'll have to see if I can pick some off our small bushes.
I'm glad the grocery fund is working well for you. So much easier than checking credit card statements.
Hi wendy,
ReplyDeleteSo again I forgot to write my tasks down but hay it's ok my brain isn't focused on many other things at the moment other then baby children sleep and home duties. I love how you said you picked silver beat to hide in meals that's too funny! I do the same with absolutely everyone that comes to my house and eats as well as to stu senior and the kids. What they don't know won't hurt them! Plus they're getting all their nutrition and not even realising it. :D
Tulips look so beautiful they are one of my favourite flowers. It's great that you have picked up planter boxes, more goodness of fruit and veggies in your garden now.
This week
I sorted out SOME of the kids clothes and gave them to my mum to send over seas and pass to family friends that are having babies. (Mostly boys clothes)
Got my step dad to pick up my deep freezer that was taking a lot of room up in my kitchen! Hopefully he can get the fridge next either that or I'll start using it as a storage fridge haha.
Went to the shops to buy some bottles and picked up some stickers that were on clearance 98c each (these will be great for the card making day!) can't wait!
Saved some gift bags from Stuart's birthday, they can come in handy.
Made all dinner meals from scratch. Used mostly meals from the freezer, trying to empty it out to get ready for my next meat shop. Doing quite well. I haven't done a menu plan in the last 2 months naughty me but it's been ok because I haven't needed to think about it.
Made apple crumble last night using the bag of apples I picked up for $2 and your crumble mixture recipe (although we have s bit of a sweet tooth in this house so we may just double the cup size for sugar) I didn't cook the apples in any sugar just plain water. That was pretty good.
Froze some overly ripe bananas to make banana sorbet.
Stuart picked up a few parts for his and my car to fix up for free from his friend. The parts are in good condition still and it saves us a lot of money.
Today I have a friend and her kids coming over so I'm going to bake some cookies with your recipe. I have them frozen ready to be baked.
I'm also going to get out into the garden and pick some kale and empty my compost heap into the compost bin
Hope you have a lovely week next week and hope your mouth isn't hurting too much from your dental work!
See you next Saturday
Anne xoxox
You still have a great list considering not writing it down and looking after a newborn.
DeleteWhat biscuits are you making ?
My girls pick out the silverbeet if they can but as you said, they are getting the nutrients too.
See you next Saturday xoxo
Hrmm I just went back to look at your recipe list. I could have sworn I got the recipe from you.
DeleteThey were a chic chip cookie recipe but I changed the ingredients in it. Hopefully I've saced the recipe somewhere cause if I didn't get it from here then I have no clue where I got it from haha :S
I have a peanut butter choc chip biscuit recipe here.
DeleteHi Wendy, I hope you had a great week. My frugal tasks this week included :
ReplyDelete- made 1kg of yoghurt
- made baby food every two days
- bought a leg of lamb for $9 at woolies
- left over lamb was turned into a delicious lamb curry. I scrapped as much lamb as I could and stretched the dish further by adding potatoes and veggies
- had lots of baby spinach, zucchini and cooking cream, I managed to make a pasta bake with these ingredients and used them all up
- added water to my shower gel which was just about finished, managed to get a few extra washes out of it
- refilled foaming handwash dispensers with diluted shower gel
- tried to line dry all the clothes (we had a lot of rainy days which made it difficult)
- gratefully received some boxes of tea
I discovered recently that I have been able to eat biscuits, noodles other gluten products without any reaction at all. I'm hoping that I have grown out of my intolerance which means I can cut down my food bill substantially (a good $20 a week!). Fingers crossed!
How do you clean your oven? Mine is due for a clean but I don't want to use those toxic oven cleaners!
Amy
My oven is due for a clean. I've been known to soak the racks in hot water with laundry powder overnight. I use bi carb and vinegar on the stains or use miracle spray. I guess the trick is to not let the oven get too bad.
DeleteHopefully it's good news about your food intake. Maybe just take it slowly and see how you go.
Great price on the lamb.
Hi Amy
DeleteTo clean the racks in my oven I pull them out and place them in a thick garbage bag and pour in a whole bottle of Cloudy Ammonia (under $2). The trick is to get garbage bags that don't leak :) Anyway leave for a few hours or overnight and when you wash the racks the baked on stuff pretty much just washes off. I've done this a few times with great success. Not sure about the inside of the oven as I am fortunate enough to have a self cleaning oven but bi-carb and vinegar is what I use on the glass before I turn on the self clean function. Hope this helps.
Deb
Wendy, you have had a productive week especially during all that dental work.
ReplyDeleteThis week all meals were made from scratch, I baked 4 loaves of bread, an apple slice and some rock cakes.
I have needed a smaller mixing bowl for a long time so bought 1 on Thursday from the kitchenware shop. While there I also bought some silicone egg poachers, with my loyalty discount they cost me $2, instead of $8.
Like you we had the curtains open on the warmer days, and even had the doors open for a few hours to let in some much needed fresh air.
All washing has been dried on clothes horses over the heater vents.
Visited the library, and DH finally joined.
I wasn't game to open the doors. It wasn't quite warm enough. Hopefully soon.
DeleteOh I forgot to say that I greatfully received a tray of lasagna that mum made for us and I picked up 6 chicken breast (they were monster size) so I cut and portioned them to make in total 3 lots of schnitzel and chicken nugget meals for us and the kids :D
ReplyDeleteAwesome !!!
DeleteWhat a great week Wendy, It certainly is chicken soup weather!
ReplyDeleteWhat I’ve been up to the last fortnight.
Filled out the Coles survey, I now have enough points to take $10 of next shop. Works out that by using flybuys for just groceries and petrol and the occasional bottle of grog I can earn about $10 off a month
Cooked all meals including hot lunches from scratch, apart from 1 planned dinner out kindly shouted by David’s niece at the Langham, 3 DAYS prior to the salmonella outbreak. Eeeew.
Bought some silverbeet seedlings, seeds are fun and cheap but I get impatient waiting for the growth. Seedlings is still cheaper than buying
Added some legumes to meat dishes to stretch further
Gratefully accepted some lemons and greens from Reagan’s garden
Cooked up 3 chicken carcasses which had been in the freezer with some veggies and made the most beautiful chicken soup. Ive been eating (drinking?) it every night.
Still have not used dryer or electric blanket
After meeting an old friend for a catch up in the West, I spotted an Aldi in a shopping centre. Decided to go in for a look (Aldi is not really convenient to my home – it’s time to build one within Boorondara!) ended up buying some beautiful flowers for $10 opposed to $15-$18 over this way. They are still blooming a week later.
Stuck to budget
Have a good fortnight everyone
Photos on Facebook page.
Have a good week everyone!
Blessings,
Tania in Hawthorn
I don't think I'll be going to the Langham in a hurry. Glad you are well.
DeleteYou'll love having an Aldi. Their prices are great. We do the Coles survey too.
Just a simple week this week Wendy, Nothing out of the ordinary
ReplyDeleteMade yoghurt a few times
Made bread and bread rolls using the whey from the cheese I made last week and the yoghurt.
Made tuna casserole using the homemade cheese and the bread crumbs I save from my bread cutting.
Made chicken/vegetable soup from the carcass of a roast chicken we had for a meal. I also used the herbs and celery from the garden and the vegetables I had gotten on sale last month and blanched and froze for later use. I have frozen it into serves for my lunches while Hubby is at work. He isn’t a soup fan but I am.
Finished more crocheted gifts for family…
Continue to use wheat bags to warm up the bed before retiring at night (cold here)
Changed the lounge room around...a change is as good as a holiday
Decluttered the lounge room whilst moving it around... great time to do it.
Had guests and served homemade banana muffins...bananas frozen from way back when they were really cheap.
Used local library yet again... audiobooks are free to listen to this way. I listen to them whilst walking, doing the garden, housework and crafts.
Have not used the heater very much even with the very low temperatures.
Used left over boiling water from the kettle to kill weeds in the back yard.
Dried clothes on clothes horse as it rained so much this week.
Linda
Linda, it seems to be the week for making chicken soup. So many other readers made chicken soup too.
DeleteYou do so wel to keep the heater off so often.
Dear Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThe planter boxes are huge! What a great thing to be given these! It will give you heaps more growing room.
The bread looks wonderful too.
I never thought of cutting out sentiments from cards! That has a while heap of possibilities! Imagine making decorated Christmas ornaments with little sentiments like Joy and Happy Christmas on them! You have got me thinking!
I had a good week. After I made the lemon butter and posted my frugal tasks I was given another huge industrial bucket of lemons! They are sitting in the lounge room in this huge bucket right now. So next week I will get onto these but I am taking the weekend off!
Also there is a little sunshine today which is nice.
I hope you have a nice weekend, with love, Annabel.xxx
Yes I'm thinking of all the possibilities for the card sentiments. My mind is racing.. We might have to swap ideas when Cath and I come to Adelaide next month. xoxo So exciting !!!
DeleteWendy, I really like the idea of saving the card sentiment portion of a card. I had never thought to do that but it makes perfect sense. I canned tomato juice this week and made tomato powder with the left over peels and pulp.
ReplyDeleteYou do so much to keep your stockpile going. Well done on the tomato work. Nothing is wasted.
DeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteMade all meals from scatch and baked biscuits . I also baked a cake and made biscuits for a school function. I cleaned the house thoroughly this week using your miracle spray . A great product, even works on the most stubborn stains. I am trying to sell some outgrown children's clothes and toys on e-bay. The toys are in great conditon and some of them have never been played with. I tried to sell some toys a few years ago, wasn't too successful but will try again.
Have good week
Tricia
I use the miracle spray wherever I can. Hope you sell some more toys.
DeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteHope you are back to your normal self and doing great after all those dental work.
I've got something to ask you out of curiosity. When you keep cakes of soap for a long time (over one year or so), don't they go hardened up and get less of the beautiful smell? I've not stockpiled soap for that long yet, so thought of checking with you before start doing it.
Have a great weekend.
Millie
Hi Millie - ohhh, I just love your name !!!
DeleteI've found that Dove soap seems to keep it's fragrance well. Some of the cheap soaps ( no name ) loose the smell. after a year. When soaps harden, they last longer.
Stockpile away I say !!!!
You have had a great frugal week Wendy!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of card sentiments. Usually I go on the internet and find some verses etc and print them up.
What an awesome gift from your dad. Those beds are going to be a very much valued accessory to your veggie garden.
My week consisted of:
*Sold four dozen eggs. We get $3 a dozen from regular customers.
*I found some lace curtains I had stashed away and put them up in our ensuite and laundry window. Looks so much better now.
*Stuck to my menu plan
*Found an nice sized empty jar at the op shop
*Baked chocolate cake and vegemite scrolls for my grandson's school lunches
*Still picking mandarins, oranges, grapefruit and lemons
*Saved leftover chicken for making stock
*Saved and froze leftovers to use for hubby's meals to take to work
*Used rainwater in a kettle on top of the fireplace and used the hot water for the dishes and laundry
*Counted our three full money tins and put the money into the bank.
Have a lovely week Wendy,
xTania
PS have booked my ticket for Adelaide workshop :)
So exciting. I was just on the Cheapskate's website and saw you'd booked your seat.
DeleteYou've made great use of your fireplace Tania.
HI Wendy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea about the cards, what a find. I think they were just waiting for you Wendy.
Hope you were able to get the Pink Dove soap, it's my favourite but hard to find.
This week I made Cup cakes, Chocolate Chip Biscuits, Castor sugar, 1kg Yogurt and all meals from scratch.
I made a double batch of washing powder, refilled the Dishwashing liquid bottle and juiced heaps of Lemons and froze them.
I didn't have enough Milk to last till the morning one day, so I added some powdered Milk to it and water to stretch it further.
Used the Tank water for washing, filled the car up with Petrol at $1.18 using the docket and used a Thermos during the day after boiling the water in the morning. Also I booked at my local library a craft workshop, 'Bead Christmas tree' making for December.
In the mailbox this week I received a flyer from Australia Post in relation to the Multicultural round of AFL football on the weekend of the 7-9 of August. As Austpost is a partner of the AFL, are offering free tickets to this round of footy. I printed off 2 tickets and the link is : www.afl.to/mypassport2015 and entering the promo code: MYPASSPORT
Hope some of you can enjoy a day out at the footy for free.
Have a great week and can't wait to see you again on Sunday (and your new teeth),
Maureen, xxxx
Hi Maureen. I couldn't get an pink Dove soap at Woolworths. I didn't have the energy to go down to Big W to look. With all the cold air, I limit my outings to quick trips so that my teeth don't hurt too much.
DeleteLove your list for the week. It looks a bit like mine some weeks.
Yep, can't wait to catch up with you on Saturday. Me and my teeth will be there -hehehe.
Oppps, I mean Saturday,xxx
ReplyDeleteMaureen
Hi, your bread looks so nice. Would you mind sharing your recipe? have never presliced and frozen homemade bread as with a large family there was never enough but now they are leaving the nest, it seems like common sense.
ReplyDeleteIf you click on the words wholemeal bread with extra goodness in this post above, it will take you to the recipe. It's also in the recipe section under baking.
DeleteHi , your bread looks lovely. Would you mind sharing your recipe? I make our bread, but with a large family there was never enough, however now they are leaving the nest, freezing it to prevent waste seems like a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your frugal ideas.
Hi love reading everyone's comments and thank you Wendy for all you teach us . I'm sitting at the beach in the sun eating a delicious frugal picnic from home and thinking of the days when I would have been in a cafe eating expensive very ordinary food and without even a view! ! I also saved money this week by borrowing from a friend an outfit my son would only wear once instead of buying My friends are doing this more and more Borrowing rather than buying things only used occasionally It also develops a lovely sense of community Shelley
ReplyDeleteAre you on holidays Shelley ? I wouldn't mind a bit of that sun.
DeleteBorrowing is a far better idea than buying and it's great that your friends do it too.
You are always so inspiring. I am sure I haven't been as frugal as you have, but I've written down a few of your ideas. One frugal thing I do is to really stretch our meat meals, such as chicken or roast beef or a pork roast. I saved the liquids from our cooked pork roast (plus a smidge of meat) and froze it. I am thinking surely I could use that for flavoring for ham and beans? Our roast leftovers are sliced for sandwiches for my husband to take to work, or for bar-b-qued beef sandwiches. Chicken is really stretched by making chicken salad, or sliced chicken sandwiches, or chicken noodle soup with vegetables. For the last few years, I've learned the one trick of avoiding wasting money is to stay out of stores! Sometimes I get excited and think I want a particular item but then I ask myself, "do I need this?" It stops me in my tracks 99 out of 100 times. As a result I've pretty much come to detest shopping--an activity that over 20 years ago, I would do for entertainment. I'm big into thrift stores for purchasing clothing or whatever, and there is nothing like finding an item I've been looking for that is about 75% less than what I would have paid for it new in a store. Thanks for all your ideas.
ReplyDeleteI hear you Joy. Once upon a time I loved to shop for the fun of it. Not that I wasted money as such because I was always on the hunt for bargains. I now use my time to " earn " money at home by making my own things
Delete