* Gratefully received some oranges from my sister in law. Some were kept fresh to eat and the rest I blitzed in the food processor and froze to make orange cake.
* Made an orange cake for a Father's Day family get together. I used a blitzed orange from the freezer. I'll be posting the recipe for this cake shortly.
* Bought a jumper from the op shop for $4. They had a 50% off sale on Monday.
* Gratefully received two jam jars.
* Made a huge pot of chunky chicken and veg soup using two chicken fillets and homemade stock from the freezer. The soup was enough to feed the four of us for two meals and Jessica took some to school for lunch.
* Received two coffee samples in the mail as freebies.
* Refilled my conditioner bottle and diluted it by 1/3.
* Made a chicken flan using our chicken's eggs and some silverbeet from the garden.
* Bought some fruit and veg bargains for $16.55. This included two bags of potatoes at $1 each for 5 kilos. This will be enough fruit and veg to feed us for the next 2 - 3 weeks.
* Kept the heater off or turned down for a few days.
* Saved the washing machine water. Dried most of the washing on clothes horses and the clothesline
* Baked some peanut butter choc chip biscuits to go with a Father's Day present.
* Sold some of our chicken's eggs.
* Pulled out some weeds and fed them to the chickens.
* Gratefully received some glass cordial bottles from Cath. I'm hoping to make cordial for some Christmas presents.
* Baked some pita chips in the oven while I was cooking the chicken flan.
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| My $16.55 fruit and veg haul |
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| A bird's eye view |
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| Pita chips for snacks |
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| Orange cake |
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| Darren's tulips |
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| Peanut butter choc chip biscuits - YUM !! |
What frugal tasks did you complete this week ? I'd love to see your list.
Leaving my debit card at home is the best frugal decision I have made in a while. I got a great bargain suit this week and the weather is on the turn for the warmer - we have not had the heater on all week.
ReplyDeletePhil, I love the inbetween weather when you don't need the heater or cooler on.
DeleteWendy, please tell Darren his tulips are lovely, beautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteI love your fruit'n'veg haul - what a lovely lot of food you bought for your money. It's exciting to be able to feed our families good food without spending a fortune isn't it? I just love the challenge and the hunt for the lowest price :)
You know me, I'm always after the best deal. It doean't cost much to eat healthy.
DeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteYou still had a productive week, and rest is so important! This week I returned to work after 18 months maternity leave with my first bub so it was a milestone, and a busy week for us too. This week I:
* Ate from the freezer or had a simple meal on the three days that I worked
* Diluted my body wash and washing detergent
* Cooked from the pantry (despite supplies being a bit low), only needing to go to the supermarket for a bread, milk and fruit & veg top up.
* Went to the op shop and bought some plastic containers for freezing meals, a large canister for flour, a cookbook which I'll probably give as a gift, and a toy for my bub - a shape sorter in great condition for $4. So satisfying buying all of those things second hand and it not only being cheaper but better for the planet!
* Went to the library and borrowed three cookbooks for me (including a Country Womens Association thrifty family meals book) and three books for my daughter.
* Had two no car/no spend days
So a pretty good week despite working out of the home for three days.
Jo
You had a great week Jo. I hope you take some time to rest as I'm sure it's hard getting back into the work routine. A menu plan with simple meals will be your best friend.
DeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteGreat fruit and veg score………The orange cake looks great. I won’t show Hubby as he will nag me until I make one for him lol.
Well this week and for a few weeks yet to come my menu plan is flying out the window… the bulk delivery of meat from my cousins last week, is like a lucky dip lol. I grab a bag of meat, defrost it overnight then see what the meat is and go with the flow … fortunately I have heaps of veg, salad, rice and noodles so can whip up something different each night. I am so grateful to them and its fun and set the challenge for me to produce a great meal at the drop of a hat and to stretch it as far as possible. Thank goodness I have stockpiled the basics in the pantry as it helps the whole process flow smoothly.
I have not done a great deal this week, just the usual I’m afraid. I have:
• dried the clothes fully in the sun as we have had temperatures in the teens yay… we even sat outside for breakfast today
• not used the heater nearly as much,
• cooked all of our meals,
• caught public transport,
• rebatched some soap slivers into a bar of soap
• mended a shirt for Hubby
• made marmalade
I met a friend in town and I found a cake tin (six babushka dolls all about six inches long) in a second hand store. I will use it to make babushka doll fruit cakes for gifts next year.
I have found we have a pair of tiny finch who like to play in our front garden so I have a pot and have planted some seeding grass for them to forage in. I will just weed the garden and replant them into the pot.. (Sorry not a saving thing but I wanted to share)
Have a great week Wendy
Linda
Linda, the meat will be a huge blessing to you and your budget.
DeleteDear Wendy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a good week! I had a pretty good week too. My list is:
I made spinach quiches, a beef and veg casserole as the weather was cool... I made a big lot then turned the leftovers into meat pies. This made spare meals. I finished a Christmas present and started on another. I was given a whole giant bag of oranges. (you and I had several similar things this week!)
I also planted up tow free pots I was given. This extended my potted herb garden and I added cherry tomatoes, basil and a few other things. Now the weather has warmed up so I will be in the garden more.
Have a really lovely weekend. I love a productive week! I am planning on making pizzas this weekend. When I do I make extra so theres work lunches and thats another job done. Plus they are yum. With love, Annabel.xxx
Annabel, I'm hoping to get in the veg garden this weekend. The weather is lovely and my veg seeds are calling.
DeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI think I had your crazy week this week, didn't get a lot done this week.
I did make bickies, lunch for Fathers day with homemade presents and homemade lunch for a friend for her birthday during the week.
Planted some more seeds, continued my walks for exercise and gratefully received 6 loaves of bread.
Picked lettuce and silverbeet and used the tank water on the garden and in the washing machine.
I did some sewing, bought Tomatoes on special to make relish as presents and keep the heater off most days.
As it was a bad week, all meals were cooked from scratch except for one night when my boys had takeaway and DH and I had eggs. I'm sure this week will be much better especially if I make a list of things I need to get done.
Your Orange cake looks delicious and Darren's Tulips are so pretty. Did you know that there is a 'Wendy, Wend Love and Maureen ' Tulip? Heeee.
Wow!! What a lot of fruit and veggies for $16.55, especially those Potatoes, well done.
See you next week, xxx
Maureen
You still got a fair bit done Maureen. Six loaves of bread - WOW !!!
DeleteNo I didn't know about the tulips named after us - hehehe.
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteThe fruit and veg looks so good and that cake looks beautiful. Darrens tulips look gorgeous to. Have a great week Wendy :)
Thankyou Karen xoxo
DeleteI was in the right place at the right time a few times this week. Took home two free lavender plants from Woolworths, accepted two free posters from Auto Barn. Accepted two more free posters from Toys R Us. They will count towards my son's birthday on Monday.
ReplyDeleteAlso, having overspent ( birthdays, school fundraisers, groceries and bills) a bit this week, I borrowed a cup cake tray from a friend rather than buying one.
Five minute showers since our water bill has gone up by 1000l since this time last year.
Stopped hand washing breakfast things and instead putting them in the dishwasher which is run after dinner.
Planted Cucumber seeds with my daughter.
Bought very reduced milk which was soon to expire and froze it.
With warmer days and longer afternoons, we have been using the BBQ rather than the oven, stove top or electric fry pan.
Looking forward to next week to see where else I can alter or change our habits.
You had a good week ViX. With water saving, you could stand in a hand washing bucket in the shower to save more water. This can be poured into the washing machine.
DeleteOh wow. Great idea. Thanks Wendy.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteThis week I
Cooked all meals from scratch and stuck to my meal plan.
Dried all clothes on the airer or line.
Made two cards for DD, one for her teacher and one for a friend. I need to be careful as I'm getting quite addicted to this, but its so much fun and saves loads of money.
Took all lunches and morning teas to school and work.
Made weetbix slice and cranberry hootycreek biscuits.
Gratefully accepted lemons, parsley and lettuce from my neighbour.
Transferred the balance of what was left in my bills account for the month onto my mortgage. I round down our accounts to the nearest dollar each day and transfer these amounts too (debt free here I come).
Have a great week.
Deb x
Deb, card making is so addictive. I'm busting to make more but having trouble finding the time.
DeleteFantastic week Wendy!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great veggie haul and Darren's tulips are gorgeous. I loved seeing the sun shine brightly on them.
*I was gifted some tomato and silver beet plants
*I cooked from scratch
*Baked chocolate and banana cake
*Sold excess eggs
*Made up some more laundry powder
*Full week of not going to the supermarket. I shopped in my pantry and freezer.
*Only washed two days this week. Dried clothes on the line.
*No heating for a couple of days
*Saved pre sink water to water pot plants
*Planted out lettuces and baby spinach
*Planted cucumber and zucchini seeds
*Bought a lovely gift that was on special at the Post Office. Have put away for a rainy day.
*Still picking oranges, lemons, mandarins and grapefruit. Mandarins are nearly finished for the year.
*Picking Kale and celery from the garden.
*Gratefully received some more jars
*I baked a pie from leftover chicken curry and put in the freezer for a quick meal.
*Cleaned bathrooms with miracle cleaner and toilet bowls with citric acid
Wishing you a lovely week.
xTania
Tania, you always have such a great list. I can almost taste those mandarins of yours. Very yummy and sweet.
DeleteI'm sure you are grateful for your stockpile. We are trying really hard to eat out of the freezer to make room.
The orange cake looks delicious and the tulips are beautiful! You had a productive week even while 'resting.' When our lifestyle is ingrained with frugality even the 'resting' weeks are productive!
ReplyDeletePatsy, its hard to completely rest when there's so much to do.
DeleteHi Wendy, I hope you had a great week. That orange cake looks lovely! My frugal tasks weren't as many this week:
ReplyDelete- bought two large bags of discount fruit/veg from woolworths for $3 each, we got lots of pears, apples, broccoli, lettuce, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, tomatoes and capsicum. All the vegetables we cooked for dinner throughout the week.
- found a fruit shop that sold sweet potato for 49 cents a kilo, so we bought extra
- line dried all clothes or put them on the clothes horse inside if it was an overcast day.
- bought discount meat at woolie
- for fathers day we had dinner at home, dinner was whatever my husband wanted.
- exchanged some flat leaf parsley and other veg for some eggs
Amy
You still had a great week Amy with great veggie and meat bargains. A big saving.
DeleteHi, Wendy! We're still on the U.S. East Coast and preparing to hitch up Tuesday to tow the Li'l Dutchgirl (our 24-foot RV caravan) to New York State.
ReplyDeleteRecently:
-- had the foam replaced in our EV dinette cushions. We bought foam that it the firmest of firm there is and boy! Are they awesome. This RV is 10 years old and if we'll take care of her, she'll last a good long time.
-- I needed dress clothes for a conference we'll attend soon. As we normally live across the Pacific Ocean on an island, I don't really have "cool" weather clothes enough to dress nicely for five days and five nights in a row. I scored BIG time at three thrift stores this past week: several dresses, tops and shoes.
-- I made a skirt to complete an outfit with a coat dress I bought, Gap brand, 1/2 price ($7).
-- Made four greeting cards last week. I like to embroider, so I embroidered two of the cards with the recipients' names on the front. The third card I made from a vintage child's book. The fourth card is for a 50th wedding anniversary and all the specialty papers I bought for it were 60% off, plus I have enough of the papers to make a second one. All the cards turned out so nice.
-- I scored a wedding flowers book at a thrift store (op shop) that I chopped the pictures from to make some greeting cards. Hm. I wonder who taught me how to do that, Annabel...
-- I sewed the spare buttons into my husband's new suit coats so we have them at hand should one fall off, versus the buttons sitting in his nightstand drawer in Ohio but he's in Canada with a suit missing a button...
-- I'm making a counted cross stitch golden anniversary ornament for a Golden couple. We're joining them and 17 other couples on their celebration cruise next month and we'll have a simple gift to give them like no one else's.
-- I was actually able to cook one night at home last week. My handmaiden, Miss Crock Pot, was my trusty helper and I had an extra-pleased hubby.
-- My in-laws celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary and we bought them a decorated cake and some pretty flowers. That might not have been very frugal, but they sure deserved a whole lot more than that!
Have a blessed week!
*hugs*
Kelley~
Letters Unfolded
It sounds like you found some wonderul bargains in the op shop. It sure saves a lot of money.
DeleteI'll be checking out your blog shortly xoxo
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteWell you certainly had a busy week. My was busy but not as productive as usual.
I have managed to
Cook a meal and get 3 leftover meals for DD5 and myself
Line dry all clothes
Put the sprinkler on (no water usage charges here yet) as it is looking woeful
Open the house to a lovely breeze most days
Receive an offer from a friend of the use of their spare car while our 2nd car is out of action (saving me from having to take DP to work and pick him up)
Make and freeze some cupcakes for DD5 when their are birthdays at school
Make part of DD5's costume for dance
Save money on my groceries by doing 2 separate shops on 2 separate days that i had to be in town (saved around $50 or more) Went and looked at the specials an noted down what I needed or would need for a few weeks
Started going back and looking at things in your blog and also Annabel's blog to see where I can change things I may be able to
Put another $10 in my 600ml bottle
Hope you have a fantastic week
Aly xx
Don't you just love having leftovers after a meal is eaten. It saves so much money.
Delete