* Gratefully received lots of colored folders and car magazines from Joy at our card making weekend. The magazines have wonderful photos of vintage cars that I can use to make men's cards.
* Gratefully received a fuel docket in the mail. Thankyou Tania.
* Made lots of cards over the weekend that I will hopefully sell very shortly.
* Pureed six oranges and portioned them into single serves to freeze. They will be used throughout the year to make whole orange cake.
* Cut up some wrapping paper to use in my card making. The paper had little shoes and handbags on it.
* Saved the inside of a few envelopes for card making.
* Saved the shower water for the washing machine. Saved the washing machine water for each next load
* Picked two armfuls of lemons from our tree. This coming week I'm hoping to pick and juice lots.
* Filled up all our cars when petrol was as low as $1.00 a litre.
* Did my monthly food shopping on Friday and it came to $169.27. This included three loaves of raisin bread ( one was marked down to $1 ), two packets of crumpets, one packet of breakfast muffins and some muesli bars for Megan ( school ). I don't usually buy all these ready made things but with the kitchen renos starting shortly, I won't be able to bake for a little while. The crumpets and muffins will be handy for lunches on the run when we are packing and unpacking the whole house.
I'll still be doing weekly top ups of milk fruit and veg as needed.
* Dried most of the washing on clothes horses with a few items dried in the dryer.
* Turned the heater off for two days when it was a little warmer. I also tried to close the curtains around 4.30pm each day when the air outside cooled down
* Took my car to the mechanic because a couple of warning lights came on. The mechanic checked everything over and couldn't find a fault. He didn't charge me anything which was a huge blessing.
* Made a whole orange cake for afternoon teas.
 |
| A double easel card I learnt to make |
 |
| A side view |
 |
| Car magazines given at the weekend away |
 |
| Some of my monthly grocery shop. |
 |
| Cut outs - sorry for the bad lighting. |
 |
| Our broccoli is almost ready to pick. |
What frugal tasks did you complete this week ?
My biggest frugal achievement this week was working 4 shifts (which is more than usual) and NOT buying takeaway because I was too tired to cook! I was quite tired on the last day and didn't feel like cooking, so I made a batch of homemade wedges and served them with sour cream, as easy as peeling and chopping a few potatoes, the kids loved them!
ReplyDeleteGreat news about the extra work Cheryl. Have you tried making wedges with the potato skins on ? I leave them on, spray with olive oil and sprinkle a little seasoning.
DeleteNo I haven't tried that, I suspect my middle child won't like them that way, he leaves the skins when I serve baked potato, but the rest of us would. I could always make two trays of them, one with the skin on, one off, great suggestion once again.
DeleteHi Wendy. What a beautiful card you made! I'm glad that you had such a wonderful weekend and lucky you about the mechanic! Here is what we got up to:
ReplyDelete- found 600ml thickened cream for 0.69c, I turned it into home made chocolate ice cream (no churning involved)
- bought lamb cutlets, chicken kebabs and 600g chicken thigh all for half price, I only spent about $11 on the meat in total
- re-used sandwich bags
- saved my bread bags
- stocked up on half price deodorant and paper towels
- gratefully recieved two lemons and shredded cheese
- avoided the dryer where possible
- used the heater as little as possible.
- all lunches were taken from home
- came under budget again for our grocery bill, our food fund is flourishing!
- used lights around the house as needed, otherwise they were off
- turned appliances off at the wall where I could
- re-fuelled my car when petrol was cheaper and used a fuel docket.
Love the sound of the choc icecream. Great price on the cream too.
DeleteWendy, that's a good tip about pureeing oranges and freezing them for later use for making an orange cake. I had just never thought of that! Your broccoli looks good, we are getting ready to plant our fall garden!
ReplyDeletePatsy, us Aussies are big on freezing things.
DeleteWe can't wait for Spring planting.
Hi Wendy
ReplyDeleteYes, your cards were just lovely and it was a great weekend away.
Well this week saw my doing a fair few frugal tasks:
I made an Ice cream cake for my son Brendan for his 14th birthday
Used some of my Flybuys to buy 2 kgs of Mince and packets of chocolate chips for baking saving me $27.54. (It's in the bank account Cath)
I shopped some of the specials.
Made heaps of cards at the card making weekend and for an order I have for a friend.
Filled the car up on petrol for 0.99c when it was cheap.
Cleaned my card making scissors with eucalyptus oil as they had lots of sticky stuff on them from the weekend and were not cutting properly.
Picked Cherry Tomatoes(yes , I found them in the garden growing, only 4)
Also picked Capsicums (also still growing)
DS1 saved a spring valley juice bottle for me for my jam making.
Mooed Bread, all meals and an orange cake.
A part in my Thermos broke this week so DH is going to try and fix as it a good quality Thermos and only needs food grade glue.
I bought myself some new undies and where the tag was attached to them, they were attached by cute little fabric bows which I'm going to use in my card making.
I went to the Savers half price sale and bought a few cardigans, half price and a gorgeous rose book which has beautiful pictures for card making using my discount card.
Kept the heater off some mornings and during the day.
saved the shower water
DH serviced my car and even know the parts cost about $200.00, there was no service fees as he is a car mechanic.
Also , I washed out the freezer bags the kids use for their lunches.
We were blessed to be given Bickies, wraps, rolls, fruit loaf and Margarine from Joy and leftover Tomato relish from Carol.
I wish my Broccoli would hurry up and grow,
Blessings,
Maureen
That was a lovely surprise to find a few tomatoes.
DeleteMaureen, I just loved the men's cards you made last weekend. We really did have a great time.
Hi, I'm Maxine, and greetings from Idaho USA. These are some of the things I did this week:
ReplyDelete1. Picked enough raspberries from my bushes for dessert for two. Last week I picked enough for a batch of raspberry freezer jam.
2. Salvaged the embroidered design of a T-shirt (from Australia!) to make a pot holder as a gift.
3. Washed and dried the laundry outside until the clothesline broke! I have bought the rope to re-string it, but I'm waiting until a third hand becomes available.
4. Wrote a weekly menu. Cooked all meals at home. Ate up all of the leftovers!
5. Made a batch of Miracle Spray, which I learned about here. Great stuff! I haven't tried it on soap scum yet....
6. Made homemade bread crumbs (I've been doing this for years).
7. Went to the bakery thrift store and bought enough bread for about a month for about $13.
8. Advertised on craigslist and sold a tool we no longer needed for $20.
9. I had a $10 coupon from JCPenney and used it on two new bath towels that were already on sale. I got two towels for $1.25 including sales tax!
10. I made a grocery list from the newspaper ads. I shopped some of the specials--milk for $1.88 gallon, eggs for .98 dozen, French bread made in-store for .88. The only thing I have left to buy (at another store) is bottom sirloin steak for $2.99 lb. I have not seen it this cheap in YEARS!
11. My husband and I replaced the screening in a screen door. (We have a couple of windows to do, too). This has needed doing for so long that I no longer remember when I bought the screen fabric, or what I paid for it. That means it was free, right?
Yes Maxine, I think the screen fabric was free - giggle giggle.
DeleteThe Miracle Spray works really well in the shower. I use a microfiber mitt or non scratch scourer too.
I do like your lists - they really help keep me on track. Breakfast this morning was 95% from our garden or made from scratch....muesli, yoghurt, poached eggs, bread, parsley (but not the berries on top of the yoghurt) - very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteThankyou Phil. Your breakfast sounds yummy.
DeleteMy frugal tasks for this week:
ReplyDeletePacked water and snacks for everyone, for every trip we did. Picked baby spinach from our garden. Made my first batch of miracle spray. Collected kindling from near and in our school grounds for our fire. Didn't use the dryer at all, even though its been wet. I brought more reduced meat to fill our freezer and to meal plan for later. I froze 3 meal leftover for future easy dinner or lunches when nothing was leftover from night before. I brought 2 reduced to 40c dips and ate one and froze the other, will see if freezing it is ok. Bottled another batch of water kefir and will bottle some kombucha tomorrow. Also opened a new pack of cotton dishwashing cloths, for the kitchen. After 3 years of use of use the old ones are still great for laundry rags.
Packing water and snacks saves a lot of money. Good on you.
DeleteHi greetings from the UK. We have a heatwave, at the moment so gardening can only be done early or late but I do love this weather.
ReplyDeleteI picked and froze ready for jam, black currents, red currents, rhubarb,and strawberries.
I picked runner beans, french beans,corgettes and dug carrots and sport potatoes
Planted peas and the last french beens
Sowed the last peas
Havested parsnip, wallflower, poppy, honesty and nasturtium seeds
Banked repayment from virgin rail for late journey
Baked 2 loaves of bread and bread pudding from left over bread
Made yoghurt
Used homemade cakes, quiche and nut roast from the freezer,
Washed and line dried all towels, rag rugs and bedding bar the pillows and hooved the matress
Long may this weather last
You have been very busy in the garden Chris. Love the way you say ' hooved the mattress " the younger generation wouldn't have a clue what that means.
DeleteHi Wendy, I enjoy your writing and the comments are so helpful too!
ReplyDeleteThankyou Rhonda. I think we have a great community here.
DeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteLove those cut outs....DD6 say oh so pretty.
Well today here was hot enough (30 degrees) to go swimming in the creek.
This week I
*Bought DD6 2 pairs of school shoes to put away in a girls size 1 and 2 and got them both for $15.00 as I only had to pay $1.00 for the second pair....both marked down from $69.99
*Dried all clothes outside
*Went to the markets and DD6 bought 3 more plants for her garden at $2 each(butternut pumpkin, watermelon and tomatoes)
*Made a batch of muffins for school lunches
*Opened and aired out the whole house
*Saved on my shop this week as I only did a small shop as I am changing my day
*Made yoghurt for DD6 lunchboxes
Hope you have a fantastic week and good luck with the card selling.
Take Care
Aly xxx