tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post7891781461532686542..comments2024-03-29T16:21:59.295+11:00Comments on My Abundant Life: This Week's Frugal Tasks 5th December 2015Wendy Gowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-69313545416838039332015-12-09T08:58:38.306+11:002015-12-09T08:58:38.306+11:00Janine, Thank you so much for your kind comment ab...Janine, Thank you so much for your kind comment about the candy bouquets. I'm tickled that you liked them.<br /><br />(I tried to reply to Janine earlier and am not sure my computer, which is being touchy of late, sent it, so if this is a duplicate I'd be grateful if Wendy would not post it. Thanks!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-69984338361740336792015-12-09T08:55:29.945+11:002015-12-09T08:55:29.945+11:00Thank you so much, Janine. I'm tickled that yo...Thank you so much, Janine. I'm tickled that you like them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-53483010355663298942015-12-06T23:16:19.421+11:002015-12-06T23:16:19.421+11:00Your candy bouquets look fabulous Your candy bouquets look fabulous Janine 16https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355965470722258834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-59593662441574865892015-12-06T22:35:39.184+11:002015-12-06T22:35:39.184+11:00Selling text books and uniforms then buying second...Selling text books and uniforms then buying secondhand again saves so much money. We only buy new if it's new for that year.<br /><br />Free decos - how good is that ?!?!Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-76555944041777525972015-12-06T22:32:12.667+11:002015-12-06T22:32:12.667+11:00Meg, you are so organised with your present givin...Meg, you are so organised with your present giving.Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-83563243882016231532015-12-06T22:30:33.880+11:002015-12-06T22:30:33.880+11:00I'm glad you are feeling better Aly. It's...I'm glad you are feeling better Aly. It's hard to be sick when you're a mum. xoxo<br /><br />Congrat on the ham. A great win.Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-8195235345004331852015-12-06T22:28:34.326+11:002015-12-06T22:28:34.326+11:00Yes it is great to be organised.
I had a lovely w...Yes it is great to be organised.<br /><br />I had a lovely weekend. All will be revealed later in the week xoxoWendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-56332570558946177342015-12-06T22:26:57.484+11:002015-12-06T22:26:57.484+11:00So quick and easy. I don't use a template, Ju...So quick and easy. I don't use a template, Just cut.Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-40429243222677728782015-12-06T22:26:12.577+11:002015-12-06T22:26:12.577+11:00A great price Patsy.A great price Patsy.Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-17779111440936978662015-12-06T22:25:25.993+11:002015-12-06T22:25:25.993+11:00It's so easy and costs nothing but a little ti...It's so easy and costs nothing but a little time.Wendy Gowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01079131126381265901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-78043204318017318702015-12-06T11:48:29.004+11:002015-12-06T11:48:29.004+11:00Hi Wendy,
I love your gift tag idea and your Hydr...Hi Wendy,<br /><br />I love your gift tag idea and your Hydrangeas look beautiful.<br /><br />Not much cooking this week as I had lots of outings to attend this week.<br />I made bickies and doubled the amount to put some in the freezer. Made heaps of castor sugar and brown sugar ready for more Christmas baking. Also I made bread with extra goodness.<br /><br />I shopped the specials, Saved water for the garden or washing machine, planted more seedlings and bought from the fruit shop in Highpoint shopping centre, Tomatoes for $1.99 (to make Christmas Relish) just a few jars, Nectarines for .099c and a 5kg bag of Potatoes for $2.00.<br />I picked Silverbeet from the garden to put into the Spinach (silverbeet) and ricotta cannelloni which did use for 2 meals and as I got the ricotta for $3.99 kg , this made both meals about $3.00 ea.<br /><br />I bought a text book for DS2 for next year on Ebay saving me $11.00. DS1 is on camp so less washing and saving on meals this week. I cleaned out the fridge and was ruthless as I wanted to make plenty of room for Christmas foods. <br /><br />I attended a bead making day at my local Library for free and made a Christmas tree ornament to hang on our Christmas tree. Also went to Sovereign Hill's Christmas shopping night. We met up with a special friend and her lovely family and had a wonderful night.<br /><br />Also we put up our Christmas tree that I purchased from Aldi's a couple of weeks ago for $30.00 and it's lovely.<br />What did you decide was your colour theme for Christmas this year Wendy?<br /><br />Have a great week, hope your feeling relaxed, <br />Blessings, xxx<br />Maureen<br /><br /><br />Maureennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-28509654893440392162015-12-06T11:17:44.670+11:002015-12-06T11:17:44.670+11:00Hi Wendy
You've had a lovely week
I absolut...Hi Wendy <br /><br />You've had a lovely week <br />I absolutely love your growing garden! <br />I still dream of my own back yard but good things come to those who wait so I'm doing it patiently LoL... <br /><br />Frugal tasks this week<br /><br /><br />(Last week) Got home from dads house and noticed a bath on the nature strip HOLLY MOLLY I said! I'm taking it! Boy I was happy! Another bath to add to the collection for planting in and getting some beautiful fresh produce and I can move it around to places I want yessssssss!!!!!!<br /><br />Received some gifts (teddy bear money boxes) for the kids <br /><br />Picked up some great bargains from the fruit shop <br /><br />Used my $10 off voucher at Tasman <br /><br />Enjoyed company of the kids running around with the rabbits out of the hutch <br />The rabbits get quite excited when we let then run free around the back hehehe. <br /><br />Picked up some great marked down specials and clearance items for chrissy and birthday presents <br /><br />Received some fresh food and bread off my mum <br /><br />Great fully accepted the offer of a small portable shed and and bath tub, oh my the obsession I have for bath tubs at the moment woooooo! Love them so excited<br /><br />I have a project happening to make the shed into a chicken shed/home can't wait!<br /><br />Bought some herb seedlings from Macleod fete for $1 - $2 each it was to support the new community garden they were building there. <br /><br />Think that's about all <br /><br />Hope you have a lovely week next week Wendy xoxoxAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06447133944172668925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-23912825652565800692015-12-06T09:57:56.678+11:002015-12-06T09:57:56.678+11:00Hi Wendy, I read your post yesterday and wanted to...Hi Wendy, I read your post yesterday and wanted to think of a few more things I have done this week to add to my list that I wrote in my comment on Annabels blog post from Friday. Anyway some of my frugal tasks this week included : <br />Gratefully received pumpkin soup ( made by mum) , fruity tea muffins ( also made by mum but from her freezer) , and 3 meals( made by mum and dad ) all from my parents.<br />Made a few more cards ( I posted a photo of some of them on the cheapskates forum) <br />Did less loads of washing and made sure my loads were full loads to save on water and power.<br />Used some Christmas gift boxes that I bought in the after Christmas sales last year<br />Stuck to my menu plan all week <br />Started a shopping list for next week ( to shop for a fortnight) , started by seeing what was in my pantry , fridge and freezer and did a menu plan for the fortnight.<br />Bought 3 more Christmas gifts and 2 gifts for a charity giving tree. All items were on special<br />Drank more water instead of cordial, soft drink ( I don't really drink much of that anyway) or soda water.<br />Used newspaper in the bottom of my budgies cage.<br />Recorded shows and movies from TV to watch instead of going to the movies or buying DVDs <br />I can't think of anything else right now Wendy. The gift tags you made look great, I do the same thing .<br />I would love to grow lemons , maybe I will get a dwarf lemon tree to grown in a pot if that is possible.<br />Take care Wendy, have a great week. Love Barb.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02998109064015639105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-69990258104557588742015-12-06T07:01:58.644+11:002015-12-06T07:01:58.644+11:00Look at your sweet gift tags! They turned out love...Look at your sweet gift tags! They turned out lovely! I'm jealous of you ladies who are enjoying warm weather right now but I still like to see your flowers and gardens, so thank you for sharing pictures.<br /><br />I thought I was done Christmas shopping but spotted some fun candy bouquets in the store, realized I could make them for far less, and decided on the spot that some people who would have otherwise received home canning would receive those as gifts instead. I had a marvelous time picking out treats and assembling the bouquets! I posted pictures if you'd like to see them.<br /><br />We're hosting a Christmas dinner for my husband's staff next week, so I've been shopping sales and prepping ahead for weeks. I've been able to get what we need from my regular grocery budget and my pantry. Some of the candy bouquets will serve as both centerpieces and gifts for that party.<br /><br />It's winter here, so we're wearing layers in order to keep the heat turned back. We've enjoyed lots of soups made from "junk stock" made from Thanksgiving turkey bones. I have enough of a reputation that people save their turkey carcasses for me and I gratefully accept as many as my freezer will hold. The greater blessing from this is that I have stock and soup to share, most recently with a sick neighbor.<br /><br />Have a lovely week!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-77271290203572145472015-12-05T23:35:10.431+11:002015-12-05T23:35:10.431+11:00Having to be frugal for the next few weeks as I ha...Having to be frugal for the next few weeks as I have taken some time off unpaid from work to rest as my fatigue levels have gone through the roof. Saving fuel by not using our vehicles and walking or riding most places. Almost finished our Christmas gift buying. Paid off all our bills and debts so only have the usual utility bills and the mortgage now. Our payments are a lot less than rent these days. <br />Paid my DD1's school fees for next year and saved 10%. Check the book list out for next year and only had to buy a couple of ebooks and textbooks as I had a stock pile of stationary from the sales at the start of this year. Dried the clothes on the hills hoist. Been harvesting snow peas and butter beans. Been getting the odd strawberry and can't wait for the tomatoes. The plants have lots of flowers. Let some of the lettuces go to seed so I can get more free plants. The chooks have been laying off and on due to the changeable weather, but I still have plenty to use in baking. Plan to make a heap of biscuits for the teachers as a thank you. Been cleaning out our wardrobes and donating the clothes to the op shops. Gave two gift cards to the Salvo's wishing tree. Janine 16https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355965470722258834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-36144706212674549722015-12-05T22:21:32.000+11:002015-12-05T22:21:32.000+11:00I've been sewing Christmas gifts, and embroide...I've been sewing Christmas gifts, and embroidering dish towels all week. I've been sick, so lost a couple of days to that, but am back on track now. <br />I got a marvelous deal on chicken yesterday, at $5 Friday at Safeway. It was 10 pounds for $5. It came frozen in a big lump, so I bought 3 and am thawing one to cook today and the others will be used later.<br />I made white chicken chili and navy beans and ham. I soaked an awful lot of white navy beans, so we've had those 2 things several times and I have frozen a couple of meals as well. <br />I have been sorting fabric scraps from previous projects. I have way too many. I've either been finding a use for them (doll clothes and gifts), throwing them away, or keeping them if I think I will ever use them. I have a lot more to sort.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-51625959237851514202015-12-05T19:50:10.583+11:002015-12-05T19:50:10.583+11:00Love the photos of your garden.
This week I bought...Love the photos of your garden.<br />This week I bought a bunch of leeks for $1 and made 3 frittatas with potato, leek and bacon. <br />Got a $3 bag of produce (assorted)at Woolies by just happening to walk in at the right time.<br />Used petrol vouchers for 2 cars to fill up.<br />Gratefully received some cleaning products and new cloths from a relative moving house.<br />Made yoghurt, anzacs and a banana/coconut/date cake.<br />Sold text books and bought next years second hand where possible.<br />Sold some school uniforms pieces. Used the money to buy more pieces second hand.<br />Shopped from the present shelf for a teen birthday party and a 21st birthday. Cards handmade.<br />Bought reduced sausage mince, made sausage rolls. Took some to a Christmas drinks party.<br />Gratefully accepted some fuschia cuttings. <br />Picked up a box of free Christmas decorations on the kerbside in our street which we have plans to make a few things with. Saw a lovely bauble wreath on UTube which we'll have a go at, for starters.<br />Washed and dried my huge woollen underlay today in the heat.<br />Your tags look great. I just get the children to cut up last years cards for tags, punch a hole and ribbon - they get thrown out anyway. But yours look really special.<br />Marie<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-26696874552092070592015-12-05T18:13:24.629+11:002015-12-05T18:13:24.629+11:00gratefully received some lamb and baked potato lef...gratefully received some lamb and baked potato leftovers from last night's Christmas party<br />all washing dried outside, the white pillowcases are still out there being bleached by the sun<br />used the coffee pot dregs and tea leaves in the garden<br />had a free glass of water instead of coffee while waiting at the dental hospital with DH<br />used homegrown lettuce, chives and spring onions on salad sandwiches, the spring onions were bought in the supermarket and then planted<br />started making Christmas cards, and bought the concession stamps to post them<br />wrapped empty boxes(op shop bought paper) to make the house look more Christmassy.<br />kept curtains closed to keep heat in or out depending on the day <br />posted DGS's 12th birthday present, I bought him some stationery for high school and clothing on special.<br />Bought a couple of books for next year's birthday presents, from the op shop of course.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07927294848415448775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-23852401490646561552015-12-05T17:25:50.224+11:002015-12-05T17:25:50.224+11:00Hi Wendy
The tags look fantastic. Wow you have ...Hi Wendy <br /><br />The tags look fantastic. Wow you have been busy this week. Wrapping of presents is on the cards for me this week hopefully (well at least the teacher gifts) as school finishes on Friday here. I am afraid that I am unable to put the presents under the tree until Christmas Eve as DD5 would be into or maybe it would be the cat as she thinks this is for her and has been playing with the decorations an sleeping underneath during the day.<br /><br />This week I have<br /><br />Won a whole ham (spend $6 on tickets) at the Christmas Fair<br />Bought items to decorate the cupcakes for school on sale (half price)<br />Hung all the washing out to dry<br />Stockpiled on zymil milk on special<br />Stockpiles on tins of beetroot on special<br />Had a party for spices a few weeks ago and received all the free goodies as people spent lots and I ended up with almost $200 worth of free products<br /><br />Recovering from an illness so was grateful to receive help with DD5 from a friend and some lovely meals<br /><br />Hope you have a wonderful week<br /><br />AlyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-80550799065958377222015-12-05T14:22:03.056+11:002015-12-05T14:22:03.056+11:00Dear Wendy,
Your hydrangeas are the most gorgeous ...Dear Wendy,<br />Your hydrangeas are the most gorgeous colour! The shredded paper will make great nesting material too.<br />I also love your tags and that nice images to use can be old cards and there are so many basically free resources for card making.<br />The had cream sounds like it was a lovely one... I cut them open too and its amazing how much is still in there.<br />This week I made gingerbread biscuits and also shortbread mainly for gifts.<br />I did a lot of cleaning, Christmas decorating and organising. There is a lot to do! I have done most of the wrapping now. It is very helpful to be ahead as you say, things are busy enough even when ahead! <br />I hope you are having a great weekend! With love, Annabel.xxxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-23140152851155417232015-12-05T11:53:39.502+11:002015-12-05T11:53:39.502+11:00Love the tag idea also!Love the tag idea also!Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00535442579149449469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-46216909589815818732015-12-05T11:44:30.971+11:002015-12-05T11:44:30.971+11:00Wendy, I too make gift tags out of the previous ye...Wendy, I too make gift tags out of the previous year's Christmas cards. Yours are really cute! This week I found a sale on canned vegetables plus I had coupons for them which made them a quarter a can. I added 8 cans to our pantry for $2! patsi @ a working pantryhttp://aworkingpantry.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7122163157306498894.post-11551171203247382552015-12-05T06:03:48.739+11:002015-12-05T06:03:48.739+11:00Thank you for the great tag idea!Thank you for the great tag idea!Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16170218700397945765noreply@blogger.com