Saturday 25 June 2016

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 25th June 2016

With the weather turning quite cold we've tried to stay busy and warm.  Here's what I got up to this week around the house-

*  Went to the Cheapskates card making day and made 6 beautiful cards.  I also gratefully received a card making magazine from Cath and some sausage rolls for Darren,  some glass jars,  and card making cut outs from the swap table.   Pamela kindly bought old books and an atlas for some of us to use in card making.

*  Made a double batch of raspberry and white chocolate muffins for the freezer.  The raspberries were from our garden that we had frozen for this purpose.

*  Bought two bottles of Windex on half price sale at $1.99 a bottle.  I then diluted it 50 / 50 with water.  It still work really well.  I mostly use it for my kitchen window that gets lots of splashes of dirty water and food.  I think I have enough for the next 4 years or so.

*  Kept the heater off when the Sun was shining ( a few hours here and there ).

*  Froze six single serves of leftovers. 

*  Gratefully received card making parcels from two of my blog readers.  I feel so blessed that they thought of me  xoxo.

*  We all made a big effort to use up some odd things from the pantry.  In a month's time I'll need to start packing up my kitchen so I'm trying reduce my stocks..

*  Picked some silverbeet from the garden for two meals.

*  Froze a jar of tomato paste into ice cube trays.   This eliminates any waste.

* Made a quadruple batch of laundry powder.

*  Gratefully received some potatoes from a cleaning client.

*  Dried most of the washing on clothes horses with only a few things thrown into the dryer.

*  Did the usual water saving tasks.

*  Spent about $7 on milk and veggies for the week.

*  Picked a couple of lemons from our tree.

    
An abundance of lettuce
Our only rose at the moment.
The lemons are turning yellow
Tomato paste frozen into cubes 
Drying the washing in Winter
Making room in one of our freezers.

What frugal tasks did you complete this week ?

22 comments:

  1. Hi Wendy, what a great frugal week! I bought Windex on special too, didn't realise you can dilute it too. I'll be giving that a go! The lemons look lovely. This is what we got up to in our household:
    -it's car insurance time at our household, so we have shopped around for the best deal and saved $200 for two cars just by switching the insurance company, we tried calling our current one for a better deal and they wouldn't negotiate.
    - washed and reused sandwich bags
    -dried washing on the line as much as possible
    - diluted some shampoo and conditioner to make them last longer
    -gratefully received some steak and salad, we made sure that this was eaten and not wasted
    - bought 2L of branded milk for $1.65 at my local woolies and it still had 4 days left before hitting the use by date.
    - had cooking cream that was used for three meals three nights in a row
    - used the heater as little as we can, however we have had quite a cold snap recently!
    - mended a hole in a sock
    - saved all my bread bags and have been using them as nappy bags

    Amy

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    Replies
    1. great savings on the car insurances. We always shop around each year to get the best deal.

      Windex can be diluted because it's so strong to begin with.

      Delete
  2. Dear Wendy,
    It has been really cold here and rained most of the week. I use the heating about half an hour in the morning then in the evening from just before dinner until almost bed time. Normally I don't use it this much but I have felt it more this year or it is colder I don't know which!
    I think the tomato paste frozen like that is a really good idea. I am making orange cake today! You reminded me of it last week! It seems refreshing and bright in the gloom of winter!
    Have a great weekend. I am cooking and crocheting and staying in mostly. With love, Annabel.xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annabel, it's cold here too. Enjoy your orange cake xoxo

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  3. Dear Wendy,

    You had a fantastic week of savings!

    That is a great idea to dilute the window cleaner. I don't normally buy it and use diluted metho instead.

    We have been home a couple of days, and slowly getting back into routine.

    *I did a huge pile of washing yesterday and managed to get most of it dry in the sunshine. The rest I dried in front of fire overnight.

    *While away I made use of my time in the passenger seat by knitting squares to make a patchwork quilt. I have three more squares to go and then I can start sewing it together and crocheting the edges.

    *Picked a bucket of tomatoes from my garden yesterday.

    *Picked a bucket of mandarins to make juice for breakfasts. Our mandarins are plentiful again this year.

    *Out in the garden the veggies are still doing well, these include silver beet, spring onions, tomatoes, capsicum, rhubarb and garlic. The weeds are also in great abundance.

    I need to do some baking as my supplies have run out. I might make an orange cake using oranges from our tree.

    It is freezing cold here also, and yes keeping busy helps to keep warm.

    Have a great weekend Wendy.

    xTania

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome back Tania. It was great to see your pictures on facebook.

      Maybe I can get Cath to do another workshop in Adelaide so I can have another taste of your mandarins. They are so yummy.

      Delete
  4. this week i dried most of the washing on clothes airers over the heater vents, but did have to use the dryer to finish off a couple of loads
    had the heater turned down as low as comfortable, even turned it off for an hour or two some days, and opened the doors for some fresh air
    bought some RTC meat in Woolies
    made a batch of soap powder
    picked a couple of lemons from the community tree

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A community tree sounds wonderful. Are there any other trees there Meg ?

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    2. Wendy, we have mandarins, limes, peaches, nectarines and pears. The citrus trees are in 3 different areas, 1 of them is just around the corner from me. The others are in a small orchard near the veg patch, though the veg beds are all privately maintained.

      Delete
  5. We had a frugal wedding anniversary. I booked a cheap and cheerful motel for the week end. Being winter and with rooms to spare they upgraded us to an executive suite with a water view! The $$ really stretched wonderfully as it turned out.

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    Replies
    1. Happy anniversary. Winter is off peak and a great time to get good deals.

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  6. Wendy, here in the U.S. we're trying to stay cool as the temperatures are really heating up so I try to get my outside activities completed before 10 a.m. each morning then settle inside for the day's preserving of the harvest from the morning's gathering. This week it's been all about cucumbers and hand quilting on a toddler quilt for a Christmas gift.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems so strange that we have extreme temperature differences. We all have to make the most of the weather.

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  7. Here in the UK it seems to be raining every day. The strawberries are rotting instead of ripening, the pea and french been seed is rotting in the soil, I will resow when it stops raining.
    I have just picked red currents and blackcurrent which I will make into jam.
    I use vinegar and newspaper to clean windows, this has been done to clean off fly dirts.
    I have ordered 2 pairs of trousers in the sale at half price, holes have appeared in his old pairs.
    I have placed his old trousers in the fabric stash.
    I reclaimed the rail fare for a journey to see DD 1. The train was cancelled so we were 11/2 hours late arriving.
    Washing has been dried outside in between rain.
    Made 2 loaves of bread, 2 carrot cakes and 3 fruit cakes these are now in the freezer.
    Used old persons bus pass for all bus journeys ,these are free after 9am, only used the car once this week.
    We will need to live frugally now as no one knows what will happen after the referendum results. I was pleased but surprised, now we step into the unknown.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chris, most footage we see of the UK is either raining or overcast. I hope you get some sunshine occasionally to enjoy.

      It sounds like you are very capable of looking after your household no matter what comes your way. I hope things settle there very quickly.

      Delete
  8. Hiya,
    • Bought two thick lovely wool scarves from Queen Vic Market and got a small discount just for asking.
    • Picked up a half price bag of brussell sprouts from the market and they were tasty fried up with onion.
    • Had my Mum over for dinner on Friday night, and then Saturday night. Cooked lovely meals both nights – everyone was relaxed in our cosy home and it saved us all money rather than expensive meal out.
    • Gratefully received about 5 pairs of lovely winter gloves from my Mum who had picked them at the end of winter last year very cheap.
    • Borrowed some books from the library for my hubby that he had wanted to read.
    • Was blessed with some oranges and lemons.
    • Had leftovers for lunch and went to the shops without needing snacks/food.
    • Picked up some great little bargains for my upcoming QLD holiday and got a great haul for my budgeted amount including, handbag, new tops, accessories and a pair of pants.
    • Tidied up my closet and taking some nice things to the local op shop to give to others.
    There was some little bumps though with getting stuck on Saturday needing lunch, but chose a very reasonable option and it was delicious pumpkin & coconut soup, with a cheese savoury scone so it was a treat. But overall you just have to keep trying don’t you, and I think the little things add up.
    Christina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christina, the little things add up to a large amount. Keep trying. You are doing a fantastic job.

      You've received some wonderful blessings this week.

      Delete
  9. Hi Wendy,

    I also didn't know that you could dilute Windex, will have to try this. We only have 3 Roses left in our garden. In the next week, the roses will be pruned back.

    I've been washing out freezer bags etc.. so as to use them again. I made all meals from scratch and Mooed Chocolate cake, bickies,cup cakes and Bread. I picked silverbeet from the garden for 2 meals, used the tank water for the washing machine and tried to keep the heater off as much as I could.

    I shopped the specials, bought Cornbeef for $6.99kg and used some of my Flybuys to buy choc bits on specials. I also used some of my Rewards points to buy movie vouchers.

    Have a great week, xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maureen, the Windex is quite strong and dilutes really well.

      Pamela will be happy you are reusing the freezer bags.

      Delete
  10. Hi Wendy thanks so much for sharing your frugal tasks- you are so inspiring. I love your cards and wonder could you please share photos of the 6 cards you have just made. Have a great week Lorraine

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    Replies
    1. I'll be posting photos of the cards I've made in a couple of weeks time I promise. I try to put up a post every second month. I don't want to bore people with cards every couple of weeks.

      Delete
  11. I have never thought to freeze tomato paste in ice cube trays, Wendy. What a great idea!

    ReplyDelete

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