* Made a whole orange cake using gifted oranges I'd frozen a few months ago.
* To avoid the takeaway urge we made pizzas from scratch including the bases. They were so yummy with leftovers eaten the next day. We don't crave takeaway as such, just the thought of something quick and easy to eat.
* We needed to buy a new teapot for 2 after breaking the spout on our old one. Darren and I walked all over Fountain Gate Shopping Centre trying to find a white,porcelain one with an infuser insert. Prices ranged from $20 - $38 and they were either too big and not white. The last kitchenware store in the centre was Matchbox and we found one on sale for $7.50. When we got to the register it went through for $6. At that price we bought 2 ( one is a back up ).
* Made 4 jars of plum and apple jam. The plums were from the freezer and the 6 red apples were wrinkly and old in the fridge. The jam recipe has slightly less sugar than the fruit weight and the juice of one lemon.
* Dried all washing on the line and clotheshorses outside.
* Decluttered a cupboard and donated the items to Savers. Received a discount stamp on my card for future purchases.
* Gratefully received more magnetic strips from older fridges from a friend. I'll be researching more way to use it in crafting.
* Repurposed a gift bag and ribbon for a few presents.
* Gratefully received a carton of milk from a friend.
* Picked raspberries and a few tomatoes from the garden.
* Made 7 jars of raspberry jam using berries we'd picked from our garden and frozen over the season. Homemade raspberry jam is my absolute favourite. It's so rich in flavour.
* Fed the compost bin with lots of kitchen scraps and tea bags / tea leaves.
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| /raspberry jam |
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| Plum and apple jam |
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| White peach jam. |
Your jars of jam are a thing of beauty! Do you seal them in a water bath, or keep them in the refrigerator?
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I'm sure each phone call or text gives you a flood of anticipation. All the very best for Megan and the entire family. Looking forward to hearing the wonderful news.
We had another frugal week. I stocked up on some good specials like the Olay moisturiser I love is half price at $6.50, until Wednesday at Woolies. I can't remember the last time I paid full price for toothpaste, moisturiser, deodorant, laundry powder or shampoo and conditioner. I get a buzz from my stockpile.
We have had a few big storms here in Qld, which has filled our water tank and topped up our pool. Very grateful for this blessing after recent dry weather. All the best for you at this very special time. Rachel:)
First, I looked at your cake recipe and it sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I notice you are reusing jars. Do you process them in a water bath and get a seal or do you use wax to create a seal?
The jam is cooked in a saucepan. I wash the jars in hot, soapy water then sterilise them in the oven. I put the jars on a tea towel on a oven tray. then place them in a cold oven. The oven is turned on to 100 degrees Celsius. When it reaches this temp, I turn the oven off and leave them in there for about 20 minutes. The hot jam is poured into hot jars and sealed with the lid immediately. Most of the jars have the pop button which seals as the jam cools.
DeleteHi Wendy, how exciting, wishing you all the best with the birth of your Grandchild!
ReplyDeleteI had a few big expenses this week, new tyres and rims on the troopy and a suit for my son's school ball, but the money was allocated so I coped.
Other than a trip to the Regional city about an hour away last weekend I have stayed away from the shops from Monday to Friday so that saved some money. Whilst in the city I visited a couple of op shops and picked up 3 long sleeve tops for work as the weather is cooling down for a total of $12.
I bought a whole rump to slice for $10 a kilo, and had a craving for crumbed steak which was $16 in the supermarket so decided to price the butcher and picked up 2 pieces for $3.90. With home grown salad it was a cheap meal!
Was also given a freshly caught salmon from my neighbour, which we coated in Dukkah and had with salad from the garden, so yummy!
This morning I made a batch of miracle spray and also a batch of washing powder.
I made another few batches of tomato pasta sauce in the slow cooker using my excess of home grown tomatoes, and my neighbour just arrived with a lovely water melon that they grew.
We have been eating my bottled Nectarines for dessert and there lovely. Also bottled a tub of home brew beer which is a huge saving on buying it!
Have a great week ahead everyone, and I will be thinking of you Wendy at this exciting time! Regards Liz from WA
Hello!
ReplyDeleteVery best wishes to the parents-to-be for a speedy and healthy delivery. Such an exciting time for all of you. Looking forward to your news when the baby arrives and a new and wonderful stage of your lives begins. Deborah
I hope you have good news soon Wendy! Its a new experience waiting for your daughter to give birth. I found it so stressful I also was like a cat on a hot tin roof.
ReplyDeleteYou did well on the teapot and the beautiful jam. I will be waiting to hear your news! xxx
Hi Wendy and how exciting about Megan and I hope all goes well and she has easy deliveries like myself. Great you were able to pick up your teapot on such a great special too :).
ReplyDeleteI just thought I would mention that we also have had rain, glorious rain, and 40mm of it in half a day which will go a long way to filling up the household rain tanks and watering the parched grass :). I ran around in the rain and put water catching buckets everywhere to catch rain coming off the tank stand roof for watering plants too and DH ran around in it too to move the grey water hose to water a lot of the back lawns and native shrubs in the yard too. Drought does funny things to even adults and turns us into children once again :) .
Our Vicky challenge savings last week added up to $1175.04.
Internet listings -
- Listed 13 free listings on eBay on a free listing and final auction value fee saving $21.45 on usual listing fees.
In the kitchen -
- Made 3 loaves of homemade bread in the bread making machine saving $10.47 over purchasing them in our local shops.
- Made 2lts of MOO yoghurt and flavoured it with homemade strawberry jam saving $5.62 over purchasing it in the shops.
House and garden maintenance -
- Cleaned out our grey water tank that had vines growing through the top of it from a bogainvillea bush we cut down and excess sludge in the bottom saving $1000 over hiring someone to come in and pump it out. Yes I was inside it as I don't think DH's shoulders would have got in there and he probably would have got stuck having back injuries. He lowered buckets in and I filled them up with sludge and vines and he disposed of it. While I was there I also inspected the inside of the tanks for breaches and there were none, adjusted the pump further away from the edge as the float was getting stuck and now it pumps perfectly without us having to set it off manually :).
- Pulled out 2 more upright posts from the vineyard when the weather wasn't stinking hot first thing in the morning.
Purchases -
- On a 50% off frozen branded goods promotion online in Woolworths we purchased 3 x 500g frozen blueberries, 1 x frozen passionfruit, 2 x 4lt Peters ice cream, 4 x 500g country harvest peas, corn and capsicum and 2 x pkts coctail spring rolls saving $29.50 on usual prices.
- We went into our favourite op shop while we were in town for DH's doctor's appointment and purchased a near new complete easiyo yoghurt maker for $1, 2 music cd's for $1 for both, and 2 gardening books for $1 saving around $100 over buying them new.
- Found Steggles chicken drumsticks on clearance for $1.99 kg and purchased 4kg saving $8 on usual prices.
It has been a fantastic week for us here to stock up our freezer with absolutely low price freezer items and some secondhand good condition items too.
Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead.
Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).
Good luck with the wait. Can't wait to hear all about him and to see lots of pictures.
ReplyDeleteI FOLLOW YOUR POSTS DAILY AND YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION....I HAVE TRIED A LOT OF YOUR RECIPES AND CRAFT IDEAS......I LOVE HEARING ABOUT YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND ABOUT YOUR FAMILY....THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LIFE WITH US...:)...ROSE
ReplyDeleteI love how you save money and make jam and things. It is an inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed all goes well with the babys arrival. A very exciting time.
ReplyDeleteThis week i added cordial, Jarrah coffee and dishwashing liquid to my stockpile all half price. I bought new undies at 40% off from Big W. I bought some DVD box sets from Savers for $3 and $5 then got 20% off. The girls at work are collecting the Coles Stickees I gave them what i had and was given lemons and rhubarb from one girl and 2 bottles of shampoo from another, i was more than happy as i expected nothing back.
I gratefully received a bottle of coffee from a friend who for health reasons can no longer drink it. I swapped plant cuttings with a friend. I was given 2 large glass jars to use for storage, 2 of last weeks magazines. I saved my loose coins bought marked down meat all in I had a great week. Have a wonderful week enjoy this beautiful weather. Leanne