NEW what frugal things have you done this week thread (Hope no one minds a spinoff?)

[CerridwenLorelei]

I made tortillas from scratch
A pie crust from scratch -though the recipe is old and that one not as good a turnout as I had hoped but edible

I mixed ground turkey and tvp monday and today made a shepards pie for the fourth meal out of it.

not frugal but on my feet thinking ds had used up the last of the instant potatos so I used a can of whole and mashed them up with the masher for the pie.

I will freeze the broth I cooked the chicken in for tonight to use with rice down the road.

I bypassed the REALLY REALLY pretty purple bubble wrap at the PO because for the same price I got 7 more sq ft of the clear

I ordered books off the TP for my expectant niece in law

[2babybees]

I got a 50% off roast at the grocery store(going out of date) and made a great crock pot meal. Saved money on the roast and by not using of our gas oven.

Convinced my daughter she did want to be a fairy princess for Halloween after all. It had been her first choice and then she got stuck on Pooh. I wouldn't normally care but we already own everything for the fairy princess costume in her dress up clothes. I'm using her Pooh costume from a few years ago for her little brother.

I've taken my lunch to work everyday this week. And brought my own coffee grounds. I can't stand the weak coffee at work, but springing for a cup at the coffee house was getting out of control. I make my own pot after everyone is done with their one cup in the morning.

Sold a few things on Ebay to buy a new CD I have been lusting over.

[CerridwenLorelei]

ooh thanks for reminding me

I need to get dh to try again with the digicam I have some antique earrings I need to put up on ebay!
the coffee sounds good!

[momto l&a]

Dh got a deer, the meat cost us about $1 a lb which IMO is good considering its doesn’t have any junk in it, just natural fed.

Am making stock out of the bones that I will either can or freeze

[CerridwenLorelei]

ok it wasn't frugal how we got there

( dh uses it for lunches and gas) but I used up his duetto dollars at starbucks tonight on teas and two yummers decaf coffees. Now I don't have to go into one for ages and ages and he can have his duettos back :LOL

[Siennaflower]

I also found a couple of roasts 50% off and have used them for the past 2 dinners and made some yummy sandwiches from them. A definate bargain here, we don't eat roast all that often!

We bought chicken from a local meat retailer, free range chicken like what can be found in our local HFS for twice the price. We got enough to last us months, I'm feeling pretty good about this purchase. He doesn't have it all the time, and we got the last box, yay!

One last thing-I finally signed up at the public library at the next town over which is much bigger and better equiped than our local one, and saved myself $30 by putting some cookbooks I wanted on hold. I can just copy any recipes I want from the books here at home

[Pinoikoi]

This week I packed lunches for work every day but two... signed my ss up for the psat at work since his school will pick up the fee that way..


the bigger news is the long term stuff though
Did not use one disposable diaper... for several months
have cooked a large meal every sunday for the last few weeks (allows me extra to pack lunches- and is usually something pretty cheap anyway- bean soup, chicken curry, or chili)
took a job closer to my house to save gas (okay, only PART of the reason- but 20 minute commute is now just 2 minutes- 3 stoplights!)

Paid off all major credit cards this month!

Now the bad news- had to pay big $$ for dh's dental work. BUT, I did it while my old and new insurance overlapped, so they both paid 50% up to thier max- I still have to come up with $1800, but that is MUCH better than the $6500 it would have cost...

[root*children]

Alaska - good job for getting those CC's paid!!!!!!!! yay!

-We've been eating greens from the garden every day.
-Checking into the YMCA scholorship for membership for low-income families
-Got dipes & covers from Freecycle
-Going tomorrow to pick up free composted manure and visiting the thrift store in that rural community because it's dirt cheap (not in that order, of course, for stinkiness reasons
-Trying to find a bike seat for my toddler on Freecycle so we can bike ride more places (was using the Burley, but am having to kick 5yo out and make him ride his own bike. Taking the Burley means we have to go the long hilly route to avoid tight squeezes on main road sidewalks).

[annekevdbroek]

This is such an inspiration! I'm trying to be more frugal since we moved for my husband's work and our house payment doubled. (He's in the military and we went to a much more expensive community).

Anyhow.... What I did this week:

1. Made 20 breakfast burittos for a family get-together for less than $5.00 instead of ordering them to go for $20.00.
2. Have started eating things out of the garden now that the veggies are starting to be ready.
3. Made some tomato cages with bamboo and string. Hopefully they will work. The larger plants are monsters now (in metal cages). If the small ones take off the bamboo might be inadequate.
4. Posted on freecycle for tomato cages.
5. Cooked all our meals at home except for one take out special pizza that I went and picked up for 1/2 the cost of having it delivered.
6. Tomorrow I fly on frequent flyer miles to see my Grandma. The whole family is going for free! YAY!

[Snowdrift]

Helped DH take out and store window AC units for more efficient heating this winter.

Still haven't turned on the heat. We're hoping to make it to Thanksgiving.

Yesterday changed the oil in my car myself, and taught DH how to do it so in another 5000 miles when i'm too big to get under there we still don't have to pay someone to do it.

But *ack* ended up eating out for late lunch/early dinner. Between morning sickness and being always hungry, we seem to end up grabbing food on the road more, and not the cheap stuff either

[CerridwenLorelei]

the one thing we did do was combine

all our trips to next town over. Ds has therapy and then all the kids have an exercise class. I added a dr appt before therapy.
so that helped.

[organicmommy]

I have hung all of our clothes to dry in the house since fall is upon us and we can't hang outside as easily.

I have gotten rid of a few things on freecycle

I have asked for the couple things I am in need of on freecycle.

I have listed and sold some auctions on ebay to bring in some extra funds.

And like every other day of every other week....I am cloth diapering my dd!

[dharmamama]

I have NOT bought boy underwear even though my husband thinks I should buy boy underwear for our son even though we have perfectly serviceable girl underwear that fits him.

I have taken the bus to storytime.

I have hung a better clothesline in the basement (even though we already have one down there) so I will actually USE it.

I have bought books for the kids at the library sale ($1 a piece on the day I went) instead of at used bookstores. I did NOT go back on the $1-for-all-you-can-carry day because we really didn't need any more books.

I have stayed overnight at the home of a woman hosting a retreat I was at rather than driving 20 miles home and 20 miles back again the next day.

We have made two pumpkin pies rather than buying them.

I have sent lunch to work with my husband.

I have bought (real, not microwave) popcorn so on those nights we feel like we need something fun to do, we can pop popcorn at home rather than going out for dessert.

We have gotten a (free) used refrigerator from friends so that we can store more leftovers (and so my husband can store his home-brewed kegged beer, which may or may not be cheaper than buying beer outright, but we like to believe it is).

Namaste!

[dharmamama]

I used going-bad bananas to make banana bread and roasted pumpkin seeds to make homemade snacks.

Namaste!

[raleigh_mom]

I made a compost bin out of recycled materials. I reworked an old screen door, some left over lattice, and some broken window screens. It is my pride and joy today!

My DD1's birthday is tomorrow, and I insisted on making a cake that I know she loves instead of buying one for lots of $$$ as my DH would have preferred.

[kate42]

Instead of buying new curtains to match my newly-painted bathroom, I bought fabric from the clearance table and made curtains for $4.

On a side note, I must say I'm proud of my curtains. This was my first "real" sewing experience and I made sure to measure correctly and cut in a straight line instead of winging it. Man, measuring really does make a difference. :LOL

Go me.

[Belleweather]

Opened up the case to my broken laptop to discover that the problem it's having with staying connected to the power supply is likely a short in the power supply NOT a problem with the computer! Ordered another power supply from an aftermarket retailer rather than the manufacturer and resisted the urge to have it shipped overnight. Assuming that I'm right, and it is the power supply, I will have saved both the expense and the headache of finding a replacement laptop!! (I'm required to have one for work and for school) Not only frugal, but exciting, since I love the computer I have and didn't want to replace it!

I also got a small manual breast pump from freecycle to tide me over until the Health Insurance will pick up the tab for an electric, rather than buying one! I have to send the lady $5 for mailing it to me, but I figure it's still 90% off what I would have spent.

[Poddi]

I just made a Halloween costume for O from DH's old T-shirts. He's going to be a little jedi. This is our 5th Halloween since having kids and we haven't bought any costume yet. I'll see how long we can keep doing that. Last year's costumes took me an hour to make and got many compliments.

I also bought a pair of sweatpants for myself from boy's section. It's much cheaper than ladies' and much sturdier.

[SneakyPie]

Got 2 needed pair of pants & a Hannah Andersson longsuit for son at consignment store on accumulated credit (plus dropped off more stuff)

Gave my mother 3 full sets of curtains to help her cover her windows for winterizing (OK that's not my own but money saved in the family makes me feel good)

Husband came home for lunch 4 days instead of going out -- more time w/baby too

Took baby to library storytime using bus, plus took out books there

Ground lamb $1.50 off -- mixed w/couscous to make gyros in homemade pita bread

Bought new front door at 1/3 the price from local fabricator instead of big-box store, plus found honest contractor whose rates are HALF that of others for install -- saved $230 total and the new door will save us a boat on heat this winter.

Pair of needed Robeez-like shoes for son on sale at the Please Mum store for $9CDN (as opposed to $25-$50USD)

My favorite -- we've been making our own Shake-&-Bake for chicken; I've never had the store-bought stuff but man does this make tasty cheap chicken!

This is a fun thread -- I'm getting ideas!

[kate42]

Originally Posted by SneakyPie

My favorite -- we've been making our own Shake-&-Bake for chicken; I've never had the store-bought stuff but man does this make tasty cheap chicken!

This is a fun thread -- I'm getting ideas!

Cool! DH likes Shake-&-Baked chicken...what do you make it out of?