Monday, July 27, 2015





I mentioned in a post last week that my sister's mil was getting rid of all her kitchenware items and my sister gave them to me yesterday.  I completely filled up my SUV so many wonderful wonderful items.. I can hardly bare to put them away for the yard sale.  A lot of rubbermaid, Corningware baking dishes, dishes which don't sell well here I gifted to my new next door neighbors who have just moved in and are struggling financially.. had him go through a few boxes I had on the porch for things they might be able to use.  Went over our monthly budget with a fine tooth comb today.. we are buying a (leasing) new car this weekend, test drove it today.  Honda Civic LX great gas milage.  I'll be trading in my 15 year old truck for the down payment which will reduce our monthly payments from $221 to $149.  I hate giving up old blue but she has seen better days and needs a lot of work done on her.. new brakes, new muffler, window won't roll but half way down then fingers crossed that it goes back up, transmission is showing signs it may give up the ghost, rusted out bumper.  It's 4Wheel Drive which I will miss.  The new car gets 32 mpg.  I did my research called our insurance company to make sure it didn't drastically change our rates up $10 a month.  I under budgeted my paycheck since some weeks rarely but some weeks I only work 18 hours instead of 24.  The upside is no more stress about unexpected repairs to the truck windshield wipers work weird too.. if you spray to clear the window off it won't turn off for over a half hour, they said about $300 or more to fix it.  Whew!

I found a lot of clearance meat at Krogers Friday 3 pork loins which I cooked all at one time on Sunday so lots of sandwich meat.  They were $4 or less for each one.  Got a pack of chicken leg quarters for less than $4 which I plan to cook tomorrow and freeze for later meals.  I'm thinking of deboning it after cooking.  Pack of center cut pork chops were also around $3.50 and may cook those tomorrow too and freeze.  I try to cook ahead when I have time so we have food ready to thaw and eat on days when I am working.

While at my sisters last weekend saw a nut tree on their property, found out yesterday it's a hickory nut tree so will be gleaning as much as I can of that and using those this winter (will freeze after cracking the nuts).  Another group said they are great for making substitute pecan pie and fudge with.  Also saw my sisters neighbor has a tree loaded with apples and she is going to ask if I can have them, so will take all I can and can them up.  With the added expense of a new car payment free is a good thing.  I am truly blessed that my sister has this wonderful property in the country with free produce for me that she is more than generous in giving me.


My nephew was gifted with a older crossbow.. this one looks like a rifle, very deadly.  My sisters friend who gave it to him took him to a indoor sporting range and taught him how to use it.  He also gave him a big target thing to shoot in so my sister and I spent yesterday afternoon with him learning how to use it too.  I am not a big fan of hunting but need to know the skill for survival.  My nephew and his father know how to process a deer or other game, nephew is 15 and in boy scouts.

I resubscribed to the Sunday paper this month to get coupons this weekend I found $8 of coupons that I can use so the newspaper is paying for itself and paying me to get it with the coupons.  It is $14.99 a month so I have to save at least that much to warrant getting it.  I was able to get a box of hair color last week for 50 cents after the coupon and in store sale.

Hope everyone enjoys my newsletter and happy frugal trails.

Anna





Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Dog Biscuits

Today I made Pumpkin dog biscuits using rice flour, canned pumpkin and eggs.  Not the most frugal but a little cheaper than buying it at the stores.  One of my dogs is allergic to corn and I have to buy fairly high priced Made In The USA biscuits $7.99 at Petco.  This recipe said it would make 75 biscuits but I only got 59 out of it.  I used a pizza wheel to cut them, maybe could have made them smaller but still 59 is at least cpl. weeks worth for my girls.  I'll allow to air dry at least 24 hours before putting them in a container.  I have made biscuits before and they got moisture in the container and molded.  I'll be watching that very carefully and may have to either freeze them or use the moisture packets I bought.

Price on this will go down in the fall when Pumpkin goes on sale.  I also thought about using fresh sweet potatoes cooked, mashed and added that would be cheaper too.

The main thing is the rice flour is a better healthier choice for my dog with allergies.

I may even think later about making homemade dog food adapting this recipe a little with meat pureed in it and vegetables and freezing it.  I would have to check with my Vet and perhaps get a vitamin supplement.

Anna

Monday, July 20, 2015

Frugal Target Practice

My nephew and I enjoy target shooting with BB guns.  I was picking up clay disc 8 pack $8.99 refill pack of 60 $10.99,  First set had the stakes you put in the ground, second pack is refills.  Anyways I was talking to a employee who suggested blowing up balloons and tying them to a frame of some sort he suggested making one out of pv pipe.  What a grand idea and one we will implement soon.  In the meantime though I bought water balloons, they didn't hold up well on the grass oddly enough but what did it was great fun watching them splash when we hit them with a bb.  Such fun times to share with my 15 year nephew.  Next up is bow and arrows.

Anna

Peach and Plum Jam and Jelly Day

Today I am making jams and jellies.  Peaches and Plums are on sale thru Thursday at Krogers 89 cents a lb. So I bought 17 lbs. Total.  I got 12 pints of jam out of that plus I am now making a depression era jelly .. Peach Jelly made from the skins of the peaches.  My elderly neighbor has made it for years and she shared her recipe with me today.  I made a mistake with my plum jam and preblanched it last night then read the recipe said to cut the pit, leave the skins on and cook..ooops.  I had saved the skins thinking I might make jelly from those skins too so I just added the skins back in, it was a icky looking color so I added a few drops of red food coloring.  I normally don’t do that but they didn’t look visually appealing.  Hoping the peach jelly is a good color if not may add a drop or two of orange food coloring to that batch as well.

Frugal focus is I am making all of it in half pints instead of jelly jars.. Jelly jars will now be reserved for gift giving and I will stock up more on half pints.  Using half pints saves on buying lids.  We have been going through 2 jelly jars a week so it’s not frugal to keep using those versus half pint jars.

Just got done with the peach jelly it is looking more like juice than jelly.. will have to come up with a use for it if it doesn't set up.

Anna


Thursday, July 16, 2015

Savings Today

Krogers is doing their back to school specials.  I bought notebooks 19 cents each.  I use these at home for making out list of to do things, notes, etc. I also got 10 packs of ink pens (Bic brand) 97 cents each.

Krogers also put out a catalina for oil change, tire rotation etc. for NTB Tire store for $19.99.  Just so happens the oil light came on our car this morning.  I called Honda and told them we had the coupon, they said they honor competitors coupons.  Their price was $79.99 Savings $59.99.  They also put in a oil filter which the other places don't so that will cost a little more.

Anna