Thrifty Thursday

Individual serving packs of Tapioca pudding, a double savings.  I used milk that was about to expire to make the pudding as well as reused containers from takeout or purchases at grocery to package the pudding.

Friday:  We'd meant to go nowhere at all but as it happened we had to go out to mail an item and have felt rather puny this morning, I felt it best to get a new bottle of Vitamin C and some acetaminophen as well.  Mailing taken care of, we ventured one block to the local Dollar store.  I found Vitamin C for under $3 and acetaminophen for the same.  I found a vapor rub cream which seemed just the thing for my congested chest.  We skipped over snack foods and bread, having plenty at home.

John seldom goes into the dollar store and decided that he wanted 'to just look', which is fine for him.  He seldom picks up anything in his looking.  I, on the other hand, too often do.  Today I picked up a packet of flower seed (Gaillardia  or Blanket Flower, this time, a perennial that is easily started from seed).

John insisted I choose two new Suduko magazines.  Truly I do get good use  from mine as I do all the puzzles in them regardless of ease or difficulty before I will toss.  I happily looked over the selection and chose two new ones.  Hours and hours of time will be occupied in waiting rooms and long lines and much needed downtime.



John asked if he needed to stop and get lunch, since I wasn't feeling well.  I happily told him, "Nope, there's food all prepared at home in the crockpot.  I just need to make corn muffins and mashed potatoes."

Although I tried not to mix up too much batter for the muffins I managed to fill the six cup muffin tin and have 1/2 cup of batter leftover.  Leftover muffins went into freezer for future stuffing.  The remaining batter was put into a covered container in the fridge.  I'll use it later during John's week off.

When washing and dicing potatoes I purposely made too many.  I mashed only half of the potatoes I'd cooked.  I put the drained cooked potatoes aside and thawed a pint of homemade chicken broth.  I poured that over the potatoes and added a bit of chopped onion, salt and pepper.  Heated this to boiling and then added 4 ounces cream cheese and stirred as it heated and melted, mashing potatoes the whole while.  This was the BEST potato soup I've ever made.  Creamy, smooth, rich tasting, filling and so easy it's silly!

Used the bread from our Shabat to make sandwiches for our soup supper.  Froze the leftover bread for croutons.

Saturday:  Too ill to go to synagogue, I stayed at home with the heating pad and vapor rub.  John went off and had to stay for a worship service after.  He called to ask if he should bring home food, but again, I was happy to tell him  I had dinner heating on the stove.  I'd made Almond Chicken earlier in the week and meant to serve over rice, but I had extra spaghetti leftover when I made Chicken Parmesan earlier in the week.  Almond Chicken became Chicken LoMein.

A day of rest was just what I did need this day.  I watched tv: "The Pioneer Woman" and another show "The Big Waste" and a few home decorating shows.  I gathered inspiration from the programs for use in my home and here on the blog, so I consider it time invested well, not wasted as it might have been.

Spent time also going through the magazines Mama gave me.  I pulled a few recipes, clipped a few coupons, gathered a few pictures to inspire me in my own home decor and garden.

Took a much needed nap midday and drank loads of water and ate an orange, ever intent on fighting off this cold.

Thawed cookie dough and baked cookies.

At the first of the year I gave up drinking dark sodas...Haven't had one in two weeks.  John was certain a little something cold would help ease my sore throat.  He dug about in the freezer and found my frozen strawberries and the emergency bottle of ginger ale I'd set aside for illness.  He soon had a nice soothing Vitamin C rich smoothie set before me...with plenty of leftovers in the kitchen,lol!  I drank up my smoothie then poured the remaining mix into zippered bags for two more servings and froze them.

Sunday:  I was up with John when he left to go to work, but he took my car, as he does on these extra Sundays.  That kept me at home...No expense if you can't shop, now is there?

Used a cup of leftover chili from the freezer to make nachos for my dinner.  Snipped my own cilantro to garnish and add flavor.

Hand washed my bras and hung to drip dry in the shower.  Some of my bras are now over a year old and just barely show the wear my old bras used to show.  I'm convinced that following Rhonda's suggestions after purchasing them last year has been the reason they have last so well.  Never wear the same bra two days running.  The elastics need time to relax back into place.  Always wash by hand and allow to hang dry.  This advice has saved me money this year, that is for sure.  Usually I'd end up replacing my bras at least twice during the year.

Used water saved in the kitchen to water the plants.

Saved a plastic juice bottle rated PETE for water storage.

Saved end pieces from a loaf of bread and froze for future use.

Made iced tea for myself then poured the remaining amount into a pint jar to save for dinner tomorrow.

Monday:  Poorly planned my energy and my day.  I wanted to get a bit of housework done, but ended having to take it in stages.  I had made no plans for dinner and the idea of preparing food strained my limited energy.  Gave up my allowance and asked John to go into town to buy some chicken.

While he was gone made a little bowl of coleslaw out of the last of the green cabbage.

Strongly resisted the urge to turn on the AC as the day heated up and the house got quite warm with the humidity outdoors.

Turned on fan in bedroom to stir the air a bit instead, far less expensive option than using the AC.

Tuesday:  Dinner plan: Warmed over chicken, home made potato salad.

While cooking the potatoes, put four eggs on to boil.

Chopped up chicken breast and made into chicken salad for John's work lunch.

Mindful of how difficult I'd found the day on Monday, I chose to piddle gently about the house.  Resting between small jobs and not allowing myself to get over tired.  Made it through the day with more energy to spare for the final clearing up after supper.

Received my new to me vintage magazine, which cost less than one of those glossy magazines on the shelf at the store.

Wednesday:  Made an executive decision today while out running errands.  I had to go to the branch of the bank in the town to the west of us.  We MIGHT visit that brand four times a year at best.  I was greeted by name when I walked in and greeted by name when I went to the counter to be waited upon.  This struck me really hard because generally I do business in the town to the east of us.  We shop in that direction, have used that bank for almost sixteen years and gone in there at least every other week.  I've NEVER been called by my name and often have to produce ID when I go in to prove I am who I say I am...WHY?  It costs roughly $1.25 round trip to drive the extra miles to the bank in our county.  That's less than the cost of a soda these days.  And you know what?  In this depersonalized, automated, couldn't care less world we live in these days, that is a small price to pay for the privilege of being acknowledged as a customer of long standing.   From now on, I'll use the county bank and enjoy the personalized service. I can skip a soda any day to cover my costs of driving there.

Had to go to the drugstore to pick up prescriptions and to renew our supply of tissues and cough drops and such.  Took along a new prescription and asked them to fill it, figuring I'd save a future trip when that medicine was needed.

Stopped at the kiosk in the store to print out current coupons.

Made sure to take in my ECB rewards earned.

Picked up the sales paper and noted that deodorants (needed) were on sale and if I spent $10 I'd earn $3.50 in ECB to use in a future purchase.  Stocked up for both Chance and I.

Decided against the lovely but unneeded gunmetal gray nail polish.

Decided against the tempting but typically disappointing glossy magazine that temporarily caught my eye.  Reminded myself I had two more magazines coming in the mail this week and the two together cost less than the one that caught my eye!

Chose to buy Wintergreen and Peppermint flavored lifesavers that were on sale instead of the cough drops that cost the same price and had limited usage.  It's the aromatics and the soothing saliva the cough drops provide anyway, same thing the candies have, at 1/2 the cost.

Heated frozen chicken soup for my dinner, adding in chopped chicken from the last of the takeout box.

It turned off much cooler this morning.  I used the natural heat created by sun coming in the windows to warm the house in the afternoon.

Thursday:  Feeling somewhat better but still coughing.  Stayed home and away from Mama since I don't want to give her any of my germiness.  We agreed to try Sunday, a day I'd normally run into town anyway to pick up the local specials, pet foods and the local paper.  I've saved a trip into town this week.

Pulled out meat to thaw and while digging found a packet of 2 cubed steaks (I'd counted it as ground beef.  Reason # 987 why I should mark contents on packets...  Perfect for sandwiches for John.  In fact, one piece of meat was so large, I cut in half and had that for my dinner, leaving a sandwich sized piece for his lunch.

Marshmallows, two bags worth, have been sitting in my cabinet for months.  I realized today I could use whatever cereal I had on hand to make cereal bars from these marshmallows.  I halved the recipe.  So we'll get more than one or two panfuls from the bags...For now we have homemade cookies in the cookie jar to replace the ones John just finished off yesterday.

Saved an empty bread sack to put my homemade bread in tomorrow when I bake.  And a glass jar I'd emptied the last of the dressing from.  These are sturdy canning type jars which can be used for storage or future canning projects.

"Shopped" my pantry when I noted I was out of two or three items in the kitchen.

Now, I am going outdoors to pick up pecans.  I'm sure the fresh air and sunshine will do me good, the task is light enough not to sap my energy and I'll see if I can gather enough nuts to sell a few more.