My Frugal Week

 I stopped at a yard sale on my way to the grocery store on Saturday. I spent $6 for everything you see in the picture above. The blouse was $2, still had the tags on it and I can add it to my work wardrobe. The paintbrush will come in handy as I continue to paint the basement. I will be giving my granddaughter the headbands for her birthday in October, the bag was only 25 cents and I can also use that for many things. The Betty Boop salt and pepper shaker set was the most expensive item at $3.00 and since my mom loves all things Betty Boop, I will be giving it to her for a gift.

We ate all our meals at home. I made another loaf of bread, a spicy black bean soup, tacos, sausage with peppers and noodles, frozen pizza, chicken broth that is now in the freezer, crock pot green beans with bacon grease and onion, and pasta salad with tuna. I also made a cake from scratch with chocolate frosting.

We had our two granddaughters over for dinner on Wednesday night. We had hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, salad, and watermelon with cookies for dessert.

I went to Walmart and bought Dawn dish soap. I always buy the biggest bottle, transfer it to a smaller bottle and add a little water to the top. It is so concentrated that I find a little goes a long way. We wash all our dishes by hand and we like Dawn the best. I also use it as a cleaner.

I drive a lot for my job and have been blessed to get gas for a much better price than usual at $2.40 per gallon. While I'm on the road I listen to podcasts that I download on my phone. Recently I listened to Belinda at Frugal Workshop.

I washed my large and small baggies so that I can reuse them, unless they had meat or other messy thing in them. We wash them by hand in soapy water, turn them inside out, and hang them over a large utensil until dry.

I paid all our bills online. The only bill I don't ever pay online is our water bill because the water company charges an additional $10.00 for the privilege of doing so.

I peeled and froze tomatoes from our garden. They will come in handy for soups and sauces.

It's been cooler here lately so we are taking advantage of it by getting some yard work done.

Have a great week!

Simple Living

Enjoying the simple things like a swallowtail butterfly

At this stage of our lives, Papa and I have been trying to make life easier on ourselves by keeping things simple. We both work during the day so our time can be a little limited for doing things that need to be done around the house. I am in the process of eliminating things that aren't really necessary in order to make time for what is most important to us.

Here are a few things I have been doing so that life can be simplified:

1. I have de-cluttered my email inbox. I have a personal email that I have used for the last 15 years and the amount of daily emails that come in can be overwhelming. Nobody needs that many daily emails! (I use a separate email address for the blog). So for the last couple of weeks I have been unsubscribing from emails that I don't need or want. Most are from websites that I subscribed to for informational purposes but I have noticed they really just want to sell me something and I am trying not to buy much these days. I have noticed that sometimes you really have to look for that "unsubscribe" link. The font is very tiny! 
2. I am making our meals less complicated. Simple is better. I will try a new recipe once in awhile but will be sticking with simple, easy, and familiar recipes that I have used for years for the most part.
3. Grocery shopping. Before going to the grocery store I check the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry for needed items and to see what we have that I can use for meals. I then check the sales fliers to see what really great deals there are. I make my list based on those two things. When I get to the grocery store, I stick to my list but I may change my meal ideas if I find an exceptional deal. Many weeks I don't buy much at all because I have stocked up on those exceptional deals on precious grocery shopping trips. 
4. I have stream-lined my house cleaning by decluttering the amount of knickknacks that I have to dust. I still have a fair amount of decorative items in my house but I try to keep them under control so there is less to keep clean. And, less for Miss Bella to knock over!
5. I love to save links on my laptop that I want to go back and read later. Sometimes I will read them at another time but mostly I don't, so I have been decluttering those, too. Same goes with Pinterest!
6. Less shopping. At this stage in our lives, we really don't need much and shopping just doesn't have the same allure as it did when I was younger. It can be exhausting and a little frustrating. I'm not finding the styles of today as attractive. Maybe it's my age or my style. I don't know. But I try to just buy the basic items, such as, a good pair of shoes for work or clothes that will last so that I can wear them a few years. I usually check the thrift stores for clothing first then retail. 
7. Decluttering my home. I keep a box or bag in my closet just for clothing I no longer need or want. Next is Papa's closet and dresser! After that, the basement (oh, boy!). 
8. Getting out of debt. This is the most important point. We are doing all we can to reach this goal. In two months we will have the truck paid off and in another year everything else will be paid off (if all goes according to plan). Having less payments to keep track of and less open accounts will simplify our lives in a big way. 
9. Gardening. We love to be out in the yard and planting flowers and vegetables. We are learning which plants are the most important to us and that is what we are staying with right now. 

So, that is how we are making our lives a little bit easier. Share your ideas on how you are simplifying your life!

The Last of the Summer and a Bread Recipe

Summer is winding down and the kids in my neighborhood have gone back to school. Mornings are getting cooler, too.  Every morning I open a couple of windows so that Bella can enjoy whatever is going on outside in the yard, although it is still dark when I am getting up for work now.

My zinnias are doing well and always bring the butterflies. They are just about the easiest thing to grow. I bought the seeds at the Dollar Tree for 25 cents for each envelope back in the Spring.

We have so many tomatoes and jalapenos right now. We have frozen some, given some away, and eaten so many tomato sandwiches that Papa has actually said that he has almost had enough (we pretty much grow tomatoes just for the sandwiches).

I am making another tomato pie today. It was so delicious last time that we want another one.

I also tried a No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread. There were a lot of steps but  I worked them into whatever I did throughout the day easily. Next time I will add vital wheat gluten to add more texture and absorb more of the moisture. I had some toast made with the bread this morning and it was very good.

I hope your day is a good one!

Weekend Cooking

Classic Southern Tomato Pie

I love to spend time in the kitchen. It's relaxing and a creative outlet for me. Since I work during the week, I will do most of my cooking and baking on the weekends.

This is is what I cooked this past weekend:

I made the Tomato Pie I had planned earlier. It was such a bit hit at our house that I will be making another one next weekend. Here's the link to the recipe I used:  Classic Southern Tomato Pie

I made two kinds of bread: white with a little rye flour to up the fiber content and Cinnamon Raisin. I just started making our bread again and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Since there is only the two of us I will be putting about half of each loaf in the freezer.

Roasted cherry tomatoes. I added basil, garlic, salt, and olive oil. I roasted them at 300 degrees for an hour. They are delish! I will add these to soups, sauces, or wherever.

Tuna Salad for our lunches.

Today Papa will be putting 2 whole chickens on the grill. We will have lots of chicken, but we will use it for chicken and noodles, chicken salad, chicken soup, and chicken broth. Whatever is left over will be tucked into the freezer for future easy meals.

Last weekend we had a picnic with the family and we had a lot of leftover hamburger and hot dog buns. We didn't have the room in the freezer for all of them so I toasted some in the oven and made bread crumbs. I keep them in the freezer and pull them out whenever we need them.

What is on your calendar for future meals?

Pictures to Share

As you may have noticed I have a new profile picture. It is a photo of my own "Nana" when she was 16 years old and right around the time she met my Grandpa at the rolling skating rink!

This week we have collected many bowls of cherry tomatoes. The orange ones are the sweetest but the red ones are the biggest! And basil. Always basil. I use it fresh or I dry it and use it throughout the winter months.

I made a loaf of bread. I usually use my bread machine to make the dough and then bake it in the oven. We like it better that way. I put some garlic and Italian herbs in this one for more flavor. Papa made many tomato sandwiches with this loaf. Yum!

This picture is of our four grands from the Fourth of July parade❤

We visited Papa's sister and brother-in-law. These flowers were in their front garden and we didn't know what kind they were, so if anyone has a clue what kind they are, please let me know! They are so pretty.

The next 2 pictures are cross-stitched quilts my own Grandma made in the 1980's. They are light-weight and perfect for summer sleeping.

It's hard to believe that we are already in August and summer is winding down in our part of the world. Before we know it we will be pulling out our sweaters and jackets again! Have a wonderful weekend!

My Walk

I will often walk during my lunch at work. There are trails and sidewalks that make walking enjoyable and on a beautiful day like today, it was especially nice. 

 The sky was a perfect shade of blue, the breeze was light and the birds were chirping.

It is so nice to get out from behind the computer screen in the office and soak up the sunshine and warm air. I always feel energized after being outside in the middle of my work day.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Our Meal Plan

Since Papa is off on Fridays, he usually takes the opportunity to scour the grocery store sales and marked-down items. This week's best sale was whole chickens for 49 cents a pound which is a super price in our area. The limit was 5 chickens so he bought 5 and then we went back Saturday morning  and bought 5 more. Toothpaste was 88 cents each and so I asked Papa to get some toothpaste. Well, you had to buy 8 to get the toothpaste for 88 cents so that is what he did. We won't be buying toothpaste for a very long time!

Our Meal Plan for the Week:

1. Chuck Roast on the grill with BLT pasta salad.
2. Roast chicken and vegetables.
3. White Chicken Chili and cornbread (Our granddaughters will be joining us)
4. Ham and lentil soup in the crock pot
5. Tacos made with the chuck roast meat
6. Leftovers

Chances are there will lots of leftover food so some of it will go in the freezer for future meals.

Our tomatoes are starting to come in and one plan I have is to make a tomato pie.

                                                                 Our girl Bella

The Garden

Last week was pretty hot in the upper 80's and low 90's, and the last thing I wanted to do was work outside but there were weeds. Boy, were there weeds!

 This is my first year growing nasturtiums. Most of the flowers are red but there are a few yellow ones, too. I got the seeds from the Dollar Tree.

 My hosta is doing beautifully. It's in it's third year in my yard.

Today is supposed to be 95 degrees but this morning we went out to the garden to see if there was anything to pick. This is our first real harvest; green beans, cherry tomatoes, jalapenos and basil. We will eat them for dinner tonight.

The picture above is our 4 tomato plants, jalapeno plant, basil, and lettuce. We have a very small yard but we try to get what we can from it. Next year I will be planning more carefully so we can get even more.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Keeping My Pantry Stocked-Canned Tomatoes

Boy, was it hot today! It was a real blessing to come home after a long day and have a simple meal of ham that I had taken from the freezer leftover from Easter and fry some eggs with some toast for our dinner.

I needed dinner for the next night so after preparing our lunches for the following day, I made spaghetti sauce. This is where the pantry part comes in. I always keep cans of crushed, diced, and whole tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste along with seasonings in my pantry. I sauteed half an onion with a little sausage, although I have made it with just onion powder and no meat or ground beef or turkey. I then added my seasonings: garlic powder, oregano, basil, and a pinch of cayenne. I then put in a large can of crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and just because it was in the refrigerator, a little homemade chicken broth. At some point I taste it and will tweak my flavorings and may even add a little sweetener. I let it simmer for a couple of hours.

This will feed the two of us for a least a couple of meals. We like it over pasta, of course, but I have also had it over spaghetti squash, if I am feeling a little low-carbish. I also use it for pizza sauce. I store any sauce that is left over in the freezer for future meals.

We also use our canned tomatoes for chili, tomato and vegetable soups, and Spanish rice.

I love having ready ingredients in my pantry. It has saved us lots of money over the years.

Our Financial Goals

Pictured above is our coin jar. When it is full we will do use the money for something special.

                            

Have you ever wondered where you want to be 10 years from now? Do you want a new job, a different house, or are you looking to simplify and downsize?

When I look at my life 10 years down the road, I see a retired couple with all of their debt all gone. Now, my husband works part time, takes social security, and I work in an office. We have modest incomes but we have learned how to make every dollar count. Some of the things we do (and don't do!) to reach our goal:

We rarely eat out.
We have a small mortgage and a modest home.
We cook from scratch.
We shop the loss leaders and marked-down items at the grocery store.
We mostly cook from scratch.
We frequent thrift stores, yard sales, and the clearance section of the store.
We make our own laundry soap.
We wash out our baggies and reuse them. (Not if they had meat in them!)
We take our lunches to work every day.
We make our coffee at home each morning.
I sew and mend our clothes. I recently bought a large flannel sheet at a yard sale that will make a cozy pair of pajama pants for this winter.
We reuse and repurpose items in our house.
We eat leftovers and try to make something new and interesting from food that is left over. I am very fortunate that my husband loves leftovers.
Besides our coffee, we drink water or tea.
We grow some of our own food. Every year I learn more and more about this amazing skill!
I save glass jars for storage.
We routinely go through our budget to see if we can tweak it a little and save even more money. For example, when our car or home insurance premium is going to come due, we will compare with other companies to see if we can get a better deal.

I am always looking for ways to creatively save money. I don't feel I am deprived or doing without. I am just so thankful for everything we have!

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Happy Birthday, America!

I hope you and yours have a wonderful and safe 4th of July celebration. 

My Frugal Kitchen This Week

Since my husband is semi-retired and works four days a week, he will often stop at the grocery store on Friday morning and pick up any loss leaders that we can use. This week he found watermelon and Italian sausage. 

On Saturday morning we went to Aldi and Food 4 Less. I usually go to Aldi for the produce that have on special and I found cherries. They are a little over my price point on produce but they come around only once a year and it will be a treat for us. 

At Food 4 Less we found chuck roasts on sale for $2.99 per pound and we bought two. I always check their clearance and found brownie mixes for 59 cents each.

On Sundays I will usually meal prep for the week. 

Our Meal Plan for this week:

Pot Roast in the Crock Pot with mashed potatoes, carrots, and green beans.

Shepherd's Pie made from leftover pot roast.

Italian sausage, potatoes, cabbage, and beets sheet pan roast.

Hamburgers and potato salad.

Leftovers

For the 4th of July we will be going to our oldest daughter's house for a cook-out and swimming. I will bring pasta salad and brownies. 

What's cooking in your kitchen this week?

Welcome To My New Blog

Welcome to my new blog! Many years and life changes ago, I had another blog that I have since taken off the internet. I thought I was done with the blogging thing, but I have found that I want to share things with the blogging community.

My husband and I are Papa and Nana to 4 wonderful grands, ages 10, 8, 8, and 4, two boys and two girls. They are the light of my life! I also have 4 daughters and 3 sons-in-laws. I am very blessed that they all live close enough to see regularly. In fact, I will see all except my youngest daughter for our 4th of July celebration. Oh, and by the way, I am very patriotic and love to decorate my house for our country's birthday.

I am also a frugal person. Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette fame is my hero as many bloggers that I get motivation and inspiration from.

I also love to cook and create healthy (and not so healthy!) meals at home.

Right now my husband and I are spending lots of time in our yard tending to our flowers and tomato plants. We are also growing basil, peppers, and green beans. For the first time I grew some of my very own radishes from seed. I didn't know it would be so easy.

So, this little blog of mine is going to be a little bit of everything and you are very welcome to join me!