Five Frugal Things -- Homemade Cranberry Danishes!
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I bought a packet of Trader Joe's frozen puff pastry a couple weeks ago and then forgot about it. Until two nights ago, when I was able to quickly assemble a batch of fresh warm Danishes, using sale bought cream cheese and leftover cranberry sauce. 100% a hit, so I made a second batch for my husband and I to nosh on while watching the Mariner's vs the Blue Jays baseball game. Perfection!
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I didn't scroll Amazon to scout falsely inflated Big Deal Days bargains, but did buy a knockoff replacement battery for my Eufy robot vacuum a couple days later. I end up buying something from Amazon maybe twice a year and this was one of those times. Hardly an impulse purchase.
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I came home to an amazing smell, which turned out to be my husband cooking up this Instagram pasta recipe. We already had the ingredients on hand, (thanks to my recent Winco trip!) and it was the loveliest thing to come home to a flavorful warm meal. I'd never wish for my husband to be hit by a car, but it is kind of nice to have him at home.
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I cannot for the life of me find my Land's End fleece lined raincoat, (see above!) which I thrifted a few years ago at the Goodwill Outlet bins. It's driving me crazy, as it's the best coat I've ever owned and fits me perfectly. I'm not one to lose my belongings, which makes this extra frustrating. I'll hold off on replacing the coat as long as I can, but damn . . . it's a kick in the guts!
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I didn't ride in the Portland Emergency Naked Bike Ride, but I could've as I do hold hatred with using Federal troops against our own citizens and already own the correct outfit.
Saturday was food bank day. Passed on things we can't use to a friend. Later, my DH's brother dropped off what he didn't want to us. Now we have 8 English cucumbers and 6 red bell peppers! The peppers I can cut and use for chili, spaghetti sauce, or soup. The cucumbers...we'll eat maybe 2. Going to have to "ding-dong-ditch" some to the neighbors like people do with a bumper crop of zucchini.
Took my sister for her errands on Saturday like I do every other week. She took me to lunch. This time, we went to Cracker Barrel and both ordered the grilled chicken tenders. My sister only ever eats 1/3 to 1/2 of whatever she gets and takes the rest home for the next 1-2 days. I usually can eat the whole meal, but even I couldn't finish it, so I got a box also. Brought that home for another meal.
I would NOT have participated in that particular protest because I look like "the Michelin Man" naked. I would rather write my legislators; however, they talk out of both sides of their mouths, too. I may splurge on lip balm and send them each one or two...so they can keep their lips soft while kissing _____.
Love the lip balm idea!
Although I wouldn't waste the money on our carpetbagger CONgressman. Who got kicked out of 2 other congressional districts before moving back to his hometown and getting voted in as our guy. P.T. Barnum was right: never underestimate the stupidity of the public!
Barnum was right. There is a sucker born every minute.
PBS TV station WTTW uses person-on-the-street commentators for station IDs. ("Hello, Chicago; You're watching WTTW".) A current one is two sisters, identifying themselves as one from Portland and one from Chicago, at some outdoor city spot. I don't know if that is coincidence or intent-- the irony struck me of these two women who are NOT under attack.
What? They're just walking around outside in perfect safety? Perhaps enjoying themselves? Not dodging bullets? Boggles the mind. (In case anyone is wondering, this is sarcasm.)
I certainly recognized the sarcasm, Beth! The irony to me was that this is on the previously funded PBS.
1. We went to Sam's Club and bought nuts, chocolate chips, butter, bananas, and a rotisserie chicken. Gas was much less there than anywhere else so I filled my tank.
2. DH started a 3,000 piece puzzle his sister passed along. It will keep him busy for a while.
3. I am continuing to go through the house to find and give away items we don't need/use/want.
4. I made a pan of GF cornbread with ingredients on hand.
5. I am reading and listening to books borrowed from the library.
I have a jacket I can’t find either. So frustrating.
And I'm missing my good leather work gloves.
Are we all losing our minds?
My husband is missing one, too. It originally came from Japan, with my dad, until I mooched it off him. It's literally irreplaceable! We've had it 25 years, my day got it about 40 years ago!
If a green, reversible to white, lightweight jacket magically shows up elsewhere, I'll pay shipping!
Noted, I'll be on the lookout!
1. I am in the process of painting two step stools -- one was trash picked, and one bought at a garage sale. I am also painting my medicine cabinet, which has progressed from shabby chic to just plain shabby. A repainted shelf is ready to put back on the wall today.
2. I made inquiries at a couple of senior living facilities, thinking long term about my future, and I have been inundated with sales calls from others. The one clear thing is that they are all way too expensive, so I am stepping back and rethinking my future. I would like to avoid the whole scenario, but if that is not possible, I will go to a facility in a less expensive area where I used to live and still have many connections. For now, I am quite healthy and there is no rush.
3. Yesterday I checked out the fridge for leftovers and made a nice lunch of a cheese omelet, fried onions, and pastry rollups made with pie crust and jam.
4. On yesterday's walk I scored a loaf of Pepperidge Farm bread from the little free pantry. And I got another book from the little free library. I also found several receipts.
5. I refilled the tub of conditioner I keep in the shower. It serves not just as conditioner but as an excellent shaving cream. A tiny dip on my fingers is all it takes.
How frustrating to get unwanted sales calls, and how smart to look at some retirement facilities now to get some ideas before you are under pressure to make a major life change!
I really enjoyed "Man on the Inside" with Ted Danson (second season in production), and the "Thursday Murder Club" movie, both on Netflix. However, those senior retirement centers must cost tens of thousands a month for residents, hundreds for laundry alone for the seniors' perfect fashion wardrobes
If the laundry facilities in those TV-show senior retirement homes were anything like my dad's nursing home, the residents would have to continually buy new clothes. The nursing home laundry IRL used extremely hot water and bleach, so Daddy's socks ended up being Barbie-doll size; I'd have to go to the neighborhood discount store and buy another package of socks every week. It was ridiculous! They wouldn't change their laundry methods, they ruined all his clothes, and Dad hated the place. So he came home after a mere 3 weeks. I quit my job to care for him.
Nursing homes are required to use hot water and bleach as part of infection control. I always brought Gramma's clothes home to wash.
1. Completed September financials. Spent $325 on groceries. That's a record low.
2. Made five more pints of homemade applesauce.
3. Lost our power so that motivated us to do outdoor projects. I was in the middle of a shower when the power went out so I had a shorter frugal shower.
4. Attended the annual Friends of the Library meeting and enjoyed free refreshments, enough for dinner.
5. Hired a new window cleaner and was very happy with his services (cleaned inside and outside all windows, including screens). He charged us $100, which was too low, so we gave him a $50 tip. We spent considerably more last year for someone else.
Katy and Cindy in the South, you two will likely find your coats in the middle of a summer heatwave. Isn't that how it usually goes? I find my swimsuits in January and my winter gear in July. Never fails!
1. Although the fairgrounds are less than a mile from my house, I avoided going to our regional fair and rodeo. I'm told it was $20 just to park (in a dirt filed), $20 to get in the gate and that the fair food was astronomically high, as were the rides and admission to the rodeo, concerts or anything else you'd want extra. Almost impossible to be there without spending a hundred bucks or more. So by not attending, I must've saved a bundle! (Thankfully, it has ended. I could hear the noise late at night, even with the windows shut, and it about drove me up the wall.)
2. Ordered my usual $3 small burger at the drive-through. The cook erred and made me a giant-sized one. They gave it to me free. So yesterday, I had half a burger for lunch and the other half for supper.
3. Instead of buying snacks from the store when I went on break, I brought a sandwich bag full of cookies from home. (The cookies were from Aldi. Bentonville chocolate chips, which are cheaper than the Nabisco brand we sell....and since they taste the same and are packaged very similarly, I imagine the same factory produced them both.)
4. I was volunteer chairperson for our church's Blessing of the Animals, which we held a week late due to the above fair's opening Saturday last week. (Happy to say it was successful, and the pastor was pleased....the good Lord answered our prayers!) Used a lot of things brought from home (free), and I also gathered a lot of "freebies" from the various vendors, who were giving them out and urged me to take some t the end, as they didn't want to haul things back with them. Snuggles had to stay home, as I couldn't handle him and do my hosting duties at the same time. But he got 4 doggie cupcakes (which spoiled his supper, LOL!), numerous dog biscuits, a frisbee, a red tennis ball for playing "fetch" (he wasn't interested once he saw it wasn't edible), and a collapsible water dish. The church got a stack of children's books about animals.
5. Took one of the ruined drapes to a restaurant that was collecting bedding for an animal shelter. Got a coupon for a free dessert.
Living in Portland, I can't wait until next summer to find my raincoat!
Field, not filed.
Katy, We love our Eufy robot vacuum, which we ordered after learning about it here on your blog a few years ago. We need a new battery, and tried to order it from the company and it’s on a long backorder. We saw that they have some on Amazon, but we’re concerned that they had maybe been sitting around the warehouse for a long time. Do you remember what brand you bought from Amazon? Thank you!
I just bought a knockoff, not sure the brand. Don't overthink it.
Putting wood in the woodshed for the winter's warmth. Used the hearth to raise 2 loaves and 1 large tray of cinnamon rolls.
Donated 2huge laundry baskets of a found stash of my husbands clothes.
Washed and line dried a king sized comforter set and donated to the county's family resource center. While there I made arrangements to donate a bedroom set and 4 recliners.
Today I'm making insta-pot dried beans for the freezer.my future self thanks present self.
I sure hope you find your coat. I once "lost" my favorite l.l. bean barn coat. I found it 2 yrs later in Alaska while visiting my daughter. I wore it home!
I bought her the same coat at a rummage sale and shipped it to her.
And I once lost a beloved top that was just the right thing for dressing up and dressing down. Found it at my brother's house, still hanging on the doorknob in the guest room where I had left it to air dry.
My SIL has such a habit of leaving things behind at my home, she now has space in the closets and dressers. She rarely packs to come visit so I see her more often as we live in the heart of Oregon's wine country.
My sister always leaves things behind when she visits and it's now standard for me to wait at least a few days to let things surface before I mail things back to her.
Sisterhood of the traveling coat.
The danishes look tasty. Way to go making fun treats with ingredients on hand!
My husband and his siblings got together this weekend to begin the process of clearing out his parents house. They went through photos and keepsakes and divvied up the things they want to keep. While they did that, I worked on clearing out household goods that have reached “junk” status. I have no problem scrounging household items out of free piles or from thrift shops. I applaud people who continue to use outdated items. A dusty rose mixing bowl works just as well as a white mixing bowl. BUT, when something is worn out, chipped, or has to be held together with a rubber band, then I’m in favor of replacing it. There were so many household items that were ridiculously worn out! Warped pots with loose handles. Chipped and cracked dishes. Cracked Tupperware. Threadbare and frayed towels. Holey sheets. Yellowed, smelly bed pillows with half an inch of loft left. There were plenty of good things in the house, some of them replacements for the items listed above, that were given to my in-laws as gifts, but that were never used because, “this spatula works just fine with a twist tie holding the handle in place.” Guess what? If someone saw that spatula at the dump, they’d never consider bringing it home!
I think there’s a line you cross, and you’ve descended into miserly behavior. My in-laws were not poor. They could afford a new can opener when the old one stopped working.
Among the good, unused stuff, I found the Christmas present we gave my mother-in-law in 1999, still in the box. It’s mine now.
I’m pondering my future and thinking about how I’ll prevent myself from seeming like an unhinged miser when my kids go through my things 30 years from now.
Preaching to the choir, Li! Although my Dad's house was so clean that my husband said you could do surgery in his kitchen, he continued to use the towels and dishcloths that he had when my Mom died some twenty years before. They were cleaner than new, and threadbare.
Several years ago we helped clean out a beloved aunt’s home. She had a “gift cupboard ” in which I found an assortment of all the gifts she had been given in the past 10 (?) years - jewelry, scarves, stationery, gloves, knick knacks, soaps, lotions, gift cards and even cash! It impressed upon me that the best gifts we gave her were actually our time/presence - not stuff that I am sure she appreciated on some level, but never used.
This is a good reminder for us all. However . . . cash?!
These were gifts where one of her kids might notice that the pillows in the guest room are all flat, so they give new pillows as a gift. (I found brand new pillows, still in their wrappers, yet the pillows in the guest room are like sad pancakes!)
This is a good reminder for all of us who see potential in broken items that sometimes something just needs to be retired.
You’ve lost a coat….I've lost an entire king size top sheet. Seems almost impossible to me, but I’ve managed to do it. I only put the bed linens in my bathroom closet so while there must be an explanation, I can’t figure out what it is.
I have found lost laundry in the dryer, on more than a few occasions. I use the dryer only rarely, so once in a while things get left there. Sometimes for months!
I will be checking the dryer for my lost jacket when I get home.
Perhaps they've crossing over to another dimension?
It’s probably with my favorite sweatshirt. 🙁
My grandmother had been through awful poverty as a child and as an old lady would not use the nice clothes her children bought for her. We found them stuffed in closets and usually chewed up by mice as she did not use the back half of the house.
Li, Ruby , and others: You have told a story that was also true with my grandmother. Cousin and I talk about this mindset of not using “good” items nor enjoying them. Grandma had a very impoverished childhood. We are so blessed.
That's so sad.
My dad grew up hungry, and he gets very agitated about movies with “food fight” scenes. If I so much as utter the words “animal house” he starts lecturing! His brother liked to hoard canned goods.
I went on a little girls trip with two of my oldest friends. I took egg bites and Apple Butter Bread (since we were going to an Apple Butter Festival) for breakfasts. My one friend paid for the AirBNB, so I paid for two of her meals, and our other friend paid for another. We had a wonderful time visiting, seeing the festival, and walking in the towns we visited.
My husband brought home from work a baby gate and a high chair for us to use for our granddaughter. They were practically brand new and probably worth a combined $150 new.
My husband closed the vents to under our house to try and reduce our heating bills this winter.
My DIY ghost sweatshirt that I talked about before got lots of compliments at the festival.
I found a dime!
What a fun trip!
1. Baked three loaves of bread and 10 sandwich rolls. I had both batches going at once and was able to fit everything in the oven at once, saved electricity and gave my arms a nice work out with all the kneading.
2. Had a stomach ache later in the afternoon so I spent most of the evening resting and only ate a little at dinner. Plenty of leftovers for another meal! I'm counting it haha
3. Using the beautiful autumn weather to air out some of the rooms in my house. Nothing feels as good as fresh linens and rain soaked air.
4. Making our mid-month grocery list. It's not too long thanks to us trying to purge our freezer and pantry first. Unfortunately there are a few (expensive) non-negotiables, like coffee.
5. Working on another crocheted Christmas gift, I took a break for quite a while but I think I should still be on track to finish all the gifts in time.
Over the weekend I repaired a pair of jeans for my son, sewing on a small patch using denim from a pair of jeans he wore 28 years ago.
Made another batch of banana-bran-walnut muffins for breakfasts and filled up eight reusable K-cups with coffee from Aldi. Rack dried my laundry on the patio yesterday, as it was a mild, breezy day.
Bathed both dogs myself, along with trimming up their coats and grinding their nails. They look great and it saves a bunch of money doing the work myself.
I'm impressed with the dog grroming!
It helps that they are such sweet girls and well-behaved with their baths and such. I have had dogs in the past who could barely stand still to be brushed.
1. Was gifted a Halloween costume through our BN group for our toddler. We will probably do very minimal trick or treating, but still wanted to dress him
Up!
2. Thrifted a mini hydro flask water bottle for 1.59 for my little one. He steals mine all the time and I’m sick of sharing lol. It’s a little beat up but totally functional.
3. Bought a play/climbing toy off of Facebook marketplace for a great deal to add to our newly finished playroom in our basement. The lady offered me a small wooden table and chairs (kid size) which I happily accepted.
4. Made a massive batch of white bean chicken chili with a Costco chicken. My toddler loves beans and corn, so this was a hit for him too. We ate dinner from the chicken before hand, so the amount of meals out of one chicken was quite remarkable.
5. We enjoyed a free fall festival last weekend filled with farm animals, pumpkins, and cute pictures. My toddler and I split a cupcake for a whole 2.00 and had a blast as a family. There are so many free activities to do, it shocks me when people spend 30 dollars a ticket every weekend for different activities.
It looks to be black in color - black in a dark place is hard to spot even when your eyes are young. I'd use a flashlight to check to bottom of any closet/clothes hanging area (guess who had to hunt for a gray sweater the other day)? Yep, on the floor, slipped off the hanger.
There are have multiple extra light sources to assist in the search so far!
That pasta looks so, SOOOO good! Thank you for sharing the link. Might have to make it soon!
We watched the Mariners-Blue Jays game too. We also watched the incredible 15-inning Mariners-Tigers game a few nights ago. It's great to watch games between two evenly-matched teams. (And being a Mariners fan, it's fun to see them doing so well this year).
1. Placed an order for free checks from my credit union.
2. A very old fluorescent tube light in one of our closets finally burned out. Apparently, tubes of this size are no longer available in most stores, but I did find one at an online store. It's so much less expensive to replace rather than getting a whole new fixture.
3. I found a local Ace Hardware store will accept old fluorescent tubes for recycling, which is much more convenient than taking the light to the recycling center.
4. I've never lost a coat, but I am famous for losing my glasses on a regular basis. One time, I was so frustrated, I said a prayer to St. Anthony (the patron saint of lost items). No guarantees, but it worked because a few minutes later, I found the glasses had slipped down in between couch cushions.
After a long and increasingly frantic search, I often find my glasses on top of my head. Anyone else?
Yep! Just a few days ago I was cleaning out the barn refrigerator when I bent down, not one but TWO pairs of glasses fell off! Silly me.
Yeah, I had that happen yesterday when I was rushing last minute to get to the store before it closed. Glasses weren't in the two usual suspect spots, so I went to clutch my hair in despair.... voila, glasses on the top of my head. um, yay? or doh?
1. Made chicken soup with the stock I made. Finished a box of orzo and broke up some angel hair pasta to finish it off too.
2. Made egg bites with some ham that I wanted to finish off.
3. Went to Panera with a friend for dinner. They had sent me a $2 off any soup for today. I like their soup so I was happy to get it. Had water with it. Paid for it with a gift card.
4. I had printed up some pictures from my daughter's wedding using a discount code.
5. Put the pictures in some frames that I had thrifted or already owned. I sharpied a few spots on a few frames that had marks. Hubby hung them up for me.
1. A couple months ago we switched Internet provider because we were sick of our prices increasing. We cut our bill in half AND finally received the $300 gift card they promised us when we switched. I used some of it to buy my groceries this week.
2. Made a batch of pumpkin scones for our breakfasts this week. Every weekend I make something to help jumpstart our breakfasts.
3. Dh and I went to a concert this weekend (it was my birthday present). I SO wanted to get a hotel room after so we wouldn't have to worry about driving home late, but they were around $400. So dh limited himself to 1 drink and safely drove us home.
4. I did partake of a few select prime day deals of items my kids had asked for for Christmas. No impulse purchases for me either.
5. Breakfast for dinner for the win after I stayed at work late to walk with a friend.
I lost a t shirt I needed for a speaking engagement. I only own one t shirt for my union. And it was free. I have been so good at washing it and putting it away in the same place every thing so if I get asked to speak at an event it’s all clean and in the same place. I needed it for a three day union conference. I looked for that stinking shirt for THREE DAYS. I looked over and over on the shelf it was supposed to be on. No shirt. I tore the house up. No shirt. Last minute I checked the shelf again. It was there the whole time. I did break down and bought a second shirt at the conference, just in case. lol
1. Shared some of my extra veggies from my winter CSA with my friend that saves her veggie scraps for my guinea pigs.
2. Picked up two 1/2 gallons of whole milk at a neighborhood pop up food give away.
3. Dehydrated more marked down mushrooms. They are great in soups and stews and I also plan to package some in cute thrusted jars to give as holiday gifts.
4. Today I boiled all the strawberry tips I cut off the strawberries I bought half off. Tomorrow I’ll make scrap strawberry jelly with the “juice.”
5. Made a very inexpensive beef stew with a can of beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage and mushrooms. Served over egg noodles with homemade gravy. We feed the three of us for two dinners and a lunch for me.
I have lost my favourite (although stained) Tilley hat. So frustrating! Did you leave your coat at your Mom's or Dad's recently? My Tilley is so stained I doubt I left it at a friend's, but WHERE IS IT in my house? Another reason to continue decluttering...
1. Used some of the frozen turkey from the day before to make a turkey, egg noodle, cream of mushroom soup and pea casserole. Comfort food. Ended up making TWO casseroles, which is probably good as both #2 son and Roommate loved it.
2. I got 4 more 8-cup bags of apples into the freezer. Progress!
Then #2 son and his girlfriend invaded my crowded kitchen. He essentially comandeered the apple corer peeler and buzzed through many many apples, plunking the results into big canning pots full of water with lemon juice and salt. She wanted to make a tomato soup but isn't really a confident cook, so I got to do what I adore doing – cooking and teaching in my kitchen. Between the three of us we got tomato soup (simple one from the original Moosewood Cookbook), grilled cheese sandwiches, two casseroles worth of apple crumble (plus extra topping put aside), 9 MORE 8-cup bags of apples in the freezer and 12 trays of apple rings into the dehydrator.
I am feeling tremendous relief about avoiding food waste and saving food that we love for future pies and crumbles. #2 son schlepped a number of loads of apple peels out to the chickens, and composted even more; I'm down to approximately 2 banana boxes full of apples (I am sure I had the equivalent of 12 or more when I first brought in the harvest.
3. Visited my BB and brought her two chairs to keep and three folding chairs to borrow. She is hosting an expanding Thanksgiving dinner (she invited me but I declined, because – People!) that her sons keep inviting folk to, and she was short on dining room chairs for her table (which DOES expand).
I had two that were no longer needed here, as I had finally replaced them with some beauty thrift store finds, and so yet again I engaged in the furniture trade that she and I have going on. It is kind of funny how many chairs have travelled between our homes. She will either keep the two solid chairs or pass them on.
4. While there, I sat with her for a bit as she prepared a Brussel sprouts salad. We were commiserating about how much longer it takes to get things done, these days (she has rheumatoid arthritis AND osteoarthritis and it is biting her hard right now). I asked what else she had to do and she gasped and said “I still haven't got the potatoes peeled!, or the squash prepared!” It is so challenging to be less capable and it is disconcerting to take so much longer to get things DONE!. Anyway, I wanted to hang out with her so I pulled out her potatoes and peeled them, yammering away. We used to get together a lot to do chores or random jobs, at one house or the other, and I am going to suggest we get back on that bandwagon
5. I found the book that the library has given me a 'fine' for – it is in the bag of books to return, and the fine will be removed at no cost to me. I love my library!
6. Rescue dog's mouth seems to be healing nicely. She is not happy having to wait for her supper and breakfast to soften up, though. I feel blessed that I didn't have to pay for the surgery for her tooth removal – ouch! The rescue organization did a big fundraiser for her. They are now showing me photos of her daughter who they want to bring here, asking for someone to foster her – I am resisting. Help me remain strong, here, folks!
Wow Ecoteri! I am exhausted just reading about all this food prep.
@texasilver, you and me both. I just am amazed at past-Ecoteri who would do all this until midnight then get up at 7 AM and get kids ready for school, go to work, come home and make dinner then do more tomato canning or whatever. Sheesh. but when you get a windfall of apples, and your family loves applesauce, apple crumble and dehydrated apples, it does make sense. Glad to have had the help of my son and his girlfriend, though!!
1. I took a vacation day to stack the holiday and give myself a 4-day weekend. I used it to prep the garden for winter. We had our first frost a couple of nights ago, so I pulled all the green tomatoes and zucchini. Now to figure out what to do with them. I also harvested our first crop of apples from the trees I planted when we moved to NY (planted spring 2022).
2. Pulled up the carpet from my son's former room. We are reclaiming it as a guest room. We will put in new flooring ourselves which will save us thousands in labor. I will also be painting it myself.
3. Made chili using stuff on hand (a beyond burger, jarred tomatoes, a bit of BBQ sauce from a refrigerator jar, veggies and seasonings on hand and Instapot kidney beans. It provided a meal and work lunches for most of the week. I am planning on an doing a pantry challenge for the next few months. I even have dishes for Thanksgiving planned around already on hand items (we are traveling this year to a close friend's house, so I am not cooking a whole meal).
4. Found four newish designer brand tank tops for $3 each at the thrift shop. I will replace my very worn, old Walmart ones with these higher quality ones. I wear them under clothing often enough. I also bought a pair of leggings to wear under dresses for work. I am also planning a no spend for the remaining year (and this includes thrift stores).
5. Bought some pollinator friendly perennials for half-off from a local nursery. This is a great time of the year to expand gardens for less cost. I also found three blueberry bushes. Now I just need to get them planted before the rest of the month flies by like a witch on a broom.
Having experienced a fair amount of poverty, I know I have a tendency to hoard "nice things". I've actually recently been making an effort to use the nice things I have. It's been quite a joy. I've also donated some things that I was keeping for 'just in case'. They were crowding me out of some space that is useful, so off they went. Yesterday I listed a vintage quilt on FB marketplace (I have many quilts and most have sentimental value, but this one was not connected to my family in any way). I sold it for $50 the very same day I listed it.
1. I like the look of wallpaper at the back of bookshelves, but wallpaper is expensive. I bought a roll of nice wrapping paper and put that up. It looks lovely. I've done this before and it lasts really well. And when I'm tired of it, I take it down and use it as wrapping paper!
2. Gifted several things through Buy Nothing. I was in a clear-it-out mood. Several things have already been picked up and it feels so much better. In a small house one has to be ruthless about stuff.
3. We've had our first proper rain of the season, so the drip irrigation is now turned off.
4. I had my husband dismantle a free bookcase (real wood) to make 2 separate shelf units. Both were in places in our house that needed a very specific sized piece. I'm very happy with the results. I painted both pieces as this disguises the fact that they were Franken-built. I'll sew a small curtain to cover the front of both of them (thrifted fabric) as they are storage for bathroom supplies and shoes.
5. I'm taking pleasure in nicely maintaining my small number of clothes.
Your post makes my minimalist heart smile.
1. I was supposed to host 2 events yesterday, but ended up getting sick halfway through the day so I froze the prepped chicken Marbella and will use it for another event. Froze the panisses 'loaf' and will use it for another day. Shared the panna cotta with my nephew and BFF, both who really loved it (or so they said!).
2. I used saved bacon fat instead of olive oil of my pot of brothy beans today.
3. I scouted out mystery shops that will work for my schedule this week, which will mean an extra $48, $13 in free groceries, and a free dinner for 2.
4. Since I was ill last night, my partner ended up ordering a delivery pizza. We decided that we prefer frozen "Cape Cod" brand frozen pizza to the delivery pizza (which would have been far less expensive). So today, we bought one while at the grocery store and committed to keeping one in stock so that we will not order delivery pizza again (we do regularly make homemade pizza, but last night was a bit of an emergency situation).
5. Saved the leftover coffee for tomorrow since I only had one cup and partner declined drinking any. It isn't as good, but it is both drinkable and already paid for!
I'm so sorry you were ill - and the Chicken dinner wasn't made!!
I took a chicken out of the freezer because you wrote about the chicken Marbella.... glad to know it could be frozen once assembled. (great idea, actually)
Oh Katy! Losing a coat! I just had this experience and actually bought another rain jacket. When I started clearing out our closets for some painting and new carpet I found the one I “lost” under another coat on one hanger. I have no memory of hanging 2 coats on one hanger, but there it was. Maybe you did the same? It’s worth a look. Good luck!
1. I walked down the toy aisles at my local Walmart looking at all the clearance toys. I picked up a few for my niece and nephews.
2. I switched to a cheaper coffee
3. I am taking some much needed rest and recoup time for my mental health per the doctor.
4. I am reading Before we were us by Denise Hunter
5. For dinner I am making some easy chicken fajitas with sautéed onions which is always delish.
Got flu and covid vaccines yesterday. Used the $10 off coupon, plus a few regular ones to get the fancier hair products at more than half off! Which was a nice savings, definitely cheaper than basic products at less expensive store.
DS and I had done a nice shop earlier yesterday so plan for today was lots of meal prep. Of course, I'm having a reaction and have not gotten anything done this morning. Shifting all but one of today's tasks to tomorrow. Food will be fine. Very thankful that I'm not really sick and will be back to normal tomorrow.