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2015 Needs-Not-Wants challenge

5K views 40 replies 11 participants last post by  Bernice 
#1 ·
Wow, things are really getting tight. I have had myself on the same amt$ budget for about 15 years. When the kids went to college, it became easier to stay within budget, but over the years......and DS2 moving back in lately (he's 6'6") it is becoming difficult. Yet, I would like to live from the same amt., if possible. Time to stop all of those mindless and unnecessary purchases. Time to use it up, make it do, or do without. Eat up the leftovers.
 
#2 ·
We are there Cheryl.
W/ DH unemployed i have been collecting tips to save and make food go further.
-just started making my own bread in the machine w/o kits
-learned bananas should be separated to last longer
-a banana is a brown paper bag can ripen fruit like pears

we cut cable
I bought a belt for my pants instead of buying more jeans
I am really utilizing the freezer. I inventoried and cleaned out what was freezer burned for the dogs

I bought a CB named Budget Bytes. She has a website w/ over 100 budget friendly meals
I googled religious cooking blogs and found many
also found Barbarabakes.com for desserts
-another one is Findingjoyinmykitchen.com
-another thedaringkitchen.com

I recently realized i am paying $3.00 per month for paper bank statements when I download and bank online anyway!

I realized DH had primo cable boxes to record and it was costing $30. a month and we werent recording.

I am going to make broth from bones for the first time.

In January I switched to mostly generic stuff almost all from the Dollar Tree And I've had mostly good results

After losing 20# I have closet shopped andfound a bunch of stuff I can wear I had put away.

Dmom recently taught me to use the kettle to heat water to boil pasta and that it cuts cooking time a lot and I recently just realized using a lid does matter when cooking-Duh!

Bought a St. Patricks Day cabbage for .79 and have made 2 batches of coleslaw w/ 2/3 of it.

We cut our entertainment budget completely and only eat at home. IF we want a movie rental it comes out of the groc. so we return them for no waste.

I am extending oil changes to every 4 months
I cut my hair short and thinned it to save
I am dying my own hair for $5-$10.
I am charging DD $225. to live here. That incl. rides to work and food. If she wants special food she buys it. (she's 25 in the fall)

I joined AARP for $12. birthday special. I am earning points for GC and researching car ins. The van is going no-fault basic soon

I run everything through my CC to earn points for purchases. About $25-$40. a month. Kroger gas points. and I get my meds at Kroger for more points towards gas

Trying to see if i can get a fence to garden but the dogs? Kittens inside for the seedlings-seems iffy No chickens allowed

Cleaning out my old pantry-using can goods back to 2011 if they are not rusty,dented or bulgey

Going to cloth napkins for dinner,rags for messy messes,old towels for dog feet,TP for anything kleenex would do,dish clothes and towels to avoid paper towels

Cut any plastic ware or disposable cups
not buying water
Still going heavy on the clearance and discount items for groc. Adjusting menus to fit
meal planning to avoid waste

Hope any of this helps you cut.
My leakage points are now waste by DH and DD,and pet destruction
 
#4 ·
piney-please jump on any time you can at someones house or the library. Hugs.You'll be missed. I hope I dont have to cut my cable the rest of the way but???
I am cutting the paper statement fee for the C.U. $36. a year robbery!
I made a huge stock pot of the broth. It was alot of work because I was not as ready to store it as i thought. Next time.

Found 2 new space heaters at the S.A. Now I can zone heat in all rooms. $25. more investment so worth it.

Bought a little table for $20. big enough to do dough on. I am going to start doing rolls,bread,yeast dessert and such.

Bought a mini crockpot for doing once a month cooking
I am doing a lot more with the toast oven

The thing where I boiled a vat of water and added 4 tea bags is working well.
I put it unsweetened in an XL $4. Big Lot pitcher and drink it for days. This week was orange. I am doing ice tea next. .59 thats all!

I got 6 Ocean spray blueberry for $1.29/48oz. and I put in the same size pitcher. I used 1 bottle of juice and 1/2 more bottle of water. STretch and cuts sugar

I read on Findingjoyinmykitchen.com that she buys whole milk and waters it down like skim. Genius IMHO
 
#8 ·
Rabbit-I never take the bags because I was being environmental. I could use the groc. store bags. I take those for pet messes. My banana go on the fridge anyway
I tried the ripen pear in a bag w/ a banana. AMAZING. 4 pears/3 days.
Saved so much I am going to get more at Kroger $1.49 this week.

Got hit by $900. federal tax because DH didnt change our deductions to 2 from 4.
But I got $300. State to off set $600. hole but I got to use the extra money all year.

Tax lady only charged me $25. because I have been going to her for years. $75. savings.
Cat damage-cats previously ate the phone cord. I found a nice slim line for $1.50 at GW. Cats ate the cord off my bread maker-DH redid it for free w/ a cord he had. Thank goodness he can do it

Another way I save is to buy used identical things for parts. Bread maker pans are no less than $20. to replace/paddles are $10. So I buy bread makers @ GW /S.A. for $6.99. Been rebuying my original set of corningware for $20. Same w/ my Hoover upright. (finally went to a bag less a few years ago.

Made the chicken broth-about 3 gallons. I used drying up carrots/1/2 an onion that was dried out/4 cloves of garlic,2 stalks of celery and some seasonings/herbs. When the ingredients were skimmed off Ddogs showed bits of chicken and veg (no bones). I formerly pad about $8 ish for a 12pk of broth. X3?
So I saved $24. and didnt have to go to the store. Next-beef broth. $4-$5. at a local grocery (when I have freezer room).
 
#9 ·
Broth can be pressure canned if you want room temp storage. It's more work of course and a little more expense than freezing.

I have two one-gallon Ziploc bag in the freezer. I save all the onion skins, any scraps of celery, garlic peels, bits of bell peppers, etc in one and when it's full, I cook up a turkey and make broth with the bones and the veggie scraps. The other bag, I save carrot peels and put those in with the other ingredients when I make dog food. Before I made dog food, I put the carrot peels in the bag for the broth. I love making broth out of stuff I used to throw away.
 
#10 ·
SD-wow you are a saver. I always buy the mini carrots but I will think about saving bits. My prob. is freezer room as always. Ddog eat most scraps. I picked out the carrots and bits of chicken and they were is heaven.
Dmom want bones for broth so I get some too today (I see her tomorrow)Then after the broth I will gift them to doggies. NO WASTE
 
#13 ·
Brenda-so long ago. I should revisit-thx.

Sorta splurged-Bought 4 big steaks for $20. 2 are for Easter dinner for the 2 of us (or 3?). I am so over ham. It costs a whole lot and makes me sick plus I am going for another 25# weight loss this year.
I went for beef bones and got them must they have great meat at the local market.
So DH and I each ate 1. I FEEL so much less depleted.

I have been searching frugal grandma sites-lots of down to it frugal tips like lining the crisper w/ paper towel to make fruit/ veg. last.

Finally got 2 reuseable water bottles at BigLots for $2. each (BPA free)
I was using a XL ice mt. bottle but its collapsing. I stole it from Dmoms.
 
#15 ·
Haha, you're cracking me up, imagine!

Wow, so many great saving ideas! Thanks all of you for this info!

Piney, I also hope you'll be able to check in from time to time.
 
#17 ·
Haha, you're cracking me up, imagine!
.
Yes it is funny

However I am serious. I am trying to learn to want what I need other wise I would not get anything I want.
 
#16 ·
also, FW2, I hear you on the leaks.....in my house, it's DH and DS, and yes, the dog tearing things up when we leave him alone.
 
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#18 ·
yes Cab54 Lately we have a sneak theif. I have 3 ripe tomatoes go missing last week (had them on a table ripening). Yesterday,I took Dmom for a recheck and I came home to find an apple on my couch w/ nibbles. I had it out because it had a bruise I was going to cut around. You see,I suspect my mastiff/boxer mix but he isnt talking.
DD is a leaker because she likes to toss imperfect things. It a fruit has a bruise out it goes. I have just entered the age of salvage.
Also she leaves the lights on when she leaves for work overnight which I turn off but she comes at 6 a.m and leaves them on all again. I am close to putting paper signs up.
DH leaves 1 bite. Some nonsense his Dmom taught him. I was taught bread scrapes the plate!

I just found this blog
nanaisfrugal.wordpress.com-fantastic! grandma who lives in the ghetto and cans all food she is given. Her neighbors give her what they dont want from the food banks and she keeps an unofficial pantry for those who are in need. Many new tips.

Dmom gifted me money from Ddads estate and I am looking into buying an upright freezer.
I got shoes as I was in desperate need. New Balance were $85. clearance $45 after tx. I will also put inserts in the old ones and use them for the gym.

Bought 2 packets of Salsa seasoning mix @ .50 at Big Lot. I realized I have onions and way too many cans of diced tomatoes. I may add a few canned Jalapenos too? Easter weekend munchies?

Going to try lining my veg/fruit crispers w/ paper towels to make fruit last longer

Dragging the old seal-a-meal out for meat.

Dmom puts saran wrap or tin foil across her tub of ice cream to keep the ice crystals out
 
#19 ·
FW---I did NOT know the one about paper towels in the crisper drawers! Will have to try that. Thx!!

Your DD25 sounds like my DS28. He leaves lights on all over the place--also the fan in his room, etc. I have already stooped to putting sticky-notes on his computer screen where I KNOW he will see them. At least he will eat leftovers, which DH will not do. Says it tastes like road kill. I think from a family of 5 boys he grew up in, he probably never had to eat up leftovers. There just weren't any.

I've been going back to more cold-water washing, with cheaper (and less) detergent and making sure I have a full load. I'm in the process of finding out what settings on my dishwasher will get the dishes clean enough to suit me, but be less energy consuming. And finding a dishwasher soap I can live with that is cheaper. Tried the home-made ones (about 4 recipes) and no thanks. Streaks and cloudiness.
 
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#20 ·
W/ the DW I go the opposite way. I use the best just get the coupons plus sale.
And no HM brands so far although I do use vinegar for the glassware. I wont pay for jet dry. I find the sanitize setting worth it w/ pets.

My DH would be the baby out w/ the bathwater if L.O. werent ok. I have an issue where he will be willing to eat it long after he should. Thats why the dogs gets it after I few days in I didnt freeze it.

I remember DMom used to do newspaper in the metal crispers when I was a kid
And Dgram would put newspapers in the bottom of cardboard boxes for garden veg. she was giving away or trading. BUT its soybean oil print now and it would be all over stuff???

looking for cheapo eggs this week. $1.25 at Kroger so far. Where are the loss leader eggs we used to see at EASTER?

well,I was going to save the 5# butter tub for storage. Ddog needed a chew toy I guess. Everyone has cabin fever.
 
#21 ·
Haha! Yeah, DS will eat things that are way too old if I don't toss them soon enough. He and his brother (who does not live here right now) want to eat old stuff that makes me worry what they eat at their own places when Mom isn't there to say something. I'm learning to freeze in meal-size containers, rather than risk them poisoning themselves.

See, that's where I have trouble also...DH wants eggs only from the Circle K carry-out, because I happened to pick some up there once, and he flipped over the flavor. To me, an egg is an egg. Now, I have to make an extra stop, AND pay more. But I get cheapo eggs for baking, cooking, and for myself to eat.

I'll try the vinegar in the dishwasher. I trust vinegar.
 
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#22 ·
Cab54-what if the regular eggs accidentally fell into the Circle K carton and you forgot to mention it. Then if he balks about it say maybe they did something diff.
Fortunately Dh likes eggs as long as they are on his plate.

And yes vinegar.
Dmom started soaking sliced cucumbers in the pickle juice from the last pickles.
It would work if you boiled the solution and dumped it over the slices in the jar and let it sit. Obviously dont pour it in too hot.

Switched to a dish towel (only for that area) to dry my hands in the 1/2 bath instead of wasting TP and the savings are huge already.

Did the big pot of water and made tea for me. DD has started drinking it too. So I used the same 3 tea bags and made a second batch. So .54 for 2 gallons of tea.
NO CALORIES!!
 
#23 ·
Cab54-what if the regular eggs accidentally fell into the Circle K carton and you forgot to mention it.
My thoughts exactly.

A book I read recently by a food researcher talked about how if people expect food to taste good, it does, even if it's the same food they expected to taste bad and thought it did taste bad. The exact same food! One of the experiments they did was to serve wines labeled as being from North Dakota, then served the exact same wine in bottles labeled from California. The people didn't like the ND wine, but thought the CA wine was wonderful. Perception is often truth when it comes to food.
 
#24 ·
Haha! You guys have some great (and deceptive) ideas! I will definitely do the egg switch thing. I am kindof a wine conniseur (sp?) though and can tell the diff between good wines and not so good. Eggs tho---who cares? Wine is a luxury I imbibe once in awhile and if I'm going to---it has to be halfway decent....I have found a few that are not at all pricy tho.

I had heard about the pickle juice thing before, never tried it. Will have to do that this summer when the cukes look good and are cheaper! However, I have been known to make some pretty good garlic dills of my own.

Loving the great ideas.
 
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#25 ·
I've tried the pickle juice thing and thought there wasn't much flavor, even after letting them sit quite a while. I cut down the recipe I use for canned pickles instead and just make a couple quarts at a time. That works much better for me and it still saves a lot over buying Klaussen pickles, our favorites when we can't have homemade.

We're not doing so well doing without lately, but it's all good. A week ago Saturday we found the perfect entertainment center that will hold up to a 60" flat screen on the top. It's the right height and has a section originally intended for stereo components that will fit the Dish receiver, DVR, and the other boxes we've never been able to quite figure out what to do with, and has a glass door so the electronic eyes will work with the remotes without having to have the door open. It was $30 at SA and luckily we had the van along instead of the truck, so we could get it home from the store seventy miles away. I'll be adding shelves, which, sadly I had to pay $20 for from Menards, to the old TV area which is behind doors. That will hold a ton of things like DVDs, Wii stuff, etc. I also splurged on new door/drawer handles which I will do some beading on. They were cheap on eBay and will be worth much, much more when they're beaded. They should dress up the cabinet nicely. All told we'll have less than $60 in that cabinet, so we still consider it a bargain.

Then Saturday I found, at a garage sale, the perfect cabinet to use for a linen cabinet in our master bath, which has needed such a cabinet for about twenty years now. It's even a good match for the rest of the woodwork in the house, made of solid oak plywood (no particle board! :cheer4:) by a local craftsman. I'm still amazed. We happily paid $125 for it and would have just as happily paid more because it's almost exactly what I would have designed for that space. I was planning to build something myself for that space because I hadn't been able to find anything, and that would not have been as nice since I'm no master craftsman, and building it wouldn't have been free either. I could not have even bought the materials for the cost of the cabinet, so I feel we did well. That was very much a need in that space and has been for a very long time.

Today, Husby ran down to GW to be there when the door opened this morning because he knew the NIB micro-shredder he's been eying would be half price. That's been a need, too. He scored that for a measly $12.50, instead of the $90-$150 he had expected to have to pay retail. He's shredded so much stuff cleaning out his office that he's killed two shredders already, so we weren't that excited about spending that much on a new one. We do love a good score!

I also picked up a vintage Presto Wee Fry electric skillet my mom has been looking for for several years now. That was $5 from the same sale as the bathroom cabinet, and will make a nice, inexpensive Mother's Day gift. Another need, since my mom deserves a nice gift and it's always fun to give her something we know she wants.
 
#26 ·
Finally used my kitchen Adie mixer after having it about 4 years at least. I made Bakers Secret (aldis mixes $1.49-$1.99) Double Choc and added applesauce instead of oil. AND apple struesel muffins. They look great and Dh says they are. I used Christmas cupcake papers because that's what I had.

Read Nanaisfrugal.com again. She said to get a oil spritzer to grease the pans and never buy cooking spray. I got 2 diff. colors metal spritzers (hair area) for $1. ea. at Dollar Tree. 1 for Canola oil and 1 for olive oil. Haven't tried it yet but soon.
 
#27 ·
Cab54-I'll take that as a compliment. Actually, on the Roseanne Barr show she was teaching economics to the girls. She was dsaying she always put off brand cereal in the name brand box much to Darlenes surprise. That got me thinking mm.
And then Sneaky Chef-who adds veg to things her kids eat w/o their knowledge.
DH eats Zucchini bread all the time he thinks is carrot bread. I put choc chips in it.
He cant tell.
 
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