[dlrcpa]

Happy New Year.
Quiet night last night, probably due to light rain. Took the dogs for a long walk (2 hours) this afternoon. Ran the oven clean cycle, then baked a cake and warming up ham for supper. Worked on cross-stitch and knitting also. Got my Kohl's $5 reward via e-mail, have to think of what would be useful. I hope everyone has a good week.

 

[elsi123]

What kind of "challenge" is everyone starting for 2023? Since I "do frugal" almost all the time (yeah, I'm quite a tightwad) I don't know what I might focus on for the year.

I definitely do a Pantry Challenge (which is more of a Freezer Challenge) every January. My rules for this are that I don't go to the grocery store at all during January. We do purchase dairy at a dedicated dairy/ice cream store and I participate in a produce co-op, getting fresh veggies and fruits every weekend. The co-op is lots of fun because you don't know ahead of time what will be in your basket. It tends to be seasonal, but not always. So, once I pick up my produce basket, I start planning meals to make sure that nothing goes to waste.

But back to non-food frugality since there's a whole other thread about frugal food ... One challenge that I might take on is to use up more of the craft supplies which have accumulated in my house. I have a huge stash of yarn, for example. I'll have to think what kinds of challenges I need to set for myself around this crafting stuff.

 

[dlrcpa]

Elsi - I have multiple home cleaning / maintenance and yard projects in mind. I'll be doing the work myself and in some cases learning as I go. For example seal the grout in the basement tiles which I scrubbed clean about 2 months ago. Sealing should keep it looking cleaner longer. I bought the sealer already. Clean out closets & drawers thoroughly, new shelf paper or organizers as needed. Yard needs some shrubs replaced, trimming, new planting, as well as the usual maintenance. I started thinking about low voltage lighting in the back last fall but have not figured out a plan yet.
Also focusing on health through additional exercise and better nutrition and sleep. And I have a couple of medical tests that are only needed every 4-5 years, due this year.

 

[chumbleyn1]

Happy new year. It was a warm 75 here today after single digits last week. Oatmeal for breakfast and fried cabbage, black eyed peas and cornbread for lunch. DD has the flu. She is staying with a friend. I have Dgd so she won’t get sick. Got 4 new hens given to me yesterday. They are settling in nicely.

 

[bookwormpeg]

Happy New Year....nice day here but we didn't go out. Had leftovers for dinner. making a list of what I want to do this week and making a list for dinner for week. Will see how long I can do that....

 

[marthamfi]

Happy New year all ! don't make resolutions but always goals declutter etc. surprised dh and ds started decluttering office and bedroom. DS wanted to change room around since small but he has so much stuff in it. I said you can move things around like this..so cleaning and moving. so since he had vacuum out and did a bit around hall edges etc.

dh brought up stuff from over 20yrs ago asking if I wanted it. like pregnancy nutrition folders etc since youngest is 18 yes he hasn't gone though it properly for a long time. don't know what basement looks like but dh is off for another week so can go to thrift store. I got all the ornaments off the tree etc. so just need tubs down to pack and the inflatables are bought in to dry before putting away. bed has been stripped so new sheets. laundry I did yesterday. just fold etc. blessing of online age chats w friends online and messaging.

dh got takeout pizza for dinner. most places closed tomorrow cus of holiday today offices etc. but ok cus got my half price yarn yesterday. not that I need it but... any deep cleaning can be after xmas stuff is put away.

 

[chumbleyn1]

Good morning. We are suppose to have storms today, but not until the afternoon. Going to pick up costumes from the cleaners and take some that I have ironed and work there a bit today. Meeting a friend so she can pick up some vintage patterns. Dinner tonight will be oven fried chicken legs, leftover black eyed peas and cornbread, Tator tots and sauteed beet greens.

 

[dlrcpa]

Good morning. Ham bone and black eyed peas are in the crock pot with other spices - all for me since hubby won't touch them. So not sure about supper. Been eating cottage cheese w/ barley and pineapple for lunch, pretty yummy. The barley is chewy and filling. Need to shop (groceries) this week but probably not today. When it's sunny I try to stay in the sewing / bedroom with lots of windows, and it's warmer. When it's cloudy I go and do other stuff. Have a good day.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Very misty and grey this morning, may be getting light drizzle, everything looks wet. Storms due tonight.

Staying in, trying to get a handle on some more of the clutter. Trash day tomorrow, and after two holiday weekends and snow (no pickup) there's a lot to go out.

Will give the grocery ad another look but I don't think there's anything we need but milk. I wish we had a dedicated dairy store around here, I could run in and get our milk, yogurt, and butter and not be tempted by everything else on grocery shelves. There's Aldi, I suppose. I also want to check out the local hispanic market tomorrow. They have wings for .99/lb and beets for.44/lb, both incredibly low prices.

Got a $5 reward from Michael's. Haven't been there in months. I'll hold onto it until my latest craft supply order shows up and I figure out what I forgot.

Dinner tonight is a Nicoise salad. Maybe a light soup if it gets chilly.

 

[ressa]

Monday: clean sheets, bathrooms and floors mopped. Lunch will be leftover veggie beef soup. We cook a big pot and eat on it for several days. Very humid and overcast here today. Supposed to come a good rain.
Tomorrow is grocery day. We go twice a week, which seems a waste but I have to shop for my mom (next door) too and she often forgets to put things on her list and I don't catch it. I also don't want to deal with a lot of groceries at once. Usually go to a Walmart family market close enough by with an awesome pharmacy. If Albertson's has a sale we can use, we go there. It is right across the street from the Walmart.
We have a small Spring Market in the other direction. Tuesday and Thursday are senior citizens day with 10% off. Overall prices are not cheaper than Walmart BUT they regularly give really good markdowns on the meats. So we go there for that. I like to take my mom there whenever I can get her going. It's a small store so I can keep up with her and give her a chance to look around.

 

[rujerro]

Elsi- I like your January challenge.

Snow here and was a big storm a couple of days ago. I kinda thought that shoveling people's driveways/porches/steps/sidewalks would be a good side job. But the one total snowfall was a heavy 10" and backbreaking. And I let them pay me whatever they want. DH had to help me with the second house. I told DH we will split it when they pay.

DS1 and GF picked up their frozen meals that got delivered when they were away. More freezer room now.
DS2 wants to make a new recipe. It's a chicken paprikash type meal but has a Jewish influence. All I know is that it contains chicken and grape tomatoes so far.

My big sis moved out of her home and into a senior apartment complex. She gave her home to her daughter & granddaughter for free. It was paid for. Her birthday was yesterday and her daughter's is today. I offered to get them a gc to a restaurant for their birthdays and that's when she said that they are not on good terms anymore and she has her own place now. She said she is happy to be away and wants to live happily as she turned 70.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Breezy and sunny this morning. Weather moving out, it will get cold tonight. We had a decent amount of rain last night.

Want to focus on laundry today, get some stuff washed, run some quilts and blankets through the dryer to get rid of cat hair. Then will go over to the hispanic market after lunch. Time to get milk for DH and maybe some fresh bread as well as veggies. Trying to avoid the big store and all the temptations. OTOH I have a bunch of reward points there, so I should check what I can get with them this month.

Chicken piccata with brussels sprouts for dinner.

 

[dlrcpa]

Ressa, I did a clean-up on the bedroom this morning and grocery shopped today also. Used the Safeway $5 off coupon, got 2 free macaroni w/ rewards points and then spent on other stuff I found along the way. Put into my spending spreadsheet and saw I need to up the grocery $ since I want to stock up more sale pantry items. Freezer and fridge are full right now, need to eat the leftovers and thaw out chicken or ground beef for later in the week. Thinking pasta bake and use up frozen meatballs tonight.
Did a pre-taped Silver Sneakers work out yesterday, will do another one today. Putting away Christmas decor, means running up and down stairs. Rain moving in this afternoon and tomorrow but still pretty warm, saving utility bills. ⚡

 

[jettsmom]

The sun is shining after a day of fog and rain/thunderstorms. I'm not planning on going anywhere today. Thinking a lot about things we need and if we really need them. Going to fold laundry today. I think another task for today will be to clean out my gadget drawer. There's so much in there that is never used, time for it to go.

Need to set up this years budget spreadsheet. I found a notepad that is like a planner. I can write down what is going on for the week, make a grocery list, meal plan, whatever I want to put on it. I hope to use a to do list more this year, so I can get more things done. I have tubs of old toys to go through and organize for the girls. That's on my list this week, actually to organize one particular type of toy, not everything. I need to make the tasks doable.

I'll probably have leftovers for dinner and dh can have bok choy and corned beef. Need to use up the bok choy.

 

[josantoro]

Went on a medical transit run. First two rides got cancelled. Third ride was a no- show. Drove home, still getting paid for miles. Couple of hours, about $35. (mileage rate went up with the new year, $.655 a mile.)

 

[CountryRabbit]

Yesterday was dh birthday so now I finally feel like all the celebrating is over. Thanksgiving until January 3 seems very long, I get holiday fatigue. Stopped at Meijer to pick up vitamins and batteries for the carbon monoxide detector and wandered down the Christmas isle. Picked up a box of Christmas tree lights for $1.49, one of our strands went out this year, dh got them to work again but I wanted to have a box next year just incase. Also bought a box of Christmas cards for $1.80 and two $1.49 christmas dog toys. One is a cute gnome. Having bowls for dinner. Brown rice, black beans, baby spinach topped with salsa and guacamole. Easy peasy.

 

[jettsmom]

Sun is shining this morning and not super cold out. Anything in the upper 30's and 40's is nice for this time of year. Thought about getting a haircut today, but got a new coupon in the mail, so I can wait a few more weeks. I won't pay full price for a haircut. Didn't feel well last night, tummy troubles. Not sure what we'll do for dinner. Dh can fend for himself. Not sure if I have any chicken noodle soup. Sounds good right now. If not, I have everything to make it. I may run to the store, new coupons out. I use them to stock the pantry. They have a few other things on sale too.

Got one load of laundry folded yesterday. Still have one more to fold. It's towels, so should be quick. Didn't get to the gadget drawer. I worked on dgds toys and that was overwhelming. I did a little bit and had to stop. It was just too much to look at. I'll do a little bit everyday.

 

[dlrcpa]

Did some online training this morning and a load of laundry. Maybe 1 more load today. Christmas decor is put away. Still warm today & tomorrow, sure is nice. Thawing chicken for supper. Fridge still has leftovers that need to be eaten.
Derelict car neighbor has been trying to start the junker. It has not run for 15 months at least. He says he will have it towed to the shop. The other car that almost runs is currently at the shop. Hubby drove him to buy starter fluid yesterday and says he will give him a ride to pick up the car being fixed. I hope he is not just wasting everyone's time (again). Same guy who lost the keys to the rental car and had to have it towed away last week.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

Long day, had an eye exam. Did a few errands first. Got to the Dr office and they told me my insurance was not in effect. Great. Almost didn't let me see the Dr. but in the end I convinced them it was some kind of error. Stopped at grocery for a few sale items, they didn't have some in stock. We will manage without. Bought one pack of reduced pork chops for the freezer.

Leftover smoked pork from the freezer made into bbq sandwiches for dinner. Corn and slaw on the side.

 

[chumbleyn1]

Been a busy day. Bought groceries, took a pkg to the UPS store, took costumes to storage and then cooked dinner. Dinner was lemon pepper chicken, dumplings, squash casserole, and strawberry jello with bananas.