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Frugal Challenge--11/11-11/17

2K views 26 replies 15 participants last post by  ms. frugal kugel 
#1 ·
Can I start this thread for the week? :cheer4:

All meals from home (except while out of town on Wednesday)
Wash in cold
Hang to dry as much as possible
Lights off as much as possible
DH and I still haven't turned on the heat--we're trying to go until Thanksgiving without turning it on!
Library books back to library so I don't have a fine
Work on making Christmas presents w/ already-purchased materials
Use coupons and match w/ store specials
Take lunch to work so I don't waste gas driving home for lunch
Try to do as many errands in one trip as possible so I don't waste gas
No shopping this week if possible

How are you saving this week?
 
#2 ·
Here is what I hope to do this week:

- menu plan & stick to it
- eat dinners at home all week
- wash laundry in cold water; line dry at least 2-3 loads
- use coupons & stick to grocery list
- use up leftovers if we have any
- plan errands to limit my drive time
- turn computer off when not in use
- finish converting incadesent light bulbs to the compact florescent bulbs
- clean ceiling fans, and change fan direction for winter use
- declutter, declutter, declutter
 
#3 ·
~~encouraging kids to turn off electronics when not in direct use
~~combining errands into one day
~~taking breakfast and lunch to work each day
~~hanging clothes to dry instead of using the dryer
~~using less detergent than the box recommends
~~using up leftovers, either by eating or by freezing
 
#5 ·
consolidating errand trips to save gas
using up leftovers for dinner tonight
made h/m cinnamon rolls and raspberry crunch muffins for breakfast
wil be working on the last two blankets for christmas gifts today
staying home all day
last night I took my dd to a party for junior account holders by our bank....free and soooo fun....she came home with over $20.00 in prizes and a ton of candy/snacks (their Halloween/Thanksgiving party for the kids...love our community bank!!)
Turning down heat and will be lighting a fire later today
If I have time I need to make up some more bisquit mix today too
washing in cold water with 1/2 detergent
Happy Sunday all, Katy
 
#7 ·
- combined errands
- wrapped up all birthday and Christmas gifts for my sister's family and gave it to my brother in law who was visiting. He will drive it back to NE and I don't have to pay shipping.
- wrote an article on how to have a cash Christmas
- lights and computer off most of the day, as we were gone
- had pancakes and bacon for dinner
- having a fire as we speak to reduce heating costs
- had scratch muffins for breakfast
- got pillsburry cresectn rolls, 8 ct, for $.02 each at Target last night!
- used a $5 off polly pocket combined with a sale to get a polly pocket set for $2.99
- washed ziploc baggies
- hung a load of laundry
 
#8 ·
DH and I made a delicious meal for friends tonight w/ pork roast found on sale and frozen until this week--used the crock pot for this rather than the oven, potatoes from a food co-op, HM bread using the bread machine, and frozen corn purchased on sale.

Tomorrow it's a decluttering day!
 
#10 ·
frugal

I so need to be good, I have been entertaining Mom every weekend so she doesn't sit home and dwell on her "issues" and I always buy something or eat out.......this weekend she is coming to my house and we will do something frugal and eat at home....


--no spend
--no eat out
--make sure all the power strips are off when I leave in the morning
--pack lunches
--combine all errands
--shop by list only
--no yarn buying
--clean out all pantry's and freezer's to use everything up (no grocery shopping--except for milk and eggs)
--keep heat at 60
 
#11 ·
Sunday:

*Heat off half day. Other half set at 65.
*Dinner at mom's, I brought pudding for dessert.
*Bed early so light only on for hour.
*Unplugging everything.
*Got 10 free juicy juice today and 8 polly pocket cars free.
*Borrowed movies from mom
*Got newspaper from neighbor for week

Monday:
*Heat on 67 today.
*Eat all meals from home
*On way to gymnastics, stop at bread store
 
#12 ·
11/11
~ no driving day
~ DH installed our free, new-to-us stove
~ BIL & SIL stopped by on their way back to their home to visit and brought lunch for us (good thing too because the kitchen was trashed)
~ heat turned down to 64
~ no spend day

11/12
~ lights off
~ all meals at home
~ made muffins for snacks this week
~ Heat turned down
~ No driving day
~ crocheting grocery bags with spare yarn
~ paid bills online
 
#13 ·
11/12/07
Posting for the week so far
~not frugal Sunday. Drove DGD home to Cleveland. Price of gas = horrible!
~Resisted urge to eat out. Came home and used leftovers instead
~keeping heat on lower settings as programmed
~Staying home today = no spend+no gas used
~Eating from pantry
~tonight is cleaning up night. After babysitting for a long weekend, its a mess!
~Hope to use leftover veggies in a crockpot of soup to use them up
~hope to use leftover mashed potatoes in a casserole - again use it up
~need to cut Sundays coupons
~working on holiday budget and plans
Cant believe it is almost Thanksgiving and I have done nothing in preparation!
 
#15 ·
- washed ziploc bags
- hung a load of laundry
- dinner from scratch
- made pumpkin muffins and cranberry bread at the same time dinner was cooking
- wrote an article on how being frugal helps the environment
- heat at 65 day and 63 night
- leftover muffins with our dinner tonight
- dh took leftovers for lunch today
- the neighbor is watching my kids tonight since both dh and I have meetings. She insisted, but I am bringing over some cranberry bread as thanks. I had offered to pay her son to watch them but he has a meeting.
- returned library books on time today, part of combined errands
 
#16 ·
~Heat and a/c off again!!
~No laundry
~Took lunches to work and school
~Had to go to school tonight to take a test and DH is working late so there was noone home to cook dinner. Stopped at Sonic to pick up 1/2 price burgers. Only spent $6.17 for 5 burgers. We have chips and drinks at home.
~DH working overtime
 
#18 ·
Today was a crazy day! We had to go meet my BIL's family 30 minutes away to say bye as they head back to NE and they treated us all to lunch at Chuck e Cheese.

Combined errands this afternoon and got almost $42 worth of stuff for free at CVS.

Hung a load of laundry.

baked potatoes and corn muffins for dinner tonight

dh took leftovers for lunch today
 
#19 ·
~ made yogurt today.
~ window shopping for new beds. Looks like a $1500 touch. I'm not happy. Didn't buy anything.
~ hm cranberry muffin for breakfast, with cheese.
~ grilled cheesie with sale bread for lunch, and some fresh pineapple.
~ made cajun chicken breasts (hm cajun seasoning) with carrots and parsnips for supper.
~ DD#2 decided we needed a treat after supper, so she made some of her special hot chocolate mix (an Amy D. recipe) and we both had hot chocolate together.
~ walked up to a new cafe today and tried it. Very expensive and sweet food. Will go back to my usual one.
~ reading a book from church.
~ knitting yarn gifted to me into mittens for charity.
~ sewing scrap fabric free/cheap to me into a quilt.

Jean
 
#21 ·
Oh it's just Cajun Seasoning from "Not Just Beans" cookbook by Tawra Jean Kellam. I sprinkle some of it on the chicken breast before I pan fry it. Not healthy I know, but I use canola oil. It could just as easily be grilled.

Cajun Seasoning

1 tbsp. paprika
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. white pepper
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves, dried
1/2 tsp. oregano, dried

Combine and mix well. Store in airtight container.
 
#22 ·
Tuesday:

*Heat 67 day/64 at night
*All meals from home
*Rented shrek 3 had coupon, and got free movie coupon for next time!
*Timed showers
*No laundry/dishwasher

Wednesday:
*Heat 67 during day/ 63 at night
*No laundry
*Dishwasher ran w full load and opened in dry cycle
*Went to eat at Charcoal Grill. Kids Eat free on Wednesday and I got soup and water. :)
*Got some Christmas presents for swap partner with coupons. :)
*Took a light bulb out of every ceiling fan. Now there are 2 left in each room. Started with 4. But 2 is more than enough to be bright enough.
 
#24 ·
11/14 & 11/15
~ heat off, at least until tonight
~ only using lights with CFL bulbs
~ Hung clothes outside to dry
~ Cooking from pantry/freezer
~ limited driving to only things we have to do
~ My mom paid to fill up our van with gas when I picked her up at the airport yesterday - $50 worth
~ The 12-yr-old VCR in the play area died, so I went to Goodwill and picked up a 'new' one for $10
~ made chocolate snack cakes (from the Baker's Club thread) to give the kids dessert tonight (mine plus the two we babysit Thursday nights)
~ Handwashing the big pots & bowls - filled the sink less than halfway to wash in
 
#25 ·
Thanks for the recipe Jean, I love that cookbook!

- dinner was from scratch using things from the freezer
- made scratch muffins at the same time dinner was cooking
- washed ziploc baggies
- no laundry today
- dh took leftovers for lunch today
- had the library do a shelf check for a book they claimed I still had - it had been turned in so it was taken off my account
- instead of taking everyone bowling with the homeschool group and paying $20, a friend of mine took just my oldest and it only cost me $5. I didn't want to go with they younger kids and she really wanted ds to go to keep her oldest company. Worked out for both of us!
 
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