Friday, February 8, 2013

Frugal Friday: How I saved money this week

The week was full and busy but not in the realm of saving money. I didn't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen this week and it was probably a good thing. I've been cutting back my carbs to keep my blood sugar numbers low so I'm focusing on meat, green veggies and nuts.I'm hoping to make some low carb almond flour waffles this weekend.

Here is what I did in my home this week:

1. Normally I take my 4 year old grandson to the library each week. He picks out a few books and DVD's and then we play at the park. This week I wanted to take him somewhere new. I searched the internet for free preschool activities but came up empty so we took a field trip to the Bass Pro Shop. He loved the huge fish tanks. We looked at the chart and read about each fish. We named each of the 'stuffed' animals around the store (poor things). I'm so happy to have 2 free places to take him. We'll visit different parks once the weather clears up. I'd like to find some time to pull together activities we can do at home, too.

2. My main focus is getting my garden ready for spring planting.  I can't believe how fast grocery prices are rising. Having a garden is one way I hope to deter the cost.  We live in the city and our backyard is normal size but we're finding lots of room to plant veggies, fruit vines and even an apple tree as we pull up the plants. I moved my Hydrangea to the front yard where it will have more shade and moved a lilac bush to the side yard. I think we will have a pretty decent size garden once we finish.


3. My son tore out a brick patio when he was putting in our sewer line. I had been slowly moving the brick but my back was not happy. My daughter and her family came last Saturday ... and bless their hearts.. they moved the bricks to make a border around the square food gardening section. I'm now making a grid inside their brick border with the remaining bricks. I hope to have it finished before March 28 which is supposed to be the last frost. The book recommends using wood but the bricks were free. :-)







4.  The grandson's dug a deep hole (with some help from their daddy) and we buried the leftover concrete from the patio which saved dump fees.

5. I was short one egg for breakfast so I made scrambled eggs and added a few tablespoons of water.

6. I'm saving my large clear plastic bottles (ex. large juice and oil bottles). I'll cut off the bottom and use them as a mini-green house for my seedlings when I transplant in March.  I also read that you can use canning jars if the seedlings are just sprouting.

7. My planting chart says I can plant peppers and tomatoes this week. I hope to do so tomorrow. I'd also like to plant some lettuce seeds. My green onions are doing well in the pot off the patio and are close to being harvested.  The cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, spinach and okra have sprouted and are growing fast. I keep praying and asking God to help us reap a big harvest.  

8. I placed my sprouted seeds outside (not in direct sun) this week. I turned off the plant light while they were outside to save money. 

9. Okay.. so I didn't exactly save money on this last point but I hope it will save money in the future. My daughter had a Tupperware party last night and I purchased a container that is supposed to keep your lettuce (and other veggies) fresh for up to 3 weeks. I hope it works.

10. I'm researching what kind of outside burner to use for canning this summer. I have a glass top stove and read there is a chance it can break under the weight of the canner. I found a 2 burner stove at Bass Pro for $99. I hate putting out the money but  it's less expensive than a new stove. I can also cook on it during the hot summer months to keep my kitchen cool. 

That's about it for this week. I always love hearing what you're doing in your home. I'm learning so much from you gals. What did you do in your home this week?