My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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The last two days have seen me mending a pair of Hubby's jeans, darning three of his socks, and fixing the hem on a pair of my pants that was coming down. The mending basket is empty now for a little while.

I sewed a sleeveless tunic and have gotten ready to sew another sleeveless top.

Still using up bits and bobs and hopefully more will be used up before the end of the week.

Set up my deck with lots of room for my plants. I still need to purchase a few, but hopefully nothing too expensive. I think some more lavender for around the firepit, some vines, and some mini petunias will do it. I may have to pick up one more Hibiscus as one of the ones I tried to overwinter, looks like it didn't make it.

Hubby painted the deck over two days and probably saved around $500.00 doing it himself.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Flowers are pretty much all planted. I didn't do as many as usual so hopefully the costs will be down a bit. I still need a couple of herbs, but that is all.

Hubby and youngest went fishing and caught their limit so we have meals in the freezer for much less than the fillets would have cost in a store. Hubby gets to fish for free as he is over 65 so the only cost would be minnows, and if he had lost any lures (he didn't and neither did youngest). We sent a couple of packages back with DS when he left today.

No air conditioning yet, but we will more than likely be taking the cover off very soon.

Mending done, and of course I am still using up as much as I can. Meals are quite often extended over more than one day.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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Over the last couple of days I have used up a few items from the fridge. That made it so much easier to clean yesterday.

Clothes were hung on the line. I need to try the drying towels on the line and then throw them in the dryer to soften them.

I am sewing once again. Until I get the perennial bed weeded I don't want to plant so I am keeping busy in other ways. I also want to get most if not all the cutout patterns sewn.

Walking for free exercise and doing stretches for my back.

Found a dime and added it to the change jar.

Still reading free books on my Kobo ereader.

Holding off shopping for at least another day or two, so stretching things out a bit and using up what needs to be used in the freezers.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

Wow, it has been awhile since I posted in my challenge thread.

Still using up all that I can and doing a bit of foraging. I have the dandelions drying, but I think I may just spend some time looking for some plantain leaves as there is another oil/suave that I can make using them.

I have almost used up the bubble bath I am using as hand soap. I will then have to use up the scented bars that I got for Christmas a couple of years ago. I think that there are two or three of those. Youngest is happy that I found a way to use up the bubble bath and not waste it.

Still using water from the rain barrel for my plants. I am hoping for another good rain soon to top off the barrel.

Keeping to the only shopping every second week for groceries and such, but plant purchasing has caused a bit of a problem sticking to that. Pretty soon everything should be planted and I won't be sneaking out to get any more.

I bought my runners and sandals using my gift card. I combined the purchase with a door crasher special and an extra 20% off so saved about $60.00 all told. Still have plenty of money on that card (probably just under $300.00). I also got points added to Hubby's Canadian Tire card by purchasing where I did.

We should be getting our cash back from our Co-op as well very soon. That almost pays for groceries when I do a shop (usually a stock up as I am not spending cash out of the account).
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

We made smoked brisket on Sunday, and man was that good. Melt in your mouth tender. I don't use as much rub as they say, we find if we do it is too salty.

Clothes were on the lines until the sky got really dark and then I took some of the heavier, half dried items and put them in the dryer. Still did not use as much electricity as throwing them straight in from the washer.

Almost finished one set of projects for the month. If I manage to get Hubby's robe made I can cross that off the list as well.

Still using up. Tonight it will be the leftover salad and rice. Love clearing things out. Tomorrow I will make something to use up some meat from the freezer downstairs. Both these meals will feed us again this week with just a warm up.

Hubby has finished putting some things on the deck to give us a bit more privacy and I love how my plants look against it. But moving the planter off the cement patio has made one area look very bare. Now I need to figure something out for that area. Shade plants would be perfect and I have a few more large pots I could use......
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
Posts: 13423
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

I was happy to be under budget for both yard maintenance and plantings. I just squeezed in under for groceries and a couple of other lines on the spreadsheet. Hopefully I can keep this up for the rest of the year.

I am going back to making my own breadcrumbs and croutons. There is always a rather thick piece of my homemade bread left (not enough for a sandwich or two slices of toast) so I am going to use that and hopefully it turns out.

I have pulled out more orphan balls of yarn in what could be classed as "girly" colours and will use those for the next set of what I hope is another 25 pairs of mittens. This is decluttering my yarn stash, and my natural inclination to save yarn no matter what and I am loving it. Soon I will be moving yarn from the downstairs totes upstairs to use in projects.

Taking advantage of the free trial of Acorn on Prime. Catching up on lots of shows.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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