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

Post by Jackielou »

I booked our vacation cabin last night. Trying a different resort this time around. Not too sure about it as there are a great many things they do not supply where the other does. Still it is about $200.00 less expensive for the week and most of what we need to take we already have here at home or will have by the time we go.

The drive is shorter, and so there will not be as much fuel used. I do think that the next time we will try the National Park here in our own province (about the same distance as this one).

I think we may still go and visit with both DS's a little bit this summer as well. So two small vacations should more than keep us happy. One in the beginning of July and one in the middle to end of August.

I cut up a pair of old jeans so that I could make use of the fabric.

Went to a friends for coffee so free coffee today. Walked there so free exercise as well.

Watched the two new episodes of Happy Valley on my computer box. Should be an interesting season. Still need to download Pluto onto the computer page on the television.

I have not spent a cent of my two week allowance so hopefully the vast majority of it will be going into the savings envelope to be used to purchase crafting items I need for gifts.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

I need to go to the bank and get our allowances for the upcoming week. I haven't spent any of my previous 2 week allowance so that will go in the savings envelope. Adds a chunk of cash to that.

I have been clearing out the fridge freezer over the last week and will continue to do so. I want to defrost my upright freezer soon and I need room to bring up all the meat that is in it. It will be a good sort through that as well.

I used lots of bits and bobs of thread sewing the quilt which was a great clear out of those partial spools of yarn. No wasting going on here, if you can't see it who cares what colour you used.

Slowly but surely the Christmas baking is disappearing. Even sending lots home with our sons still left us with a great deal. This year I did not make as much as usual either due to feeling slightly ill with that oncoming cold. Going to cut back a bit more next year I think, or give it away as small gifts to neighbours.

I have also been thinking of ways to cut bills a bit. I will be trying a few more of them. Right now my task is to get used to more appliance cooking instead of relying on my stove. Doing not too badly right now. In the past week I have used the toaster oven, the slow cooker, and my instant pot. I will be using the electric roaster on Sunday for my roast chicken. I am also turning off more lights during the evening so hopefully that helps. Making it a game as in reality we don't really need to worry quite yet about how much things are costing, but that could be our reality if prices get much higher.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Jackielou »

Went through my menus for next week this morning and most meals can be made with appliances. I really want to see if that actually does cut ones electrical bills down. There is a couple of meals that will use the stove top, but nothing that is going to use the oven I hope. I have lots of Christmas baking left that we need to get through so something sweet is no problem.

Slowly working my way through the frozen bags of food in the fridge freezer. I hope to clear that out a great deal by the end of the month. I should be able to do so if I keep on with the menu I have planned. Hopefully just a chicken carcass will be left in a bit and that might even be used to make a big pot of stock to put in the freezer downstairs.

Mixed in with using the bags of leftover meat I have frozen, I am pulling other meat from the upright freezer. Lots in there and I need to get using it up more. I had to throw some badly freezer burned food out last week and I am not going there again. No more waste I hope.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

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So now along with playing the frugal like never before game, I need to play find a family doctor.... It is going to be an interesting year for sure.

So the first meal of the week was roast chicken, done in the electric roaster. I have soup and sandwiches down for today so the soup will use up lots of odds and sods from the fridge freezer and probably give me soup for lunches and a container to put in the freezer. I need to check the bread to see if I have to bake more or not.

The next day is a small sausage casserole. That will use up the last of the pork sausages from the upright freezer, the last of our planted potatoes, and the last of a bag of carrots. It will be cooked in either the toaster oven or the electric roaster.

Wednesday I will use the leftover chicken from Sunday made into Creamed Chicken and peas, served over toast. This will use the stove top, but heck still not as much power as the oven.

Thursday I will warm up the small sausage casserole. Friday the menu calls for Salmon casserole which will be made and then cooked in the toaster oven.

Saturday is stew which will be made in the slow cooker. Some will be frozen for a meal next week.

Sunday I will pull a package of ham from the fridge freezer and warm it up in the microwave. Sides will be whatever needs clearing out.

So our meals will be frugal, filling, use up items already on hand, and hopefully save us some cash.

I am also using up crafting supplies, mainly yarn and clothing fabric the rest of this month. I will be adding some winter tops and dresses to my wardrobe and perhaps clearing out some that no longer fit or I no longer wear. Some will be donated and some will be turned into fabric to use somewhere else.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
HappyDaze
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Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by HappyDaze »

Jackie, I need to be better about not using my electric oven so much. I try to make more than one thing at a time it in - but it's still the most expensive appliance to use. I have 2 slow cookers - an 8 quart oval and a 4.5 quart round - so I could make more than one thing at a time that way.

My "weakness" with using the oven is baking muffins and things in order to save fruit or whatever from going bad. I wonder if I could just freeze the fruit instead - or turn it into refrigerator jam.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
Beverley
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Re: My Challenge For 2023, Frugal Like Never Before

Post by Beverley »

Happydaze,

Do you have an air fryer? You can do just about anything in it as you can a regular oven but a lot cheaper. When we have hot weather the oven stays off and the air fryer is used for all of my baking and roasting.

Bev
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