DG's frugal journal

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Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by Dgflorida »

Friday

It feels so good when a huge project is actually not that hard. I had imagined all the things that could go wrong with hooking up the irrigation line and none of the problems happened. Overthinking can be a problem.

Today, I need to balance choices. Things are getting in a bit of a clutter. I must tackle the dishes. And several other little tasks. I ran low on energy yesterday and took a mid afternoon no-doz. I think that is going to happen more often right now. I really want to get a lot accomplished and still walk 2x a day to help sleep and avoid leg cramps. It is annoying that working in the yard and house isn't enough, but the leg cramps don't care. I take all the recommended leg cramp vitamins and minerals, but the exercise seems to be what is called for. If I can extend the walk to the store it will feel a bit more frugal.

I would like to hook up the irrigation line in the back against the white fence. I took it down when I redid that area. Well, we will see. Or I can cut the lattice and hang it. Both are worthwhile projects. I suspect the little things will take up the day quite completely. Stupid little things.
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by Dgflorida »

Saturday

Yep, stupid little things took the whole day on Friday. Well, the kitchen looks better and the laundry is done.

Today I will get garden soil, so I can transplant my 25 tomato plants and other plants and start a new bunch of zinna. I made more toilet paper tube starter pots last night, so I can get a few more plants started. Plants from seeds is very frugal. Plants off the clearance rack at Lowe's is also a pretty good buy. I bought pansies and snapdragons from there in December and they are still blooming like crazy today.

Today, I will also try to get another head of romaine lettuce to tide us over until next week. I considered getting some alcohol for us for the weekend, but hubs has become unable to handle alcohol, so I am thinking we could buy a diet soda and split it as a treat. Thinking on that.

I am planning to start walking to the nearby stores. The dollar tree and Winn-dixie are 3 miles away, but the target is less than a mile. But the target requires I cross two busy streets, a little scary. But the long walks, not this weekend.

Just gardening this weekend.
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by Dgflorida »

Sunday

I am excited to have the soil at last to finally plant the tomato plants. I need to schedule a block of time for it because once I start, I will want to finish. I also have some flower bulbs and the last green onion set to plant. Busy garden day. I have decided to put off the rest of the leaf blowing until tomorrow. My right arm is tired from holding the blower. I have until Tuesday afternoon to finish the outside perimeter preparations for the pest people. It should be doable.

I had counted on using my $5 off coupon to get soil from Lowe's. But they didn't have any. Now I am not sure if I will use it before it expires.

I am glad I have 2 flower tubs for saved dish water. Both pots of plants are flourishing with water usually wasted. Should I make a third? I seem to wash a lot of dishes. I wish I could save my rinse water from the washing machine, but I haven't figured out how yet. We don't use much water in the toilet either. We have 2, but I shut the one off because it was leaking and I didn't have time to mess with it. We use the one. Since we both went to urinals which take awhile to fill up, the number of times that we flush the toilet is greatly reduced. More water saving. Some people say that a septic tank must have a certain amount of water to function. Others say that is a myth. We also use septic safe toilet paper and my girl tidy paper goes in the wastebasket for recycling. I feel good about saving water. The world is using potable water up faster than it is being created.

We had ground beef burgers last night with sauteed vegetables. The ground beef generates a lot of fat which seasons the vegetables well. Our low carb diet requires high levels of fat, so it is good. Sometimes there is enough fat left to fix eggs and turkey bacon in the morning. Turkey bacon has no fat. So the added fat is appreciated. Once hubs gets to his goal weight, I will start making 90 second bread in the morning. But he will like it too much at this point. It will stall his weight loss. We are splitting a diet soda this evening with our turkey breast. Our first for a long time. It is slightly cheaper than beer. Hubs felt the holiday spirit. I was more concerned about safely negotiating the traffic and stores yesterday and today. There should be a lot of clearance sales tomorrow on holiday meat. I may go shopping if I get to it.
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by Dgflorida »

Monday

Leaf blowing day and more gardening. I never get as much done in the garden as I plan. So more planting of tomatoes and bulbs again today.

Hubs doesn't like that I am not taking out the garbage for every pickup, twice a week. He worries that it will stink. It doesn't, but if it does, I will tote it out to the can outside. I have to use my time smartly and taking out a half little bag and then dragging the huge garbage can to the street and then back is just an unnecessary chore. Time and energy is precious.

When he starts thinking of things for me to do, I find I get annoyed with him. It starts with "we need to....." Sometimes I just say " No, WE are not doing that." There are many things he cannot do...safely. I am sure my general disorganization bothers him, but when you are juggling so many plates in the air, got to move from one to another all the time to keep everything moving forward. This is the time for gardening and outside work. Come summer, too hot to do little more than maintain and mow.

I don't have time today to shop for bargains. I have a pretty good supply of meat in the freezer, so I think I will have to pass on Easter bargains. A couple of onions have sprouted, so I will need to get busy chopping and freezing the rest. Something to do this evening after dusk. Tomorrow after his doctor's appointment, we will drop into Aldi's near the doctor's office and hopefully get asparagus and eggs. That will be all we have time for before scooting home for his lunch and the pest control people.

A little frugal thing. I poured the water off his can of mushrooms into the empty, but unclean cat food cans. After awhile I will empty the liquid into my dish water pot and throw the now clean cans in the recycle. Frugal feels so good.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by alliesmama4 »

gaylejackson2 wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2018 11:01 am
Dgflorida wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:11 am Tuesday

Some pinterest stuff looks like an escapee from a junk yard.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yes it does!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that!
Dg Florida and Gayle. I agree. There is shabby chic and then there is junk yard..
Dg I love your idea for the paper sacks from the pharmacy being used as a fire starter.
Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: DG's frugal journal

Post by Dgflorida »

Thanks Janet. Shabby chic. :lol:
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