This week

Looking back over the week, here's what I've done to keep up the frugal vibe - easy things, things YOU are probably doing, or have done in the past, or even could start doing.  Today, if you wanted to.  It would save you money.

- I've adjusted my fridge temperature to a slightly warmer setting.  We don't really open our fridge all that much, and so I'm not particularly concerned about food temperature safety, and my milk is still very cold when I go to use it, so the warmer temperature saves pennies and does the job at the same time.

- Washed my dishes IN the sink of dishwater rather than under running water.

-  Washed out my Ziploc bags and reused them.  I hang mine on the clothesline to dry, which one of my friends teases me about.  I may look a bit dorky, but I have clean bags!!

-  Made my own baby food.  This week it was applesauce, pumpkin and squash purees.  Next week I think I may start mixing more flavours.

-  Haven't turned on the heat yet!  Well, there were two nights I turned the heat on low in the bedrooms and shut the doors, but when the temperatures came up above zero again, the heat went off.  I'm sticking to my 'no heat until December 1st' goal.

-  Made whole wheat bread and slow cooker broth.

-  Used freezer food in several meals.  Zucchini, bread, pumpkin and cauliflower purees, bones for stock...

-  Ordered a freezer meat pack (saves us about $50) and a large vegetable pack (probably saves at least $30).

-  Tried new foods on sale, including organic couscous, organic brown rice and organic sour cream.  I always always always check the organic aisle for sales first; on sale it's often cheaper than the regular counterpart.

-  Used low cost make at home cleaner for deep-cleaning the upstairs bathroom today.  (1/2 cup white vinegar heated in the microwave.  Stir in 1/2 cup dish detergent.  Spray on surfaces, wait 15-30 minutes, wipe off)

-  Organized my fabric stash.  All of the 'odds and ends' that were too small for any practical purpose got put together in a bag.  As I have time, I've been sewing them together in a patchwork effect.  I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with the resulting crazy quilt style piece of fabric, but waste not, want not!

-  Saved the juice from the vegetables I've used this week to make alphabet soup in a few days.  I finally found alphabet pasta and I can't wait to make vegetable soup on a cold day.

-  Double checked my grocery bill and discovered a discrepancy of almost $3.

-  Vacuumed out the inside of my dryer, especially around the engine, to increase efficiency.

And things I haven't done very well at...

-  An unexpected vet visit that set us back quite a bit.

-  Several rainy and cold days that made hanging out laundry next to impossible.

-  A week that involved having to wash all the bedding in the house, including the pillows.

-  Several 'oops' purchases at the store, just unnecessary things I didn't remember we had at home, like jam.

-  Forgetting the green beans I bought on sale and having to toss them out.

Plans for the coming week, frugal wise...

I have a busy week coming and I'm determined to do well on the frugal front. 

-  I want to ask our landlady how to turn down the temperature on the water heater.  Our water is scalding hot out of the tap, and I'm sure the heater can be turned down.

-  I want to string a clothesline in the basement.  Combined with the drying rack this should be able to handle a load of laundry.

-  I want to steam and puree the final two pumpkins and get them in the freezer.

-  I have some homemade Advent exchange gifts to get done, and I'll need to borrow some tools and a glue gun from our neighbour.

-  Waiting for the flyers for this week and sincerely hoping someone has a good deal on eggs!


What about you?  Are you doing anything frugal right now?