With inflation on the rise and salaries not increasing, our ability to make ends meet is decreasing. Therefore, we must be more careful with our money. The Frugal Five is a series that celebrates the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life. I am exploring ways to reduce costs during busy weeks. One strategy is to watch the pennies because they add up. Here are some of my tips and tricks. 1- Putting the Gardens to Bed It is time to pull and compost the garden’s plants, add compost, and cover the strawberries with straw. This fall, I will add the leaves from our trees to the garden bed to decompose over the winter. These few loving tasks will enhance my soil and help produce a higher garden yield next year. 2- Our Rich Backyard - Deer Come Visiting When we lived in Columbus, Ohio, our home was regularly visited by deer on their way to the pond located next to our yar...
Menu Plan #321 NOTE- 1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe. 2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location. Published September 2025: USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family has a weekly budget of $190.50. Since October has 5 weeks, our monthly budget is $952.50. We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats. Since our family has specific dietary needs, we limit our consumption of highly processed food. Grocery Shopping Tip: Shop digitally before heading to the stores. Since all of my local stores are within a 1-mile radius of each other, it pays to check prices digitally before going grocery shopping and create a separate grocery list for each store. This way, the lowes...