Skip to main content

Frugal Five: #119

 


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 yard. However, after we moved, the deer no longer came to our backyard.    I was a little sad because I thought we would have a lot of wildlife visiting us. 


However, our backyard was visited by a few deer this week.   It was wonderful to see them come into our yard, graze on the grass, and share their peaceful existence with us.  We were grateful for their visit and the peace that they brought with them.    

   

3-  Hair Care on a Budget

 

I cut my husband’s hair every two weeks, and we save $90.00 per month.   This job takes about 15 minutes, and his haircut is similar to a barber's cut.   On occasion, we will invest in a good pair of hair clippers, which pays for itself within a few cuts.   


Unfortunately, I need to visit the hairdresser to maintain my appearance.    Typically, people color their hair every 4 weeks, but they may stretch it out to 5 weeks.    The result is that I save about $150 every quarter.    In addition, to save on special hair treatments, I use drugstore products, which are routinely purchased on sale.     This helps keep my hair healthy and contributes to reduced haircuts.  

    

4- Takeout Fakeout

If we picked up Chinese Food from PF Changs, each portion would be at least $15.00.      However, we picked up 2 bags of PF Chang Beef and Broccoli from the freezer section- the cost $7.99 x 2 = $15.98.    We added some fresh broccoli for $1.91.    Then we paired it with a cup of Jasmine rice (2lb for $3.99).    The amount of rice we use costs only $0.89.   The final cost of the Takeout Fakeout Beef and Broccoli dinner is $18.78.   This dinner fed 3 adults and produced one container of leftovers for lunch.  The price per portion is  $4.70.    


** My apologies for the picture.    We were so hungry that we didn’t take a picture of the Beef and Broccoli, but here is another Chinese meal- Chicken and Broccoli.   


5-  Crockpot Cooking 

October is also known as Crocktober.  Last Sunday, the smells of my childhood wafted throughout our home.    I took the last of the tomato harvest, roasted them, and prepared Sunday gravy to top our chicken parmesan, pasta, to stir into pasta bakes, and so many more dishes.   


What Free-bees have you been able to pick up this year?   The  2024 Free-Bee Summary has been posted.    If you missed it, then click on the link below.   The new Free-bee List will be coming this Wednesday. 


Here is my list:

Did you miss the last Frugal Five post?  No worries, click on the picture for the link.



Please leave a comment below with your ways of saving money this week.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Menu Planning: #245

  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 preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      March USDA Thrifty Food Plan ccording to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week.  Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen.    Cost Saving Tip of the Week: Check your sale flyers for loss leaders.   Each week grocery stores advertise specific products at a great price to get you in the store.   Recently, I have noticed a very specific time frame for getting these deals.   Good luck and happy hunting.   Here is what we did this week to make our week easier:   Refrigerator Clean Out Pre-cut all vegetables for the week Pulled older items to the front for easier consumption C...
Post a Comment
Read more

Menu Planning: #250

  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 preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      March USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week.  Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen.    Cost Saving Tip of the Week: When I purchase fruit for the week, it helps to calculate the cost per serving vs. the cost in general.   For example, this week a whole watermelon was on sale for $3.99 each.    When it is cut up, the watermelon will yield at least 20 servings which will place the cost per serving at $0.20.    Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Breakfast Options:  Hard Boiled Eggs Yogurt Homemade Breakfast ba...
Post a Comment
Read more

Menu Plan #307

  Menu Plan #307 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 preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and location.      February 2025  USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $189.30 per week. Since March has 4 weeks, our monthly budget is $757.20.   We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats.  Since we have health concerns and are active individuals, we limit our processed food choices.    Grocery Shopping Tip:     Utilize your grocery store’s loyalty program. This month, my 2 primary grocery stores have provided me with store coupons for bread, Silk milk, jelly candy, frozen vegetables, and Bali coconut water.  Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: ...
Post a Comment
Read more