Thrifty Thursday
I had such a seriously great frugal week that I decided to make it a Thrifty Thursday instead of Frugal Friday post. lol! Before I share my savings this week, I do want to share an e-book by my friend, Kate Megill. Kate has a family of 10 and does a wonderful job of staying within a budget.
Her e-book, Cut it Out: How I Feed My Family for $500 a Month Without Coupons, is available on her website. Click on the title to go check it out. For $3.99 it's definitely frugal. :-)
Okay, on to my savings.
$ I'm trying my hand at soap making, using another "in real life" friend, Heidi Corley Barto's book, The Natural Soap Chef.
Because I'm new at it and have none of the equipment needed, it could get costly if I just went through and started purchasing everything from a soap making company. But I was able to get many of the needed items by going to a local thrift store. I didn't really want to use my regular bowls for this because I really wanted to keep whatever I use for my lye mixture to be separate. Anyway, I got two glass, heat resistant pitchers, two glass pyrex bread pans, a glass casserole dish, and three small glass bowls for $20. I'm using the pans as my soap molds by lining them with parchment paper.
$ I also purchased a 16 quart, copper bottom, Revere Ware pot that is perfect for making tomato sauce for $8! Whoo hoo!!!!!
$ Speaking of tomatoes, a friend stopped by with 25 lbs. of beefsteak tomatoes for FREE! What a blessing!!!!
$ My son needed pants so I got him two pairs of jeans for $16.
$ My hairdresser asked me if I would make a quilt for her in exchange for some free cuts and colors . That will be happening at some point in the near future.
$ I received a phone call, asking if I would like to participate in a 2nd farmer's market this summer so my Monday and Tuesdays will be spent doing that, beginning at the end of May.
$ I had 4 Etsy sales last week which was wonderful!
$ I found a local butcher where I can buy fresh meat. You can order different packages ahead of time. For $42 I got my meat for the month which includes cuts of beef that I normally couldn't afford to buy in the grocery store. A plus is I know where my meat is coming from!
$ All of our outdoor chairs from last year were broken and we forgot our camping chairs when we moved here. So we were at Aldi this week and they had solid, steel frame outdoor chairs with a rattan seat. So we purchased 2 for $30. They should last so much longer than the cheapy folding chairs we usually get.
$ I was so tempted to go out for Easter dinner but my frugal streak won't allow it. I bought 2 lbs. of sea scallops and while they were on the pricey side, it's still cheaper than the whole family going out for dinner on a holiday that restaurants make a killing on.
That's about it for this week! Love saving money. :-) For more ideas, check out Rebecca's blog.
Her e-book, Cut it Out: How I Feed My Family for $500 a Month Without Coupons, is available on her website. Click on the title to go check it out. For $3.99 it's definitely frugal. :-)
Okay, on to my savings.
$ I'm trying my hand at soap making, using another "in real life" friend, Heidi Corley Barto's book, The Natural Soap Chef.
Because I'm new at it and have none of the equipment needed, it could get costly if I just went through and started purchasing everything from a soap making company. But I was able to get many of the needed items by going to a local thrift store. I didn't really want to use my regular bowls for this because I really wanted to keep whatever I use for my lye mixture to be separate. Anyway, I got two glass, heat resistant pitchers, two glass pyrex bread pans, a glass casserole dish, and three small glass bowls for $20. I'm using the pans as my soap molds by lining them with parchment paper.
$ I also purchased a 16 quart, copper bottom, Revere Ware pot that is perfect for making tomato sauce for $8! Whoo hoo!!!!!
$ Speaking of tomatoes, a friend stopped by with 25 lbs. of beefsteak tomatoes for FREE! What a blessing!!!!
$ My son needed pants so I got him two pairs of jeans for $16.
$ My hairdresser asked me if I would make a quilt for her in exchange for some free cuts and colors . That will be happening at some point in the near future.
$ I received a phone call, asking if I would like to participate in a 2nd farmer's market this summer so my Monday and Tuesdays will be spent doing that, beginning at the end of May.
$ I had 4 Etsy sales last week which was wonderful!
$ I found a local butcher where I can buy fresh meat. You can order different packages ahead of time. For $42 I got my meat for the month which includes cuts of beef that I normally couldn't afford to buy in the grocery store. A plus is I know where my meat is coming from!
$ All of our outdoor chairs from last year were broken and we forgot our camping chairs when we moved here. So we were at Aldi this week and they had solid, steel frame outdoor chairs with a rattan seat. So we purchased 2 for $30. They should last so much longer than the cheapy folding chairs we usually get.
$ I was so tempted to go out for Easter dinner but my frugal streak won't allow it. I bought 2 lbs. of sea scallops and while they were on the pricey side, it's still cheaper than the whole family going out for dinner on a holiday that restaurants make a killing on.
That's about it for this week! Love saving money. :-) For more ideas, check out Rebecca's blog.
It's much nicer to be at home with family on Easter Sunday, I think!
ReplyDeleteI think so too, Barbara!
DeleteWow, you sure did save a bunch this week. The deal on the jeans is terrific! Good for you!
ReplyDeleteHave a sweet and blessed Easter!
PS...add another Etsy sale. I bought one of the patchwork aprons, since the one I bought from you a while back is a favorite of mine! (I like to make aprons, but I'm not sure I could line up all those slanted patches as nicely as you do!)
ReplyDeleteI just saw that, Clare! Thank you so much. I'm off to the post office with it tomorrow. Have a blessed Easter!
Deleteyou did great this week! your thrift store finds are wonderful, I expect you will use that big Revere pot often.
ReplyDeleteWe are eating at home for Easter too, it would cost more dollars than I can imagine to treat our large group.
Wow, those look like great chairs for $15! We won't be eating out either for Easter. I think I'll throw a roast in the crock pot with some mashed potatoes and green beans. Easy, yet somewhat special, lol!
ReplyDeleteWell done! I am anxious to see how your soapmaking goes, I want to do that too!
ReplyDeleteEaster blessings,
Sharon
What a FABULOUS week! No wonder you were so excited to share!
ReplyDeleteThat soap book looks so good (and beautiful!)
Hope you had a wonderful Easter!