Frugal Friday Week #17
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I always feel like I post many how-to’s and not many “real lifes”. Although I do try and incorporate that into my newer posts, I’ve often thought that it might be even more helpful for my readership to get a better glimpse inside of what our simple/homestead/from scratch/frugal life really looks like.
Frugal Friday Week 17
So I’ve started a new series called Frugal Friday and need your help. My idea for this series is to share some of the projects/recipes/things we worked on this week and, in general, just what life looks like.
I need your help because I’ve tried something similar before, and I gave up after a while. I got bored, felt like no one was reading it or cared, and I moved on to other projects. So what I need you to do each week is to share what your week looked like in the comments section. I think it could keep us ALL accountable and may serve as an encouragement to others!
So let’s dive right into this week!
Meals We Ate
I made a meal plan mid-week this week to take advantage of my order from Sprouts so we actually will eat more real food in the coming week! (Not that smoothies and light dinners aren’t real food but…you know what I mean…)
Breakfasts are a rotation of the same right now: Yogurt and Granola, Pancakes, Oatmeal, Banana Bread, Egg Sandwiches, Waffles, Eggs and Toast.
For Lunches we had: Leftovers, Big Plate, Quesadillas, Loaded Nachos, Chili Cheese Bowls, Mac and Cheese, and Grilled Cheese.
Suppers were: Snacky supper (you know what I mean!), Sticky Ribs (new recipe), Pancake Bar (birthday meal!), leftovers, Chicken Salad, Roast and Carrots
Shopping I Did
Since my husband had to be in the big city this week I put in an order from Sprouts for him to pick up. It was nice to have a few different things to eat and even a few “convenience” foods for those crazy busy days outside! This weekend is our delivery for our bulk foods coop so I won’t need anything else again for a while.
I really haven’t been doing much shopping lately at all…maybe it’s because I’m too busy cleaning out and I don’t want any more “stuff” to add to the piles?
Outside Projects We Worked On
I planted my beets, carrots, corn, and some iceberg lettuce this week. Not a lot but we don’t have all the beds made yet. I noticed yesterday that the beets have already germinated! I’ve been working on weeding too. It’s already a never-ending job.
We had quite a bit of smoke here this week from the fries in Canada so it was hard to be outside much, especially for those of us with allergies. We did what we could. Next week will be a big outside week!
Inside Projects We Worked On
I actually did work on the house for a large portion of the week. I’m cleaning out as much as I can before we have a rummage sale. We had a rummage sale last year and so now I’m looking at all the things I kept and wondering why…. hopefully we can make a little extra from the sale and as a bonus, get a ton of stuff cleaned out that we don’t really need! I probably packed up over 20 boxes of stuff for the sale this week…and considering I didn’t feel like we had a ton to begin with, that was a lot!
Blog Posts I Wrote
I’m making an effort to be a bit more seasonal with my blog posts; here’s what’s new and updated this week!
- I Tried Craftsy For You – Several of you have asked me about this so I tried out the Craftsy website for you! This is my review.
- Frugal Recipes for an Old-Time BBQ – It’s cookout season! Here are some of our favorite classics.
Looking Ahead to Next Week
Next week will be another huge work week for us. I have a large goal of getting the new garden finished which means all the fencing, beds, and planting.
So tell me….what did life look like for you this week? What did you do, make, or plan to do?
Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple life since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to the 100-acre farm and ministry on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.
Happy Friday everyone! My week was busy and productive! We finished leftovers from our weekend spend in Broken Bow, OK. We had leftover ham (which we made for sandwiches as a quick lunch) and crawfish etouffee, and I made a crawfish pie with remaining sauce. Hubby loves it! My deep chest freezer decided it was time for me to defrost it, so it conveniently stopped working. Just made me clean that area quicker than I wanted, and pulled things out of it that needed to be cooked. So next week will be quick easy meals. Repair man will be here early next week to get it working (hopefully) again. Our long Memorial weekend will be spent at home doing chores…cleaning the house (outside), gutters, trimming branches and much needed mulching of plants! Hopefully Monday will be a rest day to begin the next week! Thank you so much for your blog. I look forward to it weekly!
PS. I also have a membership to Crafty that I got for 0.99 cents!!!
Like your post about the flowers. We plant flowers to attract the bees to our garden. It is so cold and dry here so the flowers go outside when it is not windy.
Very few weeds here just the dill that comes, but it will be too early so we freee and use as needed in lots of canned pickles that my son loves. He pickles other veggies too. My husband supervises.
Made potato salad with our radishes. Potatoes have been reasonable so I make itweekly.
Finished listening to the Left Behind series…love all the scripture references. It was well written. I like the Libby app for listening to audiobooks.
My mom is having a rummage sale with her area of town. My son finds a few items. My husband and I don’t as we tend to use until worn out and make rags.
Spring cleaning. So blessed to have a son who loves to help. I have been using Murphy’s oil soap spray. It sure cleans the grime and goes a long way.
A few graduations and a baby shower coming. Have a wonderful weekend!
I’ve always loved the smell of Murthy’s oil soap !
The flowers are beautiful! They add so much to a home.
I enjoy reading “Frugal Friday”!
Our family has enjoyed many of your recipes & I have gotten alot of tips from your website.
We planted a garden last week & a couple of days ago, my husband noticed that the corn & okra are coming up (6 days after planting 😊).
We need to start clearing out the extra things laying around the house. It’s amazing how fast clutter accumulates.
Keep up the good work.
Sounds like a busy week!!
For us it’s been end of school year prep–finishing projects, quizes & next week final exams, so lots of studying for my teen & not much help around house.
For me it seems like lots of shopping & yard sales looking to get items needed & materials for projects to start & finish. Laid 30 bags landscaping rocks in flowers (& transplanted some flowers) which looks really nice. Need to dig up more flowers to transplant. Going to get 50 more bags landscaping rocks ordered & some stepping stones (all on sale). My solar gutter lights are ginally on sale so will pick up as many as possible (in stock) to have to get put up (hooefully soon). Thinking I might order some & have shipped to my dad (in Florida) because they meed these & don’t have access to them (Fathers day gift?).
Bought new Craftsman electric weed wacker & blower combo $99 & 2 pack Craftsman electric batteries & got free Craftsman sawzaw $99 @Lowe’s for their Memorial day sale. Teen been going outside & cutting all dandelions thay mower missed !& trimming everything back.
We adopted 2 dogs from shelter & so ordering few things necessary that needed. Set up auto ship from Chewy & found best price for products/food moving forward.
Thank you free 30 days Amazon prime. I’ve probably been ordering more because free shipping (No minimum) to get some items for future projects. Bonus–yesterday hit 1 day sale on something needed (but could only order 1, needed 2) for 40% off already low price.
Need to go matress shopping this weekend because teen needs bigger mattress (already found frame).
Got take out (more than once) because did not get meat put of freezer & crazy schedules but got coupons to use & free bonus cards with gift card purchase (used immediately). Otherwise used food from home & not much grocery shopping.
Looking forward to getting raised beds put together & plant 5 different kind of potatoes, including purple potatoes ($5/pound @Horrocks). Will need to go to compost to fill buckets for fill dirt but ready to get done. Neighbor was kind enough to give old boards from their previous raised bed (doesn’t want to do anymore) so can build 2 raised beds.
Looking forward to summer weather as last few nights for few weeks in row had frost advisory & in 30s overnight with 60-70 daytime temps. 80s some in between. Ready for the weather rollercoaster to end & stay in 80s.
Remembered to get gas Tuesday before prices raised for holiday weekend. $3.54 went to $3.89/gallon.
Hi my name is Pat and I live outside of Milwaukee,Wisconsin.
This week we harvested our rhubarb. I made several crisps, rhubarb bread and rhubarb cookies.
Rhubarb Cookies sound delicious!
Happy Friday! We planted 5 of our 19 raised beds into flowers this year. One is dahlia splits from our main dahlia garden in the house yard. The rest is zinnias, delphiniums, coreopsis and mixed butterfly loving plants in a scatter planting. Along all sides of the fence we planted 1 lb of mixed sunflowers that each of the neighbors bring seeds at a end of the year potluck party and we share.
I brought home 4 new 300 lb black angus steers, not at all frugal! They will chomp on the beautiful stand of pasture.
I purchased last year at a rummage sale, 4 metal outdoor chairs. They were missing the cushions, so this week my friend and I sewed new cushion covers from outdoor fabric that I found at a thrift store. Win! She will get weekly veggies and fruit as barter. Win!
I ordered a unit of mushroom compost to top off my raised beds, the farm I got it from offered
free delivery if I waited a week. Yes, please! It is beautiful. We normally drive 50+ miles
to a larger mushroom grower, but when I found out about this smaller one closer to us (one county over) we decided to try it.
I love mushroom compost! I started using it last year and I think it works so well.
This week I made the decision to quit my job. It is a little seasonal job I do every summer, but I just can’t put the energy in to it right now. My daughter has two boys I would rather put the energy in to and….she’s going to have another baby! I am so excited for them.
We have also sold a family piece of property and I will be moving soon. So there is lots to do there also. Packing, sorting, donating to name a few. Cleansing! I was just feeling overwheled with everything and the job did not make the cut! I am good with the decision, although I love the job, but hopefully I can do it next summer!
My meals have been eating out of the fridge and freezer, a little take out and just picky bits.
Thanks for this post. I love Frugal Fridays!
Dear Merissa,
I really like your new format which is super easy to navigate. It also allows me to pick one section, when time is limited to read all at once.
Notes:
Your flowers are beautiful!!!
The loaded nachos look delicious and the snack boxes very tempting.
Though lots of work, cleaning out is always surprising (even when thinking we’ve edited out things) and definitely therapeutic!
Have a beautiful holiday weekend and next week.
L, Leslie LA
Thank you for your feedback on the newsletter! I’m kind of liking it too…it’s prettier 🤣
Love your flowers, Merissa! This week, I had some unusual savings. I shopped a Ollies discount store and took coupon to get an additional 15% off next years partial sun block for garden. I also bought a cheap yard game for Memorial Day. I got a free PA adult coloring book for our state and PA Trout stocking areas here. Also, a free brochure about common trees in PA. All this from a short visit to our nearby state representative office. Our township Police offered free car license plate to those willing to come on a certain date and fill out paperwork. I ordered from Amazon some 80 denier colored tights in navy and brown that will (last) a long time and are machine washable. Fall and Winter tights for skirts. I bought Grass-Fed Beef Bones from a local rancher. I found out on You-tube, recently, that adding Bone Broth to any meal enable you to (boost protein) while using less meat. Hope this helps anyone trying to save! Blessings
It has been very dry in Bermuda, but as the saying goes, “things change”,
And we have had rain most of the week, so not much outdoors can be done.
Very grayeful, as we catch our drinking water off our roofs here. Goes into
A tank under the house. So, my week consisted of visiting hubby at the
Nursing hone, continuing the great clean out, Thursday sewing group,
And re organizing what was left after this weeks clean out. Friday was Bermuda
Day, national holiday with big road race, and a parade. Too rainy for outdoors
Eating so I had indoor picnic of a hot dog, homade potato salad and coleslaw with
My dogs! Tried a new repurpose trick I saw. You take an old stick in the ground solar
Light that does not work and take off the top and remonve the guts. Put in some pebbles
For drainage, fill with soil and a plant. I put in a little begonia shoot I cut off and rooted.
Looks real cute! Looking for some more dead lights!! Thanks for the craftsy review,
As was wondering about that. Have a great week.
Happy Weekend. When I get the e-mail it is already Saturday here in France. The week was very busy eith dowing and getting the garden ready. Our new hens lay eggs now, we are happy. I found a farmer who provides me with everything for the chickens and delivers it to me for free. We lived pretty much of our freezer this week, as I did not have the time for a lot of cooking. I have got a rhubarbe pie in the oven and cooked asparagus for lunch. God bless xou for the week to come.
Thank you for your blog. This week I squeezed all my house and garden work into two days. Had to be in Portland the rest of the week.
Still trying to get the hang of growing things in the greenhouse. Temperature control is still a thing even with the automatic fan. Good news the melons and pumpkins are going like gangbusters and are ready to be hardened off.
It’s graduation season here for my daughter so I’ve worked on freshing up the containers on the porch and deck with flowers for the family celebration we’re hosting.
Sadly, in my home state (AK) summer is also forest fire season, so there are years where I just can’t be out for long. Even so, I miss it!
I love reading your newsletters and look forward to them weekly! 🙂 We were on vacation last week. Came home to peas almost ready in the garden and a teeny, tiny little squash. I am so excited they are growing now while it is still too cool for squash bugs! They are a problem here. Our blueberry bushes are loaded! Just have to get bird netting over them ASAP!! Beets, onions, strawberries, and carrots are also doing well. Tomatoes, beans and peppers are longing for warmer nights before they will grow! 😉
We have finished our school year here and will test next month. In the meantime, I will be decluttering and getting ready for a yard sale, too. It is amazing how things pile up!! I will also be getting our homeschool room back “in shape” before the new school year starts.
Thank you for your tips and recipes/meal ideas!! It makes things here easier! 🙂
Blessings!!
Hi Merissa love the beautiful pictures you posted .Havent got my flowers planted yet or my garden,am still finishing the new fence around my garden,then will till it.Finally got some rhubarb pickedand am in the prosess in cutting and freezing it,i have 4 tires of it,i love being creative and using as much of the stuff i have around here to clean upmy yard,not that its a mess but to save money!!!Have also been working on dehydrating my chives{have 2 tires of them]. Iuse pint canning jars for the dry chives and my foodsaver to seal them till i use them. Had a day off of work yesterday so did fence repair [barbed wire fence for the cattle].Have a blessed week this weekto your family!!