Frugal Friday Week #20
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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 19
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 kept a meal plan this week! Here’s what we had:
Breakfasts:
- Egg Sandwiches
- Waffles (leftover, frozen from last week)
- Pancakes and Sausage
- Eggs and Sausage
- Yogurt and Granola
Lunches
- Big Plate (picnic style)
- Pizza (had a crust in the freezer so it was easy)
- Quesadillas
- Brats
- Burrito Bowls
- Leftovers
Suppers
- Chicken Drumsticks (made a honey and lime glaze for them…so good!)
- Tacos
- Leftovers (several times, not sure why we had so much this week!)
- Roast with Carrots
- Frozen Pizza (yes we really did have this after I was gone all day! It’s ok to know your limits. 🙂 )
- Burgers (for fellowship night)
Shopping I Did
I got out one day this week to go thrifting with a friend! It wasn’t a super fruitful day, but I did find a few things. I got a new jacket and a couple of summer skirts for myself and my daughter. I found a new summer hoodie for each of the boys. And I picked up a couple of books for myself and the kids. Oh, and I found space parts for my Sauce Maker for $0.75!
I also purchased a few more fruit trees this week. I had some space I wanted to fill in my new garden where the water tends to collect so they will get plenty of water to grow. Since it’s later in the season, they were 25% off, which made them a pretty good deal for how large they are.
I also grabbed a few things at the grocery store while I was out for our bi-monthly campfire fellowship nights. This time we are having burgers, fruit, and chips, plus we had s’mores fixings left from last time.
Outside Projects We Worked On
This week’s project was turning our small barn area into a parking space for our utility vehicles. We don’t have a garage or shed to park things in, but now with this addition, we will be able to park our side-by-sides, skid loader, and lawn mower inside and out of the elements. We used all scrap wood and steel that we had left over from previous projects.
We hoped to get our greenhouse roof replaced (it was hailed out last winter) but we had too much rain this week. Maybe next week? The new roof cost was covered by insurance.
I’m weeding each week now, of course, usually once a week in each garden space because it takes me a few hours to do. We are harvesting a few small things now but nothing big yet. (Lettuce and garlic scapes this week.)
Inside Projects We Worked On
This isn’t really an inside project but we’ve been working on fixing up our camper to make it work better for us. I love the features it has because we typically are not hooked up to any utilities when we go out (free camping!), but the sleeping situation was less than ideal.
We added a triple bunk using scrap wood we had instead of a “master bedroom” and put the main bed in the back. I also found some pretty wallpaper to use as a backsplash in the kitchen and bathroom to give it a little color. Modern campers are pretty boring!
Blog Posts I Wrote
- How Meal Delivery Services Can Be a Blessing – I think this is a great way to utilize all of those “first time buyer” deals on meal delivery kits and be a blessing to others! This is how we’ve used the services.
- How to Save Money on Paper Towels – This is a brand new post with tips on how to save on paper towels and some paper towel alternatives.
- Extreme Ways to Save on Electricity – These are some ideas on how you can really save money on electricity beyond the standard tips.
- Ways to Save Money in the Summer – I believe each season comes with opportunities to save money. Here’s a big list of ideas just for summertime!
- Making Sun Dried Tomatoes – I LOVE this recipe so I updated with a tutorial video!
Looking Ahead to Next Week
It’s supposed to be a warm one next week, so I’m not sure yet what will get done. Weeding is now a weekly task, so I know that will be on the list. I also need to get these fruit trees planted that I bought.
I think we might even be able to take off for a bit of summer camping. 🙂
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.
Love reading about your simple, full weeks each week! I love the little countertop spice rack in your camper. Do you know where you got it?
Yes, I got it from Amazon! It says no longer available but there are similar ones. https://amzn.to/43V0X10 I used Command Strips to hold it on the wall.
I see these quite often in thrift stores!
This week we got the first few strawberries off strawberry plants we planted this year! Also, I strained out some chive blossom vinegar and turned it into a vinaigrette dressing. We’ve been throwing foraged nettles and lambsquarter in our scrambled eggs and omelettes. We got a cat this week, who will hopefully help keep rodents out of our garden (mice have been a problem in the past). On a non-frugal note, the deer nibbled down all four of our new fruit trees we planted this year. I’m so devastated, but trying to remain optimistic. Homesteading is not always easy.
I’m so sorry! It was a rough winter for fruit trees.
Love the wallpaper backsplash!
I really need to do some weeding. Silly question but do you use a tool to help get the roots up or just pull and hope for the best? I feel like I always end up leaving dandelion roots behind.
I’m very intimidated to cook chicken that is not boneless and skinless but want to support a local homestead that has free range chicken for a good price. I’m going to try air frying some bone in, skin on chicken thighs I bought last week. Do you have any tips/recipes for bone-in/skin-on?
I use a few different things with weeding. I mostly pull by hand, especially if weeds are big. For tiny rows I have a Collinear Hoe from Johnny’s seeds that works like a knife. For rows that are larger I use a stirrup style hoe which works great as long as the ground isn’t too wet or dry.
As for the chicken, I don’t use an air fryer but we love bone in chicken thighs! I just fry them on the stove and try to keep the skin crispy (as long as it’s still on). I’ve also baked them in the oven. Just make sure when you take an internal temp you measure as close to the bone as you can.
I always enjoy your weekly blogs! Quiet week for us. The heat is really difficult early this year. Heat index is 110 or higher. So we try and get things done early in the morning. My late bucket garden is slowing growing. I have baby tomatoes! That is o.k. I’ve been blessed with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from friends! So thankful! Breakfast is easy, whatever we can find (just husband and I). Usually do not have alot to eat during the days because husband works in the heat and he can’t eat much because of that. Cool refreshing veggies are pretty much the extent of it. Working on organizing my sewing “mess” aka stuff to begin a project. Went camping with friends last weekend, and we are often at my “campsite”, so they leave the leftovers of a delicious meal with us. That helped this week! Picked up some outdoor plants on the clearance at local store, already bringing her back to life. She just needed water! Will get them planted tomorrow! Goal this week, trying to use less paper towels! Until next week!
Happy Father’s Day Weekend to all. Central PA received some of the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, nasty outside that was for certain. Two of those days we were camping and stayed cozy inside our little 21 foot camper van. Plenty of reading, some knitting and as always looking to rearrange or purge items we haven’t used. Once home cleaning thoroughly multiple rooms I didn’t complete this spring . Meant for the weekend – meatloaf, potato salad, roast carrots tonight with an impossible French apple pie. Yes, we’re getting company so I am certain the Monster Cookies will vanish. Saturday fluffy corneal muffins and cereal, lunch salmon burgers with French fries followed by green beans, dinner we shall celebrate with mini pizza appetizers , then lasagna and a green salad. Cake and ice cream will close the day. Sunday morning will begin with overnight oatmeal from the instant pot and a quick mix self rising flour coffee cake song with plenty of coffee. Have a super week and enjoy the beauty of the sunrise.
I’m retired and live full time in a motor home with my husband. My life looks much different from yours. 🙂 We have a place we own in FL where we stay for the winter. I never wanted to be a snow bird, but sometimes things just happen. We had a small, 5 acre farm in TN. I loved growing food. Including raising pasture raised pigs and chickens. We had chickens for eggs and meat. Very healthy and extremely tasty. Florida’s growing season is so different, and we aren’t there all year. We went from zone 7 to zone 9, October thru March. I’m learning, slowly, but surely.
This last week we went up into NY and saw Niagra Falls for the first time. It is unbelievable!
I was also surprised at how rural the state of NY is. We saw so many vineyards, orchards, and dairy farms! Such a pleasant experience. We’re in Gettysburg, heading back to TN for a bit. It’s where our daughter and family are.
I enjoy reading your articles. Keep it up! People are reading and learning from you!
Been a less than productive week, did not do as much as could have because needed some rest apparently.
My teen & got raised garden bed almost done. It is really quite big & teen dug out all grass (in strips) where we put garden bed to help with less future weeding. We went to compost to get buckets full of composted dirt for raised beds. Easiest way to transport dirt to beds though takes many trips. Planted variety of white/yellow potatoes that had sprouted a lot into half & finishing planting purple & sweet potatoes on other side.
Have had little rain but luckily not too hot, so watering by hand citronella & mint plants.
Usual laundry, dishes & household chores. Enjoying & getting comfortable with new adopted dogs. Been 2 weeks now & everyone seems like been together years. Dogs love to walk 3-4 times day. Though been very pushy for table food & treats most days.
Most days were random food eaten from fridge & pantry. Did grill some boneless pork ribs picked up from local farm butcher market. Grilled burgers & looking forward to grilling some chicken leg quarters this weekend. Did order take out subs because tired & wanting something hot. Got 20% off order & tasted great, though my tooth started bothering me because found cavity that needs taken care of. (Not my favorite thing)
Teen new bigger mattress finally shipped & enjoying ability to stretch out comfortably sleeping. Free sheets did not fit (mislabeled size) so using blanket until get new sheets that fit. Teen working on organizing closet with hanging storage containers, decluttering items no longer want. Have pretty good pile to sell/donate this next month.
Put up window film on bathroom & some kitchen womdows to distort view which turned out better than expected.
Got almost all outside solar gutter lights picked up on sale up around house except few where could not reach. Looks much better & lights up corners & steps better seen.
Looking forward to warm up next week, but also probably means watering since no chance rain.
Reading your information has been a big inspiration to me for several years. As a single mom I take many of your suggestions and use them regularly! I appreciate your ideas.
Hi Merissa,
Thank you so much for Frugal Fridays. I haven’t done much this week, but I did thrift a fabulous pair of jeans a few weeks ago and have already gotten a few wears out of them. My teen daughter borrowed them a few times too. So these $6 jeans are getting quite a bit of use!!!
We are thankful for four tenths rain. Since we have clay soil, drier years are better for us. Not many weeds. I miss them. One weed tastes like a pea pod when it small, not bitter until it vines. I also like white clover tea. I pick clover flowersand store in fridge three days. I tried drying them, but I didn’t like the result.
My husband found 99 cent chicken so we had baked chicken for lunch. My son ate most of it. We had freezer corn from garden and stuffing.
My husband likes garlic. We haven’t dehydrated it though. Hmmm.
I cut old tshirts for rags.
Our peach trees have small peaches. Sprayed apple trees. Strawberries are a bit dry but getting enough to enjoy before critters.
Husband and son are working with wood. Going to be hot and humid this week, no rain in forecast.
Husband is looking forward to 10 lb bags of chicken for $5.90 this week.
Hi Merissa:
I didn’t get much of anything done outside until today due to some much needed rain finally coming in and unfortunately the forest fire smoke that has plagued us since late April made its return because the wind was coming from the north where the fires are. Fire smoke and rain do not make for a good smelling day. I stayed indoors because the outdoors was too smoky and wet. I made it a week of catching up with people via phone and Zoom plus doing some extra cleaning. Today I finally got both veggie beds and my front flower garden weeded. We still need more rain but the garden is growing reasonably well despite the drought. Unfortunately my next utility bill will be higher due to the extra watering but I feel the garden produce I grow is worth it. It is my youngest son’s birthday today and I plan to try out your Hummingbird bread recipe to surprise him when he gets home from work this evening.
I went to Rodale Institute. It is close-by. It is a world-wide teaching, organic, sustainable teaching farm. I have been there in the past. This time, I am taking an even closer examination. I have studied about the benefit of pollinators and have decided on two that do good in our soil. Russian Sage and Yarrow. These are also good for savory dishes and White Yarrow is especially good for medical uses. Russian Sage is purple. White and purple flowers are especially attractive to pollinators.