Sunday, December 22, 2019

My Frugal Ways this Past Week 12/22/19!

It's been busy this week getting ready for Christmas around here!  There have been grandchildren's parties at schools to attend, goodies to make, and last minute presents to wrap.  It's all been fun and made the week go by so fast!   

Just in case you ever wonder how I manage to read books while I'm busy..here is your answer!


I made two batches of fudge for Christmas.  One batch I made that morning was  given to family and friends, so that night I made another batch.  I love Mamie Eisenhower's  Million Dollar Fudge recipe.  It's never once failed me and is so easy (no thermometer needed).  This makes a ton of fudge.  I  found the Hershey's chocolate bars on sale for buy 5 get 5 free, walnuts were buy one get 1 for  50 % off at Meijer, and husband found chocolate chips on sale at Menard's so that made making this more affordable.  

Just the two of us managed to get away to a dinner in Frankenmuth. I received my dinner free for my birthday month, so we only had to pay for his.  I signed up their reward card (it's not a credit card) and this is one of the benefits.  As we were leaving, we saw the Vice President of the United States.  He came to have the wonderful chicken too!  You just never know who you will see, so you need to carry a camera of some sort at all times (I did not).  Would have made quite a picture of husband shaking his hand!  

Back to the chicken... they gave us enough chicken for youngest daughter and some left over for the next day.   I made the sides to go with the chicken the next day.  In total it ended up being 6 meals for us.  


I sold three items in just a couple of days this past week.  I sold a doll house that we picked up beside the road for $25.00, a T.V. that was given to us for $25.00,  and a small electrical fireplace that we no longer needed for $30.00.  I made a quick $80.00 to help clean my house!  


I made 3 fleece tie blankets for Christmas and charity donations.  I bought the fleece again on sale at Menards for black Friday for $1.88 each piece.  These are small but just right for the younger kids.    

Goals:

The refrigerator is clean but I would still like to clean the spice cupboard.   It may get done!

Make gingerbread cookies today.  


I hope your Christmas preparations have been just has fun as mine!  


How did you save this past week? 


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15 comments:

Little Penpen said...

You met the VP of the USA.... how awesome. Sounds like a good week. My hubby is the fudge maker around here; he uses a thermometer and all that. I have no idea how to make it!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

I think that's why I love Mrs. Eisenhower's fudge..no thermometer needed. I applaud your husband because I've never gotten it right even with a thermometer! Have a great week!

Cheryl Kimbley said...

Sounds like a fun week. You got a lot accomplished. I have a busy one coming up as well. I have a Christmas AFTER Christmas - so many things to take care.
Have a wonderful week. Merry Christmas

Lana said...

How cool to meet the VP! I made fudge yesterday and I do the old traditional thermometer recipe that was my MIL recipe. I do it for Hubby since I don't care whether I eat it of not after the warm pan licking. My favorite is divinity which is even more fussy but that got done Friday.

On Friday we went to Hardee's and said Happy Hardee's Day and bought a large drink and got a free 1/3# cheeseburger. Each cup had a code to scan and we each won a breakfast biscuit which costs more than the drink so win, win and the burger was delicious. There will be a breakfast out for just the cost of two senior coffees at 49 cents each!

We got so many great grocery deals this week but the best I think was pecans for $6.99 a pound! We bought two which will last is a long time. But, also a spiral ham at ALdi for 85 cents a pound. I cashed out iBotta for $25. So far this month I have earned $60 in Swagbucks gift cards. I got WalMart cards to use for 1/2 gallon canning jars for food storage.

The first of our kids will arrive this afternoon and we can't wait for grandson time! Our DIL sent a video of him asking Santa for a train and guess what is under our tree for him! I bought the Green Toys one months ago on a deal with no idea he would love trains so much!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Aww we've done that before Cheryl and it's still just as memorable! Merry Christmas!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Lana you've had a fun great week too. Christmas is so exciting! I miss having a Hardees close by...you certainly got a great deal. I bet your grandson will be so excited to see you and his train. Merry Christmas!!

Belinda said...

How neat that you met the VP! That is so exciting. We bought more groceries this week than we normally do, so not a lot of money saving going on over here. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, Vickie.

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

It was quite an experience! Have a merry Christmas too Belinda!

Melissa Henderson said...

Love reading about your frugal ways and all the great projects you create. I saved money with digital coupons at the grocery store this week. Sometimes I forget I have clipped them and then, the discount shows up. :-) Merry Christmas!

KayM said...

I love that you got a free dinner on your birthday! This last week I saved a service call on my security system back-up battery replacement by asking my son-in-law if he would do it for me. (He did it the last time). He went and got a new battery and replaced it. I saved on my weekly lunch with my friend. I just picked up Whopper Juniors and fries for us from Burger King--$4 for the both of us. She made iced tea and homemade bars for dessert. I’m trying to eat from my pantry. I need to use up some canned goods. I sorted through a bag of nice hand-me-down socks that a friend gave me. Most of them are like new. I picked out the ones I could use and gave the rest to my granddaughter. I got at least 18-20 pair. I ordered 3 more gifts online. I got free shipping and 40% off original price. I needed to send something to a family whose elderly mom/grandmother passed away. Instead of flowers, I decided to send a box of pears from Harry and David’s. They cost about the same price, but I got free shipping. Merry Christmas!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

You I go all digital too Melissa and I love those digital surprises too. Way to go!

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

I love that you were gifted with hand me down socks! you were able to bless someone else too. I used to do that for my sister and she loved it too!

Anonymous said...

Vickie I am glad you had some wonderful sales to top up your budget from free things you had picked up :) and had a free Birthday dinner out too just yourself and DH. Nothing says Christmas like some wonderful homemade fudge :).

Our savings added up to $58.55 last week :).

In the kitchen -
- Cooked all meals and bread from from scratch. We have cooked up a few roasts and sliced them and divided them into meal sized portions for the freezer for cold dinners with homemade pasta salads/cherry tomatoes from the gardens as it is too hot to cook here.

In the gardens -
- Picked cherry tomatoes and turnips from the gardens.

Finances -
- Banked more into our 3 month living expenses emergency fund bringing us to 64.6 % of the way there.
- We have decided since DH was diagnosed with a 6mm brain aneurysm that we will put in air conditioning in the home after Christmas as it is so hot here. Likely he will go into have it operated on (a family history of brain hemorrhages in mid 50's) in the early New Year and he most likely will be out of action for some weeks and a cooler home will help him with his recovery I think. So we shall start again to save to reach our target.

Purchases -
- Purchased a 11 litre convection oven to do smaller roasts etc without turning on the larger oven. This will use far less electricity.
- Purchased and Wish e-gift card for fuel and groceries from RACQ saving 5% or $9.96.
- Found lots of bread rolls on markdown prices saving $5.59 on usual prices.
- Got a 1kg packet of bacon rashers for free for being a supermarket taste tester saving $9 on usual prices.
- Purchased 4 x marinated beef roasts on special for $10 kg saving $22 on usual prices.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a frugal week ahead :).

Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden said...

Hi Lorna, I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's aneurysm. You were so right to put in air conditioning. The heat can be misery and when your not feeling well...I'll be praying! I know he will be glad when that's over! That heat I bet is terrible. I hope and pray too that the fires are a long way off for you.
We just had roast the day before yesterday -I cooked it in the slow cooker. We used the leftovers for beef stew. It really shrink (lots of fat-cheap roast but excellent LOL)

You did well Lorna -Have a wonderful Christmas.





Anonymous said...

Thank you and you too :) .