Frugal "Friday" - The Middle of April 2019, including Holy Week

Our Rhubarb Pant, Approximately 1 Week Ago.  It is now about three times as big.

Holy Week is always busy for a Pastor and their family.  This year was no exception!   And I feel like I have run a sprint for the last two weeks and have been grateful for the days of the Easter holiday off school and work so I can get myself back together.  I also feel like we have spent quite a bit of money in the last two weeks - quarterly taxes were due, the children needed new shoes for Easter, and we completed a few small household repairs. 

In the midst of all that, here are a few things we did that are frugal:

* We enjoyed almost all our meals at home.  The exceptions were: Easter Sunday, where we ate all three meals either at church or with friends; Palm Sunday with the brunch at church, and a couple of Wednesday evenings with Lenten dinners, also at church. 

* Our friends gifted us leftovers after Easter dinner.

* I made bread, spiced carrot cake, granola, and two types of cookies rather than buying them.

* We purchased Easter basket goodies over a long period of time, spending between $3 and $5 every other week since February.  We had overflowing baskets and the children loved the items they received!  (As did John and I.)

* I worked on embroidery for a gift.

* We packed our own breakfast and lunch while we attended a dance competition. 

* We reused Easter Decorations we already owned.  Our daughter helped decorate - she has a real eye for that type of thing!

* I have not bought a new Easter (fancy) dress for several years.  My mother sent me a small gift of money to spend on myself - I decided to buy a new Easter dress.  We have several weddings coming up this year and I can wear it for those as well.  Even better - I found my new dress a consignment shop, where it was new with tags for only $12!   It is a lovely deep purple lace with a knee length skirt, modest neckline and cap sleeves.  As an added bonus, it is very comfortable and machine washable.

* The children made Easter and thank you cards for family and friends using items we already owned.

* I took in the waistband on two skirts and sewed three buttons back on their respective items.   I also let down the hems on our son's school pants yet again.

* The children spent 3 hours babysitting to earn some pocket money. 

* I inventoried our chest freezer so I can use the items in it before summer produce starts coming in.

* I started seeds in the house.  Our last frost date is not until the middle of May (roughly May 15th) and the seedlings should be big enough to be planted shortly after that. 

* We enjoyed several books, videos and games from the library. 

* We watched a television show on Netflix. 

* I purchased a new iron, as my old one died.  I caught up the ironing using my new iron.

* We raked and seeded the part of the yard we cleared last year.  The rain aided us with watering so we did not need to do that part.  The grass is just starting to grow now!   Laying sod or hiring someone would have been much more expensive.

* We did all of our own spring yardwork, rather than hired out.

What did you do these past two weeks that were frugal?