Frugal Things We've Done the Last Two Weeks
* I made krumkakke for a fundraiser (that's what's in the photo) using what I had on hand. I'm always amazed at how easy it is to make even if it is time consuming!
* Downloaded several free books for my free Kindle for PC. Also checked out several books and a couple of movies from the Library.
* My Mom taught my daughter how to use the sewing machine - I'd previously been working on hand sewing with her - and she has been completely enthralled! She's started making lots of pillows from my scrap bag - two for herself and a matching one for her best friend, then one for each Grandma for Christmas. Now she's making burp clothes for my best friend for her new Grandbaby that's due in March. I'm hoping to move on to simple clothes next!
* Enjoyed two Halloween parties that included dinner! Mom makes my children costumes (she loves to sew and is very good and very creative so this is something she really enjoys) and we use the nice homemade felt Trick-or-Treat bags she bought them when they were two. The only expense we had was glow-in-the-dark bracelets from the dollar store for night time.
* The children attended a birthday party where they were fed lunch so John and I went on a "date" running errands we have a difficult time running with the children in tow and grabbed a quick bite ourselves using a coupon.
* Accepted two free shirts for the children from a friend.
* Enjoyed a wonderful meal at church after services on Reformation Sunday, courtesy of the families of the Confirmands at the church John was preaching at. Fantastic food!
* Went to the Apple Orchard and enjoyed a free hayride and petting zoo. We purchased a half-bushel of apples for 30-cents less per pound than we could buy in the store.
* I froze diced apples in two cup portions to make apple crisp with later this year. I also dried what seemed like a mountain of apples and made apple crisp. We still have quite a few in the refrigerator to eat fresh. And I want to make apple oat bars too - they are SOOO yummy!
* I also made whole wheat sandwich bread and toasted pumpkin seeds.
* We cleaned up the front yard and part of the back yard for winter. I saved seeds from my marigolds and my giant zinnias to use next year. We moved a bunch of dirt from where we dug a hole to expand our patio to the vegetable garden box. We turned the compost and deadheaded about half of the perennials. We half about half the perennials left to do and we need put the patio furniture away yet. I'm hoping for at least a couple more nice weekends to have a fall bonfire or two before winter really sets in.
* John hung our Christmas lights rather than hiring someone to do it. We have a ranch-style house so there isn't much ladder climbing the our son handed things up to him so he didn't have to go up and down the ladder. (Maybe I shouldn't put this on here since we've never hired someone to put up the lights, but we've only put up lights for 2 years now anyway!)
* Accepted a free loaf of French Bread from a friend.
* Made several meals in the crock pot so we wouldn't be tempted to eat out.
* Got our flu shots for free from our clinic - just had to call ahead to make an appointment! Since it's classified under "preventive medicine" we had no co-pay at all!
* Started working on Christmas gifts. I'm hoping to post some of those in the future and maybe some tutorials as well.
* I also started putting together some of the things that we're hoping to do to celebrate Advent. I'm looking forward to that this year!
* Mended a skirt for Missy, a cami for me, and a pair of pants for John.
* Went to a fundraiser lunch at church and came home with a pecan pie! I think I need to find out who made it - it was amazing (I'm very, very picky about my pecan pie).
* I'm not sure if this is truly frugal but we thought it was: Our Pastor (and John's Mentor Pastor) is very, very creative and always had things for sale at the church's fall boutique. Everything is donated and the proceeds go back to the church. Last year we bought a lovely pottery bowl. This year we bought two pottery Nativity sets - one for each of our children. They were a complete steal at $15 each for the set - Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, two sheep, a Shepherd, and the Three Kings. All handmade and signed.
Okay, I think that's it, other than our usual eating at home, brown bagging lunches and the like.
What have you been up to?
Check out Frugal Friday at Life as Mom and The Prudent Homemaker's Blog and Website to share and be inspired!
