Frugal Friday - Week 18 of 52

These iris are about seven inches (17.5cm) tall right now - they reach about 24 inches (60cm) - but it is a sign that spring is definitely on the way!

A busy week for us!   Out of state family arrived to stay with us for a month and we had two other events this week. We are busy like this for another two months and then have about two months of down time planned.  I am looking forward to the events but not the running.  I am also looking forward to the planned down time later this summer.  Here's hoping for good weather and lots of time in my garden!

We are into super saving mode here for the rest of the year.  So, here are several of the frugal things we have done this week:

* We made bread, no bake energy bites, minestrone soup, scones, muffins, pancakes, and crackers at home this week.

* I replaced buttons on a dress for our daughter.

* We attended a free music concert at one of the local schools.

* Our children attended their spring "formal" dance through their school.  As the children are in middle school, it isn't a true "formal", though the children like to call it such.  They wear nice clothes (no jeans or t-shirts are allowed) and bring a snack or drink to share.  They had a wonderful time! 

* I sewed to birthday gifts for our children using supplies I already owned.

* I made one additional birthday gift for our children using materials I already had on hand.

* I also wrapped a few small gifts that we had previously purchased for each child.  These with the homemade gifts will be their birthday gifts this year. 

* We ordered 30 cupcakes from a bakery for the children to take to school.  We decorated them ourselves with candy decorations we already had or made using what we had.  We save money by ordering them simply frosted and by using what we have to decorate them.  We have done this for several years as we have found it to be time consuming to make the cupcakes and we can't guarantee their tastiness.   At roughly $16 for 30 cupcakes, we find the cost well worth it!

* I let down the hem on two pairs of pants for our son and took up the hem a pair of pants for my husband.  Our son grew again and my husband is between pre-hemmed length for pants (always has been), so he usually buys the longer size and I take them up for him. 

* My mother sent our daughter two dresses and a nightgown that she had sewn and sent me a blouse that she had sewn.  My mother loves sewing and is always delighted to make us clothing.  She surprises us with new clothing a few times each year.  The nightgown was a birthday gift and was wrapped as such.  

* My father does some simple woodworking projects and send our children each a gift for their birthdays - a trundle bed for our daughter's doll (she had three dolls with beds and this is for the fourth one and trundles under one of the others) and dinosaur book ends for our son's dresser (he wanted something to display his special books). 

* We checked several books and an audiobook out of the library and returned several books on time to avoid a late fee.  I also requested two books on interlibrary loan for our out-of-town guests.  They do not have access to these books through their library and will easily be able to read them before they return home and before they are due at our library..

* We cleaned out several flowerbeds and our vegetable patches, placing the extra mulch in the compost bin, after turning the contents of the compost bin.  I planned out my beads and started my seeds in an old egg carton saved for that purpose.  I also made a list of items that I would like to purchase for my garden, depending on price.  There are a few sales starting next week that I wish to attend, and I will see what is available and within my budget.

What did you do this week that was frugal?