What did you do today to save money or make your life better?

[Doodlebug]

3/5

Packed lunch/drinks and snacks

Used up some already chopped onions that were in the fridge to make spaghetti sauce.

Hung some laundry to dry

Opened the windows a crack, so no air (even though we had to run the heater a bit last night since it dropped down to 30!!!)

Finishing up all the partial bags of snack in the pantry for lunches this week.

Will finish up the last of the sample shampoo bottles this week.

Clipped coupons from my Sunday paper and from Mom's

I forgot to post this last week--too much going on--DH brough back 12 packs of venison from his parents' house (6 ground hamburger and 6 cube steak)--free meat!!

[ColleenKranz]

I organized my coupons by category and by store in my new little Tag Along Organizer. It was so much easier to use the coupons I clip, plus it saved by a whole lot of time! Going to use my Coupon Organizer all the time now!

[Doodlebug]

4/7/12

OK, so I am REALLY trying to get back into some sort of routine and being mindful of my spending--since we got WAY off track with Daddy being in the hospital and Mama going into hospice and then her passing--I am trying REALLY hard to get back on track.

I used up a partial onion in dinner last night.
No AC since it turned cool last night.
Cooking all of our meals this weekend and this week.
Taking a ham out of the freezer to share with the family tomorrow for Easter lunch, cooking my sides from what I had here on hand (so no extra expense)
Hung some laundry to dry
Finishing up the partial bags of snacks in the pantry
Did my own pedicure---I ALWAYS do =) (So I'm not sure if that counts???LOL)
Watered my flowers with rain water from the other night

[Tampa Mom]

I had an energy audit from our electric company today to check out ducts and insullation. The ducts are fine but need to be resealed. We've got an appointment next month to have that done. And it will only cost $50. It's a program through the electric company. Plus we're getting insullation blow into the attic and the estimate was between $235-$250 to have that done and we get a $200 rebate from the electric company as well. That's nice!

Right now I'm working on getting a vent fan installed in our bathroom prior to the insullation being put in. Finger's crossed...I got a ballpart figure of $250.00. I'm waiting on the guy to call me back.

[Doodlebug]

4/9

Dh and I packed lunches, drinks and snacks for work
DS came home and ate leftovers
Used up the rest of the ham (well 2 slices left) from Sunday lunch (actually from the funeral home--we pulled it back out of the freezer)
Got our income tax check (the 2nd one---we had to file an amended return for DSs school stuff)--paying off a bill!!! YAY!!!
Did out bank statements---matched them to the penny the first time--another YAY!!!

[Tampa Mom]

Did out bank statements---matched them to the penny the first time--another YAY!!!

When I used to balance my checkbook (it's all online now), I would get so frustrated because it just wouldn't match. Sometimes I'd add or subtract a few cents just to make it match. LOL

[Doodlebug]

That is funny! Our bank statements are on line, but I keep a checkbook register--I am fanatical about it! Bahahaha I can't rest until I figure out why it won't balance.

Today, Dh and I packed our lunches, drinks and snacks
DH used a coupon to get his oil changed in his truck--almost as cheap as he could do it himself, but he could have it done while he was at work---way worth the $$
Cooking at home again tonight---getting quite a few leftovers in the fridge.
Renewed my favorite magazines using our Coke rewards points!!! YAY

[Tampa Mom]

A co-worker gave me 11 brand new quart-sized mason jars with tops and lids. Wow! She said she didn't have a need for them and knew I used them. I figure more soups or chili can be made and frozen. My husband told me that I didn't have any more room for them. Silly man! That's what reorganization is for.

[Jeepgirl]

How funny Tampa Mom...my DH says the same thing, "Honey, we are out of room!" but I know there is always space somewhere. lol

[Doodlebug]

4/10/12

Dh and I ate leftovers for supper
Packed lunches, snacks and drinks (all week so far)
Budget work--working on debt reduction

[Doodlebug]

Packed lunches, snacks and drinks--all week!! YAY
Made egg salad for lunches today (Friday) out of leftover Easter eggs
DH fixed the lawnmower tire for my parents mower that DS uses--he plugged it himself with our pluggin kit =)

[Tampa Mom]

Made egg salad for lunches today (Friday) out of leftover Easter eggs

That must be some psychedelic egg salad with all those colors!

[Doodlebug]

That made me laugh!!!

Today, DH and I packed our lunches/snacks and drinks---all week.
Went an entire week without eating out or going to the store to pick up anything!! YAY!
Incorporated some leftovers from the week, into our supper tonight, instead of throwing them out =)
Got the newspaper changed from Mama's house to my brothers house. (She always paid for the newspaper by the year. He will now get it until the end of June.)
Bagged a bunch of change for DH to deposit into the bank on Monday.
Paid off a bill today with our income tax refund (DSs college purchases refund) YAY!!!

[Doodlebug]

Ate leftovers for supper last night and today for lunch
Cooked supper tonight. Still have enough leftovers for lunches or a supper
Hung some laundry to dry
Packing lunches, drinks and snacks for work tomorrow
Shopped at Goodwill and a consignment store yesterday and found some good deals
Clipped some coupons
Got a trashbag full of shirts from my nephew for DH. He was able to get about 6 dress shirts for work and I will pass on the rest to one of DHs coworkers =)

[Doodlebug]

4/18

It has been a pretty frugal week for us so far =)

Packed lunches, drinks and snacks all week
Cooked all meals at home
DH got a FREE fixer up lawnmower (all it needs is a belt pulley) for mowing between our pine trees.
He has our OLD BROKEN lawnmower cleaned up and is taking it a man in town that buys scrap mowers for parts =)
Clipped coupons
Hung some laundry to dry

[Doodlebug]

4/19-4/20

Packed lunches/snacks and drinks every day this week! We haven't eaten out in 2 weeks!!

Hung laundry to dry.

Clipped and used coupons at the grocery store.

Added water to the bottom of the soap dispenser (at my sink) to finish out the last of my soap.

Re-organized my bathroom storage area and found 2 small bottles of aftershave for DH (didn't have to make a special trip to the store for any

Made do with what we had in the house, meal wise, until I went to the grocery store. It was ok, but we did have some INTERESTING meals!

Got DHs truck fixed (we hope) for only $40 instead of the $1200 we thought it was. Thank you Lord! Time will tell.

Reusing some of the flowers from my Mama's funeral-they are gorgeous silk flowers- To make wreaths for our doors and an arrangement for Mama's marker. The cemetary does the cleanup so they would have gone to the landfill. I know that sound crazy, but our Mama would have loved it! Reusing some ribbon I had in my craft room that will match perfectly.

[Doodlebug]

4/28/12

Last week was a busy and stressful week for me and I got behind in posting, but I did manage to say the course on my frugal living.

Cooked and ate at home every night, except for last night, which we had already planned to eat out with family and some friends.

Washed and hung some laundry to dry in the laundry room.

Ground about 40 pounds of venison into hamburger meat--24 packages of hamburger back into the freezer!

Packed lunches, drinks and snacks all week for DH and myself.

DS ordered a part (from Amazon) for the push mower for DH--saved us $8!

Started going through kitchen/pantry stuff at my Mama's house last weekend, with my sister and SIL. We all sorted out the supplies and pantry goods. So I will not have to buy ziplocs, tin foil, saran wrap or paper plates for quite a while. Put 4 bags of pecans in my freezer from her house (She had just bought 12 bags from our local grower the first of December and never got to use them). Still a LOT to do there but we don't have to rush since we can't sell it until my Daddy passes. My nephew is staying there right now, so that there is activity there and since we have to keep the lights and water on anyway--he may as well.

Clipped some coupons.

Still trying to squirrel away as much as possible for the summer when I don't get paid. I get 5 more checks and then I am through until September.

[chickn]

Back from vacation and trying to get back into the swing. Dh left for work right after he dropped us at home.

Dd and I got a couple of things from the grocery, but ate all of our meals from the freezer stash of leftovers.

And my proudest moment, Sunday...after weeding (me and dd) and dh (chopping wood)...I was so exhausted and just wanted to order a pizza. But I didn't!!!! I grabbed some frozen burgers and we had burgers and cole slaw for diner.

Now lets' see if I can make it through this week....

[chickn]

4/30: my grocery never used to accept competitor's coupons...but we recently got a new grocery store (30 minutes away for me) and there's been a minor grocery war....so I asked my grocery store if they'd honor a $5 off $30 coupon from the other store. Yeah!!!!!

5/1: made banana bread using freezer stash. made dough for a cheese roll for tomorrow.

[Doodlebug]

This week was CRAZY!!! But I did manage to:

Use coupons on my shopping trip.

Cooked at home part of the time---we were gone until LATE Tuesday, And Thursday, so DH and I had to just grab something on the way home. This week doesn't look much better, but I am going to try to be more prepared, since I know what nights we will be gone (and until what time). Last week was a crap-shoot! LOL

DH and I took our lunch, drinks and snack so work each day.

Hung some laundry to dry.

Used up all the leftovers from the fridge.
Renewed my Sam's membership. I am going to do a MAJOR stock up in a few weeks (this does save me money and time)


Tomorrow (5/6) I will be making some bran muffins and adding a ripe banana to the mix. Gets a fruit into DHs diet =)
Cook enough supper for leftovers for lunches this week.
Hang some more laundry to dry
Mow grass and wash my car---doesn't save money---but DOES make my life a bit less stressed.
Clip more coupons