Again, With the Frugality!

Sisters, meeting for the first time.

We welcomed Daughter's Sister for a summer visit.  We're looking for lots of fun, free, frugal ways to spend our days.

There were (and may still be) coupons on walmart's site to get free peanut butter crackers.  It's actually a free box of them.  I printed the coupons and got those to help stock the snack basket.  I used a few other coupons as well, along with price matching to save time and fuel.

We went to the library for books, Wii games and music CD's. 

We went to a free public 'splash park' with our homeschool group.  It was a fun way to spend a warm day.  We packed food and drinks from home so it was only the cost of fuel to get there and back.

Happy Sisters.

 

I made applesauce muffins, lots of salads, banana breads, fruit smoothies, cole slaw, pasta sauce, baked beans and garlic bread noodles. 

I gave my neighbor the crossword puzzle pages from the newspaper, since she enjoys them and we don't do them.  She also took one of my many jade plants I was able to start from a fallen leaf, and she gave me some bobby pins for a project.  I hope it turns out the way I want it to!

I worked on a sewing project that a lady hired me to do.

The girls used craft items on hand to make things during the hot part of the day.

I picked spinach, green onion tops and lettuces from the garden.  I planted a few flower seeds for perennials that will last year to year (scarlet flax) and some romaine lettuce seeds for the next batch of lettuce. 

We got together with friends for 4th of July.  It was a lot of fun for no real cost.  I made syrups for snow cones as a treat for the kids, along with some of the food mentioned above in the 'from scratch' entry.  There is plenty of snow cone syrup left too...like, for summer!

I sold some toys, puzzles and a bike on a small, local version of craigslist, and made $35.  We're saving up for a larger size used bike, possibly two of them. 

We went fishing and caught enough trout for one night's dinner.  If I think about the cost of licenses and such, it's not frugal.  Then again, compared to going to see a movie in the theatre, we are spending less and often come home with fish.  So, I guess it's not too bad for recreation. :)

 I told the girls they had to wear hats.  I was not specific.

 We each caught one pan trout.

 

 

We were up early...a little car nap is a good thing!



We have been raising rabbits for a few years now.  My original plan was to raise some to eat, some to sell for pets and/or meat, and to have them on hand to do rabbit programs at the library.  It turns out that my family doesn't like rabbit.  I mean, I like it, but if no one else will eat it, it doesn't make a lot of sense to keep them around, since I end up having to cook a chicken or something in addition to the rabbit that I cook.  With that in mind, I decided to sell my breeding stock, rather than feeding them year round when I just need some kits for summer (for the library programs). 

I found a gentleman who is starting a rabbitry, and he purchased my breeding stock.  Better yet, he lives nearby, and is willing to lend me rabbits for the summer season when I need them.  In exchange, I'll provide feed for those rabbits while they are here, and return them, bigger and quite tame, when the program season is over.  I think this is going to be win-win for everyone.

Program Bunnies - can you believe they are all from the same litter?

 

In addition, I was also able to sell of some of the equipment I have on hand - some water bottles, cages, etc. 

We had movie night in the living room, complete with popcorn and a Phineas and Ferb (Pherb?) movie.
 



Room for Improvement

We actually had a pretty good week frugality-wise.  Our hot water heater is acting up, though, and we've continued to tinker with it, but so far, it's still not behaving well.  We've done what we know how to do, and now we have to figure out if it's worth the cost to have someone come look at it (the parts for it are astronomical), or if we should just replace it.  Running water and not getting hot is wasteful, also frustrating.

I waited for fresh mushrooms to go on sale...and it hasn't happened, so I splurged for some to eat this weekend.  I feel so naughty, hee hee!

I bought soda.  With my own money (allowance), but still.....