Frugality and Fun for Fall

Hope you've had a good week!  We have been busy.  Here are a few things we did to save money, along with some ways we had fun.

I touched a tarantula.  If you asked me to make a list of things I would never do, touching a tarantula would be on that list, and yet, I did it.  See...I got called in to sub at the library and there was a 'Creepy Crawlies' program for children.  There was a girl who was afraid to touch the tarantula (the presenter was letting the children take turns having it crawl across their hands !!!!!!!!!!!!).  I told that girl that if she touched it, I would touch it...and not only did she touch it, she let it crawl across her hand too!  Not me.  I just touched it.  That's all I agreed to.  In all fairness, it felt much like a dog's ear, very soft and velvety. 

And now, you already know that I picked up some sub hours at the library. :)

This is Rocket!  He likes to rest next to his blanket, and he's a little sweetie pie!

I'm also doing some 'pet' sitting for a neighbor - a horse and two barn kitties, and we puppy-sat this weekend for another friend.  Rocket the schnauzer was a lot of fun!  We didn't expect a thing for spending the weekend with Rocket, but his 'mom' brought lots of nice thank-yous.  We spoiled Rocket, then she spoiled us!

I made croutons from white bread bought on markdown, olive oil and herbs and spices.  I made a butternut squash casserole from butternut squash, butter, orange marmalade, cinnamon, ginger and pecans.  Tasty!  We had that with panfried ham slices and blackeye peas. Other meals included potato soup, fried rice, chicken with broccoli and sweet corn, smoked sausage with slaw and a birthday dinner. 

A beautiful, snowy morning.  My yard looks so much nicer when the snow covers all the bare spots,
tree stumps, the rock pile.....

We signed up for an online deal at King Soopers and got a 2l. of Dr. Pepper Ten for 45 cents.  We paid .88 per head for romaine lettuce this week and I price matched for a few other items here and there.  I used a coupon to get a free 20 oz. Coca Cola.  Boneless skinless chicken breasts were 1.88 a pound, so I bought a couple of packages and then wrapped and froze smaller portions to freeze. 

Laundry was washed with homemade laundry soap and hung on drying racks to dry.

I got a $5 off coupon from Kohl's, on any purchase $5 or more.  We found some cute autumn kitchen towels for 6.99, and I let daughter choose the ones she liked best - there's a cute little embroidered turkey on one and a pretty plaid on the other.  I got a $5 coupon for Mardel too, and got a journal for just 2.52 (with tax) after the coupon.

We took a field trip to a local historical log school.  It was lots of fun.

Sneak-reading a McGuffey Reader at the log school.

I made a couple of scarves from some donated yarn, for a charity project.  More on that very soon. 

A friend loaned me her dress form so I could photograph the scarves, for a charity project.  More on that very soon.

Daughter and I are volunteering for a harvest party at church, and we attended the volunteer meeting.  We did errands that day too, since we were in town.

Daughter's birthday was Friday, and she chose to have a meal at home.  I thought she would want to go to the Chinese restaurant, but we were there a few weeks ago, and she said she'd rather eat at home instead.  Per her request, we made grilled steak, breaded shrimp, Caesar salad, baked potatoes with sour cream and butter and birthday cake.  We got things from the pantry or used grocery money.

Eight years, eight owls!

I bought two bins of legos and a bin of duplos from a family - $15.  I sold the duplos for $10 and poured the two bins
of legos into one bin, so it was $5 for all these legos.  The beanbag chair was $7, gently used.  She loves both gifts!

We made mice and fish from fondant and used well-washed toy kitties to make 'cat land', per Daughter's request.

 

 

Her gifts from us were second hand but in excellent condition.  Wrapping paper, candles, etc. were  things we had on hand.  The cake was a cake mix purchased on sale with a coupon a while back (.39), cream cheese frosting was homemade from ingredients purchased on sale.  She told me she was glad we got the legos used, because it's better for the environment and saves money. 

 

I have a question for you.  I've been doing Salad-in-a-Jar for my lunch 4 days a week.  It commits me to a nice big serving of vegetables, I like salad, I've lost some weight...but now, I'm cold with the weather change.  I'm going to do some healthy soups for lunch.  I have a few in mind, but if you have a favorite, I'd love to hear about it.  The more ideas the better.  Thanks!

While you're sharing your favorite soups, let me know how you saved this past week, pretty please?