Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Sunday morning began on a thoroughly thrifty note.  I used our free eggs, free English muffins and free orange juice to prepare breakfast.  I had a few slices of leftover ham and a bit of grated cheddar so I made our homemade version of Egg McMuffins.  They were delicious.

I boiled half a dozen of our free eggs to make egg salad to enjoy throughout the week.  I love to top half a toasted English muffin with egg salad for my breakfast.  Yum!

I baked two big loaves of whole wheat bread.  I gave one to a friend.

I washed out several Ziploc bags to reuse.

I added water to an "empty" bottle of laundry detergent giving it a good shake and got plenty of soap to wash two more loads of clothes.  I did the same thing with a dish soap bottle and washed three more sinks full of dishes.

I made up some liquid soap solution to refill our foaming hand soap dispenser in the kitchen.

Wednesday I put together a nice sized stack of grocery coupons I have been accumulating and went to Fred Meyer to pick up a few things.  Almost everything I bought was on sale or markdown and paired with a coupon.

I picked up two bags of M & Ms on sale for 2/$5 with a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon for $1.50 off making my final price $3.50 for two bags.  I put them in the baking box to make M & M cookies later on.

While watching TV, using Amazon Prime, I finally worked on an embroidery project I've had in the works for a little while now.

Using scrap paper I printed a coupon to JoAnns for $5 OFF a $10 purchase and another one for $20% OFF my entire purchase.  We took them to the store and picked out fabric to make my youngest for orchestra.  The clerk was great about helping me figure out the best way to use them both and save the most money which allowed me to get everything we needed for under $20.

Using my Kindle I streamed music on YouTube for free.  We also get music through our Amazon Prime membership, but I haven't taken the time to download any of it yet.  My oldest has though so she is definitely getting some use out of it.

Thursday I had to go to our new credit union to finish up some merger business.  There is a fruit stand across the street so I stopped on the way home and selected 8 pounds of assorted apples to make apple butter.  I grabbed  couple avocados and a bell pepper while I was it too.

Later that evening I renewed my cell phone service for the next 3 months.  I was texted a promo code for extra bonus minutes and ended paying my usual $20 fee.  Not too shabby for three months of service.

Saturday morning I cut up the 8 pounds of apples and put them in my largest slow cooker to cook down to make apple butter.  I fed the apple trimmings to the hens which made them very happy.

Edith still looks a little ratty

After that I made a batch of homemade donuts for my darling girls.  They were very surprised and delighted when they woke up and came down for breakfast.

I decided to freeze a couple dozen eggs for winter storage.  I put two cracked eggs in a snack size Ziploc bag.  Once the bags freeze I'll transfer them all to a larger bag to store in the freezer.

I went through my canning jars and pulled out a dozen of my half pint sized quilted jelly jars to put aside for the retirement house.  I put them together in a box, slipped it inside a two gallon Ziploc bag and sealed it up to keep them clean and protected.  I've already put aside some of my better half pint and pint size jars to take too.  I'll be collecting and adding quart jars next.  I don't have as many of those so I'll be on the lookout at thrift stores for vintage ones to use for food storage.  The only thing I can in quarts anymore is usually pickles and not very often.

Oh boy, did our house smell good

Late Saturday evening I finished up the apple butter and got it all processed in a hot water bath.  This batched yielded 12 half pint jars with a little bit leftover to fill a 1/4 pint jar which I stuck directly into the refrigerator.

I used a stash of lids I'd save from other jams and jellies I'd canned and was pleased to see that every one of them sealed up just fine (no hate mail please about re-using canning lids).  They usually do.  I've been doing this for years and know of others that have great success doing so too.  I personally prefer to use brand new lids for canning fruit and salsa, but for jam, jelly or pickles I have no problem with using recycled lids.

How was your thrifty week?