Last Week's Thrifty Moves

Life is much different for us at the moment as it is for a lot of people.  My girls are now home. My oldest has collected all of her things from her dorm room and turned in her key.  She will do her classes online while my youngest is on an expanded spring break.  I still go to work every day as I am a healthcare professional and there is a strong need for what I do.  Needless to say my already busy schedule is even busier and my days are long.

In the meantime I am tremendously grateful that I'm well prepared for the weeks ahead.  We have plenty of groceries and household items for the time being.  If we are really careful and work hard to stretch these things we should be good for several weeks, even a few months.

Sunday morning I gave the girls $20, a short list of items and sent them out on a reconnaissance mission to the grocery stores.  I wanted them to experience the craziness that I did that previous Friday.  Nothing on that list was a necessity and it's a good thing because they could only find half of the items on it.  I felt it would be a good life lesson for them and it was.  It also cemented the fact that when I said use the TP sparingly and make the food last I wasn't overreacting.  They now know and fully understand the wisdom in what I am saying.

While they were out I took the turkey breast I had roasted the day before and removed all the meat from the bones.  I placed the bones in my largest slow cooker and filled it up with water, the trimmings from an onion and a bunch of celery along with a carrot into the pot.  After six hours I let it cool and strained off the broth.  The remainder of the turkey carcass and meat bits I saved as our cats will eat that, especially Jack.  He really loves turkey.

I made a large pot of turkey and dumplings for my girls and a smaller pot of turkey vegetable soup for myself.  I cooked some cubed steaks, made rice and a huge salad too.  All of those items provided us with several meals throughout the week.  I still have broth and turkey I put in the freezer for additional meals.  My greatest concern food wise is my ability to stay Keto.  I may have to veer a little bit and go with a whole food diet if I have any difficulty getting the groceries I need, but I'll cross that bridge if and when I need to.  In the meantime I will do my best to keep it healthy for all of us.

In the wake of all that has been going on I'm ever so grateful to have a home that is clean, neat and tidy.  I have been easily able to manage it without feeling the need to go on a deep cleaning frenzy.  Some of the 15 Minute Chores I accomplished to continue to keep my home in order:

Laundry Room & Half Bathroom - vacuumed floors, scrubbed sink, washed decorative towels.  Daily swish & swipe.

Dining Room - vacuumed floor, cleaned dining room chairs.

Kitchen -  vacuumed & spot mopped the floor, cleaned underneath & sides of the stove, bleached sink.

Bedrooms & Main Bathroom - vacuumed & dusted.  Scrubbed sink & toilet, washed bathmat.  Daily swish & swipe.

Other - three loads of laundry, vacuumed & dusted living room, hallway & entry.  Swept front porch.

How was your thrifty week?