Last Week’s Thrifty Moves

My birthday was Monday so we took the money we had earmarked for a lunch out and spent it at the grocery store for rib eye steaks, salad fixings, a bottle of wine and dessert.  We got way more mileage for our dollars and enjoyed a delicious dinner in our sweet little home.  Total spent came in at $25.  We couldn't have enjoyed a rib eye dinner at a restaurant complete with drinks and dessert for that.  Plus there were leftovers for lunch the next day! 

On Tuesday I finally replaced my dying cell phone with a new one on sale at Kmart for $29.99.  Now I have a current, fully functional phone and I won't keep disconnecting people.  Unless it is on purpose. J  I plan to recycle my old one. 

I treated myself to a purse I bought at a second hand store.  Brand new, still had the tags, for $9.99.  My other purse, while cute, fun and fashionable, has not exactly been practical.  Now I can get the things I need inside my purse.  I think I'll resell my old one on eBay.  It is a Miche bag and has several different shells to go with it. 

I bought three boxes of breakfast cereal on sale - 3 for $5 and used $1.50 in coupons.  Final price $3.50 or $1.16 per box.  That's a price I can live with. 

I read books and watched a movie borrowed from a friend.  I also watched a couple programs on Amazon.  I listened to music and watched music videos on YouTube. 

I had sales on both Etsy and eBay this week.  I also listed more items to sell on eBay. 

A friend of mine gave me her ads and coupons from the Sunday paper.  I also went online and printed some coupons for groceries.  I was very selective with the ones I chose. 

I took all of our plastic, cardboard and newspapers in to be recycled along with a grocery bag stuffed full of plastic bags.  We are now back to using our re-usable grocery bags. 

After more sorting and organizing I began to put together another bag of donations for the animal rescue thrift store. 

I bought three birthday cards at the dollar store for 50¢ each. 

I combined the contents of two hand soap dispensers.  I used water to rinse out one of them and topped off our foaming hand soap dispenser with it. 

I purchased a new sewer hose and support rack for the RV on Amazon for half price plus free shipping. 

I use proceeds from my eBay sales to purchase replacement ink cartridges for our printer from a seller on eBay saving me a lot of money over purchasing them from Amazon or Staples.  Plus I was able to use my PayPal account to pay for them.  Easy peasy! 

I spent 68¢ on a fly swatter so I could MURDER flies.  Money well spent.  J 

Would now be a good time to mention how much I love our new washing machine and collapsible clothes dryer?  So grateful to have them. 

How was your thrifty week last week?

Check These Out!

I got busy this morning and listed my Kitty Kat Christmas Ornaments in my Etsy store.  I make each one by hand so they are all a little different.  I just love their sweet little faces.

 

 

For those of us who just love kitties these fun ornaments are perfect!  We have them on our tree and I have given them to friends and family members as gifts.  They love them.

 

My mom wanted me to get a bunch made and in my Etsy store last year but that didn't happen.  Now they are listed. 

 

Can you believe we are seriously talking Christmas!?

Sometimes Plans Go Awry

 

Last spring I had a grand plan for our summer.  I can satisfactorily say that just about everything I had planned did not come to fruition.  That happens.  And yes, it can be upsetting, frustrating, even a little depressing but if I have learned one thing over the years it is this.  Plans can be changed. 

I know I have mentioned that I have tried to move from Boise on three separate occasions and I have been stopped dead in my tracks each time.  This last time I really pushed hard to get out of here too.  No matter what I did something happened to stop me.  The harder I pushed the greater the catastrophe.  Eventually you just have to concede, which I finally did. 

I was amazed, my friends were amazed and my family was amazed.  Despite everyone's support and help to get us on the road it just wasn't happening.  That is when you find you cannot deny a higher power must be at work here and you probably need to pay attention before you land yourself in some real trouble. 

So why are we still here?  I have absolutely no flipping idea.  But I can tell you, that once I stopped fighting the process and gave in, life seemed to get easier. 

Some things did go according to plan.  The house rented right away and selling our stuff, although a lot of hard work, was easy.  Restructuring my business to online sales went better than I expected too.  Then other things moved painfully slow.  Selling off the remainder of the business took forever as did selling our car.  The building has a new tenant now and they even wanted some of our furnishings. 

My mother told me I didn't need to move away to get the Tiny House I wanted and as it turns out she was correct.  I was hoping for a warmer climate and a different city to live in.  Well I have a new neighborhood and it is a lot like moving to a different city in that I can walk across the road and I'm actually in another town. 

Instead of being in the busy downtown part of Boise I'm out in the country, just outside the city limits.  I don't hear the traffic on the interstate or the sirens from emergency responders.  I hear birds, horses, a woodpecker, a rooster that crows at all times of day, and quiet.  I take long walks and think about things or I don’t bother to think at all.  I pull goat heads out of my sandals and cheat grass out of my cat.  My kids play outside and I don't worry as much about that.  I breathe. 

So am I happy?  Heck yeah, I am!  I'm as happy as if I had good sense.  J

Truck Update

Remember this?

Okay, so at the first of August I had my truck loaded up and taken to my mechanic and found out the left rear driver's side wheel was about to fall off.  Apparently the tire store that put on the new tires didn't tighten up the lug nuts enough and it caused two of them to sheer off and the rest were just about to go. 

My mechanic drilled them all out and replaced them and we are back in business.  I'm irritated with the negligence of the tire store but even more with myself.  I didn't do what my dad always told me to do when you get new tires.  Check the lug nuts and make sure they are on tight.  I always do, but I didn’t do that this time. 

I was busy and had a lot going on so I "trusted" that they did their job.  Well, it almost cost me my truck and quite possibly my life and that of my children.  So stupid!  I can't begin to tell you how mad at myself I am.  Even though I took the truck in a second time because I felt a "shimmy" in the rear I should have been even more vigilant.  I wasn't. 

Thankfully the repair only cost $112 and my Good Sam's Club membership handled the towing to the mechanic.  I'm still out the substantial cost of the U-haul and car hauler, not to mention the exorbitant fuel bill. 

So what am I going to do now?  Well after thanking God for keeping us safe I plan to assemble my paperwork and see if the tire store will own up to its responsibility and reimburse me some of the expense I incurred.  Hopefully they will. 

My mechanic was outraged.  I'm just incredibly grateful that nothing worse happened.  I shudder to think of the possibilities.

Next Week's Meal Plan

Even with a tiny kitchen I can whip up a great meal.  Nothing is better than sitting down together as a family to eat a nourishing and delicious dinner.  So this what I have planned for our dining pleasure next week. 

Sunday – Beef Stroganoff, Green Beans

Monday – Asparagus Soup & Biscuits, Garden Salad

Tuesday – BLT Sandwiches, Spinach Salad

Wednesday – Vegetable Quiche, Fruit

Thursday – Basil Tomato Pasta, Garden Salad

Friday –Sweet & Sour Pork, Steamed Rice

Saturday – Leftover Buffet or Dine Out 

School Lunches: 

Monday: - PBJ Sandwich

Tuesday - Stroganoff

Wednesday - BLT Sandwich

Thursday - Tuna & Crackers

Friday - Pasta 

I based this plan off of items I already had on hand and items on sale at the local grocery store.  School lunches also include sides and a beverage. 

What delicious things are you fixing for supper this week?

Maximizing Our Space - Spices & Pot Lids

I've been looking for ways to maximize my storage in a neat and well organized manner.  It can't be an eyesore.  Whatever I choose needs to look nice, be completely functional and, of course, not overly expensive. 

My project of late has been to add a couple organizing racks to the inside of a couple cupboard doors.  I purchased a set of three vinyl coated wire racks at Walmart for about $8.  All various heights, same widths.  They are designed for a pantry or to go inside kitchen cabinets. 

Before

After

I used the one rack with two shelves to organize my most used spices.  I attached it to the inside of my dish cupboard over the kitchen sink.  I really enjoy having my spices easily available while I am cooking.  I also like that I can just close the cupboard door and everything is out of sight.  Neat and uncluttered. 

Before

After

Storing pot lids can be a bit of a trick.  After downsizing my cookware I had fewer to contend with but I still had them.  I used another rack and attached it inside the door of the cupboard I keep the pans in.  They all fit inside perfectly and again, door closed and they are out of sight, yet easily accessible.

 

Love it!

Last Week’s Thrifty Moves

I made foaming soap refill solution for the bathroom dispenser with 3 Tbs. liquid soap and 2/3 cup warm water.  One filled dispenser lasts us nearly four weeks.  The new solution works perfectly and what a thrifty recipe! 

We organized some more and filled a large green trash bag with items to donate after realizing, once again, we have kept too much stuff. 

Our next door neighbor provided us with a dozen farm fresh eggs, bless her heart! 

Our landlady surprised us with a basket filled with veggies from her garden. 

I loaded up my Etsy store and now we are up and running once again!  I listed and sold more items on eBay. 

I wrapped a friend's birthday gifts with newspaper and decorated the packages with bright red bows recycled from Christmas.  I also added a jar of homemade jam.  He loved it! 

We enjoyed Family Movie Nite with DVDs from our own collection.  I watched NYPD Blue episodes on Amazon Prime. 

I sent a huge load of stuff to an animal rescue thrift store.  I felt really good about getting rid of stuff and to be helping out a wonderful cause. 

We used up every last bit of toothpaste in a tube as well as every last drop of dish soap in a bottle.  I recycled the bottle.  I replaced the toothpaste with a trial size tube I got as a free sample in the mail. 

I did not grocery shop this week as we had plenty of food in the house. 

How was your thrifty week last week?