Frugal Friday

Fridays I will try to reserve for how we saved money this week. 

First off we do use the 52 Week Challenge.  Monday was week 34 so we popped $34 in our jar of savings and we are up to $595. I found this a few years back on facebook on 52 Week Money Challenge.

Use only cash. Money becomes more important when you don't have credit cards. You keep better track of how you spend. I used to save any $1 bill.  Now I am trying to save $5 bills for chicken feed and chips for the coop. (saved $10)

Make your own breakfast. (saved $6.62 a day - $33.10 a week!) It is a joke that my car naturally knows how to stop at McD's every morning for an egg sandwich and mocha coffee. Now I make my own. Less carbs too because I use only one side of the bun. 

Healthier mocha since I use goat's milk and no adding sugar. Milk, add coffee, and Hersey's chocolate syrup.  

These are also fun. 

Take advantage of free money. $250  My work gives us incentives to stay healthy. I am always shocked at the amount of people who do not participate or take advantage of this free money.  Here is what I earned so far... (I won't count it in the total until I am paid) 

Use the library.  I get books, books on CD and cable series like Turn and the Vikings from the library. (one cd The Union Quilters - price on Amazon $12 used/ Vikings series 2 - price on Amazon $16.88 used)  

Make your own pillow cases.  Have you seen the price of them in the store? $17 to $20 a pair.

Make your own thank you notes.  Yes, they still matter. Saved $5.

Grow your own. Spinach and Collards.  Saved $5.

This week's savings ......$134.95 !! 

Happy Friday. 

peace, health, and happiness 

Being Frugal

Getting started on the homestead can be expensive. When we moved here 4.5 yrs ago there was only a house...a rather dilapidated home. We had to demolish the inside walls just to get rid of the mice. We bought it for the land... hard cracked land but we were determined.  We lived in one room of the house while remodeling, something we are still working on.  Animals were first, so coop, fence and barn for the animals had to go up. We have no credit cards, so we had to be frugal and save our money or use fencing we brought from our old house.  We learned the true value of our money.  Next was the greenhouse we found on Craigslist. 

Once we got the word out of our homesteading efforts people gave us things they want to get rid of...wood, large rocks, fabric from grandmas going to nursing homes, tomato cages or very simple things that make life wonderful. We also learned to barter.  The fun part are things that are free.  We live in a disposable society.    Here are some things we got  this week that were free:

                                    Sunflowers from the ditch.

Popcorn bags they were throwing away at work.  We had movie night with the kids last night and it made it fun.

Wheat fields were combined yesterday and much was left on the fringe.

Someone went to a wedding and the gift to those who came were trees. The person who gave me these said, "I live in a condo, do you want these?"   YES! After planting the tree you make the tube into a bird feeder - another freebie!

At work they were throwing away dry erase boards.They are great for writing goals or....

Grand kids on movie night!

Drawers! Big ones! Tomorrow they get made into storage for kid movies. tea storage or a footstool. 

This is one of the best free things!  The library has a backpack you can checkout. It has Colorado guides on flowers, trails, and fun summer activities. Plus binoculars and the best part is a COLORADO STATE PARKS PASS!!!  I checked it out for a week. Score! 

We are so grateful for those who think of us before donating or throwing away their precious items. 

Hope your day is great.  Grandkids are riding the tractor with Papa Red... the best things in life are free!