My Abundant Life: This Week's Frugal Tasks

The weather has turned cold again in Melbourne. This week I've had to concerntrate on indoor frugal tasks to keep us warm. Here's what we got up to -

* Made pumpkin scones. They are now in the freezer for morning teas.

* Saved and recycled twelve bread bags from a charity bbq. I turned them inside out, brushed the crumbs off and pegged them to a clothes horse to dry out. They will be used as bin liners and to scoop out the kitty litter.

* Cut up a cereal box to make two more page dividers for my price book. I also cut up the cereal bag to use as go between for crumpets, hamburger patties chops and frozen soup portions. It stops things sticking together.

* Juiced a big bowl of lemons and froze the juice in ice cube trays. I then went outside and picked another bowlful. These will be juiced in a week's time.

* Found two Summer tops at Savers op shop for under $10 total.

* Gratefully accepted 5 grape fruits and a loaf of soy and linseed bread from a friend.

* Menu planned for the month. It's always a relief when it's done. Then I don't have to think about it for another 30 days or so.

* Sorted, rearranged and wiped out my pantry. I made lots of room as I start to stock up on general groceries ahead of the busy Christmas period.

* Saved water every day from the showers and poured it into the washing machine.

* Picked silverbeet and broccoli florets from the veg garden to use in meals.

* Avoided using the dryer for the fourth week in a row. Our Winter sheets are thick and take too long to dry on clotheshorses. We have been blessed with windy, warmish weather on the day we wash our sheets.

* Baked some peanut butter choc chip biscuits ( cookies ) for the cookie jar.

* Cooked all meals and snacks from scratch.

* Bought pretzels on sale for 99 cents a bag at NQR. I bought 8 bags. These will be used for class Christmas parties and other occasions leading up to Christmas.

* Did my monthly food shop and stuck to the list.