This Week's Frugal Tasks

This week has been a very productive week in the Gower house.  The New Year has bought on the urge to declutter.  We are not hoarders by any means but it's good to go through the cupboards and wardrobes to sort out what can't be used any more. 

We've received many food blessings this week and I've also tried to make the most of my time in the kitchen.  Here's this week's frugal list -


*  Saved the warm up water from the shower and poured it into the washing machine.  We've had so much rain lately and mild weather that the water was better used for washing.

*  Froze some leftovers from a chicken curry I made..

* We were blessed with loaves of bread,  eggs, sandwiches, wraps,  spinach,  bread rolls,  plums and a vegetable frittata.

*  Darren bought discounted cream in the supermarket.  One had a few days to go and the other needs to be used by February.

*  Picked beans,  strawberries,  silver beet,  peaches ( very small ) and a handful of tomatoes.

*  Bought discounted gingerbread house kits for 5 cents each.  Also bought cupcake decorations ( 12 per box ),  plain green and red paper plates, green serviettes all for 5 cents each from Woolworths. My huge haul cost $1.30 for two bags of goodies.

*  Bought toothbrushes and mouthwash for $1 each from Woolworths.

*  Sold some eggs,  jam and relish.

*  Donated four bags to Savers and received more discount stamps for future purchases.

*  Made five jars of plum jam with free plums.

*  Made a big pot of vegetable soup using lots of zucchini from our garden.

*  Made eight jars of tomato relish with tomatoes that cost 99 cent a kilo.

*  Made double recipes of potato salad and pasta salad.  Megan requested these for her birthday dinner on Tuesday.with other salad items.  We ate the rest of the salads the next night.  YAY,  no cooking that night.

*  Made Anzac biscuits and a double batch of white chocolate and raspberry muffins.  The muffins were frozen for lunchboxes.

*  I helped clean up after a big lunch function and came home with bottles of soft drink,  a bottle of orange juice,  bottles of water,  bread rolls,  scones,  jam,  cream,  pavlova,  fruit salad,  coleslaw,  salad, and flavoured rice.  All of these wonderful blessings came in large quantities  Some of the soft drink we had with meals.  The rest will be turned into icy poles.  The water came in large bottles and I'd poured leftover amounts into the four bottles I bought home.  I used the water to water all my fruit trees.
The scones were frozen for future occasions.  The fruit salad was used in smoothies.  The rice was frozen into single serves.  The rest of the food was eaten for our main meal over two nights.

We are so grateful to be given all this food.

*  I've started using the recycled bread bags as bin liners - YAY  !!  I needed to cut down the side of the bag a bit so I could fold it over the outside of the bin. as the opening of the bin was too big for the bags..

*  Made sausage rolls for a family gathering for Megan's birthday.

*  Made yoghurt using some starter yoghurt I froze.

Our first picking of tomatoes this year.

Homemade sausage rolls.

My stockpile of jams and relish.

Megan's birthday cake -store bought - Ooopps !!

Did you do anything frugal this week ?