What Did You Do Frugal Today??

[VickiLynn]

I make strawberry freezer jam a lot. We love it! My BIL tells me that's what he wants for Christmas every year. I use the recipe inside the box of SureJell. It tastes so fresh because you don't have to cook the strawberries.

[VickiLynn]

Last year I bought a jar of apple pie jam at a farmer's market. That was soooo good. Wish I could find a recipe for that. I've done some searching, but no luck.

[rivermom]

Jam/jelly: I do strawberries as freezer jam. Really good! I cook and can other fruit jellies-whatever we can get-blackberries, etc.

Vinegar rinse: I just pour it into the dispenser-as I would with another softener.

Cold and rainy here-flood watches on. Our river is really high. Good day to stay in, clean house, watch movies, read, play games, etc.etc.

Coupon club: it's the GREATEST! I get my best coupons from it--I would highly recommend it. And I say thanks to Carol for all her efforts-out of the kindness of her heart. It's truly appreciated.

[justEricka]

the way my strawberrry books says to freeze them is to add about a half cup sugar for every 3pts of berries. so i do that. that keeps them able to be froze longer, almost a year. i sliced some, and froze whole the others. the whole ones i put in to a gallon bag, the slices i put in to quarts. then i froze them in a layer in the deep freeze. and later ill stack them up for my mom. but thats the way i do it.

todays list of things to get done is put up laundry, and do the dishes, and get my bravada cleaned out so i can take it to stlouis tommrow. i plan to take a cooler of drinks and snacks so we dont buy at the gas stations, and maybe we can have a picknic too on the way back. ill leave dinner here for the kids in the crock pot and my nephew whos comeing to watch them will give that to them while hes here with them after school. that way i dont have to worry about that at all.

now if i can just stop worrying about the drs and the money. oh well..guess i have to worry about something.

have a good day.
ericka

[Lee]

Karen,
Well it was worth a shot! Thanks for the info on the vinegar. Today were going to my parents to celebrate one of my grandmas birthday (78)! Then we have to stop by mil so dh can clean out her gutters, its not bad since she lives in a cluster home that is only one story...Now we hire someone to do ours as dh doesnt like going up the latter that high....
This morning dh started planting our garden (I had to stay inside with a crankasaours little joshie) Oh well I will be the one watering and probaly weeding that is on the days Josh is cooperative. For the last couple of days he just wants to be held, poor thing will be traumatized if he is like this tommorow as I will have a house full of kids and wont be able to hold all day...I always feel such guilt during those times.
My break is over as he is waking from his 10 minute nappy...
Leighann

[mom2-4]

Leighann, you are right it would be worth a shot. It also depends on what part of lancaster you will be in? and when you will be going through Lancaster?

I remember those holdchababy days all too well! Enjoy them though! As you know they are not babies very long!

[OSI]

My goodness you all have been busy on here this weekend. And all this talk of food before I head out to the grocery stores.. whew! Apple Pie Jam sounds wonderful, will definitely have to do some research on finding that recipe. I used to belong to a canning group but they were so chatty my email box overrunneth! May sign back up to see if anyone has that recipe.

Leighann-

you are right, we will have to try to get together sometime this year. Are you all planning on coming down for the Ohio State Fair?

Today is a beautiful day here in central ohio, sunny and high 70's I would guess with a nice breeze going. Have clothes hanging on the line. I am off schedule, yesterday while taking my gown off I totally wrenched my back and could hardly move till late afternoon. I did manage to get out and go to a garage sale where I found 5 glass containers with lids brand new (they look almost like parmesan shakers but no holes) for 25 cents a piece. I will use these to put bath salts in for the mall. Also got a big shopping bag full of special issues of Family Circle with craft ideas for 10 cents each, and a book on crafting called No Sew decorating ideas for $3.00 ( that was a little high but I wanted it).

I also found a neat contraption at a thrift store... It stands on 2 flat legs and has 4 fold down shelves... it looks like it might have been for CD's or cassettes... anyways I will use it at the mall for displaying my soaps or candles. Got it for 3.99.

Well I'm off to do some last minute grocery shopping and stop at my thrift store that I missed yesterday. See you all on here tommorow if I don't stop back in today.

Anna

[mom2-4]

Anna, I know we have hashed and rehased making homemade yogurt. But, I don't remember if anyone discussed making it from powder milk. Have you ever done this and if so how did it turn out?

I am going to give homemade yogurt a try one more time and see if the kids will eat it. I think I will try slightly blended fruit mixed in it this time.(picky little stinkers)

I know that if it turns out good with powder milk it will be cheaper to make it, but with milk prices so high, I am thinking just buying yogurt is cheaper.

[ladyIris23]

Originally posted by mom2-4
[b]Happy Birthday ladyiris23
/B]

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Today is a lot better than last night. We had tornado warning almost continually from 8:00pm untill 1:00am. The closest was a touch down in a field about 10 miles away. There also was golf ball to baseball sized hail about 30 mins away from us. One little town of 300 people was completely destroied by a tornado and a high school in another town lost it's roof, bus barn and most of it's windows.
Today it is sunny and around 75 much much better.
Frugal today was eating lunch at home after church and Hubby cooking lunch outside on the grill.
Today is also my Mother's birthday and we will go over there tomorrow night to celebrate.
Iris

[barbszy]

LadyIris, enjoy your birthday!

Karen, I learned the hard way on oldest DS that those "swimmers" don't hold water! Of course, that's the point....but we put him into his carseat dressed for swim The alternative is the 40-pound diaper which is really gross, but it is funny to watch the little one try to WALK with such a heavy diaper Then you have to quickly change them before they tip over!

Lee, I am going to PM you with my email and we'll work out a plan.

I have done vinegar rinse and I just put it into the auto dispenser in my washer. I fill it about halfway with vinegar and then put water in for the rest. When I use fabric softener I fill it 1/3 softener and 2/3 water. I like using vinegar on my towels, since using fabric softener makes them less absorbent. So whenever I do a towel load I use vinegar. It also cleans out the softener dispenser at the same time.

Last night when my dad & his friend were visiting we had a very interesting conversation. His friend works in New York City in the financial world, but he & his family live a quite frugal lifestyle. I'm sure he must really feel in the minority in that respect, in his line of work.