What have we done lately that doesn't involve money? Around the holidays that's a tough one. Even homemades require ingredients of one kind or another. Sometimes you just want to do special things that do cost money. We had some meals out over Christmas, and also a theater movie (we hardly ever go to movies). But we did put dinner in the slow cooker for after the movie. Actually Mr. Fixit did, and I appreciated that.
We did save some money...unfortunately...by having a proposed Boxing-weekend trip to Toronto knocked out from under us by the ice storm. It just didn't seem like a really good time to be touristing there, with hundreds of people still out of power, subways not stopping at all the stations, and all kinds of other problems. We do not get to Toronto very often (as in, hardly ever), and there are some things we'd like to do and people we'd like to see there, so we'll just call it a postponement.
On a more positive note, we got through the last week and a half with only one trip to the grocery store. The fridge is a bit empty now, but we do have freezer and pantry food, so a medium-sized shop tomorrow should be enough.
Two of my daughters (one professional, one still learning) worked my hair over. I pay for the supplies, but they don't charge me for their services.
The Apprentice found herself a comforter at Wal-mart, marked way down. Possibly more than it should have been, but they honoured the price tag anyway. She took it with her when she left to go back to school today.
I downloaded several e-books by Beth Moore that are free right now. Not my usual kind of reading material, but I thought they were worth checking out. Details here.
Dollygirl has turned her attention, at least temporarily, from jewelery-making to sewing. She found some purple stretchy fabric that had come from a yard sale, and has made herself a hat, a pair of fingerless gloves, a funny-faced stuffed head, and I'm not sure what else.
We stopped just long enough at the library today to drop off some DVDs and check the discarded-book rack. Mama Squirrel found a copy of Home to Holly Springs (one of the "post-Mitford-series" books) for fifty cents, and also a short illustrated book about Dr. Gideon Mantell and the Iguanodon. The second book is written at such a low reading level that they don't even expect children know how to pronounce "museum" without help; but for another fifty cents I still thought I'd add it to our rocks-and-fossils corner.
Mama Squirrel and Dollygirl both found some cool craft supplies and things for future holidays at a Michael's clearance sale, some at up to 80% off the original prices. Dollygirl, especially, did really well; she found a couple of $15 craft kits marked down to $3, and spent this afternoon using one of them to make a safety-pin bracelet.
And if you really want to read some knock-your-socks-off frugal accomplishments, check out the comments on the Prudent Homemaker's post-Christmas post. Man, those ladies make me feel like pretty small potatoes when it comes to saving money. But every little bit helps, right?
1 comment:
What a positive outlook on your cancelled Toronto trip! :)
You did a lot of money-saving these holidays. Good for you! It's always such a challenge, isn't it?
Here's to a frugal and happy new year. May God bless you in it.
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