Frugal Friday Wrap Up 12/16-12/22 2017

 

Our Merry Christmas Visitor!

    Merry Christmas Eve!  I'm a little behind as usual in getting this posted, but I've been enjoying my kids, grandkids, friends and spending time with my hubby. :)  This year I was determined not to get all stressed out by things and although I have had a few "meltdown moments", I still have my joy. 🎄This year I made it a point to NOT try to do too much.  Candy was not made but that is okay.  There were still lots of breads and other homemade treats.  Christmas cards were actually mailed off in a timely manner and I I have one gift to get mailed off, but that will be a New Year's gift for a dear friend. 🎆  Onto the frugal doings!

Treats from friends

~Saturday Jeff and I ran errands in the afternoon and stopped at Walmart where I found marked down ham from the deli and my hubby bought me the 6 qt. Instant Pot that was on sale for $79.  I had been doing my research and this was the best price I could find anywhere!  I am really excited to use it!
~We also stopped at one of the thrift stores and they had all their Christmas stuff marked half off.  I got a Hummel ornament and some new food safe cellophane gift bags.  I also picked up 2 Tupperware containers, a box full of brand new wooden brain teaser puzzles (.99 each), a pretty Fall wreath, and 2 new Cacique brand bras in my size for $1.50 each.  I looked up the bras and those styles retail for between $58 and $62 each.  The nice sale lady there punched my loyalty card even though I was about .20 shy of $10.  You get a punch on your card for each $10 you spend there.  I am a good customer and they know me well.  I now have a full punch card so I will get $20 off my next visit where I spend $20 or more.

Tupperware containers for .99 each.

~Dissmore's (a local grocery store) had a Chocolate Cream Pie marked down to $5 from $8.99 just because the whipped cream topping had gotten a little smudged in transport.
~Uncle Bob came over and gave us gifts of huge muffins for us and for our kids.
~Sunday we stayed home and baked 12 loaves of cranberry orange bread and 24 cranberry orange cupcakes.  I was totally worn out after that.
~Jeff and I watched a Christmas movie on Netflix.

Lots of Cranberry Orange goodies were made (there were more in the oven) to give as gifts.

~Monday the great melt off of the snow started and it was a slushy mess out there.  I opted to stay home and not go anywhere since I was not feeling well.  Fibro/CFS crash hit me hard and not only was I sore, but I had a headache as well.  Jeff did venture out to go to the post office and to deliver some homemade bread to some of our neighbors.
~Monday night I made a pork chop and rice skillet dinner along with green beans for dinner.  The pork chops were on sale and came in a large package so I cooked up 4 of them and froze the remaining 3 for a future meal.

Comfort food...pork chops and rice skillet dinner along with some green beans.

~Tuesday Jeff helped me get all the gifts wrapped in Christmas bags and boxes that I have either recycled from previous years or found on clearance in the past.
~We had leftovers for dinner and they sure tasted good!  I was hurting and exhausted and this sure beat ordering food from the tavern.
~I placed an order for our supplements at Vitacost going through the Swagbucks link and also found a code for $15 off and free shipping.
~YouTube came to the rescue when I was longing for the Christmas programs I used to watch as a young child.  I found some of the old Andy Williams Christmas shows and watched those.  Such simpler times then. 🎄

Fresh bagels marked down to .99 a package.  We bought 3 and froze 2 of them for future use.

~I could not sleep well, so in the early morning hours on Wednesday my mind was spinning on ways to save even more money.  I got up to use the bathroom and saw one of my bra extenders and it occured to me that it looked just like the back hook area of the bra that I was tossing out due to the underwire poking through.  I examined it and it was so I cut that part off my old bra and now have another bra extender for free.
~We borrowed the movie "Cars 3" from the library for the little boys to watch here on Friday night in our bedroom while the grown ups play games.

The little boys loved watching this movies that we borrowed from the library.

~Jeff and I found packages of 30 foam plates at the Dollar Tree and bought 2 of the large ones and then bought a package of the smaller size that have 40 plates in them.  I will be using these at our party on Friday.  I also found John Morrell smoked sausages there for $1.  I bought 2 packs of them and will be cutting them up and simmering them in BBQ sauce (from the pantry) as part of the food for the party.  Easy and everyone loves them!
~We found our favorite large and long Summer Sausage at Winco for $3.97 each.  We bought 2 of them. We also found salad shrimp at a good deal.  I grabbed 2 packages and realized those packages had a higher per pound price.  I put those back and grabbed the 2 lower priced packages.  Apparently they are raising the prices today but still had some of the packages that they put out yesterday there so I got those.  I will divide them into smaller bags to use in pasta dishes and salads.

More games found at the thrift store!

~Safeway had some great deals on butter $1.88 a pound, limit of 2, a gallon of orange juice for $2.22 after the reduced for quick sale coupon, pizzas for $3.49 after coupon, and also had some daily deals that I was able to get in on along with a few other things that we bought.
~We resisted the temptation to eat out while we were in town and instead put one of the sale priced pizzas into the oven to bake while we put away the groceries and got a few other things done around here.

Our oldest two grandsons wearing the sweaters that their Tutu (my mother) made for their daddy and uncle and that they wore as little boys and now Isaiah and Bradley are wearing them.  Yes, I kept those sweaters for all these years for my grandkids.

~I've been stocking up in the Peppermint Mocha creamers while they are on sale and freezing them for use later.  They seem to disappear from the stores shortly after Christmas and I love to use them year round.
~Thursday Jeff had his bowling league so he went in early so he could pick up my prescription at Walmart and more cat and dog food.

Broccoli and Potato Cheese soup.

~I made broccoli  and potato cheese soup with some broccoli that needed to be used up ASAP.
~My hanai sister/friend blessed Jeff and I with gift certificates to go and see a movie on her for Christmas. :)
~Jeff called to tell me that one of the people he delivers to, who also happens to be one of his neighbors from when he was a kid and spent lots of time at their house next door, is gifting us a smoked turkey for Christmas.  I was just telling Jeff that I really wanted turkey for Christmas but had not had time to thaw and bake one up as planned.  I just thought that was very sweet.
~Friday we had our annual game night and it was so much fun! Everyone brought something to share and we had loads of food leftover since most of them just left the leftovers with us.  My refrigerator is packed!

   Before I end this post I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!  When I started this blog, I did it for myself to remember the everyday moments in my life and the joys of becoming a grandparent for the first time.  Since then, so many things have changed in our lives.  We have lost loved ones and been blessed with new family members.  Some relationships have sadly been lost, but God is so good and brought cousins into our lives that we had not seen in years and in some cases, had never met before.  I reconnected with a much loved uncle and was able to see my baby cousin adopt her adorable son Kyle.  We now have 3 grandsons that are the light of our world and make every day something to look forward to.  I have also made so many wonderful friends online through this blog and I just want to thank you for your kindness, love and support.  I wish I could have you all over to my home for a big "Thank You Party".  You all do mean so very much to my husband and I.  Be blessed and know that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!