Monday again?!?

Blerg.

Good afternoon Thrifties!

Why oh why must Monday always come? And when it comes, why must it always find me in the dirty messy heap of my own humanity?

Cleaning

That's right, Monday morning has found me again in a house disaster! The extent of my cleaning lately has just been keeping head above water. In addition to our new boarder, we had my husband's siblings stay with us off and on during the week and then again for the weekend. They left yesterday, but not without leaving their mark. Not only in dishes, but also his sister "E" had pink eye. I am a hypochondriac at the best of times, and although I swear that my eyes are itchy, no one else seems to have been infected. I spent a lot of my time wiping and re-wiping door knobs and light switches.

So! Cleaning today:

Kitchen! Top to bottom: counters, dishes, sink, table, stovetop, & floors.

I also had to wash the sheets for the guest room and have yet to make up the bed. So add sheets to your list too :)

Weight Loss

My healthy challenge for this week was to start doing some exercise. Being that spring is pretty much here, it would be a great time to start walking again -- and then I opened my blinds and it was snowing this AM and I changed my mind. However I did record a yoga program that I saw on TV and I am going to try it out today!

I also have been experimenting with replacing pasta with spaghetti squash. Squash are low-cal and obviously healthier than the carb and calorie packed pasta alternative. They are also one of the only "veggies" that I find very filling. So far I have used it in two soups (chicken noodle included), with stroganoff style meat sauce, and as fettucine alfredo. It has worked so well and has such a mild flavour that I can see doing this on a regular basis. The problem with the squash is that for the right texture it works best to half or quarter the squash, bake for 30-45 minutes, allow to cool in the fridge and then tear into strings. For obvious reasons it is not as easy as cooking pasta! This week I plan to buy a few squash, bake all at once, string, and then freeze in portions. Hopefully this works well and combats the cook-time problem. I will keep you posted!

Saving

I bought my cloth napkins! They were on sale at Superstore so I ended up getting 12 napkins for $8, which was less than what it would have cost me to make them myself and I really hadn't found any at thrift stores. The moral of the story is that for the cost of a large pack of name-brand paper towel, I will NEVER buy it again! The only other barrier is mental, because it still feels wrong to wipe dirty fingers on my pretty cloth napkins!

In other news Gail Vaz-Oxlade's new show "Money Moron" is set to premiere on Slice very soon! I have already watched and re-watched every episode of her shows "Princess" and "Til Debt Do Us Part" and they really light me on fire to be good with my money. I have been stalking her for a whole year waiting for this show and it is finally here! My understanding of the show is that it will be similar to Princess but not just girls. Evidently there are men out there who are bad with money.... who knew.

I vow to be back soon! I need to get my life on a schedule here.

XOXO Thriftess :)

The Thriftess & Company

Hi all,

It has just been a flurry of activity at my little house! My spare room is clean finally, and a visitor has landed in our home for a few months. A cousin of my husband's, hereafter referred to as "M", needed a place to stay while going to school. He called on Thursday and arrived on Tuesday, so some frantic cleaning went on!

Also I am cooking a turkey this week. I love turkey and it has gone on sale after the Easter holidays. We also didn't get any at Easter this year, both of our hosts made other things. The scary part is that I have never made a turkey before, because I have a mother for those kinds of things. However the turkey I bought cost barely more than a frying chicken, so if ruined, I will not cry. (I still will, I hate wasted food more than just about anything)

I realized that I haven't actually talked about anything frugal for a while. So I'll sum up a few of my activities lately:

Grocery

I have started the "kitchen garden" on my windowsill! This is where you grow what you can just on your windowsill. I know that you can grow green onions for sure, this was my starting point. All you do is save the white bottoms from your green onion and put them in a glass of water on the windowsill. Change the water periodically (whenever it looks murky) and within a few days you should start to see the ends grow slightly from the middle. Before you know it you have green onions! Then you just trim what green sprouts you need for each meal.

Another item I have seen grown first hand is Romaine lettuce. Same thing as with the onions, just soak the butt end of a head of lettuce in a cup and it will start to sprout new leaves from the centre! 

At a ladies craft night I also won a kitchen herb garden. Three little pots with five different seed options. So I have that to start as well.

I am really excited about these projects. I looove saving money at the grocery store!

Hair
 
Next I got my hair coloured at 50% off this week. Getting my hair done is my one big frivolity. :( I try my best to find someone cheaper that I still like, but so far I have tried two different people on three separate occasions and I am not very happy with the results. 

The thing with hair is that it is so easy to get caught up in a false economy. If you find someone to do it for $80 instead of $150, the shock at payment time is easier to swallow. However if they don't do the colour right (I like my foils) and roots are obvious at 4 weeks instead of 8, no money was saved. 

I was lucky enough to read my flyers one week and colour appointments on Tuesdays in April were 1/2 off with a haircut, AND they were giving away a free product! While still expensive it was an amazing deal because the girl also gave me a protein treatment during the colouring and my hair looks way way better than the other ladies I have tried here. Sadly, I can't justify continuing to go to her unless my hair lasts 12 weeks. (which would be miraculous.) So after this I am back to perusing the online classifieds for another person who works at home.

But still, the moral of the story is "Read your flyers!"

Paper Towel

Finally, my next big saving project is to cut out paper towel. I ran out of paper towel about a month ago and forgetting to buy it when it was on sale (I always go store brand on the special Sunday-Monday only deals) I have refused to buy it since. To my surprise I haven't actually missed it! The only time I have remembered that we needed it was when we had company for dinner and I had to give them dish cloths for napkins -- embarrassing? Yes, but also stupid. Why wouldn't I just buy cloth re-usable napkins if that is the only thing that I need paper towel for? Napkins were kind of a tacky use of paper towel anyways.

 For cleaning the bathroom I have just been using two cloths. Mirror, faucet, toilet with a dry microfibre and some cleaning spray (in that order and then straight into the washing machine after) and then counters, sink, and tub with a wet rag and spray. 

Clearly for spills there is no reason that you couldn't just use a few rags, and the space they actually take up in the washing machine doesn't really count for anything. 

And voila! I will not buy paper towel again. Greenpeace thanks me.

What can you go without? 

xoxo Thriftess

I smell money!

Or at least I hope that I do....

Good Morning Afternoon Thrifties!

I am feeling mighty fine this sunny Tuesday. The weather has been taking a turn towards Spring and things are melting once more. Yay, hooray!

About the subject of this post, I finally made a call back to that prospect and it is sounding like I am hired! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Thank you for listening to the outburst....or skipping over it, whichever. I am going in for another meeting tomorrow to speak about terms etc with the GM. I am so so very excited! Many a night (okay, last Friday) were spent crying on my bathroom floor because I felt like I was making a very stupid career decision and may never surface again. I did re-surface of course, we only have one bathroom and my husband was bound to need it eventually. But hallelujah! I may actually make $10 this year.

The Tidy Thriftess

I do not feel like cleaning. Needless to say, I feel like dancing around in my squalor.

But..... Follow along:

~ Baseboards behind couches
~ Baseboards in hallway
~ 1 load of laundry

For anyone who thinks that my house must be very dirty -- because I think I have yet to mention actually sweeping the rest of my house or cleaning my bathroom -- my hubby did that on Sunday when I was cooking for the guests. No need to call bylaw enforcement.

I also have a disgusting used freezer in my spare bedroom that needs cleaning. I am leaving that for tomorrow. It doesn't actually look dirty, but I think it was left closed in its previous home, because it stinks! My friend who smelled it thinks that they may have been hiding a dead body in there. That makes me uncomfortable because having come from the online classifieds, they very well could have and I would be none the wiser. Good thing it was only $100! I've just been keeping the door closed and the window open. Yesterday I held my breath, ran in, and chugged some vinegar in it. So hopefully that has helped.

(I would like to take this time to advocate for the benefits of Kijiji, my freezer may stink but the sweet smell of savings can over come this. When first married my hubby and I furnished our entire house on used. Some were hand me downs but most was from Kijiji. We were able to buy everything for around $600)

The Healthy Thriftess 

.... had leftovers yesterday. Spaghetti squash in place of noodles with a beef, broccoli, and cauliflower sauce. I used my regular stroganoff recipe from before for the sauce (basically cream of mushroom, milk, and plain yogurt. Some grated onions and pepper) so it was not all that healthy, but I limited the amount of sauce and the squash is very good for you. 

I also made whole wheat brownies that were absolutely delish! I used the same soaking strategy as with the cookies and you would never guess that these were whole wheat. I think that is the last of my baking for a while because I had one last night and the last one today. My hubby and his cousin ate the rest of the pan while watching hockey last night. In my book its not worth baking to have it around for less than 24 hours.

XOXO - The Thriftess

Thriftess @ Home

Hello Thrifties!

I am sad to say that after a very busy weekend, our budget is a dim and distant dream. The joy of living so near family is that things tend to pop up without warning, and I am being serious, it is a joy... an expensive joy!

Wednesday: Jewellery party $120 (Eeek! far more than I had intended!)
Friday birthday lunch out for Aunt: $13
Friday night buy used freezer for the 1/2 beef that we're buying from a rancher relative: $100
Saturday afternoon: Child's birthday party at the pool. For lunch and gift: $32.10
Saturday evening fundraiser, free tickets but made a donation: $100
Needed more gas: $20
Sunday 7 people over for dinner, emergency extra groceries: $53

And so you see. Monday morning finds me in a very messy poor house.

Did I clean over the last few days? Need you ask?

Just the basics. Bathroom is clean and the kitchen isn't terrible, but no extra-curriculars were attempted.

 I smell a theme for today! How about for cleaning:

~ Get cleaned up from the weekend

I can't be the only one who needs that!

Today my hubby is back on day shift, so I will see more of him! This is the blue sky in my clouds.

Healthy eating with the Thriftess:

Back on a health kick! As you well know, I am very exericse-averse. But what's a girl to do when she starts getting chubby? My weight was never really a problem until the last two years. All of a sudden what I was eating caught up with me. Probably because I stopped having a physical job and moved to a desk. 

I managed to have lost about 20lbs in the fall of last year by simply eating better, then with moving and the holidays and leaving my job, I stopped bothering and we just ate whatever. Well I noticed that I have packed on 8 or 9 of those past pounds and I'm starting back up again!

The important thing to note about the way that I approach healthy eating, is that it is not a diet. You just have to want better for your body (and your digestive system). It isn't bat to keep calories in mind when you're approaching eating healthy, but healthy foods generally have less calories and are more filling. I was finding that I would be satisfied to the point of never going over my calories anyways, and I love my food!

I also firmly believe that all calories are not equal. This is obviously not just my school of though, but is starting to be proven. I really think that if you're body can actually use the food that you put into it, then you can eat almost anything you want and stay at a healthy weight. Maybe I'm crazy, but this is how I justify eating whole wheat chocolate chip cookies :)

This weekend we had a lasagna with my regular homemade veggie rich pasta sauce, whole wheat noodles, kale instead of spinach, and the bottom layer was strictly celery and meat sauce. My hubby and I really enjoyed. His two male cousins, not so much. However they like veggie-less lasagna, and that would never happen over here. Also to address the kale instead of spinach, both are superfoods, but kale stays firmer and I am quite particular about my textures.







I also made whole wheat chocolate chip cookies that turned out just like regular. It is hard to get them not heavy or dry.

Melt 1/2 C butter in the microwave. Mix with 3/4 C honey, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 Tbsp milk. Add 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour and mix well. The mixture will be runny. Allow to sit on the counter for at least an hour.
 [I left mine while I cooked the rest of my dinner and sampled periodically. You can taste the difference! The whole wheat flakes are firm at the beginning and soft by baking time after they have soaked up the honey, butter, and milk.]

As the mixture sits (I stir periodically) it will get firm up as the flour soaks and the butter hardens. When you are ready to bake crack open 1 egg and mix in to the firm dough with 1/2 tsp baking soda. 

Add as much more flour as you think it needs. [Until the dough is not overly sticky. Don't add until you can roll into balls, just enough to drop neatly from a couple of teaspoons. I added approx half cup more. I didn't find adding the little bit of non-soaked changed anything drastically.]

 Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and bake at 350 approx 8-10 minutes. (I never time mine honestly, I just peek in) They turned out soft and delicious! I was a very proud cookie mama.

If you are more adventurous than I, you could add the egg at the beginning with the rest of the wet ingredients, but I was nervous to leave raw egg out to warm for that long.

All that is left this morning of yesterdays baking is a chocolate smeared plate. (which I had a picture of for you, but my email hates me)

XOXO

Thriftess

(PS forgot to mention that after only a few days of healthy eating, I already feel less bloated in my tummy. That's my body thanking me!)

Jewellery party day

Dear Thrifties,

I am not too sure how to approach the topic of home parties. I am as guilty as anyone because I have been selling Avon for a few months now, but I have been taking a very casual approach. 

How do people navigate the barrage of home parties that come their way? Passion parties, Tupperware, Party Lite, Scentsy, Jewellery by the droves, and now even shoe parties?

My problem is that I feel very much like supporting my friends and family in everything that they do. As a struggling entrepreneur myself, I totally understand the agony of trying to eek out a living all on your own. However....I will soon be in the poor house if I keep buying at these parties! 

The simple solution, I am aware, is not to attend. But doesn't that feel worse than attending but not buying anything? What's worse, having a party where only a few buy, or having a party with only a few guests?

The other thing that is hard to swallow is the inflated prices of these items. I 100% understand that the prices need to be high in order for their payment structures to work. (Believe me, Avon has rock bottom prices, but that's why I don't make any money) But these are prices that I wouldn't dream of paying on the items in store, and truth be told I don't need any of this stuff and wouldn't look twice at it in a store.

I have no solution to this dilemma. Just a party to attend tonight, and another on the 26th. As you well know my cash budget does not allow for me to buy anything right now, but since I want to be a good friend and they don't accept cash anyways, I know full well that I will be making a purchase on my card today. Sigh.

In other news, I need to cash my $11 cheque, because after filling the car and my hubby being invited for lunch by an elusive cousin, that's about all we had left in my cash budget. Don't worry, I'll let you know how far the quarters stretch because I'm not giving up yet!

The New Clean Thriftess:


~ clean fridge (and associated dishes)
~ tidy kitchen
~ clean up recycling (newspapers, boxes, etc.) and empty garbages 

Yesterday's cleaning done!

Follow along today:

~ Sort basket of laundry & 2 loads
~ Sweep & Mop bathroom

Today is definitely a bare-minimum kind of day. I am obviously also going to run my dishwasher and keep my kitchen and bathroom tidy, that part never ends!

XOXO ~ The Thriftess

Grocery day!

Hello Thrifties,

Today was grocery day! Unfortunately I have not gone on a big grocery shop for a while, and this week I had run out of a lot of basics like honey and flour. So needless to say, the better part of our months cash was decimated! Of the $102 that we had, I spent just over $90! My hubby had done our bottle return this AM however, so we got just over $20 back from that. I am still quite nervous because this does not leave us with very much gas money AT ALL! Never mind running out of milk or fruit.

Excuse me while I count up what's really left........

Okay! We have $30 in real cash, a stash of quarters for when we're really scraping the barrel, and a check for $11 that I can cash. I need to fill up the car tomorrow morning, so if I spend $20 we will have just over $20 left to last the 11 days until the end of the month. Phew! Looks like I will be spending a lot of time at home!

Now, about my piggy-ness...

Here was my cleaning list from yesterday:

~ Sorting one bin of laundry from bedroom ~ wash & dry 1 load. (2 if there's enough. My hubby has volunteered to fold as his "chore") {I did 2!) ~ empty dishwasher ~ sweep & mop hallway and kitchen 

You will note that it is all done! Yay me, pat pat. Today is going to be more of a general cleaning. I did some pre-cooking of fish and chicken for other meals and so the kitchen is a bit of a disaster. Also my hubby started our tax return, so there are empty envelopes and papers scattered everywhere! (Also in the kitchen thankfully, two birds with one stone) I was also forced to clean out the fridge today in order to plan my meals and put away groceries, so that is going on the list and yes, it totally counts.

Follow along! :

~ clean fridge (and associated dishes)
~ tidy kitchen
~ clean up recycling (newspapers, boxes, etc.) and empty garbages

I am hoping to include in future, for the new and improved version of myself, a similar 15 minute approach to exercising. I'm already back on the healthy eating bandwagon but I have never really stuck with an exercise routine. I did 15 minutes of youtube yoga yesterday....Can navigating the grocery store count for today? How about running through the house with smelly pots of food to the toilet when I was cleaning the fridge?

Counting it.

Until next time :)

Living with no money and also doing housework

Hi Thrifties!

It has been a while I know! But I'm done with feeling guilty about it.

So much the better because I had recently read some good advice: "Blog as though no one is reading....because most likely no one is." Refreshing and depressing all at the same time, don't you think? Hello? .... oh....right.

Anyways, life up in the north has gotten somewhat drearier. We had recently melted out of our snowbanks and some of the paved road was visible! But then we had a big snowstorm and we're back at about two feet of snow and lumpy ice roads. I'm like an "Ice Road Trucker" but with a compact Hyundai with no shocks. Glorious.

So, about the title of the post: My hubby and I have not been doing well with our money lately. We haven't been very committed to our budgeting and we really need to get back to our cash system. I was hesitant to return to this method because I know that my man really hates it, but it is undeniable how much it helped us before and we are living on far smaller an income since I am not working. Throw in a pregnancy scare last month and I could see the poorhouse not far off! That is a touch dramatic since we have money saved, but it is supposed to be SAVED, not spent at No Frills on milk and flour.

In an effort to jumpstart our saving I dug out all of our cash money from around the house. 

~ I was stashing my makeup consultant money in our bedroom and we have a change jar. Too bad we had already taken all the good coins out of the jar. Now there is mostly dimes and quarters mixed with a few useless foreign coins from vacations. ~

From this day until the last of the month, we are only going to spend $102 on groceries, gas, everything! This is what we have on hand in cash. By only using this money we will leave my husbands last pay untouched until he gets paid again on the last of the month, and by then it will be savings. After this I plan on working with a much more reasonable budget (although still in cash.)

Part 2 of the title of this post is about me being a piggy. I am a slob. I admit it. I have glossed over it for years thinking that I'm "a bit messy", but after a few surprise visits at other peoples "messy" houses, I have come to realize that I am genuinely the worst of the worst..... Not "Hoarders" level granted, but like a hoarders childhood maybe. 

The remedy? I have already made great progress by cleaning for only 15 minutes per day. I have always planned to clean but with big chunks of time, like an hour or 2, and then I get overwhelmed and don't start. I read online about 15 minutes of decluttering per day, but I have applied it to my general house cleaning. In reality, once started I usually clean for 20 minutes to an hour, but by only needing to do 15 minutes, if I'm not feeling it that day, I can allow myself to stop at the minimum if I want to. 

The real change is remembering to tidy up a few things when I make a mess, especially with dinner, and not letting it get out of hand. Obviously I don't count maintenance tidies like these in the 15 minutes. The other hard change for me was running my dishwasher every day. Being just the two of us, I usually wait a few days and then run it, but that really gets me behind in the kitchen. It may cost more to run every day, but I can probably cut down on the soap, the dishwasher is usually pretty full anyways, and the extra water costs are not worth as much as my psyche. I genuinely like a tidy house, that's not the issue, its my bad habits.

I will keep you posted as to how things go!

Follow along! :

Cleaning today ~ Sorting one bin of laundry from bedroom
~ wash & dry 1 load. (2 if there's enough. My hubby has volunteered to fold as his "chore")
~ empty dishwasher
~ sweep & mop hallway and kitchen