tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54601317132248697652024-03-19T01:29:17.205-06:00Pat Veretto's Frugal Living BlogLet's tackle money issues we face every dayPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.comBlogger604125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-76239520773975985832021-09-01T20:06:00.001-06:002021-09-01T20:06:19.134-06:00Frugal SunflowersWhere do I start? My love for sunflowers has grown over the years as my understanding of their many uses, not to mention I just enjoy looking at them and eating parts of them. Sunflower seeds are very common and you can buy them raw, roasted, roasted and salted, as bird seed, in chicken feed....There are other ways to use sunflowers, though and to eat them. The buds taste similar to artichokes (Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-70372133332959913422021-08-21T14:59:00.001-06:002021-08-27T01:16:09.268-06:00Filed under: I can't believe it This is NOT an affiliate link. I don't make a penny if you choose to click on it; you don't have to. I can't believe it I was skimming through Amazon, looking to see if they might have a good price on facial tissues when I came across... ready? REUSABLE TISSUES. Maybe I'm a little behind the times (?) but we used to call these handkerchiefs. And everyone had them. Men carried themPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-53559620463104804782021-08-06T17:09:00.001-06:002021-08-06T17:09:17.436-06:00Changing of the Blog Why are the ads gone? Well, this used to be a "working" blog, an extension of other things I was doing online. I no longer do those things so this is sort of just hanging out here in space. I don't intend to promote it or try to make a few pennies from it. I don't even intend to write about what's current or whatever. I intend to write what I want to write, so I suppose this blog is, Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-83110227397803557502021-07-27T02:39:00.004-06:002021-07-27T02:39:35.882-06:00Cheap Crafts It won't be long (!) and summer will be winding down, giving way to falling leaves, pumpkins and cooler nights. Sights and sounds of changing seasons are inspiration for quieter and slower times. If you craft at all, now is the time to start looking for cheap or free crafting supplies and ideas. A few to get you started: Yarn is sometimes sold at thrift stores for a good price, Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-66549215976108302442021-07-25T13:51:00.003-06:002021-07-27T02:39:47.840-06:00Again... be prepared I think we'd better hang on to our hats... shortages in food is coming fast. We are in serious drought conditions in the western USA. Ground water is drying up. The Great Salt Lake is at its lowest in recorded history. Fires are burning for a second summer across the entire west. Reservoirs are shrinking; ranches are having to sell cattle because they don't have enough Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-47649595626825461712021-07-17T13:49:00.000-06:002021-07-17T13:49:20.297-06:00Chickens are ShrinkingTrue confession: I sometimes buy rotisserie chicken from the grocery deli. They have been on sale, off and on, for $5, so that's not too bad. I have noticed that they are smaller than they used to be, but I thought that it was because they were trying to fill the gap caused by COVID by butchering them younger. The one I got last time might have been 6 weeks old, or it might have been youngerPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-54611432277016664112021-07-08T18:00:00.002-06:002021-07-08T18:00:00.177-06:00Accidentally Off Grid: Light Without ElectricitySelf suffiency in this age seems like an outdated idea. Our next meal is often in our refrigerator, seldom farther away than the next restaurant or grocery store. "Smart" hubs turn the heat and/or AC off and on at appropriate times, if not, we do it ourselves.We flip a switch and lights come on.
We get so used to things being easy that it can be a shock when they aren't.
A little self Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-85272373596241182292021-06-05T15:11:00.003-06:002021-06-05T15:11:31.716-06:00You Can Eat Organic on a BudgetWe probably all know that organic food is better for us, but being frugal, it's hard to let go of the money it takes to buy it. There are other ways to get healthy and organic food than paying full price at the grocery store, though. One way is to look for coupons online. Coupons can usually be found for organic milk and other dairy products, and sometimes you will find a coupon for fresh producePathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-75785690280212254732021-05-19T13:24:00.003-06:002021-05-19T13:27:27.690-06:00Food You Might Be Throwing AwayBroccoli and cauliflower stems and hearts can be eaten raw or in a stirfry of just cooked along with the rest of the vegetable. They're a great addition to a salad and a treat to eat out of hand. They're chock full of nutrients, so don't toss them! The leaves of both broccoli and cauliflower can be cooked just like any other green. You may not have enough to make a meal at one time, Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-91047947764344284462021-05-16T17:39:00.001-06:002021-05-16T17:39:13.970-06:00Ten Extreme But Practical Frugal Tips Think you're as frugal as can be but you still can't save enough money? Nonsense. I've been "in the business" for years and I still find frugal tips I'd never thought of. You may find some of these tips extreme, but they're completely practical and totally frugal. 1. Use cloth "toilet paper." How's that for an extreme opening shocker? It's practical, though, especially for women. Cloth can Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-50303805391531220532021-05-07T11:03:00.003-06:002021-05-07T11:03:00.217-06:00Why You Should Stock Up And pay attention. I said "stock up" not hoard. We know the difference even though we tend to split hairs and argue over it. Hoarding is bad for your mental health and bad for others who can't get what you have taken away from them. Stocking up is having enough to do you through problematic times, no matter what they are. Stocking up for disasters is usually the first thing that Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-89857787323195460062021-05-04T09:07:00.002-06:002021-05-04T11:02:53.851-06:00Never Throw Away a Tshirt Why?Because...You can make excellent cleaning rags from them, no hemming required. They are especially good for dusting. You can use them in place of tissues for colds and allergies. They wash well and again, no hemming requiredThey're great for braiding, knitting or crocheting anything from floor rigs to bath mats to chair mats. They are ultimately washable and reusable. They Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-53811546506477573612021-02-27T12:36:00.001-07:002021-02-27T12:37:23.454-07:00Don't Throw Out the Pickle Jar! Uses for pickle jars: Make refrigerator pickles, save refrigerated leftovers, store grains, flours, sugars, etc., small ones can be used as drinking glasses, interesting ones (or not) can be flower vases, use one to hold buttons or craft supplies, make a candle in one, use one to hold gift goodies like homemade candy.... Got a pickle jar? They're useful for so many things! One thing that Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-63031469456738700782021-02-22T14:25:00.002-07:002021-02-22T14:25:27.642-07:00The Sky is Falling! Or so they seem to keep saying. I opened my email this morning and it read like one of those tabloids I used to scan at the grocery store about who did what when and with whom and why. This governer did that, and Oh, my! That senator did that. She said that and he's in trouble about that. All while the poor people are struggling with COVID or paying back tuitions, or living rhough ice Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-73254650813025121132020-12-05T10:51:00.000-07:002020-12-05T10:51:06.787-07:00The Real Grinch of ChristmasThis grinch might have been a little... different from most.He was almost pleasant and almost polite.He hated the part of Christmas each yearAnd he wanted to stop the... political-incorrectness-of-it-all.So he devised a clever and cunning agendaTo remove all the Christ from the people at largeChristmas surely would not survive on just 'mas(s)'And he chuckled to think what a marvelous coupHe took Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-14795418128804606402020-11-07T10:33:00.004-07:002020-11-07T10:35:29.833-07:00I'm Not the Only One I subscribe to a newsletter called "homestead updates" from homestead.org and today there is an article that caught my eye. It's something I have touched on many times, but it's always good to see it from a different angle. Take a look: Lost Kitchen Skills: Zero-waste CookingPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-22255649474070953372020-10-18T16:48:00.001-06:002020-10-18T16:48:16.022-06:00Using Basic, Cheap Ingredients: CornmealIf you don't have cornmeal at home, put it on your shopping list! It's versatile, inexpensive and very basic. Besides making cornbread or hush puppies, boiled cornmeal can be used in many ways to stretch your food dollars. Put three cups of water into a deep pan and add one cup of cornmeal and a dash of salt. Put the pot on to boil and after it starts cooking, stir often until it thickens, about Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-73699645569674700792020-09-29T11:49:00.004-06:002020-09-29T11:49:32.445-06:00Dealing With Shortages Since the COVID pandemic started hitting us, the stores have had trouble keeping various things in stock and it looks like they still are. Some places are having more troubles than others, and it seems to be hit or miss and changing constantly. That said, there are still a few things that seem to be in short supply, or (dare I say it?) will be in short supply in the near future. Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-41017077737415896312020-09-20T16:08:00.001-06:002021-05-31T20:13:20.908-06:00You Can Do it Better: Save the Planet and Your MoneyI came across this article called "20 Planet Saving Items That Pay For Themselves Tenfold" and just had to respond. I totally agree with some of them, but some of them can be taken a lot farther and some of them just made this old frugal mind go "What??"I will tackle them one at a time. 1. My daughter made some beeswax covers for me. I tried them on bowls and didn't care for them because they Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-23211272423632223592020-04-08T16:38:00.002-06:002020-05-08T13:40:09.809-06:00When Flour is in Short SupplyFlour might be in short supply right now, just when you need or want to bake more bread. There are ways to stretch the flour you have.
First, every time you empty a sack of commercial bread, empty the crumbs into a container and freeze. When you slice homemade bread there are usually more crumbs, so make sure to save those, too. When you have enough, put it your blender or food processor or workPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-78744997460145108062020-04-04T14:51:00.001-06:002020-04-04T14:51:52.814-06:003 Frugal Reminders for Times of ScarcityIt's no secret that some things are hard to find right now. If you find yourself wondering how to stretch what you have until you can find what you need, or if you are trying to stretch to keep from having to go hunting... or if you just want to be frugal and mindful of the situation, here are a few things we may have forgotten along the way.
1. Manufacturers nearly always recommend that we use Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-52121698628100535752020-03-25T01:01:00.001-06:002020-03-25T01:04:27.394-06:00Make Your Own Bread It's hard to find bread in some places right now, so it makes sense to make your own. Flour seems a little easier to come by and you can use white or whole wheat, spelt or other wheat types of flour to make loaf bread.
There are ways to make gluten free bread with other grain flours but you'll have to go looking for recipes there because I have never made that.
However, if you're short of wheatPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-39322565869004939372020-03-22T11:52:00.001-06:002020-03-22T11:55:35.531-06:00All things in moderationWere you stocked up before this virus hit? Have you bought more than one product when a good sale was on? Kept a few weeks' worth of meals in your pantry and/or freezer? Used coupons to add to your stock?
I hope you have been doing this all along and not rushing to the store now and panic buying in multiples like so many are. It's cheating and very selfish to grab more food and paper goods thanPathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-45775600341704124032020-03-18T18:54:00.003-06:002020-03-18T18:56:36.164-06:00What to do if you run out of toilet paperFirst of all, don't call 911. Really. Some people have done that.
Secondly, take stock of what you do have.
Things you can use include:
Paper napkins
Facial tissue
Paper towels
Baby wipes
Adult wipes
Face wipes
Any other soft paper product you might have
Except - don't use cleaning wipes! And never, never flush these other paper products. Only real toilet paper should be flushed. We are Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5460131713224869765.post-14970755501222503112020-01-09T17:35:00.000-07:002020-01-09T17:35:21.153-07:00Newspaper HacksI have never used that word before. A "hack" sounds to me like suspicious behavior, but it's trendy now!
Newspaper isn't as common as it once was when everyone subscribed to the local paper. There always seemed to be piles of newspaper to be recycled or got rid of somehow. Even if you don't subscribe to a newspaper, there are flyers and sales sheets printed on it. Get your hands on some and try Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122457524036298067noreply@blogger.com1