I woke up this morning with a list of things to do and a sense of purpose - find and save FOOD! It started with a bag of apples that were starting to get soft - applesauce. Then I moved out to the garden to finish it up for the winter, I pulled out four large beets with greens that I plan to cook and freeze. I also got a meals worth of swiss chard and several meals worth of broccoli (which I was sure should have been dead by now!). I will have to cook them up tomorrow. I swung by the front steps to grab two pumpkins that have been there for a month now. These are the best find of all because they were completely and absolutely free. No seeds, no effort. They came up in a field where we have thrown compost in the past (apparently an old pumpkin or two found its way there). I cut these up and cooked them (roasting the seeds with garlic salt, of course). I have a large tub of puree in the fridge for pumpkin pudding, soup, and muffins tomorrow. I also put three bags in the freezer. FREE FOOD! I love it.
After all that, I made a batch of yogurt. I was going to make the wheat crackers too, but I don't have any wheat germ. I'll have to remember to get some at the bulk store next time I am there.
Another great money saving idea - I e-mailed two relatives to ask what they wanted to do for a Christmas exchange - I gave them both the option of not exchanging this year. They both wrote back to agree to not exchange. Yeah! About $75 saved there. It's not that I don't want to exchange...but...money is tighter than ever this year. Plus my boys have TOO much stuff already and TOO many relatives to spoil them. They just don't need more. I figured it would make all of our lives easier if I just had the guts to say "no thanks!". I'm glad that they agreed and did not take offense.
DH worked out a tentative Christmas budget - about $900. Of course, though, he thinks we need to spend $100 on each of our boys (ages 1 and 3). I think $50 would be great for each. We'll see. At their ages, I think we can definitely find them plenty of things that they will enjoy in that range. Still don't know where this money is going to come from, as we are already over budget until DH goes back to work. Oh well - it will just have to come from savings. I cannot wait until January when he can work!
Free stuff: two pumpkins - retail value: $6, my value: $4
Updated values:
retail value: 1141.48
my value: 346.45
Food salvage
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