Friday, March 18, 2016

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #58


Hello Ladies!

Welcome! I'm so glad you've found a few minutes to visit. 
I was sick with a cold for a few days this week, so I haven't been as productive as I'd like.
Lowell is still job searching. He's looking for either management or sales positions. He has lots of experience with both types of work. He's also expanding his search to include short-term work. This would help until he can get a full-time, long-term position.

Here are some of the things we've done in our home this week
and
some ways that God has miraculously provided for us this week.

~~~~~

~ We listened to Tom Sawyer for free on Librivox.

~ I lit the house with candles that were leftover from an event at church and my husband's grandfather's vintage oil lamp. I told my family that these were already paid for. The electricity we would use is not! We didn't light with them exclusively, but every little bit helps!


~ We drank Keurig Cocoa KCups mixed with water with no Keurig. It worked great.

~ We mixed a jar of Four Cheese Ragu sauce, a box of macaroni, and a can of tuna and called it tuna casserole—not too bad.

~ We decluttered a bunch of junk that had been lying around in the garage including a mattress and two extra big trash cans full of stuff. That's real estate investment!

~ I carried my favorite water bottle with me instead of buying bottled water while out and about.

~ A friend tucked $36 in my purse at a ladies' meeting this week. Thank you Robin!

~ A dear reader sent me a Walmart E-giftcard. I used it to buy 3/4 a tank of gas! Thank you Michelle!

~ I made more foaming hand soap.

~ I made ant poison for the bathroom using this recipe. They're not gone yet, but I'm hoping it will get rid of them. It will save $70 if I can get rid of them before they get to the kitchen!

~ Lowell repainted a little flower sign that had faded badly with some paint we had on hand. 

~ I wrote Amazon reviews for some knives, a hot glue gun, and ordered a couple more review items including my Emily's dress for the Spring Banquet next week. 

~ I received notification that I'll be receiving another book for review.

~ I saw a book I wanted online, and found it at Paperback Swap for $.49 and one credit. 

~~~~~
How are you blessing your family with your thrifty ways this week?
~~~~~

ஐღLauraღஐ 
...doing what I can with what I've got where I am 
on a short shoestring budget!


~~~~~
Trusting in Jesus!
~~~~~
Jesus Jesus Jesus
Sweetest Name I know
Fills my every longing

18 comments:

  1. You've been busy! Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. A great week of savings Laura! Good idea on the Keurig hot chocolate! You have received some great blessings this week!
    Have a great Friday
    Vickie

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  3. You simply amaze me, sweet friend AND I want to thank you for that. I don't even know where to begin on my comments...so I prob. ought to leave it at this.

    Keeping you all in prayer, friend.

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    1. Good morning, Linda. Hope all goes well for you today!

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  4. Enjoying candlelight may well be one of the precious memories your family remembers from this difficult time! We have done that in the past as well, and you are right, every little bit helps! I like using things up that I already have on hand, and find it a bit of a fun challenge to see what I can create with what I have on hand. I had a vegetable dip mix that had sat in the pantry a while, I added it to a pot roast with mushroom soup, nothing else, and let it cook all day long... ooh it was so tender and yummy! Your tuna casserole sounded pretty awesome too! Praying for you friend that something turns up very soon for your husband!

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    1. You have a such a lovely way of putting things, Spicing Up. I'll bet that roast was wonderful with those seasonings. It was neat when I came home the second night and found that my husband had lit the candles and lamps. We did it two evenings, and I hope to do it again tonight. It was so calming.

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  5. Sounds like you've been working hard to 'make do' - good luck and kudos to you!!

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    Replies
    1. Dear Mountain Mama,
      Thanks so much for the good wishes.
      Laura

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  6. You are truly inspiring! Thank you for sharing your week and finding the greatness in every little thing. (I especially love how you made some "tuna casserole"!) Really made me smile. Thank you!

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  7. Looks like you had a great week. I whip up tuna casserole. That sounds like a great way.
    I wish I could start reviewing products! We had a thrifty day. We got free tickets to take our grandson to the zoo!
    Have a great weekend!

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  8. You are so inspiring, my friend...
    Prayers and hugs...
    Have a cozy weekend!!!!

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    1. Thank you so very much for praying Bille Jo! I'm finally home after some errands today. It will be good to eat supper and relax a bit.
      Enjoy your Palm Sunday!

      Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

      Laura

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  9. I keep on praying for you my dear friend.

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    1. Thank you so much Michelle. I'm holding up. I went to the grocery store today and got a few fresh produce items. My husband walked in just eating a piece of lettuce a bit ago. My daughter was excited too. I've been trying to do with what I've got as much as possible.
      Your prayers mean so very much to me. I know God is hearing.

      Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

      Laura

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  10. Hello Laura! This sounds like a very good week for you, lots of little and big blessings add up to much abundance in joy. Still hoping he finds a job that suits him to a "T". I have had to start a new blog, but I'm still around, and kicking.
    I have been trying to eat out of the freezer and cupboards these past couple of weeks and still need to some more. Lots of extra expenses as of late necessitate it. We have picked up a very nice walnut library table someone discarded wayside, nice dove tail drawers, and mortise and tenon joints. I'm thinking it is just too big for the house, over 5 ft. long, so I will either rebuild it into someyhing else, put it out on my son's big old back porch to eat on outside, or try and sell it on a local Facebook yard sale page. Either way, I think it will bless me.
    Hugs and prayers dear friend!

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    1. Hi Annie,

      Thanks for the hugs and prayers. I need them. I'm really looking forward to Lowell getting a job soon. He has another interview on Monday. Sooner or later, one's got to fit.

      You've been doing well. That table sounds awesome. I want to get a big long table that has enough room for everyone I want to feed!
      Happy Easter!

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  11. I guess my thrift was in gaining what you call "real estate". I went through my craft supplies in the garage and filled the trunk of my car with paper, chipboard alphabet pieces and a bunch or random stuff including a spiral binding machine. I took all of the stuff to a local elementary school for the teachers. Now my workbench is cleared off and ready for creating.

    Thanks for sharing at SYC.

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    1. That's excellent! I wouldn't have thought of donating to the school. I'm sure they appreciate it. Think how much more productive you will be with a cleared workbench!
      Blessings,
      Laura

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God bless you! This life only works with Jesus. The next life is a continuation of this one—make sure you spend it with Jesus. Jesus is the only way to God the Father!

Your blog friend,
Laura Lane
5 Year Cancer Survivor