Welcome to another thrifty week at Harvest Lane Cottage. I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God.
I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
Do say hello!
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Dear Reader,
If you've not read it yet, please read The Post I've Been Avoiding... The Diagnosis. It will put all of this in perspective and explain a bit of what's going on in my little world. For years, I've done my best to do what I can with what I've got where I am. This has served our family well in good times and in hard times, and we've had a lot of hard times. Last year our family went four months without income while my husband searched for work. God miraculously provided, and I gave him glory in my Thrifty Week posts. God always provides.
In the past, my focus has been on "with what I've got". Now, for a little while, the focus is going to shift to "what I can". Being thrifty is "here a little, there a little", so I shall do what I can. The more I listen to and read the Bible, the more the phrases are in my head. (Isaiah 28:10).
My hope is to go ahead and keep this column going in order to inspire myself to do what I can. It's a bit of accountability—you know? I may not publish every week, but I'll do what I can. I hope it will also inspire you to do what you can regardless of your circumstances.
God bless you all, thank you for your patience with me.
I also thank you for all the love you've shown and the prayers you've prayed. God will make a way where there seems to be no way. God bless you all!
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A Verse for You
NKJV
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."James 1:2-4
NKJV
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Here's my thrifty week!
- We made homemade bean burritos one evening for dinner. We had lots of beans left over, so hubby just made up lots of burritos, wrapped them individually, and put them into the freezer for quick, grab and go snacks or meals—a great thing to have around when you have three teens with odd schedules.
- Because I've met my maximum out-of-pocket with my health insurance, I got free prescriptions this week. Thank you Jesus!
- We got dollar frozen yogurt cones at Braums during their happy hour.
- Because I had chemo on our anniversary, we celebrated with half-price shakes at Sonic after 8 p.m. Yummy chocolate peanut butter shakes for two just $5! That saved a ton over the out of town mini vacation we were planning a month ago. Hey... gotta look on the bright side, right?
- It was just the two of us, hubby and I, for dinner Thursday night. He went to the store for chicken breasts. He found a package of two for $7. He looked some more and found a family pack for the same price! Good going Lowell!
What are you doing in your home this week?
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If you can do it, get out and pick some berries or hit the market and make some jam or jelly. It's not hard. There are freezer and canning recipes in the Ball or Kerr Pectin packages. You can do it mama! There's nothing like seeing those little jars lined up on the counter and listening for the ping of the seal...unless it's hearing the blissful sighs as your loved ones bite into a hot buttery biscuit dripping with homemade love.
- Apple Butter City-Style ~ Harvest Lane Cottage Original
- Harvest Peach Jam ~ Harvest Lane Cottage Original
- Kiwi Jam
- Peach Butter
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ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!
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HEY GIRLS!I am totally serious about saving your change for Christmas.
You will be amazed at how much you can save up if you start now.
Just do it!
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| It's time to start saving your pennies and your nickles and your rocks for Christmas! |
I will be praying for you, Laura..continue to list those answers to prayer...it will amaze!
ReplyDeleteI used to make jelly back when I was raising my family plus foster children...these days we eat so little that it isn't economical to do that...I do freeze blueberries and blackberries for Honey Bear to eat for breakfast...recently I canned 5 pints of spinach and we've been getting enough squash to cook once a week...Hang in there
Mama Bear
Laura,I'm glad you posted today! I knew Lowell would make your day special! I'm continuing to pray for you dear one.
ReplyDeleteThis week we planted some items. I don't have a green thumb but I hope something survives. We planted blueberries,mint and a couple of other things. We still have green beans and cucumbers for pickling. Maybe I will have a nice harvest of stuff to can.
Have a blessed weekend Laura!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteDear friend...
I love the tip about the coins!!!
And please know I am praying for you...and have added you to my daily rosary group. SO many are lifting you up!!!!
Hugs and love.
You are an inspiration!
Laura, you can just do what you can. It's more important that you get some rest and let those meds do their thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm on my last case of strawberry jam from 2 yrs. ago. It's just the two of us so we don't go thru' it very fast. However, I think I want to make a batch of blackberry this year. We have a farm nearby and they usually start selling in July.
Dontcha love Brahms? I tried one of their new flavors last month- the White Macademia Nut. It was delish! The ones I look most forward to are in fall- Pumpkin and Egg Nog. YUM.
I also smiled at your Sonic shakes after chemo. I think they must be therapeudic (sp?). We've only had them one time and I remember it crystal clear. We were on our way home from the hospital. I had been there all day, every day for nearly 6 weeks. My mom had a stroke and it got worse. Well, that particular day the doctor told me that there was nothing more they could do for her. And that I needed to let them know by morning whether I wanted to send her to a nursing home, hospice, or hospice at home.
I was completely numb, hadn't eaten dinner, & we stopped at Sonic for a dinner-shake. It slid easily down my lumped-up throat and filled me up enough so I could sleep without being hungry. I never fail to think of that night when I see their ad about the half-price shakes. (We brought her home for hospice the next morning. Best decision ever.)
I am house purging. I spent a couple of hours going thru' my office bookshelves this morning and put together a pile for Friends of the Library. I wonder when I'll ever be able to part with my copies of Curious George, The Giving Tree, and Where the Wild Things Are. I was a pre-school teacher during college and I must've read those books to my kids a million times!! Since I never had any kids, I figured I'd give them away. Instead, I sit and read them while cleaning!
Have a wonderful weekend & May God Bless America!!
Awesome work. I know those burritos will come in handy too. I love the idea of saving your change. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHubby did a great job on buying the chicken. Sorry your anniversary plans. But, the milk shakes sound fantastic to me.. smile
ReplyDeleteProud the 2 of you got to have a good evening.
Sending prayers to you and family. hugs
Hello sweet Laura!
ReplyDeleteI have so enjoyed just seeing this come through my post feed!
You always encourage me, just by being you!
I have not saved enough this week.
It seems like the last several months have eaten up everything in my purse!
I know I'd mentioned car repairs a few weeks ago.
It took over a month to get the little car back.
Now the other would not start yesterday. :(
Anyway the garage had wanted $700.00 to do the little car repairs.
We know a fellow who used to own a garage, but no longer, that is why the long delay in his work, he does it bit by bit, not regular at all.
I was not able to get him to fix the knocking tail pipe, it needs cut and the reweld.
But we bought the parts, and he did the work . It cost us $376.00 total.
So a really great savings, and I do have something to drive at least.
This pretty much took everything for the month of May, so I didn't get to do a lot.
I usually calculate by the month, not the week because that is the way we get our money,
Anyhow I was able to use some discount food coupons. We ate Mother's Day dinner at a cookout at my SILs house. I took dessert, using panty cake, frosting, and strawberries out of the freezer from last year. Yummy strawberry short cake with cream cheese frosting. Everybody loved the frosting on it. I had never done it on strawberry short cake before.
They had a free small pizza at a local place on Armed Services Day, with a military ID. My husband is a Veteran, and they gave him a nice pizza.
My DIL needed a different color scrub pant, I found one for her at the thrift store.
We got gas savings at the last minute before it went back up this week, due to store incentives. It went to $2.14-9, we got it for $1.84-9, only seven gallons but it still helped.
I made supper today, all out of the freezer, little smokies, wild rice veggie mix, and green beans. They were all bought months ago on sale. There is enough for tomorrow too.
I cut both my husbands hair ( poor man) 😘 and my own bangs this week, I have been doing this for years. I know I've said that before.
I cut part of my son's grass this week, and all of mine last week, it takes me two days to do ours, it's hilly.
I hung all but one load of laundry outside.
And I patched my holes jeans, again. Smile.
I have probably made you tired just reading all that!
Will end it now.
Praying for you, you are heavy on my heart!
Bless you!
I love your anniversary treat idea dear! And am thankful your prescriptions did not cost you. Still praying for you!
ReplyDeleteYou always inspire me with your thrifty ideas! I think your idea of accountability will be good for you and for us to keep in touch!
ReplyDeleteWe always need something to keep us going in a positive direction!
Sending you a HUG, Roxy xo
Ah Laura, I am so very sorry to hear of your diagnosis and will certainly be praying for you. Yours is my favorite blog to read. My frugal thing this week was discovering that dehydrated squash is real yummy. So happy to discover this as I am not a huge fan of frozen squash and hubby isn't real crazy about having squash every night. You get rest dear lady. And ignore those who try to give you advise for assorted treatments. The wisdom of medicine certainly has to have only come down from the creators hand. Follow his prompting what to do and don't look back. You are in His hands.
ReplyDeleteNew here! But I excited about thrifty tips! My adopted motto:
ReplyDelete-use it up
-wear it out
-make it do
-or do with out!
Excellent motto Antonia! Welcome!
DeleteHello Dear Laura, You have been on my mind, and in my thoughts and prayers ever since I read your posting about having cancer. I wanted to respond to that posting, but struggled with blurred vision due to faulty tear ducts?!?..I am praying for you dear lady. Your faith is an inspiration to us all. Find comfort in God's loving embrace and know that whatever you will be facing, He is right there beside you. Get rest and take care of you. Hugs, Karla
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kindness Karla. I've been sick all week, but I'm trying to correspond a bit now. Have a wonderful week. God is my refuge, my strength, my hiding place, my strong tower, the lover of my soul who will never leave me nor forsake me. He's the same for you dearie.
DeleteHug,
Laura