Thrifty Things Lately ~ July 26, 2024

 

Welcome to another thrifty week at Harvest Lane Cottage. I am glad you've found me! Each week I will share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Here's my thrifty week:

• My Lowell has caught the thrifty bug! After pricing tomato stakes and cages at the farm store, he came home and used things he found about the house and shed: 3 hotdog poles, a pitchfork he wasn't using, an old hoe with a loose head, and some rebar! Total expenditure zero! Make it do!

• We bought strawberries, peaches, and apples on sale.

• I manicured my nails using polishes I've had quite awhile. The OPI nail strengthener and polishes go on smoothly. The Sally Hansen gel top coat gives a shiny smooth surface.

• I'm learning about sourdough.

• I'm knitting baby socks for a shower using leftover yarn.

Well, that's all for now!

What have YOU done to be thrifty this week? 

Enjoy July!

It's racing by!

Laura 

A Little Randomness ~ 1996

This week's year is 1996! Here are some memories that I have of that year in list form.

Image by Harisankar Sahoo from Pixabay

• Our son turned 5. At the time, we didn't have any other children, but he was praying for a sister.

• We made the decision to homeschool kindergarten. After lots of research, I chose to read lots of books together, and I took a lots of hands on and experiential learning approach that year.

• My husband was working for a company that had sent him to Branson, Missouri to work for four months. He lived in a condo there. 

• We bought Silver Dollar City passes. Matthew and I would often visit, and we would go to the park.

• My mother found out that her breast cancer had returned as bone cancer. This rocked my world like nothing before ever had. This began two heart wrenching years. The good is that both she and my step-dad got saved. He is still loving and serving Jesus. He was able to help me through my fight with breast cancer that I began in 2017. 

• Beanie Babies were one of the hottest toys for Christmas as was Nintendo 64. We bought Matthew a Beanie Baby. We never did buy video games for the kids.

• We bought our first computer and learned about dial up internet. I used to "Ask Jeeves" as I was learning to search.

• The first Twister film was one of the top films of the year. We watched it. Living in tornado alley, it was scary!

It was an exciting time to be alive, full of hope, some fear, and lots of prayer. I miss those days of having our little family of three and teaching my little boy and learning a whole lot in the process!

God is good through the good times and the hard times.

Blessed be the name of the LORD JESUS!

What do YOU remember about 1996?

I can't wait to read your responses.

Laura

Thrifty Things Lately ~ July 21, 2024

Welcome to another thrifty week at Harvest Lane Cottage. I am glad you've found me! Each week I will share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Here's my thrifty week:

• I baked half a batch of chocolate chip cookies last week and half a batch this week. My husband was surprised with warm, fresh cookies twice. It stretched the ingredients. I've made these same cookies for over forty years. Stop it! Stop right now! I know you're calculating my age! Let's just say I'm Grammy to a wonderful little eleven month old grandbaby boy whom I love with all my heart. No cookies for him until Mommy says it's okay.

• I mended two towels. I cut off the frayed edges and zigzagged around them with thread that was leftover from some given to me long ago. It was still on a wooden spool.  Although I bought like new towels at a garage sale a few months ago (luxury), I keep and mend the old ones, too. You never know when you're going to need them for something messy.

• When we needed a quick take home lunch, my husband brought home Chinese, and we shared a meal. It was $8 for the two of us to eat. Pretty cheap for a good meal. I cannot make Chinese for that amount.

• I'm listening to books on Everand. I pay a monthly fee of $11.99 for as many books as I want to listen to or read. It's my only subscription.

• I borrowed books from the library this week.

• I'm knitting a gift with leftover yarn that a friend gave me several months ago. I actually finished Friday morning!

• I gave a friend some hand crocheted dishcloths for her birthday.

• Fifty-four cents for a senior unsweet iced tea at McDonald's. They start at 55. Stop it! You're calculating my age, aren't you? LOL 

• I bought a like new Polo brand oxford shirt for my husband at Goodwill. I looked it over well, and it was perfect... except that the size was mismarked! $5.99 for a shirt that was too small. I felt stupid for not realizing it was wrong. My daughter corrected my stinkin' thinkin'. It was a mistake. I'll either find someone to pass it on to or give it to another thrift store which I prefer.

• I'm using shaving cream bought at a yard sale for a dollar. It hadn't been used.

It's been a good week. Next week will be a great week!
Be blessed and be thrifty!
Laura
Happy at Home