What did you do to save $ today?

[Laureli]

I just canned my 74th quart of stringless Fortex green beans from this year's harvests so far. That might sound like a lot, but 52 quarts is only one quart a week.

I already had all the equipment necessary since I began canning four years ago. Had all the jars and rings, but I did have to buy some lids. Boy! They went up to $4.00 for 12 regular lids.

I'm building my food storage for when the SHTF with this economy. At least we won't starve. Jellies and jams will be the next thing I can. Then I'll can other vegetables as they come in. Then applesauce and apple butter. Last year I canned 159 jars of food. I'll pass that number this year.

Consider going to Tattler reusable lids... I apologize for duplicate message in advance as I was just skimming some of my favorite threads and found yours. thought I would mention it 'cause they are a good idea. We bought them and can't wait to afford more.


Laureli

 

[Marianne]

I bit the bullet and clipped the dogs' nails instead of taking them somewhere. Sounds silly, but after you have had a bad dog bite, you get rather nervous, dogs get nervous...but I saved $16. Oh, one dog only got one paw done, I'll try another one today on him. He was abused before we got him so he gets really panic-y.

 

[garden pixy]

I bit the bullet and clipped the dogs' nails instead of taking them somewhere. Sounds silly, but after you have had a bad dog bite, you get rather nervous, dogs get nervous...but I saved $16. Oh, one dog only got one paw done, I'll try another one today on him. He was abused before we got him so he gets really panic-y.

I started to do this myself too, both of my dogs were nervous at first so we would just do one nail at a time, lots of praise and let them go relax. We are up to a paw per sitting now. I was getting tired of paying $12 per dog.

 

[Rhettsgreygal]

This was actually on Saturday. There was an area-wide rummage sale not too far from us. Our haul:
20 t-shirts (my husband doesn't have enough old ones) to make into rags for $5.00.
A queen size flannel sheet set to turn into rags for $2.00.
A tool box, some tools, a dehydrator and other odds and ends for $6.50.
4 glass plates to replace melamine ones for use in microwave for $1.00
A queen size and a full size quilt to use as dog beds since our old kitty and new young kitty do not get along (actually the young one would love to beat the crap out our old one), and old kitty is not necessarily using her litterboxes like she should for $3.00.
And the not necessarily necessary items: Cookie cutters, a Little House book, a City of Milwaukee Fireman's Auxiliary cook book, a couple small soap size glass bowls with roosters and a dog brush and shedding comb all for about $4.50.

The cookbook was probably the "best find" for me. I grew up in Milwaukee and as Roy and I were talking to the folks selling these items, I found out that the wife grew up not too far from me. Her dad worked for the fire department not far from my childhood home. She was watching the same huge fire not far from my house when I was a kid. Her dad even knew some of the people my uncle worked with (he was also a fireman) at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Waukegan, Illinois. Her dad was at the rummage sale and you could tell he was getting up there in age. He autographed the cookbook for me. He said he had a couple recipes in the book but he couldn't remember which ones. Sure brought back some old memories.

 

[raiquee]

We harvested our first ducks over the weekend!! (I like using the word harvest, rather than process! Process sounds so...mechanic.) It was our first time doing any poultry, but the easiest part was the killing. I whinned like a big baby about plucking, muttering how we should invest in duck wax and blah blah blah. We did a pair of khakis and a small scovie that wasn't really fitting into the group. We plucked both khakis and I told my DH to skin the breasts and legs out of the scovie and leave the rest! DH roasted one duck, I have yet to try it. The other one we plucked I parted out. I think we may pluck the breast area and thighs, and part it out that way. I mean its not worth the effort otherwise as I don't make duck stock.

I also pulled all our carrots and ended up with a few pounds.

We are looking into getting DH a motorcycle, as we both commute a long distance and if we can save on gas for him it would help a lot.

I'm going to invest (slowly) in some tattler lids for canning!

TSC had a coupon to save $10 when you spend $25 so DH got an extra bag of duck feed.

Thats about it!!!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

As long as I have been canning, you would think that I'd have heard of tattler lids by now, but I haven't. Thanks for the post. You never know who you might help. Its now officially on my to=do list. I'm gonna buy a large quanity of them. I do re-use my lids anyway, even if they not reuseable.
I hope our last poster, kept the down from the ducks for quilts or pillows. I am looking forward to processing a few ducks in a couple of months.....I have 7 ducklings and 12 eggs under a broody now. I also have 2 goslings to process as soon as they get big enough. I already have my pair, so I won't be needing them and one of them will be the main dish for Christmas with my family.
I don't think I need any more figs this year for my family. DH is doing a 4 gallon batch of wine and I have processed several jars; not to mention that I still have preserves from previous years, so I will be selling fresh figs and saving my sugar and jars.
I think I will slaughter about 5 birds today, to lighten the load in the coup and save on feed. I need some chicken meat anyway.

 

[jenlyn9483]

This was the other day but I haven't been anywhere in like a week! LOL so we have this great little school sponsored junk shop that opened up near me. Never know what you are going to find.

I GOT

a barstool for $3 I had been looking for two to paint to match a table i have on my porch. 1 down 1 ta go
an antique 1.5 quart stoneware oven casserole dish with lid- $2 very cute painting on it
8 large mens t-shirts in new condition for $4.00 (for my man whos in construction to ware to work, he wares 2 a day this time of year and is real hard on them.
1 pair of mens boardshorts for $1.00
1 HUGE DEEP Nonstick frying pan Membersmark from Sams Club $5
hanging paperplate holder $.50
large silver serving platter $.50


some other odds and ends as well.

 

[Henrietta23]

I braved the heat wave to renew my driver's license before it expires on Saturday to avoid the late fees.
We open the doors at 5 am and used fans to blow in cool air.
I spent an hour at the library enjoying their a/c! Then the grocery store where I took............my................time!
then we reused some old fencing to repair the chicken pen and let the pullets out with the big chickens for the first time.
Used spilled hay from the goats to give the ducklings a clean area.

 

[Kingsfarm]

bought my first "fixings" for laundry detergent....Yea.....posted somewhere here "What are tattler lids, I just read what they are...Leamans sells reusable lids but they are expensive can you find them anywhere else? Thanks..G

 

[Denim Deb]

This is from last night.

Hubby and I went out to dinner. We got the prime rib dinner. The dinner consists of some rolls and butter, a salad, a baked potato, some veggies and the rib. You get all of this for $14.95. So, we split the rolls. (There were 3, we each got 1.5) We split the salad. I ate the potato, and he ate most of the veggies. We ate maybe a third of the rib, and brought the rest home. I had some of it this morning for breakfast, and am ready to go eat a bit more for dinner. So, for $14.95, we both got dinner, plus meat for a few more meals.