Feather your Nest Friday, 6 May, 2016.

I am truly having trouble deciding what to say about this week! It was basically ok but I had some moments of feeling really blahhh.  Mostly I think because my energy is still low from not being well and my arm is too sore to paint!
Two good friends were really sad as well. Both were over the loss of relationships. It was spreading. I felt the same as I feel I have lost some friends and supporters recently. When you don't know why it is hard. But this is part of life. Both my friends had done so much to help others and then this! They are broken hearted.
It has happened to us all I am sure. It hurts and if you are tenderhearted then that doesn't exactly help.

Then just when I needed it two letters came to me that lifted me up. They were simply kind and encouraging and that is all I needed. Which goes to show how being kind and encouraging to others might make all the difference in the world to them. And it might come at just the right moment as you never know what struggles someone might be facing..
And then I got an email from a dear friend and reader this morning. Her husband has just lost his job. In the context of the blog I should say ANOTHER husband has lost his job as there are many.
This email was thanking me as Bluebirds has helped them be ahead and be in a way better position than they might previously have found themselves in. In fact her husband thanked her so much for being so prudent with the household and money and how wonderful it was. And she thanked me for helping her in this!
Well, that made me feel there is a point and to focus on what I should be! And there is a need.
I have actually lost count now of the families who have lost jobs this year.  Even the most unlikely jobs that have been faithfully attended to for forty years!  Just "go home, take a bus and leave your phone" kind of dismissals. Utter devastation.

However things are get ahead while you can in anyway that you can. The pantry, the emergency fund, meals in the freezer. Just do it.

When you share your week and your saving and creating ideas you are encouraging someone believe me. Thank you to everyone who has hung in there with me!

This week I saved by:

I made a big batch of "Fridge Soup" using up left over veggies from the fridge and freezer.
Also a big pot of Chicken Soup. One part of the chicken when poached became a couple of meals for Harper. (which she loved!)

I turned my $20 Coles voucher into $40 worth of free groceries.
And added more store points towards another voucher.

My phone contract was up. It was a two year contract and I learned years ago that then they give you a free upgrade. So now I go in basically on the day! And I have a much newer phone at no extra cost. Plus my old phone is now Chloe's and an update for her. The first "smart" phone I had I kept for years as I didn't realise that if you are on a plan you get free upgrades. If Chloe did not need a phone I would have sold it online as there are phone buyers that give you cash for them. Very happy with my phone as it has a great camera!

I made a big lot of spaghetti sauce. I do a mince and tomato cook up. It becomes spaghetti sauce, pizza topping, tacos, lasagne and many things.

Andy came home with fish again! He is on a roll with the fishing. More Salmon.

I pan fried some fillets with butter and lemon. When I go to the supermarket I look at the current price of fresh fish and Salmon is $27 per kilo.

I got ahead by:

Two types of soup in the freezer.
Spaghetti sauce in portions in the freezer.
Fish fillets in the freezer.

I feathered the nest by:

Prettying things up. I have a beautiful hallway with two chandeliers. As chandeliers go they were very basic and not blingy. But I love chandeliers so much and am very grateful to have them. So I went on to Ebay and found crystals to be really inexpensive and I ordered ten feet of garlands of crystals plus droplets. I spent a long time up a ladder adding all of these! It cost less than $30 all up to really add so much that they look so much better and bigger!

It was a good week to add sparkle. And everyone who has come in the front door has noticed! 

Any light fitting with "arms" (even the bronze or gold old style fittings ) can have crystals added. It was really easy to do!

I found a tree on the side of the road. It is a standard Ficus. Chloe and I had just been to the local nursery and saw that larger trees in pots were hundreds of dollars. We were staggered at the prices. And on the way home there was this! Nice pot and everything!

It involved calling Andy to see how far away he was. But he was nearby and there quite quickly and the tree was in his van in no time flat!  It's almost as tall as me. (although that is not so tall) The reason it was on the side of the road, I am guessing, is that it has been against a wall and is sparse on one side. Well, I can fix that!

There are Lilly's flooring in the garden...

I added quite a bit to my pantry and supplies. Canned soup, Polenta, spices and creamed corn.

We had rain and things look fresh. Then we had a sunny day yesterday and my washing was out! It is beautiful and sunny today as well. I will try and get more washing done.
I am about to make Cornbread to go with all these soups I am making. I make it up as Muffins and freeze lots.

I hope you had a good week! How did you get ahead and save?

Keep at it. Consistency really pays off. Some weeks will be better than others but everything adds up!
xxx