We have been going along now long enough that I have worked out my weekly average "earnings" and average monthly total as well. Knowing this eggs me on as I naturally try to beat them which is a good thing!
Thank you for all the amazing comments last week in response to Vicky's post about making the hard decisions.
Glenda said something I am going to repeat...
"The action of being fiscally responsible is an acton that shows how much you care about your family."
I think this is spot on.
My Vicky Challenge last week...
My $125 payment from Adsense. This is going straight into the pantry supplies.
Andy did plumbing repairs which would have had to have saved at least $100.
The weeks lunches plus the fishing picnic for the day $150
Cooking lasagne, freezer meals etc $50
Andy's office drawers saved $100
My hair cut, colour, condition etc for the month I saved $240
Nails, pedicure etc saved $120
I adore the Aldi Caviar skin care and know I have also saved money there but I don't know how much as I am not sure how long it will last. This is a discovery for me plus a saving.
So that is $885 right there! I know I forget things and some things I find too hard to figure out but these are clear savings from our own efforts and I'm very happy with that!
This weeks extra savings ideas are from Kelsey. I asked her if I could share this as it is so excellent. Firstly, there are savings ideas within her post. Secondly, storage is an issue for most of us and ideas for adding some pantry storage are going to help in several ways. Building up your pantry isn't just a money saver (as you never have to pay full price for anything once you get established!) but also your preparedness. Both are so important.
So over to Kelsey:
I have been wanting to send you some photos for quite some time but am just now getting around to it! It is something my husband built for me last year, and I just love it.
As we live in a trailer house, storage space is VERY limited and we quickly ran out of pantry room when we decided to start building up our food supply. I had seen how people would store bulk food in large buckets, and I thought that would be great but also a little unsightly to just have big plastic buckets out in the open in my kitchen. (It's better if things are practical AND look good ;). Then I thought if I had a way to hide the buckets that would work. This is what I came up with, and my husband loved the idea so he set about building me a long box with a lid that could serve as a pretty bench and also pantry storage.
We have two large windows in our dining area. Our kitchen table is in front of one and the pantry/bench is in front of the other. This takes care of what would be an otherwise awkward or useless space. The inside fits four large plastic buckets that hold rice, beans, flour, and sugar. (I keep a few small canisters on the kitchen counter that I refill from the buckets for daily use.)
Food grade buckets are expensive to buy, especially with lids that have airtight seals. I checked at my local grocery store bakery, as I heard they have buckets that they just throw away. Sure enough, they were happy to supply me with four five-gallon food grade buckets with airtight lids for free! All I had to do was clean them. I added labels to the lids this week, which I printed out for free, so major savings on the buckets.
This piece of furniture is definitely coming with us to the ranch! It is so useful and very special since my husband built it for me. Eventually I would like to make a long cushion to go across the top.
I thought I would share this, as I know the ladies are often wondering about creative storage solutions for pantry items. I think something like this could go in any room.
I'm glad you had such a great week! I will visit Bluebirds this evening to report on mine. Very busy, as you can imagine, but good!
With love, Kelsey
I love it Kelsey and thank you! There are so many places that a bench seat would fit in perfectly even in the bedroom or on the back veranda!
Something like this would also make a great place to store your presents as you make them.
Your husband did a wonderful job Kelsey and your idea in the first place was brilliant.
Thank you so much. I also spy a very nice kitchen dresser in one of the pictures!
How was your week and your savings/earnings? Have great new week.
I will not be able to post on Wednesday so Show and Tell will be the following Wednesday and I will report back on Friday... hopefully with lots of good things! xxx
Annabel you has some great savings this week. With the fur baby recovering from her operation and our depleted emergency fund requiring some building we have not done that much this past week. All of this weeks savings are being channelled back into the emergency fund.
ReplyDeleteHubby built a gate between us and the neighbours. We both go away for a week or more at a time and both households have food gardens we rather love. If they're away we water their place and look after the chooks and if we're away they look after our place. So a gate is a great idea. The neighbours were away when Bluey built the gate and when they returned they were very impressed with his efforts. We were gifted fresh caught fish, a bucket of oranges and a pumpkin out of their garden. This was considered a saving.
I made some rosella jam and rosella (hibiscus) flowers in syrup. The jam is in the pantry and the flowers in syrup, perfect for champagne cocktails, have gone into the present cupboard. Another saving.
Between these and other savings around the home we have acquired a $416 savings this week. Life is good.
Kelsey your husbands efforts at making you somewhere to hide the pantry buckets is simply divine! How clever! Thanks for letting Annabel share this with us. I'm adding yet something else the the load of things I want my husband to make for me.
Dear Jane,
DeleteThank you! It is such a blessing that our husbands are able to build us things! Your gate sounds wonderful and so does the arrangement you have with your neighbours.
I hope your pet's recovery goes smoothly.
With love, Kelsey
Dear Annabel and Kelsey. First of all, I have to say I've been admiring 'Tiny Houses' on the syndicated TV show of the same name, and I'm very enamoured with the idea. Yours looks gorgeous Kelsey. How clever is your husband to build you that gorgeous chest? Just the sort of thing we all love, and don't necessarily have clever husbands to build...lol! This week I saved money by doing my own nails using the Jamberry nail wraps which my daughter-in-law now sells from home. These are beautiful 'sticker' type nail embellishments that are activated by heat from either a hair dryer or their own special little heater thing. It works beautifully, no waiting for nails to dry, and lasts up to two weeks. Savings there of about $70 a fortnight, as I had unwittingly had a bit of spare cash one day a little while back and treated myself to a Shellac manicure, thereby starting a new addiction! I loved the long wearing effect, but not the price, so this is a good alternative! I did a lot of cooking on the weekend. Sweet potato is inexpensive here just now so I made a huge batch of sweet potato, ginger and nutmeg soup, that yielded three meals, which will save us on a tired night. 10 chicken thighs bought on special for $8 went into the slow cooker with soy, barbecue and sweet chilli sauce (who needs packet mixes....not me!), yielding another three or even four dinners and lunches. I made a sweet and salty white chocolate, nut mix & popcorn slab, and little vanilla cakes for my daughters lunches, and making lunches always saves at least $100 a week. Car cleaning, house cleaning, ironing, all save another $150-$200 on having someone else do those jobs, and I had a great week generating gifts which will ultimately save up to $400 on upcoming birthdays. So for me, a tally of around $800 if you factor in the savings on take away meals on tired nights. I'm happy with that. Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteDear Mimi,
DeleteThank you! Yes, I am very blessed to have a husband who builds me things. And he LIKES to! He's definitely a keeper ;)
Your nut mix and popcorn slab sounds delicious! You always have such fabulous savings, too.
With love, Kelsey
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYou have had another great week and month! I could really relate to needing to write the savings down! I have neglected that the last few weeks and know that I have forgotten quite a bit. At least forgetting doesn't cost anything :-).
In spite of my carelessness, my total for May came out to $561.74. We are eating quite a bit from the freezer in order to use the food in a timely manner and also save a bit of money.
My little container garden has provided a few cherry tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, green beans and zucchini. My daughter and her in laws have shared some delicious heirloom tomatoes. I am saving seeds from them in the hope of growing some myself next year.
Since they had received more than could be used for the food pantry, they were giving away produce after church. I was able to get 10 pounds of potatoes, 4 squash, 2 onions, 2 tomatoes and a huge cabbage.
I am still working on organizing and decluttering. I washed the blackout curtain and glass sliding door in our bedroom. Next, I want to hang the new curtains I bought on sale. I think it will give the room a fresh, new look.
Thank you for your lovely post and encouragement! Elaine
Boy you have done well and so had Kelsey! I love the bench her husband built. I just posted on my blog my money savings for the past week. I usually post it on Fridays but I had family here so it went up this morning instead. :) Be blessed!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie! I am passing these comments on to my husband!
DeleteLove, Kelsey
Kelsey I love the window seat that your husband built for your extra storage, thank you for sharing it with us. It looks like it was built just for the buckets.
ReplyDeleteLast week I didn't really record my savings - I know when I topped up the freezer with chicken breast fillets I saved around $4- a kilo. I purchased around 5 kilos worth so that was a saving of $20-. Well worth the expense of running the car to get there.
I used my $40- voucher last Monday (last day) to buy linen for our daughter for Christmas - saved $92- because there was also another special running which I took advantage of.
Now I need to wait for a similar special to pick up linen for our son for Christmas.
Tuesdays our local IGA puts markdowns in their special box ( only the ones that do not require refrigeration) - apart from some Croissants and Turkish bread rolls being marked down I picked up 4 x 375gram packets of dried apricots for a $1- each - normally $6-50 a packet and a packet of trail mix - 375 grams for $1- - normally $9-85. I ended up paying $13-60 for $48- worth of goods.
Some weeks they have really good bargains and other weeks there are none.
I am 'home alone' again this week and have decided to swap some things around - the light is better in the office so I am moving the craft items into there and the books into the sitting room.
Before the books go into the bookcase I am going to make some hard decisions on whether I want to keep them or sell them.
Have a great week everyone.
Lynette
XXXXX
Dear Lynette,
DeleteThank you! We knew we could fit about four buckets in that space, so we made sure the box could fit them comfortably. Thankfully we have a place close to the kitchen at the ranch that the bench will fit nicely in, too!
Have a good week, Lynette!
With love, Kelsey
This is a great idea Kelsey! So practical BUT very pretty! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, JES! You have a talent for making practical things pretty, yourself! I think it is nice when things can be both ;)
DeleteLove, Kelsey
Hi Annabel!
ReplyDeleteI've thoroughly enjoyed this post, featuring the beautiful storage box contributed by Kelsey and her husband!! When I saw Kelsey's name in the title, I was really, really pleased. I asked myself, "Is this Kelsey - THE Kelsey?!!" I love to see Kelsey's work, and her husband's. Never mind if lunch was going to be a little later; I read it then and there!! You and Andy have worked the week well! I'm still remembering your story about the baker's stand!! That's heartwarming!
It's funny, for years I've been thinking that old plywood tea chests would solve some storage problems. With a light stain and some Danish oil, they would look more of furniture quality. Do you think I've found any yet?!! If I don't find some soon, I will be needing my husband's help to make storage boxes - as Kelsey has done! Kelsey, I like the style and colour of your storage box, and the kitchen dresser. My husband commented, too, saying your husband has done a professional job, and that, in the US, you have some nice furniture - in this case, the dresser!
Annabel, I always look forward to Show and Tell, and every post, really! Postponing the upcoming Show and Tell is great; I get more time to try to get things together! So much fine weather means that the little indoor projects, that suit inclement weather, are still waiting!
How have I saved money in the last week? I do the work that nobody else could just come along and take over for! I know the general running of the property, with all its uniqueness, and I work at various tasks to make things work, as does my husband. After all, not everyone knows how to sit in front of a warm fire at night working four little needles to make my husband a lovingly knitted pair of socks! As far as I know, Jen from NS and I are the only Bluebirds hooked (or needled?) on knitting socks. I finish a pair and then decide I need more practice, so I start another pair! Actually, it's very satisfying, and soothing - once one knows how! I am sure Jen agrees.
Of course, I had the benefit of the op shopping, and, also, we're finding small town shopping is saving us dollars ( not "US dollars", dear computer!), time and stress. It's wonderful, really!
Winter is here, yet the day time is beautifully clear, with blue skies and sunshine - just how we like it!!
With warm, fireside regards,
Rachel Holt
Dear Rachel,
DeleteThank you so much for your comments! They made me smile :)
I think a tea chest would work great. My husband actually made our bench out of plywood, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!
As for the kitchen hutch, it was the first piece of furniture we ever bought. It was purchased second hand and was in pretty rough shape. But I saw its potential! I stripped the old layers (there were several) of paint, sanded it, and gave it a fresh coat of white paint and new hardware. It has become one of my favorite pieces. I keep glassware in the top part and my kitchen linens down below.
Thank you for your kindness, Rachel. Your husband's compliments mean a lot, too, as I know how handy he is!
With love, Kelsey
Hi Rachel,
DeleteNice of you to mention me! I think of you often when I'm knitting socks!
xx Jen in NS
Hi Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI have been out of contact for the last 2 1/2 weeks but have now git my computer back and have spent the last hour and a half catching up on all that you and your lovely ladies have been up to.
My oh my you have all been hard at it.
we had to go to Mildura an unplanned trip which takes between 7-10 hours depending on how well our backs are holding up to the drive but this time I thought ahead and took my knitting and so the trip didn't seem so bad this time, it's quite a monotonous trip normally. apart from the heartbreaking funeral ( the reason fro the trip) we managed to catch up with other friends and came home with
12 pumpkins. ( have only used one so far - huge pot of soup and a very yummy Pumpkin spice cake made pumpkin- potato mash looks like it'll be on the menu for many weeks to come along with risotto and pumpkin gnocchi) went to trentham estate and lashed out on 1 dozen bottles of champagne which we can't seem to find in Melbourne bottle shops and I like to support the smaller guys if possible a little more expensive but it will go into the luxury hampers i'm planning for 3 friends, found a lovely jumper in my new smaller size :) for $3.00 at a tiny op shop in Dareton came home to the garden producing Broccoli, herbs and three of our teenage chickens deciding they are roosters and announcing daybreak to the world- as we live in the suburbs no roosters allowed so now 2 are in the freezer and one was our meat for three meals last week, braised with a Donna Hay recipe in milk, then leftovers
shredded half for a pasta with mushrooms, cream wine sauce and a bit our the braising milk mix which had jellied up like stock was added - very yummy - better than the day
before. then finally skipped a day and the last of the shredded chicken with brocc, beans from freezer and carrot and celery with satay sauce and rice. Very cheap
week for housekeeping luckily as we have the trip and computer repairs ( broken screen:( to make up now.
better stop now but have missed you all so much
Harper looks delightful and I bet her birthday was beautiful,
Cheers, Bevo xx
Wow! Your rooster dishes sound divine!
Deletexx Jen in NS
Beautiful and practical, too, Kelsey!
ReplyDeletexx Jen in NS
Thanks, Jen! I hope your week is going well!
DeleteLove, Kelsey
You've won my heart Kelsey! As everyone knows I love buckets!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Vicky
Yay, Vicky! Thank you! Buckets have so many uses, what's not to love?
DeleteHave a good week!
Love, Kelsey
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYou had a really great week as per usual! Mine was good as well. Actually my tally is only 350.00 as I had a few days I didn't track due to all of the events and such, but I'll still take it! My totals were from sale items, baking, lunches, a few rebates, and the difference between retail and thrifted items. All of this adds up and it makes such a difference not only to the budget, but definitely my attitude about my contribution to the home. As you know my hubby sees me as invaluable at home, but sometimes I am the one who doubts myself. I am glad to say that has become the exception, especially since this challenge started and I really started paying better attention to what I "bring in"!
Dear Kelsey,
**swooning** over your bench! I positively love it, what a way to hide necessities! I am doing something similar in a bedroom and the hallway as our closets are not big, but we have 6 members in our household. I am glad your hubby is so handy, what a nice match to your resourcefulness :). I love your contribution, thank you for letting Annabel share it here with us.
Much Love,
Colette xxx
Dear Colette,
DeleteThank you! Things like this can be such a huge help when storage is an issue. We have added a few free standing cabinets to part of our kitchen, as well, and I don't know what I would do without them now! I love things like armoires, cabinets, hutches- pretty furniture that hides the not-so-pretty.
I hope you are having a wonderful week :)
With love, Kelsey
Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteRestaurants do this very thing. Their seating benches in both the lobby area and at the dining booths open up for storage just like your husband made. Spot on! I love the quality of his work. He really did a fantastic job! Your cushion will take it over the top, too.
My husband made me a pair of these for our Mission House years ago in Manila. I too made cushions for them. We made the benches long enough to place a foldable 6-foot table in between for dinners. In between time, they just sat there looking pretty for visitors to sit upon in the downstairs sala.
I am thinking about the empty spaces between the cylindrical buckets and thought of Mother's-- wait for it-- kitty litter lidded buckets which are cubed instead. Also instead, you could make wood separators, dividing the bench into quarters, line them (or double-line) with clean plastic trash bags, twist tie them shut to keep bugs out and no buckets needed. Put a scoop inside for refilling those kitchen canisters.
In restaurants, benches hold cups, napkins, etc.-- all kinds of supplies. Amazing use of hidden space. This concept is also used in RVs. We live in one for about 12 months every four years as we travel to raise funds for our ministry. In our kitchen banquettes are: (1) my shoes, (2) my craft/sewing machine and supplies. Under our RV (caravan) sofa that pulls up is our electric heater and fans, whichever season they're not needed, two-burner mini-stove, extension cords, etc. You could store small electric appliances in there and free up space in your pantry.
OK, I'm done with ideas! LOL! Go Kelsey!
*hugs* to you Annabel, from Honolulu, Hawai'i where we're celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary.
Kelley~
Kelley, 35 years is incredible! Congratulations to you and your Highwayman, to God be thanks and glory!
DeleteXo,
Colette xxx
Dear Kelley,
DeleteYour ideas are fantastic! Your pair of benches with a table between them sounds wonderful. So useful, yet attractive.
I didn't know that about the restaurants, but it makes sense, as efficiency would be a top priority. Curiosity is going to get the best of me next time we go out to eat, I think, lol!
Thank you so much, Kelley, and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! I hope you and your husband have a lovely time in Hawaii and enjoy many more happy years together :)
With love, Kelsey
Thank you, Colette. You remember me from my former blog, Kelley Highway. I am so touched!
Delete*hugs* Colette!
Kelley~
Thank you, Kelsey! We have had a lovely time on O'ahu! Back home to Guam tomorrow!
Delete*hugs* Kelsey!
Kelley~
Thank you Annabel and Kelsey for your wonderful post. Kelsey, I always so look forward to your contributions. That pantry storage is absolutely beautiful! So clever! It can hold so much and is so attractive. Great teamwork with your husband. It makes me want to think outside the square with our storage. It's such a creative idea. Love, Bridge
ReplyDeleteDear Bridge,
DeleteThank you for such kindness! Likewise, I always enjoy reading your comments and seeing what you have been up to. It sounds like you have such a happy home full of love.
With love, Kelsey
Kelsey, what a brilliant idea and what a superb job your husband has done! :-)
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine how fabulous a long cushion would look on top of it as well. xo
Thank you, Kaye! I'm just waiting to find the right fabric!
DeleteLove, Kelsey
Bravo to Kelsey and her husband for the stunning bench! Who wouldn't love to have a custom window seat like that? Great job!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Leigh
Thank you so much, Leigh!
DeleteLove, Kelsey
Gardenpat May 30, 2016
ReplyDeleteThis week I bought 20 lbs of ground beef on sale for $1.99/ lb and turned it into 3 dozen hamburger patties ( Oh, how I love my little $4 hamburger press that makes 6 burgers at a time!), 3 dozen taco rice burritos, 50 beef and bean burritos and 5 quart size ziplocs of cooked & crumbled ground beef for easy meal prep! The savings in time and money by having these ready to use in my freezer is enormous!!!
I also bought 8 dozen ears of corn for 10 cents an ear! This is the lowest price point it ever gets to and only happens Memorial Day weekend and maybe 4th of July (but not always!) I cleaned, blanched, chilled in cold water, then took the kernels off the cobs. Filled Foodsaver bags with 24 oz each and vacuum sealed! I ended up with 30 bags of frozen corn that saved me over $65 (compared to buying frozen corn!) This will see us through the year!
We continued work on our front fence with the cedar fencing we bought from a neighbor and spent Saturday cutting and installing our "new" fencing! The total cost for the fence, including the materials we needed to buy additionally, will be about $200! A comparable real cedar fence would cost about $800 in materials plus $500+ for someone to remove old fencing and posts and put in new fence posts and cement and install this fence! And it looks amazing!!! Our 3 local sons and 1 son-in-law dug out the old 4x4 fence posts and cement and helped put in new posts and cement them in. Then, hubby and I cut and built the rest of the fencing and installed almost all of it on Saturday morning!
We continue to sell our recycled planter boxes from free pallets we deconstruct and also got a special order for recycled pallet Ohio shaped wall hangings. That brought in an additional $150 this week and it looks like we may be making about $900 more of the Ohio wall hangings for this client! It's amazing to us the opportunities to earn and save money that are laid at our doorstep if we open our eyes to them!!
Hubby was able to upgrade several of his larger power tools at a once a year sale this week. He spent almost $500 (gasp!) but saved over $1000! We consider these an investment and worth it!
Hubby is looking at things to build with the leftover free 2 x4s from the pallets and is happily constructing some outdoor Furniture that we may also market.
Our minivan was leaking PS fluid and mechanic told us that he saw other issues coming up with it that made him advise us not to repair PS. How we appreciated his honesty. We started looking on Craigslist for a replacement and found a wonderful minivan with stow away seats (we are getting older and don't want to depend on helpers to hoist seats out when we want to carry something! Because we drove out into the country (farther than most people in our big city would consider) we got this 2005 minivan for only $1000 ! The original owner told us of a couple possible problems so we took it right away to our mechanic. He did a thorough check and found that it doesn't need any repairs and is in fine shape! Another blessing! We again used cash from our savings for this so no car payments!!
All in all, a terrific week!
Hello Garden Pat,
DeleteI've never replied here but I live in Ohio and wanted to ask where your husband bought his power tools this week. My husband is needing to update as well so I would appreciate the info. Thanks for sharing your savings and creativity; it is such an encouragement to me!
Terri- sorry I didn't get back to you sooner- hubby went to Harbor Freight and bought a 12" sliding compound miter saw (we have a 10" one that doesn't slide that we may sell), a larger sawsall (reciprocating saw) for deconstructing our wood pallets quickly (we have two medium ones already), a contractor size nail gun ( we used for putting up fencing we built) and a number of other things! He checked the ratings and reviews and was happy with what he learned!
DeleteThank you everyone for your comments and well done on the savings last week! Thank you especially to Kelsey for sharing her photos and storage idea. It was great.
ReplyDeleteI have been to the farm to see my Dad for his birthday! It was a great trip and lots to tell tomorrow! I am sorry I can't reply individually for this post as I normally do. I think if I do I will not get tomorrows post done at all. So thank you everyone and see you tomorrow for the end of the week catch up! With love Annabel.xxx
*hugs* Annabel!
DeleteKelley~
Dear Annabel,
DeleteThank you so much for featuring our pantry bench! It is exciting to see my pictures on Bluebirds, and all of the ladies have been so kind and encouraging.
I have been reading everyone's lovely comments to my husband and they have put a smile on his face, as well as mine, each time. Thank you again, Annabel, and everyone!
With lots of love, Kelsey
I didn't comment, but Kelsey that is a great pantry bench. Talk about thinking outside the square, it sure is a pantry but in bench form. I love the detail on it and the lovely feet. You have certainly got it stacked well with those buckets too.
ReplyDeleteFi
Thank you, Fiona! It has been such a big help with storage and I'm starting to fill in the spaces between the buckets now. I think it adds a lot to the appearance of the kitchen, too. Thank you so much for commenting!
DeleteWith love, Kelsey