How did I save money today?

[LadyLocust]

I wish I could make a batch of wings but man are they pricey. I looked a couple weeks ago and it was 16-18 dollars for a package of them, darn near a buck apiece..

I think I gave $8 for the package of wings and thought that was outrageous.
I was thinking drumsticks would be just as good or better because they have more to them.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Was that a package of four? That's about the only way to get $8.00 wings, here.

 

[Amish Heart]

I won't buy wings because they're a stupid price. If I buy chicken, it'll be drumsticks. There's more meat on them. We do have a few big packs of wings in the freezer, but they're from our chickens. Haven't had them in a while, sound pretty good.

 

[Tim Horton]

Didn't have any cash so I put it all on account. I'll worry about paying for it next month.
== ==
Actually.... I use my card likely as much as possible, for anything over $5 or so... As it accumulates bonus money rewards monthly through out the year.. I do monitor the account balance and entries on line very closely.. This has worked out well for a lot of seemingly ..free.. things with the bonus cash.. Of course this micro management includes paying off the balance each month for no interest or other fees.. I guess I consider the ...card... another tool to be used to maximum advantage..

Again.. Every since high school I have been the most penny pinching person on earth for the price and distance that can be gotten from a gallon of fuel or a tire..

 

[LadyLocust]

Was that a package of four? That's about the only way to get $8.00 wings, here.

Nope it was a little over 2 lbs.

 

[Magpie]

I won't buy wings because they're a stupid price. If I buy chicken, it'll be drumsticks. There's more meat on them. We do have a few big packs of wings in the freezer, but they're from our chickens. Haven't had them in a while, sound pretty good.

I remember when they'd give you wings for free here because no one wanted them unless it was a bank holiday,the sun was shining and it was BBQ time. Same with oxtail and bits like that.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

I am extremely frugal by nature to start with.
But I save the chicken bones after a meal, Place them in gallon freezer bag, put in freezer,
When bag gets full, make chicken bone broth, chicken soup, chicken rice soup etc.
Then I water bath can my soups up for future meals for later.
A whole chicken baked or roasted in the oven, will become pot pies, chicken taco, chicken enchilda etc.
Same iwth beef roast,

 

[Weedygarden]

I remember when they'd give you wings for free here because no one wanted them unless it was a bank holiday,the sun was shining and it was BBQ time. Same with oxtail and bits like that.

Oxtail is also outrageously priced. I like to use them for beef soup, but I haven't purchased any in a few years.

 

[Tootsie]

I kind of saved money today by buying 2 quart Ball jars for dry storage. Haven’t seen them in a while but spotted them at Walmart up high in the overstock area. Price has dropped to 14.97 from 23.xx for a case of 6. Rice and pasta now more safely stored, with oxygen absorbers.
There were no jars at a reasonable level, and no price sticker or spot for them. I may check back and see if the price drops even more.

 

[Magus]

View attachment 117935



Ben

So? what's odd about that?
*Wipes paper plate.*
I made a rack so you could put tinfoil in the dishwasher. you need an old oven rack and 4 chip clips.

 

[Magpie]

Noticed in one of the 'posh' butchers they were selling a tray of chicken bones & wings for soup for about a dollar.

 

[Magus]

Our butcher used to give that stuff away, that and as many trimmings you could get in a shopping bag.

 

[Tootsie]

There’s a local on the farm meat shop where beef bones are sold really cheap. Another customer told me that they make the best soup. Meat isn’t cheap, but the bones sure are.
I like doing business at small family businesses like that because sometimes you’ll learn of yet another place that sells good products for less. Like, another farm has surplus apples or another has great potatoes for less. Being friendly helps.

 

[Magus]

Beef broth stores well canned and if you add a bouillon cube to it beforehand it's pretty much pre-seasoned.

 

[Tim Horton]

Have made, canned homemade broth.. Both red meat and bird varieties.. Red meat variety to include beef, bear, moose, pork bones.. Bird variety to include turkey carcass and the occasional rotisserie chicken..

Kept a bag in the kitchen fridge freezer for onion peels, carrot, celery, ends.. On the day broth was cooked I made a big pot of peeled mashed potatoes to add the peels to the mix..
Frozen veggie scraps and bones went into a pot with water only and a table spoon of white vinegar... Only 1 table spoon.. Don't use 1/4 cup because it is a ...big pot.. The extra is not needed..

Cook, strain, cool, jar, can..
This was a seemingly bland, flat broth that seasoned up well at the time of use with just a bit of beef or chicken ....soup base powder... This because bullion was too salty to my taste..

 

[Magus]

I miss Mom's canned beef stew and Brunswick stews. It only lasted a couple of years, but it was great! Come home from school/work, pop a lid off a quart, boil it up, and add crackers or leftover cornbread.

 

[FarmOR]

As we age our hearing has a tendency to worsen.

Dad was complaining that he can't hear his new tv. I explained to him that most tv nowadays don't have great sound from their speakers. Because most people upgrade the audio with surround sound or at least a sound bar. He went blank and I realized that I had to simple it down.

He had an old stereo that he didn't even know he had. It was old but like new condition and good quality speakers. So I bought him a headphones jack to RCA cable for $6. Used the headphones output on the tv and audio inputs on the stereo.

The sound quality might not be optimal compared to more expensive solutions, but an elder with hearing loss can't tell the difference? And now he can crank the volume until the neighbors half a mile away can hear his tv programs.

 

[Magus]

I routed my PS1 through a pair of 250-watt Beasts and played doom. the cops were here in ten minutes.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Haven't been to the grocery store in several months.
Eating out of pantry and freezer.
Using up dibs and dabs of items.
Knitting on world's biggest blanket my granddaughter Estelle has ever seen.
Using up small balls of leftover yarn from other projects.

 

[Magpie]

I'm knitting too! Paid 2 quid for a ball of wool in a local shop; it's only acrylic, but I needed grey to go with some black for some special 'goth' baby knits- the ball is never-ending- going back to get a denim colour this week. I'll get a cardigan, hat and booties from one ball, and I was only aiming for a hat for every day of the week. I'm also planning to just eat out of the freezer this month, it'll be a tight month. I paid my college fees, but got some funding afterwards; so they will repay me some, but it's taking a while.

 

[Patchouli]

On Sundays I don’t shop, eat out, buy gas unless absolutely necessary. Come home for lunch most work days, could save more if I took my lunch but I need the break from being at work. I can get by almost two weeks without having to get more gas.
Haven’t been eating as much meat as before, too expensive. Also do like @angie_nrs has talked about, skipping a meal. Sometimes just don’t want to fix or eat a “meal.” Works for me so far. Keep up with vitamins sometimes and the buy one get one free deals are worth it.
Haven’t stocked up on anything lately. Can get awesome eggs from a friend for half the store price.

 

[kd4ulw]

Friday evening I helped a coworker and her husband save a load of money. Their heat pump had a filter dryer that corroded and leaked all the Freon out. He bought the parts and had acquired some Freon but no company would do the work, mainly because they had their own refrigerant which the companies charge A LOT for. He said he had a couple of guys flake out on him for different reasons and it had been down about 3 weeks. So, I spent 5 hours fixing and charging their system. I borrowed the equipment to do it from my work where one of the things we build is AC trainers that are fully functional. I think they got a deal for $40 labor and some pizza. (I gave them the friends and family discount).

 

[Pearl]

Friday evening I helped a coworker and her husband save a load of money. Their heat pump had a filter dryer that corroded and leaked all the Freon out. He bought the parts and had acquired some Freon but no company would do the work, mainly because they had their own refrigerant which the companies charge A LOT for. He said he had a couple of guys flake out on him for different reasons and it had been down about 3 weeks. So, I spent 5 hours fixing and charging their system. I borrowed the equipment to do it from my work where one of the things we build is AC trainers that are fully functional. I think they got a deal for $40 labor and some pizza. (I gave them the friends and family discount).

Thank you, so many can't afford the alternative!!

 

[LadyLocust]

Turkeys were $8 if you spent $50 or more- easy ‘nuf. I had already bought one so this is a spare which I don’t mind having

 

[LadyLocust]

Finally got around to working my Oct numbers. We spent more on groceries last month than we have the whole rest of the year. (We got our beef). If not for that, a low to average month.

 

[Pearl]

Finally got around to working my Oct numbers. We spent more on groceries last month than we have the whole rest of the year. (We got our beef). If not for that, a low to average month.

I replied with hugs because everything is hard right now! But at least you got your beef!

 

[LadyLocust]

I replied with hugs because everything is hard right now! But at least you got your beef!

I’m glad to have it.

 

[Caribou]

A friend turned me on to a CBD store that he liked and a friend of his has used for years. Because I'm a vet I got 60% off my order. They also have discount programs for disabled and low income. There is a process to go through to qualify, I provided my VA card. It took a few minutes but was relatively painless. They said they tried to get the program approvals out in under a week but with Thanksgiving being the next day there were no promises. I had my approval when I randomly checked my email 4 hours later. There is a limit on the discount but I'll let you read the particulars. I talked to the guy on the phone and he was very pleasant and helpful. He is a vet also.
https://www.lazarusnaturals.com/products/all-products
P.S. If you order tell them that Caribou sent you.

 

[LadyLocust]

Y'all are gonna love this. You already know I'm mean right
Last year during winter had one power bill over $500 then got it down to about $480-something. I went through everything with a meter and determined it was the heater. It was nearly 20 years old and not efficient (what I was told). The landlords refused to "fix" or replace it because technically it was still working It's now only blowing cool to tepid air. The good news is since last year, I purchased a small plug-in whole house heater. It doesn't do a great job at heating the main portion of the house (maybe 700 ft2) but keeps the monstrosity from kicking on. We also have a small kerosene heater we turn on in the evenings to help. Since the big heater isn't working I put in a maintenance request. Someone is coming out tomorrow to look at it. If you are the praying sort - might I ask? I would really love to have an efficient heater. Furthermore, I received our power bill today. The temp difference from last year is 1 degree. Our usage and bill was less than half than it was last year same time. Also, for what it's worth: keep the heat at 63-64 during the night and day when we are at work and 67-68 when we are home in the evenings - and yep that's what costed over $500 last year.
Sorry that this borders on the rant line, but I'm glad to have half the power bill and praying for an efficient solution

 

[Amish Heart]

Can't blame you. Glad we have the wood burning stove.
I did not save any money today...filled a cart at Aldi, and maybe the only good price was the 5# flour at $1.99. Everything else had gone up. They advertised a clearance on their Butterball turkeys at 99 cents a lb. That's not a clearance.