Just curious who else is living super frugal

[wwmicasa1]

Lynn this is wonderful!!! I keep moving the green tomatoes around the kitchen because they are in the way!! Gotta do something with them soon.

Please, if you have the other ingredients handy, make this recipe. It is "da bomb"~! We're pulling all the remaining Heirloom plants on Monday & I'm just itching to get into the kitchen to make the 2nd batch this Fall~! Enjoy~!

 

[lazy gardener]

My summer squash was less than a bumper crop.. ENough to entice us to plant more of the same next year though. All old types, no summer of zucchini. THe lemon squash was a beautiful yellow lemon sized squash with a very very mild squash flavor. Great for dipping on salad dressings raw.

Being further north, and colder, when do you plant your squash?. Planting in June was too late here. THough mayby lack of rain, and a cool summer contributed.

If planted under plastic, in a cold frame, mini green house or such, it can be started as early as May 10. I've never seen any benefit to starting squash, cukes, and the like in pots. They don't seem to bear any faster than seed started in the ground, and seem to lack the stamina of direct seeded plants.

I picked rhubarb and made a dump cake with it on Friday. I know that rhubarb is supposed to be picked in the spring, and is supposed to be dry and pithy later in the year, but this was just as fresh and juicy as it would have been this spring.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: GUess this was just a poor growing year. I planted in June and didnt get much. Lots of blooms but not much fruit. Maybe I need to consider other problems.

 

[wwmicasa1]

GUess this was just a poor growing year. I planted in June and didnt get much. Lots of blooms but not much fruit. Maybe I need to consider other problems.

It sounds as if pollination might have been the problem. We have 4 bee hives in our field & that has certainly helped with the squash pollination problem.

 

[nayeli]

New furniture? DH's folks gave him a recliner was that two years ago? for his b-day And us all a dining room set for Christmas... both purchased from the discount place but still NEW, which was huge.

The bunkbeds in DD's room were new when we bought them... that was back in 2002 shortly before she was born.

And that is the extent of new furniture in our house. Everything else is handmedown, yard sale, side of the road, thrift store, etc and does just fine for us.

Clothes... about the only time I buy is Christmas and B-days... DH's mom is a clothes horse and can't stop herself from buying everything in sight so that's just not much of an issue... been trying for years to convert her to thrift storing but so far no dice.

I use the Kroger & Tom Thumb Cards to get better prices, watch the sale ads and love the coupons Kroger sends because they aren't only Name Brand (which even after the coupon are still more than the store brand) but instead are what I've actually bought there... even store brands! AND they'll give me ones for flat out free items... latest was a free bag of Lays and a free bag of frozen veggies. So pretty cool. They also have markdowns at Kroger that I jump on. Over in produce, in meats, in dairy... plus a general clearance area too. I find really great deals in those at least once a week.

But that's the way I was raised... Mom's uber thrifty and passed it on so it wasn't like I had to teach myself. Definitely one thing I'm grateful to her for. Donno how we'd have survived supporting a family of four on less than 30k a year if I hadn't had that knowledge base.

Thank you Lady! I haven't been getting Kroger coupons in the mail for over a year and have been mad about it! I updated my address and I guess it didn't take but seeing your post made me log on and update again! Hopefully I start getting those coupons again!

 

[LindaB220]

@PineappleMama When you shop Krogers veggies sales, what day's do you find the best display?

 

[nayeli]

This is so true! And to top it off most of the produce in our fancy grocery stores are from Mexico and beyond and for some reason our Mexican grocery carries a ton of USA grown produce for a lot cheaper. I shop there often, for example they had granny smith apples 4 lbs for a dollar, 2 pounds of peaches for a dollar, 4 green bell peppers for a dollar, etc when I was there a few weeks ago. Spices are excellent prices as well.

Dang Now I'm wishing we had a Mexican grocery store!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THat issue crossed my mind too.

MIght have the boys do a huve for spring as a boy scout project. Win-win-win.

I have been noticing an unusual bee at the side porch light at night: very large, about twice the size of a hiney bee, grey/black striped and humming away to stay warm. I let them mooch as we are happy to help mother natures critters.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: ME TOO!!!!!

I shop at a store that offers much with spanish names only but the prices are not as good as listed here. BUt still the best around.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: THat issue crossed my mind too.

MIght have the boys do a huve for spring as a boy scout project. Win-win-win.

I have been noticing an unusual bee at the side porch light at night: very large, about twice the size of a hiney bee, grey/black striped and humming away to stay warm. I let them mooch as we are happy to help mother natures critters.

does it look like this?

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=American-Bumble-Bee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

deb