Monday, August 10, 2015

This weeks Insourcing #15....

 
So this last week was a busy one.
 
Here's how I saved even in a busy week. You can do it too. I know you can.
 
Shopped on Sunday afternoon when the supermarket was just about empty. Got 3 hot chickens for $4 each, ten minutes before closing. Also nabbed some other good bargains, on things I would have bought anyway. Our favourite single serve yoghurts were marked down to $1.40 for four in one particular flavour, for no reason that I could determine...discontinued perhaps. The chickens were shredded upon arriving home, and provided sandwich filling, meat for soup, topping for salads, and pizza topping for the rest of the week. Saving on bought meals on busy nights, at least $120.
 
I cleaned and repaired The Divas ballet shoes, saving on anxiety mostly as she had a new pair, but they weren't broken in. Still, I'll say saving on having a bootmaker perform the repairs, or buying special cleaning materials to do it, saved at least $40. They weren't perfect, but they looked better than they did before I started, and more importantly, The Diva was able to pirouette in them for her exam. Disaster averted.
 
 
 
 
I made tulle and diamante wristlets for gifts. The diamantes were sourced for just $1 after some recent flooding in my hometown, where a well known supplier, had their basement completely deluged. Call it right place at the right time for me. Saving of $100 on bought gifts.
 

 
I couldn't bake as the oven had to be replaced, but I made Salted Caramel Yoghurt parfaits to stem the complaining. They are just thick Greek Yoghurt, layered with soft brown sugar, and a teeny pinch of salt. I know, right. You want it to be harder. But it isn't. You make these several hours before you need them, and the brown sugar goes all fudgy and soft, and they're utterly delicious. Saving on bought treats...$50.
 
I bathed the dog. He didn't like it and neither did I. But it saved me $50 and him from scratching.
 
The Diva took lunches and after school activity snacks with her every day. That honestly saves $120...easily.
 
I cleaned my car...saving $65.
 
And I saw these clever little tubes in a local deli...
 
 
...which gave me an idea for a gift for a family member who is having a difficult time and who frequently just forgets to eat. All they have to do is add liquid, and simmer. The smell of the meal cooking will stimulate their appetite, and entice them to eat...hopefully. Aren't these cute? Saving my family member $50 in takeaway perhaps.
 
Total, not even trying this week as I was so busy....$595 saved on temptations that would have derailed me had I not been prepared.
 
I'm happy.
 
How did you save this week?
 

12 comments:

  1. Your Salted Caramel Yoghurt Parfaits sound delicious. I have everything on hand to make them so I think I'll give them a try this week!

    ReplyDelete
  2. So I'm trying to work out how those minestrone brews would work - I mean really, you have to soak those beans for 24hrs before cooking, but not the pasta obviously, so you must have to separate those ingredients.. and did I see dried peas and corn? To be honest, I don't think it would be anywhere near as appetising as my usual minestrone, but it seems like a good idea for a gift, but needs some tweaking.. did you read the instructions for it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jo. You separate the pasta (that's why it's on top), soak the rest overnight, rinse, then simmer with stock and/or wine, adding the pasta in the last half hour. What appears to be peas and corn, is just commercial 'soup mix'...or at least that's what I used. It's certainly a cute idea for a non-cook type :) Mimi

      Delete
  3. Dear Mimi,
    I LOVE the wristlets! OOOHHH. My head is in a spin now...
    I LOVE the idea of the Minestrone soup dry ingredients... I have a lot of tall thin jars that would be suitable for this... thanks for taking a photo of that idea. A photo is so good to explain it!
    The chicken bargain was fabulous. SO much you can do with cooked chook. What a bargain.
    The savings are staggering. I added up the value of sausage rolls I made on the weekend... its all mind boggling. I wish everyone knew how much their work at home is worth. Worth more than rubies is what I say!
    Have a good week, Love Annabel.xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Annabel. The wristlets are so gorgeous. I'm embellishing some with extra hand dyed lace flowers and sequins. I'll post a tutorial on them soon. I used the black tulle you gifted me a while back. I just knew the right idea would come along for that. The soup mix is cute, and the Risotto brew even more so. The instructions on the Risotto specify chicken stock and white wine, so I'd be tempted to gift those along with it in a pretty basket. I would love to receive that as a gift. There truly is no end of ideas out there once you start looking. I know that you sausage rolls would be at least around the $3 mark each to buy (and nowhere near as nice), so just that total alone is staggering. We're worth more than rubies, for sure...lol! I hope your family are all blooming....Love Mimi xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Absolutely amazing! You're correct: mind boggling! Now if you could just tuck away those savings...

    *hugs* from Halifax, Nova Scotia,
    Kelley~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol Kelley. Well we sort of do. Our money stays in the bank and is transferred to a separate account at the end of each week. It's a good way to go. Love and hugs, Mimi xxx

      Delete
  6. Mimi, those wristlets are just amazing. When I was at the Sunshine Coast a couple of years back a jewellery shop had been flooded after something happened in the shop next door and some of the gorgeous and expensive necklaces were being sold for $3!!! I bought two. You made some great savings last week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thankyou Nanna Chel. What a great bargain that was on the necklaces. You can't go past $3 for a nice piece of jewellery! Mimi xxx

      Delete
  7. Hello MiMi,
    Hope this finds you well, sounds like it, you are a busy girl........you do a great job saving
    $$$, I do too, but I don't often count it up, at least not for the week, I probably should sometime. Your wristlets are beautiful and I am sure the recipients will be very pleased. I love pasta too, and typically have spaghetti and meat sauce or meat balls,
    then with the leftovers I can usually make 2 spaghetti pies, sometimes I give one away if the opportunity presents itself. They are super easy and taste quite good.
    Hubby as saved us a ton of money in the last few weeks with all the repairs we had to have done after the lightning strike, and saved my SIL Susan quite a bit monthly by
    putting an antenna on her TV rather than cable, and she gets all the stations she
    previously watched............
    I always save on buy one get one free deals at our Publix supermarket too. Now you have me thinking............lol

    Well, you have a delightful day hon,
    Blessings, Nellie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello dear Nellie. It's an interesting exercise to do. It really gives you a whole new perspective on how much we Mums contribute. But then I think your family knows that...Mimi xxx

      Delete

I love hearing from you! I always respond to comments, so don't be shy! Mimi xxx