My garden is finally starting to produce y’all. I’ve been eyeballing those green tomatoes for weeks now! Unfortunately the lettuce has long since bolted in the hot temperatures, so our pet tortoise has been getting to enjoy those. She doesn’t seem to mind and it saves money on her food needs, as well as reduces our waste. That free ride is almost over, but thankfully a part of her diet is also made up of dandelions and other yummy greens we can find in our yard.
The garden helps lower our grocery budget (and pet food bill). I plan to can my own salsa again this year, as well as make cowboy candy for my husband to enjoy all year. I may even give making my own pickles a shot, courtesy of my cucumber plants. The most fun things to watch grow are the cucumbers and cantaloupe- I swear, if you blink you can see those vines getting longer, or reaching out to grab something nearby.
Start up costs for things like canning may seem high, but keep an eye open for deals! You can even stock up on jars, or find clearance canners late in the season. It can be a lot of work, but you can’t beat the taste of homemade.
On the vacation front, we’re nailing down our dates and making sure everything is going to work for us- but I should be able to officially announce our plan next post! I can’t wait!
We’ve finally curbed our eating out addiction. I made a turkey breast (that’s been in the freezer, thanks to Thanksgiving sales) and we repurposed that into so many leftover! Turkey pot pie, salad topped with turkey, turkey sandwiches- it’s so convenient to have the protein for our meal already cooked.
We also had a bit of a boon- we purchased a larger used vehicle (a mini van!) and the trade in value on the car we wanted to trade was insanely low. So we kept it. I recently sold it to my brother for $50 more than the trade in value- so we got a little extra and it really helped out his family. I know we could have sold it for more, but sometimes it’s worth it to take less, to know you can help someone else out. Besides- no hassle.
2020 Mystery Trip Goal: $4000
June 8th – June 15th earnings:
$12.34- Disney Visa Rewards
$6.10- Secret Shop
$6.00 Pinecone Research
$15 Receipt Hog
$4.06 Misc Surveys/Tasks
$5 Dabbl– Amazon GC*
$27.00- reimbursement for a Secret Shop- came out of the dining out budget, because it was a restaurant shop. Tricking myself into saving, you guys!
$300- sale of car
*Amazon gift cards get squirreled away to pay for gifts, although you can also buy gift cards on Amazon! So these can easily be used to pay for part of our dining out budget as well.
Total earned this week: $375.50
Fund Total from last post: $211.64
Current Fund Total: $587.14
Only $3412.86 to go!