Six Frugal Things-And a Quick Question

For those who have been following my "British Crime Show" explorations, I finished Shetland this week and I gotta tell you all I loved this show. I don't know that it's the best I watched, but I was hooked. Although I cannot imagine living, or even visiting somewhere that far north, I liked everything about it. I do have to say, without giving it away for those who have not seen it that at the end of the last season I was saying to myself, "What's wrong with you, dude?  Of course it's (fill in the blank), pay attention already". But I'm one of those obnoxious types who figured out Girl on the Train somewhere in the middle.  

I'm going to try to jump back into my Sunday Summary posts again, and I'll share more about this later, but I've been experimenting with Mexican Chocolate cakes (with cayenne and cinnamon) and Choco-Flan cakes (for a post-Halloween Day of the Dead type fundraising dinner). Let's just say the first is difficult to do when you are not a "hot/spicy" type, but I'll get it yet. 

Meanwhile, a few frugal endeavours at Chez Barb this week.

1. With the exception of homemade lasagna (not made by me) last night, we will have managed to eat at home all week with only the purchase of the basics (milk, juice, salad stuff and fruit) because we had frozen leftovers and things on hand. In fact, we're ahead enough that I feel comfortable only buying loss leaders (stuff on deep sale) and eating what we have with the exception of a few things. In addition I deserve many gold stars because the one time I did run into the store, I saw they had dairy eggnog-and bought none. You have to know me to appreciate this. I am an eggnog, custard, flan. creme caramel type girl (eggs and sugar, man. And on occasion, caramel). I often thin this with one percent milk and make it my personal "instant breakfast". But today, no way!

2.  My book club meets at Panera once a month for breakfast/lunch (depending on the body clock of the attendees). Recently mygiftcardsplus.com had a special sale where they were giving extra Swagbucks on a gift card purchase, so I earned five dollars back on a $25 gift card. I also entered the card on the app and payed by the app, earning rewards. And last but not least, when I got up to he counter, the young lady said "You have a free birthday pastry coming, would you like that now?". Of course I want a free pastry! And for extra points, she didn't call me dear, honey, or sweetie.

3. After doing a serious inventory of my bedroom and all it's possessions I have a short list of the things I need: socks, fuzzy socks, a pair of boots (four years in Colorado and I have yet to purchase boots), silky t-shirts in bright colors for layering under the clothing I already have and so on. After making said list, my intent is to buy NOTHING that's not on it. And whenever possible, to buy those things either on sale, gently used or both. I've also put all of these  on my Amazon wish list/ideas for offspring and secret Santa ideas, as most of them are not expensive. Next, to do the same in the office/studio!

4. I am seriously making the attempt to keep the heat between 70 or 71 on the coldest days. Those of you who are 68 degree types, please don't judge me too harshly. I experience significant pain and cold when I am sitting and it's below 70 and two of my activities are quilting and writing-both seated pursuits. And because of my knee scars, multiple layers hurt the knees, if you get my drift. My norm is a good 72 to 74 on the very coldest days, and 67 at night. So hey, I'm making progress.  

Not the best photo, but you can see how soft the screen is, and I have it like this from ten pm to six am.

5. I have a smart phone, and I have an I-pad sized tablet (Samsung, I don't do Apple) which I keep in my office and treat as a laptop-it's permanently attached to a keyboard. I recently added a Kindle fire (bought on Amazon day) and smaller tablet (free but ten dollars a month) and was wondering if they were justified, or if I'd fallen victim to the "gotta have it" syndrome. I'm now also doing passive money earning tasks on my smaller tablet as well as using it for meetings and so on, so it's more than paying for itself. It seems all those phone apps that I use to make money can also be downloaded to the small tablet. And the discovery of the "blue shade" on the Kindle fire has just made my day-and made me so happy I chose it over a Paperwhite. I've increased my passive income already and I'm working on fine tuning it more. So these purchases have been a win-win for me. 

A quick screen shot of a mystery shop type thing I could have done while I was out shopping.

6. Remember that summer goal of making all the fabric remnants in my house into gifts or things to sell? Well I was too busy sitting in the yard and reading then, but I've begun putting my Christmas scraps to good use by making coasters and candle mats and the like for family gifts and for the group gifts for my knitting, reading groups and so on. This falls under better late than never.

I swear next week I will have some kind of post on the passive apps and survey and mystery shopping apps I know and (sometimes) love, by Tuesday at the latest.

As for the question, this is mainly addressed to soup maker types, but feel free to chime in. I have a large Kitchen Aid and a good blender. I don't have either a portable mixer or an immersible blender. The blender is working on the smooth soup front, but it's messy, and I'm the un-coordinated type with a weak hand who someday will probably manage to spill hot soup. Does the immersible blender really work? Would I be better with a portable mixer? Or should I just become more adept at using my good ole blender and not add another appliance to my kitchen?

Meanwhile what about you all? Any frugal wins (or losses) this week?