We bought just under 1 kilo of chicken breast, 2 carrots, 1 red pepper, honey, frozen garlic, corn on the cob, bread, and celery. Combined with the stop I had at Moshe's veggie stand to buy parsley root, a potato, and some clementines - our total spending for the groceries was 120NIS/$32.
Once I made the soup, I took the soup chicken and asked Craig to make chicken salad. So far, we ate 4 chicken salad sandwiches, 2 chicken salad wraps, and, I have 2 chicken salad sandwiches for lunch today. That's a lot of meat and a lot of meals. I have two bowls of chicken soup left and I used rice instead of noodles as a filler. Unfortunately, when you make chicken soup with a piece of chicken that has almost no fat on it, you wind up with a broth that has very little color. It was still yummy.
Since we've started the NO SPEND MONTH, we've spent a total of 208NIS/$55.50. Not too shabby! That leaves us with 892NIS/$238 left to spend for the rest of the month.
We're stopping at our normal grocery store this evening to pick up toilet paper, the free items, butter, and possibly more corn (I ate it all - I've been craving it). We'll see if half of those things make it into our basket.
Now for the part you've been waiting for - my "frugals" list. When Craig and I travel, I have this habit of picking up travel size items. I like mini things - I don't know why but I'm pretty sure my Gram had something to do with this habit. She's a bit of a pack rat... and so am I. I've started using these travel size items for more than they're intended.
 |
| Who needs this crap?!?! |
Floor Cleaner
I cannot stand the smell of the floor cleaner in this country. This little tip came from my Mom's cleaning lady: take a small travel sized bottle of shampoo or body cleanser, empty it into an old soda bottle that you've already filled with warm water. Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and some pretty smelling essential oil (I used tangerine oil). Put the lid on tight and gently mix the ingredients together. When you go to wash your floor, add about 1 cup of the mixture to your bucket, then fill the bucket with hot water.
My Dad also clued me in to his tip: Windex. He uses it for nearly everything now - including washing his floors. My gram also told me that to make a basic cleaner, all you REALLY need is vinegar, baking soda, and water. This is my go-to mixture for just about everything, including DIY Febreeze.
Conditioner
I have a ton of those little stupid bottles of conditioner - rather than throw them away, I made them "better" by pouring the contents into a bowl, mixing it with mashed up avocado, and slathering the mixture on to my hair. I leave the mixture in my hair for about 20 minutes, wash and condition my hair as normal and my hair is super soft and shiny.
Toothpaste
I found 3 little bottles of toothpaste in my house. What will I use them for? Zit cream! They all happen to be regular toothpaste. When I have a blemish that I am desperate to get rid of, I take a glob of toothpaste and put it on the blemish before I go to sleep. If I'm lucky, Cecil doesn't lick it off.
Shaving Gel
Since I found out I was pregnant, I have had this aversion to shaving my legs. My legs are really dry and my poor husband has had to deal with my hairy legs. When I muster up the strength to shave (so NOT easy with this belly), I make a mixture that helps soften the skin and clean the area at the same time. Take a travel size bottle of hair shampoo or body soap and mix it in a bowl with either body lotion or hair conditioner. Mix it well (gels and creams don't always like to mix). Take your hands and slather some of the mixture on to one leg, then the other. Let it sit for a minute, then shave. The body lotion/hair conditioner leaves your legs feeling soft and the other stuff just helps get a good lather and it cleans the area.
There ya have it, four great uses for travel sized crap that we all have in our homes.
2 comments:
Cool floor cleaner tips. I've started to go more "green" when it comes to that stuff anyway because when your baby grows up and is crawling or walking around you don't want her or his precious little skin coming in contact with harsh cleaners anyway!
I feel you on the leg shaving thing! And, when I run out of body wash I use conditioner to shave my legs too! Works great.
Love the floor cleaner tip. Also never buy shaving cream and use conditioner or lather up the soap extra thick (if I'm low on conditioner).
And totally hear you with the big belly in the way! My last baby was 10lbs 9 oz (4.9kg) and I just gave up the last month... ;)
Really enjoying your No Spend Month series. Thanks!
Post a Comment