Accomplishments Nov 3 to Nov 9

Here we go again...let's see if it sticks this time!

I'm now calling these posts 'Accomplishments' instead of 'Frugal Accomplishments' as cutting our expenses, while it remains a big focus right now, is only a small part of what counts towards making each week a success. I had a couple extra days off work this week because I needed to use up some vacay time (yay!) and so I was able to get quite a lot done.

Made from scratch: pumpkin parmesan soup, whole wheat pumpkin pancakes, hot chocolate, savory bread bake (using up leftover stale bread), gingerbread loaf, salmon cakes, pumpkin puree, roasted pumpkin seeds

We are on a big simplifying kick at the moment and are trying to pare down our belongs to only things that we need, are really useful, or we love. To that end, we loaded up the car and dropped off donations at Value Village this weekend. They were having a promotion for Super Savers club members (i.e. me!) for 30% off coupon on anything you purchase if you make a donation. Because our donation was large, they gave us two coupons. I purchased some long-sleeve t-shirts which were on my need list and a sweater for myself, a muffin pan to replace one that is overdue to be retired, as well as a large framed canvas.

The canvas is for a DIY project that I'll post about once I'm done. Stay tuned!

I could not combine coupons but I have more stuff to sort and get rid of and so I'll  likely be able to drop off and use the coupon before it expires. There are still a couple of items on my needs list hat I'm hoping I'll be able to find as thrift items.

We spent some quality family time going leisure skating at a rink nearby on Sunday for an inexpensive outing.

When we were going to the rink, we passed a house that had put our their perfectly good pie pumpkins on the curb for garbage-- now that they were finished using them for decor. I popped them in a bag and brought them home. (the 4th pumpkin in the picture is one L brought home from a farm field trip)

I purged L's closet, getting rid of about a quarter of the stuff in there and organizing what is in there so it's easier to access and use.

While I was cleaning out the closet, I found a few mismatched too-small socks. I used two of them to make simple but appreciated cat toys for our two kitties. I just added a tablespoon or so of catnip into the feet and tightly tied the tops in a knot (tip: filling without getting catnip all over the counter is easiest if you put the sock in a jar and roll the top over the edge - I discovered this by making a mess all over the countertop with the first one).

I started reading The Complete Tightwad Gazette, which I took out from the library (I also picked up several books for L).

I made homemade carpet deodorizer (will post recipe soon!) and used on the rugs.

Flops: delivery pizza, wasted pancake batter (I should have made them and froze them to eat later), L broke a wooden chair (thankfully wasn't hurt at all),

What did you do that you count as a success from last week?