Frugal Accomplishments

This past week has been all about food preservation for us.  We got a boatload of tomatoes from the food pantry (heirloom green zebras), so we've been drying them and making sauces.  I've also been trying to put up some of the carrots that are rolling around in the fridge and taking up too much space.

Here are our weekly accomplishments for this week:

• All meals were made at home.  We shared three community meals with family and friends, which helped with time and budget.
• Took advantage of meal provided at school on a day we had a workshop
• We made six cups of pizza sauce using this recipe.  I added some gifted mushrooms.  We froze this. (We plan to make another batch or two.)
• We made two batches of dried tomatoes overnight in the dehydrator.
• Processed winter squash for baby food and stored in freezer in ice cube trays.
• Used food pantry bread for egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfasts.
• Froze fruit from food pantry for use in smoothies and Popsicles.
• Used brown paper bags for draining bacon rather than paper towels
• Used crock pot to make three meals/sides
• Composted all kitchen waste
• Washed most laundry in cold water, except diapers.
• Continued to hang clothes to dry, either inside on racks or outdoors.
• Did shared family baths with the boys to save on water.
• Used rags for cleaning and washable mop pads for mopping the floor
• Skipped grocery shopping and relied on pantry, fridge, and freezer staples.
• Combined errands to save on fuel
• Carpooled to work most days
• Began weeding and deadheading the gardens for fall.  Need to rake leaves to add to the compost or use as mulch in garden beds.
• Had a contractor come for quotes on various jobs around the house.  Hope to compare with another contractor in a week or so and compare.
• Posted upstairs rental space ad on Craigslist to be filled by January.  Hoping for responses soon.
• Made new chore chart for little man and hoping to re-implement this with him so that there's more motivation to clean up toys in his room and common spaces before bed each night.  Added clearing the table and setting the table for dinner.

What about you?  What did you do to live and save green this week?  I'd love to hear from you!