Thrifty Thursday's: A New Weekly Posting Subject

I sporadically recap my frugal and thrifty wins and finds, but feel a need to be more intentional. Therefore, the launch of thrifty Thursdays. Vacations are wonderful. I want to do more of them. To accomplish this on a limited budget, I need to stretch the other line items a bit harder. I'm going to extend thrifty to waste reduction and environmental resource savings as well. Saving money at the expense of the planet seems cheap, not thrifty. Fortunately, most of the time the thrifty thing is also environmentally positive as well. When it is not, I'll hopefully find ways to reduce my families foot print elsewhere. Here my Thrifty Thursday wins and actions of the last week.

1. Used odds and ends not fit for raw eating apples and nectarines to make a crisp to take to the lake. It was devoured. Used up an old cookie mix. The cookies were devoured.
2. Double batched pancakes for DD2 for two mornings and made egg, ham and cheese biscuits for grab and go in the morning at pennies compared to ready made freezer varieties..
3. Washed bedding and got it dried outside.
4. Made chicken salad, tuna salad, bean and tomato salad, and prepped raw vegetables for quick lunches at home for DH and of course I have packed lunches for the week for myself.
5. Bought a massive 5 pound chub of ground beef for $9. Even though it was 70-30, I got 17 large meatballs (enough for two meals) a large meat loaf, again enough for two meals, a large portion of cooked and ready ground beef for a future hot dish, and made a batch of chili, enough for supper, plus a few lunches. 
6. Bought just what DD2 needed in school supplies to start the school year. I've been caught to often buying additional items only to find something was not really needed. 
7. Had her clean out two binders with papers she no longer needs or wants to reuse the binder. I did buy two new, but at $4 each, this saved $8 on school supplies.
8. Free entertainment at the marching band preview show-just wonderful music.
9. Was about to bin an old basket of socks, but while watching YouTube, I went through one more time and found another four matching sets, and a couple others that are close enough, since the girls where mismatched socks anyway with jeans. We do need socks though! 
10.  Joined the Tightwad Gazette Facebook group, a page to revisit the frugal ideas of the original publisher. Never too old or too late to learn new tips.

It's only September 6 and I am already at $198.28 for household and groceries. I was hoping  to make this a $350 target month. Doable, but tight since DD1 will be back with us for a few weeks until she find her own place, though she will most likely contribute to items for her unique eating needs. I really stocked up on meat on my Saturday shop with 5 pounds of hamburger, four pounds of chicken, plus pork chops, a roast turkey breast, and deli meats. I also have items for vegetarian mains like veggie curry and mushroom and rice pilaf, plus stuff for wild rice, potato, and vegetable soup. Now I'm excited. The fun is in the fight!