Thrifty Thursday-Heading into a Spooky Weekend Edition

      There are lot's of things to scare me right now-one more month of the pandemic looming ahead, the results of the election in just under a week, and whether or not I'll have little ghosts and goblins showing up at my door. I'm just kidding about  the last part-I hope I get a glimpse of kiddos in costumes, and the enjoy the treats I will have available from a safe distance-though I still need to get to the store. I hope their not sold out!. There are things I can't control, but where I can, I am trying to make efforts for my  family's livelihood and my  own health and wellness. Being able to be thrifty, meaning making good use of my time, resources, and money, is my way of taking some control where I am able.  

      Time 

• While difficult, the Zoom family meet-up was important. The follow-up messages, and calls equally so, but at least it is out that  DH's family holidays will not be get togethers this year and we will play  it by ear for his mom.
• .Moving my work space downstairs was a good use of time. I feel like I truly shut down at night, since it is off to the side on a desk, and no sign of Work from Home in my living room or dining room any longer. 
• With it's getting dark earlier, and day light savings making the end of day sun end even earlier come Sunday, I've been pushing my schedule when possible to get pup out for a walk during the day-sometimes just blocking out 30 minutes to an hour on my calendar.. It helps me get the much needed fresh air and exercise, and depending on how much time, we let him have a good poke. We take him again later, but it gets harder in the dark unless I stay on the walking path. 

Resources

• In making gift giving lists, I am adding sustainable gifts to my planning. This post at Eco Thrifty Living helped spur some ideas. 
  
• I made good use of bits of leftovers, tomato from a soup last week in pasta this week the leftovers for my lunches. I'm back in the swing of using things up and not wasting.
• While I did not meet November 1 with our deep cold and snow in  October, I've been keeping he temperature lower and wear thick slippers and sweaters. I'd rather put more clothes on and take a layer off than turn up the heat as I would  not e able to manage my own comfort as well. 
• With moving downstairs and to a desk, I decided a separate monitor would be workable. I didn't want to schedule to collect mine from the office. I took the chance that the last monitor we had when we still had a tower style computer would work-and it did. Something told me to hold onto the monitor when the last computer bit the dust eight years ago. I am getting use out of something that previously was clutter and saved the gas and time driving into the cities. 

Money

• I cashed in Microsoft Rewards for another $5 Target gift card. I have been sloughing off on the program as since vacation, I just keep forgetting so happy to have reached the next 6.500 in points..     
• I did another opinion survey-this one netting a $10 card to a variety of places of my choice. Many do not have a local  place to use, so I may settle for a Starbucks card and use towards Christmas.
• Even though I did not give myself an October challenge, we did well in grocery, mainly because we didn't waste, and we made use of our freezer and pantry items, purchased when they were at a stock up price. This past week I managed to put a few things aside for future enjoyment like locally made cheddar brats, taco meat, canned chow mein (don't ask why but one of the college kids favorites), DH's favorite Barilla pasta, and both tomato paste and diced tomatoes while not super cheap, have been hard to find and these were at an OK price. Having a well socked freezer and pantry is overall my biggest grocery saving strategy-even if I sometimes end up with odd meal combinations.

     I'm not excited about the extra bills from the various purchases I made in October, but I do feel like we got what we needed or wanted for good prices. I'll be stretching out my holiday spending over the next nine weeks, leading up to and after Christmas. I'll use the little  pools of money and gift cards I've earned to apply towards these when practical. My daughters birthday is this weekend and she has a friend coming for the weekend. With it expected to be near 60 and sunny on Saturday, we may meet for a beverage outside. She's coming over tonight for dinner-a thrifty but hopefully decadent  butternut squash-apple and caramelized onion  pizza. DH may prefer the last of the  pulled pork! I think the pizza might scare him.