Thrifty Thursday-Now My Frugalness Needs to Kickin

     

     Ouch and double ouch. Meals out and extra few tanks of gas, beer, hard liquor, mixes, extra food for lake. Shopping with and for my daughter. There we're several doctor appointment copays and prescription regills. It all adds up. Our Visa cycle is through the 10th, and it's going to be obscene. I don't care because it's been too long since having my family together. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for my daughter to study abroad and my last start of school. The bills will be what they are and I don't care. It makes me think we need a family travel week budget though, worked into our overall budget. It's nice to just pick up food and drinks and just enjoy the time and not think money, yet there could be a pain point. Better to just plan for it. 

     It made me wonder if we had any thrifty wins. There were a few I can scrape up.

• Used multiple red peppers, currently $1.42, from my daughter's garden for fajitas at the lake. While by this meal we only had 9 people to feed, Chipotle would be over $75. Likely the whole meal with all the options, was likely no more than $20. With 5 young adults that love Chipotle, this meal was a hit. 
• Pickles we're very popular! Our cousin made two versions as well and we had a pickle "off", all declared delicious. Hers didn't use mustard seed, and she made one with white and one with apple cider vinegar. 
• Used 20¢ off gas card for all fill ups. I gave the card to my daughter as she uses that station more and I should be set for a while as I'm done with airport runs.
• I think my daughter found a creative, but affordable, gift for her host family. She put together a " taste of Minnesota" with local candy, hot cocoa mixes, and wild rice. She was not sure what to get so we did a lot of googling for ideas. If nothing else, the hosts can use the food to feed their lodgers. I found a wine bottle bag that wasn't alcohol themed and it worked perfectly to hold the items, and fit better in her backpack than other sized gift bags. 
• Trying to make use of assorted leftovers. We ate interestingly the last day and 1/2, but still ate well. Assorted cooked meats were put in freezer bags and left in lake freezer for someone to use their next visit, including ribs, brats, and pork chops. I think these were mostly my BIL's family food.
• I ended August hitting another minimal Adsense payout. That will come later in the month, but nice to know funds will be replenished a touch. 
• My daughter's last meal home request was budget friendly chickpea masala. She ate for her breakfast on route to airport too. I had a hearty portion to freeze so that gives me two future lunches. 
• I bought baby and birthday cards at the Dollar Tree for 50¢ each.

     Starting September 11, I'm challenging myself to reduce the remaining 2/3 of our budgetary grocery month by 25%. That means a $200 remaining monthly budget. I want to keep going with all October, so that would mean a $300 monthly challenge. These are challenges lumped together as #1. More needs to happen, like tackling DH's new fast food compulsion. My son gave him an earful on this. Any thrift in your homes?