No.416: A List of June’s Frugal Accomplishments | The Big White Farmhouse

JUNE’S FRUGAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS My Goal: Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.   And if you have to spend money, do it with intention.

+ File this under “Things I Should Have Known, But Actually Had No Idea”: after digging around blindly in the small opening of our lint screen for over two years, I discovered that it actually opens!  (Insert face palm.)  I also cleaned out the lint that gets trapped in the vent to the outside of the house.  Better air flow should help with less drying time (= saves money) and makes less of a fire hazard too.

+ I made a natural fertilizer for the garden from egg shells.  I also cut up a waaaay too ripe banana (too ripe even for banana bread) and buried the pieces in the soil for an extra potassium boost. 

+ We lasted until May 23 before we turned on the air conditioning.  We lasted 71 days, which is amazing for Virginia.  We can thank this cooler than normal spring.

+ We replaced a ceiling light with one that we’ve had stored away in the garage.  I purchased the schoolhouse-looking light for my old house right before we decided to move, so it’s just been sitting brand new in the box.  Mark installed it for me and it’s perfect!  I hope to be able to sell the old (perfectly nice and functional, just not our taste) light in the months ahead.

+ I unclogged my shower drain again using my trusty recipe.

+ Mark watched a few hair-cutting Youtube videos and then gave the two big boys haircuts.

+ I made a chalkboard from an old piece of artwork that we got when we were first married, almost 15 years ago!  The glass was broken and it didn’t really fit our decor anymore, so we turned it into a chalkboard for our garage gym.  Mark had a piece of plywood cut to size and then I painted it with chalkboard paint.  Super simple project and now the boys have a place to write out their workouts and rep tallies.  I’m really happy that we could give something new life instead of just throwing it in the trash.

+ My daughter saved the sticks from her popsicles, painted them and glued them into frames for her artwork. + I sewed a potholder (using this tutorial) to replace one of ours that has seen better days.  The fabric is extra special because it was given to me by my grandmother, who has since passed away.  The potholder is definitely imperfect – my sewing skills are rusty! – but I’m so happy that I was able to create something useful and I know I’ll think of my Memere every time I use it. + I made my own refried beans using this recipe.