I am in the same frugal situation as you. I no longer buy gifts. We just get together. I try to spend $30 weekly for groceries. I am 70 and a widow. I am debt free except for the normal insurance and taxes. I love researching grocery store and coming up with a menu that suits me. This week was $28.93. It is still more food than I will eat in a week. Sometimes I can skip a week unless the coupons and deals dictate other wise. I too have preserved meat and a prep pantry. Love you bunches.
I just love listening to another person in my age range talk about this subject....other family members don't always understand. I have started personal challenges too...last month I only spent $172.45...that includes all food, paper products, cleaning supplies, personal items, etc. My goal was 50/week...so I was pretty happy. I also hosted a turkey dinner, so that included the bird.
I did the 25 dollar a week challenge with you last time. I already bought my December groceries. From my pension check. My social security check will be here on the second Wednesday. Bread, coffee , and a couple bags of frozen veggies is all I need, and some black pepper. If they have some slicing tomatoes that look nice will probably get some of those as well.
Hi Robin!! My daughter and son-in-law have a small house and I know they don't want a bunch of stuff anymore. I still do gifts for them, I start in Jan and just spread my buying out all year. Nothing extravagant, usually a gift card each and a donation in their name to their chosen charity. I'm 73, lost my hubby of almost 55 years in June and am only on Social security... Some years I just fill a stocking for them with useful stuff from Dollar Tree. I know the year is approaching when gifts will end and I know they will totally understand. Thank you for sharing your ideas, your wisdom and most of all your humor. I have shared your channel with several friends.
I've been watching your Friday confabs more seriously since I retired in August, and it would be a stretch to only spend only 25 a week on groceries :-). I cook from scratch every day, and find some of your ideas great! None of my friends cook much so your videos are important to me. My kitchen spices and baking ingredients are always stocked up. About a month ago Kroger had 32 ounce cheese on sale, so I bought 2 kinds of cheeses, and cut up 32 ounce block into 8 chunks. Froze the cheese. Frozen cheese is a little crumbly but perfect for cooking with. I mostly shop at Kroger and Aldi. Non grocery items I tend to buy at Walmart. I also have a small backyard garden and can what I grow from the garden. Gardening brings me much pleasure and fresh veggies taste so much better too!
I love the fact that you allow us ladies of a certain age to be silly. Mostly people expect us to be serious at all times, and I don't always want to! I had already decided that I want to cut back on my spending this month, since i will have lots of extra expenses next month. I had done the rundown in my head of all the goodies that I can make for gifting with the ingredients I already have.
I am definitely trying to simplify the number of recipes I make so that I can reduce my shopping list to a core group of items. And I need to get my pantry organized again and keep it under control. That will help reduce waste and items expiring!
Hi Robin! Oh, that pork loin with the vegetables looked so good, and looked like a perfect meal for cold weather. That $25.00 a week challenge sounds good; I just might try it.😊 God bless you Robin. Thank you for making my day brighter. You are a wonderful blessing to my life.❤❤
I just found your channel. I'm a 78 year old great grandma who lives in Michigan..married for 59 years. I had an Etsy shop for over ten years and sold vintage jewelry.😊 I do have pierced ears because a great aunt had the sweetest pierced earrings and I really liked them. I was in ninth grade at the time and a doctor, against his wanting to, pierced my ears. I was the first girl in the school to do that. After that girls started do it in college.😊I enjoy your videos very much...God bless you in 2025!
My goal for December is to eat from my pantry and freezer buying nothing but the bare minimum of milk and bread to supplement. I already have on hand the ingredients for one of the dishes that I will contribute to our family Christmas gathering. The normal budgeted funds for grocery shopping will be spent on loss leaders and things that need to be restocked. I only give presents to my kids and grandchildren. Their gifts were bought at the end of winter clearance sales back in February and March at 75%+ off. I had great fun putting up my little tabletop Christmas tree and wrapping presents last weekend. Merry Christmas to all. May your holiday be especially holly and jolly 😊❤
This is a great topic. I agree with you all and agree with you. I’m just trying to buy one person something and do what I can for me as my Birthday is approaching and to self care. I am turning 60. I am on a budget and on a fixed income. I do what I can for others but, I can’t give as I used to. Things are so expensive and my family is not like it used to be. I just can’t do it anymore.
I am on a breast cancer journey and our medical bills won’t allow us to give gifts. I let my children and teen grandchildren the reason we won’t be exchanging gifts this year, but I don’t believe I’ll be giving gifts again. They’re old enough to realize that Christmas is to celebrate Jesus birthday. On the subject of groceries, my husband has heart disease and I’m going through cancer, so we both had to retire. We are both 71 but now, we have very little savings left (med.bills) and we are now on a fixed income. I way overspend for just 2 people. Sometimes as much as $150 a week. Somehow I have to rope that in. I’m thankful for your channel and your help.
At times I've spent 300. a week. We had everything we could think of to eat but we've wasted a lot. I'm changing that now! We too are on a fixed income and we have way more of everything than we need. I would love to have a lovely garden. I love fruits and vegetables.
You are so adorable!! Yes, we were applauding!😊 I enjoy your videos so much!! Your dinner looked so good, I could almost smell it!!! Well, I'm old to because I can remember the same things on tv!!! Take care. Try not to get out into the wind!!
Oh dear, 👏 🙌 😅! The lipstick reference made me think of when I sold Avon, a 100 years ago and knowing all the colors people liked! We had free delivery before prime, lol. I so enjoy you and many wise things you have to say. Thank you!
Talking about Avon brings back fond memories. I loved those small lipstick samples. OMGOSH, I could make one bullet size lipstick last 3 months. Avon use to sell a honeysuckle body cream. It smelled like actual honeysuckle! I would take off the lid and smell the beautiful flower essence. They no longer make it. Good old days.
Your video was fun today. Yep i am with on tge tv thing. Glad there is tv all night now as i do not sleep much. I do remember tv going off at midnight. I think you have a great idea for your month. I need to buy some jars for my rice so it will keep well. I put bay leaves inmy flour and rice - just about all the grains to keep then from bugs. Please if you will say a prayer for me and my medical situations. I had a nice laugh with you today. I really appreciate your humor. It would be fun to have a cup of joe and just have a chat with you. Take care - mary
I need a budget like yours .I need to stop overspending. Do you get alot of snow in Iowa? We live in upstate NY in the Hudson Valley. Your a wonderful person .God Bless you .
I'm with you on the flexibility. I went yesterday to shop Kroger (they were the only ones that were worth shopping this week in my area), however, I stopped by Aldi just to pick up some avocados. I found TWO 5 and 1/2 lb containers of ground meat that ended up being a $1.74 per pound after the 50% off. Needless to say I scooped them up! 😊😊😊
We are both retired. Living off our social security. We stopped giving gifts a few years back. But, what's going to really hurt this year is that I've decided not to do Christmas cards this year. Because of the cost, but mostly because of stress of getting them done during the busy holiday every year and getting them out in time. Letting go will be hard this first year.
Thank you for the videos and thoughts you share. I recently found your channel and liked the content you share and the thoughtful comments of the subscribers. Before December even started, I made myself the challenge of preparing meals mainly from our panrty, freezer, and fridge. But I still placed an extra $10.00 in my lowered grocery shopping budget for restocking pantry (baking supplies) and freezer meat items. By checking the weekly ads, I found Aldi had a sale on spiral bone in ham for $1.49. So, by shopping their sale items mainly, I was able to stock up on some other meat items for the freezer we were out of. Seriously, who doesn't love bacon at $3.49 for a pound instead of $5 to $9 a pound. And with the 7.5 pound ham that I scored, I will make my family the ham and bean soup they've been requesting. Plus, plenty of ham will be left over. Thank you, Martha, for the inspiration!!
We shop at Amish discount outlet stores so we usually look for deals there. It’s not like you go with your list, you buy what they offer.😂 We shop Aldi and Walmart for specifics. Your spice list looks a lot like mine. 🥰
I have to laugh about the turtlenecks because I am totally the opposite I'm so claustrophobic that they just make me crazy I can't stand it. It's also one of two reasons that I flunked out of scuba diving class number one I got horribly seasick but number two I couldn't stand the helmet of the suit around my neck. Our differences are what makes us interesting
I have pretty much decided to stop buying gifts unless given on a one on one type of personal basis. No one really seems to like the Christmas gifts they are given all that much. I have not even seen gifts given to others for the most part. The family members with kids still at home recently had a garage sale. I went to help with it. Underneath the kids beds, and from their closets all these toys were pulled out, still in their boxes, never played with. I got my niece some nice bath products, and saw them a few days later in her mother’s shower when I was visiting. Now, I always buy anything I buy on sale. Or when I find a great price, on clearance, etc. so I never pay full price. But everyone is deciding they want to exchange either cash or gift cards. Well…. And this year they have a suggested limit of 75 dollars per gift. Well….. our family is large, and there are a lot of kids. So, I just simply can’t do that. So, I have decided that I quilt and do other things. I will on birthdays, etc make placemats, whatever. My brother likes camp shirts, so I will watch for the type of fabric he likes to go on sale and his next birthday I will make him a shirt. The kids, on their birthdays I will put money towards their college savings accounts. And for Christmas I will make a single donation to a charity or missions group in my family’s name. I asked if we could draw names, no one wanted to do that I am also making picture frames that are tri folds from my paper crafting stash. Outside will look like a Christmas card. But when they open it there is a year round tri fold picture frame. Each of the three frames will have pictures I have snapped I am in process of cutting the frames, etc. but it’s all from the stash of paper crafting supplies I have, that if I were to die tomorrow, nobody would want. So, even if they never are seen again, it’s not worrisome to me. I have always loved gift giving. But there is a different attitude about it anymore. I don’t think it’s really appreciated like it was in the days when kids did not already own every toy on the market already. I have one niece I am close to. I bought her a beginners sewing machine when my local sewing shop had them on sale. I am going to give her sewing lessons this year. And it is a gift that will be for her birthday. And will also count for her Christmas gift. Also, I have always participated in the huge family potlucks. And because there are two sides of the family, none of whom cross over to the other side of the family for holidays, there are a huge amount of people. And it’s two potlucks. Which ruins my food budget all the heck and back. Plus. I am a healthy eater. Now, and I cook delicious but healthy food. I use the exact same side dishes recipes on the holidays I always made. I splurge on holidays. And prior to making my dietary changes, everyone raved about these exact same recipes. Now, No one ever eats the food I bring. But they won’t even try it. And I am a plain simple eater and so are my recipes. So I have not done anything to the recipes. They are the same recipes The exact same recipes they used to wolf down and rave about. I love them all, but am more than likely going to spend next winter in Florida or something to avoid the holidays all together. I would just like to destress the holidays and make it about prayer and contemplation , service in some way or another. Every year at thanksgiving they have an ornament exchange. But it’s silly because none of them ever use the ornaments. Not sure what happens to them. But, they all like to redesign their Christmas decorations each year, even their colors. Then, they put all their decorations into the attic each year. Then in August or so, they decide they want a new design and color scheme. All their decorations decorations are pulled out, sold for the most part, and all new decorations are bought. Which I totally do not get. I live sentimental Christmas trees. And I love Christ focused things around. This years themes seem to be focused around top hats as tree toppers, feathers, etc. so, probably do something different next year as I said.
@simplefoodsimplelife9632 My friend is nearly 90 now. She still wears them! I pierced my own ears as a young teen in the 70s. My Mom freaked out. A few years later, she let me pierce hers. In the kitchen on a stool. Summertime. Wonderful memory! I enjoy your videos! Thank you.👱♀️🎈♥️
If I were living on my own, I might would try the 25.00 a week challenge. I live with a 6’ - 230lb. man who wouldn’t go along with that one. He would die before giving up his Saturday afternoon ( football or basketball ) food of chips, dips and Samuel Adams beer 😂
This has happened to me several times over the last few years by several family members at their suggestion. I agreed but it was not a nice feeling for me, but I agreed because it was something they obviously wanted to do. Ultimately, now I only buy very few gifts. . I enjoy giving g small gifts and the process. But I have to respect the requests of people who do not want to participate. Not giving gifts is less stressful and saves money. So if you want to follow this path, just tell them, especially if it's for financial reasons, like me, they will I am certain respect your wishes.
I am in the same frugal situation as you. I no longer buy gifts. We just get together. I try to spend $30 weekly for groceries. I am 70 and a widow. I am debt free except for the normal insurance and taxes. I love researching grocery store and coming up with a menu that suits me. This week was $28.93. It is still more food than I will eat in a week. Sometimes I can skip a week unless the coupons and deals dictate other wise. I too have preserved meat and a prep pantry. Love you bunches.
LOL…Nancy are we related? You are amazing. Thank you so much!
I just love listening to another person in my age range talk about this subject....other family members don't always understand. I have started personal challenges too...last month I only spent $172.45...that includes all food, paper products, cleaning supplies, personal items, etc. My goal was 50/week...so I was pretty happy. I also hosted a turkey dinner, so that included the bird.
That's amazing! Well done Marylyn!
I did the 25 dollar a week challenge with you last time. I already bought my December groceries. From my pension check. My social security check will be here on the second Wednesday. Bread, coffee , and a couple bags of frozen veggies is all I need, and some black pepper. If they have some slicing tomatoes that look nice will probably get some of those as well.
So happy you were with me on the personal challenge. ThanK you!
Just discovered you and I am loving your content and sense of humor!!!
I’m so glad you found my channel! Thank you so much!
Hi Robin!! My daughter and son-in-law have a small house and I know they don't want a bunch of stuff anymore. I still do gifts for them, I start in Jan and just spread my buying out all year. Nothing extravagant, usually a gift card each and a donation in their name to their chosen charity. I'm 73, lost my hubby of almost 55 years in June and am only on Social security... Some years I just fill a stocking for them with useful stuff from Dollar Tree. I know the year is approaching when gifts will end and I know they will totally understand.
Thank you for sharing your ideas, your wisdom and most of all your humor. I have shared your channel with several friends.
I am so glad you shared your story, thank you! And my sincere condolences on the loss of your husband. God Bless you and yours.
I've been watching your Friday confabs more seriously since I retired in August, and it would be a stretch to only spend only 25 a week on groceries :-). I cook from scratch every day, and find some of your ideas great! None of my friends cook much so your videos are important to me. My kitchen spices and baking ingredients are always stocked up. About a month ago Kroger had 32 ounce cheese on sale, so I bought 2 kinds of cheeses, and cut up 32 ounce block into 8 chunks. Froze the cheese. Frozen cheese is a little crumbly but perfect for cooking with. I mostly shop at Kroger and Aldi. Non grocery items I tend to buy at Walmart. I also have a small backyard garden and can what I grow from the garden. Gardening brings me much pleasure and fresh veggies taste so much better too!
I am so appreciative of your kind words. I think cooking for one’s self is much cheaper. I cook for myself everyday as well. Thanks so much!
I love the fact that you allow us ladies of a certain age to be silly. Mostly people expect us to be serious at all times, and I don't always want to! I had already decided that I want to cut back on my spending this month, since i will have lots of extra expenses next month. I had done the rundown in my head of all the goodies that I can make for gifting with the ingredients I already have.
Thank you! What is life if you can’t have a laugh.
I am definitely trying to simplify the number of recipes I make so that I can reduce my shopping list to a core group of items. And I need to get my pantry organized again and keep it under control. That will help reduce waste and items expiring!
That's a great way to think about it! You've got this Stacy!
I am so thankful you brought this up! I am stuck in a position where there are family pressures. That video has made me think. Thank you
You're welcome! Glad it helped!
Hi Robin! Oh, that pork loin with the vegetables looked so good, and looked like a perfect meal for cold weather. That $25.00 a week challenge sounds good; I just might try it.😊 God bless you Robin. Thank you for making my day brighter. You are a wonderful blessing to my life.❤❤
Thank you so much Kathy! I’m glad you are here.
I just found your channel. I'm a 78 year old great grandma who lives in Michigan..married for 59 years. I had an Etsy shop for over ten years and sold vintage jewelry.😊 I do have pierced ears because a great aunt had the sweetest pierced earrings and I really liked them. I was in ninth grade at the time and a doctor, against his wanting to, pierced my ears. I was the first girl in the school to do that. After that girls started do it in college.😊I enjoy your videos very much...God bless you in 2025!
You have a wonderful story! Thanks so much!
My goal for December is to eat from my pantry and freezer buying nothing but the bare minimum of milk and bread to supplement. I already have on hand the ingredients for one of the dishes that I will contribute to our family Christmas gathering. The normal budgeted funds for grocery shopping will be spent on loss leaders and things that need to be restocked.
I only give presents to my kids and grandchildren. Their gifts were bought at the end of winter clearance sales back in February and March at 75%+ off. I had great fun putting up my little tabletop Christmas tree and wrapping presents last weekend.
Merry Christmas to all. May your holiday be especially holly and jolly 😊❤
That is amazing planning! I wish you a Merry Christmas as well, thank you!
This is a great topic. I agree with you all and agree with you. I’m just trying to buy one person something and do what I can for me as my Birthday is approaching and to self care. I am turning 60. I am on a budget and on a fixed income. I do what I can for others but, I can’t give as I used to. Things are so expensive and my family is not like it used to be. I just can’t do it anymore.
I understand. Happy early Birthday Heather and thank you for being here!
It's breezy still not as cold though I love you proudly wear your cross ❤
I would suggest CUMIN. Great for Chili and other Mexican dishes plus I have a few delicious soup recipes that call for it.
Thanks! I will add CUMIN to my grocery list. I use cumin but didn’t add it. Thanks for the reminder Linda!
I am on a breast cancer journey and our medical bills won’t allow us to give gifts. I let my children and teen grandchildren the reason we won’t be exchanging gifts this year, but I don’t believe I’ll be giving gifts again. They’re old enough to realize that Christmas is to celebrate Jesus birthday. On the subject of groceries, my husband has heart disease and I’m going through cancer, so we both had to retire. We are both 71 but now, we have very little savings left (med.bills) and we are now on a fixed income. I way overspend for just 2 people. Sometimes as much as $150 a week. Somehow I have to rope that in. I’m thankful for your channel and your help.
Prayers for you and your husband during this time. I pray for your complete restoration in Jesus name!
At times I've spent 300. a week. We had everything we could think of to eat but we've wasted a lot. I'm changing that now! We too are on a fixed income and we have way more of everything than we need. I would love to have a lovely garden. I love fruits and vegetables.
I love the growing number of mature influencers on You Tube lately . Wonderful to see the wisdom and energy you offer.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I think your supper looks very good. Have a nice visit with your daughter. Stay warm - 6 degrees here on my hill and still some wind - burr!
Thank you Mary!
You are so adorable!! Yes, we were applauding!😊 I enjoy your videos so much!!
Your dinner looked so good, I could almost smell it!!!
Well, I'm old to because I can remember the same things on tv!!! Take care. Try not to get out into the wind!!
Thank you Sandra!
Oh dear, 👏 🙌 😅! The lipstick reference made me think of when I sold Avon, a 100 years ago and knowing all the colors people liked! We had free delivery before prime, lol.
I so enjoy you and many wise things you have to say. Thank you!
Avon was such a big part of our lives! Thank you Donna!
Talking about Avon brings back fond memories. I loved those small lipstick samples. OMGOSH, I could make one bullet size lipstick last 3 months. Avon use to sell a honeysuckle body cream. It smelled like actual honeysuckle! I would take off the lid and smell the beautiful flower essence. They no longer make it. Good old days.
Your video was fun today. Yep i am with on tge tv thing. Glad there is tv all night now as i do not sleep much. I do remember tv going off at midnight. I think you have a great idea for your month. I need to buy some jars for my rice so it will keep well. I put bay leaves inmy flour and rice - just about all the grains to keep then from bugs. Please if you will say a prayer for me and my medical situations. I had a nice laugh with you today. I really appreciate your humor. It would be fun to have a cup of joe and just have a chat with you. Take care - mary
Thank you Mary! Dear Lord, I ask that you heal our sister Mary by your mighty spirit and that she will be make whole. In Jesus’s name, Amen!
I need a budget like yours .I need to stop overspending. Do you get alot of snow in Iowa? We live in upstate NY in the Hudson Valley. Your a wonderful person .God Bless you .
We have had only a dusting where I live and it is gone already. We usually get a lot of snow, but not yet.
You didn't have your sign, but I did say YAYyyy when you said it was, " Friday Confab time". 💜💜
Thank you Wendey! So glad you’re here.
Wouldn't miss it my dear! @@simplefoodsimplelife9632
I'm with you on the flexibility. I went yesterday to shop Kroger (they were the only ones that were worth shopping this week in my area), however, I stopped by Aldi just to pick up some avocados. I found TWO 5 and 1/2 lb containers of ground meat that ended up being a $1.74 per pound after the 50% off. Needless to say I scooped them up! 😊😊😊
Thanks for sharing with us Shirley! I like that you’re were able to scoop up such a good deal.
@@simplefoodsimplelife9632 BTW Robin, I really like the way you are wearing your hair lately!
@ thank you Shirley!
@ thank you Shirley!
Great video Robin, you always are so upbeat and funny. I look forward to your videos. Blessings to you Robin ❤
Thank you for your kind words! Blessings to you too.
We are both retired. Living off our social security. We stopped giving gifts a few years back. But, what's going to really hurt this year is that I've decided not to do Christmas cards this year. Because of the cost, but mostly because of stress of getting them done during the busy holiday every year and getting them out in time. Letting go will be hard this first year.
I understand. It is difficult Sherri.
I love your laugh 😊
Awe…than you!
Thank you for the videos and thoughts you share. I recently found your channel and liked the content you share and the thoughtful comments of the subscribers. Before December even started, I made myself the challenge of preparing meals mainly from our panrty, freezer, and fridge. But I still placed an extra $10.00 in my lowered grocery shopping budget for restocking pantry (baking supplies) and freezer meat items. By checking the weekly ads, I found Aldi had a sale on spiral bone in ham for $1.49. So, by shopping their sale items mainly, I was able to stock up on some other meat items for the freezer we were out of. Seriously, who doesn't love bacon at $3.49 for a pound instead of $5 to $9 a pound. And with the 7.5 pound ham that I scored, I will make my family the ham and bean soup they've been requesting. Plus, plenty of ham will be left over. Thank you, Martha, for the inspiration!!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!
Hi Robin hope you are well. ❤ love your channel ❤
Thanks so much! I hope you are doing well too! Glad you’re here.
Xmas gift are cheap this year. As long as we’re together❤ love your videos 😊
That is the spirit!
We shop at Amish discount outlet stores so we usually look for deals there. It’s not like you go with your list, you buy what they offer.😂 We shop Aldi and Walmart for specifics. Your spice list looks a lot like mine. 🥰
I was thinking I liked your necklace before you even mentioned it. It's very pretty
Oh thank you!
I have to laugh about the turtlenecks because I am totally the opposite I'm so claustrophobic that they just make me crazy I can't stand it. It's also one of two reasons that I flunked out of scuba diving class number one I got horribly seasick but number two I couldn't stand the helmet of the suit around my neck. Our differences are what makes us interesting
My daughter is the same way. She would never wear one.
I have almost no neck so turtlenecks are not a good look for me but I've always loved to see other people wear them.
Thanks, great video!❤
Thank you! I’m so glad you’re here!
I have pretty much decided to stop buying gifts unless given on a one on one type of personal basis. No one really seems to like the Christmas gifts they are given all that much. I have not even seen gifts given to others for the most part. The family members with kids still at home recently had a garage sale. I went to help with it. Underneath the kids beds, and from their closets all these toys were pulled out, still in their boxes, never played with. I got my niece some nice bath products, and saw them a few days later in her mother’s shower when I was visiting. Now, I always buy anything I buy on sale. Or when I find a great price, on clearance, etc. so I never pay full price. But everyone is deciding they want to exchange either cash or gift cards. Well…. And this year they have a suggested limit of 75 dollars per gift. Well….. our family is large, and there are a lot of kids. So, I just simply can’t do that. So, I have decided that I quilt and do other things. I will on birthdays, etc make placemats, whatever. My brother likes camp shirts, so I will watch for the type of fabric he likes to go on sale and his next birthday I will make him a shirt. The kids, on their birthdays I will put money towards their college savings accounts. And for Christmas I will make a single donation to a charity or missions group in my family’s name. I asked if we could draw names, no one wanted to do that I am also making picture frames that are tri folds from my paper crafting stash. Outside will look like a Christmas card. But when they open it there is a year round tri fold picture frame. Each of the three frames will have pictures I have snapped I am in process of cutting the frames, etc. but it’s all from the stash of paper crafting supplies I have, that if I were to die tomorrow, nobody would want. So, even if they never are seen again, it’s not worrisome to me. I have always loved gift giving. But there is a different attitude about it anymore. I don’t think it’s really appreciated like it was in the days when kids did not already own every toy on the market already. I have one niece I am close to. I bought her a beginners sewing machine when my local sewing shop had them on sale. I am going to give her sewing lessons this year. And it is a gift that will be for her birthday. And will also count for her Christmas gift. Also, I have always participated in the huge family potlucks. And because there are two sides of the family, none of whom cross over to the other side of the family for holidays, there are a huge amount of people. And it’s two potlucks. Which ruins my food budget all the heck and back. Plus. I am a healthy eater. Now, and I cook delicious but healthy food. I use the exact same side dishes recipes on the holidays I always made. I splurge on holidays. And prior to making my dietary changes, everyone raved about these exact same recipes. Now, No one ever eats the food I bring. But they won’t even try it. And I am a plain simple eater and so are my recipes. So I have not done anything to the recipes. They are the same recipes The exact same recipes they used to wolf down and rave about. I love them all, but am more than likely going to spend next winter in Florida or something to avoid the holidays all together. I would just like to destress the holidays and make it about prayer and contemplation , service in some way or another. Every year at thanksgiving they have an ornament exchange. But it’s silly because none of them ever use the ornaments. Not sure what happens to them. But, they all like to redesign their Christmas decorations each year, even their colors. Then, they put all their decorations into the attic each year. Then in August or so, they decide they want a new design and color scheme. All their decorations decorations are pulled out, sold for the most part, and all new decorations are bought. Which I totally do not get. I live sentimental Christmas trees. And I love Christ focused things around. This years themes seem to be focused around top hats as tree toppers, feathers, etc. so, probably do something different next year as I said.
Thank you for sharing with us Jackie! Much appreciated.
Clip earrings are absolute torture to me! I was always amazed at my older coworkers who wore them all day! I must have sensitive ear lobes.
Clip earrings are not all created equal. Lol
@simplefoodsimplelife9632 My friend is nearly 90 now. She still wears them! I pierced my own ears as a young teen in the 70s. My Mom freaked out. A few years later, she let me pierce hers. In the kitchen on a stool. Summertime. Wonderful memory!
I enjoy your videos! Thank you.👱♀️🎈♥️
Cowl necks are nice too. 😀
Yes they are!
I give practical gifts. Like bacon hashbrowns cheese in a soft cooler for my older children. Little ones juice boxes and some snacks all to take home
Practical gifts are a good thing.
Applause ❤❤
Thank you…thank you very much! 💕
I think I would spend more if I seen meat on sale.
If I were living on my own, I might would try the 25.00 a week challenge. I live with a 6’ - 230lb. man who wouldn’t go along with that one.
He would die before giving up his Saturday afternoon ( football or basketball ) food of chips, dips and Samuel Adams beer 😂
How did you tell people no more presents? I’m kinda scared to tell people. How do I do it ?
This has happened to me several times over the last few years by several family members at their suggestion. I agreed but it was not a nice feeling for me, but I agreed because it was something they obviously wanted to do. Ultimately, now I only buy very few gifts. . I enjoy giving g small gifts and the process. But I have to respect the requests of people who do not want to participate. Not giving gifts is less stressful and saves money. So if you want to follow this path, just tell them, especially if it's for financial reasons, like me, they will I am certain respect your wishes.
I text my kids and left it up to them to tell their kids. I just said I could no longer afford it.
yum!
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I think we are the only two sets of un pierced ears in the Midwest, at least. Carole
Lol…you might be right Carole!
@ No tattoos either. Enjoy your Saturday. Carole