A Penny Saved #2

My goal for this week's grocery shopping was to get enough for the week for under $100.  That isn't easy with a family of 6 and being as particular about quality foods as I can afford.  I managed with just under $94.00 and only crossed off one thing on my list and substituted another.  I crossed off baking cocoa.  I don't NEED it and I also have a canister of carob powder that could be put to use somehow.

Last year around Thanksgiving Aldi had a gallon of peanut oil for $10.  I grabbed it and was able to use and reuse it for 7 months.  I only have a little used oil left, Aldi no longer sells peanut oil this time of year, and the only other place I can get refined pure peanut oil sells it for nearly $5 for 12 oz.  So, I decided to browse the grocery store for an alternative.  I will not use soy, corn, vegetable or Crisco oils.  I checked out the SnowCap Lard, but it is hydrogenated and contains BHA.  So, over to the meat department I went and found suet for $1.69 lb.

I'm rendering the suet!

I got a quart out of only half the suet I purchased!

Here it is still warm in its liquid state.

Here it is solidified.

I have to tell you, it feels like heaven on the skin!

It's a bit weird to me to rub animal fat on my skin, but it is wonderful, really!
I'll make soap out of some of it sometime, and maybe a lotion, too.

I also purchased inexpensive slices of top round steak (one with a day-old coupon on it) and ground it up for ground beef.  It was cheaper than buying ground beef outright.

Lastly, we had a lovely afternoon downpour.  I decided to take advantage of it and washed my hair in it rather than running the well pump, pressure tank, softener and water heater.  I wish I had a Berkey.  I would have collected rain water and run it through a Berkey filter.