Five Frugal Things | sun-dried tomato oil
1. I'm using my sun-dried tomato oil
(a tiny frugal thing!)
I get my sun-dried tomatoes from Aldi (of course), and I went through my last jar pretty quickly from making Marry Me Chickpeas.
Since the oil is nicely flavored from the tomatoes, I saved it to use when making fried eggs.
2. I washed and froze my spinach
I ended up with two bags of spinach because I bought one and then remembered my Hungry Harvest box came with one.
Whoops!
The great thing is, spinach can be frozen.
I washed my Aldi spinach, picked out any funky leaves, and spread it out on a baking sheet for freezing.
Then I put it all into a zippered freezer bag for use in smoothies or in cooking.
3. I filled out the paperwork to accept a scholarship
Back before I started nursing school, I got a scholarship from my local delegate, and although it's only $250 a semester, it is the gift that keeps on giving because it keeps renewing each semester!
I just have to fill out some paperwork every year, and then I'm good to go.
That was a very worthwhile scholarship to apply for!
4. I used my CVS birthday gift
I still had a $3 birthday coupon in my account, and I combined it with some sales and my $10 monthly CarePass credit to get a shampoo, a conditioner, and a heat protectant spray for $6.
Plus, I got a $2 ExtraBucks reward after my purchase. 🙂
As usual, I placed my order online and did in-store pickup because my local CVS's prices are almost always higher than the online price.
5. I redeemed my Fetch points for an Airbnb gift card
You know how one of my survive-the-BSN-program tactics was to take some local trips?
I figured an airbnb gift card would be a perfect use of my points. It's only $25, but you know, I'll take a $25 discount. 🙂
(Fetch is kind like Ibotta; you scan grocery receipts and get points. If you want to try it, use my code QG8V2, and we will both get 2000 points.)
The past days were high in pollen and that proved to be a bit expensive, as I kept inside and out of boredom did some online purchases. I would have done them eventually and I had some bargains, but still.
- We are doing a good job cooking what we plan to eat (if any leftovers, only "intentional leftovers").
- I started cooking on induction for the summer, so I can make the most of our solar panels. We could and may renovate our kitchen but for now we are using an Aldi induction hob and place it on our counter. It works for now and in winter we can always revert to cooking on gas . We'll see.
- I used a magnet to check if our cooking pans would be suitable for induction and lo and behold two of my cooking pans and two of my frying pans are suitable. That makes for simple meals, which in turn gives me a summer holiday vibe.
- We increased the use of our freezer for loaves of bread, half used jars etc
- Before we went away for our weekend, I sliced and froze lemons and these made for excellent ice cubes when it turned hot
- I cleaned up my email archive while I was cooped up inside, and also browsed for some new recipes for ingredients that had been in the cupboard for (too) long.
Frugal five, boring but useful:
1. Taking advantage of the sales and stocking up before the summer prices rise. I live in a vacation area, and the summer groceries are expensive.
2. Ordered from CVS online, yes, they are cheaper, free delivery, and I go through Rakuten for a rebate.
3. DH and I found 4 things to sell on FB marketplace. Sold all but one over the weekend. I'm proud of him, he has started to look through and declutter a little.
4. Potted some cuttings, using pots I already have.
5. Baked a bunch of chicken breasts, had some for dinner, cut up the rest to put on lunch salads for the week. I'm happier when I lunch prep for the week, no throwing together lunches when I'm sleepy in the morning.
Yay for an Air BnB card!
Frugals:
1. I went to a carnival with a friend at the weekend. I paid for a ticket but they handed out free bottles of water and my friend insisted on buying me an ice cream. I went swimming afterwards for some free exercise (and to cool down!), which was a great idea apart from when I jumped from the 5 meter platform, landed awkwardly and got a big bruise on my leg lol!
2. I went running and swimming the day after for more free exercise.
3. I considered going to a museum yesterday as it was a public holiday, but I was super tired and also feeling a little broke, so I just went to the beach instead. It was super busy so I invested in going to a cafe on a refurbished boat and enjoyed a drink and some fries in a cool sea breeze!
4. I used my gym membership.
5. I booked a long weekend in Switzerland. Not so frugal, but I got a cheapish flight, found a hotel for a reasonable price and am planning on getting a saver pass when I'm there, as well as bringing drinks and snacks to keep costs down. If anyone has any tips on frugality in Switzerland (or trips in general) I'd love to hear them! I'm a pretty good frugal traveller but I haven't been to Switzerland before.
Sophie, I love reading about your adventures. Re your #1, not only would I get a bruise, too, but I would die of fright before I hit the water!
Aw, thanks! I remember the first time I jumped off a couple years ago I screamed very loudly and also lost my glasses! I always remember to take them off now, and I mostly don't scream 😉 I saw some people earlier climbing to the section above it so the jump was even higher! I won't be trying that 😛
Sophie in Denmark,
I've never been to Switzerland, so I can't offer much advice - but I think bringing snacks and drinks is a good thing to do. I would say, also look and see if any attractions (museums, etc) offer "free admission days/times" or are free all of the time. My DH, son and I are planning a non-frugal trip to Paris next month (DH's and son's first time, my second time but the first was 30-mumblemumble years ago). I've found some places that are free; mentions on social media to buy breakfast + coffee at a bakery vs paying inflated hotel prices; and shopping for snacks and things at local grocery shops. I'm open to any suggestions anyone can offer. 🙂
I'm hoping some of the museums will be covered with the Saver Pass; the free day for an art gallery I might visit isn't in the days I'll be there. I went to Paris for the first time last year and I remember some of the museums had late closings on certain days which might help with busy schedules. I hope you have a wonderful time! I went up the Eiffel Tower and had a glass of proscecco at the top! I also visited the real cafe from Amelie and enjoyed coffee and a crepe 🙂
FFT, NDN1's Nephew's Visit Edition (revised/updated from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
(1) The main event this week is that NDN1's nephew (the only blood relative she has who's of any use) is coming in this afternoon for a brief visit. (He's the president of a small college down South and recently married off a daughter, so this is the first chance he's had to come up this year.) Among other things, he, I, and CF have an appointment with NDN1's lawyer Wednesday morning, plan to visit her bank after that, and need to spend some time going through the house and deciding what to do about it and its contents. Pretty tall order; wish us all luck. (For those who haven't been following this saga, NDN1 is my 87-year-old former next-door neighbor who's now in assisted living, and CF is her only other close friend. CF, the nephew, and I are NDN1's joint DPOAs.)
(2) It **finally** stopped raining here Monday noon after 48 more or less straight hours of downpour, so I've opened a few windows and am enjoying the sunlight. The garden's too waterlogged for me even to think about doing much for the next couple of days, even if I had the time.
(3) I've returned a few items that didn't work out for me: two bras I ordered online (and this is absolutely the **last** time I order bras online!), and two 8-packs of Gatorade I bought by mistake at Price Chopper (I meant to get Gatorade Zero, but decided I didn't really need that either).
(4) I've moved the last of my self-started seedlings out to my mini greenhouse and have shut off the lights I've been keeping on over them. Modest savings on electricity.
(5) And Kristen's mentions of spinach and eggs remind me that I'm about to go harvest the first of my spinach, which I'm growing in an old shop-vac tub with a fire-pit lid over it to keep the varmints out. I will put the spinach in eggs that I will scramble in some of the oil left over from sauteeing salmon scraps from Wegmans. This is my new favorite weird breakfast. As DH would have said, "There's something fishy about that." 🙂
You are such an incredible, admirable person. Consider luck wished re: sorting through your friends house!
I love a weird breakfast! I just had leftover baked beans with some sautéed spinach with 2 over easy eggs on top. A hearty, protein heavy breakfast can keep me going until at least 1pm!!
That combo actually sounds very tasty!
Thank you for loving your neighbor as yourself.
Such a nice comment Jody!
She sure does live that out.
good luck!!! i don't have any luck buying bras online either. got two from bronwyn that ride up on me.
@ A Marie, the way you have taken care of your neighbor is truly next level and very admirable! May we all be inspired to take such care of our neighbors!
I also cannot buy any "unders" online -- unless I know exact brand, size and fit!! I have to see them in person!
A. Marie,
Your friend in the nursing home is very, very blessed to have you and the other caring friend doing so much for her. I hope the nephew realizes this and rewards you accordingly.
A. Marie, I join in to say how wonderful it is that you care so much for your neighbor. You and CF are her family and she is lucky to have you.
Adding to the chorus to agree that you're the best neighbour ever!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you are a powerfully awesome neighbor to have.
So true!
God bless you for being so helpful to your neighbor! Since I am POA for my Mom, I fully understand. Your neighbor is fortunate to have someone like you close by! As far as ordering bras online, I get mine from a Seattle based company called Decent Exposures; their bras aren’t cheap but are so comfortable & last for years(if you don’t put them in the dryer). Hope you have a good garden spinach harvest-critters are a problem here too & we have had to fence in our garden!
A very garden heavy FFT!
--At the close of last gardening season, I bought another galvanized raised bed on clearance for $25. (I *REALLY* like the metal ones.) I set it aside until this season; imagine my surprise when I pulled it out and discovered the bed wasn't 8 x 2' like I remembered, but 8 x 4'!!! That makes it an even better score than I thought at the time. The bed is destined for pie pumpkins this season before being planted permanently with berry bushes next year.
--Of course, this meant I also spent my holiday weekend stripping twice as much sod as I thought I would in order to set up the bed. 😛 Thankfully it's a chore that only needs to happen once per bed! Our yard contains a bizarre amount of hidden broken glass, so I prefer to strip sod myself vs. renting and potentially damaging a tiller. This also allows me to save as many earthworms as possible and squish underground pests as I find them.
--I filled the new bed with (cleaned/sifted) dirt save from other yard projects, compost from my free compost bin, and soil amendments (perlite, vermiculite, coconut coir) to increase soil "fluffiness" and to maximize water absorption in our dry area. The amendments cost as much as one bag of potting soil, which is basically a mix of the same on a much smaller scale. (The white bits in potting soil are perlite, for example.)
--The peony we bought on clearance our first year in our house is now big enough to properly bloom! The same is true of poppy seeds I planted that first season, which only JUST came up, plus countless other floral/landscaping endeavors. It's very satisfying to see so many long-haul investments--most of them free and/or graciously shared by gardening friends--come to fruition.
--The only Memorial Day sale my husband and I hit was for our favorite coffee, which we planned and saved for. 25% off + the free shipping threshold should equal enough coffee to take us into winter, if not through it!
1. DH found 2 bags of sausage patties for $2 a bag (orig. $6.87 a bag.)Lowe's Food had received them by mistake). Froze one bag.
2. Added more yard scavenged plants to terrarium.
3. DH found a pkg of sugar cookie dough on sale. ($1.00) Made dessert pizza with rapidly aging fruit. It was delicious.
4. Made a bouquet of flowers for a sick friend, along with a breakfast casserole I knew she would enjoy. Helping others.....priceless
5. Started a new (really nice one from daughter for Mother's Day) photo album. Since we lost my dear sis 2 weeks ago it has been on my mind to start a new one. No longer fashionable, I know, but still wanted to do it.
I’m sorry for the loss of your sister. Your making a photo album is a loving remembrance. Being able to select the photos and adding text about them is such an act of connection.
May you be surrounded by happy memories on this journey.
Kristen, I just started using Fetch, now I’m looking out for abandoned receipts in stores and parking lots to grab and scan 😂
Love a renewing scholarship!
My things:
1. I've been diligent about my PT post knee-replacement, both in session and at home in between sessions. Insurance will only authorize so many sessions, so I am trying to maximize my gains while it lasts.
2. Got gas at Costco while on a short road trip to view apartments with my daughter. Still $$ but less than elsewhere.
3. Opted out of joining my family for a movie outing when I knew I was too tired to stay awake for it. Turned out the movie was meh, so money well saved!
4. Checked the pantry before going shopping and was able to cross a few items off my list.
5. Lots of Libby checkouts from my library which is my favorite frugal habit.
1. We opened a checking account that will give us $500 once a certain amount of direct deposits are made. Once the $500 is deposited, we will close the account and transfer the money.
2. I made $100 on my employer's wellness app. I used it to purchase an Amazon gift card.
3. My mom gave us chicken, ground, turkey, fruit, bread, and vegetables. I used mushrooms and onions she gave us and tomato puree we already had to make a sauce, which I will put over some pasta she gave us. For my lunches this week, I will eat the pasta with the chicken parmesan she gave us.
4. We went camping this weekend. It was very cold and wet. One of the days we drove to the nearest city and went to the science museum there. It was free because we already have a science museum membership in our home city. This saved us $48. It was a lot of fun.
5. My husband changed his own oil.
lately when i go to target or tjs i just get what we need instead of a lot of extra stuff i would like to try. my son's high school had a fund raiser at shake shack last friday. the whole school got to have out lunch. shake shack donated 25% of each check to his school. hubby and i and our dog buddy went to shake shack for lunch. we met noah. we got two shakburgers, one burger for buddy, one order of fries and one schroomburger, plus one coke. it was $46. we met a lot of noah's school friends who were thrilled with buddy. they are all so nice. next monday i am volunteering at his school again to chat with incoming new parents. i am so excited,
My friend continues to bring over items from her mom's estate. I enjoy finding homes for everything and listed the following on Buy Nothing. All were snapped up quickly.
- Oodles of takeout utensil packets that I opened, sorted and marketed for a grad party, road trip or camping trip (as it turned out, I gave them to someone who wanted them for her dad's end-of-life celebration)
- Shelves and brackets
- Office/school supplies
- Waterproof tote bags
- Cleaning supplies - multiples of multiples
Her mom also had numerous cloth grocery bags that I used to bag up Buy Nothing pickups.
We have a long bench outside our front door for pickups. I like to put out a box of miscellaneous items with a "Freebies in box - please take anything you'd like!" sign so recipients of posted items can grab some additional stuff. It often works!
This week:
*My daughter foraged for wild strawberries and daisies in the field. Okay. It was maybe two bites, but it was a surprise and a lot of joy.
*I took my two older daughters to a free street concert where we met friends. This was so much cheaper than spending $$$ to see some of the same performers at the music festival afterwards.
*I harvested radishes, and my daughter planted more (before the rain began last week).
*I made all of our meals at home. We had lots of company this week, and I fed them not too expensively.
*I made buttermilk and mostly sourdough bread (I added maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast for speed so it would rise by supper time).
**Frugal fail? We've been wanting to sell the pickup my dad sold to us for two containers of M&M's before we had to renew the registration. We've been too busy to get the ball rolling, so we had to pay.
How big were the containers??? I'm also amused wondering how you recorded the sales price and taxes.
They were big Sam's Club ones. I can't remember how we wrote it up. It might have been gifted to us, but I can't remember. (I know we figured out the right way at the time.) The M & M's were more a joke. However, let it be known that we have put more money into the truck than we would have paid for it. 🙁
I am getting ready for a road trip from Chicagoland to Asheville-land. The first leg will be to north central Indiana to spend the night with my driving buddy, and then we'll hit the road together tomorrow.
I will be visiting my sister, who has moved into an independent living senior center.
I am packing. I am mostly there, but have all that last minute stuff to do.
I am packing a cooler of food and beverages. Hoping to get by without eating out on the road. Once there, we probably will.
Hoping to hit some Goodwills or other resale shops.
Yesterday I was invited to a cookout at my son's house. I can't say it was a free meal, because I took a frozen dessert. But maybe approached breaking even? Great time, though.
have a safe trip. enjoy!!!
I love how close your family is, Beth. Have a lovely visit and I look forward to hearing about it.
Safe travels to you! What a fun trip!
If you have a moment and need a rest, check out the 45+ million dollar boondoggle of the Indiana Welcome Center on I-65 coming south that opened recently. It is unreal, like several committees of people each got to do their own thing with no cost restraints.
Attempting to use a theme about wind power, various salutes to windmills are included, including a Don Quixote section. Because when I think Indiana, I think Don Quixote. Or vice versa. That is right next to the herd of bison, by the butterfly wind tunnel.
Aside from all the crap, including a salute to men aviators from Purdue, thus skipping Amelia Earhart, there is a lot of outdoor space and I haven't looked at the play grounds which are probably fine, with a mural-painted wind turbine blade next to them.
Did some minor maintenance on my sewing machine and then zigzag stitched the edges of two dish towels that were getting frayed. Also hand sewed two thin chair seat cushions together to make the driver's seat of my car more comfortable.
Been eating down our freezer during a tight money month and accidentally came up with a quite delicious version of rice and red beans.
1) Caught up on homework for the class I'm taking (that my employer is paying for). I don't know if I'll use this skill, but it comes with a certification (likely valuable in the future) & it's a Stanford class, so high quality content. Future me will also appreciate that I'm staying on top of the homework.
2) Heated up leftovers from Saturday's dinner for DS20 & myself for lunch. And, we still had additional leftovers. This is all from one absolutely enormous piece of chicken parmesan.
3) Booked flights for our anniversary in September (combo hiking in Utah + Las Vegas trip) & used up a few small Southwest gift card values. It was still super pricey. Then noticed that I have an expiring Southwest credit, so I've made a note & have a few frugal hacks I'll try to use to extend it.
4) DH made a triple batch of grilled chicken for dinner tonight, so we will have leftovers. The frugal part is that he saved (froze) the marinade from the last batch, so the marinade is doing double duty.
5) DH finished up our dinner leftovers for lunch today, I posted a new item on eBay, and we researched free activities for next weekend when we are staying at a localish hotel (90 minutes away) using points.
1. I’m diligently using the canned goods I picked up from Buy Nothing a few weeks back, almost all of which were expired. I’m also trying to use things that have been languishing in the fridge for a long time.
2. I redeemed some birthday freebies: a free scoop of Culvers custard, $5 at local coffee shop, and a brownie from Chick-fil-A. I had hoped to redeem a free birthday carwash at the location on the other side of town, but they were closed to restripe the parking lot.
3. I found two pennies outside GW
4. I found a dented but still nice Hydroflask at GW for $3. I took the stickers off using a hairdryer, then scrubbing with baking soda and dishwashing liquid.
5. We spent the holiday weekend with my friend an hour away. She cooked amazing meals for us and it was so wonderful to see her. She also sent me home with some onions that she couldn’t use. Some are starting to sprout but I will try to use what I can.
6. I mended a hole in a pair of sleep pants I recently purchased from GW.
Hi!
Have you ever chopped up onion and frozen it? It’s so easy and you can just add it to the skillet when you sauté-no need to stink up your kitchen and cry when you need a little onion. 😂
I have an even tinier thing: I tried to fix a pair of hand-me-down sunglasses using the last dregs of Elmer's glue. (No luck, btw.)
I made fried rice using mostly scraps: leftover rice, ginger from Japanese food[1], wilted carrot slices, aging mushrooms. About the only new things were the eggs and the ham.
I repaired a 20+ year old plastic measuring cup, because I like that particular set.
I repaired my umbrella swift (used for skeining yarn), which has a small-but-growing crack in the shaft.
I'm working on learning how to repair the enameled crab pot I'm going to use for dyeing and the metal compost bucket, both of which were hand-me-downs.
I spent a few days refreshing the soil in my potted plants, which involves stirring up the soil and watering repeatedly till the soil is fully saturated. This prevents compacted soil and the dried-out sponge effect. The plants are a mix of free cuttings, thrifted, and bought cheaply while small.
I made smoothies from fruit previously frozen when I had too much.
BIG FAT FRUGAL FAIL:
Two pounds of hamsteak went bad. Poor comms between roommates is partly responsible so maybe I can prevent it from happening again.
[1] not recommended: the Japanese pickled ginger tastes too Japanese and not sufficiently neutral for recipe use.
Late arriving frugality: I have a shirt I would like except the hood is so heavy it pulls the shirt backwards and makes the neck uncomfortable. Using zero sewing skills and a stitch ripper, I removed the hood's inner layer without ruining anything else. Success!!! And I had nothing to lose by trying since I didn't wear the shirt as it was.
Good job!! Love these kind of wins!
1.sold three things on Facebook Marketplace, which paid for the parking mentioned below.
2.Found some forgotten Target gift cards and used them to buy some necessities I had been holding off on.
3.Went to the Springsteen concert (was given the ticket as a gift) and I payed for parking. We parked further from the venue and found a $20 event rate, which is a good deal.
4. I made cookies and deviled eggs to take to a potluck instead of buying something prepared, despite being exhausted and having to stay up late to do it.
5. Not frugal but certainly less than the concert ticket price- I paid for water and snacks at the Arena. $60 for a tray of nachos, two soft pretzels and 3 bottles of water - yikes! It was worth it because I got to spend time with friends who don’t come to town often and the concert was awesome!
My husband went to the Springsteen concert with a good friend. He said it was amazing and worth every penny.
Enjoy that AirBnB discount!
My husband finished replacing the railing on our back deck. By doing the work himself, changing the design slightly, and using some materials a neighbor gave us, we estimate he saved us about $5500 over hiring the work done.
I cut open a container of body lotion and scraped the remainder into a small jar and am using that up before opening a new bottle.
We're eating lettuce, arrugula, asparagus, fresh herbs, and green onions from the garden. Eagerly anticipating the sugar snap peas which are beginning to develop.
I'm cooking chickpeas in the Instant Pot, which will go into jars for the freezer. A big savings over buying canned beans.
I redeemed my Fetch points for some Dunkin gift cards.
We are eating at home more often. And if I don't feel like cooking, it's fend for yourself nights.
Since I retired, I have to re-assess how I do my grocery shopping from every other week to once a month. I am in the process of creating a list from the stores I shop at during the month so if something is running out, I can just highlight it on the list. However, I keep having to add some items to the list that I forget about. Hopefully this will work. If you only shop once a month, how do you do it? I'm open to ideas!
I also bought a larger 3 column accounting book for my checking account. I don't use checks much, but the bills are paid from the checking account and I'm getting sick of asking for more of the little journals from the bank. It actually means I have to go into the bank and I just don't like to do that. This accounting book is hardcovered and will last me longer than a year, I hope.
As I was cleaning up my desk, I found some money that I will be bringing with me when I go scrapbooking in late June. I almost didn't look in the card!
1. I replaced the clogged sink drain in the powder room with a dain that is much easier to maintain and keep from clogging.
2. I sewed a 'Mom Bag' that holds little energy items like safety pins, band aids, tape, etc. I have with me during a show from stash sewing supplies and a Pinterest pattern.
3. I sewed simple drawstring bags using the scraps from #2 to keep like things together and organized - costume repair, suncare/first aid, etc.
4. I brought most of my own food (yay freezer meals) for the weekend's show since I had a hotel room with a fridge and microwave
5. Took advantage of the discounted hotel rate offered by the faire I performed at and ended up getting unexpected rewards points
Good job on the spinach! I usually toss the whole bag in the freezer and hope for the best 🙂
I have not been so frugal… It is my birthday month so I have been a little spendy 🙂 mostly I’ve used money I was given but I did get a little carried away!
I got A new I phone with my birthday money. I made a point to get the back glass on my old phone fixed, $30 with apple care. Then I turned it in to apple And got a $225 refund for my new phone. Not to shabby. I mean, I had paid for apple care for quite awhile. I’m not sure it adds up to a savings but at least I did use it for something!
I’ve been using teacher appreciation week gift cards up at target and Amazon. Mostly buying what we need but I did splurge and buy an ice cream maker with one gift card. Did we need it, no! But summer is almost here and my kids love ice cream. It’ll be fun to experiment and try new things. Hopefully it doesn’t just sit on a shelf.
Let's see if I can come up with five...
*DH made a chicken and rice stir fry last night using up uninspiring veggies languishing the in the refrigerator. The leftovers will provide tonight's supper too.
*I hand sewed a ripped seam on a lingerie bag after a bit of lingerie escaped in the washing machine last week.
*We are eating down the chest freezer so I can defrost it. So this should save on future electric bills. However, the price of groceries is increasing so rapidly that I'm bracing myself for the cost to restock the freezer.
*I have been transplanting volunteer plants from one flowerbed to another all over the yard. It's fun and frugal. My favorites are the dogwood seedlings that crop up in the most unlikely places, like under azaleas.
*My weekly book club, at which we actually are reading a book aloud, meets via Zoom. The participants live a good distance apart, so between us we save a lot on the cost of gas.
Frugal funny: I removed lots of an invasive type of bluebell (that uneducated me paid good money for years ago) from a flower bed, being careful to get all the roots. I was very proud of myself. However, DH just cannot throw away something that could be useful. So, he pulls the plants out of the trash and plants them in a place that needed help to retard erosion. I was not pleased. There are better ways to retard erosion. However last night, a deer ate them!
Re: your "frugal funny": For once, a cooperative deer! My two gentleman woodchucks are currently out in the back 40 trying their best to mow the grass. I just wish they'd stick to the grass and leave my cilantro alone.
I was today years old when I learned about freezing raw spinach!! Thank you for this! Previously, I would pulverize last bit of unused/on its last legs spinach with a bit of water in my Magic Bullet and freeze in spinach cubes for smoothies.
Yes! So easy.
O have not used any of those scam receipt programs
I guess I need to research those. Ate they only for on-line shopping? And are they worth iy? Sounds like you have all that stuff down pat.
Here are my 5 FFTs:
– This has been our biggest frugal thing EVER and I hope it helps other people. I credit my husband with this one.
He cleans off our home’s roof every year of branches and debris. When he was up there a few months ago he noticed what he thought was hail damage that wasn't there last year. So we called our insurance company. We've never filed a claim with the company. They sent an adjuster out. Later they sent us a check for $109 saying we had $1,109 worth of damage. We have $1,000 deductible. What? We were offended by this. My husband was not happy with that so he called the insurance company back and said he wanted another adjuster to come out. What a great move! A new adjuster, who we believe was more experienced, found significant damage and we are now getting a new $16,000+ roof at no cost to us. Our insurance company is a well-known national company. Unlike lots of other people who switch insurance companies regularly, we've used them for many years, we haven't switched companies. We also have our car insurance through this company as well as coverage on a rental property. Can I begin to tell you how much money we've paid in insurance premiums over the years. So now we think there's a strategy used by insurance companies. An insurance adjuster comes out and lowballs you and then if you don't appeal, you settle and save the insurance company a lot of money. But isn't having coverage when you need it why we're paying for insurance coverage all these years? I'm so glad that my husband persisted.
We asked for a second opinion and it worked. It saved us $16,000+. We've since learned this has happened to others who have other insurance companies. So, the lesson is: don't settle if you're not happy.
– a frugal gift! While I was searching flea markets for button jars, I found a beautiful shirt for my elderly friend who loves cats. I don't usually buy clothing in flea markets, and especially for other people, but it jumped out at me. It's a black top with a white raised print of cats on the front and back in different positions, paw prints and some bling crystals. There's some French wording, I think, that I can't make out, but the top is gorgeous. I don't think it has been worn and looks like resort wear. I picked it up for $5. I'm sure she'll love it. But if it doesn't fit, I can always make pillows out of it – one pillow out of the front and another pillow from the back. I hand-washed it and dried it so it's ready to give to her.
– I put a ribbon pull tab on a makeup kit cover so I could pull the cover off easily. I got a new makeup kit that has a plastic dust cover on it to keep the makeup clean. It's nearly impossible to get off, though. So I added a piece of thin ribbon with my glue gun so I can now pull it off easily. I even wrote the company to suggest they add a pull tab on their kits. I figured I can't be the only customer who's had that problem.
– I created a button jar for pretty cheap. After searching for some buttons for a craft project and finding a real lack of selection since JoAnne's closed, I became obsessed with having a button jar like my mother did years ago. It only got worse when my friend showed me a YouTube video of a button store in Montreal where you can find every kind of button in the world. It was fascinating and we talked about how fun it would be to take a field trip there. So, I scouted a few flea markets, found a button jar and my sweet sister-in-law gave me some of her grandmother's buttons. I added those to what I already had and now I have a wonderful button jar! I will display it and use it for crafts and sewing as needed. Obsession satisfied! (maybe)
– I got things we needed on a weekend when Kroger gave four times the fuel points on purchases. I only bought things we regularly use. And then when I got gypped on three coupons (a $3.35 error) at the checkout, I contacted Kroger via their online chat. They resolved it by giving me a $5 credit on my account.
A correction to my post--
Oops! Fat fingers make typos. I meant "scan" receipt programs.
@Joyce Fetch and other "receipt" scan programs are not only for online shopping. You can scan paper receipts to the app - it s 25 point minimum per receipt, and then you can get bonus points for certain brands at various times. I find it not that hard to reach the threshold for a $5 gift card payout. I have earned NUMEROUS gift cards through Fetch!
Joyce from Arkansas,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for that insurance/roof tip! I will certainly remember it should I ever need to file a claim with any insurer!
Your button story reminds me of what I had to do to get a button collection. When my grandmother died, her rotten daughter-in-law (I refuse to call this monster my aunt) grabbed up all the buttons. (I asked for her button basket and all I got was the basket, she wouldn't share the buttons with me. I am sure Grandma is rolling in her grave over this, but at least I have the container in a place of honor in my home.) Grandma had collected buttons from the time she was a new bride in 1919, so she easily had over 100. Couldn't they have shared a dozen with me?
But still I needed some buttons. I went to the fabric stores and was appalled at the high prices and low quality. Meanwhile, one of the thrift stores was having a bag sale. This was back when it was everything you could stuff in a bag for maybe $3 or so. I went to the sale and went crazy. I got clothes in all different sizes -- men's, women's and kids. Winter suits, summer outfits, you name it.
One of the dresses I got was unforgettable -- in a bad way. It had to be the ugliest dress ever made: thick, heavy corduroy with a full skirt, long sleeves, patch pockets, buttoned down the front, epaulets on the shoulders and buttoned cuffs. It was sized for a large adult woman, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to wear it anywhere (except maybe to a clown convention). Every different piece was a different color -- the flaps on the pockets were a different color than the bottom of the pockets, the collar was different, each cuff and epaulet and the strip of cloth the button holes were on were different, each side of the upper part was different and the skirt was different. I kid you not: it was the most hideous design ever! When she put that item into the bag, the clerk looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I explained to her that while the dress was indeed ghastly, the buttons all matched and were very nice silver-colored ones, and I intended to take them off the dress and sew them on other things. She smiled and said that was really smart thinking. I used the buttons and cut the dress up and made cleaning rags out of the heavy fabric. I also had a lot of nice buttons from all the other outfits I'd chosen, most of which were in otherwise poor condition. Everything stuffed in to the bag and cost me far less than one package of 3 or 4 new buttons would have. Oh, and some of the silvertoned buttons rescued a business suit jacket I had; its brass buttons had tarnished and it looked too shoddy to wear. This was in the 1980s where the big fad for ladies was to "dress for success," an that suit came from Dillard's. Even though it was a few years old, it was a shame to not be able to wear it any more. But the ugly dress's buttons fit perfectly, fixed it up, and made my suit look en vogue again!
Joyce I had no idea that you could ask for another insurance adjuster. Thanks for educating us!
Re: your button jar. My friend needed some buttons for a craft project. With JoAnn’s gone, she couldn’t find buttons. I offered her access to my stash! Not frugal for me, but frugal for her and they worked! I joked I had “de-stashed” those buttons from my SABLE as WilliamB had with yarn! Yarn and fabric are also hitting SABLE (sufficiently acquired beyond life expectancy).
1. Let my yard man use one of my city-issued yard waste trash cans to put in some brush. He was working for my next door neighbor and ran out of cans and bags. This might not seem frugal, but I'm counting on them reciprocating, ie, returning the favor sometime in the future. When I have lots of oak leaves falling, I can use all the cans (and help) I can get!
2. After removing some shelving that wasn't working in there, I re-arranged my closet hall/dressing room so that I could store all my shoes a lot more efficiently. The shelving, meanwhile, is doing duty in the garage.
3. Culled some clothes from my closet. Things I haven't worn in ages but are still good. They are getting donated to the thrift store that had the bag sale (where I got all those good slacks for $10). Turn about is fair play!
4. Got out the sewing kit to hem some dressy slacks that are frayed at the bottom; they were a tad too long anyway, since I only wear flats these days. I may also cut off some torn khaki slacks and hem them to wear as shorts.
5. Gave away some large faded flower pots to a gardening friend. They've probably been in my garage since Methuselah was a baby, LOL. My friend plans to get some of that Krylon spray paint designed for plastic to pretty them up and put them on the balcony of her new apartment.
1. DH went through all the mail that has piled up over the past few weeks and found some Kohl's cash, which he handed over to me, which was very kind of him. I used it to purchase some new underwear which I've been needing.
2. Thanks, Kristen, for reminding me about Fetch. I reuploaded the app and found that I can link Instacart to it, which is great. That's how we're getting our groceries these days, time being a precious commodity. I like to think using instacart also makes me less likely to impulse shop, which I am known to do at the grocery store.
3. We took DS#3 to the T mobile store to get him a new phone, as his no longer charged. We were able to do this without renting a wheelchair van (saving $$), as DH figured out how to help DS up into the truck.
4. While in the truck for the first time in a while, I found my long-lost Nalgene water bottle. DS#1 had been saying he wanted to find a better water bottle for his bike commute; I cleaned it up and will see if he wants it.
5. While at the T Mobile store, I looked at phones as mine has a broken power button (I have to leave it "on" most of the time, without the screen saver). I really wish they made a simple, basic flip style phone--I hate smartphone bricks--that also supported Google Maps so I could go back to my favorite aesthetic and also not get lost. There was a lip phone I liked but the salesman said it wouldn't really support Google Maps, even though it said it did? Did he just not want to sell me a cheap, 99 dollar phone? Anyway, I did not fall for the new foldable ZFlip phone that costs $1000. I thought about it, but luckily they said they were out of stock so I was able to do more research and reconsider.
Let me are what 5 frugal things I can remember!
1. Closed the curtains when I went out for a few hours. I've noticed this helps keep the heat out.
2. There was a tad bit of jelly left and I plopped it in my yogurt as it wasn't enough for toast or anything too useful solo.
3. I have to return an item and gave fashioned a return box. It's not pretty, but it's free and gets the job done!
4. I have an heirloom necklace I love but the clasp broke. I was able to find a replacement clasp and that will be an afternoon activity (money spent, but I figure I'm saving money doing the repair myself, plus using something that is decades old).
5. I've been wanting to have a gratitude journal and decided to combine it with my painting notebook. I am a minimalist, so this works for me financially but also clutter-wise.
1. We took a reusable bottle to concert at the amphitheater and filled it the water station at the venue.
2. We only had one stadium seat to take to the concert. I found a nice Coleman one on clearance at Walmart for $10 and had it delivered for free.
3. I had insulated curtain liners left behind by the previous owner of our house. They were too long for where I wanted to use them, so I trimmed them to the needed size.
4. Got gas at Costco. While still expensive, still the cheapest price in our area.
5. DH was cleaning out closet and found an unopened Roku device. I set it up on the covered porch so we could watch a movie with grandson while it was raining.
My Frugal 5s (and More!)
• A Sweet Farewell & Office Finds: Our stepping-down Children’s Ministry Director treated us to a delicious homemade fish pasta dish for our last lunch together, and gifted me a sweet thank-you card with a $5 Starbucks gift card. I also inherited a few treasures from her office clean-out, including a couple of "hide-a-key" rocks and some small drawstring duffel bags that will be perfect for the girls as they head into middle school.
• Family Connections: I split the cost of my mom’s birthday bouquet with my brother via Zelle. On a tech note, I finally convinced both of my siblings to join Signal for a dedicated group chat. Since we are scattered across different ends of the U.S., I’m hoping this keeps us a bit closer.
• Holiday Tablecloth Triumphs (and Returns): I found some gorgeous Thanksgiving and Christmas tablecloths on sale on Amazon. I’m keeping two for myself and gifting the other two to a friend who truly has the gift of hospitality. I also started the return process for a few that arrived in the incorrect size and shape; I’ll drop them off at UPS the next time we head into town.
• DIY Jewelry & Vehicle Maintenance: I gave my silver necklaces a good hand-cleaning using just warm water, mild soap, and a soft toothbrush—they turned out sparkling clean! Meanwhile, my husband is tackling his Jeep repairs. While we still have to buy the parts, doing the labor himself saves us a fortune. He's also trying his hand at fixing my bike shifter.
• The Ultimate Errand Batch-Run: To give my husband some quiet time to sleep, I took the girls out for a massive, efficient errand run. We withdrew cash for my oldest’s upcoming middle school fees, stopped by the eye doctor to get my loose glasses tightened for free, and hit the library to return books, grab our holds, and play some games. We finished up at Walmart for groceries, wrapping up the trip by browsing the toy and 4th of July aisles just for fun per the girls' request.
• Birthday Week Traditions: We stayed entertained at home for free by watching movies borrowed from the library and playing board games. It’s a favorite family tradition of ours to let the birthday person pick out all the entertainment during their special week.
• Low-Cost Memorial Day Fun: We spent Memorial Day week relaxing as a family at the local lake and river. The girls and my husband did some skateboarding, and we all had a blast swimming and hanging out on the sandbars. To keep it frugal, we packed all of our own food from the grocery store instead of eating out.