Five Frugal Things | dairy markdowns, two repairs, & more
1. I paid my car insurance bill all at once
It's less expensive to pay up front rather than monthly, so that's what I opt for.
Once you've done this a single time, then it's not too hard to maintain. You just put the annual amount divided by twelve into a savings account each month, and then ta-da! You have the annual premium ready, and it's no less painful than making monthly payments.
2. I fixed a pair of undies
I sometimes get a free pair of birthday undies from Victoria's Secret, but man, the last few pairs have been less than stellar. The fabric is thinner and more pill-prone, and this is the second time I've had a waistband start to come apart.
These are not the same cotton undies they used to sell in the 90s and 2000s!
3. I fixed a t-shirt seam
This shirt came apart at the armpit seam, which meant it was easily fixable.
Seam fixes: simple.
Rips in the middle of a fabric section: much less simple.
4. I bought some dairy markdowns
I had to stop at a non-Aldi store for a few things, and I remembered that this store has a dairy markdown section. So, I took a peek and bought a few things!
I got a single-serve yogurt, a quart of Chobani plain yogurt, a quart of cream, and a refrigerated protein bar for $6. 🙂
5. I washed and sun-dried my Altras
I wear these to work, and while I can wipe down the outsides, the insides needed a refresh too.
Sooo, I put them in mesh laundry bags, threw some junk towels in to cushion the load, and ran them through my washing machine.
Then I placed them outside in the sunshine to dry and to further disinfect. 😉
These are nearing the end of their useful lives (they've logged a lot of miles), but by cleaning them up, I'm extending their useful life a bit.
(I know that some of you will be horrified that I put my shoes in the washing machine. To each their own, but I personally think some people forget that we put all manner of bacteria-laden things into the washing machine. Like...underwear. Also, people wash cloth diapers in their washing machines and do not seem to suffer ill consequences. So I am personally very unconcerned about this, but of course, I am merely describing what I am doing. I am not prescribing it for you. 😉 )
I'm all for washing sneakers and shoes- they are certainly not the worst thing my washer has seen! I dry mine in the sun or by stuffing with newspapers.
Five fairly frugal:
*We bought a new stove, as our old one was 24 yrs old, only two burners worked, the oven would occasionally go off, and the parts to fix it would start at several hundred dollars. So we found a sale and bought one with good reviews.
* My husband installed it himself and saved the fee.
*The old stove was supposed to be picked up by the city- we can have one oversized item a month collected. No disposal fee or hauling it to the dump. Howwever, we put it on the curb in the evening for morning pickup, and a little later someone had taken it. Maybe for scrap metal? Either way, it's gone no cost.
*On a trip to see my new granddaughter, we brought lots of car snacks, and only bought some small sandwiches on the road when we needed a break.
* We went up a day earlier than initially planned to save eighty dollars on the hotel room. The family enjoyed free hotel breakfast too. Gotta love those waffles!
Frugal fail: When we bought the stove, I specifically asked it the griddle on the display oven was included in the price. Salesperson said yes! Once delivered, no griddle- not part of the deal. So I need to buy a griddle. I wanted to complain to the store, but husband said to let it go. ( He was in the middle of installing said oven and had bigger things on his mind. )
This seems to be the season for clothes repairs. I also mended some seams and sewed on buttons.
I can recall when canvas pimsels were en vogue in the 80s and we would wash them regularly. My mother would put them to dry in the garden, noses up on a bamboo stick. That was supposed to help them dry more quickly.
Apart from the small repairs, I cooked our meals, made and froze chicken broth from bones, and on Sunday joyfully ate homemade jam over vanilla ice cream.
This week I will also try to sow some biannual flowers and start taking shoots again from the geraniums, for next year. We can afford to buy new plants each spring, but this is the best way I know of making sure no insecticides have been used.
I love looking out from my home office and seeing the colourful geraniums 🙂
If it was me, I'd reach out and see if they could either provide you with a griddle or a partial refund. It doesn't hurt to ask, and I've gotten good results from reaching out to companies respectfully when I have a concern.