Five Frugal Things | when you don't trust yourself
1. I earned a $20 reward
I have a GAP-branded Mastercard that I rarely use, but occasionally they send me offers like this one:
I know they're trying to hook me into using this as my daily credit card, but I prefer my other ones.
Still, a $20 return is too good to pass up, so I used it for five everyday purchases, and now I'm just waiting for my reward to hit.
2. I shipped back my rental book
I read the required chapters, took the test on the material from this book, and then carefully looked ahead in the syllabus, where I discovered that we are done with this book. So, I decided to ship it back right away.
I'm way ahead of the return deadline, but I'd rather be way ahead than late.
3. I cancelled the month of HBO
Continuing in a similar vein: while I was sick, I paid for a month of access to HBO so that I could watch the second season of The Pitt.
And immediately after I finished the last episode, I cancelled the membership.
I know I could set a reminder for some time closer to the due date, but what if the reminder pops up while I'm at work, and then I forget to cancel it when I get home?
Basically: I don't trust myself. Ha.
Also: part of being an adult is knowing when you can't trust yourself, and then adjusting your life accordingly. 😉
4. I got a bottle of Maui Moisture for $4
I remembered that I hadn't checked my CVS app recently, so I opened it up and found some ExtraBucks in there that needed to be used.
Soo, I bought a bottle of shampoo, used a 30% off coupon, and added my ExtraBucks in.
I ordered online (the prices are better online), selected in-store pickup, and I will grab it next time I drive by that store.
5. I was too busy to spend money
As a frugal strategy, I do not recommend this because it's not a great way to live. But lately, I have spent very little money because I have very little time to spend. I don't have time to shop or go out to eat or go to a movie or go on a trip, so, I am saving money. Ha.
I go to work, I write blog posts, I go to the gym, I do homework, I cook my meals, and I manage life stuff like bills and house cleaning. Dull, but inexpensive.
I haven't even been to the symphony in a while! (I've been busy, plus the persistent Friday shifts make it difficult to go.)
This is the routine with tiny frugalities I do each Saturday morning:
1. Instead of opening all of the mail, I put my unopened bills in their spot near my computer, then open and pay them once a week, that way I only think about the bills and budget for one hour a week, and I never accrue late fees.
2. I pay all of my bills online from my checking account. My banking platform shows me my spending trends, and that's helpful. I also don't have to pay any postage this way.
3. I open my bills with a free letter opener sample mailed to me years ago. I cut off the return envelope flap and use that to make my weekly grocery and CVS lists. I still have paper bills mailed to me, because DH would not be able to do it online should something happen to me.
4. After I pay the bills, I log onto the Harris Teeter site and "clip" any coupons I want to use. I go to "my specials" and note the sales of things I normally keep in stock, then I inventory the pantry, fridge and freezer to see if those items are getting low.
5. I cut out local competitor coupons and put them in my shopping envelope. HT takes them. 🙂
Something about this routine keeps me calm and feeling on top of things.
It is very handy to "cluster" these type of things, set time aside, and afterwards have headspace for other matters!
In the same vein, I usually take back library books that I finished reading pronto. It makes me restless to have them sit on my shelf until the reminder from the library comes in.
This week
- my husband and I dived into the changes that the new law on pensions will bring about, and planned a call to discuss the implications on my pension. As my beneficiary I asked him to attend that call also
- I transferred part of my savings to a higher interest account. Not all, because the account is frozen for a year.
- Further to one of your readers blog responses on hibernating geraniums, I collected a number of sturdy paper bags for later this year. Normally I would start to take shoots now, and they would sit (and sometimes wither) on my upstairs window sill. This autumn, I will give it a try shaking the dirt of and putting them in paper bags. I hope the experiment will be succesful, I am looking at an abundant hot weather proof geranium as we speak. It would be great if I could keep these plants! (And isnt it wonderful how we can exchange experience on many topics)
- I've been making sun tea and slowcooker yoghurt again.
-We've been filling up our car at the cheapest station and as usual I cycle to and from errands around town
-Daily outdoor swimming for fun. Morning heaven!
A mildly funny one: when I went to a certain store, my purchases were *exactly* equal to my gift card ($25.98, for anyone who's counting).
I bought produce at a Chinese supermarket. It has more variety and better prices, too bad it's not close.
In the past couple of months I opened two credit cards for the benefits and deals: Amtrak and United Airlines. I set a notice to cancel the UA card in 11.5 months, before the annual fee comes due.
A week after I opened the UA card, I needed to make a short-notice trip on UA.
I also closed a couple of cards, one of which had an annual fee.
I took advantage of a Penzeys sale to get discounted gift cards and free vanilla. I'll use the cards during future sales.
Occasionally I'll add a month of Netflix or Prime (such as when I had a recent minor surgery and 2 weeks of recovery) and always cancel immediately as they don't restrict access until the end date. Fun fact: I worked in the collections department of a credit union once upon a time and I can't tell you how many accounts went negative because people forgot about their $4.99 Netflix subscription.
My frugals:
• Mended a sock. I wear toe socks and this is a special pair for exercise, so I'm happy to mend!
• I shared a cab instead of riding solo home from a walk event
• Swapped out books at my favorite coffee shop. I meet friends there once a week for coffee and games, so it's a big win.
• I rescued a book out of the recycling bin at my condo complex. I think a tenant moved out and unused items first get placed aside, and then into trash or recycling.
••I am moving this week and have some clothes that are not coming with me. They are clean and folded and also will be placed in the trash room. There is one non-profit but it's difficult to get to. There is a 2nd hand system here where clothing items left in the condos/hotels are taken to villages, sold at 2nd hand stalls in the night markets or online.
• A pair of dark chino shorts somehow got covered in fuzz. We had some leftover sports tape from a an old injury, so used that to de-fuzz them.
• I have taken up painting (on paper) but can't take them all with me and mailing 'home' is expensive, so I kept 2 and the rest were cut into bookmarks and placed in the books I swapped. I hope it makes someone's day!
I'm also camp "Don't trust myself." Be it car registration or taxes, it's taken care of ASAP so I can't forget! I've the same with assignment deadlines throughout my life.
--My husband ordered a new pair of work shorts, which arrived missing the fly button. ("Used, like new," eh?) Since the shorts were otherwise fine, I sewed on a new button saved from a previous pair of pants.
--I'm rebuilding the rails for our back porch, and I *REALLY* wanted decorative solid wood finials for their top corners. Guess what I found at Habitat Restore for $3 each?! *fist pump* Pairs normally sell for $25 and up.
--Re: rails, I ordered the wood last week, knowing it wouldn't be done until this week (small town festival season). Yesterday, the lumberyard owner asked if I'd mind wood that had been cut already (another person ordered too much) so long as he altered it to the measurements I needed. Apparently some people are sticklers for using only brand new boards? I'm not, which saved me money and the owner unnecessary waste.
--For $2, Habitat Restore also supplied a 20 X 48" board with finished edges. I upholstered it with a large scrap of purple velvet and installed the now-headboard behind my office couch, which is actually a tri-folding matteress/guest bed in disguise.
--We hosted friends Saturday night. Dinner sides were assembled from the garden (coleslaw, caprese salad), and I told them to bring a cooler so I could send them home with more garden goodness from the freezer. They'd recently been sick from takeout lettuce, so they were glad.of vegetables they could trust.
1. I made hummus. We love the Ithica brand hummus made with olive oil but it is pricey. I had all ingredients so I borrowed a food processor from a neighbor and made a batch. We are happy with the results. The chick peas were obtained for 5 cents worth of points at Giant as was the lemon. The tahini I bought on sale. I am sure I will continue to make it.
2. I resubmitted an OTC purchase for FSA reimbursement. I thought it was included with another submittal but it appeared to have fallen through the cracks. It was quickly approved and the funds will be direct deposited into our checking account.
3. A while ago I accepted a package of frozen burgers from a friend. We're not big beef eaters so they were languishing in the freezer. I looked at the nutrition information and most of the calories are from fat. I cooked them like ground beef so I could drain fat off then added condiments and spices to make sloppy joes.
4. I bought a large seedless watermelon. After cubing it I shared some with a neighbor. It's a lot of fruit for $4.99.
5. We explored a new hiking trail in a county park in a neighboring county. There was no admission fee.
Hmm…this week I
1. Kept up the free gardening of weeding and de-vining my existing plants,
2. Made coffee at home,
3. Ate leftovers,
4. Made stock from a chicken carcass,
And 5. Used a window fan to reduce moisture after showers in my now mold-free bathroom.