Five Frugal Things | Cooked fruit salad
I'm gonna be struggling to come up with five, because my last four work shifts were pretty close together, which means I have not happened to do a whole lot of frugal things.
1. I cooked some fruit salad
This sounds weird, I know, but hang with me. I had brought a big fruit salad to work for a potluck, and I left one bowl for the night-shift people.
I took home the remainder the next day, and while it wasn't much, I didn't want to throw it away.
However, I also was feeling slightly sketchy about eating it as-is, even though it had been refrigerated.
So, I dumped the fruit into a pot, cooked it down into a somewhat jammy consistency, and ate it, cold, on top of some vanilla Greek yogurt. It was actually super tasty!
I figured the boiling would certainly kill any potluck germs that had accumulated. 😉
2. I froze my grapes
I had a slightly neglected bag of grapes in my fridge, so some of them were past their prime.
I sorted out all the worst ones, then froze the others on a baking sheet.
I'll snack on them (frozen grapes are delicious!) or I will add them to my smoothies.
3. I worked a weekend shift
One of my shifts was on a Sunday, which means I earned a couple extra dollars per hour.
You can earn a lot more than a couple of extra dollars by working weekend nights, but we all know I do not consider that to be worth it.
4. I packed my lunches from single servings that I'd frozen
When I made the baked ziti (with this protein pasta) for my freezer challenge, I set aside one portion and froze it, just to test out how well it freezes and reheats.
And the last time I made my chili and cilantro-lime rice, I froze a portion in the bottom of a container, and then I pressed a cup of the cilantro rice into a one-cup mold and put that on top of the chili.
I used these meals for my last two shifts, and they both thawed and reheated nicely. Yay! Now I know for the future.
This is a prime example of my "try it and see" philosophy.
Freezing a single serving as a test subject is very low stakes, and now I know I have two meals that freeze and reheat well. Knowledge gained, nothing lost. And even if one of these had been a dud, that would have been only a small loss.
5. I used a Panera gift card for a no-cook dinner
On one of my days off between shifts, I did not feel like cooking. So, Zoe picked up a Panera order for us on her way home from work, using a gift card from my credit card rewards.
I got the Green Goddess salad, which has a very respectable 40 grams of protein.
1. I took my daughter to the opening of a new exhibit at our science museum. It was a free event.
2. I used up some leftover pasta, cheeses, and homemade tomato sauce to make baked pasta for my lunch this week.
3. I bought lots of $0.20 packs of 3 rolls of transparent tape from Aldi. I also bought $1 Carolina BBQ sauce.
4. I signed myself and my daughter up for classes at the library.
5. We are scheduled to get our COVID and flu vaccines this week.
I think you did a great job saving food during a busy week!
--I took advantage of several free shipping deals to order garlic for planting and a specific color of bearded iris for my husband's anniversary present ("Valentino," for the curious). His personal gothic garden comes together, bit by bit. <3
--I trimmed and oiled my hair this weekend, both of which were overdue. An 1 1/2" off (cut myself, as always) and an oil soak (worked/braided into my hair before working in the yard for three hours) made for quite the reset!
--My last free gardening hat--a trucker-type promotional product--finally fell apart in the wash. Thankfully, my husband's job just gave him a free trucker hat from one of their vendors. It's not a style my husband cares for; since the hat's destiny involves copious amounts of sweat and bug spray, I'm not too picky. 😛
--We received a check from our insurance reimbursing us for a prescription overcharge. Yay $230!
--I accidentally ended up in charge of our village library's Trick or Treat table. I'm hitting up sales for the treats even though I'll be reimbursed; any unclaimed treats will go to the library's after school snacks. Everything else is free! I already have sparkly tableclothes, a "good witch" outfit,* and I'll use our own enameled dutch ovens (purple and green) as cauldrons for the treats.
*A pink Marilyn Monroe-style halter dress with black cats and stars around the skirt--a friend bought it for me at an estate sale for $3! Throw in a black crinoline (have), a long flowy black cardigan (have), cosmic socks and black ankle boots (have both), and a friend's borrowed witch hat = good witch!
Re: the "accidentally," I was the board member who suggested the library have a Halloween table this year. Since I'm the only child-free member (the others understandably want to take their kids) and was the most enthusiastic, guess where that landed me. 😛 May as well roll with it and have fun!
Haha, well, that does make sense. I always schedule myself to work Halloween shifts at the hospital because all of my kids are adults and I don't mind working.
There’s so much joy in this post: anniversary irises! good witch library costumes!
Very cool ideas!
I will look into that Panara Salad! It looked good!
Thank you!
I just did a quick vegetable run to a small shop that sells a lot of local produce. Pumpkins, cabbages and root vegetables were B1G1. Also on offer: bell peppers, cooking pears and more. I am all set for this week and several weeks ahead.
Other than that, my financial focus will be on making the most of the changes to our pension system (moving from fixed earnings to fixed contribution). I will involve our financial adviser, as will my husband.
The new system has better conditions for people who are left widowed/widower. So at least that is a bonus.
*I got a free pack of break and bake cookies. The price rang up wrong, so I got them free.
*I remembered to use a 5$ off 25$ coupon at dollar general to stock up on a few essentials.
*Will pay car insurance in a lump sum today and save 10%.
*Trying to use up freezer food and not make extra runs to the store.
*Target rewarded me with 5$ off a Halloween item- I used it to buy a 5$ tote that will hold the raffle prize for the school trunk or treat.
Great job on the food experimentation front, Kristen!
My church had a flea market. I was volunteering, but waited until the end of the sale to shop. For $10 I got a new rice cooker (mine died 2 weeks ago), 3 cute cookie tins for the holidays, a small (new) nice quality candle, a pair of earrings, several wooden clothespins for my basement drying rack, and some cardboard cutout rounds and doilies to out cakes upon when I’m baking for others. I was pleased!
I’m often surprised by how many good (if random!) bits you can find on a last scoot round a jumble sale. Just this Saturday my friend picked up a J Crew wool jacket an hour and a half in, when they reduced everything to 20p. I don’t know how we missed it previously - it was on a rail and a fluorescent coral colour! Anyway she has long silver-grey hair and looks stunning in it. A couple of months ago I picked up a super-chunky round wooden breadboard and unused digital scales for 50p each just as I was leaving another jumblie. Maybe people drop in donations late, or there’s stuff under the table waiting for space to display?
1. I began taking a GLP-1 as part of my eating recovery program. It is not covered by my insurance. (Sigh. I would only qualify with a BMI of 35) I jumped through the Lily Direct hoops and am receiving an average of 30% discount which saves well over a hundred dollars a month.
2 I am determined to remain healthy with this new medication. I pulled out my Omega Juicer which is incredibly fancy. I am eating enough fiber but I want to add even more fruits and veggies. I bought a 10 pound bag of carrots for .70 a pound. That is a good deal around here. I add bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, ginger cubes. It is a tasty V8 juice.
3. I went to my gym's free yoga classes even though it means I get up at 5:00.
4. I signed up for a free body image group class held through my insurance.
5. I brought leftovers from a church benefit, added rice and ate them the next day.
So many good healthy moves here!
I don't often share my frugal choices, because they don't feel "frugal enough", but here we go anyway.
1. We went on a mid-week 24 hour vaca to Asheville to see a band. I packed my lunch for the car. I brought a banana for breakfast the next morning. We opted for a fast casual dinner instead of something fancier. We also talked ourselves into spending our 20th anniversary in Asheville (a less expensive drive) instead of somewhere more exotic (like Montreal).
2. I purchased second hand cordouroys from Poshmark.
3. I went to DSW for new running shoes, which I found for $40 after using rewards and shopping clearance shoes. I also did not buy anything other than what I went in for!!
4. I got a free dog crate from Buy Nothing.
5. I helped my daughter sell her mini fridge on Facebook Marketplace.
That is 100% frugal enough! I mean, look at mine: I boiled fruit salad. Hehe. That was a very miniscule savings.
1. Whenever life feels too big, I declutter in response. Gave away wine glasses, tablecloth, gift bags, mason jar zipper bags, Pyrex pie plate (from before we were married almost 45 years ago), Pyrex 9x13 covered pan, Pyrex casserole carrier, and eyeglass cleaning cloths. For the cloths, I said to my husband, "We have 18; how many do you want to keep?" which is way easier for him than "How many can we get rid of?" He answered "four" to the keep question. Victory!
2. Bought a lightweight zip-up jacket to use over my workout wear. Spent $5.50 at the thrift store. This is my first clothing purchase since March when I bought tights ($10 new). Other than new sneakers every year, I rarely buy clothing. I have a small but plentiful wardrobe and dislike shopping.
3. Husband went to the dentist and instead of taking the usual toothbrush, floss and toothpaste, I suggested that he ask for two toothbrushes instead. We have plenty of floss and toothpaste. He is quite pleased (as am I) that he remembered!
4. Used a watch battery and installation coupon, saving $10. While at the local jewelry store, I learned that I could get $180 for my long-deceased mother's silver engagement ring. The jeweler doesn't want the smallish diamond; not sure what I'd do with it. Will see what another jeweler has to offer.
5. Received from Buy Nothing: a weekly planner, calcium tablets (250, which will last me 125 days) and four pull-out cabinet drawers. Two of the drawers will be used in the pantry and the other two will be used to make it easier to retrieve things from the base cabinet shelves closest to the floor (I can't always bend down that far because of my knee and sometimes I get lightheaded bending over for too long).
Decluttering feels SO good.
Maybe that's why my freezer challenge is making me feel good: I am actually decluttering!
Totally OFF topic -- but I am grateful to know about boiling sketchy fruit . . . Because of age and stage -- and often the reality of needing ER care looms, I am thanking God for the medical care we have-- but please Lord for the health care workers who are often stretched bend their last nerve --please deliver them and help them. And I surely include YOU dear one in my prayers. 🙂
1. The Fiber Distribution System was VERY kind to me this week.
a. I picked up a smallish table loom via Freecycle. Maybe it'll work with the special-but-scratchy wool I cleaned earlier this year. Resale price $35-70.
b. At my knitting guild's raffle, I won a lot of soft black yarn, that may be just what I need to go with the yarn I impulse-bought last year, because of their beautiful saturated colors. Est. list price $40, resale price around $70.
c. Someone else at the guild won a coffee-table-book-quality book of lace knitting based on Victorian patterns. They didn't want it so gave it to me. Est list price $35.
Giant Food overcharged me. Per their policy they refunded me the difference and then gave me the item for free.
More soup from leftovers, bits, and bobs.
Used leftover roast veggies from two different meals out (lots of houseguests this week) to make frittatas. Past Me helped Today Me by mincing the veg, so I can make the eggs at the drop of a hat.
I discovered that my dog's bed had holes by finding a lot of stuffing in the laundry. Oops. I shoved it back in and mended the rips (lots of them!) using the ugliest thread in my collection.