A few words about body image + 4 other frugal things
1. I bought a squirrel repellent for my van.
Longtime readers will remember my persistent troubles with squirrels nesting in my van.
(Last year, I even found live baby squirrels in there!)
I'd heard the suggestion of an under-hood light before, but at first, I thought that made no sense.
Squirrels aren't nocturnal, after all.
But then I realized that even in broad daylight, it IS dark and safe-feeling under my van's hood.
And that is why a light makes sense.
Squirrel nesting season is right around the corner, so I bought this.
It straps to the engine compartment and runs through continuous cycles, combining lights with ultrasonic waves.
This thing is way cheaper than a van repair, and I am really hoping it will help the mama squirrels see that my van is not a good place to have babies.
2. I made an Old Navy return in-store.
The jeans I ordered for Sonia didn't fit, and I didn't want to pay return shipping.
So, I waited until Mr. FG and I had a date night near an Old Navy and I did the return in person.
No extra gas, no extra money.
3. I bought a $5.99 sweater for Sonia.
I had to walk past a clearance rack at Old Navy to do the return, and I spied a polka-dotted cardigan in XS for $5.99.
I thought it might fit pretty well with Sonia's vintage aesthetic, and I knew she loves polka dots.
I took a small risk by buying it without Sonia there, but luckily it fits!
So, I don't have to go do another return. Phew.
Vintage dog pin from a friend and reader, belt from ThredUp, pants a hand-me-down gift from another friend and reader.
4. I made squash rolls to use up extra cooked squash.
They look unnaturally yellow, I know, but I promise it is just the squash!
I hadn't made these in ages, possibly since before Zoe was born.
But Lisey remembered loving them in the past, so she was very pleased to see them come out of the oven.
5. I did not get a Cool Sculpting treatment.
(ha!)
On Instagram yesterday, I shared this advertisement I saw in my dermatologist's office.
For starters, I think the idea that a minor adjustment to your appearance will suddenly cure a fear of mirrors is ridiculous.
Out of curiosity, I looked up the prices, and found that they range from $2000-$4000.
!!!!
And it's more if you want to do multiple areas.
(Which, if you are being this picky about your body, you probably will want to do.)
Think of the money we can all save by accepting that our bodies will never look perfect!
And they wouldn't be perfect even if we were models. Look at Target's current swimsuit models, now that they've stopped editing them.
Anyway. CoolSculpting is not for me. 🙂
I think Sonia will do a great job styling you. She always looks so put together.
I think you should be comfortable in your skin, definitely, and pursue fitness and healthy eating only to be the best you.
However, I did do CoolSculpting on my "banana rolls," and in Miami, it was $150...
Wow, that's a huge price difference. I wonder why the CoolSculpting site says the prices are so much higher. https://www.coolsculpting.com/what-is-coolsculpting/faqs/ You'd think they'd want to make it feel affordable.
I know... I think it was off-brand ("fat freezing"), and since it is non-invasive, I was OK with that! It did work, with no side-effects, and it melted the mini-bulge under each butt cheek. I spend a lot of time in a bikini here!
And you are happy -- that is what counts!
@Mei, I had it done and if you eat the same it does come back
I saw a study once that said only 1 in 50,000 women even has the genetic code to have the body shape of a supermodel. The other 49,999 of us just aren't made that way. There might not even be anyone like that in my whole county!
This was maybe twenty years ago, and perhaps standards for supermodels have changed, but I kind of doubt it.
Also, women are programmed to divide their body into little parts and look at them individually. Marketing supports that, providing products (or cool sculpting services!) for each little segment. Men are not so directed and look at the whole of themselves, which is much more balanced.
These are just impossible standards. I mean, I looked at the "before" photo in that ad, and I thought of a photo from our camping trip this fall where the back view of me in a swimsuit looked pretty much just like that.
And yet, my body is healthy and strong. I am, by all charts and standards, a good weight for my height and body type. And even with all those privileges going for me, the marketers are still trying to tell me there is something wrong with my body.
I suppose they could say, "Well, we are just offering a service that people want."
But the majority of the reason that we THINK there's something wrong with our bodies is because the marketers are telling us that!
Yes, exactly -- this is the point!!
Since becoming a father I've grown a bit infuriated at the crazy things that are marketed to girls at a young age. Some of the dolls are just downright disgusting.
I'm lucky that I'm still at the "Raggedy Ann" stage of raising a daughter.
I dont have 5 but one really big one. Our peebles is going out of business so they are having 70% off and yesterday if you buy 8 things you get a extra 50% each item. I spent 51.47 and saved 277.11 this haul included a 50 dollar pocketbook and 60 dollar pair of walking shoes and a 100 dollar toaster oven plus a few other things. Love a good bargain☺
Yay! Good for you.
I feel like a I don't like the way I look in the mirror but my daughter tells me I'm handsome so I guess that's enough for me.
Anyway, here's some frugal stuff going on in my neck of the woods.
1.) Bought a digital manga using some Amazon credits. Basically when choosing slow shipping (which I do for just about everything) and they give me $1 in digital credits. Since my library system doesn't carry much manga at all I figured, "Why not?"
2.) Speaking of ... I finally jumped on the Kindle bandwagon via a Warehouse Deals offer from Amazon. Supposedly it's just a damaged box one but we'll see when it comes in. Worst case scenario I can just return it. Right now I've been reading on my phone which is ... fine ... but I'd rather have a bigger screen.
3.) My daughter and I made bread yesterday. We made two loaves of King Arthur Flour Russian rye bread and a batch of bagels. She had fun and it kept her busy for a while plus we got homemade bakery bread for cheaper than real bread.
4.) Really getting back into making yogurt again. My daughter loves the stuff but all the commercial versions are loaded with sugar so we give her homemade yogurt with pieces of frozen strawberries in it. She loves it and it's probably healthier and it's definitely cheaper.
5.) Picked up a Lego set for my daughter on clearance at Walmart. She won't be getting it any time soon (saving it for a future gift giving time long in the future) but hey, I can't pass up on a deal like that.
I got Kybella a couple years ago. It is a series of injections on your chin and jawline, of liver enzymes to dissolve the fat. It cost me about $3200 and it's the best money I've ever spent. I don't have to wince when I look in the mirror seeing the double chin that no diet or exercise could shift.
Kristen, you're a slim, pretty woman. Easy for you to say we should accept our bodies as they are. Also--in some business fields--cosmetic work is almost mandatory, because you're judged on your looks, and as you get older, on looking youthful. Try to understand and not judge.
I'm sorry if my words made you feel judged. I probably could have worded this more clearly, but my beef is with the culture and with the marketers, not with the people who buy these procedures.
I could send you a photo of me from September of 2019 that looks almost exactly like the "Before" photo in this ad. I know you said I'm slim and pretty, but I gotta point out that the marketing for this ad is indeed targeting me, and people who look like me. There's nothing wrong with my body, and there was nothing wrong with that patient's body either. But the insinuation is that before the procedure, it was understandable (or even reasonable) for her to be scared of the mirror.
(And it's not a far leap to say the ad is telling me, "Kristen. Your body is wrong too!")
It's like the current hand-wringing over women having hip dips. Hip dips are totally normal (I have them too!), there's nothing wrong with them, and it bums me out that a whole bunch of women are googling how to get rid of theirs, whether with a product, a diet, or an exercise. Same with cellulite and stretch marks; most people have them (I do!) and they're normal. But there's huge business in promising women that a cream or some other product will get rid of them.
I feel the same about the business fields that basically require women to get cosmetic procedures so that they don't ever age. I don't fault the women who work in these business for getting work done; I fault the culture that places this expectation on them and I think it's massively unfair and unkind.
I hope that helps to explain where I'm coming from a little better. I'm mad at corporations, not at individual people. <3
I hope this doesn't come across as too meany pants but here goes. I have literally never heard of "hip dips" let alone googled it...makes me laugh a little to think you can actually google such a thing. I have extra under my jaw line and a whole bunch of other odd places. I have had to adjust clothing sizes many times as an adult. It doesn't bum me out. I will go to the store without makeup or excessive styling of hair and not feel the slightest shame...I will go practically anywhere without make up and excessive styling of hair. I wash my face, I make sure my hair is neat...that's it. I don't color it...I've got gray...quelle horror! The rest of the world can be bothered if they want, they can write magazine articles if they want. Doesn't bother me 'cause I'm not likely to read them. I stopped taking advice from celebrities, stylists, fitness fanatics and other gurus years ago (late 20's early 30's? ) when it finally donned on me that I'm happy to live my life without being concerned about what other people obsess over, and these guru types are just making a buck off me. I'm generally healthy, happy, and have a good life. I agree there is a whole marketing thing that plays into it all...but that only works because they make money from women who buy into their silly ideas. I have friends who won't be seen unless their nails are done, their hair is "just so" etc. If that makes them happy, whatever, but I'm not going to worry my pretty little greying head over any of that, and I'm not going to feel bad about being exactly the way I am, rolls and dimples and all...even at the beach...God never made a law saying the beach is only for skinny, barely clothed people. Just sayin.
I had never heard of hip dips until rather recently too (like in the last year or two). I googled it and was like, "WHAT?" It's as though people are sitting around in a board room trying to brainstorm new things for women to obsess over. Ugh.
It's so frustrating to me that something perfectly normal and healthy is now another thing we are supposed to "fix". Like, oh, we needed another thing??
I'm not worried about my own hip dips, but I hate how this culture creates so much pressure for women and especially for young girls.
I remember reading, a few years ago, about women getting cosmetic surgery on their feet to look "pretty" in sandals.
Do you know how much money consumers would save, if they didn't feel the need to fix things that aren't broken?
Honestly, most feet are kind of weird looking if you focus on them long enough!
Altering feet for cosmetic purposes is not something I'd do (I just want my feet to work properly), but thinking about it reminded me that plastic surgery on women's....southern regions (not shy, just thinking maybe some kids read this?) is a thing. And that bums me out.
Kristen you seem like a very sweet person. I know what you mean about cultural messages. Keep doing your thing because the world needs each person..just like they are. God bless you.
I'm really glad the procedure worked for you and made such a difference in how you view yourself! I didn't read Kristen's comment as being judgmental. My take is that if your body doesn't bother you, then you don't have to have any procedures that are medically unnecessary and automatically save a lot of money. I have been underweight my entire life but have always had a soft tummy (now even more soft after having twins and c-section). Being happy or unhappy with your body is largely a mindset I think. My sister is 5'9, slim, toned, and gorgeous - she literally worked at a model for a time in her 20s. But she is never quite happy with how she looks and is always trying this or that to fix her current obsession. Nothing permanent but still, it feels exhausting to me. Anyway, hope you don't read this as me being judgmental either - I think if doing the injections lifted a mental weight you've been carrying then it's worth it for you.
So nicely said, Ally et al!. And I truly didn't read judgment in any of these comments throughout this section -- just a concern that it can go over the top, which the cool sculpting -- and "Pretty feet" surgery -- yikes! -- seem to do. That said, I am a big believer in doing what makes you happy about yourself.. I am a larger woman with gray hair (in Los Angeles -- it feels illegal here 🙂 -- and don't wear makeup and it's fine -- for me. I don't judge anyone else for having different standards and will applaud their choices. But it is good to be cognizant of potentially hidden motivators, right? I really appreciate this discussion!
Is cosmetic work almost mandatory for men as well as women?
Are they expected to have a certain appearance and appear youthful?
Perhaps we need to work more on what a distinguished looking older female looks like, and figure out how to support that image as a culture.
Yes. That is a frustrating double standard, and again, I blame the culture at large, not any individual person.
Actually, yes, when it comes to actors, real estate agents, any of the people who need to sell a dream, yes men have to have cosmetic surgery too.
I mean it just figures on a frugal blog we'd get some commenters stridently saying they're fat and gray haired and it works for them---but they're not up for movie or TV roles or working in a field that places emphasis on youth and looks. Great, if being fat and frumpy works for you. But it doesn't work for some of us.
And I echo the poster above, with being annoyed at assuming we women are too stupid and vain to know what we think until we're manipulated by the media.
Again, Kristen, you're slim and pretty and you have slim, pretty daughters. You have no idea what it's like for the rest of us who might be a bit overweight, or have daughters with terrible acne, or be too fat for cutesy vintage clothes, or whatever. It's hard. And sure, we can say we don't care if people judge us for acne scars or double chins and be scathing about "women who buy into their silly ideas"-newsflash, not all of us are Nebraska farmers' wives, or we can live in the real world and spend a bit of money to make ourselves feel better and to not be judged and ostracized.
But of course, we'll be judged and ostracized for whatever we do because we're women and women's choices are always up for debate. Cosmetic surgery, you're shallow. No cosmetic surgery, you look old and less attractive. Pick one.
I acknowledge your phrase about "people who need to sell a dream" as a descriptor for people who might be more pressured into surgery. I thought of actors and broadcasters, but not real estate agents or other sales professionals. The word "business" in the original comment made me wonder about the physical appearance of people in fields like financial advising and investments and banking. My criteria for such people is pretty low-- Clean, not smelling, with clothing that fits properly and has no obvious damage.
Well, I just want to clarify, that I don’t think of myself as fat...though technically a doctor would probably say I am. And truly grey hair doesn’t bother me a bit, why should it? I earned every last one. I think it’s hysterical to see people out and about who actually dyed their hair grey to be trendy...see, I’m not frumpy, I’m in. The world is funny. Also I don’t live in Nebraska or on a farm. I’m a city girl. I just wear clean clothes that I enjoy, I wear practical shoes because I like them, I only wear makeup if I want to and have the time. There’s nothing wrong with fixing your hair or dressing up if you want to. And if people want to obsess over back fat or wonky toes or whatever I guess they can. It’s America.
Hah, yes -- choice is all! I love your attitude!
Lol, I am a Nebraska farmer's wife, and among the Nebraska farmers' wives I know, we run the gamut of interest in appearance and fashion — just like in any other slice of life. Isn't the world interesting? Sure, there's judgment. I think it's kind of funny because it's all too often misplaced.
1. The planner I ordered offered a set of 10 colored pens for 99% off, as a thank you for purchasing the planner. I paid ten cents and the shipping is free. Now, are they worth anything? We'll see! If not, I'm only out ten cents.
2. We finally had a bright, beautiful day on Saturday, so I hung a lot of laundry outside.
3. I convinced my husband to try one of his delivered meals again, and he liked it.
4. I received the wrong item on my previous farm order, but instead of just handing it off to someone else ( it had red pepper in it, which I can't eat), I contacted the farm, they gave me a credit, and I handed it back to the person who delivers the products to my town when she dropped off my newest order. I had given her a heads up so she would be prepared to take a frozen meat back with her.
Now -- a failure...
I usually eat some form of greens at breakfast on the AIP diet, so one night recently I cooked a large bag of organic spinach, then set the pan aside to cool while I was getting ready for bed. Guess what was still sitting out on my counter when I got up the next morning?
I have actually had plastic surgery, but I still don't see the point in doing the improvements in the sculpting photos. That wasn't even bad in the first place; certainly not thousands of dollars bad. I don't blame someone for correcting something that draws unwanted attention, makes clothes very hard to fit, interferes with daily functions, or reminds one of something very unhappy, such as burn scars, but getting something done for being not quite 100% perfect just seems to indicate that women, especially, are programmed to be unhappy unless one IS 100%. I've been slim all my life and still am, but starting at around age 50 or so, I suddenly developed those back rolls, and they are worse than the woman pictured has. I just say I'm aging like a fine wine, and let it go.
I technically had plastic surgery when I had my nose fixed. But I liked my former nose; I just wanted to breathe better. I still kind of miss the way my old nose looked, but my breathing has been worth adjusting to a new nose.
"Getting something done for being not quite 100% perfect just seems to indicate that women, especially, are programmed to be unhappy unless one IS 100%."
Yes. And I do not blame women; I blame the marketers and media. Of course, we are responsible for our own choices, but the media is making it very, very, very difficult to find contentment with our imperfections.
If we are trying to avoid sugar, but every time we turn around, we are bombarded with images of brownies, it becomes quite hard to avoid sugar!
Before I met him, my husband had an accident that resulted in gigantic scars on his chest and torso. On one of our early dates, we saw a guy with a significant scar on his face and I said something about how I see scars as medals for what people have lived through. He later told me he had had several bad experiences with women making comments when he was first naked with them (who would do that, even if they thought it?!!) and even in the swimming pool changing room with other men making thoughtless comments (again, who would think it is their business to make a comment about someone else's body?!) So I understand why someone would have plastic surgery to reduce scarring, especially if it is on the face and can have an impact on employability and the early steps of romance. However, when I touch my husband's scars I am so thankful that he had surgeons skilled enough to save his life and I am humbled by the effort it took my husband to survive. I think I cherish him more because of what he went through. The irony is that many years into our marriage, I ended up with a catastrophic illness and 15 surgeries later I, too, have massive scarring on my stomach and torso. And he had a bout with cancer that caused more scarring. Honestly, with his white hair and my dark brown, and our stocky builds, we look like a set of salt and pepper shakers that broke and were glued back together.
I love that imagery 🙂 (And attitude.)
Yes, that is awesome. I like hearing it! And speaking fo body image stuff, I just read a book called "Ugly" by Robert Hoge. He was born with craniofacial and other limb deformities, and it was really amazing. It's probably written for teens but anyone would enjoy hearing about his and his family's strength and bravery.
I love that imagery, too!
Hi all, love reading everyone's comments! I have done botox before for my grumpy lines on my forehead. They looked way better but it doesnt last and it gets expensive...Here are my 5...1. Have been good about eating out of the freezer using 2 bags of strawberries and a bag of rhubarb to make a cobbler today. Still have black cherries and peaches so might do a crisp or something next week and bringing a big plate of cookies and brownies we made in December to the honest mechanic who never rips us off when he works on our vehicles....2. Made a batch of applebutter out of all the old apples that find there way into the crisper over the last several months. 3. Have 2 credit cards, one has a balance and one doesn't so did a 0% transfer to the lower interest rate card with expectation of paying it off in full in 6 months. 4. Found a Quick Draw Mcgraw Vintage figurine at the local thrift store for $1 and sold it on Ebay for $75...sweeet!! 5. Its our 25th wedding anniversary this year and i think i talked my husband out of a trip we cant afford and instead we are going to pay cash for new LED headlights for his truck and take the motorhome to the beach for a week. Have a fun and frugal week everyone!
That is an amazing flip on the Quick Draw Mcgraw!
That is awesome! Good for you on the big sale!
Sonia will do a fabulous job of being your stylist! Those buns look good and I've never heard of that recipe before.
Cyndi- Good job on selling the figurine!
Just my 2 cents on body image....To me, self-improvement is a good thing. I don't care what it is. If it makes you feel (happy, better, less self-conscious, etc.) then I say do it. Taking care of ourselves can come in many forms and whichever form we choose is perfect. Advertising things that may seem trivial to me doesn't mean the same to another. Sure, it's marketing to make us want to buy it, but we make that ultimate decision.
Here's the fab five this week:
1) I got free plastic buckets from the bakery to mix stuff in them. And store stuff.
2) I got a coupon for free cat treats and will send it to my sister since we don't have pets.
3) I saved up my reward points to get 13 free bagels at Einstein's.
4) I sewed a hole in my work pants that formed down the seam..Of my butt.
5) I've been using my reusable bags for everything- even trash. I just wash them if they get dirty.
I think I must be so overweight that I don't even see a difference between the 3 photos. From somebody who has fought her weight (and been significantly overweight) for her entire life, the difference seems minuscule and laughable. It really is a sad commentary on our society that people who are that beautiful and healthy-looking spend that much money because they have been made to feel so ugly.
I haven't really shopped this week that I can remember, but my husband did go to a local thrift store for a $5/bag sale and brought home (in one bag) two brand new pairs of blue jeans, 3 or 4 t-shirts, a cashmere sweater and 3 wool sweaters (one retails close to $200). I was impressed with his mad thrifting skills.
Girl, it's not just you. It's a pretty minor difference between the before and afters!
Yesss! After reading all these comments (and regretting my initial glib comment above) I went back to look and, seriously, what IS the difference in the cool sculpting before and after pix? That body looks pretty sleek and healthy in both pictures to me. I really do think skinny, average, plumper -- everyone is encouraged to feel bad about something. And pressured to spend a lot of dough to fix it.
Even with the group think of "thin is pretty," very thin people are often mocked and commented upon -- I have seen this with my daughter's best friend. It was very hurtful for her to be in the "preferred" lean group growing up, as painful as it was for my average sized daughter to feel fat standing next to her. I really appreciate this discussion shining a bit of light on these issues. And social media ain't helping here!!
I don't think it's kind to say someone is "picky" if they want to do cool sculpting. We all have our personal preferences and issues, and it's great that technology exists to help us out.
It wouldn't be nice to say someone is picky because they feel better when they brush their teeth...why call those picky who feel a small difference may make them feel great, even if that change/feeling comes from cool sculpting.
j
Ah, I was speaking specifically about what I saw in the ad. That's the only cool sculpting I've seen, and the difference between those before and after photos is pretty small. Which is why I used the word "picky". To me, that seemed like a picky procedure, but of course, that is just my own perspective. And to someone else, it might feel like more of a weighty issue.
Also, my frustration lies with a culture and media who tell us that things as small as what I saw in the ad are really important. No one is born thinking that a hip dip or some other such bodily "imperfection" is actually a problem. It's something fed to us by our culture and I think that is less than awesome.
Teeth brushing is a bit of a different story because if we don't brush our teeth, we usually are going to experience some health consequences. But I don't think the woman in the ad was probably going to experience health consequences for having a slightly thicker waist.
My frustration is actually statements saying media drives what women think. Like we are weak dummies who are so small minded we are Influenced by a powered!
I for one smart, wise and a good thinker. I can make sense of ads and marketing and make my own decisions. And women need more credit that we are capable of our own choices not
Victims of marketing.
Blaming the media constantly just puts women down. Maybe think about how you come across as a blogger.
I would love to think that I am not influenced by the media, and so would most people. But companies would not be spending billions of dollars on advertising if we were not influenced by it.
"What they found, in study after study, was that participants thought others would be influenced by the message, but that they themselves would remain unaffected. When psychologists looked at the results, though, it was clear that participants were just as influenced as other people. This was dubbed the ‘third-person effect’." https://www.spring.org.uk/2010/08/persuasion-the-third-person-effect.php
Also, a post kind of summarizing the link above: https://scottfenstermaker.com/third-person-effect/
Even if I, as a 40+ year old woman was able to avoid being influenced, that still leaves teens and young girls. The AAP has concerns about marketing when it comes to children and teens: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/140/Supplement_2/S152
I'm not putting women down; I think people of every gender are affected by advertising. I mentioned women today because we were discussing the appearance pressure that is put specifically on women.
Believe me, I would be delighted to think of myself as an outlier as you do. But I actually think that's a slightly more dangerous tack to take. If I think I am immune, I will not have my guard up in the same way as I will if I realize my vulnerability.
I absolutely agree, Kristen. I have taken so many classes related to psychology, advertising, politics, neurobiology and the like, and influencing us and what we buy is both an art and a science, and some are SO good at it! Now I have to find out what "hip dip" is, though I'm sure I have it. I love "the way you come across as a blogger".
Haha, thank you. 🙂
And yes, the odds are really stacked against us with the advertising. Companies are spending billions of dollars and employing lots of people with the sole purpose of getting us to buy. That's a lot for the average person to try to resist!
Clare,
Read the first few paragraphs of the below story, to see how people who think they don't notice ads, are influenced anyway. This is not a one-off: I have seen numerous studies on the same subject.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/is-this-the-secret-to-getting-teens-to-reject-junk-food/2019/12/30/1ed6b096-2378-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html
It's true that there's a feedback loop between advertisers and consumers, but the heart of advertising is "Make consumers feel a lack or a need, then fill that (brand new) need," sometimes known as "Use fear to sell something." Take the history of mouthwash, for example. Before WW1, mouth odor was just part of daily life, no one objected and wasn't (and isn't) a health hazard. Then the owners of Listerine decided to try to sell Listerine for a new purpose. Before they could convince consumers to buy their solution, they had to convince consumers that there was a problem. Here's one story on the subject:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marketing-campaign-invented-halitosis-180954082/
Am I missing the recipe for the squash rolls or was there no link?
I didn't post a link because...the last time I made these, I didn't even have a blog. Heh. I'll have to make them and take some photos so I can post a recipe.
Ok, Thanks! I'll be watching for the recipe!
1. I garbage picked 4 board games. All the pieces are there. New games are always fun.
2. Also garbage picked a sewing machine. It works, just needs a tune up. Hubby will do it for me.
3. Hubby is building a built in bookshelf in a weird corner of the house. He is using all materials that we already own.
4. My youngest and I have been going through all of our books. We sent 2 small bookshelves and a box of books to our church.
5. Eating leftovers for dinner tonight. I cooked everyday last week and there are things that need to get eaten.
Someone threw out a sewing machine?!? Cripes!
Sadly, I threw out a sewing machine that I had owned for 33 years. Plastic parts and cams got brittle and I was unable to replace them and then the motor seized. I cried when I threw it in the dumpster. It had been a graduation gift from my father.
Carol, perhaps I should have written "Someone threw out a working sewing machine?!?"
That must have been hard for you, even though it gave you decades of good service and good memories.
Thanks William!
I nearly went in the dumpster with it during the toss. Hard to let go (literally), I guess.
I got a fee thrown out sewing machine last summer. The lady threw 5 out. She said it was cheaper to buy a new one then to get one serviced and tuned up. Sad.
1. We needed vegetable stock for a dinner this week. Husband suggested buying it at the store. I remembered we had a bag of vegetable scraps in freezer, I added herbs and water, and into the Crock-Pot it all went. Came out great!
2. Got a brand new Vera Bradley bag from my Buy Nothing Group!
3. Prepped breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the whole family for the week
4. Signed my son up for summer camp at our local science museum very early. This was not cheap, but we save $20 weekly by being members, which actually pays for the membership. And they let us pay on our credit card, which gives us 2% back. So we saved $200.
5. Refilled my homemade toothpaste and all purpose cleaner this weekend
Hi Corrine,
Can you tell me about your Buy Nothing Group? It sounds up my alley! I am committing to a "No Buy 2020" motto, in which I won't buy anything new for the year (perishables excluded), but I can buy something used, recycled, or repurposed. Curious to learn!
I’m not Corinne, but I belong to a local Buy Nothing group, and can probably answer a few questions. Look up Buy Nothing with the name of your city (or neighborhood name if you live in a large town) and you should be able to find all the information. It is a “local gifting community” and all “gifts” are no strings attached. People give away and receive all kinds of things. You can ask for specific gifts but there’s no guarantee people will fill them. It’s free to join, you just need to follow the rules, which are clearly laid out. You can also go to buynothingproject.org for help. You can only join a group on FB but it will help you understand how it works.
I just had to "unjoin" a local Buy Nothing group which became really toxic! It was really unbelievable! I never expected that, but I guess it depends who is part of the group and who the admins are. But I did stay in another one nearby because it seem pretty healthy and helpful. Today I was able to pass on a game and some other stuff.
Sometimes online communities are that way, for sure! And I do think some of it is up to the admins...the tone they set and what they allow people to post.
1. Am trying a new "no knead bread" recipe. I have a bread machine and that's good but I like the shape of the recipe--I found it in a YouTube video of a lady feeding her family of 6 for $30-- total!
2. Prepped veggies for the upcoming week so that the nightly salad is easy to prepare. (After many years, I've discovered that if I have salad fixin's at home, I won't eat out.
3. It's the 20th day of the year and I haven't bought a book. (A huge deal for me!)
4. Put off going to the grocery store for about 4 days now. Must replenish salad components and get more flour. Am doing a grocery pick up as it keeps me from browsing and buying things I don't need.
5. The missus made soup for our lunches-- split pea with carrots and potatoes. SOOOOOO GOOD and so cheap. Really hoping the bread turns out well.
My best friend is a nurse-- it's a guy, btw-- works somewhere that they offered cool sculpting. He wanted it done to his "man boobs" and asked what it would cost. The girl who did it told him, "Well, we have never done it but the doctor says we can do you and no cost so I can train on it." So, long story short, James did it and said that 1) after he did it it hurt worse than anything he'd ever felt, 2) when he touched the area after, he could hear the ice crunching in the fat under his skin, like semi-thawed meat and 3) ultimately, he didn't see any difference.
Poor James! That sounds painful and disappointing. His experience points out that we (as a culture) may be doing truly unnatural and potentially dangerous things to our bodies for the sake of beauty/perfection. Studies may show in time that we have poisoned ourselves with toxic injections or damaged our bodies with procedures such as cool sculpting. I am not a perfect looking person by any means and I have some bodily disappointments. However, at the end of the day, I accept my natural self. Maybe I'm at the extreme...I won't even dye my hair because I have auto immune issues and I fear the chemicals in the products. Hope I didn't add to the firestorm. As a side note, I too had to look very closely to see the difference between the before and after cool sculpting. Definitely wouldn't be worth it to me and I thought Kristen was thoughtful and kind with her post.
Oh, absolutely. She was very kind.
I don't really think it's unkind to say, "what a thing to spend money on!" as we all have our own ethics and desires. Someone might think it's absurd the money I spend on caring for 7 cats. And that's okay. I think sensitivity is important and being kind is also wonderful. I also think it's a huge leap from saying "I think this is silly" and "If you do this you are silly." But people react to what they THINK and FEEL was said rather than what was ACTUALLY said.
As for me-- I'm 100 pounds overweight and will never have the body the media tells me I should have. I'm okay with that. But I'm also a tougher person than many. And ads like that one are truly damaging to many people-- male and female that say, "whatever you are, you will never be enough." So, I completely agree with this post and don't think there's any way to say, "this sort of advertising is harmful" without offended the people who buy it.
1: Our battery died and we went in to buy a new one and received a free one because it was still under warranty.
2. We received a $48 rebate.
3. My orchid flowered giving me fresh flowers and bringing me joy.
4. We saved $20 on our grocery bill.
5. I returned several Christmas items I bought for myself since I received them as a gifts.
I am in a period of enforced frugality. Both my daughters are marrying this year. Big expenses are mounting.
I have made sure to buy petrol as cheaply as I can. The price can go up 40 cents a litre. If a full tank is needed it makes a huge difference.
I have stayed out of the expensive fabric stores.
It is so hot and humid here and I just want to stay home. That saves money.
Wow! That’s quite a conversation.
My five things —
1. No grocery shopping again this week. My daughter gifted me a gallon of milk so I still have $5.63 to go for the month. We might just make it!
2. Haven’t bought anything from Amazon since Jan 4 (and that purchase was so that I could highlight my hair at home).
3. No cavities at the dentist so I’m going to count that as a frugal win.
4. Started making extra payments on our camper loan which will save interest.
5. Cut my husband’s hair. I’ve been doing this for about seven year and figure that we save at least $180 a year.
For this week, I offer one normal one, one that shows a little imagination, and one biggish one.
Normal:
I've been eating down my deep freezer, so I can defrost it. Now that it's mostly empty, I can consider buying half a Happy Pig.
Imagination:
Someone gave me a fruit bouquet. In addition to eating the fruit I cooked the kale that served as the greenery. It made a nice supplement to the black beans and rice (cooked in salty chicken stock leftover from steaming a chicken) that, by themselves, wasn't quite enough for a meal.
Bigish one:
Painted the bathroom myself. I bought one gallon of paint with coupon and discount, and one pack of new foam rollers. I used dropcloths I already had, a foam brush I carefully washed from the last painting job, rags made from old clothes, and an already-used and very large trash bag to wrap the toilet. I'll use more of the same gallon when I paint the other bathroom.
Hah -- using the kale -- love it!
1. As a grocery run was needed, I googled recipes to find out what I could make with the randomness of what we had on hand. A yummy onion quiche resulted!
2. I went to a free homeschool curriculum closet & came home with tons of blessings.
3. Used slow free shipping/coupons/sales when shopping online
4. Went to a free kid's gym event for winter exercise/community
5. Ting phone bill was lowest ever--$23. So glad we switched!
I had to look up hip dips. Argh. I agree with you that marketing drives so much of how we look at our bodies. The fact that hip dip wasn’t a thing until there were products designed to fix it says something.
I also think it’s unfair of your readers to say that since you are slim, you can’t possibly understand what other women go through. I’m slim and it’s taken decades for me to accept my body as it is. I still remember comparing my body to barbie dolls and to advertisements for tummy solutions as a kid.
I definitely do think that women who are heavier have a much harder time in our culture.
But you are right; being slim does not automatically guarantee that you will accept your body. There are a lot of people with near-perfect bodies who still struggle.
Mainly, though, I felt it was fair for me to comment on this particular advertisement because: I look just like the before picture. I am the audience targeted by this ad. And the CoolSculpting site actually says that their service is only meant for people who are at or near their goal weight. It is not something targeted at people who are quite heavy.
While I agree that even thin you can struggle with self-acceptance (been there), as a Plus Size woman I can assure you that the societal stigma attached to my kind of body type makes it much harder to navigate life than being in a slim or average body (I've been average size before and people totally treat you differently). I'd rather still be in a slim/average body and deal with my dissatisfactions then be overweight for the world to see (and judge) and deal with my dissatisfactions anyways. We all have our battles to fight, but some of us show them externally as well as deal with them internally, and it's an extra struggle.
Oh yes, I completely agree. My kids often get grief for being skinny ("Why are you so skinny? Why can I see your ribs? I bet I could snap your arm! You should eat more." etc.) and it's sometimes hard to find clothes that fit, and while I empathize with them (being shamed for your body is painful!), I also have told them that it still is easier to be outside the "norm" on the skinny side than it is on the heavier side.
That said, as I've mentioned in a few other comments, the reason I said something about this ad is because I look just like the before pictures of the person in the ad. It's not something targeted to people who are 100 pounds overweight; it's targeted to people who are well within the recommended range, but who have some "imperfections" to fix.
I'm in no place to comment on body image for people who are plus size, as I have not experienced the discrimination that comes with that.
Hugs to you!
"I also have told them that it still is easier to be outside the “norm” on the skinny side than it is on the heavier side."
I have been both, and you are correct.
What’s kind of interesting is that being heavy used to be considered a sign of wealth - if you could get enough excess calories you were rich. That doesn’t NOT apply today (ouch, double negative) because we are a very rich country and obesity is a major problem, but I detest the focus in our culture on our bodies as if that is all we are. I am not my body, it is just the earthly vessel for my spirit/essence/soul.
I agree with this, and I read something recently about someone who had recovered from an eating disorder (if I am remembering right), and she mentioned that basically she's now feeling free of such a focus on her body. Like, that what helped her wasn't to focus a bunch of positive thoughts on her body, but to reduce the focus overall on her body.
I read this a couple of days ago and it goes along with your post today.
http://www.sayable.net/blog/2020/1/14/this-is-your-body-today
My two cents on this discussion. It is really hard to overlook images in media (and especially social media) on how we should look like. Even as a person who does not spend too much time on this, I feel it and have to actively shut down thoughts that affect my self worth. I have some friends on social media who do peer-to-peer marketing with beauty products, complete with before and after images. I often look at the before image, thinking, oh so I shouldn't look like that, and this is labelled disgusting by some. It's a strange feeling. I have sons, and in discussions with them, it is clear that they too are affected by severe beauty standards.
I don't judge people who spend more money than me on beauty procedures, but I am happy that there is more acceptance of people of different looks and body types. One gripe I do have though, plus size modeling is great, but the models used are often very curvaceous with their shapes in just the right places. I think we need more representation of body types and styles that do not fit the typical standards of attraction. This includes skinny people without curves, or with curves in the "wrong places". A larger representation of different types of models will help our children feel accepted when they grow up into the body type they have little control over (not talking weight, as much as how the weight is genetically distributed, height, etc). I myself have experienced anorexia in my youth, and even at my skinniest, I could not change the shape of my thighs into the ideal. Same thing as an adult that has been fit, some body parts just won't change shape into an ideal.
FFT ... possibly my first ever? We live frugally on a daily basis, so making a list of things that are out of the ordinary is kind of a lot of work.
1. My husband has researched the problem we're having with the water softener and is pretty sure he can fix it. We were steeling ourselves for the possibility that we might have to have a new one, and it's nice to have renewed hope that we won't.
2. I was able to renew all the library books, including the new 14-day loan book, and put off a trip to the town with the big library until my can't-buy-locally grocery list makes a full trip worthwhile.
3. A freelance client unexpectedly emailed with an extension to a finished project that will net me around $250.
4. We're consuming odds and ends of beef and pork in the freezers in preparation for a home-raised feeder heifer and a cousin-raised pig in the next six to eight weeks. I found a ham, which makes me happy.
5. Even though Hulu sent me a half-off-for-six-months, please-come-back offer, we haven't succumbed.
Oh, you should never feel like FFT has to be out of the ordinary stuff! I post run of the mill frugal things all the time. 🙂
I hope your water softener is fixable!
I was a Coolsculpting tech for five years when it first came out. It did help some people, but typically the results were quite minimal. I see both sides of the discussion, some people will spend anything to feel a bit better about themselves which is their choice. On a personal note, it did get to be really depressing to see women for consults and these procedures everyday that hated their bodies so much. I don’t work as a tech anymore.
Ooh! A person who has actually done the procedure. So, I'm curious about the price...is the $2000-$4000 price range on the website accurate?
We charged $1300 per treatment, per area. Most people needed multiple treatments. So, yes-just about! Pretty wild!
Hah--totally agree with the body image thing -- it's expensive to keep revamping oneself. Of course, I am somewhat, ahem, mature, and my views have shifted, right along with my center of gravity. 🙂
Scrounging for frugal 5 . . .
1. Used more CVS ECBs to purchase more of favorite dental floss and my husband's big birthday present -- 2 nice chocolate bars. I took him out for dinner, using coupons and a movie, with a very decent senior discount (1917 was excellent).
2. Organized gift cards and found some I had forgotten! Used Amazon Prime to get a free decent bathing suit and free delivery.
3. Have been drinking coffee on the weekend in my classroom, using the Keurig and marked down coffees and teas (bought by me very cheaply) instead of using the Starbucks gift card, which I am hoarding.
4. Avoided most of the post-Christmas sales. Hmm, that is it. Will keep working it!
squash roll recipe please!!
1. I batched errands to reduce fuel consumption.
2. One of those errands was bringing an Amazon return to Kohl's. I made it out of the store without making a purchase -- despite the 25% discount coupon they give you when you make your return.
3. Another errand was dropping off donations at a local thrift store. I received a 20% off coupon for a future purchase in for my donation.
4. I stacked CVS coupons and saved $18 on things I would have bought anyway.
5. I signed up for the waiting list for a free session with a retirement counselor through my employer.
Hi, Kristen, I have a frigal question. Following your advice a few years ago, I began ordering from the 99 cent razor company. The last time I tried to order from them, I could go to their website, but was unable to order, chat, email or even call them. I am wondering if you are still able to order from them.
1. Had two no spend days this week.
2. Redecorated our tiny living room by moving around the furniture, swapping some lamps between rooms, sewing three covers for throw pillows from fabric in my stash, and making a nice arrangement of an unused basket (bought a few years ago at an estate sale) filled with oversized softcover books from our shelves. Also rubbed down the leather sofa with some no buff conditioner from our shoe care supplies to blend in little scratches made our critters.
3. Our sweet 13-year-old kitty was diagnosed with spinal arthritis this week. Fortunately, a month of supplements for this costs only $10. After the first month, the cost drops to $5 a month.
4. A super cute V-neck sweater from the Salvation Army was a bit too low cut for me, but I was able to raise the neckline and modesty level with a pretty button from my sewing stash.
5. Have yet to receive it, but scored a free bottle of salmon oil for pets from a supplement company.
Hi Ruby,
I have several blouses that are just a little to low cut so I bought a set of “chemisettes” on Amazon. They are panels that snap onto your bra straps and cover the exposed area. The set I got had black, white, and beige with a little lace along the top edge.
Carol
That bread is very yellow - at first I thought it was brioche but it looks yummy...
FFT umm..
1. bought a loaf of bread, ham, cheese on the way home last nite & made 8 sandwiches for the freezer for when I can't think what to have for lunch - ate the first one today instead of café food
2. Got a large steak on sale & cooked extra mixed veg & put half the dinner in the fridge for tomorrow
3. shopping for only the amounts I really need
4. a frugal win but culinary failure ( I ate it but there will be no rerun): my pantry is full of food (aka money in packaging) that I bought ages ago & I have resolved to eat. Had what I thought was an epiphany when too tired to cook but didn't want to spend $- I have single thai-ish coconut pumpkin soups, I have vegies, I have 2min noodles- lets bring them together- yeah lets just say it didn't taste how I envisioned...oh well I ate it go me
5. Four it is
Hi Deidre,
When I have those fails, I remind myself that food is really just fuel for our bodies. Doesn’t necessarily make it taste as you envisioned though. Call it a creative side effect.
Carol
I like that Carol, I will use that. yeah- I thought it would turn out like a tasty but not super spicy home-made laksa -& totally forgot how thick pumpkin soup is lol, it wasn't 'til the next day it occurred to me that pumpkin is a carb so I didn't need to add the noodles to round it out & make it filling either 🙂
Hi Kristen
I'm pretty sure Old navy return are free by mail.
Hope that helps:)
Ooh, I didn't realize that!
Think how much funnier the conversation could have been if we’d focused on squirrel repellent instead of cool sculpting