Five Frugal Things | Bikes, racks, mattresses, enchiladas, & college
I don't think I have five frugal things from yesterday, so how about we make this about the week to date?
(It's my blog, so I make the rules. 😉 )
1. I googled for a coupon code.
Mr. FG and I are finally buying a bike rack for our van, but before we can install a bike rack, we need a trailer hitch.
I ordered one online, and during checkout, I noticed there was a box for a coupon code. So, I googled, found one, and it saved a little over $6.00. Yay!
I usually try to remember to do this when shopping online because it only takes a few seconds, but I come up dry more often than not. So, I was pleased that this time it worked out.
2. I stuck with my menu plan.
I got busy decluttering yesterday, and was super tempted to skip my dinner plan and have Mr. FG and the kids get takeout (I had to be gone at dinnertime yesterday).
But then I thought about the $6 that I saved on my trailer hitch, and about how takeout for five people would negate the $6 savings. And let's be real: it would more than negate those savings.)
So, I ended up making dinner after all (I made enchiladas ahead of time so that the kids could just put them into the oven and have them ready at dinnertime.)
3. I got half-price classes for Joshua.
In order to get 50% off the tuition at college as a high school student, you have to get some extra paperwork in order. I got all of that knocked out this week, and we're now paid up for the semester.
I used our Southwest rewards credit card to pay for his classes (yay for free miles!), and of course, we'll use the tax deduction for college tuition when we file next year.
Between the 50% off and the tax deduction, these classes end up being quite the bargain.
4. We've been shopping around for bikes.
Due to the inevitable growth of the offspring around here, we were due for some bike switching up. Luckily, Lisey can use Joshua's, Sonia can use Lisey's, and Zoe fits a bike that Joshua's friend had been borrowing (he'd outgrown it by now).
So, we just have to find one for Joshua now. We've visited several bike stores, checked out the used marked, and learned a lot about what kind of bike would be good for Joshua. We haven't made a decision yet, but we're a lot closer than we were, and I think we're pretty well-equipped to help him find a good fit now.
Since he's nearly 17, this miiiiight be the last bike we buy for him.
(!)
5. We're considering an alternative mattress.
Our current mattress (a memory foam from Costco) is causing Mr. FG some pain, so we've been looking at mattresses. We'd considered a Sleep Number bed, thinking the adjustability might be worth the price, but then Mr. FG discovered Luxi, an online mattress company.
They make a mattress that's customizable (you unzip the cover and change up the layers to fit your preference), they have free shipping and a really great trial period*, and the mattress is waaaay cheaper than a Sleep Number bed.
*Sleep Number says you have a great trial period, but the truth is that the bed base you buy is nonrefundable, and you have to pay for the delivery and return shipping fees. So, it's a several hundred dollar risk to try it at home.
So, we're thinking we might give the Luxi a try and see how it goes.
(Luxi has no idea I exist, and I am not affiliated with them.)
______________
We did something similar with our mattress a couple of years ago. After 20 years, our BJ's Warehouse mattress was getting terribly uncomfortable. We were appalled at the price of a good mattress around here! After doing a lot of online research, we found this place called Dreamfoam bedding. They are a US company, which made us happy, and they have some of their mattresses on Amazon where you can read lots and lots of reviews about them. There were other sleep related sites that touted the company as well, though I can't remember now exactly what they were. Anyhow, in the end we decided to get one of their latex foam mattresses. The price was SO reasonable compared to what we were finding in the walk-in stores, and the reviews were very, very good. We were nervous about buying online, without being able to see and touch and TRY the actual mattress, but I am so glad we did it. It's been over two years now, and we are still loving it.
I second the Dreamfoam--same concept as the Luxi (you can switch up the foam layers for desired firmness), but about the half the price.
I am having a most difficult time being frugal. Miss 19 is sick and that has blown the budget. At her age she should not have the ear problems but she does. Thank goodness for antibiotics.
1. I have declared this a no shop week and have spent about $40 on what we need.
2. I have been managing to reduce food waste.
3. I was given a dozen home grown eggs. Yay.
4. I managed to solve a knitting problem cheaply. Another good thing.
5. Miss 19's latest musical is over. This means less mileage, less wear and tear and less fuel.
* I've cancelled a pre-order on Amazon for a TV show box-set that I don't really care about anymore. Saving 23$.
* Returning a tank top (and possibly a winter coat...) that I've never worn.
* Today hubby and I are taking a day off. We are going to watch a matinee movie (3,50$ for him, free for me with a coupon), going out to eat with a Groupon and seeing a play (got tickets for 9$ instead of 25$).
* Got 2 free tickets for a magic show (retailing 30$ per ticket!), giving by the City as promotion.
* Went to a free outdoor music concert. They present every week during the summer. Will probably go a couple times. (Different venues every week)
* Got a pair of Naturalizer shoes, a dress and a pair of shorts for 22$ at Goodwill.
Have a great day!
Those sound like some wonderfully fun and frugal outings! Where do you find those bargains?
I keep an open eye for free activities offered by the city, and I buy Groupons.
Husband traveling this week so trying to keep kids busy all week!
*Used a Groupon to take kids(and my mom ) to a local-ish water park. Packed the cooler with drinks and food and spent $00000 at the park! On the way home they begged for burgers and I informed them I still had frozen patties at home and would grill them when we got there! By the time my mom cut the watermelon down and the kids unpacked and set the table grilling was completed! Burgers with shredded lettuce, tomato slices, leftover bacon( from the previous nights BLTs), fresh fruits and iced tea! I easily would have spent $40 at fast food with the amount they cleaned off the dinner table!
*rewarded the kids with a Pizza Hut lunch- used 2 free personal pan coupons leftover from school year- purchased 2 lunch specials that included a total of 2 fountain drinks and 6 breadsticks. Rounded it with 2 waters and told them we all share or they don't need to eat! Everyone filled and pleasant! $10buck lunch!
*picked 2 huge bowls of basil and made 2 batches of pesto! Froze 3 cups in 1c portions for winter use and put a pint jar in the fridge. Shredded 2 good sized zucchini and drained. divided into 2-2.5c bag portions and froze. Shredded 2 more zucchini and made 2 loaves of bread and a pan of zucchinin brownies for snacking
* going to a local art museum today... free on thursday- entertainment for kids!
* getting ready to make pancakses- had a lemon that was getting close to going bad.. squeezed it into a large glass jar and filled with milk... will be serving *buttermilk* pancakes with lots of fresh fruit.. extras fill the freezer!
When my 2 boys were school age they each would get the Pizza Hut personal pan coupons from reading each month. I would get the pizzas carry. They used to be cut into 4 tiny slices. Each boy got 3 slices and their little sister got two. I'd cut up some cucumber slices and offer a couple Oreos each and they were thrilled. Simpler times.,,
Oooh, way to go for saving a couple of bucks online! I do that too and it really can add up!
This week:
We've been a little off our game this week! Still no luck with the house hunt and we're collectively feeling a little beat down. Soooo...
1. Instead of eating out, we've been eating meals at home. I did grab chicken fingers after lunch yesterday (bad Mrs. Picky Pincher!), since my spaghetti squash lo mein did not cook well, and I had no other options. Boo! But overall, considering our laziness/grumpiness, we're doing pretty well for eating at home.
2. This weekend I'm making a batch of homemade yogurt.
3. I plan to use the leftover whey from the yogurt to make ciabatta bread. I've found that whey makes it rise better than just milk or water.
4. This weekend I'm also going to sew a stuffed animal out of fabric scraps for my nephew. Hopefully I can write a blog on it!
5. I also will (hopefully!) sew my own fancy work cardigan this weekend. I bought a fantastic white crepe fabric from Joann's and I think it'll look pretty spiffy. It has ruffles, which I'm a fan of! 🙂
- I'm excited about getting $5 free from Stash, an app that allows you to start investing for just $5.
- I also got a great deal on several containers of laundry detergent.
- boxes of pencils for .01 (yes it's back to school shopping time already!?)
- 3 free books from Barnes and Noble's summer reading program
- New shoes for the baby from a consignment shop. Pedipeds for $5 - these things sell for $30 new.
1. No eating out recently. Managed to make all meals at home for my family. Healthy and cheap.
2. Our veggie garden is shaping up great. Didn't have to buy any veggies for past few weeks except onions. Nothing can beat fresh pick from garden.
3. Ordered electric tooth brushes for my girls 2 sets for 50$ on Amazon Prime day.
4. Didn't buy any summer clothes for 2 years and I don't miss shopping for them.
5. Freezing my extra produce for later use. Thanks to dear husband for his gardening hobby, we get to eat home grown most of the year.
We recently purchased two mattresses online from different retailers and I was VERY pleased both times. With the competition in the mattress market, the online deals are really quite impressive. Just read the fine print and go to a store to lay on beds to get an idea of what all the new terms mean (I.e. I hadn't bought a bed in 10 years and apparently there's no such thing as "box springs" anymore, called something else now)
We got a King from Bed, Bath and Beyond (got 20% off coupon too) that is OUTSTANDING. It was not cheap ($1500? We used wedding gift cards so we didn't pay that price out of pocket). It was a middle of the road quality one and comes with a 10 year warranty. I will keep that paperwork! Haha!
We also got a "bed in a box" from Sam's. I was skeptical but it immediately "inflated" to the right size. Maybe $400ish for a Queen? It's NICE - I was blown away by how comfortable it was. It's a guest bed so I expect it to last a long time (unless a little kid gets it - then the life will go down I'm sure).
We decided that the difference between the two was the total life expectancy. If the cheaper one was slept on each night, I would expect it to last about 5ish years (as a guest bed, I'm guessing decades). The King should last 15ish. (Yes, I know about replacing them sooner - we shall see).
So, you get what you pay for. Read the fine print, yada yada.
Not a frugal 5 but two things:
1) check out Honey, it's an extension you put on your browser that will automatically search for coupon codes when you're shopping online. Saves you from having to remember!
2) We just bought a Leesa mattress online and could NOT be happier about it. It's not custom like this one you're talking about it but it's so comfortable and was so much cheaper than a traditional mattress. You get a 90 day free trial and if you don't like it, you get a full refund and they'll come pick up the mattress for free. I've also heard good things about Casper.
Yes, Honey! Checks all the codes before you check out. Applies the best one.
1) Bought 1/2 price tickets to see Hello Dolly! this weekend via Goldstar. (We rarely go to the movies but we do love live theatre 🙂 )
2) Used an online coupon to save 50% off of airport parking for an upcoming family vacation.
3) Loaded up on summer fruit at our local Sprouts ($.98 per lb for strawberries, peaches and nectarines? Yes please!). We'll be enjoying it for dessert as well, instead of more sugary stuff, so a health win too.
4) Took advantage of our city's summer concert series to enjoy a lovely, free night out picnicking and listening to great music.
5) Acclimated to leaving our A/C setting one degree higher than last summer, something we've been working on for a few summers, so we're now down a total of about four degrees from where we started. You really do adjust to my surprise!
In our town there are 2 stores called mattress factories. We have used them both for years. They make their mattresses on the premises. They keep up with all the trends and have a showroom. Their mattresses last forever and I only replace them, because I think they probably are full of allergens after years of use. These are generic mattresses. When I bought a set recently, the owner and a helper delivered the new set. They put plastic covers that I had purchased elsewhere on both pieces, and took the old set away. The price is also right.
I am curious of what sites you use to find legitimate coupon codes? Maybe you could do a blog on that? I feel like I try to find them and only every up going in circles.
Here are my five frugal things.
1. Saved a co-pay for a prescription refill. My new dr. did not require me to come into the office prior to sending a new prescription to the pharmacy. My old dr. made us come in each time. Grrr.
2. This was totally by accident, but we registered our children for group swim lessons and on the first night, we went and found we were the only ones enrolled. Private swim lessons for both kids for the price of a group class!
3. This sounds really horrible, but I saved money when my cousins' family canceled on dinner plans. I had invited them to come over for dinner, (they just moved here from TX) this week and they canceled. I felt like they were just giving me some excuse...but it did save me some money on being able to make a smaller dinner! (Horrible I know!)
4. Frugal savings for the future: I found a pair of water shoes for my daughter for next summer at the Goodwill for 2.99. (What was note savings was the pair of shoes and sweater I found for me!)
5. Over the weekend, my husband and FIL picked up a small swing set for our kids. We had originally thought of buying a (used) larger swing set that they could grow into. After finding this smaller one (and cheaper) we agreed that they would both use this for a few years and THEN we can buy a larger one. I am pretty certain that I can get back what we paid for it when I sell.
All in all, not a great week and I really had to think about how I saved money this week. Not my best.
I usually just poke through the first few google search results and see if there's anything good. I think this one came from a site I wasn't familiar with, but the code worked just fine!
CouponMeNot is my go-to.
Do you maybe mean RetailMeNot?
Er, yes. What she said.
I agree, retailmenot.com is the best one! I only ever check there and probably 80% of the time find a usable coupon. I found other sites didn't stay up-to-date as well.
I rarely find usable coupons online -- they always seem to be 10% off when purchasing over $100 when I want to buy one $15 item or something similar-- but since I read Kristen's column, I decided to try again with a purchase I needed to make, and lo and behold, I got one that worked, for $4.99 on an item that was $39.99, so that's not bad. Thanks for reminding me to keep trying! I think this was retailmenot, as it happens.
I hope the mattresses work out well. People are very different in what feels good to them, aren't they? My brother-in-law insisted he had to have a water bed for over 20 years, but whenever I slept on one (as a guest) those were the most miserable nights of my life!
So, now to my frugal things:
1. I cut my husband's hair. The clippers have paid for themselves several times now.
2. I have resisted the urge to pick up something to eat on late nights, and have cooked a quick meal instead, several times now.
3. I used a 15% off coupon to buy a Christmas present. I'm slowly building up a stash so I won't be shopping all at once in December.
4. I threw away two offers for magazine subscriptions. I love to read, but I find the magazines start stacking up while I try to find time to read them, and so many of them are 50% ads anymore, anyway.
5. In this highly humid climate, we often lose bread to mold even though the a/c stays on 24/7. I tried freezing it, but it always came out with a less than desirable texture later, I don't know why. One day I just put the bread in the refrigerator in its plastic bag. I always heard that would make it stale, but it hasn't. So now we are using right down to the last slice, instead of finding fuzzy green surprises when we reach for bread that is only a few days old. This is for store bought bread -- when I make my own, I can freeze the excess and it comes out fine; again, I don't know why.
I really disliked our sleep number bed, and it did not hold up well (dying immediately *after* the warranty expired). I don't recommend them, even though the concept is nifty.
When we were looking for a mattress a few years ago I found a review site called sleeplikethedead.com, amusing and useful.
Yes! Mr. FG loves that site.
We were ready to purchase a new mattress, but then I found a gel mattress pad on Black Friday at Kohl's for $25. Our mattress feels wonderful now! Saved us alot of money...and now the kids all want to sleep on our bed (they'll be getting their own pads for Christmas!) This is the one we got and apparently, we got a great deal on it too! http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2275891/the-big-one-gel-memory-foam-mattress-topper.jsp
I finally have some frugal things to share!
1. I have been drinking free coffee/water at work every day.
2. I walked by a discarded ponytail holder on my way out of Target the other day-it was in great condition, but it was brown. I knew I wouldn't use it, so I didn't pick it up. I'll admit that this isn't necessarily frugal, but it was a conscious decision.
3. As I continued to walk to my car after passing up the ponytail holder, I found a penny. I never find change, so I immediately scooped it up.
4. I cooked dinner on Tuesday night (finally!) and ate leftovers for lunch yesterday and dinner last night.
5. This is a frugal, yet delicious, fail. I am currently eating a donut from a local bakery...and they have a minimum credit card amount, so I had to by $4 worth of donuts instead of just $1. Hey-supporting a local business every once in a while? I'm game 🙂
On a non-frugal topic ... I love that Zoe is wearing a helmet--I'm not sure if you know this, but the helmet should fit much lower on her forehead--the way it is fitting her in the picture wouldn't provide much protection for the front part of her brain should she fall off. Thanks for reading this!
Yes, it definitely needed to be adjusted. That's an older photo, but her current helmet is fitting properly.
(on a side note, WHY are helmets so hard to adjust?? I wish someone would design one that was quick and easy to customize.)
It's so that the impact of a fall doesn't yank the helmet back and seize the chinstrap.
Good question. It discourages kids (and adults) from wearing a properly fitting helmet. I wish the chin strap was more comfortable, too, especially for children--I feel like I am constantly reminding my kids to tighten theirs up.
My husband is a chronic back sufferer and a few years ago we switched from our memory foam to a new mattress. Check out the My Side mattress option... I think Sleepys is the only ones that has it. But it has a configuration tool that you input your info and lay on a mattress and it checks weight distribution and then recommends the best fit out of their line. The trick is that if you and your husband have different needs, half the bed is his and half yours. Since we got this mattress my husband and I have felt and slept the best ever. The random time that we have a hotel night, we both wake up with aching backs from the lack of support... So I can definitely tell that our mattress makes a difference. It was definitely worth the investment.
Please post a review of your mattress after you try it! I've been thinking I need to look into a new mattress but I get so overwhelmed at the idea...
It is SUCH a hard thing to shop for. And there are so many choices. Ugh.
I hate mattress shopping.
Ha! Me, too. I said that so many times in the month it took us to decide. So much money, and such a lot of your life spent sleeping on it!
Yes! And it's almost impossible to tell if you'll like it unless you sleep on it for a while, which you can't do in a store.
And the companies deliberately make it literally impossible to compare.
You should look at purple too. They offer a trial period and it ships to your house. I watched a review of it on youtube and it seemed promising. Good luck!
Add me in to the list of folks who would love this! We bought our last mattress at a small local place, and while we liked that we were supporting a small business, we haven't been all that happy with it. (We even exchanged it! They were gracious about it, but we could only switch for another model they had in stock, which was a restriction we hadn't realized when we bought it.)
When our mattress was starting to give me issues earlier this year, I started with a mattress pad/topper bought on Amazon. $55 is cheaper than a new mattress, which was worth the experiment since my mattress is only 4 years old. I was pleasantly amazed.
1) We grilled a sale-price rack of St. Louis-style ribs, which I rubbed down with a spice mix made from all the remnant peppers and things I had on hand (aided by a general formula for bbq spice mix). Added a little bit of cider vinegar to make a paste. Quite tasty!
2) I've caught a summer cold, but thanks to work flexibility I only had to take one paid day off and have worked from home (with naps). If it were worse, I'd take more time off, but glad that I can save my time off for vacations.
3) We harvested our first fruits of the season (squash), with more on the way (squash, cucumber, tomato, basil, and maybe some peppers). In terms of money, if we get about ten of each type of thing we planted, we'll make our money's worth, including the cost of soil amendments we needed to deal with mountain clay. But honestly a homegrown cucumber = priceless.
4) We put together a jigsaw puzzle my aunt sent from cleaning out her house.
5) I line-dried most of the laundry before this week's passing rain showers.
My five frugal things -
1 - No eating out this week - we seem to have finally nipped the fast food/takeout pizza habit. I made your chicken kabobs and chipotle sauce last night and it was a hit!
2 - Going swimming today with friends and using punches from their card that they were not planning to get through - no pool fees! Bonus points for remembering to pack snacks and drinks as well 🙂
3 - Researching cheaper ways to replace our TV, internet and land line. Can't do anything about cell phones until November when our contract is up...
4 - Pulled off my daughter's birthday party for 7 girls for around $40 - most of the decorations are reusable as well, so won't need to rebuy. Will need to remember where I put them when next year rolls around, though!
5 - In the words of Katy Wolk-Stanley - I didn't buy a Lear jet today...
Also - I haven't tried this for myself, but have heard great things about TuftandNeedle mattresses - might be something to check out. They are online only unless you happen to live in San Francisco or Phoenix and are US made with a 10 year warranty. When we replace our mattress, I think this is how we will do it. https://www.tuftandneedle.com/mattress/
I have a bin dedicated to party supplies. I pull it out each year to see what I can reuse before the big party!
Question -
Why do you have to pay for college classes if Joshua is still in high school? Both my son and daughter have taken college credit courses in high school and I never had to pay for anything. A friend of my daughter had almost an entire year of college classes her senior year, at no cost, and was able to start college just shy of sophomore status. Just curious if because of state differences (we are in Ohio) or because of home schooling? These classes are considered above what the high school can offer, even though they can be taken at the high school and never have to step foot on campus. My daughter's friend spent half a day on campus, and then finished out the day at the high school.
Oh, that's interesting. So, your kids can take classes at the actual college campus for free?
If that's the case, it must be a regional thing, because 50% off is the best they offer here.
I was able to get a scholarship to my local community college because I want to the local high school. I think it was $200.00, and one time only.
One thing I learned to do, take my expense for school books off on my taxes! Also buy books for the spring semester in December - if possible. This way you can get back your spring textbook money in February, rather than wait until the next February.
Yes. My oldest took a stats class her senior year. It was actually taught at the high school, but the HS teacher was accredited with the local college the school was going through, my daughter was registered as a college student and enrolled in the class. The registration fees, class fees, and book were all paid for through the HS. I did not pay for any of that. When she started the college she is actually going to now for her undergraduate degree, her credit hours transferred and she did not have to take this course then in college. She also took a number of AP classes and was at least able to test out of those classes, but you don't get credit, you just don't pay to take them. Same applies for the classes that the students take on campus. It is a great way for the accelerated students to get nearly a full year of undergraduate studies paid for. My son will be going through this in the Fall. He is registered as a student at the local college the class is being taught through. And the guidance office took care of all the paperwork. I signed one paper because he is a minor.
I think it's regional. In Michigan, many school districts offer the option to have college courses paid for (I don't know how that works for home schoolers) but not all do. Our district requires that you exhaust the options offered by our high school before they will pay for it. However, our district also has the option of a 5-year high school plan in which, when you graduate, you have an associate's degree.
I'm from Ohio also and was wondering the same thing.
I don't really have 5 frugal things (although I am in the process of decluttering...so that's one I suppose), but I wanted to tell you that your post title made me LOL. 😀
Hi, I don't really have 5 frugal things either, I too have a memory foam mattress from Costco, (I have fibromyalgia & chronic pain all over) Then after I'd slept on it for a few weeks realized that it was a bit too hard for me. I bought a memory foam topper & it's so comfortable now! Kind of high, it's a double & I kind of need to use Queen sheets on it but much more comfort. I too have heard good things about Casper beds.
I didn't buy anything on Amazon Prime day! Wanted to but managed to stay away. Didn't need anything even though I love amazon in general! Since I don't have a vehicle it's so nice to have things delivered, even though I live alone I still get TP by the case & other largish amounts of things when they have specials. And it's so nice to have them delivered for free if it's a small order. Of course living in Alaska they don't deliver in 2 days, it's 3-7 days but when I commented in a chat with them about something that took exactly 12 days to arrive they gave me an extra month of Prime.
Yeah, I think that's mostly his complaint too. We thought a memory foam mattress would be...softer. This one is pretty darn hard. We tried a memory foam topper, but then we started getting awfully hot at night, even though the topper promised to contain cooling gel.
Mattresses are so hard to get just right.
1. Working to get window replacement quotes from 3-5 companies. So far the prices go from "ulp" to "I'm going to faint." Good thing I've been building the House Capital Fund for over a decade now. Nor I have started to negotiate.
2. Got hungry running errands in the morning but did not buy a donut or bagel from Dunkin Donuts. Instead I held off and had matzoh and cottage cheese at home (something I really like).
3. Lunch is the Corn Chowda I made from leftovers (such as corn I cut off the cob) and "trash" (bacon grease from my homemade bacon).
4. This is part spendy and part frugal: been extending Subway Sweet Onion Teriyaki salads by getting lots of dressing then adding lettuce & spinach from home.
5. Been freezing locally-grown fruit bought in bulk. A few weeks ago it was strawberries, this week it's blueberries. I doubt it's cheaper than Birdseye but it's certainly tastier. The berries this month have been like eating sunshine.
Kristen,
I truly look forward to hearing your review of the memory foam mattress. My brother and sister-in-law have had a sleep number for several years and love theirs. We will be in the market for one within the next year, and are gathering information. One of our friends swears by their latex mattress in helping her husband's back pain.
Five frugal things:
1. I got serious about food waste, and have cooked and frozen anything approaching date this week. Threw out 1/4 cucumber, a mushy lemon and small amount of kale salad. Definitely my best week yet!
2. We have a 'Beat the Heat' notice here with our energy coop. Kept our thermostat at 80 degrees and did all baking/wash/vacuuming in the early mornings to avoid peak times. (Of course, it really helped that my kids were in camp this week.)
3. I initiated conversation with one of the moms at my youngest son's camp-not easy for me--and, wouldn't you know...found out they homeschool and live 6 minutes from me. We are planning to network to carpool to field trips and science classes next year. (I'm so excited to have the prospect of new friends so close! This is really a blessing for us living out in the country).
4. Made my own ribbon dancers for a music class I'm leading at church.
5. Spent the week creating paper flowers for a back drop for my eldest daughter's wedding reception in September. Using paper I had supplemented with paper I found on super sale at A. C. Moore!
Thanks so much for your joyful approach to frugal ways. You've definitely inspired me to do better!
-Kaity
Our local police stations either sell or auction unclaimed bicycles found "in the possession of non owners" by the truckload here. Basic to top of the line for almost nothing. Last I heard someone talk about it they spent $15. I think they keep them for a while to give owners time to claim them first, but then they have to clear them out. They are popular with bike shop owners to resell. Might be worth a phone call.
I'm at a conference this week so all meals are paid for, and I'm too busy to do ANYTHING, so no $ out the door!
Impulse buys like this $35 linen blazer are rarely frugal, but I'm wearing it constantly. Hotel conference rooms are usually freezing and I've thrown it on repeatedly.
Really interested in reading more about your search for a new mattress. We are in the market for a new one but the options and outcomes are overwhelming. My husband has a bad back and we hope to find something that will help his back but trail by error with a mattress is experience and a hassle. I will be keeping my eye out for posts about your search. Here's some frugal things happening in my household lately.
1. Fixed our dishwasher by replacing a part that broke.
2. Just bought a new/used car and put 50% down.
3. Bought material to make curtains with a 40% off coupon.
4. We cleaned our old van instead of taking it to a company for detailing. While the value for the cost would probably worth it; the lesson learned by the kids was very valuable. I heard comments like "this is gross, we are going to keep our new car clean," and "we are never going to let this happen in our new car." All music to my ears and hopefully not just good intentions ; ).
I'm on a vacation with my two girlfriends - we go away for three days every year without our families. However, we are still being frugal, even though we are at a resort. This is particularly important as our three personal budgets vary considerably.
1. We picked a place where we could drive to in three hours, saving on transportation and gas. We took the car that gets the best gas mileage.
2. We take our own water and soda to the pool, and eat breakfast in our room with stuff we packed.
3. We opted out of the pricey spa treatments because they are a temporary luxury, but nothing that will last.
4. We went to a casino, spent $20 a piece - and stopped.
5. We booked waaaaay in advance, taking advantage of a "deal" in the middle of the week.
My frugality went out the window the last couple of days. My college daughter had multiple problems that escalated, I had to step in and address them . The daughters boy friend and I were in a car wreck tonight. The other driver was texting and the accident was witnessed by an off duty officer. As many blows and punches as I have suffered this week, I still can be thankful for being frugal. I had money saved that I used for the problems. My credit card was used for a true emergency and available because I hadn't wasted my credit on bad choices. We all have medical and car insurance so we are all covered no matter what the outcome. I need to find a ray of sunshine tomorrow but just having this blog to read tonight filled my broken teacup. Thank you far always being a delightful community.
I'm so sorry to hear about the wreck! I hope that things get sorted out with that soon.
I'm finding everyone's mattress comments quite interesting. I'm one of the few waterbed holdouts, and I LOVE mine - yes, I'm the one. I've never found a conventional or foam mattress that didn't cause horrible shoulder pain - I'm a side sleeper. And although I'm sure my bed would be way too soft for someone who slept on their back, they do make waterbed mattresses that are hard as a rock these days.
Anyhow, I just wanted to mention that waterbeds, if done correctly, can be an amazingly frugal choice. I got the frame for $50 decades ago - I'm sure you could pick one up at a rummage sale for next to nothing. Replacement mattresses can be had for under $100 for the basic variety, but even the fanciest ones are under $500 - and they can be repaired many times before you actually have to replace them.
And here's the real money saver - I don't use a heater. I just layer a bunch of old blankets and comforters on top of the mattress (so between the human and the mattress) in the winter, and then as the weather warms up I gradually reduce the number, so I'm nice and cool even on the hottest nights. Saves a bundle on heating and cooling costs because the warm/cool factor is totally adjustable, so you can set the thermostat at a cost saving level and just adjust the number of layers on the bed. Plus - you can take all the blankets off and wash everything, so there are no worries about buildup of dust, dead skin, and other yucky stuff.
I doubt I'll create any waterbed converts here, but it's a great frugal choice for me!
1. Used 8.00+ in rewards at Kmart when I bought a new bedspread.
2. I found a sale at Oriental Trading on luau decorations for Shyla's 9th birthday party this weekend.
3. We are getting her a trampoline for her birthday and Kmart has them marked down to $199. I had priced them a couple weeks ago and they were $349 at that time. It has paid to wait. I also have a $5 coupon for $35 in toys. I'm hoping they consider a trampoline a toy.
4. When I purchased the new bedspread I received a coupon for .20 off a gallon of gas per fill up at Speedway. I was just under a 1/4th of a tank so I was able to fill up at 2.09 a gallon instead of 2.29.
5. I got a 2free bottles of coke with my speedy rewards points.
Overall, it has been a good week.
After researching and saving for A Long Time, I purchased a mattress online from Habitat Furnishings. I was just so done with throwing money out the window for mattresses that sag and become uncomfortable long before they should. My mattress has an adjustable air base with a memory foam layer and a latex layer. I stacked the latex layer on top for a cooler sleep and better comfort. I could not be happier. It's been less than a year, but I know this one is going to hold up very well. I no longer have daily back issues and I no longer take benadryl every night, which I did for years, to help me sleep. This bed was expensive but worth every penny. The air base prevents sagging and allows for adjustable firmness and the foam and latex layers combine for great comfort and support. I would highly recommend this type of bed.
I kept meaning to comment soon after you actually wrote this post...but I have 3 little kids, and that didn't quite happen! In case it's still relevant, we did a lot of research on mattresses about 18 months ago (after buying a bad one the time before!). It sounds like you may really want the customizability of a sleep number bed, which is obviously totally fine, but if you think you might be able to find a more standard mattress, 2 companies you might want to check out are Casper and Tuft & Needle. Both avoid the middle man, and I believe both are American made and generally get rave reviews, especially relative to their cost. We ended up ordering a Tuft & Needle (we wanted a firmer mattress, and they seem to be a little firmer than Casper), and we love it!
Yep, those are two companies Mr. FG has researched too. If the Luxi doesn't work out for us, we'll probably try one of those two, or possibly a Ghost brand mattress.
He's not sure right now if he wants something firmer or less firm, so that's why we thought the Luxi would be good. He can tweak and figure out what makes him most comfortable.