Five Frugal Things | a bit sparse
As you know, my semester is done now, and I know that's going to allow for more in the way of frugal activities for me.
But I am only a few days into my break, so I feel like I don't have a lot to share with you at this point!
1. I canceled a trial membership on time
I said yes to a trial membership to take advantage of a free delivery, and as we all know, this is a bit risky.
It's so so easy to lose track of a free trial and then boom, you are charged for a year!
I put a reminder in on my phone as soon as I started the free trial, though, and so I cancelled it with plenty of time left. Whew.
2. I moved all my savings to a CIT bank account
I opened a CIT Platinum savings account, on the advice of Matt and Joel from How to Money....because I want to take advantage of these interest rates that are around 5%!
Note from CIT: For complete list of account details and fees, see our Personal Account disclosures.
3. I planted my store-bought basil in a pot
I had bought one of those little basil plants (the kind in a little plastic bag), and once I had used what I needed for cooking, I stuck the remaining plants into a pot of dirt.
Some of the plants didn't make it, but two have survived, and hopefully no squirrels will dig them up before they get strong.
Speaking of which: is there a way to prevent squirrels from doing this? They love to dig in my pots and it is a little annoying because they keep destroying my plants.
Also, as you can see in the picture, something is eating the leaves. What do I do about that?
(I am not close to being a gardening expert, as you can tell. 😉 )
4. Umm...I passed all my classes?
I told you it's a little sparse over here on the frugal front! Heh.
But as we have discussed many times before, passing classes is most definitely a financial win.
This is particularly true in nursing school; we are allowed to fail one class in the entire program, and then it has to be repeated, which puts the student a semester behind.
But worse than that, any fails after that get you immediately booted from the program. So then not only have you had to pay for a class that you didn't pass, but also all the money you paid for your classes previously is wasted.
5. I did the usuals...
Like:
- eating down my fridge
- making my coffee at home
- making yogurt
- drinking water from my metal bottle instead of buying bottles of water
- washing my clothes in cold water
And so on.
But probably by next week, I will have some slightly more interesting things to share! 🙂
A wire basket placed upside down on top of small, newly planted items can deter squirrels. Just remove when plants get some height. I bought old wire baskets from the city pool-remember those?- for this purpose as I seed a lot of lettuce in pots. Look for freebie wire shelves from chest freezers! Also, our indoor/outdoor cat doubles as a garden guard. I believe the squirrels are attracted to the expanse of open dirt in the pot.
Oooh, what a good idea. Thank you!
@JDS,
Good ideas. I have an old BBQ grill that might work.
Today I let my 16 y.o. dog out to do her business. A squirrel strolled by. I said "Squirrel! Squirrel! Go get that squirrel!"
My doggie just looked at me -- I swear she rolled her eyes! -- and lumbered back into the house. It was as if to say "I'm retired. I don't chase squirrels anymore."
No wonder I have volunteer oak and pecan trees all over my yard. The squirrels have been planting nuts everywhere!
@JDS, yes that’s fantastic about those wire baskets! I’ve found that wire fencing or plastic wrap(with the holes-snow barrier fencing) also work to deter deer. Also human hair(can ask at a hair salon) and dove or Irish spring soap can deter- these make it smell like human and animals don’t like that!
@JDS, I never thought of the baskets, great idea.
@JDS, almost anything that will fit over a planter and allows light and air in can be used this way. For instance, I have an old Easy Washer copper/zinc tub (about the size of a half barrel) that I cover with a trashpicked fire pit lid. I've grown a fine crop of spinach in there this spring.
@Kristen, And the wire baskets from $1.25 Tree would be the right
Oh, wait! Not food-safe...but putting something that Is between the soul and the basket(s) would work.
Haven't read all the comments, so someone-- or several people--may have suggested this already: Could make an upside-down wire basket yourself with chicken wire or something similar. Hoping you or your dad have something like that lying around!
@JDS, I hate to suggest a purchase from a dollar tree store, but they used to carry small, wire trash cans. Turn it upside down over your plant to prevent small critters digging up your plants.
Squirrels: Sprinkle cayenne pepper around your plants! You can also plant marigolds, which are a natural deterrent.
Insects: Food-grade diatomaceous earth is made of pulverized microscopic fossils that shreds insect exoskeletons. It's harmless to humans, pets, and other small animals like birds but perfect for bugs. It's a nice alternative to poisons or sprays, especially if you've sensitive skin.
FFT
--More dye alchemy in the washer! I managed to get dark paint on light blue jeans, so they joined some shorts and faded pillow cases in a "denim blue" load. The dye was from the local thrift shop's freebie table.
--The lead up to Memorial Day means overtime for my cemetery grounds keeper husband. Indeed, the whole of May is a gauntlet! (Think of Memorial Day as "Black Friday for dead people" to get an idea of the work load.) The extra hours will make for a welcome bump in savings, plus he and his co-workers get two paid days off afterwards to catch their breath.
--Our mechanic fit my car in despite short notice (potholes are mini canyons in the nearest city--@#%&#). I thanked him and the other two guys at the shop by bringing homemade chocolate lamb chili, made with sale lamb from the freezer. The chili was delivered in sale tupperware, inside a Goodwill cooler to keep it hot until lunch; the cooler was resting on the passenger seat, with the bowls carefully rinsed out, when the car was returned. 🙂
--I recently discovered that Whole Foods has started doing 50% off stickers on day-of items, including meat but especially produce. I made out like a bandit the other day with 1 lb of fresh green beans for $2, 2 lbs of assorted cubed melon for $4.25, and a loaf of whole wheat bread for $1.25. The stickers are small and sneaky, so it takes an eagle eye to spot them. I only pop in WF for true loss leaders, anyway, so it's a more frugal stop than it sounds.
--We've a really good batch of heirloom seeds, so planting even a few results in several strong starts. I'd feel bad just throwing away when thinning rows, which is why I deliberately left room in one of the larger garden beds. This fall, we should be overrun with beefsteak, cherry, rainbow, and one other tomato that I can't remember! 😛
@N, PS, the Old Farmer's Almanac online is a fantastic resource for all things gardening: https://www.almanac.com/
@N, Black Friday for dead people! lol!!
@N, you should have your husband's boss contact local middle/high school about kids volunteering in cemetery. Teen school does school wide community service day & classes are assigned duties at school & in local community. This year teen was at local cemetery to help pick up tree limbs & place flag markers at veterans headstones.
Boy scout troops also do cemetery service in May.
@Regina, There are volunteers that do those things, including the boy scouts. However, my husband's workplace is several hundred acres (he commutes to the next city over), and employee only tasks include but are in no way limited to: spraying for weeds (which requires certification and licensing), mowing, weed eating, water soaking graves to prepare them for seed and sod, setting headstones, leveling headstones, tending the (very expensive) gardens, repairing vandalism, tree trimming and/or removal and chipping, etc. etc--essentially, a whole lot of OSHA and liability tasks. Our area also can get freezes as late as early May, which pushes back seeding, sodding, and potentially headstones if the ground is frozen hard enough. In short, there is A LOT more that goes into cemetery work than people think--we certainly had no idea until my husband started! Hence the comparison to Black Friday, as that seems to be the most succinct way to get the time-specific work load across. My husband and his coworkers certainly don't mind the overtime and all love what they do--talk about a self-selecting group!--but that doesn't mean they aren't glad when they've reached the other side! 😛
@N, Our area can also freeze as late as May, correction. I can't use my words this morning!
@Regina, To give a quick example of something that sounds simple but isn't: water soaking graves. This requires using a loooong water wand to irrigate ALL of a grave to ensure there are no air pockets. This takes an hour per full-size grave, longer for a larger plot. The soaked, settled dirt (which can sink a foot or more) can then be backfilled and leveled; only after this can seeding or sodding take place. My husband can do six graves in a day, and it is a WORKOUT--we joke that this is when his biceps grow the most. All the guys are in great shape, no matter their age, go figure!
What a fascinating job he has!
@N, Vandalism of graveyards seems the worst to me. So little respect for the dead...
@Lindsey, Absolutely. What is the point?
Sometimes volunteer groups go through to catalog and photograph graves, especially in older cemeteries, though perhaps much of the U.S. has been done by now.
@N, I tried the cayenne pepper "trick". It didn't work for me. The squirrels kept digging as if to say, "yummy! Lady, will love the spice." LOL
@Ellie in AR
-sorry this posted in a a weird place.
"we love the spice"
@Ellie in AR, "Spicy Squirrel" would be an excellent comment handle if I hadn't so boringly gone with an initial! 😛
@N, Regina has a great idea, and may I add to it? Kids trying to earn their Eagle Scout award need to do community service projects. You can suggest to your Scouting USA hq (they just changed the name from Boy Scouts) that this could be someone's Eagle Scout project. Other, similar organizations such as Girl Scouts and Trail Life USA and possibly YMCAs or YWCAs, would probably also have badges or awards for doing big community service projects, and you could ask them as well. Likewise, some college and church organizations do community outreach volunteer work.
@Lindsey, the lowest of the low.
@Regina, Oh my gosh, my first sentence got choppped! Please understand that I meant the cemetery does have volunteers, including the boy scouts, that contribute. I apologize for coming across as dismissive, which was not at all what was meant!
@Fru-gal Lisa, Oh my gosh, my first sentence got choppped! Please understand that I meant the cemetery does have volunteers, including the boy scouts, that contribute. I apologize for coming across as dismissive, which was not at all what was meant! I've apologized to Regina, as well.
@Regina, and some schools have what I call "voluntold" "community" service. While I vehemently disagree with "voluntold", said slave labor (my view) might be of long term value for one or either side.
Congratulations on passing all your classes!
Feeling a bit sparse here as well!
1. I baked a dessert yesterday (apple crumble) rather than buying it.
2. I managed to use up a batch of ginger before it went bad.
3. I plan to rent a bike this month for cycling practice. I can do this for a very reasonable price whilst deciding what kind of bike I want to buy.
4. I made coffee in a flask yesterday when I went out rather than buying it (although I did buy lunch in a cafe!)
5. I remembered to cancel a streaming service.
To keep the squirrels from digging up my plants, I placed toothpicks upright all over the planter. I've seen people use plastic forks, but I used what I had. It worked.
1. I used points for 4 free nights at a hotel in DC right by the mall before a conference there.
2. I went to Brimfield. $10 parking, then a day's worth of entertainment. I bought a small cabinet to use as a coffee bar for $40 and a hand carved shorebird for $15.
3. We bought a season pass for the beach near our condo in Connecticut. They have loads of activities there in the Spring and summer.
4. I used my Southwest points to fly to DC, then on to CT and a companion pass for my husband.
5. The summer condo was inherited, so aside from yearly costs, it's an inexpensive getaway from the Florida heat.
@Sandy Beach, I miss Brimfield! It's great but just was not gonna happen this year. The May show is the really good one.
@Sandy Beach,
I have always wanted to go to Brimfield. It’s on my bucket list. Did you spot any interesting trends this spring?
@Bee, it was my first time there. For trends, I saw quite a few old dressers and pieces of furniture stripped of the original stain and then waxed or varnished clear, then priced very high. This trend seems to pop up a lot on Instagram. Lots of vintage clothing, Pokémon cards, and the usual vintage goods. The prices were really all over the place. Some vendors were expensive and some really affordable. It was huge.
@Rose, I can imagine July would be really hot. I will definitely try to go again next year. I knew it was big, but I was amazed how huge it is in person.
@Sandy Beach,
I’ve noticed that trend too. I personally love the natural wood and it can be done beautifully. I have heard in other parts of the country - not Florida yet - Victorian and East Lake pieces are being purchased just for this purpose.
@Sandy Beach, My favorite part was always the textile show the day before.
@Bee, As an antique lover I have to frown. On the other hand, Victorian and Eastlake stuff is so undervalued, guess it's better than the trash.
I even own a stripped pine kitchen dresser. Back in 1780 when it was made, pine was always painted as it's a cheap wood. Someone stripped it at some point and sometimes I think about painting it, but I really love its old beat up exterior as is.
1. I went to a clothing swap with a friend. I came home with a few items that will work even though I'd never think to buy them. Think black denim overalls and a shirt with fabric flowers on it. It was fun and it was shocking to me how much stuff people brought. In the last several years I have bought few clothes and I'm content with that.
2. I just listed some items on Freecycle including a couple for a neighbor. It just takes a minute and is good for the environment and should help others save money.
3. The usual of eating at home, wearing clothes we own, working in the yard, exercising.
4. I've got nothing.
5. I've got nothing.
1. I got to explore a version of a "treasure house". Someone from church has a house that they're going to list on the market and it was left with all kinds of things inside. They offered that we could come and take whatever we would use. I tried to be smart and really limit what we're bringing into our house. But here were a few gems we found: a day bed (going to repaint and buy a new mattress - but my 5yo can finally get out of a toddler bed!), a binder for school, two plastic tubs, and some office supplies. The bed is obviously the biggest win. And Kristen - I really owe my "I can just repaint that!" attitude to you. Five years ago I would have been intimidated by that. So, a big thanks to you!
2. I menu planned. I worked a bunch last week and May is always crazy for parents of elementary-age kids, so having a solid plan has been great on the food front.
3. I brought home a gallon bag of leftover fruit salad from catering. We ate some of it and made the rest into smoothies.
4. Last week I took my 5yo on a special outing for before her siblings are home all day all summer and she starts kindergarten this fall. We went to the Henry Ford Museum Big Screen and Greenfield Village. Since we got a membership for Christmas, the whole day was free. (Well, mostly free. I bought her a $3 ticket to ride the carousel and since I was feeling all the feels I also bought a $4 box of candy for during the movie. I wouldn't normally buy the candy.) We did pack lunches, too.
5. I made an end-of-year gift for my child's speech therapist with supplies we had on hand. I think she'll like it!
-We own a dock and now have a deal where we let someone keep their boat there for free and then we can use the boat. Free boat ride this weekend! All we have to do is pay for gas.
-Cooked all the meals at home, used up some ingredients i was really not excited about. Have a meal box subscription which included a recipe for a fish casserole which I did NOT feeling like cooking in this heat, but it turned out to be delicious
-Ate said fish casserole leftovers for lunch at work and enjoyed it again
-Froze some wine that I wasn't enjoying into a plastic bag, will use it to fortify a sauce at some point
-dug out an inflatable beach toy that i had bought YEARS ago and never opened- it had languished in my "kids birthday party gifts" box but never seemed appropriate. Youngest kid was happy to play with that for a while
1. School's about to be out so I requested to work more hours for my retail job.
2. Told the leader of our women's Bible study at church that I'd like to participate this summer, but only if she knew of anywhere to get the materials at no cost. She has an extra book she'll lend me.
3. Found an old T-shirt in some clutter I'm cleaning out. How it got there, I haven't a clue, but it's been missing for years. It is still in good shape, so I laundered it and will be wearing my "new" shirt.
4. My former roommate got clothing catalogs and gift catalogs in the mail. I still get them because they are addressed to her "or current resident" -- that's me. My mailbox was full of these catalogs yesterday. I immediately tossed 'em in the recycling bin -- I won't get tempted to buy anything if I don't read those catalogs.
5. Attended a seminar about solar energy, and saving energy in general. Learned some new things and picked up some informative handouts about conserving electricity. Found out that there is a program where certain homeowners in the DFW area and surrounding areas can get solar panels installed at a cheaper group rate. And that the governmental agency in charge of that program will vet the solar installers for you so you don't get ripped off. (There have been several stories in the news where folks got scammed by crooked "solar installers".) I can't get solar right away, but as soon as my Social Security settles in, and I pay off a few debts, it just may be do-able. However, the seminar sponsors also told me where I can go to get a free energy audit on my home, which I will definitely take advantage of!
@Fru-gal Lisa, I've gotten free energy audits from our energy (electric) provider, though this last audit person I was disappointed that never filled out paperwork to send me more info for regarding energy audit & when email survey came I mentioned also.
@Fru-gal Lisa, you are in the DFW area?? I visited Denton and Burleson a few weeks ago and was blown away by how beautiful (GREEN!) it was. Wow, next trip (as if. . .), I can add you to the list of friends to visit. 😎
@Fru-gal Lisa, I was going to suggest you go to the "Do Not Mail" website, a link from the FTC to the Direct Marketing Association, if it would let you cancel mailings in someone else's name.
But now, new to me, it costs $4-5 for a ten year block. It used to be free.
@Heidi Louise,
You can also call the Customer Service phone numbers to request canceling catalogs....but yeah, it can be time consuming, if there's a lot.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I'm 100 miles south of DFW. Usually, by summer it all starts going brown but this year we have had an unusually huge amount of rainfall, to the point of a lot of places being flooded. In mid-summer it is insufferably hot. I would recommend you wait until fall to visit if you can't come see us in spring. June is OK but hot and humid. By mid-July until well after Labor Day, it gets into the triple digits and usually stays there. Fry an egg on the sidewalk hot weather. Most Texans vacation in Colorado's mountains or somewhere else nice and cool during mid to late summer, and there's a reason for that.
@Heidi Louise,
I know about the DMA but no way am I going to pay 'em anything. Some of the catalogs have stickers on them that say "THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST CATALOG if you don't order anything." I want to tell 'em, "Promise? That'd be nice!!" Meanwhile, the recycling bin is very handy and free.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I really like Catalog Choice which is a free service for cancelling junk mail.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I work in Burleson 🙂
Frugal Fun
( not so much). I really cut back on buying plants this year. Bought some herbs yesterday. Planted said herbs. Then HAIL beat down newly planted herbs. HAIL was not forecasted.
Going back on Friday to get more herbs if they do not rebound.
I use Kroger app. Sales. Digital coupons. Grocery pick up to stay near our grocery budget. I also shop at Aldi for their loss leaders weekly.
Got a gorgeous solid wood much needed dresser for free on offer up. It was very heavy to move but in great shape. We had been looking for a dresser for over six months. Our budget was 125. FREE! A frugal friend saw it and snapped it up for us. We only wanted solid wood with dove tailed drawers so had to be patient.
Been using library a ton for many different reasons.
Have a great week Frugal Friends!!!
@Stephanie, Two enthusiastic puppies had a grand old time ripping up seedlings I have planted yet. Then, they could get into enjoyable arguments over the plastic pot!
Grrrrr, need to look for more.
@Rose, Clobber paws systematically pulled out my pea starts. I remind myself he is 10 months old and so cute...
Mothballs. They keep critters away.
@Mk, No, just n0. You don't want them with anything you are going to consume and are not recommended by any horticultural people and not good for the soil.
I haven’t got a lot this week either - mostly the usuals.
1) Making fresh ice tea often. Stopped at my favorite local tea shop and got 3 kinds of herbal teas to make “interesting” batches (my usual is just black tea)
2) Still cleaning out the freezer - used chopped rhubarb from last season to make some pretty darn good and easy rhubarb bars
3) stopped at a neighbors and got 2 dozen eggs for $6
4) patiently trying to use up random vitamin supplements and some cosmetics. Why is it that the “mistakes” one buys always last longer than the winners? I don’t use many cosmetics anymore but am trying to use up my inventory.
5) bought 2 pairs of summer pants yesterday to be my “uniform” and am donating some that no longer fit, flatter or feel good today
@Jean C, https://alexandracooks.com has a rhubarb custard cake recipe. If you like to bake bread her peasant, no-knead bread is a hit at our house. Rhubarb makes a killer syrup for pancakes that I make every summer; it can be water bath canned or frozen if you are not a canner.
This publication by our Cooperative Extension is free to download and has a zillion rhubarb recipes. Rhubarb is one of the few food items that survives the winters of northern Alaska, so is very popular. https://www.uaf.edu/ces/publications/database/food/rhubarb-recipes.php
@Lindsey, So helpful, thank you!
4.0! You rock!
The Five Frugal things around my house:
1. Made a second pass at decluttering the cabinets in the laundry room and spent only $1.25 for a small bin to get things finally under control. I did shuffle around and reuse a lot of tubs and baskets.
2. Defrosted the freezer so that it works better.
3. Took a quarter carload of stuff to Goodwill and did not go shopping while there.
4. As a result of inventorying the freezer, I made homemade pizzas to use up some Italian sausages and chopped sweet peppers. They were so good and cost so little to make.
5. Mended -- twice in one day! -- a favorite stuffed toy that the puppy keeps ripping open.
@Ruby, I use dental floss for dog toy repairs; seems to last longer.
@Lindsey and @Ruby, I've used dental floss as a substitute for button-and-carpet thread, and as thread for repairing boat shoes, for many years. (To get maximum tightwad value out of it, I try to use rinsed-off used floss. Feel free to say "ewww," if you wish.)
@Lindsey, please be careful using dental floss on your dog toys. I do believe that, if swallowed, it can be dangerous, if not fatal for a dog.
I don't know how successful either of these suggestions are re the squirrels but I understand sprinkling the surrounding area with blood meal will deter them and also stick Qtips saturated with peppermint essential oil is supposed to work as well. Not peppermint flavouring, has to be essential oil.
@MA, Blood meal attracts dogs.
1. Refilled spice jars at the food co-op for just pennies – 32 cents for thyme leaves, 42 cents for cayenne pepper and 74 cents for chili powder.
2. Received a nice charcuterie basket and a Target gift card for helping kids read in an after-school program. Also attended a root beer float party with the other volunteers given in our honor.
3. Received a Starbucks gift card for helping kids with their fine motor skills at an elementary school this year.
4. Made my first loaf of English Muffin Bread using The Frugal Girl recipe. So easy and delicious. Check out https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/a-very-very-easy-bread-recipe/ The recipe is for two loaves but I cut it in half with success.
5. For lunch one day, I used up items from the fridge to create a cold salad of egg noodles, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives (and some of the liquid), parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper. So good.
Great job on your classes! It was not a frugal week. I took my boys with me on Sunday and we did a Sams and Walmart run. We needed some summer lunch/breakfast items and some new clothes/swim trunks. It was a very spendy trip. We should be set for awhile though.
My oldest (14) was chatting to me about his Driver's Ed class last night. He was concerned because a couple of classmates has gotten strikes against them. He said if one of the boys in particular gets one more they are booted from the class and the money spent is forfeited. The class is $300. He can't believe they would risk getting strikes and being booted. Glad he is picking up the value of what things cost and seeing things through.
@Jackie, drivers education/training was $1,000 from beginning to end & getting drivers liscence just over year ago. And that's at program at local school, which is cheaper than private businesses.
@Regina, Do you have to take driver's ed? Here you have to go to a 3 hour class and that's it. It's about $40.
@Regina, Oh Yikes! I do wonder why it is so high. Do you suppose it is liability insurance?
@Rose, That's a good question. In our state we don't, but my husband wants our kids to go through the class anyways. I do believe it helps with getting a certain level of license? Don't quote me on that though, I haven't totally read up on it. I kind of let them handle it and I just help with some driving hours.
@Rose, in Michigan if you want to get your drivers liscence you can take drivers education/training at almost 15 years old & go through Segment 1 then drive time/daytime & nighttime hours with parents then take Segment 2 (months later) with additional day & nighttime driving hours before being able to take drivers test (at age 16 is earliest). You also have to drive in winter (mandatory) & spring or summer or fall weather minimum hours. (Most accidents happen in winter from inexperienced drivers) If you complete all the requirements & pass the drivers test you get your drivers liscence. OR wait until 18 years old & pass drivers test to get drivers liscence. Drivers test is pass/fail no mistakes (you can take as many times as needed) & non refundable ($200+).
Congrats on passing everything! I wasn't always so lucky in college but that's how I figured out I was in the wrong major.
My FFT
1. I too planted a Basil plant. We don't use that much basil but I like the smell of it and we use it for pizza and stuff.
2. Sold a couple more items on eBay. I'm not getting rich but I'm happy to have stuff gone.
3. Had McDonald's points that were expiring and used it to get a lunch. I didn't buy a drink because I have my own.
4. Used one of those "trash rescued" batteries in my clock and another in my wireless mouse. I know, gigantic savings here!
5. We got season passes to Six Flags at the end of last year at a great discount and have started to use them. No paying for parking, no paying for sodas (it included the refill cups) and the kids can ride all day. Not exactly free but I hope it makes summer a bit more enjoyable for the family.
@Battra92, great deal on summer activities is always a win especially since this is good all year. I tried telling my neighbor (has 3 under 6 & baby sits 2 more same ages). Told about zoo membership & even wrote down costs/info.
@Regina, Definition of nightmare: a zoo on a hot, sunny day shepherding five kids under five by myself. "Hey, kids, let's stay in the backyard today!"
@Battra92, Most memberships (or season passes) pay for themselves after 2 visits, so anything beyond that feels extra great to me. Enjoy a fun summer!
@Battra92, Several years ago, I read about an ultimate frugal move at a place like Six Flags. The man bought a season pass which included two meals, snacks, beverages, a day. Don't know if such an option is still available, or how healthy it is.
Not frugal- I have a 1 gb phone plan that is $15. Next gig to 2 gb is additional 15. Well as luck would have it I bumped into the second gb yesterday and my data resets today. So $15 for 1 day. Boo.
But frugal successes- Hubs can get a Iphone 14 for $49 for me on his plan.
We bought new wood for our picnic table and due to a board being a little split we got it for 70% off and we found the treated 2 x 4's for 70% off which saved us a $40 bucks. We were able to cut off the split part as our table is 6', boards are 8'. Additional frugal -our table frame is a well built 25 year old metal frame hubs found in the woods.
We already had all the screws and bolts necessary for the table.
We power washed the deck ourselves now that dog mud season is over.
Bought enough .99 strawberries to make jam.
Patio string lights were burnt out and I already had large bulb led white Christmas light string so that is what replaced them. I hate those vintage Patio bulbs, they last for couple of months...then burn out. And they are expensive.
@Mar,
I know what you mean about those Edison bulbs bring expensive. I was able to score some on my Buy Nothing group, which made me deliriously happy.
I bet it felt so good to sit and enjoy your coffee outside, knowing you didn't have to go to a class today.
My frugals this week:
*I baked bread and made granola.
*I made a skirt, using some very nice, not-cheap fabric. I looked at what was left over and decided that, with careful cutting, I had enough to make a tank top. So I did. All I had left was a handful of scraps too small to use. It felt good to make the most of that fabric.
*I helped a friend move a bunch of bags of heavy potting soil and spread it in her planters. I had two small flower pots I needed to fill and she was happy to give me some of the soil for them.
* We're getting ready to go on a long camping trip. In preparation, we've both loaded up our Kindles with library books. (After a day of hiking and exploring, we like to sit and read.)
*Friends have a new puppy and we invited them over. We sat around and watched the puppy play with our two dogs. Best free entertainment ever!
For the squirrels digging. You can go to a $ store and purchase those mesh umbrella things that go over dishes at picnics
@Michelle, that's a great idea! I'm going to use that for my potted plants. Thanks!
I have bunnies that keep eating my plants. I'm now having to put a 5 gallon bucket over some of them before bed or I wake up to all my flowers missing!
I used up all my leftovers, and was especially proud of one dish...I used some chickpeas (made too many for hummus), added some leftover tomato soup and spices, and a the rest of a container of sour cream that was almost out of date...came out with a chickpea tikki masala kind of thing that was excellent.
My mom is still recovering from some health issues. One of her new meds was $224 with her insurance. I did some digging through a few programs like Good Rx and found it for $26.
I bought a brand new with tags fancy brand winter coat (retails for over $300) for $8.50 at Goodwill.
I remembered to have work order my ink for my printer before I ran out and had to go buy some in an emergency.
I switched auto/home insurance companies and saved a few hundred a year.
@Marlena, You get the Frugal Gold Medal for saving about90% on your mom's meds and also for the coat you bought from the GW Boutique. Congrats!
Great job on classes Kristen! You're doing great! 🙂
Frugal Things---
● cashed in my monthly Sams Cash & picked up few items while there. Had Kleenex on scan & go (Save $2.50 or $3 each) & bought 2 packages (allergy season)
● Have only needed to turn on air conditioner once since warmer (84-86 last 6 days) when teen opened curtains/blinds---do we live in a cave comment (2 days in row after being told why closed), on second day when temperature went up (almost 10 degrees inside) to 5 degrees from outside temperature. Turned on only to get cooled back down & turned off again. Fan circulating air inside main part of house to keep cool. 🙂
● got scheduled hours for next round early election voting
● found few new summer shirts & nightgowns at free store for teen & myself
● teen fixed outside table umbrella that I was having difficulty trying to fix. Just in time for hot/sunny weather.
● teen shopped basement pantry (items already had purchased on sale) to get items for class party at school that signed up to bring _______.
● picked up freezer items (Diginorio pizza $4, real fruit popsicles $3, frozen lemon meringue pie $6) on sale (store freezers pretty bare) then used coupons & rewards ($57) for groceries this week. Saved 30% in addition to sale prices. 🙂
● got gas last night & saved $0.50/gallon ($2.93) on 12 gallons (only because have not driven a lot) before gas prices increased (today just went up) to $3.79 ($0.30+ increase) for holiday.
Frugal annoyance---
● asked at credit union about my saver account monthly reward because was exactly same as my monthly savings intrest. Apparently the program has changed to 3% of total purchases up to $9 in rewards per month with amount of qualified use. So the amount received was correct. Still made free money, but not what I generally would have---May is already done (for me) & will get $9 (max amount).
@Regina, Ohhhh.... the holiday! Duh! Our gas prices went from $3.29 yesterday to $3.79 today and I was bummed because I'm at a quarter tank.
Per environmental regulations, summer gas is a different formula than winter gas, something about being evaporating less in the heat. That change is part of the price increase every year around this time.
@Heidi Louise,
Even so, they hike the prices up around every holiday that sees an increase in traveling. Winter, summer, it doesn't matter. I almost forgot and went and got some late last night. It wasn't cheap, but I can just about guarantee the prices will be raised even more by the end of the workweek.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Oh, yes; I know that phenomenon! Avoid getting gas at a college town around move-in or move-out days, homecoming, family or parents weekends, or major sporting event days.
I accepted offered leftovers. My lunch is made for the rest of the week.
We did not buy the addendum packages the dealership wanted to add to our car. (We had to say no about a dozen times.)
We bought used with low mileage.
I made my own coffee.
We made baby puree.
@Rebekah in SoCal,
um--baby puree?
@Cynthia, Probably baby food. 😉 Instead of buying it in jars.
I learned some good tips about squirrels, so thanks for asking & getting the collective wisdom of this groups. Maybe I'll eventually be able to eat some of the strawberries we grow!
1) Sold a few things on eBay & Facebook marketplace. Junk out of the house, plus money in.
2) Was able to successfully extend the expiration of some flight credits we have, which will give us a lot more flexibility on our travels.
3) I'd purchased several suits for DS17 for prom. I was returning the ones that didn't fit. Macy's didn't want to return one of the suits, because the pants & jacket weren't from the same set. It made more sense why they didn't fit (the pants were multiple sizes bigger than they were supposed to be.) I patiently explained that I only bought one of that brand suit set (luckily) & it must have been an error on their side. I was returning only what they had sent me. I asked for a manager, and he was able to look up my purchases & confirm that it was an error on their side & give me the refund. It was close to $100, so worth the time & effort. Plus, what would I do with a mismatched suit I couldn't return?
4) Continue eating leftovers for lunches. When I was previously employed, we got free lunch at work, which was great, of course. But, eating lunch at home definitely means less food waste, since I'm able to eat up a lot of dinner leftovers.
5) The teens asked for bread, so they could make sandwiches. It's not something we keep on hand typically. I noticed a local bakery was on Too Good To Go, so I decided to try it out. For $5.99, we got two absolutely enormous loaves of bread (probably 2x a standard loaf) - one sourdough (my favorite!) & one wheat, plus 10 huge Dutch Crunch sandwich rolls. I froze one loaf of bread & will freeze half of the Dutch Crunch rolls. The teens are very pleased by these options, and what a score on the Too Good To Go!
Your first photo feels so relaxing, just a big fat HAHA I DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE TODAY.
SFT:
1. Didn’t buy yarn in spite of its being on sale. Left it in my cart, closed the window. (Will I have the fortitude to unsubscribe from Webs AGAIN?)
2. While in a bigger town, I visited the library and loaded up on books—instant gratification instead of ordering and waiting.
3. Went through my books and donated a full box to the library sale in town (frugal for them)
4. Sold an out of print book to someone who wanted it more than I needed it on my shelf.
5. Turned some underbaked bread into croutons—a friend often gives me bread in spite of the fact that I bake my own and it is ALWAYS RAW inside! She says she "likes it gooey". It doesn't make very crispy croutons, but at least it's not going straight to the trash.
6. Went through old paint cans and other weird stuff and hauled a load to the hazardous waste collection day (it's been 3-4 years since that was offered around here!) I guess it is frugal to make space in our outbuildings. . . not so frugal to have unused paint and other weird stuff.
1. I picked up some hiking shoes off Buy Nothing for my son.
2. Picked up lava rocks off of Buy Nothing for our fire pit, which saved us about $50.
3. I picked up a book off Buy Nothing for our upcoming camping trip.
4. We are having our house painted. We offered to pay in cash, so the owner of the business gave us a discount.
5. My car has another check engine light on. The dealership gave us a rental car while it is being diagnosed and repaired. We found out the issue will be covered under warranty.
I noticed that my flower pots were struggling in our previous home and I kept seeing squirrels there. Lo & behold one day I caught them digging up several nuts that they had buried in the soil. The herbs that they consumed after eating the squirreled away nuts must have been a palate cleanser 🙂 Sorry to say that I never found a way to prevent this from happening so I just learned to enjoy the free entertainment they provide.
This week has been anything but frugal in our home as we are trying to wind up the last of the repairs, install sod (ooof on the budget), build a deck, and my son is in his last week of school which means that he will be home to consume the contents of my fridge and pantry for the next two months.
Nevertheless I am not giving up. To that end I made some homemade snacks for him and avoided costly items at the grocery store like boxes of single serve chips for $21.49!!!! Goldfish for $19 - again the individual pouches. Some of these things I will buy in the economy size and then portion into snack bags. Cookies & treats will definitely be made in house & if I could figure out how to make homemade Doritos...I would do it.
I did mange to make 10 pints of homemade apricot jam and am planning a trip to the farmers market this weekend to pick up some tomatoes to can for the remainder of the year.
We ate at home all week except for a hotdog at Costco on our trip there last night.
We scored a basketball goal for our son from a neighbor who was getting rid of his - perfect condition & free.
On we go.
I'm still spending more than saving. My car has another, related issue, and this time, I have had to rent a car for a couple of days, as I can't miss work this week. Let's hope my car is good to go by Friday, because that's when sister and I leave for my reunion.
Squirrels can get used to cayenne if you choose to use pepper. Go hotter, if you can find access to something like Carolina Reaper or Trinidad Scorpion. Needless to say, wear gloves and a mask when sprinkling such potent peppers. DH used to grow them, so I can attest that protection is necessary.
For FFT, I have these:
1. For my granddaughter's graduation, instead of an expensive card, I used a nice lined envelope from my personal stash and a piece of handmade paper (from a set of papers given to me) to carefully write out a poem I had composed for her. Then I added some cash to the poem in the envelope, and done. I got a kiss from the granddaughter for it.
2. We had a work lunch here last week, from 4 Rivers, and that leftover smoked meat went home with me. We have permission to take lunch leftovers, and no one else wanted any.
3. My coleus survived the winter by my covering them during the coldest days. I'm snipping off pieces and sticking them in dirt to propagate more. It's amazing; I am literally snipping pieces and jamming them in a pot of dirt, and they take off and grow.
4. Now that the squash and cucumber seeds have sprouted, I'm laying frost cloth over them at night. This really helped keep down the bugs last year.
5. I've got two loads of clothes hanging on racks in my loft area right now. It's cheaper than a dryer and doesn't heat up the house.
@JD, Dr. Bestest Neighbor would be envious of your Florida coleus propagation (he's a coleus fan). And, ironically, I'm about to have to heat up the house with my dryer (on a hot May afternoon) by washing sheets. Sheets are the *only* things I can't dry on my indoor racks, and if I don't wash them today, the county health department may be coming after me. 🙂
FFT, More Thrifting and Other Spring Fun (continued from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
(6) I've just come back from one of our local Thrifty Shopper stores, where I used my Tuesday 25% senior discount on a small Gardenline tumbling composter. (Evidently Aldi had these a couple of years ago for $40, and a similar one on Amazon today is $60; I paid $8.) I've been looking for a composter since my old trashpicked Earth Machine finally disintegrated last fall; I don't like to put food scraps into an open compost heap because of critter issues. It's a bit smaller than I'd like, but then, as a single person, I'm not generating as many kitchen scraps as I used to. We shall see.
(7) Before I hit the Thrifty Shopper, I went to Ollie's with a 15% off coupon, mainly because I wanted to score two more 1 cu.ft. bags of Hyponex potting soil before they sold out. (As Ollie himself routinely warns us, "When it's gone, it's gone!")
(8) This afternoon, I'll be setting out the two tomato plants that my next-door neighbor and I grow each year in large pots behind her 8-foot chain-link fence. I order these from a Master Gardener friend of Dr. Bestest Neighbor who grows them as a fundraiser for the Master Gardeners--but the BNs generously underwrote the cost of these this year, in return for my "extra package duty." (They've been out of town a good bit recently and have received several packages earlier than expected; I have retrieved all these ahead of possible porch pirates.)
(9) The rest of this week, I'll be moving my transplants out into the garden as fast as the weather and my aging physique will permit. Fun, fun, fun, gardening style!
(10) Frugal fail/win: A chipmunk has taken to dining at the bird feeder where I serve black oil sunflower seeds, and isn't even deterred by the crushed red pepper I mix into that seed. Obviously, it likes life muy picante. So I took that feeder down this morning when it was empty (it's time I started taking the feeders down for the summer anyway), and I'm hoping that one of our local foxes or outdoor cats will take care of the problem in the meantime. Yes, I know, chipmunks are stinkin' cute--but as a gardener and bird feeder, I take a dim view of Order Rodentia in general.
I'm going to see what I can come up with.....
1. Our nephew brought us a self-propelled lawn mower from his girlfriend's father. The father bought a riding lawn mower and no longer needed it. We will take this mower to use at our camp. We were also given 2 gas cans with it.
2. My work sponsors a spring clean up for our township residents. I worked the event making 7 hours of overtime, plus I found a folding table and working microwave. I cleaned both up and took them to our camp to use there.
3. My daughter's work office moved and they had extra chair floor mats. She gave us 2 as they were just going to throw them away. I used one in my home office and hubby will use one in the driveway for when he has to work on cars, etc.
4. From our "free table" at work, I got a big bag of berry skittles, 2 containers of cake balls (which i gifted to my niece and nephew). My daughter gave me a full size shower gel from bath & Body Works which she can't use due to her sensitive skin.
5. Hubby and I mow all our grass ourselves, do all our own yard work. Hubby also cleaned our gutters out himself yesterday. We were tired and wanted to get takeout, but neither of us wanted to drive to go get it, so I cooked a frozen pizza and we had some leftover fruit salad. Saved $ and time.
I hope you and your brain enjoy a break from classes. Not sure if that was your choice to have the summer off, or just the way the program is structured, but I look forward to hearing about your frugal adventures this summer!
1. Made a big batch of croutons and storing them in an old lunch meat container.
2. Moved our chickens to another patch in the vegetable garden. We have not had the time, or a dry enough stretch of days, to till and plant yet. For now, the chickens can feast on the very tall weeds in there.
3. My husband had a pile of old plywood that he brought home from a job site. I drug the pieces over onto other areas of the garden to kill those weeds.
4. Each summer we learn a little better how to open, close, and take care of our above ground pool (it came with the house when we moved here and this will be our 3rd summer). Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time pumping off the water that had accumulated on the cover and scooping off leaves. Now hopefully it will dry the rest of the way and be easy to take off tomorrow or Thursday before storms are forecasted.
5. Kids spring activities are finished now, so less running around and we get our evenings back!
Oh yes, the program just doesn't run in the summer. Sometimes people use that time to work on some required courses that they didn't knock out as prereqs, like microbiology. But I already did all mine so I'm FREE.
@Kristen, yay for freedom! The nursing school I attended had an accelerated program that I believe was 21 months straight through. It was extremely intense!
Squirrels: I set flat rocks on the dirt around the stems of the flowers or foliage I plant. Otherwise I would have a nursery of oak tree seedlings.
The usual: make my own distilled water, chai latte at home.
The unusual and WONDERFUL! I post SOC every few days on fb and was bemoaning my difficulty at getting the mowing done, because of work, working on getting our annual Master Gardener Plant Sale ready for this past Saturday, fatigue/pain, and weather. One of my new church mother friends (of seven children, two eldest are married) talked to me about one of her son's wanting to get into lawn business and wanted to practice on mine (as a "picky" one) and they both also want to exchange plant information. They already know a lot, but my bent the last few years has been growing natives to promote habitation for pollinators and that's new to them and feed wildlife in general. We both have an interest in medicinal herbs as well as culinary herbs, too. I said all that to say that I got my yard mowed for free (in an hour, when it takes me two!) in exchange for talking about plants. And not only did the young man do that, he noticed my window a.c. unit was setting in the garage and offered to put it in for me! (I welled up w tears) He noticed I was emotional and said "My parents raised me right." Yes they did! Looking forward to this summer of tutoring in my favorite subject!
Other frugal efforts: was able to buy swamp milkweed and butterfly weed at a reduced rate from our MG Club Sale as well as some other perennials.
Kristen, enjoy your break. Give yourself some time to rest.
@Chrissy, What is SOC?
My frugals:
*I spent a little extra time using the spatula on empty jars (mayo and pb).
*My husband cooked shrimp in butter last night. We strained the butter left in the pan to re-use because we figured it would taste yummy.
*I cut, washed, and used lettuce from our garden that over-wintered.
*I made coffee at home (but probably made too much of it).
*My daughter's birthday party was on Saturday, and she wanted pasta salad. I decided to make a pasta salad bar. We had many leftovers (lots of cut up veggies) which have been useful in the meals since then.
*My son's graduation party is this weekend. I bought chickpeas in cans to make hummus. I think that will be less expensive than buying it already made. We are also making everything except the Chex Mix (which was his one request). No catering will be lots cheaper.
*We handed out many of his announcements at church instead of mailing them.
Not a lot frugal happening here, but I found an antique item on FB Marketplace being offered for $100. I didn't even haggle. I know I can sell it for about $1800.
Not frugal: Org lady here, BBQ service guy here, soon locksmith here! I feel so invaded and stressed. Just thought of something else I keep forgetting to do. Sigh.
Bought quilt blocks from the 20/30s made with feedsacks. I just need to stitch em together, fill it, back it, and then quilt it. I guess it's cheaper than buying an old quilt?
Any fiscal benefit from growing your own veg and herbs is negated when tiresome puppies rip them up.
@Kristen - congratulations on finishing the school year strong! Enjoy your summer break!
@N - "BFFDP" too funny. My bestie is a funeral director and this statement is sooo true! I am on the board of 2 Pioneer cemeteries and we have been planning, setting up work parties and getting ready for all of the ceremonial events. I grew up decorating loved ones and now I have a cutting garden just for that purpose.
This year we are installing 2 new gorgeous stone benches that I bought at auction for mere pennies ($80 ea).
I hauled an old 1300 gallon galvanized steel stock tank out of one of the barns and am reusing it for a "country style summer wading pool". I bartered with a friend and he painted the interior with a rubberized coating in bahama blue. I painted his kitchen/great room/office and ceilings. I bartered with another friend to borrow his high lift (he asked for 2 months of homemade bread, cookies and muffins).
I picked up remnants of decking materials from my 2nd cousin's remodel and am using those to built a deck around almost half of the pool. The pump and filter came out of a free hot tub that I picked up last year and recycled. I am using a solar generator, bought at a government auction, to run the pump. My other neighbor used his mini excavator to level out the spot. He gets paid in cookies (he begs for projects because he loves my cookies and his wife doesn't bake).
I am picking up a load of medium sized river rock from a commercial landscape project (a friend's office building) to use in various areas around the yard and new redneck pool.
Today is a rainy day so I will keep on with the cleaning up of shops/barns putting aside stuff for our community garage sale that is happening in a month.
Not frugal: my puppy chewed up my very nice safety sunglasses. sigh. Stupid human forgot to pick them up off of the table next to my favorite outside chair.
FFT dog edition: we’re getting a hunting dog, Swedish white moose dog directly translated 🙂
1. Used a voucher and airline points to fly and greet the puppies and make our choice. So thankful for this option as the tickets had been $1400 otherwise, probably due to the long weekend.
2. Found a sale with 30% off for the cage to be used in the car.
3. Found also very good deals on Airbnb for when we’re driving to get him in two weeks time.
4. Didn’t know I had a friend who is a certified puppy trainer so getting lots of tips from her.
5. Borrwed three puppy books at the library.
@Gunn from Northern Norway, I had to Google "Swedish white moose dog" after reading this, and if it's "the Jämthund, also called the Swedish Elkhound," that's going to be a very handsome pup indeed!
@A. Marie, they are very similar in build and size except ours is completely white. Funny thing: we had plans to make our own dog food out of the invasive Russian pink salmon, but apparently we’ll get a pink dog then 😀
A replay from The Non-Consumer Advocate:
1. Took our 2014 truck into the dealership for the free airbag replacement. Safety is frugal. We did not succumb to the salesman's pitch to buy a new truck since our truck is 10 years old. As we were leaving, the repair guy said that our truck was one of the last models made with metal parts that since have been replaced with flimsier parts so to keep holding on to it because it will outlast newer models. We only use the truck for summer chores like dirt hauling so it will outlive us.
2. We have enough property that I forced my husband to get a riding mower; he is too old to push mow our property. That was 10 years ago and when we took it in for a tune-up this week, the crotchety and usually dour shop owner complimented us on keeping it in such good condition and said the newer models in the last decade are made with cheaper parts so ours will outlast them. Good caretaking of possessions is frugal, but I felt like yelling, "What the hell happened 10 years ago that things like trucks and mowers suddenly went from sturdy to cheaply made!?" (I love this place. It is like some throw-back to the 1920s, with old parts stuck everyplace, tools that are rarely used anymore hanging on the walls, old men sitting around in one corner yapping. Even the girly magazine pictures on the wall are faded ones of movie stars from the 50s in two-piece bathing suits.)
3. Had dinner for free at a sit-down restaurant, courtesy of a mystery shop.
4. Stopped by the grocery store for milk and free chocolates and walked out with discounted burger that was at its sell-by date. Always check the marked down meat area.
5. Another day of transplanting, mostly onions and direct seeding carrots, plus watering transplants put into the beds the last few days. Still too cold for tomato and cuke and eggplant seedlings.
Hmm, for a while it felt like we were winning just by not having to pay $5 every time we went to the hospital for DS! The wound clinic gives us a parking pass each time. But now I gotta work harder to be frugal.
1. Library books on repeat. Though I am so tempted, after diving into reading about Edward Gorey, to purchase Mary Rodgers' books that he illustrated. (Freaky Friday, A Billion for Boris, Summer Switch). I really dislike the newer editions of these classics with the newer illustrations. I did cave and buy a copy of Band of Brothers to read, after watching the miniseries with my sons.
2. Tea and coffee at home. Summer is when I start to crave iced coffee, and it's easy enough to throw together a fascimile with soy milk as long as I have ice cubes on hand.
3. Eating at home. We've taken to just going to the store to get what we need, rather than "stocking up" and I prefer that. Obviously combining the drive to the grocery store with another errand.
4. For various reasons, one of our kids had to rent an apartment briefly, but he is back home now and unfortunately the lease is one year (there is an option after 6 months to have somebody else take it over). In the meantime DH turned off the AC there, so at least we're not paying that. Water and internet were included in the rent.
5. DS's wound is closing so well that I'm relatively confident that the huge supply of gauze I ordered will last us through his course of treatment. At the last appointment there was talk of going in and doing a delayed "primary closure" so it would be closed with sutures rather than left open and packed with gauze. Here's hoping that happens soon!
@Karen A., I've been a Gorey collector for 30 years. I have a million of his books and 4 or 5 original watercolors.
@Rose, Ooh, I'm envious. I love that he illustrated some of my favorite children's books, like Mary Rodgers' I mentioned above, and John Bellair's House With a Clock in Its Walls, and Joan Aiken's books.
For digging squirrels, clean out your old bottles of spices and sprinkle them on the soil. (Don't use any blends with salt). I have dollar store pepper flakes that seem to keep the squirrels from digging. Last year, I made a spices ring around my whole house to keep racoons away and that worked.
Congratulations on making it through another semester and academic year!
1) My mother in law gave us a ton of food. Like maybe a legit ton. She has been volunteering at a local food bank. It sounds like they always have fresh food left over, which has to be either taken by the volunteers or tossed. When we went over last weekend, she showed us her standing freezer absolutely packed with frozen meat. We were happy to accept as much as we could fit in our fridge and freezer. Our oldest has gotten to the "eat a leftover chicken breast as a snack" age, so it will not go to waste in our house. My plan for getting through this free food is for every meal to include one or more things that are a leftover, produce that will go bad soon, or was free.
2) Last week I bought a dress shirt and shorts from Old Navy for my oldest. Both were too small, so I promptly returned them. I stopped by a Goodwill to check out their selection, and low and behold, armed with my better knowledge of his current sizing, I found two full church outfits for said son for half of what I spent at Old Navy for just one outfit. He tried everything on last night, and it fits.
3) My other Goodwill good news is an air fryer. I am not an early adapter of kitchen gadgets, but air fryers have been around long enough that I am curious. And lots of moms who also have lots of kids sing the praises of the air fryer. So I have been keeping an eye out at Goodwill. I don't want one that looks worn out. And I am in no universe paying $200 for an air fryer. Finally I found exactly what I was looking for: almost new condition, it looks more like a toaster over than an air fryer, and the online reviews are very good. And, here's the kicker, it had a 50% off tag color! So $25 begins my air frying adventure. We'll clean it good and try it tonight to make sure it works.
4) I had the bright idea to hang our retractable clothesline and clothes pins in the laundry room. We were able to complete this small house project just using hooks and things we had on hand in about 10 minutes. And now these items that have been kind of floating between back door hooks and hall shelves, finally have a convenient permanent home.
5) Speaking of my oldest . . . last week he was accepted into a really good (public) high school. (We have a system of free public "governor's schools" here in Virginia that are excellent if you can get in.) I had no recollection of it, but my son swore I told him that if he got in I would buy him sushi AND chick fil a in one meal. Wednesday is half price sushi day at one of the local grocery stores, so on Wednesday my husband stopped in to get a California roll, then used points to get a free chick fil a sandwich. I'm so proud of the kid, it was worth the $5 to treat him.
@Amanda in VA, I remember being floored when my father volunteered at his local food pantry because he regularly brought home a ton of produce. Blackberries!!!
@Amanda in VA, Oh! My friend teaches at one of those schools. She really enjoys it.
1. I meal planned and prepped at the beginning of the week using ingredients I already had, including some things that needed to be used up.
2. I bought two ebooks that were on deep discount at Amazon. I used a gift card, making them free to me. I have also been reading books that were already on my shelves but hadn't been touched in a long time.
3. I found some sunglasses buried in a drawer and cleaned them up, ready to use this summer.
4. I cleaned out my closet, making more room for the things I actually wear. I gave a shoe organizer that I never use anymore to my mother and set aside a few other things to try and sell.
5. I cleaned and organized my shoes and put them where I can find them easily.
They'd have to tie your hands behind your back, blindfold you and lock you in a closet on final day for you to fail a class! ;0) But I do appreciate the sentiment. Every time I had an exam in my doctoral program I reminded myself that "failure is not an option" because I was using our money and our time to get through the program. That truly makes it an exercise in frugality.
Congratulations of finishing with high scores in your classes!
My 5 Frugal are ...
1) Got 2 baguettes, 2 containers for muffins, and a few cookies for free from the food pantry at church where I volunteer since the bag was torn and the containers were missing muffins.
2) Found my missing iPhone at the park by using the 'Find My' website through my laptop. Soooo relieved to find it that I breathed a sigh of relief after I had it in my hands.
3) Found a hubcap on the side of the road that might work for the missing hubcap on my car. Hubcap went missing after I had new tires put on my car from Walmart. I've gone up and down the road several times but couldn't find it.
4) Did not get chips or soda with my take out sandwich and free cup of water. Went out to eat with my friend and although I offered to pay for her, she said she would like us to pay for our own meals which I was okay with.
5) Packed my kids' lunches for their end of the school year field trips instead of having them use their school lunch accounts.
From time to time it is sooo nice to do nothing . Enjoy your breake.
Congratulations on the successful completion of your school year Kristen.
Long time reader here - deciding to dive in to comment. I’m usually a few days behind in reading but have been able to catch up.
FFT
1. I have been taking advantage of the CVS offers lately. There isn’t one in my neighborhood but I have had to pass one on my travels lately. I got some free candy and a free Halmark card using the rewards.
2. I got some free Heirloom seeds from my buy nothing group.
3. I was given a small aero garden as a Christmas gift. I grew the herbs that came with it then moved them to containers, where they have gotten pretty large. I also used the light from the aero garden as a grow light for the free seeds. I gave some of the starts to my co-workers and planted some in some containers and in a small patch in my yard. Hopefully things will grow. The lettuce is growing well and I’ll use some for dinner tonight.
4. I also planted some seeds I saved from my Halloween pumpkin.
5. I was able to borrow a ladder from work to try to unclog my gutter. I’m not sure how successful I was because I still had trouble reaching the top of the downspout. I guess we will see when we get our next downpour. If I wasn’t, I will have to hire someone, which will be much more frugal than falling and getting hurt trying to do it myself again!
6. Bonus one- after the frustration of dealing with the gutter, I was going to go to the local dairy and get ice cream. Instead I stopped at the grocery store and was able to buy a gallon of my favorite ice cream and a frozen pizza (both on sale) for what I would have paid at the dairy for what I would have gotten there.
Woohoo! So glad you are joining in.
@Pattilou, after you get you gutters cleaned out check into gutter screens. They are as cheap as $1/section & work wonders. Not very hard to install but do require balance & maneuvering at same time while on ladder. I purchased at Menards, which is also available online (shipping) if not in your area.
@Kristen, thank you! Glad to be here.
*Sold six items on eBay.
*Shopped at good old Aldi.
*Cooked from scratch.
*Involuntarily went 21 hours without electricity due to the tornado in Houston. Lol
*Had no takeout all week. It helped that no restaurants were open around us due to the storm! I have a gas stove so we managed fine.
I used to take hair from my hairbrush,snip it up into little pieces,and sprinkle it on my garden. Supposedly the human scent scares off animals.
If you have a rock garden, or can find some small rocks while on your walks, put them around the perimeter of your pot to cover the dirt. I also stick plastic forks a few inches apart that are pointy side up and sticking out above the lip of the pot. These two things usually stop them from digging.
I've never had my leftover basil take in just soil. Sometimes Perlite works best for me! I love all your tips, thanks for sharing, and congratulations on a 4.0 that is so impressive!
I am frugal but some things I'm not.
My spouse has alzheimers and you don't always have it your way as the disease more of a need and I'm tired.