Five Frugal Things | a not-Ralph-Lauren Christmas
1. I did not buy any new Christmas decor
As I mentioned in my recent podcast with The Finance Girlies, I keep seeing that this is the year of the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic.
And I honestly do not give a crap about that. 😉
I'm just over here cheerfully using the same (mostly clearance-purchased) Christmas decorations I already have.
Maybe it's because I'm not a decorator, but I am befuddled at the idea that we are having a new Christmas style every few years (or worse, every year!)
I have always felt there is a certain nostalgic charm about pulling out the same Christmas things each year; I would actually not want new stuff every December.
2. I bought some discount Christmas concert tickets
My college girl will be in the area for a bit over Christmas, and I noticed a Christmas pops concert was happening during that time. Sooo, I bought two discounted tickets with my student account, and we will go
3. I submitted my eye exam receipt to my eye insurance
My eye doctor doesn't participate with my new eye insurance (bummer!), so I asked for an itemized bill when I paid, and as soon as I got home, I submitted it online through my insurance website to try to get some out-of-network benefits.
I got very good at doing this during the many years of marriage therapy; it was all out-of-network, so I became well-practiced at the out-of-network submission rigamarole. 😉
I figure anything I get back is better than $0, and it took me less than 10 minutes to do the submission.
4. I made chocolate banana "ice cream" lots of times
I had a big bunch of bananas that went to their very-slightly-overripe state in a jiffy.
(For me, this means they have a few tiny brown spots.)
So, I sliced them up and froze them on a baking sheet, transferred them to a Ziploc bag, and then used them to make several batches of chocolate banana "ice cream" for myself.
I do it basically like this, except for the chocolate version, I leave out the strawberries and I add in a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
The strawberry version:
5. I passed both my fall 2025 classes
It looks like both will be an A grade, although I am still waiting for a few last assignments to be graded in my most recent class (it ends this coming Sunday).
My hospital requires either a B or a C for tuition reimbursement, depending on the class. So either way, I safely qualify!
Congrats on making it through The Worst Class Ever!
My FFT:
1. I signed up for the CVS Extra Care+ program at half price. So for $24 for the year, I get the $10 every month benefit, which I promptly used to help pay for my $22 photo order. I'm putting it in my 2026 planner to make sure I use the benefit each month.
2. I got my free team picture for coaching my 7yo's volleyball team this season. Also, this was probably my favorite team to coach ever. They were so fun and adorable.
3. I babysat my friend's kids for free so she could go to a Christmas party, but I ended up with a beautiful Christmas bouquet of flowers! They put them together as an activity at the party and had enough leftover to make one for me when I dropped the kids off. So sweet!
4. Our school uniform place had a 15% off sale last week, so I used that to buy a particular item that one of my kids wanted.
5. I'm making coffee at home. We got super low and I thought about getting coffee out once, but then realized that it would cost almost as much as a bag of grounds would and that was silly.
@Ruth T,
I too signed up for the CVS + plan for $24. I believe the deal is available through the end of the month. I used my first $10 Extra Bucks to get pistachios that were on sale. I also noted the monthly date and when to consider cancelling. Since I drive past a CVS at least six times a week it seemed like a no brainer.
@K D,
Yes! It did appear to run through the end of the month! Glad you got it, too. 🙂 Pistachios are always a good thing to buy.
@Ruth T, I was not able to get the CVS deal since I am a past member, they said it was for "new" customers only.
Due to workload I've had to skip commenting last week, but I can't miss this exercise!
- My leather belt has become to loose, so I punched in a few extra holes
- A colleague made me aware I will be entitled to mileage allowance for use of a private car, for business travel
- Our company will be changing health care prigrams so I will be comparing and calculating which options are the best value for money in our situation
- We are still paying down more of our mortgage than required by the bank
- I received a non transferrable gift card for free coffee and cake (expiring by Dec 31st) at a high end clothes shop in a town nearby. After discussion with husband I decided to because we have no other business in that town in that period, have all the clothes we need anyway, and will eat more than enough cake and sweets in December without this offer.
Plus, made vegetable broth, yoghurt, and granola ( December mixed spice edition with a little extra almond)
@JNL, Yay! for your first!
1. I too decorated with holiday decor we already have. I like seeing ornaments I made with our daughter many, many years ago as well as ornaments loved ones have given us over the years.
2. DD and I had some gifts to send to New England. We combined them in a box and I paid for USPS postage online. It saves money and time at the post office.
3. DH had a hole in a pocket of a pair of suit pants. I found an old iron on patch and patched the hole from both the inside and the outside of the pocket. It may not last forever but he will switch jobs next summer and may never wear the suit again after that. He has several other suits anyway.
4. I messed up the zipper on a favorite old LL Bean fleece. DH took care of fixing the problem. He loves to watch You Tube videos on things like that. It is not the first time he has returned my fleece to wearing condition.
5. We are preheating our bed with our electric mattress pad. We turn it off when we go to bed. That allows us to keep the house a bit cooler at night. It feels like a luxury to me to get in a warm bed on a cold night. I am wearing flannel pants to bed that I got at a fill-a-bag for $5 rummage sale.
The only time we buy new holiday swag is when something wears out or breaks. We're currently waiting for our new tree topper to arrive because the previous one (a $10 capiz shell star we bought when first together and broke) ourtright disintegrated after 15+ years!
--My husband's work always gives out $50 grocery gift cards a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Gift card in hand, yesterday I did a big winter stock up on staples we needed (think quick rolled oats, no salt canned black beans, sugar, etc.), but only if they were at competitive prices. The gift card is for a store we don't typically shop at precisely because of its higher prices, so I planned ahead with the online ad and product database. I spent only $3.36 over, most of which was tax on non-grocery items like floss picks and garbage bags (our state has no grocery sales tax).
--The zipper broke on my favorite hoodie. Since I usually 1) wear it only around the house and 2) like a cardigan, I just carefully cut the zipper off.
--I used a $5 coupon and a 30% off coupon at Michael's to get a gift (clearance score) and dark purple dye to refresh my faded winter coat. My total was just over $3.
--I thrifted three full rolls of wrapping paper for just over $2. The same thriftstore trip garnered three brand new large mason jars for 75 cents apiece, which will come in handy for gifted spice mixes and cat treat storage.
--Related, I bought four BIG packages of clearance Halloween cat treats at $1.75 apeice. I emptied them into the largest (purple!) mason jar, simplifying the "cat stuff" cupboard greatly. 😛
Congratulations on doing great (as usual) on your classes!
I guess I'm a little behind as I have no idea what is NEW & TRENDING in holiday decorations. I too also use same decorations year after year with occasional new decorations (as gifts). My kids all got a new holiday ornament or decoration each Christmas so that when they left home they had their own Christmas decorations already. It's funny because teen & I were just out shopping yesterday & teen saw Christmas houses & commented on them. Teen did not realize that I sold all my Christmas houses before we moved a few years ago. 😉
Frugal things---
● FREE Hallmark card
● Used $10 Bonus Hallmark Rewards & $2 Hallmark Rewards for teen to get me a Tiny Christmas ornament for $0.99
● picked up Free Hallmark pocket calendars for few people that request them with their Christmas cards
● used Snoopy Hallmark Christmas cards I bought 4 years ago (1/2 off) multi pack (and still have some left) for Christmas cards this year (again)
● teen used my Michael's $5 Reward to get a Pineapple head rubber ducky & some more foam sheets (as part of teen Christmas stocking)
● mailed my Aunt Christmas package. Flat rate Priority (2-3 days) $32, Only Priority (2-3 days) $30, normal parcel $20 (4-5 days). I took Priority box home & flipped box inside out (so Priority lettering on inside of box) & re taped the box & repacked box for normal parcel & shipped.
My Aunt called to tell me she shipped 2 (shirt size) boxes @ $20 each Flat Rate Priority. 🙁 Postmaster said Parcel & stamps raising again January 2026.
● usual eating at home, eating from freezer & pantry.
Frugal fail---
● I forgot (again) to turn on my Shopkick app for walk in points at stores (50+ points missed) 🙁
● Utility bill increased by $45 because temps been teens & single digits so I have had heat on more often. But it is cheaper than plumber or doctor visit due to cold inside house.
@Regina,
Our Michigan winter is no joke this month! (We're currently getting a beautiful snow globe outside in SE MI.) The higher bill stinks, but we gotta stay warm!
@Ruth T,
No joke, indeed! It's been unusually cold in the U.P. of MI too this month. Thankful to the Lord we use a woodburner to heat the house. Cozy 🙂
@Regina, just as an FYI, the Priority Boxes from USPS are to be used for Priority shipping only. Using them for anything other than priority shipping can get you in Big Trouble with the postmaster. You do not want that. The USPS doesn’t play.
@Regina, my word, I never thought of using the box inside out! Genius ! I used priority when it was so much cheaper, now it's gone up so high! Thx for the tip!
@Regina,
We also use our same Christmas decorations year after year. I have many that were given to me as a kid, as well as other ornaments and decor given to us by family and friends. We give our son a new ornament every year for the same reason you do. We also have a tradition that my DH and son pick out a new holiday decor item (for inside or outside) every year, usually on sale. This year, it was a Father Christmas statue (?not sure what else to call it - it has fabric for clothes and hat, faux hair for beard, etc. it's meant for indoors).
I had no idea this was a "Ralph Lauren Christmas", ha ha. I must run out and buy plaid bows, "horsey set" brass bugles, and cozy blankets.....NOT. 🙂
1. I pre-cooked some mushrooms so they wouldn’t go bad before I was able to use them.
2. I used a discount code and a coupon to buy a few new shirts I needed. But I am just now as I’m typing this realizing I could have shopped at Savers…
3. I’ll use the potatoes from the garden that I froze at the end of the summer in the stew I’m making today.
4. I renewed my shopping tolerance and found a better price for the pans I decided to buy. BUT, the order is delayed and may not arrive at all. It’s a $70 savings, but I don’t want to wait too long, the coating is coming off my current pans.
5. I’m intentionally struggling with what to get my granddaughter for Christmas. She has so much, both here and at home, it’s hard to find things that will be engaging in a new way for her. She does love books though, so Christmas gifts may be book-heavy this year.
@JaeFi,
My grandchildren have too much stuff. My DIL and family show their love with presents. I started a savings account for each of them. I give them a small treat or present to open and put some money in the bank account. It adds up over time.
@Bee,
I so wish my son's grandparents would have done this! My in laws have both passed away, and my mom refuses to gift money for a savings account for him, or any of her grandkids, because "that's not fun". (eyeball roll).
@Bee, I think that’s a wonderful idea, but my granddaughter’s other grandparents are in a position to ensure (as much as possible in this uncertain world) that she has a secure financial future. When I was growing up, my family had an “out to eat” fund in an old coffee can that we put coins and sometimes bills in, and we all looked forward to using it on a restaurant meal. So, my thought is to get a bank for my granddaughter, paint it together, and then start putting coins in it together, to eventually use on an outing of her choice.
@JaeFi,
I did something similar with my GS this year for his birthday. I found s beautiful piggy bank at an estate sale and gave him 20 $1 bills. We counted it together, put it in the bank, and put it on the shelf in his room where the money was there for later.
@JaeFi, 529 plan contributions are really helpful gifts. That and a small consumable gift would be nice.
Congratulations on the As and getting through the class!
1. I am like you and do not like getting new Christmas things every year. Right now I'm enjoying the kitty advent calendar my sister got me years ago!
2. I found an incredible secondhand store and got a multi outlet strip, loaf pan and a cafetiere (all thoroughly washed out!).
3. I baked blueberry scones.
4. I read books from the library.
5. My workplace treated everyone to dinner and drinks for Christmas.
@Sophie in Denmark, One more, I also went to a free carol service!
@Sophie in Denmark,
We still use the A Christmas Story advent calendar we bought at Aldi several years ago!
@Sophie in Denmark,
I reused the glass piller Advent candle I bought in Copenhagen last year by cleaning it out and putting a taper candle in it for this year
FFT, Ralph Who? Holiday Prep Edition:
(1) As several folks noted during yesterday's discussion of "smaller containers," not being on social media (plus, in my case, not owning a TV) is a great help in being contented with a smaller container. I am therefore completely unmoved by the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic. 😛
(2) As in the recent past, I'm doing only two things by way of holiday decorating: hanging my annual evergreen bough made from bottom-branch tree clippings on the front of the house, and hanging a "Merry Christmas" sign (needlepointed by my mother long ago) from a center knob of the rolltop desk in my living room. (I do also display any hard-copy holiday cards I receive on top of the desk.) I'm grateful to the Bestest Neighbors for saving me the bottom branches from their tree this year, since the repeated snows since Black Friday have made it almost impossible to find branches on the curb.
(3) I'm using the stash of wrapping paper and gift bags I already have to wrap physical presents. Along with some of you others, I use the fronts of old holiday cards for some of my gift tags, and use the stick-on tags I get as freebies from various charities for others.
(4) I'll be taking the one Christmas box I'm shipping (to JASNA BFF) to the UPS Store, since I've just found out that I can get a 5% discount on shipping there with my AARP membership.
(5) And, as noted previously, I'm trying to give more charitable donations as gifts this year.
@A. Marie, This is a slight tangent but the name Ralph has always amused me thanks to Forever by Judy Blume.. iykyk;)
@Sophie in Denmark, you'll be even more amused when you find out what Ralph's real last name is. (Sorry, but you'll have to Google this for yourself. It's borderline unsuitable for a family-friendly blog. 😀 )
@Sophie in Denmark, My dad had a weird fixation on the name Ralph. He thought it was a great name, and was disappointed when my mom nixed it when my older brother was born. She promised--rashly--that if their second kid was a boy, he could name it Ralph. Then I was born, but though I was a girl, my dad was not daunted; with a straight face, he proposed the name "Ralphina." The family legend says that my mom, having just given birth, sat straight up in bed and said, "Over my DEAD BODY will you name my only daughter Ralphina!" Bless her for doing that.
When the movie "King Ralph" came out back in the 1990s, he insisted we all go see it. He enjoyed it immensely.
@A. Marie, *scootles off to Google* Well, no wonder he changed it, especially after his brother did so after getting bullied in the military...Good for him. 😀
@A. Marie, Hahaha! I didn't know that! People will also have to look up Forever to get the joke 😉
@Karen A., anyone who does online word puzzles will also note that the word ralph often appears. The first time I encountered it, I couldn't understand why they were allowing the use of a proper name which is usually a no-no in word puzzles. Turns out the definition of ralph is vomit. 😉
@Bobi, Yep! That was the word my brother always used in high school...my dad bemoaned that a perfectly good name had been sullied with the slang meaning. 😉
@Karen A. and @Bobi, DH's euphemism for having to barf was "talkin' to Ralph on the Great White Phone." With apologies to all Ralphs out there, including my beloved French teacher in high school, and even RL. (Also, to set the record straight, I don't blame RL in the least for wanting to change his original surname. I think I'd have changed it myself.)
The Swig holiday cups we are selling at work are pink and so cute but not $49 worth of cute, one of my co-workers gifted me one. Pink with Nutcrackers. Love it. I may be the only person in the US who does not own an insulated cup, well I do now.
I did not leave my house over the weekend due to having the cold from heck. Zero dollars spent.
Our local appliance store lent me a dryer for free. And it dries. I cannot ask for more...
Frugal but not frugal. My Land's End coat that was 25 ish years old bit the dust. The zipper broke and because the fabric is fraying I am not going to try to save it. I got my monies worth on it. I do not know if Land's End quality has gone down so I debated on getting a new one so I waited until it was 60% off which saved me another ten bucks. A warm coat is necessary with a new puppy who needs to be supervised outside. Puppy is not frugal in any way.
I opted to buy the smallest store brand of cough med as I tend to never catch colds and I don't want it to sit in the med cabinet and expire. Lol I have already used half the bottle, so hopefully it will end up frugal. Cough & cold meds are so expensive!
@Mar, yes, the cold virus this year seems unending. I’m on week three. My husband who has a much functioning immune system recovered in one week. CVS is making money on our cold meds.
@Mar,
My personal opinion: I think Lands End went through a period where their quality was not as good several years ago - this is based on my own experience. The things I have bought from them more recently (bathing suits, t shirts) seem to be back to their previous very good quality. I will say, I ordered a pair of LE winter boots last year on clearance that were way too small - I had heeded the reviews that they run small, and ordered a half-size up - returned them, and ordered a full size up, and they were STILL too small. I returned them again (both returns were on my dime) and gave up on them. I hope your new coat lasts 25+ years!
Congrats on passing (in style, no less)! It is very frugal to do well in school, as I remind my kids and myself.
1. Also using Christmas decorations that have been around for ages. My favorite is a little ceramic Christmas tree that a friend of my mom's made for her back in the early 1970's when they were all the rage as a craft. A few of the lights have broken off, and DH had to rewire it with a new switch and bulb, but I love it.
2. I passed both my classes, and I'm claiming that as frugal, since I won't have to retake them. A friend of mine has promised to give me her pharmacology book when she's done with it next semester, so I won't have to buy that this summer!
3. Still using up frozen pumpkin puree from a can that was about to pass its sell-by date--I just froze it in globs and I heat up a glob in my oatmeal every morning.
4. I met up with some friends and my professor on Monday, and since I was taking the car, I batched errands in a logical loop, getting my Christmas cards mailed, grocery shopping done, and hitting the library all in one fell swoop.
5. My Christmas cards this year were found in a Little Free Library; charmingly, they were printed in England for a charity funded by Her Royal Highness, according to the label. Normally I make my own cards, but that was not happening this year (aside from a thank you card I made for my professor). I had just enough Forever stamps still in my supply; I saw no reason to go out and buy Christmas stamps, as cute as they might be.
@Karen A., did the cards say which Her Royal Highness was the charity's patron? (If the charity was Save the Children, for example, it would have been Princess Anne.)
@A. Marie, I have two packs, The Her Royal Highness cards were for Victim Support and the other pack was 'sold in aid of Environmentally Sensitive Development Projects amongst poor people throughout the world' through the Card Aid scheme of the Charities Advisory Trust. Quite a mouthful, that last one. I also found a set of Charles Dickens themed cards printed in Great Britain.
@Karen A., I just Googled Victim Support, and Princess Anne is the royal patron of that charity as well. Anne does more good and gets less credit, IMHO, than any other royal.
@A. Marie,
Princess Anne does some great things that go unreported. I was not surprised when Princess Anne made legal arrangements for Princess Charlotte to inherit everything she has to ensure Princess Charlotte's future within the Royal Family. She's one smart & confident woman.
@Regina, Princess Anne is considered the hardest working Royal. Remarkably accomplished, she was an Olympian too!!!!
@A. Marie, just let women lead! Go Princess Anne!
@Karen A.,
I love those ceramic Christmas trees, too! Somehow, that 70s trend bypassed my family back then, and we never had one when I was a kid. I was lucky enough to find one at a yard sale for $3, and another one (larger, and missing the base/light bulb socket) for $15 at a local online auction site. They take pride of place every season. 🙂
Does this mean you are all the way done with your hated class?
I'm not coming up with anything too exciting for frugal things this week. I guess it's been a week of all the typical frugal things. It's so ingrained by now, nothing is standing out, I suppose. Or maybe it's been a wildly spendthrifty and unfrugal week. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, I often have difficulty coming up with new frugal things. When frugality becomes a way of life, habits are so ingrained that we don't even notice that we're being frugal. For example, on the rare occasion when I eat out, I always order water. It would never occur to me to order a $15 glass of wine. I rarely go through the Starbucks line when out running errands. I make my coffee at home for pennies. Why spend $6? I always check the library before buying a book. All these things save money, but none are especially exciting. Keep up the good work!
Yes; it's routine things! And NOT doing things. 🙂
@Bee,
I'm so glad that I don't drink alcohol or coffee. Maybe I should list those as frugal things. 😉
@Regina, not having bad habits is definitely frugal. However, coffee and chocolate are still on my personal vice list!
@Bee, as I've said in the past, I use an Archie Bunker line from All in the Family to refer to my ingrained frugal habits: "I don't hafta practice my religion 'cause I already know it by heart." (Frugality, for me, being one of my various religions.)
@Bee,
With the cost of coffee (and chocolate) going up, I briefly contemplated giving up coffee. I finally decided that was a step too far. 🙂 (I make my own coffee at home, and only very occasionally buy it from a local coffee shop).
Like you, I didn't spend anything on Christmas decor this year. But for fun, I might make some PB knock-off ornaments. Cheap thrills! Also, I:
*am eating out only once a week
*making simple meals to keep the grocery costs down
*followed a budget for gifts
*bought flannel PJ's at Old Navy for 60% off
Striking a balance over here between enjoying Life and not going overboard!
@Gina from The Cannary Family, \
I love this balance concept. I have not been "frugal" this week, but I continue to make responsible decisions while also enjoying Life!
Oh yay-that class is almost done! Congrats on the A, too! Are you still looking to purchase your dream car after the class ends?
I couldn't agree more on using the same decorations every year. As a child, I loved seeing my mother pull out the same decorations every year and putting them in "their place". So, we do the same. I did buy one piece of Christmas decoration at the dollar store last week-that's it.
Nothing too unusual for our frugal things this week. Just the same old-packing lunches, cooking dinner most nights, using leftovers.
I am using my same old Christmas tree. The other day, I was telling my kids about its cost-per-use. My initial investment of $50 has been used for more than 25 years so far. Less than $2 per use is pretty good for a Christmas tree. We could get a bigger, nicer tree, but I’m content with what I have.
I baked banana bread. I had several bananas taking up room in my freezer, plus eggs I needed to use up.
I didn’t buy any new Christmas ornaments this year. Usually, I’ll buy a couple, but my kids are getting old enough that they don’t care all that much, and we have plenty to fill the tree as is.
I took advantage of BARK’s dog toy guarantee. My pup took less than 5 minutes to destroy a toy that was supposed to be very durable. When I let the company know, they sent me two different toys as a replacement. The toys are a much better fit for my super-chewer. I wasn’t expecting a bonus toy, but my dog was very happy.
A couple years ago, I switched back from battery-powered candle lights for my windows, to electric plug-ins. Those battery lights are so power-hungry I was easily spending $50 per Christmas for batteries! Despite all that, my candles were annoyingly dim by the end of December, and the batteries were too drained to use for anything else.
@JenRR, 25 years with the same tree is really amazing. The cost per use is a great decision making tool.
@Bee, It’s moved with me to Christmas in nine different homes, so it has put up with a lot! I think I was introduced to the cost per use idea in the Tightwad Gazette. It’s a helpful way to look at things.
I hear you on the Christmas decor!! What I do to scratch any ''something new and exciting'' itch that may float through my head is take a look through ALL of the many, many decorations we have inherited, acquired along the way and very rarely bought, and put together a ''theme'' of sorts. So this year I'm doing red, green,gold silver, with touches of dark blue (we have some lovely navy glittery baubles!) and white, with an appropriate tree topper that goes. Thus, the pink and yellow / orange types of tinsel and baubles are remaining in their box. Same tree we've had for years.
Any new thing, like a lovely snow globe or something special is strictly only allowable in Jan / Feb!
@Caro, I bought a lovely star ornament from the Christmas market last year, but it's been hanging up all year round and brings me so much joy when I see it!
Years ago, when I first had my own place (sharing a small flat with two others), I bought a cheap 3ft artificial tree that came with a few decorations. I wanted to buy a few more to make it nicer and that was when I realised that buying enough decorations for a tree (even such a small one) was going to be very pricey. So, I bought one small set of stuff from Aldi and decided that every year, I would buy one "good" decoration. My birthday is at the start of December and I often go away either then or for Christmas (visiting friends or family), so I will usually be near a Christmas market or two. I did have a bigger tree many years, although where I am now is too small, so I'm back to using my €9.99 Argos tree, which is only looking a little bit the worse for wear.
The first few years it was hard to be patient, and sometimes two or three things ended up coming home with me, but now, nearly 30 years later, I have a fabulous collection of memories. Not everything I have bought was expensive, although some were. I think €30 was probably the most I've ever paid, but I also have several things in the €2.99 from the supermarket category because that's just what caught my eye that year.
Last week a friend was visiting and we went to the Lindt shop where they had a glass tree ornament that looks exactly like the golden foil wrapped chocolate bear, right down to the creases in the foil. My friend offered to buy it for me and every day since I have smiled looking at it. It's really very cute.
As an interior designer, I get so tired of online influencers pushing new decor for each holiday, especially at an already finally tight time of year. New decor can be fun if you can afford it and want it, but tried and true staples from years before hold way more memories and nostalgia than new things ever could. That’s just my humble opinion, though!
@Haley, I am so glad you, as an interior designer, have this opinion. I am most decidedly not talented with decorating (I don't invest the time or money), but even it I had the interest, time, and money, I think I would consider new stuff all the time waste. I love the memories in my ornaments and other Christmas decorations.
@Jody S., I totally agree! I’ve been in some breathtaking homes that feel so cold and stale because there is zero memory and charm. There’s a lot to be said for sustainable design full of the warmth that memories provide.
Great job on your classes! My fave two holiday items are 30 years old this year. In perfect shape and bought from a craft fair my first year of marriage. I do not really change it up and I still enjoy what I have!
@Stephanie M, frugal
Did not buy new holiday decor. Made and froze turkey broth from carcass. Made Turkey noodle soup with leftover turkey and some of the broth. Made homemade granola. Made muffins to use up slightly sour milk. Trying very hard to only use the dryer before 3pm for energy savings.
Why would anyone choose to add to the stress of the season by coming up with a new theme and purchasing new decor for it? I love seeing all the familiar ornaments come out again and remembering who made each one or where they were bought.
I think this is only appealing if you really, really enjoy decorating. Like if it's a fun hobby. That is NOT how it is for me.
@Kristen, not for me either. My idea of decorating is accumulating things I like, whether they go together or not.
@Kristen,
I rate it right up there with fast fashion.
@Kristen, but what do you do with the prior year's(s') "stuff"? Even if posted on eBay/Fakebook mkt place or donated, it still consumes time. And time is something we cannot make more of (sorry for the dangling participle lol).
1. I picked up a twin comforter and pillows off Buy Nothing for the cot my daughter will sometimes sleep on in my room when she gets scared at night.
2. I took home an uneaten apple strudel and breakfast sandwiches from our department's holiday party.
3. I made turkey soup using the turkey carcasses from Thanksgiving and carrots and herbs my mom gave us. I am eating the soup for my lunch this week along with French bread I bought at Aldi for 50%.
4. I bought 6 packages of ground beef and 1 package of chicken breast from Aldi for 50% off
5. I signed the kids up for some free activities at the YMCA and library over the holiday break.
@Corrine, I love finding 50% off meat at Aldi! It's usually just chicken but I feel so thrilled when I find it!
I normally buy nothing new for decorating at Christmas, but some of my things that aren't sentimental had started looking pretty bad or are just no longer usable, even broken, so I bought a very few items this year. All on sale, of course!
FFT, Christmas is coming edition:
1. One of my daughters is the Queen of Deviled Eggs; she will always add a platter of her yummy deviled eggs to her other meal contributions. I see that it is a thing to make a "deviled egg tray," with fake eggs, as a kitchen decoration, and the nice looking ones can run $100 and up. I bought a darling tray, and other supplies for just under $30 and have it all but finished. She has a soft spot for whimsy, so my other DD and I feel sure this will tickle her fancy. It looks good, if I do say so myself!
2. I sold some of my clothes on ThredUp this fall and recently used the credit to buy some for me. They just arrived and they all fit and look nice. Most of the clothes I sold were bought at thrift stores and I earned more than I paid for them, plus got wear out of them before I sold them.
3. Again, my cross-state sister and I avoided lost packages and mailing costs by exchanging Christmas gifts in person for each other and the grandkids during her visit. We always visit each other around Thanksgiving anyway, so we just shop early for those presents. We wait till Christmas to open them.
4. I got out my home-sewn cloth Christmas gift bags plus the gift tags that I made out of felt, ribbon and cross-stitch on aida cloth, that I have been using for the family's gifts. The fabric and most other supplies were bought on sale.
5. I always make my mother-in-law's traditional Christmas Lane cake, plus pecan divinity, and other goodies for the holidays. Holiday baking is not everyone's thing, so no criticism to those who don't, for any of the very good reasons they don't. But I look at what it would cost me to buy these things, and I'm glad, since my family and I enjoy holiday treats, that I am able and have time to make them myself. I could easily spend $150 to $200 on the treats if I bought them, whereas I don't spend anywhere near that much money to make them.
DH's last Christmas saw him enjoying a slice of that Lane cake as he had done every year since I started making it decades ago. I warned the nursing home staff that I was bringing a slice to him, so they needed to watch his blood sugar (they did). Was it good for a diabetic? No, but it was very, very good for his spirits.
@JD, I remember from To Kill a Mockingbird that Miss Maudie Atkinson's Lane cake recipe called for a whole cup of sugar. If your recipe does the same, I applaud both your prudence in warning the nursing home staff, and your loving heart in making sure your DH got a slice!
@A. Marie,
Yes, and then there is sugar plus raisins in the filling and then there is buttercream frosting... it's a sugar bomb, but so, so good.
@A. Marie, still one of my favorite books
@JD, with or without mayo (deviled eggs that is)?
My Frugal Process on a BIG decision:
1. I am thinking of getting certified as a Music Therapist. I have a BA in Music and there is a hybrid equivalency that will take about 18 months. I was subbing at a music academy and had a few students with autism. I just loved working with them. I would like to specialize in pediatrics. So much of my teaching was with Middle School and High School ( I loved their humor) but I yearn to be around littles. It is pricey proposition - around $20,000. I decided I'll go step by step. The first was to enroll in general pysh at my community college. It was $150 as opposed to online college who would have charged me 1,200. It is uncomfortable doing on the onboarding but I am sure it will get easier now.
2. I used ChatGPT to analyze my break even point in the certification. If I work even part time, I should recouped costs in 2 years. I am 62 and hubby will retire in 67 so that makes sense financially. I have to convince Hubby.
3. I also have 28 quarters of SS. If I work for 3 more years I will have earned 40 quarters which would be a nice little perk. ChatGPT says that might add $500 or so a month to my pension.
4. The busier I am in retirement, the less money I tend to spend.
5. Gratitude is the key to retirement happiness, I believe. This job will keep me humble and in service to others. That is a great recipe for gratitude.
@Mary Ann, What a wonderful career to explore!
And even if you only take some of the classes, nothing you study is ever wasted. (with apologies to Kristen's research methods class).
Be sure to check for scholarships-- google search basic things like "college scholarships in Your Town" or the name of your state or county or school. I wonder if music therapy would count under healthcare for scholarships or grants.
Yes! The more specific the scholarship, the better. Your odds of getting it are way higher!
@Heidi Louise,
Thank you for the encouragement. I will google scholarships.
@Heidi Louise,
Also look for scholarships for people 50+. I have seen an uptick in higher education for older adults & scholarships to help. Some Community Colleges offer free/reduced continuing Ed classes for older adults also.
@Mary Ann, good luck with the possible classes! That's exciting!
I partially blame (I mean thank!!) Kristen for contributing to the inspiration to start a grad program as an older adult. 🙂
Tons of work, but so far so good. And my fall class is officially done!! Really looking forward to enjoying the winter break!
Service organizations and women's organizations often have scholarships.
@Mary Ann, I wonder if music therapists have aids? My niece is a behavioral analyst, and I think she has technicians, which is, as best I can tell, like an aid. I think she does the training. Maybe it's possible to do the job without having to do the classes (and the paper work?).
@Mary Ann, google PEO - they are all about helping women with educational expenses through low interest loans or grants. They particularly like to support women who are going back to school.
1. Made a heated neck pad for husband's sore neck out of a small cotton cloth bag and dried kidney beans. I've also been using it as a heating pad for my lap.
2. Husband concocted a veggie bean soup with random ingredients we had on hand. Squirts of sriracha sauce and squeezes of lemon juice turned it from bland to zesty.
3. Took advantage of a Target Circle offer and purchased a $200 gift card for $180 for ourselves to use for health/wellness items.
4. Requested condiment packets and plastic spice jars (empty or full of expired spices) from my Buy Nothing group for our upcoming winter stay in Arizona. Received 8 spice jars and dozens of condiment packets. Washed the spice jars and removed the labels. Closer to our trip, I'll take the jars to our natural foods co-op and fill with fresh spices for pennies.
5. Went to an excellent presentation on fraud that included a section on financial advocacy. Check out this related document from AARP:
https://thinkingaheadroadmap.org/money-path/
Here are my frugal wins during a season of excess:
1. Meal planning based on freezer contents. One frugal meal was potato soup made from a failed batch of Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. Turns out you can't whip cooled cooked potatoes or they turn gluey. But they made a lovely velvety soup!
2. I bought a beautiful second hand winter coat on Poshmark.
3. I decided to make all my Dad's Christmas presents (granola, biscotti, jam, and fudge) instead of ordering him something.
4. I purchased many gifts and holiday clothes from budget-friendly Old Navy. The kids grow out of stuff so fast.
5. I did not buy any outdoor decorations. I think they are lovely, I wish our house was all lit up. But I cannot justify the price.
I don't understand disposable Christmas decorations. However according to my DIL, I am on trend this year, because I decorate very traditionally. I use the same Christmas decorations from year to year. Even my ribbons are packed away to be used again. Many of my decorations are decades old having passed down from my mother, some were gifts, some were bought at Christmas fairs, and others are thrifted treasures. When I put them out, it reminds me of Christmas past and some of my family who is no longer with me. I collect pine cones, magnolia leaves, moss, and other greenery around the neighborhood to put with my old things. It always looks festive and costs nothing unless I choose to add a little something. Like so many things, the marketing machine has convinced us that we need to spend money on something brand new what we have is a special enough.
On another note, my FFT:
1. I withdrew my iBotta balance to use for stocking stuffers.
2. I used my Fetch points for gift cards.
3. I borrowed a dress from my sister for a special, semi-formal event. I lost some weight at the advice of my oncologist and have nothing that fits me. Since they want me to loose 10 more pounds, I did not want to purchase anything.
4. I my Christmas Cactus inside and made it part of my holiday centerpiece on my kitchen table. It is a riot of color. This was a gift from a friend 5 years ago.
5. I have been too busy to spend much money. I have tried to do the usual things, however: drinking primarily filtered water, brewing my own coffee, and eating simple meals at home.
Wishing you all the hope, joy and peace of the season.
@Bee, What I really don't get is this thing where families buy matching Christmas PJs every year. They probably don't get worn a lot and it just seems really wasteful.
My pair of pj pants that I wear frequently is from 2004; I bought them before I went to the hospital to have Sonia and she is 21. Ha.
@Bee,
You reminded me that my favorite tree ornament is a little red bird with glittery wings and a long tail, that I picked out at a florist's Christmas open house when I was a pre-teen. I have decorated with blue, silver, white and gold for 25 years now instead of red and green, but that little red bird still goes on my tree in a conspicuous place of honor.
You are so right - what we have is special enough!
Yes! Traditional is trendy this year, apparently.
@JD,
I love that. One of my favorites was my mother purchased at the Pilot Christmas Bazaar around 1970 -- figures of Holy Family made of fabric mache. They take pride of place on my fireplace mantle every year.
@Kristen, Nice! I have a skirt from that year 🙂
Well, this is the first I've heard of the Ralph Lauren Christmas, as living under a rock tends to make one immune to advertising. 😀 However, I do snatch up his clothing when it shows up on the color of the day at Goodwill. The quality of the fabric is outstanding.
In the past week, I frugaled by using the last of a can of wood stain to refresh the beaten-up toe kicks under the kitchen cabinets. Wiped everything down with a piece of a holey t-shirt my son was sending to the trah can.
Used some recycled fabrics to sew quilted mug rugs as gifts. (A mug rug is a double size coaster big enough for a mug and a cookie or muffin.) Discovered that the glass jars for 4C brand shredded cheese -- has no cellulose in it -- are just the right size for overnight oats, so no need to buy special jars.
While sewing, I listened to some CDs on a tiny, cobbled together sound system made of an inexpensive personal CD player, basically a knock-off Discman -- plugged into a pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker. It works great.
@Ruby, I literally live under--or at least next to--a rock: the 10-ton rock in my front yard that DH salvaged (with the aid of a friend who owned a giant dump truck) when the foundation was being dug for the one and only new-house construction he participated in. "See Rock City," anyone? Not to mention "See Ruby Falls"--except that I hope you don't fall! (For those not in on the jokes, these are references to tourist attractions in my former and Ruby's present hometown.)
Congrats on getting tuition reimbursement (never any doubt you would) and moving forward to the next term.
Small frugal this week for us -
- Used paper bags to wrap a large gift and my granddaughter decorated it with markers.
- Our last 2 moves saw just a few Christmas decorations make the trip but it is just enough to add some cheer and includes some Christmas village houses and figures from my 1950s childhood.
- I still send a few Christmas cards to older relatives and friends and had more than enough in my stash. I noticed this year that a thrift store had partial boxed for sale as card sending has dropped so much.
- Used up cauliflower and broccoli languishing in frig by cutting off bad spots and then steaming.
- Annual vet visit and 2 vaccination boosters for the pup was not inexpensive but an investment in our fur friend. They offered me a senior discount so I kept $10 in my bank account which was an easy savings.
The only new holiday decorations we buy each year are the yearly Swarovski ornament and unusual tabletop Christmas tree(s) to add to our ever-growing Christmas tree "forest" that we put out for display.
- I used a $5 coupon and a 20% off coupon at Michael’s to get supplies to decorate my door at work.
- I earned ~$15 in digital credits at Amazon by using no-rush shipping option.
- I made napkins to gift our daughter for Christmas using fabric from the stash I inherited from Mom.
- Husband was going to pick up dinner on his way home from the nursing home Sunday night but all the places we wanted food from were closed on Sunday. So, we had a frozen pizza that was purchased as BOGO at Publix instead.
- Wrapping gifts using the wrapping paper I bought on clearance after Christmas last year.
I know you are so glad to be done with that awful class. I hope the next one is much better.
I made dinner last night using a bunch of leftovers. It was a very good stir-fry and there's enough for lunch today, too.
I made some boxy zipper pouches from scraps, which I will use to hold some goodies for friends for Christmas.
I made some year-end charitable donations today -- Colorado Gives Day -- so that all my donations are matched.
I, too, decorated with Christmas decorations I already own. Half the fun is re-visiting the various ornaments and other decor and remembering happy stories associated with them.
YEA!! You survived that horrible class and of course you will get a qualifying grade.
1. I am sending a third box of books to Thriftbooks for pennies on the dollar, which means I will have another $8 credit with them. I got on a roll pulling books off the shelves that I enjoyed but know I won’t be rereading. My shelves were just too full.
2. While painting a mural in a town 35 miles away, I take my own lunch. (Never mind that there is almost no place to buy food in this sorry little "town”. . . sigh. So sad to see the mess it has become because that is where I grew up.)
3. Borrowed longjohns from my husband to wear while working on the mural. The elastic in the waist of mine gave up the ghost.
4. Wearing horrible-looking paint-covered thrifted clothing for painting, the same horrible clothing I have been wearing for painting murals for at least 15 years.
5. A friend called with permission to glean walnuts in her little orchard!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana P.S.
Just got an email from eBay that the book I sold for $4 earned me $2.31. Sheesh. Why bother?? I listed books on eBay that Thriftbooks didn’t want. This could take awhile. . . drip, drip, drip.
In cases like that, I look at it more like: I got a book into the hands of someone who wants it. Financially though, it's not a big win!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
When I paint, I wear a man's large tee-shirt that was a gimmee shirt a salesman gave my husband back in the late 90's. We might need to go shirt to shirt some day!
I also have horrible clothes for painting. Ha.
I’m not a decorator either (or a green thumb, unfortunately) but I do have to thank Ralph Lauren. I resell items from thrift stores, and at least 20% my inventory at any given time is Ralph. His items are classic and quality, and have paid for probably even vacation in the last 20 years (been selling on eBay for 22!) Not only do I love giving great items a second life, but keeping them out of landfills is an added bonus! Have a Merry Christmas!!
Hopefully everyone who is buying Ralph Lauren items this year will keep them and use them over and over again!
The influencer Christmas design aesthetic that is cracking me up this year is Little Women Christmas. I don't think the influencers read the book and did they even watch any of the movies? If the look they are going for is "steps away from the poor house with a father at war" they aren't getting close.
It's Poverty Core. Ha.
@Kristen, Poverty Core is how a Little Women Christmas should look, but the reels that I've seen promoting a "Little Women Christmas" are more along the lines of hand made, but not with inexpensive items. It still looks like a lot of money was spent.
@Kristen, The Marches lived in genteel poverty, but still! And the real life Alcotts lived in real poverty, mostly thanks to the father...that whole story is crazy and he is on my list of historical enemies 😉
@Sophie in Denmark, yep, Bronson Alcott was genuinely crazy--and Louisa May couldn't really find good ways to write him into Little Women. She spent most of her life trying to support the family because he couldn't/wouldn't--and, in the end, she survived him by only two days. Grrrr.
Funny story regarding the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic: a group of teen neighborhood girls were walking past my house one day called out “omg……we LOVE your decorations!” The thing is, I’ve had these same plaid decorations that they have passed by displayed for years! I hate how easily influenced young people have become.
1. I found Honest Kids juice pouches on clearance for $1.40 a box. I will use these for an upcoming kid’s party.
2. I found tulips and hyacinths on deep clearance so I started them in small pots in the garage. These pots will go in my porch urns replacing the spring flowers I normally purchase….money to be saved.
3. I found a large William Sonoma platter at the thrift store for $6. I picked it up for myself, but I think I can eBay it for a good profit. Either way, it’s a win.
4. I wanted to put a little gift with my kid’s gift cards for their teachers, but instead, I made bookmarks out of local Christmas cards I already had that feature attributes of our city. They turned out really cute. $0 spent.
5. I turned left over chicken into creamy chicken chili, and leftover vegetable remnants into veggie noodle stirfry.
Have a great week!
Congrats on kicking that class to the curb! You really accomplished something by slogging through and get a great grade.
A very drippy windy day! Invited friends over today to make salt dough ornaments and gingerbread houses. A pot of taco soup, cornbread, tea & cookies and fun crafts.
Neighbors left for Palm Springs and brought me 2 bushel boxes full of pantry, freezer and fridge items.
At Goodwill bins, I Picked up 2 ski coats with ripped out armpits, I mended them and put them on the giving coat tree at the community center.
All the usual frugal things: make our coffee, invite friends to lunch or dinner for great conversation, eating out of the pantry and freezers.
This is my favorite post of the week that you publish, Kristen. I get so many good ideas from the commentariat!
1. I decorated for Christmas using ornaments, tree, and decorations we already own and love. We don't normally buy anything new unless needed, plus we love the stuff we own.
2. I'm baking cookies and goodies this year, but have reduced the types and amounts we normally make. I will gift some to elderly neighbors and give some to my girls for their houses and we will enjoy the rest.
3. I got a $38 check in the mail from our camp electric company. The company is owned by their clients. Every little bit helps!!
4. The food pantry in our area operates out of my work building and sometimes we get a little of the extras that can't be frozen. I recently received green grapes and pears.
5. I used Sams cash towards my next grocery purchase.
6. I used coupons and rewards from different stores toward my holiday gift purchases. I was very mindful with my shopping.
I agree with you about the Christmas decore. Taking out the traditional things and thinking about the ornaments and where they came from etc. Putting up the nutcrackers we collect each year when we go to the ballet, that is a big part of christmas. It took me years and years to even get rid of my old tree I was so attached to it. Eventually though it had to go and I did get a new one. Nope, I'm all about bringing out the old at Christmas. It's faster to because I know where everything goes and then how it all goes back in the bins after Christmas.
1. I sold game console we weren't using. The family that bought it was so cute. I think they were happy with the price and I am happy it is getting put to use. Feels so good when you find the perfect fit!
2. I baked four loaves of bread instead of buying them and they didn't suck!
3. Been using up some staples that are aging in the freezer, pantry and refrigerator.
4. Waited patiently until the hand mixer I want went on sale and then stacked some additional savings on it. the one I currently have still works but the beaters are starting to rust. I think it might have been something my mom bought on sale, with a a rebate, maybe 20 years ago so very inexpensive but it lasted for years!
5. I needed some home repairs done and called a vendor from a flyer I received. They had good reviews so I thought I'd take a chance. The flyer said they had holiday specials so I asked about that after he provided an estimate and he knocked $50 off the price.
@CrunchyCake, Nice job on the loaves! I've baked a few loaves of bread and they've mostly been okay but I need to experiment more.
@Sophie in Denmark, Thanks! I used this recipe and used my stand mixer: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/the-easiest-loaf-of-bread-youll-ever-bake-recipe
The whole thing was basic yet delicious.
I thought I grew up in a family with an income just above the poverty line. We had what we needed but nothing more. We only took one vacation trip in all my childhood years although we went camping many summer weekends. It turns out I simply had a frugal father. He had money saved in three different banks to pay for college educations/weddings for us kids. But, when my husband took a nearly 50% pay cut while we had a 3 month old child, I knew how to live on less.
Kristen, if you ever score below an "A", it will snow in August! No way that is ever going to happen. So glad you're over that much-hated course. Relax and enjoy your semester break!
I'm like you, the old decorations saved from year to year are the absolute best. It's like finding your old friends each Christmas season.
1. Cut open a tube of makeup, and sure enough, I have enough "goodie" still left inside to last me for a week or more.
2. Took some plastic grocery bags to the used book store for them to re-use. Also tried to trade them a book, but no luck with that. Grabbed some items from their free book bin, and have one that I can use for a last-minute gift should my out-of-town friend stop by.
The others went to the Little Free Library in the ghetto. The book I wanted to trade in will go to Goodwill and I will get a 20% off coupon for it.
3. Batched my errands and took some small plastic flower pots to the plant nursery operated by a local ministry. It is next door to the Little Free Library.
4. Handing out candy canes. What's frugal about that? They're the Candy Canes of Christmas Past: I bought several boxes of candy canes on final clearance last January for 25 cents a box and stored them in our gift closet. Our store is selling the exact same product for $1.69 a box right now. (Yes, I tried one of the 25 cent/box ones out before giving any to anyone else. They taste fine! You can't tell they're a year old.)
5. Instead of baking cookies or brownies and shipping them to my favorite college freshman, who attends school out of state, I just put some money in a Christmas card and told him it's for a pizza while he studies for exams. He's not the only one doing research: I looked up all the pizza restaurants in his college town and clicked on some of their websites to find out how much they charge for a medium pizza + delivery. Not only did I save on ingredients, packaging and postage, but I figure college kids would enjoy a pizza more.
The only Christmas decor I've bought (so far) this year has been mini-lights that I'm hoping to put on the weeping fig tree, and a kind of expensive arrangement from TJ Maxx of realistic greenery and red jingle bells in a white sack shaped pot for the Nurses Station counter at work. I picked up a coordinating tea towel w "Joy to the World" at Ollies to place under it and also put a white wooden creche silhouette there. It's very simple and beautiful. When I first placed it, it was the only thing nodding to the real reason for Christmas in the whole facility. Otherwise it had looked like Barbie had decorated with wand in all garish modernity throughout. However, since then, many of the elements have been toned down with a Nativity Set in the entryway, a city in the dining room and a lot more traditional decor. I do "theme" but it is with a normal element like "holly," "stars," "cardinals," etc. and my current favorite (the last two years) are the olive shaped leaved branches and red berries, often with a navy background.
Frugal: 1) Gas is $2.59
2) Heat is set at 68' unless I am unusually cold and then it may be set at 70' for just a little while to take the chill off.
3) Wear layers. Do outside things on days that are above 32'.
4) Set water distiller to provide residual heat during coolest part of the day.
5) Batch errands when I have them. Have not needed to go to the grocery store for a couple of weeks.
I agree about Christmas decor! There is so much nostalgia for me to pull out my decorations and remember when/where I got them, or the person that gave to me!
Found a dime in the coin return at self checkout!
Scanned a receipt to Fetch that was on ground outside store, it netted me 15,000 points!!!
A friend sent a pic of their chicken carcass after they had dinner with a text - Do you want this for soup? Ummm, yes, please! (my friends clearly know me, and that I am not embarrassed to take their chicken bones LOL!)
Sold something on eBay, shipped it in recycled padded envelope!
And, the usual on autopilot - bringing my own coffee/lunch to work, eating the free snacks they provide in the breakroom.
1. We had some sad looking pears in the fridge so I peeled them, chopped them, and threw them in a pan with the remaining Thanksgiving cranberry sauce and a little cinnamon. The yummy pear sauce was cooled and put in my freezer for a future Dutch Baby.
2. My husband and I used Amazon credits to watch Grumpy Old Men on Saturday night. As Minnesotans we always have fun watching this movie.
3. I enjoyed my annual gift wrap session while watching White Christmas on Sunday. I was pleased with myself that I didn’t have to buy any gift wrapping supplies. We reuse gift bags year over year, but I also use supplies that aren’t from the gift wrapping aisle: leftover yarn and ribbons, pretty bags, decorative boxes and tins, handmade gift tags. Since we host each year, most wrapping supplies are left after Christmas to be used again.
4. While making lasagna for dinner on Sunday I made the full recipe but put it in two pans – one for that night and one for a future meal. I’m always looking out for my future self. The three of us could never eat a full pan of lasagna anyway.
5. I’m avoiding the roads on snowy days when I can. This not only keep my gas consumption down but also decreases my chances of icy road mishaps.
I also am safe from new Christmas decor. I have downsized a LOT of seasonal decor. Our home now is smaller than our last 2 houses and doesn't have the space for "extra" stuff to be around. I love that.
My best find this year was that my artificial Christmas tree fits down inside a heavy-duty sun umbrella stand (like for outside). DH found a very nice iron one at Goodwill that we use for an umbrella outside in the summer and for the tree inside (in a tall basket) for Christmas. Nothing to store away throughout the year.
I bought a nice, new pair of winter clogs at goodwill for $6.50. They retail for about $90 and I didn't have anything like them before, so I am happy with them.
We have been using the fireplace a lot and keeping the propane bill down. I did call for it to be refilled. The main company quoted me $3.09/gallon. The local branch called me back the next day and said they could do $2.50/gallon (same company, but the local branch always offers a better rate than the main branch in D.C.). For about a 400 gallon fill up, that's a big difference in price. Hopefully, that will be our only fill up this year.
I've been planning cookie/candy plates this week. Pulled out all the platters I have bought throughout the year with Christmas themes. Most were only $1 at thrift stores. Nice platters for cheaper than a throw away tin would cost.
We are eating out of the freezer this month until Christmas so hopefully the new year will start with a cleaned out freezer. (or at least all the older stuff gone).
We've been to craft fairs, our town tree lighting ceremony, our town did a carnival and Christmas movie in the amphitheater, our church had a cantata, and we watched the Christmas parade in our town....all of these were free activities.
Hooray for the end of that class!! May the rest be interesting and useful for you.
- I packed lunch/snacks over the weekend for a bike ride.
- I also didn't buy any Christmas decor. Too lazy. The ones I do have were mostly handcrafted by my mom or myself, so they hold special memories.
- I avoided buying cake at the grocery yesterday when I was very stressed and instead ate fruit at home.
- I rode my bike to yoga this week. Sometimes I don't know if this is frugal with all the cold weather gear I just purchased, but it does help the air quality and my health.
- I bought a couple of Ikea candles at the thrift store for the ambiance during these darkest days of winter. (Whoops, maybe that counts as decor?)
@FJB, in my book, candles or sparkly lights count as frugal winter mental health aids, not optional decor : )
I admit to liking the RL "aesthetic" (as the kids say :)), but anything that I have that matches that vibe is genuinely retro. Case in point is our denim upholstered sofa set, which we received free from a former client of mine. The sofas came from her parents' home, which they were downsizing. I loved the look of them, and talked with her about how well-made they were. She said a friend of THE RL had visited her parents' home and said the faded denim sofa(s) were exactly like something RL had in his home. Timeless and made to last! Mind you, the denim is now torn in places, and we simply drape throw blankets over those areas. Here are my frugals this week:
1. I am assembling a gift package to mail to my dad and his wife this week. It contains a book about hiking over age 60 (purchased new), Kirkland brand wool socks for each of them, a copy of Richard III by Shakespeare that I found in my little free library and some homemade shortbread fingers. They need nothing, so I am hopeful these little gifts are a sweet surprise.
2. It's been a busy healthcare year, though I'm healthy. Just getting a lot of medical to-do's checked off my list. Since we have met our deductible, I went ahead and scheduled a medical procedure for today, even though I wanted to wait until after the holidays. It went well, and hopefully it'll help remedy the issues I've been dealing with.
3. I redeemed Alaska Airlines miles to fly my sister in for the upcoming weekend. She lives about 10 hours away via car, but only a bit over an hour via air. This way she can come do some holiday-ing with my mom, my kids, and I this weekend since she's not coming in for Christmas. I always get excited for sister time, especially at the holidays!
4. I continue to enjoy the fruits of the library. Today I was pleasantly surprised when a book I'm awaiting on Libby was a "lucky day" copy in the actual library. I scooped it right up like I'd won the lottery. Libby had advised that I would likely wait over 4 months to read it, so it very much felt like my lucky day. 🙂
5. I will continue to work on using the last of my in-laws' apples from their many trees this week. Today, I'm making applesauce. We also have 4 apple trees, though ours ripen in late summer and were processed back in September and October. These heartier varieties are not my favorite to eat plain, but they are certainly yummy when cooked down with a bit of water and some cinnamon.
@Lindsey G, I'm doing the opposite on medical. I've not been to the doctor hardly at all this year and most everything I have done requires very little co-pay. Next year though, I know I have at least 2 big ticket items so I am scheduling all I can now for next year. I have my gallbladder out in January (instead of this month when they wanted to do it), an eye surgery in May, and I know I have a brain angiogram for a 2 year check up in November. Then, I hope the next year has nothing haha. Might as well get a bang for our bucks!
Giving myself an early present by doing a freezer and pantry clean to get ready for the holidays. Found some chicken I'd forgotten so made baked chicken with salsa & cheese, along with 1/2 price bagels from Giant bakery, and carrots which all made a tasty dinner.
Put lots of said pantry and freezer into my husband's camper van for him to use when he's off skiing.
Took deviled eggs & cupcakes to a party to share--easy & very popular!
Stayed at a friend's house rather than a Harvest Host ("Harvest Hosts are small businesses that welcome RVers to stay on their property.") https://www.harvesthosts.com/
Took a longer route home from the party to avoid the PA turnpike which is literally the most expensive toll road in the world. :/
And bonus--got a snow scraper at the grocery store for $2 which might seem pricy to my cheaper self, but is a bargain when I don't have to use a credit card to clear a window.
And sent several pairs of my son's socks to Darn Tough in Waterbury, VT, to take advantage of their warranty. They make amazing socks but apparently he's just hard on them. Mine are still holding up admirably!
I. I used a free gift card for a Starbucks coffee.
2. We listed all the people for whom we plan to buy Christmas gifts and made a budget.
3. I precooked ground beef that needed to be used, froze it, and pulled it out of the freezer a couple of days later to make taco soup.
4. Here in a few minutes, I will be freezing some chicken for later use.
5. We made hefty extra payments on debt.
Hooray for frugality in the face of holiday mass consumerism! I love these emails! ...my frugal bits of lately:
-used some repurposed ribbon and such for wrapping some gifts
-used some free goods from a giveaway at work for said gifts
-made more coffee at home this month
-refinanced my car loan at a local credit union>>saving me almost $100 per month
-passed on the holiday Secret Santa thing this year saving time and money
1. I gave away a glass-topped end table on Buy Nothing. It was from my grandparents but I have spent the last few years worrying about it breaking due to my two little boys (with another one on the way). I didn’t love or need it anymore and I am glad someone was interested in it. Frugal for them and no hassle for me to take it to Goodwill.
2. I wrapped up some winter/Christmas books for my kids for fun surprises over the Christmas season and used only reused wrapping paper. They are too little to care if the wrapping paper looks worn and I don’t want to buy any wrapping paper right now. So this is inadvertently frugal.
3. My oldest kiddo, almost 4, fell out of bed onto a hardwood floor and was in a lot of pain. We ended up in Urgent Care to find out he had a broken clavicle. I’m grateful for free crayons and coloring pages from the nurse, and also that we managed to get his long-sleeved shirt off instead of having to cut it off. We’ve already met our deductible so as far as urgent care visits go, this was a frugal visit.
4. I finished some essential-oil scented laundry detergent that had been lingering for several years in my laundry room. I prefer to use fragrance-free for my kids but somehow ended up with this, so it took a long time to use. I am in a mood to simplify wherever possible before kiddo #3 comes in two months.
5. We had our attic insulated today to R40 level. While it was some money, of course, we qualified for some state and also federal rebates (the federal ones are expiring at the end of this year) that cut the cost in about half. I hope we will notice a difference in our utility bills over the years as well.
6. I was able to cobble together a lasagna for dinner with things on hand in the freezer and fridge today even though I didn’t feel awesome.
* Right with you on the Christmas decor. What is a Ralph Lauren Christmas theme anyways? Red and green? Okaaaaaay. So, in other words, Christmas colors! The art of making something out of nothing (hello consumerism). Year after year I reuse the same decorations, I really don't care about trends
* Felt uneasy today but came in to work anyways. We are on Covid outbreak (hospital). N95 and visors are mandatory, so even if I was sick, I would not contaminate anyone. (I believe my symptoms are actually related to anxiety). No work = no pay (I have no sick days)
* I don't have a Christmas outfit. Just regular clothes. Same for hubby and kids.
* Using free meditation app to try and reduce the stress/anxiety I'm experiencing lately
* Cheapest hobby ever : reading books from public library and free piles
Well, I’m not having a Ralph Lauren Christmas either. In fact I doubt I will decorate as I am living between 2 places. Well, living in one and daily moving items to new residence.
I have a collection of ornaments from now to 54 yrs ago. My newest is from my trip to Greece.
Today I went with some club members to wrap Christmas gifts for those in need. The little girl I helped pick out gifts for wanted crafting items. (Boy, I’d like to meet her). And we were able to gift the teenager exactly what he wants.
And tonight I went to the monthly zentangle class, a free guided, meditative doodling class. Learned a new idea to make a holiday card. I know just who will receive these cards.
Enjoy the countdown to Christmas
The funniest thing about the "Ralph Lauren Christmas" that everyone seems to miss is that's he's Jewish.