1. I used Dollar Tree Oxiclean to freshen up the quilted pillow shams
The Buy Nothing quilt was fairly stain-free; it mainly just needed to have the binding repaired.
closeup of the part needing repair
Unfortunately, the shams were quite yellowed, especially the top one in this photo.
I gave them a run through the wash and there was some improvement, but not a lot.
So, I gave them an overnight soak in Dollar Tree’s version of Oxiclean and then ran them through the wash again. This treatment really started to show some improvement!
I did one more overnight soak/wash, and now they are acceptably white.
I will probably do another Oxiclean soak at some point because I think they could get even whiter.
Snoopy’s hand is pointing out one of the yellow stains that is faded, but still here:
I have only line-dried the shams so I know I haven’t heat-set whatever staining might still be in the fabric. So, I remain hopeful I can get the last few stains out!
2. I renewed my CPR for free through my hospital
They do allow us to renew it elsewhere, but I’d have to pay for it if I went outside the hospital.
No, thank you. I’ll take the free option. 😉
I had an online portion to do, and then an in-person appointment to show my skills on a Manikin (the mannequin patients used in healthcare education).
you only need half a body for CPR testing 😉
I had to pay for my first CPR certification two years ago, before nursing school. So a freebie seems miraculous to me. 🙂
We get certified in both adult and baby CPR. So here is a baby Manikin.
3. I bought a set of sheets on eBay
When I first moved here, I bought a single set of queen sheets from Target. I was on a pretty tight budget, and I’ve made do with just one set ever since.
Owning one set is doable; you just have to wash ’em, dry ’em, and put ’em straight back on the bed*.
But I thought it would be nice to have a second set on hand. So, I hopped on eBay, searched for the same sheets I already have, and ordered a new-in-the-package set for half the retail price.
*I will say, one advantage to owning a single set is that you never, ever have to fold sheets!
4. I got some ice cube trays from my Buy Nothing group
My fridge here does have an ice maker, so I don’t need these for regular ice cubes.
But sometimes I have wished I could freeze chicken broth in cubes so that I have a few to easily throw in a pan for a one-person sauce.
So, now I have that option. Yay!
That’ll be way more convenient than thawing a whole container of broth.
5. I fixed a shirt of Zoe’s
A clear strap had broken, so I decided to try a hand repair.
It was actually surprisingly easy to use the needle to pierce the plastic (? I don’t know what clear straps are made of!), and hopefully the repair will hold up.
Time will tell!
I feel like I say that a lot when I do a repair. But in thinking it over, I would say that my repairs usually hold up pretty well, despite my initial misgivings.
So based on history, the odds are good this repair will last.
AW
Friday 27th of June 2025
So great that you were able to celebrate your graduation with others!
My Frugal 5s - Saved on lodging by camping an hour away from Yellowstone and carrying our own camper and everything we needed in it for sleeping and eating. - Used the water and toilets provided at the parks. - Free entertainment by hiking the trails, swimming at the many waterfalls, playing cards we had at home and a made up games of sticks, reading books brought from home and listening to free audiobooks on audible, and watching DVDs from the library and our home collection. - Handyman Hubby partially fixed a broken wheel bearing on our camper which fortunately, was still drivable 8 hours home. - Renewed overdue books and had no fees because of their new policy.
Selena
Wednesday 25th of June 2025
Sorry about my many duplicate posts - no idea how that happened
Lisa K
Wednesday 25th of June 2025
1. Shopped my retiring teacher friend's liquidation sale of teaching supplies, books, games, etc. Got tons of deals, but also left things I wasn't sure I would use. 2. Passed on classroom supplies to coworkers that I won't use next year. Now I don't have to store them. 3. Gave away stickers that had been given to me that I won't use to another teacher. A short time later, she came back with an old style $5 bill she had found inside the sticker packet. Yay for found money! I'll put it toward classroom supplies. 4. No frugal--the watermelon I bought was tasteless, hard, and fibrous. I decided it was inedible. Frugal--I inquired among my coworkers and found someone with chickens, so I gave the watermelon to them instead of sending it to the landfill. (We have problems with attracting bears, so I can't really do a compost pile. 5. Reading books on my to-be-read pile, rather than acquiring more. 6. Reduced my stash of children's books by giving them out as end-of- year gifts to my students. 7. I couldn't face making lunch one more day last week, so I used a gift card to treat myself to lunch purchased at a local independent coffee shop. This was a lovely treat as usually I don't have the option to leave work long enough at lunch hour to purchase something.
Selena
Tuesday 24th of June 2025
Ugh hit enter too soon 2 - better half has been on a winning streak for marked down meats. $4 for meat and a pittance for the potatoes, carrots, and cream of soup for 4 meals is a deal 3 - realized I have zuke seeds in my stash - will plant a few, still time in the growing season. Will do a better job of caging than better half. 4 - mark down hamburger will be the star of tomorrow's lunch (soup which we'll share). 5 - monthly cost of dental insurance won't cover the entire cost of my replacement crown Do NOT get me started on the pissing match between now out of network dentist and insurer. If need be, I'll file a complaint with my state, which will investigate. Why yes, I live in a blue state in case you haven't figured that out.
Selena
Tuesday 24th of June 2025
So to an attempt at five frugal things: 1 - not frugal but because I am frugal, a monetary gift to a senior citizen. LIHEAP grant didn't hit her account (wow, no surprise - red state). She expects it to be applied (I have to trust her). I'd hoped she could get stocked up before all the tariff excrement hit (and it will hit - orange pox sending letters, well google the m* word and sex to see what an economist says).