Five Frugal Things | almost-free makeup
1. I got eyeliner and a brow pencil for $0.80
I opened up my CVS and found a random $4/any purchase coupon. I also had $3.25 of ExtraBucks, so I stopped in and got an e.l.f. eyeliner and brow pencil. My total was $0.80. 🙂
2. I got This American Ex-Wife from the library
Several of you recommended this one to me, given my current status as an ex-wife, and I was happy to find it at the library. Hooray for $0!
No used book purchase is as cheap as free. 😉
I have only just started it, but ooh, there are some good quotes in there.
Like:
In Henrik Ibsen's 1879 play, A Doll's House, the husband looks at his wife and tells her, "Before all else you are a wife and mother." and she replies, "I don't believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being just as you are- or, at all events, that I must try and become one."
If you've been told that you can't have access to the same opportunities as your husband (such as higher education) because you are a woman and because you have duties as a wife and a mom, well, you might feel a little cheer rising up when you read that quote.
I particularly like the "reasonable human being just as you are" bit. That is not asking for more than men are given; it is merely asking for equality; asking to have what he already has.
Anyway, I think I'm gonna like this book. 🙂
3. I ate a cantaloupe that was subpar
This cantaloupe looked promising when I bought it, but after cutting into it, I discovered it was rather crunchy and not super flavorful.
I will not persevere through subpar brownies or doughnuts (What is the point?? Empty calories should be unarguably delicious.) but I figure this cantaloupe does still probably have some nutritional value, so it's better to eat it than throw it away!
4. I made some eBay listings from decluttering
I often just give away things I declutter, but sometimes my decluttering yields some items that are easy to list and easy to ship.
Sooo, I put together a few listings. Yay me!
I'm giving myself a pat on the back for this because making the listing is the hardest part for me. Once an item sells, the packing and shipping are easy (and also very motivating).
Listing is not as motivating!
5. I...
- cancelled the Audible subscription before the trial period expired (yay me!)
- made a batch of yogurt (because occasionally I do eat things other than cottage cheese. Ha.)
- returned an unopened drain cleaner to Home Depot because I didn't end up needing it
Hahaha! I think I may be the first commenter! I'm giddy with excitement! Seriously, I did the same frugal stuff. Ate at home, read library books, took this part-time gig to earn extra money before my summer vacation is over which is why I'm awake at this early hour.
Have a great Tuesday everyone!
Haha, congrats on being first!
@Kristen, This is so exciting!! What did Molly win?!!
@JDinNM, I won High Praise! When our kids were little, and other kids would be over, my husband and I would answer "High Praise" when questioned what was the prize after winning some kind of contest. This happened mostly at occasional birthday parties when we didn't necessarily have prizes to bestow. We purposely didn't buy prizes because our rational was that the guests didn't need them, they were already getting something to take home, and their parents would appreciate not having more stuff to clutter their homes. It was hilarious to see the reactions of some of the kids. They just didn't get it so if course that made my husband and I do it all the more.
Whoo. Went off on a long winded explanation there...
YES. High praise for youuuuu!
@Kristen, yay! Thank you!
@Molly F.C., But ... no party favors. :-{
@Molly F.C., I never did party favors, I figure you're getting free admission to whatever place I hosted the party at, and food.
"A Doll's House" is well worth reading on its own, as is "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Both question a woman's role beyond motherhood and wife and the misunderstanding of even that (especially in "The Yellow Wallpaper," where the "solution" to the narrator's post-partum depression is her husband confining her). Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" is another good one. All are public domain and readily available online. Ah, Victorian hysteria!
Anyhow, FFT!
--As is tradition in our house, I used the last of a nearly empty peanut butter jar to make Budget Bytes's peanut lime dressing. Making it directly in the jar ensures no peanut butter goes to waste and spares dirtying a container.
--A neighbor gave me 2 lbs of garden green beans! Since our own green beans were also producing, I prepared his beans for the freezer and look forward to enjoying them this winter. I repaid the favor by bringing him homemade pesto made with our garden's basil. (Basil, Parmesan, oil, garlic, pepper, lemon juice.)
--A friend who's downsizing their garden generously offered me their Enviro-Cycle rotating compost bin. I had a literal jaw drop moment when I looked up the brand--the darn things are nearly $500 new! My friend had no idea, as the bin had been a house-warming gift 25 years ago, and they exclaimed/laughed with me at the current price. The Enviro-Cycle's design hasn't markedly changed in all that time. The hinge and latch for the door had worn thin from use, but a snip from an $8 tube of JB Weld reinforced them easily. $8 certainly beats $500!
--Another friend cross-breeds daylilies as a hobby and has an incredible variety of colors. I offered a professional trade, and our garden is 50 (!!!) lilies richer! The root bunches could have been split even further, but I would have run out of house to encircle before I ran out of daylilies. 😛
--Flower friend's house came with a claw foot tub they didn't want; it's in great shape despite already being in the backyard (not even as a planter, it's just *there*) when she bought the house. Guess what we get for free!!! Our modest bathroom tweak now has a crucial part off the list! Habitat Restore took care of the tile already, so now it's saving up for the general contractor. We're NOT moving pipes--just swapping out tubs*, finishing the floor underneath, and swapping the plastic surround for tile. We've only one bathroom, so it's worth it to us to pay someone who knows what they're doing vs. a potential DIY landmine and weeks without a shower/tub.
*The current shallow tub doesn't even fit my 5'4" self, let alone my 6'2" bath-loving husband! There is door clearance, room, and floor support for a bigger tub, so the current tiny one is rather mystifying.
@N, You are wise not to attempt DIY plumbing. My mother used to tell my dad that if he ever again attempted DIY plumbing, it was "grounds for divorce." She was joking (?, I think), but there's bound to be a really good DIY disaster story in there somewhere. They never told me what it was, and took that secret to the grave.
@N, one of the red herrings the facebook offered me the other day was a page of nothing but photos of randomly found tubs. The sheer randomness is just funny! We also have a tub on legs hanging out in the cattle pens. No idea why they didn’t just get rid of it! Good on you for reusing.
@N, I'd like to throw Virginia Woolf's works into the recommendation ring!
@N, That is an impressive list!! As a gardener, I’m enthralled by the gift of the day lillies. I have to ask - what colors?
@N, It's good to hear from other bath lovers! In looking at houses recently, many no longer have tubs, we were told people no longer want them.
@N, the Yellow Wallpaper is so good!
My parents redid their bathroom in the 90s and did a great job. The funny thing was finding a Schiltz can underneath the original 60s tub. "Their" meaning the only one in the house I grew up in. Six people, one bathroom, great. My last marital home had 4.5 bathrooms and everyone used the master because it was so nice with a large walk-in shower.
Virginia Woolf is one of my favorite writers. She's miles ahead of Ibsen etc in my opinion.
@N, We just had our 1 small bathroom redone and ( sad face insert) we took out our beautiful claw foot tub to replace with a low shower pan.The reason being we are 71 and 73 and stepping into the claw foot was a 24 " step over the lip. Aww but I loved it and still miss it but safety is an issue. We did enjoy it for almost 30 years so there is that. PLus we had someone tile and do the plumbing. the rest( floor, vanity etc, ) my handy husband did.
@Karen., my dad raised Angus cattle on a shoestring and used old bathtubs to water his cows. It was a common thing to see on small farms when I was a child.
@N, wow! That’s awesome! I have had 4 Environcyles for many years. I paid $200 each (bought one a year) and bought one from a friend. They last forever!
@N, I envy you those lilies. Day lilies are some of my favorite plants.
I would never buy a house without a tub. I think tubless is going to be something people regret in a couple of decades.
Not moving pipes will, indeed, save a lot of money. When we had to redo roommate's shower because it leaked, he decided to go roll-in in case he needs it later. It's true that that saved the cost of pulling up the bottom 2' and floor of tile but even so, it added several thousand to the final bill. While, I shall note, saving 2-3x that amount in the long run.
My roommate grew up as 1 of 7 in a one-bathroom house. Fortunately for the family, 5 were males and they had an acre out back.
@Bee, Red, yellow, purple, green, fuchsia, striped combinations of all of the above--everything! The only variety name I remember is the purple and green "Witch's Fingers." My friend had me over while things were still blooming, but there were so many root bunches that we both lost track of what was what, barring the 7 ft tall ones--she left those stems intact so we knew which ones they were. I *think* managed to alternate colors on all sides of the house, but since "Technicolor chaos" is my overall gardening goal, it doesn't much matter if I'm wrong. 😛 The 7 ft tall ones are by the garage, where their tall stems will have more shelter from the wind when they grow back. (I cut everything back once planted, as directed by my friend.)
@N,
That will be beautiful! I love a mixed, messy, lush look in the garden.
@N, Your yard will be gorgeous with these colors in such profusion! I had no idea that day lilies came in so many shades. A great friend to have.
@Bobi, my husband wants to take out the whirlpool tub and put in a walk in shower. Since we only have 1 full bathroom, I told him we will not redo the entire bath unless we can compromise and put a shower AND tub in the bathroom because of resale; after all, this is a family-type house. I have figured out how, but will save up our money to do that professionally as pipes will have to be moved. Right now, I painted the walls and I'm finishing painting the cabinet and vanity. I did spend money ($45.) on some new glass lamp shades for the vanity lights and put up a different light fixture. The lamp shades that were here are the ugly typical white ones that can also be used for ceiling fans. EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!!!
Thought of two more things to make it to Five.
Bought my dog's prescription antibiotic spray from Chewy. Had to go to the vet's to pick up a paper prescription because that was what was required and mail it in. Very fast turnaround time, though, and the spray was under $7.00. The vet charges approximately $32 for it.
Bought tickets for a local fair at 50% off. Ate very little when there. No money spent on stuff. It was my wedding anniversary and that was what my husband and I did. Our son and his girlfriend joined us but they bought their own food and souvenirs.
@Molly F.C., full disclosure, I have the budget dollars to pay for meds/pet supplies from my vet. Yeah, I'm sure I could save a few bucks BUT I am looking long term. In a pinch, my vet would track down a medication for me. I'm sure she'd let me make payments or work off the cost if the situation became dire. Being selfish but I'm glad she's younger than I. She's was a godsend when a dump I took in was in a "family way". I know the happy ending for the two dumps we've taken in is a bright spot in what can be a sad and depressing world. She's impressed my neighbor and I have kept the feral alive for over two years. By law she can't sell me meds without seeing the feral but she can give me advice and answer questions. So it is worth the few bucks more I pay for the maintenance med one cat needs (and will need the rest of his life).
1) Husband and sons managed to fix the dryer! So I canceled the dryer repair appointment. The repair person charges $200 just to come out and look. The repair kit was about $30. Plus our sons* learned about appliance repair, which I see as an investment in their futures.
*I’m not being sexist, we just don’t have any daughters. Also I did not repair the dryer bc I am dyslexic and put everything together backwards.
2) I made a fancy sandwich recipe which required you to tear out the inside of the bread roll before stuffing it with sandwich filling, so I saved the resulting breadcrumbs for meatballs
3) I ate a bowl of cheerios before meeting a friend for coffee so that I wouldn’t be tempted to buy a chocolate croissant
4) I had given my 12 year old his back to school clothing budget money and let him handle it. He had wisely saved about 1/3 of it for future needs. The first day of school he came home very urgently needing specific shorts for gym. I reminded him of his reserve money and he suddenly realized that his existing gym shorts were just fine
5) Now that the kids are back in school, I began my job hunt in earnest
@Tarynkay, I wish you the best on your job hunt.
@Tarynkay, good luck on job hunt. Things have changed on job hunting, even applying for jobs (mostly online).
I'm never this early. Usually, so late there's no point to post. I love The Frugal Girl and this group.
The quote from the play resonated with me. 1879? Wow. I like that playwright.
About the cantaloupe, did you just eat it? Or are you going to try to "sweeten" it? I hate wasting food but if it is truly yuck, I can toss it. I figure the cost is worth the "agony" of eating yucky food. I love reading on here how to save something by some small change. That's one of the things that keep me coming back. For me to not waste fresh melons, I cut the fruit all at once. I'm more likely to eat it. If it's uncut, I feel it will take too much time to get it done and then don't do it.
FFT
I'm using what I have in my fridge and freezer. Instead of buying something on my way home from work or wherever.
I drink coffee I made at home.
I didn't give into the temptation to buy another event/seminar that I would love but won't use what I learned. I've spent many dollars doing that without any money to show for it. Some of these are legit and some maybe not so much. Lol.
I have a friend watching my dogs while I work. I work out of town mostly. They have been doing it for free but things changed. I'm looking for boarding that I can afford or I may have to give up my dogs. Any ideas? I'm all ears. Private message me if you want. I will try to check back later to see what y'all think.
It's been hot and I've been trying to limit my electricity usage. I'm gone most of the week but for the last three weeks I've been home and continuing for the next three weeks. I'm trying not to panic but my bill is already gone up. I rent and I have already talked to the maintenance guy about some things to help but no help so far. Is it better to keep the a/c on at a set temperature? Or adjust it as needed? Thank you for all your help.
Again I love reading all the ways y'all save. You have helped me be more aware. Thank you.
@Ginger Bruce,
Dog boarding/day care is almost as expensive or sometimes even more so than children’s daycare, especially if more than one dog is involved!
You mention that you rent, and that you are usually gone out of town for most of the week (where do you stay when you are out of town?)
Maybe consider adding a dog loving room mate with reduced rent in exchange for watching the dogs/ house sitting?
@Ginger Bruce,
Do you have neighbors that may be interested in earning a little extra money? My daughter walked our neighbor’s dog everyday after school when she was in her teens. She earned a little pocket money. When she was out of town, she would take care of the dog.
There is also an app called Rover that list dog care providers that may be useful.
Can you take the dogs with you when you go out of town? Lots of hotel/motels are pet friendly these days.
@Ginger Bruce,
Do you know anyone with a dog who might be willing to swap dog care with you?
Otherwise, @Christine’s suggestion of taking on a dog loving roommate for reduced rent is a great idea.
@Ginger Bruce,
Where do you live? In case a reader lives close by and wants to pet sit for a reasonable fee?
We always turn our AC up to 80-85 when we're away from home for more than a day. Sometimes we remember when we're heading home to turn it down remotely, but even when we forget, it doesn't take long to cool it down. We started keeping it at 78 during the day. With fans running it's still comfortable.
@Ginger Bruce, to echo Rose, could you consider taking the dogs? Not sure what your rooming situation is while you travel, but you could even consider some sort of mobile home/van-life/RV/trailer for the dogs and you, if dog friendly hotels are cost prohibitive. It would, unfortunately, be money up front.
@Gretchen,
https://www.wsj.com/buyside/personal-finance/financial-tips/what-temperature-to-set-air-conditioner-in-summer
I thought this article was interesting. I had my AC replaced last week. I live in Florida and the temperature in the house reached as high as 89 degrees when our system is on the blink. Once the new system was installed, it took many, many hours to get the temperature down to a comfortable level even with all the ceiling fans on. I’m am sure we used a lot of electricity in doing so.
@Bee, I completely agree with neighbor or friend to stop by (minimum) daily (reasonably 2-3 times day if gone multiple days) to let dogs outside/walk & play/spend time with the dogs.
Set (plug in) timers on lights to automatically on/off to look like someone home & give dogs light.
You need air circulated in apartment for dogs, keep air on at set temperature or fan on circulating which also helps with dog smell over time.
@Ginger Bruce, There are three things I do with melon when it’s bland:
1) sprinkle with a little sugar and a tiny bit of salt
2) put in a fruit smoothie
3) wrap with any sort of preserved ham: smithfield, iberico, proscuitto, etc.
Obviously one of these is not like the others.
@WilliamB, We dehydrate subpar melons. Thin strips end up with highly concentrated flavor, sort of like fruit leather.
@Bee,
Thanks for the interesting article! We don't turn the AC off completely. And since we keep ours set @ 78 during the day when we're home, it doesn't take long ( maybe an hour?) to cool it down.
@Christine, my job pays for hotels but we're not allowed to bring our dogs.
@Rose, my work pays for the hotel and no pets allowed.
@Tarynkay, only have a one bedroom.
@WilliamB, yes, good idea though.
FFT, “Belts Will Be Worn Tighter” Edition (revised and updated from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
(1) First, the big frugal fail/possible win: I took my beloved 2010 Honda Element (odometer reading = only 76,800+) to my go-to garage last Wednesday for state inspection, oil change, and 29-point check. It needed a new set of rear struts before it would pass inspection, and my friends at the garage have informed me that although the exhaust system did pass inspection, the whole shebang is seriously rusting out and needs to be replaced. $$$$--and hellooo, Central NY winters and salty roads!
(A few NCA commenters wondered whether I've been getting an undercarriage wash when I get a car wash. I have been. But the Element began its life with us as DH's working truck, and it's possible that he may not have done this during the period when he was slip-sliding into Alzheimer's and neither of us realized it yet.)
But I spent more time than usual with the local rag’s auto section on Sunday, and I still think I’ll be coming out ahead, considering what a down payment and monthly payments on a new car (or even a good used Honda or Toyota) would be. So I’m taking this leap of faith.
(2) Because I’m taking this leap of faith, “belts will be worn tighter this winter” (as the Ruth Hussey character, Liz Imbrie, says near the end of The Philadelphia Story–one of my favorite movies). So I’m starting by working on the grocery bills, through using what’s in the freezers and buying dirt-cheap local produce (luckily, it’s a good time of year for the produce).
(3) The one type of produce I didn’t buy at the Regional Market this weekend was cucumbers. But my neighbor up the street has just come by with three cucumbers from her garden. (This is the neighbor with Stage 4 ovarian cancer, for which she is finally having long-postponed surgery on Friday; she’s doing a kitchen cleanout before she leaves for the cancer center two cities over for the surgery. Please join me in wishing her luck.)
(4) With the produce I did buy at the Regional Market, I (a) have blanched and frozen a quart of seriously overripe tomatoes, and (b) have made a bigger batch of ratatouille (with my own garlic and basil) than usual. I’ll freeze some of this, since some of you have assured me that ratatouille freezes well.
(5) And my friend (DH’s last and best employee) who cuts the enormous hedge between my and my next-door neighbor’s driveways came over today to do a hedge cutting. He has heretofore refused payment for this, but it’s become a huge job. So I gave him 20 pounds of beef from my 1/4 steer, and gave him carte blanche to take as much of DH’s enormous stash of scrap lumber as he wants (since he expressed an interest in that). Good old-fashioned barter lives.
@A. Marie,
Speaking as someone who just had her car's engine replaced, best of luck with your Honda! May it live long and, well, not prosper perhaps, but run reliably for many more years.
@A. Marie, I just adore "The Philadelphia Story."
@A. Marie, Wishing a long life to your Element. We had our 2010 Pilot repairs done yesterday to the tune of $450, but worth it to us to keep her going. Long live the Hondas!
@A. Marie,
I share your pain. It is probably time for me to begin thinking about a new car. Mine is now 14 years-old and will turn 200,000 miles very soon - maybe this week. I find that cars are just too expensive to buy and too expensive to repair just like so many things.
@A. Marie,
Just had this experience with my very dependable,very loved Nissan Sentra with a 130k on her.
The frame was totally rusted out and it wouldn't pass inspection so off to the junkyard it went.
I was very sad and still a bit depressed as the price of used cars are way out of my budget:(
On the bright side my little town has a "walk ability" index of 76% and my kids are pretty much right around the corner.
@A. Marie, HUGS from a fellow "But it's MY car!" person. May your ride's stay in the shop add to its longevity! I'm grateful that my 34 year old Buick is still with me (bought for $1000 eight years ago) and that parts are ubiquitous. It only takes my mechanic a day to get anything that needs replaced, which is still cheaper than a car payment. It gets great mileage and drives wonderfully, plus I tend to be absurdly loyal to inanimate objects. 🙂
@A. Marie, Best of luck and medicine to your neighbor. My mother survived Stage 3 ovarian (and Stage 3 uterine) cancer decades ago, when treatment was cruder, harsher, and less successful. May your neighbor just as successful.
@A. Marie, I am very jealous of your proximity to the Regional Market. If it's the one in Syracuse, yes, I'm very jealous. Especially at this time of the year! Next month the real bargains start. I have lived in 4 more places after moving from Auburn, and I have to say the Syracuse Regional Market is the best farmer's market out there. It is huge!!! And they sell everything!
As for the rust, I had a friend that would only buy small Toyotas and she had to replace her muffler every year. It is an unfortunate side to living in Central NY.
And the Farmer's Almanac is calling for a colder and wet winter in the NE. Good luck.
@Maureen, you've guessed right about the Regional Market. Unfortunately, it's having hard times at the moment, due to mismanagement at the top (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2024/06/26/facing-financial-hurdles--cny-regional-market-gets-pushback-from-vendors). Here's hoping it can dig out.
1. I volunteer at a Thrift Shop, which is insanely frugal in and of itself.
2. We have been given the contents of a hoarder's home. There is so much new-iin-package stuff, particularly from Costco. We are isolating these items for a special holiday sale at the shop, so we can help others give frugally.
3. There are so many crates, bins, and organizers that we will have a separate "Get Organized" sale. (Oh, the irony!)
4. The Thrift Shop may never need to buy supplies again, especially pens, binder clips, staples, or scissors. So many scissors!
5. The primary goal is to keep things out of the landfill. The cleanout team has been given permission to keep anything they can personally use. Yesterday, we found three unopened 90-count packages of Cascade Dishwashing Tabs, two full Cascade DW liquid, two Kirkland DWTabs, at least ten full Costco size bottles of Palmolive Dish Soap, 10+ cases of Four Monks Vinegar from Costco, over fifty pounds of baking soda. The shop, and the cleanout team, are going to be mighty clean for years to come.
Bonus: I'm working on thank-you gifts for an upcoming library event. I've been able to source a large portion of what I need from this house.
Moral of this experience: Time to start paring things down at my own house.
Final note: iI am frequently reminded of your treasure house, Kristen. Fortunately, everything in this house is much less dusty.
@Dicey,
That is truly impressive, how much you got from that hoarder house. Over 10 cases of Four Monks vinegar and 50 pounds of baking soda? Good heavens! I assume they meant to do major cleaning, whether they ever did it or not.
@JD, They were planning on a very, very big science fair volcano.
@Dicey, I would think of it not as a hoarder house, but maybe a prepper house. Obviously buying in bulk from Costco (in itself) is large amounts (of anything) & maybe the person only shopped in bulk for cost savings. And did not get everything used.
@Regina, Two examples come to mind. I finally got both sides of the entry hall cleared. The last plastic bin I opened, the one closest to the front door, was full of food that expired in 2017. She had only lived in this house for 2-3 years. She actually moved expired food and never unpacked it.
Yesterday, I poked into an area that had been inaccessible until now. I've learned that certain storage containers that look like giant toolboxes came from her prior home and had never been unpacked. They're two feet long and have wheels. The first one was filled entirely with hair clips and hair ties. The second one was labeled "Sparkles"" and seems to be filled with sewing notions.
The woman was a stockpiler who developed dementia. It's a very sad situation. Did I mention over 50 pair of scissors, many new in package?
One more: the only furniture in the house consists of six-foot folding tables, an office chair, two folding benches and plastic shelves. She slept on a pile of blankets on the floor. Apparently her "real furniture" is in one of two rented storage units. I have a hard deadline on the house, as a dumpster is coming next week. The storage units will have to wait until the house is done.
@Dicey, I still have nonconsumable office supplies (such as binder clips) from an office shut-down … um, … wow that’s more years than I remembered … ago. I didn’t have to buy pens for ages and that was after giving away most of the supplies to a school.
@Dicey, I stand completely corrected. 🙁 That's beyond my prepping thought.
Best of luck on your ability to get through as much as possible.
@Rose, thanks for the laugh on this comment!
@Dicey, We have purchased several distressed properties over the years to turn into rentals, and part of our offer was that we would clean them out. I didn't have to buy garbage bags for several years, along with cleaning supplies, postage stamps, printer paper and other office supplies. I did my best to give away anything I couldn't sell, and that turns into a full time job! Good luck.
@WilliamB, Heh, so do I.
1. We made all our meals at home. We brewed coffee at home. We ate up all the leftovers. Even the not-so-good peach chicken recipe I tried. Very bland.
2. We enjoyed free entertainment.
3. We returned books to the library on time. We picked up new books, 2 dvds, and a game. I already let my favorite librarian know that the game is missing a piece, so we won't be charged.
4. I took my daughter shopping for new clothes. She picked out some great pants from the secondhand store. We bought a couple shirts and dresses from Target. One of the dresses ripped in the wash and we returned it yesterday.
5. We made baked goods at home. I haven't calculated how much it costs me, but I know making a whole batch of something at home is cheaper than $6-9/ alleren-free cupcake at the store. Also, my daughter now makes donuts better than I do.
That reminds me of a similar, although maybe slightly different, comment from Jo in little women… She is in New York City sitting around in a parlor and is the only woman talking with a number of men in the evening. As usual, she says something relevant and interesting and intellectual and philosophical… Another man says that she could have been a (…something, I forgot the exact profession) - and Jo replies, “Oh, I could’ve been a great many things” - of course, referring to women’s role at the time, mostly confined to the home. I still think this can apply even in the current time period.
Sharing frugal activity… I am recently into making overnight oats. Very filling, love that it is already finished when I wake up in the early morning to go to work, and I don’t have to make anything, I can just take it out of the refrigerator in my half-awake state 🙂
-Ordered some stationery product that is either super late or not coming at all. They are sending me a new batch for free, and said if I get double to just keep the extra.
-Ordered tons of library books, both audiobooks and "real" books on paper. Am currently interested in the life of Elisabeth Elliot and she was quite a prolific writer.
-Cleaned out a bunch of outgrown (or annoying) toys and gifted them to another mom. Frugal for her and satisfying for me.
-Needed a new wallet, bought one through a consignment website instead of brand-new. I am not old but I don't like the idea of just paying with my phone like I see a lot of people doing. I like using my actual cards.
-Have cut back to having wine only about 1 or 2 times per week now which saves money
@Sk in Norway, "I am not old but I don’t like the idea of just paying with my phone like I see a lot of people doing. I like using my actual cards.". Same!
@Sk in Norway, is Norway as cash-free as Sweden? I went to Stockholm last year and literally did not use any kronor. I haven’t been to Norway since 2005 and want to go back.
@WilliamB, you can still pay with cash most places but people seem to prefer cards. I mainly use cards because of various reward programs.
1. On one of my errands I noticed a tent set up with free back to school backpacks giveaway. I took two because among other things the backpacks came with water bottles and free haircut coupons. Just what my boys needed.
2. Eating produce from the garden, and finishing up the huge basket of peaches purchased on a drive back home through SC.
3. Got some like-new back to school clothes from the thrift store for my kids. My first stop is usually my own storage bins, then the thrift store, then retail.
4. While at the thrift store I picked up 3 wide mouth pint jars. Half the price of retail. I like this size for future pickled beets.
5. Had friends over for dinner instead of meeting at a restaurant.
@Natasha, TMOBILE has free internet program for (customers) families (with kids in school) that qualify (income/household) for 4 or 5 years. Helping families access internet as many schools have free chromebooks for students to do school work but do not include internet access.
- I mentioned this in my dishwasher post on Facebook, but didn’t post here last week … I fixed my kitchen faucet for free. The water pressure had suddenly dropped. I did some research, figured out the most likely problem, and got out my tools. It was an easy fix (the aerator had something in it), but I did it and it cost me nothing but a few minutes of my time.
- School in session + nice weather means I now get walks multiple times a day to school. Much more free than a gym membership.
- We carpool to middle/high school. There is not a reliable bus service to our middle or high school, and it’s too far without a vehicle, so we trade off driving with two other families.
- Nice weather means more free family activities. The past two weekends, our family activity has been taken the puppy to visit different to local parks.
- I took advantage of some Target deals to restock my essentials, earning gift cards for later.
@JenRR, I forgot to mention that I also recently fixed the secondary (vertical) lock on my sliding glass door. It kept getting stuck in the lock position. I removed the bar from the frame, used some WD40 I had on hand, put everything back together, and it was working as good as new again. I had a fix-it kind of summer and learned a lot!
@JenRR, Good for you! A lot of repairs are easier than you'd think. I'm a total stumblebum but after spending 4-5x the effort handy people make, I often fix the problem! Thank you, Youtube.
@Rose, I am lucky enough to have a brain that is intuitive to this sort of thing, but have always been afraid of messing up my house. I’m working on my confidence and getting stuff done. YouTube was definitely a great tool for replacing a piece in my dishwasher!
@JenRR, Unfortunately, living in the back of beyond, finding appliance people/handymen is difficult (until I found my beloved, cheap handyman this spring). So my ex and I did things ourselves. We once installed a glass shower screen! Afterwards we both stared at the other in disbelief that it actualy worked.
For some reason, though, I have zero problems fixing everyone's laptops and phones myself. That to me is way easier than hanging a curtainrod.
Last 2 years I have had the red lily leaf beetle which promptly destroyed about 75 Asiatic Lillies I had. I decided not to replace them with anything else. Picking the bugs and chemicals were a waste of time. Sad but frugal.
Free lunch at work Thursday & Monday. Plus enough for leftovers for dinner.
My vet always refills my pups meds without having to schedule a vet visit.
We went out to eat for hubs birthday and the portions sizes were enormous. I already have had 4 meals just from the Taco Salad we ordered.
We are going to hire a friend that will help us get a garage low slope roof done. We shingled that roof back in the day... I about fell out of my shoes with the roof quotes we got for it. Granted if this was for the house we would hire it with a company. Huge savings here.
@Mar, I’m sorry about the lillies. That is a bummer. Asiatic Lillie’s are so beautiful and smell divine.
@Bee, And the smell wanders all over the yard! I only use the word "wafting" when I smell my blooming lilies, or lily-of-the-valley, or the neighbor's white wild rose, or apple blossoms.
* We had a very cheap weekend with friends camping! One of the most frugal ways to travel I think, we paid for gas, split the campground with friends so it was only $25 per couple for 2 nights, we had the supplies already (Husband has collected over the years through gifts and garage sales), and we brought groceries and card games. We did splurge and get coffee once and it was amazing 🙂
* I got a nice tote bag on the Buy Nothing FB group
* Instead of buying a few things that I wanted (a board game, another camping chair), I added them to our family wish lists for birthdays and Christmas
* I bake muffins and made cake pops for social gatherings last week instead of buying pre-made. The candy melts for the cake pops came from FB as well! And the muffins were lemon, because we had leftover lemons from a recipe earlier in the week.
Went on vacation and only ate out twice. Ate all the rest of our meals at the house (mainly cause it was raining most days). Brought a lot of leftovers home.
Defrosted the freezer and we're still eating out of it. Want to eat what's there so that we can fill it up again. LOL
Bought some home supplies at Menard's (like a Home Depot) and sent in for our 11% rebate right away. I added 2 other receipts that have been sitting on my desk for a while.
Going on a girl's weekend and made quite a few cookies for the event. Only needed to buy eggs and flour as I had all the other supplies.
Purchased my prescription from Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs without using my insurance. I am able to get a 90-day supply for $15.00 + shipping. Walgreen's charges almost $75.00 for a 30-day supply and my insurance charges $75.00 for a 90-day supply. I'm better off not using my insurance in this case and paying cash with Cost Plus Drugs.
Use my Circle K gas card and save $.10 a gallon when we fill up. And fortunately there were stations all the way on our vacation.
@Maureen, what is Mark Cuban's Cost plus drugs?
@Regina,
https://costplusdrugs.com/
Not Maureen, but billionaire Mark Cuban has created an online, non- profit pharmacy which provides low- cost prescriptions for both the insured and uninsured. The link is above.
Where I live Publix has many prescriptions available at no cost. Walmart also has a formulary list of $4 prescriptions.
One more thing, if a doctor believes that a brand name prescription is needed that is not on the patients insurance formulary or is not affordable, contact the pharmaceutical company directly. There is often help available from them.
@Bee, Thank you. 🙂 I will check it out & share the information.
@Regina, It really is a miracle that they offer so many drugs at reasonable prices. Shipping is more expensive for Alaska and Hawaii, but even with that I have saved literally hundreds getting some of my drugs through them. I thought it was a scam but it was my cardiologist's office that suggested trying them so I tried it. Now I sing their praises constantly so that others will hear about this resource!
@Regina, @Bee, yup exactly. It's a shame when you work for a health insurance company like I do, and you have to shop around to get the best price on medicine. And this is a daily medicine, not an urgent need so that is why Cost Plus Drugs is better for me. For urgent medications I go to Walmart because the only other thing in my small town is Walgreen's. And as much as I don't like to support Walmart too often, they do have decent prices on some things.
So I hardly qualify to comment, as I am amateur at frugality. But I have also eaten those crunchy cantaloupes unable to toss what I paid for...just wondering: Has anyone tried it on stir fry? Or grilling with a marinade? Just wondering? Was it any good? Thanks for your expert thought on this!
@Susan Johnston, I'm sure you could do all the above. Putting salt on them is usually what people suggest but it doesn't improve anything in my view. If you don't want to toss the melon, throw pieces into a flavorful fruit salad with berries and pinapple (fresh or canned). It's usually tasty then and bulks out the more expensive berries.
@Susan Johnston,
DH will put those crunchy cantaloupes in smoothies, along with the seeds. Y
He just drinks the smoothies, but you could easily go on to make popsicles or sorbet from it.
He also saves the cantaloupe seeds, which are apparently very good for you and he makes a kind of horchata with them.
@Susan Johnston, please do share! (If you want to.) We all started as amateurs and I’m sure that if you’d like suggestions we’d be happy to share some.
@Susan Johnston, I use less-than-tasty melons by dicing them and topping them with yougert and toasted coconut. This makes it bearable to eat.
@WilliamB, thank you for such kind words. I am so glad I asked this question! I got such great ideas!!!
@Rose,
Thank you so much!!! This is really helpful
@Tarynkay, really these wonderful ideas. Makes something I felt was "meh" into something I am excited about trying!
@Lisa K,
Thank you so much. I'm so glad I asked!
1. I too listed some things on eBay. It's a pain, but no one local is likely to pay these prices.
2. I asked for and got a multi-pet discount at the vet's. From now on, all bills will be 10% off. I would never have thought of it except that I knew my former MIL had one back when she had 8 boxers. After all, we have five pets now. (Lurch sigh)
3. My son was sick, my daughter didn't want to eat for the past three dinners, so I just scrounged around. One meal was smoked gouda with supermarket purchased, not homemade, Wheat Thins (my lifestyle: FANCY) and the world's most delicious tomatoes from my backyard. I sprinkled a few of them with homemade mushroom umami powder.
4. I bought a stair climbing cane for myself from a neighbor on Nextdoor. I didn't know such a thing existed, but it should help making my way up and down the dune (which has stairs). It was unused but she charged me $50, half the price of a new one.
5. I read A Doll's House in ninth grade. Yay for free public education! This one may be a reach.
@Rose, I have a funny/interesting memory of seeing a production of "A Doll's House" when I was about 15. My sister, who was a college student, took me and the year was around 1964. Her boyfriend was starring in it. The production was done as if in contemporary times and I just didn't *get* it.
After it was over I asked my sister why the woman didn't just leave if she was so unhappy. That's when I was told the year it was written. That made so much more sense. Funny that I remember this 60 years later.
@Anne, Well, she did at the end!
@Rose, haha I don't think it's a stretch to appreciate the frugality of the public good!
@Rose,
《Lurch sigh》......bwahahaha!
I really enjoy your 5 Frugal things posts...it encourages me to look for more ways to pinch pennies/ be more conscious of what I'm spending!
Here goes...
1. I read yet another book online! Not my favorite way to read, but definitely frugal! I recently discovered the free library of Philadelphia, which is available to all PA residents! It has a much larger selection of books than my local library!
2. I found some great deals on clothing at Costco! I lost some weight recenty and needed some new capris for work, and they had the brands that I like. Yes, I have to pay for my membership, but the membership cost has more than paid for itself by allowing me to get awesome deals on eyeglasses over the years!
3. I consigned some clothing
4. I made several batches of salsa with abundance from my garden. I give a lot of canned goods as gifts, so I'm stocking my pantry!
5. We reserved a family cabin (for free!) We are planning a quick trip to visit our daughter in a nearby state, and the free lodging is a bonus!
@Alica, I know you can use the pharmacy and get eye exams at Costco without being a member. You might check to see if a membership is required for the actual eyeglasses or if those are available without being a member.
Oh, yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying the book! I recommended it after reading about it, but ironically still need to read it myself!
My frugal things so far...
1. Frugal fail: I managed to lose my glasses in the sea. Whoops! I obviously had to buy a new pair but the eye test at the optician was free! I also got an extra eye health check, which wasn't free but not expensive either.
2. I made a payment on a loan.
3. I've eaten lunch at home almost every day.
4. I saved several drink cans and got a recycling voucher for money off in the store.
5. I borrowed a book from the library.
@Sophie in Denmark, My glasses are probably still floating around off the coast of Florida somewhere, after about 25 years. Such a pain to get new ones while on vacation! Maybe there is a secret place where the mermaids collect them and lend them to the sea creatures.
I had read about a production of "A Doll's House" at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN. The lead actress said something about how Nora had been trained to use her worst talents, rather than her best, so she would be what a woman was expected to be. Such a waste!
@Heidi Louise, or maybe the mermaids wear them! I like that idea!
Well, an appliance repairman came out and took a look at my leaking dishwasher (dishwashers hate me), the non-functioning icemaker in my refrigerator and the washer that goes nuts and walks all over the floor in the spin cycle. None of these appliances are old, or even middle-aged, actually. The dishwasher MAY be able to be fixed, but maybe not, the icemaker is dead and has to be replaced, and the washer's main bearings are going out and the repair would cost as much as a new washer, so a new washer was advised. I had put all of this off until I got my car sorted out. It's been quite the year.
I do have some frugal things, though.
1. We used to have a ceiling fan with lights over our table, but it always chilled our food faster than we could eat it, so we finally just replaced it with a light only. I've been without a kitchen fan for a while, but this weekend, I spotted a quiet, tilting fan in a damaged box at half-price, due to the box damage, at the store. I opened the box and checked - the fan was fine, so I bought it, and can now stay cooler while cooking by training the fan on me, not the food.
2. I signed up for a half-pint of paint giveaway at Lowe's. They don't guarantee it will still be in stock, but I have to go there anyway, so if I get it, good. It's supposed to be one of the hot new colors.
3. I've been looking for a decently priced, comfortable pique or seersucker cotton for a summer nightgown, and found a 2-yard scrap on clearance for $2 a yard at Hobby Lobby.
4. Using old photos to make a photo board for DH's funeral brought home to me - again - that I need to organize the printed photos in a better way than using a couple of mis-matched photo boxes, a cardboard box and a worn plastic tote. I looked online for acid-free photo boxes and found some really nice ones, but the prices were high and the shipping higher. I ended up finding acid-free boxes at a brick and mortar store. They aren't high end, but they'll do the job well enough, they match, and I saved no less than $20 a box.
5. The mower company I use has some new guys, and they weed-whacked some of my plants and killed them. I complained politely and got back the money I spent on the plants. It doesn't repay me for the labor I put into them, but it's something.
@JD, I had to replace four appliances this year. The refrigerator was just over five years old. My dishwasher was middle-aged at 7. However, my washer and dryer had lasted about 15 years. Once again, I often find appliances are one of those things that are too expensive to repair into expensive purchase. I must be getting old because I find myself saying, “it never used to be this way“
@JD, my (previous) repairman (been doing for 20+ years) told me that the newer (last 5 years) appliances are more exspensive, poorly made & mostly unrepairable. He recommends getting basic models with knobs not push/touch pad if possible & heavy duty/commercial grade. Older appliances made before 2000 last longer & easily repairable.
@Regina, I bought all my KitchenAid appliances (refrigerator/freezer, microwave, convection oven, dishwasher) in 1997 and they're all still going strong. Even the ice maker! A friend had a 4 year old LG refrigerator that went on the fritz this summer and even after 4 repair efforts had to be replaced.
@Bee, the first front load washer I bought had a plastic belt - it sounded like a crashing jet when the belt broke. And left plastics bits in the load of laundry in the machine. The delivery/set up guy for my new washer/dryer (yep, replaced them both) was impressed the plastic belt lasted as long as it did. The new machine does not have a plastic belt.
* I have booked myself 5 extra work shifts in the upcoming weeks. More money going in the savings account is always good.
* Decided to allocate a fixed amount of money for each of my girls, for clothes, yearly. They have to budget within it. I'm just fed-up seeing clothes we just bought being thrown into the "donate" pile. The goal is to make them more aware of the actual cost of clothes (and I am strongly suggesting shopping at thrifts stores, too)
* Been buying less groceries to use up what we already have at home, doing prices match at the grocery store and buying from the discounted aisle whenever possible
* My no make-up and minimalist hair/skin care routine is saving me a lot of money and time
* Exercising at home. Also saving me money and time.
@Isa, Apparently thrift shopping has been “the thing” for Gen Z for at least a decade. You should see my niblings’ faces when they have to pay $30 for a pair of pants! They’re so used to $10 or less at a thrift shop.
1) The check engine light was on in my 2010 Honda Pilot, which has 133K miles. I was so nervous that the repairs would cost more than her trade-in value. Repairs cost $450 but I'm happy she's fixed and will continue to drive her for as long as possible.
2) Used Old English scratch cover to touch up scratches on the front door, and kitchen and bathroom cabinets at the house we are selling. They don't look new, but they do look a lot better.
3) Made BLTs for dinner one night when we really too tired to cook and wanted to get takeout.
4) Got gas at BJs when I was close to the store and did not go inside for anything. 😉
5) Remembered to use my $10 off $40 coupon at Aldi that they sent in a "welcome to the neighborhood" package. Kind of made me laugh since we literally move a mile from where we used to live.
After working all summer to empty, repair, paint, and spruce up our old house, it is finally on the market. Please send prayers and positive thoughts for it to sell quickly. We are eager to be mortgage free again.
I didn't really understand A Doll's House when we studied it in high school, but as I got older I came to understand it better. Jane Eyre is also, surprisingly, quite a proto-feminist work.
My 5:
1. I sold more wedding-party decor. So far, I've made back about 40% of what I spent. I sold artificial leafy garlands, candleholders, and LED candles. The linens will be a tougher sell, I think.
2. I bought some really good snack containers. Beaba Clip containers. I am already finding it much easier to pack my lunches (and my toddler's snacks, whcih is what they're actually intended for.)
3. I attended a work-subsidized event; I got to try paddle-boarding half-price! It was super fun.
4. I got a free membership at a store so that I could have free returns on the shoes I bought that are faulty. A headache (or rather a foot-ache) but better than wasting the money.
5. I tried out two new-to-me grocery apps, Flashfood and Too Good To Go, and deleted both. The things you can buy are not things we need; it reminded me of coupons, kind of. For my Canadian friends, I use Flipp a lot--it's just a flyer-comparing app, and it helps me reduce our grocery bill.
@Meira @meirathebear, Jane Eyre was my favorite as a child. I loved when she mouthed off to Aunt Reed. I thought she should have married St John Rivers, but what do I know? I'm the person who loathes Professor Bhaer with every fiber of my being.
@Meira @meirathebear, “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more priviledged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.” Such a great book!
@Sophie in Denmark, most film/TV versions of Jane Eyre cut this speech altogether, but I was glad to see a shortened version of it included in the old 1983 BBC series with Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton. (Do any other elderly Bronte fans out there remember this one?)
@A. Marie, and it's such a good speech! I first read Jane Eyre as a kid and I loved her ever since her comeback to Mr Brocklehurst (“Mr Brocklehurst: Do you know where the wicked go after death?
Jane Eyre: They go to hell, was my ready and orthodox answer.
. . . Mr: What must you do to avoid it?
Jane: I deliberated a moment; my answer, when it did come was objectionable: " I must keep in good health , and not die.”
@Meira @meirathebear, In the first years of when "A Doll's House" was performed, the ending was often changed so Nora "repented" and came home to where her place was supposed to be.
N mentioned "The Yellow Wallpaper". I do not know the exact origins of the belief or how long it lasted but in the late 1800's, the belief was that a person only had so much "life-force", (women of course having less then men), and when it was used up, the person would die. Thus, women were supposed to preserve theirs by little activity or stress. Such an opposite belief to a body that renews itself through movement and new mental challenges!
@Meira @meirathebear, love to see all the Jane Eyre fans! I actually didn't read it until my 20s because I read Wuthering Heights in my teens and was annoyed by the lot of them; I assumed that Jane Eyre would be more of the same. I recommend the movie version with Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. Such cinematography!
@Meira @meirathebear, I actually love Wuthering Heights but I love how destructive the relationship is! And the descriptions of nature!
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is incredible and very overlooked.
My close personal friend CVS now sends me congratulatory emails: “You saved $45.80 in July!” “You saved $305 so far this year!” “You’re in the top 2% of savers in NM!” Which could mean there are only 50 CVS extracare members in all of New Mexico, and I’m #1! And yet … no matter how much I “save” I’m still spending $$$$. ;-{
But CVS was charging way too much ($25 - $30) for reading glasses so I went to Walmart and found a perfect pair for $5.97. Now if I can just remember where I put them …
@JDinNM, Yup. That’s savings over regular CVS prices. Sometimes we pay that, sometimes we don’t. It’s like my (beloved) local libraries telling me how much I saved by checking out a book instead of buying it, but they use new book prices and often hardback as well. Useful for many but not for me.
PS: my favorite author is 100% fine with people buying her books used.
For the first time in many weeks, this week is rather ordinary. I think boring might be good. my five frugal things were rather ordinary too.
1. I sold two items on eBay. Both these items have been purchased at an estate sale for the purpose of reselling them.
2. I returned my bookclub selection to the library. I had this book for three weeks and had only slogged through 80 pages or so. I just really did not like it at all despite its rave reviews. I decided to give myself a gift and not read it. I’m so glad I didn’t purchase it. I picked up three other books from the library that I had on hold. I am enjoying the first one in this little pile immensely.
3. I Had my digital magazine subscriptions delivered this week through the library’s Libby app. I am able to get the magazines The English Home and House & Garden at no cost. British periodicals can be very expensive to subscribe to in the US. This is my Anglophile fix.
4. We cashed in some of my husband’s exercise points (this is part of his employer’s health incentive program) for $150 in Home Depot gift cards. We had a few things that needed to be done in the garden and yard. we use this gift cards towards the supplies. We left Home Depot with a receipt for $0.72.
5. I did most of the usual things. I brewed my own coffee. I ate most of my meals at home. We finished up the leftovers. I drank primarily water filtered water from the refrigerator. I hung up most of my laundry to dry. I continued my decluttering and did not buy his thing all week aside from food and household essentials.
Wishing everyone, peace, good health, and prosperity.
@Bee, I get my Homes & Antiques and Period Living magazines via zinio.com. I can't remember what the subs cost but it's very little. I've been reading both of them for 30 years now and refuse to give up. Although I'm generally pro-pro electronic reading, I actually dislike reading these online, but the savings is totally worth it. (I wish I could find/there existed a tablet the size of a standard magazine page so I didn't have to zoom in and out, but whatcha gonna do.)
@Rose, I also love a paper magazine. I love to cut them up to create mood boards and collages. I refer back to them sometimes. Mine are often filled with post-it notes. However, at $100 annually, I make myself read it on line.
@Bee, Just out of curiosity what was the book? I ask because I get a lot of my recommendations from you.
Also will you go to the book group not having read the book? If so what will you tell them. Some of my book group picks I slog through. But as I get older I am giving myself permission to not read the book. So many books so little time.
@karen, The book is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen. Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Devil-White-City-Madness-Changed/dp/0375725601
When I picked it up the librarian said it was very good. It has 4.3 stars on Amazon. Even my daughter enjoyed it. However, it did not capture me.
It is nonfiction. It’s about the first known serial killer in the United States set against the backdrop of the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago. I found it creepy, and I could almost smell the Chicago stockyards. Perhaps it’s the mood I find myself in. I want to read something nice.
I will go to book group. I find our best discussions are often about the books that we don’t necessarily like.
So tonight I’ll be curling up with The Perfume Collector. It is the story of a woman in a loveless marriage who has been given a new lease on life. The backdrop is post World War II, Paris. Of course, there is mention of the great perfume and cosmetic houses at the time. Yes it is a bit of fluff, but also deals with some serious subject matter.
What are you reading?
@Bee, ironically my current book group selection is an Eric Larson book, In the Garden of Beasts. I have not started reading it yet because I am reading my other book group selection Remarkably Bright Creatures. That group meets first.
@karen, I loved - absolutely loved - Remarkably Bright Creatures. How could one not enjoy a book in which the main character is a Giant Pacific Octopus?
@Bee, My book group read that years ago! I loved it, probably because one of the members brought in old photographs of the Chicago World's Fair that she had inherited. Erik Laron's books are all good-we pass them around in our family. I've been in the same book group for 27 years, and it is more interesting when people don't agree on the book. And lots of times not everyone gets a chance to finish or read the book, but they can enjoy the discussion.
1. Remember how I turned in claims for unclaimed property but didn't know for how much? One of the claims is yielding $750. That's for maybe an hour's work.
2. Got several documents notarized for free at my bank. Most banks do this so if you need notarization, check with your bank to save $5 per.
3. Complained after having a shockingly bad experience at a Candlewood Suites. The owner comped one night, which was inadequate as the air conditioning was out for two nights and there were a lot of other problems. So I complained to IHG, which owns the chain. IHG gave me reward points approximately equivalent to a free night. That's $100-$200 for about 20 minutes of work. (Pro tip: If things are going wrong, keep notes as they happen. That's much easier than trying to reconstruct it afterwards and is why it only took me 20 minutes to send the letter.)
4. I brought food and drinks from home for the trip, including brownies for the potluck. I don't know if this counts as frugal but somehow I went home with more brownies than I came with. I'll share those people who help me and my hobby group.
5. More of the same: hot water set to 120°, try to run washing machine and dishwasher at night, turn off lights and fans when I am not using them, eat at home, use homemade laundry detergent, take home used soap from hotels, not buy a Lear jet or a gold plated toilet.
@WilliamB, congrats on the $750! That is awesome.
@WilliamB, I have my mom's candy thermometer, which I don't think I have ever used for candy, as boiling sugar frightens me. But I have used it to check the temperature of a glass of hot water from the tap to see what my water heater is set at. 120 degrees seems to be the agreed upon lowest temp, not too cool so bacteria or whatever doesn't grow, and hot enough for cleaning, and not too hot to scald people.
@WilliamB, when we traveled & stayed in hotels (not very often) I would always take the in room guest items (soap, mini coffee bags, individually wrapped disposable coffee/water cups, mini shampoo/conditioner, disposable dry cleaning/laundry bag. We would use them when we went camping (more often than hotels) or in donations (shampoo/conditioner/soap) for organizations asking for items. (Former) MIL commented on wanting smaller hand soap for bathroom & I filled bag & dropped off, she had soap for years.
Used a venerable scrap of denim -- it came from my son's favorite jeans when he was in second grade 27 years ago -- to mend another pair of jeans for him. Also mended another dog toy that the puppy gnawed. She specializes in removing the limbs and pulling the stuffing out.
Canceled three subscriptions due to the cost. Did a small amount of pantry stocking up by shopping canned/dry goods at my favorite clearance store, where food is at least half price as compared to a regular grocery. By organizing a couple of overlooked spots (a caddy of sewing items and the glove box in my car), I found the better sewing pins and a charging cord and plug I had been needing. Shopping at home for the win!
@Ruby, I find so many useful things by "shopping my home first." Hard to believe how often it works and saves a trip to the store—and money.
Love CVS! It is my favorite frugal place!
Bummer on the cantaloupe, it must have been really green (not ripe) on outside. You want to look for white ones with little green as possible to be sweet & juicy.
Frugal things---
● I also went to CVS (yesterday) & got $4 off any purchase (good this week only) coupon printed when I picked up my free photo magnet (TMOBILE rewards)
● saved $0.20/gallon on gas
● free any size hot chocolate/coffee (in app coupon) at Meijer yesterday
● saved $5 off $25 & had $5 Ace reward (saved $10) off another metal garden trellis
● free (monthly) Hallmark card
● picked up new windshield sun shade $2.25 (need to stitch the strap that attaches to sun shade because loose)
● $7 rewards & $3 off cards picked up few more birthday & just because pop up cards. Resisted the Hocus Pocus pop up Halloween card $19.99 that also plays music. Unfortunately no Snoopy Halloween pop up cards. 🙁
● called mechanic because took teen vehicle out to drive to compost last week & was making clunk noise. Mechanic stopped by & looked to find loose (something) had replaced but was loose. Quick tighten up & done. No charge. 🙂
● teen signed up for dual enrollment college classes (in high school) $2300 (9 credit hours) fall semester high school pays
Frugal fail---
● teen wanted burgers & went to close by meat market to get fresh burger (mine frozen at 5pm). $6.49/pound (fresh or frozen) & $10 made 6 burgers--- Save a lot has burger on sale $3.49/pound this week.
● firewood shed teen built I wanted to put clear corrugated roof panel on (wasps won't build nest if sunlight) & Lowe's has in stock so picked up 2 (25') panels & small (clearance) box brass screws (ran out), $65 for roof panel on mostly free (materials) firewood shed. Total costs $80 for materials (which is not bad considering durability & size of it).
Not feeling very frugal, as we paid DS18's first quarter college bill! Sweet mercy! But, we paid & then I've submitted a reimbursement from our 529. I also paid via CC, as they only charge 1%, and I get more back in points & rewards, making it worthwhile.
1) Finally planned a trip to use United credits (from ill fated Turkey trip to see DH's family). Because the timing won't work out to go on a family trip with the boys before the credits expire, DH & I are going to Spain. Using credits before they expire is very frugal. DH was insistent on flying first class, so we paid out of pocket $785 for two round trip first class tickets to Spain.
2) We have set a firm budget for the trip, and will use hotel points to cover the majority of hotel costs.
3) My nephew is traveling in Japan and staying at very low cost locations. I booked him a night with points & a "guest of honor" award at the hotel chain where I have status. It's a very fancy hotel, and he'll get a room upgrade, have free lounge access (alcohol, breakfast, appetizers). It's his birthday gift. We're all about experiences in my family.
4) Continued to feed an ever rotating number of teens who impromptu turn up at my dinner table unexpectedly. I've learned to just have expandable meal options. I often add a caprese salad (tomatoes & basil from the garden), or cut a large bowl of watermelon, or grab a loaf of bread from the freezer & make garlic bread. I'm also always happy to change up what I'm eating, so there is more of the "main" dish for the teens. They are all trying to spend as much time together before DS17 goes back to school next week, and DS18's friends all leave for college.
5) Listed a couple of things on eBay, including my old alarm clock. Turns out that I'm old enough for it to be an antique, because it sold for $100+ in one day. Who knew?!
Went through DS17's room & found a bunch to toss, donate & a few things to sell.
@Hawaii Planner,
Re: #4
When my boys were teens, I never knew who would be sitting at the dinner table. With 3 teenagers, I was cooking for an army anyway, so a few more made little difference. My boys developed life-long friendships during those years, and I still see nearly all of them now that they are men. I am so glad that I had an open table all those years ago. You are doing a great thing.
@Bee, I agree re: great thing. Not all visitors are fortunate enough to enjoy a meal with those who care.
I used some tea that I had been gifted to make sun tea. I don’t think I would have liked these flavors hot, but they will be lovely as iced tea.
I received a few $5 off $15 purchase coupons for Target at one of my son’s tournaments. I’ve been dividing up my purchases to get the most value from them.
I went “shopping” in our school supply stash and raided what was still good from last year’s supplies for my son’s school supplies. We had most of what he needed but I did need to order a few things. He’s a middle school boy so he’s ok with not everything being brand new, he was even happy that the only ear buds I had for him were pink!
I’ve been planning our meals around our CSA veggies which has kept our grocery bills down. I really like freezing as many veggies as I can but using them fresh is a real treat.
I was having the hardest time finding a book that started with X for my reading challenge. All the ones that sounded slightly interesting weren’t available at my library. I did find a short story on Amazon for less than a dollar that I was able to purchase with eBook credits.
1. I took my kiddos to a used clothing store to each pick out a school outfit. They also ended up getting their Halloween costumes, which only cost $12.
2. I used basil from my garden to make and freeze pesto. A neighbor gave us a half dozen donut peaches, which my kids ate very quickly. I made corn muffins, using leftover milk, for my kids to snack on. I dehydrated some tomatoes from our garden to make sundried tomatoes. I used left over yogurt to make a sauce, with lime juice and chili powder, to top my lunch this week.
3. We purchased huge baskets of jalapenos and bell peppers from our public market. My husband smoked the jalapenos and the bell peppers got frozen.
4. We rented the new Minions movie from Fandago, for a family movie night, rather than paying substantially more to go to the movie theater.
5. We purchased a brand new exterior door and frame for our garage that someone was selling. Unfortunately the previous owners of our house installed an interior door. The door would have cost at least $400 more from the store. My husband will install it.
Ok I might be the last commenter but I am okay with that. Different strokes for different folks 🙂
1. Publix had lean ground turkey BOGO and I stocked my freezer. I use this for everything from spaghetti to chili to tacos to meatloaf to breakfast sausage. I also took advantage of a sale on pork sirloin and BOGO boneless skinless chicken at Kroger. I am all about using sales on meat to stock our freezer, especially when it is a healthy option.
2. I had Old Navy cash and I combined it with sales to get several items that will work for fall, jeans, etc. for only $80 out of pocket. This is a blessing as all of my sizes have changed, another blessing!
3. I also took advantage of a 50% off coupon at Belk to purchase some needed items for my aunt who I care for. She has also lost quite a bit of weight. I combined sales/clearance and coupons to save over $450 on that purchase.
4. I cooked all of our meals at home. My husband took lunch to work every day and we repurposed ingredients for salads and such to avoid waste.
5. I took advantage of free grocery delivery to help me avoid impulse purchases and shop wisely.
I'm glad you mentioned wanting to be a human being, equal to the male counterpart. The 2024 election is crucial to maintaining that right.
@Daisy, amen. Project 25 is terrifying!
I have a lot of frugal fails this week.
The saddest was not getting gas a couple of days ago at $3.14 and had to get it today at $3.29.
I have the usual things. Chai latte at home, make my own distilled water to drink and make tea (keeps the electric teakettle from scaling, too).
Picked quite a few tomatoes from my garden and also have a lot of jalapenos. I'll let you know next week if I get some salsa made.
Watered the flowers and garden for a friend who's been out of town and came home with some humongous yellow tomatoes. I weeded for her, also. She didn't ask me to. It's always easier to do for someone the same thing you need to do for yourself.
Took advantage of JimmyJohn's $10 deal which is an original 8"sandwich, chips, a drink, and dessert. Fed me two meals.
I can't think of anything else.
Can I just say that yesterday's post and comments were very entertaining? I always check the number of comments with the post and was shocked that there were so many as early as I looked at it. And then come to find out y'all were just talking amongst yourselves!
Buying a second property and homestead is really putting the frugal things into perspective.....ugh
This week I:
1. Used up all my leftover veggies into a huge stir fry that will feed my husband at lunch for multiple days
2. Dehydrated a bunch of herbs and fruit that was past its prime for snacks and seasoning
3. Started a huge batch of apple cider vinegar for fire cider and general life purposes
4. Cut up old t shirts and pillow cases for rags instead of buying paper towel.
5. Told myself we have food at home when I really, really wanted some hand rolls after driving back home from work (hey, every little bit counts).
Adding to the stories of women worth discussing I strongly recommend the one act play "Trifles" (1916) by Susan Glaspell, or the short story she wrote based on it, "A Jury of Her Peers."
I read the short story in an anthology of something like "The Greatest Mystery Fiction of the 20th Century". A man was murdered, and the (male) investigators can't figure out what his wife's motive for murder would have been. Moving, painful, poignant, insightful-- it really stayed with me.
Watched the Aurora Borealis show and the start of the Perseid Meteor Shower with a couple of neighbors.
Moved the cattle to the fall fields and mowed the acreage around the homestead and put out the invite for friends and family to come camping. Will set up the volleyball court, the cornhole set, bocce ball and croquet. I also set up an archery range, we have several Katniss wannabes.
Preserving peaches, tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, pickles, beets and shredded zucchini (frozen).
I have 4 bathrooms and am currently removing the 50 yo tub from the biggest bathroom to put in a large walk in shower. I still have one huge clawfoot tub (my 6'7" plumber fits in it), but find guests will wait to use the 2 walk in showers, so am adding one more. My plumber is doing in between other jobs, so he gave me a 20% discount. I will do the tiling and painting.
Picked plums, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries for barter for my twice yearly haircut. I did give her a $10 tip as she did a beautiful job.
Ugh, I hate when I prematurely cut into a cantaloupe!
Thoughts and prayers during your difficult time. 😉
@Katy @ The Non-Consumer Advocate, Doesn't matter when you cut them as they don't ripen off the vine.
That’s what I thought too…that cantaloupes are non-climacteric. But I just googled and it sounds like they are sensitive to ethylene gas and can ripen after being picked.
I am ever grateful for the support.
1. I picked up a free candy bar and free goat milk(!) through Social Nature rebates. I’m interested to try the goat milk as I like goat cheese, but I can imagine that there’s a little extra flavor in the milk that might make it work better for some uses than others. (Update: it worked well in coffee and in oatmeal.)
2. I checked eBay and Poshmark for new-to-me phone cases for my new-to-me phone from Back Market. Found one to replace the slippery Otterbox case I’d purchased on eBay, which I will be returning.
3. Our organic gardener friend dropped off golden oyster mushrooms, swiss chard, kale, greens of some kind, and two stunning flower bouquets that he hadn’t sold at the farmer’s market. And another friend gave us some green beans and three heirloom tomatoes. Hurrah for summer and friends who have sunny yards to garden! (Update: I managed to chop and freeze the mushrooms and kale for use in soups. And in a fit of meal prepping I also chopped up the swiss chard so it’s ready to roast in the oven tonight or tomorrow.)
4. We redeemed another free quart of ice cream from our local convenience store rewards program.
5. I randomly checked my Chick fil A app and found there’s a current promotion where you play a little game once and they give you a coupon for a free item. So I currently have a few free items to redeem in the next week, which may/may not be a good reason to head to that side of town and batch some errands there.
@Lindsay B, If you ever have heartburn or acid reflux, grab the goat milk. I find that it works well in putting out the "fire" in your belly right away. Plus, there are no side effects (unless you are lactose intolerant or something), since this is a natural remedy.
My DH’s motorcycle yearly registration was $270. I guess California’s fees are higher. In California, if your car is over 5(?) years old, you need to pass a smog check every other year, but no other inspection. What does a car’s state inspection entail in your states?
5 frugal:
*reading free books on Libby
*bathed and trimmed dog myself (approx $100 savings!!!)
*avoided going to Costco this week!
*free lemons from a neighbor (they will get some of my figs once they ripen)
*using yoga videos on Amazon prime, eating from freezer, using older fruit in smoothies, running AC only in late afternoon/early evening. . ..
We have to do an emissions inspection here but that costs about $10-$15. Nice and cheap!
Renewing registration is separate from that, and costs about $130/year.
@Sandra in So Cal, No emissions tests done in Michigan. But yearly vehicle liscence plate registration fee (same amount every year as first year you buy/register vehicle) for each vehicle. You can transfer vehicle plate to another vehicle (for a fee) & next year renewal (on your birthday) will reflect new vehicle registration fee (based on value/price paid for vehicle).
Trailers (any kind) is a one time lifetime (of trailer) fee & can not be transferred to another trailer.
@Sandra in So Cal, no inspection here. And don't give them any ideas lol. Plates for a passenger vehicle (non-electric mind you) are $150 per year.
I am sitting outside, where the super humid 34 C has cooled down to an agreeable temperature with promise of at least some rain. With luck, the rain containers will fill up a bit again.
Frugals:
Did not use AC, by airing the house at 5am and then closing windows, blinds and curtains. The house remained a blissful 23 degrees C on the hottest day.
Did several loads of solar powered laundry.
Drank tap water from the fridge
Watered plants with water from the rain containers.
Remembered to eat the peaches before they went off (yum).
Experiment: dyed a comfortable blouse in a somewhat bland pink color in a warmer but muted hue. It is drying now, it should come out a shade of terracotta that looks well on me. The original colour made me look tired. Fingers crossed!
After the experiment I ran the washing machine 2 times, on solar power again, to clean it. I should be ready now for its first load of darks.
I got free mechanic work. Saved me hundreds in labor. So greatful.
I got some free contacts. I needed contacts but my prescription had expired so they gave me 20 days worth of samples for free to hold me over until my appointment.
I submitted a $200 dollar mail in rebate. I got the offer after my contact exam that gives you 200 back when you order a year worth of contacts.
Still on my 3rd week streak of bringing rotisserie chickens to work for the week
Pressed two bars of soap together.
Picked up a 3$ off cerave lotion coupon someone left behind ar self checkout
I am terrible at picking out good cantaloupe, but I'm good at watermelon, go figure. I've had good luck freezing cubes of mediocre cantaloupe and adding to smoothies just so it doesn't get wasted.