Five Frugal Things | an airplane tool
See further below for the odd little tool I sold!
1. I got a free Firehouse sub
Sunday was my fifth day in a row of being at the hospital (one day was just a five hour education day though!), and while I'd managed to avoid buying all of my meals up to that point, I clocked out Sunday night with no dinner plan.
But, I did have points for a free sub at Firehouse, so Zoe and I basically got a buy one, get one free deal.
2. I cut some bread into cubes before work
I had part of a loaf of store-bought French bread on my counter, leftover from when I made French toast for dinner. And one morning before work, I was like, "OH NO! That's probably gonna mold any second."
So, I took a minute to cube it up, and then I threw the cubes into a bag in the freezer. Crisis averted. 😉
I could have just put the whole thing into the freezer, but it's better for me to have it already cubed.
You know how I say that sometimes the freezer is just a pit stop before the trash can? Well, cubing the bread before I freeze it is one way to avoid that; if it's cubed, I'm more likely to actually use it!
3. I'm going to a paid online meeting this morning
We have an online quality council meeting for my unit this morning, and since I happen to be off of regular hospital work today, I'll log on and join.
I have no idea what happens in a quality council meeting, but hey, I will find out, and I will also get paid for a very easy hour of work.
4. I sold a tool of Lisey's
She had a tool from aviation mechanic school that she'd bought and then never ended up needing. So, she left it here when she moved to Hawaii, and I listed it on eBay, mainly to try to get it into the hands of someone who needed it!
(I imagine if you send this kind of thing to the thrift store, it will likely get thrown out. It's too specialized.)
And of course, I sent the money to Lisey, since she's the one who bought the tool in the first place.
I love the way eBay and Buy Nothing groups allow me to be a Stuff Matchmaker of sorts; I get rid of extra things, and I have the joy of knowing they are going to a person who wants those exact things.
5. I...
- sent all my required year end tax payments/paperwork on time (my CPA sent me a page of instructions to follow for my S-corp stuff.)
- packed lots of lunches
- packed the eBay sale in reused packaging
- used up shampoo/lotion samples from my dermatologist
- spent most of the last week working, which left little time for spending!
Taking the time to cube the bread is like how I always chop ginger before I freeze it; future Sophie is always happy she made the effort. And this has reminded me to buy and chop some more!
Ultra frugal(ish) month continues:
1. I borrowed the DVD of A Room With a View from the library as it wasn't on streaming (a kind reader told me I can find it on Tubi but the disc was fine). I also wanted to watch Prisoners again but had to pay to stream it, but was able to borrow the DVD from the library for free.
2. I continued my no-takeout streak. I had a hankering for curry and naan bread last night but I made it at home rather than ordering it.
3. I line-dried some clothes.
4. I baked a coffee-flavoured cake.
5. I cancelled some subscriptions.
I also used my gym membership and went running outside for free exercise, split tins of chickpeas for different meals and got food on sale from the supermarket.
I also made Kristen's granola!
I break a washed ginger "hand" into 1 inch pieces and freeze them. They are super easy to peel, and can be either grated, chopped or sliced as needed, even when still frozen. That way we always have fresh ginger on hand.
Uniting stuff with the proper recipient is a joy and frugality!
1. Impromptu stop at the thrift store yesterday paid off big. Still changing pants sizes (thanks midlife) and being able to consistently new-to-me good quality pants at a good price has helped me to let go of the ones that truly don't fit. I'm not going back to that size soon, if ever, so I can let them go.
2. I drink a mushroom coffee that feels pricey, but lets me enjoy a cup in the morning and not have the negative effects of reg coffee. At the end of Dec one seemed to be lost in the mail (shipping label created, no movement for two weeks). Company was great and replaced my order. This week, the original lost order arrived so now I have a bonus bag!
3. Lost Netflix access and am not freaking out yet even though I was in the middle of Call the Midwife (season 5). Need to decide if/what streaming platforms to pay for besides Prime. Frugal because I'm waiting so we make a good decision.
4. Thrift store tactical pants for DH usually $70 found for $6!
5. Quick shopping trip at the "expensive" store for a few essentials worth it to combine with things at home to make good things and avoid food waste.
Call the Midwife is available on PBS. It's in their "Passport" series which is available for a $5 monthly donation. If you like Call the Midwife, I'm sure the other content they provide would be right up your alley. 🙂
PBS Passport allows access to so many wonderful shows. It also provides quicker access to episodes of the shows that you enjoy.
In addition to PBS Passport our library has the Call the Midwife series DVDs and allows a three week borrow vs just a few days/week. That might be an option while you're deciding if your library also has it. I am watching the last seasons very slowly because I don't want to run out but that means I'm watching one episode every few weeks, silly of me.
Thanks to all of you for these tips to access the show frugally! I'm proud of myself for being so patient while we decide what subscription(s) we want. Bonnie, not silly to stretch them out! It's a binge-worthy show but I find myself already wondering what I'll do with myself once I've watched them all!
The PBS passport program, which I think is $60 a year, gives you access to all the PBS stuff, like Midwives and All Creatures and Grantchester and the stuff from Ken Burns, among many others. And if you like to binge, this allows you to have immediate access instead of waiting week by week. We just finished the entire season of All Creatures that is still being put out week by week.
Freezer odds and ends are more likely to be used if already portioned - similar with frozen bananas (sliced) and soup (1 person portions also defrost more quickly!).
This week I
ran and line-dried my laundry on solar power -yay for not using the drier!
batch-ordered pharmacy items and vitamins at a discount via my trade union membership
listed items for "stuff matchmaking" 🙂 on MarketPlace
bought a second-hand lined hat for the next cold spell
made meals from odds (and end and then thoroughly cleaned the fridge)
A frugal fail was that I bought thick woolen yarn to teach myself nalbinding, only to find that the clearest online instruction I found used a thinner woolen yarn. But I'll redeem that by using a thinner woolen yarn from my stash and using the thicker strands for a nalbound hat once I master the craft sufficiently.
(It was the cold weather that inspired this yearning for a new to me ancient craft).
Thanks for the yarn tip! I want to try nailbinding when I have downtime when I'm on the road. Now I know what type of scrap yarn to pack.
Not the very thin, but 8 ply. Wool. I was following directions of an Australian reenactor, in York stitch
“Nalbinding” is a brand new to me term. I looked it up—fascinating stuff! It will go on my blog at the end of the month under Things I Learned in January. Thank you!
--I restuffed the mattress for our daybed/couch* using foam cushions we had on hand. The mattress is now back to its proper squishiness.
*A daybed offers another spot for guests and, most importantly, more room for the cats to run!
--Taxes were filed last night! Both credit cards had a cashback offer for using TurboTax (which we do, anyway), so I made sure we used the card with the biggest offer when paying to file. My husband and I know ourselves, and free paper taxes won't get done in a timely manner. A nominal fee for just being DONE is worth it to us.
--Homemade hot cocoa with homemade chocolate whipped cream was our reward for the above Responsible Adult (TM) task. I also threw together a homemade pizza of randomness that proved incredibly tasty! Sauce, mozzarella, pesto, and slivers of red onion.
--I volunteered to help draft a grant proposal for the local library, which was sent off last week. If successful, the library could receive up to $2000 for STEM kits--here's hoping!
Dang, no edit feature! The aforementioned grant proposal was a group effort. I wrote the body of the proposal; the librarians provided demographics and filled in the specific kits they wanted; and another library board member proofread everything before it was sent off. Phew!
Hope the grant proposal works out for your library! I'm an active proponent of STEM education in our community as well (including helping to lead a grant-funded project, among other activities). Curious what kind of STEM kits your library is looking to get?
The library was looking for LEGOS (love that these count), solar system-related (we live in an area that has near totality for eclipses and beautifully clear skies), and paleontology (ditto re: area richness).
Sounds good. My husband is a college physics professor and often mourns the lack of preparation and confidence for women especially. The foundation of stem education is strongest when built early. But not at the expense of the non stem subjects. Clear, correct writing is crucial for lab reports!
Homemade chocolate whipped cream sounds delicious! Last year I used Freetax, but so many people use TurboTax I have wondered whether it’s better. My taxes are pretty simple though. I use my state’s e-filing service for my state taxes. It’s outdated and clunky but it’s free!
I used TurboTax or similar products through my 20s. In my 30s my uncle told me about FreeTaxUSA. Seemed too good to be true, but it wasn't! Been using it for years and it's been a great product with even great support when I had a question one year. Federal taxes free, and I pay the $14.99 to also file my state taxes on there.
We stick with TurboTax 1) because we always have my husband's medical expenses to factor in and 2) he is our tax preparer and prefers TurboTax's platform. 🙂 It also has a FAST turn-around time--our filing was already accepted!
Re: chocolate whipped cream, it's dangerously easy. 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 TBSP sugar, 1-2 TBSPs cocoa, and an immersion blender = four servings of deliciousness.
"I love the way eBay and Buy Nothing groups allow me to be a Stuff Matchmaker of sorts; I get rid of extra things, and I have the joy of knowing they are going to a person who wants those exact things." Ditto for me though I am still using Freecycle since I don't like the association between Facebook and the Buy Nothing group.
That also fits in with: "In yoga, Asteya is the third of the five Yamas (ethical restraints), meaning non-stealing, which extends beyond physical objects to include ideas, time, energy, and even taking from oneself or the future by consuming excessively or wasting potential. It involves cultivating contentment, honoring resources, giving credit, respecting boundaries, and living with integrity to foster inner abundance rather than craving what isn't yours." I feel that keeping useful items you don't need is included.
Wow, KD- you have no idea how much this post resonated with me. One of my 26/2026 goals is to do a deep dive into Buddhism & this will spur me to hit up the library shelves. And I have gained weight & some of my clothes are too tight & hang in my closet & taunt me. They actually make me so down on myself. I need to find them a home: this week! Thank you
My father practiced yoga for most of his life and believed deeply that abundance was a state of mind. He lived this always. Even though he was a child of the depression, he believed it was wasteful not to share. When he or my mother did not need an item, it found a home with someone who wanted it or needed it in our smallish town. When they passed, there was little in their home which wasn't useful or beautiful.
I aspire to be like them. However, I'm married to a dear man who grew up with parents who kept nearly everything. We are always trying to find balance.
ii understand totally, i live with a pack rat hubby and two teens. having grown up with 2 pack rat patents. people who visit my apt say it looks just fine. but in the closet we have 5 flashlights. in the kitchen drawer we have four pairs of scissors. ewwwww.
Anita,
I know what you mean. We have 3 shop vacs!!!
Your father seems to have been a visionary for his age and time. Would you share how he came to be so? That is remarkable, but feels contrary to what I would have expected.
Jean C,
Thank you for asking about my dad. I was truly blessed to have had my parents. I think he was just born a free-thinker and an optimist. My dad grew up in a family of East Coast intellectuals. He and his brothers all played instruments, read constantly, had wicked senses of humor, and perfect manners. However instead of joining his brothers in an Ivy League school after graduating from prep school, he boarded a train and headed to California in 1940 at the age of 17 to attend Berkley. (He loved California)
When WWII broke out, he entered the US Navy and served as an officer until the end of the War.
Like many men, he came back and felt a bit untethered. From what I understand, he spent some time trying to figure out what he wanted to do next, Post-war San Francisco was a dynamic city and Berkley was a petri dish of new ideas. I believe that it was during this time that he was exposed to two of his favorite things - Yoga and jazz. I am sure that these things helped him to heal after the atrocities of war. He eventually graduated from Berkley with a degree in architecture.
When my grandfather became ill in the early 1950's, my dad came back East. He met my mother when he was here- a widow with two daughters - a decided to stay.
When I was small, I remember that he used to practice Yoga and meditate every morning. He remained interested in everything his entire life. One of my life long friends describe my dad as "groovy."
How interesting! A “new age” free thinker? I love that he followed a unique and authentic path, especially for that time and place.
Growing up it never occurred to me to think about how men who fought in WWII processed that experience which certainly must have been significant. I had an uncle who was shot down over France and was a POW for more than a year. He never spoke of that awful experience until 40 plus years later when he was terminally ill. When he came back from the war (after being hospitalized for a few months post-release because he was emaciated) he had a will to really live life to the fullest. He had several fun years as a bachelor before he married and settled down - but was always the “fun uncle”. His only reading material while a prisoner was a small New Testament Bible. He knew scripture inside and out - he never forced it on anyone - but he was really knowledgeable.
1. I got a Panera gift card for Christmas to get the Sip Club, so I waited for a good promotion (who wants to pay full price??) and the waiting paid off. I got 4 months for the price of 2!
2. We accepted a damaged door for half off. We went to a Lowe's 35 minutes away because our Lowe's didn't have this particular door and the first one they grabbed off the high shelf was damaged. They offered it to us for half price, but we said no because we didn't think we could fix it and have it look good. They got a second door and there was a small crack in the frame, but that one is totally fixable and will still look good. It's a much smaller fix, but they also offered that one to us for half off. Yes! (Honestly, I was surprised they offered such a big discount since it's such a smaller crack.) Huge savings.
3. I've been entering all of my receipts into Fetch. Gift cards for Meijer are headed my way!
4. I redownloaded the Chick-fil-A app since we stopped there for dinner Saturday night. There's not one in our town and we don't eat out often anyways, but I had enough points to get a free large fry. Not huge in the grand scheme of feeding 5 people at CFA, but it helps.
5. I got two loaves of french bread from Flashfood for a total of $1. On this cancelled school day, we're going to have french bread pizza for lunch.
I'm getting a laugh out of the name of that tool: Hand Nibbler? If I'm reading it right. That's what Clark becomes when he's done being petted!
--The eraser for my large white board had become disreputable, to the point where it wasn't erasing anymore. I was loathe to go buy another one, but then remembered that in my Bio classroom, the professor used a microfiber cloth to erase the board. I have a small microfiber cloth I rescued from our front lawn after garbage day---somebody threw it out after trying to clean up a greasy mess with it--and it works perfectly. Better, I dare say, than an eraser. I also taped up the marker caddy, which had developed a crack along the seam.
--We managed to eat most our meals at the house on our vacation. The one exception was the Publix subs that were greatly enjoyed on our biking picnic excursion. I will forever fondly remember the Publix cobb salad; I think they have the best ranch dressing ever.
--We avoided most food waste on this vacation; it's always tricky to buy just enough for the week, feed everyone thoroughly, and not have to toss or leave anything in the fridge. I bought and used up exactly the right amount of frozen fruit, milk, ground beef, and turkey bacon and bread. The only things I overbought were riced cauliflower (I use this in smoothies, and the Publix there only had giant bags, not the small ones!) and shredded cheese.
--At one gas stop, we were back in the land of Kroger fuel stations and DH was able to get gas for 58 cents a gallon with our fuel points. He said it was like being back in the 1950s.
--Our excursions on our trip were pretty inexpensive; I was dismayed that the Treasure Museum, which had been free three years ago, now charges two dollars a person, but it is a small museum, and run by the parks department, so we were okay with it. We also stopped at the San Sebastian Inlet State park, which charges eight dollars for parking, but we had a lovely hike through what my family calls 'the jungle' (palm trees rather than pine trees as at home!), and visited the fishing piers and saw pelicans!
--It goes almost without saying that avoiding DisneyWorld on this trip saved us buckets of money.
--On one of our stops on the way home, we popped in to a Kroger Marketplace to replace DS#3's wallet, which he'd left in the vacation house (no worries: he only had a temporary driver's license, and his real one had just been mailed to our house back home, and the only other thing he had in the old wallet was a debit card, which we cancelled, and his school ID, which they will replace very easily for him) and the wallets were actually on sale, so we got five bucks off. That was a nice surprise.
DH has corrected me, it was 17 cents a gallon with our points! $3.47 to fill up the tank of our Chevy Silverado. The mind boggles.
Then you are talking late 1940s!
I am glad you had a good visit. As a Floridian, we have only been to Disney a handful of times. My children never really enjoyed it. They were much happier spending a day on the beach, in a boat of some sort, or cooling off in a spring. Sadly, many miss the state's beauty because they are at Disney World.
We went the first time we visited because we had to bring our youngest with us, and it was kind of the carrot we dangled. I hadn't been to Magic Kingdom since I was 10, and it was during a freezing cold snap, so I had very little memory of it! So it was fun to experience it with him. He wanted to go again the second year, but then agreed that was enough--he only did Magic Kingdom, and just a handful of rides. This year it was all beach time, bike rides and hiking, so a very good time for all. I agree Florida is so much more than the Disney part of it!
As a Texan who grew up going to Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington (and in fact, my first as a child visit was the year they opened -- I'm that old!), I was mightily disappointed in Disney when I moved to Central Florida. Does old Walt think it's OK to have wooden cutouts all around? Six Flags has actual statues and they look much more authentic.
Of course, Six Flags has changed hands and isn't as cool as it was in the early days. Or at least it wasn't, the last time I was there. Full disclosure: I haven't visited any amusement park in well over a decade, and don't intend to. Much better to go off the beaten path and avoid the crowds.
I have visited a few theme parks and find them a waste of my travel money. With a wider planning lens, I prefer real places.
Walt had zippo to do with what is FL (or CA) Disney after he passed. IMHO, I think he'd be appalled at the Disney of today - the almighty dollar rules, not providing reasonably priced family entertainment.
I immediately nixed any talk of going to Disney. The money would be better spent on college costs (or a number of other things truth be told). You really want to go, pay your own way after you graduate college.
As someone who lives in Orange County, CA, we have only been to Disneyland a handful of times also. I kinda hate it and luckily my kids never really asked for it. We've gone only with friends who were visiting from out of the area.
i love disney. worked there for a summer during college, got engaged there. took the kids there twice. love, love , love it. wish i could go to dollywood but it is not very dog friendly. the kids don't want to leave buddy. so far he has gone everywhere with us.
$.58 a gallon is more late 70s price. $.27 to $.30 for the 1950s
"Nibbler" is such a funny word.
--I mended yet another sheet that got little holes in it with a very inexpert sewing job that thankfully no one will see. These holes keep appearing in my son's sheets. I suspect it's the rivets on the backs of his Wrangler jeans.
--My husband and I traded books this week and actually read each other's books. He read "The Gardener's Bed-Book" by Richardson Wright (a great book), and I read "Empires of the Indus" by Alice Albinia (a good-enough book, although I skipped a lot of the very detailed history portions). We don't often read the same books, but we each buy a lot of books, so in my head, the cost of the book is halved if we both read it. My imaginary cost goes down if my children read it, too. 🙂
--I removed the space heater from my son's room. He had one day when his bedroom was really cold from an east wind blowing directly into his window so that even with his door wide open, his room was cold. He was in there trying to do his online classes, so I let him take the space heater we use in the living room sometimes. And then I went in there the next to find the space heater on and him in a t-shirt because it was like 75 degrees in there. Of course. The space heater went back into the living room and he went back into a sweatshirt. 🙂
--The giant can of chickpeas I opened last week made into a stew with some of the tomato paste from the equally giant can of tomato paste, caramelized onions, and rooster stock was almost free, because all of those things were free. I made a pretty big pot of the stew, and was able to share some with someone I know who needed some meatless meals. I don't cook a lot of those, so that worked out. (He can eat the chicken stock in it, I checked.)
--I made another batch of six candles from the church candle stubs, which now makes 18 candles I've made. The kit I bought to do this has definitely paid for itself now, since the wax was free. We've been able to give the candles to some of our church friends, too, which is nice.
I was thinking how special it must be to burn candles that so tangibly bring your place of worship into your home, as it were.
It is. I felt that even more last year when we got to bring home the last part of the old Paschal candle from our church and finish burning it at home.
How is your fun money spending going? I believe it's been a while since you posted about it.
Yes, it has, and that's because in December I just....bought a car. Ha.
I promise there will be a report at the end of January though. 🙂
Frugal one: cooked up a packaged chicken teriyaki blend from Aldi. Cooked rice, too and split the meal three ways. Supposed to feed three-five but portions were small. The fact that I didn't waste it is the frugal here.
2) Minimal driving. It's been in the low teens and gas mileage is pitiful but is available at $2.42 a gallon.
3) No errands, no impulse buying.
4) Monthly order for Tazo Chai Latte concentrate. $6 a box is still $1.50 per serving not counting the milk. And free shipping-which is good because it was only seventy miles away and yet it traveled two hundred seventy miles east before traveling four hundred miles west and one hundred eighty miles east to here. Well travelled in a FedEx truck! And I didn't look to see where it is made!
5) After 6-8 months of purchase, I finally set up my Epson refurbished printer. The savings in ink will pay for it. I am looking toward reprinting our family cookbook that my sister compiled. My brother's edition was lost in a fire several years ago and I never had one.
January is a slow and quiet month. My frugal things definitely reflect this.
• I am trying to cut down on food waste in the new year. Thus, I am trying to do a better job of building meals around pantry and freezer items. I had two GF pie crusts in the freezer left over from the holidays, so I made two quiches which used up a small piece of ham, leftover broccoli, and a pint of cream.
• I usually have quite a bit of chicken stock in the freezer. However, when Calico Kitty was sick, I used up a great deal of it. She loved to drink the broth, and it helped to keep her strong. Yesterday, I took two chicken carcasses out of the freezer and made chicken stock. Unfortunately, we had a little mishap. I had strained the stock into a pot in the sink. I walked away for a moment to do something else, and when I came back, DH was washing his hands over the pot of stock. I do consider my attempt frugal even though the outcome failed.
• It has been cold here. My bathroom is on the Northwest corner of the house and it's always freezing. I have a little space heater which I used to warm up the bathroom before I take a shower. That way I do not have to make the whole house uncomfortably warm. It is much less expensive to heat the small space than to heat my whole house.
• My daughter kindly added us on to her Netflix account. We share streaming services as much as we can. It keeps the cost of entertainment down. I also talked DH out of adding a streaming service that was $50 a month. He really wanted to watch one of the playoff games.
• I did all the usual things. I've cooked my meals at home. I've been drinking primarily filtered water. I've been brewing my own coffee. I have been enjoying both books and audiobooks from my local library. I was very happy that I waited to buy my book club selection. I actually made it to the top of the library wait list with three weeks to spare. We had chosen a fairly renew release this time around. I couldn't find an inexpensive copy on eBay. I'm glad I waited.
Wishing you all peace, good health, and prosperity!
Gosh. My January is a fast and frenzied month. I'm jealous! And exhausted...
Bee-- I assume this would work for your husband.. as it did for my daughter. She wanted to watch a football play-off game, but did not subscribe to the streaming service. One can purchase a "day pass" on Sling TV (for about $6, I believe) and she was able to watch the football game. Food for thought for the next time 🙂
Oh, thank you! I will look into that!
I really love your #4 because I love making sure useful things are used. Matching things to people who need them rocks.
1. I continued to sort through my Great Clothes Heap. I mended many things. I found that some things now fit children who grew into them. I found things to donate. I cut things up for rags.
2. I made buttermilk.
3. I mostly stayed at home. I did go to church on Sunday and accompany my husband on a shut-in visit. (Not frugal--the restaurant meal we ate out that day.)
4. My husband took books passed on to him from a relative to a used book store and sold them.
5. We made bread things at home.
Frugal question: When I wash my cast iron, I dry it on the stove and then coat it lightly with coconut oil. We use a paper towel to do this. I want to stop using a paper towel. I have an excessive amount of rags; does anybody use cloth for this, and if you do, do you wash the rags or just toss them?
I don't need to season my cast iron because it's so old and well-seasoned already, but I would think you could use a rag with the oil and wash it. The amount of coconut oil would be pretty small and coconut oil isn't like a petroleum-based oil that's really hard to wash out. You could have just a few rags (of a different color, maybe?) that are just for that. Or you could cut off very small squares for this task and just throw them away.
Sometimes I don't need to season, but then I make gravy in the large skillet....sausage gravy for biscuits....and it needs help.
FFT, A Day with the Sunday Morning Walking Buddies Edition:
As I have noted in a few previous comments, I have a regular Sunday morning walking date with two friends from the cognitive care groups DH used to attend: the former director of those groups, and the widow of one of DH's "classmates." They're aware of many of my frugal ways, and are certainly not reckless spendthrifts themselves, but I'm still showing them a few things. 🙂
(1) The former director (I'll call her FD) arrived for our walk wearing the Eastern Mountain Sports parka I found her at the Salvation Army a few months ago. (Her rescue hound, who accompanies us on our walks, chewed up her previous winter coat after he found treats in the pockets that FD had forgotten to take out. So I found her a replacement.)
(2) This past Sunday's walk occurred on the main quad of the local party-school university, since the trail at the park where we usually walk was too rough. I began the walk by finding two beer cans. FD said, "There's a recycling can over there." I said, "Are you kidding? I want the deposits!" I collected two more cans in the course of the walk, to my companions' amusement.
(3) My companions were further amused when I found two Zeiss lens wipes (my favorite brand) in their intact packets and pocketed those.
(4) Our walk took us near one sorority that was evidently having a midwinter rush. We indulged in one of age's absolutely free privileges: criticizing the current fashions among the younger set. The young'uns were all dressed in either mini-skirts that must have given some of them chapped thighs in Central NY winter temps, or those awful baggy pants that probably collect snow.
(5) We wound up the walk with a delicious brunch at my other buddy's (OB's) house. I gave FD and OB the Christmas herbs and spices that they'd requested on the check-off cards I gave them, and I had a big bag of mandarins from Aldi to share.
O I love that free privilege!
"When are skirts or shorts too short? When the cheeks show".
Also: I am amazed to remember that I once was young enough not to feel cold, not wear a shawl and warm hat, and wear my coat open! My friends and I would watch the old biddies at bus stops all covered in woolens and enjoy the free privilege of hushedly discussing their decided lack of fashion sense.
Tssk.
Yes, I'm sure that if the young'uns had had any attention to spare for us, they'd have seen three well-wrapped-up old biddies (one toting a bag of beer cans) and a rescue hound. But my own experience of old age is that it's like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak: Nobody looks. Which is what gives me the freedom to walk around toting bags of beer cans. 😛
Good for you. I am also an enthusiastic biddy fashion critic, in my baggy comfy jeans and Birkenstocks. The invisible life ain’t so bad!
That reminds me of when I went to nightclubs occasionally at university. It would be freezing and we were walking there in short dresses and ballet flats!
We have had some days off work and school thanks to MLK day and semester break. It's also been a bit dreary and cold, so some frugal things were called on to cheer things up.
1. Baked sourdough bread from a root my sister gave me. One loaf disappeared quickly with kids at home eating more than usual.
2. Watched a movie with the kids and played some board games.
3. Also enjoyed an evening with friends playing cards and eating nibbles.
4. When the sun came out, enjoyed some walks with my husband.
5. Returned some shoes that I had ordered online which did not fit my son. When I was returning them at Dick's, I received a coupon to use that day in the store for $20 when spending $100. I was going to brush it aside but decided to check for another pair of shoes in the store that would fit. I found the pair and added some socks to make my purchase $100, essentially getting some socks almost for free (I think I learnt this "sock trick" from Kristen, socks are always needed!)
Great that you could re-home that tool on Ebay. I bet someone was thrilled to get it.
I've been on the hunt for some linen to make a summer dress. I found a king-sized white linen duvet cover at my local thrift store for $17. There's enough white linen in this to make several outfits. (I will probably dye some of it.)
Stopped in Kroger to pick up my free pound of butter before the coupon expired. While in there I only bought some bananas we needed.
Sewed four pairs of underwear using knit scraps and bulk-purchased elastic. This is a great way to use up scraps and I love the results.
Friends invited us to spend a morning at the hot springs with them -- free entry since she works there.
1. Since we have had a few hard freezes lately, I've been taking care to protect my plants at night, especially the fruit trees. New fruit trees aren't cheap.
2. Instead of turning up the heat, I've added more layers to my clothing.
3. I used some scrap fabric and some leftover Wrap and Zap batting to sew another soup bowl cozy. I've been eating a lot of soup in this cold weather and it's nice to have a spare one while one is in the laundry.
4. I finished the patches and painting on my two damaged interior doors that I'd mentioned. They look as good as new.
5. I used the clothesline or the indoor rack to dry all my laundry again, I made sure to eat up the tangerines before they went bad, I roasted a chicken and baked sweet and white potatoes while the oven was on and I started juicing the lemons filling my garden cart, lemons which I picked before the hard freezes came.
I wish I could submit my taxes this early. My retirement account and banks don't publish 1099's until the last day of January. Even if they won't affect my taxes, I have to have them in hand.
Oh, it's not my regular taxes, sadly! These are just things left to do from the fourth quarter of 2025. I'll have to wait for my business tax return to be done, and then I can use that info to file my personal taxes.
Ever since they allowed 1099s to go out later, I have one account that takes their sweet time. I don't get het up about filing early. Our first CPA had a hard and fast rule - if you were not a farmer, don't think about him doing your taxes in January. He also charged based on how organized you were. Grocery sacks (paper mind you) of receipts, yes you paid more. I miss him and our second CPA - we enjoyed talking tax code. Third CPA was also "hands on" but the business was sold when the partners wanted to retire. I will be making an appointment post tax season - I believe I've said before I don't dislike the new rule that prevents mega dollar retirement accounts being passed through multiple generations with no withdrawals (read taxes paid). But I do wish they'd exempted at least $100K per parent when children are beneficiaries. For all to many, it may be the only retirement monies they have except for SS - which is meant to be supplemental, not only source of income.
While I knew paying taxes later was part of the deal, I don't want my kiddos to pay more than they should if better half and I are both deceased.
I have never submitted a five frugal things before I don’t believe, but it’s time to start.
1. My husband, with some help from me, painted my bike basket. He used paint we already had, and now the rust is covered. It should buy us some more time before it needs to be replaced.
2. We also sanded and painted the bottom of two hand towel holders, which are now back in use in our bathroom. The bottom sections had some rust.
3. I cleaned underneath all the sinks in my house. Now I know exactly what cleaning products I have and everything is accessible.
4. I called Moen about a problem we were having with a bathroom faucet and they sent a replacement. They honor their lifetime warranty.
5. Cleaned my closet totally. Found some things I had forgotten i own and will now put to use. Gave some items to a friend and donated a large bag to a charity. Didn’t necessarily save money, but declutterring is freeing.
Welcome, M from Florida! Thanks for sharing your FFT.
Hello, M, and I hope you're keeping warm in Florida's current cold snap. See the comments by Bee, JD, and other Florida members of the Commentariat (as we call ourselves).
1. Made delicious croutons out of truly terrible bread. Olive oil, salt and pepper to the rescue!
2. Received some lovely treats from our Airbnb host when they came to make a repair.
3. Requested free annual credit report. I do this at intervals throughout the year with the three credit bureaus - Equifax in January, Experian in May and TransUnion in September.
4. Using packets of sipping broth that I had received via Buy Nothing to make vegetable stock for rice and soup. There are three flavors - Spicy Tortilla, Pho, and Thai Lemongrass - and they're all good.
5. Noticed that Sprouts Farmers Market has a bulk spice section. Yay!
My five:
1. My husband is on a classic movie kick and is watching them on Amazon Prime on his Kindle. We try to use as many of the services as possible in addition to the free shipping.
2. I reworked and repaired four of my costume shirts for my upcoming performance season. I also made an Elizabethan apron from a shirt I ruined, which is period. I plan to wear it with garb I have if I fill a hole in my performance schedule with working a booth.
3. I sewed a drinking cup cover, a pour over coffee kit pouch, and another storage bag from scrap fabric and grandma's button stash for my camping kitchen.
4. Shopped a fabric outlet store in Amish country for fabric to make backup costumes and advertising banners. I got the fabric for half of what I would normally pay (or less) which made it worth the drive. I also finished a free audiobook - bonus.
5. I made a big pot of chicken and rice soup for dinner. We had more than enough for two dinners and then some. I froze the leftovers in smaller portions that we can defrost for lunches/quick dinners.
Extra a frugal find for someone else: I listed our old sofa bed for free on Marketplace and it went almost immediately to someone who really needed it. I also donated 2 office chairs to a charity shop.
I like your #2, LBC. I'm in the early stages of working up a "Jane Austen and Thrift" presentation for my local JASNA region for April, and I'm reminded of how JA used to turn worn-out gowns into petticoats.
1. Our kids had a snow day last week. I work from home, so was able to care for them while working, which saves on childcare costs.
2. I picked up 2 bags of coffee and a coffee syrup off Buy Nothing.
3. I used a gift card for a play date with my daughter's friend. I brought snacks and drinks with us also.
4. I used coupons for free blizzards at Dairy Queen for my kids, as we had the day off for the holiday yesterday.
5. I cut up and froze some bananas to use for smoothies. I used a pork tenderloin, potatoes, and carrots that my mom gave us to make my lunches for the week. We are using some ham that we had cooked last week (and purchased for $0.70/lb at Aldi), homemade dough, and homemade pizza sauce to make Hawaiian pizzas this week for dinner. We are using bread my mom gave us and chicken breast I got at Aldi for 50% off to make paninis for dinner this week.
1. I’ve been writing thank you cards for Christmas gifts using free cards from my mom and MIL who get tons of free promotional cards from nonprofits. I also ask them if I can take them off of anyone’s mailing list, and sometimes they agree! Both of them have more cards than they could use in a lifetime.
2. I made a satisfying use-it-up breakfast that included some leftover veggies, cauliflower that was on its last legs, and oil leftover from finishing a container of olives. I also finished the last of the “fancy” coffee that I was supposedly saving for company… but we haven’t had company in a while and I realized I prefer our regular coffee anyway. After some very avoidable food waste recently, both of these things were extra welcome.
3. I’ve started keeping track of things I’m decluttering just like I keep track of my FFT. It’s been really satisfying. This week I learned that opened paint is only good for about two years. I checked the paint I had in my very limited storage, and lo and behold it was thick/globby and even possibly moldy!? So that can go to hazardous materials and I can have some storage space back.
4. My coworkers surprised me with a huge potluck and tons of baby gifts. I only work one day a week but feel so thankful to be part of the team and they really made me feel loved. I gratefully accepted diapers, wipes, a new diaper bag, snacks, and some new clothes for boy #3 due in a few weeks. What a sweet gift.
We had our "community service" day at work last week which included a team lunch at a nice local place, leftovers provided me 2 more meals!
Found 2 pennies on the ground, added to my "found" money jar for 2026!
It has been VERY cold in FL this past week...so I made a pot of chicken soup with a bag of bones from freezer that a friend gifted me, also tossed in the pot the last of a bag of fresh spinach! (I shared the soup with my friends that gave me the carcass, this encourages future gifts of such items they would normally toss!)
Same friend gifted me some assorted Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets, as she got the large size box on BOGO sale and could not eat them all. I like to keep these in my desk at work so I am never without lunch/snack!
Continue to bring my own food & coffee to work, use Upside for gas, and scan to Fetch all my receipts! Having these things on "auto pilot" is very frugal!
Yeah for Free food!
Frugal things---
● Petco gave me $20 off $75, so I ordered rescue dogs flea & tick meds (Free shipping)
● Chewy has spend $100 get Free $30 gift card (code--NewYear until 01/25/26) & order rescue dogs more flea & tick meds & some treats
● breaking up stale/past date crackers for birds outside
● saved $0.50/gallon on gas paying $2.50/gallon
● saved 15% (instantly) at Menards on gas line antifreeze & sidewalk salt
● Artic freeze here, so continued dripping faucets collecting water & gas wood stove (expected $14 increase from last month) is better than getting sick & frozen pipes (outside wall).
Stay Warm 🙂
Sorry, but a "hand nibbler" sounds awfully ... suggestive. Could just be me!
As I understand it, you use it to cut things out of sheet metal! The "hand nibbler" name makes me think of a dog, though. And cats sometimes do that!
1. I batched my errands while my son was at practice this Saturday. Everywhere I needed to go was in one area and the tight time limit didn’t allow any impulse shopping. Two of the errands were returns which was even better!
2. I took advantage of the cold temps during the holiday weekend to stay inside and do some purging. I cleaned out various drawers and baskets around the house – nothing groundbreaking but the donate pile got bigger and I found some items to use up that I forgot I had because they were stashed away.
3. I went through my stack of magazines that had been languishing for far too long to make my vision board for my journal. It was a fun and free craft and it brought back fun memories of making similar things for school.
4. This week’s menu was a continuation of my freezer clean out (which feels like a never ending cycle). This did bring some heavy signs when the other members of the household learned I didn’t buy any snack foods this week but a quick look through the pantry and they will find that we have more than enough.
5. I finished my 5th book of the year! Four of the books have been library books (including audio) and one was from my TBR pile.
I ordered my fertilizer in December, picked it up yesterday for a 40% savings.
Made a batch of elderberry gummies for my cousin's family who succumbed to the horrible no good flu.
Picked a big cabbage out of the garden for Asian cabbage salad and will finish it off in stir fry.
Neighbor gave me 2 gallons of milk, I will make a batch of ricotta and yogurt.
my biggest win of the week was I bought my younger son a new Breville toaster oven that does proofing, dehydrating, air fry, etc (almost $400) for $12 at goodwill. His little toaster oven had seen better days so I was glad to find it.
I'm having the last of big trees near the house removed. The tree guy is giving me a great deal since it is off season (3 huge pines with stump grinding for $4500...usually they are $2k-$3k each). I'll be glad to be done sinking money into trees and yard, but also glad that I will no longer have the pine mess all over my garage/gutters and that they're leaving before the ice we are supposed to get this weekend.
small wins:
roof leaked, but it's under warranty so they sent someone out and they will repair the ceiling.
Got .40 cents off/gallon on Circle K rewards day.
restocked the freezer with italian sausage that I ground from a pork butt at $.99/lb Much better than the $4-$5/lb that italian sausage usually cost.
Oooh what a great find for your son!
This is just an observation...that pack of bread cubes for the freezer looks like it's been vacuum sealed. Is that how you keep things fresher in the freezer? I have found that I put things in the freezer and they get, well...freezer burnt pretty quickly!
Yep, if I remember, I use a straw to suck the air out of the bag before I put it in the freezer.
But the best key to preventing freezer burn is to own a chest freezer that doesn't self-defrost. The thaw-freeze-thaw-freeze cycle is what quickly gives foods that freezer burnt taste. A chest freezer offers much better long term storage!
I'll have to try that trick...thanks!
We have upright freezers. I like them for organization purposes, but I can see the benefits of having a chest freezer. It's probably more energy efficient as well...less cold air lost when opening the door, etc.
On a (kind of) related subject. I have a horror story from one of our upright freezers relating to the door not closing properly. We had just butchered a cow, and my one freezer was PLUMB FULL of ground beef. Well, the door was somehow left ajar and I had to throw away many many packs of precious meat. Thankfully it was our own cow and I hadn't bought all that meat!
No pickle spear! I like everything I've read here except that. 😉
Heh. I will eat the pickle if they include it, but I honestly can do without it, especially because it gets rather warm next to the hot sub.
I like cold, crunchy pickles better!
To save energy, I am cross posting this from the Non-Consumer Advocate. That blog and this one are the only two I have read consistently over the years and I apologize for the folks who read this on the Non-Consumer because they, too, follow both of these women.
According to the doctors, as well as my body, I am approaching my sell by date. I have been referred for hospice services once before and then rejected due to some promising signs of a new medication, but the effects were temporary. So far we are managing by ourselves, but I am on oxygen 24/7 and in my wheelchair all the time. We've each had a catastrophic illness where we were expected to die, but fighting to live at 28 and 32 is a lot different than fighting at 74 and 77. And if my primary illness does not kill me, I also have only one kidney and it has cancer that the doctor says is not worth treating because my other condition will kill me first. My frugality now is concentrated on leaving the husband with as little administrative trauma and expense as possible. (I am the money handler in our family, so he has some stuff to learn.)
1. Went through all the credit cards and set them up to text my husband that a payment is due in a week. Not paying interest fees or late fees is frugal.
2. All auto charges for things like streaming devices have been cancelled. That way no surprise charges, also frugal.
3. A lot of doctor appointments are just check ins, so for those I arrange zoom appointments. Especially for the weeks when it was 40 below and colder, struggling to get around in a wheelchair was very hard. Using telemedicine saves wear and tear on the car and gas. Because of so many small and very remote villages, Alaska embraced telemedicine long before other states or Covid.
4. There are not a lot, but I do have a few magazines and newspapers on subscription, some online and others paper. I have cancelled all of those. Some are yearlong commitments, but I have managed to cancel even those by explaining that I am dying. Might as well use that fact to my advantage.
5. We began planning my funeral and the husband wanted to be sure I didn't think he was saying goodbye on the cheap. I would be buried in a compost heap if I could, but short of that, ashes in a carboard box seems like a great alternative. Later he can scatter the ashes in some favorite Alaskan spots. This is much cheaper than casket and graveyard treatments.
6. The elderly lab is staying with my husband, but the Dane is going to live with my sister on a 32-acre property in Virginia. They have several dogs already and they have a great life of running around the property, plus my sister and her husband are retired so are around all the time. Arranging this now means we can do it less expensively than when my husband gets the house sold and moves into an elder community. The Dane is too large to be allowed in those communities. And, frankly, the Dane takes a lot of time and my husband has enough going on as I get closer to dying. This is going to take a few months, and since we can't predict how long I will be around, the Dane might still be here when I am gone but at least his future is set. My sister has been here and spent a lot of time with him, and she can't wait to have him around all the time.
I have had a good life, very few regrets. My biggest sorrow is that my husband and I did not meet 10 years before we did. In October it will be 44 years, if I last that long, but I am greedy enough that I wish we'd had 54 years together. I am lucky to have this time to prepare an orderly and frugal departure. Not that frugal---a lot of things don't taste that great anymore, so we are buying whatever sounds good to me, no matter the price. (It seems like a dereliction of duty to pay for raspberries in January!) I will keep reading but won't be posting much more. It takes energy that I need to conserve for other things. Thanks to all of you for the years of share knowledge and entertainment.
Lindsey, I am so very sorry to read this, but I am grateful you took the time to come in here and tell us what's going on. I have loved having you as part of this community, and it will not be the same without you.
I'm sending you and The Husband so much love as you navigate this tough road. And I completely understand why you wish for more time together; if I had such a marriage, I would have the same wish.
And I personally think you should eat raspberries every single day. There's a time to be frugal and this is not that time. Eat the raspberries with abandon, I say.
This is a repeat of my reply to Lindsey on the NCA blog so that she feels all the love all the time:
Oh Lindsey, I am thankful for you, always you. You've noted that you are tall in real life, and you stood out on the NCA and The Frugal Girl blogs, too, with your intelligence, big heart, sense of humor, amazing life stories (past and present), and unambiguous love for your husband. May your journey be as peaceful and as pain-free as possible for both of you. You will be sadly missed.
Lindsey,
I admire your clarity in this time. What you said about wishing for more time with your husband is beautiful and you thinking through all the things that will help him is a testament to your love for him. I hope you have only the most delicious, firm raspberries, peaceful and painless days and a sense of pride in the life you have lived.
I'm very sorry to see this news. I hope things are as painless as can be and you enjoy as many raspberries as you can. You will be missed!
am so sorry. g-d bless you and keep you safe. may you prove all your doctors wrong, wrong, wrong. sending you and your hubby hugs, prayers and love.
Lindsey - you have such strength and presence, always. I hope you continue to amaze those doctors and stay with us all and hit the 54 year mark with the husband. You're truly treasured here.
If I recall correctly, in the past I think you said you like getting actual mail. If by chance you'd enjoy mail (or some non-perishable treat you think might appeal) from a frugal internet friend(s), just say the word.
Lindsay, prayers will be said for you over the coming months as you go through this transition and for your family. The love for all of your family and pets and loved ones come through so much as you do all that you can to prepare for them to ease any little burden possible. I pray your days are filled with peace and love.
Lindsey, I'm in shock, and am heartbroken. I feel like I know you after reading and enjoying your comments all these years. What's stood out to me about you is the love you and your husband share, your ability to draw a picture with your words that makes me feel like I'm there with you, your humor, your mix of toughness and kindness, and how you always advocate for those less fortunate. I'm saying my prayers for you and your husband.
I am mostly a lurker, but I am so moved to reply. Lindsey, I was always happy to read your posts and your love for your husband, your neighbors, and your puppies. I would miss you when you would have to take a break from posting.
I echo what the others say. I will miss you and hope you enjoy both the raspberries and the sumo oranges, if they make it up there in time. I wish you peace in this journey.
Lindsey,
I am amazed, and yet not amazed, at your calm and competency at this time. May you be blessed with more time than the doctors think you have, and may you have an easy passing when it finally comes. I am also hoping your devoted husband inquires into grief support.
@Lindsey, you have shared with grace and wisdom throughout my time on this blog. I wish I could send you some Sumos to enjoy, who cares about the cost! May your days be filled with love and peace. You will be missed by your friends here. Thank you for all the excellent information you have shared and the terrific example you have been, both as a loving wife and a frugalista. (Your tutorial about being a secret shopper blew my mind!) Blessings on you and the husband-always-the-husband.
This is very sad news Lindsey and I do not know what to say, and still feel I should not keep silent. My thoughts are with you and your husband. May you still have many beautiful moments together.
Lindsey, I commented over at NCA but wanted to say again how very sorry I am. <3
Lindsey, I've really appreciated your comments both here and at Katy's NCA. Wishing you and your husband peace and tender, joyful moments as you navigate this journey. Oh, and lots of raspberries and Sumo oranges.
I totally missed this post and went looking for it when I saw it mentioned today. I will miss you and your wonderful posts - so interesting, so full of good information, life, humor and compassion for friends, animals, etc. I wish you peace and a pain free journey through this final chapter. I applaud you for your efforts to make it as smooth as possible for your husband, family and pets. Thank you for all your sharing and authenticity.
Sending love and strength to you all the way in Alaska, Lindsey! You're are a dear member here at the FG community and we are all sad to hear this update- but also thankful to know & support you! Hugs to you - and your beloved husband.
1. Returned a bunch of things I didn't need. It sparked a debate in my mind about whether or not I should keep some of them so I'd have things to give out as gifts but decided that it was better to clear out the clutter.
2. Cleared out a cabinet of stuff with my husband. Going through it with him helped remind him of what we already had so he wouldn't unnecessarily buy more AND it produced a couple things that we never used so I listed them on OfferUp in hopes of putting them in the hands of people who can use them.
3. My daughter attended a birthday party kind of far from home. My original plan was to run some errands and do some shopping while I waited. Turned out the party was 3 hours long so I changed my plan and came home instead of spending money.
4. I had bought too many shares of a stock at a price that was a bit too high and it's been tracking at a loss for a while. It finally exceeded my purchase price so I sold off half because I do believe in the company but didn't want to be overexposed. Didn't make much on it but didn't lose any either.
5. Made some changes to my payroll options to help with cashflow and ultimately should save us some when it comes to tax time.
Hmmm....
I thrifted another vintage wood coat, this one is a dark emerald green. I'm half way to my goal of 7 vintage wool coats. I paid 13.50 for it.
I've set a challenge for myself to only buy used books this year. I can receive new ones as a gift, but I'm not allowing myself to purchase any.
I made pizza and garlic fingers using crusts I bought for 50 cents. The crusts were good, but the tomato sauce gave me a gallbladder attack.
I'm making a spaghetti sauce with hot Italian sausage, diced salami and ground beef. I used carrots celery and onion from the freezer, along with a bag of frozen sauce and canned tomatoes from our veggie box..
.
Not frugal initially, but I bought 120 -32 ounce takeout containers with lids for 80.00. I have the space to store them, it will be cheaper that buying name brand containers in the long run. No more searching for matching lids, and I can buy smaller ones too...
1. Found a penny! It had been out there a while so it's pretty rugged, but I think it's still legal tender.
2. I bought chocolate milk that was cheap, but I don't like it much. I've been heating it in the microwave, one cup at a time, and adding a little chocolate syrup. Better! I may try it as coffee creamer, too.
3. I took pictures of items I want to sell on eBay. I've been procrastinating. One step at a time!
4. I received greeting cards in the mail from St. Jude's (I think). And found a couple more that were stored in the wrong place. So my card stash is replenished.
5. I turned my couch cushions around so the worn edges are in back, and hidden. Now the zippers face out, but, you know, they aren't really noticeable!
Chocolate pudding made with chocolate milk is also an option.
Let's see...this week I:
- Mailed back fabric that I decided was too pink when I ordered red. I had to pay almost 1/2 the cost of the items to ship it but ultimately I was not going to use it so I figured some money back was better than fabric never being used. Used the bag it was sent in to send it back.
- Walked down the street to shop the #dollardeals at Neighborhood. They were closing Monday due to the holiday so they were offering the sale at the location near me a day earlier than the other location.
- Started listening to a new audiobook from the library during my walks.
- Bought 2 bushels of apples from a local-ish farm that was having a drive-thru winter sale.
- Got my volunteer discount at the farmers market at the usual vendors that give it to me.
Mine is a question about bread. Is it just us or does anyone else notice your favorite breads having slipped a bit or so in quality? It seems to be under baked or not allowed to cool sufficiently before being bagged...??? Thanks for any input.
Brenda, I think bread from the grocery store no longer tastes good, with the exception of English muffin toasting bread. Since I am unable to make good bread myself, I now shop at an independent bakery (e.g., Barrio Bread in Tucson during the winter). It's more expensive but more delicious. Now I need to find a decent artisan bakery in Minnesota after we come back in March.
Man, I feel being too busy to spend. I haven't had a moment to sit down this year. I keep waiting for things to slow down, and now we have a massive snowstorm coming!
1) I sought out the contact information for other parents who live roughly near us at our daughter's school and then set up a Zoom for folks interested in carpooling. Our daughter goes to a special school for people with her disabilities. Access to this school is an answer to a prayer, but it does require us to be on the road a couple hours every day carrying her to school and back. If we can set up a carpool, we can all save time and gas money.
2) Sunday night we made a menu and shopping list, and I picked it up at Aldi on Monday. Our meals incorporate things from the freezer that need eating up (the black beans that Aldi accidentally gave us one trip, the corn that was left over from cooking a stew in the fall, the sweet potatoes that were left over from Thanksgiving and frozen) and easy/cheap crowd pleasers like roasted chicken in the crock pot.
3) I continue to park in the far away (cheapest) parking lot at my university, take the bus to my office and back, and ride my bike between classes. I really hate the uphill on my bike, but it is the only way I can make it to my second class on time. Last night the downhill sure was cold, but at least that part is easy.
4) Friday I squeezed in a Goodwill run between appointments. I spent $140, but considering that I am buying clothes for 6 people, and I primarily buy from Goodwill a few times a year, I thought that was not too bad. The haul included some really nice dresses for our daughter to wear to church and a sport coat that fits my husband perfectly. It also included tennis shoes for me that fit great and look like they have never been worn and 4 pair of shoes for our daughter. So far, one pair doesn't fit, but everything else was a good score.
5) I couldn't eat this morning because I had a CT scan, so by the time I had waited and been poked multiple times for bloodwork and the scan, I was hangry. I thought, maybe McDonalds is still serving breakfast; I could eat an egg mcmuffin. Sure enough, they were still serving breakfast, and I had a coupon in my app. I ordered it and pulled into the drive-through, only to be told that it was 10:30 on the dot so they could not make my order! I couldn't believe it. But it is what it is. And the app will refund it back to me. So I ended up spending $0 on takeout. Sometimes I don't even mean to be frugal. LOL
Dear Lindsey, I’ve just learned of your post, looked it up, and also read all the worthy and weighty comments. I could not hold back the tears nor the admiration I have for how you handle every situation, this sad one included. I’m so sorry about your diagnosis and hope they’re wrong again. You have brought so much joy to me (and my Husband, who has become just as invested in your journey through my sharing it with him.) Your words, caring for wounded pups and children, clear instructions for those attempting to follow in your path, tales of Alaska living will,stay with me for a long, long time. I wish you love and peace throughout.
1. To extend their life, I hard-boiled some eggs that needed to be used.
2. A few days later, I used some of those eggs to make egg salad.
3. We used a gift card for a seriously reduced meal out.
4. I still have not purchased coffee out in some time.
5. I used ground beef from the freezer, canned beans, and rice to make a recipe from Budget Bytes.