Five Frugal Things | an eBay jumpsuit
It's Tuesday! Time for some frugal things.
(Although honestly, it's always time for frugal things around here...)
1. I bought a jumpsuit on eBay
I have a really long torso. And this means that one-piece items, especially those with a pre-defined waist (dresses, jumpsuits, rompers, etc.) are very frustrating for me.
The waistline always ends up hitting me in my lower ribs and then I feel like I can't breathe.
But eBay randomly showed me a $17 Old Navy romper with a blousy top and I thought, "Hmmmmm, maaaaybe that could actually work!" Because the blousy top gives a little wiggle room about where the waist sits.
I ordered it and it does indeed work on me.
ALSO: it has pockets!
I can wear it now, as-is, and when the weather gets cooler, I'll just throw a denim jacket over top and call it good.
2. I got a new screen protector for my phone
I always, always keep a case and a screen protector on my phone because I am terrified of dropping it and cracking the screen.
Phones are small, expensive, and slippery. I don't trust myself!
This last week, I did indeed get a crack on my screen protector, and while that was annoying, it was very minor in comparison to an actual screen crack.
I took off the cracked protector, installed a new one, and $13 later, I'm good to go.
Cases and screen protectors are a most excellent investment.
3. I got two cool stools from the Buy Nothing group
Someone was giving away these screw-top stools and they actually sat for a bit, unclaimed. I figured the girls and I could use them, so I spoke up and asked and now I am the proud owner.
They're a little dinged up, so I may paint them eventually, but I think I'll probably just keep the color black.
4. I roasted some chicken breasts + made chicken broth
I have scavenged some things from my chest freezer at the other house, mostly stuff I didn't think anyone there would bother cooking. One such item was a package of bone-in chicken breasts.
On Sunday, I roasted them to use in a main dish salad.
Once the roasted breasts cooled a bit, I deboned them and then threw the bones into a pot. I poured boiling water on the baking sheet to loosen all the browned bits, then dumped it all into the pot and simmered it to make a little batch of chicken broth.
5. I...
- sold two books on eBay
- listed three books for sale
- brewed my coffee at home
- filled up with gas at Royal Farms, using my rewards card for the discount
- started a couple of spray painting projects (look for 'em in the next Five Frugal Things!)
- made a menu plan
Those stools are really cool!
1. We batched trips yesterday to save on gas. We made a full day of the produce store, zoo, Party City (my baby turns 4 this week!!), and Sam's Club.
2. We got gas at Sam's Club, which was 50 cents/gallon cheaper than the gas station we saw driving out of our town.
3. I had planned to make pork fried rice for dinner last night but my in-laws bought us dinner at Sam's. When we got home I put the cooked pork and rice in the freezer just in case I don't get to that meal for a while.
4. I asked my library if they'd purchase 2 books that I want to read and I saw online that they purchased both! They're in-process and will be put on hold for me. One is a book that my favorite comedian wrote and I don't have much money to put towards purchasing a new book, yet still wanted to support him, so I'm glad it worked out like this. The book was purchased and now anyone in my city can enjoy it!
5. I made 2 Crock-Pot meals over the weekend and cooked both on my back deck so I wasn't heating up the kitchen. Today I'm making a turkey (I bought it at Thanksgiving and now the idea of getting a whole turkey for less than $5 blows my mind) and I'll cook that in my roaster and put it on the back deck.
@Ruth T, I just bought a second hand roaster to do the same thing!
That jumper looks fantastic on you—and comfy. Excellent choice!
—Fruit flies materialized in the kitchen despite our tidy ways. I made fly traps by filling shallow jars with 1/2 inch of apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap to break the liquid’s surface tension. Works a treat!
—Thanks to three VERY ripe bananas, I added chocolate banana bread to my crock pot repertoire! The kitchen remained cool, food waste was avoided, and our breakfast was simplified for a few days. My 4:30 AM self was grateful.
— The chocolate banana bread recipe calls for 2/3 cup of cocoa powder. This was free thanks to a barista friend, who had given me several unopened shakers of cocoa powder to avoid throwing them away. (The special drink they dusted was phased out, and the contents weren't allowed be used for anything else because... because!) One whole shaker proved the perfect amount for the recipe.
— Thanks to a $1.50 bag of onions, I made another round of caramelized onions in the crockpot. I froze them in a large ice cube tray, where each cube is equal to 1/4 cup. The cubes are now stored in a Ziploc in the freezer for future oniony goodness. If we had a family crest, it would feature onions, garlic, and mushrooms.
— Natural Grocer’s had whole organic free-range chickens on clearance for $5.50 each. We snagged the three biggest ones, as that was all we thought we had room for in our near-to-bursting deep freezer. On the same trip, we also scored clearance spinach, bread, yogurt, popcorn, and $1.99 cage-free eggs (the last is a store member perk). I specifically hit that store for their discounted items and cheap cage-free eggs.
@N, love your idea of a family crest.
I love how your home is coming together one piece at a time. It fun to watch you remake these items.
I received $30 coupon from the game my grocery is having. I saved it to use in the upcoming 4th sale. Also bought gas $15 off using grocery points.
Rearrange the freezer to make sure I use up items stuck in the back. Made a shrimp dish using this recipe. https://cincyshopper.com/low-country-boil-packets/
It’s forgiving as I use half bag of shrimp, potatoes cut into small pieces, half bag of mixed vegetables, 2 leftover sausage links sliced thin. It was easy and used up several items. And we have enough leftover for lunch today.
Received two free packages of 4 chicken sausage links($5.99)which we grilled for lunch then used up the next day in the shrimp dish. This was something I probably wouldn’t have bought or even picked up for free. But with grocery prices I’m taking every opportunity to stock up on food. We got two meals from one pack and I froze the other for another day.
Listen to a couple of audio books with hoopla. Read using Libby, I was first in line on the release day of a book I wanted to read but wouldn’t have bought. Also got on the library list for the new Jurassic park movie. The list is already long but I’m fine with waiting as the library buys several copies. Again not something I wanted to pay to see.
@cc,
We make Low Country Boil often especially in the summer time. We always turn our leftovers into breakfast hash. The potatoes, carrots, corn, shrimp and sausage cooked in a little butter in a cast iron skillet might be better than the actual meal itself. Hurray for leftovers!!!!!
@Bee, yes leftovers are the best. You reminded me about what we call the most expensive hash. We usually grill ribeye with baked potato, then we share. The next day we have ribeye hash along with potato and a bit of chopped onion. So good
Cute romper!
* I had a crappy Alcatel cellphone for years, that I lost. My SIL gave me her old Iphone7, that I managed to drop in a lake. My mom then gave me her old Samsung Neo 5. Keep them coming, people (lol)!. My cellphone plan is very limited and only 15$/month, which is ridiculously cheap here in Canada, but that's all I need.
* Working full time for the couple next weeks (I'm usually part-time)
* The in-laws are coming to help out with renovations after a basement flood, instead of going through the insurances.
* We don't have a "decor" at home. Nothing is new or in line with the current trend, but all is presentable. Keeping up with trends is very expensive and time consuming, so I'm saving both time and money!
* Lunch is ordered at work today
* offered, not "ordered"
@Isa, decor is what you say it is.
Nothing I have is new or in line with current trends (I have no idea what's popular right now) but there's a continuity and I love it. Almost everything is either a family heirloom[1] or something I bought while traveling. My WFH space is in my "library;" just being surrounded by books makes me smile, even after 2+ years.
[1] Isn't that a nicer concept than hand-me-down?
@Isa, your home is uniquely you, as it should be! Trends are just a way to burn money. Like William B., everything we own was either a second-hand score, on a blowout sale, or made by my Dad (he’s a brilliant carpenter). It’s not trendy in the slightest, but it’s very us! “Victorian curiosity cabinet meets the best of Goodwill” is our basic aesthetic. 😛
@WilliamB,
Anywhere within the proximity of books is a place that makes me smile.
Family heirlooms and things from travels (even clothing) are my preferred decor, as well. I cherish those things—and recently ran into a snag regarding them. Trying to declutter, as the minimalist bug has bitten me, it’s extra hard to get rid of stuff with a history. Hm.
@WilliamB, Books are THE-BEST. Period.
Love the stools and the jumpsuit!
1. I found another shower curtain in great shape at Goodwill for $5.99, saving almost $20 on a new one. I now have both that I need for the showers in our new place.
2. I used my rewards at Goodwill to take $5 off my bill. Woot!
3. I sold 3 items on eBay this past week, which is amazing because eBay has been so slow of late.
4. I used my last bit of pre-paid massage time and didn't get any other services, for $0 out of pocket for this visit. My provider has offered a decent discount for pre-paying for several hours' worth of massages, so a couple of months ago I took advantage of the discount.
5. I made bias tape out of the scraps leftover from shortening my shirt sleeves. I love the pattern of the shirt, and I'm happy to use every bit of it on a different item of clothing. The bias tape is now wound around an empty toilet paper roll until I'm ready to use it. 😉
1. A neighbor was going away for the weekend and offered me carrot and celery sticks. I had already soaked beans for soup so I added the carrots and celery to the soup. I returned the container to them filled with some watermelon cubes (a large watermelon is more than we can get through).
2. My husband found a $5 bill while we were on an early morning walk. I put it in my found money jar.
3. While walking to a yoga class I watched someone stop their car and place a guitar, with a "free" sign attached to it, against a pole near the curb. It looked in good shape but we didn't need it. I was happy to see it someone had claimed it while I was in class. This is not frugal for me good for others and it boosted my mood.
4. We have been eating at home. We feel healthier when we do. I am working on eating down the freezer and pantry but do not hesitate to buy produce, fish, and chicken.
5. We helped a neighbor move pavers that their next door neighbor gifted them. It was a lot of red brick looking pavers. I was proud of them for asking the neighbor if they could have them since he grew up always buying new. Building community is frugal.
Creating a birthday gift for someone who appreciates my scavenging abilities:)
(1)Birthday Card from a friend who crafts. ( The crafting friend blesses me on my birthday with an assortment of cards every year. I’ve known here since kindergarten , 61 years ago. We have a pact to only exchange handmade, thrifted or purchased gifts from a good cause.)
(2) Small bottle of wine from a Rotary club meal package fundraiser.
(3) Large three wick “ summer” scented candle. One of my daughters can’t tolerate scents anymore and frequently receives candles as a teacher. I find homes for them.
(4) Assorted cookie bars from a woman’s social enterprise.
(5) Women’s build t shirt from Habit For Humanity fundraiser.
(6) handmade cupcakes from Foodflash app organic lemons . My son baked and iced the cupcakes and created another card to include.
(7) Cash is King. I was able to include some in this gift.Cash is appreciated as it allows them choices.
@TG, I have a crafty friend who gives me packets of cards every birthday and Christmas. They are lovely and I cannot count the amount of money they have saved me! So thoughtful.
1. I redeemed some AARP Rewards points for a free one year subscription to HGTV magazine. It only took me a few minutes to do a few quick surveys and play a few short videos. I was hoping to get a free gift card, but that wasn't an option. When I finish the magazines, I will pass them to a neighbor.
2. I treated the friend who picked me up from the airport to lunch yesterday. She always orders iced tea so I used the restaurant's app to get a free drink for her.
3. I used my latest $4 CVS ExtraBuck to get Tide and Dawn. The detergent was on sale and had an additional 50 cent digital coupon. I paid just 36 cents out of pocket for both.
4. I sold some more DVDs that I got from my brother's house after his death. I used recycled packing materials and the free shipping label from the web site. I dropped off the box at UPS yesterday and should receive a direct deposit soon.
5. I bought a bag of 5 onions for 99 cents from the clearance shelf at Kroger. I chopped them up to put in the freezer for future use.
@BarbG, I had to return an item from Amazon. I popped up to the Dollar Tree to find padded envelope. They had the plastic bags that Amazon uses 3 for 1.25. I was so excited to find these.
1. I found strawberries for $0.99/lb this week and bought 32 lbs. This is the lowest price I have ever seen. I made lots of homemade jam which we eat throughout the year and froze 4 gallons of berries for use later in the year.
2. I purchased two whole chickens marked for $0.21/each. One weighs about 9 lbs and the other is about 6lbs. For that price they came home with me and are now in my freezer.
3. I used an old merchandise credit to offset the cost of a birthday gift.
4. I cooked several meals in the crockpot to avoid heating the house with the oven. One of these was a whole chicken which I stretched into four lunches and four dinners for all five of us.
5. I harvested yellow squash, cucumber, & tomatoes from our garden. I planted two more rows of corn and some sunflowers from seed. We received rain showers so I have not had to water my garden in 3 days - woohoo!
@Angie,
Ooh! That's a great price on the chickens!
Coincidentally, one of my frugal things is chicken and stock, too. Except mine was four roosters our neighbor gave us. Two became three quarts of SUPER concentrated stock, and soup meat in the freezer for later, because they were older ones. Two I roasted, but those two will also make some stock, because it's almost impossible to get all the meat off one of these roosters, so there's plenty of flavor still to be got out of those bones.
I won't have to get a Misfits Market delivery for the foreseeable future, thanks to the garden coming into its own now. Currently harvesting cabbage, garlic, beets, carrots, kohlrabi, basil, snow peas, and the odd early tomato. More tomatoes and carrots, green beans, calabacita (like zucchini), Delicata squash, and cucumbers soon to come. Yay!
My husband has wanted a truck for some time. I have wanted him to have a truck for some time, so that he's not hauling hay in the back of my van (I envy the cleanliness in the back of your minivan, Kristen!). He's been following auction sites and bid on some of the small, old trucks that he wanted, but the prices got ridiculous and he dropped out. Then, on one of the auctions, there were unaccountably no other bidders (maybe because of the remote location of the vehicle so no one wanted to go get it). He got a 1990 Ford Ranger for $1450 that runs fine, no rust, and gets around 30 mpg. It's old, but they're incredibly simple mechanically and he's had one before, so he can fix anything that goes wrong. So far, no problems. Bonus: My kids will learn to drive a manual transmission, which I think is still an important skill to have. Especially in a rural area.
I'm teaching one of my sons a frugal lesson. He has this habit of pulling on his socks from the top, so the elastic on the tops stretches out and the socks get all droopy. I know it's this habit and not the socks, because I have the exact same socks and have had them for years now with no problem. I've bought him new socks twice because of complaints about drooping tops, but I told him with the most recent package of new socks that if he stretches these out before out-growing them or wearing holes in them, he'll have to buy the next package himself. Taking care of his things does not come naturally to him, and I figure socks are a pretty inexpensive way to learn a lesson about that.
We're taking care of two different neighbors' cattle, chickens, and gardens while they're all gone for a week or so. These are the same neighbors that hunted down the snake that was eating our chicken eggs while we were gone. There is no monetary value on this kind of relationship, and that is because good neighbors are literally priceless. Anywhere, but especially in a remote/rural location. So we're delighted to contribute to our community relationships this way.
@kristin @ going country, we used to have a Ford Ranger and my husband adored it. When it was time to let it go it had 450,000 miles on it. We didn't even get a chance to advertise it, someone overheard my husband talking about it in a restaurant and wanted it. Husband would have liked to have gotten another one, but they had stopped making them and he couldn't even find a used one. Now, they are being made again, but I don't know how good they are.
@kristin @ going country, congratulations on the truck score! Both of our cars are 26 and 33 years old, and they’re solid beasts that are easy to find parts for. The only downside is the cost of gas. Since ethanol corrodes the innards of cars from 2000 and earlier, it’s the most expensive ethanol free option always.
@Anne, I saw a new Ranger on the road today. That made me think it would be a good second car when dh has to turn in his company car when he retires in September 2023. He thinks we will share my 12 year old Honda CRV.
@kristin @ going country, I love your take on community. It is priceless. So many here in this group seem to appreciate that too..for me librairies are also community and foster communities.
We were camping last week and attempted to be as frugal as possible while we were away.
1. We visited a local Amish grocery store and found their "ugly produce" section. $1.75 for baskets of ugly produce. We found 9lbs of carrots, about 5lbs of potatoes and three bags of grapes. So amazing that hubby went back a second time to get more and came home with about 10lbs of cucumbers for $1.75. He already froze carrots and is going to make grape jelly.
2. I'm typically a softy when it comes to the ceramics class that the campground offers. This year I set a strict budget for the kids and if they wanted anything else over that, they had to use their own money.
3. I took some Ebay items along that I could easily photograph in the camper. Ebay likes consistency, so listing items each day was needed. I need to remember to do this each trip, because my weekly solds were more than normal.
4. In the past we would rent a golf cart to get around the campground, but this year we decided we would save the money and walk everywhere or take our own car. Not nearly as fun flying around on the back of a golf cart, but it was fine.
5. Since hubby does all the cooking in our family, he always creates a meal plan for camping trips. As tempting as going out to eat is, we always have a meal in place.
@Jenelle, you’re right about EBay listings. You really do need to list every day or close to it. Something to do with algorithms, whatever the heck that is. Lol
Line dried our clothes on the hottest days to avoid heating up the house.
Stopped at the cheaper further away grocery store after work and picked up 6 containers of 59 cent strawberries and some clearance chicken and on sale bacon.
Pureed strawberries and used the purée to make mini pancakes for some on the go breakfast
Stopped at the cheaper further away grocery store after work again and stocked up on a bunch of clearance pasta, nuts, chocolate chips, and taco shells.
Made homemade granola and mini muffins for snacks. Used the juice from a can of mandarin oranges for the muffins.
@Becca, great idea to save the juice from mandarin oranges!
That jumpsuit is very cute on you, and it reminds me of your fun thred-up posts. Are you planning to do any more of those, or are they out of your budget now? I used to follow another blogger named Marisa who made herself a "new dress a day" by remaking thrifted items that she got for a dollar each. She would show before and afters, and her signature pieces were muumuus that she remade into little sundresses. I bet you and your girls would have fun with a challenge like that. She built up a following, and eventually her readers started sending her items to remake too and that was really cool (and frugal). She even had a week of remade wedding dresses that her readers donated. So fun, but on to my frugal things, which are mostly food this week.
1. I finally planted all my free and cheap seedlings yesterday. I now have 24 tomato plants, 12 cucumber plants and 29 leek plants in the ground. The only ones I paid for were the cucumbers and I pried them all apart from one 2.99 pot. If I get even two cucumbers out of them, I've come out ahead.
2. I did extra u-picking when I picked up my farm shares on Saturday. I also doubled my two shares since there will be no shares next week for the 4th. I went home with a giant Ikea bag of veggies, plus picked basil (5 kinds), parsley, fennel, dill, elderberry flowers and enough flowers for two big bouquets. My boys picked a tiny container of mulberries, raspberries and blueberries too which I soaked in vinegar water and then put on a salad because of course.
3. Took some time before and after the farm share pick up to really sort through my fridge and all my stored produce. I ended up composting a big bag of things like yellowed green onion outer leaves, sweet potatoes that got mushy and dried out garlic bulbs, but I now have only edible food stored and most of what I had was still good. It will all stay good longer with the bad ones removed too.
4. Made overnight oats for breakfast almost every day this week and used up things like overripe bananas, apples with little bruises and a butternut squash with a bad spot. (All in different batches, of course!)
5. Made a chicken curry that used up so many things that were free or needed to go including that yogurt, yay! It used only two small chicken thighs that I had deboned and repackaged from one of those giant ten lb chicken quarters bags from Aldi. I'm estimating it was maybe .50 cents worth of chicken. It also used some potatoes my mom gave me that were getting old, the last of the edible garlic cloves from last year's garlic culls (making room for this year's garlic), parsley I u-picked, and the tops of some green onions that needed to go. I'm going to plant the bottoms, of course! The curry turned out very tasty and we even ended up with leftovers. From the same bag of chicken, I also marinated four chicken legs in yogurt and air fried them for dinner another night and we saved the bones for stock. This bag of chicken quarters is getting a workout!
6. Hmm, what else? I drove only to the farm this week, saving on gas. I ate leftovers for lunch. I made coffee at home. I watched frugal videos of grocery hauls and frugal meal challenges on YouTube for inspiration and entertainment. I walked to the pool instead of driving and hang dried bathing suits and towels on the front porch. I am teaching my boys to swim instead of paying for lessons (I was a water safety instructor in a previous life). I watered plants with dishwater and rain barrel water. I used AC only sparingly this past week and finally got one of those letters from the electric company telling me I used less energy than similar homes! Yay! One frugal fail: I did NOT install the water heater blanket yet (must get on that!) But today's excitement is that the new oven is arriving. Fingers crossed that it fits through the door and installs without needing a vent as we don't have one!
@Becca, I also had my WSI when I was in college. The women who taught me to swim actually certified me. I love the water and I’m a bit of a fish even today.
Like many of us I am staying home more and planning my drives. I am bored out of my skin but I am keeping the cost down a little.
When I grocery shop I try to go alone. I am mum's carer and taking her shopping is like going through the store with a young child. I was stunned when went into the store and just came out with milk.
I am constantly telling myself I do not need to but craft supplies.
Two birthday parties in eight days mean I have had to plan a little and I have stuck to the plan.
I am using more of my stored food as the cupboards are a little out of hand.
A great-looking frugalista in a great-looking jumpsuit, Kristen!
Now, FFT, Dental Extraction Day Edition. Remember that invaginating tooth that expanded everyone's word power a while back? Well, it's coming out later today. So here's what Future Me is going to thank Past Me for doing:
(1) Freezing various soups and stocks over the winter, so that I can live largely on soup for a few days. As noted earlier, I'm working on cleaning out the freezer anyway, so this is a win-win.
(2) Asking my periodontist/implant person to phone in the various prescriptions before today's appointment instead of after, so that I could pick them up yesterday afternoon. I'm pretty sure that going to my Wegmans pharmacy in rush-hour traffic after the appointment would have been zero fun. (And bonus points: Finding four quarters and a penny in the Wegmans coin machine.)
(3) Running various other errands yesterday afternoon and this morning, so that I can spend the next couple of days keeping a low profile.
(4) Having a nice chewy dinner with the Bestest Neighbors last night (pork ribs, corn on the cob, and salad). I won't be doing this again for a while. And, as always, kudos to the BNs for all their kindnesses.
(5) Having some soft fruits on hand. I didn't exactly plan this appointment to land in the middle of soft-fruit season here, but I'm glad it did.
@A. Marie,
Best of luck! This would be my time to use as an excuse for soft treats I don't normally allow myself. Raspberry sherbet comes to mind...
You and Zoe are twinning this week! She got her wisdom teeth out this morning and will be eating soft foods all week too.
@A. Marie, Yikes!! Baby yourself as much as possible! I hopeyou heal in record time.
@A. Marie, wishing you a speedy recovery.
Busy and decidedly unfrugal week for me as I was traveling but I did manage to be frugal-ish at times.
1. Ate breakfast at the hotel every morning instead of going out somewhere (with the exception of the last day of the vacation because my wife wanted to go to a specific place to eat.)
2. On the drive home we went an hour out of our way to visit some relatives and to stop in at a restaurant that I really enjoy for takeout on our ride home. Sounds unfrugal but it was 50 miles out of our way total versus 175 miles *each way* if we were to go out directly. So yeah, making the most of vacation travel is nice.
3.) Drove by a Costco one night on vacation after we were done for the day and were just going to stop for gas but my wife suggested we go in and see if we can get my medications. I was able to get them and thus we saved a trip to our Costco (something around 100 miles round trip for my semi-isolated self)
4. We had some free time due to rain canceling some outdoor activities we were going to go to. So we ended up just kind of wandering and ended up at a thrift store. I got a work shirt for a couple dollars, my daughter got a few dance costumes and my wife got a bunch of books that were on her to read list.
(She does use the library but some books she wants to read at her pace and $2 each is not bad at all especially since in theory we can sell them.
5. Speaking of, we put a bunch more items in our garage sale pile. Hopefully we can get this ready and hopefully things will sell and leave my life forever.
The jumpsuit looks really good on you!
1. Like another reader, we had a ton of fruit flies so I used leftover wine mixed with dishwashing detergent to make a trap and now were fruit fly free
2. Took advantage of free lunch at the office. Company buys our team lunch when a new member starts
3. Purchased gas at Kroger to use our loyalty card discount
4. Still searching for a used car to replace the car our son totaled. The selection locally is very limited so we opted to pay CarMax to deliver one so we won't spend any more gas and time driving to other areas to check out the used car lots. Fingers crossed this car will be "the one"
5. We're borrowing my MIL's car (she's in assisted living and no longer drives) instead of renting one while we look for a replacement
@Beverly,
I used to make fruit fly traps that never really properly worked and would get knocked over by children or cats and then I discovered that you can vacuum up fruit flies using the hose attachment. They are soft bodied, so the vacuum kills them and they are not very strong fliers so I can usually suck a bunch of them right off their little roosts. It takes me a day or two of sadistically sucking them up whenever I think of it, and that usually does the trick to keep the population in check.
@Becca, omg this is such a good tip!
@Becca, I may whip out the office vacuum cleaner and go after the one hardy survivor of the two fruit fly traps we've had set. We had two store-bought traps my husband brought last week and today I added a homemade one with a jar lid and some of the trap solution. I just squeezed a drop of tangerine juice into it in an attempt up the attraction for the Red Baron of fruit flies who keeps dive bombing me while I'm typing.
@Ruby and Samosa,
It is so super satisfying to suck them up! I only wish it were that easy to murder squirrels! Anyone have any tips? Maybe like a shop vac? Haha!
@Becca,
Btw, the vacuum trick works on mosquitoes too. Impractical outside, but if one finds her way inside...they are not as stupid as fruit flies though, so it involves a bit of vacuum hunting.
@Ruby, that would be Snoopy the Fruit Fly. Love it.
Excellent choice on the jumpsuit! You look stunning in it. And those stools are so cool: they have that retro industrial vibe in addition to being very useful.
Frugal things this week:
1. I went to a local hemp shop and bought oil for our oldest dog for her anxiety and arthritis. We had been ordering it from California, but the local shop gave me a senior discount and the oil was $20 less expensive.
2. I ordered a product from Vitacost, the online grocery and vitamin store, and the product had a promo code for $5 off $20. Vitacost also was running a 20% off your order discount sale. Although it's counter-intuitive, the lower value item promo code saved me more money by keeping the order total high enough to qualify for free shipping. That is the extent of my higher math skills. 😀
3. Gasoline continues to be a big expense. My work commute is fairly short, but road construction has caused a lot of stop and go driving lately. I mapped out a new route that's a lot easier on the gas mileage and my nerves.
4. Last week's broiling weather had me falling back into buying cold drinks from the many vending machines at work. Even at one drink a day, this adds up to $10 a week. Yikes. This weekend I made containers of iced tea, using store-brand tea bags, and am bringing one to work every day.
5. Because we have six pets, two of which need special diets, our pet expenses are quite high and have been affected by inflation. Over the weekend, I did some research comparing ingredients at a couple of retailers and worked up a "meal plan" that is less expensive but still meets the needs of the special ones. Most of the new plan is available close by, so I won't be paying shipping. The store is across the state line, so sales tax will also be 3% less. Whoo!
I have not replaced my cracked/dinged phone surface, neither the protector nor the screen. Y'all may remember that I got both a fancy screen protector and a protective phone case for free because the store did such an incompetent job of transferring data from old phone to new. Remember - it never hurts to ask!
I continue to eat down my freezer and using the random bits that accumulate in the cabinets. Always frugal but particularly useful in times of inflation. (And what about that, eh? The US hasn't had any inflation worth mentioning for the better part of a generation. So many people aren't used it and aren't sure how to handle it.)
Having good neighbors is frugal. When my dryer went into a life-threatening coma, my neighbor let me use her dryer. If the new dryer doesn't come when it's supposed to, the same neighbor will continue to let me in.
Frugal or Not?
The 21 year old dryer needs a $100 part, although no labor because my roommate thinks he could do the work. A new dryer is $900. I may have to move in the next couple of years. Analyzing these factors, I decided to buy a new dryer rather than fix the one I have. I chose an in-stock Energy Star GE (21 yo dryer is a GE) from a big box store that will install the new and take away the old.
Not Frugal
Leaving some chicken out overnight. I couldn't even feed it to the dog.
@WilliamB, I always forget one.
I bought a flat of mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries) at the farmer's market for $60. The teenagers running the table while the full-time employee was on break thought it was $38. I knew that wasn't enough so we decided on a more reasonable amount. I still saved $1/box.
@WilliamB, ow that hurts I am so sorry that you couldn't even give it to the dog.
that's great that your dryer lasted so long.
1. I got a generous Uber Eats gift card from my local professional association! My husband and I will be able to have a really special meal from our favourite Thai restaurant.
2. I am taking Kristen's excellent advice about contentment. Lately, I've been feeling a little hemmed-in at our small apartment; the fact that one whole room needs to be dedicated to WFH means we lost living space, plus our balcony is under repair so our outdoor furniture is crammed inside, too. Plus, you know, all the baby stuff. Instead of being unsatisfied, it inspired me to clean, redecorate with what we have, and get rid of stuff! Even just planning out what to do made me feel more cheerful.
3. I went through my mom's cast-offs and found two cardigans to wear to work, one to alter, and one skirt. The nice thing about the '90s being back is that I can just take things that have been forgotten at the back of a closet since that '90s!
4. We have been cooking at home consistently.
5. We attended my belated medical school graduation formal--two whole years belated! My husband wore his wedding suit, I wore a dress and shoes that I already owned, and my parents kindly baby-sat. It was an inexpensive evening, but SO MUCH FUN!
Ok, I love your #2. Cleaning, tidying, and decluttering makes any space feel better.
Also: delighted that you and your hubby got to have a fun night out. Yay!
The jumpsuit looks nice! The stools will come in very handy, too.
1. I bought more paint for my next bathroom cabinet project. I got an email coupon from the store and saved over $10 with it.
2. My daughter and her fiancé fed me a very nice meal at her house Sunday night, so that was free to me.
3. I got another good offer for a magazine I used to read, but which I don't really read anymore. I tossed this offer, too.
4. When we built our house, the men who hung our great room's big ceiling fan put the wrong bulbs in it, which I didn't know until it came time to change one. The too-hot bulbs had ruined the paper shades - they crumbled upon touch. These shades were specific to this fan, were $6 each plus shipping, and I needed four. The fan and light fixture are a single unit; to replace the light fixture I would have had to replace the entire ceiling fan. I was undecided for too long, till the shades were no longer even available. The shades were held on in a very different way, using a metal washer at the top of the shade for the bulb's base to slide through and screw into the fixture, so that the bulb held the shade on. Usually, a shade screws into the fan's light fixture or is held in place with screws around the top lip. I tried one of my clip-on shades but it just fell off. Recently, I bought four nice, small, fabric clip-on shades at the Habitat Restore for 50 cents apiece, snipped out the wire that is supposed to clip on the bulb, cut corrugated cardboard washer shapes, wedged them into the top of the shades and slid the bulbs through the center holes then screwed the bulbs in the fixture. It works! Finally, I don't have naked bulbs overhead. Total cost, $2. I'm a little embarrassed at how long it took me to figure this out.
5. I have reduced the amount of (homemade) laundry detergent I use by almost half. My clothes are still coming out clean and fresh-smelling.
Those stools - as is - are fabulous! As is the jumpsuit.
1. Created "drawers" in the refrigerator using the shallow bottoms of rectangular Tupperware storage containers to corral and easily pull out items. Used a deeper container in the fridge door to temporary hold extra fruit. I also use these containers in the freezer to keep things organized and accessible. Good way to use topless Tupperware!
2. Concocted a cheap and delectable dip/spread consisting of chickpeas, chives, walnuts, mayo, Siricha, and pepper.
3. Temp hit 100 degrees. In Minnesota. In June. Uff da! Running AC and ceiling fans well worth it. Then we got a whopping storm with 6 inches of rain so free watering of the garden. I would have pulled my car out of the garage to get a free car wash but it was 2:00 a.m. and our dog was already freaking out.
4. Did batch cooking later in the evening to keep the house cooler during the day.
5. Purged paper files and found dozens of pages that I can use for printing daily crossword puzzles.
@MB in MN, uff da! That made me laugh out loud 😀 We’re having 90 degrees here now. Thankfully it only happens a couple of times a year.
1. We borrowed stuff for my son's first camping trip. We also had to buy special shampoo soap, but our sporting goods store sold it for $5 and it should last him years.
2. I mended all my daughter's hair bows. She had received some Jojo Siwa bows as a present. Half of them fell apart after 2-3 wears. A little hot glue fixed them.
3. We accepted clothes for my daughter from a family friend.
4. We borrowed a carpet cleaner.
5. I cut up some old t-shirts for rags.
6. We bought the younger kids bigger clothes at a rummage sale.
7. We took advantage of a gas discount program. We combined errands.
8. We ate up leftovers.
9. This is older, but I missed a week. When we road tripped, I packed muffins and fruit for breakfast for the food allergy kid. My husband took the other kids to the free hotel breakfast. Less packing that way. We also ate picnic lunches everyday. We did splurge on dinners because only some restaurants can accommodate the food allergy kid.
This week, I shall be a cautionary tale for you ladies and gentlemen, rather than any kind of inspiration. I took $21 and set it on fire and tossed it out the window. Well, not exactly. Here's what happened.
I was reading my favorite blogs and minding my own business when there flashed upon the screen, the cutest pair of plaid espadrilles I have ever seen. They were in my favorite summer colors and had my name written all over them. Of course I didn't need them, but on the other hand they could be shoe horned into my budget. Unfortunately, they did not come in a narrow size which I MUST have.
Did Iput on my big girl panties and just get on with my frugal life? Yes. For about 24 hours. Then I snuck back to read the reviews and discovered a couple of people mentioned they ran kind of narrow for size mediums. That was it. I chose to believe it was a sign from the heavens that the shoes belonged in my life and on my tootsies.
I ordered them. I got them. They were too wide.
I sighed, hugged them to my chest and teared up a little......then rewrapped them and shipped them back. Basic postal rate was TWELVE DOLLARS. And I found out the company charges a nine dollar restocking charge. $21 set on fire and thrown out the window.
I have been an adult for a very long time, and still have to rescrape the same knee on occasion.
Big sigh!
@Anne,
That story is such a bummer! I think you should try cutting and pasting it into an email to the company that sold you the shoes. Maybe they will send you a coupon or something? I suspect they prefer happy customers and not bummed out ones because happy customers come back, right? And ones who are on multiple blogs might say nice things about a company that makes them happy, n'est-ce pas? Worth a shot anyway.
Whoa! That's a lot of return-discouragement on their part. Geez.
I am the exact opposite of you; my feet are so darn wide and tall, I couldn't ever imagine getting my feet into a narrow shoe. I'm always having the problem of shoes not being wide enough.
@Kristen, the thing is ladies, I do feel it was all my fault. I KNEW I couldn't wear a regular width shoe, I just allowed myself to believe a miracle was going to happen because I loved these shoes so much.
Although, perhaps if I had a mantel, I might have just displayed them. 😀
This is exactly me when I think, "Ohh, perhaps this regular one-piece swimsuit will fit me." instead of waiting to find one that comes in a long torso size.
And I should KNOW from experience that a regular swimsuit is going to immediately send me to wedgie city. Ha.
@Anne,
I refuse to order shoes anymore. I have skinny feet + high instep. If I don't try them on first, I'm wasting my time and/or money. But I totally understand the urge to try just one more time and see if this particular pair will magically fit. You'd think that at least once, they would.
And now I'm remembering the miserable, long, long day of shopping for a pair of dressy low heels for my slow-grower daughter, who at age 14 wore a size 3.5 to 4, AAAA width. She had feet like toothpicks.
I have a SERIOUSLY high instep too, although mine is paired with a wide foot. The high instep is more problematic than most might imagine; any shoes that go over the top of the foot are an issue, unless they have laces.
@Kristen,
From one long torso to another: in my head I tell myself: "Just say no to camel...well, you know..."
Ugh, yes. Or to shoulder straps digging in.
@Anne, espadrilles always appeal to me too - so summery and carefree...until I actually try them on. I've only ever had one pair that actually worked for me. Your tale broke my heart but I could see it happening to me too! I don't even know how to buy shoes anymore. I can't remember the last time I found a pair that didn't bring some sort of misery outside of sneakers and flip flops.
@CrunchyCake, and summery shoes, especially espadrilles, are so joyful to look at. And it is so tempting to try just....once......more.
Hopefully, this particular burn will last for awhile. (At least until next summer.)
I waited until the local greenhouses were having an inventory reduction sale before purchasing plants for the deck and the front door. Ideally I would plant deck flowers from seed but it’s not in my list of talents.
I reused the pots I used on the deck last year and reused the soil for potting my new plants. I emptied all of last year’s pots into a large container, cleaned out any debris in the soil, and mixed in some new soil/compost for nutrients. My pots have been used year after year and are still looking good.
I’m still using my grandpa’s lawn tractor to water the back yard. I’m pretty sure the lawn tractor is older than I am but it works amazingly! I make sure to set a timer so it doesn’t get stuck at the end of the hose and overwater one area of the lawn.
I’m still reading through my stack of books that I’ve picked up over the years instead of buying new ones. I make sure to drop the books of at the Free Little Library once I’m done.
I’m still cooking from scratch and shopping my pantry before going to the grocery store. I had some intense sticker shock when picking up groceries this weekend for my son’s sack lunches. I made some adjustments to our upcoming menu to utilize some cheaper, but just as healthy options.
One thing that struck me this week is that many frugal activities rely on generosity (or laziness) of others.
I bought a fancy sweater for $3.25 at a thrift store because someone else donated it.
I have free black spray paint to paint a lamp because the previous owners left the spray paint at the house I bought.
Any time I've owned a kitchen aid, it's been a hand-me-down from a relative who upgraded their kitchen.
@Rebekah in SoCal, I believe it was Amy Dacyczyn who said, "Make friends with compulsive upgraders." It looks as if you know a few.
@A. Marie,
I guess I do. The funny thing is I just gave the kitchen aid to a friend. I am gluten-free and not very interested in baking. I haven't used a stand mixer in about 3 years and didn't want to give it space in my pantry. I am happy with a few cookie recipes and bundt cakes and those I mix by hand.
Hopefully my friend gets a lot of use from the mixer.
@A. Marie, good memory, Marie.
I think I can muster up a few to share....
1. Oldest daughter was feeding a friend's chickens, dogs etc while they were on vacation. They told her she could take as many eggs as she wanted. She brought home 2.5 dozen.
2. We got a new puppy. Husband's co-worker loaned us a crate to use that they no longer use. Saved $ on buying one.
3. Our community food pantry operates out of our building. If they have extra perishables, they offer some to me. I was given 2 loaves of white bread and 2 watermelons this past week. I love free food!
4. Our youngest daughter graduated high school and the school sent us a check for the unused portion in her lunch account. It was a small amount, but still nice to get it back.
5. Hubby did a quick sump pump pipe replacement for an old neighbor and didn't charge him anything for it. He just received a gift card as a thank you to eat at numerous local restaurants.
6. Hubby had to get gas in his work truck. He scanned our fuel perks card to get a few perks while filling up. We should get $.60 off a gallon back for that over $300 fill.
7. My father-in-law runs a small cemetery near where we grew up. He can no longer build footers for the graves as it's hard on his body. Hubby and I build them now. We pay for the cement and do the labor. We did one last night....cost of cement was $16 and it took us an hour to build it. Cost is already set by the gravestone makers and the cemetery, so we made $375 for an hours worth of work. Sign me up!!
1. Was given 5 free pounds of butter.
2. Harvested my first produce of the year - cucumber and zucchini.
3. Was given 3 free packs of diapers another baby had outgrew before they could wear.
4. Borrowed a book digitally from the library I had been on the wait-list for for 6 months.
5. Used up a bunch of leftovers and random bits of food so they didn't go to waste.
@Jessica,
The diapers, I understand, but who gives away butter? Seriously, score!
I cannot imagine a scenario in which I would think, "I should get rid of this butter."
@Kristen,
My husband was annoyed with me because I bought like 20lbs of organic unsalted butter on sale this past January and put it in the freezer. He prefers salted because it doesn't go rancid as quickly when left out at room temperature. I will endure his annoyance and the extra salt grinding required though because...butter.
@Becca, I remember making whipped butter years ago. I let the butter softened and then put some milk in and whipped it up in my Kitchen Aid. Then we got on to Country Crock. We use butter in cooking.
@Becca,
It was given to my mom from someone that works at a dairy plant and she barely uses butter so she passed it on. I was very thankful.
Your jumpsuit looks great!
1. We travelled internationally before the covid-test-upon-return requirement was dropped so we spent $150 on those tests. I submitted them to my insurance for reimbursement, even though the cost per each was higher than allowed. I was surprised and thrilled to get a check for $150 in the mail!
2. Yesterday was a long day of errands but I was able to return purchases to two stores. Beware that Old Navy now has a 30 day return policy. My items were slightly over that but they processed the return anyway.
3. I was able to fill my tank Sam's Club for at least 30 cents cheaper than the other discount stations around. I'm not sure what that was all about but I'll take it!
4. I needed a light lunch and I was thinking maybe a slice of pizza at sam's or Costco. Sam's had a veggie sushi for $5.49 - it was 15 pieces?!! Yes please!
5. I had a few returns for Costco so I went ahead and asked for a price adjustment for something that went on sale after I bought it. $13 back just for asking. Yay!
Ooo love the jumpsuit and the joy you exhibit as you wore it.
1. My mother returned to India after visiting me for 3 months. Culturally, we have to offer a lot of gifts to relatives and neighbors and friends and acquaintances. I got candy and gifts from the dollar store, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls.
2. Cooking at home when all I want is take out.
3. I live in Brooklyn and my new rent is a 44% increase. So, I am looking for rent controlled apartments and affordable housing. No win yet but I am looking. Even if I negotiate the new rent down - it's just not worth it. But who knows how "worth" is defined in NYC.
4. Got idli rice from a far away neighborhood to make dosa/idli batter rather than buying ready made idli/dosa batter.
5. Lots of free fun cultural things in NYC in the summer. Taking complete advantage of it - concerts in the park, taking the ferry for a fun boat ride, taking snacks to the park and going to museums on free days.
@Samosa,
44% increase!!! That's terrible!!! I'm sending good vibes that the perfect living situation will find you soon!
@Samosa, that increase is outrageous! I've been watching the local news about the raises in rent for rent controlled apartments. I live in Northern NJ.
Now I understand why my daughter in law from Singapore buys so many gifts when she comes to the US. I never thought of it as a cultural thing. Thanks for the explanation. I better come prepared for my trip to Singapore in 2023.
@Samosa, have you ever heard of the Listings Project? Here is the description of it found on the website:
"Listings Project is a free weekly newsletter of carefully vetted real estate, job, and opportunity listings."
NYC is one of the featured cities. There may be nothing for you on there but perhaps it could be worthwhile for you to sign up and have a look.
Good luck!
@Molly F.C., Thank you!! How thoughtful of you to share the resource. I have been keeping an eye on the Listings Project as well. Fingers x all the way.
1) Last week, I volunteered as a nurse at a kids camp, something I do every summer. Part of my job during opening week is to prep the camp for summer, which includes going through all the medications and disposing of anything that is expired. If items are not too far past expiration, there are a couple of older folks who take them, and this year, I ended up with a few packs of cold medicine and some Vitamin C lozenges that were unclaimed. I also eat for free all week, which is a wonderful perk, in my opinion.
2) My husband and I also volunteered to work the food booth at a Saturday event for our local volunteer fire department. We both got free supper. Can't beat Italian sausages and dough boys...ha!
3) We packed a picnic lunch this weekend and took our canoe out on the lake. Our lakes are filled with public picnic areas on secluded little islands that rarely have anyone on them. I LOVE summer in Maine. It's so short, and I think that makes it all the more special. It is magical to me.
4)We harvested our first summer squash, radishes, mint and chives. Yumm.
5) Today I am making cookies from scratch, hanging clothes on the line and eating leftovers for supper.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
@Tricia, you totally make me want to summer in Maine. Too bad that I'm about as far from Maine as one can be and still be in the continental U.S.
@Anne, Ha...yeah...no one "happens to be driving through" Maine! It's a destination state for sure, which probably accounts for the lack of people where we are. Let me know if you ever decide to come!
1. I went through the sewing ribbon, thread, and notions I inherited and used some of it to sew a sundress from sale fabric I intended to use last year to make the dress for the 4th.
2. Took my sewing machine in for a tuneup and learned the problem is not the machine, but me which saved me not only the cost of a cleaning It doesn't need yet but also time. They won't be able to look at my machine until August - September.
3. Saved $50 at JoAnn's on materials using sales and app coupons on materials for a new costuming project.
4. Harvested the first ripe vegetables from the new and larger container garden.
5. Watered the garden with water from our rain barrel or as we like to call it Free Sky Water
@Lazy Budget Chef, sewing machines are my arch-enemy. I’ve never sat down to sew and had things run smoothly.
1. on a trip to St Louis we shared a room with friends and split the cost. Two night stay was $660!
2. Visited the St Louis Zoo, free admission
3. Fueled up for $5.15 vs. $5.90 in southern Illinois vs. Chicago
4. My daughter is taking public transportation to and from work instead of me driving her
5. Taking my 6 year old niece to some free events at the local library
I see frugal as saving money and trying to bring in a bit of income each week. This week:
1. Did four gas shops and ended up with four pops (required purchase) and 3/4 of a tank of gas. Took only an hour and 45 minutes, and it was on a day when I could couple other errands around those areas so I used no extra gas.
2. Did a short project for a small non profit, bringing in $270 for about three days work.
3. Sold a book on eBay.
4. Did a post office shop that required mailing something so was able to mail the book for free and earned a small amount for doing the shop.
5. Had the first food out of our garden, lettuce and scallions. Not a lot but saved a few pennies.
Love the jumper!!!
The romper is beautiful on you!!
Yay for the neat stools and the chicken looks delicious!
1) Canned up some chicken broth from a chicken we got at a farm in NH (cheaper per lb than from here)
2) Dehydrated herbs harvested from the garden and fennel fronds/carrot tops from the veggies we got at the farmer's market
3) Got the last season (#12) of Law & Order from the library. Season 13 on is streaming on Peacock thankfully
4) Grabbed some dollar deals from a local market. Will dehydrate the strawberries and blueberries so we can have some when they are no longer in season.
5) Finished the second ferment on our first batch of kombucha. Can't wait to see how it comes out.
1. Bought excellent new to me shoes second hand that filled a gap in my wardrobe. Never worn! £10 instead of £80
2. Bought a family swim pass £50 for a month of unlimited swimming. One round of swimming for us is usually £20 and we have lots of time to swim since it’s the summer.
3. using up fabric to make items (bunting, scrunches) for my kids to sell for fundraising for a trip.
4. Researched options for our much needed car upgrade and happy we have found the best option
5. Bought a new winter coat, that I will wear for many seasons, second hand that I have wanted for a long time. £10 instead of £100.
Those stools are a steal. Enjoy.
That's what I thought! I was amazed no one snapped them up before I did.
Cute jumpsuit and yay for clothes that look great and fit like a glove.
I saw this post before heading to my hairdresser and she had the same jumpsuit in periwinkle/white. She has a different body shape from you, opposite, in fact, and it looked great on her, too. Not many styles are this flexible.
I love it when an item can look good on multiple body shapes!
@Kristen,
In searching for sneak peeks of the Aldi special deals online, I stumbled upon a blog that wrote about them, and back in April there was apparently a pair of gold sparkly joggers that fit this description. There were tons of women of all different shapes and sizes posting beaming selfies of themselves in the sparkly pants (with pockets!). I had actually seen a pair the week before at Aldi and had considered buying them, but decided the sequins would bug me. Oh, well. Guess I missed that trend.
1. Had a new power button installed on my purchased on a killer sale 10 years ago vacuum fir $16.00, here’s to ten more years!
2. No food waste last week
3. Used up some broth and beef to make a batch of stew.
4. Pulled out the bin of school supplies to see what we have so hopefully we may not have to buy anything.
5. Bought new athletic shoes for the kids on clearance, 3 pairs for $30.00 total!
That's so great that you found someone to install a new power button. I love repairs like that!
Lots of little stuff:
-Found a project for my kiddo's room decor and used a $5 reward (on the last day before it expired!) at Michaels. Between the sale promotion and the reward, spent $8 instead of $22 and daughter has something to keep her busy for a bit.
-Bought some supplies for an ice cream sundae bar that weren't used-was going to keep them for possible future use but then decided to return them and have less clutter.
-Decided that I won't buy iced teas for a few weeks to break the habit (again). Been brewing my own tea at home instead.
-Was required to go on-site to work and charged up my car for free while there.
-Have been wanting to get a mani/pedi for a while and also have been considering getting a hair treatment that lasts 4 months. Decided that now's not the best time to spend on this type of thing as money is tight right now and have been fine without them.
How are you gonna use those two cool stools you sourced from your Buy Nothing group (I LOVE them, by the way! Neat find.)? Do you guys have a countertop bar of some kind over there?
Super-cute jumpsuit, Kristen!
Frugality sometimes sneaks up on me when suddenly I realize I don’t have a card and/or wrapping paper for a shower gift and have to use something already on hand. So this past weekend, I took some time to create a watercolor card for a bridal shower and recycled a gift bag for the brand new gifts ( a few weeks ago I was able to secure some gifts requested on the bridal registry).
Then I was able to carpool with three other attendees to the shower.
Last Friday, my husband and I went dancing for half-price since we were willing to help out with a beginner’s class at the venue.
And I’m using up leftover foods from our freezer for some dinner meals.
I’m clustering errands like tanking the car, food shopping, etc, with dr visits… my oncologist visit, mammogram and surgeons follow-up appointments all seemed to fall in the month of June. Not sure how that happened but I’m thankful all reports are good.
@Martha, glad to hear of your good medical reports!
I love that jumpsuit!
1. Shopped at Aldi. Discovered that the frozen pre formed meat patties come out to $2.99/lb so I bought it to use for anything calling for ground beef.
2. I have parked my car in the driveway and have not driven it in nearly two weeks. Using hubby’s car, but infrequently. ( we both work from home).
3. One of my grandkid’s favorite things to do at our house is play bingo for prizes. I stock up on little dollar store and thrift store items whenever I’m in those places. This time at the thrift I got three little china trinket boxes for the girls for .99 each, an unopened bag of toy army men for 1.00, a brand-new Yahtzee game for $2, a plush koala and a plush sloth for $1.50 each. I throw the plushies in the washer when I get home.
4. Meal-planned and stuck to it. Had takeout only once.
5. Today is our anniversary. We are going to a great seafood place and just happen to have a gift card!
@SandyH,
Oh, good to know about the beef patties. I'll have to see if that's the case at my Aldi, too.
I love that you "rescued" the frozen chicken breasts!
The jumpsuit looks great and I love the stools.
My frugal five plus 2:
1. Returned a couple of items to Walgreens because my digital coupons didn't come off. I was checking out and knew something was wrong but there was a person in line behind me and this checker isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, unfortunately.
2. Diapers are on sale again. I buy them for my friend's granddaughter. Pampers were two for @20 with a $3 off coupon and I got a $5 extra buck back. Can use that to purchase more diapers or buy something for my family. Walgreens had 2 for 20 and some how I got a $4 and $3 register rewards. That can go to more diapers too. I just love playing the game and I use my allowance.
3. Been on electricity use patrol. I turn the AC up to 78 when I'm out of the house. Have my tv on a power strip which is turned off.
4. Hubby made homemade pizza with pizza dough from the grocery store. Next up is I'm going to make the pizza dough in the Kitchen Aid. Why not?
5. Our roof has singles buckling in a couple of places and our roofer lives down the street. Left him a note in his truck and he will come over and tack them down. Part of our 30 year protection.
6. Watching Doc Martin season 9 with hubby on the weekends. I don't have to return it till July 5th.
7. Hubby will be on vacation next week and I'll see if he can install a clothes line for me. Now that I've lost 98 pounds due to my gastric sleeve surgery I can take on more household chores and let hubby get back to his thing.
Super cute jumper!
Here are a few frugal wins from our side:
-Researched parking/transportation options to & from the airport. Uber used to be cheaper, but airport parking is now quite a bit cheaper. Saved about $20
-Took advantage of some comp'd food & drinks, as part of my husband's poker tournament
-Avoided our standard large weekly grocery shop, and subbed in an inexpensive small stop. Our kids are with my parents, so no need for too much from the store.
-Eating a lot from the garden. Lettuce, tomatoes, lemons, peppers, squash, etc.
We just went on a small trip to meet up with family, and I made/packed almost all of our food. Our AirBNB had a kitchen, which we all took advantage of while we were there. Also, we were going to an expensive attraction, and a friend gave us tickets for that attraction, so all we had to do was pay for parking. We did most everything as inexpensively as we could, and even found a free historical site that ended up being really interesting.
I agree with many that the jumper is cute. . . but. . . I've avoided buying jumpers because, well, I remember when I was a kid hating having to totally undress when I went to the bathroom. Am I missing some secret way to relieve myself without being naked in a bathroom stall?
My frugal things:
*We bought half a beef from the farmer and put it in the freezer for much less per pound than grocery store prices.
*I took the time to hang a few small loads of clothes outside.
*We used the library for books and movies.
*We didn't go to town for anything without having a good reason.
*We used a gift card to Lands End (which we earned from credit card points) to buy a new swimsuit for our growing daughter. (The oldest one because the younger ones get the hand-me-downs.)
Not at all frugal edition!
1. Well, maybe a little. I bought a piece of art at auction from my favorite artist that sold under estimate, while I was willing to go over estimate. I am getting to have a really nice collection of her art.
2. Can't wear jumpsuits because a. six feet tall and b. have colitis. For your own sanity, will not elaborate further.
3. Son's birthday present was much less than usual. How is it possible I will have a 28 year old tomorrow? I so well remember when he was tiny, upstairs asleep in his cradle, and he started crying, and I said, "Don't cry, baby, Mommy is coming," bounded up the stairs two at a time, went into his room, and as soon as he saw me, he stopped crying and gave me a huge baby grin. He's a gift I don't deserve.
4. Managed to buy a hat online to fit my gigantic melon. Size 2xl, in case you're wondering, which I'm sure you're not.
5. Taking Son to eat escargot tomorrow. Why God why. The French restaurant, where I used to hold court weekly as a magazine editor in chief, is still darn good.
@Rose, thank you for your lovely humour, you need to know that I laughed out loud at your #2 last clause, and then continued to read with a huge grin on my face. "gigantic melon" "In case you're wondering, which I'm sure you're not". Tickled my funny bone....
1. We had a fun day with my sis and BRO in law and their kids. We drove to a nearby town and had a picnic at a park with 2 nice playgrounds. Then we went to the swim park. It was $5 a person. Then we stopped at a thrift store and discount food store.
2. I was going to buy a visa gift card as a wedding gift, but notices they charged extra, so I got an Amazon one instead. The gift bag, tissue paper and card for the gift are all from the discount store.
3. Filled up at Walmart where it's usually cheaper.
4. Wrapped my husband's b-day gifts in paper he bought from Goodwill.
5. Finished a library book.
I also have a long torso and I have short legs. I find it really difficult to find one-piece swimsuits that fit. For style rips I often look at Kate Middleton- she has also got a long torso and quite short legs but conceals it well by 1) impeccable dressing and 2) being rake-thin.
@Sarah K,
I agree on the rake-thin part. Too thin, quite painfully so, in my opinion. Don't you think? Audrey Hepburn was the same way---so beautiful, but painfully skinny. What do you think?
I bought 2 large packages of hamburger and spent a little time dividing it up into burgers to freeze for cook outs. They turned out to be about $.80 per burger. So much less expensive than the frozen burgers at the store.
I'm in love with the stools! Kristin, you always manage to find the coolest items on your Buy Nothing groups! Our local Buy Nothing group never seems to have great itesm like that. The members either have terrible taste which they try to pass on in the listings, or they have great taste and keep all the good stuff for themselves!
This week I...
1. Have been using up groceries/leftovers already in the pantry/fridge/Foufreezer so perishables are not sitting around while we are on vacation next week.
2. Inquired about a lab charge from an April dr visit and discovered (as I suspected) that it had already been paid. Not today lab charges!
3. Purchased needed OTC medicines on Amazon for way less than I could purchase locally. Plus no shipping and saved some gas. Win, win, win!
4. While not a seamstress (by anyone's definition!) I was able to alter a couple of clothing items and avoided having to return and incur the related (rather high) return shipping costs.
5. Waited for a BOGO sale and was able to combine that with a coupon and free shipping to purchase 6 candles.
I love your jumpsuit! So cute!
5 frugal things:
We’re getting ready to move across the country for my husband to take a new job and, while moving is rarely frugal, there have been a few frugal silver linings with it including:
1) I’m slowly using up all the food in my pantry and freezer, which has been great with how expensive food has become.
2) I was able to get a discount on our moving pod by calling and requesting the student discount since my husband is a student.
3) we have several friends who are saving boxes and packing supplies from there workplaces for us and haven’t had to buy boxes yet (which feels like a giant waste to me).
4) because of the current housing market, we were able to sell our house for much more than we paid for it, which was a great feeling.
5) we had a contractor come in to do work requested by the people buying our house and he charged us less than his estimate because it was a faster fix than he anticipated.
ooooo, what kind of a screen protector do you use? I'm dallying on this and need to just do it!
Mine's a Zagg...this is the one I have: https://amzn.to/3OIAkF6
1. We finally got around to hanging pictures and mirrors, and rearranged furniture to make a room for Baby E. This is frugal because we “shopped the house” and it makes me feel much more at home in our house without needing to buy new things.
2. Our recent company brought and/or purchased some different-than-what-we-buy foods, and while we tried to send home with them what we could, we still have a few things to finish up like lunch meat, milk, dairy-free yogurt, iceberg lettuce, and a few other odds and ends. No food waste!
3. I’m thankful that Past Me purchased a lifetime diamond bond for my wedding ring. After pregnancy it needs to be resized (free), and I will have it re-plated at the same time (also free). Any needed repairs to prongs, etc. are also free.
4. Picked up free coffee from Panera’s Sip Club (on a free subscription) twice this week as I was grouping errands together. This earned me a free breakfast entree as part of a promotion, so I enjoyed another free coffee plus breakfast for some much-needed down time in between all our company.
5. Purchased some socks, a card, and two boxes of quality chocolate that went into bridal shower and new home gifts for friends using another merchandise return credit and 87 cents OOP.
6. Redeemed stars for two breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks while on a roadtrip with DH, which saved us from buying lunch.
7. Sold a few baby items at Once Upon a Child for $5.75, and resisted buying anything else as Baby E has plenty thanks to hand-me-downs.
@Lindsay B, Re: Resizing ring: In all the pregnancy info I read (long ago), I never saw anything that pointed out that hands and feet increase in size (something about loosening tendons throughout the body?) and never go back.
I needed new shoes as well as ring-resizing.
1. I sauteed some over-ripe fruit and other fruit scraps with cinnamon. I then made a simple crumble for on top using oatmeal, homemade dandelion jelly, the end of some Cheerios, and almonds. I am eating it for breakfast this week.
2. I made baked french toast using bread leftovers. My kids are having this for breakfast this week. I used dried lavender, from my garden last year, to make lavender simple syrup for coffee.
3. The carwash near my house broke while I was getting my car washed. They gave me 2 free car wash tickets.
4. I am off of work with my kids this week. We went to our local library and found fruit trees in the field behind it. We picked a few lbs of wild cherries and a few pounds of mulberries. We also picked black raspberries and juneberries, but they got eaten while we walked. The mulberries we used for muffins, which will be my son's snack next week at camp.
5. We took advantage of 3 libraries this week. We also went to the science museum and planetarium, which we have a membership for. We took walks and went on a hike. We painted rocks and played outside.
Hey there all....
I've been doing really good at losing some weight...so far I've lost over 25 pds...and that has been about in 3 to 4 months...I don't eat meat as much and I'm eating alpt more at home. What I eat is salads alot of the time n I eat alot of pinto beans as well. I haven't done a really big run this year at Costco but I do plan on going in the next month or so, and that will be a big run by using my food stamps as well. I'm really happy to read all the posts on here on how everyone is saving alot of mulla and its great to know that I'm able to save alot of money on my electric bill since I'm not using my AC as much...
But I think that is it for now...But much success to all the ones who have posted b4 me and after me..;-)
Good for you for eating at home more! That's such a big win for the food budget.
I saw a funny meme. Out in public, with all the complements, you look so cute. But in the bathroom stall, it's just you, wrestling with that jumpsuit. Hahahahaha!
We...went camping this week and spent $0 on food or drinks. We took all our own and didn't have any lunches out. We were in a pretty rural area, so there weren't many options for eating out, but I'd prepped us well with good lunch options like pimiento cheese and chicken salad for sandwiches.
We switched our Verizon plan to a pre-paid plan. While this was a bit of a PITA, our bill is $40 lower per month (and will go down another $10 in a few months) and we have 30 GB of data instead of 10.
I switched my credit card to a cash back Wells Fargo card and WOW. I am loving it! Because all of my accounts are with Wells Fargo I can easily move the "cash back" straight into savings, get a grocery store gift card, etc.
I spent a ton of money at Sam's yesterday. And while that may not seem Frugal, the produce is so inexpensive there compared to the regular grocery store and I get twice as much. It also lasts twice as long! So I figure in the end it means i spend less at the grocery store and that's pretty good.
I’m love to garden but it can quickly become expensive. This has turned me into a keen cutting propagater and seed collector. I’ve got a station full of fuchsia, rose and geranium cuttings and hollyhock and calendula seedlings. Come spring they’ll be ready to go into the garden.