Five Frugal Things | an uninspired edition
Some weeks, I have a running list of interesting frugal things I've done (such as trash-picking a cool glass vase). On such weeks, I have lots to choose from when I sit down to write this post.
But this week, I don't think I have done any particularly interesting frugal things.
So. This is going to be a very regular, everyday edition. Let's see what I can come up with!
1. I made Rice Krispy treats
When I was at Noodles and Company last week, I saw that their Rice Krispy treats looked pretty tasty and I considered buying one.
But then I remembered that commercial Rice Krispy treats usually have a weird flavor. Plus, I knew I had a box of Rice Krispies on my laundry room pantry shelf (and I knew the box had been there for a bit, which meant it really should be used up!)
So, I bought a $0.99 bag of marshmallows and made a whole pan of treats for less than what one serving would have cost me at Noodles and Company.
We ate that first pan awfully quickly, so then I made a second one.
I always think that Rice Krispy treats are curiously delicious, given how few ingredients they have!
(By the way, we have tried making them with cocoa krispies and with fruity pebbles, and I think the plain ones are far and away the best. The ones made with sugared cereals are too sweet for my taste.)
2. I did the yellowed-armpit treatment on two of my shirts
I discovered that a white Old Navy cardigan, and this white shirt, which I obviously have had for a long time:
...both had yellowing in the armpit area.
I haven't used aluminum-containing deodorant in years, so all of my newer shirts are free of this problem (the aluminum mixing with your underarm sweat is what causes the yellow stains!).
But for these older ones, the homemade oxi-clean solution works quite well, although it does usually require two applications for old, set-in stains.
For the record, I tried the Dollar Tree version of oxi-clean, but concluded that it does not work quite as well as the homemade version.
Interestingly, I see that the aluminum site I linked to above has a recipe for a paste and theirs involves vinegar and salt in addition to baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. So, maybe I should dig up some more old shirts and do some experimenting!
3. I transferred my Upromise money
Long ago when I first became a mom, I opened up a Upromise account (a college savings reward program). I think one of our grocery stores participated at the time or something and we got rewards for shopping.
Anyway, I remembered about it randomly this week, so I logged in and saw that I had $174 in the account. I transferred that out and I'll send it on over to Lisey for her aviation mechanic schooling.
I haven't actively used Upromise in ages, so I don't know how great it is these days, but if you open a free account, they will give you $5.29 to start you out (a nod to a 529 account) and you can get another free $25 bonus if you link your account to a 529 plan.
So, if you already have a 529 account going, that could be worth a few minutes of your time!
4. I'm on my way to another $20 Old Navy reward
Remember how my Gap/Old Navy credit card sent me a reward offer for making five purchases outside their brands in October?
Well, they sent me another one for November. So I am making sure to use that card five times because I am not going to say no to a free $40 in total!
I don't need much in the way of clothes (ok, and neither does Sonia, as her closet is stuffed full!), but since Zoe is still growing, she can likely make use of this.
5. I...
- got more dollars from my Erie Your Turn app. I have $107 in my account right now.
- used a $5 Grove coupon
- made coffee at home
- got gas at Royal Farms because I earn rewards there that translate to free chicken meals (or sometimes free chocolate bars!)
All right. I made it to a solid five. Whew.
I often forget all the little things that add up each day.
I bought some organic vegetables that were cheaper than ordinary vegetables.
I repaired my granddaughter's dress.
I keep hunting for free books on my kindle.
I am also trying to use every little scrap of food I purchase but there are still food fails.
Our petrol (gas) can go up and down by 30 to 40 cents per litre ( about an American quart). I watch those prices and fill up when the price is down and always use a discount voucher. Then it is time to plan our fuel usage so the tank lasts three weeks or so.
To my horror I had a letter from our council saying our water usage has trebled. It took me a few days to find the leak. Now we are planning the repair which may mean a whole new toilet pedestal and system.
Good on you for figuring out where the leak is!
Sometimes frugality is just the same old thing.
I read a library book.
I ate my meals at home.
I walked Rescue Pup miles and miles.
I bought a cute red dress for Christmas at the thrift store.
I scanned a few receipts to Fetch.
However, it was not a particularly creative or frugal week. Sometimes it’s about what you didn’t do as much as what you did do! Wishing everyone peace and good health.
Ooh, the red dress sounds fun! I do not own a red dress. But it will surprise no one to hear that I own a lot of black dresses. Ha.
@Kristen, I have a lot of black dresses too. I was happy to find something that wasn’t too “cocktail” looking. I can wear yo a luncheon.
Nothing exciting here, either. I'd say that this week's frugal theme is "What We Didn't Buy."
1. Had friends over for an impromptu pot luck and game night. They brought what they had already planned for their dinner and I served foods I already had.
2. Organized the freezer and the fridge, and helped my roommate meal plan. We've been falling down a lot on the food waste front, this should help.
3. Made progress on my Sisyphean task of dealing with health insurance.
4. Continued to read many books from the library.
5. Got a refund for several things of produce that went bad in 2 days.
More luck than frugal: I asked the owner of my favorite Chinese-American restaurant if I could buy a quart of his garlic sauce. He gave me the first quart free, saying he'd figure what to charge us later. This will be the basis of 2-4 meals in the future.
@WilliamB, I have never thought Of asking restaurants for sauces, though one sells delicious turkey gravy and I do buy that.
Good morning! I will be looking up the recipe for the deodorant stain remover today!
This week is really easy for me:
1. We got covid tests for our upcoming trip and there was a positive case in our household (the rest of us were negative). We're now in quarantine.
2. We had to cancel our two week trip to Hawaii.
3. We were refunded everything so far minus the tickets for the airline in Hawaii to island hop... I'm still waiting for a response for them.
4. Used Paypal to send my oldest his plane ticket money back. I didn't have to use gas to go to the bank/go out in public. (He's quarantined as well, but doesn't live with the positive case, so we don't want to be possible carriers going into his place.)
5. Since we'll be home for Thanksgiving now, I used the ibotta app and got some of the "free" food items from Walmart to help offset whatever meat we choose to eat with our dinner.
@Lisa, I am super sorry about your cancelled plans. Hope your family member heals quickly
@Lisa, I am so sorry you all don’t get to take your Hawaiian vacation! Sounds like a dream and my heart aches for you. Praying for a smooth and healthy recovery and that everyone else stays healthy in the meantime. Hoping you all can enjoy Thanksgiving together regardless of the change in circumstances.
Oh man, I'm so sorry to hear that you guys had to cancel your trip! I hope you are able to rebook it at some point in the future.
@Lisa, I am so sorry to hear about your vacation plans, if it happened to me I think I would sit down and have a good cry.
Vacations like this don't just happen, I know a lot of planning went into this. I hope in the future you can plan this vacation again.
@Lisa, IM so sorry that happened to you and your family. I hope the one afflicted recovers quickly and the rest of you stay symptom free. Hawaii will still be there after this passes.
FFT:
I planned meals and stuck to the plan
I crafted a plant hanger with yarn from my stash
I bought a top for the office at a discount
I bought a table piece with vouchers I found in a drawer
I cleaned out a pantry shelf and was able to take off items from my grocery list.
We also were given three grocery items for free, to try them out ("grocery bait"? What would you call them?)
So nothing very special but still satisfying, these small savings.
Oh, Sonia has been making plant hangers too!
And yes, the small savings are quite satisfying.
Mine might be dubbed the coupon/return savings week.....
1. We had a parade in our neighborhood where everyone decorated their atv's or side-by-sides, etc and I had a few items I didn't use, so I returned them at our craft store and got a few other needed items at 50% off plus I used $5 in rewards towards that purchase, so only an additional $3 something spent.
2. McDonald's always has a quick survey on their receipts to fill out for free items. I filled out 2 different surveys and earned a free ice cream cone and a McChicken sandwich, all for 2 minutes of my time.
3. I needed a few parts for our fish tank, so I went to our local pet store and used $5 in rewards towards our purchase. They didn't have one item that we needed so we looked on Amazon and found it for way cheaper than the pet store would've charged.
4. I needed a haircut and used a coupon towards it saving me $6.
5. I bought a specialty Christmas gift online and had signed up to get a 5% discount, but somehow a 10% code showed up when I went to checkout, so I used that code instead.
It's not much, but it all adds up, little by little!
1. I've been making (or defrosting) dinner almost daily. It feels like a big achievement with a new baby! It's not like very meal is something complicated that I made from scratch, but we're avoiding takeout, except for one lunch a week for my husband.
2. We've been writing lots of thank-you cards using the stationary that I made following Kristen's tutorial! I think I'm going to make more when we run out. That craft is so great; it's the perfect intersection of something really easy and cheap that is useful, high quality, and beautiful.
3. Yesterday, I went to my very favourite vintage store and showed extraordinary restraint by only buying five black buttons to use on the cardigan I'm sewing. The other things I was looking at were inexpensive, but it would have meant more clutter.
4. We're planning our Chanukah/winter birthday presents, a mix of baked goods and, well, things we directly asked the recipients if they'd like. So no wasting money on things nobody wants*.
5. I renewed my library card! I love, love, LOVE the public library.
*In case anyone's curious as to what our gifting looks like: a chrome cast (plus installing it and showing how to use it), biscotti, and chocolates for my parents; the new memoir of Trader Joe and banana cake with penuche icing for my brother, a book about the history of men's clothing and cranberry-orange breakfast buns for my husband; a rotary cutter, mat, and protective glove for me. Gifts for the in-laws are TBD.
**"Helicopter" is a neat word, because I always thought the derivation would be, like, "heli" means one thing and "copter" means another, but no! "Helico" describes the movement of the blades (like a helix) and "pter" is wings, like a pterodactyl.
@Meira@meirathebear, thanks for the info re helicopter! Aren’t words so interesting?!
@Meira@meirathebear, I didn't know about the new Trader Joe memoir! I will have to check it out. TJ's is one of my favorite stores!
I've been doing Christmas shopping online, which never feels particularly frugal. But I do try to buy from Etsy when I can, so at least the money is going directly to a person, as opposed to a corporation.
I've been diligently starting the woodstove as soon as I get up in the mornings, to keep the propane furnace from kicking on. Messing about with paper and kindling and matches first thing is not my idea of a good time, but neither is paying more than I have to for the now-much-more-expensive propane.
Baked "bus stop cookies" for my sons' snacks at school. Lame name, but good recipe with lots of nuts, peanut butter, oats, and very little sweetener.
Opted out of the "Halloween snack bags" the media kids were selling at school. Mostly because do my kids need an extra bag of candy the week of Halloween? No way.
Both eldest and middle son sprouted holes in the knees of almost all their pants at the same time, so off to Thredup I go. Not as cheap as a thrift store--which is not an option here, anyway--but cheaper than buying new. And I can get better quality, too.
@kristin @ going country,
I use Etsy for Christmas shopping for that very reason.
FFT, Food Sharing and Dog Walking Edition:
(1) I made another minestrone--with vegetable stock this time so a vegan friend could have a share, and with kale, garlic, onions, herbs, and the last of the green beans from my garden.
(2) Shared the minestrone with the vegan friend (and with three others). VF returned two pint jars from the refrigerator pickles I'd given her back in the summer.
(3) Took a walk around a nearby pond with VF and the dog she walks for a friend. Fresh air, exercise, and friendship are all frugal.
(4) Will be walking the dog I walk for neighbors later today. (And these neighbors are insisting on paying me what they were paying a pro dog walker last year, when I couldn't do this for them because of DH. I'll put some of that money toward their Xmas present.)
(5) And I used the tomato paste left over from the minestrone, plus an aging cauliflower in the fridge, to make a curry on Sunday. Still working on reducing the food waste I've been complaining about.
I had a couple of good things this past week:
1. I stopped in at Goodwill and found a power-lift recliner, in excellent condition, which works, for $99. It's now in my husband's room at the assisted living facility, so he can get out of bed more. My husband can no longer pull a recliner handle, so a motorized recliner - plus seat lift! - is just what he needs. He's been using it daily.
2. I also found a pair of like new Ralph Lauren colored jeans that fit me, even in length, and then a long-sleeved shirt that coordinates perfectly with the color of the jeans - $9 total. I can surely use these, as my "at home" wear is wearing out.
3. I used Swagbucks to buy two new books as a Christmas gift for a friend. I only had to pay 67 cents out of pocket.
4. I gave the earthworms in my worm bucket my leftover apple cores, celery tops and banana peels.
5. I wet a rag with vinegar and rubber-banded it tightly to the shower head, leaving it there for a couple of hours. The water flow is now straight and full again. When I removed the rag, it was still damp with vinegar, so I laid it around the faucet in the bathroom, and left it there for a couple of hours, which removed the scale there, too. There are replacement nozzles for my shower head that can be ordered from the maker of the shower head, but as long as vinegar works, I'll keep doing this.
Whoa! That recliner find is AMAZING.
@JD, What a fantastic find on the recliner. So happy to hear that your husband can get out of bed more now!
@JD, big win on the recliner! I would have loved to have one of those while DH was still at home, and I'm getting to the point where I wouldn't mind having one myself. And thanks for the rag-and-vinegar tip for the shower head; I'm going to try that.
1. I had this last week but since it still feels like an accomplishment, I’m putting it again. My second week back at the office and I brought lunch and have had easy dinners ready to go for when I get home so no takeout even though it’s been a little more chaotic as I adjust to the return.
2. One of the used toys I got for my son for Christmas wasn’t working well. It wasn’t broken, it was a flaw in the toy, as all the online reviews for the toy mentioned the same issue. I knew this when I bought it but my dad is very handy at fixing things so I figured he could try. He immediately fixed it! So great working toy now at no additional cost.
3. I started incorporating one vegetarian and one vegan meal into the meal plan each week, more for environmental reasons but it is also working out to be cheaper without the cost of meat.
4. Related to the one above, I was visiting my grandparents and my grandpa had a newer plant-based cookbook on his bookshelf. He’s unable to cook anymore and I asked if I could borrow it. He was very excited that someone would get use out of it and I’m happy to get some more recipe ideas for free.
5. At the start of the pandemic, right when my daughter was born, multiple people kindly gave me gift cards to my favorite coffee chain. The coffee shop was not allowing customers inside though at the time, only app orders and pickups, and the gift cards could not be used on the app. The company gave me some codes I could use online to order coffee beans instead. I just got around to checking, and they also never deactivated the gift cards, so I got the coffee beans and can now still use the gift cards in the store to get drinks.
Let's see, what have we been up to? It wasn't a particularly frugal weekend. My husband was traveling, & I treated the kids & friends to a few things. But, there are always a few wins to dig up:
1) Organized my freezer, so I can more easily find quick dinners vs meal ingredients. Already I can tell a huge difference when trying to plan the menu.
2) Picked up ice cream sandwiches via Fetch for free. I have two very active teens, so as long as I can stay away from them, they will be put to good use.
3) Went back to the office one day (it's optional for now), used the gym (I was the only person there), got a free lunch, & charged our electric car for free. I also worked that day. 😉
4) Figured out what to do with two year old gift cards to a climbing gym. My kids were previously very into climbing & received gift cards for Christmas. The gym has been closed since COVID, and now the kids aren't really interested. I offered to buy the gift cards from them, & use them for yoga classes at the gym. It's a huge win/win. I want to go back to in person yoga classes, and I won't feel that the cards are sitting around wasted.
5) Used grocery store rewards to pick up a few things we need.
6) Used Raise to buy a gift card we need at a small discount. Bonus points for first clicking through Rakuten to complete the purchase.
I'm loving everyone's frugal "themes" this week. Mine is pretty simple as well, but sometimes that's the point, right?
We're having a small get-together with our golf friends on Friday and I'm in charge of dessert. I pulled out all suitable ingredients for cookies yesterday and made 3 different types without having to go to the store or buy anything! (Molasses crinkle, Oatmeal Raisin, and Chocolate Chunk bars)
I didn't go anywhere yesterday which means I saved on gas. Worked out at home, worked, baked.
The City Market employee saved me $4 when she caught an error on my recent pickup order, so yay for that! AND I'd added a total impulse buy of some Everything Bagel potato chips to my Sam's order and it turns out they were out of those, so I saved money there too.
Last night's dinner used up some cauliflower and some mushrooms that were on the verge of going bad plus the last of some tomato sauce I'd made for pizza earlier in the week.
That's really all I can remember that was very frugal...but if all I can remember spending money on is groceries? I'd say that's a good week!
I think all five of yours are interesting!
1. Stocked up on my favorite soap at Whole Foods and was delighted that there was a 25% off all body care promo.
2. Used up a variety of leftover veggies in a roasted vegetable and lentil loaf.
3. Froze 10 pints of puree made from roasted Halloween pumpkins. We'll use in soups, quick bread gifts, and our dog's LickiMat. Saved the seeds for next year's crop.
4. Due to changes we made to our diet, we had many already opened food items that we would no longer be using. Passed them on to grateful family and friends.
5. Went to the discount foods store and was delighted to see that Tuesdays are 10% off for those over 60. And I was extra delighted to see that the store is now asking everyone to bring their own boxes/bags. For those that don't have them, the cashier offers boxes that are left over from stocking the shelves. What a win - the store doesn't need to break down boxes, they no longer use (and pay for) plastic bags, and they provide customers with a free alternative.
1. Took my daughter to Goodwill to buy jeans for the first time! We found 3 pairs that fit her really well for only $25 (with the 7.5% tax on clothing in our area!). Two pairs required some minor alterations I can easily do at home (temporary hemming as she's still growing, and fixing a seam that I think got hit with an iron that made the thread get all hard and scratchy).
2. Made my own coffee and breakfast and lunch at home all week. This was a big deal this week because I was REALLY tempted to get coffee or eat out several times.
3. Fixed our Chinese restaurant order! My husband and I always end up with a ton of leftovers, and we made some minor adjustments that reduced the cost by half, and got us to a meal we can eat in a reasonable amount of time. (We only order Chinese food on our date nights, and neither of our kids enjoy it!).
4. Christmas budgeting! I got our Christmas budget set up, and have been taking advantage of some incredible sales at a few of our usual-suspect online shopping places like Lands End to get a head start.
5. Asked for a discount. We had a fairly expensive plumbing service performed last Friday, and the company really messed up the scheduling. We normally have a great relationship with this company, so we asked if they would be willing to give us a 10% discount, and they did! This was a job that's normally just under $1,000, so we saved almost $100.
Ooh, what a wonderful win on the plumbing price!
I repaired a tiny hole in a top caused from cutting the label out.
We are leaving for a ten day vacation and we're preparing foods that we can eat readily while driving, so as not to go to fast food places.
My husband (who does all our cooking!!) has been making my salad dressings from frozen fruit we've had in our deep freeze. He uses cashew milk and this week used a bag of mixed fruit. They are fabulous and help me with my weight loss (So far...59 lbs down!!)
I sold some more clothes that were way too big for me.
Our Havanese girl, Mari, has a genetic problem in her back that is relieved by cold laser therapy when it starts bothering her. I bought a package of treatments at our Vets office that saved us money; as opposed to just paying for each treatment individually.
Downloaded some free books on my iPad Kindle app.
Still eating all our meals at home, except for after church on Sunday.
@Viktoria M Sacker, congrats on your significant weight loss. Here's to health!
@Viktoria M Sacker, had to comment because we have so many things in common! I too have lost significant amount of weight. And consigned my clothes in each size on the way down and used credit to buy the new smaller size. We have a beloved havenese. My sisters name is Mari. We bring our food with us to many places.
@MB in MN, Thanks!! So worth it!!
@Abbott- Foster Connie, WOW! We SO have a lot of things in common, don't we? Mari's full name is La Bonita Marisol; she needed a name bigger than her!! Our 20th wedding anniversary is May 25, 2022 and I want to weigh 5 lbs less than when we got married by that time; My Fitness Pal predicts I'll weigh my goal weight by March, 2022! My husband has lost 95 lbs and is now in maintenance mode. We love to travel and hike (again!), and this weight loss is helping to make that possible again.
Congratulations on YOUR weight loss too. Don't you feel much better, health wise, also?
1. My Costco membership is expiring at the end of this month and I have been thinking it was time to cancel. I then found a great groupon deal for a Sam's Club membership for $30 that includes a free $40 gift card. So since that will make the membership free, I went for it.
2. Along with the free Sam's membership, they are offering a $500 Disney gift card for $450 on Black Friday and since we are in feverish saving mode for our trip, this will be a huge help. I'll take the $40 gift card and make the Disney gift card come down to $410.
3. My Brownie girl scouts are hosting a card making table during out town Christmas event for nursing home residents. I put a call out on our "buy nothing" site and the response was amazing. We have plenty of cards for people to sign.
4. the rest of my items are also pretty uninspired: selling items on Ebay, donating plasma, making my own iced coffee, taking water wherever I go.
I have a 529 for my kiddo, so I'll have to look into Upromise.
I've definitely had more frugal fails than wins this week, but there were a few frugal accomplishments.
1. I got a brand new roll of Christmas wrapping paper for $1 at a thrift store.
2. I cleaned out both our cars and found quite a bit of spare change as well as bottles to be redeemed.
3. My chiropractor has tried to sell me a cervical alignment device to realign my neck between appointments. I found one on Amazon with a 40% off coupon.
4. We've been eating from our pantry and freezer.
5. After several months of going back and forth between our mortgage company and our insurance provider, my husband was finally able to prove to the mortgage company that we do, in fact, have property insurance. The mortgage company had tacked their own insurance onto our bill because they refused to acknowledge that we have coverage. They sent us a check reimbursing us for the months they charged us for their insurance.
@Renee, when I first read about "a cervical alignment device" my brain went to another part of the body, and I started thinking how painful. 🙂
@Nancy in Eastern Washington, Me too! Eek!!
I love Smitten Kitchen's twist on rice krispie treats - she browns the butter as the first step. It really makes them extra yummy!
My frugal thing isn’t really saving money but it might compare the prices of the coconut oil to butter. But you have to try the Rice Krispie reciepe that you use coconut oil instead of butter. AMAZING. I have never done it the old way since. And I get the large container or coconut oil at Costco.
I found it on Pinterest https://pin.it/6DEENuM
1. Despite collectively being very tired of eating the same meals on repeat at 9 pm, we have kept takeout at bay. This is the last week of fall sports so we can get some more interesting things into the rotation next week and, hopefully, eat at a more normal hour.
2 & 3. Remembered to check our monthly delivery to remove items we won't need this month. Remembered to check the freezer where I learned that we have plenty of ground pork and not so much ground beef. So, I updated that delivery to be just ground beef this month.
4. Ate the last of the beans from the garden. They're not at peak season, but I picked them before the first frost so they were fine to eat.
5. Remembered that I had three chicken cutlets left when I just had to feed dinner to the younger three. Good opportunity to clean out the fridge.
Let's see...
1. Our dog became ill and after an insanely expensive trip to the vet she was diagnosed with kennel cough. The initial meds cost $258 and then we had to make a second trip to the vet because one of the meds didn't agree with her and that cost another $87. What is the frugal part of all of this you ask? She is insured and I filed claims to get 90% of what we spent back. I was thinking of cancelling that policy but this little adventure changed my mind. Because of insurance this will only end up costing us about $60 out of pocket.
2. We ate all of our meals at home even after an unexpected road trip that took us out of the house all day Saturday - freezer meals and batch cooking for the win against take out!
3. Mustard greens, collard greens, kale, bok choy and some peas were harvested from our garden this week. I believe this will be on my frugal list for the duration of the fall and winter provided the garden holds out as all of these veggies except the peas are cut and come again plants & are hardy through the cold.
4. Bought 90 eggs on sale for $0.88/18, 6.5 lbs of asparagus for $1.49/lb, apples for $0.99/lb and 3 lbs of sour cream for $0.77/lb. I am well stocked for holiday baking and the asparagus is stocked in the freezer for soup and stir fry.
5. Baked pumpkin muffins with pantry ingredients. Made a large batch of carrot raisin salad with some carrots that were given to us. Used up some frozen strawberries along with cranberries purchased on sale to make up a batch of Winter Spice Jam. Baked biscuits with pantry ingredients.
Happy Tuesday!
1. Had happy hour at friend's house. Everyone contributed to the cocktail ingredients and snacks to it was a fairly cheap night of fun and fellowship
2. Extended my trial subscription to Walmart+ by 14 days for answering survey questions. Have used the service for free grocery delivery and to purchase items from Black Friday sale without paying shipping
3. Resisted the urge to order take-out over the weekend
4. Listed on Facebook Marketplace the washer and dryer the previous owner left when my son bought his house. We planned to gift it to his best friend since he's moving into a new apartment but it didn't work out for him so hoping my son can get a little cash for it
5. Googled the issue with the air gap on my son's sink when the dishwasher was running. Husband was able to fix it quickly and avoided a call to the plumber
Actually this list was interesting.
Frugal:
1. Bought my once a year stock up foaming soaps from bath and body for 2.99 each. Usually 7.99 each. I could go without. My hubby loves these.
2. Cooked meatless all last week. I do this once a month.
3. Bought some xmas gifts on clearance.
4. Walked the dog for exercise. Gorg fall evenings!
5. Cooked and ate at home all seven days. Woooooo
@Stephanie, I got some foaming soaps also. My favorite is the pumpkin cupcake. I figured out how to make a mock version. Dollar General had pumpkin dish soap a couple years back. I bought a couple bottles. I use a sugar cookie hand soap from Michaels. I don't remember exact measurements, but it's more sugar cookie. I reuse the foaming pump.
Being frugal is not just about the occasional big, splashy, creative things. It is more often than not about the small, everyday things you do faithfully that change your habits... and your financial situation. These are all great things.
Mine were equally "uninspiring" but effective: I converted Fetch points into a $25 gift card to buy a Christmas gift, I filled a thermos with hot cocoa to enjoy after a hike on a chilly morning (and it was so much more enjoyable to share that at the end of the trail than each of us going on our own to the drive thru), I checked the on-line circulars at my three local grocery stores and made my list according to their respective sales and remembered clip the digital coupons I wanted to use, I re-wore on Monday an outfit I had worn for only a couple hours on Sunday rather than put it right in the laundry, I finished making a Christmas gift.
1. Made sure to use my Old Navy cash a few weeks ago before it expired, and then today I found the Old Navy gift card I bought at a discount at my grocery store a month ago planning to pair with the cash. Doh! Doesn't save me a thing if I don't use it, so I added a note to my calendar to be sure to use the gift card when I redeem the next round of cash in December.
2. We love rice krispie treats! I got 6 bags of marshmallows for free at Kroger a few months ago (they were clearing them out 3 bags for $1, and by stacking Kroger Cash Back and Ibotta technically I was paid to take them.) so we were making treats like mad around here. After seeing your post I checked and I have enough ingredients left to make one more batch today.
3. Redeemed my free Thanksgiving dinner from Ibotta last week. This year you only got the free turkey if you got someone to sign up, so I signed up my mom, took her to the store and shopped together, then showed her how to redeem the receipt. She took the items she wanted and sent the rest home with me to use for our family Thanksgiving dinner.
4. I have been trying to get friends to sign up for Ibotta for the past 3 years I've been using it, and exactly 2 have done so. I posted a picture on my Facebook page of my Thanksgiving freebies after I got home from the store, along with my referral code, and 4 friends have already signed up and done the deal, making me $10 each.
5. I redeem all Ibotta earnings to Amazon credit as soon as I hit $20 or more, and I'll be using it to order gifts for out of town relatives and get free shipping, rather than trying to send everything myself. We don't exchange a whole lot of actual gifts anymore, but I usually send a box of fun snacks.
I didn't buy a new flat iron. My curling iron has been close to the end for several years (Certain buttons keep falling off.) But it works well enough so I haven't replaced it yet.
I am running the heater as little as possible. (I'm sitting here in my coat typing.)
Tonight we are making fall-spice lattes at home. (With homemade spice syrup.)
We bought the coffee Costco had on sale rather than try a new roast.
For lunch I am having a skillet bowl. (Which will have the left over rice, beans and any veggies I find and maybe an egg if I need more protein.)
I am definitely going to make the homemade OxiClean. Thanks for the recipe.
Here's our Five Frugal Things for the week:
1. My mother requested a Hobby Lobby gift card for Christmas. While I was there, I picked up cute Thanksgiving napkins at 50% off. I usually use cloth, but these were adorable so I splurged a whole $2.98. There's enough in the package for dinner, dessert and lunch the next day.
2. While there, I found our family ornaments at 50% off. I give the kids matching ornaments every year so that when they are adults with their own homes, they have something with memories to decorate their Christmas tree with.
3. Our neighbors helped another neighbor with his potato harvest. They gifted us a huge bag of Yukon golds that will last a long time.
4. I have been wrapping Christmas gifts with paper purchased right after the holiday last year dirt cheap. I'm also reusing gift bags and tissue paper that we keep cycling from year-to-year until they are no longer usable. Then, depending what they are made of, they either go to the wonderful recycling center we have nearby or used as fire starter.
5. This falls into the category of spend a little now; save a ton later. I purchased a paint repair kit for my car. I have three stone chips that will surely rust this winter (we live in Central New York) if not dealt with. The car is 9 years old and needs to last us for a few more years. The $42 purchase, to me, is worth the cost of having a car rust out.
I too had a bit of a boring week, I guess.
1.) It's open enrollment season for my wife and I at work. I pored over the options from my employer and her employer and her insurance was the better choice. Both went up but hers now has a lot of features like no copay on pediatrician visits and remote doctor visits.
2.) Amazon had a "Buy $50 in gift cards get an extra $5" deal and since I was planning on buying from there anyway, I figured I might as well effectively give myself $5 off.
3.) My daughter is finally outgrowing her car seat and will be transitioning to a booster seat pretty soon (probably by the end of the year by the way she's growing!) What's frugal is that we were able to get a seat that went from newborn to Kindergarten! Now we are also the types who were keeping her rear facing until she was 4 and a half or so (most of her friends flipped around at 2 and some at 1, which is not recommended by the way) or in booster seats a couple years ago. So she has had the "why can't I be in a booster like XYZ is?" questions but I think we made the right choice.
4.) Bought a bunch of manga on eBay as it was cheaper than even buying it via a sale. While I have enjoyed "owning" some digitally they aren't the same as having the physical item and besides, they aren't free. So this was a much better deal and if I so decide to I can always sell them.
My library doesn't stock manga; believe me I tried!
5.) Trying my hand at growing some garlic over the winter. We'll see how it turns out! At least there's very little upfront investment.
@Battra92, is there a particular way you learn about the Amazon gift card deals? I don't usually cue into them in a timely way.
Also - we used a car seat for a long time too, and later booster seats, and we weren't alone. I remember conversations with other moms in late elementary grades about still using booster seats (and one very petite friend who technically needed a booster into middle school). It's all about height/weight, which sometimes takes a while!
My kids always took forever to outgrow their carseats and boosters...they were lightweights!
@Suz, This one just showed up when I was on the site (probably to watch something on Prime Video)
@Kristen, yeah I think just other parents decided to switch the moment their kids were able to fit in the forward facing seat or the booster.
@Battra92, My daughter was always on the bigger end. I kept her rear facing for a long time. She was getting so cramped. I remember flipping her a month before the recommended birthday, because she was way past the height and weight. She just turned 13. She's been the size of a small adult for over a year. She's 5'3" , wears small/med clothes, 9 1/2 shoes in women's. She's almost caught up to me.
1. I worked! I'm counting this since I usually have an income of zero. I helped with catering at an event and got about 10 hours in over the weekend.
2. They offered me a bunch of leftovers and I said, "Sure! Thanks!" It covered lunch for my family on Sunday and dinner last night with a few leftovers to go.
3. I cleaned the carpet on our main floor with our carpet cleaner. Since we opted to buy one a year and a half ago instead of rent, every time we use it I feel the per-use cost going down and it makes me happy.
4. I got gas while driving through another county where it was 20 cents a gallon cheaper.
5. Refrained from buying a coffee this morning when I was walking through a cafe area. We had an early morning with the kiddos and I'm feeling it, but I waited until I got home to make another cup of coffee.
@Ruth T, Sometimes I think I loved the catering leftovers even more than the catering income. Although there was that one time I worked end-of-the-night coat check by myself and got ALL the tips. (My beginning-of-night fellow coat checkers disappeared so I couldn't share with them.)
Kristen, I always find your frugal 5 interesting 🙂 I also love your home made oxi solution! I’ve been using it for years. The only downside is that a few pieces of clothing got light color splotches where the solution was applied so they were ruined. Would you know how to avoid that?
My Frugal 5
1) Got about $10 back from Ibotta for a free Thanksgiving day dinner. Had to refer someone for the $15 off turkey but missed the chance.
2) Used up the remaining $0.75 on a Walmart gift card for groceries. It’s such a small amount but I believe every little bit counts.
3) Got a couple items free off our local Buy Nothing group. Got a pair of like new ASICS sneakers for me that retails new for $60 (Such a great deal!) and a couple of used Melissa & Doug Water Wows! for my kids to keep them busy during car trips.
4) Went on bike rides with my family at the local parks. We enjoyed ourselves and it was free entertainment.
5) Others:
- Used up food that we had.
- Continue to use Ibotta & Fetch for grocery purchases.
- Read books from the library.
Took cuttings from one of my plants that was getting out of control. Plan is to pot up in thrifted pots for donation to my favourite thrift store near Christmas.
Husband is replacing the door closure mechanism at his 92 year old father’s home. We bought a cottage and found a new in package closure from a long defunct home improvement store. It’s the right size and has to be close to 30 years in this package.
Took pictures of items I’m donating and sent to a friend who helps international students set up their first apartments.
Used a car wash coupon before it expired.
Daughter who recently relocated back to our city needed wooden hangers for coats. I had extras I picked up at my favourite thrift shop.
Same daughter sent photo of the nice thrifted shower curtain and liner I had given.
A family saying is, “Shop at Home”.
Regularly show our donation piles to each other.
Nothing huge but every bit helps, right?
-Used a coupon for a gyro that my husband was craving and got $5 off for a pretty filling meal.
-Returned holiday throw pillows that we really didn't need.
-Took a slightly longer route and avoided the toll road (which would have been more convenient but I had time)
-Said no about 100 times to my 3rd grader's ask for more art supplies. She's persistent.
-Attempted to set aside my cheapness and bought expensive drapes. A few weeks later, finally got around to trying to install them and realized that the height was not right. Returned them just a couple days before the 30 day return limit.
-Talked my husband out of a couple pricy purchases.
-Husband convinced me to help him wash the car at home instead of taking it in for a wash. It really wasn't all that much work and it didn't take all that much time. It probably would have taken longer if we had to drive and wait at the car wash.
1. I saved myself $50 to $100 by not buying new and mending my daughter's saddle pad. A mouse got into her tack locker and chewed a hole right through it. I looked for some fabric to match so I could patch it but didn't have any (I thought about using another fabric but 14 yo girls have high standards for their horse wear! I did have some merino wool of the exact colour of burgundy so I darned it like a sock, being careful not to create any lumps that might rub on her horse's back. It's not perfect but it's acceptable and is hidden by the saddle anyways. I took photos but have no idea how to share them here.
2. We ate at home every night.
3. I remembered to pack snacks for my hockey playing daughter who is always starving after a game or practice and wants to go through a drive thru. Much healthier too.
4. I stocked up on some pantry item for which I received extra points on my grocery card towards free groceries (I have $170 to redeem at this point!).
5. I stopped for gas on our way home from an away hockey game at our local Mohawk reservation which is currently 20 cents a liter less than my regular gas station.
Not an exceptional week either but every little bit counts!
I love reading all the posts on frugality! Everyone inspires me with their frugal wins.
1. I redeemed one of the Sprouts freebies for a plant-based milk alternative called "Not Milk" ($3.99). I only use lactose free milk so this was perfect for me.
2. I bought two Christmas gifts today at Ross and took advantage of their 10% senior discount on Tuesdays.
3. I got a Bath & Body Works coupon for a free full-size body care product with any purchase and a 20% off coupon that could be combined with the free item. I bought one of the small hand sanitizers (gift for my sister) and body wash ($13.50) for my daughter. I paid $1.71 for both.
4. My sister gifted me partial packages of hamburger and hot dog buns. She won't eat them after they've been frozen. I know, crazy, right?? I've been using them for toast and sandwiches.
5. I bought 12 rolls of toilet paper at Walgreen's and used a digital coupon and a $1 reward. Total with tax (9.75% here) was $3.24.
My FFT are pretty simple this week too:
1. Trimmed my own hair, saving myself $16 plus a tip.
2. Bought our son another pair of jeans and a hoodie from an online thrift shop. I think he's set for winter now.
3. Bought a huge can of coffee on sale for $2 off plus used a $2 off store coupon. Extra bonus: this brand is packed in a steel can with bright yellow plastic lid, so I will reuse it to pack homemade Christmas goodies in.
4. Long-suffering husband repaired our toilet for the 8th time. He is now an expert on flush handles.
5. Waited four days to buy gas for my car, and the price dropped 19 cents a gallon in that time.
I think the "glass vase" might be a wine decanter.
Oooh, you may be right! But since none of us drinks wine, for us it will just be a vase. Ha.
Like Kristen, it seems as though it has been a really dud week on the frugal front. I have a bit of a runny nose, and even though I tested negative for Covid, people get nervous if you have the sniffles, so I have been laying low all week. I did pick up 3 returnable cans along the road while walking, my neighbor gave me 2 packs of frozen bear meat and some kitchen sponges for running errands for him and another neighbor gave me geranium roots to overwinter. I haven't done shopping because...I'm home!...so I've been using up items in the freezer. Date night was a free peacock movie and plate of cheese and crackers and I've still been walking for exercise every day. Guess that's it for this week!
1. Cleaned out the freezer in prep for Thanksgiving and managed to use up stuff and throwing nothing away. My proudest moment was using up five nobs of different cheeses to make a really tasty mac and cheese that fed us for three days. What a great excuse to eat carbs like crazy!
2. Free gas from three mystery shops.
3. A friend received a gift of spices. She did not want to bother grinding up the ones that were still in their original form and offered them to me. Husband dug out an ancient coffee grinder, cleaned it until it was pristine and we ground up 11 bottles of different spices. These are from a spice company known for fresh and ethically sourced spices so I was happy to take on the grinding task.
4. Neighbor offered me 20 empty dog food bags and I happily accepted them to recycle as garbage can liners. Years ago he caught me nabbing one left for the garbage man so now he just saves them and calls when he has a bunch. He has three huge dogs and they really go through the 40 pound bags of feed.
5. Sold a bunch of yarn in colors I must have loved when I bought them but can't see myself using now. $40 in pocket.
1. I had a shutterly book made and was just waiting for a deal to show up... Which it did and I got it free, just paying shipping.
2. I've said yes to a free meal, 2 okras, some zucchini and some green beans (plus random table scraps for the cats).
3. The kids are starting a new History book. This time I ordered just one test book and they'll share it just writing the answers on a separate paper instead of in the book.
4. I've been limiting my leisure internet time (due to time sink) but the added bonus is I use less internet credit and don't drain my phone as quickly.
5. Making coffee at home everyday.
1. I made pumpkin muffins for my son's school snack and pumpkin waffles for our breakfast this weekend. I used homemade pumpkin puree to make both, which came from a $1 pumpkin. I then bought another $1 pumpkin from our Public Market this weekend and have already roasted, pureed, and froze it. The seeds were also roasted and will top a chicken salad this week.
2. I made sundried tomatoes using the last of our garden cherry tomatoes. I made apple chips using some over-ripe apples. I alo made a ton of homemade almond butter using some almonds I have had for too long.
3. My daughter's 3rd birthday is tomorrow. We are having Aldi deli pizza and an Aldi box cake. Her 2 gifts I picked up off Buy Nothing throughout the year. They are brand new. We plan to take a trip to the zoo this weekend to continue the celebration, which we have a membership to.
4. My son became eligible for the COVID vaccine, so I brought him for his 1st dose this weekend.
5. I brought my cats to the vet for their yearly visit and vaccinations. This cost $170, but is preventative.
6. I got a $1/hour raise at work. Supposedly I am getting a larger raise in January also.
That was sweet of you to give the U-Promise money to Lisey. BTW, the kid on the reward certificate is funny (the one yelling).
We had some exciting frugals this week. Here's the five:
1) ok, so this just came in by way of email and is pretty awesome. Our college student is getting a grant from the college due to the disruption of his schooling (covid related). We have no idea the amount but since he pays for his schooling, it's a wonderful thing.
2) I received some checks this week from Rakuten and cc rewards. I never got a Rakuten one before.
3) I earned a $5 ebay gift card.
4) My husband and I helped a neighbor with her landscaping. We split the $170 she gave us.
5) I earned another $5 in swagbucks but will keep it and try to get to a higher amount.
1. Made breakfast rolls out of leftover oatmeal porridge. (I make slow porridge on Sundays, and often end up making more than we eat. Nobody finds leftover porridge appetizing so it's nice when it keeps feeding us with delicious rolls instead.)
2. Combined baking times/heated oven and also made an apple crumb for Sunday dessert.
3. Found a nice wool pea coat on FB marketplace, which I have been on the lookout for. We had our first deeper freeze the other night, and I hung it outside to air as wool likes a freeze clean.
4. My work gives us a pass to use for cultural or wellness activities. Used it for a movie I have been wanting to see (first movie in 3 years!)
5. Not frugal for me, but bought some home knit mittens from a friend made from Icelandic yarn. She also makes Icelandic sweaters and this was from leftover yarn.
1. Asked for a pair of Apple ear buds on Buy Nothing, and gratefully received a new pair! I’d previously lost my very old, nearly broken ones while traveling and this is a wonderful gift.
2. Traveled the last two days for work providing float coverage at several different clinics. Spent per diem money carefully to maximize leftovers; stayed at hotels with free breakfasts; kept track of mileage for reimbursement.
3. Grateful for safe driving late last night in the dark-- we saw lots of deer along the road, but thankfully didn’t have any jump in front of our car. Not having to meet our car insurance deductible = frugal.
4. Bought an excessive amount of cheese at $1/lb due to employee discount available at one clinic that provides health care for a large cheese distributor. Will give some to family and friends as part of early Christmas gifts.
5. Will return two chairs to Ikea that we purchased previously but never unpacked as they were out of stock for the cushions. Now that I’ve rearranged our living room furniture, I don’t think we need them. As someone else said, I am glad I was able to “shop the house.”
6. Finally got around to making an appointment at the local consignment store for some vintage clothes my mom didn’t want to deal with. Although they charge $20 to set up an account, they use that money to do social media promotions. So while it wasn’t 100% frugal, finally moving these items out of the spare room closet and into a place where they might actually sell is good peace of mind.
Your blog is always the first one I check each day. Thank you for consistently providing good suggestions, useful topics, fun family stories and attitude encouragement.
Last weekend I made your ice cream cake for my grandson's 5th birthday. (I made it for his daddy years ago but no one but me seems to remember it. It's OK, they think I'm an ice cream cake rock star now, thanks to Kristen.) Anyway, it is sort of like fancy chocolate rice krispy treat made even better with ice cream. My daughter-in-law wants to make one for Christmas with green ice cream, red ice cream, and rice krispy with white chocolate between the red and green. Sounds like a plan!
Yay!! That ice cream cake is so good and so simple; we love it. I'm really glad your family liked it too.
Noodles' krispy treats are my favorite BIRTHDAY FREEBIE! (have never actually bought one though...) They definitely taste homemade, with none of that chemical-y flavor! 🙂
Oh, good to know! The packaged ones you can buy at the grocery store taste terrible to me; I think we got a free box one time and I did not think they were worth eating.
Thank you for sharing these things! It's surprising how such small things add up over time or just in general.
-Ian @ WiseGravy.com