Five Frugal Things | by the seat of my pants
A lot of weeks when I sit down to write my Five Frugal Things post, I have a good idea of what I'm gonna include.
But this last week has been a doozy (I feel like I am saying that a lot lately...) and so I'm sitting here with no plan.
This FFT fare might be not-too-exciting. But let's see what I can come up with!
1. I made chicken broth from two rotisserie chicken carcasses
I had two chicken's worth of bones in my chest freezer, and on Sunday I took them out and made a little batch of chicken broth.
This is the method I always use (and it IS more of a method than a recipe! I don't usually measure anything for my broth.)
2. I used the chicken broth to make a pot of soup
I had some aging celery in my veggie drawer, so this was perfect! I used the broth I'd made on Sunday, all the celery, plus some carrots (and of course, some chicken and noodles).
Did I add cream to my bowl?
Yup. I may never eat a cream-less chicken noodle soup again!
3. I walked to school yesterday
And back home again, obviously. Ha.
This is not impressively frugal because, well, any destination that is walkable is also not a far drive. I don't use that much gas making the five minute trip to college in my van!
It's really more of a win on the efficiency front; I get my exercise in while also hauling myself to school.
But hey, driving 0 miles is always cheaper than driving >0 miles.
4. I packed my lunch
Yesterday, I packed my lunch, as I usually do.
I carried it in an old insulated lunch bag that one of my kids used to use.
And I packed everything in reusable containers, including the stainless steel tiffin-style container I got at Goodwill ages ago.
5. I made a batch of yogurt on Sunday
You might be wondering, "Why is Kristen making yogurt and broth while she's so busy with school?"
Well, some of my schoolwork (the reading) can be done through my earbuds. And that means I can do some little kitchen tasks while learning nursing concepts.
Also: yogurt and broth require very little hands-on time; they just require a lengthy cooking/incubating time.
Here's how I make yogurt without a yogurt maker or an instant pot.
_____________
Well. They might not be super exciting/creative, but I did make it to five things. 🙂
I love making broth, it feels so homely and you basically only have to plan when you add the bones to the pot and when you need to put the broth in containers. Plus it smells great.
My frugal activities last week are related to the coming holidays. I
- bought a roll of postage stamps, again, because the prices are going up again in January;
- kept an eye open for items on offer and bought baking paper, and cooking oils;
- reorganized a closet and found a homemade jar of cranberry/quince jam I had forgotten;
- will be transforming some spare oranges and carrots into carrot marmelade. Jams and chutneys are expensive to buy and fun to make, for yourself or as a gift.
Inspired by FG readers I will make at least a few cloth holiday gift bags. I did not find time yet but I did take the first step: collect the holiday fabrics and other useful scraps, and wash and iron them. And I found a few useful zippers in the thrift shop. I'll finish one other project and then I am ready to tackle this task!
@JNL, WHOA! Postal increases AGAIN? I am a devoted letter writer, so it is time to buy a roll instead of just a little sheet here and there. Thank you for the warning!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, remember, she's in the Netherlands.
JNL, are you in the Netherlands or the US? I haven't heard of a price increase in stamps but if it's in the USA, I also need to buy a roll in advance. Thanks for the heads up.
@Fru-gal Lisa, the rates are going up in the US in January too. (J NL is in The Netherlands.)
Increase is in the U.S. Up two cents, to 68 cents.
The USPS is "planning" on raising prices here as well, to take effect in 2024.
@A. Marie,
Oh, brother, just what we need: another price increase! Thanks for the heads up. I will be buying some more rolls of stamps between now and New Year's, for sure!
@Rose, I have been wondering what NL means—thank you!
@A. Marie, Another increase?? I think my forever stamps are still under the .60 mark. But I may buy holiday stamps cause I like using them on the rare occasion that I mail something.
—The stairs to our hybrid basement/crawlspace have seen a lot of action since we bought the house: assorted service people and their equipment, our hauling out 50+ years worth of stuff so said service people could access things, etc. A few stairs had developed a little too much “give” in spots. The local hardware store cut the wood I needed to size, and I fixed and/or reinforced three wonky stairs and the landing by myself.
—Our basement/crawlspace inner door (the stairs have a separate one) needed new hinges, as the original ones were rusty to the point of crumbling. Habitat Restore provided four hinges for 50 cents apiece. I did the repair with my husband’s help. He essentially had to lock me in so the door hung right for the hinges, and I’m very claustrophobic. He tried to get me to swap with him, but I insisted I wanted to challenge my fear. He talked with me through the door to keep me calm(ish—I was taken aback by just how anxious I became, but I’m stubborn) while I installed the hinges.
—Habitat also came through with concrete paving stones for our future patio: 41 stones @ 50 cents apiece. We’re hoarding stones as we find them and will assemble our finds come spring.
—Several of our local grocery stores have box bins by the door. I had the foresight to grab berry flats (which hold a fair amount of weight) for Habitat stone retrieval.
—I mentioned this in my Thankful Thursday post, but it’s worth mentioning again because of how much it will save us: A good friend is a certified HVAC tech. I’m an artist, so I traded him a portrait of he and his wife’s beloved cat for HVAC service. Last week we hosted them for dinner, followed by our seasonal inspection, followed by star gazing! (They brought one of their telescopes.) My friend also has a repair kit ready to go for our furnace; it’s an unusual model, so he had to research and source the parts for the three potential fail points. The kit stays here so, in the event the furnace needs work, all he has to do is come over (his tools live in his car). He’s also our self-appointed water heater guru for when that time comes. Thank goodness for good friends!
@N, wow your Habitat store has some good finds. Our local Habitat store doesn't usually see landscaping materials, though I am always keeping eye out when driving for free beside road.
Earlier this summer found (2) whole pallet of free fireplace bricks, another free pallet of cinder blocks & some assorted stepping stones free on side of road. Of course stopped & loaded & came back to finish getting rest.
@Regina, Lucky you, what amazing scores! We don't have a truck, so it's always a game of gauging the Habitat stone pile vs. "What am I willing to do to my car?" 😛 I borrowed my husband's car in this instance, as his old Buick is even bigger than mine (and has better shocks).
@N, having a furance repair kit on hand is a brilliant idea. And your Habitat finds are phenomenal, along with those berry flats for transport!
Our Habitat store closed in October. I guess not many customers and it wasn't cost effective. 🙁
@Maureen, I’m so sorry to hear that! Habitat has saved us thousands, not exaggerating. In addition to untold project supplies, our Kenmore washer, vacuum, and a solid 1/3 of our furniture are all thanks to Habitat.
@N, congratulations on having a good trade relationship with a kind neighbor! Myself, I went through my flours and sugars (they don't really expire, just the freshness goes down) and got them ready to walk them over to a random neighborhood church that maintains a community glass cabinet for people to drop off food and other items they don't need anymore...I love the Habitat for Humanity stores as well, only, having a hard time transporting building materials in my 2012 Prius and dropping them off there.
FFT, It's Raining Panera Again! Edition:
(1) My JASNA friend from the next city over was here Saturday for an English Country Dance event (ECD is the kind of dancing you see in Jane Austen films), and we had lunch at the good and reasonably priced Thai restaurant just down the hill from me. I found an excellent lunch special for under $10. Then she went on to her dance, but I didn't accompany her, since ECD does require one left foot and one right. (I seem to have two left.)
(2) This JASNA friend is also the one who works at a Panera in her city, and she brought me a staggering number of Panera day-old goods (breads and frozen souffles). I’m truly amazed at the amount of food that would otherwise go to waste. I gave the friend a large tin of my homegrown peppermint tea as a token of my appreciation.
(3) I lost no time in sharing some of the bread with the Bestest Neighbors, and I did the same with one of my Sunday morning walking buddies (the other was out of town). I’ve frozen the rest.
(4) Before meeting my JASNA friend on Saturday, I went to the fall book sale at the FFL (the suburban library near me that always has excellent book sales). I met up there with the lovely Barbara, who rocks volunteer duty at the FFL sales, and we caught up on all our news (both good and bad). And I came away with seven books, including a couple for holiday giving. (Incidentally, Barbara follows both this blog and the NCA, and she's also a second-year nursing student.)
(5) I stopped at Wegmans and at the India Bazaar (our local Indian food store), both right on my way home, for a few things that I needed. Batching errands = always good.
@A. Marie, You should have gone dancing! English country dance is really fun.
@Rose, see comment above re: two left feet. In any case, this was a ball for fairly advanced dancers, and everybody would have been yelling "Other way, Mr. Collins!" at me.
1. I was walking to the grocery store to pick up a few items and there was a run over Home Depot gift card in the road. I brought it home and discovered it had about $70 on it.
2. I was making cookies and my, probably 30 years old, cookie scoop stopped working. DH had already fixed it last year. This time he replaced the spring mechanism with a screw, washer, and nut. It should hold for many more years. I did not relish the thought of having to find a well built replacement so this saved time and money. I am sure the scoop has been used for many thousands of cookies over the years.
3. We have two throw rugs and a bathroom rug that have lost their non-slip backing. Rather than risk slipping and falling I ordered new rugs. I ordered through a cash back portal. Taking care of health and safety is generally frugal in the long run.
4. I ordered some long sleeve and sleeveless shirts from ThredUp. I like the Life is Good brand for quality all cotton clothing. I received 45% off, free shipping, and should get $20 back for using my AMEX credit card.
5. Giant Food has a promotion this ad cycle that you receive $15 off groceries when you spend $100 on Home Depot, Starbucks, McDonald's, and xBox gift cards. I bought a Home Depot gift card when I bought groceries the other day.
@K D, Score on the found Home Depot card!
@K D,
Your third is spot on!
@K D, it pays to look where you are walking. 🙂
@K D, I think you can use a hot glue gun to make squiggles on the back of rugs to be non-slip. I know you can do it on the bottoms of socks, so it seems you can do it on rugs. So, if you get in a pickle and the new rugs don't come or the non-slip is inadequate, maybe you can beef it up that way (but don't go buying a hot glue gun for that purpose - that would defeat the goal of frugality!)
@K D,
Your #3 reminds me of my frugal parents. Anytime they had to replace a bathroom mat, they'd also replace the toilet lid cover. So Mom would have a matching set. The old set went to the dog house. They'd let the dachshund use the bathmat as her doggie bed, and Dad would nail the toilet lid cover over the door opening. Our puppydog knew to push through the cover when entering or exiting, and the lid cover kept the cold winds out of her doghouse.
My folks always made the dogs live outdoors. Not so with me: my pets think that my house is their doghouse and that I come home every evening to take care of their every possible need and want. Nothing in their existence has taught them otherwise, they are so spoiled rotten!
@Fru-gal Lisa, totally with you on the pet spoiling. Purchasing of cat toys they never play with, cute little cat houses they ignore for a cardboard box and many cat beds when there is already plenty of furniture and rugs.
@Anne,
Our fur babies only are around for so long, although they will leave their pawprints on our hearts forever, so we need to love them while we still can. Mine has cancer, and she's 15 y.o., and.... making the most of the time left with her.....
@K D, I also like the Life is Good brand shirts. The colors are a little bit unusual, and I appreciate that.
@Fru-gal Lisa, so sorry your cat has cancer. wishing you all the best and lots of quality time with her.
--Although this has been one of my worst garden years ever, I do have a box of tomatoes ripening inside, and a few big squash. So I'm roasting tomatoes and squash in increments and pureeing them for the freezer/canning. Even in bad years, the garden always produces something. And bad years make me thankful I garden in a very inexpensive way.
--My one son who always wants to wear a ball cap lately didn't have one of his own, but when his dad took him along on a hunt this weekend, he found a camo one right next to the trail. So now he has a hat. And of course, because it's camo and has a brand name of some hunting apparel company that I've never heard of on it, it's a cool one. 🙂
--No elk from that excursion--hunting with an 8-year-old does not usually result in success--but we're still eating the elk my middle son got. Almost every day, actually. Just for fun, I figured the cost of that meat factoring in gas, the hunting tag, one bullet, and a box of gallon-sized freezer bags, and it came to around fifty cents per pound.
--When that elk is gone in the spring, we have a cow or steer (depending on what needs to be culled) at our neighbor's that we can bring to the processor. This neighbor is a recently widowed elderly woman. My husband and sons helped her all last winter and this spring with feeding, branding, fencing, etc. She wanted to pay them, but we decided we'd rather have a cow for the freezer when we need one. I don't think she has a lot of cash, so this should be better for her, too. And given the high price of animals at auction these days, it's a fair trade for a lot of hours of work.
--I ordered some things for my kids from an online consignment store, and took a chance on getting a few tops for myself. This is somewhat dicey, as it's much harder to get things that fit me properly. All three tops fit me and look nice, even though two of them were in the "long-sleeve" category but were actually 3/4 sleeve. Annoying. But nice shirts, so I'll keep them. And WAY less than buying new.
@kristin @ going country, elk meat for 50 cents a pound (although I assume that considerable labor was invested in the processing)?? Wow!
And I also admire your barter arrangement with your neighbor about the cow or steer--as much for the neighborliness as for the savings (if not more so).
The past couple weeks have been a doozy here, too.
1. I reached out to our buy nothing group to see if anyone has a soup thermos, and I got one! This will help me
2. Bring more lunches to work, and
3. Use the frozen chicken broth I also make for new soups. It’s a 3 for one!
4. I’m traveling this week, staying in an Airbnb, but since I’m driving, I’m packing some food so I don’t have to buy as much from the grocery store, or go out to eat as much.
5. I said yes to my moms offer to bring the turkey for Thanksgiving.
I think this week I'll highlight the things other people did that benefited me in a monetary way because I'm not thinking I did anything major this week.
-My friend wanted me to meet her friend when I had a face therapy appointment. So we met somewhere and car-pooled. Then we met her friend, and my friend treated us both to lunch.
-My driving friend dropped me off at my appointment and picked me up again, so she/I didn't have to pay for parking.
-I accepted just a ton of potluck leftover on Sunday.
-My brother-in-law and his wife came for a visit. They bought ingredients for and made a supper for our family. (It was so good.)
-The visiting family (who live across the country and whom we will not likely see again anytime soon) accidentally left a 5 pound bag (!) of their favorite locally roasted coffee beans. I greatly benefit from this.
-They also brought a big bunch of cold cereal--the sweet kind-- for my children to enjoy. We don't buy cold cereal often, and today my children will be eating it again. (They also brought me a peppermint mocha coffee as a gift. I think I will enjoy it again this morning.)
I don’t think I’ve done a frugal thing this week. So here’s a list of fails:
1. Ex asked me to take the kids on the day I had planned to go grocery shopping. they didn’t get a heads up and were crying and exhausted, so we got Costco pizza slices for dinner and a few things to hold us over until I can go grocery shopping.
2. Covid struck our house so I hit the easy button for meals which has included premade mac and cheese (Costco), tikka masala (Costco) with rice, and chicken nuggets (freezer).
3. Mice showed up. Again. And they’re smart enough to eat pb off the trap without activating it. So I fed mice my pb for free which is all kinds of a problem.
4. Frugal win: got Costco gas while there. Much cheaper than other gas stations in the area.
5. Frugal win: Kids have been inventing breakfasts out of whatever they can find.
@Kaitlin, Smart, fat mice are the worst! If you don't have indoor pets, peppermint oil is a good rodent deterrent. Our mice were 1) smart pb thieves like yours and 2) also smart enough to stay in the crawlspace, away from our indoor cats. I sprayed TomCat rodent repellent around the outside of the house, which was far enough away to not hurt our cats and but close enough to deter the little freeloaders in the crawlspace. I also sprayed it around our garage and directly on the concrete garage floor to keep them from wintering in there--or my car! Haven't seen any mouse signs anywhere since.
I bought our can at Ace, and one was plenty to circle our small house and garage. Amazon also carries it if you need delivery while under Covid isolation (so sorry!).
https://tomcatbrand.com/en-us/shop/repellents/tomcat-repellents-rodent-repellent-continuous-spray/0368301.html
@Kaitlin, Oh, it stinks to have mice in the house along with the other stressors you've got! I recommend TomCat glue traps. We had mice in our kitchen and DH laid the glue traps under the oven (where we saw them scamper, ew), and behind the fridges--basically anywhere we saw droppings. The very next day he'd caught two mice. And yes, they were still alive and wriggling, and yes, without any guilt we dropped them in a trash bag. No snapping, and no snagging of bait. They basically run over them like idiots and get caught.
DH grew up in a very old house with mice (and rats, and other unsavory things) and he says the glue traps are far superior to anything his parents ever tried.
@Kaitlin, I wish we lived close enough to loan you my children; they've been catching mice in our chicken coop with quite the success rate. And I'm really sorry about the other stinky situations. You've got this; you're tough, I just know it.
@Kaitlin, no recommendations and no advice--just sympathy on your hard week. All that is a LOT.
@Kaitlin, I am in awe of your strength in the face of all of this. Cheering you from here with love and big empathy.
@Kaitlin, try live (metal) traps which catch mouse & you have to release somewhere else, OR glue trays where the mouse gets stuck on tray & wait for it to die & then dispose of OR get spinner traps that encloses mouse inside & dispose of OR maybe a cat to catch mice??
@Kaitlin, As the weather cools the wildlife heads indoors. I took care of the mouse and my dog took care of the snake.
Aww, Kaitlin. Sending you lots of love. I support the Costco pizza slices and the easy button meals.
Cheering you on over here. You are handling a lot right now.
@N, "if you don't have indoor pets." Oh ho ho. Last spring a mouse came creeping into the room where I was sitting, and a cat and two dogs sleeping. Not a single one of them stirred.
Please don't use poison (kills raptors like owls) or glue traps.
@Rose, again, that's why I used the spray only *outside* our house, to protect our indoor cats. They're also why I don't use poison. If I can't kill the mice quickly and humanely with snap traps, then I send them elsewhere with the spray.
@Kaitlin, so sorry you are going through all this. Mice are so horrid. One thing to try is to go around the outside of your house, and see if there are any little gaps. I have been told mice can enter a house through a hole smaller than a dime!! If you find gaps, fill them with steel wool and spray foam to prevent them from getting in. They can't chew through the steel wool and the foam holds it in place as well as insulating the space. I've also heard to put smaller amounts of peanut butter on the traps so that the mice have to go closer to trigger the release mechanism. Hoping for a better upcoming week for you!
@Cheryl 90, That's because, as an exterminator once told me, "Mice got no bones. They got cartilage instead." Uh huh.
@Kaitlin,
You're #5 reminds me of my mom's best friend, Doris. She used to give her grandkids whatever they'd like for breakfast, which soon turned into cake and ice cream. Her son, the grandkids' father, found out and just about had a cow about it. She told him that cake and ice cream have all the elements of a good breakfast: milk, bread, eggs (in the cake and in the ice cream), etc. Spoken like a true grandma...ROTFL....and totally ignoring the sugar that's also in the ingredients!
@Karen A.,
I give another vote for the glue traps. They are just very effective. Or even cheaper...duct tape laid upside down along the boarders of the wall. Then, if you're feeling particularly humane towards any little buggers that get caught, you can pop them into the freezer. They basically go to sleep and die. Just don't forget to throw out your mouse popsicles on trash day or you will seriously gross yourself out looking for boneless skinless chicken breasts later...
@Becca,
Borders, not boarders...the boarders are the ones you want to catch!
Oh Kaitlin, I'm so sorry for the hard week! Costco pizza sounds like a perfect thing when everyone's exhausted and crying. Hugs to you and I hope you all feel better soon!
@Rose, eewwww. Lol. Somehow knowing that makes mice more gross than before. I picture them almost slithering... Shudder!!
@Becca, Oh, we hadn't thought of the freezer! That's a good idea. My DH was not feeling particularly humane as one of the mice had scampered right over his foot the day before....so he put them in a trash bag and put it out in the garage. I expect PETA to be hammering on my door any minute.
@Rose, I am fond of the $50.00 dollar battery powered traps. Works with a C battery. The mouse or rat walks in and is electrocuted. Empty the bodies in the trash. No poison. No long and lingering sufffering. I got mine at Home Depot. Sandy
Welp, let me see if I can think of anything here.
1. I had accumulated some Digital credits on Amazon by using No-Rush Shipping, and I used those to purchase episodes of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice (really the ONLY Pride and Prejudice adaptation that exists, IMO) and those have served for cheap dates for me and DH. It's one of our favorite movies.
2. We went on a whirlwind weekend trip out to New England to visit our niece at college, and though we stayed at a nice hotel, we did our trip during our monthly three-day fast. That meant we didn't stop to buy any food (just gas) most of the time.
3. I decided to end my fast Sunday morning, and we stopped at one of my favorite travel plazas and I got a breakfast platter at Roy Rogers, about $7. I am a cheap date. DH decided to keep fasting, so he would be more alert and awake for driving. Once I hit 63 hours on my fast, though, I needed to eat so I could be coherent enough to keep him company! I splurged later on a $4 mint tea at Starbucks, which I only get on road trips.
4. The boys fended for themselves at home by cooking all the components for homemade pizzas, played games and watched movies we already had on hand, and generally kept up the frugal lifestyle at home.
5. While at the hotel, DH hooked up his laptop to the big screen TV and we were able to watch Pride and Prejudice on my Amazon account, rather than the hotel channels and commercials. Cheap entertainment on the road!
@Karen A., Your 1-
@Karen A., Wait, what - you fasted for three days? Amazing! In my book that counts for at least Frugal #1-3. (My cells are angry just thinking about it.)
@JNL, I'm starting to think if we ever get this Frugal Girl community get-together going, it needs to be over a 1995 P&P viewing. We can book a theater, have a showing, and show up wearing our best thrifted duds and bring all of our leftovers/freezer odds-and-ends for a potluck.
@Suz, Ha, I suppose it is very frugal! Every month I fast from Thursday evening until sometime on Sunday--I've been working up to this, I used to only be able to make it 24 hours, then 48 hours. It helps a lot that we time our long fasts with a road trip. If we don't pack any food in the car, there's no temptation to eat, and in general we don't like to stop more than we need to. And it makes road trips cheaper. We drink a lot of water and I do have a cup of decaf coffee in the mornings. It is hard when you see the billboards for the restaurants along the road, though!
We've found the fasting really helps clear out old infections; I had a persistent systemic candida infection that was causing me horrible headaches and digestive issues. I started daily intermittent fasting (eating during a 8 hour window is the goal) and then my husband starting doing longer fasts once a month and I joined him. It's always easier to fast with a partner!
@Karen A., I wish you'd been at the book sale I attended Saturday morning. My friend Barbara had saved a DVD set of the 1995 P&P for me, but I told her with thanks to put it back on the rack, since I and all my JASNA friends already own the set. (Hey, the next time I see one, does anyone else want one??)
And I like Jody S.'s idea about a Frugal Girl Commentariat P&P viewing. I'll wear my 100% thrifted and borrowed Regency servant's costume (if I can still fit into it, that is).
@A. Marie, I'd wear the Regency muslin dress I sewed for my daughter's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies costume.
@A. Marie, LOL! On our Vermont thrifting spring (while on vacation), I found a DVD set, and since I already own it, I suggested to the gentleman browsing the cds next to me that he should buy it because everybody needs a copy of that movie. He didn't bite.
@A. Marie, We actually have the DVD set! It was one of the first DVDs we ever bought as a married couple. We don't, however, have a DVD player anymore--we use a Playstation--and for travel, the digital version made more sense. 😉
Actually, not driving also save on wear and tear of your van which is also frugal in the long term.
My frugal wins:
-I made salad dressing instead of purchasing it. I looked up a recipe and modified it to use what I had on hand.
-We had an unusual cold snap and I was tempted to drive my kids to school. Umm they go to two different schools at two different times which would mean two car lines. Instead, we did layers and used the app to track the bus and times it to minimize time outside.
-I cooked at home every night and made extra to ensure leftovers on busy evenings.
-I paired sales and reward coupons and free shipping to get my daughter some long sleeve shirts.
@Andra, you have an app that tracks your schools bus(es)??? Please do share, never heard of this.
@Andra, I could have used that bus app 50 years ago when I chose - in Minnesota, during winter - to wear a mini dress, no hat or gloves, and unbuttoned coat. Ah, youth. Now I bundle up if it's 40 degrees out and I'm walking to my car.
Haha, we know we are getting older when we choose comfort over style. No way I'm freezing in a dress with bare legs in winter these days.
@Regina,
Our school district subscribes to an app called ride360. It definitely has its flaws but I’ve been able to time it pretty well in the mornings. The bus drivers who drive the buses my kids ride on are very good about connecting to the app. It came in especially useful when it was pouring down rain and I saw that the app wasn’t uploading so I figured out they had a sub driver, which meant it was going to be later. I was right, and was very glad I drove him versus standing out in the rain waiting.
@MB in MN, this would also describe my daughter who is 13. I am freezing just looking at her most days. But, she blends right in with the other middle school kids standing at the bus stop.
Made a huge pot of chili over the weekend with 2-3 dinners worth of extra food for the freezer. Also made Mexican lasagna with 8 slices for the freezer too.
Will be making some shredded red cabbage for dinner tonight with the head that I bought last week. I initially didn't know what to do with it and it probably was going to end up rotting, but this is perfect and my husband will definitely enjoy it.
The TV in my office died. I know I can get one of the same size for $128. from Walmart, but it could go on sale on Black Friday, so I wait. I will not pay $49. for their extra "know-it-before-it-goes-on-sale" deal. Not worth it for me.
Went to Menard's for a bunch of home improvement stuff and out of a list of 8 items, they had 1. I had a rebate check sitting in my purse since May, so the fireplace poker cost me $4.00 instead of $15.00. And we didn't buy anything not on the list!
A person at my husband's store mixed paint incorrectly: he mixed interior instead of exterior for a customer's order. There were 4 cans of a very good paint in a forest green color and he could get them for $10. a can. We bought 2 and I will paint my office and our bedroom this winter.
@Maureen, did you ask for rain check at Menards for anything on list that was on sale?? I have noticed that unless you ask employee if have product(s) Menards not stocking shelves very quickly because of seasonal changes need to be made first. And I try to get raincheck (good for 60-90 days) so I don't have to make extra trip back to store.
@Regina, no I didn't because I didn't see anything that was on the list. Its a drive for us to go to Menard's. The closer one won't be finished till next fall!
I'll go to the other stores this weekend and see what they have to offer.
@Maureen, I bet those rooms will be beautiful!
Good morning! Homemade chicken broth is so delicious. I haven't done a FFT in a while, so let's see.
1) We bought half a steer at a great deal.
2) I got gas at the station that always raises prices last. Saved .55 a gallon.
3) I made homemade chicken noodle soup for the first time, it's enough for lunches for the week
4) we've combined trips to town well.
5) paid our bills on time.
@Lisa, noting "paid our bills on time" is a new concept, but of course it is frugal. Thank you for pointing that out!
FFT:
1) We stopped by the BJ's Wholesale membership site to get our membership cards before the store opens on Friday. We were able to pick up all the membership cards while we were there so no one will have to stand in line once the store opens to get their card. They also gave me more coupons and a free gift while we were there. We went to their gas station immediately after getting our cards and saved on gas while we were close by.
2) Made a big pot of soup using chicken purchased on sale. We'll have soup for dinner at least a couple of times.
3) We were out running errands and got hungry. Instead of getting take-out, we stopped by the grocery store and bought bread that was BOGO and had grilled cheese sandwiches when we got home.
4) We coaxed our washing machine to do a few more loads before it stops working. It gets stuck in a mode where you can't select any options and all the lights are blinking but if I'm patient and stubborn enough, I have been able to get it to start, so far. But I know its days are numbered. 🙁
5) Some friends just moved in down the street, so I put together a housewarming gift with a basket I had in the closet and a few inexpensive items from Trader Joe's.
@Beverly, when our new washing machine pulled that stunt, we unplugged it, waited a minute or two, and plugged it back in. It worked! Phew. Sure wish we could have found one with real live mechanical buttons and dials instead of that computer-type of "buttons".
@Beverly, Most newer appliances have blink codes with their lights to tell the technician what's wrong. Write them down so you can Google them and probably fix the washer yourself.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, "pulled that stunt" was a phrase my Mom used all the time. Thanks for the smile and sweet memory.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I've tried unplugging the washer and that doesn't seem to help much. Oh how I miss washing machines have mechanical buttons!
1. Made a batch of truly terrible homemade tortilla chips. They looked and tasted like cardboard, with a dash of elephant dung. Apparently I had both amnesia and deja vu, as I had forgotten that I made these chips before with similar results. I abhor waste, so we topped those terrible chips with black beans, corn, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream in order to eat them. I made those chips specifically to use up some jalapeno peppers – and then I forgot to use them!
2. Found a large roll of dog poop bags on a walk. A few days later, I found another one. So that’s twice in my lifetime, within one week of each other.
3. Walked two miles with my dog to pick up a Buy Nothing item.
4. Went on a fascinating factory tour of the Faribault Mill here in Minnesota. It cost $10 and was worth every penny to see how blankets and other items are manufactured, in some cases using the same machinery from 150 years ago. Afterward, I bought an item that was 75% off. Did I need it? No, but it’s a treasured memento from a wonderful outing with my sister.
5. While on vacation, I went thrifting with my husband. This was only his second time and he is already a pro. Our favorite fun, unnecessary find was a wooden cake stand that was in terrible shape but we restored it to its former glory using an old can of Scott’s Liquid Gold and an old rag. Since we have no need for a cake stand, we’re going to use it to hold fruit; and when we entertain, we’ll use it for appetizers.
@MB in MN, may I borrow "cardboard with a dash of elephant dung" for my next major culinary disaster?
@A. Marie, of course! I came up with that after my husband said, correctly, that they tasted worse than cardboard.
@MB in MN, great list! I think it would be fun to hang out with you. . . hit a few estate sales, visit an old factory, and come up with original descriptions such as "cardboard with a dash of elephant dung".
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, same to you! What's a few thousand miles?!
Last week...
**I brought leftovers to work for lunch everyday except Friday, when I didn't have anything left to bring so I did treat myself to Taco Bell but ordered on the app and ordered what they were advertising on sale, so the total cost wasn't bad. And anyone that has gone thru the fast food lines these days knows how expensive it is.
**I am again trying to cook our meals from stuff already in our freezer and pantry so my grocery order this week was just essentials (but still spent $75). So it was frugal but with inflation, it's hard to see that.
**Used a 20 (or 25)% off coupon at Jiffy Lube to get my oil changed.
**Made my own teriyaki sauce and tzatziki sauce for recipes this week.
**Opened up some milk that I got super cheap. I had bought several half gallons and put them in the freezer and am taking them out as I need. I've found I can use up the half gallons before they start to go bad but not the gallon ones. They always go bad before I finish them up.
@kris, If you will put a few grains of salt into your carton or jug of milk, it will keep the bacteria from forming and the milk will keep a whole lot longer. I learned this from Mary Hunt's website or tiptionary book, and I've used it for along long time. I don't think I've ever had any "salted" milk spoil, and you don't taste the salt at all.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Never knew that! Thank you for the tip! 🙂
@kris, I have used part of a frozen gallon and then REFROZE it again for later use because otherwise it would go bad before I finished it.
1. Made $423.48 of medical/diagnostic test charges disappear (shazam!) by correcting insurance information on the testing company’s website.
2. Canceled some subscriptions and reduced the cost of others by half (or more) by saying I wanted to cancel and allowing myself to be wooed back by half price offers. “For you, best customer, have we got a deal…”
3. Slowly but surely checking public library resources before buying books, etc. One-click book buying is a hard habit for me to kick.
4. Along with #3 am exploring/testing book buying services with an eye to streamlining my collection. If $ offers aren’t worth the trouble, I’ll just donate to my community library as in the past.
5. And the air fryer saga continues! After acquiring a $229.99 Cuisinart air fryer + convection oven for $79.99, I saw that Target (once again, Target) was selling a small air fryer regularly priced at $80 for $50, but when I went on the website they were charging me only $35 with free shipping. This is a small 4 quart capacity appliance (9” wide X 9” deep X 10” high, about the size of a small slow cooker) that does not take up much counter space and can be stowed away when not in use. So I placed the order and 2 days later Fed Ex showed up as I was leaving the house to take the dog for a walk and hand delivered it to me as I opened the front gate. I just opened the box and apparently it’s a multi-function appliance that can also broil, bake, roast, dehydrate, reheat and defrost. I haven’t opened the box with the Cuisinart oven because I am waiting to see if my niece (who is relocating to Santa Fe for her new job overseeing operations for university, tribal, rural, prison and academic libraries for the State of New Mexico) would have a use for it depending on what she is able to find in the way of an apartment. Santa Fe is beautiful but very, very pricey.
@JDinNM, And just now a frugal fail: Dropped a container of pricey crumbled feta cheese on the floor as I was putting it back in the refrigerator. Cleaned it up proving once again that "nature abhors a vacuum" and so does my dog.
@JDinNM, lucky dog! Alas, my cat Betty was no help whatever with the open jar of Kalamata olives I dropped on the floor the other day.
@A. Marie, those olives would have gone nicely with my feta cheese.
I love that you still use your metal reusable lunch container. Is it insulated? Do you usually only pack dry food or cold/hot food? It looks like my old Girl Scout camping food container we used at camp. If I recall we used for everything, but only metal/not insulated so for immediate use.
Frugal things---
● Ordered teen Christmas gift yesterday when finally became available, got small free gift with purchase & free shipping (of course). Used Rakuten to order adding to my cash back earned & used cash back credit card for purchase. Didn't want to wait until Black Friday as this was available for pre-order few weeks ago (online) & think it may sell put quickly. Should be here in few days. 🙂
● After doing leaves was exhausted but had not gotten anything out for dinner. Teen hungry & not feeling good (natural consequences of not dressing warm in very cold weather & not taking medication to help) so used Dominos emergency pizza & earned reward points for free take out dinner.
● ordered non food items on sale for delivery/shipping from Sam's Club from new ad. Everything came quickly except dog shirt/clothes, still waiting. Was disappointed that Rakuten only gave me 1% on Sam's Club order when said up to 8%. Apparently you only get 1% unless doing new membership online through Rakuten.
● Put (some) bread in refrigerator recently to try to see if prolongs shelf life & did. I cut a loaf bread & left on counter & cut another loaf & put in refrigerator. Used most counter bread first & then used refrigerated bread next time. Counter bread had turned green within few days & refrigerated bread still good. It takes up space on refrigerator but less food waste. I have tried freezing bread & then (trying to) thaw bread but always turns soggy. Will stick with refrigerator bread while it works (for now).
● finally went to grocery store/Sam's & bought perishables/food. Have been wanting large croissants but they mold by end of day 2 & throw away most of them. Looked at large croissants while at Sam's & they were all dark dark brown 🙁 Found some nicer looking croissants & had in cart until going to checkout/leave & decided to put back, so definitely did not get any. Sam's bakery items have been overcooked a lot lately, I wonder why they don't adjust temperatures/baking time because I see them pulling baked goods & throwing away on sell by date.
● scraped out 5 shampoo & conditioner bottles to refill larger pump bottles in shower. Thank God no one else sees the shampoo & conditioner that comes out of pump bottles because I buy few different brands & don't really care/pay attention to what is already in bottle when refilling. Sometimes we get rainbow of color coming out while in shower.
@Regina, love the idea of rainbows in the shower!
1. My husband and I went to a Bed and Breakfast for our wedding anniversary this weekend. We hiked a couple of trails and did 1 wine tasting. We brought all the ingredients to make a charcuterie board, which saved us money on lunch and dinner. We also brought our own drinks and breakfast was included in the price of the room. It was really nice!
2. I used some homemade pear sauce to make a pear bread for my kid's breakfast this week. I roasted and pureed 2 pie pumpkins I paid $3 for. It made 4 big jars of pumpkin puree, which I froze. I sundried the last of the tomatoes from our garden. I used left over potatoes, herbs from my garden, cauliflower, and chickpeas I had in the cupboard to make my lunches for the week.
3. I unfroze and cooked a ham we got on clearance last year. The ham will feed us dinner all week (some days with sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, etc and some days as Hawaiian pizzas). Then we will use the ham bone to make a vegetable and bean soup.
4. I sewed a rip on the inside of my son's winter jacket.
5. My husband and I reviewed our employer's health insurance plans for Open Enrollment so that we get the best coverage for our family at the best price.
@Corrine, Happy (Belated) Anniversary!
I have weeks where I struggle to find any frugal items, too, and I have to remind myself that I live on auto-frugal almost all the time, so I shouldn't feel bad if there aren't any fancy, shiny frugal things to recount.
With that said, here's all I've got:
1. I just made broth, too. Is broth-making contagious? I did the long, slow, crock pot method of letting it cook on low for 24-36 hours.
2. I debated asking my mowers to dig up my one surviving blackberry plant in the side yard and transplant it, then disassemble the fencing around the defunct berry patch, a task for which I would be charged. Instead I cleared some turf in my back yard garden enclosure, dug up and transplanted the berry plant, laid weed barrier and mulch around it, pulled down the berry patch fencing and pulled up the wooden posts myself. It was work, but my labor is free. The fence wire and posts were some we had leftover from replacing an old fence a couple of years ago, and again, I saved them. I hope the berry likes the backyard better than it did the side yard.
3. I needed some containers for bulk buys of some pantry staples. Several of my old Tupperware and Tupperware-adjacent container lids have recently collapsed into pieces. I looked at Goodwill and found sturdy BH&G rigid containers in like new shape, and they were quite clean. I know their new prices at Walmart, so I knew these prices were good. I bought four of them and saved about $12.
4. I contacted my insurance company to let them know my roof is done. I'm paying for an inspector ($175) to check my new roof and wind mitigation. I should see a discount on my homeowner's policy after this.
5. I received a bill showing "patient responsibility" due from a medical company for something they did for DH earlier in the year. It's small, but I am not paying without investigation. He has multiple coverages - he shouldn't owe anything.
My frugal endeavors this week have been food related …
- I picked all my pink celery just before some recent freezing weather and I made a bunch of broth to use for soup this winter.
- I had a bunch of over-ripe bananas that I’ve been using up in banana muffins.
- I’ve also been planning meals to use up other items from my freezer this week, including edamame, butternut squash, fruit, and ground turkey
I have never heard of pink celery! Does it taste different?
And how fancy would that make an hors d' oeuvres tray or charcuterie board look?
(Note I had to confirm I was spelling all of those words correctly).
It grows in thin stalks that have a more concentrated flavor than regular celery. It is best eaten cooked.
@Heidi Louise, Good job on the spelling! The bright pink is beautiful. I even enjoy the color it adds to the garden.
Been sick with a head cold, but managed to do a few things:
1. The humidity here has been unnaturally low, making it smart to use the back porch clothesline. Heavy stuff dries in no time.
2. Did some handsewing to adjust the neckline of a thrifted shirt.
3. Our ailing elderly cat did not like the turkey and egg soup that I made for him, but the dogs love it as a kibble topper. Elderly cat is doing better on other foods we made for him.
4. Had a handful of store coupons and saved big on saltines, almond milk, ham, and a frozen meal.
5. Found three small beef chuck roasts on sale for $5 and some change each and bought all three. A sale like that has not happened in nearly a year. One I diced up for soup meat. All the silver skin cut off that one was fried up as a treat for the dogs, who were in bliss chewing up that tough stuff.
Well done!! That's a great list and I applaud your frugal efforts during such a busy time.
Just here to report two things: That all the friends' food pantry input last week helped me and the village office lady; based on the many suggestions offered here, she now has a strategy that hopefully will result in a more usefully-fruitful school food drive. And, thank you.
Also the June box of nonfrosted mini shredded wheat is fine, thankfully. Much like Kristen does not eat chicken soup without cream, I do not eat cereal without cream, and that helps. Ha.
Five unfrugal things:
1. Ordered new boiler so I can have heat. Just $17,500!
2. Made reservations for Thanksgiving dinner. $150/person.
3. Hired interim cleaning people. $30/hour.
4. Bought Hoka sneakers because I thought that was the brand everyone was raving about here. It wasn't. (still they're nice) $180.
5. Purchased a vintage sailfish copper weathervane as a yard decoration for the cottage. $175.
sigh.
Frugal:
1. We mostly eat at home with homemade food. Except for the sushi the other night.
2. We're saving on oil by having no heat!
3. I had a tantrum at my kids one night when it was time to make dinner and they both sheepishly ate canned stuff.
4. I finally made the T shirt design for a gift for son. It's a pain to change a low quality bitmap to a vector image but I finally did it.
5. went to the cheaper massage place.
@Rose,
Your post made me laugh. AND laughing can be a frugal thing for me and for others, as it eliminates impulse depression buying! ☺ So, if nothing else, you are spreading humor to others like me. ☺
@Rose, you're singing my song with Unfrugal No. 3. When people ask what I'm making for Thanskgiving, for years now, my answer has been "Reservations."
@Anne, Last year, I made a huge dinner for BFF and her brother. It was a really, really nice day and they loved the food. BFF said my pecan pie was the best they'd ever had. (I'd never made it before. Too sweet for me.)
Year before that, the kids and I took my mom out to eat near her nursing home. That's always a long drive.
In 2020, I was in the hospital with Covid and couldn't eat a bite of food. Though honestly? It was kind of relaxing. Everyone left me alone, I had a very quiet private room, and I just drank ginger ale and watch TV marathons.
This year I'm doing easy. And of course ridiculously expensive, but the ocean view and the food are fantastic there. We might bundle up and sit on the outside terrace by their firepits and order mulled wine, too.
We are so busy with sports and school that there is nothing frugal about fall for us. But, fall sports are starting to wind down so things are starting to turn.
1 - Found and promptly redeemed a $3 register coupon someone before me had abandoned, turned in my cans for the deposit, and claimed my grocery points for register cash - all in the same trip.
2 - Took advantage of this week's buy meat, get stuff free deal. This week it was buy a big package of chicken, get tomato sauce, bread crumbs, and cheese free. I did not make chicken parm, but have used the chicken and the tomato sauce for other meals.
3 - Checked the winter gear (except boots) and we only need two pairs of snowpants plus one jacket. That's pretty good among six kids. One of the kids is reaching max size so he needs duplicates of what his brothers are still using. The younger one somehow needs a snowpants size none of his brothers ever wore. The bigger size is just too much. Thankfully I was able to get the jacket and a replacement backpack from LLBean 50% off.
4 - Now that I have a bit more time to cook/plan/think I'm working through things that have been in the pantry/freezer. Next week I hope to do a formal audit. So far its just been what I happen to see.
5 - For the first week in what seems like forever, we do not have a rental car. Our regular cars both needed work. One got hit so that rental was paid by the other party. But, the other just needed a part that took a long time to come in and wasn't great to drive during that time.
Everyone's FFTs are my favorite posts of the week. I learn so much from all of you!
Not sure I have 5 this week, but here goes.
1. Ordered some over-the-counter items from my Humana Medicare Advantage/Centerwell Pharmacy account. Each quarter, you get $50 worth of free items....although I have noticed that their prices (which you get credit for) are higher than what Wal-mart or other discount pharmacies charge (and which you'd actually have to pay for). In the past, I just stocked up on first aid supplies and pain relievers, but this time I ordered 2 bottles of the eye vitamins that my ophthalmologist recommends. They were free to me, so I got a good deal.
2. Was able to buy a nice big flower pot of blooming fall flowers at Wal-mart for $5. They were marked down after Halloween, and the original price said $17. OK, this was a not-so-frugal impulse buy, but sometimes you need to cheer yourself up.
3. Got out a tabletop oven that I'd gotten at Aldi's a couple of years ago, and cleaned it up. Will start using it again. My kitchen oven stopped working and it is prohibitively expensive to fix or replace, esp. since I rarely need to use it. Looking forward to baking (and eating) biscuits!
4. Researched how to paint your laminate kitchen countertops with chalkboard paint. A few years ago, we painted them with a Granati kit; they looked great at first, just like black granite with brown markings, but didn't hold up to the constant scrubbing. The Hometalk website has ideas, and one poster just used chalkboard paint. I think the resulting solid black countertops will be much, much nicer looking than the original 1964 Formica pattern of gold glitter flakes against a stark white background.
5.
5. Researched inexpensive ways to border a flower bed. Already planning for spring!
@Fru-gal Lisa, those fall flowers you got may be perennials that will come back for you if you plant them outside in your flower bed. Doesn't hurt to try!
@JDinNM,
I'm hoping that will be so, but of course, I don't have much luck with plants...I once killed a cactus. That's a really terrible thing for a Texas lady to admit.
But my friend has helped me to plant some roses, and I will get here to assist with these flowers. I just may go back and buy another bunch if WM still has some.
Like @JD, I live on "auto frugal", so I might borrow a few items from other folks for today's list.
1. A friend is a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, and she did acupuncture for me for free after church on Sunday. If I had traveled to her office, it would have been big bucks. It was a lovely gift from her.
2. Some friends and I are figuring out how to beautify the side of our church that shows up first. One works at the local hardware store, and she salvaged enough pallets that we can paint and use to hide four hideous but necessary A/C units.
3. Not yet figured out, but we will find free paint to make the pallets all match and not look cheesy.
4. A citrus marketing organization asked to borrow some art for their annual meeting, which is 35 miles away. They said I can deliver it early to a closer office, so I'll take it when I go down the hill to teach drawing lessons today. (A big organization "borrowing" my art with the pie-in-sky-by-and-by limp hope that someone attending will buy something. . . welcome to my world. . . guess they have the frugal lifestyle down pat).
5. Paid my bills on time. 😎
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, your #1 sounds excellent to me. I wish I had a friend who did acupuncture.
In the writing world we call peep's who write randomly with no real plan (aka an outline) Pantster's.
I like your list and think you did just fine.
Five frugal things. Hmm.
1. Been stocking up/buying things for the holiday season since July when things go on sale so the cost isn't as bad or all at once. We also help out friends and family with our "pantry/freezer grocery store" when things are tight for them which makes us happy. It's a rough time when you've got hungry kiddos, bills to pay, and groceries are scarce...been there, so we help as much as we can.
2. All meals have been made at home instead of going out. Thank goodness for leftover lunches.
3. Using up all leftovers and random bits in the fridge so nothing is wasted.
4. Keeping my caffeine monster happy by toting coffee to work in my thermos for the mid afternoon slump.
5. Made pumpkin and banana bread as a treat to have with the afore mentioned afternoon coffee. Husband has requested next time I add chocolate chips to both, never done that...might be good. We'll see.
Haha, well, I am a diehard Pantster. I don't think I've ever outlined a thing that I write, at least not on paper!
@Kristen,
You’re not alone. I will say some of the most interesting novelists I know are Pantster's.
Myself I'm a bit of a hybrid...I get a basic outline down (this is to attempt to organize all my random ideas, notes, research, ect and is very useful in helping my focus) once I have an outline then I let my caffeine fueled chaotic muse off her leash and let her jitterbug all over the story.
My muse and I have a complicated relationship lol
I will say that though you are a Pantser your posts are well thought out and presented.
Best, and keep doing you.
@April, adding chocolate chips is always good. To almost anything.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
You took the words right out of my husband's mouth. He is a unrepentant chocoholic..for him there is no such thing that can't be improved by chocolate.
I'll humor him and try the addition to pumpkin bread..dunno about the banana...makes my inner taste buds cringe and go irk imagining that combo.
@April, I can highly recommend chocolate chips in both banana bread and pumpkin bread. I personally love both that way, and also love adding Nutella to banana bread. But I'm also a chocoholic! 🙂
Kristen, this is not a frugal thing. I just have a question. I have been making your clumping granola with 3 cups of oats and we love it. I saw your correction to 5 cups of oats instead of 3. I tried the last batch with 4 cups and was disappointed. The sweetness level was still ok but it wasn't as light and crispy as usual. The mixture on the baking pan was thicker and the middle didn't brown well. I felt like maybe there wasn't enough oil to crisp the extra oats. Are you sure 5 cups is the right amount? What are your thoughts? Thanks.
Yep, that's the amount I always use, and the amount printed in the cookbook I have!
But if you are used to three cups and you love it that way, why not stick with that?
1. Made a big batch of "refried" pinto beans in the instant pot, jarred them up and then froze them. 4 pounds of dried beans cost a little more than $4. I used about half and now we're set for at least 6 weeks of weekly use (I use them every monday when I make taquitos for the kids).
2. Made a big batch of british breakfast beans in the slow cooker. Same as with the pinto beans - they're cheap, less processed, taste better than canned, produce less trash and no BPA.
3. We made plans with our friends to meet up over Thanksgiving weekend. We found the hotel we're going to stay at and booked it. Friend realized he had a corporate code he could use from his job and booked our rooms for us - cut the hotel cost almost in half.
4. Figured out how to get my app to work and redeemed award points for a free baked goodie and a boba tea for my daughters.
5. I can't think of a fifth so I'll just say I did the usual: ate mostly at home, ran large appliances and charged the cars at off-peak hours, used rags instead of paper towels, took a moment to find the best prices on groceries and stuff for the kids, and cleared out unused stuff we didn't need after all by returning them.
I am following a formula for my adult kids' Christmas gifts and I am DONE. One of the gifts followed the "something to read" category. I budgeted $20 apiece and was able to buy 6-7 books EACH in like new condition from Amazon and Goodwill. I will make homemade bookmarks from scrap fabric. I'm pretty jazzed about it as I got to have fun both shopping for books and sewing.
I so admire all your continuing efforts to stay on the frugal track even when going through multiple "doozy" weeks! You are amazing!
Let's see if I can come up with five..... 1. bought pizza on discount day with coupons to bless a family that is going through tough times. 2. made all coffee at home. 3. bought ingredients on sale to make my youngest's favorite meal when she was home this weekend. 4. long-term frugal - bought quality tires (daughter's car) from a shop that also has a location where youngest goes to school. This way if she has any issues, they will take care of them for free. 5. raked leaves into the gutters so the city will sweep them up. This saved us from needing to buy yard bags and haul them to the dump ourselves.
@Cheryl 90,
Your #4 is brilliant! I wouldn't have thought to get tires at a shop that's also in the kid's college town. I recall more than one occasion when my dad had to trek 130 miles from Waco to San Marcos bc I had car trouble at school. Getting the tire store chain to have to fix stuff is genius!
"Passive" frugal things: Went one time to a local store to pick up scripts and limited impulse shopping. Main purchase was a pork roast for carnitas that I may serve or give to a family that is going to help me with yard work Friday. I have already given them my big pressure canner as I have not been able to use it as long as I've lived in this house. I haven't pressure canned much for one thing, and the cabinet over the stovetop is to low for the tall pan. Also going to pot up some bronze oxalis that I had as an accent plant on the front porch for the three girls. It can handily live indoors and saves me from composting it. (I already have plenty for me.)
Had a Dr's appt. in a city 1 1/2 hr away and limited myself to shopping in two places and ate an afternoon lunch at Waffle House instead of something more expensive. The other two stops, one NF(!) Crumbl Cookies and an Asian market, which was a new experience with items that were very reasonable.
Went to a grand reopening of my favorite auto repair, dropped my name in a drawing and won a $50.00 gift certificate. I don't know what it's for but $50.00 is nice!
Update on my twofers pumpkins, squash, and gourds. The squirrels (rats w fluffy tails) have eaten ALL of the pumpkins and started on the banana squash yesterday. They even ate the gourds! They are eating flesh and seeds, but I have a sneaking suspicion my neighbors and I will have volunteer pumpkins next year.
As for mouse traps: Feeke are the brand I use and they have been highly effective. They are a heavy duty but lightweight black plastic with sensitive weight and lethal snap. I also put sachet bags of lavender (I grow my own) in the places where they came into the cabinets.
I love a FFT list of the little things – because we all do the little things and they all add up!
1. We had my parents and in-laws over on Sunday to celebrate my son’s 13th birthday. His birthday was the weekend before but my parents were recovering from Covid and weren’t up for visiting. My son requested homemade pizza which completely warmed my heart. I catered a lunch for eight of homemade pizza, chicken wings, veggies and dip, and root beer floats all for less than the cost of ordering pizza from our local pizzeria.
2. I’ve been accompanying my son while he did some door to door fundraising for a school trip this spring. I feel a small sense of guilt asking people to help my son pay for a trip that we could cover on our own, but I’ve bought so many things from kids in our neighborhood over the years that I tamped that guilt deep down and look at it as a public speaking opportunity.
3. I just happened to be next to the best Upside gas station deal right when I needed gas.
4. Leftovers are still making an appearance in my lunches that I take to work. If there are just enough leftovers for one on a day that I work from home I make sure that my husband takes it with him. I have a whole kitchen that I can scrape something together with.
5. I’ve been making sure to gather all my veggie scraps and throwing them into the freezer to make veggie stock. I don’t use this stock to make soup – it’s not a show stopper. But it adds a little extra flavor to rice and potatoes.
1. We visited my daughter who lives 4 hrs away. I purchased an EZ Pass which means the tolls were discounted and it was quicker and my short arms didn't have to try to reach those toll booths.
2. I drove my hybrid car which meant a large savings on gas and we slept at her house in her guest room and on her couch.
3. We made breakfast at home before leaving and ate homemade sandwiches on the road.
4. My daughter gave me a large box of sample soap bars she gets for free from work. I definitely won't need to buy soap for a while. I brought her a free magazine my other daughter didn't order and doesn't like.
5. We enjoyed some free activities including a walk in a beautiful historical cemetery.
It is Christmas tree harvesting time in my area, so we are on the look out for *road kill* trees.
I put my chicken carcass in the freezer to use when company comes next weekend.
Last night I rescued the rest of a head of broccoli, a baked potato, cooked carrots and peas and made a soup using freezer chicken broth and some 25 cent pint of heavy cream leftover from making caramels for a friend's birthday.
The county graded the road we live on and I raked some of the edges to fill in where a lake has formed by the mailbox. I also dug out the culvert and the ditch along the property. Because I keep our property lines trimmed, neat and planted with wildflowers, they do not spray herbicides or whack at my Japanese maples that line our part of the road.
I used up the last of my yogurt to make my quart of ranch dressing, time to grab some milk for another batch.
I mixed up a batch of cookies and froze the balls. I am hosting a hair cutting party in a couple of days and we will have tea and cookies afterward.
I picked up more pine cones on my walk to make outdoor bird feeders for my holiday baskets.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
1. I made my final Easter ham from the freezer. With the leftovers I made 2 batches of cheesy scalloped potatoes with ham, tonight I'm making a ham and pasta dish, I'll do soup one night, and subs one night (with the B1G1 Hawaiian Roll mini sub buns I got this morning).
2. Yesterday I got costumes for my girls at 75% off. They're pretty cool costumes and I for sure would not have paid full price. 75% off is much more in budget.
3. Meijer had Halloween stuff 90% off today. I got a couple of cans of hair color and some face paint pallets for school spirit days (nothing was more than 29 cents each) and a couple of bags of non-Halloween-looking candy for my son's teacher to hand out as prizes or use however she wants. I also got some caramels to make caramel apples or make candy at Christmas.
4. Meijer gave me a coupon for $15 off a $50 pickup order, which is super easy to reach when I put cat food in my order. I got a turkey in my order, plus grabbed one in the store while I was there. Turkeys are 59 cents/pound this year, but limit 1 per trip. 2 down, 4 to go.
5. I catered a bunch last week, but still managed to cook or prep easy meals for my family at home (one of which was catering leftovers). They did eat out one night after my husband helped my parents cut and stack firewood all day, but I'm really thankful that he was able to help them out so much.
I feel like when I'm doing my own frugal win round-up posts, sometimes the best ones come from me scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas because it makes me see that there are a TON of frugal things I do regularly without even thinking too much about them. I think it's a good reminder that frugality isn't always about clearance deals and specials -- a lot of times it's much more about the habits we've had ingrained in us for years!
Here's a list of my own frugal wins for the week:
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2023/11/07/weekly-frugal-wins-truckloads-of-compost-literally/
I love that you can walk back and forth to school! And that you can get some of those frugal "every day" things done (like making broth and yogurt) while doing some of your nursing homework. 🙂
My five frugal things, Frugal/some Frugal Fails edition:
1) I, also, make chicken broth in the crock pot, using a Costco rotisserie chicken and aging celery, carrots, and onions. I will be freezing it, so future me will be happy current me made it.
2) In anticipation of my total knee replacement surgery this Friday, hubby and I have emptied out our (what was supposed to be temporary) offsite storage "closet". The monthly price is expected to go up $30+ dollars/month later this month, and I will be on short term disability following my surgery (so significantly less income temporarily). We will be saving about $180/month....AND getting rid/decluttering all the junk we don't need or use. Frugal fail: we should have done this a long time ago. Live and learn.
3) In further attempts to decrease our spending (see above), hubby and I have both caught and declined some subscription auto-renewals (Craftsy for me, hubby caught some video game things my son used to use). Frugal fail: I didn't even use Craftsy this past year (when I spent, I think, $12 for the year. Sigh.)
4) Still eating my free lunch on work days, as well as drinking their delicious free coffee. Eating leftovers or things we already have when at home for lunch (weekends for me, every day for hubby). Frugal fail: had to throw out an *entire box* of Peach Truck peaches that I bought back in - I think - July? (cringe). One thing led to another, and I never ate them or froze them for future use.
5) Remembered to get reimbursed for a professional dues/fee I paid in August.
Thank you all for keeping it real!
@Liz B., good luck on your total knee replacement. I had a partial 11.5 years ago, and it's still going strong (knock wood).
Multi-tasking is so great when you can combine a head task and a body task. So delightfully efficient.
@Liz B., re your #2... better late than never is my go-to motto.
About that walking to school: don't forget that starting the car, no matter how far you drive, also has a cost.
1. Sorted through the fridge freezer. Now I know what I have, which is always more frugal than not knowing what I have.
2. Discovered that my favorite chocolates store, which is very nearby, gives a free sample every time you go there. Even if you go daily. Note: I do not go daily and I never (so far!) get only the sample. Still - free chocolates! Very good ones, too.
3. Realized that for my now-expanded dining table, I can use the existing glass plus some new glass instead of having to get a new, much larger piece. This means I won't need to pay for delivery, either.
4. Found fabric in my stash for new chair cushions that coordinate with the cushions I have already.
5. Called the auctioneer to see what he can sell for me, of the things I don't want in my new house.
6. Been taking advantage of my walkable neighborhood to walk my errands. Today will be about 4 miles. As the Kristen says driving 0 miles is always cheaper than driving >0 miles.
-I picked up an extra night shift at my job.
-my teenage boy eats all our leftovers so we have very little food waste (but I am spending tons on groceries)
-I sent in my reimbursement requests for various parking and travel expenses for work
-I actually had bananas that were ripe enough for banana bread but not rotten, so whipped up a batch
-I am trying to stop drinking wine during the week (because I gained weight). Have also drastically cut back on diet coke/Pepsi (because it hurts my teeth).
1. I sold some kids' clothes. I bought my oldest new pants at a secondhand store.
2. I made all our meals at home. I even had some cupcakes for an unexpected birthday celebration.
3. I accepted some food from my parents who couldn't eat it fast enough. My kids gobbled it all up without waste.
4. I haven't bought any Thanksgiving decorations and I don't intend to.
5. I fixed some damaged walls (from baby gates that are no longer up). I had all the materials on hand. Let's not talk about how long the damage was there before I got around to fixing it...
New reader here.....
I listen and read books on Libby. We live in the country. Neighbor gave us 21 bushes of apples two weeks ago. We made apple juice with family. This week, he gave us 15 bushels. We made juice, have some for eating, made apple crisp, and will make pie. I cut up torn/holey t-shirts for rags.
I made a beef barley vegetable soup with garden veggies and leftover roast. Garden celery saves us a bunch. We saved dill and basil from our garden in glass jars.
Since I am retired, I like to attend book to art club at our library, quilting to make quilts for disaster relief, and days for girls to make feminine products. Not able to walk places, but I did this when I lived downtown St. Paul years ago.
We have a huge garden and share produce with others.
Hope you have a great week!
@Chris b, welcome; you're definitely in the right place! That's amazing how quickly you were able to process so many bushels of apples (and your beef barley veg soup is making my mouth water : )
@Chris b, that's a great first list!
@Chris b, Oh, yum! I haven't had a barley soup in so long and beef barley is sssssooo good. Welcome!
@Chris b, Welcome! My grandmother (and now my aunts) made so many quilts for disaster relief. When my aunt visited the east coast, we took a field trip to the Lutheran World Relief quilt warehouse (I don't know what it's actually called). It was so neat to see all those quilts baled up like hay!
@Jody S.,
We ship to Minnesota. So you have seen the Maryland warehouse. How exciting! I would like to see that too. We got boxes of beautiful fabric so our latest quilts are gorgeous. Nice to meet you.
I feel most of this year has been a frugal fail, what with hubby's dental work, my hearing aids, the dog's surgeries and car and home repairs, so this week is a real celebration for me!
1. Went to my State Farm Office to return their "beacons" for the Drive Safe and Save program, because I have not been able to get it to work since installing the app over a year ago. Lucked up that the broker was there, and in teaching a new agent how to troubleshoot, he discovered their office had never set our account up up correctly. So I have new beacons for both cars, and I believe we will reap some savings from this, because I do most of the driving, and I'm a better driver than hubby (no matter what he says.)
2. My small town's 3 gas stations are always highly priced (I think they collaborate; no friendly competition there!), so I drive to the Circle K about 6 or 7 miles from the house to fill up. (Example: town gas = $3.39/gal this week. Circle K = $3.22. Worth the few extra miles!)
Last Friday I went for gas and got it for $2.57/gal! Apparently CK has started a rewards program, which will be 3 cents/gal less than the pump price, but it was a promotional day, so I got an additional 25 cents/gal off. I don't know what else was part of the deal to bring it down so low, but I did luck out that day!
3. In addition, because I had added the Circle K app several weeks ago, I had offers for a free bag of candy and a free bag of chips, which I promptly used because I'd been out running errands for a while and I was hungry. lol
4. Then I used the Upside app and got $0.77 added to my account for the gas, and scanned the receipt for the gas with the Fetch app for new points.
5. Installed BeFrugal and Rakuten on the computer, in addition to Honey that I've had for a couple of years. We'll see if I save more.
6. I lucked up on some early Black Fri. deals online and got a Fiestaware bowl for my daughter's collection for half price at Macy's, and from JCPenney I bought a Nutribullet at half price for hubby, who mentioned several months ago he'd like to have one. Both are Christmas gifts, of course.
7. Am finally wise-ing up to the fact hubby is eating less as he ages, so bought a smaller package of stew meat than I usually do, cut the chunks into smaller pieces than usual and put half the meat into a freezer bag for another stew some day. Made the stew,and divided it into 3 servings: one for that day, one for the next day, and the third for the freezer. Dividing it up keeps me from having to throw out food because he forgets it's there, or gets tired of eating leftovers. I plan to do this with his chili, soup, spaghetti--any one dish meal.
8. Pulled the last of the almost ripe grape tomatoes off the vine (still blossoming!) before the big freeze last week, and lined them up on south-facing windowsills to finish ripening. Was able to give 2 baggies of them to 2 friends on Sun. and the last 9 on the sill are finally ripe. I believe this is the latest I've ever had tomatoes of any size from my raised bed garden.
9. Hubby likes to go to bed about 7 pm to watch television a while before he falls asleep. I'm generally up for another 3 hours, so I'll turn the thermostat down when he heads for bed, and put on a sweater, or cozy up with a blanket if I decide to read or watch TV in the den.
10. Said senior dog has lost so many teeth, she apparently can no longer chew the dental sticks, and stopped eating them just this week. I cancelled the subscription program, and am giving the bags I still have to people in my gifting group. I will have to find a substitute, so it may not be frugal for me, but there is still frugality being done!
I roasted a turkey...used the breast for lunch meat for the week, made broth for Thanksgiving from the bones, picked the meat off the thighs and legs and made hot browns for supper.
I returned some items I ended up not using to the store before it was too late!
I recycled some packing materials for a package I needed to mail
my husband took the time to change the oil and the brakes on my car rather than take it to the shop
I took my breakfast and lunch on my all day trip to Charleston...had work and doctor's appointments from 6am to 6pm.
I stayed out of thrift shops for the week so now pottery bowls or random kitchen trinkets LOL
I saved the bones from a rotisserie chicken so that I can make broth in the future.
I called California's EDD phone number in an attempt to correct some paperwork and get more time off with my baby. I didn't get through today but I'll keep trying.
I worked on paperwork to reimburse some FSA expenses.
I was able to loose some pregnancy weight (now that I'm one month postpartum) and thanks to the magic of spandex, I am able to wear my pre-pregnancy jeans. (I'm not sure how much credit goes to me since I had bad heartburn during my pregnancy and ended up not gaining a lot of weight since I could barely eat.)
I carpooled into town.
I needed to use up milk and cream. I had a package of chocolate pudding. I had a graham cracker pie crust. Chocolate cream pie for dessert this week.
I needed a food item for our club meeting this week. I had a box of pumpkin pie bar mix. Used it.
I took my sister-in-law out to lunch for her birthday (not frugal but nice). I bought an affordable journal for her and added some journal prompts for her to write about. I hope she does it to have for her grandchildren.
My sister-in-law asked me to look for some Williams-Sonoma cookbooks for her granddaughter when I go to book sales. I asked on my local Buy Nothing page. My friend had 5.
I have worked at cleaning out the 'frig this week and avoid wasting.
1. Made vegetarian chili from stuff we had on hand for a pot luck. We ate the leftovers a few days later when we needed a quick dinner idea.
2. I cleaned and carefully packed away my camping equipment after my side hustle show closed. I want to continue to keep everything in good condition to use next season.
3. When buy.
ing utility shelves, the salesperson asked of I needed a fourth and pointed out a discounted open box set. I only planned on buying 3 but I saved $70 on it and we planned on putting in more shelves in future.
4. My husband harvested all of his hot peppers before we got our first freeze.
5. Due to a time crunch, I bought groceries from 2 stores using Instcart. I accepted the free trail of free delivery for my orders and cancelled it a few days later
1. My son dyed his hair by himself.
2. Found that there is a recycle thing for appliances for free, they should be picking up my broken double oven tomorrow.
3. Pasta
4. Eggs
5. 50 off 100 at groceries with my month of free prime with coupon FRESH50. Woo woo!
1. Our community held its biannual recycling event this past weekend and I was able to get rid of 7 boxes of old electronics! Most of it was stuff from my parents' house cleanout (think old VCR from the 80's, VHS tapes, cassette tapes and camcorders!) but I was glad it didn't have to go to a landfill.
2. My son asked for a pair of flannel pj pants which were on sale at Old Navy. I ordered online with store pick up. When I went to pick it up, I noticed the same pair was on sale for a cheaper price in store than online. So I bought the pair in the store and will let the online order lapse (if I don't go pickup within 5 days, they will cancel the order), saving $3.
3. My husband and I just moved my MIL from her house to live in an independent living apartment closer to us (we're in that season of life). She gave us food left in her fridge and pantry that she could not finish, including a box of crepes, cereal and a loaf of bread. She also gave my husband a bag of things she no longer wanted, including a nice digital alarm clock and some Euros, which will be useful for my trip to Europe next spring.
4. Redeemed Swagbucks and ibotta credit for $35 into my paypal account.
5. Used a Starbucks gift card for buy a drink for my husband while he accompanied me on a grocery shopping trip. Redeemed Fetch points for another Starbucks gift card for my monthly drink and occasional treat for the family.
@DebbieR, What a relief to get the electronics sent to where at least some parts of them can be recycled.
I had not seen VHS tapes in a list for electronic recycling before. I will keep an eye out for that when my county's next time comes around, as we have a box of tapes that got wet in the basement.
1. I have been finishing up food odds and ends from when my parents were visiting. My mom likes to cook very specific recipes that end up with little dribs and drabs of ingredients, which drives me crazy but I appreciate her cooking so I just try to clear out the odds and ends when she leaves. I’ve finished some sour cream, almond milk, cinnamon sugar, and a few other things I don’t remember.
2. I had my biannual dental checkup and cleaning. Fortunately this is covered at no charge through our insurance.
3. Picked up my free card of the month from Hallmark, and also a birthday card for my husband because I had a $3 off coupon from them. I needed to buy his card anyway (we don’t do gifts), so this was nice timing.
4. Cut into my fish oil supplement bottle with scissors, and carefully pried apart as many capsules as I could from the melted blob at the bottom. I mentioned in a previous FFT that Vitacost graciously refunded me the total cost, but I’ve been trying to use what I could despite the general fishy yuck factor. Only about 20 more capsules to go!
5. I’d saved a deodorant/antiperspirant that didn’t work well during our warm summer months. Now that it’s cooler, I can try to finish it up.
6. I use my half birthday for some birthday freebies, so I picked up a freebie dessert yesterday while running errands.
I washed both cars wit my garden hose, rad and towels. You don't need to go through 10 dollar car wash Everytime.