Five Frugal Things | chicken, then soup
1. I bought some marked-down chicken
I needed some chicken for my string of chicken salads, and I was in a bit of a hurry so I stopped at Safeway.
Their chicken prices were mostly too high for me to stomach, but I found a package of marked-down bone-in chicken breasts that were near their sell-by date. Yay!
I used them for the salad, of course, but I also saved the bones and skin and used them the next day to make a batch of chicken broth (along with two carcasses from my freezer).
Here's how I make my chicken broth!
2. I made some asparagus soup
I had a bunch of asparagus that I'd neglected (when I am very busy, I tend to gravitate toward veggies that need no cooking.) The asparagus wasn't going to be great sauteed, so I made a little pot of soup.
This used up my asparagus, plus some of the chicken broth I'd just made, plus some of the Parmesan I'd frozen when I cut the mold off a few weeks ago. SWEET.
3. I packed and shipped three eBay items
Oddly, three listings sold within 24 hours! One was a Halloween costume of Zoe's, one was a pair of shoes, and one was a book.
I packed them all up in saved packing materials (of course) and dropped them at the post office when I was already driving by.
Someone asked about saving on Halloween costumes: other readers are probably better than me with tips on this, but my best tip is to look on eBay for a costume.
People are always listing their slightly used costumes on there, and when your kid is done with the costume, you can list it on eBay and sell it the next year (list it in mid-summer. Or you can list it any time and just stick the costume in a closet and forget about it until it sells down the road!)
4. I mended two items
A pair of shorts needed a little hand-sewing to fix a hole, and a workout top needed a little repair as well.
5. I put in info to get paid from Facebook
Apparently, I am signed up to get paid for posts on my Facebook page (!) but I had not input any payment information. So the money was just sitting there.
It's not a lot (like, $200 for the last six months), but hey, I would certainly not turn down $200 if someone was trying to hand it to me.
I filled everything out, and now the money is in my bank account.
I suppose I should figure out exactly what Facebook is paying me for, because I have obviously not been at all strategic about this; I've just been doing my usual thing on Facebook.
That was not very savvy of me! 😉
Does anyone have advice for getting back on the frugal track? I feel that I've been spending way too much money lately. Some of it was necessary (wisdom teeth, for example!) but some of it could definitely have been saved.
What I did do...
1. I used the library and remembered to renew a book this time so I didn't get a fine.
2. I used a recycling voucher for money off at the supermarket.
3. I got some food reduced.
4. I've got better at remembering to use my reusable water bottle instead of either forgetting it/forgetting to fill it and then buying a disposable one.
5. I passed some Danish exams. This is frugal because I have a limited time frame to pass them and if I don't, I have to pay for private lessons. Right now the classes are free.
@Sophie in Denmark,
Hi Sophie, I can only recommend you to think about why you splurged (splurge to save later, splurge to comfort yourself for feeling down, splurge because spending leads to spending) and once you know that it will be easier to take small steps back towards frugality. Whatever the reason behind spending, please be kind to yourself!
@JNL, I've been stressed lately which is a definite factor. Thanks!
@Sophie in Denmark,
Sometimes expenditures are necessary. However, when I have been a bit spendy, I write down every purchase that I make and keep a running total. This helps to see what I am really spending and where.
@Sophie in Denmark, I definitely spend more when there are medical things going on, and like you said, some was necessary, maybe some you felt like treating yourself due to the surgery!
@Sophie in Denmark, This is a good time to remember the 80/20 rule. If 80% of your frugal intentions come through and/or improve, that's still a great number and will help offset the 20% that didn't go as expected. Barring that, sometimes life is just pricey--grant yourself patience and grace. A person only has so much bandwidth; sometimes getting through the day means having the energy to go to the store but not the energy to check for coupons first. You can always pick frugality back up once you've muscled through to the other side. You've got this!
@N, thanks and thanks to everyone else!
I seem to constantly be struggling with spending money because life is short and then reminding myself that I don't have to spend on EVERYTHING. Of course I could not spend money on anything outside of groceries and transport to work, but that seems a pretty miserable way to live. I want to spend money on socialising now and then and enjoying the occasional icecream. I want to have a streaming service to watch in the evening. I want to read and support interesting writers on substack. And yet, of course, I don't need to blow money on takeout every week or have numerous streaming services.
I'm struggling with striking the balance!
@Sophie in Denmark, do you have a budget that allows for savings, spending & splurges? If you have flexibility to have a splurge budget, it makes me feel like I have control over choosing your splurges. You can't have every splurge every month, but some weeks it can be ice cream, another month it could be a meal out with friends, another it could be a new workout top that makes you feel good or whatever. I don't personally do well when I feel like I have no flexibility. I also see much, much better results when I'm tracking my spending and working towards a clear goal (paying off X amount, or saving Y amount for something.)
@Hawaii Planner, no, but I probably should. I'm never sure which budget packet I should choose (ie something like Mint) and the better ones seem to want you to pay for them, which is kind of ironic. What I should do is try and sit down and work it out the oldfashioned way but I don't feel very confident/motivated. I will try though!
@N, You are so correct about preserving our bandwidth! This past week, I decided that I simply can not manage paper coupons or Fetch, anymore. I will continue to shop carefully, using only digital coupons.
@Sophie in Denmark,
First, don't beat up on yourself for going through a period when you were spending more than you'd want to. It won't help fix anything.
If you haven't already tracked all that you spend on food, for example, I'd suggest that. What you bought, where you bought it and when. Also if you noted when and why you had to toss food because it had gone bad.
People think they know all this but unless you write it down, you don't. I've never met anyone, myself included, who wasn't surprised on how and what they spent for food and household products.
If you aren't keeping a pantry (items you use regularly that you buy on sale), then start one that fits your space and your budget. I'd also do a review of what you eat each week and whether you want to continue or need to change things up. Tracking what you spend, on what and when...and understanding WHY...will help you nail down areas where you want to cut back. Without this analysis, you really can't say how or where you can save.
The steps you listed may seem small but as you know, a lot of small things add up.
I'd also be sure whether online or in stores, to use cash back apps. And be sure that any store you shop at, you've signed up for any store memberships where you get discounts and coupons, etc.
If it makes sense for your family, consider buying in bulk, either at a local box store or via Amazon subscribe and save (Don't know if they have anything like either of these in Denmark, but I suspect they do.)
I also try to identify triggers for spending: emails with sales, text notifications about sales, etc. I do keep a list of items I'd like to purchase in the last year and I track prices using an app. It helps me identify when there are sales or promotions, because I refuse to buy at full price.
Good luck. Identifying what matters for you to spend on and then adjusting your budget accordingly will help you keep on track. As will daily tracking of food an dother spending.
You would be amazed at how much incentive you get when you see the actual dollars and cents you are spending. And, oh, yes. pay cash whenever (or immediately put whatever you spend on credit cards aside to pay on your card).
@Sophie in Denmark, you may want to check out Dave Ramsey. He has many budget tools available for free.
As far as splurge money, in our budget, my husband and I both have a set "splurge" amount each week. It is small, but it is money we can spend however we want without having to okay it with one another. I can either spend it right away or save it for a bigger splurge.
Hope you find what works best for you!
@Sophie in Denmark, I’d suggest picking a couple things that are easy to be frugal with as a starter and focus on those! Once you find success with those maybe add another thing? Sometimes it’s overwhelm that holds me back, so breaking it down is helpful to me!
@Sophie in Denmark, so many people have already offered excellent advice that I can't add anything to it except encouragement. Hang in there.
@Caitlie, thanks and thanks everyone for the encouragement!
Another issue I have is that I don't always want to try and buy the cheapest thing, because I want to buy things which are ethically made (as much as this is possible in our economic system). I know it's privilege in itself to be able to consider this but it's also another frustration. I think I've found something decently made or decently sourced and then I find out that the company was bought out by some other, less ethical company, or that the food crop has negative environmental impact, for example. So I struggle to be frugal and also conscientious. It's all a big headache.
@Sophie in Denmark, I admire you greatly for being bi-lingual! That is a lifelong useful accomplishment.
@Sophie in Denmark, don't be too hard on yourself. it's impossible to be frugal all the time. life thows us curveballs.
@Heidi Louise, thanks! I'm not totally fluent yet but I can read most things in Danish. I can also read most things in Swedish and Norwegian and some things in German and Dutch as the languages are similar.
@Anita Isaac, thank you!
@Sophie in Denmark,
I admire your efforts to buy items that are ethically produced/sourced, etc. It can be very frustrating for the reasons you mention. I find, too, that it's a struggle (in my mind) sometimes between choosing the higher priced/ethically sourced item vs. something less expensive/not so ethically sourced. I guess it depends on what other expenses we've had that month. I do try and buy as much as I can second-hand, too.
@Sophie in Denmark,
Ask yourself, "why do I want to be frugal?" Then write your answer on a post-it and tape it to your credit card. (You've already made it so your computer doesn't automatically fill in your credit card, right?)
@Becca, yes, I have!
@Liz B., thanks! I try and buy second-hand as well. It can get so frustrating. I also don't want to start virtue signalling when, after all, it's the big companies which can really change regulation, but I want to buy things where the workers are treated well. I do the best I can and know it's impossible to do perfectly.
@Sophie in Denmark, I find that the best way to get back on track/stop spending is to just try to be home more. Cook at home, find free streaming through the library or Tubi(or whatever you have in Denmark). Find happiness in a cup of tea or baking a batch of cookies, or reading a book in a sunny window. The best way to saw money is by cooking and eating at home. Using up whatever is in the frig. Good luck. Being mindful is always a good start.
--I defrosted and inventoried our fridge freezer, which held an impressive array of things we'd forgotten about. (Weirdly, we keep better track of the deep freezer.) Only one bag of comically freezer-burned carrots went to the compost. Between my finds and the garden, our grocery shopping should be minimal the next few weeks.
--One of the freezer discoveries was a small pork roast. We cooked this in the crockpot for dinner one night, then used the drippings to make flavorful rice for lunch the next day.
--Thanks to thisoldhouse.com and the guys at our local, family-owned hardware store (they are amazing tutors/cheerleaders), I learned how to repoint and mortar a brick column by myself! Our house has one brick center column (formerly the fireplace chimney) that is exposed in the basement. The foundation inspection confirmed the column was structurally sound, but after 130+ years, the mortar between the outer bricks was wearing away and had several large gaps. $60, two 50 lb bags of mortar, and many hours of cleaning and mudding later, our 8 x 2' column is hopefully ready for another 130+ years! I had noodle arms for days afterwards, but it was worth it.
Before: https://ibb.co/myDhrC2
After: https://ibb.co/CW8vsvm
--For said column project, I already had all the safety gear I needed (disposable gloves, disposable N-95 masks, LED headlamp and goggles) and made sure to wear junk clothes (long sleeves, jeans). Once I was done, I cleaned off my goggles, my headlamp, and threw out everything else, which was both sweat-soaked and mortar-encrusted.
--A neighbor was thinning their garden and generously offered their MANY spare irises. The day after I planted all of them, a box flat of 20 Asiatic lily bulbs appeared on the porch! Thanks to such donations, our yard has gone from bare to "Where will these go?!" in just over a year. We already had 50+ day lilies from one friend, 24+ irises and other randomness from still another friend, and that's in addition what we bought ourselves before the generosity onslaught began! We have a big lot, but all the logical spots are now full. Will I start saying "No" to free flowers? No, I will not. 😛
@N,
Congratulations on your successful DIY. I love learning how to do something new. BTW, I don’t that I have ever said no to free plants.
@N, super impressed with your new skills!
@Bee and @N, I rarely if ever say no to a free anything. If I did, people might stop giving me freebies! 😉
@N,
Wow, I'm so impressed with your column project, and yay for online tutorials and encouraging hardware store folks! I once did a terribly messy DIY job (varnishing the wood trim on our sail boat, which has since gone to Sail Boat Heaven), and did the same thing.....I threw away the junky clothes and shoes I wore once it was all done. They were beyond redemption!
And same here....I will never turn down free flowers. 🙂
Frugal- using gift cards to get take out on a hot day. Cooling off house at night and closing up during the day to keep house cool on the random hot days we've had. (Please, autumn, come back!) Volunteering at concession stand to help defray casts for son's activity. Eating out of freezer. Refreshing wardrobe through thrift stores and Thredup. Only little wins this week, but sometimes that's how it goes.
@mbmom11,
I did send in clothes to Thredup in their Clean Out bag. Things my kids have never worn, and a few pants that never fit, despite my best intentions. So one more frugality!
Unfortunately our favourite toiletpaper, on sale, was sold out by the time I had my lunchbreak and could go there. O well. I did bring back several winterpansies and a huge bag of marked down produce, and I also got to bike in the sunshine!
Last week's frugals:
-Listed several and sold one item
-Bought and froze 50% marked down artisan sourdough bread
-Bumped into a new charity shop while taking long walk near my home town and found five cotton handkerchiefs - a find I could easily carry for the 7 kms home
-Investigated if I will be entitled to a discounted railway ticket when I turn 60, and I will
-Made an additional mortgage payment again. I do not always list those for FFT but I've noticed that the amounts do add up over time. The results are very encouraging
1. Library books, as always. DH inspired me to go through the youngest's bookshelf and we curated a nice collection of children's books for our Little Free Library; took the books that wouldn't fit and trucked them to the library to donate.
2. Biked to the library, and this time did not stop at the store for a snack (DH was fasting) or to get chips for the kids. I don't feel bad for them at all, we had microwave popcorn on hand if they wanted a crunchy snack!
3. Managed to salvage two cauliflowers that had languished in the fridge a bit too long; a bit of trimming and they were ready to roast to go with dinner one night. I do love roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce, especially with carrots and red onions roasted with it.
4. Have held off on buying seltzers now for about three weeks. I think once a month is a good balance, otherwise the kids drink them like water.
5. Used Amazon points to get some school supplies, water bottles, and hydrocortisone cream (random, but needed).
Forgot a Frugal Fail: I neglected to hide my earbuds from Clark, and he chewed right through the wires on my new pair! Thankfully he didn't swallow anything, or it would have been a big vet bill fail! $10 out the window.
@Karen A., You should take that $10 out of Clark's allowance.
Yes. Natural consequences. 😉
Shelley (also a tuxedo) likes to bite cords. But Chiquita, committer-of-many-cat-crimes does not bother cords, oddly.
She is busy getting into other mischief.
@JDinNM, Ha! I'll take it out of his squeezy treat (Churu cat treats he adores) allowance.
Bought kibble for the dogs while it was on sale at the grocery store. Rack dried laundry on the back porch. Used some way too scented body wash to clean the toilet and mop the bathroom floor. Altered the neckline of a thrifted shirt with a little handsewing to take the floppy out of it. Cleaned and conditioned all my leather shoes because maintaining possessions is frugal.
@Ruby,
I am inspired by your alteration work. I have a dress I like, but it has issues. I took out the sewing machine. I’m going to give it a try.
@Bee, I encourage you to sew! Even a little sewing can make a big difference. I save $$$ by adapting men’s tee shirts to my curvy female body—what a difference a good fit makes! Keep your machine and hand tools handy, clean and in good condition. Be sure to use a new machine needle every eight hours of sewing. It makes a world of difference. I also sew for my DH and me. And our household. And gifts.
@Bee, I pretty much have to do it or go naked, being quite short. 😀 I really like Lucky Brand shirts but they almost always have a neckline cut too wide or too low for someone as short-waisted as me. I figured out how to take up little darts in the back of the neckline or to take up the shoulder seams, depending on which will work, to make them fit right.
I am the opposite; my height is allllll in my torso! So I more often have the problem of a shirt being shorter than it ought to be.
@Kristina, @Ruby
I learned to sew quite late. My projects are usually rather simple. Straight lines and no fitting required . I’ve made curtains and throw pillows
However, I have a dress that I like, but was going to give away, I think I’ll try to make it work for me. If I am unable to there is nothing lost.
No two bodies are alike. It is so hard to buy off the rack and have things fit well that is for certain.
@Bee,
Don't discount your sewing projects. Ready made curtains are stupid expensive!
Is it Tuesday already?! I set my calendar to the topic-of-the-day here….
I’ve been doing my best to make up for my failure to use my Target card on my last shopping expedition, losing the 5% discount ($5.54). So here goes:
I saved $200 on a specialty fertilizer for my 5 enormous honey locust trees. Amazon was selling it for $30 for a 5 pound bag ($6/pound), as was the manufacturer. But I found it on the website of my favorite online nursery for $50 for a 25 pound bag, so … $2/pound. I got 50 pounds for $100, instead of $300. I used a Capital One coupon for free shipping. I wouldn’t normally categorize a $100 expenditure as frugal, but this was something I (really, the trees) needed.
Saved 43% (about $15.20) off my CVS purchases.
Got the new COVID vaccine for free (covered by insurance).
Sold some more books to my favorite new and used bookstore, and took the cash instead of store credit because I DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANY MORE BOOKS!
Getting ready to cancel several newspaper subscriptions (about $524 annual charges just for online access!) and see if the PressReader service from the library will satisfy my need to know. A “need” that seems to lessen every day…. Maybe ignorance IS bliss!
@JDinNM, Great savings on the specialty fertilizer!
@Beverly, Thanks! I couldn't find it locally so "let my fingers do the walking" as they used to say in the commercials for the Yellow Pages. Am I the only one who remembers the Yellow Pages? Or phone books in general?
@JDinNM, I also remember.
@Anne, I remember! I think my parents still have some knocking around.
@JDinNM, I miss phone books. I miss knowing where people live both by the area code and the prefix. I miss easily memorizing people's phone numbers. 41 years ago I let my fingers do the walking and found the priceless mechanic whom I still rely on.
@JDinNM, I do remember the Yellow Pages. It's nice that we can now let our fingers doing the walking via Google when doing price comparisons.
1. Beef is expensive here, but trying to stretch my beef bucks, I made some broth with it. So now I have cooked beef and broth.
2. My husband has a shirt he finally agreed to get rid of (it's stained and has a hole, but he's gotten great use out of this thrift store find!). Anyways...it's not going in the trash just yet, first it'll be cut up and used as cleaning rags.
3. Got some books from a little library.
My five frugal things, entertaining edition (my best friend was in town!!).
1. We used our state park pass to going hiking Saturday. The more we use this pass, the more we save because entrance is $7 and the pass is $50 (though ours was gifted for Christmas).
2. I made breakfast at home for us Saturday and sandwiches for the hike, to offset eating dinner out Friday + Saturday and brunch Sunday.
3. I bought our tickets to a roller derby game weeks in advance, as they are more expensive at the gate day of.
4. Sunday afternoon we had our open house, so we had to be elsewhere, we packed leftovers for lunch at a park. The dog enjoyed the dog park portion, and then we found a picnic bench for lunch and reading library books before we could return. Free entertainment!
5. I used a finished peanut butter jar to make chocolate peanut butter protein overnight oats.
- Went by our house that is for sale and took a video of the whirlpool tub jets working. The buyer's inspector said they were inoperable, and the buyer requested we repair them. That item has now been struck off the repair list.
- My company provides us free access to a financial advisor, so I met with him and changed the distribution on my 401k funds. As I get closer to retirement, my risk threshold is lower, so we moved things to less risky funds.
- I skipped getting takeout for lunch yesterday after helping DD out all morning with grandbaby. Instead, I used up the last tomato from the farmer's market to make bacon and tomato sandwich.
- We grilled hamburgers to use up the leftover buns from Labor Day cookout.
- We didn't have anything to take for lunch today, so I made tuna salad with things from the pantry and frig. Tuna sandwiches will also use up the last of the bread in the pantry.
I'm definitely making some excuses for not being very frugal with this week's list:
1) I did NOT buy a ridiculously overpriced pen loop for a journal. I did buy leathermaking supplies to make my own...It's still a win, though, because the supplies were less than 1/4 of the cost. But also, WHY IS A PEN LOOP SO EXPENSIVE!?
2) I used grocery app coupons.
3) I didn't order pizza for delivery again.
4) I didn't stop at Sonic.
5) I didn't buy that stuff at Ulta, even though it was on sale. It's time for me to delete some apps and block some websites, I think.
@profesorahb, Maybe that's the secret to being frugal -- not the so-called "bargains" but the long list of "did not buys"!
@JDinNM, this is a third-hand account so bear with me, but I listened to an episode of How to Money that featured The Non-Consumer Advocate, and she recounted how The Tightwad Gazette wanted to include in a promotion all the places she didn't spend money (ie driving past McDonald's with a car full of kids) to demonstrate her saving strategy. That was not deemed as cinematic, though.
@JDinNM and @profesorahb, Amy D covered this exact topic in a long Tightwad Gazette piece titled, as I recall, "Active vs. Passive Frugality." I'm sure we'll be getting around to this one in Kristen's continuing series on the Gazette.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I remember that the "zoom past McDonald's" story was included in the Gazette article I mentioned.
@A. Marie,
That would be a wonderful topic for discussion. What we don’t do is sometimes as important as what we do.
@profesorahb,
Ummmm, what's a pen loop (for a journal)?
I spent a lot this last week on college related stuff: getting DS18 what he needs for his dorm, and sending college applications with DS17. The latter was hundreds of dollars. Oof. I do not feel particularly frugal. But, here we go!
1) Heading out on a hiking trip with a friend this morning, and used points from many work trips ago we'd forgotten about to cover the cost.
2) Sharing a room with friend on said trip, which cuts the cost for both of us.
3) Bringing electrolyte water & protein bars from home, in the same vein.
4) Sold a bunch of stuff on eBay last week.
5) Finally made $100 on my blog, which I've had for 10+ years, so my hourly rate is absolutely fantastic. 😉 I obviously do not blog for the income! Also did a consulting call & earned $150 for one hour.
My DIL recently found Halloween costumes on Facebook Marketplace. She paid $15 for costumes for the whole family. They will be the Flintstones - Fred, Wilma, Pebbles and BamBam.
1. I replaced my 8-year old cell phone last week. With this purchase, I received an offer for 3 free months of Apple TV. I signed up and marked my calendar to cancel. Now I can watch Ted Lasso. I have yet to see this highly rated television show.
2. I paid for my prescription using my Health Savings Account.
3. I purchased a sweater for myself at Goodwill last week. I am assuming that it will eventually get cool here in Northern Florida. (Maybe?)
4. My son shared leftovers with us after our granddaughter’s first birthday party this weekend. I graciously accepted. My son and DIL are exceptional cooks.
5. I did all the usual things. Used the library, batched errands, brewed my own coffee, primarily drank filtered water, paid bills using online services and ate most of my meals at home.
@Bee,
I'm so glad to get to watch Ted Lasso! It's so, so good. So many "Easter eggs" throughout the show, the music is fantastic, the acting and writing and....
Sorry, I'm gushing. 🙂
@Liz B.,
*you* get to watch....
1. We were invited to a free apple-picking and drove out yesterday. What we will do with 25 lbs of apples and pears I don't know! Lots of applesauce, I guess.
2. The cost of groceries continues to rise; we mostly buy un- or minimally processed foods to keep costs low. But dang.
3. They were handing out free granola bars at the train station 2 days in a row, so I got lots of free snacks haha. Today they were handing out "protein coffee" which sounded gross to me, so I passed.
4. I got my daughter snowpants on Fb marketplace, and the seller threw in a second pair for free. We already have a hand-me-down jacket.
5. I bought a pair of secondhand skates for myself so that Mr. B can take me skating on a date 🙂
@Meira@meirathebear, Love your #5!
@Meira@meirathebear, if you have a dehydrator or can borrow one from a friend make cinnamon apple chips. They are amazing. We use a spiral cutter which cores and peels them. I put them in a bowl of mostly water with some lemon juice. Then I put them in a bowl with lots of cinnamon. Dehydrate for 6 hours. They are amazing.
@Meira@meirathebear, when we go apple picking after we make homemade apple crisp/crumble (& put into freezer portions) we also make homemade apple jam (not jelly) that's more like a marmalade. I have a crock pot jam maker (crock pot with mixer built in) that we make jams with & hot water bath canning. Has been a big hit.
1. We had an overabundance of peppers in our last few CSA boxes. I roasted, chopped, and froze a majority of the peppers over the weekend. I’m looking forward to using them this fall/winter in some of our favorite dishes.
2. My son started reffing games this weekend! He’s not old enough to drive to the games so I was his ride. I packed snacks, a book to read, took a long walk, and made catch up phone calls to family. In the future he will be working at games closer to our house so he can ride his bike and I won’t have to hang out in the car until the game is over.
3. I managed to find some clearance pants for my son. He’s tall and thin so finding anything in-store that fits is challenging, add to that he is a picky teenager and options are even fewer!
4. My decision to cut most recipes in half has really helped cut down on food waste. There are only three of us in our family but most recipes serve 6-8. We can easily get overwhelmed by leftovers even with planned leftover nights so avoiding leftovers when we can has been helpful.
5. Not my win but I was excited to be part of it: I was a witness and my husband was the officiant at my friend’s very frugal wedding. The afternoon consisted of a short and sweet ceremony in the arboretum of her local college and dinner at her brother’s house with their families.
Our 3 month old Keurig Duo died. Husband called them and they are sending a replacement free.
Found $15 bags of coffee on clearance for $4, half price applesauce, a pack of 2 new jeans for the oldest for $5.
Cut the kids hair at home.
Used up random bits from the fridge and freezer.
Books from a free library and audiobooks borrowed from the public library.
1. I commented a while back about having $120 in gift cards to a salon that closed without warning. I’ve been in touch with the owner of the salon who now works at a different salon and says she will honor the gift cards. Unfortunately, a curly hair cut with her costs $140! Yikes! But– even paying the $20 difference plus a tip will make it a cheaper cut than I could get at my other salon. Fortunately I only cut my hair about twice a year.
2. I’m working hard to avoid food waste from the fresh tomatoes and other veggies that came my way recently. Checking daily and cutting off moldy or soft spots before they can grow, and trying new recipes to finish things.
3. I’ve mended several kids’ books.
4. I returned a few things to Walmart when I needed to go for other reasons. I even returned something my husband bought worth $1 that we didn’t end up needing. Like Katy from NCA says, “crap out, money in!”
5. Giving things away on Buy Nothing– frugal for others, satisfying for me.
@Lindsay B, $140 for a haircut??!! Where in the world do you live?? I'm gasping for breath here (not due to wildfire smoke!)
@Lindsay B,
That sounds like a hair artist!
But if you are willing to pay it, it must be worth it! I am told curly hair can be very difficult to cut.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
Sadly it is the going rate in a lot of places. I know a 30-something stylist in Dallas who get $150 for a man’s haircut! It blows my mind. I remember my mom fussing when I spent $25 for a haircut in a high end salon in the 80s. (It was worth every penny.) Of course, the university I attended was $25 per credit hour at the time so that puts it in perspective.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, a small town in the midwest! I was shocked too. A good curly cut might cost in the $65-80 range typically, maybe more at a fancier salon. I'm only going so I can use the gift cards... and hopefully the $20+tip OOP will be less than my usual rate.
@Lindsay B, I have a friend who moved out of NYC, and she said that it would cost her over $200 to go to a salon to get her long hair trimmed. Large metropolitan areas have some crazy high prices. I couldn’t imagine paying that much. Of course my husband and I don’t go to the salon or barber shop. He lets me cut his hair, I cut his hair and trim his beard about every 5-6 weeks. I enjoy doing it, he likes my work and friends have said I do a good job on his hair. He returns the favor and trims my hair every other time that I cut his. My hair is elbow length, so it is not just that we are saving money, hundreds of dollars per year, but I know that my husband loves my hair long as much as I do, so he won’t get scissor happy on my hair. I also have him braid my hair for me every day, even if I decide to wear it done to go somewhere, I still have him braid it before bed. He can do French, Dutch, fishtail and variations of the different braids. He does a really good job with them, I get compliments and asked how I do them. I tell them, I don't, I could do a wonky three strand, but that is about it. But it is part of his husbandly duties. We went to a Renaissance fair last weekend and they had booths where they did hair braiding, and they started at $42 and upward. I am very thankful that I get my hair braided for free.
Oops I wasn’t ready for this. Let’s see:
1. I used the pears I picked off our tree to put up six pints of pear sauce. The pears aren’t very sweet so I add cinnamon and a little sugar.
2. I was able to get a movie ticket for senior price. Well, at least there is some advantage to getting old.
3. I took my dogs to their annual vet appointment. It was $580 (!) but heart worms and disease aren’t cheap and can be fatal.
4. I went to the Indian grocery store and got some really spicy pepper to deter the squirrels from the seed tray. It seems to work a little better than the co-op’s bulk pepper and was much cheaper. Both options are cheaper than the premixed spicy bird seed.
5. I used $2.50 in Prime credit to rent “Babette’s Feast,” a movie I had been hoping to find for a good while. I think someone here mentioned it? I figured from the mention that it must be on Prime or Netflix now and it was. One of our priests recommended it years ago. I enjoyed it.
@JD, I'll try some pepper from my local Indian grocery in the bird seed when I set my feeders back up this fall. (I do this after all my sunflowers in the garden are beyond even serving as bird seed sources.) I agree that doing our own mixes is a lot cheaper than buying the premixed seed.
Hi!
Do you have a template for how you make stray veggies into a soup? The one you show looks like a “cream of …” soup.
Thanks
Frugal. Did not grocery shop last week.
Using lots of home grown fresh herbs in my cooking.
Mowed my own lawn even tho I hate mowing.
Cut cable. ( hard!).
Using Libby for lots of audible books.
Making iced coffee at home. I do use maple syrup in my iced coffee which is kinda pricey but oh so good. I make the coffee every three days or so and keep it in a pretty blue quart jar ( thrifted) in the fridge.
As I just spent money on an online order on fall clothes, it feels a bit strange to add it in a frugal list.
1. But, I bought a sweater blazer that I've been eyeing to add into my wardrobe staples for over a year now, so it was not an impulse buy.
2. Bought it a time when it was on sale, added an extra 15% off coupon code and also a CC 4% cash back.
3. I have been very conservative in buying new toiletries, using up old ones thoroughly by cutting up the tubes to get the last bit out.
4. Last week we spent a bit more than anticipated on take out, but have been mindful of eating all the leftovers instead.
5. My son's favorite jeans have gone through quite an ordeal recently. They got a big rip in them, got bled on, and finally some chocolate ice cream. I added a patch and mended the rip, treated the blood with Shout and washed it in cold water and vinegar, sunbleached the remaining stains, and finally, had to take out my gall soap for the chocolate stains. Happy to report the jeans have survived to live another day.
@Kristina M., i use grandma's a;; [urpose stain remover from amzon. it works extremely well. very glad that you got the stuff out. sounds very labor intensive.
@Anita Isaac, I have a couple of small bottles of Grandma's, and these are my stain removers of last resort. I agree that Grandma's works miracles.
Boring regular stuff:
1. Used old milk to make yogurt (it wasn’t good so I wasted it after all)
2. Didn’t eat out (never do)
3. Got library books (almost weekly)
4. Returned 2 things to Coldwater Creek (bought on sale, of course, with a special discount code too)—one was their mistake, so they pay the return postage. (Maybe... their service has declined considerably, so more will be revealed in the fullness of time).
Kristen, I have questions for one of your Q/A days:
1. How does one get TopCashBack for Chewy subscriptions?
2. What does Facebook pay you for? (when you learn)
3. Are you doing Meet-A-Reader anymore? (couldn't find the stuff on your website)
4. Did you finish your free on-line personal training program? Do we get to hear an evaluation?
I'll probably have more questions, always do. Prolly should stop being "Central Calif. Artist" and become "Central Calif. Questioner" or "Central Calif. Curious" or "Curious Central Californian", or . . .
(STOP IT! NO MORE CAFFEINE FOR YOU, YOUNG LADY!)
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Hah! "Inquiring minds want to know..." Wasn't that a celebrity news magazine's tag line? Maybe it was the National Enquirer. In which case it would be "Enquiring minds..."
@JDinNM, I stole the line from somewhere, but can't remember if it is "need to know" or "want to know". I definitely have a curious mind.
Ok! Duly noted. I will add these to the queue.
@Kristen, I figure that every look at your page gets you a fraction of a penny, (I'm not asking about that). But I do wonder if I look at the page more than once a day, or refresh it, if you get "paid" more than once. I wonder the same about the Non Consumer Advocate.
I do not click on ads, so do not support you that way.
Ad revenue is generally based on page views, so if one person reads a post and then goes to another post and another, all of those count as page views even though they're from the same person.
I would imagine the same is true for a repeat visit in the same day, but don't quote me on that. lol
* We use a service that is like a food bank, but open to anyone regardless of income. They sell food (we have to pay a fee) that are past sell-by date and not wanted by the food bank. Anyhow, when we refer a friend we get a discount, so I was able to get a full cart of food for 25$ this way (breads, veggies, milk, yogourt, meats).
* Wanted a Bento Box for work. They are quite expensive. So I went to the dollar store, in the craft section, and got a jewelry organizer instead. It looks EXACTLY like the Bento Box (12 quares) I was considering, but only 3$ instead of 15$. Someone mentioned it might not be food grade plastic.... oops. Well, I don't put anything warm in it, and I hand wash it. I'll take my chances.
* Going to a Silent Book Club tonight for the 1st time. Not sure what to expect.... Anyways, the event is free, the parking for the event is also free. It is suggested to buy something (food/drinks) at the cafe it is being hosted at, so I'll probably get a 10$ starter or something.
* Went to breakfast with my mom this weekend. Breakfast here is usually around 20$/plate + taxes + tip. Since I don't eat a lot, I only got a bacon grill-cheese sandwich, for 7$ (+ taxes and tip). Not free, but cheaper than usual.
* To keep on the food subject : did an inventory of my freezers and will be using that up before buying more.
@Isa,
Silwnt book club sounds relaxing. Unfortunately we have none where I live.
1. I picked up some fresh produce, a book for my daughter for Christmas, some high quality kitchen knives, and a "trailer bike" off Buy Nothing this weekend.
2. I used up lots of food in my refrigerator to feed my family this weekend (yogurt, berries, pepperoni, half a block of cheese, 1/4 loaf of bread, fixings for tacos, etc.).
3. Submitted for reimbursement for some of our childcare FSA and was approved. Childcare FSA's save quite a bit of money each year. We will save about $900 this year from our FSA.
4. Paid our property and school taxes in full.
5. Used a Chewy gift card and coupon to order many months of cat food for only $30.
Did you know you can schedule a free next-day package pickup with USPS? I never go to the post office - my mailman takes it for me!
Ooh, I did not!
@Emily N, My mailman doesn't make "house calls". We're a little rural so mail is delivered to secure lock boxes "up the road a piece". But the Post Office isn't far and there's a hitching post for your horse, which is convenient.
@Emily N, how do you know how much postage to put on a package??
1. We ate at home, used up leftovers, and brewed coffee at home.
2. I also bought some reduced price chicken. It's currently in the slow cooker becoming salsa chicken.
3. I planned meals around the food that we had at home. Although I messed up and didn't have a key ingredient for a particular recipe. I have all the other ingredients and they will be more than fine for a week.
4. We had a rummage sale. We used tables, etc. that we already had. We used free advertising methods. The kids all helped or played nicely. My scheduled help all dropped out, so that was a concern.
5. I am on the look out for costumes, since the kids know exactly what they want to be.
Hello! I glad you asked I'm all about saving money and not wasting a thing. I finished off my leftover burger meat and made a taco salad. It wasn't much but just enough to satisfy me . I don't like to start cooking until I finish leftovers. I'm like you I won't buy the most expensive meats. But I always manage to find something good for myself. God is good to me. Thank you for sharing I appreciate your ideas. God bless you.
Yay! Glad you got some "bonus money" from facebook.
My frugal five is mostly from my hubby who uses his handyman skills to save us so much money.
- he installed my rear brakes, saving at least $400 in labor costs
- he is installing this week a new sliding glass door which will save $900 dollars in labor
- he helped me grind / trim our dogs nails. We have 3 dogs, and at $20 per dog this saves a lot as they need it done every other week or so.
- we both drink coffee from home, prepare meals and snacks at home, reuse and repurpose wherever possible, keep our a/c set higher, and our heat set lower.
Have a great week everyone!
I used up all the leftovers this week and cleaned out small bits from the freezer...things that weren't enough for a meal, but put them all together and had a great Friday night meal with the family.
Spent no money except for half a tank of gas this weekend going to visit my parents. They made lunch for us and my brother's family.
My local goodwill had new packs of XL-tall men's undershirts for $5/bag (6 in a bag) which is a great deal! I bought 2 bags (one for DH and one for my younger son).
I cut up all of DH's old undershirts for rags for the house and garage.
Reworked a dress that I never wear because it has a tie in the back around the neck...I always wear a cardigan with sleeveless dresses and that tie was so thick the sweater wouldn't lay correctly. So, I cut it off, added some small eye hooks and now it closes and is flat. I plan to wear it to work tomorrow.
Made some dog toys while I had my sewing machine out. Used leftover scrap pieces of an old quilt for the outside of the toys. Also braided some pieces and made a thick chew stick which my dog loved. Made a kick stick for the cat, but he had no interest. He only likes his small mouse toys.
1. My in laws have a grape vine, and after they had picked as many as they could use, we were invited to pick what we wanted. I used them to can grape juice.
2. Needed to do something with tomatoes from the garden, so I'm trying out a sauce recipe that roasts the tomatoes in the oven first. This was the perfect morning to have a hot oven since it was in the high 40's-low 50's outside!
3. It has been a full week since I turned off the AC, and we don't need heat yet. I love this in between weather
4. Made a meal plan and corresponding grocery list before I went to Aldi this morning
5. Our car is overdue for an oil change. I finally remembered to check the level this morning, and it's quite low. So, I drove our SUV instead. It uses way more gas, but it's better than damaging the engine in our car! The more frugal thing would be to actually change the oil on time though...
Bonus #6 drying our quilt out on the line in this gorgeous weather
1) I have been cooking up and eating free food from my mother in law. (She brings us left over food from food pantry events after all the of the recipients have gone through the line as much as they want and the volunteers have all they can take. I am with her in not wanting any food to be trashed just because no one is there to take it home.) Last week I roasted chicken breasts in the crockpot and combined them with a can of mixed veggies (and other pantry items) to make a chicken pot pie. Last night I made a lentils and rice dish that will be my lunch mainstay until I can work through all these lentils she brought me.
2) I just took a cue from your post and double listed the shoes I currently have listed on Depop on Ebay. Hopefully they will sell on one place or the other.
3) I batched errands and did an amazon return when I did our Aldi pickup. Later we will do the Target pickup when we are out that way for another appointment.
4) I broke the glass in the bottom of our fridge on Saturday trying to clean it. I'm not sure how it happened, it must have hit juuuuuust right. And the shatter was pretty spectacular. Instead of going to get a piece of glass cut, I measured twice and then ordered a custom cut piece of plexiglass on Amazon. This is an experiment, so we'll see how well this works. I'm not sure why fridge manufacturers put breakable glass in the bottom of fridges anyway.
5) We've gotten into a nice and cheap lunch habit with our high schooler. In our city in public school all kids get free breakfast and lunch, so my husband and I have absolutely refused to make school lunches for our kids. One, because why spend money and time when we don't have to, but two, because it normalizes eating free school lunch, resisting the class-based stigma that could discourage kids who truly need free lunch from eating. But our oldest just started high school at a magnet school where lunch is not provided. Instead of doing anything fancy or spending $10 on lunch everyday, we have gotten in a routine of meal prepping the same simple lunch on a weekly basis. Last night we made five hamburgers in the air fryer, cupped up five containers of homemade mac and cheese, and bagged up fresh fruit. It's a good lunch at a good price, and we are done with lunch prep for the week.
@Amanda in VA, My son did this for all his years in the service. He was an officer but brought the same simple lunch every single day, which he prepped on Sunday. Several of his enlisted men asked him about it and other money saving habits he had. Some of them turned their financial lives around because of what they saw him doing. He cared so much about his men.
Ok, now I have to know: what was his standby lunch?
1/ Mended multiple clothing items. I make myself do the mending before sewing anything new.
2/ Cooked all meals at home except for one lunch.
3/ Scored discounted and generic relief meds for DH, who is down with Covid bug.
4/ Read library books.
5/ Cooked out of the freezer, yum!
5 recent frugal things
1. Only drank water when out to eat (this is how I grew up, but I got out of the habit)
2. Returned all of my Amazon returns, which had been piling up
3. Checked out books from the library (added books that I am interested in to my holds list)
4. Wrapped my son's birthday presents in reused gift bags with dish towels as filler instead of buying more wrapping paper
5. Ate last of rotisserie chicken leftovers rather than getting the takeout that I wanted and froze the bones for broth.
In solidarity with a couple of commenters today, I’ve decided to do an FFT, Passive Frugality Edition ("simulcast" here and at the NCA):
(1) Thanks to my friend Mr. Fix-It’s heroic efforts, I still haven’t replaced my garage door opener (to the tune of $600 or more). And he’s still rewarding himself for these efforts from DH’s tool and supply stash, with my enthusiastic encouragement.
(2) There was some Reduced for Quick Sale beef at Price Chopper this morning, but I wasn’t even remotely tempted to buy any of it: It was still *way* more expensive than my 1/4 steer, and paler/punier-looking to boot.
(3) This isn’t entirely passive, but I still think it counts: I finally downloaded the manual for the Timex Ironman Triathlon wristwatch I found in the middle of the street back in July. Now I can reset the watch (it was running about 5 minutes fast when I found it). Beats buying a new watch.
(4) I’m watching the goldfinches and chickadees flit in and out of my sunflowers and coneflowers, instead of watching something on any service (cable, streaming, etc.) I’d have to pay for.
(5) And I haven’t yet bought a new car, let alone a Lear Jet. (Not buying a Lear Jet, of course, is NCA Katy's favorite form of passive frugality.)
Lets see what I can come up with different from what I put on NCA.
1. I also cooked up chicken bones this weekend.
2. I had pulled chicken out of the freezer. Hubby asked what I was making for dinner. I said no idea. He said can I make Chinese? I said go for it. He made chicken and string beans and fried rice. He used some of the chicken stock that I made. I did the cleanup after. We have enough for dinner tonight.
3. I picked 1.5 5 gallon bucks of vegetables from the garden so far today. My kitchen and dining room are covered in fruits and vegetables. Sauce is cooking. Dehydrator is going with parsley. I will can the sauce tonight or tomorrow. All scraps went into my compost bin.
4. Still working on the basement. I am starting to put stuff back in the pantry. My son came over yesterday and carried my 5 gallon buckets back down for me so they are done. I found a few things that I knew I had but couldn't find so they got crossed off the shopping list.
5. Windows are open. A/C has been off for over a week. I love this time of year.
That's great that you sold a bunch of items at once!
My Frugal 5's
1) Got some free bread and muffins from the food pantry. They couldn't give them away like usual since it was an opened container and missing food from it.
2) Got some leftover muffins, cookies, and strawberries at the end of a training event I attended. Gave each my girls a plate of goodies when I got home which they were really excited about.
3) Treating my 2 girl's skin condition with a at home remedy 1st instead of going to the doctor. We'll see how this goes and adjust accordingly.
4) Gave my girl a pair of flip flops I had on the side I was planning to resale since she had a damaged toe from hitting it on the sidewalk and would be painful for her to wear close toe shoes.
Happy Monday!
I finished my last training hike before the big Tahoe Rim Trail thru pack. I went with a college buddy. The route was harder than I will have to do on any of the other 14 nights nearly 11,000 feet elevation with the gain being 2700 feet and a total of 10 miles. Killer. It took me 7 hours but who cares? Time is not the issue. It was Mt. Rose and we saw the beginnings of the Davis fire. Thankfully they didn't close the highway on us.
So this week is about resting, filling in small gaps for the pack thru and and using up food that will go to waste while I am gone for two weeks.
1. On Amazon, I bought lighter tent poles, Brushees ( pre pasted disposable toothbrush and floss ) and WYSF wipes ( just add water.) These items with save me nearly 6 ozs of packing. I will reuse the brushee and the WySF will be the pack out toilet wipes. I now have a lifetime supply for regular traveling in which I always go carryon. From a small company I bought .5 ounce packets of organic deodorant cream which again I will use for years of travel. So easy travlling the world packing less.
2. I am cooking from the freezer - butternut squash soup, homemade bread and butter, and precooked asparagus with lentils. A batch of home yogurt is being made.
3. I found two gorgeous vanity mirrors at a consignment place that will fit in our River House restoration: All the bathrooms will be of the era ( 1917) white subway tiles with honeycomb flooring with black tile details. The the art deco feel of these. https://ibb.co/PNmcFJ5.
4. Scanned a friend's books with SellBackYourBook app. None of them were worth more than .50 so I dropped them off for her at Goodwill. To send an order you have to have over $7.00 worth of books.
5. Sold an Uno de 50 necklace on Poshmark and two pieces accepted by RealReal finally went live.
Cheering you on!
I’m in the Faroe Islands right now. There ain’t no frugal except to not eat.
Probably not a lot of options period there!
Late to the show as I didn't realize Frugal things today. Anyway,
Frugal things---
● Needed to get new tires (& wheels/rims) on teen vehicle & used credit card 0% intrest for 12 months
● saved $80 instantly on wheels/rims
● $80 mail in rebate on tires
● got free windshield wipers ($20-$25+) & installed
● 3 old wheels/rims mostly shot & not safe-- took to scrap & recieved $$
● saved $0.25/gallon on gas ($2.94/gallon) & was able to fill up my vehicle & more in teen vehicle
● DID NOT BUY NEW APPLE 16 with A18 technology available next month
● save# $12.50 with Ace coupon & purchased (another) metal trellis (added to others along fence)
Frugal fail---
● Forgot to scan receipts on Fetch app & bonus points spin (last weekend only)
Well, we do usually do this on Tuesdays. But I had spent the previous three days studying for my exam and the only post I had ready was a Five Frugal Things post. Soooo, that's what I published. 🙂
@Kristen, Clearly we can roll with whatever works for you! No lack of posts and comments today. Frugal AND flexible. ;-}
We need a once a month 5 non-frugal things post because that is my week with new tires...furnace and air conditioner maintenance and ta-da the pressure valve on the hot water heater started leaking. Lol ugh!
The frugal part was both the service call (97.00) and the Pressure Valve (17.00) was free of charge we only had to pay the 47.00 labor. Nice kid who fixed it in about 5 minutes.
A friend did our back garage roof and saved us enough to cover the listed non-frugal items. 🙂
My fft:
1. Skipping grocery day more often lately because I just can't do one more thing means we are eating what we have and not wasting anything.
2. I'm so darn tired these days that I do not spend much when I do finally get to the store because I want to get in and out fast.
3. An adult eating with the students is part of the program I teach in, and since I am the not picky adult, I get free lunch every day. Sweet.
4. Being constantly on the go at work all day means I have no time to shop online (or in person for that matter).
And 5. I don't know. . .I'm also too tired to do laundry, so I rewear things a ton and that saves in water and electricity?
I made some cute coasters from scrap fabric for some girlfriends ( for Christmas!)
I cooked a beef brisket in my crockpot, we had Meals from it, I shared some with my sister and then I froze the rest and the au jus for later. I felt good that I didn't waste any of it.
1 - I found yet another batch of frozen egg whites, which I used to make stuffed shells. There is still at least one more.
2 - I took lunch to work.
3 - I found an acceptable pair of baseball pants for the youngest boy in the boxes of hand-me downs. Unfortunately I couldn't find another pair of soccer socks for him. Its been a while since anybody has played soccer at this age so I suspect I cleaned them out last time I did a tag sale. He decided he'd make do with the ones he has.
4 - My washing machine broke. When I called they told me about the fee for the service guy so I reminded them that its free because its still under warranty, which I had confirmed before I called.
5 - We continue to eat cucumbers and green/wax beans from the garden. The weather is turning so likely this is the last week or so of having them available.
1. Remembered to cancel my free one-month trial subscription to a company that makes political yard signs and bumper stickers. (I've been campaigning like crazy.) The subscription let me order things and get free shipping, but after the first 30 days they were going to charge my credit card a monthly fee. So I ended it on Day 28.
2. Found the gift card for a fast food place that said "we want to buy you a drink" (non-alcoholic, of course). They had passed these out to the teachers last school year and it was at the bottom of my purse. Redeemed it for the free lemonade but did not buy one of their overpriced entrees.
3. Big Lots advertised some reusable K-cups for Keurig coffeemakers. Bought a package, as the lid to my old one was lost. Now I can spoon some coffee from the can and brew a cup, as opposed to having to buy the more expensive K-cups that you have to dispose of after only one use. Even better: there were 2 K-cups in the package. (Not frugal, but very useful: I finally broke down and bought a new Keurig from Target. Designed for a dorm room, it doesn't take up much space and it works lots better than the old one I got from Goodwill. The new one makes a really good cup of coffee in a jiffy, and I am greatly enjoying using it. I got tired of swallowing coffee grounds with the old one -- now I know why it was donated! Totally useless!)
4. Since the big, old Keurig wasn't working, I cut off its electrical cord for recycling, salvaged the tank to use for watering the houseplants, and put several other plastic parts into the plastic recycling bin. Threw the rest -- oh, no! -- in the garbage; that's because we couldn't figure out any other uses for the base and stuff.
5. Took 3 different last-minute substitute teacher jobs, all on the same day. (Two teachers' doctor appointments were over faster than they had planned for, then another teacher went home ill.) Luckily they were at the same school. But it meant I got paid for a whole day instead of just for an hour or two.
Five Frugal Things…
1. Used my Royal Farms rewards and got a free ultimate car wash
2. My daughter had a brunch wedding on Sunday and instead of an expensive wedding cake she opted for individual cheesecake jars purchased through a local person who makes them at home. The caterer was nice enough to gather the empty jars and give them back to me, so I washed them and returned them to the woman who made them. She was very grateful that I thought to do that. Rather keep them out of the landfill a little longer. She gave us a really good price and they were delicious so it was a good way to say thank you.
3. Borrowed vases and silk flowers from a friend whose son got married in June and used them as centerpieces for my daughter’s wedding. Fortunately the venue didn’t need much in the way of decoration so lots of money saved.
4. Borrowed lots of library books.
5. Took my lunch to work each day and refilled my water bottle with free sparkling water each day before I left the office.
@BonG, I love your #2! The cheesecake jars sound beautiful and delicious, and I love that you were able to return them to the maker to use them again. And congrats on your daughter's marriage.
First time posting!
1. Cleaned freezer & inventoried & meal planned with items to use up including: chicken carcass + veg scrap bag to become broth, 2 forgotten chicken breasts to become soup with that broth, using garden produce in that soup, 1/2 bag of tortellini + frozen sauce to make a meal (and used leftover homemade rolls for garlic toasts!)
2. Going to my daughter's open house at school tomorrow which is also a potluck so we can eat a tasty free dinner (and using up a box of rice Krispies to make treats to bring!)
3. Plastic spray bottle I use for vinegar for cleaning broke, but the nozzle was okay and fit perfectly on a maple syrup glass bottle I've cleaned and was saving. It sounds silly but the ergonomics of the syrup bottle are phenomenal.
4. Harvested garden carrots and probably have a 2 month supply on hand
5. I have been freezing any fresh fruit we don't eat in time before it goes bad and plan on smoothie breakfasts all week next week after I grab some spinach when I do the weekly shop, which will be very light considering the freezer clean out meal plan.
Thanks everyone for sharing their great ideas, I'm now addicted to reading every comment!
@Sam, Hello, first time Sam!