1. I got a free milkshake for Zoe
Yesterday was a braces-tightening day, and she asked for a milkshake on the way home.
I pulled up the app to make an order and got a notification that I had enough points for a free large milkshake. Yay!
So, this was accidentally frugal. 
2. I picked up eleventy zillion library holds
Sonia went on kind of a library hold spree.
I returned a bunch of books while I was there too.
I do sometimes have to pay a few dollars of library fines, but overall, using the library is way, way, way cheaper than buying books.
Particularly if Sonia lives with you.
3. I bought more bruised apples
I will probably not stop until apple season is over because I have learned that I am never sorry about having more apples/applesauce.
I like bruised apple season better than bruised peach season in some ways, because bruised apples keep so much better than bruised peaches.
If you buy a box of bruised peaches, you’d better be prepared to deal with them that day or the next. But bruised apples can keep for a while.
(Could I say “bruised” a few more times??)
4. I did not buy anything on Amazon Prime Day
If you bought a budgeted-for item that was marked down on Amazon Prime Day, no shame on you!
But there was nothing in particular I was needing to buy, which means that if I’d scoured the deals on Prime Day, I may have ended buying something I didn’t really need.
5. I bought a pair of Converse on eBay
My first pair, which I bought brand new for $10 back in 2012, finally bit the dust.
(Click here to see my happy, colorful Converse…just click and scroll down a bit.)
Bit the dust as in, the rubber sides were coming off to the point where I could reach in and feel my foot.
Lisey has some cute white Converse, so she suggested I look for a pair of those. So, I hopped on eBay and ordered a worn-once pair for $14, with $8 shipping.
These cost $50 new, so eBay is saving me a lot of money.
Your turn! Share your frugal five in the comments.
Randi Froug says
1. I opened a high-interest savings account that pays .7%, with no fees. I’m going to open a second one for my daughter’s savings.
2. I asked for, and got a $5/hr. raise at work.
3. I reorganized my pantry, and found several cans of diced tomatoes I didn’t know I had!
4. I decided I could repair and paint my cracked patio slab myself, found the best deal on supplies, and ordered them so I can do it in the cooler weather.
5. I had the paint department match the color and finish of all the trim in my house, then filled the holes in my back door with wood putty so it’s ready to paint.
Julie says
A friend bought my after-golf beer. We walked 9 holes, so we got great exercise and saved on cart fees!
Friends staying with us for the night offered to buy steaks to grill for dinner; yes please! More savings!
No take out at all this week…
I was able to stash some more funds in savings this month.
I sent out billing reminders (I hate having to do that) and have gotten paid by all my clients for September!
There’s been very little food waste around here.
Deidre says
That’s awesome Julie – especially the no takeaway – I need to work on that. I don’t know if this helps with billing others but I would think how I feel when I get a bill – you just expect it don’t you? Also I don’t like delayed bills as I like to pay, get it sorted & have my budget up to date – maybe just imagine your clients are like me
Deidre says
1. Made a batch of Bolognese sauce & froze in portions
2. Consolidated two accounts to reduce fees
3. Reviewed a loan to make sure it was still a good deal
4. Learning a language on Duolingo for free
5.. Unexpectedly got handed an amazing free course for job development – making the most of it
6. Doing a free budgeting course
7. Bought a pie maker – I love this thing – so far have made poached eggs & bacon a few times, French toast, & chocolate cupcakes, for the brunches alone I have made back more than the cost of the appliance than what the meals would cost at a café x 3. One day I might even make pies in it
lisa says
I’ve never made homemade applesauce but should try it as I buy a lot of it.
My 5:
1) I forgot about Amazon Prime Days.
2) DH has been wanting to go somewhere. Anywhere. So we spent a few days together and prices for everything were great. Hotel? Discounted. Tickets? Dirt cheap. It was a nice time.
3) I overpaid my MD co-pay. I was charged specialist price when it should’ve been a PCP. So I received a refund.
4) I cut my hair and DH trimmed it up. He said I did a good enough job which almost never happens.
5) I found bags of Hershey dark chocolate chips for $1.50. I got 2 but nobody likes the flavor as much as milk chocolate. So I’ll make desserts for the church bake sale this month and use them.
Tricia says
1) A friend brought me a piece of cheesecake.
2) Another friend brought bubble tea.
3) I got 2 rebate checks in the mail.
4) The weather is finally cool enough to not use AC all the time.
5) We had an unexpected day off, which may not be frugal, but we get paid anyway and it was great!
Karen says
Hi Everyone!
1. I didn’t buy anything on Amazon Prime Day.
2. I signed up and started a free spanish course through the library.
3. No takeout the entire week.
4. Massive yard clean up, including gutters, all DIY
5. Donated books to younger colleague and giveaway table at work
Kristen says
Woohoo for #3!
Rachel R. says
1. I’m hosting an online Usborne party on Tuesday, and the consultant is giving me a bonus $25 in free books just for hosting. They’ll be other hostess rewards too–this is only a little of my time to invite friends, and I can earn free Christmas gifts!
2. A friend was posting that she was giving away some children’s clothing. I asked if she had anything in a different size than what she posted, and she ended up sharing 3 pairs of shoes.
3. I often buy spinach with the best intentions for smoothies, and it just ends up wilting in fridge. This week I made 4 smoothie bags with a banana, berries, spinach in each bag and froze them for future use.
4. Made DIY air fresheners using baking soda, essential oils, and clean empty food jars. I googled a recipe for it, and made 3 room air fresheners.
5. Made a big batch of soup for easy nutrition this week. I need to freeze my leftover herbs too, I just remembered.
Rachel R. says
https://l10387.myubam.com Here is the link, if anyone else wants to join in holiday shopping too!
Lisa says
That shake looks mighty delicous! Too bad/good thing we don’t have a Chick Fil A anywhere near us.
Five Frugal things for this week:
I did not stop and pick up dinner for the kids and me yesterday. I worked a long shift and didn’t want to stand in the kitchen, so I sent my oldest (21) a text and asked if homemade pizza sounded good. I bought the sauce they love on my way out of work (box retailer), and they made their own.
I also didn’t buy anything from Amazon Prime days. There wasn’t anything on sale that we need/want.
I did buy some things from the Walmart sale. They were 20.00 off each and go with a gift we already purchased. The family Christmas gift is done.
A coworker had an iced/frozen coffee from a coffee shop next door today. I was tempted, but came home and had coffee here. I bought the coffee on sale and had delivered here for free.
I missed my last online cooking class yesterday, due to working late, but am using the ingredients instead of letting them go to waste.
Isa says
* I did buy something on Amazon Prime day (with my free Prime trial, that I will be cancelling before the end of the month): tablets for my girls, for Christmas. Saved 120$. The old tablet (10 year old?) that they were sharing died this weekend, so we decided to splurge this Christmas. They will be getting a new one each. It’s their only gift this year.
* Our city being in semi lockdown again, we sure are saving on entertainment! Just got refunded 80$ for an activity. Oh well!
* Still using public library (contactless) and public pool (with restrictions). That about sums up my entertainment sources at the moment
* I feel like I have no nice clothes to wear. I work in scrubs, so my regular wardrobe is pretty minimalist. But, hey, Covid = not really going out anyways, so I don’t need more than 3 nice shirts anyways! No shopping for me then.
* Using sanitary pads from the Dollarstore. 3,50$ for a big bag, much cheaper than the regular brand, and I honestly prefer them! Worth a try, I tell you!
Becca says
Didn’t eat out all week, just meals at home. Made a frozen pizza when I really wanted to stop for takeout, and packed picnic lunches for our day at the petting zoo instead of buying food there.
Made a homemade cake for my sons’ birthday celebrations instead of buying them.
Had my kids draw pictures and used that to make thank you cards for their birthday presents instead of buying cards.
Used up a half a can of coke that was left over from cooking some ham to make a chocolate bread. I know a half a can of coke doesn’t cost much but I feel better not wasting it, plus it makes a good snack or breakfast for the kiddos.
Used our state park pass for cheap entertainment and exercise outdoors.
Katie says
This is a silly thing to say, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the daily little dose of cheer from your site. You so often make me think things like “hmm, I should make applesauce!” I forgot about prime day, but this post made me realize that’s just as well – I don’t need anything. I keep thinking of your post from the summer about why people read your blog. You just generally make me feel more cheerful and content. Thank you!
Kristen says
Aww, that is not silly at all! I am very delighted to hear that my blog helps you feel more cheerful; that’s really encouraging to me.
Lindsey says
1. Sold five things on FB marketplace.
2. Two friends have birthdays in October, so the husband went into our holiday boxes and found four different Halloween patterned materials that were table cloths we never used. He made four face masks for each of them and I made each one a loaf of pumpkin bread (from our garden pumpkins) and we did a porch delivery to each of them. Inexpensive but useful gifts. He also made a few masks for me.
3. An older couple we are friends with had an anniversary. They worked in human service jobs their entire lives and have a pretty minimal retirement. For a gift we gave them a dozen eggs and a promise that they will get a dozen eggs a week for the next six months. Our chickens lay like crazy so a pretty thrifty gift from us (although raising chickens here, where we have to heat the henhouse for about five months of the year, and the high price of feed, does not make this a freebie). And it makes me happy to know they will have high protein food available to them if they run short on money some weeks.
4. Picked up a small free lance job. It only took me 3 hours and I made $210!
5. Ordered some books from the library and picked them up from the outdoor delivery bus they have set up in the parking lot.
KT from PA says
Lindsey,
I love your #2 and #3. So creative….thinking outside the box! “Necessity is the mother of invention.” You needed gifts and found a way to create very useful ones.
Lindsey says
Forgot one more big thing. We had a Dane and an Irish wolfhound, who were good buddies until one day they got into some sort of a fight in the back seat of our van. They each weighed over 160 pounds so it is not like we could break up a swirling 300 plus mass of hairy flesh while on the road. By the time we pulled off, they were friends but had managed to shred the back seat with their claws. For over a year we just threw a blanket over it. This weekend my husband went out there with some sort of special needle and thread and sewed things back together. The upholstery place wanted to charge us $450 to recover it and while that might have been a fair price we just could not justify it…Four hours of work and lots of cursing later, we now have a Frankenseat back there. Our current pound hound is very mellow and has no one to fight with besdies our hedgehog or chickens, so I think we are good for now.
N says
Oh my gosh, I love this!
Luann says
I would love, love for someone to give me fresh eggs every week. What an awesome gift !
betta from daVille says
I had bought fish (40% off) at Whole Foods and popcorn (Amish Country) through “Small Business” on Amazon, plus had consolidated a past order and received credit. All in, I had $25 credit to use on Prime Days.
1) Purchased 2 items that had been in our cart for a while. Using the above credits, cost nothing out of pocket. In fact, I had $3 left on credit, so I bought a four-pack of TB to leave no money on the table.
2) Said TP cost a $2.00 more than we had in credit, but the day before I had completed a survey through work for a $10 Amazon gift card. Did not purchase anything else.
3) Last weekend, DP had suggested a movie on Amazon, but I balked at paying .99 for it. When I purchased my prime day items, I had a choice of delaying shipping and getting a $3 credit for amazon media. We can now watch said film 3x…
4) My credit card is offering a 25% discount on points used at grocery stores. I had earned most of the points when I had to make a large purchase for work (and reimbursed) so right now, my groceries are covered with cc points, and it is like they are all 25% off.
5) Will finish a project for a side gig this week and then I can submit my invoice. I will use the money to finish funding my 2020 Roth.
Corrine says
1. I picked up a frozen bone-in ham, 2 butternut squashes, and 18 eggs off Buy Nothing. That’s quite the savings in food! I got a pair of rain boots for my son and a Sabres winter hat for my husband off Buy Nothing this week. I gave away a bunch of stuff on Buy Nothing this week also.
2. I received a free box from a neighbor for Purple Carrot, which I redeemed this week. It has 3 dinners in it.
3. I made pizza sauce using tomatoes and herbs from our garden, froze some chilis from our garden, and sun-dried more cherry tomatoes.
4. My son’s school water bottle broke x 2 now. My employer was giving away water bottles, so I grabbed one for him.
Judy says
44 books on reserve? I love it! I thought I had a lot at 18.
Love the library and love to hear young people who love to read!
Kristen says
It’s hard to keep up with Sonia’s level of library-holding. Ha.
Luann says
I work in a library and we are thrilled to be able to supply books to our patrons again. Love to see families who borrow, and read !! You make us happy
Kristen says
That’s good to hear. I kind of wondered if the librarians sighed a little when they had to load up 44 books!
A. Marie says
FFT, The Lazy Person with OCD Traits Edition:
First, I should explain that I am the product of a mixed marriage: My father probably had diagnosable OCD, and my mother certainly never expended any more effort than she had to on anything. I admit that I sometimes apply my OCD traits to finding ways of expending minimal effort. Here’s a sample:
(1) I am approaching the issue of fall/Halloween decorating as I usually do: by doing nothing. ($30 for a pumpkin, my foot!)
(2) And I’m planning my usual approach to other people’s Halloween decorating: keeping an eye peeled come Nov. 1 for pumpkins that get tossed onto the curbs. One neighbor (not one of those I’m closer to) has been my unwitting source for roasted pumpkin for soups for several years now. She always buys a wide variety at premium prices, and I’ve developed an eye for the ones that are the best for roasting/freezing.
(3) I don’t pursue online reselling as diligently as many of you do, for lack of both time/energy and expertise. I admire your efforts, and I’m not saying I won’t try doing this in the future (probably once DH is in institutional care). But in the meantime, I’m starting to pursue low-effort downsizing as opportunities arise–friends and acquaintances expressing interest in things, etc.
(4) I’m making pizza dough in our bread machine (the one single-use appliance I’m willing to give counter space), and will soon be making a pizza in the 12-inch cast iron pan that was a gift from relocating friends many years ago. (The husband was a Southerner and was hoping that his Canadian wife would use it for Southern-style treats. Didn’t happen. Another mixed marriage.)
(5) And instead of tossing bare naked sliced mushrooms onto that pizza (olives, onions, and mushrooms are our preferred toppings), I’ve got them marinating in the seasoned oil in which the olives were sold. Waste not, want not.
Kristen says
Ooh, I bet those marinated mushrooms will be delicious on your pizza!
I don’t really do any fall decorating either; buying pumpkins for carving is just about it. Frugal or lazy? Well, both, I guess.
charlene t josey says
1. Bought dog placemats for $1.00 of course at dollar store, saw them on amazon for no less than 10 dollars these are fine, they get yukky anyway after a while.
2. Used my Kohls cash and 25% coupon from Amazon to get a spider man backpack as a christmas gift — $40 spent 7.71 plus a couple other gifts on the same order.
3. Today i used shredded beef left from sandwiches and made a casserole using mushrooms, rice and making a gravy, very tasty,
4, I don’t know if this qualifies but I got a pedicure because I have ingrown toenails and calluses instead of going to the foot doctor.
5. My daughter signed me up for 21 day exercise fix program (we share it) instead of wasting gas and time going to the fitness (get in for free senior citizen) which I don’t go because of the vrius.
Susan says
1. Hubby and I took a day trip to peep some leaves as our 23rd anniversary celebration. Cost us lunch and one tank of gas and didn’t make me Covid anxious.
2. I have the week off work and am stocking up a few freezer meals for insurance for when I fracture my motivation.
3. I’m with Sonia on the library usage although mine is mostly ebooks now. They return automatically so less fines for me!
4. I returned a few items that were lingering in my house. I don’t know why this is such a chore, but it is a miracle when I get it done in time!
5. We handed down my husband’s car to our son to take to college. Our plan is to replace it, but since we are both working from home we are waiting until a great deal on a used car presents itself or until we have a more urgent need for one. In the meantime we are saving on insurance and maintenance by having one less car than planned.
Cyndi R. says
1. I ordered an Amazon Echo/Smart Plug Duo for my hubs 75th bday gift and with the Prime day discount, my Amazon employee discount and what was left off a Fetch app gift card it cost me $3.16 2. Got a free iced tea at Jimmy Johns with my app and had an inexpensive dinner because i was too tired to cook. 3. Finally figured out wheat flour is wayyyyy cheaper buying it out of the Winco bulk bins. 4.My prescription sunglasses frame finally broke and the lenses were all scratched after 3 years so picked up 2 extra shifts at work to pay for new ones. 5. Wanted to do something special for hubs 75th and decided to take a short road trip to Sun Valley for the weekend so booked a hotel in Hailey about 12 miles out of town ) using my Booking.com app and got 2 nites at a nice hotel for $230 which is awesome for off peak and will bring lots of snacks from home.
cathy says
Hailey is such a cute town! I bet it was more affordable than Ketchum. We used to drive up that way every year when my FIL was still a ranger in Stanley. Enjoy your little vacation!
Stephanie says
1. Treated myself to a half price sonic blast for lunch, using the App.
2. Got big bags of cranberries for less than half price. We love them in cookies bars granola and salads.
3. Bought nothing on PRIME DAY
4. Bought a few things for decor for an upcoming bathroom remodel on clearance at KOHLS online plus 30 percent. Plus free shipping.
5. Still drinking my 2006 oldie Goldie Honda Accord.
Isa says
#5…. Must be hard to swallow…! ;-p
JD says
I’m in shock over $30-$50 pumpkins. Pumpkins grow in Georgia — what makes them so high there? My sister here in Florida grows her own pumpkins, for heaven’s sake.
1. I am diligently researching prescription options for when I go into Medicare. So far, it looks like I’ll have to try to get assistance from one of the foundations that helps people with their drug costs. All the Medicare insurance plans I’ve looked at would make me pay 25-33% of my drug cost, and since the drug runs $12,500 to $25,000 per dose (my last dose was $22,000), and I take 6 doses a year, the co-pay would be ruinous. Note to others: If you are using the drug manufacturer’s assistance plan that lets you pay only $5 per order, ask what happens if you go on Medicare. The drug manufacturer’s assistance plan I currently use will stop assisting me the second I go on Medicare.
2. I had earned $17 in Amazon rewards/gift cards by shopping at Whole Foods for things I get there anyway, and by completing a survey. I used it to buy two things that had been sitting in my list. The prices had dropped on them already from what they had been when I first listed them.
3. I caught a good sale on cookware and bought someone a Christmas gift that was on their list. I transferred the money out of my Christmas savings account into my checking account to cover the cost of the gift.
4. I found a pair of new slacks for work on clearance for $9 and change. Originally $45.
5. I finally mixed up another batch of meat rub at home, so I could avoid the ingredients that I don’t tolerate well. I was amazed at how tempted I was to just buy some from the AIP-friendly online stores, just because it was a bother to go look up the recipe. So I removed that obstacle by wrapping the bottle (it’s a reused bottle) with duct tape and writing the recipe on the tape on the back of the bottle. I’ve found that if the recipe is right at hand, I’m much more likely to go the homemade route and do so in a timely manner. My pantry is not classy like the ones on Instagram, re: duct tape, but I save money by making things myself.
And I’m going to second that thing about the organizing pictures in these online pantries! I swear these people don’t keep anything in them, and yet act like they have a real mess to fix on their hands. A half a cup of sugar, a couple of ounces of spaghetti, a bottle of trendy vinegar, an expensive olive oil and a few beans all in pretty jars – it may look good, but who really lives like that? Come on, where’s that opened bag of chocolate chips we know they are hiding from the kids?
Laura villotta says
Try Good Rx for scripts. My insurance charged me over $30 for a prescription for 90 days Amoxicillan. I went to Good Rx app and got it for $8.
JD says
I did try that. The lowest price With GoodRx was over $22,000 a dose. Prescription prices are insane.
Lana Popejoy says
Wow! I thought my migraine medicine was bad at $750 for 9 doses. So did my insurance, they stopped covering it this year so I had to change medication.
Corrine says
Some states have prescription assistance plans for older adults. In NY it’s called EPIC. You can also look into Medicare Extra Help.
I highly recommend your local HIICAP program. They are free Medicare counselors and can help you pick the best plan.
Also, the cost of drugs in America is ridiculous. It is also ridiculous much Medicare recipients must pay for prescription co-pays. Write your local representatives everyone!!
Ruth T says
I’ll do a FFT vacation edition as we took advantage of a 4-day weekend off school.
1. We rented a cabin at a state park. Cheaper (and more fun) than a hotel and since it’s too cold to tent camp, it’s cheaper than buying a camper.
2. We packed food for all of our meals except the ones on the road.
3. We only spent money on one entertainment thing (which was absolutely worth the cost… outdoors + educational + no crowds + fun = win.) Other than that we saw lighthouses, boats, played on playgrounds, hiked, and enjoyed the amazing beauty of Lake Michigan and the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan.
4. We stopped to check out an apple place on the way home and I found apples for half the price of what I can find them for here. So I brought about 90 pounds of apples back with us – half of which I’ve already made into applesauce and canned.
5. We had to stop to buy a few things (diapers, foil, and water jugs since one place we went didn’t have safe drinking water) so we stopped at an Aldi we were already going by after seeing a lighthouse. Buying jugs of water to fill our water bottles was so much cheaper than buying drinks while we were out!
Jenelle says
1. I didn’t buy anything on Amazon Prime day either. And I don’t feel bad about it.
2. One of my husband’s coworkers brought in some extra cat food (their cat passed away) and gave it to us. It’s nice to have some extra on hand. Our two crazy kitties are always hungry!
3. A former co-worker of mine called to let me know that she had clothes to donate to me but that she also had some pre-packed snacks that she had acquired from her job that she couldn’t get rid of (she had 700 boxes!). I took 4 of the boxes and donated them to my kids daycare.
4. Picked up some body wash for my kids and first had the kids version (12oz) in my hand and then saw a generic brand of non-kids wash that had 32oz for the same price. Sorry kiddos!
5. Very happy to have found that I have one additional payment until our cell phone bills are due. I was able to utilize that money in another part of our budget!
N says
It’s feels like more of a “Let’s set my wallet on fire!” kind of week, but here it goes!
It’s good to remember frugal victories, as they’re what let us handle things like…
… a “Surprise!” new windshield. A fallen branch hit just right Sunday night. Not my favorite way to spend $300, but that’s what being thrifty is for. I was able to schedule an appointment first thing in the morning Tuesday and worked on a freelance project while waiting in the lobby.
Frugal bonus: Because our car is an older model, the replacement was relatively cheap compared to newer vehicles that require cameras, sensors, etc., to be removed and then reattached. Not something I’d thought about before! This is the first windshield I’ve ever had to replace, and it has only furthered my determination to stick to older/inexpensive makes and models. I don’t need fancy–I just need to get places!
A few more car things, to keep the theme going:
–I finally tended to cleaning out/tidying the car trunk, which didn’t happen like usual this spring because we didn’t go anywhere. (Normally, I’m on the road a fair bit for work in the summer.) We don’t have a garage, so motor oil and so forth live in a Rubbermaid container in the trunk. I was pleased to find that nothing was wanting from my inventory of desirable car things (Fix-A-Flat, washer fluid, and so forth–jumper cables are a given). I even rediscovered a car lighter adapter/charger, which I thought we needed but thankfully hadn’t bought yet!
–The front center arm rest/console has always had a broken latch–thirty years old = quirky!. I bungeed it closed, thinking it would only be temporary…. Three years later, it is now held closed by a far less sketchy-looking nylon strap with Velcro ends. Both the nylon and the Velcro were scavenged from other items from around the house. Just because our ride is old doesn’t mean it can’t be (sort of) handsome!
Martha C. says
1. I bought a needed computer mouse from Amazon yesterday which was not a Prime Day special but was listed for $10 less than in other sources I checked.
2. Used up some homemade bbq sauce that was nearing the end of its (refrigerator) shelf life by making some yummy pulled chicken.
3. Prepared all meals at home in the last week.
4. Used Kroger coupons to save over $10 on my weekly shop.
5. Used up bruised bananas in delish banana pancakes.
Susan says
1 made huge green salad. Sale on shaved parm for on top 2. Bought red fiestaware tea pot 2 50 at goodwill. 3. On list to get my free flu shot at cvs and a 5.00 off 20.00 purchase coupon which I will buy two tops one grey…one teal in exercise clothes dept. 4. Hiring home organizer 45.00 and next week end for 2 hrs of good work on one room….trust me….well with it 5. Used coupons at kroger for tomatoes…free grahams for crusts
Kara says
I taught my sewing class yesterday and got paid $40 for one hour. I enjoy it, the kids enjoy it (4 siblings, masked and outdoors) and I earn some money. Yay! They are making happy birthday banners. It gives me joy to think of the years that these banners will be used.
I bought clothes at half price from Banana Republic. They carry tall sizes, not many do, and at 6 feet, I NEED a tall. My daughter is my clothes consultant! I rarely buy clothes new, but we are going on a dressy outing next month and I was sorely lacking appropriate clothes.
We bought tickets for a museum visit. My husband’s was free since he’s an essential worker. It made me wonder what other freebies there are for essential workers. Has anyone found any?
We continue our low-cost back yard makeover. The only cost was 70 pavers. The rest is free (free mulch, cuttings of plants I have/moving a few other plants). It will be lovely.
Slowly sewing for Christmas. I have lost my work rhythm since being evacuated, plus that brought a couple other time consuming jobs to the top of my to-do list. https://www.etsy.com/shop/fabricspeaks
Kristen says
Oh, are you guys still evacuated from your home? Or are you back now?
Isn’t it nice to have teenage daughters to help you stay stylish? I depend on mine.
Kara says
I was evacuated for a week and have been back a week. I’m just behind since I walked out the door without having things in order (as one would do for scheduled time away). The house is fine, though there’s lots of ash everywhere. I also am consolidating family pictures, so that new task has taken extra time.It’s still fire season here, so bags remain packed and we are alert.
Kristen says
I completely understand; even going away for a week of vacation throws me all off for a little while.
N says
The tall people in my life have had good luck clothes shopping at the following:
–Gap. My 6′ husband has a heck of a time finding pants made for a tall-but-not-wide guy, but we’ve had good luck at GAP. (Their clearance rack, when we had a local store, was *ace.*) At 5’4,” I can’t speak for their ladies’ section, but hopefully you can check it out online!
–Torrid. My best friend is a puppy trapped in the body of a 6’2″ Amazon, and she swears by Torrid for everything from underwear to outerwear.
May these be helpful suggestions!
Kara says
Thank you!
Lindsey says
Thanks for the tip on clothes for 6 footers and over. I never thought to look at Banana Republic. I love being really tall except for the fact that what are dresses for most women are tops for me.
Linda says
If you should decide you have enough applesauce, I highly recommend Caramel Apple Pie Jam. I’ve been using it to flavor my home made yogurt. It makes better Spiced Apple Yogurt than any store bought version..(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8GeyLz3PG8&t=642s)
Marianne says
Picked up onions at the local free stand, nice ones right out of the ground. Cooked and froze some for winter soups.
Picked up a really nice free Schwinn circa 1970 ish. Should be able to easily resell as it is in really good condition.
Picked up some vintage Fiestaware for .99 at Goodwill, plan on reselling.
Major garage sale score I hit the last day they were open and I got large Thomas the train set for $2, container of foam shapes for $2, 8 hardboard books for $3, some trucks that do letter, colors and numbers for .25, and People Pal animal set for about $15 total. This is enough for g baby for birthday and Christmas.
Nothing on prime for me. I always use CamelCamelCamel to see if it really “is” a good deal.
K D says
1. We have a small house but it has three bathrooms (all small and nothing luxurious/glamorous). Over the weekend one toilet stopped refilling after flushing then Monday another kept running after it was flushed. I made a quick trip to Home Depot to buy replacement parts and my husband fixed them both.
2. I used a coupon and Discover cash back to buy a few things from Staples.
3. I washed our fabric shower curtains. I love that they last for years and years versus vinyl.
4. A niece had a baby the other day. Because of Covid we will not travel from the Mid-Atlantic to New England to visit. Even if we were to make the effort the most we would get from all the relatives is quick distanced outside visits. We will make do with video calls and save on driving, including lots of tolls, hotels, meals out, etc.
5. I too am loving the library, though mostly ebooks. I am reading the latest Louise Penny book and listening to Big Friendship after finishing Ask Again, Yes.
Anne says
LOVED the most recent Louise Penny. I think it’s the best one yet.
Kristen says
Thank goodness you have multiple bathrooms! One does not want to be without a toilet.
Caitlin says
I have not heard of Louise penny and I’m looking for a good book! Could you suggest one to start with? thanks!
Leslie says
Still Life is the first title in the series. Best to start there as all the characters are introduced. Even if this one is just a “meh” for you, keep reading. They get better.
betta from daVille says
I LOVE Louise Penny’s books. Caitlin, she writes a series, Inspector Gamache, set in the Eastern Townships of Québec. It is probably best to read them in order. I believe the first is Still Life.
MEM says
I am a huge fan of Louise Penny as well and one MUST read them in order as the characters mature and their relationships change over time.
Heidi Louise says
I will slightly disagree– It is very helpful to read the books in order. However, this last one, (The Devil Among Us), is set in Paris instead of Canada, and the primary characters are Inspector Gamache and his family instead of the whole community she has created. This would be a good one to read to see if you like how she develops a mystery plot and the values of integrity and caring that are so much a part of her characters. Then go back to the start!
Heidi Louise says
Sorry — Wrote the wrong title. “All the Devils Are Here.”
Martha C says
Did you like Ask Again, Yes? It’s not my typical genre but I loved it
SandyH says
1. Shopped at Aldi, and did not need to stop at another store for anything.
2. Since I am now retired, ( one week in) I was able to sell $ 225 worth of equipment I no longer need. I am a dog groomer and this was blades and shears.
3. Made an enormous pot of vegetable-beef soup using lots of veggies I had on hand. It fed my mom for two meals, my husband and me for two meals, and there is enough left for hubby’s lunch today.
4. Went from once a week lawn mowing to every other week. We do pay to have our lawn mowed, probably not very frugal, but my husband has reached an age where, after 40 years of stellar lawn care, he’s ready to hand it off to someone else!
5. I needed to remove the sign from my window at the space where I had my grooming shop. It had been professionally applied ( large custom logo decal) and I considered having the sign company remove it. Decided to tackle it ourselves, using De-Siolve-It spray and a glass scraper on a handle that I got on Amazon. Took 30 minutes.
Kristen says
Woohoo for retirement!
And I love it when I can get all my shopping for the week done at Aldi.
EngineerMom says
My sister-in-law and her husband were diagnosed with Covid late last week. She had groceries pretty well stocked up, but was short on fruit.
Rather than a “fruit basket”, I figured out I could send her fresh fruit through the Whole Foods grocery delivery available through Amazon. It ended up being cheaper than paying for a fruit basket, and about on par with the gas I would need to drive all the way down to her house and back to deliver fruit (we live a little under an hour from them). So, sort of frugal?
Other than that, just all the normal stuff – eating leftovers for lunch, cooking from scratch at home, using up food we’ve gotten in our CSA, grouping all my errands into one day (so I’m only driving to/from work two days a week, and spend Saturday morning running batched errands).
Oh! And re-discovered some space in our house just by spending 30 minutes tidying up with my family. Total stress relief for a cost of free to now have a living room that feels calmer and more open.
Kristen says
I hope they are recovered soon! So nice of you to send them some fruit.
Battra92 says
1.) My Prime Day purchases amounted to some deodorant (my regular brand.) Prime Day is nothing more than Amazon’s clearance sale at not clearance prices.
2.) Got a free flu shot from work. I’m not big on getting the flu shot but it was free and didn’t require any more effort on my part.
3.) Took advantage of some grocery deals to stock up on stuff I needed (e.g. whole chickens) and avoiding spending on some of the seasonal items I really don’t need (e.g. I could eat a dozen apple cider doughnuts if I wanted to.)
4.) Worked overtime again and also started to use up my vacation time. Burnout has been setting in so taking care of oneself is a frugal habit (avoids doctor visits)
5.) I picked up some containers at the Dollar Tree for some home organization (some pantry storage, a basket for the potatoes I grew etc.) and they were much cheaper than similar items from Walmart, Target etc.
One side note, I find it incredibly frustrating to look up organization how-tos online. Even ones that talk about doing it within a budget and aren’t shilling overpriced organizers can leave me feeling a bit depressed. One video was a woman talking about her “messy” pantry and it had like 1/3rd of what I keep in my pantry with about 2-3x the physical space. Then they show pictures of their Dollar Tree and it’s like 5 times the size of my local one and mine is always a dump.
Also, their kitchens are all huge with plenty of workspace. My workspace is often the kitchen/dining room table (my house is one where there is no formal dining room) and that is currently being shared with my wife’s work from home space and (for the last few days at least) her sewing machine.
Sorry for the rant but it’s one frustrating thing when looking for help on something and I suspect it’s very similar to a lot of frugality advice (e.g. sell your summer home and get a Mercedes instead of a Bentley.)
Kristen says
I hear you! I don’t even have a pantry, much less a messy one. Ha.
And I don’t have a formal dining room either; just a kitchen with an adjacent “room” for a table.
There’s an untapped influencer market here, I bet…something like, “organization for average homes”.
Battra92 says
My pantry is a closet I requisitioned. I also hung up one of those ClosetMaid door shelves which helped but didn’t eliminate the problem. Mostly the issue is getting to things I have in there. It’s always a chore.
I too have the adjacent “room” setup (basically my kitchen is one long room that turns into a dining area.) It was all the rage when my house was built and it’s nice but not great if you’re a baker.
Darlene H says
My “island” is one end of my kitchen/dining table! It’s where I do most of my chopping and where I knead/roll out dough. I’m so with you on this one!
WilliamB says
I feel your frustration. Years ago I did a guest post for The Mrs. on this subject, maybe it will help you. Or maybe it’s things you already know. My current kitchen is large but I used the same principles when I had a kitchen that had 2 lower cabinets and one shelf.
http://www.themrs.ca/2012/03/guest-post-how-to-organize-your-pantry.html
N says
It’s a justifiable rant! I share similar frustrations when looking for recipes or kitchen organizational ideas, as our Victorian has a surprisingly dinky kitchen. I don’t care what Amazon has for under $___, I just want to make what I **have** work better!
No doubt you’ve thought of this already, but just in case: To create more work space, you could jerry-rig an additional surface to place over your stove-top and our any gaps in your counter. Our kitchen counter is an ‘L’ shape, and there was a weird gap in the corner between where the long and short sides of the L should have met. When driving home one day, there happened to be some demoed cabinets sitting by the curb, and one of the doors was the EXACT size and shape I needed to close the gap. I bleached the heck out of it, sanded and painted, and added a towel bar we already had underneath the front edge. It blends in shockingly well, and its weight holds it in place just fine (1″ overhang on each side). We gained a 3 x 3′ square that we didn’t have but desperately needed! It’s absurd how much of a difference that one change made.
Ruby says
Continued to do all the frugal usuals this week, but also got a half dozen free apples and a big bag of individually packaged pretzels from work. Used a couple of store coupons to save $2 off groceries. Got 40% off a pack of store-brand allergy meds with a coupon (it’s ragweed season). Bought four slightly too big generic washable cleaning pads for our Libman Freedom mop for a couple of dollars less than the cost of one branded pad. And used $10 in Prime cash to pay for more than half of a birthday present, which was my only Prime Day purchase.
Angie says
I agree with you on the apples Kristin and will be making a trip to the orchard soon for another bushel to can and eat fresh. Apples are my favorite fall harvest item
I cooked a large pork shoulder roast on Sunday. We ate this for our Sunday dinner with lemon parsley red potatoes, peas and homemade applesauce. Monday we ate bbq sandwiches with roast leftovers. Today I will turn the remaining pork roast into chili verde which will be tonight’s dinner over rice. Whatever remains will go to the freezer for a quick meal at another time.
I found split chicken breasts and chicken thighs on sale for $0.99/pound this week and bought 20 pounds for the freezer. I also found ground sirloin for $2.99/pound and bought 8 pounds.
We bought two pie pumpkins which I will roast and use for our pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving. We resisted the urge to buy more pumpkins at a terribly overpriced farm stand where they were priced at $30-$50 for an average size pumpkin. We will make a trip to the state farmers market this weekend and find lots of lovely pumpkins for decorating and cooking for pennies on the dollar.
I received coupons in the mail from my local grocery which I will put towards the purchase of eggs, holiday turkey or ham, and some Aleve for our OTC medicine cabinet in the next couple of weeks.
I accumulated a large box of fall and winter clothing items from my son’s closet that no longer fit him to be taken to the consignment store this week. The funds from this will be put towards his upcoming birthday party snacks, cake, etc.
Have a great week everyone!!!
Mary says
Who in the world pays $30-50 for a PUMPKIN? Holy moses, that’s crazy expensive. Do you live in Antarctica???
Kristen says
Wow, I’m so amazed at those prices too. Goodness!
Angie says
LOL! I know – I thought they were completely out of their minds. In Georgia – south of Atlanta where apparently they think we are all desperate enough to pay insane amounts for pumpkins. Even though I cook ours after using them for decoration I still can’t make sense of spending that much. CRAZY
Hawaii Planner says
We had a few frugal wins this week, but mostly it’s the same each week. Line drying the majority of our clothes, eating leftovers, menu planning, & reducing waste. Here are a few more irregular wins:
1) Used a store sale, rewards & a quick sale sticker to pick up 3+ lbs of lean ground beef for $1.70 total. Win!
2) Am drinking all of the creamer left behind after a visit. It started out as a store freebie, and I don’t like creamer in my coffee (prefer almond milk), but hate food waste. So happy it’s almost gone! Thank goodness it was a small bottle.
3) Contacted a company about a missing item order, and received the credit for the item, plus a $10 loyalty credit.
4) Used a movie credit offer I got at work, so we rented a free movie last week
5) Cut up fresh fruit (pineapple & mango) for the kids to use in their smoothies. They’ll use it if it’s cut, but won’t go through the work otherwise. Both were getting old, and need to be used up.
Battra92 says
I live in a colder climate and I’m sad that my line drying days are numbered. In fact they may already be over.