Five Frugal Things | Does this make sense? No.
We're kicking off this week's round of Five Frugal Things with me doing something not-so-sensible:
1. I bought some boxes of bruised apples
Does it make sense to buy apples for homemade applesauce when I am currently having trouble cooking dinner?
No.
Did I do it anyway?
Yes.
Do I regret it?
No.
(Here's how I make applesauce.)
2. Mr. FG and I used a Panda Express coupon
If you fill out the survey on the back of the receipt, you can get a three-entree plate for the price of a two-entree plate.
So, we collaborated on choosing three things we both would want to eat, and then we shared the plate. So, our dinner cost $12 for the two of us, even with a drink added.
Did I fill out the survey on the new receipt?
Yes, yes I did!
3. I bought a few scratch-and-dent items
I can't resist a quick look at the scratch and dent shelves whenever I go into a grocery store! Sometimes there's nothing I want, but last time I popped into Giant, I took a peek and found a marked-down can of Libby's pumpkin and a box of cereal.
I ate all the cereal already, and I'll use the pumpkin to make some muffins, or maybe this crustless streusel pumpkin pie.
4. I used my Gap Visa to earn a $20 reward
I keep this credit card around mainly because every now and again, they send me offers like this. It was super easy to use it for regular grocery purchases and such, and now that I've met the five-purchase requirement, I will switch back to using my Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card.
(The Southwest card is the one I generally prefer, but when a $20 offer comes around, that makes the Gap Visa a better choice temporarily.)
5. I...
- continue to brew my coffee at home
- continue to not buy food at the on-campus Chick-Fil-A
- got another two pairs of free undies from Victoria's Secret (I am now out of coupons. Ha.)
- borrowed my mom's food mill to make my applesauce
Vacation edition:
1. Got an Airbnb with friends. Not particularly cheap, but we're splitting the cost and haven't spent money on entertainment as it has a private pool.
2. Resisted the temptation to turn on the ac as if we reach a certain electrical usage we pay.
3. Eaten all our meals here using the nice kitchen.
4. Using the wifi included with the place.
5. This place was on our way to our next destination, so we didn't spend extra gas.
I am amazed at your determination and ability to find unique ways to save.
1. This morning we found pasta for 50 cents for 500 grams and rolled oats for the same size and cost. These are Australian prices.
2. Late last week we found some meats that were reduced and some ready meals as well. One of the ready meals was reduced from $12 to $1.30.
3. Petrol rose by 45 cents a litre (our litre is approximately one quart). I used my phone and found fuel at a price that was better at 48 cents cheaper.
4. I am trying to eat from home. Mum wants sushi etc and it is no good for me with crustacean and egg allergies.
Those were my best efforts for the seven days.
I made applesauce, too. Well, actually apple/pear sauce, because I got a bag of each from one of our fellow church goers. I don't really like pears added to applesauce (I think it makes it too sweet/thin/grainy), but my kids love it and they're the main applesauce consumers anyway.
We've started back to in-person school after a surprise 2.5 weeks remote, so I'm back to bringing my lunches. I haven't yet sorted out my kids' snacks--I usually make spiced nuts or oat cookies for them to bring, because I detest buying packaged snacks--but I think they're okay for now.
Packed all the food my husband and eldest son took for two days backpacking and hunting (they didn't get an elk). I asked my husband what normal people eat when they go hunting or camping, and he informed me of the existence of a whole market for dehydrated and freeze-dried camping foods. I haven't done a cost comparison, but I would guess those things are pretty expensive.
My sister was here this past weekend. She got all the crafty skills in our family, so I asked her to help my middle son make a barrel out of cardboard for his Halloween costume. He wanted to be a "barrel of toxic waste" (I don't know either). This is not a costume you're going to find on Amazon, but she did a great job, and he loves his costume. And it was free.
A teacher at school brought me a bunch of old canning jars she wasn't going to use. So I gave her a jar of pressure-canned homemade chicken stock and a head of our garlic for future soup-making. I love those kinds of exchanges.
@kristin @ going country, trust me, whatever you pack your husband and son from home, you're almost certainly coming out ahead financially. The freeze dried meal market is $7-8/meal (per hungry guy) at the bottom end.
You can get it a little cheaper if you buy in #10 can versions, but it still adds up very quickly.
For our backpacking trips, sometimes we have picked up a can (offloaded by a prepper rotating their stock) of freeze dried meat or veggies and then combined it with instant rice or instant mashed potatoes and canned/packet meat to help us get some veggies in us (and reduce pack weight) when we're miles and days from our vehicle and ice chest.
But when you're hunting, you don't have to be as weight conscious as backpacking. And trust me, whatever you pack them will likely taste WAY better than the freeze dried meals anyway.
@kristin @ going country,
My middle son is an outdoorsman, mountaineer and long distance hiker having completed both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. As a frugal hiker, he does not used freezer dried meals. The cost is exorbitant if you are trying to eat between 3500 -5000 calories a day while ensuring that you have the right macros and your pack stays ultra light. He designed a menu, and I have always packed his resupply packages during his treks. It probably cut his food costs by 50%.
BTW, I love the barrel of toxic waste costume idea.
@kristin @ going country, I snorted and smiled when I read "I asked my husband what normal people eat..."!
@Bee, So what was on his menu? The hunting trips my husband takes aren't serious backpacking, but he's packing in all food for two days, 3-6 miles in, and always a lot of bedding, so the lighter his food, the better. I would love to know what your son came up with for his long treks.
@MB in MN, Not an adjective that can be applied to me and food. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,
Whoa. That is backpacking. Our main friend who does elk hunting just has base camp at his truck. So I underestimated your husband's trek. My apologies!
Fwiw, we take pre-cooked frozen food (like taco soup in a ziplock), canned chicken and Knorr/Lipton pasta sides, minute oats, summer sausage/cheese/crackers, trail mix, and peanut butter & tortillas on many of our backpacking trips as a balance between weight and frugality.
Or I take canned chicken, a real green pepper and a real onion. I cut and saute the onion and pepper at the site and add in the chicken and homemade fajita spices. And enjoy it over rice or in a tortilla. Yum!
Now I'm really curious what you pack for your husband on his trips!
@Dorinda, Kind of depends what's in the house. I almost always make a big foil-wrapped package of cooked (bunless) cheeseburgers and boiled potatoes with lots of butter that they can heat up in their fire the first night and eat as leftovers the next night. (Except this time a very brazen gray fox stole the leftovers in the night, even though my husband was shining a flashlight at him from fifteen feet away--ha.) This time I also happened to make pizza the night before they left, so I made a separate one with a lot of bacon for just them, and they ate that for breakfast the next morning. He prefers not to haul in any pots to cook in, so I make things that can go in foil. Other than that, it was meat sticks, beef jerky, peanut butter, bread, trail mix, and dried apples. And my husband's all-important instant coffee with dry milk in it. Also this time I found a random packet of hot chocolate we got somewhere and put it in for my son. He was so grateful for a hot drink in the morning (husband does have this metal bowl/cup thing he can boil water in) that I'll start making a cocoa mix for him when he goes so he can have a hot drink when my husband has coffee. Basically they have hot food the first night, and then subsist on dry stuff until they make it home. They also sleep in the open without a tent, so to say it's pretty basic would be fair, I think. That's the way my husband prefers to hunt, and since he's carrying almost all the gear for him and my 11-year-old, he really has to pare it down.
@kristin @ going country,
I will try to remember what I bought. It’s been 3 years since his last thru hike.
These hikes were 4-6 months in duration. The goal was to get the highest number of nutritious calories in the smallest amount of space possible which is a bit different than most camping trips. Everything would have to fit into a 12x12x5 flat rate box for shipping and then it was place into a bear canister for backpacking. The approximate weight was 7-8 lbs. I usually resupplied every 7 -10 days depending on drops.
Breakfast - coffee with hot chocolate mix, almond butter granola with powdered milk and/ or oatmeal dried fruit usually apricots and a protein shake.
Dinner - Ramen noodles with tuna in oil or chicken in the pouch. His favorite was shrimp ramen with Thai chili flavored tuna. I could find these pouches for $1 each. Ramen of course is super cheap. He would add dry kale or sea weed to his noodle bowl. For dessert, he would have either a protein shake or hot cocoa
He did not cook at lunch, but carried food to snack on. This varied somewhat. The basics were jerky usually beef because it was higher in fat, trail mix with fruit and nuts, and power bars. I mixed in other things if he asked for them.
I also added individual servings of peanut butter and honey. Coconut oil pouches to add to coffee or cocoa and his favorite Tastykake brand honey buns. They weighed nothing but were 800 calories a piece!
I packed powdered milk and protein powder in resealable heavy weight silicon bags. I also added small bottles of a water enhancer such as Mio or Gatorade so his electrolytes would stay balanced. I know he missed veggies. It really doesn’t sound too appetizing but the goal was to have plenty of carbs, fats and proteins. He is always happy to get back in civilization and have real food.
@kristin @ going country, my son’s list sounds very much like what you packed!!!!
An unintentionally car-themed FFT!
--More frugal than it sounds: We bought a new-to-us car for $1,250! A good friend who is a hobby mechanic (he used to do it professionally but much prefers it to be fun/cathartic vs. work) had completed his project car and asked if I knew anyone interested. Unbeknownst to him, we’ve been seriously thinking about a second vehicle for a loooong time; since “paid for" is our favorite make and model, we claimed it! It has new brakes, calipers, transmission, belts, AC, almost new tires, etc.--pretty much everything that matters new for less than the cost of parts! He even gave it a tune up and oil change before bringing it over. My friend now has room and money for a new project car, and my husband gets to enjoy his completed one! The used car market has been bonkers, so we're very happen for this bit of serendipity.
--Said car is older ('96), so it's cheap to insure and register. We also don’t have to care about random parking lot dents or hail. 😛
--Ace Hardware had some amazing sales on antifreeze, oil, and windshield cleaner, so I stocked up. Our winters are serious business (4WD drive was a huge selling point on the new car), plus I don't like being caught short and having to buy whatever is available.
--I'm a stickler for scheduled maintenance and have my tires rotated with every oil change. Come to found out, my new-ish mechanic (my mechanic of over a decade retired last year *sob*) includes the rotation if he sold you the tires, which we replaced this past winter. That's $25 off the bill, so yay!
--Integrity + frugality: My car requires a special key to remove and reinstall the original ('89) ornate hubcaps; this key is only ever used by my mechanic. The day after the oil change and tire rotation, I noticed I was short a hubcap! I could have sworn my car was intact after service, but I called the shop just in case. The head mechanic and his two man crew didn’t find the hubcap but agreed that it was definitely there when I brought in the car; it was at least visibly on when I left, like I thought; and he freely said that it wouldn't have disappeared if it had been reinstalled properly. He also said he would find a replacement at no cost to me, without my having to ask or push for it. When I checked online, a duplicate hubcap would run $90+ with shipping, so I'm glad/relieved he’s continued to prove as honorable as my decade+ mechanic said when recommending him. It took a week and phone calls to several parts yards (the age of my car made for a scavenger hunt), but I once again have a complete set of hubcaps. It’s so good to have my loyal ride of five years whole again--I was truly bummed every time I saw that naked wheel!
It's a good related response:
1. Cooked most of our meals at home and managed to use up all our leftovers.
2. Purchased bulk dry goods- beans/rice (way cheaper than cans)
3. Used a Groupon for a date night-saved us well over $50!
4. Cleaned out our pantry/cabinets and took inventory of on-hand food to avoid overbuying.
5. Continued to eat the frozen berries we harvested from our garden last summer.
OMG...your #5 is hilarious, because I also had to resist the urge of our on-campus chick-fil-a yesterday!!!
1. So, I'm not officially fighting with Target, yet. I purchased a bunch of Disney gift cards for our January trip and got home to learn that one of them was NOT activated but there was an activated card listed on my receipt that I did not have. I"m now waiting for their store manager to get back in touch with me about the situation. I'll be patient for now....for now.
2. Received a bag of hand me downs for me! I'm not sure when the last time I got clothes, but it sure does feel like Christmas.
3. Hubby purchased a monster of a humidifier for our upstairs. My poor son has bloody noses almost every night. It did NOTHING for adding humidity to his room, so today it goes back. I refuse to pay $200 for something that will not work. Now, if it would have worked, the $200 would have been worth it for the hassle of cleaning him and his bed up every night.
4.I"m still using the Flex Fuel in my van. I did the research and learned that my van will run on the stuff. I haven't paid over 2.75/gallon. keep your fingers crossed!
5. I"m still donating plasma to make a few extra dollars per week!
Unfortunately, my class lets out at 1:00 pm, which is prime time to be hungry for fast food!
@Kristen, granola bar or other snack in your purse.
@Jenelle,
That is my worry with gift cards. How do you really know that they have been activated when you buy them?
@Susan, when I worked at Safeway as a cashier, the register printed out a separate receipt when the card was activated. Also had a number on said receipt to call if there was an issue.
1) With the cost of food on the upswing, I have really been watching my food waste. I am making efforts to use every last bit of all our food resources by substituting ingredients in recipes and planning meals with what we have on hand. I made a salad that called for candied walnuts. My husband had polished off the ones I had in the pantry, so I made candied pepitas. I used the remainder of several cheeses in a frittata. I peeled and froze some bananas that were getting too ripe to use later. I noticed one of the pie pumpkins that I bought was developing a bad spot. So I roasted it and used it in stew. I am also slowly clearing my freezer to make room for the holidays.
2) I have been faithfully scanning my receipts to Fetch. I redeemed my points for a $25 gift card to Whole Foods. This will allow me to buy some gluten-free items for baking during the holiday season.
3) My husband cleaned out his closet, and I donated a few items to my favorite thrift store. I could not resist poking around a bit while there. I do some resale and found two items that I could make a nice profit on. I also found a very nice belt for my husband, two tops for myself, a frame for my son’s engagement picture, and a crystal pedestal cake plate. I spent $20. This always amazes me.
4) My friend is short handed at her business this week, so I will be helping her on Thursday and Friday.This is a win-win. The extra money that I make has been earmarked for Rescue Pup’s trainer which is not frugal, but necessary.
5) I purchased Rescue Pups food from Chewy this month. At regular price, Chewy’s price is usually the same price as the local pet store. However, I received a coupon for 30% off and free delivery. So I ordered a 2-month supply. With supply chain issues, I worry about running out of dog food.
Wishing everyone good health, peace, and a frugal week.
1. Mended holes in my husband's socks using a hard-boiled egg vs. a darning egg.
2. Brought magazines to the magazine exchange bin at the library.
3. Brought an old cell phone, printer cartridge and plastic bags to Target for recycling.
4. Used a gift card at Panera Bread. Bought several loaves of bread which they sliced and placed in my own tote. When I got home, I placed each loaf into its own cloth bread bag.
5. This year we invested in some deer netting to place over the pumpkins growing in our patch. Worked great and can be reused next year.
@MB in MN,
Plastic Easter eggs make great darning eggs as well.
@Bobi, a lightbulb also makes a good darning egg.
@MB in MN,
Darning egg? What an idea. (I always put my socks on when I darn them.)
You must like to live on the wild side! 😉
@Kristen, I just snorted my milk and cereal out my nose over this thread.
1. Finally got a hand me down rain coat and boots for my son. I’ve almost bought brand new ones a few times the last couple months but it wasn’t urgent (California so no rain) and yesterday someone was giving away a brand new rain coat with tags in his size and rain boots. Perfect timing too because we are supposed to get rain this week. Patience paid off!
2. Going to a pumpkin patch today and we chose one that is just pumpkins and maybe some hay bales to climb on. There are a lot of huge pumpkin patches here with rides and bounce houses and such but they all charge so much and our kids will enjoy just seeing all the pumpkins, they don’t need much else.
3. My sustainability focus this week (which is also frugal) is zip loc bags and plastic wrap. I already was trying to use reusable containers instead whenever possible but this week I stopped myself anytime I was reaching for disposable plastic and thought about what else I could use, and I don’t think I ended up using anything disposable at all, hopefully can keep this up, just have to retrain my brain!
4. My daughter has a favorite book and on the back of the book is a picture of another book by the author, which my daughter always points to (it has a cat on it which she loves) so I checked the library and was able to put it on hold. As a bonus, when I picked it up yesterday,I grabbed some other books to check out and one of them wasn’t scanning. The librarian said it wasn’t a library book, it didn’t have any of their labels on it. She said they haven’t been accepting book donations but some people try to sneak them in anyways so I could just take the book and keep it.
5. I go back to the office in 2 weeks but only for 2 days a week. I found someone who’s going in different days from me and we are going to split the cost of a parking space.
It would be harder to be patient for a raincoat if you lived in Oregon!
How do parking places work at your job? Do you rent them?
@LB, so true about the pumpkin patches. It's like Kristin @ Going Ccuntry always says — keep those expectations low. I feel like if I throw everything and the kitchen sink at the kids at once, all they like is the kitchen sink, so then why.
@Kristen, yes, although I guess if I lived somewhere it rained a lot, I wouldn't feel as bad paying for one haha
Parking isn’t provided by my work since it’s in a large city and they encourage public transit use so you are on your own finding parking at one of the pay garages nearby. I used to take public transit but it took longer and with kids, I wanted to maximize my time with them so paying for parking for now!
*eye roll* country, typo, dangit
@Karen., exactly, they are only 3 and 1 so get excited when I have an empty box or spice jar they can play with haha No need to set the bar high now!
I can relate Kristen when produce from the summer garden is coming in and I cannot see my kitchen counters, island or kitchen table because it is covered in tomatoes, green beans and peppers. Somehow I always manage to get it put away though and while it is exhausting, I never regret it when I am eating beautiful veggies in the middle of winter.
1. I combined fuel points accumulated at Kroger to fill up my gas tank and saved $0.50 per gallon. I waited until my car was almost completely empty to maximize the savings.
2. I used digital coupons to purchase 7 pounds of pasta for $0.49 each. We now have enough pasta to last us for the next year & I purchased it for the lowest prices possible.
3. We harvested mustard greens from our garden along with another dozen green bell peppers AND I am so excited to say that the bok choy I planted is almost ready to be harvested. Forgive my enthusiasm as I LOVE this veggie in stir fry AND it is my first time growing it. I will be planting some more seeds this week so we can have more harvests through the winter. I will also harvest kale at the end of the week.
4. Temperatures have finally cooled down and my HVAC has been turned off for a number of days. HOORAY!
5. I received this months electric bill and it is over $100 less than last months bill. This can be attributed to the fact that temps finally came down from the 90's and I am so grateful.
A bonus - my son will turn 6 years old this week and we are using decor and items on hand for his party instead of buying anything new. He is still super excited and I think it will be a fantastic party!
Kristen, you are well-stocked for undies now. There's nothing like a great run of coupons.
1. I bought two items off eBay and asked the seller to combine shipping, which she did. They were both small and lightweight, so it was a reasonable request.
2. Brought my stack of purchased at Goodwill music CDs to work with me and have been enjoying the frugal tunes on the office's old radio/CD player. Each CD cost what one or two songs would to download on Amazon.
3. Knocked $13 off our grocery total Saturday with store coupons.
4. Used some old curtain rods from our stash at home, a sheet from Goodwill, some wood blocks and glue to put up a curtain in one of the offices at work.
5. In the spirit of whatever you scrounge up is lunch, the one piece of leftover pizza and the toppings that fell off in the pan were supplemented with some hard cheese and whole grain crackers for my brown bag entree yesterday. It was delicious.
And now they probably will not send me any free undie coupons for a while because I will be on their Bad Customer list. Ha.
Friends keep giving me apples, & I keep making applesauce. I'm right there with you. I made applesauce muffins with the last batch & they were delicious.
1) Planned a menu for tomorrow (I pick up my parents at the airport & have my first day back in the office since March 2020). Even though it will be crazy to cook, I chose a recipe that was easy, & it will be way cheaper than dinner out/takeout for six. Plus, we can have a glass of wine & I know my mom will help with the meal prep. Luckily, no sports practices tomorrow to further complicate things.
2) Listed a bike on FB marketplace. Hasn't sold yet, but glad I got the photos taken & got it listed.
3) Bought Southwest gift cards at the grocery store, earning $60 in store rewards.
4) Cancelled our original anniversary plans, due to the fires in Santa Barbara. Of course, the fires are now much more under control, but we had a day to decide & things looked less promising at that time. Booked a trip to Arizona (flights, car rental & hotel) for less than the hotel reservation in Santa Barbara.
5) Used points to book my parents flight to come & visit (and, stay with the kids), while we're out of town for our anniversary.
Can you ever have too much homemade applesauce? I think not.
@Hawaii Planner,
Apple sauce is great in banana bread too. If your banana bread uses mashed bananas, replace with 2 bananas and a half cup of your apple sauce. It makes the bread amazing!
Our chick-fil-a is so crowded (even with two drive thru lanes) that avoiding it is pretty easy these days!
1. I've cooked at home every day.
2. Played golf and biked for exercise, both of which are free since we already have the equipment and golf memberships (ok, "free").
3. Continued to compost so that I can get back to growing some of my own veggies next year.
4. Donated some things to Goodwill to help others be frugal too.
5. Enjoyed a free meal out last Thursday courtesy of one of my clients.
I haven't done anything particularly frugal lately, but I also haven't done anything UN-frugal either. OH! I did switch the cell phone plan to a cheaper one. It saves us about $40 a month and we get more data. And we saved on gas by cancelling a camping trip to Moab because the weather looked not-so-great for biking.
This Chick-Fil-A is right inside the science building, so no drive-thru lines to deter me. lol
@Kristen, I make homemade applesauce to eat as a side, but I also use it to replace some of the fat (butter) in cookie recipes. I think I may have used it in muffins, too. I did buy a jar of store-brand unsweetened applesauce to use for the same purpose. I don't like store bought applesauce as a side, but it serves the same purpose as homemade when baking.
Yes, that's when I buy applesauce...to use in baking. I figure it doesn't matter if it's not quite as tasty as homemade, if I'm just putting it into a baked good!
@Kristen, This sounds like AACC!
I think I am most frugal because I don’t shop. So many cute fall things right now. Baked goods always look so good. New fall clothes so fun! My ear warm: “Walk On By…”
I consign clothing and used my credits to by almost new tall black leather boots and short black boots that I needed. $48 In credit for BOTH. Score.
Oops, ear worm
1. I've got a crockpot of applesauce going in my kitchen right now! Free apples from my friend's apple tree. 🙂
2. I pulled out a stash of roast chicken carcass (bones/skin) to make some stock as soon as my applesauce is done. Free chicken stock for making soup for tomorrow's dinner!
3. I finished our monthly financial analysis yesterday and emailed my husband the summary. We talked about it, and how we're going to address the next month's financial responsibilities/goals. I consider this a major component of frugality - keeping track of expenses and making sure we're on the same page regarding goals and expected spending.
4. I brought lunch all week, made my own coffee at home, and avoided grabbing anything from the vending machine.
5. I scheduled my yearly medical check - just getting the check done means we don't pay health insurance premiums for the upcoming year. There aren't any "goals" you have to meet - literally just go and get the blood draw and answer some questions.
Made a homemade birthday card and wedding card instead of buying them.
Found a big cluster of hen of the woods mushrooms growing right in my backyard! Fried them up in oil and spices and they were an absolutely delicious dinner.
Found some more puffballs in the backyard and made mushroom parmesan. It was yummy.
Picked up a bonus shift at work.
Made lots of homemade muffins and pancakes with leftover applesauce and acorn squash to use as snacks and breakfasts for the boys.
@Becca, I envy your mushroom haul. A neighbor has what amounts to a giant puffball farm in his side yard every year--but I'd rather wait to try some till I have a mushroom expert with me to OK them.
My Frugal 5
1) My daughter requested to go to the zoo for her birthday experience. Used a family zoo pass that we got at this summer’s library reading program. Entrance was free to the zoo. Saved $30. Woohoo!
2) Cooked my daughter’s requested birthday breakfast and dinner at home, also a semi-homemade birthday cake. She wanted pancakes with whip cream and sprinkles, boxed Kraft Mac n cheese, and a cake box mix with leftover frosting we had in the fridge. One of those times I realize my daughter does not have extravagant tastes and it works out well for me. Major savings!
3) Reused birthday decorations from the past years to decorate.
4) Got a few used kid food trays for free through Facebook Marketplace. My husband suggested getting some since he thinks it’ll help them clear the table easier vs the flimsy silicone mats we have. We’ll do a test run to see how well they work before investing in possibly better ones.
5) Continue to slowly use up food in the fridge.
1. Cooked all my meals at home.
2. Received free Chipotle codes - free dinner this week when I decide to take a break from cooking.
3. Decided to skip the hotel stay overnight and instead drove 3 hours and returned home the same day.
4. I was thinking about Christmas gifts for my son's teachers and Capital One sent me two exotic African tea/coffee gift boxes in the mail. This will make such a wonderful gift for the teachers.
5. Froze some tomatoes and freshly shredded bottle gourd that I received from my neighbor.
@Dina Visram,
The teachers will love that -- so thoughtful and something they can really use!
I made fall spice lattes. (Homemade spiced simple syrup, moka pot expresso and a milk frother.)
We used a buy one get one free coupon at Jersey Mikes.
I bought pork loin for $4 off. (Pork Loin is naturally cheap so this feels like a steal.)
My husband is getting his flu shot for free through work plus his boss treats them to lunch for getting the shot.
I used up our leftover chipotle mayo by turning it into spicy potato salad for one.
1. Since my husband and I are both 62+ we applied for and received state park Golden Age Passes ($10 per person and good for the rest of your life) which allows free admission to state parks. We used them the next day to spend some time by the water (I love water going over rocks, the way it both sounds and looks).
I also applied for and received a national park pass ($80 + $10 processing fee) good for my lifetime.
2. I bought quite a few items on clearance at Giant, some nut snacks, organic pasta, sauce, and a few other items. I also found sauce on clearance at Safeway that I'd gone in the store to purchase.
3. We we visit the Midwest we often eat at a quick casual chain called Culver's. If you answer their survey you get a code to write on your receipt good for free frozen custard. They have the best I've ever eaten.
4. I have been walking places that are not too far away. Yesterday it was to my dental check up. Our dental insurance covered the visit though I have a crown that needs to be replaced.
5. I love this weather. The furnace might run occasionally but the cooler weather is perfect for good sleep and walking whenever you want. I think good health allows you to be more frugal.
@K D, Yes to Culver's for the best custard! When we moved to the U.P. of MI from Wisconsin, there weren't any Culvers here. Now there's one in the city we shop in 🙂 Oh, and I always fill out the survey for the free custard. 😉
1. Having a tailor shorten the sleeves on some t-shirts where the fabric finally stretched out and won't stay pushed up when I need it, and one has some pin holes from being washed too many times. Tailoring them will cost less than a new shirt since they are still perfectly wearable otherwise.
2. Brewing my own tea at work instead of stopping at a deli. I save more than enough to buy slightly fancier tea than your average grocery store brand, nothing extravagant but worth it, especially since I wait for a good sale and stock up.
3. Staying home for my upcoming vacation. Plenty to do here that is relatively cheap or free.
4. It's funny you mentioned applesauce, I'll be making some on my vacation with apples from our apple picking trip a few weeks ago.
5. Stretched some pork we got on sale into a pork, kale, and white bean soup. Quite yummy if I do say so myself.
1. My daughter's jeans came out of the wash missing its button, so I found an extra button that was the right size and sewed it on and it works.
2. I made batches of taco and fajita seasoning.
3. Panera was (is?) offering Panera+ Coffee for free through the end of 2021. Our Panera is 2 doors down from Aldi, making it super convenient. Today I went in and got my second cup of free coffee. I brought my own mug so I didn't have to use a disposable cup. And since I'm a flavored-creamer-in-my-coffee kinda gal, I purchased a bottle of hazelnut syrup for $1 over the weekend that I'm keeping in my car. I put a reminder in my planner to cancel the subscription on December 30.
4. For a second Panera item... They're offering 3 months free of Audible Plus to MyPanera members, so I'm giving that a try. I put a reminder in my calendar for mid-January to cancel.
5. My dad got my mom an Instant Pot for Christmas last year and she has zero interest in using it, so they've offered it to me. I got an Instant Pot cookbook from the library and am trying it out to see if it's something that will be beneficial and worth the space it takes to store it.
@Ruth T, we really like our Instant Pot. We like to use it for ribs (just slide the bones out before eating), applesauce, stew, chuck roast, dried beans (no soaking), bone broth and more. Hope you like yours!
1.) Avoiding turning on the heat in the house. I have had to give in a bit today but I made it past Columbus Day without the heat on so I'm happy. Plus I'll be turning it off once I get the chill out of the house.
2.) Mended a T-shirt which had its neckband tear off. Hand sewing I find relaxing.
3.) Did a quick Target run to get some bacon and have BLTs for dinner instead of getting takeout last night.
4.) I am not hoarding but I am definitely stocking up on some items that I was low on. My goal is to have a full pantry and freezer by the Holidays. I want to entertain a bit this year so I'd rather pay current prices than the increases that are coming.
5.) Working all the overtime still. Just trying to sock away a little extra here and there where I can.
1. Got a free oil change by doing a mystery shop.
2. Got $40 of gas by doing four mystery shops.
3. Had two drive thru fast food mystery shops, so did one after the other and brought the food home to split with husband.
4. Sold two items on eBay, netting $82 after expenses.
5. The dog we are babysitting is the dog from hell in terms of destructiveness. On the way to the dog park, she managed to rip the seat cover half off the back seat of our vehicle. Husband sewed it back together, even though it was 13 degrees out and his fingers got pretty cold, so he is my hero for the week. I would have paid someone else to sew it...but then I hate sewing and he has two sewing machines because he enjoys sewing stuff. (For which I bless his mother, who taught all three of her boys to sew, and I mean as in making French seams sewing and not just mending...)
It was not frugal to buy a raffle ticket but I wanted to support a local kids' sports team. I ended up winning $500!
@Lindsey, excellent news on the winning raffle ticket, and you chose wisely in marrying a man who can sew!
@Ruby, ditto!
Our Five Frugal Things are just little things that eventually add up to big things:
1. Finally finished a quilt top completely made of scraps I had on hand. I already have the backing and battling...both bought on sale in anticipation of a future project. It will be gifted to a wonderful friend for Christmas.
2. Frugal thought process going on...My +30-year-old sewing machine is again showing signs of giving up the ghost. So, while I still have time and don't have to knee-jerk a big purchase (I sew every day and do seamstress work as a side-gig), I test drove some new machines as well as priced used ones comparable to the one I have. I'm now in the throws of pros & cons as I consider which way to go. It's an essential tool for me...as essential as my car or washing machine. I am leaning toward the used option to save money and, to be frank, older machines are workhorses. I am skeptical whether a new one will hold up to the daily grind I require of it.
3. We have two freezers and have been eating down the frozen stock to make room for hunting bounty to come. I have about two weeks of meals left in one. After it is empty, I'll clean it and get it set to restock.
4. My tomato plants rebloomed! By next week we'll be able to do up some fresh fried green tomatoes.
5. Made a cheaply purchased rotisserie chicken last four meals!
@Tracey, Per #5. I love to do this. Sometimes I can only make it last 2-3 times but I suspect this will probably be the core of my dinner tomorrow to Friday.
@Tracey, I also use the heck out of a rotisserie chicken.I bought one to use on our camping trip to Kentucky. I pulled all the meat off of the bones and will use it all in various ways in addition to leftovers that I’ve been freezing to take on the trip. Don’t forget to make broth from the carcass!
@Tracey, I prefer older sewing machines…easier to use and less gadgets. However, since I’ve gotten older I have a difficult time sewing and usually have to resort to hand stitching…such a bother since sewing used to be so easy.
FFT, Neighbors Entertaining and Entertaining Neighbors Edition:
(1) Spent an abbreviated weekend (Friday noon to Sunday a.m.) with Dr. and Ms. Bestest Neighbor at the lake cottage that formerly belonged to Ms. BN's late mother (a character in her own right and beloved by all). I hadn't been here since Thanksgiving 2018 because of DH, and I thoroughly enjoyed the free break. For the first time in ages, I didn't have to do my own driving, make my own coffee, cook for myself, etc.
(2) Although it rained most of the time, Ms. BN and I did get in a trip to the thrift and antique shops on the main drag in the nearby village. Ms. BN had a basket of donations for the "Thrifty Kitty," run by the local cat rescue group--and I gave everyone a good laugh when I ended up buying one of the LL Bean cardigans Ms. BN had just donated (I hadn't seen it in the basket). As Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice reminds us, "For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors...?"
(3) I also got two pairs of sweatpants for DH, a Chicos Traveler cardigan, and two votive candles at the Thrifty Kitty. Cost for everything = $10. So buying back Ms. BN's sweater wasn't overly painful.
(4) After discussing ways of overwintering geraniums with the BNs (both experienced geranium growers), I've been clearing space under fluorescent lights indoors for the big ones that probably will make it through the winter intact, and taking cuttings from the others. I've decided I'd rather do this than experiment with putting bare-rooted plants in paper bags in the cellar. (Alternative opinions are welcome.) And if I can save any of the geraniums I inherited from our late friend up the street for next spring, this will save considerable $$.
(5) Finally, I took some of the excellent Snapdragon apples I bought last week on the orchard run with my visiting BFF, plus half a bottle of Trader Joe's strawberry kefir that BFF had left behind, to the BNs this morning. Ms. BN was complaining that the supermarket Gala apples they'd recently bought weren't good, and she drinks kefir and I don't.
@A. Marie, So glad you got some time away! I over winter my geraniums on my third floor by a western window. This will be the third winter for them. Good luck with yours!
Five Frugal Things….
1. Read two audio books from the library.
2. Lunch date with a friend who treated.
3. Sold two small items on Mercari for $25.
4. Cooked six dinners at home with only one eat out day!
5. Made Chili, Rice, Cornbread and added Cheese and Chips for Family Sunday Dinner for 8 people for under $25.
1. Got a gift card for our local grocery store with my credit card rewards.
2. Had a financial conversation with a trusted and knowledgable family member! The best way to manage money is to understand it, something I find intimidating.
3. My baby is needing formula in addition to my milk, so my husband found the best deal on it. We try to be super on top of not wasting it, since it's that combo of super perishable and super expensive.
4. We're continuing to eat from the freezer! Tonight will be our last batch of spaghetti bolognese.
5. Massive frugal fail: don't drop your keys down the elevator shaft. It costs an appalling amount of money to retrieve them. Like...SO MUCH. You can bet we keep a DEATH GRIP on our keys now.
Oh, you had your baby!! Congrats!!!
@Meira @ meirathebear, YAY BABY! Congratulations to all three of you!
@Kristen, haha thank you! We are just past the one-month mark and I'm starting to feel human again...sort of...
I was going to ask how things were going! Adjusting to the first baby is a big thing...in my experience, it was the most challenging. After that, the subsequent postpartum periods were easier.
So, I totally get not feeling exactly human for a while.
@Kristen, thanks for the encouragement!
@Meira @ meirathebear,
"don’t drop your keys down the elevator shaft" resonated with me. I've only had it happen once & it was when I was coming into work. Maintenance dept called for elevator maintenance & later that afternoon, I was finally able to get my keys back. Thankfully they did not charge me for the unscheduled visit as the guy went ahead & did maintenance on the elevator since he was there anyway. Since then, anytime I've had my keys in my hand, getting into or out of any elevator, I too, have a death grip on them. I was lucky that it happened at work, can't even imagine dealing with it anywhere else. My heart goes out to you.
Your crustless pumpkin pie my favorite pie recipe, and gets made every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
1. I redeemed some of the Sprouts October freebies: salad dressing $5.99, energy bar which I will gift to my son-in-law $2, tortilla chips $4.99, and barbecue sauce $4.29.
2. Someone left a coupon for a small cup of oat milk chocolate pudding right by the display. I picked it up and got the pudding for free ($1.99 regularly).
3. I had an appointment this afternoon for an agent to walk me through the sign-up for a Medicare Advantage plan. No cost to me, and he recommended a plan with $0 premium and lots of free extras (dental, vision, hearing, gym membership, etc). Frugal in the long run! I guess I'm officially old now!
4. I've found 95 cents at different stores this past week.
5. I used my "bought milk" settlement to get a few needed items at Target.
Cooked food for myself, including various girlfriends over the years, for 40 years now. Cutting my own hair for 20 years now. Don`t know what sent the girlfriends packing...the food or the haircut 🙂
I am always so impressed by people who cut their own hair! Is yours a scissors cut or an electric trimmer cut?
@Kristen, electric trimmer, with various distance combs.
Five+ frugal things:
1. Resisted the urge to buy new flannel to make another pair of lounging pants and instead cut out the pattern with fabric I already had.
2. Used our local Buy Nothing group on FB to borrow a pack and play, car seat, hiking carrier, and booster seat for our friends and their 15 month old baby! Those groups are the best and I regularly give things away on them.
3. Decided to use an existing paint that we had remnants of to paint a bedroom in our apartment rental (lower level of our home).
4. Asked for new podcast recommendations from friends and got another 9+ hours of free entertainment for my walks.
5. Used workplace wellness benefits to get an REI gift card to purchase a new camping stove. Our original stove was a vintage Dutch propane stove that we got for a few bucks at an estate sale, but after several years of use the propane connector was faulty (fire hazard) and I could not find a replacement fitting because it was different than the standard fittings manufactured now.
6. I took a course investing in index funds and now feel confident enough in making a financial plan for retirement that I no longer want to seek the services of a certified financial planner.
7. I used my healthcare system’s app to send my doctor a picture of an issue I’m having to diagnose a recurrent problem and she sent a refill to the pharmacy with no appointment needed!
1. We wanted to take the kids to a hay ride. They wanted to go on the hay ride when it was dark, but it is $3/ticket cheaper to go before dark. So, we rode the very last ride before the price changed. They had a blast! We bought pumpkins at Aldi ($3 each) instead of the farm. Then we carved pumpkins and roasted the seeds for snacks.
2. I picked up a brand new work shirt for myself and a Sabres sweatshirt for my son off Buy Nothing. I also went through kid's toys and listed a bunch on Buy Nothing this weekend.
3. My daughter was running out of pants that fit her. I found a bin of clothes for the next size up in my basement. All of these were hand-me-downs from friends. I also found a brand new pair of shoes for her. It pays to plan ahead!
4. My husband listed some parts to a car bike rack on ebay that he didn't realize he had. I removed some drawer pulls, from a desk made in the 1950's, my neighbor put in the trash (the desk was in bad shape). I listed them for $100 on ebay. I sold 4 Halloween costumes from last year for $35 on Marketplace (I think I only paid $37 for all 4).
5. I made pancakes using pumpkin I roasted and pureed. My mom dropped off sauce and meatballs. That fed our family of four for 2 dinners.
In a not so frugal week (daughter in town for work and extending visit to stay with us) we carved out a few things:
1. Went out to eat and daughter used her work per diem to pay for her own dinner since it was considered part of her work time -- this was helpful 😉
2. We are finishing up all our leftovers whenever she is busy meeting friends and work associates for dinner.
3. Daughter gets to use her old car (that she left with us when she moved to NYC -- and sidebar, she LOVES not dealing with cars, traffic, etc.) -- instead of having an expensive rental for her non-work extended visit. Big savings for her.
4. Discontinued the Vision portion of our health coverage during open enrollment, saving us some $$$ each month since it wasn't really cost-effective
5. Yet another fee and service charge added to my credit card statement, and this time it was not my fault, I swear! I had called in my payment, as always, on the day it was due, and someone named "Dre" took all my info and even deducted $6.59 from the balance for something I had returned, gave me a confirmation number and then -- nada! My card was refused a few days later because Dre did not even register the payment -- they do have not record of anything!-- so it was considered late, and charges were slapped onto my account. I explained all this in September, and then again this past week. The nice guy I spoke with removed the $18.67 interest, but the $25.oo service fee is, apparently, carved in stone. He also gave me 1000 extra rewards points and I thanked him very much for that.
I know this sounds petty but, dang, I ALWAYS pay the balance at the end of each month to avoid fees. And . . . Who The Heck Was Dre? Why did he know all about my account? Why no record? Why was Rakesh so nice? Why is the service charge immutable?
Oh well, this should be the worst thing that happens, right? 😉
Apples are the theme of the week!
1) Made apple crisp with apples given to me (I much prefer apple crisp over apple sauce).
2) Dinner last night was with pork chops with delicata squash and roasted potatoes. The squash and potatoes were given to us and the garlic, thyme, and sage were from our garden.
3) Made 7 jars of pesto using basil from the garden. Used less expensive walnuts instead of insanely expensive pine nuts.
4) RETURN TO THE MEAL PLAN! For the rest of the semester, I'm only gone for 2 nights a week, and so I'm trying to get back in the habit of meal planning as it saves us so much money with a) the grocery shopping and b) cutting down on food waste.
5) I forgot to bring my travel mug to work apartment and thus did not have anything to bring coffee with me to work. Our work, in an attempt to save money, has not restocked the faculty coffee stations post-Covid, despite many of us asking for it. Rather than purchase the expensive coffee from the cafe, I made it in a mason jar at work and just tried to "sip around the grounds..." It was not particularly pleasant, but desperate times and all that...
This week
I mealprepped several meals
I did all my laundry on sunny days for linedrying
I entered this year's water use and it was lower than last year. This is frugal for the earth - our drinking water is ridiculously cheap.
I made French toast from bread ends my husband does not like.
Got two flags which I will use (already using one) as window coverings on clearance at Ace Hardware for $1.75 each.
Redeemed 50,000 Fetch Rewards Points for a $50.00 Amazon gift card, turned around and spent most of it on two pairs of pants for work.
Had my next door door neighbor rebuild my front porch which was a disaster area. He's a retired general contractor and charged me 1/3 of what an active general contractor would.
Had to have a blood pressure recheck yesterday so took the opportunity to get my flu shot as well.
Figured out why I am getting sick at work with the help of a doctor at Urgent Care, I should not take all of my pills all at the same time. I googled when was the best time for each pill and have split them up into morning and evening, also will have a med review with my doctor to see if there are any pills that "fight" with each other
1. So very grateful for insurance incentives. Earned the $250 yearly maximum for things like receiving a flu shot, completing online wellness workshops, and having a prenatal appointment. This money has gone towards unexpected dental expenses during a period of high medical expenses.
2. Have a habit tracker app on my phone which I am using to track my no-spend days. I want to be more aware and intentional of how much and how often I spend money on non-essentials, and tracking in the app keeps me more mindful.
3. Traveled for an extra shift and will be reimbursed for mileage, hotel, and some meals. DH and I enjoyed the hot tub and free breakfast at the hotel, and enjoyed the scenic drive each way. Took leftovers home, of course.
4. Used a 5-cent fuel discount while traveling, and filled up at a station that was already 20 cents cheaper than our home gas prices. Every little bit helps!
5. Enjoyed a free baked good from Starbucks using stars.
I roasted a whole sugar pumpkin, pureed it, and made a small batch of pumpkin pie.
I didn't buy a darn thing on Amazon. Winning!
I "unshopped" about a million things online and reduced my online consumption rate by probably 95% since July.
We haven't gone out to dinner in about 4 months. Haven't done takeout in about 3.
I am fine-tuning my "kitchen ecosystem" more and more and eating all of what we buy as part of an ongoing zero food waste/low food waste endeavor.
I switched internet providers, saving 10 bucks (meh) but getting almost 7x faster speed.