Five Frugal Things | fancy yogurt
1. I got some grocery markdowns
I always check out the meat and dairy markdowns at this store and this time around, I got a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs:
And also some fancy individual yogurts, which I rarely buy.
I tend to stick with my homemade yogurt (no yogurt is more affordable than that!), but sometimes I enjoy a little flavor tour of marked-down Greek yogurts.
2. I renewed my van's registration for only one year
You can renew for up to three years, but there is exactly zero discount for doing so.
I don't really want to fork over almost $600 if no benefit is offered (I'd rather keep my money in my savings account!), plus, since I don't know what my long-term plans are for the van, I'd rather just take it year by year.
I do pay my car insurance annually, and that's a big chunk of change. But I'm willing to do that because it lowers the total amount for the year.
I need some incentive to pay ahead! 😉
3. I am officially taking ethics at the community college
I think I told you my approval request went through, but by that time, the ethics class had a waitlist. I joined, not feeling too hopeful, but lo and behold, I made it in. Whew.
This will be cheaper than taking it at the BSN school, and it will also probably be less frustrating.
Of course, I promptly submitted my paperwork to get reimbursed from my hospital.
I think I am very nearly done submitting paperwork to my hospital now, because I only have the spring 2027 semester left to register for! Yay!
Also, I did submit all of these classes before I went part-time, so I'm hoping I will still get the full reimbursement amount. We shall see...either way, part-time was still the right choice for me for now.
4. I hopped on my Safeway app
I needed to stop in for some milk (I wasn't near an Aldi!), so I pulled up my app and snagged a $3/$30 coupon, and I also grabbed some good sale items.
And, of course, I used my 5% student discount.
Mine renews in October, so I will have it until October 2027, even though I will graduate in May of 2027.
I will enjoy my 5% as long as I can. 😉
5. I ordered an EZ Pass transponder
I realized I never got one for my Civic, which means that right now, if I drive on a toll road or bridge, I'm going to pay the higher bill-by-mail price.
I'm not a fan of paying higher prices, as we all know. 😉
So, now a $0 transponder is on its way to me. Sweet.
Although I do paperwork for my job every day, I often have to kick my behind to get my private paperwork done. Today I resubmitted an online pension scheme form because I received a reminder. Only after asking I discovered that ALL contributants received the reminder, regardless of any previous submission. We will only get the confirmation notification in three weeks time. Very confusing and unhelpful, in my mind.
This week's frugals:
-- after spacking (spackling?) we are using the dehumidifier and are emptying the water in the flower garden;
--we shared some marked down produce with our youngest;
--we restocked on pharmacist products with a trade union discount;
--after the brief spell of rain it is sunny again, so I can do laundry on free solar power;
--we are taking shoots of some favourite shrubs, to replant in other parts of our back yard.
We have big bunches of grapes this year and I cannot recall they were ever this ripe so early in the season. As per usual I will sap them together with some apples then leave the last for the birds.
Feeling frugal after a previous week of vet and dentist bills!
1. My rice cooker stopped heating. I recycled the cooker and sold the insert and lid on ebay. Bought a new one for $25, made 15 on the insert. So basically a new one for 10, and someone else got a nice insert.
2, 3 and 4: Brought home leftovers from a work lunch. Turned the cucumber slices into tzasiki, turned the inside of the wraps into chicken salad by adding a touch of mayo, and made chips out of the flour wraps. Yum. I love making things out of leftovers.
5: Cleaned my shoes instead of buying new for school. Wiped off the outsides and soles. I used to sell shoes on ebay and learned how to clean them back then, so I thought, why don't I clean my own shoes more?
I gave my garden crocs sandals a good rinse and spin the other day and they were like new again-
- Dear Cat is sick (blogs say things like DS and DD for family - do we say DC too?). Thankfully so far it looks like the weekend was the worst of it, and he hasn't needed a trip to the vet thus far.
- Nothing in the house has broken so far this week lol.
- Amazon Prime credit card has a wild 9% cash back promo I think through the end of Sept. on certain categories - ones we actually use! The credit back stacks up nicely.
- My one subscribe and save item, powdered bone broth, had an extra coupon when I underestimated my usage and needed to get another bag.
Thank you for the Amazon hint! I’ve been adding needed items to my cart so I’ll check to see if the incentive applies.
The limited promo applies to using your Prime Visa at other retailers. On Amazon, the regular cash back is in effect.
Thanks for alerting us to the Prime Visa deal! Gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants -- that covers a lot!
Thanks for listing the categories. I didn't remember exactly and didn't want to list them incorrectly. Yes! Quite generous.
Of course we can say Dear Cat. Cats are some of the dearest things on earth (and I hope, in Heaven! 😺)
DC was Darn Cat from the Disney movie That Darn Cat.
--Tomato largess has been transformed into soup and pasta sauce and stockpiled in the freezer. We've also been eating plenty of caprese salads with garden basil.
--The crockpot has also been cranking out pumpkin puree as I roast through my pie pumpkin hoard. I freeze puree in two cup containers; any odd amounts get used in cooking that day or the next. Thus, pumpkin mac and cheese for dinner and pumpkin overnight oats in the morning!
--I've been saving flower seeds to share with my gardening friends and family. Nearly all of my wildflower/pollinator garden seeds came to me this way, so I'm paying it forward.
--My feet have been very much enjoying my practically new $4 gardening sneakers from the thrift store. So much cushion!
--Sometimes Dr. Elsey's cat litter includes a free collar in the bag. Since our strictly indoor boys don't tolerate collars, I left the latest one on the "freebie" table at one of the local coffee shops. Everything from tiny sewing kits to flower seeds to Tarot cards to handmade pocket notebooks has appeared on this table, so a cat collar isn't as random as one might think!
Splurge: My husband and I signed up for Paramount+ this weekend, our first PAID streaming service in over a decade. We greatly enjoy watching the Serie A (Italian football league) together, and this was the only way to access all the games. (PlutoTV sometimes has them for free, but it's a crapshoot as to which matches they carry.) We chose the cheapest plan-- why pay extra for no ads when the only ads are during halftime, anyway?--and will pause the subscription during the league's summer break. $8.99/month is worth it to us to snuggle and cheer in our pajamas while enjoying games. 😛
I go to Kroger vegetable / fruit section to buy the $1.50 produce in the red netting bags. I’ve gotten apples, oranges, grapefruit, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, carrots, and onions each bag for $1.50 . I leave with two weeks of food for less than $20.
1) DH took the boys for a camping weekend away and I got food at the grocery store and cooked at home for myself rather than getting restaurant food. Don’t feel bad for me, I definitely had things like steak and chocolate molten cake for one. But it was also definitely cheaper than going out.
2) When I was at the grocery store shopping for their trip, I offered to help a lady get something off a top shelf. I guess she appreciated that, because then at the checkout, she handed me a $10 off coupon.
3) I cleaned out and reorganized our bathroom cabinets and pantry, throwing out all of the expired things and discovering that we actually already owned a lot of sunscreen and bug spray so we did not buy more for DH’s trip
4) While doing all of this cleaning and reorganizing, I listened to a free audiobook on Libby (The Late Show by Michael Connelly- nothing like a good murder mystery to inspire cleaning energy!)
5) I reupholstered our entry way bench with fabric that I already had
I am on a Michael Connelly book kick. They are just so good!
I loved studying Ethics! I hope you enjoy the class 🙂
Frugals:
1. I did the free parkrun on Saturday. I also went on other runs during the week and for swims in the sea.
2. I went to the free writing group again and got some work done.
3. I got a tourism book on Venice from the Little Free Library.
4. I got groceries which were on sale and baked more bread.
5. I used my gym membership (or at least, I plan to later today lol).
Here are mine, I love this practice.
1. I have been reworking all fridge contents so that every last bit gets used up and not wasted.
2. I have been buying less at the grocery store. My pantry is less stocked but this is okay.
3. I bought some much needed home items from Amazon instead of going to Target, to avoid temptation and impulse buys.
4. I have been reusing puzzles that I bought off Facebook Marketplace instead of trading out / buying new ones. I regularly have a puzzle going, it helps keep me off my phone.
5. I took Instagram off my phone, for a number of reasons, but partly because most of the items in my feed are related to SHOPPING, not anything social. The constant barrage of ads is so not helpful.
Now that you're PT, you won't know what to do with all those spare hours, LOL. Enjoy and relax! Do your ethics course studies and take some lovely walks in the woods.
1. Thanks to some recommendations over at NCA's Commentariat, I signed up for Kanopy, a free streaming service you get via your public library. The best part is that I could register online without going over there....even though our branch library is only 5 minutes away, if that.
2. They also recommended Hoopla, but the city library doesn't have it. No matter: the suburb town library does. That library lets anyone living in our county get a card. I used to have one but I let it lapse. So I will hop in the car and go sign up for their card and for Hoopla. Which I understand also has free e-books!!!!
3. Bought a half-gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream for $5.99 while it was still on sale. Otherwise, the cheapest Blue Bell is $7.45 or $7.49, depending on the store. Some stores charge almost $9 for the same half-gallon. We are under an Extreme Heat Warning and it got to be 107 degrees; in this weather, ice cream is almost a necessity!!
4. Used a back-to-school coupon for a cheap haircut, $6.99 + tip. Talk about inflation: I've noticed that over the years, what used to be $5.99, then $8.99, then $12.99 is now $18.99 -- all for the same haircut!
5. Will be attending an online webinar today. It was free to sign up. The subject is residential solar energy. Hope to get some information about lowering my electric bill and making sure to avoid any brownouts or blackouts if the electric grid gets overloaded.
4.
Hoopla is awesome. It also has binge passes for watching entire seasons of TV shows and reading tons of magazines. I listened to all of Tony Hillerman's books about the Navaho tribal police detectives Leaphorn and Chee for free on the app.
Oh, wow, Ruby, thanks for the info. I am excited about getting this app! With any luck, maybe they will have the magazines I quit subscribing to. The Smithsonian Magazine's type is too small to comfortably read; I'm not substitute
teaching any more so I dropped Woman's World. Would like to see both again at my favorite price -- free!
Lisa, now to get the Libby app .
It also is available with your library card.
I just looked, they have Woman's World.
You can tag the magazines you want to read on the Libby app and they deliver them whenever they publish.
On Libby you will also find audio books and print books to read on a device.
No big moves here this week, but some shopping was done.
1. Frugal food: Restocked my freezer with cubes of homemade "baked" beans for my lunches and popsicles for my daughter, used the snap peas my mom gave us in a stir-fry, entertained frugally by making carrot salad, rice, and ratatouille as side dishes for a roast chicken.
2. I got orthotics to help recover from the Morton's neuroma I developed while pregnant (i.e. inflammation of a nerve in my foot) and oh BOY I had no idea how expensive they are! I submitted it to my insurance the same day, and I got most of it covered. I still have to run the rest through my husband's insurance, then through our healthcare spending accounts, but it's a good start.
3. Exchanged a gifted sweater for my baby that was too small for one he'll grow into (did that in person) and got free shipping because the new sweater was combined with things I needed to buy online anyway.
4. Needed new shoes for aforementioned orthotics and just bought a fresh pair of the ones I already like, found them 25% off.
5. Getting my daughter's birthday gifts and party stuff gradually and frugally. Previewing books at the library to see if she'll actually enjoy owning them; ordering bulk stickers online.
I like to snag marked down yogurt and mix it with my home made yogurt! The store flavored ones are often sweet/flavorful enough that you can mix them equal parts with plain homemade to get double the flavor.
Recently on Youtube I saw a short of a mom mixing Jello powder with yogurt to make "protein Jello." Inspired, I mixed an almost full quart of plain home made yogurt with one 3oz packet of Jello and half-ish envelope of unflavored gelatin (both first dissolved together in 1 cup boiling water, let cool for a few minutes). Let set in fridge overnight. It set up super well and was a fun treat for my toddler (who thought "wiggly yogurt" was hilarious).
Beautiful weather means several savings around here:
--We've been able to open up the house during the day and at night, saving on AC
--Hanging out laundry
--Bicycling to the grocery store and other errands--DS#2 is cycling downtown, about 9 miles one way, to his classes! He's looking forward to cycling to his clinicals, which are at a facility just 6 miles away. So much savings on gas.
--Free entertainment for the Commodore. A family of mourning doves has set up shop on our patio under a bench, and they are either oblivious or unafraid of the fierce cat who watches them like a hawk. Bonus points if his favorite window is open so he can hear them.
My husband and I have a large family and we joke around that we're allergic to paying retail. My most recent find was boxes of breakfast cereal, normally $5 clearanced down to $1.50. We now have 120 boxes stacked on top of the refrigerator. Having the tall ceilings of a Victorian home helps make that possible.
Hurray for Ethics! Our older son is a professor at a university in Boston. Among his subjects is Ethics. It’s considered the most important one and is required for all business students. If only it could be required for all politicians.
My dad says all politicians should have to live for a year on the welfare policy they propose before running for office and I absolutely agree! Studying Ethics should also be mandatory, IMO.
Oh, wow, Ruby, thanks for the info. I am excited about getting this app! With any luck, maybe they will have the magazines I quit subscribing to. The Smithsonian Magazine's type is too small to comfortably read; I'm not substitute
teaching any more so I dropped Woman's World. Would like to see both again at my favorite price -- free!
Erika and Sophie,
I heartily agree -- business people and politicians certainly need to be more ethical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. Attended a free waterski show with my husband. He spent $5 on concessions.
2. Renewed TSA Pre-check for both of us and chose the cheapest online option.
3. Gave a lazy Susan to someone who requested one on Buy Nothing.
4. Received a $50 gift card to a local restaurant from a company we worked with on our remodel.
5. Picked up a book from the free table at the library and put it in the book bin for our winter vacation. Just four months away!
Frugal things:
- A major thunderstorm rolled through last Thursday and knocked out our power which caused our thermostat sensor to lose its mind. We called our HVAC company to come check it out and it just needed to be reset. No charge since we have a yearly maintenance contract and the guy was there less than 10 minutes.
- DH, grandson and I went to my company's family outing. We had free lunch and played putt-putt and duck bowling. Grandson won a dinosaur as a door prize, so we all left happy.
- DS asked for a toaster oven to be added to his Christmas wish list. I got one off our Buy Nothing group. It is very dirty but with a little elbow grease, it should be fine.
- Cashed in credit card points to cover the cost of our plane tickets for vacation.
- The usual things: baked bread, read Kindle Unlimited books, planned meals around grocery sale ad, and brought lunch to work every day.
Before I went on vacation, I made several dishes that used up most of the perishables. Most I either ate or put in the freezer - Today Me is thanking Last Week Me for providing some food when I returned.
The vacation was in a single hotel so I bought some provisions: cold cuts, crackers, bananas, granola bars, and soda. These, especially the soda, were my inexpensive snacks.
FAIL:
I had to throw out the HB eggs I didn’t eat on the plane. Even by my casual standards they were unrefrigerated for too long.
I think I have enough to share....
1. Our dryer quit heating up a few weeks ago, so I hung our laundry on our back deck railings for a few weeks until hubby was able to repair the dryer and after we waited for parts to arrive. Much less than buying a new dryer, plus ours is only 3.5 years old.
2. We received a free queen size mattress from hubby's cousin (clean home) so we could furnish our spare bedroom.
3. Utilized a coupon at Home Depot on a bigger purchase, saving us $73.
4. Neighbors gifted us free tomatoes which we have been enjoying.
5. We had free lunch yesterday leftover from a work event. Free food is good!
1) I was home for dinner alone most of the week, and kept dinners, shall we say, casual. 😉 Popcorn, breakfast burritos, fruit, etc. Whatever struck my fancy. No food waste, inexpensive meals, etc. Made my way through a ton of garden tomatoes a coworker gave me.
2) I had a zucchini leftover from the garden goodies from my coworker, so I took that, chicken sausage, 4 potatoes & the remainder of a bag of Costco frozen vegetables intended for roasting & used them in a sheet bake recipe. We didn't like the Costco veggies in their recommended cooking method, but enjoyed everything like this. Avoided waste, and got something out of the freezer, plus it made two dinners (x2 diners) & 2 lunches.
3) I've been going through DS19's room at his request to make room for a bigger bed. Have decluttered over 200 items & recycled old school papers, tossed things, gave away a ton of school supplies, and listed a few things for sale. I have had more than 20 bags at a time on my porch, ready for BN at any given time. 😉
4) Inspired by DS19's cleanout, I did another pass through my closet and gave away a few things on BN, combined with 10 tshirts DS20 has outgrown. Stuff out of the house, into the hands of people who can use them!
5) As part of my decluttering streak, have made the time to go through & add a bunch of stuff to eBay.
We're leaving town soon for a long camping vacation, so I've been working to eat down our refrigerator and freezer. I like the creative challenge.
I'm making a bunch of food to take with us. We have a refrigerator and stove in our camper so why not take advantage of them?
We have friends staying at our house while we're away -- they get a free vacation and we get free house-sitting.
We've been deep-cleaning in preparation for their stay. My husband pressure-washed all the rugs and they look so much better. Bonus: I'll come home to a clean house.
Spent a week on vacation staying in the home of relatives..a good visit and saved on hotel bills.However, we did oversplurge somewhat on restaurant meals on occasion.. but we rarely do this at honey so..all good.
Frugal entertainment:
I belong to a social club for women my age and we are going to see “Practical Magic 2” at the cheapie theater in September and will have dinner at happy hour prices at Pita Jungle,small plates run just $3 and no booze required.
Am teaching a small collage/junk journal workshop for free at my house this week, 5 other ladies will join me- FREE fun and sharing goodness with others= win/win. I love to have company when making crafts. A local craft studio charges $25 per DAY to come be with others and have fun..we can do it for free on our own!!
Put the next TWO book club selections into my cloud library so I can borrow, not buy. Book club is free, once a month gathering with very cool lady friends.
Other frugals:
Continuing to shop the loss leaders at the grocery stores and get my pantry and freezer fully stocked for harder times ahead (prices are UP UP UP!)
Continuing to enjoy COOKING as a hobby..the mindset makes it fun and it sure saves money.Set that nice table, put on some music..VOILA! Better than a pricey noisy restaurant.
Madeline - I love that you are hosting a crafting event at your house, creating a social experience that everyone will enjoy & bonus points of saving everyone money! Well done, you.
I hope they're sending you a sticker, because the transponders are being phased out!
I bought two tires yesterday -- not frugal, but I got them in response to a warning light, and they were installed at a shop I really trust. So now I feel so much safer on the road. Also glad for my grandson, who uses the car a lot. And actually, they were cheaper than I expected -- about $300, including labor.
I used my waiting time to walk to Goodwill, where I bought a package of Always Discreet. $3 instead of $22, yes please! And I was actually heading to Walmart to get pads when I had to divert to the repair shop. So that was serendipity.
I also bought a timer. I checked to make sure it ticked when I turned the dial, but what I didn't check out was whether it rings. It doesn't. I took it apart to see if I could figure out the problem, but I couldn't. So that was a waste; it's going in the trash.
Also stopped at Dollar Tree and bought the $1.25 gingersnaps.
I found four receipts on the walk, which I scanned to Fetch.
Once home I did laundry in my "new" laundry room. The new washers are indeed larger in capacity, so I'm officially spreading my laundry days farther apart. And I just love that folding table! Yes, I'm easily pleased.
Rethought the timer -- it's very cute, looks like a ladybug. I'm keeping it as a paperweight.
Let's see...This week I:
- Volunteered at the market Saturday morning and in return got the volunteer discount on this years Market Poster.
- Bought some zucchini/summer squash in bulk for a bushel price. It was well over 25lbs for $25 so it worked out as a pretty good deal.
- Picked up some #dollardeals at Neighborhood for our weekly produce.
- Took the bus to my volunteer event Thursday and walked home. Used husbands T pass so the bus was free.
- Canceled Paramount+ before it renewed. Had a promo for 2 months at 99 cents/month and made sure to cancel before being charged the normal $13.99
Made a big batch of pesto, froze in ice cube trays and then vacuum packed. Ditto with chimichurri, added a bit of lemon thyme.
Found a hot pink bedazzled leather belt at an estate sale for $2, made a new dog collar for my pup.
Made Smitten Kitchens plum and apple magic cake, tripled the recipe for sheet pan. Was a hit. I am going to freeze half plums to see if the recipe works with frozen fruit. I have a feeling it will work!
Picked 4 gallons of green beans to can today.
1. Cabin neighbors had us over to dinner and then sent us home with the leftovers —dinner + lunch for us!
2. More cabin neighbors come up once a year with an enormous quantity of really fancy food—they had an extra bacon wrapped filet which they gave to us— another dinner + lunch.
3. Returned those Whitin shoes (sob) to Amazon because as perfect as they are, my left foot was screaming. (Is the neuropathy getting worse? Shudder to think…)
4. Hemmed some linen palazzo pants (also from Amazon). (Frugal? less so than returning, but more frugal than paying someone else or not wearing them)
5. A friend is downsizing and she gave me a Really Really Good Camera. REALLY GOOD!! I’ve been struggling with getting the photos I need, and she said she hated this camera but didn’t want to bother returning it after trying to learn it. WOW. More than not spending money on a new camera, I am not spending any more time trying to figure out which one to buy. HUGE. ENORMOUS.
1. I bought 2 packages of 50% off marinated pork at Aldi. I also bought a big box of clearance mini muffins for my kids for $4.
2. My mom gave us fruit, vegetables, bread, and pancake mixes. The over-ripe fruit got frozen or turned into popsicles. The pancake mix became chocolate chip pancakes for my kids for breakfast this week. I used the sweet potatoes she gave us, homemade chicken stock, and sausage I had purchased for 50% off at Aldi to make black bean, sweet potato soup. We are eating the soup with some bread she gave us.
3. My husband and son are building us a shed. My husband borrowed a roofing nail gun off Buy Nothing and the roofing nails he bought on Facebook Marketplace. Building the shed is saving us at least $2,000.
4. Took advantage of a free kids festival at a local orchard and a free outdoor movie at the library that included drinks and snacks.
5. Signed up for a yoga class and sound bath through the library.
You can't share a responder between vehicles (both vehicles being listed on the account of course).
That's why I ordered a new one. 🙂
Our frugal wins for our trip from our home in North Dakota to my Mom's house in Texas ...
- Streamlined our 23-hour cross-country drive into two days with just one hotel night and a full drive through with no hotels on our way back. We also commuted 1.5 hours to the beach from my mom’s house instead of paying $200/night for a beach hotel, using her place as our base for the entire week.
- Ate only one fast-food meal as a family on the road; the rest was gas station snacks or grocery runs. My mom also generously cooked delicious meals for us throughout our stay.
- Enjoyed two beach day trips during our visit.
- Paid forward our free stay by taking care of home maintenance for my mom— cleared a clogged drain, replaced a toilet, replaced the ceiling air filters, fixed a stuck door, installed a ceiling fan, set up garage wall hooks, and nailed loose fence posts.
- My mom checked out library books for the girls to enjoy during our visit.
- She also gave both of my daughters haircuts, saving us a trip to the salon.
How did you get the “0” charge transponder??
I’m glad you got your ethics class approved!
I’m generally frugal, but this week there were some extras.
We went to an estate sale out in the country on Sunday after church. When we got to the entrance, the lady said everything was a dollar and pointed to a large wooden desk. We didn’t need the desk, but my husband found an unopened bag of Moss-out and a barely used bag … so $2 and an estimated savings of $30. I picked up 2 utensils and a necklace chain. I like estate sales much more than garage sales!
I continue to monitor the outdoor/indoor temperature and adjust blinds, windows, and the back door along with the AC. I’ve had to lower the AC an extra degree when we’re upstairs in our offices as heat rises and it was simply too uncomfortable to work up there.
Laundry is drying outside.
Meals were planned and are being adjusted as needed. It’s a plan, not a contract!
While it would have been more frugal not to go at all, we had lunch after church at a local place that had a free sundae on Sunday.
We've had some puppy and reno issues with our carpet and one area was just awful, finally took it up, bought new underlay for that section (less frugal) but then just cut off the tatty bit of carpet off and replaced it with a massive rug we had bought for a previous property and had left in the garage - it turns out to be the perfect size and was completely free!
I also used a lino floor remnant to cover a hall area floor - I ended up doing a mad 10+ piece jigsaw with it to match the pattern and fit the space but it was every satisfying and again, free! I was getting very frustrated and was going to buy more, but no need in the end!
Our coffee maker has also given up but instead of replacing I've just been drinking instant and realised it's great for iced coffees as you can just add a tiny bit of hot water to get it going then use cold - practical, delicious and wildly cheaper going forward!
I'm on the road again and performing at one of my favorite festivals for the next few months.
1. The comedy writing class I took last month paid off big time with a tweaked show and new jokes that fix a few things I wasn't happy with.
2. A friend bought me a cup of coffee at the participant flea market and we caught up.
3. I returned 2 RV water hoses I didn't need to add to my current hose to reach the strangely far spigot at my campsite
4. This year the festival offered to pay for my camping when one of their limited number of spots opened up. This saved me $2k!
5. I took all of the freezer meals I had at home on the road with me (also an easy way to clean out the freezer!) which has saves me in so many ways while I was setting up the trailer on her shakedown cruise, my stage and show logistics, and being way too tired to cook a proper meal on stupid hot days full of work. No takeout for me!
That's awesome about the camping spot!
1. I've sold 12 more things this past week (9 on vinted, 1 on Poshmark and 2 on Mercari.) I was telling my mom about vinted and she asked if I wanted to list things for her for part of the profit. Yes please!
2. For my son's birthday party with his friends, instead of goodie bags full of junk toys, I went to a bakery and got each boy a big chocolate chip cookie. I had a gift card that covered part of the cost, so only about $20 out of pocket for the cookies.
3. We're working on an "eat down the pantry" meal plan this week so meals have been all kinds of odds and ends.
4. It cooled down over the weekend, so we were able to turn off the AC and open the windows.
5. Got a code for a free drink at Dunkin' earlier today. I'm planning to save it until Friday morning as an end of the week treat.
I love the idea of a take home cookie for each of the boys, instead of junk, LM!
Always the gardener, I am saving seeds for next year. Some of my lettuce bolted during a hot stretch, so I let it go to seed. Next year's BLTs, already planned!
1. We went to the movies this weekend (matinee) and while we did purchase popcorn, I brought in water bottles and a box of candy for my son.
2. Work is having a book swap this week so I cleaned up my bookshelves and found a few books that I am willing to part with. Maybe I’ll find something good to add to my TBR pile!
3. I contacted customer support in the Fetch app. A promo that I completed for 20K point never came through and their chatbot wasn’t helpful. Not only did they put the missing points in my app, they gave me an additional 2000 points for the issue.
4. I was able to return some yarn to the craft store. I had some on hand that ended up working for what I needed even though it wasn’t 100% what the pattern called for.
5. Still packing my breakfast, lunch, and snacks when I go into the office.
Let's see if I can make five.
1. Went to garage sales the last few weekends. I found a number of office supplies and items for my prizebox to use for my classroom for less than $30.
2. Cooked at home when I didn't feel like it a number of days in the last few weeks.
3. Frugal for others--lent my folding table several times this summer to my neighbour for her family functions.
4. Accepted free shampoo and conditioner from my mom who didn't like product.
5. Cleaned the inside of my car myself rather than hiring someone else to detail it.
6. Salvaged fabric scraps being thrown out. I plan to make hair scrunchies out of them to put into my classroom prizebox.
I love finding good mark downs!
1. We got a bunch of stuff renters left behind
2. my mother in law gave me 2 zuchinnis
3. I'm getting okra, watermelon, basil, cantaloupe and Thai peppers from the garden
4. I got free treats for my cat through fetch rewards
pictures and more details here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/08/26/frugal-four-a-package-for-nacho/
*I have been pretty diligent about emptying our freezers before buying more food, finally!
* Sold puzzles and diamond painting kits for 60$
* Bought 4 ball gowns to give to my DD school, for young ladies who can't afford to buy themselves dresses for prom (the school has a loan system). They cost me a whopping .... 50 cents each! Incredible! They had a "everything 50 cents" sale at the thrift store. Very happy to be able to help at almost no cost to me.
* Going through my stash of creams, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, deodorants, etc, before buying more. Let it be noted that most of said shampoo, soaps and creams stash comes from my Buy Nothing group. I don't have sensitive skin and will use about anything if it smells fine and cleans/moisturize my skin or hair. Zero picky. I'm even using the Dove soap bars, that I hate with a passion.
* I have been filling my Kindle e-reader with free books like a crazy madwoman, so that I'll have enough to read and won't feel like I "have" to renew my Kindle Unlimited free trial once it expires (still have 4 months to go). There is so many free ebooks on Amazon!
I did not know that Safeway had a 5% discount for students!!!! I don't have an Aldi around here. Thanks!
Yep, I'm becoming a small expert on student discounts. Hehe.