This is gonna be an inadvertently gift-card themed Five Frugal Things. Let’s go!
1. I used a gift card from 2018 (!!!)
I meant to include this in last week’s post, but here it is belatedly: I had a printed-out $100 gift card for Longhorn Steakhouse and it had been in my possession since 2018.
GEEZ.
That feels like a lifetime ago!
I know the number is showing; no biggie because the card has been used!
When I was looking for nearby places for us to eat after my graduation, I noticed Longhorn was nearby and that’s what triggered the memory of the gift card.
Sooo, we used it for our dinner. Yay for essentially free food! And now I don’t have to hang onto that piece of paper anymore.
(Honestly, it’s kind of surprising the paper made it with me through all the upheaval back in 2022!)
2. I opted for the free transcript option
I’m in the process of applying to school to start my BSN program in the fall, and one of the requirements is a securely-sent transcript from my community college nursing program.
There’s a $7 option for an immediate online transcript, but if you can be more patient, there’s a free option: having the transcript mailed to the BSN school.
I am not in any big rush because it’s only May and I’m not wanting to start school until August. So you know I picked the free option. 😉
3. I redeemed an Equifax settlement gift card
I got an email that I had qualified for a small settlement so I registered and discovered I had a whole $7.44 coming to me.
(As my friend Katy would say, I came into some money. Ha.)
$7.44 is not exactly enough to retire on, but you know me: I am not one to sniff my nose at a few dollars.
Since it’s easy to lose track of virtual gift cards, I saved it to my Amazon account, and I will use it next time I need something in the $7 price range.
4. I redeemed my Fetch points for a gift card
I was listening to a How To Money episode in which Matt and Joel shared that Citi will be reducing the value of their points by 25% starting in August.
And that reminded me that sitting on point redemption is a risky game; companies can always devalue your points!
I looked into redeeming my Citi points, but none of the cards on sale right now match what I want. I’ll keep checking, and if nothing desirable goes on sale before August, I’ll just redeem them regardless.
Anyhow, this made me get off my duff to redeem my Fetch points too, since they’re prone to being devalued as well.
5. I…
- worked my three shifts last week and spent $0 at the hospital (as my friend Katy always said, “I’m here to earn money, not spend it!”
- potted some spider plant babies in a pot from my Buy Nothing group (and my initial plant was from babies Sonia gave me from her spider plant. Free all around.)
- put a library hold on Jefferson Fisher’s book The Next Conversation (because I do have time to read books now. So wild!)
KS
Wednesday 4th of June 2025
We just got back from a 5-day trip to see my MIL in Florida (my 25-year-old son, who lives in a different state from us, joined us, which made it extra fun!)--and we did a few frugal things to make the trip more affordable
* Made a plan with my MIL upon arrival for 3 nights of eating out and 2 nights of cooking. We went to Aldi near her as soon as we arrived and stocked up the fridge and ate most of our breakfasts and lunches in her apartment.
* Did lots of free activities--beach twice, pickleball, going to the community pool (which also has a ping pong table), etc.
* Cashed in VISA points to use for most of our meals out--which included 2 extras, a brunch and dinner at the beach with our son. So, points paid for most of our meals, but not all, since my MIL doesn't have a lot of money, so we treated for everything.
* Went to a movie at a local cinema, which cost only $8 per ticket (I don't remember ever paying that little in recent years).
* We used my MIL's car instead of a rental and stayed with her, rather than getting a hotel or Airbnb, like her other son does.
* My husband picked up our son from the airport when he arrived, using my MIL's car, which saved on a $100 Uber ride--plus, we shared an Uber back to the airport with our son, coordinating the timing on flights.
Selena
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
It has not been frugal since end of March. Best cat ever who already had autoimmune issues that got worse. Between the not I'm not complaining ER visit, specialist vet visit, and exploratory surgery, we're at $5K, plus Rx cost for now. Definitely sucks for the best cat I've ever had in my life. It doesn't matter what the biopsy shows, it is not good. Treatment I can well afford will not cure the problem/cancer. Part of me thinks the best cat ever will pass in his sleep (I hope but if not, I will make the decision yet another time in my life). I know the cat knows he's ill, which is not making it any easier.
Selena
Wednesday 4th of June 2025
@Kristen, it is as he's only 4 years old.
Kristen
Wednesday 4th of June 2025
Aww, I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. That is so so hard.
Tiana
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
I wonder how many of the plastic cards are in landfills. AI is supposed to be used to target consumers even more to jump through hoops to get “deals”.
Nikki
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
1. I meal planned, used up food, and cooked our meals at home. We also stopped buying individually wrapped snacks for now. At some point, I will buy them for convenience. Just not now. 2. We went through a box of shoes before buying anything for kids. 3. We took our gift cards to Barnes and Noble to buy some summer reading. We picked up the summer reading challenge sheets. 4. We went to the library for free entertainment and crafts. We bought some books at the used book sale. I put a book on hold and downloaded an audiobook through the libby app. We enrolled in the summer reading challenge to earn free books. I already read 600 minutes, so I can pick up a free book the next time I go in. 5. The neighbors' maple tree put out an incredible number of seeds this summer. I think they all ended up in our gutters. My husband and oldest got them out while the other kids and I cleaned them up from the ground. We did it ourselves. 6. The carafe for our coffee maker was broken (again). Another was ordered immediately. We picked out that coffee maker because it is easy to order a new carafe. 7. It stopped raining and we have all been biking. I'm still riding the bike that my dad garage picked 25 years ago and fixed up (new tires, but mostly just elbow grease).
Heidi Louise
Wednesday 4th of June 2025
@Nikki, Oh, the maple seeds! They have always been a constant in my life, and gutters. I've seen a few crafts to make with them. One is to spray paint them different pastel colors and put them in a jar as some kind of fairy seeds. Another I just saw was to paint a few of them bronze and, with a few other pieces, shape them into a dragonfly. They also might be edible, though I haven't tried that. And no craft projects can take care of them all!
Madelime
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
Used art supplies I ALREADY HAVE to make gift bookmarks for my book club (another free event ).. next week.
Doing a whole MONTH of meal planning ,to use up freezer items!!
Staying home this summer, enjoying local river trips,libraries, book club, movies,,etc.Still recuperating from hip surgery.. so no travel expenses for a while!
Used my medicare advantage plan’s vision benefit to get a FREE TO ME pair of new glasses/new prescription.
Joined FREE health club 1 mile away, also with my medicare advantage plan, the Physical therapist says recumbent exercise bike is good for rebuilding hip strength and ROM.
Got my next 2 book club books FREE on cloud library!