Five Frugal Things | health screen = $100 for me!
1. I got a free health screening plus $100
My new health insurance offered a $100 bonus for completing a little health screening at CVS. I was due for a Covid booster anyway, so I got that done at the same time.
All of my numbers are in a good range, and now I know my A1C, which I'd never gotten checked before (it's 5.2%). My fasting blood glucose was good too (85).
The NP said she could tell I exercise by looking at my bloodwork (for example, I have super low triglycerides), and that made me happy.
My blood pressure was 106/78, which is typical for me, but these numbers look so oddly low to me now because I see such high blood pressure readings at the hospital all the time!
Anyway...I got $100, plus some confidence that my lifestyle habits are working for my body.
2. I bought only a few months' worth of contact lenses
Since I don't wear my contacts every day, it does not make sense to buy an entire year's worth, even though there are some rebates offered on the annual supply.
I do really like to wear them when I go to work or to a clinical site (if I have to wear a mask, I prefer not to wear glasses!), and that'll be about three days a week.
So, with four days of glasses and three days of contacts, my several-month supply should last me a nice long time.
(Unfortunately, my poor eyeballs only do ok with the daily contacts at this point. I don't love that they are disposable, but it is what it is. I will be low-waste in other areas of my life.)
3. I got some free cloth napkins
A local reader (hi Kim!) who is in my Buy Nothing group alerted me that someone in my group had put some cloth napkins on offer.
I responded right away and lo and behold, this person lives IN my neighborhood. Ha.
So, that was a very easy pickup.
Now I don't even need to haunt the thrift stores to try to find some napkins; I'm all set thanks to Kim and also my Buy Nothing neighbor. Yay!
I didn't need as many as the person was giving away, so I offered the rest up on my Buy Nothing group and they got picked up right away. Sweet.
4. I ordered a secondhand NCLEX prep book
This semester we have a certain number of required NCLEX questions to do per week (like 100+ per week), so I figured I'd better get a book!
A new copy is $56, but I got a used one on eBay for $32 (a $24 savings).
And you know I will list it right back on eBay when I pass my NCLEX. 😉
5. I got a free holder for my cloth napkins
Shortly after the post for the free napkins, I saw a post for an interesting-looking rectangular ceramic container, and I thought, "Ooh, that might make a nice cloth napkin holder!"
So I responded to the listing, picked it up, and I'm happy to say it does work pretty well for holding some napkins.
I figure I will be more likely to use the napkins if they are readily available on the table vs. in a drawer. 🙂
I love my cloth napkins, I even take them to work. I've gotten comments on them from co workers too. 🙂 One co worker said "I thought I was the only one who used them".
@MommaJo,
I too love cloth napkins. So luxurious.
@MommaJo, I may have a cloth napkin addiction. Thankfully I get them from yard sale, thrift stores or make them from fabric I get cheap.
--I made bread pudding for the first time to use up the last of my little sister's delightful chocolate chip sourdough bread. It turned out amazing! We served it to visiting friends with homemade whipped cream and pomegranate seeds. The two pomegranates had been languishing, so I seeded both of them ahead of our friends' arrival.
--Ginger snaps that were also shipped from my family were unfortunately pulverized in transit. I used the resulting ginger snap dust to replace a 1/2 cup of flour in a blueberry coffee cake recipe, and it was delightful. Waste not. 😉 The blueberries had been frozen this summer when they were on sale. The coffee cake served as breakfast several days running.
--I re-inventoried both the deep freezer and the fridge freezer. We're making an effort at taming random store trips while it's nice and cold out, which definitely makes it easier to keep random wanderlust at bay.
--The exception will be an upcoming stock up trip. A local-ish store has a $5 off $25 bulk coupon running this week, and we actually do need to restock several spices and pantry items, like red lentils.
--When running numbers on cat food, like you do, I realized that a brand our cats already like (Tiki Cat) had a dry food that was comparable to Hills Science Diet but came out to $7.50 less when buying the large bags. (I was using price per pound as my metric.) The large bag would make it a $40 experiment, so I bought a 3 lb bag for $16. The cost per pound was of course higher for the smallest bag, but this way we weren't out as much if our boys proved fickle. I mixed it with their usual dry food, and they LOVED it! I now know it's safe to pony up for the big Tiki Cat bag next time.
How do you like using the cloth napkins as compared with paper ones?
Frugal things:
1) My 13 year old and got junk food at the grocery store for our movie marathon instead of buying takeout
2) I ate leftovers for lunch instead of going out to eat with my office mates- though I did go out the following day with them.
3) I talked DH out of lunch out after church on Sunday.
4) We did a community service project on Monday with friends to celebrate MLK day instead of going to the trampoline place. Then we had lunch with everyone at our house afterwards, which was not free as we were feeding 12 people, but was cheaper than taking even just our family out to eat.
5) DH was tired and I was doing trial prep so he suggested takeout. Instead I assigned the 13 year old and 9 year old to make dinner (pasta, sauce, frozen meatballs, canned green beans.) They did a great job.
And yes, we love canned green beans! I like fresh as well, but they have to be cooked long enough to not squeak. There is nothing worse than squeaky green beans.
@Tarynkay, I seriously thought I was the only one who didn't like squeaky green beans!
@Darlene Too, SAME! I hate it when they squeak
@Tarynkay, I prefer cloth napkins. Paper ones shred with certain messes. Best to get a dark color, the light ones show all the crud and stains.
@Darlene Too, I don't like squeaky green beans either. I prefer canned.
@Tarynkay, I've used cloth napkins for years. I prefer them to paper. I would say that I have dark colors or plaids. If I only had white, I wouldn't like them because I would need to bleach them or would see stains or whatever....the ones I have hide any stains so they don't bother me.
@WilliamB, I dye mine every so often so you don't see stains.
1. A book I was in a queue for at the library finally arrived. I had waited instead of buying it and am glad, because I'm unlikely to read it again.
2. I bought a frozen pizza instead of takeout.
3. I got some reduced food at the supermarket.
4. I walked somewhere instead of using public transport.
5. I used some ginger I chopped and froze a few months ago. I'm glad I took the time to do that because I use it sparingly and in the past was always throwing it out because it had gone bad.
1. We continue to be a one-car household, despite temporary inconveniences.
2. I've only had to buy lunch once in three weeks, which is a big win for me!
3. I brought a little tea setup to work--they have a kettle--and while it hasn't entirely stopped me from buying tea, it reduces.
4. I am slowly trying to cook through the pantry: I made polenta last week and kasha varnishkes this week. I am the only person in my family who will eat either of those, so it's gonna take a while!
5. I can't remember the last time I bought myself a book; I use the library so frequently (mostly the app, let's be honest.) I prefer paper books but our library is just so inconveniently located. Anyway, I was a big book buyer as a teen!
@Meira@meirathebear, We are also managing as a one-car household, though now just between my husband and I because our son recently bought a truck. But for a couple of years we managed as a one-car household with three adults!
@Kristina M., That's impressive. I do know that we will eventually need another car. Mr. B and I don't work in the same city and it's unlikely that I'll be able to use transit indefinitely (we currently live near a transit line but that won't be true forever.) But I'm trying to delay it as long as possible!
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), we work from home which helps and also bike a lot. We give each other rides to the bus/metro when needed, and sometimes we pay for an Uber. Once when our son wanted to take the car for a road trip to see the solar eclipse we rented a second car. It's still cheaper than a car payment, we realized.
Apparently, your readers really think you should be using cloth napkins. 🙂 My cloth napkin container is a giant wooden bowl my dad gave me. It stays out on a counter near the table. It's much too elegant for the use I put it to, but it is convenient. My life in a nutshell . . .
Frugal things:
--I made some chili yesterday using the ground elk meat we ground ourselves with the elk my son shot and the suet we got free from the butcher counter. Also in that chili were pureed squash from the squash our neighbor gave us to try, the liquid and fat from cleaning out the pan I broiled hamburgers on the night before, and the green chili I skinned, seeded, and pureed myself from the large quantity I buy roasted in the fall from the side of the road.
--I cooked the chili on our wood stove, which was going full speed ahead all day. I used to simmer things on our old wood stove all the time, but the one in this house has a surrounded metal case that blocks the actual firebox. Good for keeping kids from burning themselves, but not so good for cooking on. However, the lid hinges up and can be left up, so then the pot can be put directly on the firebox, where it simmers quite strongly. Perfect for things like chili.
--Also on the top of the firebox, I left a pan of uncovered water to combat the extremely dry air, and a covered small saucepan of water to keep hot for the tea and coffee that are in constant demand on a cold day like yesterday.
--That last turned out to be very helpful especially because my children were doing virtual school and were on various meetings on their computers most of the morning. For some reason, our wi-fi doesn't work well when the microwave is running, so we can't heat things in the microwave during Zoom calls for longer than about thirty seconds. But with that pan of already-hot water on the stove, it just required about twenty seconds in the microwave to get it to a full boil for tea. And it saves on electricity, too.
--Our countertop electric kettle died a few days ago. We use that constantly, so I immediately ordered another, choosing the like-new refurbished option to save about ten dollars.
@kristin @ going country, My mom would also put a saucepan of water on our woodstove to infuse some humidity into the dry air, and would often put some cinnamon sticks or other spices in - I miss that smell (and great source of actual noticeable heat, vs. heat pump vents)!
Our microwave also interferes with wifi (we shifted the router a bit and that helped stop random coffee-warmer-uppers from accidentally freezing people's zoom meetings).
@kristin @ going country, That’s a very impressive frugal chili.
@Suz, I am running to kitchen to throw cinnamon sticks in the pot on my stove! I wish I would have remembered to do that sooner - thanks for the reminder!
@kristin @ going country, I really want to get Hearth & Hand new wooden bowl but had not really thought of what it's use would be because food would not be put in it. I love the cloth napkins holder idea.
I wanted to put a pot of water on our gas wood stove but google says don't because water vapor could cause problems on gas fittings. Older wood stoves definitely are a great thing to have.
- I had paid extra on our last power bill so the huge one that came in was reduced already.
- I figured out heating the garage isn't as terribly expensive as I thought- the rates had gone up by 40% over last year. So that will continue for now. I will revisit this decision next month.
- I stopped at Sam's club again on the way home from dropping daughter off at college. I picked up her older sister who stocked up on pecans , chocolate chips, and eggs. She's going to freeze some. I bought another box of 90 eggs, honey for homemade granola, and oatmeal (ditto). Second trip in a week, but I can't pass up the savings. I used my club card to get my daughter's purchases, which saves her money too.
-Gas at Sam's was over 50 cents per gallon cheaper compared to home, so I filled up.
- I used our city's free oversized pickup to dispose of a very old mattress. We get one free oversized item a month. I went online and scheduled it for this morning. I did have to wrestle the mattress out to the curb at 5:30 am in -10°F weather to make sure it's in place for the pickup, but a small price to pay to free up space in my basement. (I could have put it out last night, but then I would have had to wrap it in plastic. Let alone what mischief could occur overnight.)
Stay warm today, everyone!
@mbmom11,
Wrestling a mattress in the before-dawn hours at minus 10 degrees should earn you a gold medal in frugality! Not to mention, you did your weight lifting reps for the day!
1. Eating in the pantry/ freezer. I keep a running list of possible meals on the fridge so if I'm at work- someone else can decide what they want to make.
2. Cleaned out the pantry and gave college kid s box of snacks thst we had forgotten about to take with him. Didn't need to buy anything.
3. Not frugal- college kid lost his key. 400 replacement fee- hopefully he learns a lesson. Apple air tag knockoffs are on the way to him.
4. Cancelled Amazon. I found myself returning a lot this year and it's not frugal to drive to return. Also thinking that it will reduce impulsive purchasing.
5. Packed my lunch to work!
@Jennifer, I put an AirTag on my keys last year after spending 5 hours one day looking for them. I had brought in an armful of groceries and couldn’t see what I was doing over the packages. Rather than landing in the basket on the counter where I usually put them, my keys must have dropped onto the floor where they were kicked under the stove. Boy was I frustrated! I ordered an AirTag that day.
@Bee, so glad you found your keys!
March 2 success is a free site for all kinds of practice tests for pre-nursing, SAT, and more. Free to user. Unfortunately they don’t have the nursing exam once you’re in school. But the site does have the MCAT for medical school.
I know you’ll pass your exam with flying colors. Test in June. July for results?
Good news about your diet!
Elevated triglycerides are mostly :
1) type of food that’s eaten
2) genetic predisposition
3) obesity (however you can be obese and have normal triglycerides)
It’s the packaged foods / junk that really raise it, and that’s not a regular part of your diet! Yeah!
I wish I had a baseline to compare it to, but I did read that exercise lowers triglyceride levels: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6436502/#:~:text=In%20the%20present%20study%2C%20we,and%20thereby%20decreased%20CHD%20risk.
And oh my goodness that is an annoyingly long link. Ha.
@Kim from Philadelphia, We can add exercise to that list. I learned that when my triglycerides dropped (from an already low level) dramatically when I was in half-marathon training.
1. I live for a savory breakfast: bought a bunch of veges at Aldi’s. Today’s concoction was a small amt of leftover rice, carrots, edamame, sautéed spinach (all from Aldi’s) & and over easy egg on top with a splash of hoisin. Being full until breakfast is very economical! And 3 vegetable servings by 8a is awesome
2. Turning heat down to 64 upstairs during the day & back up to 67 when I go to bed
3. Rec’d a $530 refund from my hospital system. No idea why, but thank you very much
4. Really worked on my budget & identified 3 big routine expenses that always manage to surprise me. Moved the necessary cash for January to them yesterday (Ally) for 2 of the 3. Will wait for the third, just in case
5. Bought a beef roast at Aldi’s, cooked & sliced it thin for sandwiches. Delicious! Worked out to be much less than deli sliced meat & not ultra processed! With sliced cheese, horseradish, & lettuce- my lunches feel special!!
@Diane, *being full until lunch
Wow on the heath survey. We never got anything like that from healthcare.
Frugal things---
● saved $0.10/gallon & earned $1.52 in reward points
● took my neighbor to airport & she bought drive through takeout & paid for gas
● neighbor also cleaned out her fridge & teen got eggs & lemons
● trimmed rescue dogs hair (especially on back side) since too cold for haircut/groomer (saved $70)
● it's been below zero for days now (currently feels like -16*) so furnace & gas wood stove running non stop to keep house warm & pipes warm (cupboard doors opened). Higher gas bill is cheaper than plumber. Hopefully One more day & night then hopefully above zero, maybe teens.
Frugal fail---
● was given some Italian (sliced) bread & it didn't taste good as our sandwiches (but was not bad) so it didn't get eaten....But the birds will enjoy since no bird feeders around & below zero temps.
@Regina, wow, and I thought I was cold?!?
@A. Marie,
The Polar Vortex is descending on parts of Canada and temps will be down -40C in places.
In chronological order, long weekend edition (I had yesterday off work!)
1. I got a $5 Starbucks gift card for completing a survey for our wedding photographer!
2. So I turned that gift card into an Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. I even found a random $3 off coupon in the Starbucks app to make this gift card stretch further 🙂
3. I dug through our stationary stash to check for stamps before getting more for our wedding invites. I didn’t do this when we sent our Save the Date postcards, and we had about 10 post card stamps we could have used. Lesson learned, because I just found 24 regular stamps that I won’t have to acquire for the invites!
4. I used a $5 Michael’s rewards voucher to get a cute little heart cocotte. I sorted the sale items by price to find something exactly under $5, so I didn’t have to spend a penny 🙂
5. I made copycat Crumbl recipes at home. I gave most to our new next door neighbors, but I saved a few for myself because I love the pink almond cookies from Crumbl 🙂
6. I was very tempted to get a Hulu subscription to watch the newest season of 911, but that would break my No-Buy 2025 rules. Instead, I watched a DVD we already owned, and I’ll keep an eye out for the 911 Season 8 DVD at the library when it’s finished.
7. I went to a free cheese tasting and tour at a local creamery about 25 minutes from our town!
8. I exchanged two books I declutterred from our collection for two new-to-me books from a Little Library
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, forgot to mention my frugal fail. I coached myself prior to my eye doctor appointment to request only new lenses, not to replace the whole frame. Unfortunately, because I switched eye doctors after moving, they weren’t able to just replace the lenses without sending my glasses out for weeks. So, I had to buy new frames, and I neglected to ask if the lenses they selected for me were fully covered by insurance. I ended up paying $155 for new glasses, when I expected to pay less than $50.
The big one is I finally sold 9 of the wine racks that came in the new house. I’ll clear over $2000 for those. The hard work was finding someone to help me sell them - that took months. There’s one rack and one wine table (custom table with wine storage), plus some odds and ends left.
I hacked some candle holders. I have taper candles but no holders for them. Rather than buy, I figured out how to use them in pillar candle holders. I kept the random bits of leftover wax in case I decide to try to make candles again.
Signed up for an investment planning seminar to get the free steak dinner.
Stocked up on soda and other drinks while they’re on sale for football playoff season.
@WilliamB,
When I make jar candles, instead of using a regular candle wick, I just pour a little bit of melted wax on the bottom of the jar, stick in a taper candle, prop it up and let it harden. When it's fairly sturdy, I pour the rest of the melted wax (may have to reheat it by then) up to the top. The taper candle's wax will melt, but the taper candle keeps the wick straight. I find it's a lot easier than trying to keep a string (wick) straight when you dangle it down into the jar.
@Fru-gal Lisa, hey! thats a great idea! my daughter made candles to sell at a craft fair and while it was fun this string wicks were maddening for us. We did like the candle making process though.
@Fru-gal Lisa, great idea, I can use that one. It's much better than my candleholder hack.
@Fru-gal Lisa, What a great idea! I have that same problem with wicks staying straight. Now to find some taper stubs...
My blood pressure reading is always on the low side, which was/is also my sisters' and late father's usual readings so I assume it is mostly genetic. I always heard that's why it is so hard for us to get out of bed in the mornings, because our bp would be so low. I have no idea if it's true, but we all struggle/struggled to wake up in the mornings.
1. It saved others money, not me, but I went through blankets and bedspreads stored in a linen closet and am giving away three of them to those who accepted when offered, I'm keeping one, and donating one. I have another linen closet to go. How did I end up with so many spreads and blankets in Florida? (Lack of clutter feels frugal to me)
2. Of course, this week we have four nights in the mid to lower 20's forecast, yesterday never got higher than 43 and today and the next few days will stay cold to quite cool. Possible sleet and/or snow tonight. I'm wearing layers and sitting with lap robes when at home, to keep the heat turned a little lower than I would like. I always wear layers at work - these guys like the office to be cool.
3. I ate as much as I wanted of my chicken vegetable soup, (made frugally with the chicken backs) so I thickened the broth, made a cassava flour crust and voila, chicken pot pie. It felt just right after the windy, cold day yesterday.
4. I'm getting quotes for installing a propane tank so I can get a dual-fuel generator. Unless the second guy is way off on his figures - he ballparked it, but I'm to get a real quote from his office shortly - his company will cost one-third the amount of the other local company. I hate getting pricing and quotes, but it's frugal, so I make myself do it.
5. When I made my big rectangular ironing board cover, I had a short piece of plywood left, 24" x 12". It's just right to make a mini-board that will fit on my sewing table, so I covered it in old hand towels and a piece of fabric I already own. No more getting up and down to press a seam or a turned edge every few minutes, and I had everything I needed, including the staple gun and staples.
@JD, I’ve been thinking a lot about if decluttering can be considered “frugal”. It’s definitely on the spectrum of low waste/environmentalism that often accompanies frugality, because when we declutter, we’re only using the resources we need and giving back the ones we don’t. But I think it’s also frugal. At least for me, when my closets are tidy I have a good sense of what I already have, and I’m not shopping (either sales or full price) to fill a need that doesn’t actually exist! [Like my stamp frugal story for this week!]. I also find that I’m always bringing in new objects, despite my best efforts to be a minimalist/conscious consumer. If I don’t regularly go through my belongings, I am prone to thinking I need more storage or a bigger home, when really I just need to get rid of some stuff. In that sense, I’m saving money by not upgrading my home or storage needlessly!
@JD, #2 sounds positively balmy. 5 degrees at 7 a.m. here, and that's not as low as it will go this week.
@JD, I have chronically low blood pressure (not unusual for me to have a diastolic number below 60), and so does my oldest. When we're in hospital or at the doctor's office, we get praised for our "healthy" blood pressure, but that's just because white coat syndrome raises it into the low normal range! My mom was the same way, so yes, it's probably genetic.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I second what you've said about decluttering. I have the same tendencies. (And when I see what my NDN's hoarding is costing her in various ways, I tend to step up the decluttering.)
@JD, I know that lows in the 20s are mighty low indeed for your part of FL. I wish you and your vegetation well.
@Karen A., my last diastolic number was 50. The nurse always admires my very low BP, but few realize that it often makes me feel like crap. I'm 6 feet tall and I need much higher BP than I do if I plan to see when I stand up (usually I black out momentarily). When I had my first baby I hemorrhaged and had a big blood transfusion. When I got conscious enough to pay attention to what was going on, the 2 doctors beside me were discussing whether to give me more blood because they couldn't get my BP up. I asked them what it was and then told them not to bother with more blood, it was normal for me.
@Kara, Yep, when I went to a cardiologist out of concern (I know that my family has a history of heart valve issues, which can cause low blood pressure), they kind of acted like I was worried about nothing. Which I can understand; as Kristen has mentioned, they're more likely to see high blood pressure and be concerned about heart attacks or strokes. But low blood pressure, especially diastolic, is a concern because that means your heart isn't getting as much oxygen as it needs, which over time can lead to heart failure.
Long story short, they didn't find anything wrong aside from mitral regurgitation (my mom and brother both had mitral valve prolapse, no surprise there) and I was told I should go make sure I eat plenty of 'salty chips.' Sigh.
@JD,
Ohhh! (Light bulb moment!) Now I know why I have (and have always had) trouble being able to "rise and shine" in the mornings! (Esp. cold mornings). My blood pressure is also on the low side. That explains a LOT! Thank you.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
You are so right about the clutter/frugal thing.
I had a cousin who would freely admit that "I'm so tight my shoes squeak when I walk." He wasn't just frugal, he was downright cheap. Miserly, even.
He never got rid of anything, it seems. He'd say he might need it someday, so he'd keep it.
But the clutter is not frugal! Because when he wanted something, he couldn't find it, and would have to go buy another whatever-it-was. He might have a dozen Phillips screwdrivers, say, all in different places, but typically could not find one when he needed it. So then he'd run to the discount store and buy a 13th.
That is definitely NOT frugal!
@Fru-gal Lisa, This is SO true! Don't ask me how I know. ;-{
@Karen A., and don't forget far too many techs have no idea how to properly take BP. Full bladder, higher reading. Dangling arm, higher reading. Yakking while taking BP (worse yet, talking about stressful things in your life), higher reading. Most remember to tell you to not cross your legs. I also noticed the cuff in the office is huge - the one with my at home unit is more reasonably sized.
And sad to say, the basic Omron BP machine means your stuck buying if from Schmezos. I don't need Bluetooth, multi-person "memory". Ours is in the close until 2 weeks before better half's annual visit. He'll monitor before his appointment.
@A. Marie, eh not a climate change issue.
FFT, Out of the Snow Machine/Back in the Deep Freeze Edition:
(1) It has finally stopped snowing here (and, thank goodness, I don't live in one of NY State's two main lake effect snow belts). However, we are once again "enjoying" very low temperatures; it's a bracing 8 degrees F here at the moment. The result as regards spending is the same: I'm not tempted to go out and spend money any more than I have to.
(2) But the temp actually got up to 18 degrees at noon yesterday, and there was no wind chill, so I bundled up and went for as long a walk as I could manage under the brilliant blue sky (which is something we don't see much of around here in January). Much more cheering, and better for my blood pressure, than anything else I might have done at that hour.
(3) I spent much of the rest of the day organizing my tax paperwork, and got about as far as I can go till various 1099 forms come in. This will be my first year of filing solo, and I hadn't realized how much simpler the process would become. (Much as I still miss DH, I don't miss the paperwork aspect of caregiving.)
(4) I surprised myself by needing to break out a new box of tissues and a new roll of paper towels over the weekend. As the heiress to a considerable collection of handkerchiefs and cloth napkins, I go through paper products very slowly indeed.
(5) And I'm off to go bask in some more sun in my plant room. All the houseplants are overdue for a feeding, which they're going to get now that the days are finally starting to get longer.
@A. Marie, blue sky and sunshine - even when it’s cold - is definitely a cure for the winter blues.
@A. Marie,
I will still file a joint return one more time. It's kind of sad, but I also look forward to no more struggles with all that paperwork.
@A. Marie, and once they gave companies extra time to send you 1099 of all varieties, said companies take full advantage. Used to annoy me I had to fill out FAFSA for the kids, know full well we'd not qualify for any assistance and should not have truth be told. But the colleges required it. Only plus was my CPA gave us priority.. once all the forms arrived that is.
I took care of my mending pile over the weekend and fixed a pair of sweatpants, pj pants, the neckline of a cardigan, and zipper area of a fleece jacket. While I was fixing the cardigan, I saw the tag said it was manufactured Fall 2008. It’s now in its second life as my 10yo daughter’s favorite sweater. I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth on that one!
I’m continuing with my twice weekly allergy shots. My insurance deductible was already met so I’m trying to get through as much of the initial shot process as I can before the deductible resets in July.
I organized both my fridge freezer and chest freezer, and took inventory. I also did a weekly meal planner that included a “to use up” list.
We had a teaching moment at the arcade. My daughter really wanted one of their bigger prizes that cost a lot of tickets … and would cost a lot of money to earn those tickets. I reminded her she could just use her allowance and buy the item for $5 at the store. We were really there to have fun together. Note: I know the arcade is not exactly a frugal outing, but subzero temps and a long weekend made it a good family fun outing. We refrained from any food or drinks and ate at home before we went.
1. We managed to eat up the horrifyingly dry lentil burgers I made last week. Some cheese and ketchup helped, but I still had to eat them with a fork.
2. Redeemed myself by making a super frugal potato soup (no milk needed) that 5 out of 6 people really liked. (Selective Eater is strongly anti-soup, no matter the flavor or texture.) Putting it in our Frugal Soups rotation.
3. Canceled some Subscribe and Save items, and skipped some that we didn't need for a while.
4. Took Clark, AKA Baron von Fluffenhausen, to the vet for the first time--he'd gotten his vaccines last December at the shelter, so was just due for them, and this was a first patient visit as well. We saved by skipping the offered nail trimming, and our vet advised us that he didn't need the leukemia vaccine, since he is a strictly indoor cat and doesn't interact with any other felines. Total was $145, and they didn't charge tax! (This is a cat-only veterinarian, which I've never seen anywhere else, and we were very pleased with it.)
Clark was stoic for the most part, except for the shots--and he was most displeased to hear that he's gained a little weight and his kibble ration will have to be reduced. He insists that the scales do not accurately reflect the ratio of winter floof to body composition, and that surely at least half a pound of the recorded weight is his majestic winter coat. Still, we reminded him that by reducing his intake he'll be helping us with our Frugal Five.
5. Staying in for the most part because it is freaking cold out there. Although I do have to go to the grocery store today, so bundling up for that. Oy. Stay warm, everyone who is in the Northern Hemisphere!
@Karen A., my Betty still has a robust appetite at age 13, and no amount of either lecturing from the vet or hinting from me that she could help the household finances by cutting back on food has done the slightest bit of good. Still, she's going strong; her 10th "Gotcha Day" anniversary is coming up on the 25th. So she's living proof that obesity is not necessarily a barrier to longevity.
And, frankly, I don't know how I would have made it through this past decade without her. (The dark day when DH no longer knew what a cat was, said, "What's that?", and gently shoved her off his lap, she took it better than I did. I was the one who had to run to the downstairs bathroom and bawl for a few minutes.) So I tend to be an indulgent cat mom.
@A. Marie, I, too, am an indulgent cat mom (probably why Clark prefers to nibble my hair when he knows I'm awake, rather than bother DH---who is not so indulgent!). And the Baron is very, very, food motivated. When he was in the shelter I saw him body-check the other cats to get treats from us. I'm not too worried about Clark, he looks very healthy and was the picture of health at the vet. We were giving him just shy 3/4 of a cup of kibble a day per the bag recommentations (plus a Churu treat at lunch, but I saw no need to disclose that to the vet, they're about 5 calories), and the vet said that was too much. Apparently vets and pet food manufacturers disagree on how much one should feed a cat.
(The story you shared about your DH and Betty brought tears to my eyes. I admire your courage in building your life after losing such a lovely man.)
@Karen A., Cashew is bragging to Clark that her recent vet visit, she was told she thinned out too much, and could stand to gain half a pound. (You might remember the around this time last year when I talked about my cats they were overweight. I guess I put Cashew on a diet more fit for a modeling career!)
@Karen A., Poor Clark! Maybe I just have winter floff and do not need to reduce my kibble intake.
@Karen A., we saw the vet with our cat yesterday because our kitten scratched his eye. Finn wouldn't let the vet near him at all. I had to hold him, put the stain drops in his eye, hold him while the vet tried to look at his eye and finally the vet said we will just treat it as though it is scratched...which I guess it was since he can open it today.
I also got told to drug the cat from now on when I bring him to the vet. LOL
At home he is sooo sweet, but he has major stranger danger.
And he keeps sneaking all the kitten food so he's gained some weight. We are calling him moose these days.
@Marlena, In December we had to take Clark to the emergency vet because he was vomiting a lot. After they took him back, they came out and said "He got a little...spicy when we tried to take blood. Permission to give him a mild sedative?" I said sure and once he was home that, plus the anti-nausea meds they gave him, made him just sit and stare into space with his mouth open a little.
On this vet visit, he was wary but allowed the exam, but when the shots came he actually growled! And hissed! But he didn't try to bite or scratch. He was just letting the vet know he was Not Happy. I'm guessing he remembered how that got him loaded up with sleepy drugs. Tell Moose that Clark says if you don't want to be given the night-night pills, let the vet do their thing.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, Clark, who claims to be a Certified Feline Nutritionist, says Cashew needs some baked salmon (his favorite human food) and some extra Churu treats on her kibble, and she'll get that weight back on in no time.
@Bee, It is well known that scales do not account for winter fluff. Dr. Clark says to subtract at least 1/10 of your measured body weight to account for winter floof gain, which as we all know will just fall away in the spring.
@Karen A., and Baron von Fluffenhausen,
ROTFL!!!!! Really enjoyed your write-up.
@Karen A., In my experience, vets (and reputable breeders) always disagree with the "serving size" that the manufacturers put on the bags of pet food --quelle surprise! I still remember the telephone conversation I had with the woman from whom I got my first puppy. Me: "But the package says 2 cups, not 1." "THEY'RE SELLING DOG FOOD!!" Her snort nearly deafened me.
@JDinNM, I aim at feeding my dogs half the calories recommended on the bag and then just watch to see if that's enough. That factors in the chewy for their teeth and a dog biscuit at tea time. So far it's working pretty well.
@JDinNM, Yeah, I felt a little dumb when it dawned on me that of course the company would want you to overfeed your pet...I wonder if we've cracked the code on why there's a pet obesity problem in the US? Hmm....
@Karen A., LOL on #4. Can't speak for Clark buy neither of mine like to sit still on the "baby" scale.
@Karen A., I am in northern NH. I keep telling myself that -18 is refreshing. We heat with wood which we love, but does make for some cool mornings.
Diet and exercise are really the magic cures even when genetics let us down.
1) I have been trying to use up all the odds and ends in the freezer and pantry this month. I made a huge pot of serendipity soup. Frozen leftovers became the basis for an excellent batch of vegetable soup which we ate for lunch for 3 days.
2. I accepted a box of cashmere and merino wool sweaters from a friend who recently retired and was paring down her wardrobe. Although it does not get extremely cold here. It often sweater weather. Today is the exception. Snow flurries and sleet have been predicted.
3. I went through my collection of magazines and passed them onto a friend for her annual vision board party. Unfortunately, I could not attend this year because of illness.
4. I use old jewelry that I collect throughout the year to make Christmas crafts. I was given a box of rhinestone necklaces by a member of my Buy Nothing Group. I’m not particularly crafty but I started doing this a few years ago and really enjoy it.
5. I have been doing all the usual things - drinking primarily filtered water, brewing my coffee at home, eating simple home-cooked meals, reading library books, and decluttering a bit to get a fresh start on the New Year.
Wishing everyone peace, good health, and prosperity.
@Bee,
Your #2, wow! How nice of your friend! You'll need them this week! Stay warm!
I'm doing some decluttering and realized I could use some more short-sleeve tops. I looked through my fabric stash and pulled out a couple of pieces of thrifted fabric that have been around a while and made two new tops. I used patterns and buttons I already owned.
I cleaned out my kitchen towel drawer. Some ragged towels were transferred to the rag bin. I composted 3 really worn cotton dishrags, then found just enough cotton yarn in my stash to knit 3 new dishrags.
Our new washing machine has a much bigger capacity than my old one, so I should be able to do laundry less often, saving a little energy (not to mention my energy) and water.
I mended both my dog's winter coats -- patches on both, and new Velcro on one. I purchased the Velcro last year when our local JoAnn's closed.
I had a credit at Office Depot that was about to expire -- only $4. But I was able to use it to buy a bottle of toilet cleaner. Not glamorous, but practical. I also had some ShopPay credit online that was enough to buy some nail polish. Too often I let these small amounts expire unused, so I'm trying to be better about this.
1. A previous occupant of our Airbnb left a purple Crown Royal drawstring bag that I repurposed into a shoe bag for my suitcase.
2. Didn't use all the dressing for my restaurant salad so I saved it in a little jar that I have in my kit that I bring with me to every restaurant so nothing goes to waste.
3. Ordered a turkey sandwich and asked them to put the turkey on the side (there was plenty of other vegetarian ingredients to make it a substantial sandwich). Into my stainless container it went. Our dog enjoyed a huge pile of shaved turkey over several days.
4. Used popcorn seasoning mixes in homemade dips. These were from a gift set and we didn't like them on popcorn.
5. Added cold cooked green beans to a green salad. So good.
Yes on the napkins! Good find. We keep them in a basket by the table on the buffet where they're easy to grab.
Frugal things....hmmmm
I was going to buy a can opener because DH lost his for his lunchbox somewhere in the move. At the grocery it was almost $30! Insanity. Then I thought I would get one from Amazon (about $11). Stopped by goodwill on my way home yesterday and bought one for .99.
Had to have the heat/ac maintenance done and wanted them to check the thermostats in the new house. My guy does a $129 plan for maintenance for the year...if you do that you don't pay the $79 service call and also get a discount on any parts/labor you may need throughout the year. One of my units needed something so we had both units serviced, avoided the service call, and paid less than normal for the part. Ac/heat is never frugal, but save where I can and at least it is running well and that saves money over time.
Found tile for my bathroom that was comparable to a high cost tile, but significantly less.
I bought some nice hardware for two cabinets in my kitchen that are larger cabinets and needed it...but I bought some nice, but much cheaper hardware for the other cabinet pulls and knobs that matches perfectly.
Sold a chair on FB marketplace that I couldn't find a spot for in the new house. I have a few other things to list.
I didn't realize curtains were so expensive, but I found some that had been $150/panel and bought them on sale with a code for another 20% off...I ended up paying about $63/panel.
- Purchased more foam core boards and contact paper to make liners for the wire shelves in the pantry. The $3 roll of contact paper will cover enough foam core boards to line each shelf.
- Organized the pantry while putting in the shelf liners. Found a lot of duplicates hiding in the back of the pantry.
- Made a huge pot of vegetable soup using up things from the pantry, frig, and freezer.
- Received a $5 Starbucks gift card from a friend. Since I don't drink coffee and never go to Starbucks, I passed it on to DD when she dropped off grandbaby for a visit. Glad it won't go to waste.
- Enjoyed happy hour with BFF at her house. We both went through our pantry to come up with a few snacks to enjoy with our cocktail (nuts, marinated olives, and cheese) so we didn't have to go to the store. Much less expensive than going out and easier to enjoy our time together at home.
I am 53. At 12 I started wearing 1 contact lens, my other eye did not need adjusted. Over the next 5 years I graduated to 2 contacts and had a variety of problems that ended up with me with dailies. The rpoblems were mostly allergy related and got worse and worse. The last time I wore contacts was my wedding when I was 24. Even with the dailies I had issues. Now I would love to wear contacts, but I pushed it too far.
1. LLBean shirt for Husband: $40 - special coupon 15% = 35; available “Bean bucks” + free shipping because our credit card (sorry Dave Ramsey, I DO love you, honest!) is LLBean = free.
2. Daffodils: thought I saved by buying on sale but it turns out that I saved by their not processing the order
3. Saved lots of money by placing another order, deeply discounted, that MIGHT go through now. Tired of doing the math to figure out how much I saved!
4. Shopped down the hill at the Rich People Store, saving money over our local grocery store, and saving money by not driving to Winco in the Big Town. (HOLY GUACAMOLE- a 2# block of Tillamook is $17 at the Rich People Store—no freakin' way!!) A friend paid $11 for 2.5# block at Costco, and of course I paid her back.)
5. A friend gave Husband a container of Blue Emu, certain that it would cure all his aches and pains. Can’t hurt to try, and it was thoughtful gift.
(We have some really generous friends, a great incentive to be as generous in as many ways as I can.)
1. Hubby and I are going on our expedition to Antartica in Feb. I made a new will through FreeWill just in case. We had it notarized and witness at the Farm Credit Bureau for free. My son is now 22 an can be inherit from me outright. My husband's generational farm trust is very involved but my is straight forward so I took care of it.
2. After the notarizing, the admin assistant took me "shopping" for lots of free chotchkes they give out for promotions. I took a sun hat, fancy multipurpose screwdriver, hanging camp light. mMy favorite is "Squeaky Clean" Pen set of Tide and WD 40.
3. I went through my closet again which is VERY curated. I always have a bag for items that no longer serve me. I released jeans I had in my forties and fifties, some tanks that are not flattering, a couple of sweater that were too bulky. My husband is giving them to his foreman's wife and daughters.
4. I am all in with wide leg/ high rise jeans. I picked up a pair at Marshalls for $19.00 I have to be careful because it is a tough look for curvy gals like me.
5. I found two packs of Chicken drumsticks discounted to .50 a lb and boneless skinless chicken thighs for $1.00 lb just by swinging by discount food section of the fancy store where I only buy Fairlife milk. Retired now, I have time over money.
@Mary Ann, we did the Antarctica expedition on a Lindblad/National Geographic ship last February. You will love it! There were so many penguins and whales. I want to go again.
Let's see....
1. Bone broth has become quite trendy these days as it is full of protein and the overall nutritional benefits are almost impossible to beat. My grocery store sells 32oz cartons or jars for $8-$15 a piece! I on the other hand retrieve chicken from the freezer in the garage and boil it up in my crockpot which yield me 5 quarts of the best bone broth ever and a lovely chicken that I can pair with rice, make into tacos or chicken salad, or actually serve in wraps or on top of a salad. It is yummy, healthy and none of us have been sick.
2. All meals at home and leftovers eaten instead of thrown away. I made homemade hot cocoa as we have been hit with a couple of wintery storms - not sure if it is cheaper but the ingredients are real and it tastes so much better than the powder mixes.
3. We needed firewood and I bought from the same man that sold us firewood 2 years ago - his price only went up $10 and he delivers & stacks for free!
4. I used a gift card to purchase some foundation that I needed. I used fuel points to save $0.90/gallon on my fill up. Of course I waited until my tank was very empty to fill up to make the most of the savings.
5. I combined errands to save gas, took advantage of a 30 day gym trial for the month of January, shopped sales for all of our grocery needs, bought a large quantity of eggs as I imagine prices will get worse before they get better, sent a package on the most cost effective date - if we had sent it for delivery on the initial date we wanted it would have cost over $100! I stopped by and got air put into my tires at the shop where I bought them to avoid paying. I resubmitted a claim to my insurance after being told that I would owe over $1600 for a procedure that is completely covered.
1. We made all our meals at home. We used up foods that needed to be eaten to avoid waste. We brewed coffee at home. My daughter baked muffins. We accepted some candy from a family friend.
2. I mended some pants at home. I cut up some old, hole-y pants to get material for patching. I sewed on some BSA badges myself.
3. We used the library to get some books and movies without paying for them.
4. We accepted some pinewood derby materials and used that to build a car. A family friend helped us cut and sand the car.
5. We combined errands. We ran the cars periodically during the ridiculously cold weather to avoid the engines freezing up. (It was -47F windchill in my town, nearby was recorded at -61F.)
I love my cloth napkins, but they have unfortunately turned me into a napkin snob. I don't mind a paper napkin, but those flimsy little standard paper napkins are a bummer to me now.
1) I meal planned and grocery shopped for the week. This is no small task as the children have gotten to the "eat an entire turkey in one sitting" stage. And only one is a teenager!
2) I tracked the claims hitting our insurance for a hospital stay on January 1. Nothing like paying your full deductible on the first day of the year.
3) I put a bunch of items in my Thredup cart and then let them expire. I have enough clothes for now.
4) I am eating a bowl of the soup I made on Friday for lunch and a grilled cheese sandwich. Three of the four kids get free lunch at school. The fourth unfortunately forgot the lunch I prepared him this morning, so he will be eating one million snacks when he gets home (his school has vending machine lunches, and he told me it was only burritos today, which he won't eat).
5) We have started what will be a longish process of transitioning our business to be virtual only. It will be some aggravation in the beginning, but it will save the business considerable expense over time and serve our clients and employees just as well. (And we will rent the building we already own to another company.)
1. I took my kids to see Mufasa. We went to the 11:00 AM showing at our discount theater. It cost $15. It was really good!
2. A friend gave me a book to read by an author I like.
3. I used some frozen pumpkin I had pureed and some homemade vegetable broth to make a pumpkin, sweet potato curry for my lunches this week.
4. I ordered some pill pockets for my cat off Chewy. They smelled terrible, were hard, and were all stuck together. She would not eat them. I contacted Chewy and they quickly gave me a refund.
5. My childcare FSA receipts were declined for unknown reasons. After filing multiple receipts, my claim was finally approved. The childcare FSA saves us quite a bit of money each year, so it's worth it for me to be diligent.
1. I sold our «lavvo» tent and oven that we bought last year. It was advertised as 4-6 person and perhaps it’s correct but there is no room for an high energy pup 😀 Very happy to get most of of the money back for it.
2. Painted our IKEA Ivar cabinets with leftover paint. The insides got a color made from three different paint samples and it makes me happy every time I open the doors.
3. Couldn’t find the last book in a serie as e-book so I ordered it as a paperback. But as I was finishing the book before on my iPhone the next/last book suddenly popped up as a choice to purchase. Will return the paperback and save $10.
4. Knitting myself a headband to use when walking the dog. Have heaps of beanies but my hair is 99,9% of the time up in a topknot so I’m sure my impatient pup will be happy with me not spending time plaiting my hair before every walk 😉
5. Got served a lentil stew when visiting a friend. It was so delicious that the recipe went straight in our meal plan. Big plus it’s ridiculous cheap and simple to make.
We had a decidedly un-frugal week here. My husband and I took a weeklong vacation and indulged while we were away. I did find a few frugal activities though:
• We used a companion ticket to make the vacation happen.
• I used the book exchange at the hotel – I finished a book and dropped it off and picked up a new one for myself. I was pleased to see that the one I put on the shelf was gone later that day.
• Our hotel room was stocked with a Keurig and k-cups. I put the k-cups in my suitcase each day and was happy to see that they were refreshed each evening. I brought home at least a box of k-cups.
• We combined our puppy’s training and boarding while we were gone.
• My parents stayed at our house to watch my son, our other dog, and the house overall while we were away. When the weather is as cold as it has been (days where the temps don’t even reach 0) it’s nice to know someone has an eye on your house. They live close enough that they can pop over to their house as needed, but not close enough that it makes sense for my son to stay with them because of school.
Enjoy the napkins, I love using cloth napkins!
1. Got my hair cut at a cosmetology school. $10 instead of $40? Yes please! Saved $30
2. Husband bought a used workout bench.
3. Taking a day trip. So I made egg biscuit sandwiches for breakfast and empanadas for lunch.
4. I'm so glad I sent my stitch fix box back. Afterwards I found
a cute dress and sweater at Goodwill, much cheaper !
5. Bought some new to us items from Goodwill and a pawn shop.
1. It's super cold here, still below freezing at noontime (which is unusual for my area), and I'm letting all the indoor faucets stream. That counts as frugal bc the water bill won't be half as high as a plumber's bill would, should the pipes freeze.
2. I double covered the outdoor spigots with the styrofoam thingy that fits around them, and then an additional layer of styrofoam boxes. Some were trash-picked and were the styrofoam boxes that Omaha steaks come in; one was a styrofoam picnic cooler that lost its lid. I prop the boxes around the covered faucets and put bricks or rocks or whatever I can find to make sure they stay. Probably don't really need 'em in Central Texas, but I'm not taking any chances; the plumbers charge a LOT of $$$$$ to fix broken pipes.
3. Major score, but a long story: Since yesterday was a holiday from both my jobs, I thought I'd replace a pair of favorite slacks. They are cobalt blue, and I get many compliments any time I wear this color. I've worn the pants so many times, the hem on one leg is badly fraying, so that's not good for work. I still get Woman Within company catalogs addressed to the former roommate and I saw some slacks that were on special: buy one pair (at marked-down clearance price) and get the second for a dollar. I put it aside to order, and my cleaning lady threw it away. So....I looked this up online and the website did not have the slacks on special. I then called the company's 800 number and told my tale of woe to the customer service lady. (Politely letting her know I usually buy a competing brand.) Long story short, she fixed me up with not only that special price, but if I got a third pair it'd be 20% off and if I said OK to their credit card offer they'd let me have a 4th pair and knock a LOT more money off the price. Bottom line: I got $42 worth of my favorite style of pants, different colors, for $28. New instead of thrifted, for a change, and around $7 each -- just about what I'd pay for 'em in the thrift store. With free shipping. (And yes, I need some slacks!) Needless to say, I will completely pay off the credit card as soon as I get the bill; I imagine their interest rate is sky-high.
4. I was struggling to read my book due to eyestrain so I got some reading classes that were a stronger strength than what I usually wear -- +3 instead of +1.25. It made reading more comfortable and I have finished my book. The glasses were at our store and cost only $3.99.
5. The drapes covering my patio door haven't been cleaned in a very, very long while....like almost forever. Instead of taking them to the dry cleaner, I took them down, put them in the washing machine and dryer, then re-hung them. (Yes, they are washable). They look as good as new. No big bill at the cleaner's!
1. Ate some free fruit that my parents shared with me since they had bought too much.
2. Washed a full load of laundry instead of just one item. I hadn't planned on washing my clothes today, but I spilled hot cocoa on my shirt and needed to wash it out right away to avoid staining, so I put the rest of the laundry in there too.
3. I made a mixed berry crumble for a simple dessert.
4. Used up the last of a can of frosting I had opened a while ago, eating it by the spoonful. Not something I do all the time, but it is delicious and I didn't want it to go to waste.
5. I used my cloth napkins every day.
Tonight's low will be 9F, which is pretty rugged for us folks who live in the deep South. No snow or ice this time, though. DH did turn the night house temp up slightly last night, which made things much more comfortable. I'm hoping for a nice April in which we don't need heat or air.
It's taken a huge effort, but our grocery costs are down this month by a third. It's a combo of sales combined with coupons, less meat and more bean dishes, cooking everything we eat at home, making less expensive dishes, and near zero food waste.
Otherwise I have mended more dog toys, used eBay for purchasing a small kitchen appliance and some jogging pants for our son, driven very little, and watched free streaming TV. Also renewed my library card.
My optometrist's office offers recycling for disposable contacts and the packaging.
I think I can come up with 5....
1. signed up for free sling tv with 500 channels.....here's hoping we can find things to watch
2. I redeemed survey rewards for a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card which I used towards the purchase of some gifts.
3. I've been trying to be very cognizant and using coupons and rewards when shopping. Plus, the last 2 times when we bought dog food, we bought a bag that had a cut in it for a significant discount.....the first time was 30% off and the second time was 50% off. Quite a big savings on the big bag.
4. I've been trying to have a few "no spend" days each week and have been successful with 3 days each week.
5. I finally received my $36 in rewards rebates from Kohls which I used towards the purchase of groceries this weekend.
Yah for free cloth napkins.
1. The daughter of the lady I help, who lives with her, has a stomach bug so I haven’t worked this week. That is not frugal but I haven’t left my house so I saved on gas. It's a 20 minute commute each way without traffic.
2. I ordered a Welcome poster for my daughter's bridal shower from the library technology department. It will cost me about $2. I looked online and they go for $20-$30. I also ordered a cute kitchen towel with embroidery for her. The towel I got on clearance($1) and the embroidery will be about $1. I have been trying to get stuff from FBM bridal group to lower costs too.
3. I made banana chip muffins and a loaf of bread yesterday. . My husband has been eating all the bread saying it is my best loaf ever. I’ve done nothing different so I have no clue why it's better this time. I’m glad he is enjoying it.
4. I had ribs in the chest freezer so I am cooking them low and slow all day. I threw in baked and sweet potatoes too. I lowered the heat in the house since the oven is on. I am wearing layers and have a blanket on me when I sit down. It is 10 degrees today. The roads are icy and wet.
5. I had a library class last Friday. We made red heart snowflakes. I kept my heart cutouts. They are now on my windows, mirrors and glass throughout the house. I used glue dots to hand them that I dumpster dived from an office that moved. I had gotten a case of them. I gave ½ to my sister who is a teacher to hang stuff in her classroom.
I still use paper napkins. I have the box from grove collaborative that are bamboo and I use seasonal ones from Marshall's (which are usually high priced elsewhere) because I like to celebrate the holidays, The grove one's double for tissues.
I bought gas at Casey's in the town of my Uncle's funeral at $2.69. It is $2.76 here and $2.79 where I work.
I finally got plastic over two windows, just before our "deep freeze." I can tell there is less draft in the dining room/kitchen and the thermometer is still at the same temp so it did help some. I don't use the back door at all right now, so the cover over the interior back door to the kitchen from the interior back porch is seldom used.
This is an unusual one. I decorate one of our little lady's door (at work). I kept the same pinkish, wintery background/runner (from Christmas) and changed the pink poinsettias to crystal hearts over the glittery pine swag and added a pretty valentine picture where the cut-out Nativity Scene was.
I got out a ham bone last week, thinking it was pork roast (I was hungry for carnitas) and cooked navy beans and ham in the slow cooker. I took some to my cousin when I saw her at my Uncle's funeral. In our visits and travel during the "before" time, she had mentioned that her Mom used to fix them for her and she missed that. It is an economical dish.
I batch errands anyway, but in this very cold, I am avoiding going out unless I have to. I do have a Master Gardener Meeting in person and on Zoom tonight and still debating. I need the friendly socialization (that's not work related) and need to run the car.
I thoroughly enjoyed the cat "discussion." And I'm not a cat person...
My love letter to Florida
I love your white sand beaches. Love your clear emerald and blue waters. The little snowy plovers that keep me company walking the beaches. The beautiful shells that wash up like treasures. Just for me.
I hope you weather this current historic catastrophe that your infrastructures are not built to withstand. I’ve never been anywhere that shuts down the whole town and closes the bridges when it’s 32 degrees. Hang in there electricity. Stay strong water lines and gas. The jellyfish had not fared well yesterday as I walked along the beach and the birds are looking confused. Find safe harbor in this present challenge.
First, the not frugals:
1. Houndini found a dead bird and ate it. He then proceeded to be sick multiple times all night. Had to do several loads of barfed on sheets and blankets and dog beds.
2. Clobber Paws is a very anxious dog who bites his own claws off. He refuses to let us trim them and one got infected. More laundry to clean up the bloody paw prints he left all over the house. More money spent taking him to the vet, who drugged him to the point of falling over and he still managed to fight her giving his remaining nails a trim.
3. Brand new vehicle, less than a month old, lost the passenger side mirror while being backed into the garage, built in 1951 when cars were smaller. Since it has computer sensors in it, we had to take it to the dealership. $997.79 to replace it.
4. Saw Sumo oranges. Put four in my basket...they rang up as $27.99. Not a mistake, as I asked the cashier to double check. Bought them anyway. Cheaper than liquor and better for me than chocolate.
Frugals:
1. So far this month have spent less than $50 for food, well until the Sumos anyway. Making good use of freezer foods that need to be eaten before they surrender to freezer frost.
2. Sold 2 items on eBay, bringing in $95.
3. By shoveling for just 5 minutes a day, I cleared the path for the fuel delivery guy instead of hiring someone to do it. It took an entire week. I know that seems very little but for me to manage to be out of a wheelchair and moving snow is a victory.
4. Library for puzzles and books.
5. Husband has a potluck and is to bring the dessert. I was tempted to just buy something ready made, but I forced myself to make Reece's and chocolate brownies suing some leftover candy from Halloween.
@Lindsey,
Okay, I'll stop whining about Sumos costing $2.99 each here in Ohio.
@Lindsey, Your #3 is very impressive, a victory indeed! Well done.
Frugal!
We had guests here and I made shredded roast beef. I saved all the juices in a freezer bag for soup later.
It has been forty below with the windchill. I have been making lots of hot tea and coffee drinks at home.
I mended this week. THE WORST but I did it.
When we have guests we often treat them out for breakfast. This is fun and usually 40 dollars or so cheaper than treating for dinner.
Stay warm everyone!
I filed a claim for our broken windshield which is part of a class action lawsuit. We should get $100 back.
Sam's Club had marked down organic grass fed beef for 3.99 per pound. I bought 10 pounds and froze it.
I asked to take the last of the bread left from a work function home so I will make french toast with it.
I made chili and literally threw everything I had left over into the chili. It turned out really good. I felt just like my mom who use to throw anything on the counter into her cookies. We always joked we never knew what all was in them!
Aldi had half off salmon, it will be enough for 2 lunches for $6.
We signed back up for hospice services for hubs dad. They can help with health supplies and prescriptions. I hope they will be able to get back his lunch that he was getting at the local senior center. He did not tell us that they no longer provided lunch since October. He does not cook & lunches were $2.
Wooohoo, $100 is a great return (unless your repair was more than that!)
* Movie theater has a special for the month : 10$ for a ticket and a popcorn on tuesdays. So I went today. Using my member card to get 20% on top of it. Grand total of 8$. Too bad the movie was mediocre (Wolf man)
* Taking an extra shift at work this week
* Got a kilo of Greek Yogourt for 1,50$, from the reduce aisle. Regularly 7$. Will be having it for breakfast until it's all gone (topped with gifted granola)
* Did not buy myself any new clothes since October 1st, except a pair of warm socks today
* Saving on our electricity bill by bringing down the thermostats and using our fire wood stove during really cold days (we are taking part of a saving program with the power company). Saved 35$ so far in January.
Hi Kristen! Glad you got the napkins from our wonderful BNG!
1) Did a mystery shop at Subway. Free lunch, plus paid $4.
2) Bought 2 Hanna Anderson dresses for $2.50 each. These normally retail for $50. They are perfect for Valentine's!
3) My cousin, who's my Bargain Hunting Buddy, texted me that Lidl had marked down Keebler graham cracker crusts to 74 cents. They only carry them at the holidays and she knows I like to keep them on hand for Key Lime pies. I bought 10. When I was there I found Hershey's Cocoa marked down after holidays to $1.24, reg. $4.99. I bought 4. Chocolate is self care!
4) Ordered flower and veggie seeds from an independent non-profit seed company. Some seed companies are already selling out of some varieties. This is in addition to my recent order of more berry bushes- 5 more raspberry, 2 more blackberry and 2 more blueberry. Working towards eliminating all my lawn and building in more permaculture.
5) Continuing to compost, home brew coffee, make bread and tend to my Little Free Library. All are things that bring me joy which is so needed right now.
@Kim in Maryland, I'm envious of your berry bushes! They sound lovely, and woo hoo for permaculture (and composting).
@Lindsay B,
I started about 10 years ago with 2 blueberry bushes bought at BJs. They are part of the landscaping. It takes a couple of years for them to really get established if you buy the smaller bushes, which are the frugal choice due to cost. Now those 2 bushes alone give me quarts and quarts of berries. I currently have 12 blueberry bushes, 4 variety of grapes, 2 4x4 strawberry raised beds, a 4x4 asparagus raised bed and a 4x4 bed of garlic. The raspberry and blackberry bushes I ordered are all thornless and are replacing ones that aren't. The strawberry plants were from my neighbor's runners and most things were bought from end of season clearance. I have a normal suburban yard with mostly shade so if I can do it anyone can!
I am so impressed with your A1C levels! Every time I see your food pics of mashed potatoes, pasta or sandwiches I am reminded how much I have had to cut back on these items and other carbs in addition to sugary stuff all I hopes of reducing A1C levels.
Would love to see a post on how others frugally navigate health specific dietary choices.
I do try hard to eat my carbs with protein and fat, and I also prioritize protein and limit my sugar intake. And working out helps with A1c levels too!
But also I might just have some genetic luck on my side! And I'm still a few years away from 50, so my age is probably helping me out as well too.
We also use cloth napkins. I use the really stained ones when it's just us.
1. We went up to Cape Canaveral to see a rocket launch (bucket list item) and went birding at the Orlando Wetlands. Both were free. The birding was amazing. There were so many Roseate Spoonbills and herons.
2. We also went to the Canaveral National Seashore and used our pass saving $25. We saw 3 little wild boar, a bobcat and white pelicans.
3. We met up with some friends and went hiking at park near our house.
4. Dh and I have been walking on a boardwalk every morning and saw 3 manatees this morning.
5. I opened a business savings account today at Capitol One. Our current bank barely pays any interest.
@Sandy Beach,
Check out local credit unions and online banks too.
Also, some investment places have savings account. For example, Vanguard offers a savings account with a 3.65% APY right now.
I was traveling for a while over the last couple months, so I'm glad to be back into my routines and able to post FFTs.
1. After visiting both my family and my inlaws, I came home with several samples of toothpaste my mom didn’t prefer, and some samples of lotion/facewash/soap from my MILs various motel stays. My MIL hoards these and never uses them… there were some that expired in 2007! So it’s a tiny thing and not really frugal, but I do like getting things used rather than having them be wasted.
2. I did a large pile of mending, in conjunction with my mom. I did some things by hand, but she did the heavy lifting fixing some things with the sewing machine. I’m super grateful.
3. I found a few things at Goodwill that were sorely needed. I also made sure to look in my stash of kids’ clothing and pull out the next sizes for the baby, who is outgrowing things.
4. I sed some health rewards money at the opthamologist. The money is only good for vision/dental expenses until we meet our deductible, but I am hoping we don’t meet it this year. We’ve met it the last several years due to my being pregnant.
5. I made a veggie soup with stuff we had on hand, including some nearly freezer-burned green beans. It’s not that great but it’s being eaten anyway.
Woohoo for the mending! It’s such a great way to use sewing skills to save money.
I take "numbers" with a grain of salt. Genetics come into play just as much as lifestyle. Based on your posts, an NP would think you eat far better than I as well as exercise more - which you do. Yet my A1C is lower, glucose a couple points lower, my BP is close to yours as are my triglycerides. Why do I say this - the numbers are just that, numbers. Ethnicity plays a role as does your age. My dad's PCP got her knickers in a knot over his PSA. His urologist is not concerned due to dad's age. Prostate cancer in a male in his 40s/50s is *not* the same cancer in those age 80/80+. Glad dad was hard no on invasive tests. Other health issues will likely kill him before prostate cancer. Being dad's advocate is one, if not two of my frugal things. Money in exchange for my privacy is not.
2/3 - will re-home various household goods we recently replaced. My (semi) retirement is in the near future
3/4 - using the wood stove to take the burden off the furnace during this cold snap
4/5 - buying everything we can local. Less money for magat corps is my goal
5/6 - maintaining a steady weight means having to purchase few new articles of clothing. Flannel lined jeans from a relative are quite welcome during the cold snap in my neck of the woods.
1. I went through my puzzle stash and listed 4 to sell on FB, sold 3 and netted $23.
2. Played trivia at our community center's trivia night with friends and we came away as winners! (actually, everyone who played won something). For our prize, we chose a candy jar with various candies and a $5 Target gift card. It was free to play and a fun evening, plus they fed us snacks!
3. Did a community survey sent in the mail and got a $15 gift card I can redeem for various stores.
4. Bought a lovely leather ottoman/stool from our neighborhood FB group for $15 to replace our current ottoman/stool that has a crack in the leather?/vinyl? top and has seen better days. Looking up the retail value of similar styles it sells for over $100.
5. Eating up half-finished snack bags in the pantry, hanging clothes to dry (indoors, while the heat is on), reading library books and using coupons/discounts when I can.
It was not a frugal week for us (took DS17 & 5 friends skiing for the long weekend), but we made some optimized choices where we could. Can I just say that I know we will miss all of this next year, when he's at college? We're trying to soak it all in.
1) Used a Subway gift card + BOGO offer to pick up dinner for the teens. We were all at a soccer game, they came home & showered while we loaded the car, & then we took off. So, this was the easiest option.
2) Made banana bread & 3 dozen cookies for the trip, and the boys kept those snacks in their room for a quick bite. I also put 10 or so Gatorades in their mini fridge, as it's hard to stay hydrated while skiing.
3) I went through the teens room after they had left for the slopes, but before the cleaning people came through. I was mostly trying to corral up all of their garbage, leave a tip & make the clean up as quick as possible. Along the way I found a few unopened snacks & drinks that I packed for the return drive home, as well as an unopened package of toothpaste. RIP dental hygiene? And one lonely glove. I brought the toothpaste home with us, and washed up the glove & hope it gets reunited with its owner.
4) I had a $25 food credit at the hotel we stayed at, so I used that to buy a glass of wine before we met the teens for dinner.
5) We stopped at the Costco food court for lunch for the teens on the drive home. Can't imagine a cheaper lunch than that while on the road.
Bonus: had freezer leftovers for dinner when we got home.
I know what you mean about seeing a lot of high BP at the hospital. When my DIL was in hospital for a month before her baby came, the nurses were always commenting on her excellent BP and blood glucose. They kept saying, "We don't get patients like you in here."
Disposable contact lenses may seem wasteful as they are ... disposable! But from the optical perspective, NOT putting something back in your eye is a huge win. Less risk of infection.
For me, this is a win. 🙂