Five Frugal Things | I have a dental appliance
1. I bought a Luna Guard
My dentist told me it looks like I grind my teeth at night (whoops) and she recommended a Luna Guard.
So, I ordered one, molded it to my teeth, and I'm two nights in to wearing it.
This cost $26, but I consider it to be an investment in my dental health, which should save me from expensive and painful dental issues down the road.
And $26 is way cheaper than a custom-made night guard.
I don't think it's the most comfortable thing in the whole world, but then again I've never worn a dental appliance in my life, so I figure this will just take some getting used to.
(Has Mr. FG had to listen to me complain about it both nights so far? Yes.)
2. I gave Zoe a hair trim
Over a year ago, she had a style that involved one side of her head being buzzed pretty short.
She got tired of that and ever since, she's been in the process of growing it out. Obviously, those hairs are a step behind all the other ones.
She wanted to cut some of the longer back hairs to help even things out, so I gave her a quick trim.
Normally I am loath to cut her hair, because it is so, so thick.* But she currently has an undercut all around the back, and that's brought her hair level down to a more manageable thickness. So I said yes when she asked.
*It is not possible to overstate how thick her hair is. Even if you buzz her undercut with no guard, her skin is barely visible. Without the undercut, it is extremely difficult to get her hair into a ponytail at all, much less a bun. As a person with rather, uh, skinny hair, I am quite jealous of Zoe!
So, $0 output, and now her previously buzzed hairs are that much closer to matching the rest of her hair.
3. I had an extremely random lunch yesterday
It consisted of:
- the last four slices of lunch meat
- the last of the sliced cucumber
- the last of the sliced strawberries from Lisey's birthday
- half a banana
- a grilled cheese sandwich to use up the ends of a loaf of bread
- a slice of chocolate cheesecake from Lisey's birthday (this was not a sacrifice)
No one would put all these things together on purpose, but hey, it worked, and I used up a bunch of random stuff.
4. I helped Zoe save 5% on a Target order
She wanted to spend some of her clothing budget, so I let her use my Target debit card to save 5% off her order, and then she just paid me back.
5% is not a lot, but when you are 15 and have limited funds, every little bit helps!
5. We un-froze the freezer coils. Again.
Someone has kept on not shutting the freezer door all the way at night, and then in the morning, everything is frosted over, including the coils.
So then the freezer stays cold, but the fridge won't cool.
This has happened several times in the last year, and despite everyone being in the know about this problem, it has still kept happening.
(we could perhaps blame it on the cat?)
I looked for a freezer door alarm, but the ones I found don't seem like they would work with the way our freezer is set up (it's a bottom drawer).
Anyway. Mr. FG and I are getting good at taking the freezer apart at this point, and it is significantly cheaper to do this ourselves than to call someone else to do it.
Still, I hope the mysterious household member can remember to shut the door all the way.
I don’t have 5 Frugal Things to share, but have the same issue with my freezer. Can you maybe share with us what you do? How do you defrost the line with your hair dryer? I am sick of buying ice cube trays. Videos on you tube don’t actually show you how to open up to get to the coils. And my freezer has a beep when the door is left open that is really annoying. I’m sure there is something out there.
sometimes our bottom freezer drawer pops open if the fridge door is shut a little too firmly - I wonder if that's what's happening at your house?
I can totally relate to your frustration in wearing the night guard! A few years ago I had to have a crown done to repair a cracked tooth due to grinding my teeth. The night guard is definitely not the most attractive or comfortable accessory, but it sure beats another cracked tooth! (I have to tell myself this often!)
Our freezer opens too. What usually happens is that the freezer door pops open slightly when someone closes the fridge door. It's not super noticeable when it happens. So now I have a strip to duct tape that keeps the freezer door closed. Not a glamorous solution, but much better than potentially losing a freezer full of food.
The nightguard is also way cheaper than paying for dental work later, even if you do need the custom one (which I find way more comfortable and also doubles as a retainer for me).
I have worked in dental education for over 35 years and I am glad to see you have some sort of night guard. Depending on how severe your bruxism is, that OTC one might not last - some people have chewed through theirs. Over and over again. Time will tell. My custom night guard cost $500 and insurance doesn't cover it - which makes no sense because it prevents more costly dental work. My night guard also helps with orofacial pain. It is worth the investment for me, especially since my dentist can adjust the appliance if my occlusion changes. It fits perfectly and did not take getting used to.
Another plug for the fridge door possibly being the culprit. Our side-by-side has gaskets that are a tight fit. If we close the fridge side quickly, it creates a puff of air that neatly pops the freezer open just a bit. Then it's hello frost and melting food in the frozen side! If we close it a bit more slowly, then no air pocket forms and all is well. This has happened a LOT at our casa with four hungry kiddos!
We have the same problem. It also results in the entire back panel of the refrigerator icing up and then needing a full day defrost, with a hairdryer and all that fun stuff.
It could be the cat! Mine will jump up on top of our fridge and then to the top of our cupboards. He’s opened the freezer a few times now.
I bought this fridge/freezer alarm about 1 year ago. I love it!
Our freezer is in a back bedroom and was concerned about the
door being shut tight whenever anyone went in to use it. Ah,
such a small charge for peace of mind!
Oops, here's the link to the alarm 🙂
https://www.amazon.com/CDN-TA20-Visual-Refrigerator-Freezer/dp/B000I62FQI/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=cdn+ta20+-+audio%2Fvisual+refrigerator+%26+freezer+alarm&qid=1617113255&sr=8-2
We purchased some simple children's refrigerator locks for our freezer in our garage fridge. It might not be practical for the everyday use fridge, but it really helps for the one outside.
1. We had a random dinner last night before racing out the door to boy scouts. I gave each kid two of their colored hard boiled eggs, heated up some popcorn chicken and steamed some edamame. Quick, easy and everything the kids like!
2. I was very thankful to have some money saved up from my Ebay sales when I needed my van inspected. This might be the first time I did not have to use my credit card.
3. Hubby started his seeds for his garden. I joke with him that our cop neighbor probably thinks we are growing marijaunia because of the extensive light set up he uses!
4. Received another donation or two of clothing this weekend. I pulled out some items to sell on Ebay and found that the local boy scouts need clothing for a donation drive they are having and gladly handed over what I can't use to them.
5. All the normal things: bringing coffee to work, packing my lunches.
You might want to try taking 1000 mg of a calcium/magnesium supplement at night before bed. Should help you sleep and should also cut down on the grinding....I've had it work for several people.
1) We spent just 4 nights in hotels (4 different hotels) for a staycation. All included breakfast at a minimum and one had afternoon tea and an evening meal also. 3 nights were free with points and one night was 35% off.
2) Of course, I brought home the shampoo, soap, lotion, mouth wash, shoe shine kit, the nicer pens, tea bags & an orange from the hotels. 🙂
3) I used the eatigo app to get 50% at a restaurant, and the food was really great.
4) I completed a mystery shop for a free meal!
5) I won a contest for 2 burgers (on the menu for $35 USD each!) and a bottle of wine at a nice restaurant. While I'm super excited that I won, tell me, do average people drink wine with their burgers? No really...tell me, I'm curious! Seems like such an odd combo for me.
I used to have a custom made dental guard and I think they are more comfortable as well as sturdy than the OTC ones. I think you need to be careful about ones that aren't custom fit to your mouth as it may cause shifts in your jaw/teeth that could be problematic down the road.
I love how Zoe and the cat are cuddled up together while she does her school work!
Frugal things--I figured out how to fix the roller portion of my vacuum cleaner to get it working correctly again. I clipped a 50% off coupon for JoAnn Fabrics--this is a win for my daughter, who used it to purchase a craft book she really, really wanted. I'm continuing walking/talking with a friend--free exercise and a chance to socialize. Not sure if this counts, but I'm working on preparing an Eagle Scout/graduation party for my son--current plan is to hold it under the outdoors portico at church. In lieu of refreshments, we are going to have goodie bags to hand out to guests. I haven't done the math, but since we are church members, there are no rental costs (so I guess I have done the math for that, haha) and I know we will be saving tons of money on the cost of food. Maybe not quite the party I had envisioned for him through the years, but following the covid restrictions will be a financial benefit. Lastly, we have leftover pizza from youth group, so that will make freebie lunches for the kids this week.
1. The outside of our house needs to be repainted. We have done it ourselves in the past but don't want it to take forever. I contacted a couple local painters and one is less than half the price of the other. The cheaper painter comes highly recommended, he can charge less because he is retired from his career.
2. We have been enjoying the warmer weather and longer days and the ease at which we can visit family and friends outside. It's still free Covid-19 safe entertainment.
3. I loaned out my small SUV to a neighbor to use for picking up compost, soil, and the like and received a 55 pound block of compressed soil and a flowering hanging basket in return.
4. I made a big pot of vegetable (and bean) soup to use up cabbage, carrots, sweet potatoes, and leftover pasta sauce. I put individual servings in jars and then eat it during the week for a snack or with a meal. It ups my vegetable intake with little effort.
5. A relative asked for mulch for an upcoming birthday. I was able to order many bags, with free delivery, from a local school fund raiser. I like supporting the fund raiser and not having to pay a delivery fee.
I have the same mouth guard! That is the one my dentist recommended. I have had it for about a month now and I am finally getting used to it. I clench and grind so this was really needed. I have also found that if I forget to wear it now my jaw and teeth hurt the next day!
1. Did not get my hair Hilighted at salon. Seeing if I can embrace normal color. It has been 20 years. WHAT IS MY NORMAL COLOR?
2. All three cars are paid off. All older. ( one is 2006 Honda Accord. )Hubby itching to get a new one. Lots of companies are zero percent interest. Held him off for three months. Wait and see mode.
3. Helped son with his nightmare taxes. ( independent reseller ). Saved him sixty bucks. Was it worth it? To him maybe ? Whew!
3. Got all my mulch using menards rebate money saved throughout the year. 15 bags!
4. Got son mentioned above to open and spread all mulch for free. ( yay says my back!)
5. Cooking and eating at home.
I also put a freezer lock on because closing the fridge door was popping the freezer open. In my case it usually closed again, but the bursts of warm air weren't helping.
I got the Safety First one and fastened it to the side of the door instead of on the front. You just give it a bit of tension in the closed position when you set it up to make sure the freezer door stays closed.
1. Had a very random dinner of leftovers to use up what we had in our fridge. It made a substantial meal and avoided waste.
2. My three girls all needed a pair of summer shoes and I struck out at the consignment shop. So I took advantage of target's bogo 50% off deal and bought four pairs of flip flops. Three for them, one for me.
3. Found a couple great workbooks at dollar tree for helping teach my daughter about money and time. $1 each!
4. Used the forsythia blossoms from our shrub to decorate the window sill. Absolutely beautiful and free.
5. My husband got an estimate of $900 to do some work in our front yard. Obviously we don't want to pay that much. So he enlisted the help of a friend instead. An afternoon's work, some time spend with friends (the friend brought his wife and daughter), and all in all we saved $450, after supplies and labor are considered.
1) Trimmed my own split ends again. I haven't had a haircut in...at least a year and a half at this point, but I think it's more like two years. My hair is SO long, but I'm kind of embracing my 42-year-old long hair.
2) Made breakfast at work (protein oatmeal and free hot beverages).
3) Decided not to make an extra trip to work over the weekend. The decision was mostly exhaustion-based, but it's also 70 miles roundtrip, so...
4) Ate protein out of our bulging freezer. We're coming up on a year since the last defrost, so I know it's time to prep for it. I wrote the defrost date on the side with an Expo marker because I wanted to track how often we defrost it. You actually taught me how to defrost it, so thank you!!
5) Finished off an overpriced packet of almonds. I bought them as a healthier breakfast option when I was out of my oatmeal packets. They weren't bad, they just were...weird. But I finished them!
Speaking as someone who had braces for 5 years, with nighttime retainers both before and after, trust me, you'll get used to it. 😉 Just make sure to brush your night guard when you brush your teeth in the morning, as they get funky quickly otherwise.
This is a very Goodwill-centric FFT, as the mojo at my favorite Goodwill* has been off the charts lately! My last trip there with my best friend, I found:
1. An Abbmoore full length wool coat that fit my 6'2" Amazonian best friend perfectly (not to mention the dusky blue color looks AMAZING on her)! Despite its pristine looks, Google says the coat/brand is from the 1940s-50s and typically sells second-hand in the $75-100 range for the "but it now" options. The one I spotted/found was $10--score! We weren't even looking for coats, but its color and quality stood out when we passed the rack.
2-3. She found not one but two pairs of brand new pants in her size, about which she was ecstatic. I didn't catch the brands for comparison prices, but they looked very well-made and fit perfectly when she got home to try them on. (The fitting rooms are closed for the obvious reason.) The pants were $7 apiece, which is an absolute steal for plus-sizes.
4-5. Two brand new pairs of Dansko Women's Renae Comfort Sneakers in my size, which retail starting at $125! These were $10/a pair, so I bought both. I only know about the brand thanks to Katy at the Non-Consumer Advocate blog, who seeks them out for resale as well as personal use--thanks, Katy! I'm excited to see if the Danskos live up to the hype/price. My former life constantly standing and/or walking in customer service means that my feet are now picky princesses, so good shoes are a must.
*My favorite Goodwill has a high rate of inventory turnover and what seems an abnormally high percentage of brand new items thanks to many department stores in the immediate neighborhood. If a store closes and/or needs to dump last season's unsold stock for a nice tax write off, it ends up there. It also receives antiques that are delightfully random. My favorite find is probably the late 1800s wood and glass film negative holder from the Kodak-Eastman Company for $3. If not for my old-school photography class (darkroom, chemicals, the works), I wouldn't have known what it was!
Baby latch that freezer door! Sure its annoying when you want in and out but it will help save your sanity!
https://www.amazon.com/Cabinets-Drawers-Dishwasher-Adhesive-Drilling/dp/B072KPZMMV/ref=sr_1_4?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Cabinet+Locks+%26+Straps&qid=1617114864&s=baby-products&sr=1-4&ts_id=166865011
1. Took my mom to get a colonoscopy yesterday... the county her procedure is in does not allow anyone in the medical facility but the patient.. so I went shopping! I used my Target app for extra discounts and picked up items for Easter Baskets, some snacks, coffee pods and bars of soap I found marked down. There was a spend $50 and get a $10 gc back. The cashier could not figure out the GC situation so I went to the customer service desk and the money was not showing.. so she got it figured out. This morning I transferred the GC to my Target app and the amount was for $20 not $10! Apparently their system was just a mess yesterday? transactions just not uploading fast enough? IDK
2. Mom bought lunch for us since she was STARVING! I was going to pay but she refused.. so I left a very nice tip on the table instead!
3. I received a $25 gc from a local discount store after I messaged them a very polite complaint!
We have a local scratch and dent discount store( locally owned) in my area. I have shopped there since they established. NEVER had any issues until last fall when I found weevils in a few different boxed good items purchased there. I tossed everything out, bleached my pantry and just vowed to not buy pantry items like that again.. and then a few months after I did.. and poured a bag of pasta into boiling water.. and it was disgusting... So after I threw that and the few other pastas I had away I emailed them.. to let them know either THEY had this issue or their supplier had it... and they replied very quickly. Thanking me for the heads up, and they mailed me a GC.. So I spent it on their produce and refrigerator items- but not pantry items! lol
4.put some of my Ibotta earnings towards a Red Robin Card and husband and I had date night on Friday.. our 2 16 y/o started their first job that night and our 18 was also at work.. We had DATE NIGHT! alone! It was lovely
5. Used Saturday and its beautiful weather to roast some veggies before they went funky, batch cooked rice, cooked some salsa chicken in one crock pot and put a croc pot with a pork roast on the porch to cook all day. Food for a few days for all the random schedules and my house did not stink as much since I used outdoors also! lol
I've had to sleep with a mouth guard for the past 15 years due to grinding my teeth (I ground off my pointy canines!). I sprung for a custom one about 5 years in because the ones you fit to yourself kept loosening on me. This one has lasted me 10 years, and I recently got a second one because I've ground a hole and cracked this one. But lemme tell ya, I'd rather wear this than.... not. Plus it's reduced headaches and jaw pain!
1) I was using my mom's Amazon Prime account to order things from Amazon. I just found out she didn't renew.... and it has already saved me $$. I just... didn't order the thing I wanted. Amazing how that happened, huh?
2) I was cleaning out our pen holder (which also holds bits, bobs, random odds n ends, and coins) and was able to give about $8 in quarters to my mother-in-law so she could use it for laundry at her apartment. Saved her a trip to the bank and we were happy to help in a small way!
3) With my mother-in-law moving, and we're at the start of a large home renovation, she gave us quite a few pieces of furniture that she wasn't going to take with her. One of these is a movable kitchen island. This will really save us about $600 on getting counter top, the base, installation, etc on a new one. This will require some elbow grease. It needs to have the top refinished, the base painted, and a couple shelves made. But worth it in the long run (and I'm going to paint it a fun color like mint!).
4) It's the first time I'll do an easter basket for my son. My mom did them for me growing up (and still does! But they've gotten to be things like hand soap that smells good, fun work gloves, a solid chocolate easter bunny, and maybe mints? Or a small picture frame that reminded her of me). I opted to get things that were consumable or he needed. Not random little plastic bunnies that we'll throw away in a few weeks. So he's getting some of his favorite chocolate, a couple bath bombs, and some new jammies. He'll be stoked to find little plastic eggs (we reuse, and I have some left over from Halloween!).
5) I'm eating an anti-inflammatory diet right now to try and help my energy level, my gut, and my overall health. Ever since I had my gall bladder out last year, my body has retaliated. I haven't lost the baby weight. I am exhausted 24/7. But I'm on day 2 of a 10-day reset and I already feel better. Amazing, huh? I feel like buying those leafy greens was frugal for the long-term 🙂
My canines are totally not-pointy too!! I haven't had any other symptoms related to the teeth-grinding, which is good, I guess. But the lack of symptoms makes it pretty unmotivating to wear the guard. I will dutifully pop it in every night, though.
It'll be interesting to see how fast I wear this one down; a good way of figuring out just how much grinding I do.
Love the ‘veneers’ lol!!
FFT:
1. I used leftover roast potatoes from Sunday lunch in a Spanish omelette for tea last night along with 4 slices of bacon I’d frozen weeks ago, yummy!
2. Sold over £1k on eBay in the last 90 days for the first time, whoop whoop. I’m not a reseller per se, I’m just clearing out stuff my mom, MIL and I don’t need any more.
3. Not frugal but I received my second jab on Saturday so I’m fully vaccinated, I received this due to my job as a hospital receptionist.
4. Walked out of said job as a hospital receptionist last Thursday as the toll it was taking on my emotional well being was far outweighing the financial reward.
5. Again not frugal but I received a phone call yesterday out of the blue from a job I’d applied for in February 2020 which had been put on hold due to COVID. I’ve been offered an interview and as it’s a dream job, more money and closer to home. Fingers (and everything else) crossed I get the job.
Off to list more on eBay now, once I’ve finished basking in 21 degree temperatures in the garden, it’s so unusual for England at this time of year. However snow is forecast for next week, how bizarre!!
I am struggling to think of Frugal Things this week since we put our house on the market and had 2 days of non-stop showings.
1. Used boxes from a friend who recently moved to start packing the house. Packing some before getting pictures/showings was so helpful because it made staging so much easier, which helped the house show better.
2. Opted out of last minute updates (carpet, painting dark trim white) in order to keep our house in the list price bracket we were shooting for. We had bids of $3K in last minute updates which would have pushed the house over the upper limit of what a lot of buyers are looking for in this immediate area of town. Could've made more money, but it may have taken longer to sell. Overall I think it saved us time and money.
3. Decided to put the house on the market a week earlier than planned (there was a pre-listing showing that didn't work out and figured might as well just go for it since the house was so clean) which resulted in a closing earlier than expected. We'll own two houses for 1 week which isn't a bad overlap.
4. FAIL: Decided to put the house on the market a week earlier than planned, and didn't plan meals ahead of time for an entire weekend out of the house, so we ate out 3x over two days.
5. Spent our days out of the house with friends (part our COVID pod, spent lots of time outside, and most of our pod is vaccinated at this point) instead of paying for activities to keep us from going crazy.
one more! We canceled several subscriptions that we don't truly need. Easier to do this when warm weather coaxes us outside after a cold winter!
I used up an avocado and lime that was lurking in the fridge to make guacamole. Also two apples on their way to going really bad to make cinnamon apples and leftover breakfast (eggs, cheese grits, hash browns and bacon) to make breakfast burritos. I did have to throw out two apples and a few stalks of celery that I didn't get around to using, but pretty proud of saving the rest of the produce and leftovers.
That's so satisfying to use up odds and ends, isn't it??
My list of recent FFT:
1. A friend gifted us a 2 liter of soda her kids won't drink. I don't usually buy soda so it was a treat for us.
2. We ordered a large item that needed delivered. We borrowed my father-in-law's trailer and picked it up ourselves saving us a $100 delivery fee.
3. A co-worker was unpacking boxes as she just moved to a new house. She brought in a bag with 3 dressy tops for me if I wanted them. They all still had store tags on them and they all fit me perfectly!
4. I went to the store for a few Easter goodies & wanted to use a $5 off $25 coupon plus a $10 gift card I had won. I also purchased 2 pair of sunglasses for myself as all my others were scratched. Basically after my coupon and gift card, i really only paid for my sunglasses and they 8 items for Easter treats were free to me!!!
5. My co-worker mentioned that she had two gift certificates for dog grooming that she wasn't going to use and asked if I'd like them. Yes, please! I have 2 dogs and this will save some $.
6. A resident in our community just dropped off a homemade nut roll to me at my work! So sweet!
I'll throw in another comment in favor of paying for the custom nightguard (in due time). Mine has lasted 8+ years thus far and it's WAY more comfortable than the ones I tried from the store. Mine has reduced my headaches considerably, helped my gums from grinding (I was staring at some major gum work because of my grinding, now I'm back within normal ranges) and acts like a sleep aid for me now.
So did you get yours through your dentist?
I have had to wear a night guard for 15 years. I had to get one made at the dentist and yes they are expensive. However, I tried the boil and fit ones (you can get a athletic mouthguard for less than a dollar) which will work for light grinders. BUT if you have TMJ issues and/or bad grinding, you really aren't helping yourself if you don't use the custom one. It is a hard appliance and helps with the jaw and prevents cracking of the teeth. Just FYI. They do last for years though. Mine looks horrible (I used whitening toothpaste to clean it..it turned yellow...) but it still does its job!
Oh, interesting! I suppose maybe my dentist will check and see how I'm doing at my next checkup now that I'm wearing the luna guard? I don't have TMJ so I wonder if that's why she recommended this over a custom guard.
Do you feel that the one from the dentist is more comfortable?
The door opening isn't anything as simple as leveling the appliance, or putting small shims under the front feet, is it?
I don't know; it's sort of a weird fridge setup, since the freezer is a bottom drawer rather than a door. It doesn't slide super easily, so I don't know if adjusting the leveling would be enough to make a difference.
I also have very very very thick hair. I can't wear a bun without 500 bobby pins and spray glue, and even then it will all fall out fairly soon. And I've never been able to put it in one of those cute barrettes that people use for a ponytail. My hair is generally my best feature, though, so can't complain too much.
Yep, putting Zoe's hair into a bun is such a process. When she did dance, I had to divide it into two ponytails and then coil each one separately, with a zillion bobby pins.
I am envious of you guys and your thick hair! 🙂
We blame EVERYTHING on the cat, no matter what. Although he is also treated like the crown prince of the entire world.
And speaking of cats I love the picture of yours overseeing Zoe's homework.
The upside of blaming everything on the cat is that we all are ready to forgive the cat for anything.
So she's a perfect scapegoat. 😉
When I'm preparing dinner, I turn the range hood light on. I leave it on through the evening. At bed time I see a light in the kitchen & it reminds me to check that everything is OFF.. My gas range is so hot that I have been known to turn the flame so low that I don't notice it when I remove the pan. After leaving it burning overnight a couple of time I instituted the range hood reminder. It could work for your freezer door too. My freezer drawer has a alarm but I'm often still looking for things when it starts beeping.
This is a terrific idea!
I don't know that I have five, but my favorites from this week: My daughter has become obsessed with roller skating. We got her a pair of skates at Christmas off FB Marketplace for $10 and she loved them. But, she left them in the house this week and our bulldog loves chewing on the rubber wheels, so they were toast. I felt bad for her and looked for new ones, but there were none in town and shipping was going to take a week and a half so I checked on Craigs List and found a newer, nicer pair than the ones she had for only $5! Woot! She now has newer, nicer skates and we've only invested $15! Not bad considering the cheapest I found new were $39.99. Oh - I also cut my own bangs this week. Saved me about $15 when all is said and done and I've received multiple compliments.
1. A few years ago, I "discovered" that if you blend cottage cheese, it behaves like ricotta cheese in recipes, but is only half the price. I wouldn't use it for a dip, but for a baked dish it's fine, and half the price. I say "discovered" because it seems like everyone else on the internet already knew lol.
2. I used a chicken carcass to make more chicken broth last night. Really, it's such good value for money--especially for only two people. One chicken carcass nets us three more meals! That's a habit I picked up from you, Kristen. My husband likes roast chicken (and makes it for us), and I've only missed making broth twice in the last year.
3. A frugal lesson learned: Passover was the first major food-heavy holiday that my husband and I had to spend alone due to the pandemic. We bought WAY too much food. I didn't realize in my calculation that when there are multiple dishes on the table, we don't eat as much of any one thing--I was guessing we'd eat salad the same way we do when it's the only side dish, instead of one of three! But, fortunately, nothing's going bad; it's just waiting patiently in the fridge until we eat it.
4. I'm on vacation this week, and, well, there's really nothing to spend money on. I can't take a trip anywhere, or splurge at a restaurant. Instead, I've promised myself that each day I will do at least one chore, do one creative thing (sewing, gardening, etc.), and go for a walk.
5. I was kind of bummed to be working in the emergency room on the coming weekend, but I realized that since they're weekend days and Easter Sunday is a statutory holiday, I get paid more AND I get a lieu day to be used later. Hurray!
I love that you've found someone else to lead Zoe's home schooling efforts. Quite the sharp eye, that taskmaster!
We have a similar problem with our freezer. I have a theory that the ice buildup on the bottom is the culprit, not the external human users. I think the door feels like it's closed but the ice buildup gradually pushes the door forward overnight.
I noticed that little geometry tutor, too, paying very close attention!
She's mainly there for emotional support, to be honest. Ha.
1. We made 3 lbs of mozzarella using extra milk we had. We found 50% off chicken thighs at Aldis. Some of this chicken got crusted in leftover corn flakes for dinner last night and it was so good! Tonight we will use some of this chicken to make chicken parm to use up some of the cheese.
2. I picked up a pair of Nike sandals from Buy Nothing that will fit my son next summer.
3. I found a Pokemon card I bought in 1999. I think it cost $1 at the time. It's worth $90 on ebay now. I quickly listed it!
4. We boiled our sap. This year we tapped our Black Walnut tree too. The Black Walnut sap gave the syrup a butterscotch flavor that is amazing! We got two jars or syrup when finished. To celebrate, we had homemade banana bread french toast. Amazing!
5. We purchased an off-brand Peloton bike off Amazon at the beginning of the pandemic, as we were not comfortable with gyms. I downloaded the Peloton app for a free month trial. I decided to keep the app for $13 because the classes are so good. $13 per month is alot cheaper than what I was paying for the gym and I can hop on the bike whenever.
Your chicken story reminded me of the time it was going to be a rushed evening, so I called my husband from work and gave him instructions on how to crush corn flakes and coat the chicken so dinner would be ready when I got home. He followed my instructions perfectly, except for the fact that he used frosted flakes because he had eaten the rest of the corn flakes that morning...
I laughed hysterically at your chicken story because a few weeks ago I made mashed potatoes with a brand new container of Greek yogurt. Served them up and thought they tasted kind of sweet and smelled a bit like vanilla. It seems the plain and vanilla containers of yogurt at the store look amazingly alike and I apparently picked up vanilla and didn't even realize it. We ate the vanilla potatoes so as not to waste food but I was very careful this week when I reached for the plain yogurt. Maybe I should start making my own! 😉
Have we all done this one? I used oat milk when making macaroni and cheese, realizing too late that it was vanilla oat milk, not plain. Dinner was edible, but definitely interesting!
My husband recently made scrambled eggs with soy milk. Soy milk was vanilla! It tasted odd but with enough pepper I did eat it. Lol
This is too funny!! I am thinking the chicken probably wasn't too bad even with the frosted flakes
1. I was promised a free copy of a new book by my favorite psychologist that I follow on Instagram. I was starting to get so antsy and almost bought the book myself on Amazon, but I practiced patience and I have since received my gifted book. 🙂
2. I needed to buy some more special kidney food for my cat, and I remembered that I had a 30% off coupon if I purchased it online at my vet's storefront.
3. My husband and I booked a room on the beach for spring break this week, and we were sorely tempted to spend $60 more for a nicer, but not larger room. I thought ahead to how I would feel in the future at having spent extra, and chose to stick with the cheaper room.
4. We set aside a certain amount in the budget for eating out and Starbucks during the aforementioned trip, and I feel good about allowing some frivolous spending money, but putting a cap on it.
As for your nightguard, I have to say that the more expensive ones from the dentist are not more comfortable (I've worn both); it's just been a matter of effectiveness, in my opinion. If you're a light grinder, you might be just fine with your less expensive one. 🙂
Christie
zoe's hair looks beautiful. and you look beautiful too.
One of our two refrigerators has a refrigerator door that pops open the freezer door, too. It's an older model - I hope they've improved that issue in the newer models. My newer refrigerator isn't doing it, so far.
My husband ground his teeth at night for decades and refused to use the expensive guard that was custom made for him. He is paying for it now with broken teeth. Use a guard if you need it!
Just today I had a frugal, so it's easy to remember. I had an annual checkup this morning at the doctor office located two hours from my home, then I went straight to work after leaving there. The appointment was at 9:00 and I got to work at 12:10. I was sooooo tempted this morning to just pack one of my diet-compliant freezer meals (which are really good, but not cheap) or plan to stop for something good. Instead, I dug around and came up with enough odd leftovers to make a lunch, a la Kristen, and saved myself some money while still getting fed.
I had a meeting with a church volunteer group that is just starting up, and it was from 7-8:20pm. I got home from work at 6:50 and Zoomed it. I was very tempted to run buy something for our meal after the meeting was over, but again, I said no, although I didn't want to, and fried hamburgers in the grill pan from the meat I had been thawing. Quick, easy, cheap.
We had enough warm sun and breeze this past weekend to hang out all of my laundry and get it dry.
I don't know if this is a frugal thing, but a few years ago I planted seeds of a wild variety of petunias in a big concrete planter I inherited. They reappeared for 2 or 3 years, then stopped, so I put four o'clocks and ajuga in there a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what prompted this, but I have petunias popping up amidst the four o'clocks that are coming up through the ajuga. So, I now have a low-grower, some upright, and some trailing flowers in my planter, for free, now. You'd think I planned it, but I sure didn't.
I fried bacon to refrigerate for my husband's BLT-minus-the-L lunches, then spooned out most of the grease to a jar to save for later use, and fried sliced summer squash and onions in the remaining bacon grease in the same pan.
My daughter just braved giving her first home haircut to her eldest. It turned out great, so I hope she keeps it up with the other kids. Since she has four, home cuts will save about as much time as they will money.
Funny! I do BLT minus the T. 😉
! I do BLT minus the bread!!
My favorite is a BAST— Bacon, avocado, Spinach and Tomato. Best breakfast ever!
We like BLTE sandwiches, E is for egg.
Let's see ...
1.) My wife bought a box of vintage fabric for various projects. In there was a large yardage of white fabric with an orange crosshatch pattern. My wife commented that it was nothing she would use for clothing so I suggested she turn it into a tablecloth ... which she did. What was going to end up as junk is now a fully functional tablecloth (which one can never have too many of!
2.) Took advantage of the Easter sales and bought a ham at a much discounted price.
3.) My wife and I have a really crummy ironing board that we bought when we first got married. It was ... fine but definitely was too small and we needed something better. I was researching what ones to buy and coincidentally my mother, who is trying to downsize, asked if I wanted her ironing board. It needed a new cover but was solid and sturdy despite being from the Carter administration.
4.) Bought a new cover for said ironing board on clearance at Walmart. So ... double win!
5.) Haven't really been buying anything for myself in the last few weeks. I mean, I'm okay with what I have and I'm certainly not wanting for anything.
And for a Frugal Fail ... I've spent a bit too much this month on groceries. We have a full pantry, freezer and fridge but a lot of the sales were too good to pass up. The good news is that none of it will go to waste so future months should have less expenditures.
Referencing the Carter administration made me chuckle. Thanks for bringing some joy to my day!
You're welcome. I think she said she bought it in 1977 or 78.
Made me laugh too!
The ironing board I have dates from the Eisenhower administration! My mother got it with S&H Green Stamps. Last time I bought a new cover, from the supermarket, it was too short. I don’t use the ironing board too often (ahem) but should measure its length and look for a new cover.
This week.....
1. I signed up to attend the plant sale through the University exchange so that I can purchase seedlings for a much smaller price than I can get them from local nurseries or the big box stores. This is something I consider a worthwhile expense as the food we grow from those seedlings will stock our pantry into the winter months.
2. I cleaned out my son's closet & dresser and removed all clothing that he has grown out of. We will consign these items and donate the remainder to victims of a tornado that just ravaged our community. Any monies made from cosigning will go to replenish items that he needs on sale & clearance or consignment sales.
3. Easter dinner will be prepared on Saturday using a ham that was purchased and frozen during the last holiday sales and we will enjoy it with home canned pineapple and the last of the green beans grown in our garden last summer. Many meals will come from the leftovers of ham and I will plan accordingly to avoid food waste.
4. I roasted broccoli that was beginning to wither in the fridge, paid bills online, and put money into savings.
That is only 4 but with days left in the week I am sure the 5th item will come along.
If you had a dog, I would suggest him or her as the probable culprit. One of our Irish wolfhounds learned how to open the fridge door and then the freezer door. We did not realize it until one day when he ate everything on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Heaven knows how many times he ate stuff that I accused my husband of eating!
I had a beagle who did that. All of my dogs who "cross the Rainbow Bridge" are memorialized as a Christmas tree ornament, and for him, it's a beagle nosing open the fridge. RIP Alfie, we love you. (Eventually we used babyproofing to secure the doors, but sometimes someone would fail to fasten the latch and then.....)
So sad about your freezer! This kept happening at my house too and I believe, in our case, it was simply that our upright (basement) freezer was pretty packed and the door would pop open after we walked away. Our solution was to add a baby-proofing product - we installed Xtraguard straps made by Munchkin. I realize that you have different criteria (yours is a drawer freezer, you would probably want it to lock by itself and be minimally noticeable, etc.) but perhaps something in the baby-proofing category could work for you too?? Good luck!
Life is beginning to return to its pre-Covid pace. Regular life can surly be tiring.
1. Today I batched errands so I could use my time and gas most efficiently. Stop #1 was the library where I returned two books and check out a book that had been recommended to me.
2. Stop #2 was the post office. There I dropped off two packages containing items I sold on eBay. Profit after fees was $45. I used recycled packaging to keep cost lower.
3. Stop #3 was the Goodwill. I dropped off donations after cleaning out my closet. I also have a small pile of items to list on eBay and a few things to send to thredUP. I will work on this later this afternoon.
4. Stop #4 was one of the grocery stores I shop at occasionally. I saved approximately $25 on BOGO items and $4 on digital coupons. My GF bread did not ring up at the sale price so I received it for free. When I returned home, I scanned receipts to Fetch and Ibotta.
5. Today is my DIL to he’s birthday. I wrapped her present with paper I purchased at the bins pre-Covid and beautiful ribbon purchased at an estate sale.
Wishing everyone peace, health and frugality..,
Oops that is surely not surly... maybe that was a slip up for a reason
Haha!
1. I redeemed a coupon I received in the mail for a free jar of Kroger peanut butter.
2. I found 3 cents in the CoinStar machine at Kroger.
3. All meals were prepared and eaten at home. The only food waste was one Romaine lettuce leaf and about 1/4 of a tomato.
4. I wanted to make cranberry orange bread, but had only 1 sad orange. I juiced it, then added lemon juice, orange marmalade and water to make the needed 3/4 cup of liquid. The bread turned out fine.
That's it for the week.
1. Cut my daughter's hair as well.
2. We have guests who prefer to not eat meat so we've been having frugal bean meals.
3. We accepted some free raisins from our guests.
4. I'm reading a borrowed book to my son.
5. Bought a used pressure canner.
Have you thought about taping the freezer shut when you go to bed? Just in case it is the cat.
Was going to say something similar- I had to start using one of those child cabinet locks on my outside freezer- I had a daughter who wasn’t careful about making sure in was shut right before leaving it. So now the process is to close the lock. That makes sure the door is closed right!
We had issues with our freezer door popping open when we closed the fridge door...so we taped it shut to solve the problem!
I have REALLY thick hair like that, too. When I get it cut, I sometimes get it “thinned” and there are apparently special scissors for that. Counterintuitively, as my hair has gotten really long during this past year (last cut was over a year ago, due to, you know, COVID and all) the length helps control the volume. I struggle the most with the thickness when it’s short.
Cut my husband's hair this a.m.
Paid cash for a handyman job to avoid sales tax
No take out food this week
Library books returned on time
Steam/pressed my husbands shirts to reduce dry cleaner fees
I'm on my second custom made mouthguard, having been told in my late 20s that I grind my teeth. I actually ground through a metal dental crown. My current mouthguard is at least 15 years old - maybe older, I'm not sure - and survived being chewed on by our dog about 8 years ago (yes, small pieces broke off, but my dentist at the time deemed it still usable - cleaned it in their ultrasonic cleaner - and it's still going strong). I have tried the non-custom mouth guards, which I find very uncomfortable. I still have had my share of dental issues, but I can guess it would be even worse without my faithful mouth guard use.
I actually found a pack of two dental guards at the dollar store for $5, I think. You dip in boiling water and shape to your mouth! It’s pretty good! Took a few nights of getting used to, and now I sleep better with it in than without! But I think my problem is milder than some of yours sound.
I clench my teeth at night but both my children grind their teeth. I bought a custom nightguard from the dentist ($300!) and I don't find it comfortable at all. I can't seem to fall asleep with it in my mouth and a couple of times when I have managed to fall asleep, I wake up to find it on the nightstand the next morning. I assume I am taking it out in my sleep. My one child had to have a thicker retainer made because he ground through the one from the orthodontist! I really wish I could get used to mine as some mornings my jaw really does ache from clenching.
One daughter of mine works for a very good, but expensive dentist. They made me a new night guard recently. Hard to get it on originally, but now getting uncomfortable on one tooth. Glad I called and talked to daughter. She said to bring it in and and they would fix it. Call your dentist and ask if it can be adjusted.
I'm going to look into that night guard you have! Thank you for sharing. I have the same problem and was quoted nearly $400 for an appliance from my dentist. Of course, dental insurance would cover zero. Which makes no sense because the cost to fix the teeth later would cost them (and me) a boatload more.
Here's our five frugal things for the week:
1. JoAnn's had a $1 sale on Simplicity patterns. I sew a lot and keep track of the ones I want. One in particular was $35. I bought 11 patterns and saved $236 at the register. Most I already have fabric for.
2. I used a gift card I received at Christmas to purchase groceries.
3. Bought the girls some Easter candy at 30% off.
4. The hubby and I got our free first covid shots. He had a sore, stiff arm and was tired. I only had a sore arm that same day. The flu shot was worse this year.
5. My girlfriends and I signed up for a quilting class. Our first since the pandemic (yay, finally). Fabric purchased for the class was discounted 10%.
FFT
1. DS needed a new jewelry tool. DH took him to the craft store. When they got home DS told me he pulled up a coupon on his phone AND used my rewards card. He has learned well!
2. Took advantage of being near a gas station with free air to fill up my car tires. Where we live the gas stations charge for air.
3. Making chicken pot pie tonight from chicken carcass. This is the soup-like pot pie. Not the one with the crust
4. Watching the weather and doing laundry on nice days to use Mother Nature to dry our wash.
5. DS needs new cleats for softball. I will list his old ones on FB Market. They are still in great shape. Will use a coupon to order new ones.
I had to start wearing a night mouth guard in January, which the dentist made for a few dollars over $500, not reimbursed by insurance, but it has already been worth it. I was clenching my teeth so hard in my sleep that I woke up almost every day with an awful headache, and that disappeared immediately with wearing the guard. I could not find an OTC guard that was recommended for people with a dental implant, so I went with the custom made one.
My dentist said that prior to 2020, he used to do a couple of fittings a week for night guards, but with everyone's stress level going up, he's now doing that many every day!
Forgot to add my FFT:
1. Made up several days of breakfasts and lunches from use-it-up recipes.
2. Have two shirts waiting in the mending basket. Being able to fix things makes me so happy.
3. Used a work perk and subscribed to a publication at the academic rate, saving $5 a month over what we had been paying.
4. Used a $10 gift certificate earned through Fetch Rewards to buy a new set of Power Step insoles for my work sneakers. The previous pair lasted a year, but they are truly worn out. Luck was with me and the insoles were already $4 less than they usually are. Win!
5. Did some intensive hunting on Poshmark for the best deal on a few summer shirts and finally found someone who had very reasonable prices, was offering a discount on a bundle of several pieces, and was open to offers. I wound up ordering four shirts for $24, plus the shipping. My summer wardrobe is very skimpy, so this should help a lot.
Getting a discount is a good thing. My husband is retired military, so he always checks before he orders someting online to see if they have a discount. Some companies have discounts for police, firefighters and EMTs as well. So it is definitely worth checking. I have also found that if I have something in my cart, but have not checked out, some companies will send you and email with a discount code to encourage you to finish checking out.
My hair is extremely thick like your daughter’s hair, but being I like mine long, my ends are full and don’t look straggly. He has to section, pin up my hair and let it down in increments to trim each layer in manageable amounts. A couple months ago, a coworker of mine asked hubby to give her a haircut, well she is of Asian descent and her hair is really thick. Hubby had to take smaller increments to cut her hair and she said that at the salon, she has had the experience of it pulling her hair when it was cut because they tried cutting through too much hair at once. So thick can be a blessing, but it does require a little more effort to cut.
It is starting to warm up where we are, so we can get snow peas, kale, lettuce and parsley started in the raised beds. I am so looking forward to getting my garden planted.
1. Used 30% off & free shipping to purchase a new quilt for our bed. I saved about $50.
2. We are replacing our HVAC & our research/quote gathering paid off. The lowest quote saved us $1300. (We compared 3 quotes that were “apples to apples” as far as specifications went).
3. I repaired teeny, tiny holes in 2 shirts & sewed a button on another. That made my mending pile decrease by half.
4. We had a $10 credit from the local owned Italian restaurant so we applied that to a supper order one night.
5. Still doing all the daily, smaller things that add up to big savings in the long run.
1. Took advantage of my birthday to ask for something that I've wanted for a while but did not wanted to spend the money on - the Lekue silicone cover that Kristen has! My parents gave it to me for my birthday and I'm totally prepared for watermelon season now.
2. I searched all over our little town for my husband's birthday gift and was unable to find it, so I had to go online. I created a new Amazon account (so he wouldn't get notifications about his gifts from our regular account) and signed up for a free trial of Prime to get free shipping. A reminder is on my phone for a few weeks from now to cancel Prime on that account.
3. I used some of my birthday money to buy a grow light for my pepper and tomato plants. Not something I would normally justify buying, but birthday money makes it easy! This will allow me to move them to a basement closet to grow. My cats uncovered and dug up another 4-6 tomato plants last night, so I'm excited to get the plants to a safer location. The light was only about $20 and I'm hoping it helps our gardening process for years to come and saves me from having to buy plants.
4. I took out a pump from a lotion bottle and turned it upside down into a glass jar that used to have face moisturizer in it. Filled the jar with stuff I couldn't get out with the pump!
5. I've been on the hunt for clearance snow pants for the last few months without success. I found someone online selling then for $5 and snatched them up. Thanks to advice from either Kristen or fellow FG readers (I can't remember who said it), I knew to get black instead of pink so they can be used by all of my kids! The seller listed them as "boys snow pants" but my daughter will wear them happily next year.
I hope it's not too late to weigh in with my 2 cents on the mouth guard issue. I am a hard grinder and need a custom-fitted device--as I learned earlier this year on trying one off Amazon and getting unsatisfactory results. My dentist, bless his heart, agreed to do one for me at his cost (he knows the situation with DH). Granted, this was $200, but that's a lot better than $600. So I recommend negotiating with your dentist to see if you can get some $$ off, if OTC devices don't work for you.
Good to hear from you, A. Marie!
I’ve been thinking about you.,,
I'm glad to hear from you too!
So glad to hear from you A. Marie, from aunti ali aka Markie.
For your freezer, have you considered a child lock? There are appliance/cabinet straps that aren't beautiful but require the door to be fully closed in order to latch.
I went this route when I was in high school for a mouth guard. I couldn't keep the thing in my mouth. I'd wake up in the morning and it would be across the room (I'm guessing I threw it while asleep?).
Idk if I have 5.
1. I breastfeed so I don't have to buy formula (even though it's a pain to pump at work!)
2. I bought some clearanced flats for work. I know I burn through at least one pair during the summer (for work). I bought 2 @ $2 each!
3. We are really taking our time searching for a good vehicle for us. We have cash to pay and want to get something worthwhile.
4. Paid off our cc with income tax.
5. Spent money on a course to figure out this whole budgeting/mean planning process. I'm inept... Despite having a degree in accounting. ♀️♀️
My freezer door kept being left open on the refit in the garage. I finally ordered a door lock from Amazon. It is supposed to be to toddler proof things, but oh well!
It has helped a lot.
1). Went through my girls clothes and a bin of hand me downs to see what clothes they have for spring summer. Now we know what we actually need to purchase.
2). We used Easter egg purchased after last Easter at a discount to dye eggs.
3). Utilized the Libby app and table side library pick up to keep all of us reading:
4). Using up a bag of dates from Costco (not sure why I bought such a large bag) in my oatmeal every morning.
5). We have to travel due to a death in our family. We booked a hotel with a management reception and breakfast to minimize food costs.
It took me a few days to come up with my 5 Frugal things for this week but...
- we made a frittata last night and used up the last of some smoked sausage from the freezer, some grated zucchini that had been in the freezer since last fall, and mushrooms from our produce box.
- I saved the last of some marinara sauce from going bad by freezing it. It's enough for a pizza.
- I used several coupons at the grocery store this week.
- I paid my quarterly taxes. That doesn't sound frugal, but paying them now means paying less during tax season!
- The hubs wanted a new golf putter and used a store credit he had to buy one online. Proud of him for not spending "actual" money on a thing that is definitely a WANT and not a need!
I've enjoyed reading everyone's ideas! Thank you everyone!
My frugal things:
1. I walked to do some of my errands.
2. I used the drying rack to dry clothes.
3. Using up little hotel bottles of shampoo and soap, decluttering in the process!
4. I took advantage of some free continuing education credits.
5. I dyed my Easter eggs with a dye made from purple cabbage leaves boiled in water. They ended up being a light robin egg blue. It was really fun.
We blame the cat(s) on everything. Ha ha
We had a problem with people leaving the fridge open at work. I tried the duct tape idea at first but it had to be replaced a lot. I replaced it with sticky Velcro. Since the fridge was black I was able to use black Velcro. Some people still don’t put the Velcro back on but we haven’t had a door left open overnight incident since doing this.
You all bring me back to my time in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. My son made it to Eagle so I'm very proud of that and I think it has helped him in his career.
1. Dh picked up the free turkey breast for Easter from our local grocery store. Spend $400 get a free ham, turkey breast or turducken. Or a large Stouffer's lasagna.
2. Keeping on power control by following hubs around the house and shutting off the lights.
3. Hubs and I will get our second vaccine this upcoming week.
4. No takeout.
5. Lovely chat with my via Whatsup. Free app and it great cause he is in Singapore.