Five Frugal Things | I have too much produce
1. I skipped this week's Hungry Harvest delivery
Yesterday I got the email letting me know my Hungry Harvest box was coming this week and after I considered that for a moment, I realized I have too much of a produce backlog right now!
I need a minute to eat down my stash of fruits and veggies.
Sooo, I canceled it. This will save me the cost of a delivery, of course, but also it's going to keep me from wasting the produce that's already in my fridge.
A double win!
Hungry Harvest exists to reduce food waste, so it would be very silly of me to get a box and then waste the food anyway. 😉
2. I made a pot of chicken broth
I had two rotisserie chicken carcasses in my freezer, plus I had a rotisserie chicken in my fridge.
Sooo, I took the meat off of the one in my fridge and used it plus the two frozen ones to make a pot of chicken broth.
And then I used some of the broth to make some chicken noodle soup.
Here's how I make my chicken broth.
3. I prepped my spinach and made a green smoothie
I had some spinach in the fridge from my last Hungry Harvest box, and I hadn't touched it. Whoops!
I trimmed the stems (it wasn't baby spinach) and gave it a whirl in my salad spinner.
Then I promptly used some of it to make a smoothie.
Since the rest of the spinach is washed and prepped, I know I will easily use it in the next day or two.
4. I made some chocolate pudding to use up extra milk
We had a milk backlog, so I turned the extra into chocolate pudding.
It's really dark-colored because I always use Hershey's special dark cocoa powder, which is twice as good as their regular.
This is a case where I am willing to pay more for the name brand; generic cocoa powder doesn't usually come in a dark version!
Click here for my chocolate pudding recipe.
5. I made yogurt and granola
I'd been out of granola for quite some time and I'd just run out of yogurt too.
So, I made a batch of both of them when I had a bit of time.
And this is my standby granola recipe. Best thing about it? No stirring while baking!
Good reminder to make granola next weekend (at weekend electricity = low energy rate)
As usual, my frugals were mostly in food - eating what we had, making vegetable broth, eating at home etc.
Plus, I made a little card that says : Pay mortgage entirely. And put that in my wallet as a reminder whenever I am tempted to buy something I do not need.
In the same vein, I am keeping my eyes open for a thrifted centimeter band that I will use to indicate/visualise how many months of mortgage we are still owing. It can be an old one - preferably so since old bands tend to become longer in use, so for sewing they are less useful anyway.
@JNL, That's a great idea to put a card in your wallet with your financial goal in it! I'd like to use that for myself and for mentees 🙂
@JNL, love the idea to use an old sewing measuring tape as a pay down thermometer! fun, too! (You can write "we are sew close.... to paying it off" as a joke!)
*I made muesli for my husband. Not exactly cheap, but its tastier and more economical that buying the boxes.
* I'm tracking my grocery spending as the currents prices of everything made me realize my old mental price list was out of date. I had no real idea of what we spent on food. It's depressing but not as bad as it could be. It's making me think to use what we have at hone before going to the store.
*I'm going to return an impulse purchase I made for my daughter.
* I bought the big bag of cat food and put it in smaller containers to keep it fresh.
*I bought litter at the same time and got $10 off $40 for pet products. Thank you, Target!
How does your muesli differ from granola?
@Kristen,
There's no honey or syrup to bind it together. I mix oats, chopped nuts, and some spice and bake that. Then add a little coconut and bake a little longer. Once it's cool, add chopped dried fruit. It's loose, and sort of looks incomplete, but he loves it.
I guess some muesli is not baked, but I think the cooking enhanced the flavors.
@mbmom11, Thanks for this! I have been missing granola, but avoiding sugar, and this might do the trick.
--I also used the Target coupon for $10 off $40 in pet supplies. Three cats go through a lot of litter!
--I'm upcycling another free mineral lick tub to use as a giant garden planter. They're delightfully durable and MUCH cheaper than official planters the same size! Wash thoroughly, drill drainage holes in the bottom, paint the outside if applicable (our tubs were all bright blue plastic, now they're black), and you're good to go.
--I used cut up boxes to protect our front door and stairs when I repainted the wrought iron porch rail.
--I bought two packages of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, as both were 4 lbs and had been discounted to $6 for last day sale. There were more discounted packages, but I left those for someone else--8 lbs of chicken will last our two person household a good while. I froze the thighs in meal-size portions once home.
--I MacGyvered a solution for the broken latch on our free-from-a-friend Ecocycle compost bin. Because the bin spins in such a way that it puts weight on the door, the eyelet for the hook closure was always breaking even with JB Weld. Yesterday, I drilled a hole and inserted a thick wire (I always have a spool in the car*) for the hook to pass through. Several test spins with a full load of winter compost proved perfect. Victory at last!
*My car's interior hood latch broke ages ago. My mechanic MacGyvered it with the same wire, with my permission. Works a treat! 😛
@N, I use mineral tubs, for gardening also, but I drill a hole across from each other at two inches from the bottom.
Birthday week ( with a cold virus) and no energy...
I wasn't sick enough to call off work but I was worn out enough to be lazy in the evenings! lol
Minimal grocery shopping so all the perishables were used up.
My birthDAY supper was a mix of rotisserie chicken and ribs from Costco and a dessert- very underwhelming TBH..
When feeling a bit better this weekend I ran a few errands- got my free bagel sandwich at Einsteins- only cost me a Blackberry Lemonade...
Panera sent a free pastry coupon so I ordered that on the app and picked it up THEN ordered another pastry and used the 50% off in my app so less than $2.00 for an orange scone and almond pastry.
My BIG Flex though... The week of valentines we blew fuses in the kitchen and the Keurig power button snapped in the process. A few tugs from the switchblade loosened it but it only stayed on so you needed to plug and unplug every use.. and I was freaked out about the fire hazard of that anyway..... Had been looking around for coffee machine deals.. trying to decided our next move.... when the Vacuum cleaner decided to stop working all the time.. When in forward motion it worked but pulling it back disengaged the electronics in the handle and turned it off... 10-12 years ago we purchased a Shark Apex at Best Buy.. No doubt for too much money plus we bought the warranty knowing we were hard on these machines..... It was a workhorse.. until the flexitube broke between wires about 5.5 years in.... I took it back and they warrantied it out, gave me a gift card and I purchased a Shark Navigator and another warranty.... So this past weekend we took that back and again.. gift card happy purchasing.... So we replaced this with another Shark product AND a ninja coffee machine that does pods and grounds! Total out of pocket less than $11.00! ( I skipped the warranty this time as I fear this brick and mortar store may be on the chopping block sooner than later)
and I also cooked a frozen chicken in the instapot... pulled all the meat off the bones and then made a huge pot of stock.. half the broth went to the pot for chicken and noodles and the other jarred up and frozen!
Happy birthday!! But so sorry to hear you were sick.
@jes,
Get well soon, and happy (underwhelming) birthday. Maybe you can go out for a birthday dinner and big celebration later on when you feel better.
As for the fuses and appliances, do you think they communicate with one another and, on purpose, go on the blink at the same time?
FFT, Crossing the Rubicon with NDN Edition (updated/revised from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
If I’ve been a little quiet this last week, it’s because her other close friend (CF) and I have been helping my 86-year-old next-door neighbor (NDN) through some tough decisions.
(1) After our visit with NDN to my own law firm’s office on 2/13 to get the gears grinding on her end-of-life legal paperwork, she got a packet of material from the firm this past Saturday. This packet included her "letter of engagement," a list of options she could add to the basic package, and a payment form. Monday afternoon, I finished guiding her through the packet and helping her complete and sign everything. The firm will now draft her DPOA, will, etc. Once she's approved the drafts, final versions will be produced, and she can sign those.
(2) In addition to the basic package, NDN signed up for the firm’s “No Probate Plan” option, at my, CF’s, and her nephew’s urging. In fact, I plan to purchase this option myself, to grease the skids for my own (non-familial) executor when the time comes. Not cheap, but I think it'll be well worth it in time and trouble saved.
(3) After CF gave their shared PCP a nudge, the PCP arranged for a visit to NDN’s home from a rep from a local home care agency. CF and I were both present for this visit. NDN was resistant to the idea of any in-home help at first–but after I pointed out that CF and I are both pushing 70 pretty hard and that she needs a wider safety net than the two of us, she agreed to a 4-hour trial of “companion care” from one of the agency’s aides. We’re keeping all digits crossed that this will work out. (CF walked the rep out to her car, and the rep said, “She needs a LOT more care than she’s agreed to.” CF replied, “You’re preaching to the choir!” You can see why CF and I get along so well.)
(4) OK, on to more mundane frugal things. One is that I’ve discovered a great new way to buy bacon: My Price Chopper supermarket packages the tail ends of the excellent bacon it sells behind the premium meat counter, and sells these for $3.99/lb. on Saturdays. This way, I get great bacon and not too much of it at a time.
(5) And after 3 weeks of brutal February weather, I nipped out on several errands Monday morning, including a stop at the Salvation Army superstore. Didn’t see a dang thing I wanted. $0 spent.
@A. Marie, You are an amazing friend.
@A. Marie,
You are the kind of friend every needs. I hope you have a similar friend there to help you if ever you need one!
@A. Marie,
Oh, I don't think I heard about the no-probate plan option! Tell me more?
What a blessing you are to your neighbor. And a role model for all of us.
@A. Marie, My friends and I joke about how we will be sure to pluck each other's eyebrows/chin hairs if any of us are every unable to do so one our own. You are doing so much more and it is uplifting to read how you care for others.
@JD, this firm's "No Probate Plan" is a more user-friendly term for a revocable living trust. That's fine with me, CF, and NDN's nephew. In particular, CF has been through settling estates for two members of her church who died intestate, and she is all for **anything** that will make things easier in NDN's case.
1) I sold another old Transformer on eBay.
2) I sewed up a hole in a dog toy.
3) I gave my dog his heart worm prevention … which is significantly cheaper than treating heart worm!
4) I took advantage of another meat sale and am learning to be more flexible with my choices based on cheaper options.
5) I’ve been concerned/unsure about the economy and have been buying far fewer extras as a result.
@JenRR, Did you sell a Transformer toy or some other transformer? Inquiring minds want to know.
@Bee, It was a Transformer toy. My son is 15 and done with them. My 10 year old daughter still plays with some, but I’m slowly weeding them out. We have so many!
Good Morning!
The last two weeks have been aboard a ship in Antartica. It was a wonderful experience - life changing, really. I feel "right size." which is wonderful. I am a tiny but important part of a vast world I can't begin to understand fully. I am just one species in God's great world and each species is just trying to survive, raise children, find home.
A few Frugal Lessons:
1. No energy wasted on political drama. There were over 20 nationalities. Everyone had an opinion and everyone was respectful of others. This includes people from the Ukraine, Europe, New Delhi, China. . . I could go on and on. I'd like a little more of this in my home country.
2. No water waste. Each passenger was given a three minute sand timer. So cute. We needed to conserve water for the trip and showers were a big part of that. I am going to taker that home with me.
3. Food Waste. The ship's food was incredible. It was fresh and varied. However, I have been trying to maintain the weight I lost before I left. Even though three meals and snack were fully paid for, I skipped half my dinners. I was not hungry. My dinner would go to the staff's portions. Before I would have felt I needed to get my money's worth. Thank goodness that is no longer the case.
4. No money wasted on souvenirs. I sent photos to friend and family. I bought a USB in the shape of a penguin to photo share. I bought consumable chocolate from a small business woman. That is it. I have nearly finished my Mixbook photo journal which will remind me of our journey. Best souvenir ever.
I have a 30 hour journey ahed of me landing at home on Wed. at noon. I will buy meals in the airport which is not frugal but healthier than airplane food. I will be glad to be back on track with my food plan tomorrow.
@Mary Ann, What an inspiring trip! Thanks so much for sharing with us.
@Mary Ann, I applaud and agree with your #1! What an incredible experience you were able to have!
@Mary Ann, looking forward to hearing even more about the amazing trip.
@Mary Ann, Wow! That's so fun! Thanks for sharing with us!
@Mary Ann, Sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing about your adventure!
@Mary Ann, Thanks so much for sharing! Hearing the lessons people have learned from their trips is so inspiring!
1. Didn’t have the canned tomatoes I thought I had so I improvised a tomato soup using Trader Joe’s Creamy Tomato Basic Pasta Sauce mixed with milk.
2. For my husband’s trip, I brought him to and from the airport. We’re about 30 minutes from MSP so it was cheaper than an Uber ride or extended parking.
3. Diluted whole milk with some water to extend it. Whole milk is the same price as the other milk, so this way I’m getting extra product for the same amount of money.
4. Packed a lunch to eat when I was out on an errand marathon.
5. I stocked up on nuts at the bulk bin 25 percent off event.
@MB in MN, 30 min from MSP! Depending on your direction, we may be neighbors! And I agree, Ubers to the airport are pricy!
@Geneva, cool! In northern suburb of Saint Paul.
@MB in MN, Diluting whole milk is something I never thought of, but such a great practice! I'm guessing whole milk isn't "100% milk", so you wouldn't make a 2% dilution, right? Do you do 50:50?
@Marissa, good question. Ratios range from 50:50 to 70:30, depending on the richness level I want in whatever I'm eating or drinking.
@MB in MN, good to know. Thank you!
1. I found a penny when putting on my winter coat the other day. I don't find as much spare change as some do, but I save it nonetheless. I heard the US is going to stop minting pennies; perhaps they'll be collectors' items soon.
2. I ruthlessly evaluated our fridges before making my grocery list; we had two bags of clementines (some of the guys here can eat six of those at one go, they've been craving citrus this winter), so I struck those off my list. I also determined we have a backlog of flour tortillas and other items, and it always feels so good to have a small(er) list. I have a bad habit of just buying "in case", but I have to remember I make frequent grocery trips, so I should be not stockpiling like a groundhog hibernating for the winter. This ruthless evaluation has been saving me $$ at the store.
3. My new favorite Yogi Tea is, naturally, being discontinued at Kroger. Happily, they're having a buy 5, save a buck off, and they've also deep discounted the tea, so I've been stockpiling it at a dollar a box. Of course when I run out I'll find something else, but Yogi tea for $1 a box is not to be passed up.
4. I returned a pair of shoes to Amazon that were absolutely not as advertised. I put the credit towards a lovely pair of Altras (I've been influenced by Kristen), and so far they feel delightful. Also was able to order more pens and pencils for school. The last time I tried Altras they hurt like anything, but I thought to order a half size up, and lo, they feel delightful. My toes can move! I hope they continue to treat my feet well.
5. First bike trip of the season thanks to warmer weather! DH drove halfway to work and parked at a bike station, then biked the rest of the way. He reckons this saved a couple of gallons of gas, some wear and tear on the (very old) car, and got him some good exercise.
I would be remiss to not mention DH's repair of a pair of scissors. Somebody had apparently dropped them on the tile floor and a chunk of plastic broke off, meaning the screw that held the blades together kept coming loose. DH took the rest of the plastic off and found a washer to hold the scissors together, and they work fine. These were one of only two kitchen scissors I had, and yes, we need two pairs in the kitchen. Then DH went out to his workshop in the garage and found a couple of other pairs of scissors that had *ahem* migrated out there unbeknownst to me. He confessed to sometimes grabbing a pair to use and then forgetting about them. Now there are scissors abounding, and I didn't have to buy any new ones.
@Karen A., I have four pairs of scissors in my kitchen. One by the sink, one in the knife block for food, one by the food workstation, and one in the not-a-junk-drawer.
@Karen A.,
I have 3 pairs of kitchen shears, which are often borrowed elsewhere in the house as they're easy to find and use. I never used to use them, but once I started, I became a fan. They are so handy!
And shoes can be such a trial. Feet can vary so much, so even the same size in a different brand wont work.I never can find any locally, so the free return option at Amazon makes it likely I can find sonething that fits right.
@Karen A., I have a utensil holder in my kitchen (Henry Watson Pottery, "Ideal for Use at Home or on Safari"--and thrifted, of course) dedicated entirely to scissors. It contains two pairs of poultry/meat shears, two pairs of regular scissors, one pair of herb scissors, and one pair of all-purpose garden shears (my other pair of these lives in my garden tool bag).
And I know what you mean about tools "migrating" (ahem) to the garage. After DH became incapable, I found I don't know how many kitchen tools out in our garage, which doubled as his man cave.
Oh, I'm so glad the Altras are helping you out now. I love being able to spread my toes in my shoes! I wear mine for my 12 hour shifts at the hospital.
@Karen A., I'm finding I'm using scissors a lot more frequently on packaging that I used to open by hand.
@Kristen, I have an accessory navicular bone in one foot, and very odd toes (from hammertoes that were surgically "corrected" when I was a child), and since I want to be a nurse someday I'll need to be on my feet a lot...I am hoping that going zero-drop will help. I have read that being able to splay one's toes helps with navicular accessory issues. My New Balance were irritating the heck out of my right foot, which is shame, because I was used to just replacing those. I do like how the Altras feel!
I know some people report an adjustment period as their feet adjust to zero drop, foot shaped shoes, but usually it's temporary as you feet get stronger!
@A. Marie, We use scissors to cut pizza! So on pizza night, if there's only one pair in the kitchen, there's a line waiting to cut up one's individual pizza.
I also love scissors for cutting pizza!
@WilliamB, and Karen A.,
I have a magnetic hook on the side of the fridge, where I hang a pair of scissors. Great for opening food packages.
Then my can opener went on the fritz, couldn't find one at a thrift store, so I got one at Ollie's Outlet. It is the best one I've ever had, and guess what? It came with a small pair of scissors and has a little bitty scissors holder on the back! Again, handy for those food packages....it's in a different part of the kitchen...
@Fru-gal Lisa, this is actually brilliant.
*Saved $18.59 at Target using my $15 gift card from my last shop there and FINALLY using my Target charge card (instead of my look-alike bank debit card) for the extra 5% off. Did a major stock up of household goods that should last a few months.
*Decidedly NOT frugal: will be dropping about $90-$100 as my share of a birthday lunch for a friend who’s celebrating a big milestone today. But our group of friends has been together for … 21 years? Through a lot of things: Deaths of parents, spouses, beloved pets. Births of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Job changes, retirements, businesses started and sold. Big and small losses. Big and small wins. Lots of laughs, lots of tears. Celebrating that is priceless. Or as one of us said, “Can life be any better? I don’t think so.”
I am drawing a total blank so I'll share something related instead. These are surprising or weird things that help me save money. I've been thinking about sharing them for a while, I hope y'all find them helpful.
1. A clothes brush.
Used to brush crud from clothing so I don't have to wash it. Mud, flour from baking, sometimes even spilled food can all be brushed off.
2. The clothes chair.
This is the chair on which I put clothes I've worn but aren't yet dirty. Let them air out overnight and they're good to go for another day.
3. Oodles of identical socks.
I use only one type of sock and by them by the score. When one wears out or taken by laundry elves, the other is still usable.
4. A compost pile.
Food scraps, shredded paper, and yard waste go in; fantastic soil amendment comes out. Less goes into the waste stream and even more savings if you pay y the bag for trash services.
5. A small dry erase board.
Used for notes and lists, anything either temporary or info I need to organize later. I prefer it to old envelopes because I never throw out the dry erase board by accident.
@WilliamB,
Thanks for those!
My late mother used many more brushes than I do - she also kept a clothes brush, a furniture brush, long handled nook and cranny brushes, and a small thin brush to brush brumbs from the table. Thanks for bringing back warm memories (plus: I kept many of them, but where?)
* Baked birthday cake and smash cake for grandson's first birthday party
* Purchased decorations for grandson's birthday party at Party City while everything was 90% since the store is closing
* Eating leftover taco from birthday party for lunch
* Menu planning for the week around what's in the frig and pantry
* Got baby shower gift bags from DD that were saved from her baby showers to use for two work baby showers
I love the special dark cocoa powder. It's ruined all other cocoa powder for me.
I ordered new cabinet doors and drawer fronts for my bathroom cabinets that will make them match the kitchen but cost 1/3 of the price of replacing the entire cabinet (the boxes for the cabinets were solid oak and built ins that were in great condition so no need to replace).
I sold a Nora Fleming cake plate that I never use and takes a lot of room to store on marketplace for $150.
I also sold a vintage Morris recliner chair. I bought it for just a few dollars (I think $5) years ago at a thrift store. Hoping to list other things that no longer fit in the house since we downsized.
Meal planned this week from the freezer and stuck to a list at the grocery. No extras even if I thought they were a good sale.
Signed up for the power company to come do a free walk through to give us ideas to make the house more energy efficient. We also have our regular heat/ac guy coming to give us a quote for duct work repair (taping some loose ductwork, inspecting where they meet the vents, etc). I have a feeling we will probably do blow in insulation ourselves to save on that (30 year old house with 30 year old insulation), but DH has so many joint issues that it will be worth our money to have someone else go under the house.
And not frugal, but helpful...DH got a great raise this week!
100% agreed on the cocoa powder. I can't go back!
@Kristen, I've used 50/50 mix of dark and light cocoa to make hot chocolate mix and it turned out great!
1. My kiddos had winter break last week. I spent $95 keeping them entertained all week, which included 2 museums, the movie theater, hiking/sledding, breakfast with family, a trampoline park, Build-A-Bear, a parkour class, etc. I used gift cards the kids received for presents, coupons, and took advantage of our memberships to keep the cost low. We also bring food and water. We all had a great time!
2. I used homemade chicken broth, sweet potatoes, black beans, and 50% off sausages to make soup for dinner this week. I am also making garlic bread to go with the soup using a loaf of $1 french bread. I used some leftover homemade tomato sauce and multiple packs of cheese to make a pasta bake.
3. I purchased 3 packs of chicken breast for 50% off at Aldi
4. I got a book, baseball tee, and shampoo off Buy Nothing
5. We used Turbo Tax to do our taxes
1. I went to an estate sale, but refrained from buying the beautiful MCM credenza and lamp I could have snagged, as they were quite over my budget. Also refrained from going on the 50% day so as to not be tempted, because we ended up buying new mattresses and beds for our boys, a much bigger need.
2. I did buy a vintage wool shirt and blazer, and was tickled to see the shirt label read Montgomery Ward. Also bought an old wooden wagon to use in the garden to cart my pots and tools.
3. Our rescue cat refused to use a very cute cat tree/condo that I purchased when he was newly homed and liked to hide in places like the condo "cave". Once he adjusted to being in a home, he prefers to hang out with us on platforms. I sold the condo on FB marketplace and recouped some money. The buyer lived quite far from us, but I had to make a trip to an IKEA that was located halfway, so we decided to meet in the IKEA parking lot, which in any case felt safer.
4. We also had a backlog of produce and food, and skipped our large weekly grocery run to use up some of it.
5. Hosted part of a neighborhood get-together for which we needed more chairs than we own, and was able to borrow some folding chairs from another neighbor.
This is my still not well but feeling a bit better edition of FFT.
1. When visiting my sister, who has developed a habit of eating out a lot since she was widowed, I kept us down to one evening meal out and one lunch out. The rest was made at home, and I left her with some leftovers of soup I made while there that she really likes. She is finding it hard to be motivated to cook for one, but her sister-in-law and I are showing her how we do the "cook once, eat two or three times" and the batch-cook method.
2. I haven't felt like eating much at all the last couple of days, so I'm saving money there. This is involuntarily frugal-ness, though.
3. I carried tuna salad and GF bread in a cooler on my trip so I didn't need to buy lunches.
4. I used gifted funds from Christmas for my trip.
5. I found nothing (!) for me in the several thrift stores we visited, but I was able to locate several things my sister had been looking for, including a like-new ironing board (she irons, too, and her old board was shot), so that was part of my birthday gift for her. Also, although we paid to go to the quilt show ($15) we didn't buy the highly priced concession food set up outside.
A side note on the quilts: They are utterly fabulous, with amazing artistry, talent and skill, and are entered from quilters in multiple countries, especially Japan. But they have to be incredibly expensive to make, and they are never used, only displayed. It's not a frugal hobby.
@JD, I love quilts. It is NOT a frugal hobby. My mom makes hand pieced and quilted quilts. I can piece, but I do not have the patience for quilting. I don't think most people understand the expense and time that goes into a quilt.
@Marlena, and @JD,
I, too, love quilts, and agree that it is NOT a frugal hobby. DH and I have several of his grandma's homemade quilts, made out of fabric from old clothes and maybe also bed sheets....I treasure them. They are and were meant to be used, and in fact, one is in poor condition for that reason, but we keep it anyway.
Because we are in a shedding vs accumulating stage of life, my FFT tend to be focused on experiences, followed by food/groceries.
1) Made trips to two supermarkets solely to pick up loss leaders- two items at one market, four items at the other. Otherwise I shop at Aldi and Trader Joe, where prices are consistent.
2) Made a point to sign up for, and then review, emails from various local entities we frequent, and loaded a bunch of free activities onto my calendar this week as a result - free sunset photography classes, free tidepool interpretive walk, free estuary bird talk, free Open House with music and small bites, and a free Ukranian cultural festival.
3) Sent a slew of texts and ended up with a bunch of walking and hiking dates to put on my calendar. Not to many things soothe my spirits as much as moving outdoors in good company does.
4) Populated more free dates onto our calendar by carefully going through our spiritual community's monthly newsletter- a chili cookoff, a book discussion group, and group visits to a variety of faith communities to wc experience the various ways we humans seek peace and understanding.
5) Continued to visit lots of small bite places via breweries, Happy Hours, and really good upscale fast casual spots, for maximum social engagement at minimum calories and cost. We are frequent, but not big, dine-outers, as one of our favorite retirement activities. Our preference is to share one primary food item, which is feasible at the above spots, vs traditional restaurant dining.
70 degrees yesterday and today so I went to Goodwill and found a j crew cotton print dress with pockets and it still had the tags on it but I paid just 8 dollars. I also bought 3 pairs cotton shorts at 75 cents each and three cotton tops at 1.50 each. Whenever I travel through NWA I try to stop at their amazing Goodwill stores. They have 5 and used to have a bins store but tornadoes took it out last May. Walmart announced they are expecting a downturn for 2025 and they are also cutting jobs so the Goodwills will probably start reflecting the economic changes.
At dollar tree I bought a pack of 6 Snapple kiwi strawberry drink flavor packs. A nice taste to add to my water bottle. A little grocery had 2.5 pound bag of blood oranges for 1.77 and a 2 pond pack of deli turkey for 4 dollars. I read that raspberry oranges are just blood oranges with a name change so consumers don’t cringe.
My cars navigation system lists local restaurants and I had lunch at one rated 5 stars. The 7 dollar lunch special was soooooo good and I ate soooo much I felt nostalgic about bygone days of eating out at sit down restaurants and not having to first get a bank loan.
@Tiana, I’ve made your granola recipe and it is good, I tried making it with less sugar but it falls apart. I quit buying coco powder after consumer reports found unsafe levels of heavy metals in them.
@Tiacna, where is NWA?
I'm still waking up & drinking my coffee, so I originally thought you were using the pudding & the granola together, and I was thinking, I like it, but more of a dessert than a breakfast! I liked "your" idea of combo. 😉 Now yogurt + granola sounds so basic.
1) Cashed out another $20 in user studies (typically through universities) through Prolific. I do a few each morning while I drink coffee, & it's a steady little drip of income.
2) Picked up protein bars a neighbor didn't like, that I'll keep in my car for post workout meals, when I have errands to run.
3) Had a "use it up" style dinner, where we got rid of some leftovers.
4) Made a double batch of banana muffins, using up all of our over ripe bananas in the freezer. This was largely to clear up freezer space, but it also avoids food waste.
5) Not frugal, but completed my taxes & now have a good handle of our upcoming expenses for 2025: my taxes, DH taxes, college x2 kiddos.
Not gonna lie, Zoe and I HAVE eaten chocolate pudding at breakfast before. Heh.
@Hawaii Planner,
Please tell us more about user studies and Prolific.
@Hawaii Planner, I looked up Prolific (never heard of it until today) and it sounds interesting but there is no clue as to what sort of studies might be involved, or what sort of tasks they give you. Will you elaborate? Thanks!
A favorite sweater I knitted shrunk a little in washing and now the sleeves were a bit too short. I still had some of the yarn left, so I knit a little cuff on each sweater. I used the rest of the yarn to add a couple of inches to the hem, as I no longer wanted the sweater quite as cropped. A very satisfying use of time, since I love this sweater.
A friend gifted us with some frozen salmon. This same friend also passed along some small stainless water bottles from the lost and found at the hotel where she works after I mentioned I was looking for a couple to store cooking oil and laundry detergent in our RV. The water bottles are perfect because they do not leak or break. (Apparently water bottles – often very expensive brands – are the number one thing left behind at this hot springs hotel. We have a wide assortment in all sizes in our home and vehicles thanks to this friend.)
I canned dried pintos and chicken broth (made with chicken bones I’ve been saving in the freezer.) I like being able to grab a jar from the panty shelf instead of having to thaw something from the freezer. I also made a batch of bagels.
Oh my goodness, I would cry if I shrunk a sweater I had made! I'm glad you could rescue it.
I can't think of much....
1. I baked a lemon cake which I've been having for dessert.
2. I brought a packed lunch to work.
3. I wanted to watch two films which weren't on streaming services. I was able to borrow the dvd of one from the library and the second was on youtube (it's an older film!)
4. There were some good reductions on food in the supermarket.
5. I replaced my broken blender and can start enjoying homemade smoothies again!
1. I thrifted $5 LLBean snow bibs for one of my boys. They’re like new, should still fit him for the next winter and will get passed down to little brothers.
2. An out of town friend was in the area and instead of going out to eat I invited her over for dinner. Homemade dinner was delicious and did not cost an arm and a leg.
3. This was not frugal at first, I bought chicks back in the spring of ‘24. We already had a coop. The chickens now give us 3-4 dozen a week. Given the current cost of eggs I’m so happy I made that investment.
4. Gave my toddler a haircut at home. Not perfect, but saved $25.
5. Took the kids and their friends sledding. A fun free activity.
1. I cooked all meals at home and we ate up the leftovers.
2. I cleaned out my pantry getting rid of any very outdated items and organized everything so I know exactly what I have on hand and can purchase just what we need. I found 4 jars of mustard in my pantry so this will definitely help avoid that issue going forward.
3. I had groceries delivered and shopped sales to avoid impulse buying. I cleaned out more closets and donated to charity. I had some bread that was past its prime so I cut it into cubes and froze it for french toast casserole.
4. Our kitchen table has begun to split down the middle and cannot be repaired so I took advantage of a President's day sale to purchase a new one. We will use the chairs we already have - some sandpaper and a coat of paint and they will be freshened up nicely.
5. I took advantage of a 40% sale at Old Navy to pick up swimsuits, rash guards, and some t-shirts and pants for my son. He is always growing so these kind of purchases seem to roll around for us every Spring and Fall. Shoes seem to happen year round 🙂
Same ol’, same ol’ . . . homemade yogurt, library books, taking lunch with me if I go to town, making coffee at home, using Subscribe & Save for orders on Amazon. . . yawn.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, not a yawn - good frugal living.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Same old, same old, yawn is how frugal works best.
@WilliamB, @Lynn, maybe more people aren’t frugal because it is repetitious, boring, and self-denial and self-discipline. This group is certainly helpful to get through the Big Yawn of it all!
1. My friend and I swapped furniture! I had a couch in a room that I no longer wanted, and she was looking for a couch just that size. She had a cushioned chair she was going to donate but it would fit where the couch used to be in our house. It was the perfect swap!
2. I’m continuing to clean out the freezer and I have made some delightful dinners with the contents.
3. We were invited to a friend’s house for a ‘proper Scottish breakfast’ (my friend’s husband is from Scotland) and I brought lemon scones to share. I had all the ingredients on hand so it was an easy item to make and share.
4. The scones only needed lemon zest, so I used the remaining parts of the lemon, a few old oranges, and some other pantry items to make immunity shots. I’m not sure they work, but it’s a boost of vitamin C and it didn’t let the citrus go to waste.
5. My son was in need of a black button up shirt for a concert this weekend. He’s very tall and slim so it’s not always easy to find what he needs, but I had him reach out to a friend who has a similar body shape and he was able to borrow a shirt!
OK, Kristen, you've made me hungry with those photos of the chocolate pudding!
My frugal fail was that I didn't eat up the whole box of strawberries and now they are fuzzy with mold. Very expensive compost pile ingredients!
1. Found the dental insurance cards from my new Medicare Advantage plan. Sadly, my neighbor's brilliant and beautiful young daughter, who has just begun her dentistry career, works in a clinic that doesn't accept this insurance. So I will have to go elsewhere.
2. Flooring was delivered yesterday, and guys from church moved the big furniture out so I didn't have to pay any movers. Tomorrow, Lowe's will install it and remove the yucky carpet. Very excited! I'll be able to once again use my front room.
3. Paid for flooring with a credit card that was offering larger-than-usual cashback rebates for home improvement purchases. Took the cashback credit and had them apply it to the bill -- almost $100. Nice discount!
4. Will pay off the rest of the flooring bill so they can't charge me more interest.
5. Changing my IRA from stocks to bonds just in case.
Prevention is my key this week. Coming home from work in the orthopedic ward Saturday night, I made my left turn onto the intersection and have no idea what happened after that. The other party got a ticket and I got a concussion. Less then a half hour after leaving work, I was back in the emergency room. There is nothing broken luckily.
1. A good phone case saved my phone. Case is cracked though.
2. A no so patch will keep my parka going for the rest of the winter from where the seatbelt ripped it. No complaints about the seat belt.
3. Car shopping is in my future. Grateful for being frugal to be able to replace with savings we have.
@Jenny b, glad you survived! That had to be scary.
@Jenny b,
Yikes! So glad you're basically okay (though concussions are no fun).
1. I repaired a computer cord with some electrical tape where it was fraying. My laptop is from 2014 and I’m hoping to keep it going as long as possible!
2. I’ve continued to repair board and toddler books.
3. I bought a groupon for a Sam’s Club membership. It’s not conveniently located, but I am hoping to be able to do a stock-up shopping trip about once a month with some of our major staples. I really wish we had a Costco in town but we don’t.
4. I’m continuing to complete the activities needed for DH and I to earn some health rewards money. I’m also trying to make sure we complete any needed health things as soon as possible in case he’s fired (he’s a federal worker) and we lose our health insurance.
5. We had two sound machine cords go bad. DH was able to order replacements from eBay rather than replacing the whole unit. Much cheaper, of course, but this also kept useable electronics out of the landfill.
@Lindsay B, u can recycle cords in any condition through Amazon. They go through ups.
@Jenny b, thanks, I didn't know that! I do know that Best Buy takes cords and small electronics so they can be responsibly recycled. I'm just hoping to keep my cord going for a while longer and avoid having to buy a new one. 🙂
I did a big shopping trip today and managed to catch a few items on clearance (my kitty's favorite flavor of canned food and powdered dishwasher detergent) and a number of good sales on food.
After that, I went to Ollie's Outlet with 10% off coupon in hand and bought cat litter, tea, tomato sauce, and a small shelving unit for our laundry room. My arthritic back objects to the bend and twist required to get cleaning supplies out from under sinks, so all the jugs and boxes are now on the shelving unit. This is frugal, even with spending $32 for the shelving, because I won't accidentally over-buy cleaning stuff, as has happened so often.
The pump on my big bottle of conditioner broke and I could not find a suitable replacement among my stash. When I transferred some of the big bottle to a smaller bottle, I realized I really like the conditioner better when it’s watered down a bit. So I only filled the smaller container about 2/3 full and added water. It’s the perfect consistency now!
Went to Joann’s this weekend with a friend and used up all my gift cards before they’re not any good after the 28th!
We’re lending our truck to our grandson to use while he moves. The really frugal thing is that the truck is a 1-owner (us) 1998 Chevy.
My husband is fixing our broken toilet. He’s had several trips to the hardware store and I stay out of his way. But, no plumber! The insides had rusted out. Fortunately, he discovered the leak before it did any major damage. Wet towels can be washed!
Continuing to do a freezer/pantry challenge.
1. Had a tooth extracted. Most of the cost was covered by dental insurance.
2. Making a quiche tonight out of precious eggs. These eggs were bought at about $4/dozen?
3. Found 3 pennies at the self checkout.
4. I wore a sweater around the house during the cold days and slipper socks.
5. Dh stocked up the fridge and freezer. He bought lots of meat and other things and it was $240. That is it for the month and we probably will need to fill in with produce, milk and bread.
6. Dh won't let me get Paramount+ til our Max subscription is done. I hate when he gets all frugal on me, lol!
1. I bought my kids some clothes from Under Armour on clearance with 30% stacked with 15% off. Two days later they offered 40% off so I asked them for a price adjustment (which is in their policy) and I got over $13 back (more than I had calculated)!
2. Bought some apples from Kroger which were on sale with a coupon, but the coupon did not apply when I checked out and I didn't catch it until I got home. Instead of making another trip back to return and rebuy the apples with the coupon, I went to the chat and they gave me a $5 credit for the coupon which was applied to my account. Problem solved in under a minute!
3. Made several loaves of banana bread from bananas in the freezer that came in a gift fruit basket we received around Christmas and didn't have time to eat before it went bad.
4. Used $13 worth of Extra Care bucks and coupons that were expiring at CVS and bought a big bottle of cough medicine to be used for the next round of illness. It cost me about 42 cents and I even got another $4 coupon for any item at CVS to use this week.
5. Bought dog food at the pet store that was offering 20% off everything all weekend and paired with a $10 reward coupon that was just about to expire. Saved $24!
@DebbieR,
I hate when I don't catch an error when I'm checking out! And one of my pet peeves is when they are ringing items up when you are still unloading your cart so you do t see what they are ringing up. I use chat with Kroger customer service to get things fixed,too. Half the time our store's service desk is closed and you should have to make a special trip to the store to fix something. And they often give you a larger credit than whatever $$ amount you were shorted.
Late to the game, but wanted to do my frugal things. 😉
Frugal things---
● saved $0.10/gallon on gas & earned $2.00 rewards
● got teen large all meat (except chicken) pizza from Domino's $9.99 & earned free pizza
● coupon for 2 KFC bowls $7
● used Meijer rewards to get free slushie
● eating at home & bringing lunch from home
● eating down freezer & pantry
● put up sheer curtain(s) on tension rod inside of window (s) for additional layer for more heat but still lets light into windows 🙂
It's never too late to join in!
My five frugal things:
1. Made a batch of keto hot chocolate mix. I found a recipe on line that I like. You can add your own sweetener and it's a lot cheaper than the envelopes of hot chocolate mix.
2. I contacted Kroger Customer Service on line (the customer service desk at my local store never seems to be open and I've had great success using their "chat" on line. I bought a bag of 50 Kroger freezer bags with slide closures but 10 of the bags had no slide. I can still use them, but you have to fuss to get them closed. Kroger rep gave me a $10 credit to use on my next shopping trip.
3. Froze leftover rice to use later for shrimp fried rice.
4. Instead of making one 13 x 9 pan of baked ziti for the two of us, I divided into two pans. We had one for dinner with a salad and leftovers for the next day and I put the other pan in the freezer for the two of us later when I run outta steam to cook.. Making it on one big pan often meant it got tossed before it was all eaten.
5. I did the Kroger customer satisfaction survey to earn 50 gas points. 100 points = 10 cents off a gallon. We currently have 1200+ points for February from shopping, doing surveys and getting double points on weekends . You can get up to a dollar off per gallon at one time. I let my husband fill up his bigger truck with our fuel points. I gill my car at Sam's, which is usually about 14 cents a gallon cheaper than other local stations. I think the gas savings alone pay for our Sam's Club membership.
- Only bought 2 perishable things at the grocery since the husband is traveling this week. I try to "eat down the house" when he is gone.
- Braved a cheaper, different mechanic that doesn't speak English as well as the more expensive mechanic and am paying about 50% less than if I'd gone with the English-fluent one. Turns out, this new mechanic's English is waaay better than my Japanese, so I had nothing to worry about.
- Decided not to buy my husband's more expensive birthday present until I can get him to the store with me so he gets exactly what he wants and I can find the best price.
- Went to the dollar store to get padded envelopes for packages vs buying at the post office.
- Played musical car/bike for an airport dropoff so that the car only had to do 1 trip's-worth of gas instead of 2.
@Marissa, I like your #2. I so much admire people who can speak more than one language, and who are courageous enough to use their not-native-language in their work.
1. We made our meals at home. We brewed coffee at home. We packed food for our food allergy kid to take to a banquet. I didn't buy special cupcakes for it.
2. I used up food that needed to be eaten. I planned some meals around using up stuff in the freezer.
3. My oldest and I went to a concert for free. They got a ticket through school and I got in with my work ID.
4. I continue to wear the same shoes. One pair is 30 years old, another is almost 20. My sneakers are a normal age for shoes (I think).
5. We paid our bills on time.
These are from the last couple of weeks.
1. I postponed travelling to the nearest city until I had a list of things I really needed to buy. Hadn't been there since the beginning of January. This is frugal in both gas and time savings.
2. I've been having trouble finding affordable, quality sheets for my deep mattress. My last set of expensive sheets mysteriously shredded! Including the pillowcases!The pair of discount sheets I bought shrank on the first wash and no longer fit my mattress, so I went back to the previous brand. I was delighted that they were discounted to $80 down from $240 regular price! Now hopefully these ones won't fall apart.
3. I left a package of ground meat in my fridge for more days than I intended. I went to throw it out, assuming it would not be good. However, it smelled fine, so I used it and some almost-over-the-hill coleslaw mix to make a stir fry. I have been enjoying it this week and didn't get sick.
4. I've been enjoying a book from the public library this week. It's been nice to have both some time and energy to enjoy my favourite hobby.
5. Using and enjoying gift treats. Too often I save special things rather than using them as the giver intended.
@Lisa K, so glad you are using some special things instead of saving them for the future! That's both frugal and joyful.
Didn't you have another homemade yogourt recipe? I remember making it and it didn't involve specific temperature nor pouring water in the cooler. Maybe I'm confusing it with another blog.
Aaaanyways, my 5 frugals are:
* I booked a physical therapy appointment to have my SI joint pain looked at. While it's not frugal because not free (still, 80% covered by my health insurance) I'm hoping it will help so I don't have to miss more work because of it, like I am today (unpaid). Spending money now to (hopefully) prevent losing money later.
* Used coupons to get 2 bags of chips for free. Got the coupons in the mail after contacting the company about chips I had bought that tasted real bland.
* Worked an extra shift yesterday, and have a extra one planned next week as well.
* Getting a raise in a month but won't change anything in my spending habits. (It's not a big raise, but even if it was it would not affect my frugal mindset)
* with Trump's tariffs coming in effect next week (canadian here) I will be even more careful with my spending and the country of origin of the products I'm buying.
Leaving my snowbound home just near Boston to visit my son who lives in Savannah tomorrow - will be bring him some of your granola! He loves it!
I like how you're frugal with food 🙂
My Frugal 5's
1) Husband unclogged the toilet with a snake so didn't need a plumber or any additional tools. I first tried plugging and flushing 20 times and pouring down hot water and dish soap but no luck.
2) Got some extra food and easter goodies at the church that I weekly volunteer at.
3) Girls got to be part of a Lego build club at the library and also made some mosaic floral pieces that will be installed there.
4-5+) Continue to ...
- Use up food and eat from home. Did go to the buffet one time this week.
- Use Fetch and Ibotta
- Borrow books, DVDs and games from the library
- Mend clothing
- Fix toys
- Clean, declutter and assess what needs to be sold
- Batch run errands
- Have free entertainment through walks, bike rides; toys, games and movies already had at home