Five Frugal Things | It's NCLEX day!
This is not a frugal thing per se but...I'm taking my NCLEX today at 8 am EST. Most of my classmates have been getting their results by noon the next day, so I should definitely have results to share with you in Thursday's post.
Or if you follow me on Instagram, I may post there tomorrow afternoon. 🙂
1. I got some mint plants
Something ate my mint plant almost down to bare stems. Which means some bug out there must have had very fresh breath for a while. 😉
I brought the plant inside to (hopefully) recover, but in the meantime, I posted on my Buy Nothing group to see if someone had any extra mint.
I figured this was an easy ask because mint tends to go a little crazy all on its own; people tend to have extra without even trying.
And reader Kim (who came to the first Frugal Girl meetup) offered some of hers to me. Yay!
2. I got free limes
Someone on my Buy Nothing group had extra limes, since I've been on a little kick of making that agua de pepino, I swung by to pick them up.
3. I opted for unscheduled septic tank pumping
I do rent, but my lease specifies that I am responsible for yearly pumping of my septic tank. When I called the septic company to schedule, they said there was a $25 discount for not picking a day, and letting them just fit me in when they happened to be in my area.
I hesitated for a second, but decided that would be fine.
And then lo and behold, they were able to come the very next day.
Soooo, I was glad I'd opted for not scheduling!
I saved a little money, and I also helped the septic company waste less gas, which is a nice little side benefit.
4. I did a $150 health insurance reimbursement
When I first got this health insurance in January, I participated in their reward program (basically you get some free health screenings and Blue Cross rewards you monetarily.)
Well, I thought I would just get a payout from that, but you actually have to log in and do a reimbursement request for a medical bill in order to get your money.
Luckily (unluckily?) I had several appointments' worth of bills from my shoulder issues, so I jumped through the necessary hoops to get my $150.
I am positive that they make this process laborious because then fewer people will do it. But, unfortunately for them, I am not the type of person to give up; I drew on my many years of well-honed rebate submission skills. Heh.
I'm not about to let $150 fly away. 😉
I'm switching to my hospital's health insurance in August, so it was important to do this now, before I lose access to this account.
5. I worked three consecutive 12-hour shifts and bought zero food out
For my breakfasts each day, I ate fruit, three egg bites (I use the recipe from Once Upon a Chef), and a piece of toasted Dave's Killer Bread.
And I made a DIY iced coffee to bring with me.
I always pack an Rx bar to eat around 11:30 because my lunch break usually doesn't happen until later (a calm in the storm tends to happen around 2:00 pm. An Rx bar is perfect for tiding me over.)
For my lunches this time around, I made the copycat Aldi chickpea salad* and added chicken two days and shrimp one day.
*I follow the recipe pretty closely, but I add more veggies than it calls for.
I also always pack some cottage cheese and fruit, plus a piece of chocolate. 🙂
For dinner, I ate blueberry pancakes for two post-shift dinners, and the third night, I made a tuna melt because my desire to cook is at a serious low after hospital shifts.
So, nothing fancy, but I kept myself fed with a respectable amount of protein, and no food/drinks purchased out. Yay me!
Your turn! What frugal things have you been up to lately?
P.S. Could you share any tips for keeping my new mint plant from getting eaten alive??
Good luck for the NCLEX! I'm sure you'll ace it!
That drink looks good; I'l have to try it! My frugal things:
1. I wanted to go away but couldn't really afford it so I instead went on a day trip to a nearby island. It was magical! The ticket on the ferry included entrance to a museum as well. Otherwise I had a lovely day walking around and exploring and swimming in the sea! I finished off the day with an ice cream. An added bonus was that it was supposed to rain but the sun was out for most of the day. A slight frugal fail was paying extra for breakfast on the boat which wasn't that great - I probably should have just brought food with me! But it was still a lot of fun!
2. I cancelled two subscriptions.
3. I did not get takeout last night although I was sorely tempted.
4. I did a free parkrun at the weekend.
5. I baked some veggie egg bites.
@Sophie in Denmark, What a creative way to get away without having to spend too much. You reminded me of a trip like that I took while living in Washington...the San Juan islands were quite close via ferry and such a treat.
@Marissa, That sounds cool! I had a day out today in a different part of town than I usually go to which was fun!
You've got this!! *fist bump* 🙂
Good luck with the exam!
Good luck, Kristen! You've got this!
You are going to smash the NCLEX!!!!! I am a new RN - almost a year ahead of you and I have been reliving nursing school and NCLEX prep with your posts.
Remember the NCLEX is a safety exam- and don't be suprised when the screen goes black at 85 questions!!! No one told me that it just stops when you successfully hit that magical number!
You're almost there! You got this!
Barb
First, Kristen, good luck on the NCLEX--though I'm pretty sure the entire Commentariat is as confident as I am that you'll knock it out of the park!
Now, FFT, July Miscellany Edition:
(1) The Bestest Neighbors treated me to an evening of baseball at our local AAA team’s park Saturday evening. Also, the designated “Taco Bell K-Man” on the visiting team obligingly struck out for us, entitling us to a free taco apiece on presentation of our ticket stubs at a Taco Bell. TA-CO!
(2) I made my first two 2025 quarts of refrigerator dill pickles late last week, and presented them to my Sunday morning walking buddies.
(3) We’ve been having our first real drought of the summer, so I’m back to being Our Lady of the Perpetual Watering Can. But I’m saving what little water I can by (a) keeping a bucket under the condenser dripline from my air conditioning, and (b) using the water people often leave in the NY State deposit water bottles I pick up. (Double folly: Buying bottled water and then not finishing it.)
(4) And the post-4th of July bottle and can deposits are adding up nicely.
(5) We did get a lovely, if thundery, downpour late Monday afternoon, so I can take a few days off from watering can duty. And I had all available 5- and 8-gallon buckets positioned under all available downspouts.
@A. Marie, Hahaha double folly, yes 🙂 All of your items show that you are fully in summer mode! Enjoy!
I'm sure you will do well on the NCLEX.
1. I harvested some cherry tomatoes and figs.
2. I am moving unwanted items out of the house using Freecycle. Hopefully there is some good karma for the universe there.
3. DD, age 29, sorted through a few boxes that were still at our house. She disposed of middle school paperwork which I will use for scrap paper for printing. She also found a reusable canvas bag that we bought about 35 years ago, back when they were first being sold. I washed the bag and will use it.
4. I walked to my haircut appointment even though it was warm, humid, and a bit rainy. I like to endure some difficulty on a regular basis and this saved a bit of driving.
5. We ordered takeout to use up a gift card we received many months ago.
@K D, We have only had Freecycle in one of the three areas we lived in, but we got our first dog through Freecycle! So I smile every time I hear of it. 🙂
@K D, "I like to endure some difficulty on a regular basis..." - this resonates with me!
@MB in MN, and @K D,
Asking from a respectful place of curiosity, but.....why? Does this go along with "I can do hard things"?
@MB in MN, What resonates with me is getting a free dog through Freecycle! Because the best things in life are free!
@Liz B.,
I don't want to fall apart when I do face adversity. It would be easy to have a cushy life and have everything the way I think it should be but I think it is better for me to sometimes endure some difficulty.
I also think it gives me some empathy for those that have more difficult lives, like people that have to get through life without owning a motorized vehicle and have to walk/bike/use public transportation to get places or that have jobs that require them to be outside in all kinds of weather. It is easy to remove yourself from the realities of life with air conditioned houses, automobiles, etc.
@K D, This is such a good thing to remember. We do a similar practice; if I want to go to the library, I plan a day when I can bike there, rather than drive. DH has taken to biking to work whenever he can.
@K D, Have you seen My Dinner With Andre? There's a scene in that film which touches on what you're talking about!
@K D and @Liz B., I couldn't have said it better! A long time ago, I heard someone say, "It's harder to be brave when only good things happen to you."
@Sophie in Denmark,
I have not seen the movie. I will try to find a way to watch it.
@K D, you might enjoy reading The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
I read at least some of the book. What the author did was extreme compared to what I subject myself to but I appreciated how it worked for him.
@K D,
Okay, I see your point! Thank you.
@MB in MN,
I like that saying!
Good luck on your exam. When I substitute and tell the kids this, I also add a quote from Thomas Jefferson. He said something like "I am a great believer in (good) luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." You've worked very, very, very hard at learning all the information in your nursing classes, Kristen, as evidenced by your becoming an honors student. So I'm sure you will have lots and lots of good luck and a high exam grade! We're all so proud of you, and I'm certain that goes double for your daughters and family. What a fantastic role model you are! And you'll be equally fantastic as a nurse!
Meanwhile, the floor installers came over yesterday and put in the luxury vinyl plank I'd gotten on sale at Ollie's Outlet. Although it matches the color of the LVP from Lowe's (I had installed earlier in the front room), this new LVP is commercial grade and therefore thicker. Should hold up well to heavy foot traffic in the hall.
Frugal fail: When the boss was gone, the two other workers barely understood English and this caused some problems. I'd wanted to save some materials for reuse, such as remnants of the throw rugs that had been fastened together to make the hall carpet. (Had plans to make floor mats with them.)But they threw them away. The garbage collection was yesterday, so the remnants are lost and gone forever.
However, I was able to pull some leftover planks from the trash can -- the guys thought I was crazy. Ditto, when I told them not to discard the unopened box(es). But that's exactly how I had enough (Lowe's) planks to do the tiny half-bathroom once the living room-dining room project was done. Hoping that these leftovers can similarly be put to good use.
However, these guys did an excellent job and even fastened down the bedroom carpet by the hall doorway that naughty Mr. Snuggles Dog had pulled up. To save money, I had them keep the carpeting in all the closets, as it is not worn out. However, at some point, I may have someone install the leftover planks in some of the smaller closets.
Before the workers' arrival, I moved all the furniture out of the room by myself, and likewise, the boxes of planks from the garage to inside the house. Now I've got to move the furniture back into the room, and take the books and other items out of the closets and put them on the bookshelves. (Which were from Aldi, btw.) I'll get some guys to help me move the heavier items, such as the rolltop desk that's been in a corner of the den since my former roommate moved in.
I heard from my college roommate who lives in Hunt, Texas. She and her family are OK, but the 27 y.o. guy who bled to death (he broke a window to save his family) was her former student. She said he was a real sweet kid. They were also friends with the camp directors who died. She said the damage is worse than hurricane damage on the coast. Please pray for them all!
The Humane Society wants dog supplies, including crates for the flood-affected pets. Since Snuggles kept escaping, I will donate his crate, bent wire and all. Can't return it to the store, it's damaged, but this will help. (Meanwhile, Snuggy-boy stayed outdoors while the workmen installed the floor, and was good as he could be.)
@Fru-gal Lisa,
I have always loved that quote.
@Fru-gal Lisa, whom shall I contact to give animal crates to the flood efforts? Thanks.
@Sandy Brittenham,
Per the lady at the Waco Humane Society (just an animal advocate group now, their contract to run the Waco dog pound was terminated last year), they were collecting crates and doggie and kitty items for the New Braunfels shelter, which plans to take in the animals from two other shelters damaged by the flood. Along with pets found wandering in the disaster zone.
The New Braunfels Human Society link is: https://www.hsnba.org/ and its address is: Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area
3353 Morningside Drive
New Braunfels, TX 78132
(830) 629-5287
Please contact them and ask how to help. I'm sure they'd be very grateful!
[If you are in the Greater Waco area, you can call the Humane Society of Central Texas at(254) 327-4728. (The designation Central Texas may be confusing, but theirs is the one that serves Waco, not the flood area.) When I phoned Tuesday morning, HSCT had a guy picking up donations, but I don't know if he does this every day. I just told them I could not fit my Rottweiler's big crate in my compact car, so they said they'd send their man to my place. He was going to drive all the stuff to New Braunfels, but I am not sure when they planned on him leaving. Meanwhile, they were going to have a collection site at a local store but when I called the store, the employees didn't know anything about it. So pls. contact the Humane Society office to find out. Again, the humane society is no longer at the Waco dog pound, it's a totally separate group now (long story, don't ask), so make sure you call their number to get their downtown office. ]
@Fru-gal Lisa, thank you for sharing this. My heart hurts for everyone affected by this terrible flood including all the pets and farm animals. It’s just so tragic.
I wish I could send you my tiny cheerleader to lead a cheer for you this morning, (maybe "V is for victory"?), but I know you're ready for this last hurdle to be behind you. So git 'er done. 🙂
Frugal things:
--Husband and eldest got the horse's and pony's hooves trimmed. We don't keep shoes on them, so it's just trimming. Still, anything horse-related tends to be $$$$, so better to do it ourselves.
--My middle son did a basketball camp at one of our local schools last week. Because he played for the school, the cost was only $15 (as opposed to $75), and he really enjoyed it.
--Still harvesting from the garden, even though the grasshoppers are eating almost everything. I salvaged some rhubarb yesterday that they were trying to kill, as well as some carrots and beets that probably would have grown more if their leaves hadn't been stripped. Thankfully, the grasshoppers don't really bother the lettuce or tomatoes.
--Husband was able to replace the starter on our van himself. The starter itself wasn't cheap, but at least the labor cost was zero.
--Taking three kids to the dentist today, and thankful that our insurance includes dental visits. So while I have to drive 200 miles today, I won't have to pay anything for them to get their cleanings.
Best of luck with the NCLEX! I'm looking forward to the post where you pass with flying colors!
Praying for you as you're getting ready to start your exam!
My FFT:
1. Our neighbor got a large pine tree taken down from their front yard and the company was making it into wood chips. My neighbor didn't want the chips, so we asked if the company would take them to our new house for free. (My husband knew that sometimes they're looking for places to dump the chips.) They did!
2. All week I'm the Snack Lady at my kids' drama camp, which allows them to go for free.
3. Flashfood had a number of quick-to-make meals for cheap over the weekend. I got a few because I knew that we'd need quick and easy dinners a lot in the next couple of weeks. Used the first one last night.
4. Lowe's had their paint B1G1 free after rebate and we took advantage of it since we're letting the kids pick the color for their new rooms. My husband and daughter finished painting her room kiwi last night. 🙂 (It is a color that shouts "tween girl living here!")
5. There are a couple of items that I want for our new house (exciting things like a cleaning caddy) and I either a) waited until today when they went on sale for Prime Day or b) combined it with another item we needed to help me get to free shipping from WalMart.
Break a leg!!
Hope your texts goes great! I know it will!
1. Restaurant spending in June was way down over previous month/year/decade/life. I went out with my sister once, my husband had lunch with a high school friend, and husband and I went out for ice cream cones. For 50 cents more, I got a medium cone and put the extra in a pup cup that I had in the car. Pup was ecstatic over this rare treat.
2. Husband came up with the great idea to clean out the cottonwood tree detritus from our window screens using a hair dryer.
3. Our street had its annual 4th of July parade, fire engine and all. From my friend’s mom’s clear-out, I had a flag bandanna that I put around our pup’s neck. It was blazing hot so I carried an umbrella and enjoyed water and ice set out along the route.
4. Substituted orzo for Israeli (pearled) couscous as it was half the price.
5. Had to reschedule a get-together after a guest was called in to work, so I set up an impromptu get-together with neighbors to ensure no food waste. Plus the house was already clean.
@MB in MN, Never let a clean house go to waste!
@JDinNM, exactly! I scheduled three get-togethers within a few days of each other.
@JDinNM, Absolutely!!
Best wishes on your test. I'm sure you will pass with no problems. I look forward to celebrating your achievement!
Hoping you're speeding through your test happily!
Since your mint plant seems to have lost entire leaves (not just holes in leaves), that suggests animals to me - rabbits, deer, chipmunk, voles... We had rabbits decimate our garden one year, including mint (and then build a nest in the lettuce for their babies, so at that point the garden was for them : ) - anyway the damage was like that: leaves gone overnight.
So, could you keep your mint in a place that's less accessible (even inside), or put chickenwire over it maybe? (If it's rabbits, higher up helps, although they are clever when something appeals to them!)
@Suz,
I thought it might be a rabbit or deer also. I have had a family rabbits claim my backyard as their home this year. I have even taught Rescue Pup to leave them alone.
@Bee, you're obviously a nicer person than I am. I encouraged Dinger (the second of DH's and my two dogs) to go after deer, rabbits, woodchucks, squirrels, and all other vermin. Fortunately, Dinger was a dog of zero impulse control and didn't need a lot of encouragement.
I am amazed your mint plant was eaten. I can not think of anything that would eat that plant. I have mint and I am constantly pulling it up and putting it in the yard waste.
Good luck on your test but you are well prepared and just need for it to be over.
@karen, It took me awhile to get mint growing. I have two, well three counting mountain mint (it doesn't seem to spread)kinds that finally took off after several years of trying. It is in and about the lemon balm which is at the foundation of almost the whole south side of my house. And as for rabbits, after I had the tall grass mowed the rabbits moved to the neighbor's. I think they are hopping back and forth between yards since we are not in the same time frame to mow, but we both go a long time w/o.
Good luck on the NCLEX! We know you will ace it!
My frugal things for the week include the usual first two:
1. Brought lunch to work.
2. Made tea at work instead of picking it up.
3. Brought small jars of nuts and dried fruit to keep at work to snack on if I need it.
4. Chopped up my own veggies for July 4th party snacks rather than buying pre-cut.
5. Swapped frozen leftovers with my brother so he got some split pea soup with ham and we got pulled pork we ate as tacos.
@AnnieH,
Meal swaps are a great idea. I know a group of 4 single women who do this weekly. On Monday, they cook a meal and all swap with one another.
@Bee, Yes! My brother lives alone now that my mom has passed and he has had to learn to cook. He cooks big and freezes in 1-3 portions since he's very busy during the school year and it saves time. He's also become quite a good baker. I never say no to leftover apple pie!
Best of luck on the test today!
Frugal things:
1. I mentioned this in my Thursday Thanksgivings, but changing my own headlight bulb saved me from having to pay someone to do it.
2. I found one of my favorite tinted lip balms on a clearance sale by sheer chance.
3. I have one of those hip-hugger laundry baskets and one handle was starting to crack. I laid a section of a used paint stirrer under the handle for reinforcement and taped it up with Gorilla tape, which I had on hand; it works.
4. I cancelled a subscription and I will probably cancel another one or two before I retire.
5. My accountant is filing an amendment on my federal tax return for my unreimbursed hurricane expenses, since the state has changed the formula for recovery of expenses so that more people are now eligible, and extended the time frame backward to include some older hurricanes. Here's hoping I can get some money back. Even with insurance, I was out thousands of dollars and the old formula kept me from recovering any of it.
@JD,
I hope you can recover some of your hurricane expenses. They add up quickly.
Positive vibes winging their way to you as you take the NCLEX!
You're probably taking your NCLEX now! Good luck! I know you will do great!
My frugal stuff has been small this week as we have had a very quiet week of not doing much (but that is frugal, I guess).
I trimmed the cats' claws myself. Also, brushed out the big one all over, cleaned his ears, all the stuff. He's much more tolerant of all the grooming than our kitten is. The kitten tolerates nail clippings, but anything else she squirms and runs.
I made a few zipper bags for storage of random items. Made the bags with materials I already had in my craft bins.
I mainly work in the yard for exercise in the summer months. I listen to free audiobooks from my library while mowing and weeding.
Not sure why, but our gas app gave us .50 cents off per gallon this past week when we filled the car up. Not bad on almost 20 gallons.
My favorite pizza crust for the grill was BOGO this past week, making them just about $1. We grill pizza often with the family. I used to make the dough at home, but I buy it when it is on sale and stock the freezer with it.
Goodness, my mint grows wild without any effort on my part, and I usually am just cutting back, so no ideas to share there.
EVERYTHING is crossed for you, with your NCLEX test today!
1) DS18 did really well on his AP testing, which means he's going into his first year with 20 credits. That's huge, given we are paying out of state tuition. All of the frugal things there. He had one test that he got a 3 (rest were 4 or higher) & he received GenEd credit, which will still be helpful.
2) We've also been good about meal planning especially with me working a new job with a lot of meetings (most in the morning). I took inspiration from you, and tried to plan my meals better. Boiled eggs, avocado for avocado toast, lots of fruit, etc. I also keep Barebells protein bars on hand, if I can't wrestle up a full meal. I'm not "out", as I'm currently WFH until our office construction is complete, which definitely helps with the not eating out. It's way faster & easier to scramble something together at home. But, faster is often not healthy, so that's what i'm working towards.
3) I turned a rotisserie chicken into two dinners of a chicken rice skillet, which is one of my favorites. It's chicken, rice, salsa, cheese, chili powder, & black beans. We top ours with tomatoes & green onions from the garden. Delicious & so easy.
4) I've set up dental appointments for everyone, since we went without dental insurance for a few months there, and fell off of our regular cleaning schedule. Just enough time to get DS18 in before he leaves for college.
5) DS19 has also started realizing how expensive for him to eat lunch at the cafe at work. While he's a lot less worried about nutrition than we are, he has been tossing a couple of pre-made sandwiches into his bag on the way out the door.
@Hawaii Planner,
Congratulations to your son! He must have worked hard at school to score so well on the APs! Glad his efforts paid off, so he'll be entering school with some of the general credits under his belt, and save some money for you!
@mbmom11, he did work hard, and two of the classes he can use towards his major (calculus & physics), which means he's not starting at the bottom of the list of requirements, which is also nice.
@Hawaii Planner, Yes, congratulations for having your son's hard work pay off!
He might also have some small advantages of entering as a second semester freshman, meaning he will have enough credits to be a sophomore after only one semester actually in the classroom. "Older" students occasionally have priority for things like signing up for housing or registration. (Depends on the school, of course. I am used to 15 credits equaling a semester; 30 in a year; 120 to graduate).
Good luck today! We know you'll do well.
My family was in town so we ate out a lot. I organized and labeled the leftovers, and all the summer produce as well. Having food organized and labeled, so I see what I have as soon as I open the fridge, really helps me not waste it.
I could have, but did not, keep the accidentally doubled produce order from my favorite vendor at the farmers market. They've always down right by me; I'm happy to fix their mistakes in return.
My roommate fixed my father's mobility scooter. (The fix was easy - a loose connector pin - finding the problem was not.) This saved dad from having to ship it halfway across the country for who knows how long.
I started a complex cable sweater with yarn and a pattern from my stash. I watch streaming while I knit, most of which is free (with ads) from my T-Mobile provider.
I continue to exercise using thrifted weights and the great outdoors.
@WilliamB, I'm curious... How do you label your leftovers? Do you use freezer tape or masking tape or something totally different?
We all know you are going to ace the NCLEX!
Frugal things:
- I harvested a bunch of cherry tomatoes from the garden that I roasted and used in a pasta dish for dinner
- A coworker gave me cucumbers from his garden that I used to make cucumber salad for 4th of July dinner
- Served homemade sauerkraut with brats for 4th of July dinner
- Watched our city's fireworks from our front yard instead of taking the shuttle to the park.
- Our HVAC was not cooling properly again but company that services it told DH how to fix it himself to save on another service call. We needed a shop vacuum to drain excess moisture from the drainage line. As DH was headed out the door to purchase one, I found a coupon that saved $20 on the purchase.
- We gave away several things on our Buy Nothing group. Makes more room in the garage so we can hopefully get the rest of the stuff out of the storage unit so we can stop paying for it.
Good luck on your exam (I'm sure you don't need it though 😉 )
We are traveling overseas to my second home country, so a bit of unusual spending habits. However, frugal bits:
1. We are dual citizens and our second passports are about to expire. We made appointments to renew them here instead of the embassy in Washington DC, which would cost four times more per passport. The passport will become mandatory when we travel here next year, so far it has only saved us time in the passport line when we arrive in the EU.
2. We are extending the time we can stay here by working some, which is more time for the kids to spend with their cousins and my husband and I can stretch our vacation days.
3. We have stayed in a combination of different types of short-term rentals and vacation homes, enabling us to cook more at home. We will need to stay only one night in a hotel and two nights on a cruise boat, which is not much considering we are staying here for four weeks and not crashing with family.
4. Being in a city and not at home has meant a lot of different new thrifting options which my kids have taken advantage of.
5. Also being in a European city has meant a lot of low-cost public transport, and we have only rented a car when we have needed it for driving in the country side.
Bonus, we have family stay in our house back home, pet sitting for us free of charge.
Where do you keep your mint plant outside, on the ground or up on the porch/steps? I have huge pots with 2-3 mint plants each & keep by my door(s) on the porch. I have had no problems with any kind of bugs, a few small frogs but no bugs. Are you sure that a small animal is not eating the plant? I recently realized that wood chuck was eating my flowers after seeing it doing it.
Frugal things---
● teen got me Cracker Barrel giftcard for my birthday (with own $$) so we had dinner out on 4th of July & had enough to get Lodge cast iron skillet with camp fire design on bottom of pan (not available online because I looked because Lodge was having sale)
● free birthday dessert (to go) french cinnamon biscuits with (sweet) dipping sauce
● used Fetch rewards Meijer giftcard & birthday 5% off total at Meijer when got groceries
● Swell had 30% off site wide & had 3 new designs on ice cream containers (I only liked 2 designs) so I ordered the sprinkles & candy swirl designs & got free shipping. I could not figure out how to get my free (rewards) personalization & could not do on Sprinkles design SO NO PERSONALIZATION 🙁 Last time I think I had to call & have employee hand adjust. One container will be my birthday gift from Aunt (she sent $)
● Gas had additional $0.05 off gas available to stack/combine with other discounts>>>$2.99/gallon (compared to $3.29 @ Shell). Filled up on my birthday but 4th of July had bonus of save $0.04/gallon that I didn't use because already filled up.
● saved $400-$500+ by not hiring my attorney for yesterday court with Judge/Referee by filing & representing myself, which I did a good job because I already knew what to have/do/expect & talked with attorney (free) to verify..Honestly this didn't require an attorney (& most people do not have one) but my Ex would rather pay attorney instead of pay court ordered money.
● turning off AC in evening & not turning on until starts getting warm in house. Keeping tower fans going to circulate air.
● sold puzzles to new thrift store in area that buys secondhand to sell & purchased 2 swimsuits with cover up & got free (new) sparkly summer blouse ($5 each). Prices better than Goodwill & supporting small business. 🙂
Frugal fail---
● apparently fresh baby bella mushrooms need to be eaten quickly (even if in fridge in unwrapped package>>>>compost
● I found a container with few homemade double chocolate brownies in it that I thought was the lemon pound cake I made recently. I have NO idea how brownies didn't get finished!
● whole new package of Hawaiian rolls molded. I think I need to keep any bread products in fridge because they don't go bad quickly.
@Regina, Happy belated birthday! I hope it was wonderful.
Ohhh, it hadn't occurred to me that it's a mint-eating animal. Hmm. That does make sense tho!
@Regina, Really hate moldy breads!
Freezing is recommended for bread storage over refrigerating, as it might dry out in the fridge.
@Heidi Louise, I second that. I freeze all of my bread products and have never lost any to mold.
@Regina, maybe you could just have several pieces out at a time.
Good luck on your NCLEX test!
My neighbor gifted me some cucumbers, so I am going to make some aqua de pepino that you wrote about. Can’t wait to try it!
Thinking of you as take the exam this morning. I know you will do well.
1. I am still working on my decluttering project. I have turned my attention to my closet/wardrobe. I have this vision of a completely functional wardrobe filled with things that I love. I brought several of the nicer, seasonal items to the local consignment shop. I have made $60 so far.
2. My daughter was here last week, and she wanted to go to our favorite boutique-style thrift store. I bought a bra there which is something I've never done. It was a Natori, NWT, and in my size. A $70 bra for only $4. Yes, please.
3. My grandson was born on the 4th of July. My own Yankee Doodle Dandy! We had a beach party for him over the weekend. Simple and fun. No need to spend a lot of money at a special venue.
4. I did NOT spend big bucks on fireworks that would terrorize small children and dogs who live in my neighborhood.
5. I've been doing all the usual things -- drinking primarily filtered water from my refrigerator, eating simple meals at home, reading library books, and brewing my own coffee.
Wishing you all peace, good health, and prosperity.
1. Free entertainment last week, 2 free outside concerts and fireworks. We took our own popcorn and drinks from home.
2. Family Reunion we used Flashfood eggs for our dish of deviled eggs. The cost was around 4.00 3.49 for the 18 eggs. We stayed for 5 hours and had a good dinner and lots of board game playing.
3. Mended 2 kitchen towels and a placemat. They are back in rotation.
4. Sold a pair of shorts on Ebay.
5. Mended a mesh bag that is supposed to be used for laundry to take to the farmers market for cherry tomatoes. No more charge for the little basket.
Good luck on your test!
- We’ve cut way back on eating out and take out.
- I’ve been eating the random assortment of vegetables growing in my garden and buying very few from the store. My garden had a very late start due to prolonged cold weather this spring, so the summer veg are just starting to produce. This weekend I sautéed 2 okra, 2 green beans, and a zucchini at dinner. Hoping to soon have more than two okra and 2 beans to harvest at a time!
- I paid $0 for the repair of my tire. The very hot weather melted an asphalt patch in a parking lot, large enough to cover a huge portion of one of my tires. It was so much my tire was actually thumping as I was leaving the lot. The place I had bought my tires has a guarantee on their tires which covered this sort of incident.
- Our store bought watermelon was way to much for us humans to eat, but the dog is enjoying frozen leftovers as a hot weather treat.
I'm sure you are at least half way through your test now, but I am sending you strong finishing thoughts! Best of luck!
• The AC repair man didn’t charge us for his visit because, according to him, he didn’t do anything. He said everything was running as it should and gave us some tips to help keep the house cooler.
• The AC repair man did take photos of the furnace because he noticed a few things that could lead to trouble in the future. We sent those photos to our friend who owns a HVAC company (he’s too far away to be our regular repair guy) because if the furnace needs to be replaced we will be using his small business.
• I cleaned out some cabinets and had my son go through his things to put in my grandparent’s estate sale. We won’t see the profits from the sale, my grandparents will, but since I brought items home from their house it seemed only fair to replace the items so they can receive maximum profits.
• I potted my propagated plants that had sturdy roots, and propagated some plants that were getting a little out of control.
• Date night this weekend was testing out a new recipe (one of our favorite at-home dates). It turned out amazing and we had leftovers for days!
1. I bought some shampoo and conditioner on sale from Target. I had been waiting for a sale.
2. I watered my lawn early in the morning for the biggest impact. I'll mow the lawn myself this afternoon.
3. I fixed the garbage disposal myself after a plastic spoon went down the drain.
4. I meal planned and cooked all the food myself. We ate up leftovers. We brewed coffee at home.
5. We used our local library for books and movies. I put three items on hold from the library instead of buying or renting them.
Not frugal... I know we own the stretchy elastic for making bracelets, but after a month of looking, I gave up and bought more. I have no idea where the old, almost full spool went.
1. I made vegetable stock using vegetable scraps and peels. I used the stock to make chicken soup for my lunch this week. I included potatoes and onions my mom gave us, celery and oregano from my garden, and chicken I purchased at 50% off. I am eating the soup with some bread my mom gave us.
2. Shopping around for Internet service now that our current service went up $15 be month
3. Paid garbage disposal bill for the entire year which saved 5%
4. My mom gave us lots of fruit, bread, bagels, and vegetable.
5. Listed some items for sale on Marketplace
I think it's smart to take a test early when you are rested and fresh -- especially such an important test. I'm sure you'll do great.
-- I made crockpot salsa from our abundance of tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. I had enough to share it with some friends and family and it can be frozen.
– We ordered a new carpet runner for the front entryway. But the size was wrong. We returned it and decided to keep the runner we already have. It slid around a lot and that bugged me, so I got a new non-slip rug pad for it and now it's fine. We saved about $60 by keeping what we have.
– I cleaned up my sewing/craft/guest room and found stuff! My crafty room was kind of a mess. With a guest coming, it was time to clean up. I found a few treasures I'd forgotten I had/bought like some little plastic button easels that I'm now using and a cat fabric Christmas stocking that I gave away at my senior center. Sometimes I just put an item on a table in the center's entry hall with a “please take me” note and it's always picked up.
– I took advantage of a local grocery store’s weekend sale and got a gallon of milk for 99 cents and pork chops for 99 cents a pound.
– I blanched and froze 3 pounds of green beans from the garden.
1) Last week our fridge started getting warm. It has been on the fritz since earlier in the year, but we kept doing things like cleaning the coils and whatever other witchery my husband did to keep it going. But then Thursday we decided to face facts and just go buy another fridge and see how quickly Lowes could deliver it. I chose a floor model that was deeply discounted because it had been on the floor so long. Then I opened a Lowes card, which gave me another $100 off. Then when they delivered it the next day (the next day!) the delivery guys noticed a very small (almost imperceivable) dent in the front and offered me yet another discount. We are back in business after spending only a couple hundred bucks.
2) We are leaving on vacation on Wednesday, but before we go I will clean the house myself for the home exchange guests who will be in the house while we are gone, take the kids to get library books, and make breakfast and lunch for the trip.
3) Yesterday I interviewed for a job. The job would be great, but the salary was a joke. It is with a prestigious institution, and they aught to know better. So I treated the interview less as an interview for that job, and more as a pitch for myself. I even brought printouts of what I could do for them in a part-time capacity and in a full time capacity, but for a reasonable amount of pay. I figured I had nothing to lose (I wasn't going to take the job if they offered it) and a better job with a higher salary to gain.
4) I set up Zelle on my husband's phone and linked it to our business account. I already have Zelle on my phone linked to our personal account, and it doesn't seem to be able to link to more than one bank. Now we can receive our tenant's payments immediately, at no cost to us or her, and without having to take a check or cash to the bank.
5) I helped Mama pay her credit card bill by phone and did everything except write the check for her federal quarterly taxes. Both of these actions will keep her from incurring fees. It's not frugal for me, but I like to share the frugality!
No tips on keeping mint plants alive (ours are of the variety that seem to expand and take over our garden bed though!). But I did find out the hard way (by bringing some inside to enjoy myself) that my cat thoroughly enjoys a little mint nibble. He ate the whole bunch I had cut off. Wonder if banana-girl would love a sniff 🙂
By now, your test is over, and we are all breathing a group sigh of relief for you. Just. About. Done. I hope you do treat yourself for reaching this milestone!
I ate the first cucumber from my garden. I picked three. The nice things about this particular type: not seedy, sweet, no burps!
Casey's is having scratch off give-aways this summer. Yesterday, I won 25 bonus points and today 75. I'm finally using up points for gas discounts. (I have 19,000plus...)
I did not buy any new holiday decorations for the 4th of July for the desk/nurse's station at work, but used a compilation of the ones from past years. Last year HobLob had rustic burlap American Flags on little tree branches/sticks so I put those in a vase w muted color RWB pinwheels. I like making the vignettes and they draw lots of compliments. It's a way to use my artistic eye.
I have resorted to using straight cleaning vinegar as ant killer. Cheaper than the bug spray, seems to be just as effective. While even a household product may seem safe, even vinegar can be harmful. I do like using it better than than the insecticide. A colony/farm/hive was drawn to the trash. So I zapped them and cleaned up their mess . I also put out a newly mixed up bowl of powdered sugar and baking soda and warm water. It does kill the ones that eat it. Not sure if it kills the colony because I've never followed one back.
The is iffy. I bought drip pans for the stove. I have had the ones on there for several years. Is it worth it to spend several minutes to an hour or or more soaking, cleaning them and potentially damaging the surface, or just get news ones and save the time and trouble and toss the old ones in the trash? Sometimes, I think my time and sanity is worth the expense. And looking at new ones is very satisfying.
I have not had any car repair, I distill my own water (dur the night when it's cooler, seldom change the thermostat and keep it 74'. Bunch errands. I went to WM and got just what was on my list and same at Marshall's though I did look at a skirt and blouse that I decided was summer faddish.
@Chrissy, re: the ants, do consider trying 20 Mule Team Borax. It's worked wonders for me, as I've noted in a comment on a previous post.
I'm sure you'll do great on your test! (I'm a high school teacher and could only wish for a room full of students as dedicated as you!)
It has not been a frugal week here... between a car repair and a necessary fix to the pool...
But give frugal things I have done:
1) I am choosing to do the repair to my car even though it is a big one instead of getting a new one. The car still has less than 100,000 miles on it, so I know this is the right choice.
2) I picked 1.5 lbs of tomatoes from my garden yesterday.
3) I have been using fruit that's on the edge of being too soft in my beverages, and none has been lost in almost 2 weeks
4) I've completely stopped using fabric softener, and nobody in the house has noticed
5) I have found a use for the bread I made that didn't rise at all (did I forget yeast?!?) and have been using it up as really dense 'toasts' instead of just throwing it out.
@Mel, that's happened to me, too. When life gives you bad bread, make croutons!
We know you killed the exam Kristin!
>>Big score with CVS purchases:
Several items were BOGO, so second item free. Others were 50 to 75% off to start.
AND...you got store credits for all of them due to various promotions.
I had my monthly Care Pass credit of $10 and some other credits totaling about $4.
Additionally, my bank gave back $ for the purchase.
PLUS, I had a cash back service that I earned 20% back from.
I got $50+ worth of product, and with the credits and promo prices and cash back, I earned close to $20. So, ultimately paid nothing AND earned $20. WIN! May have been my best shop ever.
>>My insurance company is sponsoring a healthy eating program and I joined (free). For 13 weeks, I get a weekly delivery of items from Fresh Direct. I get to pick 5 different "meal" combos, that include chicken, salmon, turkey and fruits and veggies of all sort. I priced one delivery and it was close to $7o worth of food, if not more (you also get some pantry items and some fresh cheeses, yogurt, spices, sauces, etc.)
It's enough food for 10 meals but given how much I eat, it's at least 15 meals so some items are frozen.
>>Our local Fresh Food for Seniors promotion starts this week. For $10, you get a huge grocery bag of fruit and vegetables, along with info on how to store, use and recipes (which are helpful). You don't get to pick and choose, so it's a crap shoot. Some weeks you're asking your neighbors if they want or donating to a local food pantry. But you get enough to make it worthwhile.
I don't know if the "Spend to save" approach counts but...Amazon is having its Prime Days. I'm still checking my running list to see if there is any real bargains.
BUT I noticed a lot of basic things (Paper towels, etc.) that are available for a considerable 25% and up discount if you sign up for one delivery as a Subscribe and Save purchase (which I already use). Several items are already in my Subscribe and Save list but these prices were cheaper. So I cancelled out the current S/S items and got the lower prices. I saved close to $40 and that is no small thing, especially for items we use all the time.
Is it time consuming to shop and compare online (Walmart, Target, etc. as well as Amazon, are having sales to compete)? Yes, but I do have the time and to me,it's a bit of a game.
I am so wishing that I could participate in our local Buy Nothing group. Several times I emailed and asked to join and never heard anything back. We do have some options for online freebies locally but they are scooped up so fast that you would have to constantly monitor (I can't do that.) and then go immediately (In a wheelchair, have to get someone to do and people are not available at the drop of a text or call.)
I forgot to mention that for the 13 weeks of the free healthy food program, I am not only getting free food, but saving overall on food expenses because I need to only buy a few items (fresh) and a lot less. So also saving #20 to $40 a week easily (and I don't have to tip for the delivery). I am going to miss this option when the time is up.
I do a weekly check when the sales break for Amazon Fresh, stores on Instacart, and Fresh Direct to see what's something I might want on sale. Prices just keep going up and up and up. Our local retail supermarket prices are insanely high so ordering online from say Amazon Fresh, is huge savings.
We don't have the option for fresh food from a Walmart or a Target or an Aldi or other big supermarket chains that have discounted products, alas.
I have had some HUGE savings on products from Amazon Fresh. Is is frustrating at times to not be able to order what you'd like because you have to wait for a sale, particularly fresh proteins and produce. But you can make up for it with pantry stuff (cans of beans, tomatoes, etc.)
With the government cutting SNAP, I worry about those in our community who will have even less options for food. Our food pantries can't keep up. And I wish they would be more lenient about what can be donated. I appreciate they don't want folks having a lot of salt or sugar but PORTION CONTROL for some items makes them still a good option but the pantries have precise numbers for ingredients.
I keep a running list of key pantry items and other things and look for sales and promos.
Right now, Amazon has really low prices for two months on various streaming services.
I will try one or two and then cram everything I want to view into those two months. It's a huge savings.
@Irena, The cuts to SNAP are truly vile. Why is it the poor and needy who are expected to suffer more and have their choices scrutinised, while millionaires waste money on yachts and private planes?
My 84 year old mother is 5' tall. She has a recliner in the sitting area of her bedroom that is made for people of a smaller stature. They usually cost over $500 on sale. We found her a second recliner for the family room today for $65 from a local thrift store. The recliner is beautiful, in great condition, very comfortable, and the thrift store supports a local ministry. It's a win-win for everyone.
I really hope you get the exam scores quickly now that you're done!
My frugal Five--Trail Edition:
1. In my region there is a store that puts out a trail challenge each year with a variety of trails to hike in a designated time. I finished the challenge this year, which got me a small swag package including some useful items and a $30 giftcard at the store, that I will probably put towards good socks because there is nothing worse than sagging socks in boots.
2. The aforementioned challenge put me in a drawing for finishers of the the week, and my name was drawn, which got me a Nemo Moonlight Reclining camp chair (estimated value $150) and a Nemo 3-in-1 55L duffle bag (estimated value $170).
3. As a finisher I am invited to a party which will have more free swag stuff, and I will get to spend a few minutes visiting with others I met on the trail or have known from around town.
4. I have spent a ton of time on trails (for the challenge and for my own fun) getting sun, refreshment and freedom from worry instead of spending time using stuff up.
5. So much trail time has increased my water intake (yay!) and reduced my desire for coffee, which has saved me the need to buy beans.
All this to say: go for a hike. It's totally worth it. Even if you don't have people giving you hundreds of dollars of swag in return.
I agree with previous commenters that some sort of mammal ate your mint. It’ll bounce back though. You could try adding a bit more soil to the top of the pot, and some of those nodes will sprout roots. If you put it back outside, maybe try putting it in a hanging position. You’ll have to water a little more frequently, but you’ll foil the furry chompers at least.
@Becca,
Also, I’m going to try replying to my own comments to see if it helps with the page deleting my longer comments.
My five frugals:
1. Stayed home to recover from vacation-meant less spending and more eating from what we have, which is still a few leftover treatsies from vacation.
2. Used my rain barrel to water my porch plants, and let my in ground plants mostly fend for themselves.
3. Beat the damn squirrel off my Asian pear trees long enough to harvest 20 lbs of rather small fruits. Peeling and coring them is rather time consuming since they are so small, so I’m researching lazier ways to preserve them. Suggestions welcome.
4. Cleaned up our basement play area and rearranged it to make time in the cooler basement more pleasant.
5. Went to the library and put a series of books on hold that my husband read (on his e-reader, I prefer paper copies) and we are now watching the tv show based on them. It’s a fun spy escapism type of series-perfect for summer reading. It’s called Slow Horses, if anyone is interested.
Not frugal, but I keep following my husband around and turning our window units back on! I keep telling him that they are machines, and not unionized, so they don’t need “breaks.” I do need a break from this incessant heat, though!
@Becca,
Oh, and I’m waiting to cheer for your high NCLEX score tomorrow. I won’t good luck, because I know you will have crushed it!
@Becca, I used to just cut our small Seckel pears in half and cook them seeds and all, then put them through a Foley food mill. I didn't like the resulting pear sauce on its own--sorta grainy and too insipidly sweet--but I mixed it with applesauce, and that was very good. I don't know if Asian pears cook down like that, but it might be worth a shot.
@kristin @ going country,
Yeah, I was kinda leaning towards throwing them all in a big pot and boiling the bejesus out of them. I’m not sure that they will soften though. I did make a small batch of what I am grossly calling “squirrel jam” using the ones I picked off the ground that had already been, ahem, sampled. (Did I mention that I hate those little bastards?) Anyway, for those I peeled, cored and cut away any squirrel teeth marks before boiling them in hot water and sugar. I added vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and a corn starch slurry, and they made a tasty jam that we ate over vanilla ice cream, but the pieces definitely stayed firmer-kind of like the pears you can buy in a can which I think have only been blanched and shocked. I definitely boiled them long enough that if they were gonna fall apart, they would have. I was also thinking of breaking out my juicer to see if that would make shorter work of them. Or maybe I will try peeling and then grating a few instead of coring, and try to make a coleslaw like concoction. I dunno, but I refuse to give them to the squirrels! Those little beasts already ate EVERY SINGLE PEACH on my very laden peach tree while I was on vacation! They are such jerks and they have way too much free time.
The big house renovation project continues, so we are spending money as if someone were paying us to do so. Still, we try to be frugal:
1. We did take our two free labor guys out for a fancy meal; since they are doing all the labor for free, we do want to treat them. They selected the restaurant and we ordered family style and there was SO much food leftover that we brought home two sets of leftovers, one big box for the dogs and four big boxes for the humans. We all ate leftovers for both meals the next day, so $154 at the restaurant was worth it.
2. We have been very careful to unwrap things so that the boxes are not destroyed and anything that does not work can be returned to Home Depot. There has not been a huge amount to return, but we have saved several hundred dollars that way.
3. Because we estimated things out and bought Home Depot gift cards before actually going there to shop, we have earned enough gas points for $1.25 off every gallon of fuel for the end of June, all of July and have a good start on August. And we got them during a 4X point sale, so even better.
4. If we could order an item on line (so things like painting supplies and the flooring we knew we wanted but not like lumber where you want the stuff with no knots), we did it through My Points, using gift cards, but also earning some My Points points for other gift cards available through My Points. We don't make a huge number of points, but it all counts.
5. Husband has lost weight. There is a guy in his singing group that has gained weight and his performance shirts look like sausage casings. He was talking to my husband about how embarrassed he is but he feels like he needs to keep pulling at the front of his shirt to help his straining buttons not pop off, and the husband suggested they exchange shirts. It was he perfect solution and cost them each zero dollars.
Added little non-frugal but pleasing benefit. Another chorus guy walked up to my husband, having overheard the conversation, and did a little Heh! Heh!! as he said "You should have told him just to lose weight. His size and his food bill would drop." Heh! Heh! My husband said, "You know, something is a joke only if both people laugh. When only the person making the comment laughs, it means the comment is cruel or ignorant. Which are you?" When he told me the story, the husband said, "Before I married you I would never in a million years have confronted a jerk. Consider that a compliment."
By now you are done with your test. I hope you do something to celebrate making it through it, no matter what the score (not that I don't think you'll pass with flying colors).
@Lindsey, Massive props to your husband for telling that guy off!
Try sprinkling a little Cayenne pepper on top of the soil. Looks like a caterpillar or slug got it.
Kristen, you've done fantastic! Can't wait to see your passing grade tomorrow!
Frugal things this past week.
1- I thrifted a propane fireplace insert and surround ( no mantel), for 5 bucks! Yes, that is correct, 5 dollars. It will cost me money to have it installed and service every year, I'm still ahead. I was assured it works. We shall see next year when I have it installed.
2- I paid 2 teenagers 20.00/ each to bring it into the house. Money well spent.
3- I have resisted buying coffee since the first.
4-i haven't bought takeout since the first. I set a new rule for myself, it's I'm getting food prepared by someone else, I need to be eating with someone.
5- I salvaged some freezer burnt chicken by peeling off the freezer burnt pieces, and poaching it. I then made a quasi BBQ sauce and shredded the chicken into the sauce. It made enough for 6 meals, with I shared. 🙂
I just finished making butter. I had heavy cream in the fridge, and I knew I wasn't going to use it as whipped cream. So I tossed it in the mixer and let it go. I'll report back next week.to.lwt.you know if it was any good..i also me have a cup of butter milk, so I see waffles tomorrow night for supper..
As always, reading this makes me smile.
I am so excited to hear your good news about the NCLEX test! I have had good luck sprinkling my mint plant with diatomaceous earth. I worry a little that it might hurt the bees so I do it sparingly.
A few frugals….
I fixed a hissing toilet, a screw type piece needed tightening, it was a little tricky as it was out of sight so I just had to feel my way along, but it seems better.
I returned some empties to liquor store and pocketed $4.80, and it was next door to a business I had to go to anyway, so no extra trip was needed.
I soaked and cooked chick peas, then made hummus.
I froze yet another tray of raspberries…we are swimming in berries which is a good problem to have!
Now I’m headed into the garden to pick greens for a salad.
Go get ‘em with that NCLEX!!
plant it in the ground and soon enough you will want animals to help themselves to a fair share lol!
Good luck on the test. Mine cut off after 75 questions and I sat there in disbelief for ten minutes after. All was well and I got notification of my state license the day after! So best wishes for that type of outcome for you!
Frugal things..
1. We went to a national sporting event that my dd competed in. I bought lunch stuff and drinks to decrease our eating out bill as well as staying in a free breakfast hotel.
2. Found some grocery offers so that I could provide some snacks for the celebration party.
3. Carpooled with another family to share rental expenses as we flew to the event.
4. Returned a pair of new shorts that I didn't end up wearing.
I'm kinda coming up blank. Our event was 200 miles from the camp flooding. We felt awful as the news reports came in that we were so fortunate in our event while others were not.
No advice on the mint plant. I've been making non-alcoholic mojitos on occasion after having some on vacation. They are so good and the mint is refreshing! I'm trying to cut down on regular soda, and I know that mojitos aren't necessarily better. But it is adding variety, so that helps. I'm also doing my best to drink more tea and flavored seltzer water instead.
Have you ever tried the vanilla black cherry seltzer from Trader Joe's? It's really good!
I've been excited to post mine this week and am finally getting around to it! Cheers for those amazing meals and snacks with no eating out, so impressive. Even all your coffee - wow!
1. Thanks to Kristen for introducing me to Rx bars! And I now try to buy Aldi ones. They taste better than the brand name and are a respectable price for a convenient snack with decent protein content.
2. CVS keeps sending me incredible coupons in the app. I've barely been spending any money while replenishing some basics 🙂
3. I attended a free professional development session 3.5 hours from home today. It was great! Free to attend with good content and connections. I got a $3 coffee and a $10 lunch, so I will count that as pretty good. Just drove my normal work commute and then we used a van from our employer.
4. Am on track to work out at the gym 4 times this week.
5. Had a sore ear for a couple days. Tried a couple ear drainage manual techniques fromYouTube. Used a warm washcloth on outside of ear (I like to use a drop of essential oil on the washcloth - never in ear directly! But totally optional). Figured these attempts to help it resolve were easy and almost free to try, and now my ear is much better!
Woohoo for gym consistency! Good job!
Congrats on passing your NCLEX!
My Frugal 5s are ...
- Sewed the holes in my girls' two dresses and one in my husband's t-shirt. Also mend the hole in my girl's flip flop with e6000. Hoping it'll last through this summer until we get better sandals for her.
- Got free shipping off Amazon after bundling some needed items together for their $35 threshold. Will also be get a like new phone case at it's lowest price ever! I really need one since my current one is 5 years old and it's been fixed a few times with gorilla glue.
- Got a $5 kettle that retails for $25 in the Walmart clearance aisle. We were looking for one for our camper so this was a big win!
- Called to pay the dental bill on my daughter instead of mailing a payment.
- Went on a motorcycle ride and hike in town with my husband as a date while my mother and sister in law watches our girls for a few days. We got some grocery store sushi and pizza for dinner.
You'll be a Registered Nurse tomorrow! Congratulations! Making your own coffee and bring your own food to work will save you tons. I did that form my 12s for years, and I retired early. Can't help you with the mint plant, I have a brown thumb.
I found a sewing machine and a cabinet at a thrift store 2 weeks ago for $49. It's good buy, but I said no. Let's see what happens. So the next week I went in and it was half price. The machine itself is selling on eBay for $69. So I think I did a good thing.