1. I squeezed limes and froze the juice.
My limes were getting a bit discolored and squishy, so I squeezed the juice out, froze it in ice cube trays (each is 1 tablespoon) and then put the lime juice cubes into a ziploc bag.
I figure the cubes will be really handy to use in recipes.
2. I roasted my own red peppers.
I was making basil/red pepper mayo, and I had no jarred roasted peppers in the fridge.
I did have a red pepper, though, so I roasted it, peeled it, used half in the batch of mayo, and froze the other half.
The jarred peppers go bad so quickly (and roasting them at home is so easy!), I don’t know if I’ll ever buy another jar.
3. I made pancakes with some funky yogurt.
I had a pint jar of homemade vanilla yogurt hiding in the back of the fridge, and I think maybe it froze and then thawed, because the texture was kind of weird and separated.
I did not want to eat that by the spoonful, so I made a batch of whole wheat blueberry pancakes and used the yogurt in place of buttermilk.
4. I helped the girls make fabric masks.
We do have some N95 masks, but they are the type with vents, apparently. Sigh.
We can tape the vent shut, but the girls thought it would be nice to have some fabric masks too.
(Which will come in handy if mask-wearing goes on for months and months.)
Luckily, I had some thin elastic in my sewing box (it’s hard to find anywhere right now!), and we had plenty of cotton fabric here to use for the actual mask, so these cost us nothing out of pocket.
5. I…
- scanned my few receipts with Fetch*, and one of them was worth 400 points
- continued to use almost no data with Ting wireless
- finished a fiction book and listed it on eBay
- shipped out Born a Crime, which I sold on eBay
Your turn! Share your five frugal things in the comments.
*In case you are new to it, Fetch is a free app that gives your rewards based on what groceries you buy. You can get $3 for downloading the app and scanning your first receipt. Use code QG8V2.
Sharie says
I regularly freeze lime juice from extra limes but just last year realized that I can also zest the limes first and freeze the lime zest. Now I hardly ever need to buy fresh limes because I always have lime juice and lime zest in my freezer. I do the same for lemons. I can’t believe it took me 20 years of freezing juice to think about freezing the zest as well. Aside from being able to buy lemons and limes in bigger bags which is generally cheaper and when they are in season, it also makes dinner prep a lot easier when you can use juice and zest that is already juiced and zested.
For most recipes, this is sufficient.
I also always microplane my extra ginger when I have extra left over from a recipe and freeze that so when I need grated ginger I can get that already prepared in my freezer. It seems like there is often a little bit of ginger left over. Now I don’t need to buy fresh ginger as often unless I need fresh for the recipe.
Ruth T says
1. I remembered to use a $20 Walmart gift card from Ibotta when I got groceries on Saturday.
2. I checked Ibotta before I went and was able to get $7.50 back from my shopping (including Pringles that I got for free).
3. My 3yo is going to need a mask for the next time he goes out (yes, I do think this is terribly sad and yes, I do think that whoever in my state decided that the mask requirement is ages 2 and up has clearly not spent any time with preschoolers in the last decade) so I looked through some boxes of clothes he has outgrown and picked out some dinosaur jammies to cut up and make into a mask. My baby turns 2 in a month and I’ll need to make something for her soon. (No, I don’t expect her to keep it on – can we just celebrate when preschoolers keep their clothes and shoes on??? – but I figure I should at least have one for her in case someone pushes the issue.) Hopefully this first attempt goes well or I can at least learn from it.
4. I got a crazy good price on blueberries and bought more than we can eat before they go bad, so I froze some before it got too late.
5. I didn’t buy a Norwex item out of guilt or impulse. I attended a virtual party and there’s one item I would really like but I’m struggling to fork over the $30 for it. So I’m taking time to think about it rather than just buying it because I feel like I should buy something.
Kaila says
I’m a Norwex consultant and, obviously, won’t receive credit for sharing this encouragement but buy the item! The quality alone makes it a frugal purchase because, ideally, you won’t have to replace it for some time plus you’re reducing chemicals in your household and the earth! (That’s my 2 cents. In case you were curious, haha).
Steph says
1. I finally got to sign up for Misfits Market! I’ve been on the waiting list a few weeks. I am very excited to try this service.
2. Saved $70 at Old Navy in sales and rewards for some much needed summer clothes and have $50 in rewards for next time.
3. Got a $10 credit from Children’s Place because they left the security tag on the shorts we ordered. We were able to cut it off without damage too.
4. We just had a very frugal birthday for my son and he enjoyed it just as much as any other year where we spent more.
5. Used $10 rewards coupon at L.L. Bean towards something I have been wanting.
AEW says
1. I needed a new ring for my instapot since chipotle chicken apparently makes the ring smelly. Found someone on my neighborhood FB page giving two brand new ones away!
2. Middle kiddo wanted a new larger bed so I found a clean used set on our neighborhood FB page for $45. Did buy new bedbug proof/waterproof covers but still a lot less than new and much better quality!
3. Picked up another batch of dollar tree birthday cards, I keep a half dozen generic ones on hand for when we need them. At 2/$1 they’re much more economical than standard cards and serve the same purpose!
4. Youngest kiddo wanted some new puzzles that were more challenging, turned to our neighborhood FB page again and found one for $3 and one for $5. Since new puzzles are $15+ each this is a much better cost!
5. We paid off a debt! One more down and one closer to being debt free!
Marianne says
My kid wants plants for their house…and I have tons in my yard. Only cost is my time to dig ’em up. I’m retiring from the amount of gardening I do. Too hard on the back. I have a hosta collection that is around 100 named, my mom-in-law and I traded and traded with other so not much cost involved. Fun while it lasted.
I went thru all my old stuffed animals, all in great shape & clean. A huge chunk went to our local hospital to be used for children who are admitted. The rest are going to my grandchild.
My neighbor gave my dog a bone that she says her dog has not destroyed, I have destruct-toe-doggo. So far so good plus it is US made!
Grandpa gave us his old golf cart we will get a lot of use out of it.
CrunchyCake says
1. We have had to cancel four trips so far due to the pandemic. Bummer to miss out on the experiences but luckily most everything we booked has been refunded so we saved a ton.
2. Bought a big package of black olives from costco and froze them. We kept buying the small cans that were expensive and we didn’t typically get through the whole can – ended up going to waste. And then because we don’t eat them all the time, I’d often forget to pick them up from the market. So this solved all our problems – I freeze them in muffin tins (appropriate portion), I always have them on hand, they defrost quickly, less trash created and it saved a few bucks.
3. Ate in and ate through our left overs. Very little went to waste this week!
4. Listened to free podcasts while cleaning the house. Got a break from my kids as I zoned out, didn’t pay for a housekeeper (many of our friends have someone clean their homes for them, even with the pandemic), and was entertained and educated for free.
5. Watched YouTube instructional videos with the kids and made art. Usually they go to art classes but since we can’t right now, this was a lovely alternative. We all created together and used the supplies we had, including scratch paper.
Ruby says
1. My husband created a free-standing shelf for the pantry out of odds and ends from his stash of scrap wood and odds and ends. Bread twist ties and Gorilla glue were involved but it’s a sturdy little shelf.
2. I repaired the cover of my tablet with the aforementioned glue.
3. We managed to get this week’s grocery total under $100. It’s been high ever since shelter at home because I am reluctant to go to more than one nearby store.
4. I did make a special trip to Ollie’s Outlet for cat litter and bought 80 pounds for $19.96 before tax. It’s good unscented litter and our cat who is rather particular likes it.
5. Still making a few dollars ever couple of weeks on Fetch Rewards. It helps pay for ebooks we can’t get from the library. Reading has been our major source of enjoyment while spending so much time at home.
Tamara says
1) Trimmed my side bangs, and trimmed hubby’s hair and we both turned out looking pretty decent if I do say so. We normally spend $135 for my color weave + 2 haircuts + tip, so that was a very nice savings.
2) Enjoying so much free entertainment via the many wonderful people and places making them available for free. Most recently watched ‘Cats’ which ran for free for 48 hours this past weekend via YouTube. This coming weekend Yo-yo Ma is performing live, also via YouTube.
3) Made sun tea. Tea bags in a a pitcher of water left out in the sun for a few hours. So much less harsh and less expensive than instant tea.
4) Working hard to utilize the many board games, puzzles, and outdoor toys we’ve accumulated over the years. It’s been great, and I hope we keep it up even as life opens up in the weeks and months ahead.
5) Bartered lemons for lemon square cookies, and now have about a year’s worth of frozen lemon juice cubes in my freezer. I haven’t used bottled in years, nor store bought. The flavor difference is dramatic!
Corrine says
1. Picked up a Vera Bradley lunch box, macaroni and cheese, hostas, grout to fix a small spot in my bathroom, acrylic storage units to organize seeds, computer speakers, clothes for my son, winter gear for both kids to grow in to, and a brand new STEM kit I will gift to my son for Christmas all for free off Buy Nothing Group. In the clothes for my son there was swim trunks and a swim shirt. I will return the set I just bought for him, which cost $20. I also listed some items on Buy Nothing this weekend.
2. Planted our (larger) garden. Bought the seedlings from a local seller for $1 per plant. We were able to plant 15 tomato plants this year, chili peppers, herbs, snap peas, pumpkins, and green beans.
3. Picked up a painting from a free site that is worth $70 on eBay. I will list it this weekend. I listed a few things on eBay this week already.
4. My husband fixed his car this weekend for about $200. It saved us $1,000. Although it did take him about 14 hours to do!
5. Our car insurance company gave us a $50 rebate due to not driving much during the pandemic.
Lindsey says
1. Thanks to the person who suggested listing my grandmother’s 1957 bloomers on eBay. I decided to try our local FB marketplace and, unbelievably, I sold all 12 pairs in less than 24 hours, to three women total. They sold for $10 a pair, with one woman saying she didn’t realize they were in the original packaging and would have paid more for that alone! Someplace there is an entire network of women who are wearing peach colored knickers that reach to the knees and have peach cotton lace on the edges of the elastic at the knees. I have 10 pair left for myself and $120 in savings, so thanks again to one of your readers.
2. Husband used to cut my hair when it was long but now it is short. I asked him to trim it. I now look like someone tried to push me into a chipper/shredder head first. Saved us about $30 and all I can say it is lucky we are under quarantine.
3. Husband does the grocery shopping for now. I told him eggs were on sale so stock up, meaning get a few dozen. He came home with TEN dozen, for less than a dollar a dozen (that is an extremely good price here). So, now I am using eggs and/or toilet paper to pay for things or give as gifts. One dozen got me two dozen homemade English muffins. One six pack of tp was traded for three bars of locally made goat’s milk soap. It reminds me of my father’s stories about trading during WWII.
4. Borrowed a shoe stretcher instead of buying one.
5. Planted five buckets of different greens. I want to use my garden beds for more substantial vegetables that can be preserved for the winter.
Corrine says
It was me! Glad it worked out. For some reason vintage underwear sell great on eBay!
Kristen says
Haha, I love that you sold them at the suggestion of a reader! So great.
Carolyn says
Cutting short hair is more difficult to cut than long hair. That is what my husband has said a number of times. He gives my two teen boys their haircuts every three weeks as they are very picky about their hair. He uses the clippers with different attachments and he has easily given each one over a hundred haircuts each, it takes him about ten minutes to do each haircut. My hair is long, so while he says it is easier, it takes him about twenty minutes to trim mine. A friend of mine stopped by Saturday afternoon with another friend of mine to hang out on the deck and chat, plus sip a couple wine coolers. My one friend asked if she could get her hair trimmed, hubby has been trimming her long hair for her for a few years now, so it was no big deal. My other friend has short hair and she mentioned she needed her hair cut, but short hair is hard to cut. I mentioned that hubby cuts my boys’ hair and her pixie cut wasn’t much longer. She wanted her bangs trimmed to get them out of her eyes and the back shaped up as she was starting to get a mullet forming. Both were happy with their haircuts, as well as happy to get one being the salons are closed. So I would suggest that you have your husband check out some Youtube videos before you let him pick up the shears again. That is if you both are brave enough to try.
Jess says
I’ve had good luck with cutting up old t-shirts to use in place of elastic for making masks, both ones that tie around your head and loop around ears. We also made a lot of crochet ovals with two medium sized buttons at the ends to use if the elastic hurts ears (I find better for long walks, etc. in terms of the mask feeling secure).
Shelia says
1. Our neighbor gave us some of his amazing tomato plants. I finally found a local place that had plants so for a very small amount of money, the garden is in!
2. Dug through some old spray paint cans to refresh some sad looking yard art.
3. My husband surprisingly had a Mother’s Day gift for me. He had purchased some fairy garden items at 80% off last fall. I have another fairy garden using sedums from our yard and an old pan.
4. Looking around for takeout for Mother’s Day, we found Olive Garden’s buy one, take one home deal. For 12.99 each, we got two meals including enough salad. Yes, we tipped large!
5. I made a Costco run today as my card expires soon. I will renew but not for a couple of months. I had picked up Puma heavily line sweatshirt jackets for my great nephews. They were only 6.97 on clearance but, today, I noticed they were marked down further to 4.97. I asked on the way out if they adjust. They do so I got an 8.54 credit!
Anna-CatherinE says
We have latex allergies and I’ve been avoiding elastic in our masks. I’ve been cutting strips of T-shirt from the rag pile. One strip in each corner and then tie together to get a custom fit.
For adult masks I’ve done 5 inch lengths. Could probably do shorter but this gives enough slack to tie easily.
Also, raided the kids art supplies for pipe cleaners. I’m feeding them into the top hem to make the mask fitted. They have been washing fine so far.
Kathleen in Kansas says
I never thought about latex allergies! None of my family has problems, but now I can confidently say my masks are safe for that, thanks!
I’ve been using my quilt stash – I get two adult masks from one fat quarter, or three for kids. I use strips of t-shirt for ties. We also had old sheet sets made of cotton jersey and I cut up the pillowcases for ties. You get lots of strips from one case!
My (adult) kids and their spouses and most of their co-workers all wear my masks and say they work great and are comfortable. Son in law frequently wears an employer-supplied paper mask under his, or sometimes over. He is customer service at our local Kroger and is very careful, even has his own bottle of sanitizer under the counter. He had to move it to the bottom shelf because people were reaching over the counter and stealing it. So sad.
We continue watching our birds and the neighborhood squirrels. Today is the fifth day in a row we’ve seen a bluebird!
JD says
With our lemon tree producing these days, I freeze a good bit of juice. It’s sure nice to have when you need it.
1. I’m wearing a shirt, slacks and shoes that all came from thrift stores. Shirt is Ralph Lauren, slacks are Gap, new with tag, and shoes are Aigner.
2. I checked around to find a lower price for stump grinding in our yard. I saved about $200.
3. I asked for a telemed appointment with my doctor instead of driving to see her to go over lab results – she is located 90 miles from me. I’m glad I did, as the appointment was 10 minutes!
4. My ground beef was still partially frozen when I was ready to cook last night. Instead of take out, I pulled out some hotdogs and we survived.
5. I planted a celery stalk’s end after letting it start to re-sprout in a dish of water.
Kaitlin says
Great tip for the lemons/limes. My husband juiced all of our limes that were on the brink of going bad, and we have used nearly all the juice in the last couple of days.
Other frugal things:
1. Used cilantro/basil/lavender from the garden my husband started.
2. Stretching meat to last more meals than typical so we don’t have to purchase as much.
3. Cut my husband’s hair. He has a longer cut that requires scissors, and I watched a you-tube tutorial to help. It didn’t turn out terribly, but he’ll probably want a professional stylist to polish it before he returns to work.
4. Adjusted our savings plan to be prepared for a few predicted big-ticket expenses we are likely to have in the next 5-7 years.
5. Baked my own bread, ate most meals at home (we did takeout this week for the first time in…months), menu-planned, stayed home, played outside etc.
Fairly unrelated (except that we waited the 7 months of referrals bouncing to get it rather than paying out of our savings account) my daughter just received her bone anchored hearing aid today. She cried with joy when she heard me tell her I love her. So worth the wait. When we got home she told me she was hearing whiteish noise, and I listened to her BAHA and it was the rustling leaves she hadn’t been hearing for the past 2+ years. And birds–she apparently was only hearing them when they tweeted from our tree. Now she can hear the ones outside our postage-stamp yard. She keeps giggling at all the new sounds she can hear out of her ear. So cool.
Heidi Louise says
What a wonderful story about your daughter’s hearing!
And a reminder to those of us who can hear naturally that there is much to pause and pay attention to.
Amanda says
I got tears in my eyes reading about your daughter’s joy! What a wonderful thing. I rejoice with you!
Kara says
I am only 46 but have a degenerative disease that has caused hearing loss in one ear. I am getting my hearing aid in a week and a half. I am excited!
Kaitlin says
I’m so glad you’ll get to hear again! We’ve had to play with the BAHA often today to figure out how to position it properly and it’s been squealing quite a bit today as we learn how to use it, but she’s been so patient and is still delighted to hear us.
Lindsey says
What a wonderful story. It made me vow to listen more closely next time I got outside.
Kristen says
Ohhh, that is so wonderful about the hearing aid for your daughter. What a wonderful new world has opened up for her.
Lana Popejoy says
I remember getting my first hearing aids. I thought someone was following me in the parking lot at work. Turned out it was the sound of my shoes hitting the asphalt. Also, loved hearing myself laugh.
MB in MN says
Thanks for sharing the sweet story about your daughter. So delightful and lovely.
Profesora H-B says
1. I borrowed desk chair from my office instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars for an inferior model. (In fact, I just brought it into the house from my car and my back is singing with joy.)
2. I talked my husband out of a purchase for an upcoming trip because it’s not urgent and we don’t know if the trip is happening.
3. I feel like I mastered round sourdough loaves (to a level I’m satisfied with). I don’t know how frugal it is to have tried and failed so many times, but I’m happy to have a new hobby that bears some kind of fruit.
4. I reorganized and decluttered some shelves in my home office space instead of buying new storage.
5. I sliced and tenderized some huge chicken breasts so that we would eat less and make the chicken last longer. I’m not sure why I resisted this extra step for so long…
Nicole says
FYI, you can also use plain or vanilla yogurt to replace eggs when baking. It’s 1/4 cup per egg. It works great for muffins, pancakes, and similar recipes.
Alicia says
1) Bought petite sirloin on sale. Used some it to make beef tofu stir fry for dinner last night. Will freeze the rest of the meat for future meals.
2) Ordered take out from Indian restaurant and we ended up with a lot of leftover rice. I saved it and served it last night with the beef tofu stir fry.
3) Make Chinese bbq pork (char siu) using a pork tenderloin I had in the freezer.
4) Make pork buns (char siu bao) with some of the bbq pork.
5) Made a salad using the bbq pork as protein.
Kristen says
Oooh, pork buns are so good!
Jen says
Curious what kind of rewards you get with Ting? Many reward programs don’t offer anything I’m interested in. Thanks!
Jessica says
Ting is her phone company. Fetch Rewards builds up points and you can order gift cards to use for shopping!
Kristen says
Yep, yep! Fetch does have lots of great reward options (Amazon, Target, Home Depot, etc.), but it does take a lot of receipt scanning to earn much, unless you buy a lot of brand name items.
Annie says
1. Gave my husband a haircut. Thankfully he likes buzzcuts so it was easy to do and not worry about making it too short! He said he may never go back to a barber again.
2. Made beer bread because yeast is hard to find around here or sold in too large a quantity. It was so easy and so good.
3. Shortened the sleeves on some t-shirts. Came out pretty good even though I had to do it by hand as I don’t have a sewing machine.
4. Have started cutting back our portions of meat to save money. Not that we were eating huge amounts but it’s getting noticeably more expensive lately. I am also trying to make more meatless meals, a bit of a challenge for my husband but he’s been making a serious effort to be openminded to it.
5. Made peanut butter cookies at home instead of buying them. Homemade cookies are so dang good!
Susan says
Made drawstring bags…cotton…for friend to use to carry and wash her scrubs. 2. Masked up and bought books quickly at thrifty. Left them on sunny porch for three days. 3. Placed large canned bean order …delivered from Publix. 4. Bought 6 pizza crusts and fixings from Publix online. 5. Bought online 60 or so construction quality garbage bags to unhoard a room with. Gather. Bag. Stack in another room. Detail and minimize and touch up paint empty room. Slowly reintroduce items a bag at a time over a months time. 75% you will trash or give away
Darlene says
1. Used the fabric I was going to make a pillow cover with to make three more masks for my daughter.
2. Used the oat milk I bought and didn’t like the taste of in pancakes. They were very good.
3. I gave my husband and daughter each another haircut. No blood or tears were shed.
4. I washed my husband’s winter coat instead of getting it dry cleaned. I used the gentle cycle and it looks great. A sunny day on the clothes line got it dried quickly.
5. I turned another old pair of sweatpants into workout shorts. Why do my sweatpants shrink? I don’t put them in the dryer. Are my legs getting longer? I thought you were supposed to shrink as you got older.
Val says
LOL, your #5 Darlene! I have been 5’7″ my whole life and then suddenly whenever I got measured at the doctor’s office (in my late 50’s) I started being told I was 5″8″! What in the world?! I wondered the same thing; aren’t I supposed to be “shrinking” at this point? I have the same problem with “shrinking” sweat pants as you do. The mysteries of life!
Kaitlin says
I too have grown! I’m in my 30s but I’ve grown a whole inch since leaving high school. My feet have grown nearly a whole size, too, so I don’t think it’s only better posture.
Kristen says
They could be capri sweatpants. lol
Ginny says
I have found that when pants shrink, even jeans, they can be lengthened – at least by an inch or more.. Remove damp pants from washer – hold waist and stand on hem of pants – now stretch!! Hang up to dry…presto – longer pants – even jeans will respond a bit to this treatment… you can also stretch the waist of jeans when they are wet..
Lindsey says
A few months ago I had to see the doctor but she got sick so I saw her young partner. He looked at my height and blurted out, “I thought women as old as you were all short!” He had the grace to apologize but I reassured him that he was actually correct, that 60 years ago there were not very many women who were 6’2″ and that I am short as I am now only 6 foot. I do not appreciate shrinking and hope I have stopped.
Joanne says
I’m 53 and not looking forward to the age shrink, at a stately 4’ 11 and 3/4” tall I dread to think what a 2” loss would do to my height! An additional concern is that my DH is 6’ 1”, DS1 is 6’ 1 and 1/2” @ age 18 and DS2 is 5’ 10 @ age 16.
I do say if I lost weight they could just pick me up and move me around the house My DS1 does actually do that, he’s a footballer but really!!
Maria says
Five frugal things..,
1. Started an Herb Box and Zinnias from seeds.
2. For Mother’s Day I requested a book from my son.
3. For Mother’s Day I requested my favorite Nespresso coffee pods from my daughter.
4. For Mother’s Day I requested my favorite running shoes from my hubby.
5. Froze our gym membership.
Battra92 says
1.) Back working overtime again. I can’t complain as too many people have been thrown out of work.
2.) Got my new respiratory medication via mail order and it was all of $10 for a 90 day supply. Not quite as cheap as $15 for a yearly supply at Costco (which I can’t go to any more) but this is Rx and the old one was OTC.
3.) Put in a lot of our garden. We got a late start thanks to some stupid snow but at least stuff should be growing soon.
4.) Not going to the stores means not spending money on things.
5.) Got a good deal on some all-beef hot dogs that we will have on Memorial Day.
WilliamB says
I’m so happy for your #2. It’s great to have a scrip that inexpensive and not to worry about it for months now. I hope the overtime isn’t too onerous.
Battra92 says
I am lucky that my wife’s insurance is pretty good but in order to get the better prices we have to use the mail order pharmacy and get 90 day scripts which is strangely more convenient these days. The only problem was waiting a few days for it to come in.
Kristen says
That is a great Rx price!
Spring has been slow in coming down here too…we haven’t had snow, but my goodness, it has been unseasonably cool.
Battra92 says
Generic Rx scripts are nice aren’t they?
My inhaler was not so nice ($30) but I can afford it.
gina says
Hmmm…I am trying to be frugal and stimulate the economy at the dame time, so let’s see…
*I bought a new Kate Spade wallet which was marked down from $189, got an extra 20% off, got free shipping, used a $50 gift card and ended up spending net $9. I needed a new wallet and I love this one!
*visited my mother last week to check on her, and she sent me home with fabric, green beans from her garden and a dozen fresh eggs from her chicken. Today I made a quiche for dinner with said eggs and my homemade freezer pie crusts.
*Been eating at home for all meals and using up my Imperfect Foods boxes like a boss
Can’t think of anything else. Trying to strike a balance here but not spend much during the week. Weekends we are supposed to have a $50 fun/food budget and I think I average just under that.
Heidi Louise says
Isn’t it amazing how difficult it is to find a wallet that suits exactly what you want?
I don’t even really care about the color as long as it has only and precisely the pockets I want. Kate Spade should have some lovely materials; I love the feel of real leather.
Erin T says
Duh – I never thought to freeze lime and lemon juice. I’m forever throwing away bad limes. Now I have no excuse for not making more homemade guacamole!
The fabric mask are super cute. I (very crudely) made ours out of extra pillowcases we had and ordered shoelaces from Amazon. One pair, cut in half, makes a perfect set of ties (so two pairs of laces per masks). That was my workaround for no elastic.
Jessica says
I love freezing these in cubes.. Having frozen lime juice cubes it super helpful when we need margaritas! lol
Hawaii Planner says
1) Continued to list & sell things on eBay
2) Used paper grocery bags (now required, as we can’t bring our own) to package things for eBay sales
3) Working in the yard. We will eventually need help, but anything we can do on our own cuts the cost quite a bit. There are some major projects that are big time sucks, that I’ve done vs paying
4) Cancelled a trip, which was a very sad moment. But, frugal for sure.
5) Not frugal for me, but my nephew got his first job at a fast food restaurant. I offered to match his savings for his first few checks, as long as he builds a budget, and researches tax advantages for retirement accounts.
Halle says
wow, what a great way to help you nephew learn to take care of his finances! I am so impressed!
Kara says
I ordered a book from eBay my son recommended. I sent an offer $2 below asking price and it was accepted. I’ve never done that before, so was quite pleased. I don’t read well on a screen.
The plant cuttings that I was given have survived with some TLC. This is a long term savings in filling our empty new-to-us yard.
Scheduled windshield repair person to come fix a chip in our windshield. This is free through our insurance. Yay!
Followed up on a return that had not been credited (the 4th follow up!)
Sewing for my Etsy shop has kept me busy and happy. Hoping to make a go of helping my family financially.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricSpeaks
Becca says
Made muffins and trail mix for snacks for the kiddos this week.
Our library opened up for curbside pickup and so we took advantage of that to get lots of free entertainment and books. After two months without any new books the library has been sorely missed!
Froze a chicken carcass and a bunch of chopped chicken for later meals and stock.
Made Father’s Day cards and birthday cards instead of buying them.
Made homemade bread properly for the first time! I have made lots of pizza crusts and pitas and sticky buns with yeast but haven’t attempted bread since I failed miserably at it ten years ago.
Jody S. says
I really wish our library would do this; our family really misses new books.
Mary says
1. Gave my husband a haircut. This was the second one I have given him and while I don’t enjoy doing it, I am getting better at it.
2. Spent a little to potentially save a lot. Signed up for dental insurance.
3. Found monk fruit sweetener for half the cost I usually pay so stocked up.
4. Publix, our local grocery chain, sometimes offers $50 gas cards for $40 if you spend $50. I got one recently and with the cost of gas nowadays, I filled up my car, my husband’s truck, and have enough left for another fill up.
5. Used the ham bone I froze after Easter to make a big pot of split pea soup. Ate some, shared some and froze some. Yum.
Torrie @ To Love and To Learn says
That’s a smart way to use up limes before they go bad! I can’t tell you how many limes I’ve chucked over the years, but next time I’ll be trying your way!
Janice says
Yes! Poor lemons and limes have met untimely deaths in my house. Good tip.
Kristina says
I second, great tip about limes! We often have limes destined to the compost. It especially aggravates me when my husband cuts off a slice and the rest dries up. Same with lemons. One thought I’ve had with dried up lemon halves is to microwave it and have the lemon steam refresh the oven (except our microwave is broken right now).
Jody S. says
Sometimes when I only need a bit, I just slice the rest of the lemon or lime up and set it in a bowl on the table with a meal. Then it’s gone by the end because my kids like a little something different in their water once in a while.
Stephanie says
Frugal events:
1. I had a bunch of Mexican food odds n ends so I made black bean burritos and froze them for handy quick lunches.
2. Bought a new to us vanity that needs a little bit of work. Saved at least 600 dollars because it came with a sink and faucet. ( basement bath)
3. Started many plants from seeds I bought on clearance last year. So far MIXED RESULTS
4. Got four milk crates for free for my classroom off of local buy nothing group.
5. Had many bread and buns odds n ends. Made french toast casserole. Googled a recipe and gave its whirl.
Stay well frugal friends!!❤️❤️
Danielle Zecher says
I think I may have missed something. Is there something wrong with the N95 masks with the vent? That’s what hubby is wearing at work…
Just to chime in with all of the mask comments, you can make crochet straps to use in place of elastic. It’s just a long chain to make ties. I cannot sew, but I’ve been making straps for people who can sew but can’t find elastic to use for straps/ties.
I’ve been doing more online shopping than I should, so not a lot of frugal things going on here. The best I have is that I cooked dinner last night and Sunday night when it was really, really tempting to just have something delivered.
Janice says
The masks with a vent can be more comfortable but has a drawback. The vent prevents germs from getting to the wearer; however, the vent lets any germs the wearer has go out into the air. A cloth mask on top can help prevent this:)
Danielle Zecher says
Thanks y’all ! I didn’t know that about the masks. Hubby’s exposure is fairly high, so we’ve been wearing them whenever we go out to try not to expose others. I guess it’s time to add a cloth mask over the N95.
Mairsydoats says
The vent lets your germs out into the air. The point of masking, more than not letting others’ germs in, is to not let your germs out into circulation. Two more tidbits of info: a piece of florist wire or pipe cleaner across the bridge of the nose will help mold the mask to the shape of your nose, again, not letting your germs out. And if you have any problems with gaps around your mask, putting a section of pantyhose over the mask will keep it all flush to your face and also function as another layer of filtering.
cc says
Crocheting is a really good idea. I’m using fabric cut like you do to crochet with t-shirt yarn, 1/2″ to 1″ strips depending on the stretch. The swimwear has really stretchy.
MamaMinou says
Also for any knitters out there, knitted I-cord is stretchy and can be used in place of elastic! Softer too.
Linda@Perilincreations.com says
1. I’m continuing to save money on my gas by staying home. I’ve only had to fill up once in 2 months.
2. I made some cloth masks for my son’s family.
3. I had 8.00 inCVS coupons which I used to get milk, eggs, and a few other essentials.
4. I had earned 2 free sodas at Speedway which I used.
5. We used to pay a pool service to open our pool, but have begun doing it ourselves. This saves us about $200 every summer.
WilliamB says
1. Did some gardening this weekend. I didn’t get to planing veggies but I did do some maintenance, including cutting down several dead boxwoods.
2. Collected free wood for the firepit while out walking. The dead boxwoods and the large branches I trimmed will be fitpit wood as well.
3. Continued to keep track of the fridge in order to minimize food waste. It’s an issue now that I’m buying so much produce at one time. Successes: leftover ribs, Chinese take out, pork roast, and fajitas all were eaten in good time. Last bit of cream + half a box of spinach = creamed spinach. Fails: half a pound of green beans went bad.
4. The free crepe myrtle from the power company arrived. When my dog sniffed at it, my roommate joked that no, it wasn’t indoor plumbing for the pooch.
5. Not mine but roommate fixed a broken lamp and the broken igniter on the stove. While he had the stove torn apart, he cleaned it thoroughly, which took hours. I don’t want to cook, it looks so good!
WilliamB says
Just got a #6: The furniture company will be replacing the couch pillow foam that got lumpy very quickly. If the new ones get lumpy too, I’ll ask for pillows of a different size. This is the third couch I’ve bought from them yet the other pillows haven’t had this problem.
Kristen says
Yay for new pillows!
Jody S. says
-I pulled some radishes and washed and saved the greens to eat, too. (After more than a decade of throwing the greens away, I just learned they can be eaten, too.)
-I am using a card I already had (from a boxed set at a thrift store) for my daughter’s birthday today.
-I made croutons from a loaf of bread I’d forgotten in the bread box.
-I mended a pair of jeans.
-I used my clothesline to dry clothes.
-I completely wore out a pair of jeans yesterday, and they will now be consigned to the cut up and reuse pile (a monster-big pile).
This week I might try to learn to count to 5
Kristina says
Thanks for the reminder about the radish greens! I have a bunch of radishes ripening right now.
BJS says
Just one, but it’s a big one — my husband and I refinanced our house. The new interest rate is less than 1% of our old one. It sounds so little, but our payment will be $500 less a month. We have college costs coming up in the near future, so it’ll be nice to have a little more breathing room.
My husband kept an eye on rates, and locked in when he thought it was the best time. I just went to the closing with him and signed the papers. (And emailed a compliment to the supervisors of the loan officer we worked with. She couldn’t have been kinder or more helpful.)
I think after being married all these years, we’ve both influenced each other in terms of money. He used to be more of a spender and I used to be more of a saver (“squeaky” is how he would put it when we were first married!), but now he’s more money-conscious and I’ve loosened up a little.
cc says
That is a giant one, it should save so much. Congratulations and good job!
Kris says
Great work with the masks! I’ve been using ribbon for ties instead of elastic and I think it’s more comfortable and easier for the not-so-great seamstress (um, me!) to adjust to each person’s head. I’m seeing a LOT of people’s masks fit poorly and they are invariably the ones with elastic loops for the ears. I’m sure this is old news, but if anyone’s ears are suffering from the mask loops, there are easy DIY options for ear protectors out there.
K D says
1. GEICO called and asked if we are using our vehicles less for commuting. The answer is yes so they are going to give us $40+ as a credit through June. I guess if that is still the case after June I’ll call them.
2. While walking we passed a house that had fabric masks on a line in the front yard. We took two and later (we had no money on us) put money and extra cotton fabric in the collection box. The masks use ties which I’m curious to try. I had made some with 1/4″ elastic, that I had a bit of.
3. While cleaning out our small linen closet with our daughter I found two table cloths that are too small for our table. My daughter noticed they are made of tea towel material. She has a friend that has made masks out of tea towels and is going to leave the table cloths on her porch for the friend to pick up.
4. Better for the psyche than the wallet, my Monday night stitching group is hoping to move from Zoom meetings to socially distant outdoors meetings in the near future.
5. I finally found an acceptable gluten free pizza crust recipe. It’s better and cheaper than store bought and a lot cheaper than take out.
cathy says
Interested in your GF pizza crust recipe.
kristin @ going country says
I did a whole post about not having masks for the whole family when our church suddenly started up again, and then my sister in Florida sent me pictures of all the fabric she had on hand and told me to pick out whatever we would like so she could make us some masks. She sews. I do not. She also has to wear a mask for 12-hour shifts as a veterinarian, so she’s perfected the making of comfortable masks.
Free masks just because of a blog post. Behold, the power of the Internet.
cc says
For mask I’m using a different pattern that has ties and instead of elastic I’m using lycra swimwear fabric and cotton lycra. I had this in my stash but when it was used up I cut up a couple pair of old leggings. It’s worked for me. Though on honeys mask he doesn’t like the over the ears or tie. So I used some saved wide elastic off a fitted sheet. It fits around the back of the head kind of like a visor.
1. Gave 2 haircuts, always a money and time saver.
2. Received a refund check from my insurance.
3. Went grocery shopping with my first gift card. Still didn’t want to buy the more expensive items. Even if it’s free in my mind it’s money. But I also think this about credit card points and try to spend them as I would any other money.
4. Attended 3 retirement webinars. Learn a few things to better help me with making an informed decision.
5. Pulled out some old work clothes to remake into summer outfits. I’m reading Secondhand by Adam Minter. It’s interesting and making me want to reuse what I have more than usual.
Jody S. says
I read it, too, and I do like it. It has the same effect on me, but perhaps just strengthening a resolve I already had?
cc says
I haven’t been to a thrift store in years. I always think I have the same type of stuff at home. Mostly inherited, so I even have vintage items. If stuff from the 70’s is considered vintage.lol When I want to do a project, chances are good I’ll find something useful.
cathy says
Secondhand was really interesting. I’d never thought of all the extended lives of our stuff. I think it’s an especially important read for people who think their used stuff isn’t good enough to pass along and, instead, throw it out.