Five Frugal Things | marked-down meat
1. I picked up some meat markdowns
I had to stop in at a non-Aldi store for a few things, and while I was there, I perused the meat section. I snagged two marked-down packages:
And I immediately threw them in the freezer when I got home. I will figure out what to do with them later!
I also got a package of ground beef on sale for 50% off, and I put that in the freezer as well.
2. I used the last coffee filters to make Greek yogurt
My last batch of homemade yogurt turned out a little softer than I'd like, and I am not surprised, because I had to use an off-brand starter (those never work as well for me).
I was at the end of a package of coffee filters, though, and you know how they get all stretched out and are difficult to fit in the coffee maker?
They're perfect to use for straining yogurt, though! So, that's what I'm doing with the last few in the package.
3. I helped Zoe do her taxes for free
We used TurboTax, and this year, they did something kind of sneaky. She qualifies for the free version, but now they seem to auto-enroll you in the "Do It Yourself Deluxe" option, which costs something like $69.
I was like, "Oh, no you don't!"
I googled and learned that you have to click the "Switch Product" button and then click "Downgrade" to get the free product.
Soooo, now she's done, with $0 out of pocket.
If your teen/young adult kids use TurboTax, watch out for this!
4. I saved the good sock from a pair
I have a bunch of pairs of these Puma socks, and one of them got a hole in the heel.
I threw it out (darning commercial socks is not even close to being on my to-do list at this point in time), and I put the other one in my top dresser drawer.
When another one sprouts a hole (inevitable!), I will pair the other good sock with this one and carry on.
5. I resubmitted my $100 book receipt
I paid a little over $100 for an e-textbook that I only need for eight weeks (!!), and as I told you guys, I had sent the receipt in a few weeks ago to get reimbursement from my hospital (they're paying for my BSN degree).
But apparently, I sent it to the wrong spot. Whoops.
I just filled out the correct form, so now I should get my reimbursement. $100 is nothing to sneeze at, you know?
I am taking my wins where I can these days...
--Got a very good haircut at Great Clip and happily the stylist blow-dried it for me before I left. A lot of times they don't, because they call it 'styling' and charge $20 for it these days. But not only did she do a great job but she made it so I could run errands afterwards without looking like a crazy person.
--Both DH and DS#1 were fasting this weekend, so we had tons of leftovers for dinner last night. Without DS#3 here for dinner (he works second shift), there are more leftovers than I'm used to! But he was here last night so they did due diligence to eating up the leftover pasta.
--Wearing my parking-lot-picked black hoodie nearly every day. It's the perfect weight for spring and so comfortable.
--Gorgeous temperatures mean no A/C or furnace needed the past two days! And today is looking like more of the same, which makes me happy. Fresh air in the house is the best.
Good catch on the TurboTax fee. We switched to Free Tax USA this year on the recommendation of several people in my local FI group and had a great experience.
We have used Free Tax USA for years now and the cost of $16,95 to file state is very minimal.
So it's not free? as the name implies?
Another Free Tax USA user chiming in - only the basic Federal returns are free, more complex federal returns and state returns cost a few dollars. They're less expensive and less scammy about charging than TurboTax.
I also am a huge fan of Free Tax USA. Federal filing is free and state filing is just over $15. Their customer support is also great if you need to use it.
Filing the federal is free, just the $16.95 applies to filing the state taxes.
I wish I had know about that button in turbo tax. I’m sure I ended up paying more than I should have many times.
We also utilize our freezer when getting meat on sale. I also saved a couple quarts of strawberries and two bunches of bananas that were in the clearance bin.
This week can probably be described as 'what's frugality?' Here are some things I have managed to do:
1. I made payments on loans and put money into my emergency savings account.
2. I brought leftovers for lunch to work.
3. I cancelled a subscription.
4. I got a dress in a sale.
5. I baked a loaf of bread.
I tried making the banana 'ice cream' but it was too runny! I guess I need to use less yoghurt? I had to convert it to grams as we don't use cup measurements in Europe!
If you're making the kind with frozen banana chunks, it needs very little of any additional dairy or yes, it will get too liquid-y. I use milk and add it a splash at a time until it's the right consistency. No measurement necessary. 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
This week's FFT is totally owed to my husband, who started a new job yesterday!!!
--His work is now a five minute walk from the house vs. an hour commute. That's 10 hours a week he gets back! We're both just giddy with the thought of the extra time together and assorted two person projects that can happen now.
--It's also $500 a month saved in gas, to say nothing of wear and tear on the cars.
--His new wage is only marginally less, and the regained hours and gas money "raise" more than make up for it. He's eligible for a genuine raise once his probation period ends.
--His new job is just as physically active as the old one, so his "paid to work out / not stuck at a desk" goal remains achieved!
--He took care to leave on good terms, so there's a backup plan if, gods forbid, we ever need one.
Awesome job report, for both money savings and improvement in quality of life!
very nice. my hubby commuted to philly from nyc for over 20 years. by train. 5 min walk is so special. enjoy.
How wonderful that your husband now works so close to home!
Woo hoo for a gas-free commute! My DH commutes on his bike and texted me from work yesterday that "gas prices are going up but I was just not feeling it on my commute today!" Sounds like a huge win on all fronts. Congrats to both of you!
The socknwith a hole can easily be turned into a catoy. Stuff with stuffing or leavit empty and turn it into a ball sprinkle with catnip and instant toy
We took my son’s Subaru in for routine servicing at the dealership, as it’s still under full warranty. The tire rotation rang up as $25, and I politely asked if they had any coupons we could use- they did, and they charged $11 instead! While waiting for servicing I enjoyed their (pretty decent) free coffee.
I opened a new high yield savings account as my credit union’s interest rate was not especially competitive. I am now getting a higher interest rate (3.65%) and a nice cash bonus for keeping the money there for a minimum of 3 months (thank you, Marcus!)
While electronically transferring said cash, I did not have it in the proper sub account in my bank, so my bank charged me $25 for a return fee. I politely called them, explained my mistake, and they credited me the $25. As Kristen often says, if you are pleasant and polite people will be more inclined to help you!
I have a knee injury and am on hold using my YMCA membership. I called and asked if I could freeze it for a few months, and they agreed.
I complete medical surveys online- not highly profitable, but $10 here and there is nice! I cashed in my $15 earnings in the form of a Starbucks gift card, and I purchased a one pound bag of the coffee we brew at home, with a few bucks remaining on the gift card.
I was visiting a friend in NJ (cheaper gas there than in PA!), so I routed my way home past their local Costco where I filled up my tank, then ran in to buy 2 big bags of coffee (do you notice a trend here? 😂). My local Costco is currently not carrying it, and I hate running short.
I'd like to know more about those paid medical surveys on line. I have a retired nurse sister who might be interested.
Sermo is the name of the company.
Thanks.
Yes, I, too, would like to know about medical surveys.
Do you feel that your privacy is OK with what you answer? That would be my only concern. What they do with the info you provide.
Thanks
Privacy has not been a concern. The company is Sermo
Frugally for me, I have been eating at home every day.
I came downstairs at midnight the middle of last week to feed my fuzzy children their night late night snack And decided to make a list right there and then of things I could make with the stuff I had in the pantry and the freezer. Nothing earth-shattering, just things.
Ham egg and cheese sandwiches.
If you haven't tried It and you can find the recipe for the Disney Orlando's grilled cheese sandwich they make I highly recommend it. And you can customize that cheese sandwich anyway you want to. It is an extraordinary toasted sandwich.
Tacos plain nothing special.
I had some leftover Gordon's fish fillets so I had those with French fries.
Tuna salad on sunflower bread.
Hash Brown spicy sausage with eggs.
Truly nothing spectacular in the lineup but everything was tasty and I didn't have to buy anything.
Now, I am off to my first experience of wound care for my leg so, y'all please keep your fingers crossed.
Blessings.
good luck with your wound care. hope that they fix you up.
1. We had a party at work and there was extra food, so I brought some home.
2. My son insisted on buying a hot cocoa at the YMCA, which he didn't drink. So I froze it to make hot cocoa popsicles. My daughter ate them all and loved them.
3. My mom gave us fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and breads.
4. I used the bananas my mom gave us to make chocolate chip banana muffins for my kids. My husband used the cheese and mushrooms she gave us to make a yummy pasta dish.
5. My daughter needed rain boots so I dug around in my stash of shoes I collect from Buy Nothing and found some that fit her.
Formerly hot cocoa popsicles! Love it.
This week, I had the satisfaction of finally getting a fee removed from my son’s school account. Last summer, someone handling billing messed up by only marking one of the two classes as paid. When the school year started, they had a turnover in staff that complicated getting things fixed. Well, after almost a year of “we’ll look into it”, I managed to get ahold of the right person at the right time. I had my original proof of payment sitting ready and now the account has been corrected. I was worried the standing fee would interfere with next year’s registration, so I am so happy to finally have everything put right!
5 frugal things this week:
It's going to be a stretch to find 5 things but here goes:
I bought bacon at a discounted price - we will have BLTs for supper and I'll Freeze the rest.
I found curtains that I love for the kitchen/dining area. I'll have to do a bit of sewing, but I'll have window coverings after a year... I paid 40.00 for 2 panels and they are room darkening, do no need to line them!
My hair cut was only 30.00, as I now have short hair.
I found a potential outfit for my wedding at a thrift store. It was 15.00
I cooked at home , and I'm purging more stuff out of here.
My big frugal fail : my old girl was scheduled for a grooming appointment, I was going to cancel, but thought she could do it. Nope, she refused to get in the car. 90.00 spent on this....
I'll call the vet and see when they can see her. ( She's 14 ).
your frugals are very impressive as always. my tax guy is very reasonable. have been using him for more than 25 years. even when we had to pay taxes in 3 states he still charges us what he did 25 years ago. he does our former nanny's taxes, her family and my brother-in-law's. the hubby's identical twin.
I'm in a similar camp as Sophie, because with the current heatwave (86 tomorrow!) the kids needed new summer clothes. Here is what I did do:
1. Using up what we've got for food. Friday's dinner was cobbled together. On Sunday I thinned out sour cream with water instead of running out for buttermilk.
2. Not overbuying at the grocery store -- I'm trying to stock up less and use more of what I've got.
3. I bought a "new to me" bathing suit from Poshmark.
4. I scheduled my HELOC pay off! The payment processes tomorrow.
#1 and #2 are my frugal goals for the year and this helps keep me accountable 🙂
Welcome to the camp! We don't have buttermilk in Europe so I always use natural yoghurt. I don't know if it tastes the same, as I've never tasted buttermilk, but it's suggested as a substitute in recipes (again, I can't speak for actual similarities!), so that might work if you've run out.
We definitely have buttermilk in Ireland! It's an essential ingredient of soda bread and scones 😋
Ah, sorry Joan! I hadn't noticed it in countries I've lived in/visited (although admittedly, I haven't looked very hard).
You can also make your own buttermilk pretty easily! You just need about a tablespoon of lemon juice/vinegar for every cup of milk. You may have to double check my measurements on google. Let it sit a few min and it starts to chunk up like the real thing! I never buy it because we rarely use it all up, so this has been our go to.
Buttermilk is kærnemælk in Danish, def in all the supermarkets and sold in 1 liter cartons.
Good grief, Meeghan, where do you live? Tell the weather that is still technically winter!! I understand, though, because we are supposed to hit the 80s this coming weekend here in Central Calif.
We've got a 98 in the forecast for next week in AZ. Summer's here!
In Germany we have buttermilk too. But I really think thinned yoghurt is a pretty decent alternative.
I don't have any frugal wins this week and, in fact, will be $1,000 poorer shortly.
We had a massive wind storm on Sunday and the wind caught my car door and scratched the car beside me when I parked. I'll be paying out of pocket for their repairs rather than putting it through my insurance.
That happened to me last summer. Sitting in a parking lot waiting for my husband to get in the car and I had my door open. Blew into the car next to me. I will not be doing that anymore, or I will be holding onto that door.
FFT, Christmas in March Edition:
First, I'm over the moon to report that NDN1 is adjusting to assisted living better than CF and I had dared to hope. Twelve days of properly dispensed meds, three square meals a day, and increased social interaction seem to have done wonders. She seems cheerful and is much more "with it" mentally.
I'll have a lot (believe me, A LOT) to say about the cleanout at NDN1's house as CF and I get on with this. But in the meantime, here's what I've got:
(1) Friends sent me a belated Christmas gift of Honeybell citrus from Harry & David. I shared it with the Bestest Neighbors and with CF.
(2) I took advantage of yesterday's balmy weather to drive out to the friends who own the country property on which DH's ashes are buried. Unfortunately, it was too muddy for a walk up to visit the plot. But the friends and I exchanged belated Christmas presents, had a good general catch-up, and watched their bird feeders (their bluebirds have returned!).
(3) Another friend took me to dinner Thursday night at one of our local Indian restaurants. I ate the leftovers for several days.
(4) I went for a long walk Saturday morning and found $2.25 worth of deposit containers. The secrets of many snowdrifts are being revealed.
(5) I went to our Thrifty Shopper chain's boutique store near the party-school university on Sunday, since (a) this was the first day of spring break and the campus was pretty well deserted, and (b) parking at city meters is free on Sundays. I found a pair of pants apiece for NDN1 and me, plus several other useful items.
Is CF…childhood friend?
Glad you asked. I've been wondering too.
Next door neighbor's close friend.
Oooh, okay, thank you!
I am SO happy to hear about NDN1's progress. She probably didn't realize how her living conditions were affecting her physically and mentally.
"Twelve days of properly dispensed meds, three square meals a day, and increased social interaction seem to have done wonders. She seems cheerful and is much more "with it" mentally."
This is so terrific!
Frugal things so far in this week while my family has been gone . . .
--They camped on their way to Tucson near the town where my eldest son's girlfriend lives. So he got to see her, they got to split the long drive up into two easier days with a fun stop, and the campsite was free.
--I packed all their food for the car and for camping.
--When they get to Tucson, they spend very little. They stay with my parents, whose house is like a resort with a pool, sauna, and famous state park (Sabino Canyon) less than a mile away. They go to my father-in-law's apartment complex to swim too. That pool is heated, and they have a game room in that complex as well. Yesterday they went birding with my brother-in-law at Agua Caliente park. My husband buys big sub sandwiches at the grocery store for them if they need to bring a lunch somewhere, and they ate a Chinese buffet the one night my mom didn't feed them. That's the most economical way to feed our voracious horde.
--Meanwhile, at home, I've been eating whatever was left in the refrigerator: chickpea stew, one leftover Italian sausage link, the chicken I stripped off the bone after making stock. I also had quite a bit of mashed potatoes left, so I pulled out a ground beef and vegetable mixture I had cooked some time ago and frozen and topped that with the mashed potatoes to make a shepherd's pie. That was way too much for me, so some of that went to our priest.
--I forgot to send the unopened gallon of milk with my husband before they left, and its use-by date is today, so I'll make yogurt today. I didn't know you have to buy new starter. I've never had to do that. I just use some from the previous batch of yogurt. I've been doing this for fifteen years now and never had to buy new starter. Maybe because my starter was yogurt from a local Jersey-milk farm where I lived in upstate New York? I don't know.
The only time I have to buy yogurt starter is when I don't have any yogurt on hand to make a new batch
1) Used Gemini to find a menu plan to use up the lingering items in my fridge: spinach, cottage cheese & mini tortillas. Gemini gave me the instructions for a fabulous, deconstructed enchilada recipe. Made 2 full dinners & enough for a few lunches (freezer)
2) I have a goal in 2026 of spending money to improve my health. I had a very, very painful sports massage at a place that helps Stanford Athletics. It led to a noticeable difference of mobility in my hip & less pain. To make it frugal, I submitted for a reimbursement from work, as I get $480/year that I can use for "fitness" related stuff.
3) Continued to use CVS coupons that come in for $1, $2, or $3 off, as long as I'm already there picking up a prescription. This time, bought some treats for my college student, to go with his birthday gift. Bonus, iBotta almost always has a cash back offer going on at CVS for your entire receipt.
4) Hiked with DH over the weekend at a local nature preserve, which was an entirely free date. Came home & did yard work, work on our taxes together (I needed him for part of it), and he made dinner.
5) Used a $20 grocery store reward to pick up things we need. I earn these rewards by occasionally buying gift cards at places we spend anyway. In this case, it might have been Southwest. We are going to Arizona in October, and will likely use the gift cards then.
- Continue to make bread at home and share it with our kids
- Planned weekly menu based on what's in the pantry, frig and freezer plus what's on sale at the grocery store
- After lots of searching and researching online, finally found replacement cushions for our daughter's outdoor furniture. The loveseat is a non-standard size so it was hard to find one that had matching chair cushions. Finally found something at Home Depot and they delivered it for free.
- Purchased gas at Costco while there to pick up my prescription glasses before the prices started to go up.
- Brought breakfast and lunch from home each day.
I decided that my four-year old Converse (purchased on sale) could not be glued yet another time. I went on Poshmark and found a new-without-tags pair for $30 less than a brand-new pair from Converse. They arrived yesterday and look great (and the seller included a six-pack of cotton no-show socks to go with them!)
I repaired the fastener on my husband's winter cap (the kind with earflaps) A friend gave him the cap a couple of years ago.
I also repaired a split in the side-seam of a pair of underwear.
I'm continuing to use up odds-and-ends from my freezer. It's very satisfying to check items off the list I made.
Chewy sent me a coupon for free shipping and $20 off a $49 order. I had been about to order dental chews for my dogs from them, so I added a bag of training treats (which we use every day) to bring the order up to $49.
FFT: Nothing glamorous.
1. Project Clear Some of the Pantry/Freezer: Made another spinach/cheese egg slice for my lunches (finished the frozen spinach,) we had spaghetti Bolognese (used a bag of frozen Bolognese,) and I finished a box of panko on a batch of schnitzel (half for dinner, half frozen for next week.)
2. Some of my crochet hooks seem to have vanished in the last few moves, so I picked up one that I wanted at the dollar store. The kids are into crochet, I guess, so supplies are available and cheap.
3. Long-term frugality: I am not an impulse shopper. I've heard a couple of references lately to it (in a very "tee-hee isn't this cute" way) but I can't relate. I certainly have lots of other flaws, but impulse-buying things I don't need isn't one.
4. I gladly accepted some free food from my parents. My mom gave us a salad kit she wasn't going to use, some fruit, and some leftovers.
5. A bonus: this is not a particularly frugal activity--I KNOW it's not--but somehow doing laundry feels like it should be. Probably because it's so much work. I guess it's frugal that I don't have a housekeeper, or that I maintain a fairly small wardrobe. I did three loads yesterday, and yet somehow my basket is still half-full, my daughter's laundry needs doing, there's towels everywhere, and I don't even do Mr. B's laundry!
Meira, I'm with you on #3. Phrases like shop til you drop, retail therapy, look how much I saved by buying things I didn't need - they're all foreign to me. Here's to letting our other flaws shine!
I scheduled a Sam's pickup for 4 items. Some of them qualified for "free" pickup so I didn't have to pay the $4 pickup fee and even if I had, that $4 is way less than I would have spent if I'd gone IN Sam's. I'd have come out with at least $30 of things I didn't need. I find that I spend way less if I am not even tempted! Haha.
I finished up leftovers for lunch yesterday and we had leftover pizza for dinner last night. Tonight will be leftover quesadillas. Not a lot of food waste happening around here these days!
I worked on the yard getting a pile of stuff ready for "Spring Cleanup." Our city offers this once a year and it's basically a chance to put nearly anything (not mattresses or electronics) on the curb for them to pick up. It saves the cost of a trip to the landfill! So I'll have all my lawn clippings and whatnot ready to go soon.
Paid for a year of Mint Mobile to get the extra discount. If you haven't tried it, Mint Mobile is a great alternative. It works great and can be as low as $15 a month! What a difference from the $100 I was paying Verizon for years ...
Started using a project management system. This may not seem frugal, but it will help save me time and help me stay more organized. As a solo-preneur, this will end up getting me more clients and so, I'll make more money.
Just wanted to chime in about Mint...I love it!! It has saved me so much money, compared to what I used to pay AT&T, and I've never had any connection problems.
1. I bought a two-slice toaster at Goodwill for under $6. It works! I cleaned it up, but it really wasn't too bad. It has a bagel setting, which is important to me. Bonus -- it's red! I then cleaned up my toaster oven to donate. It was still working, but it took up too much space in my small kitchen. I never really used the oven part much.
2. I signed up for a free trial on Starz. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean I can watch the final season of Outlander, since they are rolling it out once a week! I will get in two episodes before I cancel, and then I'll wait for the final episode and then do another free trial to see all the rest.
3. I took a "trash walk" yesterday and I found mostly trash. I did find a little light that I think attaches to a bicycle. I'll donate that. And I found a tea bag, but since it wasn't sealed I threw it away. I found four receipts, but none of them were fresh enough for Fetch. So ... I got the health benefits of a walk for free!
4. I have been working on eating out of my pantry, and I'm beginning to see space in there.
5. I signed up for peak time savings with my electricity provider, and I've been running the dishwasher after 9 pm.
I love a cute toaster! And kettle. Ours are fairly plain stainless steel, but long-term I love the coloured enamel ones.
This is inspiring me to get a cute toaster! I have a slightly pathetic single slice toaster which is on its last legs. I think I can justify getting a new one now! I love anything in bright colours 🙂
I have begun a treasure hunt.
We have several formal-ish large parties at the Renovation River House. On the horizon: formal receptions, anniversaries, hopefully house warming (two year and a half years later, we are within months of moving in.) I love the pictures of mixed bud vases and single flowers on the outdoor tables with tea lights. I have started collecting bud vases ( amber, red and green) for table decorations. I want to buy used and my price point is around a dollar a vase. I will need about 130 of them for 20 tables. We will see what I can do. People on Facebook want to sell theirs for ABOVE Amazon prices. Neither is a good option.
I have my grandmother's Franciscan Apple china to enhance the arrangements and as serving dishes.
For the above festivities, I added two pieces to my Arthur Court grapevine platters. They were $5.00 each at a thrift store.
25 years ago we bought about 10 long tables and 60 chairs. Farmer Hubby put them on a trailer and our large family has used them countless times a year. We will need to probably rent ten more tables. I will look into renting vrs buying the extra.
The price of formal receptions are outrageous. I think my prep work will really cut down on future costs and save hundreds if not thousands.
Now if only I can learn how to cook 🙁
Do you have any donation based thrift stores in your area? They might be a resource for vases. Our church\school association runs a thrift store (all volunteer unpaid staff) that sells 100% donated items to support the school and we save most of our donated vases for a local florist for 25 cents each. It’s a win for us because we get a lot of them donated, but they don’t sell well and we don’t have space to display or store them anyway.
*Have had very little food waste this week. Using up leftovers in creative ways.
*Our paint sprayer died in the middle of a fencing project. I REALLY wanted to go buy another, but because I don't know that we will use it in the future, I finished the project by hand with brushes I already had.
*Deal of the week - 4 (look and feel brand new) Brooks Brothers long sleeve shirts at goodwill on Seniors Day (DH gets the discount for being over 55) for a total of $14.40. My younger son only wears this brand (he has sensory issues with clothing) and they are usually very expensive so I'm always thrilled when I find them. And these were all in spring/summer colors.
*DH works from home, but goes into the office usually once a week. His works told him today that until gas prices come down he can just come once a month.
*DH got a raise. We immediately changed the amount he auto invests from his salary to absorb the raise.
Still on the road edition:
1. I cashed out my IBOTTA savings to a Panera gift card.
2. Used the Panera gift card for a working lunch with consistent wifi (my signal strength varies too much at my free campsite)
3. Unfortunately saved money by not kayaking with faire folk because I had a raging ear infection. Boo.
4. Crocheted a bracelet from stash to cover my modern smart watch when I'm performing in pretend Tudor England.
5. Got another quick free chair massage for hawking my massage therapist friend's booth as she worked. I got her 2 customers and she hates hawking so everyone wins!
1. I had a successful buy nothing but necessities February. So two months in a row. Not sure how March will go but I’ve had a good start so far.
2. A friend treated me to lunch out. I think everyone is trying to keep my unemployed spirits up and I am very grateful for that.
3. I brought the Girl Scout cookies I bought and a loaf of crusty bread to a dinner with friends. I’m glad to have the cookies out of the house!
4. I used the $5 off that CVS sent me, plus a coupon in the app to get $3 more off, to buy the birthday cards I need for March birthdays. I noticed that there were very few $2.99 cards on the shelf this time around and more $3.99 and up. I’m going to have to go back to making my own cards. I’ve gotten out of the habit because of life stuff in the last year.
5. I listed a bunch of stuff on Facebook Marketplace and I sold a game within an hour or so of listing it. Now fingers crossed that some of the other things sell.
I buy all my cards at Dollar Tree, and save SO much that way. They still have a good-sized section of 2/$1 cards, and the other cards are $1.25. Don't know if you have one near you, but just wanted to mention it in case you do.
Thank you Amy. There is one near my Mom’s nursing home so I will check it out.
* I'm still using the heck out of my "free" (1.99$/3 months) Kindle subscription. Will cancel 2 days prior to renewal and go back to public library books. Full disclosure : if they send me another great offer, I might consider it.
* Bought expensive-isch proteins bars (not frugal). Hiding them (frugal!) from DD, that treats them like regular chocolate bars
* Eating food from my deep freezer instead of stock-pilling on top of it (!!)
* Using my with-ads Netflix subscription to binge-watch Bridgerton (5 years late to the party, I know). This is our only streaming service, 8$/month.
* Taking extra shifts at work lately
1. Updated financial spreadsheet with February expenses (I download data from our credit card and checking accounts and manually enter cash transactions). No surprises, fortunately.
2. Cancelled our streaming subscriptions that we only use when we're in Arizona for the winter. Did this before renewals kicked in.
3. When we travel, we bring our own stainless dishes for eating at the hotel breakfast buffet so we don't generate disposables, plus it's more civilized. Also, the local gelato shop has let us use our own stainless bowls and spoons to avoid single-use items.
4. Found a free multi-compartment wine bag that I will use to cushion glass bottles from the pantry for the trip home. The bag has a strange saying on it ("Wine is basically fruit salad") but it's functional.
5. Made vegan sloppy joes to use up lentils and a green pepper. Didn't have a can of tomato sauce so I made my own with tomato paste and water. Didn't have enough lentils either so added some oatmeal cooked in vegetable broth to fill out the recipe. I won't lie and say it was delicious.
Your last one made me smile, because you have just described my style of cooking and what sometimes results. However, if it's edible, I count it a win, since most of the time it is actually delicious.
The last one made me laugh! I know that feeling very well!
Good tip about free Turbo tax. I will pass that along!
I do this every week, but I made a grocery list and menu for the week and stuck to it.
– gave my sister leftovers from 2 meals that we didn't finish so the food didn't go to waste. It was not enough to freeze, but perfect for her
– not so much a frugal thing, but a save – we donated a working ceiling fan from our rental property to the local Habitat for Humanity store. We put in a new modern fan with a single light (instead of hard to find bulbs) as a replacement.
– used leftover coconut milk in a smoothie.
– A friend and I are making “pins” for each other. I created a Spring pin for her using all the materials from my stash of fabric and ribbons. It turned out great.
– Bought several bags of a yummy locally-made snack mix called “Wicked Mix” to gift. It's pricey. One place in town sells it for as much as $4 less per bag, compared to other retailers, so I bought it there, at Drug Emporium in Little Rock. Also got good deals on tea bags I love and the drink Zevia for my son.
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Thank you for the heads up on TurboTax! Helping my teen with her taxes is on my to-do list today!
1. We invited my parents over to celebrate my dad’s birthday. We made a delicious homemade dinner for six including homemade caramel espresso blondies. I didn’t have to pick anything up for the dinner other than some heavy cream to make the caramel.
2. I amused myself with a puzzle that I picked up from Goodwill. I paid very little for it, but I laughed that the Goodwill price was almost double what the original price was (the original price sticker was still intact).
3. I managed to fill up the gas tank at Costco just before the price started to go up.
4. We had a day almost in the 60s (it is going to snow this weekend) so I took the opportunity to air out the house and clean up a few things in the yard.
5. I downloaded two Libby books this week and so far I am in love with one of the books. It was a recommendation which makes it all the better!
1. I walked to our local ponds and found a penny and another piece of roadkill clothing, this time a green bandana. I’ll wash and donate it.
2. We’ve been eating easy meals from the freezer and pantry. I don’t batch cook enough to freeze (the boys are hungry), but some friends have done some batch cooking for us post-baby so that has been really nice.
3. I’m writing thank you cards for the support/love/meals we’ve received after the baby. I’m using some freebie cards from my family. I wouldn’t have bought them, but I am happy to give them a use and get them out of my stash.
4. We’ve just finished the last of a truly terrible bag of coffee that my mom bought while she was here. Next I’ll use my grinder and start on the bag of free Sbux coffee I picked up recently using stars won in one of their online seasonal games. I don’t prefer their coffee but it’s tolerable! Either way it will be caffeinated, ha.
5. I signed up for texts from a local car wash in order to receive a free car wash. This was important to help get the road salt off the car. I figure I can always unsubscribe if the texts are annoying. I was also happy to use the free vacuums beforehand.
1. The over-priced local grocery store had premade salad bags for $1 each!! (Should have bought more than just two.)
2. Sold a pair of boots on eBay and took them to the PO, thinking postage would be less that way. Nope! $20 to ship to Pennsylvania on the slow boat. So I went back home and printed out the $12 eBay label.
3. A friend sent me a book that helped him in his prediabetes fight. Just ordered it off Amazon brand new and sent it to me!! (“Outlive” by Peter Attia —the verdict is not in because it is too scientific for me to understand, so I am skimming to find the relevant info, and afraid I will hate what I learn).
4. A local nursery sells native-to-our-area plants. When our church buys more to continue our landscaping project, she is giving us some extras for free that are getting too old to remain in pots. (She is not a church attender but she is fully devoted to having our entire town full of well-cared-for native plants.)
Hi all, I have a few questions about selling on EBay. It looks as if I need to attach my account to a checking account. Do you all use a separate account for selling or just link your regular checking account? Has anyone had any issues with that? I’m a little apprehensive of attaching to my regular account and I’m not sure if that is valid or not.
Also, from what I believe I have read, can you pause your listings if you need to travel etc? Does anyone know if you can also pause Facebook Marketplace listings?
Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi Pattilou, you can pout your ebay and FB Marketplace listings on "vacation" .
Thanks Cheryl. That’s good to know.
We planned our menu around the meat which was on sale this week. (Chicken breast week.)
We canceled Peacock now that the Olympics are over.
I read a book through Libby. (Theo of Golden which I thought was only okay. Glad I didn't buy it.)
We worked with the toddler on "learning the potty." Frugal because underwear is less expensive than diapers.
We bought frozen pizza instead of take out.
I LOVE those meat markdowns..I find them at my kroge andn toss em in the freezer,too!!
Staying healthy is frugal!
Eating up every morsel of our CSA box..the fruits and veggies are soo delicious and fresh and from LOCAL FARMS!! WIN WIN!
Making menus and sticking to them. Using lelftovers for lunches at home.Today will be leftover lemon/artichoke curly pasta with a half of acorn squash from CSA box.
Free entertainment (not totally ree, we purchase the NO. AD youtube becasues we use it a LOT).. but my husband and I have a YOUTUBE night where we have each found 2 interesting documentaries or ted talks or interesting tidbits to share with one another.I have been into brain. science lately! (Neuroplasticity-- luckily DH and I are both science nerds) and Ken has been sharing stuff about "consciousness".It's fun to make some popcorn and have fun in our own living room..and learn something new!
It's my turn to host HAND AND FOOT card game day soon so I am scouring my pantry and freezer to see what to use up for a lunch.It's looking like a chicken pot pie will be served and a fruit dessert.
NOT NICE what turbo tax is doing.. on the sly... why do Americans cheat other Americans??? Well, buyer beware.. you've done a good deed by warning us!!
I LOVE Hand and Foot! It's my family's preferred card game. It's not a real get-together unless we've played several games!
Thank you for the info on TurboTax! I had no idea. Sneaky sneaky.
This week . . .
1) I strategized on paying our biggest hospital bill for 2026 (so far--ugh). I will pay it after our credit card statement comes off this week but before I loose the opportunity to take advantage of paying it in full and getting 10% off the total.
2) I followed up with another medical provider who made me pay my "copay" before sending me my medical equipment. I received the equipment but have seen no claim come through. If they do not submit it soon, I will have paid the full out of pocket max and the claim will come back $0. But I'm sure getting my "copay" back out of them will be a headache and a half, so I would rather count it toward my out of pocket max. I'm glad I called because they told me on the phone they don't submit the claim until I sign some document they of course hadn't sent me. The rep said she would go ahead and send it, but I will follow up in a couple days if I still haven't received it.
3) My husband and I didn't want to but we sucked it up and did another round of roof work on the commercial space we own. We are basically reroofing the whole thing ourselves for numerous reasons, the most important being that I don't want to pay $15,000 for a new roof.
4) I applied to be considered as a candidate with a job placement agency. I've never tried it from this side before, but I know from the employer side, it is expensive. I don't think you pay at all from the candidate side. We'll see where it goes. If they try to charge me, I will withdraw, but it might help me get a job offer.
5) As usual we menu-planned based on what was in the cabinets and freezer, grocery-shopped at Aldi, picked up our order on the way back from a school pickup, got gas at Costco when I was on my way home from a school drop off (there are no lines early in the morning), and are enjoying leftovers for lunch.
Frugal Fail: I lost the itemized receipt for my lunch last week. I could have submitted it for reimbursement, but not without itemization. Lesson learned. Next time I will remember where I put the dern thing.
This week I don’t have many frugal wins. But I try…
1. Staying home and hanging around because of my ACL-Surgery gives me no real opportunities to go shopping, so we save some money. My DH does the regular weekly grocery shopping and he sticks to the list.
2. Having made a plan for my recovery time protects me from doomscrolling on my phone and being lured into buying things I definitely do not need. I spent my childfree mornings with free crocheting tutorials, my water colors and some nice chats on the phone with family and friends. Keeps me happy and doesn’t involve any spending.
3. We manage to get regular dinners everyday although DH and my older daughters are doing most of the work in the kitchen. Meal planning really structures our weeks and helps to avoid takeout.
4. Our basic frugal rhythms go on like every week: Children cycle or walk to school, DH walks to his school. The car only gets used two times per week to chauffeuring children to their weekly sports activities. With the recent price for gas that makes me really happy.
Frugal Fail:
We celebrated our daughter’s birthday on Sunday and bought cake at the bakery because the grandparents won’ t eat the brownies my third daughter had baked. Germans are very traditional about what counts as cake and what not and brownies are not so popular with older generations. 😉 In the end we had too much cake and spent around 12€ and the grandparents happily ate raspberries and some cookies I took from our storage.
Is there such a thing as too much cake? 😉
When you can't move much, definitely. 😉 But the children took care of the cake.
LOL, we called marked down meat "used meat" but we buy it every chance we get to save money.
I don't know if this is all that frugal, but I did get a $400/mo. raise today simply by cancelling my HSA contributions. Apparently you cannot have an HSA once you file for Medicare. Ooops. I will set that money aside another way. I feel like I am learning as I go in life. Aren't we all? Also:
*$3 off my sub from Ike's which fed me for lunch and dinner
*skipping the book club meeting tonight as they moved it to a brewery that's clear across Austin, after dark. No thanks. That will save me about $10 for a beer, and gas money. Plus, I am still super tired from working during the time change.
*Did my own pedicure today (ha!)
My Frugal 5s
- Transferred our huge tax refund from my no interest checking account to a high yield savings account. We hope to invest it later when one of us is employed again.
- Brought binds for $5 less than original price and during Menards 11% rebate. Will submit the rebate by mail this week.
- Brought a hobby book through amazon that was 10% off retail price and so saved a couple dollars.
- Saved gas and walked to the school and back for our girls’ parent teacher conference. Also scheduled them back to back for time efficiency.
- Girls read books we borrowed from the library and books we already have at home for their school themed reading month. Also used clothes they already had for themed dress up days this month.
3 cheers for marked down groceries and blended sock marriages! The first: I gratefully and gleefully buy all forms that I will use: meat, grocery, produce, seasonal, and my personal fave-brownies! Oops, that was supposed to be bakery. The second: my current sleep socks are a happily married couple. A men's white crew sock and my fuzzy lime green (no cuff) slipper sock. I am also joyful because my feet aren't cold at night. 😊