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.
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!
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.