Five Frugal Things (Oh, and hi!!!)
Whatever bug this is (I have no idea if either of my bugs were actually the flu, as I did not get tested), it's shorter than the last one. Phew.
I'm feeling about 87.5% better now, which means I'm up! and off the couch!
I'm happy about this because several days of doing nothing but sitting down makes my body hurt. My neck and shoulders felt so much better once I got up and moving again.
Anyway. Thanks for all of your well wishes...you guys are the best.
1. I got free shipping at Target.com.
Lisey needed a few clothing items that weren't in stock locally. I almost chose store pickup to save on shipping, but then I realized that I was only a few dollars away from the $35 free shipping threshold.
So, I added one more item to my cart, got free shipping, and I don't have to mess with the in-store pickup.
I did also apply for the Target redcard, which will give me free shipping and 5% cashback. It acts as a debit card, which means I won't have a credit card bill to keep track of.
So, I thought I'd try it and see if it ends up being worth it.
5% is 5%! And of course, I've never been one to turn my nose up at free shipping.
2. I used TopCashback for my Target purchase.
And now Lisey knows about TopCashback, and she's going to make her own account for the online shopping she does.
Parents, have you noticed that frugal hacks are suddenly very appealing to teenagers when they start to spend their own money on things? I love it.
(Here is my TopCashback referral link, if you'd like to open an account. Sometimes there's a signup bonus, sometimes there's not, but it's worth a try! And an advance thank you to anyone who uses my referral link.)
3. I mended a chair cushion.
For the record, I am not super duper happy with these cushions, which we bought with our set from Crate and Barrel. The table and chairs are great, but these cushions? Not so much.
There are shrinkage issues when I wash them (in cold! without so much as a teeny visit to the dryer afterward.), and this is not the first time a tie has come loose.
Anyway. I do not give these a big thumbs up.
Luckily, this was about a 3 minute fix with a needle and thread.
4. I fixed a sock.
I bought a package of Puma socks from Costco, and one of the socks sprouted several holes at the top seam as soon as I put it on.
I know I could have taken the whole package back to Costco and gotten a refund, but that seemed kind of wasteful to me. I'm pretty sure the other totally good pairs would end up thrown away, and I didn't want to risk that.
So, I sewed up it, and I think it'll hold just fine.
5. Ooh. This is hard when you've been sick. Ummm...
Let's see.
Instead of renting something to watch, I entertained myself while sick with Gilmore Girls, which is on Netflix.
I am anxious to hear how you like the REDcard Debit card from Target. Glad you are feeling better!!
I've had it for a few years and I love it. It does take more than 2 days before the transaction hits your bank account.
Oh, I missed you. Glad you're feeling better!
I avoid specific store affinity cards/clubs, because statistics show you tend to spend more money overall when you have them. However, if one has a frugal bent, maybe less so? It will be interesting to see if your total Target spending changes with the Red Card. Are all Red Cards debit cards or is that just an option? Doesn't credit offer more consumer protection than debit?
I tend to think the RedCard would cause me, specifically, to spend more because I have to avoid Target much of the time to control myself. So many fun things! That is a self-control problem, though, and Kristen seems to have much better self-control than I do.
I was also wondering about the debit card aspect. Is it linked directly to your bank account? That would make me a little nervous, especially after the data breach they had a few years back. How does that work?
I have the RedCard and it is directly linked to my bank account just like a debit card. So....I treat it just like a debit card, not a credit card. I do not seem to shop more using it...I don't even think of it until check out. But 5% is nice, on top of specials and coupons! I've had at least 5+ years with no problem.
I used to have the Target RedCard too. I would get 5% off of every purchase. However, I closed it since I rarely shop at Target and it does show as a credit card in my credit report. I'm trying to stick with one credit card only.
For me, it's not going to be a problem. Based on my past history, I decide on purchases based on their merit alone, not on what payment method I have. For instance, having a credit card has never caused me to spend more on something, because I tend to view all payment methods the same way I would cash.
They do have a credit option for the redcard, but I hate having multiple bills to pay every month, so I figured I'd try the debit option.
I've had the Target debit card for several years now (whenever it came out) and have never had a problem. I love that I get 5% off my purchases and free online shipping no matter what it is. I've ordered lots from them (even a bed!) and got free shipping. Just like you, I don't spend more....to me this is just like my regular debit card that I would normally use at the store, but with an added 5% bonus off. 🙂
I have a red card that is a credit card (not a debit card).
This week doesn't feel very frugal at all. I am about to pay taxes and we just restocked the pantry and freezer...but hey, I guess the other things are worth recognizing.
1) We rarely eat out and our food intolerances mean our choices are limited, especially if we are trying to stay on budget. However, we chose the least expensive and yet still yummy option yesterday and signed up for the rewards program, too Love ya, Noodles & Company. You've always got my back on feeding my gf, dairy free son! Mwah!
2) We have been eating leftovers all week and they are all originally frugal meals. Potato egg soup, butter and parm german noodles, quinoa (quinoa is only frugal if I buy it in bulk) salad.
3) My oldest has narrow hips and I have to take in all of his pants because the powers that be don't see a market in tall sweats for kids with 27 in. waists. So, I am doing some sewing right now.
4) It is more or less spring so the pretty porch cushions are coming back out and the Christmas grass and white berry wreath is getting some spring-like ribbon to make it look like we invested in curb appeal. We did...years ago. On sale.
5) I hired a good friend to adjust the height of our showerhead to accommodate my 6' 1" tall son. He currently bends over to wash his hair. My friend is capable and less than half the cost of a plumber. I'll probably dish up some soup for him too. Lol.
You know, when we stayed in our air bnb in Florida, they had a shower head that was mounted on a vertical pole. That way, you could just slide the head up and down as necessary! It's a pretty cool design, especially if you have people in your household with massive height differences.
I am also tall, and visited mulitple hotels where the shower heads are very low, but recently I stayed at a hotel where I had to stand on my tippie toes to adjust the shower head. I guess the shorter people just had to deal with it. If I had to stand on my tippie toes, there is no way a shorter person could reach it. (I have no idea why I needed to share that, but since we were talking about the height of shower heads...)
There's a frugal hack for this. All the home centers sell an "S" shaped pipe that just screws in. It lifts the shower head to new heights (hee). Replace the elbow shaped pipe between the wall and the showerhead with the "S" shaped one and you're good to go. It just unscrews with a wrench. Be sure to buy a (super cheap) roll of plumber's tape to apply to the threads before you install the new piece.
Happy to hear you are better!
Here's my five....
1. I have another $10 in Swagbucks to add to my Amazon account giving me $46 to spend, and since Amazon carries some pricey doctor recommended probiotics, I think I know how they will be spent.
2. I needed a paint roller handle and I'm borrowing one instead of buying one, because I know as soon as I buy one, mine will turn up. I hope to unearth it without having to buy a new one.
3. I'm returning library books today, a day ahead of schedule. Don't want those late fees!
4. I keep a bottle of store-bought shampoo in my guest bathroom -- I make my own shampoo for me -- and it mysteriously got busted on the bottom after several different guests stayed with us, even though the bottle is plastic. Hm. Anyway, I found out it was busted when I went to clean that bathroom and found a long streak of shampoo on the shower wall and over half the bottle gone. I almost tossed it, but instead put the bottle upside down in my shower organizer and we are using the last of it now.
5. I got a medical bill and saw they filed with the totally wrong insurance, which didn't pay, of course. I called and gave them the correct insurance. It's been mentioned here before -- always scrutinize and make sure you understand your medical bills.
I love my Target debit RedCard. Since I am a regular Target shopper, it's nice to get the 5% off what I would buy anyway. They also give you 5 cents back for every reusable bag you use. The only issue with Target is having a list and sticking to it!
Agree! Love the RedCard but you have to stick with your list. It also helps if you use the Cartwheel deals at the same time. You can save a lot on grocery and home items with Cartwheel and even more if you add in coupons. Know what you need before you go in and don't get sidetracked! (Easier said than done.) Our Target is a bit out of the way so I try to only go when there are specific things I need.
Aw dang! Sorry to hear you were sick but I'm glad you're on the mend!
I had surgery last Friday and just now feel like myself again. 🙂 That's means my frugal things are a bit of a challenge to list, but let's see!
1. I'm watching the LOTR trilogy, which I rented for free from the library.
2. I'm snacking on cheaper/healthier whole foods like almonds and mini oranges.
3. My skin is all messed up from crazy hormones and whatnot, so to manage my acne I made a honey-cinnamon mask.
4. I harvested green onions from the garden yesterday and tried them in the dehydrator for long term use.
5. It's hard for me to curl my hair, so I've simply been braiding it while it's wet. It helps that this saves moolah in energy and styling products. 😉
1) I bought a pair of French Bulldog leggings from a swap group. I really liked them but decided I like money more, so I thought I'd put them on ebay to see what I could get for them. They didn't sell in the first week so I put them on a french bulldog themed FB swap group and made a profit of $19.40!
2) My husband's water pump in his truck blew. It's an issue that Ford is well aware of with his model year. However, he was 1,000 miles over warranty so they refused to cover it (despite him calling corporate). He found a local shop that would fix it for $550 instead of the $800 the dealership was asking for. When he told the dealership they agreed to do it for $600 ($110 of which we were going to have to pay anyway for diagnosis, so this way it goes toward the repair instead). It pays to shop around, I guess.
3) I have been doing great at grocery shopping with a combination of coupons + manager's special items at Kroger. One location refuses to use coupons on MS items but all the others are fine with it. I got marinated pork marked down to $2.00 and had a $1.75 off coupon, as well as another pork loin for $3.77 with a $1.25 off coup.
4) Treated ourselves to Domino's Pizza on Sunday because I had a $5 gift card that I had gotten when I purchased a $25 gift card for a birthday gift. Used a coupon as well and paid $2.14 out-of-pocket for a large pizza.
5) Bought some turkey Italian Sausage at Aldi on Monday that was near expiration so it had a $2 off sticker on it. It should've been $3.69 minus $2 = $1.69. However, the cashier rang it up as $2. She was very confused and got the manager who came over and finally handed me $2 cash. I tried to explain that that was totally incorrect, but I was holding up the line and the manager just said "it's fine". AKA free turkey sausage.
We also have a RED card debit card from Target but I haven't visited the "Land of Target" in a long time. It's too much of a temptation for me & I've been able to talk myself out of going in. Which is amazing. I'm really trying to embrace a more frugal lifestyle & Target does not help with that at all. Sorry Target...I do miss your dollar spot and your fun stationary items!
1. I've had some consistent luck with my Ebay selling adventures! This week alone I've mailed out probably 4 items. Though my profit margin is small, I am making extra cash for my family.
2. Hit up our local grocery store's reduced rack and found 6 bottles of high quality shower cream, three bottles of Simply Lemonade, two packages of soap for hubby and some yogurt. Great price for everything and we will use everything! The yogurt and lemonade were going to expire soon, so I also save three packages from the landfill!
3. Hubby attended a food show for work that required him to drive over 400 miles. The food show was not worth it for him other than the per diem he will make for the mileage and the few samples that he found.
4. We decided not to attend a birthday party of an extended cousin of ours. We had a lot going on that day and decided to just politely decline.
5. We did decide to attend the birthday party of my niece this coming weekend. She is a teenager and we bought her a gift card. Though we spend more on the gift card then if we bought an actual gift....she is our niece and deserves to buy herself something nice.
Good for you! any profit margin is great in my book and now those items are not taking up space
I keep thinking about selling things on Ebay, but can't quite pull the lever. I love finding treasures in out-of-the-way corners of dusty secondhand stores, and I love selling items for a profit, even a very small one. But so far, I've only sold directly to places that buy items outright (used book stores, some consignment shops, one store near me that sells collectibles). I don't have the patience yet for all the other steps involved in selling on Ebay. I wish I could be a supplier to an Ebay seller, lol.
I will struggle with this for a bit, but let me try to come up with five things....
1) I ebay shop for a lot of things. This time, it was hair lightener for $6 a box. A box lasts me about 6 months as I don't use much.
2)Organic blueberries on sale for $3.99/18 oz. and pineapples for 99 cents. I'm making a pie in a few minutes (pie crust was 50 cents) and may use the pineapple in a pineapple banana bread.
3)I have $68 in Swagbucks. It will be used for birthday presents.
4)Youngest child is doing some projects for an award. We have a trip planned to a museum/graveyard of a famous person. It costs $5/person for the museum, so not bad.
5)I put some items on ebay and will put a few more things on there as well. I'm trying to declutter and get ready for Spring.
Who is the famous person?
Glad to hear you are functioning 80% better! The 5% red card is quite good. Target does 15% gift card discounts every year. So if you check it $100 gc that's already 15% off with your 5% off then you're saving money right of the bat. And you can roll it into now GCs 🙂
So crappy that you have been sick. Maybe it has about run it's course. Hmm, let's see what I can think of
1. My kids are out of school for spring break so we are bathing a little less and washing a little less clothes. If it's not too dirty we put it on the next day. We are at home and no one cares.
2. I got several large packs of chicken reduced so I broke them down into meal-sized servings. One plus of being the chef and chief dishwasher is I know exactly how much my family eats. I'm about ready to pass my dish washing position on to the younger generation.
3. I finally got all my base boards clean with minimal fuss. Some were a lot more grubby than others. I did a little blog post about it, although that sounds downright boring when I think about it, lol.
4. The slightly warmer temperatures and sunny days we are having for spring break, are prompting lots of ball tossing and bike riding for free entertainment.
5. My kids got a free skate passes before they got out of school so we also did that. We have our own skates so this was completely free.
Here's hoping the remaining 12.5% of your vigor returns soon.
It's been a very frugal week, because I can't go anywhere. Car in the shop, unrelenting snow, and a baby have all kept me at home. Haven't even been to the grocery store. The vegetable situation currently stands at two carrots, two stalks of celery, and frozen peas. And the snow continues to fall. Sigh.
Oh, man. That sounds rough! I hope the snow lets up soon for you guys. SPRING! WHERE ARE YOU?
Doesn't feel like a very frugal week around here...
1. Filled up with gas yesterday in the suburbs rather than the city and the gas was 5 cents per gallon cheaper.
2. Found an allergist just a few minutes from my house and within my insurance network, so I won't have to drive as far.
3. Scheduled an oil change for next week at a place that gave me a $30 gift card last time I had some repairs done there.
4. Finally got back into my Aldi habit and stocked up on groceries
5. Found a meat special at Cub and got 4 pork chops for about $4. We'll freeze them and grill them when it warms up!
Glad you're feeling better. We got that bad flu virus at Thanksgiving and took us a couple of weeks before we felt halfway normal!
I took my 13 year old Hyundai Sonata into our local dealership. They were so impressed with it's low mileage that they have her all kinds of loving attention! The nice mechanic installed an oxygen sensor without charging me for it as it was a rarely used tester for that model year. With all they did, it cost me under two hundred dollars to have my girl running like new again! Great folks at that place! I baked a banana walnut bread and brought it to them as a thank you.
I've been making the hubs green tea to bring to work to replace the Gatorade that he'd been drinking. Big savings there!
We wall papered the ceiling in the hubs office in his shop with aerial maps that were given to him. Looks great and only cost us some wallpaper paste and five hours. And some Advil we already had for the resulting sore necks, lol!
Darned a pair of favorite socks. Want to confound the younger generation? Pull out a darning egg and pop a sock over it and grab a needle and thread while they're watching you!
Went to my local $1.49 a pound Goodwill store and scored some shirts and a skirt for $6. Stopped at another thrift shop and found a leather Relic purse for $4 to replace my current purse which was starting to show heavy wear.
Sounds very cool what you did- papering the ceiling with maps!
This week, I:
1) Made oatmeal for breakfast. Much cheaper than cereal for three kids.
2) Had my MIL cut Layla’s hair - $0
3) Used homemade stock for chicken noodle soup.
4) Packed the boys’ lunch for school.
5) Hmm...one last thing.... I ate leftovers for lunch all week so far!!
Whew!!
1) One of the books I need to read for school is available on audible, but not through my local libraries. I've been hemming and hawing and finally just decided to spend the $15 to buy a one month subscription to get the book I need. When I signed back up Audible gave me a second free one month! (It's been years since my first.) So I got the book for free!
2) I got my Dyson fixed one more time before the warranty expires in April. Dyson shipped it back with bazillions of packing peanuts. Instead of trashing the peanuts, or even attempting to open it at home where I would have, ironically, needed the vacuum to clean up all the peanuts, I took it back down to the UPS store. They opened it up for me and kept the box and peanuts for the next Dyson they ship.
3) I applied for a $10K grant. I probably won't get it, but if I keep applying I might get something.
4) My lunch today includes a little bit of veggie chili I found in the back of the freezer.
5) I found a library book we were missing. It had been shoved behind the doll house with which no one is currently playing.
1. Took a freezer inventory and realized I had enough meat for the whole week, so grocery spending was under $50 ( for 2.5 adults-my husband, myself, and a grown child here occasionally.
2. Found a nickel.
3. Bought cheaper gas at Costco.
4. Eating at home and staying out of the stores.
5. Made a vegetable/turkey soup with frozen chicken stock, turkey, and mixed veggies and a few spices on hand. Very comforting and filling for the cooler temps.
Glad you're feeling better!
1. Didn't pick up prescription refill I ordered today because it was more expensive than last time I had it filled because of an insurance screw up (Guys. Changing names is not an easy or quick process.) Thankfully I ordered it a few days early so it's not a big deal to wait for insurance and doctors to communicate.
2. Cooked at home every day for the past week. Feel like I haven't done that in a looong time due to sickness and hospital visits and craziness.
3. Bundled a bunch of errands together today, which saved gas (well...maybe. Sitting in drive-thru was a bit longer than usual), and wore out the kids.
4. Used leftovers from the freezer to provide a meal for a family with a new baby and to feed my husband lunch this week.
5. I'm scrambling for number 5....made bread from scratch, and will make a pie from scratch, hopefully later today.
1. I cooked/ate at home instead of succumbing to the lure of take-out so far this week.
2. Whenever I visit a shopping website, I go ahead & add item(s) to my cart but don't continue on to checkout. Instead I make myself wait at least 24 hours before I purchase anything. More times than not, I end up not buying anything. This tactic saved me $$$ on 3 different occasions this week. I also never feel deprived using this strategy.
3. I babysat my 15 month old nephew twice this week, which saved my niece some money & gave me enormous enjoyment.
4. During nephew's naptime, I planned menus & made my grocery list for the 3 stores I frequent, including Aldi.
5. My oldest niece loves to cook and so do I. I sent her some chicken & dumplings earlier this week, and a ham bone that she's using to flavor pinto beans with today. She's giving us soup beans, cornbread & fried potatoes for dinner. I love sharing cook/no cook days.
Hope you feel better soon. We were collectively sick for basically the entire month of February, so happy to have a respite.
We've been enduring the string of Nor'Easters. Two snow days last week and another two this week. Plus our power was out for an entire day last week.
1. No power for an entire day should lower our electric bill for the month.
2. Snow days mean no driving (couldn't have gone far last week anyway because there were trees blocking all paths out) so a lower gasoline bill.
3. Propane bill is probably lower because we did use the fireplace and stove, but not the heat or dryer when the power was out.
4. We ate all our meals at home, using items we largely had on hand. I did make it out to do some shopping in between storms, so the grocery bill didn't get lower. Thursday we ate peanut butter and spaghetti from the pantry so we didn't have to open the refrigerator. Thankfully the power wasn't out long enough to cause us to have to throw anything away.
5. My youngest boy got a Toys R Us gift card for his birthday three weeks ago. I haven't had the time to take him to the store to pick something out and things aren't looking good for this week either. So, given the news I ordered a needed consumable for the baby online, that was basically free with the gift card, and that included free shipping. My son can spend that money where he likes now, on our timetable; or, save it.
Glad to hear you're feeling better!
Five Frugal things...
1. I recieved a $300 reimbursement cheque for internet through my homeschool! (It doesn't pay for a whole year of internet, but sure helps!) Homeschooling for the win!
2. I used a 10% off entire purchase coupon from the "in the loop" app for my favourite produce store.
3. I made guacamole using up a couple wrinkled tomatoes and the last green onions before they went bad.
4. I used my travel mug for tea on the go instead of buying one.
5. The MOST frugal thing I've been doing this week has been potty training my youngest!!
I don't cloth diaper, and I've had it spending money on diapers and feeling bad about the extra garbage I'm creating.
This week has just been all over the place so far....
1. Daughter had a nasty fall during track practice Monday and I wound up taking her to the ER. Thank heavens she's going to be alright . I made sure her attending physician accepted our medical insurance (some don't) so, money saved there.
2. Daughter has to use crutches for 2 weeks (her hip, knee, ankle and shoulder are pretty banged up the poor thing), instead of buying or renting a pair from the hospital, I called a friend that had a pair and borrowed those.
3. We have two small (fainting) goats that needed their hooves trimmed. Instead of paying someone else to do the chore I managed to get the job done. Mind you, wrestling two goats (oh go ahead, I know you want to laugh, daughter certainly did) is an event. They are usually very friendly sweet fluff balls but they really don't appreciate their feet being messed with. When they get an attitude they can be amazingly feisty. I've apologized though and have been forgiven so all is well
4, I VERY stubbornly stuck to my list at Costco and didn't spend more than intended, despite husband and daughter being with me
5. My husband is a darling. He decided to help out in the kitchen. Knowing I needed to soak some beans for A dinner he decided to go ahead and get some in water, you know, to 'help out' (Ahem). And apparently his idea of "some" is 3 big bags of 3 different kinds...OH BOY...betcha cant guess what we've bean eating a lot of this week... tune in tomorrow and ill tell you all about it!! lol (and yes, I did freeze quite a bit of them, still, its a freaking lot of beans)
Beans Beans they're good for your heart....
I love the image of #3. Feisty fluff balls!
1. Aldi stock up before we travel to non-Aldi territory! -- Including a pound of Angus stew beef with a $4 markdown (two hearty meals for under $4 plus veggies)
2. Used a gift card all week for lunches and happy hours at the resort we're at.
3. Found a green shirt (for St Patrick's Day) with embroderied bees on it (for my pollinator support activities) at Goodwill for $4.
4. Picked up a visor at Dollar Tree so I can drive east in the early morning without going off the road.
5. $2 container of ice cream + 1.69 of chocolate cookies = lots of small, but great, ice cream sandwiches!
1. Ate at home all week
2. Packed lunchs for work, used up all leftovers
3.Shopped at Aldi with a list and stuck to it. Bought marked down rib roast for Sunday lunch
4.Wore clothes bought in Thrift store to work
5.Borrowed books from library, made chicken stock from chicken bones..
1. Saved $3 with a coupon and then sent in a rebate for another $3 for a propane tank refill with Blue Rhino.
2. Saved 10% at Lowe's with a coupon we got in the mail at our "new to us" house.
3. Combined library and Lowe's trips and picked up a book that I had on hold.
4. Going out to dinner with my parents paying tomorrow night and next Wednesday. (March is a big birthday month!)
5. Went to order checks with our new address and realized that our USAA account gives us 100 for free! 😉 We don't use very many checks, so that should last a while.
Glad you are on the mend! I can think of a great many unfrugal things I did this week but not so much with the frugal things. Let's see.
1. I spent $10 on 14 books at the Friends of the library sale this week. Could I have checked them out for free? Sure. But I like supporting my library and having books on hand, especially when the cost averages out to less than $1 per book.
2. I shopped for an embroidery project and bought only what was on my list at the craft store. I made no extraneous purchases for crafts that I maybe-someday-I-might-like-to-try-so-let's-get-the-stuff-now. (Kind of a problem for me at arts and crafts shops). No aspirational shopping this week!
Those are the only things I can think of this week and both actually involve spending money. Oh dear.
Went out to supper with the inlaws last weekend..Red Robin allowed us to use a free kids meal in addition to the $10 0ff $45 coupon in my email.. paid 75% of the bill with a gift card.. cash the rest then snapped a photo of the receipt and got back over $5 from Ibotta!
ate at home the rest of the week, packed my lunch for work
Went to Rite aid to get some laundry detergent on sale with coupons.. snagged a few other bottles on 75% markdown.. all were part of a Savingstar deal so money back!!
was gifted 2 tickets to a middle school musical so I got to surprise my daughter with an evening out
made a pumpkin pie on PI day to use up a frozen crust in the freezer
Hope you keep moving toward feeling 100% well! I always find that catching up after being sick to be quite exhausting too.
My five frugal things:
1) We've been in the market for a new mattress for years. Like our current one is painful & just bad. So thankful the time has come where we can replace it. We shopped a new local store, saving us both gas & money. We also were given free delivery & a mattress protector. Can't wait!
2) I started saving my daughter's old homework papers/school papers as scratch paper for my toddler to draw on the back of.
3) I watched some laundry hack YouTube videos the other night. From these I've started using less detergent/being better at spraying stains/sorting clothes by texture not by color & our clothes are looking better!
4) As my kids are in growth spurts I'm offering more fruits/peanuts/oatmeal energy bites vs. more costly packaged snacks. Less trash too!
5) I haven't bought coffee in 2 months! Going to use a gift card tomorrow on some, Lord willing:)
Enjoy that coffee!
So glad you're on the mend; it's such a nice feeling being able to do stuff after not being able to
I haven't really focused on frugality this week but I guess I have some frugal habits humming along so her goes:
1. Took all meals/snacks to work
2. Made all breakfasts/dinners at home
3. Found a new way to drive to work that's much quicker so saving petrol.
4. I have been slowly building a much better wardrobe so most of my things all go together & can mix/match & have been looking for shoes & found a pair of great shoes this week that are comfortable & go with everything
5. Been watching some youtube videos on wardrobes/accessorising (is that a word? if it is I don't think I spelt it right) & figured out a whole lotta ways to wear my navy maxi dress different ways with the things I already have - one outfit I wore this wk got 2 very enthusiastic compliments about; so excited.
Ooh, good job on finding ways to restyle items you already own!
1) Tried a new to us vegetarian meal - lentil sloppy joes, all 3 kids liked it
2) Got gas at Costco
3) My husband and I are rewatching the marvel movies, we have been getting the ones not on Netflix from the library
4) using up my yarn stash by making items my kids request
5) Eating down the freezer
Not Quite Frugals:
- Ate out twice this week ... but both times were lunch at a food court and both times they gave me a discount.
- My meeting & the after-chat was 4 hours rather than two ... but I bought only a soda, eating substantial snacks I had on me.
- I need to buy new socks ... but the socks I have are probably 8 years old and all of them are mended at toe and heel, usually using whatever scrap of thread I have left on the needle.
- Hired someone to spring clean my backyard ... but I did some of the work myself, before they showed up, so I paid for only the things for which I don't have the tools.
- I can't think of a 5th.
Our frugal week:
1) I work part-time at a retail store. This week they are having a employee shopping discount. I had a small list of items to look for and stuck to the list. No splurges for me just because they were "on sale".
2) Love the library! My 10 year old read a book as part of class, and she found out that it is a series. She is currently on book two!
3) Love the library part 2! We had a LONG road trip last weekend. We checked out a book on CD for the trip. This made the trip go a lot faster.
4) Thanks to my retired parents who both have cars but little daily obligations, we borrowed one while ours was in for repairs. This saved on a rental or a lot of juggling and spending gas to juggle.
5) We made our own chicken pot pie for PI day. Local places were having them on sale for $3.14. I made one with what we had on hand and it was a lot cheaper.
I like the idea of selling a pie for $3.14.
I like pie...:)