1. I’m using up some old coffee by making cold brew
When I went to my other house to grab my things to move here into my rental, I packed up some foodstuffs that I knew would not be used in my absence.
One of these things was a bag of coffee I’d opened before I initially left in January.
Look! I’ve almost used it up.
It’s not really ideal to leave coffee open for months (ha) and it didn’t make very good hot coffee. But I’ve been using it to make cold brew, and it’s working just fine for that.
2. I transferred my primer to a glass sauce jar
I had a very, very old bucket of primer.
And I had done a very, very poor job of keeping the rim clean, which meant the lid was not sealing properly, no matter how much I banged on it with a hammer.
(Currently, after I pour paint/primer, I use a small paintbrush to use the paint that remains in the rim. That way there’s never any buildup.)
I didn’t have tons of primer left in the bucket, but I did want to preserve it. Primer’s not free, and heaven knows I am going to use more primer in the future.
So, I used a funnel to help me pour it into a glass tomato sauce jar that I’d saved just for this purpose.
Now it’ll stay nice and sealed until I start on my next piece of furniture.
3. I bought a box of bruised peaches
Zoe and I were near the produce stand while she was having a job interview, so I popped in and found a box of bruised peaches for $12. Yay!
Since I don’t currently have a chest freezer, my plan is just to eat raw peaches like crazy. 😉
4. I installed a reusable air filter in my van
Lisey is a big fan of the reusable K&N air filters for cars, so we ordered one for my van.
And once it arrived, she was delighted to show me where to install it.
5. I got a paper shredder for $5
I wasn’t actively looking for one, but just before I closed Facebook Marketplace one day, I happened to notice that someone had a shredder listed for only $5.
And funny enough, it’s the exact same shredder I had at my old house.
I picked it up when I was already going to be in the area and I’m pleased to report that it works great.
I didn’t even bother to check how much shredders cost because I was sure $5 was a fabulous price. But it looks like eventhe cheap Amazon Basics model is at least $35, so I feel happy about my purchase!
Molly
Tuesday 2nd of August 2022
What a great post! While I wish you weren’t in the midst of a major life upheaval for you and your family’s sake, it is interesting to get different content. Almost helps people with fewer resources, as I felt when reading that you don’t have a chest freezer right now. Just very interesting to see the shift and find value from a variety of frugal habits that may be had in different circumstances and life stages.
I would love to hear more about the reusable car filter! Is it cheaper? Simply more eco friendly? When I clicked the link to Amazon, it recommended to also purchase a cleaning kit for it - is that necessary? What are the ongoing maintenance costs? I’m all for reusable things anyways even if it costs a little bit more, but would love to see a comparison.
Thanks, Kristin! You inspire me to make the best out of every situation.
Auntiali
Thursday 21st of July 2022
I did all my errands today in a circle. My town is only 2 square miles so it doesn't take much gas to do them. It was 95 degrees but there was a breeze blowing.
I saved $62 at the library for the two books I got from inter-library loans.
I got Arrid deodorant for $2 each on sale at my grocery store. I love Arrid and only buy it when it's on sale. Otherwise it's $1.25 sale price men's speed stick. I got two cans of Barbasol shaving cream for hubby for $1.49 on sale.
After having gastric sleeve surgery and losing 98 pounds I find that I get cold in air conditioning. I run my AC in the house to keep it at about 83 degrees.
Beth
Thursday 21st of July 2022
It's felt like an expensive summer so far, but I remind myself that constant frugality enables financial viability of unexpected expenses and emergencies (i.e., root canal). So...
1. I made 4 jars of jam with frozen berries that cost $4 after a store sale, store coupon, manufacturer's coupon, and earned extra rewards points which I use toward gas for our cars.
2. Got some excellent fruit and veg from the farm stand right up the street.
3. Closed the draperies to block out the hot sun.
4. Left the garage door open after parking the hot car. I'd closed it initially (force of habit) and was shocked to see the temp rise rapidly to 91 F, so I opened it immediately and put a fan blowing out to move the air.
5. Bought the least expensive cat litter because the kitten really doesn't care :)
Lindsay B
Wednesday 20th of July 2022
FFT, two week's worth:
1. DH had previously done some tree trimming to reduce the hazard to the house but still leave woodpecker habitat. He recently got around to chainsawing up the downed trees for firewood.
2. I mended two baby outfits and a sweater I’ve had for over 10 years.
3. DH took back returns to Menards from house-improvement supplies we didn’t end up using, for several hundred dollars back on our credit card. He was also able to use a rebate check (11% back on everything!) worth $175 on a new sump pump that we needed, which he proceeded to install with the help of YouTube. It’s much quieter and should be more reliable than our previous one!
4. I cut DH’s hair.
5. Visited the Goodwill in our beach location and found a pair of perfect jeans. Especially pleased by this as I currently only own one pair! (I’m what Gretchen Rubin calls an Underbuyer, ha)
6. Stayed overnight with a friend on the way back home from the beach, and she gave us freshly-picked lettuce and frozen ham. We also tried to reduce food waste and flew home with some produce from the beach.
7. Using it up, freezer edition: made a very decadent lunch that used a raw-milk cheese that I couldn’t use during pregnancy, and which had been frozen for the last year.
Edit Jeremias
Wednesday 20th of July 2022
I never find bruised peaches like you do. :(
Kristen
Thursday 21st of July 2022
This one stand near me has them super consistently! So I am very lucky.