Five Frugal Things | pink scrubs and a CNO meeting
1. I ate down my fridge
This was kinda-sorta accidental, but...I did a fairly minimal grocery shopping trip last week, which meant that I was forced to eat down my fridge.
You know how that is...when you don't have new and interesting produce, you end up finally eating that apple in the back of the produce drawer. Ha.
(Ok, looking back now I realize the title of this item makes it sound a little like I was munching ON my fridge. Hehe. I'm leaving it anyway.)
2. I organized my linen closet bins
I keep toiletries, cleaning supplies, and more in there, and everything had gotten kind of mixed together, which made it hard to see if we were out of floss, or if we have band-aids, or if we need to buy more cold medicine.
Soo, I took it all out, sorted it more appropriately, and put it back together neatly.
It is not beautiful enough for a tap-the-fingernails influencer post, but it is functional.
(For a tour of my functional-but-not-beautiful closets and cabinets, click here.)
3. I added my Safeway deals to my app
I needed some coffee, so I popped in and remembered to activate my monthly 5% student discount, and I also picked up a few really good sale deals, like some inexpensive fruit.
Safeway is not a frugal main grocery store, but they do have some good here-and-there bargains.
Aldi is forever and always my main squeeze. š
4. I ordered some discounted Fabletics scrubs
They have a super cheap introductory offer for one pair of scrubs, sooooo I took advantage.
I ordered a color that's sorta in between pink and purple, but close enough to pink to qualify for our "On Wednesdays, we wear pink" thing on my unit.
The first pair I ordered was way too tight, so I sent them back and exchanged for the size up. These are slightly on the looser side, but I'm just gonna roll with it since they were so cheap.
And I probably won't order from them again since I seem to be in between sizes in their brand!
It was a very inexpensive experiment, though, and now I know this is not the ideal brand for me.
5. I am meeting with the CNO today
I scheduled a meeting with the Chief Nursing Officer today because, as far as I have been able to tell, my hospital has a weird policy of only handing out BSN raises in January.
This means that if you graduate in May (as many people do!), you have to wait another seven months to get your raise.
This makes no sense to me, and I cannot imagine the rationale behind it because it's not even like it lines up with a fiscal year.
The CNO always ends her emails with "Click here to schedule a coffee with me!", so...I did. Ha.
I hope to be successful at advocating for a change in this policy, and if I am, that's gonna be a financial win for me and lots of other coworkers who are pursuing their BSNs.
I'll keep you posted. š
I like that Cleo is inspecting things!
Frugals:
1. I went to an amusement park (and rode my first rollercoaster!), and got a discount on the ticket with an app, which took off a decent amount of kroner! My friend and I went on several rides so we definite got our money's worth!
2. I used my gym membership and went running and swimming outside.
3. I line dried some clothes.
4. I made payments on loans and added to my emergency fund.
5. I got a reduction on rent, which was a pleasant surprise!
*Chiquita, not Cleo! Cleo is my sister's cat lol!
Congrats in particular on adding to your emergency fund!
Thank you!
1. AutoZone tested my car battery and starter for free. Fortunately I didn't need to replace them the fix was rebooting my car's entertainment system and a new key fob battery which I had in the freezer.
2. I dehydrated the oregano that came back in my container garden as well as cooking with fresh. A nice frugal surprise!
3. I used shoe stretchers on a pair of shoe instead of having it done at the show repair shop ($$)
4. Spent a very tedious afternoon entering and double checking entering my business travel, mileage, and expenses into Stride
5. Saved more money on desperately needed clothes shopping a 60% off going out of business sale than I would have if I bought the same items I had saved to my Thredup list
Was it Tivoli? Their roller coaster is CRAZY!
Yes! The crazy one is closed but I went on the wooden one from 1914! Also the Star Rider ride.
Cheering you on in your meeting and I hope it goes well! It's definitely one of those "can't hurt to try" moments in life that you're so good about.
1. I'm gonna count Walmart grocery pickup as a frugal win this week. I am still in awe that I don't have any type of premium membership and I can still just shop from home, go park, and a usually friendly young person puts all my groceries in my car. I like grocery shopping sometimes, but the time and energy savings of a pickup is definitely frugal.
2. Returned a pair of pants that didn't fit how I had hoped.
3. Sold my friend a Starbucks gift card that she will enjoy and I wouldn't use.
4. Made homemade pimiento cheese last evening which is a win for my taste buds as much as my wallet.
5. Tried to reschedule an appointment in a major hospital system and it was a disaster. They were so confused and I was transferred to SIX different people. It was still incorrect, but supposedly today's is right. Now I get to combine trips (this doc is an hour drive) and visit a friend when coming back through another town. Basically it was complicated but all worked out well in the end and saves me some time and gas.
Good on you for advocating for yourself and colleagues re: the odd raise policy. May luck be on your side!
--My husband roasted a whole chicken (bought on clearance), which fed us for three meals. He also made broth with the offal before lovingly chopping up the latter to feed the cats. There's a reason our boys are so soft and glossy! Spoiled creatures. <3
--We have a LOT of tea, and it tends to wander around the kitchen. Since our most-used teas already live on the fridge--yay magnetic shelves!--I challenged myself to get ALL of our tea in the same place using what we already had. I rearranged the magnetic shelves, rehomed a few things that didn't belong there, combined tea bag boxes, and used recycled jars for loose teas. All of our tea is now in plain sight and one spot!
--I couldn't figure out why our vacuum wasn't, well, vacuuming. Recently changed bag, clean roller and tubes, etc. A careful examination found the culprit: a sneaky tear in the plastic suction tube leading into the machine. Gorilla Tape to the rescue!
--Earlier this year, the Non Consumer Advocate mentioned spray-painting her worn toilet seat. Since our black toilet seat had worn through to white in several places, I decided to give it a go! The satin finish black spray paint I used was leftover from other projects. Now our seat again looks stately in our green and black bathroom.
--I took a mini road trip to a good friend's house to help her set up her vegetable garden. I wouldn't be the garden troll I am without friends helping me get started, so I was glad to pay it forward. I brought volunteer tomatoes and extra squash starts as well as my seed stash to share. Since we planned this a few weeks ago, my friend had time to source tomato cages from her local Buy Nothing group. Her husband, daughters, and family dog also joined in, which made for a fun and joyful morning.
1. I picked up a pair of hiking shoes for my son and a pair of baseball cleats for my daughter off Buy Nothing. Both pairs will fit them next year.
2. My mom gave us fruit, vegetables, chicken, pizza, and pretzels. I used the apples to make 4 big jars of applesauce. I used the sweet potatoes to make waffles that I am eating for my lunches this week.
3. My neighbor gave us rhubarb. I used it to make 3 jars of jelly.
4. I mended a pair of gloves and a reusable bag.
5. My husband fixed the concrete on our front step.
I love the color of your pink scrubs! Best wishes on your advocacy appointment today.
My FFT:
1. I refrained from buying some beach towels and donated blood, after which they gave me an American Red Cross beach towel for free. It was a win all-around. I was seriously contemplating buying some beach towels Memorial Day weekend, but didn't spend the money. Plus, this was my first positive blood donation experience! I told the people that I was 0-for-3 for having a smooth donation experience, and this one ended up being the best one by far! Now I have more confidence to keep donating.
2. I worked an extra couple of hours in the middle of the day on a day I don't normally work. I'm off for the summer, so I was happy to make a final bit of extra income.
3. I cancelled our Yippee subscription on time. They offered it for $2/month for 6 months back before Christmas and we have used it quite a bit these last few months. I don't feel the need to pay full price, though. In that same vein...
4. I signed up for a free trial with Minno. My kids are on a huge VeggieTales kick right now and my coupon code was supposed to give me a free month instead of just a free week. I'm not sure that it worked correctly, but instead looks like it discounted the annual rate enough that I might consider it for a year. I have a week to decide.
5. I have lots of volunteer sunflowers growing in my garden, so I am moving them around to where I want them. I think I got more volunteers than I had planted last year. Plus, I have hundreds of volunteer tomato plants coming up. I'm sorting through which ones I want to keep (I found a couple of Brandywine Pink ones in there - keeping those for sure!!) Free plants are great.
Ruth T.,
Thank you for sticking with it (no pun intended) and giving blood again. My daddy had a terminal illness and we would have lost him maybe 7 or 8 years earlier than we did, except for the blood transfusions they gave him, which extended his life. Donors like you gave us more precious time to be with him.
The worst part of my having been dx with cancer is that I cannot give blood anymore....or at least for 5 years post surgery, but by then I may be too old. I was a regular donor back before this happened.
Meanwhile, if you still need beach towels, wait until after July 4 (or perhaps much later in July), when the stores clear out the summer merch to make way for Back-To-School items. If I need bath towels, I get beach towels at this time -- they are big and cheap and serve the purpose well. You can often get some gorgeous graphic prints, too.
When I was diagnosed with AFIB and put on blood thinners, I could no longer donate blood. Then I was able to get off the blood thinners, but still take a med to control heart rate but it wasn't on the list of banned meds for giving blood. But last time I tried to donate, I was denied. I then followed through with the main office and have been told I can do it.I will try this week. I hope it works.
Chiming in to thank you for persevering and donating blood. I, as well as two of my sons, have needed a transfusion and things would have gone very badly indeed had there been no donor blood.
I will join in the expression of gratitude for your blood donation. Thank you so much, it really is a generous gift. I have been the recipient of many blood transfusions and always say a prayer for the donors when the bag goes up. I agree that one of the saddest aspects of my cancer diagnoses is that I will never be able to donate blood again or my organs (I will have chemo the rest of my life.)
Whenever someone asks if there is anything I need, I tell them to please consider making a blood donation. (Also makes a nice birthday or holiday gift idea)
My first attempt at planting tomatoes this year and I bought Brandywine. When trying to decide on which variety to purchase I noticed that the Brandywine type were almost bought out so I figured they must be good. I saw your comment so that supports my decision.
Veggie Tales for the win!!! My kids loved them when they were kids and we would sing the songs on the way to school.
If you have access to RightNow Media (e.g. many churches give free access), Veggie Tales co-creator Phil Vischer has kids shows there that I hear are also fun (Emily Elephant, the Mr. Phil show). Suddenly I miss Bob the Tomato...
Thanks for sharing your stories and for the encouragement to keep donating! I know it's valuable, which is why I've been trying to make it work. I'm hoping to get more friends to join me in donating!
Auntiali, we've got the songs through Hoopla right now and my kids were belting out "Where Have All The Staplers Gone?" while we were in the bank drive-thru today. I wondered what the lady in the convertible next to us was thinking!
I actually did some frugal things this week!
--Added Fetch to my phone and realized that I can link it to my Instacart account, so all those receipts will automatically load and I can start earning more Fetch points.
--When at Walgreens (getting labs done for DS#3), I found a receipt in the parking lot and scanned it into Fetch.
--We have switched to just keeping frozen fruit on hand (mostly--the exceptions are bananas, oranges and grapefruit) because fresh berries are $$ and go bad so quickly. I figure the frozen strawberries probably have more Vitamin C in them than the berries that sit, for who knows how long, in the produce section. Ditto for broccoli and cauliflower.
--I tried a granola recipe that turned out...not very well, but ate it up anyway. Lesson learned. Stick to oatmeal.
--Found an empty spray bottle in the garage and mixed up my own cleaning spray (half water, half vinegar, squirt of Dawn).
1. Zested a lemon before juicing it. Used both the zest and the juice in a quick bread. Baked the bread in our toaster oven to conserve energy and not heat up the house any more than necessary.
2. Cancelled Sling TV now that the Stanley Cup playoffs are over; the finals will be on ABC which my husband will be able to watch via our antenna.
3. Husband went to the natural foods co-op to refill our bulk pantry. Economical to do it this way, and no waste as we bring our own mason jars which then go straight into the pantry when we get home.
4. Changed up some recipes that called for rice to use half rice and half quinoa, just for a change of pace and extra protein. Cooked the quinoa with the rice as I find quinoa is hard to corral on its own.
5. Had a skin biopsy done on a concerning spot and said yes to the wound care supplies offered by my dermatologist, even though I had enough at home. No cancer this time, thank goodness.
Good for you on the test results. No cancer is always a good thing to hear.
Thank goodness for a clear result!
Thank you, Joyce and Sophie!
I really love that last one. I'm always seeing things I deem "wrong," but I rarely make the time to try to instigate some measure of meaningful change. I hope it works out right because I want so badly for common sense and decency (and appreciation for hard workers) to win the day!
Our frugals:
*We found some weedkiller in the garage and sprayed a patch of poison ivy that is not in an out-of-the-way place. This is less expensive tha treating super-reactive folks for a reaction.
*I just made coffee at home.
*Our daughter has her learner's permit and needs to log hours. We didn't make special trips this week to do this, but she did get to drive a couple of hours on previously-planned trips.
*I've made sure we have some scraps of edibles around for our working boys to pack for lunch. It helps that they are not picky.
*We put an order in for some bulk sale items to be picked up on Friday. It is not convenient for me to freeze and can 80 pounds of chicken breasts on Friday since we're preparing for a graduation party on Sunday, but the price is too good to pass up when our freezer is getting close to "no chicken" status. Likewise, butter, but I don't need to can any of that š We also ordered a huge amount of oranges and red bell peppers figuring that they could be served at the party sliced up. You know, planning meals around those sale items is so key.
*We are having a silent auction at church to raise money for a new organ. We have accumulated so many crafty things to keep kids busy over the years, and my youngest is beyond many of those things now. SO. We gathered up many items (popsicle sticks, free puzzle books from Highlights which were saved by my late grandmother-in-law, stickers, crayon packs from restaurants, etc.) and are putting them a very large plastic pretzel tub and calling it a "Kid's Busy Box." I hope it helps some mom of littles have a few moments of quiet.
*I ate the spicy radish from the garden. Is this frugal? Maybe not, but the thought helped me along.
Sending all the positive vibes for your meeting! I hope the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
I filled up my car at Costco when nearby for a haircut. My car requires premium gas so every little bit helps!
I washed some laundry and promptly transferred it without having to wash it again which is a recurrent problem for me.
Convinced my husband to do my daughters move out in one weekend instead of 2 so we save travel time and expenses.
Unearthed some workout leggings that I'd forgotten I had so I didn't buy a new pair.
I'm maximizing my health insurance usage with my PT and dietitian appointments which are both leading to better health outcomes which is a very frugal win!
Fingers crossed on the CNO meeting, we look forward to hearing the outcome.
FFT:
- it was super hot last week but we managed to keep the living room cool without AC. All courtesy of a regime of closing blinds and hanging sheets in front of a door that caught the sun all day.
- we continued our streak of cooking on solar powered induction. And solar powered laundry.
- we adjusted our grocery shopping because we were less hungry.
- I took up outdoor swimming again now my lung infection has finally gone. Big smiles here as this does wonders for my mood.
- I borrowed more books from the interregional library.
We got our statistics for our energy consumption for the month, and we "made" more electricity than we used. Since our solar panels are already depreciated, it is free power indeed.
A few years ago while reading my HO policy, I came across their "policy" on solar panels. We have no solar panels but my HO company will only replace the number of panels needed to generate the average KWs I use per month over a rolling twelve month period. Some people sell back their excess and this was the reason for the coverage change. I don't find this totally out of line either.
That color is magenta. One of my faves, as it happens. If I'm not careful I end up with a drawerful of magenta clothes and nothing else.
On a long car drive (10-11 hrs, broken into two days), I bought food from stores rather than gas stations. Not as frugal as going out of my way to a grocery store but, as I hadn't planned on driving that trip, I didn't want to add another hour.
When I changed plans, to drive, less than 24 hrs before my flight, I got all my frequent flyer miles back, losing only the $5 fee.
I earned a bonus from my frequent flyer account, which I used to get more miles. (One of the options was a personalized luggage tag. People must like them that they're an option but I can't imagine choosing a tag, which you can generally get for free, over miles that earn you flights and status.)
Stayed with my father overnight, a happy win for all.
He gave me two wide Elfa drawer-carts he didn't use (much). I can always find a use for Elfa drawer-carts.
Returned inedible snap peas to the store for a refund.
Make Oat Bars for a healthy snack, including some random bits of granola someone gave me.
Frugal Cheats:
My father bought dinner and provided breakfast. The rental car was also on his account because he gets super-cheap rates (from a membership he cancelled years ago!). OTOH, I paid for pricy snacks for him for his upcoming trip. We're very unconcerned about who pays for what and almost never pay each other back(1), figuring that it all comes out in the wash. Or the inheritance.
(1) I did ask him to reimburse me for the fridge I bought on his behalf.
I didn't know what Elfa drawer carts were, but I searched-- those look lovely and see-through. That would help my forgetful brain know what lives where.
Having a favorite color or colors does require some oversight. We recently took a trip and I noticed that my husband packed three white and blue button down shirts and three maroon ones. I have favorite colors but my weakness is patterns in paisley.
Well, whadda kno? The $5 fee was refunded as well.
Oatmeal bar recipe, easy?
Love oatmeal, but looking for new ways other than my homemade oatmeal mix
Good luck with the meeting. My son's job does this also. He was fortunate that his boss gave him an "out of cycle" raise his first year since he came on midway through the year. Maybe if they can't change the policy, they can offer something like that.
Also, I like the color of those scrubs.
I used a $10/$50 coupon at the grocery and also bought things that were on sale already.
I bought two bags of potatoes that were on sale for 5 lbs/$1.50. I washed, peeled, diced, and parcooked them and froze them for bags of french fries and hashbrowns which ended up about $3 for 9 lbs (after being peeled). Frozen fries and hashbrowns are running about $3.50-$4 for 20 oz so I saved about $25 and lots of time in the future. Took less than 30 minutes of hands on time to do it.
I made 2 summer house dresses that are very comfortable from vintage cotton floral sheets I bought at goodwill for $3.
Gave DH a haircut.
my cat has started taking a medicine and after digging around I found chewy had the best price for this medicine. I used their code and discount for autoship and saved about $10 on his first month and will save about $5 per month going forward (and it's about $25/month cheaper than elsewhere already).
I can't see them in person, but love both the color & fit of those scrubs. Very cute. And, good luck with the CNO! If nothing else, if there is a logical explanation, you'll get to hear it. If not, you can work on convincing her. š
1) Went for a one night getaway for DH's birthday & booked it through points. Activities (hiking & spin class) were free. We got two free sets of drinks + a lovely free brunch. We paid out of pocket for lunch, an appetizer & a dinner out. Plus car charging, as we drove our electric car there. It was a great time at the beach (Carmel).
2) I extended a few flight credits that were going to expire before we used them. This was for Southwest (me) & United (DS20). It's a bit of a hassle to keep on top of these things, but worth it to save the money.
3) Debated getting takeout pizza for DS19's last minute pool party on Sunday. Instead DH went back to Costco & picked up a few things. It was a little cheaper than takeout pizza, but we also have a ton of leftovers for other meals.
4) Listed & sold a few things on eBay.
5) Called about a credit card charge that didn't belong & it took 3 tries, but got it fixed.
Lots of frugal decisions in finally moving into the River House Renovation:
It took two, 12 hours days but I staged my own house to sell while we are still living there. I went to high end open houses and read an article on the top ten "must dos." I took down everything personal and almost every knick knack. I bought select items from Marshall's (tiny green silk plants for bathrooms, white fluffy towels, unused pretty soap dispensers, and two sham pillows which I take off when I sleep. I spent a total of $300 but. . . the realtor loved it so much she took .5 percent off her commission. That means if we get asking price, I saved $2500.
I re-seeded the yard 6 weeks ago for pennies and that could bring a quick sale in a tough-ish market.
I am cleaning the renovation myself. I had considered hiring a team because life is very crazy right now. Instead of the money put towards a cleaning crew, I bought a backpack vacuum (which I ADORE), a floor steamer, and industrial microfiber dry mop, an electronic scrubber, and a battery operated shop vac. These were $1,000 total. The cleaning crew would have cost me $2,000. Now I will have all the best tools to keep the new River House clean which is years of money saved.
I am hiring a window washing service for the two story American Craftsmen. Not frugal but worth it.
Those were very admirable decisions and Iām dying to see the 2 story Craftsman houseāso classic and classy. Iām also slightly horrified that there will be strangers walking through your home while you are living in it, but realize thatās just the way things have to be sometimes.
If Kristen can allow, I will imgbb photos when we move the furniture in.
Yes please!
Kristen - Way to go advocating for yourself and colleagues! Many years ago, I met with a VP and member of the board of the company I worked for and asked how raises were handled when an employee hit a major career milestone, like having 25 years of experience. That conversation led to me getting a raise, the policy changing for the company, and colleagues also benefitting from the update.
Frugal things - sick edition
- Did not get takeout over the weekend. I was too sick to want to eat so DH found things in the frig/freezer/pantry to eat
- Went to look at the house our daughter and SIL are looking at buying and did not stop by the Dairy Queen right outside that neighborhood on the way home. Instead, we had popsicles that were purchased as BOGO at Publix.
- Read a lot of Kindle Unlimited books while staying home sick
- Used my downtime to tackle tedious life chores like sorting through junk mail, organizing the pantry, and cleaning out closets and dressers.
- We had a few mini-cucumbers that were going to go bad since I didn't feel like eating. I cut them up and add them to the leftover brine from a *very* expensive jar of pickles we bought at a local festival.
I admire your courage and confidence in standing up for yourself (and the others) with the big bosses, Kristen, and hope they listen and give you grads a raise. After all, they're the ones who insisted you get that BSN degree. Will pray for your success.
1. My handyman went overboard in cleaning out the garage and threw out some perfectly good items. I found this out when I could not lift the trash sacks due to weight...and neither could he. After he left, I got out some more trash bags and sat in the garage to divide up the garbage. That's when I found my grandmother's hand-embroidered dresser scarves (how on earth did they get into the garage in the first place? Methinks the former roommate may have done that!) and some books and some draperies. I took the cloth items back into the house and washed/cleaned them. That one bag filled up three bags with garbage and leaves, but I gleaned several items that I will donate (after they were cleaned) to help our charity thrift stores. Our city has twice the normal rate of people living in poverty, and the charities need all the help we can give them! (Meanwhile, the city has picked up the garbage, so I'm now starting to clean out closets.)
2. One of my coworkers just moved into a mobile home and was saying how some of their windows were bare, so I took her the drapes I rescued. She said they were perfect! My drapes were olive green and her decor is fall colors -- a lot of browns and golds and yes, even olive green accents. She said the color will go well in there. I had used the drapes in another house, but have no need of them now; I was saving them "just in case." Lately, I was planning to give them to Goodwill, but I'm glad I could help a friend.
3. Taking advantage of the full moon, I repotted several houseplants and outdoor potted plants. One was a rosemary plant that somehow had fallen over at its stem. I used a pot excavated from the bottomless pit that was our garage storage room; live-oak leaves from the mulch pile (to fill up the bottom and save on having to use too much potting soil); and dirt from other flower pots where the plant hadn't survived, along with the soil/compost that was in the original container. I used rainwater collected in the barrel to water it. So I was able to transplant the rosemary without having to buy anything. It's now standing upright at attention in its new pretty pot, looking great, and the patio smells lovely! I similarly transferred other rootbound plants to the next size up containers, and am rooting some cuttings for even more free plants.
4. An old box fan fell over and a small piece of a plastic blade broke off. Couldn't have that inside the fan because it could get messed up when the fan was on; the other blades could hit it. So I knocked out one tiny piece of the plastic grille and fished the blade fragment out of the "cage." The fan works OK without it.
5. The same thrift store where I got all those nice slacks* was having another bag sale. This time, I scored some blouses and a jacket (and also 2 free books). Some of them didn't match, esp. the dressy jacket. But I kept searching through my closet and I found one T-shirt that actually has the same color in it, plus a blouse that will blend with its colors. Sadly, the slacks I thought were a perfect match are not anywhere near the same color, but I will wear it with either white or black and that should work for now. Meanwhile, I took advantage of Senior Day at Goodwill and found a shirt that's a perfect match for the print capris and one pair of the slacks. (*I'd thought the slacks would all go with what I already had, and was disappointed when they didn't. But, hey, I needed new slacks, as my OLD slacks' elastic waists were, um, falling down on the job.)
First of all, I love the hot pink scrubs on you. And Iām crazy about your advocacy skills and championing the effort with your CNO meeting. In every instance you rise above the work you are doing. This bodes well for your future, in an exciting way! And, hey, at the very least, its a free coffee (Or maybe coffee is always free at your hospital?).
I am honestly so proud of myself for doing this! š Thank you for cheering me on.
I'm proud of you too!
Yes, good for you for advocating for yourself and others!
Women do not do this as often or well as men, I have heard.
If you can, ask her what benefits or opportunities she sees most people don't take advantage of. The answer might be helpful.
1. I had another Marketplace sale.
2. I found another Target gift card in the recesses of my purse. I treated myself to some trail mix, which I would not have done normally. There is still a nice balance on the card.
3. I used some sad bananas to make muffins. I left a few at home and brought the rest in to work.
4. A friend invited a bunch of us over to watch Project Hail Mary and have dinner. My contribution was deviled eggs that used up some eggs that were near their expiration date.
5. The new plants I put in are truly deer resistant. I looked out yesterday and there were deer prints all around one of the plants and it hadnāt been eaten. Thatās definitely a win!
Love the updates!
The rationale behind only giving BSN raises in January is that the hospital gets to continue paying lower wages for all those months. If they can get away with it, why would they do anything differently?
Editing to add that I agree with you that it's not right and well done for speaking up.
I once got a community college to change its policy on taking younger students. We had to petition the college president for our student, and after our student, they changed the policy to allow all students that age (12) to take classes.
Which is why I scheduled the meeting. I can see no just reason to withhold the pay raise!
And yay you for speaking up too. That's how we get things done. š
My cynical mind says that the CNO will tell you that it isnāt her decision to postpone pay raises but that sheāll bring it up to the hospital board (or some such unsatisfactory non-answer).
HOWEVER, if anyone can convince the Powers That Be to act, it will be you, a sober, judicious, mature, sensible, hardworking and conscientious nurse.
Please let us know how the ācoffeeā meeting goes. (Better not be old coffee in a styrofoam cup with powdered fake creamer!)
Jana, noooooo! We are gonna have faith that my CNO's position holds some sway over a policy that is solely affecting nurses. š
I'm with you, Kristen!! Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as my dad used to say. So very proud of you for asking for this meeting!!!!
Iāve been shopping at thrift stores for off season clothes. Specifically snow boots and a new to me down coat. Score! Boots were $3.75 at the Goodwill outlet. Barely worn, almost excellent condition. I KNEW Iād find some eventually. Then I found not one but two down coats at the Goodwill. One is jacket length and the other is below the hip. Eddie Bauer brand at $8.99 each. My current down coat is torn in several places and is a bit snug as Iāve gained some middle age weight. So up sized to a medium. Both are in excellent condition. I KNEW Iād find I would find if I waited and looked. I am grateful to have the time to look. I am retired. When I was working I would not have the time or energy to run around looking for these things. There are some perks to being older.
Big fat score for me!
Those are amazing finds, Joyce!! Well done you for taking the time and waiting for the perfect things!
WhenI was a brand new nurse I worked in a pretty small hospital and it was not too hard to get a time to see the CNO.So I made an appointment to let her know I ABSOLUTELY had a PASSION for obstetrics.I knew I had to do a full year in med surg first before requesting a transfer, but I let her know if OB needed ANY extra staffing whatsoever, ANY SHIFT (We had 3 shifts back then) I would be available on short notice on days off..
ANd so, I DID start getting calls and I DID go in, and I learned OB slowly but surely, and started getting āfloatedā over on many days..AND, by my 7th month in MED SURG I got chosen when an opening came up in OB!!! YAY!! And that became my lifelong career.
I KNOW you will be influential in affecting a change in policy for BSN graduates!! I just know it!
Frugality and āinfluencers:ā I think we all do so muchbetter when we skip watching those home improvement shows and the influencer reels all over the place.Soon as I start watching I am CERTAIN I need to order just 5 nice new sundresses āfor my body typeā of course, for our Arizona summers.Now, I have 6 beautiful SKORTS FROM COSTCO that make up my summer wardrobe.Most all my summer tops are from my fave consignment store and I occasionally refresh them.. if I STOP WATCHING THE REELS I AM NOT INFLUENCED BY INFLUENCERS,LOL.. to think Iād look and feel much better in new clothes.
Fact is I LOVE my skort outfits āthey work! They look nice! They are colorful! They wash and dry fast! They have LASTED Me a few years!
Spending money on fancy containers for closets? I donāt think so! Itās funny.. if I think. of it..WHO,BESIDES ME AND MY HUSBAND even GO INTO my closets and pantries??? I donāt have strangers going through my bathroom supplies OR my closets!! They work for ME!
Kristen, good for you for scheduling that meeting! So often these policies are arbitrary ~ itās like no one really thought them through, and then everyone since has just sort of shrugged their shoulders. At my last job I was on a committee whose purpose was to evaluate (and hopefully improve) the employee work experience, and these are the kinds of issues we would try to identify. We actually succeeded in getting our company to pay for some mandatory annual training! I have no doubt you will cheerfully and professionally present an excellent case. Cheering you on ~ best of luck!
1. I pulled out assorted teabags collected from work trips and made sun tea.
2. I looked up how many digital credits I had on Amazon and when they would be expiring. Some were expiring at the end of May so I found a few discounted books that looked interesting. During that process I discovered that Amazon doesnāt use the credits in the order they are acquired. As I purchased books using credits the balance on the credits expiring in May went down but so did the credits expiring in September. Tricky-tricky.
3. I sold a pair of Birks that a friend gave me. They were too big for her and even though they fit when I first tried them on, my lymphedema told me they werenāt the shoes for me. The Birks were given to her by someone who didnāt want them for some reason so I felt no guilt in selling them.
4. I shortened a pair of jeans to fit properly. In the process I cleaned out my sewing basket and put a few items in the donation box.
5. I batched errands: filled up at Costco because gas is cheapest there, dropped three puzzles off at the library, picked up a movie for my son from the library, donated five books to our Free Little Library. I did all this while finishing a book on Libby. (I just finished The Women by Kristin Hannah ā hand down the best book Iāve read this year.)
Frugals:
I created a new garden bed over the past few weeks with stuff I already had, or got for free via my local buy nothing group. Stuff I had: Bricks for the garden outline, hostas and wild violets from another area of the yard, large earthenware pot, container for a small pond, rocks for the pond, compost to build up the area. Stuff for free: pond plants!
Our Frugal 5 for the Week!
ā¢ Summer Eats: The girls will be eating for free in June and July thanks to the local Free Summer Lunch program.
ā¢AC Break: We're turning off the AC and opening the windows to catch the cool breeze this week.
ā¢ Rain Delay: Mother Nature handled the watering for us, so the sprinklers are officially off.
ā¢ Fuel Efficiency: We parked the truck and stuck to our two fuel-efficient cars for all our driving this week.
ā¢ Free Summer Fun & Treats: We signed up for the libraryās summer reading program, Pizza Hutās Book It!, and the Nothing Bundt Cakes challenge. The kids get to read and earn tons of free food! We also registered for Kids Bowl Freeāpaired with some adult coupons we found, our only cost this summer will be shoe rentals.
ā¢ Bonus Free Entertainment: Weāve been watching a mama robin who hatched her eggs right under our deck. Best free show in town!
Hope your meeting is successful! I love the color on those scrubs!
1. I got some books, dvds and even seeds from the library.
2. I also agree with you on Aldi, but rarely go because it's so far away, but last week my husband was making a drive up there, so I tagged along and bought some groceries at Aldi.
3. We got some free Wandering Jew plant cuttings.
4. I have zucchini and yellow squash producing in the garden.
5. I got some thyme and rosemary cuttings from my mother-in-law.
More details and pictures here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/06/02/frugal-five-mostly-garden-related/
Good for you Kristen! With age comes grace and wisdom. I found as I got older, I was bolder and found it easier to express my opinion. That new found courage helped me in life and in my career. You go girl! You may help a lot of people.
Here are my 5 FFTs
My son, a 41 year old bachelor who lives by himself about an hour from us, was in town for the weekend. I sent him home with some groceries and shared other things. He gave me a few basil plants he'd grown for us and some relatives.
ā I bought dessert cups I bought that were marked down and froze them for strawberry shortcake dessert.
ā Our microwave sparked and until I could see if I could fix it (in the past, it meant replacing a scorched micron cover that protects the magatron, or whatever it's called). I did it myself last time on an old microwave for $5. It lasted for years after that repair. I remembered how we used cold water to thaw out some things for microwaves became the norm. I thawed some steaks and strawberries by running cold water over them. So I did that and we had our steak dinner at home.
ā I saved a half pork roast for use later. I had a crockpot fiasco last week. I squeezed a big pork roast into my crock pot, seasoned it and turned it on. Several hours later, I walked into the kitchen and noticed the lid was up on the crockpot. The roast had expanded and pushed the lid up so it was not cooking properly. So I took the roast out of the crockpot and was going to put it in a roasting pan in my oven. But the lid on my roasting pan didn't fit either! So I decided I would cover it with foil and put it in the oven. But then I realized I was out of foil! So I called my neighbor to see if I could borrow some foil and she didn't answer her phone . . . Ugh!! So, I took the pork roast out of the crock pot, cut it in half, put half back in the crockpot and half in the roasting pan and cooked them separately. As it turned out we didn't need all that pork roast for one dinner so I wrapped the one piece up and put it in the freezer to use it later. Lesson learned ā It had been one big pork roast and I had cut it in half and evidently I didn't make it small enough for my crockpot. I usually let it cook in the crockpot and then finish it off for up to an hour in the oven so it crisps up.
ā Again, I got things we needed on a weekend when Kroger gave 2x the fuel points on purchases. It was the last day of the month and I was only $4 away from 500 points (50 cents off per gallon) for May, so I needed a few things that were already on my shopping list. I hate to waste any points. (I had 496 points, not getting to 500 would have wasted the 96 points I had above 400.)
Do you do the 50 point Kroger feedback surveys on the bottom of some of their receipts? You can do one every seven days, points redeemed can be used for fuel or cash credit for next month. Minimum is $2.00 per month (4 surveys) which is a little help.
*Use $5 of $25 groceries at Target for necessities.
*Went to customer service and got the $5 credited to the account when the register dis not do it automatically. The Tarhet customer service always helps- they checked carefully and agreed with me!
* Had boys home for summer vacation vacuum out the cars for is. Cheaper than paying for detailing- I only need to give them cookies.
*Daughter gets to go to a free , three week summer school provided by our district to replace the usual summer enrichment program. And they're bussing her, so I don't have to drive her to the school ( which is awkwardly placed across town from our house. It's never fast or easy to get there!).
* I selected the major utility for our electricity supplier, though the husband had thought to stay with the city aggregation supplier. It has a fixed rate for the year, but the major supplier has a lower price in winter per KWh. We have higher use in winter due to the garage heater, so I preferred that. And the major supplier announced their summer rates are a good penny or more less than the city rate for the summer. Win for me- it'll save tens of dollars on each bill.
I wish you luck in your meeting with the CNO. Also, I think your new scrubs look great! We had to wear navy blue, which in all honesty, is a very boring color, but I liked that I never had to decide what color to wear!
My FFT:
1. W had a new deck built, and the contractor said if we paid in cash, he would take $500 off the total. No problem!
2. I volunteered to work as election clerk at the town meeting, so I got to attend the meeting and get paid at the same time.
3. I found a quarter on the ground when I left the meeting, threw it in my change jar, which is getting full!
4. Dried clothes on the line, as always.
5. Washed our cars at home rather than going to the car wash.
Way to go on being brave and advocating for yourself and fellow peers!
1. I have the same point 1 this week, we also accidentally ate down our fridge before going grocery shopping. I love all the creative foods and combination of leftovers when this happens.
2. Before our fridge was emptied, baked a cake for my husband for his birthday.
3. Shopped for summer clothes second hand at my local consignment shop, and used my shop credit to offset the total, down from $80 to $20 (I also sell my own clothes there and had emptied my closet recently of clothes that no longer fit right).
4. Our friends wanted to get together. As we had already eaten out once during the weekend, we opted to stay in and share snacks together instead.
5. This weekend had a lot of graduations. I clipped an online Hallmark coupon from CVS when buying graduation cards there.
Good for you for advocating for yourself and your colleagues! I'm not sure I would be brave enough, lol.
good luck with your cno meeting. your closets look FAB. i looked at them further in the 2023 post. i didn't comment and i don't remember seeing it . there were 2 chiquita photos yay. u look great in purple. i don't remember if you like figs scrubs but when my zozo was in the hospital recently everyone had figs. not sure what that means.
i had so much fun greeting the incoming families last night at my son's high school. there was only one other current parent there besides the PA president. there were even snacks. and the PA pres called on me to speak and i didn't die and they said what i said was good. i told them my son hated the uniforms at first but he got used to it. also i told them at first i only got three pairs of pants. what i din't tell them was the pants are $30 a pair.
Hahaha, that's how I feel after doing public speaking...."I didn't die."
I don't mind public speaking but I hate interviews!
You're out nothing by asking. And kudos as far too many women won't speak up - hoping the generations below me are bucking the trend. I know Millennials and younger are into work-life balance. Trust me, Corporate America has a hard time dealing with those who are not motivated by money alone.
At my last job, the company was converting to a new software system. I was told even if I wanted to transfer, it would not be allowed as they wanted me working through the conversion. Then the only other person on my team retired. I had a chat with the boss and garnered a raise even though I was on a contract to stay through a certain date. The company didn't meet the date so I was employed 17 more months. They did pay 1/2 the "carrot" for me staying come the original end date.
You aren't the only nurse but a non-threatening conversation can't hurt. My current company does "compensation reviews" once a year.
Anyone who has been in a long-term relationship like you have, has to relearn what it feels like to ask for what you need. Good job, stepping forward and advocating for yourself and others! You are brave.
Good for you, and I hope that works out and you get a raise soon.
My frugalness thus week.
I had lunch with friends at Olive Garden and she had a gift card and paid for lunch.
That was a triple win for me because I only needed to drive 9 miles to the restaurant and she lives a county away and they drove 25 miles to see me. I didn't know she was going to buy lunch so, I ordered the meatballs and the mozzarella sticks off of the appetizer menu and brought half of both home for lunch another time.
I'm a Circle K member, and they were having Members Day and I got forty cents off a gallon for gas, so I filled the Jeep up. It still wasn't cheap, but every penny, right?
I have been eating all of my meals at home, which basically consists of brunch and early dinner. Though, I feel as if i'm spending more at the grocery store.
I started harvesting my potato crop yesterday. I swear I pulled one out of the ground that looked like Mister Potato Head's third cousin twice removed. It looked like a science experiment that had gone way wrong, and I thought the thing was gonna get up and walk off by itself.
I harvested fifteen jalapenos today and they will become jalapeno poppers, wrapped in bacon and cooked in the air fryer. It takes three times longer to put the poppers together than it does to actually cook it in the airfryer.
I finally got around to putting together a spiffy little cat scratcher that I bought on Black Friday last year and the cats promptly ignored it. But it was on sale at a good price.They'll sleep on it.They don't scratch on it. The word "persnickety" comes to mind.
I canceled my Disney+ subscription in April and I still have Disney+ and they're not charging me. I'm going to take advantage for as long as I can. And, that is a win-win to me. When I purchased it, it was $99 a year, if you paid yearly. Now, it's a lot more than that and they haven't had anything I really wanted to watch.
I truly hope everybody's having absolutely wonderful week. And that things go your way when you need them.
May the Goddess bless and keep you.
I hope your CNO meeting went well! If you'd been hired with your BSN they certainly would have paid you the BSN rate on your first day, so I can't see any (just) reason why they shouldn't increase your rate when you complete your BSN courses. Please update the Commentariat!
My FFT:
1. After years of receiving no survey offers, I completed yet another one through my professional organization and should receive a $15 gift card.
2. I used a gift card to mostly cover our pizza dinner last week. I also redeemed a coupon for free cinnamon dessert pizza that DS4 received for not having any cavities at a dentist visit.
3. Iāve been enjoying FB Marketplace recently. I walked about a mile round trip to get a nice all cotton bathmat for $5. I bought a lovely antique bench for a reasonable price, and I also bought a sturdy 3-seater bench with drawers underneath that will go in our garage and (hopefully) help hold winter gear for our three growing boys. I also bought what I think is a fantastic rug for our living room, all wool, for $50! I will wait to put it there until we potty train DS2.
4. All my other things are the usual- line drying clothing downstairs, making coffee at home, eating from the freezer and pantry. This week we ate some halibut that my uncle gave us. I find fish gets a little fishy after too long in the freezer so I am trying to remember to use it regularly.
Kristen- I hope your meeting goes the way you hope and in your favor! I do luv any pics with kitties. So cute!
I haven't posted in a while so here we go:
1) I'm having a free estimate from an arborist to assess a huge maple tree with 2 trunks. It's in a corner and is huge, reaches into everyone's yards and has broken limbs from a heavy snowstorm. It's gorgeous, but whatever the arborist recommends, I will take it down or trim it aggressively.
2) We enjoyed the Freedom Plane tour that is bringing the official documents that our forefathers signed. The tour was at a history museum and so cool to see that in person.
3) A cheap mini greenhouse has my plants growing to its roof. I will have to pollinate some of them. With the weather being cold at night/hot dry in the day/stormy afternoons, the greenhouse is making them happy. The plants avoided severe temps and hail.
4) I'm attempting to grow herbs indoors and so far, so good. We were given a plant rgat is medicinal and air purifying so I'm excited to grow it.
May was NOT frugal, for various reasons-I am just going to leave it there.
Frugal finds/choices so far in June:
-Like Heather Mar said, Walmart pickup for groceries. I started this during the pandemic, and it has saved me so much money as it eliminates impulse shopping.
-Found a well-loved copy of Independent People, which I have been wanting but have not ordered, for 50 cents at our Friends of the Library bookshop!!!
-Library books, always library books. Have also started going to the monthly Sunday Book Club at our library, which is a good connection for me to make and free because the staff member who heads it up always has copies of the books for us to check out.
-Buying a four pack of Starbucks Frappucino drinks for the same cost as one flavored latte at Starbucks. A Starbucks drink is my weekly treat, but I don't like their hot drinks in the summer.
-For my 86 year old mom, shopping around and getting her the best deal on a new TV and setting it up for her. She kept thanking me and I told her, sort of half joking, "I will take a Starbucks gift card if you want to do something for me." š
And probably most important of all-getting back to reading the frugal girl and the comments!! Appreciate all of you