Five Frugal Things | Rag Time
1. I cut up some old shirts to make rags
After I moved here, I realized, ohhhh, I don't have my stash of old t-shirt rags.
But when I unpacked and organized my clothes, I realized I had several shirts that were really beyond wearing.
I cut the worn shirts up and now I have a nice collection of cleaning rags.
Incidentally, old-timers might remember this black shirt that I got for $2.99 at Goodwill back in 2010 (It came with an arm-hole that I fixed!).
That was 12 years ago, so I don't feel bad about cutting it up for rags...the fabric is literally coming apart at the seams at this point. I think it's given me $2.99 worth of wear by now. 😉
2. I used a Verizon box to store my rags
When I got my router at this house, I noticed it came in rather a nice cardboard box. So I set it aside, not knowing what I would use it for.
But when I cut my rags up, I remembered about the box, and it's perfect!
3. I got four bottles of Maui Moisture for $11
You know how I have that CVS Carepass thing, where I pay $4/month and get a $10 credit?
Well, my May one was about to expire, plus I had some Extra Care Bucks in my app, so I popped in to see if I could scare up a deal.
Maui Moisture (which is $10.49/bottle at CVS!) was buy one, get one 50% off, plus there was a $4 Extra Care Bucks deal, plus I had a $5/$25 hair products coupon in the app.
Anyway, between all the discounts and deals, I spent $11.50.
Now, Maui Moisture only costs $7/bottle at Target, so my savings are not QUITE as impressive as it might seem at first glance.
But even at Target, I could not get four bottles for $11.50!
4. I sold a little coffee grinder
I had found a small Hario coffee grinder at Goodwill for just a few dollars, so I bought it and listed it on eBay. It sat for quite a few months, but it sold this week finally!
So, I packaged it up and shipped it out.
5. I made a sandwich with free bread
I volunteered at the food pantry last weekend, and this month, they got twice the number of day-old bread donations as usual.
This was too much to give away, and they did not have room to freeze it all until next month, so I took a few packages home with me.
I used part of a small loaf of pumpernickel to make a sandwich for myself.
And then I froze the rest of the loaf in a way that will make it easy to just grab two slices out for a future sandwich.
Opposite to rags, done a fair amount of mending, sewing up buttons and opened seams, and ironing mending fabric to reinforce worn knees on my kids pants.
Using up leftovers in creative ways. For instance, a medley of cooked veggies from dinner made into a nice hearty salad.
I have done a lot of biking outdoors for both exercise and entertainment during the beautiful spring weather, biking to interesting sights in the city to explore. Picnics are also planned!
Moved some credit cards cash awards into savings.
Found a week of free summer camp for my kids!
—The practical moving gifts continue! A friend brought us a five gallon planter filled with hardy herb starts. As a basil-heavy household, this was thoughtful, indeed.
—Another friend received our old spice racks, which were too tall for our new house’s kitchen counters. There wasn’t a logical place to mount them on the wall, either, so off to a new life they go!
—I *FINALLY* found deer whistles at a brick-and-mortar store for my husband’s car. (Mine already has them.) It was bizarre how elusive they were, especially when deer are regularly hit IN the city he commutes to for work. After striking out at multiple hardware stores and even Scheels, Autozone finally came through. I’ll happily pay $8 to spare him, his car, and the deer! Him witnessing an injured doe on the highway pushed this side quest into an immediate need. My husband may look like a Big Tough Guy (TM), but you’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger softie, especially where animals are concerned.
—The house came with a nice Fridgidaire gas stove that was for some reason missing the burner caps. Model specific caps were $70+ each, but I found a universal kit on Walmart.com for $25 with all four caps and burner crowns. Our model didn’t need the latter, so we’ll be passing them on when the opportunity presents itself. The caps are working great!
—Our new post office lets people leave/share extra produce, plant starts, and other garden items. The free bag of onions, one of several offered, was a welcome find! Hopefully our herbs take off enough for us to return the favor.
@N, I wish I had a post office like your new one! And I applaud any and all efforts to minimize deer damage of any sort.
@N, I think deer whistles have fallen out of favor. I thought they stopped making them, glad to know they're still around. I've always thought they worked, but there's lots of debate and many people (at least in my area) claim they don't work. When we had them, we watched lots of deer on the edges of the highway stop and look towards our car when we drove past so we're believers! 😉 But I recently saw a local fundraiser for a couple who were hit by a deer which flew over the car that hit it and came through their windshield. Scary!
I love your friendly post office as well. We live within walking distance of a tiny one (town population 316) but the out-of-town postmaster throws away any free stuff people leave, calling it "against regulations." 🙁
I had never even heard of a deer whistle!
@Bobi, It seems to be a sign of a good leader to figure out if and when some regulations should be broken.
Regarding post offices, I think of Kristen having to do all the address-change work, (Hungry Harvest, credit cards, school records, etc.), and I wish you well as you work through these! Moving is not a one day process.
Goodness, yes it is so much work! And since I will probably move again next year, it feels a little unrewarding. 😉
@Bobi, My family comes from a very rural area where driving is both a necessity and a pastime. One could buy deer whistles at the gas station, and it was unusual to see a car without them. I’ve had deer whistles on all three of my cars and received them as “Happy new-to-you car!” gifts from family even after my husband and I moved to the city! We only became a two car household last year, and I’ve been casually trying to locate whistles for my husband’s ride since—silly me, thinking deer whistles would be easier to find with more stores to choose from. 😛 I’m very pro-deer whistle, needless to say!
Re: the post office, our new town is not quite twice the size of yours, and the staff are locals. They were very clear about ONLY garden items being allowed when I asked about the freebie table, but it’s still neat that it’s there!
@Bobi, When we lived in a small village, the post office ignored regulations and allowed tables for magazine trades and another for small items to be recycled. Since we were so far north and so isolated, no one really paid attention to bureaucrats at the main office. This was the same town that told the state that since they refused to plow the roads of the community, they were no longer going to require license plates on the cars. (Not that there were that many roads or cars, but the idea that they would just leave a small village without services provided to big towns annoyed everyone. Never mind that we were located in the oil field areas that fueled 80% or more of the state's budget!)
FFT, Frugal Gardening Edition:
First, Kristen, I am in awe of your and your dad's furniture restoration skills. That's a skill set I simply don't possess. But I do garden, so my five for this week are all about gardening.
(1) Thus far this season, I have spent $15 for six thyme plants (the winterkill among my thymes was worse than I thought at first), about $15 total for seeds, and $30 for several bags of "Seven-Year Gold" composted horse manure at the Regional Market. This is all I should have to spend, barring disasters. (And I'm still fondly remembering the days when our camelid friends at a local llama farm used to provide us with top-quality manure at no charge other than the personal cost of hauling it. The 30th wedding anniversary picture DH took of me in 2009 shows me up to my boot tops in a pile of llama poop.)
(2) I cut up an empty gallon water jug (salvaged from a recycling bin; I don't buy bottled water) for plant tags. I prefer water jugs to milk jugs for this, because milk jugs retain a definite whiff of sour milk.
(3) Also from a recycling bin, I've just picked several empty eight-packs for seedlings. I renew my supply of these every year this way--and these really don't belong in the recycling anyhow.
(4) I'm well into my annual process of saving volunteer flower seedlings from among the weeds I pull. Thus far, I've potted up 10 anise hyssops (aka agastache; a very pretty pale purple spiked flower with a licorice scent) and 16 Gem marigolds (a different species from regular marigolds; citrus-scented and pleasant) for self and neighbors. I used some four- and six-packs I salvaged last year.
(5) And last but by no means least, a neighbor who has decided to try growing his own heirloom tomatoes gave 6 tomato seedlings to me and the neighbors with whom I'll be sharing a fenced vegetable garden. They're a bit on the small side--but free makes up for small!
And I do not garden! Well, aside from growing easy things like a basil plant or mint plant. We all are good at different things!
I do the same thing to make my old rags BUT I use stained and very worn out towels as they seem sturdier. In a weeks time here, I
*sold the RV which made a tremendous difference in my June budget
*used HSA funds to pay a medical bill that's been floating around awhile
*opted to eat at home most of the time I was on styaycation
*got my lawnmower serviced so I can do my own mowing and keeps this mower as long as possible
*am writing and calling my mother vs going to see her (two hours away) which will save money and nerves...and
*cleaned my own gutters, windows, attic, and garage.
If it ain't broke here, I fixed it.
I just recently cut up some more cleaning rags from old shirts, too, but some of the more-recognizable ones had to be hidden in my bathroom cabinet lest my sons recognize their FAVORITE (outgrown, stained, riddled with holes) SHIRT and go into deep mourning for the red-striped shirt. 🙂
I'm doing all the usual frugal things, but I'm also buying a lot of books at the moment, as I keep stumbling across references to other books in the books I just ordered and am reading. My dad is bringing up two new bookcases today--one was my childhood oak one he made for me lo these many years ago, and one is solid walnut he made just recently from the wood my husband hauled back from our old home--but if I don't stop buying books I will still not have enough shelf space, and I will have negated any savings from getting my dad to make us a bookcase.
Actually, given what a large, handmade, solid walnut bookcase might cost retail, I could probably buy a LOT of used books before I spent that, but still. Need to stop buying books now.
Your shelf really turned out well.
One of mine was also t-shirt related. I made tanks from some long sleeve shirts I used to wear for work.
Picked green beans. There was so many we got tired of them so I blanched and froze the rest for later.
Bought chicken quarters 10 pounds for $4. I’ll cook these in the crockpot getting lots of broth and meat for several meals, most frozen for later. We will have chicken salad one day and taquitos using this recipe another.
https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/
Not frugal we bought a new sofa. We shopped around figured out what we wanted and ended up buying from a local owned company. They were very competitive and had good prices. The sofa was made at a local factory. The furniture company has been trying to source more vendors. They explained it really helped with supply issues and with the cost of shipping not always a better deal.
I meant to add that I returned two unopened jars of Jif peanut butter to sams. I saw there was a voluntary recall and called to ask if they needed the jars. The fda web page said to toss it out which I did with a opened jar. Received $10 back.
@cc,
I bought a bunch of Jif peanut butter in April. Where did you find the recall info?
Rebekah
@Rebekah in SoCal, it’s been in the news. I then went to the FDA website. I think it was all types made at one factory. After the news I just googled it for more information. Which said to toss it out. But when I called Sams they told me to bring them back in. I had 1/2 of one jar that I did toss, and they didn’t refund.
1. I spent some time listing things on eBay this weekend. I sold a miniature Wagner Waffle Iron right away for a tidy profit. We have so many extra expenses over the next several months sales like this will be helpful. I need to attack my death pile.
2. A neighbor put a large Fiddle Fig Tree out with the yard trash. This 4.5 foot tree just needed a little TLC. It had been pot bound. My husband and I dragged it home. It is doing quite well and is very pretty.
3. Along the same line, I received 3 large flats of Pentas. The property management service who cares for our neighborhood gave them to my husband when he was out walking Rescue Pup. Evidentially, a client decided they did not want them. I won’t have to buy bedding plants this year! This is a huge savings. The cost of plants has nearly double since last year. I love Pentas because they attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
4. I ran into a neighbor at the garden center while I was picking out garden gloves. He stopped me from buying any. Evidently, the company he works for is now manufacturing garden gloves. When I returned home there were two new pairs of exceptionally nice gloves on my front porch. 🙂
5. My husband and I are going to a black tie wedding in the Northeast. I had to buy a gown. I tried secondhand sources but I gave up. My girlfriend gave me the perfect pair of shoes and let me borrow some earrings. We were also able to use loyalty points for our hotel and flight.
As I write this, I realize how many of my frugal things involve the kindness and generosity of others. Pay it forward. We are all connected.
Wishing everyone peace and good health.
@Bee, you are so right about how we get help being frugal when we are open to it.
I have been donating items instead of trying to sell, just because I hate selling. It also makes me happy when items I set out for bulk pick up gets taken. I had a doll I had as a child that needs some love. The thrift store doesn’t want it so I stuck it aside thinking I’d redo it. Then I thought why not set out all these toys(some are my sons) and see if anyone will rescue them. I had previously put out some questionable barbies which were taken.
@Bee,
Have you considered checking into Rent the Runway? They rent new gowns and party dresses for special occasions just like renting a tux. A friend of mine rented a gown to wear for her son's Bat Mitzvah and had very good things to say about it
@Bee, I would suggest looking on ThredUp.com and Etsy for a gown. You can narrow your search by size, color, price range, style, etc. I’ve spied many a triple-digit designer dud going for under $50 on ThredUp, and with Memorial Day weekend coming up, multiple Etsy shops will be running sales.
@N and @Lazy Budget Chef, I did spend some time online looking for a gown. I found one, but it was snapped up quickly. I did not try either of the sources you all have mentioned. I did find a gown for my son’s wedding on The Real Real. So much is sleeveless and cleavage-full. Sadly Not age appropriate. Getting older is hard. 🙁
@cc, The circle of giving helps all of us to live better on less and uses things wisely p
@Bee,
Not a fan of the Real Real. Seems to be for people with champagne tastes on a beer budget. I got a blue silk gown from a french designer for 25 on thredup. Also, they sort by sooo omany measurements that fit isn't an issue. I mean... women being able to shop by rise, inseam and waist? Who knew?? Gowns have length from shoulder to floor and around the shoulders, also the waist measurement. I get so many clothes that fit perfectly due to that.
Just wanted to say that it's so good to read that in the midst of a rather upside down life right now, you are still doing volunteer work. Helping others is a great way to help yourself heal and think about your blessings.
Thoughts are with you during this time.
Here's my FFT:
- I returned an item I bought on impulse at Target. It wasn't a huge purchase, but unnecessary, and I'm glad to have it out of the house!
- I bought some shipping supplies at Dollar Tree. I've found that their tissue paper and brown craft paper work well and are a good deal.
- I used recycled boxes and mailers to ship out things I sold. When I visit my dad, I usually take his boxes! He gets so many things shipped to him, so I think I have an endless supply.
- I bought a cute skirt at Goodwill for $7. This was a welcome addition to my small wardrobe. 🙂
- I did some research and found out that there's a grocery outlet store very close to my massage therapist. I have an appointment next week, so I'll pop into the grocery outlet while I'm in the area. I've heard of these stores but haven't lived close enough to ever visit one, so I'm excited!
1. Our home search continues. There's not much available or affordable or appealing to us. We've identified some off-market houses we like and we've contacted the homeowners to see if they're interested in selling. Depending on the situation, this approach may result in a lower price and lower fees.
2. In preparation for the eventual move, I've been gathering free boxes from the thrift store.
3. Received two rolls of packing tape from a friend.
4. Froze milk that was going sour for future use in pancakes and baked goods.
5. Continue to buy farm fresh eggs from a friend for $3/dozen.
Heh, it's actually been a really expensive week here for a lot of reasons (as you'll see) but I'd like to think the process of getting there was frugal.
1.) Wife had a bit of a technology failure (sort of.) Her phone of 5 years has been stuck in a recurring reboot cycle and her laptop of 11 years was in need of some more repairs and such. So I was able to get her a new phone and laptop using some deals that came up and some credit I had. I bought her a "budget" phone which is definitely not top of the line but will suit her needs. It's also nowhere near the price of a new flagship model.
The laptop was a solid model for the price and hopefully will last her as long as the last one.
I also bought both using a card which I will pay off immediately. So points + no interest is a good thing.
2.) Found my daughter a pullover sweater that is too heavy and too big for her to wear now but she loved it and it was on final clearance. So this Autumn she will get some use out of it.
3.) Garden is growing, particularly the beans which have already started to shoot up. Hopefully in due time we will get a good harvest. Meanwhile my plastic watering can (which I got for free) somehow took a tumble, landed right on the spout and cracked. It's patched with Duct tape now but I may have to keep an eye out for a replacement.
4.) The wife is returning shoes at the mall tomorrow while she's there for meeting up with some friends.
5.) Line drying clothes, making yogurt, bread etc. Cooking at home. You know, the usuals.
@Battra92,
Ouch, phone AND laptop!
@JD, I know, right? Again, to be totally fair her laptop isn't totally dead but it is struggling with everything it seems. Her phone just reboots constantly and the battery is drained quite a bit but even the cost to replace the battery isn't worth it.
My laptop sort of bit the dust very recently; the battery died, and the cost to do the repair was half the cost of a brand new laptop!
@Kristen, was this with an Apple laptop? If so that's by design. There are great independent third party shops out there who quite literally are fighting to exist out there because of Apple's anti-competitive processes.
Yep; I took it to an independent Apple repair shop that's been in business for 25+ years, so I feel like the advice I got was probably pretty good.
But...I'd originally gotten the laptop refurbished, and it did serve me for a lot of years. I think it was a 2013? So, I really was due for an updated laptop anyway.
I feel like we've briefly turned the corner on all of the crazy spending (booking travel, summer plans & camps, tutoring expenses for the teens, etc). Here are a few wins:
1) Made zucchini muffins, with shredded zucchini from the freezer, plus lots of odds & ends from the pantry. They turned out great.
2) Sold a few things on eBay
3) Had to go into the office on a Monday (I'm on a Tuesday-Thursday in person schedule) & made the most of my time. All for free: charged my car, attending a yoga class at lunch, & had lunch/snacks/drinks.
4) Used up some odds & ends in the pantry & fridge for chicken yakisoba
5) Went heavy on the cabbage, & used a package of ground beef that I purchased on extreme discount to make egg roll in a bowl. We will stretch it tonight by serving it over rice.
1. I sold something online on fb marketplace after it sat for months. I usually only do local pickup but last month, someone asked if I’d be willing to ship and I tried it out. It wasn’t too much of a hassle so I switched this other lightweight item (a sleepsack) to the shipping option as well after it didn’t sell for months as local pickup.
2. Received a 2nd free puddle jumper on buy nothing, so now I have one for each kid ahead of summer swimming.
3. We have a giant lettuce growing in our garden box. I’ve been slowly chipping away at it, salad for lunch every day last week, salad for dinner for both of us a couple times. I think it’s growing as fast as we are eating it though haha Now I’m turning all leftovers into salad, we had leftover taco meat and rice so I dumped that over lettuce as a taco salad. It’s nice having lettuce available at all times but I do wish it was a bit smaller!
4. I finally cleaned out my closet and filled the ThredUP bag I have had for several months. I’m not expecting to make much money on it if any, but the emptier closet and the fact they recycle any clothes they can’t sell is also a benefit to me.
5. We have multiple bubble blowing machines as people keep giving them to my kids (and my kids love them) so we go through a lot of bubble solution. Target sells an enormous container of solution for only $4 so not sure if this will save much, but I’m going to try making my own bubble solution to save myself the trip to the store.
@LB, what is a puddle jumper?
@Auntiali, it’s a flotation device for kids, it goes around their chest and upper arms, so they can move their arms like they are swimming but it keeps them afloat.
1) I still had a cold this week so saved money by not going out. A sad way to save money haha!
2) I resisted buying snacks
3) I made all my meals at home
4) I remembered to return a library book so I wouldn't get a fine
5) I was gifted a subscription to a newsletter
1. Both mine and my hubby's driver's seats were coming apart. Mine is leather and his is fabric. I purchased a leather repair kit for mine and took the time to sew his back together. Neither look new, but they are both repaired. I was very proud of the sew job I did on his seat.
2. I didn't have time to fully vacuum out my van this weekend, but realized just how gross it was (never underestimate children in the back seat!). I decided to take our leaf blower and blow the dirt out. Again, not 100% but good enough for me and I didn't have to pay a cent!
3. My search for college move out "junk" continues. Yesterday, I found a kitchen chair that matches our exactly. (so much so that my dad was convinced that I was trying to fool him by putting one of ours in the back end of our truck) and a pile of clothes. I bring any clothes home, wash and sanitize them and try to find them homes.
4. Taking full advantage of Amazon's try before you buy. My little guy needed swim trunks and he is HUSKY. It was great not to have to drag him to the store to try on swim trunks. A few came and the one we decided to keep was purchased and the ones we are not keeping were promptly returned.
5. The price of gas is crazy so I am constantly checking the apps of the local gas places to find the best price. Using their app gets us three extra cents off. Three cents is three cents in my mind.
Let's see what I can come up with for my five.
1. I had about 3 inches of a zucchini left - my pan wouldn't hold one bit more when I was cooking zucchini - so I shredded the leftover piece and added it to tuna salad along with some shredded purple carrots and onion. My tuna salad looked very Christmas-y, ha, and tasted as good as always, plus, no wasting the zucchini.
2. I have a garden hose that has developed a couple of small splits. I had a roll of Duck stretch repair tape and wrapped some around the splits, which fixed the leaks.
3. I bought a cheap wall clock for my husband's nursing home room and my daughter did, too. Hers was a little bigger and easier for him to read, so I returned mine on my next trip to that store.
4. I had ordered cultured buttermilk from a farmer and could only get it by the quart. I used some for a particular recipe then made sure to use the rest of it by making muffins and biscuits that I then froze for eating later. The muffins also used up two cliff-edge bananas, so they were a double win. I used the Tightwad Gazette's basic muffin recipe and tweaked it a bit to account for using cassava flour. They turned out surprisingly good.
5. I finally finished painting and installing the handrails for the three sets of front and side porch steps, therefore not wasting the money I spent on wood and mounting brackets (I already had the paint). One of the supplied screws had a head that fouled, but I went to my stash of random leftover screws and found a replacement.
JD, I am cracking up at the phrase “cliff-edge bananas.” What a great visual!
I have a few to share. Not a lot of $ saved, but it all collectively adds up to something....
1. Went to Target for a few items and remembered to use my "red card" and saved $1.99 on my purchase. It all adds up.
2. I needed to order flea medicine for our lab and remembered I had received an offer for $10 off which I redeemed.
3. My husband's coworker gifted us eggs from his chicken.
4. I accidentally washed my pedometer for my weight class. It still works, but my co-worker gifted me hers as she dropped out of the class, so now I have one for backup.
5. My boss received a pocket knife from a vendor and gifted to my husband. My husband was happy as he always seems to be misplacing his pocket knives.
6. The local food pantry operates out of my work place; they had extra bread products that they offered to my family. I also received some bagels which I stuck in the freezer to use for later.
7. A close friend of mine recently celebrated her birthday....i put together a small gift of a free candle I got using rewards, a gift card I won for IHOP, I reused a gift bag and tissue paper. The only cost to me was a $.50 cent card from the Dollar Tree.
Really nothing that is earth shattering, but I find the small things really add up.
-Eating at home and using up leftovers. Tonight's menu will be Sheppard's pie which will use up the leftover mashed potatoes, a bit of spaghetti sauce and some random leftover veggies.
-Combining trips to save on fuel. It's $1.71.9 L here now which is ridiculous but not much we can do.
-Making my husband meals for when he's away for work, easy to do and he still gets the per diem.
-I'm on the hunt for a new outfit for myself for my oldest High School Grad. Checked out Goodwill and nothing yet. Will keep looking or just wear something that I already have.
- Most of my seeds that I started have come up. Sharing some of the extra plants with family and friends and sold a few too which helps keep the gardening costs under control.
Hope that everyone has a wonderful week!
Our frugal things may not count up to 5. Let's see:
1. We would like to plant a "Christmas tree grove" on our property. The idea is that we can to back there and cut a tree each year for Christmas. Fun and cheap! Someone was giving away 6 little evergreens on our buy nothing group. So we dug them up and planted them here.
2. We also got a canoe via our buy nothing group. It is waterproof but needs a bit of work but we are excited!
3. Offered to use the heel of bread for my french toast.
4. Reheated my coffee from earlier in the day rather than throw it away.
5. Took our left over Thai food home from the restaurant on Saturday and enjoyed a Thai lunch on Monday.
A question for Kristen:. How do you freeze your bread to take out only 2 slices at once? We also freeze our bread. It is sliced already but I find it hard to snap the frozen slices off at times.
Helen 't Hart and Kristen - I had the same question.
@Helen 't Hart,
I'm not sure how Kristen does it, but you could either repackage slices into smaller bags and repack in the bread bag, or you could flash freeze the slices on a cookie sheet and then pop them back in the bag once they are frozen-then they don't stick together.
Oh, I love your Christmas tree idea!
The bread-freezing: this was only a half-loaf, so I laid the slices out, two on top of each other, in a gallon ziploc bag. This wouldn't work with a big loaf of bread, but for just a few slices, it was fine.
@Kristen, thanks for replying! I've never thought of doing it that way. We just throw the whole sliced bag in and then wiggle off a few slices as needed. Do you find this makes a difference to your enjoyment/ease of using frozen bread?
I wouldn't do it with a whole big loaf, probably (it would take a lot of space!), but I figured this would help me use up this loaf for grilled cheese sandwiches.
1. We gratefully accepted leftovers from my parents' house, and I whizzed up the leftover cut fruit into baby food.
2. I found two pairs of old work pants that fit, meaning I don't need to buy new work clothes, huzzah!
3. We had a quiet long weekend and did free activities including walks in the park, seeing Bollywood dancers at a local children's festival, and having meals with family members.
4. My doctor suggested that I take few different vitamins, but I hate to buy the little bottles and take multiple pills, so I just bought a giant bottle of women's multivitamins at Costco with 365 pills. Same ingredients, easier, cheaper, and has enough folic acid to cover me if I get pregnant again in the next 12 months (NOT IMMINENTLY lol).
5. We're continuing to make food for the baby. This week I made her batches of peas (destined for the compost as she still hates them after weeks of attempts), spiced sweet potatoes (a hit), and several different fruit blends. We're now ready for finger foods, so I need get some ideas for that. Anyone have tips?
@Meira@meirathebear, The most popular foods for my babies were diced potato (either sweet or regular), cheese omelet pieces, and, weirdly I thought, fish. (We lived by a lake at the time and had a lot of fish--it does break up easy for a baby with no teeth). They also liked bits of toast with cream cheese when they could chew a bit. Later when they were working on eating with a spoon, I found that things like eggs or ground beef mixed with mashed potatoes (like a shepherd's pie) made it easier to practice, because the mashed potatoes help everything stick to the spoon.
@Meira@meirathebear, We did cut up pieces of ripe/soft avocado, boiled chunks of sweet potatoes, berries, steamed broccoli (they would just gnaw on the tops and use the stalk as a handle)...we'd also do lentils (dal) mushed together with rice and form them into little balls so they could pick them up. Nice protein/carb combo. Good luck!
@kristin @ going country, thanks! Baby makes the most (hilarious) horrible faces with fish, but we'll keep trying, since we have fish once or twice a week. I think her little fingers could handle eggs, though, and she does like them!
@Meira@meirathebear, my son was a very picky eater, but he also loved fish at that stage. And tiny piece of cheese.
@CrunchyCake, dal that way is such a good idea! I've been wanting to give her more legumes, since I eat a lot myself.
I assume you have already introduced that baby staple, Cheerios. 😉 I also fed my kids a lot of banana chunks, although they can be slipper and tricky for little fingers to pick up!
@Kristen, I've been a bit nervous about Cheerios due to the lack of teeth, but we're starting those tomorrow!
1. Redbox emailed me a free rental code. We had not used Redbox in a long time but since there are a couple of kiosks in a walk-able distance we used it.
2. An easy to prepare meal kit had a swollen packet before the use by date. I contacted the company and they said not to use it and that they will send me a refund.
3. During the height of the pandemic our library system eliminated fines. Last week a had a couple of books that were returned two days late but I incurred no fine.
4. We kept a small table that a neighbor was throwing out after they moved to a smaller home. The legs were tightened and it has a new home in our screened breezeway. I also listed items on Freecycle that were found in the garage and no longer needed.
5. I continue to cut up fruit. I bought a watermelon for the first time this season and it should yield many cups of fruit for just a few dollars. I also cut up a pineapple that was less than $3 and it provided many cups of delicious fruit. We eat other fruit but this helps balance out the cost.
My most frugal thing this week is planting our garden. Yes I have spent some money to plant this garden in terms of the cost of seed, some seedlings and dirt but the yield even if only half what we had last year will far outweigh the costs. Thus far I have planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, yellow squash and zucchini. This week I will plant several varieties of green beans, radishes, corn, field peas, beets, onions, carrots, okra, blueberries, blackberries and all kinds of herbs.
We had to have an HVAC repair and used the same company that we used to replace the second unit a couple of months ago. This gave us a discount for repeat business. Even though this was a cost I am grateful the repair is completed as it will save us in electricity costs over time.
Food is crazy expensive! We have expanded our garden and I am trying to grow and put up all the food that I can. I am cooking less to make sure that we eat all of the leftovers to avoid all waste. I am looking for deals on meals that I can stretch like whole chickens - I found and bought 4 for $1.19/lb this week. Each one usually feeds the 5 of us at least four dinners and lunches. Beans and rice are on the menu frequently, soups, homemade snacks, cookies and cakes using what we have on hand.
I was gifted a second Instapot for Christmas and I will be using this exclusively for making yogurt. I finally took it out of the box this week. Homemade granola, jam and yogurt is on the menu for the weekend. This is the 8 quart size and I am excited that I will be able to make a large enough batch to last our family for a week.
Enjoy the week ahead!
My rag bag was stored on a hook in the garage. Now Mama bird has decided that is a great place for a nest!
My FFT
1) went to the nursery to get the plants I love for my front porch because they require little care and bloom until fall. They did not have flats of them, only in hanging baskets. But we got two huge baskets and a few tomato plants for less than $30. I plan to split the plants in the baskets and repot them for the porch
2) Cashed out reward dollars from credit cards to help cover our mini-vacation for the long weekend
3) Returning items I ordered that did not work out. Also returning the recalled peanut butter we bought at Costco. We had just stocked up on peanut butter so now I have 9 pounds that have been recalled!
4) Used a coupon for delivery of our anniversary dinner since we were too tired to go out
5) Saved my lunch from yesterday for today since the wedding shower at the office yesterday was at lunchtime and there was tons of food options
We're still discovering things that were shoved here, there, and everywhere after a renovation followed by hurry clean up and shove it into the garage because we had house guests. I didn't have to buy a new hose reel because of it. I also found medical tape for an injury in the back of the linen closet while looking for an ice bag and was able to take it out of my online order cart.
We put down beneficial nematodes and milky spore in our container garden and flower beds after we realized all of the vegetables we chose this year attract the same list of pests. It's a little more expensive than buying a bottle of pest control but they are one an done application and live and grow in the soil for a number of years to eat bad bug larvae before it eats our plants. Worth it.
I resisted the temptation to shop a store closing sale for wants because I didn't have any needs.
I mended several insulated shopping totes to keep my mind off of the above and all of the garden things I can't do on my list because I have to sit and allow my minor and annoying injury to heal.
Sewed a couple of sleep masks from scrap fabric while streaming free Pluto TV.
I filled out a Jif coupon form to replace the twin pack of Jif that I just had to throw out because of the samonella recall...
Instead of buying new pots for my container garden this year I'm scrounging around and using all the existing pots I have AND making room in the freezer for veggies!
Not feeling super frugal this week, but we've eaten dinner and almost all lunches at home this week, I made a freezer inventory list, AND I did make sure we used up all leftovers and close-to-the-end veggies.
I have been returning incorrect purchases. Unfortunately, to return something to Amazon, I have to drive quite a ways to get to a UPS store (over 10 miles) or return it for a $5.00 fee at a closer depository. I chose the later, because gas is so expensive.
Have been filling out rebate forms and sending those in as well. Both Home Depot and Lowe's have a paint special going on this month for a $10. rebate on a gallon. That's pretty good. (I think the Lowe's one ends today!).
My husband has been doing his research for our big vacation in the fall and has been getting quite a few deals. Like make your airline reservations now because prices will only go up due to gas prices going up.
Eating meals at home most of the time. We have to get more imaginative tho!
Hopefully my husband will be finished painting the back deck so that we can get the grill out there and cook lunch and dinners more often. Its been a little wet, so its taking a little longer than expected.
1. I got some pretty disappointing news this morning (health insurance - ugh) before we went to Aldi and I was really tempted to buy something just to buy something, but resisted. Then when we got home I ate a whole bunch of carrots so I wouldn't emotionally eat something unhealthy. (I tend to emotionally eat chocolate.) So to cope in a more frugal and healthy way I spent time weeding my garden. While I can't make my insurance company cover what they told me they'd cover, I can create a good environment for my garden plants to grow.
2. I gave my husband and son haircuts over the weekend.
3. I worked a 2-day catering event Friday/Saturday and have been using lots of leftover food in meals for my family.
4. I finished up my volunteer hours at my kiddo's school. They require that you volunteer a certain number of hours if you receive financial aid and now we're all set until next school year. Totally worth it.
5. Using Hoopla for audiobooks for both me and the kids.
@Ruth T, I am very sorry about the health insurance news. Those things are SO frustrating. You said they would not cover what they said they would-- Can you appeal? Call back and get a different representative or speak to a supervisor?
I am glad you have your garden to focus your energy on!
@Heidi Louise, I talked to 4 people who told me it was covered before the 4th one (a "specialist") eventually found the exclusion in our policy that was used to deny it and it's not really one that we can fight. We've appealed and they've denied our appeal. I may be able to file a grievance, but I think I am done feeling hopeful. Now I'm looking into secondary coverage, grants, and self-pay paperwork. The emotional roller coaster of it all is frustrating. Thank you for your suggestions, though!!
@Ruth T, I thought you must have gone through a lot of steps already, most unfortunately. State insurance boards might help with a grievance. The emotions involved in this work just add to the stress of the illness. Best wishes to you!
@Ruth T, If you think your policy says your procedure was to be covered and the insurance company is just being...well, a for profit business, you can contact your state's insurance regulator and file a complaint. I would tell the insurance company this before you do it. I have seen that motivate companies to pay up.
@Lindsey and @Ruth, Many years ago, our insurance company refused to pay for something that was specifically covered in our policy. I filed a complaint with the state. I received a very large check and apology from the insurance company about 60 days later.
@Bee, You Got An Apology?
I have never heard of that from insurance or medical offices or hospitals. Admit no wrong, just correct the mistake has been my experience.
Watch cat alerted me to what sounded like someone power washing the house. Transformer on pole was spewing a shower of sparks, quite a show. Shut down power to house and called electric company. Seems a large bird wing was all that remained of the unlucky fowl. Electric company is protected from paying for damages and home owners insurance is iffy. So far everything survived any power surge.$$
Didn't hit the terrified deer that wandered in between houses and fences at home. I think it made it to the marina and swam to safety.$$
Returned electric grill to Aldi that didn't meet advertising expectations.
Sticking to my hobbled together hot plate and cast iron grill pan.
The guy I give rides to work filled the car with gas. Yippee.
In my quest to cut down on buying large size groceries that end up in freezer or thrown out, made a pasta/pizza sauce with small can of tomatoes and spices. Tasted great once I added the fennel seed.
My next challenge, learn to make small batch of potato salad.
Goodness, that's a very important catch you made! It's crazy that the electric company doesn't have to pay for damages resulting from their equipment.
@Kristen, all thanks to my cat running around meowing " we're all going to die" I thought maybe I should look outside.
It depends on your state, in California massive lawsuits against PGE resulted in a cash verdict but if individuals have been compensated I don't know.
I had this wonderful cotton dress that I loved almost as much as I love my husband. It was a style that accommodated not only weight losses and gains that came with some of my medications but hid things when I had to wear several drains after surgeries. I wore it for over 10 years and ignored my husband when he said that it really was not suitable for being in public. Then one day I was standing by the entrance of the grocery store, waiting for my husband, when someone offered to buy me something to eat if I could not afford it. I still wear it but around the house. I cannot stand to make it into rags even though in places the material is literally shredding in some places from age and use.
This week I:
1. Mended socks that all seem to be weak in the toes.
2. Sold a book and managed to pair it with doing a post office mystery shop so the postage was free to send it and had to be priority, which pleased the buyer who only paid for media mail.
3. I pass magazines on to a shut-in neighbor, dropping them off and visiting once a month. This week she gave me two dozen cards she had made. I was able to use a particularly lovely one for a thank you card I sent to a friend's husband. She recently died and he took such great care of her that I wanted to do more than send a sympathy card. I wanted him to know how much I appreciated how well he nursed her for over a year. My magazines traded for free cards meant I did not have to spend money purchasing a card.
4. Ended subscriptions to two professional magazines I no longer need since I retired. I am starting not to care about advances in my field---I would rather be reading how to grow better tomatoes.
5. We have a small co-op market in town. Once it is warmer than freezing, they leave boxes of wilting produce in front of the store for people to take for composting. I took a swing by and got a box full for my chickens to eat. They dined out on wilting pak choi for several days.
Awww, I understand that some things just can't become rags!
I love the way your town lets you repurpose food instead of throwing it out.
@Lindsey, I forgot my favorite thing: someone gave us a can of cherry pie filling. I made a dump cake using a boxed mix got for free---and I mixed in some shredded zucchini from last year's garden and no one even noticed because the cherry stuff was so thick and sweet!
@Lindsey,
I love the cotton dress that returns your love with free meals.
@Lindsey, almost choked laughing when I read your dress story. Probably because I can relate.
1. This does not count as frugal for me, but I was moved to a new office suite for the summer and have been cleaning up it and the common kitchen, which resulted in lots of unopened and still good food and cleaning products going to the food banks, and two trips to Goodwill with usable things people left behind.
2. I bought a bag of what was termed "rescued potatoes," which were too small to sell otherwise, and have been using them up in stews. It's a lot less chopping when they're that small.
3. Trying to hold off on a haircut by pulling my shaggy bangs up with a hairband.
4. A used clothing item had a strong smell of scented detergent (which I can't stand), so I used white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser on the washer and then hung it up to dry. Had to do that twice, but it took the eye-watering chemical/floral smell out of it.
5. I laundered the rug my dogs sleep on in the kitchen and most of the rubber backing started flaking/peeling off. It's just right for them, so I decided to save it. Rather than to have a constant mess, I picked the rest of the backing off and put a foam pad under the rug to keep it from sliding. Not only does it work great, but the dogs gave blissful sighs the first time they lay on it after the improvement.
Had some good ones this week.
1. Got some salmon and baby back ribs on "use it or freeze it" store discount, so paid a total of 6.00 for three packages instead of the 53.00+ they would have been at full price, so I was super happy about these. They are all large packages, so I cut them down and froze in smaller portions to get more meals out of them. I will happily accept ideas for how to stretch ribs into more meals because most of what I read suggests planning for 4-6 ribs per person and recommends cooking two packages at a time. I'd really like to use them more as a flavoring instead of the main event since that is more how we consume meat.
2. My husband used his new solar oven (which is totally just a folded piece of plastic coated in shiny foil, but it works! So cool!) this past weekend and we enjoyed food baked entirely by the free sun! Bonus points for not heating up the house!
3. Made it through our mini heat wave without turning on the AC units yet. We hung out in the cooler basement, messed with windows, blinds and fans a whole bunch, took cool baths and ate cooler meals. We won't go the whole summer without AC, but are proud of ourselves for holding off a bit longer.
4. Macguyvered an old window screen to fit a large window we have that is missing the screen so we can open it now, and used rubber bands to hold a window fan into a very small window to create a cross breeze.
5. Allowed myself to buy a few plants for the garden-some trees on sale and a few bedding and herb plants. The trees arrived on the first day of the freak heat wave-yikes! So I plunked the roots in my pond for a day and a half and then planted them in the morning on the last day when rain was forecast and protected them from the sun with umbrellas. Now that it is cool and rainy the rest of this week, they should be well established before the next heatwave. With the bedding and herb plants, I carefully selected pots that had multiple plants in them or ones that I can cut apart into more plants. I got 18 parsley plants in one pot by painstakingly teasing them apart!
6. And of course, the usual standbys of eating at home, making coffee at home, packing lunch, batching errands with my commute, etc.
@Becca, my DH makes a spaghetti sauce using ribs for the meat. Doesn't take many to give it flavor. He is 100% Italian though. I don't care for it. Too greasy for me.
@Nancy in eastern Washington,
Hmm...that could work...thanks for the idea!
You are so good at using your phone with the apps. Lots of savings!
1. I had to get a new cell phone and plan (my old phone used 3G). I went to T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. I paid just $65 for the phone. My new plan is about $8 more per month though.
2. I scored 5 bags of clearance produce at Kroger (a huge cantaloupe, 3 celery bunches, 2 yellow peppers, 3 squash, 4 ears of corn and 7 yellow onions) and paid just $5.28.
3. I redeemed the Bath & Body Works free product coupon I received in the mail for a travel size bottle of bath gel.
4. I cashed in some credit card points for a statement credit since my next bill is going to be quite a bit higher than usual.
5. Based on the recommendation from someone here, I ordered more Covid tests. I received notification they are being delivered today.
6. And one more -- the last few days have been unseasonably cool so I still haven't turned on the A/C.
-Received a HUGE bag of clothes my niece has outgrown. Will come in handy as we have a wedding to attend in a few weeks.
-Girls needed hiking pants for our trips to National parks (Had to get them in the boys section because the only pants in the girls section were leggings - so lame) - found some at Target on sale and with a few additional long sleeve shirts from the clearance section, got $10 off. Ended up spending less than $30 for five items that the girls actually liked.
-Camped instead of staying at the Lodge in Yosemite. We had to rent a van (using a discount code, of course!) to fit all our camping gear but even then, we saved a bunch and we had a really great time.
-Took the appropriate amount of food to cover our time there and minimize food waste. I was really proud of how we managed it. In years past, I've either over- or under-packed and then ended up having to throw out food or purchase more. Got it right this time (it felt good!)
-Asked my SIL what my nephew might want for his birthday. She gave me some specifics and I found places to buy them nearby instead of online. One item saved me from having to pay for shipping and the other I'm able to use a 20% off coupon. Bonus is that we'll be giving him something he'll actually want/use rather than guessing.
@CrunchyCake, Oh ya, and we used our Annual National Parks Pass to get into the Park. We've used it four times over the last 5 months so it has paid for itself and is now saving us money - yay!
@CrunchyCake,
Good job on the vacation food estimating! That is always such a tricky formula to get right!
Vacation food is SO hard to manage! There's trying to eat down your fridge before you leave, and then trying to manage the on-vacation food too.
@CrunchyCake, I'm not sure what ages your kids are, but there's a federal program called Every Kid Outdoors that allows 4th graders and their families to get into National Parks for free for a full year!
@Ruth T, We saw that at on the sign at the park - so cool! We have a third grader this year but she'll be in 4th next year I'm hoping to take advantage of that fantastic program soon.
@Becca, Thanks! No one is more shocked than I!
-Had our washing machine mended instead of replaced. It’s 16 years old but does the job. Repair came with one year warranty.
-Received a free creative playthings playground and found someone on Facebook to install. My almost 3 year old loves it and it’s in great shape.
-Returned an item I bought online because it didn’t flatter me and didn’t feel worth the money.
-Knit a hat as a gift for a new baby in the family using my stash yarn.
-Purchased a portable play yard on marketplace and cleaned so my baby can be safe outside with us while my older daughter plays on her new swing set.
I also have a bag of old tshirt rags inspired by a very old post of yours.
1. Strawberries were on sale for $1.25/lb which is a ton lower than I’ve seen them in ages. I bought 16lbs and immediately washed them and got them chopped up and separated into 5 cup portions for jam. I am finally down to about 4 jars of strawberry jam from 2 years ago so I need to make some (my kids eat it almost everyday). I don’t have time to make jam right now but when I do, the most time consuming part will be done and I will have to just pull them from the freezer. My future self will be thanking my past self for sure.
2. I also mended a shirt and took in the waist of some shorts for my 13 yo.
3. I made yogurt even though I didn’t feel like it. It will taste better and save me a lot of money.
4. This might be gross to some but I keep composting worms in my basement so I can use their castings in my seed starting mix in the spring. I noticed quite a bit of liquid (aka worm pee) in the bottom so I drained it off, diluted it with a bunch of water and poured it on my tomato plants. It was free and some of the best fertilizer around.
5. I bought a lot of dried beans in the fall if 2020 and was worried about the quality of them degrading so I decided to try out my new reusable canning lids and pressure can them. I had a learning curve on the first batch but the last few batches had no seal failures. Now I have all manner of beans ready to eat, they won’t degrade and I can reuse the lids after.
@KimN,
I used to keep my worm farm in my kitchen, so it was obviously not gross to me, but when I got married and my husband basically took over the kitchen he was all like "the box of worm crap has got to go!" So, I moved them out into the back corner of my yard tucked against the fence assuming this would be the end of them after winter since they are not supposed to be cold hardy. I discovered, to my delight, that they are protected enough with the heat of the compost and the shelter of the fence to overwinter just fine. So now, they live outside and have even populated a couple more compost bins over the last ten years or so.
@Becca,
I’m impressed that they overwintered! I had to move mine outside a few years back in the fall after we had a fruit fly infestation (not from the worms but from some pears I bought but they found their way down to the basement and in to the bin grrrr). I put them in the garage in hopes that maybe they could make it but sadly they did not. I had to start with fresh worms the next spring.
I am so impressed with you! You are my inspiration in life.
Aww, that's so sweet, Emily. Thank you!
Is that your newly refinished table there holding up the to-be-mailed package?
Your eagle eyes are correct!
1. Went whole food plant based, which means I have to buy even less meat. oil, eggs and dairy products, (Still have to buy some, as hubby is omnivore) and allows me to buy more locally produced food. Saves on the price hikes on shipping, and I have actually bought into a CSA for the summer, so I anticipate more savings.
2. Having lost 11 pounds so far, I have been able to get into some of my older clothes, so haven't needed to buy summer clothing. I did order a white skirt from Amazon, as I only had one dress and one pair of black pants for church (hadn't been in several years), but have lots of blouses I can wear with it.
3. By changing my way of eating, my blood sugars have plunged, and I have been able to drop my insulin use by half. I still have to buy the needles, but my insulin pens should last me almost twice as long now.
4. I just had to pay for another month's prescription of Jardiance ($160 for a 30-day supply!). However, with my blood sugars still dropping, I tried cutting them in half and taking only half the dosage, and my blood sugars are still stable on the new dose. So this prescription will last me for 2 months instead of one, and I hope to be able to be completely off of it by the time this 'script runs out.
5. Have found several old stepping stones left from the previous owners, as well as a few yard art items from Buy Nothing, and am painting them with some patio and acrylic paints I have, then spraying them with a can of matte protective coating I found in the garage. Really spruces up the yard!
@Stephanie D, I had vertical gastric sleeve surgery and my insulin use has been cut in half. I find a pen lasts me a month.
@Auntiali, sure feels good to be able to make those stretch out, doesn't it?
(1) Went looking at Hoopla, Kanopy, for two movies . Scarborough(2021TIFF) which I had seen 2/3rds of the way through on a plane flight. It’s not there yet but I did reserve a library copy of the book ( Catherine Hernandez author)it is based upon. I think it will eventually appear on these sources.
I then went looking for Lion(2015) starring DevPatel could not find a copy of it either so put a request at the library for the book it is based on. “ A Long Way Home” by Saroo Brierley.
I had also checked CBC GEM in case anyone else would like some free streaming ideas.
(2)Ordered some clothes online from a vendor I have used before, they came but just are too big. I could have returned the items but would have had to pay shipping.I contacted instead a senior dog rescue in my area to see if I could donate these new with tag items and they will issue me a tax receipt for the cost of the items from the invoice.They do a regular online auction of items to raise funds. I kind of feel I’ve contributed in the big circle of life as one of my daughters in another city just adopted a senior dog(10 years old). This dog was obviously a well loved and trained pet and has become a well loved companion to my daughter frequently going into her office with her.
(3) Phoned my Humane Society to confirm they would willingly take my newspapers, old sheets( even with holes but could I remove any elastic) and old towels. I’m going to call back. They may take my holey,stained t shirts. I have so many already in my rag bag.
(4) One of my favourite thrifts runs an online sales section. I frequently find 1000 piece good quality puzzles for one of my daughters. I am picking up a book for myself and one of my other daughters ,who asked if I ever saw the title she would like it for her own library. Yay thrifted books and support of favourite thrift stores.
(5) On the “eat at home/ shop at home theme”. I boiled eggs this morning for snacks and sandwich making, then used the water to thaw out some taco soup from the freezer, next I will soak my air plant in the water, then water my other plants.
Trimmed my bangs at home instead of going to the salon.
Used up some milk that was about to go bad to make tapioca pudding.
Hubby patched a hole in our car tire instead of taking it to the tire shop.
Made homemade whole wheat crackers for snacks for kiddos
Made mushroom stock with foraged pheasant back mushrooms and onion scraps. Then made some into tomato soup and put some in the freezer.
I am impressed you make crackers. I've done it a few times and decided it was too much work!
Frugal:
Saved 44 dollars at grocery store using pick up, store sales and in app coupons.
When I pick out my annuals I look carefully and try to pick ones that have 2-3 plants per container instead of one. I then separate them and plant.
Packing lunch every day. OVER IT
I also cut cotton shirts into rags.
You are a teacher, right? So a lunch-packing break is coming soon if I'm not mistaken!
1. Love your rags. I had made some new rags with old towels. Got new towels as company was coming.
2. Halted Netflix subscription and will save $21.31/month now.
3. Our cable/phone and internet bill is up to $173/month.
4. I'm recommending TJ Max online to look for gowns. I have seen them there. I have to get a gown for my son's Singapore wedding next March.
5. Survived the 90 degree heat during my party that celebrated son's and daughter in law's civil service. Party was outside under a tent. I'm so happy I had weight loss surgery cause with 90 lbs less on me I could handle the heat. The party was way less expensive than a formal wedding reception. I took my dinner home but threw it out as it had been sitting in 90 degree heat. Did take the leftover cake home.
6. We had lots of company and were able to feed them with food that my niece's husband bought twice. Also did 2 pizzas after the party and that was enough to slack anyone's hunger. Hubby got soda on sale and water which we kept in the cooler on the deck. Hubs kept adding ice.
1. A co-worker gave me a ton a rhubarb. I used some of it to make strawberry rhubarb jam and it's very good. Some of the compote we used to make strawberry rhubarb margaritas when the kids were in bed and they were amazing. The rest of the rhubarb I gave to neighbors.
2. I made baked french toast for my kid's breakfast this week using a free loaf of bread.
3. I picked up a pet watering bowl off Buy Nothing, which will be perfect for pur cats when we are camping.
4. I bought some seedlings for $1/6 pack at our public market.
5. My daughter was diagnosed with late stage Lyme disease. This is not frugal, but I have excellent health insurance and an FSA through my employer. So her lab work, 4 weeks of antibiotics, and a doctor's visits only cost about $35.
@Corrine Wilson, I wish your daughter a complete recovery from the Lyme. When I got it a few years ago, I was "lucky" enough to break out in a giant bull's eye rash immediately, so nobody questioned what it was and I was started on antibiotics pronto. Full recovery and no residual effects (as far as I can tell).
@A. Marie, thank you!! Unfortunately we never saw a rash, so it has spread to her joints. Doctor seems to think she will make a full recovery and she seems to be doing much better already. I am so glad you recovered easily!!!
I mended a pair of work shorts for my husband, planted some free-to-me plants that my neighbor gave me, picked balsam fir tips to try a new syrup recipe and enjoyed coffee at home in a new Mother's day mug.
1. Redeemed my free birthday drink from Starbucks.
2. DH and I put our tax refund into our savings.
3. Foraging spring edibles! Nettles will go into a delicious nettle soup (with potatoes and cream, so good), and I’ve just learned about garlic mustard. It’s easy to identify, tastes like garlic (the leaves even smell like garlic when you rub them), and moreover it is an invasive plant that crowds out native plants. So by picking it I am not only getting free food and trying new things, but I am helping keep our backyard from becoming overgrown by an invasive plant. Win-win!
4. My in-laws are here helping with house stuff, some of which is cosmetic but makes me feel a million times better, and some of which really improves our quality of life. Grateful for a FIL with lots of tools and expertise!
5. Paid some medical bills with money “earned” through our insurance program’s healthy behavior incentives. Savings: $71.
6. DH picked a push mower off the curb, and the previous owner said it didn’t start. DH was able to get it running with a new air filter and a few other small fixes, yay!
7. I harvested rhubarb from our giant rhubarb patch and froze it. I will be able to harvest much more soon and am excited to figure out how to use it. Of course the internet is full of recipes, but if anyone has favorite recipes that are above and beyond… and you are willing to share…?
@Lindsay B, I don’t know how good Google translate are at recepies but this is our favorite: https://trinesmatblogg.no/recipe/rabarbrachutney/
I find that rhubarb is quite neutral in jams so I use it where I want to stretch the main ingredient, like strawberry. Or where it would be to overwhelming with just the main ingredient, like prunes.
Other use, I enjoy to use it instead of carrots in my carrotcake recepie. Lovely tart flavour.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes, I don’t have time to check with Google translate 🙂
@Lindsay B, I don’t know how good Google translate are at recepies so perhaps it’s just easier to Google a recepie in English, but our favorite is making chutney. Use it for bbq meats, our version of tacos and in salads.
Btw, tried to add the link for the recepie I use but the comment just stand as pending.
I find that rhubarb is quite neutral in jams so I use it where I want to stretch the main ingredient, like strawberry. Or where it would be to overwhelming with just the main ingredient, like prunes.
Other use, I enjoy to use it instead of carrots in my carrotcake recepie. Lovely tart flavour.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes, I don’t have time to check with Google translate 🙂
@Gunn from Northern Norway, thank you! I actually speak Norwegian so I can translate the recipe, and it looks very different from the many dessert recipes here in the US. Tusen takk!
I love reading everyone's FFT's. So inspiring!
My FFT's are:
1) I had a coupon for a free body item at Bath & Body Works so I got a Pineapple Sunrise lotion and it's heavenly. Savings- $15.50
2) I needed better drainage for my potted outdoor plants and found someone giving away a new wooden pallet. I put it on my porch and voila', it is perfect. Savings- $25
3) I needed pants for work and shopped on ebay. Nice ones for less than half the retail price. Savings- $70
4) I got organic strawberries on a great sale at the market and have been dehydrating them. I dry them until they are like a potato chip for longer storage. Savings- $48
5) My hubbie helped trim my hair. Savings- $25
I’m glad I’m not the only one who gets excited about a “good box”! LOL
I think this is how we know we are not young and cool. 😉
@Kristen,
I don't know...my kids are pretty young and they love them a good box...
1. I made all of our meals at home.
2. I used some gift cards to get fancy coffee. As many of you know, finals week = coffee.
3. I mended more pants and a pillow.
4. I used my library card to get books and dvds. The library also gifted us a GIANT "Baby Yoda" from their paper folding display. It's about 2 feet tall. (We know the person who put it together.)
5. I grabbed leftover parade candy from my children to use as prizes for my students. My children can't eat everything they grabbed because of sheer quantity and food allergies.
1. Used my dental sinking fund for my cleaning. It never gets old to have the cash ready to pay for things!
2. When I picked up an RX at Sam's, they told me my husband's insurance pays for four "free" rapid tests. Yay! Nice to have on hand.
3. My assignment for a work luncheon was brownies and plates/napkins. Had the brownie mix on hand (also love Kristen's "Not from a box" brownies) and the ONLY plates they had at WM were LOL doll plates for a kids' party!! Oh, well!!
4. "free lunch"- see above
5. Hmmmm. Packed all my other breakfasts and lunches, trying hard to stay within my new (larger) grocery budget, and eating from the pantry as much as possible.