Five Frugal Things | Refunds, lamps, & a toaster oven
I've still been busy working on getting my money back for all my CLEP-related expenses!
1. I got a $30 testing center refund
In addition to the CLEP voucher fee, I had also paid a $30 testing fee to my college.
I emailed them as soon as I got the news about the test (no one was answering the phone), but then I didn't hear anything for several days.
So, I called and this time someone answered the phone (yay!). She was able to move things forward with my refund, so now I'm getting my $30 back.
2. I got a $14.99 CLEP App Store refund
I didn't end up needing the app, and it never was working right anyway (all the answer options were blank on my phone!), so I followed the instructions here to request a refund through the Apple app store.
I'd never done this before, but it was very easy.
If you don't know how to do something, google it. There's almost always help out there!
3. I got Starbucks coffee for $4/bag
Zoe and I were at Target to get a few things, and when I walked by the coffee, I noticed a sign that said if you bought two bags, they'd be $4 apiece! That's a super good price, so I picked two of them up.
For some reason, they rang up as $11 apiece, though. So, I popped by the customer service desk on the way out and I got the price adjusted.
4. I got a free toaster oven for my volunteer work
I do some volunteering with after-school care for public schools in my area; we go around to a bunch of schools doing programs with various themes.
Right now, we're doing some cooking classes, and one of the schools has 45 children in its after-care program (some schools have less than ten, so 45 is a LOT!).
We needed another toaster oven badly, so I asked on my Buy Nothing group and someone had an extra Ninja toaster oven they didn't need. Sweeeet.
I will store it (and use it!) here, and it can easily travel with me when we need it for a cooking class.
5. I got three lamps for $30
The corner of my bedroom where my dresser sits is a little bit dark, and I often have wished for a lamp when I'm trying to find a particular pair of socks!
(Tell me I am not the only one who is rather particular about which socks to wear with which shoes. Sometimes you need no-show, sometimes you need low cut, sometimes you need tall socks...I can't grab just any socks!)
I have not managed to get any lamps on my Buy Nothing group, so I looked at HomeGoods and Target. But none of the lamps there really felt worth the price to me.
So I browsed around on Facebook Marketplace, and ooh, I found someone who is moving and was selling a pair of lamps and a singleton.
AND his house is four minutes from mine!
I asked if he'd be willing to give me a discount if I bought all of them, and he suggested $30 for all three.
Perfect.
A similar lamp at Target costs $30 for just one, so I feel pretty happy about getting three for that price. Plus, this guy's house was closer than any Target. 😉
I put one in my bedroom.
I put the matching one in my living room, sitting on one of my first painting projects: an end table from freecycle (click for the before and after).
And the third one, I put in the basement den.
I really love the little pull chain on these lamps; it makes it so easy to turn the lamps on.
1. Our electricity contract was going to expire next month. Our current provider sent a letter telling us the default action (12 months at a fixed price) and also promoting a 36 month fixed rate. I didn’t like either option (rate wise) so I looked online and found the same company offered lower rates. I called to inquire and was offered rates at bit lower than what was shown online. I signed up for a 36 month fixed rate contract. The rate was a bit more than 24 months would have been, and a bout 25% more than we have paid the past two years, but I feel good locking in for a longer period of time. We also received a $25 gift card. I was emailed a link that offered many different gift cards and I redeemed right away so as not to forget about it.
2. The local grocery store had jars of honey on clearance for 75% off. I bought a couple of jars and will use it when I make granola, since it is cheaper than maple syrup.
3. DH wanted to take treats to work for his staff. I offered to make blueberry muffins since I think home baked goods are better than store bought. I placed them in a two tier muffin/cupcake carrier that a neighbor gave me after I borrowed it and she realized she doesn’t use it or want it back. She, of course, reserves the right to borrow it at any time.
4. I thought we had just about spent down our 2022 FSA but when I checked there was still $300+ in it. I ordered masks, sunblock, and a seating cushion. I will also order orthotics today to beat the March 15th deadline for spending. These days there are so many things the funds can be spent on that there is no reason to let them be forfeited.
5. In September I submitted a claim to our medical insurance for reimbursement of rapid Covid tests. The claim was never processed. I called in January and was told it would be processed. Nothing happened. I called Saturday and waited for the representative to do whatever needed to be done to get the claim moving. I will continue to keep an eye on it until I receive the $56.
@K D, I never thought about using my HSA for masks and sunscreen! Thanks for sharing that tip!
@Ruth T,
Before I buy anything even slightly related to health or wellness (vitamins, heating pads) I search for the item on amazon and use FSA/HSA in the search terms. That gives me an idea if the item might be covered.
Good score on the lamps! We are also lamp people; between lamps and sunshine, it’s amazing how rarely we think to turn on our overhead lights.
—My husband’s heavier winter work gear takes forever in the dryer—his insulated jeans are like four jeans in one, weight-wise!—so I bought wool dryer balls to hopefully speed things up. The balls have cut drying time by 20-30 minutes! I’m curious how much this will shave off both our electric and gas bills, given our gas dryer.
—The back pocket of my husband’s favorite insulated work jeans had developed a hole from his wallet. I mended/reinforced it using denim cut from my jeans when I hemmed them. Jeans that fit the way I want are inevitably made for someone 4-6” taller, so I’ve a bevy of denim scraps to rely on for repairs.
—Our kitchen had a sticking drawer that finally irked me to the point of doing something about it. I lubricated the drawer slides by rubbing them with a broken candle since I didn’t have any bar soap; reinforced the drawer front, which had started to come loose on one side from all the sticking; and added two thumb tacks to the front of the drawer rest to help the drawer slide even better. The last tip was courtesy of thisoldhouse.com, to which I am devoted forever and always.
—I bought a $2 pack of wooden shims when working on our house but didn’t end up needing any. However, the shims have proven to be great garden markers as I start to get things planted!
—I already found the main gift for my husband’s winter birthday! We watch European soccer together on weekend mornings (we were hooked after the 2010 World Cup), and now is when the current season’s jerseys go on sale. World Soccer Shop had a coupon for an additional 20% off sale items, which handily equaled the cost of shipping. Even on sale, jerseys aren’t cheap ($40 instead of $90!), so the coupon was much appreciated.
Pro tip: Order at least two sizes up for European sports jerseys. I didn’t know that when I ordered my husband’s first jersey, which ended up being mine thanks to the drastic size difference! For reference, he’s 6’2”, and I’m 5’4.” The jersey was skin tight on him but comfortably baggy on me. I’d personalized it with his last name and birth year as the team number, so returning it wasn’t an option. *womp womp* It’s a good thing we follow the same teams! 😛
@N,
What a great way to repurpose shims! I see a craft project on my horizon.
@N, Shims are so versatile! We've had a pack for years and they've been used for all sorts of things from door stops to leveling ceiling fans to small craft projects and patching/filling tiny holes. We don't garden but yet another clever use!
@N, thanks for the soccer jersey tips and website! My son loves watching soccer and is collecting jerseys (which are not cheap, even for youth sizes!) and my husband is a big fan of England, so I'll be able to get them something at a more reasonable price.
@DebbieR, You’re very welcome! I’ve ordered multiple times from World Soccer Shop and have yet to be disappointed with their service. (Again, the jersey size snafu cited above was totally my fault.) I’d also advise keeping an eye out for jerseys at Goodwill. I’ve yet to find any for our teams, but I’ve spied several for Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, and England over the years.
Good for you being persistent! All the little things add up!
My FFT girls' weekend edition:
1. I bought snacks for my girls' weekend at Aldi because...of course! Having lots of options meant we didn't need to order any take out and we always had something simple to eat that didn't require much work.
2. I also bought lots of snacks for at home so my people here would have the same situation.
3. I helped my friend politely request a partial refund for our house when we realized the hot tub was broken.
4. I helped my friend follow all check out instructions so we wouldn't get any surprise cleaning fees.
5. I listened to my body and went to bed at a reasonable hour and didn't succumb to peer pressure to stay up too late partying. A younger me might have pushed it and ended up sick, but at this stage in my life I am confident enough to say goodnight and not care what others might think.
@Kristen: Could you write a blog post about your volunteer work? In previous posts you mentioned the cat shelter and the food bank, today you mentioned after-school care.
What organizations are you currently volunteering for? What tasks do you take on?
Thank you :-).
@Christine81, I would be interested in that, too!
Me, too!
@Kimberly, me three!
@Christine81,
Me #4
Googling things is the way to go - I found one that was helpful in figuring out why I could not get the lock to work on my mailbox. An old can of WD40 saved the day and cost me nothing. Other things I have done or continue to do:
*no on line shopping for march
*making all of my lunches at home
*gave away a giant Jenga set with a table on the buy nothing FB group, which saved me having to haul it to Goodwill.
*used my daughter's Netflix account to watch a silly movie yesterday
*read a bestseller I found at Goodwill for about $3 and I think I can sell it back for credit at Half Price Books to get another one to read
{Incidentally, an ad for the hospital I work at was playing on the sidebar of your blog as I typed this!}
@gina, WD-40, 3 in 1 oil, DeOxit etc. So many great products out there which fix a number of common issues.
@Battra92 and @gina, I've said this before, but I'll say it again: My DH always used to say he could fix about 3/4 of the problems he encountered as a landlord with WD-40, duct tape, and/or his Swiss Army knife.
@A. Marie, And bungee cords! My husband swears by bungee cords for many a task. We like to joke that bungee cords must hold the universe together.
I loved volunteering for an afters school program when I was in college. After homeschooling, I hope I can find a way to volunteer in an educational setting.
1. This might seem not frugal, but if one must have real maple syrup (and one must!), then finding the best deal is important. The best deal was buying 10 gallons straight from the farm a little less than 2 hours away (Anybody out in Garrett County, Maryland? I can hook you up with the name!). We combined it with a school field trip PLUS some thrift store stops, and it's even more frugal.
2. We visited a glassblowing shop for a free homeschool field trip. We did not buy the expensive items. Somebody, I"ll splurge on one of the seconds. Maybe.
3. We bought some good books at a thrift store for 10 cents a piece. We discovered this thrift store, and all of the items were so cheap!
4. Another cheap thrift store find-- A large box of Snap Circuits (missing only 2 pieces) for $1. It has already seen hours and hours of use.
5. At a different thrift store, we paid more for some vintage Springbok puzzles. Even if they are missing pieces, they are our favorite puzzles. If they aren't missing pieces, I can sell them for at least 10x what we paid for them.
@Jody S., I love glassblowing. Every chance we got on a vacation we always watched glassblowers. As an adult, I’ve taken several glassblowing workshops which are cheaper than a full set of school courses. An instructor does the hard stuff but I get to do enough to be happy. And my nephew thought the photos of me making his Christmas ornament were cool
I've never done glassblowing but I'd love to. So interesting and pretty. (Still trying to find someone to make a shade for an antique lamp, sigh.)
@Rose,
I had to replace a Grandma Moses lamp shade and I wanted an authentic one made from the same type of fabric. I found a person on Etsy and my new shade is beautiful. I moved the lamp from my bedroom to the living room so I can enjoy it for more hours daily. It was not inexpensive but the joy it brings me in memories of my mother are priceless. I wish you good luck in your search.
@Rose, A lamp was one of the things they were making that day.
@Jody S., I am not in Maryland, but I wonder if your farm would ship elsewhere in the U.S.? My father-in-law was from VT and, for many years, he would go visit his mother and bring several gallons home to share with the rest of the family. Great memories. Like you, he insisted on buying only from this one small farm. Sam's Club carries maple syrup but he insists it's not the same thing.
Kudos to you for volunteering with everything else going on in your life.
We’ve had flu for 2 weeks and buying what was easy so not very frugal. An ikea shop got away from me a bit too!
But I did chase up back pay from my previous employer.
I'm plotting how to furnish my new house with what I have. The house is larger but I have quite a bit of my mother's furniture. Today's happy realization is that the rug situation is much simpler than I thought: the upper floors have w-2-w, I only need to figure a few rooms.
I've been looking for opportunities to use up the food stash before I move. Generally this means baking: for book club, for office events, etc.
Making progress going through 2+ years of medical visit paperwork (calendar, bills, credit card statements, etc.) to resubmit because the previous paperwork, um, didn't arrive. That'll happen when they change their address, don't tell their customers, and don't have the mail returned to sender.
@WilliamB, it really does seem like there's always something awry when it comes to arranging health care, doesn't it? Like when it goes smoothly, it's a red-letter day.
@WilliamB, I've long believed that insurance companies train their people in the many ways to deny claims. "She doesn't work here anymore"; "That's not how things are done"; "your paperwork never arrived"; "those are the wrong codes"; "our computer system is down". . . They have experts in friendly answers to sell insurance and experts in inflexible ignorance to when you actually need to use the insurance.
@WilliamB, kudos to you for hanging tough with the insurance situation. I remember from earlier comments of yours that this has been worth its weight in hemorrhoids.
You had a lot of fun frugal things this week!!
My FFT:
1. From the really big tree we took down we took a trailer full of firewood to my parents' house for their outdoor wood furnace. We also have a friend that has really gotten into woodworking and he came over and found a lot of wood that he will be able to use.
2. Carpooled to Bigger City with a friend last night to get our girls' ears pierced. We ate an early dinner before we left. We also stopped by Menards to return $31 worth of things we ended up not needing for our power line repair.
3. I registered my oldest for summer camp before the price goes up $30.
4. Made yogurt.
5. I prepped a lot of produce yesterday. I had some celery that was getting bendy and I put the pieces in water to revive them. I'm making a turkey tonight, so I saved the celery tops for tonight when I start making turkey broth. I had some yellow peppers that were getting old-ish, but once they were sliced they got eaten very quickly!
FFT, Yet Another Snow Day Edition:
(1) About 3-4" of fresh snow by dawn and much more coming, folks. And we're not even supposed to get the worst of it here in Central NY. The Capital Region (Albany area), the lower Adirondacks, the Catskills, and parts of New England seem to be in the bull's-eye this time. Anyway, yet again, a thrifty aspect of this is that it's harder to spend money if I can't go out.
(2) See my FFT of yesterday at the NCA for an account of my storm preparation activities. Those who got tired just reading the list will be glad to hear that I curled up with a drink and a good book at the end of the day!
(3) We haven't lost power yet, and I'm hoping it stays on. But I am running a quick load of laundry (to be dried on my Antiques Roadshow collection of indoor racks) as I write, just in case.
(4) A small home-decorating frugality that I haven't mentioned earlier: Several weeks ago, I bought a "Zen art box" at one of the Thrifty Shopper stores--a collection of 40 laminated 6 x 8 cards with calligraphic artwork illustrating various Zen sayings. I couldn't decide how to display these on a rotating basis till I remembered the small wooden book stand I'm no longer using in my office (since my retirement, I don't have to prop earlier editions of books open while I edit later editions). The stand holds two cards at a time, which I change weekly. I figure at this rate, I should attain enlightenment by the time I'm 95 or so. 🙂
(5) And I mentioned yesterday that I'd brought wood up from the old attached garage for a fire today. Right now, Betty is sprawled on the rug, looking at the wood, looking at the stove, looking at me, and clearly thinking, "Hey, lazy human! Stop fooling around on that laptop and light this fire!" Yes, darling cat, I'm coming!
@A. Marie, I love that you are slowly working towards obtaining enlightenment, with a goal of hitting it at 95.
@A. Marie, I think of you every time I see the weather broadcast telling us how much snow you are getting. Now I will picture you drinking and reading while it blows against your windows and doors! Glad you are safe.
1. Baked a birthday cake for my daughter's celebration so we wouldn't be tempted to buy dessert when we went out for dinner. Picked up ice cream on sale to go with the cake.
2. Used more of the fabric and thread I inherited from Mom to make doll/stuff animal sleeping bags for my aunt who requested them for her newly adopted great-grandchildren.
3. DH signed up to bring a pie for Pi-day celebration at his office. We made an impossible coconut pie this morning since we had all the ingredients in the house. Now he won't be stopping at the grocery store to buy a pie.
4. My company is providing pizza for employees today for Pi-day so I didn't need to bring my lunch.
5. Weather turned cold again here so I made a pot of taco soup for dinner last night. Since there are only the two of us, we'll have leftovers for dinner most of the week (we call that cook once, eat many)
1. Fixed my washer myself. Which is not so much frugal as a necessity, since finding someone else to fix it is impossible.
2. Shredded the crummy, tough chicken my daughter bought (she buys the cheap kind which drives me up the wall) so it was still crummy and tough, but not so noticeable. Made it into pot pie.
3. Helped my daughter draft a pattern for the dress she wants to make. Saves the price of a pattern, but what a pain.
4. Found a coupon for daughter's $$$ medication.
5. Sold an antique I don't particularly want any more.
The lamps look great! So gratifying that you were even able to get three that coordinated at such a good price 🙂
Here are my weekly frugal wins, which include potty training (or at least, starting the process) our youngest!
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2023/03/14/weekly-frugal-wins-potty-training-toddler-beds/
This made me smile because one of my earliest posts on my blog was about me potty-training Zoe!
Two kitchen experiments, frugality vs. time still being considered.
1) I made cream cheese using half and half, a packet of starter culture, and rennet. The cost for all of that made cream cheese that is cheaper than Philadelphia--and tastier--but the cost could be much further reduced by re-using the previous batch to make the next one, just like yogurt. However, to do that, I have to be making it every week. I don't know if I want to be adding that to my already somewhat heavy kitchen schedule. We shall see.
2) I bought a bag of unflavored gelatin to make homemade jell-o. I got the grass-fed, non-GMO, etc., etc. kind, which is way more expensive, but if I can get the flavoring juice free, will be cheaper (and MUCH healthier) than the boxes of jell-o. I made it the first time with orange juice, because we were given a crate of oranges. My family liked it. Some more than others. We should have lots of rhubarb soon, so I can try it with that, too. Unfortunately, we do not typically get a lot of strawberries or raspberries, which of course are my kids' favorite, but I may look at the juice concentrates in the freezer section next time I'm at the store and see what my options might be there.
@kristin @ going country,
I make gelatin with lemon juice, since we have a lemon tree, but I've also made it with apple juice and grape juice, and we liked all of it. We have a grape vine, so the grape juice is also free. I haven't tried using lime juice, but I think it would taste good. Maybe I need to plant a lime tree.
@kristin @ going country, Every time we walk down the jello aisle (and that isn't terribly often), my husband looks for rhubarb jello. He's never had it, but he wants to. Please post how that works and a recipe, so I can try it!
@Jody S., That's so funny. Yes, if I actually succeed at making tasty rhubarb jello, I'll post a recipe on my blog. I did see at least one when I searched for "homemade rhubarb jello with gelatin," so you could also try that.
1. We need a new fence around our two garden areas. We got several quotes and all were over $1K to fence in an area about 1500 sq ft on one side only with a 4 ft tall fence. We bought the necessary items and will build & install it ourselves. This will save us almost $800!
2. I am making a pot of vegetable beef soup today in which I will be using up some frozen veggies from last year as well as home canned tomatoes.
3. I built a fire in the firepit and used the chance to cook several items for meals later in the week even some zucchini...YUM!
4. Digital coupons to save $15 on my grocery haul this week.
5. Meals at home.
@Angie, your #1 -- my new neighbors re-fenced their acre property and I asked them for the name of the contractor, because I need to do the same. They said they did it themselves because the estimate they got was for $17,000, and they went to Tractor Supply and bought all the materials and did it for $3,000. But of course they supplied the labor, had all the tools necessary (gas-powered augur, wire spreader), didn't need a business license or insurance, etc. But still ...
Kristen, yes! I am very fussy about which socks I wear. Glad you have the lighting to allow you to figure out this quandary. Ha.
My frugal things are a boring repeat of what I always do--cooking at home, trolling the fridge to use up food before it goes bad, etc.
Keep those refunds coming! Good job!
1. I picked chickweed and made a chickweed omelet. Eggs aren't cheap, but the chickweed is free. I also put some chickweed on a sandwich.
2. I cashed out $10 of Capital One shopping rewards, got a Lowe's gift card and bought "brushed nickel" spray paint to paint the handles of the vintage desk I had been given, with no out-of-pocket.
3. I had used one bag of a different brand of sale-priced soil last year in my raised bed, and that raised bed got full of weeds. I'll stay with my old brand of soil from now on, even if it does cost more. I spent a long while digging and pulling rattlesnake weed (Florida betony) out of the raised bed this weekend, but I got my revenge. I washed the largest tubers and ate a whole bowl of them with a little salt. I had a free snack and a feeling of great satisfaction.
4. I cut all the last of my "spinach", cleaned and cooked it. This was from bought seeds. I'm still cutting lettuce, which grew from lettuce seed saved from last year. I hope to gather lettuce seeds again this year.
5. I cut up some boxes and I'm making drawer dividers for the vintage desk.
@JD, I'm glad to be reminded that you're a fellow weed connoisseur (among the many other things we have in common). I won't be seeing chickweed, lamb's quarters, pigweed, or purslane for quite a while yet, but I add all of them to stir-fries, omelets, etc.
@A. Marie,
I lose most of my weed access once my mowers start mowing regularly again in warm weather, but in early spring I can usually find chickweed and betony, and I'll get some purslane and sourgrass in the summer, sometimes. Weeds can be quite good!
@JD and @A. Marie, I would *love* a guest post about weeds that one can eat! I think Lindsey is also a weed connoisseur?
@Ringo, yes, I think so too. Lindsey?
@A. Marie, Yup, another weed connoisseur, although in Northern Alaska we have fewer weed varieties than you guys Outside do (Southcentral and Southeast Alaska have temperatures and conditions that afford them more weed variety). The April 2008 issue of Martha Stewart's Living magazine had an article on edible weeds, if you have access to that issue (page 74 is pictures). Mostly our household consumes young dandelions, chickweed, young fireweed leaves (and the blossoms can be used to make jelly), and lambs quarters. Our local Cooperative Extension has developed a pamphlet that includes edible weeds, so interested folks might want to check with their local cooperative extensions to see if they have done something for your area. Years ago I had the good fortune of corresponding with William Weaver, who has done a lot of work on edible weeds; you may want to look up some of his books. I once taught a cooking class using weeds, so I learned a lot and that is why I cannot seem to shut up on this topic. I am ending now.
P.S. A. Marie, I lost your email address when I switched computers. Can you email me?
@JD, my husband has us eating weeds ( not to be confused with weed ...) in the summer. My favorite is the violets that grow wild in our yard. They have a mild taste and look pretty on salads. This would be a fun post sometime.
@JD, I would be very interested in what brand of soil you buy for raised beds as it seems we get more weeds than vegetables lately. And, no, we won't be eating the weeds--sorry.
@Barbara,
Just happened to see this - I buy Ocean Forest brand.
@JD, Thank you. Looks like I can order it from Walmart as it's not available anywhere else around me. We have 4 fairly deep raised beds and it would be incredibly expensive to do all of them so have plan with hubby to try it in smallest bed first. I assume you mix yours with regular garden soil or do you use 100% Ocean Forest.
1. Used a loyalty coupon at the grocery store plus in-store sales to save 50 bucks. Not bad.
2. One of our kids is out of town, so I'm scaling back on the amount of food I usually make, and that will save something, I'm sure.
3. Found some of my specialty grocery items (lasagna noodles, coconut and cassava flour, herbal tea, instant coffee) cheaper through Amazon Subscribe and Save. I do like the convenience of not having to think about those items when I'm making the grocery list, and I know I'm saving some money on things we use regularly.
4. Used the library for most of my reading.
5. Used some Amazon rewards points for one book I really wanted, and two books as a treat for my youngest (Wallace the Brave, so much cuter and nicer than Calvin and Hobbes, which he loves).
Oops, forgot that I revived some celery originally bought for soup (only used a bit of it for that). The rest of it was getting kind of limp. Cut it into stalks and soaked in ice water, put it in a very visible location of the fridge to make sure it gets snacked on. If I cut up the produce into snackable pieces and put them at eye level in the fridge, my kids are more likely to eat them (as am I). The leaves and ends I chopped up and froze for the next batch of soup.
These are my FFs (Frugal Fails) for the week. Please feel free to crowd source solutions:
1. I have to make yet another Amazon return because, once again, the product was nothing like its description and not at all suitable for outdoor use as it claimed. How frugal is free shipping and returns if you have to get in the car and make a trip to the UPS store or Kohls to return everything you order? I should have just gone to Home Depot or Lowes in the first place.
2. If the majority of my online purchases are for the dog, would I be better off ordering from Chewy or another site? Do they have free shipping for less-than-mega tons of dog food?
3. I heard that you can get free shipping from Amazon without paying for Amazon Prime if you batch your orders and reach a certain $ amount. Is that true? Because my Prime membership will expire later this summer and I'm really questioning whether it's worth the $179+ 8% sales tax they'll charge me to renew. Especially since they charge even Prime members to watch the "good" movies, etc.
4. It seems like more and more retailers (like Target) are matching Amazon's prices -- is that "in store" or only online?
5. Is it frugal if you buy a box of chocolate chip cookies at the grocery store for half price, come home and put them in freezer, but then break down and take half of them out and eat them the same afternoon? Asking for a friend....
@JDinNM, first, "I" am the friend in no. 5. 😀
Secondly, we have gone back and forth with pet food pricing between Chewy and Amazon. It seems to change so you kind of need to check every time you order. Chewy offers free shipping with a certain spend, so I never order below that. Just stock up for a few weeks or months if their price is best.
@Anne, Thank you! I'm thinking that just before my Amazon Prime expires, I'll order maybe 3 months worth (about my storage limit) and then switch to Chewy. I'm sure the prices will be more or less equivalent, and then free shipping without the cost of Amazon Prime. I'm also finding that Amazon's prices (which are really resellers' prices) on a lot of stuff aren't as good as online competitors' or in-store prices anymore.
@JDinNM, My dogs' food generally comes from Chewy. They have a very good selection and better prices than I can find locally.
@Rose, Thanks!
@JDinNM, re your #3, we do this all the time; but keep in mind I am in Canada and am not sure of the rules for the U.S. An example: my Hb ordered a reel of cable for his 3D printer, but he needed to spend about $5.00 more to qualify for the free shipping. So I added in a tube of facial hair remover at $6.99, and we qualified for the free shipping. But be careful: make sure you select the correct "free shipping" box, and not the "free shipping Prime membership box" or any other box that will add in the shipping after you have gone to your cart.
@Linda in Canada, ooh, thanks for the warning!
@JDinNM, both Chewy and Amazon have free shipping after you reach a certain dollar amount. I have comparison priced Walmart, Chewy, Amazon, Petco & Petsmart on-line pet (cat) supplies. Amazon & Chewy are the cheapest by far. Chewy is the same price or cheaper than Amazon most of the time and has more selection. Also, Chewy delivers on two days usually, occasionally three days or one day. Much faster than Amazon. Also, Chewy's website has a feature where you can sign up to have them email you when an out of stock item is back in stock. Very handy. The only thing I don't like with Chewy is they use FedEx for shipping.
@Karen, Thanks so much. I really appreciate your input. Amazon recently opened a fulfillment center near here so I will say delivery has been pretty darn speedy lately. But between the cost of Amazon Prime and the iffiness of some of the pricing, I think it's well worth at least taking a look at Chewy. And for dog food it's pretty easy to predict when I'll need more so I can order a bit ahead of time. Thanks again! It's really helpful to learn about others' experiences.
@JDinNM,
I'm the friend too! Just another weigh-in for Prime. I've had several free trials of Prime and have yet to find it really saves me time or $. Things often seem to arrive more slowly because they only seem to ship on certain days. I usually wait until I have $25 worth to buy (which helps impulse spending for me), and double-check that it's free shipping (Amazon defaults to paid shipping usually). Also, cross-check your seller/item on eBay. Amazon sellers are often eBay sellers and sometimes the price is better at the other site. Returns aren't hard because they're near where I usually shop, but you're right, that is a factor, especially if I don't remember to do it in their return window!
@Amanda P, Thanks for the tips! More and more I'm finding that Amazon prices (particularly the ones with the top/first listings) are not that great any more. I'm wondering if some of those are paid promotional listings.
I got some drawer dividers for my sock drawer (although you could make some for practically nothing), so now I have my socks divided up by height. It makes it incredibly easy to grab the right type!
@Jenessa, I solved that problem by having only black nylon trouser socks and white cotton athletic socks. I can tell the difference asleep and in the dark. A certain family member of mine solved the same problem by never matching socks. So many different solutions to one problem.
Some repeats from NCA:
1. Received several gallons of milk, pounds of bacon, butter, cream cheese and oj left over from a weekend church breakfast. We saw them still in the fridge on Sunday (I'm on the hospitality team and have to keep an eye on supplies) and offered to buy the leftovers. We were lovingly refused and instead asked to take it all home. My kids are in heaven, since we get those things sometimes but in much smaller quantities.
2. My expensive immersion blender died (a gift) and while Costco gave me a refund, I couldn’t justify $50 on a new one, however handy they are. I found one for $2 today at a thrift store and got to support a lovely cause.
3. I FOUND A WORKING VINTAGE VITAMIX 3600 WITH ALL THE PARTS FOR $5!!!!!!! My husband is an electrician so if the cord ever makes me nervous he can swap it easily. Always wanted one but couldn’t bite the $$$ bullet. Yay!
4. Trying to refresh my style a bit without spending a lot of time and $ shopping (My kids lovingly pointed out that I “still” had some of the clothes from some old pictures when we went down memory lane recently. ) So...tinted my brows again with a $20 Godefroy kit that’s lasted me at least 18 months, maybe more. Pulled out the polish strip set for a home manicure. Dashing Diva is my favorite brand and I can get usually 2 full manicures and pedicures out of one pack if I trim them carefully. They last forever with regular housework and there is no drying time. Brainstormed what’s currently in style that would suit me and that I’d actually wear, and found 4 shirts and 2 pairs of shoes for a grand total of $5. I’m planning to refresh the dye on some favorite jeans that are fading but still fit nicely (I’m a dark wash fan).
5. A friend gave us some beautiful solid wood end tables and small bookshelf that need a bit of light sanding but are sturdy and have great bones. I traded them out for the least nice pieces in our house, hooray!
@Amanda P,
Your number 3!!!!!!!!
Ummmm...WHAT! A $5 vitamix?? That's so awesome!
@Amanda P, Amazing indeed!
My FFT though it's really just a BIG one and the regular littles:
My kitchen sink(s) (dual sink) had water backing up. Turns out the pipe leading down from said sink into the basement was clogged. HB had to snake the pipes 8 times! (Details will be in my TT post). The savings comes from not hiring a plumber, and doing it ourselves. IMO the estimated cost for a plumber would have been north of $1000.00+. Patience and perseverance = priceless.
The regulars: drinking coffee and tea at home; tap water for the win, my small city has really good tap water for drinking and I drink a lot of water; home cooking 99% of my meals; laundry in off-peak electricity times; and so on.
I like those lamps and they are a great price.
1. I took home some whole wheat bread from my daughter's daycare. They give away extra bread often as it gets close to the "use by" date. I pop the loaves in my freezer immediately.
2. I picked up a large bottle of balsamic vinegar off Buy Nothing. I use this weekly to make my own salad dressing. The person's house is close to mine, so I loaded my daughter in the sled and walked over there. So, it ended up being great exercise too. I also gave away some small items on Buy Nothing this week.
3. My son had strep throat last week. I took him to our local urgent care, which costs us the same amount as a pediatric visit ($20), it took less than 1 hour to be seen/get rapid strep test results, and they gave him a new chapter book to take home. The medication cost $12. I used my FSA card to pay the co-pays. I pay extra for a "co-pay health insurance plan" through my employer, which costs more upfront but really saves so much when you have kiddos.
4. My husband and I have been doing free work out DVD's we rented from the library. I have also been taking advantage of the classes at my employer's gym, which is free.
5. We continue to cook at home and make coffee at home.
1. I made a double batch of stock this weekend. I was making an involved recipe that required a specific stock. The stock is somewhat labor intensive and after straining the stock I decided to add water to the remaining meat and veggies and cook them again in the pressure cooker. If the stock didn’t turn out in the second batch I would only be out the water. Thankfully the second batch was a success. I could tell a difference in the color and clarity of the second batch but the flavor was just as good.
2. I found some ground chicken on sale at Aldi so I picked up a few pounds to stash in the freezer.
3. I dug through my stash of sample size beauty items to find what I needed for an upcoming work trip. I won’t need to purchase anything to pamper myself at the end of long workdays.
4. I was able to secure an instructor for my son to learn his second instrument. His teacher will be loaning him the instrument so we will only have to purchase the mouthpiece. I’m willing to eventually rent/purchase the instrument but this will help us to determine if he can handle two instruments before committing the money.
5. I continue to make coffee at home, bring leftovers to the office for lunch, borrow library books, and batch my errands.
1. We made our meals at home.
2. I gave my youngest a haircut.
3. We shoveled our own driveway after the blizzard and didn't hire it out.
4. I mended my son's pants.
5. I used fabric that we already had on hand for a project.
Great score on the lamps! And they're so pretty!
1) After the expensive water heater episode last week, I discovered my tank was eligible for a rebate. So the paperwork is going out in today's mail. Only $50, but that's a tank of gas!
2) Last Nov, my husband drew out all the funds from an old retirement plan that has just been sitting there, not invested or anything. (from the late '60s/early '70s). The company holding it kept out taxes on it and paid them. However, we are on Social Security, and my husband's pension as a police officer, which isn't taxable either. So I met with the folks who have done our taxes for years, and we filed to get it back. We were only able to get half back, but $1600 is nothing to sneeze at, either.
3) I always save the return envelopes from bills, offers, etc, and use them to give the cash to my mower man each week, as sometimes I'm not there and need to leave it taped to the storm door. I've collected quite a few in this non-mowing season, so I cut them up for scrap paper, as I'm a list-maker.
4) Not frugal for me, but for others: Our church was cleaning out old equipment and rooms, and was going to send a bunch of stuff to the dump, I volunteered my pickup truck to transport, but when I saw some of the things they were discarding, I asked my pastor for permission to give them away through my gifting group instead. We were able t0 bless about 10 families with bookshelves that needed repairing, old pictures, space heaters, a rolling desk chair, 2 flat screen TVs (one without a power cord), a US flag, and a Christian flag, and a small pulpit went to a neighboring church's youth department.
5) It's still coolish this month, so I'm still making a lot of soup, using up bits of leftovers, past-prime veggies, and adding a lot of lentils, as I think my protein intake has been a bit low. We never eat out, and only order in pizza maybe once a month, or less.
I’m probably the last one to know this but I didn’t realize if I asked my hair stylist if he didn’t blow my hair dry, would it be cheaper? Well hells bells…it was quite a bit cheaper! I saved $15!
@Barb Pothuisje, I remember reading in Tightwad Gazette that a reader said she would wash her own hair at home, come to the salon with it wet, and save on the shampoo part of the "shampoo and cut". If one has hair that doesn't need to be blown dry to dry correctly, your tip is awesome! I never usually like how they blow dry my hair, anyway. 😉
@Karen A., Usually the husband cuts my hair but once a year I get it cut by a professional, so he has a template to follow the rest of the year. An elderly friend of mine had a stroke caused, the doctor thinks, by her bending her head back for the hair washing at the salon. Since then, I always go with my hair washed and wet. I am sure that is a rare occurrence, but I am always obsess about stuff, trivial or serious, so this is one less thing for me to worry about. Having it save me $5 is a bonus I did not know about until the first time I did it. I add the savings to the tip on top of what I usually tip.
@Lindsey, I had surgery to remove a ruptured disc in my neck 11 years ago and find the shampoo basin at a salon to be extremely painful ever since. I also wash my hair before I go and style it the usual way, then ask that the stylist just cut it damp using a spray bottle.
I borrowed a wheelbarrow instead of buying one.
I used a $7 off a purchase of $35 coupon at the hardware store.
I found a free knitting pattern for a baby cardigan.
I used a BOGO coupon at Jersey Mikes. (I then used that sandwich "date" to bribe my husband to help me with yard work.)
I received an amazon digital credit for opting for slower shipping. It was almost enough for a free movie rental.
Lamps are probably the most overpriced item in your house. $30 for a metal pole, a switch and some electrical cord. As you've shown, they also have next to no resale value.
For my week:
1.) Got a repair kit for my home theater remote control. The darn thing had some buttons stop working and this particular remote is no longer made so getting a repair kit was cheaper than buying a new one and learning a whole new setup.
2.) My brother works doing cleanouts and got me some Wii controllers so I've been slowly fixing (and cleaning!) them and getting them to a point where they are usable again. My goal is to have one set up on an older TV in the basement so my daughter can play it.
3.) Got a good deal at one of the grocery stores here. I got a chuck roast and that got me free potatoes, carrots and beef broth. So we made a nice pot roast and ate off of it for a few days.
4.) Went out with my wife and instead of eating dinner out we brought sandwiches with us. This was also a time constraint but it worked to save a little cash.
5.) Still haven't bought that fancy pebble ice maker ...
@Battra92, Oh, one bonus one. I found a chart referencing Guttermann's commercial and retail thread colors so my wife can order the much less expensive wholesale prices on thread colors she goes through regularly.
1. I used my grocery store loyalty program to get .30 off per gallon filling up the car.
2. I took advantage of a local church program that sporadically distributes free food items from local markets that would otherwisebe thrown out. Got 4 heads of cabbage, sweet and red potatoes, and bread.
3. Checked my food store receipt and found I had been overcharged so went back to get $3 owed to me.
Paying it forward-
1. Donated 2 flags to above mentioned church as per their social media request.
2. Received 5 packs of ramen from my buy nothing group but didn't like it so I put them in the breakroom at work. They disappeared quickly.
3. Offered two items to my buy nothing group which were also snapped up.
Awesome deal on the lamps!
Bought a fresh box of baking soda at Dollar Tree, where it is much cheaper than the grocery store.
Put off a haircut by styling my hair in a different way.
Took a bunch of donations to Goodwill and did not succumb to the temptation to go inside and look around.
Used store coupons at Ollie's Outlet and Food Lion to get exactly what I needed. A. Marie and I share an abiding love of Ollie's.
And kind of a frugal flop: I have been trying a couple of natural supplements to see if they would help my arthritis pain. The answer has been no. So that's something I can stop, but will have to see if there's anything else more mainstream medical that can be done.
Hi Kristen
I love those lamps, I was gifted 2 similar lamps to the smaller ones.
My frugal things:
1. Continue to read kindle books from my libraries. I use the Libby app and get books from 3 different libraries.
2. My DD gave me 3 paperbacks to read and I will pass one on to my daughter in-love as she reads this author. The others will be offered to my Buy Nothing group or placed in a little library box in my neighborhood.
3. It’s National Pi Day. I made 2 frozen peanut butter pies. One to surprise my math loving DS and grandsons. And one to a lovely neighbor who faithfully takes my trash and recycling cans to the curb and returns them back to the side of my house.
4. Wanted to grab fast food after a doctors appointment but instead I came home and ate yogurt with fresh strawberries. Better for me and my budget.
5. I have been cleaning out things that I have kept for 25+ years in boxes in closets. I post them on Buy Nothing and members come and pick them up. I put a bin on my porch and put the stuff in used grocery bags and use blue painters tape to write their names on the bags. This way pick up is done at their leisure. I get lots of thanks and that brings me joy. Stuff out!!
1. When I checked the grocery ads just before shopping, I discovered that chuck roast was 50% off. And, if you bought one you got a bag of carrots, a bag of potatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and a carton of beef broth free! So, that all went onto my list.
2. I made a sale on Etsy and dropped in at the post office when I was driving past for other reasons.
3. I made blueberry cobbler with some older fresh blueberries and the last of the frozen ones.
4. I discovered that I could "fix" the dimness of two light fixtures by using a different type of bulb. The replacement fixtures will be returned since a bulb is much cheaper and easier to install.
5. The slat roll on one of the kids beds has been broken for some time and was starting to sag. I did try supporting it with some 2x4s, but that didn't work. The bed is 12 years old.
Thankfully, the original manufacturer sells parts so I was able to replace just the slat roll and now the bed should last until the kids are done with it.
Pull chains on lamps is just the best!
1. I'm working tonight, so I'm buying dinner with a gift-card and plan to pick it up to avoid the delivery fee and tip for a delivery driver.
2. I nabbed a wool sweater that my mom was giving away for wearing to work.
3. I made a big tabbouleh-ish salad with barley and canned chickpeas that had been languishing in the pantry, and some herbs that were starting to look wilted. Came out great, and provided two days of packed lunches for me and Mr. B.
4. We used credit-card points to buy a Swiffer-like mop, the kind with a refillable bottle so we don't have to buy proprietary cleaning solution. Bonus: toddler thinks it's a grand new toy haha.
5. My new worksite is farther from home; it's hard for me to get here on time on foot, but I'm still trying to minimize the transit cost by walking home every day, and walking here on days when a strict 9am arrival doesn't matter.
Five Frugal Things this week:
1) I went to a women's church clothing swap. I got a bag full of new to me clothes!
2) Used Pizza Hut points toward a few pizza for a birthday meal of pizza
3) Went to a grand opening of a food store inside Kroger. I had to wait about 2 hours, but I got $300 of food promos over the course of a year and a $50 Kroger giftcard!
4) Sold a few books on eBay
5) Spent $3.14 for a whole pizza at Speedway gas station today! Pi Day 🙂
Let's see.
1. Ran out of floss. Scrounged up all the samples from the dentist and random flossers from all the bathroom drawers. There's enough there to last a month or so.
2. Poured water into a seemingly empty, large costco-sized dish soap bottle and shook it up. Been using that for the last few weeks before opening up a new bottle.
3. My daughter (who seldom asks for anything outside of desserts) needed a new pair of shoes and the ones she asked for were pricy (by my standards). The kid's been working hard and she'll wear them everyday to school so I said yes. It took some searching but found the shoes at a reliable vendor for 30% off every other place I could find them.
4. Almost impulse bought a three pack of multipurpose cleaner from Costco. Looked up the price of buying the concentrate of a different brand that I also like and it was $1 less. I don't know exactly how many bottles I'll be able to fill with the concentrate but it's definitely more than three and I have bottles at home that I can use already.
5. took the undershirts my husband didn't care for (too short, too tight) and am using them for workout shirts and pajama tops. So comfy (or as my mom would say: comfty).
1. Activities department leader (of the Nursing Home where I work) is doing a lovely project for Mother's Day by taking pictures of the ladies freshly manicured hands for their families. I get to provide a variety of teacups and saucers, pearls and real looking silk flowers as props, and the Activity leader and I do not have to buy anything.
2. Bought chai latte concentrate at the local store, rang up incorrectly at $2.00 more per box, caught the mistake.
3. Having my dog groomed and deshed tomorrow. This may seem like a frivolous expense, but I have found that I need to clean a little less which saves time and aggravation, and time is money, right? It may be "tiny sparkles of dog glitter" to some, but it is almost impossible to wear dark colors.
4. I love bananas, but for the life of me, I do not get past eating one of a bunch of four. Made giant banana muffins to use up the remaining from two (!) purchases.
5. Our city water is "fair" in taste, so for years I have been distilling water to drink and make the best tea. Cheaper than buying bottled water. For trips in the summer, I freeze a gallon dispenser which doubles as an ice pack in the cooler and provides a cool refreshing drink.
Kudos on the lamps! They are very nice! And add me to to the throng that is so glad you do not have to take algebra!
@Chrissy, I was on an elevator once and this woman looked at me disdainfully and said, "You must have dogs. I would train mine not to go on the furniture so my clothes would not be covered with dog hair." (I did have dog hair on my clothes...) I said, "You must have had a mother. She should have trained you not to be rude and condescending." It is true that pound hound sheds like he is being paid to, where the wolfhounds had curly hair that turned into tumbleweeds that did not show up on our clothing. But still, what would make someone think it was polite or helpful to make such a comment to a stranger?
@Chrissy, as the wife of a nursing home resident, I want to thank you and your colleagues everywhere for what you do. And I'd like to take the outrageously inflated salaries of various CEOs of various corporations and use these to pay all of you what you're truly worth.
My FFT this week:
- I used leftover quilt batting from previous projects, rather than buying new iron-in fleece on a stair bag I was sewing for my daughter-in-law.
- I stayed overnight with friends when I traveled to my grandson's spring recital midweek. Normally, I would stay with my son but he had an early flight the next day and my daughter-in-law had to head into Phoenix for work after dropping the kids at school. Rather than upend their routine, I got to catch up with folks I haven't seen for awhile.
- Those same friends are going to watch my little shih tzu when I head to Australia in May. So, not only will I not have to pay for the pet hotel, I'll also have peace of mind she will get all the attention she's accustomed to while I'm away!
- I shared the Fetch app with a couple friends, and received a nice chunk of points when they uploaded their first receipts.
- I selected more books to be sent to sellbackyourbook.com.
1. My huge live oak trees need trimming. I got 3 estimates. The first one was for 2,100; the second one was for 3,600 (although he said he could reduce it "somewhat" if I opted for less services -- and says the tops of the trees don't need any work). But the third one is from a good ol' boy from the country. He'll cut the lower limbs for $300, and will also rake and haul off the leaves for me. (Live oaks, being evergreens, shed in March instead of autumn, and I have a dense covering of several inches of leaves which will kill the lawn if not dealt with ASAP....don't ask how I know that!...and it's more work than I can physically perform myself.) He gave me a big discount in exchange for letting him take the big limbs off to his woodlot -- he'll sell it for firewood next winter. (I don't have a wood-burning stove or fireplace and am thrilled not to have to pay a dumping fee for the landfill.) I'm glad I got that third estimate!
2. Gathered some books from the Little Free Library to read during conference periods when I substitute teach. As I finish each one, I take it back or pass it along to a friend. Today I took 'em 2 books and found that someone had donated 3 bundles of (unused) greeting cards. I got one, which will save me some cash and a mad dash to the store when someone is having a birthday!
3. Noticed in my gift pantry a small envelope of "gourmet" coffee that was part of an Earth Day giveaway a year ago. I'd saved it to use as part of any gift baskets I would make, and then didn't make any. So I used it this week. Let's just say I'm glad I didn't gift it to anyone! I doctored it up quite a bit to hide the "gourmet" flavor.
4. Roommate ordered a slow cooker and it arrived with the "crock" cracked and lid broken. She contacted the online merchant and they sent her a brand new set. So she told me to toss the undamaged metal/electric part. Instead, I took it to the thrift store (with her permission, of course -- she doesn't buy secondhand) and earned a 20% off coupon. Didn't find anything at that store but the other thrift store was having a Half Price day and I got a pair of shorts for 50% off! I'll save my coupon for another day.
5. Shopped the outlet store next to second thrift store. Saw a mop that is sort of a DIY version of a wet-jet. Instead of going to all the trouble Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate tips has (complicated directions showing how to jimmy open the tank with pliers, fill the Swiffer bottle with your own cleaner and reuse), I now have a mop with its own "tank." And a reusable/washable cloth for the sheet (although I also use rags made from worn-out towels and T-shirts, don't we all?) Figured the convenience was worth the investment.
Those lamps are perfect for your rooms and match perfectly! What a deal!
Nothing major as far as frugalness this week.. But a few interesting things:
1) Ebay has been charging tax on the sales of currency (coins for example) and being that this is against federal law, I did an online chat about it. The rep asked me what I wanted to do and I said get a refund and have ebay change this policy. I gave all pertinent info, was told thank you, and the end....I have no idea what the outcome will be, but one seller told me that he was charged tax on putting it up for sale....Maybe he means a selling fee? I dunno but I hope I get refunds.
2) I got a dental bill in the mail. The visit was from September....I called about it and was told it was paid.........Yay
3) I got a free financial investor consultation. Now, I was just wondering what kind of info I would be told, their business model, etc. This particular investor did stock trades based on successful investors and what they do (called "copy trading" ). I figured out that my personal investments have made more than what was being promoted in this phone call. In the end, I did learn something about stocks but most of all, this investor was not for me.
4) I got a bottle of lotion and 3 vials of oils for free.
5) I found great deals at the store- organic ground beef for $3.80/lb and whole chickens for $1.10/lb.
@lisa, Wow, that IS a great deal on the grd. beef and chix. prices! What store did had those great prices?
I am a sock person, too. I just purged my stash and now have a great view of what I have.
1) darned some socks from stash, but also had to buy a new pair of compression socks from Amazon.
2) aside from the compression socks which are necessary due to idiopathic neuropathy in my legs, I am still on track with my no clothing purchases in 2023 challenge.
3) steadily using up all frozen foods we have
4) have avoided 3x temptations to "just go down for a meal" and cooked better meals in the end. We live in the city with many easy food options but restaurants are sooooo expensive anymore, even our local cafe, so have been holding out even if I am tired and the only cook in the household.
5) revived three houseplants (one is still on life support...) to brighten up our place and not go down and buy some. Fingers crossed for the last little green buddy.
1. I made yogurt using Kristen's method which was so easy and I am thrilled because now I don't have to borrow my daughter's Instapot whenever I want yogurt.
2. I used most of the yogurt to make 20 4 oz servings of dog ice cream. I add banana and peanut butter and my dog and daughter's dog love it. The cost of 20 servings is less than 2 servings of Frosty Paws or Ben & Jerry's Dog Ice Cream.
3. I'll freeze some of the starter for future yogurt.
The rest of my FFT are on the NCA blog but I just wanted to say thank you for the homemade yogurt recipe.
Love the lamps!!
Lamps for the win for sure! Stylish too is a bonus.
Let’s see. Here’s my 5:
1) Did spring cleaning & donated a nice box worth of things from the basement. Mentally that’s a win. While at the thrift store, I picked up a treasure find! I’ve been looking for a long time for a new soup pot, and found a gorgeous La Creuset pot in pretty good condition for $10. What a gift!
2) Also found new water shoes for my daughter (great for summer life in west MI) & a new umbrella quite discounted. We can never have too many umbrellas it seems.
3) I’ve been trying to better stay on top of leftovers (including veggie drawer/sauces/broths) by either incorporating into leftovers asap, or freezing quickly. Also saving empty butter wrappers to use to grease dishes before baking (like 1 time).
4) Re-using envelopes from hand given birthday cards/bills.
5) Not buying new curriculum yet, just keeping at working through what we have, even though new sounds more fun right now:)
1. I’ve used up the remnants of a very old loose-leaf tea and several moisturizer samples.
2. Frugal-ish: hubby and father in law bought $72 of fiberglass insulation and are installing it in our garage roof, which is directly under our living room floor. This floor is always freezing cold and I’m sure our heating bills are directly affected. It made an instant difference.
3. We had to go to an appointment in a big city 2.5 hours away, but we were able to stay with friends overnight. It was great to see them and we took some dinner ingredients.
4. Also in big city– returned $65 worth of items we didn’t end up needing to Ikea, where you can make returns for up to a year. I’m glad for the closet space back, and also the money back. And, crucially, we didn’t walk through the store so I couldn’t be tempted to buy lots of new things… except we did go directly to the plants.
5. Used our Ikea Family membership to save 5% on an orchid I really wanted (my last two died under the TLC of our neighbors while we were traveling), and also a free coffee. We would have each received a free coffee, but I wasn’t able to sign up for the free Family membership on my phone after multiple tries (that happened last time we were there too!). Oh well! I’ve since been able to sign up at home so I’ll be set for next time.
Great find on the lamps! I bought a similar one at Target on clearance for under $20 a few years back.
1. Had a long church meeting last Saturday, stopped at Starbucks for a coffee and used a gift card as well as my own travel mug to save 10 cents/help the environment.
2. A local baker at our Farmer's Market had leftovers from the market and offered them for $2 off afterwards. I bought a loaf of sourdough bread, scones and she threw in a bag of cookies for free. Better yet, she lives even closer to me than the market, so I also saved time/gas picking them up from her house.
3. Conscientiously using up ingredients in the pantry for baking and making granola.
4. Bought my husband's birthday gift, thanks to an earlier tip from N, with 20% off sale prices, and free shipping, also going through Rakuten for extra cash back.
5. Unintentionally frugal: a friend invited my younger son to join her daughter's birthday party at a local arcade as a buddy for her younger daughter. Then my older son decided to come and invite his friend. I was planning to pay for our group's entry, but my friend ended up paying for all of us and generously included us in the birthday lunch/cake. So I will buy her daughter a gift card for her birthday and give it to her this weekend when we see them again. Although they are good friends of ours, I felt bad about "crashing" her daughter's birthday party and having them pay for us when we were prepared to pay for ourselves.
6. Bonus: my husband requested a certain board game for his birthday (he doesn't usually ask for much). It is $60 new on Amazon! I looked on ebay and found some new/used ones for less than full price and put them on my watchlist. A day or so later, some of the sellers made me an offer for even less so I will end up getting one for about half the Amazon price.