Five Frugal Things | scientific cabbage
1. I used up the rest of the scientific cabbage
Last week, Sonia and I got assigned a lab that involved using red cabbage to make a pH indicator. We used almost the whole head for science, but there was a small bit left.
So, I chopped it up, added some dressing, and ate it as a side for my lunch yesterday.
2. I made a use-it-up dinner
We had flatbread pizzas, using flatbreads and pepperoni we'd gotten from the once-a-month food pantry we volunteer with.
(they have limited storage so if we don't take the extras, they get thrown out)
I also made a BBQ chicken flatbread pizza, using some leftover roasted chicken from the night before.
3. I used grapefruit zest in my oatmeal
Thanks to a reader tip, I'd been adding orange zest. So good.
This week, I was out of oranges (already tried lemon peel. Not so good in oatmeal!), but I did find a grapefruit in the back of the fruit drawer.
I tried the zest in one serving of oatmeal and liked it, so I zested the whole thing and used it in my oats over the course of the week.
4. I taped up my earbuds
Our cat has an unfortunate fascination with earbud cords; I usually remember to put mine out of reach, but she found them one morning.
Mr. FG managed to grab them before she'd shredded the cord, so there was just very minor damage to the cord. I taped it up with electrical-safe tape and it's working fine.
5. Sonia used a 40% off coupon at Jo-Ann's
She needed some elastic for a sewing project, and as we were heading to checkout, I said, "Oh, let me see if I have a coupon on the app."
And she said, "Oh, I already loaded one on my phone!"
So then I was a proud mom. 🙂
1. I lowered the amount of data on my cell phone plan and signed up for paperless billing and auto-pay. This will save me $180 a year!
2. While helping my sister go through some storage bins at her house, I found a bag of change. She said she didn't want to deal with them and gave them to me. I rolled them and deposited $22.74 into my checking account. Free money!
3. I used one bag of the small potatoes I got on clearance and made potato soup.
4. I got two boxes of strawberries on clearance for 99 cents. There were some bad ones, but I still ended up with over a pound of berries for less than $1.
5. I filled out an online claim form for a ground coffee class action settlement. Apparently, Maxwell House and Yuban had misleading labels about the number of servings each bag would make.
So now you're eating your science experiments? 😉
It's a good feeling to watch your kids be frugal, isn't it? And repairing cat chewed items is something I know a bit about, unfortunately. Good job, there!
1. People so rarely carry cash these days, that I was startled to find a quarter then a dime while out running errands. That hasn't happened in a long time.
2. Our boss' wife had bought a flat of strawberries for a fundraiser and sent much of it to our office, where we were told to take what we wanted. I was last to leave that day, and there were two pint containers left, so I took them home.
3. I had needed three cups of cream at the holidays, so I had bought a quart, then froze the unused cup. I thawed out the frozen cream and whipped it to top the strawberries.
4. My husband ran his mobility scooter into a cabinet door under our deep sink. I was able to re-glue the frame, re-insert the panel and get it back almost as good as new. There is a miniscule gap at one corner that only I will notice.
5. A carpenter bee is drilling a tunnel in one of our back porch's support beams. Inspired by a something I'd read, I stirred wood putty and wasp spray together and filled the hole. The bees can chew their way through putty, but hopefully, the wasp spray will take care of them. I don't normally kill wasps and bees, but carpenter bees are destructive - I've read they can tunnel up to six feet. Another project on my long list is to paint the raw wood, as the bees are deterred by paint.
I hope the carpenter bees decide to leave your house alone!
Your cabbage salvage reminds me of how, after dying Easter eggs with paprika and curry powder (the eggs soak in the spices mixed with water), I always drain off the water and use the spice sludge at the bottom of the jars to cook with. Spices are expensive!
As for this week's frugal things, country edition:
My husband killed two of our meat rabbits that were not producing offspring and were eating hay, so that will save some money. We ate them, of course, and after using most of the meat from the carcasses, I boiled the bones for stock, picked off the meat, and made soup.
I've been making an effort to get the woodstove going earlier in the morning, too. I put the furnace to 58 at night, then turn it up to 61 when I get up. Usually I'm lazy about starting the fire and turn the furnace up again to 64 when my children get up. But if I start the fire after I drink my coffee, the house easily gets to 65 before they get up without any more propane used.
The plants indoors continue to sprout and grow. If all those tomatoes actually survive and produce fruit--even if only half of them survive--that would be literally hundreds of dollars of tomatoes, basil, and peppers from those tiny sprouts. Some of them were from seeds I saved last year, too, which makes it even more satisfying.
Oooh, I am rooting for all of those tomato plants!
You and me both. 🙂
You probably know this already, but onion skins make for really neat natural egg dying!
I tried that one year, and was not very impressed by the color. Maybe I did it wrong, though. The curry powder makes a very pretty yellow, thanks to the turmeric in it. The eggs do have a slight curry flavor, of course, but I like curried egg salad, so it's fine with me.
This year I actually saved the skins from a couple of beets I roasted in January (in the freezer) for dying eggs, and one of our newer hens is laying green eggs, so we may have pink green, yellow, AND orange Easter eggs this year.
Do you dye Easter eggs with purple cabbage juice? You can make two colours with it using it plain or adding vinegar. It makes the most beautiful turquoise and purplish coloured eggs.
1. I bought a Costco rotisserie chicken last week which fed us five dinners and a lunch. They seemed larger than normal.
2. My husband got three gift cards which totaled 350.00 in the mail from our insurance company for regular checkups and care. Woohoo! Unexpected but welcome!
3. With the lovely warm temperatures, I started repotting my succulents and sedums for my fairy gardens. Using the old stuff and some Dollar Tree fairy garden items will give me joy all summer!
4. One of our daughter's friends is an artist and did an incredible portrait of our daughter in a floral mask. Michael's had frames for 70% off so I got a matted white wood frame for 6.00. I also found smaller frames for 3.00, one of has a painted notecard I received. Free original art is one of my favorite things.
5. Lately, I've really been doing well on zero food waste and planning around produce while emptying out the fridge and freezer.
Enjoy this lovely weather, folks!
1. My boss is cleaning out her MIL's house to sell it. She allowed me and another co-worker to come pick through the items they were going to send to the Goodwill for our Ebay side hustles. Found amazing stuff. Now i just need time to list it all.
2. Planning our first trip to Disney. I have a savings timeline planned out that I've been contributing to each week. I want to ensure that we have a good vacation and save where we can but make sure we get to have an amazing trip. I've never been there, so this is a first time for me as well as my kids.
3. Reused my son's old Halloween costume two times this year with my daughter for her Daisy troop meetings. The first time was to dress up as something you are not (to introduce the idea of identity theft), so she wore his Astronaut costume. Last night for Daisy's we dressed up as famous American women for Women's History month". She wore that costume again and honored Sally Ride. I was so proud of my girls (I'm their leader) to see the variety of women they choose to honor. Anything from Sally Ride to Pink to Julia Child!
4. Found a crazy vintage book at the Goodwill. The title is pretty inappropriate, so I won't list it here, but I will say that it was an adult book. The cover had red and gold embossed lettering so I knew it was older. I did a search on Ebay for how much it sells for and was shocked! About three days later I sold it for $100! Amazing $1 to $100!
5. All the typical things: making my own coffee each morning, packing lunches, taking snacks when we go on car rides.
I was my daughter's girl scout leader, I love the two activities you did with the girls.
For Disney saving, I visit a site called Mousesavers.com. I also watch YouTube videos. I like AllEars and DFB-Disney Food Blog. With research and planning you can have a great trip and stay within your budget.
Dd and her dh just decided to go to Disney and they will go in July. Your post couldn't have come at a better time. Tbx!!
I’m SO curious about your old book! I also collect, buy, and sell vintage books. Can you tell the author or any clues?
Love the picture of the cat who is clearly saying, "you can't possibly be talking about me."
She admits no guilt.
Her photo would make a wonderful pillow. She's just a naturally cushy cat.
We had an orange tabby who lived to chew on electrical cords. I expected any day to come home and find his electrocuted corpse, but it never happened. He lived to be over 17 years old and never harmed himself, just lots of electronics.
I love every single picture of this cat!!!! She has the best face 🙂 <3
1. I actually got around to repotting some little plants we had been given (and two that I purchased as tiny decorative flowers). They had outgrown their tiny containers and I am proud that I didn't let them die, something I've done so many times! They are all looking beautiful in my dining room window.
2. Doing a good job emptying out the freezer instead of unnecessarily getting more stuff. I have to buy things here and there to round out the meals but doing well overall.
3. Sold my like-new maternity robe on eBay. Working on selling my maternity things that are still in sell-able condition. Some of my things have gone through four pregnancies and they'll be donated!
4. Found a walker for my six month old on facebook marketplace for $10
5. There was a book I wanted to buy to have for my kids, so I ordered a used copy
rather than a new one.
1. Roasted some broccoli stalks. I love the florets but hated the stalks as a child. But, peeled and roasted, they're pretty good!
2. Was outbid on a very low bid I put on a high-value item. Look, I'm not naturally frugal. But nicely, a friend of mine turned out to be high bidder and he scored a great deal.
3. Reframed some old pictures very cheaply using materials bought online.
4. Treated my dog's ear infection myself and saved a vet visit. Zymox, folks: this stuff is gold. You can get it from Amazon, Chewy, probably lots of other places.
5. Was able to fix my daughter's glasses (she is super hard on them) using plastic shrink tubes bought cheaply on Amazon.
6. I too am sprouting tomatoes. Last year, I used only heirloom varieties and had a crummy yield. This year I am using the most hybridized, GMO high-yield things I can find. I'm pretty sure one variety is so overengineered the fruit doubles as an Amazon Alexa device.
7. People keep recommending "Heartburn," the novel by Nora Ephron, as something I should read to compare to my memoir. I tried it once and hated it, but borrowed a copy from openlibrary.com and it actually is better than I remember. I love openlibrary.com.
actually, sorry, it's openlibrary.org.
Most people aren't aware that when you borrow a book from Open Library the author of that book receives nothing for their work. When you borrow an electronic book from your local library that library has made an agreement with the publisher of the book and authors are paid.
I know how expensive books are, but please consider borrowing from your local library system. The average writer earns far less per book than people realize--way less than a dollar on a 7.99 paperback.
That is true--I am the author of several books and my royalty statements would make most people laugh. $30, wow! KIDS: WE'RE EATING MEAT TONIGHT! etc.
Many of the books I like to read are simply unavailable electronically otherwise than openlibrary.
You do make a good point and thank you.
Point 6, lolol. Awesome.
Your #6 made me laugh out loud. And yes, Zymox is the stuff for doggie ears. A single dose of it relieves our middle dog's itchy ears from pollen before stuff in there can turn into anything nasty. Middle Dog is allergic to everything short of air and water, I think, poor little bean.
Our poor dog too! We got her allergy report back and she was positive for pretty much every possibility. (Even hair. Hair !) She has to eat hypoallergenic air puffs.
Thank you both for the Zymox recommendation - I'd like to find something that gets ahead of those ear infections!
Ours was allergic to 29 of the 68 allergens on the test, and most of them she was at the maximum reaction. Dogs can actually be allergic to people, which she isn't, thank goodness. But she's basically allergic to the entire outdoors, half the indoors, and we already knew about all her food allergies before she was tested for environmental allergies.
We've also had good luck using Douxo Chlorhexidine shampoo to wash her feet and face when she's licking her feet and rubbing her face a lot. It's an antiseptic shampoo but it also kills fungi. She's allergic to a yeast that grows naturally on dogs and the shampoo seems to calm that down for her.
TOMATO! Play "Begin the Beguine"!
Sorry, I can't help myself.
1. I bought some gift cards at the grocery store for a store we shop at regularly. They were offering 5x points with the purchase (which I turn into dollars off on future grocery purchases) and my Discover card will give me 5% cashback on the purchase.
2. Frugal entertainment, chasing vaccine appointments and helping friends do the same. A friend found out how to access cancelled appointments and there was a lot of sharing of information. Then another friend shared a link that gave me an earlier appointment so I cancelled the first appointment. Nit frugal but I am thrilled that I received my first vaccine dose yesterday.
3. I needed a new sunhat, protecting the face from sun damage is frugal in the long run. I looked at one recommended by a relative but the reviews on it were no better than those for a much cheaper hat that I liked the style of better. The hat arrived yesterday and I'm very happy with it.
4. Jockey had a big sale on underwear. I ordered just what I needed and paid a small shipping fee rather than buy things I didn't need to qualify for free shipping. I usually avoid shipping fees but this seemed the wiser choice.
5. Lots of passive frugality: staying home, using what I have, working in the yard.
When I was a TA, helping in the university biology class, we made sauerkraut. It was so easy. Of course, they had to measure the pH and plate the liquid and look at it under the microscope. A few were brave enough to taste test. Many years later, I still make my own saurkraut!
Another great fix for cords is SUGRU. Depending on how well the tape holds it might be a nice second option.
Mine are all food related because I am eating lunch while reading.
1. My children decided flavored applesauce was horrible so I have been making oatmeal with one container of applesauce mixed in it for lunch each day. One packet isn’t filling, but one packet plus applesauce is, so win-win.
2. Likewise, I have been eating through the pantry/hurricane supplies for lunch. I may have a lot of weird lunches this month, but our pantry is getting more streamlined. I am not a fan of spaghetti-o’s (hurricane supplies—they do taste great when you have no other options). I’m restocking hurricane supplies with this year’s favorite foods (which, if history indicates, will be next year’s uggh supplies).
3. Because of the pantry and a year’s worth of data, my grocery pick-up list is entered and is streamlined. We may get back to the smaller food budget soon.
4. My children are being virtual schooled this year (by choice). I work in office mornings only, so I head home before lunch to take over. No time to stop for take out lunch!
5. I am now fully vaccinated so I get to go to the other grocery stores for sales. I’m getting a roast! (On sale and my son is so excited!).
Your kitty doesn’t look the least bit guilty.
1) I used a coupon code to order business cards and promotional post cards. I also selected regular shipping which was free. Total savings was over $40.
2) I’m working hard to empty the freezer before the end of next month. We don’t eat much in the way of soups or casseroles once the weather turns warm. So to prevent waste, I’ve been building meals around odds and ends. However, I’ve run across some mystery items. I wonder if I’ll ever learn label everything.
3) I had a BOGO coupon for 7lbs bags of Iams cat food. It was such a good deal that I bought it before I needed it.
4) When we walk the dog in the evening, we have been taking a route that goes by a particularly difficult hole on the golf course. My husband has found over 5 dozen “good” balls in the last month along the trail. At an average of $35 a dozen, this adds up to remarkable savings for my husband and son who enjoy this game. It brings them home, cleans them up, and stores them in egg cartons.
5) I had my first Covid Vaccine!!!!!! Preventative Care is so important. It saves lives and dollars.
Make sure to build your immune system too - vitamin d3, C, quercitin and zinc should be daily supps for all of us, as mutating strains could be in our (possibly near) future!
1. I have been eating down my food storage and freezer and haven't been to the grocery store since March 6th. I'll probably go today, since I do want a few fresh items and have multiple burnt out light bulbs.
2. I just realized I have made all my own bread since the beginning of the year. I've found a good recipe for a wheat sourdough sandwich bread that only makes one loaf, which is really nice, since I'm single.
3. I've only bought gas at Costco recently, which has been helpful with the rising gas prices.
4. My roommate happened to choose a restaurant that she wanted to go to for her birthday that I had a gift card to. It didn't pay for the whole meal, but it paid for part of it!
5. I got rid of Netflix a few months ago and have been checking movies out from the library for free instead. Not quite the same, but has been working for a bit. I may go back to Netflix at some point, but I don't watch a lot of tv or movies, so this is working for now.
You might want to check and see if your library has the Kanopy movie streaming option available. I have been watching it lately and my genre selections are similar to what I watch on Netflix.
Thank you for the suggestion! I will check!
That was lovely of you to share your gift card!
Will you share the bread recipe?
https://littlespoonfarm.com/honey-wheat-sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe/
Here is the recipe I have been using. I had a coworker give me a bag of bread flour that she wasn't going to use. Once that is gone, I might switch to a recipe that is 100% whole wheat, but for now I'm really liking this recipe. I just found it using google. It makes a good all purpose sandwich type bread.
1. Ordered two flea collars total for my three dogs before the old collars completely lose their efficiency next month. The collars come in one size and are too big for our little dogs, so I save the cut-off ends of the two collars, punch little holes in the ends of the cut-off pieces, sew them together with braided fishing line, and wrap the joined ends in waterproof tape. The custom-made collar is worn by our least-active dog because it's a bit loose and she's unlikely to shake it off.
2. My husband should have eaten the last of Sunday night's meatloaf for lunch today. Leftovers for the win!
3. At the grocery store Saturday, I happened to notice a small sign on the shelf, while buying two of an item we needed, that a limited time "buy 2, get 1 free" sale was on. The sale was not advertised anywhere else in the store. A third item instantly landed in the cart.
4. Been having egg salad sandwiches this week for supper (I get home last every night, after the others have eaten). It's a light meal that used up a half dozen eggs that had been in the fridge a while.
5. Frugal fail: My husband ordered a lot of new underwear, which he definitely needed. When it arrived, he threw out the packaging, laundered the skivvies, and only then discovered he'd accidentally ordered everything two sizes too small. This is not the first time he's done this buying clothing online. The homeless guys at the rescue mission are going to be thrilled to get brand new underwear.
My husband also could not seem to buy his underpants in the correct size. He finally asked me to start doing it. I agreed and when Duluth Trading Company had a sale in the style he liked, I bought a dozen pair...with designs like pepperonis or chickens or bacon and eggs or hearts on them. Also got some with Christmas designs. Husband is a good sport and said it is an added incentive not to have a car accident and end up in the ER where everyone would see his underpants. I had so much fun ordering the underpants that I am sorry Duluth products wear so well because it will be some time before I can replace them.
That cat has zero shame
1/2. My husband and two older kids went skiing today - not frugal BUT it uses his last day ski pass so we aren’t wasting what we spent money on (we’ve had to reschedule a few times due to work or injury and are getting close to the end of the season at the big resorts here) ... AND I double checked their gear and packed all of their lunch and snacks. The other 2 times they’ve gone this season, they’ve forgotten something and there’s been a last minute rental. I was talking with a neighbor and may look into other resort passes next year - we got this one because grade school kids ski free, but I’m curious how prices compare.
3. I’ve wanted to go to Mt Rushmore my entire life, realized last week that all 3 of my kids are big enough to appreciate it or at least enjoy the trip, and booked 3 nights camping nearby for $15/night after school is out in May!
4. We have a camping trip to some other National Parks this summer, so I had my 4th grader do the paperwork for the free 4th grade national parks pass yesterday.
5. It was chillier than I’d planned on, so I didn’t feel like grilling last night. I felt very uninspired for dinner but pulled together a stirfry with egg drop soup ... kids had lobbied for waffles for dinner, but this had the benefit of using up some veggies lingering in the crisper.
Yes to Mt Rushmore! I think even younger kids would be ok with doing that trip. We purchased a toy stuffed prairie dog for my daughter when we went there and she named it Rushmore. Fun memories. Vacation memories are the best. 🙂
We also LOVED CRAZYHORSE!
We used the heck out of the fourth grade free pass to national parks. Oh those were the days. My boys are now men, age 25 and 20! Enjoy
This year, because of COVID, they are offering free National Park passes to 5th graders, too (good until August 31, 2021). I have a 5th grader this year, but we are not planning any trips to the big National Parks, much to my dismay.
When I am using citrus for other recipes, I always zest them, and then freeze the zest for use down the road. There is so much flavour in there!
My cat also often sports that "What? Who, me???" look on his face. Ours is fascinated with anything rubber. Rubber bands, those stupid bracelets that our kids were constantly being given when they were younger, the rubbery window clings .... sigh. He also likes ribbon. And plants. I may just move him into a padded cell.
Frugal stuff--a friend and I have started walking once a week. We call ourselves the Walkie Talkies. Good exercise, good socially distanced interaction time, so this ticks off two boxes for me.
Hubby is right now getting covid vaccine dose #1!
The other usual stuff--Aldi shopping, cooking at home, etc.
Oh, our previous cat ended the life of many, MANY ear buds! Fortunately our current kitty leaves them alone. HE has only chewed on the blinds at almost every window in the house!
However, said blind-chewing cat DID help us save money this week, when he helped us 1) fix a broken double violin/viola case that was given to our teen daughter. These cases easily run in the $400 range, so we are delighted we could get the case useable for her, and that the music teacher who was replacing it with a newer case thought of her!
2) Found two blouses at two thrift stores for my daughter, and I happened to have store credit at each of the two stores, so they felt free! She is hard to find blouses for, since she is tall and thin, so even finding some to fit her is an accomplishment, and free on top is even better!
3) I made Lemongrass soap! Home made soap is my hobby. It is true I “can” purchase soap from the store cheaper than I can make it, but it helps my mental health to have a hobby and at least the end product is clutter free as it literally goes down the drain, so that should count for something, right?
4) I got half size filler paper packets for around $1.00 each, and considering they normally sell for $3.29 each this made me happy!
5) We used my daughter in law’s History blog as part of our homeschool History, and love all the extra free online resources that she lists at the end of each blog post!
That is what I remembered to write down for this week! I have lots of pictures and a link to my daughter in law’s blog on MY blog this week, if anyone is interested in checking it out! https://chickadeecove.blogspot.com/2021/03/frugal-friday-week-of-march-14-20-2021.html
Looking forward to reading everyone’s comments!
I looked at your blog and your soap is gorgeous! I can almost smell it.
Congrats also on the double case repair - it looks great. (The trend in my daughter's MS band class was to repair their cases with duct tape - not nearly as professional looking, but it certainly gave them a creative outlet with many wild colors and patterns : )
Thank you for the compliment on my soap!!! It smells wonderful, so that should count for aromatherapy as well, right???
And yes on the creative use of duct tape now a days. I confess to having some duct tape in my house right now that has flamingos on it!
I'm still trying to figure out how the blind-chewing cat helped you mend a violin case???????
He was trying to get back on my good side. He did a great job inspecting the violin case and pointing out all the things that were broken. Pictures on my blog—he did a great job!
1. Our hand-me-down dryer stopped working (it is more than 50 years old!), so I'm drying clothes outside. My partner hates clothes-line dried clothes (they are too stiff, he whines) but I'm taking advantage of it being the only choice while we wait for the repairman. (There are only 2 of us, so while it is not the most energy efficient, if we fix it, it stays out of the landfill).
2. Stayed with my parents as my dad recovers from knee surgery. A friend kindly sent a fruit basket, but it included grapefruit, which neither of them can eat, so I brought those home.
3. My sister also visited. There are now only two of them, with 11 chickens, so she gave me 4 dz fresh eggs.
4. I spent $XX on new credit card over the first 3 months (reimbursed expense for work, plus groceries and gas) which means $275 in cash back, far more than the 2% of my other card.
5. While I was home: mom gave me free hair trim/cut; fixed a belt; mended a skirt. In return, I cooked them dinner, ran errands, did yard work.
1. Found one of the expensive bagged salad kits on clearance for 99 cents at the grocery store. I like these, because I can mix in other greens, yet have the heartiness of and toppings of the designer stuff, cabbage and kale and so forth, which has been chopped by someone else.
2. Have spent less time clipping electronic coupons on my grocery store website since I now start looking at them from the last page of the listing and moving to the first. (This might not make sense in writing). Each of seven or so webpages has ten or so items, and when a coupon is clicked on and "clipped" to my account, it disappears from the page. Another coupon is moved up the line from the following page to fill its space. If I clipped a coupon from the first page, one moved there from the second page, and I had to look at the first page again to see what was added at the bottom. By starting at the end, I will already have seen what is added.
3. Have a bag of short green onion ends to root in soil. They grow a bit in the plastic bag in the refrigerator where I save them, so getting out into the sunshine should be a really big deal for them.
4. Grated some fading carrots with my ancient Salad Shooter and froze them in one-cup portions in the freezer for future carrot cake. In the mistaken idea it would help me eat more salads, my Mom got me one of those for Christmas some decades ago. I use it to grate carrots, chop walnuts, and slice cranberries. Will not replace it when it finally dies.
5. In much better mental health since the sun has been shining so much! Free health care! Much better this month than last.
Wow, I remember salad shooter commercials from decades ago! I remember the jingle!! 😀
1. There was a complicated mystery shop I had declined to take for that reason. However, it turns out that for the right price I can be bought. They paid me $174.00 plus $3 for a product purchase, in this case I got peanuts.
2. Over a year ago I spent an hour digging up old bills to substantiate my participation in a class action suit against a phone provider who had been over charging. This week I received $67.17 for that hour of work.
3. My sister sent me an Easter box that included some skin cream that I don't really care for because it has lavender in it. Traded it via the local free for the taking FB page for some skin cream that smells like chocolate, so a win for both and no cream wasted.
4. Made a loaf of bread that for some unknown reason turned out dry so used it up for croutons and a dinner of French toast.
5. I WAY over planted potatoes last summer, in part in case food shortages occurred during the pandemic; Alaska is very vulnerable to disruptions in the supply chain. We still had about 50 pounds left but they were starting to get soft. I happened to mention to a gardening friend that I hated to throw them away but there was no way we could eat them before they turned too soft to be edible. She works for an agency that provides lunches to anyone who needs a meal and was thrilled to accept them to make potato soup. I even got a tax write-off, which I did not expect.
"However, it turns out that for the right price I can be bought."
I love this.
Me, too 🙂
Making lovely Meyer lemonade from lemons gifted to us.
Sold our lawn mower. We waited to list it on the first warm weekend of spring. It sold the same day. We got rid of all of our lawn. Yay!
Saw that there was a sale at Old Navy a few days after I placed an order. I phoned and got a price adjustment.
Picked up bread being offered on Buy Nothing group. Free food is always good!
Sewed a beautiful bag out of jeans that had some huge holes. pinterest.com/pin/814096070143536543 I am thrilled every time that something that would be thrown away can be made into something new, beautiful and useful.
Cutie kitty!! For real !
Frugals this week:
Used up ALL produce this week. None went in freezer stock bag.
Cooked and ate at home x7 dinners
Packed lunch x5 days
I really am liking the DOBOT savings app for earmarked savings
What is this DOBOT app???
1.) I was looking into backup solutions for my pictures and discovered that I have free unlimited photo storage via Amazon Prime. So my phone is now backed up. Not gonna make that mistake twice!
2.) My daughter needed new socks and I got her some at Dollar Tree of all places. She's hard on socks (and they go missing a lot) and growing so these will be nice fill in items.
3.) Eating out of the freezer for the most part.
4.) Made yogurt again for the first time in a while.
5.) Not buying anything or going out and spending money when I don't need to.
Two of my FFT are updates -
1. Switching to cloth napkins & cleaning rags has certainly cut down on our paper towel purchases this year. I still keep some on hand but have only bought them once so far this year.
2. I tried 2 different produce box subscriptions so far this year & decided to cancel after a 5 week trial run for each one. I save more money buying what is on sale & what we like at the grocery or farmers’ market.
(Some things work, like #1 and some don’t, #2)
3. We’re having to do some maintenance/updates in & around our home, so we are gathering quotes & shopping around for the best prices.
4. Spring cleaning - not only do things get clean, but any unnoticed problems or maintenance issues become visible. Frayed electrical cords, burnt out light bulbs, faucet drips or leaks - all can be fixed before they become major problems costing big bucks.
5. Lastly the usual - cooking from scratch, buying groceries & toiletries at their lowest price point, avoiding late payment fees, etc.
I was thinking about frugal things that habits.
1. Do double spin on clothes in washer. Shortens dryer time significantly. Some things get a 3rd spin.
2. Always bring our own snacks and drinks everywhere.
1. Frugal this year? Did not buy needed new carpeting for thousands of dollars- bought 2 beautiful rugs and layered over the carpet.
2. Painted fireplace tile and hearth ourselves, rather than new tile.
Yes on the double spin cycle! It doesn't take long or use much energy, and does seem to shorten drying time. Sometimes I rearrange the clothing to change the thicker areas that might be wetter, but not always.
Well. I was today years old when I heard the concept of double spinning clothes! This is genius!!! I will begin this pronto. Thank you for sharing!
Same here! I'm going to try this.
Yeah, I have a newish washer and dryer and I'm double drying towels everytime. Not anymore!!
That's the perfect picture of your kitty for this post, she has that "who me?" look about her.
1. Did more mending and darning to keep our clothes in circulation and avoid the need to shop.
2. Made plans to cook big this coming weekend with beef stew meat we got at a really good price. Going to stretch it even more by serving over rice.
3. Reduced the number of times we ordered in. While we want to support our local diner and other restaurants, we have to stick to our budget and we had been slipping a bit...
4. Decided to donate some clothing rather than buying new storage for what I had. I was honest with myself about what I really wear and need. Having less now means it all fits nicely in the existing storage space, no need to buy more storage and someone can use what I had.
5. Used some ratty old fabric to stuff the cushions on my chair. The chair is quite old and the seat is starting to sink but I am not ready to get a new one yet. Now it's plump and comfortable again.
I have 2 and they're actually things my husband did.
1. My husband made a call about a bill that went up. Apparently we had been on a promotion that ran out, but they were still able to put us on a cheaper plan than what they had bumped us up to.
2. My husband put water bottles in the toilet tank to reduce the water when flushing.
1. I phoned my cell phone provider after an online 'fail' trying to get a better plan. Spent a LOT of time on hold, but succeeded in getting $10 off not only my plan, but those of both of my kids (they are still at University so I pay their plans). The fellow on the phone was also able to waive the $10 fee (per phone) for changing the plan, so I am feeling pretty chuffed about that. $30 saved right away, and $30 per month going forward. I also researched the additional fee we are paying to buy the phones, and those end in two months, for another savings of $45 per month. WHOOT. and nobody really needs a new phone so we will stick with the cheaper plan for a while.
2. We are upgrading our hydro service because I am getting Solar panels installed. Something twigged and I did some research, I can get a rebate on the hydro service if I upgrade my furnace from Gas to Electrical heat pump, and since I was planning on doing that anyway, I am going to go ahead. In addition, I get a rebate on the new heat pump ! AND there is a double-your-rebate promo that I applied for and got the code. So I am going to be spending a lot of big bucks, but will manage to get some of them back because we found these offers.
3. I was on the ball when I sold my rental house, and got the house insurance refund set up even before closing - so that cheque arrived last week. Whoot. Feels great to be on-the-ball when it comes to claiming refunds!
4. Even though I really am feeling draggy about cooking, I have managed to convince myself to cook rather than order in. Last night I cut up some potatoes that were getting older and shook them in a coating mix I had hanging around, then air fried them. the Fail part was the mix had a bit too much Cayenne for me (hot!!! hot!!!) but liberal dousing with Ketchup meant I could eat my air-fries - and deal with my take-out craving.
5. I have leftovers from a wonderful Cauliflower Taco bowl in the fridge. I haven't wanted to eat it, but that is just lazy me. I'm going to heat it up for tonights supper.
6. I am back to making yogurt in my dehydrator - I had forgotten how easy it is and how much I like it.
7. the yogurt fail (oops, put the temp too high) is going to be used to make some sourdough and sour yogurt bread later today. waste not want not! I hadn't been making bread,, either, but a friend brought me some new sourdough starter and I am feeling inspired.
8. I took the last of my credit card bonus points and ordered prepaid Visa cards - the bank was offering a 25% discount for the points, so I used up all I could. The remaining points were used for gift cards at Tim Hortons. Then I called the bank and cancelled that card - I am not going to be travelling for a few years, and don't want to be paying the $120 fee for the card. That is the last of my fee-based credit cards, now they are all cash-back, and as long as I time it right I will get that cash for each card. and saving several hundred dollars a year on the points cards is awesome! To say nothing of donuts... that is awesome too....
Your cat - that picture goes so well with your description of his "innocence" with the ear buds.
1) Continued to list & sell things on eBay. Things seem to be picking up a bit.
2) I needed to order new shin guards for my soccer players. They are both playing 4x/week, so having a second pair prevents me from doing laundry daily (let's be honest - I can only skip one day a week or so, at this point). Shin guards come with sleeves, but my kids prefer to add the shin guards directly into their socks. I'd sold a pair of sleeves I discovered buried in a drawer, so this time, as soon as the order came in, I rescued the sleeves & got them listed on eBay. They both sold the same day, and were close to the price of one set of shin guards. Win!
3) I was really, really tempted to order lunch out yesterday, when I was having a pretty sucky work day. Decided to go home & heat up one of my "splurge" Angus burgers. It wasn't salad level nutrition that I try for at lunch, but was probably healthier (and, definitely cheaper) than eating out.
4) Took advantage of a Friday freebie (French bread) at the grocery store
5) We'd planned to do a date night on Saturday night, but both kids were unexpectedly out of the house. Instead, we opened a bottle of champagne, I made some coconut shrimp from the freezer, and we laughed & played cards. Fun, & much cheaper than a date night out.
I hear you on the splurge burgers -- I bought a pack on "$5 dollar Friday" at the grocery and it was a revelation! Tasted great and a nice change from salad. It really felt like a treat.
I used up some almost questionable mushrooms in a mushroom beef stew recipe.
I had quite a few coupons for the store this week.
I've been working my way through about a dozen clementines we got in our produce box last week. They're full of seeds and aren't easy to peel, so I quarter them, pick out the seeds and eat them that way!
I did my pet food shopping at my client's store which is a little further from my house BUT he gives me the employee discount, so it's worth it to drive a few more miles!
It is so great that Sonia loaded up a coupon for her purchase!
My five frugal things......
1. I stretched one take-out order to cover two meals.
2. I submitted a $60 rebate for my contact lenses. The eye doctor office really deserves the credit for this one.
3. I made a semi-homemade birthday cake for my son. I bought a pre-made plain vanilla cake at the grocery store, cut it in half to make a layered cake, filled it and topped it with fresh whip cream and bananas. It was yummy, festive and rather fancy. It cost me about $8, much less than a bakery cake.
4. Planted seeds for garden plants - this season my garden expenses should be about $5.
5. But the biggest frugal win goes to my husband. On Saturday, he cut down a huge, dying tree in our backyard. He watched tons of youtube videos and purchased some new items to get the job done correctly: new chain for the chain saw, rope, wedges - less than $50. The estimate from a tree cutting company was just over $2,000. The cleanup is the real time consuming part.
Depending on where you live and the type of tree, you may be able to offer it for free. You'll have to process it down a bit, but if it can be used for firewood, you never know. Or some landscaped may want to grind it down for cheap mulch he can really upsell.
Thank you for the suggestions!
Hah -- cats are never sorry 😉
1. Used coupon and discounts to pick up some craft stuff for school at Michaels.
2. Made Dirty Cauliflower rice using up discounted cauli, various aging veggies, and discounted ground turkey bought on the last day and frozen. And used up many old spices (including Tony Cachere's that must be 15 years old -- it was fine) and made my own Cajun spice from a recipe on line. It was tasty! Despite all the warnings, I am finding older spices to work out fine 🙂
3. Since I can go into stores more freely now, I dip in to pick up stuff on sale -- our favorite salad mix at 1/2 price, avocadoes on sale, etc. -- and check out the mark-down section (where I found the cauliflower) for things like apples, lemons, peppers, and the like very cheaply. Not always what I want but worth checking out.
4. And the usual -- cooking in, eating in, bringing lunch, etc. Pulling old clothes out of the closet and wearing them.
5. Oh, and using the Keurig at school for afternoon coffees. Satisfying!
None of my cats have EVER been sorry for anything they did. LOL
Cats, as a rule, are an unapologetic species. 😉
1) I sold a couple of items on FB marketplace for $50 profit.
2) I signed up for another online bank that will lead to a $700 bonus in a few months.
3) I got some free pork for online ordering from a meat company.
4) We have an offer to rent our house for a week before we move home for $700!
5) I found some adorable little baby clothes on the free table for my new granddaughter (due in June!)
My cats seem fascinated with my earbud cords, too. I'll have to keep your fix in mind if I find myself in the same boat later on!
1. Used my Starbucks gift card to get my free birthday drink. Yay! I usually only buy 1-2 drinks a year there, but I make sure I always do 1 so I can enjoy the pleasure of a free birthday drink.
2. I had planned to buy some flowers for a friend this week who has a grief anniversary tomorrow, but my daffodils are in full bloom and beautiful so I picked some of those and made an arrangement with a vase I had on hand.
3. Finally got to reserve a copy of something I've been wanting for months through interlibrary loan. There aren't many copies of it in the state and they were always out when I checked. Today my patience paid off!
4. My picnic basket that has been repaired multiple times broke again. I asked for a new one for my birthday instead of buying one right away.
5. Putting things like leftover peas and corn and turkey on my salads for lunch.
1. I made 2 loaves of banana bread and 2 dozen banana muffins to use up bananas. They all got frozen. The muffins will be used for my son's snack at school and the banana bread will become french toast. I made some granola to use up some almonds too.
2. Sold my son's bike on FB Marketplace for $40. I think we paid $50 for it 4 years ago.
3. We recently signed up for a murder mystery game subscription, which is $20/month. I found the games are selling for about $20 each on ebay, so I should be able to recoup all of our money. I listed the first one today.
4. I picked up a cute pair of sandals from Buy Nothing
5. My son and I went for our 5 month dental cleaning this weekend. Frugal faikl: he has a cavity
1) After months of posting it Craigslist, I told a weird sort of exercise machine for $30. A big win since my main goal was to just get it out of the house.
2) I will be on vacation next week. I'm staying in-state so I don't have to quarantine when I return. The extended-stay hotel has great rates, a kitchenette, and allows dogs; all of which save me money.
3) My kitchen rug literally wore out, with holes and everything. I didn't have to buy a new one because my parents are downsizing and had one that fit. I also nabbed a few area rugs to have on had when my current ones wear out. I should be set for the rest of my life. I mean, have you priced nice, hand-made rugs?
4) I'm almost finished going through the backlog of insurance paperwork & EOBs; just one nasty set to call them about. Fortunately for me, checks from my insurance agency are good for two years. That was more money than I care to admit to.
The usual for the rest: brown bag, stock up, don't waste food,
William, I'm laughing at No. 4. I'm assuming you mean to say there were several checks in envelopes that you had neglected to open.
I'm actually pretty good about opening 90% of what comes in the door because once or twice I didn't recognize the sender but there was actually a check in there. You never know. But I would definitely open something from my health insurance company.
I'm glad it's easy for you. Not everyone is in the same position. I can't deposit checks until I've checked the EOB against the doc bill, the insurer's coverage, and for "mistakes."
I've never had an insurer that didn't make such basic mistakes that I can no longer conclude mere stupidity and can only conclude maliciousness and greed, with the insurer hoping their constant "mistakes" and obstructionist process deter most people from persisting in getting full reimbursement.
Case in point: insurance company covered amniocentesis but not simultaneous genetic testing, because "genetic testing is for fertility treatments." A pregnant person doesn't need fertility treatments, duh.
Here's our five frugal things for the week:
1. I finally finished a needlepoint pillow I've been working on forever and wanted a nice pillow form for it as well as another one for a hooked pillow I was gifted. I used a JoAnn's coupon and paid the balance with an ATT overcharge refund.
2. My husband bought a couple of scratch tickets (something he does a couple of times a year when the mood strikes him). I won enough to fill up the gas tank.
3. Working though the mending mountain, this week I repaired the crotch seam of a pair of charcoal dress pants that I can wear to work and the inseam of a pair of yoga pants.
4. It's spring and the neighbor's chickens are on overdrive. We were gifted three dozen eggs. Nothing like fresh eggs! I immediately rethought the menu plan and have made banana bread, quiche, french toast, over easy eggs and toast, and egg salad sandwiches so far.
5. Using up scrap yarn by making huge handled baskets for my three daughters (smaller versions of the ones I'm making for my workmates). I'm filling with fun stuff (like the cute bunny socks I found for 60% off) for Easter.
My cat Mick loved plastic of any kind. I didn't discover that he'd chewed my earbud cord clean in half until I tried to plug them in at the library one day. Much grumbling ensued!!
1) Lost the instructions for the greenhouse within 5 minutes of taking them out of the box. Luckily, connected with a fellow Amazon purchaser and he scanned both of his sets of instructions for me, sent them to me via email, and I printed them out for free at the local library.
2) the greenhouse itself will be a frugal win once it gets assembled, we have a short growing season here and the greenhouse should extend the growing season by about a month.
3) Joined a "Take Control Over Food" free challenge, and printed out the required e-book for free at the library
4) Paid my next-door neighbor to bag up 6 months worth of pine needles AND fix the hole in my kitchen floor. This is frugal for two reasons, I have allergies and asthma and doing the needles myself even with a mask would probably have sent me to the emergency room. The hole in the kitchen floor was not only unsightly but dangerous.
5) On vacation for two weeks, first week is cleaning house doing laundry etc. Less money used for gas, will eat at home.
1. Spring/summer wardrobe planning. I went through my daughter's clothing to purge/determine what she'd need for the upcoming warmer months. This ensure we buy what we need and avoid duplicates.
2. Made dinner at home 6 times last week.
3. Rearranged meal plan to accomodate free food we were given (fresh fish and ham-yes please!).
4. Paid off our mortgage (7 years early!)
5. Negotiated lower price for removal/replacement of an oil tank.