Five Frugal Things | some dull tasks
I personally find my Five Frugal Things posts more fun when I do something visual like a repair, or a rehab. Same goes for when I cook something, or get an interesting item for free.
But sometimes, frugality does involve doing the unaesthetic personal finance stuff, that kind that produces zero fun pictures.
Ready for some dull, responsible behavior??? Let's go!
1. I put my raise in my investment account
You know how I got the regular raise and then the market adjustment raise recently?
That seemed like a good reason to adjust my investment account contributions at work; between my blog income and nursing income, I had enough to live on before the increases. And that means I'm in a perfect position to invest my raises.
2. I submitted my $100 book for reimbursement
We were required to spend a little over $100 on electronic access to a book for our current 8-week course. Unfortunately, you can't just buy access for eight weeks; it only comes in one-year increments.
BOO.
So, I submitted the receipt to my hospital for reimbursement, because class supplies qualify as well as actual tuition.
Every time I do something like this, it feels like kind of a headache, and I understand why people don't bother. But also, $100 isn't chump change, so it's worth the time it takes to dig up the receipt and send it in for submission.
Sometimes frugality is about being willing to do the annoying, tedious things. 😉
3. I moved money to my CIT savings account
In another boring move: my nursing paychecks were still set to go into the Chase savings account (which I had only opened for the bonus!).
That savings account has an embarrassingly low interest rate (I got a measly $0.03 in January with a $5,000 balance!), so I shifted money into my CIT savings account, which pays a much higher interest rate.
I also changed my direct deposit settings so that my checks aren't going to the Chase Savings account anymore.
In this, the era of high-yield savings accounts, there is no reason to use an account that pays you an insultingly low rate. 😉
(You can click here to open the savings account that I have; the interest rate changes all the time, so I won't quote it here, but it's always a very competitive rate!)
4. I froze some burgers
I had a pack of ground beef in the fridge, so the other night I mixed up a batch of this burger recipe, placed them on a baking sheet, froze them, and put the burgers into a ziploc bag.
This way, I can just grab a few in the morning, put them in the fridge before work, and then they'll be thawed and ready to cook when I get home at night.
Homemade convenience food: a favor to my future self.
5. (an old standby) I used my dishcloths and towels instead of paper towels
I thought it might be fun to occasionally throw in an old standby, so here is one: I almost never use paper towels.
Instead, I use cloth towels and dishcloths.
(Exceptions: when the mess is straight grease or raw meat.)
Cloth kitchen towels are fairly commonplace, but I have been in a lot of kitchens that have no dishcloths, which always surprises me.
There is seriously nothing better for wiping off counters, and if you are like me, you do NOT feel like the kitchen is clean until the counters are wiped off, and that includes the sink edges and around the back of the faucet.
I use my kitchen towels for the obvious stuff like drying dishes or hands, but I also use them for covering rising bread dough (just dampen first) and for drying off things like freshly-washed asparagus (so it doesn't spit at me when I put it in a hot pan).
Anyway, I almost never have to buy paper towels, and I suppose that has saved me a tidy sum over the years.
(On a related note: here's how to keep your kitchen linens stink-free.)
Small frugalities here - food prepping and (flexible) meal planning mainly. It is still pretty cold, so I am not yet repotting house plants or doing painting/upcycling projects.
I did mend a piece of embroidery made by my late mother in law. And borrowed and read library books. And we found an entire box of kitchen cloths and towels that were my late mum's. They will find a new home when eldest is moving out, in April.
This week, I had an all day meeting/workshop. I packed my own lunch instead of going out, and brought my own water. It was nice to not have to go to the few restaurants that are open this time of the year.
2. A friend's cancer came back, so I made lunch for them and visited for a while. I divided the leftovers (their choice) and that was my work lunch the next day.
3. I got an email from Phobio that $80 Costco credit was on the way for trading in my old laptop! I'll keep you posted on the progress. So excited to get $ for something that I didn't want anymore.
4. Listed a couple of vintage items that I once cherished, no longer want.
5. Found some long turtlenecks on sale at Land's End. They sell tall items and the cotton is so nice, it lasts for years. They are affordable when on sale, and I'd rather buy quality, plain layers than fast fashion.
Fluffernut dingbat cat's ear infection (which went away quickly with antibiotics) became a nasty cold as it drained. He is finally on the mend, $400 later lol. Our feline trio is worth every cent (as are antibiotic shots--I will gladly pay to not pill a cat!) but that means I've not felt overly frugal lately. Here it goes!
--We made rice using the drippings from a venison roast. I'm thisclose to finishing the container of immortal brown rice that moved with us!
--I lucked into the motherload of handy bits and bobs at Habitat Restore. For just over a dollar, I came away with unopened packages of the following: a chain lock, tiny eyelets for wire (I do A LOT of framing), command hooks x 2 packages, and tiny adhesive felt circles (again re: framing).
--Pears that were on the brink went into a pear/apple crisp.
--The Target app had an offer for $10 off $40 in pet supplies. Our boys' food and litter needed restocked, so that was handy!
--Our storage pouf's cover wore out beyond repair, but we were able to find a new, even bigger one for $15. Rather than a storage ottoman, we prefer to stuff a washable pouf cover with ALL of our off-season spare bedding and coats.* The cats are most pleased with the larger upgrade.
*Those seasons being winter, DEEP winter, cooler spring/fall, and armpit of July.
I'm fascinated by the concept of a stuffable pouf.
Here you go! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B25FR21M?th=1
Our beloved castle is <750 sq/ft, so everything pulls double duty at a minimum, including the pouf!
Chewy is very, very good price for pet food. Their shipping is crazy fast and customer service excellent. Not sure if you're avoiding Target, but Chewy is a great alternative
Kara,
We are a hardcore Chewy family. We buy Mr. High Maintenance Kitty's special food there (food that requires a vet prescription) because they have the best price AND super fast shipping AND autoship. I also buy my birdseed, kitty litter (bags of clumping litter to refill the plastic bucket! Win!) and dog treats through them for the same reasons. I stopped shopping at Target when they gave up their diversity/equity/inclusion policies, but no shade thrown on anyone who shops there.
My frugalities have been super small this week as I'm in Florence and am basically being somewhat extravagant. Here's my small list:
1. I was given free bottles of water on the plane and at the hotel.
2. My breakfast is included at the hotel.
3. I've been exploring the city on foot.
4. I got the cheaper version of the ticket for the Academia Museum; I wanted to see the David statue and didn't want to pay more money to see Michelangelo's secret room (despite it sounding cool).
5. I stocked up on food at home for when I get back and I didn't get any takeout in the week before going away.
I have that same CIT account on your recommendation, and just did something similar in that I moved money from our physical, local bank account to that one so it can earn interest until I need to use it to buy plane tickets for two trips we're taking this year. Our local bank is terrible, but it is literally the only one within 60 miles, so we have an account there so we can easily withdraw cash, etc.
--Youngest son informed me his gym shoes--kept at school specifically for P.E.--were too small. To the old-shoe bins I went. I found his eldest brothers old shoes, washed them, and sent them to school with him. Amazingly, youngest is 11 years old. Those shoes were his brother's when he was 13. And that former-13-year-old wears a size 12.5 now. I really hope youngest boy's feet are just growing earlier and he's not going to end up in custom-shoe-size territory . . .
--This First Communion dresses sent by my online friend (who reads and comments here, hi!) are not only providing the First Communion dress for my daughter, but her friend who is going to be receiving her First Communion at the same time is going to look at the remaining four dresses to see if any will fit her.
--AND, we have homecoming spirit week next week, during which one of the dress-up days is fancy dress. Another of the dresses will be used for that.
--ANDAND, we're going to my niece's fancy wedding in October, for which my daughter will need a dress. It occurred to me I could dye one of these white dresses for that. I was talking to a friend last night at the basketball game about that, and she said she went through a phase of dyeing thrifted clothing and would love to help me. So those five formal dresses will get used in multiple ways. Yay!
--I was given many, many plastic food-storage containers during someone's cabinet clean-out. There were a lot with no lids, which I put in our shop to be used for storage of random things in there, or for mixing JB Weld/soaking metal things in vinegar to get rid of rust/whatever gross thing needs a disposable container. The rest with lids I will use to give people food, which I do a lot. I have been buying containers for this with no expectation of getting them back, so it's nice to have some free ones for that.
That's awesome about putting all the dresses to good use!
And likewise, yay to passing down clothing/shoes to younger siblings! Our three stair-step sons were inadvertently frugal to clothe for many years because of this. It's a little more challenging with mixed gender siblings (or multiples), I'm sure!
Keeping boys shod is rarely frugal. My 11 yr old wears his out in months and they grow so much! I tried buying pricier shoes to see if they last better- no luck. So he gets downgraded to the cheapest shoes at Walmart until he's in his late teens. I did use his older brother's hand me downs for basketball- and like yours,the older was 13 when he wore them.
Dying one if the dresses is a great idea- you wouldn't want Poppy in a white dress to outshine the bride! 😀
I went to a wedding where a young girl was wearing a white dress with a black sash that tied in a big bow in back. It was adorable, and I didn't think it looked inappropriate for a wedding at all. It may have been a converted communion dress.
Probably depends on the bride, too. Given that this wedding has a dress code with a suggested color palette for the guests (that was a first for me), I really don't want to risk upsetting this bride. 🙂
Right?! I felt like such a curmudgeon the first time I rec’d a wedding invite telling me what color I had to wear. But, I played by the rules. And eye rolled so hard
A friend of mine attended her grandson's wedding, where guests were asked to wear black and white (all black being quite acceptable, as well). From the photos she shared with me, it looks like everyone followed through, and the photos look great!
This week was 100% the daily things:
- used kitchen linen instead of paper towels, including for meat;
- cooked a batch of food (braised pork this time) to have easy protein in the fridge;
- didn't buy all the usual things: fancy services such as hair care or whatever else people get, etc.; and
- got books from the library;
- strenuously avoided food waste.
That last one-- strenuously-- I'm glad I'm not the only one. And then other times, I can say, "It's okay."
Those are my favorite dish cloths! Our accounts were at the bank I used to work at and their rates were terrible. When I retired last year we moved to another bank in town with more favorable rates. I know its a hassle but don't remain loyal to an institution that doesn't pay you well for your savings.
Well done for moving your money. These days there are so many choices for high yield savings. I hate for anyone to miss out on that free money.
1. We had our yearly furnace cleaning and inspection last week
2. We took the kids to a free event at the library this weekend.
3. I earned $200 on a healthy habits app through my employer.
4. Filed our taxes using Turbo Tax
5. I made vegetable stock using vegetable peels and scraps
We are also a cloth kitchen towel family. In addition, we use cloth napkins. After using cloth napkins for years, I really hate paper napkins. It takes way more of the paper type to get the same job done, and I hate the paper feel on my face.
I discovered a new use for chip crumbs … coating for chicken “fries”. I’ve only used potato chips so far, but assume it would also work for corn chips. It will be nice to have a purpose for all those tiny bits of chips at the bottom of the bag. I’ve also considered doing this with pretzels, but haven’t tried it yet.
Corn flakes do a great job as a fried food coating too- I never thought of using potato chips though!
I save the shards of corn and tortilla chips to sprinkle on chicken tortilla soup.
Chip / pretzel / cracker crumbs also good for sprinkling on a salad! I keep them in a small container in pantry. I just mix all in the same container and use for salad topper or soups/ Mac & Cheese !
My favorite use for chip crumbs are a direct deposit from the bag into my mouth :D. Classy, right?
Jen, this brings back a great food memory: my mom would make ham and cheese sandwiches, dip them in egg and then in crushed potato chips before cooking them like grilled cheese sandwiches. Utterly delicious.
Repeated basics go a long way!
1. We signed a lease for a bigger place. We made pragmatic choice that's not the location or kind of place we wanted, but it's well-below our budget cap. I had all kinds of unflattering feelings about it (envy of my colleagues' spending habits! resentment! ingratitude!) Most of the time, I don't find frugality difficult (and that's in part related to some real privilege) but this time, it was.
2. Odds-and-ends cookery. Tired strawberries became fruit salad over pancakes, used up some sad tomatoes in a soup, substituted cheap carrots for expensive cukes in a salad.
3. I've been having pain in my chest wall from loose ligaments so I bought some bra-strap extenders, since that lessens the external pressure. Saved myself buying new bras.
Oof, that's all I've got this morning. I welcome encouragement if you have any to spare! 🙂
Sending over some encouragement!! 🙂
Every house has plusses and minuses- try to focus on the good things about the new place. And you will not regret the extra space for your family in a few months!
I know frugal can stink at times- I read about people like me who go on big vacations or live in bigger homes and just wonder how they can manage it because I can't see how they do it. We put money in retirement- so rah- but it means there's not a lot of fun money for trips or homes. So maybe not encouragement, but a whole lot of empathy!
Re: your #1, Meira Bear, I've been having some similar envy attacks in another category: Some of my friends have had, or are having, exotic adventures this winter while I feel trapped in a snow globe. A good JASNA friend is in England doing research and just got a private tour of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. One of DH's oldest friends and his wife are on a tour of Morocco and a Mediterranean cruise. I'm glad for all of them, but this isn't making it any easier to keep my chin off the floor.
Still, I remind myself (a) that I'm living a better life than much of the world's population, snow and all; and (b) I would not be willing to put in the air miles to have the above experiences. (In fact, I no longer travel by air, period.) I hope you're able to have similar thoughts about your new place. And I send greetings to you, Mr. Bear, and the little Bears (present and future).
Meira, I have BEEN THERE too. Sometimes, it's just really hard not to compare and imagine what it must be like to be able to spend with abandon and still be financially ok.
No advice, just a hug and some, "I relate."
Good for you to choose affordable housing! One day in the future you will be thankful to yourself for giving yourself financial wiggle room, instead of financial strain.
Sending lots of encouragement to you and kudos for a making a responsible decision, even though it wasn't a fun one. Also, regarding your question from I think yesterday about pretty cleaning supplies . . . is Etsy an option in Canada? If the shipping isn't too horrendous, there are nice things there. Putting in "minimalist" or just "wood" in the search brings up some nice-looking brooms, Swiffer-style mops, etc.
I have definitely been there about not feeling great about your home in comparison to others. But I can also tell you that the smallest, least perfect homes are also superstars in my life because we had the best memories there. We brought our first baby home to our tiny condo with only five windows, tandem garage and no other kids around but we were home with our family. Our house with SO MANY leak, electrical, and shoddy work issues is also the place where my kids learned to read and where we shared so many laughs and tears and COVID days together. They will hold a place in my heart that even the fanciest of homes could never beat. I have a feeling your new place will have the same status for you. I can guarantee that some of your colleagues with fancier homes also envy you for being in this season of life where you are the most important person in the world for your little ones. It sucks sometimes to always be practical and frugal but that will open options for you long term.
I loved your description of the unflattering feelings - lol - spot on and who amkng us hasn’t had them?
Playing the “long game” financially can feel really tough at times - but the rewards are terrific.
I remember someone telling me about a work colleague who “was always broke” - despite them making a decent salary. They spent more than they earned keeping up with a certain lifestyle and financed it with credit cards - thus ended up paying 3x more for things.
Patience is a virtue - but not exactly easy. I am proud of you!
mazel tov on your new home. you will make it stunning with your talent and hard work. give yourself a break you are bringing a new life into the world!!! all the best to you and your expanding family.
Meira, I have a lot of feelings of inferiority about my living situation. So sending sympathetic vibes!
Gosh, thanks so much, everyone (@PD, @mbmom11, @A. Marie, @Kristen, @JNL, @kristin @ going country, @CrunchyCake, @Jean C. @Anita Isaac, @Sophie in Denmark! It really helps to have your support.
I do feel pretty confident that it's the right choice, and I AM actually excited about decorating it. I know it's the right choice for us (better schooling for our kid was the biggest motivator in the move--I mean, we DO need more space with another baby, but the main reason we're moving so far away from where we are now is the school system.) I also recently had a colleague share with me that they cannot afford their lifestyle (and have massive amounts more debt than we do) and have to pick up extra work shifts. That helped me have a change of heart, a bit, or at least feel more confident that we're doing the right thing. And thanks specifically for the recommendation for Etsy! Never occurred to me to check out cleaning supplies, but I will.
Not related to this post, but one of my grandsons had a flight to the bigger city hospital due to a neck fracture (that turned out to be 2 stable fractures requiring just a back brace and rest from football for a while). The nurses at the local hospital, the university medical center and in the helicopter were so amazingly kind to him and to my daughter—I just want to say thank you to all of you who work so hard and are so skilled and kind to worried and ill/injured folks. You are a special group of people!!
Oh, my! I know how scary this can be! My nephew had a flight once, too. (End results weren't as delightful as your grandson's.) I'm also so thankful for those skilled folks. I'm really glad to hear that his prognosis is so good.
My son had a flight once too. It was one of the least fun things in my life to show up at the hospital front desk and say I was the mother of the John Doe being airlifted in. And then being ushered through the emergency department (which I thought was where the worst cases went) and into the trauma department where I learned the very worst cases went. But it was a good outcome. Because they'd cut all his clothes off, he left in this sister's clothes the next day 🤣
FFT, Not Much Happening Here Either Edition:
(1) I finally managed a shopping trip yesterday, which, after three days of house arrest because of the deep freeze, felt like a jailbreak. Not going crazy with cabin fever = frugal.
(2) At Price Chopper, I found chicken drums for 99 cents a pound again, as well as a Reduced for Quick Sale 3-pound package of ground turkey. I divided the turkey into three 1-pound packages and put it in the freezer.
(3) I've just started sprouting my second jar of mung beans this winter. Bean sprouts are a good way of getting some vitamins and crunch into my winter diet--and they cost nothing extra after the purchase of the dry beans. (Many years ago, I bought a set of sprouting lids that fit a wide-mouth Ball canning jar.)
(4) This being a trash setout night, I'm cleaning some things out of the fridge and freezer that got overlooked and are now probably beyond salvage. Along with WilliamB and Jody S., I "strenuously avoid food waste" whenever possible, but slip-ups do happen. And along with Jody S., I'm trying to say, "It's okay."
(5) Finally, I completely ignored the Super Bowl. We birdwatchers prefer the Superb Owl, anyway.
Yay to the mung bean sprouts! It is a staple in our household right along with alfalfa sprouts and radish sprouts. Yummy!
Right after I left my comment about food waste, our electricity went out for about 6 hours. I didn't want to keep opening the fridge, so the potatoes (leftover and free to us) that didn't get eaten at breakfast sat on the counter and ended up in the compost. Sigh.
A. Marie, "Superb Owl" - another good one from you!
@A. Marie - I wish you would have watched the halftime show. Bad Bunny (conejo malo/malo conejo - despite it being 45+ years since I had Spanish, I could translate half the words) gave an awesome show. The vibe was there even if you could not translate the lyrics.
And of course it now has me motivated to work on my Spanish. The game proper was pretty much a dud. But at least they got the MVP right.
FFT:
I completed January as a no-spend month and did not buy anything other than groceries and gas and have not bought anything that wasn't necessary this first week of February, either.
I fixed the broken door latch on my OTR microwave. Part cost $20 and a about an hour of my time as it just would not go back in but I finally got it. Hopefully it'll never break again as I dread the thought of doing this again. Funny how you don't notice how much you use something until you go to use it and can't. It was out of commission for about 4 days.
I used a $10 back promo when getting 25 litres of gas.
I have been using up gift cards when getting gas an groceries rather than spending out of pocket.
I did not buy a new(er) car. 🙂 My Honda is more than 15 years old and I've been very tempted lately but I've refrained.
I’m making burgers this week and I normally use eggs to keep them juicy so the burger recipe is going straight into my save file, thank you Kristen!
My frugal five:
1. Had a really good week reselling excess stuff and could send $250 in to my depleted buffer account.
2. Was asked to attend a gathering for a local association next month. The hotel where the meeting is held is currently having a campaign so I had points enough for an extra night. Looking forward to a mini vacation - staying in bed reading and not having to cook!
3. Got two varm light LED bulbs for the living room at 50% off. Rearranged a couple of lamps and I now have a good knitting light while sitting in the sofa.
4. Finished eating a big bag of chicken thighs which have languished in my freezer for years. I can only guess that it was such a good deal that I temporarily forgot I don’t like dark meat.
5. I have made a lot of prices for a another local association and their lottery for a couple of years. Now my stash of zippers and other notions are running low and got quite the shock seeing the prices of zippers. Explained this to the leader and will get those expenses covered since I donate so much of my time sewing things they can make money of in their raffle.
I hear you on good light for knitting!
I still intend to sew reusable fabric bags for xmas, and found quite a lot of zippers in thrift shops over time (at 10-15 cts each, different lengths, some used, some new). Our local thriftshops also have a lot of yarn, but these I leave as I prefer a decent percentage of wool in my knitting yarns.
1. I popped the last bit of wax from a dead scented candle into the wax warmer I use to clear cooking smells from the kitchen after dinner.
2. Melted and poured the spent wax from the wax warmer into an empty candle jar with a new wick to start another candle
3. Downloaded the Love's app and paired it with my AAA card for a gas discount. I'm trying to buy gas from them now started my 2026 performing tour for points and discounts.
4. Took a little extra time to find hotels that I get points and free breakfast on my way to my first destination.
5. Allergy friendly food, snacks, and my reusable water bottle for my road trip
1. I have been very consistently putting all of my receipts into Fetch and even found a few that were worth something in Ibotta this week.
2. I made too much smoothie the other morning, so I froze the extra in an ice cube tray.
3. I froze some slices of pear that were leftover from dinner. Those can go in a smoothie, too!
4. I'm coaching my kid's Science Olympiad tower building team and am using materials that we already have at home. I saved the newspaper practice for the week after I knew we'd get free newspaper in the mail.
5. Congratulations, NBC... you suckered me into buying Peacock. Sunday wasn't showing the Olympics on the free NBC because of the Super Bowl and I'd like to share the Olympics with my kids without them having to stay up late for two weeks straight, so I bought a month of Peacock and put a reminder on my calendar to cancel it on March 1st. This seemed like a good use of my fun money because I LOVE the Olympics!
Lovely use of fun money! The on demand access for previous events is so nice. I had it last Olympics but not this one and the watching experience is definitely diminished. If I had kids, I would probably do the same as you. I asked my high school classes about the Olympics on Monday, and 1/3 or less of them even knew they were going on or said they were watching. Times have sure changed!
My list will be mostly small things this week.
- Instead of paper towels, we use cloth napkins that I made using fabric I inherited from Mom
- My company had a financial fitness challenge and I won a $25 Amazon credit
- Planned this week's menu around Publix sale ad
- Continued to maximum Kindle Unlimited reading. I think I read over 20 books in January
- Continue to bring breakfast and lunch to work every day
Hi Beverly! Don't know your reading tastes, but KU has all of the Emma Lion books by Beth Brower, and I am finding them absolutely delightful. They are a lovely escape from what's going on out in the world. I must confess I have also bought a couple of the audio books, which are available at a deep discount from Audible if you check out the KU book-the narrator is amazing!!
Some quotidian frugalities over here too!
1. Bothered the chiropractor again to send the check for the excess I paid after I hit my deductible last year. Also decided not to schedule recurring sessions with them in this season.
2. Made 110 oz of milk since last week 😀 wow, pumping is a chore!
3. I tried the Toxic Expresso latte (raspberry mocha) at Dunkin Donuts, and really liked it. But I don't want to pay $6 regularly, so the next time I wanted it I bought the only missing ingredient I needed (raspberry syrup) for $6 to make it at home.
4. Sold some burp clothes we got as a gift but won't use on FB marketplace for $15.
5. Not frugal for me really, but for someone else: posted the 25 Pampers size Newborn diapers we can't squeeze our daughter into anymore on the local Buy Nothing group so someone else can use them. We still have one unopened pack of Pampers Newborns, but instead of trying to return them we will donate them to the food pantry as they specifically need Newborn diaper packs this month. I like when they post their "most needed items" lists so we can match make!
Great job pumping! I had to pump exclusively for my last two- a chore it is. I never got a good stash. Make sure you eat well and pamper yourself in this busy time!
*I used the Target $10 of $50 home supplies offer to get laundry detergent and disinfectant wipes fot my daughter's classroom, along with a few things for my house.
*Target also lured me on with the $10 of$40 for pet supplies. And the two litter containers I found had extra $2 off coupons attached.
*With adult son home, food bills have gone up. But I'm baking a lot ( rolls or bread every day!) To feed the four hungry young me in my house, which helps. Also, he eats leftovers for lunch, so less food waste!
*I will cancel the cheap Amazon Kindle unlimited subscription I got before the price goes up. ( it was $2 for 2 months I think?) I love kindle, but I just don't read enough ebooks to make it worth it. I do have Libby as well.
*Husband put a sheet of plastic inside the garage door during the cold weather to help insulate the heated garage. ( which is a luxury, but he doesn't drink or smoke, so babying his outdoor workshop and tools can be his vice).
1. I have made breakfast smoothies on my new mini blender, for which I plan to use fruits that are at risk of going old. I also have some protein powder sitting in the pantry that I have not liked in any other way but like it in smoothies. The mini blender was free as I chose it in a gift catalogue from my company, figuring it was a low investment in case I didn't like it.
2. Keeping up my weekly sourdough bread baking.
3. Did not go out to eat on the weekend, saving up for a nicer meal for Valentine's.
4. Updated and restored an old laptop that had been sitting unused after my kids had filled it up with game files.
5. Updated my resume and filled in a job application (I have a job I like and would like to stay in but the projects are winding down so I need to prepare for the future).
Getting our money's worth from inexpensive or free streaming services:
1. Activated free two-year Peacock subscription from our Internet provider so that husband could watch the Super Bowl and I could cheer on Bad Bunny's half-time show.
2. Watched "Miracle: The Boys of '80" on Netflix. Extra special for my husband since he played hockey with and against some of those team members.
3. Watched documentary on Apollo 11 on Netflix.
4. Watched "Inside the Mind of a Dog" on Netflix.
5. Watched "Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan" on Netflix which showcased his legacy of booking Black performers. I still remember when my favorite female group The Supremes were on.
I made some homemade cards to send to friends for Galentines.
I made chicken soup using homemade broth, leftover vegetables and some leftover noodles. This was dinner one night and my lunch for three days.
Last winter I purchased yarn to knit a cardigan. Halfway through the project I abandoned it, as I didn't like how it was turning out. This week I unraveled that project and started a new one, which I'm liking much better.
I cashed in survey points for a $50 Walmart gift card and used this toward groceries.
1. I'm enjoying watching the Olympics on my free Peacock subscription.
2. I paused my Netflix for this month because I won't have time to watch it.
3. I got some months-old pumpkin puree out of the freezer and used it up, making pasta sauce and pumpkin pancakes.
4. When I needed an easy dinner, I took out a homemade frozen meal and warmed it up instead of getting takeout, which I was tempted to do.
5. I washed my cloth rags and continue to use them for cleaning instead of paper towels.
We are enjoying the Olympics as well. We record the late night competitions and watch after chores and at lunch.
We got an invite to go watch a local curling team. Fascinating.
Friend brought me 2 units of horse manure to cure in my compost pile.
Same friend brought me a dump truck load of mushroom compost. I use this in my raised beds.
He is delivering a truck load of wood chips next week that will go on the walkways between the beds.
I sold him a heavy duty construction trailer for dirt cheap and he promised me use of his equipment as barter.
I buy a 2 pack of brown paper 1000 feet toweling at the restaurant supply store about every 8 years. I built a wood holder with a metal tear strip, pulled out the core of the roll so it comes out from the middle of the roll. One roll usually lasts about 4 yrs. I use it for mostly pet clean ups. I have a basket of cloth napkins and a drawer full of rags and microfiber towels. When my mom worked at a surgeons office, they would buy the blue surgical towels by the bale, if they had a hole or tear or ratty hem he would toss. I brought them home and mended. I'm still using them 30 yrs later.
Your friend with the horse manure, mushroom compost, and wood chips sounds like a very useful person. I've got a lead on some manure myself through the human daughter of Bailey dog's parents, who has two horses. I've been promised some out of the "two-year gold" pile. 🙂
Let's see...I don't believe this has been a particularly frugal week around here but I'll try.
1) I walked down to Neighborhood (3mi loop), for a couple dollar deal items, cucumber and asparagus. Normally, I drive over to that location but with only getting 2 things it wasn't bad for the walk back.
2) Bought a reduced price ham which was cut up and thrown in the freezer for future ham needs.
3) Got an audiobook that I previously started and didn't finish from the library for my walks.
4) Now, overall, going to the casino is likely not a frugal activity. However, it was the chosen activity, along with dinner, for a friends bachelorette/wedding celebration activities. Frugalness while there included, not purchasing any drinks, only allowing a budget of $100 each (me/husband), getting the loyalty card that gave us $15 of free gambling money, and quitting while ahead.
1. Using food from my freezer in a concerted attempt to make room and save money. Finding some oddities, which I am nevertheless determined to use.
2. Received $300 from my insurance company for using Drivewise. I will pass it on to my unemployed son.
3. Scanned a number of receipts to Fetch, some mine, some found.
4. Grocery shopped at Aldi, buying mostly staples, but also a cheap box of Little Debbie brownies.
5. Bought a feeder block for my fish, as I will be traveling to a friend's house soon to help her with recovery from hip replacement surgery. PetSmart had a deal to buy another for half price, but I decided against it. I don't use them often, and honestly, how much longer can my one 15-year-old Corey catfish live?
Rebates can be such a pain, but I always feel happy with the end result.
My frugal 5:
1) Bought a 2nd hand winter jacket and long johns. We have moved from a never even cool area to a snow area and this allows me to not create a whole new seasonal wardrobe. I'll donate coat at the end of the season, but hubby got a really high quality luxury pea coat (for $13!!!) that we may ship to a family member back home if it makes sense postage wise (it is a timeless cut and would be a lifetime coat). We'll see.
2) Added water to the shampoo bottle- I'll forever use this one!
3) Walking for all my errands. Yesterday I did 6 miles (in a few trips). Public transportation here is great and affordable, but the sun was out and I enjoyed exploring my new city.
4) Even with a translator, I've gotten some real misses in the grocery department. I was able to use some really greasy sausage by adding to a potato bowl and the ricotta (?) cheese I thought was cottage cheese got made into an orzo dish. Not super frugal- but I didn't throw them out and didn't go buy ten more ingredients to make them work- I used what I had already.
5) A recipe called for red onions, but yellow were 1/3 of the price so I got the yellow. I don't like this swap for all recipes (specifically of onions will be raw), but most the time I'll go for the cheaper option.
I submitted for reimbursement for my silly vision insurance coverage. They don't participate with any providers but give you a little bit towards eye exams, glasses, contacts, etc. My two children went and they sent me $114 in total. Not a full reimbursement, but as you say, it is not nothing. Took 10 minutes to submit and received two phone calls verifying information. Seems worth it!
I also surgical rags in the kitchen instead of paper towels. I wash them once a week on sanitize and they last forever.
This post really resonated with me, as I have done some similar things!
1. I had some frozen meat that we just weren't getting used. It was part of a bonus from my old job, so it was free to begin with (yay!) but what good is free meat if it doesn't get used? So anyway, I learned how to pressure can! I now have some jars of safely processed neat that I can use for a quick casserole, which will work better for us in this season of life.
2. I also use old, less than perfect looking T towels for covering bread dough as it rises. That was one of last weekend's projects.
3. Hubby and I used an online financial advisor to manage some of our finances. It's with a reputable company that we've used for a long time in other capacities, at a fraction of the cost that some other local companies charge. Hubby has always been good at investing, but was looking for some more expertise as we near retirement.
4. I had a dispute with my health insurance over whether a rabies vaccine (yes, we had a rabid bat in our house!!) was going to be fully covered. It's complicated...but in a nutshell...they gave me incorrect information that was documented, and after 4 or 5 months of sticking to my guns, they paid the (expensive!) bill in full! It pays to be persistent. I was so frustrated and ready to give up.
5. Several times over the past week, when I was sorely tempted to grab a quickmeal on the go, I decided that the leftovers in our fridge were sufficient. That's a big deal for me.
One step at a time!
Nothing very frugal here. DS#3 is still in the hospital. We caved and got Chick Fil A yesterday. The only frugal victory I had was while switching out beds and bedding (we are preparing the larger bedroom for DS for when he eventually comes home, and moving DS#1 into DS#3's old room, which necessitated a bed size change), I discovered I had a spare queen size mattress protector, and that DS#2 had been going without a mattress protector all this time, so I put that to good use. Other than that, I got nothing. Oh, I did use my furniture repair markers to touch up some badly scratched furniture while moving the boys' stuff and discovering said scratches. It doesn't look like new but it looks better.
I am so sorry to hear your son is still in the hospital. Your family has really had a rough couple of years with the hospitalizations. I really hope he's home and healthy soon.
kristin, I second what you said. Hugs to Karen A. and all her family.
Hugs, Karen A. Being a mom is so hard sometimes.
Karen, I hope your son gets to come home very soon.
1. I made sure that I am maxing out my 401k contributions this year. The IRS raised the amount you can contribute so I made adjustments to make sure I reach that by the end of the year.
2. I used some Amazon credits to get a couple of books that were deeply discounted. I get the BookBub email each day that shares discounted or free ebooks. It is rare that I actually buy one of the books, but when I do it is one I have had my eye on and is always free because of credits for delayed shipping.
3. I reused a candle container as the new pen holder in my office. I was using a wide-mouth glass canning jar, but I can put the jar back into kitchen rotation.
4. Our Super Bowl spread was straight from the pantry. I managed to pull together some tasty snacks (that became dinner) and only needed to buy a red bell pepper.
5. My son and I had lunch at home before going to visit my grandma. I knew he would ask for a quick fast food trip, but we had some delicious leftovers and I didn’t have to spend a fortune trying to feed a teenager at the drive thru.
This week . . .
1) We, as usual, menu planned, wrote a grocery list, and picked up groceries. Also as usual, we included some easy things on that list for nights where we have less time, some tasty things to keep off the take-out temptation, and some extra things for when the kids inevitably eat more than we think they will.
2) Last night I made a pasta dish that used up the rest of the last batch of roasted chicken. I also roasted another half pack of chicken breasts. That chicken is such a good base to have for quick dishes. And evidently our 15 year old, who is a bottomless pit of an eater, has taken to making chicken sandwiches for breakfast, so I am trying to keep some roasted chicken in the fridge at all times for him.
3) I did buy a pack of valentines for my 1st grader because Aldi had them and they were a theme I knew he would love. But for my 4th grader, I pulled out my stash of leftovers. She has a very small class, and I knew there would be something in there to fit the bill.
4) I paid for my cheap parking and caught the free bus to my office. I packed my lunch for work and got gas at Costco when I drove past and saw it was no waiting. I returned some items to Walmart that I accidentally ordered (they were sitting in my cart from a few weeks ago when I logged in to set up a pickup). I promptly paid a toll charge to avoid any fees (I had already replaced the busted EZPass that resulted in an unpaid toll). I continue to update my medical spending spreadsheet as I get EOBs and bills.
5) We started our biggest frugal thing today. Well, time will tell if it is actually frugal. My husband and I own a small storefront. The 100-year old metal roof started leaking. We don't have the cash to replace the roof right now, and we are hoping to build above the storefront, so we don't want to pay $20K for a roof we just cover up in a few years. So instead, after watching roofing videos, we are coating the whole thing in liquid rubber, then pressing roofing fabric into the wet liquid rubber, then paining more liquid rubber on top. It will take us a few days working a couple of hours at a time, and luckily we have warm clear weather in the forecast. If we end up having to replace the roof anyway in another year, this won't be frugal. But if the thing gives us a few more years on this roof we will have saved lots of $$$$.
My husband has used that roof coat on a couple of metal roofs now, without any other layers but applied very heavily, and it does stop leaks. Good luck!
1. Our boy #3 came a few weeks early but fortunately all is well. We’ve had to supplement his feeding some to help him gain weight, but we had a can of unopened/unexpired formula on hand from our last little one so we’re using it while my milk comes in. And I’m able to pump some too, a little more every day. As Andrea G/Midwest Andrea noted, pumping is a chore!
2. In the hospital we were able to avoid buying any additional food for DH by maximizing what we ordered on my patient meal tray.
3. I’ve had my mom help cook up some dried beans so they can be frozen. It’s easier to thaw pre-cooked beans than it is to remember to cook them in advance!
4. That’s really it for now. Staying home to protect the baby from germs, cooking at home, and accepting help from my parents during this adjustment.
Congratulations on Baby Boy #3!
YAY, BABY! And yay baby boy number 3! (I also have three boys in a row. 🙂 )
Congratulations! (Also a mom of 3 boys in a row!) Don't blink! (Unless you can actually sleep-- definitely sleep if you can.)
Lindsay, congratulations on your new little one!
Thank you, all!
Funny that you would say something about keeping your kitchen towels, stink free…
I’m not sure where I learned it from… But if you put your washcloth in the microwave for a minute every once in a while… I do it daily… It kills the germs and I’ve used the same washcloth for months…… Until they’re so ragged. I have to throw them out.
If your towels don’t have stains, you can do that as well… Lovely
yay you. when i was poor as a church mouse i invested as much as i could. now that i am very old i am grateful to be not so poor. have had 0 debt for a lotta years now. i don't chase interest cause i just have to pay taxes on it. my zozo heard from suny purchase that they need a portfolio and rec letter. nothing from dutchess which is my personal favorite that we actually visited. everyone was so nice. including the students who showed us around. a big plus if you don't use the whole dining card (like that would ever happen) the balance carries over. Yay.
I use the high interest savings account too with Forbright Bank. No minimum deposit and the rate varies depending on what the government does. I'm currently receiving 3.75%. The only thing they require is that you make a deposit of whatever sum once a month. And, I include any "found" money in an additional deposit every couple of months. Things like, coins I pick up when walking (gotta keep those pennies circulating), rebates, credit card cash backs, money extra to my monthly income. Every little addition adds up.
Blessings to all.
Definitely an uninspiring week here too. More than saving money, this week was about making sure we're using what we have since we already made the decision to spend out:
-I rarely buy lysol wipes but between a Costco deal and a need to take them on a trip, I bought a bunch. I don't want to get into the habit of using them but since we do have them, I am having to remind myself to find good ways to use them. I don't want them to dry up and become unusable.
-I sold a Google chromecast that my husband had bought and never used. I'd rather lose a percentage of what we spent instead of 100% of what we spent when it becomes obsolete and no one can use it.
-My 12 y.o. daughter has (strangely) been into grandma-ish sweaters lately. She picked up two from TJMaxx but hasn't worn either of them in the three weeks she's had them. They're getting returned and we're discussing impulse buying.
-I had bought some refrigerator produce bin liners after a particularly messy refrigerator clean up but they sat unused in my cabinet for months. I just cut them and put them in and now I can just pull them out and shake out/wipe down any messes. Why'd I spend the money if I wasn't going to use them?
-I am cooking up the veggies and cutting up the fruit so that they're not wasted. Even if we eat 80% of the cabbage I bought, that's better than throwing out the entire head.
You might want to take a closer look at the rules around your chase account. They sometimes charge a fee if you don't keep a minimum balance, or you don't have direct deposit of a certain amount going into it every month. The fees are pretty nasty. I have to keep at least $1500 in a chase joint savings account I have, in order to avoid the fees.
This week I:
- Rode in with my husband to the *free place with free coffee* to work and stayed there all day instead of driving the car back and forth (because I start early, I'm usually finished with work well before he is)
- Brought my lunch and snacks on my weekend hike
- Bought mushrooms, instead of the tempting chestnut cake, at the little grocery we stopped at on the way back from the hike. I needed mushrooms, and they were a good price. I didn't need cake, and it was at a premium
- Made myself sit down and get my few remaining hours of work over the weekend. Mid/late winter is mentally challenging, and it's easy for me to come up short right now
- Like some others in the commentariat, I've been making an effort to wear more of my clothes more than once before washing
Dull frugalities:
1. Combined 3 partially full containers of hand sanitizer into a large pump bottle that fits in my car's cupholder. It will travel with me. Flu going round, and I don't want to catch it!
2. Washed out a dirty plastic shopping bag that came from Aldi back when they sold them...that was quite a while ago. Their plastic bags were sturdier than most, and this one can still be used for quite a while longer.
3. My $3 clock bought from Goodwill quit working. Figured out it was because the battery was a bit loose. Fixed it with a bit of foil and taped it in place.
4. Using the poptop metal rings from soda pop cans, coupled with thumb tacks, on backs of plaques, pictures and wall hangings. In lieu of sawtooth hangers. Works just as well. My h.s. crafts teacher taught us this hack, and I've been using it for years!
5. Flat pink rectangular erasers taped to computer keyboard will put the keyboard at just the right slant for comfortable typing. Not all keyboards have those little plastic tabs, and even if they do, they often break off. So...
.
1. Packed a new but failed ink cartridge in an Amazon envelope to return.
2. Shopped at Dollar Tree for Valentine's Day cards and a birthday card.
3. Made brunch at home for guests rather than going out to eat.
4. Am currently doing research on refrigerators in order to make a wise purchase. Thankfully, we have a garage fridge to buy us a little time since our main one went out.
5. Added tissue paper, gift bags, etc., to existing stash.
I also like cloth dish towels and clothes. Unfortunately my husband hates them he wants a disgusting sponge. Which he then leaves in the bottom is the sink to get totally gross. He does that with my dish clothes also. Nothing worse than a slimy dishcloth, I was raised using disclothes, we always rang them out and hung them up to dry. We had several and washed the bunch every week. It an effort to compromise on the paper towel thing I did get some of the Swedish dish clothes They work better than paper towels and can be used over and over and get rung out. So far hubby is not complaining about them but he isn’t using them either. He still grabs a paper towel for everything. He also resisted the reusable ‘paper towels’. Maybe someday….
I'm with you. I can't remember when I last purchased paper towels.
Occasionally, I have other people helping me in the kitchen. Inevitably they want to know where my paper towels are. I do have a roll in the kitchen, but it is stored out of sight. I finally learned to bring out the paper towels when others are working with me. It's easier than explaining to them how it is better to use cloth.
Kristen you have no idea how much your future self is gonna thank you for investing the extra. You will want to hug her. 🙂
How do you find out about the higher intererst savings accounts?
I included links in the post to the one that I have!