Five Frugal Things | Still at it
Am I still redeeming birthday freebies? YES, YES I AM.
1. I got gold spray paint for $2.11
So, remember my scuffed table?
Well, I needed to make two screws (for the drawer hardware) a gold color, so I wanted some spray paint for that.
Ace Hardware had sent me a $5/any purchase coupon for my birthday, so I stopped in and found a mini can of spray paint for $6.99.
And with my birthday coupon, it was only $2.11.
Don't get too excited about finally seeing the finished table, though; I'd say the odds of me doing any work on the scuffed table are super low until school is done (May 17, if we are counting. And I am counting.)
"Finish the scuffed table" will go on my summer to-do list. 😉
2. I got a free cookie from Panera
They send me a free pastry offer every year for my birthday, so I redeemed it for a free Kitchen Sink cookie.
3. I got a free blazer from my Buy Nothing group
I have another presentation today, and I have to dress professionally. Soo, I picked up a free blazer from my Buy Nothing group.
It is very slightly on the tight end of things so I don't know if I will keep it long-term. But it will work just for today.
(I always think it's funny when they require us to dress up in nursing school. I feel like giving presentations in scrubs would be more appropriate!)
4. I got symphony tickets for Sonia and me
One of my student memberships lets me get a free ticket for myself and a $10 ticket for a second person, so Sonia and I are gonna go together next week.
It's getting warmer now so I miiiiiiight wear something different than my usual symphony dress.
We'll see what the weather is on the day of; it is the time of year right now when temperatures are very unpredictable!
5. The usual...
I've been making my coffee, packing my lunches, eating up odds and ends, and spending most of my time doing schoolwork. 😉
(Passing classes is kind of a money-saving move.)
1. I bought a pretty dress for just $30! Heh.
2. I was able to buy a set of irregular slate flagstones, vintage, for just $50. I have these in my front and back stoops and I love them, so the handyman is gonna build me a simple walkway using them. I'm so happy because the vintage colored slate is very hard to find now.
3. Ate leftovers for two nights. And luckily, several of the things I want for this week's food shopping are on sale.
4. Making a strong trellis for pumpkin growing. Reusing old pots for invasive herbs like thyme and mint.
5. Going to see Mom tomorrow for what my sister cheerfully describes as "Mom's last Mother's Day." sigh. Will bring her flowers instead of having them delivered.
@Rose,
I love that you are reusing vintage flagstone. It’s going to look wonderful.
@Rose, re: your mom...I remember having the "last time for this" feeling several times last year with my Mom. She was 93 after all. Every chance I got I told her I loved her and held her hand, which is something we didn't normally do. Fresh flowers and you there to hold her hand = best Mother's Day gift.
@Bee, Thanks. I try to keep or enhance as many vintage features as I can in my house.
@Gina from The Cannary Family, I'm not sure "last Mother's Day" would have occurred to me without my sister. My mom is 80, but she was supposed to have 4-6 weeks last August, so chances of Mother's Day 25 are nil. Sigh. I hope it's one of her good days.
@Rose, I would love a house tour of both of your houses.
@Bee,
I thought the same thing. I would love to find such a deal on vintage flagstone. Vintage *anything* in my neck of the woods comes with a hefty price tag.
@Rose,
Fingers crossed your mom has a good day on Mother's Day.
@Liz B., it doesn't look good. She's slipping away, not responding, not eating or drinking.
@Rose,
I am so sorry. Been there with my mother in law (who was more like a mother to me). I know you're not a hugger, but please know you're in my thoughts.
@Rose, take heart that she is of sound mind. There is nothing worse than watching the mother you once knew become the mother not only the mother you don't know, she doesn't know you. If your mother can still communicate and comprehend, be thankful. Sucked enough watching my Mom's mother slip into the abyss (then aspirate due to "waiting for a miracle from god"), then my Mom, now my Mom's sister. Looking back, it was a blessing cancer took the other sister. A quicker and less painful passing for her. While some visible signs of pain, there is no being certain Alzheimer/dementia "victims" are pain free. It sucks.
@Selena, She was only of sound mind occasionally. Sometimes she was bright and cheerful and ask me if I'd walked to the nursing home from the train station. There is no train station. Or she asked my sister when I was getting home from college. Cancer hit her brain.
She's stopped taking liquids and has a few days left now.
Only ten days til the end of your semester! So close.
Frugal things:
1. A family from our church is moving away and offered us many animal and farm related items that they aren't taking with them- rolls of chicken wire, rodent traps, a baby chick cage, some 2x12 boards, and more! We bought them dinner as a thank you
2. We moved our chickens into our vegetable garden area so they can eat down the weeds before we till and plant things
3. I pulled out a pair of sneakers for my oldest daughter that I had bought last fall at consignment, she is ready for that size now
4. We had a family over for a meal on Sunday, and ingredients to feed 12 people were right around $20
5. The usual- brewing coffee at home, cooking most meals at home, eating leftovers, packing lunches
I just spent $26,000 on a car I didn't strictly need, but I do not regret that purchase at all. And there were some frugal things associated with it! Like so . . .
--I paid cash, so no interest payments.
--I bought a much older vehicle (2013) with very low mileage (35,000) so that I could get what I really wanted (a Honda Pilot). I could have gotten a smaller car or a different brand or one without all-wheel drive, all of which would have reduced the price, given the high re-sale value for Hondas. However, I have owned Hondas before and I know--barring disaster--that I can drive it for years and years. Also, the Pilot is one of the few options that will seat all six of my family. Going from 3 kids to 4 really does limit your choice in vehicles. 🙂 Alsoalso, we live somewhere where I have to pay attention to vehicle clearance and the very real possibility of getting stuck. The Pilot is absolutely the best option for that.
--I know the Pilot is the best option, because we already had one. 🙂 Our 2005 Pilot has seen a lot of hard use, and it's in such bad shape I didn't bother with trying to trade it in or sell it, but we will be driving it to the scrapyard today. I'll probably get about enough to buy our groceries at Walmart afterwards. . .
And non-car-related:
--I got a light coat on Thredup that was non-returnable and alllmost right, but needed some alterations. The sleeves were weirdly short, like almost 3/4 sleeves (why would you want that on a coat?), but luckily had a deep cuff that could be let down just by removing a few stitches, which I did. It also had small shoulder pads in it (???). My shoulders don't need more padding, so I opened up the seam on the shoulders, pulled out the pads, and sewed the seam back up. Much better. And I have gotten many compliments on it.
--I have had a bag of whole wheat elbow pasta given to my by a neighbor in my pantry for, uh, maybe two years! We don't eat a lot of pasta, and definitely not whole wheat, but it finally occurred to me I could mix it with the pasta when I made the rare macaroni and cheese (from excess commodities) for my kids. It'll probably take me another two years to go through it this way, but at least I started.
@kristin @ going country, We are making arrangements to get rid of the Acura that my son drives. It had been my husband’s car. It is a 2007 and has 260k miles on it. The motor is still strong, but the interior is wrecked. Recently the flashers started coming on whenever you honk the horn. It’s time to say good-bye.
I hope you enjoy your car for many years to come.
@kristin @ going country, I have a bracelet sleeve winter coat as was popular in the 60s. I just love it! (My son loathes it.)
https://www.marksandspencer.com/en-gr/checked-longline-boyfriend-coat-with-wool/p/P60615713.html
And shoulder pads are often put in tailored clothes for proper shaping.
@kristin @ going country, congrats on your new-to-you vehicle!!
@kristin @ going country, my beloved 2003 Pilot lasted 19 years and had over 300,000 miles when it was finally retired. Honda vehicles are very frugal purchases. Glad you found one!
@kristin @ going country,
Do you suppose the cuffs were not original to the jacket? Maybe someone with short arms turned them up?
My daughter's little Civic, bought new, was taken to its final resting place after being very well-used for 15 years. Congrats on the Pilot with no loan!
@kristin @ going country, congratulations on the new-to-you car. I'm amazed you found a 2013 with such low mileage! I have a 2010 Pilot with 130,000 miles and I hope you enjoy your Pilot as much as I have mine.
@kristin @ going country, congratulations on your frugal vehicle purchase. My little Honda Fit turned 14 this month and still runs like a top. The only non-routine maintenance repair it has ever needed is the electronic door lock started wearing out last year and had to be replaced
@kristin @ going country, My 2009 Honda Odyssey is just over 160,000 and still going strong. I'm hoping we can get at least a few more years out of her! Then maybe I can get away with not needing another minivan! *Fingers crossed*
@kristin @ going country, Kudos on finding the perfect car with super low mileage, and to make your family safer on the long drives!
I’m interested in your comment that you don’t often make pasta, and mac and cheese rarely. Is it for health reasons? I myself am dealing with some health issues relating to food and I gather all information from others that I can.
@kristin @ going country,
I might be able to solve your three quarter-length sleeved coat mystery: back in the day -- 1920s, 30s and 40s, fashionable upper-class women bought very elaborate gloves. .The gloves would often be adorned with fur or sewn-on pearls or other fancy things, and they might even match your equally elaborate hat. Those gloves were long -- typically, they would come up to your elbows. Now, you wouldn't want to hide such gorgeous gloves under a coat sleeve, would you? So fashion houses would produce coats with somewhat shorter sleeves in order that m'lady could show off her pretty full-length gloves. If you watch some old black and white movies from the era, the well-to-do female characters will often be sporting such gloves and coats if the scene was set in, say, New York.
@Bee,
I think you and Kristin at Going Country have both gotten your money's worth out of your respective vehicles. I always say I'm going to drive mine "until the wheels come off." Which is pretty much what happened to my 15 y.o. Chevy Cobalt last year when the other driver, going probably 50 or 60 mph, plowed into me.
@Erika JS, My husband didn't eat wheat much for a very long time because it didn't agree with him, so I just never made pasta much. This resulted in about half of my kids not caring about it at all. It's not so much a health thing as a preference for potatoes or rice instead.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Maybe this coat was in that style, although it certainly is a modern coat. It's slightly more formal, though, maybe for professional dress.
@Beverly, I used a service called CarMax, which is all online. You can put in any filters for a nationwide search in their system, and mine were so specific that there weren't a lot of matches. But when they did send me a match, it was always exactly what I had been looking for. I chose this one because I didn't have to pay to ship it too far (it was in California, and I'm in New Mexico) and it wasn't coming from anywhere that salts roads in the winter. CarMax worked very well for me, since I knew exactly what I wanted.
@kristin @ going country, my kids prefer rice to pasta as well. And I'd take potatoes in any form, being part hobbit.
@kristin @ going country, I add my belated congrats to everyone else's on the purchase of the Honda Pilot. If your Pilot gives you the same kind of service as my 2010 Element, you and it will be very happy together.
@A. Marie,
I will Honda would reintroduce the Honda Element. Once when I was listening to Click and Clack on Saturday morning (NPR’s Car Talk), they were discussing the benefits of owning an Element. One of the brothers said it was roomy enough to carry a standing cow in the back. I smile every time I see one. 🙂
@Bee, I think the cow would have to be a calf or a small heifer. But DH and I routinely used to carry four to six 20-gallon muck buckets full of llama manure home from the llama farm that friends of ours used to own. (And this is true of llamas, as it is of few other creatures: Their @#$! don't stink.)
@kristin @ going country, since I am old enough to have walked the earth with the dinosaurs, I , too, remember coats with bracelet length sleeves. The last I saw of them was the ealy '60s. But styles are always making comebacks, or at least trying to.
@Rose,
This coat is fab.
Woohoo for a cash purchase!
@Karen A., or Irish or from generations of farmers. And you can always have French fries with spaghetti and meatballs, we did. Only non beef/pork/chicken meal we ate - always with potatoes mind you. My Italian husband was appalled when I told him about the French fries lol.
@kristin @ going country, I also had a very good experience with Car Max. No haggling, you can shop the entire country, and choose what you want. It has a good warranty program too. So much easier and no sales pitch.
@Bee, I miss Click and Clack!!! They were a highlight of my Saturdays!!
-instead of tossing a face sunscreen I hated I used it up on my legs/arms
-ate for free at work
-reheated mystery bowl of dark liquid from freezer. Discovered it was usable and served it for dinner over rice (it was beef bourgignon)
-organized hand-me-downs for my son that we received from a friend. It was all in beautiful condition - somewhat amazing for boy clothes!
@Sk in Norway, brave soul eating the mystery liquid - glad it was tasty!
1. I also got a free Panera cookie. I was looking longingly at the kitchen sink cookie, but was with my 5yo and she wanted the M&M one. We're in our last few weeks of just us at home, so I let her pick.
2. I had to go get some tights for my kiddo who was in a play last week (they sprouted a big hole in the knee halfway through opening night - yikes!) and while I was at WalMart, I found that they had a whole bunch of kids undies on clearance. I stocked up for all 3 of my kiddos. I also had to buy some red lipstick for theater kid and checked Ibotta while I was in the store. I got a $3 rebate on the one I purchased.
3. My husband was making a Lands End purchase and I got some clearance shoes for the girls for next school year (we already have one pair of these shoes, so I know they will work well). We were about $24 short of free shipping, so I added some clothes to the cart that will fit our new dress code next year. We also paid for the order with gift cards through school that got us $15 back towards our tuition.
4. My time was short over the past week, but I still made muffins for a brunch rather than purchase them.
5. My 5yo is friends with the theater director's youngest daughter, so I took the two of them to the zoo last week to give the director some more flexibility on a day that was a couple of days before the show. We both have memberships, we packed all of our food, and we were able to use our "experience package" to do some extra fun things for free. A super fun day that only costs us gas.
Great job on your continued success in your class (tests) & moving forward.
Frugal things---
● Used my (2) free $10 (Meijer rewards from last week shopping) separately and purchased 2 more solar lights ($6.79 total after coupons) and then $ off few groceries.
● got (paper) coupons for dish soap BOGO FREE & kept brand/scent I use & put other brand/scent on shelf next to product for someone else.
● Used free bonus coupon (free bread bites) on Dominos (since teen feeling like can eat somewhat but can't eat normally yet so can't have favorite kind of pizza/crunchy thin crust in freezer). Apparently you only get credit/reward points for 1 order a day because my pasta bread bowl (separate order & coupon) said no points earned on this order. 🙁
● Ordered Applebees online & received free $10 (email) giftcard (until May 26) when purchased $40 (got 3 sandwiches combo/platters since teen wanting to try to eat more).
● purchased $50 Applebees giftcard & received $10 bonus giftcard (until end of June). Recieved for Mother's day dinner (which will actually keep for another day).
●took rescue dogs to PetVet @ TSC to get rabies shots & other shots. $137 each dog (including disposal & misc fees). Cheaper than vet office visit.
Frugal fails---
● teen (& I) did not eat all bakery items (7up cake, angel food cake, few donuts & few muffins) from food I got for after surgery.
● Green Salad-- teen is telling me (sarcastically) because I buy it with intentions of eating (I'm only one who does) & it gets pushed around/moved & I just don't get it eaten.
●spoiled apples & potatoes I got awhile ago & put in box (separately) to keep longer with intentions of making apple crisp for freezer (looking at containers sitting right next to) & using potatoes. Instead got sprouted potatoes & squishy apples (I composted in flowers by fence--maybe composting an apple tree??)
maybe frugal fail---
● bought 4 hanging baskets/pots at teen FFA plant sale yesterday (teen & others grew in Botany class) $90 (+$3 credit card fee---didn't have enough cash because got rescue dog licences yesterday which credit card fee is up to 10%!). I got 1 more than actually planned (loved the color mixtures teen did) but was for good cause & planned on plants & flowers need anyhow. Early Mother's day?? They do look really nice. 🙂
@Regina, Frugal or not, sometimes you have to feed your soul. And feed it with beauty, you did. Plus you got to help support a worthy cause. At the school where I sub, the kids in Future Farmers are really advancing in their skills; I believe they are going to be better equipped to go out into the "real world" than most of their classmates. Ditto, the ROTC kids.
Curious: When you pick up freebies, do you routinely purchase anything else (when the deal isn’t contingent on your buying something, such as a free cookie if you buy a dinner)? I never take advantage of stuff like this, maybe because I always feel like I need to BUY something to justify the goody they’re giving me. Wondering if anyone else feels like that? I would feel super weird walking in and just getting a free whatever and then walking out (and hey, absolutely no judgment for those who do this—the business finds the transaction worthwhile in some way, otherwise they wouldn’t do it). Just wondering how others navigate this.
@OregonGuest, I feel fine doing it under those circumstances.
There's one circumstance that I'm not - when the freebie is a substantial taste, I'm already familiar with the product, and I'm a frequent customer.
Case in point: my local chocolate shop will give a free chocolate (such as a truffle) to any customer on each visit. Since I usually get one at a time, I could get all my chocolates for free. However I feel that would be abusing their generosity.
@OregonGuest, There is an essay about this in the Tightwad Gazette. Author Amy Daczyczn (aka the "Frugal Zealot") says that businesses do this freebie thing in order to lure in more customers. They know that some customers will just get the free ______[whatever]_____and leave, but they also know that some customers will buy other items, thus making the business a profit. FZ's take on things was that it's OK to just swoop in, get the bling at no charge, and then not buy anything else. Because if the store wasn't making a profit on such a promotion, they wouldn't do it.
@OregonGuest, I'm fine on just getting the freebie. I can't imagine that Starbucks expects you to buy a second drink when you get your free birthday drink. It's a loyalty perk - just like the free Panera goodies.
That being said, I also completely agree with WilliamB's exception.
Yeah for passing class as a savings tool! My niece just graduated LPN training. And it was paid for by her employer. Like you, an educational money saving tool!
I bought a dress for a wedding and my husband did not like it, so it is being returned.
Went to attend a funeral in Iowa last weekend. Used my husband's airline points and saved $400. on airfare. Rented a super cheap car with unlimited miles and got a very inexpensive name-brand hotel room that was farther away from the airport ($125/night vs. $225+/night).
Husband bought 3 inexpensive wicking polo shirts ($9.98 ea) from Sam's Club and had me take red vinyl and put his company logo on the shirts for work. Some other folks want the same shirts, so depending on who wants what I will be making a little profit making shirts. I already had the red heat transfer vinyl in my stash.
I have been adding my sugar to the coffee pot (after my husband has had his coffee) and it is still warm for the sugar to melt. I turn the coffee pot off and then in the afternoon, I add some ice and creamer and have an iced coffee pick me up.
Paid my bills on time. Will be eating from home all week and drinking coffee from home all week.
Congratulations! You can see the finish line! Woot! Woot! Cheering you on.
I have been exceedingly busy and I can’t think of much that I have done that is particular thrifty or smart.
1. I found a bit of ham at the bottom of freezer and some cooked black-eyed peas.I added some greens, and I made a pot of rice. My Southern husband is happy because it is one of his favorite meals. I am happy because I have finally gotten to the end of the ham.
2. I have been reading a book, a cozy mystery entitled The Framed Women of Ardmore House. I picked up this and a small stack of books last week, because our library will be closed for the month of May while the replace the roof.
3. I bought a few items that I needed at an estate sale including 4 Wufstof knives. These are expensive when purchased new, but they fit my hand perfectly.
4. I wore a dress that I already had to a Kentucky Derby event that was a charity fundraiser. I made a hat from a straw hat purchased from the dollar store. Now I think that really silly hat may become a door decoration in place of a wreath.
5. As always, drinking primarily filtered water from my refrigerator. I take a to-go cup with me forgoing expensive bottled water, unhealthy sugary drinks, and not contributing to the plastic problem.
Wishing everyone peace, good health and prosperity.?
@Bee, Spring 1984, in college a friend and I trimmed a lot of straw hats we bought at the variety store in town. Me being me (ie, too much), one came complete with roses, forget me nots, a nest and a bluebird in the nest. And a ribbon bow. Then I thought it needed something else so I added bunches of cherries and gave it to BFF.
After BFF died, her brother sent it back to me. It's now in a place of honor on my hall tree.
@Rose,
That is wonderful and very kind of the brother.
*Yesterday, I let myself eat a lunch out while sitting in my car at a park (it looked like it was going to rain) - $5.40 for some delicious pizza rolls from Papa Johns and a sparkling water from home.
*On the way home from the park lunch I spied a neighbor giving away free (!) plants, so I snagged one for an empty pot and soil I already have. I think its a yucca. Either way, it looks good grouped with other plants on my patio.
*Used Kohl's cash and a sale to score a cute and comfy summer dress for half off ($15). Plus Kohl's will give me an extra $5 Kohl's cash.
*Used up some freezer leftovers and wrinkly potatoes in last night's meal and all of it got eaten and it was pretty tasty.
*Got 3 $2 books from Goodwill last week that I am reading
*Lastly, a friend of mine is sending me (free) cross stitch patterns, and I already know I love them because I saw her finished work. (:
1. It was potluck day at church on Sunday. As the pastor's family, we are usually given many leftovers. We've already used up the pasta salad and beets. This morning we used sliced bread for toast.
2. Picked and ate asparagus.
3. I paid our credit card bill online.
4. My brain has been dead in the evenings, but I can handle sudoku puzzles. I'm using up a puzzle book that is falling apart that my mother had been using before she died. (I can't bring myself to finish the one she left unfinished.)
5. I'm planning to go to the bag sale at our local thrift store today. I made coffee at home. We shopped by going to the store when we were out for another reason. We ate lots of leftovers and planned meals. We used library books (no overdue fines) and movies. We wore thrifted and hand-me-down clothes.
@Jody S., I don't blame you about not finishing it. While I was thinking about that I had an idea, if you're interested. Finish it in a different ink then frame it as a memento of your time together.
@WilliamB, Brilliant!
@WilliamB, that's a really sweet idea, if Jody S. feels up to it.
@WilliamB, That's a good idea. But. I still can't because she had something wrong and a lot of it needs erased to be corrected. I'm not doing that 🙂
@Jody S., I wouldn’t change it either.
@WilliamB, What a terrific idea! I would not have thought of that in a million years.
1.) Listing a few more eBay items.
2.) Stocked up on shaving soap. It's super cheap when compared to buying cans of foam and it lasts a long time. I've also not bought blades in forever thanks to using a double edged safety razor.
3.) Went to a flea market and didn't go hog wild and only spent about $20 on various things including a $1 analog alarm clock for my daughter (something she's been asking for.)
4.) Sold both my air conditioners. Its amazing how picky beggars can be but they are gone and I got cash for them.
5.) Again just doing the usuals. Making lunches etc.
@Battra92, It’s funny the memories that stand out from being a kid. One of my very fond memories is watching my Dad shave using shaving soap and a brush. That particular memory has a unrushed happy warm vibe. It might seem weird but I think it’s cool that some still use soap and brush.
@Battra92, Re: shaving soap. I'm not sure if you make your own soap, but my boys have found that our homemade soap works pretty well. At least, the one I asked said it's pretty close. We just use lye, water, and beef fat.
Everything in my life feels very unfrugal at the moment since we are closing on a new (to us) house at the end of this month. Let's see what I can come up with.
1. I won the basketball tournament bracket at the office and got a "sports-related" prize of my choice. I picked out a BOSU since I just started using one at PT for my ankle rehab.
2. We picked up a family meal to celebrate winning the bid for the house. The large salad has been my lunch for two days this week.
3. Purchased a few plants at the local garden club sale last Saturday. Their plants are much cheaper than the box store and are so healthy. The master gardener gave me tips on how to keep them alive until we close on the new house and get them planted.
4. Bought a couple of indoor plant grow lights using a coupon, so I got two delivered for under $12.
5. DH is on travel this week so I'm skipping the grocery store and eating down the pantry and freezer. I may have some odd meals, but there is plenty to eat.
I'm sorry, but I refuse to not get excited about finally seeing that scuffed table when it's done, ha.
My Frugal things:
1. I mentioned I had cut open a tube of sunscreen; I not only cut the tube open and used up the contents clinging to the insides, I took a cotton swab and dug out sunscreen from the narrow opening at the cap end. I have now officially used up every last bit.
2. Let's hope this is frugal; I purchased a pear tree to replace our old pear tree that is clearly declining, especially after the hurricane. One of the employees at the nursery directed me to the pallet of trees that had gotten straggly and hadn't sold in the fall. I picked a Flordahome pear for 1/4 to 1/5 the price of the new spring arrivals. If it makes it, this will be frugal. If it doesn't, at least I will lose very little money.
3. The new tree is somewhat self-fertile, but my old tree should pollinate the new one if it needs help. The employee suggested that I wait and see if I even need a second pear tree after the old tree bites the dust, which is a frugal move.
4. This is also a "this will be frugal if..." thing. Instead of paying $39.99 or even $44.99 for one new 2' tall fig tree, I ordered two 6" tall ones from Baker Creek for $19.99. If they make it, this will be frugal. Our old fig tree is also struggling and its location is not ideal. I could easily propagate from it, but it has contracted rust disease, so I want to start clean new trees at a safe distance.
5. In this warm weather, I'm taking more care to not let food go to waste, since I haven't turned on the A/C yet. I have to keep an eye on my fruit bowl so that I don't end up with nasty, moldy fruit and a plague of fruit flies. I don't hold the refrigerator or freezer doors open, I put just ripe bananas in the refrigerator because I don't care if the skin blackens, and I eat leftovers quickly or freeze them.
While away this weekend I bought soda and snacks from Walmart & Target for the hotel fridge, rather than buy it at tourist sites and other expensive
I bought several cubic feet of loose Lego from a kids resale shop for about 1/30th of list price. (In the past generation Lego has cost about $.10/piece. Recently it's been $.075.)
The usual of avoiding food waste and looking for sales.
I Tried:
The shower needs to be partially rebuilt to fix a leak. I checked out the large stash of leftover tiles that came with the house but alas, none of it was for that shower.
On the plus side, we were talking about the possible eventual need for a curbless shower, so we'll do that now since the whole shower floor will be pulled up anyway.
@WilliamB, You will never regret the curbless shower. Just one tip, make sure your shower head doesn't tilt in a way that makes a curb necessary if you don't want to flood your bathroom. We had to replace our head when we redid the shower floor, but at least we discovered it while remodeling and not afterwards. I don't know why they make curbs on them anyway---you can break a leg at 20 and need it, so it is not just for the aged.
@Lindsey, You just put your finger on the difference between handicapped access and universal access.
The reason is that it’s easier to keep it from flooding with a curb. The question then becomes if that’s enough of a reason to keep including one. As it happens, the shower will have a small curb of about 1”. Thanks for the showerhead tip, I’ll be sure to include that, especially if we have to go with a curtain instead of a door.
I am happy to report that I have finished painting my stool! And not only one but all three of them. One is bright pink now, one in green and one in purple!
@Lea, Yay color!
@Rose,
I want you to know that your comment to my comment - together with the "prep post" from Kristen - was the major push to go ahead. Thank you for this
@Lea, SCORE!
Can you snap us a picture? Then go to https://imgbb.com, upload it and add the link in a comment.
Using up odds and ends from my freezer.
Cleaned out my pantry so I know what’s in there and have meal planned around some items I need to use.
Free entertainment today: It’s Hand and Foot (card game) day at my friend/neighbors.Four of us live on same street and we play cards every other week..rotating houses.Hostess makes light snacks..a great day out!!!!
Enjoying home brewed coffee on my own patio with the waterfall.Do people REALLY get all dressed and DRIVE to coffee shops for morning coffee ?Can’t imagine!
Making huge batch of broth later today with a few bags of bones and veggie scraps from the freezer.
1. Received numerous items from my brother due to his move from a large house to a townhouse, including furniture, lawnmower, snowblower, wheelbarrow, ladder, and many other miscellaneous items. I gave him A LOT of money many years ago that I will never get back, so this helps to minimize the feelings I have over that whole situation.
2. Shopped my own home to add items to finish the “rec room” vibe that began with furniture from my brother.
3. Listed oodles of items for him on Buy Nothing and brought even more oodles to the thrift store.
4. Helped my sister by identifying furniture and things she could use from our brother’s clean-out.
5. Added some of our junk to his Got Junk pick-up.
I have a hard time thinking of frugal things because I do so many things automatically, like most of us do. So I usually read the comments first to get ideas.
1. Still driving my 1999 Chevy Malibu. It only has about 150k miles on it and I don't drive much or very far since I work at home. There are many inconvenient things about it, like only 3 of the 4 windows work, making drive-in transactions impossible. But I'll keep driving it until my circumstances change or it gets too expensive to fix.
2. I washed two take-out containers from previous restaurant meals. I don't wash all of them, but these were nice containers. My friend and I used them last night. I ordered a cheeseburger sans bun and brought home most of the condiments, which they had kindly put in little cups. I'll use the cilantro, red onion, spicy sauce, and jalapeños in scrambled eggs or an omelet. I'll try out the new crisping tray that I bought for my toaster oven for the fries.
3. I use plastic shopping bags to line small wastebaskets and when I scoop the litter box.
4. I paid my bills on time for the month.
5. I gave my neighbor another brand new bag of treats for her dog. I thought I had given her everything after my dog died, but found one in the pantry while looking for peanut butter.
Just 10 more days, Kristen!
1. Sewed up the unstitched leg of my husband's oldest jeans. The are actually Dickie's canvas cargo pants and they wear like iron. The stitching failed only because I modified the adjacent pocket years ago and did not reinforce that spot.
2. Spent $155 at the grocery store, but combined sales and high value store coupons so that it was $26 less than if I had not prepared beforehand. A big chunk of this expenditure was frozen veggies and berries. Should not need to spend much more this month.
3. Bought a big chuck roast for the "new low price" of $17.79 and carved it up into three tiny roasts, then froze two and cooked one. I bought a 1.5 quart Revere Proline pot with lid off eBay a while back for making small roasts like this, as a roast needs a snug pot to stay moist. It worked great!
4. Used up some older yeast making flatbread. The yeast situation is now under control.
5. Made up a big bucket of cleaning solution with sudsy ammonia, a little Dawn dish detergent and lots of hot water to wash the security door on our front porch, which has lovely ornate ironwork that gets clogged up with pollen and urban auto pollution. Cleaning it is a major chore but that super cheap solution just melts off the crud.
You're so close to the end of the year, Kristen!
1) Used a $2 grocery store coupon to offset the price of treats my son wanted to bring to senior night for the tennis team.
2) Booked flights for DS18's college orientation using flight credit.
3) Made the most out of Greek takeout leftovers, after I was lazy the day I returned home from my trip. I got an extra 2 lunches out of them.
4) Made fried rice to round out a dinner one night, and added two eggs & a small package of edamame. It added a lot more protein and we had it 2x more.
5) Pulled taco meat out of the freezer for dinner last night, and that made an easy dinner as well.
Bonus: used basil, mint, garlic scapes & red lettuce all from the garden. My husband likes all of those in his salads.
Only 10 more days! You've got this!!
My Frugal Five:
We have a wedding to attend in late June. The guests are asked to wear Hawaiian attire. I found a dress and a shirt for my hubby at the thrift store. It's never hard to find things for myself, but my husband is another matter. He is 6'4" and "husky" so finding big and tall items can be challenging.
Our camper needed new leaf springs. My husband and a friend were able to install them, saving us labor costs.
Found several cute summer outfits for our God-Daughter at the thrift store.
Found "greenie" brand chew bones for our daughter's pups. They were unopened and about 1/3 of buying at regular prices.
The usuals - coffee and meals at home, batching errands, keeping the heat at a lower setting...
Have a great week everyone!
FFT, 1-3 Gardening Version
1. dug up volunteer pistache, vitex, and redbud trees to pot up and grow for friends
2. Ditto on prunings from lemon geranium, which are actually blooming in their pots
3. On the kitchen windowsill, there are sprouting sweet potatoes to plant soon
4. I bought gas down the hill to save 30¢/gallon
5. I tried yet another "miracle" supplement for neuropathy. It didn't work, I returned it (money-back guarantee enticed me to try it) on February 28, and never received the refund. (Ugh, just like insurance companies who say anything to sell.) I called them 4 times, but couldn't find my P.O. receipt with the tracking number so they refused to acknowledge receipt of the returned package. Finally found the receipt, and sure enough, it arrived on March 4, just as scheduled. (Deadline for my return was March 11). Now I will see if the credit shows up. My guess is that I will have to keep working to force them to fulfill their promise, and for $150, by golly, I will NOT let those sheisters win!
Just a few frugal things, some fails, but more importantly, DS got discharged from the hospital for the third (and, please God, the last) time! Getting a crash course in wound care and drain care, and there is a lot of healing to be done, but he is HOME. Prayers for his physical and emotional healing are very welcome.
Anyway. I am having a hard time thinking of how I've been frugal, but aside from some ChickFilA for the hospital bound, we didn't eat out, and made meals at home. Even brought homecooked food in to the hospital to supplement what DS called "nauseating" hospital meals.
1. Saved a large spice shaker container for my baked chicken seasoning salt I mix; so much easier to use than in the little glass jar I had been using.
2. Found half a bag of shredded coconut in the freezer and am using it up in my overnight oats when I remember to make them. I put it in a jar on the counter so I'll be more likely to remember.
3. Used up some (only day old) rice and chopped fresh broccoli to make myself a very comforting bowl of mock fried rice.
Frugal Fail: In an excess of preparation, before the most recent medical development, I went on Amazon and ordered the exact pads they were using for DS's dressing. I...ordered more than I thought. Still, I thought, we'll use those up because this wound is going to take a long time to heal.
Then the medical team decided he needed an Eakin ostomy device to contain the drainage, which is a whole nother animal, and I looked up the gauze and the Vashe dressing liquid they were using and ordered a whole crate of the gauze tubs from a medical supply company. $139. I figured they would give us Eakin devices, and he's getting a home care nurse to visit, but I didn't want to run out of gauze for the daily wound dressing changes. Then my DS#2, who had been in the hospital most of the time and talking to the wound care team, said that the insurance was going to deliver whatever we needed anyway...so I probably didn't need to order all that gauze but...oh well.
Frugal Fail: I deal with stress by grocery shopping. Generally on the way back from the hospital I would justify a "little stop" to grab, say, garlic powder, and end up buying what I thought was smoked paprika on a serious discount but was actually regular paprika...and Oh, yeah, I need a new razor and we're low on ziploc bags and look at that neat tea I want to try! ...sigh. At least I'm not day drinking! 😉
Frugal Fail: tossed a container of strawberries that went moldy. Apparently everyone was being considerate to leave them for DS, who was still in the hospital. Also tossed a container of rice that didn't get eaten up, as I am now paranoid about fried-rice syndrome and do not want anybody else to have any digestive issues, ever, again.
@Karen A., Hoping that the third time is the charm for your son. I can not imagine what your whole family has been going through. Many wishes for a speedy recovery.
@Karen A., I continue to keep you, DS, and the rest of your family in my good thoughts. And I can certainly understand your being super-cautious about the dubious leftovers, under the circumstances!
@Karen A., It seems you are over the hill on the difficult healing and on your way to better days-- Hope so!
At least when you stress grocery shop, it sounds like you get things that you are likely to use. That might not be as frugal as you like, but it isn't a failure.
@Karen A., Thoughts are with you until your DS's ordeal is well and truly over. I had to smile at stress grocery shopping. At least it’s a useful activity, and if it relieves stress for you, so much the better!
@Erika JS, That's what I tell myself! I like to tempt myself with the idea of the grocery store sushi (yum) or a chocolate bar and then turn it down to give myself a virtuous feeling. 😀 The tea is pretty nice, too. Now if I could find time to enjoy a cup....someday!
@A. Marie, I recently had a bout of listeria from, of all things, raw kale (that I stupidly had chopped and left in the fridge, unwashed, too long)...I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
1. Not frugal: I have a few days off work and planned a small trip to Germany. I'll try and do it frugally though!
2. Remembered to pack a lunch for work most days.
3. Made pizza instead of ordering it.
4. Used the library.
5. I saved some beans from yesterday to use in today's dinner.
Kirsten, I agree that passing classes is a money saving move 🙂
1) Got 2 free containers of mushrooms from the food pantry at the church I regularly volunteer at since they had too much. Used some in spaghetti last night and will plan on chicken and mushrooms tonight for dinner.
2) Got $40 back from the dental office from overpayment.
3) Avoid going to a school carnival where we'd have to pay for games.
4) My kids made home made gifts for teacher appreciation day.
5) Made meals at home, ate leftovers, batch ran errands, and used Ibotta and Fetch. Also, free entertainment with walks at the park, playing games we already had, and watching shows/ movies at home.
My son is home from college for three weeks which is awesome but not frugal. Last month I spent $200 on food. This month I have increased my budget happily to $350. The boy knows how to eat 🙂
Also not frugal was a wrought iron trellis I purchased for the renovation of the 1920s house on the Sacramento river. I have mentioned here about deciding to restore it rather than burn it down. ( Yeah, literally.) So we are taking preserving history seriously - including 50 new windows. I have done a lot of work on the front rose garden. This spring the roses are beautiful but need some super human training. The trellis I chose was heavy duty and bought at the tiny nursery in town. You know, one of the last family owned, knowledgeable, service orientated shops. I looked on line at dubious versions for $60. I bought the beautiful, sturdy 6 ft butterfly design wrought iron. Perfect for $140. I then went afterschool and worked 3 hours to prune, weed, dead head and tie up the bushes. I fell dead asleep last night.
I have a friend who spends $150 for a personal training session. I figured I got 3 hour of physical training, a trellis and a good night's sleep for the same price. A win.
@mary ann, Mmm, sounds wonderful. I've been training a climbing rose by my front door for a couple years now.
@mary ann, Bravo on the last paragraphy!
Reaching for the stars here.
1) Filled up w gas in the small town where I work. Gas was $0.02 cheaper per gallon than same Casey's in the bigger town where I live.
2) Packed work meals instead of driving through before work.
3) Chai latte at home.
4) Used up overripe bananas in some pretty good banana bread for weekly church dinner.
5) Bought a cute t-shirt dress for $7.99 at Aldi.
Oh, Kristen, I am so happy for you that you'll get a nice break from classes. Be sure to take a day and just relax outdoors so you can recharge your batteries! Also, I bet you could take the white dress from Target and accessorize it really pretty to make an elegant outfit for your symphony "date" with your daughter!
Sunday Bingo edition:
Frugal: I had an afternoon of free entertainment by attending our church's first-ever Sunday afternoon get-together and Bingo party. Designed for people in the community to meet their neighbors and get to socialize, it was a successful event. Even though I didn't win anything, it was fun.
Frugal: Took a lot of leftovers home from the buffet table after the above event. Cupcakes for breakfast, bags of popcorn for TV viewing, and cookies and chips for my brown bag lunches.
Not frugal: When the Bingo committee asked for prizes, I bought some items at the store where I worked. They wanted us to provide "finger food" snacks so I also bought some large containers of mixed nuts, which someone else took home with them. Of course, being single, those nuts would go rancid before I finished eating them, so it's ok. But I shelled out a goodly amount for all those purchases. Not frugal: I took the day off from my retail job so no workee=no payee.
Frugal: Shopped my closet and found a white-elephant Christmas gift (a scented candle) to take as a Bingo prize. Also frugal: I was given a bag of almonds, which I took to the event. And someone was giving away free books there, so I got a couple.
Frugal non-Bingo things:
`1. Applied over the phone for my Social Security benefits. I usually think "government efficiency" is an oxymoron, but the nice Social Security lady who called me is a happy exception to this rule! Now, I need to decide whether to have my benefits go retroactive to last fall, allowing me to receive a lump sum big enough to pay off my new-to-me Kia car, but smaller monthly checks for the rest of my life; start the benefits now and get somewhat smaller checks; or stay the course and just have them start direct depositing the checks on my birthday early next year. (Which is what I've planned to do all along.) She ran the numbers and the third option will give me a LOT more $$ each month, so I'm strongly leaning toward that. It will result in a super-lean summer when school lets out (and I don't have any substitute teaching jobs until late August although I'll increase my retail job's hours, thus getting more credit toward SS). But...the fall semester will see me back to normal and then in 2025, when I draw SS on top of substitute pay, I will definitely be back in the middle class. Earning about as much as I used to at my professional jobs (not adjusting for inflation, however). Hallelujah!
2. Paid off a credit card.
3. Started gathering items for a garage sale this summer.
4. Went to an estate sale. I didn't buy the gorgeous antique mantle clock (sure wanted to!) but I did get some practical household items -- a box of Swiffer sheets and two citronella bracelets still in the package; these will prevent mosquitoes from biting me. All my purchases totaled $4 and that was below the minimum for credit cards. I had change in my purse but it didn't add up to $4. The nice lady staffing the sale said "just give me all your change and we'll call it even." So I got a small haul of quite useful things for $3.24, not to mention some ideas for my front yard plantings.
5. Searched my storage shed and found a string of old patio lights (bought from Targets when I lived in Florida) and a string of white Xmas tree mini-lights. (I only use multi-colored ones in December.) Tried them and they still work! Now I have some frugal but fun decorations for my covered patio!
@Fru-gal Lisa, re: the Social Security, I vote for the third option. Your own instincts and the nice SS lady are both right on this one. A lean summer will be well worth the higher benefits later.
@Fru-gal Lisa, next time you have nuts that you won't be able to use right away, consider freezing them. Works great!
1. I pickled some left-over carrots and am using them in my lunches this week.
2. I reupholstered an ottoman that had gotten holes in it. I purchased outdoor fabric, as this ottoman does not get a lot of use. The fabric was 40% off. I used some of the left-over fabric to make pillows for our patio furniture. For the reupholstered ottoman and 2 patio pillows it cost $32.
3. We got a quote from a landscaping company to edge our yard ($255). We bought an edger for $250 instead. We used the pieces of grass, from edging, to fill in bare spots in our lawn.
4. I made chicken stock using chicken bones and vegetable peels/scraps.
5. I planted onions bottoms in our vegetable garden.
1. Contacted Bergans customer service to get a patch (and zipper pulls) for my thin down coat that got a tear. They have started charging for spare parts and such, but it’s still cheaper than buying at a sewing shop.
2. Found out that one of my favorite book series (Johan Theorin books about Öland) has continued after ten years hiatus. My local library doesn’t have them, but I found one at an online re-selling site for a fraction of new price.
3. Someone who has bought my handmade goods before asked if I had any readymade things. Sold four toiletry bags for children and made $90. It’s a welcomed addition towards a new serger as I can’t get anyone to fix my old one.
4. Was home alone most of the week and all dinner meals was from the freezer. When I craved something sweet on Saturday I made waffles rather than going to the store.
5. Sold heaps of sewing thread on Facebook. It was quite the surprise it sold so well. Made enough to cover the cost of a twig grinder for the yard which has been on the wishlist for several years. I feel quite old to get so excited for this 😉
My FFT...
1. I got an email from my electric provider that we could get a free energy efficiency kit, so I ordered one and we got nightlights, led bulbs, and a few other goodies.
2. I used a $10 coupon at Petsmart, a $5 fuel perks reward on gas, $4.66 in Sam's cash, $1 rewards at Giant Eagle & used a coupon at KFC for $9 off. It all adds up!!
3. A friend gifted us 2 dozen of eggs from their chickens and a loaf of Italian bread. Another friend gifted us a bin of peanut butter filled pretzels. I like free food! It helps reduce my grocery budget!
4. We helped our friends fix their electric fence so their cows couldn't escape. As a thank you, they fed us dinner. Same friends also loaned us their log splitter for 2 days this past weekend, saving us the cost of a rental. In return, we fed them dinner.
5. I made a jug of sun tea, saving the cost of buying it.
There is NOTHING frugal about building in NWA.
Moving out of our rental the end of May whether our build is done or not, a savings of 2K a month.
Eating most meals at home.
Gas has gotten less expensive - $2.99 a gallon, $2.89 with Walmart+
Not buying much, trying to lessen what we have to move, especially groceries.
Picking daughter's strawberries. Hoping to get enough to do freezer jam.
Celebrating my sweet mama's birthday this week. In our family, we have "birthday seasons" the rule is: keep on partying until you've celebrated with everyone on your list.
Didn't tell her where we were going and ended up at her childhood bestie's house for a cupcake and tea. From there we went to a very nice furniture store and had her try out the "stressless" chairs and had her fitted with the right size and her choice of color (not frugal, but she hasn't stopped smiling). Then we went to the cemetery and put flowers on her mom & dad's grave and on the way home we put flowers on dad's grave. Driving home we saw the largest, brightest double rainbow we've ever seen...awesome! I made her a favorite meal of chicken & veggie alfredo using my homemade gf egg noodles, mixed baby greens salad with a fresh orange vinaigrette w/orange sections and sweet onions. I made her a batch of french vanilla cupcakes w/buttercream frosting.
The neighbors and a few invited friends are doing our annual plant exchanges. I am offering up tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, raspberry starts, echinacea, coral bells, painted daisies, larkspur & double teddy bear giant zinnias.
Offered to dog sit a friend's dog for 3 weeks, saving her $2,100. I cannot even wrap my head around dog care costing $100/day. On the days that I work, he will have full run of a small 5 acre field and one of the barns and a playtime with my pup.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, What a wonderful series of celebration things for your mom!
Oh man, I really want an orange salad now! Yummm! We gotta eat this asparagus though. Can't say asparagus is a sacrifice.
FFT, Just Living Life Edition:
Late to the party again, but here's a sort of "stream of consciousness" FFT:
(1) The full dawn chorus of birdsong is now with us, the latest arrivals being one of my favorites, wood thrushes. I had the thrill this morning of hearing them in stereo, since there was a wood thrush singing on either side of the brick steps at the end of our cul-de-sac. Again, the only frugality here is sheer joy. (Wood thrushes have become a species of concern, due to habitat changes at either end of their migration journey, so this was a thrill for that reason as well.)
(2) I spent most of this morning dogsitting for my canine friend Bailey, while her humans drove two hours west for a consultation with Bailey's mom's doctors at a well-known cancer center there. Bailey has just had surgery on a hind leg and needs supervision to keep her from removing her cone of shame and damaging the surgical site. (Australian shepherds have a lot of OCD in the genome.) Frugal for both Bailey's family and me, since I got caught up on some hard-copy correspondence and started a fascinating new book.
(3) I've done three loads of laundry in the last two days and dried all of it on my vintage laundry racks (except for my sheets, which don't fit on the racks).
(4) And the sun has shone gloriously for several days thus far in May, which keeps the solar panels on the garage cranking out the juice. In fact, if I had the time to spare, I could probably watch my electric meter for a while and watch the numbers go backward. 😀
(5) Finally, a contractor friend of DH's (whom I ran into last week at a memorial service for a mutual friend) is coming over this afternoon to look at a large, awkward, and almost indescribable piece of DH's equipment that I'd love to get out of here and he'd like to have if it's in good enough shape. And if he wants any other of DH's tools/equipment, I'll make him an offer he can't refuse!
Hm, today is shaping up to be quite a lot more expensive than I wanted (lots of bobbing around the city to get to exams and placements,) so good to reflect on successes.
1. I found and submitted an old meal receipt for reimbursement for work.
2. Today is expensive, but it's because we don't have a second car. Perspective, perspective.
3. I stayed on top of laundry in a busy week to make it work with only 2 pairs of scrubs.
4. I made a huge batch of granola using Kristen's recipe.
5. We both got home at "toddler needs dinner NOW" o'clock so I threw some hotdogs into a pan and that was dinner, with a more balanced snack later. Award-winning? No. Faster and cheaper than takeout? Yes.
You know the saying about the fastest way to get out of bed is to hear your dog start to vomit? Well, another way is to hear your dog push the lever for ice cubes. Lately, about 1:30 am, Clobber Paws decides he wants a few ice cubes to chew, so he walks over to the fridge door and helps himself. We have now disarmed the ice cube and water dispensers on the fridge. Not just because he gets ice but because he has to use his snout to push the lever and who wants to get a drink of water after that? Frugal not to replace the fridge while we train this habit out of him. Good thing he is so very loveable. I do think it is a lie that having a dog will reduce your blood pressure, rather the opposite.
1. Did a free medication eval with our pharmacy. Turns out one of the meds is being cancelled out by another one, and it was not that useful anyway, so one less med to take. The person spent over an hour with me and even called the nurse who works with my cardiologist to make sure he was not giving me the wrong advice. All for free as part of my insurance benefits.
2. The husband did the same thing with his meds. Nothing changed but it was reassuring and it was free.
3. Combined coupons and got two large tubes of toothpaste for free.
4. When I was a kid, a can of mandarin oranges was a real treat. I saw some the other day, in a six pack and bought them, succumbing to nostalgia. Turns out the memory was better than the reality. I used them up anyway even though I was sorely tempted to give them away.
5. Went to a tool swap to find a hoe. Got rid of a shovel in exchange.
@Lindsey, I saw Rescue Pup trying to turn a doorknob the other day. He already knows how to step on the trash can pedal so he can root around in the trash. My son said, "Isn't this how the Planet of the Apes started?"
Also, mandarin oranges are good in salad, with some red onion, greens and vinaigrette.
@Lindsey,
thank you for the laugh! The srory of your dog cracked me up! I know, not so much fun for you but your dog is hilarious.
@Lindsey, tell Clobber Paws he is a very naughty boy indeed (as if you haven't already told him enough times recently). Unfortunately, he's lovable, so you may just have to take a few extra BP meds while puppy training is going on.
And I was about to make a remark about "Went to a tool swap to find a hoe," but I reminded myself that this is a family-friendly blog. 😀
1. Used gift cards to buy a few things for my cats and some bird seed for the outdoor feeder, for "free."
2. Ate leftovers for several meals.
3. Tried a new-to-me thing for lunch today - lentils and rice. I wasn't at all sure I would like it, but I did. This adds to my inexpensive meal options.
4. Made my own enchilada sauce for last weekend's enchiladas, even though the canned sauce was on sale. I already had the ingredients to make it from scratch.
5. Did not buy the Target dress because it wasn't on sale in my area.
Seven dollars for a MINI can of spray paint? I thought they were about three dollars for a full size can. I guess this is why I no longer look at the receipts from the hardware store that my husband brings home.
I know! It's gotten expensive, and the metallic colors are more expensive than regular spray paint too.
Mine are international travel themed, as we traveled back to West Africa.
1. We had to pay for bags on the domestic flights, and we were able to keep it down to 5. We needed more suitcases, so we got some at Goodwills.
2. Apparently the airline covered the cost of a hotel during our longest layover. Once we found out about it, we went, took showers, à nap and got our free delicious meal.
3. At the airport I used a $5 Starbucks gift card to get a coffee and had to pay 78 cents out of pocket.
4. We packed snacks and ate the airline food so we didn't have to buy too much food during the whole trip (it was 50 hours of traveling from the time we left our house).
5. I took one pair of the airline socks. I have used previous airline sock as around the house socks on cold days.
Frugal things:
1) I packed my patience and called a medical provider to sort through an insurance issue. The issue was about $600 though (and counting) so it is worth the time
2) picked flowers from our garden for “bring a flower for your teacher” day at school instead of buying them
3) posted some outgrown kids clothes on FB marketplace
4) scored my book club book at the library
5) generally was a good steward of our homes’ food. Used up food, froze food that was close to spoiling, etc
Not frugal, paying the extortion level price for my four year olds “school” pictures. I just can’t resist - take my money!
1. We made our own coffee, cooked all our meals, packed lunches, and ate up food that needed to be eaten.
2. I bought my daughter sandals for 40% off and a pair of pj's on clearance. It was less than $9 at Old Navy for both.
3. I didn't buy any new "spring" or "summer" clothes for myself.
4. I found a specific kind of shirt for a concert at JCPenney, but it was $64! So I kept looking. H&M had a similar shirt for $15. It wasn't on sale, but it was the 6th store I checked and they were the only two options in the correct size. Yes, I did check the secondhand store first.
5. I enjoyed free treats at work this week. There was even a lunch provided today. Nacho bar... yum!
1. Mended toddler sweatpants and a toddler shirt. These were both hand-me-downs and came with holes in them. I love hand me downs, but I don't love things that come a little too pre-loved and holey.
2. A few weeks ago I emailed Carter’s about some toddler socks that had worn holes within a few months of wear. I finally got around to submitting the pictures they requested, and they are sending me a check for almost $43! My mom bought these socks but wants me to keep the check. $43 was a crazy amount to spend on socks, but you can’t always find things used.
3. My parents visited for a week, and helped with numerous small maintenance things that are also frugal.
-They helped rotate my mattress.
-My mom mended a flat sheet that had a hem coming unstitched, and also mended/reinforced seams on several toddler bibs and a pair of pants.
-My dad helped DH do some tree work that makes our backyard much safer and also tightened up a very leaky shower head.
4. After nearly two years of owning curtains that were too long (welcome to life with a toddler- lots of projects get put off indefinitely), my mom graciously hemmed them. It was a long process I won’t go into here, but it took forever and multiple tries. But they are now skimming the floor and they are wonderful.
No frugalness to share, just wanted to say that I choose the kitchen sink cookie as my Panera birthday freebie every year. It’s the only time I’ll spring for that cookie and I savor that treat!
I LOVE that you have a "normal symphony dress" now. Bravo!
I'm so classy. 😉