Five Frugal Things | sun = free bleach
All of my things are tiny this week. 🙂
1. I put my white shirt in the sunshine
My white American Giant tee had a few faint stains on the front that I figured were probably food-based.
So, I put the shirt in the sun for a few hours, and now all is well.
Sunshine is great for getting rid of stains on white fabric because you don't have to worry about the sun fading the rest of the garment; it's all white anyway!
2. I doctored up my sparkling water
I saved the syrup from some passion fruit canned peaches (from Aldi), and added a bit of it to my glasses of sparkling water.
It's kinda like a no-extra-effort simple syrup; perfect for when you want a very slightly sweet drink. 🙂
3. I watered my plants with my dehumidifier water
It's been pretty dry here lately, but of course, with it being summer, the air has not been dry.
So, my basement dehumidifier is still pulling out plenty of water from the air, and I have been using it to water my non-edible plants outside.
(Dehumidifier water tends to have bacteria in it that might make it unsafe to use on edible plants.)
But for the edible ones, I've been using the water from my salad spinner.
4. I swapped out my A/C filter
A dirty air conditioning filter makes the unit work harder to cool the house. So, I try to be good about replacing them during the summer months.
I have baseboard hot water heat, so this is only a warm-weather task for me!
5. I walked to my mammogram
I had a 7:05 am appointment, and as I was trying to figure out when I'd fit in my exercise for the day, I realized...I could just walk there, since it's near the college.
So, that's what I did. This obviously did not save me very much gas, especially since I have a hybrid car now, but hey, it's fitting with the tiny frugal things concept. 😉
I do not love getting mammograms, but hey, a few minutes of discomfort once a year is not a huge ask, especially since early detection is so important.
Nothing dramatic, just household frugality:
* Husband helping sons build a new andirondak chair for the yard. Much cheaper than buying a new one and the sons learn something new.
*Cleaning out parts of the basement and disposing of broken things. Also donated some useful things to the thrift store. The little table and chairs my kids loved when they were little pulled at my heartstrings, but we haven't used them in a few years, so off they go to be a blessing to some other family.
*In the "time is money" category, husband bought a paint sprayer. He tried painting the basement wall and it took way too much time for one small section. Paint sprayer covered the scabrous walls in no time flat. We'll have many uses for this tool, so long term investment.
* Husband built a quick headboard for bed in basement using miscellaneous pieces of wood that he found while cleaning out basement. It doesn't need to be pretty, just functional.
* in one box of old letters and cards, we found about $3 in unused stamps from 25+ years ago. So I'll use those to send out snail mail this week.
* short term cost but long term frugal- new tires for our minivan. We were going to replace only two, but the shop called and said the other two were a lot older than we thought and not in great condition. Safety is important, and we want to drive this car another 50k miles if we can, so we replaced then all.
I love that your husband and son made a chair together!
I recently finished reading Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green, and fun fact (well, sort of): the Adirondack chair was originally designed for use by TB patients who were "taking the air". At the time, it was thought that getting out of crowded, dirty cities and spending time where the air was clean and dry (mountains, deserts, etc.) would promote healing. Guessing the Adirondack chair allowed them to semi-recline? As a medical nerd, I found this book fascinating (read via my Libby app.) 🙂
Also, I've been thinking of getting a paint sprayer, too. We have a ton of doors in our house that need painting.
Oooh, this sounds like a book that is right up my alley.
Kristen,
It was really good. Highly recommend. 🙂
It's a fascinating read. I had no idea how prevalent TB still is today. My BIL was a TB carrier (asymptomatic) and had to take antibiotics for months. Devastating how difficult it is to treat.
I’m reading Everything is Tuberculosis right now too and it is such an interesting book! I don’t usually like history books but do love medical books and the stories woven into this one really personalize it!
I hear you on the little table and chairs. I had some items in my "grandma corner" of my home office for when the grands visit, but there are no more littles in that bunch. I've been looking at my basket of stuffed animals, and the dress up costume basket, wondering if I still need them.
I spend much of my time here in New Mexico hiding from the incredibly strong sun, but it is very useful in many ways. Last week I found that a baby mouse had died in my small cooler stored on the porch. Which had been closed. Which meant the mouse was decomposing in my closed cooler, and it absolutely reeked of death. This is the cooler I use to incubate my yogurt, which was obviously not happening in its current condition.
I scrubbed it out with dish soap and boiling water. Still smelled. Rinsed it with bleach. Still smelled. I coated the inside with baking soda and let that sit for awhile before rinsing with vinegar. Still smelled. I tried straight bleach. Still smelled. Finally, not knowing what else to do, I just left it open in the sun for a few days. No more smell! Hooray for UV disinfectant.
Oh my gracious, that dead mouse was COOKING in there. I can only imagine the stench.
Thank goodness the sun fixed it!
A few years ago, a single woman who lived alone in a house next to our rental house passed away in the house by herself. I won't go into the gory details, but she wasn't found for days and the only reason she was is that my sister, a retired nurse who is our renter, recognized the foul odor from outside the house. When we couldn't reach the lady, we had the police do a welfare check and they found her. The sad thing was the mail kept being delivered, but wasn't picked up and you'd think the mailperson might have noticed something. Other neighbors thought when they didn't see her for several days that she'd gone out of town with someone because her vehicle was in the driveway. Most of the house had to be gutted to get rid of the smell.
Oh my goodness! That is honestly so sad, to be so alone that no one notices when you die.
You are a far, far better frugalista than me. That cooler would have been trashed after the first cleaning when the odor lingered!
Not better, just more stubborn. 🙂 And with a high tolerance for gross things thanks to years of country living.
I may have mentioned this before, but many years ago, my brother in law used to go hunting. He and my sister live in Florida, at that time in a small house that would not accommodate their chest freezer, so it was stored outside. BIL would go hunting with his buddies, and bring home whatever he was able to catch - wild boar, game birds, etc. I think some of his buddies also gave him some that they could not use. Anyway - and maybe you can see where this is heading - the freezer was full, and somehow the electric plug was pulled out by accident. My sister didn't discover it until days later, which you can imagine was the grossest thing ever. She said the packages were all bloated, and the smell was AWFUL. She had the thankless job of cleaning it out, and could never get the smell out (not sure if sitting in the sun would have helped) so they tossed the freezer. I can't say I blame her.
My hat is off to you. Am a city girl through and through with zero tolerance for gross stuff.
1&2) We had decided to get an exercise bike, and my husband first posted in an exercise group that he is part of to see if anyone was selling a used one. Someone responded that he had an industrial one from a gym in his basement that he needed to rehome. We went to get it and ended up hanging out with the guy getting rid of the bike and his wife. Turns out their daughter goes to the same high school where our son will start in the fall. She gave us a lot of helpful tips for him and invited him to be part of a mentoring group. Networking is the most frugal activity, plus the bike was free!
3) I went to an eye appointment yesterday and found out that yes, I do need reading glasses on top of my astigmatism rx. The eye doctor wanted to sell me progressives, which were over $600 for just the lenses.
His big pitch for progressives was because no one can tell you’re wearing them, whereas the bifocal line makes you look “old.” Since I am doing zero things to look “young,” this doesn’t bother me. You have to buy their frames, which start at $300. I politely said I would need to think it over and took the rx and went home and ordered bifocals on Zenni for $60 to try out.
4) Still working my way through my library cookbook instead of going out to eat!
5) NOT frugal- I also had an appointment at the hospital yesterday and didn’t get there until just before my appointment time, so I used the hospital valet, which is both expensive and silly when you’re completely capable of walking. I rushed to the appointment, got there on time, then waited half an hour to see the doctor :/ But while I waited, I read a library book from the Libby app on my phone (free!) so at least there is that.
I have ordered many glasses from Zenni - they are awesome and cheap!
Me, too!!!🤓
1) Dinner last night was made using produce from the garden, repurposing leftovers (mashed potatoes became potato cakes), and homemade sourdough bread.
2) Plan to make caprese salad using the abundance of cherry tomatoes out of our garden. The rest will be used for pasta sauce.
3) Hubby did not want to go out to eat for Father's Day and decided he wanted a "snack" buffet at home instead. I prepared many of his favorite snack/appetizer foods, using ingredients mostly purchased on sale.
4) Purchased hubby a year membership to our botanical gardens using a Father's Day promo code.
5) Picked up a baby bouncer off the buy nothing group for grandbaby that is due in October.
Wonderful story about the excercise bike and networking!
I am a huge Zenni fan too. I'm glad my eye doc and everyone who works there sound less pushy (and judgy?) than yours. They give me my prescription and I have a short conversation with the optician (glasses person), but even with their promos, the price difference is vast.
Many in the generation above me have expressed that they prefer the lines to using progressives, so you may be on the right track. Hope you "get away with" just spending the $60!
I have only paid for hospital valet parking 1x. My car needed repair, and I had to drive my husband's truck to work, then a pm appointment. That parking deck feels pretty tight in a car, so I was grateful to pay the $7 as that was the most stressful part of my day - parking that truck! Cheers to all the confident drivers of all vehicles haha.
My husband and I both have progressives from Zenni and they do a great job.
Isn't it crazy the messages we're given about aging and appearance?
--After over a decade of loyal service, our French press' glass carafe shattered on the edge of the sink when I dropped it doing dishes. Thankfully, I'd kept the glass from our previous French press (the plastic frame of which had cracked), and it fit the metal frame of the "new" press perfectly. Both were/are Bodum brand and like-new Goodwill finds, so this was a (clumsily) frugal transplant.
--I am on a streak of breaking things, as I also managed to shatter a ceramic plate last night. I placed the plate on the counter and opened the spice cupboard, whereupon a jar of black garlic fell onto the plate just right. The black garlic is fine, and the plate was a $1 Goodwill find years ago. Thank you for your service, plate!
--I've been keeping an eye out for metal curtain tie back hooks, and Habitat Restore delivered a pair for $1. The white color was easily fixed with gold spray paint I already had.
--This morning will be spent harvesting beans and greens from the garden. I had the joy of harvesting my first potatoes ever (never planted them before) last week and prepped all of them for the freezer. The front garden of lilies and wildflowers looks AMAZING. My early 40s/midlife crisis flavor is apparently "Garden Witch," and I'm good with that. ;P
--Along those lines, a friend gifted me 300+ lbs of fancy pavers and landscaping rock. She had gotten them for free and had already used what she wanted. We loaded them into the (covered with a free blanket!) backseat of my 37-year-old car,* and I'll be unloading them this morning after I harvest.
*My rule for hauling random things in my loyal steed is that the total weight must be no more than a full load of passengers. That car has transported so much STUFF!!! It will be getting its traditional "Thank you" wash and vacuum once the rocks are out.
The front yard of 95% FREE lilies and wildflowers, I meant so say. Most Seeds and bulbs were gifts from gardening friends.
Oh, I know how that weighed-down car is! I've had the same experience in my van when loading things like a ton of tile for a home remodel. Driving with that much weight feels so weird.
Oh my gosh what kind of car is this? I have 2 old cars (21 years and 19 years) and am finally feeling like the costs aren't worth it anymore.
1989 Buick Century. I bought it for $1000 at 110,000 miles, so the maintenance costs throughout 10 years of ownership ($5000ish, counting oil changes and tires) have always been worth it to me. Whatever needs fixed is always an original part; thankfully old Buick parts are ubiquitous and cheap. I've also had bizarrely good luck with mechanics--there is definitely some street cred when you roll up for the first time such a seasoned car! 😛 I'm the third owner in its long life, and the two before loved it/maintained it just as much.
My first car was a 1980 Buick Century, but it was NOT reliable or in good condition when I got it in 1994. I was stranded on the roadside so many times before cell phones!
Not a lot this week!
1. I went to the cinema but I did not buy popcorn.
2. I went to a friend's house for dinner. She made a pasta dish and I brought a bottle of wine which we shared. She baked a cake and sent me home with an extra portion.
3. I've been going swimming a lot at the beach nearby which is within walking distance.
4. I've made several smoothies lately which I'm sure is cheaper than buying them.
5. I'm going to a free Sankt Hans bonfire event this evening.
I had to look up "Sankt Hans," but I see that he's the familiar St. John the Baptist, whose feast is tomorrow (June 24)--and that the bonfire is the Danes' way of getting a jump on the celebrations. From my reading long, long ago of an abridged version of Sir James Frazer's The Golden Bough (very few people have probably slogged through all the volumes!), I recall that lighting bonfires on or near the solstices and equinoxes used to be a big deal.
And Jane Austen and her Regency counterparts celebrated June 24 as Midsummer Day, one of the four "quarter-days" of the Regency calendar, when important business was conducted. (You knew I'd find a way to work JA into this, right?) 😀
I didn't know he was John the Baptist! I hadn't read up on him; I just know he's the reason for bonfires (and the somewhat misogynist history of sending the witch to Germany in the flames). That's cool about Jane Austen!
I missed the Midsummer carol which is a shame, but I happened upon something beautiful. I was swimming in the sea and some Ukrainian people were dropping floral wreaths into the water. From what they told me, I gathered it means a good omen for love and marriage. I found this link with more information:
https://thecuriouseyes.substack.com/p/celebrating-kupala-night-ukrainian
I learned when visiting Bavaria that the Danish Midsummer bonfires send the witches to the Hartz Mountains! There is a big flat rock in Hexenplatz where the witches were supposed to dance to celebrate winter ending and the beginning of spring.
Thanks for this A. Marie! My father's family is from Denmark and I'm always eager to hear about Danish traditions, history, etc. I love how you worked JA into this though...another interesting piece of information about the solstice.
Hi Sophie, my daughter sent me pictures yesterday of the celebration of Sankt Hans Aften which she and her kids attended in Bagsvaerd. It looked like fun and I wish I could have been there for that! Maybe next year!
1. My mom gave us bread, eggs, fruit, tomatoes, pasta, and sweet potatoes.
2. We used the garlic scapes and snap peas from our garden with dinner this week.
3. Juiced a watermelon that was over-ripe and made popsicles for my kids.
4. Used over-ripe bananas to make banana pancakes.
5. Picked up a travel pillow and 3 books off Buy Nothing.
Stir-fried garlic scapes with snap peas are a rare treat from a summer garden. I'm waiting on my scapes, but alas have no peas this year.
We stir fried the snap peas with other vegetables and a peanut curry sauce over rice. We sauteed the garlic scapes with asparagus and lemon to go with steaks. It was all amazing! Wishing your garden good luck!
Clever idea with the sparkling water!
1. Purchased a new to us couch for $48.
2. Bought some it's from Goodwill.
3. Harvested eggplant, onions, Cucumber and squash
4. Collected AC drip water and rice rinse water for watering
More details and photos here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/06/21/frugal-four-new-couch/
I'll join the fun of small frugalities:
- Made sure to use the rubber scraper to get the last of the PB from the jar.
- Went to Old Navy (on a recommendation) to look for summery pants and struck out, so I didn't spend any money ha! (where do y'all buy pants besides a thrift store? My friend suggested consignment shops, but the ones I used to frequent have closed. I'm middle aged and having a hard time as styles and my body evolve. Kristen, how do you look so cute and put together lol? I'm also very in awe of scrub life and wish I was in a career that gave me less outfit decision-fatigue!)
- Didn't leave the house too much, which saves gas and driving time.
- Sent virtual invites to my birthday celebration (which will be low-key and frugal)! My mom does the greeting card section at her local thrift store and said recently, "I guess nobody does paper invites except to formal events anymore." Imagine back in the day when I would have needed to write or call everyone to extend the invite!
- Made various (good) meals with things already in the freezer/pantry.
Happy Birthday! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Heather!
Many happy returns!
I use a rubber scraper all the time to empty my jars of homemade yoghurt.
haha YES, it's unbelievable how much is left in jars! My DH didn't grow up with this as a habit, and I used to stress about the waste. Now I understand peace is worth a few pennies of product haha, and I probably finish and scrape most of the jars of stuff anyway.
Every frugal kitchen needs several rubber scrapers, and most especially a tiny, skinny one!
Costco has some nice clothing options at good prices. I like their Capri travel pants.
Good suggestion - thanks! I tend to forget about them for clothing and just dream of their chocolate chip cookies 😉
@Sophie in Denmark; @Blue Gate Farmgirl; @JNL Thank you so much! I'm actually ahead of the game as it's in mid-July hehe
Five frugal things:
1. I packed all my food and drinks for the weekend baseball tournament.
2. I replaced our bar stools from Facebook Marketplace, where I've been looking for six months.
3. I listed a swimsuit on Facebook Marketplace.
4. I've been creatively using leftovers in the fridge.
5. I have said "NO" 1,000 time to the teens' requests for Jersey Mikes, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Chick Fil A, etc.
Good job standing firm and not giving in to your kids! Mine haven't gotten that way yet but when they do, I hope I'll be as strong as you.
1. I noticed that my aquarium filter wasn't running, so I took it out and scrubbed it with a toothbrush and hot water. Now it's running fine.
2. I air-dried some bread heels and then pounded them with a mallet and added them to my stash in the freezer.
3. I went through my pile of junk mail, discarding most of it in the recycling bin.
4. I took a bag of donations to Goodwill.
5. I caught up on my financial spreadsheets.
I reorganized the fridge, putting jars not often used into produce drawers and produce on the shelves. This will limit produce getting lost in the drawers.
Made the longer trip to the inexpensive supermarket, stocking up on non-perishables such as dog food and cereal.
Exercised at home (hand-me-down hand weights, treadmill) and outside. I bought the treadmill new for the warranty and the stores setting it up. Even so, it cost less than 10 months gym fee and should last for years.
For an unexpected trip, I used miles for the flight and points for the hotel.
The airline-branded credit card, which costs me $100/year, paid for itself with the luggage fees on this trip alone. I also earn a lot of points from purchases, get free upgraded coach seats, and occasionally an upgrade to business class. If you fly a lot, it's usually worth paying for that airline's card.
More of the usual: checked more books out of the library. Mended a ratty shirt cuz it's comfortable. Cooked with what I have. Updated the list of what's in the deep freezer.
The Land of Forgotten Food.. the produce drawer. I’ve started putting any refrigerated beverages in them. Works well. Frees up shelf space and decreases the annoyance of bottles always falling over.
When my son was a little boy, I used to add the juice from juice-packed fruit to orange juice. Orange-pineapple-peach was always a big hit.
This week I ordered new glasses and was very pleased that my insurance paid for half the cost.
We have had constant rain all summer, which is great for the plants but bad for my allergies. Rather than run out and buy some new wonder drug, I have been using the OTC drugs we have on hand. Benedryl is tolerable in the daytime if I take a half dose and it does the trick.
Made a big pot of homemade soup this week for my lunches. Been reading through a collection of Nook e-books that were bought over time on Bookbub discounts.
We move into the River House Renovation in nine days. Money is flying out the moving van. However, some favs:
Consignment Furniture:
1912 Craftsman is NOT in right now. Absolutely beautiful handmade pieces or going for nearly nothing. Contrary to most people, I have space!! So large pieces which no one else wants are abundant. I bought two reupholstered, club- style chairs tufted, a brand new large tufted matching seat ottoman, a 67 inch wide craftman's table console, two spectacular lamps and a William Morris ruggable (new) for under 1,000 total. It may seem like a lot but I tried outlets like RH and William Sonoma and they want $1,000 for an ottoman!
Compromise on "fine" instead of "ideal"
I am using my in law's leather couches which have seen 25 years of wear. It is my hope I can put in a ton of elbow grease to clean them up to snuff. I also used their bunk beds from the 60s and refinished their game table with 4 chairs.
No Compromise:
I was going to sew window dressings but we have spent so much time and money on the house, I want professional Roman Shades. Also I am having the window seat professional upholstered. I will have to save up to buy them but it is worth the wait.
Crafting:
I will sew throw pillows. I am super excited about my "National Park" mancave. The room is inspired by Yosemite/ Teddy Roosevelt. I have made a quilt out of the National Park panels artwork by David Owens and have other panels to either frame or make pillows out of.
OMG, have you seen the new Teddy Roosevelt library in Montana, I believe? It was profiled last week on CBS Sunday Morning and I told my husband we have to go. They did not say when it opens but I'm going to Google that and find out!
Mary Ann,
Your River House sounds incredible!
Mary Ann,
I hope you'll redo your Meet the Reader interview when you're moved in. I am so interested to see your house!
I have never done a meet the reader but I will when I am all moved in if Kristen has space.
Thats really good advice using the sun to bleach stains from white items! And as a 14 year breast cancer survivor, kudos for getting those mammograms. They saved my life. And I'm with you on changing those furnace filters. Been so hot and humid here our air conditioning is working overtime I just changed ours the other day. As the day, it's been air you can wear down here in Arkansas.
Here are my 5 FFTs .
– We reused boxes and cardboard to mail some wedding gifts. I also used some recycled envelopes from work. I retired 10 years ago. But when they changed the name of our department and were going to toss fine linen printed envelopes we had, I took about 500 of them home and had been using them ever since. I just put one of my own return address labels over the printed return address on the back of the envelope. So I'm very attuned to the huge cost of changing names of departments, agencies, etc. I watched that happen several times over a 30-yr. career with state agencies.
– I made a new batch of laundry detergent.
– during a stop at Dollar Tree, I picked up a perfect small box that a stock person had emptied. I need it to mail something.
– I fixed our microwave. The microwave sparked about 3 weeks ago when I was going to make a bag of popcorn. Since this happened once before, years ago with another microwave, I knew I could probably fix it. I should say that the troubleshooting guide for the microwave info. gives no info on this simple fix. Last time, I googled what would make a microwave sparke to learn about it. A wave guide cover is a simple plastic or Mica sheet that covers the Megatron in a microwave. It has to be replaced if it gets burned through or cracks - which can happen when food or grease gets stuck on it. If it's damaged, your microwave can spark, or arc. You can usually get one from an appliance parts store. I got a sheet to cut one using the one in the microwave as a template. But I broke a tiny plastic clip when I was putting it in the microwave. That set off a nightmare search for a single tiny Teflon clip, which I eventually learned is NOT a separate part. But even with mess up, it still ran just $27 to order and ship it, much cheaper than a new built-in microwave. But imagine my surprise when I got the part I had to order directly from GE and critical clips needed to attach it to the wall of the microwave were not included, as I was told they would be. You should not run the microwave without the clips. I was not happy, called GE, but they were closed for the Juneteenth holiday. I didn't think we could bear another weekend without the microwave! I went to the appliance store where we bought it and a very helpful salesman pirated clips off a display model microwave to fit our microwave. I still have a call into GE to get the parts and shipping I paid for, but we are now able to use the microwave again. This whole episode has taught me to limit how much I cook bacon in the microwave and clean up spills immediately. I will probably now cook bacon mostly in the oven.
– I used my credit card rewards twice recently – at Walmart and to gas up my at the Murphy's gas station at Walmart. Using the rewards, I saved almost $7 because gas was $2.94 a gallon compared to $3.39 at Sam’s which always has the cheapest gas. And at Walmart, using rewards has knocked $10 off the receipt each time I've used it.
Have a great week!
I'm sure this was autocorrect, but I laughed nonetheless . . . I was reading about your microwave fix (good job!), and stopped on the "Megatron" in a microwave. I thought, "Wait. Megatron? Like the evil transformer? Is that where the name came from?" So I looked it up. The thing in a microwave is a magnetron, but honestly, I like Megatron way better. 🙂
Oops! I know it's a mega-something! I just know it will kill you if you mess with it even if the microwave is unplugged. It still retains a charge. A friend of my husband's who repaired microwaves for a living was electrocuted and died when he touched one years ago. We tripped the breaker and it's a simple fix, but I'm still very careful. I guess that's why they don't have this fix in the appliance's troubleshooting guide. They want you to spend more $$ and get a service call. The part is $10 if you don't bust the clip like I did.
Way to go on fixing the microwave!
1. Had more visitors last week. Enjoyed the company and all of the food and flowers that they brought. I will miss all this special treatment after I'm healed!
2. Added a bit of water to the leftover ketchup in the bottle, shook it up and squirted it into a small mason jar of navy beans. Added just enough subtle flavor.
3. Sister gave us the leftover sesame lime dressing from her restaurant salad. We used this up in rice-tofu-veggie bowls.
4. Using the recumbent bike at the community center for one of my P.T. exercises. I have a free membership through my Medicare Advantage Plan. Can't drive yet so my husband or sister drives me there. It's close to our house.
5. Husband and I went out to eat for the first time in two+ months. Enjoyed an early dinner at a local restaurant and then stopped for ice cream at a local stand. A $50 date. This was on Father's Day and my husband received a gift from the restaurant: a retractable measuring tape that is nicer than the one we own. He's a dog dad. Paid for the meal in cash after learning there was a fee for using the credit card.
A neighbor brought over some homemade Whoopie Pies for us -- a delicious surprise.
We're enjoying lots of sugar snap peas, lettuce, and the first carrots from the garden. I shared some lettuce and peas with a friend.
We have a friend coming to stay and while making the bed in the guest room, I realized the blanket was very thin and worn -- then I did the math and realized it's over 50 years old. So I set it aside to donate to the animal shelter and visited some weekend garage sales in search of a new blanket. No luck. Back home, I dug around in my linen closet and found a blanket I could use. It had one small hole, which I repaired. No cost at all. (I reminded myself to always shop at home first.)
My husband and the friend are off on a two-day fishing trip. I made meals for them to take with them. My husband thanked me and said I didn't have to do that -- but he admitted if I hadn't, they would just eat a bunch of junk. My way is cheaper and healthier -- and definitely better tasting. (Where they are going is not near any town with restaurants, so they end up eating whatever they can buy from the gas station.)
I'm saving all the water from glasses, from washing vegetables and even from boiling pasta to water my plants. We're in a severe drought.
We're having a mini heat wave in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Got my chores and yoga done extra early so I could water the gardens.
Cleaned out all the fridges (3). Did not find any surprises.
Cut the last wintered over cabbage to make a batch of kimchi.
Caught the itty bitty skunk last night. Still too young to stink. I rehomed it in the neighbors Christmas trees that has a small creek.
Awww...I love itty bitty skunks. Poor thing was probably orphaned. Thank you for helping it out.
Miraculous to clean 3 fridges and find no surprises!
Sending cool vibes for that heat wave.
You are so right about early detection!
I know three people who are alive and thriving today, due to early detection programs.
Our FFT were also small and much of the usual: foodrelated and laundry related.
I foresee a trip to my seamstress, as I have three pairs of office trousers that are starting to sag. It goes to show that although daily swimming does nothing for my weight, it does reduce my circumference.
JNL,
Sounds like you are gaining muscle from swimming if your pants are sagging. Muscle weighs more than fat. So you ARE get fit from all that exercise! Congratulations!
I sure like to think so!
Swimming is awesome 🙂
1. We also swapped out our A/C filter this week! Sadly, the A/C is still broken and will be replaced soon, so we wanted to start out with a fresh filter.
2. Bought new plant stands on Facebook marketplace.
3. To support fragile new plants in the garden, used yard sign stands as plant trellis supports (you know those metallic H-shaped ones with prods sticking up, I had two saved from somewhere). Put used wine corks in the rod ends sticking up to prevent anyone from gouging themselves.
4. Baked an upside down cake for a party using up leftover rhubarbs that were threatening to go bad.
5. Wore a thrifted dress to the party, but first sewed up the shoulder strap that had come loose.
Forgot one bonus one, harvested mint from the garden to dry for making mint tea this winter, as well as black currants to freeze for smoothies and desserts. Still need to harvest the chamomile as well.
1. I met up with a friend for lunch on Saturday. I suggested a restaurant that I discovered after paying my check that the restaurants offered cash back on Upside AND 60 points for every dollar spent on Fetch.
2. My husband and I made some freezer meals for my in-laws because my FIL had surgery last week (this was our Friday night date night!). I selected meals that used mostly ingredients we had on hand and since I used 8x8 foil pans for the meals, we had 2 servings of each meal that I was able to put into our freezer for future meals.
3. I found a blank birthday card in my card box to use for a friend’s birthday gift.
4. I used another empty egg carton as a bookshelf raiser. I now have double the space on my bookshelf.
5. Silly frugal thing – My son texted to ask for some money while he was out of town. I gently reminded him that he was with his dad and he should ask him for money since he is physically there. Being the default parent is expensive.
Good job getting your mammogram! My motto: Get a mammogram, get a treat!
(1) Found a box of vintage fishing reels at the transfer station(dump).
Took them into the city and donated at a favourite thrift store.
(2) Gave a large bag of yarn of donated yarn to a friend.A group of volunteer knitters make winter wear that we invite people to “buy”. They don’t get the physical piece they get a card saying that the item is donated to programs working with the unhoused.
(3) Gave this same friend two large bags of donated yarn that wouldn’t make winter wear (hats,scarves,mitts)but can be fashioned into a lovely afghan (throw) to donate.
(4) A friend lives in an assisted living facility. She has been inviting myself and another friend over monthly for lunch. Last time she mentioned that as an original tenant she was given 5 free meals a month and was determined to use them.
(5)Supported a friend’s donut fundraiser.
Didn’t need to eat a dozen so donated them to the staff at the rec center I attend.
They were touched and grateful and a way better way to spread the calories of the donuts 🍩.
That's so nice of you to donate your extra crafting item to a good cause! I'm sure they were especially grateful.
We are stepping up our frugal game here, since DH is retiring after this summer and I'm going back to school in January!
1. Saved $1000 on the textbooks I'll need for the two year program. This was a HUGE win and I'm so pleased.
2. DH returned an appliance he thought would aid in DS#3's care, but decided ultimately it wasn't going to help, so he printed out the return label and biked it to the UPS store. That will give us $400 back.
3. We've been juicing oranges for DS#'s iron supplements (Vitamin C taken with the supplement aids absorption) and saving the pulp. DH adds it to his yogurt and I've been using it in DS#4's smoothies. (The reason we need to juice our own is to strain it twice to make sure there's no fiber, and also mandarins are lower in acid than regular oranges).
4. DH wanted a bike trailer so he can bike home more groceries than with his backpack and saddlebags. We had an ancient adult tricycle from back when our oldest had one--he wanted to 'bike" but not on a two wheeler--and it had a large basket between two wheels in the back. It looked like this: https://www.worksmancycles.com/pt.html DH took the back two wheels and basket part and made it into a trailer for his tandem! He says it's a great relief to not have lots of stuff on his back. And it used something that was just taking up space in the garage.
5. Nights and mornings have been cool and pleasant, so we've been turning the AC off and keeping the windows open at night and as much as we can in the daytime. Hanging out laundry as often as feasible.
$1,000 here, $400 there ... As my dear old Dad used to say, "Pretty soon you're talking real money!"
I love that you're juicing oranges. Cool fact: taking Vitamin C tablet (ascorbic acid) taken with iron supplement increases absorption also.
There is now an Aldi in Manhattan. Just opened so I am sure it is too packed for me.
Also, it is in mid-town west side and I live on lower east side. But I hope to get there. I use Grandma's Spot Remover and it does a great job. The graduation party for my Zozo started as ten people and wound up being six. So that was frugal. Usually the fam shares one soda in a restaurant. But how many times does a Zozo graduate from high school? So we all had Shirley Temples. With free refills. We walked from Zoe's graduation through Central Park and she was in her cap and gown. Random strangers were wishing her Congratulations. She had painted on her gown and they appreciated her art. Go Zozo.
Congrats to Zozo! May her future be bright! Sounds like a wonderful celebration.
Thanks. It was great.
1. I'm typing this on my refurbished laptop that I've gotten charged up and working.
Woo-hoo!
2. Recycled scrap metal in the form of ex-roommate's left-behind broken electric space heater that was a fire hazard. They pay 7 cents a pound so I got 63 cents for it. But I kept it out of the landfill and no one will try to plug it in. Like I said, it was dangerous.
3. Gave a red plastic tablecloth meant for a long picnic or cafeteria table to the hostess of our upcoming block party. It was used once, and I have no further need for it. Reusing something is frugal!
4. Keeping AC set on 78 degrees and using fans to stir the air.
5. Brewing my own coffee and dumping the used grounds out on the English ivy patch. Making sun tea. Microwaving vegetables from the freezer for meals; supper was a bowl of packaged mixed veggies meant for soup. (Plus butter and seasoned salt.) Did not buy groceries for any of this; used what I already had on hand.
This week I:
-Volunteered to check people in at a local "Taste of" event. We got to participate in the event free of charge in exchange (pretty good deal as the tickets were $75 bucks. Much delicious food from many local restaurants and it was a cool night which was wonderful.
-Realized the expensive flossers I bought (not so frugal in that aspect but I have a hard time actually flossing, so if this works out better and I actually do it regularly then I guess maybe its frugal after all) went on sale two days after I purchased them. I promptly e-mailed them to get a credit for the difference.
-Volunteered w/ a local food recovery in exchange for 1 month of free composting service
-Went strawberry picking. 33lbs worth. The current price is $10-14 per quart at the farmers market. Picking our own at this quantity brought the price down to $4 something a pound which is slightly cheaper that the grocery store and taste way better.
-Bought a lb of pectin (never expires) instead of having to keep going to the store (20 mins away) and spending $7 bucks a box which adds up fast. Ended up being the equivalent of like 16 boxes for the price of 10.
The "Taste of" event sounds fun! Such an awesome score for volunteering.
Love the water conservation!
My 5:
1. Moving my daughter out of her apartment into storage until next apartment is ready at her new location, we opted for a u-haul pod with movers. Movers were a no show, but we were diligent in pursuing a replacement company and managed to get them there the day we were leaving. This delayed our travel but saved us from another long round trip that likely would have required a hotel stay.
2. While traveling we mostly did a late breakfast and early dinner, saving on a 3rd meal per day.
3. Rearranged my schedule to allow for grocery shopping the day after our return which means we can cook instead of ordering in.
4. Back to coffee at home with protein shakes from Costco.
5. Doing all my at-home PT diligently to maximize post-surgery recovery and functionality.
It's slim pickings for frugality around here because I’m home with 3 kids under age 4 after our daycare provider moved rather suddenly.
1. I found a penny while pumping gas.
2. I picked a handful of mulberries while out on a walk.
3. DS2 and I made banana cake using brown bananas and added in a cut up mushy apple. It’s actually just banana bread but I make it in a 9x13 pan so I call it banana cake. You couldn’t taste the apple pieces at all and I was glad to avoid that little bit of food waste.
4. I’ve been eating the refried beans I rescued from work last week. I’m out of tortillas, but they are pretty good on toasted bread with some guac.
5. I found two sample-size toothpastes in DH’s bathroom drawer, BB 05/2026. I’ve finished one so far (of course, cutting it open to get every little bit out).
6. Unavoidable expense: Our 4-year old Honda van that we purchased certified/pre-owned had a catastrophic failure of its suspension springs last week, so we've been down to one car. It will unfortunately be about $3k to get them fixed and we are of course outside of the pre-owned warranty range, which is doubly unfortunate because when you look at the pictures of these things, they look absolutely destroyed so I can't imagine the dealer didn't see them on their multi-point inspection for the certified/pre-owned designation. One small bright spot is that we are able to use a loaner car while the car shop waits for the parts to come in.
Oh man, I am so sorry to hear about your van!
Thank you! It's definitely disappointing to have a big vehicle expense when we just bought it a few months ago.
Frankly I'd rather deal with your car repair (which IMHO on a 4 year old Honda should *not* happen) than "home with 3 kids under age 4". 'Nuf said.
Every little bit counts!
Love a good frugal wins roundup! Here is what my week looked like:
• Received two settlement payments ($25 from Fisher-Price and $7.31 from Facebook).
• Won the summer reading t-shirt design contest, scoring a $10 community gift certificate!
• The girls also earned free Nothing Bundt Cakes bundlets for completing their reading logs.
• Participated in the library's annual chalkfest by drawing our own chalk art on their sidewalk, got a few fossil dig activity kits for the girls, and borrowed books, DVDs, and Switch games. All for free!
• Got a 60% discount on two summer dresses at Once Upon a Child (plus another dress for just a few bucks). I’ll definitely be back since the sale runs for a few more weeks and they gave me a 20% coupon for my next visit.
• Stumbled upon two sets of discontinued Corelle dishes at Walmart that match my kitchen perfectly. Buying them as a set was a huge money-saver compared to buying individual pieces.
• Batched all my driving errands together to save a few bucks at the pump.
• Kept in touch with family via text.
Forgot to also mention ...
• Got a batch of yummy homemade knoephla soup for free! I helped a friend deliver scrap food from our food pantry to another church member for their farm animals (saving it from the dumpster), and she hooked me up with dinner.
• Celebrated Father's Day at home with homemade cards, a movie, and a special grocery haul. The groceries still cost a bit of a pretty penny, but we got way more food and enjoyment out of it than we would have at a restaurant for the same price.
I like your use of the dehumidifier water. I do a similar thing with a bucket when I want to have hot water in the pipes to run the dishwasher or clothes washer. I run the hot water in the sink beside the machine into a 2.5 gal bucket and each machine requires a nearly full bucket which would otherwise go down the drain wasting water, energy to clean the water & get it to our house, and our money to pay for the water.
I ran errands today in a loop so I had the shortest drive possible.
Made blueberry muffins for snacks & maybe even breakfast tomorrow if there're any left by then.
Made two jars of peanut butter for $2.36 total. (I make pb weekly.)
I spray the bathtub & tile walls with a 50/50 white vinegar & water solution and let it sit while I scrub the rest of the bathroom. Then just squirt a bit of very diluted dish soap (Aldi brand), wipe down the walls & tub with a bit of elbow grease, & it's beautifully clean for a week.
Had to close up the house yesterday morning and put on the AC what with the higher temp expected in the afternoon and the rain. It's cool today so the AC isn't even turning on, but the house is cool and not humid so very comfortable. We try to get this done while the house is still cool in the morning. Closing the draperies to shut out the sun helps a lot but bothers my husband. (where's that eye roll emoji when I need it?)
Kristen, can I recommend a book? I'm reading one right now called "The Art of Spending Money" and I really like it. If you haven't read it yet, it might be worth a look!
I do love the miracles of the sun!
My frugals:
• At home pedicure. I am sadly not one of those people who can wear sandals and keep baby soft feet.
• Took a pair of shorts to the tailor to downsize. Cost will be $6, which is cheaper than buying new ones (no thrift stores here for my size).
• We are currently using a cardboard box as a nightstand. Ha! We're only here for 6 more weeks and it's a perfect solution to hold glasses, books, and water.
• I have a keycard to get into my building and a key for my apartment. The keyring broke through the plastic card holder. I poked a new hole and will continue to use it, even if it drives me crazy being off center.
• Attended some free events online, via event bright and a few communities I'm in (one does free yoga/meditation on the solstice).
My 5 frugal things:
1. Hubby has daughter saving her egg shells and used coffee grounds in a container that he can put into his compost bin.
2. We've had lettuce and spinach out of the garden.
3. Asked hubby to return a pair of shorts for me to Kohls and remembered the night before that Stop and Shop (grocery chain) across the street from Kohls had a bogof steak offer. We had steak on Father's Day. I made a box mix of brownies that were bought on sale and in the pantry. Hubby bought corn on the cob but it was gross. Save the corn water to water his plants.
4. Got a settlement payment of a debit card for $82 from my CPA P supply company vs. somebody.
5. Picked up two 4x6 frames at Dollar Tree for $1.50 each. Now I can frame each kid's Master's degree family photo and hang them.
6. Son is sending cute videos and pictures of grandson. Hubby will print one so we can frame it.
P.S. thanks for the tip about bleaching white things outside in the sun. I have a white towel that is looking dingy and I suspect hubby has used it to clean his grubby paws. I'll wash it and set it outside.
Yes, early detection on a mammogram is a life saver. My breast cancer was picked up very early on my yearly mammogram and was successfully excised with a lumpectomy. So early was it seen I didn't even require radiation or chemotherapy after the lumpectomy. Well worth the few moments of discomfort once a year.
Mammograms are punitive. If males had to be tested for Testicle and/or penile cancer via slapping them between plates and a hearty squeeze, there would be a less punitive test. And roll the dice - would you rather die from breast cancer OR dementia/Alzhemer's? I'll take cancer any day of the week.
I'm a little confused about the dementia/breast cancer relation you are drawing here. Are you saying that mammograms cause dementia?
I do wish someone would invent some other method for checking for breast cancer, and I do agree that there are sex-based disparities between the way men and women are cared for in the medical field, but I also think that it is faulty logic to compare breasts to testicles, simply because they are very different organs and would not need to be screened in the same way.
I sold a classic, medium pink/white Land’s End canvas tote bag I grabbed from a free pile at a garage sale. $5 on FB Marketplace. I could have gone for more based on the load of responses I got but I wanted a quick sale. It sold in less than two hours.