1. I sold a Target return.
This was such a weird situation. Let me explain.
One of the swimsuits we ordered was too small for Zoe, so I went through the online returns process.
Target refunded me, but said I didn’t need to bother to return the suit.
(I’m surprised Target does this, and I have to imagine that unscrupulous people will take advantage of it.)
Anyway, I was left with a perfectly good swimsuit that no one here can wear. Zoe’s the smallest person at our house!
So, I listed it on eBay, and it sold within a day.
(In that same order was a pair of too-big swim shorts. Target said not to send those back either, so we are just keeping them for Zoe to wear next year. Too-big is simpler to deal with than too-small, as long as you are still growing!)
2. I used up taco truck salsa.
We’d been to the taco truck for a date night recently, and we had extra hot sauce/salsa.
So, I added them to my scrambled egg burrito.
3. I used a rice bag to freeze chicken.
I always cut up my big packs of chicken breasts into smaller pieces, freeze them on a tray, and them put them in a bag. That way they’re not frozen into a huge, unwieldy clump of meat, and I can take out just as many as I need.
The last time I used up a bag of jasmine rice from Aldi, I noticed that the bag was nice, thick plastic (even thicker than Ziploc freezer bags).
So, I saved it and now I have a bunch of chicken frozen in it.
4. I got our car insurance switched to a lower rate.
We are with Erie, and they had us in the RateLock program.
But, if you make any changes (like adding or removing a driver), then the rate is no longer locked in.
Since we are in a change-full time of life with drivers (Sonia will get added in about 9 months), RateLock doesn’t make sense for us anymore, and our rate was going to go up this year.
So, I called and discussed it with our agent, and we are now in a different Erie program that is cheaper.
Every little bit helps with a policy full of young drivers!
5. I…
- listed an outgrown jacket on eBay
- submitted some out-of-network medical bills for reimbursement
- ate leftovers for lunch
- submitted a request for paperwork to get Sonia’s dual enrollment college classes for 50% off
What frugal things have you been up to lately? Share in the comments!
Forrest McCall says
I sold my old iPad keyboard on eBay! I think one of the biggest hacks is buying used items and selling them used, you’ll only lose a fraction of the amount when compared to buying new and selling used!
KC says
I’ve never sold anything on eBay. With a move in our future, how practical is it to sell furniture on eBay? Advice?
Kristen says
I’ve never sold furniture on eBay. Shipping furniture just costs so much money! I’d be much more inclined to sell furniture on Facebook marketplace or on craigslist.
Mallory Lemieux says
This week was use-up-the-condiments week in our household too! Some of them made their way into bacon chicken ranch wraps, others become bases for chicken marinades for chicken that I picked up on managers special.
Gifted mineral seltzer that did not have the most pleasant taste became seltzer spritzers. Fresh lemon juice and splash of raspberry syrup covered up the mineral taste nicely.
Finally, I used up the bottom of the bag of tortilla chips in taco salads this week. I like to crush them up anyways!
Becca says
I went to the farther away cheaper grocery store and stocked up on a bunch of clearance meat and two giant bags of clearance bell peppers which I chopped up and froze for later use.
Had extra canned pineapple after making pizza so I used it and the juice to make muffins.
Got free mulch from the dump and put it in all our flower beds to spruce up the yard.
Have been wanting a second pair of Tieks for a while, but couldn’t justify spending that kind of money when I don’t really NEED a new pair of shoes. Well this amazing company is offering a $100 off discount right now for front line healthcare workers! It is so wonderful of them and I took advantage and have a brand new blush pink pair headed my way.
Hubby took the time to mail in the 11% rebates for the garage shelving we bought at the hardware store.
Ruth T says
1. The produce place 45 minutes away from my house had strawberries on sale for 50 cents a quart on Sunday. I got 4 cases (32 quarts) for $16! We also got blackberries for 50 cents a container. I always know heading in that whenever they’re that cheap, it means I have to use them in a hurry. So Monday I made and canned strawberry jam with a bunch of them, then Tuesday I froze a bunch for smoothies. We have about 3 quarts left to eat. (I think my kids also ate 3 full quarts yesterday during snack and lunch.)
2. I dropped off a load of recyclables on the way home from the library this morning. If we take them ourselves, we don’t have to pay for recycling pickup.
3. I’m making my own coffee at home.
4. The zoo we’re members of opened last weekend! They aren’t allowing outside food or beverages, so we packed food to eat in the van on the way there and back.
5. My 3yo is actually tolerating the mask I made for him out of his old pajamas. It’s not a great mask, but I don’t really know where to get child-size masks. My baby turns 2 in a couple of weeks, so I may try to make a similar one for her.
Becca says
Most retailers are not accepting returns right now, just issuing refunds and the reason is obvious: covid.
Barb says
1. The gutters on my house needed to be cleaned so I got 2 quotes ($100 and $105). A friend offered to bring her ladder over and help me. We knocked it out fairly quickly thus saving me $100!
2. Kroger sent me a coupon for a free jar of peanut butter so I picked that up the last time I was there. I also scored a bag of 12 nice peaches for 99 cents from the produce clearance rack.
3. My daughter who lives in New York and is getting married in October got her registries done. I hopped on to check them out and discovered the vacuum she wants was on sale for almost $100 off. I ordered it and was able to use $30 in gift cards that I earned from various points/rewards sites. I put the remainder on my credit card earning 1% cash back.
4. Years ago, I received in the mail many, many shampoo samples in small foil packages. I cut open the ones that were the same and was able to fill a travel size bottle making it much more likely that I will actually use them!
5. I painted an old tray table that I got free using paints I already had (I mixed two until I got the shade I wanted). It looks great!
Kelly says
1). I took my kids hiking at a state park about 45 minutes from our house. The trail we planned to hike was closed. We still made the best of it and then stopped at another state park on our way home. I was able to use the parking pass I purchased at the first park for the second. The first park only cost $3, while the second park would have cost $8. We also packed a lunch and snacks. It was a beautiful day to be outside and our first real outing since March.
2). I’ve started shopping at Aldi again. I’m back to shopping every week and alternate between Aldi and Wegmans, only going to one store each week. Our grocery spending immediately went down.
3). I am working on knitting projects and gifts that I can make from my yarn stash. I am committing to significantly use up what I have before purchasing any more. My girls are doing the same with their craft supplies.
4). We are all reading ebooks from the library.
5). Decided that a summer little league program will not work for our families schedule. (We camp quite a bit). I requested a refund.
Kristen says
Isn’t it amazing how much cheaper groceries are at Aldi? I never quite get over it.
Jessica says
We provided the strawberries and Angel food cake for a family BBQ..I baked box mixes as 2 were only a matter of change more than buying 1pre-made in the store -Just cost a little of my time.
Took the leftover sliced berries and sugar ans pureed it and froze in an ice cube tray. Used a few to make a smoothie for my son.. the rest will likely show up in a pitcher of margarita…lol
Close to 2 years ago I found a killer deal on 14 buckets of dishwasher pellets at Lowes… I assumed if it was not a good product for my machine I could donate… Well.. I am down to my last bucket…lol I saw Finish brand at my local CVS on clearance but was thinking it was not quite low enough… Great grandpa brought me a stack of coupons over the weekend and there were $1.00 coupons!! Headed to CVS and bought 4 packages.. good for about another 6 months now! lol
Found an online coupon at walgreens and bought good quality shampoo and conditioner for $2.00 total..
… Found a screw in a brand new tire…. too close to the sidewall…The tire store checked but cannot pull and plug.. Have to replace…but ends up they are getting me a better price than the dealer so heading there soon…
Isabelle says
* I’ve been reading, reading and reading lately! Books from free piles or bought super cheap (like 1$). Public library is opening up again tommorow, I’m beyond excited!!! (Yes, I’m a nerd!)
* School is almost out for the summer (non-mandatory at the moment, but our kids are going). They will then go to day camp for 5 weeks, and this will be super cheap : 45$per week, per kid . The only “vacation” we are planning this year is a “staycation” since I only get one week off (healthcare worker, this is all I am allowed this year). Since nothing is up and running anyways, this mean an extra cheap vacation at home : biking, picnics, board games, movie nights, etc. And I really enjoy this!
* I’ve been working more lately, so more money coming in.
* I’ve been spending more at the grocery store, but way less in entertainment, restaurants, etc, so it evens out
* Barely using the car, since I’m biking to work 3 days a week, the kids are taking the bus to school and hubby is working from home = low cost for fuel! (35$ last month?!)
Dividend Diplomats says
Love them all! The Target return flip was my favorite. But it was also amazing how you repurposed the used bag of rice. Now that is thinking right there!
Bert
Dianna says
We start each day with a frozen fruit/veg smoothie, so I have many zip-log bags that they come in. I save them as you do. They are stronger than any clear plastic zip-lock bags I have. They are free, and I am keeping plastic out of the landfills!
lisa says
Great job Kristen on the swimwear!
Kata- a free group sounds good. Maybe I can put things out with a free sign and post it online and just give it away…Selling it isn’t working!
It’s been a fabulous day for savings—-
1)A tooth had decay and broke during the Covid shutdown, so I couldn’t get to the dentist. I finally get there and he says that I need root canal/post with a crown and/or implant. I said we’re talking thousands of dollars here…I decided to see a oral surgeon, who said I don’t need any of that. Fill it and move on. Sure, part is missing, but it can be filled….Savings- $4000
2) Husband bought a used car ( 15 years old) from the dealership and bought an extended warranty. He brought it in for a strut replacement, but they found that struts, back window, steering and entire soft top of car has to be replaced. Plus, he gets a rental car until it all gets done. I think the warranty just paid for itself.
3) Got organic peaches for 99 centa a bag since they were very ripe. Savings- $16
4) My sister wants a brooch for her birthday. I looked on ebay and “saved” a few in my cart. One seller offered 15% off and free shipping. Savings- $5
5)Speaking of ebay, I do buy some medical items on there when needed. I usually get generics as they’re cheaper than name brand. But this time, I got name brand. Either way, it’s less than what my insurance charges me. Savings- $25
Corrine Wilson says
1.I picked up basil seedlings off Buy Nothing. We started our basil seedlings too late, so they are barely surviving in the garden. I also picked up a toddler camping chair, from Buy Nothing, for my daughter. We take her camping for the first time next month.
2. My husband built us a patio table (seats 8) about 5 years ago. The top started to rot, so he replaced it this weekend with pressure treated wood. It cost $60 to replace, but that’s much cheaper than purchasing a patio set that size.
3. We have been wanting to replace the tile around our fireplace and put in a new fireplace surround. We found tile paint this past weekend at Home Depot. It cost $40 and came out pretty nice. We also purchased spray paint, that can handle high heat, to paint the surround. Total cost will be $45.
4. Listed a vintage belt on eBay
5. Went to order cat food from Target using a $2.50 coupon and realized the litter we use was also on sale. So I purchased 4 containers of the litter and received $10 in Target gift certificates.
Kristen says
That’s a great deal for your fire pit refresh!
CrunchyCake says
I have the same types of dilemmas when it comes to selling stuff but ultimately, I think the store said you could have it. It’s yours to do what you like. It certainly wouldn’t have been better if you had just trashed it, right? At least someone can use it. I also feel better when I think about all the things we’ve given away or sold for cheap…
1. We wash our cars at home. The stuff we bought to do it isn’t cheap but it does take very little water (1 gallon per car) and we quickly recouped our money bc carwashes aren’t cheap either.
2. I placed a dinner order through an online app and noticed I had $9 in rewards! It paid for my daughter’s meal and discounted mine.
3. My kids and I took out the watercolors and made some birthday and father’s day cards. Way cheaper than buying them and of course, a nice way to spend time together.
4. Made do with supplies we have at home for the myriad of projects we’ve been coming up with – washing windows, baking, art.
5. Found some forgotten steel cut oats in my cupboard and made some overnight oats. Working them back into the breakfast rotation after a long break to use them up. Also bought a bigger bag of potatoes than usual. I see baked potatoes, hash browns, and some curries in our future! Have been diligent about using up our fruits and veggies – sides, snacks, etc.
Ruby says
1. Painted some of my husband’s woodshop projects with paint from our extensive collection of leftovers. Also repaired a chip in the 1952 sink in our laundry room and repaired grout and paint in our bathroom, which tends to show its age due to being in daily use for 68 years. All done with supplies on hand.
2. Still cooking at home for the family and our allergy-plagued dog. The pup is feeling much better and I have found a not terribly outrageous kibble she can eat, so I hope to hang up my canine chef’s hat soon. Still, I used some apples and potatoes that needed to be used up in her last batch of homemade hypoallergenic food, so they weren’t wasted.
3. Mended a pair of denim capris I’ve been wearing for eight years and altered the neckline if a blouse to make it more modest for work.
4. My husband will be working at home at least until the end of September and finally set himself up a more comfortable work area (he had been sitting in a recliner with his laptop on his lap). He had to purchase a web cam but put the rest of the components together from things we already owned.
5. Saved $7 off groceries last week with store coupons for house brands that Food Lion mails to us.
Cathy says
I bought a curtain rod that was the wrong size and they refunded my money and told me to keep or donate. Perhaps they keep a record of how many item you return and if you abuse the policy, they have you return it. This is the first time I have returned something to them.
Denise says
Swimsuits are often not returnable for hygienic reasons.
Jenzer says
Perhaps the cost of return postage plus the cost of labor to re-stock the swimsuit is more than the swimsuit is worth? I wonder …
My 5FF:
1 – Replaced several of my cracked Rubbermaid container lids with newer lids I found on Ebay. Replacement lids aren’t necessarily cheaper than buying new containers + lids, but they’re less wasteful. My containers themselves are in good condition, so I didn’t want to throw them out.
2 – Started a collection jar for the “unspooled” bits of shredded wheat that settle to the bottom of cereal bags. I’ll use the bits to make bran muffins.
3 – Checked out a digital copy of Taste of Home magazine from our library, and noticed a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon code printed in one of the ads. Used the coupon code to make a purchase from my wish list.
4 – My old dawn simulator alarm clock had quit keeping time accurately, but the dimmable light still worked. It’s spent the last few years in the upstairs bathroom as a night light for guests. We did a big bathroom cleanout a few weeks ago and relocated the clock to our camper. I’ll use it as a reading light, eventually … no camping in our foreseeable future.
5 – Since the camper’s not going anywhere anytime soon, I borrowed the electric fans we keep in there to use around the house. The big box fan helps to keep mosquitoes away when we sit out on our back deck.
Linda Yarrow says
Do you have any advice for using E-Bay? Don’t you have to pay taxes on sales. Wanting to try it but seems intimidating to me.
Kristen says
eBay takes care of any tax issues, as far as I know. They collect sales tax when it’s required. All I have to do is list and then ship!
I can write a post about the basics of eBay listing, but I bet there are also good posts already out there if you google.
Cathy says
Re: the Target return, I had a similar experience. I purchased an electric carving knife for an upholstery project (foam cutting). The ship time took forever, so I just used an old bread knife to cut the foam. The electric knife arrived after I completed my project. I know I’ll never use it, so in my return attempt with Target, they gave my money back & told me to keep the knife. This was in the beginning stages of the COVID shutdowns, so I was grateful that I didn’t need to interact with anyone (shipping, store return, etc.). I’m sure that had some play in Target’s logic behind the return. And, the cost was around $12. Not much $$, and I don’t have a history of returns with previous Target online purchases. I’ll end up donating it on my next drop off. I guess it’s a win-win-win?
Hawaii Planner says
Let’s see, what did we do?
1) Used a gift card on breakfast on our drive from northern California to Oregon.
2) In fact, the drive itself was much cheaper than flying. We’ve done both before, but COVID pushed us into driving again this year. It’s about a $1k savings, given inexpensive gas prices, and the fact that we have four people.
3) Made dinner ahead of leaving (a week before, prepped taco meat & put it into the freezer) & packed a cooler with all perishables, plus enough to get us through the first night’s dinner, when we arrived…allowing us to avoid takeout.
4) Found a variety of things we can list on eBay (when we’re back home), that we’ll be able to transport in the car on the ride back.
5) Inventoried the freezer & pantry when we arrived, before we went shopping to stock up.
Enjoying the glorious change of scenery, after months of sheltering in place. (We’re at our own vacation house, so a safe option that allows us to have a break from home.)
Kristen says
Your time away sounds lovely!
Lauren says
Oh my goodness. I have the hardest time with the Target and Amazon returned-but-not-returned items. I feel bad profiting from them, kinda, but I also feel compelled to treat them like anything else I have that’s unused and taking up space, which means selling it. I suppose this is evidence of how high the markup is on many items.
But the worst for me is when there’s just an outright error I can’t correct. I did a Walmart grocery pickup and got an entire bag of bakery items I absolutely didn’t order. I spent a crazy amount of time trying to call the store to see if I should return them (which I didn’t want to do – what a pain), but I couldn’t bring myself to just let it go and take food I didn’t pay for. In the end, the store wouldn’t take them back, so we kept them. At least they didn’t get wasted.
Anyway, I:
– Sold some unused clothing online
– Found a mail-in rebate on the tires we bought for my husband’s car (yay!)
– Kept up our streak of not eating out any fast food/restaurant food/Starbucks of any kind since March. Honestly, we’re kinda over the withdrawal, and we’re saving so much money.
– Made $10 buying something (that I had to purchase anyway) through Swagbucks, and submitted receipts to Ibotta and Fetch
– Spent $5 on a grommet tool kit to fix two shoe hangers instead of buying new ones, which are $10 each. And I can use it for other stuff, too.
Kaitlin says
Frugal things:
1) called hospital whose ER tried to bill me for a son’s visit from several months ago. They couldn’t find the address for my insurance company for the ER visit (but they were able to find the address for the bill for the 8 day admission that happened immediately following the brief ER visit), so I used my internet savvy to search for the address, and shockingly found it in a brief 5 seconds. Hopefully now that they have the address I won’t see another bill.
2) Received hand-me-downs from friends that will provide a wardrobe for my son the fall, so long as he doesn’t grow too much more this summer.
3) Worked to begin changing specialists for my son after learning that one was moving his practice across the country. We’ll still have to travel half-way across the country to the new specialist, but we have another specialist at the same hospital, so it’s still less travel than it would otherwise be. I realize that there is nothing frugal about traveling across the country for specialists, but in order to get appropriate care for my son’s rare joint condition it’s necessary.
4) Decluttered and organized a few crazy spaces in our house. I found some hydrocortizone that expired in 2012, and some more useful things we had been looking for.
5) Menu-planned, cooked at home (except for date night take out, like Kristen has talked about), worked from home, enjoyed backyard and library books, etc.
Kristen says
Ugh, I’m sorry about your ER bill issues. Good job staying on top of it!
Kristyn says
Funny, I *just* washed out a giant ziploc-style bag that used to hold frozen broccoli because it’s a thicker plastic and would be great for freezing large items like bread loaves. I was wondering if I was the only one who evaluated packaging that way!!
Mariane Antonacci says
I pray about things like that and do what God prompts me to do. Either way, what you did was fine
Molly F. C. says
A few years ago after shopping at Target, I noticed that I got a skirt for my daughter for free. I mistakenly weren’t charged for it. I telephoned the store to talk to the manager. He thanked me for being honest, (I was prepared to pay for it over the phone), and he said to keep it. Made my day!
Kara says
Well done on the swimsuit flip! It may as well go to someone who can use it. I received a rug that was not the color I ordered. The store did not want it returned. I sold it on Facebook marketplace.
I am eating berries right off the vines in my garden, and waiting for the wild berries to ripen so I can pick and freeze them. I’m still using berries we froze from last summer.
I listed a new book, which I won in a giveaway, on eBay.
I bought envelopes at the dollar store to mail my Etsy sales. I prefer to make my own envelopes from brown bags, but things are selling so quickly, I realised my time is better spent in sewing, not making envelopes. I made the cutest pencil bag this week. https://www.etsy.com/listing/824479451/pencil-bag-cactus-print-fabric-pencil?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1
My mother gave me some alfalfa pellets (feed grade) which I will spread under our tree that looks a bit yellow. Alfalfa is a good source of nitrogen for yellowing trees. She also gave me some lavender plant cuttings. I’m not sure they’ll survive, but it’s worth it to me to water them a bit and see if they make it.
Someone in my Buy Nothing group is moving away and she set everything out on her driveway for people to take for free. I got a trellis and a cute mug from the Victoria and Albert museum in England. The sharing economy is the BEST!
Have a good week everyone!
Lauren says
I stopped by your Etsy shop, and I just wanted to say “WOW!” I have you bookmarked for Christmas shopping!
Kara says
Thank you!! That is so kind! I have really enjoyed it and each piece is something that makes me smile. I think the happy shines through
You can also sign up for my email with new products and coupons https://mailchi.mp/ed1fdd9e0382/fabricspeaks
It’s a good way to watch for things for Christmas
Sarahbeth says
I’ve been noticing that as well! I buy a lot of things using the Target and Walmart apps (three little kids and one on the way so I’m a fan of not having to schlepp to the store for everything!) and lately there have been a lot of instances like the one you described. I even bought a maternity shirt from target that was too small and when I did the online return process they told me to just keep it! Same with some other items recently too, like sunscreen and a pair of flip flops. Not sure how long that can possibly last!
kristin @ going country says
Frugal for other people: Our cabbages are ready to harvest already, and there is no way I’m going to be using eight cabbages myself. So we’ve been giving them away to friends and neighbors. You can imagine how excited people who live 90 miles from a grocery store get when presented with fresh produce. One went to our neighbor yesterday who stopped by to give us some food her grandchildren had left for her and she couldn’t eat. My kids thought the trade of cabbage for a box of Frosted Mini Wheats and a bag of Oreos was an excellent one.
Grandma Honey says
I can’t imagine any place in the US that is 90 miles from a grocery store. I learn something every day.
Kristen says
Whenever I fly over the western part of the U.S., I am reminded that this is quite possible. Here on the east coast, it’s hard to imagine, though!
kristin @ going country says
I couldn’t either, until I moved here.
Diane Patrum says
You sweet thing! How wonderful that you’re sharing with your friends and neighbors. We should all be more mindful of how we might help our neighbors. Diane in NC
kristin @ going country says
Thankfully, that sort of concern for neighbors is definitely still the way of life out here where working together keeps people alive. Literally.
Amy says
You could donate the swimsuit to someone in need.
Kristen says
I thought about donating it, but then wasn’t sure if it would get actually sold, or if it would be thrown away due to hygiene issues.
Kristina says
I just bought swim suits for my twins from another mom who had gotten them at Target, and they were the wrong size for her boys. Kind of wish I’d known about this policy before, because I thought I was helping her recoup the cost of the swim suits and didn’t mind paying nearly full price. I did find it odd she didn’t just return them. Oh well.
1. We are on a trip to Florida visiting family, which required over 12 hours of driving. I was a little afraid of traveling in the current situation, but we made it both safer and frugal by packing all our food and drinks with us, so we only had to stop a few times for gas and restrooms, and did not stay in a hotel either. The trip was surprisingly painless so I think we’ll start doing this always.
2. We are enjoying the pool and surrounding nature where we are staying, very easy to social distance and keeping it frugal also.
3. A concert we had bought tickets for was cancelled this summer and postponed to next year. Opted to get a refund instead of keeping the tickets, as I’m likely to forget about dates and feel uneasy locking myself in so far in advance.
4. Now that the stores are open again, returning some clothes I had bought online during the quarantine. Drawback, also buying more clothes now!
5. Besides occasional takeout, still staying away from restaurants. I enjoy home cooking too much to risk it.
Steph says
1. Saving money on summer camp (because it’s closed)
2. Received my Misfit Market box which allowed me to put off going to the store for one more week. Only trouble is that some of the fruit in the box was already rotten.
3. Taking advantage of free hiking trails near our house
4. Paying down debt. Closing out store cards I don’t use or need.
5. Planning a (socially distanced) garage sale for later in the summer to reduce clutter and save up for something we need.
kris says
I ordered the Misfits box 2 times and was disappointed! And I was so excited for it, lol. Several things already rotten or spoiled within a day or two. Maybe once things get back to ‘normal’ I’ll try again because reading reviews, it seems the problems began around the time Covid hit.
Alison R says
That’s odd, I get a Misfits box every other week and even through Covid19 have had perfect produce. Good luck on your next Misfits box!
Lauren says
Agreed – we LOVE our Misfits boxes. I have had some bad luck with cilantro, but that’s it, really.
Battra92 says
I don’t know if this week was particularly frugal but here goes.
1.) Changed the oil in my tractor and in typical fashion, I had to replace a tool (in this case an oil filter wrench.) Luckily I had a coupon
2.) Found out that the same inhaler I use, my mom uses and my grandmother uses can be had significantly cheaper via GoodRx. I like to save money and share the savings with family.
3.) Stopped at my first garage sale of the year and got a couple of puzzles for my kid for 50 cents each! Puzzles are one of those things which are really expensive up front and have zero resale value.
4.) Purging a lot of old clothes for donation. Those that aren’t fit for donation are becoming rags, which has kept us from using hardly any paper towels at all for years.
5.) Taking a frugal vacation this year. Obviously this isn’t totally by choice but at least it will be good for my mental health to get away from the crazy town I live in.
Arrhur says
Not too long ago I sold a A/C unit that a friend gave me, for $20 bucks. I used nextdoor for my area, who was nice enough of course to come by to look at it and then just gave me the $20…
Also I’ve been able to sell some old weights both times, that I put on nextdoor…nextdoor is a really good way to sell something to someone in yr neighborhood who may need it, whatever it maybe… Just a tip to use in case your looking to sell an item..
K D says
1. Not so frugal but a bit of normal, I was able to get a haircut. The stylist did a great job. I arrived with clean wet hair and skipped the styling so as to be in and out as quickly as possible. I tipped more than usual because it seems the right thing to do during these times, if you are able.
2. I had a couple items to send to a niece and our adult daughter had something for her too. I found a box that fit everything and postage was less than I expected. I signed up for the USPS to pick the package up today, saving on driving.
3. My daughter had given me a shirt her husband no longer wore to use to make masks. I didn’t think it was great for masks but decided maybe my husband would want it. He tried it on and is happy to keep it.
4. The weather has been delightful. We’ve had windows open for the past four days., no need to run the A/C.
5. Mostly staying home. Entertainment is physically distanced outdoors: walking/hiking with friends, meeting with knitting friends. Enjoying lots of ebooks and digital audio books from the library.
Sherrie Nicholson says
I agree about tipping!
Heidi Louise says
1. Put out curbside recycling yesterday for free city-wide pickup. Saves a tiny bit for the environment, and saves trash costs as we pay by the can.
2. Long ago, my Mom gave me a pile of fabric scraps from when we were little, figuring I might use them somehow. I picked out leftovers from dresses and tops for my younger sister, made some masks, and mailed them to her. I’m sure she will have the only red-and-white whales reversible to blue paisley print mask in her town. No way could Mom have predicted what those 70’s cottons would be used for!
3. Grocery costs at my store in the Midwest haven’t gone up hugely, except for meat. I shop less often and am missing finding bargains. The good one this week was a large veggie snack tray on super-clearance. My husband used the carrots, celery, broccoli, and peapods to make into stir fry with some leftover noodles. And I still have some more carrots and the dip, which doesn’t expire until October.
4. I check our health insurance account online at least once a week to make sure we aren’t missing out on any of their “rewards” points, earned by reading about healthy living, watching a short video, etc. I figured out that even though we share a policy, my husband and I have separate online accounts, so we each get our own points account. Using points for a debit card seems a better use of them than buying some of the items in their online store.
5. Thank you to Kristen for hosting and to all for commenting here! I appreciate reading of other’s successes as we lovingly steward our small resources.
Andrea Wiener says
well…i’m making potato salad today for lunch – using things that i have in the refrigerator
Profesora H-B says
I can’t believe that another week has flown by! I had to change out the keyboard in my temporary home office and it made me realize that the whole setup is pretty darn frugal.
1) My work laptop is serving as my hard drive.
2) I use dual screens to make my job easier, so my laptop is connected to the monitor from my old desktop computer. We just hadn’t gotten around to selling it/giving rid of it.
3) To be relatively ergonomic, I raised both screens up. The laptop is sitting on a stack of plastic scrapbook paper boxes (that I use to store in-progress quilt projects) and the monitor is sitting on a stack of books. Bonus: I don’t look as much like Jabba the Hut in my Zoom calls.
4) I was using an old wireless keyboard that was stashed in our ‘random peripherals box’. It started going through batteries really quickly (not frugal), so I thought I’d need to buy one. My laziness in selling/freecycling peripherals paid off again because my husband dug out a wired keyboard and ta-da!
5) I’ve been eating my homemade Greek yogurt for breakfast this week. I just discovered some uses for whey, so I’ll make sure to set that aside next time I whip up a batch of yogurt. It had been awhile since I made yogurt, so I had forgotten just how delicious whole milk yogurt is. Drool.
JD says
1. We got $27 off of our vehicle insurance for the month of April, due to staying home for the virus.
2. I got accepted for a survey, that if all goes as it should, will earn me $75 for a gift card. The survey requires me to sample some food, and it’s tasty food, so I’m enjoying this survey. So is my husband.
3. I bought a combined Christmas gift for two nephews who are brothers. It’s rather expensive, but I got it at 25% off, making it work out to my usual price range per child, and I know they’ll love it. I immediately started a list of presents that I’ve bought where I’ll also jot ideas for what I might want to buy. I once bought two presents for one person and none for another, so I write it all down now, to keep from doing that again.
4. I re-used another emptied food container, this time to keep baking soda for scrubbing in my upstairs bathroom, instead of buying a cute little container at the store.
5. In that same vein, I keep my dog’s kibble in a big goldfish food tub that held four pounds of fish food – we have a lot of goldfish outside – and scoop it with a give-away sturdy plastic cup from the VA. I’ll never be highlighted on a design show, and that doesn’t bother me at all.
Julia says
I made a scoop for my dog food out of a small plastic milk jug. I keep rabbit and guinea pig food in big empty coffee containers.
Amy Owen says
I had the same thing happen, ordering swimsuits from Target. I haven’t resold ours yet but was surprised that they did this. And yes, it seems like dishonest people could easily take advantage.
Kristen says
I suppose it’s possible that if they noticed a customer doing this continuously, they’d flag the account and not allow more swimsuit returns.
I mean, if they were going to throw away the suit upon return, I am grateful that they let me keep it so that I can get it into the hands of someone who will use it. So, I appreciate the policy on my end; I just am curious about whether or not this hurts Target.
SandyH says
I have had Amazon refund me and tell me not to return the item. Only once, though. It was a pair of toddler jeans.
Kristen says
Now that you mention it, I think I remember this happening with Amazon once before too. I think it was for some type of broken item, and that makes sense. What are they going to do with a broken return?
Although it does seem like that could really backfire for them because it seems like people might just try marking their purchases as broken in order to get refunds.
Connie says
They do track this kind if thing and if someone bought a whole bunch of swimsuits they’d be caught…
Kristen says
I figured it must be the case. Target has plenty of smart people working for them and someone there would have thought of this!
Jenny says
I would have been happily surprised, as you were, about getting to keep the item AND getting the refund. This happened to me with a different department store and a comforter set. The thing is…big picture-wise, either stores mark things up so much that they can do this, which kind of means we are all paying in the long run, or the stores will run themselves out of business, and all that will be left will be Walmart! I sure don’t know what the answer is.