Five Frugal Things | The symphony for $10? Yes, please.
1. I got a $77 ticket for $10
I learned that the symphony here offers student tickets for $10, which is a crazy good deal.
Last Friday, Zoe was working and I had no plans, so I called the office and asked if they had some seats for that night's concert. They did!
I just had to email over a picture of my student ID and poof! My $77 ticket immediately became $10.
So, I pretended to be a fancy, slightly-wealthy person for a night, and I took myself out to the symphony. 🙂
I say pretend-fancy because....I had a $10 ticket, and I wore my legging tights from Five Below, a $20 dress from Target, and some boots I got on clearance.
I ended up sitting next to a woman named Patty who'd been attending the symphony since 1992 with her husband, but he passed away last year. So, I told her I think it's lovely that she is still taking herself out to hear beautiful music even though it is just her now and it must be a little bit hard to do alone.
We said we might see each other at the next concert now that I know I can get in for $10. 😉
Completely unimportant: As we looked through the night's program, which included pictures of the composers, I told Patty that I think Schumann's hairstyle is terrible. Why does he have bangs over his ears? Who thought up this style?
(Click here for a picture of Schumann. And tell me if you agree.)
2. I used a free $10 at Victoria's Secret
I signed up for their credit card ages ago (probably back when they still sent out catalogs. Remember those???), and occasionally they send me little discounts or freebies.
So I just always pop in and use them to get some free undies.
3. I fixed a pair of Zoe's jeans
One of her pairs of jeans got a belt loop hole (we have all been there, right??), so I did my usual method of reinforcing it from behind.
I don't have a picture of the finished product, but here's what it looks like with the patch sewn in. I used yellow thread and sewed over the existing yellow stitching...so the patch is securely in place, but my stitching is basically invisible.
I still need to sew down those frayed parts a bit, and secure the belt loop better, and then I'll be done with this fix.
I ran out of time before my clinical yesterday!
4. I fixed the little holes in my joggers
I wear my American Giant joggers out on my walks almost every day when the weather is cold, and they got a few holes in them.
The holes = totally my fault.
I cause them when I venture off the trail to go check out some little sight (moss! a pretty leaf! a mushroom!) and I get snagged on thorns.
I loaded up a needle with some black thread, and just sewed the little holes shut by hand.
5. I...
- made a pot of pulled pork on the weekend, since I have several clinical shifts in a row this week that end at 8:30 pm
- packed a dinner to eat during my clinical shift yesterday
- made a bunch of use-it-up lunch meals over the last few days
I’m so glad you’re treating yourself to solo dates! You absolutely deserve to feel glamorous and experience neat events like the concert. My husband’s lone predecessor was an abject lesson in “How many red flags are too many red flags? / What was I thinking?!” Taking myself out after the breakup and treating myself to things I enjoyed was a key part to healing.
Anyhow, FFT!
--The washer needed deep-cleaned, which meant it was dying time! 😛 I have to deep-clean it after a dye load, anyway, so it's the perfect excuse to spruce things up. A $2 bottle of clearance RIT "truly green" refreshed my favorite green trench coat, a shirt, and a pair of jeans. The blue jeans came out a glorious shade of peacock green-blue and are my new favorite pair.
-I'm apparently the magpie of DIY supplies now. Come to find out I had everything I needed--stain, varnish, paint, even the right color of wood putty--to start refinishing a small dresser. This dresser was a Craigslist freebie 10+ years ago and had many a life (with many coats of paint) before we claimed it. It was beautifully handmade by someone back in the day, and I look forward to its latest incarnation continuing to be a part of our home. It’s still a work in progress, as I hadn’t anticipated sanding through FIVE coats of paint! I was finally victorious, but dang, that was an unexpected three hours even with my orbital sander. 😛
-We lucked into a whole slew "day of" rotisserie chickens marked down to $3 each. We claimed three--there were still at least 10 left!--and put them in the freezer for future Dinner Apathy Nights (TM).
--I made room in the freezer by removing a turkey carcass for soup.
—My husband requested and received a stand mixer for Christmas from my parents. (They were overjoyed, as he very seldom asks for presents even when encouraged. He specified NOT a Kitchenaid, as that was more than he wanted them to spend.) He’s has been on a baking spree since! I thankfully have a stash of sale flour in the freezer, which is swiftly being replaced by homemade bread.
@N, Dinner Apathy Nights™ is my new motto. Gold stars.
@N, I never would have thought to use green dye on jeans. What a fun idea!
@Karen., I'm thinking of adopting that one myself--with due credit to N and her (TM), of course.
@N, what a good idea re-washer cleaning equals dye day!
@N,
Green Jeans reminds me of Mr. Green Jeans on Capt. Kangaroo Show back in the 1950s. Oh no, I'm showing my age!
But you'll be ready for St. Paddy's Day!
@Becky Stewart, green is my best color--hence the green trench coat, etc.! A pack of dye will cover a small load ofclothes, so I always wait until I have multiple things in need of refreshing.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I hadn't thought of St. Patrick's Day! I just love green. 😛
@N, you never cease to amaze me with your creativity and resourcefulness and can-do approach to life! (I've never heard of deep-cleaning a washer—am I living in squalor here??)
@Fru-gal Lisa, A local real estate agent is the son of Captain Kangaroo. (In fact he sold me my house 25 years ago.)
He came in to get a haircut while I was getting mine cut, while wearing a matching green shirt and pants, saying his wife said he looked like a custodian at the local school. Of course I said, "Mr Green Jeans!" and everyone laughed.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans was still a thing in the late '60s - early 70's. 🙂 Bemoaning my age right along with you, ha ha.
@Liz B., Anyone who didn't grow up with H.R. Pufnstuf (as I did) along with the rest of the Sid & Marty Krofft freakshow should count their blessings.
@Liz B.,
And Dancing Bear. Mr. Moose. Bunny Rabbit, who wore glasses, odd for a creature who eats carrots.
We as children always noted how much the Captain wasted tape; he used very long pieces of Scotch tape in his craft projects.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I doubt very much you're living in squalor! My husband is a cemetery groundskeeper, which means our washer lives a hard life. That, combined with our hard water, means that it can get a little funky now and again. Cleaning the washer consists of first scrubbing it down, then running it empty with hot water with bleach.
@Rose, How cool!
Did he sell you the Treasure House? LOL!
@Heidi Louise,
I remember him giving a "lecture" on only using only "a little bit of paste," which my mother repeated to me....I used to use half a jar on one piece of paper, LOL! Guess it was OK to use lots of tape...maybe 3M, the Scotch Tape mfgr., was sponsoring his show -- who knows?
@Rose,
Who *haven't* you met? You always have such wonderful stories and anecdotes to share. So cool that Capt. Kangaroo's son sold you your house!
@N,
Years ago, when our washer bit the dust, I was told by the repair guy to use Tide washing machine cleaner once a month to clean our washer. We had/have horribly hard water (we now have a water softener). Fortunately with that washer, we had bought some sort of extended warranty, and they replaced basically every part except the control board. It lasted another 4 years, for a total of 14 years. I suspect there are cheaper washing machine cleaners, but I do use the Tide brand.
@Fru-gal Lisa, he was around in the 1960s too so you're not the only one showing your age.
@Liz B., ironically, Tide brand washing machine cleaner was *not* in short supply during the pandemic. So I had no issue grabbing two boxes. My washer "tells me" when time to clean.
@Liz B., It helps to live in the Hamptons, seriously.
The concert sounds fun!
1. I went to a free salsa dance class. It was a little awkward but good fun!
2. I went winter swimming, which is always free.
3. I brought lunch to work every day.
4. I got a small discount on a gift order.
5. I got some reduced food at the supermarket.
Frugal Fail: I tried making a sponge cake. Some of the batter tipped out of the pan when I moved it and the rest tasted kind of greasy. A waste of ingredients and time!
Kristen- that's awesome about the symphony! Glad you had a great time and met a sweet lady too!
Mary- I finally washed and chopped the heads of romaine lettuce from the fridge. Thanks for the gentle nudge, lol!
FFT, A Somber Note and a Grand Day of Thrifting Edition (updated from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
(1) First, the somber note: My dear neighbor Bailey dog’s mom (the one with the recently diagnosed cancer) is already losing hair after her first chemo infusion and expects to lose a lot more after her second infusion today–so she gave me her entire stash of shampoos and conditioners, and refused payment. And I will refuse payment in turn for walking Bailey twice while she’s getting the infusion tomorrow. (BDM wants to pay, but I won’t hear of it.)
(2) On to the thrifting. I paid my first visit on Monday to a new-to-me thrift shop run by a Catholic church out of a disused bowling alley in a working-class suburb. I found out about it from a fellow Salvation Army shopper a week or so ago; it was sort of like being told about a speakeasy during Prohibition: “Psst! Did you know about this thrift shop in an old bowling alley in [suburb] that’s only open Monday mornings?” (The church runs a food pantry there on two other weekdays.) And I haven’t had this much sheer fun for ages. It seemed as if almost everybody there (all the volunteer workers and most of the customers) knew each other; the greetings and jokes were flying fast and furious; and, on learning that this was my first visit, the cashiers shouted out, “HEY! It’s A. Marie’s first visit here! Round of applause!” What a hoot!
(3) And the bargains there were amazing as well. For $9.50, I picked up the following:
(a) Three birthday cards.
(b) Three mugs: a Cape Cod mug for Dr. Bestest Neighbor, who has family there; a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame mug for JASNA BFF, so she can skip the gift shop when we visit there during the JASNA Annual General Meeting in Cleveland in October; and a lovely LL Bean loon mug. (Yeah, I know we’ve all got enough mugs, but I heard the owl–or the loon–calling my name on these three.)
(c) A trivet made from wine corks and signed by a local crafter, which is also going into my gift closet.
(d) And a pair of New Balance All Terrain low hikers in a men’s size that fits me (missing insoles but otherwise in excellent condition).
(4) Then it was on for my usual Monday visit to the Salvation Army superstore. (Monday is the day the SA changes the tag colors that are either 50% off or 99 cents.) Although the ambience wasn’t quite as warm, I did well on the shopping here too. For $20, I got the following:
(a) A pair of winter boots for my next-door neighbor. (See (5) below.)
(b) A pair of SAS men’s black walking shoes, also without insoles but also in a size that fits me. (I’m not seeing these online for much less than $200, so I’m happy to provide the insoles plus a wipedown with leather conditioner.)
(c) An Old Navy light cotton cardigan (for 99 cents; it has a small hole, but I'll mend that).
(d) A Duluth Trading Co. flannel shirt, women’s 2X. (Rarer than hen’s teeth!)
(e) And a Martha Stewart Living book, “Handmade Christmas.” This one was published in the mid-1990s when a grad school acquaintance of mine was working for MS Living, and I was delighted to see the acquaintance’s name in the Acknowledgments. (A mutual friend once asked the acquaintance what working for Martha had been like, and she snarled, “Imagine if Stalin had been into interior decorating.” Sorry about another Martha jibe, Rose, but this comes from reliable sources.)
(5) My next-door neighbor was delighted with the boots, which are in very good condition and fit her very well. When she mentioned payment, I suggested barter: There's been a cast-iron skillet on top of her refrigerator gathering dust ever since I've been visiting the house regularly. She seemed pleased to get rid of it, and I was delighted to have it. It had rust and a couple of scratches, but I've de-rusted it and am working on re-seasoning it.
@A. Marie, My friend who was president of MSO in the earlyish 90s asked me why it took so long to edit my magazine, which was a very abstruse programming magazine. I said, "Because in Marth Stewart Living, you have one page devoted to a huge picture of an olive. In my magazine, that page is full of code for a Windows program, all of which has to be checked."
Aww, I am sorry that your neighbor is losing her hair, but I am glad that she's not letting her hair products go to waste. And you are a wonderful neighbor to be there for her.
@A. Marie, so glad you are able to help your neighbor. I know she feels better knowing her pup is taken care of.
And yay for saving the cast iron pan!
@A. Marie, You are a super caring neighbor and friend. Also, I wish I could go shopping with you!
@A. Marie, may we all have neighbors like you and Bailey dogs mom. What a treasure. Good neighbors are such a blessing in so many ways!!
@A. Marie, you are the Queen of Thrifting with a Ph.D. in finding great stuff for yourself and others. I have a combination of envy for those outstanding shops and relief that I don't have any to tempt me around here. Shopping is not fun to me unless it is at thrift shops or estate sales, especially in nice areas, in which case it is treasure hunting, not shopping.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I like the distinction between "shopping" and "treasure hunting."
@A. Marie, Goodness, you're just a lovely human being, surrounded by the same. I always love hearing about your found family of friends and neighbors!
@N, Yes, indeed. I always look forward to those posts. Though I am very sad about Bailey dog's owner's troubles and hope to hear good news in time.
@A. Marie, Please tell Bailey Dog's Mom we are praying for her and hope her cancer treatments go well.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Sending warm healing vibes to her, and vibes of strength and support to A. Marie,
@Rose, code checking of any sort is tedious on a good day. Hope you reported any bugs you found!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I'd almost concur. I do like do stock-up trips at Target. I never buy any edibles - I am in charge of non-perishables. We never worried about running out of TP during the pandemic. I still have my emergency package that I moved from the old house. Probably should take a good look at it, snap a picture (cuz trust me, what used to be the equivalent of 68 rolls ain't so today), replace it, and use it up. I have a "reminder roll" in my linen closet of so I keep track of how "mega-rolls" started to shrink soon after they came out.
I seem to be buying things non-stop lately, but let's see what frugal things I can find even there, shall I?
--Track shoes for the middle son. He has wide feet, and track spikes are not made in wide sizes. Some brands are wider than others, though, so I had to buy the name-brand Asics. Also had to find the one with the right number of spikes for his distance races. This really limits the options. Most of the spikes that fit this criteria were $100-$200. I got him ones that were $77. Luckily, one of the colors that was slightly less was a bright yellow, and our school colors are black and gold, so I got him those.
--Eldest son's feet have grown again. He is now a size 12. He prefers to wear Hey Dudes, a type of flexible slip-on shoe very popular in the ranching community, which vary greatly in price by style and color. I found some for a bit less than $40, by searching through every color option.
--Daughter's feet have also grown. Her "new" gym shoes came from the box of her brother's old shoes.
--My feet haven't grown--in fact, they're slightly smaller after my weight loss--but I did want to get some lighter-colored sandals for church this summer, as almost all of mine are black. Since they're not something I'm going to be wearing for long periods of time, comfort is not such a concern for these, so I just got some pretty cheap (but pretty!) espadrilles.
--On the positive side of this ledger of outflows, I have to sub this week at school, so I can pay for all of these shoes with the extra income. 🙂
What a great symphonic bargain! I love going to the symphony. I must agree Schumann’s hairstyle is a bit lacking. Perhaps it was cut by someone with my skill level. I never touch anyone’s hair even my own — no matter how frugal it may be.
I am sure it was stylish at the time but oof, I really hate that style!
@Kristen, Maybe it's an early sign of mental illness. Or maybe Clara cut his hair at home.
@Bee, I'm at your skill level (or possibly even below it) for haircutting, so that's a chore I too am happy to "job out." And I agree with everyone that Schumann's hair was just weird. (Beethoven's was weird too, but at least it's sort of got that mad genius vibe going.)
@A. Marie, my motto is "I shalt not take the scissors to my hair or anyone else's". Can't draw a straight line with a ruler, can't cut for squat. I can't be good at everything so yes, "job out" for me too.
as usual, a mix.
1. Instead of buying a $4500 Big Chill fridge, I remade my cheapo Whirlpool to look like one with paint and new handles.
2. Decided against buying something for the teensy reasons that it's very expensive and I have no room for it.
3. Took in old pants to wear around the house instead of buying new.
4. This is not frugal but worth it. I fell in love with a puppy on Death Row in Tennessee. Today was supposed to be the date. I called animal control down there, they gave me the number of the Humane Society manager (the society is closed on Mondays), told her I was committed to this pup, who still has his baby teeth, and she got a volunteer to pull him from the shelter. The volunteer is now keeping him until Thursday or Friday: Friday if the transport the rescue my friend runs has room for him, or Thursday if the transport is full and my son drives to Tennessee. My friend is going to advertise him for adoption via her rescue. I'm secretly hoping we keep him. We'll see. I also have a deposit on a litter whelped a couple weeks ago from a breeder. Not sure how any of this is going to work out, but I saved a life.
5. Used car touch up paint to get rid of some scratches.
@Rose, I am SO excited for the pup(s). Have you fostered before? It’s something I’ve been seriously thinking about but haven’t pulled the trigger on yet. I always see urgent foster needed for a few days while the permanent foster goes away and I think I could AT LEAST try that. I keep setting up roadblocks for myself tho so I assume I’m not ready.
@Sue, I fostered my Betsy, then one day I realized she was MY dog and kept her. Then I thought, you better not do this again. My sister's done it a few times; the second time my parents adopted the puppy she was fostering. (Now with my father gone and Mom in a nursing home, Charlie the Pyr is permanently back with my sister. She does take him to the nursing home sometimes, too.)
@Rose, Thanks for saving the puppy.
@Rose, Thank you so, so much for saving the pup!
It makes me feel a little better since I found the body of my favorite feral last week. Sniffle. He was the one who always greeted me with joyful meows.
@Rose, Gold star to you for being a puppy hero (and to your son if he ends up driving to Tennessee!)
@Rose,
You saved that pup's life, and I am grateful for that. I really hope he ends up with you. Fingers crossed. Tennessee is a lovely state.....well, parts of it are (I'm not a big fan of Gatlinburg myself. No offense to any Gatlinburgians.) My sister in law and BIL used to live somewhat near Cookville, and I have happy memories of spending time down there visiting.
@Rose, (S)he who saves one life saves the world entire. You are the best. The world is a better place for your huge and compassionate heart.
Thanks so much, guys. I'm feeling huge anxiety this morning and that calmed me down a bit. (My son driving so far and also I can't find several pieces of my jewelry and I'm so worried someone stole them. I can't tell you how much of my jewelry has been stolen by workers over the years and it's my own stupid fault for trusting people.)
@Rose,
Thank you for saving the puppy. We live out in the country and seem to be running a cat cafe for ferals. My husband faithfully goes out and feeds them twice a day. I don't know where most of them go the rest of the time. Females we try to get spayed, but there's one out there now that we've obviously dropped the ball with. Years ago we'd get them all spayed/neutered but we're getting older and it's not as easy as it used to be. I hope her litter will be small. Many, many times they disappear, and we've never found the bodies. I haven't heard coyotes in a long time, so it could be owls; I don't know. Occasionally one will show up looking healthy after having been gone for months, so I tell myself when they disappear that maybe, just maybe, someone has taken them in.
We've never actually gone somewhere to bring one home, but twice over the years we've brought a stray from out of state when we were traveling. One was a stray at my friend's house and her chow didn't allow cats. Another was at a relative's and they were going to dispose of her. She was a very sweet cat. Katie.
We do what we can. God bless you and your tender heart.
Meijer had boxed salads marked down to $1, I bought several.
Hubs was able to secure a co-worker to help get a dryer out of the basement. Mental note- do not store appliances for your kids in the basement.
I used a gift card from my employer to buy bunkie board for our bunks beds. Our kids used the bunks back in the day and we put them back up for the grands to use.
I don't normally go to Walmart but I am glad I did, they had many women's jeans marked down to $3- $10 dollars. Regular $27. I quit going there after getting hit twice by the peeps who pull the click and pull orders. One gal hit me from behind right in the back of my ankle.
Free food at work yesterday. I brought my lunch and did not partake but several parties had a ton of food left.
1. My daughter's and I helped my mom paint her living room. It turned out great and as a thank you she fed us lunch and dinner.
2. I refilled my dogs heartworm/flea tick medicine at Costco. It saves about $40 for a year.
3. My daughters and I baked a cake for my Mom's birthday.
4. I made dinner last night that used up some freezer items and some aging produce
5. I'm reading a library book on my kindle.
You look so pretty for your fancy night out!
Regular Ho hum frugal happenings. I did go to library to get five free seed packets.
1. I froze broth from the turkey I made last week. I always feel like the broth I get from it practically pays for the bird!
2. I got asked to lead the motions on stage for a song that we sang at a ladies breakfast at church. It was a bigger event and had a cost to attend, but I got my fee waived by saying yes to doing the motions on stage. It was outside of my comfort zone (it was a room full of grownups, not kids!) but ended up being really fun and I'm glad I did it.
3. We attended a fundraising auction for our school on Saturday and knew our budget going in. There was something that I strongly considered buying for one of our kids (it was an incredible discount on something pricey that I know my kid would love) but it was quite a bit above our budgeted amount. I bid on it with a minute to go, then crossed it out at the last second. It was the right choice. Also - my mom babysat for us.
4. I wrote in my planner for the last day of the month: Final Hoopa Borrows. I hadn't used all of my borrows for the month (we get 6 a month), so it made me remember to go in and borrow a couple of things I'd been wanting.
5. I had signed up to bring snack to an event last night and the main thing I ended up bringing was 2 loaves of Kristen's Cinnamon Swirl Bread. It's so good! Everyone loved it! And it was cheaper and more delicious than buying cookies.
@Ruth T, "Hoopa Borrows"?
Since you mentioned hand motions, have you heard of or seen the hand motions called "Bible Moves" by Brian Bopp? (yep, that's his name) It is a different hand motion for every book of the Bible to help you learn them. It is hilarious at times!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Hoopa... oh goodness! I meant Hoopla with an L! Audiobooks and music and such. 😉
And no, I haven't heard of Bible Moves before. I'll have to look it up! We learned them to a song, but I'm sure my kids would like motions, too. Thanks!
You looked very chic! How fascinating to read about the Schumann’s. That might be my haircut if I didn’t always tuck it behind my ears, whew! I love imagining the full lives that have gone before us, another struggling artist. Although Clara seemed just as talented and lived a long creative life after having EIGHT children! I feel I’ll be checking out a book about her and wishing I’d known her!
I love the symphony!! I'm glad you went and got a great deal on your ticket. You can't beat a live performance.
@Amanda, I agree about Kristen's ticket deal and about the live performance. Kristen is such a fine musician herself that I think she should keep rocking these deals for as long as she's a student.
@Amanda, any time I've gone to the symphony, I've almost fallen asleep. I know it is fabulous, but doggone it, maybe next time I should take my knitting!
I love reading the frugal wins and I especially love the symphony ticket for $10.
We are not in a frugal phase. Sigh. There's consistently a 50¢ coupon on milk in my grocery app and that's about where the winning ends.
We buying a new piece of equipment for the farm. We rarely buy new; in fact, the last time we did was this item's predecessor, 19 years ago. Sticker shock is real, man. We spent most of the day with the dealer and in the end only got a $20 discount because the guy miswrote something. And we promptly spent that on pizza thanks to being gone completely all day long. Good thing I don't have to do this more than once every two decades.
I do frugal things often, but I’m sharing one thing fellow readers should do annually:
Check your state’s unclaimed funds website (google “ [your state] unclaimed funds”).
From there you should be able to navigate the links to find your name & address & the amount, if any, that the state is holding for you. The money could be anything from refunds to uncashed payroll checks. In my case it was only $5, but I’ll take any amount.
And I received a check within a week of going through the claim process!
@LDA, seconding this suggestion with the addition that if you're the personal representative of an estate, you should look up the name of the deceased person in each state they resided.
@LDA, I'd also take a few minutes to check the names of family/good friends. While I've never found our names, I've found the names of family and a friend. Not enough for either to retire on but both were gracious for me notifying them.
I try to participate weekly (as this is my favorite post), so let's see if I can come up with 5FT...
1. We kept an eye on the neighbor's house while they were away for over two weeks. We got their paper and put it in their breezeway. One day I noticed she had a flower delivery. I asked her if she wanted me to keep it watered, etc to keep alive for her to enjoy when she got home. She said since it would still be 9 days out, for me to take and enjoy in my own home. I saved her the card and told her who it was from as well as sent her a few photos of the arrangement. Neighbor is now home, but the arrangement is still going strong. I'm enjoying it!
2. We have a table in our breakroom at work where people bring unwanted items to share with others. I recently took an unopened bag of gummy hearts that my youngest daughter enjoyed, as well as 3 sodas (zero calories, very low sodium) that I enjoyed.
3. Hubby's coworker also runs his family's farm; he brought in a bag of cow shank bones for hubby to smoke for our dogs to enjoy. This will save me at least $50 as I've been buying smoked bones for our puppies on Etsy.
4. I work at our township government office. One resident stopped by last week and brought myself and a few other coworkers chocolate treats for a job well done. They are from my favorite chocolatier.
5. We have a club membership at Sam's Club and we earn 2% cash back in rewards on everything we spend there. Recently I got notification that we had over $21 in rewards to use. I used them toward a few grocery items this week.
@Gina, I am curious about your favorite chocolatier. . . sounds fancy!
I love the symphony story! I've been reading a lot of posts here and there about getting out in the world by yourself and not waiting for a date, an adult kid, or whomever, to accompany you. Every outing you enjoyed doing as a couple can be done as a single, and it opens you up to meeting people.
*I, too, made a crockpot of pulled pork this week which was so good - polished the last of it off this past weekend.
*I "ate out" yesterday by getting a ready made meal on the way home from work, marked down to $5 something at HEB. Very delish, and not pulled pork! (:
*sold another Ebay thing, which will help with my half of the shared fence repair
*making more bookmarks today out of scrap fabric for our book exchange shelf at work
*working on cleaning out my freezer for meals this week, and possibly next
*and lastly, I'm about to go pull on my jeans and do my own yardwork! Ha!
Happy week!
@Gina from The Cannary Family, Yes re going out. I'm hitching a ride with a male friend to see a comedian friend of ours host "night at the Oscars."
1. It's too far away and too late for me.
2. I'm funnier than the comedian friend, which he acknowledges. He told me no heckling. I said you can only throw me out once!
3. I couldn't care less about the Oscars, never watch it, and have no idea why people make such a deal about it.
Buuuut: I need to get out and socialize and wear a pretty dress.
I do love going to the symphony and it's a bit of a family thing we actually do spend money on.
Robert Schumann wasn't that odd looking in my view but then he's not my favorite composer. Lately I've been really listening to a lot of Anton Bruckner (particularly his 7th Symphony) and the Mass in D by John Knowles Paine, which is relatively a bit obscure. Last year we were lucky and were able to hear no less than three performances of Mahler (a severely underrated composer who belongs up there with the 3 Bs.)
I wear my thrift store button downs and some nice enough pants to the symphony. There's no real dress code but I don't want to look that out of place.
That said, here's some frugal things.
1.) Listing and selling on eBay. So far I'm not making much money on there but I'm doing alright and getting rid of stuff.
2.) Got one of those cans of butane to refill the stick lighters we use for candles. I mean, matches might be cheaper but we already have the lighters already.
3.) Refilled the matching throw pillows on our sofa with some throw pillows that were marked down. Our sofa is starting to get a little sad but it will last us a little while longer.
4.) Starting to explore into some dinner ideas and tried a "one skillet meal" recipe that we tried before but instead of beef we went with chicken as that's what we had. It really cut down on the grease (obviously) and my wife actually preferred it.
5.) Got a coupon for a free pizza from Pizza Hut because we bought one a week ago in part of a promo. So easy dinner tonight and it's free* (as in already paid for.) We'll probably pair it with a salad or something else at home.
Bonus: We're starting to plan our summer vacation things so we've been scoping out ideas for places to go and deals to find.
@Battra92, when you want "new" throw pillows, just get pillow covers for that season on Amazon. Really jazzes them up! I have maybe 3 sets that I can rotate and it feels like new pillows!
you look great in your dress up outfit. you are so multi-talented. everyuthing you do you do well.
You never know, Kristen. Ear bangs might be the hairstyle of the summer and we'll all regret poking fun at Schumann. Mullets are back, so anything is possible!
1. I sold a textbook to a colleague. Despite owning it for several years, I had left it in its plastic wrap! Oops. It's already one edition out of date, so I was lucky to sell it.
2. I gave away a bunch of books via the Buy Nothing group, plus some to a friend who is having a baby. It cleared up a lot of storage space.
3. Mr. B and I are in a decluttering/re-organizing bonanza. As it happens, the over-the-toilet storage unit we want is on sale right now, so that's a nice bonus.
4. I bought a pair of neoprene swim pants so that I could use our building's pool, which is heated but partially outdoors. I went swimming when it was freezing out, but it totally worked and now I can continue to exercise without paying for a gym membership.
5. I'm trying to slowly use the dry goods that are languishing in the cupboard. What do you all do with cornmeal that isn't muffins or cornbread? And what do you do with bulgur that isn't tabbouleh? I love tabbouleh, but every time I make it I remember that it is very expensive (all the herbs!) and labour-intensive (all the chopping!)
@Meira@meirathebear, I'm with you on the cornmeal... I have a mason jar of cornmeal that has been languishing in my freezer since July 2021: what to do with it I do not know. Any ideas would be most welcome.
@Meira@meirathebear, make johnnycakes (oh YUM) or hush puppies.
If y'all are yeast bread bakers, just pitch a handful in every time, a quarter to half cup. It adds a little depth of flavor and the texture disappears.
@Meira@meirathebear, I make cornbread (the bona fide Southern No @#$@%!! Sugar kind) often enough that using it isn't a problem for me. But I'm with you on the bulghur. I still have half a jar hanging around from when DH was here and I used to make tabbouleh for him--but I agree that it is labor-intensive, and I'm not nearly as much of a fan as he was. There are a few ideas out there for breakfast cereal with bulghur; maybe we should both try some of those.
@Meira@meirathebear, spoon bread, another southern dish, is basically moist cornbread that is pudding-like, not dry like normal cornbread. Here is a good recipe: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/spoon-bread/
@Meira@meirathebear, Maybe use bulgur instead of barley in a soup? Or there's this: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/bulgur-pilaf/
@Meira@meirathebear, It's almost too late in the season for this, but I add cornmeal to my chili con carne. It thickens nicely with just quarter cup or so, and no one is any the wiser.
@Meira@meirathebear, I make a delicious easy dish with cornmeal called 20 minute Skillet Tamale Pie. I don't have the exact recipe with me right now, but it is pretty flexible.
Brown 1 kg or so of ground beef with one chopped onion. Add and stir in a medium sized can of chopped tomatoes with the liquid, a can of corn, drained (can also use frozen corn, thawed), a small can of sliced olives (or more to your taste), a cup of cornmeal, a cup of sour cream, chili powder, cumin, 2 tsp. salt (or less), and pepper to taste. You can also add garlic powder if you wish. Stir well. Cover the skillet with a lid, lower the heat (so it doesn't scorch on the bottom) and cook for 20 minutes. Top with grated cheese and replace the lid so it melts.
I have also substituted yogurt or buttermilk for the sour cream.
I find this recipe a kind of comfort food. Leftovers can be frozen as well.
@Meira@meirathebear, corn meal mush. I'm sure Mom had somewhat of a recipe but it was made in a loaf pan. She sliced it, fried it, and ate it with syrup (likely Karo dark or light, we rarely had maple syrup). Better half's mother made polenta with corn meal.
@Lisa K., and @Meira@meirathebear,
I'm sure there are many, many variations on skillet tamale pie, but this is the one I make. It's a family favorite. Yours sounds yummy!
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/3245-skillet-tamale-pie
You are so beautiful, Kristen! I hope you have many refreshing evenings at the symphony!
Schumann's hair: 19th century mullet. 😀
@Becky Stewart,
Bwahahaha! Good one.
I'm usually 2 or 3 days behind on reading Kristen's blog, so I am happy to be able to participate today due to reading it early.
- HB found a laptop for me at the thrift store; it is a lot newer than my current one. He transferred all my data over. It only needed a power supply, which we ordered on-line at a cost of $21.99. So a new to me laptop in mint condition for $14.99 less 30% (seniors day) and the cost of the power supply.
- I also found a book that I have been wanting (it was published in 2019 but the holds on this book have been a mile long at the library ever since), so I was elated when I found it in mint condition at the thrift store.
- While faffing around in my wallet to pay for the above purchases, I looked down and there at my feet was a shiny quarter (25c), so a bonus!
- After our thrifting adventure, we went for lunch at the little restaurant in the same strip mall (a rare restaurant outing for us); our server gave us the seniors discount (of which we were not aware), so that was lovely.
- 2 weeks ago while out for a walk, I saw a tape gun sitting on the electrical box on the boulevard outside a house. I left it. 2 days ago I decided to see if it was still there, and yes it was. HB cleaned it up but in the process he melted the plastic part by soaking it for too long in laquer thinner to clean up the glue from the tape. So he wrote a program to build a new plastic part on his 3-D printer, so now I have a beautiful new to me tape dispenser. (tape gun).
- The points on my Airmiles card were due to expire on Feb 27th (2 years of not using the card), so I renewed some of my points for a $50.00 e-voucher to Winners/ Marshall's/ Homesense (to keep my card active; I still have some points left).
(p.s. Kristen, I had to reset my email address due to this new laptop, so I hope this publishes okay).
@Linda in Canada, wow, what a deal on the laptop!
@Linda in Canada, and very cool to manufacture your own 3-D printed part for your tape gun!
I mended one of the rugs I washed last week.
I went to a rummage sale last week and scored a frame with mat for a watercolor I want to frame, two pairs of capris, a medium sauce pan, two mini muffin pans, and a glass butter dish. Most of these items were on my list!
I ordered two free covid tests from the feds. Never got around to it last fall.
Made some sun tea yesterday as a treat for my friend who is visiting today.
I finished reading Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (library) and watched season 2 of Dark Winds (Hoopla)
@Dee in AZ, Good to order the Covid tests now!
Free tests end Friday, March 8.
And remember that many of the expiration dates have been extended. Search for listings on line.
https://special.usps.com/testkits
1. Library books, probably the most frugal thing I do on a regular basis.
2. Fasted on the weekend (DH does as well, and our two adult sons joined us), which I feel saves some money on food 😉 and is a good reset for our bodies. I used to want to break my weekend fast with something like an Egg McMuffin, but this last fast what I really wanted was roasted veggies with tahini sauce, so I found some broccoli, cauliflower, and a red onion that needed to be used up and had that for Sunday lunch.
3. DH ordered me a stovetop copper teakettle made in India, after my search for an electric kettle not made in China came up empty. He did try his best to fix the electric kettle, but he said it was so shoddily made that a) it couldn't be fixed and b) he was surprised it had lasted even five years. My stovetop kettle is set up on a hot plate so I don't accidentally ruin our rental's stovetop, and it's so pretty! I see this as a frugal investment, and a practical decoration for the kitchen.
4. Ate all our meals at home.
And a frugal Fail: I impulsively bought some steel cut oats, after reading about them and thinking they'd be a nice, maybe more nutritious breakfast option, but MAN they take longer than I care to spend on a bowl of oatmeal. I'm not going to keep my ancient crockpot on at night to cook them, either. One online recipe claimed you can use them for overnight oats, but...no. I tried them in a baked oatmeal recipe (designed, so it claimed, FOR steel-cut oats), but again, it's an hour in the oven for a very soggy/crunchy result. I did put the leftovers in the fridge and they softened to the point I was able to finish them off the next day, but not worth it. I'll stick with my cheaper storebrand rolled oats and easy overnight oats. Do birds eat steel-cut oats?
@Karen A., For overnight steel cut oats I make about 4 servings at a time. I give the oats a good boil for just about a minute and then let them sit overnight. Just reheat a serving in the morning and sometimes I have to add a bit more water. It gives me breafast four days in a row.
@Karen A., I hope the birds ate my long cooking steel cut oats cause I scattered them in my yard. I found quick cooking (5 - 7 minutes) steel cut oats at Trader Joe's. Reasonable price I thought.
@Karen A.,
Maybe you could make granola out of them?
@Maddie, Thank you! I may try that. Do you let them sit on the countertop (i.e. room temp) overnight?
@Karen A., Yes, I let them sit overnight at room temperature mostly because I don’t want to put a hot/warm pan or oatmeal in the refrigerator.
@Karen A.,
I have a little steel thermos, the kind for kids' lunch boxes, that I can put a serving of steel cut oats in, add boiling water and a tiny pinch of salt, close, and have tender, ready steel cut oats about 8 hours later. For a single serving, I think it's 1/4 cup oats to 3/4 cup water.
@JD, That's a great idea, thanks!
I can’t wait to hear about the clinicals, especially since I think these are in OB (I might have that wrong). It will be exciting to hear about hospitals from the inside.
The fine arts museum for which I worked has a special student rate, as does every museum, pretty much. I totally understand why a concert pianist such as yourself would be drawn to the symphony. But you could also take advantage of student tickets at the theater, including movie theaters, opera, and event shows, all with your student ID. I think this is an awesome perk.
@Erika JS, my locally owned natural health store offers a 10% senior discount and a 10% student discount (with ID) at all times.
I bought a pillow for less than $5 to use as craft stuffing that I needed. A bag of poly-fil was over $13.
I shopped around for cat food...found the cheapest price for his kind and then they had a deal that if you bought 3 you got a $10 gift card. So, it went from $21 where I usually buy it to on sale for about $18 and then another $3+ off .
I bought a vintage Margot crossbody large bag/purse at goodwill for $5.50. It's a beautiful leather bag and large enough to fit my tablet and all my stuff. I used my $10 gift card from the cat food to purchase some leather cleaner and wiped down all my bags and shoes. I found a brand new small crossbody bag at a different goodwill recently also. I gifted it to my daughter in law.
I joined my state library recently and visited this week for books and checked out their offerings of audio books and it is so much better than my local county library.
I got permission to remove a tree that is in the middle of my gas/sewer/water lines. The quote to remove the tree wasn't too awful ($200), but being my son and a friend both paid nearly $2000 when roots got in their water line....I'm going to call it frugal to deal with it now.
I gave my husband and son a haircut.
Kristen, you made me remember that amazing $19 little black dress you scored a while back, also from Target I believe. But it was more summery than this one. Both lovely, though!
I realized I had been earning Amazon points on a credit card that I hadn’t linked to my Amazon account, so I relisted the card when checking out some purchases yesterday (including among other things the hardback of Kara Swisher’s new book (“Burn Book: A Tech Love Story” – but not so loving) about the questionable characters running big tech and, more importantly for my dog Maisie, a three-pack of her favorite liver treats) and got a $68+ order for … $0. Thanks, Jeff! Thanks Jamie Dimon of Chase Bank! Sorry (not sorry) I’ve thought so many mean things about you guys! I buy hardbacks instead of e-books of certain books so I can share them with friends and then donate them to my community library.
CVS is the gift that keeps on giving. Original price $22.64, but 67% off = $7.41. Original price $46.79, but 52% off = $24.49. Original price $36.76, but 70% off = $10.94. As long as I only buy things I really need.… And I really needed that Ghirardelli Intense Dark 86% Cacao Chocolate bar. Really! And it was only 75 cents instead of $4.49. Sadly, no corresponding 83% reduction in calories. :-{
Have an appointment for an annual eye exam later today. My insurer says I don’t have to pay any co-pay; the eye doctor office that insisted I “pre-register” for my appointment (which only took about 30 minutes on my phone) says I have a $25 co-pay. So we’ll see if this turns into a frugal savings of a disputed $25 co-pay or … I walk out and make an appointment elsewhere. If the insurer says no co-pay, and the in-network provider says co-pay … I think the insurer (and the insured) should win that argument. We shall see!
@JDinNM, Update: No co-pay! Now I can spend that $25 on lunch with a friend tomorrow.
I've been helping my mother get her financial life back in order, and am in the midst of finding ways to save her money all over the place, so this is my 'Mom's Edition' of Five Frugal Things:
1) Cancelled and got refunds on about a dozen magazine subscriptions she'd been taking, and showed her the generous magazine section of our local library, which pleasantly blew her mind.
2) Used her Medicare plan to sign her up for free enrollment at our local gym during her stay with us.
3) Cancelled her landline, leased phone (!!!), and pricey data phone plan (she only has a flip phone (!!! again!), and reduced her phone bills from $200 to $20 a month.
4) Convinced her to sell a large amount of gold jewelry for weight, which will pay for all new flooring in her new townhome once she closes escrow and moves in. Much of the gold was inherited, but she needs cash in hand, not fancy baubles to pass on to family members that would much rather see her financially sound.
5) Subbed out item after item on her previously out of control shopping habits- generic instead of name brand personal care items, one multi vitamin instead of mutiple bottles of singular vitamins, Aldi's instead of Gelsons and Whole Foods (again!!!), creating a menu and then a shopping list to go with. And on and on and on. Exhausting but gratifying in that Mom appears to be taking to her new reality and structulike a duck to water. I think she knew she was careening toward financial disaster, and is relieved to have my help in getting things back in good working financial order.
@Tamara R, that's major changes! Glad you could help her!
@Tamara R, What a lovely thing you did for your mom. So many seniors need help of this kind and many don’t have anyone to turn to.
@Tamara R, good on you for helping your mother do all this. I wish I could do the same for my next-door neighbor with the cognitive issues, but since I'm not a blood relative and don't have power of attorney for her, I can't do much. (However, since I'm a fluent emailer and a champion at polite nagging, I've finally persuaded her nephew--the only relative she has who might conceivably be of use--to pay a visit here over Easter. The neighbor's other close friend and I are hoping that once he's seen the situation for himself, he might finally get his rear in gear.)
@Tamara R,
@Danielle C,
Meant to say that those sound like reasonable and sustainable changes. Great job!
@Tamara R, It makes my heart happy not only that you're helping your mom turn her habits around, but that she's accepting your help and guidance! My MIL has turned a blind eye and ear to all our offers of help and advice, so I am always cheered to hear stories like yours where it's actually accepted and appreciated.
@Tamara R, What a wonderful and kind thing to do for your mom! She obviously raised a good daughter.
@Tamara R, my Dad is on sound financial footing but it was long overdue to review his meds. I've been going with him to most of his doctor appointments - if I don't go, sibling does. Down to his PCP who I know has his best interests at heart but is a bit too much old-school-always-done-it-this-way. Got him off a couple of meds that don't provide much, if any, benefit. Been hard core about how often he needs appointments - PCP is next. Unless blood work indicates something out of whack, I don't think it warrants a long drive for him (which will soon be a long drive or me or sister) to see PCP. Frustrating part - who originally prescribed a med and now the PCP deals with refills. But we're getting there. Thankfully Dad is amenable to checking meds as well as getting paperwork sent BEFORE time comes I need doctor, insurer etc. to talk to me or sibling.
To all of you above, thank you most sincerely for your kind and thoughtful comments. It's been a rough few months for us all, particularly in that my poor mom has had to live with us during our enormous remodeling project, but the big work is now completed, she's in escrow on a modest condo in a 55+ community I know she'll enjoy, and we can all see brighter days ahead. I can see my mom getting happier by the day as she adjusts to her new surroundings, and that makes my heart very happy.
This past weekend was a very unfrugal one for us (family trip to hear our daughter’s graduate flute recital at Big Name Music School in Far Away Big City) so I will just say that the point of frugality is to make experiences like our past weekend possible without stress. We were able to cover the Airbnb, rental car, and post-recital family dinner for ourselves, three other traveling family members, and two local guests while keeping smiles on our faces. The fact that she played beautifully was of course the main thing.
I’m very glad you got to hear the symphony! Most professional orchestras do offer student tickets and that is an excellent reminder for your readers.
@Meg in SoTX, You're exactly right that frugality helps us deal with the big stuff. When we take a trip I remind myself that our day to day frugality is what lets us afford the meaningful splurges.
@Karen A., Since both the husband and I are still alive after our Final Hurrah trip last summer, we want to go to Egypt, Hong Kong and Dubai next March. So now when I want to eat out or buy yet another book without waiting for the library to get it, I say, "This or Hong Kong?" That pretty much makes the decision for me.
@Lindsey, Egypt is amazing. Stopped there on my way home from Iran -- also amazing, but not very travel friendly these days.
My son studied in Hong Kong a few years ago. He absolutely loved it. He adored Vietnam too, especially the food.
-A dear neighbor passed away and her children are clearing out her house. I helped them sign up for the local Buy Nothing Facebook group to donate some furniture that their church charity was not picking up (furniture with glass!). I picked up a rug mat which I need for our living room rug that keeps sliding around.
-Replaced a part in our vacuum that broke instead of buying a whole new vacuum. The locking mechanism in the tube that extends broke, causing me to vacuum in a very hunched position last weekend with the shorter tube. Luckily we bought the vacuum from an actually dedicated vacuum store and they had the tube part to replace the old tube.
-Ongoing savings with owning just one car, which requires a little bit of dedication and effort. My husband had a work trip but was able to take a commuter bus and metro, and I woke up early to take him to the bus stop.
-Cheap outing. On a beautiful Sunday we drove to a nearby city to visit some vintage shops. We timed the outing in between lunch and dinner, but stopped in a brewery to use the bathrooms, with a side of French fries and small sample of the brews.
-Ordered the kids flannel PJs on sale, as before Christmas is not the time to buy them!
Kristen, so happy to hear about the concert you attended. It encourages me to seek similar opportunities. I used to attend my son's classical concerts for years and miss attending those, he played the cello in school.
@Kristina M., your cheap outing sounds like the perfect day!
@Gina from The Cannary Family, thanks, it was super nice!
Not sure of the origin of that hairstyle, but if you Google Millard Fillmore, the 13th President, he has the same "do" in many photos. 🙂
@Bobi, I just Googled MF, and by gum, he does have that same hairdo. Incidentally, the Central NY hamlet where MF was born has been hosting a Millard Fillmore Bathtub Race for several years, in honor of the fact that MF had the first bathtub installed in the White House.
@A. Marie, So much classier than our annual Outhouse Race.
@Lindsey, LMFAO. The town where I grew up was known for outhouses. And not only had races but holiday decorated outhouses (including the Bicentennial). Those in town who were outraged would wake up to one in their front yard. I don't think there are any outhouses left in that area since the early 80s. Such a hoot!
So nice that you were able to go to the symphony using a student ticket!
Last week didn't feel very frugal between helping DD with the newborn and DD being re-admitted to the hospital with postpartum hypertension. Lots of driving back and forth to the hospital and DD's house. Let's see what I can come up with.
- Made a double batch of white chicken chili for us and the new parents. Most of the ingredients were purchased BOGO, including the chicken breast.
- DH and I ate chili when we got home from the hospital late Friday night instead of grabbing takeout on the way home.
- DH and I continued to have chicken chili all weekend until it was gone. I typically don't enjoy that many rounds of a particular leftover, but given how tired I felt, I was glad food was prepared that just needed to be heated up.
- Bought breakfast to take to DD and SIL at the hospital and purchased items with discounts.
- Prepped jars of overnight oats for our breakfast this week using oatmeal and nuts purchased BOGO.
@Beverly, Congrats on the new baby in the family and I hope your DD is doing much better by now.
Schubert didn't look so bad -- I've seen worse! At least his hair was nicely combed.
Glad you got a night out and found a new friend! Sounds lovely!
1. Speaking of rips, I'm not sure if I should say my first frugal thing is also a rip or perhaps I should spell it R.I.P. (for Rest In Peace), but here goes: I had a nice long-sleeved cotton raimie pullover sweater I could wear 3 seasons a year. And wear it I did -- it was one of my most frequently worn garments. I bought it when I lived in Florida (2000-2005), I believe during the first 2 or 3 years there, and I've worn it (mostly to work or going out shopping) ever since. I bought it at a thrift store for half price, and it was on the dollar rack, so I paid only 50 cents. Per label, it was a Hanes irregular and was designed for men, but no one ever said anything to me except to compliment me on my top. I wore it to (substitute) teach on Friday, and planned to wear it Saturday. But then I noticed a rather significant hole -- it started out as a big hole and then went into a huge run, like a run in a nylon stocking. (Egads! When did this happen? Did anyone notice the big tear on me?) Because of the elaborate design woven into the fabric, it can't be fixed. Thus ends the useful life of my favorite fashion! (Although I will no cut it into rags, possibly into cloths for my Swiffer mop, since it's so thick.) Rest In Peace, cotton raimie sweater! But to look at the bigger picture, I believe I got my money's worth and then some, wearing a 50-cent top for two decades -- so I will classify this as a frugal win.
2. Frugal/not frugal: I had my taxes done. I just "knew" I could deduct the extra cost of my cataract surgery (the cost of getting lenses that would correct my nearsightedness) from my taxes, so I trotted over to H and R Block. Figured this would net me a nice big refund. No, said the tax lady, they upped the deductions so if your medical costs and other would-be deductions don't exceed $15,ooo (?, I think), you can't do this. Mine weren't high enough. So she prepared the ordinary tax form (short form) for me at a cost of $200+ -- not frugal! To make it worst, we have one of those programs where volunteers will prepare the short form for free -- and I didn't find out about this until I got home, as it wasn't publicized very well this year. I could've gone there! But, I found out that my having 2 pensions from 2 former employers, working 2 jobs (and the occasional bank account transfusion from some investments) meant that this year I earned more income than I did during my best year in my other "real" careers. (Not adjusted for inflation, however). So that was a frugal win...sorta/kinda. Turns out, I earned just enough $$ to push me into the next tax bracket and I therefore owe the IRS money instead of getting a refund. Ouch! But I have until April 15 to send 'em the money.
3. Bought a jacket (intended for inside wear) that has a flowery print. It was an Alfred Dunner and I got it at the GW Boutique (aka Goodwill) for about $7. "Shopped" my closet and found a skirt and a couple of sleeveless tops to go with it. Thus, I once again have cobbled together a nice frugal Easter outfit for church. (Haven't decided which top will be dressier, but I have 3 weeks to figure it out.)
4. Also found 3 pair of slacks I can wear with the above-mentioned jacket after Easter. So I can put together multiple "new" professional-looking outfits from that one purchase.
5. Was paid $60 from a consignment boutique for the designer purse I took in. Someone had given me the purse because I often wear that color, but it was the most impractical purse I've ever carried. (The giver had been given the purse also, and no doubt came to the same conclusion.) So I soon changed purses! Since it was still in like-new condition and since I was short some cash, I tried consigning it and voila!
@Fru-gal Lisa, That's not how tax brackets work. If one bracket, say, is earnings $50,000 to $75,000 and the next is $75,000 to $100,000, and you earn $76,000, only $1000 will be taxed at the higher rate, not your entire earnings.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Your #1 is awesome! Also, something I learned a few years ago is that when you're pushed into the next tax bracket you're only being taxed at that bracket for the money at and above that new bracket's amount, not on your whole income. I found that made me feel better.
@Christy, I think what you wrote you learned is one of the biggest misunderstandings about "progressive" tax rates. I read a description that said it is like a fountain with several overflowing levels. The income in the top bowl is the lowest tax bracket; what overflows from that is taxed at the next higher bracket; what overflows from that is the next higher, and so on. (Not sure this is clear).
A lot of financial advice articles FREAK OUT about more income putting one in a higher tax bracket. Not all of one's income is taxed at the same rate.
@Christy, I now remember reading that info as well. Thanks for making me feel better.
Y'all know about the new simplified tax form? "Step 1: Tell us how much money you have. Step 2: send it all in!"
OK, don't panic -- that's just a joke....an old joke dating back to the Reagan Administration...it gets less and less funny the closer to April 15 we get.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I wish we had elections on April 15 (tax day). I think that would positively impact the outcomes.
@Jean C, me too. Great idea.
1. I picked up a PS3 gaming unit and games off Buy Nothing. My husband and son really like video games, so this will be fun for them to play with. I also posted some left-over composite decking on Buy Nothing.
2. I signed up for an interesting CEU, as I need to complete 12 CEU's per year to keep my professional license. I submitted the registration fee to my employee for reimbursement.
3. We received a Soda Stream off Buy Nothing a few years ago. My husband learned how to hack the CO2 canisters and refill them using a restaurant-style CO2 tank. We took our CO2 tank to the store for our yearly refill this weekend, which cost $50.
3. My husband and I had a date night this weekend. Instead of going out to dinner we grilled steaks at home and then hung out in our hot tub. It was really nice.
4. We didn't have dinner planned for Friday. I used some leftover pasta, sauce, and a few leftover packages of cheese to make a pasta bake. The kids loved it and it even fed them for lunch the next day.
5. We used some frozen ribs and chicken, that we purchased on sale, to make BBQ with baked potatoes, macaroni and cheese, homemade corn bread, and roasted vegetables for dinners this week.
Yes to solo dates at any stage in life!
1. Checked out a discount grocery store in my area and found plenty of good deals and enjoyed the 10% off day.
2. Neighbors gave us 18 eggs from their backyard chicken coop and wouldn’t take any payment. The girls are laying like crazy so I expect that we’ll be able to buy our eggs from them (the neighbors, not the chickens directly!) in the foreseeable future… if they’ll take our money! We are particular about where our eggs come from and happy to pay a higher price at the grocery store or next door.
3. Purchased new eyeglasses. I have generous vision benefits as a retiree and used them along with some discounts from the eye glass center to order two pairs of glasses (I have never, ever had more than one at a time) and a pair of prescription sunglasses.
4. Received an additional small inheritance from my husband’s aunt now that her final estate and taxes have been wrapped up. This paid for my new glasses.
5. Visited my friend’s bookstore and purchased a new book that she knew I would love and that has received high praise – The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl. Not frugal but I like to support her business, I used an $8 trade credit, and the book came with a set of four beautifully illustrated postcards.
Well this weekend was my step dad’s memorial service. We had family in town, which was so bittersweet, it’s so wonderful to see faces I don’t see often. It wasn’t a super frugal week but I did pick up precooked dinner from Costco and we ate at my moms instead of going out with a crowd on Friday night. My mom said she didn’t want to plan anything for after the memorial service and we’d see how it goes. (That was a bad idea! She’s the type that doesn’t want to be told what to do, so I didn’t push it<3) The day of she(very understandably) had no brain cells and hadn’t planned and dinner so my sweet husband just up and got a big party pack from Juan pollo(a chicken place here in So. Cal) not cheap but so much cheaper than catering! We have So many leftovers that I don’t need to do a big grocery shop this week as long as we don’t get sick of chicken and pulled pork.
A side note, funerals/memorial are so hard and so wonderful at the same time. Ugh. So many feelings all at the same time?!
@Caitlie, funerals and memorial services are hard and wonderful at the same time. I'm so glad you can see the wonderful part to help with the sadness. At my uncle's funeral, a neighbor did what your sweet husband did - he fed all the family and guests with carry out. What a great kindness!
@Caitlie, When my father died, his wife (American wife #3) came up to my husband and handed him a camera so he could take pictures of my father in the coffin. Somehow, in 40 years, I had never told my husband that in my culture you take pictures of the corpse in the coffin. Many pictures, as various groupings stand around the open coffin. When he acted startled, I thought it was because she had given him a cheap camera and I reminded him that we had a professional grade camera in the car (purchased for a contract that required top quality pictures and at that time cell cameras would not have cut it). Turns out I was wrong, he was looking aghast at the thought of being the funeral photographer. My father had told his wife about the custom and asked her to have my husband do it and then to send copies of the photos to people in the pictures. So I had to juggle feelings of grief over my father with hysterical internal laughter at watching my horrified husband instruct various groups on how best to stand around my father's body. How can it be that I never showed him my funeral photo album with shots of funerals I attended when I still lived around my family?
@Lindsey, You would tell us if you wrote a memoir, right? Because I'm pretty sure you could fund your Next Hurrah trip to Egypt etc. Your stories! I'd buy your memoir for myself and everyone on my Christmas list.
@Suz, Absolutely the same for me. Priceless stories!
@Suz, Ditto!
@Lindsey, what culture is this part of?
When my sister and I were culling my mom's photos, I found one of my dad in the casket. She and I didn't attend the viewing and no idea that Mom took this photo. I screamed and dropped the photo on the floor; my sister wouldn't look at it. Mom has roots in the South, so maybe that's where it came from in her life, but she never discussed it with us.
@Lindsey, my grandmother had plenty of pictures of deceased in caskets, including a stillborn and died shortly after birth. Of course she never took the pictures, grandpa did. My mother made it perfectly clear that when she died, NO open casket (cremation preferred, we honored her wishes). There has been one and only one time in my life when the deceased in open casket "looked better" for lack of a better term.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
I think it’s a southern thing. My mother (born and raised in Kentucky) did this. I missed my grandmother‘s funeral; sometime later, my mother handed me a stack of pictures to look through. She did not warn me that there was a picture of Grandma in the casket. When I got to that one, I screamed and played 52 card pickup with all the pictures going to the floor.
Frugal this week:
*On returning something from Amazon at Kohl's, I used the 15% off coupon they gave me on a clearance shirt- which was also 50% the tagged price. So about $3 for a $16 shirt.
*I did not buy some very cute things for myself at the thrift store or Target when I went into them looking for t-shirts for my son. The quest for shirts was a bust, so another savings?
*We turned off the heat and let the fresh air pour in over the weekend. We'll try keeping it off now, as the long term forecast looks pretty tolerable.
*My son wore his school pants and a dress shirt we already own for a special event over the weekend. I tried finding him some new stuff, but it was all very expensive (for wearing one time). So I busted out the iron (covered in dust!) and pressed his uniform pants and the shirt. He looked fine, and no one checked to see if he was wearing dress shoes (just his black sneakers). He borrowed a nice tie from his brother in law.
Frugal Fail:
*I threw away an old banana and a few shriveled potatoes because I just couldn't deal with looking at them anymore.
I agree with your assessment of Schumann’s hairstyle! But I guess if Clara found him attractive, that’s what mattered?
You looked elegant in your symphony outfit!! And I’m sure you were such a blessing to the widow you sat with during the concert.
I mended a pair of black pants that I wear frequently. These pants are at least 20 years old, still looking good and still fitting so it was good that I noticed a seam starting to split. It was a quick and easy repair.
My husband and I are intentionally eating smaller portions these days. This keeps our grocery budget low even though food costs are rising.
My son is borrowing my “new” used car this week. This means I won’t be running errands so I won’t be using fuel. And my son will fill the tank before he returns the car.
A frugal win for my daughter was that she was able to get a new pair of glasses for half price. We usually don’t bother with coupons but this one from an optical place she likes came in the mail this week on the same day as her eye exam at the ophthalmologist. It was perfect timing to get new glasses for her change in prescription.
Schumann’s hairstyle reminds me of a reverse mullet! haha
My five:
1) made all meals and coffee at home (I feel like I list this every week - but it really is one of the most frugal things we do!)
2) have been going through the freezer to use up what we have. Only purchasing ingredients to use what we have.
3) came up with a frugal gift for our God-daughter. She turned ONE this week!
4) finding a new vet as our old one started significantly raising prices and was having a very high office staff turnover. We were starting to have to tell the new techs what meds and dosages our dog has been on for years. Our new vet is highly recommended, much more affordable, very personable, and willing to fit us in for emergencies. So thankful to have found a good one!
5) finding a needed part for my husband's truck at an auction and getting it for around 1/2 price.
Five Frugals:
1. Made soup using 2 frozen chicken carcasses from the Costco rotisseries, given to us by neighbor and boosting the flavor by using broth made from previous rotissed birds.
2. Added elastic to the waistband of a too-big skirt that a friend gave me. The skirt matches many of my tees, blouses, and sweaters, and I intend to wear it until I am thoroughly sick of it.
3. Gave shipping boxes to an artist friend who mails most of her paintings; I have too many from getting too many books printed 10 years ago and they are just getting dusty. (Frugal for her)
4. Found some old and kind of wrinkly copier paper in one of my church clean-up sessions that is perfect scratch paper for drawing lessons. (I demonstrate for each student whenever they get stuck on something, and then have them practice right next to my version until they are satisfied with their results.)
5. Cut off 2 pairs of jeans with holes both above and below the knees; maybe I’ll wear them as shorts. I also saved the patches from one pair, which extended the life by a year before new holes developed. (It is such a drag when a style that fits well gets discontinued or “improved”.)
Kristen, such a beautiful photo through the window of a window. And I am impressed that you took yourself to the symphony; not many women are willing to do things alone and this speaks of your confidence and maturity.
I am relieved to know the tiny holes in your American Giant joggers are your fault, because that company has a stellar reputation for clothing that lasts.
Wow, so many comments already! I'm late today because I had a car appointment for a battery replacement scheduled at 8 and got to work at 9:30 during our 9:00 Tuesday meeting, so I joined the meeting and it lasted till 10:30 and....
Anyway:
1. Re: the battery replacement. Car batteries have become unbelievably expensive and thanks to the stupid design of my car, it takes a professional to change out the battery in my car, because part of the car has to be dismantled. It makes me furious. Okay, that's the rant. The frugality wasn't all that great, but: instead of letting the dealer do it (they quoted me right at $400 for parts and labor), I took it to a local mechanic whose shop is less than a mile from me out in the country, and whose late dad was our mechanic for decades. I literally watched the current mechanic grow up in his dad's shop. I kept it local and paid him $318, which still makes my eyes water, but he did it in less time than the dealer allotted, and started work on it as soon as I got there, so I wouldn't miss much work.
2. I took a day on the weekend as planned and pressure canned several pints of turkey meat from a sale turkey.
3. We had a rainy weekend but I managed to hang up almost all of the laundry to dry, inside and outside.
4. I took a granddaughter's birthday gifts to her in one of the reusable bags I made. I find it cute that my grandkids all know to hand the bag back to me.
5. I needed some vinyl type material for a makeup bag I'm making, and discovered Hobby Lobby has it in sheets, the size of the sheets of felt. The rather wild pattern I picked out was on clearance for 39 cents a sheet; I only needed two. Vinyl on the roll is a whole lot more than that.
Love the student pricing for the symphony!! How fun!
Five frugals here-
1. Scored a free pizza in the Pizza Hut app. I think it might be a Pi day deal?
2. Used an unexpected giftcard (from my husband's tutoring student) from DQ. Went for treats with my husband and son
3. Fetch app points = redeemed for a Free $10 Kroger giftcard for scanning my grocery receipts. (And I initially downloaded games to earn more points, but then deleted because they are timewasters!)
4. Had to get a new water heater last week (not frugal!) but we were quoted $3100 from Lowes. I was in disbelief so we shopped around and found a local certified plumbing business who did it for $1500. Whew.
5. Sold an eBay homeschool item for $70. And that is the reminder that it is now March and it is officially curriculum season. So I need to move on listing a few other books on eBay!
1. For a fun activity we went to an antique mall, my husband got some books. Then we went to a Pawn Shop. He got some tools for 50 cents each and my son got a Nintendo Switch for $200, he's been wanting one for years.
2. I snapped my limit of reciepts for fetch rewards, including some that had been floating aroud parking lots. The good thing about those reciepts is sometimes they have purchased the things that get bonus points (I rarely buy items with bonus points).
3. I'm continuing to use runkeeper, a free app to track my walking/running, which is a free exercise.
4. Bought mascara for just under #2 at a flea market. I want to start trying to purchase make-up only at discounted/sale prices.
5. This month my goal is to keep good accurate track of our expenses. So I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to do that each day. So far, I've done it almost everyday this month.
So glad you could treat yourself to a night out! And it sounds like your new friend probably enjoyed having the company, too 🙂
I feel like I've been all over the place the last couple weeks, as we've been trying to get our flower farming season figured out and our ducks in a row financially to be able to somehow cover all the late winter/spring farm expenses we have. It's been a bit nuts, but it definitely means I got in five frugal wins this week!
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2024/03/05/weekly-frugal-wins-seasons-collide/
I am still convalescing from surgery, so I have done fewer frugal things that I otherwise would. So happy to see you taking yourself out to the symphony! How fun.
1) Thanks to the generosity of friends, we have been eating fairly frugally since my surgery. It was a double mastectomy, so I am supposed to limit how much I use my arms. That is very difficult with four children. I am so used to constantly being in motion and constantly working. But we have been eating a casserole friends gave us and using DoorDash dollars another friend gave us. And my husband is more than competent at grocery shopping and cooking for us all.
2) Yesterday I called and requested a refund for a business expense that processed even though we cut off autopay. I also downgraded our security system. I swear I signed up for the standard version. I suspect they made it really, really easy for me to accidentally clink the upgrade link. Now we are back to a reasonable monthly rate. I have also been watching our insurance claims like a hawk to track what bills I can expect to receive.
3) I have been reading/listening to library books while I am laid up.
4) While folding laundry, my husband sat aside a pair of one child's pants for me to mend when I am better.
5) I have made very few purchases since my surgery. I guess some folks would spend a lot of time in bed buying things online. I haven't done any of that. I am racking up the healthcare expenses, but our deductible should mercifully be paid as soon as the claims from my surgery are processed.
@Amanda in VA, Wishing you a speedy recovery! The times I have been laid up, I pretty much binge watched the hours away. Shopping of any kind, including on line, is not a big draw for me.
@Amanda in VA, Sending healing thoughts to you!
So good that you have a support network for you and your family during convalescence.
@Amanda in VA, Praying for you a speedy and complete recovery. Hope you feel better soon, and kudos to your husband for grocery shopping and cooking.
@Amanda in VA, I am sending healing thoughts your way as you recover from such major surgery. All the best to you.
Fray check you can get at Joann’s with a 50% off coupon, use it on things to stop the fraying ☺️ it’s a liquid in a bottle.
Frugal Things Home Repairs Edition....
1. We needed three new toilets for our home and the ones we looked at cost $300+ a piece in the big box stores. We located a discount dealer and bout all three of the same toilet for a total of $321 for all three. I call that a win 🙂
2. We chose a GC that is going to work within our budget so that we can update all 3 of our bathrooms on a very limited budget.
3. This flood has taught us many things. We elected to put high quality LVP in our home to try and avoid this extensive damage in the event that we, God forbid, have a leak in our home in the future.
4. I found a local person to remove and reinstall our stairlift saving us over $3800!
5. I used some Old Navy cash to score some basics in smaller sizes, I waited for sales from Wayfair to save $300 on my freestanding tub, I got several estimates for the sod and drainage we need in our backyard and a bit of extra time will save us $5300. I cooked mostly at home, used fuel points when I filled my tank, and meal prepped.
Cheers to a productive week ahead!
1) New replacement Le Creuset 5 qt oval roaster.
LC made it easy - send them some photos, pick a color.
2) Less food waste.
This comes partly from adjusting my shopping to match my cooking level and partly from cooking a little more.
3) Fixed vacuum myself, by opening up the head's plate and seeing what was there. It was a dime, by the way.
4) Future Me will like that I realized I should sous vide all the pork tenderloins in a package when I buy them, then freeze them. I had been freezing them uncooked, which meant an extra step.
5) Reduced PT sessions by 50%.
We realized that now that I'm going my home PT exercises (semi-) regularly, I can start to taper off my sessions.
6) Used up frozen cream cheese by baking.
So far I've given cookies to my PT, my knitting group, and my cleaning crew.
7) In process of getting Jansport backpack fixed.
I know this will cost me no more than $10. The mesh water bottle pocket needs to be sewn down again. It's covered by warranty as long as I pay the shipping to Jansport, which will be about $10. So I will see if a local luggage fixer or dry cleaners can do it for less.
8) A free tempura appetizer because I checked my order.
The place just reopened and is more than a little hapless right now. When I got my take-out home I realized I had a tempura roll instead of a tempura appetizer. The manager, with whom I'd been pleasantly chatting while waiting for my very-delayed order, refunded the appetizer cost and didn't charge me for the roll, and invited me to come in the next day or two to have the appetizer on them. The former is what they should do; the latter was a bit of an apology, likely encouraged by my pleasantness despite the earlier problems.
PS: Jansport makes the best backpacks. They last for decades even with very hard wear, I had to carry so many books for school and mine is still going strong. They're good about honoring warranties, this time they didn't ask for a pix, a receipt, or even how long I've had the backpack. The only reason this backback needs help is that the mesh they use for water bottle pocket is inherently fragile.
@WilliamB, I love Jansport backpacks too and got them for my kids, years ago, at Costco for $19.99. My kids were probably in middle school and used them through ms and high school and college. Daughter was a little rougher on hers so I returned on back twice and both times they sent new backpacks.
The symphony sounds wonderful. I think music is so good for the soul.
I canned a bunch of meals in jars this week: Chili, beef stew, and beef stroganoff. These are great 'fast food' meals on harried evenings, and also great to take camping.
I cleaned and organized my home office. This was a huge job -- especially the closet. I ended up with a bag of trash, a bag of recyclables, a box to donate, and two boxes of things that belonged in other parts of the house. I count this as frugal because I can find things now and won't waste money buying things I already own.
I did a survey with my health insurance company that should net me a $10 Amazon GC.
My husband repaired the ATV we use for snow-plowing. It refused to start and he salvaged a part off an old boat motor to make the repair. He is quick to point out this is why he saves everything. I've lost count over the years of how many times a neighbor has called and asked if he has some item in his 'collection' and yes, yes he does.
We've been especially diligent about eating leftovers this week. Yesterday I had a sandwich with Swiss cheese, avocado, and leftover steamed broccoli. It was actually very good. I'd eat it again.
I’ve noticed that some of my granddaughter’s new “frayed” jeans have patterned fabric under the frayed patches. I don’t know if this is a style now or not. I wonder if Zoe would think this was very clever or horribly wrong?
1. My partner didn’t want the reindeer hides I got him for his birthday. Apparently the smell it forever linked in his mind with freezing military exercises in the Finnmark highlands. Thankfully I could return them and get a full refund.
2. Found a new present on a resale site. A unused hand knitted sweater in 100% wool from one of my favorite small yarn manufacturers, Lofoten Wool. Paid $90 including shipping. Just the yarn would have been $160, not to mention my knitting skills aren’t up for such fancy colorwork.
3. Made a pulley system in the garage to dry the lavvu after use. My favorite way to be frugal, to look after our things so they will last a long time.
4. Removed silk frills from a secondhand linen cardigan. Now I will use it not only at fancy occasions.
5. Signed up for a free 30 days trial on Everand so I’ll have access to plenty of light reading now when I’m home recharging after some tiring months.
What a fantastic night out. I'm glad you befriended the widow, it is so comforting to enjoy the same things you did as a couple.
Schumann's portrait looks like he is growing out a bad mullet, is it a tuck, is it bad sideburns...idk.
I made a pot of beefy vegetable soup using up the broth from cooking the brisket. I grabbed the misc. veggies out of the freezer (it's a big tupperware that I drop bits and bobs of leftover veggies and when it gets full I make soup).
I made a loaf of GF english muffin bread and a green salad to finish the meal.
I love the idea of over dying...will have to ponder and plan...look up the s/s '24 colors...delightful! Who am I kidding, I've never been influenced by the runway. snort.
Rose, I am so excited for you! Can't wait to hear about foster pup.
A.Marie - there is a 'in the know' thrift store in a town 45 mi away. I have a friend who lives in that town and texts me when they happen to be open. So fun!
A quarter cup of cornmeal in a pot of chili. I also use it in my multi-grain bread recipe.
I also make cornmeal thumbprint cookies
https://www.marthastewart.com/315947/cornmeal-cookies
I use my smallest scoop and do not flatten, but make an indent for a dollop of favorite savory or sweet jam. I am famous for my savory/spicy cookies, I made these a couple of weeks ago and used habanero/mango jam. They were the first to be devoured on the cookie tray.
Great score, Kirsten! I remembered going to college and getting to do lots of free things since it was included in the tuition costs. There were free admission to college museums, on campus movie nights, local bus transportation & discount tickets for the college ballet and music concerts. Also, free use of their gym.
My 5 Frugal's
1) Make yummy curry with leftover shredded chicken, cabbage, wilted celery and the last can of coconut milk. Anything else added to it, we already had in our pantry.
2) Froze a few really ripped and blacked bananas for use in future milkshakes or banana bread.
2) Spent 3 hours mending holes clothes that include shirts, pants, dresses, jacket, mittens, socks and even underwear. Saved so much money doing this though the years!
4) Took the kids to a free event at the library where they learned to draw ducks with color pencils. A local artist was teaching it so it was like taking them to an art class. Also registered my family for a couple other free events at the library like an eclipse countdown and Celtic music concert.
5) All through the library, finally learned how to borrowed e-books through Libby and use Mango Languages to learn Spanish. My goal this year is to read 1 self help book per month through my recommended list and this will help greatly. I'm also looking forward to refreshing my Spanish so I can talk to the hispanic families at church when I'm working in the nursery. I took 6 years through middle and high school but haven't used it so I'm sorely rusty at it.
@AW, Forgot to also mentioned that we had my brother-in-law and his family over to our house and made tacos for lunch and went over to the Natural History and Science Museum which had free admission.
My daughter is currently in grad school and has seen the symphony and opera at the Kennedy Center in D.C. with a school group. Very inexpensive for her to go and experience something new.
My frugal fives:
1. The state lottery was having a bonus day at a local bar that I've never been in my whole life of living in this town. A little dive bar but I thought it was nice in it's divey way. Keeping real, ya know. Anyway we played the lottery's Quick Draw game. Because a lottery represenative was there we got 2 insulated grocery bags, 2 water bottles, 2 baseball caps and a first aid kit. Swag!!! Hubby and I played for about an hour and he had a couple of beers, I had an ice water and I won $3 and hubby won $36. A fun thing to do and less than a casino trip.
2. It's my birthday today so yesterday we went to get my free bundtlet cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Cute little thing.
3. Over the weekend hubby and I shared an entree from Olive Garden (take out) and I got a free dessert - tiramisu. Yum!
4. Reading a library book and have another on tap for when I finish this one.
5. Renewed my Sunday subscription for the newspaper for .99/week. Believe me that's all it's worth cause the coupons stink but I like to read the news. I renewed for a year.
6. Bought some clothes online but I'm not happy with them so they will all be returned.
Our symphony offers rehearsal concerts on Saturdays where you pay a fraction of the usual price to see the whole concert rehearsal, including the guest artist(s). We discovered this when our kids were in elementary school and the kids and one parent got free admission to rehearsal concerts. We pay about $15 now for those tickets. Seating is open and it's fun to see how the conductor works to refine the performance during the rehearsal. Even better, the concert hall is on my daughter's University campus, so we can use her parking pass for free parking!
My kids were slow to discover the offerings of their university for entertainment around the Bay Area. There are discounted theater tickets, SF symphony, ballet, and opera tickets, SF and local theaters, etc. And the university has a spectacular Pops concert and fireworks on the 4th of July which is a lot of fun. There is usually a guest artist as well. One year it was Adina Menzel! Back in my college days they had very inexpensive trips to see the Broadway Touring companies of popular musicals, including bus fare to the "big city"--I really enjoyed that.
We are about 50 miles from San Francisco, and a lot of the museums in SF have free admission days once a month on a Wednesday. I have occasionally taken the day off just to go to free admission day--it's a lovely way to take a one day mid-week vacation (it still costs in gasoline, the toll on the Golden Gate Bridge, and parking). When there are special exhibits, you don't have to pay a separate admission to the main museum.
And if you ever visit Los Angeles, one of the best bargains is a day at the Getty Museums. Admission is always free, although there is a reasonable charge for parking. It's one of the best museums on the West Coast. If I lived down there I'd go all the time.
It was a mixed bag this week.
*I had expensive therapy this week, and my husband took me out to an expensive dinner. BUT afterwards we went to a free concert (Airmen of Note).
*My son needed extra black pants and shirt for his concert band tour, so my husband went to the local thrift store and found some the day son came home for the weekend. BUT the child forgot to pack them before he left to go back to school.
*My husband found a good deal at the local thrift shop on a bookshelf needed in one of the kids' bedrooms, BUT on his way home, the pickup broke down. We had to have it towed about a block to the shop (no, it couldn't be pushed). At least we have emergency roadside assistance in our insurance plan. But we still have no idea what is wrong with the truck.
*This weekend was the annual hog butchering. This is very frugal for us because the pork is a gift for pastor's family. My brother-in-law's family came. I made many pies. Much fun and much work. But I was exhausted with the thought of upcoming preparations, so when I went to pick up husband at the mechanic shop (after the towing was over), I pushed the easy button and got chicken already made at the grocery store. BUT each package was 50 cents off.
*I didn't get mending done this weekend, BUT I did make a giant pot of vegetable soup that has (and will continue) to save me time with meal preparation.
That's all.
We were so sick last week that it's hard to remember much of what I did . . .
1) I listened to the person from my insurance who called to tell me about services. Then on Saturday morning I knew to call the number for teledoc (free) instead of paying $35 at urgent care to get someone to write me a prescription for eye drops to fix pink eye.
2) We packed dinner to take to urgent care on Tuesday when our daughter needed a prescription for meds to treat pink eye.
3) On Sunday we cooked stew so that we had dinners for the week. (I wanted to sit on the couch and rest my sick body but it saved on convenience foods.
@Rebekah in SoCal, If you are breastfeeding, (if there is a next time) you could try expressing some breastmilk into the eye. It works quite well for eye infections. And also free!
Kristen, you looked like a million bucks enjoying your $10 seat at the symphony! You go, girl…
Kristen, you can also get student-priced subscriptions to various publications, like The New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
1. Dyed my favorite Eddie Bauer heavier weight shirt -- an awesome score at Goodwill -- after it was stained by another piece of laundry when I forgot to put color catcher sheets in the washer. The deep pumpkin shirt turned the most beautiful plum color when dyed blue, so that was a win.
2. Finally mended and refurbished my son's old quilt he'd been waiting on for about a year. Sadly, this was my last quilt. The arthritis in my hands makes big sewing projects like that just too painful to do any more.
3. My husband volunteered as a poll worker for 14 hours today. I packed him a big bag of food and drinks so he wouldn't have to order pizza or buy from the soda machine.
4. Took some donations by Goodwill and popped inside to buy some short-sleeved shirts. Got four shirts for $16.
5. Did some intensive searching on Poshmark and put together some orders for new with tags summer pajamas and a couple of pairs of slacks at greatly reduced prices. I have a hard time buying slacks due to being an odd combination of short yet leggy. The measurements Poshmark sellers provide make getting the right fit much easier.
Now I want to go to a symphony. Live music, played well, feeds my soul.
My five:
1. I dump leftover veggies, rice, beans, herbs, little bits and bobs into a freezer bag now and then until its full. On Sunday I thawed it, with 4 frozen burgers that I needed to eat up, diced a yellow potato, added barley, and made the best crockpot soup out of it. It fed DH and I for three days.
2. My eyes have finally healed and adjusted after recent surgery, so my old glasses don't work anymore. I used Rakuten and Zenni to order new ones, they are so much cheaper that buying them from the Dr's office, and since my eye dr won't give me my pupil distance, my DH measured mine. I learned that the PD is different for near and far vision.
3. Took advantage of the BOGO specials at the grocery store and stocked up on staples.
4. Regifting some gift cards to give to my grandchildren for their bdays. 🙂
5. We no longer have a local Dollar Tree, and I needed to buy a bday card. CVS emailed me a $4 off anything coupon so I bought the bday card for free using the coupon. 🙂
Yay for symphony tickets! I went to the opera and ballet several times on student tickets and really enjoyed feeling cultured. 🙂
my FFT are saved from the last several weeks:
1. Used a Sbux gift card I won through playing their winter game to have a free drink and get out of the house. You can get free refills of hot/cold drip coffee or hot/cold tea when you’re in the store, btw!
3. Deposited about $5 cash back from Rakuten.
3. We had baby #2 a few weeks ago, and all went well– yay! While in hospital post-labor and delivery, DH and I were twice able to avoid ordering a guest tray by loading up my meal tray. We also ordered up to the limit on his guest trays since they were a flat fee, and took home a few packages of nuts, some guacamole, and a veggie wrap.
4. I’m using the breast pump I had from baby #1 for baby #2. It would have been “free” to get another one (it’s covered 100% by insurance), but I didn’t want another one hanging around and it’s more frugal for everyone if people only use the healthcare benefits they really need. I also have some remaining supplies for freezing milk, which were originally given to me by an acquaintance.
5. I found a penny while at the pediatrician’s office for a checkup. Bonus: it’s a choking hazard in that particular location.
6. I finished yet another skincare sample, as well as a deodorant that didn’t work especially well. I figured I could finish it when I was mostly home during these colder winter months, and it worked passably well.
7. I’ve been using silicone ear plugs when it’s my turn to sleep and I realized they were too big for my ear. So I’ve pinched off a little from each one, saved the remnants in the original container, then roll two remnants together to get a new one. It’s like buy two, get one free.
8. We (unfortunately) committed to doing an extremely expensive vacation with my in-laws in order to keep the family happy. However, we were able to use airline miles for our plane tickets one way, so that saved us approx. $550.
Congrats on the new little one!!
@Lindsay B, congratulations on your new baby! I love how you planned the meal trays to maximum benefit!
@Lindsay B, Congratulations on your new baby!
Shumann looks like a child of the 1970's!
That is true! And it makes sense that I don't like his hair, because I really dislike men's hairstyles from the 1970s.
1. One kid has a broken bone which makes dressing hard. I bought some shirts that button up the front and some pants without buttons or snaps. I bought everything at a secondhand store, so it was about $40 for 4 pants and 5 shirts. I could have kept washing what we had, but it didn't see worth it.
2. I cooked all our meals at home. I used up food that needed to be eaten.
3. I have been using the free version of duolingo to learn more Spanish.
4. My husband was out of town. I make terrible coffee, so I found a gift card for Starbucks. I had won the gift card, so I only spent $0.35 of my own money.
5. We enjoyed free entertainment.