Five Frugal Things : An everyday edition
It's time for Five Frugal Things! I didn't do anything amazingly creative yesterday....just some regular ol' staple frugal stuff.
I rescued some dry bread
Remember the dry, chewy store-bought pitas I got last week for gyros? Joshua made it thru two of them, but then the other two just sat. They weren't moldy (hello, preservatives??), but they were obviously still just as dry and chewy as before.
So, I had the idea to make them into pita chips, and I used The Pioneer Woman's recipe, except I split my pitas in half. Unfortunately, I didn't think to reduce the baking time, so mine got a little...browned.
But my kids didn't seem to mind and ate them anyway.
I also had a little bit of leftover star-shaped canapé bread from the other day, so I sliced it thinly, brushed the pieces with an oil/butter mixture, and baked them. They turned out kind of like star-shaped melba toast.
Both the star toast and the pita chips are all gone now, so, mission accomplished!
I made yogurt.
Nothing unusual, but it's a frugal staple here at our house. We eat some in bowls with fruit, but lots of it gets put into smoothies.
I packed Mr. FG's lunch.
Also not out of the ordinary, but it IS frugal. 😉 And I packed it in all reusable containers, which is both frugal and green.
I read a library book while at ballet.
Sometimes I run errands while Sonia and Zoe are at ballet, but the last two weeks, I haven't had an errand to run, so I got to just sit and read.
(This is my idea of partying.)
Almost all the books I read come from the library. I love that this saves me money, but even more, I love that when I'm done with the book, I can give it back to the library. No clutter!
Yesterday, I was reading Below Stairs, which Sarah from Clover Lane recommended (she said people who enjoyed Downton Abbey would like this book and she was right.) I'm loving it so far, and I'm finding it to be surprisingly thought-provoking.
I made dinner.
If there's one frugal thing I try to do regularly it's this: make dinner. Eating out, even at a cheap place, is stupid expensive for six people.
I mean, we can barely get fast food for $30, which means that making food at home is one of the most effective ways I can save money.
And at $30/meal, I can make pretty much anything I want at home and still save money.
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Your turn! List your own five frugal thing in the comments, if ya want to.
I have a bit of a personal question, feel free not to answer if you'd prefer not to. When you and your husband were planning your family did you take into consideration your finances when deciding how many children to have? My husband and I are trying for a family and I'm nervous that we'll not be able to provide as much as we would like for our future children. Di you have the same fears? How did you let go of them?
I wouldn't say we spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about that aspect of it. We knew that you don't HAVE to spend oodles of money on children, and so at least to some extent, the financial burden of children is under our control. Frugal people can manage to feed, outfit, and educate children on a small budget, you know?
I do think it's wise to consider finances when you're thinking about having kids, but I'd just encourage you not to make the mistake of thinking that money is the be-all, end-all in parenting. What matters most is two parents who love a kid and who are involved in that child's life, and you can do that on a lower income as well as a higher income.
Thanks for taking the time to respond.
1. my lunch yesterday included leftovers and homemade bread (inspired by you!).
2. My husband pulled together a cheap, easy, delicious dinner from the pantry.
3. I washed cloth diapers--also frugal and green.
4. I got an email that my Dropbox account is up for renewal. I really like Dropbox, but for $90 I was able to get a couple of hard drives from Best Buy. I'll back up my archives on the drives, leaving each in a different location so they won't both get destroyed as happens. It will save us the $99 Dropbox annual fee, at least until years from now when we need to replace a hard drive.
5. I got the jacket I ordered from H & M. I've been unhappy with my jacket/coat situation for a while, it being a motley crew of aging and Goodwilled jackets that didn't really fit my needs. I am now donating five jackets I don't really love, and I have one that was only $50 and I absolutely love it.
I will try and come up with five...on my days off I eat leftovers from the previous nights' dinners (I still make enough for five people, even though there are only four of us now), clipped coupons and cleaned out the expired ones from my coupon caddy (I save enough in coups to justify getting the Sunday paper delivered), went to Sprouts for veggies - waaaay cheaper and better produce than Wal-Mart or HEB, stitched a birthday gift to put in the mail for a friend of mine (nicer and more personal than a gift card and I already had all of the supplies), and made a meal strictly out of odds and ends I found in the freezer since I forgot to thaw the meal I had planned.
My every day frugal things are:
1. Make meals, even though there are only 2-3 of us it still saves a lot of money and is generally healthier. That includes packing lunches for my husband and for me on the days I am out of the house at lunchtime.
2. Shop grocery store sales. Because I get a bit of a thrill out of scoring a bargain and I don't shop for much more than groceries I do shop the sales at Giant and/or Safeway most weeks, adding coupons when possible. I do buy most of our produce at Aldi and some things at SAM'S Club.
3. I don't pay for books. I borrow them from the library, often as e-books and download some from Amazon, when they are free.
4. I take care of myself. I exercise regularly, eat mostly healthy food, maintain my weight, and schedule routine check-ups. I do pay to attend yoga classes, but with a monthly membership I attend more classes and pay much less per class. It is good for both my body and my mind, and I have met a lot of nice people.
5. I am still driving my 13 year old car. I treat it gently and have always done routine maintenance. It doesn't seem that it will need to be replaced anytime soon. I also generally walk short distances.
Good for you! I kept my car through its 15th "birthday." At that point the cost of maintenance was prohibitive. But since I drove the old car so long, I paid cash for my current (2010) car. 🙂
I love #4. I often think of healthy living as frugal living too. I have been able to drastically downgrade the health insurance plan I selected through my employer thanks to our good health.
Fun list. 🙂
1) My daughter has been begging to get the fall decorations out, so we did that. They're getting a little skimpy since seasonal decorations tend to not be made very high quality. Instead of buying more things, I went to the basement and brought out two orange chevron afghans and ran them through the wash and dryer (carefully, I didn't want to melt the yarn). My husband's great-grandma made one and my great-grandma made the other one. Now we have more fall decorations out and I didn't have to buy anything!
2) I roasted a chicken yesterday and instead of throwing the bones out I threw them all back in the crock pot and added water and simmered that while we were away. I got a quart of broth (which probably doesn't have a ton of flavor but should have some nutritional value - but I will cook with it instead of water!).
3) I'm trying to save up for a rug for the living room and so I'm selling random things on Craigslist. Today I'm selling a very nice wool but too-large coat which will add $15 to my savings.
4) My daughter wants to watch the American Girl movies so I put the ones available at my library on hold. Free entertainment!
5) Someone gave me some apples which were intended for applesauce. But...they were wormy and very bruised. So I passed them on to someone else (via Craigslist) to use as deer apples instead.
There are two thin can do to increase the robustness and nutrition of your stock: roast the bones in a 400 degree oven until they are dark brown (not burned), stirring them around or twice and then boil them for stock. Second, put a good splash of vinegar in the stock at the start of cooking, to help draw the marrow out of the bones. Your stock will be dark and tastier.
I've figured out a few things that have helped to make my chicken broth way better than it used to be. Here are all the tricks I use: https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2014/11/how-to-make-chicken-broth-that-is-actually-tasty/
Five Frugal Things
1. Hang all shirts including baby's now to dry
2. Used $3.00 mperks reward
3. Didn't order school photos (expensive for a fake smile)
4. Had a friend over for coffee instead of meeting out
5. Didn't respond to a Craigslist email. Nothing like reading they want to send a check and then arrange a pick up for an item....
Lisa,
I just received a craigslist email about the same thing. I was pretty sure it was a scam and reported the email.
They must be making the rounds.
Sara
1. Breastfeeding! 3 children in the past five years, I'm sure we've saved a bundle, while investing in their health!
2. Packing up the ring bearer pillow for another wedding!!!!! We bought it off Craigslist for our wedding six years ago. My son will be carrying it for the 3rd time this year and he'll be handing it off to the little brother of my sister's fiance in a few months! The couple this weekend will use our knife and server, and out wedding card box will get reused for the 7th time!
3. Turning off lights and unplugging appliances when possible!
4. Meal planning for the wedding weekend! Sandwiches for the car and frozen pizza for our return!
5. Stacking wood from neighbors and friends, and scraps from a cabinet place down the street
That's so great that you all are reusing wedding stuff! Weddings require so much single-use stuff, and it's brilliant to share your items with others.
Thank you! And it's such a joy to be able help out a couple and add something of ours to the day! I think since our wedding, we'll have been a part of 9 weddings in 6 years and lent at least one item for each, minus one, but we were able to sing for that one.
1. Replaced and painted siding ourselves.
2. Painted the old light fixture.
3. Don't remember the last time we ate out. 🙂
4. Spent $21 for groceries for the week. Such a blessing. 🙂 Grateful for food storage.
5. Returned a milk bottle.
I got a two big containers of yogurt for 79¢ so I didn't have to make it this week.
1. I have leftover spaghetti and some grapes at work for lunch. Bought a giant cookie for a treat yesterday, but taking my time eating it (it's at least 2-3 servings' worth) and pairing it with loose tea I brew in a Christmas steeping mug. Today it's mint tea!
2. We don't have a lot of money to donate to charity (thanks, student loans!) so I volunteer my time - this morning was at the homeless shelter before work.
3. Making dinner at home, of course. Last night was mashed onion, parsnip, and potatoes garnished very lightly with bacon and cheese, and a salad that used the last scrapings of mayonnaise and sour cream for homemade "ranch" dressing.
4. Library books. Currently working on a few, primarily Searching for Sunday, and The God of Small Things.
5. I'm working on a hoodies-and-jeans quilt whose purpose was to save a dog-torn blanket from college with its old, now-banned logo. Used up lots of old/holey jeans and two equally loved college hoodies in the process. It's not a looker and wouldn't win a prize, but it's going to be a nice winter and picnic blanket for at least another decade if I can manage it!
1. Sewed patches on the inside of four pair of my husband's work jeans.
2. Made hummus from scratch, very good afternoon snack with veggies.
3. Did not eat out over the weekend, but cooked at home.
4. We share our internet with our apartment neighbors. In turn, one neighbor shares his gas grill with us, another neighbor has lots of storage space and we have none - they share their storage space with us.
5. Made yogurt. thanks for the recipe and directions! we love this yogurt!! I have made it for about a year now. And am able to use the pot, jars, jelly thermometer and cooler I have. I didn't have to buy any equipment to make it.
**Disclaimer** My 5 frugal things arrive on the heels of a non-frugal trip to visit Mom. Very worth it but not frugal 🙂 Re-entry is challenging . . .
1. Ate the nonfat yogurt that was in danger of being forgotten for breakfast using the very cheap chia seeds and flax meal bought on discount. Oatmeal is shelf-stable -- yogurt, not so much.
2. Drinking tea bought on deep discount at Big Lots before off to work.
3. Bringing salad (okay, from Trader Joe's, but still . . .) for lunch and apple and orange plus peanuts in the shell bought on clearance at grocery. Love the mark down section at local Ralphs. Bought many bags.
4. Planning to eat from 'fridge and pantry tonight -- defrosted tortellini; will cook up cherry tomatoes that are wrinkly and drying up with some onion and throw in frozen peas, garlic, mushrooms, whatever else is lurking in the ice chest. Serve with frozen broccoli, soycatash, etc., instead of buying salad stuff before the weekend when we'll be out a lot. Avoiding waste.
5. Wearing old clothes that fit again: Jeans bought at discount somewhere in the mists of time (Ross Dress for less) and $3.00 tee. Intimates also from TJ Maxx and Target. Wonderful Teva sandals deeply discounted at Nordstrom Rack that make feet happy. Need my feet to be happy to do job so consider this frugal.
Thank you for this post -- it is really helpful to sit down and enumerate these things and feel a bit successful. And to read everyone else's! Yes, library books are the best 🙂
1. Baking bread with my 4 year old. Entertaining, stimulating, healthy and frugal!
2. Bought 2nd hand books for 4yo at local charity shop. R70 for 8, a bargain!
3. Going to give my husband a haircut this evening.
4. Making supper - steak I bought on bulk special, repackaged and froze.
5. My lovely Domestic sold some 2nd hand clothing on my behalf, we split the cash. Win-win.
We're on our long fall vacation, made possible by frugal living all year round! Our "splurges" consist mostly of things like Groupons, happy hours, freebies in the area.
1. Caught a 20% off on a Groupon already on special: less than $7 bucks for a excursion lunch of $20.
2. Went to a free native flute concert last night -- great music and some history of native flutes.
3. Used my seniors`National Parks pass ($10 -- good for the rest of my life) for Red Rock hiking.
4. Visited a local Goodwill and picked up a quality silk shirt that was a short waisted as I am and whose colours go with many of my wardrobe favorites for $5.
5. We stay in places with kitchens and this week we were able to get all needed basics + protein for under $25 through specials at Safeway (using their discount card -- we have a packet of them for locales we frequent on our travels).
Kristen,
As I read your post and you said reading a library book was your idea of partying, I thought, "me too!" When you said returning books to the library is great because...no clutter, I thought, "yes, me too." When you said you were reading "Below Stairs," I thought, "wow, I loved that book (from the library, of course), also!" I only wish I had your ability to make bread, also, in common with you!
P.S.: I've also read another book by the same author, "Servant's Hall." It is worth reading, too. In addition, she has published some interesting period cookbooks.
Well, we must be long-lost twins. 😉
I saw she wrote a few other books and I'd been planning to check my library today! I was sad when I finished the book last night...I wanted more!
There are all sorts of old Victorian housekeeping manuals on the Internet now. One of my favorites is this:
https://books.google.com/books?id=Vr5kAwAAQBAJ&pg=PP8&lpg=PP8&dq=appearances+alfred+praga&source=bl&ots=_dSj035bYQ
1. All meals and snacks have been prepared at home for all 6 members of the family.
2. I have been working on tweaking our grocery and household budget and have spent about $70 less each week over the past 5 weeks than we had been prior! So, a savings of about $350. I am planning several weeks of meals from pantry and freezer, just shopping for fresh produce and milk when needed. Working on decreasing budget even more!
3. Found a nice, complete set of dishes for $5 at a local thrift store! This was a genuine need, as over the past year several plates and bowls have cracked or broken..not uncommon in a home with young kids!
4. I haved determined to only watch movies and read books from the library! We have always done this the majority of the time, but if there was a book or movie we were really excited about and it was not available right away from one of the libraries in our area, we would occasionally rent the movie from family video or purchase the book online or at a store. Fortunately, the library we frequent most often has a wonderful interlibrary loan program, and also take purchase suggestions from patrons. It is a bit more waiting, but well worth the savings! We have not rented a movie from the video store in about 6 weeks.
5. This week I have been working on a master grocery list and continuing working on my price book in order to streamline frugal food purchases.
5 frugal things
1. I’m going to cardiac rehab 3 times a week and my husband drives its at noon so I pack a picnic lunch for both of us and eat in a park near rehab.
2. Checked out library books. I do by books and used books at library are great buys.
3. Made a vegetarian pot of soup ( saved on meat budget.
4. Ate one meal out ordered water instead of a drink.
5. Had my hair cut but not styled. Came home and did my self.
Love this site. First time to post frugal 5 ☺
Oh, what a nice way to have a lunch date!
* Decorated my house with free outside plants
* Re gifting a book I got from a free pile
* Eating mostly at home, and using Groupons when out on a dinner-date
* Got 4 small pumpkins for the kids to decorate. Will cook them after Halloween
* Won a pair of movie tickets.
* free pumpkins
1. Checked the clearance rack at Target and found a $20 dress to wear as part of my costume to a friend's Halloween Day wedding. Bonus: everything I bought for the costume can be worn-- separately-- in regular life!
2. Attended two clothing swaps this week. Cleaned out our closets and got a few new-to-us items.
3. Husband built a clever cage for our raised-bed-gardens, so the critters won't eat our winter greens. He borrowed a few tools from our neighbor instead of buying tools.
4. We are getting ready for a trip that has been mostly paid for with credit card points (we charge everything and pay off the card every single Friday, to avoid interest!)
5. A friend is pet-sitting for us, so we don't need to pay a pet-sitter (we take care of her pets when she travels, as well).
1. I didn't have anything at home that I wanted for lunch at work, I thought. I scrounged around in the frig and found a leftover hot dog and homemade sauerkraut. It wasn't luxe, but it was fine.
2. We still have a land line. I received notice that my long distance bill was ready to pay: it was $0.00. I can pay that!
3. We're planning on going on the annual Farm Tour this weekend. It's free, except for gas to drive to the farms, and it's fun to us. We were both raised in farm country and now we are learning all we can about organic gardening. These farms all use organic or certified natural farming practices and we get great tips and ideas.
4. I completed a jar of homemade kefir this morning. It's about as easy as it gets to make, and the kefir grains keep growing, so I can make more jars at one tiime or give some grains away.
5. I'm planning a meal of leftover soup or casserole tonight. It's going to combine a lot of leftovers, whatever I make.
I love these posts! It's great to see everyone's ideas and to know we're all in this together. 🙂
1. I have a pricey medical test scheduled and I caught the insurance company in a mistake ($200 in my favor). It's not over 'til it's over, but I feel good about being on top of it at this point.
2. Date night with my husband was a lovely homemade dinner and Netflix.
3. I have dinner with my niece once/week and this time she requested "something with lots of veggies." Every random and/or still-mostly-good vegetable I had went into a stirfry.
4. My husband FINALLY seems to understand "if we eat our own food together, it's good and the rest is details" concept. Carrot sticks as a side dish? Fine. You heated some homemade frozen soup out of the freezer and made a salad, all ready by the time I got home from work? AWESOME. The fact that you can't/don't labor over it for hours doesn't make it any less important.
5. Friends are letting us use their beach condo for a real week-long vacation!!!! Technically, I could save by just paying the $100 cleaning fee as they requested, but it's just polite to also send them thank-you flowers. That's the difference between cheap and frugal. 🙂
1. Used Shoe Goo to repair a pair of sandals I stepped wrong in and broke, rather than tossing them in the trash. (I love Shoe Goo!)
2. Made four pints of hummus to use up the tahini and garbanzo beans that were extra from my first foray into making hummus some weeks (months?) back. Three pints are now in the freezer, and one is being happily consumed. The cost savings is about 30%, but the taste factor is much better, and it was just plain fun to make.
3. Made pesto from basil a friend gave me from her garden. I bought about $1.00 worth of those $$$ pine nuts, and had everything else I needed already on hand. I now have four small containers in the freezer waiting to be called into service.
4. Declined a 'free' set of admission tickets to a large scrapbooking show being held this weekend. That's all I need to get involved in! Plus, you would still need to pay to park.
5. Went onto four of our favorite performing art venue websites, one of which is at/in a university, and searched for free events. All four had them, actually more than we have time to put onto our calendar. Highly recommend trying same, as it is amazing what is out there once you go looking.
Really long day today so I had to read the comments to remember what I did:
1. As usual, unplugged the counter oven after I used it.
2. Brought sodas and a leftover cookie to work training, rather than buying there (OTOH, I purchased a breakfast sandwich from Dunkin Donuts rather than bringing my own. It was a good healthy one (I haven't been eating well lately), healthier than what I would have brought from home, but still ...)
3. Dinner was leftover veggie/chix/pasta I'd frozen some weeks ago.
4. Made cookie bars (earlier in the week, I knew it'd be a long day) to share, in lieu of buying something.
5. Didn't buy a lear jet.
Ooo I love that you ask for our 5 frugal things! I'll really have to think about it though....
1) I checked out two places for Tae Kwon Do recommended from parents of my son's friends. One cost $200/month (Uhhhh...NO!) and the other is at the Salvation Army for $20/month. We sat and watched a class and I think it will be good enough!! Bonus it is walking distance from my house!
2) I cut up a chuck roast (from a 1/4 side of beef I split with a friend) for stew. It had a nice round bone in it so I threw the bone in the crock pot for extra flavor when I made the stew. Then I gave the cooled down bone to my dog for a treat. The bones we buy at the pet store are beef bones so why not?
3) I packed lunch for my kids every day this week so far. This is a big deal for me because last year with only one kid in school I relied on hot lunch often! I did a happy dance in the kitchen when I realized tomorrow is pizza calzone day, the one day this month we agreed to hot lunch! A literal happy dance, the dog looked at me like I was nuts, the kids are used to it.
4) I ate leftovers for lunch. Yummy and frugal.
5)I walked downtown today to meet a friend. It's just shy of a mile, far enough I usually drive for quick errands. I didn't stop in any of the shops because I knew I would have to carry purchases home.
Came up with 5 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity to share, it makes me think about what I am doing.
1. Ate at a friend's house for lunch instead of going out to lunch or running to Target ($$) just for something to do in the hour before preschool pickup.
2. Used a freezer meal for dinner instead of picking something up.
3. Wore a sweater at home instead of turning up the heat.
4. Went to my local rec center gym ... for free-to-me using "punches" that I bought years ago when I had a corporate job with an annual fitness allowance.
5. Made plans for tomorrow to use a museum membership that we bought earlier this year.
I always enjoy Five Frugal Things and the comments! Even if they are things I routinely do, it helps keep me in the mindset and stay resolved to keep doing them.
I don't have five, but here are mine:
1. I still cook for four even though our kids are grown and away. This way I am cooking once but we are eating twice - less electricity, less time.
2. Not shopping, not even at the thrift store!
3. Read some new-to-me blogs about decluttering, frugal cooking and avoiding shopping.
4. Packed husband's lunches, as usual, and my own snacks for my casual job.
I have really enjoyed the frugal five. These are the things I did this week to be frugal.
1. I took my lunch to work everyday except one. This is the day my daughter works at my school and we have lunch together. I buy sometimes and she buys sometimes. It was her turn this week.
2. I cooked supper at home every night. We seldom eat out.
3. I made enough chicken and broccoli alfredo to freeze some for another quick supper.
4. I made my Christmas list and began making them. I make as many gifts as I can.
5. I put up my Halloween/fall decor. Some of the items were handmade and I purchased no new items this year. After Halloween I will take down the jack-'o-lanterns and replace them with turkeys. Most items were purchased in previous years from dollar stores.
I read a similar book, "Life Below Stairs," also from the library that I enjoyed- not this week though.
This week I read a library book by an author that was coming to speak today. I could count 5 things from that one event.
1. Read library book instead of purchasing.
2. Free event at library- author speaking- and it stayed free since I resisted buying any of her books! The library has more that I can check out later.
3. Free snacks at event, and they sent some home with me for the rest of the family. (love small town life.)
4. Kids spent about 2 hours at library on computers and reading while my husband stayed with them.
5. We walked to & from the library. That's more impressive than it sounds, since it was only one block. But I'm still counting it. 😉
And bonus: Then we spent the rest of the evening reading books that we checked out from the library. More free entertainment.
Oooh, now I have to see if my library has that one!
1. Made dinner from Salmon my in-laws caught for me this summer.
2. Designed and ordered a free calendar from shutterfly for next year.
3. Went and test drove a car at the dealership and was given two free movie tickets.
4. Stayed an extra hour to watch my daughter do a second hour of ballet with older girls so that she could make up one we missed earlier this semester. Hate to miss a class we paid for.
5. Using leftover parts of yarn from previous projects all in one lap blanket for my sister's christmas gift. Not only is is using up bits of this or that it is turning out really colorful.