Five Frugal Things | The Mad Hatter sold!
1. Mr. FG's costume finally sold
Remember how we did an Alice in Wonderland theme in 2019?
Well, normally I sell our costumes the following year.
But 2020 was...not a good year for costume-selling.
(2020 was not good for a lot of things, let's be honest.)
Anyway, my Queen of Hearts costume sold earlier this summer, and this past week, the Mad Hatter costume sold too.
I'm now $70 richer, and I no longer have a huge hat hanging in my closet!
When I went to package it up, I felt very grateful that my past self had saved a huge Amazon plastic shipping bag because it was perfect for wrapping up this costume.
2. I sold one of the girls' bikes
When I was in the shed recently, I realized that one of the bikes we still had was way too small for either Sonia or Zoe.
I know bikes are a hot commodity right now, so I listed it on Facebook Marketplace, fielded eleventy-hundred, "Is this still available?" messages and lots of detailed questions about the bike, and eventually, someone came through and bought it for $175.
Yay! Less clutter, more cash.
And considering that Lisey, Sonia, and Zoe all used the bike, getting $175 for it feels pretty good.
3. I zested an orange before eating it
I really love to put orange zest in my one-serving microwave oatmeal, so before I ate an orange the other day, I removed all the zest and left it in a bowl to dry.
So now I have enough zest for several bowls of oatmeal in the future.
Interestingly, you can buy bottled orange zest. But if you are a person who eats citrus fruits, it's awfully easy just to make your own zest.
I use my microplane grater to make quick work of it, but before I had one of those, I just used the fine side of my cheese grater.
(Ok, I just looked at the page for the microplane grater that I have, and oh my word, it comes in so many fun colors now. The eggplant purple one!!! I do not need more than one grater, I do not need more than one grater...)
4. I bought a used histology book
My main anatomy and physiology textbook is online, but it's also recommended that we buy a histology book, which we will use in A&P1 and also in A&P2 (which means renting makes no sense!).
I found a used copy online for a really good price, and it came still in the shrink wrap, apparently unused.
I love it when I can find practically new stuff for a secondhand price.
5. I fixed a duffel bag
Mr. FG got this as a freebie way back when he used to work in warehousing, and we've used it for lots of trips.
The top got a little rip, though, and I knew if I didn't fix it, it was going to just rip more.
So, I got out my sewing machine and did a little zig-zagging.
It's not beautiful, but it'll work just fine for future travels!
Let's see:
1) Worked at a cleat exchange for our soccer club. I saved $100 off the club fees for volunteering, and helped keep things out of the landfill/save other people money. It was a big triple win. Afterward, I volunteered to take the cleats that are no longer usable to a local sports store that will recycle & properly dispose of them.
2) I've had almost no eBay sales lately, but did sell an old remote that was destined for electronics recycling. It's nice to get that to someone who will need it, and give it another life.
3) We've continued to use up all of our garden goodies, and share them with others. I gave a bunch of zucchini to a neighbor, and she stopped by with strawberries & two packages of pasta
4) Prepped dinner this weekend, which makes it easier to avoid takeout on busy sports/weeknights. This weekend I made: homemade granola bars (for kid snacking), taco meat, & chicken shawarma.
5) We received a refund from our mortgage company, which I put into our savings account. We will owe $$$$$ taxes, due to the sale of our vacation home, so we are in high savings mode for that.
Oh wow, you sold a remote on eBay! I've never thought of doing that.
@Kristen, I've had three listed for a few months, & just one sold. I made very little, but so happy to keep it in circulation.
While we used to eat out quite often, now we eat out once a week. My husband does all our cooking (just the two of us) and is a fabulous cook!!
I've lost 43 pounds (so far!) and just sold a lot of dresses and tops that were literally hanging off of me.
We inadvertently stopped eating meat; so no more money being spent on beef and chicken. We eat fish and veggies and fresh fruits.
I bought a gallon of fish fertilizer. Might not sound frugal, but it is, considering the size of my flower gardens.
I returned some clothing and re-used the packaging it came in.
We're using more and more of the food in our pantry and deep freeze.
@Viktoria M Sacker, If you don't mind, could you explain how you inadvertently stopped eating meat? I know we need to cut back, but I just feel like we will feel cheated, you know?
@Jennifer,
As I mentioned, my husband does all our cooking; he also researched healthy eating habits/options. He slowly gravitated to cooking fish (salmon, tilapia, red snapper, tuna steaks are my faves) mainly because they are healthy and not a lot of calories. I stick to 960 calories per day and fish keeps me within that range. We eat lots of veggies, also. I don't feel "cheated" per se...but if I felt like eating a steak...I would!!
@Viktoria M Sacker, For some reason, over the last 10 years my taste for beef has gone from "I can't get enough" to "I'll fix you beef, but I'll have chicken", much to dh's dismay. A boneless skinless thigh is my fave and a breast is a close second. Our youngest loves fish, but I have had a lifelong aversion to fish although I can tolerate shrimp and scallops. I'm really proud of you for your choices and the results you have accomplished!! If nothing else, it will encourage me to make smarter decisions with my chicken. 😉
1. I've been stocking our freezer to avoid takeout as much as we can once the baby comes! So far, we have chicken broth, meat sauce, red curry chicken, shepherd's pie, and some macaroni and cheese (extras from my mom).
2. I submitted all of my maternity leave forms the day after I was eligible. Hopefully, that will cause the least delay in getting paid.
3. I got my husband's insurance information to get buy new glasses today. I've been wearing my back-up pair for nearly a year, and they're falling apart.
4. It's not exactly a frugal win to get gifts--that's really a matter of luck--but we've tried to be judicious when family members offer us gifts for the baby. We've chosen items that are (I hope!) useful and durable.
5. I'm on a sewing kick and (mostly) being very good about using the fabric I have instead of buying more. Sewing from scratch doesn't really save money relative to the amount of time and skill required, but if you already spent on the fabric, then using it is cheap! (Mending and alterations; now THAT saves money.)
This week
I repaired some fly screens
Sent, items by mail in reused boxes and bags
Bought materials for a course I am starting at a discount
Ate leftovers
Checked medical bills. All was in order, but I am counting it as a frugal habit nonetheless.
I've been reading a lot of books lately and I've noticed our electricity bill was much lower last month!
However as I have a cheap "pay for use" library subscription, the costs for the library were higher than normal. I checked my borrowing history for the last year and the "pay for use" subscription is still the cheapest option at the moment.
@J,
I've never heard of a pay for use library. I always thought all libraries were free. Well, public libraries.
1 - I’m updating our back yard landscaping and trying to do as much work myself as possible - I finalized the plan (that I drew up) a few weeks ago, paid our sprinkler guy to move some sprinkler heads, and yesterday started laying metal edging strips.
2 - Our daughter started playing the next level up in soccer, so I gave her our son’s uniform from last year (that fits but has room to grow), and got him the next size up (that fits but has room to grow). Which hopefully means no buying overpriced uniforms for a year or two.
3 - Lots of leftovers on the menu for dinners and lunches!
4 - A friend gave me a ceramic vase she had made but was getting rid of because she just didn’t love it enough - but I love it, and it’s now housing some volunteer zinnias from my garden.
5 - My daughter has been lobbying for a buddy for her guinea pig, but instead of getting another piggy, we did a guinea pig playdate at a park with a friend who also had guinea pigs. The girls had a blast, the piggies enjoyed snuggling while they munched grass, and I don’t have to buy and feed another pet! Wins all around.
@mkmitch, very clever on no. 5.
I tried the ebay book purchase path with two books for my daughter's English (ELA) class. So far not too impressed 🙁 I purposely found a place that had both books - one came no problem and thought the Frugal Girl family was right - this is good. The second book is in limbo land. Apparently they are selling books that they do not have on hand. So while we are in limbo with one company, I bought from another hoping that it get here and I can cancel the first order. This is my first ebay purchase so the overall experience is frustrating.
However- 1) I saved some money on used books. 2) These are used books are used so they are being recycled. I will hang onto them for a year to see if my son will need them next year for his ELA class. 3) The packaging the one book came in was minimal so little waste. 4) I saved gas from driving to the big town to check the 2nd hand book stores.
5) One of the books is considered a "classic" so it should resell again pretty easily.
@Amy, Just wanted to say I feel your pain - we bought an Ebay book for my daughter's English class - tracking showed they sent it fast, but then it was lost somewhere in the USPS netherworld. We ended up having to overnight ship a new copy from Amazon just before my daughter left for college... And then guess what showed up the next day??!
We didn't want to ding the Ebay seller since they clearly did their part, so, my daughter will see if she can sell a copy to the college bookstore.
@Amy, in 1995 when all things Amazon were brand new, someone in one of my grad school classes discovered that a $220 textbook was on Amazon for $96. But I swear they had to manufacture the book. It didn't come until almost spring break. The professor was not thrilled that seven or eight students were sharing a single text until then. Boy, it was a long, long time before I ordered off Amazon again. Heh.
My husband peeled an orange before eating it to use the peels for cocktails we had with friends. I never thought about drying the zest or peels, but that's a smart idea.
My frugal things: Range Edition
1) Still cooking at home without an oven or stove! (Day 26) Myinstant pot is saving me since it's too hot to think about using a grill right now.
2) Range that we picked out (24% off back room model) thinking it was gas turned out to be duel fuel requiring a 220 outlet which our kitchen doesn't have. We returned the oven rather than paying an electrician to run a new cable all the way across the house.
3) Bought a new range that fit our needs almost perfectly (it is truly gas this time) and cost significantly less due to a 35% Labor Day Discount.
4) Sold our old range for scrap metal, and the buyer hauled it away, meaning...
5) my husband can get the new range from the store without having to pay for a delivery/haul away fee
@Kaitlin, wow, we need a dishwasher. Maybe we should look at the labor day sales.
@Kaitlin, I wanted the instant pot for a year before I found a good deal and finally bought it. I was worried it would end up like my crockpot that only gets used maybe once a month. Nope. That thing gets used at least once a week. It is one of my favorite kitchen items ever.
@Sabrina, I've been wanting one because its just dh and me and I would love an option to the crockpot. Does anyone want to share any specs/brands and good prices? Fwiw, I always like to cook 2 days' worth so I guess I would want one big enough 4 - 6 servings?
@Anne, definitely check! Three years ago, our range was half price because of Labor Day sales.
@Sabrina, My husband wanted to get me one to reduce the amount of time I spent in the kitchen, and I was fairly against it. He went ahead on got one on sale, and it was a smart move. I use it far more than I thought I would. Also... I don't need a crockpot when I have the Instant Pot because it works as both, so I haven't lost any storage space.
1 - We switched hotels and towns for a 40% savings. This may end soon, but nothing definite yet.
2 - Kudos to ds in finding all of his books except one online for free!!!! Well,true thanks goes to his professors, but ds did have to do all the downloading. His one book to buy? $10. Cheapest semester ever. Usually its $200 - $500.
3 - I bought two Harris Teeter subs for us for $14. That will be two dinners each so cheaper than any fast food or buying the fixings and making them ourselves. Not as frugal as when they are $3.99, but still worth it.
4 - Eh and I have a diet Mountain Dew every afternoon with a snack and in the vending machines they're $2, so I buy a few 6 packs and bring a few in now and then so we always have them. Plus, WM has had them on sale lately so that helps.
5 - Earing out is expensive so for the last two plus months, we've had more than our share of McDonald's. Thanks to their new rewards program, we have gotten many free items. Plus, the app regularly has a deal with the chicken sandwich and that stretches our dollar just a bit more.
@Jennifer, thanks for reminding me to check my McDonalds app. Since my dad died last spring my mom hasn’t been eating as much as she should. So when I visit her I take her a few McDonalds fish sandwiches. I have some points to use up and there are some really good deals right now. Thanks!
2 things - a question and a comment.
1. Do you have (I will try a keyword search) a post regarding college books - rent, buy used, new? My eldest took 2 college courses this past summer and we bought used but one was in pretty poor condition.
2. Thanks to following you, her meteorology book will be listed soon. I do plan to go back and read your info on listing textbooks!
Thank you for your inspiration in so many areas - looking for quality, buying (and selling) used items, gratitude, personal growth...
@Jennifer, We have graduated two from college and the third is a junior. We NEVER bought new from the campus bookstore and after the first child's first year, we only bought from Amazon or rented from Chegg. Chegg has almost always had what we needed and at very reasonable rates. They do quick shipping as I always made my kids ask the professor if a book was required or recommended. For the classics in English or Lit classes, they downloaded the Kindle or Libby/Overdrive app and got it from the library.
I'll bet that hat was quite a problem to store!
I was home yesterday (our caregiver was sick) so I didn't get to comment on the "meet the reader", but I'll say hi to Joanne now. I enjoyed the post! Our home computer is having an issue accessing internet, and my phone is too much of a pain to read and type on for me to use it unless I have to. I normally do all my commenting during my breaks at work.
1. I've started creating a simple wooden project for a gift. I am not a woodworker, so when I say simple, I mean simple. We have the electric miter saw, the paints, the square, the screws and the wood filler already, so my cost so far has been $3.54 for a piece of wood and my time used in figuring out the design.
2. A family member decided to try kombucha since I like it. She didn't, and brought me the bottles she had bought. I have to say, the brand she bought isn't as good as my homemade, but I'm drinking it.
3. I cooked dry beans then made baked beans out of them, but I "baked" them on the porch in my crock pot.
4. I poured water and a dab of vinegar in my tea kettle and let it soak. That cleaned the scale out of the pot, no expensive store-bought cleaners needed.
5. I signed up for Venmo so my kids and I could exchange money more easily - we go in together a lot on gifts and things. Yesterday I got notice that I received $10 for having signed up. I hadn't even noticed that I would get that.
@JD,
On 4. Did you let it just sit or did you turn on some heat?
@Vicky M, I just let it sit. It might have been for 2 or 3 hours; I didn't have a wait time in mind, I just went back later and saw that the scale had lifted. It's similar to setting cloths wet with vinegar on the lime scale around the faucet.
@Vicky M, Once a month I boil the kettle with a bit of vinegar/water mixed. I boil it twice (electric kettle) and then I pour the hot vinegar water into a bowl and soak the shower head. Keeps both so nicely!
My Frugal 5
1. Got more cucumbers and tomatoes for free from my neighbor. Been eating them as sides.
2. Used $50 gift card at Walmart for groceries.
3. Brought inexpensive treats and party favors at Walmart for my kid’s classmates to celebrate her birthday.
4. Celebrated my girl’s birthday inexpensively too. Focused more on experiences this year instead of toys since she has so much already. Birthday dress is a princess outfit she already has. Reused princess decorations from last year; cooked her requested breakfast (snowman pancakes) and dinner (hamburgers) at home; got free small pizzas at Pizza Hut from their Book It program and cupcakes from Walmart for lunch; used coupons we got from library summer reading programs to take our kids to a free 1 hour gymnastics time (She had a blast!); and last of all, took kids to 2 playgrounds and the library. She also got to choose a movie to watch at home.
5. Brought a used Colombia winter coat for my kid at OUAC. More than what I usually spend although half the price of a new one. Hope it’s worth it.
1. I just found out this morning that you don't have to use milk to make scrambled eggs, but can use water. How did I not know that? At our age, we don't drink milk, so it was a huge waste to buy it for the occasional eggs.
2. We needed a new microwave and studied the consumer's guide for models. They were scored with points. The GE was ONE POINT lower than a recommended model yet was $250 less. It goes without saying we bought the GE. We need zero bells and whistles.
3. We also need a dishwasher, and someone on your blog just mentioned Labor Day sales. We just might have to get our act in gear and purchase in the next week, if there is a good sale.
4. I have mentioned this several times, but I work once a week at a food bank. They are overwhelmed with bread and a cow owner collects the stale loaves for her herd. I bring home some every week for my own herd (two of us.)
5. This is very certainly a mixed blessing, but we thought Covid was leaving this earth behind and we began to plan for an early December trip to Hawaii. Now, we see the Delta variant is wreaking havoc with perhaps another variant close behind. It's heartbreaking, but we will save the vacation fund for future use when the world is in a better place.
@Anne, oh gosh you have been making scramble eggs with milk all of this time? I have dairy allergies so I guess I'm odd and have been making eggs with water for years. Makes eggs ones of the cheapest proteins ever.
If you find any good sales on appliances, please share!
1. My husband had an eye exam appointment Saturday morning. The vision place is in the same center as a Sprouts. I stocked up on a few BOGO buys while he had his eyes examined. He does not need new glasses which is a huge savings.
2. I cut my husband's hair. He wears it short so it's mostly buzzed with some trimming around the ears. Quick and cheap.
3. I continue to wear clothes that I have. When I find something I won't wear again I set it aside for give away but I am happy having an increasingly shrinking wardrobe.
4. I bought a couple of Numbrix puzzle books at Dollar Tree. It is much cheaper than printing them.
5. A friend gave me some peaches from a half bushel purchase at an orchard.
I was trying to have another no spend week but didn't quite make it. I picked up a couple of deals that were too good to pass up!
1. I found Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad pasta mixes on clearance at Kroger for 50 cents and bought 3.
2. I had $10 in DSW rewards that were going to expire tomorrow. I used them to get 2 really nice toys to keep in my gift closet. I paid $1.08 out of pocket.
3. As usual, every meal has been eaten at home using ingredients on hand.
4. I've been trying to come up with ideas to save more on my utility bill (electricity and gas). I already keep the thermostat on 78 in the summer, use ceiling fans, unplug appliances, do laundry in cold water, hang laundry, etc. The past couple of weeks I have turned off the lamp that I was keeping lit all night. I also started rinsing dishes in cold water. I doubt if these will make much difference, but it all adds up.
5. I watched 2 movies on Tubi (free streaming service). I don't pay for any TV services.
1. I sold something for $20.
2. I mended a cloak, a t-shirt, a reusable shopping bag, and trimmed some pants drawstring. I determined that a competent buttonhole was beyond my capabilities but at least I tried.
3. I donated 5 boxes of school supplies (mostly D-ring binders) to a teacher, including 7" of continuous-feed computer paper that his class can use as scratch paper. Very, very happy to keep those supplies out of the trash.
4. Mitigated a plumbing problem with a $3.95 disposable tin pan.
Several plumbers couldn't figure out the source of a tiny leak that has damaged the ceiling below twice over the past decade. I put the pan under the pipess before the plasterers patched the hole. My hope is that the leaking water will evaporate gradually rather than ruining the ceiling (again).
5. Brown-bagged today even though it's Taco Tuesday.
6. Stashing 18 bags of dog food to take advantage of $5/1 peelies that were about to expire. I'm keeping them in the 30-gal Rubbermaid bins that I freed up during attic decluttering, so this is a double-win.
7. Continued to dig myself out of the insurance paperwork hole I got into. I found several mistakes, such as a check sent to the provider instead of to me.
Pro-Tip: do NOT pay a bill just because the provider sends it to you. Some in-network providers send the full bill before they deal with insurance first.
@WilliamB, I have my wife do the buttonholes on her machine. It's super easy with a machine that has the doodad attachment.
@Battra92, I am not in that happy position. I don't know if my very old sewing machine can do buttonholes but even if it could, the fraying buttonhole is teardrop shaped rather than the typical rectangle.
I adored the Alice costumes as everyone looked so incredible! I'm glad you were able to sell them so others could enjoy them.
Here's my latest frugalness:
1) I cashed in cc rewards and got a Dewalt drill & bits for the oldest as a Christmas gift. He took dad's drill. I'm also regifting a new in box electronic car battery checker for him...... Savings: $145
2) I needed winter tires as mine are 6 years old. The tread isn't what it used to be since I've been driving on them year-round. I had the local shop match Costco's price and they will put them on when I'm ready and give me insurance on them. Savings: $140
3) I finally got a 90 day supply for a medication (after many phone calls and copays). This med is $1800 for 3 mths worth (out of pocket) but now costs me $100. Savings: $50
4) Our church had a picnic with free games and food, etc. They had a wall with tickets on it. Each ticket had a price tag, and who the gift could be for. The gift was unknown and in a bag....For example, a ticket would say" $10, Dad." I chose a gift for Dad. Inside was a 12v portable air compressor and electronic tire gauge. New in boxes....Since hubby doesn't need these items, the oldest boy will get those for Christmas, too. Savings:$45
5) The youngest uses a public transportation pass to get to school. The college got rid of the passes but brought them back this semester. Usually, the cost to take a bus and train daily is $20 = $960 semester. He paid $130 for the pass. Savings: $830
Let's see. It's not been a super frugal week for me ...
1.) Returning some bulbs to Costco that burned out almost immediately after I purchased them.
2.) Thrifted some items I needed/wanted.
3.) Got a $5 discount on Amazon for using Amazon Locker. I hate using Amazon for everything but it was something I couldn't get locally.
4.) Brought my lunch to the fair and refused to spend the obscene amounts they were charging for their subpar food. Yeah, I know this one is cranky but whatever. 😛
5.) No driving to work this week (I'm off) so less money spent on gas.
Great job on selling the costume! Someday I REALLY need to overcome my block about selling on eBay being “too hard,” and start listing some of my homeschool curriculum!
This week, I:
1) Put two things back instead of purchasing. One advantage of long check out lines—it gave me time to rethink my decision to buy things, and I decided I had enough freezer containers afterall, and I would make my own sign out of things I already had at home instead of purchasing one. That saved me $10 right there, and will use productively materials that I already have in the house at the same time.
2) Tried starting some spearmint to make new plants. I don’t see any new roots growing yet, but it is not dead yet either, so I am waiting to see if this works!
3) Started more collard seedlings with seed I collected from the collards last year. I should be able to put these out in the garden this Fall and harvest during the Winter months.
4) Collected some tomato seeds from the last tomatoes in the garden. I won’t know if they are viable and will grow until I start my plants for next year’s garden, usually around February or March.
5) Made a trip to an apple orchard to buy fresh apples. I bought two bushels, at 40 pounds each box, and it works out to .67 cents per pound of apples which is cheaper than I can buy apples in the store!
Pictures and more at my blog at:
https://chickadeecove.blogspot.com/2021/08/frugal-friday-week-of-august-22-28-2021.html
Looking forward to reading everyone’s comments!
~Susan M. In Chattanooga, TN
It was so busy this week that I had a hard time remembering what I'd done. Here's the frugal five I came up with:
1. My sewing machine died and the dealer said the 30-year-old workhorse could not be repaired. I sew every day and it is a source of income along with my regular job. I was not looking forward to the unexpected expense of a new or used one. I don't like most newer models because they are cheaply made mostly of plastic. Mine is all metal. I decided to take it for a second opinion. They reset the electronics and now it works fine. They didn't even charge me for the repair. The repairman said it is one of the finest older machines out there and suggested purchasing another one for parts, which I will start researching.
2. The youngest went back to college on Sunday. After going through the supply cabinet, the only thing to purchase was a notebook and an agenda.
3. We also pantry shopped all but fresh items for her to take with her. She's a vegetarian, so the cafeteria fare gets boring quickly for her.
4. In return, when she went through the non-perishable stockpile she'd amassed last semester. She put the items she didn't want to take back to school in the home pantry.
5. A third frugal food win happened. Our oldest went on vacation for two weeks. Before heading out, she brought the perishable contents from her refrigerator for us to use up.
@Tracey, would you please share the model of your Singer sewing machine? My first was a Singer featherweight and unfortunally didn’t I get a second opinion before I tossed it out ten years ago. Haven’t been able to find a new machine with the same quality, as you say the new machines are all plastic.
Buy the purple microplane and gift your gently used one to someone starting out!
Great costumes!
My 5:
1. Open all junk mail to retrieve any 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper that don't have writing on one side. I reuse these for printing the daily crossword puzzle.
2. Very happy with the low cost of my mobile Tracfone - $199/year for unlimited text and talk, 12 KB of data. Phone (Android LG) itself cost just $40.
3. Repaired rusty mailbox rather than replace. (We're on a rural road so not as noticeable as, say, a suburban mailbox.)
4. Received $1 off an online Target order for selecting the option to group multiple items for later delivery.
5. Husband purchased a shirt at Duluth Trading. His size was out of stock and when the clerk ordered it for him, he found that it was actually cheaper online and there was no delivery fee. While purchases at Duluth Trading have a higher initial cash outlay, their items last seemingly forever.
@MB in MN,
I do that junk mail trick myself. It's a savings in the long run. I print all day for work & then I flip the paper over to use that side. Keeping junk mail helps extend the life between reams of paper purchases. LOL
1. Shopped at Aldi
2. Cooked and baked from scratch. Got no takeout at all, partly because we’re on a low-carb diet and that’s a toughie for takeout.
3. Listed four items on eBay and four on Facebook. Nothing has sold yet! So not really frugal YET.
4. Spray painted a basket I had on hand and used fall foliage from my own stash to make an arrangement to take to the cemetery to my sisters grave. She loved fall like I do.
5. Ate leftovers for lunch all week.
It’s unpleasant but we are handling a rat/mouse problem ourselves rather than hiring an exterminator.
This one is a stretch but as work from home continues, my husband has been feeling the need for an office (he works in the living room). Rather than buying a bigger house(ha!), we bought bunk beds and are moving the kids in together so the nursery can become an office. Also, my 3 year old has started resisting bedtime because he says he doesn’t want to be alone in his room, hopefully moving his sister in there with him will resolve this issue too!
In the picture of the bunk beds that we showed our 3 year old, there were some wall cubbies for storing toys. These don’t come with the bunk bed but my 3 year old got very excited about them so rather than buying some, my dad is building them for us.
Just the usual stuff -- Eating in, making iced coffee, still wearing all the old clothes (pretty much since March 2020), using up the very last of every tube and bottle of various sundries, library books -- we know the drill. Plugging forward.
How great to sell those costumes and the bike!
1) I listed and sold our old mower (with flat tires and broken deck---and listed as such) "for parts"on FB marketplace and got $50, which made me really happy.
2) We are getting so much free produce from people right now that I am having a hard time keeping up but I don't like to say no to free food, and I try to not waste any and give away or freeze what I can't use right now.
3) I returned a bag of bottles/cans (recyclable here in Maine), many of which I picked up along the roadside during my walks. $3 back!
4) I agreed to be a sub nurse at my old high school for 5 days this month. Full circle. Just had my 35th class reunion and now I'll be there to help out a bit.
5) I submitted a claim as part of a class action settlement against Epipens. I'll let you know how that turns out....
Ooh! Your sales are big wins!!
My not-very-exciting FFT:
1. Used a $2 off coupon combined with a sale for my son's soccer cleats.
2. Got a bunch of ears of corn super cheap and now have multiple bags of corn in my freezer.
3. Canned 2 batches of salsa using mostly tomatoes from the patch of cherry tomato plants that sprang up from my compost soil. Hooray for free tomatoes!
4. Carefully tracked my grocery spending for the month. Came in right on budget. Looking forward to tomorrow being a new month.
5. Set the dishwasher to run after 7pm tonight since energy costs more between 2pm and 7pm.
Awesome on the sales!!
1. I picked up a bookbag from Buy Nothing for my son. His bookbag was not in good shape. I also picked up a felted bar of soap off Buy Nothing that will be great for camping (less to pack)
2. Went to my mom's house on Sunday with the kids, so they could swim, and my mom bought us dinner at Panera. They were offering 20% off gift cards, which we ordered as an e-gift card. There was also $5 off $20 if you ordered online. We split it into 2 orders, to use 2 coupons, and saved about $25.
3. We found out that all local school districts are giving free lunch for elementary school kids this year. What a money and time saver. My son is super excited about it too!
4. A coworker gave me 2 bags of cherry tomatoes from her garden, which I sundried.
5. We found mold growing in our basement again. Sad face. We had it abated 2 years ago when we moved in and have a 10 year warranty with the company. Luckily we kept the warranty paperwork. Hoping they can fix the problem. We graded the yard again where we think the moisture is coming in. Although mold is no good, it gave me an opportunity to organize and declutter the kid's toys before the company comes tomorrow. The basement living room looks much neater! There is always a plus side.
I had to go to the Outside World today and my husband said, "Why don't you get yourself something fun?" So I got a Topo Chico at the grocery store. Yes, a one-dollar bottle of carbonated mineral water. But it was chilled! And I had to drive an hour and a half in an unair-conditioned car. And anyother "fun" things I would have gotten would have been definitely full of sugar and/or salt and/or grease, and really, that doesn't result in a lot of fun in the end.
Anyway. It was frugal, I guess, if a little bit lame. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, my husband and I love Topo Chico!!! It is certainly one of our "treats" too. We live in NY and it is quite expensive here (compared to other carbonated waters), but oh so good!
All this talk of text books reminded me of a time in college when there was short book I needed for an anthropology of religion class and it was about $25. Because it was short I was able to copy the entire Library copy at 10 cents a page for about $12.00. money was so tight back then that I would take my clothes home wet from the laundromat because I couldn't afford to dry them so $13 was a huge savings!
Frugal wins this week:
Waiting for a medical bill instead of paying at the time of service. The actual cost of the service was $37 less than what was estimated. I would have had a credit with provider but now I don't have to worry about getting a refund.
Accepted zucchini from a friend's garden. Zucchini bread, here I come.
Take inventory of household items so I don't buy what I don't need.
Cancelled Disney plus. Watching 2 movies and occasionally having national geographic programs on as background isn't good use of a service I paid for for a whole year. At least I won't waste anymore money.
My mom gifted us two giant boxes of peaches from the fruit truck and I froze a bunch, made some coffee cake, and turned a bunch into homemade fruit leather.
Hubby got free zucchini at work plus a bunch from our garden which I turned into cheesy zucchini chickpea cakes for kids lunches, lots of zucchini bread, zucchini chicken patties, and lots of sautéed zucchini.
Picked up two extra shifts at work for time and a half plus double bonus.
Used a coupon for a free Shutterfly book to make a photo book for my father in law.
Got some free tomatoes & peppers from my sister in law’s garden.
Nice orange zest tip!
1. I bought 3 fitted double sheets and a twin blanket used all for the equivalent of $1.50 US each.
2. I organized the bathroom cupboard and discovered that I still had nail polish remover and a new tube of hair curl cream!! Yay! I also found a hair mask I was given over 2 years ago... So I finally used some of it.
3. I still haven't re-dyed my hair... there's more grays than I realized...
4. I accepted some free porridge mix.
5. An old pillow case with a bad stain got put in the rag basket.
How do you usually dry your citrus zest? Just leave it uncovered to air dry?
Yup! It dries really quickly in my house, but if you live in a more humid area, it might take a bit longer.
Kristen do you use anything special to clean your citrus before zesting?
I usually just rely on gently scrubbing them under the faucet, but if you wanted to be extra careful, you could buy organic citrus if you plan to zest it.
1. I picked enough Italian Plums from my neighbor's tree to put up 7 pints of canned plums.
2. I found a Cuisinart food processor for $19.99 at St. Vincent de Paul. It has all the attachments and is in perfect working order.
3. I'm happily harvesting produce from my container garden.
4. I'm dehydrating parsley from my garden so I'll have a supply over winter.
5. Cherry tomatoes, cut in half, sprinkled with salt and dehydrated make an amazing snack food treat.