1. I got some cat freebies on Buy Nothing
Someone was giving away a few cat toys, and since Chiquita is very good at playing with toys, I picked them up.
Getting toys for Shelley is risky because she is not nearly as playful! Chiquita always knows what to do with toys, though. 😉
Some of that is due to her being younger, I think, but also she is just a very playful cat. I doubt Shelley was bouncing off the walls when she was Chiquita’s age. 😉
2. I fixed a hole in a sweater
This sweater has a very loose knit, and one of the loops came undone.
I am no knitter, but since the texture is so loose, it was easy to use a needle and thread to sew the spot shut.
And now we’re as good as new!
3. I got a free pumpkin bread slice at Starbucks
I mentioned that I’d hauled myself to Starbucks last week to make myself finish my educational brochure project…well, while I was there, I noticed I had 100 Starbucks stars that were about to expire.
Don’t get me started on how annoying it is that these stars expire. Starbucks is rather stingy with the stars anyway, and then to make them expire on top of that??
ANYWAY.
100 stars is not enough for a latte, but it is enough for a slice of pumpkin bread, so that’s what I got. 🙂
4. I got a mason jar with a pour-top lid for free
The Buy Nothing group strikes again. 🙂
I didn’t exactly need another Mason jar, but I was interested in this lid (which sells for just under $10 at Amazon). It’s a wide mouth, so it’ll fit my short wide mouth jars as well.
It’ll be handy for cold brew coffee, or also for times when I make salad dressing in a Mason jar.
5. I used dry bagels to make a French toast casserole
I usually keep some bagels on hand for Zoe, and I recently bought a bag of the small cinnamon raisin variety from Aldi.
But they were disappointingly dry, so they were sitting around, uneaten.
I considered trying to make some sweet croutons with them, but then it occurred to me that they might be good in a French toast casserole.
So, I made a half recipe of the Pioneer Woman’s overnight French toast, and it worked out fine.
(Over the years, I have used almost every kind of bread known to man* in that casserole, and it’s always been delicious!)
Now the bagels are gone, and Zoe and I enjoyed a sweet treat.
Win-win!
*to be clear, I would not recommend garlic bread. Or sun-dried tomato bread. Or jalapeno cheese bread. We have to exercise common sense here.
K
Thursday 5th of December 2024
I agree wholeheartedly with the Starbucks stars! I'm not a big starbucks person, I'd rather have a cup I made at home, but I do enjoy them when running errands or need to kill a little time before an appointment.
JEG
Wednesday 4th of December 2024
I like that pour top. It might be a cute item for my daughters. By the time I see something useful on the Buy Nothing page it is gone. A lot of other items I may like but I don't need.
1. I had bought a rotisserie chicken (again) and some chicken thighs before Thanksgiving. We had the rotisserie for dinner 2 nights and chicken salad. I then made chicken soup using the thighs. After i put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, I wrap the remainder of the rotisserie in cheesecloth (less problem getting it all out). The last of the soup was eaten last night. It's been good with this change in weather hear in the lower northeast. I now make this soup about once, sometimes twice a month now. 2. And I picked up a free loaf of bread at the Sr. Center to enjoy with the soup. 3. I went out Black Friday (not to shop) but stopped in at our local Salvation Army looking for a book. It was 1/2 price day on all stock. I purchased a book by an author I want to read and a photo frame. Total price $2.29 The book is for an idea I came up with for a club meeting. I hope the members will be enthusiastic to it. A Yankee Swap type book exchange. A book we liked, wrap it up. Hopefully a discussion with happen between the giver/receiver and the members will get to know each other. We'll do it in February--the darker parts of winter. 4. Someone on the Buy Nothing page was giving away cross stitch fabric and no one had grabbed it up yet. I add it to the stash. Bright red and green fabric. Don't usually see that in stores. There were a couple of patterns in the pickup.
Isa
Wednesday 4th of December 2024
* No shopping on Black Friday/Cyber Monday
* Decided against going to the movie theater with DD and DH. We watched a Netflix instead, saving us 28$ (+ snacks, let's be real! Movie popcorn is the best). I have the Netflix with-adds subscription, for 5.99$/month (Canadian). Good deal if you ask me.
* Took inventory of my hygiene products. I have a ton of shampoo, conditioners, deodorants, soaps, body and face creams, etc. I'm committing to not buying anything unless it needs to be replenished.
* October 1st I have embarked on a one year no new clothes/shoes/jewelry shopping (unless I need undies or socks, but I should be ok). Thrifted ok. I almost caved in last week for a new pair of jeans, but left them at the store. So far so good.
* Taking advantage of student massage therapists coming at my work place once a month. 20 minutes at no charge? Yes please :)
Fru-gal Lisa
Tuesday 3rd of December 2024
1. As per my tradition, I put up my frugal Christmas wreaths today. I have a double front door so I have to have 2 wreaths/door decorations, and this can get costly. But one year, I found a matching pair of Christmas wreaths. Like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, they were fairly dilapidated so I added some package decorations to both. Each time I get some kind of really good holiday decorations, pine cones or artificial flowers, greenery or red holly berries, I stick it into the wreaths. It's gotten to be a running joke, my wreaths sometimes have stuff falling off of them, but they were cheap and they make me laugh. Even as I stick the decorations back on and try to shut the door gently so they won't drop off again. 2. Went ahead and worked a last-minute substitute teaching job today. Put off my errands until later in the week. 3. Frugal fail: didn't check on when the HEB (supermarket chain) "Feast of Caring" was. I had already eaten supper when I found out it was tonight and missed getting the free supper. (Topic of a future forum: Is it ethical to go to HEB's free supper when you mostly shop at Aldi and Walmart and not at HEB?) 4. Checked on coupons for medications I use. Some expire Dec. 31 so I will be stocking up. 5. Found a very nice and suitable present for the Christmas party via my regifting closet. It cost a dollar at a thrift store a couple of years ago, and had just been donated there by a major store. It's a useful household item that I'm sure someone will like. Plopped it in a gift bag and I'm good to go. (And, no, I'm not trying to hoodwink someone into thinking I got it at the fancy dept. store.)
Selena
Tuesday 3rd of December 2024
My cat gets frustrated and mad as Hades with the ring with ball we have. We'll put it away for a while to keep her sane. Jalapeno cheese bread french toast casserole doesn't sound bad to me - I'd skip the vanilla however. Maybe topped with some sour cream or cream cheese or with Huevos Rancheros instead of tortillas.