Five Frugal Things | two repairs
1. I mended a potholder
I have a couple of these black potholders, which are showing some signs of wear here and there. And that makes sense; I've had them for years!
This one was having problems with the binding.
So, I trimmed off the extra threads.
And then I hand-sewed the holes closed.
Beautiful? No.
Functional? Yes.
Who cares what potholders look like, honestly? It's not like house guests come over and inspect your kitchen linens drawer. 😉
2. I mended a drawstring
My black Old Navy shorts (the same I mended in this post!) had a drawstring that was fraying on the ends.
So while I had my black thread out, I did a quick fix by trimming the frayed bits and sewing up the remaining edges by hand.
Both of these fixes would be annoying to do with a sewing machine; it's hard to use a machine on tiny repairs or on oddly angled surfaces like the edge of a potholder.
Sometimes hand-sewing is best!
3. I used my Amazon rewards to buy a piano book
I have had my Chase Amazon Visa for years and years, and I like the simplicity of the rewards it offers; you get 5% back on Amazon purchases (plus other percentages on categories of spending, like 2% on gas), and the rewards go straight into your Amazon account as credits. Easy peasy.
Anyway, I wanted to buy a piano book that recently came out from Austin Farwell (he writes simple little peaceful piano pieces, which are sorta along the lines of Gibran Alcocer's series of Ideas), so I used my Amazon credits to get it for free.
(By the way, I think if you open up an Amazon Visa right now, you can get a $150 credit. You could use the gift card for Christmas purchases because you should get it instantly upon approval! But do not do this if you have trouble handling credit cards; it's only worth it if you always pay it off every month in full and you don't use it as a way to spend more than you would otherwise. Treat it like a debit card, I say.)
4. I bought some marked-down chorizo
I found a marked-down package of soon-to-expire chorizo at the grocery store.
Because I wasn't going to eat the whole package before the expiration date, I divided it into little one-ounce rectangles and froze them so that it's easy to grab one out if I want some chorizo with my scrambled eggs.
5. Zoe and I trimmed Chiquita's nails again
Zoe scruffs her, I clip, and every time we do this, I save $18!
Plus I save the time it takes to make an appointment, load her up, and drive there and back.
We still have not managed to DIY Shelley's nail trims, but that is not a big deal because Shelley's nails grow way slower. Chiquita's nails, on the other hand? Those get sharp so quickly.
So, taking her to the vet for trims adds up to a lot more time and money annual than Shelley's nail trims do.
Frugal things---
● do our own yardwork, which this last week/month has been leaves, leaves & yes more leaves. Luckily the city does leaf pickup at curb or we can take to compost free
● dug around in cupboards & found 3 giant bags of candy (M&M snack size bags, Reese snack size PB cups & Hershey's snack size candy bars) to use for Halloween for trick or treaters
● used Menards rebate (free $$) to get some sale items (when used also No sales tax)
● toe warmers & hand warmers 3/$1, coffee/hot drink cup plug in warmer $3, & some other items normally use
● used Domino's coupon ($6.99 each for 2 items) for dinner after really busy day at early election voting (700+ first day voters at our site & 1000+ at other site in our county/250,000+ first 2 days in Michigan) that earned a free pizza for later & earned points for a free pizza/pasta reward.
● returned new bathroom fan ordered that did not end up putting in ($100 back)
**Just a quick note that My Thirty One announced last week that they will no longer be in business after Dec 15, 2024. They are discounting their supply of merchandise (online orders only) adding additional items daily. Their Christmas holiday items sold out in 20 minutes. Are adding previous seasons designs today. And previous patterns/designs daily/weekly until all merchandise is sold or Dec 15, 2024.
@Regina, I am not a consultant/seller/employee, I am only a buyer that really likes their products & company.
@Regina,
We never have M&Ms or peanut butter cups hidden away. They are eaten within days … occasionally hours of purchase. I admire your will power!
@Bee, Same here! 🙂
@Bobi, Ha, I too was thinking that I could dig around my cupboards all day and not come up with such an awesome windfall.
@Regina, There would be no hidden M&M's or Reese's Cups in my cupboards either.
I'm sorry to hear that about Thirty-One. I have several bags and a travel bag that I use a lot. They are well made. I have a friend who was a consultant. Hence the number of bags I have! Several matchy-matchy ones.
@Bee, so in all honesty, the PB cups were/are in a container already open & partially eaten bag. That is my favorite & I always pick up 1 or 2 bags at Sam's club & hide 1 in cupboard. I had totally forgot about the M&M's but remembered the Hershey's because I had bought for mailman as part of holiday gift. And when I pulled out candy & dumped packages into treat container for Halloween teen snatched all the PB M&M's after I left. I found a dozen wrappers garbage can later.
I see M&M's are on sale at Sam's starting tomorrow, I might have to pick up some if teen finds candy again.
@Chrissy, I have more than my share of utility totes & pouches. I have gifted 31 to teachers, Christmas & birthday gifts, graduations, bridal shower & weddings, just because gifts & adopt a family over the years. They are always well received. I suspect that Poshmark & other online resale sites will be primary place for future sales of Thirty One products.
@Bee, I know!! Who ever heard of hidden M&Ms or peanut butter cups??! (And for all those who suggest freezing them to keep them out of sight, I ask you: have you never eaten a frozen chocolate?)
@Bee, I was thinking the same thing!
@Lindsey, SO TRUE! One time, I made a box of thin mints last until July--and that's because I hid it so well in the freezer, under piles of frozen bananas. Once I started making summer smoothies, I found them. I didn't share them.
I am THE WORST with thin mints. I can eat so many at one time.
Kristen, getting a free book with credits from Amazon sounds interesting. I didn't know there was a program!
Here is my 5 for the week:
1) I had gotten sick and like to drink tea during those times. I was using up any tea that was around and mentioned to my sis about my illness. Next thing I know, Amazon delivered 6 boxes of tea from her! How sweet!
2) I'm eating less sugar- no ice cream/chocolate/cake/oreos......... Bananas are inexpensive and the substitute right now.
3) I used Groupon to buy arcade cards at a local bowling center. We'll celebrate a birthday there next month. I saved 25% at Groupon.
4) We tried out a new internet company for 2 weeks to see if we would switch. In the end, we stayed with the current carrier.
5) I made a hair detangler spray using water and essential oil (that my sis sent me). It works well and I repurposed a misting bottle for it.
* Replaced old dinner plates with Corelli bought from the thrift store. We had used plates that my kids had drawn designs on ( a fun activity from when they were little), but most of those plates were starting to chip and stain after years of use. One batch of Corelle was half price at $5 for 7 plates. The design is from the 80's, but they're in great condition. I went back for the second set of 8 plates and 8 bowls- design only a couple of years old- for $12. I also took the opportunity to rearrange my cupboards and have the stuff better organized.
*On my way home from getting daughter from college, stopped at Sam's club to load up on a few things. I hope we can use 15 dozen eggs in a month. But for $1/dozen cheaper than eggs locally, I couldn't pass it up. Basketball season starts up, so quick dinners of scrambled eggs will come in handy.
*Bought cheap gas going to her school and coming home. Fifty cents per gallon helps.
* Trying to patch an old jacket of my husband's. He wore holes in the outer flannel, but it's still warm and cozy. (LL Bean.) I found an old flannel pillow case that I cut patches from and used the sewing machine to hem thr edges. Sewing on the patches goes slowly, as I need to do it by hand. The end result will look wonky, but less like a hobo's coat. And I just wear it around the house.
@mbmom11, my husband loves Corelle dishes. I would prefer something else, but every time we went with something else, we ended up going back to Corelle. We have a basic blue strip around the edge, so it can match pretty much everything.
@Maureen,
I love the fact that they're microwavable and can withstand dropping. When we first got married, we had lovely stoneware, much of which did not survive the first kid.
I have pieces in about 5 different patterns, but I'm not fussy about that.
@mbmom11, you can also do an egg bake for an easy dinner - eggs, ham, hashbrowns, cheese, etc. you just bake it in a casserole pan. If there are leftovers, breakfast is ready!
We also do egg salad sandwiches when we have extra eggs. Hope you're able to use all the 15 dozen!!
@mbmom11, I'm amazed that Sam's club allowed you to purchase 15 dozen eggs. For many months now there has bern strick limit of 2 dozen at our Sam's club. I heard only way can get additional eggs is if did pick up order (& business account). We eat eggs regularly also (& bake) & I pick up eggs almost every time because of limit.
@Regina,
It's two boxes of 7.5 dozen each. There used to be a 2 box limit sign, but I didn't see it this time. We go through 6 eggs at least most mornings ( teen boys need protein!) , and we'll try French toast for dinner.
@mbmom11, Corelle is the best! My grandma got me a set after I graduated high school and 20+ years later they are going strong! No broken dishes other than a few of the glasses that came with the set, and they are used every day! When my grandparents passed, I asked for my grandma's Corelle and I have 16 place settings of that now boxed up for my girls to use for their first apartments. I figure I'll carry on the tradition of buying them Corelle eventually like my grandma did for all of us grandkids, but for now her ivy pattern is fairly timeless, so will work fine for their first apartments when they will potentially be living with less careful roommates!
@mbmom11, You can freeze eggs for later use in things like omelets. Crack, scramble the raw contents and freeze. When we had chickens, I did this all fall and when the laying stopped or slowed down in the winter, we still had eggs. We did two eggs per freezer serving.
@mbmom11, If your family liked hardboiled eggs, boil a bunch and leave them around for snacking, possibly with flavored salts handy? I love boiled eggs as a quick and easy snack, and if you leave various seasoning mixes with them, maybe they will be more likely to eat them? Lawry's seasoned salt, Old Bay seasoning, Tony Chachere's, the list is endless.
@mbmom11, we did years and years of cheesy scrambled eggs and toast before basketball games!!!
1. I stopped into Grocery Outlet and they had a few packages of chicken thighs that were $3 off. I bought two packages that were originally priced just under $4. I used them to make a chicken & rice dish after removing the skin. I also threw in mushrooms that needed to be used.
2. In December we will travel to CT to visit family. Generally the hotel rates are $400+/night on the weekend (the hotels cater to the huge casinos nearby run by Native American tribes). I was dreading making the reservation but was pleasantly surprised that the rates were under $200/night. Making the trip in December may be something to repeat in the future. We generally travel there spring/summer/fall.
3. I requested a cash back reward check from our Citi 2x Rewards card. I left some funds in there in case they have a good gift card sale.
4. I loaded my Discover card to my Google Wallet. I am to earn $20 in rewards if I spend $100 with the card that way. I usually only use the card for the 5% cash back each quarter.
5. It's open enrollment time for our health insurance and the like. I will make sure we put the maximum in the Flexible Spending Account for 2025.
Oooh I should see if my discover card has that offer!
@Kristen, I received an email last week.
@K D, are you traveling between Thanksgiving and Christmas when it's a great time to travel with reduced prices? Or there probably is no big concert at the casino so no reason to upcharge for rooms.
We were looking to go to Tarrytown this past weekend for a family trip and the hotels were twice what they were in July because Sleepy Hollow is so close. We ended up in a sweet Air BnB in CT closer to the event for half the price.
Re: Amazon points, the one downside I've found is that, if you return something bought with points, you don't get them returned to your account. Thus, we always use our points for cash back. That way, if something we bought does need sent back, we aren't out a refund or our points.
Re: Cat claws, the shelter our boys came from had scratch pads nailed to the wall to save floor space. That was the boys' normal for two years, so they didn't understand why that got them in trouble with us. Thus, we've sisal scratch pads strategically screwed to the walls around the house as a compromise. Screw holes are much easier to repair than claw marks! Several cat-owning friends have even "stolen" the idea (said jokingly) after visiting.
--A small tree was growing 1) too close to our shed and 2) WAY too close to overhead power lines. The tree trunk was 6" in diameter, so it wasn't heavy, just poorly placed! While we lack a chainsaw, we do have a $5 handsaw and an ax. My husband carefully bent the tree down to where I could grab the top branches and act as a counterweight while he did the grunt work, thus ensuring the branches didn't contact the lines and that the tree fell the way we wanted it to.
--We distinctly lack a truck to dispose of said tree. I asked the guys at the local hardware store (which is all of three blocks from the house) what it would cost for them to take it to the dump for us and was told not to worry about it. The tree refuse disappeared within the hour! I brought them homemade chili the following day as a thank you.
--The FB Marketplace free and/or cheap rock train continues! I should be able to finish xeriscaping the backyard with what I have now.
--Thanks to FB Marketplace, I also have free pampas grass!
--Related: I spent $5 at the car wash to thoroughly vacuum and clean my ride, which has been hauling said rocks and grass. My loyal steed deserved a spa day! Car washes may not sound frugal, but our local wash is $1, and vacuuming is 75 cents. Thus, for $5 my car is absolutely sparkling inside and out.
@N, amazing price for car wash! Here it's minimum 12$, for a basic wash, and 20$ for the extra (wax?). I wash my car myself. At 1$ I would certainly go to the car wash.
@N,
Our big fluffy-boy tuxedo cat would stretch at the door and scrape his claws down the wall when he wanted out the kitchen door. We took a glass shelf out of a small refrigerator that died and used mirror holders to attach it to the wall where the cat always dug his claws in. We got a lot of comments on it, but I agree with you - I'd rather repair a few screw holes than millions of cat scratches. After he finally passed, we took it down, I filled the holes and painted, and done.
@Isa, This a rural "do it yourself" power washer wand car wash, inside a basic concrete structure. Utilitarian = cheap! 😛
Last week I was thinking a lot about why I try to be frugal in one area when I don't care a bit about other areas (I am aware that this is a luxurious position). To me this is not contradictary but rather complementary. We can afford to splurge in one area because we are cautious in others. So here my five below, with the splurge added for good measure:
- Food: I made vegetable broth from odds and ends that I had saved (and I bought some kilo's of frozen high quality beef from a local farmer)
- Activities: I cleaned my own house (and I took a singing lesson)
- Transport: I walked or cycled to all my local errands and appointments (and my husband and I are drawing up requirements for the purchase of a new or new-to-us car)
- Communication: as the price will go up in January, I bought a role of stamps that will not expire (and I wrote a letter to our youngest who visits us every week, just because youngest loves receiving snail mail)
- Decor: I created autumn decor corners with strings of fairy lights on rechargable batteries (and I ordered two UK made woolen throws for our couch)
We just trimmed Clark's claws this weekend--I wrap him in a towel that covers his back paws, somebody feeds him a Churu treat, and boom. It's gotten so he hears me open the drawer where his nail clippers are and he comes running! Operant conditioning for the win.
Other frugal bits:
--I managed to give myself a GOOD haircut! It's finally long enough that I was able to use the ponytail trick and for the first time I really like my home haircut. Just in time for a trip to see my best friend.
--The youngest DS loves to make a big deal out of Halloween, and that calls for "special drinks" which in this house means Zevia sodas. They were on sale, buy 2 get 1 free, so we are stocked up for Halloween and future D&D nights.
Library books abounding. Youngest got interested in the chapter on the Cold War, the atom bomb, and the Berlin Wall in his history lesson so I put a bunch of books on the subject on reserve.
--Of course I biked to the library to pick those books up!
And to add, one frugal fail and one win from today:
Fail: I neglected to pick up beef broth on my big shop yesterday, so had to drive to the store for one frickin' item. But I ONLY got that item and didn't impulse buy, so there's that.
Win: While biking home from the library today I found a like-new men's XL black hooded sweatshirt, which looked like it had been there a few days (it had morning dew saturated on it). Stuffed it in my backpack and am washing it up. I was just thinking I could use another light sweatshirt, and this will fit the bill! Maybe that cancels out the gas money for the beef broth....
@Karen A., Clark is really a funny cat!
@Bee, He is such a clown. And smart, tonight he heard me ask DH if he wanted some coconut chips (we keep them in the freezer) and Clark came barreling into the kitchen because he loves to beg for ice cubes. And he gets an ice cube, bats it around and then settles down to lick it down to a puddle. Weirdo. But I swear he knew the words "coconut chips" and remembered that I open the freezer to get those.
It has been so warm out (not normal here) so the furnace has not ran. Our bill was 135.
Second month in a row Meijer sent me free coupons that include large size. I am glad I noticed the free eggs included 24 count which alone saved 7.39. Both months the 2 free items were products I actually use & saved over $10.
Ran over to Kroger for the $2.49 butter. Vacuum packed it and put them in freezer. Wow are eggs and butter expense. Butter was over $4 a pound at Meijer.
Grand wants a specific Bluey plane and Meijer had it on sale. Broken record here-wow are toys expensive.
Changed my data plan back to 1 gig which makes my cell bill $20. Xfinity cell rates have gone thru the roof, the plan was $15. Over 30% increase.
@Mar, starting in November (maybe next week) holiday food sales (& yes baking) will start to be on sale. Probably won't see eggs on sale, but yes on butter, flour, sugars. Great time to stock up.
I wish I could trim my dog nails myself, but I tried twice and both time I got the quick and made her bleed (she has black nails), so now I go to the groomer. I could probably learn to do it right, but she and I are too anxious when it comes to it, so I'd rather pay to have it done (140$/year. Not bad).
* I decided to not buy any new clothes or shoes or jewelry for a year (thrifted is fine) at the beginning of the month. 29 days in and no problem so far.
* My main entertainment is still reading, and I get my books from the public library or free piles.
* Hubby and I have a week off next week and no plans whatsoever, so nothing expensive on the horizon.
* Working 2 extra shifts this week
* I am low maintenance : no makeup, hair care is minimal (no special products and no hair cuts. Hairs are always up in a bun), no manicure/pedicure, no elaborate wardrobe, etc. I can get ready in 5 minutes if I need too, and I still look put together.
@Isa, I have seen some people use a nail dremel (kind of a powered filing/polishing tool) to trim down their dogs' nails. It would not work on a cat, but if your dog has tough nails and they are hard to trim, a dremel might be the way to go, if you can find a good price for one.
@Karen A., bonus would be Dremels tools are awesome. So many options from one tool.
1. Earlier this summer, I hung up some clear Xmas tree lights on my covered patio. I wanted a few more to fill in a blank area so I bought some at Goodwill for $4 and change, using one of their coupons. They were sealed in a plastic bag and the clerk said they would all burn OK. But when I got 'em home and started putting them up, they were hopelessly tangled and about the first 1//4 of the string didn't light up. I saved the receipt and took them back for a refund.
2. I just happened to go to another thrift store for another reason, and voila! I found a string of -- you guessed it! -- clear Xmas tree lights. These were wrapped around the lid of a pizza box, not sealed in a plastic bag, and the store let me plug them in to test them. All the lights burned. The lady at the cash register charged me a whopping 50 cents for the whole string. And she even punched my discount card.
3. At the same store, they had brand new shoes from the local factory being sold for 5 dollars a pair. It wasn't the same brand as before, so I bought only one pair to try them out. I gave them the "acid test" by wearing them to my cashier's job. Yes, they have the same good arch supports so my feet were not tired after my shift. Oh, and they are really cute old-style "tennis" shoes, too.
4. On my day off, I took some soda pop cans to the Habitat Re-Store as a donation; they recycle aluminum cans for cash and plow this money back into the homebuilding charity. While there, I looked around. Found two tall kitchen trashcans for $2 each. One was not the kind that came with a lid; the other was missing its lid. But guess what? One of my kitchen trashcans developed a big split in its side, so only last week, I put it in the curbside plastic recycling. The new one is exactly the same as the one I tossed out....but I'd kept the lid, so now I have a complete set again. (BTW, this past year or so, I've found about 4 or 5 perfectly clean indoor trash cans at thrift stores. Including two small metal, step-on-the-pedal to open the lid, ones designed for bathroom use. They are much, much cheaper than what you'd pay for new ones! Who would've thought?!)
5. Our church is getting ready for Trunk or Treat. (For those in other countries or not familiar with this custom, Trunk or Treat is a variation of Trick or Treat but instead of having children go from door to door in neighborhoods, they come to one central location, like a well-lit church parking lot, and get candy from people who have parked their cars and decorated the trunk, or boot, in Halloween themes. The people give out candy from there. It is safer and more centralized.) Over the past year (and it took a whole year!), I have collected random pieces of peppermint, hard candy, and lollipops from candy dishes put out by bank tellers, restaurants, desk clerks, home & garden show vendors, or PTA in the teacher's lounge (only one or two pieces at a time, mind you); or given out by the pizza waitress or Sonic car hop, to have a big bag full. (The store sells such bags for at least 6 or 8 dollars.) Mine won't be spooky-looking Halloween-themed candy, but it is generic enough that if I have any remaining, I can use it for Xmas. If not, then in November, I may buy some heavily discounted leftover bags of Halloween treats, the kind with regular candy that does not have Halloween motifs, for upcoming holidays.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Kids around here trick or treat only at the downtown shops. A summer town is too deserted by Halloween to trick or treat in neighborhoods. I kind of miss trick or treaters living here, but I don't miss my dogs barking at the constant doorbell.
@Rose,
I feel sorry for today's kids bc Halloween isn't as fun and innocent as it was when I was little. OMG! I'm sounding like my grandma!
@Fru-gal Lisa, I remember my mom handing out candy apples to kids. They were utterly delicious. Can't imagine that these days.
@Rose, our town has always had trick or treater on Saturday (late morning to early afternoon) downtown at the businesses. It used to be local (& maybe relation that lived in town) but now has become so crowded (sidewalks packed all through downtown can't move easily) that people come from an hour away now to come on this Saturday. Then we still have normal trick or treating on Halloween night.
@Fru-gal Lisa, On the one hand, I remember being a kid in the early 80s and being told that people were putting razor blades in apples and being warned to watch out for big kids throwing eggs at us littler kids so it wasn't completely innocent. On the other, I wish my kids could have the experience I did when I rang my neighbor's door and she said to me "Is that you, Nicky, dressed up as Princess Leia? Hold on." and she brought out a candy necklace, just for me. I've never forgotten it, even 40+ years later. My kids just don't know our neighbors in the same way.
We had a number of really fun years in our own neighborhood when they were younger. But the last few since we moved and the kids got older, they've been wanting to spend it with their friends and we've been going trick or treating with their friends' neighborhoods. It just feels so odd to me. Our neighborhood just doesn't have trick or treaters.
The other part that bums me out about Halloween is that kids get so much candy for EVERYTHING these days - Valentine's day, easter, st. patrick's, thanksgiving...Halloween just feels excessive to me and it's doesn't feel like the jackpot it did when i was little. It was SPECIAL. I'm hoping it still feels special for my kiddos.
@Fru-gal Lisa, My neighborhood goes all out for Halloween. The celebration is from 6 - 8:30. The kids and parents have a wonderful time. We have security in place and a no car policy. It has been this way for the 33 years that I have lived here. We have dinner at 5 which is spaghetti and eyeballs and then the fun begins. My son now brings his children to my house.
@CrunchyCake, Halloween was a terrible source of stress for me when my kids were teens. My son was likely to get into trouble with his friends (oh, you mean that police car with the searchlight on is looking for him)*, while my daughter had no friends and my heart would break watching her trick or treating by herself.
Now I'm starting to enjoy it a bit.
*After he and his friends decided a dine & dash at the local diner would be funny. You know, where they all knew all the kids' names. sigh.
@Rose,
I live in a lake community and the only place the trick or treaters go is in town. These long winding lake roads don’t appeal to them for the same reason, too many vacant homes in the off season.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I understand why trunk-or-treat is convenient for parents and children. But I don't like the implication that it is "safer", because it implies that the neighborhoods are unsafe, and that isn't necessarily so.
@Heidi Louise, I doubt very much that the neighborhood houses are unsafe, but the roads might be. Kids aren't necessarily traffic smart, especially at night, and neither are drivers.
@Heidi Louise, and the number of trunk-or-treat events is out of control. Wonder why kids are overweight and/or have other health issues? And some trunk-or-treat events *are* a control issue. A handful of "houses of religion" hold them and I've seen their wording in the advertisements.
@Rose, over the last 20 years, my folks had more trick or treaters when the weather was bad - parents drove the kids. At our prior house, we had no trick-or-treaters - only three houses and probably good because plenty of speeders on the road. We were 300 feet off the road to boot.
We have a few in our current neighborhood. During the pandemic, one mom organized a scavenger hunt for the kids. Another year Halloween was on Saturday so we had the few neighborhood kids plus some of the neighbors grandkids. One grandpa had his clown hair/nose/makeup on and hauled the kids in a wagon behind his lawnmower. We have a "haunted bridge" every year - aka candy haul. One year better half let the group of three kids smash pumpkins with our wood splitter - that was a big hit (and the wildlife got the split pumpkins). Expecting a few more than normal for a week day (read: maybe 4 or 5) but like so many when better half and I were growing up, we do our best to make it a fun time.
One year it snowed and the aforementioned mom has watched the weather ever since lol.
@Bee, Sounds wonderful!!!!
@Heidi Louise,
Some neighborhoods ARE unsafe. Very sad.
@Selena,
On the other hand, giving out small boxes of raisins, school supplies such as pencils or small boxes of crayons, and little toys don't necessarily contribute to obesity. It's up to parents to parcel out the candy once it gets home, so that Junior isn't eating huge handfuls all at one time.
As far houses of religion, I believe that churches do a lot of good. If you don't teach your children about God and Jesus, I feel sorry for your children, esp. in today's world.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
For not far. Oops.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Dude. We're not all Christians.
We overspent a little at Sam's club last week, but ended up buying a pork roast for half the price of already cut pork. As soon as we came home, we chopped it up into smaller pieces and pork chops and put them in the freezer ready to use. We also bought chicken and did the same thing. We have some meat for at least 2 months.
We have been filling up with gas at Circle K where we save 10 cents a gallon because we use their card, which is linked to the checking account.
I ordered my daily drug from Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs. Saves me almost $60. for a 3 month supply. My insurance will charge $90. for a 3 month mail order and the drug store charges $45. for a 30-day supply if I use my insurance (way more without). So I save by ordering from there, not using my insurance and it is delivered right to my house.
Our fire pit area is completed. A lot of sweat equity went into it and it's not perfect, but looks really nice. Free bricks, lots of digging, fire pit bricks from FB marketplace last year and discounted pebble stones from the hardware store my husband works at and it's done. We will reap the rewards this weekend and invite the neighbors over for some s'mores.
We have been starting the woodstove in the morning to take the chill off the house. It doesn't have to run all day because it does warm up outside, but the chill is gone when I wake up which is really nice. And the electric heat is not running!
@Maureen, *IF* you have an HSA, mark your Rx receipt as non-reimbursed. I don't run some of our Rx through insurance either. Less headache and usually less cost. You can reimburse yourself at *any* time from your HSA - there is no time limit.
Most of my frugal things are just day to day life, and I forget to jot down things to share because I'm constantly moving on to the next thing on my never ending list. But a few would be:
*Splurging one take-out meal out per week and making it stretch to two - leftovers are A-OK with me, and not having to cook is even better.
*found several books for evening reading at Goodwill for $1 or $2 apiece. Shared the already read ones with co-workers.
*I really wanted a pedi last week, but I couldn't bear to part with $$ for that, so I DIY'd it at home.
*Therapy has been worthwhile to me (it ain't cheap, tho), so I increased my HSA contribution on our open enrollment event at work. I also recently got a small raise so I feel like I'm reinvesting it in my long term mental health.
*Got the payoff quote for my house and I am hella nervous about sending that amount of money to the mortgage company, but also thrilled and excited that I will own my home outright.
Thanks for the reminder to visit my mending stack of things and see what I can knock out this week!
@Gina from The Cannary Family, dies your insurance/company off EAP benefits where you get so many free (individual & family) therapy sessions per year? If so, call your insurance provider & get that information (usually code numbers for individual & family--which you can do both) & share with your therapy office billing/therapist.
@Gina from The Cannary Family, ooo, mortgage payoff quote! Keep us updated, so we can cheer with you.
Frugal:
1. When my horrible local oil company tried to charge me for three service calls on the new $17,500 furnace I bought from them less than a year ago, I pointed out the part of the proposal offering two free years of service calls. Their motto: Not only do we not try to please our customers, we actively try to piss them off!
2. Bought some more My Pet Peed on a good sale. Sigh.
3. Instead of buying more slates or bricks, I visited the local rocky beach to gather some very large stones to foil the puppies' digging under the fence.
4. Continue to sell extra stuff via eBay and FB Marketplace, but FB doesn't work so well since I'm practically in the middle of the Atlantic.
5. Offered some discounts on cottage stays. My sister says I need to do TikTok (I groaned) but she came up with some good ideas.
Not so much:
1. Had to pay $500 to have Betsy privately cremated.
The whole time at the beach, I thought "I got a rock. I got a rock. I got a rock."
It was chilly, but the sky was bright blue and the water was navy blue.
@Rose,
Now I'll have to go watch "It's the great pumpkin , Charlie Brown." I hope your rocks worked out!
And buy the way, My Pet Peed is the stuff that actually works, unlike Nature's Miracle which is useless.
@Rose, good exercise if nothing else.
@Rose, yes Nature's Miracle IS useless in my opinion.
@Rose, Thanks for the heads up about My Pet Peed! Will try to find some.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Not easy to find. This is the sale link (worth it in my opinion and much cheaper than Amazon).
https://www.mypetpeed.com/products/share-the-love-pack-gallon-free-32oz/?utm_source=sendy&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ShareTheLove-Oct2024&utm_term=BVIP&utm_content=Mail5-EXTENDED_EndsSoon
I love what you did with the chorizo. I don't care for it but my husband does. I will do this for him so he can use it when he cooks for himself !!
FFT, Wedding Anniversaries/Halloween/Etc. Edition (revised/updated from yesterday's FFT at the NCA):
(1) My late DH and I would have celebrated 45 years of legal hitchitude on Oct. 30, and the Bestest Neighbors’ 37th anniversary is Oct. 31. I have suggested to the BNs that we celebrate by going together to a local peace-and-justice group’s spaghetti dinner on the 30th. Donations for the dinner = what one can afford.
(2) We no longer get enough trick-or-treaters on our street for me to justify buying candy (with the associated temptations). So I was just going to turn off my front lights at dusk on Halloween and hole up in my office. But the neighbors on the other side of my next-door neighbor have just announced plans for an alternative Halloween party for adults. Go ahead, twist my arm!
(3) After this Saturday’s local JASNA group’s meeting (in which we discussed all our adventures at the recent JASNA Annual General Meeting in Cleveland), my JASNA Panera friend passed along over a dozen Panera souffles that were day-old and would have been thrown out otherwise. In turn, I (a) brought JASNA Panera two bags of stuff from her mother (who still lives in my city); and (b) passed along most of the souffles to my next-door neighbor, who loves them and needs to gain weight anyway. Win win win!
(4) Since we still haven’t had a killing frost here (most unusual for Central NY by now–but helloooo, climate change!), I am taking a leisurely approach to fall garden clearance. In particular, my arugula in the Easy Washer tub with the fire-pit cover is still going strong, and I had a BAT (bacon, arugula, and tomato) sandwich for dinner last night, with a couple of tomatoes passed along by the Bestest Neighbors.
(5) Finally, I won't deny that I racked up a very handsome number of Amazon points with DH's Chase Amazon Visa card back in the day, and Kristen's #3 has reminded me of the advantages of having one. I'm not criticizing her or anyone else for having and using this card. But once DH's card got cancelled after his death (since I was only an authorized user of the card, not a co-cardholder--and, yes, I do see the error of my ways in hindsight), I decided to do without both a Chase Amazon card and Amazon itself. A year and a quarter later, I still don't regret this: I feel that I've avoided a lot of impulse purchases (especially of books) this way, and I'd rather not be contributing to Jeff Bezos's already immense wealth. But, again, different strokes for different folks.
@A. Marie, understandable about your #5. I’ve slowed down my use of Amazon considerably. But sadly I can’t let go of Kindle Unlimited.
@A. Marie,
A lot of people are furious at Jeff Bezos for telling the editorial board of his Washington Post that from now on, they cannot endorse political candidates. Thus killing an age-old, cherished journalism tradition. Katherine Graham must be spinning in her grave over this! Supposedly, he's lost 200,000 digital subscribers and several members of the WaPo editorial board has resigned.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Or Bill Bradlee. When his wife had the big tag sale at Grey Gardens, they offered his beautiful desk for $500. Unfortunately we didn't need any desks.
@Fru-gal Lisa, you should read his editorial and reasoning behind this decision. It is sound, but I’m sure it is not being reported by many media outlets.
@Bee, censorship, pure and simple. It is being reported and I suspect I'm not in the minority for his cowardly behavior.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I agree, it's revolting. And this is the newspaper which broke Watergate! There's a good article on it here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/26/anticipatory-obedience-newspapers-endorsement-refusal
@A. Marie,
Re: your #2
Hmmm....I wonder what you'll go as. Jane Austen's maid, perhaps? LOL!
Happy Halloween party!
Re Bezos and WaPo: one, I think canceling one's subscription doesn't hurt Bezos in the least. He didn't buy the newspaper to make money.
Two: I think that canceling subs will only hurt journalists, not Bezos. The WaPo has published a number of my pieces over the years.
Three: having worked for a long time as a journalist in a company rife with billionaires, Bezos's reasoning is familiar to me. He thinks he knows way more about journalism than he does. This was a very fine line at Microsoft when some jagoff (not Gates, he's smarter than that) decided since he was rich, he could give experienced writers and editors tips. Drop dead, Nathan Myhrvold.
It was the most productive of weeks, but I do have FFTs.
1. I continue to declutter. This seems to be a much longer process than I anticipated. I have things hidden away in closets and boxes that I no longer want or can use. Some are valuable. Some are sentimental. Some are inherited. Some are just junk. This week I found a forgotten pair of 19th-century French wall scones in the back of the closet that I had inherited some time ago. They were not something that I would use in my house. I wasn’t sure what to do with them. I knew that these would take a while to sell, but I didn’t want to just place them in a donation box. I have a friend who loves this kind of thing, so I brought these to her. She was thrilled with them! They are now hanging in her living room and out of my closet. Not especially frugal for me, but sharing something beautiful is a good thing.
2. Calico Kitty knocked one of my lamps off the nightstand in the primary bedroom. Sadly, it could not be fixed. I have been looking for a new pair for quite a while, but lamps have gotten pricey. I made an unscheduled stop at an estate sale this weekend and found the perfect pair of lamps for about 20% of retail. While there, I also bought an antique Chinese rice basket just because I loved it. At only $8, there was no reason to leave it behind. Hmmm… maybe that is why decluttering is a slow process.
3. I have a windows that are 12 feet wide across the back of my house. I have been unable to find a nice curtain rod that size at a reasonable price. However, I was able to pick one up this week on Buy Nothing. Yippee!
4. I used my Target app to get 5% off my entire purchase during my birthday month. I didn’t save a lot ($3), but I didn’t need much either.
5. I did all the usual things. I brewed my own coffee, drank primarily water, ate simple meals at home, read library books, and scanned my receipts to both Fetch and iBotta.
Wishing everyone peace, good health, and prosperity.
#1 - that would be a pair of sconces not scones. I was posting before breakfast I must have been hungry.
@Bee, I just love hilarious typos that turn out to be really funny, hence your finding of two old French wall "scones". I couldn't help thinking they might be slightly stale. 😀
@Bee,
I'm impressed with the curtain rod! I have a window that is almost nine feet, and we paid a pretty penny for a rod long enough to hang curtains at it.
@JD, I was amazed. It was NIB with all the hardware a finials.
Just a thought about the Amazon rewards. You can also use the rewards as a credit on the credit card bill, as part of the payment. If you just use the points to pay for a purchase, you don't get the 5% off (points value you would earn by using the CC). So, I always use the CC, then cash in the rewards. If this logic isn't correct, let me know.
@Sandy Beach, that’s what I do too. And then I also get points for whatever I’m buying.
@Sandy Beach, I do that with my Sam's club Mastercard. I cash put the money & pay towards bill. Otherwise if I use towards purchases I don't get the percentage points. I recently learned that Sam's club Mastercard will automatically apply your rewards towards purchase if don't cash out by certain amount of days after available/statement.
I also did mending! Were they inexpensive items to begin with? Yes, but repairing means I don't have to go shopping, which is a win in my book.
In regards to your pot holders and guests, I would get comments from my mother occasionally about "oh you still have X piece of furniture?" Um, yes, it's a coffee table, it serves it's purpose, was purchased at a yard sale (sorta sentimental about that because my grandparents would drive around to garage sales and scope things out for me when I was getting ready to move into my first apartment, and they found my end-tables and coffee table). Mostly I think that caring too deeply what others think, especially about the things in your home is the worst trap to get in, especially financially!
@Jen,
My daughter is using my mother-in-law's coffee table on which DH scribbled on the underside with a pencil when he was a toddler. The scribbles are still there. He was 71 when he passed, and that table wasn't new when he wrote on it.
As you say, it still serves its purpose!
@JD, I don't understand the mentality of having to buy new things to keep up with trends, I spent $40 on my coffee table/end tables 20+ years ago and am perfectly content, plus if something happens to them, oh well, but we are pretty good about taking care of things. Maybe it's an age thing, but I've never been one to care enough to be bothered by having a mish mash of furniture or having things "match".
1. I cleared out my garden and covered the herbs and lettuce to get a few more weeks out of them.
2. I went to my sewing meeting and got a yard of soft jean material I will use in a quilt I am making. I also mended my daughter's sweater during the meeting.
3. I planned my errands to maximize the gas.
4. I received money from my birthday. I used $10 to buy a large bouquet of flowers and I am clipping them every other day to extend their life. I bought them Oct 16, almost 2 weeks ago. And they were half price.
5. I borrowed a couple of movies from the library instead of renewing my Netflix subscription. I stopped it in April.
Not so frugal. I usually do not run my furnace until Nov. We bundle up and I bake enough to heat my home up and it retains the warmth well. BUT this year I ran it once after the first frost and it didn't run right. We did some preventative maintenance and I tried again on Sunday. Nope. 28 years is old for a furnace and my hubby has kept her going but it is time to replace. Unfortunately I had a pet emergency and so my EF only has half the amount. It looks like we might have to debt. I am coming up with a payoff plan.
@Amy cheapohmom, be sure to check your energy company to see if they have a deal or a payment plan on the new furnace. They might also have rebates for the purchase; which the government might have one too. The cost might be recouped faster than you think because of the higher efficiency of a new furnace too. Good luck!
@Amy cheapohmom, keep your receipt for furnace for your taxes. It qualifies as home energy credit (& includes installation).
I had forgotten who owns the Washington Post until this week. Well, that's more reasons not to give him any money.
1. Bought cat food on sale (25% off) with a $3 off coupon.
2. Had searched everywhere for a Rubbermaid gallon tea pitcher and happened to see the perfect item at a great price in our local grocery store. Bought it, baby!
3. Had a fist-sized chunk of lettuce that needed to be used up. I like the salads of my childhood: lettuce, tomato, and carrot, which I jazzed up with grated Parmesan and a tablespoon of bacon. That made a side salad for two meals.
4. Found a quarter on the pavement while fueling up my car. Regular gas had dropped to $2.53 a gallon, so I filled up the car even though it could have gone a few more days.
5. Ran through my stash of frozen homemade breakfast dishes. I looked in the cupboards and found raisins and walnuts that need to be used and made raisin-walnut oatmeal to portion up and freeze.
Sometimes it just takes a needle and thread. I love my sewing machine, but it can't do it all.
Let's see, how was I frugal?
1. Well, buying a farm pig whole and dividing it with my kids was more frugal than buying the pork in pre-cut pieces from the farms.
2. I found a pair of Merrell shoes in good shape, second hand, and made them mine for $9. I needed a cool-weather pair of what DH always called "kick-around" shoes. I have shoes that are mesh that are well-worn but still work for hot weather. They are a little air-ish for colder weather, though, which we do get here.
3. Since I never get trick or treaters here, I can say that is one frugal thing about choosing to live in the country. No candy or Halloween décor is needed. I spend little to no money on my autumn décor anyway, re-using stuff and using fresh plant material from the yard.
4. We had record breaking high temperatures for 3 days, although it finally came back down closer to normal - mid to lower 80's. Normal would be more like 79 now for a high. I left my air conditioning off and soldiered through the 90's with fans and open windows.
5. Since my new clothesline is up, I dried lots of laundry in the sunny, dry air we have right now. I turn my clothing, especially dark clothing, inside out to avoid sun bleaching. Bonus with my new clothesline was a nice pin bag included, so I can stop using the apron that slid down off my waist with the weight of the pins all the time.
Nail clipping reminded me of when I was a kid and we had a chihuahua/toy Manchester terrier who was tiny and a biter. When my dad clipped her claws, she screamed angrily, bit, struggled, and wet the floor. He never once hurt her, that was just her personality. He got his dad, my taciturn, solemn grandfather, to help him, and the dog wet all over my grandfather. My grandfather as usual said nothing, but after that first attempt, every time her claws were trimmed, there would be my reserved, dignified grandfather, carefully holding the furious dog, dressed in a long, yellow rain slicker and rain boots. That is a memory my siblings and I still chuckle over.
@JD, we had a Manchester terrier mix when I was a child. She was a loving but nervous little dog. I read recently that the breed is now considered endangered, as not many people breed them anymore.
@JD, our only Halloween decorations (besides whatever pretty much inexpensive decorating better half does for the "haunted" bridge) is buying pumpkins sold as a fundraiser for education. Wildlife will consume them once we get past Halloween.
1) Picked pomegranates off of our tree
2) Uploaded some receipts to Fetch & iBotta, and saved a bit
3) Priced out transportation for a trip we took last week, and by far the cheapest option was parking in the long term airport lot. It required a tram to/from the airport, and given how early we were at the airport (around 3 am) it wasn't the most fun we've ever had, but we planned it out & made it happen.
4) Eating the leftovers in the fridge, as we are back & ensuring nothing goes to waste.
5) Ordered a few dresses for a trip, and returned everything that didn't work. (Kept one).
Bought granola bars, trail mix and jerky for my husband's work travel. This saves him needing to buy anything at the airport. I also send oatmeal packs and other snacks for the hotel room. Many times his meals are covered by the event he attends, but sometimes they leave a lot to be desired.
Clipped my pups' nails. Since I have three dogs, this adds up fast!
Made coffee and all meals at home.
Batching errands to save gas.
Only buying meat when it's on sale.
I think even little mending jobs like this are so satisfying.
*Our electricity co-op is going to time-of-use rates and held a public Q&A at a local gallery. They provided a taco bar and margaritas. We went and enjoyed a great meal and very informative discussion. Free night out!
*We regularly walk dogs with friends. Their oldest little dog was under the weather so they showed up with the dog in a carrier. I mentioned I was thinking of getting one of those for our oldest dog so that if he gets tired on long hikes we could give him a ride. The next day they showed up with a carrier for my dog -- too big for theirs but just right for mine!
*The free firewood we cut and split this summer is keeping us warm on chilly mornings.
*We're still enjoying lettuce, arugula, chard, and broccoli from the greenhouse.
*We're enjoying a wealth of books and audiobooks from our library.
-Fortune in unfortune, my debit card was recently hacked and some fraudulent charges were made. I luckily received an alert and called the bank right away, closing my card. One of the charges (the much larger one) was returned right away, and I am contesting the other one. Fingers crossed it gets returned as well.
-Thanks to Kristen's promo code, I was able to put in an order to Knix and get 25% off the price. I have been meaning to try period underwear for a while 🙂
-Hosted a book/art club discussion club, making treats with pantry things I already had on hand.
-Took a few pants I no longer need to sell at a consignment shop. Yes, I do also buy from there so they get more money from me than I get from them, but my overall spend on clothes is pretty small this way. I also remembered to bring a coupon I had cut out for the store.
-Cleaned my own house, made coffee at home and saved leftover coffee for ice coffees, eating up leftovers for lunch, pulling out my cold weather clothes to make sure I use what I already own when the season changes.
I'm thinking most of my "frugal ways" have been rather silent.
I "leave the leaves" and do not do major yard clean-up as that is where most of the pollinators and bugs over winter.
I will say I pulled the basic milkweed (it will be back next year) and hope to exchange it for the tidier variety of swamp milkweed, which does not really need a swamp to live. I am using my own seeds from the plants on the west side of the house for the street facing east side. The milkweed is for the monarch butterflies and is growing with other food sources as well. I have already sown some other seeds that require winter stratification.
I buy most of my shoes from Zappos because I need WW ones and they have them available. Returns are free. I have a pair to send back today.
I did not drive thru anywhere this week. That is major, but food prepping twice helped a lot. I did order a meal at work, but as I've mentioned before $3.00 for a whole meal of ham, sweet potatoes, layered salad, a roll and pumpkin dessert is a bargain and it was all good!
Filled up w gas at Casey's for $2.86.
@Chrissy, I too have wide feet to I'm going to check out Zappos. I should say I have small, wide feet which adds to the challenge.
Five Frugals:
1. Roasted leftover veggies from opening reception
2. Saved $3.60 by buying gas down the hill
3. A friend shared tomatoes from his garden
4. A friend brought me pomegranates to make jelly (Pay no attention to the cost of sugar, pectin, and lids)
5. A neighbor shared his green trash cans for all the pruning I did over the weekend.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, How did the reception go? Any fun stories? I miss the receptions at my old job except for the dressing up part. Wish you were nearby so I could’ve attended yours.
@ErikaJS, thank you for asking, because it causes me to re-examine the evening. The best was 15 minutes before closing, when the gallery board members were starting to gather up things, a friend came in with her husband. I hadn't seen her for 30 years! They bought 3 paintings. 😎
There were many other events happening on the same evening, so it was amazing that it was fairly well-attended. It was the right amount of people so that I had a chance to talk to every one there.
Frugal Semi-Fail or Semi-Save? You tell me!
Over the weekend I discovered that mice have invaded my garage and got into 2 bags of dog food. Each bag cost $40. One bag was loose kibble and so a total loss; I threw that into the compost bin so I'll get a little use from it. The other held baggies of portioned-out kibble. I checked each baggie and kept the intact ones. The other big bags went into the large collection of Rubbermaid bins I've scrounged over the years.
I also found soda on deep sale+coupons, exchanged some foreign currency, did not buy another sweater's worth of yarn at the (free) craft festival although I did buy a couple of yarnless kits, and the only time I ate out was at a food truck at the festival.
@WilliamB, I always keep pet food in metal cans with tightly fitting lids. I've had rats twice in my life and that was more than enough.
Frugal things.
Deep cleaning and decluttering myself. Room by room. I found a nice box full of thank you cards.
Paid cash for a large medical bill saved 15 percent.
Eating at home. Making iced coffee at home.
Haha, I just have to interject this amusing bit from my sister: "[Niece] and I watched Halloween last night. She admired one of the 70s cars. She likes 70s cars. Except this car was a '77 Monte Carlo. My first car. She was no longer impressed." Sums up teenagers right there.
@Rose,
Lol! That's hilarious!
@Rose, LMAO.. Monte Carlos were cool cars. If I don't inherit I'll be buying the "commuter" muscle car my folks bought in the fall of 1967 (1968 model year). Probably for the best that upgrading to a high HP muscle car of that same model didn't happen (really, another $3K plus the purchased two weeks ago car?). That model was only available in one color that year. I do miss a V-8.
1.) Doing my budget check on the month of October and I realized that I hadn't spent more than $25 on myself for the whole month. This of course doesn't count family expenses but just my personal spending. So go me, I guess.
2.) Using up all the birthday month rewards in my family like Build-a-Bear, Red Robin etc.
3.) Daughter got to spend all her Barnes and Noble giftcards and since I'm in the rewards program we got 10% off and earned a coupon toward another purchase. I also used the birthday coupon for $5 off.
4.) Cancelled some of our streaming services. We will probably pick them back up if there are Black Friday sales but we just need a break to catch up on everything.
5.) Got in one more (last?) line drying session before the cold really hits us.
Nothing outrageous in the way of money saving over here this week but a lot of standards.
1. We ate at home even when the temptation of takeout was a force to be reckoned with.
2. HVAC off - layers on in the mornings.
3. Cut up last ends of Italian bread loaves into cubes and froze for French Toast Casserole during the holidays. The family loves this and it is an easy thing to throw together at night and just bake for a bit in the morning.
4. Made homemade bone broth with the carcasses of two rotisserie chickens bought at Costco last week. Bone broth is loaded with protein and the ready to eat containers in the store are SO expensive. In some instances I have seen them upwards of $9 for 32 ounces. I can buy two whole chickens for that much money. Anyhoo the bone broth making yielded 6 quarts of lovely bone broth and the chicken was used in some chicken noodle soup, salads, and for general protein based snacks.
5. I had some pears that were overly ripe so I chopped them up added a bit of brown sugar and some spices - voila yummy pear butter! This will go on toast, pancakes, stirred into oatmeal, cottage cheese, and yogurt. I am an October for sure!
Love to all!
First, a frugal fail- I met a friend at a coffee shop this morning. For a juice box (my daughter's, not mine, ha!) and a latte, it was over $10. Yikes. I haven't been to a shop in ages and I had sticker shock.
Frugal things:
- made applesauce all day Saturday with my MIL. This is a tiring day but so so thankful to have my shelves restocked.
- meal planning and cooking at home; packing lunches
- went to the feed mill yesterday to stock up on cow and chicken feed- the price is lower per bag and it's freshly made so higher quality feed
- baked a batch of granola yesterday while I had the oven on for biscuits
- batched errands for less driving. This is somewhat misleading because it was still a lot of driving... !
1. I had a power cut in my apartment this morning. They said it might take 24 hours but fortunately it's fixed, so I don't have to potentially pay for a hotel room tonight! Hopefully all the food in the fridge survived.
2. Bread was half price so I bought two loaves and put one in the freezer.
3. I went to the cinema but I ate lunch at home instead of at the cafe I went past on the way.
4. I went to some classes included in my gym membership.
5. I finally ate the frozen pizza which was judging me from the bottom of my freezer for several weeks.
FFT: Mini-vacation edition. Every October we have a long weekend off school and go stay in a cabin somewhere. This year...
1. All of the state park cabins were booked because we booked late, so we started looking at VRBO. They were all way more expensive and some required crazy damage deposits. So we tried something new and found a cabin at a private-owned Christian campground. Way more affordable! I also thought about how much more affordable it is to tent camp twice a year and get a cabin once a year rather than get a camper.
2. I packed all of our food, except for our travel-home dinner since we met up with my brother and went out to eat with him.
3. We enjoyed free entertainment - yard games that the campground has to borrow, hiking at a nature center, and visiting a lighthouse on Lake Michigan.
4. A food save - we didn't realize initially that the cabin's mini-fridge was set to the coldest temp and became like a freezer. Whoops. We had to throw out a container of cucumber slices, but I took the bag of now-frozen baby carrots and we had cooked carrots as a side dish one dinner and my kids loved it.
5. We stopped by Sam's Club one the way home. Normally we live 45 minutes away from a Sam's, but there was one on our route.
1. I simultaneously roasted some squash left by my MIL, pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin that DH carved with our toddler, and some salmon that thawed unexpectedly when our fridge/freezer decided to kick the bucket a few days ago. I also made a clean-out-the-fridge and freezer curry with some wrinkly potatoes and other odds and ends. I was glad to reduce our food waste, and I am trying to reduce our freezer inventory for when we have an extended trip away from home soon.
2. I received some free undereye masks from Social Nature to review. I don’t think they really work (probably nothing out there really does!) but they do feel nice while they are on.
3. Happily accepted some hand me down clothing that my MIL brought for our toddler. A few things are not our style and we will pass them along.
4. I forgot to mention before but my FIL cut DH’s hair– mostly I appreciate the time savings, although it is financially frugal too.
5. Brought home two donuts, part of a baguette, some hamburger buns, and a banana from work.
6. DH and I got our covid and flu shots which were covered by our insurance.
1. I picked up some clothes and winter boots, off Buy Nothing, that will fit my daughter next year.
2. We upgraded our cycling bike that we purchased 5 years ago. It was still in good shape, but we use it often and wanted one that pairs with some cycling apps. We purchased the "new" bike on Facebook Marketplace for $350 (still in stores for $1,000 new) and it included the mat and weights. We sold our previous bike on Marketplace for $100.
3. Instead of going out to dinner for our anniversary, my husband and I made steak, shrimp, and asparagus at home. It was great!
4. Sundried some more tomatoes from our garden, made banana muffins from over-ripe bananas, and made farmer's cheese from leftover milk
5. Made coffee at home
A repeat of my entry to Katy's Non-Consumer blog: 1. We had to buy a new vehicle this week. It broke down and the cost of fixing the old buggy was just too high to be worth it. We searched for used vans, that model being a necessity not only because of the dogs but because getting my wheelchair in and out of something like an SUV or smaller is just too much for my 76-year-old husband. We ended up getting a new 2023 model, the last one left on the lot, for only $600 more than a used one with 32,000 miles would have cost us. Our roads are vicious to vehicles, in the winter due to the temperatures and in the summer because a lot of our roads are either not paved or have potholes the size of graves. There are also permafrost heaves that happen as the ground warms in the summer, so you can literally end up airborne. There were only two frugal things about the purchase: we turned down extras like lifetime oil changes (we get ours free with mystery shops) or Sirius, and we paid cash. The day we bought our now dead van, we started a sinking fund so that when the time came we would have the money in hand, so we cashed in a CD and now have no car payments. At our ages, we figure this will be our last vehicle before both of us are dead. (We did pay for heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Every single time I sit down on warm seats when the temperature is 30 or 40 below zero, I say a blessing for the person who invented such a miracle.) So, overall I would say this was as frugal as it would get to buy a new van.
2. Bought no groceries this week, as we have a packed freezer and I did three grocery shops so $90 worth of free groceries.
3. Sold a book and sent it doing a post office mystery shop, so did not pay anything for the shipping, so the listed price was all profit (minus eBay cut, of course).
4. Sold the last of my vintage necklaces and it is being sent via another USPS mystery shop I have scheduled for Nov. 1.
5. Made peanut butter cup brownies for a potluck, instead of buying a contribution. They were a huge hit. And I brought home 3 leftover fruit cups someone else had brought.
@Lindsey, I wouldn't have believed how hard it is getting a wheelchair passenger (my mom) and a foldable wheelchair into even an SUV. You really don't know these things until you live them.
I miss my mom. I miss Betsy. I miss BFF whose birthday it is today.
I love chorizo with scrambled eggs and then toss it on some rice Nice score. It's great how you chopped it to individual servings!
Hey, thanks for the piano music recommendations. I am intermediate or beginner advanced. My college age son left his Steinway and I want to give it some use but haven't find the inspiration. New music is a great new start. I am going to check with my library to see if it has sheet music of others.
Just back from a dream NYC trip and I am ready to buckle down and pay cash only for the next month. I also want to lose a few pounds. Both of these goals will get me ready for the December holidays. Here is my plan to help me with both.
1. My friends and I are getting together on Nov. 9th. I suggested a simple fancy food exchange and call it XMAS. Everyone accepted it. Now I will only do cards for that group.
2. I am making a schedule this week of classes at my gym. No excuse not to include these "sunk cost" aids to weight loss.
3. I am going to check all the light fixtures purchased for the 1917 River House Renovation. I want to return anything that is an immediate "no" to get the credit back onto my card. One is already going back because my Mom gave me a very similar brass chandelier that needs a little elbow grease. This could mean a swing of $500.
4. I am going to choose a few projects that are focus intensive to keep me home and out of spending temptation. I have a couple of kits for felting ornaments I am going to give to my folks ( I pay monthly for their life alerts o I only gift token remembrances on holidays.) I have borrowed an old serger to get back some sewing skills. I have two vintage shell Art Deco vanity mirrors and need to learn how to fix. That should keep my creativity skills engaged which helps me forget to eat and spend.
• I was in Las Vegas over the weekend for work and everything was expensive. I made sure to stay in my company’s daily expense guidelines so I didn’t have to pay out of pocket for food.
• The New York times sent me an offer for full access to their website for just $17 for an entire year (there were some credits on there for my ‘games’ subscription that I purchased earlier in the year). I had access to ‘cooking’ last year thanks to a friend offering me her gifted subscription but that had lapsed. I felt this was a screaming good deal for something I use daily so I was happy to snap up the offer.
• I have some mystery leg swelling that led me to order groceries through Prime. I saw Halloween candy heavily discounted so I added it to my cart.
• I finished another book in my (shrinking) to-read pile and happily deposited it in the Free Little Library down the street.
• Not a frugal win for me but I did benefit! I had a friend accompany me on the trip to Las Vegas. She flew out using points, stayed with me in my room, and because she traveled with me she was able to use my transportation from the airport to our hotel. She only paid for her meals, the one show we saw (and the cup!) and transportation to the airport.
• My friend wanted a specific Starbucks cup as a souvenir but wasn’t able to find one before she left. On the day I was flying home I found the cup at the airport and purchased it for her using my Starbucks app. I already get double stars for using the app, but they were doubled again because I linked their app to my Delta app. My friend did pay me back for the cup.
1. We made all our meals at home. We brewed coffee at home. We ate up food that needs to be eaten.
2. My daughter has a concert tonight. She had to wear a specific style of clothes and thankfully we already had what she needs. No buying necessary. (My son outgrew his dress pants for concerts, so we are on the lookout for new ones before his first concert.)
3. I needed one of those 3d-printed dragons for a few hours for a specific reason. A coworker makes them and sells them. He loaned one to me.
4. We used the library to get watch some movies.
5. I put in a Target order once I had enough to not pay shipping. I only bought things we needed (e.g. shampoo). 4 out of 5 of the items had one or more discounts applied. The only item that I paid full price for was a set of socks with grips on the bottom for my kid who keeps falling on the tile. While not ideal, it's worth it if my kid stops getting hurt.
6. I put in a big order from the Girl Scout shop once I got a code for cheap shipping.
The Amazon Chase card has been great for me.
I am an avid knitter and it can be an expensive hobby. Years ago I wanted a good quality but expensive set of interchangeable knitting needles that at the time cost about $79 (now about $125!), but I couldn't justify the expense. The Chase Amazon credit card gave you a $75 Amazon credit for signing up and then 5% back for Amazon purchases, so I used the $75 credit to buy the knitting needles. Now when I want other knitting accessories (extra cords, special needle tips, primarily), I use my Amazon points to buy them. I deliberately asked for a relatively small limit on my Amazon Chase card, I use it for my Amazon purchases, and pay it off every month. They have offered multiple times to raise my limit on that card, but it's too tempting to overspend, so I have not agreed.
I have asthma and it's triggered by fragrances, dust, and mold. Especially this time of year it's hard for me to go into most retail stores because of all the scented fall and Christmas products, in addition to the scented colognes and perfumes people wear that clings to clothing they try on. I cannot do thrift stores any more at all. Because of this, of my non-grocery shopping is online with Amazon, and I have a nice collection of knitting accessories that were essentially free.
I always LOVE seeing your sewing-related Frugal Things. I just find them inspiring! It can totally save a piece of clothing or a household item and then you don't need to pay to replace it. Always such a satisfying task, I find. I just mended two of our queen sized sheets over here - they were threatening to rip along a hem, big time! I buckled down and took the time to hand sew them and now we don't need to buy any new sheets just yet! I also patched (using iron-on patches, hidden on the interior side) my comforter's cotton duvet cover which recently got a couple of small holes in it.
Queso fundido is quite tasty (and by no means heart healthy). Eat with tortillas or tortilla chips. Chorizo is excellent as a burger topping as is queso fundido.
While I'm all for making the most of ones dollar, I avoid Amazon as much as I can. It and Walmart are my suppliers of last resort.
Today I have a kid's birthday edition of Five Frugal Things.
1) Last year we spent a little more than usual on birthday celebrations, so this year in general we made the decision to rein back every one's party.
2) Our daughter turns nine today, and we are having spaghetti and meatballs at home for dinner.
3) I made the cake myself--a rainbow cake made with pans I already had from a couple years ago when I made her a unicorn cake. I did have to buy a cake mix, icing, and food coloring.
4) My husband and I went to Goodwill on Monday, and I always scan the kids section. We found a precious dress in our daughter's size that was half off this week. She loves it! And wore it to school today. The perfect birthday dress for $1.50.
5) We are getting our daughter a battle pass something or other. Thank goodness for the man in my life who speaks the same Fortnight language as the kids. He was able to get some kind of deal. Something about the timing of the battle pass. He drew me a diagram. I still didn't understand, but that is fine by me.
My Frugal 5’s
1) Saved an extra $1000 by shopping around for home insurance. Our previous renewal rate was $1000 more than the new one with the same coverage.
1) Kids used what we already had in our dress up clothes and at home for their school’s Red Ribbon week celebration and their Halloween costumes.
3) We handed out Halloween candy we had stored in the closet.
4) We were generous recipients of food: Received extra treats from neighbors and friends for the kids on Halloween, Got a fresh hand made loaf of oatmeal bread from my friend, Got 2 blueberry muffins from the food pantry, Will be getting a few pumpkins for after Halloween carving.
5) Got a free wreath through my BuyNothing group and decorated with things I already had at home to make it into a fall wreath for our door.
Extras)
- Celebrated Halloween by reading books, watching movies, and playing games we had or borrowed from the library. Kids also got a free donut at a donut shop for coloring and turning in their coloring sheets. They also went to a Lego club Halloween theme session at the library.
- Got sewing and cooking advice from my friend. She even kindly volunteered to get me started on using my sewing machine next time we meet up and to teach me how to make her famous raisin cookies. She’s also given me a few of her recipes that I loved and have made a couple times now.
- Mended clothes, toys and transfer paperwork to binder I got for half off at Walmart’s sale isle.
-Did early voting while already at the library for my kid’s ukulele lesson there.
I used some leftover tomatoes and onions from burgers the night before by chopping them up a little and put them in my vegetable soup.
Crushed up all my stale chips and crackers and fed them to the birds.
Eating Sunday lunch at home. (We used to always eat out -- no more.)
Waiting a week or more to buy groceries. Fewer trips often mean less spent.
Trying to watch fresh foods and use them before they spoil.
Consolidating trips to town, 13 miles away.
Saving ahead for taxes and insurance. Waaaayyy too much to pay at once.
Don't forget the bonus look of scorn you get from the car for the indignity of a nail trim!
That would be caT