Five Frugal Things | when it feels pointless
1. I packed my lunch and my coffee for my weekend clinicals
This past weekend, our "clinicals" were just at college, doing simulation and paperwork. Next weekend, we actually go to an assisted living place. With real live patients!
Anyway, I packed a little lunch both days this weekend: a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole wheat bread, plus an apple, red pepper slices, and a granola bar for a snack.
I brought the coffee that I made at home, plus water in my metal water bottle.
And I walked to and from school for one of the clinical days.
I know I've said this before, but I sometimes feel like, "What's the point??" when it comes to doing stuff like this, given the Very Large Financial Problem going on in my life right now. I had one of those "Why am I even bothering?" moments just now as I typed this.
Sigh.
But I'm reminding myself:
- these practices are good for the environment
- these things (like walking to school) are good for my body
- these habits that will help me get back on my feet financially in the future
2. I used the Upside app again
For whatever reason, the offers on my Upside app have been regularly beating the Royal Farms prices of late. I keep being able to get gas for less than $3/gallon!
(I see $2.90/gallon on my app as I type this.)
Relatedly: every time I have been to Sam's Club, I've been pretty unimpressed with their gas prices. Is that just at my Sam's Club? Do you find their gas prices to be competitive?
Also, there's often a long line, and I just think to myself, "Why would I wait in a long line for not-very-cheap gas??"
3. I've been using my Citi card for my groceries
My Citi credit card offers 5x the points for any one single category you spend the most on in a single month, on up to $500 of spending.
Since the main spending I do (besides rent) is in the grocery category, I always try to use the Citi card for that.
4. I turned my lotion upside down into a container to get the last bit out
I use exactly one skin care product: Cerave lotion. I know this probably-too-minimal routine would be horrifying to someone who is quite into skincare, but it works for me.
I have a skin that is oily and acne-prone (yes, even at the age of 45. Sigh.) but also dry in places. Soo, the lotion is helpful for the dry areas.
Anyway, I have a pump bottle of the lotion, and when the bottle got so low that I could not pump any more lotion out, I turned it upside down into a little plastic lidded container.
Now I can easily use up the last little bit before I start on a new bottle.
I also have an upside-down bottle of honey in my kitchen right now. 😉
It's what we frugal people do!
5. I got some Target deals
I needed some eyeliner and hair clips, so I stopped in and I used $11.77 of Target Circle credit I had in my app.
Also, I picked the eyeliner package that was a two-fer deal. It's kinda like how I always look for the shampoo/conditioner bottles that say, "50% more, free!"
I will pretty much always pick the bonus package if there's one offered. 😉
Your turn! What frugal things have you been up to lately?
I have worked a lot which means less time to spend money on activities or shopping.
I have ordered Christmas gifts for quite a few people on my list already which probably saves money because then I won't do crazy last minute purchases.
Went on a date night with hubby to a local theater which was cheaper than professional theater and it was nice to support an amateur group.
Made tons of stuff from scratch this weekend - probably healthier than buying processed stuff and definitely cheaper.
I have felt similarly, when faced with massive financial setbacks, our little daily habits can feel like "what's the point?" But you're right. That's why we can weather those massive financial setbacks, because our daily, lifelong habits of frugality and contentment give us the stable ground to weather those storms. You are amazing; keep it up!
@Heather Mar, My own frugal things:
-My husband chose Wendy's, yes, Wendy's for his birthday meal, so that was frugal lol.
-I haven't had a haircut since June, though honestly these tangles are about to get the best of me. I need to find a new hairdresser (after moving in 2021 and not finding anyone consistent yet).
-I keep finding gas SO CHEAP at a 7-11 on my way to work. Convenient frugality!
-I declined to buy more equipment/decorations for my classroom at this time because I already spend/have spent money on literally necessary items. But my salary is supposed to be for myself and my family, not to fund my classroom. This is a constant push-pull for me - if only our school budget could be adequate (and I'm not talking fancy. For example, I teach 70 high school students and got 2 boxes of tissues. They used those in a couple weeks...)
-I'm enjoying homemade baked oatmeal (pumpkin/apple/walnut) for breakfast, and made a double batch/froze half.
@Heather Mar, I was prepared to comment similarly, but you articulated my sentiments way better than I ever could have. I agree wholeheartedly with your comment, and I'd place extra emphasis on the very last line. This is who you are, Kristen. Don't let anyone or anything dull your sparkle.
@Heather Mar,
One of the schools I sub in has a deal where at the first of school, if your last name begins with a letter in the first half of the alphabet, you bring your homeroom teacher a box of tissue; if it's in the last half, a bottle of hand sanitizer. The teachers store the supplies and use them throughout the year. This way, no one is on the hook for buying a bunch of tissues. You might suggest that to your principal.
The other idea is from my friend Donna, who has taught math and history for decades. She (with the principal's OK, of course) brings in a roll of toilet tissue and has the kids use that for Kleenex. If they complain, she tells them to bring their own.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I used to do that with my kids school & when I taught in classroom. But honestly in high school they don't do anything like that. You might get lucky & have parent drop off to child (certain) classroom but unlikely. My teen has box of kleenex in backpack & when sick takes whole big box to school for personal use.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
We do this! Granted, we are a very small school district in a very rural area. I pick up the square decorative square tissue box holders at tag sales and then all you do is take out the cardboard core with needle nosed pliers and it unravels from the center out.
@Heather Mar, This is a good reminder to ask teachers mid-year if they need things. We all bring in kleenex and stuff at the beginning of the year, but some of those stashes need refilled by wintertime!
@Ruth T,
Instead of the usual box of treats or cups that say "World's Greatest Teacher," etc., a nice Christmas gift for the teacher would be a care package (or gift basket) with boxes of Kleenex, pencils (they give quite a few out), notebook paper, dry erase markers and other items that may be depleted. Also, if you have any schoolchildren on your Christmas list, pencils, crayons, erasers, Kleenex, etc., are great stocking stuffers. And next year, snag some of these items at the back to school sales and save them for the holidays, for even greater savings.
@Heather Mar, at my parents elementary school parents got a supply list until someone contributed a ton of $ so the rest of us did not have to. your kindness in getting supplies will come back to you. I am sure.
@Anita Isaac, sorry at my kids.
I feel you on the "When it feels pointless." This has been a five digit year between our house (the friends who advised that the first three years of home ownership were a money pit weren't kidding!) and replacing my husband's car. It feels quite silly to mend his work pants yet again when the necessary work we had done on the crawlspace was $6k, but mending, etc., is how we had enough squirreled away to manage all this in the first place. Even if savings isn't where it was or anywhere near where I want it, we're fortunate to have any, and we're still okay--I have to remind myself of that constantly. We're still okay.
This FFT goes out to my mechanic, who just frugally ended a three year part quest for me!
My car last got new tires at our previous mechanic in our previous city. A newbie in the shop didn’t reinstall one hubcap correctly, and it was lost during the drive home. No, I couldn’t find it, and believe me, I tried! To his credit, that mechanic found a replacement at his own cost... but he could only locate a hubcap without the center cap emblem. Caveat: My '89 Buick’s original hubcaps are fancy—they can only be removed with a proprietary anti-theft key (which, like the original hubcaps, was luckily still with the car when I bought it) when installed correctly. This means that the little center cap, alone, was $25-50 when I tried to find one online! Cheaper meant worse condition, and there was no guarantee what I found would fit the replacement hubcap.
Life happened, and we moved from the city to the country. Having established a rapport with our present/post-move mechanic, I asked him in passing (small town) if he could find the right center cap for me, at my own cost. This was just a few weeks ago; imagine my surprise wen my car returned after last week’s oil change with the incomplete hubcap in the backseat! Installed in its place was a whole new-to-me hubcap in perfect shape, complete with pristine center cap emblem… and my mechanic only charged me $25!!! For reference, here’s a dented one being sold for $85: https://ibb.co/TkY4Ks0 (I’m *NOT* picking on this seller--the price is average--hence just grabbing the photo.)
Knowing that most things for my car come from parts yards, I’d just as soon pay the person who helps keep my ride going vs. a stranger online. I’m so comically happy to have a complete set of hubcaps again! After the $6k of the crawlspace, having my ride look its best for $25 feels like a steal. 😛
@N, No one ever told me the first 3 years of home ownership are a money pit and I am grateful that you mentioned it today! We will hit 3 years in March 2024 and the expenses have been unreal. All along I have been thinking that it was just me and beating myself up. We have replaced one HVAC, repaired another, replaced flooring, painted, put on a new roof, landscaping, replaced appliances, dealt with armadillos, repaired fencing, and the list goes on. I keep doing my best to save where I can.
@Angie, I could relate to everything except ... the armadillos. But I have had road runners and an amazing number of birds fly (or just stroll) into the house. I have a dedicated pile of towels I use to toss over them so I can carry them back outside without having them fly somewhere else in the house. And we have had a couple of snakes, come to think of it ... And I did see a raccoon on my walk the other day. And of course coyotes ... I'll stop now before I get really scared.
@Angie,
As a first three years homeowner, I was looking at your list of house expenses, and saying, yep, yep, yep... Armadillos?
Is there such a thing as an Armadillo infestation? What exactly do they do?
I live in the city. People here get so excited about wild life they post numerous photos when they see a possum. Our main wildlife excitement, besides enormous rats, was a very random skunk outbreak. They were everywhere and the entire neighborhood- along with everyone's dog- smelled to high heaven for months.
@Angie, you have me beat on the armadillos! Granted, we’ll only be in Year Two of home ownership come February, so there’s time. 😛 In all seriousness, you are far from alone re: new house expenses, and you sound like you’re rolling with it as best you can. HUGS
@N,
Armadillos look like they are armor-plated, hence the name. They will eat grub worms and bugs; some species eat termites. Their families are fairly large, as Mamma 'Dillos give birth to quadruplets. Nine-banded armadillos nearly always have litters of four babies, identical quadruplets which come from the same fertilized egg. Armadillos will dig up your yard to look for food, usually in the wee hours of the morning (2-5 a.m.). They'll waddle out on the roadsides and are too slow to avoid becoming roadkill. They are also known to carry leprosy. One of the funniest TV commercial campaigns ever IMHO was the Texas-based Lone Star Beer commercials of the late 1970s, which claimed a giant 2-ton armadillo was drinking up all the Lone Star Beer.
With strong wishes that your Very Large Financial Problem will become Very Small in what remains of this year. Hugs!
I
-bought artisan bread at 50% off (it keeps well, especially the sourdough)
-ran the laundry on solar power, on the sunny days
-had a lower water bill than last year, even taking into account the leak we had last autumn
-do not need to wash or mend eldest's work clothes going forward as employees have been issued new work clothes and the company takes care of laundering those. This will save me a load a week
-read library books, and also returned a book where I could not get past the second page. No harm done, no money spent
-made carrot jam with some leftover carrots. It was my first effort for this flavour and in spite of being a bit runny the jam is really very tasty
-made a beef one pot stew and put in lots of vegetable odds and ends
-nearly had a frugal fail when I hadn't entered my postal code correctly on an online order - but managed to get the package shipped to me by calling customer service
-used my bike to run errands (see yesterday's Meet the reader)
These also are very small savings but in the course of the years they do add up and I have the added pleasure of giving myself a pat on the back.
@JNL, carrot jam?? Never heard of this! Interesting. . .
And I'm with you on returning books early. If the author can't catch my interest in the first chapter, I'm breaking up with her.
Kristen, Your difficulties will end and I hope it is sooner rather than later. I guess it is just one more confirmation that your decision to leave/terminate was correct.
In my area Sam's Club gas is always the cheapest but I bought gas at Costco one time and later discovered it was more expensive than gas closer to home. I drove past several gas stations yesterday and they all had gas for just under $3/gallon. I am sure the station closest to our house is still a lot more.
FFT (hopefully):
1. DH needed new compression socks. I Googled and was able to purchase four pairs for the price of three using a code. He has found Sockwell brand to be a superior brand and just recently a Wirecutter review agreed.
2. I paid $6 for a one year digital subscription to the Baltimore Sun. I read the Washington Post, and occasionally the Wall Street Journal, at no cost through my library account.
3. We needed new throw rugs as the non-slip backing was worn off and they were slipping on the hardwood floor. It seems cheaper to make the house safer than to risk injury. I ordered some rugs from Kohl's and earned Kohl's cash. I dislike dealing with it so I used it to get some hats to donate to a local church that gives them to unhoused people if they stop in. I also used a couple of offers to lower the price per hat.
4. Giant sent me another $10 off a $50 grocery purchase offer. I combined that with an offer to save $15 on groceries when buying $100 worth of certain gift cards. I paid just over $25 for just over $50 worth of groceries.
5. I will run errands with a friend today. She is preparing for a baby shower for a relative and is very busy this week but we can spend time together this way. Friendships boost happiness which I think makes it easier to be frugal.
@K D, Sockwell brand are absolutely the best!!!! I have worn them with my last three pregnancies. They are completely worth the money. They are one of my “frugal splurges”.
@K D, A craft store will have cans of nonstick stuff you can spray on back of rugs.
@Rose, that sounds better than my idea of drizzling hot glue over the back.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I've heard of that too, but as the World's Clumsiest, Trippingest Human, it wouldn't be enough for me!
@Rose, no matter what type of rug I buy, it’s my husband that trips/slides on them without fail. Not sure if he just forgets they’re there or what; but I’m not what you’d call graceful and I never trip on them.
Let me see if I can get five real quick before I drag myself out of bed:
1. Made coffee at home.
2. Watched some frugal cooking videos over the weekend and got some new meal suggestions to try.
3. Drank water.
4. Gave my kids plain sugar ice cream cones for dessert (without the ice cream) because it dawned on me that they are basically cone-shaped cookies. My kids thought this was hilarious and they are now eating up some old ice cream cones without me feeling compelled to spend more money on ice cream.
5. Canceled a third follow up vet appointment. The cat is now fine. No need to stress her out further and spend money being told so by a professional.
@Becca, your #4 made me smile this morning. You're a very creative momma!
@Becca, you are right! I made homemade cones recently and was pleasantly surprised how good the are as fresh cookies, and can be folded in other shapes as well as cones.
@Beverly, I thought #4 was great also. Made me smile.
When my pump bottles of lotion run out, I actually slice them in half with a utility knife and scrape what's left into a small container. It's both annoying and amazing how much sticks to the sides.
@Mary ~ Reflections Around the Campfire, same here! I got 2 extra weeks out of a little bottle of very high-priced foundation. That helped remove the sting from tossing an entire bottle of lower-priced stuff; trying to save money by going cheap made my skin look just plain wrong.
@Mary ~ Reflections Around the Campfire, the thicker the product, the more sticks in the bottle. I get 3-4 showers' worth of conditioner from my bottles. Pumps are even worse.
So true, the little things add up, and help one develop discipline. I've always told my kids that delayed gratification helps build emotional intelligence and willpower (and sometimes I have to tell myself, ha!)
I had a bit of a frugal fail this last week, as I indulged in some retail therapy. Which for me means using Amazon points to buy books I probably don't need, some unsalted mixed nuts that I've been craving for some weird reason, and new dishcloths (I found my Holy Grail of dishcloths!).
Anyway.
1. Inspired by Kristen's pumpkin oatmeal, I used up a can that I found languishing in the pantry that was going to be expired before Thanksgiving. I et that whole can, in 1/4 cup portions in my oatmeal, over the course of more than a week. It was tasty!
2. Had a nasty migraine last night but remembered I'd kept some reusable, soft ice packs the oral surgeon had given my son when he had his wisdom teeth out. (We also had some Tylenol with codeine, but I opted for the drug-free route this time). After using the ice pack for a while, I was able to fall asleep and woke up feeling much better.
3. Despite my Amazon binge, I did use the library for books I have no intention of keeping but want to read.
4. Holding out on a haircut--haven't had one now since November 2021!
5. On the lines of willpower, was seriously tempted to stop into a local coffee shop while running errands (autumn makes me crave coffee in takeout cups), but when I saw the long line and decided against it. Go me. 😉
@Karen A.,
What are the Holy Grail of dishcloths? I need new ones and am disappointed in my current brand.
@mbmom11, https://countrycottons.net/product/11x11-cotton-dishcloths/
I found them on Amazon, but if you prefer you can buy them directly. I love these because they have a true open weave, are all cotton, and made in the USA. The open weave means they dry faster than the closed-weave ones. They wipe up the counters nicely, and you can scald them with hot water, wring them out, and the next morning they are dry and not smelly. Of course i wash them regularly, but it's nice to stretch it a bit.
Ah, I completely forgot: we got our Thanksgiving turkey for a steal, a 21 pound turkey for $10, thanks to the 49c/lb coupon I clipped. We like a big turkey!
@Karen A., those look great! If I wasn't a knitter, and if my husband wasn't fully committed to sponges (ick, bacteria, I know. . .), I would definitely choose these.
About pumpkin in oatmeal, it is really good with a little Chinese 5-spice in it (of course, cinnamon is also great, or pumpkin pie spice. . .)
Hope things start going in the right direction for you!
I had very little food waste this week.
Boss bought us lunch.
I have 90% of my Christmas shopping done. I won't be tempted to shop again. It was a miracle I got it done!!
Hit some clearance deals on stocking stuffers, arts n crafts for the grands. They were all 90% off, mostly things to paint.
Hubs hooked up the leaf catcher to the golf cart so he can pick up in silence and no gas was used.
Most frugal- FIL gave us that golf cart many years ago. We are on several acres and it is a very awesome gift!
First- Sam's Club is nearly always cheapest in our area.
Second- I had the thought recently that your divorce might impact your blog business-- as in, split two ways. Is that a thing? Anyway, that made me angry and sad for you. And I continue to hope that this is all resolved in the best way possible for you. And soon.
*I'm excited about this one. Yesterday I noticed we had some very large apples that were beginning to go bad. So I used them up (all but a couple) by cooking them up in butter, brown sugar, and spices to top our oatmeal. And then I shoved the peels and cores in a big jar, added a splash of vinegar, filled the jar with water, covered it with a coffee filter, and in a little while, I hope to strain it and call it vinegar.
*I did some book organizing. I moved books I used in school last year downstairs and brought books I want to use in school this year upstairs. Then I put them in a newly cleaned, convenient space. This will keep me from buying books I already have, but, more importantly, this will save me time and stress. This is frugal, in the end. I think.
*I made all of our meals at home.
*We did a mini-organize in our freezers to make using up what we have a little easier.
*The beef tongue in our freezer will be used sometime in the next week. It is not my favorite cut of beef because it is icky to work with, but I will do it.
*I made bread and used much cheaper chicken for reuben-like sandwiches because the corned beef is just too expensive.
*I made a lot of beef broth from bones. Some was used in soup. Much was canned. I even cooked the bones twice because after the first time around, I saw a lot of cartilage or collagen-like material hanging around still. The second batch looked pretty good and jiggled some after it was chilled, so I was excited about that. Also I saved the fat to make soap.
@Jody S., I was wondering what you do with the tougue. When we got our last cow in August. We got everything and I am not sure what to do with it. I found a recipe for tacos, but not quite sure that is the way to go.
@Amy cheapohmom, I cook it in water in a crock pot until tender. Then I peel it and cut it up really little and then fry it with taco seasonings and use it in tacos. That is the best option for my family, I think. (I've not done it any other way, to be honest.)
@Jody S., "saving time and stress"? I think that's the MOST frugal thing you can do. Organizing/taking inventory/downsizing/donating -- it's amazing how helpful that is.
@Amy cheapohmom, It used to be considered a delicacy! My mom would buy one sometimes to slice for sandwiches. (My older brother would chase me and my sister around the local teensy supermarket with a tongue, while we shrieked and my mother probably regretted every single life choice she'd ever made.)
@Jody S., please let us know how that apple vinegar experiment turns out. If it works, I'll try it myself.
And re: the beef tongue, here's an excerpt from the diary of my beloved Parson Woodforde--the Rev. James Woodforde, who kept a diary from his Oxford undergrad days in the late 1750s till his death on New Year's Day 1803. Many of his diary entries were dedicated to his obvious interest in food. Here's an entry from his Oxford days in 1763: “I dined at the Chaplain’s table with Pickering and Waring, upon a roasted Tongue and Udder…N.B. I shall not dine on a roasted Tongue and Udder again soon.”
@A. Marie, LOL! At least he didn't have to prepare it!
I tried the apple vinegar experiment last year, and it turned out just fine. So I'm hopeful it will this year, too.
@Jody S., Great, I am going to try that. Some of the other suggestions were not part of our usual meal rotation and that can be problematic.
@A. Marie, LOL. Roast tongue does not sound appetizing.
I forgot this frugal visit from a few weeks ago. After we bought our car, if you went back to the dealer and sat with a technician, you got a $25. Sheetz card. Perfect for when we travel to our daughter's as there are Sheetz all along the way.
We also have been eating at home a lot. I usually have leftovers for lunch. But Saturday I was out and stopped at Jersey Mike's for a small sandwich; which turned out to be free with my Shore Points.
Went to Kohl's on Friday night armed with coupons as we needed flannel sheets. I got a set of Cuddle Duds flannels for $27 and change. Normal price was $100. I went back on Saturday with different coupons and bought a set of cooling sheets for $35.00 and 2 pairs of jeans that I needed. I love it when I save way more than what I purchased. The savings on Saturday totaled $173.62 and the total purchase was $88.11. I can't imagine the mark-up!
Ordered my refill of medicine from Cost Plus Drugs (Mark Cuban's company). Total cost $25. for a 90-day supply (missed the renew now e-mail so I am paying an extra $5.00 for faster shipping.) My insurance costs $90. for a 90 day supply and when I go to Walgreen's is almost $90. for a 30 day supply. So I will always go to Cost Plus Drugs for daily meds. Check them out. They do also accept insurance, but with my insurance paying so much, I'd rather pay out of pocket.
Hubs has been getting gas at Sam's because it is 32 cents cheaper than the gas here in our little town. Even as he drives to Sam's and sees the other stations, the prices are not better.
Our Sam's Club is on the other side of the county, so no matter how low its gas prices are, it's just not worth it to go fill up there.
My list this week is centered around getting repairs made, including painting and re-flooring, on the rooms of my house damaged by the Roommate From Hell. Also I have a couple of car-related frugal things.
1. Used the "underground economy" for my labor needs. I know some retirees happy to do the painting (I can't DIY due to physical limitations) and they charge less than the guys on Angi.
2. Three Cheers for Thrift Stores! I may have already posted this, but I found some recycled interior paint at our local Habitat Re-Store for $15 a gallon. A company called "Visions" does this, and it has low VOC and is supposedly sustainable. My hallway and roommate's old bedroom is being painted in "Sands of Time," a taupe color. Really like this hue.
3. Let's Hear It for Pack Rats! Didn't have to buy a painter's pole since I'd saved what I had before, and also unscrewed a mop head to use that pole for another one. Didn't have to buy drop cloths because back when I bought a king-sized mattress from Sears, I noticed the plastic cover for the mattress was nice and heavy and large. It's been put to use as a dust cover for the extra Maytag laundry appliances in my garage, but I pulled it out so they can use it when painting the kitchen ceiling. Just cut it so that it flattens out into one long sheet, and the price is right (FREE). Oh, and the kitchen ceiling looks brand new.
4. Not Frugal: losing the old roller tray last seen in the garage in 2011. Also not frugal: trying to buy my supplies at Home Depot where the young clerks don't want to bother to help you find all the stuff. I didn't go there because I wanted to have a long and tiring scavenger hunt, thank you very much. So I left empty handed, but tried going to the new True Value store the next day. I thought they'd be a lot more expensive, but they are not, and True Value clerks actually walk you to the aisle and help you pick out the roller frame, bucket of "mud," painting tray, tape, etc. etc. Signed up for the True Value Rewards program. I have a feeling I'll be shopping there a lot more often.
5. This is not paint related, but thanks to someone online who recommended Clark Howard's tip about financing car loans (was it this group? not sure), I checked it out. Clark Howard recommends going to credit unions. So I called around and found one that offers a refinanced car loan at 5.9% instead of what I'm paying now (well over 7 %). I applied. I haven't heard back yet but the bank employee loved my good credit score.
6. Also got the car dealership to put on anti-theft updates, and they didn't charge me anything to do so.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I love the underground economy for labor needs. 🙂 Wish had that available where we are at.
@Regina,
Just ask around, and often one contact will lead to others. My handyman once saw me try to rake leaves. He got out of his car, and raked them up for me in record time, giving me his flyer that he was distributing around the neighborhood. He's done yardwork, painting, cleaning, moving, hauling and all kinds of repairs for me over the years; we've become good friends. When he was not able to cut down a tree, he got me in touch with his cousin, who is a tree man and another jack of all trades. The cousin and his crew moved my roommate's items out of the house, a thankless job that took over a week. They, in turn, cleaned out the garage and found me a housekeeper. In addition to this group, I've also bumped into people at other places, such as an appliance repairman when I was looking for something at Home Depot (and again not getting any help from their clerks; gotta stop shopping there!) and a lady who had a sign on her mini-van "will install flooring." Her husband is the one with the floor installation business, and she gave me his card. You might ask around at a senior citizen center or church to see if there are retirees that want to do some work. Ditto, Scout troops and youth centers for teens wanting odd jobs.
First, Kristen, re: your Very Large Financial Problem: Hang in there, m'dear. You WILL get through this. The entire Commentariat--and many, many people IRL, I'm sure--are rooting for you. Keep making those small frugal choices.
Now, FFT, Holiday Prep Edition:
(1) I’m joining a lot of you in rocking the pre-Thanksgiving specials on baking supplies and suchlike. (Not that I do a lot of holiday baking, but I do like to stock up on the supplies when they're marked down.) Aldi and Price Chopper had some good deals, and I’m on my way to Wegmans today to see what Danny & Co. have decked the early halls with.
(2) Although the Bestest Neighbors will be taking a well-deserved break from their usual Thanksgiving hosting by going to Florida to see relations and friends this year, the friend with whom I’m keeping an eye on my next-door neighbor with cognitive issues has kindly invited me and NDN to her Thanksgiving spread. I offered to bring my kale, apple, and carrot salad (featuring my own kale), and the offer was enthusiastically accepted.
(3) I’ve also rummaged through the glory holes to see what I can donate to the (2) friend’s church’s Operation Christmas Child effort, and I have come up with a few odds and ends (soaps, toothbrushes, some small toys, etc.).
(4) I’ve gone through the guest room closet (where I keep items for holiday giving as I acquire them throughout the year) and made mental notes on folks for whom I need to fill in around the edges.
(5) And when I’ve finished shopping this week, I plan to stay the heck out of the stores from Thanksgiving onward unless a run to a grocery is absolutely necessary. In particular, no Black Friday madness for me (unless the BF 50% off everything sale at my Salvation Army superstore counts!). My Christmas Eve lamb was bought RFQS at Wegmans after Easter and is in the freezer.
@A. Marie, You could check. I believe Operation Christmas Child doesn't allow soap or toothpaste any more.
@A. Marie, as a previous Up-stater, I love the line "on my way to Wegmans today to see what Danny & Co. have decked the early halls with." Too funny. I remember shopping at Tops, P&C and Wegman's all to get the sale items.
And my daughter got a job where Wegman's is now on the way home. Our granddaughter loves it there too. Oh Danny ......
@Rose, I just checked the OCC webpages, and you seem to be right about soaps and toothpaste, so I'll take out the soaps. Toothbrushes, however, are still OK.
I love your points of: these practices are good for the environment
these things (like walking to school) are good for my body
these habits that will help me get back on my feet financially in the future
Those things are so true! Keep it up! And congratulations on making it to the point where you get to help actual patients. 🙂
My FFT:
1. Panera was offering 2 months of their unlimited sip club for $5 total. Since I know I'm going to want to get coffee on Black Friday, I thought this was a good idea. I got a bottle of Torani syrup (caramel flavored) to keep in my van to flavor the free coffee with cream I can get anytime I go by Panera - which is a lot. It's very centrally-located to all of the main shopping in my small city.
2. I defrosted both of my chest freezers and reorganized to fit everything in one. I'll need the second one soon (I'm planning to buy turkey #3 0r 4 today) but we've had at least a few days of having one freezer unplugged.
3. A friend is having a surprise baby and just got rid of all of her baby stuff a few months ago, so I gave her a couple of full bags of maternity clothes and my baby carrier. Since I see her a couple of times a week, I didn't even have to make a special trip to donate.
4. It's playoff season for sports that our school is doing well in and, my goodness, playoff tickets are expensive!!! So last week I opted to stay home with the 2 youngest kids while my husband and oldest kid went to the game. Savings - $27. A friend offered to take my oldest kid to the game tonight since we didn't think we should do a 3.5-hour round-trip drive for a Tuesday night game, so it's just the cost of a ticket and dinner for one rather than 5 tickets plus gas. (If they win, we will probably all go to the state semifinal game on Friday.)
5. I registered for a women's dinner event before Christmas and got $5 off for registering early.
@Ruth T, I'm so weirded out by other areas of the country where you have to buy tickets to watch high school sports, or worse, pay fees to play them.
@Rose, I assumed this was a nationwide thing!! Oh man... We have a pass to get into all non-playoff home games for free and since my dad taught and coached I rarely paid to get in when I was growing up, so paying to get in annoys me a little. Probably moreso because I generally spend very little on entertainment. I had no idea that not all states charge admission.
@Ruth T, we have to purchase admission online through app to get into school sporting events & pay processing fee each time. We can purchase all year pass for home events/games only. Anything away/other school have to go back on app & purchase then show your QR code at entrance. (Most) Middle school, high school & college all have it this way. For us it started 3 years ago. God forbid if you ever forgot your phone. 😉
@Regina, Oh man... I'm only 37, but hearing that makes me feel so old! I had to give cash to my friend's mom to buy a ticket on her phone for my kiddo to get in tonight. I assumed it was just a playoff thing. I didn't realize that schools did that on a regular basis since ours doesn't. (You're in Michigan, too, right? Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else.)
I am very sorry the GREAT ESCAPE is taking so long and so stressful.
Just keep being you and saving when you can.
Frugal:
I am buying few Xmas gifts this year. My adult children need money so not going into any stores will save on impulse buys. I will make them special homemade treats too.
Made chicken broth from the carcasses of two sams rotisserie chickens overnight in slow cooker. Froze half of the broth. Used the other half making chicken and rice.
Really simplifying holiday meals this year. Will be for only a few since my son is deployed. This will save on grocery costs.
Walking the dog for exercise while listening to free podcasts.
Reading free library books on my kindle app.
1. After a decade and a half of my old, 32 inch 720p television (and at least a few years of dealing with an issue where it gets caught in a loop where you need to unplug it and plug it back in) I was able to bit the bullet and buy a nice, new television on a BF sale.
I know some people will say "But there are some on Craigslist or FB marketplace for almost free!" and they would be right. I didn't buy the fanciest television but I did buy one that was highly rated for its price category.
2. I also got a new Roku for the new TV. I'm a little annoyed with the whole streaming platforms and it seems I need to have both Roku and Google TV for everything I want. Roku has stuff like Rifftrax and Bentkey and GoogleTV has stuff like Kodi (which I use to stream off my local network shares) and a few other things. So I need both.
3. Found a deal on something I bought a month ago as a gift so I returned the first one and bought the better deal.
4.Found a promo code for a site I am buying something off of for 30% off. While what I bought isn't political the site is so that's all I'll say about it. 30% off is a good thing.
5. Got a good deal on ham. We decided against buying another turkey because the turkey we are going to cook is from last year's sale.
Bonus: Free breakfast and lunch at work today. Oh and overtime for the lunch hour I can't take.
@Battra92,
I don't know about Google TV but Roku has a TON of free streaming apps available. Some of our favorites are Pluto TV, Kanopy, Libby, Tubi, and Crackle
@Lazy Budget Chef, I totally watch Tubi and Pluto. I used to use Crackle back in the day but I haven't used it in ages.
@Battra92,
I just got Bentkey through Roku for the grandkids to watch when they are here, and they enjoy it. And my TV is slowly dying as well. I think we got it in 2009, so it's been a good one.
@JD, I like that it's mostly made up of nice quiet entertainment. I really liked Ernest and Celestine (the movie) so I was pleased to see the spinoff series there.
We also have Angel Studios app for the Wingfeather Saga. That's free as well.
And yeah, I can't say that a TV lasting over a decade is a bad run.
I love that you were able to also see the other benefits of your actions. Like the good things walking does for you body, and the environmental side. It reminds me of a James Clear quote "Success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations". Not exactly the same premise (I like it when thinking about working towards a tidier house), but of a similar vein of everything adding up and the importance of habits and momentum. Keeping the smallest momentum makes it easier to start when one has slowed. And the bigger negative things have a less negative impact if we are actively working on a positive counter actions. 🙂
Let's see if I have anything.
1. I haven't gone grocery shopping this week, and have steps for a plan of how to try to use up what I have in my house. I am going to adopt the idea of grocery shopping being okay as a supplement to actively use what I have on hand, and using it as the basis for the shopping list. I am also going to try a formalized meal plan.
2. I did buy jeans (clearance and on sale), but they were on my list for a very long time as a replacement item. I said no to the joggers (also on my list), because I didn't love the fabric, and I wanted to buy what I wanted, not only what was there because it was on sale. I also said no to the pajamas because I didn't like the fabric.
3. I didn't waste the leftover my parents gave me. It was crab, and I think of it as a quick spoilage food, so I made a point to eat it the next evening in a less than perfect way. Still quite delicious
4. I combined trips to run with needing to be at work this weekend. Showers at work made it possible, and less back and forth. Which saved gas and time.
5. I said no to the fancy coffee treat from a favorite shop following a very busy day. It wouldn't have broken the bank, but didn't seem worth it, and I could drink my parents "free" coffee at their house during my lunch date. So I was glad to think of my future self in my lack of purchase.
I remember this time when I was working 2 part time jobs (one of which wasn't paying me on time) my husband almost lost his leg, and my son was diagnosed with Autism. It sounds like a 50s country song. I am not going to lie. It is tough. It might get tougher. BUT in the end, you will value your life differently. Things that were important no longer will be. You will learn a lesson that will be so valuable that you will never look back on this time with regret.
What was my lesson? That I could take care of myself and my family all by myself. At this point in my life, I always had someone taking care of me or backing me up. No government help (I didn't qualify.) No help from family (they didn't have it to give.)
If I could change anything it would be to go to the food pantry sooner. Plus there were a couple things that I sold at the time that I wish I still had.
My frugal things are:
1. Took lunch and coffee to work.
2. Got Book Club book from Libby.
3. Reinvented a couple Christmas decorations. Trying to replace 2 strings of lights and not buy anything else.
4. Used a Grand opening coupon for 5 off 35 at grocery store with Family meal deal.
5. My CVS is closing, and they had 50% of the grocery section I restocked my spices and chicken noodle soup for $5OOP. I used $12.33 of ECB
Every little bit helps.
Amy
@Amy cheapohmom, and all,
Seeing your #3 reminds me that Goodwill often has artificial Xmas trees, including very large ones, for sale cheap. Many of them were the kind that has built-in lights, but the lights no longer work, as per Goodwill's sign on that particular tree. (That's probably why they were donated.) Still, you can get one of those trees mega-cheap and put your own string of lights on it. Just thought I'd pass this along in case anyone else needs to have a frugal but "merry LITTLE Christmas" this year.
@Fru-gal Lisa, have you seen the reel where someone has a string of burnt out Christmas lights?
They show on the plug end of the string the fuses are located. Usually behind a little plastic slider door. You have replacement fuses in the bags that Christmas lights are packaged into, you replace the fuses with needle nose pliers and the strings light up again.
@T, Thanks for the tip! Wish I'd known that years ago before I got rid of the big $200 light-up Xmas tree I bought in Florida at the Targets there.
Not that it matters. I still have Mom's "Peppermint Pier" tree bought from Pier One back in 1971, the year I started driving, It's not too big, looks real and I can use that.
I haven't put up a tree in years, but maybe I will this Christmas.
@Fru-gal Lisa, I have successfully found 3 strings of 100-250 lights that work. All from Goodwill on half off day. I have about 10 in all of them.
Gas at our Sam's is usually one of the cheapest places in town. I'm excited that our BJ's opened, their gas prices are very good, and it's closer to home.
5 FFT and 1 major frugal fail
1) I'm redoing our guest room that used to be our son's room to get it ready for the arrival of our first grandchild. Used old cardboard boxes instead of a drop cloth and painting supplies already on hand. I did buy the more expensive BM paint, but it is covering what I'll call the "wet concrete" color currently on the wall so no second coat is required, saving me time and money.
2) Bought myself more Bomba socks while they were having a 25% off sale. I love that Bomba socks are so durable.
3) Bought socks for son and son-in-law on sale at Kohl's for Christmas gifts and earned $10 in rewards to use later.
4) Made a batch of steel cut oats on Sunday that will be my breakfast all week. Also saved the metal tin the oats came in to use for Christmas cookies.
5) DH was feeling wretched last night and didn't want dinner, so I made a PB&J for myself.
Big frugal fail: I was paying off the credit card balance and instead of transferring $700 to the credit card, I transferred $7000 by mistake! I was so upset for making such a stupid mistake, but DH helped reassure me that it wasn't the end of the world. I just had to move $ out of saving to shore up the checking account. The balance on the card will get used over the next few months for Christmas, property taxes, and tuition for our son so it's not the end of the world.
@Beverly, I did that once with a credit card. So I called the CC company, told them I made a mistake, and asked them to transfer the money back to my checking account. They did.
@Beverly, One time I paid the wrong credit card (~ $3000). Luckily I caught it the day before it would have charged interest, so was able to pay it directly from my bank account. But then I had a $3000 credit on a card we rarely use.
We're still in a season of expenses (college prep, SATs, APs, club sports, school sports, college tours, paying for college!), so I'm with you on sometimes asking myself if the little things matter. But, like you, I continue to remind myself that they do.
1) Earned $45 via Rakuten cash back. I'm very good about always remembering to click through Rakuten first.
2) I've started making a habit of checking my credit card cash back offers. While I won't make an extra purchase to take advantage, I will pull forward a purchase (Christmas gifts, stock up on things I will use like a new pair of running shoes, lotion, etc). I've saved another $100 or so this year on those efforts. I'm actually for the first time trying a non drugstore face lotion, because suddenly I feel very old! We shall see if it helps & is worth the extra cost.
3) DS17 found out he earned a large scholarship at one of the university's he's considering. This is great news in itself, but inspired me to build an elaborate grid of schools, costs, relative ranking, advantages (e.g. location, major, overall quality of degree) in order to help him narrow his choices. The wide spread of costs between different types of schools is pretty wild.
4) Planned meals, and made a quick pivot when DS17 brought home a friend unexpectedly for dinner. Unfortunately, I then rushed to fix something that could feed everyone, and didn't take the time to taste the dinner (fajita chicken rice skillet, which is typically delicious) & it definitely could have used more seasoning. Drat. I will figure out how to spice up the leftovers.
5) I had to unexpectedly go to a parent soccer meeting, so we flexed dinner plans again, and DH made a different dinner, using the defrosted ground beef.
1. A few weeks ago, a takeaway company messed up my delivery so offered me a free one in compensation. I used the offer last week.
2. I watched a film with the takeaway. I was going to rent it on Amazon and remembered to check the library. It was free to stream from there!
3. I borrowed books from the library.
4. I got money back for recycling old bottles when buying groceries.
5. I resisted buying a bagel for lunch.
Frugal Fail: I renewed a streaming service because I didn't feel like watching anything else!
1. Got Aldi's $1.99 butter, then went next door and got Lidl's $1 cream cheese so I'm all set for cookie baking.
2. We heat with fuel oil and instead of ordering delivery, hubby bought 5 gallon cans and we buy off road diesel (the same product) at the gas station and dump it in the tank ourselves. Many people don't realize you can do this, but the price difference is substantial, right now savings of nearly $1 per gallon.
3. Ordered sunflower seeds for the birds for curbside pick-up for only $10/25lbs, a savings of over 50% vs going into the store. Go figure!
4. I was on a roll with saving on curbside. I saved 75% on 2 yards of fabric at Joann, again vs the actual in-store price. I'm still confused about how this is possible but I'll take it.
5. Found a box of old Christmas decorations in the basement that belonged to my parents, recycled them by creating a tree at a local Festival of Trees where they will be sold along with the tree to benefit a local charity. And had fun doing it!
@Bobi, Love that #5!
Oh yeah, I hear you on the feeling pointless. I say this as I sit in the kitchen, sorting coupons while deciding whether to spend $2900 to fix the 20 year old stove or to buy a new one. The irony factor is high, people.
You know what? That still didn't stop me from sorting the coupons.
Some stages of our lives are more spendy than others. There's just no way around that. Even so, keeping doing the small things has two benefits:
1) It's still a bit more money in our pockets. You might not feel great doing them but you'd probably feel worse if you didn't.
2) It's not always about the money. It's also about the habits. You are keeping up the habit of not spending when you don't choose to. That's invaluable, whether it saves you 5 cents or 5 thousand dollars.
Keep up the good work! You're doing amazing. You were a SAH parent who found herself no longer at home, who - and do not discount this - supports herself anyway. It has to feel good that the reason you can support yourself is that you wanted to help others, eh? On top of that you're doing good parenting, going to school, and are absolutely killing it there.
Wait. I should probably use a different accolade. Folks, my brain isn't helping me out here. What's a better way to say FG's doing amazingly in nursing school without saying "killing"?
@WilliamB,
How about skyrocketing?
@WilliamB, winning? She is absolutely winning!
@WilliamB, No killing it nails it right on point. 😉
@WilliamB, "No kidding, no killing!" would look great on a nurse's resume. ;-}
@WilliamB, But she wasn't just a SAH mom. She was and is a blogger, and if you've never done it, you'd be astonished at how much work it is.
@WilliamB, Kristen is really nailing it!
And so are you, from what it sounds like.
I hope that your financial and other trials will soon be over. You seem like a very good person, sometimes I wonder why things happen. Then I remember that this is life.
My thrifty deeds are, as always, cooking all my food and baking all my bread myself and investing the difference in the stock market. All these years have finally made me financially independent. But I still continue on the same track. Because it gives me satisfaction and helps me remember how my mother and my relatives back in the day did. Before there was any McDonalds 😉
Best regars and thanks for all the good reading over the years // Northernlightsinvestment (from the North of Sweden)
I was just thinking the same thing as I cut open one of my hand creams to get the last little bit out. Sometimes I feel tired trying to do all the little frugal things. And I'm not even going to nursing school!!
My five:
1. As I said above, I cut open a hand cream tube to use the last little bit.
2. I had signed up for the unlimited sip club at Panera when they offered it to me for $3/month. I often receive Panera gift cards and use them to grab dinner on my way to class from work. Plus, I do most of my grocery shopping right next to a Panera, so I will just order a drink as a reward (well, I do now that I have sip club!).
3. We have prepaid for almost everything on our Thanksgiving vacation. I believe we only have to pay for charging stations and food. We rented places that have refrigerators and microwaves, so we'll mostly try to stay away from restaurants.
4. I purchased road snacks from Aldi on my normal grocery shopping trip. Dried fruit, jerky, and a trail mix.
5. Used the library, scanned receipts into Fetch, drink tea from home, brought my lunch to work, submitted receipts for a contact lens rebate, did not buy any new clothes.
The bad times pass, Kristen; it's just sometimes they take freaking for-ever.
Yay, new boiler being installed as I speak! Boo, five oil company trucks on my lawn and two howly dogs! Yay, at least I don't have to work at anything while my nerves are shattered!
Also, I use exactly zero skincare products except soap (sometimes Dawn dish soap if my face feels greasy in the kitchen) and my skin looks pretty good. So that's a savings! My mom used to use honey and oatmeal as a masque back in the day, which made us little kids laugh and laugh.
I've been forcing myself to "cook" dinner, which last night was noodles, frozen Swedish meatballs and homemade sauce along with raw green beans. ("Cook" because not sure that counts as cooking.) No takeout so far this week!
@Rose, Boo, they've been here for 8 hours now! whimper.
1. I needed smaller size bras due to weight loss. I made a stop at Belk yesterday and purchased three on sale for $16.99 each plus took advantage of a coupon deal they had for 50% off of my purchase.
2. We opted to borrow a faux Christmas tree from a family member this year rather than buying a fresh tree as we usually do. This will save us about $375. I will be purchasing a faux tree of our own once sales begin.
3. I pulled taco meat from the freezer last night for a quick and easy meal.
4. I purchased two frozen turkeys for $0.59/lb this past weekend and I will be keeping my eye out for more. This is very inexpensive lean meat and I typically throw 5-6 turkeys in my fridge during the holidays and cook them throughout the year. With food costs rising this is a simple way to feed my family for less.
5. Made coffee at home. Gassed up my vehicle taking advantage of fuel points at Kroger. Bought day old bread at Kroger and used it up at home. Took advantage of some cool days and made a huge pot of vegetable beef soup that fed my family of 4 plus my sisters household of 3 for 4 days 🙂
Ugh to the Very Large Financial Problem but, to the extent you can, view it as a priceless investment in yourself: keeping your power, finding your freedom, and being happy.
1. Averted a mess and saved the cost of an egg. I had set out milk and an egg to come to room temperature for a quick bread. The day got away from me so I put them back next to each other in the fridge. The next day I went to get them back out and I noticed the egg was missing. I immediately knew that my husband had taken it in his lunch thinking it was hard-boiled. I contacted him just in time! Typically we keep the hard-boiled ones in a bowl, but my husband thought since there was just one egg left that I must have removed the bowl. Fair enough since I’m always consolidating and organizing to maximize space.
2. Needed a smaller bottle for storing cider vinegar. While out on a walk, I found a smallish empty booze bottle that, after deep cleaning and removing the label, became a vinegar bottle.
3. Niece roasted and pureed her Halloween pumpkin and gave us all of it. She also gave us a jar of fig spread that she wasn’t using. I am positively giddy when it comes to free food.
4. Went to Trader Joe’s (it’s a regular stop as I find their prices reasonable and competitive). Bought the frozen hashbrown patties – 10 for $2.48. Delicious, convenient, and cheap. My husband shopped with me, and I beamed with pride when I watched him pick out the largest squash (with no prompting from me) since they were all the same price.
5. Received an unexpected $5 gift card at Target because I had purchased two face products. I gave it to my niece as she did the reconnaissance and went with me to buy them.
@MB in MN, I completely identify with you on that "positively giddy" assessment. A close friend and I consider ourselves to be "free-gans".
@MB in MN,
Your #2 reminds me of a story my mom used to tell. Years ago, before there were at-home pregnancy tests, women had to take a sample of their morning urine to the obstetrician's office for pregnancy tests aka rabbit tests. One of my mom's coworkers didn't have any container for it, but found a whiskey bottle and cleaned it out. The young coworker drove a convertible and it was really hot that day. So she had the convertible top down. En route to the doctor's was a grocery store. The young wife left the bottle, containing her pee, in the car and went in. When she came out, the booze bottle was missing.
I bet one swig of that, and the thief was ready to give up drinking forever, ROTFL!
I'm with you, Kristen. With your platform, your small actions to be frugal and ecological DO matter in the example and encouragement you bring to others who read this blog, so I would definitely say that the impact of your small actions have been multiplied many times over 🙂 I hope you don't get discouraged and will carry on feeling the strength of your impact, weathering this difficult time in your life.
-Just this week one of my frugal things was also to save lotion by cutting tubes in half as there is SO much lotion sticking to the sides.
-Checked some recurring subscriptions, canceled a Youtube TV subscription my husband had used for baseball now when the season is over, and changed my family gym membership to a an individual one (we can always switch back if we feel like it, but right now I'm the only one using the gym). Saved $100 a month.
- When my workplace caters lunch, there is always way too much food ordered that will be thrown away. I packed home a couple of untouched trays of food and shared some with a friend.
-Figured out how my parking pass benefit works, so I no longer need to pay for parking at work. Sometimes things are so complicated we rather pay more money than figure things out...
-Took the time to send a customer feedback to a small brand of cottage cheese that had something foreign in the previously sealed jar. Received coupons back for a replacement as well as some extra savings.
In my area Sam's Club gas is almost always the cheapest. Though I (still) do not have Upside app (yet) but do have Gas Buddy that shows me fuel prices anywhere around me or search certain city.
Good for you for knowing & using your highest percentage reward. That bonus cash back adds up & is still free $$ (government trying to pass legislation that you must claim cash back $$ as income on taxes---already have to claim bonus money from banks on taxes (I have if you make xxx purchases with bank debit card each month get $$).
That bonus $$ has saved me on paying/buying needed when would not have been able to without bonus $$/cash back $$. Every penny helps!
frugal things---
● Been waiting on particular items on my save/wish list as price has dropped 🙂 & decided to make offer on item(s).. Both offers were accepted & got items wanted/needed. Funny how 1 item I originally gave offer to when first found & no other people but seller declined then, but accepted same offer months later.
● going through household items (in boxes) & decided to donate 85% pictures (hang on walls) instead of storing & trying to sell in yard sale next year. I have decided that only keeping minimal items I really like from old house. Carefully going to transport to free store today.
● Bought new turkey roaster (mine died 5+ years ago) (regularly $79.99) on sale $49.99 & used (Meijer) Santa bucks $10 off & then spent $100 to get $10 off future purchase. In that $100 spent got toilet paper (buy $30 get $10 off) & used coupons. Have $20 off next (Meijer) purchase, still looking for black carpet rug.
● Returning dog shirt ordered online Sam's Club that was on sale (online only) because too small for rescue dog(s). Unfortunately that pattern is sold out so will not be able to reorder.
● Used previously purchased pop up Thanksgiving card to send to family. Hallmark has been having issues getting new products in stores (been told) & did not have any new Thanksgiving pop up cards. Luckily I used my free/bonus Hallmark coupons earlier for snowflake ornament extensions after asking if had any (not out but found in back room after asking/looking) making cost $1 for 4. I love the pop up cards because can be used as decorations display. Otherwise I send Hallmark (Dollar Tree 2/$1.25) cards if I have to buy.
● Used apples had last month & cut up to make 2 small (freezer) apple crisp. We did this last year for Christmas for neighbors & was perfect size for 2-3 people. Made homemade granola to go on top. Teen testing/eating granola while cooking in oven. Will need to make granola next weekend (?).
Not so frugal---
● Went to apple orchard (still open 1 more weekend) to get (best) donuts $8/dozen & half gallon apple cider (make from their apples) $4.50. This is a treat for us do once/twice year & teen did not complain. Needless to say everything gone within 30 hours. 🙂
@Regina, If you like cider donuts, try this--so good and easy. https://www.marthastewart.com/1513135/apple-cider-doughnut-cake
@Rose, are you sure?? Nothing by Martha Stewart is easy, unless you live by some sort of gourmet specialty shop to buy her ingredients and have a zillion special pans and tools and time. . . I'm off sweets, so not going to look at the recipe. I'll take your word for it, but that is the first time I've ever heard the adjective "easy" applied to anything M.S.
Not only do I turn my lotion bottle upside down in a small dish for a few days to get the last driddles out, after that - I slice it open along the side with a box cutter and normally get 3-4 more applications!
Got a debit card in the mail from my health insurer, apparently just for showing up for or otherwise taking the recommended tests. They didn’t say how much $ was on the card (?), just that you couldn’t spend it on booze or tobacco. Shucks. So I had a prescription to pick up at CVS and told the pharmacy assistant I wanted to use the card but didn’t know if it would be enough to cover the cost of the prescription. And she said “Better yet! You have a $0 co-pay.” So I got my prescription for free and a 40-foot long receipt with at least a couple coupons I can use. And I still have a mystery debit card of unknown value to use somewhere they may actually charge me for something.
@JDinNM, Perhaps there is a toll-free number on the card you could call to ask for the balance? Or do you like the suspense?
My health insurance company gives me points for various activities with the option of buying things, including a renewable debit cards, and my online account has a note of the balance.
@Heidi Louise, There was a toll-free # to call to activate the card but no "real" person to ask what the balance was. I'll find out the first time I use it!
I am so sorry that your divorce is taking so long. I am praying that it ends soon.
Let's see - 1. my husband and I are both Veterans, and we took advantage of some of the free offers on the 11th. Dinner and dessert. Grateful for the businesses that do this in honor of Veterans. 2. Resisted the lure of drive thru coffee and made it at home. Put cinnamon in the grounds before brewing and frothed the half-n-half to make it a tiny bit special. 3. This one is my husbands - we have a new rescue pup that is able to jump our 6 foot cedar fence. We were leaning towards getting a wireless system with a collar that gives correction, but were dismayed to see that they are quite expensive (anywhere from $250 - $800!) and our yard is an odd shape so we weren't sure that it would work for us. My husband did some research and ran a hot wire (for pets - not livestock) around the top of our fence. Rescue pup watched him install it and hasn't challenged it once!! She's a lab mix and quite smart. Less than $200 for a solution that keeps our pup safe in our yard. Yea! 4. Felt like my house was feeling a bit blah. I have been rearranging items from different rooms to give us a "refreshed" space. 5. Been staying out of the thrift stores.
forgot to add - our Sam's club consistently beats the other gas stations by .10 - .25 cents. The only exception is when gas gets really high, then it is closer to .05 -.07 cents.
Kristen, I am sorry it's so freaking expensive and time-consuming to extricate yourself. (((Hugs)))
My husband buys gas at Costco but I do not because it's a ways to get there and there are several no traffic light left turns on a congested road. It's not worth the wear and tear on my nerves. I use a reloadable Walmart gift card at the much more sedate and safe Walmart Market stztion near our house and watch for the mid-week price dip.
1. Trimmed the sides, back and bangs of my hair. I razor cut it in a super short pixie a few weeks ago, so edge trimming is necessary for upkeep. Cutting my own hair saves $26.
2. Overcame my fear of power tools to cut wood and drill holes to finish bracing our screen door. Then painted the new wood. It looks tons better and works better too. The door was falling apart before. A new screen door runs about $200.
3. Our new adopted dog is not quite past the puppy chewing stage (she's 13 months old) and pulled a small run in our tweedy patterned den rug. We happened to have pens in the colors used in the rug and were able to camouflage the run.
4. Accidentally broke our old spoon rest and got by a week without one (grumbling all the while) before realizing we had one hanging on the wall as kitchen decor. Took it down, washed it, and am using it.
5. Used some free self-adhesive grasscloth-printed vinyl wallpaper to line the interior of an old trunk I inherited. It looks great and is heavy enough to stay put. Lightweight adhesive vinyl tends to not want to stick inside that trunk. I looked up the free vinyl online and it's $34 a roll, which is much more impressive than the dollar store stuff I used before!
@Ruby, Had to laugh at #4. I have lost track of the number of times I thought I didn't have something I needed only to look around and find it on a shelf, in a drawer, in a closet, or hanging on a wall. In plain sight. I'll think I need to buy something and then find ... not the item but a receipt that says I already bought it. And then the scavenger hunt begins ....
1. Found two black slightly formal tops and some black dress shoes at Goodwill for my upcoming choir concert.
2. My husband’s coworker gave me two giant bags full of maternity things, most of which fit reasonably well! I am thrilled because maternity things are hard to find in stores and are very hit-or-miss at Goodwill.
3. Made a clean-out-the-fridge curry to use up the fresh produce we were given last week by a friend. I still have a lot of wilty kale to work through, but the soup is delicious and used all the peppers, eggplant, carrots, and some (previously chopped and frozen) jalapenos.
4. Found a really good online course about whole food plant-based eating. I’m earning 5 CME/CE hours for free and am learning a lot about evidence-based healthy eating (as always, more veggies!).
5. Had some mushrooms on the verge of sliminess in the fridge, which I cooked up today with my eggs. I always add veggies to my eggs and this helped prevent food waste. I also found a lone single foraged apple in the crisper that didn’t get made into applesauce earlier, so I ate it with peanut butter.
6. Frugal for others: I’ve been giving away some misc items on Buy Nothing, which gives me great joy. It’s great to get items out of the house and into the hands of people who will use them.
Did my heart good to see that my upside downing my lotion & honey bottles is not unusual. Wishing you a Blessed week Kristen.
Butter was $1.99/lb so I bought a bunch. I made ghee from it which ended up about $4/24 ounces which is much better than the about $10/13 ounces at the store. I made enough to last about 6 months.
I made lots of broth with turkey bones (a turkey I paid $6 for) and canned it for soups this winter.
I mended my good heavy jean apron. The strap for the neck had come loose on one side. I have ruined 2 good shirts from splatters because I never wear any other apron, so I finally sat down and fixed it and hopefully go back to the good habit of wearing it!
I've been borrowing all books (both for reading and for listening) from the library. Trying not to purchase myself any books til after Christmas.
An item I planned on buying my younger son for Christmas went on sale for about 25% off for an early black Friday sale so I bought that and put it away.
I am purposefully not purchasing any new Christmas decor this year. I am also using all of my current cardstock and other items for Christmas gift tags to both use up some of my supply and to not purchase new items.
I gave myself a small hair trim. I haven't been to a salon in over a year, but every time I go to one I come home and cut it again to lay how I want it....so now I'm just cutting it myself and every few months I ask my mom to make sure it is straight in the back (she was a cosmetologist for many, many years).
I have no doubt that you your continued habits will eventually lead you to great financial success. You are only in a season, but after this season passes it will lead to great rewards and a new financial freedom and stability.
1. My husband and I used our ham bone from last week's dinner to make a soup for our lunches this week. The soup used up potatoes, carrots, and dried beans that we already had on hand. It also used up some kale from our garden.
2. Sunday we had a bunch of different leftovers in the refrigerator, so dinner was an array of leftovers.
3. I attended a free CEU. I am required to attend a certain number of CEU's to maintain 2 professional licenses. CEU's can become costly, so I always jump on the chance for free CEU's. I have not spent any money on CEU's for many years.
4. My daughter's 5th birthday was last week. We made home made pizza and a carrot cake for her birthday dinner. We decorated with decorations and used candle on her cake we have been using for years.
5. My employer gave me a $2/hour raise. We are also expected to get another raise in February.
Even the little frugal things matter!
This week:
1. I filled an Operation Christmas Child box and bought the main item on clearance sale and made one item (a hacky sack) myself, so in spite of inflation, I filled it and actually spent a bit less this year. I got the material for the hacky sack from a Goodwill purchase of a quick dry beach towel for $1.99. The towel was new with tags and came in this nice sturdy cotton canvas drawstring bag, so I cut up the bag and used the fabric from it for the hacky sack. The plastic bead filling I already had from making corn hole bags as a gift a few years ago.
2. Although the siren song of the car wash across the street from work called to me, I washed and vacuumed my car at home this weekend.
3. I made and pressure canned several pints of broth.
4. Cold(ish) weather approaches, so I picked more of the roselle hibiscus calyces and washed and froze them. I got a gallon bag full this time. Soon the cold will hit the plants, so now is the time to put them up.
5. I almost had a frugal fail - I forgot I was thawing a pack of farm meat in a cooler. I caught it just in time (still good and cold, but no ice left) and cooked it all immediately. I have four nice big pork chops that make good meals, instead of spoiled meat in the trash.
* Hubby's coworker gifted us with 4 dozen eggs from his chickens. Also, my neighbor gifted me a basket of apples from a tree in her yard.
* We redeemed fuel perks of $.60 off/gallon. On our fill we saved $10.32. Every little bit helps!
* I picked up a white office desk from buy nothing.
* I'm watching for sales on food items needed for our Thanksgiving feast.
* We hosted a get together/birthday party on Sunday. Guests left us their leftover food they brought; some of it was unopened bags of pretzels and tortilla chips. Will get eaten at my house.
I relate. So much. To several things.
I've had the same thought when I see how much was spent on bottles of wine (that I don't drink) or how much it costs for our property taxes. Do these little things I do even matter? But I keep coming back to the reality of things - this is who I am. I am not wasteful or indulgent and it feels good to me to act in ways that supports this. AND I do think that all these little things enable us spending money in other ways that also align with what's important and satisfying to us. It does all add up. It's not always perfect and it's not always balanced but it does add up.
I also used my Target rewards and Target cartwheel to stack up some savings on a gift for one of my nephews. He ripped it open and started using it that same day so I guess it was money well spent.
I also turned a cerave bottle (mine was the nighttime facial cream) upside down to get the last bit out.
I took advantage of some sales to stock up on some clothing basics for the girls - plain black and white tees, shorts for under their dresses, running tees. I felt good about the prices. A new pair of sneakers for my younger daughter for Diwali for a great price too. Some of the clothes will be part of this year's Christmas present.
I got a $10 gift card and regifted some really nice things that my daughters had received that they didn't really want or need to my daughter's friend for her birthday.
I mostly ate at home and used up what we had (even when it was in kind of a weird way) in the refrigerator. I cut up the watermelon and cantaloupe quickly after buying them so that they wouldn't go bad.
Not a frugal bonus, but some words of empathy. When I was separated and divorced in the early 1990s, my husband worked for the government but was overseas, and his inaction cost me almost $10000 in legal fees. We had two teenaged boys, 100 percent my problem because dad was overseas. Stop payment on support checks? Back to court. Cancel health insurance? Back to court. Etcetera. When it was finally close to the end I had to retain a forensic accounting attorney to evaluate the sharing of retirement plan benefits, another $1500. I groaned but sold some stuff and found the money — his work netted me a retirement pension of $1000/month until I die, which I have been collecting for the last 13 years and I’m not planning to die anytime soon. It was horrid at the time but pretty darn good at the end. Hang in there.
@Jean, very understandable. But in today's world pension is no longer a thing & alimony (no matter how many years) is a thing of the past (most judges believe this is very outdated & are adjusting their rulings to reflect their belief). I was entitled to alimony but did not receive anything. Another divorce happening at same time couple was married 40 years & stay at home mom--- wife got no alimony & only his social security (which by law is what happens & nothing can do about it unless spouse/wife remarries).
Non payment on Child support & insurance still very much a thing & costs a lot---
@Regina, I'm not sure that alimony is over. My young friend was recently awarded both alimony (now called spousal support) and child support. Women, as a rule, are still far behind men financially, and often need help for a few years to get back to earning a living wage, if they ever do.
@Anne,
I believe Texas, for one, does not have alimony. It's been like that for years. So if anyone was thinking of moving here, that's something to consider.
@Jean, such infuriating passive-aggressive behavior! I've witnessed this sort of thing with several friends. The jerks don't want to be husbands anymore but then thwart every attempt at getting unmarried. I don't understand this. Glad to know you prevailed.
Taking advantage of the cheap turkey when you buy $50 of groceries.
Used cheap gas coupon to fill SUV and 5 5 gal gas cans. After discounts it was $3.40/gal in my area that is $1/gal less.
Raked my neighbor's drive and shoveled out her culvert. She normally pays her landscaper an extra $100 to do it, but she is out of state on family emergency.
We actually love beef tongue and most of the families that buy locker beef from us "donate" the tongue and organs back to us. I save the tongue for lunch meat for the hunters.
Bought a package of halloween dum dum suckers for $.50 and will use them for stained glass cookies for Christmas.
Kristen - it is so frustrating watching you suffer in the dissolution. When you work in good faith to raise and teach your kids, grow your blog/company and have someone put a 'price' on you life's work, it is demoralizing. Right now you're walking thru fire and every step you're getting scorched. You know this: Big goals are achieved with many small steps. You've got this and trust me you will come out of this ordeal even stronger.
How can you not? So, the small things do count and if you need reminding, just write down your savings in your journal. Your future self is going to thank you.
Sending love to you on your "when it feels pointless" days. <3
1) I bought a pair of boots off of Thredup I thought would be perfection. Alas, they are just a bit too slim and can't be returned. My husband suggested listing them for sale on Depop. I got them up this morning, so we'll see what happens. Speaking of Thredup, I have already returned for credit the couple of things that did not fit from our last order. I also looked for new church shoes for one son before I thought about looking in my clothing stash. I had a pair that fit him!
2) I went online and reviewed the EOB for our daughter's recent dentist visit before I paid the bill that came in the mail.
3) One son's new smart watch, which I just bought on sale a few weeks ago, was having battery issues, so I chatted with Amazon about how to resolve the issue. Amazon suggested sending it back for a full refund. Then I saw that the same watch is on even steeper sale right now. We mailed the watch with issues off on Saturday and received the new, cheaper one on Sunday.
4) I menu-planned and grocery shopped on Monday. I made lunch yesterday because all the kids were home from school. But today lunch is just leftovers eaten in a nice, quiet house.
5) Friday I was a lump from chemo. I did manage to hand sew a repair on a pair of pants while I listened to a library audiobook. It was the only thing I accomplished that day, but at least it was frugal.
@Amanda in VA, prayers and thoughts for you as you go through chemo. You are a warrior!!
@Amanda in VA, I seem to be the only person I know that is very unimpressed with Thredup, at least as far as selling things goes. I sent them three full boxes of clothes in new or near new condition. They kept one box full outright saying that I had "donated" it. I'm not sure how that could have happened.
They put the other two boxes up for sale, finally, and $27 worth was sold. Okay, that's fine. Then I was told I had $4.00 c0ming to me after all the "fees" were deducted. What? That is one heck of a lot of fees. I let them keep the money, but will never sell through them again.
I have never tried to sell through ThredUp; I've only bought clothes from them!
1) I’m with you on the packing lunch for working and making tea there. No eating out or buying coffees.
2) I went grocery shopping instead of sending my husband. It was still $58 for a week’s worth of fruit, vegetables, non-dairy milk, and a couple of staples for the pantry. But I can stick to the list. Groceries are so expensive.
3) I started making my Christmas gift list. Since I work in retail, it gets too crazy if i leave it until the last minute and I spend too much out of desperation. We have dialed back the gifting quite a lot in recent years but we have some single older family and friends and we like to send them a little something to open. Usually books or jigsaw puzzles unless we know of something they need.
4) Helped my husband plan the 3 meals he is cooking this week to take advantage of things we need to use up or have in the pantry, and not things we need to buy. This is definitely a learned skill!
5) Gathered clothes for a mending session that will happen on my days off.
I like how you reminded yourself about frugal habits. I needed the reminder too! 🙂
Just this morning, I was pondering how being frugal helps the environment.
I am really excited that soon you will be practicing in an assisted living place!
Kristen, I have witnessed several friends' husbands who did not want to be husbands anymore sabotage the process of getting unmarried, creating a ton of stress and expense through endless delays. It defies logic.
FFT:
1. Resisted the temptation to look through several websites' sale pages while sick at home. (retail therapy?)
2. Not able to drive down the hill today to teach drawing lessons due to being sick at home will save almost 2 gallons of $6/gallon gas.
3. Returned (free return shipping) the wrong size sunglasses straps for internet-challenged husband and ordered the right size (free shipping). EBay is so handy sometimes. (but I WILL NOT go cruising through the site as retail therapy today!)
4. Hoping to summon the energy today to squeeze a bucket of pomegranates that a friend brought to me.
5. Sharing our freezer space with a neighbor who made forty-eleven pans of enchiladas in advance of an upcoming party. (Frugal for her, and always happy to share)
Regarding #1, the day is young, and I don't anticipate this sinus infection abating soon.
So sorry this season is so discouraging. Just know that your frugal examples have spoken volumes and given encouragement to many. Tally that up (sorta) and think about the overall savings in the world!
Don't do much lotion (except in the winter) but when my dish detergent (dawn) bottle gets to the bottom, I store it upside down. Same with my expensive shampoo and conditioner, and used to empty the last of my detergent into the new bottle (I currently use pods). For the life of me, you'd think a solution to this would have been found. I notice that one of the expensive medicated skin creams we use at the nursing home is in a hard plastic tube that defies getting the last.
I won a $50.00 gift card from a prize drawing at a grand reopening of my favorite auto repair place.
Never mentioned this before, but the last time I had oil changed (at the same auto repair place), the mechanic pulled out a dent at no charge.
Continue to have chai latte or tea or hot chocolate at home.
Bought butter on sale at Aldi. Limit was six, I bought three. My sister and I used to pride ourselves in having no less than six pounds of butter in the freezer at all times for our baking escapades.
Re: Sam's gas, our local Sam's is almost always not worth it. But, the Sam's in the next big town is usually way cheaper. We have a Sam's cc, and get 5% back on gas purchases anywhere.
am so sorry you are going through a rough patch. but having the chance to work with people will be a game changer for your mood. you are on your path and leading so many others along the way. chin up!!!!!
The point is that these are habits you are building (healthy, good-for-you-good-for-environment ones to boot), and that much like saving whatever puny amount is available *incrementally over time* can add up to tidy sums. It does feel largely pointless at first, because, like, what is it even for? I'm broke NOW, but the very long term is the thing.
One day - actually soon - you will be a busy professional nurse, properly compensated and doing something you've worked so hard for. Your kids will be grown / sort of flown and all of your great habits and techniques will be second nature, if they aren't already.
I hope, to some extent, the other end of the financial issue is also tightening his purse strings and observing frugal endeavors. Or, that there's a way to even it out in the end. (The end is coming... it's out there. Promise! <3 ).
I know saving $1 a here and there doesn't sound like much. But, it all adds up! Being frugal is a mindset or lifestyle. And if you take all those savings and put them in a bank account, or even a piggy bank - it is amazing how quickly it adds up! And after awhile, you just automatically look for the bargains and it becomes a challenge to save more each month!
I lost my debit card. Which is terrible in itself. However I never lose things so it’s really throwing me. Anyway, it’s lose has really made me aware of my spending.
I am using a coffee I had (influenced to buy) that I don’t love, rather than tossing it.
I am trying to cook more, in-spite of the busyness of the upcoming holiday season.
Kristen, I am late to the game. so I don’t know if you’ll even see this, but as I read your comment about your ongoing Very Large Money Problem, this is what popped into my head:
“the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Martin Luther King Jr
I cut the top off of my lotion bottle and there was enough lotion in the bottom to last me TWO WEEKS.
I don't think I have seen this addressed here, but I consign or sell everything outright. All kids' toys and clothes to a kid's consignment shop. All adult and household goods to a different one. I post lots of stuff on a neighborhood site. I have not added it up over the years but I'm sure it's thousands. It takes a bit of work but it is worth it for me. I also consignment, thrift store donate and shop.
I routinely drain my bottles of foodstuffs and lotions like you do.
I used up ALL the produce this week!!
I refrained from getting a new “spare pair” of sneakers.. I have to get expensive ones to fit my custom orthotics in, and I get tired of the same old pair.Decided to suck it up and wear them till they wear out. Don’t need a spare.
Went to the $5 Tuesday movie day with girlfriend ,discount day!!
Did NOT use the Kohl’s coupon I got when I did am amazon return in the store. It is always an enticement to purchase. but I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING!!
KEPT to my list at Fry’s— bought only the coupon items. 49 cent canned diced tomatoes! 85 cents off half and half. Etc. Their prices have gone through the roof.I purchase mostly at Winco and Trader Joe and just buy loss leaders at Frys now (Kroger.)
I feel ya! When I look at the big picture of our money wishes, it can seem unattainable. But then I wonder where we'd be if we weren't daily doing these little penny saving acts for weeks, months, and years on end.
1. Collected about 5 eggs from our chickens.
2. Continuing to cook mostly from scratch. Today my daughter made your Brownies for Home Ec/ also to serve company. It's my go to brownie recipe. She also pressure cooked beans for me yesterday.
3. Cooked chicken and saved most of the broth. I put it in 3 reused containers in the freezer.
4. Played a game as a family. Any time we play a game we've purchased I think about how the price per play gets cheaper and cheaper.
5. Keeping better track of our spending in an Excell spreadsheet
Take a square tissue box, undo the bottom. Carefully cut out the cardboard toilet paper roll from a TP roll. Pull from the center, thread it thru the top of the box. Glue Velcro on the bottom of the box so it’s reusable. It lasts far longer that tissues in a classroom!
@Lori, that is seriously frugal and just brilliant!
1. I made all our meals at home and packed lunches for everyone who needed one. My husband made coffee at home for us.
2. We ate up food that needed to be eaten.
3. I combined errands, so less driving.
4. We enjoyed free entertainment this past week.
5. I've been watching ads to buy Christmas presents.
6. I made some home repairs without needing to buy anything.
1. Made carrot chowder with beef bouillon, homemade tomato soup, Italian sausage, can of cream of mushroom soup, and garden carrots, celery, peppers, and onion. So a big kettle will last 3 meals.
2. Made a homemade apple pie with apples neighbor gave us.
3. Got acne wash for $1.25 at Dollar Tree. Neutrogena sells a similar product for more.
4. Dollar General has a $1.00 aisle. Bought Colgate toothpaste for $1.
5. Attended 2 workshops of Days for girls to make feminine hygiene products. One church gave $5000 for us to make items. Our chapter works hard to have items that last 3 to 5 years per chapter leader. The items are gorgeous.
Just keep on sticking it out -- things will eventually be worked out, even if this stage of your life probably feels like it's dragging out forever. I'm impressed with your diligence in keeping up all these frugal habits even with a super full clinicals schedule! I'm sure I would have slipped multiple times and just gone for an easier takeout/fast food option.
Here are my own frugal wins for the week:
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2023/11/14/weekly-frugal-wins-back-to-basics/
Kristin, your habits will definitely help you recover from the Very Large Financial Situation you have going on right now! And in the not-too-distant future, you will be earning money as a nurse, instead of spending it to become a nurse. Knowing your cheerful nature and ability to teach, I think you're going to be fantastic and in high demand!
I...
1. Packed my lunch today (kale salad with hard-boiled egg, roasted butternut squash cubes, pecans, goat cheese, and pomegranate seeds, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette), so that I wouldn't be tempted to spend money at the coffee shop near my therapist's office. It worked very well (said coffee shop has some amazing salads, but they're about $15!).
2. Ran all of my errands but 2 via bike (grocery shopping is still done in the car until I can afford to replace my bike trailer, and I still haven't figured out how to bike to that doctor's office!)
3. Prepped shredded lettuce (from a head of iceberg), shredded cheese (from block cheese), sour cream, and tomatoes to a family potluck taco bar, rather than buying pre-shredded/prepped items.
4. Checked Libby for audiobooks! I don't know why, but I haven't been using this app! I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and just kept my Audible subscription going, but we're looking for ways to cut costs as I'm preparing to go to nursing school, and I had an "oh, duh!" moment realizing the Libby app has audiobooks!
5. Decided NOT to hire someone to restretch the carpet in my daughter's room. Instead of paying someone else $300-500, I'm going to rent the power stretcher from Home Depot for less than $40 and do it myself (I removed the carpeting in order to install some built-ins, it's in great shape, as is the padding, so it's just adding some more tack strips and the manual labor of stretching the carpet).
I'm going to start signing my name "Biker Liz" 😉
Aww, I love that you are switching to Biker Liz! Heh.
I've been wanting a vacuum sealer but didn't want to pay $60++ for a new one, especially if I didn't know if I'd actually use it regularly. The last time I was at a thrift store, they were having a sale on all their items, and I found an older FoodSaver. I paid $5 for it! It works really well, and for $11 I got some rolls of vacuum sealer bags and I'm in business. I do like using it, and wish I'd had one much sooner.
, I really had to dig deep to come up with a frugal list this week. My husband is away at hunting camp, and I am only feeding me, and I didn’t even go to a store at all, so that’s frugal! We finally got my aunt and uncle into nursing homes, and have been emptying out their house, a HUGE amount of work. I scored a new sewing machine, I had been wanting a new machine, and this one is brand new, so that’s a frugal score! My husband also found a roof rake, a nice solid shovel a step ladder and a printer stand, which he needed, so more frugal points for us! My mom loves candy corn, and it was 75% off so I bought her two bags for 37 cents each. I’m sure she will enjoy that! Got my RSV and pneumonia shots for free today. My arm is very painful tonight, but I will get over it. Guess it was a frugal week after all.
I agree about Sam's gas. Although ours does tend to be quite a bit cheaper--this week Sam's was $2.67 while other stations are around $2.80, the lines aren't worth it to me. I laugh at my mom, who will drive 10 minutes out of her way to save 2¢ on a gallon of gas! When you calculate it out, she MAYBE saved $.60! My time is more valuable!
Hmmm.... I really have to think, how to come up with 5 frugals this week....
* I stopped psychotherapy, saving me 35$/session after insurances (did not stop for financial reasons)
* Getting massages at a massage therapy school, 1 hour for 35$. (so, I'm basically exchanging psychotherapy for massage therapy when I think of it, aha)
* Working extra shifts
* Avoiding multiples trips to the grocery store
* Using Temu and Shein. Controversial, I know. But as I am losing weight fast and can't get everything, I need from Buy Nothing or thrift stores, I'm replacing key pieces by cheap fast fashion that I'll then pass on when it becomes too big for me. (Plus, I don't think it's worse than, let's say, Wal-mart or Target. It all comes from the same place)
1. Received my quarterly payment for using Rakuten, netting about $15 back.
2. Received a surprise check from our house insurance for $21 due to a change in the policy which means we overpaid when we paid the full amount a couple months ago.
3. My son needs to wear a pair of jeans for his school choir concert. He normally wears shorts almost all year round and the only pair of jeans in his drawer were too small. Thankfully his older brother has a pair he handed down which fit perfectly and I didn't have to buy a pair just for the concert.
4. Packed 4 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child using shoeboxes we had on hand and covering with Christmas wrapping paper. I normally buy items to fill the boxes throughout the year when they are on sale (like school supplies) and had leftover items from years past so I was able to pack full boxes without buying anymore items.
5. I'm in charge of "Pie Day" for my son's high school orchestra class, where we serve pies to about 250 kids before Thanksgiving. I took advantage of a sale at one of our local grocery stores, HEB, where you could get $5 off 2 pies totaling $30 and stood at the self-checkout paying for 2 pies at a time to take advantage of the coupon. Even though its not my money, I ended up saving $45 for our booster club. Every little bit helps, since we're helping to support our orchestra's trip to NYC next spring!
I did my hipaa retraining this week, so I loved your disclaimer! Also, I’m glad to see you’re in the peanut butter and honey club! I thought I was alone, except for the time my 2yo niece tried it and declared it “yummy in my tummy” - but she’s 8 now and peanut butter is on the outs this year. (She still eats anchovies, tofu and sushi with me, though)
-I made lattes at home & either enjoyed at home or brought on outings
- am letting a coworker stay at the house in guest room & she will pet sit while I’m out of town
- walked to & from church 3x this week
-used a coupon & a giftcard to purchase new headphones for when I walk & listen to audiobooks
- am on my 2nd week of pantry meals & am able to use up cheeses for a fellowship time Friday
*bonus* discovered there are farm fresh eggs 3 houses up the street from me for $2/dozen!