Five Frugal Trip Things
Obviously, staying home and not traveling is the most money-saving thing to do. But little trips have the potential to add a lot of joy to life, so I think they are worth spending some money on!
And I did manage to stretch my trip dollars last week in several ways, so this will be a trip-related Five Frugal Things.
1. I booked my trip on cheaper days
Jim Thorpe, like many places, is more popular on weekends.
But since my current work schedule is all over the place, I am not limited to weekends!
So I sat down at the beginning of July and played around with dates on AirBnb until I found the cheapest combo of days that would work for me (which ended up being a Monday-Wednesday.)
Luckily, my future schedule as a nurse will probably also be rather non-traditional, which means off-peak travel will continue to be available for me!
2. I booked a place with a kitchen
I considered renting just a room, but a suite with a whole kitchen wasn't a lot more expensive, and I knew I'd be able to easily save the difference by eating in.
Plus, eating in makes it a whole lot easier to stick with nutritious foods.
(How was I gonna eat my usual cottage cheese rations without a fridge?? Ha.)
Cooking for just me is so very simple, I don't mind it at all, even when I'm traveling. So this is a no-brainer way for me to save.
3. I did free activities
As I mentioned yesterday, there are things you can pay for at Jim Thorpe, but I was happy just doing free stuff.
Walking by the water, visiting the library, looking at all the beautiful old buildings, browsing the shops...all of it made my heart very happy.
4. I packed most of my food from home
Since it was just me, I didn't need a whole lot of food!
So, I used my cooler to bring things like eggs and cottage cheese, and I also brought a whole bunch of produce from my Hungry Harvest box. I had made some mashed potatoes before I left, so I packed those too.
I used a saved rice bag to pack some frozen shrimp.
I packed cream for my coffee in a little glass container.
Lisey gave me this container a while ago, so I texted her this photo to let her know the cat was definitely making the cream taste even better. 😉
5. I stopped in at Aldi for two things
There's an Aldi near Jim Thorpe, so I popped in there on my second day to buy some tilapia and a container of the chickpea salad (the one I make a duplicate of at home).
I ate the tilapia with mashed potatoes and some peppers, and I ate the chickpea salad mixed with the last of the shrimp.
I did buy a few specialty donuts, but that was it for buying food out on my trip!
P.S. This didn't fit neatly anywhere else, but: I rented an AirBnb with an included parking place. There's not really any free parking in Jim Thorpe, so an included parking spot is a big boon. It saves money and also just makes life easier!
So nice getting away briefly! I wish we had a library like that in my home town -
Five frugals:
-slightly ripped my favorite shorts while pruning thorny shrubs, mended the rip to prevent it from going further
- uprooted a dead (smallish) tree together with my husband, in preparation of yard work that we will pay for later in the year.
- went through the cupboard to see which products are near/at expiration date and planned using them up this week
-bought and froze marked down turkey fillets that were near expiration date
- a hot week, so putting out the sunscreens in the early morning hours to trap the fresh air beneath it. And hanging up a white sheet outside a window that has no suncreen*. And moving some potted plants to parts of the garden that get more shade. And putting a bottle of tap water in the fridge for a fresh drink. Plus doing solar powered laundry, obviously. *We can also use the AC, but any heat that does not get into the house does not need to be cooled down.
- found a 20ct coin
-I used my Lane (Bryant )Rewards for some necessities-new bra/socks etc.
-Stacked coupons and Ibotta deals grocery shopping.
-Used my Ibotta money to buy a bridal shower gift off Amazon and a gift card towards supper out for my moms birthday.
-used up some jams to make a batch of oat/jam bars
-harvested herbs from the garden and dehydrated them for future use
I love the way that library looks! So charming!
-Have been gifted multiple containers of barely-expired milk from my job. My kids drink insane amounts and I am constantly running out
-eating dinner for free at work when I can
-I did buy a new travel coffee mug (about 10 dollars) but I love it and since purchasing it have not stopped once for "roadside" coffee en route to work
-Generous friends invited us to stay in their guest house in a beautiful vacation spot in a seaside town. Got them some nice hostess gifts but this still cost way less than a hotel or airbnb would have been.
-canceled a credit card that wasn't getting used AND it had an annoying yearly fee
I've never heard of Jim Thorpe, but it looks adorable and sounds like a great place to go and still be frugal!
This week I:
1. Am patiently waiting for tax free weekend (to stack with a 20% teacher coupon at Target) to buy all my school supplies for my personal children and the kids I teach.
2. Had my husband fix not 1, but 2, leaks in the pipes under the house.
3. Made 3 types of bread
4. Cut flowers from my garden for the house
5. Borrowed multiple books from the library Libby app
Whenever we travel, I look ahead on Pinterest for free things to do in the area we'll be in. Usually this search brings up blog posts people have written, which is more helpful than a travel site like Trip Advisor. There are always going to be expensive things to do in an area but over the years I have come up with a lot of things that were very enjoyable and didn't cost anything.
* I "shopped" our stored school supplies for my son and had most things on his supply list for school. I bought the last few things on sale.
* The high school is supplying items for my other two sons. I think I'll have to supplement with some items once the school year begins and the individual teachers specify their requirements, but I'll take some free loose leaf paper and pencils!
* The kids went to a free roller skating party to celebrate the end of the summer reading program.
* I returned a pair of sneakers I ordered online. They almost fit, but for the price, almost isn't good enough. I'll have to try the actual shoe store and hope they have my size (big and wide- if I get stuck, I'll get mens shoes).
* Restocking the pantry after coming back from vacation and prepping for school lunches with food that's on sale or that I know the kids will eat.
* Using the city pool membership to cool off on hot days.
@mbmom11,
I'm not sure where I saw it, but I once saw a chart posted online that had shoe size equivalents for U.S. women's, U.S. men's , U.S. youth, European, and British shoe sizes. You might be able to find it and see what men's size would fit you best.
That library is gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing the picture of it!
My FFT:
1. This is the first of two weeks that I'm babysitting. My oldest daughter gets to attend a $400 drama camp for free in exchange for me watching the director's younger daughter during camp. Her daughter is friends with my youngest daughter and they will be in the same grade this fall, so they're having a lot of fun.
2. My dad's garden had a bunch of cucumbers, but he doesn't like cucumbers, so he let me come pick as many as I wanted. I got a big bag full and made 7 quarts of dill pickles (with a mix I already had on my shelf) and a quart of bread and butter pickles. And now that I have everything to make bread and butter pickles, I plan to continue this all year.
3. I'm trying to not buy any more groceries until Thursday and come in under budget for July since I went over in June - whoops! So I made a list of what we have that I can make for lunches and serve for snacks. We should make it just fine. My natural instinct was to go buy stuff for the week, but I'm glad I put a little bit of effort into thinking through what we already have on hand.
4. I needed to order a backpack for my youngest kiddo that is going into kindergarten this year and wasn't initially getting the discount I wanted from Lands End. I waited until the weekend and did a Google search for promo codes to find what I was looking for (half off plus free shipping). We also paid for it by buying a gift card that got us 15% back towards tuition.
5. In my efforts to stay under budget for groceries, I made Kristen's homemade hamburger buns last week. I was making burgers for 9 people, so I knew the buns would cost around $5 if I bought them. I had all of the ingredients on hand and the buns tasted delicious, were appreciated by the crew, and weren't difficult to make.
@Ruth T, Love your camping barter. Win-win!
@Ruth T, It is crazy how much things like hamburger and hotdog buns are now. I paid more for a pack of buns the other day than a lb of hamburger to go with it! I need to start making them also.
I also love spending my money on travel! And I love that container!
1. I have to have wisdom teeth out next month. Not something I'm looking forward to but better than paying (in money and in health) later by not getting them removed!
2. I brought some dvds back from home and borrowed one from the library earlier, rather than paying to stream them.
3. Past Me put food in the freezer for when I got back from my trip.
4. I bought reduced food at the supermarket.
5. I borrowed books from the library.
@Sophie in Denmark, I love when past me does something helpful for current me ☺️
@Kim from Phila, that's how I motivate myself to get chores done! I think about how Future Me will appreciate it!
When we look for Air BnB's, we always look for the amenities. Mostly we need another room for when my husband wakes up in the middle of the night. Even a couch will suffice. And always what's in the kitchen!
Trying to eat down the freezer so it can be defrosted. Yes, we bought a stand alone freezer that needs to be defrosted. Usually it's packed with meat, but now it's getting packed with ice, so I need to defrost it. So we have been eating down the freezer the last month.
Two of the items in the freezer was a pork shoulder and a turkey. We smoked them over the weekend and plan on bringing that along for our vacation next week for lunch meals.
Since we are going on vacation next week, I am baking cookies and planning on what supplies to bring so we don't go out and just buy things we already have. Like spices, cereal, etc. We can bring those things from home. And the rental has linens so we only have to bring beach towels.
A friend's birthday is coming up and my husband wants me to make her a t-shirt. Found one at Walmart for $2.00 and I have plenty of vinyl for the saying. Now to find some time! LOL Also found a loaf of Irish Soda Bread in the freezer that we can give her (she loves it!)
Sam's club was having a lot of sales this weekend and we got our granddaughter a lot of shirts and outfits for cheap. We bought a size up, so hopefully she won't grow too fast this winter.
@Maureen, I'm weirded out by Airbnbs that don't include linens. sheesh. That said, I had cute beach towels monogrammed for this summer and I keep forgetting to throw them in there. Which means my guests are using my nice white hotel towels on the beach. well, wevs.
@Rose, If I rented out an airbnb without linens I would be afraid guests would just not use pillowcases etc or dry their hands on the curtains. It seems weird to me.
@SK in Norway, and @Rose,
I've never heard of an Airbnb that does not supply linens? But then, my hubby does all of our vacation/trip planning, so maybe he disregards any that don't provide linens. Rose, you could still put those beach towels in your rental....from what I remember, August is a perfect month for LI beach going. 🙂
We did stay in an odd VRBO last summer that did not have a toaster or toaster oven (usually not a big deal, but hubby wanted toast and bagels); the shower/tub combo was a really high-sided clawfoot tub (not a vintage one) that you had to practically do a running vault into, and it was surrounded by shiny, slippery tile flooring; every shelf on the walls (and the microwave cart) tilted forward, so no way was I putting anything breakable on them; and they indicated there was an air conditioner on premises, when there was not. We bought a window unit, notified them, and they refunded a night's stay if we left the AC with them. We did not give them 5 stars.
@Rose, we rented a camper through OutDoorsy for our honeymoon and it didn't include linens. I was also weirded out.
Yikes! I always make sure I have what I claim to have in my rental. It's hard to remember everything to supply (in my case, I also provide a very nice firepit, firewood for there or on the beach, outdoor lanterns etc) but someone always wants something. No, sir, I don't have bikes for you to borrow. My insurance is already sky high. Rent a bike in town. I do leave tea & coffee for the Keurig, a decent knife set, my nice John Boos chopping boards and so on.
Re the towels, yes August is booked solid at my rental till Labor Day. Now I just gotta find them...
and one of these days I should really rip out the bathroom tub....maybe not. Parents of little kids might find the tub more useful and there is a pretty damn nice outdoor shower.
@Rose, I’ve never stayed in an Airbnb without linens. But once we stayed in one where the owner expected us to start the linens washing in the washer on the way out.
@Erika JS, @Rose, @Andrea G/Midwest Andrea, @Liz B, SK in Norway,
I guess I am thinking of when we used to rent houses in the Outer Banks of NC several years ago, and a lot of them came without linens. This was all before the Air BnB, VRBO and Bookings.com era and you rented from a real estate company. It would save you some money on your rental fees. Now I'm sure most of them have linens. At least the one we are renting next week has them. But we are bringing beach towels just to be sure.
@Erika JS, FFS. People ask me and I always say, "You're on vacation, relax: that's what I pay the cleaning lady for."
@Rose,
That's so awesome that you tell them that! We've stayed at rentals where they expect us to strip the beds, but not start them in the wash. Running the dishwasher before we leave has been pretty standard, too.
My five frugals will also have a good bit of travel to it...
1. My sweet daughters surprised me with a gifted-to-me long weekend at Orange Beach, AL. They planned it all behind my back, including hiring the dog sitter and informing my bosses I would be out. It will be me, my daughters, the teen granddaughter and "step"-granddaughter (ages 18 and 19). We leave out this Thursday morning, so I don't expect I'll comment on Thankful Thursday - but you know this trip will be my biggest thankful.
2. I'll be taking my same old luggage that I always take, including the little leather covered hard-sided suitcase with someone's initials on it that I found 2 decades ago at a thrift store. It's a very nice case and is still in good shape. I don't care that the initials aren't mine.
3. Our condo has a kitchen, so like Kristen, we can cook.
4. I thrifted a lightweight tunic shirt that will work perfectly as a beach coverup.
5. I bought cleaned, fresh farm chickens and cut them up myself, saving 50 cents a pound.
@JD, I am so glad you get to go to the beach. It will be very therapeutic to be with your girls for this time after such a rough season of life.
Oh, I think this trip will be a wonderful gift for you.
@JD,
What a lovely thing to do for you!!! Have a wonderful time.
I think someone raised those girls right. 😉
@JD, What great daughters. Enjoy your trip!
@JD, I join in the applause at your daughters' great idea, and I hope that you and the family have a wonderful time! You certainly deserve a break and a treat.
Y'all,
It has been a rough summer - year - well, five years, really, for me and for them, too. This will be a welcome moment of rest for us. My kids and grandkids sure aren't perfect, but I can honestly say they make me thankful over and over again that I have them in my life, and DH felt just the same.
@JD, I love to hear sweet family stories such as this. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful time.
@JD, I hope your enjoy your trip to Orange Beach. The white sand beaches are gorgeous.
@JD, That's so sweet! I hope you have a great trip!
@JD,
It sounds like they took care of everything! What a wonderful trip they've planned for you. Have a great time.
That is my dream library. 🙂
FFT:
- My orthopedic doctor recommended several brands of shoes to help with my plantar fasciitis pain. I found a pair of Brooks Ghost Max on sale with free shipping.
- I moved the orthotics from my walking boot and shoe to the new pair of shoes.
- I put out over 50 bags of mulch myself instead of paying our yard people to do it. Trying to give the house better curb appeal before we list it. DH did have to help spread one bag because I uncovered a bumblebee nest in the flower bed. After getting stung by yellowjackets two weeks ago, I got scared and backed away, but DH was fearless.
- Decided on gifts to spend the rest of my 20-year work anniversary gift money on before the deadline.
- Finally got DH to cancel internet at his mom's house. She moved to a nursing home a few months ago, but he had never cancelled the service. Frugal fail for past months but counting it as frugal win now that it has been turned off.
@Beverly,
I mulched my flower beds last fall and will do it again this year. It is hard work, but it saves about $350 to do it myself. It also requires little skill just strength, determination, and a little Advil.
@Beverly, Yellowjackets are mean SOBs but bumblebees are are pretty easy going.
....and that reminds me I still haven't removed my mom from my cell plan. Of course they make it difficult and I suppose I have to choose a new plan, too.
I am not a hateful person but I can say I do hate yellow jackets. Their stings buy me weeks of misery.
@Bee,
Or in my case, a LOT of Advil. Lol.
@Liz B., @Beverly, @Bee, @Rose, and @Kristen, I too loathe yellow jackets--but the ground-dwelling bees I think Beverly is referring to are valuable pollinators. I had a nest of them in my wildflower bed two years ago, and I just worked around them.
And I'm joining Liz B. in the A Lot of Advil Club!
@Rose, Unfortunately I'm guessing they will make it a hassle to remove your mom from your cell plan. The internet service made it difficult to cancel as well. We have to pay the next bill in full and then wait for a refund.
I wish you luck on removing your mom from your plan.
@Bee, Mulching the beds was definitely hard work and I put in sweat equity to save some $$
@Beverly, i have been wearing merrell clogs for many years. they are quite comfy. my pc recommended them. he has plantar fasciitis.
--My husband is in New York with my younger three kids, and he actually bought plane tickets to go this year. Typically, he drives, but there were time issues this year. He booked the tickets two weeks before leaving, but they were oddly cheap. Must've been a slow travel day.
Let's see what else . . .
--I put snacks purchased at Walmart for the plane ride in each child's backpack, as well as their (empty) water bottles, to minimize airport purchases.
--Each child only brought the one carry-on backpack, to avoid paying to check a bag.
--My husband did not rent a car, so he's borrowing his mom's car or his sister's truck for the couple of appointments he had to go to while he was there.
--I have been able to start work on a book I'm editing for my sister's friend. He's paying me, so it's extra income, but it's something I can only do when my children aren't here and I have hours of uninterrupted time to focus on it. So I've made some money while they've been gone.
--Still haven't put the window air conditioner in this summer, which saves quite a bit in electricity. It's been a very hot week, but I don't have to cook or do dishes at night, so I'm avoiding what gets me the most miserable in the heat. I'm hoping this is our last heat wave.
@kristin@going country, going to bed with wet hair helps the too-hot-to-sleep situation.
We always had lots of fun doing the free stuff while on vacation also.
Frugal things---
● used my $10 off total coupon (earned last week) when picked up groceries & total was $3 after all sale discounts & coupons for 1 cold bag full of food
● picked up heavy metal umbrella stand & unique metal outside stand at Goodwill last chance stop
● saved $0.20/gallon on gas making it cheaper than other stations (same price as last week)
● picked up more (different) yellow clearance flowers at Lowe's (where have 1 year grow gaurantee on plants)
● returned item that purchased that was on sale during flash sale at Sam's Club & repurchased saving $10
● another free slushie (Monday) & free slushie reward
Frugal fail--
● purchases at Goodwill last chance store were as marked instead of price range item(s) for _____. Apparently everything not clothing is that pricing now. Still purchased as decent price but last chance Goodwill is supposed to be cheapest/lowest.
I really loved reading about your trip, Kristen, because you are treating yourself to something lovely and well-earned!
Over here we just said goodbye to our granddaughters after two weeks, so that's the focus of my Frugal Five-
1. Enjoyed so much free entertainment by virtue of pulling out our energy rather than our wallets- swimming in our HOA pool, boogie boarding at a beaches with either free parking or where my parking pass is valid, biking at the beach, and walking a mile along the beach to a surf festival to avoid paying for parking, where in addition to the fun of walking through small rippling waves, the joy of digging for sand crabs was discovered.
2. Spent judiciously rather than en-mass, meaning we packed lots of lunches, plus brought our own drinks, but enjoyed almost daily stops for ice cream, which then became a fun source of anticipation each day. We held a contest to determine which place had the best ice cream, also fun to do. My own homemade ice cream, which we had the day they arrived and were tired, took, alas, only second place, LOL.
3. Went to the library every few days to keep their selection of books fresh and thus exciting. Lots of AM reading ensued as a result, which was great in that we really don't like the TV on during the day, and certainly not first thing in the morning. Uugh.
4. Had my granddaughter help me plan the menues so she'd be excited about each night's dinner. No unplanned nights out as a result. Our planned outings occurred, but no 'Oh no, there's nothing good to eat!' panic trips happened.
5. I always had water and snacks on me to prevent meltdowns or unplanned snack buying, a pricey endeavor here since it's high summer tourist season. I started picking up sale items I knew the girls like several weeks before they arrived, so I was well stocked for their entire trip without blowing by our food budget.
What a fun time with your grandchildren!
I love frugal travel! I don't find that I enjoy it less; I actually find it more comfortable most of the time. Eating out three times a day doesn't agree with me.
My quick five:
-sold some wedding/party decor; it was second hand to begin and I listed it for close to what I paid, so I've already regained almost a third of the cost!
-brought tea from home
-packed my lunch, allowing for semi-handmade (instant noodles paired with some veggies and egg)
-added more optional work, the proceeds of which go directly into our saving-for-a-downpayment account
-continue to aggressively pay down my school loans
Happy Tuesday everyone!
That is one of the wonderful things about buying secondhand; you can choose to offload the items for about the same price you originally paid!
@Kristen, you'll never guess who I learned that from 😉
Seriously though, this site has expanded my thrifty horizons. I'm now an avid user of FB Marketplace. Also, if anyone is interested, Caroline Winkler on Youtube has great advice on how to really effectively use search terms on FB Marketplace.
@Kristen, yes! 30 ago I bought a wooded headboard for our king sized bed. 10 years later I sold it for the same price I had bought it for. lol.
These are great frugal tips for travel. Parking can be really tricky when traveling. One time when visiting San Francisco, we used loyalty points to receive a free room. Unfortunately parking our rental car was $65 a day. If we would have checked beforehand, we may have done things differently.
Last week was a doozy.
I made my monthly shopping trip to Costco to buy bulk items. I was absolutely shocked a few items have gone down in price. A 3- pound container of cottage cheese was less than $6 now. I had quit buying cottage cheese at my local market because it had gotten so expensive. All your photos of cottage cheese inspired me to add it back to my shopping list again.
Our AC went out over the weekend. We took out our one-room portable air conditioner and set it up in the family room while I waited on the repairman. Meanwhile, I took out my mending pile. I hemmed shorts and sewed on buttons. I darned little holes in some of my sweaters. It feels good to have that done.
I am continuing the process of trying to become financially whole again after our trip once in a lifetime trip became a once in a lifetime disaster courtesy of the global IT outage that occurred July 19th. Some companies have been wonderful refunding us quickly including Delta, but some have not.
I returned a few pieces of clothing that I bought specifically for my trip. I’m sure that I would wear them, but I did not really need them.
I checked out my book club’s selection from the library. I’ve slogged through the first 50 pages. I’m hoping it will get better.
Wishing everyone peace, good health and prosperity.
Yes, I have gotten wamboozled on parking a few times like that; I wrongly assumed a big hotel chain would have a free parking lot and they didn't!
@Bee, I wish you luck on the continuing recovery from the lifetime trip --> nightmare. A lot of f0lks have travel horror stories this year, and the CrowdStrike disaster caused a lot more--but yours was epic.
I have never heard of Jim Thorpe either.
I've been "playing" the daily scratch off game on the Casey's app. I collected my second free slice of pizza this morning. I've also won two bags of M&Ms, a bag of Casey's mini-cookies, two (small) bags of Casey's potato chips and bonus points at least five times. Have yet to collect those.
On a healthier note, I was able to get some cucumbers, green beans and some okra from my neighbors garden. (I drizzle a little olive oil on the okra, sprinkle w sea salt and roast in the air fryer.)
I've been cutting open the creative ice packs that come with my Misfits order and watering plants with it. I have researched all I can and kind of figure it's like using the moisture granules to hold water in potting soil.
That seems to be all I can think of.
I love the wooden Gothic arch window!
On Sunday, we got back from a trip visiting family in St. Louis.
- My dad still has my childhood home, with lots of space, so we stay there for free.
- We ate all our meals at home.
- We brought our fruit we had at home so it wouldn’t go bad while we were away.
- We spent a morning at the zoo (our favorite!), which is free.
- My puppy’s foster mom offered to puppy sit for free, which made all of this possible. At not yet 4 months, he’s too young to be at a kennel. We did end up giving her a little something as thanks, but it was definitely less than I’d have to spend at a quality boarding facility, and he had all the benefits of being in a loving home environment.
I can throughout the summer. I get 2nds from local farmers which are usually in great shape. $20 yielded 12 jars. Hope to have time to do more.
@Sharyn, I love to can, too. Just enjoy the process of it. Plus, great to have jars to open in winter, just heat and use ! Sherrilly
Off topic,but if you don't mind a little sweet, add a dusting of dry Jello to your cottage cheese. I make mine with orange jello, then add chopped nuts (whatever is cheapest, but pecans/walnuts are my favorites) and coconut flakes. Pretty healthy and high protein dessert.
@Jennifer, when I was in high school, about 1970, my mom made what was called "fluff". Big fad at the time. Container of cottage cheese, box of jello. Pretty tasty, although old lady me shudders at the amount of sugar. Another favorite was the cottage cheese mixed with chopped veg. I still do that.
@Jennifer,
Yum! Thanks for sharing. I haven't heard of this before but definitely will try.
@Kathleen in Kansas, that's funny that you said that because at work today we were talking about odd/abnormal sides that we have eaten (past & present) & literally a few people talked about "fluff" 😉
@Kathleen in Kansas, cottage cheese, jello, and Cool-Whip was the thing in the mid to late 70s. Scored well on a demonstrative speech making it one time during high English class lol.
@Jennifer, sounds tasty. i am going to try that. thanks.
Cleaned up the beds along the front of our house moving volunteer hostas into the backyard/edge of woods, and raked mulch buildup away from the bricks to cover dirt areas where rain had eroded it.
Spur of the moment surprise visited a faraway friend when I'd already traveled close to her home for another purpose. Spending a couple hours with her made the day even more fun!
And here's where my frugal accomplishments get a little questionable as to if they're actually mine, but I'm figuring that training counts....
So proud of my grown kids!
-- daughter and her friends are furnishing their apartment with free "found on the sidewalk" furniture that looks great, and buying some things on fb marketplace. She happily told me that they can sell the stuff whenever they're finished with it 🙂
--one son went camping for a weekend with friends taking food from his home rather than a hotel and eating out
--other son (recently moved out) asked to borrow a small table from us rather than buy a new one for his tv. He'd already gotten a loveseat, kitchen table & 4 chairs for free from a neighbor who was moving.
And did I mention that we're now empty-nesters 😉 It's rather relaxing!
Awww, you must have taught your kiddos well!
@Beth,
Also let your kids know to visit apartment complexes on the last/first weekends of each month. When residents moving out may leave furniture and other good items around the garbage dumpster, free for the snatching. Lots of times they'll put the good stuff on the ground or in boxes beside the dumpster so others can grab it up. I've gotten furniture, books, clothes, houseplants, a shower curtain, and lamps this way.
@Kristen,
🙂 It's a work in progress!
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Ooo! I'd forgotten about the apartment "OMG I'm moving NOW cleanout!" That was waaay too many years ago 😉 I'll definitely let them know. Thanks! And it really helps that they're all rather minimalist.
@Fru-gal Lisa, and on Saturday night or Sunday after weekend yard/garage sales when many people put out stuff didn't sell by road. Or if your community has city wide household collection time when you can put anything out for free pick up. I have literally seen who (assumed) rooms of furniture out by road.
I had to work this weekend, which is unusual but it came with some frugal perks:
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were provided on Saturday and breakfast was provided on Sunday.
• I brought home some of the leftovers: cupcakes and breakfast sliders for my son and his friend for their sleepover on Sunday, black beans and shredded cheese that went into my freezer.
• Overtime on Saturday!
My son is participating in a research study for our local university. He’s been “helping the scientists” for ten years (all various studies for students to learn how to become researchers). On Monday he participated in a study and was paid $100 for his time. As the parent I received $50 (lots of paperwork I needed to fill out).
Since I was working this weekend I ordered groceries through Amazon. Even though I paid a delivery fee, it was still cheaper than any impulse item I would have thrown in the cart. Based on that logic I should always order groceries, but I genuinely enjoy grocery shopping.
@Geneva, We ordered grocery delivery from our supermarket a few times when my DH was recuperating from a horrendous operation and I was tending to his recovery at home. It was so cheap! One extra impulse item as you say would match it. Yet we too went back to in person shopping.
A friend who works from home in graphic design and has young kids has always ordered groceries but picks it up herself. They bring it to her car. She says it’s because her kids do not behave in a store.
1) I traded in my son’s outgrown cleats and roller skates at Play It Again Sports and he picked out “new” cleats and frisbee gloves.
2) I paid $60 for a sports physical for him at the urgent care vs the $200 his primary care doctor charges (he plans to play soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse, and tennis this year on school teams)
3) we just did a factory reset on his school Chromebook (not owned by the school) so it will run much better and hopefully he has learned the lesson about not downloading all the “free” games.
4) this week of YMCA camp got randomly canceled for reasons I’m still not clear on. Getting my money back involved a long and frustrating conversation with customer service, but the hourly rate was well worth it (one week of day camp for 2 kids was $590 this year). I’m still out of work, so it’s nice that they are home before school starts
5) our oven just died and is no longer fixable, which is not frugal, but I figured out a week of meals that don’t require the oven, so that part is
@Tarynkay, My daughter at age 10 started a site called puppiesandspyware.com. I looked it up on the Wayback Machine but it seems to be gone forever.
@Tarynkay,
For future years, check if your school district offers the sports physical on property. Our district does and it can be an even bigger savings. And I love that you reset the Chromebook from the standpoint that he won't miss what he wasn't using, and also won't miss the games once he's away from them.
Good luck! Just remember--the days are long and the years fly by! Enjoy them while they're home 🙂
@Rose,
Me: “Why do you think the games are free?”
Him: “Because SOME people like for kids to have fun”
Your food looks delicious--and probably tastier than most restaurants, not to mention healthier.
Not many frugal things here:
1. Library books, as per usual.
2. Seeking out and using as many free TEAS practice tests as I can. It's pretty humbling, because every test is different and just when I think I have a handle on the subject matter, a different test will word things differently and give me trouble. But it's all practice, which is needed to crush the test.
3. So much rainwater--we will not be running out of water any time soon.
4. Free kitty entertainment--DH did a massive cleanout of the garage so we can pull the cars out and let Clark out there to explore and hunt bugs to his heart's content. He's a happier, more chill kitty when he gets to roam out there! If we had a screened in, secure patio (catio?) I'd let him use that, but alas, we do not.
5. I'm going through and decluttering homeschool curriculum, as i do every summer, and my best friend, who is homeschooling her youngest, said she'd love my history curricula I no longer need. Packing up care packages for others is my favorite way to declutter. Maybe the postage isn't frugal, but reclaiming space makes me happy! Also sending crayons and markers that my 13 year old wouldn't use. And I used my art supplies to make a card to tuck in the box, which is a reclaimed shipping box from the garage.
@Karen A., please give my regards to Clark the bug hunter. The one time DH and I accidentally locked our Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (Betty Crocker's Butterscotch Pudding's immediate predecessor) out in the old attached garage where firewood is now stored, we found two dead mice lined neatly up next to the inner door in the morning.
FF(?)T, YOLO Edition:
My SIL in Houston called me last week while I was at the Salvation Army, and I know she doesn't get much time or privacy for a frank phone conversation these days, so I just pulled up a chair in the furniture department and listened. (Good thing the staff all know me by sight, so I didn't get chased off the chair.) Except for the fact that she's gotten my BIL with dementia (DH's younger brother) into a day program two mornings a week, none of her news was good: In addition to my BIL's slow slide downhill, she is having to cope with cleanup from two major storms and Hurricane Beryl (trees and fences down, etc.) single-handedly--doing what she can herself, and **trying** to find contractors for the rest. And there was other bad family news as well. Sheesh.
Well, after I got off the phone, I suppose I had what we frugalistas would call a YOLO moment: I had Salvation Army "Christmas in July" coupons for $7 off $30 and $15 off $60, and I actually went kinda nuts and used the second coupon. My finds:
(1) An English teapot (Churchill Pottery) in a blue willow pattern in perfect condition.
(2) Another split-oak picnic basket (I have a weakness for these, but I do use them for different storage purposes), which turned out to contain a set of placemats and napkins in perfect condition.
(3) Four NWT Pyrex 3-cup storage containers with lids.
(4) A small Vera Bradley evening bag in "her" colors for JASNA BFF.
(5) And a pair of very comfy Easy Spirit slip-ons (not the Traveltimes, of which I already have three pairs, but another style).
Did I really need any of these things? No. But it was a therapeutic spend if ever there was one. I throw myself on the mercy of this jury of my peers.
Awww, your SIL is really going through it. I'm glad you were able to be a listening ear.
@A. Marie,
I’m sorry about the difficult family news. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself. You do so much for others. Enjoy a nice cuppa brewed in your new teapot! I bet it’s a beauty.
@A. Marie, I'm voting to execute.
@Rose, "execute" in the sense of do me in, or "execute" in the sense of do something similar sometime??
Goodness gracious, I certainly hope she meant the latter because as a certified National Treasure, you are immune to any charges of Too Many Thrift Store Purchases.
@A. Marie, so sorry about the awful times your sister in law is going through. And you did great with your purchases: comfy shoes and pretty things to lift your heart while dining.
@A. Marie, You must be such a blessing to your SIL!
Kristen, your vacation food looks yummy and I love that building with stairway windows.
My husband gets the frugality award this week by refinancing his car loan (our only debt) with the credit union at a much better interest rate than the bank had given us. The lower payment means more cash available to throw at the principal. We are aiming to pay off a three year loan in 2.5 years.
A tale of two grocery stores: There are a few grocery items consistently less expensive at the fancy grocery store, and yesterday I popped in there to get them. Found some gluten-free graham crackers marked down by 50% for DH. A good sale on gluten-free makes my day. Scored a "use or freeze today" whole organic chicken for $5.52 at the less fancy store up the street and cooked it for several days of lunches. The less fancy store also had ground beef on sale, and I bought three packs to freeze.
Woohoo for a lower interest rate!
@Ruby, cheers for your DH's refinance! And I too grabbed a whole chicken on Reduced for Quick Sale last week: a Wegmans "Food You Feel Good About" chicken.
@A. Marie,
If DH is just avoiding gluten, congrats on the 1/2 off; however, if celiac is the issue, keep in mind that food needs to be certified gluten free (frequently has the swirly CGF logo) in order to be celiac-safe.
It sounds like a lovely trip. We've considered Jim Thorpe for a visit before and now it is higher on my list!
We are on vacation in Maine and trying to strike a balance between frugality and selective splurges. This is also the first year in a while that we've been able to save up money designated for vacation spending rather than trying to float everything as we go- it helps that the place we stay is a family property and they generously offer it for only the cleaning fee.
That jar with the little cat is so cute!
This week we enjoyed chard, cucumbers, zucchini, the last of the lettuce and our first tomato from the garden. (I have new lettuce coming up, it just isn't big enough to eat yet.)
I went into the store to purchase pork tenderloins that were on sale, B1G1. Mine didn't ring up that way. The sales associate tried to tell me the sale had expired, but I politely held my ground and she very graciously deducted the cost of the less expensive pork tenderloin.
My husband and I did a closet clean-out and collected a bag full of things to donate. He also got rid of a bunch of decrepit T-shirts, which I cut up for rags. T-shirts make great cleaning rags.
Friends offered to take us Jeeping in the mountains. We had a really fun day and did not have to pay the $100+ each that the local tour companies charge. We've taken those tours in the past and they were a lot of fun, but this was even better.
We're reading lots of books on the Libby Ap. Libraries are the best bargain ever.
1. I used some eggs, leftover vegetables, and leftover cheese to make an egg bake for my lunches this week. I used lots of herbs from my garden and leftover potatoes to make roasted potatoes to pair with homemade bean burgers for dinners.
2. We found a large cooler in the trash at someone's curb. We had been wanting a larger cooler for our camping trips. The hinges had broken on the cooler, so my husband fixed the hinges for $8. The cooler cost over $150 new.
3. I paid our car insurance and homeowner's insurance in full, rather than doing monthly payments, as it is cheaper.
4. My husband purchased 2 racks of ribs for 50% off that went into our chest freezer
5. We had firewood delivered. We stacked the logs ourselves rather than paying the person that delivered the wood.
@Corrine, #5 and I'm sure the delivery person was happy to not have to stack it.
Lovely frugal travel!
This week I:
-Ate lots of tomatoes from the garden which are super-frugal compared to farmers market prices for actual homegrown tomatoes!
-Was gifted more produce from a friend's garden (squash, zucchini).
-Wore an outfit with my pants from "the dump" (actually called a convenience center where we take trash/recycling. People leave decent items on the wall for the taking and one of the pairs of pants I noticed is a great fit :))
-Went twice to the $2 entry local pool which is such a bargain for the mental and physical benefits.
-Went to the chiropractor for my wrist that has been bothering me - since I have met my OOP max this year it was at no cost to me. The benefit of less/no wrist pain will help my yoga be a lot more pleasant and effective!
Rebelling a bit here.
Frugal nots:
1. I have driven my vehicle to work everyday for the past two weeks instead of riding my bike or walking.
2. I have not yet cut open the travel size toothpaste to get that last little bit out. For at least a month now, it sits next to my toothbrush and guilt trips me. I don't even like the toothpaste!
3. I will not be going to three different stores for groceries on my lunch hour. Even though I know it would be cheaper.
4. I went to Goodwill and bought more candles. I now need to put them (and pens) on my do-not-buy list.
5. I threw out some herbs my CSA box came with. The fresh dill smelled amazing, but I just didn't know what to do with it.
I'll be back to it next week!
@Angel, lol, thanks for sharing! Some weeks feel frugal, others not so much! Can totally relate.
Our household spending has felt way overboard lately so I'm working on getting us back on track. Some small wins:
1. Was given a few giftcards to a coffee place. Got a large cold brew and stretched it out into 3 drinks by adding almond milk at home. I'm not much of a coffee drinker so this works for me. I AM an iced tea drinker and I cashed in on a free beverage this weekend.
2. I go to the market early in the morning to avoid the crowds but it's also when they are tagging the reductions/clearance tags. This week I scored some protein snack boards for a third of the normal price, some guac with no weird additives for about a fourth of the price, and one other thing that I can't remember.
3. Got a data visualization book from the library instead of buying it. If it's good I will consider buying it or ask my employer to buy it for me.
4. Had a busy week last week at work last week but because my employer is so generous, they paid for all our meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
5. Stayed on top of things: My husband re-booked our same flight for a lower fare, I talked to my daughter's dance school about correcting an incorrect charge, and I returned some items that I really don't need within the return window.
Love your little, frugal getaway ☺️
That library is so cute!
My fft:
1. Made a relatively new to us recipe that is really flexible and great for using up leftovers. You spread tortillas on a sheet pan overlapping, then sprinkle with shredded cheese and fill with a mixture (I used one can of chicken, half a jar of salsa, and about two cups of leftover rice and beans). Sprinkle with more cheese, then fold the tortillas over putting one more in the middle and put another sheet pan on top to hold it together. Make sure you spray the sheet pan with oil as well as the top of the tortillas before baking at about 375 until it gets nicely browned. We call it el quesadilla grande and it's gobbled up.
2. Went to Lidl with my son who loves to help me pick up the "loss Lidls." We bought 50 bags of shredded cheese at 3/lb. It went straight into the deep freezer.
3. I've been doing a daily "summer glow up" for the last week or so using up random old scrubs and lotions. Little by little I am working my way through all my old "sample" bottles from when I erroneously thought I'd be any good at sales. Turns out I was always telling customers to just save their money, so my stint with the pyramid scheme didn't last long.
4. I did some prep work on fruits and vegetables to ensure we would eat them, like pitting cherries and carefully rotating tomatoes so the ripest ones get used first.
5. Found a coupon in some junk mail that gives a free full sized bath and body works product, so I may make a mall excursion in the next month and get myself a bottle of lotion that is not twenty years old...what a treat that will be!
6. And finally, maybe not frugal or maybe just frustrating. The new migraine med has me feeling extra tired, sleeping in and taking naps. I was hoping it's just an adjustment period since I hadn't had any migraines for about a week, but then today I woke up with beginnings of one plus still the fatigue, so I dunno...
@Becca, That is a lot of cheese!!
@Bee,
Well, each bag is only 8 oz, and that's about the amount my husband uses in a meal, so it's really only 50 dinners' worth. We don't eat cheese at every meal, but we do eat it quite frequently, so I bet this will all be gone in less than three months. Last time Lidl had this sale price, I bought 20 bags and I was chagrined to see how quickly it was gone.
@Becca, Sorry about the migraine meds. Luckily, these days, I don't get migraines very often. I often did when younger and the Imitrex I was prescribed sort of worked, in that the pain was less (but some was still there), but I also felt exhausted every time I took one. I eventually stopped because it wasn't worth it.
Sorry to hear that medication seems not to have advanced since then. Sigh. My daughter had an IEP because her pediatric neurologist said she needed to be absent more than the allowable days in our school district.
I discovered a f un thing to do. Last weekend hubby and I went to two estate sales. Both houses were in 1970's wealthy communities and being in the houses was like going back in time. So much stuff! Where did these people store it? I think I spent $12 at the first sale where I got a book for my daughter, a Vanity Fair magazine in great condition with the Queen of England and her corgis on the cover and a Revereware pot. I got Christmas Crackers for $5.
Second one on Sunday was fun. I found 4 packs of safety scissors for kids that were priced .29!! I bought them but I don't think the school district will accept them. I also got a very 1980's-ish matching card game with bunnies on the cards.
After all that on Saturday we went to the local ice cream place to have dinner. We both ordered off the senior menu and those came with ice cream sundaes. We just asked for plain ice cream to be put in a to go cup. Wasn't leaving that behind!
Hubs just told me I can get more social security cause I can draw on his benefits. Whoot!
We are planning to go to Atlantic City towards the end of August. Hubby wants his time at the beach and swimming. I'm scared of the sun ( lost my brother to skin cancer) so he can have fun and I can either read in our room or do a little gambling. We will bring my breakfast with us (yogurt) and penny pinch where we can and splurge where we want.
Ordered a meal kit for our daughter as her type 1 diabetes is out of control. It's Factor and she will just have to stick it in the microwave. Good for the days when she gets off work at 9 p.m. Oh, and I got a deal on that.
@auntiali,
I love an estate sale! Some of the homes are like perfect time capsules and yield the most fantastic treasures. Estate sales are also a great source for useful items like your Revereware pot. It is amazing how much is in a house when you empty out drawers, cabinets, closets, and storage containers.
@auntiali, scissors where the right handed version have blue rubber and the usually lone left handed version has green?
I love your thoughts on frugal travel.
I find a good day trip really recharges my batteries. I am lucky enough to live in an area where I can be in the mountains or on the beach in 90 minutes.
We have been planning for our next day trip to the mountains to hike and wear out the pup. We always pack our cooler with snacks, water, picnic salads/sandwiches and a special cookie/treat. So far we have been to a couple of mountain waterfalls, a hidden beach and a geocache adventure in a nearby rainforest.
Pup snapped off a hydrangea branch last month, I plunked it in water and now have a new plant. I will grow it up and it will become a gift.
I purchased a huge tote full of contractor's tools/mostly plumbing for $20. I wanted the construction clamps for a specific project, the tote had 4. I went thru the whole thing and found so many treasures. A full box of sandpaper for my sander, 3 brand new blades for my saw, metal blades for my sawzall, 4 lengths of chains with hooks and connectors that I constantly use on the farm, various bungee cords and 40 zip ties, a brand new in box commercial timer and a bunch of plumbing fittings and a large leather tool belt that I gave to my plumbing buddy. He said the box of stuff I gave him was worth about $90. I also found a tactical nebo flashlight that is $44 new. I put rechargeable batteries and it is so bright! I found 4 charging cords that I placed on ebay.
At another garage sale I bought an antique 5 shelf carved maple bookshelf. It has some damage to the back wood, so I demoed the damaged wood and replaced with antique bead boards that I've been hoarding. Will sand it and stain it natural to show off the beautiful wood.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, What a score with that tote! And I'm sure you're helping hte seller clear out a bunch of stuff they can't use. Win-win!
This week I haven't been super frugal, but in keeping with your post, I can come up with 5FT for traveling. (Which I haven't done in ages.)
1. Visiting relatives? Flying? Instead of paying to check your baggage, load up a box of your clothes, shoes, etc. and mail/ship it to them. (Return it the same way the day you leave, or have them do it the next day.) You can still have one carry-on bag for your meds and necessities.
2. If flying a bargain carrier that does not have movies, go to the used book store or a Little Free Library and get you a paperback (or two). Read it onboard and/or while waiting at the terminal. When finished, you can leave it for the next person.
3. Visit thrift stores instead of souvenir shops. You can pick up T-shirts touting the area, its colleges, local events (fun runs and festivals), etc., for not very much money. (Many are in like-new or almost-new condition, certainly the condition they'll be in after one or two washes.) I once stumbled across a thrift store that had a "3 T-shirts for a dollar" promotion going on. Guess where I bought all the souvenirs? (Yes, everyone back home seemed pleased with their gifts.)
3.A. Going to Disney World over winter break? Hit the thrift stores (and bring a mostly-empty suitcase). Many people moving to Florida from "Up Nawth" bring way too many heavy winter items -- coats, sweat shirts, wool sweaters/jackets/shawls, wool pants/skirts/suits, etc. They'll donate them to thrift stores, which sell them dirt cheap (since no one in Florida needs 'em, either). My friend visited me in Florida right before taking a job in North Texas, and took home a (very inexpensive but still stylish) professional winter wardrobe this way.
4. If you stay at a Motel Six, those mattresses are hard as rocks and light from the mega-bright outside lights -- suitable for a tennis court --seep in under the curtains. If I ever have to stay there again (Horrors!), I'm taking an inflatable air mattress (I have one with a pump that self inflates) and eye shades to go over my eyes and block that infernal bright light! But I might just book another motel instead....calling around for cheap rates.
5. If you take photos with your cell phone, don't post them on social media until you get home. Also be judicious about telling others your travel plans. And remember not to let mail, flyers or newspapers pile up on your porch, etc. Don't need to alert any would-be burglars that your place is empty.
best deal of the weeks was when I stopped by Lowe's Foods after church Sunday for some bread. I checked their freezer area where they mark things down and the lady that works in that department was loading bags of chicken tenders in for .50 each (usually $8+ per bag). I asked her what was up with them and she said they just came in off the truck, but wasn't a brand they sold...it was sent to them by mistake so they had no place to put it and had to get rid of it. She said if I would take it all she would mark it to a dime each...
So, I bought $80+ of chicken tenders for $1 total. I don't love chicken tenders, but my grown kids do and so does my DIL. I stopped on the way home and gave them both 4 bags each and brought 1 bags home for DH for a night when I don't feel like cooking.
I sewed a zip up basket with supplies I had on hand as storage for my haircutting supplies. They've been in a paper bag for a year and the bag ripped haha
I took my lunch with me to work out of town today. I also have packed DH's meals for his day out of town tomorrow.
I ordered free checks from our credit union. We don't go through many checks anymore, but I do use them when it is a fee to use a credit card...and fortunately, the credit union offers 300 free checks as long as they're the plain blue ones each year.
I bought a birthday present this past week for my dad's birthday in December, but my dad loves certain types of shirts that are usually $50+. I bought one for $25. So, I'll put it away til then.
All the usual stuff of eating mostly at home, library books and Libby for audible books during my travel time.
Unfrugal...DH went to the movies with the grown kids and bought the snacks. Movie food is crazy expensive.
Frugal.
I have been saving veggie scraps in freezer for stock.
Eating lots of free garden lettuce even tho it is not my fave.
Attended three Tenor Talks given by a local opera star! ( Fab!)
Using free audible books on my Libby App.
Watching Olympics on peacock that was purchased very cheaply on Black Friday.
Found 25 cents three different times while walking the dog this week.
Bought 3 marked down ground turkey for 3.99. Each. Regularly over 7 dollars. Threw them in the freezer. We like turkey taco bowls!
I suppose no one reading here lives within driving area of "The End," LI? Just thought I'd ask because I finally emptied my storage unit, yay, and I have some very nice vintage/antique furniture to give away. if interested ask Kristen for my email. I wiIl give away on Freecycle etc but I'd like FG readers to have first crack. I don't buy junk except for the (sigh) rather ugly desk my daughter picked out once, but the ugliest part is the handles, easily changed, and it is a solid oak rolltop desk. I'm just super picky.
We get paid $25 per quarter if we lower our energy use during peak "events" (heat waves, mostly). We don't have AC, and we turn off things that run hot, don't use our oven or stove during heat waves. So we sort of earn this $25 by default. Not having AC is frugal--our energy bills go down by 80% in summer, but it's also MISERABLE. :o( Since our summers are getting warmer, we are saving up for a portable AC, to at least cool off our bedroom before we go to sleep.
The only time it can be a problem is if the peak event happens on a Sunday, because that's our laundry day and we do ALL of the laundry (4-5 large loads) on Sunday (we keep getting notes from our water company about the large amount of water we use on Sundays!). We would just hold off on the laundry until the peak event is over.
Frugality has been easier this week, because I haven't been around much to order groceries AND go pick them up! With hubby in rehab, and me spending at least a half day, usually more, there, I just don't have the time. So I've
1. Been eating out of the fridge and pantry. I have 3 apples and a 1/4 cup of blueberries left as far as fruit goes, and 2 bell peppers, 5 carrots and 1 1/2 onions for the fresh vegetables left. I do have Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, so I can codger up something. I have set some meat in the fridge to thaw, but it usually takes a couple of days, and I'm not that forward-thinking.
2. The hardest part has been coming home late and no leftovers and being famished, not having eaten for probably 6-8 hrs So a couple of times I've picked something up on the way home. Last week I ordered a pizza from Papa John's, but it was Customer Appreciation Week and all their pizzas were 50% off, plus it was my birthday, so I got a free dessert.
3. Most days I pack a small cooler with whatever I can put together--which is why I'm now low on fresh fruit and veggies--to eat lunch and or supper with him. I even carry my drinks, because the one time I got a drink from a vending machine, it was $2.00!
4. I only make one trip a day over there and back, so I'm not driving much, and I'm alternating cars for the wear and tear and to keep the batteries charged. Round trip is about 12 miles, so not much gas.
5. I'm able to turn the AC thermostat to a slightly higher temp, though not too much, because the dog is home. and not as much electricity is being used because no one's watching TV, or turning on lights, etc. I'm usually home before dark, but I do have an app that I can use to turn on some lights in case it starts getting dark.
6. Bought a pair of shoes online from DSW with birthday discount, but they don't fit, so I'll be returning those tomorrow.
7. Remembered to check my autoship from Chewy before it left the warehouse, and was able to reduce this month's supplies because less treats are being provided, to my dog's dismay.
8. Was given more free fabric from my gifting group. Some was too low-quality for my purposes, and some pieces were small enough it didn't make sense for me to try to wash, dry, trim, sort, and store. My time was worth more than that, so I donated a bag to the thrift store.
I've had an expensive few months with upgrading my cellphone, taking a big cross-country trip, and paying my car insurance for the year. However, I had the money set aside for everything, so all is well.
Frugal things this week:
1. Maintaining a good driving record and low miles driven this year so I had substantial discount for my insurance.
2. A friend who I hadn't seen for several years was in town. I thought of planning to go out for dinner with her, but decided to invite her to dinner at my place. We had a much nicer visit, plus the food was cheaper.
3. Used mostly food I had on hand for bringing to a church picnic potluck.
4.Went to a few yard sales this weekend and found a shoe organizer stand for 5 dollars. I will use it at school as a mitten drying rack this winter. I also found a good-quality binder that would normally cost about $10 for 25 cents. I also splurged on a pair of fancy embroidered dress shoes that look nearly new for $3. If I don't wear them much, I'll donate them to the school costume room.
5. Crafted homemade cards with my mom today. We had a nice afternoon together and I used supplies I already had on hand to make 8 cards.
Just wanted to share I try hard to be frugal to be able to vacation.
Hi! Can you share how you make your chickpea salad? Thank you.
Following in the travel edition theme, this week we . . .
1) Checked into our second home exchange of the trip.
2) Have eaten restaurant food about once every other day. It is vacation, so we try to keep the work light. But grocery store food is so much cheaper and a lot of times easier.
3) Took advantage of the fact that fourth graders get into national parks for free.
4) Didn’t pay for tours or bike rentals or anything. I would love to have kayaked or biked or done some tour, but our kids are just a little young to make spending money on these things really worth it. Yesterday we hiked a couple hundred yards from a campsite, found a creek with a Sandy bank, and just sat there for hours. The kids played in the water and built a little fort. I took a nap on the sand. All surrounded by the glories of Yosemite valley.
5) Rest. We’ve been up to Yosemite from our home exchange the last four days. Today we are going to sit in this beautiful house and read and hang out. Maybe watch a PBS documentary on Yosemite. Take time to make a meal. What a wonderful trip.
@Amanda in VA, your vacation sounds lovely! I'm also in the phase of life where it doesn't really make sense to spend money on things our little kids are too small to really enjoy.
So glad you enjoyed your trip, Kristen!
1. Made a homemade salad dressing while the kids napped. I’ve previously done this but haven’t found one I really liked. DH and I are enjoying salads as a quick and easy meal this summer so I wanted to find something homemade if possible.
2. I found a dime. I’ve been finding a larger than usual amount of change but only because I’ve had to do more errands.
3. I picked up free ice cream from the local gas station. It’s easy to earn points which then convert into your choice of rewards, including free points earned by watching one advertisement per day.
4. I made a use-it-up curry that incorporated two wrinkly potatoes, some frozen chickpeas, and various other odds and ends.
5. I finally finished a hair gel that I didn’t prefer. I used it only when I knew I would be at home and it worked fine for frizz and flyaways in that situation, just not as a curly hair wash day gel. Curly folks know what I mean!
we are going to a wedding in PA. taking ten days. using points for the hotels. all hiltons. we are hilton honors. stopping in jim thorpe. can't wait. have always wanted to go there. am s glad you posted about it. how was the meetup[? will there be anything about that?
As I am in a massive transition at the moment some of my frugality doesn’t really feel like it in the grand scheme of things.
-procured packing boxes/paper from neighbors
-selling or rehoming most of my babysitting stuff as I don’t know what my next job will be
- pantry eating until I move
-selling books & realistically downsizing my library
- using up the last bits of multiple bags of coffee (how did that happen?) with “specialty single coffee cups” on days I have hikes
Oh, let's see. The teens & I were on a really mixed bag trip. Part of it was celebrating my special needs aunt's 70th birthday (birthdays are a huge deal to her, so we try to make it really fun), helping my mom with her sister who is moving into a memory care facility, and then DS18 & I went to college orientation. DS17 stayed with family & lived his best life playing golf, attending a baseball game, & doing lots of bike riding.
1) I noticed at the airport that DS18's shoes had holes in them. We replaced them at an outlet on the drive to orientation. The new shoes are much sturdier & were very inexpensive. Bonus points: we were in Oregon, so no tax.
2) Took the teens to the airport lounge (free with my credit card) ahead of our flight out, and we all ate there.
3) All of us were upgraded to first class on our flight out. The teens + my nephew were upgraded to first class on the way home. Bonus: my BFF was also flying out to see us, and her upgrade also cleared. So, 6/6 of my upgrades cleared in the last week, which is basically unheard of. The upgrades expire if you don't use them, so I've been trying hard to make sure that someone gets to enjoy them!
4) DS18 & I got back to my sister's house on Wednesday afternoon, and we made dinner out of freezer items.
5) I did a full financial review for my sister (at her request, of course!) & found a ton of options to save her money. Next up is helping her plan for retirement, and get a plan to pay of a small amount of debt. I absolutely love helping people in this way, so it was a win/win. My BFF was also a part of the conversations & has asked for a similar financial review.
What the **** is Jim Thorpe?
Well, you could google it. Heh. But it’s a small town in Pennsylvania. I mentioned it in a bunch of posts last week.