Five Tiny Frugal Things | fast furniture fix
1. I used a furniture marker on my bedframe
I was rearranging my bedroom furniture recently, and I noticed my bedframe had some scratches on the footboard.
So, I got out my furniture markers and did a little furniture coloring. 🙂
This is not a perfect fix by any stretch of the imagination, but there is not a single part of me that wants to try a legit fix with stain and polyurethane.
Done is most certainly better than perfect here.
I bought this set of furniture markers at Home Depot several years ago and I love them because there are shades that sufficiently match almost any stained furniture I happen to have.
Aldi has occasionally sold furniture markers in their Special Buys aisle too, so keep an eye out when they do a home improvement themed week.
2. I printed out another free calendar page
I use my very simple 321Done planner pad for my weekly planning, but I also like to have a monthly view.
So, I always keep two months' worth of calendar pages on my bulletin board above my desk. I like the free ones from Home Printables; they've got lots of different designs you can download and print.
I own a seriously ink-saving Canon printer*, so it costs me almost nothing to print these each month.
*This is the current model that is similar to mine; it has ink tanks that you refill with big bottles of ink. SO much more affordable than those stupid little cartridges. This one also looks similar, and ooh, it's wireless!
3. I transferred money from my WF account to my CIT account
Last summer, I opened a Wells Fargo account so that I could get an account-opening bonus.
(It was my first time having direct deposit, so I was excited to be able to take advantage of these kinds of offers!)
I got my bonus with no problems, and I'm way past the minimum-account-holding period, so I transferred all the money in there over to my CIT savings account, where it will work way harder for me.
My hospital paychecks are about to get a lot bigger once my nurse pay rate kicks in, so I will keep an eye out for another good bonus offer to take advantage of.
Also: my hospital recently made it way, way easier to change where your direct deposit goes, so doing bonus offers will be far simpler now.
(The interest rate changes on the CIT Platinum account regularly, so just click here to see the current offering. The rate is always very competitive!)
4. I put a shirt out in the sun
My white American Giant shirt had a small stain on it, and given that it was probably a food stain, I decided to put it out in the sun to bleach the spot out.
Easy peasy and it worked great.
This is the boxy tee from the end of this post about American Giant tees but I don't think they sell this style anymore.
5. I rescued a black-eyed Susan from my yard
Before I mowed my yard, I noticed that a black-eyed Susan had popped up in my yard. I most definitely did not plant it, so I guess it was just a volunteer.
I dug it up and stuck it in a pot just to save it from being mowed.
Should I plant it in the ground somewhere? Or leave it in the pot?
Interestingly, I also noticed two irises (with no flowers) in a spot in my yard where I'd never seen any before, and I dug those up too. I don't know how they appeared because I have lived here for three years and never seen them!
But I will move them to a safe spot so they can maybe bloom in the future.
Since you rent, I'd ask your landlord Re: the Black-Eyed Susan. They spread quite happily when left to their own devices, which is great if you want a butterfly patch/flowers instead of grass (raises hand), not so much if you're a lawn person. Maybe you can let it benignly run amuck in the back yard?
--The tub faucet we want for our mini bathroom reno is on Amazon. (I've looked second-hand, but the measurements and what we want are very specific.) I've been periodically checking the product page, hoping for a "used, like new" option to appear. Lo, one finally did! $58 beats $146 any day. Our kitchen and bathroom sink faucets were also bought this way; over three years later, I've yet to spot the "cosmetic imperfections" that caused their return and lowered their prices.
--Refinishing our cast iron tub demolished my rag stash. I replenished it with a pass through the dresser and closet for worn out items. I found just enough holy underwear for the tub's final cleaning! 😛
--I used last week's surprise $5 Michael's voucher to get a clear lidded storage container for the bathroom.
--Ages ago, I bought four 8 x 24" marble-esque tiles from Habitat Restore because they were only $1 each! I just used the last of the tiles to make a shelf in the laundry room. Two tiles went to a faux fireplace, and the other topped a kitchen counter extension. They always get compliments, particularly the one in the kitchen, even though all I did was glue it to the top of a narrow (second-hand!) bookcase and nicely caulk the tile edges.
--The garden is starting to hit its tomato stride, which means homemade tomato soup and sauce in our very near future!
@N,
How difficult was the tub refinish?
I often entertain myself with typos. "holy underwear" is now my favorite. lol
@ms.b214@gmail.com, that would make a good band name!
@MB in MN,
LOL! It really would! 🙂
@ms.b214@gmail.com, Holy underwear, Batman! It's the usual "sand, prime, paint however many coats" that most refinishing requires, so I wouldn't rank it as difficult. That said, I'm also a nut who repainted my car a few years ago--compared to that (so much painter's tape!!!), the tub is a breeze! 😛
I/we have been putting the push on to finish up the reno work. We'd been gathering up items to sell or donate , plus either tossing stuff in the trash or to be recycled or repurposed.
All the cash we make back from selling our stuff will be used to purchase 2 chairs for the kitchen peninsula. I've been looking for months, and haven't found anything we both like. We found some we both like, so que the selling of the "stuff".
Sold the air fryer -
Potential sold ( finngers crossed). The upper cabinets for a kitchen ( we didn't use them).
I have a few project pieces that I will never touch, to be honest, so they're going on the to sell list.
I've been cooking more, and still eating down the freezer...
My lettuce got limp, tossed it some water, it's much perkier now.
I've kept my petunias alive!
Happy Tuesday all!
Did you find an air fryer to be not super useful? I always wonder if they are worth the counter space they occupy.
@Kristen,
We received a small one for a gift and I was going to give it straigt to charity. We ended up holding onto it, and I found a spot for it in the pantry.
We rarely use it to cook food, although I will roast broccoli or kohlrabi in it. It would be too small to cook the protein for the both of us, however.
What we end up using it the most for is to reheat stuff that wouldn't be great in the microwave, like french fries and pizza.
My conclusion: if it had to live on the counter, I would get rid of it. But I have a corner in my pantry that would otherwise go empty, which makes it close enought to quickly grab (unlike, say a crock pot which we keep in the cellar) and use.
@Kristen, I have found my very useful during this hot summer when I don't want to use the oven. I will likely rotate it of my counter in the fall and winter months when my stand mixer is more useful.
@Kristen, If you get one I would recommend one that has trays,similar to a toaster oven. Great to reheat pizza or make toasted sandwiches.
@Kristen, I have the same question. I'm not a "stuff" or "gadgets" person, and am working on getting rid of items in my house. But ... I hear so many wonderful things about air fryers. I'd welcome any feedback - thanks.
@Kristen, I'm like Angie - I use mine basically as an option to avoid heating up the stove - it has a bigger capacity than a general toaster oven, and the convection fan is more efficient, so it cooks faster than my old toaster oven. So I'd be looking for one with those capabilities if I ever bought one. (I was lucky enough to pick mine out of a free pile, so when my toaster oven died, I had this cleaned up and ready to replace it.)
@BJS, if you're happy with what you have, I don't know as I'd bother to get one!
@Kristen, I got a Breville combination toaster oven/air fryer. It's quite large, but I would miss not having a toaster oven. I use the air fryer setting when I want stuff a bit crisper, and it usually cooks faster too. I wouldn't have both appliances separately. They're similar enough in function to choose one or the other (especially if your toaster oven has a fan/convection.)
@Kristen, I debated a long time about giving up valuable real estate for an air fryer and bit the bullet on an Instant Pot brand one. I like it because I can fix a balanced meal in one. For instance, my fave is an Aldi Crab cake, a wedged potato w olive oil (roasted) some mushrooms and slice of onion. The mushrooms and onions go in after the crab cake and potato has cooked a bit. I always check internal temp of protein w thermometer to make sure it's cooked through. I do not have a toaster oven. So that may be the dif.
@Heather, My "real" oven hardly gets used as a result of buying the Breville. We use it daily.
@Kristen,
We did used about 1/week, but the new stove had a built in air fryer capacity. I baked cookies in it, pork tenderloin, wings, etc. it was a pampered chef one, so it had wire pans, as opposed to a deep basket. I'm glad we had it. If I had limited counter space, I'd strongly consider one that acts as both the air fryer and toaster oven. I don't own a microwave either , and I reheat leftovers on the stove or in the oven.
They're also good for teens learning to cook, as they're designed to shut off after you set the timer.
@Kristen, the air fryer, crockpot, and large electric frying pain reside on shelves in my basement. I don’t have counter or storage for them in my small kitchen. Each has their purposes and get used with some regularity especially during hot summer weather.
The air fryer has been used to roast meats. I’ve done a 5 pound turkey breast as well as a 3 pound pork roast with no difficulty in my mid-sized fryer.
I can't wait until our current (and old) printer breaks! I'm tired of the cartridges; I want one like yours! But because I will be frugal, I will wait patiently. But I won't cry when it breaks.
*Recently we used a brown sharpie on a bleach stain on some pants I bought at the thrift store. I didn't see it before I brought them home, but the sharpie worked.
*I mended a pair of shorts.
*I mended a dress. I didn't notice the hole near the zipper when I bought it for my daughter at a thrift store. It's not a perfect mend, but I think it will do. It's such a cute dress and my daughter's hair is so long that I doubt anybody will notice it.
*I made meals at home. They weren't all good (al dente pinto beans last night!), but nobody starved to death.
*I paid my bills on time.
*I figured out how much my boys owe us for car insurance. It's a lot of guesswork, but I tried to be fair. They'll learn that cars aren't cheap, and we'll have a little more money in our account.
Honestly, the ink tanks on my old printer were so expensive, the new printer paid for itself in very short order. The same might be the case for you?
I got a lot of frugal things off my punch list this weekend!
-I mended stuffies and a winter coat
-I went through my jewelry and cleaned some that had tarnished. Donated some to my daughters dress up bin and donated the cheap stuff from my college days (20 years ago??) to an Upcycle organization where they use it to make art
-we finished decorating my daughters room by applying removable decals from Etsy instead of hiring a painter
-I inventoried our freezer and now we are dutifully eating it down with my meal plan
-we went to the Library and my daughter got a book of freebies for summer reading. Double bonus that it encourages positive interaction with reading and we had the best summer evening reading her new batch of books in the hammock
It feels like a drop in the bucket sometimes with life’s expenses. but it makes me happy to save things from the landfill and I hope that the efforts to foster frugality and gratitude in my daughter as a family value are sticking
1. Cut up a rug gripper mat to keep cutlery and storage trays in place inside kitchen drawers.
2. Bought a $58 ink cartridge for our printer. Uffda. The security tag on it should have been my first clue. I am going to return it and rely on the 20 cents per black and white copy at the library where I can send the print job from my own device.
3. My sister and I took several items to our county’s monthly Fix-It Clinic staffed by volunteers: a mechanical pencil that was stuck, a dog coat that needed new Velcro, and two dog harnesses that needed heavier duty stitching than my machine could handle. Next month I’ll bring in two lawn chairs after learning they have a tool to stitch the seats back in place. The clinic is an amazing resource.
4. Mended small holes in my underwear before the holes got too large to mend.
5. Used a gift card from the Red Cross to reduce my Chewy order by $20.
@MB in MN, lol’d when read uffda 😀
How wonderful number 3 is!
@MB in MN, I get remanufacured ink cartridges from LD Products https://www.ldproducts.com. The ones for my printer cost $7-8 there versus $40-ish brand new.
They’re currently offering 20% off for their back to school sale.
@Elizabeth M, thanks for the tip!
Holy underwear!
I think the plant you dug up is a Rudbeckia not a black-eyed Susan.
And you can leave it in a pot if you so wish - it is a perennial. Planted in the garden it will get bushier in the course of time.
Wait, I thought black-eyed Susans were a type of rudbeckia? But I could be wrong!
@Kristen, there are several different species within the genus Rudbeckia, including both so-called black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta), brown-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia triloba), and others. I'm not sure which yours is. But all the Rudbeckias, in my experience, like their freedom--so I agree with @N that I'd ask your landlord for permission to plant it outside.
@Kristen,
you are right, Kristen! I was lost in translation....
In German there is a climber called "black-eyed Susan". And among the family of Rudbeckias there is one called black-eyed Susan.
Sorry for the confusion.
A friend of mine has Rudbeckias in quite a large pot - it showed up one day just as yours in your garden. He left it there and now it fills out the pot quite nicely year after year.
1. Continued to use my B&W laser printer and second-hand paper for printing and scannng. More $ up front, far lower lifetime operating costs. On the rare occasion I need color output I go to the public library. Not my county which charges $1/page!, but the next county over where it's free.
2. I used a $5 off coupon to explore a local butcher who sells mostly happy meat. Pork chops for dinner tonight.
3. Used a "one free" coupon at a local chocolates store, happening into free full-sized samples as well.
4. Checked out the new Lidl. Produce prices are very low there and I have high hopes for their pico de gallo.
5. Made future breakfasts of steel-cut oats, baked apples, and chia seeds; not only tasty, healthy, and filling but using up foods that have been lingering in my kitchen.
6. And now the big one: my local lighting store price-matched the much, much lower price I found online. We're talking 20% lower! The online location also has it in stock while the local source is back-ordered, however I'm willing to wait for two reasons. One, the local store earned the biz by helping me find the fixture in the first place and two, if something goes wrong they're right here to help me deal with it.
@WilliamB,
Ditto on your #1. Our current printer is a Brother floor model I paid $30.50 for in 2011.
1. We traveled to New England to visit family over the weekend. We stayed in a Hilton property and used points (earned from a bonus for opening their branded credit card) to pay for the stay.
2. We attended a Friday night concert on the town green. It was free and the weather was perfect for sitting outside.
3. My niece shared peaches her family picked. They picked them for the experience with their littles and had more peaches than they would ever use.
4. I cut up a cantaloupe. It yielded a lot of fruit for $3.
5. Before the trip I froze leftover mashed potatoes and vegetables to eat after our return.
FFT, Greetings from My Village to Yours Edition:
One of NCA Katy’s themes yesterday was “It takes a village,” so here’s what’s going on in mine:
(1) NDN1 had a rather bloodshot-looking left eye over the weekend. I took her a bottle of eyedrops and helped her use them at least once a day (she has trouble with this). Fortunately, she's now much better. And her other CF and I will be checking out a new home care aide service on Thursday (the service NDN1 had wasn’t providing the consistency she needs in terms of either personnel or scheduling).
(2) Cherry tomatoes are now coming thick and fast from NDN1’s and my two pots behind her chain-link fence and the pot on my deck. We’re going “nom nom nom” on those little flavor bombs!
(3) I dumped out my potato planter (a repurposed shop-vac tub) and harvested the spuds on Saturday. While I might have gotten a better crop if one of my resident woodchucks hadn’t done a jump shot at the greens, I’m pleased with the 2 pounds of lovely little new potatoes I did get. I shared some cherry tomatoes and a precious few of the baby spuds with my Sunday morning walking buddies. The walking buddy who’s a native of Glasgow and has been teaching me naughty Scottish slang gave me some vegetable soup in exchange for my “wee tatties.” (No, that just means “little potatoes.” It isn’t naughty.)
(4) I strolled over yesterday to the Bestest Neighbors, who gave me some leftover shrimp fried rice (Dr. BN’s creation). In turn, I passed along the latest neighborhood gossip, and was asked for and provided some advice on cutting back a leggy rosemary plant.
(5) And the neighbor on the other side of NDN1 is planning to put out a massive and amazing free pile in connection with a neighborhood-wide garage sale on Saturday (in which I am otherwise not involved). He’s offered the folks on our street a preview of the stuff before he puts it on the curb. Here’s his partial list (all lowercase, a la e.e. cummings). I don’t think he’ll have any trouble getting rid of it. 🙂
a french glass dinner service for 4 including extra pieces.
a silver plated tea set with tray.
a waterford crystal chandelier.
an i.m. pei (look him up) designed modern chandelier.
miscellaneous silver plate service pieces.
Your shop vac tub planters always make me smile!
@A. Marie,
Once again, I so wish you were my neighbor. I hope the new home aide service can provide more consistency for NDN1.
And HOLY COW, your neighbor with the free pile preview is offering so many lovely things! Not that I need any of them, ha ha, but I'll bet that Waterford chandelier is beautiful!
@A. Marie, Hubby has had repeat potatoes grow from last year. He didn't plant anymore this year, these are volunteers. Makes me happy.
Wow, because of the time difference between Alaska and you, I hardly ever post this early in the morning. I guess lying awake at 3 am has some benefits!
1. Almost all our meals right now are garden based, since winter is headed this way ---sometimes it snows by the end of August. I continue to have terrible blood issues, so am on transfusion #6 and iron infusion #17, but by working even just 15 minutes a day this spring, I planted carrots, peas, leeks, tomatoes, cukes and scallions. Oh, yes, and zucchini. All except the leeks are producing magnificently and leeks are slow growers so will be ready at the end of the month. I could use them small, but prefer to get the maximum size. The husband has done most of the watering, with only a feeble, "But I don't even like vegetables" uttered every so often as he headed off to take are of the chore I usually do but cannot manage this year.
2. Gave the Great Dane a shower. My participation was parking my wheelchair in front of the 5X5 foot shower we have, so he could not escape. He was not happy but he didn't bite either one of our faces off, so I consider it a victory. As soon as I moved my chair, 185 pounds of wet dog flesh went roaring through the house and out of the dog door, not to be seen for about an hour. He forgave us at dinner time.
3. We have been gifted a lot of salmon and halibut this past two weeks. I never turn down the generosity of offered food, even if it means I have to can some of it because the freezer is full.
4. Husband did five food mystery shops, so we are loaded up on eggs, hamburger and nuts. I have reached the point that I have trouble fulfilling some of the requirements, so he applied and was accepted to the food and lube job shops I used to do. We have spent less than $100 of our own money on food, the rest is mostly shops and the occasional loaf of bread from my shift at the food bank. We are allowed to take home weekend extras up to a certain weight and it is usually bread or eggs.
5. Made liberal use of the library for books, DVDs and puzzles.
6. Husband sorted through all his tools, which is a lot given his woodworking hobby and his age. We are selling off items that are duplicate or that, realistically, he will not be using much as he ages and does less of the hobby. So far we have made $210 selling various tools. The funniest was the husband's face when this young guy exclaimed, "I cannot believe you are selling these vintage tools!"
@Lindsey, super impressive on the garden in the midst of health issues; home-grown just tastes better. I love how you and your husband work together. And congrats on the Dane shower. I thought our 10lb dachshund might be going for our faces the first time we gave her a bath & she came shooting out of the tub and tore madly through the house; I can only imagine what that experience is like with 185 lbs....
@Lindsey, I'm sorry you've been having such a rough time healthwise, and heartily wish it were otherwise. But my hat's off to you and the husband for your close and loving cooperation, as always. And love to Houndini and the 185 soaking wet pounds of Clobber Paws, also as always.
Also, I should have mentioned a (6): DH's last and best employee (who will be my executor when the time comes) was here yesterday to trim the long, high hedge between my yard and NDN1's. We've been bartering for this task for years, and he left with a load of DH's scrap lumber plus a few more "vintage tools" (your use of the term made me think of this).
You guys are doing such impressive stuff, given the health struggles you both have been facing. Sending you a big hug.
@Lindsey,
The picture in my mind's eye of a huge wet Dane racing through your house and out the dog door gave me a few chuckles. Funny how meal times are always appropriate for forgiveness. 🙂
So the universe is literally trying to make you a bed of flowers to walk on! Wonderful.
Hehe, I guess so!
I love black eyed Susans--or, as I call them by one of their other names, Golden Jerusalem. If you have a garden bed handy, and your landlords are okay with it, I'd plant it in there. I believe they're perennials. They're so cheerful!
My frugal things:
1. I got an A in my Anatomy 1 class! This is very frugal, as I will not have to retake it. 😉 And once the grade officially posts to the college I can have my advisor send my file to the Nursing school to get on the waitlist for the program. *happy dance* DS#2 also got an A, and was very pleased, as this replaces his lower grade in the class that he got back when, as he puts it, he "wasn't taking things seriously."
2. Per Kristen's advice, I registered to take a CLEP exam to hopefully test out of the General Psychology class requirement for my program. However, I didn't calculate that the registration would expire in January, and I'm not keen on studying for it while taking Anatomy 2 in the fall, so I rashly decided to take the CLEP exam this month, in about three weeks. Luckily! DH is on leave without pay for the next three weeks, so he's going to be home a lot and he and the boys have volunteered to take over grocery shopping and dinners, and DH is adamant that I stay laser focused because if I pass this, I'll save us at least a thousand bucks. And time. And the minor irritation that I am expected to take a intro to psych course when I have a BACHELORS DEGREE in psychology. 😀
3. Frugal Fail: I found a lovely site called Modern States that gives you free course material to study for the CLEP exams! They even have CLEP vouchers so you don't have to pay for the exam...but I didn't find it BEFORE I paid for my CLEP exam. Oh well. If I don't pass, I can take the exam again, and if that happens I will apply for the voucher and do it for free. Lesson learned.
4. After my exam, I treated myself to the free coffee in the cafe area at school. I don't always drink regular coffee, just after my exams!
5. I then went for a bike ride, and found when i got back home that my strap-on rear tail-light had fallen off! DH got us these to improve our visibility, they strap on over your reflectors. They are not expensive, but I was irked, so I retraced my steps, hoping to find it, and I did! So I saved the cost of ordering a new one and I got extra exercise. 😉
@Karen A., As soon as I read your #2 I was going to make sure you knew @ Modern States - glad you found them; they have great review/prep info! I have a good feeling you'll be happily done with Psych in 3 weeks.. : )
@Karen A., Congratulations to you and your son for making A's in such a difficult class! And kudos to your husband and boys for being so supportive of your goals and taking over the chores while you hit the books. You go, girl!
@Karen A., having to take Intro to Psych (or pass the exam) despite you having a degree in Psych sounds infuriating to me! Was your advisor not able to waive that requirement, or make prior classes count? (I had a great advisor who had a lot of freedom in manipulating our (admittedly few) requirements, but I've heard horror stories of negligent advisors...)
@Karen A., Congratulations to you and DS#2! Apparently "A" IS for Anatomy.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I talked to my academic advisor and their policy is this, especially given that I graduated with my bachelor's degree 30 years ago is: you need to provide a syllabus of the class you are wanting credit for so they can look at the syllabus and decide if it's equivalent to the required class.
I was able to waive my Composition I requirement NOT because I have a Masters in English Lit (and taught college composition as a graduate assistant, sigh) but because I contacted my alma mater and they were able to hunt down the syllabus for my freshman composition class, even though the professor who taught it passed away long ago. She was a bit of a legend, was Dr. Noel. Anyway, I attempted to contact the psychology department as well, but never heard back from them so I decided to not waste time with that. Without a syllabus, my options were to take the class or take the CLEP exam. I already was able to take a math exam to test out of the math class requirement.
@Karen A., Ahhh that makes sense. Glad you got out of several courses and I'm sure the Psych CLEP exam will be a breeze for you!
@Karen A., I feel your pain. I have a degree in Biology and Chemistry but had to take not one but two teaching science classes to get certified as a teacher. Congratulations on your good grades and best of luck as you go forward!
Not very frugal but let's see...
* I replaced a broken handle on the toilet.
* My sons did a bunch of weeding, and we all helped prune trees and move brush. The yard looks great, and I paid them in ice cream.
* Husband washed and painted the bricks on our front porch. He's my free handyman! The paint was expensive but worth it. However, the paint was marked 35% off, plus another $10 for being over$50, which eased the pain.
* He's also sanded and painting the metal railings. I thought to get new ones, but he'll make the rusty old ones beautiful.
* Still using the library and city pool for cheap summer fun.
Frugal maybe fail:
*the fridge was not cooling right, so after finagling with it, we bought a new damper. ( $60 part better than$1000 new fridge). But it doesn't quite fit ( though husband figured out a work around) and then when installing it, something sparked. Oops. So the fridge is cool but not quite as cold as it should be. We might have to get a new one after all... Luckily, we have garage fridge ( free from a neighbor several years ago!) So we don't need to rush any decisions.
@mbmom11, Yes, replacing a broken toilet handle IS very frugal! (Have you checked the price of a plumber's service call? You probably saved a bundle!) So are all your other things, and I hope the fridge starts cooling down better. And if not, I hope you find another very good free or inexpensive replacement for it.
Bought some peaches from the farm stand and cut some up for the freezer. I even cut off the gross, rotted section on 2 peaches. I am in love with this seasons peaches. They are yummy. Will probably buy more this weekend to cut up and freeze.
Went to buy chicken thighs, and they were $3.99/lb at Kroger. Went to Aldi where they are $2.99/lb. And no 50% off meat when we were there at 9:00 AM on Sunday.
We did get 2 loaves of 50% of bread. My husband likes that bread.
Grated a zucchini after cutting out the bad part. Now to make zucchini chocolate cake, zucchini brownies and zucchini apple muffins.
Turned off the A/C and opened the windows. It's been getting down to 60 degrees at night and it is just delightful!
I love that you saved the plants. I hope the irises bloom for you. I love irises. My father-in-law had the most beautiful, huge iris bed at our old house, but he was the only one willing to do all the digging up, separating, and beating back weeds required to keep it beautiful, so they eventually stopped flowering too after he left.
--I've FINALLY used up some "clarifying" shampoo I bought at a Walmart salon when my daughter was born almost eight years ago. I have curly hair, which means drier hair that doesn't need that sort of shampoo much. However, we had very hard water at that house, and I had some yuck build-up that the person cutting my hair noticed. She sold me this shampoo that I rarely use, but it apparently moved with us until I found it under the cabinet at this house a year or so ago. I use it like once a month, so it took me awhile, but I finally got it finished. 🙂
--Similarly, I have a few bottles of some 2 in 1 shampoo+conditioner that I bought by mistake that no one wants to use. The greasy-haired among us prefer straight shampoo, and the rest use separate shampoo and conditioner. I bought this 2 in 1 stuff online, not realizing it wasn't just shampoo, and of course I bought two of a two-pack. Which then wasn't worth sending back for various reasons. However! I discovered it works just fine as a body wash, so I'm sloooowly working my way through that, too. It'll probably take me eight years to get that finished, too . . .
--My husband was remarking that he would really like some new heavy wool sweaters since he's destroyed his old ones. He wears them daily in the winter, in preference to sweatshirts or whatever. We bought his old ones at thrift stores in upstate New York for literally about five dollars probably fifteen years ago. I no longer have easy access to thrift stores, however, and wool sweaters are not as common in New Mexico as they were in New York, anyway. Buying a new wool sweater is not happening ($$$$!), but I did think to check eBay and there found one of his favorite Barbour brand for about half what it would cost new. Still waaay more than a thrift store sweater, but I suppose I'm paying for the convenience of just ordering it on my computer and finding exactly the size and brand I wanted. I also got him a heavy cotton sweater and a wool/cotton blend, so he should be set for awhile. And all three of these cost the same as one new L.L. Bean sweater.
--My washing machine is in for repairs. I don't have access to a laundromat, so I guess that's forcing me to save the quarters used in those as I wash my laundry in the bathtub. Actually, I dislike the experience of laundromats so much, I would probably do this even if I could go to a laundromat. Having a clothesline is key, though, because I can't wring the clothing out as dry as my washing machine does, and putting clothes that wet into the dryer would make for some really long drying cycles.
--We've had a wet summer, which means there's actually enough grass to keep the sheep and horses happy grazing in one pasture, rather than moving them around pastures. This means the pastures they're not in are growing up into what will become standing forage when it dries in the fall. That will keep them grazing longer into the winter, and, thus, keep us from having to feed hay so early. Yay.
@kristin @ going country, I buy way too much shampoo because I have trouble finding any that works on my hair for very long, so I've found multiple uses for extra. In addition to body wash, it works great as hand soap, spot stain remover for laundry, especially greasy stains and "ring around the collar" 😉 also for cleaning bathtubs and showers and for shaving, though conditioner works slightly better (I buy way too much of it as well!) Oh and the 2 in 1 is especially good for cleaning paint brushes as well as hair brushes.
@kristin @ going country, many years ago when I had to wash clothes in the bathtub, I put a broomstick across the tub . I piled the clothes on it to drip for a while before hauling them to the clothesline.
@Ava, I get my husband or eldest son to wring out the big stuff like jeans for me. Might as well put those giant hands to work. Besides, they're the ones with the biggest jeans. 🙂
As an IT guy, wireless printers are convenient but oh boy are they a pain in the neck. In fact, all printers are a pain for me. I have an old Brother laser for the off chance I need to print something.
Also, any money not in Wells Fargo is best. Banks are almost all evil but WF just can't stop being evil.
1.) Got my septic tank its regular service. Maintenance is cheaper than a repair bill! On a side note, I head somewhere recently that there are some languages where there is no word for maintenance (specifically amongst people who were traditionally nomadic.) I worry sometimes that Americans are losing their sense of maintaining things and we may end up like the Romans whose aqueducts stopped working and no one knew how to repair them.
But my septic tank is good for another year now.
2.) Renewed our Costco membership for another year. Honestly, we save more than the cost of the membership and we get access to a lot of good products so it's worth it to us.
3.) Bought some cereal at Walmart that was on clearance. The boxes were a bit damaged but everything inside was A-OK.
4.) Had an impromptu date night with my wife. Our daughter was at a friend's house and the girls were having so much fun her friend's mom asked if she could stay for dinner and so my wife and I went out using a gift card we had.
5.) Continuing my streak of packing lunches for my family. This is not saving a million dollars but it saves us all time and money in the middle of the day.
@Battra92, I did not know that the Romans lost the use of their aqueducts just because they didn't maintain them, but it makes sense. Every time I drive on local roads, I notice how there's not much mowing so much closer weeds are growing to the road and how trees and weeds are growing intertwined with power and phone lines. In some places, weeds have crossed from one side of the road to the other on power lines. I wonder, what will we drive on when the roads crumble apart and power lines can't be repaired because they are hidden behind overgrowth like Cinderella's castle??
@Battra92, Have you checked into using RidX for your septic maintenance. Our last house (120+ years old) had septic & I used RidX (liquid or powder) monthly to naturally maintenance. We had not had our septic done in 10+ years & when sold house the inspection showed was in great condition. I am more organic & less chemicals & RidX is great option.
@Regina, RidX is good stuff but doesn't stop the filter from getting clogged it seems.
@Battra92, when I had my septic system put in, it included free maintenance after ten years with that company. After ten years, I called them and they said no one had ever taken them up on that offer before! But they honored their deal and I got free service.
- Our cherry tomatoes are putting on fast, so I've been using them in various meals
- Our regular tomato plants are also producing, so we used them for BLTs over the weekend
- DH, DD, and I went to a minor league baseball game using free VIP tickets and parking provided by my company.
- Working with Mayo clinic about a charge for a procedure that was not covered by our insurance. We were not informed prior to the procedure that it would not be covered. We received notifications of all the procedures that were covered.
- Made 9 jars of peach habanero jam using peppers from our garden. I plan to use them as Christmas gifts.
Very little. I picked up some books from the library and that's about it! I did a frugal thing for a friend - she wanted to read a book I mentioned and said she might buy it, but I saw that it's in the library so now she's going to borrow it instead.
Plant them in the yard. Perennials are pops of free joy for forever!
1. I brought home some leftover Olive Garden food from a rare catered meal at work. We have happily been eating a tiny amount of pasta, half a pan of alfredo sauce (on our own pasta and veggies), a few breadsticks, some salad (although I think some will go to compost), parmesan cheese, and mint chocolates. It was already three days old when I rescued it, so I think it would have been thrown away otherwise. I say it every time, but I love free food!
2. My friend dropped off two gorgeous home-grown flower bouquets that didn’t sell at the farmer’s market, as well as a large bag of basil.
3. We picked up a free string cheese from our local gas station.
4. I broke out my clippers to trim some of our volunteer woody plants in our front yard. One day I need to break out the shovel to dig up their roots, but at least it looks less scruffy for now.
@Lindsay B, I have to ask, why was a gas station giving away string cheese?
@Bobi, they have seasonal games and giveaways, and this happened to be a prize that I won. I wasn't able to pick up a pack of jerky, a Mountain Dew, or a candy bar that I previously won, so it felt like a win to get the string cheese. 🙂
@Lindsay B, in that case, Congrats! A win is a win!
I love the Rudbeckias but unfortunately they are also high on the list of the snails. On rainy days I have to check and de-snail multiple times. I may end up planting them in pots as well!
The usual this week- cooking, eating in, buying what is on offer, in season and local, washing on solar power.
After some thought I also created and printed a list where I can check when I have last done appliance maintenance such as a thorough clean of the dryer and the oven. Usually I only wipe them, but several parts can be taken out for a real cleansing cycle. I want to do this more regularly to prolong the use of our appliances.
I use furniture markers, too. Bless whoever it was who thought of them.
These are all island trip related:
1. During our vacation we cooked all but two of our meals, so six meals at "home", one door dash of pizza for dinner, one lunch at a restaurant - not bad! There were 12 people there most of the time and 13 there for a day and a half, so this was some big savings.
2. We took turns buying the groceries.
3. We all brought stuff from home that we already had, to save on purchases and rentals (dishwasher tabs, toilet paper, soap, paper towel, sunscreen, beach toys and chairs, beach tent, etc.).
4. I wore my cute Lands End swim tank top and swim mini-skirt I bought from ThredUp. (I sanitized it first of course).
5. I didn't buy a single thing in the stores except food. There were some temptations, but I didn't need them, so I didn't buy them.
6. Bonus: The sun was truly fierce and hot, but we all were liberal with sunscreen and there were no burns. That may not be specifically frugal but it was definitely wiser.
@JD, It's always wise to invest in your health!
@JD, you bet your sweet bippy (look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls, all those who didn't grow up with Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In!) that avoiding sunburn is frugal. Not only does it save discomfort in the short run, but it may prevent some skin cancer in the long run. And I'm delighted that you and your tribe had such a good and frugal time on the island trip.
@A. Marie, I didn't think of this before, but I'm going to the dentist this week. It'll cost money but save dental health!
@A. Marie,
Oh, I miss Laugh-In! I wish they'd re-run it somewhere. Esp. Lily Tomlin's Earnestine the Telephone Operator routine. My favorite is the one where she calls up "Mr. Milhous," gives him the what-for, and it turns out that he's Pres. Nixon.
@Fru-gal Lisa, there are lots of Laugh-In videos on YouTube. Dan, Dick, and the gang are all still out there in YouTube heaven.
@Fru-gal Lisa, there are some Laugh In videos on Youtube.
@JD, Sunscreen will always be cheaper than skin surgeries. My dad had to have several facial surgeries for basal cell carcinoma (lost half of one nostril, he did), and my mom had pre-melanoma when she was just in her fifties.
I've been keeping track on my phone so I can participate....
1. I cut some flowers in my yard for a tabletop bouquet
2. We got some free food from a few different sources....our neighbor gave us a half a watermelon, 2 bags of garden produce from husband's co-worker, the food pantry that operates out of my work building gifted me a half gallon of milk and 3 bags of green grapes (i shared 2 with others), my daughter shared a box of cereal, 3 frozen juices, 4 cans of beans and 5 fresh peaches with us, a co-worker made deer bologna and gave us 3 rolls, and another neighbor gave us a loaf of zucchini bread. I have reciprocated the gestures with homemade treats.
3. I sold a few items on facebook marketplace. Stuff out, money in!
4. Another co-worker got a duplicate candle warmer delivered and he gave it to me.
5. I used Sam's cash towards my last store purchase.
6. I bathed all 3 of my dogs saving on grooming fees.
I've been sharing carrots and cucumbers from my garden with friends.
One of our neighbors does metal work, so my husband gave him a bunch of metal from our recent clean-out.
I made five pints of pickles from garden cukes.
One of my knitting friends had purchased a pattern for a hat I want to make. She decided not to make the hat, so she not only gifted me the pattern, but the yarn to make the hat!
Tonight dinner will be courtesy of the free National Night Out barbecue hosted by local law enforcement.
I also have the stain markers and they're great! I use them quite often...even on my wood floors.
I fired up the kamado grill and cooked multiple meals at once. We made a skirt steak for tacos, marinated chicken for butter chicken the next night, grilled greek marinated chicken breasts to be cut into strips and eaten like a gyro another night. At the end, we grilled some breadsticks also.
I mended a hole in the pocket of DH's favorite jeans.
I sold some old cabinet hardware on marketplace.
DH installed the new window they sent us that was under warranty so no cost for that. I'm so happy that is fixed!
I got .25/gallon off of gas from our Circle K.
My frugal things --
– I sewed a few curtains for my son’s new apartment from fabric I already had. I had made my own extra wide shower curtain years ago. But I just didn't like the way it came out so I never used it. I put the piece away because I loved the fabric. I hope I could use it for something else and the gray abstract print was perfect for his place. I made a curtain for the window in his front door and one for the bathroom window. I still have a lot of fabric left to do other projects.
– For a few of the bigger windows in his place, I bought 3 pairs of room darkening curtains from Walmart for a price I couldn't even have sewn them for. One pair was way too long for the window and didn't come in a shorter size, so I cut them off and re-hemmed them to fit the window.
– I used salsa I had thawed, and a container of cut up tomatoes from a previous meal in a sauce and older spinach for baked ziti. I also used the end of a pound of pork sausage and mixed it with hamburger for the sauce for the ziti.
– I saved an interesting size plastic container with a tight- fitting from nuts I bought at Walmart to use later.
– I repurposed a recently delivered Amazon box to mail something to a friend. I refuse to buy a box. I either use an Amazon box or I find one at from stocking at Kroger when I need to mail something.
Preparing for going back on the road edition:
1. I combined a Christmas gift card and an end of summer sale to buy a EZ up style canopy to use for my outdoor camping kitchen. My out of pocket cost was $12.
2. I invested in a camping mini fridge that will help me reduce food waste for long gigs. I have a good cooler and put a thermometer inside but I still had to throw out leftovers because they were at a borderline safe temperature. It's better to be safe than sorry!
3. I'm saving small bottles and jars to decant pantry ingredient staples into so I don't have to buy the same thing in a smaller size for my camp kitchen.
4. I had an annual physical as preventative maintenance.
5. A friend shared his code to an improv comedy streaming service that encourages password sharing.
Late summer frugality...
I made a double batch of blueberry muffins for the freezer. Blueberries have been on frequent sale since spring and we have eaten them fresh but I bought and froze a lot for baking and here we are.
I bought 10 lbs of ground beef from Costco and made and froze meatballs in small batches for quick dinners when needed.
Banana bread will go into the freezer tonight as well to use up some old fruit and give us quick breakfast options. I also made a batch of breakfast burritos that went into the freezer.
We ate leftovers and stayed home - no money spent there.
I love finding a frugal hacks. I came across one lately:
I make my own yogurt in my Instapot. I have been traveling so much I found I didn't have a starter of plain yogurt because the reserve I kept went bad. I learned I can freeze these starter bits and they still work. Wooo whoo. Also, if I am at Grocery Outlet and they have a small, plain yogurt on sale, I will buy it and freeze it.
I bought two large Libby pumpkin pie cans for under $3.00. I will wait until a cool whip is on sale and make "Pumpkin Delight" Mix the two and refrigerate. Healthy - ish. An old Weight watcher recipe.
The Riverhouse Renovation is crawling to a close. I measured the living room, kitchen and office. I want these rooms to be extremely functional. The office will double as my sewing room ( maybe) I want as much seating as possible in the two connecting living spaces. The built- ins and grand piano provide challenges. I will put my requirements into CHATGPT for ideas. I will also upload pictures and tell it to add seating options. It beats paying a designer. I want to know what I am looking for with second hand furniture.
I mixed silk plants with live ones in my front yard dry river. I made the xeriscape a few years ago after the removal of many trees killed the front yard sprinkler system. It is difficult for me to keep even the succulents alive. I used small pots for the silks ( mostly greens) and tucked them under the dwarf palms.) The edges of the yard are all live plants. It fills things out nicely and saves me $60 every three months when my greens die.
Most perennials don't come back in pots, but can be transplanted into the ground before the ground freezes in the fall.
Frugal things---
● took my dad bunch of firewood when we went to campground to have dinner with them. They were surprised when teen ate 6 burgers. Teen asked every time if could have more or if anyone wanted the last ones.
● ate all meals at home (except dinner with my dad) working down freezer & pantry
● neighbor doing remodel converting garage into additional bedroom. The contractor found partial box of brand new evestroth & neighbor asked if I wanted it because has no room for what's left in garage clean out
● teen found 2 adult bikes (curb find) & brought home. Took 10 speed bike apart for good parts & other is knock off version of vintage Huffy bicycle that going to keep (Mom get to borrow)
● FREE Slushie (Meijer Reward)
● FREE Fresh cut flowers (Meijer Reward) but flowers looking sad already (only 3 days) even with flower food.
Frugal fail---
● bought some Meijer individual pizzas on sale & teen decided doesn't like them after took all pizzas out of boxes to put into freezer. Luckily only $4.
● electric bill came for last month heat dome which increased $51, even with all preventive measures. Consumers Energy donated $800,000 to 211/United Way to help with increased costs due to heat dome but 3 counties in my area the county stopped 211 services due to budget cuts.
I had no idea furniture markers existed! I might need to try that. Refinishing furniture is definitely not in my skillset, but coloring in small scratches sounds easy enough.
1. I made an updated inventory of all the food I have so that I don’t buy duplicates. I am doing a very low spend month because I expect to have bigger expenses next month, so I will be mostly eating from the pantry and freezer, and it helps to know exactly what’s in there.
2. I used coupons at Tom Thumb (Albertsons) including one for $5 off any order and several personalized coupons for things I have bought there before. I was able to get comparatively good prices on expensive things like chocolate chips and orange juice and vegan cheese and yogurt.
I also got some pantry staples and cat litter, which the overall $5 off made very cheap.
3. I used leftover chicken broth from the freezer along with a few other things in my pantry to make a batch of Mexican rice and ate it with leftover beans, also from the freezer.
4. When I had finished the beans but still had a little rice left, I fried an egg to have on top of the last bit of rice for breakfast this morning.
5. I received a free cat toy from Chewy in exchange for posting a review. I haven’t tried it yet but it looks like something my cats will enjoy – a “beehive” and toy bee they can swat at to make treats fall out like a piñata.
1. My husband and I had a weekend without our kiddos (they slept at my mom's house). We went camping. We hiked 3 different parks, ate dinner at the camp site one night and went out to dinner the other, brought drinks and breakfast foods, took walks, read books, had campfires, got coffee at a coffee shop, etc. Total cost was about $120. It was very fun.
2. I made banana muffins using over-ripe bananas. My son is eating them for his snack at camp this week.
3. Used some peppers, snap peas, and beans from our garden to make a rice side dish. Used herbs from our garden to crust some chicken to go with the rice.
4. Sundried some over-ripe cherry tomatoes.
5. My mom brought us a lot of food; frozen pizza, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Good morning! We have had Tiger Lily and Iris plants show up in our lawn and other unplanned places. My best guess is that we have "squirrel gardeners". I've watched them running around the yard and replanting bulbs and such. Always a surprise, that makes us smile 🙂
I forget how well the sun bleaches out stains - thanks for the reminder. I have used shoe polish, especially the paste variety on furniture gouges. You may want to check on that iris - there is one that is invasive, Pale Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus).
This is not a frugal week at my house. It seems to be a season of replacing worn out things: small ones like new fitness trackers & seat covers for the car and big ones like a new range & dishwasher being installed as I type. OUCH! I thought about delaying an anniversary getaway but decided to go for it because 40 years is celebration worthy. Several meals out and two nights in a sweet Airbnb cottage in the Shenandoah wasn't free but it was so worth it.
1) Picked up a set of tray tables: curb find. They aren't perfect, but they will do.
2) Got some free veggies from a friends garden; his is doing much better than ours.
That's about all I got this week...It was a slow week.
Bought 2 tennis rackets for my farm help/nephew. Bought them at a fundraiser for $5 each and one turned out to be worth over $300 used.
I bought a cuisinart convection toaster oven @ my friend's parent's estate sale. Still in box for $30. I use it on the back porch in the summer to bake cookies, muffins and 8x8 casseroles. Insta-pot is the other appliance that I was late to the party acquiring, love it!
Neighbor down the road gave me with a beautiful US flag he was given it at his workplace. I have 3 flag poles at the entrance to our ranch and he drives past everyday. Sweet gesture.
Was given a beautiful wool rug that had been chewed on by a puppy, I took it to a former upholstery shop and he showed me how to remind the chewed spot, using his heavy duty commercial sewing machine. I gave him a fresh tuna loin in barter.
Planted my newly rooted dappled willow starts and three scented geraniums.
@Blue Gate Farmgirl, I'm doing the same all summer with cooking. I use the instapot, toaster oven (bought a big one that I wouldn't want on my counter, but holds a casserole dish or muffin pan at goodwill in the box for $15), and my airfryer all on my back porch. I think I've only turned my actual oven on once in months.
Love that you rescued the black-eyed Susan from the mower! I saw some Sibir valmuer (Papaver nudicale) in my lawn today so I’ll just wait for the worst of this heatwave to die down before moving them also 🙂
1. Had a self-serve fleamarket in my driveway. Wasn’t the biggest success but some clothes managed to find new homes. Was real happy about that since I «rescued» them from being tossed after another fleamarket.
2. Sold my Marimekko Christmas bowls online, made even a small profit from when I bought them on sale years ago.
3. Frogged a knitted headband that was a bit too tight and are reusing the yarn to knit a pair of leg warmers.
4. Saw a huge lot of Veggen De Luxe mid-century teak cabinets and shelves on the fb page of the vintage store in a nearby town. Can’t believe I managed to snag them - and find someone to transport them. In the bigger towns just the corner cabinet sells for four times as much as I paid for everything. We have this system already so it was a real lucky find.
5. Cut my own hair with the hairdresser scissors I got from my mum.
The flowers love you!
This has been a frugal fail week as far as produce and meals are concerned. I bought some fresh stuff at a produce stand and did not have the impetus to even fix it for consumption. I do have a compost pile and some squirrels, rabbits and birds that can make me feel a bit better. A terrible tragedy occurred in our community and the family involved is well known and loved by many, and dear friends of mine. I don't have much "starch" on a regular basis and this "removed" the little I had. Also as a nurse, I recognize some things that are below the surface to the untrained eye. The main person involved, has not passed, but there is a long road to recovery, If...
I did pick some green beans yesterday morning, and with the ones I picked last week, should make a good mess. I WILL cook them for supper, and yes, A.Marie, I know and understand the tried and true southern cooked to death ones, but it I do that, they will die a slow death in the fridge. So, CTK garlic green beans it is. I also picked some cucumbers. This oriental variety is by far the best I've ever raised. Sadly, I see no more coming on. Tomatoes have finally put on some more green ones.
I found two Weck jars that were cheaper than new, on Amazon, and four on eBay. And even though shipping has become atrocious, still cheaper in the long run. I just started getting raw milk w a pint or more of cream on the top and the lack of ridges on the inside of the tulip jars make them much easier to clean. They will be ideal for the cream. I know my producer so no worries.
Frugal middle of the road. Saturday night, I ordered two pizzas for staff I was working with from Casey's using some rewards. However, when I got them to work, there was so little topping, it was almost a shame. It was very disappointing. Their breakfast bacon pizza remains amazing.
The usual ones that require little thought: chai latte at home, home brewed ice tea. Bunching errands, distill my own water for drinking...
@Chrissy, I'm so sorry about the tragedy in your community. Reading between your lines, I think I can see some similarities to one I went through 50 years ago--when the parents and grandmother of my then boyfriend were murdered by the boyfriend's older brother, who had paranoid schizophrenia. That one marked the line between innocence and experience for me. I wish you, and all those involved in the tragedy, the peace of God that passeth all understanding.
Sending you a virtual hug!
1. Mended a couple of ripped pants while I had the sewing machine out (why is it always such a chore to lug it out!). My son wanted to alter some jeans for a new style, and I'm always happy to teach my kids how to sew.
2. Stopped at an Amish-owned discount grocery store when we had to drive to Pennsylvania last weekend. The store had fabulous produce, meat and baking ingredients, and we got stocked up on some snack items the kids eat.
3. On my semi-annual trip to the dermatologist, grabbed a couple sample products from the basket by the reception. These are mini bottles of facial lotion or cleanser that I put in my travel toiletry bag, perfect size for carryon travel. (Yes, I do sometimes buy the actual product sampled so I feel okay trying them!)
4. Joined the neighborhood pool for an abbreviated season. It's still a bit pricey but less expensive than joining for the whole season. We were out of town for 5 weeks of it so it would not have been very economical, but now we can enjoy the pool for the rest of the summer.
5. Took my son thrifting but found a dress for myself that was new with tags in the thrift store. Score!
Did you just set the T-shirt in the sun, or did you put something on it such as salt or lemon juice or---??? I have some shirts with little stained spots that are in dire need of help.
1. I took advantage of Senior Tuesday and hit up Goodwill for some back-to-school items. I needed slacks but only found a couple of darling T-shirts that had all-over floral prints instead of slogans or advertising. So they look more like blouses. Both of them go with slacks and capris I already own, and one has 3 different colors that'll go with 3 different sets of "bottoms." Wardrobe stretchers! And since it was 20% off the $5.99 price, I only paid $4.79 for each one. (Plus tax. ) If anyone asks, tell 'em I got 'em at the GW Boutique!
2. Got my back-to-school haircut and bought a discount card. Instead of paying $20, this one and the next four will be $15.
3. Ran by the carwash and got another one. I signed up for a membership and therefore I try to hit it at least once a week, if not more. This brings the price down to $5 if I go 4x a month. It's near 3 schools where I sub, so every time I leave campus, I'm going to hit the carwash.
4. Credit card came in and my credit limit is huge. So I have more than enough to get my luxury vinyl planks for the master bedroom, the last area of my house still with the icky carpet. Will use my 10% Ollie coupon.
5. Measured the area and will get the planks tonight.
Just sun! Works great on white fabric that has food based stains.
Just FYI in case there are folks who don't have furniture markers- I use Sharpies for furniture scratches! The brown color works very well!
We have a dark wood leather couch. (Bought for $50 on Marketplace -- she cut the price, and threw in a table and chairs she was hoping to get rid of.) It regularly gets scratches and gouges from visitors coming in the front door. (Its back makes a sort-of 'hallway' on the way to the dining room.) I tried a furniture marker, but have had the most success with a light sketching of permanent black marker, rubbed in by a fingertip.
Any more scratches -- I just get out the marker!
Smart!
Frugal:
Got my half price dozen of choc chip cookies from local gas mart. ( QUIK TRIPS ARE VERY NICE) I made them into ice cream sandwiches.
Also got 2.99 pound of butter and a free dozen eggs from same gas mart using in the app coupons.
Cooked a whole marked down chicken in the slow cooker. It made three meals.
Day 1. Roasted chicken with roasted carrots onions sweet potato and zucchini. Day 2. Used the broth and made chicken and gravy over rice. Day 3. Chicken salad with triscuits
Continue to say YES to offers of fresh produce. This week was zucchini and garden lettuce and parsley. FREE TO ME!
Entertainment for free: Libby, Kanopy, and podcasts.
Riding my bike for short errands.
maybe you could take the flower, dry it out and put in a picture frame - put on the wall
I feed the birds sunflower seeds each winter. A bonus is I often find sprouted plants around the yard. I carefully transfer them to pots and enjoy the flowers in the summer. Last summer I did the same with a maple tree that sprouted from a "helicopter" seed. Now I have another tree growing to be planted in a few years. An added recycling feature was birds eating the seeds on the sunflowers that grew.