Four Frugal Things (and one not)
Just a note: there is nothing April Fools-ish about this post. My brain is too absorbed with nursing school to come up with anything clever. Ha.
1. I grabbed a table from the trash
I was not on the hunt for anything, but on my way out of the neighborhood, I noticed a little white table set out for the trash pickup.
I said, "OH NO. Not on my watch." and I put it into the back of my van. Hehe.
I will probably not get around to refinishing this until school is over, but at least it's not in the trash.
2. I got a rain check for blackberries
Safeway had a great sale on them last week, so of course they were sold out. Everyone recognized the bargain price!
So, I got a rain check and I will redeem it next time I'm out of berries.
3. I got a marked-down box of granola bars
I usually take Rx bars to work when I need a portable snack, but Zoe likes the Quaker ones sometimes. So, I picked up a marked-down box, which ended up being only $1.18.
4. I got a free drink at Starbucks using points
I did a mammoth study session with two other students on Sunday afternoon/evening (7.5 hours!), and we started out at Starbucks, where I redeemed my points for a free drink.
I'd earned my points by spending gift cards, which I'd gotten for free through my credit card rewards, so this was layers of free. 😉
5. I gave away my Kodiak pancake mix
You know how I bought that huge box of Kodiak mix and discovered I don't actually like the pancakes it makes?
The most frugal thing would have been to take it back to Sam's Club for a refund. But I know exactly where the mix will go if I do that: into the trash.
And my food-waste-averse heart couldn't handle that.
The Sam's Club-sized pack has three individually packaged bags of mix and obviously I'd only opened one! I kept the one opened bag and I will dutifully use that up, but I listed the other two on my Buy Nothing group.
Food always goes super fast on my group so I knew someone would be interested!
This is one of the best uses for a Buy Nothing group, I think. How else would I possibly find someone interested in my pancake mix??
I love Buy Nothing for all of the things I can't take to the thrift store!
This week I:
1. I've been looking for salmon cakes, and spotted some boxes on sale at Harris Teeter for $3.97 for a box of 4. Then I saw they had a yellow mark down sticker for $4 off! I checked the expiration dates and its not even close. So HT paid me 3 cents a box. I grabbed 4, left one for someone else. They have chiles in them so maybe they didn't sell well, who knows. We think they taste delicious.
2. I'm using an old plastic ice bucket in my bathroom for a "use it up" bucket. I have lotions and shampoos upside down in the bucket, next to my sink. I'm amazed at how much more lotion is still in the bottles.
3. Composted my garden to prep it for planting. So satisfying.
4. After seeing all of the egg shells in my compost, I decided from now on I'm saving the shells separate. I was given some tea in a beautiful lidded container, so I'm using that on my counter for the eggshells. I will try grinding them up when it gets full.
5. Ordered some items I need from CVS using Rakuten when it was a 10%rebate day.
@MommaJo, Wow. I need to find a grocery store that will pay me to eat their food.
@MommaJo, your #2 -- when we think we can't anything else out of a bottle of lotion/shampoo/toothpaste, we take a knife and slice them open - WALA! Usually get a at least a few more days worth out of it, sometimes a week!
@MommaJo, what will you do with the ground up eggshells?
@Cheryl,
That's been my experience, too! I think I learned about cutting/slicing open packages from the Commentariat here, or on the NCA comments. How did I become a full fledged adult, and frugal to boot, without knowing to do this? At least I'm doing it now. Never too old to learn!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
Not MommaJo, but I crush up eggshells and put them at the base of my tomato plants in the spring and summer. (Are they supposed to be ground up?).
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I used to crush them and keep them with the compost. I recently read that if you dry them well, then ground them, they are easier to sprinkle in the garden around the tomatoes. I figure its worth a shot!
@JDinNM, shopping today, I saw a $2.50 rebate for something selling for $2.28. Too bad it was Kool-Aid ice pops, which, ... um,... I don't want to have in my kitchen at all.
@MommaJo,
Our local retired pharmacist is a master gardner, she taught a class on compost. She said to save the egg shells and bake them??? Then crush to add to other kitchen composting stuff....I suggest call your local extention office and ask if they have a leaflet on preparing eggshells for compost. I usually just toss them out in my flower bed!! But I think they mostly get picked up by birds.
@WilliamB, Hah! They would have bribed you to take them off their hands!
@MommaJo, if you intend to grind them up in a blender, be careful. If the jar is plastic, the eggshells may etch the plastic. Processing food in etched plastic equal more microplastics in your food. I don't know if eggshells would etch glass.
@MommaJo, it is amazing to see that egg shells don't break down! We had that problem too. They will crush but it requires more effort. We now save ours separately and hubs grinds them with a coffee grinder. We add them when we plant in the garden beds.
@MommaJo, I saw where you can make natural dye chalk with eggshells
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I'm guessing in the garden. I think they are good for tomatoes?
@MommaJo, I crush the eggshells if I am going to give it to my chickens as grit -- but I don't use the blender. I do the "That Minnesota Mom" treatment and work out my repressed feelings with a rolling pin. You can deter snails and slugs if you leave the eggshell pieces a little larger, "minced" vs "powdered" size - they don't like the edged edges, apparently.
I add a raw egg to my homecooked cat food when I make it, and then the shell gets pulverized when I grind/puree the mess in the blender. Extra calcium for my kitties. Also works for dog food.
1. Found three paperbacks at the neighborhood Little Free Library. They went in the bin for our winter trip next year.
2. Created a covered box to hide the jumble of electronic cords near our TV by taking a small pine box with cutout handles (for pulling the cords through) and having our carpenter build a top from leftover wood. Painted with leftover paint.
3. Received extra dinner rolls and cookies from an event. Made croutons out of the rolls and served the cookies to our carpenter.
4. While the electrician was here to install new lights, he fixed the frayed cord on my 50 year old sewing machine.
5. Was the lucky recipient of numerous items from Buy Nothing: puzzle, toiletry bag, sunscreen, milk, yogurt, bananas, chai tea, Windex, dried beans, chia seeds and farro. I get a lot of items because I’m not afraid of expiration dates or partially used packages.
I'm trying to come up with something for my foot Doctor today to celebrate April Fool's. She is very nice and already funny. I think I told you all already that the residents at our nursing home have been told we are having a car show. And they are expecting a real one. But it will be with model cars, toys, what have you in the dining room. I got a 1970 orange/red Dodge Challenger model car and a current aged model golf cart as my submissions.
Frugal thinking: I actually ate the whole bunch (of five) bananas without having to make muffins/bread or feed them to the roses.
2) I've been sharing the food items I prepare for myself with my niece. I feel better about this because she's not actually flush with funds and I don't throw so much away. This week its salad, quiche, and beef stew.
3) I turned in a renewed amount W4 form at work at my tax preparer's suggestion to avoid the heavy hit at tax time. I was not smart enough to include withholding when I filed for Social Security. Live and learn.
4) Speaking of taxes. I have filed my own forever which was simple in the beginning as a single person, no property, one job. But since I've aged, still no property, standard deductions, but Social Security,, etc. they have gotten a little more complicated. I used a tax preparer this year, which ended up being someone I'm acquainted with and I have felt a great deal of relief having it done, and done accurately. I did not pay an exorbitant amount for the help and it is frugal in the long run.
5) The usuals: chai latte at home, distilled my own water, minimal shopping-no impulse buys (at the stores), bunched errands and there were not many of those.
@Chrissy,
I got April Fooled this morning: the school librarian came up to me and asked "would you like some brownies?" She was holding a plate covered with foil -- it looked like some fudge brownies might be underneath. When I said "yes, thank you," she moved the foil to reveal a plate that had a lot of letters cut out and attached to it -- using some brown construction paper, she 'd cut out some "E" and "e" s.....ie, some BROWN E's. (Groan).
This might work for you and the foot doctor. If you don't have construction paper, a brown felt tip pen and a paper plate would replicate the gag gift just as well. Don't forget the foil!
@Chrissy,
For future reference, you can add withholding to your social security after you start drawing it. There is a form you fill out and I just dropped it off at the receptacle at the office-no appointment needed.
*I bought gas at fifty cents cheaper per gallon when I was in the neighboring state for an activity.
*I hit Sam's club for food as well and managed to find beef and pork with discount prices.
*I bought more eggs there as they were still cheaper than home. Probably saved over eight dollars total.
*I used a gift card to get pizza last week after a draining day and I just couldn't do one more thing.
*I made deposits into IRAs and paid big bills before filling out FAFSA . Who knows if it will help with financial aid - worth a try!
Have a lovely day!
@mbmom11, smart move on finances before filling out FAFSA, plus good for your bills & retirement including next year taxes.
The husband and I took a vacation ALONE leaving the Kid-aults home to work/school. Did a Beach VRBO and took along lots of snacks, coffee supplies, oatmeal packs etc to prevent TOO much out to eat... Ate Publix sandwiches with dollar tree pretzels and knock off GS cookies while we watched the rocket launch on the side of the road, Heated up frozen Trader Joes lasagna and Cheese bread after a day on the beach instead of going out... Great trip!
Used my Lane Bryant rewards to order a few shirts online for store pick up. (Shopped through Rakuten to get % back). When you pick up you can purchase 1 item in store at 50% off.. which is how I replace bras when needed! So I picked out my new (needed) bra and ended up returning 1 item from my order b/c it was obviously defective-size was WAY off.. The worker helped me reorder a new one online (getting me the same original discounted price) and this one ships to home for free!
Used our Chase CC for all trip expenses. Earned 10% back on a hotel stay along the way by choosing one on the Chase perks list. Scanned every receipt into the Fetch app for points. Earned money back on Rakuten from a dinner out- Forgot I linked the CC for in store purchases a while back- so that was a fun perk email!
When we returned home I was happy to find not too much food waste in the house.. kids did a good job eating stuff I left them.. Did toss 5 scary looking strawberries and 1 collapsing apple.. Peeled and cored the rest of the apple basket and made a pot of applesauce to salvage that.. Other than that very happy!
@jes,
Sounds like a lovely vacation! But what really caught my eye.....how do you link your cc to Rakuten??
My life has been a bit like Kristen's.
1. I picked up a small plastic dresser style item that had been set out for recycling pick-up. It had drawers and was in perfectly usable condition. I said, “OH NO. Not on my watch.” and I carried it home. Hehe. I will give it away.
2. I bought strawberries and onions for a good price at Grocery Outlet. I save the strawberries tops for a neighbor that has reptiles and turtles.
3. DH bought cheap snacks to put out at work at Grocery Outlet.
4. I gave away "expired" brownie mix on Freecycle. We just don't make brownies any more. I also gave away a bunch of other stuff.
5. We worked in the yard over the weekend, free exercise. DH vacuumed our vehicles and cleaned out the garage.
I feel like I spend more than I scrimp, but mostly on things I know I can use:
*I sold my Altras for $38 and bought some work shoes for $46 on Ebay. So basically, my brand new in box work shoes that normally sell for $130 were $8.
*I also got some $26 Isotoner memory foam house shoes for $10 that feel like heaven on my old lady feet
*starting to eat out less, which is saving a bit of money and encouraging me to eat less fried/salty/fatty stuff.
*got another free journaling notebook from Shutterfly (with minimal shipping cost)
I've been eating lunches at home but today I will treat myself to coffee and people watching as I journal. (: A fairly inexpensive outing.
@Gina from The Cannary Family, I never thought I would buy used shoes but I'm having trouble finding shoes that fit my wide feet. In desperation, I checked eBay and found an older version of Brooks shoes in my exact size for $35! I was thrilled, they appear to be brand new and were originally $160 shoes. Your shoe deals were very impressive!
@Bobi, it seems as if whenever I have discovered a style of shoes that work, the style gets discontinued. So eBay is my go-to place for such items.
I hate that pancake mix, no one in my family would eat it. We finally finished it up though turning it into banana chocolate chip muffins from the recipe on the back. Not great, but edible and definitely better than just the pancakes.
I was able to get a 22 pound bag of Friskies for $6 through coupon, subscribe and save, and Fetch rewards.
I got a $30 box of pullups for $10. 'Girl' pullups, but my son doesn't care and why pay so much more just for something to literally poop in.
My mom bought me lunch one day which I brought home and shared with the husband.
Finally got my seeds started.
Borrowed books and DVDs from the library. Found a few books for the youngest at a little free library.
Good grab on that table!
1. I worked more on my plants yesterday... Hoping I get a good harvest that actually does make this work a frugal endeavor!
2. I walked to and from Bible study. Saved a little gas and gave me a little exercise.
3. Combined errands grocery shopping and post office).
4. Bought multiple sale items.
5. Made banana bread with softening bananas
This is two weeks due to my being busy as all heck.
1. Got some decent grocery deals and have stocked up on some items using sales. I can't get everything at Aldi and Costco but I try.
2. Speaking of Costco, I was traveling for work and there was a Costco right around the corner so for my long drive home I filled my gas tank, bought my Allergy meds and grabbed a slice of pizza and a Diet Pepsi on my way out.
3. Got oil changes in both cars and got them both car washes and otherwise just took care of them. Maintaining cars is a lot of work but it's worth it to have them last longer. We bought both of these cars in cash 7-8 years ago and they've both held up nicely. I haven't had a car payment since 2009 or so and my wife hasn't had one since 2010/11. Living the no-payment lifestyle is nice.
4. Got some free promos for both Paramount+ and Apple TV+ and despite cancelling, both tried to charge me for them. So I had to deal with customer service but I got my money back and all is well.
5. Related to #2, work had me travel a bit and they have us take our personal vehicle. Per the IRS the reimbursement is now $0.70/mi plus I ended up with a few hours of overtime. All in all, before tax it will be a nice little chunk of change. If this was more regular I would probably care a lot less about doing things such as using an "Uncrustable" sandwich cutter to make my daughter's lunches vs just buying the name brand once in a while. But I take what I can get with extra income as it shows up.
This week I
- mended loose seams for two more kitchen towls (five out of a set of six now have mended seams, which is not what I would expect of a quality brand)
-redeemed 2 vouchers at the DIY store, highest percentage for the most expensive item obviously
- took grocery runs to four shops, in order to make most of what was on offer and also checking that the offers would be better value than buying Aldi general brand
-read a library book and borrowed another one
-returned a lovely skirt that would not fit me right (wide in the waist, too narrow in the hips). This one hurt, because it was an otherwise very flattering godet style plus a lovely colour. However I have learned the hard way that I will only wear clothes that fit me just right - back it went.
The book I read was based on 18th century ship logs court martial logs, and told the story of an ill starred mission ending in scurvy, shipwreck and mutiny. Of the original fleet, 188 of the original 1,854 survived, which was a devastating loss even by the standards of the day. The story was incredibly entertaining and instructive too. Truth is stranger than fiction, as always.
@JNL, Your kitchen towel comment made me wonder, are there really still any quality brands out there? I find myself constantly disappointed even when I think I'm choosing quality.
I applaud your skirt return; I need to learn this lesson. ;-(
@Bobi, I just spent a small fortune on bath towels from Pottery Barn, hoping they will hold up better and last longer than other brands.
@MB in MN, I have found the best towels at target. Unfortunately, since I am now avoiding target and just in general trying to save more money (hello, NCA no-spend months) I won’t be buying more towels for awhile. Of course, my towels began to show wear as soon as I said I didn’t need new ones.
You can use the pancake mix to make muffins with. There's a banana muffin recipe, either on the box or on the Kodiak site.
@Tammy, also vegetable fritters!
Our city does a large trash pickup every couple of years and we just learned that we're going to be out of town for this year's one. Such a bummer!
My FFT:
1. Before we got ice cream for dinner last night, I remembered that the ice cream place gives a birthday discount. I grabbed my loyalty card and got $6 off since it was still my birthday month.
2. We packed lunches for the zoo.
3. We batched our zoo trip with a trip to a produce place that has great prices. While there, the cashier had a case of organic strawberries that she offered to sell me for $2. I said, "Yes, please!" and took them home and immediately got to work freezing the good berries for smoothies. I filled 1.5 baking sheets of berries.
4. I also froze some bananas that I knew would no longer get eaten. They'll be great in a future smoothie.
5. There's a free baseball clinic coming to town this weekend with former MLB players. We figured this was a low-stakes way for my son to try baseball and we signed him up. After talking to some friends who just signed their sons up for a baseball season for the first time, this is definitely a lower cost method to try it!! Thankfully, his x-rays yesterday showed that his fractured pinky has healed. He's good to go!
Frugal. Hmmmm.
Nothing of note.
We had to travel to Indiana to check on my dad and packed snacks and drinks.
I restocked my baby gift closet with cute end of season clearance outfits. I always give gifts in the 6/9 month size range and cute sleepers for the win. I purchased two boy and two girl sleepers.
Using the Libby and Kanopy apps like crazy.
* Work provided lunch for us during a baby shower for a co-worker
* Mowed the yard last week to put off having the yard service come for another week
* Read 3 books last week using Kindle unlimited
* Used fabric and thread from Mom for son's art project for school. The project had to be sewed so I got to step in and help him do that
* Brought home jigsaw puzzles from work for DH. I take in ones DH has done in exchange for the ones co-workers have done in the deli.
- I needed two long term books for something for my daughter. I was trying to order them from Barnes and Noble, but keep getting an website error. Then, I remembered Kristen’s frequent buying and selling of books on eBay. I’d only used eBay before for older items no longer made, so I’d completely forgotten about this option. I ended up buying what I needed, one book in “excellent” condition, the other new. It cost a little less than half of what I would have paid.
- Another book savings … I waited very patiently for my turn to borrow the newest Hunger Games series from the library.
- My dog absolutely loves vegetables, especially lettuce and bell peppers. Rather than putting them in the compost, I’ve been saving the odds and ends for him for treats. He much prefers them to the cheap dog biscuits.
- A tornado came through a few miles from our house and part of our fence got knocked down, wood posts broken. I did a temp fix from items I already had on hand to keep the dog from wandering off. Not looking forward to the not frugal new fence post installation in a couple weeks. I did save everything salvageable to reuse.
- I started seedlings for lots of sweet pepper plants. My kids (and dog) eat so many of these, and they are fairly expensive here, so it’s nice to have nearly free peppers all summer.
@JenRR, Your dog enjoying his veggies just tickles me! 🙂
@Bobi, His favorite is lettuce! It’s so funny. He waits for me to give him the middle stem from the romaine and will immediately run it over to his bed to eat.
FFT, End of March Edition (a compilation of comments from two recent NCA posts):
(1) I’m finishing out No-/Low-Spend March at the NCA in good shape. Much lower balances on both my credit cards than usual.
(2) I found several Canadian coins in the coin machine at my Wegmans on Saturday: a $2 coin (aka a “toonie”), two quarters, and a dime. I’ll give the “toonie” to my JASNA Panera friend (who travels to Canada often for War of 1812-era reenactments and English Country Dance events), and I’ll spend the quarters and the dime here. (As I’ve mentioned before, most merchants here–only 90 miles south of the Canadian border–will accept Canadian quarters, dimes, and nickels at US face value.)
(3) I got my tax paperwork from my preparer on Saturday, and signed the necessary forms and got those over to the preparer’s office yesterday. I owe nothing and am owed nothing. Fine by me.
(4) I’ve accepted another cat-feeding assignment from neighbors up the street who own an absolutely psycho cat. (Why they keep this creature, I can’t imagine.) I do my best to get in, put the food on the floor, scoop the litter box, and get out as fast as I can. But the neighbors have promised me a bottle of excellent sherry (they are vacationing in Spain), so I’ve bit the bullet yet again.
(5) And I’m ending March with one frugal fail: I have just ordered a “Pedantic Janeite Killjoy” t-shirt from a vendor on Zazzle who has created these at the suggestion of a JASNA friend. The image on the t-shirt even looks a little like me. When I’m not doing my full-dress Lady Catherine de Bourgh number at this fall’s JASNA Annual General Meeting in Baltimore, I’ll probably be wearing this!
@A. Marie, Great work on #3! I once heard a comedian say you shouldn't complain about 'dying broke' because it's merely good planning. 😉
As for #4, maybe you should ask for two bottles of sherry!
@A. Marie, owing nothing and getting no refund is the exact right way to have taxes turn out. If you overpay, they have free use of your money and you are required to jump through hoops to get it back. If you owe, chances are you are paying penalties (because you do NOT get free use of their money!) Perfect planning—congratulations!
@Bobi, yes! It sounds like a 2 bottle job to me too! Poor psycho cat. lol
1. We cooked all our meals at home. We brewed coffee at home.
2. I hand sewed some elastic to a hair towel. The elastic was a scrap leftover from another project.
3. I really, really wanted some new Easter decorations because a few things had to be thrown out last year (broken glass). But I also didn't want to buy anything new. Therefore, I used materials that I already had and made a new garland for the fireplace.
4. My daughter needed new dress clothes, since she had grown so tall. I had some Kohls cash that was about to expire. We found a pretty dress that was 50% off plus the Kohls cash. She's just at the age where new-new clothes are especially prized.
5. I redecorated by rearranging stuff.
--I found meat marked down at my local grocery store and got a smaller roast for $2 off, which I ate for six meals.
--I pulled frozen fruit from the freezer and made salsa. I cleared some space from my freezer by using something I already had, and I ate several servings of fruit. Win-win-win.
--I cleaned the chicken coop, and everything went into the composter. That will be free fertilizer this time next year.
--My neighbor installed a gutter on the coop roof for me from materials he had lying around. I just had to pay for a couple of joining pieces (about $15). It drains into a rain barrel I bought over the winter, and I'll use the water to water the garden this year (as long as it rains and fills the rain barrel). He did it for me for free since I typically feed/water their cat for them when they go away for the weekend. His wife is also an excellent gardener, so I enjoy seeing their beautiful yard, and she often shares her excess plants with me (and I plant in my yard). It helps to make nice with neighbors!
--I had an idea for an art project and needed maps, so I asked my local Buy Nothing group and got several maps. This weekend, I plan on starting the art project.
@Mary, dying to know that art project using maps! Maps are getting harder to find.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I'm with you on wanting more details about the art project with maps. A few years ago, I bought several British Ordnance Survey maps of Jane Austen country (Hampshire and parts of nearby Berkshire) for 25 cents apiece at a local library book sale. However, there are too many to hang on any wall, and I've been holding onto them while I await inspiration.
@A. Marie, I’ve seen them turned into envelopes. You have to close the envelopes with tape (glue might work), and you have to add a sticker to address them because your writing wouldn’t show on the map.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, You can make an envelope template by steaming open an envelope and tracing the shape. Use something smooth to fold the map cutout sharply for the edges, and a glue stick to secure the flaps. To seal, use glue stick again or double-sided tape. Address on a large plain sticker. I like to make envelopes from maps and old calendars--it takes bigger pieces than you'd think to make envelopes. I also like to use them to make simple folded boxes, and cover the lids of gift boxes. Then the gift only needs a ribbon! Google origami boxes for a number of boxes and wallets that are quite nice around the house, for small gifts, or for your own stuff, mostly requiring no glue.
1. I returned flowers to Safeway because they died almost immediately. I also thanked the customer service rep for making it easy rather than hard because I didn't have a receipt.
2. I went to an estate sale with my friend and bought almost nothing because almost everything was grossly overpriced. $55 for a cast iron chicken fryer?!?!!?? Even at last-day 50% off things were too much. I bought a book woodworking techniques for $3, to learn.
3. I am cooking more than usual right now, because I bought a lot of produce for my cousin's visit and when I went to a Chinese supermarket on the way back from the estate sale. Chinese supermarkets have the best produce sections. (I'm also cooking more because for the first time since I moved in Aug 2023 I have a fully functional stove.)
4. Time to eat down the freezer. More cooking. So of course I bought 3 whole chix. (50% off, natch.)
@WilliamB, I remembered my #5!
5) I bought medium, not large, eggs. So much cheaper and size doesn't matter unless you're baking.
@WilliamB, I went to an estate sale this past week in an upscale neighborhood with a friend. There were some lovely blue wine glasses in the kitchen – – a set of 11. I was thinking about doing a blue and white table for Easter, so I took a look at them. I could tell they were inexpensive probably from HomeGoods. When I picked them up to look at the bottom, they were light- weight glass and still bore a "Made in China" sticker. The estate sale company priced the set at $400. There are pieces of crystal stemware that would be a bargain at this price, but this was laughable! Estate sales can be wonderful, but sometimes not.
I always wondered who would take partially used food from a stranger, then someone on Freecycle offered free KA flour and I was like, me! 🙂 (it was actually unopened bags, like your pancake mix)
1. I went to the end of season thank you party for the Ren Faire I've been performing in for 2 months and got free dinner (leftover faire food bit it was free and I don't have to cook after an exhausting day- win.) The party ended at 10 because everyone has to work closing day. So if you're looking for wild party stories, I've never seen one in the 20+ years I've been doing this.
2. I saved my leftover lunch meal tickets throughout show. I had enough to get 2 free t shirts.
3. On the drive home I stayed at a Korean spa that ended up being less expensive as long as I stuck to one spa treatment than the cheap motel that smelled weird on the way down to the show. Next time I see the folks who recommended it, they are getting super big hugs.
4. I'm drinking water from my refillable sports bottle instead of pop while I'm driving home.
5. The breakfast I bought today is big and filling, I won't have to buy another meal on the drive home today. Especially since I still have healthy snacks leftover from camping.
@Lazy Budget Chef, you probably have the most unusual and interesting lifestyle of anyone on the Commentariat!
I’ve been to a Korean spa but didn’t know they ever offered accommodations.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, This one does. They offer tatmai mats in a sleeping room (one on the women's side and one on the men's side.) Very basic but not unlike the mattress on the camping cot I've been sleeping on for the last 2 months.
I love that you were able to find someone who could use the pancake mix instead of letting it be thrown out.
1. I tried a slightly cheaper brand of gluten-free bread than my usual. It's pretty good and seems to agree with me, so now I have another option.
2. I also tried a store-brand cat litter that I hadn't used before. It works fine and isn't excessively dusty like some cheap litters can be. So again, I have a cheaper option now that I can buy whenever I'm shopping at that store.
3. I went through Ibotta to place my grocery order and got $1.11 cash back. I also scanned my items into NCP and got points towards a gift card.
4. I needed a cable for my printer, so I first looked through all the ones we have collected over the years to see if we had the right kind. We didn't, so I shopped around online to find the best price. I found an eBay seller offering a good price and free shipping, so I ordered from them.
5. I found a dip recipe that will use up several odds and ends I have in the fridge. I will make it today to make sure nothing goes to waste.
My FFT for this week:
• I had a prescription filled at CVS and received one of those very long receipts. I was able to stack these coupons and purchase my favorite mascara for $2.
• I have wanted a specific styling appliance for my hair. I used my sister's and love it. But it was just so expensive, my frugal self was uncomfortable with this splurge. I actually have been mulling over this purchase for nearly a year. I finally decided to turn in my Fetch points for $60 in gift certificates at Ulta so that I could buy it for considerably less. Definitely not an impulse buy!
• I participated in my book club yesterday which is a nearly free activity. I already put our group's next selection -Hello, Beautiful - on hold at my local library.
• I used Buy Nothing to give away a huge tub of colored pencils. This tub was given to me, but I found that I was happy with just my 72-count box. When the local children's librarian messaged me to say she really needed the pencils for a summer program, I was very, very happy. This gift found the perfect recipient.
• I've done all the usual things - drank primarily filtered water from my refrigerator, brewed my own coffee, ate simple meals at home, batched errands, and worked on some home maintenance projects.
Wishing everyone peace, good health, prosperity.
Katy always jokes (with a serious vein) that she didn't buy a Lear Jet — my question is whether a flight on a corporate jet, with zero dollars spent by me, for a random day tour of a seed production plant four states away is frugal or not.
It was a Pilatus (for whatever that's worth), and it was so cool. Among other things, I hadn't flown since 2007 and I'd just been thinking, wistfully, how neat it would be to just pick up and go somewhere for a day, without worrying I was shirking anything at home, and had given up on that when voila! plane ride. (In case we think no one is listening, someone is, and it's not just Siri.)
But I couldn't help but wonder what the day cost. Even the lunch at the plant was free. Thousand bucks? And that's the part where I just don't know how I feel about that.
@Karen.,
Well, if everything was free to you, it was a frugal win IMO. If the tour sponsors want to cover your expenses, good for them; I'm sure they have plenty of money to spare and that they probably wrote this off as a corporate public relations expense.
@Fru-gal Lisa, plenty of money is apt. In fact my husband texted me partway through the tour that some ways they were spending looked like money laundering. A little creepy, frankly. All free is frugal but, y;know, let's hope the IRS doesn't get interested!
@Karen., Many years ago (20+) hubby was invited to go to the Masters Golf tournament with his company. He loves golf so this was just perfect. Got to see the tournament and then got to fly home on the corporate jet. Great experience for him and no price to us.
I so enjoy all the ways this community finds to be frugal. I always get inspiration reading the comments.
This week a friend gave us 1/2 a cord of firewood. (He is converting his fireplace to gas.)
Another friend gifted me with 1 1/2 boxes of chamomile and lavender tea.
(We don't have a Buy Nothing group in our area. We have a 'text and see if anyone wants this' network.)
Friends treated us to an afternoon at the local hot springs, utilizing the free passes she gets as an employee.
For a friend's birthday I baked her a batch of gluten-free cupcakes and made lunch and took it to her house, where we spent the afternoon talking and knitting. Frugal and very enjoyable.
Rather than buy yarn to knit a new top for summer, I unraveled one I previously knit that was always a bit too big and an re-knitting it in a smaller size. I'm not sure someone who isn't a knitter would understand how satisfying I find this.
@Cindi, I knit and I am Very Impressed that you have the willingness to undo a previously knit piece. I’ve done it myself, and it is truly satisfying.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Me too. Beautiful yarn is still beautiful the second time around!
1. Probably my greatest frugal win this week of in my life in finding a personal care home for my Aunt run by two RN's that we know through our dealings with hospice. There will only ever be a max of five patients in this home, she will have round the clock care, her own private room and it is local so we can visit, take her treats, etc. without the rules of a nursing home. All inclusive care is well within our budget and best of all I know and trust the people who run it and I know they will take excellent care of her. As an aside for those of you who haven't ventured down this path before, finding care for a dementia patient can be upwards of $10K per month depending on their needs and the area you live in.
2. I recently purchased a modular wall unit for my living room. I had been shopping around for over 3 years and everything was $4-$6k and I was not willing to spend that. So, I waited for President's Day and got a modular unit for $1400. It is solid wood, had loads of storage and is the exact size we wanted. On Sunday I shopped my house to decorate it and moved items into it that need to be stored.
3. I purged my laundry room , donated some items, trashed some stuff and reorganized. No waste, clutter out, therapy and mental clarity in.
4. I used rewards points at McDonalds to purchase a Happy Meal after my church class and my out of pocket was only $0.11.
5. I used my FSA Card to cover the costs of Chiropractic care, OTC meds, and out of pocket costs for Dr's visits.
@Angie, Looking for Memory Care for my spouse with dementia. It is running $10K-$12K per month. The system is just not set up for early onset alzheimer's.
I'm so glad you found a good solution to the placement problem.
@jess, I so feel your pain. It is just unreal what the costs are to care for a loved one these days. We have kept her at home as long as we can and even doing that has cost quite a chunk to make our home safe for her.
I will be praying for you on this journey. Take care of yourself, I know all too well that this is easier said than done.
@jess, You are so right about Memory Care prices. I live in a rural area, but my mom was paying over $10k/mo and she's been gone several years. Her savings lasted for the 2 1/2 years she spent there but even at those prices the place was woefully understaffed and it was honestly the absolute best in the area. I truly sympathize with your plight because I don't know anyone who could afford this kind of money long term especially with an early onset diagnosis, mom's money came mostly from the sale of her home. Please do what you need to do and consider your own life and sanity (caregiving is SO hard!) and best of luck navigating things and dealing with the emotional trauma. It is truly a cruel disease.
@Angie and @jess, I feel for you both. Frankly, DH's care at the nursing home cost even more than the figures you quote (this is NY State, after all), and if I had not had the long-term care insurance I discussed in my Meet a Reader a few years ago, I would be financially broken. Or I would be physically and spiritually broken if I'd tried to handle his last 2 years at home. The various dementias (Alzheimer's, vascular, frontotemporal, etc.) are cruel diseases; the US health care and elder care systems are already dysfunctional; and nothing's going to get any better.
Nice grab on the table! Can't wait to see what you do with it.
1. Passover is coming and we are eating through the freezer and pantry. We finished the katsu, are on to the regular chicken, and are working our way through the bolognese.
2. I have planned out my vacation for the rest of the year (my work year only goes through June so it's not that impressive lol) BUT I often finish the year with vacation left unused and it doesn't roll over. Paid time off is always frugal 🙂
3. I applied for a leadership role at work that comes with a stipend. Here's hoping!
4. Mr. B and I booked a trip for a family bat mitzvah using an airline voucher and my work discount for the hotel. Saved a lot!
5. Also, lots of not-frugal stuff. But it doesn't negate the frugal stuff!
I'm not very good at the scoring birthday freebies like Kristen, but I tried to use some in March.
1. Got to choose a free birthday gift at Sephora, for which I chose some makeup I didn't have already.
2. Received a $10 birthday voucher from IKEA (no minimum purchase). Tried to use it online but for some reason the voucher code didn't work. Chatted with a customer service representative, and finally got the order placed with the discount and only 5 dollars in shipping.
3. A free cookie from Lidl.
4. Redeemed some extra birthday points for rewards at Safeway.
5. Hosted a second birthday party with the same decorations (disco balls! projecting lights!) as my previous party a couple of weeks ago, and now I can return them to friends and neighbors. Baked a cake from scratch for this party and made a large batch of soup. Guests brought appetizers, fruit, and other desserts to share.
I have a few to share...
1. I redeemed $.43/gallon of gas. Another time I watched the gas prices on one stretch of road and noticed a $.29/gallon price difference; i filled up at that station.
2. I was given 4 of my favorite candy bars from a co-worker who I did a favor for.
3. Cancelled Netflix as we didn't watch it much. I had it while our girls still lived at home; they have both moved out now. I am saving $7.41/month.
4. Another coworker gifted me 4 brand new pairs of dangly earrings. I love dangly earrings!
5. I'm trying to eat down our stand-up freezer. We had a turkey that was 13 months old. I cooked it up and it was delicious. We had family over to help us eat it.
6. By cutting open my hair product container, I was able to get another 18 days usage out of it.
7. I donated blood yesterday; was gifted a $25 gas card for my efforts, that was a nice surprise!
@Gina,
My (terminally ill) dad lived about 7 or 8 years longer than he otherwise would have, thanks to blood transfusions -- and nice people like you who donate blood. Thank you for saving lives.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
I'm glad your dad got to live much longer <3 That's one of the reasons why I donate blood.....to help save lives, plus it's a free way I can help my community. My co-worker asked me to donate plasma with her, but I declined and said I'm sticking with regular blood donation since I'm a universal donor and it's not about the money for me.
1. I used HeatnBond to hem the clearance work pants that I purchased last month. I also mended a hole on the seam of one of my son’s t-shirts.
2. I passed on a BOGO at the store I shop at for items Aldi doesn’t carry. I needed a specific pasta shape and the store BOGO was ‘buy one jar of store brand sauce, get one pasta for free.’ The pasta was $2, the sauce was $8 – not worth it.
3. No spring break adventures for our family – we took a family trip earlier this school year so my son’s spring break is a staycation enjoying being home with his mom (haha).
4. I did an inventory of everything I would need for a week long work trip and picked up what I would need while grocery shopping. I will be able to pick up anything that I missed, but purchasing anything I need ahead of time means I have more control over the cost.
5. Continuing the norm – coffee at home, leftovers for lunch, library books, upside for gas, batching errands, enjoying the walking trails by our house.
I never think to ask for a raincheck. I don't know that process, so I've just never attempted it. I should because every time there's a great sale, the shelves are empty.
Frugal this week:
I needed a number of things from Home Depot (nails, gutter extensions, etc), so I ordered online again for 10% military discount and 8% back on Microsoft shopping. And it delivers free to the house so no waste of time or gas to get it. Also, I checked prices elsewhere and one of the items I needed was much cheaper at Home Depot. The rest were all about equal.
I bought refrigerated pizza dough balls for $1/each and put them in the freezer. At $1/pizza crust...it isn't worth my effort to make dough for that. I don't like all premade crusts (Aldi's dough balls I don't care for), but these from Food Lion I do like as well as homemade. They do great on the grill. The Aldi brand doesn't seem to brown up as well on the grill.
I joined a garden club facebook page locally and have been swapping plants with people. This is helping me get what I want and to get rid of things I don't.
I bought pork loin for $1.20/pound. I bought two with each about the length of my arm and cut them both into chops and left one end for a pork loin.
I bought two summer dresses off the 50% off rack at a thrift store....about $4 each. They are both a great length which is wonderful since most things are too long on me. I'll get a ton of wear out of them this summer.
I went to a local goodwill, and they had brand new (tags still on) 100% turkish cotton towels and hand towels. I bought 4 sets. Towels were $2 and handtowels were $1. They were originally $60/towel. I retired some old towels to the garage for rags. I also bought 2 new halloween kitchen towels for $1/each and Easter towels for $1/each. And a white 100% cotton tablecloth for $3. I never find nice linens at goodwill so I was thrilled to find them!
@Marlena, thanks for your opinion on the Aldi dough. I’ve thought about purchasing it, so I’m glad I passed. I usually make my own, but that price point is good, indeed. Also, GREAT deal on the towels!!
1) Used a free night at a hotel with points, for an unexpected trip
2) Filled out a form to get credit for 3 nights of hotel activity that didn't post to my account
3) Used the first of the volunteer lettuce to make salad for DH
4) Had a full "use it up" dinner last night, and everyone had something different to ensure there was no waste. It was so nice to see all of those empty containers & the fridge looking much tidier.
5) Helped DS19 build a resume, which should be frugal for him (earning money). Building your first resume is tricky, so we used a few different templates to come up with options.
I had an electrician at the house this morning for a final look-see before his quote, then my office had a meeting as soon as I got to work, so I'm later than usual to submit here.
1. A friend who I rarely get to see (she works out of town, too, driving an hour in the other direction from me) took me out to lunch for a belated birthday a couple of weeks ago, and she gave me the name of a local man selling eggs for $3.50. They are nice large brown eggs and I bought some this weekend.
2. At the banquet I went to last week, I won a raffle for a small prize of my choosing from the prize table. There were several things I knew I wouldn't use but there was a dish towel in a nice fabric, tied in a gingham ribbon, from a fancy-schmancy kitchen store, so I chose that. I always try to get something I, or someone I know, can actually use.
3. I batch cooked this Sunday - I put herbed chicken, seasoned pork chops and homemade fresh sausage patties in the oven together and at the same time put ribs in the slow cooker. Less heat in the house, one clean up. I won't have to cook much all week.
(Ribs in the slow cooker - I season them well, stand the slab up on end in a big curl so the meat doesn't cook in a puddle of grease, and cook till tender. When ready to eat, I crisp/brown it briefly under the broiler.)
4. This weekend, all of my laundry was hung outside or on indoor racks to dry. Bonus, it was windy, and the wind blew the stiffness and any wrinkles out of my clothes and linens on the line outside. They came back in looking ironed.
5. Used a coupon for a free item at the store. This is a very, very rare occurrence for me! I normally get and use a coupon less than once a year.
Kristen,
I would title the fifth item as, "Participating in the Frugal Economy" and take credit for it. You helped someone else have a frugal win. I don't think frugality works in a society without people sharing generously.
1. I transferred a prescription to a different pharmacy that is is preferred by my insurance. It will end up saving me $80 per year.
2. I sewed a hole in my son's t-shirt and also helped my husband patch a hole in his jeans pocket.
3. My kids start baseball and t-ball soon. I collected cleats for both of them, a batting helmet, a batting tee, and baseball pants off Buy Nothing through the year.
4. We went to a hotel overnight with my family this weekend. The hotel was offering a discount on the room fee. Instead of eating meals at the expensive hotel restaurants we brought our own breakfast foods, snacks, and drinks. We ordered pizza for dinner. We took advantage of the free smores kits and yoga classes the hotel offered.
5. In preparation of Spring Break, I signed my kids up for a parkour class they have a gift certificate for and multiple free library classes. We will also go to our local nature center, which is free and likely use our museum memberships.
Don't know how frugal it is NOW but future me will be glad for paying for handyman to 1) paint exterior of the house (last summer) 2) rebuild one of my porches/decks (twas rotten to the core and not safe!!) 3) replacing flooring in laundry room. My second handyman replaced all of the insulation under the house plus laid visqueen down, and the guy who assisted him hates arachnids as much as I do so he got rid of the spider webs and spiders. I want to get everything done on this house before I retire (February 26, 2027--1 year 10 months 25 days but who's counting?? ROFLMBO). The remaining things are 1) replace all windows 2) replace all doors 3)replace flooring in guest bedroom/bathroom, master bedroom/bathroom, living room/dining room (open floor plan) and 4) replace all curtains/blinds etc. After all that is done, take a deep breath and age in place.
1. A friend picked up a few things from Costco for me including 18 eggs for $8.50 ($10.50 at Winco)
2. Another friend shared eggs from her dad’s chickens and tangerines
3. I resisted the urge to pay too much for a cup of coffee that I didn’t need while gallery sitting on a slow and cold day.
4. We picked oranges in a friend’s orchard and are sharing with friends.
5. Turned a pair of worn out jeans into an apron. You can see a photo of it in progress here: https://www.cabinart.net/a-day-off-in-the-life-of-a-frugal-artist/ (Kristen, if this is too invasive on your blog, delete this link!)
Almost forgot, and this is FRUGAL. LOL. A friend/co-worker now has a side business doing yard work, fertilizing, cleaning up stuff--and he wanted to do mine for free and perhaps get more people here in my manufactured home park to use his business (using my place as advertising). I reminded him to put a business card on the bulletin board in the park clubhouse.
1. Doctor's office called about my exam, said it would not be covered by ins., so I cancelled and signed up for a substitute teaching gig today.
2. Yesterday (school holiday) I got an estimate for a new roof after windstorm blew off some shingles. Egads! I could buy a good used car for that amount. Will ask for estimates from other roofers. (Meanwhile, I am reaching out to the Commentariat and asking if any of you have used that new kind of roof paint/coating that is supposed to revive asphalt shingles? Is it any good? Did it save money in the long run? Would you recommend using it?)
3. Decided not to adopt the rescue lady's foster dog after all. He and I did not hit it off and he was not as advertised. No money changed hands. But I let the dog keep the new collar I bought for him, as the original collar they had for him was old and frayed.
4. Frugal win: I offered to repay the rescue organization for fixing the fence but they said it's OK, they won't charge me for it.
5. Did not run the AC as the weather was warm, not hot.
@Fru-gal Lisa, did they think any of your roof could be covered by insurance since some was damaged by the storm?
Was on a hiking/Spring Break vacation most of last week with the two oldest grandkids, which in itself is a splurge, but managed to make some parts of it frugal.
1. We stayed in a suite with a kitchenette and outdoor grill and cooked most of our meals.
2. Even though there isn't a Safeway grocery store anywhere near me, years ago on a trip out west I had signed up for a Safeway store card and so we grocery shopped at Safeway on vacation, making use of the sales prices card holders get.
3. When we did go out to dinner, we shared entrees as much as possible (like the gigantic plate of nachos the Mexican restaurant had fed husband and both grandkids --partially thanks to the 'free' all you can eat salsa and tortilla chips the restaurant serves)
4. Our days consisted of hiking and then swimming in the resort pool, so no cost activities.
5. My husband decided he really wanted to take us on an off-road Jeep tour (we were in Sedona AZ), and rather than going in the afternoon post-hiking, he scheduled us for an 8:00 a.m. tour on the day we were going to fly home that afternoon and couldn't hike anyway -- 8:00 a.m. tours were 25% off per person, so it was a huge savings for the four of us.
Good curbside find. Can't wait to see what you do with it.
Frugal things---
● filled up gas $2.89 (before price increased to $3.39) & saved $0.10/gallon & earned $0.10/gallon
●frugal fail--I didn't check app/email before filling up to see Bonus reward (that you had to activate & was that day only) to earn additional $0.10/gallon
● purchased new video security camera (half off) & earned $10 Target giftcard
● frugal fail-- I ordered new hammock with few other items to get Target Bonus Save $20 & my hammock got canceled, which really was the only thing I really needed but getting other stuff for basically free that would use was a no brainer.
● ordered Spring supplies needed from Ace hardware & saved $10 off
● utilities bill down 1/3+ from turning down/off heat
● purchased landscaping river rocks $2/bag & got pallet of rocks to finish landscaping
● use Fetch gift cards when grocery shopping at Meijer & stocked up on teen favorite frozen pizza sale $4.49 each
@Regina, gas price envy here. The least expensive grade of gas in my town is $5.19 today. Sigh.
The pollen is here. I crave icy fruity drinks. Chick-fil-A has some pretty pink dragonfruit ones. I tried one and while it has a nice flavor it’s too sweet. Sonic has a strawberry mango Tajin drink I haven’t tried. Kristen posted a Starbucks selection. I know all of them are too sweet. And the sticker shock. I’m still traveling so I bought a Ninja Blast at Walmart for $30. I can charge it in a wall socket with my phone adapter or plug it into the car. It pulverizes ice, carrots, spinach, frozen fruits, everything and it’s quiet and portable. My pollen addled self is happy and comforted. It’s easy to hand wash. I don’t ever want to go back to a big clunky blender so it better last.
Lucky you -- our Safeway does not give rainchecks. If they're out of the special...and in the case of the meat, they often are... you're out of luck. City Market (King Soopers) does the same. Is this just a Colorado thing?
Frugal-wise, I haven't been to the grocery store for more than a week, thanks to buying extra milk when it was on sale, and stashing it in the freezer. Trying to keep that commitment until next week, at least. Just staying home and working.
Used a Fetch gift card at Olive Garden and it was a miserable experience. I did get my free birthday dessert though.
Got my oil changed today using a Groupon.
Getting more work done on my car which is a 2010. I figure $2,000 is cheaper than a new car with a tariff.
Dug through freezer (over the fridge) and found things to eat for the rest of the week.
Reading a book I bought at Dollar Tree - 1.25. Yes, I always use the library.
Turned in credit card points for a $25 Starbucks gift card. I love their egg bites and I can get them at the rest areas on the NJ Turnpike on our trips to Maryland to see our daughter.
Been using Rakuten but want to try for a no spend April...except for the car repair.
Hubby got a rain check for my favorite bottled water, Core, which was on sale for $1/bottle. I do not buy bottled water all the time. I have a Britta pitcher but Core water tastes great to me post gastric sleeve surgery.
Ok, I have a quick minute. Let’s see if I can get to five…
1. Did my damn taxes. I hate all the stress and staring at screens and how many damn times I have to get a code texted to me, not to mention all the extra drama that goes along with any kind of money situation. Anyway, done, and now I don’t have to think about them for another year. (I hope.)
2. I noticed that tomorrow is paraprofessional appreciation day. I routinely shower my paras with chocolates, but usually only the day after grocery day, so I raided my Easter candy stash instead. Now I have nice chocolates for my paras tomorrow, and my spoiled children will have less chocolate-fueled shenanigans on Easter. Wins all around.
3. My cat sits on my pillow all night and gave me yet another eye infection. I’m treating it with hot compresses and reminding myself that her purring helps my mental health for almost free.
4. I’m not buying any clothing for the latest “spirit week” at school. Um, I don’t wear jerseys, but here’s a random shirt with a number on it, and it should be good enough, savvy?
5. Aside from taxes, I spent the weekend working on clearing weeds and vines out of my garden. Life happened, and it has been a while since I properly dealt with it. I overheard one of my neighbors telling a friend that she likes my trees, but…then she saw me and clearly was embarrassed at being overheard criticizing. She just had a baby and is only about 3 months into motherhood, so I just smiled and said “Congratulations!” Life will happen to her too, so I don’t think I need to take her feedback to heart. Also, my lazy style of gardening is essentially free, and fighting established vines is a major upper body workout.
1. I had a few hours to myself, and all the local coffee shops were closed as it was a Sunday afternoon. I had a coupon for a drive-through coffee freebie so I redeemed that, sat in my car, and read a book for a while. Then I puttered around in Goodwill but didn’t end up buying anything.
2. I remembered to use my HSA card at the store. It’s easier to use it when making a purchase than to remember to reimburse myself later.
3. I continue to work on earning our health savings rewards money by working through modules about healthy changes online, for both DH and I.
4. I made some returns for items that I didn’t end up needing. I also ran my errands in the most logical path to save time and gas.
5. I made a veggie and lentil curry that used up lots of fridge odds and ends, for example a few baby carrots and some celery bits, plus odds and ends from the freezer. I continue to add a few handfuls of previously chopped and frozen swiss chard to soups. A few handfuls can disappear into the soup, but more than that can change the flavor.
You're absolutely right. My Buy Nothing group gives away food and it's taken instantly! I never even had a chance.
My Frugal 5's
1) Used up the food my husband brought last week for this week's meal. Also tried using up what we had in the pantry and fridge.
2) Put up an ISO on my Buy Nothing for fitted crib sheets for my girls since they've worn holes on their's and had a lady reply back that she had some.
3) Will exchange our slightly used books at home for new to us ones at school during their book exchange event.
4) Got a handful of breakfast items at church after their teen event and got to bring home about 1/3 of my dish back home that I brought to my bible study.
5) Brought out seasonal books like those about spring and Easter for our girls to read.
I was looking for unflavored protein powder to add to my coffee but only found flavored. It was a brand I like, so I thought I'd give it a try. It was sweetened with monk fruit and was...absolutely awful. I powered through one cup. At first I told myself I'd be like you and keep going so as not to be wasteful. But nope! I'm going to drop it off at the gym with a "free" stickie note.
Seeing you move on from the pancakes makes me feel validated. 😉
Aww, yay, I love your way of passing it on. Perfect!
I fixed my earring by glueing in a stone with E-6000 craft glue. I have a favorite pair of not-expensive earrings that has a single rhinestone in each earring. I've lost and found one of the stones 3 times in my house (what are the odds of finding a small stone?!). I've glued it back in twice, once with regular white glue and then my glue gun. Both times were fails. But this time I got a tube of E-6000 and it seems to have worked – fingers crossed. I hate when one earring gets lost or is unuseable.
– I rescued some leftovers. I put a container of crockpot “refried” beans I'd made to go with chicken enchiladas in the freezer for another meal later. I find it hard to judge how many we will eat and we often have a lot left. So I'll use them later. If they don't get eaten in a day, I try to freeze. I also put 5 pieces of leftover pizza we ordered in a zip lock bag and put them in the freezer.
– I donated some old, but useable curtain rods and a few in nicknacks to a local thrift shop that serves a homeless shelter.
– I made a pot of hamburger beef vegetable soup using frozen leftover vegetables and a few cans of veggies that were about to reach their expiration date. I also used frozen leftover rotisserie chicken to make chicken enchiladas.
--I refilled my pepper grinder. My sister showed me how to pry off the grinder lid on a small jar of McCormick brand whole peppercorns. (it's not easy at first.) I bought a big container of whole peppercorns from Sam's and I’ve been refilling the small jar.