Four Frugal Things (and one not-frugal thing)
This post contains affiliate links.
1. I got a free $8 grocery item.
I was buying some toiletries, and noticed a shelf tag saying an item I wanted was on sale 2/$15.
But when I got to self-checkout, both items rang up at full price. Hmmm.
So, I went over to customer service, and they discovered it was an old shelf tag. But their policy is to honor the shelf tag, so they were willing to re-ring the items.
Neither employee there seemed familiar with this store's correct scanning policy, though, which states that if an item rings up at a wrong price, the customer gets one of those items free.
In fact, the assistant manager said, "What? Where does it say that?"
And I politely pointed out the sign on the wall and also the sign on the cash register.
Anyway, they were nice about it, and I ended up getting one item free and the other at the sale price.
I'm kind of wondering how in the world I know more about the store's scanning policy than the assistant manager does, though. Something went wrong during his training!
(reusable bag in the photo is a Flip and Tumble bag, which I love, love, love.)
2. I got my leaky tire fixed for free.
One of my tires developed a slow leak (so slow it took three weeks to need refilling.) As it turns out, something that looked like a drywall screw was lodged in there.
My tire still had oodles of tread left on it, and the screw was in the tread face of the tire, not on the sidewall or shoulder. So, repair was definitely an option.
I remembered seeing a sign outside the local Midas shop offering free tire repairs, so I made an appointment and they did indeed fix my tire for free!
I think they do this for the same reason that stores sometimes offer free samples...Midas is giving people a free sample of their service, hoping they'll come back when they need future service.
And of course, if a tire isn't repairable, Midas is probably hoping people will buy a replacement tire from them.
Anyway, it worked out great for me!
3. I found lactose-free milk at Aldi.
Poor Sonia seems to have become dairy-sensitive on top of all her other allergies. Sigh.
It seems like maybe the problem is lactose, though, which is less difficult to deal with than some other kind of dairy allergy.
Anyway, we're doing kind of a trial to see how she tolerates lactose-free dairy products, and I was delighted to see that Aldi has their own brand of lactose-free milk. Yay!
4. I got $0.25/gallon discount on gas.
We have our Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card linked to our Shell Fuel Rewards account (it's a free program) so when we use that card, any gas discounts we've earned are automatically applied to the purchase.
And happily, my tank was super empty, which means I got the discount on lots of gallons of gas!
(We use our Southwest Card for almost all our purchases and pay it off every month. Compare this and other travel cards)
5. (the fail) I paid a $1 late fee on a library movie.
I actually did bring this back to the library before it was due only to discover that a certain kid had not actually put the disc in the case. (!)
And by the time I got back to the library again, it was a day overdue.
But it's ok...I figure that I paid a dollar to rent a movie, which is not outrageous.
Oh man our library is super kind. If you bring back the movie jacket and the disc isn’t in there they’ll renew the movie for you! I’ve returned without looking and they’ll even call and tell you the disc was missing but they renewed it for you.
My sister is also lactose intolerant and she has made it very clear that different brands of lactose free milk taste very, VERY different. If your daughter doesn't like Aldi's brand, I encourage her to try different ones. My sister likes Kemp's although I'm not sure it is available where you are.
Poor Sonia! I discovered I have no milk issues when I drink raw milk, but I know not everyone has access to it or would care to drink it.
My youngest used to be allergic to caffeine, tomatoes, all citrus fruit, citric acid (and it's in nearly EVERYTHING -- check labels sometime), yellow dye, strawberries, chlorinated water, chocolate, processed meats, mold, wood/leaf smoke, and poison ivy. So I feel your pain. She outgrew most of hers, thank heaven, but some people don't, unhappily. I hope Sonia finds some way to beat hers!
Frugals:
1. I've been doing great on the food waste front. I've wasted very, very little in a good while.
2. I was able to hang up most of my laundry, outdoors or on my wooden rack this weekend.
3. Gas prices suddenly jumped here, so I changed my routine to make it easier to fill up at a cheaper station without going out of my way.
4. I got a Swagbucks $25 card for $22 worth of bucks, by waiting until a new month started to redeem my bucks. They allow one $25 card a month to be redeemed at discount. I now have a $50 credit at Amazon for $44 worth of Swagbucks.
5. This is either a success or failure, I don't know which, yet. I asked again about a medical bill, and my insurance company gave me yet another different reason why I'm being told to pay a little over $600 for a procedure that has a flat $300 co-pay, regardless of deductible. This time, the rep said that my co-pay was mis-applied, and that she was asking for a re-processing of my bill. I would really like to believe this rep-- if what she says is right, I won't owe anything more than the $300, which I've already paid. Keep your fingers crossed!
1. I tripled some coupons and kohls cash ( from my son) to get a new programmable coffee maker for 19 dollars instead of 78.
2. I made a big batch of turkey chili in slow cooker on Sunday with home grown peppers and put it in individual Tupperware containers for lunch this week. ( chili gets even better left over)
3. I have been setting my phone timer to remind myself to go down and fold clothes right out of the dryer so there is less wrinkling. no ironing. saves energy and time.
4. I bought three packs of turkey brats on markdown...instead of 5.49. They were 2.29. I have never tried turkey brats.
5. Not frugal but FEELS GOOD: My son and I went out to dinner Friday night at our fave mexican place. I tipped over 30 percent because we have had the same nice waiter there for YEARS. We don't go often ( maybe once every two months)....but he still knows us!
I think it's so cool that you tip generously. Having a waiter that remembers you is pretty awesome. I don't think I've had that happen at a restuarant, but it's happened a few times at our ER and Lab (I joke with my doctor that we should get frequent customer punch cards), and it's so nice to be remembered.
1.) Since my high deductible has already been met the various medical expenses I've had lately have been at zero cost.
2.) Since I pay my mortgage every 4 weeks instead of every month this month I'll be making an extra payment. Yay for my mortgage being that much closer to being gone.
3.) Did some apple picking over the weekend which leads to an abundance of nice cheap apples. I may need help to get them peeled, cut and frozen but I foresee lots of good Autumnal foods.
4.) Repaired a Nintendo Switch Joycon that my wife's cousin broke. Total cost of parts: $12. Replacement cost of the entire devices: $70.
5.) Not frugal: Going out tomorrow and Friday with my wife and leaving our daughter with family. This is a first since she was born so it's a nice change of pace.
Ohhh, have fun with your wife! I think it's so great you guys will get some time by yourselves.
Hi,
Can you tell me about freezing apples? How do you store them? Ziplocs? Hat do you use them for ? I'm so curious about this! 🙂
1. I bunched errands near my husband's work (not in my every-day-running-around-radius) where I had an appointment to get some stuff taken care of. One of those errands was stopping at the commissary where I stocked up on common staples that we're brand picky about saving me money compared to the every-day-running-around-radius grocery store. Also got a $10 date with my husband, since my kids were being watched by a friend.
2. Returned a pot organizer since it didn't fit in our 1972 kitchen cabinets.
3. Found a sling style bag for running around that looked cool, but before buying, I went to a store to try it out, and realized it might not be for me. When I wear bags over one shoulder, I wear them on my left shoulder, not my right shoulder, and pull them around my right side to access which seems to be irregular based on how almost all the sling bags I've seen are made. Now I don't have to return a bag I'm not convinced I love.
4. Called insurance prior to a medical trip that required traveling to see what kind of reimbursement they'd offer and found out I'd need special documentation to get said reimbursement. Then after the trip I filled out the necessary paperwork, and pending a once over by someone who has filled out these forms before, I should be reimbursed.
5. FAIL: forgot to marinate meat for Monday's dinner, so decided to press the easy button and get pizza. Realized there was a 40% of coupon I could use, so still managed to save a bit.
Ugh sorry about the library fee. I hate late fees of any kind and sometimes am kinda paranoid about it. The 4 frugal wins sound great though. Onwards!
I know! And then sometimes I think, "Oh, I should run out and return this book/movie." But then I have to remind myself that I'll spend more in gas than the late fee would cost in the first place!
1. I am cat sitting for a neighbor who is on vacation and who insists on paying me despite my protests. Bottom line is the payment covers the dog sitter we hired for my son's recent wedding weekend and leaves me $100 extra.
2. Mended a hole in the elbow of a thrifted cardigan.
3. My FIL lives in assisted living and can't handle going out for a meal so we bring them in occasionally. DH took in Chinese food while I stayed home ill. The leftovers were dinner another night. Then FIL invited us to come eat dinner last night since they were serving lamb chops. Nicely evened out.
4. My dog has chronic intestinal problems. The new vet encourages using over the counter human meds where they are the same as expensive vet meds so Immodium in the right dose is a money saver.
5. I am trying to create a habit of a yoga practice 3 days a week. Starting this month at home with a dvd I already own before returning to the yoga studio.
6. FAIL: Well it is National Pumpkin month and the 1st was National Pumpkin Spice Day and I had a long club board meeting to attend so I did happen to get a Starbuck's pumpkin spice latte to take to the meeting and a scone happened to jump into the order as well.
Those pesky scones! Heh.
1. I cut an-almost used up tube of toothpaste open. I've gotten 2 uses out of it so far.
2. I bought day old clearance bread from Wal-mart, which my husband and I had as our toast for breakfast.
3. Bought a new pair of hair clippers. Our old pair wasn't working well, but this pair should save us a lot in the long run between my husband and son.
4. I've been re-using some of those "disposable" aluminum baking pans we had been given meals in.
5. Saving money by counting calories to loose the extra weight I gained and therefore eating (and therefore buying) less food.
I'll tell you a clean wheel story instead, Kristen.
I used to drive a company car, a minivan, in fact. Rule #1 was that when your boss came to town, said car had better be spotless. The carwash did a lousy job on the wheels, so I used to scrub them in my driveway before taking my car for a bath (drought conditions - no full car washing in driveways was allowed). One day I was scrubbing away when my way around the corner neighbor walked by. She stopped, looked at me and asked if my boss was coming to town. My boss got a kick out of that story.
My wheels on my current car, six years post-FIRE, could really use a good scrubbing. I'll add it to the list. Ahem.
Haha, I should pretend I have a boss coming into town. Maybe that would motivate me!
I was at the Dollar Tree yesterday, and I had no idea that they had deliveries of name brand bread that is normally almost $4 a loaf delivered twice per week. I picked up a loaf of Arnold 5-grain bread and a loaf of Sun Maid raisin bread and only paid $2!!! That's the best deal that I found on bread in a while. And they are not expired. Score!!
I have a Safeway rewards card where I get 1 point for every dollar I spend. Once I reach 100 points they offer free products. When I was at the store on Sunday, I learned that I had 1 reward that was to expire. I grabbed a 12 (double) roll pack of toilet paper (that is normally $4.99) for free!! Double Score!!
Michelle,
Where are your Dollar Trees that have 5 grain bread? Ours in MN sell bread but only white, no-name, dull tasting. Lucky you!
Both my husband and daughter suffer from lactose intolerance. They have found it helpful to take Digestive Advantage Lactose Defense. You take it daily, avoiding lactose for the first week or so. It helps with hidden lactose and also makes it possible to consume small amounts of lactose without suffering.
1. I made dinner using peppers someone gave me from their garden. We have enough leftovers for dinner tonight. I also received tomatoes that I'll put in salad.
2. We are enjoying day six of nice weather (and no rain). It's a good day to get some yard work done (free exercise).
3. I stopped to get my flu vaccine. Not being sick, if avoidable, seems frugal.
4. My husband got a suit on super clearance. They forgot to charge him for taking in the pants and then decided not to bother (I guess it was more hassle than it was worth since we'd already paid for hemming). He dresses up for work almost every day.
5. I'm starting to think about holiday gift giving. Having a plan, not my best suit, means I'll make better decisions.
1. My son found some action figures he was missing from his collection at the thrift store this week, so he said "We hit the jackpot!"
2. Picked up ribs and pork loin for $1.39/lb at Kroger
3. Mended pants and a shirt this week that have been on my "to do list" for way too long...
4. Renewed library books and took back a DVD the day before it was due (apparently our library does not allow DVD renewals?!)
5. Used home canned pumpkin to bake pumpkin bread for a bake sale. **I always use the Downeast Maine Pumpkin bread recipe on Allrecipes...it is incredibly moist and gets a lot of compliments
1. Bought a Lego kit of 256 pieces including 3 mini-figurines for FIVE DOLLARS!!! Usual price is about $.10 per piece and mini-figs are $3-5 each.. I believe it was on sale because it is a game-console enabled version ... for PlayStation 3 (PS4 came out in 2013). If I can sell the PS3 game it'll be a money-maker.
2. Went back the next day and bought another one.
3. Took a nonfunctional, inexpensive, cheap wall clock to a watchmaker to see if it could be fixed, simply because I'd rather keep it out of the trash. He broke the cover trying to get it off; by the time we finished discussing the options, he ended up giving me a different inexpensive wall clock in compensation. I took that one back when I discovered that one didn't work either; he replaced it with a provably working one. Overall, more work than I planned but outcome was good.
4. Found Dark Chocolate, Dried Raspberry, & Quinoa thins for $1.10 per 6 oz bag; I bought 6 of them. I have a particular fondness for thin pieces of chocolate.
5. Going to the library for free weekly yoga classes.
6. Went to block party by neighborhood church. Everything was complementary: burgers, dogs, chips, soda, freshly-scooped ice cream, fresh cotton candy, great weather. Offerings I did not partake of: kids rides, face painting, balloon animals, football on a monster big screen.
7. Instead of football, I called a friend who lives nearby, who joined me at the block party. Free meal, good weather, good company.
8. Have not eaten out in two weeks, despite many urges to do so and too many late days at work.
9. Also despite too many late days, finally got off my rear and cooked several soups for brown-bagging. Also despite too many late days, finally inventoried the deep freezer, which sets me up for success in cooking at home; I'm more likely to eat out if I don't know what's in the deep freezer.
Whoa, that is a CRAZY good Lego price!
Sweet deal on the tire!
1. I cooked a loaf of bread, then turned it into garlic bread, instead of buying pre-made garlic bread. Worked out pretty well! I also cooked beans from dry; that always saves so much money.
2. My daughter wasn't feeling well and requested that I make her favorite soup. I already had all the ingredients, so I whipped up a batch, and she was happy. She ate the last of it for breakfast this morning (who says Cauliflower Potato soup can't be a great breakfast???). I also made an apple pie, mostly to make myself feel better after a rough day.
3. I enjoyed my son's choir concert (he had a beatboxing solo, which was super cool) for the low price of $3.
4. I actually got to pick up our Kroger affiliate's free Friday download this week! It's on the other side of town from me, so it's not often that I'm over there, but this time I was. Yay for free yogurt!
5. I snagged a grocery bag of clothes for my daughter from a church yard sale for $5. They have this sale twice a year, and a LOT of my daughter's clothing comes from there. I'm always grateful when they have this sale.
Oh man... I would never have had the guts to complain about the stuff not ringing up right at the store. In fact, that's the primary reason I always use the self checkout - so I can make sure things do ring up right, and if they don't, I can ask for help and blame the problem on myself - like I probably did something wrong to make it ring up wrong. Perhaps they count on "conflict averse" people like me it setting their policy that you get it free if it rings up wrong!
So my frugal fail is that I sold something on eBay - but I hadn't sold anything there in years, so apparently the credit card I had on file for paying seller fees was old, so they charged me a $15 late fee when their payment didn't go through. Gah! Well... lesson learned.
p.s. I'm lactose intolerant too, and have found that it's much cheaper to buy the liquid drops to put into regular milk to make it lactose free than it is to buy the lactose free milk. You have to order the drops online though, and the drops take a day or two to work - meaning you put them in the carton of milk and then wait before you can use it. It's probably only worth it if you (well she, I guess) drink enough milk to justify going through all the trouble. These days the only milk I use is in my morning cup of coffee, so I usually just pony up for the more expensive stuff, but it might be worth it for you.
1) We had our once-a-month trip to the small city for groceries and did not stop to get lunch at a restaurant. The temptation is always strong when it's such an infrequent option, but instead we just ate the cheese and applesauce I had brought--and my husband got some chicharrones (fried pig skin) at the store, gross--and went home.
2) I bought a big box of peaches from a roadside table when we were there. They were in questionable condition--which I expected, as it's the very end of peach season--so I made most of them into peach jam to mix with homemade yogurt.
3) I brought a jar of the peach jam to our neighbor when we went to pick the last of his apples. He doesn't expect anything for the apples and is in fact happy that people are using them instead of letting them go to waste, but he was glad to have the jam. And I was glad to have twenty pounds of free apples.
4) Some of those apples are drying outside right now, and many more will go into the freezer all prepped (peeled, sliced, and combined with sugar and cinnamon) and ready to bake in the winter. I will be very glad I did this when it's December and I have no more good apples.
5) Ditto the zucchini that I'm grating and dicing to freeze, and the cucumbers I'm making into refrigerator pickles. I have never been sorry I did the work when the season for fresh vegetables has passed and my only option is whatever I preserved. Which reminds me I need to make sauerkraut soon.
Have I ever done one of these when all five aren't food-related? Probably not. 🙂
Well, food is one of the main expenses that is variable and quite under our control...so that makes sense!
1. I had a library movie due yesterday and returned it on time, then added in a trip to the park for some free fun.
2. I'm breastfeeding my baby (free for me) and also pumping extra when I can. A friend of mine has struggled to pump enough since going back to work a month ago (she's just a little short of what he's consuming at day care), so I'm helping supplement a little so she doesn't have to spend money on formula.
3. Canned applesauce yesterday.
4. Got 2 shirts off the clearance rack for a total of $13.
5. Took the effort to make a salad for lunch yesterday to use up some lettuce before it went bad.
What a good friend you are.
Breastfeeding is seriously frugal!
If Sonia doesn't do better with lactose free milk, try A2 milk. My daughter and I discovered that we are sensitive to the regular casein in milk, but A2 milk has a different protein molecule that we tolerate OK. And if she IS sensitive to lactose, you can purchase drops and treat regular milk instead of buying lactose free--it's much more frugal in the long run to treat the milk yourself.
As for tires, we buy tires at Costco and they are great about supporting you during the warranty. I was driving 500+ miles with my daughter when the tire pressure light came on. There was a Costco 5 miles away from where we were, and we drove there and got great help at no charge from the tire department still a few hundred miles away from our own Costco. (Turned out that the light just sometimes comes on randomly, the tires were fine).
I've never even heard of A2 milk! Huh. I'll have to google that.
Leaving the movie out of the case used to happen to us all the time!
1. Had a late fee on a library book, but the library was doing food for fines so we donated some canned goods to pay for the fine.
2. Took my son for a haircut at the bueaty school. Even leaving a 40% tip it was cheaper then what I would have paid in a salon. I like to tip well there because it is the only money the students make.
3. Called the hospital to pay a bill over the phone and they gave me a discount for paying in full and on time.
4. Found some good grocery deals - $1.99 for a 3 pound bags of apples, $1.99 pound of butter, 99 cents a pound for chicken thighs, 99 cent jars of Ragu pasta sauce, 79 cents for 8 ounces of mushrooms. Also put in an order for our yearly 1/4 beef. This is only frugalish, the meat comes out to around $5 a pound, which is cheap for steak but expensive for hamburger. However it is good quality meat and supports a local farmer and butcher.
5. Another frugalish thing- taking a family vacation with my parents and siblings this weekend. We got a great deal on a condo since it’s the off season and plan to cook most of our meals there. We are also planning on an amusement park one day, which is not frugal, but it is a vacation
Laura, as a parent of a student, I'd like to thank you for your tipping policy. My daughter is a licensed cosmetologist who is sacrificing employment to attend barbering school this fall. She truly appreciates every single tip she receives because they help keep gas in her tank.
Thank you Mary
Many times I have had to explain a stores policy to the employees! Boggles my mind that they are unaware of the policies. Have gotten a few "free" items over the years due to being rung up incorrectly, catching the mistake and speaking up.
Ah, your frugal fail was not too bad at least!
I took quick long weekend to visit family in the east, which was lovely and necessary, however not so frugal. A few things that helped:
1. Used Credit card points for airfare -- $104 RT cal to mass - yes!
2. Car rental --also necessary but not cheap! --was made out of the country by my husband because it cost less than arranging it here -- go figure. The nice hertz lady did say that it should not have worked if the renter is not arriving from out of the US but she would honor it anyway.
3. Said car was supposed to be rented with full tank of gas -- but I realized that it was only 1/4 tank full when I had only driven less than 20 miles. So I took a picture of the gauge on my phone, called Hertz, and obtained a confirmation # to use if they try to charge for full tank. Which they did. I do it was an oversight but still . . . PRO TIP: Check the gauge BEFORE you leave the rental place and save yourself a lot of bother!
4. Caught the Fly-away bus to the airport instead of Lyft which saved me about $30 - 40 dollars. Yup, I was pooped at the end of a long work week but dang, it was worth it 🙂
5. Frugal First for me: Used up bread, half an avocado and some sliced cheese for a sammy on the plane. Also, included some grapes. Did buy an egg sandwich and iced tea at Dunkin' Donut at the airport -- cheapest meal there -- since it was a red-eye and I was starting to sag a bit. Nothing else. Giving self a pat on the back . . .
6. Food waste failure: 3 little Persian cukes from a bunch I had bought on mark-down. Just forgot them and had to toss.
Is Sonia a big milk drinker? People in most other countries in the world do not drink milk like people in the US do. Unless she loves to drink it, you could consider cutting it out altogether. Dairy is one of the most common allergens. I know I'm an outlier, you can imagine the horror I faced when I weaned my kids (over the age of 1) onto WATER!!! But they are healthy and do not have any of the 30 (literal) allergies that I have.
My frugal thing-my bread dough is out rising in my car. It's a cool-ish day, but the car is warm because it's sitting out in the sun.
She actually hates drinking milk plain, just like I do. But she does like eating pudding, or pouring milk on her cereal. And she likes cheese!
I weaned my kids onto water too, and that's mostly what all of them drink on the regular.
Look for Cabot Cheddar Cheese. The label says naturally lactose free -and I tolerate it well -and I am very lactose intolerant. Comes from a Vermont company in blocks & shreds. I use almond milk in my cereal & shakes.
Oooh, great! I'll look for that.
Sadly, Sonia is allergic to nuts, so almond milk is out for her!
Kara what a great idea to rise bread! I love to make hot cross buns at Easter but here it's in Autumn which can be a bit chilly. I find ducted heating dries out the dough a bit & is not very effective at rising bread. I have been known to place a tray on a clean towel on the bathroom floor & turn on the heat lamp or sit the tray in my panty on a heated wheatbag but your idea is genius! Thank you so much for sharing.
woops; sorry guys that should read PANTRY
1. Worked an extra 12 hours last week and 8 hours this week. That put my paycheck at overtime last week which is always a plus! The extra will go towards paying down the loan on my jeep and into the savings.
2. Refrained from picking up extra groceries while at the store to get prescriptions in the middle of the week. I have a bad habit of "just grabbing a few things" and walking out spending an extra $30 on junk food when I have plenty of food at home. I went in to get 2 prescriptions and yogurt and that was all I got.
3. I submitted Ibotta rebates for taco shells, sauce, cheese and pizza. I have enough for another $50 Amazon card. I trade the credit in and purchase my dogs joint supplements there for no put of pocket cost. Amazon has the best price and free shipping!!
That's so great that you were able to get the tire leak fixed for free!
We have a Tire store here called Kal-Tire that does the same thing. I recently heard that they were changing their policy, which would be sad.
My frugal five of the day:
1. We went to a local pumpkin patch that also sells squash for $1! My butternut freezer supply will soon be replenished.
2. I remembered to pack a lunch for us as we were out of town for the day.
3. I bought a magnetic board I need for homeschooling from a thriftstore for $6. I was almost going to order one online last week, but procrastination paid off! Brand new I would have paid about $35.
4. We ate chicken leftovers that my mom sent home with us the other day.
and not-so-frugal: I bought a french horn at the thrift store... I don't play, but I have always wanted to learn. I did get them to take $25 off... $100 for a french horn is a good price, but $100 you weren't planning to spend is not.
I am inspired by everyone's efforts. It took decades for me to be told I was lactose intolerant. O hated milk and was forced to drink it as a child. I love cheese and now that I know to buy lactose free milk I have a small amount of milk every day. Poor Sonia multiple allergies are not fun and as a fellow sufferer I hope and pray she grows out of these problems. I was put on the FODMAP diet, which is a major pain. It is not forever and it has helped me so very much. It didn't cure my allergies though.
1. I am finally managing to make meals without a ton of leftovers.
2. This week I was able to convince my mother that we had plenty of meat, fruit and vegetables and did not need to buy them this week.
3. I have swapped my favourite drink for a much cheaper version.
4. Please don't judge me but my medical expenses are high at present. ON the way home from the endocrinologist I stopped at church based supermarket. I got soy and linseed bread, 2 litres of milk, some crackers, tomatoes, watermelon, onions and oatmeal for $!.50. I was only charged for the oatmeal. I am very pleased. I could have taken more but enough was taken for our current needs.
5. Leftovers have been dealt with quickly and for once they have been eaten.
Fail
1. I spent way too much on containers to keep my soft fruits and vegetables fresher for longer.
Absolutely no judging here. I'm glad you got what you needed in a way that works for you. Good luck with the FODMAP experience.
I started the FODMAP diet20 months ago. So the initial phase is a distant memory. It has made a huge difference to the quality of my life.
Oh my goodness, no judgment at all! That's what those places are there for.
So I have a bunch of frugal things to report I’ll start with the best one
1. My DH spilled tea on the ceiling fan remote and then it didn’t work. Huge problem as the remote is the only way to turn the fan on. Instead of shelling out $25 for a new remote I took the battery out of the non working remote and put the remote in a bag of rice. I figured if that trick works for cell phones it should work on other things. Well, three days later I take the remote out of the rice and it worked! Savings, $25!
2. Neighbor had stacked cut logs by the curb for trash. Now we have more wood for our fire pit for free!
3. Stopped at Costco while running errands for free snacks:) also was given a free sample of laundry detergent which will be nice to take along on our trip later this month.
4. Stumbled upon a chicken BBQ fundraiser for a local fire station, got each of us a meal. I chose baked beans over baked potatoe as a side, we got half a chicken, baked beans, applesauce, and a roll. I made baked potatoes to go with it at home. We each got two meals out of our chicken dinner and helped the local fire station.
5. I’ve been decluttering and listing small things for sale on Facebook Marketplace. I’ve done surprisingly well so I plan to continue doing this. I made $80 last week.
And an extra frugal
6. Was able to pick up some freebies this week, bottled water at the bank, apples at church, artisan bread from a friend,
1) Was unexpectedly called for job interview. I shopped my closet and was fortunately able to come up with two business professional outfits to wear to the first and second round of the interviews. (I have been a SAHM for almost 7 years). I did end up buying new shoes, but needed fancier black shoes and am already planning to wear them to a baby shower in November and on Christmas. Plus if I get the job I will wear them to work!
2) Used my grocery store app to create a list and stay on budget, despite being at the store on a Sunday with all 3 of my kids.
3) My husband was unexpectedly out of town one night last weekend. The kids and I rummaged through the fridge and freezer to find a dinner made out of odds and ends, which they always love.
4) Today I am batching errands which includes getting gas at Costco.
5) One of our kids was going to start ice skating lessons this month. Looking at our calendar and budget, the lessons were not really feasible. We talked to her about postponing the lessons and she actually seemed relieved. Between scouts, youth group, and playing an instrument she was feeling pretty busy.
Hi Kelly, I've been a SAHM for almost the same time as you and looking to get back to working full time now that my baby started school. While I don't regret the time spent with my child, my job search hasn't been successful. My self confidence has taken a toll and I'm apprehensive of how to go about searching for a job. Any pointers that worked for you? Congrats for the job interview! I'm rooting for you!
Hi Em,
I am so sorry to hear that you have been struggling in your job search. I know it can be hard to get back out there. I'm not sure what field you are in or are looking in but I would recommend working with a local staffing agency and considering temp jobs. That's how I started out looking! Good luck!
Kelly
Thanks for the tip Kelly! Had not thought of checking out the staffing agencies. My degree is Computer Science but looks like i'll need to brush up on newer technical skills to stay in the game as it's been a while since my graduation. Happy Friday!
Good luck! I also set up several job notifications on Indeed.com using key words. I've found several potential positions that way. Have a great weekend!
Hi Em,
I'm a software developer, and went through the job search process a year ago. I would recommend you really use your network. Cliche but true. I got the interview that led to my job based on a recommendation from an employee who is a friend of a friend of my brother from high school. I haven't seen my brother's friend since I was maybe 7 years old. So don't feel bad about asking for help or connections. You also may want to check into Meetup groups or Women in Technology groups in your area. They are both a good way to network and also hear about job postings.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
1. I bought a second hand plasma car for my youngest's Physical Therapy. I paid $10 instead of $90! And I bought a second hand box of photo cards for the same kiddo's ABA Therapy. I paid $12 instead of $100.
2. I made Alfredo sauce from scratch - both delicious and since I already had the ingredients, I didn't have to spend anything more.
3. I repaired a lovey for my preschooler. A little hand stitching and it was done.
4. We had Smorgasbord Night where we ate up all our leftovers. Bonus: I didn't have to cook, just reheat.
5. I need to buy a new iron and ironing board pad as our iron is no longer working and the pad is worn out. I will research it, however, to find the best bang for my buck.
My local produce market was closing for the season and most everything was .50 or 1.00, bushels of apples for $5. Stocked up on some items. Wish I would have bought the apples...
2nd Aldi is closed for remodeling so they are handing out $5 off coupons, have received $30 so far.
We have to replace our old water softener. After watching a couple YouTube videos I can do most of the work myself. The lowest quote for softener and install was $2100. I bought the unit for $600 and parts and labor $200.
We all brought dishes over to feed dad this weekend and no one other than dad and myself will eat leftovers so we split them, I had enough for lunches all week.
1. There was a breakfast meeting at work. I cleaned it up. They tell me to throw away everything. I put juice in the fridge for the rest of the week, several coworkers and I were happy to eat the leftover fruit and bagels and I brought home the extra cream cheese and butter. I am not throwing away food!.
2. I am dog sitting for my sister. We are happy to do it and it saves her boarding costs.
3. I was sick over the weekend. Hubby cooked easy meals. YD cleaned up everything. Hubby even made brownies.
4. I hung lots of laundry outside since it was sunny.
5 Still not back at 100% but doing what has to get done.
Oh, I forgot my frugal thing. My daughter had to have a cardiac ultrasound as part of her usual care for a genetic disorder (heart is fine but she has to be checked every 5 years). I paid the $75 co-pay but then was shocked to later get a bill for over $4000--and a claim that our share was $1670. OMG! We were not informed of this out of pocket expense (toward the deductible) and we can't "shop around" because this is a "1-stop shop" HMO--we are obligated to use them.
I fought this. I learned that the procedure was incorrectly coded and since this is an ongoing condition with my daughter, not a new finding, it should not have been charged against the deductible. The bill has still not cleared from our account, but after four trips to patient services and 3 levels of appeal I have it in writing that the bill is in error and I keep getting reassurances that our account will clear "any day." We have had to put several hours of our time into this, but saving $1600 is worth it!
That's so awesome that you have persisted with it. $1600 isn't chump change!
If you can't find lactose free for other dairy items, she could try lactaid pills. These have the enzyme those of us lactose intolerant people lack which you need to digest the sugars in dairy (i.e., lactose). You can get them at Sam's club where I live. This was a game changer for me. I grew up not knowing I was lactose intolerant and just thought everyone felt sick after eating (a reasonable amount of) ice cream.
And yes, lactose intolerance is so much easier to deal with than milk protein allergy, which 2 of my 3 children have 😛 It seems like you are familiar with the difficulties of food allergies, though!
Yes! We got a box of those to try. Great idea to look at a warehouse club...we have Costco, so I'll see if these are available there.
Stoked!!!!!
I did an online survey for Tide pods,apparently they're child proofing their packaging.
Samples were to be given,I expected a couple of small boxes like the vending machines in the laundromats dispense.
There was a box on my porch this morning,2 21 count bottles of pods!!!!
I was shocked,I took them to my daughter's where I do my laundry.
I came up with 6 frugalistic things. Ok, here we go.
1) The dryer broke. We don't have laundromats in town so I went online to see what I could do. I found out that local places wanted up to $5 per pound to do laundry. Yes, per pound... Outrageous. So, we washed our things and hung them everywhere. On chairs, beds, couches, etc. I guess we saved $400. We do laundry 2x/day.
2) The repairman came out to look at the dryer. This dryer is 18 years old and was serviced several years ago. He said the motor is shot and it needs new gas coils. To buy a new one that's comparable would be too expensive. We saved $250 by fixing it. We've had 2 repairmen tell us how these machines were "workhorses" and "they just don't make them like this anymore." Well, we use this set a lot and they have done a great job.
3) After finding turkeys in the freezer, DH wanted to smoke one. But he needed wood pellets. He was paying $20/bag but found a place that sold them for $6/bag. The place sold in bulk, so he had to wait about 8 months to get the pellets since he needed to get a group of people to buy all at once. He finally got them and saved $280.
4) I've been doing swagbucks for gifts this year. I've used it for several birthday presents and some Christmas presents for the kids. I currently have $154 for Christmas for my sister and her family. I'll probably get them gift cards.
5) Our youngest son's birthday is coming up. I got an email that expired within a hour for a Loot Crate subscription. It was 40% off any subscription, so I got him a 3 month package. He told me he liked that brand. I saved $24.
6) I pay a bit extra every month on the mortgage. I doubled it to $200/mth. Savings will be $60,000 on interest and let us pay it off 10 years sooner. Cool.
Jan- Glad that medical bill was short lived, thanks to your keen eyes and persistence!
Marybeth- That's great that you saved the work room food from being thrown out! I'm sure they'll appreciate the juice and bagels all week!
Julia- So glad the rice trick worked for the remote.