Four Frugal Things | plus one fail that I will redeem
1. I picked up some more free chairs
You know how I was painting those two Buy Nothing group chairs so that they'd match my table?
Well, one of my cousins let me know that another cousin was getting rid of his current table and chairs, and his chairs actually almost match the two I'd refinished.
So, I went over there with my van and picked 'em up.
I probably will not get around to refinishing any of them until the semester is over, but that's ok. They're very usable as-is!
2. I got a free Starbucks drink using stars
This was sort of an inadvertent savings: Zoe and I stopped in at Starbucks after church for a little treat, and when I opened the app, I saw that I had enough stars for a free drink. Yay!
3. I got two bottles of Maui Moisture at CVS for $2
I got the shampoo and conditioner B1G1 50% off, which brought the price for the two down to $18.
Which is still high, but hang on!
Then I used a $2 off any purchase coupon, my $10 Carepass credit, and a $4 shampoo coupon, and that brought it from $18 to $2.
I do pay $4/month for the Carepass credit, but that still was a wash because my purchase gave me $4 in ExtraCare Bucks to use on my next purchase.
4. I...
- got a few more pumpkin carving knives for 75% off after Halloween
- got a vitamin supplement for 50% off
- corrected insurance information with LabCorp (bc what was supposed to be a free Covid test caused a $100 bill)
- bought chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts because they were actually cheaper due to a sale (I was making Aussie Chicken and I figured chicken tenders would work just as well as chicken breasts)
5. The fail: I bought men's shoes
Not too long ago, Lisey said, "Mom, I know you've been wanting a pair of light purple Converse forever. I bet if you bought a pair, it would really help you finish this semester strong."
Her logic seemed air-tight to me (ha!), so I hopped on eBay and found a pair in my size right away for a very good price.
Buttttt...when they arrived in the mail, I realized I'd made a fatal mistake. They're men's 8, not women's 8.
OH NO.
I can't return them, but I can list them on eBay myself.
So, I will clean them up, take nice photographs of them, and hopefully sell them for at least as much as I paid for them.
--Speaking of men's shoes . . . my eldest son now wears a size 10 in men's shoes (he is 12 years old--yikes). My black casual shoes are falling apart, and it occurred to me I might be able to wear his old black Vans that were his P. E. shoes and thus got very little wear. Yup. New shoes for me!
--I am still wearing the same three coats--light trenchcoat, lined raincoat, and wool coat--that I have had for well over a decade now.
--I got promoted to head cook at school this week, because our regular cook is sick, and as her kind-of assistant (I mostly wash dishes, though), I know the kitchen best. So I'm working two extra days this week. I would rather not work, but I guess a bigger paycheck will be nice.
--Also, I get to bring home leftovers from school if there aren't enough to save. Our school actually has pretty good lunches, so it's not, like, dry chicken patties or french fries. This week, it's turkey breast and ground beef for tacos.
--We arranged to have our eldest dropped off at the post office a quarter mile from our house after his basketball practices. The bus goes literally right past it to bring the other kids back to their school , so all they have to do is pull over and let him off. He can walk home from there. It's a co-op sports arrangement with two tiny schools, and they trade off the location of practices, so some of the team has to be transported from their home school to the other school every time. We live exactly equidistant from the two schools, so this drop-off saves us twenty miles of driving every day. Hooray.
@kristin @ going country,
My 11-year-old daughter wears a women's size 11, I hear you on not-so-old kiddos having HUGE feet! (I wear a size 12, so it's not exactly shocking, but still...)
@kristin @ going country, I grab stuff from the preK I work at because we're supposed to throw anything we don't use away and we aren't supposed to give leftovers to families. Unfortunately, it usually is stuff like dry chicken patties and fries. So I'll take things like leftover apples, broccoli, milk, etc....and make pie, apple butter, broccoli soup.
@kristin @ going country, and @EngineerMom,
I just had to take my 12 year old son to buy new Adidas (his preferred brand) this past weekend, because he outgrew the pair we bought before school started (insert wide eyed/surprised emoji here). Clearly he is having a growth spurt.....he now wears a men's 7.5-8. We are lucky to have an Adidas outlet store not far from us, and we found a pair he liked on clearance. I, too, can wear his smaller size shoes.
@EngineerMom, I wear a size 10 MEN'S shoes, and have since I was about 12. It used to be so humiliating when I was a kid and so I seldom wore anything but sneakers because I could buy them off the shelf without having my feet measured (I am so old I remember those days when they measured your feet in shoe stores! Shoe measuring was how my 40 year old maiden aunt foud her 20 year old beau, who became her husband. He died at 40, so she outlived him and all the naysayer relatives who said it would never work. This was in the 50s, so a real scandal when they lost their babysitter to a husband!) I once got a dress and shoes at a NYC store catering to transvestites, years and years ago; my husband read about the place and insisted we go there. It was the first time I found fancy shoes that fit.
@kristin @ going country, I did a similar thing with one of my sons' coats. He had outgrown it, but he's nearly my height, and I didn't have a winter coat. It's a very nice leather coat with lots of pockets (unlike most women's coats!) and a hood. I had to roll the sleeves up once, but otherwise it fits me perfectly!
@Lindsey, I love the story about your Aunt! My boyfriend is 9 years younger, and we've been together 15 years now.
We really need to standardize the shoe sizes like the Europeans do, a 38 men's is the same as a 38 woman's in length. Please correct me if I'm wrong European readers. And don't get me started on the "vanity" sizing of woman's clothing...... Enough of that nonsense.
@Rachel,
This is indeed the case, so I had to read twice before I understood.
On clothes: a size 42 in Italy is one to two sizes smaller to a 42 in NL or DE. And there are plus size brands that have their own sizes. And then there is average length of the models to take into account as well. It would be good if all brands showed how many cms/in their sizes measure for bust, waist, hips etc.
@J NL,
I am always looking at size charts online when trying new things. I like items to fit properly, especially pants (trousers). I wish this information (as well as fabric content) wasn't so hard to find.
@Rachel, amen sister. I'm maybe ten pounds heavier than my high school weight, but I wear a size SMALLER than I did in high school.
I remember a movie from the forties where a beautiful and svelte Lana Turner proclaimed herself a perfect size 12. The other day, on television, I heard someone refer to a size 12 person in a tone that implied they were a freak of nature.
Lots of body shaming out there.
@Anne, That is why Lizzo is one of my heroes. I would never have the courage to wear some of her clothing, but I cheer her on from my livingroom. I was once described as a "brazen" woman but I am nothing compared to her.
Plus she is a flautist, so I love her for that alone.
Good for you to buy the shoes for yourself, it is really a shame they are the wrong size!
I discovered some time back that a pair of pretty lightweight summer shoes I had bought for myself because I loved the colour, have loose soles so I can insert my own orthopedic soles. So next summer I will be both comfortable and to a degree stylish.
I borrowed library books,
thrifted a set of DVDs for E0,50 (Wolf Hall). It was excellent entertainment although as always I prefer the novels,
carefully adjusted the heating throughout the day, so no empty rooms would be heated. It resulted in an all time low October bill,
Ate leftovers,
Happened upon cheap vegetables that had to be processed within two days (we ate and froze).
All in the line of small practical measures that add up over the years.
FFT, Utilities and Jane Austen Edition:
(1) The biggest news is that thanks to a warm and sunny October, our solar panels (thank you, DH), and prudent use of gas/electricity, National Grid has cut my monthly budget payment yet again: It's now $105. (And, no, I'm not mortifying myself with the cold; I'm just a Queen Victoria on the internal thermostat scale. QV used to run around Balmoral throwing the windows open and exclaiming about fresh air, and Prince Albert and various long-suffering prime ministers/household staff used to run around behind her shutting them again.) This new monthly rate probably won't last long with winter coming on, but I'm savoring the savings while I have them.
(2) I also lit my first fire of the season in the woodburner yesterday. (Thank you again, DH, for leaving me with a good stash of "urban logging" firewood.)
(3) I won a Jane Austen-related book in a drawing on one of the few JA blogs that is still kept up (see yesterday's discussion about blogs). The title, in case some of you may be interested, is Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England, by Brenda Cox.
(4) And speaking of JA, my JASNA region's November meeting is this coming Saturday. Because we're doing a craft activity--making holiday wreaths with teabags, of all things--while we discuss the recent JASNA Annual General Meeting, I picked up some Twinings herbal blends inexpensively at Ollie's so we'll have extra bags on hand. (There's a blend called "Detox" that may be popular for New Year's Day wreaths...)
(5) I'll also be wrapping and packing holiday gifts for my best bud over there and will hand them to her before the meeting. Shipping prices these days are no joke.
@A. Marie,
Congrats on the win. It sounds like a very interesting book!
On the wreaths - I have no idea what they will look like, will you share a picture?
@A. Marie,
I was given a book titled something like "What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew". It is an interesting book explaining terms that I read in Austen, Trollop, Dickens, etc. in context, but never was completely sure if I was correct on their meaning, and would forget to look them up. I found it very helpful, the chapter on the courts especially. It's at home and I'm not, or I'd check for correct title and author. I'd like to look up the one you were given. Any others you could suggest?
@J NL, @A. Marie, I'd like to see a pic of the wreath too. Maybe Kristen can share it with us for you? Are we talking used bags?
@Bobi,
Are they for outside? What if it rains? I am so curious! Are you?
@Bobi et al., there are two photos of completed wreaths in the most recent entry on our JASNA region's blog (jasnacwny.blogspot.com). Unused, unopened bags are what's used. (Note that the wreaths look easily deconstructable, so you can drink the tea afterwards.)
@JD, yes, you have the title of that book right. The author is Daniel Pool. It's a good basic reference on things like the court system (as you mention), the Church, the universities, etc. In both my opinion and that of others, the book could have used a good copyeditor, but Pool probably didn't know I was available. 🙂
@A. Marie, THANKS. I pretty much threw that book across the room. (Also I knew all that stuff already but then I'm Queen Nerd.) Sometimes I miss copyediting. It's fun to correct others.
@A. Marie,
Thanks! They do look pretty and also deconstructable. You could maybe make an advent calendar with tea and have a tea a day (thinking to myself)...
@A. Marie, thanks! That's not what I was picturing. Very clever.
@A. Marie,
It's been a good while since I read it, so I don't remember much about its writing, except that I finally got some answers to some terms I was confused about. I'm stoked that I remembered the title, though.
@A. Marie, You have my email. PLEASE send me a pic of teabag holiday wreaths!!
@A. Marie, Thank you for the blog so I could see the wreath. I imagined it to be with teabags free of their paper holders...
1. It's snowing here in the Midwest, and my 4th grader is wearing the winter coat I got on clearance for $10 last spring.
2. Community college. I am in the RN program at our local community college, and it is amazing. The program has an excellent reputation and NCLEX pass rate, every instructor has had a minimum of a master's degree (no TAs anywhere...even in my pre-reqs), the tuition is less than half of any other state school, AND my textbooks are free.
3. We are having soup for dinner, and the stock is from Costco rotisserie chicken carcasses. I freeze them until I have a few and then make a big pot of stock.
4. The kiddo is in Cub Scouts and sells popcorn. He was able to use some of his commission money to take his dad and grandpa to Scout night at an NBA game over the weekend. The tickets included hotdogs, chips, and a drink. He was super proud to pay for their night out.
5. We are still working on our pre-holiday decrapifying. A bunch of stuff has been given away on Buy Nothing - which saves me a trip to Goodwill, and gives our old stuff a chance to make other people happy.
@Pam, I love your #4. I bet his father and grandfather were at least as proud as he was.
@Pam, You need to find a guy like our bachelor friend, who eats only the breasts of a rot. chicken and then gives me the carcasses with other meat still attached. He asked me today if I would cook his turkey and then just give him the breast meat. It is a 22!!!! pounder. I said yes before the words were completely out of his mouth. We eat late in the day and with spatchcocking, I can make his and then ours on Thanksgiving. My husband continues to be slightly mortified with this exchange but he has been married to me for 40 years so he has had plenty of time to get used to my more eccentric ways...
@Lindsey, that is a cool arrangement! And..my husband would definitely think it's weird, but oh well.
I would 100% do something like this. Seems like a win-win to me!
@WilliamB, You're right. The kid works hard during popcorn season and earns enough to pay his yearly dues, camp fees, and for extra stuff like tobogganing trips and NBA games. All of his grownups are proud of him!
@Pam, WilliamB is definitely right. You and Dad have raised a keeper.
@Pam, My son went through Scouts and got his Eagle. I would love to buy popcorn from the Boy Scouts. Tell your son he did a great job!
First Frugal Comments ever….
1. Picked up Kristen’s pumpkins & used them for compost in my garden (The future produce thanks you!)
2. Ate 18 of 21 meals at home
3. Used leftovers for at least 4 of those meals
4. Borrowed more library books for my Kindle
5. Shopped my pantry & fridge for upcoming menu plans
@Theresa, I like how you used the numbers to show your at home meals. Sometimes I get frustrated that I went out for a meal. If we are using the best frugal choice at the time, I think it's okay. Sometimes, my meal out would be less than if I had packed a lunch. When I worked at fast food restaurants, we get a half-price meal and that's cheaper than whatever I could bring.
Wow! You scored big time at CVS! Makes my scores pale in comparison...I bow down to your skills.
Here are my five:
1. Made yogurt using powdered milk (oh, hi pandemic panic purchase!) And and ancient freeze dried yogurt starter packet my mom gave me. It was so old, it didn't even have an expiration date, but it still worked. I also tossed in the contents of one of my expensive probiotic pills. I'm hoping to increase them by making yogurt with them. Turned out fine and hoping this saves lots of money.
2. Made granola. Played with the recipe to make it cheaper. I'm still tweaking, but I'll let you know when I have a good really cheap version. This one was edible, but softer than I prefer.
3. Packed lunches and ate dinner at home.
4. Shopped clearances and sales and walked away from several "sales" that weren't actually a good value.
5. Brought in all my house and annual bedding plants to try and overwinter as many as possible. They don't all survive my benign neglect, but the ones that do are tough as nails.
Did finally turn the heat on, but it's set fairly low. Have a great frugal week, everyone!
@Becca, I have really wondered if it would be possible to yogurt-grow one's own probiotics, aside from what comes in the yogurt. Glad someone's trying it.
@Karen.,
The first time I tried it, I used just the probiotic powder from inside the capsule and the yogurt tasted...not good. This time I used both regular yogurt starter powder AND the probiotic powder, so I'm not sure how much of the probiotic strains from the capsule populated versus the yogurt powder, but this one tastes better. Next time I'll try with just the probiotic powder again (I could have just done something wrong that one time) and let you know how it goes. I'm very hopeful because good probiotic pills are SO expensive, but homemade yogurt is stupid cheap...
That stinks about the shoes, but I just had a similar thing happen to me. I bought a shoe on ebay that was a great deal…normal $100 for only $20! When I got them they were so small and narrow. I re-listed them and in 3 days I re-sold them for more than I paid! Good luck!
Ooh, I hope my mistake turns out like yours!
I enjoy your posts so much, you are an inspiration! Hope you have a great day!
Being covid house bound/self isolating, I can't go anywhere theref0re spend any money. Haha. Not even gas money. Forces one to eat what is in the house too. I do have some frugal things though.
1. Listed a few more items from the purge on marketplace. Have more to go.
2. Cooked from oldest in freezer list. Used up some chicken in soup that no one felt like eating as just chicken. Soup is so soothing when not feeling well.
3. Had enough 'easy' meals in freezer so that we still ate well despite being sick.
4. Made more tomato sauce from the last of my garden tomatoes that were picked green before getting frost, and ripened on the window sills. We will not need to buy any canned tomatoes or sauce for a very long time. Also grated and froze the last of the zucchini into 3 cup portions for the chocolate zucchini loaf everyone loves.
5. Mended a sweater that dd#1 left here, it will be ready for her when she comes home for dd#2's birthday later this month.
That's all I can think of, it was a challenging week in many ways.
Hobby Lobby had all of their fall decor 75% off. This was both a frugal thing and a not frugal thing because I 1. Did buy new cloth napkins at a very good price which we really needed, our old ones were falling apart and getting holes and ripping at the edges. And I 2. Proceeded to throw any savings from the napkins into hot pads, autumn plaid towels, spice scented candles, pumpkin mugs, and some silk fall flowers I definitely did not need. Although I do feel my morning coffee tastes slightly better in a pumpkin shaped mug next to glowing candles.
Watercolored and drew some wedding, thank you, and birthday cards for when I need them in the future.
Hubby was presenting on a panel in a city about an hour away, and halfway there is the Nike outlet. My current running shoes have holes in them, but taking the time and gas to drive to the outlet was just not worth the trip. However it was on his way back so he picked me up a pair of new running shoes at significant discount and they will be my Christmas present.
Made sourdough discard waffles, pancakes, and crackers this week.
Paid our insurance in one big yearly payment instead of monthly, which results I a slightly discounted rate.
@Becca C, yes, on the seasonal coffee mugs. I blushingly report I recently paid far too much on autumn mugs and one gaspingly expensive Christmas mug. Honestly, I looked in Home Goods and Target and one thrift store before I let loose of all that cash. I so weary of comparison shopping.
I am ashamed but am enjoying them anyway.
I have a pair of lavender Chucks. I think they're called pale amethyst or something. Men's size! (My shoes can also be used as standup paddleboards.)
Cheap: I did buy a new fridge for cheap.
Not cheap: I had to replace about everything in the old fridge.
Not cheap: The carpenter did finish the stuff he was doing last week and the house looks fairly nice now.
Not cheap: My coonhound countersurfed two chicken breasts for dinner last night.
Cheap: Decided to take the train/PATH to the plane next week.
Cheap: Used points for the seats.
@Rose, I like your not cheap/real life bullets (and Kristen's too!). Sometimes I think I have more fails than wins. 🙂
@Sarah C., I didn't even mention the two weeks of GRE tutoring I paid for for my son. The kid who got perfect SAT scores (which he didn't study for) is worried about the GREs. Uh.....OK! But I figured it will give him confidence. Or the cleaning lady coming tomorrow. Or the $1200 brain zapper I bought for anxiety. (OK, it's a medical device called an Alpha Stim. More fun to call it a brain zapper.) Sigh. I did finally finish paying all the lawyer bills for my tenant eviction, so.....yay? God, it's been a year.
@Rose, just added a new word to my vocabulary - "countersurfed."
@Rose, I have a countersurfer dog as well. So far he has only gotten bread. Maybe because I don't leave meat out if I need to step away.
@Ginger Bruce, Smart! I thought I'd left it too high for her. Apparently she can stretch more than I thought. Siiiigh, ha!
@Ginger Bruce, My Irish wolfhound was over 6 feet tall on his hind legs and could really countersurf...my sister, who is a foot shorter than my dog and I, could not reach some of the stuff I put up high to outwit the dog!
So you didn't buy Men's shoes as Converse are Unisex. You just bought a Men's size 8 which are Women's size 10. As a longtime Converse wearer (who now mostly seems to have Vans)
But anyway, here's mine:
1.) Got most of my Christmas shopping completed already. I'm limiting gifts to my wife, daughter and niece and nephews and they already have more toys than any kids could need!
2.) Shopping Pre-Thanksgiving sales. They aren't as good as they once were but I'll take what I can get.
3.) Sent my daughter to school in her hand me down winter coat that she's on her second year of. I wore my heavily mended coat of probably 12-13 years and while it needs a few more tiny repairs, it will get me through another season.
4.) Not turning the heat up during the day, although it is quite cold out. I am just wearing a sweatshirt during the day.
5.) Putting some money in some 1 year CDs. I know someone will chime in with "what about the S&P 500 or index funds or some stuff but for money I'll want access to without brokerage fees or volatility. Taking cash from a sub 1% interest rate to a 4% interest rate works for me.
@Battra92, where are you getting 4% ?
@Anne, Capital One. 1 year CDs at 4%. Ally is currently at 3.75%
1. I used the miso from packaged miso soup to make miso chicken. The flakes will go on rice later.
2. I bought a lot of canned soup on sale+coupon. Good timing - lots of flu going around. Please be careful everyone! The recommendations for covid work for flu as well: get vaccinated, wear a mask in crowded places or if you're not feeling your best, wash your hands and other surfaces frequently, get a lot of sleep, stay hydrated, keep your distance from those who show symptoms.
3. Making rice krispy treats for all the holiday events, since I have several boxes of that cereal.
4. Continued to eat down the pantry & freezer: made KAF's Morning Glory muffins, using up the last batch of frozen grated carrots and apples, and some random applesauce in place of some of the oil. The most time-consuming part of the muffins is grating carrots and apples, so last year I made several batches to have on hand.
5. I simmered a $.68/lb turkey for meat then used the skin, bones, and giblets (except for the liver) for stock. I now have sliced breast, shredded meat, and stock for later and the dog is enjoying the giblets this week.
6. Made laundry detergent using soap from hotels. I take home the bars of soup that I unwrap to save them from the trash can.
7. Continued to drink home-made chocolate milk even though pre-made is tastier and easier.
@WilliamB, are you channeling your mom for #2? Cause it sounds suspiciously like mom advice. 😉
@Bobi, not my mom, that's for sure. She disdained "that sort of thing." I was never able to articulate her surface reasons but I'm pretty sure that the underlying one was emotional. She came from a educated and cultured family but there wasn't a lot of money, to the point that sometimes the electricity was cut off. Fore her, I think frugality meant poverty - you were only frugal if you had to be.
I grew up economically comfortable. For me, frugality means cleverness, less waste, and conserving resources. OTOH, my roomate, who grew up poor and blue collar, still likes being frugal.
@WilliamB, I remembered another one. The magic of the internet found me a $8 Cook's Illustrated subscription. For that price I'll get it for another year.
@WilliamB, I don't think I will ever forget my mom pleading with the electric company about our refrigerator, when they turned off our electric. "There's meat in there....is it all going to spoil?" They allowed us enough electric to run the fridge.
Yep, tears came to my eyes typing that. Meanwhile, I literally had to drive at top speed to get to the electric company to give them cash to avoid a turnoff a few years ago, but I find that actually vaguely amusing now (though I didn't then). I can take the humiliation, but leave my mommy alone.
@WilliamB, I am not good at roasting a turkey (they always turn out dry) so I decided I wouldn't even try anymore. It pains me to pass up $0.49/lb turkey this time of year so I was curious when you said you simmered yours. Can you explain this technique for me? I love giblet gravy and can think of several uses for shredded meat. I may be able to pass the turkey off to my family if I use it in casseroles, etc as they have even told me to stop roasting turkey. And, of course, the stock would be pure gold in these times of inflation.
@Barbara, Try brining it or (my secret for 20+ years) marinate it in buttermilk. Then roast it on a low temp for a long time.
I love turkey personally.
@Barbara, Sure!
Short version: simmer the turkey in water just till the meat is done. Remove meat, store it, and make stock with the carcass.
Long version, for a frozen turkey: Put the frozen bird in a large pot of boiled water, bring back to boiling, then reduce to a bare simmer. Make sure its bubbling just a bit. Cook till the turkey is unfrozen enough to remove the plastic hanger/trusser, the neck, and the giblets. Giblets include liver and liver makes the stock nasty; even if you like liver, liver-flavored stock is not a good idea. Return the bird and the neck to the hot water and kept barely simmering till the meat is done.
Remove bird, strip the meat off the bones (don't forget to strip the frame as well as the main sections) and the skin off the meat. Return bones and skin to the pot. Add your usual flavorings (mine are onion, celery, and peppercorns; no salt!) and cook at a medium simmer till the bones have fallen apart. Strain out the solids then simmer down the stock till it's as condensed as you want it. I keep mine at 3:1 to save freezer space.
Meanwhile, decide what you want to do with the meat. I kept a breast to eat now, another frozen thickly sliced for sandwiches later, and the rest shredded and frozen. Because the meat is simmered at a very low temp, it's hard to overcook it.
Yesterday I learned you can shred meat with the paddle attachment of a standing mixer, just go slow so you don't make mush. It was so much easier then doing it by hand! To freeze the shredded meat, freeze it spread out on a platter, then break it up again before putting in a bag/tupperware/vacuum-sealed. That way you can take out as much as you want instead of having a solid block.
@WilliamB, Thank you for all your help! Sounds so much easier and less stressful. I love the idea of having sandwich meat, shredded turkey and broth to fill the freezer at rock bottom prices. I may even buy 2 turkeys at the sale price!
@WilliamB, my husband was pretty addicted to store-bought chocolate milk, and I found and used a recipe to make a similar cheaper and healthier product! I don’t have the recipe but you could find it online, or experiment- the key was powdered pudding mix! I could use lower-fat milk, on sale, and Aldi has chocolate pudding mix in a sugar-free version.
A couple of things. I love Lisey's hair! Such a pretty, rich shade. Also, I think this is a frugal win: I am in love (not addicted, totally different, ha) with McDonald's frozen mocha frappe. If you have the app on your phone, you can get one for $2 (or $2 off maybe) any day, all day. I think this is a win? I probably wouldn't buy the drink without the coupon, or maybe just a couple a year vs. a couple a month. Pair this with an unsweet tea for hubby for $1 and it's practically a "date". 🙂
The color of the shoes is lovely, Kristen, so I bet they re-sell quickly.
A preface to my FFT this week, I have retired, a bit early, due to the increasing severity of my arthritis. We will have to be exceptionally frugal for the next 18 months, but we have lots of practice at that.
1. Kicked off my first day of retirement on Monday by putting new batteries in both my watches, which had stopped running a couple of weeks ago. Cost was $12.18 and I saved a dollar on the battery bought at Walgreen's by redeeming $1 in rewards.
2. The costs for our electricity, water and sewer are unreal (the three together in summer are almost as much as our house payment used to be). In a bid to lower those, I bought a second clothes drying rack on sale for $21 at the hardware store and filled the racks and the back porch clothesline with drying laundry.
3. Made a crust for a veggie and sausage quiche for my lunches out of crushed rye crackers. It came out rustic but quite nice. This was a case of using what was on hand.
4. Vacuumed two sets of curtains instead of taking them down to launder them.
5. Am having a personal no-spend November, so all discretionary expenses are coming out of pocket money. I have been carrying around most of the same $20 for the month.
@Ruby, congratulations on your retirement, although I wish you had a happier reason for it. And your first post-retirement FFT are awesome.
@Ruby, Good luck to you on this new stage of your life!!!!
@Ruby, best of luck to you in your retirement. I hope it goes more easily than you anticipate.
@Ruby, Happy retirement, Ruby!!
@Ruby, congratulations on your (premature) retirement. I get it with the Arthritis, and am blessed that I was 'forced' to retire 4 years ago for a different and fruitful reason (I was essentially paid to retire so the company I owned would let the 'mother ship' take over my business. I wasn't quite ready, they made it worthwhile). Now that I AM retired and recovered from my research into how to quickly descend into depression and become an alcoholic, and then deeper research into how to become sober and stay that way, I am also becoming aware that at least SOME of that depression/drinking had to do with how much I hurt all the time. Finding ways to soothe the hurt is my current project, and I hate to admit that I need to use it so I don't lose it; this means my body is given opportunities to move every day, even when it complains.
I love your personal no-spend November, I intend to do that in January and the idea of pocket money is perfect - hopefully I will remember that!
1. After a "funny" comment from my son about food hoarding, I am cutting off grocery shopping for the rest of the month. Use it up.
2. I am using supplies from around the house to make 3 new draft dogs.
3. All meals made at home. See #1.
4. Making Christmas gift list from already purchased gifts to see what if anything I still need to buy.
5. No purchases made from kids fundraising efforts. Instead I donated many 3 times.
Sorry about the Converse shoes, because I love that color. I hope they sell.
I can't stand the inconsistent sizing in shoes and clothes. I can wear three sizes of jeans, depending on cut and brand. That shouldn't be possible.
Frugals all-around:
1. I got my own car back from the body shop and they had washed and cleaned it. Since I had been trying to make myself clean it and had failed, and was about to give in to taking it to a car wash and vacuum place across the street from my work, this was a savings.
2. This wasn't frugal for me, but it will be for others, so I am counting it. I donated my DH's electric scooter and rain cover, the carrier-lift for it that goes on the back of a vehicle, the Hoyer person-lift (used with a sling to lift and lower people unable to stand), a manual wheelchair, a rolling walker, two regular walkers, a shower chair, a bedside potty chair, and a portable bed rail, plus a bag of bed pads, to the local senior center. They were overjoyed to get it, and they will donate it to local seniors who need them.
3. Also not my doing, but I benefitted here. My daughter used that school EBT card to get some of the low-carb protein drinks that my husband likes. He has a poor appetite and eats little protein, so these are a big help. They are also incredibly expensive, costing more than Boost and Ensure. She got two 12-packs, which was wonderful.
4. I sewed a stuffed toy for a Christmas gift this past weekend, instead of putting the (sale-priced) materials by to "make later" and then never getting around to it. I'm just getting back into sewing, so I get nervous at projects like this and tend to procrastinate, sometimes forever.
5. My son-in-law kindly painted a room in my house for me this past weekend, and it turns out that my estimate of one quart for the trim paint was accurate. He got the trim all painted and I have a little leftover. I almost went for a gallon, as all the paint was on sale, but didn't, saving me money. Quality paint is pretty expensive these days, even with a sale.
@JD, three cheers for your #2. So good that these things will be going to seniors in need--and that's an ever-increasing group these days.
@A. Marie, Yes, and those things are very expensive, so thank you, JD!
@JD, you have made many people's lives much better with your generosity, and improved their ability to be independent or at least mobile. That's a huge donation and valuable in many ways. The battery alone for my father's scooter is $900.
All,
Thanks so much. Most of that was given to us by the VA, although I bought 2 of the walkers. The big ticket items were all from the VA, though, and were free to us, so it just didn't seem right to sell them for my own profit. The VA doesn't accept them as returns, so I decided donation was the way to go.
@JD, I also applaud you on #2.My FIL who could be described as a spicy curmudgeon was out (before covid) with his “ coffee” crowd. We had discovered Costco hearing aids and audiologists and he had been please with the cost (~$2000.00CDN)and ease of use. Additionally, he had almost 100% coverage from his various health plans.
A few years later he replaced these hearing aids with a new set.Again he regaled his coffee mates with the ease and affordability of these hearing aids. One of his table mates needed hearing aids and asked my FIL if he could have the set he no longer used. My FIL passed them on. How fortuitous. It made me think of “ Never ask, never get”.
@TEG, wow, and I thought hearing aids had to be specifically made for the person, like eyeglasses!
I’ve done that but with a wool shirt! Luckily it fit my husband so it ended up being a win, just not for me.
All about food!
—A friend gave us her leftover Hills Science Diet cat food. Her cats decided they didn’t like it 3/4 through two different 15 lb bags, and ours already eat the very same kind quite happily.
—I had $15 in CVS Extra Bucks, plus the app had a coupon for $6 off a $35 grocery purchase. Thus, for $15 out-of-pocket, I was able to stock the pantry with sale cans of tuna, sale coffee, and sale munchies (multiple bags of nuts, dried fruit, and trail mixes) for my husband’s work lunches. On a different CVS trip, I bought two boxes of Nature Valley granola bars for 66 cents thanks to combining regular coupons and a sale.
--One of the organic grocery stores has a 50% expiration day section. It's naturally hit or miss, but my last trip saw $32 worth of food (a giant tub of salad greens, two loaves of bread, bagels, almond milk ricotta, chocolate milk, eggs) for just $12 thanks to the discount and $4 in store rewards.
--The grocery store I work part time at also discounts day-of items. The butcher did me a solid and further marked down meat from over the weekend (the store is closed on Sunday), taking it from -$1.50 off per package to -$2. I was able to buy seven pounds of burger for $17 after the markdown and my 10% employee discount.
--My husband's work once again bestowed grocery gift cards as part of the guys' holiday bonuses—hello, $50 rainy day food fund! A sweet addendum: I had errands to run and so dropped my husband at work. When I came to pick him up, his boss stopped me to ask if I knew that *I* could get the gift card from the office, as my husband was one of the few who hadn’t retrieved his yet. (He kept forgetting until he was halfway home and had specifically asked me to get the card that same day!) His boss wanted to make sure everyone received their bonuses. <3
I JUST had that same "battle" with Lab Corp. I was being billed $100 for what should have been a "free" covid test. This was the fault of the urgent care center I went to (in March). Their "policy requires" all patients have a negative rapid test prior to being seen (this cost is built in to the "office visit"). Since I had no insurance at that time, I paid the office visit fee in full, OOP. They did not mention sending it out for the PCR test. In August I received a bill from Lab Corp. The urgent care sent it for the PCR test and listed me as the responsible party. I went back and forth with them for 3 months. My very polite reasoning was - I did not request or authorize a PCR. And since they saw me based on the rapid test, sending it out for the PCR was unnecessary. I don't mind paying bills I feel I legitimately owe. But I will fight the good fight if I feel I'm being billed for something unnecessary, or that I did not agree to. They finally contacted Lab Corp and had the responsible party corrected. You really have to review any medical related bills closely.
@sfeather,
Hooray for your win! That was a battle, I know!
Lisey's hair looks so lovely on here.
1) Eating from the freezer. We've done lots of "use it up" meals, and we are seeing a tiny, tiny bit of progress in our packed freezer. The fridge is looking pretty great, which is exciting. Remembered to use a cauliflower crust to make my husband pizza. It was just past the expiration date, but turned out fine. Bonus, also used cheese, sauce & pepperoni that were in the fridge/freezer.
2) Picked lots of pomegranates from our tree. My husband planted it when we moved in, as it gave him childhood memories of the tree his parents had. We all love pomegranate, & it's really expensive, so this is quite a treat. We have maybe 35 on the tree, although some cracked, so we are trying to get them picked as quickly as possible.
3) Gave away a bunch of items in our pantry that we're not going to use. Not frugal for me, but delighted one of our neighbors. And, I'm happy to have things out of the house before they expire, and thrilled now that my pantry is more organized.
4) Found a free Christmas gift for my husband. (Used hotel points to cover two nights at a hotel. He doesn't know that when we fly in for Christmas, my parents will pick up the kids for "Nana & Papa Camp", and we will head to the hotel. We will all join up for the actual holidays.)
5) Bought a few gifts for the kids, using sales, rewards, & rebates. Sold a gift card on Raise.
Lisey's hair really does look lovely! I even thought to myself, "Well maybe I should..." I had aqua hair about 7 years ago, and eventually decided I looked like a crazy old lady rather than the original punk I am. (The high end snooty magazine in which I had a monthly column decided my author photo needed to be B&W, too, which is funny. Lighten up, folks.)
Lisey's hair is ALWAYS changing to different colors! This is a perfect time of life to do this; who knows what the rules will be when she gets a job after she graduates.
@Rose, I experienced the same thing when I dyed my hair pumpkin orange. I envy Lisey...I actually paid a hairdresser to do it for me and then my extremely color blind husband did not even notice the change!
@Lindsey, My daughter dyed half of her hair neon orange. Thing is, it wasn't noticeable as bright orange is her natural color, ha!
1. I made our meals at home.
2. We shoveled everything ourselves after a storm dropped 24 inches of snow. We had to pull out the roof rake and find the vents on the roof.
3. I mended some pants for my kid.
4. I used up some odds and ends from the fridge.
5. I worked on a project using old jeans.
6. We enjoyed free entertainment at home. This was easy because we couldn't leave the house for 2 days and even then only the major roads were cleared.
I love your frugal five, even though it is really only four today. They are little things that prompt me to be on the look out for small savings, which Katy always says adds up. And I love that you, too, are human and make mistakes like the one you did (and I have done many times). Just another reminder to take it slow and be sure. For the hundredth reminder!! Thanks for your post.
Shoes in the wrong size is such a bummer!
My frugal things:
1. Continuing home renovations rather than hiring out. The amount of time it will take to fix my list of things is daunting and the temptation to hire big stuff out keeps pulling at me. We are knocking out little things I when we have short periods of time while we work on big projects. Lately we fixed a drywall hole (and the electrical issues inside the hole). Another layer of mudding and it should be paint ready.
2. Shopped at Aldi for all my meals. Other stores here are so much more expensive that I’m trying to limit my trips to them. So every other week we eat only meals I can find ingredients for at Aldi which barely limits us but is so much cheaper.
3. My snow boots were causing discomfort in one foot, so I ordered two small orthotic pieces to add to the insole to shift where where the boot rubs. $10 fix for a pair of shoes that I will be wearing excessively this winter (10” of snow in the last 24 hours!)
4. Finalized the transfer of my health insurance before going to urgent care so I didn’t have to pay for the visit.
5. Ordered free swatches for window shades from a couple different companies to see what pattern/material I like best before ordering. The shades are a bit more than other window covering options, but for these particular spaces I want something a bit nicer.
1. Yesterday, I made four loaves of bread and a double-batch of meat sauce, extended with enough vegetables to actually be a triple-batch. Phew. I used some leftover roasted pumpkin in the bread, too. I love, love, LOVE my food processor.
2. I filled in our budget spreadsheet for October. It's good to see where our money is going.
3. The store didn't have a package of chicken breasts for roasting, only a whole chicken cut up (which is cheaper by weight, anyway.) Since we can't eat a whole chicken at once, I divided into three: one freezer bag of breasts for roasting, one of thighs/drumsticks for chicken curry,* and the wings separate for soup.
4. Weirdly, medium ground beef is 25% less than lean. I don't mind the extra fat, so I bought what they had and cooked it.
5. Not frugal: To make room for the all the stuff I cooked/baked, I cleared some old freezer-burned frozen veggies out of the fridge. We do reliably use frozen broccoli, squash, and sweetcorn, but that's it.
*https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/chicken-curry/
I love this website! The recipes are delicious. We use coconut milk to make this recipe kosher, and it works great.
I went to a workshop on irrigation (and made my husband come with me) and my husband won a gardening book in the raffle. It is a really helpful book.
We also received free yarrow plants and planted them in containers. (Yarrow spreads like a weed and I have spend hours and hours weeding and I'm not yet sure that I want yarrow everywhere.)
I helped make dinner for the ladies in my Bible study group instead of us all eating at a restaurant. (I spent more than I would have for a restaurant but over all it was much cheaper for them.)
Let's see what I can come up with.....
1. Meals at home. I am already a person who cooks almost all of our meals at home but my having started Weight Watchers last week has driven this home even more. There are just so many more yummy and healthy options when you eat at home & nowadays it is huge money saver.
2. HVAC being turned off quite a bit this past month cut our electric bill by more than half.
3. Shelving installed in our laundry room and last two closets. We used a local company and saved 60%. I call this frugal because this will allow us to keep things better organized which helps us see what we have and use it. Also this project will add to the value of our home if we ever decide to sell.
4. Two turkeys bought for $0.49/lb and two turkey breasts bought for $1.49/lb. Since turkey is a 0 point food on my plan and my family loves it, this is like a double win!
5. Christmas decorations. I pulled out everything that we have and combined two households worth of stuff. I picked up the few items that we needed at Hobby Lobby for 60% off and even though I am not finished yet the house is looking lovely. Listened to free music on Spotify & enjoyed free Prime videos. Made coffee at home. Paid bills on time. Contacted our phone provider and took advantage of a buy two sale to get a discount on two Christmas gifts.
My frugal five are all vacation related because that's why we like to save money. So we can travel!
1. We vacationed during the shoulder season and flew mid week to get lower flight and hotel rates. Some things were closed for the season but getting a private tour since we were the only people booked that day (for cheap via Groupon,) no crowds, and in a few cases got to chat with docents in more depth about the free and inexspensive historical places we visited since they were dead as a door nail. My husband and I love history and felt is was well worth it!
2. I got a discount booking our hotel directly through the hotel's website instead of a travel site. They gave us a free upgrade when we checked in which was a nice surprise!
3. My husband and I flew with a small back pack and carry on luggage each (Tip: pack a capsule wardrobe and laundry soap.) This allowed us to take the subway to and from the airport easily since an Uber from the airport was the cost of a week long subway pass. We walked or used public transportation to go everywhere.
4. We found a Trader Joe's on the way to Whole Foods (the closest grocery store to our hotel) and bought coffee and breakfast items to make in the kitchen of our suite when it fit our schedule. I also bought apples at an outdoor market to carry with us as snacks to tide us over from our late breakfast/brunches to dinner. We didn't plan our meals out this way, it just kinda happened.
5. We really didn't buy much in the way of souvenirs except for books, a small prop for our historical entertainment side hustle, and smashed pennies (silly and useless but I like the retro kitschy vibe.) I'm not against souvenirs, in fact I usually look for unusual things to buy on trips to give as holiday gifts. I just kept seeing the same type of thing in each shop and none of it called to me except a coffee mug that I didn't need but makes me very happy.
Thank you for your blog and thank you to all who comment. I always come away with a smile.
1) I remembered to submit our monthly daycare expenses to my flex plan for reimbursement.
2) When I went to pick up medicine at CVS I got an extra buck in the receipt. I didn't need anything else, so I used it to buy two 50 cent lollipops--one for each kid who behaved very well while we were in the store.
3) Now that the weather has finally turned, I went back through the kids' wardrobes and pulled out anything that doesn't fit anymore. They needed a couple things here and there, so I ordered some things on Thredup. I also took some clothes to my favorite consignment store, and used my balance from my last consignment pile to pick up a few more things for our daughter.
4) I had ordered a couple pair of jeans from Thredup, but someone stole them off my porch when they were delivered. 🙁 So I ordered another pair when I ordered clothes for the kids. And Thredup gave me a refund.
5) I learned to darn socks last week. I think the fact that for most of my life I only wore athletic socks is the only reason I got this far without needing the skill. I started wearing wool socks a couple years ago, and at this point every pair needed a repair. I'm so glad I could save all my socks!
I sell shoes often online and I swear it's so easy to sell them if they are CLEAN! I have seen some sorry shoes listed on ebay and poshmark so I know you'll do just fine selling them for what you paid for them!
As for what I'm doing: well, this is my first time posting in your community so here goes:
I have been shopping from my freezer and pantry and doing my best to use what we have to create meals. I'm striving to be creative just so food (at the bottom of the freezer) doesn't get freezer burn or past it's prime.
I've also been using Ibotta for some cash back stuff and I'm becoming obsessed with saving money!
I also have some free time as my current job is in a lull season so I decided to start blogging. Umm, that is a HUGE learning curve. I'm going to take it slow, learn my way around wordpress and the site host, and give it a whirl. I figured that I love reading lots of lifestyle blogs, why not try my hand at my own?
Oh, that's good to know! I will get 'em nice and clean and then take some nice photos and hope for the best.
Loving the size discussions! I also have a 11y boy with size 11 men's feet.
I changed my "name" on this page a bit because I noticed another Nora.
On to the frugal things:
1 - I sold my first item on ETSY! Happy about this, though I admit it was the item I thought least likely to sell so I only had one when I could have had at least two available. I guess it shows that you never know.
2 - I audited all of the food in our house this week for things that are old. Yes, sometimes that means items that appeared during COVID when grocery shopping was pretty random. Now I'm on a mission to find a meal for all of these things. So far we've had some random pasta nights (ie, multiple kinds of pasta & sauce in the same meal) and used up a bunch of buns that were on the verge of freezer burn.
3 - Twice I've grouped multiple errands to cut down on gas usage. Both groupings included a return and some sale shopping, but they were in different directions.
4 - Caught the last day of sales for winter snow gear. Thankfully we need no boots, but we did need some jackets, snow pants, and gloves.
5 - I carefully put away the fall sports gear and the winter gear that doesn't line up with anyone right now so I can find it when I need the next size for someone. I often "shop" our own hand-me-downs. Boy 5 was given two options for his winter coat; the other will go to his cousin. Though, after COVID, I'm finding we have some gaps, particularly when it comes to dress clothes that weren't needed for a few years.
Frugal Win: After searching for 2 years, was able to find a pair of waterproof work boots on clearance for $57 (saving $52).
Frugal Loss: Paying full price on quality bib rain gear
Frugal Win: Hosted friends for 4 days and ate out of pantry and freezer.
Frugal Win: Picked up free straw bales from local pumpkin patch to use as winter mulch.
Frugal Win: Taking advantage of the high winds to dry loads of laundry.
Frugal Win: lettuce is growing well in greenhouse! And for the thrifted heat mat and the cousin who made sure it was electrically sound.
Thank you @ A. Marie: I love the tea wreaths and plan to make a few for my neighbors to go along with their treats for holiday giving.
I just have a few this time....
1. I sold 3 items on fb marketplace this weekend, getting them out of the house & making a little $.
2. Scanned my store card to use my fuel perks on a fillup, saved me $9.26.
3. I've started some Christmas shopping and am trying to use coupons and rewards towards most purchases. I accidentally chose ship to home on an order that I wanted shipped to the store. I went in to my order email and promptly cancelled it and then repurchased the way I originally intended and saved the $8.95 shipping fee. I also used $15 cash back, plus a $10 off $25 purchase coupon, plus a 20% off total purchase coupon on this order. I also used a 15% off total purchase coupon on another order saving $10.22 off my total.
4. I went thru my fridge to check to see what items needed using up and noticed the abundance of ketchup packets and hot sauce packets in my fridge and emptied them into the bigger bottles we are currently using. Made a little more space in my fridge. Likewise, I opened my lazy susan in my kitchen and noticed that there were 3 opened boxes of penne pasta noodles and combined them all into one box.
5. I've been reminding my kids about food waste and they've been more diligent in taking leftovers for their lunches. I hate throwing food away.
Great deal on the lotion! I hope the sneakers sell!
Here are my frugal wins:
1) Land's End sent me an email for 50% off + free shipping. I got fleece leggings so I can wear them under my pants at work. I can wear kids sizes, so it was even cheaper.
2) One of our houseplants (lemon tree) gets a monthly dose of coffee grounds added to its water to increase growth. It loves acidity.
3) I purchased a 3-in-1 body wash/shampoo/conditioner on clearance. No grabbing different bottles for different tasks.
4) As drafty as our home windows are, replacing them is too costly. I looked into window kits where a hair dryer is used on the plastic to insulate the windows. For 6 windows, the kit is $104 on Amazon. We'll give it a try.
5) A quote to replace our home gutters is good for a year. We'll be getting those done in the Spring.
@lisa, I had very good luck with the window plastic with hair dryers to tighten it. Did not even use the dryer every time. Also, left some up more than one year.
Your price sounds high to me, but that was a long time ago and you might have larger windows. You will certainly feel fewer drafts!
I think Kristen your #5 is not a fail but a “learning experience”. It reminds me of an eBay bid I made on a dress shirt for my husband. I dropped the ball on the sleeve length,way too long. It went into the donation pile of men’s and woman’s clothing for a funeral home that our friend’s daughter worked at. She had mentioned always needing any sort of dress clothes as frequently families and the government burials did not have these items. She said they could alter many items with strategic cutting.
(1) Purchased gift cards using an offer on my main grocery stores app that saved me 10%. Glad I scrolled to the end of their weekly offers page.
(2) Donated plant starts to my favourite thrift shop in recycled/ thrifted pots. These included a cute lemonade cup from the summer fair, a couple of drink cups from the American Hockey League. I find when I donate with pot and saucer that the plants sell faster and for more money for the shop.
(3) Started cuttings so as to be able to donate close to Easter / Mother’s Day. It’s pretty cold here in the winter to transport plants.
(4)Traded yarn with a friend. She knit cat blankets for the humane society and scarves for Christmas hampers. I knit dishcloths for donation.
(5) Decided to look at my pantry and see what ways I could use up items languishing in my holiday baking. Found items like raisins and dates that have made some delicious cookies for Christmas trays.
Yes, I will definitely be careful next time I buy a pair of Converse!
I had a similar "fail" with converse. I found a pair on marketplace for a good price and the right size, grabbed them for my kiddo. Got home and realized that the "style" was slightly different, and they were too small. So I placed them back on marketplace and waited and waited but they finally sold, and the timing was perfect, because the weekend they sold, I found another pair on marketplace, this time the right size and style - so it was even steven!
Too bad about the shoes because the color is cute!
1. I roasted and pureed 5 pumpkins my kids got for running a race recently. It made 1 1/2 gallons of pumpkin puree.
2. Aldi had pumpkin and cinnamon waffles on clearance for $1.80 for 10 waffles. We bought at least 6 boxes for the kids to eat for breakfast.
3. I used kale from my garden, homemade pesto using basil from my garden, homemade sundried tomatoes, and 3 partial boxes of pasta to make my lunch for work.
4. My mother-in-law dropped off clothes for my daughter that will fit her next year.
5. I made homemade salsa to go with tacos this week. I only had to purchase onions to make it. I was able to freeze 4 jars of it too.
Definitely agree with Lisey that purple shoes would be a fabulous pick-me-up! Hope you find some in your size.
This week's frugal things:
(November is proving to be a "do for others" month, so lots of budget stretches in the hospitality/gift department)
1. We had 20+ people over Sunday week and I made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce with lots of fridge/freezer extras thrown in and dolled up a big batch of basic macaroni and cheese. With Aldi pasta it was an extremely inexpensive meal for so many, and we were able to send leftovers home with folks.
2. I organized lunch hospitality for 50 judges during a speech tournament for under $150 by making my own club sandwiches and buying thru Costco, Aldi and even Dollar Tree for all of the other food and supplies. Decor was borrowed from our church and the whole setup was lavish and beautiful. We even had some supplies left over for next month's debate tournament.
3. Last Sunday we had about 45 folks over for bonfire and ATV fun. We provided chili (dried beans and ground beef already on hand), baked potatoes (from Aldi), and hot chocolate (Walmart generic with some extra vanilla and cocoa powder). All the decor was things we already had like 10-cent plastic checked tablecloths. We had a ball, everyone was safe, and yes, I'm tired!
4. This week is drop off time for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, so we're putting ours together. It looks like we'll be able to have enough for about 45 boxes this year, thanks to inexpensive goodies we collected over the last 12 months, like 20-cent balls and 4/$1 stuffed animals. We like to make it one of the primary ways to give and bless, and especially involve our children.
5. Using my $6 electric vinyl cutter (including the vinyl) today on 50 clearance rack wooden stars to make pretty ornament gift tags for Christmas. It's easy and so very satisfying!
A day late, but keeping myself accountable:
I'm doing my annual looking into insurance/utility/phone plans to make sure we are getting the best possible deals. Not fun, but a good habit.
I'm continuing to clean out the basement/attic and either trash, sell or give away. Such a freeing activity. It's taking longer than I want, but I have nothing but time and it needs to be done. I keep repeating, "some is better than none."
I've been keeping my grocery spending at around $65 a week or less on average for the 2 of us. I could go lower, but don't need to, (this includes a little stockpiling also) and I'm pleased that even with inflation, my numbers are less than last year.
Our neighbor gave me a thank you gift of homemade soup for helping on election day. It was enough for 2 dinners and one lunch. Yum.
I walk almost daily for exercise. Free, and clears my mind.
I'm late here too. The week before last I went to South Carolina to visit my sister, brother in law, their granddaughter and their 2 daughters and hubbies.
1. Free flight with my hubbie's frequent flyer miles. He even upgraded me to first class. The flight was 1.5 hours.
2. Stayed at sister's house in her lovely guest room with it's own bathroom.
3. Sis or brother in law cooked two nights. I was able to have a fab meatball on two nights. BIL made spaghetti and meatballs and we had leftovers. The Harris Teeter grocery store has a prime rib meal special on Thursdays for $15.99 each. Sis got some and we went over to neice's house to eat. I had three bites of prime rib and it was delicious.
4. We went to Buc-ees in Florence for a road trip. I coughed the whole time. Friday sis took me to Urgent Care and I had post Covid bronchitis. Got an antibiotic and cough syrup.
5. Sis and brother in law picked me up and brought me back to the airport. Charlotte NC airport is huge! I think it's bigger than Newark Liberty where I flew out of.
I've since gone back to Urgent Care on Monday of this week and now I have pneumonia. Joy. More antibiotics and another cough med. I had to cancel my colonoscopy.