Five Frugal Things -- I Sold Two Items for the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge!
1. I sold two Goodwill bin items for my $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge!
- The "Spot The Dog" stuffed animal. Only a $15 sale, and $11.67 after eBay fees. However, that's more than the $9.21 I spent that day for four items. (North Face coat, coffee grinder, LeSportsac purse and the plush.) This means everything else that sells from this bins haul will be pure profit!
Click HERE to see the eBay listing.
- The Oakiwear kids' rainsuit, which I also picked up at the bins, as it was lightweight and sells new for $90. (The sweet spot when you pay by the pound!) I took an offer at $28 and I earned $27.85 after eBay fees. I accidentally earned a few extra bucks on shipping, which I don't fret about as it balances out when I accidentally undercharge on shipping.
Click HERE to see the eBay listing.
Total profit thus far is $91.25, which will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank in one lump sum at the end of the challenge. The gift card still has a balance of $63.14 and I currently have six challenge items listed just waiting for buyers.
Today is Goodwill's 10%-off senior discount day, (you only have to be 55!) so I might stop into a standard store en route to my free haircut.
2. I helped my mother organize an area of her bedroom and came home with a book for my little free library and a couple nice pieces of bubble wrap to set aside for eBay shipping.
3. I also brought home a couple pairs of socks to darn. They're hand knit by my sister and worth the effort to keep in circulation.
4. I stopped into Dollar Tree to pick up AA batteries for my TV remote control and noticed that:
A) There were only seven batteries in the pack, which was disguised by clever packaging.
B) The price had increased from $1.25 to $1.50.
Still a bargain, but interesting to track.
5. I shipped both eBay items in inside out Amazon bubble mailers.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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This blog post includes eBay referral links.
I recently resisted buying 4 pairs of nwt Eddie Bauer slacks for $80
I have a dozen pairs of slacks (business casual) in my closet. I only work 4 days a week
I returned a dress as it would have been #10 in my closet
I again decided not to purchase another pair of shoes..I have at least 2 dozen from sandals to sneakers
I continue to pack a very boring snack/drink for my 3 hour shift at work
Boring is often what gets you ahead financially.
1) Requested free USPS package pickup for my recent eBay sale vs running the errand to drop it off. Saves time mostly.
2) DH successfully repaired our washing machine, using a part he bought + YouTube videos. He is not, I repeat, not an appliance repair person, but loves a challenge & his mind just must work that way. So far in the past few weeks, he's successfully repaired our dryer (both washer & dryer are really old), washer, the dishwasher (newish, but a lemon & he's repaired multiple parts of it) & the refrigerator ice maker. I'm so impressed with him being willing to experiment & learn new things to make our appliances last longer & keep them out of the landfill.
3) Made a delicious chicken Dijon dish last night, and finally used the last of the heavy cream leftover from DS18's NY dinner party with friends.
4) DH deseeded the last few pomegranates, which made an excellent & healthy snack for me + DS19.
5) I'm continuing to eat things from the pantry & fridge for lunch, including the chicken noodle soup that I made over the weekend using a rotisserie chicken & the last of a bag of carrots.
1. I made the most terrible veggie pie concoction but my husband and I ate it for two nights and it's finished. It was very cheap.
2. Bought sausages on flash food app.
3. Occasionally the culinary department at the high school where my husband works sends out an email saying there is food available. Yesterday there was delicious chicken chili with a lot of meat and my husband went down and got a huge bowl full. He ate it for his lunch and saved the leftover baked potatoes he had taken for his lunch to eat today instead.
4. We each picked up a cup of coffee from the car dealership. Dh saved it to drink this morning. I am not a coffee drinker.
5. I saved the bubble wrap and the packing tape from an Etsy purchase that I'd made. Packing tape comes off bubble wrap so easily. I have hanging from the edge of a table. Hopefully I make an eBay sale soon and can use it. I have been good about listing on eBay everyday.
I’m so impressed with your gift card challenge.
My computer, which was on the blink, has suddenly started working again! I have no idea why, but I'll take the win. Glad to be able to read your posts again.
-- I just ordered a double curtain rod so that I can (finally!) replace the old insulated curtains with the thin ones that match my new bedspread + some insulated liners. They were supposed to fit on a single curtain rod, but didn't. So we'll try again. I ordered via Walmart instead of somewhere more expensive; after all, the curtains and bedspread are from Temu. But the liners are from Penney's; they should've worked better.
-- Last week, I somehow threw my back out, and I'm really hurting on one side. (Missed 2 shifts at work, I'm so much in pain.) I'm using some samples of Bengay-type ointment I got free at the store to try and treat it. Also, OTC pills purchased via Medicare Advantage card, so no out-of-pocket payments on that.
-- Went to the chiropractor yesterday and used my Medicare Advantage benefit. Only had to pay $15 instead of $99. I'll have another appt tomorrow.
--Got some books, some real "keepers", from Little Free Library. I reuse the printed name badge stickers from church as labels (aka "book plates" if you're in to antique terminology).
-- Used one of the thrifted greeting cards I've bought and collected to send a birthday card to a little girl from church. She's gone off to boarding school this year, and I like to send her surprises. I think I paid either a dime or a quarter for her card. Enclosed 2 of those cute little writing tablets sent from St. Jude's Children's Hospital; they're small enough to easily fit inside the envelope. So my biggest expense was the "forever" postage stamp, bought long before its price went up. Hallmark has nothing on me! No way I'm going to pay their high prices for greeting cards.