Five Frugal Things -- Sumo Wrestlers & a Tidbit Dinner
1) I had a late afternoon snack, so I wasn't really in the mood for a full and proper dinner. Instead I assembled what I'm calling a "tidbit dinner" from what I had on hand.
This includes leftover Carr water crackers from our recent beach trip, thinly sliced Tillamook cheddar cheese, Trader Joe's hummus and tiny crisp pickles to add a bit of zing.
My sister and I ate a lot of meals like this growing up, as our father grew up in a Jewish Pittsburgh family where quality deli food was always on hand. 1960's-1970s Portland was a symphony in blandness, but he eventually figured out where to source the foods he grew up with. He'd buy salami and Jarlsberg cheese at a small deli inside the Meier & Frank department store and cut thin slices for "salami and cheese rollups" for us girls.
Sadly I had no salami.
2) What you see in the background is an Antiques Roadshow YouTube video titled "Six-Figure Dumpster Dive: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's Top Trash to Treasure Finds" so you know I haven't gone off brand!
Sadly, this video only featured three Roadshow finds, as you know I'd watch an hour long video on this subject.
3) I went for an evening walk through the neighborhood and encountered a few free items up for offer. Like the above box of free kid stuff, which I rummaged through but left in place.
Or these two armchairs. The velvet one on the left was pretty cool, but someone had sliced lengths along the back. Again, I left them behind.
This person set out a pair of items and I was 49% on team "bring home the kid's rolling backpack," but I decided I should give a family with kids the chance to bring it home.
4) Did I bring anything home? Yes! The single sumo wrestler mug on the top left, as A) It was cute, and B) similar ones actually sell for a decent amount on eBay!
Here's one for $43.50:
I've added three or four mugs to this Little Free Mug Library in the past, so I felt no guilt bringing one home to sell.
5) I sold the B. Kliban pillowcase that bought at the Goodwill bins when it was all stained, with an completely undone hem. I removed the stains, hand stitched the hem back in place and put it back into the hands of a collector.
A reminder of how it looked:
And how she looked after her makeover:
The Oregon Food Bank will now have an additional $14.37 towards feeding people in need.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
I love a good snacky dinner. And the Kliban pillowcase turned out so nice!
I took my husband to the grocery store this morning to pick out healthy food he will eat, as it's not frugal to feed the trash can when he refuses to eat something. Did the trick of washing the berries in a bowl of water with a tablespoon of cider vinegar added to keep them from getting moldy.
The store had chicken drumsticks and pork loin on sale, so that's what we bought. I cut the pork loin in half and wrapped one half to freeze as a roast and cut the other up into bite-size pieces to make stir- fry.
Took a basket of stuff by the not-for-profit thrift store.
My great grandma Jones would do suppers kinda like that, so we call them Jones suppers now.
1. I got books, dvds and even a seed packet from the library.
2. I hitched a ride with my husband and shopped at Aldi, Restore and Goodwill.
3. I got some free plant cuttings.
4. I'm harvesting zucchini and yellow squash.
5. I got some thyme and rosemary cuttings from my mother in law
https://practicalwalk.com/2026/06/02/frugal-five-mostly-garden-related/