Five Frugal Things -- Buying More Crap Won't Solve Your Problems!
1) I was able to remove the stain from the Kate Spade cotton tablecloth that I picked up at the Goodwill bins a few weeks ago. I have just one other round tablecloth for when the leaf is out of the dining room table, so I'm happy to add this one to my stash.
The tablecloth came to me with a big ol' stain that I was able to remove through a couple rounds of hydrogen peroxide paste/dish soap/baking soda paste and some vigorous scrubbing. Happy to save this cute piece from the landfill.
I likely paid about a dollar for it.
2) I started reading a library copy of All That Life Can Afford, by Emily Everett. I'm only a few pages in, so I don't know whether or not to recommend it. However, it is a "Reese's Book Club" pick, which is usually a good sign.
It's about a woman to moves to London and experiences a crash course in the wealth divide, but is also described as "Austenian." Sounds like it was written with me in mind.
3) I took propagated fuchsia starts and planted them in a flowerpot I sourced from my late in-laws' storage space. (The glaze is chipping off on one side, but I simply turned that side to the back.) I got the original plants for free from last year's neighborhood cleanup event!
Those fuchsias somehow wintered over, so this is an especially frugal project.
4) A blog reader sent me the above photo from her San Francisco neighborhood, which she thought would be right up my alley. (Yes, it was!) Described as created by "renegade artists," I 100% approve their message!
Buying more crap won't solve your problems!
Maybe I should change the name of the blog to buyingmorecrapwontsolveyourproblems.com!
5) I didn't spend 14.7 million no-bid dollars to paint over a perfectly fine reflecting pool, to just have that paint cause an algae bloom and peel right back up. (In less than two weeks!) Of course, I have more than two brain cells.
Yee haw, America! Duh . . .
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
True confession, I have been very unfrugal lately, but at least all the crap I've bought has been knocking around in my head for months and months. No impulse buys.
I feel so sorry for all those insanely rich guys. They think they can take it with them. They'll never know the sheer joy of "enough." They'll never know that someone loves them just because. And as angry as I am at Trump for oh so many reasons, I feel extra special sorry for him watching this pool fall apart. It's quite the image of his heart.
Katie, have you ever tried using using Fels-Naptha soap and stain remover laundry bar. Keep it by my washing machine and wet it and rub it on the stains. so far it’s pretty much removed everything. I read about it in a book written by the laundry guy. He wrote a book called laundry love, and he talks about washing virtually everything in the washing machine, including silk, wool, and I think even leather. eye-opening.
We don’t belong to Costco, but my neighbor does and she offered to bring me home a five dollar chicken which I said yes please.
This one is frugal for my friend. I’ll be taking her a meal consisting of fabulous chicken that I make, oven roasted potatoes, broccoli from Farmers Market, bread from Farmers Market, and green grapes I got on sale. She had surgery this week and she takes care of her entire household, including her mother with dementia. She is a
also the bread winner for the family.
Our new pool, it looks like it belongs in a resort photo, opens next week. We are able to walk to the pool and use it every day. That’s where I work out daily. Yes all that’s included in our $75 year membership.
Drinking my homemade iced coffee with real maple syrup. I use Trader Joe’s organic medium roast coffee and it’s good enough for me. brew it in a regular coffee maker, nothing fancy.
Got two new pairs of easy spirit shoes that had never been worn before for a dollar each pair. Receive many compliments on my total Thrifted clothes that I wear.
Attending free concerts in the park that we can walk to .
Celebrating Father’s Day by giving my husband a Tommy Hilfiger shirt that I got at the thrift store. I splurged and spent $6.99.
Father’s Day we will take a picnic to one of the parks in town. I will make and pack everything. No need for takeout food.
I love the photo of your dining room! It looks so cozy and nice. Joanna Gaines (Fixer Upper) has nothing on you in regards to vintage styling and home decor. (I'm in Waco, so I should know.)
I have the AC turned to 78 and supplementing with ceiling fans or box fans when necessary. It still feels comfortable inside.
It is Juneteenth, and I will work the closing shift. Pulled out an old blood donor T-shirt featuring the American flag to wear.(Right here in Texas, June 19, 1865, was the day a Union general landed via ship in Galveston and announced the slaves had been freed. It was always a holiday for those of African descent, although others did not observe it. Juneteenth is now celebrated in other states and is a federal holiday.)
I'm eating leftovers today so no grocery store or restaurant visits. Breakfast included coffee brought home from the oral surgeon's office. They always have Keurig coffee bars available and it never fails: as soon as I fix myself a cup of coffee, I get called into the exam room. (Why is that?) But I kept my half-full cup and took it with me, and reheated the fancy flavored coffee this a.m.
Did not pout and act like a little prick when my terrible past behavior caused me not to be invited to the opening of a presidential library.
@Katy, I have a few stained things that need my attention, however spare time is sorely lacking (or energy when I do find a moment!) I love the look of your dining room, so uncluttered. In my dreams!!!!!
1. I got my Grandson for almost a whole day, a lovely change from the past few weeks where my illness kept me away from him. We sun-screened, then were in the garden for several hours – me watering and weeding, him wandering, picking up rocks, playing with the thrifted Tonka truck and his wagon (and a few random buckets – and the hose). We ate some food, then it was time for Duplo in the shade. Eventually a diaper change led to time in Granny's chair reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar – my dulcet tones lulled him to sleep. Apparently daycare is on a break this week, so I'll be getting him for the next couple of days (as much as I can with other commitments).
2. I picked snap peas and broad beans (Fava beans) while down in the garden. GS isn't keen on favas (raw or cooked) but the snap peas were enjoyed during two eating moments – he was only eating the peas inside, which was great for his manual dexterity. I shelled the favas, cooked for 4 min in water, drained then doused with butter and thoroughly enjoyed them. No chianti nor human liver was consumed. (Silence of the Lambs reference)
3. My Daughter Outlaw came to pick up my GS – She stayed for coffee and lots of conversation as he was asleep. She and #1 Son are overwhelmed right now, as her diet is challenging (suddenly gluten free and then ADHD meds causing some food dislikes to rear their ugly heads). #1 Son does much of the shopping and cooking – and the moving target of what she can or wants to eat is causing some friction.
I got out a pad of paper and quizzed her on what she WILL eat; once we got a great list together I used that to quiz her and prod her to come up with more than 7 meals that she thought would appeal – using some of what she knows is in the fridge/garden, or eggs I was sending home, or what is usually on the shopping list.
This whole process was not stressful for her because she had just eaten (a work day that involved team building and lunch) and I was giving her coffee... So unlike the usual 'what are we going to eat??' 5:30 pressure, it was just the two of us exploring her food challenges and coming up with some plans.
She went away feeling really hopeful, and thinking that this might be something she and I could do again in a couple of weeks. I trust that a few sessions of exploring possibilities will give them a good 20 or so realistic and tasty meals that they can pick and choose from. Sometimes we just need a friend to walk us through our own thoughts to discover where we are needing some decisions to be made.
4. I get to have a colonoscopy in August – whoot. (not, but...) I have already contacted my Thrift Store Buddy to ask if she will be my driver – of course, I hope we don't start at 7 AM, but she is an early bird and it is our local hospital so less of an ask than the last time she drove me for an "orifice visit". This is just exploratory and follow up, as suggested after the last one several years ago.
I tell you, though, after 60 the wheels seem to need regular attention or they all start to fall off!
5. Another GS day – this time I picked him up after my gym workout with my trainer. She is taking several weeks off for carpal tunnel surgery and I think we did all the workouts I will be missing – or at least my body was telling me we did! GS fell asleep on the way home, as planned/expected, and I was able to transport him inside – I put him into the bassinet part of his stroller (curb found) but he clearly is far too big for that, so it was an awkward sleep for him – still, he slept for two hours. During his downtime, since I had to be inside, I *HLDIATed the kitchen table (which has been a dumpster fire for at least 6 weeks). Took an hour and 15 min, however I was also running to the field to switch watering systems, moving multiple loads from the top of the basement stairs down to where they were supposed to be, emptying and then filling the dishwasher, recycling, moving paperwork into my office, books to the living room, and seeds back in the general direction of their storage. I was already a sweaty mess from the gym, the table cleaning was a physical workout that kept my heart rate up and a 'dew rag' frequently applied. I replaced the old tablecloth with a new one, and called it a day.
Thrift Store Buddy came over after GS woke up from his nap, bringing me a colleciton of finds, which are now stewn on the once-cleared table (sob). At least I got photos prior to the new application of 'stuff'. GS and TSB ended up spending a lot of time together outside, which gave me the grace to get some watering and planting done, and gave her some much missed time with a delightful young man..
6. GS ate a lot of my (IP cooked) plain garbanzo beans, a first for this foodstuff. He likes hummus, but nobody had thought to offer him plain beans. He is small for his age (thriving, just small), and not really interested in many foods, so anything new (and healthy) that he enjoys is a win.
I kept him quite late in the evening, and then took him home. Eventually I got him to sleep (took ages, but my dulcet tones telling him the boring story of our day finally put him out). His parents were having a date night, seeing the latest Spielberg movie, so didn't get home until after 10. I was ready to come home and collapse after an even busier than usual day!
*How Long Does It Actually Take?
The pot with the fueschia in it looks great. I also love the sign about buying not solving any problems. In fact, it easily creates more, both for the planet and people's wallets.
1. I cut DH's hair with the buzzer.
2. I went to a free movie at the library last night about our town's mills and millworkers in the 50s and 60s. The producers, in collaboration with a local college, interviewed several former millworkers who labored in the mills under hard and sometimes dangerous conditions. Interesting and informative for me as I did not grow up here.
3. While at the library I picked up a book I had on hold. Gas is still over $4 a gallon around here so I always try to batch errands.
4. I'm happy to say the furniture shaver I purchased works much better than I anticipated. The depilled material looks 95% better. Now if I could just figure out a way to get rid of the shredded corners thanks to Bear, my cat...
5. My longtime friend from childhood invited me to July 3rd and 4th at the family's camp on a lake. All she asked me to bring is a crockpot of baked beans and a dessert as she is expecting a lot of people. Not much traveling involved as the lake is about 11 miles from my house.
1. My internet service was switched over to Astound yesterday, and this morning I went to the Xfinity store, with the modem and cable box, and cancelled service with them. I have been dreading this for a long time, having heard that it's torture to break up with Xfinity. But it was no problem at all. I guess when you're already hooked up with a new service, they don't try to talk you out of it.
2. I went to Aldi and bought just a few things -- creamer, butter, cheese, grapes, spinach, chickpeas, frozen corn, yogurt. And I found three receipts.
3. Because it's Juneteenth, I didn't get quarters or pick up my library book, because the bank and the community center were closed. I'll do those things tomorrow. But also because it is Juneteenth, I didn't have to pay for parking when I went to the Xfinity store, which is downtown.
4. My grandson used my car last night, and texted me after dropping it off because he'd left a receipt in it, which he needed for a return. I of course told him I would not throw it away, but I did scan it to Fetch.
5. Today I'm wearing a top that was in my sister's load of clothes to sell on eBay. Keeping what I can use is my payment for doing that for her. I've only kept a few things that are the right fit and style, but it's nice to have something "new.'