Five Frugal Things -- Punch Up, Not Down
1) I took a couple hours out of my day to donate platelets at The American Red Cross and me being me, I took full advantage of their fortifying snacks. They'll also email a $15 gift card in a week or so, which can be redeemed at one of maybe a hundred corporate retail spots. In the past I've chosen practical grocery gift cards, (Safeway or Kroger/Fred Meyer) but it's always fun to pick something out.
My Red Cross encourages you to help yourself to their sweet treats, which I always accept. I did ask if they were hiding any Nutter Butters in the back and was rewarded with a pair of them. They are truly the superior cookie!
They were still giving away microfiber beach towels, even though that promotion ended at the end of May. I declined though, as we rarely use the thrifted cotton ones we already own!
2) This one isn't my "frugal thing," but I'm including it anyway. My sister scored some of NYC's free Big Apple Compost from a neighbor who grabbed a bag for her.
She doesn't own a car, but she does have a backyard garden. People have a lot of preconceptions about what it's like to live in expensive New York City, but there are almost endless amazing free things that simply don't exist in other areas of the country. (Hello, free museum entry for New Yorkers!) Being able to not own a car is a huge financial advantage!
3) I wasn't trying to buy a Trader Joe's striped mini tote when I stopped by the other day for bananas. (23¢ each, regardless of size!) However, I'm not going to pile on to mock the people who were excited to buy these objectively cute items.
Life is expensive these days and buying the occasional inexpensive practical item as a dopamine boost is A-Ok sometimes. I'm fully aware that some shoppers buy them to resell, but it's likely those people are simply trying to pay their bills. Doing the time consuming work to piece together an income.
The people to be mad at are those who hoard wealth while others suffer. Punch up, not down.
4) My husband and I watched the movie Hot Fuzz through my sister's Prime Video account. This movie is so freaking hilarious and we notice something new every time we put it on for a rewatch.
Pure enjoyment and perfect for me as I was feeling a bit depleted from my earlier platelet donation. Zero guilt that I'm not enriching Schmeff Schmezos with my own person account!
5)
- I wore my free Red Cross sunglasses while driving across town to donate platelets.
- I listened to a free Libby audiobook while in the car.
- My husband and I ate leftovers for dinner.
- I'm halfway through my library book.
- I mended a fitted sheet. Badly.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
I walked with my friend who is slowly recovering from a minor surgery gone wrong and ended up with sepsis.
We drove over to farmstead to pick up our preorders of fresh corn on the cob
I have a facebook marketplace sale pending for pick up
Ordered my return bags from freshie so I can complete my closet reorganizing.
Oh, sepsis is such a scary thing! I'm glad you are supporting your friend.
1. Getting ready to decorate for my son’s grade 8 grad this week. I managed to find a stash of decorations, tape and accessories the school used last year and we are repurposing them for this year.
2. My husband and I went out for a fun dinner at a local restaurant/pub. Their gluten free fish and chips were so good and huge enough the we shared one meal between the two of us. The best part was the major of our city was there so we got to meet and chat with him. I love where we live!
3. With school ending soon, we are having our 14 year old cycle through different chores so he can master them. He has already mastered setting and clearing the table, garbage/recycling, the dishwasher in both loading and emptying and most yard work, so this summer we are going to give him a chance to practice bathrooms, laundry, floors and dusting. Having him be a fully formed human is good for us all!
4. I have been enjoying using my son’s old art supplies! I have some coloring books that I enjoy working through while I listen to music for a podcast. Better than scrolling!
5. We were going to take my dad out for Father’s Day, but they had some nice locally grown steaks at the farmers market so I opted for that instead. Will save us easily $100+!!
Brenda, I so love your #3!
This morning I scored two items off a garage sale free pile and sold one, a medium, classic Lands’ End canvas tote bag, for $5 on FB Marketplace. I could have gone for more, judging from the many responses I got, but I wanted a quick sale. It sold in less than two hours. The second free item was a small lamp, which I paired with another free, new with tags and shade wrapping, small lamp from another free pile two weeks earlier. I offered them to my young adult son. He snapped them up. Free is for me!
Lookin' good in free shades! I just figured out they are red due to Red Cross blood donation. (When I read 'Punch up not down" I thought it was about your platelet donation. When I was a new nurse I started an IV going the wrong way, going down against the systemic blood flow. Amusing how health care personnel may interpret things.)
1. I found a quarter in the drive thru lane at Mickey D's.
2. Found a set of light blue king size sheets in the dumpster. They are presently being washed in HOT water on heavy cycle. These sheets have some elastic tabs on each corner to hold them in place. I have high hopes this will hold them snugly on the bed.
3. Found also 15 Built Bars. I ate one. They are ok. I think I will take remainder to the 12 steppers across the street to sell at their concession stand.
4. Made tea for iced tea at home. For some reason, the iced tea at Panera here tastes off at times. I told the manager & he said it is brewed fresh each day. I just got a Blackberry Hibiscus tea instead w/ My Sip Club.
5. The church across the street is having a shoe donation. I found a pair of Men's New Balance w/ some life left in them. The church says if the collect 1000 pair of shoes they will get a $1000 donation. I'm not sure of the details but thought I would donate these. I also cleaned out some drawers & found some things that can be used as prizes for Bingo at the local senior center.
If you go to estate sales, do not overlook the laundry/cleaning supplies area. Over the past several months, I have scored: five new air freshener sprays, $1 each; a jug of liquid laundry detergent, 1/2 full, for $1; a jug of Tide laundry pods (the expensive kind), more than 1/3 full, for $2.50; and this morning, a jug of Tide liquid laundry detergent, 2/3 full, for $2. All products were current packaging, not old.
Good advice! I always check for towels and bedding at estate sales.
We're still working our way thru laundry detergent and cleaning supplies we grabbed out of the neighbors dumpster when they moved over a year ago.
1. I'm still hanging with dad, who treated my sister and me to dinner last night.
2. In return, I brought dad to do another mystery shop for lunch (which both paid for the food and earned me $15) before visiting my mom.
3. While out, he needed to pick up another prescription at CVS. While there, I noticed a jar of cherry Bonne Maman jam for 75% off, costing just $2.29, so I scooped it up.
4. I signed my mom up for the .99 cent special via Amazon Prime (sorry, I know you hate it, but my parents live in very rural area and are elderly, so it is helpful for them) for both Acorn & BritBox. She is stuck in the nursing home/rehab with a busted knee and cannot walk at all, and she loves all things British, so for $4, it is well worth it (her version of the tote bag!).
5. Tomorrow, my BFF and I will take the T into downtown Boston to see if we can find any stragglers left from the Tartan Army who were in town for the World Cup. Cheaper than getting tickets to see a match.
Re: your #5, Betta: Two Tartan Army members stopped off in my area en route from Toronto (where they landed in North America) to Boston--and made local headlines by scoring back-to-back holes-in-one at an area golf course. Here's the link:
https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2026/06/get-a-kick-out-of-this-world-cup-fans-from-scotland-shoot-an-ace-on-same-hole-at-cny-golf-course.html
Washed and groomed the dog.
Watched a video on using a pull behind fertilizer spreader to spread compost on the grass to conserve water. Will give a go!
Thought I was buying a tower fan, instead it was a tower heater, so I put it in storage to sell in late fall. Doh!
Bought a full bottle of beeswax wood conditioner $1, used it to polish my outdoor maple dining table and cedar chest/firewood box.
Picked my first zucchini. Picked th last sugar pea pods, pulled the plants for the calves.
I scrubbed the 3 suitcases I bought for the CASA kids. It is a necessary horror to quickly move a child out of a dangerous situation, using a garbage bag. It is my goal to give each child a backpack with treats and a carry on size suitcase with a quilt of their own and pillowcase. The older the kids, the bigger the suitcase.
I do so agree that people who are struggling hard to make ends meet should not have to hear they are cheap, or even unethical. The rich are the problem IMHO. Trickle down, indeed.
1. I fixed the hook on one of my bras. I have been struggling with it a long time, couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work. I have even looked to replace the bra, as it's my only black one. I finally examined it closely enough to see that a little piece of metal within the hook that should have been straight was bending down a little. A minute with needle nose pliers fixed that.
2. I resurrected wipes that had completely dried out by placing them in a tight-lidded jar with a little water. Ta da!
3. I ran errands today using free public transit. It was tiring, because it involved a lot of walking, too, but satisfying.
4. I shopped at Goodwill, spending $14 on a perfect Wilton brownie pan, a lap tray that coordinates with one I already have (so two of can eat together), three decks of shrink-wrapped Bicycle cards, a gift bag, and a vintage creamer from Germany which will be a gift for a friend. Nothing to resell this time.
5. I needed a bit of jalapeno for a recipe. I was considering getting a can, but opted for one fresh pepper instead. I'm so glad I did! It was 10¢.