Five Frugal Things -- Baby's First Birkenstocks
1) I helped my mother clear off a table and brought home a couple items to share in my little free library. Specifically some postcards, a necklace and a handful of prayer flags. I'm sure they'll be gone by tomorrow.
2) I'm on the lookout for a quality white cotton fitted sheet to replace a LL Bean one that tore. This is the second one of theirs that basically disintegrated after a couple years of use, which is extra frustrating as the sheet set was a gift and rather expensive. I got the company to replace the first sheet, but give up at this point.
I did mend the rip when it was small, but that lasted maybe a night or two and you can see that the rip is now beyond repair.
Of course this led me to Goodwill. There was one 100% cotton queen fitted sheet, but I didn't buy it as it felt cheap. I'll continue to thrift for a replacement sheet until I find precisely what I'm looking for. Overmanufacture of consumer goods means that every thrift store has racks of used sheets, so I know I'll eventually find a quality replacement.
I'm spectacularly finicky about my belongings, but am somehow always able to find what I need from Goodwill.
I walked out empty handed, although I stopped to snap a photo of this pair of bronze "baby's first shoes," as they're usually antique. This pair is made from a pair of toddler Birkenstocks, which I thought was pretty funny.
Certainly not antique!
3) Our printer has some kind of hardware error message and neither my husband nor I have taken the time to fully research the issue. I mainly use our printer for eBay labels, which is only an issue a couple times per week. (If I'm lucky, as I haven't been listing lately.) More eBay listings = more eBay sales!
My friend Lise offered up her printer, so I stopped by her house and she printed out a label for me.
I'm crossing my fingers that it's a straightforward issue. This printer has otherwise operated perfectly and works just fine with the knockoff ink cartridges that I buy off the internet.
4) I haven't bought any fireworks, then again I pretty much never do and have only bought a couple boxes of sparklers. Ever. I saw someone mentioning it as a "recession indicator" that they hadn't heard many fireworks in this week leading up to the Fourth of July.
I realized that I've only heard a couple of loud "pops," when I normally hear a lot of them this time of year. Officially they're illegal in Portland, but that normally doesn't stop Oregonians from crossing the bridge into Washington to stock up for the holiday.
Now I'm going to pay extra attention to whether there seem to be fewer home firework displays on Saturday.
Recession indicators -- they're everywhere!
5) I ran a number of errands for my mother, which I was able to do in a satisfyingly linear route. Not only did this save me money on gasoline, but it drove me past Trader Joe's and I was able to run in for romaine hearts and bananas.
Apparently enough people buy bananas at Trader Joe's to turn it into a joke for their parking signage.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Come to think of it, I haven't heard any fireworks. However, I think it might be as much a heat indicator as a recession indicator.
Supposedly it's cooler today, but the humidity is so high it doesn't really matter. I ran errands this morning, and it was very uncomfortable. I drove and did as little walking as I could.
Another storm just rolled through, so maybe that will help.
We had another plea to limit electricity usage today. I have the air and the lights off. I'm surviving.
My errands today included the library (returned one book, picked up two holds), the post office (dropped off three eBay packages), Aldi (bought blueberries, pie crust, biscuits, creamer, and sourdough bread). I also got an extra receipt and I found a penny. My last stop was Home Depot, where I bought packing tape. My route made a nice big circle.
I found a like-new sweatshirt in the park that had gotten soaked from last night's storm. I'll wash it and return it. At least I saved from getting soaked yet again.
1. I walked an hour starting at 5:30 am in my neighborhood this morning for exercise .
2. We still have a heat index hovering around 110 and I finally caved and turned the air on at 2 pm. I did last with windows up and a fan though until then.
3. After walking this morning, I made potato salad.
4. I hand washed my comforter in the bathtub and hung it outside in my front yard to dry. It is so hot it dried fast. I also washed my winter Snoopy blanket my son gave me
for Christmas. It is heavy and that thing is dry also. So So hot.
5. I am starting to read a book from the Free Little Library in the park at the University of town. John Sandford is the author. Wicked Prey is the name of the hardback book. It still feels weird to occasionally read a book that is not case law or a brief.
I'm so sorry for those of you who are enduring excessive heat. Having lived in a place that regularly reaches 110 degrees in the summer, I very much know how it feels. And life has to be totally organized around it.
For some unknown reason my ex roommate once bought two 25 pound boxes of dried beans and a huge amount of grocery store dried beans in bags. I think she'd decided to be a pepper or something. But we could not have eaten all those beans in 100 years. TV news had a story about some local folks collecting food and medicine for Venezuela so I took all of Madam Pig-Tricia's beans and other nonperishable foods I'll never eat to their collection place. Decluttered her half of the pantry, supported a good cause, and got rid of items that trigger bad memories. Hopefully it will feed hungry earthquake survivors.
Last night I got gas at HEB for $2.99 a gallon... right before a holiday weekend, no less!
My frugals are all about Buy Nothing.
1. Regifted eight IKEA containers. I used them for close to two years before reorganizing the linen closet. Was thrilled to give them to a teacher.
2. Gave away two very well-loved cookie sheets that were too large for our wall oven. One was a bridal shower gift from almost 45 years ago. Recipient said she didn't care how used they were as she covers them with parchment paper.
3. Fulfilled someone's request for foil loaf pans.
4. Requested and received an expanding file folder for our winter travels.
5. Received a maxi skirt. Not sure if I'm going to keep or regift it. To wear it in public, I'd need SPANX shapewear or something and that's not gonna happen.
I went to the expensive grocery store and bought only the few items it sells that Food Lion (way cheaper) does not.
We lost electric power in a storm for a half hour this afternoon, which led to me pulling out the Dollar Tree "saint" candles -- the kind in a tall glass container -- and lighting them. Mainly needed the light so that our nervous old dog would calm down. The storm turned the sky black and dropped the outside temp by 20 degrees in just a few minutes.
Early this morning I pulled up all the green onions in the container garden and processed them for freezing. Got several cups of chopped onions.
Reading a free book (The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally) about two Australian sisters who volunteer as nurses in WWI. It's very good.
There are lots of sheets at Goodwill, but a lot of them are microfiber, which is awful. You’re right to be picky! Hopefully, people have stopped buying microfiber and it will work its way through the thrifts.
My printer is a laser printer. No ink! It’s cheap to operate, and I bought it at an estate sale.
1. I went shopping at Winco.
2. I found receipts in the Winco parking lot that were worth 2,500 fetch points.
3. I won’t need to buy produce for the rest of the summer because I have a garden and access to fruit trees.
4. I wandered out to my garden this morning, in my pajamas, and harvested some blueberries to go on top of my yogurt. (Living the PNW dream!)
5. I had “Christmas tea” with breakfast this morning. This is spiced tea that was marked down 75% after Christmas. It tastes just fine in July!
Is it your GW Bins that that kid found that Kareem Abdul Jabbar jacket from the 70s worth 100s of thousands??
My 12 yr old printer also bit the dust this week. Need it for non ebay reasons. Katy, I wish for you to find a label printer at the thrift so you no longer have to buy ink. I have both and love my label printer for my ebay labels. Also, do you save your spent ink cartridges and list them on ebay? They sell!
For years my town holds a concert and fireworks half a mile from me. We normally walk up and sit by the side of the road but my town opened a very expensive and new Town Center so fireworks are no longer in walking distance. We wont be driving and dealing with all the parking. Sad.
Good luck with your sheet hunt. I've had no luck with fitted sheets at the the thrift stores near me - the elastic is always worn out. I've had better luck at estate sales.
My county library system offers $20 of free printing each month per member. It is 0.10 for a black & white page and 0.20 for color. Wow, 100 color pages printed for free! Katy- I hope yours does as well.
I will also watch how many fireworks there are around here.
1. We received a box of individually bagged chips from Buy Nothing. I gave a child's book.
2. I rode my bike to get cherries, avocados and corn on sale at Safeway. And I came out with those exact 3 things.
3. I traced the pattern for the one item I wanted in a book of sewing patterns my mother is getting rid of. I then listed the book on Fb marketplace and ebay.
4. We deep watered our garden with rain barrel water. We drop a small pump with a hose attached into the 55 gallon barrel and then I water as usual with the hose.
5. I'm wearing a Life is Good tshirt that my mum was getting rid of.
Katy, The Company Store has a sale on right now. The prices are higher there, but the quality is so good. Or The Vermont Country Store is another option.