Five Frugal Things — Apples & Ballots
1) My husband and I filled out our ballots, which I’ll drop at the county library this afternoon. Oregon has been holding 100% mail-in elections since 1998 and the county provides convenient drop off locations throughout the city. Every single library also serves as a secure ballot drop box:
The above photo is from 2024, so you’ll notice that the dates are off.
My recently remodeled library even provides a dedicated ballot box!
Of course you can mail in a “mail-in” ballot, but I’d only do that if I was voting at least a week in advance.
Imagine . . . policy that works to ease the voting process instead of suppressing it! Crazy.
2) I treated myself to a fancy brunch that included a Franz Bakery Outlet bagel, ($1/sleeve) half an avocado, eggs and bulk purchased “everything but the bagel” seasoning from the Winco bins.
It’s like going to a restaurant, only better as I get to sit on my couch under a cozy blanket.
3) I then soaked and peeled the avocado pit to propagate a new avocado plant. I’ve done this a few times in the past and although Portland doesn’t have the weather to grow avocado trees, they’re still nice house plants and hope springs eternal.
I get a lot of compliments on my avocado plants.
4) My friend Lise and I took a nice long walk to an area “Mug Library” to drop off a mug she no longer wanted. Hers is the diner mug that says “Never.”
5) I picked up a half dozen or so bruised sidewalk apples to transform into a small apple crisp. Hopefully the Blazers basketball team lead at halftime tonight, so I can score a free pint of Fred Meyer vanilla ice cream.
Like so:
I walked Lise to her house and she noticed that her tree still had two unpicked apples, so we each took one. I’ll enjoy mine with Tillamook cheese for my after school afternoon snack!
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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I missed commenting on the cheapest lady post. I would also like cheap not to have a negative connotation. Mean and miserly ware different. I’d like cheap to remain in the “prudent” category.
I have sheets washed (cold) and hanging on the line in the sun. I have the doors open and the window fan blowing in. The house was 60, now it’s 63. I have a cardigan and a scarf on. I’ll go outside as well, where it is 65.
Made soup with the homemade chicken broth, homegrown frozen green beans, homegrown and dehydrated kale, homegrown/homemade tomato sauce, bought potatoes and carrots and a can of lentils (I usually like white beans in my soup but I was out of home-cooked/frozen beans and also out of canned beans). Dh ate his soup with the leftover freebie baguette.
Walked at the lake with a friend and then dropped yesterday’s Vinted sale at the FedEx store and used QR code for them to print the label.
I sold a craft project vase of my daughter’s (she was getting rid of it) on fb marketplace yesterday. One never knows what will sell!
Filed a complaint and submitted the receipts needed for reimbursement. I experienced an injury by a doctor. So far I’m working within the healthcare entity’s complaint system. I will take further action if I do not receive sufficient help. It is an unpleasant situation and reimbursement of the extra costs associated with the injury would help.
1. I took my car in for it’s last free maintenance that came with purchase. They washed my car for me too.
2. I took my mom along to the dealership and we both enjoyed a free can of diet coke and a bag of chips. I saved the chips for my daughter’s next visit.
3. We stopped at an estate sale that was close by. I purchased a rust remover toilet bowl tablet but nothing else. My mom found a beautiful sweater.
4. We also stopped into the market that’s in the same area for a few things and sampled the free coffee they provide. I also took a few boxes that they were throwing away to use for Ebay.
5. We then stopped at the nursery that’s on the way home and my mom purchased an aster for her garden that was 30% off.
1) I roasted two acorn squash, I’ll make soup and a loaf of bread with the puree.
2) My son outgrew some clothes, I offered them to my friend whose son is 2 years younger and she happily accepted. He’s been wearing my son’s hand me downs since he was a baby. They are older now but it helps that they have similar interests and preferences (long sleeves over short).
3) I also dropped off my ballot in the ballot box in front of our city hall.
4) Hosting a few people on Halloween, and there was so much leftover food from my book club last week that I don’t need to buy any additional food, I can serve the book club snacks on Halloween.
5) My son wanted to be something from a video game he plays for Halloween, it’s not a very popular game so you can’t just purchase it. I’m not much for making costumes but it did save a lot of money and it was good to challenge myself to do something I wouldn’t normally do, it only involved needing to purchase a box ($2.99), we already had some spray paint and other paint in the right colors.
One of my most favorite dumpster dives was rescuing ancient ballot collection cubes made out of aluminum. I use them as side tables in my barn office. They hold quilts and pillows.
I miss getting a sticker.
I wish you lived closer to me, you would never have to buy another apple or plum.
Mom is having an off day so we are delaying our shopping trip. Make due is in full effect!
My avocado trees are planted on the south side of the home. We rigged solar powered lamps to keep them warm and we built portable greenhouse panels to house them in the winter. They produced 4 small avocados last year between the 3 trees. I have a pineapple, coffee plant, lime tree and Meyer lemon in the greenhouse…the pineapple was the size of a mango.
Picked the last of the zucchini and tomatillos as we are expecting a killing freeze tomorrow night.
Will pick the last of the dahlias, snap dragons and roses.
Crossing my fingers for you to win ice cream!
Sad to hear of the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart.
What an admirable person!
So many years enjoying his talent. I often use his “make it so” quote. But one of my favorites is “We have powerful tools: Openness, optimism and the spirit of curiosity”.
RIP Sir Pat. Adieu to the sexiest bald man in the universe.
I’m applying frugal thinking to campaign mailings. The incumbent mailing we received today said he supported immigrant policies I do not; claims to have done something about utility company oversight that made no sense; and supports election supervision.
As there is essentially no evidence of election fraud, putting in more hoops for election officials to jump through is merely wasted money, addressing a problem that doesn’t really exist.