Five Frugal Things — Halloween Potatoes & Little Shop of Horrors!
1) I went to the library website and scored big time. BIG TIME!
I’ve written before about how I check out the library’s Discovery Pass page at 12 A.M. on the first of each month to browse cultural passes. My hope is to just once find theater tickets, which is my pie in the sky dream as they’re rarely offered.
Until last night, when I scored a pair of free tickets to see Little Shop of Horrors at Portland Center Stage.
I love the music from Little Shop and “Suddenly Seymour” is one of my favorite songs to belt while driving alone.
I’m not sure where I’ll be seated, but here are the different tiers and prices.
And then I noticed that the library also released Portland Opera La Traviata tickets!
Those ticket range in price from from $69 to $175, again not sure where I’ll be seated.
I’m about to have a very enjoyable November.
2) I handed out lots of Hi-Chew candy and raw potatoes to last night’s trick-or-treaters, which was terrific fun. So many cuties and their confused delight when presented with such a bizarre choice was worth committing to the bit.
My favorite moments from last night were:
- A preschool age Spider Man who made the most disgusted face when offered a potato.
- A group of middle schoolers who all chose potatoes, while excitedly screaming “potato!”
- A shy Harry Potter who asked if he could take two potatoes.
- A little Disney princess who informed me that “Potatoes are better when they’re cooked.”
Worry not, as everyone who accepted a potato also got a generous handful of candy.
Lastly I visited with a couple neighbors for a candy exchange, which is how I ended up with a few treats to share with my husband.
3) My husband accepted an offer for three free months of Apple One, which includes Apple TV. We were already paying $14.99/month for Apple TV, so this saves us $44.97.
You know . . . as long as we remember to cancel it in time.
4) I picked up a discarded receipt in the Winco parking lot and brought it home to scan into the Fetch app.
Thank you, random stranger who purchased Lea & Perrins!
5) My husband and I watched the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager through the Apple TV subscription. You have to pay extra to get full Paramount+ access, but they make the first episode of each series available for free.
David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount/CBS is a key player in supporting a fascist regime, so I choose to not financially support his endeavors.
I also put the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation on hold at the library, which is the perfect workaround.
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 love Suddenly Seymour!
I don’t have the vocal skills to sing it properly, but that doesn’t stop me!
I am weak from laughing about the little trick or treater who informed you potatoes taste better cooked…. lol.
1. I walked in my neighborhood.
2. I am making turkey chili bean soup in the crockpot again courtesy of Piggly Wiggly grocery shopping. It will be supper for this week along with a pbj sandwich. Simple.
4. Gas was $3.99 gallon…. yikes!
5. I cleaned my chaotic house, well somewhat, and helped my middle disabled son sign up on line for ACA healthcare since open enrollment opened up today.
Uhmmm 3. Was supposed to be a plan a nap today. Idk how I managed to erase that one!
We haven’t seen gas as low as $3.99/gallon in quite a long time here!
Yeah, I was thrilled to get it for $3.99 when I was in Indiana!
I’m still in the middle of the house renovation from H__L but there might be an end in sight. They say probably Wednesday…ha ha. Doing laundry at the clubhouse 2 loads $1.50 each to wash and dry so a total of $6.00, way cheaper than a laundromat (and that’s not even including gas to get to the laundromat). My own washer and dryer are currently in the carport waiting for the laundry room flooring and paint.
I’m on vacation until a week from today. Staycation is frugal, would be more frugal with a usable stove or microwave.
The uhaul truck is going back today.
Sorry about your hellacious renovation, it sounds like you have a lot of juggle right now.
I am so happy to be on vacation even if I’m at home for the rest of the renovation because the combo of work and renovation pretty much did me in (it certainly did my budget in but it is what it is). I know that everything that was done needed to be done but that doesn’t make it any easier to live through. Really really really happy to have clean clothes for probably the next 2-3 weeks
I LOVE Little Shop of Horrors! Congrats on winning those tickets!
1. We no longer eat candy here, and didn’t want to have leftover candy in the house. For various reasons, we have a surplus of individual unsweetened applesauce cups so we decided to give out those, plus we had some extra bags of PUR gum in the pantry.
2. #1 was made possible by the fact that we get maybe 6 kids, tops, each year. Living on a small cul-de-sac, in a neighborhood with no streetlights or sidewalks, has benefits. Fret not, there’s a nearby swanky neighborhood with streetlights and sidewalks so kiddos can get the full benefit of Trick or Treating. One small girl was not very pleased with applesauce, but getting to see our kitty in the window (he is appropriately dressed for Halloween every day) distracted her enough.
3. We decorated for the day with decorations DH found in the garage–we’ve had these for ages–and decided to forego buying a pumpkin to carve, as none of our kids are still in that phase.
4. We recently discontinued our Paramount + subscription, since Criminals Minds is going to be cancelled (and Criminal Minds: Evolution was SUCH a waste, IMO). We have DVDs of all our favorite Star Trek shows already, so we’re set for when our subscription runs out. 😉
Not really frugal as I had to get a new phone and chose an expensive one. Hopefully it will last me as long as my last one, which was 6 years. Let’s hope longer.
I traded in my old phone so I did save $120.00. And we also signed up for 3 months of free Apple TV. I watched A Charlie Brown Halloween last night. I also put a reminder on my calendar to cancel.
Spent the weekend with my daughter and her family. Made sure to stop at the Native gas stations to save 40-50 cents a gallon on gas. Also made sure that we ate most meals at home to save some money. They love to eat out!
Food is waiting for us when we get home so we don’t have to stop, except to pick up the dog. Plus we get a discount when we pay cash at the kennel.
Getting cool and the wood stove will be warming us each morning. Can’t wait.
Worked the early afternoon shift on Halloween Saturday and wore my trusty old T-shirt that says “I’m so scary I don’t need a costume.”
I got off at 5 p.m. but not a single Trick or Treater came to my door, or even to our block. Contented myself with watching streamed reruns of Dark Shadows and Murdoch Mysteries until late at night. This free streaming stuff is really nice!
Ate up leftovers in the fridge. Washed the clothes in cold water and hung on drying racks after a mere 10 minutes on de-wrinkle setting in the dryer.
Set the clocks back an hour and enjoyed not having to go to church so early. Enjoyed the free meal in the fellowship hall.
Right now I’m preparing to go to work and looking forward to getting Halloween chocolates on clearance.
I can get tickets for local productions through our library, too, but as a singleton it’s hard to know if I’ll have someone to go with. So I have hesitated to take tickets, which always come in pairs.
I am curious about the potato thing. Is that a thing I just don’t know about, or is it just your thing, Katy? It’s cute, I like it!
My new fridge was delivered a while ago. I was delighted that it was not covered in shrink wrap, like last time. It is now getting up to speed and soon I’ll start loading it.
I did manage to get through these three and a half days without buying any food. I used the pantry, and the freezer because it was still working, and I had a free lunch at Panera.
Frugal Fails and Wins, Vulcan Neck Pinch Edition:
(1) Frugal fail: For over a week now, I’ve had left-sided neck pain that feels so much like someone’s pinching me that I’ve dubbed it the Vulcan Neck Pinch (in honor of the Star Trek personnel we’ve lost this past week). I have an appointment coming up with my PCP on 11/11, and if this is still going on by then, I’ll ask her for an appropriate referral.
(2) Frugal fail #2: NDN1’s CF and I had a conference on Thursday with the medical and executive directors of her assisted living facility, and it looks as if we may have to move her to a memory care facility sooner than we were all hoping. (CF and I both reported some pretty weird stuff that NDN1’s been doing lately, and the directors are both aware that she’s refusing to bathe, change clothes, etc.) Fortunately, there’s a memory care facility in the same chain just down the road from the assisted living facility, and the directors have promised all possible help with the transition when it has to take place. They’ve also said they’ll keep her through the holiday season and as far into the new year as possible, unless something major happens. But, needless to say, this was not good news.
(3) However, things still appear to be on track for a closing on NDN1’s house in mid- to late November. Thank goodness for small favors–especially as the monthly charge at the memory care facility is twice that at the assisted living facility. The cash from the house sale will be welcome.
(4) In personal frugalities, I made a very good chili (the Pierre Franey turkey chili recipe on NYT Cooking, halved and with a few tweaks) and shared it with the Bestest Neighbors–who brought me back a bottle of 10-year-old tawny port from their recent Road Scholar trip to Portugal.
(5) And despite the neck pinch, I’m hanging laundry on my indoor racks, pulling weeds, and doing all the usual stuff, plus enjoying the 15th day in our series of lovely autumn days.
My two year old granddaughter went trick or treating and at EVERY house exclaimed, “Look I got candy” while literally quivering with delight. She did not let go of her bucket the whole evening. She did not switch hands. Grasped in the same hand the whole time. So cute.
1. Tomorrow I take adult daughter for surgery and she will stay with us for 2 weeks while recovering. I’ve kept my own calendar pretty empty. If I get the chance I’ll make some Christmas cards, do a tiny bit of make ahead food prep for thanksgiving, and list things for sale.
2. Cashier forgot to ring up honey at Wholefoods (I was shopping for my mother). They gave it to me for free.
3. Sold 2 smartwool base layers on Vinted.
4. Helped our daughter move yesterday (yes, same daughter that’s having surgery tomorrow!) and brought home a few small boxes and a lot of bubble wrap and brown paper for packages. My supply was getting low. She saved money by my husband recruiting 4 men to help her move. She paid for snacks, beer and lunch at In n Out as a thank you. She thanked them and the oldest (60ish) replied, “Of course, we are better when we’re in community.” So gracious. And true.
5. Has anyone noticed FB marketplace sales slowing? Mine have been almost non existent.