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My friend Katie posted something on her Facebook page about donating blood to the American Red Cross. As a thank you, she’d received a free pair of $25 Goodr brand red sunglasses, which couldn’t have come at a better time, as A) I can’t find my preferred sunglasses and B) I am nothing if not filled with blood. I literally made a same day appointment and was quickly in possession of a pair of quality sunglasses.
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We enjoyed a yummy at-home dinner with both my kids, plus my sister. Nothing too elaborate, as I just set up a simple tostada buffet with black beans cooked in the Instant Pot. Cheap, easy, tasty.
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You already know that I enjoyed many free cookies while at The Red Cross. Plus a few to go.
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I woke up this morning to find the there was no power to the refrigerator, which was not the cheery “good morning” that I expect from my appliances. Luckily it was just matter of pushing the ground fault interrupter button to get her purring again. Crisis (and big expense) averted!
I don’t think I lost any food, although I took it as an opportunity to make homemade chicken broth and soup from two frozen rotisserie chicken carcasses.
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I didn’t gut America’s safety net to provide tax cuts for bloated billionaires.
Five Bloody Frugal Things
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Your #5, so depressing to think about. Happy Independence Day to all the billionaires. Screw everyone else.
1. My daughter has come home for the weekend. She left after work yesterday and arrived late. She was starving. I made her a couple french bread pizzas I bought at Costco with their instant rebate. This was a cheap alternative to take out. I used my airfryer/toaster oven to bake them, so no heating up the house.
2. My daughter brought home some salad greens and blackberries that she didn’t want to go to waste. She also had a salad with her pizza.
3. We watched the first episode of the second season of Yellowjackets on Paramount plus. Neither of us realized the next season was available, so that was a nice surprise.
4. Once it was dark we went outside to enjoy the numerous fireflies. It was a beautiful sight. No fireworks needed here.
5. I went to Costco yesterday to purchase steaks for a family dinner. I split the cost with my mom. I also filled my car with their cheap gas. My mom, sister and I had their $1.50 hot dog and drink for lunch. This is a new discovery for them and they are amazed that you can get all that for $1.50. I have to keep telling them, yes you get a drink with it too, yes it’s just $1.50. Simple pleasures.
Fireflies – not fireworks! Love it!
The freezer of our refrigerator was frosting up for no apparent reason – to the extent that we were talking about purchasing a new one (we have had our not fancy fridge a long time so maybe it was time?). I decided to empty it and defrost it and found that a box was wedged/frozen against a small hole which I had never noticed before (the purpoae of which I have no idea). Apparently that was important because the freezer is running just fine again, it is clean, reorganized and I have a written inventory of its current contents. I consider it a big win.
A friend gave me a huge box of assorted summer bulbs. I finally finished planting them and now see that some plants are emerging.
We are going to a “watch the fireworks” party to night. Rather than make a dessert I am going to make a small charcuterie platter with leftover (unopened) items from a grazing table I put together for a friend’s birthday celebration. I overbought so have items still taking up valuable real estate in the fridge/pantry.
I have donated blood a few times, and received cute socks, a tote bag and was onc offered a tee shirt which I didn’t need and so refused it. But the thing about giving blood is that it is so easy and I feel so good after doing it!
1. I attended a business meeting yesterday morning with other women who are doing all they can to keep their small businesses afloat. We exchanged ideas, words of encouragement and expressions of rage. It didn’t cost us anything and we gained a rise in energy knowing that we aren’t sitting in it alone.
2. I made a creative meal of leftovers and doctored things up to make them appealing to my teenager all over again. No waste for us.
3. I am out of eco bags for the dogs morning walk clean-up. I am now using the stash of grocery bags. I use my own re-useable bags when shopping, but here in FL plastic is still everywhere and they somehow find their way into my home.
4. My teen and I took advantage of the perfect rain shower we had and grounded ourselves. We were soaked, with muddy feet and hands, and felt glorious afterward.
5. $0 spent on the holiday chemical filled noise makers that make the animals and veterans in the area feel panic and dread.
I worked for a newspaper when I lived in Florida. They gave us free subscriptions. Because it rains so much, every single issue was put into a plastic bag by the paperboy before being thrown. I found those plastic newspaper bags made perfect doggie doo bags! They were free and good for the environment, as I was reusing something that otherwise would’ve gone to the landfill empty. By the time I threw ’em away after every walk, they were definitely not empty!
I use the newspaper bags for dog poo as well.
DH was for many years a highly sought after blood donor because he’s never had a virus (CMV) that is devastating to newborn babies. He was given so many t-shirts that I would use the unprinted sections to sew sleep shorts for our son.
My son is highly sought after, too, because he’s O negative, the universal donor. He always shows up at any local blood drive.
Me, I don’t give because I don’t want whatever virus has made me sick for 35 years to pass on to someone else.
1) Not going ANYWHERE today. May not see them because of the trees, but the farm behind us will be shooting off fireworks tonight. Doesn’t bother me whether I see them or not. Although we do have lightning bugs (a.k.a. fireflies), we don’t have them in the quantities we did 50 years ago. I have a painting I did a few years ago at an art studio where they teach you how to paint step-by-step. It has lightning bugs in it. Good enough for me. (Besides, after eating DH’s homemade chili for supper last night and we’re having black bean soup tonight that I rescued from the freezer, we’ll have our oen “fireworks show” tonight without leaving home.)
2) An abundance of eggs for 2 people and a loaf of homemade bread meant French toast and coffee for breakfast. I do splurge on the zero sugar flavored coffee creamer, but try to buy the store brand if it’s in stock. My DH refers to flavored coffee as “sissy coffee,” but we won’t go there this morning.
3) Using the discounted Artisan flat bread, pizza sauce I canned last year, and pepperoni and mozzarella from the freezer for homemade pizza for lunch, and, of course, the black bean soup for supper.
4) Bedsheets, curtains, and clothes getting washed today since it’s one of the few nice days we’ve had lately. Glad I live on top of a hill and don’t need to worry about flooding. I have back issues and, several years ago, my DSIL gave us a small patio table with that platic stuff that is supposed to resemble wicker. It’s in bad shape asthetically as that plastic is off in huge chunks; however, it makes a great place to put my laundry basket so I’m not up and down like a yo-yo all the time. It’s not terribly heavy and we keep it close to our trailer when not in use (so landlord can mow). It’s easy to move, so I can move it as I go down the 150 feet of clothesline we have (3 lines @ 50 feet each).
5) Survived another night without hauling out the AC and putting it in the bedroom. It’s one of those ones that sits in the room and gets vented out the window.
Hurray for blood donors! Both my mom and sister have needed transfusions in recent years, and I’ve been in the hospital with them for their procedures. It was staggering to see that our bold type (we’re all A+, pretty common) wasn’t available. I have been a regular donor since, giving at least 4 pints per year.
You don’t realize the critical need until you see it yourself. I’m also the proud owner of those red Goodr sunglasses! ️
Blood type, not bold type 🙂
Thank you Katy, and everyone, who donated blood. I have been a blood recipient. I’m not eligible to donate having A) Health condition that excluded me and B lived in a place that excludes me.
1. Bought the loss leaders at Safeway.
2. Read library books to my grandson on a video call.
3. Sold a pair of wall sconces on FB marketplace. I had bought them used and tried them out (perfect working order) but didn’t love the look. Sold them for $10 more than I paid for them. A great way to try new decor!
4. Received fresh and frozen plums from a friend. Also will pick and keep plums from her tree while she’s away. This is extra appreciated since we lost our plum tree this year. I have a recipe for plum jam that everyone raves about-the recipe is ordinary but I think it’s the variety of plum here that gives it a special taste. I thought it would be a no-plum-jam year without our tree but now I have plenty of frozen plums with which to make jam!
5. She has taken both of our cars for discount oil changes and free tire rotations. This is done in winter and summer vacations (he’s a teacher). Extends the life of pricey items!
Bloody fun sunglasses!
1. soaked a shower head in vinegar to clean it, then used the leftover vinegar to clean a toilet.
2. nature’s turning up the heat again & the heat’s already coming through our double-paned windows, so it’s a keep the shades/curtains mostly drawn to keep the heat out kinda day
3. micro-savings: repurposed cooking water across three different recipes & (carefully!) walked some of the boiled water out to the driveway to kill weeds
4. filling up the birdbath daily with runoff water from the AC
5. found 6 nearly perfect granny smith apples in the clearance bin for $1.50! Destined to be peeled for cooked apples, it didn’t matter that they weren’t organic. They’re on the stovetop cooking now, before the day gets hotter.
1. So far I love the free Always Discreet pads. Although they are not large, they are mighty. No leaks, even overnight.
2. Was planning on a car wash run today, but it’s raining. Hope it rains enough to really scrub it, so I can defer the wash for a while!
3. Have to use up aging cream cheese today. I had cream cheese and jelly on toast this morning. Later I will make cream cheese cookies and creamy chickpea pasta. I also may add some to leftover fajitas.
4. Since it’s raining, I’ll go walk at the community center, and I think I’ll stay there a while and read. It’s so cool. It’s an official cooling center.
5. The big ugly bill — not unexpected but so sad for our country. Selfishness and greed have overtaken it. When are the people who voted for these monsters going to realize what they’ve done? Rhetorical question.
As to your #5, Beth W., I can only quote Bette Davis in an old movie. “Fasten your seat belts, everyone, it’s going to be a bumpy flight.”
Personally, I am mourning this 4th of July. We’ve had 248 years of democracy and then this. I want to put out a gravestone sign on my lawn: “RIP United States democracy. Born July 4, 1776. Died Jan. 20, 2025.” Or I guess I could put yesterday’s date in place of the latter one. The big bad bill really killed it!
1. Got a free offer for cookie dough from aisle and brought that to the synchro Knox hair gelling party.
2. Volunteers x2 days at the junior Olympics for free entry.
3. Stayed at a hotel with free breakfast.
4. Bought dinner and lunch at Aldi.
5. Haven’t bought any souvenirs.
Supporting my swimmer- priceless
Also saying please and thank you at an event does identify you as a Minnesotan.
Thank you for the reminder to donate blood!
1) My son changed the oil in my work truck for me. Unfortunately, it is still running a bit rough, but he said there are a few other things he can do (spark plugs, cleaning the fuel injectors, and other fiddly stuff that I don’t know much about). Fingers crossed that he saves me an expensive mechanic’s bill!
4) For an oil drain pan, my son used an old scratched up Teflon wok that came with the house and which I refuse to cook with, so it’s been sitting in the utility room until I could be bothered to toss it. He decided we should keep it and declared it the perfect drain pan, due to its size and because the handle made it easy to pour the old oil into a coffee can so he could take it to recycling. So we saved money on a drain pan AND kept a piece useless kitchenware out of the landfill.
3) I planted our front foundation bed, using the free mulch from a few days ago and more free plants rescued from my nursery job — two roses, and a bunch of herbs and perennials. It no longer looks like a devastation zone and I am so relieved! One more destroyed bed to fix up and I am done!
4) Seasonal layoffs are about to begin at the nursery, and I know I will be one of the first let go this year since I began my own business and I cut back my hours. Most didn’t want to work today, so I volunteered to go in for a few hours today for plant maintenance and for that sweet, sweet holiday overtime pay.
5) We’re laying low tonight — a home cookout and watching all the fireworks our neighbors are sure to be shooting off. I made a peach cobbler, using peaches I canned last summer, to top off our feast of hot dogs, watermelon, and potato salad.
Grucci, the big fireworks people, always do a huge show on the beach in front of my house. Unfortunately, I hate fun, so I never bother to watch. I just read inside. See also: parades.
Making brats on the grill over my fire pit tonight. Hitting the beach soon. Life is fairly good.
Rose,
In my part of the US (SW Ohio), the big name in fireworks is Rozzi Fireworks. Every year on Labor Day, there’s a HUGE fireworks show that has synced music to go with it (generally a mix of classic rock, some classical, some country, etc…but mostly classic rock). It’s down on the Cincinnati/Ohio River waterfront, and attracts a zillion or so people every year, plus folks who are in their boats on the river. The show is incredible, but fighting the huge crowds….no thank you. It’s “free”, except for the $$$ you pay for parking, food, etc.
My little town holds a fireworks display every year at a local park on July 3rd (not sure, but might be from Rozzi’s), and our house is situated in such a way that we can watch from our back deck. That’s my kind of fireworks-watching.
1. I left my drying rack outside all winter & 2 of the bars rusted. I covered them with a pool noodle cut in half & split down the middle. Perfect fit. Cost $1.
2. I hung clothes outside twice on the rack.
3. I am picking green beans from my garden almost every day.
4. I finally had a couple of sales on Etsy.
5. Youngest grandson , 16, visited and helped us with so many chores we would have trouble with on our own. He did a wonderful job cleaning out and organizing a shed. All we had to do was feed him, give him money and enjoy his company.