- My son picked up his loaner cap and gown from the counseling office at his high school. I was telling a co-worker about this savings/zero waste hack, and was asked how much it would have cost to have simply bought the cap and gown. I was unsure, since I never even considered buying one, so I asked a different co-worker how much she’d just paid for her son’s. Her answer was $200, as she opted for the package which included graduation announcements and a commemorative T-shirt. This reminded me to put a request on my son’s school’s Facebook page asking parents to donate their caps and gown back to the school for future graduates.
- I agreed to work 4th of July as a favor for a friend, which will give me three 12-hour hospital shifts in a row. I normally only work two shifts per week, so this is a huge aberration for me. However, it’ll be nice to get the enormous paycheck when it comes time to start writing double college tuition checks this fall. (Plus, my friend was desperate for someone to cover her shift which was in the middle of otherwise approved vacation days.)
- I stopped at The Grocery Outlet last night, as I was in the neighborhood after dropping my son at indoor soccer. I was in a weirdly pissed off mood and ended up buying a lot of junk. However, the store’s so cheap that the financial aftermath was minimal. Needless to say, my husband was baffled by my purchases and my son was over the moon.
- I got rid of an unused welcome mat through my local Buy Nothing Group.
- I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.
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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{ 52 comments… read them below or add one }
Glad your lapse at least resulted in a happy son!
1. Made guacamole with home grown cilantro, jalapeno, and used the other ingredients from a local produce stand, way cheaper than a grocery store.
2. Took our own wine and chairs to the beach to watch the sunset. Cheap date.
3. Discovered that wearing men’s white undershirt vnecks are the most comfortable pj’s ever. I’m never buying pjs again.
4. Cut some roses and took them to a friend. Used a small glass that previously held a candle for the vase.
5. Cut coupons and gave the rest to a coworker. Easy way to be thoughtful.
Frugal Fail: Tried to use a BOGO coupon for breakfast out at a local restaurant. Apparently they had been so busy earlier the servers were either tired or had left, because a few spoke to us with “your server will be here shortly” but after 20 minutes of sitting, nobody actually took our order. So we left and went to our favorite restaurant. At least it was breakfast/brunch and not dinner.
Well, that place didn’t deserve half your money! Better to keep the place you do like in business!
Isn’t it odd how moods can affect grocery shopping? It’s always bad when I go in a bad mood too.
The frugal five at my house were all fix-its:
1. I seem to have caught a head cold and have been somewhat miserable, but managed to revitalize two old bed pillows last night by taking the stuffing out, pulling it apart into small pieces, and restuffing the pillows. It took about 40 minutes per pillow to make them fat and fluffy again.
2. Used a brown Magic Marker to touch up the cracking leather cushions on my husband’s chair in the living room. Eventually we’ll have to replace them, but Magic Marker and a little low-gloss polycoat are keeping it decent looking for the time being.
3. Made up a little bottle of the homemade version of Swim Ear, which is half rubbing alcohol and half white vinegar, using a tiny travel bottle bought at Walgreen’s.
4. Craziest frugal fix yet: We’re low on clothes hangers — have just enough to hang up our clothes and none to spare — and I accidentally broke one the other day. I fixed it with a milkshake straw (we have a pile of them leftover from when our son was recovering from a broken jaw) and Scotch tape. It’s not sturdy enough to hold a pair of slacks, but it works fine for a blouse.
5. Used a stapler to reattach the cloth covering of the insoles of a pair of house slippers. The cloth had come unglued and kept bunching up under my toes, but I figured out how to fasten it down with the stapler at the very edge of the insole, where my toes don’t reach and won’t be skewered.
I wish I could give you some of my hangars, they seem to be multiplying.
I’ve fixed them by wrapping the broken spot with duct tape – works fine.
1.Had a garage sale yesterday and made a couple hundred $$.
2. Turned down a chance to go to the flea market today with my sister who wanted to spend her earnings from the sale – I want an empty(ish) house.
3. Got offered free tomato plants that I can pick up some time this weekend.
4. Finally put in some seeds I bought awhile ago – close to free flowers (if they come up….)
5. Walked to dog for exercise while listening to podcasts.
Gardening is all about optimism! They’ll grow!
Wow, $200 seems so expensive to me.
1. Cleaned out a kitchen cupboard and sold two Pyrex baking dishes, a tart pan, and two springform pans on a local FB group. Also sold a couple vintage aprons, a galvanized bucket, three books, and a couple shirts.
2. Mulch was on sale at Home Depot for $2 a bag, which is the cheapest it gets here. We live so far out of town that getting a large load of mulch delivered has a big delivery fee attached. Loaded up, and got several beds weeded out and mulched this weekend.
3. My son has been asking for a Wii U for a long time. Someone posted one on a local FB site for less than half the cost of a new one. Still expensive, but it’s in great condition, and I highly doubt I could find a better deal. His birthday isn’t for another 3 months, but I am really looking forward to seeing his face when he opens it.
4. Relisted several ebay items, and two items sold today. Both happened to be clothing that didn’t fit me right. Good day to you large skirt and high necked top.
5. Finishing up painting the very scratched up antique desk that I bought in the fall. A couple coats of poly and it will ready to list for sale.
1. Cooked Sunday brunch for our group of friends yesterday- pancakes, citrus sauce, muffins, coffee. Lots of fun, super cheap. Brunch lasted five hours.
2. The citrus sauce was made from an assortment of fruit that had seen better days. The sauce was great – sort of like a curd, but not quite.
3. Leftover pancakes for breakfast this morning.
4. Husband and I are having a date day today. We are going thrift shopping and then to a free movie – redeemed our survey reward points.
5. Before the movie we are going home for a quick lunch.
1. I attended a friend of a friend’s wedding on Friday. I took my mom with me. We both had dinner there and enjoyed a beautiful band’s music. Exactly the kind I’d want for my wedding reception. Totally worth the long drive.
2. Helped my mom in her cleaning gig yesterday. While we were there, my sister got us Thai food.
3. Went to the grocery store with my sister and got some really good marked down imported sausage, as well as some ice cream on sale and my Kroger freebie that was an energy drink.
4. Sent out a couple of applications for an evening job. I’ll write a friend to see if they’re hiring at his job as well.
5. Called the merchandising agency and lined up 6 days to work.
6. Got my food handler’s permit copy from my work to submit to the merchandising agency to get scheduled for more jobs. I just have to scan it and submit it in an email. This is a double win because the certification is good for 5 years (expires in January) and was paid for by my job to begin with.
I forgot a couple!
7. When I went outside during my lunch break to arrange the merchandising work, I found a dime.
8. My new job is closer to the freeway, so my gas really lasts with my manual transmission.
1. Brought more stuff to Savers and helped my sister do the same.
2. made brunch from what was in fridge/freezer-mushroom, cheddar, onion omelettes and bacon bought on sale.
3. Making saisage, pepper and onions for dinner instead of getting Chinese takeout.
4. Watching the French Open that I dvr’d earlier today.
5. Baking blueberry streusel muffins to bring to friends for brunch tomorrow. All the ingredients are in my kitchen.
Frugal fails:
1. Even though everything I bought was on sale, I spent way too much at Macy’s.
2. Even though the ben and jerry’s and the popcorn were on sale at the grocery store, they were not on my list and now are on my hips.
Boo hiss for promising myself just a bit. It never works!
I do the same thing once in a while with bbq chips and regular and they are on my hips also.
I cannot believer these graduating outfits really cost a small fortune. They are a one time outfit! The quality is usually very low as well. They should be $15.
Great idea about dropping them off at school for others to use next year (and hopefully the year after that!)
1. Bought 2 music CDs for 50-cents each at a yard sale. I will keep them in my car as I like to listen to music when commuting to work. Also picked up for free a pretty saucer with no matching cup. This will make a nice spoon rest for the kitchen counter.
2. I have a large hosta in my shady backyard. Since it has grown so well there, I broke off a couple pieces and planted them so I will eventually have 3 hostas as the foundation of a little shade garden in the backyard.
3. I was about to throw out an old plastic checkbook cover when I realized I could recycle it to hold all of the coupons which FM keeps sending me. This will help me to organize my purse and find the coupons when I need them (this is always an issue for me when it comes to coupons).
4. I have been working hard in the yard while the weather is still relatively cool. I want to avoid hot-weather yard work. Transplanted several shrubs which did not do well last year. At least one of the transplants seems to be thriving in its new location.
5. Making plans to spend first week in June visiting family in CT. Found that a red-eye flight was the best bargain and booked it. I know I will be exhausted when I arrive, but maybe – just maybe – I will avoid the long lines at the security check by flying so late at night.
1. I’ve been on the lookout for a bike trailer, since we have two new foster daughters that moved in with us, which means we have 4 little ones now under 4 that we need to tow around when we bike (7yo can ride her own bike). Somehow I had forgotten I had found one in a free pile at the end of last summer. I thought I would sell it for parts, but after looking at it today, and looking it up online, I only need a $9 part to be fully functional! I hosed it down and it’s drying as I type!
2. Recruited the littles to clean rocks out of the backyard – they could either do quiet time or clean up rocks outside and they chose the rocks! Used them to fill in our back parking.
3. Rewarded the kids with milkshakes made with ice cream friends had brought over and strawberries I picked and froze last summer that were juuuuuust about ready to be tossed. A hit times 5 with the rugrats!
4. Used leftover cream cheese from work for weird turkey taco wraps. And ate the leftovers my brother’s girlfriend left last night when she watched my kids.
5. Figured out the best price for kitty litter in the area – $3.50 for 20lbs! yaaaaaaaaaaaas
Bless you for making room in your life for children in need.
When my sons were in high school, they had no choice about buying a graduation gown. We had to. But for college, I was lucky that they went to the same college, with the same major. So I made sure to save that cap and gown, and then my younger son passed it on to a friend.
Kids normally do buy the cap and gown, but I asked at the school if they had loaners. They don’t advertise this.
I happily donated my son and daughter’s caps and gowns back to their high school after they used them. Our daughter is graduating from college in a year and one roommate who is graduating this year says she will give our daughter her gown after the ceremony this year for use next year. The roommate says the cap and gown combo cost $80. I graduated from the same university years ago and we rented them back then. That made much more sense.
My son’s PRESCHOOL wants us to buy a cap and gown for graduation. I find the whole idea of preschool graduation ridiculous, and spending money on a cap and gown sort of pushed me over the edge. I asked about a loaner, no dice. Given our tight circumstances, they are going to buy one for my son. I hope they are able to stick with the same style next year so that they can loan out that set.
That’s insane.
Oh dear lord. Isn’t that the kind of thing that you just wish all the parents would just say “no way!” I would be really cross about that.
1. Menu planned for the week, which really helps me use what I have.
2. Did some pre-cooking this am, which helps me avoid lazy drive thru pick ups on way home from work.
3. Made a drop off at thrift store and went in and bought a glass 9×13, a pair of capris, 6 new in box golf balls for my Mom, and 3 magazines for 5.19!
4. Will have 9 tonight for dinner. Sure cheaper than going out.
5. That’s it.
1. Went grocery shopping for the month. Spent $91. (It’s just me and my 27 year old daughter, so it’s easy and cheap, as we mostly like the same things).
2. Made a double recipe of homemade banana bread with bananas I had frozen a while ago, then froze one loaf for later. Daughter will eat for breakfast, while I have cereal, and we share a pot of coffee.
3. Visited friend at hospital, then went to thrift shop, then groceries. My only trip out in the car this week, as I walk to work every day.
4. Found a Wear-Ever Super Shooter cookie gun in the box at the thrift shop, works great. Will be listing for sale.
5. Have a 3 day weekend thanks to Memorial Day, so sewing up all the mending I take in for extra cash.
I haven’t done FFT in over two weeks. My husband and I took a long trip that we have been planning for quite some time to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Traveling is not the most frugal of activities, but I do love to go new places. But I still managed to stay on budget and remain somewhat frugal. So here it goes….
1) Before leaving, We ate all the leftovers in the refrigerator, froze what we could, and gave away anything that might spoil before we returned. I also used my bank’s online services to pay any outstanding bills that were not on auto pay. No need to incur late charges for unpaid bills. Lastly, We created a trip budget so we would stay within the boundaries we set.
2) DS1 brought us to the airport the morning of our flight. On the day we returned home, DS1 was flying to a wedding. We met him at the airport and took his car home. We will pick him up when he returns. Although this required a little of coordination, we saved approximately $160 in overnight parking fees as did DS1.
3) DS2 did our pet sitting for us while we were gone. I stocked the pantry with a few of his favorite things. This saved us $45 a day in kennel fees, and our pets were much happier.
4) Although it was not always possible, we tried to stay at hotels that served a free breakfast and provided free shuttle service to and from the airport and train stations. We refilled our water bottles whenever possible and brought snacks from home or a local grocery. We bought our plane tickets with our AMEX so we did not have to pay checked bag fees. We didn’t buy books or magazines at the airport. We didn’t buy souvenirs.
5) We are now home and are having a thrifty Memorial Day weekend. Home-cooked meals taste wonderful after too much restaurant food. It is nice to read and walk the dog. It is great to catch up with the laundry. It is feels so good to sleep in my own bed. It really is the simple things! Home sweet home.
Happy Anniversary!!
Thank you! It seems like yesterday. It is still a couple of months away. We travelled before peak season and saved quite a bit on air fare and hotels.
I understand. We traveled a few years ago, after our anniversary as a gift to ourselves. Our anniversary is in August, but we waited until September to take the trip. It’s much easier to travel and cheaper, once the Summer crowd has gone back to work and school. You do get much better deals when it’s not peak season!!
Good job, Katy!
My grandson graduated Saturday afternoon in his loaner cap and gown. We took pictures after we got back home. They told my daughter to just bring it back to the office next week. HUGE savings!
1) I picked up two general movie tickets at the Warren theater close to my daughter’s house and threw $20 into the envelope for treats, so my daughter could take my grandson to the movie as a graduation present. I kept my granddaughters last night while they went to see Captain America.
2) I spent about $80 at Aldi on Friday and got enough food to last for at least 2 weeks. I splurged and bought myself a bag of the of the dark chocolate covered blue berries. I love those things.
3) I took the girls to the park to play this afternoon. It was a beautiful, warm day with a good breeze. They wanted to go to the Splashpad, so once I got them home they changed into their swimsuits, I grabbed some bottles of water and we headed to the Splashpad for a few hours. Free fun. They should sleep good tonight.
4) I warmed up some pulled BBQ chicken and we ate sandwiches and chips for dinner, then watched the Memorial Day celebration on PBS.
5) I get to enjoy an entire day at home tomorrow. No trips planned and that saves gas.
Splash pads are great! Free, cooling, and a great way to burn off energy!
Had I known he needed royal blue, I could have sent you mine. My mother just dug it out last week and I told her to toss it. It’s been nearly packed in the closet for 16 years now. On second thought, it might have been disintegrating in the bag.
I doubt this fabric could ever disintegrate!
Probably not! I wish I had thought to take it back to my high school., but apparently it’s been installed in the box of dress up clothes along with a bridesmaid dress or two. At least my nieces will have a ball playing with it.
Dress up clothes are a great place to put old clothes and scarves. 🙂 Make believe is a frugal, creative way to play.
1. We were gifted a big bag of apples from mum, lots of apple juice, apple tea cakes and an apple pie coming up!
2. Received 2 free toothbrushes in the mail today. (It pays to complain about faulty products).
3. Received $10 off my grocery shop thanks to accumulated store points.
4. I grated and froze 2 carrots that were nearly dead ready for next time I make carrot cake and used up the zucchini in hamburger patties.
5. My mascara ran out just as the local supermarket had a half price sale on my brand.
6. Sold $355 worth of unwanted items on eBay.
1. Took our kids to the grocery store and, even though they’re toddlers, we kept on talking about “shopping using the list,” looking for things we need/ can use on the discount rack, buying on sale, waiting if we don’t need it or it isn’t on sale. I’m hoping the consistent reinforcement over time makes a difference to them.
2. Our oldest has a piggy bank she loves. We returned bottles and cans at the grocery store. We went to customer service and got the return money as coins for her piggy bank. She was so thrilled and proud, first of helping and then of getting “pennies” for her piggy bank.
3. We stretched the grocery store and farm store into a 2.5 hour journey so that my hubby could work in the garden. Kids find it really funny when we’re across the store and I realize I “forgot” something obvious like bananas. Then we zoom up and down a few aisles “looking” for bananas while I hold up a loaf of bread or a jar of mustard and ask “is this a banana”?
4. Been trying out Ibotta (a rebate app) as it has rebates on produce, milk and bread. I find it super fussy when trying to upload pictures from my phone and it keeps rejecting receipts because it can’t see things on the receipt (like the total paid) that are there. I’m going to see if I can upload pictures through my laptop instead.
5. Been feeling a bit overwhelmed between kids, home, work, garden so we used yesterday as a catch up day, cleaning, doing laundry, prepping food, working in the garden, fixing the chicken coop. Have BBQ plans this afternoon but may keep chugging at the backlog until we need to leave.
Frugal fail: We tried Zenni online for glasses for my hubby and followed their instructions for measuring pupil distance which wasn’t listed on the presvription. Glasses were giving him a headache so we googled around and found a Zenni competitor which measures your pupil distance using a webcam. And the measurement was way off from what we had used for the Zenni order. So I have to return the Zenni order and try again.
1. Went to the feed mill to pick up Dehydrated Alfalfa pellets and while there I spotted an enormous bag of small limes on the counter. The clerk told me to take as many as I wanted, so I took roughly 5 pounds and juiced them. Froze some and had limeade with the rest.
2. Marinated some cheap ribeyes $4.99# to serve with homemade coleslaw, homemade baked beans, home-canned applesauce, and home-frozen corn for a birthday dinner. The steaks turned out great, and for dessert, coconut cake—also homemade!
3. Used only one candle on cake, (!) saving the other 50 that would have been “necessary” 😉
4. We are still renovating our barn, and ran out of some materials. We decided to recycle some materials, salvaging them from the burn pile, rather than buying more wood. This will work for smaller portions of the project, as we can cut off the bad spots.
5. Husband used his military I.D. to get 10% off the materials he did have to buy at Lowes. This saved us roughly $85.00.
1. Borrowed a pressure washer and hubby washed the deck.
2. Later in the week we will put the sealant on that deck.
3. Planted all of the free vegetable plants In pots on that deck instead of buying annuals.
4. Purchased a $35 tag at our county mulch and compost site. Six cubic yards- that would be many many bags from Home Depot store and I would have paid waaay more. I have to shovel the mulch in my recycled dog food bags but it is so worth it
5. No Lear jet here either.
1. Bought a pair of Tory Burch “Revas” at the thrift store, sold them for over $100 on eBay.
2. Daughter and bf made Sunday dinner, a boil. I bought the ingredients, but they cooked!
3. Washing and repainting lanterns in yard, even after replacing burned out light bulbs it saved us over $30/per light since we thought we would have to replace them.
4. Repairing designer clothing for daughter to sell on eBay. She posts items for me (hate doing that) so I’m happy to hep her.
5. Picking up plants from a reno location we’re working on. Hope I can safely replant them in the hot weather we’re expecting this week.
Not the most frugal of weekend, but not the worst one. I had to travel four hours to where the rental house I’m rehabbing for sale and home repairs are never cheap; however…
1. Took my two dogs with me and saved kennel costs by staying at the house despite no utilities on. We opened windows & borrowed relatives shower facilities. Really, it was not all that different from tent camping (which I love to do).
2. We ate meals mostly at my mom’s house which is in same town (her dogs do not like my dogs which prevents us from staying with her when we bring dogs).
3. Used saved Kroger points earned by 2X or 3X depending on downloaded coupon. It saved us 30c per gallon.
4. Picked up our free “cultural passes” from the public library in the city I live. These are great, allowing children with an accompanying adult to visit all the libraries and tourist attractions in the city for free. If they visit at least eight, they are entered for prizes. My boys and I love them and we’ve visited places we probably would take for granted in our lovely city on the river.
5. Oh, I just remembered my fifth one: while up north in the tental house city, j stopped by a Salvation Army. I found a working electrical pressure cooker marked $8.65, however, unknown to me, they were having a 50% off sale! This machine retails for $80-100, so wonderful score (especially for this major legume eating vegetarian!)
Oops, so many typos! Libraries should be museums in #4.
You are so lucky to find this type of pressure cooker. I have been looking for one for months. Way to go!
1. I stored my son’s graduation gown (he graduated 4 years ago) and my daughter used it Friday night. I did have to buy her a cap & tassel (my son couldn’t find his cap) and that was $18 but I did save about $45 by not having to purchase the gown. Later this week, I will be donating the gown (which is blue – in addition to the white one my other daughter wore) back to the school so someone can use it in future years. The senior class votes on which color to wear, white or blue so I had one of each.
2. Had company in town all weekend for the graduation and it was a frugal one at that! We are in the middle of renovating a new home we just bought, so half of the house we’re living in is packed. So I made very simple meals that required no special gadgets so everything was cheap (but yummy!). We spent all day Saturday in the pool at the hotel my sister stayed in. We weren’t planning on staying as long as we did and everyone ended up hungry. The poolside grill was surprisingly affordable, so I got 2 huge crab cakes and a huge pile of chicken wings for $14. I would have spent at least 2x as much at a fast food place.
3. Yesterday evening was spent at a church lakeside picnic. I brought a side dish of potato salad, using everything I already had here so $0 cost to me. We left completely stuffed and had a blast.
4. In said new home renovations, my husband is doing all the work, so we are saving THOUSANDS of dollars.
5. I didn’t buy a lear jet either!
3.My kids love it when I have a pissy day and lose my mind a bit at the grocery store. I try not to do it often.
4. Your un-used welcome made me think of something frugal. I have one of those black doormats that is very durable. However, it gets worn looking and sun bleached to a sorta grayish white color over time so I simply spray it black with quick spray of black paint and it looks brand new again.
Ugh, welcome mat. Damn autocorrect!
My children now in their 30’s and 40’s rented their caps and gowns for H.S., college and advanced degrees. I never heard of parents purchasing those gowns til now. Sorry to hear that renting is not an option! And it should be!
1) We have city bulk pickup collections and I noticed someone had put out garbage bags full of redeemable empty bottles/cans. I am cleaning them up and so far have redeemed $18 worth with probably another $7 worth left to finish so $25 in my pocket;
2) Invested in generic empty pods for our Keurig as the coffee pod price at the grocery store keeps going way up, on sale 5.99 for 12. Filling the generic pods with our regular coffee gives us a 12 oz delicious cup for 4.4 cents vs. the 50 cents for the prefilled pods. Happy with the savings when we don’t want to make a full pot.
3) Listing a Ralph Lauren Mans jacket on CL for my very first CL experience. A friend is walking me thru it as I have been inspired by all you posters who do so routinely.
4)Company had to cancel yesterday leaving me with a whole bunch of extra food including salads that need to be eaten soon. I did hear that a friend of mine who broke her elbow and was released from rehab Friday was home so I called up and her family will gratefully use the food I deliver today. Such a good feeling. Hate food waste and love this family.
5). Didn’t buy that jet as well.
1. Continuing to use the washer that we were told needed a $250 part (and labor) to be fixed. You have to monkey with it to get it to start, but keeping it going for a while longer is the plan….
2. We love Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, which usually sells for around $3. It went on sale for Mem. Day for 88 cents, so we bought ten. Happy dance!!
3. Husband has been working on a walkway for several days; tore up the pavers it had and used them behind the shed, so the firewood area isn’t a quagmire when it rains. He’s redoing the walk with bricks he rescued from the dump when the city tore out a brick road area and repaved it.
4. We wanted to put in an herb garden, but the herb plants at the nursery and box stores were about $6 each. Then we discovered Kroger had organic potted herbs for $1.99 – 2.99 each. Score!!
5. One of our sons had a treasured piece of art that ended up having the glass broken and he couldn’t afford to replace it. Went to the humane society rummage sale and got a framed picture with the right sized glass AND a nice fleece jacket for $1.00 total!
1. Mended a dress that had a hole in it. I originally bought this dress secondhand and like to think that I just gave it a third chance at life.
2. Instead of going to happy hour on Friday, my friends and I had our own version. I brought homemade chips and salsa, someone else brought homemade guacamole, and our host made margaritas.
3. Fiance and I splurged by going out to see a movie yesterday. He wanted to go to a bar afterward, but I convinced him to go to Starbucks using our gift card instead.
4. Friend asked me to go out for bagels this morning. I suggested that we have breakfast in instead. She provided the coffee, and I brought bagels and cream cheese. Cream cheese was free to me (leftover from a work function) and bagels were a bargain at Aldi.
5. Got a ridiculously high quote from a florist for our wedding, so my crafty cousin offered do do faux floral arrangements for our centerpieces instead. We’ll still have real flowers for bouquets and boutonnieres, but we will save a ton of money.
For a variety of reasons, my husband and I had been really needing a get-out-of-town kind of road trip, but with my truck dying last week, we really didn’t want to spend much money. However, through frugal planning, we still had a great Memorial Day by…
1. choosing a location that was relatively close (the Toledo Zoo, only ninety minutes from our home in southeastern Michigan).
2. taking advantage of the 50% ticket discount that the Toledo Zoo offers to members of other zoos.
3. packing lunches and drinks, so the only expense we had while at the zoo was for cool treats (ice cream after lunch and frozen lemonade later in the afternoon – less than $20, and well-spent on a beautiful summer day!).
4. using accumulated Kroger fuel points to save 50 cents per gallon on gas.
It’d be a good idea for all graduation ceremonies to have a big barrel (like the kind supermarkets put out for food donations) outside the gate labeled “Cap and Gown Donations” so that any students who don’t want their gowns could donate them right then and there. I’m sure most families throw them away as soon as they get home.