- I bought six panels of vintage barkcloth curtains at Goodwill, listed them the next day and then immediately sold every single one of them! I nabbed a free box from a local business, took advantage of the eBay USPS postage discount and will drop the box at the post office this afternoon. #collegefund
- I bought a huge head of romaine lettuce only to realize that we already had some in the fridge. However, it was starting to get that pink-color-on-the-rib thing, but I’m far from squeamish. I washed and chopped the new lettuce, and then put the older stuff into a bag. I just now finished my second enormous salad since yesterday and can check “finish lettuce” from my to-do list. I did tart the salad up using canned garbanzo beans and some crab that I pulled from the freezer. Of course, the salad was topped with my ever present tea towel salad dressing.
- I popped a greeting card into the eBay box, but I wrote the note on a piece of white paper, which I then slipped into the card. I also wrote the recipient’s name on a post-it note for the outside of the envelope. This way the card is unmarred and can be reused. ( I got this idea from a Non-Consumer Advocate reader!)
- I got takeout for my family’s dinner last night, but I did so with frugality in mind. How? I bought two super size burritos from the Mexican food cart in the neighborhood. These burritos are easily 10 inches long and generously feed two people. (Not to mention delicious, oh so very delicious!) For $14, I was able to treat the people I love to an amazing meal. ¡Muy delicioso!
- I submitted another Clark Howard article, I mixed dish soap with water for our foaming soap dispenser, I hung laundry on the clothesline, I put the new Harry Potter book on hold at the library, I earned enough Swagbucks to order a $25 Paypal gift card, I went to Trader Joe’s and bought nothing more than bananas, I updated our budget on Every Dollar and I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.
Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
1. In my hopefully-resolved-later quest to borrow a dog crate for a couple months, we stopped by a friend’s house last night to pick one up, which was too small I would call PETA on myself. However, we ended up chatting with friends we generally only see over restaurant dining or drinks, so it was a frugal mini-friend date. Our dog was also thrilled to get out of the house.
2. Our dishwasher broke a couple weeks ago, in the midst of a bunch of other more important issues. I (finally) called the repair man, who mentioned our very cheaply made dishwasher from 1999 was likely on its last legs, but there was one last thing to check. I did, and it worked! He charged me nothing for the free phone advice, and was so kind. Knowing our dishwasher is going to be replaced in the near future, I had already selected a *very nice* one and hope to find it on sale, while I stashed the cash away. Our friends we visited last night offered up their 2 year old, rarely used one similar to the one I picked out, for a couple hundred to free (we hadn’t worked out details). Current model goes for 1k! Free or $200, HUGE deal that will save us around 1k.
3. I too have been using up all our lettuce. I current am eating a romaine and kale caesar all from leftovers, had a leftover salad yesterday, and planned out tomorrow’s salad. I have been VERY careful not to waste food recently. So far so good!
4. I batched errands yesterday, which allowed me to park once and visit 3 places. Always appreciated when that happens.
5. I listed 2 items for sale on eBay that had been sitting for nearly a year, waiting for me to get to them! I rarely do that with clothing. Extra storage space is rarely beneficial in my life.
I love that tea towel dressing! Thanks for the reminder to mix up a batch.
Love those curtains!
1. It’s been head down, bum up at work this week, so no time to spend any money.
2. Meal planning has been working well, all my weekend cooking has paid off.
3. Negotiated to work from home several days over the next month, saving petrol and lots of time.
4. Taken all my coffee and tea to work. No time to go out anyway but I used to buy a coffee daily. Big change. Now my blow money is piling up – I’m saving for a fit bit.
5. Finally using my treadmill regularly to sort out my sad back. It’s been an expensive ornament for a long, long time.
Oh, I love that bark cloth. No wonder it was snatched up so quickly.
1. Cooked the frozen chicken backs from where I’d cut up three chickens months ago. I put the backs in the little crockpot with some water and seasoning, pulled the little bits of meat off of the bones when done, cooked rice in the broth, and mixed rice and chicken together to make the main dish for our supper last night. The dogs enjoyed the chicken skin.
2. I repaired a grandchild’s tiny 12-month leggings; little miss chubby thighs popped a hole in the seam and I sewed it up. They are good as new.
3. I’ve had an item to return to a store, but I’m waiting until I need to go for some other things.
4. My basil is growing like weeds, so I picked a bunch of it and made pesto, which I’m freezing for later.
5. I got my car insurance lowered a bit by some changes we made. Every little bit helps.
Little miss chubby thighs – I love that! I’ll bet she’s a dear.
Me too!
Thanks; she is a really pleasant baby who smiles most of the time. And she does have some chubby thighs!
I threw some Romaine seeds into a pot in the back yard, and it looks like it’s just about harvest time for them now. When I finish the Romaine I have in the house I will start eating it from the garden. Hopefully as I empty the planter pot, I can sow a few more seeds for a fall crop. We’ve been watering as we are in severe drought and having them in a pot uses less water and requires less weeding.
1. I work part-time during the school year. Last week I got emails from my employer asking if I could work a little more this coming year, totaling about 9.5 extra hours a month. The extra hours still fit within my kids’ school schedule – and I enjoy my job – so I’m really happy!
2. My kids are doing pretty well now at letting me know when they use the last of something, or it’s getting low, so I can put it on my grocery list. This means fewer trips to the grocery store for one or two necessary items.
3. I ordered my niece’s baby shower gift online, off of her registry. I chose delivery to the store (free shipping) rather than delivery to my home (a charge for shipping).
4. Next week I have an errand I have to run, which is about 20 minutes away. I’ll combine it with another errand that I’ve been saving for a few weeks, because the two locations are only a mile or so apart.
5. In today’s mail I got a coupon for a free razor (up to $14 value). I got the same coupon in the mail about a year ago, and it was a fancy razor! I’ll be using that coupon soon. 🙂
This week:
1. I will make a gallon of yogurt in my crockpot. I’d like to make more yogurt cheese, but I don’t think Mr. Picky Pincher appreciates having less yogurt as a result.
2. I’m also putting the new Harry Potter book on hold at the library! I was tempted to buy it, but Mr. Picky Pincher stopped me. If I can’t get it for a while at the library, I can always borrow it from my SIL.
3. Yesterday I wasn’t a big fan of my lunch. Instead of buying an expensive and unhealthy lunch at the cafeteria, I ate my frugal desk snacks, which got me through the rest of the work day.
4. We got permission to get measurements for our kitchen remodel on the house we’re trying to close on. This means we can start pricing out cabinets/counters/etc. and shop around for better pricing before we even move into the house.
5. This weekend I’ll also make a new batch of bread to nibble on for the next few weeks. It stays fresh in the fridge; it will go bad within days if stored on the counter.
How do you recognize these items to resell from Goodwill/sales/curbs? For instance, how did you even know what that fabric was (bark cloth)?
Becky, I had to look up barkcloth! It was familiar after I saw a pic but I just thought of it as fabric. Katy definitely has an eye for treasures!
I have had a whopper-doozy of a summer cold, so I have not been very productive. I finally got out and about today and accomplished FFT.
1) I met a friend who works in my field and helped her out of a sticky situation. In turn, she brought me brunch. I still don’t have much of an appetite, so I brought 1/2 of it home for tomorrows lunch.
2) I dropped a few things off at the thrift store that I support. Of course, I went inside for a look-see, and came out with two summer tops to get me through the hot weather.
3) I stopped on the way home at the local market that had 1/2 off free range, organic chicken this week. I bought some last Thursday, but realized I had a little more room in my freezer. I bought several more packages as well as a large, lean pork picnic that was on sale for $1.69 lb. I will put the pork in the crockpot tomorrow morning for pork carnitas.
4) When I returned home, I donned my apron. (I always wear an apron, so I don’t mess up my thrift shop clothes). And I then made a gluten-free peach cobbler. This kept 8 flavorful — but mealy — peaches from going to waste. I also whipped some cream in my kitchen-aid that I purchased at an estate sale 20 years ago for $25. My son has already had a large portion of cobbler for a snack. He is the only member of the family that needs the calories.
5) There are tons of odds and ends in the refrigerator, so I decided to make a small dinner salad for each of us this evening to use up our veggies before tomorrows farm basket is delivered. This will be accompanied by a smorgasbord of leftovers for an easy dinner.
1. Went to the farmer’s market to buy some tomatoes and cukes and pick up my shopper’s card, which I left last week at one of the booths. He gave it back to me, then when I bought the veggies, forgot to give it back again. When I reminded him, he gave me an extra stamp “for being a doofus”. LOL
2. Parked next door in a lot for a closed store, to keep from having to feed the meter while at the market It also reminded me to check out the store next door.
3. Had too much crookneck squash, so have been giving it away. Still getting zucchini-bombed by my neighbor, so it all works out.
4. Went Kroger-ing today and got a bunch of salad ingredients and bread, marked down, and saved almost $60 between sale items, marked downs, and coupons, plus I earned 200 extra fuel points!
5. My best frugal score – parked too long in a curb parking space since I forget it was 2 hrs only; I never parallel park and only did it that day because I had 3 big bags of books-for-credit to haul into the used book/coffeehouse where I was meeting an in-from-out-of-town friend and the space I parked in was not only in front of the store, it was in between two other empty spaces, so I could just drive in! Ended up visiting too long and got a $15 ticket. Instead of paying it right away, I took it in to the station today, talked to the parking cop, and after promising I’d never do it again,, he cancelled it. Whoot!
Wow, you must be especially persuasive to get a parking ticket cancelled. Very impressive.
1. Went to the dentist because it hurt and he thought either the tooth was cracked and I would need root canal or it would only need a filling. I am grateful I only had to pay for a filling rather than over $3000 for a root canal!
2. Been eating a delicious green thai curry from free csa vegetables and shrimp from the freezer.
3. Went grocery shopping yesterday and got great bargains from the bargain shelf including 3 20 count lipton tea bags for .75 each, coffee and fancy cinnamon raisin bread from the bakery section bargain shelf for 1.99. So delicious toasted with peanut butter and a coffee for breakfast.
4. Door, windows and slider are open for a fabulous breeze.
5. Resisted the urge for takeout and ate dinner at home. The $ I didn’t spend will pay for parking and gas at the beach tomorrow.
Frugal fail-I was late getting to the consignment shop to pick up items that hadn’t sold. She told me she would call me tomorrow to let me know if she gave them away or has them in back. I was hoping to try to sell the hand bags on ebay as folks here seem to have good luck with it. She donates items to a women’s charity so the bags do go to a good cause.
Hi everyone! Check every day to see what you have all been up to but must admit that I am a frugal fail!
Katy I do that too with cards but admit to buying expensive cards because I like and want to share them! Can’t remember where I got that idea from!
Can’t thrift suitable clothing where I live but have in the past bought velvet clothes and turned int quilt etc!
Have nor found any money on the ground for over ten years! As I shared recently my friend found two $50 notes recently and gave me one! She also found a pearl earing and yesterday handed me 5 cents from the ground! I never find anything! Was brought up in pre credit card Loan days so living on means comes easily to me! Mainly like to cook fresh every day so keep wits about me that I don’t waste things or buy more than I can use! Best Wishes to you All!
1. Am watering for a friend while they are on vaca – can help myself to tomatoes and green beans til they return.
2. Super hot in MN – happy to be home reading library books and watching netflix – sitting in air conditioning for which I budget.
3. Stock piling cookie dough for desserts I am making for our daughter’s wedding on 9/10. A friend offered to help me bake – wants to do it at her house – saves me heating the house/stove.
4. Hosted National Night Out for our block last night which means we clean up at the end. We always end up with a few left behind items – this year it was a 1/2 dozen cookies, 4 hot dog buns, partial bag of pretzels with some fancy dip.
5. Donating blood tomorrow – free cookies and juice! My favorite cookie is Lorna Doones which they keep set aside and always hand me several packages – thanks phlebotomists!!
These make my day every time!
1. $2.50 seedless watermelon from aldi has been a great side dish 4 x already and there’s a ton left (there are just dh and i)
2. Because dh changed water filter (frugal bc preserves well pump and makes the tap water drinkable) he discovered hot water heater was leaking before any damage ensued
3. Paid cash for new water heater
4. Started excellent library ebook Sisterhood by Curtis Sittenfeld. I also enjoyed her modern version of Pride and Prejudice Eligible.
5. Traded excess squash with a colleague for fig jam-think I won that mutual mooch!
OMG! FIG JAM!!!! I love fig jam. Every time I buy some, I have to hide it because my parents finish it off in practically one sitting. You definitely got the upper hand in that exchange. 😉
Me and my missus are hogs with watermelon. We eat a half a watermelon at a time! (But it’s so good!!!)
* We have been entertaining the kids cheaply for the past 3 days, going to a neighbor’s pool and to the beach (parking further, walking 10 minutes and saving 8$)
* Went to an amusement park last weekend. While the entrance fees are not cheap (87$/4 people), we brought food for both lunch and supper and skipped the face painting ($$). We did buy ice cream. We got there driving our 2004 Toyota Echo, paid for, cheap on gaz, cheap on insurances. Also, we found an almost full bottle of sunscreen on the ground.
* Book club tommorow. It’s also a putlock. I’m making tuna fish+mayo+cherry tomatoes on cucumbers. Low cost, healthy and suitable for my diet. Win-win!
* Picked-up a new looking shirt from the ground.
* Found 40$ at the movies theater yesterday!! And I went there on cheap night and got absolutely nothing from the concessions stand.
* Collegues wants us to go to that fancy restaurant tommorow to “celebrate” my going away. Hard to refuse! I scanned the menu and will keep it simple, getting the “””cheap”””” 9$ bowl of soup (!!!! ) and a side of Bathurst (4$). That is the cheapest on the menu… really?!
* Got my vacation pay-out = 700$ going to the British Columbia trip fund!
* Closed an account when I realized they charge stupid fees and open a new one with no fees and higher interests. Using this account as our “BC trip funds”
* Watching “Suits” on Netflix. Love it!
Ok, that’s enough! I’m on fire, ahah!
Have a great frugal day!
This week’s frugal five are small things I do all the time:
1. Packed my lunch and drinks all week, and also remembered to take a reusable water bottle to work to refill from the cooler.
2. Spent no money all week.
3. Wore terrific thrifted clothes all week, sometimes an entire outfit of them at once complete with thrifted shoes and handbag.
4. Whipped up a pot of chicken chili with quinoa from freezer leftovers and a can of kidney beans from the pantry. It made two suppers and one lunch for me.
5. Mended a shirt for my son.
My Frugal Five:
1. Read above (thanks, Caroline) and remembered I had a 99c seedless watermelon in the refrigerator. It was a refreshing and delicious treat tonight.
2. Was able to uses a friend’s pool today for a free swim.
3. The left-over “sloppy lentils” became tacos for lunch the next day and the final bowl was used to stuff zucchinis.
4. Went to a neighborhood meeting to create a food co-op in our city. It was just a couple of blocks from my house and they had ice tea, fresh apples and sweets which my kids ate their share of during the presentation. I debated joining one of the committees, but ultimately decided I am not interested in taking on more projects. I am already up to my ear in personal projects (plus, the community ones I already participate with) and I want to be frugal with my time too.
5. Placed a library hold for the first “Wayward Pines” novel (I binge-watched the second season at the same friend with the pool’s house last weekend and am now interested in the books). There is a wait, but nothing like the one Katy has for the latest Harry Potter book! 🙂
And, third day in and going strong on No Spend. Yay! 😉
1. Woke up early and went to the Publix grand opening in my town. Got a goodie bag of a bunch of free samples-all organic!
2. Went to Office Depot today. Got 1 cent deals and 3 packages of ticonderoga pencils (thanks NCA readers for the tip!). These will go to students at my school.
3. I went to a local resale shop that I love. I found killer deals and have already listed about 10 items on poshmark to re-sell.
4. Currently eating popcorn made from a bag of kernels purchased at dollar tree! Great snack.
5. Picking up some extra hours babysitting tomorrow since their other girl is sick. Really would have liked the day off to clean and get my apartment organized, but I’ll appreciate some extra cash later in the month when I go back to work, but don’t get a paycheck until mid September.
(1) Mended outdoor cushions . Polyester insides got jumbled when I washed them. Opened the seams, straightened out the insides and sewed up again.
(2)Mended a bean bag chair with duct tape. Then covered with an old towel to be a dog bed/cushion. Both bean bag and towel were thrifted.
(3) Eldest purchased a home that has a musty smell. Washed out aluminum foil containers Chinese food came in and filled with charcoal briquettes. Spread around house and stale smell is lifting.Along with open windows:)
(4) Placed request for both Cd’s and hard cover of “Sleep” by Arianna Huffington from my library. The same library where they know my name, my taste in books and good check out discussions occur. Seriously these people are my “Cheers” family.
(5) Over a 4 day period (windows open) sautéed 50 lb sack of onions. Did this while doing other chores near by. Packed them up and froze and they are ready for so many recipes in the next year.
I’ve learned that you can sauté onions in the crockpot, which I’ve done for French onion soup. Although for 50 pounds? You’d need a lot of crock pots!
Ha,ha I thought about the crock pots but…think it would have taken more time. I used an electric fry pan and filled it quite full. I think it was maybe 6 frying pans full? I just finished and started again. Worked out to about two batches a day from start to finish.
So you know your spouse/family are used to your frugal time and monetary savings. Nobody bat an eye when I started the onions. Actually my husband kept raiding them to add to his meals:)
How do you sauté onions in a crock pot?
I don’t think I’ve posted in over a week, so many of mine are everyday things, but also some not too routine ones. 🙂
1. I paid my credit card on Sunday, online. I also paid tithing to my church. I forgot that I didn’t have enough money and got a $20 overdraft fee, which I saw yesterday. I called the credit union today and they gave me back my money since this is the first time this happens.
2. Yesterday my family and I went to a neighborhood fair. They had free hot dogs, soda, water, and chili. I also got a few brochures about cool free community events and resources.
3. I sent an application for a paid survey yesterday. It’s for tomorrow and I don’t think they’ll call me, but I don’t really lose anything by trying.
4. I updated my resume over the weekend and sent it out to a job.
5. I got an email from my college talking about getting work credit if my work relates to my chosen field. I might qualify! There are requirements, like paying for the credits, meeting class requirements, having my bosses help verify I learn what the class says I should, but I’d save time and also money on books. I called the counselor today and will call again tomorrow to get an appointment.
6. My dad bought steak and juice, on sale and on clearance, respectively.
7. Since our slow time at work started, I study accounting and QuickBooks from my school textbooks. I use my college’s online software to practice on QuickBooks without having to buy the software.
8. I’ve picked up $1.08 in change in about a week and a half.
9. I’ve been working for more than two weeks straight. Last Saturday I worked, which I was going to have off, but I got a call on Tuesday to see if I wanted to work, and because it was such a short notice, they paid me $15/hr plus $15 more because the place was 45 minutes away.
10. I got a call from the same place on Wednesday asking how much work I wanted, and now have 4 hours every Saturday and Sunday until the end of September of sampling work.
11. I’ve been eating free breakfast and snacks at the office. From my restaurant job, I had free breakfast and lunch on Sunday, which I shared with my mom. She wanted to buy lunch, but what I brought sufficed and saved $15.
12. I brought leftovers from work: 6 sausages from the food sampling job on Saturday and 3 2.5 lbs. bags of frozen mushrooms. Also, a little bag of chips and two Capri Suns from the break room. Gotta love free food.
13. I still bring my lunch to work every day, even the weekend work, collect Coke points, pick up pennies, eat from the fridge and pantry, and use my own bags and complete surveys for gas points from the grocery store.
My tutoring job is as flaky as ever, so I won’t plan on it and will just rejoice if they call me. Taking it easy and not stressing.
Wow, you are a dynamo!
1. I’ve sold 6 items on Amazon the past week which I’m happy about since this is my slow time on Amazon. Today I sold a book for $23 that I bought for 50¢, after fees and shipping I netted $19.74 profit. I bought my shipping through AZ, wrapped it in Freecycle bubble wrap and the envelope and tape were “bought” with Staples Rewards. It is now in my mailbox awaiting pickup by mail carrier.
2. A friend gave my husband was a carton of LED track lighting, which his SIL had left over from a job. DH said the 6 fixtures would cost several hundred dollars since they are top quality. He has already hung half of them in our laundry/ storage room and wow are they bright. Plus energy efficient!
3. A client had called me to update her policy since she had gotten a new car. As we were talking, she remembered that I had previously mentioned to her that I do sewing for mission trips. She asked me if I would like the Singer Featherweight sewing machine that had been her SIL’s, which she had just been given. She said she wanted it to go to a good use and that she didn’t have the space for it. I have wanted a Featherweight for years! I am beyond ecstatic! I went and picked it up from her while she was volunteering at a little charity shop that benefits the food pantry.
4. It was 1/2 price day when I was at the charity shop. Got an Under Armor shirt for $1.50, a lamp shade I needed for a lamp for DS#2’s college apartment, a vintage bowl for 25¢, a box of 4 French soaps for $2 and a bracelet for 13¢!
5. DS#2 and I are going to the LL Bean store tomorrow to take his damaged backpack for warranty replacement before he goes back to college next week. We are also going to the Savers superstore to look for some shorts he needs and full size sheets for his campus apartment bed. I just learned that he has a different size bed this year so none of his bedding from last year will fit! We will have lunch at Ikea or the Vietnamese restaurant near Savers. Spending time with DS before he’s once again miles away- Priceless!
Score on the Singer Featherweight machine! Quiltmakers pay in the hundreds for those — they actually fit in the overhead compartment on a plane. (Spoken from experience here!)
So jealous of the featherweight. I, too, have wanted one for years. I’m a longtime quilter.
Ladies I am also a quilter and so I fully know what a great gift she bestowed on me. 🙂 I asked her to tell me the history of the machine and how it came into her family and she told me that her parents bought it in as 1947 as a surprise for her new SIL. She was 8 years old at the time and remembers going with her parents to the store to buy it. How cool is that! I asked her if she would please write down the whole story for me so I can keep it in the case with the machine. She said she would be happy to. I am naming the machine Katherine after her first and only owner before me. It needs a new cord because the wiring is split and so as soon as it’s plugged in it stitches with no stopping even though the foot pedal is not being used! Plus, I don’t want to risk electrocution or burning out the motor. I’ve located a source and am ordering a replacement cord so the old girl will be fully functional. I will say the stitches it sewed were perfect.
OMG you’re a genius. I used to make money selling stuff on eBay that I had purchased at thrift stores, in fact that was my first foray into online marketing, with my little free AOL CDs and desktop computer, with a newborn baby (now 18) in a sling on my chest.
But now I forget to look for sellable stuff when I’m out thrifting. You’ve motivated me to re-activate that part of my brain once again.
It seems like eBay went through a slump but is back up again.
1. I had our August budget ready before the 1st. I’m using a new to me budgeting system and there is lots of tweaking to be done.
2. I had “cool” foods on hand for dinners during the latest hot spell. No eating out.
3. I cleaned out the fridge and only tossed 2 tortillas that were hiding in the back. They were hopelessly dry on one half and soggy on the other from getting shoved up against the back wall of the fridge. So very little food waste.
4. I did all my errands and shopping in one well-planned loop.
5. I bought new bras and panties during back to school sales. I almost bought socks but decided I have enough.
1. “Shopped” from home for school supplies to see what my 4th grader would need. We had not oils from last year, scissors, highlighters and a couple other things. The rest that we needed was on sale/cartwheel. He needed no new backpack or lunchbox since we invested in LL Bean a couple years ago.
2. Hung out all my Laundry this week.
3. Between my son and I, we’ve found a whopping 22 cents. We’re saving it together.
4. 20 extra hours at work this week. Since my husband works weekends only, no need to worry about childcare.
5. Only bought milk this week as I co to us to go through the pantry and freezers.
*continue
1. Made dinner again last night, with leftovers for lunch today (and for lunch on Saturday-trying to avoid eating out on the run).
2. Am drinking free coffee and water at work today.
3. Was craving something chocolatey, but only had vanilla ice cream. I mixed some dark chocolate cocoa powder into the ice cream and ended up with delicious, dark chocolate ice cream-and I avoided going to the store or stopping in at a fast food place.
4. Hubby has also been eating at home-go both of us!!! It’s much easier to be frugal when both of us are on-board, lol.
5. I had a fifth thing, and it just left my brain…seriously, I’m blank all of a sudden? Oh well, I’ll post six things next time 🙂
1) We ate tamales last night, that I bought at the Supermacado on Sunday and froze. I diced up part of an onion and put those, a can of chili and some shredded cheese over them. Popped them in the microwave for 10 minutes and pulled out the sour cream. Yummy and quick dinner!
2) I ate some roasted okra for lunch yesterday and bought two packages of Brunswick Tuna & cracker from the Dollar Tree for quick lunches here at work.
I’m working to stay on a low carb diet.
3) I spent my first visit at the Campus fitness center walking the indoor track (nice perk in the 100 degree heat), on the elliptical, the stationary bike and the stair stepper. I’m going to try and exercise at least 3x per week, along with my Pilates class that starts tomorrow. I intend to make good use of my $10 per month membership.
4) I lost 8 lbs and didn’t even realize it, until I weighed before exercising yesterday. Healthy is frugal, so I need to stick with my plan.
5) My t-shirts are getting ragged, so I need to go through them. One of my coworkers is leaving for another job in Dallas. She handed me a brand new tshirt with our department logo on it. Free workout clothing is good!
1. Listed some curriculum I no longer needed for homeschooling, and sale should go through tonight. #Christmas fund
2. Bought a used Guess purse on a Swap for $4. It is gorgeous. I am trying to decide whether to keep it for myself or sell it on Ebay. If I do keep it, I will be donating or selling another purse in my very small collection (Under 6)
3. Got free code from Hello Fresh, and received the box Tuesday. (Retails for $69) Since hubs won’t eat this “fancy” stuff, I have had 4 free meals from it and 2 more to cook off tomorrow.
4. Found a coupon online for $50 off Blue Apron. Spending less than $10 for 3 meals which serve 2 each. And as before, hubs won’t eat the fancy stuff, so that meals 6 meals for me for $10.
5. Selling some clothing that was unworn or gently worn from my daughter’s baby collection. #Christmas fund
BONUS 6. Free entertainment and activities all weekend here in town as there is a festival. Kids are excited about the “kids show” with Mr. Stinky Feet on Saturday.
1. I sold four items on ebay. By some miracle, everyone paid immediately, and I was able to make one trip to the post office.
2. Attended an estate sale yesterday – the fun kind where you can walk through the whole house. Bought a vintage Home Interiors nativity set and two Tupperware bins, all to re-sell.
3. I had a $10 pending sale this morning, but the lady no showed and is ignoring my message. So a fail.
4. Stopped at a garage sale on my lunch hour and picked up an Underarmour shirt and pants set and a Jugtown Ware bowl, both to sell. Bought a $1 sweater for myself.
5. Listed a few more items on ebay, and put my Xbox on CL.
Ups and downs; ds#2 had today off so some time spent with him and, as has been noted by others, this sometimes comes at a small cost – in this case I paid for lunch at our favorite deli. However-
1. At that same deli/grocery/produce market they have a bruised fruit and vegetable shelf. I purchased tomatoes, peppers and a bag of romaine lettuce – all for less than half of what perfect stuff would have cost. Also got some day-old bakery items for a very reasonable price.
2. Washed a very heavy quilt – the dryer didn’t dry it adequately so I got out my clothes drying rack, draped the quilt over it and voila – a sun dried quilt – duh!
3. Purchased a couple of sale books which will make good holiday gifts – need to restock my box of gifts I keep on hand. This also helps keep down costs at the end of the year.
4. Bought a good bottle of wine for part of a wedding gift and got a small discount because they decided I could be a member of their “wine club”.
5. After thinking it over, I decided to “invest” in a few stock up office supply items at back-to-school prices.
1. Haven’t eaten out yesterday or today, opting instead for home cooking! (I love that onion idea from earlier in the list and may have to do the same but make them carmelized onions. I love carmelized onions with all my heart and I’ve never thought of making them ahead and freezing them. Is that possible? I don’t know, but I’m going to have to try it!)
2. I love the card idea and since my missus’ birthday is Monday I told her I would like us to pick one card and we can exchange it every birthday without writing in it! She loved the idea so we will go pick one out tomorrow. (This also means we will write a little love note in with the card every year! 27 years together and we still love writing love notes to each other!)
3. Was looking at my around the house shorts last night.. they are worn ragged– the elastic is showing, there are holes in them. They are truly rather sad, but I continue to wear them until they fall apart. (One pair did fall apart and it got me considering if there was ANYTHING I could do with the material. Other than dustrags, I haven’t come up with anything. But haven’t thrown them out either.)
4. Went to Goodwill yesterday and got three sheets to put on the couch. I find that especially in summer the couch is too hot without a sheet over it. I figure this also saves the couch from spills, stains, cat vomit, etc. We only had two sheets for this purpose (most of our bed sheets are oddly flannel and we only have two sets for the bed– which is fine but having a cat that sometimes has pee accidents means one set must always be ready) and since moving into a bigger house and getting a sectional and moving the other couch into our office, there weren’t enough sheets. We got some funky green 70’s patterned sheets that suit us to a T.
5. The missus also got herself some new shoes for $6 and I got a couple of books for $1.99 each. We also avoided Krystal (which I wanted because of .59 happy hour and she wanted Zakby’s because she’s hooked on their chicken!)
1. My son needed a hair cut and since he wanted to keep it a little longer (I only know how to do high and tights- helpful for my military husband not so much for my teenage son) we opted to go to the salon to get it done. I used a coupon that I had been hanging onto to which brought the hair cut down to only $6.99 (plus $2 tip). I also found a nickle on the ground when I opened up my car door.
2. A recent visit to the dentist required a crown replacement. Insurance denied the claim because the crown was only 3 years old (they cover a new one every 5 years). I talked to my dentist yesterday when I went to have the crown placed on and he took the entire amount off my bill (saving me $830!!!). When I called and talked to the office (a couple weeks ago- dentist was out on vacation for a couple of weeks) after receiving my insurance notification, the receptionist said that she would talk to the doctor and see if they could give me a discount. So, when he took the whole amount off I was very surprised and happy.
3. My son went to square away some of his college stuff today. He will be a high school senior this year but will be taking some college classes (free thanks to a new state program). We did find out that we will have to pay for any text books and lab fees. His counselor suggested that he rent his books because she said that’s what most of the students are doing now. She gave him a couple places to check out and we decided to also check Amazon….Amazon ended up being cheaper for renting the books he needs. Thankfully he only needs like 2 books for the first semester.
4. I cashed out $25 in a Walmart gift card yesterday through Swagbucks. I will be using it to help purchase school supplies. I keep a tote box under the desk to store school supplies that I pick up cheap during this time of year so that the kids can shop it when they need something during the year. I also go through the tote box before we start school supply shopping and clear out anything that has been in there too long or something my kids will no longer need (like crayons since I no longer have an elementary aged kid) and I donate it to the Y for their school supply drive.
5. My husband found an awesome date for us this weekend. It’s a wine and paint class. I don’t really drink but I am looking forward to the art part. We will be painting 3 different Harry Potter faces. The class is only $15 a person which is way cheaper than the $35-$45 per person wine art class that is taught at a different art studio in town. We have also heard great things about this class from others who have taken it several times (each class is a different art subject).
1. Doing a dogs/house sit through Saturday used two of my vacation days from regular job, kind of like a staycation as the house is super nice. Turned the water heater to low, closed all the blinds and bedroom doors so the air won’t run as much and will save and make money using their utilities, etc. Brought some of our food and they always say to help ourselves to theirs. I brought some borderline romaine lettuce to have with pasta. 😉
2. In addition to the pay received a $40 tip. We use this money for the “staycation” fun part of the sit. Today we treated ourselves to Sanders ice cream puffs.
3. Getting ready for a garage sale next weekend.
4. Signed up fro a free Venus shaver and coupon arrived in the mail today. Also have a coupon for Bath and Body for free lotion will be fun to use.
5. August budget is in EveryDollar. July kept on target.Going to have to be careful because of all the extra expenses this month for school for daughter.
6. Decided to not go on vacation next week, decided will use the money to paint the house and get new carpet. Also decided to have garage sale to finally clean out the garage and crap in the basement. Money should help with the home improvements.
7. Took daughter to movies this week at MJR. Free popcorn on Tuesdays through the end of August and we went before 6 pm for the cheaper movie price. Also bought us each a pop and candy bar which I stowed away in my purse saving a ton. You can get refills on the popcorn but we each had eaten a large bag and had our fill.
8. Went to the Dollar Tree and bought some food items per Katys article/blog – trying the rice, got $1 bag of egg noodles, etc. Have a bag of beans from last trip that I still need to make refried beans with.
9. Doing Swagbucks.
10. Thinking about doing a fall garden, better get cracking, need to figure out what to plan in Michigan, hmmmm.