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I’ve been forcing myself to buy our groceries from Winco, even though it’s not as convenient as the Fred Meyer (Kroger) that’s a few blocks from the house. Their food is significantly less expensive, but . . . it’s a major schlep from the house. However, I end up doing a more organized trip which saves me from shopping on an almost daily basis. Plus, their bulk food section is beyond amazing!
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My husband and I drove down to Ashland to move our daughter out of her college apartment. It’s a 5-1/2 hour trip each way, so it was tempting to stay two nights instead of one. Instead, we buckled down and took care of everything on days that included long drives. Ashland, Oregon is the home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which makes it an expensive area to rent a hotel room. (Even the Safeway has a Shakespeare theme!) We kept the budget low by stopping for food and gasoline at Costco, although we did splurge on a couple of nice meals.
I downloaded the Overdrive library app onto my husband’s phone, (he has unlimited data) which allowed us to enjoy a free audiobook for the drive home. And before you ask . . . yes, it was a Star Trek book. #LLAP
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My husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary, and were perfectly happy to enjoy the happy hour menu in the Jake’s bar instead of sitting in the regular restaurant. It’s about the company we keep.
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I read four library books, I mended two T-shirts and a fitted sheet, I repaired a camp/soccer mom chair and I packed leftovers for tomorrow’s work lunch.
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I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.
{ 109 comments… read them below or add one }
1. I made two forest classrooms for our homeschool. (I cleared away dead branches and made sure there were no thorns or poison ivy in two small forest clearings.) Total cost $0.
2. I built a playground for our school. (I made sure there were no snakes, bees, or wasps on a gothically spooky and fantastic fallen tree. The playground is a mere three yards from our larger clearing.) Total cost $0.
3. I engaged a security detail for the school and established a professional development program. (Our two big dogs observe and report through songs and stories, DD-3yo is working on training and DS-1.5yo throws a ball.) Total cost $0.
4. I established perimeter security for the school. (I mended a gap in the neighbor’s fence so that our dogs don’t bother their cows.) Total cost $0.
5. I launched the library endowment project for the school. (I downloaded the Mensa for Kids reading lists K-12, marked off all the books we already had, then distributed the leftover lists to grandparents/aunts who enjoy thrift shopping in case of a happy accidental find.) Total cost $0 for now, potentially up to $50.
If there was ever a soul built for homeschool, it was you! That FFT was fun!
Nature is an exceptional classroom.
Loved your report. Lucky kids and “security personnel”.
Thank you, Pat, Bee, and janine. Homeschool is weird. Half the time I’m panicking that I am not doing nearly “enough.” The other half the time I remember, oh, yeah… I love them, we read a ton, they are growing, we are fine.
I loved the ideas for your outdoor school. It all sounds so cool. You obviously know how to make learning fun.
Love it. Your children are very lucky.
That’s awesome and fun to read about!!
Your five frugal things may be my favorite feature. *Also, I apparently adore alliteration.
lol! love it!
1. Have family in from out of state so I’m hosting a family cookout tomorrow. I really wanted to buy some already prepared foods but decided to have my crockpot help me. And make a favorite family recipe cake from scratch.
2. Received several coupons in the mail towards end of summer clearance sales. I don’t need anything. So instead of blindly using them, I didn’t purchase anything.
3. Enjoyed finishing a Netflix series with my mom that we had started on a previous visit for her here.
4. A friend very kindly offered us a free night at a casino that she had won (she won 3 and used 2) I don’t gamble but my mom loves to. I used the casino as a resort and used the pool and enjoyed the outdoor spaces. I gave my friend a bottle of wine and flowers as a thank you.
5. I’ve been reading library books like crazy, including travel books on Australia to plan our upcoming trip to visit our daughter there (there is nothing frugal about the actual trip!), have been eating most meals at home even though my mom is visiting and she loves to eat out, and have generally been staying home.
Your #4 alone makes me look like a slacker! 😉
1. turned off shower while washing. easy enough to save water during summer.
2. made cucumber dill spread just in time to save one of garden’s bounty.
3. put on makeup using early light from the window. So used to “putting on my face” that lights on for a last check showed no problems.
4. left cellular shades halfway down on windows that get direct sun, to block daytime heat & keep AC from kicking on as often.
5. added an expired can of broth to the bean soup I made. didn’t die.
Expired broth and “didn’t die”. That cracked me up. I would do the same thing but don’t tell my family or they won’t eat it.
I can’t remember the name of the book, but I read a great piece recently about really using your senses again in evaluating food. Like, yes, you should take food safety seriously. But you have eyes and a nose and a brain. Labels are a good guide, but they are not magic. Does the meat smell “off”? Is the yogurt suspiciously bubbly? Is the can or jar dented or compromised?
I totally agree with this on fresh food (meat, yogurt, salsa) and preserved foods that are past their expiry dates. But don’t mess around with home canned goods that might be iffy, or those suction-sealed plastic bags. I had a friend who (recently) literally got Botulism from one of those. Full body paralysis and a year of recovery. It’s not worth it for a bag of prepared rice that you’re not sure about.
Stay safe out there, people.
Oh my, thanks for this warning! My “pantry” (actually a mesh shelf attached to the kitchen wall) de-attached itself, sending all the cans and jars crashing to the floor. Several badly dented cans and a couple “popped” tomato sauce jar covers were the worst of it. I questioned whether they were “really” compromised but your comment makes me glad I did. Thanks!
Roberta, I’m sorry about your friend and I hope she’s doing well now.
On a funny note, you know how Botox is made from Botulinim toxin? So my sister got botox and now has a permanently surprised face, and her kids won’t listen to her because she can’t make her ‘mad’ face.
I love my sister. And I find this hilarious.
1. I used up BOTH bunches of kale before they went bad. I’m pretty proud of myself for that; I love kale, but it’s one of those things that occasionally gets away from me.
2. I found two sets of wrist warmers that I had knit years ago but never sewn up, once again while I was cleaning out the basement. I shook my head at my past self and sewed them up that night- it took all of ten minutes, tops, for both pairs. One of the pair went into my Christmas gift stash and will go to my mom.
3. My son and I took a walk together. A little over four miles, some great mother-son time and entirely free.
4. For just a few dollars, I added a few more gifts to my gift stash from some yard sales. All really great stuff for less than three dollars, and the recipients will be thrilled.
5. I didn’t buy anything from the thrift store when we dropped off our second load of donations! Nothing’s as frugal as not buying anything. 🙂
We were away last weekend, which was expensive, but fun. So this week we are focusing on the free entertainment. Yesterday we went to the library, today we are walking to the park with the big splash pad, earlier in the week we used our museum membership to meet up with friends. I packed a lunch for the kids to keep costs down.
Yesterday we ate broccoli leaves from the garden sauteed with garlic and mixed with chick peas and leftover rice. So delicious.
I’ve been trying to compile a list all week long so i could post, so let’s see if I can come up with 5….
1. Went to Kohls to see if the sneakers I bought my youngest daughter for school were on sale. Indeed they were! $17.50 back in my pocket
2. I then took that $17.50 & reinvested it in a few school supplies my girls needed & stayed within that $17.50 budget.
3. Youngest daughter did a complete purge of her room this week & found the remainder of her school supplies in her closet…..leftovers from last year that will work just fine for this year.
4. Went to a benefit for a dear friend of ours. Yes, we spent $ to go, but we also won a cool prize from the Chinese auction.
5. Got a much needed shower curtain liner & a bath towel with a coupon & kohls cash for only $3.58 out of pocket & picked up items at the store to get free shipping.
1. I picked up my hair highlighting supplies at Sally’s beauty supply. I had not purchased these for awhile because the large tub of bleach and developer does countless highlights. I was in sticker shock! It cost $50 for everything. I plan to shop around online next time but since my hair was looking pretty bad, I bought it. It cost $100 for a cut and highlights so I am still saving a lot. Oh, and one of the packages was severely damaged so I was able to get $1 off for that. Being natural would be most frugal, of course.
2. We ate BBQ ribs that were gifted to us by a man that my husband did a favor for. Kindness usually ends up being frugal. They were delish!
3. My oldest daughter and her family moved back in with me for awhile. I am cooking more simple, humble meals to offset costs. Lots of garden peas, beans, cornbread, and homemade cakes. I have to admit that I do enjoy having them around…..the kids and the food, lol!
4. I am back to drinking only water….again. I have a diet Mountain Dew addiction that I struggle with. I love water, I feel a lot better when I drink it, and it’s mostly free.
5. Tomorrow my kids and I are going to a free, fun, kids health event in my area. This place usually charges admission so we try to make sure to go anytime they have free events, which is about twice a year.
1. I discovered a couple pairs of my old capris are so old they’re new again (high waisted apparently is now in again).
2. We had company over for dinner. Much cheaper, healthier, more relaxing, longer lasting, etc.
3. A couple friends and I got together for lunch, at my friend’s home. Everyone brought something to share. Good food and company.
4. I needed to stay home to wait for a service call. I used the time to oven roast some vegetable, stir fry other vegetables, cut up green peppers (thank you to friends that share their garden bounty), and cook some ground meat (which I froze in meal size portions).
5. I listed stuff on Freecycle and have found some items to list on eBay, I have been enjoying ebooks from the library, and didn’t shop for anything except a few groceries this week.
Happy Anniversary.
1. We were away on vacation. We were staying at my sister’s time share and it is a 3 1/2 hour drive from home.
2. The time share has a full kitchen and we cooked all but 2 meals. I had brought chili and sauce with meatballs from my freezer at home to make a few dinners really easy.
3. We are enjoying all of the free activities and amenities at the time share, pools, hot tubs, ping pong, pool tables, fooseball, fire pit, movie theater and free crafts. We have gone on several hikes also.
4. Kids wanted to do an Aerial Adventure Park. The price drops $10 at 2 pm and if you book online you save $5 a person. You get a 2 hour pass no matter when you go so by going later in the day and taking 5 minutes to buy tickets online we saved $30. Hubby and I watched and read books while they were climbing in the trees like monkeys.
5. Packed drinks, lunch and snacks for the car rides. No fast food for us.
6. Had a great week away for less then $800. All of our souvenirs are food related. We went to a farm and bought maple syrup and fresh honey. We went blueberry picking and picked 5 pounds. Went to a local farmer’s market and bough jam.
1. Had 3 nights away at an inexpensive air b&b husband found. It was one of the nicest, best set up, and cheapest places we have ever stayed. We ate out 2 meals a day at small, local inexpensive places and snacked at night. We bought snacks at the local grocery which was cheaper than at home.
2. We got a senior discount at one attraction. We spent one morning at a beautiful free arboretum and art gallery.
3. Before we left for the trip, I used up most of the perishable food at home. I made a Dutch baby with the last of the blueberries and milk ,and one pear. I put green beans in a salad. I took a cucumber with me and ate it for a snack.
4. Part of our entertainment on the trip was thrift store shopping. Did not buy much but had a good time looking. Got a couple of tops I needed, a salad bowl I didn’t need but which matches one I already have and some craft supplies.
5. Continuing to gather donations for the upcoming church yard sale. I don’t seem to have any more empty space in the house, but I have at least 2 car loads of donations so far.
My son says getting rid of stuff in the house is like those plate stacks in buffet lines that have a spring under them. Stuff keeps popping up so it looks full until you get to the last plate.
Linda, your son has a way with words. That is an excellent description.
I quoted and credited you in my lil website. This is a true observation and funny line! https://marybethdanielson.com/content/mindful-chickens-eight-eighteen-eighteen
I also list some of the frugal ups and downs in my life lately ..
1. Had a great weekend at the coast last weekend with my four adult kids, two significant others and my Mom. Mom’s beach house so no cost to stay. Made all food at home and bought groceries in Portland to save $ (much higher prices there on groceries). Ate vegetarian for the weekend (three of kids are vegetarians) so that lowered cost and no one missed meat. Did beach walks, puzzles and games for entertainment. Wonderful!
2. Returned a pair of black jeans I bought online on a whim . Didn’t need. Closet is too full. Already have too many clothes. Clothes are my frugal downfall.
3. Been doing well at taking breakfasts and lunches to work, eating at home in evenings and taking bus to/from work most days.
4. Found a book at the “little free library” – one I wanted to read but didn’t want to buy. Dropped off two other books I was finished with.
5. Heading to Central Oregon for a VERY quick trip this weekend before youngest starts HS. She’s bringing a friend. Staying at In-laws vacation home (we are very blessed with access to not one but two amazing vacation locations in Oregon due to our parents, see #1) so no cost there. Will take advantage of resort where house is located which has pools, bike trails and a lovely river to float down. Taking some groceries, will eat mostly in with one dinner out. Will skip the big-ticket things to do like horse back rides, spa services etc.
1. Both dogs’ harnesses had broken connectors. I cannibalized an even older one to repair both. Beats spending 50some dollars.
2. I’ve taken to throwing the leafy parts of cauliflower in early in soup making. More vegetables.
3. Still reading library books.
4. Getting together a bag of fabric for a quilter who can’t afford to buy. Mine is all previously owned.
5. Teaching cooking to some young adults from church.
Mary is your friend looking for any particular quilting cotton? I’m in the Annapolis area and if I remember right you’re in Montgomery or Howard County. I’d be happy to pull some fabric from my stash for a fellow quilter!
You can email me at mytupkim2003 at yahoo dot com or reply here.
Happy anniversary!!
I’ve found that having a super convenient grocery store nearby our house has actually been a detriment to our grocery budget because it is SO easy to just pop over for “just a few things.” I can absolutely see how going to Winco saves you even more money than just the price difference.
I completely agree with you. We don’t live close to any stores and since I started working from home I have cut way back as I don’t stop in on the way home for one or two things and leave with 10! Large, less frequent, and deliberate shopping.
I highly recommend the Hoopla app if your library offers it. Downloads and streaming of audio, video and print.
1. A friend who is a hairdresser cut both kids’ hair for $20. Good for her, good for me. I cannot cut my daughter’s hair!
2. I picked up spoiled produce at the local food bank for our chickens. Food I can’t use will be passed along to friends with animals, and it keeps the food out of the landfill (methane).
3. Reusing school supplies from last year for this year. I bought one package of mechanical pencils, four notebooks and a pencil sharpener (for the non-mechanical pencils we have left). My daughter’s backpack broke, but it’s a Jansport so we sent it back to the company for repair.
4. I have been resisting dining out — we’ve been eating every meal in, according to the menu. But last night the kids were invited out for pizza; my husband and I got burritos without them, and put off the desire to take the whole family out for burritos!
5. Just the usual: hung out laundry, closed up the house so I didn’t have to turn on AC, batched errands, etc, etc.
Unexpected errand today, but I’m putting it into my circuit: my son’s class at the community college was canceled three days before class is due to start, and all the other sections are full. We will be stopping by (since no one answers the phone) to find out what is going on there.
3. I finally took everyone’s advice and purchased a Jansport backpack for my daughter this year. She loves it so much. I hope it holds up for years to come.
If it doesn’t hold up, at least you know they’ll repair it, and you won’t have to buy another!
I was going to do the same and purchase a Jansport for my son. Can I ask where you bought the backpack? I’m hoping I don’t have to order online.
I got ours as a gift, but I happened to pick another one up at a garage sale this weekend (I need a backup for the first day of school, as the one I bought is actually in repairs right now).
Sorry, I don’t know where they’re sold new, but a LOT of kids at my husband’s school have them, so they’re probably sold at the big box stores.
I found one at my local Goodwill Outlet for about $3.00. All it needed was a wash in the washing machine + air dry.
I got ours at TJmaxx for $16.99
FYI, they are plentiful at yardsales but ran out of time before school started. We fell in love with the design on this one. It’s not a cartoony design so should be great for years to come.
More frugal fails than wins lately, but here it goes
1. I wanted to try and see if it was a viable option for me to make the switch from tissues to handkerchiefs so I started shopping around online for some (Etsy has a ton of vintage ones available) until I remembered that I had one that my grandmother had tatted the edging. When I went to dig it out, I found that I actually had 3! I’ll throw these in my bag and see if I use them before buying a few more.
2. Brought my lunch to work today and plan on eating leftovers for dinner
3. I really wanted to buy some new music but instead, I asked my dad if he has any extra iTunes gift cards and he said I could have his next one. I also remembered that I have access to Freegal through our library. The selection isn’t huge but I did finally activate my account and found some of the artists that I wanted to purchase music from.
That’s it for now!
I’m fairly successful finding vintage handkerchiefs at thrift shops and rummage sales. Found several at the Goodwill bins, too.
Thank you for the recommendation, Liz!
Also, I’m sorry that my comment posted twice!
You’re so welcome! They’re usually in very good condition.
I made this switch but I mostly use the handkerchiefs for wiping a runny nose (vs blowing a runny nose) and that sort of thing. I tend to get allergies or a runny nose when the seasons change so they’re helpful for that, easier on my nose and more dependable (I can keep one in my jacket pocket for a week vs a deteriorating tissue that I’ll use for a few dabs here and there). Good luck!
That makes sense! Thanks, JC!
More frugal fails than wins lately, but here it goes
1. I wanted to try and see if it was a viable option for me to make the switch from tissues to handkerchiefs so I started shopping around online for some (Etsy has a ton of vintage ones available) until I remembered that I had one that my grandmother had tatted the edging. When I went to dig it out, I found that I actually had 3! I’ll throw these in my bag and see if I use them before buying a few more.
2. Brought my lunch to work today and plan on eating leftovers for dinner
3. I really wanted to buy some new music but instead, I asked my dad if he has any extra iTunes gift cards and he said I could have his next one. I also remembered that I have access to Freegal through our library. The selection isn’t huge but I did finally activate my account and found some of the artists that I wanted to purchase music from.
That’s it for now!
a mixed bag today:
1. went to NYC sun-tues to tour NYU. stayed in a nice hotel near the empire state building (had views of it outside our window). it was a dorm type room and very clean. prepaid the rate so we got a great discount.
2. ended up taking cabs on monday due to the torrential downpours. DS lost his wallet but the person that found it called AAA (DS card was in there) and asked them to call me so we could get it back. they left a message on my home line and i spoke with him on wednesday. he’s mailing it back priority mail so DS should get it today. he wont take any of the cash in the wallet to mail it…he said he hopes that if his son ever lost his wallet, someone would repay the kindness. DS is sooo lucky this gentleman found it! There is good in this world.
3. had my small team over last thursday for a cornhole tournament (there are 4 of us plus DS). i provided shredded beef and dessert, they brought everything else. it was a great day. Unfortunately, i had a syncope migraine the next day and have some short term memory loss. (those happen every 4 years for me and they SUCK). the memory will come back.
4. one of the managers in our office is having a huge bbq tomorrow with her cul-de-sac. she always invites the office and i’m going to go this year. it’s actually about 1 1/2 miles from my house. I had just enough cocoa powder to make whoopie pies…while i’m WFH today, i am whipping them up! my house smells divine. 🙂
5. called the company my mom used to work for because i kept receiving emails from them. turns out, she had a very small life insurance policy with them so i had the paperwork notarized for free at my town hall and sent it in. it only pays the surviving kids but it will be a nice check to get. my brother and i decided to not take the portion of her checking account that was left and instead will split it amongst my oldest sisters children. (my other 2 sisters could use that money, so we aren’t mentioning this to them). it wont be a lot, but it will help each of her kids.
6. my in laws still have my car (4 weeks now) and refuse to call their insurance agent to help get their car back sooner. (he’s afraid if the agent get involved, they will slap it back together and not fix it completely…i’m thinking that 7 weeks is enough time to fix a car – it didn’t take Ford 7 weeks to build the thing….) anyway, i’m leaving it up to him but i really miss my car… this is frugal because DS and i are sharing his car. BUT. I. MISS. MY. CAR.
one more thing….last week I bought a $2 scratchy…I won $25. I turned it in today, got 2 more $2 tickets (and the rest of the cash) and won another $7. i’ll quit there but it was a nice little win.
My son discovered whoopie pies last year when hiking the AT. While hiking in Maine, he was given one by a man who provided hikers goodies as they past. He had never had this regional specialty. Trail magic!
I keep forgetting they are a new england thing. For those who aren’t in the east, they are similar to a devil dog (or are those a new england thing too?). All I know is that are good!! (Especially if the filling is made with marshmallow fluff which is definitely a new england thing!!).
I am from the Southern US and I have never heard of the devil dog but marshmallow fluff is popular here. My kids love a good Fluffer nutter sandwich(peanut butter+marshmallow fluff on bread). I have also had whoopie pies but never tried to make them..yum
I have fond memories of fluffer nutter sandwiches,too! And my family is totally Yankee!
Devil Dogs!! Oh, how I miss them. (I lived on Long island, NY as a teenager, and my mom would buy them all the time!). Yum!!
Many belated thanks for the nice replies a couple of weeks ago on my post. I’ve come to feel I know many of you, and your warm words were so affirming during a challenging time. . . plus they reminded me that our challenges are inconveniences vs the health issues so many face. A reminder to count my blessings, which I needed. A few frugals this time around:
1) Got a library card in the new city. My daughters walked away, mortified, while I was at the desk because I was actually happy-dancing. Have used it non-stop since, borrowing books in paper and electronically, and lots of music. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the multitude of references available to help guide us through the mental health labyrinth, and for the ease of inter-library loan for books my community doesn’t have. It’s amazing.
2) Wanted to go watch the sailboat races last night, and hubs whipped up tacos for dinner before we went. The best view is from a riverside bar, but we ordered just a drink apiece and no dinner. Parked for free and walked, too.
3) I’m not sure if this is a frugal “thing,” exactly, but it seems worth noting. I’ve been gloomy about our tiny, crowded, temporary housing, but sucked it up and invited people over for dinner (made with pantry supplies) one night. We had to eat in our laps, but nobody complained, the food and the view were both excellent, and we had a lovely time. Frugality sometimes means brazening through the piles of boxes with a smile, I think.
4) Was tempted to just buy a large saucepan to cook that meal, but went to storage instead, prepared to dig through mountains of boxes. The one I needed was front and center – easy peasy.
5) No Lear jets. No gold-plated apartments. Though if it were a little bigger than this one, I’d be tempted to consider it . . .
We threw a party two days after we settled on our house–We billed it as a “before” party. The house was dirty and smelly, and we wanted to get full credit for all the work we would be doing.
Not all frugal and a couple of fails.
1. NWT baby items at Goodwill. Sent one out (belated baby gift), the other I will give at Christmas.
2. Inventoried closet for upcoming cruise..in good shape. I sent a box of Chico’s tanks I could no longer wear to a friend.
3. Used $11.39 in office depot rewards to mail the baby gift (#1) and tanks (#2) and another gift out.
4. Returned two items I bought on line at swap.com
5. Cooked dinner with items from pantry/freezer M-Th. We’re meeting friends for dinner out tonight.
Frugal things I have been up to:
1) Am really restraining myself in buy food truck lunches at work! I always carry my lunch BUT have given in to tacos!
2) Breakfast and coffee at home, with $2 day old bread from Lovejoy Bakery, homemade peanut butter from the bulk peanuts from WINCO, topped with free freshly picked berries from blackberry bushes!
3) Changed my cable/internet deal.
4) But have been reading books from the library!
5) Going to movies on cheap $5 Tuesday- a great treat!
My frugal thing for this week was that I went Clark Howard’s website and saw where I could call Science Care (1-800-417-3747) and donate my body to science. I called them and donated. Supposedly, I will receive free cremation. They will be sending me a donor card with copies to give to my kids. I decided to do this after the outrageous cost of a funeral for a relative.
Cindy in the South, that is awesome! I know my parents have set up something similar with the university in their city. The university cremates the body after students have learned from it, and they also hold a memorial service for the families. The students attend the service and thank the families for their loved one’s service to educating future doctors and medical professionals. It is all very lovely and respectful.
UB’s medical school offers something similar for those in WNY.
They do! I actually work at UB, I can’t believe I forgot to mention that program. My parents are going through the U of R in Rochester, but UB’s program is also awesome.
Wow, this is good to know..thanks
Thanks for the information. With no children of husband it’s nice to know I can have this taken care of.
Happy anniversary.
1. My husband and I did some number crunching and figured out we can be saving 25% of our take home. So we are starting that this week. We have let our lifestyle really just creep on up after a couple of pay rises. Time to knuckle down and get rid of this mortgage.
2. I have not purchased a coffee out all week. I have reduced this luxury for quite a while but usually buy at least one during my work week.
3. My husband and I each receive some “blow” money to spend on whatever we like. I used to literally blow mine on eating out and clothes. Nowadays I’m not buying clothes or coffee or eating out. I’m just saving it. I have quite the cash stash at this point. My husband always saves his. I don’t know why we keep getting it really except it’s nice not to have to ask each other to buy something we want.
4. Listening to podcasts and reading library books.
5. Didn’t buy some fancy schmancy shoes I spotted in a shop window. Still trying to stick to my decision not to buy new (or new to me) clothing. I’ve fallen off the wagon once or twice this year but overall I’ve bought hardly anything compared to previous years. Mostly I bought secondhand but I was still buying things I didn’t need.
1. i have (a pricey) car insurance payment coming up so i hustled some online selling throughout the month and sold almost enough to cover the payment.
2. am having a yard sale with friends tomorrow in order to make more $.
3. brought my lunch to work everyday, except one day where i got a slice of pizza from a healthy, affordable place (compared to most pizza anyway.) it’s also a worker-owned co-op so i like supporting them.
4. nearly all other breakfasts/dinners eaten at home and/or leftovers.
5. reading library books on kindle as well as the plethora of books i have at home. i have put myself on a book no-buy because i have way too many!
1. Eating out of the garden every day. I am tiring of zucchini, but not tiring of tomatoes.
2. Took on a side gig that earned me $500 for 10 hours of work this week. I would have charged less, so luckily the agency named the price. Hate grant writing, but loved the money. If they get the grant, they will hire me again.
3. Cleared out a back closet and resisted keeping anything in there. Donated the books to a non-profit bookstore and the rest to Salvation Army, collecting tax receipts.
4. In the garage we found three pairs of crutches (?!). Kept one pair for future injuries, at our ages that is a probability not a possibility, and donated the other two to a medical lending closet run by a non-profit. Collected a tax receipt.
5. I have a friend who is bed bound. This week I am feeling pretty good so out of my wheelchair. I took a bunch of card making supplies to her house and we spent a nice afternoon visiting and making cards. Her husband had rigged up a table that fit over her bed so she could easily work on the cards. He also made toasted cheese sandwiches and brownies for us to eat. It was a nice day of replenishing my cards and visiting with a friend without spending money.
I love grant writing. It’s my career. I love the competitive nature of it.
I did grant writing as part of my duties with many non profits over the last 18 years. I like writing grants and write one ever couple of years for my daughter in law who teaches in a Title 1 school.
Here is my favorite grant writing story: Twenty years ago now I got a panicked call from an agency that “heard” I had written successful grants for my employer. They had 13 days to get the grant in that funded almost all of their programs; their director had been fired and had not done any paperwork in ages. They flew me to a village and paid for my room and board and paid me $1000 a day. Yup, 20 years ago a thousand a day was a huge deal (well, frankly, it would still be a huge deal to me now). Twelve 5 or 18 hours a day later, I handed them a grant and they handed me a check. We were quite poor then so it was like winning the lottery. I salute you for doing it for a living because I know what it takes. P.S. They got the grant and hired me for several other projects, but they were not emergencies so the pay was more normal.
15 to 18 hour days…you’d think I would know how to proof read!
Happy 25th Anniversary!
I hope everyone is having a great week. Aside from my usual things — drinking primarily water, cooking at home, brewing my own coffe, and enjoying low cost/ no cost entertainment. Here are my FFT.
1) When visiting Las Vegas a couple of years ago, I ran out of body lotion. I purchased a tube at a store in the hotel, but did not realize until later that it shimmered and sparkled. It was a combination of lotion and body glitter. Ugh! As soon as I brought it home, I put it aside. However, at the beginning of the month, I ran out of my regular body lotion, so I decided I really needed to use it up. I have finished the tube — no waste! I guess that I am proof that all that glitters is not gold.
2) I cleaned and reorganized my walk in pantry yesterday while listening to a book on Overdrive. I put together a care package for one of my son’s out of items that were on hand. I donated two seldom used small appliances that were taking up valuable space to the thrift store. I also listed on Next Door and Buy Nothing a NIB refrigerator filter which does not fit my new frig. These are not cheap, but I hope someone can use it.
3) I bought two things that I really needed this week at the GW — a beautiful silk lampshade and a J. Crew black wool pea coat. I spent $7.50! Yippee.
4) I have been preparing for the semiannual vintage sale that I participate in every spring and fall. I sell items that have not done well on eBay, small pieces of furniture that I have planned to flip, my decorating mistakes, garbage finds and “curated “objects. In anticipation,I have been scouring the house, garage, cabinets and drawers.
This year I have extra motivation as we may relocate. When I have asked myself the question, “Would you move this across the country?”. The answer is often,”No!” I really am not attached to much.
5) My book club chose a book that was not available at the library in our county. It was also not available through Overdrive or Hoopla. I found it at a local bookstore that takes trades. I traded two books that I purchased at the Friends of the Library Sale and $4 for a new book.
Week 4 (or whatever, I’ve lost track) finished the painting! House is so much more appealing to me than it was when we had flat paint with 3 munchkins running around the house. A project at a time though when you buy a house. 🙂
Have a huge vacation house rented in Lincoln City, courtesy of my in-laws. It will be a DRIVE from SoCal, but well worth it. Making meals and enjoying family and the beach. Can’t wait.
My lovely friend tracked down a bi-lingual empty nester to teach Spanish to our kids. She is willing to fill out the paperwork and receive funds from our charter school as payment. I’m hoping this is an invaluable gift to my kids for their whole life. Very good skill to have in SoCal.
Organizing an order for our charter school of things we want for our second grader and third grader. They’ll be so delighted with these supplements!!! Called the new regional director about allocation of funds asked to have more input on the spending of them. In years past they denied us certain materials for no prohibitive reason and then ordered us things we really didn’t want. I really aim to streamline it for this year.
Listed some macramé necklaces on Ebay that my inlaws thought my kids would like but they don’t. Trying to clear their junk I guess. We’ll see, if buyers want that vintage stuff. Sold some chair cushions on Varagesale. Only recouped $5, but my closet is a lot roomier now. 🙂
Does your library do Hoopla too? It is a million times better than Overdrive in terms of selection and media (TV, too).
The only catch? Your library determines how many Hoopla items you get s month. I get 5, which needs to be at least four audio books for my hellish commute, but I get tempted by ebooks and use up my mom nrhly allotment.
With Hoopla for sure, and I thought Overdrive, you can download the items to the phone over free WiFi so you don’t use data on the trip.
Happy Anniversary!
1- I found a North Face & Columbia fleece for the grandkids at GW outlet.
2- I’m being very diligent at using our CSA share each week. We had yummy spicy chicken stuffed poblanos tonight.
3- I went to NYC for work training – did several free activities like walk the Brooklyn Bridge & walk through Chinatown. Splurged on a ticket for the One World Observatory, but this was a planned expense.
4- I continue to listen to books on CD while driving around for work – I’m up to S is for Silence in the Kinsey Millhone series.
5 – A friend sold her home but still in town for her last few days on her job before moving out of state. She stayed with us instead of having to pay for a hotel – a random frugal act of kindness 🙂
Happy Anniversary! Hubs and I are perfectly happy to celebrate with happy hour menus too.
You said you moved your daughter, I thought you had two boys? Am I just crazy?
No you are not crazy, you just missed a post. See Katy’s update from 6/18.
1. Found a bag of frozen cooked shrimp in the freezer. Made a restaurant quality shrimp salad for supper tonight.
2. I was very low on gasoline while out and about in the city today. My warning signal sounded just as I pulled up to the pumps. 🙂 Happily the gas prices were 20¢ less per gallon than my go-to station nearer home.
3. Washed the bath mats today, and hung them over the side of the tub to dry.
4. Wearing a pair of earrings that I made myself years ago. Love them just as much today as when i made them.
5. Have lots of work days coming up over the next month and half. Slow cooker, you are my best friend.
1. Downloaded ibotta, Checkout 51, and Savings star on my phone and started using them last month. I’ve earned about 30 dollars on things I already purchase, and putting that money towards paying down a small debt on my Paypal account.
2. Reviewed all of my bills. Looked at interest rates, and decided I’m going to seriously limit purchases on anything that charges interest.
3. Taking a people break after all the summer company. Quiet recharges me.
4. Got worried when a good friend who is recently wealthy invited me to her birthday celebration. Realized that worrying about the gift wasn’t helping, decided to plant her some herbs for a little herb garden.
5. Found a “free pile” next to the local dumpsters. Got two brand new laundry hampers, one even has a handle and rolls! Put them into the guest room and guest bathroom. I realized that guests don’t want kitchy decor, they need a space for their suitcases and dirty laundry. It worked! They came downstairs with a full hamper 1/2 way through the week and purchased their own laundry detergent. They liked how it kept them more organized.
1. I’ve had a productive week of garage and estate sale-ing. I found many things on my wish list as well as things my girls need for their new apartments. I also found some school supplies and things on my shopping list. I spent $15 total for things that would have cost me over $100.
2. I found some things to sell on ebay at garage sales. Every little bit helps.
3. My mother colored my hair for me saving me $50.
4. We celebrated an early birthday for my brother and father-in-law. I used up some old gift cards from a local butcher and made a homemade carrot cake. My Mother provided the rest of meal.
5. I’m researching washing machines before making such a large purchase. My mother did my laundry for me saving me a laundromat visit.
We are headed to PDX next week (family in Portland and Vancouver) and one of the things I am looking forward to is grocery shopping at Winco just down the street! I would love to have a Winco here and keep telling my husband, who has not been out on previous trips, “just wait until we go to Winco to get groceries!”
Until I moved a few years ago I had a Winco very close and loved it. My favorite thing (apart from low prices) was how diverse the shoppers were. Many people originally from Latin America, Asia and Africa frequented the store and as a result it had excellent products for making those cuisines, without having to go to expensive specialty stores! It was fun to hear so many different languages while shopping.
Congratulations on 25 years! What a milestone! And I love all the things you did to save money this week. It sucks shopping somewhere different, but if the savings are there, it’s a real win. 🙂
This week:
1. I used a free pass to LA Fitness to try out their lap pool.
2. Purple wildflowers are blooming in our yard. I gathered them all up and I’m drying them. Once I fill up my paper sack, I’ll use the dried flowers to dye cloth. 🙂
3. I made eggs benedict for breakfast this week using eggs from my sister’s farm.
4. I earned a $55 Amazon gift card, which I used to buy freelance supplies–and fun stuff, like chocolate-making supplies. I was saving up for these splurges, but the gift card was a nice surprise. 🙂
5. I got our vehicle inspection and oil change done this week. Before I went to the Jiffy Lube, I looked on their website for coupons. Sure enough, the coupons knocked an easy $20 off our bill!
1. I dyed a white bra brown to extend its life. I was trying for nude, but it came out brown. We’ll see how it looks under my light clothing.
2. Doing a special diet I read about in French Women Don’t Get Fat. Eating yogurt twice a day. Realized that by eating 1/2 cup instead of a cup at a time means I save $1.
3. Watching a ton of simplicity/minimalism videos on Youtube lately for free entertainment. Sound advice, too.
4. Went shopping at the Goodwill and stuck to my list–needed a blouse for under $10. Found a gorgeous cotton pink Talbots button down that will do the trick.
5. Eating at home all week long–learned how to cook a white fish filet, also part of the diet. It takes about 10 minutes. That was rewarding in and of itself.
Frugal fail: had bra on bottom of bathtub for literally just a few seconds. Stained tub. Aaargh.
Ugh, hate that the bra stained the tub. I think this is a great idea. Our water system is crappy so sometimes my the whites gets stained a dingy color.
Any of the simplicity/minimalism videos you care to recommend?
I love the Simplicity Diaries, and also A Small Wardrobe. That woman does a lot with just a few pieces of clothing. Love the ten-item wardrobe by Jennifer Scott, and I also just discovered The Joy of Less as an audiobook.
1) Went to the grocery store early and found marked down organic chicken sausages for $2.29 per pack (lb each).
2) Haven’t had the AC on in a week, even though the humidity is awful and it has been hot at times, we have just toughed it out.
3) We have been getting enough tomatoes from the garden that I don’t have to buy any right now.
4) Packed a lunch all week and avoided Starbucks all week until my dh and I’s weekly date today.
5) Returned a dress shirt to Costco that I had been tempted to just let my dh have (was too small for my ds) – used the $22 to buy produce and milk for the week. I stuck to my list only.
1. I am also driving by convenient, but expensive stores to shop the cheaper alternative places.
2. Continuing to clean out my library – selling and donating books. In the process I have come across volumes that merit re-reading such as Caitlin Shetterly’s You and Me: Going west, Going Broke, Finding Home – a Memoir which paints a grim picture of the recession and the many lives affected by it. Also a testament to a simpler lifestyle.
3. Garden producing large crop of fresh tomatoes and hot peppers .
4. Frugal tie – scoring great produce bargains but then hustling over to the deli department for lunch with our savings.
5. Consciously trying to stay home more – currently driving an unreliable car (gave me car to son and had an accident with our other vehicle) so am not yielding to shopping temptations. (a side benefit!)
Meant to say – “gave my car to son” – hate those typos!
Long-term-travel-Edition Part 2
I am going slow, enjoying my time and appreciating where I am.
1. Camping every night since I left Seoul on Monday after meeting an author who has been living on the road for 7 years. It was very inspiring talking to her. I took some notes afterwards and hope I will write an article about this eventually. Currently she is working on her book about cycling North Korea!
2. I cut down on the sweet drinks and am not spending any money on water anymore. There are many places where I can top-up my bottles.
3. Had a work-related, minor accident before I left for my tour. Handed in all the paperwork before hand and just received the money.
4. I am going slow, appreciating where I am and doing some touristy things. Went to the Hot Springs which costs about US$ 6 but where a great experience like I never had one before and cost about a quarter of a hotel room, where I could have had an ordinary shower.
5. Spent 4 hours talking to a British cyclist who was going the other way. He was just putting on sunscreen on the main square of the small city where I had camped that night. We got along well but unfortunately were going opposite directions. I ended up only cycling 20km that day but did the worst climb of the Korean-part of my trip (at least I hope it was the worst…) so I reached the hill-top to witness an amazing sunset and camp on the other side of the mountain where I hoped to see the sunrise.
1. DH and I spent 4 hours removing old kitchen faucet and installing new. Thank heavens for YouTube! A professional install would have run $150. I’m sure they would have done it faster but we saved money and learned new skills.
2. I’ve been working a lot unexpectedly. Boy does my budget love all the frozen meals I’m finding in my freezer!
3. We are planning a wedding reception at our house on October. Teaching the bride and groom about frugal living. Thankfully they are very open to it. I think we will pull the whole thing off for $2, 000, including the bride’s dress!
4. Just finished the book NomadLand from the library. Excellent reporting done on folks who are retired living in their RVs and how it isn’t all fun and games and most are in this position not by choice. Excellent eye-opener to Frugal Living when you have to, and a reminder if you live frugally now you might get to avoid difficult times in the Future…. But not necessarily.
5. in my typical fashion I have my fingers in so many pies. Realized if I want to do well at something I need to say no to some other things. I’ve looked at my calendar, my schedule, my wants, and my needs and I’m knocking out a few things to focus on my blog. It feels good to make a commitment!
Good for you! I’m going to try to tackling installing a faucet handle today. Got it from supply.com, which had horrible service, and didn’t ship it to me until weeks later I left a bad review, they called me up and are shipping it to me now for no cost.
Hooray Momma L! We went through a lot of videos and lots of trial and error to get the old one out and then the same to get the new one installed. Whoever writes instructions for these things needs a different job!
I just spent 2 weeks in Oklahoma with two of my daughters and 10 of my grandchildren.
1. We got my air plane ticket in March it was very very inexpensive since we bought it so far ahead of time.
2. I flew Southwest Airlines which allows you to 50 lb bags on free and a carry-on.
3. I bought 26 cans of Nalley’s Chili at WinCo here to take down there because they don’t have that brand there and my daughter loves it. Since I bought it at WinCo instead of Amazon I saved a ton of money.
4. I also brought down gifts for the children that were used but good witch I either gotten free or inexpensively on Facebook Marketplace. The kids loved it they didn’t care.
5. I went thrift store shopping with one of my daughters and bought a bunch of books for the grandkids in Spokane, to use for homeschooling this year so My Bag still weighed 50 lb a piece. I loved my trip, it was great.
I was recently terminated from my position. Unfortunately, there were a lot of mistakes made by my employer, and my parents have encouraged me to file a lawsuit. This combined with no health insurance, no salary, and a boyfriend in college has made me halt all unnecessary spending until I get my online business back up to full time income status. Engage full frugal throttle.
1. Gathered materials to make a wedding card for a friends wedding we are attending this weekend. I am fairly good at making cards, so I don’t feel as bad about it being home made.
2. Did our grocery shopping at Aldi today and was able to get everything we need. Spent about 70 dollars for *hopefully* two weeks worth of groceries and a few household items. After this, I plan on going back to the farmers market for most produce as it is even cheaper than Aldi.
3. My boyfriend needed some dividers for his binders for school. I convinced him to let me check out dollar tree before he ordered them on amazon and sure enough, I found the last 2 packs of dividers with folders. I also snagged some actual “post it” brand notes (as I’ve found the jot brand is not the best at sticking ).
4. Tomorrow I will be making sure my boyfriend gets off to a good first day/week of school (lunch and snacks packed and ready to avoid vending machine trips), then meeting him for a picnic dinner in the botanical gardens on his campus. Our puppy loves to walk through and sniff all of the flowers. The most heart warming and frugal fun possible.
5. I really need a new pair of work out shoes. Mine are very old and hurting my feet. I ordered a pair on clearance and had it sent to my parents house in PA to save money on tax. We will be going there for the wedding, so I can pick them up then and save a few dollars on sales tax.
E, sorry you are going through such a hard time. Being terminated does special kind of crazy dance in your head that is no fun. I applaud your approach to frugal living. I learned to not take any of my positions for granted, even self employed ones….
For me, experiencing job loss was a lot about lack of control. When I engage my frugal brain, I get to some control back. The realization that I can always control elements of my finances is very stress relieving. We are to a point now where we are true “under buyers”. Your needing new shoes made me smile. I have been there. The satisfaction of Making Do is so good for the soul. You can do this! And have fun doing it.
Thank you for your kind words! I agree that frugality and really focusing on every penny gives me some sense of control. I have bad knees and am trying to keep my anxiety under control , so new shoes I looked at as an investment. Luckily I was able to find a great deal!
Have been reading for a long time, but going to start adding in my own FFT to help stay inspired!
1. Found a dime.
2. Sewed four pompom-like tassels on the corners of a pillow back together. Only one was coming apart, but the others would have soon followed.
3. Wearing clothes around the house multiple days before washing.
4. Last time my parents stayed with me for a weekend, I didn’t wash the sheets when they left and put a note on the bed to remind me that they had last slept there (in case other company came– I’d know to wash the sheets!). They were here this past weekend so could sleep on the same sheets. It’s a little thing, but it saves a load of washing and hassle, and they have only been slept on for a few days in total so it’s not like they are particularly dirty.
5. Have been decluttering and sold two things on eBay. Every little bit helps!
1. I cut my husband’s hair and colored my own instead of going to a salon.
2. I did my own mani/pedi.
3. I used all the end pieces and leftover vegetable bits to make homemade stock.
4. I recycled rain water for plant water.
5. I made my daughter a small quilt from old tee shirts and made hair scrunchies and dog toys from the leftover sleeves.
It hasn’t been a very frugal month, but I’ll try to add a few things I’m still managing to do.
1) I filled a basket for a co-worker, whose baby is due in a few weeks, with items from the Dollar Tree and a pretty Nursing Cover-up I paid about $10 for. I included baby wash cloths, baby diaper ointment, several items for the diaper bag and a cute Lullaby book with a CD of songs. All total, I think I spent about $20.
2) I’ve been eating caramel rice cakes and PB with my morning coffee (provided by work) as my breakfast meal. I found out yesterday, from the GI doctor, that’s a better option for me, than any type of dairy items.
3) I finished two audiobooks, from the Library, in the past week and I’m half way through another one. All free with my favorite shopping card!
4) I’ve picked up 2 prescriptions this week with $0 co-pay. I’m all for $0 spent on meds.
5) I believe I’ll be done with PT this month, for the shoulder I had surgery on in May. I’ll be glad to have full RoM and not have to take PTO 3x per week, after the end of the month.
Good luck on the range of motion! I finally have 95% back and it took me forever. I remember being jealous of people who could move their arm. Of course now I just take it for granted again – thanks for reminding me not to.
JC – I was afraid it would take me 6 mos. or more, I kept hearing others that have gone through shoulder surgery saying at least 6 mos.
I decided to have my Therapist ramp up the workout she was doing on my arm each wee. I said, “Hurt me!” She did what I asked, too. I’ve been really sore, but it worked, my shoulder is getting looser and I can move my arm up further. I have one more week of therapy, before I go back for another appointment with the Surgeon. She’s going to evaluate me at the end of next week and I’m hoping I won’t have to continue PT for another month, but we will see. I truly want to get back to 100%, if possible, but I know it’s going to take a lot of work on my part.
I’m glad you were able to get so far with your ROM, that’s encouraging. Thank you for posting!!
1) Worked from home this week, which meant meals were at home only and saved a lot of money (I usually try to pack a lunch but I’m not always successful and I sometimes buy snacks). Trying to track what’s in the refrigerator so things don’t go bad before we eat them.
2) Picked something free for date night last Friday.
3) Tracked my budget and stayed on track all week.
4) Put in my work shift at the food coop we belong to (the coop saves us so much money).
5) Went to a few stores when I needed a distraction between appointments but checked my list and didn’t buy anything that wasn’t on it (and only bought gifts for others that were on my list already).
1) Used store coupons, markdowns and Ibotta today to get $160 of groceries for $103. Lots of produce, dairy and healthy oils. I’m happy.
2) Reading an awesome library book, “The Newcomers” based on a local school that has ELA program for most of Denvers’ refugee high schoolers. Timely and well written.
3) Thinking of new ways to combine my clothes for work outfits. I always want new clothes at this time of year,and it’s helpful to think of ways to use what I already have.
4) Picked about 10 pounds of peaches from our tree. We just put it in two years ago and are pleased it’s producing.
5) Cleaning and organizing. mMy hubby submitted receipts for flex spending and we will be reimbursed several hundred dollars. It’s good to stay on top of paperwork.
Katie I have always loved your blog, your enthusiasm and attitude about life in general. When I read about your daughter, my first thought was I hope the haters dont swamp you. These are perilous times for those who do not conform to narrow margins of approval. Add to that, this is your child who holds your heart always and can conjure wicked levels of worry. No cliches here, no prayers, just the very best thoughts for your family. Carol
Thank you very much. She is my heart, which will never change.
Happy anniversary!!
We’ve been camping, so I’ll do a FFT camping style:
1. We stayed at 2 National parks for $20 a night, much cheaper than even a cheap hotel.
2. We have métal bowls, plates, cups and silverware making it so we don’t need to buy disposable dishes. We have 2 dollar store tubs for washing dishes.
3. While camping we accepted free firewood (North Carolina folk sure are friendly!), some ice of campers leaving and 3 small tarps from the same campers! They said the tarps were wet and they didn’t have a backyard to dry them in so we could have them. One we put in front of our tent for a porch floor, one we put on the table for a table cloth and the other we’ll have on hand for future use.
4. I tried to cook fairly cheap meals like hobo stew, baked potatoes topped with chili, hot dogs etc…
5. We enjoyed free hiking, watching elk and the kids swam (too cold for me).
Envoyé par Blue