Five Frugal Things

by Katy on December 17, 2019 · 70 comments

 

  1. I sold a few things including a coffee table, a Persian rug, some oversized Fiestaware mugs, a cute tweed flat cap, a vintage rotary phone, and a “Miller Lite” holiday scarf. Not great sales, but still steady. I have a number of $100+ items up on eBay that have decent number of watchers, so I expect them to sell in the near future. Until then I’ll have to be content with a steady dribble of $25-$50 sales.

  2. I’ve mostly been lying low lately. Portland weather doesn’t invite outdoor adventures, and I swear that it’s getting dark earlier than in years past. (Is it three o’clock? Time to turn on the porch light!) However, this has translated into many homemade meals and a minimum of spending opportunities. (I rarely if ever online shop.) Picture me on the couch with a library book and you’re 3/4 of the way there. Hunkering down at home = very frugal.

  3. I need to make sure that we’re ready for the holiday gift giving season in a way that allows us to cover our son’s college tuition/pay the mortgage/renew my nursing license/pay our son’s rent/etc . . . . I’ll be raiding my eBay stash for a few gifts, regifting some treats and then picking up a few things from Goodwill. I still haven’t figured out anchor gifts for my 21 and 24-year-old kids, but am trying to take deep breaths and remember that this will all be over soon.

  4. I’ve been both reading and listening to library books, (see above) I picked up a new living room rug for $40, which allowed me to sell the one in our spare bedroom one for $160, my husband continues to bring bubble wrap home from work for my packages, (I joke that bubble wrap is my “love language”) and I once again put up my garbage picked artificial Christmas tree.

  5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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Disclosure: This blog post includes an eBay affiliate link, which means that I earn a small percentage from any purchases you make within a few days of clicking over. This costs nothing extra to you.

{ 70 comments… read them below or add one }

A. Marie December 17, 2019 at 2:41 pm

FFT, Unusual Eldercare Edition:

(1) As of 12/4, we have a home care aide coming in for DH for 4 hours on Wednesdays. This is a proactive move: He doesn’t absolutely need it just yet, but he will in the future–and I want to get him used to having other people in the house to take care of him before the need gets urgent for some reason.

(2) The aide is a delightful older lady who used to run a booth in a local antiques mall with her late husband, and is continuing to sell stuff on eBay. Her specialty areas are not the same as ours, but she may be able to teach me a few things about selling stuff online. (The home care agency is open to all sorts of oddball assistance to clients, as long as it’s within the limits of their workers’ comp policy!)

(3) The Bestest Neighbors just lived up to their alias once again by giving us a small TV with a built-in DVD player (acquired by them a while back but almost never used). We have hung on to our favorite DVDs despite ditching our TV and cable a few years ago, so we’ll be delighted to play the DVDs once again. And this may be a resource for DH and his aide on Wednesdays when our Upstate NY weather is too foul for going out.

(4) DH and the aide went last Wednesday to a once-a-month “memory cafe” held in a local suburban church. I’ve been hearing good things about this for some time, but haven’t been able to take DH myself, since it falls right in the wheelhouse of my telecommuting work day. They both came back with good reports: Local musicians played holiday music, a good lunch was served, and a fine time was had by all. And, best of all, this excellent resource is **free of charge.** Definitely a keeper!

(5) Finally, I’ve been looking at various subscriptions and services of ours at year’s end and either going for cheaper options (e.g., Seed Savers Exchange just gave us a big discount on membership for going paperless) or cutting them out altogether. Trying to go lean wherever I can, since full retirement may be coming up for me in the coming year.

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Christine December 17, 2019 at 3:07 pm

I’m so glad to hear your DH and aide enjoyed the memory café. I have a friend who teaches chair yoga who has taken part in some of these which are quite new to our area. My father passed away in 2012 from complications from Alzheimers. Oh how I wish he had been around to benefit from these wonderful events! That and the Quilts of Honor were something he never saw which I know he would have loved.

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Christine December 17, 2019 at 3:11 pm

Or the correct name may be “Quilts of Valor”.

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susanna d December 17, 2019 at 3:32 pm

I’m so glad the aide is such a delight!

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Christine December 17, 2019 at 3:01 pm

1. I was gifted about a dozen tulip and daffodil bulbs but didn’t think I would get them into the ground as it’s been frozen for some time now. Along came a rainy day and warm temps and I was able to plant them.
2. DH and I went on a walk with a pair of clippers and were able to get enough greens and red berries to make two cemetery baskets, two swags for hanging light fixtures in our house and a grouping for a large crock on the front porch and an antique looking mailbox which will look pretty with pines boughs and berries in it.
3. On the walk we found 9 deposit cans.
4. We also got some exercise as we walked 4 miles and saw some nature: a Fisher Cat crossed the trail in front of us.
5. I found a new consignment shop in an area we frequently find ourselves in.

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Cindy in the South December 18, 2019 at 6:24 pm

I had to google Fisher Cat… wow, that is awesome to be able to see in person!

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Christine December 19, 2019 at 6:13 pm

It really was awesome to see in the wild. I was afraid to keep going down the trail although the Fisher Cat had run into the surrounding woods. My husband had to assure me the Fisher Cat was afraid of me too! This area seems to be particularly attractive to wildlife…we saw a beautiful raccoon in a tree in the same area earlier this year and my husband while hiking alone has seen an owl fly across the trail twice.

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Lisa M. December 17, 2019 at 3:16 pm

5FF: On the Fly Edition

1. So busy between working & holiday prep, have limited spending to groceries (round trip road trip & Xmas) & 3 items for DD: A blue opal ring she liked at the antique mall holiday sale (20% off) & gift cards to her makeup store & the coffee shop next to her new apt. Coffee shop threw in $5 bonus card with gift card purchase of $25 for use in January or February. DH is covering gas station gift card.

2. Busy making gifts for boss, neighbor & friends: Chex Mix & Spicy Pecans (recipe courtesy of Kristen at The Frugal Girl). Repurposed gift container I gave to boss last Xmas & just wiped off the dust. Found seasonal Ziploc slider bags on clearance at local grocer to put snack mix in & bought snack bags at big box store for pecans. I’m cheap but not cheap enough to repurpose plastic bags for gifts.

3. Repurposing 1 item of DM’s (Mom’s) & using a gift purchased years ago at 50% off post-holiday. Have a ceramic box that is tastefully decorated with “Friends Forever”, likely given to my Mom by a special friend. Lots of sentimental value since my DM was recently put on Hospice. Regifting to my good friend from HS that is inviting us over for salmon during our road trip. Know she will appreciate the sentimentality. Gifting new great nephew a keepsake silver ornament set of a baby mug & rattle purchased years ago still in box. It will be perfect for him on his 1st Xmas.

4. Enjoying both 7’ ft. & table-top trees, along with several decorations from Next Door giveaways. Also love lit greenery with gingham bows & metal stars, nearly free from skating garage sale fundraiser some years ago. 99% of decorations have had for years, only 3 small items purchased recently from occasional antique market that are holiday gifts to yours truly.

5. Have all food & beverages procured for road trip & for use while there in cottage kitchen. Going out to eat tonight for DH’s birthday using BIGI free Tuesday night special for burgers with purchase of 2 beverages.

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susanna d December 17, 2019 at 3:27 pm

Five frugal things, annual “husband’s birthday celebration” style but way cheaper…no, make that more frugal…than in past years:

(I think I mentioned previously that my heart kind of broke when my husband said – when we were first dating – “My birthday is nothing special. It’s close to Christmas, so my parents never celebrated it. They just said I’d get an extra present at Christmas time.” From that time on, I’ve considered it one of my missions in life to show him just how important, how SPECIAL, the day he was born IS. To me, and hopefully to him as well).

1. Normally we spend four days at a condo in a slightly warmer part of the state. This year it was two days in the condo, and two days using “free nights” earned at hotels in that area. Which cut the price of two nights down to the cost of tips for housekeeping.
2. The two nights in hotels came with free breakfasts the next morning. While bringing our own bagels/lox/cream cheese and juice to the condo is cheaper than having breakfast in restaurants, free hotel breakfast is even cheaper than that.
3. We used restaurant gift cards that we’d received as gifts for two of our dinners out – one for a prime rib dinner, the other at our favorite burger place. Again, only costs to us were the tips.
4. We both had birthday coupons from Jersey Mike’s for free subs and drinks (I love that you have a whole year to use that birthday freebie). We split a sub for dinner one night, and split the other for lunch one of the days. Proving that sometimes, yes – there IS such a thing as a free lunch.
5. Leftovers from our free dinners (portions are SO much bigger than we need for one meal in many restaurants) covered dinner the fourth night.
6. Bonus frugal thing – we used part of the $200 VISA gift card rebate from husband’s contact lens purchase to cover all gasoline and other incidentals for the trip. And we had an amazing time, which is priceless.

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Nancy from mass December 17, 2019 at 3:42 pm

Susanna, my heart broke when I read that your husband’s family never celebrated his birthday. Even something as simple as a happy birthday with a cake isn’t that difficult. It’s good that you always make it a mission for him to have a good birthday.

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Isitaneedorawant December 17, 2019 at 4:17 pm

One of my close friends does for her husband what you do. My son-in-law’s family are big celebrators for his just before Christmas and his mother’s just afterwards.
I love birthdays and especially collect birthday ephemera.

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susanna d December 19, 2019 at 7:32 am

Thanks for your comments! I was especially suprised when I learned that my inlaws chose not to celebrate a December birthday because one of my brothers has a birthday a week closer to Christmas than my husband does, and my parents always had a birthday party for him – as they did for all of us. My husband seems to really enjoy his birthday celebrations, and hasn’t said “my birthday is nothing special” in quite a few years. Which is exactly the result I was hoping for.

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Deb December 18, 2019 at 9:02 pm

My Mom’s Birthday is Christmas Day, and my sister’s is Boxing day. We celebrate both, and birthday cake is always our Christmas dessert! Great on you for celebrating your dh’s…it must make him feel very special!

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Michelle H December 20, 2019 at 5:53 am

My youngest child’s birthday is the day after Christmas, and I do my best to make it a separate celebration from Christmas, but its not easy. Last year I wrapped all my Christmas gifts, and then realized I had wrapped her birthday gift in that stack as well. I tore it open and re-wrapped in birthday paper. It’s a little thing but I try!

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Nancy from mass December 17, 2019 at 3:50 pm

My not so frugal five:

1. For the past seven or eight years we’ve had live trees. I love a live tree and grew up with a live tree. But I am very OCD about electrical fires and every year having a real Christmas tree send me over the edge. DS and I purchased a live tree last week and I had snow on it so I put it in the basement for the night. Foolish me did not put it in a bucket of water. I brought it up the next afternoon and set it up put the lights on it, and the next day was looking at it and thought oh my some of these branches don’t look good. I ended up ordering a fake tree and it’s being delivered tomorrow. I figure if it last me six years, it’ll I’ve already paid for itself. But the stress of not worrying about a fire will pay for itself on the first night.
2. Ordered gift cards for a restaurant in NH that is my absolute favorite restaurant. If you order them on December 1, they give you a 20% discount. So two of the gift cards I ordered ended up being for free.
3. Other than stocking stuffers for DS, my shopping is pretty much done. I just have to gather up some cash to put in with my niece and nephews Christmas gifts. I always give them a little something with cash to go with it. Because everyone could use cash.
4. I did buy a highly reviewed video camera for DS for Christmas. It’s not that expensive (boy they can get expensive) and it’s not the cheapest but I think it’ll be a good solid video camera for him to start making his movies.
5. Friday at 11, I am on vacation for the remainder of the year. My plan is to sleep in, stay in my jammies every day as long as I can, finish knitting a sweater for DS, and hanging out with my kittens. Man are they cute. I am so glad I did not wait to get another pet.
I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

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Lisa M. December 17, 2019 at 4:15 pm

Nancy, do not feel alone on the tree mistake. I recall a tree with a lot of snow & ice. I waited just a few hours until bedtime to put water in the container. By the next day, it was incredibly dry & losing its needles. I’m still not sure if it was excessively dry to begin with or was it the few hours without water? I later mentioned it to Customer Service at the store but did not press the issue, as we never had a similar situation even though we purchased our tree at the same location for years.

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Nancy from mass December 17, 2019 at 5:11 pm

As a kid, I remember once that my parents had to buy a second tree a few days before Christmas because the first one it dried out so much. So I don’t feel so bad about having to buy a new tree. better than the house burning down.

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Bee December 17, 2019 at 5:12 pm

How are the kittens, Nancy? I wonder if they will love you tree? Mine have never tried to climb my trees but love to sleep under them.

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Nancy from mass December 17, 2019 at 7:57 pm

When we initially put the tree in the stand, I waited a few hours before I did anything with it and I watched them. Every time they went over and sniffed the tree and lifted a paw, I would say no and they would put their paw down. They haven’t really bothered with it. I’m hoping it’s the same with the new tree. But I didn’t put any ornaments on this one yet, so we’ll see. They typically start off sleeping with my son and then move into my bedroom at some point during the night. They’re just so darn cute. Although, I had to call the animal poison control 2 days ago because the boy kitten got up on my kitchen counter and grabbed the Brillo pad that is near the sink. It was stuck in his sharp little kitten teeth. There wasn’t a lot of soap on it but I wasn’t sure how sick he was going to get. He didn’t get sick at all thankfully. But it cost $75 to call them. It hasn’t been a frugal month…

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Bee December 18, 2019 at 9:02 am

They sound like fun!! Sadly, animals are sadly not the most inexpensive choice, but I found they are worth every penny.

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Lindsey December 17, 2019 at 4:50 pm

1. Did a mystery shop that gave me $30.

2. Someone on this site gave me an idea for a cheap night out. I dug out all the partially used gift cards we have hanging about and husband and I spent an evening going to McDonalds to share a burger, to a convenience store for a bag of pretzels, to Wendy’s for a shared small fries, and Barnes and Noble to pick out the only thing we could afford on the gift card leftover—a magazine we both like. The only thing we spent money on was the gas, and after it was done the northern lights were out so we ended the evening by driving the five miles out of town to a lookout and spent about 45 minutes looking at the aurora and listening to Christmas music stored on my husband’s phone. Not the healthiest night of food but fun.

3. Neighbor brought over more giant empty dog food bags that I will use as garbage bags. I gave him home made caramel corn in thanks for the number of times he has now done this.

4. I have two friends who think I am crazy and probably poor because our two vehicles are old and I do things like reuse dog food bags. They do stuff for me that they call, “Instead of throwing this out we give it to you.” They come over for lunch once a month, always homemade soup and bread that I have made, and bring me the weirdest things. This month each came with bags of chicken and turkey carcasses they had been savings for months in their freezers. It took me two days but I ended up with nine quarts of very dark/rich broth.

5. Helped husband give the uncooperative dog a bath. He is a wonderful dog but as soon as he thinks we are preparing to bathe him, he runs through the dog door and will stay out there until he is freezing. This time we had the sense to lock the dog door first so he would not freeze his paws standing around at 20 below zero. Saved ourselves a $70 grooming fee.

Completely off the topic of frugal but as a gift for all the tips and encouragement I have gotten from this group, I give you this: This is a URL of a small Alaskan village that put together a unique rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. It is about 3 minutes long and will make you smile, as well as give you a view of village structures. The teacher and kids put it together. It was made a few years ago, but I watch it every Christmas at least once because it is so joyful and clever.

1. Did a mystery shop that gave me $30.

2. Someone on this site gave me an idea for a cheap night out. I dug out all the partially used gift cards we have hanging about and husband and I spent an evening going to McDonalds to share a burger, to a convenience store for a bag of pretzels, to Wendy’s for a shared small fries, and Barnes and Noble to pick out the only thing we could afford on the gift card leftover—a magazine we both like. The only thing we spent money on was the gas, and after it was done the northern lights were out so we ended the evening by driving the five miles out of town to a lookout and spent about 45 minutes looking at the aurora and listening to Christmas music stored on my husband’s phone. Not the healthiest night of food but fun.

3. Neighbor brought over more giant empty dog food bags that I will use as garbage bags. I gave him home made caramel corn in thanks for the number of times he has now done this.

4. I have two friends who think I am crazy and probably poor because our two vehicles are old and I do things like reuse dog food bags. They do stuff for me that they call, “Instead of throwing this out we give it to you.” They come over for lunch once a month, always homemade soup and bread that I have made, and bring me the weirdest things. This month each came with bags of chicken and turkey carcasses they had been savings for months in their freezers. It took me two days but I ended up with nine quarts of very dark/rich broth.

5. Helped husband give the uncooperative dog a bath. He is a wonderful dog but as soon as he thinks we are preparing to bathe him, he runs through the dog door and will stay out there until he is freezing. This time we had the sense to lock the dog door first so he would not freeze his paws standing around at 20 below zero. Saved ourselves a $70 grooming fee.

Completely off the topic of frugal but as a gift for all the tips and encouragement I have gotten from this group, I give you this: This is a URL of a small Alaskan village that put together a unique rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. It is about 3 minutes long and will make you smile, as well as give you a view of village structures. The teacher and kids put it together. It was made a few years ago, but I watch it every Christmas at least once because it is so joyful and clever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyviyF-N23A&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1guIpih8RrxLhB4ggkv-INW4BWSgEKJcPcL9VkRgkz0n-e2wpPbCVNjkM

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Lindsey December 17, 2019 at 4:51 pm

Sorry, did a crap paste job so repeated myself.

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Bee December 17, 2019 at 5:29 pm

A sweet rendition of the Hallelujah chorus. Merry Christmas!

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Teri December 17, 2019 at 7:13 pm

I loved it, Lindsey!

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Karen December 18, 2019 at 5:04 am

Thank you Lindsay, a very clever and sweet video. I love your posts. And seeing tgenorthern lights is on my bucket list.

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Karen December 18, 2019 at 5:06 am

Lindsey I even checked how you spelled your name. Autocorrect

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Nancy from mass December 18, 2019 at 5:38 am

Lindsey, thank you so much for posting that link. That was always one of my favorite songs to hear my mom singing (her voice would’ve been one of the higher voices) I love how people of the town got together to do it. And it also reminded me of sitting in church at midnight mass with my mom in the choir loft and hearing her voice. Thank you for this.

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Joyce December 18, 2019 at 6:11 am

Loved it! Forwarded it to my husband. He spent a bunch of time in Arctic Village. Forgotten how similar most of the remote locations are.
Joyce

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Carla December 21, 2019 at 1:31 pm

Loved the video! Thanks for sharing!

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Cynthia Ferguson December 21, 2019 at 4:34 pm

That was wonderful Thanks.

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Ruby December 17, 2019 at 5:01 pm

Due to $4K in surprise hospital bills after insurance paid, everything we are gifting this Christmas is thrifted, handmade, home cooked/baked, or purchased with the itty bitty proceeds from our yard sale in November. It’s been tough but rewarding.
1. Continuing to find stuff in my sewing materials stash to make gifts. Next up is a stuffed blue bunny made with fabric remnants bought at yard sales in the neighborhood and a pair of denim pot holders that repurpose some cut-off jeans legs and an old bath towel as filling.
2. Shared our heap of reused gift bags and holiday tissue paper (bought after Christmas last year for 17 cents a package) with a single mom friend, who is hiding the wrapped gifts from her inquisitive 4-year-old here at my house.
3. We put up Christmas decorations this past weekend and had a great time reminiscing about the ornaments made or collected over the years. A few we have had many years needed mending, and that was fun. Creative repair is an enjoyable part of being frugal.
4. My son needed a casual long-sleeved shirt and the thrift store turned up one that was perfect but had short sleeves and a long sleeved plain one that wasn’t suitable but was a coordinating color. I bought them both on half off day and sewed the long sleeves under the short ones, creating a layered look he loves. I think the cut up shirt has enough fabric left to sew a pair of baby pants.
5. Did not buy a cool handbag and sweater that I don’t need at the thrift store. Gave them a ride around the store and hung them back up, in the best frugal fashion.

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Marie December 17, 2019 at 5:51 pm

Love the potholes idea!

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Bee December 18, 2019 at 4:34 am

I admire your creativity and wish I hadn’t let my sewing skills get so rusty. You are the ultimate upcycler.

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Ruby December 23, 2019 at 8:19 pm

Thank you! It all came out really cute. Present Me is really thankful that Past Me picked up bits and pieces of fabric here and there for pennies over the past few years.

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Teresa December 17, 2019 at 5:19 pm

Well, I’m way behind on Christmas but you all have motivated me to make Xmas gifts for colleagues tonight after finishing this post. On Sunday I bought a few packs of mistletoe from the Boy Scouts and I’ll create mistletoe hangers with red ribbon and a “Merry Kissmas” note for my colleagues. It’s unique (have done it before), it will create a bit of fun and it will save me from buying anything more.

Sometimes I wish I could have Christmas “after Christmas” when I have time off and feel settled enough to do everything. After Friday I’m off for a few days so I will decorate a bit and do a little shopping for family then. The truth is that no one really needs any “things” but they do need $$, so I lean in that direction. Still, I feel a little bad about handing over money instead of something personal. Maybe next year I will plan ahead and go back to well-thought-out-gifting. This year I am just too tired.

How did the holidays sneak up so fast? Seems like just yesterday it was summer. In any case, thanks for the push to get going. Have a wonderful week. Merry Christmas to all…and to all a good night. 🙂 <3

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janine December 17, 2019 at 5:56 pm

Lindsay – Fabulous rendition of Handel!!! Great pictures of Alaska.

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Kathy December 17, 2019 at 6:05 pm

1. Drip drip drip sales thru Facebook marketplace=$50
2. Worked my on call admin job 5 days over the last 2 weeks
3. Keeping thermostat low so wearing socks and covering up with blankets
4. Gifting items I purposely bought plus regifting
5. Using up wrap and cards

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janine December 17, 2019 at 6:25 pm

1. Husband and I enjoyed lunch at a VFW overlooking a frozen lake. Eating for a goo cause.
2. Did Xmas shopping this afternoon – found lots of overpriced stuff including pricey jackets for DS#2. Came home empty handed. Friend called to report her bargain jacket purchase for male- friend Tomorrow is another day for shopping – yea!
3. Focusing on useful gifts – humidifier, jacket and radio in addition to some small stocking stuffers and $$ for IRA contributions.
4. Spent the evening putting up our free, large and beautiful fresh tree. New swear words are added to our vocabulary every year.
5. Ornaments will be recycled from attic . Realtor always gifts trees to clients in return for food shelf donations and Toys for Tots gifts.

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janine December 17, 2019 at 6:26 pm

I meant eating for a good cause! My typos make me cringe. (#1)

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Christine December 18, 2019 at 2:32 pm

Your #4…so funny! I think it’s a universal experience!

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Mand01 December 17, 2019 at 9:25 pm

1. I did a big freelance gig and had no time to spend any money. Basically all I’ve done for two weeks is work. As a result, I’ve saved quite a bit of dosh as well as earning some.
2. When I did take a break I did some practical things like brewing kombucha or baking. I don’t do nothing very well.
3. That being said we are now in a heatwave so it’s too hot for those tasks now. I did some other things like prepping for Christmas and planning some trips. I have two trips planned in late January and I paid for the trips using credit with the airline. Not technically frugal I guess because I’d already paid for the trips a while ago but I am going to a cheaper city twice instead of a more expensive city once. Plus another family driving holiday. So three trips for the price of one.
4. Because of the heatwave I did some plan ahead cooking so we don’t need to cook at all during the hot days and won’t need to resort to takeaway meals either. It’s going to be the hottest December days on record. In Australia you know that’s hot mate.
5. When I was working the big freelance job we only got takeaway once. That’s a pretty good effort. The rest of the two weeks I cooked from scratch every night. I planned the week’s meals in advance and my husband shared cooking and came home early some nights to help so I could work longer.

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Christine December 19, 2019 at 6:17 pm

The heatwave has been on the news frequently over here in the States. Take care and keep cool if you can. Thinking of you.

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Mand01 December 19, 2019 at 6:26 pm

Thank you. I actually like the heat but I have to admit it’s too hot even for me. My kids are both autistic and suffer from sensory processing issues related to temperature. They are struggling. I have to run the air conditioning for them pretty much ongoing so I’ll be glad when the cool change comes through because it’s a budget killer!! Personally I can sit in the heat without much bother, but they definitely cannot.

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Bethany M. December 18, 2019 at 12:14 am

I needed to use up some milk before it spoiled. I made 2 batches of stovetop Mac and cheese where you boil the macaroni in milk. Froze those 2 batches.

Lined up friends to babysit during my jury duty week. So far I haven’t been needed so we’ve been able to continue homeschooling this week.

Batch errand a grocery trip with a visit to the medical lab for my daughter. Dr was concerned that she had type 1 diabetes, and thankfully no, but now we’re ruling out kidney disease. Which is probably fine, but just have to check to make sure.

Fewer extracurriculars this week and next so generally saving on gas and having more time for bike rides and walks.

Sold some clothes that are too big now. Down 115!!!

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Jill A December 18, 2019 at 3:02 am

Congratulations!! 115 is amazing.

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Christine December 18, 2019 at 2:39 pm

Congratulations on your weight loss! That is so impressive.

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Jill A December 18, 2019 at 3:00 am

I don’t have much to share. I feel like I’ve been hemorrhaging money lately.

1. My refrigerator played me and after many months and one week after deciding to hold on to it a while longer it died on me. I ordered a new one from Costco which means I’ll get an extra year of warranty. I also paid for an extra warranty this time since it seems most refrigerators suck. I’ve listed the refrigerator components on Ebay.
2. I was treated to breakfast by a friend and my mechanic replaced my turn signal bulb for free ( he said I had frequent flier miles). My mother again gifted me with free dog food and treats. Hurray for picky dogs.
3. I sold some old lighted Christmas decor on Facebook that I’d never used. Money in, crap out.
4. I also put up my Christmas tree. It’s not trash picked but it’s old and I’ve removed the old lights and attached new ones a few years ago and it’s still going strong. One less item for the landfill.
5. My daughter who is home on Christmas break and I have been enjoying some free entertainment. Long walks with our human and dog friends at the dog park, watching fun shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime. We are washing our laundry in cold water and hanging to dry. We are dressing warmly and cuddly under warm blankets with my thermostat set low.
4.

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Bee December 18, 2019 at 4:08 am

1. I continue to sell on eBay to make extra money. Although I also have had quite a few sales over the last week, none was over $30 and most were much less. I continue to pack these items using as much recycled packaging as possible. My spendthrift friends save their Amazon boxes, packaging materials and envelopes for me. However, unlike Lindsey no one has started saving chicken carcasses for me. Now that would be awesome!
2. Despite the holidays, I saw the dentist for a cleaning today and my doctor for a physical yesterday. I have also managed a few trips to the gym. Hopefully these trips will prevent the need for acute care visits in the future. Preventative maintenance is always a good thing.
3. Since I have been puttering around the house the last few days, I have been using the time at home to make some basics for my freezer. I made several quarts of beef, chicken and veggie broth. I also have cooked a pound of black beans in my instapot and divided them into smaller serving sizes. I baked two loaves of GF banana bread to use up some yucky yogurt and overripe bananas. I also cut the sugar by 1/3 making it less expensive and healthier. I find this works with most baked goods items without having any noticeable impact on the flavor.
4. The sole on my favorite pair of black flats came unglued at the front. These were not inexpensive shoes and I was not ready to give them up. I simply re-glued the sole using Gorilla Glue, and I have worn them several times since. I also repaired a small hole in a cashmere sweater and sewed a button on a beautiful silk tunic. Both items were purchased at the Goodwill Bins and have found a new life in my wardrobe.
5. I have been doing all the usual things eating home cooked meals, brewing my own coffee, and drinking primarily filtered water. I borrowed 2 new library books and enjoyed the final season of Shetland on Britbox. I have been wearing thrifted clothing including a very cute, vintage ugly Christmas sweater complete with jingle bells.

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Betsy December 18, 2019 at 5:16 am

How have I missed seeing this wonderful cat of yours? Beautifully handsome!!

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Texasilver December 19, 2019 at 4:37 pm

I loved the picture too of the big, black lap cat. I don’t actually know is s/he is a lap cat but sure looks like one. Nothing like a warm, furry kitty to be your companion on a cold night.

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Gina December 18, 2019 at 7:17 am

I haven’t posted in awhile, so hopefully I can come up with 5….
1. Decorated for Christmas using our artificial tree we bought new 14 years ago with all our old ornaments we’ve collected thru the years. My mom said our tree is always so beautiful & one of the prettiest she sees each year; said it’s a perfect shape.
2. My mother-in-law wanted to try toilet paper from Sam’s club & didn’t end up liking it (they have a septic system & we have public sewer). She gifted it to us since it’s the kind we prefer, so I got 27 rolls for free!
3. I don’t currently sell on Ebay, just Facebook Marketplace. I made $189 so far the past few months. I’m happy with that since normally i just would’ve donated it all. I did go thru Christmas decorations while I had them out & added a few to my sale items as we no longer use them.
4. My daughter needed some yarn at the fabric store so she could knit. I had a gift card with a little $ on it which I used toward her purchase, plus used a coupon as well.
5. We had some work to do at the firehouse 2 evenings last week and the chief bought us all dinner one night as a thank you for helping. Helps my food budget!
6. I hand delivered one Christmas card saving postage, paid all my bills online saving postage.

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Jess in NC December 18, 2019 at 8:33 am

1. The spouse and I aren’t travelling for Christmas. We’re far from both of our families and do all of the holiday travel. My hatred of the expense and stress has really made me hate the whole holiday. I finally put my foot down and we’re staying home to have a quiet break.

2. Instead of travelling this month, we’ll be meeting my family for a vacation in March. It will cost much less to travel then and I think I’ll have a much happier time.

3. The spouse and I limited gifts this year. We picked two things we really needed for the house and each got one of those. We’ll exchange books on Christmas Eve and I’ll get him some candy for his stocking because he has more of a sweet tooth. But that’s it. I enjoy giving gifts but wow, I just feel so relieved to have the pressure taken off.

4. We are going out of town this weekend (for a fun, not family stress related event) so I’m putting together a big soup before we go. I am much better at avoiding the take out temptation when there’s a tasty meal already cooked and waiting when we get home.

5. I’m currently doing the very dull frugal habit of drinking tea in my office that I made with my kettle and my tea supply. My colleagues are always running around buying take out coffee together when they need a pick me up. I honestly don’t know how they afford it at that frequency.

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Amanda December 18, 2019 at 9:26 am

1) I made a big pot of lentil and vegetable soup in the crock pot yesterday that I will enjoy over the next week.

2) I have not one but two audiobooks downloaded from the library. I did end up taking advantage of an audible cut rate subscription to download a third cheaply. I will be sure to cancel before I am charged for a second month. But in my defense for that last one I have a historian, so I actually read these books for work.

3) I used a 20% off Target coupon that I received for buying on black Friday to stock up on the health and beauty products that are cheapest from Target and I know we will use. I have four kids with eczema–we go through GALLONS of aquafore.

4) My husband and I had a Goodwill adventure last Thursday in which we stocked up on the things we felt were holes in our closet. All for the price of one shirt.

5) The only holiday decor we will buy this year is a wreath for the front door, and I will take the kids individually to buy Goodwill gifts for their siblings.

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K D December 18, 2019 at 9:29 am

1. I found $5 on the sidewalk while walking on a wet, gray day. I have not found many coins lately but occasionally I’ve found a bill.

2. I discovered that the Aldi brand corn syrup does not work as well as the name brand Karo. It is worth it to buy the Karo when making pecan pie bars, as they turn out much better.

3. My husband received a box of oranges as a holiday gift from a bigwig at work. They are delicious.

4. I’ve been told that someone I volunteer with is quite wealthy. You’d never know it by her words or actions but I do believe it could be true. She owns commercial real estate in our suburb. Anyway, I know she stocked up on butter when it was half price and buys the rotisserie chicken at the warehouse store when her son comes over for dinner. I love that she is frugal and unassuming.

5. My daughter had a birthday and wanted to go out for lunch. She brought a coupon for the restaurant we dined in.

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ouvickie December 18, 2019 at 11:48 am

K D – #2 – there are a few Aldi brands that I feel that way about too. They may be cheaper, but I’d rather pay a little more and get what I want in product.
#4 – I’m with you, I love knowing there are frugal, but wealthy unassuming people out there.
I used to work with two guys who had worked for the University since they were in college, until they retired. They both lived in the same apartments all their adult life and in no way would you have known they were wealthy – if you judged by their attire or attitudes. One of them regularly donated large amounts of money to his favorite charity. Apparently, having been frugal as adults and living way beneath their means, their salaries added up all those years in the bank accounts and they amassed fortunes. Just goes to show it really is best not to judge a book by it’s cover!! 🙂

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Mand01 December 18, 2019 at 2:09 pm

I also know several people like that. They are some of the most generous people I know.

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ouvickie December 18, 2019 at 10:57 am

Gorgeous rug, Katy!
1) We get paid early this month, due to the Winter Break on Campus. So I can pick up gift certificates for my grandsons and brother and be done, completely, with Christmas purchases.
2) Attending my granddaughters Christmas programs had been a delight and free. I’ve taken pictures and shared them with family and friends. Such fun!
3) I’m making fiesta corn dip for tomorrow’s potluck at work and providing a meat & cheese tray. Thank goodness it’s a shared food event and not a gifting event! I attend potlucks, but I refuse to spend money on junk no one wants, especially me, so I don’t attend gifting parties at work.
4) Today is my eye check-up after having issues a month ago. Thankfully it’s gotten better and I can use the last of my 2019 flexible spending money on the co-pay.
5) I lost my eye glasses a few weeks back, so I found an older pair and I actually like the frames better. I’d forgotten that the corner of the earpiece had come loose and the eyeglass shop, where I bought them, claimed they couldn’t fix it or replace the earpiece. So – I bought a package of super-glue at the Dollar Tree and repaired them myself. It worked!
I may have to super-glue them again sometime, but that’s cheaper than buying new glasses. When I finally found my other pair, in the floor board of my car (apparently they’d fallen out of my purse), I decided to make the newer ones my extra pair. The frames on the newer ones aren’t as comfortable. Win-win!!

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Kristen | The Frugal Girl December 18, 2019 at 12:50 pm

So, is this the cat who is the couch-ruiner? Or is that the other cat?

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Katy December 19, 2019 at 8:46 am

This. Cat.

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Roberta December 18, 2019 at 3:29 pm

1. In years past we have harvested a Christmas tree from our back yard, but they have all gotten too big. So my husband cut a large branch off the tree, and we’re using it. It leans a little, but we saved a tree. (Does anyone else remember Emmet Otter?)
2. Our 25th wedding anniversary was last night, a Tuesday. We took advantage of a weeknight special for a very nice dinner out, at a French restaurant we would not otherwise have considered. We had planned to go out this weekend, but our schedule interfered (what sort of fool gets married a week before Christmas?!), so this probably saved us money.
3. Most of our other plans are free: caroling at a rehab facility, games with the kids’ friends over, painting window’s at my friend’s house, making cookies for the neighbors. carols at church Sunday night.
4. Bought good reusable ribbon at the thrift shop, instead of getting the cheaper stuff there. We’ll be able to reuse it for years.
5. We scrounged up three of the four gifts we need for the White Elephant at my sister’s Christmas Day. I only need to find one more, tomorrow when I take my daughter out to celebrate finishing her French class at the community college. She got an A in her first college class, a five-unit class, and she’s just 14! She worked so hard, I am so proud I could pop! The amount I spend on taking her out will be less than the cost of classes when she’s paying for them!

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Lindsey December 18, 2019 at 5:39 pm

What a clever daughter and what a great parent to notice and celebrate her accomplishment!

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Roberta December 19, 2019 at 7:40 am

I am as pleased as a pup with two tails!

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Tracy December 19, 2019 at 5:40 am

I don’t feel like I’ve done very well at a frugal Christmas this year but have been working on budgeting. Am starting my buy nothing new year 1/1 and am also resolving to track ALL spending in 2020 and to live on my retirement budget in 2020 (even though I’ll still be working) to maximize retirement savings. So it’s great (as always!) to read all the inspirational posts.

Let’s see if I can come up with FFT:

1. Made yogurt again in the crock pot using a gallon of milk purchased on sale for $2. I LOVE homemade yogurt, so delish and simple and so frugal! I ate it all.
2. Made a big pot of lentil soup on Sunday which has provided several lunches and dinners already. Cheap, tasty, healthy! Used up misc. iffy vegetables too.
3. Am trying to plan menus for extended family holiday dinner 12/22, appetizers to take to in-laws 12/24, Christmas brunch and Christmas dinner to feature things I either already have or that are cheap to buy. For example, egg salad, deviled eggs, free turkey (got at Thanksgiving, threw in freezer), scalloped potatoes etc. etc. LOTS of cooking in my future in next 5 days.
4. Skipped having lights put up this year (last few years Hubs has hired someone to do it, this year I talked him into just putting lights up our iron railing of curving outdoor stairs to front door).
5. Jiggered dates for our spring break trip to Palm Springs to do better on airfare (flights double or triple in cost at spring break). We are going Friday – Thursday and while it’s still expensive it is half of what we would have paid to go Sat-Sat. Also save some by flying into Ontario CA and driving an hour instead of flying directly into Palm Springs airport. We need a rental car anyway so no biggie to do this. Thank goodness accommodations (staying with family) are free!

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Jenelle December 19, 2019 at 5:47 am

1. Finished Christmas shopping for the actual day of Christmas. I do only have one more present to buy for my father who I will see after Christmas. I’ll buy that present after the next pay day!
2. Ebay was dead for about two weeks for me. Thankfully, I’ve had a few items sell each day this week.
3. We’ve kept our Christmas celebrations to a minimum this year. Only the most important events are attended. We’ve had to say no to many, many. I just have to keep reminding myself that we don’t have to do all the things that are out there.
4. I have been tempted at least 10 times a day by the want for a cricut. I see all of these awesome projects that I could do. Then I look at the pricetag and realize that its not something I need…its just a want.
5. I’m packing lunches, making coffee at work (instant coffee event!) and wearing thrifted clothes.

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Liz December 19, 2019 at 7:15 am

Katy,
My husband also brings me home bubble wrap from work. I also joke about how happy it makes me, as I also sell on ebay and like to use recycled packaging supplies. It’s the little things in life that make for happiness in my life, I guess.
Liz

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Texasilver December 19, 2019 at 4:52 pm

Used a voucher (that I got for giving up my seat last March) to pay for my airline trip. Missed the train to airport to depart. Husband had to drive me to airport which is not frugal.
Plane was 1 hr late. FA did not charge me for a cocktail. Free flight that was late + free cocktail. Not sure how that rates. Managed to use the train from airport in Fl to my final destination. Then took Uber. Usual cost to Uber whole distance around 40$. Train was 5.60$ then 10$ for short Uber ride. The trains are cheaper when you know how to use them. I’m learning.

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Lauren December 19, 2019 at 8:52 pm

1. I made chicken noodle soup from a leftover roast chicken carcass. This will be tonight’s dinner and lunch for the next few days. I threw in some leftover discount carrots and some leftover cooked pasta.
2. I sold a dress on eBay. For the full price I listed it for! Buyer paid straightaway.
3. I’m doing an online course and am able to get certain items for it fully reimbursed. I ordered a new computer mouse, a notebook and some pens.
4. It’s been very hot here this week, so I haven’t been eating as much. I’ve been keeping doors and blinds shut and only cooling the living area. I’ve also not driven much as it’s too hot to go out.
5. I received a $10 e-gift card which I used to buy candy for the kids stockings. I came in under budget on my overall Christmas spend, wrapped presents with paper and gift tags I already had and cleaned out the Christmas storage tubs. Turns out I have enough Christmas cards to last me til 2035.

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Jessica December 20, 2019 at 9:55 am

I have not had a very frugal week at all. However, here are a few things I’ve done.
-Picked up 2 books from a free shelf at work and resold them.
-shopped on groupon for a few experience gifts, stacking a Groupon, Groupon discount code, rakuten cash back (formerly ebates) and credit card cash back points (pay off card every month) for maximum bang. (Meal out / ice skating/ beer & taco tasting)
-I checked how much was left on my monthly commuter card, and will use it for a subway pass

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MB in MN December 21, 2019 at 1:36 pm

1. Claimed cash back from our credit card rewards program and applied it to our balance. We do this every December.
2. Selected various types of free leftover evergreen boughs from the Christmas tree farm and created our version of a “spruce top” pot by adding natural items from our yard such as red twig dogwood branches, birch tree branches, and dried hydrangea flowers. This pot stays out on our 3-season porch in MN all winter and can be seen from both inside and outside.
3. Made homemade veggie broth with ends of carrots, celery, onions, etc. that I have collected and frozen until having enough to make stock. Poured stock in mason jars and froze for later use.
4. Made homemade yogurt in a dutch oven and poured individual servings in glass jars. Each serving gets a dollop of something yummy like jam, syrup, honey or cinnamon.
5. Made a batch of creamy veggie soup out of broccoli stalks and cauliflower cores. I used to throw these out before learning that they can be just as delicious as the main part of the vegetable!

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Hawaii Planner December 23, 2019 at 11:18 am

1) Packed food for our flight
2) Used $5 Uber credit towards our transportation to the airport
3) Bought groceries & have been cooking every meal at our vacation house
4) Found a great deal on hiking books for the kids
5) Enjoying free activities (walks on the beach, going for runs, puzzles, games, etc)

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