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I sold five items on eBay this week, although none were high dollar sales. Three of the five sales were items that I’d listed at least six months ago, so it was a good lesson in “list it and forget it.” It’s great when things that I list sell immediately, but that’s rarely the case.
However, I haven’t been listing much new stuff lately, so I have no one to blame but myself.
Here is what sold:
• A $12 Danish wooden troll figurine.
• A $12 framed print .
• An $18 mini Land’s End canvas tote.
• A $50 vintage rotary telephone.
• A $50 miniature Edward Gorey book.I took myself on a couple of Goodwill trips and did pick up some new inventory, which’ll hopefully generate some sales.
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I spent a full evening completely reorganizing our coat closet. This “closet” is actually just a spot underneath the staircase that a previous owner walled in, so it doesn’t actually have a door. This means that all contents, haphazard or otherwise are always 100% visible.
I’ve come to the realization that I live with a cult of coat worshippers.
However . . .
• I gave away four jackets and a pair of winter boots through my Buy Nothing group.
• I put a nice hat, a scarf and gloves into the donation box at the library.
• I took a torn up pair of indoor soccer shoes to the recycle box at the Nike store, where they’ll be shredded for reuse.
• I threw away a literal moth eaten scarf.
• I gave one REI fleece jacket to Goodwill, which no one had wanted in the Buy Nothing group.
• I threw away one cheap canvas tote bag, which glowed yellow under a black light. (Damn cats!)I didn’t need to buy any “closet organizing” products, I simply needed to decrease the number of things within the closet. A good lesson in how you don’t need to organize that which you don’t own.
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I brought home a large bag of grubby looking but high-end ski gloves that a neighbor had put out in a free box. I gave them a good wash and will list them on eBay to find new homes. I’m guessing that I’ll make a hundred dollars or so from my efforts.
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I finished reading a library copy of The Island of Sea Women and immediately put another one of the author’s books on hold, I spent at least three hours weeding and thinning out the jungle of our front yard yesterday; and enjoyed that every single one of my plants are starts from friends, I assembled a huge pot of chili that incorporated two containers of scratch cooked black beans and the last scrapings from a jar of pasta sauce, I got together with my friend Lise for a free-coffee-from-Ikea work date, I redeemed a coupon for a free big salad from Mod Pizza, (they had a promotion where each salad purchased in January earned you a free salad in February) and I cleaned out the interior of my car using nothing but water, a squirt of dish soap and a tremendous amount of elbow grease.
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I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.
{ 70 comments… read them below or add one }
Nearly Double 5FF: Love Me Some Valentine’s Day
Just for fun, attempted converting savings to $ for this post.
1. Made a frugal outing & combined multiple errands in one trip: Back to card store as my previous focus (on using 4 reward certificates, a BIGI card coupon & an offer for a free mini card) was all I could manage, & I neglected to request a sticker for the earrings I purchased. The jewelry co. provides a postcard that can be mailed after a purchase of 5 pairs of earrings has been made, to redeem for a free pair. Since I am basically a non-consumer at heart, have been carrying this postcard in my purse for years. I typically purchase the earrings when I can string together a steep discount, like the $15 off my $20 earrings this go-round. Don’t wear other jewelry at my age but do enjoy this handmade line of earrings from Vermont. 2nd stop was to PO to mail free sympathy card to family member (by marriage) & free mini card to DD. To mail her tiny card, used a larger left-over envelope from when we moved 20 years ago & I utilized a spring letter in place of holiday cards. Fortunately, the envelopes were pastel, so no tale tell yellowing issue for the last surviving envelope. Also used free stamps & seals/stickers. Seals from card store & stickers were rescued from DD’s scrapbooking dalliance. Final leg was to spice store to redeem offers on free poultry seasoning & a free enameled heart pin reading “Embrace Hope”. Pin will be gifted to DD for Valentine’s Day. Total take: $24.64
2. Have enjoyed 3 free hot sandwiches thanks to gas station rewards program over the last several weeks, 2 while DH was traveling & 1 recently while he was socializing. Every purchase at the store logs in 1 point with rewards coming at 15-point intervals. Each sandwich sells for $2 but what elevates them to a meal is the condiment bar: ranch, honey mustard, chipotle sauce, Dijon mustard, romaine, tomato, pickles, jalapenos, onions. Holy sandwich making! The substitute sales associate was sure my junior cheeseburger was a double cheeseburger. I assured her the size was due to their massive condiment bar offerings. I checked at a subsequent visit & they do not sell double cheeseburgers. Also redeemed latest freebies: Loaf of bread & a cookie, along with a gas discount.
In addition, found 2 items on clearance rack & day-old bakery shelves at big box store. Bakery item was 8 lightly frosted pink strawberry rolls for $2.39, perfect for Valentine’s Day. I have a flan heart shaped pan, previously gifted from my DM (Mom) & have made cake for Valentine’s Day in the past. However, the cost of a cake mix, frosting, eggs/oil & electricity for the oven would exceed $2.39. Total combined take: $10.98
3. Feeling the love from multiple coupons & rebates. In 2 days received manufacturer coupons totaling $12 after finding a dead insect in a sealed packet of hot cereal, a $12 prepaid card from purchasing a 12-month supply of little dog’s heartworm prevention medication & the finale which only a true frugalist could appreciate, a $2 rebate in merchandise from big box store from buying massive sized trash bags to store a free Christmas tree offered on Next Door. Total take: $26. Previously received fan pack from soda manufacturer: Father’s Day gift & garage sale merchandise.
4. Attending complimentary 1-hour professional continuing education event next week on my day off, courtesy of my previous co-worker. Location in close vicinity with the added advantage of socialization opportunity. Conservative approximate value: $13.17
5. DH sold several youth-oriented books to Half Price Books that were sitting on his bookshelf & long since relevant with DD now in college – 1 originally purchased at HPB, 1 free from insurance co. & 2 free from DD’s preschool. Cash in: $7, Clutter out.
Savings grand total: $81.79 with simple actions taken above. Exemplifies how frugal living can make a huge difference in the long run.
6. Sewed button back on my 23-year old winter coat that holds flap over zipper. It came off while chipping at frozen snow to access the front door at work & shoveling the sidewalk there. The concrete consistency was because the temp was -9 & the wind chill was -33. No, this is not in my job description.
7. Used leftover broth from cooking dried beans & gifted ham hock to make delicious rice to go with burritos, making them extend further.
8. On a snowy Presidents’ Day, took a break from beans & made Creamy Potato Cheese Soup using a large # of potatoes that had started to sprout.
9. Back to the Valentine’s theme, used previously acquired decorations to decorate. Read that the average US consumer spending forecast for the holiday ranged from $162-$196. Spent $14.65 at our household: chocolate for DD & a take & bake pizza from Aldi for us. (Along with salad, the 16” pizza makes 2 meals for both DH & I at a cost of $1.50/meal.) That’s a $147.35-$181.35 difference. For DD’s gift, used a free heart pin from the spice store mentioned above (retail $9.95), a NWT phone case/wallet with DD’s university logo gifted from my boss who won it at bingo, & re-gifted a NWT Valentine’s kitchen towel from my boss, along with the purchased chocolate in a Valentine’s gift bag from my stash. Happy Belated Valentine’s Day to my partners in frugality!
Then Island of Sea Women was my favorite book of the past year!!!!!!
1. Picked up a like new name brand teapot for $9 at a thrift shop. Retail about $80.
2. Made a big batch of delicious chilli, using lots of my garden produce, including tomatoes, chillies, onions, zucchini.
3. My mother gave me a bag of her homegrown cucumbers.
4. I’ve deleted social media apps.
5. I’ve reduced my supermarket shopping by about $40 a week lately by meal planning more strictly and cooking with leftovers more.
I deleted social media apps, also. Such a time suck!
Me too! So long Instagram and Facebook, hello BOOKS!!
It’s been a week. I miss Facebook a bit, but not the others. It is a big time saver, that is for sure! Plus the mental health load is greatly reduced.
1. Ebay and FB marketplace sales have been good
2. Won a beautiful basket from high end hair salon simply by donating travel sized items to an organization dealing with victims of human trafficking. I’ve disassembled said basket and have sold some of the items and will use balance for gifts
3. Used tri tip from Saturday nights dinner for fajitas on Sunday
4. Using up protein shakes as I’ve joined WW (3 months for $13
5. Organized greeting cards. Have a bunch for thrift store along with books and costume jewelry
FFT, Oranges and Cloves Edition:
First, Katy’s #4 reminds me of a classic Two Fat Ladies moment: After Clarissa Dickson Wright recommended using “elbow grease” when whisking together the ingredients for a dish, the show was deluged with letters asking, “What is this elbow grease, and where can I get some?” Ah, if it were only available for $$$…
Now, the FFT:
(1) I bought a small bag of blood oranges at Trader Joe’s as an experiment, but neither DH nor I cared much for them. Inevitably, the ones we didn’t eat went hard and dry. Remembering that I had a bag of Penzey’s whole cloves in the pantry (a gift from the Bestest Neighbors), I got out the oranges, the cloves, and a nifty little hole-poking device I inherited in my MIL’s collection of sewing notions, and have been making orange and clove pomanders. (My MIL’s tool prevents me from wrecking my fingertips trying to push the cloves directly into the oranges.) If life gives you shriveled oranges, make pomanders!
(2) DH had his annual Medicare physical today, and a new boutique store in our local Rescue Mission thrift chain has just opened directly across from the GP’s office. We perused the store before the medical appointment, and picked up some odds and ends, including DVDs of Key Largo and The Big Sleep in excellent condition. (DH doesn’t remember much these days, but he still remembers he’s a Bogart and Bacall fan. We’ll watch these more than once.)
(3) Although we’re still awaiting the lab work (which the GP’s office does on site as part of the physical), the GP pronounced DH to be in good apparent physical health for his age. (This GP is an old friend about DH’s own age and is on the verge of retirement; not looking forward to the day when he finally takes the leap.)
(4) Re: Valentine’s Day, we spent zero on the holiday itself. Our policy is to buy thrifty presents for ourselves whenever opportunities arise, not whenever the consumer establishment thinks we should.
(5) And for dinner, I’m constructing a “curry” (we have an Indian friend who would have conniptions if she knew I was calling this a real curry) from skinless/boneless chicken thighs bought Reduced for Quick Sale; some elderly cauliflower, onions, and carrots; and half a jar of Patak’s mild curry sauce. Not as thrifty as one of Katy’s burrito mixes, I admit–but still a lot cheaper than going out to an Indian restaurant.
I love the way pomanders smell. When I was little, we made them every year at Christmas. Citrus was plentiful and cheap in Florida then. They always were on the fireplace mantle with cedar.
1. A friend who couldn’t get her sewing machine to work had me to lunch. Her machine is the same brand as mine. She didn’t know she was doing a triple stitch rather than plain sewing. Also her bobbin was in backwards and the tension was set oddly. Twenty minutes of fussing for a lovely salad Nicoise.
2. I sold a bunch of reusable plastic canning lids on Craigslist and mailed them out in a Frankenbox made from a shoebox.
3. For Valentine’s Day we went to the drugstore, each picked out a card, had the other read it, and placed them back on the rack. We did buy two bags of Hershey’s kisses with complicated pricing and bucks back.
4. My sewing machine prefers that the thread be lifted off the cone, which means I’m regretting giving away my heavy duty free standing thread holder. However, I rigged a functional substitute using chopsticks and safety pins.
5. I roasted a fifteen pound squash. We had several meals from it with much more in the freezer.
6. A friend made reference to cooking a “triage stir fry,” using things that would be dead soon otherwise. I make triage soup and triage enchiladas. We made a date so I can show her the area’s cheapest, weirdest grocery store.
7. Sorry about that above–left-over from a craigslist posting.
1. I found a 3sixteen flannel at the thrift shop for $7, when searching for new sweatpants for my daughter. I looked it up, and it retails for over $200! It’s nice and thick, if a little long in the sleeves. If I decide I don’t love it I can post it to ebay. (I also found sweatpants to get her through swim season, and a lace tea cup for $2. If I get over the novelty of a tea cup with holes in the sides, it also has good resale value on ebay.)
2. Drove my husband in to work today, and picked up two periods subbing while I was there. Good for me, good for the secretary (who had less scrambling as a result).
3. We had to reschedule our trip to Disney, because I hurt my back. The new day will be at least $100 less, just for tickets to the park!
4. My dog’s eye was swollen and sad looking. We tried a warm compress, and it took away the bad appearance. We saved a bunch by not going in to the vet, and the poor dog was spared a trip in the car. (We’re pretty sure the poor dog crashed into some stinging nettles, causing the problem. My son took care of the problem today!)
5. My daughter had to make a DNA model for her science class. We’re using magnets I had stashed, corks from wine over the past year or two, wire from I’m-bot-sure-what, scrap wood from the garage, and a container of beads I needed to buy. I’m please at how little we had to buy for this project! (I tried Goodwill, but they did not have beads when I needed them.)
1. My mom and I spent the weekend in San Francisco. We flew down Fri a.m. and back Sun eve, so got 3 days in the City while paying only 2 nights hotel. Frugal for me because she paid for our hotel!
2. Took public transit and walked everywhere. Including to/from airport. I even remembered to take my plastic “clipper card” (SF transit card bought on last visit) with me so didn’t have to spend $3 to load a new one (and it still had $8 on it from last visit).
3. Didn’t buy any “things” except a water color by an artist with developmental disabilities from a cool workshop/gallery that exists to make doing art accessible.
4. Drank free hotel room coffee instead of Starbucks.
5. Am continuing to eat down pantry and cut grocery costs, bought a gallon of organic milk on sale for $1.99 t0 make yogurt. Have also been doing great at finding produce on the $1 rewrap rack, tonight we’ll roast a head of cauliflower bought for a buck.
San Francisco may be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It sounds like you had a wonderful time with your mom. My hubby and I are hoping to head out to Northern California this year. It’s been a while.
1. Turned the last of a roast chicken into a lovely Florentine chicken casserole.
2. A friend gave me three very ripe bananas, which I turned into a loaf of amazing banana-walnut bread that he and shared for breakfasts.
3. Got the bad news that I needed two very old and deteriorating fillings replaced along with a hefty estimate of the cost, but the out of pocket cost came in less than half of the estimate. Which was great because I would have had to make payments on the estimate, but the true cost just means a bit more belt tightening.
4. Stopped at Goodwill and bought two flannel shirts to replace two that my husband has worn out, and a new coffeemaker for $1.99.
5. Used the $8 I made with Fetch to help pay for some arch support insoles for my husband.
Katy, you are the master of recycling. I think it’s wonderful how you find a second life for almost everything. This week’s frugal five include:
1. I have been really concentrating on consistently listing items that I purchased for resale. Because of the algorithm that eBay uses, I have heard from other resellers that the more frequently you list, the more exposure your items receive. More exposure equals greater sales. I have been listing an item or two a day this month and selling an item or two a day. I am not sure if this is a coincidence or not; but since it seems to be working, I hope to continue doing this. In the past, I would list everything all at once.
On the revenue side,I also have been working for a friend who needed temporary part-time help at her business, so I received a paycheck this week. I received my $200 rebate from Bausch & Lomb for purchasing a year’s supply of contact lens. I brought 12 items of clothing to consignment. I sent a quick email to Ibotta, because I didn’t receive credit for several purchases. Finally, I have signed up for the vintage flea market that I participate in 2X a year.
2. I was able to purchase a few items that I needed at an estate sale – a large roll of landscapers cloth, nice pruning scissors, a berry keeper and 200 sheets of parchment paper — for the sum of $4.
I also purchased a large box of Japanese paint brushes, calligraphy pens, water colors pots and special papers for my artist son’s Valentine’s gift. This was hundreds of dollars of art supplies, but I spent $10. Estate sales can be goldmines!
3. I checked out my book club’s selection from the library this week, Light Over London — historical fiction. I also picked up Next Year in Havana which I was on the waiting list for. Using the library service, I also downloaded an Alexander McCall Smith Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency Novel to listen to while doing chores around the house. Nothing heavy, just enjoyable. When cleaning my bathroom, I want something lighthearted to listen to.
4. When I was sick earlier in the month, we had some food waste. ( Grrrr…) As I have mentioned, my husband is quite challenged in the kitchen, and we had an abundance of “ingredients” but not much to eat. Our twice monthly farm basket was delivered during that time and contained a bounty of root veggies which sat untouched until I found my way back into the kitchen. Fortunately, they keep well in a cool, dark place. To use them up, we made two large pans of roasted vegetables – potatoes, onions, yams, daikon radishes, carrots and kohlrabi. We ate them for dinner and then made breakfast hash with the leftovers. Tasty and easy except for all the chopping.
5. Since I live in Florida, our central AC is necessary 9 months of the year. December through February, we can actually open the windows most days and enjoy the fresh air which I have been doing whenever possible. However, there are many chilly mornings and evenings. I have been using my little space heater to take off the chill in bathroom before showering. I heat the sheets with the heating pad before climbing in and we have throw blankets that come out this time of year. All this keeps us from turning on the central heat system. However, It is needed every now and then.
Great choice of a download with Alexander McCall Smith. He is hands down my favorite “cozy mystery” writer. Whenever I pick up a No.1 Ladies Detective Agency or Isabel Dalhousie book, I feel as if I’m meeting up with old friends.
I loved the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series when it ran on HBO a few years ago. Unfortunately, it only ran for a season or two.
Me too Mary! The actors seemed to match up with my vision of the characters from the books, even the way they spoke. So well done.
1. Made my 3-year-old great-nephew a homemade valentine’s card from my stash of red and white cardstock and red checked wrapping paper. Cut out paper hearts traced around cookie cutter.
2. Listened to “Shotgun Lovesongs” audio book from the library. Nickolas Butler is a great author; all of his books are terrific, heartful and thought-provoking.
3. My sister and I are newly retired and we’re plotting outings for our new adventure club. First up are free tours of both our state capitol and newspaper printing plant.
4. Made vegetarian sloppy joes using TVP (texturized vegetable protein soaked in water), seasonings and bits of whatever else was on hand (onion, garlic, green pepper, BBQ sauce, tomato paste, pepper jam, pickle juice, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder). That was one unusually delicious concoction.
5. Read a book about Habitat for Humanity (“Our Better Angels – Seven Simple Virtues That Will Change Your Life and the World” by Jonathan Reckford) and in it is a story about a single mother and her kids who started out volunteering as a way to do something together outside the house that didn’t cost any money, and then it became much more than that. From the book: “Doing community service quickly became their favorite family pastime. They volunteered at homeless shelters, the children’s hospital, park cleanups, back-to-school clothing drives – they lived for the weekends and helping out at any non-profit that needed extra hands.”
Thanks for the book recommendation with Our Better Angels…sounds wonderful and impactful.
1, For our wedding anniversary/Valentines Day, we went to lunch at Starbucks using a G/C I won months ago at a baby shower.
2. To add to our anniversary weekend, we hiked a beautiful trail in a wildlife management area. With the almost snowless southern New England winter, the opportunities for hiking keep presenting themselves. We packed sandwiches and tea in a thermos and had lunch on a large rock by the trail in the sun.
3. I scrounged a card from my collection for DH which read “Hello Handsome” on the cover. Blank inside but I filled it with heartfelt words. Scrounged cards from same collection for homebound church members.
4. I found a penny on the floor at work.
5. I haven’t sold anything online for a couple of months but Katy, your lingering and now sold items on eBay give me hope!
1. The husband loves pot pies and eats them as a quick cheap lunch. A local store had them on sale for 99 cents each. This store gives you a 10% discount if you order a case of anything. So, the price dropped to 90 cents each. He eats them about once a week.
2. Received a class action lawsuit, so deposited the $3.71 in the bank. My husband hooted, until I said, “That is four pot pies for you.”
3. Gave away two paintings to two agencies looking for items for raffles. Got a total of $1100 in tax receipts. They cost me about that when I purchased them about 20 years ago, when I was still buying expensive stuff. And they are popular Alaskan artists, so I am certain they will sell and I am happy to have an emptier house.
4. Made a dozen muffins that used up a few tablespoons of coconut, dying bananas, a cup of mixed fruit from leftover bits of freezer fruits, and a bag of nuts I got while doing a mystery shop. Tasted pretty darn good and cleaned out a bunch of leftovers.
5. Friend came to lunch and brought me a hostess gift: a small wheel of brie! I was glad I had made her favorite, lasagna, for our meal. Except for a piece I took out for the husband’s lunch, I gave her the rest to take home.
Yum…chicken pot pies. Great comfort food, especially on a cold February day.
Dear Lindsey,
How generous of you to donate to the auction for a non profit! I am on the board of a non profit and it’s always a struggle to acquire auction items. Bless you!
In between appointments in a nearby town I:
1. Topped off my gas tank with the cheapest gas around
2. Picked up tickets to a show we want to see at the theater box office – saving the $3 per ticket “convenience fee” that would be charged online
3. Brought snacks to get me through lunch
4. Remembered at the last minute that I had a Costco gift card to use up – it brought my total down to 0.97.
5. Made my appointment at the doctor’s office for an annual physical – which means no co-pay. I wanted to talk about my recurring colds and a couple of other minor issues but a sick appointment would have incurred a co-pay. I was due for a physical anyway so this killed two birds with one stone. Took care of routine labs while I was there as well.
1. Rehemmed a pair of husband’s jeans which were fraying at the bottom.
2. Bought a pair of pants at Goodwill. I was unfamiliar with the brand so I looked them up. They retail for $119.00.
3. Saved over $7 at CVS with their extra bucks. I usually think CVS “savings” are not necessarily savings but in this case, I got a good deal. They have a very effective cough medicine that I would have bought anyway.
4. Made a big pot of vegetable soup and included a butternut squash that I grew by accident last summer. It came up from seeds I included in the compost.
5. Shopped at Aldi first, then went to the “regular” grocery for the rest of the items on the list.
FFT:
1. Caught up on all the FFT posts and comments going all the way back to Thanksgiving and soaking in all the frugal inspiration. I truly love these posts so thanks to Katy and everyone who comments.
2. Have been really good about not buying lunches or dinners out. Work has provided some meals so making sure I take advantage of that and leftovers and just throwing weird combos together. I’ve worked two 80 hour weeks back to back and the week before those was a 70 hour week. I don’t get paid overtime so you better believe I will eat the free food work provides.
3. I quit my gym, saving me money every month. It was hard for me to do because I really like my gym but with the hours I knew I would be working I had to accept the fact that I wouldn’t be able to go as often.
4. Used the 3 day weekend to catch up on sleep and spend time with my family. Besides one meal out for Texas style BBQ, everything was free.
5. Our microwave crapped out and instead of just going out a getting a new one, we’re gonna wait to see if the hand me down gods bless us with one….
1. We used Papa John’s reward points to get a free cheese stick for lunch.
2. Enjoyed a free meal out with my in laws (they spoil us when we visit)
3. Borrowed a ton of books from the library that I had on my list after listening to the What Should I Read Next? Podcast with Anne Bogel. I highly recommend it! It’s nice to hear about a variety of books from fellow book lovers and I always get at least one great book idea per show.
4. Used Hilton reward points to pay for our hotel for a one night stay. We only had to pay an overage of $18.
5. At the hotel, we made sure to take advantage of the 24 hour coffee/tea bar (so delicious), got free ice and filtered water for our bottles at the filing station, and filled up at the breakfast bar before leaving. I was amazed by the variety at the breakfast area!
1. We still have funds in our 2019 Health Care FSA so I made an appointment to see an ENT about a problem with my ears. It’s just “normal” aging so I’ll have my hearing checked. I may use COSTCO as friends have had good experiences and the test is free there.
2. Took advantage of a beautiful spring-like day to walk around the lake at a local park. The miles fly by while you’re busy talking.
3. I dropped a jigsaw puzzle off at the local senior citizen center, while out walking. They have a large collection of puzzles and people are free to take them if they want (kind of like a Little Free Library).
4. I finished reading Junkyard Planet. It is about eight years old and I wish it were more recent, as I know things have changed in China, regarding how much of the US trash they accept. The author is a big proponenet of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
5. Meals have been at home, mostly working to use up pantry and freezer items.
My husband got his hearing aids at Costco and has been extremely pleased with them in terms of performance, cost and service. He did a lot of comparison shopping before settling on Costco and saved thousands.
Thanks for letting me know. That confirms what a few friends have told me.
My husband has gotten his last two pairs of hearing aids from Costco. His most recent pair was 1/4 the price of the last pair he’d bought elsewhere, and he says this is the best pair he’s ever had. Since he’s worn hearing aids since he was in his late 30’s due to industrial hearing loss, he’s gone through a number of pairs over the last 25 years. Their customer service is wonderful as well.
1. Used previously made veggie scrap broth in some vegetable soup that was really delish and used up odds and ends including wrinkly mushrooms. Put rest in freezer as I’ve had broth go bad before I could use it.
2. Saved $13.5 on groceries by redeeming rebate from frequent customer club.
3. I think I read in the comments on this blog about okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory cabbage pancake. Had extra cabbage after making sauerkraut so tried it… didn’t turn out like I’d hoped and couldn’t eat it all. However was able to reheat it and ate it on crackers with pesto for lunch today, preventing food waste and saving money. Any other ideas for excess cabbage (I’m out of jars or I’d make more kraut)?
4. Despite being in the “big city” for Valentine’s day, we decided not to eat out and had a quiet dinner at home, saving our eating out money for another day when we really feel like it.
5. The day after we finally bought the allen wrench needed to fix my bike, we found a correctly sized one laying on the ground at the grocery store bike rack. Now my gears are fixed and I can return the purchased wrench. Small but satisfying non-consumer win!
6. Bought downhill skis, boots, and helmets for DH and myself on 1/2 price day at thrift store. He also bought cross-country boots and skis, and telemark skis. Although we spent around $85 for it all, I consider it a steal, and we will easily save much more than that by not renting when we ski! Even though we will look straight out of the 1990’s we have decided we don’t care.
Your creative cabbage-pesto lunch sounds delish! I have the following link bookmarked for whenever I need inspiration for using up excess cabbage: https://www.thekitchn.com/best-cabbage-recipes-227147
Thank you for the link– I found about 5 things I want to try! What a great resource.
For cabbage, I make slaw. Shred cabbage (I like both green and purple together, but either will do), add a grated carrot or two, chop some cilantro (anywhere from a teaspoon to 1/4 Cup depending on how much cabbage you have), then make a dressing of approximately 1/3 cup olive oil, juice of 2 limes, a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Often I add either a dash of garlic powder or a clove of minced garlic and up to a teaspoon of fresh minced ginger. You could add a drizzle of tamari or soy sauce, but I can’t do soy.
Another favorite cabbage dish is Colcannon (perfect for St. Patrick’s Day). I make ours dairy-free w/rice milk and olive oil instead of butter.
Great ideas, thank you! I will look up Colcannon.
Great ideas, thank you! I will look up Colcannon.
I love to use up my cabbage by making egg roll in a bowl. Another NCA reader told me about it a few years ago when my farm basket contain an abundance of cabbage. There are many recipes online. It’s a family favorite.
Oh this sounds delicious- thank you for the idea!
It’s funny how often my frugal things reflect yours.
1. I also sold a couple items on Ebay that I listed over a year ago. I had given up hope and was thinking of donating them. They were vintage green hats. One woman bought both. I gave her an offer she couldn’t refuse. She’s happy and I got something out of my house and little bit of money in.
2. My mother gave me a giant lawn refuse bag and two grocery bags full of bubble wrap that came with my brothers giant auto parts he ordered. I won’t have to buy bubble wrap for years.
3. I bought my first new bra in years about six months ago. It ripped in the middle. It was from a pricey store and I bought in on a special. I called customer service with no affect and after leaving a bag review they called and offered to replace it. Never the less she persisted. LOL
4. I am also going to donate a coat and some other winter items. I just found out about a charity in town that donates. No one pays for anything so instead of donating my husband’s winter coat to Goodwill it will go to someone who really needs it and can’t afford to pay for it. I will also take some food and other items.
5. Not frugal for me but one of my daughters is selling her husbands books and needed to ship them out. She called to tell me how she did something that I would have done. She went to the recycling center to find boxes and packaging material for free. Yay!!! They do pay attention.
**bad review**
I am planning to retire at the end of this year , so :
1. Reading books with titles like “How to Have a Happy Retirement.”
2. Calculating how much much our income will be.
3. Trying to figure out what our expenses will be. This part is not totally predictable, of course.
4. Wondering what on earth I will do with the rest of my life!
How exciting! Congratulations on your retirement!
Patricia/Fl
1. I have been making a point to stop by the grocery store early in the morning on the way to work. That’s when they mark down all the good stuff! I got a big pack of hamburger patties for $4.93 and a package of lemon pepper chicken tenders for $2.34. Will chunk in the freezer for next week.
2. I made a casserole last night. My kids ate soup when they got home from school and weren’t hungry. Will pull out again for tonight.
3. We changed insurance companies and it will save us about $200 per month, yay!
4. I gave my kids huge stuffed animals for Valentines Day that I got on Christmas clearance at Kroger for $2.99. They had price stickers on them that said $49.99?! I have been riding around with them in my trunk for awhile so I am glad to have my space back.
5. I have to make a dish to bring to church tonight so I am going to make pineapple cake mix brownies with ingredients I already have on hand.
* My 2 DD are flowergirls this summer. I was expecting the bride to pick pricey dresses, but to my surprise she picked dresses on clearance at Children’s place, 30$ a piece! I found a promo code for 10$ off, so 25$ per dress, yay!
* We are trying to stick to a grocery budget this year. Not going so great so far, but I’m determined to really dig into our freezers and pantry to reduce march budget to a minimum (adding fresh fruits and veggies, dairy, and…?)
* I am trying to lose weight and was contemplating going back to WW, but it never works (for me), so I’ve decided to stick to plain old good calories counting, saving me about 20$/month. (Plus the cost of all the extra food I won’t be eating)
* Reading books from the library and from free piles. This is my main leisure at the moment
* Picking up an extra work shift this week
Have a nice frugal day!
I use the FREE app, My Fitness Pal. Perfect to count calories and easy to use, I just ignore the ads for additional services.
I use Sparkpeople that is also free. I wound up spending the $5 a month as there are no ads and it has a “coaching” element I found helpful.
1. I sold a coffee table art book on ebay for $30, which I had found at a library sale – $3 for a bag of books. I also sold two new lipsticks, which had been a free gift with purchase.
2. My sister sorted her closet and gave me a big bag of clothes. She is smaller and dresses nicer than I do. There were 2 cardigans I can wear, and several items I will try to sell. Whatever doesn’t work out will be donated to the local resale store.
3. A coworker brought in a big loaf of cranberry cinnamon bread, which made excellent breakfast toast for 3 days straight.
4. I walked up to the library sale and bought a stack of quarter books, spending $5 total. I sold 7 of them on FB right away for $13 but still have the rest to post.
5. I found two Lululemon hair ties someone had dropped. They do work nicely, but $15 for three? Ha ha ha.
1. The Fine Arts Museum just opened an exhibit I’ve been waiting for featuring Japanese woodblock print artists. They have free admission/parking the third Saturday of the month, which was Feb. 15. It was an incredible exhibit and I want to go again. I put alerts on my phone for all the free and reduced-price days.
2. Reading a slew of library books including new publications The Body by Bill Bryson, Secondhand by Adam Minter , and The Foraged Home by Joanna McLennan. Also reading lots of cookbooks for inspiration.
2. Husband and I like holidays, but only a little. For Valentine’s Day, we got each other cards (almost the same one!), a chocolate bar (the exact same one—my husband thought at first I had re-gifted), he gave me a bouquet of roses (flowers really help me get through Winter). Apparently, it was TJ’s FTW. Between us, we spent $11.00. I made Italian meatballs over polenta for dinner, and bought cannoli at the grocery store. We opened a bottle of wine I’d been given for my birthday.
4. We had a backed up drain that was too far down the line for our router to reach. It was more cost-effective to call a plumber than rent the tool. Turns out plumber was running a sale—$43. If the problem recurs within 30 days, they’ll come back no charge. After 30 days, they’ll honor the $43 price.
5. Still eating down the pantry/fridge/freezer, making good food. Grocery bill could be a little lower, but does include some items we needed to re-stock, so I’m good with it.
These posts and comments really keep me going when the month gets tight! Thanks, all, for the inspiration.
1) We’d resigned ourselves to a few take-out meals last week because hubs and I both had crazy schedules. But Littlest had an upset stomach and turned down pizza one night and burgers another so we just scrounged at home and fed her toast and eggs. High school magnet program admission stress for the frugal wins! Seriously, the stress on the kids is RIDICULOUS, but at least there’s a tiny frugal silver lining.
2) The 2-branch coastal bank that holds the small mortgage on our beach place called to let me know we’d missed a payment. Surprising because the money was out of the credit union account that does automatic bill pay for that mortgage. After 17 days and So. Many. Phone calls, they finally found the replacement check. Here’s what’s frugal: because it was sent from our credit union, there were no additional fees to stop payment on the lost check, and had we accrued fees they would have paid them. And because the mortgage is held at a tiny local bank, once they finally found the check, they backdated the payment to the day it was due, knocking quite a bit of accrued interest off. Small and local for the win!
3) Middle daughter learned the hard way this week what the temp part of a temp agency job means when she was dismissed suddenly because the company she’d been assigned to couldn’t pay their bills. But the agency will pay her for time worked anyway, and because she has been living super frugally, she has enough savings to get her through to graduation in 10 weeks without working, if she chooses to. So glad they sometimes listen. . .
4) Went to see a friend perform in a free community symphony concert this weekend. Wow, it was amazing! Turns out there are more professional musicians in this area than there are paid gigs, so the community shows benefit from their need to keep their skills fresh between auditions. We made a hefty donation that was still much less than a single seat in a larger venue would have been.
5) Checking my mailbox every day and will VOTE the minute the mail-in ballots arrive. Costs nothing to do my duty as a citizen, thank goodness. I can hardly wait.
1) I finished an audiobook by Jojo Moyes called The Peacock Emporium. Pretty good. I’m now listening to Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier. I love reading books by different financial coaches and gleaning investment advice. These are free downloads from the Library on the Overdrive app.
2) I finished the last of the Spaghetti, I made over the weekend, for lunch today. I use a half roll of mild pork sausage, instead of ground beef. It’s much cheaper and I have the other 1/2 roll to use for a weekend breakfast.
3) So thankful I got the flu shot in the Fall. It’s rampant on Campus and several coworkers have been out with it or with sick kids. Staying healthy is frugal.
4) I found jerky treats (made in the USA w/o a lot of fillers) for my two chihuahuas, at the local discount grocer I use, for $8 and it’s a large bag. I cut the strips up and put their heart meds on each piece. They have to take Lasix 2x per day and this is the only way I can get them to take it. They’re old girls, so it’s worth the trouble.
5) I used the last $1 of my 2019 FSA funds at the Dentist office yesterday. The Admin Asst was kind enough to let me swipe that last dollar and then run my HSA card through for the remainder of my co-pay. I’ve decided I much prefer my HSA account, since it rolls over at the end of the year, gains interest and I never have an issue with payment. Plus, I can keep my account after I retire. Yay!!
When my aging Irish wolfhound ended up having to take pills every day it was a nightmare. He learned to suck off the peanut butter and spit out the pills, gnaw off the hot dogs and spit out the pills, eat around pills I hid in his food…by the end the only thing I could get him to eat them was to fill my hand with whipped cream and hide a pill in there. He loved the stuff so much he would not even notice the pill. The last year he was alive, I bought cans of whipped cream in three packs every other week. Early in the process I tried to pry his mouth open and pop a pill down his throat. After the first time he clamped his jaws shut and, I swear, grinned at me. He had ahead as big as an anvil. But he was worth all the struggle; I still miss him dreadfully.
Awww! I understand that struggle, Lindsey and they are worth it, for sure!! I have to admit, whipped cream is a new one on me, but whatever works!!! LOL!
My two chihuahuas are extremely picky and I have to find something that works for both of them. I was SO thrilled to find this one brand for $8 – most others I’ve tried are closer $12-15 per bag and don’t have nearly the same amount of treats, so it gets expensive.
Doesn’t matter though – I make certain my animals are fed and taken care of, before I even worry about food for the two of us. It is nice to find what a need for a good price though!
Home from Walt Disney world in shock. Our daughter paid for most but it is unreal.
Awhile back I did a survey and politely complained about a car wash that expired before we could use it. No expiration was posted on receipt. They sent a 25.00 gas card. Sweet!
Babysit and made 175.00 the person is a friend and was really glad to know her little was well cared for.
Picked up 6 cans while out walking.
The big white orcale (refrigerator) Demanded chicken enchiliadas today. Used up bits of lots of things.
1. Dog walking in exchange for cash, wine and Pilates classes. Best gig ever.
2. Brought out sewing kit (and iron) this week. Old-fashioned skills. Fixed one son’s sweatshirt and ironed another son’s shirt for first day of work good impression.
3. Sold a few small items on Craig’s, eBay and at Consignment clothing store.
4. Had a mysterious Late Charge (plus Interest) on a credit card. Not sure how it happened but I called to cancel card and they kept me by reversing charge and refunding interest.
5. Spent an hour at Car Insurance officer but now saving $1200 on annual car insurance. (2 teen drivers, changed one car to Liability Only insurance).
Cooking at home, cleaning own house, doing yard work ourselves, listening to (free) podcasts while exercising and cleaning, being happy with what we have.
1. Created a four day weekend for myself over President’s Day so my daughter’s Daisy Scout troop could host a cookie table at the university I work at. I learned about Venmo before going so the college kids would be more likely to buy. If your not familiar with Venmo, its an electronic payment option (much like Paypal) that all the college kids use now! I felt so trendy when we could say “we take Venmo!” We were very excited to sell all of our troop’s cookies in less than two hours. I also used the second day off to go to the Bins and stock up on Ebay inventory! Now to just list all of it.
2. Treated myself to Panera Bread after the Bins and used a $1 off reward I didn’t know I even had.
3. Cancelled a hair consultation that I had scheduled for this weekend. After thinking about it, I don’t need to visit a fancy salon, I can just stick with the regular strip mall place.
4. Was able to pay my son’s cub scout dues with the small amounts I’ve been putting aside since the beginning of the school year. This makes it so much easier. (I should think about doing this for our annual pool pass)
5. Received a small refund from a medical billing error. Every little bit helps.
I agree with the money put aside for the pool pass. Summer is so expensive for kids activities. I swear if you want a side hustle, do something with kids over the summer because the demand is great!
Anyway, with 3 grandchildren and 3 sets of grandparents helping we still struggle to pay for summer activities. I recommend setting aside a little weekly and by June, there is a lot to work with and no one felt it at all.
1. Hubby contacted doctor’s office at my urging and yes, they didn’t bill our supplemental insurance. We shouldn’t have to pay them anything rather than the $41 they wanted.
2. We received a 23 page notice from our earthquake insurance provider saying our upcoming new policy would have changes but they didn’t say what the changes were. All we could see was the premium was half of this past year’s bill. As I wasn’t about to read pages of legalese we called the agent and it was just a price reduction. We were able to increase our coverage to a better amount and still save $254 over last year’s cost (over 25%).
3. We finally found out why our car was driving strangely and now that one of the wheels has been re-balanced it is fine. No further costs.
4. As usual when visiting our son and his family out of town we took the dog, took food that would otherwise spoil and stayed on an airbed at their house. We have our stops mapped out for the 7 hour drive and even the dog recognizes them now LOL.
5. I am sticking to my low buy year for clothing and books.
1- Stomach bug hit our house this week. No one has any appetite so no purchases outside of some Gatorade, as being pregnant and very dehydrated is not good. Last week, I felt like I was coming down with the flu and managed to keep it away with rest, vitamins and herbs. I guess I’d rather be sick for a few days than the weeks the flu seems to be hanging on.
2- Thankful for well stocked pantry of juice, crackers, frozen zucchini muffins and bread. Finally left the house today, kept grocery shopping to a minimum
3- Fevers and trying to cut down on gas costs has lead to turning down the temperature in the house.
4- Doing some yard work as a family this weekend since it’s finally above freezing and sunny. We had been taking the kids to open gym or fast food play places to keep them occupied and run off some energy since it’s been too cold/icy/windy to play much outside, but this saves money and gets things off our to do list.
5- Using up some of the million bottles of travel size toiletries we’ve somehow accumulated. Bathroom cabinets are looking a tad bit more organized
6- Valentines was an Aldi pizza and homemade cashew cheesecake. We made a large investment purchase on Valentines, which will be amazing long term but short term makes finances tight.
I love how you balance your money making extras with generous donations!!
The thrift store announced on Facebook their fill-a-bag sale for $7. I got about 20 really useful items for my family. I’ve really needed some things after the substantial weight loss and the kids always need new stuff. Big bags! Great deals!
Stopped at an estate sale at 50% off. Picked up a lovely dress shirt, a quality 3 ring binder filled with page protectors, paper cutter, a book about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and an adult coloring book (but actually for the kids) all only $4!!! And half of those items I was going to purchase new, but just delaying the purchase to keep bills in check. Score!!!
Was given a card game called Machi Koro. It’s such a blast! Kids taught a couple friends to play last night for our overnighted, and teaching the neighbor girls as we speak. Overnighters are such a treat to my kids and way cheaper than throwing them a birthday party. Plus I think they enjoy the small amount of attention better than large group attention.
Took a field trip to San Luis Rey Mission this week. Fascinating history that was really never covered in my Midwest and East coast education. Goes perfectly in line with our state history class this year in our homeschooling. Charter school paid for everyone but my 4 year old. We paid $3 out of pocket for him.
Would love to get a haircut, but I’ll delay a little longer to use the coupon on my son. I’m really able to cut my daughters’ hair well, but boy’s little gentleman cuts are tricky,
The missions in California are amazing. Last year my husband and I went to the Mission os San Juan Capistrano which was something I had wanted to do for years. When I was a girl, I had read the story about the swallows. I loved it! I have also been to the one in Carmel, but never to San Luis Rey. I need to go next time I’m in Southern Cal. Congratulations on your continued weight loss. It looks like you had many thrifty finds this week.
1) A Rite-Aid near my house is closing and everything is 70% off. I found 2 random hair conditioners.
2) Between 2 stores today, I only bought loss leaders and 1 package of ribs that needed to be sold within 2 days and was marked down for more than half off (stuck it in the freezer): I spent $22.94 but saved $29.46.
3) I found a penny on the street
4) Found an Airbnb rental to split with colleagues, which will be cheaper than staying in dorms for an upcoming conference (we have a cap that we can spend, after which it comes out of our pocket).
5) Booking vacation plane tickets using only airline miles.
1. A great read inspired me: An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. If you enjoy frugal cooking and waxing about the benefits, her essays are great! I was making cream of broccoli soup. I had boiled up some potatoes so saved that salty water. Then I simmered the woody stems and peels from the broccoli until tender in the salty water. I pureed that and pressed it through a sieve to get all the goodness out. Very little left for compost! Then I made cream of broccoli soup with homemade chicken stock and added this intense broccoli flavored broth. Best soup ever!
2. DH has been at a job for 5 years that was gradually becoming hateful. He had been scouting around for new work and there is a lot out there, part time. Employer pulled doozy and we both agreed time for him to get out of this toxic mess. He gave his 2 weeks and Friday was his last day. His mental health took a beating and not to be insensitive to those suffering from PTSD, I feel he has a touch of it. Our plan is for him to take this week off as a staycation then start job hunting. We know that we can live on my income because we are debt free except for mortgage. There is no extra money after bills are paid but no going into extra debt either. We have oodles of savings if we need it. I transferred him to my insurance (extra $50 per week, including life insurance). I have told him that part time is fine as he finds something that works for him. We are not desperate. Living frugally for the last 15 years enables us to do this.
We joked we have moved into Fiscal “DefCon5” and then said, actually, we won’t be living very differently at all…Proud!
3. Moving into more focused living with his last paycheck arriving in 2 weeks. We need nothing but food. Pantry and freezer stocked normally. We did an Uber Frugal challenge in January so the timing is perfect. We are already flexing bigger frugal muscles. We don’t own a car. We bike places and I have a company car for work. I can use it personally but it costs $.58 per mile. It is worth is as we have don’t have maintenance costs or insurance costs. Walking and biking are frugal and healthy. I also work in the grocery industry so I’m in a store all.the.time for groceries.
4. I have a girls weekend planned for the end of the month which involves a 5 hour drive each way. We have money set aside for it so I feel ok still going. I’m staying at a friend’s house and we are eating meals in. So rental car and gas are my main expenses.
5. DH and I have been in tough financial places before and we are well, good at it! We keep our sense of humor, practice gratefulness, and know that many have much tougher times than us. We are so grateful to work as a team. We both came from earlier disastrous marriages and know what it is like to try to do it all by yourself. I have single friends I’m so impressed with. They do a bang up job! I don’t know that I could without a partner.
Alexandra: Good luck to your husband on his job search! It sounds like you two are frugal for all sorts of good reasons, notably to give yourselves options to do what is right for you.
You sort of parenthesized him having symptoms of PTSD. Trauma is trauma, whether from war or physical attacks or being a first responder, or being mentally bombarded and manipulated. Reading up on PTSD might give you some ways to help him process what he feels, even if that isn’t a precise diagnosis or something he is seeking treatment for. I am not a psych-anything professional, but I saw the effects of the closure of my husband’s and my employer, which closed abruptly and displaced hundreds of people. So much of identity is in job and work, and unfortunately, not all employers are what they should be. Nor, as you note, are all people in strong partnerships such as yours. Best to you!
Heidi Louise, thank you for your supporting words. I will read up on the topic.
I think this is one of the most important reasons to live frugally – having that financial freedom is so important. It’s what gave me the ability to leave my well paying job and become a freelancer so I could be there for my kids. If we had not lived frugally, even on two incomes, we couldn’t have done it. And like you said, nothing in our lifestyle actually changed that much, except everyone is happier.
Yep, exactly!
Hello! Are you aware of any other platforms similar to Buy Nothing groups that do NOT utilize Facebook? I left Facebook many years ago and am not keen to sign up again.