Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 4, 2020 · 103 comments

  1. I sold just a few things on eBay and absolutely nothing through Facebook Marketplace. However, the eBay sales were enjoyable as you can see:

    • A plastic Fiestaware cheese knife set that had been relegated to the back of a cupboard for at least twenty years. $80? Yes, please!

    • A collectible Vueve Clicquot champagne tin that I just thrifted for $2.99. $60? You betcha!

    • The very last from a pile of brand new curtains that I thrifted at least a year ago. $25? Get it out of my sight!

  2. I continue to think about estate planning and did pull the trigger on buying the Life in Motion end-of-life planning notebook. (Worry not, we’re all in good health.) I ended up purchasing it directly from the author’s website using a $10-off promo code I’d received for signing up for the newsletter. I haven’t started filling it out yet, but I’m looking forward to the peace of mind knowing that all of our information will be in a single place.

    There’s usually a way to bypass Jeff Bezos’ behemoth consumer machine, (such as clicking over to the manufacturer’s website) and I’m always happy when I’m able to make this happen.

    Note: This is neither a sponsored post, nor is it an affiliate link.

  3. I made the stupid decision to hit my Fred Meyer (Kroger) grocery store on the afternoon of July third, not thinking about how it was the day before a major U.S. holiday. (Such a crowded $h*†$h0w!) I was motivated by a handful of about-to-expire personalized coupons items for practical items like eggs, broccoli, cilantro, ice cream, pasta sauce, etc. I ended up bringing home five bags of groceries for just $36.41. Very cheap, but oh so very stressful.

  4. I rubber banded a plastic bag over a lidless glass pitcher in order to make a batch of sun tea, I gathered and then took a hand saw to fallen branches in the back yard for our fire pit, I cooked up a large pot of rosemary white bean soup and even served it for dinner on the fourth, I finished watching all the available episodes of Alone through my mother’s Amazon account, my husband gave our Prius a quicky wash at work as the neighborhood birds had been scatalogically industrious, a neighbor brought by a couple books for me to read, I stopped into the Franz Bakery Outlet for $1 loaves while out running errands and Portland’s weather has been mild enough to use simple fans instead of window air conditioners.

  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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{ 103 comments… read them below or add one }

kathy July 4, 2020 at 7:43 pm

1. Sorting thru the boxes I have of crystal, silver and china I am selling for a friend. I get 50%. So far $1100 of silver flatware sold.
2. Gathered about 20 items for consignment store tomorrow
3. Regifting some items to a friend going thru chemo and for another friends birthday
4. Spent the holiday weekend decluttering to donate
5. Used gift card for a facial

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Lisa M. July 4, 2020 at 8:04 pm

5+FF: One Day at a Time Edition

When life has been turned upside down, all distractions are appreciated including living the frugal life. Not on my A game but trying to get by.

1. Had a bonus expiring at card store, so searched online for dog memorial ornament. By combining rewards, the ornament (which can be personalized with a photo) was 38% off. Also found a keepsake baby gift for great-niece arriving in September on clearance @ 50% off. Used gift wrap & gift bag from my stash.

2. DD kindly brought home several items of food for our enjoyment from her restaurant job using her 50% employee discount, thereby giving business to her employer & treating us @ the same time.

3. Continuing to redistribute little dog’s spoils: DD took bed in best condition to attempt to use for her cat, along with an opened bag of kibble that her cat could not resist when we boarded him. She also took a couple partial bags of soft, small treats & an opened container of canned food to be used cautiously with her cat to assess tolerance (spoiler alert: thumbs up), along with 2 “crinkle” toys which we decided were actually made for cats & not dogs. Little dog much preferred squeaker toys.

4. Repaired 1 crinkle toy – a Snoopy that was nearly decapitated (likely d/t having a squeaker in its torso in addition to crinkle in its head) & sewed a button on DD’s new skirt.

5. Recent in-kitchen creations: Couscous Confetti & Ranch Turkey Wraps.

6. Hit the local grocer for holiday loss leader on pop & sent some home with DD, as we try to limit our usage; found cart with quarter abandoned outside Aldi; hit sale item & used electronic coupon for free # of bananas @ gas station. Purposefully shopped on 7-2 to avoid crowds but still busier than a typical Thursday.
.

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FrugalAussie July 4, 2020 at 9:15 pm

I’ve resigned from my job. I’ll be working another four weeks then retired at age 54. I retired once before, aged 52, but returned to a great job. However, the stress is now affecting my health so, due to many years of frugal living including when a sole parent, I’m in the very fortunate position of being able to leave paid employment. My husband retired three years ago, aged 55, he loves it. He’s looking forward to having me home more.

My frugal five:
– A couple of our young adult kids are coming over next weekend. One suggested we play Cluedo. Unfortunately, none of us own the game. I was going to use this as an excuse to visit thrift stores looking to buy one but instead put a request out to my Buy Nothing Group. Four hours later I’ve been gifted the game which I’ll probably give to one of the kids after we play it. I love my Buy Nothing Group.

– A few friends and I started our own book club. We can access packs of 10 books from our library so each only pay $20 per year for the books we read.

– I’ve been processing a pumpkin purchased for 99c/kg which is a good price in Australia. I put the whole thing in the oven until just cooked so the flesh is easy to cut. Some goes straight into the freezer, with the other I’ve made Gluten Free Pumpkin and Orange cake with home made orange marmalade and orange rind from an orange we shared at lunch time and my favourite soup which is Curried Lentil (Red Lentils, water, pumpkin, stock powder, curry powder and half a can of coconut cream).

– We continue to do our own DIY around the house. Today we put up hooks to hang the wash baskets in the laundry. I’m the one who uses the electric drill, my husband is the trade assistant as he’s the tidiest. Over the years we’ve saved thousands by doing jobs around the house ourselves. Tomorrow we’l be replacing a shower head.

– Yesterday I went into a supermarket near us that’s usually expensive (IGA for Aussie readers). They often have specials that entice me in but regularly don’t have the stock available. I walked in, looked for what I wanted, it wasn’t in stock so I walked out empty handed, avoiding any impulse purchases.

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Lisa M. July 9, 2020 at 6:32 am

Frugal Aussie – Your Curried Lentil Soup sounds amazing!

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Lisa M. July 10, 2020 at 1:33 pm

I was remiss in not offering Congratulations on your retirement. Excessive job stress to the point of causing health problems is not tolerable.

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Mand01 July 5, 2020 at 12:27 am

1. I saved several hundred dollars by doing some research before getting a pet turtle and realising quickly it was definitely not for me.
2. Reading a trilogy of books I thrifted with a 20% off coupon for donating. I’ll give the set to my dad after as he also enjoys this author, then he will donate them back.
3. Listening to podcasts for enjoyment- for free.
4. Made pancakes for unexpected family visitors for lunch. Cheap and easy and the littlest visitor was delighted to have such a treat for lunch.
That’s it I think.

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jann in Maine July 5, 2020 at 2:55 am

Life goes on here in Maine and we are lucky to have lots of room to spread out and do activities that are low impact and low cost–garden is coming along after a prolonged drought and now we can hear the plants sighing with relief with the rain that has once returned!
1.Daughter’s wedding was cancelled for later this month and we were prudent enough to buy wedding insurance. The claim was settled this month and the check deposited promptly after it was received. To say this insurance paid off was a huge understatement.
2.Ebay has been steady and FB marketplace slow . Funny how these things go. Yard sales have been about 1/10 of their normal numbers but have been able to fill in with thrifted items.
3. Found a Bella Belgian waffle maker for $5 and made DH waffles with enough leftover for 4 other breakfasts. I have decided that I don’t like waffles as all they are to me are a carrier for maple syrup.
3.Using pieces of newspaper I keep in my car to open store doors and when I pump gas rather than waste latex gloves. Better for the environment and compostable. I keep several pieces in my small cross body purse to use when I need to touch something in a store or that could be contaminated.
4, Cooking. Drinking coffee at home. Same old same old.
5. Sent friend a TJ Maxx gift card that I get from credit card points. I store these for use throughout the year and her card was dumpster dived when our Hallmark used to throw out hundreds of cards and envelopes. Have shared oodles with friends and they have “shopped” in my garage.

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Marybeth July 5, 2020 at 5:45 pm

I have been wearing garden gloves when I go to stores. I toss them in the wash when I get home. I have 3 pairs so it hasn’t been a problem for me.

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Vickey July 6, 2020 at 5:57 am

Love your #3 – very resourceful! I will say, having brightly colored gloves on helps me remember to not touch my eyes, lips, nose while out. And I spray the gloves with sanitizer after use, pull them off carefully, and re-use them a few times. But they’re HOT!

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Jill A July 5, 2020 at 5:08 am

1. I sold another part from my old refrigerator on Ebay. It wasn’t a lot of money but it makes me happy that it won’t end up in a landfill. I think about all of the appliances that get thrown out every year and cringe. I wonder how many parts could be salvaged.
2. My daughter and I watched Hamilton on Disney + which we have for free for a year with our phone service.
3. My pool is finally clean and we can start using it. The new pool company is more expensive but worth the cost. They opened it for me and then I finished cleaning it up to save $$$. It would be cheaper to fill it in but since I don’t know if I’m going to stay or go I’m keeping it. My pool person said my pool is being installed new for $38,000 and I’m hoping it will be a selling point.
4. We had dinner at my Mom’s house last night. A friend joined and we brought dishes to pass. My Mom provided a yummy tri-tip and we enjoyed a socially distant dinner in the shade.
5. I’m doing my research for my car insurance with Michigan’s change in it’s car insurance laws. I have to call all three health insurance companies to see if they cover for injuries in an auto accident. I have to decide how much PIP coverage I want to keep. Right now it’s unlimited. I’m wondering what other’s do as far as their Personal Injury Protection coverage? My choices are unlimited, a million, half a million and a quarter million or zero.

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Jill A July 5, 2020 at 5:09 am

I forgot to say that part of my insurance research is talking to my friends husband who is a retired Allstate agent.

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AuntiAli July 10, 2020 at 6:08 pm

I just renewed our car insurance and had our health insurance as a first payer instead of PIP. Received a letter from Blue Cross/Blue Shield saying they will do it and reserve the right to subrogate. Love that word even if I spelled it wrong. I will call car insurance and let them know it’s official. Have to have daughter call her insurance company – same as ours – to make sure they say it’s ok. She’s on our car insurance policy as she drives one of our cars in dh’s name.

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KJD509 July 5, 2020 at 10:44 am

Jill, re: appliances in landfills – one of the reasons to use the delivery and haul away service when you buy a new appliance rather than just taking the old one to the dump is because the store or delivery service is likely recycling it. In many areas, there are sizable rebates for doing so (for the haulers, not the consumers). The coolant, piping and insulation can be captured and sold/reused. The pieces it sounds like you’ve been able to resell, like shelves and stuff, are the pieces most likely to get trashed. So you’re doing great work to part it out, and you may be able to find a recycler eventually too once it’s safe for workers to come into homes again.

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Suzanne July 9, 2020 at 5:57 am

Jill, when you sell those small pieces, you are not just keeping your old appliance out of the landfill: you are likely keeping other old appliances (the ones using your parts) out of the landfill as well, and helping other non-consumers to avoid waste
It is very difficult to find parts for old appliances these days, and this is a great service.

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Stephanie M July 5, 2020 at 5:20 am

1. I also did research on Michigan car insurance change. I will save 1200 per year!
2. Packed a small cooler for an outside day trip. Bought nothing.
3. Made a full brunch yesterday out of ingredients that needed to be used up!
Used up bits of : feta cheese Greek yogurt potatoes and Wilty peppers!
4. Staying home is cheap!
5. Stay safe frugal friends!

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Jill A July 10, 2020 at 5:42 am

Hi. I’m just wondering. How much PIP coverage did you choose? I hope that’s okay to ask. Thanks.

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AuntAli July 10, 2020 at 6:12 pm

I picked out $250,000. I dropped collision on both cars as we have enough $ to buy new to us ones. The cars are a 2010 Honda CRV and a 2014 Nissan Altima which is not a virgin with many bumps and scratches on it due to dd learning to drive. Watch out for that dumpster at work!

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Jill A July 11, 2020 at 7:38 am

Thanks. That’s what I’m thinking about doing with my cars also. Dropping collision and going with the 250,000 since health insurance will pay in the event of a car accident. My cars are older. Since my daughters are responsible for buying there own cars now I may keep the collision on theirs. It depends on the cost.

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K D July 5, 2020 at 7:23 am

1. We are getting exercise by dealing with dealing with a huge brush pile. I received an outrageous estimate for hauling it away (actually the guy wanted to bring in an enormous dumpster at an exorbitant price that did not include any labor). We bought a chipper for about 25% of the dumpster price and are able to use the results for mulch. Add in a few yard waste bags and the job will be finished by next weekend.

2. My husband helped a neighbor tear down a decrepit shed. The shed almost fell into the yard of another neighbor. They were able to salvage many 2x4s for future. He enjoyed the challenge and the time spent together.

3. There were fireworks galore around our neighborhood last evening. We stood on the porch and watched them. Free entertainment for us.

4. Based on Katy’s recommendation we watched the first season of Alone. It is addictive. I also have been reading and listening to electronic books “borrowed” from the library.

5. All entertainment with friends remains free (and outdoors and physically distant). Walking, talking, knitting, etc. Our state continues to have good Covid numbers and I hope people will continue to wear masks long term.

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Ava July 5, 2020 at 8:10 am

It will be a struggle to come up with things, since our activities are so limited right now.
1. Frugal for others: Took care of granddogs for almost a week while son’s family vacationed. This saved them a significant amount in pet boarding fees.
2. Made 3 pints of bread and butter pickles yesterday from cucumbers grown in a wading pool. There will be many more cucumbers in a few days. We had depleted all our homemade pickles from other years. So much better than store bought.
3. Cooked up all the random veggies that needed using so we had a good variety of sides to enjoy.
4. Sliced and baked some withering apples and some sprouting sweet potatoes with butter and agave syrup. The result was absolutely delicious. Planted the sweet potato sprouts and they are healthy looking plants.
5. Bottle of glass cleaner was running low so I added some vinegar and water to the bottle. That seems to work better than the glass cleaner alone.
6. Our library has begun curbside pick up, so I am again reading library books and watching library movies.

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Bee July 5, 2020 at 8:12 am

It’s amazing that the Veuve Clicquot tin sold for more than a bottle of Clicquot. What a great find.
1. My husband and I went to the thrift store on Thursday. This is something that we rarely do together. He was able to buy a new and new-to-him Italian leather belt which is something he really needs if life ever returns to normal. He also found two t-shirts which is all he ever wears these days. When you work from home and your activities are limited, you need very little.
I bought 5 items for resale. Listed them on eBay on Friday and sold 2 of these items yesterday – a vintage Anne Klein turtle chain belt and an enamel seashell trinket box.

2. I purchased a new water filter for our refrigerator water dispenser and filled out our rebate paperwork. When we purchased our refrigerator, they offered a 5 – year warranty that also covered the cost of these filters. The cost of the filters over 5 years actually exceeds the cost of the warranty and the rebate checks arrive quickly. We drink primarily water and this helps us to avoid bottled water. Florida tap water is terrible.

3. We did not buy fireworks which are both expensive and dangerous in the wrong hands (mine). We have spent most of the holiday weekend doing beachy things, hanging out with family and staying away from crowds and large gatherings. In the summer, our lives revolve around the water. After the initial investment, these activities are usually free or nearly so. (Sunscreen is a necessity). We take good care of our things so they last a long time. Our beach chairs are 10 years old and I haven’t bought a new bathing suit in 2 years. Wear it out!

4. I have been reviewing all my bills and expenses. I have a stack to question tomorrow when I do paper work:.
• My internet bill increased by $12 last month for no apparent reason
.• I need to make changes to my cell phone bill that will save money
• I need to shop my auto insurance which renews next month as well as review my homeowners insurance to make sure my coverage is adequate
• Once again, I need to suspend my family YMCA gym membership. The surge in Covid cases in Florida make the gym a no-no again. Questioning every expense.

5. I stopped at the library today. I picked up 3 items on my waiting list – The Downton Abbey movie and two books. I also was given an “I love my library mask.” The library is so wonderful.

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Christine July 5, 2020 at 4:57 pm

I recently began to watch the series Downton Abbey and can see what the hoopla was all about. I love it and I’ve only completed two episodes. I wasn’t aware there was a movie too. Would you recommend I finish the series before I watch the movie?

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Bee July 5, 2020 at 5:12 pm

Definitely finish the series first. The movie will not make sense to you unless you do.

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Debbie July 5, 2020 at 7:04 pm

Yes, the movie takes place after the series ends, so you should watch the series first!

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IB July 6, 2020 at 8:02 am

Agree with Bee and Debbie. The movie is fun. Also another one in the works in the future. Yay!

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Christine July 6, 2020 at 2:44 pm

Thanks everyone, for your advice! Will do.

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AuntiAli July 10, 2020 at 6:18 pm

I agree series first. My library is open for curbside pickup and I bet they have the Downton Abbey movie. I agree, Florida water is disgusting. I remember my sister showing my nephew how cold the water was coming out of the tap here in NJ.

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Economically Proud July 5, 2020 at 9:35 am

1. Trimmed my bangs, have not had a professional touch my hair since I was 15, and I am almost 50
2. Stayed home on 4th of July had grilled hot dogs, fried potatoes, carrot & apple slaw, and a couple of beers. We had ice cream sandwiches for dessert and then we tossed around some firecrackers and smoke bombs from our stash from a few years ago
3. water veggies with leftover water from shower
4. keeping curtains closed and fans going so we run less AC. I do not like turning it on at all, except we have had heat indices in the 95+ range for days
5. Haven’t been out to eat or had any carryout since February. Not really missing it

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Katy in Africa July 5, 2020 at 9:36 am

1. Learning how to feed our kitty and monkey without store bought food. Any advice welcome!!
2. Made homemade fries and bulk purchased chicken for our potluck contribution.
3. Hosted 14 people overnight. We asked them to bring some air mattresses and linens to supplement what we had. I made a big pot of potato and beef stew (heavy on the potatoes). The potatoes were bought in bulk, which we used for the above mentioned fries as well.
4. Made chicken pasta salad with leftover chicken.
5. Reusing a piece of aluminum foil for the 3rd time…we got it when someone gave us cinnamon rolls wrapped in it.

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Christine July 5, 2020 at 5:00 pm

I’ve never had a monkey as a pet but have a lifetime of kitty ownership. I sometimes make them “human” food if I run out of canned cat food. I find chopped or shredded chicken with a few teaspoons of water mixed into it is something they like. Hope this helps.

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Katy in Africa July 6, 2020 at 1:35 pm

Thanks for the idea!

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Ruby July 5, 2020 at 7:07 pm

Cats are obligate carnivores, so fish, chicken and eggs are always good for them. The cat would probably eat goat meat if it was shredded. Some cats enjoy greens. We keep a pot of wheatgrass growing for ours to snack on.

I have had cats that enjoyed cantaloupe and sweet pepper as a snack, but it depends on the cat. None of our cats ever was interested in bread or rice, but a few have enjoyed tiny bites of crackers, mostly for the texture, I think.

For the monkey, you may have to Google the species and see if it prefers a fruit heavy diet or something more omnivorous,

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Katy in Africa July 6, 2020 at 1:34 pm

Thanks! Very useful information!

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betta from daVille July 6, 2020 at 9:35 pm

We also had a cat who LOVED cantaloupe, too! He also loved potato chips and would come running if he heard the bag crinkle. Another cat of ours loved donuts and pancakes. Current cats: one is a definite dairy girl, and the other couldn’t be bothered with human food.

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Ruby July 7, 2020 at 8:35 am

My son’s cat will eat anything, but our cat will not touch human food. They really are individuals.

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Momma L July 5, 2020 at 10:20 am

Grands came for a visit:
Ate lots of local fruit, watermelon.
Popped air popped popcorn for snacks
Swam and fished, didn’t go anywhere
Colored pictures on paper bags.
SIL bought a LOT of chicken thighs and hot dogs.
SIL helped us fell a tree that was leaning towards our house. A neighbor chuckled as she walked by, apparently she has seen a lot of “younger” extended family free help outside this week in our older neighborhood.
Sparklers and glow sticks kept the grands entertained for the 4th, after watching our DVD Top Gun.

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janine July 6, 2020 at 8:30 am

Sounds like a wonderful weekend filled with fun and accomplishments!

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Momma L July 6, 2020 at 10:45 am

Grandkid time is the BEST. Priceless. 🙂

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Marie July 5, 2020 at 10:52 am

1. For the third month now, we’ve received our 10% car insurance rebate. Makes me happy.
2. Every week in the mail I receive a Safeway\Albertsons ad. I tend to because of this ad, shop there weekly. This past week’s great deal was grapes for .69 lb.
On my just for u U had a lb of Lucerne butter for free!
3.Eating from the garden now. Snow peas, raspberries, lettuce, and spinach are in abundance. Asparagus is slowing down.
4.Going no where, so I still have 3\4 of a tank of gas. Last filled up mid-june.
5. 4 is all I have, life is slow but peaceful here in the woods.

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A. Marie July 5, 2020 at 11:13 am

FFT, Crawling Along Edition:

(1) The visit to DH’s geriatrician practice on 7/2 had mixed results. On the one hand, I like his new NP there (the old one bailed in early March; great timing, I must say) much better than her predecessor, and she prescribed the drug I would have picked myself for DH’s anxiety, agitation, and delusions. On the other hand, I gave DH his first dose of this on Friday when he started slipping over the edge of reality–and he went to sleep in his recliner within 30 minutes and essentially didn’t wake up for the next 16 hours, except for a few bathroom visits and dinner. So I may have to ask for a smaller dose of this or start splitting pills. Not sure yet whether this is a Frugal Win or Fail. Will keep you posted.

(2) Ordered a pill cutter, among other things, with the last of my FSA money from my employers. Dammit, that’s my pre-tax money, and I’m going to spend every last cent of it.

(3) While DH was in la-la land on Friday, I made a lovely lobster/tomato stock from two lobster carcasses Dr. Bestest Neighbor brought over, plus assorted tomato leftovers.

(4) I then made an All-American Gumbo on Saturday with the lobster stock as a base, plus onions/garlic/celery on hand, a pound of cod chunks bought from my favorite fishmonger at the Regional Market, a pound of chorizo previously bought on RFQS from Wegmans, a pound of shrimp previously bought on sale from Price Chopper, and a generous fistful of purslane from the garden as an okra substitute.

(5) Between the purslane in the gumbo and the red-root pigweed and lamb’s quarters I’ve been throwing into stir-frys, it’s Shut Up and Eat Your Weeds time around here once again.

(6) Frugal Fail: Three of my six tomato plants have now succumbed to a wilt disease (not sure which disease, but it doesn’t really matter; dead is dead). Losing half your tomato crop before the 4th of July is hard.

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Christine July 5, 2020 at 5:06 pm

Your All American Gumbo sounds amazing. Incredible what can be done with food items to create a marvelous soup, stew or casserole. Best of luck with the new med for your DH. It sounds like the NP is on top of things and can advise you on the right dose for him.

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cathy July 6, 2020 at 2:45 pm

Eating your weeds is the best revenge!

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betta from daVille July 5, 2020 at 11:46 am

This is feeling a bit like groundhog day!
1) Still making coffee/iced tea at home. Partner adds a splash of lemonade to his iced tea, so the extra cost is $2 a week. I’ve been drinking still water and not replaced my SodaStream canister yet.
2) We live in a very dense area, but manage to still have a tiny yard. Harvested radishes, arugula, a bit of kale, garlic scapes, and 2 cucumbers. The fresh herbs, to me, is a huge saving. The only herb that we cannot seem to grow is cilantro.
3) Found a day that wasn’t too hot, and we made stock from freezer scrapes, and today I made a loaf of English muffin bread. Made croutons out of bread butts, which neither of us in the house like to eat in sandwich form.
4) I’ve been using the Seriouseats 5-day fermenting pizza dough. It has been a good-enough replacement for the REALLY good pizza joint, saving us $25 each time we make it at home as opposed to ordering it (pizza shows up once every 7-10 days here at our house.
5) Still haven’t purchased gas for car since March 13, but I think this week is the week…. I’ll try to use the remaining 1.98 from my stimulus debit card toward it.

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Ruby July 5, 2020 at 2:06 pm

1. Used a 15% coupon at Ollie’s Outlet to buy 80 pounds of cat litter, a combo whiteboard/corkboard for work, two bath towels in colors that match our funky 1952 tiled bathroom, a giant can of nuts, and some baby wash to stand in for the liquid hand soap that cannot be found anywhere.
2. Used a $4 coupon at the drug store to get another jug of free laundry detergent.
3. Started work at my new job this week and packed my drinks and lunch in my sturdy old Igloo Playmate cooler. Also wore my usual thrifted and secondhand outfits.
4. Took one for the team and made a breakfast of toasted bread heels with peanut butter and peach jam.
5. It’s been so hot that I have been drinking a lot of plain iced water, occasionally livened up with store brand black cherry seltzer for 68 cents a liter as a treat.

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Christine July 5, 2020 at 5:10 pm

Best of luck with your new job.

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Ruby July 7, 2020 at 8:37 am

Thank you. So far it’s been really enjoyable.

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MB in MN July 5, 2020 at 2:16 pm

1. Once again, I give myself mostly “F’s” in frugality. However, I’ve raised my grade point average by giving myself some “A’s” for donating to causes that are important to me.

2. Temps in the 90s and heat index above 100 for days on end = high AC bill. On the other hand, we rarely use the stove or oven, and when we do, it’s before we go to bed so the house stays more comfortable during the day.

3. Started meds for elderly beagle’s nighttime dementia. Money well spent. She’s 14 1/2 and we know we’re in extra innings with her. Although her quality of life is still good, we’re on alert for any changes that would have us make that final difficult decision on her behalf.

4. Multiple doctor appointments in preparation for foot surgery in August to address issue from earlier surgery. (I’m actually happy about this as I thought I was going to have to live with it for the rest of my life.) Out-of-pocket expenses should be manageable.

5. Watched “Just Mercy” DVD from the library. Book by the same name by Bryan Stevenson is also excellent, as is a related book titled “The Sun Does Shine” by Ray Hinton.

Here’s to a better last half of 2020!

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kathy July 5, 2020 at 3:58 pm

1. Sold $17 online and paid via Venmo
2. Cobbled together 2 birthday gifts and 1 get well gift via regifting. Up cycled boxes and padded envelopes I had. Got greeting cards for .25 each at thrift store
3. Consignment store took 3 items and I got $16.20
4. Sold a couple of items for my friend and one for church
5. Watching Netflix or amazon pick

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Christine July 5, 2020 at 4:44 pm

1. I attended an outdoor party where social distancing was used on the 4th. I was able to spend time with my best friend from childhood and her Mom (it was at her Mom’s house on a lake). I was sent home with a big plate of cookout food for DH who was just returning from his hike on the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that day and a plateful of watermelon for the two of us.
2. The weather has been good lately so all the laundry gets hung out on my umbrella clothesline. It’s wooden and I hope it never breaks. It’s saved me so many $$$ over the years but not only that….it’s in the sun next to a cove where the breezes blow fresh air onto them and they smell so nice!
3. With careful use of heat (in the cold weather) and hot water we have brought our monthly budget for oil down to $99.
4. Found another deer tick attached to me so will call the doctor tomorrow and see what I should do. Second time in 3 weeks! I’ve never had one attached to me all these years(that I know of) and now this. Symptoms mimic Covid 19 so I need to stay on this.
5. No big buys, knock on wood.

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Lindsay B July 6, 2020 at 1:47 am

1. Cut open a tube of toothpaste and was again amazed at how much is left in there.
2. Picked a few wild strawberries & ate them on the spot. They are tiny but delicious. Also found a few raspberries and have ideas for where to find more.
3. Using up some tea I don’t love by brewing it with another tea that has lost much of its flavor. The combination of the two is much more palatable than either separately.
4. Our pepper mill grinder broke, but I was able to repurpose a similar spice grinder that wasn’t in use and avoid purchasing a new one.
5. Picked 5 pounds of wild blueberries with DH yesterday. Eating as much as we can and will freeze some for later use. We don’t have a decent oven to make the usual blueberry baked goods- would appreciate suggestions for other ways to use blueberries!

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Bee July 6, 2020 at 3:54 am

You could make blueberry sauce for ice cream or pancakes on the stove top as well as blueberry jam. You also could make blueberry pancakes or waffles. These items also freeze well.

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Lindsay B July 6, 2020 at 9:00 am

Thanks for the blueberry ideas, Bee and Jill A.

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Jill A July 6, 2020 at 6:34 am

I love to put frozen blueberries in vanilla yogurt. I let them thaw a little before I eat it and it freezes the yogurt around the berries. It’s like healthy ice cream.

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Christine July 6, 2020 at 2:49 pm

I use my apple crisp recipe but instead of the apples I use blueberries. I believe it calls for five cups. All the other ingredients, baking time and oven temp remain the same. Delicious with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or just plain.

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Lindsay B July 8, 2020 at 10:52 am

Sounds delicious!

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Roberta July 7, 2020 at 3:17 pm

I use the barbecue to bake bread and other things when it’s too hot to use the indoor oven. Could you try that?

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Lindsay B July 8, 2020 at 10:51 am

Thanks for the idea, but unfortunately we don’t have a grill! But I’ve had pizza cooked on a BBQ before and it was great, so I’m sure your bread is too.

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Bee July 10, 2020 at 1:49 pm

There are some cobbler recipes online to make in a crockpot. Blueberry is one of my favorites.

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Nancy July 6, 2020 at 4:48 am

To make an attached tick back away and let go, simply cover it with cooking oil. This makes it unable to breathe and it will let go.

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Christine July 6, 2020 at 2:52 pm

Thank you. I didn’t know this. I scraped it off with my fingernail and then it began to crawl across my fingertip. Shudders here. I flushed it down the toilet and put a dab of alcohol on the spot where it was attached. Today my doctor prescribed an antibiotic just in case it carried Lyme. I think preventative medicine is frugal.

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A. Marie July 8, 2020 at 11:15 am

Absolutely yes re: the preventive antibiotic. You can’t treat even suspected Lyme disease too early. I’ve always credited the large, early dose I received when I got Lyme two years ago for the fact that I’ve had no symptoms since then that I could attribute to Lyme.

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Christine July 11, 2020 at 9:01 am

Glad to hear that early large dose took care of it for you. We have enough health issues to worry about in 2020 without Lyme Disease too.

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LB July 6, 2020 at 6:44 am

1. With any socialization limited to quarantined friends’ backyards, our long weekend was a cheap affair. For the cost of 2 chicken burgers and a case of beer we had a lovely evening and got to try camping in the car. It was pretty comfortable! So that will reduce future travel expenses/exposure once it’s deemed safe to road trip again.

2. Needed a new pair of mesh shorts and found exactly what I want on Poshmark. Feeling good about giving them another life (sitting on my couch!)

3. Resisting the siren song of buying a ton of new face masks, when the one I have works well and is easy to wash and dry between uses. An expense I can put off until we are going outside more regularly.

4. Every time I think I have reached the end of my tube of face wash, it keeps coming. Next up is going to be cutting it open. I can’t believe how much is left after you can’t squeeze it anymore!

5. Keeping on with the usual stuff with 90 degree heat: air conditioning on money saver (a few degrees higher than I think I want), lots of water, walks after the sun goes down, and free exercise inside.

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Jennifer July 7, 2020 at 5:43 pm

I am spending a ton of money on masks for the 7 of us. Several already have to wear them to work everyday and I want to wash them in the washer, not by hand because of their environment. I just ordered 15 more. My college kids will have to wear them full time at school starting in a month. Actually ALL of us will have to wear them full time when school starts back up as we are all either in school or work at a school.

I am trying to slowly make my own. My sewing machine is broken though and my eyes are bad. Needless to say it is slow going and it is hit or miss how they turn out. Ugh!

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rebecca July 6, 2020 at 7:54 am

1. I have had some new referrals recently.
2. A friend is generously allowing to use her office for a few hours a week this month since I ended the lease on it as I haven’t used it in months.
3. My parents are moving and I will be taking some of their furniture. Living room refresh for free.
4. No one seems to want free furniture but hoping it doesn’t end up landfill. Anyone in MA , let me know!
5. Friends are coming over for an outdoor dinner party on Saturday and will use vegetables from my CSA and a pie for dessert with ingredients on hand.

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rebecca July 6, 2020 at 7:56 am

**A friend is generously allowing me to use her office for a few hours a week this month since I ended the lease on mine as I haven’t used it in months.
ugh!

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janine July 6, 2020 at 8:25 am

Money Saved! Redeemed$16.16 in credit card rewards; opening a charge account at Lowe’s for a 10% discount (forced to buy an expensive stove because I am replacing an obsolete drop-in model) and contacted Sam’s Club about a bogus membership – haven’t had one since 2018 and have no desire to “automatically renew”! ($45 saved) Productive morning.

Quiet 4th of July with noise provided by neighborhood firecrackers and lawnmowers. Because it was my birthday, husband treated me to BBQ the evening before the 4th. Otherwise eating from stocks on hand.

Hot weather – using fans for cooling and drinking lots of water and iced tea along with an occasional soft drink. Salads from my CSA Box are the order of the day.

Renewed my drivers license on-line. Same Price but saved time – long waits in line and frustration.

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Bee July 7, 2020 at 4:11 am

Happy Birthday!!!! I hope the coming year overflows with blessings.

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janine July 9, 2020 at 4:54 pm

Thanks! Hope the coming year brings health and happiness to everyone. After the Troubles of this year we are looking forward.

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Gina July 6, 2020 at 9:36 am

I have just a few….

1. The other day we had some extra tasks to do after work so on way home for dinner hubby suggested pizza. I told him I already had pulled out some cheddarbest sausages. We went home and I made the cheddarbests and some fries and a frozen pizza and everyone was fed and happy. Cost of what we ate was way less than we would’ve spent on pizza.
2. A month ago our electric company came out and picked up our old fridge. I received a $50 check in the mail for them taking it for recycling.
3. I cancelled a therapy appointment tonight as something else came up, saving me a copay.
4. We had to move a shed at our camp this weekend and spread a huge pile of dirt. We were able to borrow a skid steer for 3 days saving us the cost of renting one.
5. Following up on a rebate that is way overdue in receiving. I can’t wait til it comes as it is $110.

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Kara July 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm

1. Sold shutters we removed from our house. We did not put them up, and did not like them.
2. Picked up cucumbers from a friend who listed her excess on Facebook.
3. Got a litter tray from a Buy Nothing member, for my visiting daughter’s kitten to use.
4. Eating a lot of zucchini from the garden.
5. Using fabrics that I already had, plus coordinating fabrics bought on sale, to make new sets of reusable napkins for my Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricSpeaks

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Mary Beth Danielson July 6, 2020 at 6:26 pm

It’s HOT here in Wisconsin.
1. Spread salt from our water softener stash ($6 per 25-lb bag) on weeds in the cracks of the driveway. It doesn’t decimate weeds fast, but it slows them down while not giving anyone cancer. Kind of like potato chips for birds.

2. There’s just two of us and we drink one pot of coffee per day so how did we go through 17 mugs in one day? Paying more attention to our wastrel mug grabbing habit.

3. Making sun HERBAL tea to drink with dinner. Almost as nice as wine. Well, more accurately, it’s cheaper and less calories.
4. Bought farro, buckwheat, cans of chickpeas, and barley and have been making low-to-no cook salad recipes – that I put included on my website.

5.Trying to do fewer loads of laundry to save $ and water. I like a goal of doing less.

6. Was surprised that the $4 bar of Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Bar Soap we started using in March is not even half gone yet. I’m switching brands.

7. Our printer is old, and one color of ink stopped printing. Husb figured out it was the print head and ordered a new one for $150. He then installed it, thus saving a new printer for $350.

8. In March we couldn’t find bread flour, so we ordered 60 lbs from North Dakota Mills. With shipping it was the same price as premium bread flour at the store – back then it wasn’t in any local stores. We just made another 60 lb order today.

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Lindsey July 7, 2020 at 11:01 am

You probably already know this, but in case not…vinegar will kill off weeds in those pesky between rocks places. Even better is Gardeners Vinegar, which is 9 times stronger than other vinegar (so cannot be used for cooking or anything else). You can find it at box stores or Amazon.

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Mary Beth Danielson July 7, 2020 at 2:06 pm

Thanks! I will check this out. There are a lot of cracks, so I’ve been hesitant to buy that much vinegar. I will check out gardeners vinegar..

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Pattilou July 6, 2020 at 7:30 pm

I have been unemployed since March and it looks like, if my place of business even survives, we will not be back to work until after the new year. I have been exploring other options for work that I can do from home. I am high risk if exposed to Covid so any option that entails being around a lot of people is dangerous for me. If anyone has any suggestions of work at home possibilities I’d love ideas. Also, if anyone has any suggestions about what laptop I should buy for a work at home situation, I’d appreciate the input. I have been fortunate enough to have been in the same job for 33 years and haven’t had to think about this sort of thing before.
1. I called my cell phone provider and adjusted my plan for a lower rate.
2. I also called my internet provider and did the same.
3. I continue to cook all meals at home. I haven’t paid to eat out since March. Unfortunately, grocery prices are up and I have been using instacart so I don’t have to go into grocery stores.
4. I have only put gas in my car once since March
5. My niece trimmed my two dogs nails, which saved me quite a bit tho month.

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Ruby July 7, 2020 at 8:46 am

Pattilou, my husband uses a HP laptop to work from home. Office Depot has the HP 15 gw0023od Laptop on sale for $349 right now.

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Pattilou July 7, 2020 at 9:26 am

Ruby,
Thank you so much!

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c July 10, 2020 at 3:58 pm

What kind of credentials do you have?
I teach college online at several different schools. I am also a contributing writer for some academic sites and I occasionally tutor online.
From what I hear there are many places searching for receptionists who are able to work from home.
I don’t think you’d find these types of listings in the local paper (I could be wrong though) you’d have to search “work from home” sites or individual company’s Web sites.
I have a Mac which I love. I has earned me much more than I spent on it- and has caused me absolutely no grief. Depending on the job you get they might supply you with equipment.

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Vickey July 7, 2020 at 8:27 am

Pattilou, you might see what Anna at realwaystoearnmoneyonline.com has at her site. She posts reviews and articles about work from home jobs, and has a weekly newsletter with online and phone work-from-home opportunities. Her site is authentic, not a scam. Good luck!

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Pattilou July 7, 2020 at 9:25 am

Vickey,
Thank you so much for the information. I will look right now.

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Vickey July 7, 2020 at 4:18 pm

You are so welcome!

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tia July 7, 2020 at 8:28 am

My frugal life has been saved.
It’s so hot now who wants to eat let alone eat out.
I found that I love chocolate milk just as much as Sonic chocolate shakes.
I make my own chocolate syrup and add to milk and if I want I can even put it in the freezer and then blend it into a frozen treat. Happy me, happy saved $.
My new 50 buck chuck phone and super cheap mint mobile phone plan is awesome. I have never had an Android before so that is bizarre fun. Sold outrageous stupid phone and quit outrageous stupid cell service. Cha-ching!
Eating so many fresh ripe tomatoes off my porch.
Rescued family member from bedbug horror and job & housing insecurity bad situation. Thank you covid-19. I do worry come the end of July and loss of home and job supplements how many more will be home and job insecure.
Someone called me a snowflake? I had to look it up.

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janine July 9, 2020 at 4:51 pm

Good for you on rescuing your relative! It is difficult to imagine what the current pandemic crisis will inflict on folks who have lost their jobs and housing.

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Teresa July 16, 2020 at 4:49 pm

Mint Mobile is great! I’ve had it for about 3 years. During the early months of the pandemic they had free unlimited streaming GB. I did not need it but my daughter used as much as she could get. It’s a great service, glad you found it.

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Jennifer July 7, 2020 at 5:37 pm

Is there such a thing as a frugal home remodel? We are putting in new flooring in our downstairs. Because we are doing the flooring, we are painting first (much needed after 14 years since the last painting). Here is how we are saving.

1. Researched flooring to death. Many in person visits in our area and we found nothing that met our needs that was also affordable. Eventually made a trip 2 hours away to Floor & Decor and found fabulous flooring under our budget of $3000 for the dining, living, kitchen, closet and bathroom. This included tools needed as well as underlayment. Oh and shipping since we couldn’t bring it back with us. (looked into renting a uhaul to bring it back that day but it would have cost the same as shipping but been way more work for us)

2. Molding needs painting and was attached to our subfloor (so under the carpet level). We had to remove the molding or it wouldn’t have worked with the new floor. We are very carefully removing it, I am sanding it and scraping it and repainting it. This is working in all rooms other than the kitchen. it is in such bad shape it was falling apart as I worked. We will replace this room only.

3. Major decluttering going on because of this. Already took 2 car loads to goodwill. Had a bonfire in back to burn important papers (no need to buy a shredder when you can burn it). Selling anything that has value. Feels so good!

4. Putting the old flooring out with our regular trash a little each week as we do the project. This way we avoid a large bill for a huge load of trash or the cost to rent a dumpster.

5. Doing all the work ourselves!

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Lauren July 7, 2020 at 11:31 pm

1. I made a sale on FB marketplace. It’s been a slow sales period, understandably.
2. I ordered a free ring sizer online. My partner needs to know my ring size for when he pops the question!
3. Earlier this month I signed up for a month subscription for free grocery delivery from my main grocery store. I didn’t use it once, so cancelled before the charge kicked in.
4. We had family over for dinner this week. I cooked a roast chicken and my daughter and I made scones with leftover cream and jam that we were gifted.
5. It’s school holidays here and my parents offered to have the kids for 4 nights this week so I can work. No child care costs and a little less spent on groceries this week.

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Cindy in South July 8, 2020 at 12:04 pm

1. Doing retirement research on line is free. I am debating on what would be my best retirement date: now, in two years, or in a little less than five years. 2. My neighbor gave me cucumbers and tomatoes. I spread the cucumber love to family because there is no way I could eat that many cucumbers. 3. I still have not dyed my hair. I am rocking the zebra look. With no jury trials currently going on until at least September, I really don’t care. I may not care then either. My don’t care about how I look has increased a lot since Coronavirus began. I am more concerned about staying alive. 4. I trimmed my bushes in front of my house. 5. I watched the free fireworks in my neighborhood, that my neighbors set off.

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A. Marie July 10, 2020 at 1:11 pm

Re: Cindy’s #3, I would have said I couldn’t care less about how I look–except that I care even less about it post-COVID. The only reason I went to Supercuts 2 weeks ago was that I needed someone to whack 2 inches off my post-pandemic, gloriously salt-and-pepper mane.

And the good news about DH’s new home care aide (our previous one has had to retire because of her own orthopedic problems) is that she cuts hair!!! So she’s going to do DH’s hair next week, and I no longer have to worry about him looking like Larry, Mo, or Curly if I try to do it.

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Teresa July 16, 2020 at 4:46 pm

Though I live in Southern California near LA, I have not been able to find a Supercuts open since the shutdown in March. I no longer have bangs…

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Roberta July 10, 2020 at 2:31 pm

Sitting home is frugal. Not sitting home is less so! We went out twice this week — we even ate out, on the patio, once with my dad. The rest of the time it’s been the same ol’.
1. Every member of my family has been to the dentist over the past week. We all passed our exams, no fillings! (More flossing recommended.)
2. Preserving summer foods for winter, so we’re eating down the freezer again. Froze tomatoes we were given, and will freeze more. Shredded and froze zucchini. Freezing sliced peaches for cobbler so they don’t get ruined by the fruit flies. I will even be freezing eggs when I have space.
3. Hanging laundry outside.
4. Spent some time on Pinterest coming up with menu items that utilize lentils (a gift), barley (left from winter) and summer produce. We will be taking lentil wraps or Greek barley salad (barley, olives, cukes, tomatoes, dressing) to the beach next week.
5. Starting again to come up with Christmas gift ideas for neighbors, friends and extended family. I have plenty of time to make things. I just want to come up with ideas that won’t require I go purchase anything, and that will be useful, not clutter.

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AuntiAli July 10, 2020 at 6:55 pm

Wow Katy I can’t believe how much you made on that champagne tin! If I only knew…my son was given the bottle of champagne in the tin a couple of years ago. It had the name of an island off of Spain on it. After it lived on top of my fridge for a couple of years I got rid of it. Stupid!

My frugal five and maybe more?

1. Received a class action suit check from Sirrus radio for $38.xx. Thank you!

2. Despite friendly ribbing from my husband we are still using my stock pile of toilet paper from before the pandemic hit. Also soap, razors – he’s the only one who uses those – and shampoo & conditioner.

2. Niece is getting married next weekend by a notary public with just her, her fiancee and great niece to do photography. No travel for me so a bigger gift for her. Plus I approve her frugal wedding, lol.

3. Hubs and I have a will that our attorney says doesn’t need to be changed even though it was drawn up when the kids were elementary school age. Both kids are 20 somethings now. I printed out an advanced directive for hubs and I to both fill out. Will have friend notarize it as she is a notary. Also printed out General Power of Attorney papers and will have friend notarize those as well. Got both off my state website.

4. Got Disney+ last weekend for a family night of watching Hamilton and then cancelled it this week. Total cost is $7.xx. Loved the show.

5. Tropical Storm Fay has blown over us today. What can you say? It’s 2020.

6. I have made peace with the fact that I think this Covid thing will be with us for at least a year or two – nothing to base it on except my gut. I’m postponing as many doctor appointments as I can as I do not want to be around other people even if I am wearing a mask. I have health issues that will surely make my chances of death higher if I get it. My son thinks he’s coming over from Singapore to the USA for Christmas and I think that’s not going to happen. I’m ok with that.

7. Thanks Katy for posting this and getting me to remember the things that I do that are frugal.

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Florencia July 17, 2020 at 4:05 pm

I agree. This is gonna be around for a while. A friend’s dad who is a doctor said back in March (when Chile, where he lives, had no cases) that it’d be around for a good couple years.

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Linda July 12, 2020 at 8:59 am

I find it absolutely amazing what people will spend money on, good for you for capitalising on that!

As I’m just coming out of the other side of dealing with my husband’s estate after his passing in April (who knew small estate probate, bank, retirement and title transfers and selling a car would take so much time and effort?), I’m definitely going to make a end of life binder for my adult children. Hopefully I won’t be going anywhere soon and will have time to finish it, and they can have the easiest time of realising the inheritance.

My five frugal things:
1. returning some bad clothing purchases to TJ Maxx and receiving store credit. I’ll use the credit for Christmas gifts.
2. ordering groceries for pickup – I dislike online grocery shopping and this reduces my bill!
3. eating the odd bits and pieces in my freezer and pantry to accompany my small grocery haul
4. using the speed wash option for lightly used outer clothing and hanging clothing up to dry in the laundry room
5. canceling my Hulu subscription and being added to that of a family member, streaming TV is helping to keep me sane in these isolated times!

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Maria Reames July 13, 2020 at 11:49 am

So sorry about your husband. Virtual hugs!

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Dee from MA July 12, 2020 at 10:45 am

Katy, I’m always very impressed at your mostly quick turn around of thrifted finds to on-line sales. I realize some things may languish a bit but it is amazing the prices you receive for some things! I’ve never attempted to sell anything on line & rarely buy anything on line as well. Kudos to you for bringing the extra funds that can certainly help the wallet! My frugal attempts are not as impressive but nonetheless I feel pretty good about this week…
1. Made a pan of chicken & black bean enchiladas with LOTS of shred my own cheese….had a container of sour cream in the back of the fridge that was close to expiration so used that to top them with when served. These enchiladas will last through mid week.
2. Made a cold macaroni salad to include hard boiled eggs from a dozen given to me by a generous co-worker. I will give her a quart of fresh tomatoes from my garden as a “thank-you”.
3. Took a trash bag full of plastic soda bottles found in various areas at work that no one bothers with to the bottle return at my local store. Earned a little over $2.00 and put that right into my purse!
4. Isn’t it sad the quality & lack of quantity of grocery store coupons these days? I went through a small stack of them I had on my desk & decided many of the products & don’t use anyway so tossed them. I try to use a good quality coupon in conjunction with my Walgreens 20% discount to increase savings.
5. I’m looking forward to cashing in my full quart jar of coins that took about 7 months to fill but my local banks still do not have lobby hours so a visit to the “free” Coinstar will have to wait, but I figure to have at least $200.00 dollars to deposit into savings.
I too have been watching the “Alone” series since season one and find it pretty entertaining. I would have no trouble with most of their activities but don’t think I could harm a rabbit! I suppose in a “survival” situation I would feel different. The upcoming week will be a continuation of my frugal attempts to eat out of the fridge, take my own home-brewed coffee and filled water bottle to work along with home-made work lunches. Hope everyone has a great week. Enjoy each day as they are a gift!

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Christine July 13, 2020 at 1:10 pm

I have noticed the lack of good coupons I receive in the Sunday paper and in a weekly flyer I receive. In the past I would rationalize the cost of the Sunday newspaper by using a lot of the coupons in it to balance the price but no more. I just received my bill for the newspaper and it will be getting canceled.

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Heidi Louise July 13, 2020 at 1:54 pm

Christine: I agree– paper coupons are now sparse, and for things I would never buy.
They generally pick up in volume shortly before school starts, get heavy before Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and at the start of the new year, fading out again after Easter baking season. July is usually strangely quiet, as though people aren’t shopping and saving money now.
But as printed papers are becoming more rare, and online coupons are such a big deal, (though I don’t use them), I don’t think printed coupons will come back to what they once were. I still buy the paper to support local journalism while not expecting to financially break even any more.
And honestly, the ads for collectible decorative items in the ad supplements are enough to make a Non Consumer Advocate break out in hives! Those are some frightening tchotchkes!

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Deep from MA July 14, 2020 at 8:37 am

I only subscribed to the Sunday paper because I also used to justify the price with the use of coupons too but cancelled the subscription a long time ago. When I called the newspaper to cancel they just didn’t get it and tried to sign me up for even more days! it took several phone calls to finally stop the billing and the paper!

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ecoteri July 12, 2020 at 8:37 pm

great shares, folks! What have I been saving with? Well, we harvested our meat chickens, they don’t really count as frugal but I really value their quality of life prior to freezer camp day, and they taste much better than store-bought. I ended up selling 7 of the birds, at $6 per pound, so got over $250 for them, helps pay the feed costs of mine.
I sharpened EVERY kitchen knife I had, finally, using the special diamond knife sharpening stones that I rarely take down. takes a lot of time to do every knife! but Now I am muttering at myself for not having committed 2 hours and a good Spotify playlist before – sharp knives are awesome.
My son has a family subscription to Spotify so I get to use it for free.
Used my new sharp knives to part out around 8 chickens – and my food saver to shrink wrap. I have lots of packages of single or two person size chicken parts stacked in the freezer, as well as a huge chicken put aside for Thanksgiving, rather than a turkey this year. Gave some chicken packages to my 90 year old mom, and will be sharing with two of my kids. the third is currently vegetarian. I have ordered more meat birds that will be coming in around 10 days, so need to clear out the chicken house, but intend to sell most of these new birds in October when we harvest.
I got a free to me elliptical trainer off Facebook – first to see and had to rush off to get it, perfect timing as my son was going to borrow my truck, so he first had to unload the trainer and set it up for me in my back room. it needs some oiling and washing, but it is free and I will see how much I use it in a month. Already have a friend who wants it if I don’t use it.
Picking raspberries – have frozen at least 20 pounds, plus eaten lots with ice-cream, and shared with kids and friends. Picking peas and eating/sharing. Lots of Broccoli harvested, the plants should be done but they keep sending out small shoots so I haven’t pulled them yet. The cabbages are coming, have given 3 away so far, another 15 to come. picked our first yellow Zucchini, there are 3 plants that were delayed but now have lots of babies, so the deluge is coming. picked the first tomatoes on July 1, none since but I have over 70 plants in the greenhouse so I can wait. Picked tonnes of parsley and made a couple of delicious tabbouleh salads, my son is visiting and these are great for mid-day snacks. made a huge broccoli and grated cheese salad but it isn’t super, won’t make that one again. got a big 2.5 kilo bag of grated 3 cheese mix for $19, which is a huge deal for us – need to make some freezer meals for the kids! Picked the red currents and the white ones – what a pain they are to clean! made a red current scone and decided that they are worth having, yum! am trying to dehydrate some of the red currents, and have frozen packets for more scones later. picked parsley, mint, and oregano and am running them in the dehydrator. picked garlic scapes and made a variety of scape pestos – dill, kale, cilantro – with some herbs in the garden that were beginning to bolt and needed to be used up. froze the pestos in flat packs for winter use. planted more lettuces – and they are all coming up, so I will transplant them into small pots and sell at the roadside in a couple of weeks as starters. Made Strawberry jam. good heavens, no wonder I am tired!

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Lorraine Irby July 14, 2020 at 4:31 pm

I ordered the Life in Motion book from her website and have been corresponding with her ever since. She has some great forms that she shares for free. I asked and got her permission to share her free forms with my clients. I agree with you – if I can find a way to order anything directly, I try to do it. Hope all is well in Oregon.

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Teresa July 16, 2020 at 4:42 pm

Posting on this site is a good way for me to remind myself of the frugal and non-consumerish things I’ve done lately, so thank you Katy for being here.

Five Frugal Things
1. I made a pot of white beans 2 weeks ago and a pot of black beans this week. They are delicious and filling, and I don’t have much dishwashing after a meal of beans. Used up leftover onion, tomato and cilantro to make a delicious salsa, served the beans with salsa snd with free sour cream that I won in the Von’s Monopoly game.
2. I returned the clothing I bought on sale from Lands End. It didn’t look right and I didn’t need it. I clothes shopped online in a moment of insanity.
3. My steam floor cleaner broke again, but it was from Costco so they refunded me. I love Costco for the refund policy. It is well worth the $60 I pay for membership. I replaced the steam cleaner with an $8 mop. It will have to do.
4. I realized that my car was ‘low’ on oil, bought a quart and put it in myself. I washed my car myself and have been parking it where the birds don’t fly.
5. I COVID-19 vacationed at home, rested, didn’t answer the phone, and put up some blinds that have been sitting here for awhile; I talked to friends, ate whatever I had around the house and pretty much had a great 4th at home with 8 days off. I probably saved a lot of money on doctors because I was stretched thin after 2.5 years with no vacation. Now back to work…

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Shona July 17, 2020 at 9:18 am

On our 3rd wedding anniversary we finally bundled all of our insurance (residential house, paid off rental, and 2 used Hondas), shopped for a policy we both felt good about and will save over $1000 a year. And with money on hand we paid for the year in full to save on the monthly surcharge. I definitely found the right man because we were both excited to buy insurance as an anniversary gift to each other.

And my kitty needed food and Kroger had 60% off managers special bags of dog food. Lots of shelves of dog food… and 2 bags of Blue indoor cat food tucked way in the back. 2 5# bags for less than one of her normal bags AND they expire next summer. Score!

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AuntiAli July 17, 2020 at 8:30 pm

I remember what my champagne tin had on it. Ibiza which is an island off the Spain coast. If I’m wrong correct me please.

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