Five Frugal Things
by Katy on August 28, 2022 · 126 comments
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I drove to my trusty Everyday Deals grocery liquidator and scored big time. The store is a bit like a thrift store, as the inventory is pretty random, although it always seems to have cheap salad mixes. I brought home:
• Two bagged salad kits for $1.29 apiece.
• Two Persian cucumbers for 50¢ apiece.
• A huuuuge bag of spinach for $2. Like seriously huge, think pillow case sized! So big that split it with my friend Lise, who luckily doesn’t blink at my extreme frugality.
• An entire flat of strawberries for $6. <– my favorite deal!
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A neighbor set out a couple of rickety old kitchen cabinets from a remodel, and I drove past them for almost a week before noticing that the vintage chrome drawer pulls were the same as the ones in my kitchen. I gave it another day or two before walking over with a screwdriver and removed each and every one of them. (Six, I removed six.) I promptly replaced my broken drawer pull and then stashed the other five as back ups.
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My son continues to borrow my Prius for his Monday through Friday work commute. We make this work as my husband can mostly ride his bike and it’s not the worst thing in the world for me to be occasionally housebound. Used car prices are through the roof right now and this arrangement should allow him to save enough money for a late model car instead of a total junker.
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I exchanged a completed Franz Bakery outlet punch card for five free loaves of bread, I 100% didn’t feel like cooking dinner last night, but buckled up and made a batch of The Prudent Homemaker’s rosemary white bean soup, (which also used up some accidentally overcooked navy beans!) I returned to my secret spot and picked another 4-1/2 pounds of wild blackberries, I filled my little free library with new books that my mother sourced from her Buy Nothing Group, I ordered a free Domino’s pizza using points from previous purchases, which then prompted an offer for another free pizza as the delivery apparently took too long, my next door neighbor offered to let me put plastic bubble mailers in her Ridwell recycling box and I scored a free hose nozzle that somebody put out for free.
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I didn’t buy a Lear Jet, and instead borrowed one from Kylie Jenner.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 126 comments… read them below or add one }
Huzzah you with the drawer/cabinet handles!
this last week
1) I fixed the Igloo cooler that we’ve had for around 20 years. When my husband was cleaning it out the snap on top to the drain flew into the air (we still haven’t found it) I looked online and ordered the Igloo part for $9.50. The cost of replacing the entire cooler would have been around $80 for the same size.
2) After we got back from the beach I discover some of my summer squash had turned into small baseball bats. I trimmed away the skin which had become too hard, scooped out the seeds which were too tough to eat. I cooked the flesh with onions and put away in 2 cup bags in the freezer. I’ll be using these later to make summer squash casserole.
3) Also in the garden I had an abundance of green beans. I washed and snapped the ends off and put them in the freezer in 1 pound bags. These will be oven roasted over the winter.
4)A friend gifted me several magazines, Selvedge, from the UK. After I finish reading them I’ll be listing them on Ebay where they sell for around $10 each.
5) I picked up some free mystery books from my local Buy Nothing group and used them to help stock the Free Little Library at my favorite local farm stand.
#1- I felt like the most frugal person ever when I realized that you could replace pieces of coolers instead of replacing the whole darn thing. We had a broken hinge on a perfectly good cooler.
The drawer pulls!!! Oh the drawer pulls!!!
I have recently had an unexpected improvement in my health and have been getting so much done!
We bought the materials to replace our front fence, over 12 months ago, but were nervous to attempt such a visible project with no experience. My husband is disabled, so projects can be a challenge. I am so happy to report that it is done, and it looks just like a new fence! It’s much more private than before, which can be important in a place that gets tourists in summer.
We are going to make a framed hole in the gate, so the dog can see out! I’ll find a fun frame in our island freestore, and fill the hole with something arty when the (elderly) dog is no longer with us.
There are some materials left over, so we are considering continuing down the side of the house. Some of the wood from the old fence is still in great shape, it’s 40yr old cedar, so it will be repurposed to many things.
The garden is producing some tomatoes, beans etc. It’s a poor harvest this year and the deer pressure is ramping up. There wont be much to preserve, but we are enjoying the fresh food.
Continuing to volunteer at the freestore. It’s a valuable resource for local people and I can check out the stock whilst volunteering.
The ferry from our island keeps breaking down, which is a bit of a worry, but also means staying home more, so that’s money saving.
I love the framed fence holes for dogs. I’m hoping my daughter will do the same for her dog.
In 1992 we lived in Chicago, got a new fence, cut a hole for our dog to watch the world through. To this day when we visit Chicago (we haven’t lived there in decades) – we drive by our old house and smile that Brother’s Watch Window is still there.
Five frugal vacation things if you find vacations frugal,,,it’s been 2.5 years!
1. Rented a 3 bedroom/2 bath condo which was at a beach town in NJ so it was 15 steps up and 15 steps down. Gotta have those buildings raised.
2. Went to one of the 3(?) free beach towns in NJ. Yup, NJ charges you to get on the beach. I think it’s $10/day or you can get a weekly pass or season pass.
3. Drove down and back to beach house in hubby’s company car and used company’s gas. The car is part of his compensation.
4. Brought most things with us such as some food, snacks, toilet paper, paper towels and tissues. I had the paper products stockpiled at home and bought them at cheap prices. Much less expensive than the one grocery store on the barrier island.
5. Two expensive meals out that were great. Since I had my gastric sleeve surgery in December of 2021 (which was free cause I met all my deductibles) I can only eat about 3 ounces of food. So dinner came back to the beach house to have 2 more times each.
6. Played boardwalk games. Prices were outrageous but as I never went to the beach as a kid and I saved up money for the trip I played. I won 5 stuffies that were like strawberries, lemons, oranges and limes. Gave them away to little girls that I saw – gave to the parents. The little boys got my points and tokens from playing skee ball. Best deal was a $10 loaded card to play skee ball. Hubby and I must have had 15 games each.
Could you mention Jersey beaches that are free? Sixty years ago we lived near Barnegat Light. My sister and I want to visit, frugally, next summer, to the Jersey Shore area. Thanks!
Not NJ beaches, but I understand from friends of mine who live on Long Island (NY), the charge to park at beaches there can be outrageous. It was free when I lived there 40+ years ago.
Hi Jenny – beaches that I know are free are The Wildwoods – North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Atlantic City – casinos along the boardwalk. Sea Bright and Keansburg. Sandy Hook which is a national park (?) and you have to pay for parking to get in. Beach is free. All “free” beaches have parking fees. Very little free parking.
I think all Long Beach Island beaches charge. That is where Barnagat Light is. Over all it is an expensive place to visit.
Hmm…. didn’t take part in a while but will give it a try.
1. I will have a meeting next Monday to find out if my bussiness idea is worth pursuing and also how I can get further support in that.
2. Working fulltime this week as a freelancer at a very interesting event. Will even end up going to a fancy restaurant for a (paid for) dinner one of the nights.
3. Got out my cutting mat and clothes cutter and adjusted a couple of t-shirts I liked the message on but were to tight in some places. So, adjusting basically means cutting off the arms and neckline.
4. Need to replace a faucet. Since my pipe wrench disappeared I am really happy I can borrow from a friend. Feels like one of these things you need once a decade so really happy I do not have to buy a replacement.
5. Going to a conference soonish in another city and will stay at a friends place. Doesn’t feel especially frugal as this is so often my mode of travel tbh.
Katy & I must live in a parallel universe.
1. I am also an RN.
2. I took the handles from my friend’s kitchen cabinets before they were removed.
(I plan to update my kitchen eventually.)
3. I bought a bag of navy beans today to cook with a ham bone to make soup.
4. I had foot pain a few years ago but gratefully it resolved.
5. I ordered a free CiCi’s pizza using reward points on my app.
Twinsies!
-I curb picked some metal outdoor stair railings and they will be repurposed at a rental house
-Stocked up on tons of clearance granola bars
-Spent a half day using up oversized zucchini’s making muffins for back to school, saved some of the seeds for next years garden
-Took the kids to the free splash pad and playground. Much more fun than the zoo and fair the week before and the price was right
-I was really craving sushi. I got some from the grocery store, not the most exciting flavors but saved $100 from going out
1. Received $150 class action settlement Visa card and$35 voucher for massage envy
2. Sold $90 of stuff online
3. Received free lipstick from Maybeline as part of their National lipstick day promo
4. Put together a small thank you gift of odds and ends of trial sized goodies for a friend
5. After an hour of bra shopping found a style that works for me marked down $24. I picked up 3 so I’m in good shape for a couple years
1. I thought I was low on short socks but dug deep in my drawer and found I have an abundance from many years ago. No purchase necessary.
2. I have been snacking on popcorn bought a few years ago. To cook it I melt a little coconut oil in a glass casserole dish, add popcorn kernels, place a lid on it and zap it for 4+ minutes. I add a bit of seasoning when it has popped. It has never burned and should be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than other forms of popcorn.
3. I’m still using my 10+ year old pedometer to make sure I’m active enough every day. It fits in my pocket and is decidedly low tech and it’s all I need. My 25 year old niece got a chuckle out of it when I saw her in June.
4. I requested a check from our cash back credit card.
5. I continue to use glass jars to store food stuffs that come in large packages: oatmeal, oat bran, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, raisins, popcorn, etc. The glass jars have been saved over the years from various food products: jam, pasta sauce, sunflower butter, etc.
K D, your #3 reminded me – I love my old school, OLD pedometer, too. It’s all I need as well – and it’s very accurate (much more than my husband’s high tech one; he got his for free tho so his was cheaper than mine). My pedometer has gone through a few changes due to breakage and I rolled with them. First the clip on the leash broke, so I just looped the leash around belt loops, buttons, etc. Then the actual clip on the case broke (probably wore out from overuse). I removed the pedometer from the case and now I just use it in my pocket like you do. Every pair of pants/shorts I own has pockets (I love yoga pants and leggings with pockets!) and it looks better to just drop it in my pocket rather than having a little “pedometer bulge” at my waistband. Why it took so long for me to realize I could just slip it in a pocket, I’ll never know.
I hope your “foot lego” is healing Katy.
1. I’ve been mostly staying home since my daughter had covid. We used up several of the free covid tests we received. I found online that they had extended the expirations dates on these tests and I crossed out and rewrote the new date. Luckily the rest of us did not get sick but I felt very tired like my body was fighting off an illness. Hooray for free vaccines. I did not use any gas and also cooked meals at home except for one celebration take out when she finally got her appetite back.
2. I’ve continue to trade infrequently used items with my mother. I lent her a dress for a ladies tea she was going to and an extension pole that I used to replace a light bulb that was in a precarious area at the top step of her basement staircase.
3. I used free zucchini from my mom’s neighbor to make zoodles. I made tuscan butter mushrooms and added some free pre-cooked chicken my daughter had brought home from work to make a delicious inexpensive dinner. My mother invited us over for dinner and I brought brownies and free toppings (again from daughters work) to make brownie sundaes for dessert with the ice cream my mother had bought.
4. I began to walk again with my pup and a friend who has had knee replacements this year. We walk though a beautiful forest which is my happy place. It’s free exercise and we call it “friend therapy” since she is the one person I can talk to about anything. It is priceless to witness my friend recovering from her surgeries and be able to walk again without the excruciating pain.
5. I took my sister to lunch for her birthday. She chose the restaurant which happened to have a 10% reward on my credit card. I made a double batch of pesto and froze the excess in portion sizes for my favorite pasta with pesto recipe. I washed my laundry in cold water and hung it to dry. I’m opening my windows and doors in the morning to take advantage of the wonderful cool evening air we’ve been experiencing. I continue to sell thrifted items on Ebay for some extra cash.
Bonus: My youngest daughter will receive the controversial 10,000 student loan forgiveness. This will eliminate all of her student loan debt. My husband paid off my other daughters student loans just before he passed away. I had given my daughter the money as a graduation gift to pay it off but told her to wait to pay it to see if the student loan cancellation would actually happen. So now she’ll be able to use that money for other things like a new to her car since hers is nearing the end of it’s life.
Jill, your daughter’s forgiven student loan is one of the few bright points I can see about Biden’s recent announcement…
Our oldest paid off her student loans completely in the spring, so she and partner could finish up paperwork for buying their house. $13,000.
Nice to see your daughter will benefit from the student loan forgiveness.
Aaaaarrrrgh! I just threw away my expired free Covid tests! Oh well.
Who is Ms. Jenner?
I really do not know who she is..I’m guessing one of the Kardashian creatures . Katy, I really thought you ran in classier circles.
Oh how I wish I didn’t know who she was, or the whole Kardashian/Jenner clan, but family affiliation aside, she made news when she used her private jet for a 14 minute flight for what would have probably been a 1 hour drive.
I mostly run in random circles. That is, until I get dizzy and have to lay down.
I just did a spit take.
Hahaha ha I’m glad I had just set my glass of water down before reading that!
Then there are those days when I have to stop and ask myself, “Now which circle was I running around in?”
1. When we got carryout, I ordered the nachos appetizer as a whole meal is way too much. Used the leftover rice from the other two for lunches the next day.
2. The billfold I sewed three years ago was letting cards fall out. I took it back to my machine and put another row of stitching alongside the card slots. Perfect again.
3. Combined errands—drove several miles west and met both our new foster dog and someone donating a carful of scraps that we sell to fund school supplies.
4. Gifted corn and basil from neighbors. Gifted neighbors tomatoes and peppers from the bounty of our CSA share.
5. We have custody of the neighborhood printer. Have printed for three Neighbors this past week. They always ask if we need anything before making Costco runs.
6. Our 17-year-old Prius is in good condition.
7. Haven’t turned on the stove since we started using AC in the spring. I’m getting good at using the solar oven. Will try frittata this week.
I love the idea of a neighborhood printer! 🙂
Tennessee’s month long sales tax reprieve on groceries ends on Wednesday so we stocked up on staple items.
Not planned, it just happened that I didn’t drive my car this past week.
A late summer volunteer garden has emerged from my compost pile. This was not a good garden year and I’m hoping for a second chance.
Katy, that is awesome about the cabinet pulls! I hope your foot is feeling better.
1. Salvaged elastic from old sewing project and ran it through the back waistband of some too baggy but nice capris so I can keep wearing them while continuing to lose weight.
2. My husband put a new push handle on our old lawn mower after the original handle broke from metal fatigue and then repaired the clutch cable assembly with pipe clamps. You Tube videos for the win! FrankenMower lives!
3. Spent $0 reorganizing our pantry. Just used what containers and recycled jars we already had. It looks so nice I want to sit on the step stool inside it and enjoy the splendor.
4. Had to bleach the washer after washing all the cat bedding and decided to just do a hot bleach wash of a bunch of old, stained cleaning rags to kill two birds with one stone. The rags came out looking significantly better.
5. Made a CD caddy for my car out of a little bungee cord and a $2 metal basket from Goodwill. My car is old enough to have to CD player, and one of my tiny splurges in life is buying car music CDs at Goodwill for $1.99 or less. Now I no longer have a mess of CD cases strewn across the passenger seat.
My “new” car is the first car I’ve owned with a CD player, previous cars all had cassette decks which was a lot of fun. My last car even had a cassette holder built into the armrest. Obviously not a technocrat, I was surprised to learn that new cars don’t even have auxiliary ports, just Bluetooth connectivity.
Well, that’s just another reason why I hope to keep my little 2010 Honda forever, because she has two auxiliary ports. There’s one in the glove box for playing music on a memory stick, and one in the console for charging things like cell phones or tablets.
Lol, up until two years ago, I drove a 2007 Toyota Highlander that had a cassette player and a CD player. My bought-used 2018 Highlander, and my hubby’s bought-used Prius both have CD players (and USB ports). Goodwill CDs for the win!
My 2010 Honda CRV has a port and a cd player. Dh was very jealous of my port back then. Now he has bluetooth capability and no cd player.
I have an 02 Jeep Cherokee with a CD and Cassette player. The Jeep is a sturdy old thing with no AC. I’m in Florida and finally got a new to me 2017 Kia Soul with ice cold air….it’s luxurious, but I cant play a CD in the darn thing!!
When the CD player broke in my long-ago minivan, we put my son’s little boombox between the front seats and played them in that. It was bungee-corded in place for safety! 😀
Love the drawer pulls. 1. Post Covid, gas prices are $3.21 gallon in the University town two hours north of where I work, and $3.49 gallon in the small town where I work. 2. I bought a new toothbrush post Covid. 3. I am still very tired so naps are long and frequent. I basically just go home after work and go to bed. 4. I lost about five lbs and I am not really hungry so a banana and sandwich for lunch is more than filling. I also made soup that was just tomato soup combined with lemon juice, spices, a little apple cider vinegar, onions, and a couple of leftover shrimp I found in the freezer. 5. I tried a short walk and then promptly went back to bed….lol.
Post Covid fatigue is wicked, Cindy. After I had it, on my first day back at work, my evil grandboss thought it would be a good idea to have me inventory and move 1,500 lbs. of stuff from one room to another. That little chore put me in bed for three days. I got better about saying “no” to her when I came back.
It took me about 8 weeks to feel like myself again after a bout of Covid. The tiredness and the depression is really rough. Food still is a challenge. The only things that taste good to me are sweet. I could eat ice cream three times a day, but I don’t. I hope you feel better much more quickly. Wishing you peace and good health.
It sounds like everyone has a completely different experience with Covid, none of it good. I’m so sorry to read that you’re still having issues. Big virtual hug.
Thank y’all. I managed an hour long walk today, but I am still so brain “fuzzy” and I am going to take a nap. It is 10 am in the morning here!
Two weeks post covid here and still not feeling 100%. Hope it wears off soon for you!
It took about three weeks for the Covid fatigue to finally leave me although I was symptomless by that point. My taste and smell were about 90% back at that time too. I see that all of us have had such different experiences with Covid and post Covid. I just finished a book some of you may be interested in reading “The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness” by Meghan O’Rourke. It deals with how medical professionals are finally acknowledging all of us have different symptoms and lengths of illness in our bodies’ reactions to infections. Nothing is cut and dry. The author had had years of trying to get diagnoses of Lyme disease and an autoimmune disease. It also has information about Covid and long Covid. Makes for a very interesting and informative read.
Hope you recover fully, Cindy! I experienced fatigue and joint pain when I was infected in January. The joint pain lingered for a few weeks, but the worse symptom was terrible bloating and gas. I mean drop dead foul smelling gas that lasted about three weeks and began at about week two of my infection. I don’t know of anyone who experienced this particular symptom, but my gut is my weak spot and we have receptors in our gut on which COVID latches on.
Thank y’all. I am basically sleeping 12 hours a day. Just call me a sloth… lol
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re still not feeling well. Be gentle to yourself, and get as much rest as you possibly can. Sending you warm and comforting hugs.
Post CV inflixtions are indeed real. Had CV in early July (Lively the BA4 or 5 variant( was hospitalized etc. Just moved countries with auling old husband so did pretty much all we needed to do by myself…and feel like à zombie, burning sensation when I eat most things, forget my name half the time…sleep is nirvana. Do your best to be good to yourselves.
Love that you got new pulls for your kitchen…SCORE!
1. Keep chopping up the free tomatoes and peppers neighbors with gardens leave at my door. Freeze for use in recipes later.
2. Got my FREE haircut with a punch card at GreatClips.
3. Found a Youtube video that showed how to make my Grandfather Clock chimes more muted….a piece of flannel over the rods and saved a “house call” from the expensive clock shop.
4. Shopped the new JobLot that opened near me…found batteries I needed in 2 different areas….same package, one was 3 bucks cheaper.
5. Read free library books and magazines from Prime.
1. 1. Book Collection addiction: I’ve been using points issued by a favorite thrift store to purchase my secret indulgence and escape passion: cozy mysteries. Prices are usually around 99c tops. Library is source for my non-fiction bookclub selections. September’s selection is : ” Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution”, by Eli Mystal.
2. Made a pot of vegetable soup from back of refrigerator “finds” and the final stop for a pork bone.
3. Zucchini continues to play a starring role in our vegetable consumption this summer. I also plan to freeze several bags for casserole and bread recipes next winter. We also have some baseball bat sized zukes that could possibly be used for self-defense? We’ll figure something out!
4. In the process of closing a bank account that has raised fees on check processing 33% on a “free” account?? Have opened a new account at a local credit union.
5. Car repairs, increased food costs, proposed 15% increase in property taxes etc. have inspired me to examine more closely all expenditures. One small cutback – we gifted our adult children with state fair tickets but have decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner out. We all love the Fair but prices were skyrocketing this year and son has promised to bring me a bag of cotton candy.
Nice find on the handles. It pays to check out those free piles.
1. I won a $50 gas card at the library raffle. This summer for every book read you received a raffle ticket. My name was pulled at the end of their summer reading program.
2. I purchased a large Visions frying pan with cover in like new condition, two shirts, two pairs of shorts and a pair of pants for $23 at The Salvation Army store in town.
3. My Black Eyed Susans have withered and died from the drought, but the little Goldfinches have been enjoying the seeds left in the heads.
4. I’ve been monthly grocery shopping almost exclusively at Market Basket due to their low prices. I keep a running list of everything we run out of and then go online to check their sale for the day I plan to shop, This week their chicken legs and thighs are .99 lb. so I’ll stock up (DH likes meat, me not so much but I cook it for him and I will eat a little for protein). I build meals around what I have. I don’t like to grocery shop so this works great for me.
5. The library was giving away free seeds in the Spring. I took some Red Sunflower seeds and put them in an old pot I had hanging around the shed. Happily, they have bloomed nicely and make a nice addition to my front steps.
That is such a cool thing for your library to do! My library system does a small adult summer reading program, so I entered to win. I even embroidered and painted my entry to increase my chances of winning. I did not take a photo as it looked like something that a mildly talented nine year old might have created.
1. I recently came into a (very) modest inheritance, which has gone towards grad school costs and increased my chance of avoiding loans entirely.
2. Grocery shop yesterday was still very expensive, but managed to save $40 in BOGO, last chance produce, and frozen foods. I’m constantly grateful I can afford to buy all the food I want to eat, and I’m even more grateful when there are discounts on what I want to eat!
3. Cat peed on the futon (ugh!) but was able to get rid of the smell with nature’s miracle. Saved a professional cleaning or -perish the thought-a new mattress.
4. Had friends in town this weekend–saved money by enjoying time out at happy hour and still eating meals at home. Made it a happy and less expensive trip for everyone.
5. Enjoying one last go-round of my summer outfits before everything is put away for the fall. Looking forward to sweater weather but will miss my sundress collection.
FFT, Happy Birthday to Me! Edition:
(1) Today (Monday) is my 67th birthday. Although DH’s dementia and need for residential care remain major sorrows, I’m very grateful to have gotten this far in life myself with most of my marbles, all but a few of my original body parts, and my sense of humor intact. Thank you, Universe.
(2) Had a birthday Zoom call yesterday with my brother and my two sisters. We had our ups and downs while we were growing up, but I’m grateful for improved relations with one sister in particular, and for the technology that makes it possible for far-flung siblings to meet up far less expensively than anyone could have imagined. (The brother is in AZ, and the two sisters are in CA and FL.) Thank you, Universe and Sibs.
(3) The Bestest Neighbors are getting Indian takeout for a birthday dinner tonight on their pleasant, shaded screened porch. Thank you, BNs.
(4) The BNs previously bought me a most useful birthday present: a stirrup hoe for getting at pesky weeds more efficiently. And they tell me they have brought me home a bag of soda cans from a visit to Dr. BN’s brother in NJ, having noticed that the cans bought in NJ nevertheless have the NY 5-cent deposit stamp. Thank you again, BNs.
(5) Finally, I was touched beyond words to get a Jacquie Lawson birthday card this morning from a husband and wife (JASNA friends) who are in an even tougher spot than I am right now: The wife has just resumed chemo for metastasizing cancer. Priceless.
The happiest of birthdays to you, A. Marie. And many more!!
May all your best birthday wishes come true!
Happy birthday, dear A. Marie!
Happy Birthday A. Marie! Wishing you a happy and healthy year ahead!
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday! Your grace and sense of humor are inspiring.
Patricia
Happy birthday from Vermont.
I second those birthday wishes from Vermont! I think of you when I spot anything Jane Austen related!!
Happy Birthday A.Marie! It was wonderful to see you at the library sale. Wishing you a year full of good health, many blessings and books….always books!
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday dear frugal friend!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday A. Marie! Love to read your comments and best wishes for your friend fighting cancer.
Happy belated birthday, A. Marie!
All the very best and enjoy.
1. This must be cooler week. I was trying so hard not to hit a tool while backing out of the garage that I failed to see our cooler and ran over it. I got out of the truck a wreck, thinking I had run over the dog, so the cooler was a welcome loss. Told my tale of woe to a friend, who promptly dropped off an extra cooler she had and has not used for years. It is a bit musty so is spending a few days open outdoors.
2. Bathed the dog instead of taking him to a groomer. This is no small feat as pound hound is terrified of water and sinc he came to us pretty abused we have no idea if there is some terrible association with his past. So, the process is that husband and I get naked, I sit in the shower feeding the dog treats the entire time and husband washes him. Not sure what we would do if we did not have a walk in shower built to accomodate the wheelchair I sometimes have to use. Saved $70.
3. Husband trimmed my unruly hair. If you avhe seen pictures of the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, you will have an idea of what my hair looks like.
4. Had one serving of soup left so added more homemade broth, a hand full of broken lasagna pieces, and the last of my garden green beans and it made enough to feed both of us. I was too lazy to come up with anything more imaginative.
5. Husband’s dental bill came to $1300. They gave me 3% off because I paid in cash. Not a lot but I’ll take it. Saved even more when my husband declined adult braces, telling the doc that he is 74 and does not need straight teeth to go into the afterlife. (I pray that is not soon!)
6. Traded a bag of magazines to a friend who pays me with her lovely homemade cards. I don’t expect pay, it is just something that came about after a decade of this transaction.
Lindsey, re: your #3: Even if your hair looks like Boris’s, which I doubt, I’m confident you could never muster up his habitual “I know I’m a complete @#$% but I don’t care” facial expression.
And re: your #5, may both you and your DH remain this side of the afterlife for many more years!
My sister-in-law is 68 and somehow got talked into adult braces. She has absolutely flawless teeth: pearly white, straight, never had a cavity. This has to be some kind of new thing orthodontists are doing: pushing braces for people on Social Security!
You & your husband nude in the shower bathing the timid dog must be an adventure!
#3 made me laugh though I cannot believe any ones could look like Boris’ hair. During COVID lock down, my male co-workers were complaining about their hair. I took a quick selfie (which I’ve done maybe twice in my life now) as I was starting to look like Cousin It (yes, I’m that old – original series Addams Family). One co-workers response was YIKES.
Our first pup was a water-phobic rescue. We found that smearing the inside of the utility sink with peanut butter kept her occupied during baths. Also the Mister acted as her bath doula–supporting Muffin through this difficult experience.
I loved your # 2 and 3.
1. Going to a bbq this weekend and was asked to bring fruit salad. Easy!
2. I decided to save $30 by going to a beach I really like that I have a sticker for and don’t have to pay for parking rather than go to my favorite beach and pay. I will go in a few weeks when it doesn’t cost anything.
3. My sister gave me some leftovers to take take home.
4. I have been buying most of my vegetables at famer’s markets this summer. It costs a bit more but so worth it. I prefer giving my $ directly to those that grow it as opposed to a huge conglomerate that doesn’t care about sustainability. Helps me in the long run and the farmers in the short term. I gave up the csa I used last year as there were often vegetables I don’t buy and didn’t care for.
5. The usual-coffee from home, laundry rack for drying clothes, ect.
I think you should borrow Leo DiCaprio’s jet next time!
I found an incredible special on Amazon Warehouse — can-sized boxes of diced tomatoes for 33 cents each, from Italy. That’s way better than I’ve seen in years. Plus free shipping. Bought some for me, and for our kids.
Got my own zucchini ‘baseball bats,’ cut some up for the freezer, and fried the rest! (yum)
Kept away from stores…so didn’t buy anything. I’m learning that grocery stores around here (King Soopers and Safeway) put their outrageously-overpriced milk (now $3.99 or more) on sale every other week. So I buy extra, put it in the freezer — and pay $1.90 for a gallon, instead. (All these zooming grocery prices still bug me.)
And thanks for the regular update!
Thanks for the tip!
Every week I read these letters, note to myself some of my own frugal wins and losses, and then don’t send it. So today I actually DID write five “strategies” I’ve done in my life that saved me about $64,000,000 so far. https://www.marybethdanielson.com/content/frugality-hacks-or-how-i-saved-64000000-so-far
Normal stuff. 1. The mac n cheese we bought for grandkids a few weeks ago didn’t get used. Then diff grandkids showed up, we made the boxed stuff (haven’t made it in years!) There was some left, so tonight was mac n cheese with leftover roasted corn plus bruschetta made with garden tomatoes and my husband’s homemade pesto. 2. We ordered a mattress in a box from Amazon because we were going to have more company than we have beds. Company didn’t come plus mattress didn’t fit the bed. Long story short, because no humans can get those mattresses back in those boxes, Amazon credited the amount to a Gift Card to them, which we can use. We then gave our nephew the mattress, he’s living off campus this year for the first time. 3. Drinking tea made with the fulsome mint growing by the kitchen door. 4. Husband made lamb stew recently and is going to make it again this week for the 210th birthday of myself and two friends who are turning 70 this year. Lamb at ethnic Attari in Milwaukee is 1/3 the cost of lamb at our regular grocery stores. 5. I really liked Dead Man’s Blues by Ray Celestine (Chicago in jazz 1920’s) and am now deep into Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan. Very compelling, very dark.
1. Niece asked me to sew the tassel back on her ski hat. I didn’t have the appropriate thread so I used dental floss.
2. Donated blood and took one of the free T-shirts for my husband. I usually decline freebies but this was a useful one – and good advertising for the Red Cross.
3. Friend gave me several Sudoku books. I do one every day and these will last me over a year.
4. Took care of our neighbor’s chickens for a week and got two dozen fresh eggs.
5. Shredded broccoli stalks to make slaw.
1. Neighbor gave us potatoes and carrots and milk and 8 packages of shredded cheese. We had almost free dinner of roasted carrots, potatoes , onions and garden green beans topped with a smidge of cheese. Gave cheese and carrots to DIL another neighbor took one liter of milk and carrots.
2. Cut husband’s hair.
3. Tricked skittish dog into a brush out, saving $90!
4. My neighbor and the food pantry will take our garden squash! Saving me shredding it and finding freezer space!
5. Bought Beyond Beef Patties for $4.00 a package( for 2 Patties). I never pay full price but think I saved at least $3.00 a pack. And, yes, I buy them thawed and refreeze them! Been doing that forever…ain’t killed us yet.
6. Yesterday was toy repair day at the ranch, saving much loved toys for the grandkids’ next visit Saturday
We are recently back from a 5 week cross country trip which was both exciting and life affirming. We live in a wild and weird and beautiful country and good people are everywhere. And then we adopted a puppy! I told Dear Wife and Dear Son after the death of our beloved old girl last fall no new dog until after the trip. So we waited 6 whole days after we got home. 🙂
Neither of these things were frugal, but that is what the planning and saving is for. Nonetheless, it is time to get the frugal muscles back in shape!
1) Got pet insurance for aforementioned adorable rescue puppy. We had this for previous beloved and for many years it paid for itself. This plan will even cover part of our cost for spaying her.
2) Putting off trip to “big city” and Costco/Trader Joes to save gas, money and mostly, my energy. DS, growing rapidly, can wear what he has until the weather turns. Thank goodness for shorts!
3) Reminded of someone’s discussion in this forum awhile back about “sunk costs”, in terms of meal planning. Between our garden and what I already have in the house, there should be interesting things to eat – if I can figure out what to make. We will eat what is here and be grateful for it!
4) Non-working doorbell can be fixed for the cost of a special battery and the time to watch the tutorial online.
5) Combatting a resurgence of long COVID (following COVID round two on the first week of our trip) with a visit to my NP, anti-inflammatory foods, mild exercise, and resting when needed. There are so many people who are truly debilitated by this mysterious syndrome. I recognize how lucky I am to be able to still function even if I don’t feel great some days. Stay well, friends!
We do live in an exceptionally beautiful country. Planet Earth is an amazing place. I love to travel and to see how others live. I am rarely disappointed in people or place. I am so glad you had a wonderful trip. Now that you are home enjoy your new puppy!
Life has been extremely busy. I have been on frugal auto pilot — Cooking from scratch at home, drinking primarily filter water, brewing my own coffee, batching my errands and using the library. However, i have had a few wins out of the ordinary.
My homeowners insurance went by $1600 this year and is now $4400 a year. I shopped it and found a new carrier whose rate is more in line with the premium that I paid last year. I did some research to ensure the company could financially weather a storm — specifically a hurricane. I am now in the process of switching over.
I found an old brochure among some papers and sold it on eBay for $23. I’m glad I looked before I put it in the recycling bin.
I bought one of my book club selections at an estate sale for $1.
Enjoyed the new season of “Only Murders in the Building” on a shared Hulu account. It was even better than season 1. I watched “Grantchester” on PBS. I watched the British show, “Antique Toad Trip” on YouTube. I really don’t miss the days of AT&T U-verse. I love the variety of streaming.
Wishing everyone peace and good health.
I watched the Antique Road Trip. Grrrr…
I don’t know. Antique Toad Trip sounds kind of interesting. I can’t believe your home owners insurance went up so much. It makes me wonder what the future brings with climate change.
Antique Toad Trip sounds to me like a road trip with the car-loving Mr. Toad from The Wind in the Willows!
I have to admit the antique “experts” can be total toads. On another note, Wind and the Willows is an absolute favorite.
A. Marie, that’s exactly what I was thinking!
Ooh . . . Grantchester. My sister and I call that show “The Hunky Vicar.”
Is that because of the original hunky vicar or the current hunky vicar?
Definitely the original hunky vicar. Oh no . . . is he shirtless again?!
I called the original guy the Yummy Vicar.”
Yummy . . .
Sold a brochure for $23! Amazing. As for Antique Toad Trip, I thought maybe it was a satire on Antiques Road Trip — sounded like it might be funny.
Love that you found matching handles!
1. My son who had transferred from a military college to a community college is actually not going. Start date was this past Monday – Saturday he received a horrible concussion in a rugby game. It was very scary. He still has no memory of the game, the summer feels like a dream and he is still confused, tired and groggy. We decided to pull him out of fall semester – so we will not be out any money and most importantly he will have time to heal with no pressure of school. Ultimately this is frugal. 4 days later he doesn’t remember making the decision to withdraw but trusts that it was the right one.
2. Cashed in CC points to get $300 in various gift cards. We pay our CC in full each month so this is free money.
3. We are in the swing of packing lunches and I am portioning leftovers again for lunches. After the summer off of work it was a bit hard to get back into it and we were scrounging for a few mornings in the beginning.
4. Cashed in my ibotta account for a Starbucks GC. Some weeks I get a lot back and some weeks nothing, but every now and then it adds up to a GC so it is worth it to me.
5. Paying bills online, cut ds’s hair, planning my meals ahead of time so we don’t eat out. We had a BBQ at dh’s work so dinner was free on Friday.
I’m so sorry to hear of your son’s concussion. I’m glad he is giving himself time to heal. Concussions are scary. I had a head injury last December. Although I had only a minor concussion, it took me well over a month to return to normal. Sending all of you good wishes…
Best wishes for your son’s speedy and full recovery. I experienced a concussion in 2020 when I slipped in my bathroom and fell in the bath, knocking my head on the bath wall tiles. It was considered a mild concussion – I had mostly blurry vision to begin with and then I experienced a hard time concentrating. I was off work for several weeks and diligently followed my doctor’s orders of no screen time at all. I discovered podcasts and audiobooks they saved my sanity!
Good that the pressure is off your son re:school. A concussion is so scary, both for the person directly affected but for all those who care about them.
Glad you are taking good care of your son, and thinking long term, Jennifer!
You should have pretty much a full tuition refund for withdrawing this early in the semester. If it was a school game, I hope they are working with you on insurance, etc.
Concussions are scary for everyone. Except Nancy Drew. She would get conked on the head at least every other book, (“Suddenly, Nancy blacked out!” Start next chapter), and seemed perfectly fine a few pages later.
Nancy Drew, of course, was impervious to conks over the head and most other things that would have the rest of us spending a few days in bed (including her BF Ned Nickerson).
But, seriously, Jennifer, it sounds as if all of you did the right thing re: your son’s rugby injury, and I second Heidi Louise’s suggestion re: following up with the school if it was a school game.
So sorry to hear about your son’s concussion, he’s lucky to have you watching out for his well being. Poor guy.
I, too, am sorry to hear of your son’s concussion. My nephew suffered one in a hockey game and he spent many weeks recovering, mostly in the dark with no screen time of any kind. Luckily he took his doctor’s orders very seriously and has no lingering effects. One upside was that he began a book reading habit during this time. Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery for your son.
So sorry to hear about your son’s concussion. Kudos to you for having him take a semester off. It will give him adequate time for healing and resting. I had a concussion from a car accident at age 17. I tell you, I got into that car one person and came out a different person! Not better or worse, just…different. I thought this was a unique experience until I read the singer Barbara Mandrell had a similar experience when she had a concussion. It’s still hard to explain at age 63 but happy I’m still here. If your son tries to describe something like this, believe him.
I had an abundance of squash so I made my mom’s summer squash casserole. To elevate it from a side dish to a meal I topped it with a fried egg. Swapped out reserved hamburger grease for the butter. About the cheapest meal I made all year.
Hubby is helping the neighbors move. They are bringing pizza and wings over as a thank you. She also has a box of jeans my size that she said she would hem up for me. I really think she shouldn’t bother so she can focus on moving, but I hate to get unsolicited advice so I try so hard not to give it.
Relisted a stack of popular books on Nextdoor. I had 2 interested people who never showed up. Maybe second time will be the charm!
Have an interview at Costco for seasonal work. We are eating through emergency funds at a rate of $1000/month with inflation, and that’s after reducing our mortgage $360/month by moving out of CA and eliminating all extras like half and half, ice cream, and some of our outdoor lighting, and switching cell phone providers. I’m at a loss!
Inflation is having an impact on us too. Our monthly expenses have increased by $1300 a month with any change in our life style. This is much more than the inflation rate being reported. We are no longer putting money into savings. Everything from haircuts to homeowners insurance have increased dramatically.
That’s an enormous increase! I think I’ve had one haircut since the beginning of the pandemic, which was a freebie from the Supercuts training center. I need another one as I’m getting quite scraggly.
I have a summer squash casserole that my dh loves and no one else will touch. Each summer I make a large pan of it and divide it up into lunch size portions. Then in the winter he can grab one as his lunch. It freezes great uncooked as well – which is what my mom does.
Not sure where you moved but double check insurance – vehicle and homeowners/renters. If owning, ensure your assessed value on your property taxes is reasonable AND your assessor has accurate information on your house (square footage, outbuildings, etc.)
Neighbors know that trustworthy, good help is hard to find. Even if the neighbor only hems two or three pairs, you’re still ahead. You might find a barter situation with another savvy seamstress for the rest of the jeans.
Is a free energy audit available – if so, take advantage of it. Yeah, I live in a state that, ahem, has options for the average person. Cutting income tax to zero and socking fees/sales tax et al is NOT what my state does.
I am relieved to write that my husband is back to work today. The lock-out ended yesterday and on the bright side, he is walking in with a 17 % raise, a $9500 signing bonus and hefty raises for the next six years (although he will be retiring in four) and his pension will be maintened until six months prior to his retirement. Then he will be able to contribute a generous 401K Canadian equivalent with a 10 % employer match. On the not so bright side, he cannot take any vacation days until 2023 and will probably be asked to perform overtime. Our life has been in limbo since last March due to this work conflict. We couldn’t take vacations as the conflict could resolve at any moment and I was working like a crazy person due to maternity leaves and departures in my department. I feel that our work obligations have taken over our lives. I should be doing a happy dance but I feel glum, and then feel guilty for feeling glum.
I guess it’s frugal that we won’t be spending any money on vacations : (
We will be mindful and save his raise and bonus to catch up on retirement savings that were put on hold during the lock-out that lasted almost six months.
I changed mobile providers. The new provider offers more data and travel perks for the same monthly price as the previous one.
I will be trying a new recipe for gluten-free home baked bagels this weekend. Crossing my fingers.
Watched season three of Borgen on Netflix for entertainment.
Took advantage of reward points offering and obtained a $20 rebate on a $45 vitamin C serum I use. This was quite an adventure, as my husband made this purchase and it required that he find the product at the cosmetics counter, use a coupon that I had texted him, and that he pay with a specific credit card. He was so intimidated/distracted by the process that he forgot his phone at the pharmacy. He was not a happy camper.
Glad your dh is back to work! Can you plan a vacation for early 2023? I find even just the act of planning a trip and then having it on the calendar to look forward too is huge for my mental health.
Oh boy, I know that feeling when work obligations take over your whole life! Glad you are enjoying some of the little things in life, like watching Borgen on Netflix.
1. Had an unexpected mostly-free mini vacation last week. Kinda last minute, my parents offered their timeshare in a ski resort town about half an hour away. We went up for a couple nights, then came home, then husband went back for two more nights. We threw food in a cooler but splurged on a couple meals out. Enjoyed the cooler temps (90 instead of 100!), pool, hot tub, and beautiful setting.
2. Eating tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, herbs, and blackberries from the garden.
3. Picked up some library books including the just-released “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle”. Also downloaded several library books to my kindle.
4. Despite being the hottest summer on record, and being in the midst of ten days of forecasted 100-103 temps, we keep the windows open all morning and into the afternoon til it hits 80 in the house, then turn off the AC and re-open windows at night when it cools down.
5. Last night, just as I stepped into the bathroom, I heard a loud noise, then huge hissing sound as if he room started to fill with water! Managed to get the valve closed on the toilet. Husband then went to Home Depot (thankfully open til 11), got replacement flex tube/valve and fixed it for $6. We have some sort of special weekend/holiday water problem karma with multiple problems over the years. Twenty-five years ago, we even had the toilet bowl of our only toilet CRACK two hours before friends & family were due for my baby shower. Husband shimmed it into place, which held til we could buy a toilet the next day.
Katy, your ‘borrowing the private jet’ endings have really made me laugh lately. Hahaha
1. Just ate some leftover GF Mac and cheese, with some heated up frozen veggies on the side. Gourmet? Nope! Tasty? Sure was.
2. Enjoyed reading an old Maeve Binchy book that I’ve re-read so many times that it lost its cover at some point! (It did have a cover originally, but it eventually fell off completely.) I love to re-read old favorite novels.
3. Enjoyed a surprisingly lovely bubble bath by swishing water to release the last of a container of body wash AND shampoo. Bubbles galore!
4. I’ve only recently started doing a Dollar Tree finds post on my blog. One of my favorite recent finds was a little pack of 2 battery operated tealights. Made the before mentioned bubble bath even more relaxing!
5. Supper tonight is all leftovers: leftover chicken spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and peppers (from the freezer) and leftover cooked brown rice from the fridge. Maybe an unusual combination, but one that will be tasty nevertheless. :))
I too have a little collection of books that I love to re-read. They are pretty tattered and 2 are missing the front covers because I have read them so often. People have “comfort food”. I have my “comfort books”.
“Comfort books,” I love this and am totally stealing it!
My comfort books also include comfort food, as they are two books of memoirs about cooking written by the late Laurie Colwin, who was a novelist and a columnist for Gourmet magazine. The recipes in them are wonderful.
I love Maeve Binchy and have read every single one of her books. Might be time for some rereads.
Better half is not a “reader” and doesn’t get re-reading a book. So informed better half re-reading is like listening to a song you’ve already heard (and it better half’s case, heard a lot of times lol).
And re-reading is comforting and IMHO, likely good for one’s physical and/or mental health.
Selena,
My hubs isn’t a reader either, not at all, unless it is necessary. But he’s funny – he’ll gladly come with me to a bookstore, and wander through the aisles. I guess to be fair, he’s more a reader of news rather than books for the pure enjoyment of them. But for some reason, he’s always encouraged my love of books, and puts up with all the novels I have sprawled all over our place!
Okay, and now I will stop commenting on this particular subject. haha It is just one very close to my heart.
Oh Katy, if I told you how many times I had re-read those books I would totally sound like a dork. hahaha But there is simply something about her style of writing that I truly find comforting. You know that feeling you get when you’re all snuggled up on a rainy day? THAT is the feeling I get with her books!
Years ago, I even wrote to someone – perhaps her agent? I honestly can’t remember…but I had wanted to contact her personally to thank her for her writing. But, of course I discovered that she had passed away some time before. So sad. But her beautiful writing is still with us, and comforting us all the same.
Sending you big hugs my friend! :))
The other fabulous thing about rereading comfort books (Ursula LeGuin, Elinor Lippman, Jennifer Weiner) is that you don’t have to stay up past bedtime to see how the story ends.
That’s a good point!
Too true, Mary! hahahaha