Five Frugal Things
by Katy on June 25, 2024 · 58 comments
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My neighbor Nancy thanked me for caring for her house and garden by treating me to lunch. These specific neighbors are especially appreciated as their house used to be occupied by an angry couple who ran an illegal scrap metal business out of their side yard. Needless to say, it was an easy act to follow.
She picked Mokdong Kimbap and ordered the Korean Army Stew, which she’d had in the past. Twenty bucks and it fed both of us with ample leftovers! I love finding new places to eat, even though my husband and I mostly eat at home.
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I sold a garage sale freebie outdoor coffee table for $20 and then picked up the 21¢ to and from lunch. Free money, people!
For those who are counting, I’m up $70 so far from cruising a neighborhood garage sale for free things. $50 for the IKEA table and now $20 for the coffee table. The 21¢ went into my found change jar.
Here’s the coffee table, which required nothing more than a soapy scrub to bring it back to shiny goodness!
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I took some superglue to my ratty Birkenstock sandals in an effort to get another summer out of them. (My cobbler already told me they weren’t repairable, so this is just an act of keeping the grim reaper at bay.) The Q-tips are there so I don’t glue my fingers together, which I’m fully capable of doing.
Do they look great? No, but they do look not as bad, and sometimes “not as bad” is a win.
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I’d planned on assembling a Royal Delight cake for my father’s 89th birthday, but was 0-for-3 at three different grocery stores for the Nabisco Chocolate Wafers, which are the key ingredient. It turns out that Nabisco discontinued them in 2023, which is heartbreaking as my family loves the icebox cake made from stacked wafers and whipped cream. Instead I baked a chocolate cake from scratch, which I’ll serve with whipped cream as I already bought a carton.
How is this frugal? Royal Delight requires two-three boxes of $8.5o wafers and my homemade chocolate cake was made using ingredients I already had on hand.
Sorry, dad.
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I didn’t buy a Lear jet.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
I had heard about the chocolate wafers being discontinued last year. I bought the last 4 packs from the store. Gave 2 of them to my mom. We love them. Maybe we can all email and ask to get them back.
1.Made chicken noodle soup with some rotisserie chicken in the freezer. Used fresh parsley from the garden.
2. My daughter came over and gave me a facial and shaved my facial hair. We have a wedding this week. She is going to do my nails later in the week because she knows I won’t stay out of the garden.
3. Hubby went to a retirement party last night that work paid for. He had a great time. He brought home leftovers.
4. It was beautiful and breezy yesterday so windows were open and the AC was off.
5. Reading a JD Robb book from the library.
What a fun mother-daughter activity! Ah, you were in the know with the chocolate wafers, so smart to snag the last four boxes!
YMMV – https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2023/08/18/nabisco-chocolate-wafer-cookie-alternatives/
Thank you, Selena!
1. We’ve had so much rain this year that the only time I’ve watered my patio pots was on the day I planted them – and that was a month ago.
2. We’ve had four power outages recently, so saved money on electricity. Last outage was for 12 hours. Kept refrigerator and freezer closed and didn’t lose anything. Even the ice cubes in the bin didn’t melt in the slightest.
3. Although we’ve had some hot days, we have yet to turn on the central AC. Our house is naturally cool due to all the shade from trees, and we open windows when it’s cooler to bring the temp down, and we run the circulating air with our new HVAC heat pump system. Indoor temp has never exceeded 74 so we’ve been very comfortable.
4. A friend paid my admission to the Keith Haring traveling exhibition at Walker Art Center. Amazing artist. Then I paid for my friend’s lunch, so it all evened out and we had a great time together.
5. For my morning cereal, I trade off between Old-Fashioned Oats and Cream of Wheat (not the instant or individual packaged kind), even in the summer. Both cereals are healthful and economical. For example – nerd alert – where I live, a box of Cream of Wheat is $4.79 for 24 servings, so 20 cents per serving. I make a big batch every week and portion into pint canning jars to which I add a bit of milk and a pinch of sugar before reheating. I especially love that Cream of Wheat provides high amounts of iron, calcium and Vitamin D. (No, I’m not getting paid to say any of this!)
I never eat cream of wheat, but I do like it. Perhaps I need to pick some up!
We run the “summer fan” function on our furnace almost all summer. It keeps the house nice and cool and the air never feels stale.
When I was a kid we used to have cream of wheat, with a little bit of jam, probably strawberry or raspberry. My sister called it “blue pudding” because when you put red jam in it, the Cream of Wheat turns blue.
I love to put frozen peaches in a bowl of hot Cream of wheat. Makes a really yummy breakfast!
1.Friend is bringing over veggies from garden today.
2. Hubby is going to be gone Thursday-Monday so I’m picking up the bare minimum to supplement what we have in freezer/pantry.
3. Listing more items on line.
4. Downloaded a coupon for an item I need. $3 off
5. Riding with friend tomorrow to the dog show in OKCity. It’ll be great to see my dog friends
I realize I need to make friends with more gardeners!
Have fun with your dog friends!
1) DH & I are home between two weekend trips, so trying to avoid grocery shopping. It’s much easier, as the teens are gone for the entire time (hanging with my incredible parents.) We’ve been eating a lot of items from the garden, and supplementing with meals from the freezer.
2) Making DH muffins, using cranberries from the freezer. He can only have a small amount of carbs a day, and chooses to use it on 1/2 a muffin each morning with his coffee. It’s not how I’d splurge on carbs, but he loves it. Making muffins is significantly cheaper than buying, and I can sub in almond flour for some of the regular flour.
3) Noticed I’d earned $560 in stock dividends, and transferred that to my savings account. I could reinvest, but our retirement accounts are looking good, and I’m not interested in buying more of this particular stock.
4) Priced out airport transport options for two trips last weekend (there & back, but different airports, so parking wasn’t an option) & this weekend (parking. much cheaper).
5) I go through my credit card offers each week & save any that I think we might theoretically use. Occasionally, I surprise myself & make a purchase & have an offer already saved. Knowing that we needed airport options, I saved a Lyft offer, and saved 5% off of both rides. They were pricey, but at least slightly cheaper thanks to my work of reviewing the offers. I do the same for the teens (debit cards) & add offers I think they might partake in (McDonalds, gas, etc). It all adds up, and we’ve saved $150 this year as a family.
Good for you looking through those credit card deals. I now need to check and see if my card offers something similar.
King Arthur Baking came up with a copy-cat recipe for the chocolate wafers. The recipe does call for a specialty cocoa but the tips after the recipe state that dutch-processed cocoa will work just fine, thought the flavor will be less intense.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/iced-coffee-icebox-cake-recipe
Smitten Kitchen also has a copy cat recipe that my family loves:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/03/homemade-chocolate-wafers-icebox-cupcakes/
Thank you!!!!
Thank you! I did like how the original recipe with the store bought wafers meant to cooking and was so easy to make. Having to make my own wafers is an entirely different level of baking.
Was just going to come here and say the same thing, as I ran into the same problem last year at Christmas when I was going to bring that whipped cream and wafer dessert to a family Christmas party. It’s a pretty good duplicate, although the wafers were a bit fussy to make and not exactly beautiful looking (which didn’t matter as they were going to be buried in whipped cream anyway : ))
Whipped cream hides a multitude of presentation “sins”.
1. Visited my daughter 4 hrs away. I took the scenic route along the lake which meant no tolls and not much in additional gas and time. It was a beautiful drive which my mom really enjoyed.
2. I chose a hotel further away but cheaper, no parking fees and a free breakfast. We were unable to stay with her since they are moving and no longer have an extra bed. I also used my travel credit card that gave me a $50 credit and 5x points for booking through them.
3. I packed water and lunch to eat on the drive there.
4. I used ten dollars worth of Meijer rewards to get $1 off per gallon of gas. I filled up my car and two gas cans for the mower for a total of $22 gallons.
5. Frugal for my daughter. I helped her and her husband pack up their townhouse and move to their not quite finished apartment. We were able to move all the smaller stuff using our two cars over two days. They hired movers for the large stuff. Frugal for me – she sent home some items she was going to donate which I distributed between my two younger daughters and she gave me a robot vacuum she would no longer need since she has two.
Oh yes, smart to not have three robot vacuums as they’ll level up and being a plan to otherthrow their overlords.
By the way, you are really nice mother and daughter.
I remember reading about that kind of cake in a Beverly Cleary book, I think it was “Jean and Johnny” or something like that. It sounded so delightful!
1. Library books, including a ginormous Roz Chast collection. I just finished her “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?”
2. Biked to a new Little Free Library that just got installed, that makes three within a mile of us! (That includes ours in our front yard.) Got Bill Bryson’s A Walk In the Woods, which I’ve been devouring.
3. DH taught our youngest how to build a campfire and said kid cooked his own and his brother’s hot dogs for dinner last night. The rest of us used up some burgers we had on hand, and I made corn on the cob in the crockpot to save energy. Tasty.
4. Found a nickel on the floor, randomly, as well as a penny. Into the coin jar they go!
5. Line dried our towels after a good wash; the clothesline is one DH cleverly jury rigged from an old backyard tree swing (the rope was not safe enough for swinging anymore, but fine for clotheslines and a ladder. I do like line drying clothes in the summer.
I loved “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant!”
I lined dried yesterday, such a celebration of sunshine. And your nickel? Now you get to say “I recently came into some money!”
I live in a vertical retirement village in sub tropical, inner city, West End( Brisbane,) 79 units over 8 floors, and we have a giving table! ( Also have outdoor clotheslines, a compost heap, recycling facilities for glass, cardboard/ paper, and returnable bottles.! )
I recently scored 2 Bill Bryson books and a large, microwaveable heat pad, and a lidded Pyrex storage container!
Our units are 500 sq feet, compact bathroom ( room for my washing machine ) and kitchen, comfortable living room and bedroom, opposite bus top, 300 foot walk to shopping centre.
I would love to live somewhere like that! Trying to convince my partner to selle house. Too much maintenance. It’s a battle with him
Happy Summer!
Best Frugal Tip of the Week : make friends with people who live in really cool places and do really cool things.
1. 4 years ago I hiked Machu Pichu through Explorer Chicks -an all female travel company. The ten of us on the trip kept in touch and have had a weekend reunion every summer. This summer my friend hosted in Bath County, Ohio. Beautiful house, great national park, farm markets, a river float, and more. I spent about $100 total living in the lap of luxury. I used a Southwest credit top get there and back. Next summer: Ocean City Maryland. I hosted at my cabin last year in Tahoe.
2. In Laws are having their “other side family” reunion in Big Bear Lake, California. They offered me a room. Well, Yes, thank you. Cost is my own food and gas to get there. I am bringing a SUP for everyone to enjoy and a giant Jenga game for the kids to play.
3. My Dad lives in Pismo Beach, California. I will stay there a few days and SUP.
I splurged in other areas including a concert at Hollywood Bowl on the way down to Big Bear. Also, I am using up my Intercontinental Ambassador Free Weekend Night at San Diego which has some noted extravagances including a spa and a sailing trip. But on the whole, great value all around and well within my planned budget.
Wow, you are truly living your best life! Giant Jenga sounds like fun.
Mary Ann, sounds like an incredible summer! What does SUP stand for?
Typical abbreviation SUP of for Stand Up Paddleboard. Not sure that’s what she meant, but #2 sounds like it could be.
We have the same glass top coffee table in our breezeway. We curb picked it many years ago with a matching loveseat.
1. We have an older programmable thermostat and wanted something with more features. I remembered a neighbor had received one from BGE (our electrical supplier) for free/cheap a few years ago. I looked it up and BGE offers a variety of thermostats available with instant rebates which makes them free or cheaper. We ordered one that required a little out of pocket.
2. A friend called to see if I wanted to come over for lunch. She laid out a variety of salad fixings and it was a good lunch. We sat outside visiting after lunch.
3. I’ve been walking early to avoid the heat and this morning found a quarter.
4. I’ve been listening to Finding Dorothy, borrowed digitally from the library. I also picked up a couple of books by Clare Pooley. A friend has been reading books that are lighthearted and amusing and recommended this author. Given all going on in the world I need a break from serious books.
5. My tomato plants have been producing small ripe tomatoes most days. I never tire of tomatoes in the summer.
Thanks for the author recommendation, I’ve put a couple of her books on hold with Libby. And hooray for curb picked outdoor furniture!
Thanks for the book recommendations ! When I looked up Finding Dorothy, I saw that the author had written “The ride of her life : the true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America” / Elizabeth Letts. I remember reading that a few years ago – it was WONDERFUL!
Katy, your posts are a delight to my day. I’m looking after my toddler grandson full time while his mama is on hospital bedrest after preterm labor at 29 weeks and it is a very stressful time. I feel like I could cry most moments. Your posts are a slice of normal and happy.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so sorry to read that your daughter and future grand child are going through a hard time. Sending a big virtual hug your way!
Kara, what a lovely sentiment to share during your stressful situation. If we lived closer, I’d come and sit with you while you had a good cry. Sending my warmest thoughts to your daughter, her care team, and your whole family.
Dear Kara, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I went into pre-term labor with my son at 29 weeks gestation almost 18 years ago. He is a happy, healthy guy now. I remember that time vividly. wishing you all peace in the midst of the trial.
Like the pictures Katy posts a good washing can make used items look new. I found a hip length Anne Klein cream colored winter coat. The label said 50% wool & to dry clean. It had a large greyish stain on the shoulder area. I tried to spot clean it with diluted Dawn dishwashing liquid. No luck. I decided to wash the coat in the washer using cold water & the Dol Gen version of Tide. What did I have to lose? The coat & the detergent was dumpster picked. The coat washed up nicely. I hand blocked it & put it on a heavy wooden hanger to drip dry. (My coat did smell like a wet dog when I removed it from the washer. I think the smell will go away when it is dry.) I will call it my Winter White coat.
You literally saved an item from the landfill and will be rewarded next winter. Gold star!!
1. Did not feel like cooking so accepted a restaurant take out shop that will feed both of us later today.
2. Needed a birthday gift so repotted some small basil in a long metal pot that has aged into a lovely copper color. I did the repotting two weeks ago and the plants are now well on their way and healthy looking. This woman lives in an apartment with a deck so seemed quite happy to have an edible plant to set out there. Zero cost to me as I had the basil, and the pot was part of a food gift from someone else years ago.
3. Worked my shift at the food bank today. Came home with 41 bags that used to hold 40 pounds of rice. They fit our kitchen and bathroom trash cans perfectly. If this keeps up, I may not have to buy any plastic garbage bags for the next year!
4. Sold a large box of random sized canning jars for $20. I do a lot less canning, so I got rid of a third of my stash.
5. Went to the movies on an old gift card from years ago. We saw Thelma and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It stars a 94-year-old woman who plays a grandmother who gets scammed and decides to get her money back. The director wrote it from his grandma’s experience, and it really is a love letter to her. Maybe it was an age thing, but we laughed more than we have in years at a movie. There were only a few people in the theater and this movie has not had much publicity so I fear it will vanish into oblivion. I think older folks will find it especially resonates with them. Funny and poignant. If you stay after the first set of credits, his real grandmother has a little cameo. We could have waited for it to stream but I like to support movies that don’t feature comic book creatures, women in peril, or car chases. There is a scooter chase in Thelma, though.
Lindsey, I wholeheartedly agree with your appraisal of Thelma. Just delightful, and the relationship between Thelma and her grandson is so lovely. My sister and I saw it together and we laughed so hard at the realistic dialogue that, at one point, I had to sit up straighter because I couldn’t catch my breath and I had tears running down my cheeks. I snorted, too! We stayed until the lights went up and got to see the sweet cameo as well.
Thanks for the movie recommendation! I will have to go see Thelma! She sounds like a real go-getter of a granny, not unlike my grandma.
I had an at-home day today and spent no money. Used all three washable mop heads and some cleaner bought at my favorite clearance store to thoroughly mop all the stone and ceramic tile in the house, a chore that takes two hours. Chopped up some sweet green peppers and cherry tomatoes from the container garden for the freezer. Used up the rest of a loaf of very dry bread to make a big pan of bread pudding. Mixed up some oil paint to get the right shade and level of gloss to touch up some chips in the folding doors to our den that still have their original coat of 1950s antique white paint. It has held up extremely well and I have no desire to repaint the doors, so careful touching up works.
1. Called the State of Florida Retirement System to get questions answered. The wheels of government move slowly, but think I have checked all the boxes and will get my first retirement check at the end of August. This feels frugal as it allows me to have an income.
2. Listed 3 things on Ebay. I’m a newbie!
3. Returned a boat part for cash back at a local store. Boats are never frugal, but it provides us nice rides on the nearby lakes.
4. Making all meals at home. Even brought lunch with me as I did errands so I wouldn’t be tempted by fast food.
5. Reading, sitting under a fan, and planning our next frugal adventure- to Grand Canyon!
I respect your newbie status with ebay. I am working at doing it. I can’t figure out my hesitancy about it. Good luck with your sales!
I hesitated for years! I guess I just decided that I’m never gonna learn if I don’t list anything!
I’m excited for you! The Grand Canyon is stunning! It is hard to imagine its vastness until you see it. Drink lots and lots of water!!! Can’t wait to hear about it.
We are so excited. Going with not so frugal traveling friends, which is a challenge I accept!
1. I really wanted takeout. Instead, I went to the grocery store. My total there was the same as one takeout. I got days out if what I purchased. I was proud of myself.
2. Went to friends for a game night. I brought dips made from mostly ingredients I had at home.
3. Just returned some lightbulbs to the hardware store. $23 back on my card.
4. Even in last week’s heat wave, I kept the ac at 74 degrees.
5. I am having guests for 2 weeks and am buying chicken snd burgers on sale for the freezer. Every little bit helps!
A fun and interesting FFTs!
My five are rather boring …
I continued my decluttering over the weekend. Although we still own 3 Shop vacs, DH and I actually made a little head way in the garage.
Today I loaded the car and brought a trunk full to the thrift store. 100% of proceeds that the store receives from the sale of these items will go to the food pantry. I made sure that everything that I passed onto the store was clean and sellable. I did not want my clutter problem to become theirs.
I walked around the thrift store after making the donations, and I did not buy a thing. However, I pulled a really cute black and white blouse from the rack before I realized that I had donated it last week. No need to repurchase it, so I left without a thing. 🙂
I returned two books to the library while I was out. I had a book on hold, Kristen Hannah’s The Women. (Christine, unfortunately I had to return Horse without reading it, but I’m back on the hold list. My decluttering project is cutting into my reading time.)
My sister invited DH and me to dinner to thank me for taking her to a doctor’s visit. She made one of my favorite dinners and asked if we wanted the leftovers. I took them without shame. They became lunch the next day.
I started putting a few things on eBay that I ran across during the decluttering process. All were small and easy to ship. These items are now safely ensconced in my eBay cupboard.
I have been doing all the usual things – drinking primarily filtered water, cooking from scratch, and brewing my coffee at home. I have also been enjoying the feeling of lightness that comes when you don’t feel weighed down by stuff.
Wishing everyone peace, good health and prosperity.
Regarding Horse…I have had to do the same quite a few times when I have run out of reading time. It will be there when the time is right. I have also returned books that turned out to be not my cup of tea. In that case, I’m always grateful I didn’t buy the book.
Bee, I laughed out loud when I read about the really cute black and white blouse! That totally sounds like something I would do myself!
I agree with someone who commented above…this blog is a nice slice of normal on the internet and in life.
1. The estate sale from hell has been very good on sales, roughly $900 so far. I am getting half the money and after having a great sales week last week am trying to stretch myself to sell more. Yardsale on the 6th and 7th to hopefully hit it out of the park and then move on.
2. Neighborhood back pack drive is going well. Plant sale has netted almost $300 so far. Excited for the kids. The neighborhood pizza place is donating three cases of bookbags. Let’s talk heroes.
3. I am inspired by the travel experience of others here. I have been putting off getting lodging for a trip to a tourist area in late July because of the cost of hotels. I am going for certain reasons I can’t avoid. If I stay further from the location I can get most of the stay for free with Sky miles but more driving. I think I know my game plan.
4. My neighbor was able to get a new to us compressor for my old AC saving me more than 3/4 of the cost of a new system and about half the cost of another quote from another company for a used condenser and install.
5. Idk…..I thought everything way done breaking but now my mower isn’t working. I’ll figure that out next.
Hi Katy, Dewey’s makes copycat wafers and I’ve also seen people use ore thin. I like the Dewey’s ones better❤️
Oreo thins I meant to say.
Hello Katy! If the straps on your Birkenstocks are leather, then a cobbler could replace the entire foot bed. It’s a bit more expensive than a standard repair, but still cheaper than buying a totally new pair of Birkenstocks. Although not sure how that might fit into your ban on buying new items since the footbeds would be new. Hmmmm
I seem to be in the minority here about the Nabisco chocolate wafers, which always tasted to me like chocolate-flavored cardboard. Of course, I never had that cake Katy describes, either.
Now, FFT, “Beef and Liberty” Edition (updated from Monday’s FFT at The Frugal Girl):
(1) I learned from the friends from whom I’ve been buying 1/4 steer for years that they are doing beef for two more years at least, so I’ll be hearing from them when this year’s animal–who, they added, has been “able to live his best steer life”–has his appointment with their butcher. I passed the good news on to the Bestest Neighbors and other friends to whom I sell beef at my cost. (Supermarket beef is so expensive now that I wouldn’t even buy it Reduced for Quick Sale any more.)
(2) The “liberty” part is that last week’s heat wave finally broke Sunday night. We’re still not getting as much rain as we need, but we had a nice little soaker Monday morning, so I’ve been able to put down my hose and watering cans and relax.
(3) And, of course, I’ve been able to shut off the central AC and open a few windows.
(4) Now that it’s possible to be outside without fear of heatstroke, I’ll be cutting and drying a lot more herbs. And since my dill is starting to flower, I’ll be starting to make A. Marie’s Locally Famous Refrigerator Dill Pickles this week.
(5) I recently cancelled my online subscription to our local newspaper (I let the Sunday hard-copy edition go a while back) and don’t intend to renew it. This was a hard decision to make, because I do feel that every city needs a newspaper. But this one isn’t the one we need: It’s poorly written and edited; the website is abysmally designed; and it seems to me as if about 1/3 of the news coverage concerns sports at the local party-school university. (However, I found a Sunday paper still in its bag on top of someone’s recycling bin this morning. And I can always borrow a paper from the Bestest Neighbors or my next-door neighbor if I feel the need.)
I remember watching Mr. Rogers make an icebox cake, and my wonderful mother offering to make one with me. I felt so sophisticated and happy! I am going to try Selena’s recipe and have the dough ready to make with my granddaughter.
1. Rather than buying two dozen plastic Kazoos for our flag raising ceremony, I googled DIY Kazoo: I gathered cardstock, and crayons, etc, and everyone made their own kazoo: entertaining, free, and recyclable! They did not work very well, but they were fun! Next year I will save up toilet paper rolls, as they should work better.
2. We rebuilt a fence section, using new crosspieces, but trimming down old pickets that we had saved, and incorporating them. They are cedar and still look great after 24 years. I am using some of the old posts to make an herb garden bed.
3. I am attempting to start some hazelnut trees and some more mint plants from cuttings. The mint will be easier, but I would love a few more hazelnut trees.
4. As a frugal gardener, I am doing yardwork in the early morning to avoid the humid hot middle of the afternoon. I am continuing to try to incorporate native volunteers into our yard, to very gradually reduce lawn and water needs, and am building a compost pile. I am collecting the shower “warm up” water for my plants.
5. The usual: I picked up a little rolling pin at the thrift shop to have when my grandchildren come visit, and bought nothing else. I have been cooking from scratch, line drying, car pooling, and wearing thrifted clothes, watching library DVDs and reading library books.
Have a good week everyone!
Happy birthday to your Dad! Mine is also turning 89 this year, tomorrow.
They were tiny babies at the same time!