Five Frugal Things
by Katy on December 23, 2024 · 56 comments
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When pushed to come up with a few holiday gift ideas, my daughter asked for a blender. I was able to find a Cuisinart Duet model on Facebook Marketplace for $15, which was much better than the $90 it would have cost new. I had to drive across town, but that was okay with me.
I have other gifts for her, which I’ll include separately in a future “what I gave for Christmas/Chanukah” post.
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I stopped at Safeway on the way home as my husband had grocery shopped for his work lunch supplies without using one of my 10%-off coupons. He’d spent sixty-some dollars, but that was enough for me to bring the receipt plus the coupon to customer service.
The clerk asked if I was sure I wanted to use the use the coupon for such a low purchase as “this coupon can get you 10% off $200!” I spent a moment wondering if he had a fair point, after all $20 is nothing to sneeze at. But then I realized that’s there’s no way I would ever spend $200 at Safeway, as all I ever buy there are sale items or last minute emergency ingredients. Spending $180 would get me dramatically less food, when compared to shopping at my beloved Winco. I took a deep breath and accepted $6.25 and walked over to the cheese aisle, where I picked up a pair of $6.49 sale priced Tillamook cheese blocks and nothing else.
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I sold the $7.99 thrifted needlepoint rooster for $75 through Facebook Marketplace. I’d had it up on eBay for almost a month with no interest, so I cross listed it locally. The photos were already taken and the description was pre-written, so there was no reason to not complete this extra step.
I think I’ll go through my eBay listings and find a few more items to list locally. People shop like crazy in the lead up to Christmas, so I might as well give them the opportunity to buy my stuff!
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• The 10%-off coupon was one of three that someone in my Buy Nothing group gifted to me. They’re given out when you get your vaccinations at Safeway.
• My neighbors dropped off a yummy looking can of peppermint cocoa, which’ll be great to have on hand, even though the ten-day forecast shows nothing but dreary rain. I tend to save cocoa for snowy days but it might be time to rethink this policy.
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I didn’t buy any vulgar gold plated apartments in the sky.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
I really liked that rooster art. So glad it sold!
1. I stopped at PetSmart to use my free coupons from the Purina App for cans of dog and cat food. Once home I scanned each bar code and wrote a review for each earning 50pts per review. I use my points to get $10 off a bag of cat food for the stray cats.
2. I had a bad bag of chips. They were rancid. I contacted the company. They refunded my money and gave me two coupons for a free bag of chips. I waited until my grocery store had Buy Two Get Two. I got 4 bags of chips for the holidays for free!
3. My friend needed some gifts for a last minute guest. I was able to give her a bag of new items from my gift stash.
4. Sold a snowman shower curtain for $10 that I paid less than a dollar for.
5. Scanning all my receipts into the appropriate apps. I do this in the evening while we watch TV.
1. DD texted me a screenshot of an ad from a local-ish produce /garden store. They will be closing for the season in a few days so apples and hard squashes are on sale. We wanted to get out of the house so we drove over there. I bought a box of apples and a couple buttercup squashes (they were $.50 each). There was another customer filling her cart with the squashes. I have never had that variety but at that price I’m willing to try them.
2. I gave away more items via the Buy Nothing group. One of the recipients is a neighbor I had not met. She lives around the corner. It never hurts to know more neighbors.
3. DH receives gifts at work he does not want. We don’t drink wine nor eat chocolates that contain sulfites. We will regift/giveaway those items.
4. A SIL mentioned a candy we last made at least 30 years ago. It is called Almond Butter Crunch and is a recipe from Yankee magazine. We will see her next week so we made a batch and it is still delicious. I used my long dormant candy thermometer which is circa 1980. As my sister says the older items are better. This is a modified version of the recipe: https://katebattistelli.com/food/special-occasionsholidays/christmas-cookies-3-and-by-cookies-i-mean-candy/
The recipe I have calls for sliced almonds. My recipe says to cook to 295 degrees. I used dark chocolate chips and more pecans than the recipe called for.
5. It is cold out and I am layered up.
I don’t know what type of gifts you need , but I like the “Blind date with a book” idea. I have a big supply of books plus I can always pick some up in free little libraries since I frequently donate to them. There are so many cool ways to wrap them up if you check online.
Speaking of wrapping books: many, many holidays ago, I had a niece who was in the first grade and reading so much, they couldn’t keep her in books. I went to the used bookstores and bought several children’s story books (I looked through them to ensure they were in like-new condition). They didn’t cost very much at all; I think I used some of my credits at that store. A crafts show vendor sold (inexpensive) handmade fabric bookworms, meant to be a stuffed animal of sorts, and I got one. He was real cute, made with several puffs of fabric and he wore eyeglasses and a graduation cap. At home, I wrapped each book separately and in a different wrapping paper. I stacked the books — not in a straight-line stack but sort of haphazardly, each one in right angles to the book below it– and taped them together. I fastened the bookworm on top of this pile. It resulted in a colorful display, and I put it under the tree just like that. The little girl was able to unwrap all the different books — she loved to unwrap things — and then she also had a toy for her room. All the wrapping paper made a colossal mess, but our littlest reader loved her gift!
Love this idea!
Thank you, Dee!
You can also make the stack of books look like the neck of a jack in the box, with a jester’s head on top.
1. I took two bags of bagels back to Market Basket as they had gone moldy before the sell-by date. Received my $5 back.
2. Grandson16 came over yesterday and helped me make cookies for my Christmas Eve party. These cookies and the fudge I already made will be dessert at the party.
3. Although bitterly cold here in Massachusetts, we’re keeping warm wearing layers and using blankets while watching TV or reading in the house all while keeping the heat at 64, 60 at night while sleeping. One extremely cold day I put longjohns on under my sweatpants. Kept me warm.
4. I bought 8 pounds of meatball mix on sale (at 4.49 a pound…sheeeesh) and made 4 pounds of Swedish meatballs for my Christmas Eve party and 4 pounds for DS and DIL’s party on Christmas Day. Meatballs sure isn’t cheap anymore but people seem to look forward to them.
5. I found another old string of lights and DH strung them on the front porch. That along with the red berries he found in a nearby swampy area make for a simple but pretty Christmasy look for the house.
Howdy!! Fellow mass-er here. If what your husband picked up was bittersweet, make sure you dispose of it, and do not throw it in your backyard, or throw it in a compost pile. I have lost five lilacs, loads of trees and half of my Rose of Sharon because of bittersweet vines. They kill everything.
It has been so cold here the last few days. But it’s better than the pouring rain we had last week.
Thanks for the warning about bittersweet. These are bright red berries that grow in wetlands. I’m pretty sure they’re called Winter Berries. Birds seem to love them. Robins often clean them out in the fall and one year a group of bluebirds sat on a wire in the front yard and took turns coming down onto my porch and cleaned out the bunch I had in a crock leftover from Christmas! Bittersweet I am all too familiar with. It’s dragging down a couple of small trees in the yard. Merry Christmas to you Nancy!
Glad you have winterberries and not bittersweet!
My elderly neighbor is the one that was decorating with bittersweet and tossed it into the back woods behind our yards. She admitted it when her, myself, and my neighbor on the other side were standing and chatting about how we’ve lost so many trees. She said “oh, actually that’s my fault. I did that years ago“ I loved her, but I still curse her decorations while I try and rip out the GD roots. LOL
We are flying to Portland this evening, and your post reminded me to add the teens rain jackets to their bag. My OSU boy was already prepared, but my still California teen had forgotten. We don’t get much rain here!
1) We are parking at the airport (already priced out, and parking vs ride share is significantly cheaper) & I pre-booked a month or so ago, to save another 20% off.
2) My sister is picking us up at the airport, and will drive us to/from my parents house. (She lives close to the airport, and is also going to/from my parents). This saves us from renting a car.
3) I have United plus points (for upgrades) that I can’t use. I gifted a bunch to DH’s coworkers. They very rarely clear, but at least someone has a chance. This guy must have the magic touch, because two of his international upgrades have cleared! Today’s was worth $6k, if you wanted to pay for it with cash. It’s not allowed to sell these, so people often thank you with a gift card. He bought us a $200 thank you gift card, which was lovely. I’m just glad someone is getting some use out of these.
4) I filled out a videod shopping experience (I bought a pair of workout pants on eBay) for a survey site. It failed repeatedly & took a lot of effort to complete. They marked it as not getting paid (due to the glitches, which were on their side,) which really annoyed me. I reached out to support and was able to get my $75.
5) Gave out our Christmas gifts to our teens last night (we open them early, given we travel for Christmas) & most gifts were very practical (hat, gloves, toiletry bag, etc) &very well received. There was also some cash & a gift card + snacks. Nothing outlandish.
1. I cut off a pair of my grandsons lightweight sweatpants that had holes in the knees. I then hemmed them to make a nice pair of shorts. They will be too small for him, but now they are a viable item to donate. Someone else will get use from them.
2. Switched 2 cushion covers to better go with their new rooms and give me a feeling of something new. Also put up art my kids did in high school that I’d gotten smaller prints of, and moved a mirror. We’re not hosting so I can do some non-, Christmas ‘fluffing’
3. I’ve been able to make 4 dinners even though my husband said we needed food and the fridge is indeed VERY bare.
4. My husband volunteered to go to Costco on Saturday. I jumped at that since I hate all stores in the lead up to Christmas, and particularly Costco. Frugal because he bought exactly what was on the list and I would probably have made an impulse purchase
5. Darned a nice wool sweater and sewed some reinforcing strips on a huge reusable shopping bag that is 10 years old and that I use all the time. It was tearing where the handles (already replaced) attached to the bag. It’s just the right size for packing for trips and I love the graphics, so I’m happy to make it last even longer.
Happy Christmas week to everyone! I appreciate you all!
Kara, you are so sweet to go to the effort of converting the too-small sweatpants to shorts. Most folks would have just tossed them or cut ’em up for cleaning rags, but you took the time to make something nice out of it, and then you were generous enough to donate it. I’m sure some little kid will greatly enjoy his new pair of shorts! On behalf of the charity shop and the eventual wear-er, thank you.
Hot cocoa is so cozy and delicious this time of year. And I definitely vote that you change your cocoa policy to include the rainy days as well! Yum. Nice of your neighbor to share some with you.
I am working every p.m. shift until Christmas Eve and our store is getting lots and lots of business. I am just thankful I’m not employed at Walmart or some other big box store; ours is crazy enough. Two more days, two more days….
the worst will be late on Christmas Eve (we’re supposed to close early, LOL. Usually can’t!) as all the men wait until the VERY last minute to buy their ladies some fancy perfume. Glad I don’t work in the cosmetic dept.!
Pls. readers, tell the men in your life NOT to wait until 4 p.m. or later on Dec. 24 to buy gifts. It will be crazy busy and stuff may be all sold out by then.
1. They’re having a potluck on Tuesday at the store. The manager will buy BBQ from the BBQ joint next door and we’re supposed to bring sides and desserts. Problem is, I usually get potluck items from OUR store and I can’t do that this time. So after work last night I went to Target (or as I pronounce it, Tar-JAY, with a French accent) and got a $4.99 plate of cookies. That will suffice and it will keep me from having to bake/cook something. (Never mind the fact my oven is broken! I’m dead tired; see above.)
2. Will also add in some cookies I was given. They taste strange, so I will “regift” them in the potluck. Put ’em on a plate and we’re good to go.
3. Took Christmas cards up and down the street and placed them in my neighbor’s boxes. Post office may not like it, but I don’t like their high stamp prices either.
4. Most of my Christmas cards were bought at thrift stores, sent to me as free samples or bought at post-holiday sales in which the boxes of cards were 75% off. I have a big stash from years past! Also reusing all the gift bags and bows from prior years.
5. Wearing my thrifted sweaters from Christmases past. Getting a lot of compliments, even on the one I consider my ugly sweater.
It’s crazy wrong for your managers to expect their employees to work long busy hours right up to the wire and then also cook or buy food for a supposed “celebration”. Who has that time or energy after working so hard for them? This shows little appreciation from management. I’m sure you all deserve better!
I was scheduled to work 1-6 today, ended up working until closing. Some workers are calling in “sick” just bc they don’t want to hassle with the long lines of shoppers. The front end manager ended up working from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. and I’m not sure if she got a lunch hour.
As for the holiday meal, a lot of the ladies where I work love to bring in their homemade whatevers, to show off their culinary skills, so I imagine the pot luck was their idea, not necessarily the bosses’. I’m just going to do the minimum, and if anyone asks, I will say I didn’t get home in time to cook. I got this job during the recession when few people anywhere got hired, so I’m not going to make waves.
1. Using the rest of the food from the cancelled 80th birthday parties to feed 22 on Christmas Eve (pulled chicken from the freezer, canned baked beans bought on deep sale, bbq sauce bought on deep sale) plus mac & cheese made from Flashfood elbows for .62 per pound + free milk & cheese from mystery shop.
2. Found porkchops on Flashfood to make karbonades for Christmas and the produce (as I mentioned in an earlier shop) free from work CSA. I also found brie on FlashFoods to serve as appetizer along with Ķiploku grauzdiņi (Latvian rye garlic bread). I got the bread free from mystery shop.
3. Boss bought us pizza for lunch on Satuday and there was leftovers, so we brought home the two slices and used them to cobble a leftover dinner/clean out the fridge last night.
4. I was going to run out to the grocery store to pick up the FlashFood finds, and treat myself to Chilpotle in between finishing my grading for the semester. Partner offered to go to the store, so I’ll forego the Chilpotle and eat what is at home. Dinner, too, will be a scroungefest, before I drive to next state over to parents’ house.
5. We have a gift certificate to a high-end restaurant in Boston. The restaurant is closing, along with its less-expensive sister. We will go have lunch at the less expensive one to limit out-of-pocket expense, while not losing out on the $100 gift certificate. We will go on Sunday so that we won’t have to pay for parking.
Happy holidays to you all!
1. Staying with my in-laws for the holiday instead of getting a hotel. While I have to make my own bed, there is hot coffee downstairs every morning and a garage fridge full of seltzer.
2. Working from a spare room instead of going into our local office here, saving me likely buying lunch out and dodging holiday traffic. Also, my boss texted me that the heat is out in the building. Perfectly happy to work in my slippers here!
3. Had a lovely evening out instead of gifting presents to friends. We got to visit all our old favorite pubs and hang out. Experiences not things is the name of the game this year.
I don’t think I have any others for now, but I do just have to share with this group – my in laws house is a reasonable size but we are all somehow tripping over each other. It’s because there is SO MUCH STUFF. I am getting increasingly frustrated navigating around piles of things in front of large furniture pieces that are also filled. It’s really making me want to double down on reducing consumption and appreciating what I have.
We downsized by half 5 years ago into a 1000 sq ft home. There were 4 of us in it during covid, 2 working from home. Now it’s just my husband and me. And I had got rid of a LOT of stuff before we moved, plus we moved internationally before that so I didn’t have as much stuff as many. But I have still spent the last 5 years selling/donating more stuff, giving the kids, now adults, what is theirs, etc. It has been very difficult. I know why people don’t do it. But the work is starting to pay off. We had 4 people stay for a week over thanksgiving and I didn’t have to move any piles before they came. My husband used you tube to build some awesome shelves in the garage. We still purge. I’m currently working on photo albums…It does feel liberating though. I don’t want to live squeezed in by too much stuff and then find in the end that none of the kids want it. I’m 51. It feels a bit early to be doing this, but somehow it feels like it’s opening up space for possibility in these next 20 years.
1. I paid my property taxes early this year and in person. I saved a stamp and I will have three property tax bills vs two to claim on my taxes.
2. I went for a walk with a friend this morning. The trail was too icy so we turned around and went home. Neither of us needs a broken hip. Definitely not frugal.
3. I uploaded my receipts to Fetch and Ibotta, including one that I found on the ground.
4. I used $30 in Meijer rewards today when I did my shopping for Christmas dinner.
5. I’m wearing hand knitted wool mittens I found in the Goodwill bins. They are beautiful and warm.
1. My ten year old beagle suddenly lost the use of his hind legs yesterday. I was so scared and depressed about it–spinal surgery on a beagle predecessor cost me $6000 16 years ago. Fortunately the emergency vet decided to go with drugs for now. He also advised against X rays, as they might or might not show the problem. He seemed to know what he was doing, and proved to me that Percy still had sensation in his hind paws, so enormous relief and it was “only” $234. I was so worried about my boy.
2. Part of my son’s Christmas present (well, most of it) is private GRE tutoring. I was able to schedule it at the times he wanted and for less than I was expecting.
3. Errr….
4. That’s probably about it.
5. Especially since I can’t swing the vulgar gold plated apartment this year.
Rose, I hope Percy is going to be okay. Our Welsh corgi had an episode nearly that bad when he was 7 and steroids got him back to nearly normal. One of his hind legs would quiver when he was tired, but he could get around fine. We put him on salmon oil in his food after that, as it acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.
Thanks, Ruby, that’s an excellent idea. Corgis and beagles have long backs. I assume Percy jumped “wrong” to something.
Bertie, who I called The Six Million Dollar Beagle because he had the $6K spinal surgery and ACL surgery the same year, almost literally kept screaming in pain from his neck injury. They fused two of his discs and he lived a long happy life after that. He was worth every penny.
Our long corgi, German Shepherd Dog, beagle, mix also lost the use of his back legs but wasn’t paralyzed. We opted to do chiropractics, acupuncture and cold laser therapy with him. It was much less expensive and research showed it to be as effective as the costly surgery. It was a long road but he regained full use of his legs. Wishing you success with your sweet pup.
I baked our Christmas desserts today, as we have our holiday meal on the 24th. Made a gluten-free apple pie and a pan of GF chocolate brownies with chopped walnuts on half the top so that those who don’t like nuts can enjoy them. I bought a huge bag of Diamond shelled walnuts at Ollie’s Outlet last month for $4.99 and stored it in the freezer. We have enjoyed a lot of dishes with walnuts since then.
Went to Aldi today (store was over-run with shoppers) but managed to get everything on the list and two gift items (those were $4.99 each).
Successfully trimmed my nervous dog’s nails with the new quiet nail grinder yesterday. Did my own yardwork. Waited until I had a lot of blue clothes to wash before washing my denim jacket, just in case it’s still shedding dye.
Ruby, There’s a product you can get that is a kind of treated sheet — looks like thick white paper — that you put into each wash load. It absorbs any colors that run. One brand is “Shout Color Catcher,” and IIRC there is another brand as well. Shout Color Catcher says on the box that you can mix whites and colors in the same load. I use it all the time, and more often than not, the white paper comes out looking dark — that’s the dye it absorbed. I call it my laundry insurance bc it keeps colors from bleeding on other clothing. Well worth the $ you pay for the product! Much better than getting stuck with discolored clothes. I get it at Walmart, but it is available at many different stores. You might want to try it next time you launder that denim jacket.
I think an old timey way to set dye from new clothing was to add a cup of something to the wash water, probably salt, but I don’t recall correctly, More research is possible.
Salt will set dye when you dye stuff at home. I have not tried it on pre-dyed clothes.
Yes, there’s one made by Carbona that I buy and use when laundering new clothes or anything I dyed at home. The jacket in question was thrifted and had been washed once by me, but some denim will shed dye for a long time. I wear a lot of blue and it was easy to wash them all together.
I have a So Soft winter shirt in beautiful autumnal colors that came from Goodwill and has never stopped shedding dye. It does not get more faded and I wear it a lot. Always have to throw a Carbona sheet in with it,
I personally think that such a rainy forecast calls for some hot chocolate!
Confused by this reply to Kristen!
@Lesley – just roll with it as not a big deal re: Rose’s reply. Trust me on this one.
Rose, my goodness, there is no legitimate excuse for this. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to change course. I wish all good things to everyone, especially Katy and Kristen who provide these blogs for all of us to connect and comfort each other.
1. I tested positive for Covid and had no energy this weekend. Fetch offered double points on games, so I played enough to get up to a $25 Taco Bell gift card for my son for Christmas. I feel dumber for having played most of those games.
2. Found a knit beanie hat in the street after a parade and took it home and washed it. Sadly, it was no Supreme.
3. I also use boxed powder dish detergent, but my box had big clumps so it wasn’t pourable. After reading Katy’s advice to use a Tablespoon, I emptied into a container, squashed the lumps with a potato masher, and stored it in the cupboard with a measuring spoon. Today I took apart the arms and filter on the dishwasher, scrubbed them down, and ran a cycle with a cleanser.
4. I have the $0.99 monthly Hulu deal and found a couple shows that I think might be worth watching.
5. I had a porch pickup this morning for a Christmas mug today for a couple dollars. I had bought it at yard sale this summer for $0.50 and thought it would be an easy sale. Instead of just picking up, the buyer messaged asking if she could come in the afternoon, and then messaged again asking if she could come tomorrow instead. Just ugh.
1. This week I have been the recipient of leftover work pizza twice. My teenager is very happy about this.
2. We were gifted a turkey and I made it this Saturday.
3. I am making spaghetti and meatballs for Christmas to stop the maddening cycle of grocery shopping.
4. We are traveling to see my mother and got a great fare for roundtrip flights with a car rental for a week. Next is to find a decent priced hotel/motel.
5. I made almost $300 dollars from Shopkick app this year. I plan to maximize my earnings next year to just under $600 so I dont pay taxes. I am trying to work on reinventing grocery savings for how they are in today’s savings field.
Do the taxes start on the money over $600 in sales? I mean, is the first $600 exempt?
Or if you make more than $600, does the tax kick in and apply back to all the sales?
$600 is the magic number re: IRS reporting. ‘Nuf said.
So once you reach six hundred, you pay tax on it all?
Yes.
1. Found two quarters, one in the laundry and one in the hallway of my apartment building.
2. Accomplished all my holiday baking using butter purchased on sale and frozen.
3. After much trial and error, finally found a less costly shampoo that works almost as well for my finicky hair as my old standby, whose price has doubled in recent years.
4. Purchased a monthly subscription for a product that I only use occasionally and set a calendar reminder to cancel before the month is up. The last time I did this, I went five months before needing the service again. Companies love to get you to buy subscriptions and offer much lower monthly prices for paying for a year upfront. I find that only paying for times that I actually need the product is usually much cheaper for me. I just set reminders to cancel before the next renewal period.
5. Puréed a bunch of random leftover roasted vegetables with defrosted homemade chicken stock for the sake of using them up. It made a surprisingly beautiful soup!
1. Hubby and I drove to Connecticut to visit my parents on Sunday since we won’t be there on Christmas. I brought everything to make dinner. I pre-made the garlic bread so it only needed to go in the oven. I made pasta with meat sauce. I used sauce that I can from my garden tomatoes. I also made a salad. I made enough so they could have leftovers today and not have to cook. I packed drinks and snacks for the car.
2. We like to give and receive consumables. I got my mom a grocery store gift card(her request) and a jar of vanilla peaches that she loves. My dad got a basket of foods that he likes. We have been using the same basket for at least 15 years. He gave it back to me empty before I left. Hubby was given a nice bottle of wine and $. I was given a bottle of Tide, stamps, a restaurant gift card and cash. Everything was in a basket or gift bag so we had very little waste. We happily reuse gift bags.
3. I brought lunch everyday to work last week and I brought it today too.
4. I went to a free library class on Friday. We made winter sublimation kitchen towels. I did a Star Wars themed Christmas towel. It came out so cute that I will be using it on Christmas day. I now know how to make them so I will be ordering some as future gifts. I returned books and put some puzzles on the puzzle shelf. Several acquaintances were there and we had a fun time.
5. Hubby was off today so he made the DF cherry cheesecake for Christmas Eve.
1. I have been on vacation since last Thursday for the rest of the year. So other than driving two hours west on Christmas Day, I’m not going to go far.
2. The boys asked for chicken enchiladas and Mexican rice for Christmas dinner. I went to the store today and the store had a sale on their rotisserie chicken, so I bought two. I’ve processed all the meat and I’ve already made stock to use with the Mexican rice. My car will be full with things for them when I pack up Christmas Day, but I’m excited to head to their place for the day.
3. I get free Oil Changes from the dealership I bought my car at, so had that done today and I should be all set for the next 5–6 months. The next one will need tire rotation, etc. so it will be a fee.
4. I have officially graduated from PT! I started going there the third week of January. (We stopped PT for two months pre-op so we didn’t cause additional damage) I hugged my PT and even though I love them, I told him I hoped I wouldn’t see him again. Although I might need surgery on the other arm next year. (Yes, I also tore the same tendons in my left shoulder.)
5. I’ve made the old-lady-type crocheted hanging kitchen towels, and gave them as gifts to my boss, coworkers and a friend. I found a giant bag of large buttons at savers for $7. I think I have about 200 buttons in that bag
Nancy, congratulations on your graduation from PT!
I love those old lady crocheted hanging dish towels. I didn’t know anyone still made them. A friend gave me one years ago and I still have it on my oven handle. It’s getting a little thin now but I just love it. Great gift idea!
My sister made me one of those hanging kitchen towels and I loved it until the towel was too thin. Thois remind me that I can sew the crochet part onto a new towel.
1. Saved 15% on a pair of sneakers for my husband at DSW using a code I received for signing up for texts (I’ll stop those shortly).
2. Received a delicious clementine cake from a niece and her family. Will bring that to Christmas Eve dinner (with the other side of the family) along with a salad.
3. Will bring Christmas brunch fixings to my sister’s place to use up more of our provisions before heading out of town for five weeks.
4. As usual, kept our bread frozen so none of it went bad.
5. As usual, picked up hair binders off the ground, washed them, and repurposed them as rubber bands. I come across an amazing number of hair binders.
1. We drove a long day, but avoided a hotel.
2. One meal was sandwiches my mother-in-law packed us, so the only meal we purchase was subway.
3. We brought water and one cup of coffee (but did end up buying 3 coffees… It was a long drive).
4.We enjoyed some Christmas treats gifted us on our drive home.
5. We made sure to turn our hot water heater to vacation mode for the 4 days we were gone.
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah! Best wishes for wonderful holidays for you all!
Right back atcha!
Here’s a bit of fun for everyone:
Carrie Underwood, “Stretchy Pants”
With lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo5ZLdbcZsk
With Carrie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz8mU2Ba_sY
Right back atcha, Christine!
I left a little holiday giggle for everyone, but it didn’t pass moderation, so I’ll try again without the links.
For a warm holiday moment, look for Carrie Underwood’s “Stretchy Pants” on YouTube. It’s my free, frugal gift to everyone.
Thank you, Dicey! I enjoyed that.
Long time lurker, first time commenter!
1. We are regifting gifts for the family White Elephant. I found a large pad of water color paper and a fancy set of watercolors that was on my sons’s school supply list last year and never used. My husband also got two nice bottles of liquor and we don’t drink, so they are wrapped and ready for the gift exchange!
2. I managed to get a store coupon for beef rib roast – I paid $8.49 a pound instead of $15.99! Our Christmas Day guests will enjoy the high end meat and we should have some left for sandwiches.
3. We have officially quit Amazon. Deleted our account and canceled our Amazon credit card. Replaced it with a card from our bank, which still gets great cash back rewards.
4. Putting things in place for a very low spend year. We aren’t huge shoppers or spenders, but in anticipation of a rocky 2025 here in the US, we are going to cut things down to the bone.
5. I switched from Verizon to Mint Mobile. After 21 years with Verizon, I was sick of overpaying. No more $85 a month for one line! It’s now only $20 a month with Mint. The service is exactly the same and I’m saving a lot of money.
Happy holidays to all of you. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus, I hope you all feel a little cheap and cheerful magic!
Brenda, that’s a great first list. Those are quality White Elephant gifts. Glad you’re here!
DH and I decided to not do any presents or stockings this year. It felt very good. Kids get checks and stockings only now. Granddaughters each got an American Girl doll in their original boxes. Found 4 at same sale this summer for $15 each. Lots of outfits as well which I also bought. Love to bake and have also gone to baking each family and DH an entire batch of their favorite cookies. It’s way easier and they enjoy their special cookie. Made many batches of English toffee which are a hit. Put up our aluminum tree with vintage ornaments and will keep it up for several months as it’s just so pretty!
It’s nice to “do” Christmas but not feel as overwhelmed as in years pasts.
May your Christmas and Chanukah celebrations be lovely!
Cookies are my love language too. I think it is a terrific idea to gift a favorite batch as a gift.