Five Frugal Things
by Katy on March 31, 2025 · 92 comments
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Someone in my Buy Nothing group was giving away cuttings from her fig tree, so walked to her house and picked up a trio of cut branches to propagate. I then watched a couple of random YouTube videos, which made it look pretty straightforward and I’m excited for the prospect of having my own fig tree. Even though I’m fully aware that my yard is shady and this is likely a doomed project.
Might as well try!
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I pulled out my upholstery shampooer and cleaned the fabric parts of my $7.99 thrifted Restoration Hardware chairs. (I also scrubbed the stubborn spots with a toothbrush and diluted dish soap.) They’re still not perfect looking, but I think they’ll brighten up once they’re fully dry. Which here in Portland, should be by the end of summer!
Here’s the before:
Here’s the after:
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I’m thisclose to the end of my No Spend March challenge and am surprised with how quickly time has passed. I spent no money on restaurant meals or pick-me-up purchases, but I did have the unexpected expense of a pair of new tires, which is unavoidable and falls under “shit happens.” Can’t exactly drive around on a flat tire!
Groceries were certainly allowed, but I tried to minimize trips and avoid impulse purchases when I did go. (Think nothing but lettuce and bananas from Trader Joe’s.) It’s entirely possible that I might buy something tomorrow, so I won’t tally up the numbers quite yet.
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My Earth Abides audiobook from Libby automatically returned when I was only halfway through, which was a huge disappointment as I was really enjoying the story. But then I remembered that the reason the book was on my radar was that there’s a new TV show based on the 1949 novel, so I started a one-week free trial of MGM+ through my Roku box. I then immediately turned off “auto-renewal” so I wouldn’t accidentally extend my free trial.
I used to think that you couldn’t cancel a free streaming trial until the last day, but it turns out that you can cancel immediately and still enjoy the full contract.
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I haven’t written any million dollar checks to sway the Wisconsin Supreme Court election.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 92 comments… read them below or add one }
1. There’s nothing like a massive ice storm to keep us at home and out of stores. And due to my almost complete avoidance of Amazon, no money is being spent online, either. Which is pretty darn frugal.
2. The power went out early yesterday morning, courtesy of the above mentioned ice storm. Being all too well acquainted with multi-day power outages up here, a whole house generator was our very first major purchase after we bought this house. A darn good thing, since we’re still on generator power as I type this. Not having to worry about damage from burst pipes or paying for pricey hotel stays if this continues to drag on is another thing I’m counting as frugal.
3. My no spend March challenge resulted in spending exactly half of what we normally do on groceries, and very little unnecessary money being spent elsewhere. Which in turn resulted in my transferring a nice chunk of change into our savings account. Win/win.
4. We did a freezer clean out and inventory yesterday while ice bound, and we’re even better stocked than I’d hoped. “Limited Spend April” begins for us tomorrow.
5. Katy, as a Wisconsinite I’ll echo your #5. Thank you.
Hooray for bolstering your savings!!!! And it sounds like your generator was a very wise purchase!
Big thanks to all WI posters who got out and voted for Justice Crawford. If 49.8% is a “mandate”, she got a super mandate at 55%.
We did a celebration dance here this morning on learning the news. Not Wisconsinites, but delighted nonetheless.
1. Got out my T-shirt that says “My Valentine has Paws.” I didn’t wear it in February since my sweet old doggie went over the rainbow bridge around Thanksgiving, but I had worn it a LOT during the election campaign in response to Hillbilly Vance’s comments about unmarried cat (and dog) ladies. The Trump-supporting store manager didn’t get the joke (DUH!), but a lot of customers did, and I also wore it when subbing at the high school. Today (school holiday/day off from store) I’m wearing it in honor of the new doggie who is coming for a visit prior to my officially adopting him; the foster dog mom wants him to get used to me before he stays permanently.
2. Put up the crystal glassware set in the dining room cabinet (see yesterday’s post) and am glad this chore is over!
3. Filled up my 25-cent off-brand Windex bottle with some of the contents of a gallon jug of window cleaner. When I first moved here 15 years ago, I went to an estate sale and they had some cleaning products for sale. I bought the bottle of glass cleaner, 3/4 full, for 25 cents — not only for the product inside but also because it was a spray bottle. (Either way, it was a great bargain — have you priced Windex and/or store brand substitutes lately?) I’ve kept refilling it over the years; this time, they had a gallon of blue ammonia window cleaner on half-price at a home improvement store. I should be good to go for the next few years. Shoutout also to the funnels I have — they’re great frugal tools.
4. Talked to my carpenter friend about boarding up a back window (bathroom window that doesn’t completely shut) and seeing if he can convert a wooden room divider into a door for the doorway between the foyer and living room. He said he’d come take a look at both projects.
5. Did not announce I wanted a third term, never mind the fact the Constitution forbids it…. and that you-know-who would be 91 by the time his third term ends. Does he think himself invincible? Does he think?
Fru-gal Lisa, re your #5: he does think – but only of himself.
MB in MN,
Yes, that’s his favorite subject: himself. The rest of us be damned.
I LOVE your shirt! Yes, funnels are so handy, I think I use ours a couple times a week.
I’m with you on the household cleaners. I’ve got it down to only purchasing bleach, cleaning vinegar and ammonia. The only thing I use the ammonia on is soaking all of our hairbrushes and combs in it a couple of times a year (and old trick my mother taught me).
UPDATE: The doggie visit did not go well, and I decided not to adopt the dog after all. Glad the rescue group sponsors these visits before any money changes hands!
Sorry it didn’t go well with the new pup. I hope you will meet one who will make a great fit.
So sorry the dog visit didn’t go well. I know you’ve been looking forward to it but what a great way to try things out.
#1 – Ate leftovers for lunch today.
#2 – Opened the windows and curtains to let in fresh air and clear the winter stink out. My cat thoroughly enjoyed it, making for excellent ad-free entertainment.
#3 – Requested a favorite book (The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim) from the library to re-read in April.
#4 – Put my leftover cash from March to paying off debts. One month closer to being debt-free!
#5 – Didn’t spend taxpayer money on trips to Greenland in an attempt to purchase an independent, foreign country.
I need to start thinking of our cat as “ad free entertainment!” Thanks for the books recommendation, I’ve put it on hold at my library.
And hooray for being so close to being debt free!
Enchanted April is one my favorites (book and movie). I often watch the movie when I need a little cheering up.
Those chairs are a great deal and look much better. Can’t wait to see what you get for them.
1. My daughter was craving dried beef on toast (or sh*t on a shingle),so I made a huge batch to feed two daughters, mom and sister for a girls night.
2. After dinner we all made protest signs using some foam board my mom had. I did purchased sharpies and markers, but I have a feeling we’ll get our money’s worth out of them over the next four years.
3. We all carpooled to the protest site and spent some great family time together.
4. I used a $10 off coupon for dog food.
5. I found a great dog door in a free pile. I picked it up for one of my daughter’s but she didn’t need it. So I will put it on Marketplace.
I finished two library books on my Kindle. Both were excellent if you’re looking for something to read.
1. Mad Honey
2. Sandwich
LOVE LOVE LOVE your #2 and #3!
Haven’t heard the “S.O.S.” recipe name since that dish was in regular rotation in our house growing up.
Some frugal wins, some frugal fails…
1. Cleaned the apartment top to bottom before some friends arrived for a visit. Normally would have booked a cleaner (we have a reasonably priced one) but got the job done in under 3 hours. One of my top arguments for not moving to a larger place is chores are quick here.
2. Finished another 2 library books – ultra processed people and the daisy jones and the six audiobook. Enjoyed them for VERY different reasons, of course!
3. Picked up some seemingly random items and plantlets from my neighborhood Buy Nothing group. A little bummed as the gifter had given away the oil pastels I was most excited for, but still appreciate of the other items I nabbed (a small storage box, hair clips, and Mother of Thousands succulents, to name a few!)
4. New skill alert! Learned how to embroider french knots. Now that I know, they seem so easy, but this held me back from finishing projects. Now I have all the skills necessary to finish my current embroidery project and hopefully gift it later this year.
5. Keeping on keeping on – lunch prepped for the week, coffee brewed at home, no lazy takeouts. Here’s to the end of a quiet month.
A story you all might enjoy – as childless millennials, we do not need to babyproof anything in our apartment. Our dimwit cat has been working on getting our bedroom door open for the better part of a year. Well, on Friday, he figured it out and successfully did it 3 times in a row. We unfortunately broke our No-Amazon rule to overnight babyproofers for the doors – with lever doors, we couldn’t find a solution locally that was renter-friendly. They seem to be deterring him for now, but I shake my head every time I open a door at the fact that we had to cat-proof our apartment. Good grief!
I also read ultra processed people and enjoyed it, part of a rabbit hole I went down on the food system in America. Very interesting but also a bit disturbing!
Smart cat! Yes, smaller homes are easier to keep clean. I grew up a in BIG house with four bathrooms and you could spend a whole day cleaning the bathrooms. I remind myself of this whenever I’m annoyed with my one bathroom house.
I’ve had to dog-proof my refrigerator for years. They figure out how to open it and then it’s SNACKING TIME! They also dig their way under the fence and then FREEEEEEEEEEEEDOM! I’ve had to install a product called Dog Defense which is basically a set of spikes to reach far into the ground beneath the fence. Good thing they’re cute.
Hey, LB, your cat is a baby, too!
LB, I used to wonder why my linen closet was always open. Then I discovered that DC, my cat, would reach his paw under it and pull it open.
I always think my cats are saying, “Now if we just could figure out how to use a can opener, we wouldn’t need her at all…”
1. Made gumbo for dinner, using up lots of random bits: frozen, aging okra, excess fennel, ageing carrots, frozen celery from when I was given LOTS, and two frozen vegetarian sausages. Turned out great, no out of pocket. Used up a portion of leftover french bread, revived in the toaster oven on low heat with a little water to de-stale-ify it.
2. Spent Saturday morning working the fix-it clinic at my library. It was my first time, and I loved it! Fixed the zipper on a wheely-bag (backpack?), mended a favorite tee-shirt (it had an applique, so the mend tucked in perfectly behind that), and mended a stuffed bunny for a little girl who turns six today. I got two necklaces repaired, which have been sitting around for a long time. I will definitely be volunteering with them again! Best of all was the community.
3. As I sat there, waiting for people with mending, I ripped out a collar on one of my husband’s shirt, and turned it. I’m about half way done stitching it back on, and I was able to show others how to turn a collar at the same time.
4. I did stockpile Spanish wine and Canadian maple syrup, from Grocery Outlet, while it’s still affordable. I will also be supplementing the syrup with homemade syrup, like buttermilk syrup. That, mushrooms and melatonin were my only purchases with weekend.
5. Pouting mightily. We have reservations in Venice this June. I am desperately hoping Shmeff Shmezos won’t ruin our trip,
Roberta, thank you for your work at the Fix-It Clinic! We have a great one and I’m so appreciative of the volunteers.
I’d love to find a fix-it clinic at a library (or anywhere else) around here! (FFL Barbara, does the FFL run any of these? I haven’t seen any on the website, but…)
Our town’s fix-it clinic is a collaboration between the library and the recycling committee. It is held seasonally, and, yes, is quite a community event.
That sounds like so much fun to work at a fix-it clinic! So smart to bring your own project.
“De-stale-ify” is definitely entering my vocabulary from now on.
As a 15-year-old in the 1960s I used to commute an hour and a half each way to work on the train ,filled in the time mending my father’s socks and turning his collars, I wonder if anyone turns sheets sides to middle any more!
Coral, can you explain the sheets?
I can. It’s when sheets get too thin in the middle, so you cut them in half and sew the less worn ends together to make a new middle.
Sheets are so cheap and poorly made now I doubt anyone does it. Like no one “turns” their dress, either. And since men don’t wear much hair glop these days, it’s unlikely anyone turns collars either.
I turn collars to hide the fraying, rather than stains.
Fellow collar turner here! Thinking about trying cuff turning, too, to make DH’s heavy shirts last longer.
Now to investigate sheet turning…. In related news, I do have an oversized open weave cotton blanket with heavily frayed edges that I think I’ve finally figured out how to hem in my machine without jamming it.
I hope the chairs sell for big money. Would love to try to grow a fig tree.
1. did so well on No spend/low spend March. Just checked groceries ads and still need very few things. Definitely extending the no spend/low spend.
2. Making a loaf of bread, can alter the recipe to fit my taste and not running into the store for 1 thing.
3. all laundry done in cold water and hung to dry.
4. bought malt powder a while back, when I want a sweet treat I can make a malt any time I want. Used 2 times last week.
5. making “toilet tabs” with things on hand.
Would never intrude on another country’s liberty and freedom.
JC
Hooray for doing “so well” on your low/no spend month! Thank you for not intruding on other countries.
Oh, your chairs look SO good! I look forward to hearing how much money you make off of them. 🙂
I have a feel they might take awhile to sell as they’re bar stool height, which is less desirable.
The upholstery on the chairs looks very nice. You did a good job to refresh & clean them.
Thank you, it was a very satisfying project!
1) It is my daughter’s turn to bring snack for her class one day this week. I was tempted to go to the market near our house because it’s so close but it’s so expensive (especially when you need to buy enough snack for 24 kids) I went to grocery outlet instead and found some really good snacks for far cheaper.
2) Hosted two play dates at our house this weekend, the kids had a lot of fun and it didn’t cost much (just some fruit and popcorn I put out for the kids and coffee for the adults)
3) I had my kids try on their wetsuits ahead of our vacation next week, both still fit, buying them a bit big paid off!
4) I made some curry with some potatoes that were starting to sprout and a can of garbanzo beans. I ate two last week and froze two portions, I have a good assortment of homemade plant based frozen meals now to bring for lunch at work.
5) My kids each got a coupon from school for a free meal at Panda Express. My daughter was very excited to use it the day she got it. My husband and I don’t really like Panda Express much ourselves, so we took the kids to get their meals (only one coupon could be used per transaction so we each went through the line with 1 kid) for dinner. The meals truly were free, my daughter even picked a premium item (shrimp) and it was still free and no adult meal purchase was required. So the kids had a free dinner there and my husband and just ate something at home after we got back.
Smart parents!
I’m eagerly awaiting the price you fetch for those chairs! I have a chair project that I’ve been putting off, so maybe this will inspire me. 🙂
Today was the first time I’ve been seriously tempted to break my Target shopping ban (since mid-January). Our 4+ year old mat has lost it’s backing and moves around easily on the tile floor, which is not a good thing when stepping out from the shower! After thinking of places I could buy a new mat that were not Target (or Walmart, or Amazon), and less than 5 miles from my house, I decided to look at Grocery Outlet during my grocery shop as they sometimes have decent home goods. I was rewarded by finding a cute, sturdy-feeling mat for $6.99! Cheaper than I would’ve found at any of the other places and I didn’t break my ban.
Our March was the spendiest month we’ve had in a long time, but it was for good reason — our first Int’l trip with our kids (to England and Scotland). We used airline points to cover half of our ticket prices, stayed in rental apartments so we could prepare some meals in, and used public transportation aside from a couple of Uber rides where public transport was not available/would take too long. A hot find for our 3 teens was the Sainsbury’s grocery store “meal deal”, where you pick a sandwich/wrap, side item, and drink for $4. Since there was a Sainsbury’s within walking distance of all of our lodging places, this was a big money saver. Plus the kids got to pick out fun and “exotic” drinks/treats that we don’t have here in the US.
How fun to take a trip with the family! My husband and I lived in London for a semester in 1988, but have somehow not made it back yet. I also lived in London for three years of my childhood and have such fond memories.
It sounds like a London trip would be a nice gift to yourselves! I personally found London overwhelming after being in Edinburgh for 5 days. Both cities were fun though and I’m so glad we were able to do it while the kids are all still at home. Nice that you and your hubby got to live there for an extended period. I was nudging our oldest about applying to schools in the UK, but I can only imagine how spendy that would be.
NOT GLASGOW, MY FAVORITE CITY? *weeping*
Our son is currently attending University in the UK (not London. Not Oxford or Cambridge either!). All told, it will be less than his four years would have cost in California, with all financial aid considerations. Plus, if all goes well, he’ll have worked in his engineering field for a year before he graduates.
Downsides include, you can’t change your major, and they provide less support over there. If your kid knows what they want and if they’re fairly mature, that can be a plus.
I tried to talk my daughter into going to the Glasgow School of Art, but then I read that art students, more than others, need to form local contacts for their eventual careers. Sniffle. So she went to school in NYC.
@Roberta – I would love to know more about your kid’s University in the UK. We are also Californians and I’m intrigued that the cost is less! How did you navigate the process?
Lindsey, I couldn’t reply directly to you. I hope you find this!
He applied through UCAS, which is a universal application for all the English (and I think Welsh) schools. They have a late application process, so if you’re applying for next year, you can still apply! They only have a three year program, which saves a lot on tuition. Our son won a scholarship for 20% off tuition for the first year, because of his grades. They also make other tuition discounts based on academics.
For UC Santa Cruz, he was looking at about $20k a year for four years (after his CAL Grant). I’m not certain what he’s paying now, but even at the 20% discount, it was less than $80k for the three years, there. And he’s loving it over there! If he comes back to the States permanently, I’ll be surprised
On the last of my trips to London when I stayed with friends who were teaching for a semester at the local university’s London Centre, I was within an easy walk of a Sainsbury’s, and relied on it for most meals. More expensive than my Central NY supermarkets, but a LOT cheaper than dining out regularly in London.
We lived on a sheep farm in Scotland for a year and often went to London on the weekends. We spent our money on theater and used Sainsbury’s, like you did, for cheap meals. I did buy one of their huge and study bags and it is still being used; every time I pull it out, I relive wonderful associated memories. One of the best souvenir items I have ever purchased.
I at 76 always travel with a 7 kg backpack (carry on only) and these are my favourite souvenirs. Lightweight., unbreakable., not bulky, bring back memories on a regular basis for years afterwards. I also take elderly undies and dispose of them one pair at a time as I find a pretty pair in each city I visit. addressing in the morning brings back memories now and my luggage was no heavier.
I am going to Scotland in a week with my Sisters to celebrate a milestone birthday!! Frugal trip as younger Sister & husband have a vacation timeshare we can use, and flights were covered with points!!
FFT, End of March Edition:
(1) I’m finishing out No-/Low-Spend March in good shape. Much lower balances on both my credit cards than usual.
(2) I made a shrimp and cauliflower curry yesterday that was among my better efforts in this category. I ate it with some Trader Joe’s garlic naan that had worked its way to the bottom of my refrigerator’s freezer; it was more than a tad freezer-burned, but I ate it anyway.
(3) And here’s a general question: I don’t notice many mentions of Indian (or, in my case, quasi-Indian) cooking, either here or on The Frugal Girl. Mexican-inspired dishes seem to be more popular–but I find conventional Mexican cooking too heavy on cheese and beans for my taste. Thoughts?
(4) I’ve accepted another cat-feeding assignment from neighbors up the street who own an absolutely psycho cat. (Why they keep this creature, I can’t imagine.) I do my best to get in, put the food on the floor, scoop the litter box, and get out as fast as I can. But the neighbors have promised me a bottle of excellent sherry (they are vacationing in Spain), so I’ve bit the bullet yet again.
(5) And I’m ending March with one frugal fail: I have just ordered a “Pedantic Janeite Killjoy” t-shirt from a vendor on Zazzle who has created these at the suggestion of a JASNA friend. The image on the t-shirt even looks a little like me. When I’m not doing my full-dress Lady Catherine de Bourgh number at this fall’s JASNA Annual General Meeting in Baltimore, I’ll probably be wearing this!
Re: your #3 – I wonder if Indian dishes feel more intimidating somehow if someone did not grow up eating or cooking this type of food. I love Indian food, and we do make it at home, but I am not confident about making a curry sauce from scratch. I generally buy a jarred Tikka Masala sauce and then use it over veggies, a protein, and rice. This is one of our family’s favorite meals! But I think I view curry as “too hard” to make from scratch and have not found a jarred curry sauce that I like. Your question is a good wake up call to challenge myself and attempt to make it!
I feel the same way, Lindsey G. Love the food but feel intimidated by the spices. I found a brand I like and use their jarred curry and masala sauces. Another great thing about London was the access to excellent Indian take-outs.
@Lindsey – first of all, love that your spell your name the “right” way. 🙂 And yes, great Indian food in London. Our first meal in London 2 weeks ago was in a pub that served primarily Indian food – it was delish!
Lindsey G, I use the Patak’s brand of spice pastes when I don’t feel inspired to do a curry from scratch. But I did do mine more or less from scratch yesterday (although a real Indian cook such as my friend Lakshmi would LOL at it), and it came out really well.
And, believe me, I didn’t grow up with anything remotely adventurous–Indian, Mexican, or anything else. My sainted mother, as I have noted in previous comments, cooked strictly out of cans and boxes in the 1950s-1960s. We all adored my mother, but it wasn’t for the cuisine.
Lindsey G.,
I’m definitely intimidated by Indian cooking….love the food, but have made only a very few attempts to cook it. I do have a garbanzo stew recipe a friend gave me that tastes just like the choley (chole? I dont know how to spell it) I’ve had at restaurants.
I do have a funny story….years ago, I was determined to start cooking Indian food. I went to our huge international market (Jungle Jim’s), and started looking for alllll the items on my list – mostly spices and seasonings. Cardamom pods? Check. Coriander? Check. I guess I was peering at the shelves, maybe just curious to know what some of the items are used for….meanwhile, an elderly man of apparent Asian-Indian descent approached, and asked if I needed help. (Not a store employee). I told him of my future plans to master some Indian dishes; he looked at me skeptically, and as kindly as possible, said “Indian cooking is….ummm….*complicated*. Lol. He probably took one look at young me with shiny stars in my eyes, figured I had NO IDEA what to do in a kitchen, and was trying to save me from spending my money on ingredients I’d never successfully use. I have to admit, I’m still intimidated, and he was right – some of the spices I never used, but others have indeed been used. It’s all good.
..
Weird. I’ve been cooking Indian food all my life and it’s not any harder than any other cuisine. Try it! Get the correct spices and relax. This is a good blog.
https://ministryofcurry.com/
Plus you can make a lot of them in the Instant Pot. My daughter made this last night for dinner.
https://pipingpotcurry.com/coconut-chicken-curry-instant-pot/
Yummo.
Your #4…brought back memories of a similar cat sitting job I had. The cat’s owner split it up between two of us. She wanted us to not only feed the cat and scoop the litter box but to spend time with the cat too! Lol. I did but I talked to her from a distance! My grandson who was then about 8 came with me on one of my cat sitting days. Of course, he immediately went for the cat. I quickly called out: “Don’t touch the cat!” He listened, thank goodness.
I’d love to see your vegetable curry recipe. We want to add more variety to our meatless dinner days.
1.I brought home cardboard boxes and used packing envelopes from the lady I help take care of. Her family gets several packages a day. I got permission. The boxes are going on my garden beds to cut down on weeds. The bags are being used for garbage.
2.Last week I brought home bananas that were really brown. I made muffins over the weekend and brought half of them back.
3.They are not big on leftovers. The lady I help and I are happy to eat them. Today was a pesto pasta salad with chicken. It was really good. I brought my lunch home that I had brought. I will eat it tomorrow.
4.I brushed the dog and trimmed her nails. It was beautiful out on Saturday.
5.Paid bills online, saving me stamps. Only run the dishwasher and dryer full. Hung most of the laundry. Used cloth napkins and rags. Found a penny on a walk.
I pulled a yellow sticker pork loin bought in January from the freezer yesterday to thaw in the fridge and cooked it today with the last of some organic carrots. Made an apple crisp with half a bag of apples bought on sale from Aldi.
Scavenged some unused hangers from my son’s closet and replaced the broken string on the light fixture in the closet with my ever-useful ball of c cotton twine from the Habitat Restore.
I did not come in under budget on groceries this month, largely due to extra expenditures related to several humans and the dog getting sick. However, I had cut costs every month since November, so a minor bump-up was not too bad.
1. Had a new friend over for coffee this morning and showed her my spinning wheel and my beehive. I am going to teach her to keep bees and she is going to teach me to spin yarn. Very exciting trade!
2. Used a coupon from Purina for free cat treats at the store.
3. My spending on groceries was about $200, and I also did a Costco stock up on ingredients shop, so my total was $500-ish, instead of my usual $600/month at Safeway. I need to do a freezer audit before I shop again.
4. Otherwise I bought garden items directly from the producer/business or from the dollar store, and a birthday gift toy for our grand-nephew/godson (named Austin Patrick for our late son) turning 4. Toys are a challenge when you’re used to shopping Target or Amazon. Both stores are naughty, so I found the desired gift at Macy’s online, and had it delivered.
5. I won’t say March was a no-spend month but it was a lesser-spending month, for sure. Getting sick meant ordering some delivered food and also some food went to waste when I could not cook or preserve it in time. Better luck in April.
My daughter sometimes unravels old cashmere sweaters with holes in them and then respins the yarn.
I did well on my low-spend March and will be continuing it for April. I have more food growing in my garden than I’ve had previous years and I’ve found a local produce store.
1. Waiting to wash sheets and towels from having guests until later in the week when I can use my solar dryer.
2. Worked from home today saving time and gas and my own energy.
3. Spend a lovely rainy afternoon at a friend’s house. She mended jeans and I worked on embroidery. We talked that mending may become more needed. We are both thankful we know how to do that.
4. I sold an ebay item and have another item on my doorstep for FB marketplace pick up.
5. Dh rode his new-to-him motorcycle to work despite the rain. Saves so much time, and some gas.
Figs! My husband purchased a baby fig tree, we still have it in the pot right now.
1. Bought chicken quarter thighs as they were cheaper per pound. Put them in a pot of water and salt and cooked them. Then deboned them. The meat will be used for 2-3 meals, the broth will be used in soup tonight and the skins will be frozen for cat treats.
2. Went grocery shopping. I also went to the post office while down in the area. I bought several items on sale and one with a coupon.
3. Requested my $5 giftcard from fetch rewards.
4. Husband found a dime.
5. Rereading a book I already own.
I’m happy to see you still have Goldie Fawn. It looks like she’s watching over the chairs.
1. I mended a bra.
2. I made a banana bread out of three overripe bananas.
3. The little daffodil someone gave to me years ago is in bloom in the front yard.
4. I spent $209 on groceries for the month ahead. I do have some meat and veggies in the freezer. I’m sure I’ll go back in a couple of weeks for milk, coffee and bread when those staples run out. It’s just DH and myself.
4. Sunshine comes back tomorrow so I will be attacking my laundry and hanging it out to dry. It’s been a grey and misty weekend so it’s been a minute since I washed a load of laundry.
5. I was not included accidentally on a group chat about war plans or attack plans (you pick…either one works in the setting). Much like Jeff Goldberg, I do not want to be included.
Forgot to report my success with no spend March except it wasn’t for me × 2. Frugal failures feel heavier in No Spend March. Sigh. We went to a rally in Boston with friends a couple of weeks ago. On the way home we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. Their idea but we complied as to not make a fuss as they were driving. $80. And yesterday DD and I had a rare Sunday noontime when neither of us were busy. You guessed it…I took her out for a late breakfast. My idea. $41. So there it is.
Give yourself a pass on the breakfast with DD, my daughter is rarely well enough now to go out for a meal ,something I miss.
Thank you Coral although I’m really sorry to hear your DD is not doing well. I remember you mentioning she was sick awhile back. My heart goes out to you. Hugs going out across the miles.
Wow. On the news of 100,000 size town local food bank losing 3 million in food for poor from usda. Mostly came from farms across country and was fruit, vegetable and protein. I don’t know if I need to start buying canned fruit, veg, beans, tuna, chicken to donate or donate money if they find a place to buy these items.will the items even exist if usda isn’t helping farms.
Marat/Sade
by Judy Collin’s keeps trying to play in my head
It’s just awful about the food bank grants being tossed in the garbage. Cruelty seems to be the point, as many are saying. 🙁
Historically, the United States has paid farmers to grow corn or not to grow corn as the case may be, and purchased lots of extra food from the farmers as a subsidy. What did they do with that food? They gave it to the poor (food banks, government cheese giveaways) and they gave it to the schools for school lunches. So it’s not like they wanted to give it to the poor or to schools, but it was a favor to the farmers in subsidy. It is cruelty, indeed, to cut off food for the poor and school children now. But it’s also cruel to the farmers. They have been told they can grow food and get paid for it and now Trump‘s tariffs and other nonsense have destroyed world markets for our crops, and now the only place that was going to use them up. It’s such petty, shortsighted thinking. Perhaps we should not have had those subsidies for American farmers to begin with but… This is not the way to fix it. stepping off my soapbox now.
Are the farmers even planting this spring with their markets destroyed?
A lot of farmers voted for those screwing them. The cost of fertilizer alone will affect how much, if any, crops they put in.
Preach!
@t – I would purchase those items (canned) sooner than later. Those too will be hit by tariffs – the can part that is.
I have been trash picking for items for the house when we move.
1. I found lighting for the bathroom to go over the mirror in each bathroom. One fixture had a broken shade. I got 3 that match at Habitat for 2$ each. Cheaper than ordering one from the c9ompany to match the remaining 2 shades.
2. Got a ceiling fan free on Next Door Neighbor.
3. Got 2 sets of Queen sheets on Next Door Neighbor. The king bed will not fit in new bedroom. I don’t have any Queen sized linen.
4. Trash picked some black metal bar stools. They need the seats recovered.
5. My goddaughter has a Queen black metal bed frame we can have.
6. For some reason there are no handles or pulls on the cabinets. Habitat had cabinet pulls (new) for 1$ each. I can afford that!
7. Got 2 pendant lights to go over the island. These were free on Next Door Neighbor.
8. We are traveling to Arkansas in May to attend my niece’s graduation from the University of Arkansas. I booked hotel nights using points. (The prices were high. I think they were jacked up for May graduations.) The points come in handy for occasions such as this.
Husband is getting tired of being sent on trips to get free items. He grows cranky.
I can relate to your last two sentences but instead of growing cranky from picking up free items, my DH gets cranky from taking care of batching errands. I’ve tried to explain by doing this we’re saving gas money and time but he still heaves out big sighs after just a couple of stops!
Make them some favorite dish or cookies or whatever to placate them. I know that sounds very 1950s, but basically they’re doing you both a favor to pick things up as you want, so do them a favor with something tasty.
Not a bad idea Rose! I may be baking his favorite (peanut butter) cookies soon.
Results of low spend March – Frugal wins: significantly reduced grocery spending; no eating out; little food waste, if any; no purchases at Amazon, Target, Hobby Lobby, etc.; and switched phone service to save $60 per month.
My favorite win is that we started the veggie garden again after several years with no garden. We had given it up because the rabbits were having a feast! We put up a chicken wire fence and have planted tomato plants and seeds from our library along with seeds I already had. We also used fertilizer we’ve had for a while for the veggie garden and fruit trees. Now to figure out how to keep the fire ants out of the compost so I can use more of it. Second favorite win is that we are using the library more and I’m finally reading The Goldfinch.
Frugal fails – An overpriced haircut. I’m attached to my hair person, but she now has her own salon and keeps raising prices. I quit the hair dye when I retired, but the cuts are still expensive, even though I’ve reduced cuts to 4 a year. I also spent too much on stress thrifting online after reading the news (YIKES!) and a nostalgia trip to Joann’s. Nothing else to confess.
We are planning to continue to be thoughtful about our spending over the next 4 years.
March definitely felt like it went by more rapidly than Jan/Feb. I made it to the end without setting foot in a Target, Walmart, or any other big box store (except Dollar Tree for cough drops and Aldi for a few groceries). I am planning to go on with this No Spend in April.
Here are my rather boring 5:
1. Went to Boston for a concert over the weekend (tickets bought back in early Jan). Hubby used hotel points for our room, and I made chickpea wraps for the road. I tried my best to make the trip as frugal as possible. The next day we only did two things before heading home: Quick trip to the ocean and one stop in a thrift store (I didn’t buy much at all).
2. Sunday (back home) we lounged around all day. This is very frugal. I made split pea soup and an apple crumble (using up some apples that have been languishing in the refrigerator for some time).
3. Today, I still had a day off from work and it was high 60s, so I started the end of winter yard cleanup. I like to wait to allow caterpillars and other creatures a chance, but it is also nice to rake up all the old leaves and weed skeletons into the composting bags.
4. I also cleaned out one of my food pantries and realized I could really go the rest of the year without grocery shopping. Once the garden gets going and there are things to forage, I should also be set for fresh food. The farmers’ markets should also be up and running again soon. Meanwhile, I have frozen and canned veg from last year’s garden to eat up. So, to level up my No Spend April, I am going to challenge myself to not grocery shop.
5. I sold another item on eBay. I reused packaging and will drop it off tomorrow on my way to work. Two other items are in carts.
March was low buy but not low spend, thanks to some big bills, vet visits for 2 of my animals, and I don’t even remember what else. Aside from groceries, pet food, and household stuff like detergent etc, I “bought” poster paper and markers to make a sign for rallies, and one kindle book (Amazon FAIL). After a great start I ended up with a lot of grocery spending the last ten days. I think a lot of it was a rebound reaction to not spending: I stocked up on deals and staples but I didn’t have to.
It’s April and I’m going to try this again.
1. Renewed my driver’s license at the senior center, a great experience and only $5!
2. Grocery shopped, but my digital coupons failed, cashier couldn’t figure it out. I let it go, it wasn’t much of a loss.
3. Got eggs for 3.99!
4. Went to community center to pick up holds at the library branch there — encountered our mayor who was running for reelection today. Hope he won; he is a progressive Democrat.
5. Arranged to let my grandson use my car after school for work and such. He lives nearby and is very reliable. I rarely need my car in the late afternoon and evening. This will save his parents from having to buy a second car right away — my son is a government worker, so is fearful of being fired despite an excellent record.
We have definitely pulled back our spending in March, but did have some previously planned activities that we didn’t cancel (I went to Sedona on a hiking trip with friends, and we took DS18’s friends skiing for his 18th birthday). We did a bunch to offset the cost of both trips, but neither were close to free.
Those chairs look fantastic after your cleanup! Well done.
1) Did a really good job with leftovers this week, including some freezer items.
2) Completed more surveys on Prolific, & cashed out a bit more
3) Met a friend for coffee & used a gift card. I buy the gift cards when our grocery store offers them with store rewards.
4) Kept the amount we owed in taxes in a CD to accrue interest until it was time to pay the IRS.
5) Followed up on a double charge on my credit card, and got that resolved.
You are a very nice mom.