Five Frugal Things
by Katy on June 23, 2025 · 15 comments
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I stopped at Fred Meyer for milk after downloading an e-coupon to get the sale price. ($1.39/half-gallon.) I then browsed the produce clearance shelf and grabbed a $1 corn on the cob bag from the lowest shelf. I spent $3.78 on milk and five ears of corn and avoided any of the tempting aisles. Blinders on!
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My neighbor had a few extra annuals she didn’t have room for in her garden, so she brought them over for me. I have a couple extra curb picked flowerpots, so I’ll plant them up tomorrow.
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My small patch of raspberries are currently providing a couple handfuls of ripe berries per day, which is just about my favorite time of year. I always make the same stupid joke about them being “locally grown” when handing them to my family.
Of course my actual favorite time of year for berries is later in the summer when Oregon’s wild blackberries ripen and I’m able to pick pounds and pounds of free berries!
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I visited with a friend today and brewed us tea from the Tetley tea bags that I always carry in my purse. This might sound odd, but I’m able to make sure I’m never more than a few minutes away from a good (and frugal) cup of tea.
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I didn’t buy anything from Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Chick Fil-A or Hobby Lobby.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
1. We’re having hot weather so are walking early, before sunrise. This morning I grabbed a wire lid to a small animal cage that has been with a curbside dumpster bag for at least three days. I put it around my still young butternut squash plants. We had to replant them after something (possibly a rabbit) ate the sprouts from the first planting. If the dumpster is still there tomorrow I may grab some grill racks that I might be able to fashion into a plant cage. These are just items that will go to the landfill otherwise.
2. We’re eating a lot of watermelon, since a $3.99 watermelon will yield a lot of fruit.
3. I put a load of sheets and tee-shirts in the washing machine early to have less impact on the electrical grid.
4. I boiled the caress from a rotisserie chicken. I put the chicken and the broth in the freezer for future soup.
5. I am staying out of stores other than grocery stores.
1. I took a “hot” walk yesterday and picked up a bag full of litter. I also found a small bag of screws and a baby hat, both of which will go to Goodwill.
2. My faux chicken stroganoff turned out great, despite all the substitutions, and it will provide at least two more servings.
3. Major heat is making me run the AC, but I turn it off in the morning when the house is cooled, and the temperature outside is as low as it’s going to be. I enjoy the quiet, as well as the savings on my electric bill.
4. Found a dime!
5. My grandson left a power bar in my car before his family left on a three-week trip. I brought it in so the chocolate coating wouldn’t melt. Then later I ate it! I will apologize when he gets home.
A frugal fail weekend
We hosted family birthday dinner (son and brother in law) on Sunday
We planned on 7 ended up with 8. Late addition of son’s coworker (golf partner) Lives in our neighborhood. So no leftovers.
However no gifts were exchanged so that was a win.
Hoping to hear about some job opportunities this week
I still consider this frugal, you hosted the dinner and didn’t go out to a fancy restaurant plus no gifts!
I’m also looking forward to some fresh blackberries.
1. We are also experiencing some very hot weather. My mom and sister came over for a dip in the pool. We floated for a while and just enjoyed being outside. Summer is so short.
2. I was looking for a way to get rid of the ducks that want to swim in my pool. They come every year and I’m always happy to see them but once the cover is off and the “pond” becomes a pool then I like them to leave or at least their poop to leave. I read you could use balls to make eyes to put in the pool but I have a large pink flamingo floaty that no one uses anymore so I threw that in there and seems to have worked. Bonus: the flamingo entertains my daughter’s dog who thinks he’s protecting us from that strange creature. This is very entertaining to me. He’s not very bright but so sweet.
3. I moved some volunteer moss rose from an empty pot to another pot that needs a little filling in.
4. I’m continuing to mow around all the patches of clover in my yard. I’m trying to let them go until they seeds are ready to spread and then I’ll mow them. I’ve been doing this for a few years now. I have quite a bit more clover which doesn’t require as much water, no fertilizer to keep it green and doesn’t need as frequent mowing.
5. I’m also avoiding all the above stores you listed.
I love what you are doing with the clover! Over the years, my parent’s yard has turned into mostly clover and moss with just a little grass mixed in. It is absolutely beautiful, and stays green late into the summer when their neighbors’ lawns have turned brown and crispy. And their neighbors all get lawn fertilizing services and water their lawns!! So my parents spend much less money than their neighbors and have a much prettier, more sustainable lawn.
1. Free rhubarb from my SILs neighbor.
2. Massive amount of pick my own sour cherries from nieces tree. These will go into batches of jam that make good presents plus cherry crisps all summer.
3. Deposited cardboard in free recycle bin, that’s also a community fundraiser.
4. Son brought pizza home from one job.
5. Turned air off after cooling down house to a tolerable level. Temps hit 96° and humidity was soup. It’s a luxury I’m keeping at my age, but not abusing the privilege.
Raspberries are my favourite fruit! We’re also harvesting about two handfuls each day at the moment, loving it! They taste sooooo much better than store-bought ones.
* LOTS of carrots in the last Lidl Waste Not box. Made carrot and tomato soup to use them up. Also threw in a few roasted peppers (from a jar). So good!
* My pyrex casserole dish randomly and suddenly cracked (it basically split down the middle!) when I was heating up something. I got it in a charity shop about 7 years ago. I was going to get another pyrex one but then saw a stoneware one on Vinted and decided to go for that one instead. Hopefully it will survive the shipping! One really does need time though to shop used, it took about an hour of searching on different platforms to find what I want.
* A friend gave us some firewood as they are no longer using their fireplace.
* I got a few black eyed Susan plants from a friend and passed one of them on to a different friend as there were too many for the number of pots I have available at the moment.
* Got a free NordVPN trial with a Revolut Premium trial.
It is SO hot and humid here. I shouldn’t complain because our this is our normal summer weather.
1. Used fans and kept the curtains closed to help keep the house cooler. A.C. on 78 during the day to help the electric bill stay low.
2. Coupon for $25 off an oil change. I bought the quicky oil change guys a box of “Bomb Pops” (my favorite childhood popsicle)to help them beat the
heat. – Bomb pops were on sale for $2.50 @ the Kroger next to the oil change place.
3. They tried to up-sell new cabin filter and wiper blades. Uh…no thanks, but thanks for letting me know. I can do these myself.
4. Outside early to cut and weed wack and beat the heat. $60 saved. I am more reliable (but a LOT slower) than my previous yard guy. Besides, free exercise .
5. Used airfryer to prepare meals and bake a cake. This was the 1st time I used the baking function for a cake. The oven does turn out a prettier product, but the house stayed cooler.
Stay frugal my friends.
That was very thoughtful of you to get them some popsicles
Hi I love this and am trying to learn from the great posts. I’m from UK so hope I’m allowed to join
We have lots of charity shops but no one really puts things on the pavements for people to take.
My best frugal tip is if friends or family ask what I would like for birthdays Xmas mother’s Day etc I always ask for food or drink (a homemade cake or tea/ coffee, I don’t drink alcohol)
We have blackberries all along the south end of our property — I can’t wait until they ripen! I always make a ton of preserves. Blackberry-mint sauce is lovely over a pork tenderloin.
1) Today I’m building a raised garden planter box for my rescued blueberry bushes, using leftover wood from a previous project. This way I can keep their soil acidic enough without affecting the soil in the surrounding bed.
2) My partner is going into the woods next to our house to forage a few cups of the salmonberries, which were tempting us with their crimson beauty yesterday evening. Depending on the size of the bounty, we will have a pie, a cobbler, or berries and cream for dessert tonight.
3) We are eating primarily from the pantry this week. Tonight I am making mushroom tagliatelle, but I am tossing some leftover creamed peas, frozen from a previous dinner, into the sauce.
4) I mixed up a batch of the no-knead NYT bread to be baked tomorrow morning for tomorrow’s dinner.
5) We were craving an afternoon out yesterday, so we made up sandwiches and went down to the port for a picnic and a long walk. A few people were flying the really big kites, which are always fun to watch.
I didn’t join the microwave cake mug movements of some years ago, so I was rather skeptical when I tried a recipe for a rhubarb-peach cake mug.
I had only rhubarb, called for 2 tablespoons. It was very good! I also made one with approximately fifteen sour cherries from our tree.
So that sort of thing is another berry option.
1. I’m having an electronic issue with my car. I combed through my warranty to figure out if it is covered – it should be. I also need an oil change. So I’m currently writing this from the waiting room of the dealership’s service center. I usually take my car to my neighborhood mechanic (we know the owners and it is walkable) for oil changes, but since I need warranty work done, I figured I would take care of 2 issues at once here at the dealership service center. Free coffee and cold water!
2. We held out as long as possible before putting in our window AC unit in the bedroom, but we have a heat warning for the next few days and dogs at home. I do close all of the blinds and keep the AC at a reasonable level and keep it in eco mode. We don’t need an ice box! Just cool enough that our dogs are safe during the day and we can sleep at night.
3. Not sure how long this appointment at the dealership is going to take, so I made sure to bring lunch with me that I would normally bring to my office. Saves me from having to spend money and eat out of the vending machine.
4. Wanted to get out this weekend with a friend, so we took our SUPs to a state park kayak launch and paddled around for a few hours to beat the heat. We packed a picnic so we weren’t tempted to buy lunch. We did pay the $6 park entry fee, but I am happy to support our NYS park system.
5. I need a new crochet pattern bc the one I found free online was frustrating. I thought about buying a book, but then remembered the library. Went on our library’s website and found 6 books that look promising. Put them on hold and I’ll be able to pick them up this week and figure out which has a pattern I like!
1. I reorganized my towel/ medicine closet. I got rid of some old stained towels. I cut up a few for rags.
2. Our pool got a hole over a rough seem and we were unable to patch it. Our in-laws yard isn’t ready to put up their pool so they borrowed it to us for the summer.
3. Took advantage of the heat wave we’re currently experiencing by drying towels outside on my drying rack.
4. Used a chipotle coupon for buy 1 entree get one free for my daughter and I.
5. Gas prices here have spiked to $3.70 so I will be sure to stop at traders joes on my way home for a few things I need as it is right on my way.
Frugal-ish: on vacation my husband bumped by car into a concrete pole in a parking garage causing a basketball size dent and awful scrap. My car is 12 years old and only worth $2000 so my husband used a can of gray car paint we had leftover from repairing some rust on the car to at least make the scrap look better lol.