Five Frugal Things
by Katy on September 22, 2025 · 34 comments
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My husband and I stopped at the IKEA food court when we were there the other day. Of course I grabbed a pair of their $1.15 veggie dogs. My other half got a $5.99 meatball plate, which brought the total to $8.29, which is not too shabby in these economic times. Coffee was free.
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My husband and I were picking up a few things at Costco, (rotisserie chicken, eggs and coffee) and took five minutes from our day to accept a pair of flu shots. Vaxxed and ready for flu season!
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Our kids and their friends have their mail-order purchases delivered to our house, as they’re less likely to be stolen here than at their apartment buildings. Nothing frugal about being a crime victim.
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I baked a loaf of no knead artisan bread, which takes nothing more than flour, salt, yeast and water.
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I ordered some free Priority Mail boxes from the USPS website.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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1. Last week I biked a total of 43 miles, all to get to somewhere I needed to be or run an errand. I’m not a math person, but DH assures me that this has saved on gas and wear and tear on the truck. Plus, fitting exercise in without needing a gym.
2. Convinced DS#3 to drive me to the grocery store and combine our errands so I don’t have to go to the grocery store again this week.
3. While at the grocery store, of course I visited the discounted produce cart, and scooped up past-their-prime organic bananas for 39 cents a pound. Frozen, these are great for smoothies. Also picked up a bag of tomatoes for tacos, which will be a treat, as we don’t normally have those.
4. Library books; I’m enjoying the new selection at the new-to-me-library I’m stopping at on my commute to school. Reading “The Language of Kindness,” by a nurse-turned writer. Harrowing, but wonderful.
Forgot two (and one that just happened after I posted):
1. Batch cooked some quinoa for easy breakfasts. Partly to use up the quinoa, which nobody but me likes, and I don’t like it all that much, but also to avoid buying more oats just yet. The quinoa porridge turned out surprisingly tasty!
2. Repaired my backpack. It’s a Jansport, and I could have sent it in, but I am currently using it nearly every day, and I don’t have a backup. The tear was just along an inside seam, and easy to do. I opted for the “obvious mend” aesthetic, so I could see where I was stitching.
And a bonus: On a short bike ride this morning, I found a perfectly good long-sleeved, fleece-lined UnderArmour top, in my size, along the side of the road. It’s currently getting a baking-soda bath, as whoever owned it previously used a very strong-smelling laundry soap. Whew. I had just been pondering what longer layers to wear biking when it finally gets colder, and I think this will do the trick. Even if it doesn’t fit me, it’s likely to fit one of my sons! That makes two roadkill clothing items I’ve rescued this year.
Karen A., I’m chuckling over “roadkill clothing.” I’ve rescued several pieces myself. My all-time favorite was a men’s seersucker bathrobe NWT that only had to be laundered to get a tire track out of it. I wore it for years.
Oh, that’s a nice find. I’m still working on getting the smelly laundry detergent smell out of this. Tech fabrics really like to hold on to smells! But I will persevere.
Karen A: vinegar? Sunshine? I think clean cat litter or charcoal work for wooden boxes, etc, but can’t think how to use them with clothing. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion!
1. Cooked home-grown dried beans that had been languishing for a while. They’ll be part of dinner tonight. Food waste is a pet peeve and I work hard to get things used.
2. Used old sample pots of paint we already had to cover up the original image on a 3ft square canvas. Ready for gesso layer now.
3. Finished the makeover of our inside-front-door curtain. I’m very ready for cooler weather.
4. Repotted our little patio lemon tree into a bigger space. We were given an enormous and very heavy basket and I lined it with a felt grow-bag that we’d also been given. The tree looks beautiful and it was all free. The price of a tree-sized pot is terrible so I was happy with this project.
5. Moved a large mirror that I always disliked in the living room. It’s now in our bedroom where it looks fantastic. Is also big enough to see my whole length (6ft!) and now I’ll sell the cheap Target full length mirror I had. The large mirror came from my grandparents so I’m glad to have a spot for it.
Kara,
Your #5 reminds me of my BFF in junior high. Her dad was a good DIYer, and he took an inexpensive full-length mirror, turned it on its side and hung it up horizontally. He then made a shelf from an old board. It was the same measurement as the mirror. He mounted the shelf underneath the mirror. Sue kept all her makeup, electric rollers (remember them?), makeup and misc. on the shelf.
We loved going over to their big Victorian house, going up to her room and experimenting with different makeup and hairstyles. (All of which looked ridiculous, I’m sure, as we were only about 13 or 14 at the time.) Three girls could stand at that mirror and put on lipstick and stuff. It was great!
This whole shelf and mirror setup was used instead of a dresser or vanity table, and I’m sure it didn’t cost very much. Nor did it take up as much space, as Sue’s room was an attic room and very small.
Anyway, I’m sharing this just in case someone would like to reuse a full-length mirror this way and save some $$.
DH’s phone is infected with one or more viruses. He wanted to chuck it and get a new phone to the tune of sbout $250 plus service. I talked to a guy we know who deals in that stuff (has a communications business – phone, tv, internet, computer, etc.) I explained what was going on (mainly pop-up ads every few seconds, mostly for AI cleaners to use on your phone). He said he’s dealt with that problem before and should be able to clean it in about an hour for $60 + taxes and fees. It’s going to his shop tomorrow. I consider $60 a win!
Argh how annoying- but $60for the service instead of $250 is a BIG win!
I suspect you’re probably mailing purchased items so Priority mail shipping is probably baked into the cost, but it’s not always the cheapest option!
Last fall I mailed out more than a hundred packages for a fund-raiser and found out that the vast majority could be sent Ground Advantage for less. I used recycled bags and boxes (sourced from Buy Nothing)
Depending on where the package is going it may get there a little slower, but guaranteed within five days. Price includes standard tracking and insurance.
And for those who still pay full price to ship, try Pirateship … You still are shipping USPS or UPS but get a discount and print your label and just drop off at the shipper. I hesitated a bit before diving in bc new to me and worried it wasn’t legit… Turns out it smooth and saves me a great deal on shipping to family and friends. eBay sales remain thru eBay shipping options.
Just an idea if you still pay the going USPS or UPS rate.
And a reminder/for info that the USPS holiday shipping rate goes into effect Oct 5-Jan 18.
https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2025/0808-usps-announces-temporary-price-change-for-2025-holiday-shipping-season.htm
And UPS: https://assets.ups.com/adobe/assets/urn:aaid:aem:2c542692-de10-4fa3-b507-3b4f181e0953/original/as/demand-surcharges-us-en.pdf
We’re enjoying the last bounty of the garden: we’re eating fresh cabbage, green beans, onions, chard, zucchini, and lettuce.
I also canned tomato sauce and excess carrots.
Neighbors brought over some homemade cornbread to share.
I mended a pajama top.
My husband repaired the handle on our teakettle.
1. Averted a plumbing expense by troubleshooting and fixing a leak ourselves.
2. Recommended our snowplowing service to a neighbor and we will both be receiving a $10 discount.
3. Best deals at the food discount store: banged up box of herbal tea for $1 (20 bags), 2 lbs. of strawberries for $2.50, 12 oz. containers of raspberries for $2, 16-oz. container of mozzarella pearls for $1, and a brick of cream cheese for $1.
4. Transferred the contents of all of the little tinted sunscreen tubes and sample packets into a small, empty lip balm jar. Much easier to apply.
5. Received a lot of leftover Jimmy John’s veggie sandwiches from an event. They got soggy and it was hard to finish them so I popped them in the toaster oven, which helped with the texture. Another solid, no waste effort!
1. I am spending the week in NYC at my daughters. We will be eating out but I am also buying some groceries for her and will be making some dinners. (she will be at work most of the week) I also plan to clean her apartment and take some walks in the park that is next to her apartment.
2. My husband and I flew into JFK and took the 4 trains to Brooklyn which was less costly than an Uber. Yes, we could’ve done it in two but we went for the least amount of stairs with luggage and then ended up one block from our daughters apartment. Cost was $22 for both of us total.
3. I brought a big ziplock of snacks which has worked out perfectly so I don’t need to eat meals out while my daughter is at work. I just have to remember to save a few for the flight home.
4. My husband was here for the weekend only but he did help with a few “fix its” while he was here.
5. We took a day trip to a state park yesterday to enjoy some idyllic fall weather. The state park was free! But getting there wasn’t
Every time you post those hot dogs, I get hungry!
1. Went to DH’s college friend reunion out of town. One of his pals hosted in his backyard. The party went for hours – lots of stories, food, and laughs. I DD’d for a few friends to avoid spending unnecessary money on cars home and we stayed at his parent’s house to avoid a hotel.
2. Next morning, got brunch with another friend and used a gift card. We had enough to treat him too! It was lovely to spend some time together at a local business.
3. DH found a $20 bill on the ground and we used it to get food from a local food truck once we got home. We were gassed from the trip and it was great to be able to treat ourselves.
4. Petting cats for stress relief. Healthier and cheaper than candy.
5. My office chair is cruising towards replacement – another piece of the armrest is cracking. Covered it with duct tape to buy some more time.
Do you need the armrest? If not, it probably wouldn’t be difficult to remove it completely.
My sister regularly takes arms off as the chairs fail. They become guitar chairs, good because chairs with arms scar the back of guitars. And the chairs roll!
The chairs roll and the guitars rock!
Paid my electric bill with Discover Card — got 5% cash back bonus. (They have a deal where you sign up for extra cash back bonuses every quarter. Through Sept. 30, the bonus includes utility bills.) Will pay credit card off ASAP….probably tomorrow. Nice way to save $5 per $100 worth of utility bill, but I’m making sure they don’t charge me any interest on my card purchase. Sadly, my interest rate is higher than 5%. When I call tomorrow, will ask Discover to apply the bonus I already have, around $30, to my bill, thus saving me even more.
Switched to a better retail electric provider, with a lower rate. My current contract expires Oct. 4. I will be switched over on Oct. 3.
Another free lunch! This time it was pasta. My friend brought over some spaghetti left over from a huge meal she’d made. Some invited guests didn’t come over, so she had way too much left. (Or so she said. She knows I lost my subbie job.) She gave me 2 containers, but each one is way more than I eat. So far, I’ve had 3 meals from the first container. Will have at least that many from the 2nd.
Found some free posters and books at the used bookstore. Comic book advertising posters inside and books outside in a “free” pile. One large paperback was the score for an opera. I snagged it and took it to my opera-loving friends. They loved it! Said those things cost an arm and a leg. Posters went to a teacher for elementary classroom.
Found some empty cardboard boxes. One was left outside the used bookstore, one at my store job, another brought over by a friend. Saves having to scrounge some up. Will be using them for moving stuff.
Inside information: a customer heard me ask my store manager for the big empty box. Customer said they worked at UHaul. Said never buy your boxes that size from UHaul. Go to a dollar store and buy the plastic bins — the same size Sterlite (or similar brand) bin is cheaper than what UHaul charges for cardboard boxes. This person would be fired if they’d ever said that on the job, but told me to tell others.
I hadn’t heard of moving and storage packing cubes until my niece moved recently. They are like zipper tote boxes with carry handles.
We live in an IKEA desert –two and a half hours either way — so I gaze longingly on those veggie dogs.
I spent some time crunching numbers on ten months of my budget categories this morning and did a quick inventory of the freezer. That led to making a use-it-up chicken and broccoli casserole. I warmed up the leftover chicken with three slices of frozen bacon and used the bacon grease to make a roux for the sauce. It is outstanding!
It used up a bag of broccoli that was getting iced up, the leftover chicken and bacon, the last of a box of elbow macaroni, the last of some long-frozen shredded cheese, and the tail end of a carton of milk.
Used up the last of the all purpose spray cleaner this morning and dissolved some powdered Spic and Span cleaner in hot water, added some cold water, and put it in the washed out spray bottle. It’s not rinse-free, has to be wiped with a wet cloth, but it works pretty well.
Last night I inadvertently stepped in dog poop that throughly smeared my sandals. They are old and made of nubuck, so I took a chance on laundering them with some old towels. They came out looking greatly refreshed and dried just fine in front of a fan.
Katy, you make me wish I lived closer to an IKEA!
1. Went out to breakfast yesterday with my “sister wife” — haha — we are both divorced from the same man. We became friends when attending my grandkids’ games and events. Anyway, the meal was not cheap, and I had forgotten my little cooler, so I didn’t take home leftovers. What I did do was go to her new condo afterwards to help her with sorting pictures. I took home some prints I didn’t have. She also handed me an envelope with my name and my ex’s name. It contained a set of bicentennial coins — the dollar, half dollar and quarter. I looked them up last night — they are worth — ta-da — $1.75! I have come into some money.
2. I walked to the dry cleaners this morning and went by the little free pantry, picking up a can of yams and a carrot.
3. I also walked past some little free libraries and picked up two books.
4. For lunch I used up the last of the beans, the last of the street tacos, almost the last of the shredded cheddar, and a little tub of Steak n Shake Frisco sauce, making some really yummy quesadillas.
5. I did laundry this morning, washing, among other things, a dress that I have dry cleaned before. I washed it in a cold water load and it is now hanging up to dry. Came out beautifully.
Travel to San Francisco was expensive, but frugal!
1) This was a non work trip, so no compensation! I went during a major conference happening in the city, so hotel rooms were hard to get, and expensive! I lucked out using booking.com, and wound up getting a hotel practically next door to a Trader Joe’s- perfect for snacks and picking up breakfast/lucnh fixings! I did do bars and a couple of dinners out after meeting fellow travelers!
2) I got Muni-Passes on the mobile app and used the fast , clean public transit to explore the city! I even got the Cable Car add on for a day, which was fun- and visited the museum, which detailed the history of the cable cars, and it is also the central point of the power for the cable cars- they really do travel on actually cables running through the routes! The cables are made of steel and hemp, and lubricated by pine tar!
3) I of course visited Haight/Ashbury/Masonic- the vintage shops are expensive, the legal weed is expensive and so is rent. The Red Victorian is closed and no more. But it was still crowded and cheerful and I had a ‘great beer and a good hour or so journaling. It was sunny, windy and perfect.
4) Outer Sunset was another wonderful neighborhood, just rows of single family homes and beautiful beach (Ocean Beach)- another place to walk , admire homes, talk to people and of course, read on a sunny day at the beach. And a quick trip to Old town Oakland and Lake Merritt- beautiful areas, a lively farmers market and loads of street art.
5) City Lights bookstore got me in the wallet, as it should.
Including airfare, the trip came up to $900 for 4 days- hotel, bars, books, muni pass and food.
There are loads of ways to trim that down- that is EXPENSIVE- but I did save for this and do not regret the trip one bit!
Edie
#3 – My daughter lives in Virginia and has a medical marajuana card. She is 29 and has more health issues than I can list, and is in chronic pain 24/7. She was in San Diego this summer and said the medical marajuana in California was 1/2 the cost that it is in Virginia and DC. Better quality, too.
Late to this, so sorry!
In terms of #3, I was comparing the price to Oregon, which with the taxes on top is cheaper than California. But I am not surprised about the lower cost in relation to NoVa/DC!
Haven’t had the chance to comment in awhile so in theory I should have plenty of frugals to share!
1) My daughter told me she wants to be a witch for Halloween. My first thought was that I’d seen a kids witch costume at Costco, but then I realized that’s one of the most common kids costumes in existence so there’s probably hundreds for sale on eBay. (I don’t have Facebook anymore so I lost access to buy nothing, otherwise I’d ask there and probably could have got one for free!) I marked a bunch of different ones on eBay and will let my daughter choose the one she likes best. As a bonus, by marking them, some of the sellers have been sending me offers of a lower price.
2) I had a batch cooking day last week, I made navy bean soup which used a lot of veggies, a black bean dip that I use for black bean tostadas, a loaf of beer bread (made with sparkling water instead of beer). I plan to make a ratatouille this week because I got an eggplant and a lot of tomatoes in my produce box, and a cauliflower millet mash to serve it over to use up a head of cauliflower. I still have some Brussels sprouts to use but will roast those and then snack on them throughout the week.
3) Going through library books so fast, glad I’m not buying all these myself! I just finished Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. It was really good, I learned so much, it’s upsetting but also hopeful. I started Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel and it’s already got me hooked. I’m also listening to an audiobook, An American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal about the American healthcare system, really upsetting and shocking to me (I have always had Kaiser HMO so I’ve never had to deal with a lot of what she talks about in the book, I can’t believe what people have to go through, all because it seems profit is valued about health when it comes to healthcare here!)
4) Going to get flu and Covid vaccines with the kids this week, free from our health insurance.
5) Bringing breakfast, coffee, lunch and a snack to work everyday. I still love Katy’s old mantra when she was working “here to make money, not to spend it!”
For a witches costume I use a graduation gown. It is long black and has big sleeves. Dollar store should have the hat.
1. Work out every morning at the gym from 6 AM to 7 AM and then walk home. It only cost us $75 for the year which includes swimming and tennis and free workout classes for our family of 5.
2. Walk daily 10,000 steps for more free exercise.
3. Pack daughter’s lunch for work including ice coffee in a metal water bottle. Use honey or real maple syrup as flavoring for coffee.
4. Before I ran errands I thought about stopping and buying myself coffee. Thought of this group and made another pot of coffee, tea in the microwave for iced tea later and walked in the house while coffee brewed. Took my coffee to go from home.
5. Picked up prescriptions and got a $2 coupon which I used to buy lactose free milk.
1. I gave my friend 8 empty egg cartons. She gives them to a friend of hers that has chickens.
2. I brought lunch to work but didn’t need it. There was leftover pizza that my client and I happily ate. I will bring the lunch for tomorrow.
3. Someone on my Buy Nothing Group had a yard sale over the weekend and put everything out front of their house. I got a nice sweatshirt for my son and a magazine holder that I will use for word search and crossword puzzle books at my clients house to keep them neat. It was close to my house so I didn’t have far to go.
4. We ate leftover smoked turkey, mashed potatoes and corn for dinner. I love when I don’t have to cook.
5. I picked 58 figs, dozens of tomatoes and string beans and 2 spaghetti squash. Then it got dark so I went inside. I hate that it is getting dark earlier. Happy that the garden is still providing.
6. My son was going to Aldi and asked if we needed anything. I told him onions. He dropped them off and took most of the figs home. He is going to share them with his landlords. He grabbed some tomatoes too.
What is the yellowish-orange substance on the plant dog?
It’s mustard.
Neighborhood church had a band and free lunch yesterday. Donated a cake from my freezer. Brought home leftovers. They encouraged it. Great time
That’s a great mug! I’m so happy I got to eat at the mill before it closed. I feel sad whenever I drive by and see it empty.
Will you keep the mug or sell it?
Here are my things:
1. My husband wanted to go to IKEA to get a bookshelf, but first, we decided to “shop the house”. We found a shelf in a (flown the nest) kids’ room that will do the job. I don’t get to try an IKEA veggie dog, but money was saved!
2. I went to my Fred Meyer to see if they have any of the clearance raspberries. They did, but they were moldy. Instead, I bought a bag of 6 zucchini for $1.50.
3. Also at Fred Meyer, I found a pork roast for $2. It’ll be good for 2 dinners and maybe a lunch.
4. I found clearance milk for 89 cents per half gallon. I’m now in the process of making yogurt!
5. We moved my kid into their first apartment. The roommates were bragging about their curb-found furniture, and my kid was excited to point out that their bed frame, desk, chair, area rug, art, some bedding, and various kitchen supplies, were curb finds. I think they’ll fit right in. This momma thinks her kid found good people to live with!