Five Frugal Things -- Am I Lady Catherine DeBourgh?
1. My husband and I attended his friend's surprise birthday party at a local schwanky restaurant. (The one where we'd planned on on asking for a separate check.) It turned out to be a fully hosted party, which hadn't been clear in the invitation. Of course we couldn't clarify ahead of time, due to the surprise element!
It was a lovely evening and fun to indulge in delicious food while chatting with new friends. On a budget!
2. I'm continuing to watch the Great British Sewing Bee through the free ROKU channel and am not ashamed to admit that I'm close to finishing the third season!
Mind you, I don't sew, but am feeling like Pride and Prejudice's "Lady Catherine DeBourgh," who famously spoke on playing a instrument:
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
So yes, that's me. I feel that I'd have a chance of winning The Sewing Bee, even though I don't sew.
3. I sold two items on eBay, one for the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge and one from my stale inventory. Neither were impressive sales, but I'll take the money all day long!
I accepted a $16 offer on this thrifted rugby from the Goodwill bins.
Click HERE to see the listing.
I'd had this baby blanket listed since 2021, but at least I didn't have to accept an offer!
Click HERE to see the listing.
4. My husband gifted his friend a hand-me-down quality stethoscope that he's no longer able to use due to his hearing aids.
5. We packaged up the birthday gift in a used gift bag and both eBay sales went out in reused padded envelopes, turned inside out.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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The baked spaghetti I made from leftover spaghetti turned out quite tasty. And most of it was eaten, so that made me happy.
I have received $18 in NBPR (No Beer Purchase Required) rebates - these are put out by alcohol companies for non-drink purchases ($1 food item, hot food item, frozen or fresh seafood, sunblock, etc) but do not require you to actually purchase alcoholic beverages, which is good as we do not drink. I'm assuming it is to offset their taxes, but I will take their free money.
I'm having my kids and my young college friend to dinner tonight. Everything is from our stash except for a package of mashed potatoes, which I picked up last night at Kroger when I grabbed my free jar of PB.
I'm doing a "cozy mystery bingo" on goodreads, which encourages me to read the ARCs I've received in this genre.
We are having a St. Paddy's Day potluck at work tomorrow, and I could not think of anything suitable to bring. I've decided to modify my Lemon Poke Cake, which uses lemon pudding and jello, to a Citrus Poke Cake, still using the lemon pudding, but lime jello, just for the green. I'm sure it will be well received, as cake is always a winner at our office.
1. It was 82 sunny degrees yesterday and is 52 gloomy, rainy, and windy degrees today. I managed to keep the heat off until just now and I caved bc this house, when I got home is decidedly cold!! So I guess keeping the heat off for several hours while at work is frugal.
2. I packed my lunch and breakfast of course. I have corned beef, cabbage, potatoes etc to eat tonight that ai made over the weekend.
3. Gas has shot up from $3.24 and $3.29 over the weekend ti $3.49 and $3.69 at the gas stations in my work town…. Sigh. I top off every day bc it goes up every day it seems.
4. I bought lettuce and spinach seeds I intend to plant as soon as the temp stabilizes. I intend to buy mustard seeds again this year. I plant in my front yard (no HOA) bc my back yard is shady and tends to go under water for real every time it rains hard. I suppose this falls under being frugal and using whatever land you can. Also the neighbors don’t complain. So I will have greens growing between my rose bushes again this year!!
5. I am truly trying to be careful with all my spending and I am attending church on my phone so I don’t use gas, not flushing if it is mellow, family cloth with the same, batch cooking, etc. we are required by our city to use garbage bags but I buy the cheapest ones I can find, throw scrapes out for the animals/birds, eat lots of cooked dried beans, etc.