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.
ours was 3.99 at the closest station but I did see it all the way at 4.12. Sigh.
1. Yogurt in the instant pot at this very moment.
2. Rode my bike to the independent bookstore and took pictures of books that I will look for at the library for my grandchildren. I do buy at this store from time to time, it is worth supporting.
3. Tea towels and tablecloth were washed and are currently hanging on the line.
4. Swiss chard is in the dehydrator.
5. I am halfway through sewing a blouse for myself. It is made from a $4 thrifted blouse. This is the most economical way to sew.
6. Asked for a refund for a deodorant that caused a terrible rash.
7. Sold an item on Facebook marketplace and have another one lined up for this afternoon. Sent 2 offers for items I have listed on eBay. Added the Tetris waffle maker to my eBay listings. It would be fun for somebody!
Hi Kara! I love my Instant Pot (obtained from local Buy Nothing group) and have been thinking about using it to make yogurt. Any tips?
As long as I make sure to sterilize the pot, make sure the milk reached 180° and cool it to 105° I have always had success. I just use a bit of the previous batch for a starter. It is very easy in the instant pot because it has a steam setting to sterilize the pot, a boil setting to bring the milk up to temp (if it doesn't reach 180° then you can put it on saute until it does reach 180°). Then the instant pot has a timer for 8 hours for the ferment. The thing that takes the longest is cooling it from 182 to 105.
A sink full of ice water will bring down the temperature quickly. I also put the pot into a 180 degree oven for a half hour. That extra time at 180 seems to help produce a thick but mild yogurt.
1. At the grocery store today, I found 3.25 lbs of bacon for $4.99. One of the packs was a bit oxidized, but otherwise looks/feels/smells fine. Rewrapped and popped it in the freezer. Also found a "dented" tomato on the clearance rack, so we made discounted BLTs (bread was free from farm share that partner gets free from work, and mayo was free from mystery shop).
2. Also at the grocery store, I found taco shells (.99) and baking soda (.69) on the clearance rack. Baking soda was on my list, so this was particularly a giddy find.
3. I found a grocery receipt in the parking lot - I was excited because it was FULL of name-brand items. Scanned through Fetch, and it was worth 1,000 points. I also had to make 2 purchases on eBay for work (so I'll be reimbursed), which earned me an additional 3,000 points on Fetch. Finally made it to 28,000 points, which I promptly cashed out.
4. Shared bananas, avocados, and ice cream (that we had to purchase for a mystery shop) with neighbors and friends in an effort to reduce food waste.
5. Making quiche (free eggs and milk, discounted sausage, leftover cream) for my dinners at the work apartment this week. I'm making 2 (dictated by the amount of cream) and I'll put one in the freezer.
Frugal fail: had my partner stop by the store to get the fish for last night's dinner party, and he got the more expensive salmon ($18.99 per pound) rather than the on-sale salmon ($13.49 per pound), which put my dinner party budget of $25 over by $6 dollars, which was disappointing.
1. My youngest helped me reassemble and nail up the aluminum fascia that blew off my shed. It was very windy here.
2. My youngest was visiting for the weekend. We brought lunch to my MIL's. A quiche my daughter made and soup from me.
3. I shared some Wheat Thins crackers with my mom. I buy the bulk size at Costco. She sent over some potato salad she made with potatoes that needed to be used up.
4. I cut up carrots and celery for snacks. I also cut up the rest along with a partial onion to put in the freezer for future soup.
5. I'm listening to a library audiobook on my phone.
Because the weather was correctly predicted to be awful today (severe thunderstorms in the night followed by snow), yesterday I made a big pot of white bean-sausage soup jazzed up with diced butternut squash, chopped frozen spinach and mushrooms. All ingredients from the freezer and pantry.
Made a pot of chili for my husband today, along with some corn muffins that we shared, and chocolate chip muffins for dessert. Left the oven door open after cooking to heat up the room.
Our 1994 Bose kitchen radio got zapped by power surge the other day, and DH diligently searched for a repair shop. He mailed it off today, so fingers crossed it can be fixed.
DH dug up a weedy section of our yard over the weekend and discovered loads of buried rocks, probably thrown in there as fill long ago. I used them to edge a flower bed so that the mulch does not wash out in the rain.
Groomed my super-fluffy big girl cat myself. She helps by being very good natured about her spa sessions.
I am behind. This is actually a comment for the last posting, the one that featured the tape repaired
diaper bucket. My laundry basket has no damage at all, but it does have a numbered sticker from when it traveled by ship for a military tour overseas. My son was born during that tour. He is 43. Laundry basket is still going strong.
I was thinking about laundry baskets too, but am also 'late' to the party. I have three large old-fashioned wicker laundry baskets - two that I got at a dollar store maybe 25 years ago, and one I got from my Mom that is for sure from when I was a girl so at least 60 years old. They all are standing up beautifully to regular use, the older one probably was varnished as it is darker in colour. They bring me joy, although #2 son often 'borrows' one when he is doing his laundry and I have to beg for it back.
He uses another wicker basket that is of less sturdy construction and is more upright. I notice that the top is starting to come off and now am wondering how I could tackle a mending repair... I'll ask him to bring it over
I have found that thrift stores sell plastic laundry baskets and trash cans super cheap. As soon as college lets out is when to start looking bc students moving out of town often donate to same. Also check near campus and perhaps you can trash pick such things.
About repairing the laundry basket: would zip ties work? Or “weaving” with jute cord? (Both from dollar store).
I repaired several plastic laundry baskets with zip ties. I have a nice woven basket that I trash picked. The one handle was unraveling so I “re wove it” with jute string I had on hand. It holds blankets in the living room.
DH is retired from the military and our last move was about 15 years ago. I continue to find the numbered stickers to this day on all sorts of items.
The birthday party sounds very nice.
1. Past frugality brought us a free high chair/booster seat/youth chair which was used by our now 3 year old granddaughter (the self-declared big girl who would rather sit in a regular seat now with her chin almost in her plate lol). I got it back together from its booster seat incarnation and will put it out with a free sign. Frugal for someone else next.
2. We prepaid car registration for the 2011 car we have since donated. I found the form and process for requesting a refund of the fee and will send it off this week.
3. Finally made a vegetarian chili that we like. Mostly made it because we want to slot in more meatless dinners each week, but it also was less expensive.
1) I saw it’s supposed to be hot this week so I made some cold brew coffee yesterday. I always want iced coffee when it’s hot and I usually end up buying it from a coffee shop. Planning ahead paid off, it turned out well and I brought it to work in my travel mug.
2) I finished my book club book (which was from the library). One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! And a perfect choice for our book club for women’s history month and given what’s happening in Iran. It’s called The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali. I highly recommend it!
3) I’m hosting book club on Friday. Everyone that attends usually brings a food to share or a drink so I try not to go overboard as host, providing tons of food and drink. I’m going to make kale bruschetta since I already have all the ingredients for it except bread. I have an abundance of sparkling water so I’ll share those, there’s usually more than enough wine provided by others (and I don’t drink it myself) so I don’t feel the need to provide it.
With that subject line, I'm delighted to be among the first to comment. I wrote a short story about Lady Catherine's pre-P&P life that's part of a collection titled "What Jane Austen Didn't Tell Us!: The Backstories of the Characters in Pride and Prejudice." (Only available as an ebook, alas.) And I based my Lady C on my maternal grandmother, who was similarly imperious and similarly musically untalented.
That said, here's my FFT, This and That Edition:
(1) The preliminary cleanout at NDN1's house continues. I emptied her refrigerator last week so that we could unplug it and cut down further on her National Grid bill. (I'd already turned the furnace down from her preferred 74 to 62, now that she's no longer living there.) And, believe me, the stuff at the back of the fridge would have made strong men faint. Fortunately, I'm a strong woman.
(2) NDN1's CF and her younger sister (who's on spring break this week from the university where she teaches) are coming over tomorrow to help with more cleanout and the search for more valuables--which keep turning up in the oddest places. (Remember that this house could probably qualify for an episode of Hoarders.) CF has been regularly running the loose coins we're finding through her credit union (which saves us a service charge) and then banking the money in NDN1's account.
(3) Here on the home front, I made banana bread yesterday, substituting maple syrup for brown sugar (since my brown sugar had turned into a brick). The result was excellent, and I may do it this way from now on--especially since I'm using up a quart of syrup I got Reduced for Quick Sale at Price Chopper a while back (the lid was damaged).
(4) While I had my flours and other dry ingredients out, I also made up a batch of whole wheat pancake mix.
(5) And I didn't start a war in Iran for reasons that change daily, and then whine because our alienated former allies won't help in a fight I shouldn't have picked in the first place.
A. Marie, if you still have your brown sugar brick and feel like rescuing it, brown sugar can be softened using a slice of bread or an apple slice. I've also heard it can be resurrected in the microwave, but I've never tried that.
If you are softening it with bread, please make sure that you're never cooking for people with celiac.
Katy: Oh, good point, thank you!
Congrats A. Marie, on your P & P story with a character based on your grandmother. How exciting! Since I only read actual books...old fashioned reader here...I'm not even sure how ebooks work. I'm wondering if I can get it through my library. I know they have Libby. I'm very happy for you!
What's NDN1? and CF? Sorry, I'm not up on my abbreviations.
I’m with you on the sewing thing. It’s so bad that I have a vast collection of sewing notions and a high-end sewing machine from the goodwill bins. One of these days, I’ll put it all to good use! Until then, I’ll use this great stuff for easy projects like repairing seams and hemming.
1. I went to an estate sale on the last day, and the chemicals were free, so I got two big boxes of “damp rid” and some all-purpose surface cleaner. Yes!
2. I also bought a nice set of Laura Ashley towels. They’re white, and will blend in nicely with the white towels I already own, and will be a good replacement for the towels that have gotten too tatty.
3. I’m making a big batch of cooked carrots because it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten cooked carrots, AND they are frugal!
4. I was going to drive a mile to run an errand, but it’s such a nice day that I walked instead! Free exercise plus no gas used!
5. My NYT subscription was going to go up in price, so I started the process of canceling, and they offered to stick with the lower price.
I regularly (yearly) call NYT and tell them I will cancel if I don't keep the cheapo price I got a year ago. And regularly (yearly) get the discount. I also do this with the Globe and Mail, and my sister (who is very frugal) didn't know about that plan. she is a much more regular G&M reader, so it will save her on her regular reads. I just keep the subscription for the few articles I read a week, she reads it daily.
Yes. I’ve marked the calendar with the day I need to “cancel” this year’s subscription.
I do the same thing with my NYT subscription.
My library provides free access to the NYT online. You have to renew your online 'subscription' every three days. I've been doing this so long it takes less than 30 seconds to renew.
Katy or Anyone Who Sells On Ebay,
Does eBay require you to turn your mailers inside out? I'm wondering since I see this posted fairly often. I mail packages to my children and other relatives in Amazon packages or packaging from other companies and the post office does not care that there's company name on it.
Hi Nancy,
I sell on eBay. They don't tell you what kind of packaging to use. I turn the bags and envelopes inside out because it's often easier to close up and just looks better.
Thanks for appeasing my curiosity! That makes perfect sense. I'm not picky about what my package from Ebay looks like but I'm sure there are people who are especially if it's a gift.
It might also be easier than making sure all the UPC bars are crossed out from the original mailing.
I woke up to snow on the ground -- and on my car -- this morning, and it's so disheartening, especially knowing more is on the way tomorrow, and it will be even colder. I powered through doing laundry today, even though it meant being outside briefly and using snow-covered steps. Didn't save any money, but a chore done.
Read a lot today, and I am certain I'll finish the book that has to go back to the library by tomorrow. However, I'm not certain that I will actually take it back tomorrow since the weather will be so dismal.
Have been sticking with Duolingo, not paying anything, getting high marks and even earning a badge. If I ever go to France I will be able to order coffee and talk about my home and my family. Just not very well.
1. I came home to a free meal. My mom and sister were out doing errands, and thought of my husband and I when they picked up Honey Baked boxes to go. What a great way to kick off the week!!
2. Took free yoga class at the library where I work. It's great because I also get paid to do it. I just volunteer to be the staff member to oversee the program. We are starting 8 weeks of Tai Chi soon, and I volunteered for that too.
3. Picked up some Irish cheeses at Trader Joe's. Our plan is to stay in tomorrow night, and sample them along with a glass of Irish Whiskey.
4. Found an owned manual to a scooter I sold years ago. I plan to list it on eBay. It won't bring a lot, but as Katy said I'll take money all day.
5. Spent a good portion of Sunday cooking so we have lunches and dinners for the week. This is part of my use it up, as I continue to shop the freezers and pantry.
Made another small eBay sale. Kudos to Katy and the commenters who keep me motivated to post more items. I've made about $40 from various small things. I have a big stash of postage stamps and re-used packaging so it's free money! Today's item was sewing related (I am a great proficient! ha) so I cushioned it with a pretty scrap of quilting cotton instead of bubble wrap.
My three laundry baskets are one that is currently held together by zip ties but still missing a handle on one side, a hand-me-down Wal-mart jobbie, and a fancy rolling one. I rescued it from the trash room in a neatly stacked pile of still-useful things someone left behind on a move-out. None of them are a generation old (yet!).
Ate homemade applesauce as a snack. I realized yesterday that I had applesauce on my grocery list and a bowl full of apples in the fridge. I chopped the apples, dumped in a few random spices and put the crockpot liner in the fridge last night. This morning, I set the crock on the counter to warm to room temp while I got ready for work, then popped it in the base on Low when I left. I came home to perfectly cooked applesauce and a lovely scent.
I'm wearing old comfy clothes, tucked under a gifted blanket, typing on my beat up laptop, with my free kitties, in front of a roaring fire of wood I split myself. My fridge is full of prepped meals, my pantry has many more ingredients, and my car has a half-tank of gas. I'm rich in many ways!
I have been wickedly busy the last few days. I've missed you all! I have the same diaper pail that is a collector of misc cans and water bottles in the shop. 30 yrs ago I picked up another at the county recycler for the tack room in the barn.
Congrats on selling the beautiful needle point bench.
It is 77f here, quite breezy. I washed and dried the bed linens. I washed and vacuumed my truck...it's white again!
My cousin came over and mowed my yards around the house.
I got out the yard chairs for visiting and drinks, the cushion covers made from recycled jeans fit perfectly and will be so durable.
I bought sale potatoes $1.50/15 lbs. Cabbage was also on sale, but I still have 10 heads in the garden.
I planted radishes, kohl rabi and more peas today.
I swear you could watch the grass grow today.
Happy Monday!
1. I sold a CB2 bed on marketplace for 175. I probably could have listed it for higher, but wanted to get it out of the way. It came from a batch of high end furniture my husband and I scored from a very wealthy family a few years ago for next to nothing, so I didn’t mind sharing a good deal with someone (who drove over an hour and a half to pick up!).
2. Thrifted a little sleepies blanket that I should be able to sell for over 100 dollars. First time in the thrift store since my surgery last month.
3. Got a few tee shirts, a pair of pajamas and a few books for my toddler at the thrift store too. My parents came and were able to use their senior discount.
4. Signed to my toddler for a free Easter egg hunt/Easter event, as well as an outdoor story time this week that is free.
5. Bought stain samples to play around with in hopes to revamp my 90s honey oak cabinets. I’m determined to prove the internet wrong !
6. Happily accepted a used water table, sand table, clothes and shoes from a friend who’s kids are older.
1) 15” of heavy wet snow & blizzard winds in WI. Could not get to the gym (free at employers campus) but consider the 2 rounds of shoveling a legitimate workout.
2) Checked germination in little backyard greenhouses last week - arugula and spinach coming up. Forecast for below 0 tonight, but plants are well insulated by the snow and ready for the 50s forecasted for end of the week.
3) Cooked whole wheat pasta from Aldi and topped portions with different sauces - garden basil pesto from the freezer and canned marinara from free tomatoes provided by a friend. Ready for weekday lunches.
4) Made sure power blocks were charged up in case of storm power outage (lights flickered but didn’t lose power).
5) Assembled egg cartons, a bottle of Penzey’s cinnamon sugar (freebie, we won’t use) and bags to drop off at the food pantry when we get dug out.
1. We had another busy day today, my family took a day trip to Brookings to play at the beach. We brought snacks, drinks, and lunch. While there we visited Fred Meyer and picked up a 4 pack of dairy free ice cream bars, about 1/3 the cost taking everyone to an ice cream shop.
2. Since we packed so thoroughly for the beach we had leftovers for dinner from our picnic and some of the leftovers from the fridge. We've been so busy that there's a bit of a mishmash still in the fridge that needs to be eaten soon.
3. Past me did us a favor and stocked up on aloe vera gel when it was on sale in the summertime. We sunscreened before playing on the beach but our youngest and I got a bit pink nonetheless. I'd rather have it and not need it, but with my overly fair skin it's usually needed.
4. I've finished two more audiobooks on Libby. The first was part of the Bridgerton series but I don't want to get too far into the series since I also really like the show and don't want to spoil any of the surprises. The second is the first part of the Silo series. I saw an ad for it before we cancelled our Apple TV about a year ago. It's fantastic so far! Greedily listening to the second book now.
5. My husband has a virtual job interview tomorrow so no gas! It went up over $0.40 over the weekend between when we last filled vs filling today, we put quite a few miles on the car visiting family. We're going to be sticking close to home for a while now that family has gone back home and we're back from our day trip to the coast.
Now I'm curious -- do they make special stethoscopes for use with hearing aids?