Five Frugal Things -- A Bespoke Vacuum Cleaner
1) I spent $69.75 at employee owned Winco Foods, which might not appear as a great bargain. However, four (actually five) of the my items were on the pricier side. Think of it as stocking up.
- The Fage yogurt -- $5.98
- The Kewpie mayo, which I bought for a specific recipe -- $5.26
- Chicken breasts -- $8.69
- Multi-pack of flour tortillas -- $7.08
- Cat litter -- $6.43
My grandcat is visiting for a few days, which necessitated the cat litter and food purchases.
Not to brag, (Oh . . . I'm absolutely bragging here) but I bought just the right amount of bulk oatmeal to fill my "oatmeal jar." This is akin to guessing the correct number of jelly beans in a jar -- but you know, the opposite.
What do I win?
Perhaps my prize was this 50¢ ice cold diet Shasta? Hit the spot on a hot summer day and I call that a win!
2) Speaking of refreshing cold drinks, I made another pitcher of sun tea using three random bags of hotel tea. My friends know to bring these to me from their travels.
Note that I make sun tea in a regular pitcher, to which I rubber band a plastic bag on top. No need for a task specific "sun tea jar."
3) My daughter didn't finish her salmon fillet, so I mixed it with cream cheese to make salmon spread. I still had one sleeve of crackers leftover from our recent beach trip. (We bought a cheap case of assorted Carr's crackers from the Grocery Outlet store at the coast.) Topped with homemade red onion, this was the perfect faux fancy afternoon snack!
4) I curb picked this vacuum cleaner at last weekend's Laurelhurst's neighborhood garage sale after party. It looked to be in good condition, so I grabbed it for my daughter. Unfortunately the cord was completely bunged up close to the plug.
Luckily I have a handy husband!
All it took was a $2 part and this $185-ish vacuum cleaner is now back in business! So what that the plug is now white, instead of black? It's now bespoke!
I was tempted to keep it, as it's significantly nicer than our 25-year-old vacuum.
5) I read through my Lucky Day library copy of Emma Straub's American Fantasy in under 24 hours. (Love, love, love Emma Straub!) We also completed the first season of our Star Trek: Strange New Worlds library Blu-ray. This is an accomplishment, as we only watch episodes after our weekly Family dinners, so this took awhile.
I was four-and-a-half hours into my latest Libby audiobook, when I realized that I had yet to bond with any of the characters. Nope! Life's too short to read mediocre books! That's what's great about library books -- there's no gotta get my money's worth mindset to impel you to slog through a book that's not a good fit.
It took maybe ten minutes or so scrolling the Libby app to find a better prospect. I recently read and enjoyed Reid's Atmosphere, so it's a good bet that Maybe in Another Life will be a keeper.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Hi commentariat - long-time silent reader who has never commented. One thing that I keep kicking around that I would love thoughts on: Free Little Library books. I will buy books, read them, and then stick them into FLLs for others to enjoy. Now, I write "FLL" multiple times on the books to discourage raiding and reselling as I feel that's against the spirit of FLL. (Or you could apply the same logic to a recent clothing swap that I went to - but didn't mark or cut tags in the clothes that I donated; my clothes could be resold on eBay, Poshmark, etc. and I wouldn't see a penny of it.)
I see your point on the FLL books but I don’t especially agree with it. It made me think of a friend’s father who was a voracious reader. He put his last name on the page edge of every single book he ever bought (lest anyone borrow it and forget who it belonged to). When he passed, most of his huge book collection (including fairly current titles) ended up in a dumpster because few buyers wanted what was considered a defaced book.
That said, I don’t care for the fact that book resellers hog as many books as they can when my library has their quarterly book sale. It just feels wrong.
Jean,
Here, here! I agree! I am a librarian and I run our book sale. This year for the first time ever we had people using Google len and the Thriftbook app scanner. Our sale is by donation, so you can imagine. I hoping our library board will write a policy about this. I could maybe stomach it on the last day, but it broke my heart seeing the items scooped up for profit instead of going to true readers!!!
I don't know that I'd write on books with the Little Free Library LFL mark but rather hope that most people get it. Surely all won't but do you want to spend time worrying and trying to police something or spend time enjoying life more. Along the same vein, you didn't cut out tags on the clothing you swapped but also didn't do any work to resell your clothes as you could have to get some cash back.
I'm sure many things I donate can be resold but I don't have space to store a lot in a small home, so if someone can flip what I've dropped off, fine.
I did take those clothes to two places to try to re-sell but they passed on them! (Poshmark and eBay aren't worth the effort for selling basic clothing, in my opinion.) So if the new owner got cash for them, I'd say good for them! But the purpose of both activities (FLL & clothing swaps) isn't to try to make a profit from others' donations. Neither keeps me up at night but wanted to hear from others!
I have a Little Free Library. As an LFL steward, I'd actually be bummed out if people donated books that were marked up all over. What Little Free Library encourages is to "Take a book, leave a book." Unlike a regular library, you're *not* required to return the book to the LFL, nor are you required to leave a book at the exact time you take one. And if you do return it, you're not even required to return it to the one where you got it. Though we do have a number of folks in the neighborhood who visit ours regularly, we've also had people just passing by, people who seek out LFLs when they're on vacation, etc, who will probably never visit our LFL again. Often, when I have a book in new or like-new condition--whether it was my own book or one someone donated to the LFL--I will hold it out until the holidays. Sometime in December, I'll tie a ribbon around it to let people know it might make a good gift. This works precisely because those books aren't marked up. Honestly, I never worry about people returning books. If they take one (or more) home because it speaks to them and they keep it, then I trust the universe to have other people donate books. I've actually been really surprised to see books return. And we don't have a problem with keeping the LFL stocked. I think you're creating work when you don't have to.
1. I continue to stick to this year's theme of less. I gave up liquid fabric softener. I love the scent, but hate the plastic bottle, the cost, and question it's effect on our septic system. I have been using laundry sheets instead of the regular detergent. Love the less packaging of these, but miss the scent of Gain or Tide. I have also reduced the use of hair products, specifically gel and mousse. I am six months in and find it challenging. I thought it would be easy, but I think it's mainly the smells I miss. I am hearing impaired, and I have a heightened sense of smell, that I think compensates for my hearing loss.
2. A friend gave me 5 vegetable seed packets, and another friend gave me a pack of poppy seeds. I will us all of them.
3. My husband and I went to a botanical garden on Sunday, and he got in free. It was a Father's Day promo.
4. I sold two items on eBay. Tiny Streams, but I will take any amount.
5. Rode my bike to and from work one day this week (14 miles). Took free yoga class at the library.
Johanna,
So glad to hear that you are trying to limit your use of plastics. I am as well and will pay more for something if it's environmentally friendly versus a cheaper item that comes in plastic. I don't know if you have a sustainable store in your area. I'm fortunate enough to have one the next town over and I am in that area fairly often for appointments. They have hair gel that I have been using for several years. Once you purchase the metal pump container the only additional cost is the weight of the hair gel anytime you have it refilled. Also, if you use dryer sheets when you're not able to air dry I would encourage you to use the wool dryer balls instead of the dryer sheets.
Crumpled up foil also works as dryer balls, and can be reused.
I heard you can add a bit of essential oil to the dryer balls for a nice scent. This might be a plus for Johanna if she misses the scent of the dryer sheets.
Johanna, can I suggest that you spend a little time at a perfume counter, and also discreetly sniffing friends and strangers? Put some nice smells on your gift list! Perhaps Katy can confirm, but I read ( somewhere) that , in the Torah, it says that, on the day of Judgement, God will hold us responsible for any of the glories he has offered for us that we have ignored! You have a compensatory sense of smell, so lean into it! Perhaps put gift cards on your present list? Also, remember that “ cost per use” is much more relevant than initial cost! A $100 dollar bottle of exquisite perfume might cost you 30c a day! You are worth that!
Coral,
Thanks for the ideas. Having a heightened sense of smell truly is a gift.
Nancy,
Thanks for the sustainable store idea. I checked on line and there's on about 39 minutes away. I won't make a special trip, but it's definitely on my radar next time I am that way. I have been using dryer balls for a few years, but I still get some static cling. I have tried essential oils but only half heartedly, so I will try that again.
Bravo, Johanna!
Could essential oils give you that nice scent you're wanting?
Johanna, can I suggest that you spend a little time at a perfume counter, and also discreetly sniffing friends and strangers? Put some nice smells on your gift list! Perhaps Katy can confirm, but I read ( somewhere) that , in the Torah, it says that, on the day of Judgement, God will hold us responsible for any of the glories he has offered for us that we have ignored! You have a compensatory sense of smell, so lean into it! Perhaps put gift cards on your present list? Also, remember that “ cost per use” is much more relevant than initial cost! A $100 dollar bottle of exquisite perfume might cost you 30c a day! You are worth that!
I love a good WinCo run. I find it both soothing and a challenge in finding the best deals in the bulk section. Not much for me today.
1. Continuing my Duolingo, it's free and helps me chip away at a new language.
2. Yesterday we took the train to visit a castle! We were also supposed to visit a cathedral, but unfortunately we ran out of time. That did keep $33 in our pockets since we were planning on buying tickets at the door rather than in advance. It was too hot for the whole family so we cut our day short.
3. It was a "nothing we have sounds good to eat" kind of day and too hot to walk to the store, so I put in a grocery delivery order to restock the essentials and the snacks we ate while on our adventure yesterday. This being Europe and it being 100 degrees outside, I won't get our order until Saturday. It'll save us from carrying a big order in the hot sun with two kids though. We made do with some leftovers and a few items from the freezer for meals today.
4. I finished Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke and thought it was *very* good. It really showed a lot of the cracks in the Instagram influencer society and how sick it can make people. If it was a recommendation here (I don't remember I'm sorry) then thank you!
5. We did some Ikea window shopping online today. Apparently it costs on average $9000-$14,000 to furnish a 2 bedroom apartment for a "mid-range setup". We were outraged at the figure and were looking at what we would buy if we needed to furnish one for our family. Thankfully we did far better than the average cost, although I don't know if that included things like appliances, clothes, etc. Still a fun little exercise to pass the time!
Shyla,
My family and I vacationed in Paris last week, when the heat wave was gaining traction. We had a wonderful non-frugal trip of a lifetime, but it was HOT. It's even hotter there this week. Somehow, I managed to eat my weight in delicious French pastries and chocolate mousse, in spite of the heat. 🙂
Unfortunately due to my dairy allergy I have had ZERO chocolate! The horror! I have had some good Belgian beer though! I'm not really a beer drinker but have found some that I enjoyed! The delicious coffees are my budgeting nemesis right now, but the 100% humidity and 100 degree heat has kept us from leaving unless we absolutely have to. I'd say it's probably saved us a bit of money just from the lack of bakery and coffee excursions.
Shayla,, the $10,000-14,000 range is probably based on insurance replacement of content costs, unless you have paper evaluation for valuable paintings, etc.
I am facing a good deal of medical attention in the coming months, and am looking at tiny savings from recent appointments.
1. I made a joke about the socks with the rubberized strips, which I don't need more of at home and the hospital throws out. The nurse mentioned she saves hers for her grandchildren to use at a trampoline park.
2. During the follow-up, how-am-I-doing phone call from the nurse, I complained about the pain of removing the clear plastic tape of the dressings. She made a note in my file that I am allergic (her word) to Tegaderm, which is the tape. Perhaps there is an alternative adhesive.
3. We stayed overnight in a motel to be ready for very early morning appointments some distance from home. I was given two complimentary bottles of water as a points reward member, (wow-- probably cost them more for the brand-printed paper bag than for the water itself!), which we put in the room mini-fridge along with our supper leftovers. The next morning everything was frozen. This worked out, because the food could thaw in the car all morning, not spoiling. I hadn't checked the temperature setting and might use that trick on purpose in the future.
4. I keep a notebook and pen ready at every appointment and take lots of notes. This way I have names, dates, procedures, details, etc., to look back at, and it helps me feel more in control. I just filled another notebook and stopped at the dollar store to get another one for when the procedures start next week.
5. Working on being kind to myself. Husband is being beyond helpful-- I don't know how people make it through illnesses alone.
Wishing you the best in your upcoming medical procedures. I'm glad you have your husband there to help you.
I swear those fridges are either set to "never been turned on" or "arctic habitat". There is no in between. Good luck with your appointments! Wishing strength for you and your husband <3
Good luck with all the medical appointments! Maybe with the socks you could take one pair home and use them over and over again, just washing them between appointments.
Oh Heidi Louise, I'm sorry to hear of all the medical things. We're cheering you on from all over!
HL, it is *always* a good idea to (a) take notes at medical appointments as you're doing, and (b) if possible, have a second person there (such as your husband) to be a second pair of ears. Best wishes to you in the next few months.
"A good deal of Medical attention..." Doesn't sound like such a good deal, to me! Good luck with all of that, @Heidi Louise, I wish for you clear sailing and cheerful medical practitioners
I'm so glad you have a supportive husband, you are right about it being hard to go through an illness alone!
Thank you all for your encouragements!
God bless you through your medical issues
Heidi Louise,
I join in with the others on wishing you well as you navigate all the Medical Things. Definitely be kind to yourself, and as patient as you can be with yourself as well. Glad your husband is there to help.
Thank you all, again!
We just did our stock up on OTC medications and plastic gloves (which I doubt we'll ever use) and hand-sanitizer refill, because it makes my husband feel better.
I'm working on getting my very fragile mother into assisted living. We have a week and a half to go. At the moment much of my days are taken managing her and her patchy care at her home an hour and a half from me. I am not getting a lot done for myself but I trying to make peace with this season of my life.
I listed a high chair on FB marketplace. These have sold quickly for me, though not at a high price. But every bit of money helps
Ive been eating the simplest of meals which means I havent had to grocery shop in 2 weeks, and I don't overstock to begin with. Helps that I have my own berry patch, plums from a friend and seemingly endless kale in my garden. I can eat kale every day.
@Kara, caring for a fragile mom who doesn't live close is really challenging. I'm glad you have a date for when she moves into care - that will significantly change your role, from caregiver back to caring daughter. Still a big responsibility but different. It is hard to care for yourself when your attention is on another - the berries, plums and kale are at least healthy! Hang in there, the next step is in sight.
How to you put kale in? I've never gotten a taste for it
I began upping my leafy green intake (all different kinds!) after reading "Minding My Mitochondria" by Dr. Wahls. I made lots of mistakes, but found that "massaging" the kale with oily hands made it much more tender in salads, kale chips made in the oven, and salads like this "Christmas kale salad" were all good choices for my palate. Good luck! I decided I had to be willing to toss out vegetables when I didn't like the result, in order to try all the different things. It allowed me freedom from guilt from waste, and expanded my list of favorites.
Here's a link to the salad recipe I like: https://nourishingmeals.com/2013/12/christmas-kale-salad
I rode the train downtown today to pick up a library book, and I almost lost my purse. I was waiting on the platform to go home, the train came, I picked up my tote bag and left my purse on the bench. I was in the train car when two kind people alerted me and made sure I got it back before the doors closed. Whew! I woulda been a goner. So grateful.
On the same trip, I stopped at Target and bought baby wash, which I use for hand washing -- my hands and fine washables. Johnson's was on sale and just a bit cheaper than the house brand. I collected four receipts in addition to my own.
I had the same lunch today I had yesterday -- black bean mash and cheese between two lightly fried tortillas, salsa dip on the side. The idea came from ChatGPT. It is good for suggesting simple dishes that use specified ingredients that need to be used up.
My DIL's gift arrived today. I put it in pre-used gift bag with lightly used tissue paper, the receipt securely safety-pinned to the bag. Grandson will pick it up after work and deliver it to his mom.
A friend called today because she had a sewage backup in her basement for the second time this month. I commiserated and thought about how lucky I am that I am not trying to care for an aging house with my aging self. When that kind of stuff happens in my building, I don't have to deal with it. I do pay for it through my assessment fees, I understand that -- but it is not my problem in any other sense.
Went to town for an appt for mom. We stopped at the scratch & dent store and loaded up on dog food, honey baked ham, avocados, 5 lb bricks of Monterrey jack, white cheddar and a wheel of stilton. watermelon for $5.
Took mom for a treat of In N Out animal fries and a flying dutchman wrapped in tomatoes. So. Freaking.good.
Washed the truck & vacuumed, saving $15.
Did a happy dance in the rain. Hoping it will knock down the pollen and dust.
Heidi Louise, my doctor suggested I bring a transcription device to my appointments, it converted our conversations to a Word doc. So helpful. Wishing you the best.
BGF-- Thank you for the suggestion! Fortunately, things aren't quite that complicated, at least not yet. An elderly neighbor included her son in her appointments by having him facetime in on an IPad, from Norway to her in the U.S.
I didn't know there was a voice-to-Word function in Word until a few years ago. Magic!
Called Spectrum and told the lady I had once again lost a cell phone, I was not using it, and to cancel the whole thing. It's been gone several weeks and not found, so I can just use the Tracfone and landline, like I've been doing. Resisted her high pressured sales tactics, delivered in a nice caring voice, and said no. She should get an Oscar for her performance. She wasn't trying to help me; she was trying to make a sale. Just doing her job, but it is annoying.
Got a bunch of unordered gifts in the mail from a charity Monday. One was a Native American tribal "dream catcher" that I put up. Just woke up from a vivid nightmare. My heart was really pounding! Item is going into the trash.
Eating from pantry and fridge, a no spend day for me.
Refilled some smaller hand sanitizer bottles from the large "mother jug". I have one in the car; they report a flu outbreak in San Antonio. (Yes, I am vaccinated, but still...)
Found a book by a Faux (Fox) "News" person in the free bin outside the
used bookstore this week, trumpeting Trump's so-called "achievements" and "victories." Of course I took it home. And put it right in the trash where it belongs. (Should anyone thing Fox is real news, please refer to the Dominion lawsuit against them, where numerous Fox owners and employees stated under oath that they do NOT present objective viewpoints/factual news, that their real product is entertainment disguised as information, which is very slanted and purposely catering to the Far Right MAGA people. In other words, propaganda.) Grrr!
My parents used to get TONS of Native American "gifts". I am sorry if your dream catcher somehow triggered bad thoughts.
And I share your annoyance with the high pressure sales tactics. No means no.
1. I attended a free yoga class. I have signed up at the local library for more of the classes.
2. Found 26 cents on my evening walk.
3. I have taken several furniture items to the Habitat Restore. I bought an Ikea barstool at the Restore for $20. It is identical to the one I bought new in Feb. of 2025. My new barstool got damaged in the water leak I sustained from the unit above. I claimed it on my insurance losses. I was happy to get a replacement for a low price.
4. I got a breakfast burrito at Taco Bell using my points on their app. Some of the Taco Bell locations stopped serving breakfast. The one near me has resumed breakfast & I'm happy about that.
5. Got a free senior soda at Wendy's last night. I go by the Wendy's on my evening hike. I was thirsty & the drink hit the spot.
I've never heard of Kewpie Mayonnaise & was astonished to discover my local Meijer (Michigan) store carries it as well as Hellman's Japanese Inspired mayo which, I suspect, is similar to Kewpie's.
And three cheers for public libraries! I don't know what I'd do without ours!
Late to the party here as usual (I'll do a FFT comment on Katy's next post), but I do just want to say how much I admire Katy's storage jars. And, like Katy, I don't have a specialized container/pitcher for sun tea: I make mine in a half-gallon Ball jar with an ordinary lid. I just brought a fresh half-gallon in off the front steps. I'm finally actually cutting down on my consumption of Diet Pepsi this way.