Five Frugal Things -- Another eBay Sale for The Oregon Food Bank!
1) I sold my $1.99 thrifted Philippe Starck citrus squeezer/reamer for my full asking price of $50. This puts an additional $44.31 towards my Oregon Food Bank donation for the month of April. I'd been feeling a little down with my lack of eBay sales, but this one perked me right up!
I'm 85¢ away from hitting $500 with the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge. I still have 23 listed items on eBay waiting for buyers, plus an additional $10 to spend on inventory.
2) I went to the doctor for a scheduled checkup and was sent home with four sample boxes of thyroid medication.
3) I baked a loaf of no knead overnight bread and Portland cooperated with a cold drizzly morning. Perfect weather for slices of warm buttery bread.
4) I ordered a box of 15 off-brand ink cartridges for my 11-year-old Canon printer from that Schmeff Schmezos guy, and see that we ordered our last box in February of 2023. The price was about the same, ($19) so I call that a financial win.
I know a lot of modern printers require ink "subscriptions," which is pure bullshit. I've read about people whose printers were remotely bricked when a credit card expired, so I'm happy to hold onto this model!
5) I needed a pair of knee-high socks for a sore calf and ended up discovering a pair of cozy socks that I'd completely forgotten about. I'm on day two of wearing them.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
That bread looks delish!
1. My daughter helped me erase my library fees with her art
2. Shopped some sales
3. Used money earned at the garage sale for my son's upcoming taekwondo test
4. Didn't water the garden because it rained
5. Bought curriculum off ebay saving around $30
Longer version here: https://practicalwalk.com/2026/04/21/frugal-five-21/
I’ve had several items listed yet no bites on multiple sites.
I’m gathering up items for my sister’s garage sale which is May 1/2. She lives next door.
I sent an heirloom vase to my great nephew and his fiancé as an engagement gift. Not sure if it was from my side or hubby’s side of family
I had Amazon gift cards from participating in a clinical trial. I used those to purchase items off of a registry for a summer camp for children of incarcerated parents
We’re off on a mini vacation to Santa Fe. Meeting two other couples and staying in an VRBO
Coming in on $500 for the food bank is awesome!
Today I cooked a pan of discounted chicken thighs for lunch, along with an enormous baked potato and a plate of cherry tomatoes, sweet pepper and strawberries. The radishes meant for that plate were a little wilty and are crisping up in a bowl of ice water.
Shampooed, conditioned, and brushed out both dogs at home. Gave up on growing out my hair and cut it back into a pixie cut with the $3 razor comb and scissors. Between the three of us, that's about a hundred bucks I did not spend.
Still listening my way through all of Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee novels for free through Hoopla.
LOVED Leaphorn and Chee, so sad we are not getting any more! Donna Leon writes police procedurals set in Venice, so, totally different, but the same in their setting of crimes in a culture that is unfamiliar to us, and with fully fleshed, very real people who invite us in. I loved , and related to, her books so much that, notoriously frugal as I am,I flew to Venice from Australia to discover( uncover?) Brunetti’s Venice for myself!It was one of those times when good value outstayed low cost, and I’ve never regretted a cent of it! I blessed the frugality that made it possible, and , 11 years later, I’m still enjoying it in retrospect!
That sounds fabulous!!! I hope to visit and spend a couple weeks in the Dordogne region of France. It's Martin Walker's Bruno series sparked my interest in this area.
Thanks Coral for the book suggestion. I visited Venice with my kids a few months ago and loved it. I've put the books on my wishlist at the Library.
I love Donna Leon, and the Bruno series, too.
His daughter, Anne Hillerman has written a number of books carrying some of his characters forward. They're very good.
I made an Amazon order, too. I needed a battery tester, and I just didn't want to make the trip to the hardware store. I did have a small credit, so only $5 out of pocket. My blood pressure monitor was out of juice. I replaced all four batteries, but I'm sure some of them are still good!
Once again, I stayed inside all day. The weather has not been lovely -- a storm rolled through a couple of hours ago, one of many this spring. It seems like there has been one every day. So it was easy to talk myself into staying home.
I cooked the carrots that needed processing and stuck them in the freezer. I have a backlog of frozen carrots now and must remember not to buy any. I also cut celery into sticks and have them crisping in a jar.
I made the mistake of heating up pizza in the microwave. Not a good result. I must be sure to heat tomorrow's piece either in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop. I knew better -- why did I do that? In a hurry, I guess.
I finished reading another library book, so now I have three to return. And another to read.
I have an MRI on Friday. I'll be glad to get that done and, I hope, get the green light to take walks again.
1) I had a Katy day: this morning I found a quarter on the ground outside Aldi (someone dropped while fumbling with a cart), and this afternoon I found a second quarter in the street while on my walk. So I am 50 cents ahead.
2) Garage sales are slow to start here (runs roughly from Easter to Halloween and maybe into November if it stays warm). But I have had some success at recent estate sales in the practical vein. I got an almost full laundry detergent jug for $1, and five air freshener sprays, $1/each, and canned goods for $.50 each. All current products, not old. Check expiration dates. With care you can score items like these at estate sales. Plus a framed flower picture for $8 and a picture frame for $1.
3) Lunch was marked-down lemon/pepper chicken breast from my freezer, the last of a bag of spinach mixed with opened-jar pesto over cooked pasta from fridge, and marked down tomatoes with cucumber.
$500 is great!! More than five times the amount invested and you're not done yet. Whatever the total ends up at, it is a great way to donate.
1. I only sold one item last week on Ebay. I've listed several more to keep the ball rolling.
2. My mom and I split a spiral ham. She let me have the ham bone which will be turned into split pea soup.
3. I turned a lotion bottle upside down into a small jar to get the last of it.
4. My mom invited my daughter and I for dinner. She made sloppy joe's and cheesy potatoes and I brought coleslaw. We helped put up the cover on her pergola and I helped her list a woodstove on Marketplace.
5. I finished two library books on my Kindle. My holds are coming in all at once as they tend to do.
No money spent today!
Yesterday's spending was a whopping $.98 for a 20 oz bottle of Great Value mustard. Since we only use it on hot dogs and hamburgers; and in macaroni salad and hamburg barbecue, it will last a long time.
Made a batch of Rice Krispie Treats with store brand ingredients I already had.
Finished off hamburgers and broccoli salad left from Saturday night for dinner. DH ate some of Saturday's leftover baked beans (I don't like baked beans). I had part of an open jar of applesauce.
Listening to the radio - FREE! (Sucks though when the music you listened to in your youth is now considered "the OLDIES.")
I am out of commission for the foreseeable future. On a walk today with my husband and dog, I tripped over our dog and took a hard tumble forward on asphalt. I fractured my kneecap and hurt my hands and ribs. Luckily I didn't hurt our dog and I didn't hit my head. I will be seeing the Ortho surgeon on Thursday. In the meantime, I'm on total bed rest with a knee immobilizer and have a commode next to my bed. Things could always be worse, and I'm feeling very lucky.
So sorry for your fall. Good luck with the ortho.
Oh no MB! I'm sorry to hear about your fall and injuries. Sending you healing vibes.
That sounds so painful. So sorry this happened. I'm praying your ortho appt and healing/recovery goes as well as possible.
Oh my goodness!
Thoughts and good wishes for speedy healing and quick and easy anything that needs to be done with the Ortho.
Definitely not how you want your day to go.
Rest well,
Lea
I think you one-upped A. Marie's faceplant! Do take care.
Oh my goodness MB! What a shocker to take a tumble - that ground comes up so fast and yet your brain is going faster (usually with some kind of 'oh no!!!' screaming going on). I bet your hands and ribs hurt big time, I'm glad you didn't hit your head, and your poor kneecap!!! (Now's the time we google kneecaps to find out how simple they seem and how important they are). Do take care and be kind to yourself both in action and thought.
I misstepped when walking my dog yesterday - almost twisted my ankle, and performed a most energetic - if not artistic - interpretive dance, as I recovered (took about 10 huge steps over many feet of ground before I got my equilibrium back). It was so close to a big tumble, so I was thanking my lucky stars. Sorry yours went the other way
Oh no. I'm so sorry. That sucks. I hope you're up and around soon.
Oh no! I totally sympathize! I am out of commission, too, except I don't know why my hip is wonky.
I am so sorry to hear this news. All the best wishes for a speedy recovery
Thank you blog friends! I appreciate your well wishes very much.
Sorting through my wardrobe and ruthlessly making piles to consign, donate or gift. I really want fewer clothes to take care of and store.
Trying to use up pantry and freezer items that have languished too long there. Made chicken orzo soup with miscellaneous “clean out the fridge” and pantry items,
Volunteered in the garden club nursery and got plenty of steps in as a result.
Made a trifle for my husband’s birthday - used an angel food cake mix from the pantry and layered it with homemade raspberry fluff. Garnished with fresh raspberries.
Inventoried my toiletries and makeup. I am on a campaign to use up dribs and drabs. I also reassembled and packed my emergency “to go” bag with fresh items.
Had earwax removed by a PA from one ear that was causing intermittent earaches. That is a first for me. I was advised not to use Q-tips.
I am a waxer myself. My doc gave me good advice, to always let water run in my ears when I shower. I have an ear syringe, too, so I can run a little water in there regularly. It helps enormously.
My ENT recommended putting a few eye droppers of baby oil in each ear before bed. Sounded terribly counterproductive, but works like a charm to draw earwax out.
1. I had leftovers for breakfast and dinner. I made a frozen pizza for the lady I take care of for lunch for both of us.
2. I curb picked a load of tree logs for the fire pit. Our wood rack is full. These will go behind the shed which is our overflow area. I try to stay ahead. Soon we will be having friends and neighbors over for fire pits and I hate to spend money on wood.
3.I sewed an eye hook back onto a dress I have. When I tried it on it was very loose so I fixed it.
4. On my way home from work I stopped at Stop & Shop. This weeks freebie was a loaf of Italian bread. I also used the rain check my friend got me and grabbed last weeks soy chocolate milk. I checked all of the clearance sections but there was nothing that I needed or wanted. I did get grapes and bananas that were on sale.
5. Last week I made a cheese cutting board at the library in a free class. My friend's daughter just got engaged so I made if for her. I picked it up today. It came out great. They are having a BBQ in May to celebrate. I had a free library class tonight. It was for an insulated tumbler. I made it for my mom's upcoming June birthday. I picked up some magazines and books while I was at the library.
Your library's free classes sound wonderful. We don't have anything like that at mine, although they do other cool things (like a seed library)
That bread looks so good!
1. I bought two bras at Kohls on a BOGO 50% off plus I had a 30% off coupon.
2. I gave DH a haircut with the buzzer.
3. I hung two loads of laundry outside.
4. Met a friend for a cup of tea at the bookstore and she insisted on paying for my tea. Thank you!
5. One of the four chairs to our kitchen set broke in a way I'm not sure is repairable. I can't let anyone sit in it for fear of injury. I put it upstairs. The table looked odd without it so I pushed one side of the table underneath the kitchen window and it looks better.
Now you've got me hungry for home baked bread, Katy! It looks delicious. And congrats on your making the 100 bucks back 5 times over!! That donation is going to bless many hungry people.
I just now got back from Aldi. I was about to buy a gallon of milk ($2.79) when I spotted a better deal. They were selling the half gallons for $1.61, BUT they had some stickers on several jugs saying "50% Off". So I got 2. They are about to reach their "sell by"date, but it is still ok; I put a little bit of salt in the jugs, and that will keep it from spoiling. This old Tiptionary trick (from Mary Hunt's book of the same name) has not failed me yet. Therefore, I paid $1.61 for a gallon of milk!
While there, I succumbed to the "Aisle of Shame" and made an impulse buy. However, in my defense, it was a light blue floral rug. I've been looking for just such a rug for several months. This will go with my new light blue bedspread and drapes! The Aldi rug is washable, as well. It was $29, and it will likely last for many years. So it might not be a frugal win, but it wasn't a frugal fail, either.
Did not buy a snack at work since I didn't take a break today.
If you've been looking for a rug like that, and you found it at Aldi -- and it's washable -- that's a frugal win in my book!
My printer hack is that I bought an old HP laser printer at a garage sale for $30. The toner already in it lasted one year, and though new toner is $60, it lasts forever. The only catch is that I have to settle for black and white printing.
If I was really cheap, I’d rely on the library where you can print up to 100 black and white pages per day with your library card. Free!
If I ever need a color print, I can always go to a print shop.
I’m DONE with ink cartridges. What a ripoff!
That is so cool your garage sale printer already had toner and it lasted a year.
It helps if you don’t print very many things. 😉
It helps that I don’t need a printer very often!
WAY TO GO with the goodwill challenge, Katy!
1. I had a bit of change of pace on the weekend when I got a call from my DD, who was in the US staying with her Boyfriend. They had had one of those 'this is the end of things' arguments and he essentially told her to leave. At 10:30 at night, in a city where she didn't know anyone (!!). GAH.
Anyway, she called her loving mom (aka me), and we got her sorted out: she booked a flight for the next day, installed the Uber app, got herself a ride to the airport, and then essentially waited the night away until her morning flight.
She is her mother's daughter and with a bit of encouragement figured out how to pack her backpack and computer case so she didn't have to check any luggage, making the not cheap flight a little more frugal.
Gotta say I am relieved it ended so badly, she has given him far too many chances.
Of course, I drove the hour and a half to get her once she arrived.
2. Instead of taking her right home, I insisted on her going grocery shopping with me, as I knew she had nothing fresh in her house as she had planned to be away for several weeks. Her local grocery store's prices were quite shocking to me; I am more and more grateful for mine, where I shop the deals and manage ok. I'll bring her down some of the standards that I noticed were at least 30% more expensive at her place.
We did shop the sales, and I did some 'Momming' by walking her through options for how to use what we were buying. I picked up a couple of chicken breasts, poached them while she showered, then cut them into bites and portioned them for her. We saved the broth, of course; with her emotional upset, she has found THAT to be the soothing thing, with a bit of chicken added. I'd also run her rice cooker so she has some options in her fridge.
3. On the way home, I finally got back to Costco and picked up the things on my list, and a few more items that I walked by and noticed – and that we actually need. I lucked out with the rotisserie chickens and picked up two, as we are all enjoying have ready-cooked, cut up meat for noshing on.
I had received my Costco rebate, plus the rebate from the credit card that is tied to Costco, and I remembered to USE THEM. I'm going to cancel both the Credit card and the Costco membership, after careful perusal of the returns to me. I know enough people with Costco memberships who will pick things up for me if I ask nicely.
4. I made an enormous salad with the generous arugula from my greenhouse, plus chicken from above, lentils and garbanzos cooked a couple of days ago, dill, mushrooms, grated carrot, shaved fennel, radishes and scallions, and a super delicious dressing made with a lemon, an orange, and a grapefruit (plus olive oil, dijon and maple syrup). Super spring dinner and I ate two huge bowlfuls, the Roommate ate another, and there's a third for #2 son. I have big steel bowls, yet I had to go get the even BIGGER steel bowl that I got for $3 at the thrift store because the first bowl was too full to mix. Considering how much there appeared to be I am surprised so much was eaten.
5. Pasta pesto salad with all the things – 2/3 of a Costco pesto container, 6 cups of rotini, I emptied one of the two (!) containers of artichoke hearts found in the fridge, ditto with one of the two (!) containers of Kalamata olives (there were three but who's quibbling about Kalamata olive containers?), the last of some radishes, a whole bunch of celery (because I have no peppers and I wanted the crunch), two julienned carrots, two julienned red onions (that had seen better days and from which I also harvested a bit of 'scallion' that I have saved for another use). I also lightly steamed some broccoli that I had chopped finely. This makes a lot of salad, however it is adored by all of us and won't last past tomorrow.
In the process I dug around in the fridge and removed a LOT of containers of aged stuff – bits of bean broth and dregs of this and that. I set a stopwatch when the salad was put away, then washed the dishes, emptied and cleaned all the containers, scrubbed the sink, and ran the dishwasher.
In the process a lot of corners got addressed, and using my How Long Will It Acutally Take (HLWIAT) method of self challenge I got it done and even got the compost out to the chickens.
Then I walked the dog (without another interpretive dance)
Ecoteri,
I've adopted a similar method to your HLWIAT. We have a high maintenance kitty who requires (non-frugal) vet-prescribed canned food. Our usually low maintenance dog also likes this food, so whenever Mr. High Maintenance is fed (multiple times/day), someone has to "guard" him (or really, his food) from the dog. If it's me, I do whatever small kitchen chores I can take care of while "guarding", like putting away clean dishes from the dishwasher, or quickly sorting out junk mail from the mail pile. Even though it's a short period of time, at least I'm tidying up the kitchen a bit.
1. Our printer is a Brother laser. It was a floor model at Staples and I paid $30.50 for it in the fall of 2011. Just the other day it issued a lower toner message. I covered the "eye" on the toner cartridge with a piece of electrical tape (from a roll I found in the street many years ago) and it will print until I decide to replace the cartridge. Old tech is better.
2. While streaming TV shows there were experiencing pauses. DH thought we needed to upgrade our internet service. I suggested a way to test that theory before we upped our monthly expense. He did some research and discovered that TVs like ours (not the newest, largest, nor fanciest) have a cache memory that can fill and cause the issue. The solution, unplug the TV for a minute. It seems to have solved the problem. I dislike upgrading, especially when it raises the cost forever (every month).
3. The cooler days we've had prompted me to make soup from the remains of a rotisserie chicken. It has been dinner the past two nights and will be my lunch today.
4. I am listening to the Judy Blume biography, borrowed from the library.
5. Happy Earth Day! We inadvertently were married on Earth Day but we do try to be environmentally conscious every day. There will be no buying of new "Eco-friendly" nor other products by us today.
Unscientifically, shaking the toner cartridge might rearrange the remaining powder so it senses as being fuller.
(I had forgotten this-- in an episode of "Third Rock From The Sun", Dick was fighting with the office copier that wasn't working right. He announced he would "beat you to death with your own toner cartridge". Of course, in the next scene he was covered with black dust and going into a room with white furniture. Thank you for prompting that memory!).
Instead of just throwing things away, I've opted to:
1) Sell my couch. We got it used about six months ago, thinking it would be a great alternative to a beautiful-but-not-practical navy blue velvet couch we had previously. I got the new modular from Albany Park (originally $7500!!), for $400. And after six months, we're throwing in the towel. It's so wildly uncomfortable! We just sold this couch for $500. And will put that toward the new one. We have 0% financing on the rest of the couch. (we have the cash, but it pays us more to hold onto it and just pay on the couch each month). We'll make sure we pay it off in full before we get hit with a 34.99% interest rate. Yeow!
2) Sell a chair. The new couch is much larger than the old. So we also sold an old chair for the same price we bought it for years ago. Also going toward the new couch purchase.
3) We gave away an old ironing board (I received a giftcard from work for Christmas and used it to buy a new ironing board. I am the epitome of exciting!).
4) We are giving away an old dresser (We have so much stuff in this house. I swear...).
5) We signed up for a mini CSA box to support a local farm. And each thursday i look forward to getting a small bit of fresh veggies. They reuse their boxes each week, which I am SO grateful for. I make sure to stick it out and they grab it when they drop off the next one!
I buy the off-brand ink cartridges from Schmeff too, but I wait until Amazon Days or Black Friday in order to get the best deal. Agree that ink subscriptions are total BULLSH*T.