Five Frugal Things -- Lululemon & a Tumbling Stock Market
1. I stopped by the Goodwill bins and came home with two sweatshirts to sell for the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge. It's funny how there seems to be a theme to what I randomly find. The brands were Lululemon and NAU, both expensive and should hopefully sell well and in a timely manner. I spent $6.70 and have $11.30 left on the card.
Click HERE to see the Lululemon listing. -- Edit: Sold!
Click HERE to see that NAU listing.
2. I horked a glue stick from my mother, which I used to add a few New Mexico pamphlet photos to my journal/calendar.
What does "hork" mean? It's "To borrow something with zero intention of ever returning said item." It's a useful word that we use in our family and now you can enjoy it as well!
3. I must've cut the back of this puffer seam while unpicking the corporate logo off this thrifted coat, so I pulled out my sewing supplies and got to work.
The result is far from perfect, but I promise that it looks better in person. Not sure I can sell it for much though.
4. I sold the pair of thrifted Eames-style dining chairs for $20 apiece, which is an additional $34 profit for my monthly Oregon Food Bank donation.
5. My retirement account is down $45,000, but at least it's "imaginary money" until I actually have to draw from it.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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Katy, I can only offer a word of wisdom from the height of 77 years, and that is” The rich get richer, by buying up when the economy is low, because they know it will come up again” History verifies it!
At the current rate of inflation,
most of our $$$ appears to be imaginary unfortunately.
1. I only had one can of fruit left and it is an outrageous $$$$ at the local grocery stores. I went to Dollar Tree today and bought canned mango for $1.50. It was the perfect size for a single gal. I also bought dish soap, and canned asparagus for $1.50.
2. I went to Vowell’s grocery store and bought $1.00 bag of fresh spinach on sale. This grocery store will package fresh fruit and vegetables for $1.00 that is expiring. I also bought a bag of apples for my lunches for $2.70. Apples will keep and bananas are iffy sometimes. So I was really happy about the apples.
3. I bought gas for $3.33 gallon. It really varies according to town bc in the town where I work it is $3.74.
4. Sometimes it is frugal bc of what you do not buy. Ham is not on sale here, at least not yet, for Easter. So I will be eating baked chicken legs, asparagus, sautéed spinach, and ice cream for dessert. I have everything in my fridge or pantry. I am NOT paying $2.68 lb for ham, even though it would be my preference.
5. I walked an hour in the local cemetery. I also lounged in my old chair in my front yard and enjoyed the sunset, my rose bushes, and birds for free. As always, I pay taxes for this joint so I am going to enjoy it!!!!
When our daughter lived at home, we ate homemade pizza for every holiday at her request. Made holiday dining a lot easier. Regarding holiday meals, WHAT you eat is not important, it's WHO you spend it with that's important. I could be quite content with a pb & j sandwich for my holiday dinner as long as I'm with family and friends.
Melissa, I'm with you on the sandwich concept.
1. I got a huge bag of magnetic tiles at the thrift store for 10 dollars. I picked out some for my toddler , and then sold the rest of the lot on marketplace for 40 dollars.
2. Went to free story time this week.
3. Exchanged seeds with a neighbor.
4. Shared some swim attire that my little one has outgrown, as well as a swim suit and swim shirt he hasn’t grown into yet in our BN group. We already have one in the bigger size and my kiddo is so slow growing, I was happy to share and hopefully save someone a purchase. I will attempt to dismantle capitalism , even if my endeavors are fruitless.
5. Got marked down coffee creamer, steak, ground beef, baby wipes, and produce at king Soopers when I went to pick up my Medication. We don’t do “date nights” out with babysitters costing 30 an hour, so we splurge on steaks on occasion.
Emily, I love your #4. We all do what we can.
Our pocketbooks are our greatest weapon. Just think what would happen if people just decided not to fly (and really, flying a few hundred miles that would likely be less hassle to drive even with the cost of gas?). If the collective we the people spent very little every day - cash, debit or credit. Be it e-Bay, Goodwill etc.
I applaud Delta Airlines telling congress members to stand in line they everyone else - no perks. Hopefully United and other airlines did the same.
1. Saved $90 by signing up for autoship with Chewy.com for dog medications.
2. Received 15 pages of medication info in our dog's Chewy order. Will use the blank sides for printing documents.
3. Opened a depressing property tax statement. Hit with a 10% increase from last year and a whopping 40% increase from when we bought our house 2.5 years ago. I don't need to come out of retirement to pay it, but sheesh.
4. Took a free first aid class at a nearby community center. While there, I signed up for a free senior membership ($565 annual value) that includes free fitness classes, which my own community center offers for $10/session. The nearby community center is just down the road from one of my volunteer gigs so I will maximize mileage.
5. Filled car with gas at the half-full mark in anticipation of more ridiculous and greedy price increases. Price was $3.80/gallon and then I used the 10 cents off discount card that I received from a car dealership when I purchased a used car three years ago.
P.S. Will be at my first No Kings March on Saturday! It seems like we're served a steaming pile of s**t every single day.
No kidding. I'll at our protest also.
We always refill when tanks hit 1/2 full. I opted to not stop in the am of 9-11 (tank close to 1/2 full). Lines of car on my way home had me say nuts to waiting.
Between student bus stops yesterday, I had to make an "emergency pit stop" at Sheetz (convenient store chain) to use the restroom. I took the van key with me and left my purse locked inside the van so I would not "yield into temptation" and purchase a snack. There were no students on the van at that time.
I mowed my lawns around the house, the orchard and the grass in front of the barns. Clippings went into the compost.
I took a bouquet of daffodils to the back door neighbor. We took a couple of her elderly horses for a walk through the woods. Exercised the horses and had a good visit.
Lululemon jacket is super cute. in my family, hork is akin to vomit. As in "the cat just horked a hairball". Mooch for food and he's a cadgerous letch for someone who borrows with no intention of paying back or returning item. Usually only getting that awful title after borrowing more than once. Fool me once...yadda yadda.
Hork is vomit with us, too, and often used the way you did "dammit, the cat horked again."
My own use of "hork" is for what blue jays do at the platform feeder where I dispense peanuts in the shell. Blue jays have unusually elastic throats/esophagi and can cram a lot of food down them. So I often look out the window and say, "Look at that jay. He just horked down two peanuts and has a third in his beak."
A.Marie, your comment brought to mind a favorite old nemory.My grandma used to toss bread crumbs out for the sparrows, she called them her " little che-chee birds", and when the blue jays swooped down to partake, she'd go outside and scare them away. She'd wave her arms or the dish towel and say "go away, you pig, you!" It was pretty darn funny to see her do that.
1. Found .99 large bags of marked down jalapeño cheddar potato chips. I only bought one, not knowing if they'd be too spicy for DH. I won't eat them. He loves them so I'll get more when I drive by the store. Plus I was overcharged on a large green pepper so I need to ask for a refund.
2. Besides the chips, I stuck to my shopping list. I'm proud of myself...LOL!
3. I finished the library book Fire Exit. Good read. Now I'm just waiting for Cave Mountain to come in.
4. I found a cotton fitted bottom sheet at Target. I didn't need a whole set as the top sheet and pillowcases are fine. I was almost at the point I was going to have to order from Schmeff Schmezos, something I swore off years ago, but located one at Target. It was on sale too, 25% off.
5. I batched my errands today as I usually do but it seems important now more than ever due to the rising gas prices.
I've had good luck sourcing bottom sheets from eBay, although of course it depends on what you are looking for.
Great job on all the sales!
1. After being told how much $$$ I owe in income tax, it suddenly struck me that I may have other deductions. Which I forgot about. This year, I sold an article to a devotional magazine for only 20 bucks...but that is a "side hustle" and the accountant had said side hustles of any kind may qualify you for getting more $ back. I called the accountant and made an appointment for next week. Just in case.
2. Contacted Area Agency on Aging and got a referral to a law firm; called the lawyers there about the tree incident. The lawyer I talked to said their hourly rate is $100 and I would go deeper into the hole if I hired them. So it looks like I will fight this alone. But fight it I will.
3. It was really chilly this morning but I donned a sweater and drank coffee on the patio. Also started reading a book from a LFL, "Killing Patton" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, about the WW2 general. Serious good reading and a possible conspiracy theory. Someone supposedly said in 1979 that they "assassinated" Patton via the fatal auto wreck; per the book, it might not have been an accident. I'm just starting to read it so I don't have the details yet. We shall see...
4. Went by the credit union and shopped for a better car insurance policy.
5. Did not singlehandedly mess up the entire world's economy by starting a war.
O'Liely is plagiarizing re: Patton's death. The idea Patton was assassinated is old news but he thought he could make a buck off of it.
Oh, I am sure he is doing something underhanded, he is so "Foxy"... as in Fox fake News.... which is the worst insult I can give him. Also, I'd bet dollars to donuts that the coauthor, Dugard, probably did 95% of the work. Please note I got this book from a LFL, which means O'Reilly got zero royalties from me.
I think it was determined and admitted by Fox in a court case that they are not "Fox News", but "Fox Entertainment."
I’m 77, left school at 14, jobs rather than a career, brought up my daughter on my own ( ex husband rarely in the picture, financially or otherwise,) and am deeply curious about my cohort, world wide! I’m guessing you are mostly, like me , fairly frugal, and my feeling is that this is a predominantly female group.I live in sub tropical Brisbane , Australia, in an inner city vertical retirement village , no car, no pets, no cigarettes ( sounding like Queen of the Road here! ) We have a building wide electricity account, from which we have separate meters, I use conservatively , and our government gives us a yearly “ energy assistance rebate”, which easily covers my entire usage. Seniors get free off peak public transport, as a retiree I can usually arrange to travel then, if not, our bus/ train/ferry fares are capped at the equivalent of 35 cents US , for 2 hours, any mix of modes. I live within a short distance of the Brisbane river, so a few free hours of ferry riding in the evening is a particular pleasure of mine. The building has recycling facilities,seperate bins for bottles etc, composting, a giving table that sees a lot of activity, and outdoor clotheslines. My bulk buying is limited a bit by space,as is batch cooking and freezing, but I take advantage of of having a relatively local Aldi for grocery shopping. I don’t have a balcony, so growing anything is out. I use half the recommended amounts of household/ personal products, and the only disposable I buy is loo paper. I’m hoping to hear about the lifestyles of other frugalistas, in other parts of the world, perhaps other frugal ideas?
We were just in Brisbane-what a lovely city!
If you can get a bidet attachment for your loo it will save on paper for the loo…
That sounds amazing, the free and low cost transportation and all the recycling and stuff. Wish we had that here in Central Texas.
Welcome, Coral! I would love to live in a retirement place that supported a frugal, environmentally conscious life.
I had a quiet frugal day. I made creamy chicken bean soup, using foods that needed to be used up. It was pretty good, and there's plenty for tomorrow, and maybe after. I also made sugar cookies, from a mix. I'm pretty sure I got it free, but I did have to add butter, and a little flour and an egg, so it wasn't completely free. Yummy, though!
I took a walk, even though I am struggling with pain in my hip and leg. I am hoping the exercise will help, not hurt. I got a referral from my doctor to go to the ortho clinic -- however, when I made the appointment, I was forced by the site to choose only one body part to be examined and x-rayed. I went with my shoulder, because it is the worst. If I make the wrong move, it is very painful! I guess I will have to get separate referrals for my hip and my leg? Modern medicine, yecch! The appointment is on April 1.
I always find something on my walks, and today was no exception. I found a receipt and a scarf. I saw the scarf yesterday and it was still there today, tied around a railing, so I rescued it. Will do the usual wash and donate.
Hopefully when the ortho doctor sees you for your shoulder he/she will order xrays for your hip and leg too. Medicine sure can be different these days. I hope you'll be feeling better soon.
When I worked as an NP,insurance companies dictated what I could do in 1 visit. If you had 3 body parts with a problem,I could not order xrays for all 3 and get them covered by insurance for you, because to do that I’d have to EXAMINE all 3 body parts and evaluate and give a diagnosis before ordering xrays.So, I could only evaluate and diagnose and order treatment or films for one part per visit. NO TIME was allowed by my office for a visit long enough to do 3 body parts, and insurance companies will not pay for that.
Only mentioning it so you don’t get stuck with a bill later for xrays that are not covered!!
Of course we are seeing that Medical Care varies depending on where you are, however I wonder if you can PHONE the clinic prior to your appointment and ask for additional X-Ray requisitions for the other parts in order to avoid wasting the doctor's time (wink wink)? If you already have the X-rays done the doctor can address all the aching parts
I am sorry you are hurting - prior to my hip surgery I was there, and now my knees are acting up but I am practicing denial. Call me Cleopatra, (Queen of de Nile)
Gas in Phoenix area is 4.95 now.I am staying home a LOT. Grouping errands and grocery trips. I don’t even visit thrift stores much anymore,since I DON’T NEED anything,so I don’t have to go out all that often. I have hobbies at home, plenty of supplies for my card making and junk journaling to last me a lifetime!! 3 good friends right on the block, we do happy hours on the patio, coffee and cake and cards in each other’s homes. My husband and I walk the neighborhood and I ride my bike all around. Soon we’ll be swimming in the pool. Life at home is good (We’re retired.)
I am using up every MORSEL of food.I can see, as can everyone, that we are in for some serious sticker shock on food and ALL GOODS so I am being even more careful with meal planning, more meatless meals from my dry bean stash.I get a very affordable CSA fruit and veggie box every 2 weeks, all local farm goods.. and I plan around that. No “exotic” recipes, but good repeatable and tasty things like meatloaf and meatballs which stretch my ground meat, penne with peppers and onions and sauce, farfalle with tuna and marinated artichokes from a jar. Bean burritos,enchiladas,chickpea meals, barbecue chicken legs or thighs.Roast chickens.
Went through all my makeup,lipsticks,clothes,books, and arranged everything to use it up and not purchase any more! Also did a closet clean up.it’s peaceful to have ORDER in the house,pantry and closets, and heaven knows PEACE Is a bit hard to come by these days!!!!!
Using CLOUD LIBRARY AND LIBBY exclusively for books.
Use vinegar and water to clean just about everything.Used to cost 1.99 for big container, ( pre 2020) now up to 3.99!!!!! I use a 1:4 blend in a spray bottle.
Keeping up a self care/spiritual practice for peace fo miond and health.Being healthy is frugal! Meditation and prayer and inspirational books, plus a gratitude journal, daily.
AND I READ BLOGS! You and Kristin are my besties !
I got a PY referral for my knee AND my back. But my X-rays were for the individual body parts. So two visits for that.
What is your cost basis for your retirement account? I am a Warren Buffet investor - buy and hold. Unless you sell for less than your purchase cost (including fee), you are out nothing. Hang tight is all I can say - don't panic sell. I'll see how much my unrealized gain decreases come March EOM statement. However I have little appetite for buying any individual stocks at this time.
1. Picked up my bulk foods from Azure Standard. Their quick oats are soooo much cheaper than even Walmart. I also ordered their own brand concentrated all purpose cleaner, and Teff flour. https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=jWb0sVFU6M
2. Got a garden helper started for my mother, and visited my uncle. He and his wife were doing a bit of decluttering and they gave me several things to sell-some Anthropolgie clothes, brand new curtains and curtain rod from Rejuvenation, brand new Dansko Maci block heel sandals, and the best item...a brand new rattan pendant light from Serena & Lily, retailing for over $1000. It is enormous and beautiful and if I had a big house I'd keep it, but my house is very small and it would not work at all. I hope to sell it for good money!
3. Turned 3 pairs of long sleeve/long pants pajamas into short sleeve/shorts pajamas for my grandchildren. DIL rightly said that the pajamas won't fit them again in the fall when they need long pants pajamas again, so they might as well get more use out of them as shorts sets during the summer.
4. Had a friend over for a nice chat and mending.
5. Put 1 gallon bucket back in the kitchen sink to catch rinse water, and the 5 gallon bucket back in the shower to catch warm up water. We catch SO much water in these 2 places. Sadly it has been a dry spring.
1. My husband and I had dinner out and enjoyed the Tom Papa concert we attended. It was a great experience. It was the Grateful Bread tour and my husband caught one of the loaves of sour dough Tom tossed to the audience. So yay, free delicious bread. Please our meal portions were so large, we brought enough home for a second meal each.
2. Stopped at Goodwill yesterday and managed to resist the siren call of clothes and shoes. I focused on finding a replacement hand thrown clay mug, but no joy. I did find a very large tray that I have been looking for to replace the one that currently holds our coffee pots. It was still more than I wanted to pay, but I found some dishes there that I think I can flip to cover the cost. I like a fun challenge.
3. Bundled all our errands to save gas yesterday. I hit the grocery and found some good clearance deals. My plan is to skip the grocery altogether next week, which will save money and keep me away from the Easter shoppers.
4. I sold an item on eBay. Wrapping in materials I scrounged from the library. I plan to list more items today. A nice spring clean out of random items from our property.
5. I raise chickens and currently have more eggs than I need. I plan to hand out several dozen to my friends as a little Easter treat. Doesn't cost me anything and I know my friends will be appreciative!
Hork reminds me of our family word “grew-dah” (I gave the phonetic 🙂
I didn’t know this was a family word till I used it in my 30s to a friend, and she told me she had never heard it! I looked it up, nope! Not a word. I was mortified lol. I asked my mom and she said she thought an aunt made it up but we all use it. It means all the little gunk in a small area, or a crack maybe. “You've gotta clean the grew-dah off the stove before you cook again!” Or “the car cup holders are full of grew-dah”
lol really is useful word though!
Ah, family words! In an episode of "The Kids in the Hall" some decades ago, someone told someone else to move his "Big Bullum Head." This is what my husband tells me if he's driving and I am blocking the passenger side mirror.
We've never found a source for the phrase.
Kids in the Hall is essential technology in our marriage. "I'm squishing your head!" to defuse light irritations, and "Can't fix the car without a lot of milk" for frustrating deliberations. The goal is to say as much of the phrase as possible in a businesslike tone before the other gets it.
Oh, I am sure he is doing something underhanded, he is so "Foxy"... as in Fox fake News.... which is the worst insult I can give him. Also, I'd bet dollars to donuts that the coauthor, Dugard, probably did 95% of the work. Please note I got this book from a LFL, which means O'Reilly got zero royalties from me.
You don’t want to know what I visualized when you said you “horked a glue stick”.
Or do I?
Gas in Phoenix area is 4.95 now.I am staying home a LOT. Grouping errands and grocery trips. I don’t even visit thrift stores much anymore,since I DON’T NEED anything,so I don’t have to go out all that often. I have hobbies at home, plenty of supplies for my card making and junk journaling to last me a lifetime!! 3 good friends right on the block, we do happy hours on the patio, coffee and cake and cards in each other’s homes. My husband and I walk the neighborhood and I ride my bike all around. Soon we’ll be swimming in the pool. Life at home is good (We’re retired.)
I am using up every MORSEL of food.I can see, as can everyone, that we are in for some serious sticker shock on food and ALL GOODS so I am being even more careful with meal planning, more meatless meals from my dry bean stash.I get a very affordable CSA fruit and veggie box every 2 weeks, all local farm goods.. and I plan around that. No “exotic” recipes, but good repeatable and tasty things like meatloaf and meatballs which stretch my ground meat, penne with peppers and onions and sauce, farfalle with tuna and marinated artichokes from a jar. Bean burritos,enchiladas,chickpea meals, barbecue chicken legs or thighs.Roast chickens.
Went through all my makeup,lipsticks,clothes,books, and arranged everything to use it up and not purchase any more! Also did a closet clean up.it’s peaceful to have ORDER in the house,pantry and closets, and heaven knows PEACE Is a bit hard to come by these days!!!!!
Using CLOUD LIBRARY AND LIBBY exclusively for books.
Use vinegar and water to clean just about everything.Used to cost 1.99 for big container, ( pre 2020) now up to 3.99!!!!! I use a 1:4 blend in a spray bottle.
Keeping up a self care/spiritual practice for peace fo miond and health.Being healthy is frugal! Meditation and prayer and inspirational books, plus a gratitude journal, daily.
AND I READ BLOGS! You and Kristin are my besties !
My family uses "hork" in all three senses mentioned here, and as a component of "horkticulture," aka proplifting - surreptitiously pinching rootable material where it won't be missed.