Five Frugal Things -- My Customized Planner
1) I walked to a Mexican restaurant with my next door neighborhood and used a punch card to pay for my meal. I've been working on this card since my father was alive and almost all of it was filled from him taking me to lunch. It was his favorite restaurant.
I couldn't find a photo of us at said restaurant, so you'll have to make do with this one -- circa 1975.
2) I looked around my house and found a couple random things to list on eBay, specifically this needlepoint pillow that I thrifted at least five years ago. It's always set aside, (wool is scratchy) so it's time for it to find a new home.
Yes, I'm asking a hundred dollars for it, but only because I learned that it's from an expensive brand. Thank you, Google Lens!
Click HERE to see the listing.
3) I stopped into a Goodwill on my way to an appointment, and although I didn't buy anything, I did look up a half dozen or so items. This may seem like a thrift failure, but every one thing that I research increases my reselling knowledge.
For example, the above decorated tile is from New Mexico artist Yvonne Maneger and although some of her artwork sells for $50-$60 on eBay, other pieces sell for around twenty bucks. It was priced at $4.99, so I left it behind.
4) I wasn't all that hungry at dinnertime, as my restaurant meal was pretty heavy, so I just fixed myself a bowl of oatmeal. Yeah, I'm still on a "oatmeal buffet" kick!
5) My husband and I finished watching the first season of Karen Pirie through my sister's Prime Video account. I customized my new planner while watching the show. I even busted out my rusty cursive as an exercise in mild self improvement, which was kind of fun.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
1) I did some cooking yesterday to replenish my lunches and freezer reserves. I cooked a bag of dried beans, froze some in canning jars and used the rest to make two Buddha bowls. I then made a batch of carrot ginger soup in the instant pot and a loaf of beer bread (made with sparkling water, not beer). I also steamed some beets so I’d have cooked beets ready to eat and chopped the beet greens, steamed them, and added them to the Buddha bowls.
2) I live in a damp climate (on the coast) so I had a dehumidifier in the kids room to combat some mold issues. It had stopped working though (still turned on but stopped collecting water) I cleaned out the filters but it still didn’t work. I ordered a bigger, higher quality one from the hardware store in town (the broken one was from Amazon), they already had it on stock and set it aside for pickup. Really pleased to avoid Amazon and get a better quality item (even if it did mean more spending)
3) My son saw a new series he was interested in at a bookstore, rather than buy any, I’m getting some from the library so he can test them out (if there’s any he really wants a copy of, we can get it from our local bookstore in town)
I had a half packet of dry gravy mix and a half packet of roasted garlic soup mix in my pantry, and a 1/3 bag of frozen meatballs in my freezer. While scrolling mindlessly this morning I came across a video short on crock pot Salisbury meatballs. I whipped out my small crockpot, dumped the last of the meatballs in, freezer ice and all, microwaved one beef boullion cube in one cup water, mixed in dry gravy and dry soup, dashed in some Worcestershire sauce, and added to crock pot. To make up for paltry amount of meatballs, I added chunks of 1/2 onion and bell pepper. Mixed all and turned on high for one hour, low for second hour. I had 2 full boxes and 1/4 box of instant mashed potatoes (Aldi clearance sale!) so I finished off the 1/4 box for the meatballs. This turned out delicious and made me so happy to clear out bits and pieces from my kitchen. I hate waste.
I make my own planners too! But I go page to page not across, visually it works better for me to keep Saturday and Sunday together. For me the weekends belong together as a block.
Short version - spiral notebook, draw line down the middle of each page and then across so I have 8 roughly equal squares.
Top left is "to do", where i list anything I hope to accomplish this week that doesn't have to be done on a particular day or time. If it doesn't get done during the week I have to write it again the following week, so that usually encourages me to just do the stupid task instead of write it again.
Next to that is Monday, than under "to do" is Tuesday, with Wednesday under Monday.
The facing page is Thursday and Friday at the top, then Sat and Sun in the bottom 2 squares so I can just arrow across if we're doing something both days.
Kind of like putting the days in a Z pattern on each page rather than straight across, if that makes sense?
I'm realizing this sounds totally unhinged without a visual aid LOL
But it works for me! And I use up any random partial notebooks that come home at the end of the school year.
1. My son-in-law picked up my mulch for me with his pick-up truck, saving me a delivery fee or a million trips. I used discounted gift cards to purchase it.
2. I walked with my friend three times this week for free exercise and amateur therapy.
3. I found two chairs for my daughter, a cute ceramic planter for my sister, a clear plastic organizer bin and several things to sell on Ebay in the bulk trash pick up in a neighborhood near my mom.
4. My handyman and my friend's husband replaced a section of shelving in my closet. I only have to pay for one 4ft section of shelving. I had one piece of shelving already (it fell off the wall). My friend's husband gave me the tracks that anchor on the wall and the brackets as someone had left them in his building. They've been fixing and painting and doing all kinds of projects for me, so I can sell my house.
5. I'm reading a library book on my Kindle. I watched the entire season of The Curse Of Oak Island on the free History app on my Roku.
Also that picture of you and your dad is great.
I love "amateur therapy"!
Wow, Katy, your dad was definitely one good-lookin' dude. And are those Le Creuset pans on the stove?
Now, FFT, Rediscovery of a Classic Poem Edition:
(1) I continue to spend about 60-90 minutes each day at NDN1's house, sorting out old financial records to be shredded, other items to be recycled, and trash to be discarded. (We're going to have to call in a junk removal service at some point, but in the meantime, I'm doing what I can.) But I found something this afternoon that really made my day: a hard copy of a poem I wrote back in February 2003 called "An Ode to Kale." (The poetic style owes more to Henry Gibson on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In than anyone else, but DH, my friends, and I thought it was rather clever at the time.) I lost the file for this when I was changing computers back in the late oughts, and I hadn't saved a hard copy--so when I found this copy I'd given to NDN1, I was absolutely over the moon (and between laughter and tears). In this long cleanout slog, it's good that there are occasional rewards like this one.
(2) NDN1's nephew is coming for a brief visit at the end of May, during which he, CF, and I will go over how things stand at the house and decide how to proceed. He'll also be able to give his input on legal matters and on the disposition of NDN1's silver and jewelry. (He's the president of a small college and is marrying off a daughter this spring, so CF and I understand that he's been distracted lately.)
(3) In gardening news, I've now got everything cut back that I needed to cut back, and am just waiting for warmer weather to start planting things out. I moved the kale seedlings to my little greenhouse this afternoon. (Quoting my own poem: "All hale to kale, that hearty vittle!")
(4) I've been getting much enjoyment from watching the migrating birds passing through at my feeders. The stars of the show, as always, were the pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks I saw yesterday.
(5) And I don't change my mind every time I change my Depends about what's going on in Iran and what to do about it. 😛
When I cleaned out my mother's house, I labeled a box for each room, put all the papers in that room in it, and took it home with me to sort out in the comfort of my own home, as it was winter and her furnace had died. It still took forever, but at least I was warm doing it.
I loved Laugh-In, and can just see Henry Gibson in his white (Nehru?) suit with the big flower saying "A Poem By Henry Gibson" As Arte Johnson would say, "verrrrrry inter-resting...."
Maybe the nephew's daughter would like her great auntie's silverware as a wedding gift. It would be so nice! I wish the current generation would appreciate such fine items. But many of them entertain with paper plates and plastic forks, even at Thanksgiving and Christmas. So sad.
I hope you and the caring friend are going to be well compensated for all your efforts. You certainly deserve to be!
The reality is that the offer is likely to put her in an awkward position! I would ask the nephew to sound out his daughter on a “ no offence taken” basis. At 78, I have decluttered (snug one bedroom unit) and know that my grandchildren will probably take a shoebox full of odds and ends with family history, a silver pocket watch from my grandfather etc, and the photograph albums. That’s it. I’ve put names and dates on the photographs where possible , this will allow them to decide which ones they want to keep . Of eight albums. I would imagine they might keep perhaps one album’s worth. They have different lives and different times. It’s pointless for them to keep anything that isn’t meaningful and useful. It doesn’t reflect their love for me. It doesn’t mean that memories won’t continue. It just means that objects often only have meaning to those they belong to. Collectibles , China plates, figurines etc. Are rarely worth anything worth talking about ,no matter what promises might’ve been made when you started buying them.
LOL to your #5. To think I am a direct descendant of a *true patriot* of the Revolutionary War and have to put up with the current "admin". Resist, survive, and thrive. Karma is a bitch with impeccable timing is all I can say.
I went to PT this morning on the train, once again saving gas. I learned a lot at my session and came home with instructions and a therapy band. I don't have to pay the copay until the end of the month (I'll have two more sessions), and then I hope my Medicare Advantage debit card will cover it. I'm still learning what it covers and what it doesn't.
I went to CVS afterwards and bought a wedding card, a pair of tights, and a knee support sleeve. I was hoping the MA card would cover the sleeve, but it didn't. Maybe because I didn't check it out separately.
The wedding cards were expensive! I looked at quite a few before I settled on one that was cheaper but not tacky.
Once home, I made an olive-nut sandwich for lunch, using snack olives I got deeply discounted, cream cheese, a few chopped walnuts and thrifted bread. Strawberries on the side.
I'm going to a wedding out of town this weekend. I've set aside two possible outfits to take. I didn't buy anything except the aforementioned tights. I just can't decide which to wear so I'll let my friend help me. I'll be staying at her house on Friday night, and the wedding is Saturday.
My poor grandson broke his thumb in a volleyball game last night, so the season is over for us. It's too bad, because he played so well and was really feeling proud. So I won't be making the trek to the gym anymore -- not this year, anyway. So sad for him. He'll be in a cast for six weeks. At least it's his left hand.
Just wanted to add, like the others, I think your dad was very handsome. He reminds me so much of the guys I knew in the seventies, when I was a young woman.
My husband looked just like that in 1975, except his hair was red and much longer in a ponytail. Those were good times.
You might need a script for the MA card to pay for the sleeve? Save your receipt for the first one and then try getting a script for the second one. If it works, return on with the first receipt that you paid out of pocket for.
I love, love, love that pic and your punch card story. Great dad memories are the best.
My uncle called last night and left a message on my work phone that I inherited from my dad with his original message still on it. Uncle's voice cracked when he told me he missed dad's voice.
Went to a moving sale this morning. He had brand-new Costco buckets to fill up, bucket was free. Most stuff was .25, .50 & $1. I picked up silicone baking sheets, bamboo skewers, down pillow inserts, a pasta drying rack that I will use for drying herb bunches, plus a really nice old school telescope for $10. Now I have 3 for viewing parties...which happens often since I have very little light pollution.
Katy, you have lovely cursive handwriting.
I took a 15% off the entire order coupon to Ollie's Outlet today and bought 120 pounds of cat litter, canned peaches, organic applesauce, and an array of gluten-free snacks.
Yesterday we had 24 hours of thunderstorms rolling through. I stayed home to keep the dogs calm and started listening to a new audio book free through Hoopla.
1. I deleted the social media apps from my phone and feel like life has improved dramatically. I was feeling so depressed and anxious all the time and thought it wouldn’t hurt to try life without it and voila! So much better.
I still check it every day or two, but only from my desktop computer.
2. I recently enjoyed some Maude Lewis art and found out that they made a movie about her. And my library has the dvd!!
3. There are two huge garage sales happening this Saturday in a village nearby. We are going to go, looking for a scooter for our son, some outdoor pots and maybe some books.
4. My husband built me a gorgeous garden right outside my studio window. Rented a rototiller and got a big piece of wood and it looks amazing. We’re going to put some flowers in it so I have eye candy as I work.
5. We take a huge carload of stuff to the dump tomorrow. This company charges $20 per carload and separates it to metal salvage, recycling, etc. After all the work my husband has done, it’s going to be nice to have the junk gone!
Made the six hour drive home from visiting good friends and resisted the urge to get takeout for dinner. Instead, I texted my husband to thaw a container of pinto beans (cooked from dry and stashed in the freezer weeks ago). Once home, I picked fresh lettuce and arrugula from the greenhouse. Dinner will be bean and cheese burritos and a big salad.
I also ate the lunch I packed for the drive home instead of stopping for McDonald's fries -- though I was tempted, I resisted. Much better for my health and my pocketbook.
I bought gas at the station that was 15 cents a gallon cheaper.
I stopped at Safeway and bought 3 blocks of Tillamook cheese, on sale for $6.99 each ($7.00 off -- a sale they run a couple times a year, so I always stock up.) As I was at the self checkout an employee asked if I wanted my senior discount -- the answer is always yes. This saved me another $2.10.
While backing out of the driveway this morning at the cabin where I was staying with my friends, my car slid off and got stuck in the snow (we had a foot of fresh, wet stuff yesterday) My friend was ready to call a tow truck right away but I told her to wait. A guy in a big pick-up (who I suspected was the owner of the cabins) had driven past us five minutes before and I figured if I could find him or someone like him, he could pull me out. Sure enough, two minutes later the guy pulled up. He was, indeed, the cabin's owner. He had seen what happened in his rearview mirror and circled back. One tow strap and ten minutes later I was out. He was happy to help and I was happy to be freed with little trouble and no expense. We're already booked to stay at this cabin again in the fall.
The picture of you and your Dad is priceless!!! I graduated from high school in 1975 and that vibe was my childhood and youth. Love it!!
Nice job on the planner! One of my customers today was lamenting how cursive writing is more and more a lost art. I told her, as I will tell you all, that kids who are bored during the summer need only to look up cursing writing worksheets online....and voila! there's something for them to learn and do while school's out. Also a good activity for Grandma or Auntie or someone to sit down and teach them. (I would say the teenaged babysitter, but she probably doesn't know cursive writing either....)
-- Found a copy of "To Kill A Mockingbird" in a LFL. Best. Novel. Ever.
-- Finished reading my Stephanie Plum Series novel and gave it to fellow Janet Evanovich (author) fan at work. Everyone there could use a good laugh!
-- More scrambled egg meals. Eggs are 89 cents a dozen at our store!
-- Started care package box for local Vietnam veterans' organization. They are going to have a collection drive in 2 weeks and will pick up things from donors' homes. Great way to declutter bigger, heavier things that are hard to carry.
-- Sent postcard from Common Cause to Mike Johnson, Speaker of House (U.S. House of Representatives), demanding he grow a spine and do the right thing. Impeach/convict or 25th Amendment.
The photo of you and your father is precious. I love the stage of kids missing their front teeth. So adorable, especially in pictures!
1. I had a doctor appointment to discuss a recent procedure I had. The doctor gave me an exam and told me she was canceling my regularly scheduled appointment for next month because she had everything covered in today's visit. My gas tank thanks her as her office is about 25 miles from my house.
2. A friend gave me a beautiful potted geranium and a Mothers Day card for sharing my newspapers with her when I'm finished with them.
3. I went to Kiva, the social/mental health group I attend weekly. I enjoyed a free cup of tea while there. Besides a lot of talking, we play Trivia with cards from the old Trivial Pursuit game and Hygge, a game with origins in Denmark, with questions designed to start conversation between people. Lots of fun and many laughs.
4. DH and I have a walk planned for tomorrow. Then off to our friends' house for homemade pizza for dinner. No cooking!
5. I found an old wreath with pink baby roses on it in the closet. I had it hanging for years in the spare room where our granddaughter slept as a child. I took it down when we painted the room and forgot about it. Its new home is on my front door. It looks "Springish" so will stay there for awhile. Nothing beats shopping in your own home.
Rebounding from our vacation to Santa Fe. I packed my snack/drink every day M-Th I worked.
I was gifted a beautiful flowering plant as a thank you from one of the parents yesterday and today another parent gave me a $50 gift card to a local retailer. I was in awe.
I stopped at thrift store and bought a couple of nice clothing items and an ice bucket. I’m making a wine basket for a holiday event.
Katy, your cursive handwriting is beautiful. I've been writing in block letters (like an architect, which I'm not) for probably 30 years and I can no longer write legible cursive. Anyone could forge my illegible signature. And the picture of you with your dad is a classic.
1. Did some online ordering (while avoiding Amazon). I typically buy what I need in person or request it via Buy Nothing, but since I'm not able to get out and about right now, I've had some deliveries to the house and visitors bring them in for me while my husband is away.
2. Purchased cushions for four outdoor chairs that I received from Buy Nothing last year. Free shipping. The chairs aren't technically for dining so the cushions raise them up to a more comfortable height for the table that also came from Buy Nothing.
3. Received a $5 Best Buy coupon that I used for printer ink. Free shipping.
4. After much research, I found reasonably-priced seat covers for my husband's new-to-us truck. His clothes get very dirty because of his work and he wants to keep his truck nice. Free shipping.
5. Used Target gift cards from the Red Cross to buy supplements. Ordered online and husband went to pick them up as we had groceries on the order, too.
Thank you, I had to practice on a blank sheet of paper first.
The Karen Pirie series in books is wonderful. Complex people and creative story lines.
What a fun planner project!
1. I got a $0.65 Ibotta rebate on a grocery receipt from my husband's bulked errands the other day.
2. Yesterday we took a day trip to the Oregon coast. The trip cost $10 for the Harris Beach parking fee + gas, the snacks and kite we brought from home. It was very cold, windy, and there was a storm and razor clam warning (didn't see the storm warning until we were leaving, go figure) but we had a great time!
3. I finished listening to "All But My Life" by Gerda Weissmann Klein through Libby. She tells her story of being a teenager and growing up during the Holocaust in Poland. Very moving! I had been on the wait list since early February and it was worth the wait.
4. I requested some more movies from the library, mostly for the kids but one or two for us as well.
5. I scheduled my first mammogram, I'm considered very high risk due to my family history so I'm starting screenings early. Verified my instance with the scheduler and will be getting the cold plates of destiny in about 3 weeks.
What, pray tell, is a razor clam WARNING?
It’s when the bacteria levels are too high to safely harvest the clams. Razor clams are a variety found on the Oregon coast.
The cold plates of destiny. Ha!
that pic makes me smile. cool dad helping young daughter at the stove. fresh flowers in the house. Aunt Jemima syrup bottle nearby. red pans, red tablecloth, red scarf. lovely testimony to a bygone era. (thanks for sharing!)
Makes me smile as well.