Five Frugal Things -- Punch Up, Not Down
1) I took a couple hours out of my day to donate platelets at The American Red Cross and me being me, I took full advantage of their fortifying snacks. They'll also email a $15 gift card in a week or so, which can be redeemed at one of maybe a hundred corporate retail spots. In the past I've chosen practical grocery gift cards, (Safeway or Kroger/Fred Meyer) but it's always fun to pick something out.
My Red Cross encourages you to help yourself to their sweet treats, which I always accept. I did ask if they were hiding any Nutter Butters in the back and was rewarded with a pair of them. They are truly the superior cookie!
They were still giving away microfiber beach towels, even though that promotion ended at the end of May. I declined though, as we rarely use the thrifted cotton ones we already own!
2) This one isn't my "frugal thing," but I'm including it anyway. My sister scored some of NYC's free Big Apple Compost from a neighbor who grabbed a bag for her.
She doesn't own a car, but she does have a backyard garden. People have a lot of preconceptions about what it's like to live in expensive New York City, but there are almost endless amazing free things that simply don't exist in other areas of the country. (Hello, free museum entry for New Yorkers!) Being able to not own a car is a huge financial advantage!
3) I wasn't trying to buy a Trader Joe's striped mini tote when I stopped by the other day for bananas. (23¢ each, regardless of size!) However, I'm not going to pile on to mock the people who were excited to buy these objectively cute items.
Life is expensive these days and buying the occasional inexpensive practical item as a dopamine boost is A-Ok sometimes. I'm fully aware that some shoppers buy them to resell, but it's likely those people are simply trying to pay their bills. Doing the time consuming work to piece together an income.
The people to be mad at are those who hoard wealth while others suffer. Punch up, not down.
4) My husband and I watched the movie Hot Fuzz through my sister's Prime Video account. This movie is so freaking hilarious and we notice something new every time we put it on for a rewatch.
Pure enjoyment and perfect for me as I was feeling a bit depleted from my earlier platelet donation. Zero guilt that I'm not enriching Schmeff Schmezos with my own person account!
5)
- I wore my free Red Cross sunglasses while driving across town to donate platelets.
- I listened to a free Libby audiobook while in the car.
- My husband and I ate leftovers for dinner.
- I'm halfway through my library book.
- I mended a fitted sheet. Badly.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
I walked with my friend who is slowly recovering from a minor surgery gone wrong and ended up with sepsis.
We drove over to farmstead to pick up our preorders of fresh corn on the cob
I have a facebook marketplace sale pending for pick up
Ordered my return bags from freshie so I can complete my closet reorganizing.
Oh, sepsis is such a scary thing! I'm glad you are supporting your friend.
1. Getting ready to decorate for my son’s grade 8 grad this week. I managed to find a stash of decorations, tape and accessories the school used last year and we are repurposing them for this year.
2. My husband and I went out for a fun dinner at a local restaurant/pub. Their gluten free fish and chips were so good and huge enough the we shared one meal between the two of us. The best part was the major of our city was there so we got to meet and chat with him. I love where we live!
3. With school ending soon, we are having our 14 year old cycle through different chores so he can master them. He has already mastered setting and clearing the table, garbage/recycling, the dishwasher in both loading and emptying and most yard work, so this summer we are going to give him a chance to practice bathrooms, laundry, floors and dusting. Having him be a fully formed human is good for us all!
4. I have been enjoying using my son’s old art supplies! I have some coloring books that I enjoy working through while I listen to music for a podcast. Better than scrolling!
5. We were going to take my dad out for Father’s Day, but they had some nice locally grown steaks at the farmers market so I opted for that instead. Will save us easily $100+!!
Brenda, I so love your #3!
No kidding - no one should marry only to find out s/he/they got a child not a spouse.
My 3 kids had chores every day of summer vacation. I did switch the chore list among them every week so one kid wouldn't complain about the other 2 having it easy. My DS and DIL (no kids...they have cats) have a great arrangement: she does all the cooking and he does all the cleaning. It works for them and I like to think all those summer chores helped round him into the good guy he is. My DIL often tells me I raised the perfect man! Proud mama here.
Brenda,
Laundry is a must for young men to know. When I was at college, freshmen boys were notorious for ruining both the washing machines and all their clothing because half of them didn't know you weren't supposed to dump the whole bottle of detergent or bleach into the washer at one time!
This morning I scored two items off a garage sale free pile and sold one, a medium, classic Lands’ End canvas tote bag, for $5 on FB Marketplace. I could have gone for more, judging from the many responses I got, but I wanted a quick sale. It sold in less than two hours. The second free item was a small lamp, which I paired with another free, new with tags and shade wrapping, small lamp from another free pile two weeks earlier. I offered them to my young adult son. He snapped them up. Free is for me!
Lookin' good in free shades! I just figured out they are red due to Red Cross blood donation. (When I read 'Punch up not down" I thought it was about your platelet donation. When I was a new nurse I started an IV going the wrong way, going down against the systemic blood flow. Amusing how health care personnel may interpret things.)
1. I found a quarter in the drive thru lane at Mickey D's.
2. Found a set of light blue king size sheets in the dumpster. They are presently being washed in HOT water on heavy cycle. These sheets have some elastic tabs on each corner to hold them in place. I have high hopes this will hold them snugly on the bed.
3. Found also 15 Built Bars. I ate one. They are ok. I think I will take remainder to the 12 steppers across the street to sell at their concession stand.
4. Made tea for iced tea at home. For some reason, the iced tea at Panera here tastes off at times. I told the manager & he said it is brewed fresh each day. I just got a Blackberry Hibiscus tea instead w/ My Sip Club.
5. The church across the street is having a shoe donation. I found a pair of Men's New Balance w/ some life left in them. The church says if the collect 1000 pair of shoes they will get a $1000 donation. I'm not sure of the details but thought I would donate these. I also cleaned out some drawers & found some things that can be used as prizes for Bingo at the local senior center.
#4 - it may be brewed fresh each day but how often is the dispensing canister thoroughly cleaned? Same thought re: coffee.
Re: iced tea. It doesn't matter how "freshly made" it is, what matters is when they cleaned it last. Tea gets this almost lemony taste that indicates the brewer/pot needed cleaning a couple of days ago. The blackberry hibiscus sounds yummy!
If you go to estate sales, do not overlook the laundry/cleaning supplies area. Over the past several months, I have scored: five new air freshener sprays, $1 each; a jug of liquid laundry detergent, 1/2 full, for $1; a jug of Tide laundry pods (the expensive kind), more than 1/3 full, for $2.50; and this morning, a jug of Tide liquid laundry detergent, 2/3 full, for $2. All products were current packaging, not old.
Good advice! I always check for towels and bedding at estate sales.
We're still working our way thru laundry detergent and cleaning supplies we grabbed out of the neighbors dumpster when they moved over a year ago.
1. I'm still hanging with dad, who treated my sister and me to dinner last night.
2. In return, I brought dad to do another mystery shop for lunch (which both paid for the food and earned me $15) before visiting my mom.
3. While out, he needed to pick up another prescription at CVS. While there, I noticed a jar of cherry Bonne Maman jam for 75% off, costing just $2.29, so I scooped it up.
4. I signed my mom up for the .99 cent special via Amazon Prime (sorry, I know you hate it, but my parents live in very rural area and are elderly, so it is helpful for them) for both Acorn & BritBox. She is stuck in the nursing home/rehab with a busted knee and cannot walk at all, and she loves all things British, so for $4, it is well worth it (her version of the tote bag!).
5. Tomorrow, my BFF and I will take the T into downtown Boston to see if we can find any stragglers left from the Tartan Army who were in town for the World Cup. Cheaper than getting tickets to see a match.
Re: your #5, Betta: Two Tartan Army members stopped off in my area en route from Toronto (where they landed in North America) to Boston--and made local headlines by scoring back-to-back holes-in-one at an area golf course. Here's the link:
https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2026/06/get-a-kick-out-of-this-world-cup-fans-from-scotland-shoot-an-ace-on-same-hole-at-cny-golf-course.html
A. Marie, I read that. Crazy eh?
I loved reading about the Tartan Army, and seeing them on TV. They said Boston made them feel so welcome. I love traveling especially in Europe, and knock on wood most people have been so kind. I want visitors here to know we are kind too. Don't believe everything you see about Americans on TV or social media!!!
Washed and groomed the dog.
Watched a video on using a pull behind fertilizer spreader to spread compost on the grass to conserve water. Will give a go!
Thought I was buying a tower fan, instead it was a tower heater, so I put it in storage to sell in late fall. Doh!
Bought a full bottle of beeswax wood conditioner $1, used it to polish my outdoor maple dining table and cedar chest/firewood box.
Picked my first zucchini. Picked th last sugar pea pods, pulled the plants for the calves.
I scrubbed the 3 suitcases I bought for the CASA kids. It is a necessary horror to quickly move a child out of a dangerous situation, using a garbage bag. It is my goal to give each child a backpack with treats and a carry on size suitcase with a quilt of their own and pillowcase. The older the kids, the bigger the suitcase.
Thank you for caring for kids in this way. I am a former foster care worker from Chicago. Giving that dignity to children, when they are already suffering because adults were incapable of caring for them properly, is a beautiful gift. If you could find a mini instant camera, perhaps the kids could use it for family photos. I had a sibling group on my caseload and they were frequently in separate homes. They had NO pictures of each other. It broke my heart. I was able to help them as their caseworker, but that has remained with me even after years out of that job.
I do so agree that people who are struggling hard to make ends meet should not have to hear they are cheap, or even unethical. The rich are the problem IMHO. Trickle down, indeed.
1. I fixed the hook on one of my bras. I have been struggling with it a long time, couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work. I have even looked to replace the bra, as it's my only black one. I finally examined it closely enough to see that a little piece of metal within the hook that should have been straight was bending down a little. A minute with needle nose pliers fixed that.
2. I resurrected wipes that had completely dried out by placing them in a tight-lidded jar with a little water. Ta da!
3. I ran errands today using free public transit. It was tiring, because it involved a lot of walking, too, but satisfying.
4. I shopped at Goodwill, spending $14 on a perfect Wilton brownie pan, a lap tray that coordinates with one I already have (so two of can eat together), three decks of shrink-wrapped Bicycle cards, a gift bag, and a vintage creamer from Germany which will be a gift for a friend. Nothing to resell this time.
5. I needed a bit of jalapeno for a recipe. I was considering getting a can, but opted for one fresh pepper instead. I'm so glad I did! It was 10¢.
Beth - Has your son found a job? Thinking of you, he, and their family during these sad times ..You sound like a great Mom!
Aw, thank you! No, he hasn't found a job yet. I'm very worried.
Lovely presentation of your blood donation treats!! And yes, Nutter Butters are the best!
I agree that owning a vehicle is insanely expensive. I so wish I could get by without owning one but impossible where I live… sigh.
1. I walked an hour between doing laundry at laundromat, getting garden fresh tomatoes from the River Farmer’s market, gas for $3.17 gallon, etc.
2. The monsoon like rains continue but I am not floating like South Mississippi, and parts of South Alabama are not in great shape either. Now my backyard is under water but that is normal during heavy rains. So the frugal thing is that I have electricity, am safe in my house, and can come and go freely as I please, and my house nor car are in danger of flooding. In short, life is normal! Whew! Oh, the drought is over for real here!
3. The rains have cooled the air and my windows are up and the air has been off for days! I run the fan constantly bc of humidity but hopefully my electric bill will show the lack of air conditioning$$$$$.
4. It is far too wet to sit outside ( and another cloud is approaching) but I am listening to the birds, crickets, insects, through my screened windows. Enjoying nature up close and personal without getting mosquito bites is always nice!
5. I am reading library books, sort of cleaning my house, emphasis on the “sort of”, and enjoying fresh tomatoes sandwiches with an abundance of salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Life is good! I also made my version of pork and vegetable egg fried rice, which consists of the last of a coleslaw mix, fried bologna, rice, eggs and teriyaki sauce.
Happy Juneteenth a day late! Celebrations here have been postponed bc of the rains.
My husband got 5 more large sturdy plastic buckets from a coworker. I believe they originally held supplements for her farm animals. She has so many that she just throws them away if she can't find someone who wants them. They are great for planting my container garden and all I have to do is drill holes in them. I've got potatoes, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers growing in the ones we already had, and the new ones will hold more cucumbers and green beans. Lowe's had "buy 2 get 1 free" on a certain size of their veggie plants.
We had enough points to get $1 off each gallon of gasoline, so got it for $2.43. Also found a penny while we were there.
Harvested a head of Romaine lettuce from my raised beds and should have another ready soon.
Kroger had Hu brand chocolate bars on clearance. Normally they are $5.99/4.99 for the two varieties they had. I also had a $3 off coupon in my account so they were about $1.50 each. I got 6.
1. I spent a good part of the day doing laundry starting at 6am. I make sure it is all sheets, towels, napkins, tablecloths, and more accumulated clothing since we didn't do laundry while they were here.
2. Our fridge is pretty empty after feeding extra people for days but I mixed together all the leftover lettuce/arugula, an old carrot and some tomatoes for salads. A cheese and ham omelette will round out dinner.
3. Watching the new season of Grantchester courtesy of my public television membership (I'd donate anyway) and enjoying it.
4. Picked up a book at the library. Mostly I read on my Kindle but occasionally I have to get a "real" book and then it is from the library.
5. Having turned our drip irrigation on for the dry season and setting it correctly according to info from the water district is resulting in happier looking landscaping. Hopefully it is also saving water and therefore costs.
We have a plant little free library! She has seedlings of house plants,seeds, bigger herbs etc. I took some Easter cactus (related to Christmas but different) and left her a $ donation. What a great idea!
Father's Day here I splurged on a steak for DH and he cut it in two so he will get 2 meals out of it. I had my free shrimp that had fallen onto the floor. I offered to buy them which they declined and gave them to me. Dubbed "floor shrimp" here they got washed off and cooked.
Kids and grandkids arrive tomorrow and we have free tickets to the children's museum and bowling.
Free bowling all summer is offered through this website: KidsBowlFree app
Hope this is helpful to the group!
Starting to eat from the garden which is fun and I equate to my version of Chopped.
Found a book in really good condition which I traded for credit at a used book store. It was in brand new condition but it had a discount price tag on the front, having been originally bought at Walmart. I carefully peeled the tag off so I would get 1/4 of the original, higher price in credit. In my area, none of the stores give you cash for books, so credit is the best I can do. I'm up to $17 in credit at this store.
Received my study Bible. I thought of you guys when I saw the box on my porch: a Frankenbox. It was a walmart box taped up with mover's tape with a sticker that said don't use a blade to cut it open. Inside, there was a lot of paper packing that had once been an Amazon paper bag or envelope, and the book was wrapped in layers of bubble wrap. When I took off the bubble wrap, they had sealed it in shrink wrap. Aside from a teensy tiny blemish on one corner, and some erased inscription on the title page, my $27 with free shipping Bible was in like-new condition. I'm going to rate this eBay seller 5*s.
Frugal frustration: my recently refurbished computer is popping up with messages that McAfee and Norton virus protection have expired. Didn't even know I had both! I resubscribed to Norton but this has not stopped the pop ups from continually popping up. Both company ads keep appearing! Anyone know how to stop this? Do I have to buy a popup blocker or is there a free hack I can do?
This has been happening to us since we bought our computer several years ago. It was bought brand new. As annoying as it is especially to my husband we just click the X in the corner or uncheck the Box and then click finished. I will be looking to see if someone replies to your request for help since I do not know how to stop these ads.
You have been hacked! Text McAfee and Norton directly, not from site sending messages. You may be able to get money back. Contact credit card company, too.
Reputable companies will help cheerfully.
Supporting Trader Joe’s and these totes IS punching down.
* TJ is known for its union busting and problematic labor practices. Why shop there?
* TJ will not allow third party oversight of its factories overseas, we are supposed to take their word that they aren’t exploiting workers or using child labor.
* The bags themselves are exploitative, they are made of water/energy consuming cotton and petroleum-based polyester. Further, they can’t be recycled so they will likely end up landfilled, probably in a garbage mound in a country where the people are much further “down” than those poor, poor resellers in the US.
Systematic problems are individual problems, because the systems can only exist if the individuals prop them up financially. This is especially true of non-necessary goods like a $3 canvas tote (however do they sell it so cheaply, I wonder..).
I’m disappointed and sad, but not surprised at your support of these damaging and destructive hot trend behaviors. You mock Bezos while telling us about the great Whole Foods meal deal. The blog is covered in ads these days (currently playing: Oofos shoes, dell computers, some weight loss injection, and a Mercedes ad. This is just what made it through my adblocker). This blog is no longer about nonconsumerism or the Compact. Perhaps it is time to rebrand it as the “frugal reseller” blog.
I'm going to reply to this first time commenter in tomorrow's blog post.
Katy - thank you so much for your Red Cross donation. Five years ago, on my last chemo infusion, I was dangerously low on white blood cells and had to have a transfusion. I still have gratitude for the person who gave that donation. In the past, I gave a blood donation but I, embarrassingly, passed out:(. They told me I probably shouldn’t try again.
I admit that I might have felt a bit snobby about the people who were lined up at my local Trader Joe’s for the newest bags. It was a bit of a frenzy ala beany babies or cabbage patch kids. You put it all into perspective for me because I hadn’t thought about how they might be using this as part of their survival strategy. Also I thought about how the bags are cotton (not polyester) and seemingly well made. I think some people use them as gift bags.
The Red Cross will let me know when my donations gets used and what city they went to. It really personalizes the process. So happy to read that you're five years past your last chemo infusion!!!
Years ago when I was a regular donator of platelets, plasma, and granulocytes I was a match for a TWO people. I donated platelets every other day for two weeks for the first one, and for the second person I donated granulocytes twice. It made my donations so special to me, to know that a person suffering through treatments was, hopefully, going to get better by my just donating. Heart shaped emoji.
1) Free lunch at work with enough left over for the rest of the week! (Not saying that I HID the leftovers from extra-departmental vultures, but they are in a far away fridge that is rarely used...)
2) eBay sale in a recycled package with gifted stamps
3) Got some deals at CVS in the same shopping center at the post office. Paid $7.40 OOP and got $4.42 in rebates. Not bad for two boxes of cereal and two boxes of granola bars--the kind of junky treat that I wouldn't spend full price on.
4) Cutting up food packaging to make postcards to send to elected officials about the travesties in government.
5) Downloaded the second book in the series from Libby as soon as I finished the first.
Also a member of the Badly-Mended Sheets Club! It looks really funny on the clothesline but it feels fine on the bed!