Five Frugal Things -- There Are Always Fresh Frugal Tricks to Discover!
My husband and I are home from our mini-vacation, which we kept as frugal as possible.
- I found two 10¢ refundable water bottles, a soggy/dirty/abandoned knit cap and a nice ponytail holder in the parking lot. I brought home the hat and gave it a good scrub, and will donate it to the "free hat and gloves box" at my public library.
We'll categorize these as "souvenirs." - We may not have splurged on any of the paid spa services, but we did luxuriate in the large outdoor hot tub overlooking the Columbia Gorge. We even enjoyed it in the rain, which is how you know I'm a true Oregonian! It didn't cost anything extra and was deeply relaxing. They gave us a 45 minute late checkout, which allowed us to indulge in one last soak.
- We helped ourselves to to-go cups of tea from the free beverage station. We sipped these during our drive home on the Washington side of the Columbia river. This route saved us $3, as it allowed us to avoid the
- I turned our furnace off for the time we were gone, knowing there wasn't anything even close to freezing temperatures in the weather forecast. Came home to the house at 48 degrees, which was very satisfying.
Our gas bill is a bit less than $5 per day this time of year, which includes the oven and hot water heater. We were gone Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon, so I'll estimate we saved around $12, as I didn't adjust our twenty-plus year old hot water heater.
- I noticed they offered games to borrow, unfortunately as we checked out. However, I'll keep this in mind for our next visit. This is an example of how there are are always fresh frugal tricks to discover!
If there's a free available service, I want to know about it! No shame in my cheap game!
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Hot tubbing in the rain sounds like a good time.
I had a day of frugal habits. I think these little things add up.
1. I went for a walk and picked up 4 cans along the way.
2. I checked the “dented produce” section at the grocery store just as it was being stocked. I found a nice big honeydew melon for $1.50. I sliced it up when I got home, and I’m happy to report that it’s a sweet one.
3. For dinner, I’m making chicken soup from my freezer stash of stock.
4. I put Christmas stuff away today, and this included tissue paper, ribbons, and gift bags that I reuse year to year.
5. I’m reading a library book on my Libby app.
1. I had a rotisserie chicken that needed to be used. I took the skin off & deboned the meat. I put the meat in the food processor. After adding mayo, I placed the chicken salad on day old bread I got at the senior center. Nearly free chicken salad sandwiches to take to church as we took down the Christmas decorations. (I got the rotisserie chx at Walmart for $2.) Then the carcass went into the crockpot to make chx stock.
2. I got a 2 lb bag of dried cherries & a 2026 calendar that someone brought to the church to donate.
3. I found 16 cents on my walk this evening.
4. I found 2 insulated tumblers in the trash room at the condo. The cups are rather cheaply made but the lids fit my Tervis cups that needed lids. I was looking into ordering replacement lids, but free ones are better.
5. Not frugal for me but for my friend. I picked her up at the airport. The airport closer to our condos is more expensive to fly into. She got an $83 dollar fare at the airport a little further away. Sometimes if you want to save $ there are inconveniences.
Aside from avoiding tolls, driving home on the Washington side of the river means you took the scenic route. If you’re not in a hurry, the scenery is spectacular and costs nothing extra, so it counts as a frugal treat.
We're lucky, as both sides are scenic. However, the Oregon side is objectively better!
That view is gorgeous!! And free!!!
The view from the Oregon side is much much better, but we'd seen it on the way in.
1. It is in the mid 80’s here and will be 78 by Friday so I am getting lots of t-shirt walks in while I can.
2. I sat outside in my lawn chair, listened to the birds and crickets, and enjoyed gorgeous sunsets.
3. I made potato salad from ingredients I had on hand.
4. I walked up and down three flights of stairs a few times today bc the one elevator was quite busy at work. More exercise!
5. I took my breakfast and lunch to work.‘I do think this one habit has saved me the most money over the years.
Mid 70’s not 80’s. I have fat fingers and a really small phone.
1. I have been using our air fryer to dry fresh herbs. Much more energy efficient than using our oven. They have been turning out so well and love decreasing food waste. Spices are also not cheap (as nothing is these days).
2. Bought a pass to open gym for my little one , bringing the open gym classes to 7 dollars each. I have a monthly budget for activity spending for him (which is not much) . We have many free things to do around but when the weather is cold it’s great to have cheap activities. This gym is also only a few miles away, but it a different county, so gas is shockingly cheaper and can fill up when we visit.
3. Found garden gloves for myself at the bins which I’m really excited to use this spring! Hoping to start a veggie garden.
4. Fighting a cold it seems , raided our closet for cold medication instead of going to the store and was successful in finding a large stash.
5. Brought home the free crayons from Nordstrom grill they gave my little one when my mom treated us to lunch on her last visit. They are a great toddler size and has kept him entertained for most of the afternoon.
Happy Belated Birthday to you Katy! Nice you had a birthday getaway.
1. I found a pair of dungarees that fit perfectly on the clearance rack at Kohls. They were marked down from $34 to $12.24 and I had a coupon for $5 off so I got them for $7.24. The material is thick and strong so hopefully they will last a long, long time.
2. Reading library books on these cold winter days is keeping me entertained. I'm grateful my parents were both readers because I think it rubbed off on me.
3. Not frugal for me but I saw on the Everything's Free site I follow someone was giving away two large bags of old blankets and towels. I picked them up and delivered them to the no-kill cat shelter in my town.
4. I picked up a frozen turkey on sale for .89 lb. It's hard these days in this area to find meat for under $1 lb. Maybe everywhere.
5. I sold DH's satellite communicator on FB Marketplace. He used it a couple of times while hiking but got a cellphone with a communicator built in. He often hikes in remote places so I insisted he have a way of communicating with the world while out there.
Did not succumb to the lure of the soft drink machine during the nearly three hours spent at the eye doctor's office this afternoon. Most of that was waiting around between tests. Was very glad of the home breed iced tea in the dar when I finally got out of there.
We had one lone, long-frozen ground beef patty in the freezer, which I thawed, chopped up, cooked and added to a pot of spicy rice and black beans. It made five yummy portions for lunch.
I turned the last few slices of bread into French toast for supper with slices of orange as the side.
That would be "home brewed iced tea in the car." Where is auto correct when you need it?
Things I've discovered recently:
1. Thriftbooks does buy back. I have a box in the mail and another one started. Gives me store credit, which I'll happily use.
2. A locally owned grocery store accepts bottles and cans for redemption value. That's hard to find around here.
3. Pickled carrots are easy to make and really elevate rice and beans.
4. Even though it doesn't pay well, Plato's Closet does pay on the spot for teen clothes. I pick up teen clothes from any free source (not Buy Nothing though as that is against the rules) and keep them in a bag in my garage for Plato's. Once the bag is full, I add that stop to my errand route.
5. IKEA does discounted shipping if you're willing to pick up at FedEx or a couple other hubs.
6. Students get to ride the bus for free. I got my validation sticker today. Hulu is $1.99/month for students with a .edu email address. I'm keeping my ear out for other student discounts. I'm taking a class at the community college and this opens up the lovely world of student discounts. The health fee is mandatory, so I can use student health for anything minor, and student health offers a few OTC medicines for free (inculding ibuprofen). I will be using this service.
I just discovered selling at Plato’s closet! I picked up some cute teens clothes from various free piles and such. Got $60 which was fine by me!
1. Went to the Epiphany services at church. Afterwards, we were told we could take home the poinsettias that were used for decorations, even if we hadn't bought them. I got a white one, thinking it'd be OK for my mother's grave (her birthday was Jan. 6.) Sadly, it is mostly dead and I found out the cemetery groundskeepers remove all Christmas items this week, so it'd be thrown away pronto. Therefore, I'll keep it just for the plastic pot and soil.
2. Gathered some books to take to the used bookstore that gives cash.
3. Coworker went on New Year's Diet, offered me a half-gallon of Blue Bell ice cream in the break room freezer. I won't say no to Blue Bell! Brought it home and will enjoy it bit by bit.
4. Got a flu shot, even though I'd already had one in August. When college kids return, the local flu count goes into the stratosphere. Had to pay out of pocket, but IMO the $40 cost is nothing compared to being sick and having to stay home from work -- and not being paid. Working in a drug store, you're exposed to many sick people, so I didn't want to chance it.
5. Did not break the U.N. charter and U.S. Constitution by invading a sovereign nation without Congressional approval. Did not alarm the world by threatening to run that country and take over other sovereign nations. Also did not try to change history by claiming violent insurrection was a peaceful patriotic thing 5 years ago. (He was a busy little devil these last few days, wasn't he?)
There is a lot of of online petitions to sign on http://www.change.org (I sign daily) in different categories and I also use the free 5 calls phone app to voice my displeasure to my US representatives with everything going on in the US. It makes me feel better that I'm at least letting my opinions be heard for free.
I have also had 5calls app on speed dial all year! And will continue to voice my displeasure.
If you need something that looks like a small bouquet, cut the poinsettia branches and blooms (which are really just colored leaves), and put them in water in a vase. They last a long time, even without the roots and soil.
Not frugal, but zero waste and a happy heart!
Back story - We had a big fundraiser at our house in early fall. My husband was very sick for Thanksgiving so we had to cancel. Had a big holiday party Dec. 19. 2 days later we both got really sick, me with Influenza A. Had to cancel everything again. Finally got better around New Years. We had so much food in our freezer, soda, beer, etc. left over from the fundraiser, Christmas party and cancelled holidays, it was overwhelming. Yes, I could have eventually used the food. But I called a lady who cleaned for me years ago and offered it to her. We've given to her many times before but this time it was extreme. She cried when she saw everything. Added a little cash and the joy this gave me is indescribable. They are hardworking people who really can't even get by and now may have to move. I just wish I could do so much more for them.
Well Cathy, sorry about your families illness troubles, but reading your solution to your overstock made my heart happy. So thanks for your generosity and spreading the joy.
Not much happening in our house today.
1. Had a delivery for diapers and wipes arrive today so my living room has turned into a mega cardboard fortress.
2. Tonight was pancakes for dinner. My husband had the kids "help" him and they filled the house with giggles.
3. We submitted an online return for an item that came too late for Christmas and wouldn't have worked out well anyways.
4. I found some mashed potatoes in our freezer that I had forgotten about, which is perfect because we have a blank day on our meal plan that would be perfect for a random freezer find.
5. Using blankets instead of cranking up the heat, despite my grumbling 😉
This weekend I visited our local refill/zero waste shop to get some package-free dishwasher detergent and learned they do a monthly clothing swap (and a puzzle swap! And a book swap!), and it happens to be this upcoming weekend. I invited a thrifty friend and we’ll be carpooling to the swap to get some extra hang out time, and potentially hit up a nearby thrift shop after!
A free outing with “new” clothes for everyone, and time with a friend? Sounds perfect to me 🙂
1. I meal prepped a Huge quinoa/roasted sweet potato/arugula salad which we are using for lunches all week. Our son hates quinoa so we are eating it without him!
2. In a desperate attempt to get our grocery bill down below $1000 a month, we are eating down everything in the fridge, freezer and pantry. I am used to overbuying food from when we lived in NYC (where groceries were insanely expensive so when we found deals we had to stock up). I am trying to get a better handle on what we actually eat in a week.
3. I am eating all the “sad” fruit that is in our fridge. I would ordinarily toss those mandarins that look a bit worse for wear, but they actually still taste good. Lowering my standards and pickiness is definitely a good habit.
4. We are trying to sort out why our electric bill was so insane this month. Trying to get it down by 20% by making sure lights are turned off and we use small spaces heaters rather than turning up the heat for the house. We also decided we didn’t need to run the dehumidifier in the laundry room unless there are wet clothes hanging up. Hopefully this will help!
5. I updated all of my budget and expense spreadsheets to streamline the process. I updated the categories for our new life and made it easier to see things on one page. I also made some goals around spending - namely, to reduce spending on clothes, groceries and housewares. 2025 was super expensive since we moved, our son exploded out of all his clothes and shoes and we had a lot of home projects to manage. I’m guessing we might have another huge chunk of savings this year!
Belated Happy Birthday Katy! I'm glad you were able to get away in a nice but frugal way. I love that games are available to borrow at the lodge. Our library offers games that can be checked out.
1. My found change for 2025 was $13.39, with $385 found in the fourth quarter.
2. I stopped at CVS to redeem my $10 Extra Bucks for the month (I paid $24 for one year of $10/month) as well as $3 they gave me just because. I loaded a couple of coupons to my card. For $1.93 out of pocket I got two 5 ounce bags of shelled pistachios, a bag of popcorn, and two boxes of Cheerios (to donate to the food bank).
3. Last week I went with a friend to a new Persian restaurant (not frugal). I had looked at the menu online and knew they offered a lunch menu which was reasonably priced. We were given dinner menus and the food seemed expensive. I asked about a lunch menu which was then produced. They served a tremendous amount of delicious food for $12. I don't know what to think beyond they wanted not to offer the lunch menu.
4. I made a pot of lentil soup, winging the recipe. I added chopped carrots and a couple of potatoes, as well as part of a can or organic crushed tomatoes. I ate it for dinner and stored the rest in glass jars saved from sunflower butter.
5. Inspired by Katy and her buying of heavy vegetables by the unit, I stopped into Trader Joe's while in a shopping center that has one. The butternut squash were all small and I didn't buy anything there. The same shopping center has an Aldi and I bought butternut squash there for $.89/# and some other produce items.
Not much to add to my comment on Katy's Monday post, but here it is:
(1) The snow turned to rain late yesterday, so I left my salty Element outside last night for a free rinse-off.
(2) And with the improvement in the weather, I'm hoping to get out for some thrifting today. All tag colors except one are 50% off at my Salvation Army superstore on Wednesdays.
(3) Finally, since K D and a few others have already given their 2025 found change and container return totals, here are mine: $40.08 in found change (the $20 and $10 bills I found in the middle of a street in May definitely helped here) and $304.90 in container returns. The container returns are down about 25%
from last year, for various reasons: I was off the streets because of weather or injury more; I was out of town a bit more than in 2024; my city introduced 96-gallon trash and recycling carts this year; and, as some of you have speculated, there may be more competition because of the current hard times.
1. Headed into day 7 of my no buy January. Luckily, I am still feel strong and inspired. Probably the New Year vibes. My main reason for doing this is I have too much stuff, and although I buy mostly second or get items from a circular economy, it's still too much. It's easy to over buy second hand!
2. I am meeting friends for a coffee and tea break tomorrow. We go to a local coffee truck that set up in our village permanently. We then walk to the library where I work and chill. I was going buy a fancy snack from somewhere, but that would require me to drive about 20 miles and of course there's the cost of the treat. I remembered that I trying to clear the freezer and pantry, and I have a cake in the freezer so I am going to put it on a fancy cake stand and serve that instead.
3. I received my first copy of Greencraft magazine. I plan on using upcycled ideas from it for programs at the library. Hopefully this will result in less misc plastic and such from being purchased for these events! When the director buys "junk" for crafts on Amazon, it makes me bonkers! Also when I am done with the mags I will donate them to the library and put them in circulation for the patrons.
4. Used a gift card, I received for Christmas, to purchase bulk coffee and cat food. Buying in bulk saved me 15% and using the GC made it so there was no out of pocket expense to me.
5. There has been some sunny days recently and that has got my chickens laying more eggs. We had been averaging 3 eggs a day a now we are up to 5 a day. Yay! More to eat and share.
1. I went out to lunch with a friend yesterday to a humble hamburger joint. Even with a generous tip it was only $12. We ordered from the senior menu, and it was just right, portion-wise. And taste-wise, too.
2. Splurged on a $12 car wash. I could have gotten a cheaper one, but I had a lot of salt and grime to wash off, so I wanted a more thorough wash.
3. Visited a Goodwill near the restaurant. It was senior day, so 50% off. I bought a gift for a future birthday, only $2.
4. A nearby grocery had a table display of holiday candy and treats 50% off. I spent $8 on two bags of chocolate bars.
5. Made French toast sticks for breakfast this morning from bread heels.
1. I had $84 transferred from Ibotta to my checking account.
2. Our health insurance has changed and meds will be more this year so I refilled all that I could before the end of the year.
3. My nephew who lives on the other side of the country bought a coat his grandma picked out from WM as her Christmas present. She needed a different size so I returned it. They gave me a gift card and I couldn't believe it when it had $71 on there! I'm pretty sure my nephew bought it for around $30 and right now it's on sale for $19.99. I guess they gave us the full price refund. I ordered the correct size for her and put the rest of the balance on her account to use toward groceries.
4. The plumber came yesterday to install the new garbage disposal I bought my mom for Christmas. He was able to fix the old one instead and only charged me for 1/2 hour labor. Today I'm returning the new one and giving my mom the cash toward the new dryer she needs.
5. At after-Christmas sales I only bought two things: a pack of cards which we will use for the next few years to send gift cards at Christmas to our great-niece and nephews who live across the country, and a string of battery-operated lights to help lighten up the house during the winter.
I’ve hiked that “rock” (Beacon Rock, yes?) back when I had family living in Portland and we visited several times a year. Fun hike! (Thanks for the memory…)
Is that Beacon Rock?! We hiked to the top last summer, such a beautiful area.
Glad you enjoyed your birthday trip!