Five Frugal Things — What to do With Excess Pens
1) I accompanied my friend Lise to Trader Joe’s, even though the only thing I could think to buy was pesto. I noticed that they’d set out a fresh batch of mini-tote bags, which reminded me of the blog post I published back in June.
I quote myself from that blog post:
“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.“
Punch up, not down.
2) I’ve had no success selling my late mother-in-law’s art canvases, so I’m donating them to the high school’s art department. She taught art classes at both the high school and college level, so it’s a fitting destination.
Every one of these high end canvases cost hundreds of dollars new, so my husband hoped to recoup some of that cost, but potential buyers wanted extreme bargains. (I mean, I get it . . . ) It’ll be healing to get them out of the house and into the hands of budding young artists.
3) I noticed that we’d somehow accumulated an excess of ball point pens, so I dumped them onto the coffee table to sort. A couple dried out ones went straight into the trash, while others survived The Great Pen Culling of 2026.
I then gifted a handful of perfectly functional, but no-need-em pens to a local store in the name of getting them back into circulation. I can’t imagine a situation that would call for twenty ball point pens all at once. I think the dozen or so that I kept should suffice.
4) I went on the library website at precisely midnight in search of free cultural passes. Sadly there was nothing new for me. My dream is to score theater tickets, but somehow the “Every 2 months” is never the current month.
Maybe not this month, but you know I’ll be checking back come midnight on October 31st! I’m no quitter.
5) In those pen crocks were two pairs of cat claw clippers, so I offered one up in my Buy Nothing group. We no longer have a cat, but I’ll hold onto the second pair in case my grandcats are visiting and extra scratchy.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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It’s a lovely donation, given your MIL was an art teacher. Very fitting.
1) Drove my electric car on my errands today.
2) Deposited cash leftover from our trip into my account, and then made a few shifts to ensure our money is in the highest interest rate account. This is for money needed in the next 12-18 months, and much of it is in a CD, but some is also in a HYSA. This should earn an extra $30/month extra.
3) Went to CVS for vitamins, and used a combination of store sales (BOGO) + coupons, rewards, etc. to get four of the largest size containers for $23.75, which is a very low per unit price.
4) Ate what was on hand for lunch. I’ve had to buy lunch at work the last three days (technically could have brought, but was hosting a work event & the logistics would have been challenging). I made use of: two plums, leftover chicken & a piece of cheese. Delicious & easy.
I’m bummed for your cultural desert. Here’s hoping you are building cultural karma points and will get something on the 31st.
While my 3 and 5 yr old neighbors were here for sunrise yoga, afterwards went to the garden and picked the baby boo pumpkins. Their little brother sat in the wagon as we piled the pumpkins around him. their mom took pics. They loved the counting game/chore, my back loved them helping me!
I culled my pens not too long ago. Still have way more than a dozen, though!
I got my free flu shot this morning. Free protection, I’m on it! Plus I got the senior dose, which is extra protection. I will pass on what the pharmacist told me — if you relax your arm there is less chance of soreness later. So far, so good.
Afterwards I went to Aldi for groceries. I spent $21. I wanted to use my gift card from Fetch, but $21 was a bit too much, so it was declined. I am having trouble keeping track of what’s left on the virtual cards in Wallet. I wish they would award us with physical cards.
I did find four receipts, though. Aldi seems to be a treasure trove of abandoned receipts.
A few bargains — I bought Honeycrisp apples for $1.99 as opposed to $3.79 for Pink Ladies, which are my favorite, but hey, Honeycrisp are fine. I bought two pounds of carrots for less than the little bag of “baby” carrots — which are not really babies, anyway, but shaved-down regular carrots. So why not do the peeling myself?
I carried my library books to return right past the bin at the community center, distracted by a soccer ball in the drive. I got out and tossed the ball into the field, but somehow that wiped out my mission to return the books. Was quite shocked to find them still in my bag once home! I’ll try again Saturday — tomorrow I’m doing laundry, so not likely to run errands.
Oh I almost forgot! I also went to PetSmart for a new heater for my aquarium. I saved $5 by responding to an offer to buy online and pick up in person.
I have one of those Dundee Marmalade jars (little crocks) that belonged to my great grandmother. I remember her keeping it on the stove with teaspoons in it. I was going on age 9 when she died but I imagine she kept teaspoons handy for stirring the coffee she and our family frequently drank. I now keep my kids’ baby spoons in it.
1. I went to my Kiva group today at the town library. We meet weekly at my friend’s indy book store but the store is closed for vacation so we reserved a conference room at the library. The group leader brought us Dunkin Donuts coffee and muffins.
2. After the group was done for the day and before I left, I borrowed two books, one for me, one for DH.
3. I met my SIL (from my former marriage but I didn’t divorce her) at McDonald’s where she bought me lunch. I bought McFlurries for us for dessert.
4. She also gave me a container of frozen spaghetti sauce with meat balls. Kindness is her middle name.
5. I’m still getting about a cup of raspberries every day from the bushes in my yard. Free fruit is very tasty!
Speaking of punching… I stopped by the bins for a quick look on my way into Portland for a work meeting. Two guys got into a fist fight on the opposite side of the bin I was searching through! Next, I got to see people get kicked out of the bins! The security guy says it happens around once per month, but this is the first time I’ve seen it.
On the way from the bins to my meeting, I saw a woman standing at the side of a busy Portland street with her middle finger aloft.
I sense that people are not OK.
I didn’t find much at the bins. It was the location where the Wilt Chamberlain jacket was found, and now everyone goes to that location because they think it’s better. Annoying. It used to be the low key bins with the sane people. I did find two boring items off my thrifting list (a specific cookbook plus a big serving fork). I find that I stay focused and don’t buy random cool stuff I don’t need if I have a list. That’s my frugal thrifting tip!
On the topic of ball point pens, I’ll say that I lose every pen that comes to me, so I never need to cull!
I’ve noticed manners and respect have gone out the window. One little thing someone doesn’t agree with and the bad behavior starts. Three times in the last six months I’ve gotten the finger for coming to a full stop at a stop sign by three different men behind me, all in pick up trucks. One was wildly throwing his arms around in rage. One gave me the finger with both hands. I’m a 67 year old woman, for goodness sake. I guess they want me to roll through stop signs. Nope. No tickets for me. I truly believe people have been given permission to say and do rotten things to their fellow human beings by following the remarks and behavior of a certain person who shall remain unnamed. I mean, what world leader calls a woman Piggy to her face?
Christine, in total agreement.
But we don’t have to put up with it. Those “males” in the pickup, likely suffering from short man syndrome can deal with waiting for me as I come to a full stop. I won’t call them men as they are not and likely never will be men.
One of these days I’ll put my vehicle in park and just sit there lol..
The weekly protest I often participates in often notices the guys in the big black pickups displaying their middle fingers. We all think they are probably guys that are trying to compensate for their ‘small bits’ if you know what I mean. Ditto for the guys racing in their souped up cars with the big engines and no mufflers. A real plague around here…
Oops ‘participate’ not participates.
Li, I sense that people are not OK, too. Daily (hourly, minute-ly) examples abound.
1. I sold two items on Marketplace. They were both my items and not purchased for resale. So it really was crap out, money in.
2. I sold another item on Ebay and listed several more.
3. My brother-in-law stopped over for coffee. He provided the pastries. We got caught up.
4. I’ve stayed home all day. No money spent.
5. I filled my hair conditioner with water to get every last bit out. I’m currently using that last bottle of miscellaneous conditioner left over from when my daughters lived here. Waste not, want not.
** Frugal Fail – I let a Kindle credit expire because I didn’t know it would expire. I need to start keeping better track.
Spurred on by your post, Katy, I checked my own library Discover and Go passes but didn’t see anything that interested me.
Inspired by comment from Beth W., I emailed PCP to check what vaccinations I still need.
Dropped my aunt at the airport after 5 day visit. Due to my having a cold, I did not have to provide a single meal for her so that was considerable savings. My dad covered her food instead and she brought us the leftovers before she left. On the way home from airport I dropped donations and bought myself a slice of GF pizza. A rare treat and a cheap way of improving my mental health.
Set out 4 cocktail glasses that someone is supposed to buy this afternoon.
Picked up 4 Advantage flea treatment for cats from Buy Nothing. At current prices this saved us $28. Dh rode his bike to pick them up, so no gas used.
I’m very happy to report that we only used 3/4 of a tank of gas in our car last month. Dh did some extensive calculations to find the optimal speed for fuel efficiency for his motorcycle. By decreasing his speed by 8 mph, he gets an extra 30 miles out of a tank of gas. Tank holds just over 3 gallons, so that’s comparatively a lot of extra miles. He’s a math teacher…
That’s sounds like a good story problem for his students!
What happened to both your kids being artists?
At least I can still see and comment on your blog. I have received a type in a code to make sure I am not a robot message on most of the blogs I read. So annoying.
1. I took my breakfast and lunch to work.
2. My 20 yrs old stove gave up and had an electrical issue last weekend. So I have been using the crockpot for supper bc I don’t have the energy to deal with stove shopping at the moment.
3. I have been walking extremely early in the morning at my new work place to get in my steps before work.
Not ideal but I am making it work.
4. Gas is $3.83 a gallon.
5. I sure appreciate being home after my long work drive every day!
It’s been awhile since I commented. Saving money has kind of been put on hold due to circumstances beyond my control, but I keep trying to be frugal.
I’ve sold 3 items on Vinted. I don’t think you get as much on items as you do on eBay, but all were free-to-me items, and one had been on eBay for over a month with no nibbles.
I sold two sweatshirts to a friend that had decorated with an old quilt. I discounted each one $10 because she is a friend, but she wasn’t home when I dropped them off, and her daughter did not pay. She said she would drop it off the next day, but hasn’t. I’m sure she just forgot, but I hate to ask for money from a friend. But I could really use the money…
I’ll be getting more overtime than I want this month. I have a coworker who is basically taking the entire month off for vacation, and I’ll be the one covering all her work.
It was my day off and it rained cats and dogs. I was only too happy to stay indoors and indulge myself by watching Dark Shadows. I’m up to Episode 21. Free streaming on the Walmart TV, and I’m amazed at what all I’ve been missing all this time! To date, I have not watched a single second of anything I had to pay for, other than buying the smart TV itself.
Ate meals concocted of canned goods and leftovers; no grocery shopping today.
Paid bills via phone so I didn’t have to go out in the rain.
Also went through a lot of papers on my desk and in the den and put the outdated stuff in the recycling bin. The pens I’m culling are going to the store where I work, bc all of the sudden, our pens at the registers have grown legs and walked off.
After far too many hot/dry days, I’m enjoying our sudden “monsoon,” with 70-something degree weather in the afternoons and the forecast is for temps no higher than in the 80s. It appears our endless summer is finally over and the triple digits are no more.
I filled up with gas earlier this week when it was still $3.64. The price has now jumped to $3.99. I want to throw my shoe at the TV every time I hear Trump waxing poetic at how, according to him, the economy is in fantastic shape, we have the greatest prez in history, and prices are going down. On what planet? (The only thing stopping me from throwing my shoe is that I don’t want to ruin my new TV. So I make myself content by merely yelling at the TV and changing the channel.)
October has dawned! Time to put out my Trumpkin sign, showing him as the “scariest Halloween monster ever”, who is “lit by lies and fueled by hate.” Of course the caricature showing him as a plump orange pumpkin with that awful hairdo actually is more flattering than what we’re seeing IRL.
I love that you have a Trumpkin sign! I can’t tolerate the sound of his voice anymore and change the channel whenever I hear it. Ugh.
Glad you got some relief from the heat.
1. Went to free Mahjong at the local activity center. It’s a fun group of ladies and I enjoy the games and the conversation.
2. My friend that got me into playing gave me 2 bags of clothes as we were leaving. We both love hand-me-downs, and she had gotten the bags from another friend. She took what she wanted, added to the bag, and told me to do the same. Most of it was not a good fit, but I did get 2 pairs of pants and a dressy top out of it. The bag will be passed onto my mother and aunt to go through as well.
3. Getting ready to leave town for a kid-free trip with my husband. Carefully packed to be sure the suitcases aren’t too heavy. Overweight baggage fees are not in my budget! I have a packed lunch ready to go for on the plane, and snacks in case we get delayed. (Fingers crossed to no delays!)
4. Grandma is staying with the big kids while we’re gone, and I have learned from previous trips that the things I think will get eaten while we’re gone rarely do, so I have been trying to use up anything that needs used before we go. For last night’s dinner I made a casserole that used up a partial jar of sauce and half a bag of mozzarella. I used a sharpie to label the cheese bag with how many cups it still contained, and put it in the freezer.
5. My son requested wonton soup for dinner tonight, and that will use up the last of the fresh produce in the crisper. I ate leftover casserole for breakfast, and will eat the rest for lunch.